It was finally the day where I can loose the wheelchair. "Ah. I can finally walk again. It feels so much better then sitting all the time." "I bet." Said Makani. "Hey I haven't seen Tide in awhile. Whats up with that?" "Oh you don't remember? He said he was going to join the other sailors on a trip." "Oh that's right. They delayed the trip because of me. Now they are on it. I'm so glad and sorry that I put it off. Sorry for putting it off and glad they can go now." "I get what you mean Naia." "Oh yeah. Since we are finally done with homework for the week tell me a little about yourself. If you want to date me I need to know a little about you." "Fair enough. Well I am just an ordinary guy. I pretty much grew up human not knowing I would end up a sea human." "Haha none of us know until the time comes. I mean what are your hobbies? What do you do in your spare time and all that. Do you have siblings? That sort of thing." "Oh ok uh I do have an older brother and 2 younger sisters. My sisters are twins. The older twin is faith the younger one is grace my big brothers name is Konane." "Oh I see pretty names. My stupid twin brother who is younger one is named Nen. His name is Neno but we call him Nen. I have a pet dolphin named Selena." "Oh how sweet. Can't wait to meet her." "You will. We just need to keep practicing with you mr. Now lets hear more about you." "OK well the twins are 8 years old. My big brother is 20. My hobbies are swimming. Drawing, and listening to pretty music." "Oh so that is why you can swim so well." "Yeah. I have been swimming by myself since I was 5 years old." "Oh so you mentioned drawing stuff?" "Yeah I like to draw, Paint, anything to do with making pictures pretty much." "Oh is there any way I can see them?" "Yeah maybe after school next week you can come by meet my family and take a look." "Oh cool. Sounds great. Well if you want to know my hobbies I like music as well, I like finding stuff in the ocean and making things out of them. I even make things out of the sea plants and stuff." "Oh that's cool." "Yeah thanks. I 'll show you when we go down. I like spending time with the sea creatures in my free time or hanging out with my friends. Oh my favorite color is Aquamarine." "Oh really? I like all types of blue. I don't really have a favorite. I also like greens yellows and all types of orange colors." "Ah so you like tropical colors." "Yeah. Ever since I found out what my dad was I was thinking he was making it up. I still thought he was all these years but now I see he wasn't. Sea people are real." "Hehe. Yeah." "OK back to teaching you now. You did pretty good on the test by the way. You just missed a couple of things." So we walked to the room where I usually teach him and show him what he missed.
(Under the Ocean)
That night I was supposed to see how far he can go swimming. I was for awhile and we were under water then I heard someone scream. "Man Overboard!" "Makani. Don't go any further either stay here or go to shore. Someone fell in the ocean and I can get there faster." "Yeah sure."
I swam over in no time and saved the boy. "NO It can't be. Tide?" I found the ship he was on and climbed aboard. I put him down on the dock. "He's not breathing!" "Everyone back up. I am going to give him CPR and mouth to mouth." Everyone did as they were told and l started CPR. "Come on! Breathe Tide! Please don't die on me. Please." After the last breath of 4 he started coughing. "Cough! Cough!" "Oh thank the goddess. Are you ok now Tide?" "Naia? What are you doing here?" " I was helping Makani out and I heard someone fell in." Then he passed out. She checked his breathing and was relieved. "He should get some rest for a day or 2 he should be fine." "Thank you Naia." "Yeah sure." Then she dove back in the ocean and went back to Makani.
"What happened?" "It was Tide. They must have returned early for some reason. I had to give him CPR." "Oh is he ok?" "Yeah he's all good now." "That's good." "Oh yeah I have to get ahold of the sea goddess." I closed my eyes and told her what happened and when they were going to meet again. After the last meeting she wanted to see them again. "We can see them when you are off of school tomorrow. You come too. How is your friends Skin?" "Well it is moonlight now. Makani come here a minute." He listened and she looked at his skin. "Its almost developed goddess." "Good how far can he go underwater?" "Well we were about to find out when that incident happened. I will contact you again. Then I will see you tomorrow ok?" "All right. Be careful up there ok?" "Yes maam." Then I cut the connection.
"What did she say?" "Oh to make the second meeting tomorrow and to see how far you can go underwater. You are half, you may not be able to make it to the village without needing to breathe. That's why she wants to know. She wants you to come tomorrow probably." "Oh ok. Lets give it a shot then." She followed Makani as he was swimming. Then I heard a strange sound that sounded like the sea piano. "That's strange. I thought no one could play the piano that lived down here. Hey after I take you back to the surface I need to go to the village for a little bit ok? I know its late but I will be back." "OK Be careful ok?" "Yeah sure." They continued on and he can see the village but then he needed air so he backed up a bit.
"Is this your limit?" "Yeah. After a month or 2 I will probably have full skin and can make it to the town after all." "Yeah that would be great." "Ok do you know how to get back yourself?" "Yeah I remember my way and I will be careful." "OK good see you later then." "Yeah be careful as well." So he left and I ventured to where I heard the piano.
I finally got to the door of the piano room. There is a room specifically for the special piano. The door was painted looking like a piano. I put my hand on the nob and opened the door. "Huh? Who is there?" I said. The person must not have heard me. I walked closer and saw it was my father. "Dad?" "Oh Hello honey. What brings you here?" "I thought no one here knew how." "Why can you play and not say anything?"
