The Misfit Mermaid, Part 2

Sorry about the delay folks.

Back down under the surface, Atalie had sneaked back into Pearlopolis, unseen. Gloomer was sulking under her bed about her latest adventure. She smiled. He would get over it, he always did. But he sure wasn’t named Gloomer for nothing.
The next day, she again managed to escape the city, but this time, she wasn’t planning on coming back for some time. The night before, she had been looking over all her treasures, and felt a longing to see actual land, where they were made. So, early that morning she had packed a few of her favorite trinkets and some food, and set off in the current with Gloomer right by her side. She would stop every few hours to find something to eat, and then continue in the current. Soon, she was farther away from home than she had ever been before. The current continued until nightfall, when the pull was next to nothing. So Atalie had to swim by her own power from here on. On the third day, she sighted land.
“Gloomer, there it is, land!” She exclaimed.
“Well its about time…ok lets go!” And he turned as if to swim away.
“Gloomer, we can’t leave yet! We just got here” She grabbed his shell and tucked it under her arm.
“But…but you said we could leave after we found land.” He complained.
“No, I said we could leave after I had explored and seen more of the human’s way of life. She corrected him.
The next three days she spent sneaking under piers, and hiding under ships and boats, trying to learn as much about the human way of life as possible. On the third day, a massive ship sailed into the harbor, and she was surprised to recognize it as the same ship she had seen the previous week. Hiding under the dock, she listened to the hubbub up above. Peering up through the water, she recognized the captain among the crowd of humans. Gloomer shifted uneasily next to her, but she gave him no notice. It was all so exciting, being so close to so many humans, and them never knowing it.
Up on the dock, a young cabin boy named Jimmy hurried off the ship. He was about twelve years old, but was so short; he could have passed for nine.
“Land! At last.” He sighed. After months of being stuck on the ship, it was good to have solid ground under ones feet. Eagerly, he walked down the dock. Suddenly, a burly sailor pushed past him, and Jimmy was knocked off the dock and into the water! Sinking
quickly to the bottom of the shallow water, he forced his eyes open, and couldn’t believe what he saw. There, in front of him, was a young girl with long black hair, and a bluish green tail instead of feet. She let out a gasp, (or at least he thought it was a gasp) and instantly swam away. Pushing against the sea floor, Jimmy resurfaced, and swam ashore. No one had noticed his fall, and as he staggered down the shore. The image of the girl couldn’t leave his mind. A mermaid!
“You’ve really done it this time Atalie! Now people will be diving out in the sea searching for you!” Shouted Gloomer once they were safely away.
“Well, he might not have seen me, human sight underwater is very weak.” She replied doubtfully.
“Not see you, ha! How could he miss you is what I want to know.”
“Even if he did see me, no one would believe him.”
“That, unfortunately is our only hope.” He said sourly. But even after all that, Atalie could still not bring herself to leave the shore just yet. Keeping a safe distance, she swam along the shore, stopping every now and then to poke her head ever so slightly out of the water. At last, she gave in to Gloomer, and began her journey back home. But all the while, the image of the boy underwater staring at her couldn’t leave her mind. She had been seen.
When Atalie and Gloomer arrived home, they were immediately ushered into the throne room where King Tristan sat, waiting. Atalie approached the throne, waiting for it to come. She didn’t have to wait long.
“ATALIE!!!!” He roared. “What do you have to say for yourself?!?”
“About what father?” She asked innocently.
“ABOUT WHAT? How about for sneaking away, stealing food from the kitchens, and no one seeing so much as a scale of your miserable tail for over a week!!”
“Oh, that. Well….”
“Never mind what! You are hereby grounded for the same amount of time as you were missing.”
“But father!”
“Go to your room young lady.” And he would have no more to say.
Poor Atalie swam desolately back to her bedroom with Gloomer, and flopped onto a comfortable chair, a large replica of a giant clam, with round white cushions for pearls.
“I told you we shouldn’t have gone.” Began Gloomer.
“Oh hush Gloomer, it was worth it.” She sighed. What would happen if her father ever found out she had been seen? Would he lock her up permanently, start attacking ships, or worse? He could not find out. Exhausted from her trip, she curled up, and went to sleep.