Deleted Character: Ari & Calder

This is Ari. She is a woman who used to be a mermaid and she was one of the characters that didn't last after the first few drafts of Pearl Tail. She originally made her appearance in the 2006 as a crazy cat lady with a secret. Since then she has been replaced by Kevin for various reasons. Mostly because the back story of how she became this way was a jab at the Little Mermaid. I decided that was not enough of a reason to keep her as a character. Whereas her replacement had far more to offer for the story and characters.

This is Calder. He was removed from the story for a slew of reasons. One of them being that his back story for existing didn't make much sense. The idea of him came from a suggestion given to me by someone I used to be close to in college. At the time, he was meant to serve as a different dynamic of what if there are other mers that became human and regretted the decision. Calder was meant to be someone who had gone crazy from his yeas as a human, but it just created to much chaos in the story that already had enough chaos as is. So, for the sake of simplifying the story with a more concrete plot, he was removed. Also, I never really felt like he was truly my idea to begin with as he was a suggestion. His character became angry, bitter and writing him was like pulling teeth. I could tell he did not belong and did not progress the story the way I wanted it to. At the time I was reading Brandon Sanderson novels and while his stories work with having a crazy character that helps the plot along, my story is not that story. Since then, I've felt that the story has become much smoother and easier to work with than it was before.

Here is one of the many deleted chapters of Ari and Calder:

Marie was surprised that Dorian could still speak after so long of an explanation. After finally agreeing to Calder’s terms, he wanted to know the background story so to understand Ari’s involvement. So Dorian told of what had happened, which involved going back to when their father had been arrested. How strange that was to think they shared the same father now. She had gotten used to Dorian being her brother since she thought him to be a friend already. A merman father, however, that is going to take a while to adjust to. Shaking that from her mind, Marie only put in her input where needed later on.

He had even explained great details of the curse to him. This is where he came into some trouble as Calder grew skeptical. The blonde often shook his head in disbelief and expressed the idea to be nonsense. Even went on to say that he didn’t care the reasons behind seeing Ari as long as they could go back to the ocean. It was then when Dorian talked of what the Ancient One had told him relating to the curse. How Nemesio somehow either blocked or took the power of the goddess that created them for herself. From that, he figured that the only way to bring them home was to break the curse. Somehow, despite all the skepticism, Calder was willing to accept that. After all, it was better than nothing. Though, he did refuse to accept the fact that Dorian could communicate to their father through dreams and sing. Apparently that was further farfetched than everything else.

They were quite an unusual looking group traveling down the sidewalk of about twenty scarred, former mermen, Dorian and herself. Somehow, that was enough to keep the dangerous people away from them along the way. Dorian had spent most of the time conversing with Calder, asking about how he got into the human form. Calder only replied that he never came on land by choice and that he would rather not talk about it further. There was something in the way that he had said it that brought on an idea that there was too much pain in the memory. It wasn't long after until they finally reached Ari's apartment.

"All right… she's on the… fourth floor," Marie read from the slip of paper that Ari's neighbor had given her. "We're going to have to go up some stairs."

"Are any of you coming in with us?" Dorian wondered, looking back at the group of his fellow ex-mermen.

Calder stepped forward without question and nodded towards the door. "Let's go."

In they went while the rest waited for them outside. Marie glanced back at them, noticing that the one's left behind looked rather lost without their leader. They would be all right, Marie thought, after all, they shouldn't be gone very long. Up the four flights of stairs they went, which turned into a bit of a chore for Dorian. After all the abuse he had gone through, it was difficult for him to climb so many steps. Calder sighed and pulled Dorian onto his back, carrying him up the rest of the way. Dorian said nothing, but blushed in embarrassment until they reached the top. It was then when he was put down upon his feet again.

"Is this the room?" Calder wondered, staring that the door before them. “I heard rumors of her living here.”

"Looks like it," Marie confirmed, raising a hand to knock.

They could hear a chorus of meows from the other side like there was a mob of cats. Exchanging glances at each other, they returned their gaze to the door again. There was a click and Ari's voice, "Whose there? Who are you people?"

