It had been almost a year since Eva had been here. They had swam as the word changed and grew colder. By her estimation, it was late spring now, and summer was just around the corner. One year since she had been home.

San Diego looked exactly like she remembered it in the distance. But it felt strange to see it from this perspective. The skyline in the distance, the small port which only really served cruise ships. It seemed so much smaller from the water, so much of the city hidden away on land.

Viola wrapped an arm around her, “you ok?”

Eva whistled in affirmation and Viola kissed her cheek.

The others were not quite so content to just sit around, especially in the vicinity of where Viola had been first taken. Despite their attempts to explain, the pod wasn't having it. It was strange to spend literally all her time with a pod of orcas. The utter lack of privacy was something to get used to.

But when Viola had found them through song on their way North the pod had been thrilled and delighted to meet Eva. It was strange, humans knew orca pods each had individual dialects for communication. But having learned Viola’s decently over the months it was strange to understand the pod. Eva was still adjusting, they were very much fundamentally different from humans. She and Viola were the bridge between them. But life was good, even if she missed home sometimes.

Viola’s sister whistled at them in irritation to hurry up. She was still the matriarch, Viola still had no ambition to take over. But when the time came she would be ready. A task that seemed to Eva to be less daunting with her around.

As different as they were to humans there was a lot that was the same. The petty squabbles, undying loyalty, and jokes which Eva still couldn't quite figure out how to comprehend. They were a bit of a strange family but a family nonetheless. Viola hadn't even been jealous of all the attention Eva had gotten which had been somewhat reassuring, Viola swimming back from certain death was a miracle unto itself.

Granted Viola was still somewhat possessive and protective wherever orcas from other pods would occasionally visit. Viola didn't like to share which was more than fine for Eva. Open relationships were not her thing, doubly so when the other potential parties were literal whales. She was still too human to wrap her mind around that.

“Ready?” Viola asked.

“Yeah.”

They swam towards San Diego, the pod remaining behind for them to return to. They swam into the Mission Bay. The body of water which much of the city was built around. Including Ocean Land. the city buzzed with movement and sound, unpleasant to the senses but Eva needed answers. This was not the first time they had swum through human waters undetected.

Navigating by water had become far more intuitive and soon she saw a familiar grey building on a small island. The old research facility. Beyond that Ocean Land. The park looked… the same. Sounds of cheer filled the air, park rides spun and twirled, and animals swam and splashed. Nothing had changed. Talbot’s death or petrification had changed nothing.

Eva blew out bubbles in annoyance. Really what had she expected? Still, they had another reason for being there. They swam along the edge of the park looking for the area still under construction. An amphitheatre right on the coast of the bay, where workers would be taking their lunch break.

Stealing a phone to send a message had been somewhat challenging and resulted in scaring an old woman half to death with her dorsal fin but if it worked it would be entirely worth it. And it had been because sitting alone in the amphitheatre with a puzzled expression while they checked their watch was Felisha.

Eva couldn't help the grin as she took her old friend in. All the message had said was to be here today during their lunch break sighed with Eva’s name. Part of her had worried it was too weird or suspicious. But knowing Felisha… they wouldn't be able to resist.

“Felisha,” Eva croaked, popping up from the water.

Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

Felisha’s gaze snapped to her and her eyes went wide. “Whaa…”

“Hi.”

“Uhh, Hi. What…” Felisha blinked. “Eva? No…”

“In the flesh,” Eva grinned. Viola breached the surface beside her and Felisha jumped.

“There's two, there's two talking mermaids. Am I losing my mind?”

“No,” Viola said plainly.

“What the hell, Eva, you've been missing for months!” Felisha growled, snapping out of their stunned silence. “How are you… what is… I don’t.” Ok, maybe not entirely.

“Sorry, it's a long swim from Aruba. To be fair we were kidnapped.”

“Jesus. What's with your… voice, you sound like a choir,” Felisha laughed nervously.

Eva shrugged and looked to Viola who didn't have much of an answer either.

“How are you even… how is this possible? You’re a fucking mermaid.”

“Long story, how long until your break is over?” Eva asked.

