Fin Fun Presents a Mermaid Story by mermaid princess Mermaiden Crystal

“Pepperrrrr….”

“You can’t hide from me forever!”

“C’mon little guy, I just got home. Can you give me a few days to relax before I have to go chasing you around in these ice caves?”

As you can see, Pepper was quite bored while I was away on special duty with the Mermaidens and can’t wait to cause a bit of mischief to remind me of our old games.

“I’ll make an icy new boat for you and take you for a ride if you’ll just come out,” I offer with a giggle.

Before I know it, he waddles energetically from his hiding spot deep in his favorite cave as I flutter on the edge of its opening. His bright blue eyes fill with light as his gaze meets mine and he senses the love radiating from my heart – I truly missed him! I can’t let a little fatigue stop me from playing with my best pal, can I? Nope! I’m going give our friendship everything I’ve got. If battling evil over the last few months has taught me anything, it’s that life is precious. One wrong move during any of our many encounters and any one of us could have been seriously harmed…or worse. I can’t imagine leaving my parents, my brother…or my FinFriend behind.

After a long day of making ice castles and playing with Pepper, we swim home to find my brother Sid pouring over a scroll at our family’s clamshell table. The iridescent glimmer of the table reflects on the crisp white paper, creating a sparkly mirage as I approached him with curiosity.

“What’s up, bro?”

He looks up at me with eyes heavy as steel.

“A message from the MerCouncil came for you today. As you can see…” his voice trailed off.

“You couldn’t help yourself, could you?” I ask.

“Sorry, sis. It’s my instinct to protect you. Even from bad news,” he replies somberly.

Then he sighs heavily as he hands me the letter.

I read the words slowly and with dread. Usually the messages from the MerCouncil aren’t delivering good news.

It appears that a scroll was sent to every Mermaiden asking if any of us are missing our magical stones. These precious jewels are given to us when we become old enough to engage in the MerWorld on behalf of the MerCouncil. This is usually in our teens – but because Mariana didn’t know about her heritage, she didn’t receive hers until last year.

Why would they be asking about our gems?

This definitely seems like trouble.

Fin Fun Presents a Mermaid Story by Royal Mermaiden Jia

The cool waters of my home sea feel particularly comforting today. I am completely alone (well almost), with no one in sight and the Rìběn hǎi (Sea of Japan) all to myself. Since the Mermaidens captured Damon and his twisted mother Calisto, the MerCouncil sent all the mermaid princesses back to our native waters to reunite with our parents and FinFriends after such a challenging time. My mer-sisters and I are honored to represent the MerWorld during troubling spells, but I am personally exhausted. My fin needs to rest, and my FinFriend Akiko has been so lonely without me, it’s good to spend some quality time with her.

As I float on my back and bathe in the warmth of the sunshine on my face, I finally feel at peace after our wild months living at the MerCouncil’s headquarters. I can feel Akiko playing on the backside of my fin in the water, still elated from my unexpected arrival home. The gentle flutter of mackerel brushes my shoulders and before I know it, a school of shiny, silvery fish travel beneath me and onto their next destination. I’ve always felt a connection with these cute little swimmers. Perhaps I simply love how the deep fork in their tails is reminiscent of my own fin. I drift in complete stillness and let them pass me without interruption, but Akiko bobs in and out of the fishes’ path and bumps her head against my fin. After so much time surrounded by other mermaids, I enjoy connecting again with the sea life – its beauty and mystery makes me feel whole.

Although floating on the water feels restorative, I also need to spend time making my medicine bag whole again. I performed so many healings on my sisters, Sid, and Amani after our fierce battle, I’m now running low on my most vital potion ingredients. So, Akiko and I decide to search for some of my favorite natural healers in the water. Our sea is FILLED with thousands of animal species and hundreds of plants that thrive in the superior concentration of dissolved oxygen found uniquely in the Sea of Japan. What does that mean? Well, that’s just a fancy way of saying that our water feels good to those who live and grow here. But many of these flora and fauna are the secret to the unique healing powers that I possess.

I gently roll over to avoid scaring Akiko and invite her to wrap her tail around my finger with a swift motion of my pinky. Before I know it, we’re diving deep, searching for beautiful varieties of seaweed and the forgotten shells of molting crustaceans that, when ground up, can be transformed into a healing paste.

