Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

When you went to the most prestigious boarding school in Eden, it wasn’t always easy to make friends. For Olivia Hye, this was certainly the case. Girls could be catty — jealous, even, since Olivia held the number one spot in the class rank. Naturally, Olivia kept to herself, with one exception: Gowon. The two girls had been best friends for ten years, and Olivia knew her better than she knew herself. Gowon was shy, but had a wickedly sharp sense of humor. Her exterior could seem cold, but when she smiled, you knew that she was warm at her core. And she didn’t keep anything from Olivia. Well, until now.

Gowon had changed, seemingly overnight. The blonde, doe-eyed girl spent all of her time with Yves, who had chosen Gowon to be in her “entourage”. (The entourage in question also included Chuu, who loyally followed Yves around like a lovesick puppy). A year older than Olivia and Gowon, Yves was everything Olivia wasn’t — svelte, charming, mysterious, sought-after by practically every girl in the school. How could Olivia compete with that? Each day, she could feel Gowon slipping through her fingers; she was always sneaking around the dark corridors of the school with Yves and Chuu, attending secret meetings to which Olivia was never invited. 

But Olivia hadn’t given up yet. She wasn’t going to lose Gowon, however clingy that might have seemed. Plus, she didn’t trust Yves as far as she could throw her. Being Gowon’s best friend, she was obligated to look out for her. So when Olivia saw Gowon in the library during study hall, she decided to check in. 

“Are you still coming to our study session tonight?” Olivia asked hopefully, setting down her books next to Gowon. They had made the plan a week ago, so she prayed that Gowon had remembered. “You know, we can always just watch a movie if we get bored. It’ll be fun either way.”

“I’m sorry… I completely forgot, I promised to do something with Yves. Is it okay if we reschedule?” Gowon bit her lip, clearly feeling guilty but unwilling to budge. Olivia’s smile quickly fell into a frown.

“You forget a lot, you know,” Olivia replied bitterly, crossing her arms. Part of her regretted even asking.

“I’m really sorry,” Gowon said, anxiously pulling on her blue plaid skirt. “Yves really needs me.”

“For what?” Olivia snapped back. What could Yves possibly need? She was utterly exasperated. This was far from the first time Gowon had flaked on Olivia in favor of Yves.

“I wish I could tell you, Liv, but I can’t. Yves said not to. It’s, um… girl problems.” 

“...Alright. I understand. See you later, Gowon.” Olivia vigorously walked back to her dorm without waiting for the blonde’s response.

Olivia was tired of the secrecy, the lies. She was going to find out what Yves, Chuu, and Gowon were up to, if only for her friend’s sake. She couldn’t let Gowon be manipulated by Yves, but she was worried that it might be too late already. So, Olivia followed the three girls to the library the next day, watching them discreetly behind the doorframe.

“Tonight, our plans will come to fruition,” Yves promised the others. “I can’t tell you everything yet, but just know that I chose you two for a reason. You’re both special.” She grabbed each girl’s hand, giving them glances of adoration. Olivia had to stifle a gag; she couldn’t bear to watch Yves play them like a fiddle.

“Do you really mean that?” Chuu asked, batting her eyelashes at Yves. Her crush on the latter had been painfully obvious for years. Yves nodded, placing her other hand over Chuu’s.

“What if someone finds out that we went into the woods?” Gowon inquired softly, tapping her fingers nervously. They’re going into the woods? They’ve really done it now, Olivia thought, shaking her head behind the doorframe. Everyone in Eden knew that the woods were strictly — strictly — off-limits.

“It won’t matter,” Yves proclaimed, her brown eyes filled with intensity. “Do you two want to be sheep, following every useless rule of Eden? Wouldn’t it be better to go against the fate that was decided for us?” She took a deep breath, composing herself. “The moon pool is the key to everything.” 

Moon pool? Olivia had read about it in the ancient texts of Eden during history class, but the teachers told her it was a myth. She remembered something about mermaids, but Olivia was never one to believe in folklore. As a result, she hadn’t cared to learn much more about it. She was certainly regretting that decision now. Who knew what Yves planned to use it for, if it really did exist? 

