IT WAS another warm, pleasant evening in the tropical paradise of Hawaii, with a crimson sun setting over the placid waters of the Pacific. Kevin and his wife Jeana traveled to the islands each year for a business trip. While Kevin found the meetings to be excruciatingly boring, he did not mind the annual vacation to Hawaii. He had majored in economics in college, and continued with a Masters degree, but the job he landed as a business advisor hardly suited his interests.
Seeing that it was his last night in Hawaii, Kevin decided to browse the many souvenir shops that lined the waterfront. He wanted to find a gift for his wife to add to the collection of Hawaiian mementos at home. This time, Kevin was determined not to buy another flimsy T-shirt or box of chocolate-covered macadamia nuts. Something more interesting... something more eye-catching.
Looking across the street, Kevin noticed a sign for a store called 'Spells R Us.' "Anything for a buck," Kevin mused, chuckling to himself. Despite the goofy name, he thought it might be worth a look. After all, anything goes in a tourist town like this.
As he entered, a strange feeling washed over Kevin. Bizarre novelties dotted the shelves in the dimly lit store. There was something very unnatural about this place, but he couldn't put his finger on what that might be. He turned to leave, but just then, an old man wearing what appeared to be a bathrobe emerged from the back room. "Greetings, Kevin," he said with a smile.
Kevin's jaw dropped open. He had barely been in that store for more than one minute, and this gentleman just called him by first name of the clear blue sky. "How did you know my name?" he said, astonished.
The old man rolled his eyes. "I am a wizard. That is merely a fraction of my ability."
"Riiight," Kevin responded with ambivalence.
"Many people have walked in that door and dismissed my claims, just as you did," the wizard sighed. "However, I can assure you that I speak the truth. Now, what brings you into my store?"
Still suspicious, but more intrigued, Kevin explained, "I'm looking for a special souvenir from my trip to Hawaii. I don't want anything stupid like I've bought in the past. Maybe some ornate sculptures, or jewelry for my wife. I have to go back home tomorrow." Kevin also expressed his annoyance with his work, describing the nature of his company. "I never really enjoyed my job. There has to be something better than telling businesses how to make the most money."
"I think I can help you with your problem," the wizard said, listening intently to Kevin's story. "Just on the shelf over there are a few items that could give you the life you desire most. If you would just..." Looking up, the old man noticed that his words were falling into a vacuum. "I see that you are looking at my collection of glass sculptures."
Kevin's attention had shifted to the old man's beautiful assortment of sculptures at the front counter. "What are these in the case?" he asked.
"They are glass ornaments that represent the sea life associated with the Hawaiian islands," explained the old man. Opening the case, he pulled out a small bluish item that appeared to be a mermaid. "Take a look."
Carefully, Kevin inspected the mermaid, noting the fine craftsmanship involved in the individual scales on the mermaid's tail. She was a buxom mermaid with long flowing hair and a starfish in one hand. "She's very impressive," Kevin said softly. "I think my wife will like it too. We have an extensive collection of glass art at home already..."
"There's something important about her that you need to know..." the old man started.
"How much for her?" Kevin interrupted, eager to show Jeana his newfound treasure.
"Fifteen dollars," the old man said, with an audible sigh. He wrapped the mermaid in tissue paper and boxed it up. With slight hesitation, he dropped the care instructions for the mermaid sculpture in the box, knowing that Kevin and his wife would soon be in for the surprise of their lives. As he took Kevin's cash, the wizard thought that Kevin should discover the mermaid's magical qualities on his own time. It had often been the case that customers who did not ask questions about the merchandise truly did not care about their purchase's potential. Besides, Kevin might just discover the way to finding a happier life with the help of his mermaid friend.
Kevin turned to leave the store. "Thanks for your help!" Kevin exclaimed as he opened the door.
"Mahalo," the old man replied, managing a smug smile.
