The Highwind rode through the choppy weather as the royal couple stepped out onto deck to see their only daughter balancing herself on the bowsprit.
"ANNE!"
Vincent sighed as Lucrecia raced to the front of the ship to shout at the princess.
"Get back here at once!" she barked and Anne glanced over her shoulder at her "You'll be killed!"
"I can swim," the princess meekly replied as she gripped the rope above her in case she did slip.
"Anne, listen to your mother," Vincent said as he joined Lucrecia's side "It's not good for her health every time you put yourself in danger."
"And what are you wearing?!" Lucrecia shrieked.
"It's alright, Yer Majesty!" Captain Cid called from the steering wheel "Those are the finest threads you'll find on this ship."
"And they're comfortable," Anne shrugged as she turned around fully, showing off the sailor's loose shirt and trousers.
"You look indecent, for Gaia's sake you're sixteen!"
Anne looked bored as she ignored her mother and glanced out towards the fog that surrounded the ship. Vincent squeezed Lucrecia's shoulders as she stumbled, feeling the sea sickness again.
"Anne, come down," he urged "The weather seems to be taking a turn for the worst, you might lose your grip."
"Not to mention the creatures that lurk in these waters!" Lucrecia said sharply as she swallowed heavily before fanning herself.
"You get merfolk around here."
Anne looked sharply towards Cid who grinned at her.
"They'll save ya, no problem."
"Don't get ideas into her head!" Lucrecia snapped to the captain as she glared at him "Merfolk do not exist."
"They do."
Vincent bowed his head in defeat as Lucrecia glared at Anne who had moved a little closer.
"I was saved by one when I was a little girl."
"Anne, for the millionth time, you bumped your head and dreamed it up," Lucrecia said as patiently as she could.
"Mother," Anne sighed.
"Anne, could you please come down?"
Vincent offered his hand to Anne.
"We're nearly home, they'll be lots of people awaiting our arrival. Come get dressed into something that is publicly suitable."
"She seems suitable enough for our eyes," Reno grinned toothily as he winked at the young princess whilst scrubbing the deck.
Rude slapped him over the ear as Anne tilted her head curiously. Vincent gave her a patient look and she rolled her eyes.
"Yes, Father."
She took Vincent's hand and jumped back down onto the deck. She glanced back out to sea before disappearing below deck to get changed into a dress.
The underwater city of Nibelheim was buzzing with life. Merfolk with elegant jewels swam into the main room where they socialised, most the crowd being mermaids. Queen Jenova sat on her throne, smiling at the celebration unfolding before her. She glanced at the crowd that was forming around her eldest son, her grin growing wider.
"Mother."
Jenova turned to her youngest, Kadaj and smiled as he settled by her side.
"There are so many mermaids here," he mumbled "Are you sure this isn't too much?"
"You know how picky your brother can be," Jenova sighed "There has to at least be one mermaid in the oceans that he'll find to be right for him."
"As long as she meets your standards?"
"Of course."
Kadaj rolled his eyes and glanced at the crowd.
"Still, you never put this effort into Sephiroth or Loz…"
Jenova's smile fell in an instant and turned to Kadaj.
"This is specially for Sephiroth," she said and Kadaj glanced up at her with raised eyebrows.
"Are you sure? Because that's Yazoo they're crowding around."
Jenova snapped her head to the crowd.
"Yazoo?!"
It took a moment but eventually her third son wriggled his way out of the crowd of mermaids and shot to her side.
"Yes, Mother?"
He hesitated as she glared down at his chest.
"Why are you wearing Sephiroth's royal necklace?"
Yazoo swallowed slowly before glaring silently at Kadaj who just gave him a massive smirk. He straightened up, taking his time to answer as Jenova glared at him coldly.
"…I guess I must have picked it up by accident."
"Catfish is out of the bag, Yaz, just tell her," Kadaj snickered and Yazoo sighed shortly "Loz told me everything."
Yazoo glared sharply over his shoulder where Loz was trying to hide between the mermaids that were socialising on the other side of the room. He sighed in frustration, glaring up at the ceiling.
"…"
"Yazoo, darling, I know you are close with Sephiroth," Jenova purred as she ripped the necklace off of him "And I admire your loyalty."
Yazoo stared at her warily as she leaned in closer.
"But I am your mother, I am more deserving of it. So tell me, where is he?"
Yazoo closed his eyes and took a deep inhale of water. He let the water pass out slowly.
"…Not here."
"Yazoo!"
Yazoo barely winced at his mother's shriek. The band in the corner faltered in the music slightly but started up again quickly.
"He and his friends have gone off for a swim outside the city."
The water boiled around Jenova.
"SEPHIROTH!"
Cloud and Zack froze up and turned around as Jenova's scream echoed through the water. They glanced at each other.
"Now you know why it was a good idea to accompany Seph instead of staying," Zack grinned and Cloud frowned a little.
"But…I was really looking forward to spending some time with Tifa," the blonde merman muttered.
"Oh, she'll forgive you," Zack said as they followed after Angeal and Sephiroth.
"Damn!"
Sephiroth and Angeal ducked behind a rock formation, leaving the other two merman hovering there in confusion.
"Wait, why have we come here?" Cloud frowned as Zack glanced down at the prince and their friend.
"Did Genesis know we were coming here?"
Sephiroth sighed.
"I was hoping to meet him," he muttered as Zack dragged Cloud down to them.
"Wait, Genesis?" Cloud frowned "The witch Genesis?"
"Is that what he's called in the lower class?" the prince rolled his eyes.
"Cloud, Genesis was out childhood friend," Angeal whispered as Zack peered over the rocks "He was banished many years ago by Queen Jenova."
"Wait, he was one of us?" Cloud whispered and Sephiroth glared around the rocks at the merman that were guarding the way out of the kingdom and towards where Genesis resided "How did he get banished?"
Angeal glanced at Sephiroth who just shrugged.
"I don't know the exact details," he said "but it might be related to the fact that Genesis can use magic. Queen Jenova probably saw him as a threat considering that she needs to use a trident."
"If Genesis got a hold of that trident, his powers would be unlimited," Sephiroth sighed.
"But merfolk can't use magic without something to help them and even those items are strictly for the royal family."
"Genesis was special," Angeal lowered his eyes "I don't know what happened but he was born with the ability to use magic freely."
"We've been barred from seeing him," Zack pouted "I've only met him a couple of times, poor guy's a forced hermit."
"If he's so powerful then why can't he just overthrow Queen Jenova?"
Angeal pressed his hand to Cloud's mouth as the other two glanced at him with wide eyes.
"Don't even say that, she'll fry you alive," Sephiroth hissed.
"Also Genesis wouldn't do that," Angeal said "He's upset, yes, but he doesn't hold grudges."
"Needless to say, Cloudy," Zack murmured "No-one needs to know about this."
Cloud nodded with wide alarmed eyes. Angeal pulled away as Zack slipped down.
"Well, they don't seem to be falling asleep anytime soon," he sighed.
"Sephiroth!"
The four mermen hushed the newcomer who arrived rather hurriedly and settled on the sand by them, gasping for water as he fanned himself.
"You managed to keep her off the trail in record time, Loz," Sephiroth drawled as Loz looked up at him with pleading eyes.
"Kadaj is mean," he pouted.
"Don't cry."
"I'm not crying!"
"You'd best go, Sephiroth," Angeal sighed "There's no use hiding now."
Sephiroth huffed as he hovered up.
"Be seeing you," he muttered "and you'd better find a good hiding spot."
Loz whined as the crowned prince swam off and Zack peeked over the rock formation.
"They look so serious," he muttered.