When I was six my grandmother disappeared from the home. My parents searched and all that came back were reports of seeing an old woman that lept from a pier into the sea.

My mother had sat me down and before she could talk I looked at her with wide eyes. "Why are you sad? She returned to the sea."

My mother pursed her lips and started a long speech about death. But I knew what death was, I had lost pets before. They would run away, or my fish would die after their short lifespans were up. But Grandma had always spoken of returning to the sea one day, and I didn't think that was a death.

As I grew older I would come to question that thought. Soon I had other things to contend with at school school where children compared soulmarks like grades. I was always made fun of the long sleeves I wore, but I learned they were protection. I had once seen a kid with unusual marks being taken to the counselor and then leaving school and not returning. The only clue to where he went off was the non-descript black car that picked him up. I'd watched from the window of our school as men in suits escorted him to the back seat.

I knew the feeling of being watched and so I put on my personality like my own kind of armor. I joked around, smiled and laughed in the face of snide comments and watchful gazes.

When I was 15 my parents split up, and I found myself shuttled back and forth between their homes.

Puberty had hit me hard and the stares became worse, so my sarcasm became sharper.

When it got too much, the mediating between two fighting parents and the feeling of never having a real home, I decided to leave.

I went to Australia as a foreign exchange student.

The program would have me take my final senior year in Brisbane, then follow up with at least one term at the University of Queensland.

The Gilberts were the ones that housed me and they were the most picture perfect family I had ever seen in my life. It was jarring.

Disagreements between each other were met with calm, respectful communication. The family sat down for meals together, asking how each other were and actually listening to the answers given.

Emma was the oldest, captain of her swim team and straight A student.

Elliot the youngest was adorable, soft spoken but passionate about his books and comics.

The parents were a bonded pair, so full of love and respect it could have been nauseating if it wasn't so sweet.

Then one day everything changed.

It had started out the same, after school I went with Emma to her swim practice. Sweet Cleo was there as well, she was always jittery around water but I knew not everyone took to it. The deep scared many.

Cleo had left to head home, and I finished helping Emma time her laps.

Later as we were nearing the edge of the marina, we met with Cleo and a girl I'd only seen in passing, Rikki.

"Emma, Darcy, do you want a ride?"

I smiled. It was rare to see Cleo not nervous when near water. Cleo would come over to the Gilberts often and I'd gotten to know her better.

I looked at Emma and shrugged.

"Why not?"

It wasn't until Rikki drove the boat out into the open water that the joy on Emma and Cleo's faces wore off.

As we were in sight of the legendary Mako island, which according to Emma and Cleo was surrounded by reefs and sharks, our boat ran out of fuel.

Rikki sighed, "We'll have to paddle to it." She passed an oar to me, "Mako is all that we've got."

When we reached the shore, the girls argued while I looked at the treeline of the island. There was something about this place that called to me.

"I can't get a signal, we'll have to get to higher ground." Emma strode forward taking the lead of our small group.

We climbed through the jungle brush of the island.

Poor Cleo started worrying about if we'd ever be rescued, which proceeded with Rikki giving a quip.

"Well then I guess we'll have to draw straws to find out which of us we eat first."

"That's not funny." Emma scolded while I let out a small chuckle.

"I don't know, I thought it was."

I got a glare from Emma but Rikki and I smirked.

The sun filtered through the canopy of trees as we neared a river. Boulders framed the edges.

Emma jumped across with no problem but as Cleo backed away she let out a scream as she fell through a hole.

Emma followed after.

Rikki and I looked at each other.

"I'm curious. What about you?"

We both went down.

"What are you doing? You were supposed to throw down a rope or something!"

"What rope?" Rikki looked at Emma with a raised eyebrow.

I shook my head as my eyesight readjusted to the darker interior of the cave we seemed to be in. I'd always been able to see well in the dark and sometimes when I remembered the past I wondered if it was due to my soulmate.

"I hear water down this way, and there's a pathway."

I looked back at Cleo, "Did you sprain anything? Do you need help?"

She shook her head, "No I'm ok, Darcy."

"Oh Darcy! That's your name."

I smiled, "And you are Rikki."

"Enough chatter we need to find a way out." Emma passed us.

Rikki whispered, 'chatter' with a giggle before following.

The pathway traveled higher before we came to a cavernous space with a natural pool at the back.

"Wow! This is like the cone of a volcano!" Rikki looked around.

Cleo's dark eyes darted around, "It's not going to erupt is it?"

"It's been dormant for twenty thousand years. I think we are safe." Emma quipped.

I turned toward Cleo, her features lit by the blue light that surrounded us.

"We would see more evidence of heat rising if that were the case."

Cleo nodded with a shiver, "Ok."

Emma was focused on the pool, "There are tidal rings, this pool leads out to the ocean." She dove in.

Cleo shook her head, "I'm not going to like this."

