Merfishes by night

"The aquarium closes in one hour, Bluefin advised everyone. Tonight at midnight a surprise awaits". She swam around imparting the information to one and all, making sure that everyone would be ready.

"What is she talking about anyway. She always has to be the center of attention, with her shiny blue fins and perfect scales, always so prissy miss and catching all the attention from the men". Ruby Red was very jealous of the lovely Bluefin.

"Stop the bickering and complaining Ruby, it's not as if you don't have a beau of your own who dotes on you. It's ok if he takes a peek at other women, I've seen you eyeing and ogling other guys yourself". Milton was tired of her constant jealousy of practically every pretty fish in the aquarium.

"Harumph". Went Ruby as she swam away. She never did like to hear the truth.

What everyone did not know about Bluefin however could fill a book with pages left over.

Once, long ago she had been a dragon. Her beauty even then had been a source of envy for the females of the flock. All their men were charmed by this lovely she dragon. Furthermore, rubbing salt into bruised wounds of jealousy, Bluefin had been entrusted with the great magic of the fairies. She was the healer of the group. Only one woman saw her to be the kind and caring entity that she was. Bluefin cared for everyone, yet only a few were gracious and kind to her. She tried her best to not allow this to cloud her judgement or interfere with her work.

Mother Aurora loved this quiet, gracious young healer. The healer dragon was not aware of her effect on people, she was naive in that respect. One night she happened to be passing a group of female dragons deep in the forest, she could not sleep, her feet were arthritic and hurting, and she had taken them for a stroll, it usually helps with the pain. She overheard them plotting to get rid of Bluefin.

Hurrying back to camp, forgetting her arthritis in her agitated state, she awakened Bluefin. She looked keenly at the purple, pink and blue dragon, her aquamarine slitted eyes and blue wings would certainly be the envy of any female dragon. She was sleek and long, the blue scales of her upper body contrasted beautifully with her purple tail. Goodness, somehow, she had already broken many hearts, for such an unusual beauty, she had no interest in romance whatsoever.

"Mother Aurora, are you feeling ok. What can I do for you". The young dragon was very concerned for her good friend.

"I am ok child. Listen. A long time ago, I was the healer of dragons. I was even more powerful than you are now. I am here to warn you of the great plot that the women are organizing against you".

"Against me, but why. I have done them no wrong"?

"Child, you are young and know not the ways of the world, you are a lovely female dragon, and they think you a threat to their relationships".

"That is preposterous, I have no interest at all in anyone. I just want to do my job that I love so well, and spend my time learning all about the healing herbs".

Just them a large group of dragons flew in. They converged upon Bluefin and breathed their collective fire towards her. Aurora jumped in front, but too late she realized that they had burned off Bluefins lovely wings. She turned and in anger, breathed the greatest fire she could call up and singed every female in the group. They hollered and flew away in agony. They knew the power of Aurora dragon.

Aurora started chanting her magic spells and managed to regrow a magic set of temporary wings for Bluefin. They would not last long.

"Come child, fly with me to the sea". Weak and exhausted, the two dragons flew to the sea not far away. On the shore, Aurora chanted under her breath as the wings disappeared and fins of blue grew in its place. Bluefin became a very large and rare breed of fish.

"You are now for the sea, no longer are you Blue the dragon, you are now called Bluefin. Your life will now be in the ocean. The salted water will heal your body and there you will remain. I am sorry young one, but that is the best that I can do. Goodbye for now".

Six months later, fishermen caught this unusual fish and decided to sell it to the aquarium. Here begins the tale of how a dragon became a merfish in the very large indoor aquarium of Maelstrom Mall.

Midnight approached, the mall was closed. The night security guard would be on the other side of the mall taking a very long dinner break. He never bothered about this side of the mall at nights.

"Gather around everyone. "Figidity fishidity fi fish fo. Turn all fishkind to merfish go"! The waters swirled, pink, purple and blue lights danced between the fishes, the sharks in their tanks stopped dreaming of food and bloody meat and paid attention. Suddenly the fishes, sharks and all the creatures on the floor of the aquarium were all transformed into humanlike forms, with pointy fish ears and multicolored shimmering bodies. They were beautiful to behold.

Bluefin swam to the top and flew out of the water. She could still fly for short distances whenever she transformed and regrew her wings. She landed outside of the tank and hauled the ladder over. She had done it many times when the place was quiet, and the lights were dim enough to not be seen. The fish could not tell one human form from the next.

In total confusion the merpeople swam to the top of the tank which was now magically opened very high up.

"This is the surprise I was telling you about. I have magical powers to transform you into walking beings at nights. Come, you can breathe out here as well as in there".

Slowly, one by one, they ventured out of the aquarium. Flexing their legs and trying out the walking on legs.

"Now you all look like me. I am not unusual anymore. I just want to have friends and not be alone so much".

Ruby Red felt bad about the way she had behaved. She walked over and hugged Bluefin. Everyone else ambled over, still not quite steady on their feet. They were all very grateful to be out of the tank. It was a great moment for them all.

"Let's go terrorize the guard. He is always swatting at us and making us miserable". Jory the shark offered.

"I'm all in on that". Someone else said.

Frank the guard saw what looked like people coming towards him. How, he wondered, earlier the place had been deserted. As they got closer, he realized that they looked like aliens. Pointed ears and shimmering body, they were quite attractive, but aliens just the same. He ran into the small office and locked the door. He proceeded to dial 911, telling them that pointy eared shimmering alien people with fish ears were at the aquarium.

"Are you drunk Frank". They knew him well. He kept calling that a dragon was flying around at nights. No one ever found any flying beings and they were certainly not going out to hunt for shimmering fish people.

Frank was adamant though, and he kept bothering them until they sent a unit over. The merpeople had gone out the back and hidden themselves in an empty store in the mall. The officers found it strange indeed that the fish tanks were empty. Not a single fish was in sight. They returned to the other side of the mall to converse with Frank about the absence of the fishes and sharks and every living thing from the aquarium.

The merpeople then thought it prudent to quickly return to their watery home before all of kingdom come converged on them in the night. When the manager arrived, tired and harassed, the fish in the tank were swimming around all unconcerned about the groggy eyed humans.

Angrily, the manager turned upon poor Frank.

"I have had enough of this from you Frank. One more word about dragons and alien fish and you are fired"? He wrapped his robe around himself and exited the building. The officers shook their heads, scratched their chins and wondered if something fishy was indeed going on. Earlier, there had been not a single fish in the tank. Oh well! Maybe they were all just seeing things.

Frank finally put two and two together. He realized that when the fish went missing, the merpeople were out, and when the merpeople were missing, well vice versa. He has long since come to terms with his version of Night at the Museum. The fish walked at nights and entertained the people during the days. They seemed happier, and Frank had lots of company at nights.

Bluefin had many friends now and was never happier.

N.A.