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Maomao rose early with the sun, determined to get the day started. Doing a mental checklist of the tasks she needed to complete for the day, she started to prepare a simple breakfast for herself and her adoptive father, Luomen. The two of them resided in a small hut on the outskirts of the village near the ocean.
“Oh, Maomao, you’re up,” Luomen sat up from his bed cot having heard her bustling around.
“Good morning, pops,” Maomao responded handing him a bowl of millet.
“Do you have any plans for today?” Luomen asked his daughter.
“I have a few deliveries and errands to run in town. After that I may scout the beach to see if anything useful washed up from last night,” Maomao responded.
“Take care. Be careful near the water, the riptide is dangerous,” Luomen said.
“I will Pa,” Maomao replied before heading off.
The town was not too far away by foot but it still took a good while for Maomao to reach it.
“Did you hear, they caught another one last night,” a voice from a nearby stall said.
“Yeah I heard it was a big one,” another voice replied.
Maomao’s ears perked up. They were probably talking about the merpeople that lived in the nearby sea. She never saw one but whenever one was caught people talked about it for a bit. Merpeople scales and even better, their hides could go for a pretty penny. The townspeople also had a fear of them as they were rumored to drown any unfortunate people to tread their waters. It was understandable to the townsfolk why they were to be hunted and feared. There were those within the community that were willing to risk their lives to hunt the merpeople for profit. Maomao had never seen one of these supposed creatures but if they did exist she figured they would be best left alone.
Eager to get on with her day, Maomao completed her errands in the twin and went home. She didn’t particularly care much about the opinion of gossipy town folk. In turn they regarded her and her father as somewhat odd. Maomao preferred the company of her father and found solace in her books and apothecary work.
Upon returning home, Maomao unloaded her things and set about to do chores around the home. She tried to keep the morning conversation she’d overheard about the merpeople out of her head. However once her curiosity was piqued, it was hard to ignore. Perhaps there were items, materials in the ocean that could be used to advance her medicinal knowledge. The possibilities were endless. Pa warned about being cautious when collecting items near and in the sea. The current and the known dangers were not to be taken lightly. There was a strong storm the night before which meant the shore may be littered with treasures.
Revitalized by the prospects of loot, Maomao hurried out with a bag in tow. It didn’t take long for her to reach the beach. As predicted it was littered with washed up odds and ends, a perfect treasure trove for the curious cat. Maomao became lost in her own world as she picked up each item and examined it before putting it in the bag.
Before long, she reached a cove with small tide pools nearby. Hmm I haven't been to this area before, the cat thought to herself. She hadn’t wandered this far before as this area of the beach was unfamiliar. Maomao’s eyes sparkled imagining the undiscovered valuables that could be repurposed for ‘scientific purposes’. A small voice nagged at the back of her mind that she should heed her pa’s warning to stay away from unfamiliar areas. Even though the tide pools weren’t deep there was no telling when a sudden wave could knock her over and drag her out to sea. However, the strong curious desire in that moment, overrode the cautionary warning.
The cat set her bag down and lifted her skirt to wade through the tide pools to get closer to the cove. Her mind was already imagining what she would find once she was inside. She continued to wade closer to the entrance being careful of the sharp rocks and edges.
A sudden noise stopped her in her tracks. Crap, I’m too far away from shore to make a run for it, Maomao panicked. She couldn’t run back to shore given the sharp rocks under the water. Guess there is no turning back now, picking up a good sized rock she advanced toward the cove.
As she drew closer, the noise happened again, although she couldn’t tell if it was from a human or animal. Whatever it was, Maomao prepared to strike something. Her grip on the rock tightened as she approached the entrance.
Finally, after what seemed like forever, Maomao reached the opening of the cove. What she saw wasn’t what she was expecting. Sitting on a ledge was an ethereal, beauty too majestic for words, merman in the flesh. Long purple hair cascaded down his shoulders and rested against his pale scaly shoulders. His tail was a mix of gorgeous purple and blue with shiny scales.
Unfortunately for him, he was nursing a large gash on his tail and was covered in injuries along his arms and upper body. All Maomao could do was stare, taking in the merman’s otherworldly beauty as well as his injuries.
“Can I help you?” the mer-nymph-like creature had spoken first, blinking once he caught sight of Maomao.
It took a minute for Maomao to snap out of it and realize he was speaking to her. Everything in her body was telling her to flee and turn back as it was rumored merpeople could lure people to their deaths but as usual curiosity won out.
“You’re injured,” she stated matter of factly to find some topic of conversation.
The nymph looked down. “It appears so. That storm last night did me in. I probably shouldn’t have wandered off too far, hehe,” the nymph sheepishly rubbed his head.
The nymph was warned many times to not get close to humans and was lucky in the past to not run into one or get injured in the process. That is until today. The previous night, he wandered away from home to people watch as was custom but unfortunately was caught up in the sudden storm and now here he was.
“You know you would have gotten harpooned had it been somebody other than me who discovered you right?” Maomao asked. “Merpeople shouldn’t wander too close to humans.”
The nymph pouted in response having heard that lecture many times but this was the first it came from a human.
