Marina was excited to go to Coral Reef School. Yesterday she helped decorate the Autumn Tide Party with her magic bubbles. Now everyone smiled when they saw her.
Even Captain Crabby didn’t look grumpy. Well… not too grumpy.
Mrs. Tulla clapped her flippers. “Class, we have a special guest today!”
The seashell door opened…
In swam Princess Pearl! Her crown was pure white pearls that glowed like tiny moons, and she carried a shiny golden clamshell.
“Inside this shell,” she said proudly, “is the Lagoona Pearl! Without it, we cannot have the Festival of Glimmering Fins tonight!”
Everyone oohed and aahed.
Coralina whispered, “It’s beautiful.”
Finley whispered, “It looks like a giant fish egg.”
Sir Bubblesworth puffed. “Ahem! Royal pearls do not look like eggs!”
Princess Pearl opened the clamshell to show it off.
Then… RINGGG!
The school bell rang loudly.
Princess Pearl jumped.
The clamshell flipped…
And the Lagoona Pearl rolled away!
“My pearl!” she cried.
It zipped right out the window like a speedy bubble.
Mrs. Tulla gasped. “We must find it before the festival begins!”
Princess Pearl looked around. “Who can help me?”
Everyone stared at Marina.
Marina’s stomach felt twisty like seaweed. “M-me?”
“You have special magic,” Mrs. Tulla said kindly. “You can do it.”
Marina took a deep breath. “Okay… we’ll try!”
Searching Seastar Lagoon
Marina, Coralina, Finley, and Sir Bubblesworth zoomed after the pearl.
Marina called to a passing school of sparkly minnows:
“Hello! Did you see a pearl go by?”
She tried to speak softly — good thing, because minnows scare easily!
One brave minnow pointed a tiny fin. “It bounced toward the jelly café!”
So off they swam.
At the Jelly Café, a sleepy jellyfish slurped bubble tea.
Marina asked again, “Have you seen a pearl?”
The jellyfish raised one wiggly tentacle.
“It rolled toward the dark sea caves. Spooky place.”
He shivered and went back to sipping.
The friends gulped together.
Sir Bubblesworth shook. “The caves might make me puff permanently!”
But Marina thought about Princess Pearl’s sad face.
“We have to help,” she said. “Let’s go!”
Into the Dark Caves
The sea cave entrance looked like a giant whale mouth.
Drips of cold water fell from the rocks.
Coralina whispered, “Maybe you should float some light?”
Marina nodded and held out her hands.
Small sparkle-bubbles appeared, glowing like tiny stars.
They swam deeper…
CLINK… CLINK… CLINK.
Something shiny flickered around a corner.
“The pearl!” Finley whisper-yelled.
They peeked…
There was Captain Crabby.
He poked the pearl with one claw, muttering,
“Hmph! Could be a fake. Needs testing!”
“Captain Crabby!” Coralina scolded.
“That belongs to Princess Pearl!”
He jumped and slipped —
and the pearl went sliding up a tall rock!
It looked like it was going to fall into a deep crack!
Marina rushed forward.
“FLOAT!” she cried.
The pearl stopped mid-air — sparkling with bubbles around it!
She gently lowered it into her hands, slow like a falling feather.
Captain Crabby blinked. “Well. I… I suppose that was helpful. Hmph.”
Sir Bubblesworth puffed less than usual.
“I say! Marvelous!”
Finley cheered. “Marina saved the festival!”
A Shining Return
Everyone hurried back to school.
Princess Pearl ran (swam) toward them.
“You found it!” she said joyfully.
“You are a real hero!”
Marina blushed. “It was a team effort.”
Mrs. Tulla beamed. “Thanks to Marina’s magic, the festival can go on!”
Princess Pearl placed the Lagoona Pearl safely inside the clamshell again.
“Marina,” she said, “will you and your friends be my Special Magic Helpers tonight?”
Coralina squealed. “YES!”
Finley did a loop.
Sir Bubblesworth said, “Ahem. We humbly accept.”
Captain Crabby sighed. “I’ll let you kids enjoy the party. Hmph… maybe.”
Marina looked at her glowing pearl necklace.
She wasn’t just a shy mermaid with wild magic anymore.
She was someone who helped.
And that felt like the best magic of all.
⭐ Follow-Up Questions
1️⃣ Where did the Lagoona Pearl roll to after the school bell rang?
2️⃣ How did Marina save the pearl inside the cave?
3️⃣ How do you think Marina feels about her magic now?