"It's me, Marie… from the board walk," Marie replied, looking at the peep hole in front of her. "Remember me?"

"I don't know anyone named Marie," Ari said sharply from the other side. "Go away."

Dorian brought himself forward so he could be seen in the peep hole. "Ari? Ari please, let us in. We need to speak with you about the tools that will lead us to the Ruins of Mizu."

There was another click and the door opened slightly, the trio backed up a bit, startled. Ari could barely be seen peeking through the small opening, the chain lock still in place. "How do you know about the Ruins of Mizu?" the red head demanded in hushed tones.

Swallowing, Dorian brought himself around to face her. "My father, he told me to seek out the ruins. I know you do not want anything to do with your people, but I want to break this curse. I know you have the tools because the pearl led me to you. So please, let us in.”

She could see Ari's eyes grow wide, knowing now that she must surly recognize him. She slammed the door shut, undid a few more things and then opened the door to them. "Dear little one! Little pearl, come in!" Ari said, reaching out to the young man and pulling him inside.

Marie and Calder quickly followed inside before the door could be closed on them.

The trio stood stunned to find nearly the entire floor covered by mewing, purring, sleeping, playful cats! Tabby cats, calico, albino and any other color combination and breed that could be thought of. All of them doing what cats do best, even weaving between their legs to try escaping out the front door, but Ari was too quick for them. Carefully, they walked through the mob, trying hard not to step on any part of them along the way.

"There are so many," Marie remarked in awe.

"What it is with old, human, women that compels them to collect these creatures?" Calder complained, nearly stepping on one of the calico cats.

Dorian squirmed where he stepped as some of the felines had begun to follow him and lick at his legs. "They're trying to eat me!" he cried, jumping about trying to shake them off.

Marie dashed over to try to help her brother free himself from the insistent animals. "I don't get why they are so interested in you like this."

"Probably because he is mostly still a merman. Animals are able to see through disguises and my guess is that you probably smell rather fishy to them," Calder explained with a chuckle.

Meanwhile, Ari had vanished to the back of the apartment to one of the other rooms. The three guests struggled but managed to slosh their way through the sea of cats. Walking down the hall, Dorian had eventually discovered the old woman in a room that was full of trinkets from the sea. It was if all the contents of her shop from the boardwalk had poured themselves out into this room. Nothing was organized in any way, unless chaos is considered a form of organization. The woman emerged from the mess with a book in her grasp.

"The Ruins of Mizu are a mystery to many merfolk, except to those who know of its history and power."

"Power?" Marie repeated, watching the woman walk past and then followed after.

"Yes," Ari almost whispered as she set the book on the kitchen table. She opened it to one page in particular that showed a congregation of merfolk looking up to a woman floating above them, glowing in the dark waters. "The goddess of the seas had granted us certain abilities to aid mankind. Though we were saved from their wickedness that only meant that we now have a responsibility to them. In the ruins we had received our power, and in the ruins we must get it back."

"That is what the Ancient one told me.” Dorian said, looking over the woman's shoulder at the illustration. "We don't even know where to look for the ruins. Once we do find it… how can we know that power will be given back to the mermen? Even after that, what about the elders?” He began to despair as the weight of their mission was becoming increasingly heavy.

The old woman looked up at the young man whose face was hidden by a curtain of midnight hair. "Little pearl," she sympathized, laying a hand on his shoulder. "No merchild should ever have to face what you are going to go through."

Marie looked at Calder in puzzlement, wondering why Dorian is constantly being referred to as a child or little pearl. He glanced back at her and explained, "Didn't you know? Merfolk live up to five hundred years. Dorian is seventeen years old. A child to his people. That is why his innocence is the way it is."

She blinked, glancing at her brother again, having forgotten about that fact. It was so easy to when one has been human all their lives. Silently, Marie stood, watching the exchange, also noticing the cats circling about Dorian’s ankles, purring.

Calder tisked, "We are not here to discuss the past, but to gain a tool to change our future for the better. Do you have what we seek or don't you?"

Ari gave the former merman a sharp bark of laughter at his expense. "It depends upon what you are looking for and speaking to me in that tone is certainly not going to help."