“In half an hour, we’ll meet in the courtyard. It’s imperative that we reach the moon pool before the full moon rises,” Yves explained. Chuu and Gowon nodded, and the trio began to disperse. Olivia hid in an adjacent hallway before the girls could notice her eavesdropping by the doorframe. Each girl left in a different direction, so Olivia realized that she had a chance to catch Yves alone. Maybe, just maybe, she could talk some sense into her.

“Yves! Yves, wait,” Olivia ran toward the brunette, who turned around at the sound of her name. When she saw who had called her, she shook her head irritatedly and began walking again.

“I know what you’re planning, and you have to stop,” Olivia demanded, lightly grabbing onto her arm as if to halt her. “This is serious. It’s a sin to go into the woods, and you know that.”

Yves pushed away Olivia’s arm and chuckled. “Of course I know it’s a sin, you goody two-shoes. I think you’re just mad that I didn’t ask you to come.” 

Olivia furrowed her brows. “Not everyone is in love with you, Yves.” Though she had always wondered why Yves disliked her, she hated Yves’ narcissism. 

“I suppose not. But you’re in love with Gowon,” Yves taunted. Olivia froze at the mention of her best friend’s name. She was too bent out of shape to even react to the assumption, much less refute it.

“Leave her out of this,” Olivia managed to plead. She knew Gowon was just a pawn in Yves’ game, and Olivia would never forgive herself if something happened to her. “I don’t know what you want with the moon pool, but leave. Gowon. Out of it.” 

“You can’t hold her back forever. Because of me, she’s going to be something you never could’ve imagined.” Olivia’s face was colored with fear, and Yves could sense it immediately. Stepping closer to Olivia, she placed her lips next to her ear and smugly began to whisper: “She chose me.” Then she stepped back, staring coldly into Olivia’s dark eyes for a moment before leaving the room without a glance.

Olivia felt as if she had a knot in her throat. She knew she was too late, because Gowon had chosen Yves — however detrimental that choice might be. From a balcony, Olivia watched the three girls run through the vibrant green courtyard and into the lush forbidden woods. For a split second, Gowon stopped to look back at Olivia on the balcony, and Olivia’s heart panged as they locked eyes. But the moment was fleeting, as Gowon soon resumed giggling and holding hands with Yves and Chuu, running off into the distance.

A reeling Olivia could only think: What have they gotten themselves into?

Chapter Text

Gowon had never been in the woods before—and she hadn’t dreamed of it before Yves’ plan—but it was truly beautiful. It was scattered with groves of tall trees, their leaves like emeralds in the sky. In the distance stood a mountain range, its peaks obscured by fog. She wondered why the rules of Eden had kept her from this wonderful place. 

 Truth be told, Gowon still didn’t know exactly what would happen at the moon pool. All Yves had told her was that, at the right time, it had magical properties. And, in turn, that the pool’s magic would allow Gowon to escape from the fate that Eden had assigned her. That was what convinced her to join Yves in the first place. Gowon had never been able to distinguish herself, as a student or otherwise. Though she adored Olivia, she knew that she’d never possess the same natural intelligence that her friend did. Gowon would be doomed to some dull life, working at some tepid job, probably married to some mundane man—and she’d have no say in it. When you weren’t utterly perfect, Eden was absolutely suffocating. When Yves offered her a chance to be something, how could she say no?

“We’ll be there in minutes,” Yves assured the trio after they had been walking for what felt like dozens of miles. “I can feel the moon pool drawing me closer.” 

“I trust you, Yves,” Chuu beamed. She had been glued to Yves’ side since the beginning of their trek through the woods. Yves smiled and took her hand, a sign of approval which practically made Chuu melt. Gowon awkwardly walked several paces behind them, not wanting to intrude on their moment. She was just grateful that Yves had chosen her, and didn’t want to rock the boat.

The girls then crossed a shallow ravine, getting their socks wet and muddy. Among the thick foliage that surrounded them was a steep cave entrance that sloped downwards, its end nowhere in sight. “The moon pool is in this cave,” Yves announced, staring at Chuu and Gowon expectantly as if to say, Are you brave enough to go first?