Is he seriously pouting right now? So childish, it’s for his own good. He has to take this as a warning next time he may not be so lucky. Maomao thought to herself.
“I could say the same thing about you. Aren’t humans also supposed to stay away from us?” the nymph questioned, a small smile playing at his lips.
“D-don’t spin this around on me! I found you first!” Maomao protested.
The nymph let out a hearty laugh that bubbled up from his throat. There was a playful glint in his eyes.
Maomao sighed and collected herself. “I imagine that you’re too injured to swim back home.”
“Thsts correct and I’d be prime bait for sharks,” the nymph responded.
“Won’t you dry out if you stay on dry land?”
“As long as I don’t stay out too long I should be fine,” luckily there were pools of water so he could stay wet.
Maomao thought for a minute. This may be her only chance to get her hands on something useful and precious deep from the ocean. Her experiments were limited to what she could find on land but imagine what possibilities the ocean held.
“I think I can patch you up but in return you gotta do something for me,” she proposed.
“And what would that be?” the nymph asked.
“I’m an apothecary by trade and I need certain items from the sea but I’m unable to swim-,” she was cut off.
“What’s an apothecary?”
“A healer of sorts. I use natural remedies to treat injuries, illness, the like,” Maomao answered. “As I was saying, my research has been limited to the land. There are a plethora of items in the ocean I could use to further my research.”
“So what does this have to do with me?” the aquatic nymph asked.
Maomao sighed.
“Once you are healed, I was hoping you’d procure some for me,” Maomao responded.
“Hmm, I think I can do that,” the nymph said, giving her a dazzling smile.
Maomao grimaced. “If I may, I need to examine your… tail to see what I need to bring next time.”
He gestured to her to come closer. I really shouldn’t do this but if he wanted to eat me by now he would have, Maomao thought.
Upon closer investigation, it was an exquisite tail marred by gashes and smaller cuts. She ran a light hand over the tail feeling its scaly texture. Maomao imagined how beautiful the tail would be without the injuries.
“I have a small container of salve that should last you the rest of the day until tomorrow. I don’t know if it’s waterproof though. I haven’t tested it,” she handed him the container of salve.
“I never did get your name,” the nymph said.
“Maomao,” she said.
“Jinshi. I look forward to seeing you more often,” it was clear he was interested in this human.
Maomao made a face as she turned away.
Jinshi POV
Humans are more interesting creatures than I thought he had mused to himself once the apothecary left.
He always was curious about the humans that lived on land when he found a sunken toy when he was a merboy. That toy had quickly become his favorite. However when his mother and guardian found out about the toy’s origin, it was promptly confiscated from him.
“Merpeople should never be around humans. They hunt and kill us,” was a sentiment felt among the merpeople.
Of course he knew logically that they did so out of the rumor that they fed on human flesh which was not true at all. Jinshi didn’t know where that rumor originated as he never ate human flesh. However the young nymph would be lying if he said he didn’t find the apothecary girl intriguing. She was the first human he was able to make contact with and conversate with. Oh yes he was looking forward to their next meeting.
Maomao spent the rest of the day collecting and preparing the herbs to make an effective salve for the merman’s injuries. She had the base items but needed to do further research to see if she needed anything else. In the evening, when chores were done
It took some time but Maomao was able to locate information about merpeople and she was able to find useful information about their anatomical features.
Thank goodness it won’t be difficult to modify the salve so that his tail and skin absorbs it. Maomao thought to herself.
“It seems you had an interesting day. What are you up to over there?”
Maomao heard her adoptive father’s voice from behind her.
“Oh just doing some reading,” Maomao replied, not keen on telling her father about her encounter with the nymph.
“Don’t stay up too late. Keep an eye on the weather. I hear there’s another storm due soon,” her pops said.
“Alright pops,” Maomao said before returning to her book.
The young apothecary stayed up preparing and mixing the salve for Jinshi.
The following day after completing morning errands and chores Maomao headed to the cove where the nymph waited.
“Good morning, I have the salve for your tail. I’ll go ahead and apply it on you so you know how to do it,” Maomao said.
“Thank you, I appreciate it,” Jinshi said.
Maomao set her things down and got to work inspecting Jinshi’s tail and applying salve.
“This salve is waterproof and I would recommend applying it twice a day,” Maomao instructed.
Jinshi leaned in closer observing her features, her deep sea green hair, pale skin, small but nimble fingers.
“Excuse me, what are you doing sir?” Maomao noticed Jinshi’s close proximity to her.
“I’ve never seen human hair up close before,” Jinshi said gently, grabbing a strand of Maomao’s hair.
“Is this really necessary?”
“This is my first time seeing a human up close. Let me have my moment,” Jinshi said, leaning closer.
Maomao sighed as Jinshi continued his ministrations.
It turns out Jinshi had a lot of questions for Maomao about humans. The inquiries ranged from normal to downright weird questions as he seemingly wanted to understand the full scope of humans.
“Do humans feel?” Jinshi suddenly asked.
That question caught the young apothecary off guard.
“What do you mean?” Maomao asked.
“From what I’ve heard humans don’t think us merpeople feel anything, but we do feel everything. We feel everything from happiness to anger,” Jinshi said.
