Archive of Our Own

Finn considered himself a collector. As a rule, merfolk didn't own much, what they did own belonged to the Mer Empire in common, and what that really meant was that the King and his council got everything. But Finn was curious, and during a long patrol his curiosity had led him to a sunken ship no one else seemed to know about. The broken hulk held treasures like nothing he'd seen before.

He visited his secret ship when he had time to himself, befriending the fish and crabs that had colonized the fractured bulk. He liked to run his hands over the amazing things he'd found inside, like fine stone plates far more smooth than anything he'd ever seen, and metal devices that fit in his hand as though they were made for him, and helmets so different from his own that let him look through murky eye holes. Birds he'd befriended during his surface patrols sometimes brought him little wonders, and these he hid here as well: pieces of string, metal scoops that fit into the mouth, and more. Finn collected them all, and they were the one bright spot of joy in his life.

"What is this one?" he asked as a seagull placed its newest prize into his hands.

"Oh, it's the latest fashion among the surface dwellers," said the bird. "You hold it and use it to scratch the itchy place between your shoulders."

Finn picked up the heavy metal cylinder and reached back. "Hey, that does work."

The seagull looked very smug, but gulls always did.

He ought to have reported the discovery to the leader of his own squad but Phasma was often cruel to him. Something inside Finn had rebelled at telling her about his find. A lowly merman didn't get to keep secrets. This one was all the sweeter because it was so rare.

The rest of his life with the Mer Empire was much less fun. King Snoke forced every merperson in his kingdom to work in his military. He attacked the neighboring sea kingdoms and took their territories, then conscripted their children into his own army. Finn's egg had been laid in a peaceful kingdom that now wasn't even at the border of Snoke's bloated reign but nestled inside of it after multiple wars. Many of his fellow soldiers had hoped once Snoke's ambitions reached the shore, his expansion would have to end but now there was talk about war with the surface, too.

Finn liked the surface. He was very curious about what they got up to up there, if they created their interesting things for amusement or for some purpose he couldn't decipher. The birds told him stories but birds always invented wild tales that couldn't be trusted. He took as many patrols as he could, watching the surface or examining the fascinating things to be found at the edges of the kingdom. When he was on patrol he couldn't train for war, and that suited him fine. He didn't want to fight fellow merpeople, especially if all they were doing was living next door.

One evening as he was patrolling the surface, Finn spied a ship not far off. The shape of it was very close to the submerged ship where he kept his collection, but this one was clearly moving under some power, not a wreck at all. He should watch from a distance then report back but curiosity overtook him and he swam closer for a better view.

Surface dwellers ambled about the deck and Finn scolded himself for being surprised. Who else would be sailing this kind of ship? Seagulls? He watched their legs move, utterly unlike the way crabs or turtles moved, or how the birds strutted along their perches. Some of the surface dwellers sat with strange devices that made music, while the others clapped or sang along.

One man was close by, his legs moving quickly in some kind of rhythm. Finn was familiar with dancing: merfolk gyrated together as their voices rose in song. But this was utterly different and entrancing. He sang along with the music, his voice very different from any merman but intoxicating in its strangeness. The language wasn't exactly the same as the one Finn had grown up with, but the meanings of the words came through, and he was astonished to hear the love of the sea throughout the man's melody. Finn had been told the surface dwellers hated the sea and seafolk.

He watched, taking note of the man's handsome face as he sang about the sea, and Finn's heart moved strangely, his pulse racing under his skin while his tail tingled. He'd never seen a surface dweller up close like this before, and had not expected them to be so good-looking.

The water trembled and for a moment, Finn thought it was himself. But no, he knew that rumble of waves. With one longing look back towards the handsome man, he ducked under the water again and saw what he'd feared: the King's army was approaching, riding tamed whales and dolphins, dead set towards the ship. Another patrol must have already seen the surface dwellers and reported in. He quickly fell into place beside the other soldiers, realizing his current pod was in the personal entourage of one of King Snoke's most favored and reckless generals.

Finn hissed and tried to swim to the back of the pod. He'd heard rumors about Kylo Ren. They said he was a wizard, said he'd once been a surface dweller himself before some strange magic, possibly his own, had given him the gift of becoming a merman.

He watched Ren in action now, swimming faster than anyone else, a magical spear clutched in one determined hand, bent on the destruction of the surface dwellers.

The pod attacked the ship, Ren's spear rending the hull with a mighty rip. Finn swam to stay out of the worst of it. His heart raced, thinking of the handsome surface dweller he'd seen, but there was nothing he could do against the forces of King Snoke's armies. The ship wasn't defenseless, though; spears and sharp stones fired through the water, killing those who surfaced and injuring many. The murky water became murkier. Finn swam beneath it, watching as the ship was breached, sinking within minutes.

Acting on instinct, he swam towards the ship and there, that was the same man he'd seen before, trying to swim but his foot was caught in a coil of rope, dragging him further down under the sea. Finn swam beneath him, quickly removing the rope. He hooked his arms around the human, tugging him up and away from the wreckage. In the murk and the confusion, no one noticed as they swam towards the surface and away from the battle.

This was madness. He was helping a surface dweller, but his heart told him this was the right thing to do. He didn't want this man to die.

