Chapter One- Boruto

It had been hundreds of years since the last interaction between humans and mermaids. They had faded to nothing more than a myth, beings that were made up and simply never existed. It used to be different in the past when the world was new. I often listened for hours and hours as the elders spoke of stories passed down generations, stories of the surface and its people. The relationship between humans and mermaids hadn't gotten off to a great start. Merpeople were curious about the beings they resembled, but ultimately claimed the top of the food chain.

Humans were prey that could be hypnotized and drowned so easily that they never thought the two legged creatures were capable of intelligence. That changed with time and as all living things, both species evolved. Humans proved to be just as capable on land as we were at sea and built homes for themselves. The fear began when they continued to build and created ships to travel over the ocean. They took fish and hunted with all kinds of weapons, but my finds were still simply curious. Afraid about their territory being invaded, but mainly curious since they humans stayed above the water.

Their ability to create was so similar to our own and my ancestors tried a different approach. They studied them, learned their language and even began talking with them. Mermaids still continued to feast on what they continued to see as lesser beings, but the humans weren't as helpless as they used to be. They showed that they could kill too and our people were taken for numerous purposes only to end up the same way: dead. Talking with the humans seemed like a better idea, but lots of mermaids saw war as a better option.

Meetings between leaders never happened because the humans fought amongst themselves more than they did with us. That made merpeople feel like that had an edge, surely the humans would fall to their own self destruction and war between us wouldn't even be necessary. Then of course the opposite happened. Humans grew stronger as they fought against each other, evolving faster than mermaids ever expected. While there was more land than sea, our people didn't seek to over run our world and outnumber the other creatures that lived there.

Our ability to procreate never moved at such a high rate and that was due mainly because of our instincts. However, the humans were soon to outnumber us and our leaders sided with caution. Even a shark didn't bare its fangs because it could and we still had the cover of rumors to aid us. Only humans that had met a mermaid face to face were certain of our existence and not many lived to tell the tale. They were still seen as food after all. Even so, mermaids stayed below the water and left humans to their own devices for the time being.

The next hundreds of years put things into perspective. We had our weapons and the humans had theirs, but their knowledge was quickly expanding. They were growing more violent and using things we couldn't comprehend. We didn't know the land like they did and they were beginning to learn the sea. Our people kept to the shadows as their fear grew, forced back deeper and deeper into the ocean. They no longer studied the humans and it was law to never go near them. To be seen could mean the end of our race.

War was not a popular idea now that there were so many unknowns and too many humans to count. We fled, down to the darkest parts of the oceans were it appeared we would finally be safe. Nothing the humans built could travel to our depths, nothing they created could withstand mother ocean's water pressure. Now we lived at the bottom of our world, those that under the sandy floor the sun kissed long dead. We lived in a world of darkness that our eyes had become accustomed to and continued our own evolution in the safety of human ignorance. We worked to further our civilization and create even greater weapons because even though we had faded to legend, the humans were still trying. They were still trying to conquer every part of this world.

Our history and the fear it created was enough for mermaids to follow the law, it was forbidden to swim into the light much less all the way up to the surface. The human language was still taught and passed down by those that remembered it, but not everyone was permitted to learn it. We were no longer curious and did our best not to create curiosity. If merpeople became interested enough in the language then that could lead to them breaking the law foolishly, yearn to know what the humans were up to and see the beings from the stories with their own eyes.

While I didn't think it was fair to pick and choose things like that, I could see the logic. I was curious. I wanted to see the beautiful ocean our people lost and I wanted to explore. It wasn't fair that we were forced to darkness and though I wasn't blood hungry, I wanted to reclaim our ancestor's home. I learned as much as I could and broke many laws in secret, to me it was worth the risk. After my morning lessons I swam to the outskirts of the kingdom.

There was a small cave that opened up to different tunnels, each of which I had explored during my seventeen years of life. One led up to the surface and once I was sure no one was around, I went in and followed it. The first time I had gone through this tunnel I had hurt my eyes. The change from dark to light blinded me for a little bit, but everyday I got better and better at adjusting. I was blown away by the underwater world we used to know and all the colors were so much more vibrant. The other ocean life was afraid of me at first and I was reminded that they hadn't seen my kind in a very long time.

I was finally able to put images with the creatures from the many stories I knew, some of which I didn't know and had no clue what to call them. As the year went by I swam a little farther, a little higher and had basked in the heat of the sun. It was so bright and so warm. Everything was better than I had imagined and I was able to call a lot of creatures my friends. Dolphins were fun to play with and the whales were protective of me, it felt like a home I had missed even despite not knowing it before. As I peek out of the end of the tunnel, I listened closely and sent out a few waves before deeming it all clear.

Today was the day I dared to go father, to see and feel for myself what air was like. I was going above the surface. I had never used my lungs before, but I had prepared myself mentally. No backing down. I swam out to the place I had picked out a week ago, making good time. Mermaids were the fastest creatures in the sea and I had never known just how fast I could swim until I began exploring the light ocean in earnest. The dark ocean was so dull in comparison, it wasn't nearly as pretty. It made me wish that someday we would be able to return to it. I met some of my dolphin friends along the way and they went with me to the spot I chose, excited to do something they called 'jumping'.

I was willing to try it, but first had to work out this air business. They swam around me as I tentatively approached the surface. I got sounds of encouragement and assurance that it was safe, but I decided to stick my hand out first. The difference was startling and I immediately pulling it back down.

"That's so weird!" I told them and wiggled the weirdness out of my hand. "I don't know if I like that . . ." One of them nudged me closer up, wanting me to do it properly. I bit my lip and eyed the waves. "No backing down . . ."

I clenched my eyes closed and poked my head out, not liking how my hair weighed down on my head and stuck to my face. The gills on either side of my neck closed and I stayed still like that for a second before I sucked in through my nose. I could feel the air fill me in a similar way water did and that gave me the courage to blink open my eyes. The first thing I was struck with was how the sea looked, a never ending line that separated our world from the humans. The sky was so big and just as blue, white spongy things slowly moving across it. I couldn't remember what they were called, but the sun shined right through them.

"Whoa." I breathed and sank a little lower when small creatures swam through the sky. "Are those . . . land creatures?" I asked the dolphins. "No wait, are they sky creatures?"

That would be even cooler, but the dolphins were too excited about playing to answer. I had the air thing down pretty easily and they were already talking about 'jumping' again. I knew they had a one track mind most of the time and just told them to show me. They didn't waste any time and picked up some speed under water before lunging in an arch over the surface, coming back down with a noise I had never heard before. I watched them jump over and over with a huge smile on my face, wanting to try it out for myself. They were right and it did look like a lot of fun.

It was crazy how natural the movement came to me, as if jumping was in my blood. The feeling of being in air was weird, but so new and different. I really really liked jumping and kept doing it with the dolphins for a good while. We didn't stop until we grew tired and I wasn't worried when I realized we were in a place I didn't recognize. My friends would guide me back, they always did and it was worth it to explore this new skill. Today was a good day. I was about to swim deeper under the water when I noticed a turtle out of the corner of my eye, turning around to see what it was doing. I gasped at seeing a mass of sand that blocked off the view of the ocean.

Curious, I watched the turtle moved up the mass of sand until it breached the surface. I popped my head up as well and was overwhelmed with so many things I had never seen before. Could it be, had I found land? There was sand leading up to lots of tall plants, there was green everywhere. Further down the right I could make out big structures that were so foriegn and all placed next together. I heard voices coming from down there and ducked down the second forms came onto the sand, forms that I suspected meant I was somewhere I shouldn't be.

I went further left to the rocks and hid behind one, popping out again to take a peek. I couldn't help wanting to look even though I knew I should leave. The dolphins were keeping their distance and telling me to go with them, but I had to see. The forms were far away, but I could still hear them with regardless. I couldn't hear as far as my waves could reach underwater, but it was still a good distance. From what I could make it, it was clear my hunch was right. Two legs. An upper body that resembled my own.

Had I truly, were they really- "Humans . . ." I spoke quietly.

My gaze traveled back to the large structures as they sat on the sand, deeming them as their homes. What else could they be? They certainly weren't plants and didn't look natural. I might not know a lot about land, but they were too out of place. They matched the description of human homes from the stories, but just barely. A lot was different and a lot was unknown. It would be a lie to say I wasn't as scared as I was curious. Still, my eyes went back to the humans and I didn't dare get any closer.