If it was feelings they were talking about it was not a subject Maomao was an expert in. Medicine and poisonous things of that nature were her expertise. For the longest time it has been only her adoptive father and her. She’d had to fend for herself for as long as she could remember. Yes her pa had taught her everything she knew but because of his advanced age there was much she had to do on her own. Because of this level of independence cultivated at such a young age, asking others for help was not instinct. That came along with relying on survival skills to make it by which didn’t leave much room for touchy feely things.
Sure she knew her Pa cared for her but he wasn’t an overly affectionate person either. Forget having a mother as well. The two suited each other just fine despite barely making it by. With the combination of these circumstances and unique family situation, Maomao was not by any means a feeling expert. It was poisons, medicinal and clinical knowledge that guided her steps.
“If it’s feelings you are asking about sir, then yes humans do have feelings.” I’m not the best person to be asking about this subject she thought privately to herself.
“Hmm,” Jinshi responded. “What other things do humans believe about us? I wonder,” he mused.
“Well it just so happens, I have a book with me about merpeople,” Maomao said, pulling out a good sized book.
Jinshi started to flip through the pages and read.
“That's totally preposterous! We don’t even eat human flesh,” he protested.
“You don’t?”
“Of course not! We just want the humans to leave us alone. There may have been a time or two that we had to defend ourselves but weren’t the ones who attacked first,” Jinshi explained.
“Hmm,” Maomao said. “Seems like these townsfolk are wrong about both of us,” Maomao mused.
“Both of us?” Jinshi asked.
“The townsfolk aren’t too fond of me and my Pa either. We have our uses to them, sure but we’ve always been on the outskirts. They think we are too strange for their taste. In my opinion they are small minded, and don't see life beyond this town,” Maomao commented.
“Ah I see then maybe we aren’t too different then,” Jinshi said giving her a small smile. Maomao, despite herself, gave a small smile in return.
The following days Maomao continued to visit Jinshi to check on his wounds and provide more salve when needed. He did continue to needle her about questions about human life though it was becoming less and less annoying as he did so. Much as Maomao loathe to admit it, she found herself looking forward to visits with Jinshi. His perspective was so different from hers having grown up under the ocean.
“I didn’t mention this before but I’m being groomed to eventually rule the merkingdom someday,” Jinshi said.
“Wait so you’re telling me you’re royalty?” Maomao balked.
“Yeahhhh,” Jinshi replied sheepishly.
“And you didn’t tell me before why?” Maomao asked.
“Eheh, I guess it just didn’t cross my mind to tell you,” Jinshi said.
Maomao sighed. If she had made a fatal mistake while treating him she’d possibly cause a hurricane or something as ludicrous as that sounded.
The young apothecary knew about merpeople’s existence but she didn’t know they had a legit kingdom.
“Truth is, I’m not ready to rule. I’ve been preparing for this my whole life but it’s not what I want,” Jinshi opened up.
“Feels like you’re trapped, I imagine,” Maomao said, no stranger to that sentiment. There was so much to explore beyond their small dwellings but she didn’t have the means to go beyond them.
“I don’t want to be tied down and deal with the pressures of ruling a kingdom,” Jinshi said.
“Hmm,” Maomao responded. “Does this little skirmish have anything to do with that?”
“Hmph I suppose I’ll tell you,” Jinshi said with a small pout. “The merking of the merpeople is actually my older brother. He is pushing me to become the next ruler even though he has a young legitimate heir. We got into one of many arguments about this and I stormed off. I saw a ship of people and got close to observe them. I didn’t notice a storm had been brewing and I got caught up in it and here I am,” Jinshi explained.
Maomao stared at him. A part of her wanted to scold him for being so careless but another part understood the need to get away.
“You’re lucky none of those humans saw you,” she commented.
“This isn’t my first time doing this. I like to watch people, but I know where to hide so they don’t see me,” Jinshi said.
“What is it about us humans that fascinates you so much? Surely the interactions with your own people can’t be much different than ours. Also our people try to hunt and kill you guys based on baseless rumors,” Maomao said.
“Growing up I was always told that humans were dangerous and that they are heartless. When I was a child I found a toy, a human toy. I loved and treasured that toy, but when my guardians found out I had it, they took it from me. I was inconsolable for weeks. They tried to find me different toys but that was the only one I wanted. I never forgot it to this day. I still remember it. Now that I’m older I figure maybe humans aren’t so different from us as I thought. They have young ones, emotions, hopes, dreams, and a desire to protect their loved ones,” Jinshi said.
“Even at the expense of your..kind,” Maomao murmured more to herself than him.
Jinshi nodded. “In my personal chambers, I have a collection of human items I’ve collected over the years. I keep it well hidden so that no one else can find it,” he admitted.
“I’d like to see it someday,” Maomao said. “Perhaps you’re right in that we aren’t so different from each other but these small minded townspeople aren’t so convinced.”
They were both bonded in the fact they couldn’t leave the situations and circumstances they were placed in. Perhaps this celestial nymph was not so different from her after all.
The subsequent days continued to fall into a routine for Maomao. After chores and errands were complete, she’d head to the cove to check on Jinshi’s injuries. She couldn’t deny the feeling that Jinshi was developing an “attachment” so to speak. A hand that lingered for a second longer, a gaze that wouldn’t turn away and conversations reluctant to end. This is the way things went on for a good while and it was agreeable for them both.
