It was convention time again and all about on the first day staff were going about as extra busy as usual during this period. Guests both here directly for the activates or accompanying family that were, were now finalizing their checking-ins if not already done so. As the desk manager had gone through since their hiring a super-millionaire female or a few were trying to bribe them to kick out the guests simply to hire out the lagoons, tanks and pools for private use like birthdays or company retreat… and failing of course.
Right now a few newly arrived guests or local visitors were going around the hallways housing the swimming tanks with many still amazed at the details, just by looking from the dry side you’d be forgiven for being confused for thinking you’re seeing into the actual deep sea that merfolk were swimming about in. well people dressed up as merfolk obliviously but still…
Now for the most part the swimmers were adults but a number of the visitors caught sight of a rather young girl among them. A 13 year old Caucasian girl with neck-length flowing light-brown hair and deep-blue eyes, the tail she was using looked well crafted yet flexible, a silvery-blue with a fully attached fish-fin monofin and a brief fin series going from the tin where the tail covered her behind to halfway between it and her knees. For above she was wearing a tankini made to look like seaweed woven together with a single shoulder strap and various seashells dotted about…
…But what was most interesting was how easily she was handling the deep pressure and holding her breath. While most of her fellow swimmers in her chosen tank or neighboring ones spent maybe 3 minutes between either surfacing or going for the provided air-hoses this girl was going longer, seemingly 7 minutes between refills or air and always going for the hose.
“OK that girl is good?” one viewer remarked in wonder. “Might be someone practicing for a role. I did hear talk they’ve got a new mermaid focused movie in development and it’s live-action” this fellow onlooker suggested. “They use mo-cap suits mixed with CGI in those now. Surely for safety and greater natural movements” the first countered “like in the Disney Remake. Great film by the way”.
However before more could start pondering and asking who the girl could be, one of the Tank’s safety staff, easily told apart by the red lifeguard top they wore even when tailed up, had jumped into the water and made aim for the girl. Easily catching her as she was in the process of using the air-hose, carefully grabbing her and making hand gestures that they were to both head to the surface.
“Here we are Mr Matthews” the lifeguard called to this rather early 40s man with dark-brown hair wearing a gray T-shirt and black long shorts standing by the edges of the tank. “Honestly Ariel why are you so insistence on pushing it so far?” the man sadly questioned the girl. “I wasn’t pushing it dad” the girl snapped as she pulled herself out of the water. “Ariel last year you nearly lost your hearing from going to long” the girl’s father stated firmly “Those Otolaryngologists were not joking on how bad it was”. ‘Those bastards didn’t have to bloody ban me from my calling like love fucking joykillers’ Ariel then countered with sign-language. “OK she has a real foul mouth… figuratively speaking” the lifeguard remarked in surprise as the girl got her tail off though thankfully was wearing sky-blue swim shorts underneath before storming off. “Can’t really tell as I don’t fully get sign-language” the Ariel’s dad confessed. “Required here as of how non-verbal proper mermaiding is” the lifeguard confessed “But then how-”. “Her instructor in her starting days was deaf and taught all his students” Ariel’s dad assured before following his daughter.
“So how was it getting the lifeguard to get her?” this Asian long ponytail woman wearing a green sundress with matching sandals remarked to Ariel’s dad as he entered the changing rooms where just besides her Ariel was getting dried off. “Just told them she had been in the water for half-an-hour and they jumped right in Chie” Ariel’s dad answered. “Darn it, it was just a brief hospital scare” Ariel snapped “I mean why inhibit me yet name me after the famous Disney Mermaid?”. “Technically the name Ariel comes from Hebrew and means ‘Lion of God’” Ariel’s dad countered “Much older than the movie not counting the original’s heavy delay”. “Good history lesson Thomas” Chie remarked kindly.
“Well whatever. Now you’ve got me out of the water what do you want?” Ariel demanded once she was wearing a green Polo-Shirt with Red Bermuda shorts and Green slip-on shoes. “Dinner. Even mermaids need to eat and we missed lunch getting here remember” Chie assured. “Plus as Mr Lewis stated even merfolk suffer from craps from entering the water after eating” Thomas followed. “Yeah… But I still can’t get my head around that we are HERE! I mean until now every time I pleaded one of you were always too busy and saving holiday time for join holidays which always had to mix after convention time” Ariel then stated. “And that can be an excuse for great food and reasonable prices” Chie happily called out as the family made their way to leave. “I still can’t see how much can retain that waist with her love of food?” Ariel pondered, the family unaware someone had been silently watching them out of interest and was going to follow them: