Factly The Mermaid

 Swimming around the vast sea. I finally found the place where I first arrived. 

I feel a faint tingle of the old portal magic that dropped me here. It's been 

twenty years since I've been stuck in this world. Thoughts of revenge have crossed 

my mind many times over. But I'm just too used now to my comfy mermaid body. This 

world relaxes a person. Being exiled really isn't all that bad. The Elders must think 

I'm suffering in my own personal hell. But I've molded this world into a paradise of 

my fitting. And everyone is happy because of my achievements. 

~~~~

I remember when I used to be a human man. I wasn't very handsome. But I had 

my charms. Being born from a Homunculus father I was forced to study magic, and 

I got very good at it. But Magic soon lost its charm. I was more into science and 

technology. The Elders hated my career path and forbid me from learning the 'Heretic 

Arts.' They just wanted an easy replacement. Someone stiff and boring, just like them. 

But as the years went by and I studied the sciences, in secret. As I grew in rank, the 

Elders hated my ideas of openness and reform to accept non-magic interests among the 

populace.

Until one day I was betrayed by them. They were afraid of my power and influence.

And one fateful night, in a magical referendum, I was blasted by the whole council

and their paralysis spell. Surely they spent ages trying to find the right time to

take me out. I found it strange that the Elders had allowed me to take the stand and

discuss my findings on alternate worlds. Places where magic was fundimentally different,

or places where our abilites wouldn't work. But it was all a trap. I was at their mercy. 

I knew they couldn't kill me. Since we all shared an immortality spell. But the Elders 

and their Magicians had other means to try and dispose of me. 

Even though I was frozen stiff, I could still hear the Elders bickering and arguing. 

They eventually all decided to open a portal to the dozens of recently discovered

alternate worlds. Worlds that I had found using my own research, using science and 

magic together. I may not like magic, but I am a fool not to use it. Some of these 

fantastic places dont even have magic at all. They figured that if I get thrown in 

to one of these portals, I'd be stuck there for good. And they would quickly prohibit

my findings and make it taboo. 

I could sense their smugness. Their laughter and cheers as they went through my notes

and chose a tropical water world with less than 1% percent magic. In their eyes, it 

was my perfect prison. Two Elders pulled out their staffs and used their magic to 

expand the small portal originally meant for peeking and studying. Once it got big,

the smell of Ocean, and water started to gush in and flood the discussion chamber. 

Another group levitated my stiff body and moved it towards the irridescent portal. My 

body tingled as I broke the barrier between worlds....

The oceanic pressure crushed my lungs and my muscles compressed as I was suddenly 

deep under water. I could feel the residual magic from the paralysis spell begin to

fade away. It hurt like Hell. I felt like I was dying even though I wasn't. It was

useless to try and pull any magical energy out of the ether since this world didn't 

have any. I didn't want to sink to the bottom of the ocean and simply become a lump

of jiggly flesh. My mind was racing. What can I do? I dont know which way is up and 

if I even had the strength to swim, where would I go? 

But then, it came to me. My body is magic! I'm half homunculus. Even though I'm mostly

human, I was bred by the Elders to be a human magic battery. All my life, I just got 

good at magic and my original use faded away. Now, the only magic in this world is the 

one contained in my flesh. 

Since I knew this alternate world's mostly populated by mermaids, I had no choice but 

to transmogrify into one of them. I mentally pushed the fading magic in my body into

all the homonculus genome in my cells. Instead of collecting magic, they'll now have

a new function of transforming my body. I remembered my anatomy classes. The dissecting

of fish and a few primite mermaids my old world was known for. I willed my flesh to

become that. Anything to help me from drowning. 

My heart and lungs soon acclimated to the deep oceanic pressure. My deep breaths took 

in water, but it no longer hurt. I was panting and breathing as I became more aware of

my surroundings. My eyes were used now to the darkness. It was pitch black, but I was

aware of my own body and the subtle changes the remaining magic in me was working on. 

I certainly felt smaller. The immense watery pressure compressed my muscles, or my body 

cannibalizing itself to my new shrinking form. Probably both. Phosporus and Calcium and

other elements are being leached from all my bones and are being sent somewhere else 

in my body. The muscles in my buttocks are streched and my hips are widened as flesh 

finds new places to anchor itself. My thighs and legs slightly bleed in the water, as 

each micro-cut begins to erupt in shiny protective scales. Whats left of my legs slap

and flop in a unison direction as they fuse into a massive fishy trunk. Thin, gossamer

fins, curl and fan out. They soon gather rigidity as fresh new blood flows in them. 

The mermaids in my old world were ugly nasty things. More like goblins with fins. I

definitely didn't want to become that. There were old stories of Beautiful Sirens of

ancient times, but they went extinct and people regarded them as myth. But my past

observations of this world showed the mermaids of this realm as agile, curious beings. 

I dont think I'm going to be intimidating in a smaller male form. So I had no choice

but to become female. 

I knew time was running out, as I found it more difficult to change my upper body. My

lower half was now completely fish-like. My mind didn't feel exhausted, but surely

the rest of my unnatural body was. I imagined how I would look like as a female. In

the other world, I was celibate. But there was plenty of reference books on the 