However it started with a cough.
“Pa are you alright? You’ve been coughing off and on for a bit,” Maomao said.
“I’m fine, probably just a tickle in my throat,” Luomen said going about his work.
“Alright. I’ll still make a cough syrup for your throat before I head out,” Maomao replied.
“Thank you,” Luomen said.
Unfortunately for her father, the cough did not subside, in fact it only seemed to worsen along with other troublesome symptoms. Despite this, Luomen urged his daughter to not worry.
“It’s probably just a cold or mild sickness. With rest and proper care it should run its course,” Luomen tried to assure her.
“I don’t know Pa. I’ll still prepare something stronger,” Maomao said. She insisted her father rest which meant taking over his share of the work and leaving no time for her celestial nymph.
Jinshi POV
It had been a week since Maomao had visited him and he was feeling lonely. His tail was now almost fully healed but that wasn’t the reason he was missing her. Jinshi enjoyed his conversations with her and appreciated how complex her mind was. She was an insightful person and found himself drawn to her. Over these weeks something more than companionship bloomed. He found his gaze lingering on for a second longer, wanting to brush his fingers across her silky hair, and yearning to hold her. The young merman knew a love like this couldn’t bloom, not when he had obligations he’d inevitably have to return to but he couldn’t quench that yearning.
“Hello Jinshi,” he heard her voice say as she entered.
“I haven’t seen you since last week, what happened?” Jinshi asked with concern.
Maomao hesitated for a moment before deciding to tell him.
“My father, he hasn’t been feeling well lately. I’ve had to take on more of his workload and haven’t been able to come, I’m sorry. I did bring some more salve,” Maomao explained.
“I’m sorry to hear that. I hope he recovers quickly,” Jinshi responded.
“He’s pretty much all I have,” Maomao said.
The two continued to converse for a bit longer but Jinshi could sense the tension and unease in Maomao’s body no doubt worried about her father.
When she eventually turned to go, Maomao felt her hand being grabbed.
“When will I see you again?” Jinshi asked, his gaze intense, piercing and lingering.
Maomao’s eyes met his and she saw the look in his face, the yearning, the pleading gaze of an emotion she seldom acknowledged.
“I’m, I'm not sure. Your tail is almost healed. When it is, you should go,” the words weren’t delivered with hurtful intent but she didn’t see the devastated look on Jinshi’s face when turning away.
Maomao POV
Maomao ran towards home, unable to get the image of Jinshi’s gaze out of her mind. That look on his face unsettled her in a strange way. She couldn’t put her finger on what it was or more accurately wanted to deny what that expression was. Having grown accustomed to Jinshi’s company she almost forgot she wasn’t supposed to be fraternizing with him. He was also a prince and would eventually have to return home to his duties despite not wanting to. She scolded herself for lowering her guard but it was the first time she was given a sense of security and voice her desires. Their conversations had been more stimulating that she’d had with humans save for her father. The sooner her father recovered and the sooner Jinshi left meant that her life could go back to being mundane.
The following days did not see an improvement in Luomen’s condition. He was steadily growing worse. Despite all of Maomao’s remedies, Luomen’s sickness only appeared to worsen. When he started to cough up blood, turn pale, and experienced weakness rendering him unable to move much, the normally calm Maomao started to panic.
One night Maomao was sorting through the books she had on herbal remedies and medicines to try to figure out what was ailing her father. She burnt the midnight oil, poring over old texts seeking answers. Until she stumbled across a small book at the back of the shelf hidden away. Maomao didn’t recognize the book and she hadn’t seen it before. The book looked worn and old. She flipped through the pages slowly. What caught her off guard were the images and design of the book. Reading through the table of contents she soon realized this was a book crafted by merpeople as evident by the ingredients and illustrations.
‘Where would Pa get something like this?’ She wondered looking over at the sleeping figure of Luomen.
There was a moment of hesitation and doubt of whether this book would prove to be useful or not but she had no other option. Upon further investigation of the book, there was a plethora of remedies and ingredients Maomao was not familiar with as they were oceanic in nature. She could not help the tingle of curiosity as she read the names of unfamiliar herbs and plants. Each word was carefully examined and no stone was left unturned. She was getting to the point where she was going to give up until she stumbled across a page towards the end of the book. There it was a medicinal remedy that addressed each of her father’s symptoms. The kicker, all of these ingredients were found in the ocean and she could not swim. As she continued reading she felt a foreboding sinking feeling in her stomach. This particular ailment is caused by continuous exposure to algae commonly found near where merfolk live. Symptoms can remain dormant for decades until something triggers them. Maomao’s brow furrowed, how in the world would her father have been exposed to that? She had made sure to clean herself upon entering the home. Still even then it wasn’t like she was swimming in the ocean. Another thought entered her mind, unless somehow he- she shook her head and continued to read. In fine print at the bottom, there was an upsetting footnote. If left untreated for too long of a time symptoms can be fatal. Maomao felt her heart drop to her knees. Not wanting to dwell on what the ambiguous time frame of ‘too long’ was, she needed to find a way to get the ingredients.