"You old sea slug! How dare you—"

Dorian lifted his head quickly and interrupted, "So you do have what we are looking for? A tool that will allow us to find the Ruins of Mizu. The tone in your voice right then gives you away! Please, just let me have it and then… I promise… I shall find a way for you to return home. You and the other mermen who are stuck in human bodies."

Ari paused, giving the young man a skeptical look. “I told you I am no longer a part of that world. Why would I care?”

Reaching into his back pocket, Dorian pulled out the small, round mirror that Calder had given him earlier. He shoved it into Ari’s face, exposing her reflection to her. She gave a gasp of disgust and turned her face away. Then he maneuvered around to force it back upon her again.

"Think about it," Dorian whispered, not removing the mirror from her sight. "You will be young again. These creases and wrinkles in your skin will be smoothed away, your hair will be rich in color and you will be able to sing long and clear again. You will not need the affections of man because you will have it from the mermen again."

"I never had their affections before. Only the human who changed me had any sort of affection!" Ariel argued. "What makes you believe I will have it once all is restored?"

"Because… because…" Dorian looked away, searching for something, anything that would convince her and even glanced at his sister and Calder for help.

They both only shrugged in response.

"Because the mermen will be happy again." He paused, eyes growing wide suddenly. "Do you not see? The mermen were not happy when their powers were lost because they felt that there was something missing. They did not know what unless they had come in contact with a human and fell in love. Something that Nemesio did not count on was exposure to humans so the curse only affected merpeople."

He laughed, walking back a couple of steps but did not lower the mirror. "It all makes sense now, everything. Ever since I've been able to sing, my soul, my very being was set free. I was happy in the waves of music and that's why the mermen have been so miserable. Without music, without song then what purpose do they serve, but to be leaders and breed, just as you had said Calder!"

"But… that's not how it's supposed to be… no, no… Music is the window into a person's soul. We need music because humans need music. We need dreams because humans need to dream of becoming something great. The goddess meant for us to exist so that humanity can exist. It gives them hope so they can survive the pains that they deal with every day of their lives!"

Calder blinked and shook his head, "But if that is so, then why has the goddess allowed the mermaids to manipulate their talent and try to destroy men."

"Man had disregarded their dreams and took advantage of each other's misery. They worked to push the other down rather than pick them up. There was no point in saving them," Ari explained. "They are not worth saving."

"Wrong!" Dorian countered, suddenly on a high with the revelation he had received. "Our Goddess believed that they are worth saving, otherwise why would she give us our abilities! We need humans as much as humans need us!"

"What do humans need us for?" Ariel demanded. "What do they care of our existence?"

Dorian gave a soft, understanding smile, "We need humans to exist. In song, in story, in poem… we need them. Without their art keeping our people alive, then we might as well not exist at all. We help create good people for this world and those good people thank us in return. We're all connected… but this connection is unraveling and that is why we need to go to the ruins. To restore everything as the goddess had wanted it to be."

Everyone else was silent, staring at Dorian in a mixture of feelings. Marie was impressed, Calder stunned and Ari was still skeptical. With arms folded tightly, Ari glared at the young merman for saying such nonsense. They were locked in a staring contest, Dorian breathing heavily from his speech. He swallowed and slowly lifted the mirror back to her gaze.

"Please," he whispered. "I know you must have been through a lot of pain. I know that pain, that loss of one who you grew to care so deeply for. You may not have loved the human that changed you at first, but I think you learned to. The one I grew to love passed from this world, but I want to finish what I started as she would have wanted me to. To be the hero in my own story. Please, if you have this tool let me have it. To save my father, to save the mermen trapped here, to save you… to restore hope and song to this world… please."

The silence was ere in the room. Marie stood, wishing she could go to her brother and tell him everything was going to be okay. He shouldn't have to force himself to beg before this woman. Why do people have to be so stubborn? However, there wasn't much that she could do, but stand there waiting beside Calder. Especially, since he had a hand on her shoulder to keep her at bay. Their fate rested in this woman's hands. If she even had what they were looking for in the first place.