When I finally catch a glimpse of the vibrant magenta waves of spiraling grass I’m looking for, I motion for Akiko to investigate. She loves scavenging with me and happily swims toward the flowy grass as I reach for some nearby crab shells and place them in my satchel. Then I return to Akiko, gently sweeping the grass into my bag and widening my smile. This beautiful, wild place under the sea fills me with happiness and calmness.

But I know that danger lurks.

The MerCouncil interviewed Damon and Calisto about the humans and the map that we found at Calisto’s hideout. None of us have heard yet what has been discovered. I know that many humans care about all living things in the waters – even mermaids. But like Zoey told you, it’s likely that trouble has been brewing.

For now, though, ignorance is bliss.

Mermaid Story from Mermaiden Zoey

“Ouch! Help!” Waverlee screamed. I saw her distress and swam with all my might to help her. Thanks to my new training, I quickly assessed Noodles’ figure and focused my attack on the weakest part of his body – his eyes! I called for Brynn, who speedily arrived to hold Damon hostage. She also used her special powers to create the brightest light imaginable and throw it straight at Noodles’ right pupil. I unsheathed my small dagger, held the ornate coral handle tightly, and swam toward his face. I shoved my knife as deep as it would go into the waterline of his eye.

“Drop her, Noodles! I’ve got more where that came from if you’re not gonna cooperate!”

He let out a piercing squeal and released Waverlee. Amani moved in fiercely and began wrestling with the fast-moving tentacles of the creature. Before I knew it, Amani was swept up and encircled by a powerful tentacle, which held him tightly. Thinking quickly, Crystal used her special powers to create two sharp ice daggers – one for each hand – and began attacking the limb that was holding Amani. Noodles shrieked again in pain. Damon revealed no emotion as Noodles began to show signs of deep agony. Perhaps Damon and Noodles weren’t so chummy after all?

Crystal continued to use the water to make icy daggers as Waverlee created moving currents that quickly distributed the sharp points of ice among us, so we could fight the demon beast in unison. The energy began to drain from Noodles’ eyes as we defended ourselves from his vicious attack, but he wasn’t ready to quit the fight.

Amani was viciously kicking and thrashing, but Noodles clenched him tighter. Amani’s face and limbs started to show the strain of the torture. We were throwing the slippery knives of ice as quickly as Crystal could make them, but Noodles’ grasp wouldn’t let up.

I could tell we were all getting tired. We needed Amani fighting with us – he was much more powerful than the average mermaid princess. It was time for me to make a move. I held an icy dagger in each of my hands and sneakily swam behind Noodles’ face while he was distracted by the constant shards of ice being thrown by my sisters. As quickly as I could, with every ounce of strength I had left, I swam straight for his right eye and stabbed with the sharp blades of ice.

Shrieking with pain, Noodles released Amani from his slimy tentacles. Without prompting, Waverlee and Serena dove toward his left eye and began poking it with their ice daggers. It didn’t take long for Noodles to succumb to his injuries as an oozing orange liquid gushed from his wounds and his body went limp.

Although Noodles was no longer a threat, we still had his master to contend with. My sisters and I started to regroup, but our eyes and fins turned as a commotion arose in the corner of the room. Calisto held some kind of dark metal contraption that appeared to be sending out shockwaves to hurt the rest of the Mermaidens and Obsidian as they attempted to capture her. I wasn’t sure how close we could get without being shocked ourselves. I looked Damon in his eyes, which had returned to their normal icy sapphire.

“Damon, do you know how to stop her?” I pleaded. But I was met by a blank stare.

Then suddenly, Mariana was by my side. “I found the good inside of me Damon, and I know that you can find the good inside of you, too. Our family’s history doesn’t have to define us,” she implored of her brother.

Damon hesitated so long, I thought perhaps he was still entranced, then he finally replied. “Yes. I know how to stop the machine. I overheard the humans once tell Calisto that if she ever got in a pinch, to shove a piece of wood in between the gears to stop the charge.”

HUMANS!!?

Mariana swam into Damon’s face. “Humans? What was she planning, Damon? You better tell us everything.”

“I promise I will, Mariana. But we need to stop her first.” Damon didn’t appear to be on his mother’s side, but then, why had he been helping her? Did she simply put him under a nasty spell, or was it all just a façade? It’s bloody hard to know whether or not we can trust this bloke.

But we couldn’t wait any longer – time was running out! We watched in horror as, one by one, our friends hovered frozen in a repeating wave of shocking energy. Their faces – from the ones I could see – were paralyzed with fear. Did we dare leave their fate in the hands of Damon?