I patted her on the shoulder, "I'll help if it comes to it, we have time. We can take as long as you need but it would be best when there's still light available. There's a full moon tonight so that should help light the way."

Cleo nodded and sat at the edge of the pool. Her voice wavering as she called out to Emma when a minute had passed and her friend hadn't returned.

A couple more seconds passed and Emma peeked out of the water, "I was right. It's only a twenty second swim to the surface we can all fit."

Rikki and I took off our shoes but Cleo hesitated.

"In there, no way."

"You can do it." Rikki held out her hand for Cleo.

I held my other hand out, "We'll be right by your side."

"I can't do it. Besides, I can't swim."

"Well there's no time like the present to teach you."

I got into the pool, "We won't dive until you are ready."

Slowly but surely Cleo slipped into the water with a hint of panic in her eyes.

"You have long arms and legs which will help propel you through the water. Let's start simple though."

As dusk turned to night, the three of us taught Cleo how to swim.

The hint of panic faded but the nerves remained.

"Everything will be fine." Emma spoke from the mouth of the pool.

"How can you be sure?" Cleo bit her lip looking at the curious blue lit pool surrounding us.

"Listen to her, Cleo." Rikki nodded toward Emma before looking back at Cleo, "What alternative do we have?"

Cleo tread the water before nodding, "Ok."

As we prepared to submerge the full moon moved above the dormant volcano's top. It's light shining down on us.

The pool began to bubble and as I looked up I wondered if I was going to see my soulmate again.

I could feel something changing. My skin tingled.

We all let out gasps as the bubbles rose in the air, traveling up to join the moon in the sky.

"Wow!" Cleo looked up in awe.

"Spooky." Emma whispered.

"Now concentrate, take a deep breath." Emma dove below, while Rikki and I waited for Cleo, each swimming on either side of her in case she needed our help.

As we broke the surface Cleo gasped, "That was more than 20 seconds."

"You made it though Cleo. You were awesome."

Adrenaline giggles went through all as a spotlight fell upon us.

The next day I joined Emma for her morning swim in the sea.

Diving into the water felt like coming home.

I watched as Emma came up to breathe content to stay beneath the surface. I watched as the sea bubbled around her and she transformed. My eyes widening, my hand moving up to my necklace with a slight frown.

Sharp pain went through my body, from my toes to my scalp causing me to gulp in water into my lungs.

So this was how I was going to die.

I screamed as my lungs stung but with a pop I could breathe again...underwater.

My legs felt like thousands of needles were pricking them. I looked down and watched as I saw my legs change. My bikini bottom broke as my legs grew wider, merged together and lengthened.

Something like scales scattered across my new form glittering in as they caught the refracted light from above.

A long glimmering silver blue tail greeted me from below.

My eyes widened.

My Babya was right.

It would get some getting used to for movement of the tail over two legs but I propelled myself to the surface. My lungs, new and improved, somehow taking in the air as easy as the water.

Emma insisted on both of us joining the others at Cleo's house.

The girls talked over themselves while I looked out to the marina yearning to get back in the water again. It felt weird walking on land again after I'd returned from the sea.

"What happened to us?" Emma's brow wrinkled.

"We grow these...and they vanish when we are dry. Almost like..." Cleo looked to each of the girls eyes wide.

"Mermaids." Rikki spoke up.

"Stop it, you are not being funny."

I could feel Emma's gaze on me, she'd been looking at me odd ever since we'd gotten dry and I got covered up.

"Why was yours different?"

"What do you mean different?" Cleo looked from Emma to me.

Emma paused, "Her...tail didn't look like mine." She turned her head, "What did yours look like?"

"Sort of golden, long with a large fluke." Rikki tapped her lip before with a grin as she looked at me, "What's yours like Darcy?"

I gave a little smile, my gaze still drifting to the water.

"It was silver and it shimmered."

Oh yes Emma was definitely suspicious.

I dazed out before coming back when they called my name.

"We think we should return to the water."

"I agree." I nodded.

I made my way out following the call to the water. The others, except for Cleo, followed me out to the nearby beach.

When reaching the beach I hid behind a rock face before taking my bottoms off and diving into the water. This time the change happened almost immediately.

I felt as Rikki and Emma swam up to me.

Rikki grinned looking me over, giving me a thumbs up while Emma looked on with disapproval.

The look faded as we swam out into the open water together, something freeing about the water rushing past us as we flew through it.

When we returned to the Gilberts, Cleo was waiting for us. Excitedly she showed her new ability to manipulate water. I watched as Emma accidentally froze the tendril of water Cleo had made. How curious.

According to my Babya I should have the ability over elements too, but when I tried to move the water from another glass nothing happened. I would have to pull out Babya's journals and investigate.

"So this secret is just between the four of us?" Cleo glanced around the girls.

"Whatever this is, we are in it together."