At Rikki's Café, formerly the JuiceNet.
Ashley the merboy elf is being seated with Rikki, Emma, Cleo and their daughters at a table. Their husbands are already seated.
"Would you like a smoothie and shrimp, Ashley", asked Emma.
"What's a smoothie and what are shrimp", asked Ashley.
"Try the Strawberry smoothie, that's my favorite, suggested Elisha and shrimp are a seafood are a shrimp.
Harmony excitedly blurts out, "Ashley is a magical Christmas elf and a merboy. He flew on one of Santa's reindeer, Vixen. We even got to pet her. We found him this afternoon in the moon pool and his tail is red and green with sliver streaks.
"You can't be an elf since elf's don't exist", commented Zane.
"What do you mean? questioned Lewis. We used to think the same about mermaids and mermen until our wives and Grace jumped into the moon pool during a full moon when they were sixteen.
"Oh yea", agreed Zane. I remember.
"Grace Matthews is my momma, pipes Ashley. She is a mermaid, and my poppa was an elf from the elf village in Finland. Poppa died last month on Christmas Eve in a sleigh accident".
"Were you always a merboy elf, Ashley", asked Ash.
"No, answered Ashley. Until last night's full moon, I was just an elf. I lost my grip on Vixen's reins and free fell about twenty feet directly over the opening of the volcano. The next thing that I remember was waking up on the grass as Vixen licked my face. Feeling dirty, I went into the water to wash up and ten seconds later, I had my mer-tail. Then the girls found me in the moon pool.
Lewis's curiosity peaked with his scientific mind.
"So, what I gather is that your father's elf DNA got mixed with your mother's mermaid DNA when you fell into the moon pool during last night's full moon", questioned Lewis. I guess the moon pool activated your mother's mermaid DNA that was already in you.
Rikki, Emma, and Cleo suddenly got a concern look on their faces and telepathically conversed with each other.
"Oh crap," thought Emma. Dr Denman. If that bitch were to discover that we didn't lose our tails and our powers, we're in danger. We all are, including our girls and Grace's son.
"Just knock it off, Emma, scolded Rikki. Denman, as far as we know, still thinks that we lost our tails and our powers. We hadn't heard anything about her for like thirteen years. And I don't think she has any idea of the girls or Ashley.
"I think that Emma may have a point", thought Cleo.
"Wait. Who's Denman? Asks Ashley, Elisha, Ellie, Melody, and Harmony in unison and join in on the three older mermaids' telepathic conversation.
"Private conversation! The five of you", Scolded Rikki. We'll talk about this when we get home. Obviously, the game has changed now since their kids can hear our thoughts telepathically and join in.
Lewis, Ash, and Zane could see that their wives were having a telepathic conversation. For they always got the "look". Now their daughters could too and Grace's son, Ashley.
At this point, the waitress brings their order to the table, and they dig in on their dinner.
It turns out that Ashley likes his strawberry smoothies and his order of shrimp, for he never heard of shrimp. For him, seafood was the fish that came out of rivers, lakes, and streams. Ashley could only smile that he was in a whole different world—his momma's world. Even though he still hadn't found her yet, being with her childhood friends gave the young merboy elf a connection to his momma.
Yet, who was this Denman person that had the three mermaid mothers so worried. Was Denman a man or a woman or a mermaid or a merman or that this person could be an evil elf for all he knew. Also, it amazed Ashley that he and the four mergirls had been able to hear the private conversation between the mermaid mothers. For he had never had that ability as an elf. But wait, hadn't Vixen spoke to him telepathically on the way here. This new ability must be something about being a merboy. There will be many more surprises in store for him, Ashley suspects.
After dinner, Ashley shows everybody his silver locket with the picture of his poppa, momma, and himself that poppa made for him, and his momma has one just like it.
Rikki, Emma, and Cleo were amazed to see their old friend, Grace. How she looked so much like her son. The same auburn hair and blue eyes, that matched the color of the ocean.
Coming soon, chapter three. "The merboy elf's first Mer lesson".