Hi there! I just wanna say i've never posted a story up here before so the many chapters (which i forgot to label...) are all in one. enjoy! ^^ i don't own Pichi but most of the characters are mine.
Mermaid Melody: A New Generation
"Reio, you sure know how to make a girl happy." Kathleen said, smiling. "And you are the only girl a guy could ever want." Reio replied. They sat together, on a rock off the coast of the beach behind Kathleen's house. As they sat together, then talked about many things, such as constellations, new movies, and their future. "I'd give up my entire kingdom for you, Reio." she smiled. He looked at her happily, leaned in, and kissed her lips.
Of course, none of this was real. Kathleen was having another of her crazy dreams. Not that it's abnormal for someone like Kathy to have weird dreams. She is, of course, the Diamond Mermaid Princess of the North Pacific.
Tikke paced back and forth down the hall. The short, blue penguin was waiting. Stopping, she heard Kathy's alarm go off in her room, followed by a small yelp as Kathy read the clock. " I'm gonna be late again!" she yelled, changing her shirt as she ran down the hall, slipping on the hardwood floor ( as she was wearing socks) and falling over the couch. "Kathleen-sama, are you ok?" Tikke asked, in the kitchen making a small breakfast. Rubbing her head, Kathy nodded. "Yeah Tikke... I'm fine... that's what I get for running with socks on and not having my contacts in..." she mumbled, getting up and pulling her shirt down over her head.
Dashing through the kitchen, she grabbed a piece of toast and bit off it, running back to her room and changing out of her pajama bottoms into a pair of jean kapris. Finishing her toast, she washed her hands and put her contacts into her pure blue eyes. As soon as they were in, she pulled her socks off and ran back to the living room, grabbing her swim bag and putting a pair of sandals on as she ran to the front door, grabbed the hairbrush from the table near a mirror and brushed her shoulder length brown hair before dashing outside and picking up her bike from off the lawn. Getting on, she pedaled into town.
She sped through town and approached the City's Aquarium. Slowing, she hopped off and locked her bike up on a rack. She ran inside. Reio Fuyaraka and Benjamin Naioki were sitting at the front desk, Reio working on the computer, Ben chatting with his girlfriend, Leanne. Ben and Leanne waved as Kathy dashed past, clocked in, and ran around back. Reio chuckled. "She needs to set that alarm clock back so she has time to relax before rushing to work. She may actually arrive on time." he said. Leanne nodded. "I could wave up a new one for her." she said. "I doubt that would help. She just needs to set it back a bit." Ben said. Leanne shrugged. "Her loss."
Kathy was changed and already in the water by this point, her grey tail shimmering in the water. Taking out her contacts and carefully putting them in their case, she blinked. "How is it I can see perfectly as myself but human me needs contacts?" she asked herself. "That's what you get for not eating your veggies!" a voice said from underwater. " One day it'll affect your mer-sight as well." another said. Kathy rolled her eyes and turned in the water to see her two other mermaid friends, Ashlinn and Kourtney.
Ashlinn was the South Atlantic Ruby Mermaid Princess, her hair a beautiful cherry red in water and a darker red on land. Her red eyes shone like fire, showing determination and intelligence. Her red tail gleamed in the water.
Kourtney was the North Atlantic Sapphire Mermaid Princes. Her blueberry-colored hair sparkled with beauty and grace, much like the dark blue it looked as a human. The clear blue of her eyes showed courage and humility. Her tail shone a bright blue.
Kathy looked dull compared to the two with her now deep dark brown hair and eyes. Her light grey tail was very dull and plain, but this made her stand out from the others. Another thing that helped this was that she was the MC for the weekly Dolphin Show the Aquarium held.
"Will you two quit it? I was talking to myself anyways." Kathy crossed her arms. Ashlinn giggled abit. "Come on Kathy. You know we're only playing." she said. Kourtney nodded. "Let's get to work before someone comes in and starts yelling at us. Although, if it's Reio, I doubt Kathy would mind." This made Kathy blush. "I don't like Reio!" she said, sinking underwater and heading to one of the tunnels. The room they were in looked like a rocky cave with a trio of tunnels that led to different exhibit pools throughout the Aquarium. One tunnel led to the North Pacific pool, one to the North Atlantic, and the other the South Atlantic.
The girls swam to their respective pools and started their work, playing with the fish and swimming along the glass for people to see them better. Kathy swam to the surface, however, as Leanne was standing there waiting for her. "Hey Leanne." Kathy said. Leanne looked straight at her. "When are you going to ask him out! I'm going crazy trying to keep myself from using a love spell on the two of you!" she barked. Kathy sighed. "I just don't know how to ask. I guess I'm afraid of being rejected or something..." she looked down. Leanne shook her head. "You can't tell he likes you? He tries not to seem interested because he's TOO interested not to be! You're a mermaid for crying out loud! A Mermaid Princess at that! You need to bulk up and ask!" she said before walking back to the front desk to chat with Ben again. Kathy nodded and slipped underwater, getting to work.
Kathy, Ashlinn, and Kourtney all stood in line at McConalds. After ordering, they sat down with their food and started eating. "Hey, Kath, Leah seemed really miffed about something. What did you do?" Ashlinn asked, taking a bite of her grilled chicken sandwich. Kourtney nodded, poking her salad with a fork. "I bet the whole aquarium heard her." Kathy sighed and took a bite of her chicken nugget. "She went off on me b'cuz I don't have the courage to ask Reio out." "No surprise there." Kourtney said, sipping her water. "I know I know. But imagine. Me, a Mermaid Princess, falling in love with such a low as a human boy?" Kathy defended. Ashlinn shook her head. "And what about your parents? King Kaito was a human man and your mom fell in love with him." she said. "But that's different! Dad's a prince of the Pantalassa clan! They come from the sea as well!" Kathy replied. "Suuuuuuure." Ashlinn rolled her eyes, finishing her burger. Kourtney was also finished and threw her trash away. Kathy sighed and threw away what she hadn't eaten. "I'm gonna head back to work guys. Catch up with ya later." she said. "Chao." "See ya."
