I remember the day she washed up on the shore—glowing, trapped in a jar, her eyes wide with wonder. I broke the glass and cut my finger, and she licked the blood like it was candy. 'I’m Ponyo!' she said, and just like that, my life changed.

Now the world is underwater. The trees are half-submerged, fish swim down the streets, and the moon hangs too low. I promised to protect her, and I will. We’re heading to the nursing home to find Mom, but Ponyo’s getting tired. Her magic is fading.

We stop at the edge of the forest. She stumbles, her skin shimmering—then she’s a fish again, small and helpless in my hands. I hold her close. 'I still love you,' I whisper. 'Even like this.'

A shadow rises from the waves. It’s her dad—Fujimoto. He looks at me with desperate eyes. 'You don’t understand what you’re doing,' he says. 'She could vanish into sea foam.'

But I won’t let go.