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Fussel made her way to the big ship. She had spent her time since the big light had risen above the ocean hunting fish and exploring abandoned places, but now, she was tired.
She wondered who would be on the ship today. The boy who'd saved her was almost always there, and his brother as well. The girl who sang too, but the two merchildren went for a swim now and then, and the tall, dark man only rarely climbed on board.
The seal made her way to the little boat that was visible, calling for her basket. Not long after, someone tossed it into the water, and Fussel happily swam inside.
When she was pulled up, the bigger boat became visible to her, and Fussel now saw that it was her boy who was pulling her up. He greeted her with excitement in his voice, tossing her a fish.
Fussel caught it out of the air and swallowed it down before she made her way across the smooth wooden surface of the ship.
The boy followed her, watching as Fussel scooted over to her favorite place near the mast of the ship.
The young seal called for the boy to sit with her and let her head rest on the warm floor. The wood was almost as good as warm rocks, she thought.
The boy crouched down next to her and scratched her head. Fussel made a few happy sounds, watching as he sat down next to her, saying something to her.
Fussel loved listening to him: His voice sounded so joyful and nice.
Then, her boy gave Fussel another fish, which she happily ate.
That was when she heard steps approaching. It was the mergirl who said something to her and the boy. Her friend quickly jumped up, his voice apologetic. Apparently, the girl had called him and he was now going to her.
Fussel sighed and rested her head on the wood again, slowly drifting off to sleep.
-
A few long dreams later, she was woken up by voices. Tiredly, she blinked, watching as her boy was putting on one of those black second skins with the big rocks on the back. He always wore it when he went into the water for a long time, Fussel remembered, and so, she jumped up with a cry of joy, making her way over to him and the two merchildren that stood next to him, already wearing their colorful second skins as well.
When they saw her come over, all of them cheered.
Shortly after, they jumped into the water, and Fussel did the same.
Her boy's red hair flowed around his head like seaweed, and he waved at her when he saw her. She swam over to him, booping his shoulder with her snout.
She wanted him to hold onto her so that she could pull him through the water. but the boy only smiled before turning around to the merchildren who were swimming next to him.
Well, then she would play catch with him, Fussel thought, shooting away. When he didn't follow her at first, she turned around and called for him to do so. The boy looked at his friends and moved his shoulders up before chasing after her moments later.
Fussel made a cry of joy, shooting away. She heard the mergirl giggle from afar.
Quickly, the two distanced themselves from the two merchildren.
Only a few currents later, Fussel noticed that her boy had stopped swimming.
He looked around as if to search for something, and Fussel realized that he was looking for the merchildren. Apparently, he’d lost orientation!
Fussel sighed, a few bubbles of air shooting towards the surface. And there she’d wanted to have fun for once!
Well, now she’d have to go looking for her boy’s friends, otherwise he would be sad, she knew.
Fussel turned around and swam back into the direction where they’d come from. The boy quickly followed her.
But the longer Fussel swam, the more she realized that the merchildren must’ve swam away. They should’ve reached them a current ago, but they were still nowhere to be seen.
Lost, Fussel slowed down until she was floating in the water. Her boy caught up to her, looking at her with scared eyes.
Fussel wanted to calm him down, but she needed a fresh breath first, and so, she rose to the surface and breathed in before diving down again.
Then, she turned back to the boy and whined. He probably wouldn’t be able to find the merchildren as well.
Were they lost? Fussel suddenly remembered the day when the ocean had turned black and she’d swum onto the beach instead of into the open sea. The memory still scared her.
Thankfully, the boy had found her when the water had pulled back into the sea, but now, he was lost as well. But still, he was with her. That thought comforted her.
Fussel swam closer to her boy. He was crying now, she noticed, the inside of his second face damp. She pressed her snout into his side to cheer him up.
That was when his eyes widened again, but not because of her. When Fussel turned around, she saw the two merchildren approaching.
Right, one of them swam with whales and was able to read the water’s colors!
Fussel cried relieved and swam towards them, thanking them over and over again while shooting around the two merchildren in circles.
She saw that they both smiled. The boy swam towards them and the merchildren hugged him.
After her boy had calmed down, the two merchildren started pulling him into a specific direction -- probably back to their boat.
Fussel followed them.
Not long after, she, her boy and the two merchildren all sat on the warm wood of the ship.
Her boy had his arms wrapped around Fussel and whispered something to her.
She nudged him with her snout. The boy said something, smiling at her.
Everything was alright then, Fussel thought, resting her head on his tight.
As long as she had her boy (and the two merchildren) everything was fine.