Chapter Text
Ugh! Dad can be such a worrier! I just wanted to see the humans up close, the dolphins do it all the time. They even show off their swimming ability to them. Not that my isolationist father would know that, he wants me to keep studying our people's magic so that I can lead our pod one day. But the humans are so interesting! They look like us, but they have legs instead of a tail. They also wear things on their torso and legs, I don't see the point myself, a coral armband is all I've ever felt the need to wear. I snap back to reality as my uncle Unalaq is continuing to drone on about how our people's magic is the cornerstone of our society.
I get why it's important, I just don't know why I need to keep being taught about why it's important. Isn't it enough I've mastered almost all of the forms? I can even turn the water around me into ice. He goes on to talk about how we're unique among the creatures of the sea. How we alone are the only mammal that can breathe both in the air and underwater. Ugh! This is what I get for going close to the beach yesterday, I knew dad would be furious when he found out. I did get a up close look at some of the humans though (not that I told him). I think back to yesterday to survive this torture.
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Okay, you've ditched the hunters and you're near the shallows of the human... Pod? What do they call themselves? school? Whatever, they're close and I want to get a good look today. I surface near the beach, but a ways out from shore. I don't want to show my true nature if I don't have to. Dad says the humans would hunt us for sport if they knew we still existed. I look off into the distance and see humans lying on the beach and others swimming near the shore. I yearn to join them, to play with them, to join in their joy of swimming. I see one human woman start to swim out my way, I duck down but not before she saw me out here.
I curse myself as I descend, she's headed right to where I was looking around. She's wearing their strange coverings, it's black and makes her look like a seal. She puts her head underwater and sees me. Whelp! Nothing for it now, I may as well talk to her, she knows I exist now. I swim up quickly and she jumps back in shock as I surface. "Don't be scar-ed." I say in broken air-speak, it's so much faster to use the clicks underwater but humans can't understand them. "I'm Korra, please don-t tell anyone you saw me. I wanted to see humans, you fascinate me." I keep absently adding clicks into my speech.
She looks surprised to hear me talk and keeps looking underwater at my tail. Then she looks at my chest and her cheeks turn red. Of course, the human taboo about their bodies. I'm not covering up for her, she has to deal with it. She looks me in the eye and I see fascination on her face. "You're a mermaid." She says, I normally find air-speak to be almost vulgar, but her voice makes it sound like whale-song. "A real mermaid, I thought you were just stories." Theres a look of wonder in her face, my belly flutters at the sight. She's an explorer like me, fascinated by the world.
"Oh, I'm sorry, you must think me rude." She continues as I get lost in her beautiful face, she's the prettiest human I've ever seen. "I'm Asami, it's nice to meet you."
"It's nice to meet you too." I say looking into her green eyes. "Please don-t tell anyone you saw me." I repeat, she's still in awe at my existence.
She gets a confused look on her face. "Why can't I tell anyone? You're amazing, the whole world would be so excited to meet you."
I shake my head. "That would be bad. Humans would hunt us. Kill us. Hang us by hooks." Her face turns sad at my words, obviously picturing me being slaughtered. "Asami, you are a nice person. I can feel it. Other humans are not. Please don-t tell them about us."
She nods her head. "I understand, I won't tell anyone. But I have so many questions about you and your people. But my father will start to worry soon." She thinks for a moment. "Can you meet me at the dock at night? I'd love to talk with you." She has such a beautiful and hopeful look on her face, I feel my belly flutter again.
"I'd like that too. I can't meet tonight or tomorrow, but the next day yes. I will meet you there." I smile at her and she smiles at me. I look around and see I'm about to be discovered again and slip under the water before using my powerful tail to swim away. I turn back to see Asami sticking her head underwater to watch me leave.
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I snap out of my head to see my uncle glaring at me. "I'm sorry sir. Can you repeat the question." I say looking down.
He sighs. "I asked if you were listening at all, I know you find this boring, but it's important to know our people's unique heritage. Our magic allowed us to survive the fall of our homeland on the surface, we have lived underwater ever since. We are a special people, to forget that is to dishonor our ancestors."
"Yes sir. I meant no disrespect sir." But frankly there is only so many times I can hear about our superiority before I feel like we're hiding something. I'm at least smart enough not to tell uncle Unalaq that thought.
He smiles at my show of humility. "Very well, Korra. You may go, but do try and remember to honor our people's heritage."
"Yes sir. I will sir." I say before waving goodbye and swimming to freedom. I love to swim as fast and hard as I can. I thank our ancestors for gifting us with our tails. I can outpace dolphins if I put my mind to it. I'm a good bit away from my pod before I stop and look around. I see coral, fish big and small, and manta rays gliding in their lazy way through the water. I smile at how beautiful our world is.
Then I spot her, my best friend in the world. "Naga!" I yell at her, she turns and swims at me. Any other shark, swimming that fast at me, and I'd be readying my magic to defend myself. But my girl wouldn't even think of trying to eat me. I hug her, running my hands along her rough skin as she nuzzles me. "There's my girl. Ready to play?" She pulls back and and gives me a look I know quite well. I grin and swim away from her as fast as I can.
She catches up with me and taps my tail with her nose. I turn and she's swimming away from me. Grinning the whole time I swim after her, it takes some extra effort, but I manage to touch her on the tail. She turns around and looks a little sad that I caught up with her so quickly. I pet her head. "It's okay girl, you're still the best shark a girl could ask for." She perks up at my compliment and leans into my rubbing. "Let's go find some food girl." I make a spear of ice and follow her to a place where some tuna are schooling. We manage to get a few from the swarm, she takes hers and I take mine.
I leave Naga behind, before heading into our pod's waters. Some people get nervous if I bring her with me. I add my tuna to the pile of fish being prepared for dinner tonight. The cooks are already heating some up in globes of water in their hands. Whatever Unalaq may think, I do respect and remember our ancestors. They learned of the powerful sea magic that allows us to survive down here in the depths. I thank them every day for the wonders of our world. And the great spirits Tui and La of course, the moon that lights the night and raises the tides, and the ocean that provides our food.
I eat dinner in good humor, looking forward to tomorrow night, when I'll meet Asami at her docks. I am eager to learn about the surface world. I hope she kept her word and hasn't told anyone about us, that would be bad. I shake the rude thought from my head, she seemed kind. I head to the reef with everyone else to sleep under our canopy, safe from attacks in the night by whales or sharks. I fall asleep and dream of beautiful Asami and her mysterious world above.