“Oh, I quit. Pretty soon after you disappeared and all those people died. Snuck my way in when I got a very creepy and mysterious text.”

Eva laughed, “Then we have a story to tell.”

And they did, everything from the way they met to Talbot’s kidnapping. The dome which he kept them in, their terrifying escape and their journey back to San Diego.

“Christ, I should be writing this down, I’d make a fortune,” Felisha snorted with disbelief. Yet the fact there were two mermaids in front of them did a decent job of convincing them.

Eva smiled but it quickly faded. “Do you know how my moms doing?”

“That bitch? Still as bitchy as ever,” Felisha rolled their eyes. “I drop off groceries occasionally but she's not the kind of woman you want to stay to chat with, no offence.”

“Thank you,” Eva said.

“What are friends for,” Felisha shrugged. “You… want me to tell people you’re ok?”

Eva shook her head, “No, it's… better I’m dead I think.”

Felisha nodded. They had run out of things to say really. No one really knew how to handle this.

“We migrate through the… seasons. Eva can visit more,” Viola offered.

“I would like that, there's a lot that's happened.” Felisha smiled. “Mike and I started dating, we kinda bonded over… your tragic disappearance.”

Eva laughed and wrapped an arm around Viola, pressing a kiss to her cheek.

Felisha’s eyes went wide with understanding. “Oh my god really? That's amazing!”

They chatted for a few hours. Catching up on everything she had missed out on. School, the investigation into her disappearance that was investigating Ocean Land at the centre of it. Felisha’s life and the current gossip.

Eva was sad to leave her friend but they had to get back to the pod and it was beginning to get late. Viola helped orchestrate the next meeting based on several moon cycles. Hopefully, they would be able to make it work.

Felisha wrapped their arms around Eva tightly. They had always been small but now they were even smaller compared to her. “I’ll miss you,” they said, their voice breaking.

“I’ll miss you too. Live a good life will you, I’ll be back in a few months.”

“I will,” Felisha sniffed, pulling away and wiping their tears.

Eva winced as she realized just how much she had soaked Felisha’s outfit but they just laughed. They waved Viola over and hugged her, though Viola seemed less than comfortable but put up with it.

“Take care of her?”

“You have my word, Felisha. It was… good to meet you,” Viola nodded.

They all awkwardly sat there in silence for a moment. “So is being tits out a requirement for the mermaid lifestyle?” Felisha snorted.

Despite her inability to blush Eva was pretty sure she was nonetheless as Viola laughed. That familiar musical clicking sound.

“Until next time then,” Viola said and dove back into the bay.

Eva blew Felisha a kiss, her friend crying happy tears as they waved as she did the same.

They returned to the open sea. Eva tried to swallow the lump in her throat. That had been really nice but really hard. Eva was really going to miss such a good friend. She hadn’t even considered returning but Viola had been one step ahead of her. Knowing it would not be the last time they met made parting a little easier.

Viola whistled loudly to let the pod know they were returning soon but slowed their pace in the water and surfaced. The evening light was overwhelmed by the bright light of the city. Viola was beautiful. The wind ran through her damp hair, the light glinting off her large dark eyes.

Eva took a shuddering breath and looked back to the city. “Goodbye land,” she muttered.

“Time will heal the hurt,” Viola said, squeezing her shoulder.

“I know Viola, I love you.”

“I love you too, I am… glad to have met a human as good as you.”

Eva smiled, “Well… maybe I was never really human in the first place.”

“You were, Eva. You were so very human. You just have a good heart… a heart of a blackfish,” Viola said.

“All this because I showed you basic kindness and you sang my ears off until I came to give you attention,” Eva chuckled.

“I was bored,” Viola grinned but it quickly turned painful. Her memories of the research facility were not easy, Eva only hoped she had made it a little easier. “What better to do than serenade you?”

Eva kissed her. Showing Viola with her body what words could not express. The wind whipped around them but the cold did not bite them in their little bubble. Eva was a being of the sea now and she had found her home.

“Shall we… return to our family then?” Viola asked.

Eva’s stomach growled. “Yeah, then let's find some dinner,” she said, pressing a kiss to Viola’s cheek.

The End