"A pearl!" The purple-haired mermaid, Maya, smiled with glee as she dove down to the bottom of the ocean floor to retrieve the pink, shiny, pearl. She smiled as she carried it to safety to her private jewel cove. "Another pearl to add to my collection." She said, admiring the collection of jewels she had accumulated. 

This peaceful period was not of long last, though, as a loud bang from above the waters startled the young mermaid out of her bliss. "What's happening up there?" She swam to the surface, her glittering, purple tail following behind her. 

Maya meekly rose to the surface, her beautiful, purple eyes just above the water to see what was going on. Two ships as big as mammoths, armed with guns, canons, and other weapons, fighting one another, causing a great commotion over the waters. 

The mermaid gasped as she saw a canon flying, destroying the hull of the boat across from it. "A human war.." She decided to swim closer, but not too close, to investigate. Maya bobbed in the water, just a distance away from the battle. 

"Fire the canons! Will, take the wheel! We're gonna get out of this alive, men!" A salty old sailor shouted about commands to his crew. The crew readily obeyed, the young man, Will, taking the wheel to try and steer them away from their adversaries. 

Right when they though they could make it to the shore, one single shot from the other boat's canon left another gaping hole in their vessel - and it began to sink. "Release the lifeboats!" a crew member screamed. The boats landed to the rough seas with a splash as men began to board them. "Will!" They all called for the young lad to jump in. 

Will ran from his position at the wheel, the ship now going up in flames. He went to jump, but his foot caught the railing. With a trip, he fell to his doom, splashing into the water dark as night. Maya was still watching the scene, and she had saw the human fall over to his death. "He needs help, to be saved! But father would kill me if I saved a human, the same kind of species that killed my mother." 

As she thought on her decision, it came to her that she couldn't let somebody die just because he was human. "I have to save him!" She dove into the water with a great splash, fastly swimming to where the young man was floating down to the bottom of the ocean. She wrapped her arms around him tightly, using all her strength and might to pull him up to the surface. She swam away from the lifeboats, the crew, and the sinking ship. She swam, tiredly, until she reached the sandy shore. 

With a grunt, she hurled him onto the shore, lying beside him. Maya looked at him, sitting up to study him closely. "I've never seen a human this close before.." She gasped as she looked at his peaceful expression, his handsome features, and his ripped and tattered clothing. She looked at his hand, taking it in hers. She took her other hand and touched his right leg. "A real human with two legs. I bet he can run, jump, dance!" She giggled to herself as she thought of the possibilities that came with being human. 

She sighed as she cast her gaze to her own tail. "But if he woke up..would he kill me, just like they killed my mother?" She looked back to the handsome male. She squeezed his hand tight as she began to make her departure. She turned to the ocean, was about to dive, when- 

"Wait!" A stranger's voice stopped her. Maya hesitantly turned around to see the human she had saved from drowning, sitting up and looking at her with widened eyes. "You're a..a.." He stuttered from shock. 

"Oh, please, don't hurt me! I saved your life, so you must spare mine!" She pleaded with him, sitting on the shore, her tail brilliantly shining in the sun. "I wouldn't even think of such a thing." The young male scoffed. "Please, tell me, who are you?" The girl looked at him with a surprised expression. Somebody that didn't want to harm her for their own benefit? It was a surprising thing to overcome. 

"My name is Maya." The girl smiled at the boy. "I am William, and it is a pleasure to meet you, Maya." Will flashed a charming smile at the girl while he stood up to inch closer to her. Maya flinched a little, but came up against the large rock behind her. 

Will took a knee and extended his hand out to her. "Don't be afraid, please." He pleaded. Maya looked at his hand and his gentle expression. She gently reached her hand out to him, placing it on his strong hand. 

He gently squeezed her hand and bowed his head to her. "For saving me out of that shipwreck, I owe you my life." "I was only doing what I thought was right." "No, please, you deserve much more credit than that." 

Will smiled. "I will come visit you every day at the shore, to show you my gratitude." Maya smiled. "You would? You really would?" Will nodded. "I would be delighted to. I've always wanted to befriend a mermaid. Somewhere, deep in my heart, I've always believed them to be real. And now!" He paused to giggle a little. "There is no denying that they exist. Although, I have to say, from seeing you, mermaids must be incredibly beautiful." 

Maya's cheeks heated up as she smiled at him. "Thank you. I would love to be your friend as well." She thought of her family, down under the sea. "I have to go, but I will see you tomorrow! Meet me in this very spot." Maya dove into the water, swimming down to meet her family. Will smiled as he watched her depart. "I'm looking forward to it." He smiled and ran back to his home, to let his family know he was alright. 

Maya smiled as she thought of her newfound friend. The most trustworthy human she had met. The only human she had met. Her face fell as she realized her father would be extremely angry with her if he realized she had saved a human from drowning and was now friends with him. "I suppose I could keep it a secret for now." She resolved to do. She twirled around underwater with a giggle as she returned to her home in the ocean.

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Hello everybody~! Thank you for reading this little story about my mermaid character, Maya. I have been really feeling the mermaid vibes (who am I kidding, I've always loved mermaids) since this month is the month I get to perform in The Little Mermaid the musical, which I'm super excited for! I hope you enjoyed reading my story. Stay kawaii and bye for now! :3