Walking into the cave room again, Kathy had on the wetsuit she wore when she was getting in and out of the pool. As she walked across the wet floor, her eyes adjusting to the dark, the door suddenly opened behind her, surprising her and causing her to slip. She hit the back of her head on a rock and passed out, her last moments of consciousness allowing her eyes to catch sight of a human figure running towards her.
"Uhnnnn..where am I?" Kathy looked around. "Kathleen, can you hear me?" Kathy stood straight up. " Mom! What are you doing here!" She heard a calm giggle as a figure of her mother appeared. Her long blonde locks touched the ground, as did the pure white dress she wore. The staff she held was that of the sea goddess, Aqua Regina. "Honey, you're in danger. I had to come to you in a dream to warn you. You may be safe now, but you won't be much longer." Lucia, the Queen of the North Pacific, said. "Why would I be in danger? I thought you and dad sealed Uncle Gaito away and that Michel guy went with his kind." Kathy asked. " This is a new danger. You'll have much to deal with if you're not careful." The image of her mom began to fade. Hugging Kathy tight, Lucia spoke again. " Your Father and I are very proud of you honey. I was your age when I met Kaito... right around the same area as you're living in now..." Kathy giggled a bit. " That's why I came here. So that I could find someone to love too." she said. Lucia nodded. " Your father and I send our love. Farewell, Kathleen." With that, Lucia disappeared and Kathy awoke.
"Unnnn..." she moaned. Reaching for her forehead, she felt something cold and moist on it. Looking around, she saw she was in someone's room. Most certainly not one of her friend's rooms, for sure. The door creaked open, and someone walked in. "Thank goodness your alright. You fell and passed out, and you had a fever, so I brought you to my house right away." Kathy went bright red as she saw Reio talking. "So you made me slip...?" she asked. Reio put his hand behind his head. "Sorry. I really didn't mean to scare you like I did.." he apologized. She shook her head. "I-it's fine... Just a bump anyways" she tried to sit up, but found herself too weak. Reio chuckled a bit. "You expect to be at full power after taking a fall like that? Your too weak, not to mention your fever." he said. She sighed. "I guess you're right..." Reio smiled. "Don't worry. I'm not like those freaks who come to see your friends just because they're pretty. I'll take care of you." he said. Kathy nodded. "Do... You have any food...?" she asked quietly. "Actually, that's why I was out of the room. I made you some stew. It's really good for you." Reio said. Kathy nodded. "Okay..." "Now, don't you move or anything and I'll be back with some for you."
After he left the room, Kathy looked around again. Typical boy things were scattered around. She sighed. 'Why did HE have to find me passed out and sick.. Why not Leanne or Ashlinn or Kourtnie?' she thought as he came back in the room with a bowl of stew. Kathy worked her way into a sitting position so Reio could hand her the stew. "So what are you planning on doing to me?" she asked, blowing on a spoonful and putting it in her mouth. "Can't do much but help you feel better. Seeing as I don't know where you live and you being sick." he shrugged. She looked outside quickly. "And I can't get wet." she added, seeing it was raining. Reio nodded. "Don't want to get any more sick then you are already." "Yeah." Kathy agreed, taking another bite of the stew.
After finishing the stew, Kathy had lay back down and fallen asleep. Reio sat there still, watching her sleep. 'She's so cute when she's asleep...' he thought. He shook his head. 'Why am I thinking about something like that?' he asked himself, blushing. Standing up, he left the room to go watch TV in the living room. Flipping through the channels revealed nothing was on, so he sighed and turned off the TV. He debated on what to do for awhile before he, too, fell asleep.
There was a loud boom and a bright flash that woke him up a half hour later. "I'm up I'm up! " he said aloud, rubbing his eyes. Looking around, he remembered the events of the day thus far, and got up to check on Kathy. When he walked into the room, she was rolling on her side, sweating. He got a cold, moist rag and dabbed some of the sweat off, then noticed she was still wearing her wetsuit, which was also a bit wet. He went back to the living room and found her swim bag, which he had remembered to grab. Walking back to his room, he put it on the chair, leaving a note on it telling Kathy to change when she woke up. Picking up the empty bowl, he closed the door behind him and went to do some dishes.
Kathy awoke about ten minutes after Reio had left the room and, seeing the note, looked down at herself. "Of course... No wonder I'm sick." She told herself as she took off her wetsuit and quickly got dressed. Using some of the furniture for support, as she was still a bit weak, she headed out to the living room and sat on the couch. Reio soon walked out of the kitchen, munching on an apple. "So, finally decided to wake up, huh?" he asked, leaning up on the arm of the couch. Kathy nodded a bit. "Sorry to cause you so much trouble. I'm feeling much better." she said, and Reio sat next to her. Using his free hand, he placed it on her forehead. "You're not as warm as you were earlier, which is good." he put his hand down and took another bite of apple. A big flash shone through the room, followed by a loud rumble. Kathy jumped and leaned on Reio a bit, letting out a small cry. Reio was a bit surprised, but he chuckled. "You really don't like rain." he joked. She shook her head, sitting upright again. Her face was red with embarrassment. "S-sorry.. I really didn't mean to do that..." she said quietly. "Nah, it's fine. Maybe you should have something to eat and go back to bed and we can get you home tomorrow." Reio replied. Kathy nodded as they both stood and headed into the kitchen.
Reio slept on the couch while Kathy remained in Reio's room. Both were sound asleep as a shadow appeared through the window in Reio's room. "hahahahahahaha... I've found you miss Diamond Mermaid Princess.." it chuckled as it slithered down the street and onto the beach before disappearing into the ocean.