“Crystal, I need you to cause a distraction so that I can get around my mother and stop the machine. Can you come up with something?” asked Damon.

‘Sure thing. No problem,” she smiled.

Amani interrupted. “You’re not doing this alone, Damon. Don’t even think about it. Remember, you’re still a captive and will be held accountable for your crimes against the MerCouncil. I’m not letting you out of my sight.”

Before he could finish, Crystal began throwing large machetes she’d created from ice in Calisto’s direction.  Some made it through and whizzed past Calisto’s head, while others shattered into thousands of pieces from the impact of the energy waves. The barrage of icy blades kept Calisto on her fin and preoccupied enough for Damon to sneak up beside her and jam her powerful weapon with a piece of driftwood, as Amani prepared to capture her.

The plan was a success. The moment the shockwaves stopped, the fins of our mermaid friends went from frozen to flipping as we rushed to their sides and helped them swim away from Calisto. Amani was so stealthy, the evil sea witch didn’t realize he was right behind her when the machine broke. She turned to make her escape, but was mad as a cut snake when she realized her fin had been roped. She was in for a long ride back to the MerCouncil.

Later, as I glided through the brisk waters, headed far away from the sunken castle, I couldn’t help but beam with pride. Each of us left this battle unscathed, with just a few small cuts and bruises. Perhaps we were ready to explore more of the ocean world. We’re young adults now and don’t always need to be in the comfort of our shells.

But first, we must return Damon and Calisto to face the wrath of the MerCouncil, and find out how humans were involved with their evil plan. When humans are up to no good, I get frightened for me and my mates. The world above water is complex and mysterious. But then again, so is our MerWorld below. Maybe I just need to take a breath.

My thoughts continued to wander as we traveled back to what I can only call my “temporary home” at the MerCouncil’s palace. I haven’t been back to my home sea in such a long time. I miss Cooper terribly and can’t wait to see my parents again.

Just as I was daydreaming about the luscious blue waters of the Great Barrier Reef, Serena caught my attention.

“Hey Zoey, are you in there?” Serena giggled. I guess I got lost in my daydreams for a minute and missed our arrival. “You almost swam right into that big stone. Are you okay? Do you want me to paint it bright yellow?” she asked. It was my turn to laugh.

We chuckled as we passed through the oversized gates and swam with the pod directly to the MerCouncil’s chambers to deliver our captives. I’m glad the fight is over. I’m ready for a nap!

“What do you think the MerCouncil will do to the evil mom-and-son duo? Perhaps we can find out what they were up to using the map I took from the castle.” Serena gave me a sly look as our pod went inside the room.

The MerCouncil’s guards hurried passed us with Calisto and Damon in chains. I presumed that they were headed to the isolated prisoner cells in the fortress. Calisto turned and looked me in the eyes.

“Oh sweet Zoey, will you ever learn?”

And with that, she was gone. I was left wondering about her plan with the humans and how we could protect ourselves! I know not all humans are bad, but if you’re hanging out with Calisto, you’re probably a corrupt fish.

Right now, we all have more questions than answers, and it is going to take some time to get to the bottom of this complicated plot. But for now…I must sleep!

Mermaid Story from Mermaiden Brynn

Destiny and I could feel Damon before we could see him. Although I was keeping my glowing orb large and bright, neither one of us had a clear view of Damon until he was just a few feet away.

In a whir of turquoise, Mariana came flying past us at the same moment his face finally came into focus. As she charged into danger, I had to think fast. Which would be worse…leaving my sisters without light in this dark, murky water or allowing Mariana to battle Damon alone?

“Hang on lasses, I’ll come back for ya!”

I decided that the other Mermaidens and our well-trained fellows could handle themselves without my light for a minute. I swam toward Mariana and Damon just in time to grab Mariana’s wrist and yank her away from the thrust of Damon’s shiny sword. His eyes were a fiery yellow, making him look like a monster.

“What are you doing, Brynn? I could have got ‘im!” Mariana howled. “As his only sane family member, I think I should do the honors.”.

“Listen sis, I’m not takin’ your blubber. Damon is worth more to us alive than dead. We’re gonna follow the MerCouncil’s orders.”

There was no time to talk any sense into her. Damon had already recovered and was swimming away from us fast, heading toward the rest of our group. Mariana and I set off to pursue him. We needed to capture Damon and return him to the MerCouncil, per their request.

