Millions of mermen crammed themselves into the cavern on what would soon be deemed a historic day. Excited chatter filled the small space as they contemplated the shift in water current that had forewarned them of the coming events. None wanted to miss out on this special day. As the last few mermen trickled in, a young blonde bumped head-on with another in his haste.

“Sorry!”

He hastily bowed his head but the one he had collided with was long gone. Rubbing the sore spot on his scalp, he slipped into position among the rows of other mermen. The enthusiasm rippling through the ranks was contagious. A jittery smile lit his face as he warmed his body up with a few powerful strokes of his long, white tail. 

This was the first event in his short life as Dick 10 and he had no idea what to expect. All he knew was this was the day that they all lived and died for. His heart raced with the fear and exhilaration that came with diving headfirst into the unknown. Looking around him, he saw the same tumultuous emotions reflected in the eyes of his fellow mermen.

To his left, the older Dick 55 nudged him. “Ready for the adventure of your life, young one?”

“As ready as I will ever be.”

“Take it from me, this will take all your energy and mental acuity. So be prepared.”

“Thanks, 55.”

“Oh come on, let’s go already!” Dick 30 yelled, his tail eagerly stirring up the water to his right.

Dick 10 chuckled. He swiveled around in a 360-degree arc, taking in the amazing spectacle around him. Rows and rows of mermen stretched out in front of him, all identical to him in looks but all so different in personality.

Two rows away from him was Dick 121 who cried at the drop of a hat. Above him was Dick 69, a joker at heart who livened up the atmosphere wherever he went. Dick 55 was the wise elder, Dick 30 the impulsive and quick-to-anger youth.

All of them were special in different ways. And he… He didn’t know what was so special about himself. In just about every respect, he was plain and normal. Looking down at his hands, he felt his heart drop. Unlike his fellow mermen, he didn’t deserve a spot here. He was the worst offspring of the being that made them, a human male in all its two-legged splendor that they called Father.

How nice it must be for their father to be able to walk on two legs and journey the lands and seas of the world. Glancing down at his white tail, a prick of envy pierced his heart. Stuck in this body of water, he, like all the others, yearned to be free of his confines. To break free from this form, this place, this life. 

He brought his gaze forward and looked to the horizon with hope. Even if he wasn’t deserving of a new life, he would grab any opportunity to attain it. His life would not be wasted milling around the cavern. 

No. He wanted to see white fluffy clouds blown across the blue sky. He wanted to touch the warm sand of the desert. He wanted to taste delicacies that burned his tongue. Each night, he dreamt of all those things and more. Perhaps even more than the other mermen. His imagination knew no bounds, and in a way, reality frightened him because of the disappointment that it might bring.

His lips curled into a determined smile. Disappointment or not, he would be the one to judge. He needed to focus now. Focus on the long journey ahead to obtain that elusive pearl. 

The pearl was located in a different body of water, buried far away within raging currents that swept away the weak. Only the first merman who reached it would be granted their wish of becoming human. Only one would survive.