I went further left and under the rocks that went around, standing tall out of the ocean. More humans were showing up and some went straight into the water. It was so strange. My eyes widened when I saw small ones, interested enough to get a bit closer, but stayed within the rocks. I pulled myself on top of one and peek around another to get a better look, completely fascinated.

"What the fuck?"

I snapped my head in the direction of the human words and went completely still. Right there, sitting under the rocks at the entrance to a cave of some sort, was the end of everything. A human was looking right at me, silver eyes wide. His hair was two colors, blond on the bottom and black on the top. He had a deep voice that had to be male and a sharp jawline that outlined his handsome face. His frame was large, much larger than a lot of the merpeople I knew. All of it screamed danger. We both stared at each other in shock and my mind raced. I was too stunned to move and he had already seen me, I seriously messed up big time. If it's just one surely the other humans won't believe him, right? I hadn't doomed my race to extinction because of this mistake . . .

His expression eventually relaxed though a hint of surprise and disbelief was still there. "You… can hear me?" He blinked, appearing dumbstruck by the sight of me. The human edged closer from his perch on the rocks, eyes locked on me.

A warning hiss left my throat and I flicked my tail once against the water. What if they did believe him? I couldn't be so sure no one would. Should I kill him? Could I kill him? What if that turned out to be an even bigger mistake? I didn't know what to do and couldn't afford to let this human out of my sight until I decided.

"Stay there. No move." I said in his language, hoping it came out clear enough for him to understand.

"You talk?" He gaped at me, but shook away his surprise. "I… just want to see you."

My heart was pounding in my chest and I watched him closely. "You already seeing." I said in slight confusion. What did he mean he just wanted to see me? Not that I really had time to worry about what he wanted, but if he ran away I had no hopes of stopping him on land.

"Don't worry, I'm not gonna hurt you. I promise. How about I stay and you come closer?" He asked, eyes not leaving me for even a second.

I didn't like that idea and suspected he might be planning something, but he was close enough to the water that I could get away if I needed to. If I got closer then I could make sure he didn't try to run. I slowly lowered myself back into the water and then maneuvered around the rocks. Once I reached the area he was sitting in, I put my arm around a smaller rock in front of me and stayed in the water. I could smell him at this distance.

He leaned his head a little closer without moving his body and then whispered, "Are you really a mermaid or was I smoking some laced weed earlier?"

So the myths of us are still well known. "I not understand. What is 'weed'?" I asked, though I wasn't sure what 'smoking' was either.

"It's—hey! The real question here is, what the fuck? You're really a fucking mermaid. I always knew you existed." He suddenly smiled excitedly and slowly laid his hand out towards me. "I guess I should introduce myself. I'm Kawaki."

"Ka . . . Kawahki." I repeated with some difficulty. "Kawa . . ki? That is your name?" He was oddly friendly, but I didn't know why he was holding out his hand. "You say you knew about mermaids, how you know?"

"Aren't you going to shake my hand and tell me your name too?" He asked as if I should have known what he'd been expecting.

My gaze dropped to his hand, figuring it was a human thing. "My name is Boruto." I said and tentatively took hold of his wrist, moving it up and down to make his hand shake.

He laughed suddenly, the sound loud and foreign enough to have me cowering back but I didn't get far when he'd corrected my grasp by moving my hand to his. "Like this, Boruto." He explained as he shook hands with me.

"I see . . ." It was a weird custom alright. "Now you tell me how you know?" I asked, letting go of his hand. I needed to make sure there weren't other humans who knew we were real and were looking for us.

"Well, it just wouldn't make sense for you to be something created from somebody else's thoughts alone. There are a lot of factors, honestly. It's hard to explain, but I've just always been a believer. And I love the sea… I'm studying to become a marine biologist."

I had no idea what that was, but apparently he was a scholar. "So . . . you not know, only think and believe." And I went and proved it. Stupid. "Now that you know . . . what will you do?"

"What do you mean? There's nothing to do." He shrugged. "But it is really amazing to know… to meet you. Boruto, you're really amazing, you know that?"

"Me? You think that?" I said and rested my head against my arm on the rock, face heating up.