As Kevin disappeared into the passing crowd, the wizard thought to himself that he would soon have another satisfied Spells R Us customer. Glancing at the framed poster of a youthful mermaid posing seductively on a rock, he wondered whether Kevin had noticed her and how happy she seemed. If only he knew. With a shrug, the old man turned to finish checking his inventory.
*****
With his Spells R Us package in one hand, Kevin rushed back to his hotel to see what Jeana had done for her last day on Hawaii. Knowing her, she would be enjoying the Hawaiian sun on the beach in one of her many bikinis. He wanted to show her the mermaid sculpture, then have a memorable romantic dinner in a fancy restaurant along the beach. Hopefully, she would be awaiting his return from the day's seminars. As Kevin rode the elevator up to his room, he couldn't help thinking about the strange old man. Was he truly a wizard?
Opening the door to his room, Kevin found Jeana resting quietly on the queen-size bed. "Hi Kevin," she said in a sexy voice. Jeana was one irresistible woman: she had gorgeous brunette hair and an incredible figure she worked diligently to maintain. Brushing her hair back, she asked, "How did your meetings go?"
"Oh you know.... they were boring as usual," Kevin sighed. Setting the package down on the table, Kevin joined Jeana on the bed. The rustle of the plastic bag caught Jeana's attention.
"What did you buy?" she said, inquisitively. "I looked around all day for something to remember our trip by, but I came up empty-handed."
"I found this little shop called 'Spells R Us' just down the street."
Jeana gave a confused look. "I didn't see that store," she snapped, a little perturbed. "And I spent the better part of three hours shopping around. Are you making this up?"
Opening the bag, Kevin pulled out the small white box containing the mermaid. Handing it to Jeana, he explained, "The old guy running the shop claimed to be a wizard of some kind. I didn't believe him, but he had a lot of interesting stuff. I got a small glass sculpture for our artwork collection back home."
Jeana opened the box and unwrapped the small sculpture from its tissue paper. She looked at the mermaid with a critical eye, but was not impressed. "You spent money on THIS?" she said, more annoyed. "It was probably made by some underprivileged child in China who earned about three cents for it!"
Kevin, now quite defensive, tried to reason with her. "Jeana, it was only fifteen dollars, and I thought that it was the least I could do. Anyway, I was planning on taking you to dinner at a nice restaurant on the waterfront... would that suit you better?"
Giggling, Jeana answered, "I was only playing with you. I think it's a cute sculpture. I'd love to go to dinner."
Just then, Kevin noticed a folded sheet of sky blue paper tucked inside the mermaid's box. "Hey," he said. "There's something else in here."
Unfolding the paper, Kevin noticed that it was the product description. He read it aloud: "Congratulations on your purchase of a magical Spells R Us sculpture model #061579, Mermaid. To fully enjoy your new sculpture, simply expose it to its natural element. Further instructions will be provided by the sculpture at that time. WARNING: Misuse of this product may cause severe consequences."
Jeana shook her head in disbelief. "That's one-hundred percent bullshit. You and I know full well that magic isn't possible!"
"Even so, isn't it worth a shot? We won't know until we try."
"Yeah, I guess," Jeana said with a shrug.
*****
Meanwhile, back at the Spells R Us shop, the old man smiled. He knew that neither Kevin nor Jeana seriously believed in magic, but that was all about to change. Given Kevin's displeasure with his occupation, they would soon be very pleased with their selection. But, they must understand the incredible power of the sculpture... only then would they get the most from its powerful capabilities. From experience, the old man knew of all the mistakes customers made with his various products, but he had high hopes for Kevin and Jeana.
*****
Kevin and Jeana entered the bathroom of their hotel room. "If this works at all, we'd be best to use the bathtub," Jeana observed. Kevin filled it with six inches of lukewarm water and placed the mermaid in the center. No sooner had he released the sculpture, it sprang to life.