They made it to a small cove where Finn liked to take in the sunshine with the birds. Tonight it was dark with the moon hiding behind a cloud: plenty of light for someone used to the dark depths but not nearly enough for someone whose eyes were used to daylight. The man was coughing, water coming up from his lungs. Finn pounded his back, afraid he'd been too late. Like the birds, humans could only breathe air, while Finn could breathe air or let his gills take the work underwater.

Desperate, Finn sang a quick prayer to the sea, asking her to release his friend from her hold. The man's breathing eased.

"Are you all right?" he asked the man, wiping his dark, wet hair with his hand, watching as it curled against Finn's fingers.

The man nodded, and coughed again. "Thanks. I don't know what happened out there."

Finn knew but he didn't dare say. "I'm glad you're okay."

"You saved my life." He blinked, and his face was even prettier when he blinked. "What's your name?"

There was another rumble, not far off. The army would be going back to the kingdom. He had to return to his people. He touched the man's face again. "What's yours?"

"Poe."

Another shiver went through Finn. "I have to go." He dragged himself away and splashed into the water, surfacing several yards away. Poe was scanning the water but it was too dark for him to see. "Wait!" he said, but Finn couldn't wait.

He swam back to where his people were retreating, joining the end of another pod. King Snoke would make a speech about this latest victory and Finn was already not looking forward to it. But his mind thought back to the stories about Kylo Ren. If magic had given him a tail, could it give a merman legs?

King Snoke had many enemies, powerful and lesser, and highest among their listed enemies was the Sea Witch. Many of the King's plans had been spoiled by her counterplans and it was rumored her powers were equal to his, if not greater. Orders were that she was to be captured or killed on sight, yet she always slipped away to work her magic against Snoke's kingdom another day.

But how to find her?

He daren't ask his fellow soldiers, not even as a ruse pretending he wanted to chase her down for his own glory. He took to asking his friends the fish. Most knew nothing but some were helpful. A school of minnows had taken shelter in her undersea cave during a feeding frenzy and they appreciated her kindness.

His chance came during his next patrol. He swam out to the perimeter as ordered, then he tailed it for a place he'd never visited. The minnows' directions were like all fish gave: follow the feel of currents and the taste of salt in the water rather than the sight of rocks or trenches. Finn found it hard going but eventually he came upon a secret, sheltered place that reminded him of his ship.

"Get in here, kid," said the witch as if she already knew he was lurking outside.

He swam inside, fearing the worst. They said she was ruthless and fierce, that she'd led armies against King Snoke before and this was why he'd been driven back into his small kingdom long ago. They said she was a powerful sorceress who treated with demons and who could freeze the ocean if she so desired, that she ate the hearts of her enemies and boiled mountains.

She… She looked like someone's favorite instructor in the nursery creche, the one who turned the eggs and sang sweet melodies to the merbabies after they hatched. Her gray hair was captured in an intricate braid. The soft curves of her body were comfortably encased in a flowing robe. His first impression was that she was full of hugs but he second remembered the stories, and despite the robe and the friendly constellation of wrinkles on her face, he saw something beneath the softness that spoke of steel. The sea witch gave him a knowing look, as though she'd heard every thought. "Not quite what the stories led you to believe, eh kid?"

"No, I mean yes, I mean." Finn shook his head. "I'm Finn."

"Good start. Always try to know who you are first and foremost. That's the best way to sort out who other people are, too. People who don't understand themselves think I'm some powerful hag who slaughters my enemies with the wave of my hand." She waved her hand to demonstrate, with soft blue bubbles in her wake.

"They said you could help me."

She inclined her head. "That's a strong possibility. I help a lot of people. Why did you swim into the cave of the scary old witch, Finn?"

She wasn't scary. Fierce, in a way that belied her soft features, but not scary. He relaxed, tucking his tail under him comfortably. Now that he was in front of her, he felt silly for saying it. "I met someone."

She laughed, not unkindly. "I don't do love spells, sorry. Nasty business. I won't force someone into loving you."

"No! I mean, we've barely met."

"Does this girl know you're even alive?"

"Boy," he says. "I saved his life. But he's a surface dweller." The horrible confession fell out of his mouth too late to pull back. He expected her to withdraw in horror. Instead, she gave him a fond, sad smile.

"I used to be a surface dweller, too." With a snap of her fingers, he saw her tail replaced with two strong if somewhat short legs. A moment later she was back to normal. "My brother is still up there, somewhere. Most of my friends, too. The ones that are still alive."

"Why are you here?" His heart pounded. "Did you fall in love, too?"

A quiet mask slipped over her face and he realized the question was rude. "My son came down here. I followed his trail to find him."

"Did you?"

Too rude, he thought as she flashed a stern look at him. "So you are fond of this surface dwelling human and you want me to help you get up there to spend time with him."

Finn hadn't completely thought this through but there it as. "Yeah."

"Could be worse." She sighed. "I can try. Now we just have to decide what you're trading in."

"What do you mean?" Finn had assumed his tail would go away to be replaced with legs.

"Magic has a cost."

"I could pay. I have coins." They had funny faces on them. Some still shone beautifully even after years underwater.

"Not with money, kid." She swam back and forth, thinking. "The balance is easy: swap your tail for two legs, instant human. But the magic itself is costly." She snapped her fingers. "We'll take your voice."

"My what?"

