A walk to a friend

Just like every evening, you swim to the coast and wait for Minyo, your new land human friend.
She's always there, when you planned it.

The first time was the most exciting. You came early to watch the land humans do their things from your rock again.
When everyone started to leave, you had to wait for a long time until your Minyo friend came again.
You almost didn't expect it anymore, but she really came, probably even earlier than the last time.

Since then you've met her almost every day.
And sometimes Minyo doesn't have time for some days, so when you plan to meet multiple days later, she's still there.

Maintaining a friendship to a land human is really fascinating to you.
You learn so much about them, and she's also interested in your life.

One evening Minyo comes and you start talking again.
But you would also like to do something with her.
Maybe you should impregnate her before you lose contact to her.
Normally when you meet the same person multiple times, you try to impregnate them.

Hey, why did we never swim together?
I've seen land humans swim before.
Would you like to?

I like swimming. But no..., it's too dark already.

You look at Minyo making a sad expression.

But if you want, you can accompany me to my home.
I'm living there by my own.

Where is it?

It's not that close, so...

She knows how difficult moving is to you.

But... maybe I could carry you.
You aren't that heavy.
Are you okay with that?

You are scared. When she carries you far away from the coast, you won't be able to go back by yourself.

It sounds nice. But if I don't like it there, will you bring me back?

Yeah, but not today anymore. You might have to stay at least until tomorrow.
How long can you live without water?

You laugh.

What's funny?

I don't need water to live.
It's as if I would ask you how long you can live without land.

I don't think, I could swim forever.
I would probably drown after one day.

Drown?

I would sink and couldn't breathe anymore.

Breathe?

I need to breathe. I need air. Else I die.

Oh, I didn't know that. I probably should have called you air human.

You laugh.

Land human is better. I don't need land to live, just like you don't need water to live.

Oh, you're right.

It's still funny to you.

I really thought, you were just slower in water, just like I am slower on land.
You're lucky we didn't go swimming.
You probably would have drowned.

Minyo takes a while to answer.

Good, we didn't go swimming, I guess...
I wouldn't have expected you to do anything to me...

Only now she realizes what this means and suddenly she looks terrified.

If I had met you earlier, I might be dead now.
If we ever go swimming, don't take me under the water!

You just laugh.
It's kind of funny to kill someone accidentally.
It's just like the accident you had with that shark.

So will you take me to your home now?
Or should I leave again?

No, I'll take you.

She looks at your body, insecure where to touch you.

Without legs I can't piggiback you.

She looks at your chest.
You wonder, what she's looking. There's nothing interesting to see.

Would you mind, if I touch your chest?

You can touch me anywhere, as long as you carry me to your home.

She comes close to you, grabs you in your armpits, her thumbs pressing your chest, and takes you up.

You are looking directly into her face now.

This will probably be even easier than I thought.
Your fin must be a lot lighter than human legs.
But I can't hold you like this all the way to my home.
Let me try something.

She bends down and lifts you above her back, so you are lying on her shoulders.

Is this comfortable enough?

Yeah, it's fine.
Thank you!

She carries you away from the coast, and soon you're in the middle of the land.

There's a lot of nature and a few land human shelters.
The land plants look a lot different than the ones under water.

And you can see some paths. Where people move a lot, grass can't grow properly.
Not having to swim might even have benefits of making paths.
Maybe another reason why these land humans meet again.

As you keep walking you enjoy the nice land nature.
Not much happens though, until Minyo suddenly stops and seems confused.

I suddenly feel so wet. But you've been dry when I picked you up. Are you sweating?
Or is this something special because you're a water human?

No worries. It's just pee.

What the...

She lets you fall down to the ground.
It hurts a bit and you get dirty.
But the ground is mostly soft soil, so it's not too bad.

She takes off her wet body decoration.
She seems disgusted and slightly upset, when she looks at you.

You could have known, that the clothes are not allowed to get wet.
Why else would they take them off for swimming.
You're annoyed you already messed up.

Oh, I'm sorry.
I didn't know about your clothes. It's so obvious.
Can I help getting them dry again?

It's not about the clothes.
You peed on me!
Why did you do that?

I had to pee.
Don't land humans pee as well?

We do. But we don't pee on other people.

She's still drying herself with the dry part of her clothes.

I assume, when living in water, it's not such a bad thing.
Most of the time, nobody would even notice it, right?

Yeah, sometimes it smells, sometimes we even joke about what they have been eating, but most of the time nobody even notices.

It sounds similar to when we are farting.

Farts smell?
I didn't know that.
Probably because the air just goes up.

So take my top now, dry yourself, and let's go on.
We have to get home.
And don't ever pee on me again.
Else I might leave you here alone.

You dry yourself using the partially wet cloth.
Then she takes you up again.

Hopefully nobody will see me like this.

Why? Is it forbidden to wear no clothes?

No, I just don't want anyone to see me naked.
You don't care about that, I guess?

No, clothes don't exist where I live.
Why do you even have them?

She thinks about it.

I'm not exactly sure.
I think it's mostly to hide my body from people.
And if I trust someone, I don't mind if they see parts of my body naked.
So it's probably some way to show trust.
I only get naked in front of people I trust.

I think I should also get clothes, huh?

You might get some of my clothes.
You should be around my size.

Thanks.

It's pretty weird to carry a nude mermaid while I don't wear a top myself.
Whatever, we should be there, soon.

You're already looking forward to how a land human shelter looks from the inside.

So as you see it in the distance, you're already pretty excited.
It's a wooden building in the middle of the forest.
You would never build your houses like this.
You're really looking forward to enter it already.