Fishy Friends by Tauntaun99 on DeviantArt (original) (raw)

Lila and Mia had been best friends since kindergarten. They loved to spend time together, especially on sunny days when they could go to the beach and enjoy the fresh air and the warm sand. They had a special spot that they liked to call their own, a secluded cove where they rarely saw anyone else.

One day, they decided to have a picnic there, and packed some sandwiches, fruits, and cookies in a basket. They also brought a blanket and some sunscreen. They arrived at the cove around noon, and spread the blanket on the sand. They ate their lunch, chatting and laughing about everything and nothing.

As they finished their meal, Lila noticed something shiny sticking out of the sand near the water. She got up and walked over to it, curious. She dug it out with her hands, and gasped. It was a glass bottle, with a cork and a label. On the label, there was a picture of a mermaid, with long hair and a fish tail. Underneath the picture, there was some writing, but it was in a language that Lila did not recognize.

"Hey, Mia, look what I found!" Lila called out, holding the bottle up.

Mia got up and joined her, looking at the bottle with interest.

"Wow, that's so cool! Where did it come from?" Mia asked.

"I don't know, maybe it washed up from the sea. Maybe it's a message in a bottle, or a treasure map, or something," Lila said, shaking the bottle gently. She heard a sloshing sound inside.

"Or maybe it's a drink. It looks like wine, don't you think?" Mia said, pointing at the liquid in the bottle. It was a pale pink color, and sparkled in the sunlight.

"Maybe. Do you want to try it?" Lila asked, feeling adventurous.

"Sure, why not? It's not like anyone else is going to claim it. And we're both over 21, so it's legal," Mia said, smiling.

Lila nodded, and pulled out the cork. She sniffed the bottle, and smelled a sweet and fruity aroma. She took a sip, and felt a tingling sensation on her tongue. The drink was delicious, and refreshing.

"Mmm, this is good. Here, you try it," Lila said, handing the bottle to Mia.

Mia took a sip, and agreed. "Wow, this is amazing. It tastes like strawberries and cream. And it's so smooth and light. I wonder what it is."

They passed the bottle back and forth, drinking more and more. They felt a warm and pleasant buzz in their heads, and their cheeks flushed. They giggled and complimented each other on their looks, their clothes, their hair. They felt closer than ever, and hugged each other.

They did not notice that their legs were starting to feel numb, and that their feet were starting to fuse together. They did not notice that their skin was starting to change color, and that scales were starting to appear on their lower halves. They did not notice that their hair was growing longer and thicker, and that their eyes were changing shape and color. They did not notice that they were slowly transforming into identical looking mermaids, just like the one on the bottle's label.

They only noticed when they tried to stand up, and fell back on the sand. They looked at each other, and saw their new forms. They saw their fish tails, their scales, their fins. They saw their long hair, their bright eyes, their beautiful faces. They saw that they looked exactly alike, like twins.

They gasped, and then burst into laughter. They thought it was hilarious, and fun. They did not feel scared, or worried, or regretful. They felt happy, and free, and adventurous. They felt like they had discovered a new world, a new life, a new identity.