The day was busy but with enough breaks to catch up and cuddle together. Between breakfast, lunch and dinner there were practice sessions. It wasn't too hard on Marilyn as she was basically an extra and she had pretty much to do everything that Sirena did. Sirena helped her out all day, teaching her the songs, showing her the ropes on swimming with visitors and doing some sunbathing while listening to Ursula sing and act, as she had one of the major parts. Ursula's voice was amazing and she looked fierce in her shiny black and dramatic makeup. She couldn't help rooting for her but of course the story was all about the little mermaid.
Before dinner she managed to get an hour and a half in with Kaz in his lab. He had gotten her a wheelchair so she could move around outside the water but that turned out more problematic than she thought. Her tail was so long and heavy that she kept slipping off. Eventually he moved her over to a table on a forklift that she could lie on but it wasn't very comfortable either. As sleek and elegant as she was in the lower gravity of the water, as clumsy she was on dry land. He promised her he would move part of the lab so she could do experiments while staying in the water.
One of the projects they worked on was the new glove tentacle for Ursula. Marilyn learned how the nerves could be connected from just under the real skin to somewhere on the artificial skin. And yes, after some pushing he confessed that he had used some of that technology to give her a pleasure spot inside her body. He didn't think she would have found out so soon but he was happy that she was intimate with Ursula. And she explained to him why she wanted to be able to use the new tentacle as well. They agreed that he would practice on her arm first once the glove was ready before performing the surgery on Ursula.
Sunday came and it was a day off while the season had not started yet. Marilyn needed to call her mom as she had promised to do so. Her phone was in a dry area of the room and Ursula wanted to know if she needed some privacy during the call. But Marilyn shook her head, she had no secrets for Ursula. Other than the new glove she would wear before Ursula, she mused.
When her mom answered she said, Mom it's Mar... Joe, how are you?
Her mom actually didn't believe it, as her voice was too girly. But when she explained the mermaid role she was playing and that some modifications had been necessary her mom finally believed it was her... him. She didn't get in too deep how female she looked, it would just freak her mom out. But mom was very happy when she told about the side job she had with Kaz that could turn into a fulltime job once the mermaid stint was over. And mom also liked to hear about her new friend Ursula. She's sweet and sexy, Marilyn said, while she winked at Ursula who was lazily listening to the conversation. And who got a blast when she heard Marilyn's mom tell her to be safe when they would get more intimate. Mom said she was going to visit in the summer after she learned that there was indeed a family discount. And even better, for close family of the mermaids even sleeping quarters were provided close by, as the mermaids couldn't tour with them through the park. When she finally hung up, after promising to call in two weeks again, Marilyn realized her mom would find out she was more a daughter now than a son but she'd deal with it whenever it happened.
The park would open a week from now and between meals, practices and lab work with Kaz, Marilyn and Ursula settled in a very loving relationship that grew stronger and stronger. The sex was amazing and very frequent. It was clear to the group of mermaids that they were an item although not all of them understood what Marilyn saw in the tentacle girl when there were so many beautiful mermaids available. Apparently, though she was respected for her role as the bad witch, Ursula was still considered different or even inferior as she was a bottom dweller who could not swim very well and those tentacles were not very appealing, no matter what Marilyn said.
They finished the glove tentacle that week, Kaz explaining how the "muscles" worked with electric signals generated by the sensors attached to the fingers, hand and wrist. The signals would contract or relax stretches of elastic yet firm material that was connected to the inside of the tentacle skin. Microscopic thin wires were connected to the artificial nerves just under the skin, leading to a metal cuff inside the glove. That cuff would magnetically connect to a wide bracelet on the arm. It looked like a fancy gold piece of jewelry but it would be permanently connected to the arm in a surgical procedure during which a number of nerves would be connected to the inside of the band. Then when the glove was pulled on the magnet inside the cuff would line up the band with it and thus connect the real nerves with the artificial ones.