"It's got to be something."

"What did you sacrifice to come into the ocean?"

She fixed him with a look he never forgot. "Everything." She looked past him for a moment. He didn't dare ask what she meant. "The other thing: magic like this is temporary. You're only going to have three days before you revert back to your normal form unless you can find a way to fix the spell permanently."

Three days with Poe sounded both like a gift and far too short. "How would I fix it?"

"There are three ways. Make a larger sacrifice. You don't want that one, trust me." Sorrow filled her eyes. "You could find a powerful wizard to complete the other half of the spell. Like I said, my brother is up there. He's been missing for years but I know he's alive. If you find him, he could make you a human for good."

"And the third?"

"It's old-fashioned but it's your best bet. True love's kiss should do the trick."

"I barely know him." He shook his head. "And without my voice I can't talk to him."

"I never said it would be easy. Up to you, kid. You can swim home now, or you can swim home three days from now." She shook her head. "Less than that. Sunset on the third day."

"I can just go home afterwards? I don't have to serve you forever or something?"

She rolled her eyes and didn't reply.

The spell itself was simple, at least the parts Finn observed. He held hands with the witch as she sang and he sang back in rejoinder. A tingle started in his spine, which turned to pain. Suddenly the sea witch was swimming, tugging his arm, and Finn was flailing, his tail was gone, cold water was touching him in places he'd never even had skin before. He went to shout but his gills were closed and as he gulped in water he couldn't breathe.

They broke to the surface and he gasped in lungfuls of air.

"Good luck, Finn," said the witch. She stared at the nearby shore for a long moment, then ducked back beneath the waves.

His legs (legs!) kicked out barely under his control but his arms were still strong. Long strokes pulled him to the land, where he collapsed, panting and heaving. He passed out there on the sand and woke to someone licking his face. He shook and shoved an arm out, forcing his eyes open. He saw an orange and white four-legged creature in his face.

From not far away, a voice said, "BB, what did you find?"

Finn sat up, his head still dizzy, but he knew that voice. A moment later, Poe appeared around a rocky corner and Finn's heart leapt.

He tried to stand, but faltered, his new feet in terrible pain. Poe hurried over, and took his arm. "Hey, are you all right?" His eyes narrowed. "Do I know you from somewhere?"

Finn nodded and tried to say hello, but his voice was gone. He tried again, then grabbed his throat. Sadly he shook his head.

"Right," Poe said. "Let's get you inside. And get some clothes." He shrugged off the coat he was wearing. "Start with this." Finn had worn a shirt once or twice and this seemed similar as he shrugged it on. Poe's eyes kept wandering over him to look at his new legs. Finn hoped they weren't weird. What did human legs look like?

The dog BB jumped and barked beside them while Finn struggled to his feet again. The pain was less but still tingled uncomfortably. Poe helped him as they staggered towards somewhere Finn didn't know.

"You remind me of someone," Poe said. "He had the most gorgeous voice." His eyes went faraway, and Finn wanted to say it had been him, but nothing came out. His feet hurt and he couldn't speak, and he had three days before he lost all of this forever.

Poe lived in a huge facility with other humans. A doctor checked Finn over and pronounced him the healthiest human she'd ever seen. Poe and his friends found Finn some clothes, for as soon as humans got legs they apparently had to cover them for modesty. Finn had never covered his tail in his whole life!

He found Poe chatting with some friends. Finn had been given a rush of names and faces, but there were so many humans and only one he really wanted to see. Poe introduced him to them anyway.

"Was it a shipwreck?" asked Poe's friend Paige.

Her sister Rose said, "Obviously. The Sea King is attacking every ship he can find." She patted Poe's shoulder. "You were lucky to survive the last one."

Paige said, "Did the doctor say when your voice would come back?"

Poe waved them both away. "He's been through a lot. Give him some time."

Another woman stood there. Poe said, "Finn, this is my friend Rey. She's studying to be a wizard."

His hopes rose. A wizard could help him finish the spell. But Rey said, "Don't tease. If I knew any magic we'd be in much better shape." She wished Finn well and walked away.

"Don't let them get you down," Poe said, pressing his hand on Finn's shoulder. "Hey, are you hungry?"

Finn hadn't thought about it but suddenly he was starving. Poe led the way to a huge room with a large, flat table. The shipwreck had one of these, but the legs had broken and rotted long ago. Finn managed to work his legs into the chair. In front of him, he saw a familiar long metal thing, with something long, waxy, and tapered sitting atop it. Happily he pulled out the taper then used the metal backscratcher. That felt great.

Poe was staring at him. "What are you doing?"

Finn looked at him then pulled the scratcher out. Maybe that was for after dinner. Carefully he stood it back up and put the taper back in. Poe reached over and put the taper in the other way up with the string on top. Then he pulled a metal item from his pocket, clicked it, and something bright and hot appeared, which jumped to the string until the wax taper was alight.

Finn watched, fascinated.

"That must have been some shipwreck," Poe said. "You act like you've never seen a candle before." he went to the side table, which had large silver tureens, and came back with a large stone plate full of food which Finn could not identify. His mouth watered at the smell and his stomach rumbled. "Dig in."