Dorian swallowed, whispering, “Inside your soul you are still beautiful, just as you were when you were a mermaid. You can be that again on the outside if you will help me. I promise you.”

After a long, torturous moment of silence, Ari finally spoke, "Well… I suppose I should go to the back and get what you came here for."

Marie released a little cheer, which quickly earned her a shooting glare.

“I don’t do this for you Half Blood,” Ari spat at her before turning away to vanish down the hall. About ten cats followed behind, meowing to be fed.

With the woman’s back turned, Marie’s tongue darted out in her direction. Then she turned to Dorian, who had flopped down upon the nearest couch with a sigh. His head laid back with eyes closed in exhaustion. Marie moved a cat out of the way and settled beside him, “Was that all true? Is that really why mermen have that dream, magic thing?”

He flopped his head in her direction and replied, “It must be. You humans here, many of you have eyes that seem so empty. As though deep down a lot of you are just lost and wandering around thinking that one day you will find the right way to go. Tell me the last time you dreamed something that inspired you.”

Marie opened her mouth to respond, but instead her jaw hung open, unable to think of anything. Actually, she could not recall a single inspiring dream at all. There have been nightmares, dreams that gave her déjà vu, and dreams that were just plain strange. Never, had there been one to give her an actual drive to do something that could change her life. Closing her mouth, suddenly Marie found more interest in her hands.

“What you said today put everything together,” Dorian mentioned, facing his eyes to the ceiling again. “How can we live through the pain unless we can dream of something better? It does not make sense for only the mermaids to have power over humans through song and not the mermen. This proves we have a purpose… a reason for existing. Why else would we have been saved so many years ago?”

Calder frowned, remaining where he stood while cats circled about his feet. “So our entire purpose is to help humans?”

Dorian lowered his head, “Why not? Our ancestors used to be humans. Were you not told the stories?”

“Everyone is told the stories,” remarked Ari’s voice as she came back into the room. A wooden box in her hands. “The mighty flood that destroyed the earth and spared an entire city; pulling it to the sea where the inhabitants were reborn as merpeople. Seems the stories have some weight after all.”

The siblings looked up upon hearing her approach and sat up straighter. They scooted forward together as the box was placed upon the coffee table before them. Meanwhile, Calder just stepped aside to give her room. Nearly stepping on; yet, another cat. Ari lifted the lid from its base and placed it aside.

“There are only two tools that will lead you to the ruins,” she said.

The woman reached her hands into the container, lifting out a cylinder that was caked with rust and algae stains. Wrapping her slender fingers about both ends, she extended it to reveal it to be a telescope. A smile pulled at her thin, chapped lips as though hiding a secret. Ari extended her arms forward, offering the item to the siblings to take from her. This Dorian did, handling it carefully as though it would break upon the slightest touch. His eyes widened along with a gasp while a free hand went to the pearl hanging from his neck.

Ari nodded, “Yes, I would not be surprised if that tear reacted to this telescope. I won it in a human auction. Something about it just felt… important and so I begged my husband to purchase it for me. I discovered that it allows the looker to see through to reveal their heart’s desired destination. Through the deepest, darkest ocean it will be as day. Through stone and wood and anything else that may get in your way, this will pass through and show you how close you actually are.”

Dorian brought it to his eye and whipped it around, looking at the room. "What a strange device!" the young man exclaimed. "I can see all the way to the shore and can feel how far from it I am.”

Another nod and Ari stated, “You desire to go home to your true form. Once you see what you seek in that telescope, then you can use this.”

Reaching into the box, she pulled out an even curious-er object, resting upon her palm. The tip of it was dull, while the rest of it was smoothed like a polished stone. Except it wasn’t stone at all, but bone. Bone carved to the shape of a small arrow no longer that the length of Ari’s hand.

“This,” Ari explained. “has been said to be made of the bone of one of the priestesses who prayed to the goddess for mercy from the seas long ago. The day when our people were created. I do not know for certain if that is true, but you can feel it’s power.”

Dorian swallowed, staring at the small object, “I can feel it just by looking at it.”

So could Marie, but she didn’t think Ari would care to know that. “So what does it do?” she asked instead.

