'There is a solid argument for saving someone who never complied with the norm' said Melina.
'By those standards, there would be a solid case to save all criminals' answered Ephesia.
Melina rolled her eyes. Aisha laughed.
'Isn't there one, though?' An argument to save all those have wronged?' added Aisha pensively.
'I guess there is an argument to save anyone and everyone' agreed Ephesia. 'But not complying doesn't explain the situation enough for us to make a decision on saving her. We need more information. Does she even want to be saved? I am still having troubles understanding what was it all for'. Expanded Ephesia. 'What was so rare and special about being human? Why make that a goal?'
'I think it was her shot to an afterlife' explained Melina sadly. It was pitiful, really. Mermaids just didn't get that much. Sometimes nature could be so cruel.
'Yeah, I think so too, but she never explained that. She never even mentioned that to be some sort of motif.' continued Ephesia.
'sometimes we don't really even know ourselves what's on the back of our minds' answered Aisha. 'Maybe she didn't know that was part of her motif yet.'
'hmm' murmured Ephesia. 'And why would we save her in particular? what did she do that was so amazing anyway?'
'you could argue she saved someone' defended Melina.
Ephesia lauhed mockingly.'Here here Ariel. Let us reward you for you have saved the prince from being murdered.... through of self-control.'
The three air creatures started laughing at this. After a minute or so, Ephesia's expression turned rather motherly; a smile still wearing her face. 'Oh Ariel' she murmured empathetically. Like someone who sees a hurting child. 'Would it be possible for us to reward you, for being the only mermaid to try this hard to take control over your situation, and earn what you thought you wanted? Could that be considered heroic enough to justify extending you a chance to an air creature's afterlife in case you want it? But how can we know you'd want it?' she said in a pensive curious tone.
The question loomed in the air as Aisha and Melina soaked on Ephesia's words. Waiting. Tasting the moment. As they did, their eyes turned to a far away Ariel for a second. Who, by the dock, had thrown to the sea the sword her sister gave her. The action implied rejecting to kill a man in order to save herself. A man who was not who she originally thought he would be - but still a person. His own, independent, uncontrollable person. Just like her. Who was her to take anything away from him just to save her own skin.
The air creatures looked at her from the distance as Ariel armored herself in strength and threw herself down the dock towards the sea: to feel the waves she once called home. Rejoicing in familiarity before her time expired and her entire existence was consumed into meaningless seafoam - like all mermaids that were, and all mermaids that would be.
'Geronimo' murmured Melina in a sad voice.
'If we could only know what she would rather have, I would know what to do' said Ephesia.
'We can always just ask. If she sees us there won't be any consequence anyway, as she is scheduled to die in 7 minutes. ' said Aisha.
Ephesia sighed. 'Okay, fine. Go fetch her before she dies. Let's have her be the one to decide if she wants to come with us'.