Once upon a time, there was a young mermaid named Luna. She was so named because her hair was a gold as the autumn moon, and she was the most talented musician in the sea. Every night, she would rise to the surface to play on her magic flute, which enchanted all animals - birds, fish, seals - and sometimes unlucky sailors who would dive into the water in search for the source of music, only to find them swimming in empty water. The creatures of the sea knew that they had to remain hidden from the above world.
However, legends of a young mermaid with golden hair and a talent for music reached the people living on land, and adventurers wanted to find Luna for themselves. One of them, a rare animal trapper named Chie Hori, thought that Luna would make her rich. If she trapped the mermaid and paraded around the country showing her off, she would gain the favor of the king and become famous, and the idea of a magical creature fascinated her. She never much liked regular animals; they were too dull and commonplace.
She stopped by the local trapper to buy a cage and lots of rope, then embarked on the next ship, prepared to ensnare the poor little mermaid. Among the crew was a new sailor Sol, who was there to clean up messes and tend to all the sailors like a servant. It was hard work, but Sol always wanted to be a sailor - she had the attitude of one - and if she got to work, she could make more money.
One calm ocean day, Luna went to her parents. "Mother, Father, I wish to go up to the surface and play for the dolphins! They did throw that wonderful birthday party last week, and I want to show them my appreciation."
Her parents agreed, but reminded her to come back the second she saw a ship on the horizon. Humans were dangerous, and they didn't want their daughter to be kidnapped and treated like a pet.
Luna swam off to the surface, excited at the prospect to play her favorite instrument. The moon was full, which was her favorite phase, and the dolphins were leaping around in joy. She became playing her flute.
Far away, Chie was standing at the front bow of the ship keeping an ear out for music, which she heard. Excellent, she was nearing her target. She gripped onto the rope net machine tighter. However, Sol was woken up by the music and ran out to the deck for different reasons.
"Are you hearing that?! It sounds amazing!" Chie grit her teeth. No, someone who might foil her plans! But she had to remain calm. "It's coming from over there! Is it a mermaid? I heard stories about them!"
Sol found her balance and began to sing along with the music. She always was practicing while swabbing the deck, while cleaning the dishes, and anytime she felt sad. This music made her happy, which was all the more reason to sing beautifully. Luna, surprised by another voice, continued playing and swam closer to the mysterious singer. Perhaps another mermaid? She really wanted a friend!
But swimming closer to Sol meant swimming closer to Chie, who soon saw the golden shine of the Moon Mermaid. With a smirk, she stood up and fired the net. Luna screamed, and the dolphins scattered.
"Ms. Hori, what're you doing?!" Sol grabbed onto Chie's jacket, causing such a racket that the other sailors woke up.
"What's happening? Sol, how dare you wake up the entire crew while they were catching up on sleep!"
"B-but Chie!! She!!" The captain ran over to pull the two apart, only to see the mermaid struggling in the water.
"Ha ha! I knew she would be useful! Men, we'll be rich!" The sailors cheered for the trapper.
"How could you!" Sol let go of the Captain and jumped into the water, the others calling after her. She was going to drown, they knew it!
Sol pulled out her pocket knife and swam to the net, where Luna was struggling to fight against the pull of the entire crew. "Don't worry, I'll save you!" With the knife, she cut one of the ropes binding the mermaid; the rope leading to the ship was too thick to cut off fast enough.
"Oh, save me!" With the extra space, Luna pulled out her flute and played a song, calling the sharks of the sea to rise up and ram the ship of the evildoers. "Don't worry, they won't hurt us," she assured Sol, who was looking a bit worried.
The captain and the crew were panicking and rushing away to steer the ship away from the sharks, but Chie Hori would have none of it. She pulled on the net even harder, dragging Luna out of the water. Sol clinged onto it and continued cutting. Two ropes. Three. Four, five. Just as Chie reached out for Luna, the whole thing snapped and Luna and Sol fell to the water.
"No!" Chie clenched her fist in frustration. The ship sailed away, and her plan was ruined.
Sol was happy for a moment, then realized something: "I'll drown!"
"Don't worry," Luna smiled. "I'll help you get home." She played the flute again, and a bubble formed around Sol. "Now you'll be able to go underwater and stay at my house for the night, and I'l call my dolphin friends to take you to land.