This left her with another dilemma, hours earlier she had told Jinshi in a way to get lost and now he may be the only person who might be able to help her. She had seen the look in his face and felt that unease that he may have feelings for her and that wasn’t something she felt ready to face. Resting her head on the table she fell into slumber.
Early the next morning, Maomao rose, tended to her father and set off for the cove, hoping and praying Jinshi hadn’t left despite what she said to him. Each step towards that place where they’d had easy going conversations and light memories left an ache in her heart. In her bag she carried the book as if it were a lifeline, hoping that he could shed light on the contents of it.
Finally after what seemed like forever, Maomao reached the mouth of the cove. Taking a deep breath she entered hoping to see the celestial nymph. To her despair, he was not there.
No this cannot be. This is my last hope Maomao thought to herself, a pit forming in her stomach. She sat down on a rock. How am I supposed to reach him now?
The young woman sat in contemplative silence not wanting to spiral into despair. Maomao tried to think about a way to reach him while trying to maintain her composure. After a while of sitting in thought she remembered something she read in the book about merfolk lore. She jumped to her feet and ran home.
A while later she returned to the beach with a small handwritten note. Finding a good sized shell, she tucked the note inside and whispered his name into the shell. Her rational side told her this will never work but she was getting close to desperate at this point. She then chucked the shell into the ocean leaving it in fate’s hands.
Maomao returned home, hoping for the best outcome.
“How are you feeling, Pa?” She asked once she returned home.
“I’m feeling alright. I did sleep well last night. Once this blood gets out of my system I should be right as rain,” Luomen said, always one to downplay his symptoms in an attempt to reassure his daughter.
“I’ll make some more soup for you, to help nourish you,” Maomao prepared soup and brought fresh water so Luomen would stay hydrated.
As Luomen ate, Maomao’s thoughts drifted to the merfolk book with the remedies in it. Curiosity overtook her mind and she thought with everything going on now was a good time to ask.
“Pa when I was looking through the bookshelves. I found a book with merfolk remedies and whatnot. Where did you get such a book?” Maomao asked. Part of her was afraid of the answer as humans were always told to stay away from merfolk.
Luomen paused and looked at the bowl of soup in his hands.
“What they say about merpeople isn’t true. They want to coexist with humans peacefully and there’s much we can learn from them. I know this because I met one on my travels,” Luomen revealed.
Maomao was surprised at hearing this but she kept silent and allowed him to continue.
“I was in a shipwreck and encountered a mermaid. She ended up saving me and my colleague. Upon learning I was a healer, she gave me a book full of these remedies for merfolk in case I ever encountered one again,” Luomen revealed. “Speaking of which, where have you been sneaking off to lately?”
Maomao opened up and came clean about her meetings with Jinshi and what she discovered about his illness.
“It seems like you’ve been busy. Do you perhaps have feelings for this young merman?” Luomen asked with a twinkle in his eye.
Maomao blushed. “N-no of course not!”
Luomen smiled knowingly before turning his attention to his soup.
“So the cure for my ailment lies in the ocean,” he said after a moment.
“It would appear so,” Maomao said.
“It seems fitting as I probably contracted it all those years ago and it has remained dormant until now,” Luomen said. “It seems this merman may be able to help us.”
“Yeah,” Maomao said thinking about their last encounter. She could only hope Jinshi received her message.
The following day Maomao headed to the cove hoping and praying Jinshi would be there. Clutched in her arms was the book filled with remedies that only merfolk had access to.
Once she reached the cove, it was empty. Maomao sat down and put her head in her hands. I had a feeling it wouldn’t work but I just thought this one time. Just as Maomao was about to get up, there was a flicker of water.
Jinshi’s beautiful ethereal head emerged out of the water and he lifted himself up to sit on the rocks. His tail and fins were healed and his shiny scales glimmered.
“I got your note, but I thought you didn’t want to see me again,” Jinshi said.
Maomao gulped and said, “I didn’t mean it. I was upset about my father and I said in haste.” Unaccustomed to speaking her true feelings she paused for a moment. “I’m sorry about what I said. I do really need your help if you are willing.”
Jinshi was silent for a moment then nodded. Their last encounter stung and although he was still a bit hurt he saw she was trying her best to make it up to him.
”What is it you need help with?” Jinshi asked.
“My father’s illness has only progressed and is getting worse. I tried looking through all of the books I have about remedies but nothing has worked. While looking through the shelves I came upon a peculiar book. It was a book with recipes and medicinal properties from the sea. I think you can see where I’m going with this,” Maomao said.
“I think I do, go on,” JInshi said.
Maomao sighed. “I discovered my father, in his youth, was saved by a mermaid. That was where he obtained the book. I’m guessing he was exposed to something under the sea that made the illness lie dormant for this long.”
She showed Jinshi the book and the page where it described Luomen’s illness and how to treat it.
“I think I know where to find this but I have one condition,” Jinshi said.
“What’s that?”
“Come with me,” he said.
“Wha-huh?” Maomao blinked.
“I know where to find the items but I need your help,” Jinshi wasn’t fully lying but in all honesty he had missed her when he was away and wanted to be near her.
