Writing Prompt: She stood at the end of the pier, took a deep breath, and jumped into the freezing ocean. She was going to get answers, no matter what it took.
Her eyes adjusted as she pushed herself deeper into the ocean. The water pushed against her, so cold it felt warm on her skin. She blinked water from her eyes.
Pain suddenly lanced through her. She arched her back and grasped her neck as searing pain ripped through her. The skin under her fingers became too hot to hold, burning her palms. She let go, her mouth open in a silent scream.
As suddenly as it came, the pain disappeared. She touched her neck. Her fingers brushed over raised ridges on both sides. Gills, she realized, startled. Determination warred with anger as she angled herself towards the deep ocean once again. This was the reason she needed answers. This wasn't the first time she'd grown gills and webbed hands and feet. She could barely acknowledge those now.
Just when she thought she'd reach the ocean floor, a city came into view. Made up of seashell huts and luminescent anemones, it could easily be compared to a quaint village above water. Her head whipped around as she looked for her destination. It had to be the biggest hut. A few faces appeared in windows on some of the huts as she began swimming around. Eyes widened and children were pulled back. She wondered what was so terrifying about her. She longed for a way to see her reflection, to see what all these underwater people saw.
Her destination came into view a few strokes later. She swam hard for the large seashell and dived down to an opening she just knew was there. Memories flooded her mind as she swam through and suddenly found herself on dry land. She faltered under the suddenly onslaught and fell to her hands and knees, her eyes squeezed tightly shut. She saw herself as a child begging to play in the deep ocean, swimming through underwater fauna, and playing hide-and-seek with schools of fish. These memories were foreign and needed to be answered for.
"I see you have finally returned, child."
The deep male voice startled her out of her false memories. She gasped and her head shot up. Her eyes widened as she took in the man's wide shoulders, dark colored skin, and iridescent hair that fell to his waist. He wore pants made out of leaves and nothing on his feet. A long shell necklace hung around his neck. He crossed his arms and his eyes glowed as he assessed her.
"What do you mean? Where have I returned to?" Her voice shook as she forced out the words, even though she feared she already knew the answers. This was the reason she grew webbed limbs and gills whenever she swam in the ocean. This was the reason she'd always felt different, like something was missing from her life.
"You are home."
She shuddered as his words reverberated through her soul. Home. Such a familiar and foreign concept. She'd never felt like she understood the word unless she was in the water; now she knew why. She had to know something else.
"Why do the people here fear me?"
He gave a hearty chuckle. "They do not fear you. They are surprised you've come home. You were once the star of our community, the one everyone loved and doted upon. You will be that again."
She scrunched her face, confused. "But why?"
"Because you are my daughter and I am the king."
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