Finn reached with his hand, then stopped. He waited for Poe to sit and pick up, yes, one of the same metal scoops he kept in his collection! Poe scooped some food onto the metal then into his mouth. Finn took two tries but soon figured it out and did the same. He tried each of the foods in turn. Everything was so much less salty than what he was used to, with amazing textures and flavors.

After they ate, Poe took him for a tour of the facility. Finn realized these were soldiers like him who'd come together to protect the surface world from King Snoke's attacks. "The sea isn't our enemy," Poe said. "We should all be able to share the ocean. We should be able to travel and explore."

Finn had heard the surface dwellers all wanted to exploit the sea and enslave the merfolk. Maybe some did but Poe and his friends just wanted the freedom to sail without drowning.

"I wish I knew your name," Poe said. "Can you write it?" Finn stared at him blankly while Poe gestured at moving his fingers over a flat hand. "Guess not."

Write? There was so much to learn. Poe took him out to the rooftop where they could see the broad expanse of the sea. It looked quiet from up here, hiding all the life beneath. The sun dipped low. It was already sunset on the first day and he'd barely begun seeing what being a human was all about.

After dinner the friends had some recreation time. Surface dwellers played interesting games with each other, like throwing things to each other, or playing keep-away with the dog BB's toys as it barked and chased between them before Poe reached down to give pats and scratches. The physics of throwing objects changed here in the air, and he marveled at how far a ball could fly when he threw it, then watched as it flew right out the window while Poe's friend Snap groaned.

"I'm never going to find that in the dark."

Paige laughed, "Then wait for morning, goofball."

The casual teasing was also new. Soldiers in the King's army weren't encouraged to give each other nicknames or play together. Finn was delighted, even if the nickname they gave him now was "Chatty."

When the games wound down, some of the humans gathered by a raging fire in a stone hearth, which Finn watched with wonder. Fire fascinated him, but that faded as soon as Poe picked up an instrument with strings and started signing. He had a gorgeous voice, even nicer here inside rather than out aboard that ship. Finn longed to join him in song. He opened his mouth, trying to sing, but only a bare gasp came out. He settled by the fire instead, listening.

When they grew tired, he was given a little room to sleep in, and what turned out to be a bed. "Sorry, it's not much," Poe said but Finn had never even seen a bed before and lying down on it was a whole new experience. He pulled Poe into it with him so he could see how soft it was.

Poe laughed. "Hey, I don't get into bed on the first date." He looked a little uncomfortable. "Sorry, bad joke. I keep saying sorry." He smiled at Finn again and Finn's heart twisted. Did surface dwellers fall in love and kiss on beds? It wasn't as though he could ask.

Poe stood up. "Get some sleep. I'll you tomorrow."

Finn tried to sleep but he was used to waves rocking him gently. The bed was too still, as soft as it was, and the light from the waxing moon splashed too brightly through the window. Eventually he slipped into dreams that he didn't remember.

In the morning, Poe and his friends brought Finn down for breakfast. These were whole new foods to try. He used his spoon while the woman sitting next to him stayed. Kaydel? There were so many names to remember. "Usually we use a fork for that," she said. "Where are you from?"

He saw Poe was watching him from across the table. Was Finn embarrassing himself? But Poe smiled. "You're not like most people around here," he said. "It's like all of this is brand new to you." Finn nodded in agreement.

"It's all right," said Rey. "My home country has very different customs, too. I'm still learning." She gave him a friendly smile. "I lived deep in the desert. Everything here is so wet and green." He didn't know the word 'desert' but he rolled it inside his head as he watched her hand pick up a different metal thing by the plate. This one had fierce spikes like a trident. He mimicked her motions, spearing the meat on his plate. Remarkable!

Snap asked, "Have we figured out his name yet?" Poe shook his head. Snap looked at him. "Can we guess?"

Finn shrugged and nodded. The whole table soon chimed in: "Han!" "Dave!" "Lando!" "Armitage!" Finn shook his head to all of them.

The final course for breakfast was brought out, and he was disturbed to see it was a large baked fish. He was sure the fish was no one he knew but he declined a bite on principle. Instead he played sadly with the poor fellow's discarded dorsal. Maybe the surface dwellers weren't as nice as he'd hoped.

"You like the fin?" Poe asked and Finn immediately waved and nodded. Poe frowned. "Your name is Finn?" Finn nodded again. The frown broke into a smile. "I like it. Hi, Finn. It's nice to meet you."

Finn smiled back, a warm shiver flushing through him as Poe said his name.

After breakfast, the team worked on their ships. There was a dock on the shore of a protected cove separated from the rest of the bay by a strong oak wall that lifted out of the way, with a thin channel leading to the sea. Poe saw Finn's interest. "Because we have so much trouble with the sea king. His forces can't get through here." He tapped the mechanism with his hand. "The wall blocks the whole channel from side to side and it's far too heavy to move without this."

Finn thought it was pretty good but he also thought a merman could easily climb out of the water and operate this himself. Did they not know merfolk could abide being on land?

Poe showed him how to tie a knot to hold a ship in place. Finn was very good with his hands and tied it quickly. Poe let out a strange sound, air blowing between his lips in a high tune. "Nice job, Finn."