“Watch out, Damon is coming for ya!” I screamed with all my might to warn them, as I reignited my bright sphere of light. I hoped it would help them see the torpedo of evil headed their way.

Thankfully, our troupe was ready. Amani swam low, grabbed Damon’s fin, and whipped him into submission before the rest of us even knew what was happening!

“Amani, I wanted a piece of him!” Mariana hollered enthusiastically. A smile crept across her face and I was relieved.

“If I can’t practice what I teach, how can I be an effective instructor?” Amani exclaimed confidently.

“He’s just 1/3 of our problems. Where’s the rest of this twisted clan?” I asked.

As I no longer feared Damon and trusted that Amani could control him, I got up in his face.

“Damon. Are you there?” His eyes were still an unnatural shade, with wildly dilated pupils. “Hellooooo. Anyone in there?” He appeared to be in a trance of some kind. His mother, Calisto, must have cast a spell over him.

Thinking quickly, I called Jia over. She approached cautiously and looked surprised when I asked her to whip out her bag of plants and medicine. “Maybe the spell can be broken with one of your fancy potions?”

Jia looked at me and smiled reluctantly. I believed in Jia and hopefully she could find the strength to believe in herself, too. She started pulling green stringy things from what appeared to be a plant, then crushed a rose-colored shell with her bare hands. She placed these special ingredients into her left hand and lifted them carefully to the back of Damon’s neck.

“This might hurt a bit. Although I’m not sure you can feel it anyway.”

Jia pressed this hodgepodge potion into the nape of his neck until the pieces of shell created little cuts through which the plant’s powers could be absorbed. Damon was motionless for several minutes and then suddenly, the tension of his body and fin released and he fell into a heap in Amani’s arms. Blinking rapidly, his eyes opened and returned to their striking shade of blue.

‘What, where…where am I?” Damon stuttered.

I jumped in before any of my sisters. “Yer somewhere near the wretched Calisto and we need to find ‘er. Do ya know where she and Noodles are hidin’?” I was ready to end this once and for all.

Damon’s eyelids fluttered as he looked around. I think he was surprised to see us. He looked like he was seeing the Loch Ness Monster, not mermaids! He was shoogly for sure.

“Hey lad, we need ya to focus here. Do ya remember me?”

He continued to blink and then stuttered, “Brynn…I think.”

“Alrighty then fellow, me thinks yer good as new. Now tell me where they’re at and nobody gets hurt.” As the sentence left my mouth, I realized that Damon still looked confused.

“What’s a matter, fella? Still not sure where you’re at?”

Damon hesitated. “I’m still processing this, Brynn.  I was completely under Calisto’s spell – body and mind. I haven’t had control of myself for a while now. Can you give me a minute, please?”

We all floated for a moment and watched as his face transformed from confusion to sadness.

Finally, he gathered his thoughts and began to speak. “I’m truly sorry for what’s happened, Mermaidens. I understand if you can’t forgive me for my actions, but my heart is pure. I only want what’s best for the MerWorld.”

“What’s best for the MerWorld is eliminating this sea trash once and for all,” I said. “The evil must stop, and yer our only hope to find them quickly. Are ye with us, Damon?”

“I want my life back, so yes, I am. I think I know where they might be. Follow me!”

I swam along with Damon illuminating the way with my radiant glow. We swam into the weathered castle, proceeding cautiously until I suddenly caught a glimpse of what we had been looking for. The intricately carved face of the snake and the massive octopus tentacles were unmistakable. This is the room that King Malik described. I looked back at Destiny and she nodded in acknowledgement. Damon and I instinctively slowed down as we approached the entry to the room. The door was shut. We were going in blind! I shoulda been scared. But I wasn’t.

Mariana wiggled her way through Damon and I to open the door first. I shot her a stunned glance. She simply smiled. Oh, I love the confidence in that one. Led by Mariana, we entered the room one by one and found it to be surprisingly bright, with star-shaped lights hanging every few feet in the room. This was an unexpected gift! I put my own light away so that I could have two hands to protect myself and keep Damon in check.

Within seconds, Calisto and her disgusting sidekick Noodles emerged from another room and in a split second, the battle was on. Noodles’ evil eyes shone golden green as they narrowed in on Waverlee’s flowing blonde hair. As quick as lightning, his puckered tentacle wrapped itself around her hair and lifted her in the air.

As we thrust ourselves into the fight, one thought took over my mind. It was time for Calisto’s reign of terror to end.

