The mermaid nodded with a chuckle.


    “Yes, of course, my dear.” she swam upwards a little and did a spin. Her tail glittered as she did so.


    Then she swam back to a still bewildered Beatrix.


    “D-Didn’t you say you were an Omega? Howe you are a mermaid now? ording to the books, mermaids are long extinct…”


    “I’m a mermaid indeed.” Lavana replied.


    “Then why did you lie to me earlier?”


    “I’ll exinter, okay? Let’s get out of here first.” she stretched her hand and Beatrix unfolded her hands after a minute.


    She let Lavana hold her right hand.


    “Are you ready?” she asked the little one, who still looked pissed.


    “Always.” Beatrix replied with a long face.


    “And off we go, hun!” Lavana dered in excitement.


    She started swimming east slowly but soon picked up speed.


    Beatrix’s puffed face slowly rxed and she started smiling as she saw various wild life.


    “Being a mermaid is cool!” sheughed.


    “You’re finally cheerful,” Lavanamented.


    “It doesn’t mean I’ve forgiven you yet, miss Mermaid!”


    “No problem. I know little Beatrix can’t be angry for too long and won’t keep grudges.”


    “Wrong! Witches keep grudges a lot and if the resentment is too much, they be evil. I wanna be a good witch like my mum.”


    “Ok! Beatrix is always right. Happy now?”


    “Hmph!” the girl looked away and watched a school of fish swim past her.


    She’d never seen this specie of fish before. She wanted to hold one of the fish, but Lavana pulled her back.Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    “You don’t want to get attacked, do you?”


    “They look cute. Can’t I have one as a pet?”


    “Let them be. In the future, I’ll find you the cutest fish as a pet, alright?”


    “Okay. Hey, look at that nt over there. The fruit is shiny red.” Beatrix excitedly pointed downward. Lavana saw the said nt was short but had some big, red fruits that looked tempting to the eye.


    “It looks good too. Wait here. Let me go check if it’s edible.” Lavana swam downward towards the short nt. She saw seven big, red fruits and they looked appetizing.


    She plucked one and pinched it with her nails. Her nails did not change color and she smiled.


    “Sorry, ntie. I and my lil friend up there need a taste.” she said and plucked 3 more.


    She turned around to see a very big fish had opened its eyes behind her. It looked so scary and her gill nearly jumped out of her chest.


    Seeing this, Beatrix covered her mouth in shock.


    It was now she remembered.


    This fish is known to guard the nt as a treasure. It felt only it deserved to eat the fruit but here Lavana had plucked four. No one who plucked one survived. What should they do now?


    As a witch apprentice, she couldn’t cast spells when using the magical shield underwater.


    “Beatrix, swam west as fast as you can.” Lavana yelled and Beatrix looked at her still.


    “Go now, kiddo!”


    “You’lle for me, right?”


    “Yes. Go now!” Lavana warned onest time before Beatrix turned away, swimming forward west.


    “Hello, Mr Fish. I was just curious. How about I put them back?” sheughed sheepishly.


    In response, the fish made a loud sound.


    “Guess I have to try my luck then.” she thought and turned around. She started swimming east fast.


    “Mermaid, wait! Don’t go.”


    “Eh?” Lavana, who had prepared 1000% energy and already thought of ways to escape from this scary fish, stopped in her tracks and looked around slowly.


    She saw the fish still in the same spot, looking at her.


    “Did you just talk?” she asked slowly. She thought she was hallucinating.


    Haha! How could a fish talk?


    She turned around, only for her to hear the same voice again.


    “What’s happening to my ears now?” she thought in annoyance and turned around. This time, the fish had moved from its earlier spot and swam slowly to her.


    “Hello again…” she waved nervously.


    “Don’t be scared of me, Mermaid. You like the fruit, right? You can have it all.” the fish opened its mouth to speak.


    “Eh? You can really speak? So I wasn’t just hearing things?” she asked in surprise.


    “Yup. I guard this tree and am thest one. It’s kind of boring to remain here. How about I follow you?”


    Lavana still hadn’t registered what the fish said. It wants to follow her? Can it even walk onnd?


    “I know you’re worried if I can walk onnd. I’m just big, not scary. I have killed no one except fishes when I’m hungry. All those people who died did so after seeing my appearance. But I have no bad intentions. I usually want to tell them to back off, but they just die. It can’t be helped.”


    “It can’t be helped; you are really scary.” Lavana thought.


    “So you mean I can have all these fruits? You won’t immediately betray me and eat us up, right?” she asked.