He followed Poe aboard one of the ships, and was taken off-guard by the slow movement of the deck under his aching feet. Poe said, "It's all right. You just have to get your sea legs." Finn laughed, but silently. Poe took them out on the water in the little cove while Finn watched everything he did, fascinated. He'd thought Poe had been just another passenger on the ship Finn had rescued him from, but instead he was a sailor, and a very accomplished one. It was so strange to be gliding above the sea rather than under the waters but once he got used to the motion, he loved it.

When they finished with the ships, Poe took Finn on a walk through the village by the sea. Everywhere they went, people waved to Poe and shouted their hellos. He was very popular.

The center of the town had a large fountain with a statue shooting water out in a sparkling spray. Children gathered by the fountain, pointing inside. Finn went closer and saw several elderly koi swimming along. The biggest, oldest fish turned and swam towards Finn, popping up to see him.

"Well I never in all my years saw a merman on land with legs." He said this in fish language, which the children didn't hear or understand. Finn still did. He gave an embarrassed smile. "Of course I know what you are. The question is, do you?" Finn shrugged. "What's wrong, catfish got your tongue?" Finn nodded. Then he gestured at the fountain, curious why they were here.

"It's a good life here in the fountain. Plenty of insects hovering around the water surface, and there's a human who drops in food for us every so often. No predators, either, except the occasional cat, and these days most of us are too big for them to try." He turned, showing off his huge, orange and white body while Finn admired him. "The sea is a good place but this is the kind of life where you can grow old."

Finn looked at the kids and Poe, then back at the fish. The koi swam back and forth, thinking.

"It's been a long time, I'll give you that. But sure. We'll do you a favor, Merman-With-Legs." He swam back to the other koi. "Boys, let's give them a Number Six." There was some groaning and muttering among the other koi, and a bit of "Back in my day"s but soon enough they all lined up neatly behind the oldest one.

As the children watched with delight and Poe gazed with astonishment, the fish swam in a long line, making a neat figure 8, then each one leaped out of the water one by one with a flip of tail, before darting back under the statue's spray. The kids applauded and cheered and begged them to do it again, but the fish were tired. Finn gave them a grateful wave as they swam down deep and returned to their own secret doings away from humans.

Poe took his arm. "I've never seen them do that before. But as soon as you show up, suddenly even the koi are dancing." He slipped his arm away to take Poe's hand instead and did something odd and quick with his feet. Finn almost stumbled. "Sorry. Do you dance where you're from?"

Finn gestured at Poe's feet again, and Poe obliged by moving them the same way. Finn tried, although it hurt, and Poe smiled to see it. "It's no tango but it's a start."

Poe gave some of his coins to a vendor for some bread and cheese, and they took their lunch in a field. Finn had been amazed by almost everything he'd seen but the field was another world entirely: long, soft green plants like seaweed but far more fragrant, and dotted through with purple and blue blooms as gorgeous as anemones. His food forgotten, he watched creatures with huge capes at their sides hover on the air, dipping and darting to taste the flowers. Huge stalks like tall reefs sprouted green flowers and from their limbs, birds that looked nothing like the gulls he knew hopped and flew.

Poe lay back on the grass, his eyes on Finn. "You act like you've never seen a bird before. When I watch you, I feel like it's the first time I've ever seen these things, too."

Finn lay next to him, staring up at the clouds, listening to the loud buzz of insects and little frogs in the damp ponds deeper in the forest surrounding the meadow, enjoying the warm sunshine as he rested next to the handsome, kind man he'd come to this world to meet. He couldn't remember having ever been happier.

At dinner that evening everyone seemed relaxed around Finn, amused by Poe's insistence that the fish jumped at Finn's command. "It really happened! Tell them," he told Finn before immediately deflating. "Never mind."

Snap said, "Must have been one of Rey's spells." Rey glared at him over her dinner.

Kaydel nudged Finn. "Don't mind him. Poe's always making up stories like this. Poe, tell him about the magical singing guy."

"He was real," Poe said. He sat back in his chair, and a smile crossed his face that Finn hadn't seen before: wistful and full of an emotion Finn knew too well. "I told you, he rescued me when the ship went down. I was stuck on something but he pulled me free and brought me to the shore. He had the most gorgeous voice." He hummed, and Finn recognized a passable imitation of his song-prayer.

Rose said, "And what did he look like?"

"I told you, I never got a good look at him. Doesn't matter. It's him. He's the one." He closed his eyes, ignoring his friends' teasing. Finn watched his face and saw how much Poe cared for his mysterious savior, and Finn had no way of telling him. Outside the window he saw the sun hanging low in the sky. Almost the second sunset, and he was no closer to fixing the spell.

He wondered if it counted as true love if the person kissing him didn't know it was him. Magic was tricky stuff. The sun sank low and kissed the surface of the sea. Sunset.

He needed a wizard.

He found his chance after the team finished their evening meal and recreation time. Rey was returning to her room, and Finn waited there. "Oh, hello," she said when she saw him, a flash of suspicion on her face which smoothed out. She hadn't said much about her life before coming here but he gathered it had been rough. She considered. "Did we work out your name is Finn?"

He nodded. Then he pointed to her, mimed her waving her hands, and pointed to his throat. She stared at him. "Sorry, I don't follow."

He pointed at her again, tried miming someone casting a magic spell, then touched his throat again.

She still looked confused. "Does your throat hurt?"

He shook his head in the negative, frustrated. She said, "I wish you could tell me what you mean."