The next day brought sunny skies and muddy ground. Kathy awoke first and stretched, sitting up and looking around. 'that's right... I'm in Reio's room...' she thought. Getting up, she made the bed, grabbed her things, and walked into the living room quietly, as she heard Reio snoring from down the hall. 'He looks like a little kid..' she thought, trying to keep herself from patting him on the head. Instead, she walked into the kitchen to see what she could make for breakfast.
Reio awoke to the smell of pancakes. Kathy had just come out of the kitchen and placed a plate of them, warm and fluffy, right at his head on the couch. "Call it a thank you gift for taking care of me. " she said. He picked one up and took a bite. "Whatever you call it, it's good." he replied. The plate was quickly clean. Getting up, Reio went to change into a fresh shirt and they departed to work.
"I never knew you lived so close by," Kathy said, looking around as they walked, "I live right down the road by the beach." "Sounds fun. No wonder you come to work so late. Your probably outside all night and don't go to bed till late. " he joked. "I get to sleep at a perfectly reasonable time. I take a bath at nine and am in bed by ten. That gives me..." she counted on her fingers. "...nine hours of sleep. Do you want to see my house?" she said as they passed the road that led to the beach. He shrugged. "Sure." They both switched direction and walked toward the beach.
"My house is riiiight... There!" she pointed to a house a bit farther down the road. "Must be expensive rent." Reio commented. Kathy shook her head. "Actually it's really cheap. " As they walked by, Kathy saw Tikke pacing back and forth in the living room. "Ack!" she ducked behind Reio. "I can't let Tikke see me or she'll flip!" she said as they passed by. "And Tikke is your pet...?" Reio asked. Kathy nodded. "A pet penguin yeah. She gets really miffed when I don't tell her where I am or how long I'll be somewhere." Reio nodded. "I see..." he lied.
When they reached the end of the road, they started heading back to the main road. But before they reached it, someone grabbed Kathy from behind. Kathy gasped and tried getting out of the man's grip, but he was too strong. Reio saw this and tried to pry the man's arm off her, only to be thrown back onto the pavement. The man picked Kathy up, threw her over his shoulder, and started running to the beach. Reio was up and following within seconds. "Kathy! I'll get you!" he said. Kathy looked to see where the man was headed, only to see he was heading to the ocean. "Hurry!" she replied. She began hitting the man's back and trying to kick his face, but it didn't help. Reio finally caught up and grabbed one of Kathy's hands. By this time the man was wading into the water and Reio had a hard time keeping his grip. Kathy tried freeing herself again, but the man was walking straight along the decline of the seafloor. Reio saw this and loosened his grip, losing Kathy's hand in the process. "Oh no you don't!" he said, took a deep breath, and dived down. His eyes stung from the seawater, and only saw a blur of green, blue, and tan around him. He swam up and coughed. "Kathy!" he called, hoping for a response. None came. He looked around and saw no one else on the beach or in the water. Defeated, he returned to shore, where he lay on the sand, panting. "Gotta tell... someone..." he stood and broke into a run, heading to the aquarium.
"I wonder if something bad happened to them." Ben said. Leanne nodded. "I'm starting to worry..."
In the pool, Ashlinn and Kourtnie were watching the door. "I'm getting concerned..." Kourtnie said. "I agree. This is normal for Kathy, but Reio's always on time." Ashlinn commented. The door swung open and Reio, salty, soaked, and panting, walked in. "Dude what happened?" Ben asked. "You look terrible!" Leanne added. "This can't be good." Ashlinn said, swimming to the back room and getting out. Kourtnie followed and, after they turned into humans, ran out to the front desk.
Reio explained what had happened to the four. " She was kidnapped and the dude lives in the ocean...?" Ben asked. "That's terrible!" Leanne said. Ashlinn and Kourtnie spoke between themselves. " Do you think it could be her uncle was released?" Kourtnie asked. Ashlinn shook her head. " Can't be... And Michel's gone... Who else would kidnap a mermaid princess...?" she wondered aloud. "I wonder if her mom would know..." Kourtnie said. "She DID take Aqua Regina-sama's place as ruler of the seas.. She may actually know..." Ashlinn said. Kourtnie nodded. "Then it's decided." Ashlinn said. Kourtnie turned to the others. "We're gonna take today off and see if we can find her." she said. Leanne nodded. "Good luck." she said. The two girls left the others as they left the aquarium.
Arriving at the beach, the found a desolate area closed off from the rest of the beach by rocks. "This should be good enough..." Ashlinn said. Kourtnie nodded and the two waded into the water a bit before diving in, transforming into mermaids. "We're going to the North Pacific Ocean Palace to visit Kathy's mom and ask about who may have kidnapped her. " Ashlinn explained. Kourtnie nodded and they all headed into the ocean.
"I'm worried about Kathleen, Kaito. Maybe we should go check up on her." Lucia was swimming back and forth in the throne room in the North Pacific Palace. "Lucia, she's a big girl. She can take care of herself." Kaito reassured her, sitting boredly on his throne, watching Lucia panic. "I know, but I just got this terrible feeling in my gut that he's awakened..." she replied. Kaito stopped Lucia. "I'm positive she'll be fine. Hanon and Rina's daughters are with her." he said. A knock came from the door as Hippo, in his human form, entered the room. "Kaito-kun, Lucia-sama, you have visitors." he said, bowing a bit. The couple sat down. "Let them in then." Kaito said. Hippo opened the door a bit more, and the two girls swam in. "Sorry to bother you, your highnesses," Ashlinn apologized, bowing a bit, "we bring news of your daughter." Lucia frowned. "She's been kidnapped, hasn't she?" she asked. Kourtnie nodded. "Yes, this morning, one of our friends was walking to work with her and a man carried her into the sea. The boy tried to save her, but was unable to." she said, bowing as well. Kaito put his chin in his hand. "Your assumption was correct then, Lucia. He did escape." Lucia looked down. "Who escaped?" Kourtnie asked. Kaito looked up. "You see, the older Mermaid Princess of the Indian sea and my brother, Gaito, were sealed away together. Somehow they survived and had a son, Cou. Lucia felt it when he escaped the seal. He must have kidnapped Kathleen. Who was with her when she was kidnapped?" he said. "One of our friends, Reio Fuyaraka." Ashlinn replied. Lucia perked up a bit. "Wasn't a Fuyaraka in one of the divisions of the Pantalassa clan?" she asked Kaito, who nodded. "I believe so... Yes, I remember him. Reio must be related to him." "So should we start searching for Cou and tell Reio about what's happened?" Kourtnie asked. Kaito nodded. "Tell him he is of the Pantalassa Clan of the sea and then explain to him what I have told you." "As you wish." Ashlinn said. "May luck be with you in finding our daughter." Lucia said as the three visitors left the throne room.
