Just as you finish making up your mind, you hear one of the mermaids say, “We know you’re there, so you can come out of hiding.” The six mermaids all pulled themselves out of the water and perched themselves upon their own rocks. They all had bikinis made of either starfish or seashells held together with little more than a string of pearls; the one that spoke had bright green hair and a sapphire tail that seemed to shimmer as the full moon finally made its appearance.
“Oh, uh, how long did you know I was here?” You ask sheepishly.
“Long before you even came close to this lagoon.” A pink-haired mermaid with a tail like ruby answered.
“Really?” you ask.
“Certainly,” yet another said, this one with vibrant blue hair and an emerald green tail, “after all these centuries our kind spent avoiding such obvious detection in your world, we would never be so careless as to allow ourselves to be seen unless we wanted to.”
A fourth mermaid spoke up; her hair was jet-black with a tail of pale purple, like amethyst. “And we definitely wanted you to see us.”
”Wait a minute,” you suddenly consider the possibility that this is a trick; “how do I know these aren’t just costumes?” You ask
All of the mermaids giggle before a brown-haired mermaid with a yellow tail, like topaz speaks up “These are no costumes.” She curled her tail upward as tightly as she could. Something no human in a costume could ever do.
You were astonished. “Y-You really are mermaids!”
“Allow us to introduce ourselves.” The last mermaid, with platinum blonde hair and a light blue tail, like aquamarine, spoke. “I am Lorelei.”
“Polly.” The sapphire mermaid said.
“Clarissa.” Said the ruby mermaid.
“Kelly.” Added the emerald mermaid.
“Nina.” The amethyst mermaid spoke.
“Barbara.” The topaz mermaid said.
“I’m Millie,” you say.
“A pleasure to meet you.” Lorelei said. “So, Millie; care to join us for a swim?”