Author's note: This is just a random idea I had for a favorite series of mine. I'll be honest and admit I have no real plot in mind, only the setting. Feel free to give ideas, make comments, and even give flames, as long as they have a purpose.

Disclaimer: I do not own +Anima.

"Prince Lee! We have an intruder!" squealed what appeared to be a small fish-girl, a cute little thing with black hair and a yellow fishtail, swimming as quickly as she could into a long, white marble room, decorated only with carvings in the marble. At the end of the hall, a young fish-man with bright red hair and fishtail stood up from a great white throne, concern written all over his handsome face.

She collapsed to the ground, panting in exhaustion. As a little reef fish, she wasn't nearly used to swimming so quickly.

The prince swam over and placed a hand on her head, looking at her with concern.

She looked up at their prince, admiration and loyalty shining in her eyes. In her eyes, she saw a huge, handsome merman, with rich red curly hair tied back in a ponytail. Large blue eyes that seemed to tell all, strong features that would have any fish-girl swooning, that beautiful bright red fishtail and fins…

"Margo, are you alright? Did the intruder hurt you?" Prince Lee asked in worry, when she only stared at him.

She snapped out of her self-induced trance. "No, prince, the intruder hasn't hurt anyone yet. He only just entered the south rim."

"Is he a fish-man?"

"I'm sure of it. I did not get a good look, but I know I saw a tail and fins."

"Strange. Perhaps he is a foreigner, or has only recently attained his source. I'll go speak with him myself. If it is an accident, there is no reason for us to blow things out of proportion."

He gestured for two of his guards, both large fish-men themselves, to follow him out and left immediately.

Prince Lee soon reached the south rim of his territory, a coral reef bordered by a white, sandy beach. If they were to change into human form, they would find a merchant town about an hour's walk away. The townspeople had long since known to avoid the cursed beach belonging to the sea gods, and were usually good at warning off strangers, but perhaps someone had ignored their stories, or bypassed the town entirely.

They spotted the lone figure in the water long before they were able to make out any details. As the prince and his guards approached, several things became clear. It was a fish-man, a rather young one, mostly a silver-blue coloring, who swam and dove with skill and confidence. He appeared to be looking for something, coming up and looking around, then diving and swimming around below water for a length of time, searching through the reef and the seabed. Every time he came up, his eyes ran up and down the beach suspiciously. It never occurred to the child to look seaward.

Their first impression was a boy, but as they came closer they began to doubt. The creature was far too beautiful. Fine, porcelain white skin, silky chin-length silver hair with a bluish shine to it, a thin, flexible figure highlighted by an attractive fish form that started at his neck, rand down his chest, spread to sidefins (?) at his hips, and continued all the way to long silvery tailfins. Enormous light blue eyes widened in surprise as they noticed him.

Boy or girl, the fish-child was the most beautiful thing the prince had ever seen. One glance at his guards, and he knew they would concur. What on earth was such a beautiful creature doing on its own, trespassing in a claimed sea territory?

Prince Lee waved and called out to the child. "Fish-child! Are you lost?"

The fish-child frowned and shook his head, backing slightly towards the beach. "No."

"Then what are you doing here?"

The child blushed and didn't say anything.

Prince Lee gestured for his guards to stay back and swam up to the beautiful child to speak with it, being careful to look as non-threatening as possible. Many fish-children tended to be slightly paranoid, having more often than not been captured as 'mermaids' for collectors of various sorts. It was no surprise that the fish-child would be uncomfortable even with fellow fish-men.

"My name is Prince Lee. I'm afraid you're trespassing in my waters." He smiled gently at seeing the startled look on the child's face. "You quite startled a reef fish-girl."

Comprehension filled the beautiful fish-child's eyes, and though upset about the news that he was trespassing, he seemed to relax at knowing these strangers weren't there to harass him.

"I am sorry," said the child politely, bowing its head slightly. "I was unaware these waters were claimed. I…" The child blushed prettily again. "I had an argument with one of my traveling friends. I left the group to cool off, then I noticed these pretty stones in the sea bed around here. I'll give them back to you."

The child held out its hands, showing several sand-polished stones. The child had a good eye. Any one of those stones would be fit for jewelry.

Prince Lee smiled at the pretty stones. What a cute hobby for such a pretty little fish-child. How suiting. Such a beautiful child deserved to have handfuls of, not just stones, but jewels. He pictured the child dressed in rich clothes and dripping in fine jewelry, and it was a remarkable picture. More than suitable for his palace.

Perhaps the child would be willing to come? He'd better find out more first. He was still fairly sure the child was a fish-girl, but he couldn't be sure. The child's fish-form covered any tell-tale signs, and its voice was pleasantly low and slightly rough, but still too childish to distinguish either male or female for sure.

"You may keep the stones, child. May I ask your name? And the location of your traveling friends?"

The child smiled in surprise and clenched his hands tight, less he should drop the stones. "Thank you, Prince Lee. My name is Husky. My friends are back in town, probably at the inn we're staying at."

Prince Lee frowned. "You're staying in a human town?"

Now Husky looked puzzled, as if that was the strangest question he'd heard in a long time. "Why wouldn't we be? It's better than sleeping outside."

"You don't sleep underwater?"

The child frowned at the idea, and shook its head. "I never have. And my friends aren't fish +anima, so they wouldn't be able to breathe."

"+Anima?"

Husky frowned in confusion and put the stones in one hand, then raised his free hand to the side of his neck. "When you have these," the fish-child said, stroking the black wave-like marks over its gills.

"Ah, we call those our 'source'. So you meant they aren't fish-people." The red-haired prince thoughtfully ran his fingers through his hair.

If the child was not traveling with fish-people, perhaps it did not have a home. He would be happy to offer his own, but the child still looked slightly wary, even as he made conversation.

"May I come with you and meet your companions?"

Husky's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Why?"

"It is most unusual for land-walkers and fish-men to associate together, let alone travel. I would like to meet them. Is there a problem?"

The child shrugged. "Not really. I guess it's alright. Cooro loves meeting other +anima." He swam towards the shore and climbed out, shifting as he did so. His human form was just as expected, thin and flexible, and dressed in a tight black shirt and shorts. As the prince watched, the child bent to lift a small bag on a cord that could cinch shut and a small folded cloak* of some sort laying folded on the beach. He shook the cloak out and pulled it on over his head, then placed the cord for the bag around his neck and put his handful of stones inside, before dropping it to hide it beneath the cloak. The child had fine taste indeed, as the white cloak was of a fine fabric with intricate gold embroidery around the edge.

It was still impossible to tell if the child was male or female, so Prince Lee decided to ask.

"If I may ask, child, are you a boy or girl? Perhaps both?"

Husky's mouth dropped open and the child started in shock, which too quickly turned into anger.

Oh dear, the poor fish-girl is upset that I thought she might be a boy, thought the prince, getting ready to apologize. Well, certainly, being so pretty. I should tell her not to worry, that as a fish-woman she'll be—

"I'M A BOY!" Husky screamed, then turned and huffily started towards town, barely keeping himself from ranting.

Prince Lee froze for a moment, surprised, but quickly recovered. He turned and gestured for hi s guards to follow, then shifted his tail to a pair of legs to follow the pretty fish-boy before he got too far ahead. Fish-boy or fish-girl, Husky would be a fine addition to his household.

* I know it's more of a poncho sort of thing, but "Husky put on a poncho" just sounds strange. If anyone knows a better word for it, please let me know.