He nodded and shook his head, and did the miming routine again. Understanding bloomed in her eyes. "You think I can give you a voice?" He nodded. She sighed. "Poe was putting you on. I'm not a wizard." She opened the door to her room and he followed. She didn't object. She showed him a small collection of bound leather items. Finn knew these; the shipwreck had several, but when he opened them, the fragile leaves inside disintegrated. As she opened one, he expected the same whoosh and whirl of fragments, but these stayed intact. He peered in interest at the markings covering each leaf.

"I can't read them either," she said. "I'm trying to make some sense of what I can but I don't think you can learn magic from books. Poe says there used to be a great wizard who lived here, and his sister was just as powerful, but they both vanished years ago."

Finn felt like he knew the story, almost. He smiled at Rey and pointed to the book, then to her, then to his throat. Then he pressed his hands together in a plea.

"I can try," she said, relenting in the face of his clear desperation.

If he could talk, he could warn Poe and his friends. Rey bent to her books, and Finn lingered and watched her silently move her finger over the markings. After a while, Poe tapped on the door. "I was wondering where you had gotten to."

Rey didn't look up. "He wants me to try to find a spell to get his voice back."

"Will that work?"

"I don't know. I've never tried." She was deep into her work.

Poe placed a hand on Finn's shoulder and said, "Let us know if you find something. Come on, there's something I want to show you."

They went to the dock and boarded a small rowboat. Instead of heading towards the sea wall, Poe took them through a narrow rivulet and further inland. Trees hung low over the stream to either side while small frogs and insects sang in the rushes at the water side. Finally the stream widened out into a peaceful pond, where the trees made an opening in the sky. Above, the moon slowly slipped free of their leaves, casting silver light around them. One night until full moon, but it hung fat and lovely in the sky regardless as Finn watched in wonder.

"That is what I wanted to see," Poe said, but he wasn't looking at the sky. For a moment, Finn thought the expression on his face matched the one he'd held thinking about his rescuer. Finn liked knowing he was Poe's two favorite people right now. The look on his face turned even warmer under the moonlight, welcoming. Finn scooted a little closer to him, but that was a mistake. The boat rocked under his movement, and they tipped and splashed into the water.

Poe laughed as they climbed, soaking, back aboard the rowboat. The moon hid behind a cloud and the air felt chilly. "Guess we should go back." The moment was gone, lost in shivering disappointment.

Poe waved him off to go back while he tied up the rowboat and cleaned it out. "Go change. You'll catch your death in those."

Finn returned, first to Rey's room, but she was still busy, and finally back to his own, where he changed into dry clothes. Funny, he'd spent his whole life in the water. He'd never minded being wet before. He wondered if Poe would drop by when he got back but he didn't, and Finn fell asleep still chilly.

In the morning, he took himself for a stroll by the water's edge, enjoying the sunrise. Day three. He had to get things right today although he wasn't sure how. Rey had fallen asleep at some point in the night and he didn't dare wake her to ask how she'd progressed with the problem. Still, he felt positive. He'd figure out how to stay like this before tonight. He knew it.

"Found you," said a voice and for a moment he thought it was one of Poe's friends, but the voice had come from the water. Finn went to the water's edge, and a familiar face emerged. It was his former commander Phasma. Her silver tail gleamed in the early sunshine

Finn went to make an excuse for why he was there, but he had no voice.

Phasma nodded to herself. "I heard about that. King Snoke was furious when he found out you deserted." Finn stepped back, worried. "But it's all blown over now. He figured out where you went and finally managed to capture that nasty old sea witch."

His eyes went wide. The sea witch had been kind to him. King Snoke meant her no good. Phasma read all of this on his face. "I wouldn't want to be her. King Snoke is going to sacrifice her tonight at moonrise. Some big spell he's working. I wouldn't get too attached to the surface dwellers here." Phasma swam closer. "And since the King is grateful for your help, he said all is forgiven. You can come home without any punishment. All you have to do is kill that sailor he spied you with. That dark-haired surface dweller?" Finn nodded once. There was no question who Snoke meant. "Otherwise, I wouldn't want to be wearing your tail the next time you're in the water." Phasma gave him the same friendly grin a shark would and vanished under the waves.

Finn hurried back inside. He had to make Poe understand him, no matter what.

"What's wrong?" Paige asked him as he stopped her and her sister. He gestured, but how to gesture that he had to save the sea witch because surely Snoke was going to kill her to take down the surface dwellers?

Rose said, "Are you looking for Poe?" Finn nodded; that would be a start. "He went out first thing this morning. He said he'd be back tonight."

Finn's heart fell. Tonight was too late.

Paige said, "Have some breakfast. If someone knows where he went, maybe we can take a ship out to meet him."

Finn didn't have an appetite for breakfast and he waited impatiently for the two women to finish theirs. They didn't understand what he needed from them, but if Rey came through with the spell, he could explain it all.

After breakfast, no one was exactly sure where Poe had sailed. The best they could find out was that he, Snap, and Kaydel had left for a surveillance mission, and those were secretive. No one was going to tell the silent new stranger the details. He hoped Poe and his friends worked out the Sea King's plan but Finn had no idea how they would. He spent the day close to the shore, peering out to sea, but the sea was eerily quiet today. Even the birds had ceased their usual calls to one another, and the fish swam far from shore. Minutes passed into hours, scraping across his skin like sand, bringing him closer to the time when he'd lose these legs, lose this life, and be cast back into the sea to live through whatever King Snoke was planning. He'd likely be killed after but that was the least of his problems.

