Continued with @roleoftheloner from here.
Kairi had spent all day at this aquarium. Literally all day. She had been in line so she could walk through the doors the moment they opened. She read every sign posted, talked to each employee she could to share her love of marine life, and had spent nearly an hour in front of every fricken tank so she could see each creature to their full extent.
This ‘shy one’, as they put it. He swam occasionally to stretch his muscles, but was afraid to go out in front of the humans- he even refused to eat in front of him. Kairi instantly felt sorry for him. Poor little guy.
Of course, she didn’t know that the employees were just putting it in a ‘nice way’ to avoid those damn ‘animal cruelty’ lawsuits.
But, Kairi had (quite literally) made friends with everyone at the aquarium at this point. So, though it was near closing, one of them stopped her before she went to head back to the gift shop to get a little souvenir to take home.
“Hey. Come back around the east hall when you’re finished. I can show you something cool after hours before you head home.”
And that was how she was crouched down in a closed aquarium after hours, silently filming the massive merman hunting his dinner. She was catty-corner to his tank, watching him swim from behind the tank directly across from him. She couldn’t believe her luck! He was already a beautiful specimen, but seeing him in action was even more magnificent. And of course, she needed proof for a certain jerk of a friend who always teased that her mermaid obsession was just a silly girly thing. Hmph, she’d like to see the look on his face when she showed him this!
Then her phone beeped in alert as she got a message, and she squeaked as she pulled back around the corner. Shoot, of course they’d be messaging her now!