Jumping back, Kevin and Jeana hugged tightly and watched the spectacle in awe. The sculpture quickly grew in the bathtub, eventually assuming a normal human size. Then, the glass started to shift about, bringing life to the previously inanimate material. Long, blonde tresses cascaded from the sculpture's head. Her face assumed the qualities of a beautiful seductress, and her breasts stood youthfully firm on her dainty frame. Her tail was just over four feet long and had a yard-wide tailfin at its end. The iridescent bluish scales reflected the bathroom light in all directions, even in the shallow water of the bathtub. In mere moments, a mermaid lay before them.
Still locked in embrace, Kevin whispered to Jeana, "I never expected this! I didn't believe the old man running the shop. He seemed to be suffering from some sort of schizophrenia."
Awakening from her slumber, the young mermaid turned to face Kevin and Jeana, who sat beside the bathtub. "Wha... Where am I?" she managed to say.
"You are in the bathroom of a hotel room in Hawaii," Kevin answered with obvious hesitation. "Who are you?"
"My name is Kamila. I'm a mermaid, as you can obviously see." She flipped her tail in the water, accidentally splashing Kevin and Jeana in the process. "How did I get here?" she asked.
"We bought you in a store called 'Spells R Us,' as a souvenir for our annual vacation to Hawaii. The owner of the shop claimed to be some sort of wizard, and he sold a small mermaid sculpture to my husband," Jeana explained. "By the way, I'm Jeana, and this is my husband Kevin."
An awkward moment of silence followed. The mermaid felt liberated from her glass prison, but simultaneously trapped by her human captors. Meanwhile, Kevin and Jeana could scarcely believe that they were in the presence of a great mythological legend. It all seemed like a blissful dream, soon to be forever lost in the mists of time.
Breaking the silence, Kevin asked, "How did you get caught in that tiny little sculpture?"
Taking a deep breath, Kamila told her story. "Several years ago, I was peacefully swimming in a coral reef near one of these islands that you call Hawaii. A lone boat was wandering through the area, and before I knew it I was hoisted out of the water by that old man. He was immediately charmed by my beauty and uniqueness, so could not simply return me to the ocean. Instead, he condemned me to that tiny glass sculpture. I was frozen in that sculpture for five years, sitting in that old man's collection of artifacts. I could sense the world around me through sound, and when I heard you talking about me, I had hope for freedom. I want to thank you."
Feeling more at ease, Kevin and Jeana smiled. "Our pleasure. We were about to add you in our collection of glass sculptures." They looked upon Kamila, lying innocently in the bathtub. She was the most beautiful creature either of them had ever laid eyes on.
The mermaid felt indebted to these two humans for releasing her from the evil clutches of the old man. "Kevin, Jeana... because you freed me, I want to repay you for your favor. As a mermaid, I possess magical abilities of my own. If you return me to the ocean, without being spotted by other humans, I can give each of you one wish. I cannot grant everything but I assure you that I can make your lives better!"
Kevin and Jeana could not believe their ears. Could this fantastic creature really do such a thing? "Really? You could? We were originally planning on eating dinner at a waterfront restaurant, but we would be happy to return you to your natural home."
Kamila stretched her arms and smiled widely. She moved her tail outside of the bathtub, and brushed it against Kevin and Jeana's legs. "You'll have to carry me to the beach. My tail does no good on dry land!"
Reaching into the bathtub, Kevin and Jeana carefully lifted the mermaid. Both were surprised at her weight, for her figure suggested she would be light as a feather. Kevin and Jeana felt for the first time the mermaid's scales. They were warm, and felt like fine satin. Silently, the two of them gently carried the mermaid out of the hotel and into the night.
*****
"Okay, the coast is clear," Jeana said, peering around a wall that separated the hotel parking lot from the beach. Quietly, she and Kevin hauled Kamila down the treacherous rocks to the waves crashing on the shoreline. The twilight had since faded, and many brilliant stars had appeared across the sky along with a small crescent moon.
They set the mermaid down in a shallow pool created by the rock formations along the beach. With a graceful flip of her tail she moved into the center of the large pool. "Thank you so much," Kamila said. "It feels so wonderful to finally be back in my home. Now, I promised each of you something very special back there. What can I do for you? Please make it quick before someone else sees me."