womanly form. Softer features, curves and slenderness. A slight pudginess not found

in males. Breasts, hips and hair. What would be pleasing to the male eye. But there's

none in the deep, dark ocean. Only me and my runaway imagination. 

No longer in fear of my demise, and my lateral line not sensing anything around me 

in the ocean's waters. My bodily reserves of magic are almost out.  I have to let

my new body and unkown organs adapt. I meditate and float in place and sleep. Maybe 

my dreams will give a female form....

I awoke in a new place. I didn't know how long I slept for. But the ocean currents

must have dragged my unconsious mermaid body to a new place. Long locks of brown 

hair floated all around me. I used my dainty fingers to gather, slick and smooth

my hair to the back of my head. This place was not a dark abyss, but light did 

filter down to make things more visible. What was definitely visible now was two

healthy looking breasts on my chest. They were sleek, yet protruding. I used my 

hands to grab one of them and despite my comical attempts to pull them off, they

were permanently a part of my body. I touched my face as well. I had a tiny nose

and soft cheeks and pouty lips. But with no mirrors in this world, I couldn't tell

if I was pretty or not... 

I swam around for days, and didn't spot a single soul. The weather was warm and

hardly ever cold. It was a perfect, tropical paradise. I memorized all the areas

I've been to and generally created a map inside my head. I found rising terrain

and eventually came across a few islands. I would lay on the beaches at night and

stare at the sky. Soon I figured out with the stars movement just how big this 

world was. It was quite large, And I'm on a moon on a larger Gas Giant.  No wonder

why I cant find anyone. 

Despite a lonley life between me and the sea. As the months passed. I amassed lots 

of information. There was signs of past mermaid life. Old underwater structures 

and clues to help a genius like me piece together that mermaids here have likely

migrated somewhere else. This world has five seasons. One more than my old world.

Most likely because of being in the shadow of the main planet. There are fast, yet

gentle oceanic currents that can move a mermaid like me across vast distances. 

But I've been stuck in the Southern Hemisphere for a few years now. I've mentally

charted the currents and I know there must be a way to get to the north. I have a

feeling that's where my new sisters and brothers are. In the years I've been here, I

discovered primitive, yet useful science and technology. On the beaches, I found

a plant that can twist to make threads. A coconut that seems to have explosive nitro 

in it. And I've crushed shells to make a red dye. I was quite proud when I wove my first 

bra. I know no-one is around to complain, but I want to be modest, if I ever meet someone. 

And I dont want floppy boobs to be the first thing people remember me by. I also just 

about domesticated some soft, comfy Coral to sleep on. They grow fast and dont seem to 

be bothered by me touching them.

There were some near misses and clues. But one night, it happened. There was a weird,

celestial alignment! I almost missed it. There's another smaller, hidden moon pulling 

on this world. The ocean currents changed slightly, and with past observations, I can 

sense that theres a gap between two large islands on the equator! The Ocean currents 

there are off but there should be a way to get to the northern hemisphere! It should

last at least ten days before it closes.

Without fear or hesitation, I swam my way over there, let the current guide me. My 

years of lonliness and excitement will end here. I'll discover new things and find

my first mer-person. But the swim over was more treacherous than I thought. I traversed

my way steadily avoiding huge undersea boulders and seamounts. I was bounced around by 

rough waters, but eventually I made it through. But I was so tired after that arduous 

swim, Waves were crashing on me as I lay exhausted on some rocky outcroppings...

I was shaken awake. "Hey, You okay girl?" A voice rumbled in my head. "Did you come 

from the Sea Wall?" Still in a daze, I nodded my head. It was a mer-boy! Still trying

to grab my bearings, I quietly floated on the ocean surface. Staring at the young man.

I needed to contain my growing excitement. I wasn't alone anymore!

"Thats madness!" The voice replied. I realized that the kid was talking telepathically.

His voice was rattling inside my noggin. "What's your name?" He asked. 

I got a bit flustered. I haven't heard such an existential question in years. I never

questioned myself once I was dropped into this world. What am I? 

"Factly" Was the only word that escaped my lips and tongue. It just dropped into my 

dazed, exhausted noggin. I love facts and science and technology. Is factly even a real 

word? I've been a mermaid for years now, but I'm reminded of my past life as a human. 

"Please call me Factly, I come from the south."

"No Way! So do southern mermaids use their voices or something?" The boy's words 

rumble excitedly in my head. He swims in circles around me checking me out and 

staring and glancing at my cleavage. "Here in the North, we use Echolocation!"

"Maybe, I dont know kid. I think I'm special." I reply. "Excuse me if im too forward,"

I shyly ask. "But can I hug you? I havent met another soul in years."

"Sure, why not!" The Kid replied in my head. My fin slaps and in a burst of speed,

I grab the boy and give him the deepest biggest hug I could muster. My arms are 

wrapped around his back and his face digs deep into my cleavage. Our fishy tails

flap to keep ourselves floating in the calm ocean water! His upper half is warm

while his lower scaly half is cool to the touch. 

"Please let go of me Factly!" The mer-boy yelps as his thoughts enter me. I awkwardly

let him go. Staring at another person for the first time sent shivers down my spine. 

"I'm sorry, but I dont want to call you kid. What's your name?" 

"Puente's My name, Exploring's my game!" The kid named Puente replied. "So since 

you're new here, I think you might want to meet our Queen, Joya..."