“Once you see your location, it will literally take you to it,” the hippie woman explained. “Whether you are holding it or have it attached to a traveling vessel, it shall take you there. This way you cannot lose your way. If, by chance, you lose the telescope, you can command it to take you to a place, but it will only do so much if your heart envisions another place. Or if you haven’t a specific place in mind at all. It is all reliant upon you.”

Calder gave a snort, “Of course. Why make anything easy?”

Ari gave him a glare. “When one’s heart is un-darkened then it is easy. You and I have seen much pain and sorrow.” Her eyes narrowed further at the blonde in accusation, “and you have seen much blood.”

His eyes grew wide a moment and then narrowed back at her, “You sea slug! How dare you--”

“Stop it!” Dorian cried. “Stop this! I do not want to hear arguing! There has been enough pain to last a life time. Do not reopen each other’s wounds.”

Ari looked away from the blonde, regarding Dorian with a raised eyebrow, “You sound so grown up, Little Pearl. I know in your heart you are afraid.”

Dorian swallowed his head dropping down so to stare at the carpet, “I am, but I will do what needs to be done. To save our people and keep my promises.”

A smile tugged at her lips, “Well chosen words, Little Pearl.” After placing the items back into their proper places, the woman then took a seat across from them. Crossing one long, slender leg over the knee of the other she remarked, “You are going to need more than words to survive the creature that guards those ruins.”

“Creature?” Marie gasped, looking between her brother and the woman. “What kind of creature are we talking about? Please tell me it’s something I’ve heard of like a shark or something.”

Ari shook her head, settling back against the arm chair that gave a creak in protest. “It does not have a name. It is not a normal sea creature, but one of legend that even humans have spoken of. It has been called the kraken, leviathan, great sea serpent, and many other names. I am sure even you are familiar with some of them.” The last part directed in Marie’s direction.

Marie lay back, blowing a strand of hair from her face with a frown, “Well I did see Pirates of the Caribbean enough times.”

Dorian raised an eyebrow at her while Calder gave a smirk and Ari snorted.

“Human interpretations, but far more deadly in person. Not something one so young should be embarking on.” Turning to Dorian, she pled with large blue eyes, “Return to your true from, Little Pearl but do not seek out the ruins. You will only die there. Let someone older, wiser take on this task.”

Dorian shook his head of midnight hair, "No, there is not anyone else who can do this for me. I am banished and dead. No one older than myself would be willing to help me. Also, I do not think many of our people know of the ruins anymore or if they did then they keep silent."

"Which is why you must be the one to carry this burden," Calder chimed in. "A hero is not created by how old he is, but by the amount of change he is able to bring to the world."

"But such a burden on such a young one?" Ari protested.

Calder shrugged, "Perhaps the goddess felt that Dorian would be more suited for this task. His father wasn't able to do anything about it, that's for sure."

"Besides that, I haven't any form of protection now," Dorian added sadly.

Marie sighed, feeling like they weren't getting much further. One of the last things they needed right now was information that would only discourage Dorian. Yes, it's sure to be very dangerous, but Dorian was more than willing to put his life on the line. She was sure that he was still, but even so, he is very young to his people. Thankfully, that is not stopping him apparently inspired by Viki’s example and words in her letter. It seemed even in death, Viki was still helping others discover their potential.

"Listen, that is not true," she remarked, crossing her arms sternly. Everyone looked to her in full attention, which did not ease her nerves. Swallowing, Marie then continued, "Dorian you do have protection. Stephanie, my mother and I are more than willing to help you out and you know that. Also, I'm sure Calder and his group of riff raff will help in whatever way they can too."

Calder cocked an eyebrow, "Riff raff?"

Marie gave Calder a glance and a shrug, “No offence."

Turning to Dorian again, she found a smile playing on his face again, “I do appreciate that, thank you.”

That was the nice thing about Dorian; it didn't take much to convince him that all will be well. Turning to Ari, Marie demanded some answers to her questions. "Now, how do we get past the creature?"

Ari gave the young woman an amused grin. "Very well, since you are claiming responsibility over Dorian, it will be your fault if something should happen to him."