Tearing his gaze from the water he went back to Rey's room. She grinned as he came in. "I think I have it." Hope burst into his heart. She read through her book again, nodded to herself, then closed her eyes and moved her hand just so.

Tingling flooded through his mouth, like he'd swallowed hot foam, and his throat burned. He coughed and went to speak. Instead, he crowed like a rooster.

Rey's eyes went wide. "Wait, almost." Again she closed her eyes and again his throat hurt while the skin inside his mouth tingled at the movement of her fingers. This time, when he went to speak to her, a sound like a foghorn came out of his mouth. He looked at her plaintively.

"Sorry! There are some nuances to this."

Rose knocked on the door frame and let herself in. "They're back."

Grateful, Finn hurried from the room. Rey followed, practicing as she moved her hand. The three of them went to the shore. He could see Poe aboard steering the little ship. He could also see the sun sagging towards the horizon. He turned to Rey, pleading with her, and she nodded. "I've got it." She closed her eyes again, and raised her arm. The tingle was different now, fulsome in a way he couldn't describe even if he could speak. The burning in his throat filled with warmth and power.

"Did it work?" he asked, and heard his own voice, strong and clear. Rey's face broke into a proud grin while Rose stepped back in shock.

"You did it!" she said to Rey, awed and impressed.

"Thank you!" he said, clutching her arm for a moment. Then he took a breath and ran towards the sea, kicking out with his legs as soon as he was deep enough while the two women called for him to come back. There was no time. Sunset was fast approaching, and at the opposite side of the horizon, the moon was about to rise.

The little ship was heading their way and Finn reached it as fast as he could, swimming with these inefficient flapping limbs. Poe watched him the last few yards, throwing a floating ring towards him and pulling him up. "Finn, that was crazy. You shouldn't just … "

"Poe! The Sea King is going to attack tonight!"

"You can talk!"

Finn grinned and sang out his sea prayer, and watched as Poe's eyes widened in recognition.

"It's you. It was always you."

"I wanted to tell you," Finn said, but the sun touched the horizon, and pain shot through his entire body. "No, not yet!" Poe grabbed hold of him as he was falling but it was too late. His legs twisted and contorted, forming into a tail, and he collapsed onto the deck of the ship, gasping.

"You're a merman?" Poe asked, incredulously. Then he said, "Actually that makes a lot of sense."

Kaydel, who stood there staring, said, "It does?"

Finn was dizzy, but no, that was the ship being tossed on the waves. The sea was churning beneath them.

"Another attack!" Snap shouted as the ship lurched wildly. The waters boiled as the soldiers from the sea emerged. King Snoke's chariot rose from the depths of the bay, shining dully in the last of the sun's beams. Finn shrank back instinctively but there was no place to hide and no point in hiding.

There was a small lifeboat. Poe yelled to Snap and Kaydel, "Take the boat and get to shore now! Warn the others!"

Scared, they dropped the smaller boat into the water and paddled as fast as they could. Finn watched two soldiers zip after them, but Poe steered his own ship across and in the way, cutting off the attackers while his friends hurried towards the shore where Rose and Rey still waited.

"They'll send the word out," Poe said. He looked at Finn as he held the wheel. "Were you a spy?"

"What?"

"Did you come ashore to spy on us? On me?"

"Of course not!" He wanted to be indignant but his tail slid on the slick deck. "I wanted to see you again." The ship rocked hard but Poe's expression softened.

"I didn't think so but I had to ask. I'm glad you did even though I think we're about to die."

"Not us," Finn said, pulling himself over the railing to see King Snoke's chariot. Now that the vessel was high above the waves, he could see the prisoner clearly. No, prisoners. He knew the sea witch but the man bound next to her looked so alike to her he could only be one person. "He's got them both."

Poe turned to look and swore loudly. "The twins have been missing for years. He had them this whole time?"

"Not her. He just caught her," said Finn. "Because of me. He followed me. It's my fault."

Poe said, "Doesn't matter whose fault it is, we have to stop the Sea King." He was already bringing the ship around again.

"I know. We have to save her."

"Yes, but more than that. If the King sacrifices the two of them together, that's a near-infinite source of power. He could drown the entire continent." He shook his head. "Do you even know who they are?"

"Tell me later if we're not dead by then. What can I do now?" The full moon was about to rise opposite of where the sun was setting, locked in their own twin dance.

"Can you clear me a path to his ship?"

"I can try." Finn jumped into the water and was surrounded by soldiers. He had no hope of fighting them but he had a better thought. "Three days with legs and I can still outswim any of you lampreys." He twisted and turned and taunted them to catch him as he swam away. They followed; calling them 'lampreys' had been a deadly insult and if they caught him, they'd beat him to death for it. He put on a turn of speed determined not to let them catch him. He heard the shouts above and below the water, and paused only to insult more of the other soldiers as they passed, stealing their angry attention as Poe's ship flew through the waters directly towards Snoke.

He heard the songs from the chariot as Snoke began the moon ritual. He'd kill the sea witch and her wizard brother and take their power for himself, and none could stand against him.

