Sora found that there was a black pearl in the clam, much to his delight (the meat wasn't bad either) and he added it to his already decent stash of treasure.

It was a hollowed out section of the grotto he lived in with Roxas that was too small to be a useful room but large enough to have a use as a storage place. It's gone really unused while the whole family was around, but shortly after losing his parents Sora began treasure hunting and found that it helped him cope very well.

Already there was gold and silver and gems from ancient shipwrecks, but recently Sora had found little fun in searching a hiding place that was so obvious and took a liking to hunting down the perfect shells and pearls. He also had coral that had died, finding the white and lifeless organisms to be a sad but ethereal white beauty. Occasionally he still took human-made treasures, if he found them in an interesting place, like far down current from a shipwreck, or caught in a crevasse, or maybe even found in a poor creature's gullet.

Sora compared the recent black pearl to previous ones, and was delighted to see it was larger than he thought it was. He then began grabbing chains and holders and such, crafting a new trophy of his hunting skill. He then smiled at his shell and gem craft, and swam off again.

Sora found a cove a ways off the the shore and carefully watched the humans walking around. It was a trio of girls.

The tallest one there- and who Sora presumed eldest -had a very blue sense about her even with her tanned skin. The hair being the same shade as the sky probably helped. Her nose had a gentle, sophisticated curve to it and he cheekbones were a little on the high side. She was sitting in some shade, rolling her eyes at the other two.

The one of the other girls was getting buried in the sand, her white hair almost forming a halo around her head as she giggled at her companion. She had a mature, but young look. Perhaps not quite yet an adult but getting there. She was also remarkably pale for someone who lived at a tropical island. Perhaps she wore some kind of anti-tanning salve or maybe she just didn't go outside much compared to her island kin.

Sora's eyes wandered over to the one heaping sand over the pale girl. Her impish features and overall round, pleasant chubbiness made her look quite young. Probably about Sora's age. Her nose flew up sharply in a stuck up manner, but seemed more playful than anything. She shared this trait with the pale girl. Perhaps they were siblings. She brushed her ruby hair out of her eyes as she put on more sand, saying something playfully. Sora swam a little closer to try and make out her beautiful eyes, but then backed away.

He didn't want to be seen. He was a rock compared to a diamond.

They laughed and giggled and talked, but Sora wasn't paying attention to that. He smiled dreamily at them, his eyes only caught on one. He wondered absently when the little Paopu girl he'd been watching would return his affections. He then found a suitable time to leave his gift, did so, and swam off to hide and observe with an attention grabbing splash. Just like he always did these past few months.

"Oh? Aqua what was that?!" Kairi asked, pausing burying her sister, Namine.

Aqua looked around, then shrugged "Perhaps a fish got caught somewhere and freed itself."

Namine lifted her chin from the sand "Well it was a pretty big fish."

Kairi walked over to the cove "Well I'm gonna go look, unlike you two sissies."

"Well we are content in not knowing. There is a difference." Aqua pointed out.

"A boring difference!" Kairi teased.

Sora nervously watched, then smiled as Kairi found his present and showed it to the other girls. He left, satisfied that his gift would reach the proper girl.

A lazy smile drifted onto his face as he remembered when he first saw her. She was only sitting in one of the shallow coral reefs, letting the fish swim around her and nibble at her toes, but she was gorgeous without even trying. He, meanwhile, was a broken wreck from mourning his parents. He saw her, and shortly after it seemed like someone had handed him a light for the darkness. He began finding little things for her, the smile of joy that followed often lighting the darkness of his life. He swam off.

Kairi, meanwhile, smiled at the little sculpture "It's so pretty!"

Aqua examined it with a more critical eye "A little crude, but no denying the craftsmanship."

Namine kicked whatever legs of hers were still exposed "I wanna see!" She ogled the object when Kairi brought it into her view "Wow! And that just washed up? Like all the other things you've been finding?"

Kairi fiddled with it "I guess, but the ocean should've worn it down a lot more than this..." She ran her finger along the base "Now what does this writing mean..."

"Kairi~!" Ventus called to her "Your dad's wondering when you and your sister are gonna bother coming back with my mom!"

Kairi began unburying Namine "Oh fine. I get it, we can't have a full afternoon of fun."

Namine giggled in response "You know dad, he worries about us a lot."

Ven hugged Aqua "Hi, mom!"

Aqua nuzzled her face in Ven's hair with a smile "Hello, my little zephyr."

Kairi began running "I'll race ya Namine!" Namine followed after with a wide smile, her star necklace bouncing to the rhythm of her feet. She didn't race Kairi, knowing enough from experience her little sister was always going to beat her.

She stopped and looked back at Aqua and Ven, then the sea "I wonder... If the Sea People have been leaving Kairi the gifts."