"Fine," Marie said.

The older woman set her cup down and leaned forward. "Very well, legend tells of this guardian to not be what they seem to be. They are as ancient as the ocean itself and guardian of the goddess herself. You would have to convince them that you are on the goddess's errand. A servant to the fullest. Then, only then, you may live through the encounter."

"May?" Marie questioned with a raised eyebrow.

“Nothing is certain," Ari shrugged, relaxing in her chair again.

"Nothing ever is," Dorian added.

The remainder of the visit had been mostly fruitless since they had no way to get out to the ocean. After all, no one had a boat that could handle possible long distances away from shore. Marie kept this to herself while they exited the apartment, after having to rescue Dorian from the cats again. Dorian was happier that they finally had what they had been searching for, but Marie's silence kept him worried instead. Meanwhile, Calder rattled off the madness of the former mermaid and how he didn't see how they could do anything about their situation. It wasn't easy, but the siblings did manage to mostly ignore the third wheel in their group.

By then it had gotten very dark into evening with a light drizzle coming down upon them again. They were greeted quickly by the rest of the gang that were waiting outside. Eagerly, they reached out to grab hold of the tools so that they may see them themselves. Calder had to push them back, barking commands at them to lay off the young man. Meanwhile, Dorian kept the telescope and bone compass clutched to his chest in fear of losing it. After a long explanation to the others, they made their way back to Marie's car.

"You are not coming home with us," Marie insisted when noticing that Calder was following close behind.

"Of course I am," Calder remarked rather stubbornly, arms folded across his chest sternly. "You think after finding the prodigal son, I'm just going to let you leave us in the dark? No, I'm not leaving the little one out of my sight."

"What about the rest of your gang here?" Marie pointed out, waving her hand at the group behind them.

"Titus is more than able to take control."

“You punched him in the face!” Marie reminded.

Calder shrugged, “Your point?”

Marie glanced at the former merman mentioned. The one who had jumped them in the first place. Out of all people to pick to lead the group in Calder's absence, it had to be him?! She sighed heavily with a shake of her head. These guys were nuts. That was all there was to it.

"The answer is still no," Marie insisted.

"Too bad," Calder stated.

As they approached the vehicle, that apparently wasn’t good enough to be stripped or stolen, Dorian inquired, “What do we do now?”

“You mean about getting there?” Marie wondered, looking back at him while clicking the doors unlocked. Tucking her hair behind her left ear, she shrugged, “I think I’m going to call Steph and tell her to meet at my place so we can come up with some sort of idea. Maybe she knows someone.”

“Steph would know someone with a boat?” Dorian wondered with raised eyebrows before getting himself into the passenger seat.

From behind, Calder helped himself into the backseat and shut himself in.

Trying hard to ignore him, Marie got in the driver’s side and flipped open her phone. “You’d be surprised. There was one time I wanted tickets to a concert but they were all sold out. Somehow Steph got three of them. One for me, herself and Viki.”

“Sounds resourceful,” Calder stated from the back. “So call her and get a boat.”

Turning around and stabbing the phone in his direction, Marie remarked, “Look you’re getting a free ride so you can know what’s going on! You’re not in command, you are not coming on the boat and you are not to speak unless spoken to! Got it?!”

Calder narrowed his hazel eyes at her, “Why should I listen to you, Taint?”

“Because she is my sister,” Dorian stated, also looking back at the blonde. “That should be enough for you. You may be a ruby tail but I am still a pearl tail. So is our father and so that makes her a pearl tail too.”

The blonde’s eyes grew wider than Marie thought was possible; mouth gaping open as far as it could go.

With a grin pulling on the corners of his mouth, Dorian faced the windshield again. He gave Marie a glance and said, “You are welcome.”

Marie couldn’t help but smile as well while pressing speed dial for Steph.

It was a long, quiet drive back to Marie's home after a long explanation to Stephanie of what had happened to them. Dorian had added his input here and there, but when the conversation had ended, the weary young man dozed off in the passenger seat. At first Calder was concerned about Dorian being so exhausted until Marie pointed out that he would be too after what they had gone through. She even found it difficult to remain awake herself as she drove down the dark streets before reaching the lit freeway to get back home again.

