Chapter 1

A Pink…Pearl?

" KEN-CHAN! KEN-CHAN!" Yachiru's voice made Kenpachi sit up. They had just finished a mission in the living world and Kenpachi wasn't ready to head back yet, he, Ikkaku, Yumichika, and Yachiru were now on the beach.

" What do you want?" he smirked.

" Look what I found Kenny! I think it's a pearl!" she rolled the shiny pink sphere around in her hand with her finger.

" Lemme see that," Kenpachi huffed as he held out his hand, " I think you found a bead."

" No it's a pearl!" she protested, but handed it over to him anyway. He blinked at the weight of it, the little orb was most definitely not a bead. Ikkaku raised an eyebrow as he saw the perplexed look on Kenpachi's face.

" Hey boss what's up?" He trotted over dragging Yumi with him.

" Oooh that's pretty," Yumichika jumped up suddenly interested.

" Yachiru found a pearl…" Kenpachi gave it back to her, " Keep it, maybe it will be a good luck charm eh?" He ruffled her hair and smiled as she giggled.

" Thanks Ken-chan!" she tucked it away, safely in her pocket, " Do we have to go back now Kenny?" she sighed, " It's so nice up here and we never get a vacation…"

" Are you saying you want one? I thought you liked chopping up Hollows Yachiru, besides this mission was supposed to be me training you, but that didn't work out so well did it?" He grinned as she blinked then rubbed the back of her neck.

" Tee hee!" Yachiru giggled, " You're right!"

" Geeze she's so cute I could shoot myself," Ikkaku huffed, Yumichika just laughed.

" Well the soulcandy should wear off soon enough, how about we just enjoy the weather while we can? I'd rather not ruin this nice shirt."

" Sometimes I think you're gay…"

" And sometimes I think you look like a Q-ball!" Yachiru pointed at Ikkaku then launched herself at him, biting on his head.

" AAAAAAH GET IT OFF GET IT OFF! I THINK I'M BLEEDING!"

" Yachiru spit that out you don't know the last time he's washed the oil off his head." Kenpachi grinned as she let go and sat down on his knee with a smile. He pat her head then looked up at the sky as he shook his head, " I hate waiting."

" Oh no! Not again! Aaaaah! I just had it in my necklaaaace!"

" Luchia what are you looking for now?" Hanon tossed some of her blue hair over her shoulder as she watched the blond tear through her room. The mermaids were still living in the hotel until they were sure they were safe.

" I think I lost my pearl again!"

" AGAIN?" Hanon dove into the search, " Where was the last place you remember having it?" She grumbled as they dug through her drawers.

" Well we were fighting Yuri this morning then Meme and Sheshe this afternoon and…Oh no what if it fell out at the beach? Haaaaah we'll never find it then!" Luchia wilted.

" Oh Get up and I'll go with you, we'll scour the whole thing if we have to!"

" Whaaa-? The whole thing?"

" Yes now get up!" Hanon pulled her up, " Maybe Lina will help us."

" I'm in so much trouble!" Luchia moaned. When the two girls found Lina, she was reading.

" You lost your pearl…." Lina raised an eyebrow at her, " How do you lose it when it's supposed to be locked in here?" she held up her shell necklace.

" Well it fell out while I was playing with it I guess, will you help us or not?" Luchia whined. The green pearl princess sighed.

" I guess I have no choice do I?"

" No now come on!" Hanon dragged Lina along as Luchia led the way to where she remembered having her pearl last. The beach was deserted except for a few people in the distance.

" I'll check the water," Lina nodded and dove into the ocean, her clothes melting away, leaving her in a bikini top and her fin. It felt so good to be back in the ocean after having to lay low for a while. She looked along the shallows for something pink and shiny. Hanon and Luchia looked on land. As the time dwindled away, Luchia blinked as she noticed the little girl with pink hair playing with something.

" Hey Hanon maybe they've found it…" she nodded then held her hands over her necklace the little girl yelped as the pearl started to glow then float away.

" Hey!" Yachiru cried as the pearl secured itself in the necklace, " Oh wait….was that yours?"

" I'm afraid so…but I'm sure I can find you another-" Luchia started but Yachiru finished, her eyes bright with the expectance of immediate satisfaction.

" YES PLEASE!"

" Yachiru? Did you make a new friend?" Kenpachi stood, something felt off about these girls and he didn't exactly like it.

" Yea I think so. Is it time to go?" She asked and began to follow him. Lina raced up to them.

" Find it?"

" Yea some little girl was playing with it."

" The seas are starting to get rough, I think a storm's coming in," Lina looked at the sky then jumped as an ear-splitting shriek ripped through the air. A large wave had washed up on shore overtaking Yachiru, the three men were too stunned at the moment to do anything. Luchia threw her purse at Hanon and dove into the next wave.

" Hurry Luchia!" She cried, Lina just watched as she bit her lip. Yachiru hadn't been in such deep water before and she helplessly paddled around before finding herself sucked under the water. She opened her eyes trying to see if she could hang onto anything when she was suddenly face to face with a mermaid! She blinked and almost forgot about the sensation of not being able to breathe when the blond, pig-tailed mermaid held the little girl close and kicked her pink fin to get them to the surface. Yachiru gasped for air and coughed as soon as they broke through the water.

" YOU'RE A MERMAID!" Yachiru cried as she clung to the girl.

" You can't tell anyone okay? It's a secret." Luchia giggled.

" My friends won't tell anyone else though…"

" Let's just get you to safety okay?" She began to swim back to shore. Yachiru was mesmerized by her long golden hair. It didn't take long for Luchia to reach the shore. Kenpachi was already standing waist-deep in water, as soon as Yachiru was handed off though, she pointed at Luchia then shut her mouth.

" Thank you!" she waved as Kenpachi rolled his eyes at Yachiru, but smirked at her.

" Yea thanks."

" Uh huh," Luchia nodded and waved back, she waited for the squad captain and his chosen few to be farther away before she pulled herself onto the beach.

" What a strange group…" Hanon watched them go.

" I have a feeling that won't be the last we see of them." Lina nodded.

" Well the little girl was kinda cute, but the big guy scares me….did you see all those scars?" Luchia shivered.

" I think he's the little girl's dad."

" That makes sense," Lina wrung out her shirt as she shivered in only her green bikini, " Well we'd better start heading back before Luchia loses her pearl again. "

" Oh come on I won't lose it again!" she huffed.

" Let's go," Hanon rolled her eyes.

Hmmmm Mermaids huh? a hollow watched, I don't believe I've ever eaten a mermaid's soul….heheheh, I wonder if they taste like sushi or if they taste better? It seemed to grin as it slithered after them, with an eel like body and humanoid torso it could be described as a naga…but who would see it following the girls as Kenpachi and the others vanished?