Finn doubled back, diving deep before his pursuers could track him, heading directly for Snoke's chariot.

Out of nowhere, Kylo Ren was in front of him, red spear matching his red tail, and his eyes blazing. "Traitor!"

Because he'd been looking, because he'd seen the bound wizard on Snoke's ship, Finn finally saw the resemblance. "Your mom needs you," he said, swimming out of the way as the spear slashed at him. He zoomed through the waters, and saw the new churn of waves. More ships had set sail out of the sea wall. Rey and Rose and the rest had put out the alarm and the surface dwellers had joined the fray. Some of his attackers peeled away to chase them.

Finn surfaced and watched as Poe's ship sailed at full speed towards Snoke as the spell came to its peak. A sudden spike of lightning flashed and Finn thought they'd been too late but then he heard Rey's voice chanting as she called down thunder, scattering their foes.

Poe's ship never slowed as the prow rammed into Snoke, spearing him through. The spell sputtered and died, the energy cascading everywhere, going to ground at the nearest point. Which was Poe. Finn watched the blow go through him even as Snoke expired, sending another wide burst of magic around them, shattering the chariot and the ship and sending out a burst of white-hot-freezing energy that burned as it passed over them all.

Behind him, Kylo Ren gasped and cried out, and Finn didn't need to turn to see that his tail was splitting apart back into two long legs. Around him, the soldiers had stopped fighting, many of them milling around in sudden confusion, wondering what had happened and why they were there, as though they were coming out of a long, dark dream. He didn't have time to deal with them, nor to help the sea witch free herself and her brother from their bonds, no time for anything except to reach the human falling limp into the water from the ruins of his broken ship.

Finn caught him, holding him as he had after the first battle. Poe had been gasping for air then but was eerily still now. Everything had a price. Snoke's death cost…. "No."

"Mom, what's going on?" Kylo Ren, the voice of his orders and bad dreams, sounded like a lost child.

"The end of a long, bad day," she said, and suddenly she was swimming next to Finn. "Hey, kid. Thanks."

"He had to save you," Finn said, staring at Poe's blank face.

"Yes," she said kindly. "And now it's your turn. Like I said, it's an old-fashioned spell, but it's your best bet."

Finn remembered. He pressed his forehead against Poe's. Then he kissed him, pressing all the love in his soul against Poe's cold, still lips.

For a moment, nothing happened. Poe suddenly jerked and coughed, almost twisting out of his arms but Finn held him as his eyes opened, looked around wildly, then settled back on Finn's face. "Still you," he said with another cough.

"Still me," Finn agreed.

"What happened at that last part?" He twitched again. "What's happening?"

The sea witch's brother, who was a human, swam with arms and legs next to them, gently holding up his dazed nephew. "Magical discharge. Snoke's power passed into you."

"I have magic now?"

"No, kid," said the sea witch (Leia?). "You have an excess of power you can't use. But I know a good place to put it."

She pressed her right hand against Poe's shoulder and her left against Finn's. Again his entire body convulsed and he did let go of Poe this time, but Poe stayed floating, stayed alive, as warmth passed from him into Finn, seizing his body and splitting his tail one last time.

The other ships from the little navy came close and Poe waved them over. "We're here! Everything's good."

"Are you sure?" Rose asked as they lowered a ladder to allow the five of them to climb aboard. Finn saw that Leia's tail was gone and she too had legs beneath her gown, and he wondered if she'd ever had a tail at all or if that had been an illusion, and if she would ever tell him either way.

"We're sure." Poe glanced over at Finn and Kylo. "Some of us are going to need some pants."

The reunions were many and the explanations were long. Finn could still speak to other merfolk, most of whom could barely remember serving Snoke at all, much less why. How many spells had the old crooked king cast that were now fading? Would they ever know?

Leia and her brother had a lot of meetings with the leaders of the resistance navy, most of which Finn didn't attend to hear the discussions about what had happened and why. He hadn't even realized there were leaders who ranked above Poe. All of them were impressed by what Poe and Finn and the rest had done to save them from the Sea King's plans.

"Power transfer," said Leia when Finn finally asked her what had happened. "Snoke knew if he sacrificed Luke, his power would flow into me and I'd become even more powerful. He had to take us both down at the same time so he could seize our magic for himself and be unstoppable." She gave his arm a squeeze. "You did good, kid."

"Did you know when you sent me to the surface?"

"No. But I'm glad it worked out." he wasn't sure if she was telling the truth and he didn't think it mattered now. Joy had eased some of the lines on her face, and he understood that fine.

He collected human friends now instead of things. They were glad to tell him the names of new items and to teach him more about their games and their duties. Finn learned eagerly, enjoying their company. Even Kylo Ren wasn't so bad now that he was no longer under Snoke's spells.

He had so much to learn about the surface, and his feet did still hurt when he walked too far in a day, but life on the surface was the happiest life he'd ever lived.

The very best part about living above the waves happened after dinner each evening when the air was warm and smelled heavily of flowers and honey amid the clear breath of the sea. Poe would take them in his rowboat to his favorite little pond. They would sing together, or watch the moon together, or just lie there holding hands. And as it turned out, love's second, third, fourth, and fiftieth kisses were just as magical as the first.