Kathy opened her eyes. Blinking a few times, she found herself in a cell. She also noticed she was a mermaid. In the dim light given off by glowing gems, she looked around. "I must be underwater somewhere..." she spoken aloud. "Indeed you are, North Pacific Princess." a voice said. A young boy, near the same age as Kathy, stepped to the door. His grey hair had orange tips and his figure showed he was strong. "You! ...wait... Who ARE you?" Kathy asked. " My name is Cou, son of Sara and your uncle Gaito." he replied. "But they were sealed away a long time ago. Back when my parents were my age..." Kathy said. "Yes, but that doesn't mean they're dead. Do you know how dreary it is living in a castle like that all your life?" he asked. She nodded. "That's why I moved to the surface." The boy didn't seem very pleased. "Lucky. If only I could have had that opportunity." he said, scowling. "Stinks to be you, I guess." she replied. He shook his head. "No, because I've planned something for you." at this he unlocked the door and grabbed her arm. "Now, follow me. " he said, leading her into a room with a table and machines along the walls. He sat her down on the table, walked over to one of the machines, and, putting on a sort of rubber glove, reached in and pulled out a sphere of black and red. "How do you feel about helping me, cousin?" he asked. "Not interested." she replied. He chuckled. "Well you will be." he placed the sphere on a small pillar near the table. He stuck a helpmate of sorts on her head and walked over to another machine. "Brainwashing? Really?" she looked at him in surprise. He shrugged and flipped a switch. "I'll be back later to check up on you." he said, leaving the room. Kathy smirked. "Brainwashing never works. I don't know what he's thinking..." she said, sighing. Suddenly, the helpmate began to get warm, as the power from the sphere began to transfer. She fell asleep.
Reio was back home, showering. 'I hope she's ok...' he thought, turning off the water. Drying off, he got dressed and lay down on his bed. He closed his eyes and drifted off.
Looking around, he found himself in a palace throne room. A man sat at one of the two thrones. "So you are the Fuyaraka boy?" the man inquired. Reio nodded. "Yeah, who are you?" he asked. " I'm the King of the North Pacific Ocean, Kaito Domoto. I'm Kathleen's father." he replied. "How are you her father if you have different last names...?" Reio asked, puzzled. "She was given the name at birth. Neither I or Lucia chose." he replied. Reio nodded. Kaito stood. "Now, I'm here to tell you of something that has happened." he began. "Ii know Kathy's gone," Reio said, crossing his arms, "you don't have to remind me." "I know that. I'm trying to tell you, her cousin, Cou, kidnapped her. He wants revenge on Lucia and I for sealing his parents away." Kaito explained. "Well what can I do?" Reio asked. Kaito looked right at Reio. "You are a part of an ancient race, the Pantalassa, like I am. You have more powers than you think." he said. Before Reio could respond, HD was aroused by his doorbell ringing.
He moaned as he got up and went to the door. Opening the door, he was surprised to see Ashlinn and Kourtnie standing there. "Ben told us you were at home." Ashlinn said. Kourtnie nodded. "We need to talk." "Uh... Ok.." Reio let them in.
"...So now we need your help to get her back since you last saw her and since you're one of the Pantalassa clan." Kourtnie finished. Reio was silent for a minute. "...so you're trying to say I'm from the ocean...?" he asked slowly. They both nodded. "And you guys need me to help rescue Kathy, right?" They nodded again. "So does that mean you three..." he was silent as he pieced facts together. "really are mermaids?" Ashlinn nodded. "You can't tell anyone any of this. Got it?" she asked. "Yeah." he replied. Kourtnie smiled. "Now we'll define tally get her back!" she said ecstatically. The other two nodded. "Reio, can you show us where you last saw her?" Ashlinn asked. "I think so, yeah." he replied. "Then let's get going already!" Kourtnie said.
"It was right around here..." Reio looked around on the empty beach. Reio had changed into swim trunks and a t-shirt before they had walked down to the beach, the girls explaining a bit more on the way. "I'm surprised no one's here..." Kourtnie looked around. Ashlinn nodded. "Let's still be careful." she said, walking over to the place they had been at earlier. The cliff nearby loomed over them, blocking some of the sun's orange rays. Reio followed and the girls waded in, transforming. Reio was a bit unsure. "Are you sure I'll be ok...? I've never been the best at swimming..." he said. "You'll be fine. Now that you know about your powers, they'll start working." Ashlinn said. "If you still need help, just ask for it." Kourtnie said. Reio nodded and waded in. The two girls dove down, Reio following shortly after, holding his breath. "You're gonna suffocate if you don't breathe." Kourtnie said. He looked unsure, but let the air out of his lungs and began breathing as if it were normal. "Whoa.." he looked around. What was a big blur that morning now was crystal clear. "We don't have all day." Ashlinn commented. "It's getting late. Let's hurry and find her before it gets too dark out." Kourtnie said, swimming off. Ashlinn also started swimming. "We're looking for something Cou could use as a base, such as a castle or a deserted island off the coast." she said. Reio swam after them. "Or maybe an underground tunnel system.." he said, pointing down at a hole in the bottom side of the cliff. They swam down to it. "Who's going first?" Kourtnie asked. "I will." Ashlinn said, swimming into the tunnel. The other two stayed put for a second. "Come on! There's a light source farther down!" Ashlinn's voice echoed. "After you." Reio said, gesturing to the cave entrance. Kourtnie swam into the tunnel, followed by Reio.