“I’ll go!” Chuu volunteered enthusiastically. “It’s like a slide.” Looking back at Yves to make sure that she was watching, she jumped into the cave. Her aaah’s echoed as she slid down, followed by a thud. “I’m okay!” The girls finally heard as Chuu reached the bottom of the cave.

“I guess I can go now,” Gowon suggested, since it was clear that Chuu had survived her descent down the cave. Yves nodded encouragingly, and her affirmation was enough to fully convince Gowon. She sat down at the cave’s entrance, and pushed off with her arms for momentum. Suddenly, gravity was pulling her, and she could see nothing but darkness as she slid down the cave—until she finally hit the dirt floor below. Chuu greeted her, and within seconds Yves joined them.

Yves quickly stood up and brushed the dirt from her uniform. Wasting no time, she began to walk toward some nearby steps made of sedimentary rock. The steps led them into what appeared to be the inside of a dormant volcano. Lo and behold, a pool of water came into view: the moon pool. Directly above the pool was the volcano’s opening, where the night sky was visible above. The stars above offered some light in the cave, but what Gowon also noticed was that the water itself had a slight glow. 

“See? This place is unlike any other,” Yves said. The other two girls were in awe of their surroundings, almost in a sort of trance.

“It looks like the pool connects to something larger,” Gowon remarked. “But...”

“The ocean,” Yves replied calmly.

“Ocean? I didn’t even know there was an ocean here.”

“There’s a lot they don’t tell you about Eden,” Yves scoffed. “They don’t want you to know that there’s something better than what they’ve given you.”

“Like what?” Chuu asked innocently, kneeling down towards the water and splashing it playfully.

“Be patient, my dear Chuu,” Yves cooed, neglecting to answer the question. Abruptly, she looked up at the sky, biting her lip. “We need to get into the water before it’s too late. Together.” Chuu and Gowon took Yves’ hand at either side, standing about a foot away from the pool’s edge. The three girls nodded at one another instinctively, then stepped towards the pool in sync. For a fraction of a second, they hung suspended in midair, but then gravity pulled them down, down, down, until they were submerged.

When Gowon hit the water, bubbles forming around her, she first noticed that the pool was much warmer than she had expected. She felt as if she could spend forever in its deep blue, if she weren’t inhibited by oxygen. White blouse clinging to her skin, she reluctantly started to swim up to the water’s surface. Beside her, she could feel the presence of the others, though the saltwater burned her eyes and hindered her from seeing them. Within ten seconds, all three girls had resurfaced.

“It’s starting,” Yves whispered, staring upward as the full moon passed over the volcano’s opening. What’s starting? Gowon wondered, until she felt it. The moon pool’s turquoise waters began to bubble furiously, the moon’s power bringing it to life.

“What’s hap—” Gowon started, but was shushed by Yves. She had never experienced anything like this in her life, and she began to breathe short, shallow breaths as fear overtook her. Her fear then turned into euphoria, as it dawned on her that the moon pool (and by extension, the forest) was everything Eden had promised to be. It was like an alternate paradise, one that she had been chosen for.

After the moon had passed out of sight and the water was still again, the trio was at a loss for words. Gowon knew that the moon pool had permanently changed them, though she still didn’t know how .

“...What do we do now?” she asked tentatively, while still treading water.

“We wait for the moon to set,” Yves answered matter-of-factly. “Then you will both see why we came here in the first place.”

The only signs that indicated the passage of time were the orange clouds and rays of light peaking through the volcano’s opening. Sunrise ; thus, the moon had set. “It’s time,” Yves breathed, her eyes widening fiercely. Gowon and Chuu began to stir at the sound of her voice, as they had spent the last eight or so hours asleep. A nearby thump further awoke the girls. It sounded as if it had come from inside the cave.

“What was that?” Chuu gasped, still sitting on the cave floor. She pulled her knees into her chest.

Yves stood up to investigate the noise, shaking her head vigorously. “No, this isn’t right...” She continued to murmur to herself as walked towards the rocky steps. “You.” Olivia Hye pushed carelessly past Yves, stumbling into the cave.