“But I can’t swim or breathe underwater for long periods of time,” Maomao said.
Jinshi pulled out a vial. “Two in one, helps you breathe underwater and gives you the ability to swim almost as well as us without having to turn you into a mermaid. I figured you’d wanna keep your legs.”
Maomao paused for a minute before deciding to take the vial. She was trusting her father’s health as well as her own life in Jinshi’s hands. The nymph took her hand in his and led her underwater.
As soon as she entered underwater she was astounded by all the plant life and flora and fauna as they swam.
“So you live in a village by the sea and have never been swimming before?” Jinshi asked.
“No, we were always taught to stay away from the water well because of you guys. The only ones brave enough to go in the water are sailors and fishermen,” Maomao said.
“Was your father a fisherman or sailor?” Jinshi asked, remembering her father was at sea when he met the mermaid.
“No he’s an apothecary who traveled abroad for his studies when he was younger.”
“Ah.”
The two continued to swim.
“Do you have the book with you?” Jinshi asked.
Maomao held it up.
“Thankfully there aren’t that many ingredients. The first one we are looking for is an algae that is on the outer reef. Luckily that’s not too far from here,” Jinshi said. Maomao nodded.
The two swam awhile before reaching the outer reef where the algae was. Maomao took out a small knife and cut the amount that was required for the recipe. Well that was relatively painless, she thought to herself. The young woman felt proud of herself with how quickly she took to swimming.
“For the next two ingredients, unfortunately they are pretty far. It will take a day but we should try to cover as much ground as possible before nighttime,” Jinshi said.
The two continued their journey with Maomao asking questions along the way as well as marveling at this underwater world she had never seen before.
“So what if you don’t want to rule? How are you going to get out of it?” Maomao asked.
“My brother has I guess you would call them wives on land that can bear an heir for him,” it was a subject that they brought up often.
“So why is he so insistent on you running the merkingdom?”
“He believes it’s my birthright and my duty. He’s also insisting I start thinking about finding a mate, I mean a wife,” Jinshi said.
Maomao reddened and didn’t say anything in response.
Time seemed to drag on endlessly. Jinshi tried to think of something to break the awkward silence between them when he mentioned a wife. However he then saw a shadow pass above them.
“Wait,” he said, stopping Maomao.
“What is it?” She asked.
“Shh, follow me,” he said stealthily, swimming to hide behind some kelp. Maomao did so silently.
Jinshi kept a sharp eye out what passed over them earlier. A few moments later the shadow passed again this time it was closer.
“Stay hidden, hopefully it goes away soon,” Jinshi said, his eyes still trying to track the movements of the shadow.
The two remained quiet until they were certain the creature was gone.
“What was that?”
“Us merfolk call it the Leviathan. It’s this huge sea creature or beast that roams around seeking fresh blood. Doesn’t matter if it’s human or merfolk, if it wants blood it will find it,” Jinshi said. “We’d best start looking for a place to sleep.”
The two settled on a small cave. Jinshi took some ‘mer food’ from a small bag he had wrapped around him and offered it to Maomao.
“What is it?”
“Kelp cakes,” he said, taking a bite.
Maomao bit into the round green mushy cake. “Not bad.”
Jinshi smiled and scooted closer to her. Maomao didn’t scoot away but slightly blushed.
“What are your desires for the future?” He asked suddenly.
“I honestly don’t know. As I’ve said before I’d love to travel and further my studies but I don’t know if I’ll be able to do that. It appears I will take over my father’s apothecary when he’s gone but I would love to leave this town. There’s so much for me to learn just take this book for example I didn’t know about its contents until recently. Just imagine how much lies out there undiscovered and how I could further my medicinal knowledge,” Maomao’s eyes sparkled at the idea.
Jinshi watched her with admiration in his eyes as he loved hearing talk about something that made her so passionate. It made his heart clench a little. He wished he could keep this little eccentric apothecary by his side but he knew that wouldn’t be. The fundamental difference was that she was human and he was a merman not to mention other complicated factors. He also knew she wanted her freedom and he didn’t want to tie her down. Maybe there could be a way in the future but for now he would savor the time they had together and help cure her father.
Maomao yawned, “I suppose we should turn in so we can get an early start in the morning. Goodnight, Jinshi.” She laid down on her side.
Jinshi laid down as well, reaching out a hand wanting to draw her closer to him but he restrained himself. He laid down to sleep next to her.
Morning came shining its light though the water into the cave. Maomao stirred and realized she wasn’t in the same position she went to sleep in. She found herself enveloped in two very strong, warm arms. Looking up she saw someone’s chin.
How’d I get myself here? She wondered although it didn’t feel bad it felt pretty comfortable. Jinshi was still asleep and she didn’t have the heart to wake so she rested her head again against him.
A while later Jinshi’s eyes fluttered open and he noticed a weight against him. Maomao was curled into his side while still sleeping. A slight blush rose in his cheeks. He hated to disturb her but they needed to get a move on. Jinshi slightly moved his arm which woke Maomao up.
“I apologize for sleeping on you,” she said, rubbing her eyes.