To Marie's relief, Diane wasn't home yet so that gave her time to settle down and think things through. More specifically, how she was going to explain Calder in the house. Meanwhile, not long after arriving, Steph pulled her car into the driveway as well. She wasn’t too happy to see Calder there and tried to hold back any snide remark in his direction. They sat around the kitchen table, munching on some left over Chinese food for a late dinner, while staring at Calder.

"You do realize that you're not staying here, right?" Marie pointed out.

"Why not? Where else am I going to go?" Calder pointed out before devouring a wad of noodles.

"Don't ya’ll have a home or a family to go to?" Stephanie wondered, narrowing her eyes at him.

"Nope," he mumbled through a full mouth.

Steph smacked her hand on the table, shaking the food and startling Dorian. "Dude, girl! You brought home a hobo! He's probably got lice or something!"

"I do not!"

Ignoring his protest, Steph continued, "Your mom ain’t gonna be happy when she sees this guy."

"We'll just have to tell her the truth. What else can we do," Marie replied, concentrating on eating more than the man sitting in front of her.

Without a word, Dorian got up from the table, went back to the laundry room, came out and headed upstairs.

"Where are you going?" asked Marie.

Dorian held up the swim trunks that he was holding, "I'm going to get changed and go swimming. I need to relax from all this."

"Oh, okay."

Calder jolted from his food, "Swim? You can swim? With legs?"

"Uh… yes… Marie’s mother taught me."

"I need to see this for myself," Calder narrowed his eyes skeptically.

Dorian blinked and slowly made his way further up the steps. "Oookay… sure… um… be right back." With that said, he dashed up the rest of the way.

The leader of the mermen gang gave the two girls a glare, "Are you trying to force that little pearl into full humanity? Teaching him to be just like you?"

Marie ignored him while Steph remarked, "Jealous?"

Calder said nothing in response to that.

The girls were more than happy when Dorian had returned dressed to swim in the pool. He and Calder went outside, leaving them alone to talk strategy. "Okay, so now we have a compass and telescope that will help us find the Ruins of Mizu."

Marie nodded.

"Now how we’all gonna get to these ruins when we’all don't have a boat?" Steph pointed out. "I mean, your mom doesn't own a boat, neitha does mine and I don't know any relatives in the area that may have one. At least… not any that like me enough to let me borrow one."

"I don't know," Marie confessed, shrugging her shoulders, far too tired to care at this point. "Do we know anyone at school that may have one we could borrow or trick them into letting us borrow one?"

The girls were silent for a few long moments even when the front door could be heard opening. "Hello, is anyone home?" Diane beckoned.

"In here Mom!" Marie replied without thinking.

A rather tired looking Diane came into the kitchen, plopping her briefcase onto the island counter. "I don't know about you girls, but I am beat! Anybody want pizza for dinner tonight? Oh hello Steph. Marie, where's your brother?"

"Out swimming," Marie said while staring down at the table in deep thought.

"Sounds like everyone is exhausted today. What happened with Ari? Did you find what you needed to help Dorian?" Diane asked while getting out the phone book.

"You have no idea." Marie then went into a rather brief explanation of their day, including the fact that a former merman hobo had followed them home. "He's outside right now watching Dorian swim," she finished in exasperation.

Surprisingly, Diane reacted rather well to the story, with phone book in hand and reaching for the phone. "Well, I suppose Calder will have to sleep on the couch or in the wreck room on the fold out bed. After everything that's been happening, nothing surprises me anymore. I guess I'll have to order an extra pizza then." The woman shrugged.

“No Richard tonight?” Marie asked, genuinely surprised.

Her mother shook her head while bringing the phone to an ear, “He got food poisoning and quarantined himself at home. The big baby.”

Marie chuckled, picturing the man paler than usual and burrowed in his own bed covers like a little kid. When, suddenly, Steph slammed her hands on the table which gave Marie a start. “Dude! Travis!” the dark skinned girl exclaimed.

“What?”