“Olivia?” Gowon sputtered incredulously, as the brunette girl came into view. “What are you doing—”

Olivia’s eyes were angrily fixed on Yves. “I couldn’t sleep knowing that Gowon was out here, so I went to the restricted library archives and did some digging. I know everything.” Olivia’s voice echoed endlessly throughout the cave. Her uniform was smudged with dirt; clearly she had taken the same tumble down the steep slope that the other three girls had. “Yves, what have you done? Do they know?”

“Look who broke the rules for a change,” Yves laughed, sauntering up to Olivia. “I never thought you’d follow us into the woods, seeing as it’s a sin. Then again, that didn’t stop you from falling in love with Gowon.” Yves had the smuggest of looks on her face, knowing this remark would easily lodge itself under Olivia’s skin.

“W-what?” Gowon muttered, eyes wide as she looked over at Olivia. 

“Answer my fucking question, Yves,” Olivia spat, each girl flinching at the sound of Eden’s finest student swearing. Olivia still kept her gaze firmly on Yves, unable to make eye contact with Gowon. “Do they know that they’re mermaids ?” Gowon’s jaw dropped, as did Chuu’s.

Yves stared back at Olivia just as sternly, her jaw stiffening. “Let’s find out,” she whispered, every word dripping with acid. She abruptly threw Gowon over her shoulder, and before the blonde girl could even squirm, she dropped her into the moon pool. Olivia sprinted to the side of the pool without a second thought, kneeling by the water as she waited for Gowon to resurface.

At first, nothing happened. One might’ve mistaken Gowon for an ordinary girl, untouched by the moon pool’s power. Until seconds later, when Gowon became water , as if her molecular makeup had been replaced by H2O. And then, just as miraculously, her body returned—this time with turquoise scales and a tail that extended past where her legs once were. Each girl stared at Gowon’s new form in disbelief, save for Yves, who exuded the air of self-satisfaction. Gowon flapped her tail frantically, her own body unfamiliar to her. 

In the midst of the chaos, some stray droplets of water landed on Yves and Chuu. They, too, transformed into mermaids, falling back into the moon pool as their tails were unable to support them upright. Yves’ tail was a deep burgundy while Chuu’s was a peachy coral. The latter was in a daze as she admired her glistening scales.

Yves stared down at her tail pridefully as she treaded water, then smugly glanced back up at Olivia. “See, Olivia? You risked everything, and gained nothing. We can finally leave Eden.” She relished in the statement, as Olivia balked.

“We’re leaving Eden?” A shocked Gowon asked Yves, still horrified at the tail she had sprouted. “I didn’t want to abandon everything, you said—”

“Oh, Gowon, you knew what you were getting yourself into. I told you that you’d be different —”

“Enough of this, Yves,” Olivia snapped, vitriol emanating from each word. “I’ll tell them everything if you don’t.”

Yves took a deep breath, closing her eyes, then grasped the other mermaids’ hands. “Very well. Let me show you.”

                                                                                                          ***

Yves isn’t happy. She knows she lives in Eden, supposedly a utopia, but she still isn’t happy. She doesn’t want this; she doesn’t want a predetermined fate. Her mother has tried to suppress her rebellious spirit for years, pointing to Olivia Hye as an example of one of Eden’s most upstanding citizens. And even though Yves is admired by plenty of girls at school, her mother still says she’s a square peg in a round hole. Yves wonders if maybe she’s right.

Going to the forbidden woods is the only thing that gives Yves some semblance of control. She knows that the teachers will notice her dirty socks and tarnished shoes the next day, but the thrill is worth any punishment that ensues. Besides, she doesn’t need their approval anymore.

While wandering through the forest one night, Yves senses a sort of magnetic pull on her body. The full moon lights her path as she follows the feeling inside her. She comes across a dark cave, and enters without another thought. The magnetic pull is stronger than ever, now, and it brings her to a glowing pool. Overhead, the full moon passes the volcano’s opening, and the water begins to bubble. Yves nearly jumps into the pool, but intuition or perhaps trepidation prevents her.

