<Hey, wake up,> Jennifer is awoken by the sound of another voice in her head. She murmurs a bit, and slowly peels her eyes open. It's light out, the sun is shining brightly through the water, and the ocean is once more teeming with diurnal life.
But that isn't what she sees. She sees a face mere inches away from hers. Eyes wide, curious. The scales on this one are a pinkish green, and Jennifer is unable to do anything as the other creature grabs her arm and yanks her out of her cubby hole.
Jennifer stares in astonishment for what feels like an eternity. There, right before her, is a fish woman, different from her, but similar still. The other woman's fins are a bit longer, more elaborate, and she's got swirling black patterns along her body. She's a bit less voluptuous and curvy than Jennifer is, more suited for quick swimming than she is.
<You're an awful long way away from the city. Were you lost?> Jennifer hears the voice in her head again, and she can only assume that it's the other fish woman speaking somehow.
"Gllrrb..." she tries to speak, but it doesn't work.
<Silly, we can't talk like we're up above. Think it. I can hear it,> the fish woman raises a finned hand to her mouth and seems to giggle a bit. <I'm Mala. What's your name?>
<Um... I'm Jennifer... How... how is this possible? How is there another...?> Jennifer thinks, and is shocked to feel it work. She can feel her thoughts reaching out to contact the woman.
<What are you talking about? You come from a different city?>
<Uh... yeah...> she points upward, unsure of how else to say it. The fish woman looks up, as if trying to see it.
<I don't understand...>
<I'm from above... I'm not from down here. This is my first time.>
<But how can you stand it? It's so dry. I can only take so much before I go back down. Ugh.>
<I only became a fish just yesterday.>
The fish woman looks supremely surprised at this statement. <You mean the people up there can become like us? Without all the machines and stuff?>
<Well, no. It's a long story.>
<Sorceror's curse?>
<Sorta. Like I said, long story. I'm just so relieved I'm not the only fish person down here.>
<Fish person? We're not like the fish at all. They're just dumb animals.> she folds her arms at her chest, apparently offended at Jennifer's terminology. <We're Sorians.>
<Sorry, I just assumed... you were like me.>
<Wait. You ARE a fish person? Wow. Okay, well, you know what? Nobody'll care, nobody'll even know the difference. As far as they'll be concerned, you'll just look a little different is all.>
<What do you mean, nobody'll care?>
<Well, you're going to come with me, aren't you?>
<Come with you where?>
<Wow, you poor thing. Must have had your brains scrambled with that sorceror's curse. To Soria! It beats the hell out of sleeping with the eels.>
<Really? You'd let me...?>
<Why not? So, you gonna come along or what?>