Kathy felt weak. She could barely keep herself awake. The force trying to take over was far too strong. Her heart was telling her not to, but her brain was urging her on. She fought it, but her hair slowly began changing color as the energy from the sphere began to flow through her. She knew she had to fight, but she had no strength left to do so. She closed her eyes and sat quietly. When she opened them, they were a piercing red color.
Cou was victorious. All that was left to do was to lure Kathy's parents to his underground castle and use her to get rid of her own parents or anyone who would come for her. He would then lift the spell he had placed on her and make her suffer for what she had done. But at the moment, he was enjoying spending time with her. She looked stunningly devious in her new form, the sleek black outfit fit her form beautifully and her eyes were stunningly beautiful. She was kind and funny to him. If she wasn't his cousin, he imagined her being the perfect girlfriend. But he knew this would not last. He frowned.
They swam down for quite awhile. Reio was starting to think about turning back. After following the tunnel for what seemed like ages, with many lefts and rights and such, it led up and broke out into an underground cavern. The cavern was aglow with thousands of glowing crystals. At one end was the entrance, where the three currently were. On the other end was a huge Castle-like structure. "I told you there was a castle." Ashlinn said triumphantly. The other two rolled their eyes and continued.
As they swam, their clothing changed. Ashlinn and Kourtnie were now dressed with skirts on their fins, Lace arm warmers, and bows and jewels in their hair. Reio now had on an outfit a prince would normally wear, consisting of a pair of blue pants, a green and blue tunic, and a sword buckled around his waist. "What the..." Kourtnie looked at her outfit, then at the other two. "The cavern must be enchanted. He's expecting us." Ashlinn said. Reio drew his sword, which seemed to glow in the water. "Sweet..." he said, smiling and sheathing the sword. "Let's keep going." Kourtnie said, swimming ahead. The others followed as they entered the castle.
They walked into a grand hallway with steps leading upstairs and doors all over the place. "Let's split up and see what we can find." Kourtnie suggested. "Sounds good." Reio said. The girls swam to different doors on the main floor. Reio walked up one of the flights of stairs. Reaching the top, he found a set of double doors. Walking over, he tried opening them, only to find them locked. "Guess I'll go find the key..." he said, walking to another door and walking through.
Kourtnie was in a winding stairwell. Immediately she yelled "Sapphire Voice!" and changed into her idol form. The sapphire in her necklace flew out and became a headset. She was now human, with a sleeveless form-fitting dress with a short slit down the middle at the top and a longer one at the front corner bottom of it and she had lace sandals on her feet. A pair of blue cuffs around her lower arms completed the look as she fit the headset onto her head. She walked down for quite awhile before reaching the bottom, where she found a hallway. Many of the rooms down this hall were empty cells. Bones scattered a few, small fish swam around like flies. Here too, there were crystals providing a bright light blue glow. Yanking a pointy one out of the ground, Kourtnie followed the hall, coming to a room with machines in it. "Looks like one of those laboratories you see on TV..." she commented. There were no other doors, so she turned to leave. As she did, a firm hand grabbed her and stuck a needle full of a powerful sleeping potion in it in her arm. "What the heck?" She pulled her arm away, swaying with sudden exhaustion. "I have to congratulate you on making it here." a feminine voice said. Kourtnie was struggling to stay awake, but she tried to throw her crystal at the person. She dropped it and collapsed.
Ashlinn swam into a long hallway. Swimming along, she saw a door to one side. She opened it and swam into what seemed to be a master bedroom. "Whoever lives here has expensive taste.." she said, looking at all of the exquisite furniture and crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling. She looked at the vanity and found an ornate little box. She picked it up and opened it. In it was a golden key in it. The key was very detailed and decorated. At the tip a single black gem was held in place by what looked to be an octopus' tentacles. "This should open something..." she said, returning to the main hall. She decided here to change into her idol form. "Ruby voice!" she said, her necklace opening and her ruby flying out and becoming a headset. She fit it on her head as she changed from mermaid to human. She now appeared dressed in a short red top with a slit down the middle of the bottom of the top. She also wore a knee-length skirt, some boots, and small cuffs around her wrists.
Walking up the stairs, she tried the key in the lock in the double doors. The lock clicked and the doors slowly swung open. She walked into an exquisitely detailed throne room. Pillars were set in rows, and there were carvings in them. The ceiling was a collage of roses, black feathers, and thorny ivy. At the other end of the room, a single throne sat. It, as well, was very beautifully decorated. It was crusted with jewels and velvet cushions. She dropped the key and walked in. As she reached the throne, she felt a sharp pang on her back, followed by a sudden drowsiness. "Welcome, Miss Ruby Mermaid Princess." The voice chuckled as Ashlinn slumped over the throne, asleep.
Reio was in a room with a fireplace and a few sofas. The fire was glowing bright blue, as the flames were blue. "This guy must never have to pay rent..." he said, one hand on his sword, the other holding the whistle. He went through a few more rooms before finding himself in the main hallway again. He went to try the double doors to see if they would open, only to find them standing agape. The key lay on the floor. Reio picked it up and put it in his pocket.