Kevin knew that he disliked everything about his job in business advising, and really wanted to find a life that better suited him. He observed how happy Kamila looked, patiently floating in the pool with small movements of her tail. More than anything, he wanted to live a carefree life like her. But how could that be possible?
Jeana, looking intently at her husband, sensed something was wrong. "Kevin, what's the matter?"
Looking deep into his wife's eyes, Kevin expressed his deepest desires. "I've been thinking... look how happy Kamila is. She's living in this tropical paradise without a care in the world. Back home, there will be nothing more than an endless struggle to make ends meet. Kamila doesn't have to worry about those trivial things. If there's anything I want most, I'd like to share her paradise."
Jeana turned pale. "How... you mean, you'd become a mermaid like her?"
"A merman, or something like that," Kevin said. "And I want you to come with me."
In a heartbeat, Jeana made a sad face. "But what about all of our friends and family back home? Think of the emotional pain that our mysterious disappearance would bring them... how could we do such a thing?"
Kamila, overhearing the conversation, slowly swam towards the shoreline and perched herself on a rock ledge. "I want both of you to know that I can transform you into mermaids... but not mermen. Kevin, you would have to become female if you were to join me in the ocean."
Glancing at Kevin, Jeana noticed his shock at the mermaid's words. However, she was having second thoughts of her own. "Honey, I think there's something to your desire to leave behind the troubles of daily life. And, as much as I'd enjoy a life of infinite bliss, I don't think you'd want to give up your entire human existence. Do you?"
"Jeana, I will love you from the bottom of my heart no matter where we are. I am willing to sacrifice anything to make you the happiest woman on Earth. But I will not follow through unless you are willing to come with me."
Sensing his truthfulness, Jeana embraced her husband. "I love you too, Kevin. And because I love you, I won't abandon you for anything."
Approaching the mermaid, Kevin and Jeana held hands in a reassuring embrace and told Kamila their wish in unison. "Kamila, we would like to join you in your ocean paradise as mermaids. Will you grant us this simple wish?"
The mermaid smiled her sexy smile. "Are you absolutely sure?"
"Yes. We wish to become mermaids like you."
Kamila directed Kevin and Jeana to join her in the water of the pleasantly warm tropical ocean. "It would be best if you two made the transformation away from land, just in case anyone might witness it. Besides, you may cry out in pleasure during your transformation," she explained with a wink. "Grab my hands... I'll take you out."
With powerful movements of her tail, Kamila guided Kevin and Jeana out into the moonlit ocean. The two of them clung firmly to her as she navigated the ocean with the utmost precision. About a half-mile offshore, Kamila squeezed each of their hands tightly and looked up into the heavens. Then, she focused her attention on a brilliant blue star nearly overhead and began a strange chant. "Vega, kema shete shanum dresimam rofem!"
With those words, Kamila released Kevin and Jeana from her grasp and swam off to one side. They noticed that their simple clothing had vanished into the sea. Quickly, an aura of magical energies enveloped each of them, and their incredible transformation began.
Beneath the ocean surface, although too dark to see, Kevin and Jeana could feel their legs gradually lose their rigidity. Their feet lost definition, and seemed to take on a slightly floppy appearance. As the bones diminished, their legs started to grow beyond their previous lengths. In essence, their legs had become long strands of cartilage that were nearly five feet long and moved in any direction they chose.
"I feel really weird!" Kevin cried out.
At that moment, their legs started to merge from the bottom up. The two strands become one with a slow zipper motion, closing the gap up to the thighs with cartilaginous flesh. Kevin's genitals disappeared into the rapidly converging tail. The ends of their emerging tails grew narrower, forming the classic tapering tail of a mermaid. Then, the end of each tail blossomed into a wide, beautiful tailfin, much like the one Kamila herself sported.