"Thanks! Thanks so much!" Sol gave her a hug. "I'm Sol, by the way! I really love your music!"
"And I'm Luna. I hope we can meet each other again."
Luna's Story
However, legends of a young mermaid with golden hair and a talent for music reached the people living on land, and adventurers wanted to find Luna for themselves. One of them, a rare animal trapper named Chie Hori, thought that Luna would make her rich. If she trapped the mermaid and paraded around the country showing her off, she would gain the favor of the king and become famous, and the idea of a magical creature fascinated her. She never much liked regular animals; they were too dull and commonplace.
She stopped by the local trapper to buy a cage and lots of rope, then embarked on the next ship, prepared to ensnare the poor little mermaid. Among the crew was a new sailor Sol, who was there to clean up messes and tend to all the sailors like a servant. It was hard work, but Sol always wanted to be a sailor - she had the attitude of one - and if she got to work, she could make more money.
One calm ocean day, Luna went to her parents. "Mother, Father, I wish to go up to the surface and play for the dolphins! They did throw that wonderful birthday party last week, and I want to show them my appreciation."
Her parents agreed, but reminded her to come back the second she saw a ship on the horizon. Humans were dangerous, and they didn't want their daughter to be kidnapped and treated like a pet.
Luna swam off to the surface, excited at the prospect to play her favorite instrument. The moon was full, which was her favorite phase, and the dolphins were leaping around in joy. She became playing her flute.
Far away, Chie was standing at the front bow of the ship keeping an ear out for music, which she heard. Excellent, she was nearing her target. She gripped onto the rope net machine tighter. However, Sol was woken up by the music and ran out to the deck for different reasons.
"Are you hearing that?! It sounds amazing!" Chie grit her teeth. No, someone who might foil her plans! But she had to remain calm. "It's coming from over there! Is it a mermaid? I heard stories about them!"
Sol found her balance and began to sing along with the music. She always was practicing while swabbing the deck, while cleaning the dishes, and anytime she felt sad. This music made her happy, which was all the more reason to sing beautifully. Luna, surprised by another voice, continued playing and swam closer to the mysterious singer. Perhaps another mermaid? She really wanted a friend!
But swimming closer to Sol meant swimming closer to Chie, who soon saw the golden shine of the Moon Mermaid. With a smirk, she stood up and fired the net. Luna screamed, and the dolphins scattered.
"Ms. Hori, what're you doing?!" Sol grabbed onto Chie's jacket, causing such a racket that the other sailors woke up.
"What's happening? Sol, how dare you wake up the entire crew while they were catching up on sleep!"
"B-but Chie!! She!!" The captain ran over to pull the two apart, only to see the mermaid struggling in the water.
"Ha ha! I knew she would be useful! Men, we'll be rich!" The sailors cheered for the trapper.
"How could you!" Sol let go of the Captain and jumped into the water, the others calling after her. She was going to drown, they knew it!
Sol pulled out her pocket knife and swam to the net, where Luna was struggling to fight against the pull of the entire crew. "Don't worry, I'll save you!" With the knife, she cut one of the ropes binding the mermaid; the rope leading to the ship was too thick to cut off fast enough.
"Oh, save me!" With the extra space, Luna pulled out her flute and played a song, calling the sharks of the sea to rise up and ram the ship of the evildoers. "Don't worry, they won't hurt us," she assured Sol, who was looking a bit worried.
The captain and the crew were panicking and rushing away to steer the ship away from the sharks, but Chie Hori would have none of it. She pulled on the net even harder, dragging Luna out of the water. Sol clinged onto it and continued cutting. Two ropes. Three. Four, five. Just as Chie reached out for Luna, the whole thing snapped and Luna and Sol fell to the water.
"No!" Chie clenched her fist in frustration. The ship sailed away, and her plan was ruined.
Sol was happy for a moment, then realized something: "I'll drown!"
"Don't worry," Luna smiled. "I'll help you get home." She played the flute again, and a bubble formed around Sol. "Now you'll be able to go underwater and stay at my house for the night, and I'l call my dolphin friends to take you to land.
"Thanks! Thanks so much!" Sol gave her a hug. "I'm Sol, by the way! I really love your music!"
"And I'm Luna. I hope we can meet each other again."
And so the two became best friends.
THE END