The room was vacant. As he walked down the hall, he felt very uneasy. Unsheathing his sword, he heard the doors slam shut and lock themselves. "I'm surprised. A human at the bottom of the sea?" a voice asked. "Yeah, what's it to ya?" Reio replied, holding his sword with both hands. "Nothing. Just a tad surprised." the person giggled. "Show yourself already!" he said. "As you wish." Someone walked up behind him. He turned to see Kathy. She looked different, as she appeared human and was wearing a skirt and top, both of which were black. In her now black hair that shone in the light of the crystals in the room, a white headset with a black diamond on one side was set on her head. She had black hand warmers covering the palm part of her hand and part of her fingers. Her eyes shone bright red. "Looks like you've found me." she said. Reio sheathed his sword. "What happened to you...?" he asked. "Let's just say I've changed." she smirked. "Cou is very hospitable and this place is very nice. If you'll stay, I'm sure you'll enjoy it." she said, walking a bit closer. Reio took a step back. "How do I know you're really Kathy?" he asked. "Do I really have to prove myself, Reio? If you must know, I Am Kathleen. I'm just not that good anymore." she adjusted her microphone. "Shall I sing for you?" she asked. He was unsure wit this question and grabbed the hilt of his sword. "Very well. I hope you enjoy." she smirked as a melody began coming from her microphone. He knew it as Evanescence's Bring Me to Life. When she began singing, he began to feel as if he was physically numb, and mentally he was groggy, like in a trance he couldn't escape. The music was beautiful, but it hurt so much and he couldn't move. His head drooped as he stood, unable to move his own body. She finished. "Ehehe!" she giggled. Cou walked out from behind one of the pillars, clapping. "What a sad melody. I loved it." he said. "I'm glad it was to your liking." she said happily, hugging Cou and gazing over at Reio, who had no choice but to watch. Cou held her chin. "And your reward." he said, leaning down and kissing her. She broke off after a few seconds. "Shall he go with the others?" she asked. He nodded and went to sit on his throne. Kathy took Reio's hand and led him to the basement, where she shoved him into a cell where both Ashlinn and Kourtnie were tied up. She frowned as he slowly walked in, putting her fingers to her lips. She shut the door and made her way back upstairs.
As the cage door slammed shut, he snapped awake. " Wha..." he looked around. Recalling what he had seen he kicked a wall, hurting his foot a bit. He held it tightly. "So she got you, too..." Kourtnie said. "That was her?" he asked. Ashlinn nodded. "Cou must have found a way to change her so that she's evil." "Wait, why are you all human now? I thought you were only human on land." Reio said. Kourtnie explained as Reio used his sword to free them of the ropes. She found some old wire in the cell and used it to pick the lock. The door swung open and the three ran out and up the stairs. "She should be in the throne room!" Reio said as they ran up the spiraling staircase. The girls nodded as they reached the top. Slowing down, they walked up the stairs and into the throne room. A young boy dressed in a black pair of shorts and a deep grey tunic sat on the throne, the jeweled piece wrapping around his forehead and through his messy grey and orange hair showing he was of royal blood. Kathy was sitting on one arm of the throne. "Took you long enough to escape." The boy said. "Too long almost. I nearly fell asleep waiting." Kathy said, stretching and standing up. "Now it's time for some real fun." she said. "Don't do it, Kathy!" Kourtnie yelled as she and Ashlinn walked foreword a bit. Kathy smirked and walked closer to them. "I can do what I please." she said, a new melody coming from her microphone, this time My Happy Ending by Avril Lavigne. Kourtnie and Ashlinn both covered their ears in pain. Reio was surprised that he didn't hear anything. Instead, he saw the boy walking over to him. "Apologies for not introducing myself. My name is Cou. Kathleen is my cousin." he held out his hand. Reio looked coldly at him. "I see your not very kind to friend's relatives. Why don't we change that." Cou said, drawing his own sword. Reio unsheathed his as the swords met.
Kathy finished her song. Ashlinn and Kourtnie both felt weak. "She's so strong..." Kourtnie said. Ashlinn nodded. "Now it's our turn." she said as a melody came from both of their headsets. "Pichi Pichi Voice, Live Start!" they both said right before they started singing California Gurls by DJ X-Change. Kathy seemed unaffected at first, but then she saw Reio and Cou dueling, this letting her guard down and the song seeping into her head. She covered her ears in pain and started moaning. As the two girls finished, they posed. "Love shower Pitch!" they cried, pointing their fingers at Kathy, who cringed and fell to the floor, her outfit changing colors to variations of grey and white. The two girls ran over to her. Kathy tried to get up, her eyes slowly changing color, as was her hair, back to brown. They helped her up. She groaned and held her head in her hand. "Uhn... What happened...?" she asked, looking around. "Cou must have brainwashed you." Ashlinn said. "He and Reio are dueling."Kourtnie said. Kathy froze at his name. "R-Reio's here? We're so far underwater! How is that possible!" she asked. "It turned out that he's also connected to the Pantalassa bloodlines somehow." Ashlinn said. Kathy breathed a sigh of relief. "So he knows about us?" "Yeah." Kourtnie nodded. "Less yakking, more helping Reio guys!" Ashlinn said, pointing out the door, where the boys had managed to get all the way down the stairs. The other two girls nodded and ran to the balcony where Ashlinn was.