"Of course. I mean, it's the truth. There's so much I want to learn about you, but I realize that you'd just be shocked having to deal with me."

That was an understatement. He seemed nice enough . . . and he thought I was amazing. "No one know about mermaids. I make mistake, not careful. You no tell other humans." Maybe, just maybe he wouldn't be the end of everything.

"Nobody would believe me even if I tried to tell them." He laughed. "I won't tell on you, Boruto. I'm the type of believer that just wants you to be safe and healthy and free."

I smiled at that and flicked my tail under the water. "Okay." I said and relaxed, the remaining tension leaving me. I took a closer look at him curiously. "Your black scales are bigger than other humans. Why?" The ones on the sand didn't have as much.

"Huh?" He glanced down at his body before looking back at me. "No, I don't have scales. We wear clothes. What I'm wearing is a wetsuit, because I've been in the water all morning." He raised his hand up to his neck and grabbed a piece from the suit and started pulling it down and shedding it from his flesh. "See?"

"That not hurt?" I asked and moved from my rock to get a little closer. "Will new one grow back?"

"You're really cute." He chuckled, but I was distracted as I watched him play with the shedded bits of the 'wetsuit' around his waist. "It doesn't go anywhere. I can put it back on whenever I want."

It was fascinating, like nothing I had ever seen. "I want to touch."

"Go ahead, touch all you want!" He beamed at me.

I moved up and hesitated for a second before getting out of the water, pulling myself onto his perch. Then I reached out and felt the black wetsuit and gasped. "Ohh."

"Do you like it? It must feel weird to you." Kawaki said thoughtfully.

"Weird, but not bad." I clarified, and felt it for a few more moments before pulling my hand back. "You ask question since I touch." It was only fair.

"You're telling me to ask a question?" He was taken aback but obviously pleased by the idea and he took a moment to think it over before asking, "Can I… can I touch you too?"

I blinked at him and self consciously moved my hair out of my face. "Okay." I didn't really mind, though I was a little flustered.

He smiled softly, a kind look in his silver eyes as he raised his hand towards my face, pausing long enough to show me he meant no harm and then the tips of his fingers brushed across my cheek. Once again he looked amazed and he nearly gawked at me.

"I didn't think your skin would be like this… it's soft." He murmured, seeming to be speaking more to himself than to me but his touch quickly drifted to my hair. "I don't think your hair likes the air very much though."

"I no like too." I huffed. "Not like in the water, not at all."

"You're just not used to it probably. It's a lot different when you are used to it, trust me." He said as his eyes fell to my tail. "Can I?" He asked, hand drifting downward.

I nodded, proud of my aquamarine scales. "They very strong. Like me."

"Oh?" He laughed as he laid his hand on my tail and rubbed it carefully. "Amazing. And I bet you are really strong. Your tail is so beautiful and matches the color of your eyes. It seemed darker when I first saw you."

I blushed at the compliment, the end of my tail swaying side to side. "Thank you. It change color, but this one main one."

"It changes?" His lips parted in awe and he stroked my tail as if in a way to pet me. "That's really special. You're sweet, strong and beautiful. That's kind of a deadly combination isn't it?"

I smiled at him and hummed, happy to hear such nice things. He was a really nice human, not at all like the ones in the stories from the past.

"Shit. It's changing just like that—out of nowhere?" He gasped and I took a look as well to see the aquamarine had darkened into a luscious sapphire. "How—why?!"

"I no control it." I told him, enjoying how impressed he was. "I just feel and it show."

"So there is a reason for the change then… you feel… you mean like your emotions?" He asked, his eyes back on mine though he was still rubbing my tail in the most affectionate manner.

It was soothing, something my mother used to do when I couldn't fall asleep. "Yes, that. Emotions."

"Do you know what emotion you're feeling now?" He asked as if he didn't trust himself to be the judge of it.

I grinned, thinking it was obvious. "Happy, Kawaki."

"Does that mean we're basically friends now?" He grinned back, his hand stopping to rest where it was on my tail as he leaned closer and bumped his elbow against me.

A human friend . . . my parents would kill me, but out of all the laws I break this technically wasn't one of them. Nowhere did it say not to befriend a human. "Okay, friends. I never have human friend before."