They would perform the surgery on Marilyn's left arm and she would be numbed locally so that she could see what happened. The arm was fixed in a vice so she couldn't accidentally move. It was a very weird experience during which she almost passed out because of all the blood. But Kaz kept explaining what he was doing, identifying the nerves and one by one redirecting it to the metal band that slowly became part of her arm. It took hours and when finally done she had to sleep it off in the recovery pod she had used before. When she woke up the pain was mostly gone and the glove was ready waiting for her. When she pulled it on she felt the quick sensation when the band and the cuff lined up and attached. And suddenly not only did she have control over the tentacle movement with a much tighter control than the old one, but she also could feel it when she touched something with the tentacle. It was the weirdest sensation but Kaz explained that her brain would slowly get used to it and identify the sensation as a touch to a certain part of the skin.
She kept on the glove in order to get more used to it before she would try it out on Ursula. She tried to pick up tools which was easier underwater than above it. She tried to draw on a piece of paper which was a disaster. Kaz made notes and they came to the conclusion that a more direct connection with the brain would be needed in order to improve control from the point where they were now. Not impossible but it would mean a permanent connection and Marilyn wasn't ready for that yet. And they guessed Ursula wasn't either.
That night the new tentacle was a hit. Marilyn had enough control to pleasure Ursula deep in her womb and she enjoyed the "feeling" she got from it as well. She knew it would only get better over time. Ursula was pleasantly surprised with what was in store for her. Marilyn figured they could get her first bracelet attached in a matter of days.
The park opened and it was busy from day one. People loved the interaction with their favorite movie characters and scenes. But they were in awe about the mermaids. They were so realistic and anybody paying to swim with the mermaids would have sworn that these were real. There were even swimming tours through the mermaid quarters which made it even more clear that these were not just actors donning a tail and go home at night. Disney did nothing to stop the rumors that the mermaids were perhaps real. Add Ursula in the mix with all her control over her tentacles and the greatest critics were stunned. Needless to say, the whole underwater scene was very profitable.
It was also hard work with extra swimming sessions added in as there was such a demand. Marilyn noticed two specific groups that either wanted to swim or were ogling through the glass wall. Little girls of course and surprisingly their fathers, or men in general. She let the girls touch her but the men could only brush by.
One day, one of the male guests, who seemed in very good shape, wanted to race her. At first she declined but he kept challenging her and finally she gave in. It was a decent stretch and she swam circles around him and even jumped over him, fully out of the water. That resulted in an applause from a large group of visitors who had stayed just to see the race.
Over the next few weeks the concept of racing was added to the show and it drew a lot of audience. Most of the mermaids were involved and quite competitive when racing against each other. Obstacles were added and they had to jump over them.
The most popular race in what was quickly known as the "Merlympics" was a combination of a mermaid with a sort of saddle on her back and then a kid "riding" her. All mermaids participated as waiting lists were running into days already and extra races were added.
Parents paid a fortune to see their kids on the back of a mermaid. But Disney made it worthwhile with every race filmed in 3D and Dolby and every mermaid carrying a life action camera. They had to swim at the surface level or just under so that the kids could breathe. And it was over in about a minute although the celebration round typically lasted longer. Marilyn won a few times but after a win would get a heavier kid the next time and it really was tougher the more weight you carried. But it caused every mermaid to win once in awhile and keep it fun for everybody.
In good Disney spirit all mermaids got a bonus, as the extra work and income had not been anticipated. Quickly extra stands were built that were always full and all across the world the Merlympics were now advertised as the number one thing to see and participate in while visiting Orlando.
Other than that the shows became routine and with the warmer weather resting on the rocks became a favorite among the mermaids. Marilyn loved it as much as any and particularly enjoyed the way all the tails were touching, either all stacked against each other or crossed over. It created a bond with what she now considered all of her sisters. Sometimes one tiny touch from one to the next and they would all slide or jump into the water, then hand in hand all of them would speed up and the whole group would jump out of the water. Over time they got so experienced that each of them would clear the surface leaving the audience in awe. It only added to the rumors that these were no actors but real mermaids. This lead to the point that all of them had to sign an addition to their contract, preventing them to ever disclose the secrets of how they had turned into a mermaid.
Marilyn was very aware that Ursula could not participate in a lot of the extra activities and she made sure to join with her so she didn't feel excluded. They always ended up in Kaz's lab, thinking of ways to improve her swimming and her speed. They did a lot of investigation on real octopuses and how they moved and if any of nature's design could be applied to Ursula. The three of them became very tight and they knew it was just a matter of time before they found a solution and perhaps Ursula would get her own show as part of the Merlympics.