The next night, Yves sneaks into the library’s restricted archives. As punishment for going into the woods, she had spent most of the day there while her peers frolicked outside. But she returns eagerly, looking for answers. What was the strange pool she found? And more importantly, what could she do with it?

Flashlight in hand, she carefully skims the book titles. One in particular catches her eye: “Moon Pools and Other Natural Phenomena”. What if a “moon pool” was what she had encountered the night prior? Quietly removing the book from the shelf, she flips through the pages, noticing yellowed pages and illustrations. Then, she finds an intriguing paragraph:

“Upon the full moon’s passage over a moon pool, the pool becomes active and gains the ability to transform those inside into merpeople. These merpeople, when dry, regain their legs; similarly, when they touch water, their tails return. Additionally, they may possess one or more of the following powers: hydrokinesis, cryokinesis, or thermokinesis. An ancient prophecy foretold that three girls in Eden would one day find a moon pool in the woods, transform into mermaids, and leave Eden through the Möbius Ocean. To this day, no such event has occurred, and Eden’s residents are still forbidden from entering the woods.”

Yves realizes what she must do. The moon pool is no folklore; it is reality, and it is how she is going to escape Eden. It is how she is going to find another plane of existence. She has to, there’s nothing left for her here. But if she really is one of the girls from the ancient prophecy, she needs two others to fulfill it. Luckily, she has a plan.

                                                                                                          ***

It was Yves who finally spoke, after all four girls had been silent for quite some time. “It was wrong of me to mislead you both. I’m sorry.”

Chuu rested her head on Yves’ shoulder. The three mermaids were now sitting on the cave floor, having transformed into their ordinary forms after drying off. “I still want to come with you, Yves.”

Yves leaned back onto Chuu, stroking her red hair. “And Gowon? Will you come with me?”

“I don’t know if I have a choice,” The blonde girl admitted. She bit her lip, looking over at Olivia. 

“Of course you do, Gowon,” Olivia said derisively. “Yves tricked you. You don’t owe her anything. Just come back with me, and we’ll figure this out—” She grabbed Gowon’s hand and started to drag her out of the cave.

“ Stop!” Yves shouted, tears in her eyes. Closing her right hand into a fist, Yves molded a fraction of the moon pool’s water into a thick tendril. She then drew her arm backward as if it were an arrow, using the momentum to hurl the water at Olivia. Gowon watched in horror as the impact of the water instantly knocked Olivia off her feet and displaced her further across the cave. A still-furious Yves began to repeat this newfound trick, but before she could strike Olivia a second time, Gowon thrust her arm outward and curled her fingers as if to control the tendril of water. She prayed with all of her might that she could harness some sort of power, stopping Yves’ attempt to further harm Olivia. Sure enough, water turned to ice in midair before shattering into millions of pieces. Yves fell to the ground, momentarily stunned. Gowon stared in awe, then regained her senses and ran over to Olivia.

“I don’t know where you learned that trick, but it was a good one.” Olivia winced through the quip, holding the back of her head, which had been injured in the chaos. 

“I’m so sorry, Olivia. If I had known about… everything, I would never have come here in the first place.” Gowon delicately moved a stray hair out of Olivia’s face. She then blurted: “Do you love me? I’ve been thinking about it ever since Yves said—”

Olivia interrupted Gowon mid-sentence, drawing her in for a kiss. Gowon’s eyes widened in surprise, but she quickly fell into Olivia’s rhythm. When they finally pulled away from one another, Olivia smiled softly at Gowon. “Of course I do.”

“I...I love you too.”

“Then… will you stay with me? In Eden?” Olivia looked expectantly at Gowon, lacing their fingers together. But the other girl was distracted by the sound of Yves’ voice.

“It’s now or never, Gowon,” Yves warned, already in the water with Chuu (who was already experimenting with her new power to turn water into steam). From the sound of Yves’ voice, she was miffed by the prospect of Gowon’s loyalty to Olivia, especially after the ice stunt. “It has to be the three of us.”

