Fairy Tail Fairy Tales

6. The Scorpion's Mermaid

(Adapted from Disney's The Little Mermaid.)

The ocean glitters greenish-blue under the gorgeous open sky. Birds are flying and porpoises are swimming happily. From the ocean mist, a ship appears crashing through the waves.

The sailors sing while they work on board, hauling fish, pulling ropes and hoisting sails. "I'll tell you a tale of the bottomless blue,

And it's hey to the starboard, heave ho!

Look out, lad, a mermaid be waitin' for you

In mysterious fathoms below."

Scorpio grins and leans out over the side. "Wicked, isn't it?! The salty sea air, the wind blowing in your face... a perfect day to be at sea!"

Leo, his right-hand man- or cat- is leaning over the side. His orange lion ears twitch. "Oh, yes... delightful." His voice carries up sarcastically.

Capricorn walks by. "A fine, strong wind and a following sea. The Celestial King must be in a friendly sort of mood."

"The Celestial King?" Scorpio repeats.

"Why, ruler of the merpeople, lad." Cancer replies. He starts to braid rope. "Thought every good sailor knew about him."

"Merpeople!" Gemi, a sailor boy, gasps in delight. "Peedee, peedee!"

Leo lifts his head long enough to say, "Scorpio, pay no attention to this nautical nonsense. Merpeople don't exist."

"But it ain't nonsense, it's the truth." Cancer says, looking up from his rope. "I'm tellin' you, down in the depths o' the ocean they live." He gestures to the ocean all around them with his scissors. Why he has them to braid rope, Scorpio had no clue.

He gives up on the conversation and turns back to the wild sea waves.

The sailors continue to sing. "Heave! Ho! Heave! Ho! In mysterious fathoms below!"

The ocean is dark when the water is deep. All that lives there are fish and plants. Or is it?

A merman swims past. Then a mermaid. Then a few more. They all head into a cavern.

Then a faint light up ahead grows brighter and brighter until they swim out into a great hidden reef with a glorious castle in the middle. Colorful stone makes up the walls, and it glows as bright as the brightest star.

The merpeople all swim into a concert hall inside and settle into seats. A fanfare ensues.

Sagittarius, the royal announcer, as well as a seahorse, goes up to the stage. "Ahem. His royal highness, The Celestial King!"

The king enters dramatically, holding his trident and smiles hugely. The merpeople cheer.

He settles in his throne.

Sagittarius continues. "And presenting the distinguished court composer, Juvia Lockser!"

They all smile excitedly and clap, ready for the concert.

Juvia swims up to her position in front of the king.

"I'm really looking forward to this performance, Juvia." Mustache-face says. His nickname came from the very large mustache that he has always had. He thinks it is jovial and a perfectly hilarious idea to have a nickname.

"Oh, your majesty, Juvia is nervous." The conductor whispers nervously in third person.

"No need to worry." He says kindly. "SMILE! This will be the finest concert you have ever conducted!"