    “No, I wouldn’t.”


    “Okay. But at some point, my friend and I will get tond. You want to follow us; do you expect us to carry you on our shoulders?”


    “Don’t worry. I know my limits. I’ll just escort you guys to the shore of your destination.” it persuaded.


    “You know the way to nearest human territory?”


    “Yup.”


    “Fine, then.” Lavana plucked the remaining three fruits and put two into his mouth. “Beatrix and I will share the others” she said and started swimming west.


    *****


    Beatrix hid behind some tall nts and when she was getting ready toe out and search for Lavana, she saw her swimming in her direction.


    She broke into a smile and came out of hiding.


    “Miss Lavana!” she called and swam towards her. Then she hugged Lavana.


    “I was afraid you won’t be able to escape. It’s all my fault…”


    “Ssh! It’s all fine now.


    And I have a newpanion with me.” Lavana said after they broke the hug.


    “Who?” Beatrix asked in confusion. It couldn’t be that she found another mermaid, right?


    “Come over here please!” Lavana pped and the scary-looking fish from earlier swam towards them.


    Beatrix started stuttering.


    “That… that is…”


    “Our new travelpanion. He’ll show us the safest path to inhabitednd. His name is Rome.” she introduced.


    “How do you know his name?”


    “Hello, lil Beatrix. I’m Rome. Nice to meet you.” the fish spoke.


    “Miss Lavana, can I pinch you?”


    “Pinch yourself. I treasure my skin.”


    Did the fish just talk?” Beatrix asked in disbelief and Lavana nodded.


    She sighed.


    “Need some time to process it.”


    “You can do that as we move. We can’t remain in this spot forever. Let’s go.” Lavana took the little girl’s hand and swam forward.


    Rome followed them closely behind.


    An hourter.


    Beatrix walked to shore and stared at Lavana, who was still in the water,ughing at Rome’s jokes. This big guy was very funny. It’s a pity he has to go back.


    She crawled to shore and transformed into her human self. She rose and waved at Rome.


    “Good bye! We’lle visit you someday, Rome.”


    “Alright! Take care.” Rome went back inside the seawater. Lavana turned to face Beatrix.


    “You still have anymore of those red fruits?” she asked.


    “No, Beatrix. You ate 4 of them and I ate one. Why, you aren’t satisfied?” she pinched Beatrix’s cheeks.


    “Hey. You didn’t let me pinch you down there, but now you pinch my cheeks?” Beatrix hollered.


    “You can pinch my cheeks back when you be tall enough.” Lavana pinched the little one’s cheeks again and ran forwardughing. Beatrix was chasing her.


    “I won’t let you get away with this. How dare you call me short? Don’t you understand that I am still a kid? I’m still growing.”


    Lavana stopped and Beatrix ran into her.


    “Okay. You win. You’re always right. Happy now?” she squatted to the level of Beatrix.


    “Alright, you can pinch me now.” she offered.


    “You don’t have meat. Should I pinch your bony face?” Beatrix walked forward.


    Lavana shook her head and sighed.


    “Her temper’s simr to Thora.” she thought.


    Her three spirits were still asleep. She would do her best to avoid any danger that could prematurely wake them up from their slumber.


    She rose and ran after Beatrix.


    “Kiddo, wait for me.” she hollered.


    “Catch up to me if you can.” Beatrix started running, but Lavana soon caught her.


    “Got ya.”


    “Hmph! I just let you win.” Beatrix said with her nose facing the sky.


    “I ept. Let’s go find your home, shall we?”


    “Okay. But you have to carry me.”


    “Deal!”


    ***********


    30 minutester.


    Both were now on the hard shoulder of a tarred, busy road.


    Across were houses and shops; people moved back and forth.


    Beatrix had gotten down three minutes ago. Lavana turned herself invisible, but she ced her hand on Beatrix’s shoulders to reassure her that she was still there.


    They needed to get Lavana clothed first.


    “Humans are interesting!” Lavana thought as they crossed the road together when there was a chance.


    The smell of street food made Lavana nearly drool.


    “We’ll get some food after finding you a dress.” Beatrix whispered.


    “Ok!” Lavana whispered back.


    A/n:


    Hello, again huns. I hope you liked the chapter. Do you have any suggestions to give? Please, state them in thements/review. I would be d to read them. Honestly, I’m having fun writing these days. I hope you all stay safe. Have a nice day/night.


    Don’t forget to read other books. I found a novel to read that made me sleeptest night and I’m nning to binge read it soon. ept my kisses! ??