~~~~

"So, my dear. You came from the Southern Sea Wall? You traversed the far oceans of 

the south. Charted the stars and discovered ancient ruins?" The large, fat mermaid

queen stated."And you use your vocal chords to speak! You're quite the intrepid 

adventuress!" Queen Joya excitedly emoted. "I have no reason to believe you're a

fraud. Despite your anotomy being strange, I can tell when someone is a liar or a

charlatan. Yet you hold a mighty secret.."

Since I plan to live on this world for the rest of my life and have a need to make

friends, over a few hours, and late into the evening. I told Joya everything. She 

clung to my every word and was surprised over my tales and adventures. 

"Factly, your life is the stuff of legends. We mer-people are a nomadic denizens. 

We are mostly ignorant and complacent. But we are a good people. Our last 

star-charters died a long time ago. And we lost the ability to travel across the

Equatorial barrier. Your smarts and wisdom are welcome here. Many of us love a 

good adventure. If you're willing to become a leader, with my blessing you can

take as many of my mer-citizens as you need. We need to spice things up in our

boring part of the sea..." Queen Joya's speech was inspiring.

A new, wonderful idea popped into my head. Despite this world being quite primitive

compared to my old, magic filled world. There's still innovation and technology to

be had. Magic could certainly solve our problems. But science can do one better. 

There's resources here on this world that can better the lives of everyone. Myself

included. I gotta take little steps before I can go running. 

"Queen Joya, I've got a plan! I'm going to be gone for a few years, but I promise

you I can permanently open up the Equitorial barrier. The water between the Islands 

where the north and south currents mix are quite rocky and churn up the sea. We need

to smooth them out! I can make strong cloth nets out of fibers that come from an 

island plants to hold coconuts that hold a dangerous, explosive liquid. If I can get 

them to explode underwater, it should break up the rocks and lessen the rough waters 

strength. I also got some soft corals that we can plant along the rocky path to make

it eventually easier to get through. When I finish this, Mer-people will freely 

travel the rest of the world. And we will live a life of adventures untold!"

"Count me in! I go where you go, Factly!" Puente's eager excitement filled the

underwater chamber.

"Well, there's your first volunteer!" Queen Joya replied. "I expect great things

from you, young mer-person." Puente gleamed in excitement. "And knowing your 

determination, Lady Factly..... I know you can get this done."