 “How can I stay? I can’t return to normal now that I’m a… mermaid.” Gowon sniffled as she looked back at Olivia, despondent. “Eden will punish me for what I’ve done. I’m sorry, Olivia. I have to see this through.” Gowon dropped Olivia’s hand, then walked somberly to the water. Olivia felt a wrench in her heart as she watched Gowon close her eyes and fall in. The three mermaids shared a knowing look before beginning to swim through the moon pool’s water, setting off into the Möbius Ocean.

Chapter Text

The only thing that anyone at Eden Preparatory Academy could talk about was the disappearance of Yves, Gowon, and Chuu… well, and Olivia’s fall from grace.

“What were you doing in the forbidden woods?” The principal demanded sharply, as a distraught Olivia sat in her main office. Her clothes were spattered with dirt and a few drops of her own blood from when Yves attacked her. Arms crossed, she looked out the window towards the courtyard, where just yesterday she had watched the missing trio run into the woods. 

“I knew Gowon was there.” Olivia nervously bit her lip, not sure how much she should divulge during this interrogation.

“How?” The older blonde woman pursed her red lips, staring coldly into Olivia’s brown eyes. 

“Yves convinced her and Chuu to come with her into the woods. I overheard.”

“But you didn’t report this to the proper authorities?” The woman replied hastily. “Where are they now?”

“I don’t know,” Olivia responded, her heart sinking. “They left Eden. The moon pool—”

“Moon pool? Leaving Eden? You lie. There’s no such thing,” The principal hissed. “You have thoroughly disappointed me, Olivia.” She paused for a moment to take a deep breath. “Until further notice, you are no longer the top student in the class. In fact, I’m not sure that you’ll be permitted to remain at the academy.”

“You’re expelling me?” Olivia shouted. “That’s bul—” She stopped herself from finishing the word as her anger rose up like acid inside her. How can they do this to me without conducting a proper investigation? It’s like they want to bury this, Olivia thought. 

“We’ll see, Olivia.” The brunette girl was then escorted out of the office and into her dorm. As she passed the common area, she could see the other girls whispering horrifiedly to their friends, then snickering at her. They had been waiting for Olivia to screw up for years . In fact, they had even started a rumor that Olivia killed Gowon, Chuu, and Yves in the forest. 

If they wanted Olivia to be the villain in their story, then she’d be one. 

To hell with Eden. Maybe Yves was right about that, even if she was a master manipulator. Olivia wanted to see this place burn to the ground, to be nothing more than smoldering ashes. It was the place that built up Olivia for years and then discarded her like trash; it was the place that convinced Gowon she had to change if she simply wanted to matter . It was the place that masqueraded as a utopia and then created people like Yves, and ultimately allowed Gowon to be ripped from Olivia’s arms. 

Olivia had no one left for whom she wanted to be good. Gowon was gone, possibly even dead, and therefore, nothing else mattered. Olivia wanted to destroy Eden.

                                                                                                          ***

A month had passed since the three mermaids left Eden. Olivia’s life continued to go drastically downhill. She was expelled as of yesterday, as a result of betraying Eden—and being blamed for the girls’ disappearances. She had until the end of the day to pack her bags, and then she’d be homeward bound. How could she ever face her parents after going from Eden Preparatory Academy’s top student to its worst failure?

But the answer to her problems came to her as she was taking one last look at the courtyard from the balcony. She’d burn the book that both she and Yves had found, the book that had gotten her into this mess: the book about the moon pool, “Moon Pools and Other Natural Phenomena”. Like a phoenix, I’ll rise from the ashes, Olivia thought. Maybe it was a futile plan, but her despair had overtaken her to the point where she would try anything. That night, she snuck into the library with a lighter in hand. She opened the book, flicked the lighter, and let the flame lick the page. This was book where her troubles started, so maybe they could end here. Olivia watched smugly as the flame singed the frail paper’s edges.

But suddenly, she heard the sound of the floor creaking behind her. Someone was there, in the library. She abruptly turned, catching a glimpse of long brown hair and a uniform just like hers, but with a red and black skirt. If she didn’t know better, she’d have thought it was Yves. Maybe it is her, Olivia thought, and instinctively, she began to run after the unknown lurker. But without thinking, she accidentally dropped the flaming book near an old, nearly-crumbling bookshelf, and it caught ablaze. The fire began to spread at an alarmingly quick speed.

