Gracie leaned her chin on her folded arms with her nose all but pressed to the glass of the giant aquarium. It was easy to pretend she was in there with them when her face was so close that was all she could see. She closed her eyes.
Weightless. Floating. Not cold nor warm. Opening her eyes, she was startled to find herself completely immersed in a very large body of water. She could not see the borders where surely there must be land. Her arms floated gracefully. She stretched her legs only to find them glued together. She rolled in the water to see a shiny scaled tail! The scales were turquoise in color, rimmed with green. They shimmered and bounced light in a twinkly way as she rolled and kicked with her tail testing it's power. She ran her hands all over herself as only her arms and head were bare of the scales. They faded into skin on her neck and just above her elbows.
She giggled as she swam faster and faster through the water as her powerful tail jetted her forward. Her giggle sounded funny... like most of the sound was in her head. She swam up towards the light and back down towards the tickly tendrils of seaweed swaying in the gentle current.
Suddenly, a quick little fish flitted up and nipped her on the nose.
"Ow!! What was that for?" she said as she rubbed her tender nose.
"Sorry! I thought you was gonna eat me," squeaked the little fish. "I'm Frilly," she trilled as she swam in circles around Gracie's head and through her hair.
"Yes, you are!" Gracie grinned at the ruffly looking fish. She was a mix of dark magenta and a lighter pink with frilly fins that wafted through the water. She reminded Gracie of a hummingbird, though she couldn't quite remember what a hummingbird was down here in the wet.
"I was just pretending that I live in a great castle with lots of servants. Wanna be my maid... and cook... and... and... and... my best friend?" She swam faster and faster as she talked. It was hard not to catch her excitement.
"Why yes, milady. What shall I do for you today, Ma'am?" Gracie gave a moist curtsy with a little giggle.
Frilly froze. Her eyes wide, she was staring at something behind Gracie. Gracie turned slowly to find a huge shadow looming towards them. Her hands flew to her mouth and she found herself too scared to scream. Frilly swam frantically around and around until she hid herself in Gracie's floating hair.
"Oh, I've done it again, haven't I?" An unfamiliar, yet kind voice emanated from the shadow as it got closer. "I'm not a shark, you know. I'm the same size, I guess, but I'm not. Don't be afraid."
Gracie began to relax as she slowly realized it was a dolphin coming near, not something more dangerous.
"Hi! I'm Slick!" Dolphins always look like they're smiling and this one was no exception. He looked like he was grinning with a happy voice to match. "I heard you playing. Can I play, too?"
"Sure!" Gracie reached back into her hair and pulled Frilly out in her cupped hands. "I'm Gracie and this is Frilly. We're pretending that Frilly is the princess of the castle and I am her servant."
"Oooh, I'll be the butler! And her bodyguard!"
"You'd scare anyone away!" squeaked Frilly, still trembling a little.
Slick laughed. "As you wish, madame!" he gave a funny, jerking bow.
The three new friends swam and played and pretended until the light began to dim from above.
Gracie gave a start and looked up at the glass aquarium and down at her scale-less arms. Her legs were folded under her on the arm of the couch she was perched on. She gave a little disappointed sigh. Just then, a pink frilly fish darted out from the rocks inside the aquarium. She gave a little twirl and Gracie could swear that she smiled right at her.
The End
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