“It’s not a problem,” Jinshi responded. Feeling brave he tucked a piece of her hair behind her shoulder. Maomao glanced at him and gave him a small smile, making Jinshi’s heart flutter.
The two gathered what little they had and set off.
They came to a small area of coral and sea anemones and other vegetation. Maomao studied her book.
“The next ingredient should be around here judging by this description,” she mused.
Before she knew it she had wandered off as she had a bad habit of doing at times. When she was little she’d wandered off many times having gotten distracted by something. She wasn’t sure when she’d wandered away from Jinshi, maybe it was because she had her nose in the book.
“Jinshi, Jinshi, where are you?” It was then she realized she was lost.
Unfortunately for her she caught sight of a large shadow much closer this time.
Great of course when I get lost, but I suppose it’s my fault for wandering off. She’d done so as a child many times only to get scolded but this time she was on her own. Maomao tried to find a hiding spot but there weren't really any good hiding places.
This isn’t good, she thought to herself. She found some coral nearby and bumped into a very large object.
Oof what was that? Maomao quickly backed away when she saw movement and heard a grunt.
Said large object moved until its huge face was facing Maomao. She was paralyzed in place and couldn’t move taking in the Leviathan’s massive size. The ‘thing’ let out a loud roar which jolted through Maomao’s body. She swam as fast as she could, not caring where she was going.
Well it was nice while it lasted, she thought.
“Maomao!” Called a loud voice. She saw Jinshi in the distance.
“Swim over here!”
The only saving grace was that since the Leviathan was huge speed was not its forte but it was terrifying nonetheless.
“Hide in the kelp here. I’ll handle this,” Jinshi said.
“Jinshi!”
Maomao watched Jinshi struggle against the massive beast. He didn’t have much of a weapon on him except a small dagger. The creature howled and jerked its body around trying to throw Jinshi off. She wasn’t entirely sure what he was trying to do. Wouldn’t it have been better to just run off? While she was pondering this she caught sight of a large net and got an idea.
Jinshi continued to wrestle against the massive beast. At one point he got thrown off and was slammed into a rocky surface. He grimaced against the pain that shot through his body. Despite the pain he pressed on.
“Jinshi! Lure that thing over here!” Maomao called to him.
Jinshi swam to where Maomao was with the net. Luckily the beast wasn’t too bright and got himself tangled in the net with Maomao’s quick work. The two made a quick getaway while they could.
“What were you thinking?! Wandering off like that!” Jinshi exclaimed.
“It was my bad, but not the first time I’ve done that,” Maomao said.
Jinshi facepalmed.
When they came to a resting spot, Maomao said, “Let me see your back.” She had seen him get tossed against that rock.
Jinshi winced as Maomao examined and gently touched the areas. Thankfully there were no serious injuries, just a few scrapes.
“You’re lucky this isn’t worse,” Maomao said, pulling out a small container of salve.
“Mer bodies are more sturdy than human bodies,” Jinshi said with a proud smirk in his tone earning him a light slap on the back from Maomao.
“Ouch!”
“Anyway, did you manage to get the remaining ingredients?” Maomao asked.
“Yes, I did, while you were away,” Jinshi said, handing her the items.
“Thank you,” Maomao said, opening the book to look through what the next steps were.
Jinshi observed her expression as she read. He observed her facial expressions and small hand movements as she studied the pages. A sour expression crossed her face.
“What’s wrong?”
“We left my home in such a hurry that there was no time to pack any of my equipment. We need to mix the ingredients and boil them down to liquid,” Maomao said a bit crestfallen.
“We’re so far from your home too,” Jinshi said.
Maomao sat in silence thinking about her father all alone back home. She was worried about his health and hoped he was holding out ok.
“I might know someone who may be able to help. It’s a bit risky considering you are human but it’s worth a shot,” Jinshi said.
Maomao nodded.
Jinshi led her to a secluded cave-like structure that looked like it had been turned into a dwelling. It was obvious someone lived there.
“Wait out here,” Jinshi said. He went to knock on the door and was let inside.
Maomao studied the exterior of the home. It was well kept and the vegetation and flora around the home looked maintained. Even as secluded as the home, someone took good care of it.
“It’s ok you can come in,” Jinshi waved Maomao in.
The young apothecary entered timidly. Inside the home, there were nice but modest furnishings but what stood out was that there were herbs and medicinal items about. There were shelves of books, ingredients, and medical tools. It was akin to a homey laboratory.
Maomao’s eyes sparkled. It took her a moment to notice the elderly mer woman in the room.
“Oh excuse me for my rudeness. I’m Maomao, it’s a pleasure to meet you,” she said.
The elderly woman smiled with amusement, “My name is Lai the pleasure is mine. I see the contents in my home interest you.”
“Yes, on land I am an apothecary and am familiar with these tools although the herbs and vegetation are different,” Maomao said.
“We came here hoping you could help us with something,” Jinshi said, bringing the focus back to the matter at hand.
Maomao explained what the situation was catching Lai up to speed. She pulled out the ingredients and the book.
I recognize this,” Lai’s eyes shone.
“You do?” Jinshi asked.