Olivia panicked as the fire’s orange light began to spread throughout the library, slowly bringing smoke with it. It shouldn’t have caught fire so quickly, but it did. For a second, Olivia wondered if she should entertain her previous fantasy of letting Eden burn. The place had made her into a villain, after all, whether she wanted to be one or not. But the smoke was starting to get to her now, and she was growing too weary to think. She laid down, her head pounding as the world around her became hazy. Maybe this was meant to happen. Maybe I’m irredeemable. 

                                                                                                          ***

Where am I? Olivia thought, her sight blurry as she stood up from the ground. It was nighttime, and she could hear the hum of gentle waves near her. As her surroundings became clear, she realized that she was atop a cliff overlooking an endless ocean. Someone else was there: a girl with long brown hair and a white dress, standing several feet away, back turned. Olivia couldn’t see her face, but she wondered if it was Yves, haunting her once again. The girl finally turned around, and Olivia realized that she didn’t know her at all. She slowly began to walk towards Olivia.

“Who are you?” Olivia asked apprehensively.

“My name is Heejin. I’m so glad to finally meet you, Olivia.” Heejin chuckled, anticipating Olivia’s next question from her bewildered countenance. “And of course I know your name. Gowon hasn’t stopped talking about you.”

“You know where she is,” Olivia breathed in relief. “She’s alive. But… she abandoned me.”

“Not quite,” Heejin corrected her. “You’re part of this, too, Olivia. And that’s why I’m here.”

“But, the fire…” Olivia’s memories of the past day began to flood back to her. How did she get here? She remembered seeing flames, then thick black smoke, then… What? She began to search through her pocket, looking for the lighter as some sort of confirmation that she hadn’t imagined it all.

“Looking for something?” Heejin smirked, producing the lighter from her own pocket. “I have to admire your spunk, but the fire was out of control. The school was going to burn down. So, with the help of a little magic, I stepped in.” As a demonstration, or perhaps to show off, Heejin created a bubble of water midair, froze it, and evaporated it. All within ten seconds, and all with her own hands. 

“Your powers… you’re a mermaid too?” Olivia gaped at Heejin. “But where are you from?”

“Originally? A little place called Earth. My friends and I came across a moon pool one night when we were out camping, and the next day, we had tails. Mine is hot pink, by the way.” Heejin smiled, then glanced up at the full moon anxiously. “We don’t have much time.”

“Why? Do you know something I don’t?” Olivia’s voice had an edge to it. She was growing tired of having to ask questions. Tired of always being in the dark, the last one to know.

“You only know a fraction of the prophecy. Three girls become mermaids and escape Eden, et cetera. But the prophecy extends far beyond that. There are supposed to be twelve of us—twelve mermaids —including an additional girl from the dimension of Eden.”

“And I’m…”

 “There’s a reason why you’re here right now, Olivia. You’re the twelfth girl. The fourth from Eden. It’s your destiny.”

Olivia scoffed, unable to believe Heejin’s bold statement. “How is this ‘destiny’ any better than my predetermined fate in Eden? Either way, I’m trapped, I have no choice. And if this really were my destiny, I would have been transformed in the moon pool with Gowon and the others.”

“Because you were supposed to leave Eden with the others. But you needed time to realize that Eden wasn’t the utopia you thought it was. Destiny can be bent, Olivia. You do have a choice.”

“I don’t know…” Olivia stared out at the vast ocean, twiddling her thumbs as she tried to think things through. There’s not much left for me in Eden, but... “I’m afraid to be a mermaid. I’m still afraid to betray Eden, even though I already have in a thousand different ways. I don’t know.”

“I know you’re afraid to leave Eden. And if you come with me, I can’t promise you utopia. Something is wrong with this universe—but the twelve of us have a chance to heal it.”

“What about Yves? I thought she wanted nothing to do with me.”

“She was… misguided. But we need you. You’re the final piece of the puzzle.” Heejin took Olivia’s hand, waiting for her response. 

Olivia knew that this decision would be the most important of her life. Her heart was beating in anticipation; she knew what she had to do. Inhaling deeply, closing her eyes, she whispered one word.

