'Twas amongst the most radiant days Isle Bashnar could hope for, and just as well. Today was the two-hundredth anniversary of the Zhere Dievar festival, the sun-lit party in which stood countless stalls, enticing events, rivalry-rousing contests, and a myriad of breathtaking performances by the countries lithest athletes!
Not a single soul upon the island was without fear for the weather. To see such a majestic, whimsical time burdened by poor, pestilent weather would be a tragedy. But a tragedy for one boy in particular...
David Vulce, 18 year old worker at the what was usually the stone theatre - an ancient attraction of heritage and tourists' acclaim - but today, it was rented out for the fantastic events. But one above all. One above all which undoubtedly pleased the SeaGod Zhere Diever more so than any other! The Mermaids' Masterpiece; a stunning display of tail-wearing swimmers, as beautiful as could be imagined, frolicked around the impressive tank like the mermaids they worshipped.
David always wondered, as did everyone else, just how many years of training does it take to swim so well with your legs bound so!?
He hadn't a clue, but hadn't a care either! So long as he could watch those stunning performers work their magic, he could leave satisfied.
And such would be the case today! Mr Koulnd was strict as could be when he told his staff, David among them, that no one was to slacking off for the festival. There'd be far more visitors to tend to, today of all days.
But this year, he'd had enough. he had as much right to enjoy the fare, and those mermaids' display, as much as anyone! It was a strange attraction he had to them... He didn't think it'd be the same without the tails they were so snug...
With a sly grin, he left his post untended. His was a quiet spot anyway, he'd be back before anything noteworthy occurred...
"Another year, another nightmare." Moaned Serah as she held her costume tail. A serene, stream-like blue. It felt so unnatural, so... eerie, the way these things worked. She scowled as she remembered the awe on her and her team's public's faces. "How do you do it!?" they'd always ask. Had they no imagination? Surely they realised a human's knees could never bend so fluently? It was like a Black Magic, and she shivered at the thought of donning it again!
"This year's the last!" She told herself. After the noon performance, she'd take her leave. Let the others who ~enjoyed~ it figure out what to do with her absence!
One more show. That was her lot. Then she'd be free of that body-altering leg-sleeve forever.
David was on the edge of his seat, as were the hundreds of others. It was starting!
Over the course of the hour, the ten performers turned tricks and dove elegantly throughout their titanic pool. Breathtaking. david couldn't take his eyes off the way they used those tails like that! He chuckled at himself for wondering if they were the real deal. . . . . he certainly wished they were. Part of him would love to swim about as they did. he'd always enjoyed a swim.
Unconsciously, he sat with legs crossed at the ankles...
Enjoyable as the event was, his happiness fell as he turned to leave. His employer, Kould, stood angrily.
"Enjoying the holiday!?" He rumbled. "The eastern stall was robbed, without you working it!" david didn't think he'd seen his face that red before, or as cruel as he suddenly made it. "Well not to worry. Madame Mercevel was informing me of extra jobs needing done backstage. Since you enjoy her show so much, you won’t mind the pay'll go towards them stolen goods and contents of yer till!"
Serah slithered out the tail as quickly as she could, before the others returned. She hated the sudden, stiff, creaking feel of her legs' solidity suddenly returning. She hated everything about the damn thing! In a flash, she was changed. Dripping wet, but changed. She through the tail to the corner. It could rot there for all she cared.
---
David sighed. He'd hoped doing a little work for the mermaids' show would be a little more exciting. he hoped to meet one of the swimmers, at least. But mopping the changing room was all he got, which seemed even duller when the place sat empty, late at night.
He missed the rest of the festival thanks to that bloody idea of his!
he sat on one of the changing benches. His back hurt. he began fantasising, about the enchanting show he'd witnessed, about merfolk.
he'd never admit it to anyone, but he loved those creatures with a passion. So graceful and sensuous...
Yeah... ducking out of work had been worth it!
The light fell oddly on something. By the corner. Something else in need of tidying up, he thought, but was in for a certain surprise...
A Mermaid Tail! A shimmering, light-blue, long, broad mermaid tail! Fully intact too! Had it been left here by accident, he wondered.
...
He fingered it curiously. It felt smooth, yet delightfully... slimy... to the touch. He wondered; there was no one nearby. Could he perhaps, maybe...?
He gave a joyful laugh. His "break" had lasted longer than he'd thought, but he didn't care. The tail felt wonderful! It slid over his legs so smoothly, and how flexible he felt within seemed unreal! A good half-hour he'd spent idly swishing away, stroking its scaly skin and fins. He knew he'd always dreamed of being a merman... It really did feel as fluent and sexy as he'd imagined.
Madame Mercivale stalked the backstage halls in a fluster. Too many of her performers were feeling nervous and unwilling around her magic-enhanced tails. And such reluctance made for a shawdy show. This year would need to be the last anyway... there was a fair turnout, yes, but hardly as much as years before. She sighed. Their last show had been said and done. What that left was the matter of discarding the spells that birthed it!
It was then she heard a slapping sound. Like flippers against a floor.
A quick peek into the locker-room revealed that David boy, wearing what looked like Serah's tail. Ludicrous, she thought. He's supposed to be-
Then she noticed. He was enjoying it! It was the sincerest smile she'd seen in one of those costumes in years! He enjoyed its charms and traits.
She gave a smile. Perhaps her spells would find a suitable home after all. Quietly, she slid the book that contained them under the door. David hadn't noticed...
It was a good ten minutes longer before David, reluctantly, removed the tail. The sudden brittle feeling in his legs came as a shock, as unpleasant one at that.
He wished he could take the thing home with him. or at least take a swim inside, he could've visited the beach, and-
There was something by the door. A book?
"The Aquatic Grimmoire of Zhere Dieval." Its cover read. A curious flick inside revealed page after page of water-based chants, rituals and spells. One page revealed a spell entitled "The Enflex-Fit", which, astonishingly, was a description of how the tail he'd worn was made!
But that was nothing in comparison to what was written beside it. "The Merfolk Insignia". he couldn't believe what he was reading... a - a genuine merman-transformation spell! All it took was for him to don the costume tail and recite a particular passage.
...He stared in disbelief... It couldn't be real, obviously.
...Still... What harm could there be in giving it a try!? Besides, it was that or another hour of floor-mopping.
Down by an empty dock at the beach, the moon hanging triumphantly above him, he slipped on the tail, wriggling the fins excitedly! he lowered himself in to the chilly water, and began reciting the spell he'd read.
For a few minutes nothing happened. Of course, David thought. It said the transformation took up to an hour to complete. Long and drawn-out... he hoped it'd be comfortable.
he held his legs together in the tail, soon, those scales would be his own. Soon, he'd swish a magnificent, beautiful tail throughout the ocean's expanse! Who knows? perhaps he'd meet other Mermaids and Mermen while he was at it!
He bobbed, and waited, longingly...