A 3 days had past by quickly than I thought. I would have to sneak out tonight and head back to the sea Goddess. "This sucks. I have to go home tonight. Humph." "Haha its ok Naia." Said Tide. "Yeah I'm sure the sea goddess will let you come back. Plus you have to anyway. Remember you have to help me until my skin fully grows remember?" "Oh yeah. I can't wait to see you all again. When I do come back. Ocean I hope you let me work for you. I mean I am just a stranger. I only learned a few things in this world and not enough to live on my own." "Haha you're right about that it took me years and I am still learning. Even if you don't work, I will let you stay here. There are still a few rooms left for us sea humans to stay. After all I built this building and started this sailor thing. It was in hope to find more of us sea humans." "I see so the cover up is going on deliveries." "Yes it truly is. My sister, Tide, and Makani, will be here when you return tonight to make sure you get there safely." "Thanks you all are too kind." "Hey you are kin. Of course we will help. Even if you were not kin I would still help you if I could." "Thank you Ocean. Oh and my mom talked about a boy she knew a few years ago who got caught up in a storm. She never saw him again and can't recall his name. My moms name is Xadia." I saw Oceans face look shocked. "Did you say Xadia?" "Yeah you know her?" "Well sort of. I-I was that kid. I am 21 years old now but back then I was only 8 or 9 years old. You are 16 right?" "Yeah going on 17." "Then she must be in her mid 30's now. From what I remember she looked like she looked older enough to be mom." "Yes my mom did say that. She was 21 going on 22 when she saw you. Then in just a few days the boy got lost in a storm." "Yes I did." "Since I was 5 years old, my mom told me about a boy she knew. I remember I liked to hear the story. So I kept telling mom to tell the the story and she did. Will you come with me to see her?" "That is up to the sea goddess." "Oh yeah right, you can't go in yet. I can't promise, but I can promise to try, so you can live on land and sea again." "Haha thank you Naia. Your so sweet." Then we talked about random things until late at night.
"Well its time for me to go." I had put my blue snakeskin dress on me. "Well I will see you guys later I guess. I wish I can send word but Tide knows our spot. I will meet him there and he will take me to where you are ok?" "Tide meet me in the same place at the same time everyday ok? I don't know when I will be back." "Yes maam." "Hehe OK well I will miss you all until then." I hugged everyone in a group hug. "I will miss you all. My friends. I promise to come back up." Then I waved at them and dove down to the ocean.
(In the ocean)
"Ah I sense she has returned to the ocean. Its good timing." Said the sea goddess Kleena. Naia's parents and little brother were waiting with the goddess at that time.
I finally made it back. "Goddess! I'm back!" "Welcome back my dear." She said. Then I saw my family. I even saw my dad. "Uh did someone die?" "No one died." Said mom. "I know its just all of you are here. What happened?" "You know full well what happened." Said Nen. "Shut up Nen. You are not mom dad or the goddess." "He is right though Naia." Said dad. "Ok first of all dad. I hate to say this but I never get to see you. So don't pretend like you know what I am going through. Second of all yes I know what is going on. I didn't think my whole family would be here to give me a warm welcome." "OK OK lets all relax." Said Goddess Keela. We all stopped what we were doing so she can tell us what is going on. "Ok first I need you Xadia, your husband, and son to leave. I have business with your daughter. I will have her come by and tell you the situation later." "Yes goddess." Said mom. So they all left but me.
"So goddess. You want to know what it was like up there?" "Yes please." "OK first of all I met this boy Tide who was a shore human." I told her he as 2 years older than me and how he was helpful in my times of need. "I also met the person in charge of the town. You can probably guess what he is." "Your telling me the sea humans that go up there are gathered together in one place?" "Well I don't know if its all of them but quite of few of them. His name is Ocean. Mom saved him when she was in her early 20's." Then I told her how I faked loosing my memory to not be suspicious and the question I asked them about meeting us. "Well if it was one of our own kin that's fine. But how can we trust that the others won't harm us." "Well I asked the others too. They said they would love to go in a submarine and check out our city as well." I told her the deal they would make if they ever met one. "That would be fine. I want to go up when the time is right and get a gathering to make that deal." "How will you know it's the right time?" "Oh trust me you and I will know. As for the time to go back up to the surface, I will give you 3 weeks home then leave again ok?" "Yes goddess. Oh and when I come back in, can you please make it so at least Ocean and his sister can come in to meet mom?" "I'm afraid not. It wouldn't be fair to the others. Once we know we can agree with land people then I will let the others back. As for your friend who is just growing the skin is welcome anytime he isn't cursed. He just has to be careful since its not fully developed yet." "Thank you goddess." "Ok then. You may go home. Now." So I swam home.
"I'm home mom, dad, and Nen." "About time sis. What took you so long?" "None of your business. Plus the goddess want me to tell you all I will be heading back up in 2 or 3 weeks. Most likely two. For the first time there is someone born from a sea human and land human that was born with our skin. His name is Makani." Mom and dad had their mouths open. "Wait a minute. Does this mean she is going to let the others back in?" Said Mom. "No it doesn't she told me that when the time is right she will go up there and make a deal with them. I told her when I pretended to loose my memory up there about the deal. That was when I told her the goddess will go up when the time is right. That she and I would know. "Hmm. I see." Said mom. "Dad I'm sorry about what I said. You just need to be home more. I miss you terribly not knowing when you will be home or if you will return home." Dad came over and hugged me. "I know sweetie. I know you didn't mean too. I just have to work for us to make a living." "Well if you weren't the village head you probably would be home more. You should worry about your own problems first before worrying about others." "You sound like grandma. I was always like that. Your right. I will try by best. So can you tell me what has been going on?" "First dad lets go for a swim and talk." "Sounds good." So we swam and I told him how school was and what it was like on the surface.
2 weeks passed quicker than I had hoped. "Well I guess I should get going. I won't see you for at least 2 months or less. Who knows. Nen be good for mom. Tell my friends I will bring a new friend with me. Just don't tell them it's a guy though." "Haha I promise." "OK booger and parents. By Selena. I will miss you too." Selena was my pet dolphin. Then I swam off to the surface.
(On the surface.)
Luckily it was a quiet day and not a lot of people were out. I noticed I was probably a little late so I rushed to the place I usually met Tide. He wasn't there yet. "Hmm. I wonder if he is late?" Not long after I hear a "Boo!" Then I jumped and got a little scared for minute. "You scared me Tide." "Haha sorry. It was fun though. Good to finally see you again." "Hehe its only been 2 weeks but it seems like longer." "Yeah I know what you mean. I dropped out of school to be homeschooled." "Dang. That serious huh?" "Yeah only me though not my brother Nen." "Oh well that's cool." "Ok so where is everybody?" "Oh they have been waiting for you. They got your room all ready to go." "Oh really? I can't wait to see it." So he took me to where Ocean works.
"Hey everybody." "Oh hey Naia. Good to see you again." "Hehe like wise everyone. I would like to know each and every one of you. So when you have the time I would like to be friends." They all agreed. "Makani. Show Naia to her room please." "Yes sir." So I followed him to the middle of the hall. I saw a door with a pretty blue sign with purple lettering It said NAIA'S ROOM Just like that. Then I opened my room and saw the theme was the ocean. "Wow. Its beautiful. Oh wow is that a tank?" "Yes it's a tank to keep your skin from drying out." "It feels like I am back home but better." "Haha I know right? I thought it would. Tide and I helped with the decoration. We gave Ocean some idea's and he agreed." My bed was in the shape of a sea shell. "Oh how cute it's a big clam shell with a mattress in it. A pearl pillow." "Yeah that little touch was Marissa's doing. She wanted to do a little something for you." "Oh how sweet." I looked in my drawers and closet and there were already clothes in there for me. "Oh you all got clothes for me as well. You are all too kind." "Yeah Marissa helped since we don't know what girls like." I put my stuff down and headed out with him.
