CatrionaHearts: This is a (very very very late) Birthday one-shot collection type thing for my friend Leanna, who reads all my stuff and is just an angel. :) There'll be a crack pairing for each colour of the rainbow, with a little piece centring around Zexion (Leanna's absolute favourite KH character!) in between each colour.

Ugh, I can't explain it. Just read!

Happy Birthday Leanna! You're finally 16!

Disclaimer: Kingdom Hearts belongs to Square Enix and Disney… All hail them!

Red

Ariel/Roxas

Of course Axel had had to swap missions with Roxas. Well, Axel always swapped missions with Roxas… or just gave them to Roxas to do simply because he had 'important business to attend to' (i.e stand in front of the mirror with Marluxia, sorting his hair).

But this mission was predictably given to Roxas. Well, Axel had used the word 'mission' but in reality it was 'Atlantica Heartless Patrol'. Atlantica was the water-world and as Demyx was off doing something in the Underworld (despite all his protests), Axel had taken the Agrabah mission and given Roxas the Atlantica one. Whether Axel couldn't go underwater because of his powers, or whether he just didn't want to get his hair messed up, Roxas didn't know.

But now the keyblader was stuck swimming around in the empty waters, alone and fed up. It wasn't fun, being part dolphin. The swimming thing was bad enough but when sharks came along, you couldn't get rid of them just by shooting light at them. You had two options: strike 'em with Oathkeeper or RUN (swim) away.

After yet another near-death run in with a shark, Roxas was starting to curse his best friend for giving him this dumb mission. He hadn't even seen a single heartless and he wasn't due to swap shifts with Lexeaus for another hour. Sighing, he swam on through the dark and dull waters, half-hoping the shark would show up again to give him so excitement.

Suddenly, Roxas stopped. Something was distracting him. Something he hadn't expected to find under the sea…

Singing.

Singing?! Why in Kingdom Hearts was someone singing in the middle of the ocean? Swimming faster, in the direction of the music, Roxas decided Heartless-Patrol could wait. Besides, what was the point in patrolling these waters when there were obviously NO heartless?

"I don't WANT to sing again, Sebastian! Can we not take a break?" The singing stopped and a girl's voice echoed off the rocks surrounding Roxas. He kept swimming, wanting to see who was lurking at the bottom of the ocean. King Triton's Palace was a long way away and he had been warned to stay away from there.

Finally, he came to the source of the music. A whole band of sea-creatures were playing, conducted by a small crab. Roxas had never seen anything like it! No wonder Demyx loved his Atlantica missions! Roxas smiled as he thought of Demyx humming a tune at dinner after being on said missions… then getting kunai-ed by Larxene.

"Ariel! Girl! There is no point in us playing this surprise song for your father if you won't sing!" The crab turned his attention to someone out of Roxas' view line. He swam forward a little, trying to stay hidden.

"Sebastian, I've been singing all day. Can't I please go and explore now? I've never been to this part of the ocean!" The girl had her back to Roxas, but he could tell her arms were folded and she was probably scowling. Roxas had never seen a real mermaid before, especially one with hair as red as Axel's and a glittering green tail…

"Ariel, I know you'll try and go up to the surface-" The crab tried again to reason with her.

"I won't! I promise! Pleeeease Sebastian?" The mermaid, Ariel, seemed to be very stubborn.

Sebastian the crab ignored her. "From the top everyone!" He counted the sea-creatures in and they started their tune once again.

Roxas watched Ariel carefully as she floated down to sit on a rock right on the sea floor. Sebastian and the band hadn't noticed her, and it obviously wasn't her part in the song just yet…

He took a chance and dived straight down towards her. Her eyes widened when she saw him. She had amazing topaz-blue eyes.

"Sora? You look different…" she whispered, almost inaudible above the music.

Roxas shook his head, confused. "Come with me." He took her wrist leading her away from the band and towards the dark, murky waters he was supposed to be patrolling.

Ariel looked back quickly over her shoulder. "Who are you?"

Roxas half-shrugged, letting go of her wrist. "My name is Roxas." There was a pause. "You, er, didn't look like you were having fun."

Ariel smiled. "I love to sing, really, it's just that…"

"You'd rather explore?"

She laughed. "Yeah!"

Roxas looked up but couldn't see the surface of the water. It must get awfully frustrating for her, down here all the time, he thought.

"Wanna go up to the surface?" Roxas asked.

Ariel's eyes brightened. Roxas loved her eyes. And her red hair. And her tail. And her soft skin…

"Roxas?"

Roxas blushed. "Sorry. What did you say?"

"I said I would love to go to the surface, But daddy won't let me. He says it's dangerous." Ariel looked down.

Roxas took her hand. "Well, if there is anything dangerous I'm yet to encounter it!" He dragged her upwards, extremely fast.

"R-Roxas!" Ariel's cries were lost in the roar of the water. She clung on to his hand for dear life.

"Don't worry!" Roxas yelled, not sure if she heard him.

They broke the surface, the fresh air stinging their skin. They blinked in the sudden sunlight then turned to each other and laughed.

"That was fun!" Ariel said, smiling brightly.

Roxas smiled back, not sure what to say. He looked over to the horizon and saw the sun starting to disappear.

Already? He thought, sadly. "Ariel, sorry, but I have to go."

Ariel's sadness surprised him. "Will you be back?"

Roxas knew he couldn't answer truthfully. "I'll try, honest." He smiled. "After all, you can't explore the surface alone, can you?"

Ariel frowned. "Hmph. I am perfectly capable of looking after myself you know!"

Roxas laughed at her annoyance. "I know! Take care all right?"

She nodded. "Don't be a stranger. If you want to find me, I'm usually at the Palace."

Roxas cringed. Break the rules or never see Ariel again? He would miss those blue eyes and that crimson hair too much…

"I'll meet you there. Soon." He hesitated for a moment then kissed her cheek, softly. Smiling, he ducked under the water.

"Wait!" Ariel grabbed his arm and pulled him up. "Where can I find you?"

Roxas thought for a moment, desperately. He hated lying, but he was pretty sure Ariel wouldn't want to associate with Nobodies.

"You'll find me in your heart," he said, blushing slightly. He then ducked under the water once again and portalled out of sight.

An hour later, after being teased by Axel that his hair was lying funny after half a day submersed in salt water and asked by Demyx if he got to do any singing, Roxas found himself thinking about the mermaid he had met.

Maybe swapping shifts with Axel hadn't been so bad after all…

CatrionaHearts: I sincerely doubt all the chapters will be this long. I just thought this was so damn cute!

Oh and LOLHair-Obsessed Axel! XD

Hope you enjoyed it Leanna!