...

Sora swooped through the water like he always did. He liked leaving gifts for his little land-bound-love and the smile that lit up her face. That smile made it sooooo worth it not matter how many times he'd seen it. He twirled past a few sea turtles, slapping the extended fins playfully in an echo of a high-five.

"Sora!" Sora stopped when he saw Roxas swimming towards him. Swimming very fast and angrily, actually "Sora were you watching the humans again?!"

Sora shrugged "Well I made them a-"

He didn't get to finish before Roxas grabbed his wrist and began swimming back home "I swear Sora you are more trouble than you're worth!"

Sora swam to keep up so his arm wouldn't get hurt, but he bowed his head. He then said "Come on, Roxas, nothing bad is happening-"

"You know the stories, Sora!" Roxas snapped at him "They don't like us and they do horrible things!"

"No they don't!" Sora yanked on his hand "You haven't seen what I've seen-"

"I've heard enough!" Roxas yanked back "And before you protest that I should 'see it for myself': the rumors are not something I want to investigate, ya know." Roxas lead Sora into their grotto "Besides, Xion lost her best friend to them. That's enough proof that they're evil for me and I don't want my little brother-" Roxas leaned over Sora adding very intently "the only family I have left -getting caught by them, too."

Sora settled down on a rock "But Roxas-"

"Nope. End of story-"

"Roxas I love one of them!" Sora yelled.

Roxas halted. He then looked back at Sora with a glare "What?"

Sora folded his arms "There's this girl... And I really like her."

Roxas shook his head "You're a merman, she's a human. It's impossible." Sora flinched. Roxas then swam around a bit- Sora figured he was trying to vent his anger. He then said "No more."

Sora looked up at him with a confused, but terrified expression "No more what-"

"No more seeing her. No more treasure hunting, no more anything. You're obviously going insane-"

"I'm not!" Sora yelled. He was horrified by the turn Roxas was taking in his personality.

"You've been acting weird ever since mom 'n dad died!" Roxas yelled back "I'm the one who's responsible for your safety and I say that you shouldn't be watching the humans so often-"

"That's the only thing that's KEPT me sane, Roxas!" Sora begged "Please, don't take it away!"

"If I catch you near the island again I'm making sure you stay put, you hear me?!" Roxas replied. He then began pushing a rock "No more of this trinket hunting-"

"ROXAS!" Sora wailed "NO! I-it-!"

Roxas pushed Sora away "You'll thank me for this-"

"No! Please, I've spent so much time collecting that!" Sora continued whining.

Roxas finished sealing the treasure trove "Hmph. You'll get this back when you start acting normal again." Sora watched Roxas swim past "Maybe I should go see a healer about this, too."

Sora then swam alongside Roxas "What'll it take to prove to you I'm not insane?!"

Roxas shook his head "Nothin' you'd say-"

Sora swam right in front of him "What if I got proof from the mermagus?!"

Roxas halted. He blinked slowly, as if he was debating over whether or not he'd just heard that "The mermagus...?" He scowled "Sora you know he's a last resort."

"I'm at the end of my rope on trying to get you to listen to me!" Sora yelled "You NEVER listen to me anymore! You're not the Roxas I remember! You never smile or anything! I bet you don't love me-"

Roxas looked hurt "I do love you, Sora-"

"NO YOU DON'T!" Sora shrieked "ALL YOU DO IS LOOK AT ME WITH THIS DISAPPOINTED SCOWL LIKE YOU WISH I WAS NEVER BORN!" After a moment to collect himself, Sora shoved past him and swam off "You're the one who's insane!"

Roxas reached after him "Sora!" He began swimming after his brother "Sora wait I-"

"Don't follow me you- you slimeball!" Sora snapped.

Roxas sank back. He bit his lip and ran his hands through his hair and swished his tail around. He hated that when he was anxious or stressed he needed to move, but then again it was an urge that was more annoying than anything. He settled back on a rock and continued fussing around in an attempt to keep calm.

In truth, he really didn't understand Sora anymore. The boy had become more aloof and distant, spending more time searching for little trophies and treasures that hanging around home or spending time with him. Roxas hoped that maybe bringing Xion into the family would help Sora hang around, but there was uncertainty everywhere with the plan.

He picked up a picture of their parents "Mom... Dad... All I want is to keep us safe and happy."

Sora continued swimming on, ideas already forming in his head. Maybe he could get the mermagus to fix Roxas, maybe he could get him to bring his parents back! 'Maybe's flew in his head every which way in cacophonous desperation until one idea made him halt.

The mermagus could give him the legs he needed to be with the island girl.

woo this one's longer sorry! (mentally berating self for slight awkward with Sora and Roxas arguing) UPDATE: changed up descriptions and added motivation explanations for Sora