The echoes of swords clashing could be heard through the entryway. Neither Cou or Reio were prepared to give up, but it seemed as if neither would win. Kathy saw this and ran down the staircase. "Reio!" she cried, running over to the two. "It'd be wise of you to butt out!" Cou said, using the flat of his sword to throw Kathy across the room and into the stone wall with a thud. "Kathy!" Reio said, turning his head to see if she was ok. "Reio! Behind you!" Ashlinn yelled from the upper floor. He turned back just in time to dodge a jab from Cou's sword. "Pay attention to the opponent or you could get hurt!" Cou said. Reio, now angry, began fighting twice as hard as before, his forehead glowing with a yellow mark. "You leave her alone!" he said. Kathy sat up, holding her head. "Ow..." she rubbed her head and stood, using the wall for support. Reio looked over at her again and Cou took the opportunity. He caught Reio off guard, causing him to fall backwards, dropping his sword in the process. Kathy saw this and ran over to them, standing in front of Reio, holding her arms out. "I won't let you hurt him!" she yelled. Cou was angered by this. "How many times must I tell you to stay out of my way?" he said, swinging his sword and cutting Kathy on the arm. She fell to the ground in pain, giving Reio the time to stand up and pick up his sword. Ashlinn and Kourtnie ran over to Kathy, who was fidgeting with her headset. She took the diamond out of it and placed it in her necklace. Taking it off, she handed it to Ashlinn. "I know...what I'm doing. Get Reio out of here!" she said, grabbing her arm where she had been cut and coming to her knees. The two girls nodded and ran over to break up the fight. Ashlinn ran up to Reio and started dragging him to the exit. "What are you trying to do!" he asked. "Trying to save your life! Now hurry up!" she replied. "Are you sure about this, Kathy?" Ashlinn asked. Kathy nodded. "It's just in case. I'll be fine." she said. Ashlinn looked unsure, but joined the other two at the door. "Wait we can't leave without Kathy!" Reio said, taking a step to go get her. The two girls stopped him. "She's going to take care of Cou. She'll be out shortly." Kourtnie said. The three ran outside the castle and waited.
"Ha. You really think you can defeat me alone?" Cou asked Kathy. "It seems fitting. My parents took your parents down, now I get to take you down myself." she said. 'Mom, give me strength to bring down Cou.' she said silently. "I don't think that'll happen here now." Cou smirked, raising his sword. A melody began playing from Kathy's headset. It filled the room, and the three outside could even here it. She began singing Why Can't I? By Liz Phair. Cou started to charge at her, but stopped as soon as he heard the song. He heard a rumbling noise echoing through the room. Looking around, he saw the walls beginning to crumble. "No! What are you doing! How..why..what!" he said as some parts of the ceiling began to fall down. He ran back up the steps and disappeared into the throne room as she reached the end of her song. She ran up the steps after him, narrowly missing falling stones on the way. She found Cou sitting on his throne. "Come on! This place'll come down any second!" she said. He shook his head. "There's nothing for me to do now. I have nothing left." he said. She shook her head. "You can come to the surface and live us! Or live with mom and dad! You can't just give up. " she replied. He shook his head. "At least you should escape. The castle will fall any moment now. Run while you can." She slowly nodded and made her way down the stairs. She was almost at the door when she was forced down by something and her world went black
The three outside watched in shock as the castle collapsed, the roof first, followed by the second floor. Once the dust had settled, Reio fell to his knees. "No way... She can't be..." he said quietly, invisible tears coming from his eyes. "Reio..." Ashlinn said, handing him the necklace Kathy gave her. "Maybe we can find her with it." Kourtnie said. Reio stood. "Then let's find her. " he said with a determined look on his face. "Let's split up and see what we can find." Ashlinn said. The three nodded and began to search the wreckage, calling out to Kathy, hoping she would respond.
Reio was searching the area closest to the front when the necklace started to glow. "Huh? Is it trying to tell me something...?" he asked himself, letting the pendant go. It hovered for a second before flying in the opposite direction he had been searching. It hovered over a section of rubble He ran over to it. "Kathy!" he yelled, hoping for a response. After a few seconds, he began digging through the debris, hoping she hadn't been crushed. He could barely make out a hand in the wreckage. He saw it and began digging faster. He slowly uncovered the rest of her, carefully sitting her up on his lap. The necklace flew down and clipped back together around her neck. She was still in her idol form, and sat loosely in Reio's arms. She was badly bruised and cut, and he notices a giant red gash on her leg where he guessed a stone had fallen. He also saw the gaping cut on her arm. "She's lost a lot of blood..." he told himself, ripping off some of his tunic and wrapping it around her arm tightly, stopping the bleeding. She winced in pain and slowly opened her eyes. "R-Reio..." she said softly. He nodded and smiled a bit. "I'm right here, Kathy. You're gonna be fine." he reassured her. She shook her head. "I'm glad...you guys came...for me. I really wanted... to see you...before..." she said, almost whispering. Reio shook his head. "You can't do this, Kathy. I don't want to lose you again." he held her closer. "Reio..." she said, smiling a bit. "I can't let you go. I won't let you go ever again. Because I love you." he said. "Promise me... you'll tell my parents... that Cou's gone, ok?" she asked. He shook his head. "We'll both do it." he said. She reached up and put her hand on his cheek. He held it there and closed his eyes. "I love you..." she said, closing her eyes. She went limp, softly exhaling. He squeezed her hand tight against his cheek. "No... Kathy... You can't die..." he said, tears falling and disappearing in the water. "Come on, Kathy! We'll take you home and fix you up all better and we'll go back to work as if nothing's changed. Leanne'll keep nagging you about asking me out, the other two will keep making fun of you, and everything'll go back to normal." he looked down at her. Holding her head up, he leaned down and kissed her. Pulling back after a few seconds, he continued to cry.
After a bit, he felt someone above him. He looked up to see a beautiful woman with a pure white dress and long, blonde hair standing over him. "So you are Reio Fuyaraka?" the woman asked. He nodded. "Yes. Who are you?" She smiled warmly. "My name is Lucia Nanami, Goddess of the seas. I'm also Kathleen's mother." "If you're the goddess of the seas, why did you let your own daughter die?" He frowned, looking back down at Kathy, tears melting into the water. "Tell me this, Reio. You love my daughter, correct?" she asked, kneeling and placing a hand on his shoulder. He looked up at her and nodded. "Of course." "Will you take care of her for her father and I while she's on the surface?" She asked. "I will." he replied. She smiled and stood. "Then I give you both my blessing." she wove her staff over the two and Kathy's body trembled, becoming warmer as her heart began to softly beat as her chest moved up and down. "Thank you." Reio said, looking up at Lucia. She smiled, giggling softly, and faded away.