“A long time ago, I met a human. He was actually quite handsome,” the mer woman smiled fondly. “He and his friend had gotten lost at sea in a shipwreck. They needed help and were injured so I brought them here. While they were recovering, I showed them my work here. One of them was especially interested as he was an apothecary on land like you. When they left, I gave the apothecary this book. If he ever needed it,” she said.
Maomao’s eyes glimmered in recognition, “The human you met is my adoptive father Luomen and he is seriously ill.”
With a concerned look Lai began hastily pulling out equipment to prepare the tonic for Luomen’s illness.
“It should be ready by tomorrow if we start now,” she said.
“Do you mind if I watch you prepare the tonic?” Maomao asked.
“Not at all,” Lai replied.
Jinshi rested and went out to get food for them while the two women though different species bonded over a shared passion for medicine and science.
When nighttime came the mer woman pulled out a blanket and some pillows.
“You two can share the bedroom. I’ll be fine out here.”
The two looked away from each other, faint blush spreading on their cheeks.
“I’m sure that won’t be an issue will it?” Lai asked with a mischievous look on her face.
“N-no, not at all,” Jinshi said.
Later in the room
“Is this really necessary?” He asked as she set up her area across from him.
“Yes, to prevent what happened the other morning,” Maomao said.
“Did you really hate sleeping next to me that much?” Jinshi asked, looking forlorn.
Maomao sighed.
“I’m here if you change your mind. It is colder under the sea despite us being at home.”
Later on in the night she hated to admit he was right so she swallowed her pride and found herself curled in his arms.
The next morning came along with the finally finished tonic. Once the trio was finished eating breakfast they got ready to leave.
“Ah yes it turned out splendidly,” Lai said, swirling the liquid. She gave Maomao the instructions for its use.
“Thank you so much for allowing us into your home and helping with the tonic,” Maomao said sincerely.
“Yes, thank you,” Jinshi echoed.
“Please come visit again and give your father my regards. He may not remember me but I remember him,” Lai said with a gentle look in her eyes.
“He does remember you. He told me about you before I came here and how he came to have the book. I will give him your regards,” Maomao said.
Lai got a dreamy faraway look in her eyes as she waved them off.
“I think Lai still has a thing for your father,” Jinshi said as they swam towards home.
“I’d rather not speculate, but perhaps,” Maomao said.
The two were able to make it back to Maomao and Jinshi’s cove without much fanfare.
“Thank you for everything,” Maomao said with a genuine smile. “I wouldn’t have been able to do this without your help.”
“The pleasure is mine. I greatly enjoy your company more than you realize,” Jinshi said. “I guess this is goodbye.”
“Yeah, but does it really have to be? I know you have your responsibilities back home but I was hoping-,” she couldn’t really find the right words to say.
“I have something for you,” Jinshi handed her a small shell. “Whenever you want to see me just call into this shell.”
“I will,” Maomao said, holding on to the shell as if it were a precious treasure. “Goodbye for now JInshi.”
Then she hurried off to administer the medicine to her father. Jinshi was left with a hole in his heart as there was something important he wanted to say but did not get the chance to.
With daily administration of the medicine, Luomen made a steady recovery. Maomao hadn’t been able to see Jinshi for the next week due to attending to her father. She did miss Jinshi as their time spent together now left a hole by his absence.
Once Luomen’s health was back to normal was she able to see Jinshi again at their cove. This time felt different however and the atmosphere felt strange.
“What is the matter Jinshi? It seems like you have something on your mind.”
“Maomao there’s something I’ve been wanting to tell you for awhile now. It just wasn’t the right time because we were busy with trying to get the medicine. But I need to get it off my chest,” Jinshi had an earnest look on his face.
Maomao was quiet and sat down next to him.
“From the time we started seeing each other regularly, I’ve felt this way. I feel this inexplicable need to be close to you and I enjoy your company and the conversations we have,” Jinshi seemed to go on and on.
“What are you trying to say?” Maomao said gently although she herself was a bit nervous about what he would say.
“I’m saying I love you Maomao,” Jinshi said looking into her eyes.
Maomao stopped and held his gaze.
“I don’t know how it would work in the long term being that you are human and me being merfolk but I know I want to do this with you and I can’t stand to be parted from you.”
The woman was too stunned to speak. She felt her throat tight and the weight of his words crashing into her like a sudden wave. Despite not being as expressive about her emotions as Jinshi, she missed not being able to see him and that feeling of quiet safety when near him. She felt like he was someone who she could be herself around and his conversations with her were thought provoking despite some of his annoying quirks. Love wasn’t something she could easily admit to herself or accept but it wasn’t like she felt nothing for Jinshi. How could she communicate to him that she felt the same way despite not being as outward about it?
Taking a breath Maomao said, “I’m not the best with words but I accept and return your feelings, Jinshi.” She gave him a smile.
Jinshi took her hands into his.
“May-may I kiss you?” He asked.
Maomao blushed but nodded.
Jinshi wrapped an arm around her and craned his head close to hers. His lips felt soft and pillowy and though she expected some fishiness element there wasn’t. It wasn’t unpleasant either. Once they pulled away she allowed herself to lean into his chest.
“How will this work?”
“I don’t know but I just know it will. As long as we have each other through every step,” Jinshi said with a smile.