It didn't take long for Urchin to relax among the humans. He was now lying in a box that was full of fresh water. The man called "Professor" reminded him so much of Erik in not just looks, but gentleness.
The boy, Gilligan, knelt down beside him. "Can you speak?"
He nodded. "I'm Urchin."
"I'm Gilligan. I promise you we won't hurt you."
Urchin smiled. "I gathered that already. It's nice to meet you."
Mary Ann went over with a plate of fruit. "I'm not sure what you eat."
Urchin looked at her. "Well I can eat pretty much anything." He grinned. "Especially if you cook it! I bet you're just like Corla!"
The farmgirl smiled. "Who's Corla?"
Urchin smiled softly. "She used to be a fairy but she chose to become a mermaid to…" he blushed! "Well we're married and she's gonna have a baby!"
"Awww!" Mary Ann said. "How far along?"
"She's due any day now."
"Can you tell us where you came from?" Mr Howell asked.
"Of course Your Majesty."
Mr Howell couldn't hide the grin. "I'm a king?"
Urchin nodded as the others groaned. "King Truan and Queen Isabella. The warmest and kindest royals you'll ever meet. They care about the people and no one goes hungry in their kingdom!"
Mrs Howell smiled. "How wonderful!"
He nodded. "In fact...everybody here reminds me of one of my friends." He looked at Ginger. "Raina was once under the spell of a wicked wizard. He froze her heart. Erik liked her but couldn't help her. My magic was able to break the spell and melt her heart. They're engaged now."
"Who's Erik?" Roy asked curiously.
Urchin smiled at him. "You. He's a wizard. One of the things he does is turn my fin into legs so I can walk on land." He sighed before looking down. "He risked his life for me when the pirates kidnapped me."
Gilligan frowned. "Pirates?"
Urchin looked at him before telling them what had happened. When he mentioned Captain Silas and The Gilligan, the Skipper had to fight back a smile. Even in an alternate universe a "Gilligan" saves his life!
"I'm not sure how we can get you home. We can't get home ourselves!" Gilligan said.
Urchin looked at them. "You mean you're lost?"
Roy nodded. "We were shipwrecked a few years ago."
"I'm sorry to hear that. I know what it's like to be lost," Urchin said.
"Please...tell us your story," Ginger said getting more intrigued by the minute.
Urchin did. He told of the destruction of the dolphintaled merpeople, meeting his friends and walking on land, battling Romas and nearly dying…
That part Gilligan's eyes seemed to go far away much to the nervousness of his friends. Urchin looked over and frowned in concern. "Gilligan?"
Gilligan drew in a breath. "Romas sounds like Kinkaid. A hunter that came here and hunted me. I...I still have nightmares sometimes."
The merman felt his heart ache for the boy. He reached his hand and placed it on the sailor's heart. It glowed white and Gilligan shut his eyes for a long moment.
When Urchin removed his hand Gilligan looked at him in awe. "What'd you just do to me?"
The merman only smiled. "Something I've done countless times. It wasn't hard to do. You're already very good. You see I can bring good forward and release burdens off of someone's heart. There are good people in the world...people and creatures...but they are burdened by guilt, fear, greed, and broken hearts. What I do is I can find that good that is buried and bring it forward."
Gilligan swallowed. "Thank you…"
Urchin grinned. "There is one other thing that I can do. I can't give anyone legs but I can give one person a fin for a day."
All of the castaways smiled knowingly. There was only one person who loved the sea enough to become a part of it.
Meanwhile, in the other realm Erik was doing his best to create the complicated potion to go with the spell. He was in his laboratory working feverishly. Every once in awhile he would check a nearby mirror to see Urchin conversing with the humans. He couldn't hear what was said but he did see his friend use his familiar healing on his red shirted double.
He could tell Corla that her husband was in good hands and already working his magic on these humans.