Dad stopped what he was doing and said, "Let me tell you a story about a little boy who liked to play piano. There was a little boy with black hair who has played the piano since he was two years old. Remind you this was on land. Regular piano's don't play under here." "Got it dad." "He always came up with one of his parents to play piano on the surface. One day when the boy went up to the surface he went with his father. His father was staying with a friend he met on the surface that time. As well as the boy. Then his father got into some trouble and was killed. The Goddess sensed something was wrong and took that boy and the others on land at the time back into the ocean without hesitation. After that the boy had never played piano again." "Oh dad. That little boy. Was he you?" "Yes honey. It was me." "Oh daddy. I'm sorry." I hugged my daddy tight. "Its ok honey. I was 5 at the time. I had my stepfather and my mother growing up." "Oh so grandpa was your stepdad." "Yeah he was. Your mothers parents are both blood though. She still has her mom." "Yeah I like grandma." "Haha. I know. You kids are grandparent lovers. Well shouldn't you be heading back up soon?" "Oh crap. Thanks dad. Oh and dad. I saw how happy you were to play again. You should get one for the house that only we can hear." "You know I was thinking the same thing. Be careful honey." "Thanks dad. See you guys tomorrow." "Oh is that tomorrow already?" "Yeah." So I waved to him and swam up.
(Surface)
I finally got to the surface and headed home. Then I felt someone behind me. They didn't look like nice people. I started to run but one of them caught me. I screamed in fright then the next thing I knew the men were on the ground. My eyes were getting blurry. "Hey are you ok?" "Y-Yeah." Then I blacked out.
When I woke up it was morning. I wasn't feeling so good. I was sweating and coughing. I heard a knock on my door. (Knock Knock) "Time to get up for school." Said Makani. "Come in." I said hoarsely. He went in and saw that I didn't look so good. "Yikes you might have a fever. Hold on a sec." He ran out and a few minutes later came with a thermometer. "Open your mouth. I have to put this under your tongue." After a little bit he took it out. "Tsk tsk tsk. Yep you are staying home today. You are definitely sick." "Sorry. I just started like 2 weeks ago and now I am sick." "Hey its all good. You feel like eating anything?" "Not right now thanks though." "Sure no prob. I have to go to school though." "Ok have a good day." He left and I laid back down.
I heard a knock on my door no long after he left. (Knock Knock) "Come in." The door opened and it was ocean. "Oh hey ocean." "I heard you had a fever. You have a cough to I see." "Yeah sorry for all the trouble." "Hey its all good. I made some porridge for you. You should get something in your tummy sometime today." "I will try. Thanks Ocean. Oh by the way can you get ahold of the people we listed to meet the sea goddess. We are leaving tomorrow after school gets out." "Yeah sure." SO he went out and I rested some more.
The next day I was fine. I went to school and it went well. We came home and I told Makani about that night. "That night there was someone playing the piano remember?" "Yeah so did you find out who it was?" "Yeah it was my father. I don't think he wants me to bring up his story. I'll have him tell you if he wants too. Anyway I came up on the surface, and these guys were following me. One grabbed me and I screamed. Then before I knew it they were on the ground. I heard someone asking if I was ok. My eyes were getting blurry so I didn't see who it was but I told them yeah. I must have gotten sick from shock or something." "Well I am glad you are ok. Oh are you supposed to be leaving soon?" "Yeah In a few minutes." "Ok well have fun ok? You know I can't make it yet." "Yeah you will meet her soon enough."
Then finally it was time for us to go. "Ok well I guess I will see you in a few hours." "Yeah be careful." "Will do." So me and the others dove down to the ocean and headed out.
(Ocean)
One of the people said, "I could have sworn I heard the piano playing yesterday." "That's impossible we are coming for that aren't we?" "Yes but I am not kidding." "Ok everyone. Yes the piano was playing. Don't worry about who it was. Lets go already." I said annoyed. So we finally got to the goddess' lair.
"Hello Goddess." "Oh good. You're all here. You all are looking good." "Yes goddess." They all said. "Ok now as for my plan, you will do shifts. Some of you night and some of you day. Depending on the request I may require 2 people. I have people request songs and the most requested is what we will play." "Yes Goddess." Said the younger one. "OK I will do a spell so that you will know your shifts." One by one the people came. Then she said,, "OK I will have the first night shift one now. Then I will take you all to where you will be staying from now on." "Goddess I have to talk to you." "OK I'll be right back." "Yes Goddess." So I waited.
The Goddess finally came back and said, "Ok what is it now? Is everything ok up there?" "Yes its really quite fun actually. I met some friends at the school. It's the thing about you coming up and talking." "Oh its not quite time. It might be time sooner than you think though." "Goddess. I have to be honest with you. 2 nights ago I went to teach my friend Makani to see how far he can go. He made it to where he can see the town." "That's great. Soon enough he will make it after all." "Yeah. I hope so too. Well that night I heard the piano playing…." Before I can say anymore the Goddess stopped me. "Well anyways. Is that all you want to say?" "No something else happened that day." "Ok continue. Ok by the way I know it was my dad. I went over and checked it out after I sent Makani back. After I talked to dad I swam up just fine. Its when I got to the surface these men who could have been drunk grabbed me. I screamed. Then before I knew it they were on the ground and my vision was blurry. Someone had me in his arms. The man asked if I was ok I said yes then blacked out. I didn't get a good look at him or his name." "I see. I'm glad you are ok. Are you sure you want to continue up there?" "Yes Goddess Keela. I am sure." "OK then be a little more careful up there." "I will do my best thank you Goddess."