Chapter Text
The Hawaiian sun beat down on seven-year-old Lilo Pelekai as she ran toward the water. After what seemed like an eternity of waiting, she was thrilled to finally go back to the beach. A tropical storm had finished battering the island with high winds and heavy rain, keeping her and the other residents stuck inside for days. Now that the harsh weather had passed, the gentle waves were extra inviting. Lilo loved the ocean. It was her playground, her sanctuary. A place where she was completely free. She couldn't wait to dive back in.
She splashed into the shallows, the cool water a welcome contrast to the warm sand. She swam further out, her small arms working hard as she navigated toward her favorite coral reef. Schools of bright yellow tangs darted in and out of lavender sea fans. Angelfish grazed on algae, their scales shinning like jewels. It was a kaleidoscope of colors everywhere she looked.
And thanks to Jumba's latest invention, Lilo could enjoy it on a much more personal level. He invented a pill that allowed the body to recycle oxygen in the lungs without having to breathe in new air. An internal scuba tank. This let Lilo remain submerged for hours. The pill also allowed Lilo to use some of the recycled air to talk while underwater. Even though the fish never responded, it helped to vent her frustrations. Like when Mertle made fun of her during hula practice, or when the store ran out of her favorite guava jelly. Just having something listen without judgement, in one of the most tranquil settings on Earth, was the best therapy she could ask for.
Having taken the pill, Lilo took a huge breath and dove down to the sandy bottom. Almost immediately a crowd of seahorses surrounded her, their orange bodies dancing along with the rhythm of the current. Before Lilo could react to their display, they swiftly scattered in all directions, ducking between the rocks and coral almost as quickly as they arrived.
"Okay, hide and seek it is," Lilo said laughing. She swam between the curtains of reef fish blocking her path, looking for any sign of orange in the endless swirl of colors. Suddenly, a flash of blue caught her eye on the sea floor. Lilo swam toward the color with curiosity.
That's when she saw her.
A girl, about her age, with long, flowing brown hair. But it wasn't her hair that made Lilo gasp – it was what lay beneath. Instead of legs, the girl possessed a magnificent tail. Her scales shimmered in every shade of blue from sapphire to turquoise.
A mermaid.
Lilo had only ever seen mermaids in storybooks and on television. She never thought they could be real. The mermaid child was crouched motionless in the sand, her emerald-colored eyes fixed on Lilo in a frightened gaze. Looking closer, Lilo noticed her tail was pinned between some coral and a large boulder.
Sensing the mermaid's fear, Lilo held up her hands in a gesture of peace. "Don't be scared," she said. "I won't hurt you. In fact, maybe I can help."
She looked around, spotting a piece of driftwood stuck in the nearby sand. Tropical storms usually wash debris from the ocean closer to shore. Picking it up, Lilo slowly approached the trapped creature, being careful not to startle her.
"My name is Lilo," she said pointing to herself. Then she pointed to the girl. "What's your name?"
The mermaid remained frozen. She noticed Lilo's eyes held no malice, only curiosity and kindness. Her voice was gentle and reassuring. Lilo wasn't behaving like the humans in the stories she heard while growing up. Stories where humans captured merfolk, stole their magic, and polluted their home. Still, she couldn't shake the feeling of distrust. She spent her whole life hearing that the surface world was a place of danger and greed. Against her better judgment she whispered, "Lana."
"Lana," Lilo repeated. "That's a pretty name. I'm going to try and pry this rock off your tail. Let me know if I'm hurting you." Lilo slid the wood under the sand, positioning it at an angle near the base of the tail. With some force, she was able to lift the boulder enough to have Lana slide free. If she had the energy, Lana would have swam away, but instead she fell back exhausted into the sand.
"Thank you," Lana said softly.
"You're welcome," Lilo answered with a smile. "How did you get stuck?"
"I was swimming in the reef during the storm when a big wave knocked the boulder onto my tail," Lana explained. "I've been here for hours. Nobody came looking for me."