"Well, I'm honored to be your first." Kawaki said, eyes bright as he patted my tail. "You seem as if this is all new to you… so I'm gonna take a guess that you're not meant to be here. May I ask… are you alone?"

Was he asking if I was the only mermaid? " . . . I not alone . . . but you right to think I not supposed to come to land." I said honestly, though I didn't think that bit of information was too dangerous. And he did say we were friends.

"I see." He hummed, seeming to lose some of his excitement. "I suppose I understand… but I really hope to see you again. Do you think we will?"

I stared down at his hand, palm warm against my scales. "I not know . . . bad if humans see . . ." If more than one saw, I wasn't sure what I would do. Then it might really be all over.

"Ah… I agree." He sighed sadly. "I'm really happy you didn't swim away from me… I'm glad I got to meet you, but if you ever come across anyone else, don't do that. You get away, far and fast, no matter what they try to say."

"I will swim away." I promised. If I couldn't swim, then I would be forced to kill. "If I come back . . . if it safe . . . I will see you?"

Kawaki nodded and smiled at me. "Yeah, I'm almost always here in the water. I live right up there." He pointed behind the cliff to another structure I hadn't noticed before. "I surf so basically all my free time is spent in the ocean."

"What is 'surf'?" I asked and dipped the end of my tail in the water.

"Riding a board in the waves." He explained. "They've settled so now wouldn't be a good time… but next time, when I see you again, I'll sure you… I mean if you want me to."

That sounded like fun. "Okay! I will try to come back."

"Maybe then we can learn a lot more about each other." He said as he wrapped his arm around me and pulled me into a hug.

I blinked at the action, suddenly surrounded by his warmth. "Y-yes." I stuttered, face flushing once more. He was a very touchy human and I could feel his firm muscles against me.

"You smell just like the ocean." He said as he pressed his nose against my cheek and inhaled slowly. Then he laughed. "I guess I shouldn't be surprised."

My flush deepened and I shyly sniffed him too. There was a hint of the ocean as well mixed in with what I assumed all humans smelled like, but there was one thing overpowering everything else. "You smell like . . . um, I not know human word . . ." All I knew was that I liked it.

"Probably weed." He laughed. "It's pretty strong."

"It good." I told him and closed my eyes, relaxing in his arms.

"Yeah, it's good. I don't think you should ever try it though. It makes you feel… different."

I already felt different, sitting here so close to a human I had just met. I knew what I was doing was reckless and pretty crazy. I didn't even let most mermaids get this close and hold me, but Kawaki seemed big on affection and I liked him enough to go along with it. There was some trust between us already even if it was small. I couldn't deny that I enjoyed the affection as well. We stayed like that for awhile before I felt too airy and had to go back into the water. My dolphin friends were still waiting for me further out into the ocean and began sending waves towards me that I returned. The sun was a lot lower in the sky than it was when I first came to the surface, it was getting late.

"I have to go." I said as I turned back to look up at my new human friend.

"I understand." He smiled at me and waved. "Don't forget to come back. Okay, Boruto?"

I grinned, returning the gesture. "I no forget."

"You better not." He laughed, eyes brightening in amusement. "I'll see you soon then."

I nodded and then went back under to my world, maneuvering around the rock area to where the dolphins were waiting. I wanted to pop my head out and wave goodbye one more time, but I could hear other humans further down in the water. After being spotted once today, I wasn't interested in making a repeat no matter how nice Kawaki was. I followed my friends, swimming deeper down as they led me back to an area I recognized. Thoughts of Kawaki circled my mind as I traveled back to the dark ocean. What I was doing was really risky. It might even be ridiculously stupid, yet I was still taking the chance.

I agreed with the idea that if he did tell other humans about me, they wouldn't believe him. Perhaps I was too trusting, too quick to believe his words and actions. Maybe I would have handled things differently if it wasn't for what I felt. My instincts were telling me that Kawaki wasn't a threat. Mermaids relied on and trusted in our instincts a great deal, they weren't something we brushed off. I felt that Kawaki was genuine. I honestly hoped something good would come out of this, be it a chance to learn so much more about humans or to make a tiny mend between our species. Another part of me just wanted to take back and experience the world above.

This was my chance to finally satiate my curiosity.

A/N: A KanaTyy collaboration XD