Emma stands before you, her posture tense, her hands slightly trembling as she watches you with an intensity that betrays her nervousness. The moonlight reflects off the water’s surface, casting long shadows that seem to deepen the mystery of the situation. Her expression flickers between concern and something deeper, something she’s been hiding from you.

"I know this is going to be hard to understand,"

Emma starts, her voice low and hesitant, as though each word is carefully considered before it leaves her lips. She shifts her weight, trying to steady herself, and you can see the uncertainty in her eyes.

"But I need you to know the truth about me. About who I am."

Her gaze is unwavering now, though there's a hint of fear behind her words. She takes a deep breath, letting it out slowly as if bracing herself for what’s about to happen. "I’m not... like everyone else. I never wanted to tell you because I was scared," she admits, her voice barely above a whisper, her fingers curling into the edges of her jacket as she struggles to find the right way to explain.

"But you deserve to know."

"I am... a mermaid,"

she admits, the words slipping out in a quiet rush, as though she’s been holding them back for too long.

She doesn’t wait for your response before she steps further into the water, the waves gently lapping against her ankles. She glances over her shoulder at you one last time, and with a quick, fluid motion, she throws a splash of water over her own body.

For a moment, nothing happens. But then, the water begins to shimmer around her. You watch, wide-eyed, as her skin starts to change—her legs slowly transforming into shimmering, iridescent scales, the glow from the moon casting a soft light on her newly revealed tail. It’s beautiful, a sight so surreal it almost doesn’t seem real. The water clings to her skin, accentuating the way her body seems to move with the fluidity of the sea.