"That's not right," Lilo replied with a huff. "Wouldn't your family look for you if you didn't return home?"
Lana's shoulders slumped as she turned away from Lilo, focusing instead on a turtle eating some kelp. "Nobody would risk being seen by a human, not even to save a family member. My mother says humans are bad and need to be avoided."
"Not all humans are bad," Lilo said with a slight hint of annoyance. "Just like not all mermaids are bad, right?"
"I...I don't know," Lana stammered, turning back to her young rescuer. She had never thought about it that way. She had always been told that humans were evil. But looking at Lilo, she couldn't reconcile that belief with the reality before her. Still, some fear lingered.
"I'm not dangerous," Lilo said earnestly. "I just want to be friends." Lana took a long look at Lilo. She saw honesty, compassion, a genuine desire for friendship. Against all her instincts, she decided to take a leap of faith.
"Okay," Lana said, sternly narrowing her eyes. "But you have to promise, you can't tell anyone about me. Not your family, not your friends, no one." Lana knew she would have to keep Lilo a secret as well. She didn't want to think about what would happen if the merfolk back home learned that she was seen by, let alone talked to, a human.
"I promise," Lilo said, her face lighting up. "I swear on Stitch. He's my...well, he's my friend. And he's very important to me."
Lana didn't understand the reference, but she understood the significance of the promise based on the amount of conviction in Lilo's words.
For the rest of the afternoon Lilo and Lana played together away from any prying eyes. Since Lana was new to the reef, Lilo showed her the best hiding places, where to find colorful shells, and the most playful sea creatures. Lana wished she could show Lilo some of her favorite mermaid spots, but that would be too risky.
They learned about each other's lives. Lilo told Lana about her family, her hula lessons, and her mischievous friend Stitch. She also explained how she was able to stay and talk underwater way longer than a human should be able to. Lana told Lilo about her life in the underwater kingdom, and her lessons in mermaid magic.
Lana wanted to be an explorer. Her dream was to see every part of the ocean. That's what led her to sneak away and go closer to shore during the storm. She figured humans wouldn't be around in such bad weather, and she would be able to experience a new setting in peace. Mermaid culture was one of solitude and confinement. Traveling meant a higher chance of being seen or captured by humans, so it wasn't done unless absolutely necessary. But Lana thought it was worth the risk, and was an outcast at home because of it. Lilo explained that she also felt like an outsider among her own kind, that she knew what it was like to feel alone and misunderstood.
As the sun began to cast long shadows across the ocean floor, Lilo knew she had to go home. She felt a pang of sadness at the thought of leaving Lana.
"I have to go now," Lilo said, her voice filled with regret. "But can we meet again tomorrow?"
Lana's face brightened. "Really?"
"Of course! I'll come back to the same spot, same time. Unless..." Lilo quietly trailed off, remembering how merfolk were supposed to stay away from humans. "You don't want me to."
Lana shook her head, affectionately taking Lilo's hand in hers. "I want you to," she said sincerely. "I've never had a human friend before."
Lilo smiled. "I've never had a mermaid friend before."
They said their goodbyes, promising to keep their secret safe. Lilo swam back to shore, her heart filled with joy. She had found a new friend in the most unexpected of places. As she walked along the beach, the setting sun painted the sky in shades of orange and pink. Lilo thought about the promise she made to Lana. She had a secret, a precious secret, and planned to keep it no matter what.
Back in the depths of the reef, Lana watched Lilo disappear into the distance. A smile played on her lips. For the first time in her life, she felt a sense of hope. A feeling that perhaps the world wasn't as dangerous and divided as she had always been led to believe. Maybe humans and mermaids could be friends after all.
However, Lana also knew they needed to be careful, that not everybody would be able to understand. Still, it warmed her to know that friendship could blossom anywhere, even among those who were told to be enemies. Their relationship would be a challenge, and Lana was ready to face that challenge alongside her new friend Lilo.