“Yes.”

Chapter Text

When Olivia first saw her tail, she couldn’t figure out what color it was. It was every color, really—pink and turquoise and yellow and burgundy—and it was no color at all. But finally, she realized that it was a smoky grey, complete with glimmering scales and a fin on the back. She was a mermaid now, although she never would have believed this fact a mere two months ago.

The night Olivia met Heejin, the latter brought her to the moon pool, where she was transformed under the full moon’s light. The rest was a blur; they swam into the Möbius Ocean, but time and space didn’t function linearly there. Olivia could only remember the water’s crystalline appearance, and flashes of Heejin’s bright pink tail among the shadows. The ocean seemed never-ending, so Olivia simply followed Heejin until they reached their intended destination. At least Olivia could swim for miles without having to take a breath. Perks of being a mermaid, right?

The next thing Olivia remembered was waking up on a white sand beach with legs. She had no clue where she was, but it certainly wasn’t Eden. Nothing was familiar except for a voice in the distance. “Olivia?” she heard someone softly call to her. She stood up abruptly—she would’ve known that voice anywhere.

“Gowon!” Olivia shouted, running through the sand towards the blonde girl. “I didn’t think I’d ever see you again!” Both girls embraced each other in a hug, waiting forever before pulling away. 

“I’m so sorry I left you, Olivia,” Gowon said, with her arms still around Olivia. “I’m never doing that again. Ever.”

“Admittedly, I was starting to lose my mind back in Eden, but… Thanks to Heejin, I think it all worked out in the end.” Olivia grinned, not taking her eyes off Gowon. “Um, where are we, by the way?”

“Heejin says it’s called ‘Middle Earth,’” Gowon explained. “There are ten other girls here, too. Further inland.”

“Including… Yves?” Olivia asked hesitantly.

“Yes, even Yves. But she’s coming around to the idea of you being here,” Gowon replied reassuringly. “Before we meet up with everyone else, though, I have to know. What’s your power?”

“My… power?” Olivia had forgotten that all mermaids had at least one power. “I suppose I’ll find out now.” She held Gowon’s hand as they walked to the edge of the ocean, careful not to get too close lest they grow a tail without meaning to. Closing her eyes and channeling the energy around her, Olivia started to manipulate the water from afar with her hand, creating a large bubble.

“That’s Yves’ power, too,” Gowon recounted. But Olivia wasn’t done yet; she turned the bubble to ice. “Wait, that’s mine!” Gowon laughed. Olivia continued to move her hand, turning the ice bubble to steam. Gowon watched the display of magic in awe.

“Wow. I guess... I have all three powers?” Olivia shrugged.

“You guess? That’s really rare. Besides you, Heejin’s the only one here who has all three. You should be proud, Olivia,” Gowon beamed at the brunette. Olivia smiled in response. This is just like old times, she thought, happy to be in the presence of her best friend again.

“I know we should meet up with the others soon, but… Gowon, do you want to go for a swim with me?” Olivia’s heart fluttered as she looked at Gowon, hoping that she would say yes.

“I’d love to, but you’ll have to catch me first.” Gowon giggled as she dove into the water. Olivia rolled her eyes playfully, immediately following her into the ocean. Within seconds, her legs disappeared and her tail returned. The cold water was refreshing on her grey scales, but it took her a moment to adjust to the clunky feeling of a tail on her body. Once she adjusted, however, it was a beautiful feeling; she relished in her newfound form as she used her tail’s momentum to push her through the water. Catching a glance of Gowon’s turquoise scales, Olivia noticed how angelic her friend’s long, flaxen hair looked underwater as Gowon turned to face her. This was the girl (well, half-girl, half-fish) that she loved. Gowon’s hands cupped Olivia’s face, her soft lips grazing Olivia’s before they finally touched. If that kiss was any indication, Olivia knew that Gowon still loved her back.

As if the last piece had fallen into place, the moon above them shined brighter than ever before, its ivory beams visible even in the daylight. It was the end of an era—an era of Eden’s perfect lies—yet also the beginning of magical, beautiful, flawed truths.