He heard a soft moan. "Kathy..?" he asked softly, looking back down at her. Her eyes slowly fluttered open and she looked up at Reio. "Uhn...Reio...?" she asked. "Your mom gives us her blessing." he smiled, laughing nervously. "She does...?" she asked, blushing a bit. "Yeah, she brought you back..." his voice cracked a bit as he tried not to cry. She smiled, reaching her right arm up and pulling his head down, capturing his lips in a soft kiss. He supported her back and head as he pulled away, noticing she had fallen asleep. He picked her up carefully and called for the other girls, who had changed back into mermaids to search. They swam over quickly and immediately were overjoyed to see Kathy alive and in one piece. They helped Reio carry Kathy out of the tunnel and back onto the beach. The girls became human again and Reio was now in his t-shirt and swim trunks again. They all ran quickly to Kathy's house, where a very surprised and very angry Tikke answered the door, helping Reio get Kathy's wounds cleaned and wrapped up properly and getting her into bed. Kourtnie collapsed on the sofa in the living room as Ashlinn went to make some food for everyone. The next day went by slowly. Ashlinn and Kourtnie went off to work while Reio and Tikke took turns watching over Kathy.
"...And next up on the five o'clock news: the mysterious undersea earthquake that occurred last night. This i-" Reio turned off the TV as he walked back to Kathy's room. Tikke saw him at the door and stood. "Thanks again for taking me in, Tikke." he said. Tikke was now in her human form. She looked much like Hippo, except her eyes were more hazel and her hair was longer and a bit greener. She wore a sailor girl's dress and a hat similar to her father's. "It's no problem, Reio. I know you're concerned about Kathleen-sama." she replied, smiling. He smiled back, sitting down at the seat by Kathy's bed. Tikke left the room. Reio picked up one of Kathy's hands. He held it up to his cheek like he had before. "Come on, Kathy.. Wake up..." he said softly. His forehead began to glow softly as he gave her some of his energy. He looked at her and smiled a bit. She had a bandage on the upper part of her right arm, the lower part of her left leg ( the gash was the result of a stone falling on her leg and fracturing the bone) as well as small band-aids around on different places. He put his head down on her bed and quickly fell asleep.
Kathy woke slowly. She could still feel the pain in her arm and leg, and she knew it'd be even worse later on. She looked around. A boy was asleep by her, holding her hand. She smiled as she realized who it was. She carefully reached over with her bad arm and patted him on the head, causing him to stir. "I see you've been taking care of me." she said, putting her arm back where it had been. He looked up at her and smiled. "Thank goodness.." he said, holding himself back so he wouldn't squeeze her with a hug. Instead he put her hand to his lips and kissed it. "You feeling any better, Princess?" he asked. She nodded. "A bit, although my arm still hurts and my leg is killing me..." she replied. "Would you like me to go tell everyone else you're awake?" he asked, getting up. She slowly shook her head. "Too crowded and too loud. I'd much rather stay here with you." she said. He sat down again. "You really scared me back there after bringing down the castle. I thought you were gone..." tears began forming again. "And I almost was. I'm just glad you were able to find me." she told him. He smiled. "Well I'm never letting you go again." he said. "Good. Cuz I don't plan on saying goodbye anytime soon." she said.
A month passed. Kathy's arm healed rather quickly, and she was able to move around the house with Reio's help. He slept on the couch the entire month she was recovering. On the last Sunday of the month, Leanne and Ben were at the front counter, talking with each other. "I haven't seen her in forever!" Leanne said. Ben nodded. "They've been gone a long time." he agreed. Ashlinn and Kourtnie ran in the front doors. "They're coming!" they said. They held the doors open as Kathy, using crutches, and Reio walked in. Ben and Leanne clapped. "They're back!" Leanne said, running over to them. "You guys were gone too long! Don't do that again! This place has been a right bore since you left!" Kathy giggled. "Well I couldn't come into work with a fractured leg and a cut arm!" she said, " now if you don't mind, I want to get to work." she slowly made her way to the back room, Reio following with her swim bag.
As Reio stood outside the girl's room, Kathy changed into her wetsuit carefully. She got her crutches and walked back into the hall, handing Reio her bag. "Sorry to make you do this for me." she said as they made their way to the cave room. "No problem." he replied. He grabbed the door for her and followed her inside. She put her crutches against the wall and Reio helped her to the edge of the water, where she sat down and took out her contacts. She slipped into the pool and surfaced again. "Ah! It feels so great to stretch!" she said happily, sitting herself up on the edge of the pool. Reio took off his shoes and socks and rolled up his shorts a little bit higher and sat down next to Kathy. "Hey Kathy..." Reio started, blushing a little. "Yeah? Something wrong?" she asked. He shook his head. "Nothing. I just wanted to know if you remembered how Lea would always nag you about asking me out?" "How could I forget?" "Well I wanted to know... Would you go out with me sometime?" his face was bright red. She was a bit surprised, but nodded. "I'd love that." she hugged him. He hugged her back and, as the pulled back and stared into each other's eyes, they leaned in to kiss. However, Kathy backed off. "I'd better get to work. Don't want to make everyone wait for the dolphin show now." she slipped into the pool, waved, and sunk beneath the water. He sighed and smirked.
Later that night, they sat together on a rock offshore abit where it was safe for Kathy to sit above water. she rested her head on her shoulder and he put his hand on her hip. "I'm really glad you came to find me." she said, looking up at him. He smiled. "So am I." he said quietly before capturing her lips in a delicate kiss.