Mermaid Story from Mermaiden Destiny

I haven’t had many chances as a mermaid princess to defend the MerWorld, but the actions of Calisto, Noodles, and Damon give the MerCouncil no choice but to ask the Mermaidens to pursue justice for their betrayal. Although my special skills have come in handy in the past, the weight of using them to find these sea scum is heavy on my mind. What if I mess up? What if my powers don’t work?

I had to shake my thoughts of doubt as I hurried to meet the other Mermaidens, Sid and Amani, and begin our adventure to find the evil hooligans. Yesterday we met with King Malik. He told us the evil trio was hiding out at an abandoned sea stone factory that once housed the most precious jewels of the ocean. Queens’ crowns had been forged at this facility many tides ago, but it was now an empty shell. I wonder why they chose this spot? Something inside me shifted when they described the location’s history. Calisto is definitely up to something.

Although Malik couldn’t remember the exact locale because he was under Calisto’s spell, he did remember key things about the building and their hiding spot within. He drew us a picture of a guarded doorway adorned by a twisting snake with gruesome octopus tentacles flowing from the its body. He also remembered that once inside Calisto’s lair, a leather map hung upon the wall. Malik once asked about it and was immediately slapped by Noodles. This map seemed to mean something and we needed to get our fins on it.

We floated near the rear gardens of the MerCouncil’s palace waiting for Waverlee to arrive. She probably got distracted playing with her new bow and arrow that she learned to use in our special training. I looked around and saw a mixture of eagerness and fear on the faces of my sisters. Even though remnants of doubt remain, we’re prepared to face the challenge of stopping the sea witch and her demon pet. Thanks to the focused drills led by Amani, I’ve never felt better physically and mentally.

I was humming softly to myself when Waverlee approached.

“Sorry girls…and boys. My new toy is just too much fun,” exclaimed Waverlee.

“Don’t forget, you are welcome to shoot for sport, but please be prudent and careful when handling your bow,” Amani warned. “But don’t get me wrong…I love your confidence.”

I watched Waverlee’s cheeks turn a deep shade of rose. I couldn’t help but giggle and instantly felt better.

“Destiny – are you ready to help us find their location?” Amani’s voice was serious and determined.

“I’m ready.”

The sea was silent as I closed my eyes and pictured a stunning Caribbean sunset. I imagined myself as one of you – a human, with two dancing legs – on the beach listening to a conch shell band.

I began to sing.

🎵 The waves take me far away in the water that I love. Crystal blue skies match the light in your eyes as we swim away from our troubles above. 🎵

As I sang the last note, I could feel a tingle in my tail. It started pulling me away as I let my powers bubble and rise inside of me.

🎵 Come along and sway with me in the water as we dance. Join me to explore the caves and watch the golden fish twirl and prance. 🎵

My tail was really moving!! Without a word, our crew was racing deep, so deep into the dark waters. The trickles of light slicing through the water began to fade. I was worried about the others being able to see. I knew my tail would lead us straight to Calisto and Noodles, so visibility was imperative! Before I could call her name, Brynn was beside me, creating a golden ball of light with her Mermaiden superpowers.

Our pod swam faster and faster. I could feel our fins flipping in unison, swaying together in the water as my tail led the way. It was hard to say where we were, but I knew that it was far away from the MerCouncil’s headquarters. As the water became heavy against my fin and face, I sensed we were close. Evil in the water has a certain aura that I can’t explain. I realized we had arrived as my fin slowed down and I could see the rough outline of an iron gate. Sharp spikes poked out along the top, a warning to any uninvited visitors. We all moved stealthily toward the gate as Brynn lit the way. The lock was missing, so I opened the gate silently motioning my companions through to the worn-down castle before us.

Brynn continued to guide the way with her ball of light until we found ourselves at the imposing front door of the ancient palace. The heavy door was surrounded by two rusty brass columns that allowed Brynn’s ball of light to bounce off the water and illuminate a larger area.

Out of the corner of my eye, I caught a brief glimpse of a fin in the distance. I could just barely make out the arms of its owner as they moved quickly toward us.

“Get ready!” I yelled. I didn’t care if the mysterious swimmer heard me or not. “Someone is coming from the shadows!”

I could feel the water shift as my sisters and our friends positioned themselves in anticipation of an attack.

As the figure moved closer, I could sense its familiarity.

It was Damon!

Just as I was about to announce his identity to the rest of the mermaids, Mariana sped passed me with her dagger unsheathed.

“Mariana! Wait!”

But it was too late to stop her.