Involuntary moans of pleasure escaped from their mouths as the transformation reverberated through their bodies. "Oh.... this feels so wonderful!" Jeana exclaimed between gasps of air.
With their tails fully formed, small goosebumps began appearing on the surface of the human skin below the waist. Initially, they were the same color as the skin, but they shortly adopted a bluish tint. In moments, the goosebumps had fused together to become the same iridescent scales they had seen on Kamila. They covered the tail along its entire length, and seamlessly blended into human skin at the waist.
Years seemed to fade away from their bodies as the transformation continued. In the span of mere moments, they had regained an appearance like that of a teenager. Kevin and Jeana appeared to be young mermaids of Kamila's age with the help of the age regression. Jeana's breasts regained their lost youthfulness, and Kevin's beer belly withered away.
The waves of pleasure began to subside from Jeana's body. She began to move her new tail about, discovering how effortlessly she could move about in the water now. It curled in every direction, with movements that would have been impossible with the human legs she possessed moments before. Excitedly, she reached a hand down and gently stroked the scales that covered the surface of her beautiful new tail. "This is so neat," she commented, with a huge smile. She swam to join Kamila, and kissed her softly for offering such a wondrous gift.
Kevin, however, was still locked in his transformation. His face was frozen in a trance as the changes overtook his upper body. The hair vanished from his chest, and his frame grew smaller, taking on the shape of a young woman. With each passing moment, his breasts grew larger and larger, and within seconds he acquired the perfect bustline of a young woman. Finally, the changes reached his head. His masculine haircut quickly sprouted into a full mane of honey blonde tresses, framing his new feminine face. His crystal blue eyes sparkled with deep sensuality.
Regaining consciousness, Kevin spoke. "Wow, that was just amazing..." and stopped suddenly. Her voice had become fluid, womanly, and seductive. She looked down at her breasts, and beyond them, her new tail. Kamila had done her work with utmost precision, for both Kevin and Jeana were definitely beautiful mermaids like her in every way.
Much like Jeana had, Kevin explored her new tail and realized how simple it was to swim with it. She flexed a muscle she never had before, and her tailfin spread out until it was nearly a yard wide. She experimented a little more, and she found that she could float in place with ease using tiny undulations of her tail. "I need a new name," she cheerfully said. "Kevin does not fit with this new body."
Kamila swam up to her and said, "I have the perfect name for you - Audra! It was a name I wanted to give you... it means 'noble strength,' and you have proven yourself very well in that department!"
The new mermaid giggled, threw her long hair back, and struck a seductive pose. "You can call me 'Audra - the Little Mermaid!'"
Interrupting her reverie, Kamila spoke. "Audra, Jeana... as mermaids, there are three things that you must know. First and foremost, you must avoid contact with the human world. There's no telling what might happen if they should capture you. Second, I have modified your lungs to extract oxygen from the ocean water as well as from the atmosphere. You can stay beneath the surface for as long as you like. Third, your lifespan has increased tenfold... you will remain the youthful mermaids you are tonight for the rest of your long lives. Do you understand?"
"Oh yes," Audra and Jeana replied, still bending their tails in long arcs and flexing their tailfins. The sensations of life as mermaids were dramatically different from those of life as humans. "Oh Kamila, how can we thank you for turning us into such beautiful creatures?"
"Don't worry... this is my gift to you."
A thought suddenly occurred to Jeana. "Where will you live now, Kamila? We could make a lovely family of mermaids," she suggested, with a wink. "You've been out of the ocean for a long time."
Kamila grinned. "Follow me, girls," she invited. "I know of an underwater cave near the volcanic island. It may still be there."
The three mermaids flipped their tails and were off.
*****
At the Spells R Us shop, the old man closed the wooden door behind him, locking the store for the night. He knew from the start that the mermaid would invent a fictitious story for them, but he hardly cared at this point. All that mattered was that Kamila had given two people a new life in which they could be happy forever. Looking up at the stars, he wished that all his customers would benefit as much from his magic as Audra and Jeana.