Depore
Legacy Name: Depore

All of the fish around her scattered as something was passing over the ship, the light shining from the sun was being blocked out. She had found her way to the ocean by accident, having lived in large ponds that were all connected in a remote part of the forest, how was she to know what a boat was. She swam towards the surface only to poke her head up and marvel at the size of the boat. She swam beside the boat as it slowly moved along following it for miles. She had nothing better to do, this ocean wasn't her home it was just a new adventure. Finally the boat docked on an island and she stayed hidden under the ship, popping out every once in a while to watch the humans get off and take equipment onto the shore.

She knew what humans were not like many of the fish in the sea she did not fear them. Where she used to live there were many large ponds that were all connected to each other. The humans there would bring them offerings and bring gifts to the pools. The humans treated the fish like gods after seeing them in their mermaid forms. They were like gods one of the very few clans that had survived. They had beast forms, a combination of human and beast form, and a human form after many more years of adaptation. She wondered if these humans too would worship her like the ones from home. If they would give her gifts and be kind to her, her curiosity was exciting her. They were all men here walking off the ship, the humans she knew looked like her, they were all women. It was the woman's job in the tribe of humans that worshiped them, in their traditions only a woman could lay eyes on the mermaids, the mermaids would only reveal themselves to a woman or so they believed. They would comb her hair and put flowers in it, they would dance for them and play music. Some of her sisters would grow their legs and dance with them, sometimes learn to play music, paint their faces. The some of the koi refused to even take mermaid form in front of the humans, mostly the men would stay hidden in their fish form, but some of the women and young would too. Thinking about it made her miss home, but these men, she wanted to watch them just a little bit longer then she would go home.

Something hit her in the head from above, bouncing off and into the water. She looked up and saw a shadow start to peek over the side of the boat and she quickly dove under. The water was pretty shallow here so the bottom wasn't too far for her to swim. It was a gold pocket watch, of course she didn't know what it was but she picked it up and smiled at it. It looked similar to her new necklace it was so shiny and pretty. She popped it open and looked curiously at the face of the clock as she tapped it. There was a splash at the surface of the water that she ignored as she was so interested in her new prize. That is until she felt eyes on her and she turned to look towards the shore and a young boy had stopped swimming and was treading water under the surface staring at her. Neither of them made any sharp movements and there eyes were locked in a stalemate. Who was going to break away first. The boy broke away first swimming up to the surface for a breath of air, in turn she swam under the ship to hide.

That had been the first time she ever met a human. She poked her head up and looked around most of the people were inside of the tents or still on the boat. A few of them were huddled around the fires boots kicked aside with guns by their side. The same boy from earlier sitting near the edge of the water drawing in the wet sand with a stick. He had on a white button up collared shirt, a pair of dark brown pants and black boots. What was it he had just seen he wondered. She looked at the pocket watch in her hand and frowned. He probably dropped it earlier and came in to get it. She didn't want to give it back, it was so pretty it matched her necklace but the look on his face made her feel sad for him. Peaking up from the water she carefully tossed the watch onto the sand so it landed in front of the boy rolling to his boot, he looked around the water for where it came from. Their eyes locked once again before she dove under water leaving him with only the slightest glimpse of her tail fin as disappeared. His smile was from ear to ear as he held the watch close to his chest.

It was their fated meeting the boy and the mermaid. His heart thumping nearly out of his chest he rushed back to his father's bedroom rapping on the door furiously. He described the beautiful maiden he had seen, swore she was more beautiful than any woman he has ever seen. The young boys smile slowly faded as his father's smile grew wider and wider with each word. A greedy look he had never seen glistening in his fathers eyes. A hefty hand reached out ruffling the boys still damp hair and his boots thumped across the wooden deck as he shouted out orders. The men grasped tightly to their nets and the boy's chest felt tight, what had he done.