"I do hope this place has something good" Laura Ashford pleaded as she entered the magic shop dressed in an olive jumper, blue trousers, red shoes and her green handbag. at 38 with raven hair and having lived in the area far long than the shop she wasn't completely convinced it was genuine. but still at this point her options were limited.
"can I help you ma'm" this blond haired younger man in the store's uniform suddenly asked as he noticed Laura looking about. "well...Richard... I here shopping for a birthday present" Laura assured while getting the man's name from his ID tag. "well if it's magical based you've come to the right place. all ages and interests either in store or more rarely online our shop can cover for your themes from basic stage performance to full crowd-mind blowing wonders" Richard explained.
at first taken back by Richard's explanation which she put down to the store's training and advertising requirements for employees, Laura started her explanation "I'm looking for something specific in theme for my daughter Alexis's 14th birthday next week". "and her interests lie in what, may I ask?" Richard inquired politely. "...mermaids. problem is outside of age limited DVDs, toys and books i'm having issues locating something both good and age appropriate" Laura answered. "hmmm..." Richard started before recalling something "amongst her mermaid fascinations, has actually being a mermaid been something she's wanted?". "more than anything but those performances costumes are expensive and at her current age more so to readapt to her size" Laura admitted. "well we have an alternative but before I can show it I must ask if you have access to a swimming pool of considerable size" Richard continued. "we do... but why?" Laura questioned. "come with me and I'll show you" Richard assured as he lead Laura elsewhere.
"... That's just a green clamshell?" Laura questioned this display of such item. "well this one's but a display model and lacks the magic of the actual ones" Richard accepted "but a proper one i'd say is the best option... on the plus side it's only about 3000, plus delivery and install fees". "and what exactly dose it do involving mermaids?" Laura demanded. "they are magical clamshells we call merclamshells... submerged in water and close them up with a person inside, a few moments later open it up and the person's a mermaid, merboy or merman" Richard explained."this is a joke right?" Laura dared. "if you want we can give you a demonstration" Richard suggested.
Richard then escorted Laura to this section in the back area setup like an indoor pool with a clamshell already within the water, but then Richard surprised Laura by removing all his clothing from below his waist "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" She demanded. "Relax... i'm merely getting ready to display how these clamshells work" Richard assured before diving into the water and getting inside the clamshell. at first Laura was curious how this was meant to convince her before Richard then reemerged with a dark-blue tail with a single blue fin at the end, matching scales covering his hands and arms with forearm fins and webbed fingers and fined ears and was swimming in a way that disproved he wasn't swimming with legs into a tail costume.
"OK I admit that was fast" Laura accepted as Richard took a seat by the pool's edge. "try giving it a feel" Richard suggested while pointing at his new tail. "are you-" Laura started. "go ahead, you'll be surprised" Richard interrupted. Laura did as suggested and felt about where Richard's tail and waist merged and found no seem, just flawless transition from skin to scales. "see it's real" Richard assured as he fully got out and started using some dry towels to dry his tail off that Laura witnessed turn back into legs. "OK I'm convinced, I'll buy one" Laura accepted in joy. "good, Alexis will surely love it" Richard agreed "that said alongside payment i'm to give you a manual over how to use them... store policy you understand". "indeed so" Laura agreed: