LEGS.

"So, that's what they call them?"

"But I swore I saw one of the humans have a third leg, er...it looked like it was snapped though cause it seems to be pointing erect, like someone had actually snapped it to a horizontal 'I' shape. I remember seeing an eye at the ends of the leg though, which is kind of creepy and-".

"Arielle...".

"Wait, why's the tip of these two weird bouncy balls on my chest pinker and harder than before? Was there a defect in the - Wow, I didn't know that humans had a hole over here either!". Arielle exclaimed, parting the opening in between her thighs with her fingers. "Makes me wonder what goes through here. What do they—".

"Focus Arielle, this is not the time to explore your cunt!". The middle-aged woman besides her slapped her hands away from the spot before she would eventually do something more worse. "You do what we discussed and return before the lunar month, your 18th birthday, that's the MAIN DEAL".

When Arielle didn't answer, the middle aged woman turned to her sharply, only to see her trying to lick the surface of her face. This was certainly the very first time for Arielle to have another surface on her body other than scales.

"Those things all over your body are called skin, Arielle. If you notice, you're breathing through your nose and not your skin. The skin acts like a covering to the body for the humans just like our scales do to us. The only difference is that, hairs are found at some spots hidden at their skin pores".

Arielle blinked.

"Forget what I said and listen to me". The woman held Arielle's hands gently. Her silver slimy webbed fingers curling around the human's fingers slowly. "Are you sure you want this, Arielle? If your father finds out that I helped you in this...". The woman mused.

"Don't worry Godmother! He won't know a thing, promise!". Arielle chirped in.

Her Godmother wore a smile and nodded. "Good, just remember never to take off this bracelet". Her webbed fingers tapped the glowing bracelet on her goddaughter's wrist.

"I've been meaning to ask this, what happens if I remove it?". Arielle asked, circling her fingers around the strange bracelet. A neon blue light shone brightly in three bars, blinking twice as another light scanned her upperwrist before displaying pictures of her mermaid form. Something about this bracelet gave her the chills but nevertheless, she found it dashingly beautiful.

"This thing on your arm, Arielle...". Her Godmother started, fixing Arielle's messy hair from behind. "Is like a seapuss. Those three bars are like your life bars as a human, if it blinks at a low percent, there's every tendency for you to change back forcefully or get hurt. This bracelet regulates the balance of your powers especially when you're being a human. One wrong switch and you're stuck in the form you chose. The risk involved in this is high, so you've to be careful".

Arielle crouched on the plantal stool and stared at her. "So...if I mess up with this thing's function, I can be stuck as a human?".

The Godmother nodded.

Arielle sighed, blowing the strands of hair that carelessly made their way to her face. "Whatever, I'm old enough to fix things my way".

"Mhm". The lady hummed. "Anyways, the only way to fully summon your powers is to mate with your supposed human on the eleventh hour of your birthday. Since you're one of the heirs to the Queen and have some special gifts inside of you, it won't be really difficult in doing that".

"Mate?". Arielle's cheeks went red even though she didn't fully know what that word meant. All she knew was that her friends experienced it with their lovers and said that it was the most pleasurable thing in the world. She wanted to feel that pleasure too but just not with a merman.

"Yup". The woman answered, popping the word 'p'. "That's all it takes, but bewarned...". Her voice went dangerously cold and unfriendly. "Humans are very selfish and terrible. They'd stop at nothing to butcher you if they happen to find out your identity. Never trust anyone enough to tell them your background, you hear me?".

Arielle frowned and nodded. Everyone kept saying humans were terrible two-legged monsters that kills aqua-creatures and displays their bodies to their own greed, specifically the mermaids. Ariel somehow disagreed with that myth and was trying to prove them wrong.

Arielle sighed and stood up at once.

"I'm not done yet".

"Really?". Arielle groaned.

Her Godmother turned around, scrambling through the seaweeds beside the shelves. Arielle watched as she picked up a scroll and mused over it.

"You've to sign this". The woman said. "It's important you—".

Arielle didn't even have time to glance through the lines as she couldn't read. She picked up the stony pen and pricked her fingers, letting the pen soak the blood, enough to write few words. Then, she went down to the end of the paper and signed her agreement, writing her name underneath it.

Princess Arielle.

"Did you even read what was in there?". The woman's silver eyes swirled with anger and shock. To her, Ariel had just signed a death contract.

"I don't need to. It's done already, isn't it?". Arielle mumbled, extending the paper to her front.

The woman wore a strained smile and placed it amongst some other dark deals in a bottle.

"Can we continue?". Arielle asked.

"Of course".

"First and foremost, You must avoid the word 'water' at all costs, especially when you're not wearing your bracelet. You've got two legs now, use them when you have to".

Arielle swings her leg back and forth. "Let me guess, whoosh, whoosh, I'm a pretty fish lady again".

"Exactly".

"But c'mon, that's like depriving me of water. That's my source of living, our source of living, there's no way I can stay off water for that long". Arielle shrugged.

"Rules are rules, Arielle, you can stay away from it only in public places".

"Sure. I'd do anything to keep these babies". Arielle made her point by spreading her legs apart, making her godmother turn her face away quickly.

"If you keep on doing that thing, you'd not like what the humans would do next to you, Arielle". She scolded.

"Oh, trust me - I know what's coming for me". Arielle pressed her legs together with a naughty giggle and stood up. "I'm off to the shore now, Godmother".

"No no, you can't go now".

"Huh? Why?".

"You have to go in two days time. By then, someone would accompany you through the life up there. You can't make it on your own, trust me".

"I'm not a baby anymore". Arielle stomped her feet, slightly offended that everyone had to follow her everywhere she had to go, either because of her royalty or because she was never trusted.

"I would prove that to you, everyone, that I'm fine on my own. And guess what? I can mate with him just as wished, whatever that word means, and then I'd be not only an explorer but the FIRST MERMAID TO BE ON SHORE!".