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"Will Tenko come into the water today?"
Tenko frowns. There's a splash against the water's surface, and a wave of water comes down on her. She blinks the water droplets from her eyelashes, crossing her arms with a deep scowl.
"Come on, come on! Angie thinks Tenko should swim with her!"
Angie is a mermaid. She's leaned against the edge of her enclosure, her arms crossed on the edge of her pool and a mischievous grin on her face. Her brown skin contrasts her angelic white hair, her smooth body ending in a long yellow tail that splits fourways.
She's wearing a bra made of seashells, even though Tenko knows she hates wearing it. Angie believes she doesn't need to cover her divine body, as the waters have forged her.
There are two large white fins on her back, which she can expand to make them look like wings. They give her incredible control maneuvering the water, and she's able to fully fold them against her body.
"Shouldn't Angie be more worried that she's being locked up here?"
Tenko can still hardly believe the zoo captured a real, living mermaid. Angie seems hardly bothered. But Tenko knows her eyes linger, beyond the walls of her enclosure. The cheeriness is just a facade. It doesn't surprise her. She's a force of nature forced into a man made pool that is hardly more than a puddle in contrast to the sea.
"It's true that Angie misses home", Angie hums, tilting her head from side to side, "But humans can't help but be curious, yes yes? So, so? Will Tenko swim with Angie?"
Tenko doesn't know why she's so insistent. Angie knows Tenko can't swim. Is she trying to drown her?
"Tenko knows better than to fall for the charm of a beautiful mermaid", she scoffs, "Even though Tenko thinks she's lovely, Tenko must hold back!"
"Says who?" Angie puffs her cheeks out. "Angie promises, it's nice! Angie is so lonely. Won't Tenko spend some time with her?"
Tenko wrinkles her nose. If she didn't know any better, she'd think Angie is pulling her into her allure. But Angie hasn't been singing, not once, so she figures it's not a siren song.
"Or... Angie has to use violence!"
Tenko squeals as Angie launches herself out of the pool, wraps her slender arms around her legs and promptly pulls her into the water. She falls in with a loud splash, the water rippling where she helplessly flaps her arms.
Tenko screws her eyes shut and paddles, until she pauses. She's not sinking. Cracking one eye open, she realizes Angie is still holding her on her hips, stopping her from sinking. "That's assault!", she calls out, pouting while jutting out her lower lip.
Angie giggles lightly. "Is it, is it? Or is it just that Tenko is afraid and can't trust anyone?" She suddenly sobers, her eyes darting to the side. "Angie does get that."
"Experience?"
Angie frowns. "Maybe. Well, it's not like it matters, does it? Angie will never be free again. Humans don't let things go they don't understand."
The fins on her back flap, reminding Tenko of an angel. "Angie wants to go free?", she whispers. Angie stares at her, her piercing blue eyes focused, as if they are slowly imprinting on the look of Tenko's face. Up this close, Tenko can see the rows of sharp teeth adorning her mouth. She could so easily tear her to shreds.
"Tenko is implying a crime", Angie states, "That would get Tenko into a lot of trouble."
Tenko reaches out her hand and splashes water against Angie's face. "Angie didn't care how much trouble it was for Tenko to be kidnapped into the water! Now she can't pretend like Angie worries about such things!"
"Nyahahaha... Tenko is such a smart girl!"
Tenko feels heat rise to her face and quickly makes the very smart choice to splash water into her own face. Angie loses herself into a fit of giggles. Tenko can feel her tail sway below her in the water.
"Well, what if, say... Tenko was to carry Angie to the zoo car, and then just drove out the back. The ocean isn't even that far, and of course, Tenko was totally helpless because Angie used her siren song on her!" She chews on her lip. "Tenko really doesn't want a beautiful mermaid like Angie to be a zoo attraction. Yucky males staring at her likes she's some sort of toy..."
Angie tilts her head to the side, a somber look on her face. "But Angie would be content to stay if she gets to be with Tenko."
"Huh?!"
Angie leans in and presses a kiss against Tenko's cheek. It's warm and wet and sends a surge through Tenko's body, kicking her legs under water and swallowing down a squeal. "Tenko is being lured into Angie's trap! Well, Tenko won't resist..." She grits her teeth. "Tenko wants to do it. And Tenko will visit Angie at sea if she wants that."
"Would Tenko let Angie take her to her island?" Her back fins flutter against the water surface in excitement.
"H-how would that even work?", Tenko presses out. Angie is so close and her curious eyes fixed on Tenko that she feels entirely bare, her emotions laid open for Angie to dig her claws into.
"On Angie's back, of course! Trust Angie, yes yes! It's the divine wish of the ocean!" She smiles. But her smile is full of longing and unspeakable sadness.
Tenko nods. "Then let's go."
"Huh? Now?"
Angie obediently pushes Tenko back to the edge of the pool, letting her sit up on the border of it. Tenko pulls her legs out of the water and opens her arms. Her clothes are drenched, but she ignores the feeling of wet textile against her skin. "Tenko has shift alone right now. It's the best moment to set Angie free."
"Angie is so lucky to be rescued by a strong human girl!" She claps her hands in delight, before she wraps her arms around Tenko's neck, letting Tenko pull her out of the water. Her tail flaps as Tenko takes her body up into her hold, her skin feeling warm and slippery.
Angie settles, reaching one arm out to the sky, flexing her fingers as if she was trying to grab the clouds from the horizon. "Angie can't wait to show Tenko her world! Angie wishes she could make Tenko part of it too."
Tenko thinks her face is going to melt off from the heat of her intense blush. With cautious steps, she carries Angie out of the enclosure and makes her way to the car.
Tenko doesn't have a license, but that doesn't matter right now. She settles Angie on the passenger seat and turns the key, helpfully always ready, in the ignition. The engine springs to life and Tenko pushes down on the gas.
Angie deserves to be free. Tenko would probably follow her to her island forever if she asked. It's better than keeping such a gorgeous creature locked up for the pleasure of nasty men, after all.