You and Corey lock hands as your emotions swell, suddenly feeling overcome with a sense of urgency — "Make us permanent mermaids!" you plead to Lorelei and the others.
There was a moment of startled silence among the mermaids, each tossing glances to the other almost if they were having a conversation without words.
"It's still possible… right?" Corey timidly broke the quiet.
Polly swam up to her, perching just below our rock. "Absolutely," she smiled knowingly.
Lorelei started, "I'd give you a speech about how it's a 'big decision' and all that, completely irreversible—" she tossed her hair over her shoulders, "but I'll be honest, we were all kind of hoping you'd ask to join us. From the moment I saw you I just knew you belonged in the water. I've changed enough mermaids to know."
"And you're old enough to make your own decisions, right girls?" Clarissa winked.
"You should know though," Kelly added, "becoming permanent mermaids is a little different than becoming temporary ones."
"Right," you say,"you said we'd have special abilities like being able to glow in the dark. Either way, I don't think anything could change our minds."
"Well, we should get started then," Barbara seemed delighted, " It's a beautiful night to make two new mermaids."
"We should probably let Lorelei do it?" Polly suggested, "I don't any of us have ever actually made permanents besides her."
"Really?" you say, "but I thought Lorelei used to be human…"
"Hmph." Lorelei seemed slightly offended, "That has nothing to do with anything. Making temporary mermaids is enough enough for any mermaid, but making permanent mermaids requires a bit more practice. And I've had lots of it." Lorelei turned to Corey, winking, "now, I think we'll start with you, so Millie can see me demonstrate my credentials."
I thought about Lorelei kissing Corey and I blushed. Corey squeezed my hand reassuringly as she dipped into the waist-high water.
Lorelei swam up to Corey, gently took her face in her palms, and pressed her lips into Corey's.
The change began just as it did before. Beneath the water, Corey's legs seemed to melt each other as if they were just as liquid as the sea. Her yellow tail seemed even more brilliant than before. But Lorelei held their kiss.
I grew impatient. "Okay, they're done… right?" Polly shushed me. That's when I began to notice the other changes. Corey's hair was getting longer. It was past her shoulders and seemed to be growing faster and faster, and as it lengthened it changed color from Corey's natural hues to a tropical lime-green.
Corey's body was changing too. I didn't notice at first, but she was getting… older? She didn't look like a teenage girl anymore, but more like a woman… like the other mermaids, who looked like they were just a little past college-age. Not only that, but every defect in her face body was smoothed over. She looked perfect now — beyond perfect. I had a weird feeling in my stomach looking at Corey now. I thought about my average body and my flat chest (hers had filled out nicely). Why would she like someone like me now?
Lorelei finally pulled away from Corey, now a permanent mermaid. "How do you feel?" Lorelei asked.
"A...Amazing!" A slightly fuller, deeper voice came out of Corey. She stopped as she noticed the obvious differences. "Wait. What's... why am I like... this?"
Kelly explained, "Mermaids don't age like humans do. Most of us don't look much older than a woman in her mid-twenties. Magic, and a little salt-water, preserves us. This is what you'll look like from now on." Corey's eye's met mine, I looked away sheepishly. She seemed so perfect now. Now that Corey had changed, the difference between you and the other mermaids seemed even more pronounced. They were magical, beautiful, everlasting beings, and you were just a simple human. You felt small and insignificant, hanging your head low.
Lorelei turned her attention towards me, swimming over as the other mermaids cooed over the newly-transformed Corey. "There's no need for that, Millie. You're going to look as amazing as your girlfriend in a few minutes. Are you ready?"