In the amount of time she spent in the Napoleon, Meria did her best to study humans and ways to blend in. She's doing fine so far but still amazed on how things function. Like now, she found another thing that makes a dark liquid from dark beans. Joseph said it's coffee and that little thing is a coffee maker. She handled walking better now and she discovered a lot of things that amazes her.
She also noticed the energy she's losing without even moving. She didn't know why until she talked to Agnes.
"Your body is still in the stage of transition, so you may feel certain things like dizziness. Just soak yourself in water once in a while, much better if it's salt water or the ocean. We don't want to risk someone seeing you with a tail, are we?" Agnes explained
"Does that mean that my tails will show if I stay out of water for too long?" Meria asked
"Yes." Agnes answered. "So be careful, Meria. Human land is much more dangerous than it seems towards our kind." She warned her
Meria sighed. The connection between her and Agnes was interrupted when she heard a knock on her door. She got up but instantly fell down with a loud thud. She groaned.
"Meria?" Joseph's voice boomed on the other side of the door with worry. "Everything alright?"
Meria's eyes widened in shock, staring at her glimmering tail. "Shit." A word she figured humans utter when distressed. Before she can move, the door bursts open.
"I'm just checking if you're al---" Joseph's words seem to choke himself at the sight of a blue and green half of Meria. His face showed pure horror.
"I can explain." Meria said, but before she could launch into it, Joseph wobbled on his feet, stumbled and then fell. "Joseph!" Meria shouted in shock. She immediately dragged herself closer to his unconscious form. Not the best time for a tail. Is this how people react when they see a mermaid?
She can't forget the look on his face when he saw her tail. Was he scared? Meria wondered why. She stayed there thinking how long will it take before Joseph regains his consciousness and how long will she stay in her mermaid form? Also, what if someone walked in?
She needs water but the problem is she can't find any and the bathroom seems so far away now that she can't walk.
Minutes later Meria started poking Joseph. He began to stir so she continued poking him. When he opened his eyes, her face was the first thing he saw looking down at him.
"How do you feel?" Meria asked
A wave of memories from moments ago seem to wash him and once again his face shows horror and confusion. "I saw you. You have a tail." He answered her getting up while holding his head
"Please don't panic. Don't shout.'' When Joseph realizes that what he saw wasn't some kind of illusion and a dream, his emotions seem to heighten to an extreme level. His eyes wide as saucers.
Before Joseph could shout, or so it seems for Meria, she immediately covered his mouth with her hand. "Please calm down." She whispered, not wanting any more attention from someone who might hear them.
While Joseph was unconscious, Meria thought of ways on how she can get through the situation safely and without harming anybody. She felt bad on the thought of compelling Joseph when he saved him from a possible drowning, so she decided against it.
Hoping that Joseph won't black out this time, she wants him to understand. Holding him down on the floor, she used a simple magic to prevent him from moving. She can't risk him trying anything that will push her to do harm.
"What did you do?!" He asked in panic.
"Joseph, calm down. I will try to explain but I need you to calm down."
"What the fuck is this? What did you do to me?" He tried to get himself out but failed.
Guilt nudged Meria but she can't risk anything. If she fails to do the thing she seeks to do, the whole Oceana will fall. She's not risking her life to fail.
"I am sorry Joseph. I need to do this but believe me, I mean no harm." She said, her eyes searched for him.
He still can't believe what he saw but seeing it for the second time, it's become clearer now. Pieces started falling into place. The way she called her human. The way she's amazed by things. God! The girl she saved from the ocean is a mermaid. She took a mermaid from the ocean. Does that have a certain punishment?
But she didn't have a tail when he found him, he wondered.
"This is nuts. I must be out of my mind. I am seeing impossible things."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean look at you. This isn't real. Mermaids aren't real. I must be dreaming."
Before he can continue, Meria slapped him across the face.
"What the hell!"
"See? I am real. You aren't dreaming."
When Joseph realized what she meant, his senses seemed to come back to him. There's no way he's believing it's true, but considering the woman she saved has a tail, it's just ridiculously crazy.
Meria looked at him in confusion when he started laughing.
"You're real? Are you bullshiting me?" Joseph said as if he heard the craziest joke. "Please tell me that this is all an act because there's no way that I took a sea creature out of the ocean."
"Listen," Meria looked at him straight in the eyes. "Just because mermaids don't exist in your own land, doesn't mean we're not real. It must be hard, but you need to believe that this is real. I am a mermaid and I am real, Joseph."
Joseph blinked rapidly and swallowed the lump in his throat. "Y-Your a m-mermaid..." he said looking at her complete form before his eyes.
Meria nodded. "You must be confused but our kingdom and the whole Oceana is in danger and I am in your land looking for someone who can help."
"Who are you exactly?"
"I am Meria, princess of Oceana. Protector of the sea and a guardian of water."