“Remember?” Steph implied. “Remember when he called ya on the bleachers? Remember he mentioned something about a sail boat date thing?”

Marie gave her a blinking stare while her mother’s voice could be heard ordering pizza in the background. “You want me to fake a date with him?”

“Naw, it’d be like killin two birds with one stone ya know? Go on a date with him on the boat an’ get to the ruins at the same time. Dorian is the only one goin down there,” Steph explained with a growing grin on her face.

“What about the creature?”

Steph shrugged, “I think that ain’t real. If mers have stories about it like that then it must be fake. Somethin to scare fish kids.”

Marie didn’t lose her frown, “I don’t know…”

Just then, the deck doors open and in came a very wet Dorian with Calder following close behind. “I cannot swim with you watching me like that! It’s creepy, even for a merman!”

“You would have done the same in my place,” Calder argued back. “Don’t start sounding like one of them.”

“You are one to talk!” Dorian fired back.

“Hey! Fish boy!” Steph beckoned. “Got an idea!”

Dorian directed his attention away from the blonde with an, “Oh?”

Before Marie could even try to convince Steph otherwise, the teen explained the idea of the date. “Travis asked Marie out on a sail boat ride. That compass of your’s will take it to the ruins, right? Well, put it on the thing that turns the thing and voila! Ya’ll get to the ruins. You swan dive in the water and do your thing and live happily ever after. The end!”

He stood there, dripping chlorine scented liquid on the floor. It was a scent both he and Marie forced themselves to tolerate. However, nothing could replace the clean smell of the sea itself. Dorian mulled over the idea silently before giving a nod, “Sounds like a plan to me.”

“Dorian…” Marie uttered in protest, but was stopped by a look of his luminescent eyes.

“Marie, this is our chance,” he said. “How else are we going to get one so easily? I will be the one going down there to break the curse.”

“What about me?” Calder voiced.

Turning to him, Dorian replied, “You will gather the others to the shores here and bring Ari too. If the goddess accepts my request then you will want to be near the water.”

“That’s it?” Calder demanded. “You want me to just wait around on the sand?”

Dorian nodded, “You can help me better as merpeople. I will see if Charlene or Kuval will take all of you to the capital. There are the currents that will get you there quickly. Then we can face the elders and rescue my father.”

“It is a fool’s errand,” Calder spat.

“No one said you had to stay,” Dorian pointed out. “Do you want to go home or not?”

Once again, Calder was silent.

Satisfied, Dorian turned to Marie again, “Tomorrow is Saturday, yes? We should leave right away.”

Though not feeling too good about the idea of deceiving Travis like that, Dorian did have a good point. So with a sigh, Marie pulled out her cell phone, went through her list of recent calls and then dialed. Bringing it to her ear, she listed to a number of ring tones buzzing on endlessly it seemed. She was about to hang up at the tenth tone when a click interrupted it mid buzz and a male voice replied on the other end, “Hello?”

She swallowed and replied, “Hey Travis, it’s Marie. I know it’s late and all but… is that boat offer still open?”

There was a pause on the other end at first, but Travis did answer, “Yeah, of course it is, but aren’t you still, you know, in mourning?”

Marie sighed, “I’m tired of mourning. I want to live my life again. I want… to see you again. I think you can help me move on the way Viki would have wanted me to. So does tomorrow afternoon sound good?”

A part of her thought that it sounded too fake to even be close to true, but most of it was. Deep down, Marie could not help but miss the guy. His smile, laugh and all around charm brought on warmth that she had never felt before. It felt good to be around him, but Marie could not bring herself to admit that out loud just yet. Maybe if they live through all this she’ll take it into consideration. Even now, though, she could almost see the grin on his face on the other end from her words.

“Yeah,” he said. “Tomorrow sounds fantastic. I’ll get everything set up. Meet me at the dock at one?”

“One sounds great and… I’m bringing Dorian and Steph too, is that okay?”

“Of course! I’ll see ya tomorrow then, kay?”

“Yeah,” Marie managed with a soft sigh. “You’ll see me tomorrow.”

With that, she flipped down the phone and rested it on the table.

It was done.