The elderly clerk let out a small sigh. "I suppose that makes it difficult to tell you this - but - there is no way to undo the magic of that necklace. Hence, the verbal warning. Hence, the written warning. Hence, the warning on the receipt." He spread his hands and gave Amy a pointed look. "Frankly, my dear - there were plenty of warnings. Magic isn't a toy--"
Amy threw up her hands. "You're selling powerful magical trinkets to people, knowing full well that most people don't believe in magic--"
"What people do or don't believe has no bearing on the facts of the matter--!"
"--it's extremely irresponsible, shortsighted, arrogant--!"
"--the fact being that my responsibility ends the second a transaction is made!" the wizard shouted, slamming a fist down on the shelf. "I am sorry! But there is nothing I can do!"
Amy opened her mouth to protest, and then seemed to deflate, lowering her arm, shaking her head. "Nothing...?" she asked in a more subdued voice.
"The warnings were very clear--"
"Whatever man. Just...whatever." Amy turned and walked out of the store. The wizardly clerk watched her leave, shaking his head disapprovingly. Amy didn't look back; she walked to her car and glumly climbed into the seat, just sitting and staring at the dashboard. Permanent. Lina was going to be a mermaid permanently. All because she thought it'd be a fun lark to go to the store - and poor Lina, who hadn't even really believed it was magic in the first place - she was paying the price for that.
------------
By the time Amy returned home, the sun had set for the evening. When she entered into her backyard, Lina was floating on her back, her tail glistening ethereally in the moonlight. At the very least, Amy supposed, it was good that Lina had ended up as a mermaid, and a beautiful one at that. It could've been worse, all things considered. What if Lina had turned into a fish, or some kind of sea monster?
It was a small comfort.
She shuffled over to the pool and sat at the edge, sticking her feet into the water.
Lina glanced over and swam over, grasping at the edge of the concrete. She looked up at Amy.
"Well?" Lina asked.
Amy shook her head slowly.
Lina looked away, blinking rapidly. "Oh," she said.
"I'm...I'm so sorry Lina..."
Lina's grip tightened on the concrete edge of the pool. "Okay."
"Lina..."
"It's...it's fine. So. This is my life then. This is me. I'm just going to...be a mermaid. Forever. Because I put on a fucking necklace. Sure. Okay."
"Lina...."
"It's fine. It's fine! Why not? Lina the mermaid. Cool. Hey, maybe I can join the swim team, huh? I could get a scholarship for swimming now."
"I'm...I don't know..."
Lina pushed away from the edge of the pool, waving her arms around now. "Sure, sure! I'll just - I'll fucking - I'll just be a mermaid! I can get my own show now! Hey everyone, come watch the freak! The dumb bitch who put on a necklace, and now she's stuck as a mythological creature!"
"Lina!" Amy protested, tears coming to her eyes.
"No, no, it'll be perfect! Lina the mermaid! Forget the TV show, just take me to the aquarium, or the circus, or the freak show! That's where I'm probably going to end up no matter what!"
"Lina...!"
"Forget it, Amy! Forget it! I'm not going to...just...just take me to the ocean! If this is my life, I might as well get fucking used to it! Take me to the ocean, I'll swim off, and that'll be that, you can forget about me. I'll take the other necklace, at least I can make sure no one else falls victim to this fucking curse..."
Lina's voice trailed off. Amy watched sadly, and looked up to see Lina's face screwing up in the pool, trying not to cry.
Amy slid into the water and floated over to Lina, and hugged her friendly tightly. Lina didn't respond at first, but then returned the hug. For a moment they simply floated there - girl and mermaid. Amy could feel Lina shaking a bit as she finally began to cry in earnest - she was crying too now - and they simply let it happen. What else was there to say? For the moment, there was nothing else they could do.
Amy drew back slightly and looked at Lina. "Lina, you're my best friend in the whole world. You know that. I'm with you, no matter what. Don't give up right away. There has to be something."
"Amy..."
"And if there isn't, if there's no way to go back, and you really wanna go live in the ocean, then - I'll take the other necklace, and I'll join you."
"Amy! No!"
"Lina! If you're stuck this way, if there's no other way to turn you back - I'm not going to let you just...be on your own! You're stuck with me! One way or another, we're in this together. Okay?"
Lina frowned, and then nodded. "Okay," she said. "Alright. You and me. Let's figure this thing out."
"That's the spirit. Fuck that wizard guy. We'll figure something out. And if we can't, then we'll just have to become the hottest mermaids around."
Lina shook her head, but a smile broke out, and she began to break out into fits of laughter. Amy broke out in laughter a moment later, their laughter echoing across Amy's backyard.