"Ok well when should I start teaching you?" "Oh you just got here how about you teach me tomorrow. Today you rest." "I can't rest but thank you I guess I will chill in my room then." I saw a book shelf and saw the book mom read to me as a kid about sea humans. Then I sat on my sea shell bed and read it.
The next morning I got up and felt refreshed. I ate some breakfast then I started teaching Makani some things in a special room. Sort of like school. He was the only kid learning. "OK Makani. First lets see the skin. I need you to take off your shirt." He looked a little embarrassed but did it anyway. I was shocked at how good his body looked. I ogled a little then shook my head. "Ok now mind if I touch your skin to see how far developed you are?" "Go ahead." "Ok then." I started rubbing his skin. His chest stomach sides and back. His arms too of course. "OK you can put you shirt on now." Then he did as he was told. "Ok later tonight when no one is out there we are going to go into the ocean to see how far you can go. The sea goddess said you were welcome to come, but you had to be careful because you skin hasn't grown enough. Your skin isn't thick enough yet. Here feel mine." He felt my arm and said, "I see what you mean. My skin isn't quite that thick yet but its getting there." "Yes your right. Ok what I might have to teach you, is things you will need to do to get further into the ocean. I might have to go back home sometime for examples to teach you." "OK then. What shall we learn about first?" I had brought a few books on sea humans for him to study. "Have you read the childhood book about the sea humans?" "No but I will be willing to listen if you read it." "OK then. There is also a few books I have I want you to study when you can. After we read a little in the books I will test you like school ok?" "Yes teacher." "OK then."
So I started reading. "Once upon a time, there were people who used to live in the sea..." Once I was done reading it he was really interested. "I wonder if my father didn't tell me because of the curse Ocean was talking about. I know how much mom misses the sea." "I'm sure they all do. OK lets start off with this book first. Its about how sea people live." "Ok chapter 1. What they eat." So we read that and I told him what all we ate. Some examples were raw fish, sea plants, shrimp, and all that good food. "Oh and we can also understand what the sea creatures are saying. I don't know if it's the same with you, because you are the first one on land to be born as a sea human." "Yeah your right. I'll be popular down there." "Hehe yeah. Oh I have an idea. I should contact the sea goddess and see if I can finish my last year of school here instead of at home. Its 1 year anyway. I know school just started about a month or 2 ago right?" "Yes it did." "OK hang on a minute." I closed my eyes and tried to contact the sea goddess.
"Naia. Is everything ok up there?" 'Ha it worked. Yes its fine. I would like to finish school up here if I could. Its only a year anyway. I am a senior now." "Yes that is fine. Your parents won't be happy. I'm sure your brother will be happy as well." 'Hehe Yeah he will be at first but then he will get bored wishing I was home. That is what happened when I was only gone for a week. Oh I might need to come down and get a few things in a couple of days to teach this boy about us. Can you send someone up here when I contact you?' "Contact me and I will have you meet them under water to be safe." 'Yes goddess thanks.' "If you need anything. Any thing at all give me a call ok?" 'Yes goddess. Thanks for everything.' "Uh huh" Then we cut the connection.
"Looks like school is on here. I will have Ocean be my guardian. He will be considered my big brother." "Ok sounds good to me. Can't wait to see you in school." "Yeah that would be cool." So We went from chapter to chapter. We studied for at least 2 hours and that is a limit for me. "Ok so two hours a day of teaching ok?" "Sounds good to me." Since we were done, he went to work and I went to talk to Ocean for a bit.
"Hey Ocean." "Oh hey Naia. What's up?" "Oh nothing much. If its not too much trouble can you take off your fake skin and let me touch your smooth skin on your arm please?" "Yeah sure." He took off the fake skin and his skin looked so clear. I touched it and it was so smooth. "Yep the perfect thickness. I wonder why different people have a different thickness of skin under the sea.? Hmm."