Chapter 2
Deep Trouble
"Yay, we're finally here!" screamed Liana. She raced out of the car and stretched all over.
"I'm guessing she's was dieing to get out of the car," Layla whispered to Akira.
"Me too," Akira giggled. They took their heavy luggage and hiked up to the front door of the bright yellow beach house and knocked. A few seconds after a tall teenage girl with long black hair, exactly like Akira's, opened the door.
"Mom, Akira, Layla, Liana!" Kara screamed. "It's so good to see you!" She gave them a big hug that almost choked them.
"I missed you so much!" Kara exclaimed.
"We missed you too!" coughed Akira. "Now can you please let us breathe now? You're cutting up my circulation system!"
"Sorry!" replied Kara. She let go of the group. "Let me give you a tour of the house." Kara helped them carry the luggage into the house and she placed them on a sea green rug. Inside the house, it was filled with things from the sea: seashells, pearls, and sand. At the corner of the room, Layla spied a fish tank with seahorses in it. After Akira, Layla, and Liana enjoyed watching the little seahorses dance around, Kara took them on a tour. She walked through the living room, kitchen, and then came to an empty wall.
"Why are we stopping here?" Liana asked.
"Yeah, it's just a blank wall," Layla agreed.
"Not just any wall, it's a secret door," Kara explained. Akira, Layla, and Liana stood with their eyes glittering with amusement. "You can only see it when I wave my hand over it." Kara hummed a few words and waved her hand over the wall. Suddenly a door glowing bright blue appeared in front of them. "This is the door to my magic room, which has a crystal globe in it. It let's me see all of the things going on in the ocean world."
"That's so cool!" Akira exclaimed.
"Isn't it dangerous that anyone could wave over the wall and wouldn't the door appear?" asked Layla, having her hands on her hips.
"No, it only works if you're a mermaid or a sea sprite like me," Kara replied. "Let me show you the rest of the house."
After they saw the rest of the house, everyone ate dinner. On the table, there was rice, teriyaki chicken, shrimp, salad, and Akira's favorite, sushi.
"Mmmmm…!" Liana smiled. "That was the best food ever!"
"Yeah, especially the sushi!" exclaimed Akira.
"I thought you would say that," admired Kara. "I made it just for you!"
"I'll help you clean the dishes," Mrs. Marellas offered.
"Me too!" piped Layla and Liana. They set off to the sink. As Kara was pacing towards them, she felt a slight tug on her arm.
"Yes Akira?" Kara asked, as she turned around. "What is it?"
"Can I ask you something?" Akira asked. She looked around. "Privately?"
"Sure," Kara answered. Akira followed her to the blank wall and she waved her hand over it and the door appeared. They stepped inside. Inside of the secret door was a huge room with pictures of mermaids all over it. There was another fish tank in the corner, except there were goldfish instead. What was really amazing was the giant screen in the middle of the room, above a giant crystal globe that was shining like the moon.
"So what did you want to ask me?" Kara asked again.
"Well, it's not really a question," Akira answered uneasily. "When I was on the car on the way here, I heard a mysterious voice. It was saying 'help me'."
"Hmmmm..." Kara wondered. "That is strange. Come with me and we can see what it is." Akira followed her to the crystal globe.
Kara waved her hand over the globe and chanted, "Show me the dark depths of the ocean!" In a few seconds, a picture of a dark castle appeared on the screen above. There was also a faint picture of a peach colored mermaid tied up.
"That's what I was afraid of," Kara said.
"What, what is it?" asked Akira questionably.
"It seems like one of the mermaid princesses, Hanna, your cousin the peach pearl princess, has been captured by the evil Panthalassa clan."
"Oh no!" Akira gasped. "What should we do?"
"I don't know, but we have to do it soon," Kara replied with a worried face. "Or else the ocean world will be in deep trouble."
