It was noon and I was getting hungry. This human body was always so very hungry! I looked at the water longingly; it would be so easy to simply jump in the water and catch a tuna! I shook my head and turned back to the café. Zane was, once again, working the bar. His recent employ, Will's sister, had found a job away from the city. She didn't say where, but she left and Zane was alone with the bar.

I searched for the girls but found none of them. Then, reluctantly, I walked towards Zane, "Hello…" he stopped and stared. I waited for a moment then, "I believe the correct response is 'Hello' back," I urged.

"What do you want?" he asked throwing the towel in his hands across his shoulder.

I sighed, no formalities I suppose, "I'm looking for the girls…"

"Check out on Mako, that's the most likely place you'll find them," he said with such contempt that it almost felt like a growl coming from his lips. I stood confused. Why was his anger directed towards Mako? Or was it directed somewhere else?

"Why do you hate her…?" I asked before thinking.

"I don't hate her! I could never hate her, I love her…"

I turned my head, "She told me what you'd done… that doesn't seem like something a man in love would do…" In love? I thought he was in love with Rikki!

"It was not me… I didn't enjoy it. It took me by surprise – I didn't want to kiss her – I… UGH! Why am I explaining to you!" he turned away from me, "Go to Mako and have your little club chat! I hope she doesn't regret trusting you…"

I laughed, understanding, he was talking about Rikki when I had meant Mako, "Zane… I meant Mako. Why do you hate Mako?"

Understanding dawned on his face as well and he rolled his eyes, "Oh…" then he took a breath and looked me in the eyes, "What makes you think I hate Mako?"

"Your anger always seems directed towards her… You had a man blow up her wall…" my insides roiled at the thought, but Mako had explained to me early this morning that he was not to blame, although he was with the group he had not wanted them to pursue the crystals so greedily.

Zane seemed to think a moment and he looked down at his hands while he spoke, "I regret every moment of that day… I should not have been greedy and I should not have led them to the cave."

It took me by surprise, from what I'd observed in the past week of this man, he rarely ever seemed to feel remorse… "I understand," I said, a feeling of pity for this Zane grew in my chest. Of all the humans that knew the secret of the mermaids Zane was the one I had not completely pieced together and slowly I was beginning to see the true him. Rikki was lucky to have a man like him… Whatever he had done must have been truly horrible to deserve such a strong reaction from her.

"Whatever," Zane responded once again closing the gates to his soul, "Just go… you'll probably find them at Mako…"

Quietly I left leaving Zane as he was.

MAKO ISLAND

It wasn't long until the girls arrived. Zane was right.

They were surprised by my presence but quickly cooled to it, "Hello again," I said with a smile. Cleo and Bella chuckled and said hello, but Emma and Rikki continued to be suspicious.

"We didn't see a boat," Rikki prodded, "How did you get here? I thought you didn't swim…"

"There is more than two ways to cross the ocean Rikki," I moved forward and sat down next to the pool. Then to change the subject I asked a question, "Have you girls learned how to talk to the fish yet?"

Cleo smiled, "I talk to Ronnie all the time! He's a dolphin at the Marine Park!"

I nodded my head, "And what does he tell you?"

"Well it's not that he really… talks, it's more that I get impressions," she sank a little in the water.

"That's the Dolphin language," I assured her, and she rose from the water again. It made me happy to see she had so readily accepted my assurance. It meant that she wanted it, "As for the others, their languages can be different. A shark for example speaks only when spoken to unless you're a shark, so learning their language is the hardest. However, when you do, they can be the kindest and gentlest of the fish in our sea."

"What about Sting ray?" Bella asked, jumping on the subject.

"They speak too much, their language is all in body movement," I laughed and it rang through the cavern like musical notes floating in a melody. Mako reacted to me as usual, waking up from a sleep, I turned to the wall, "Good afternoon my princess. Did you have a nice nap?" the moon pool bubbled playfully underneath the girl's fins and they laughed, "I'll take that as a yes."

"I've never seen the waters so active," Cleo said while kicking her fin against the bubbles.

"It is because I am here," I stated, "I woke her up so that she could heal… as well as…" no I reprimanded myself, not yet... "to talk, I miss her," I finished. This made Emma and Rikki suspicious again, they knew I was hiding something.

"So tell me girls," I began petting the wall again while I spoke, "What magic did Mako give you?"

Cleo all too readily answered, "I control water, Emma freezes it and Rikki heats it. Bella here can turn it into Jelly!" Rikki seemed to disapprove of Cleo's outburst and Cleo shrugged her shoulders questioningly.

I ignored the pass between them and continued, "So those are your specialties… what other gifts do you have?"

They seemed confused, "Those are pretty much it," Rikki shrugged. My jaw nearly dropped.

"You mean…" I paused, "Only one?"

"Yeah, that's what we said," Emma raised her eyebrows, "Is that a bad thing?"

"No! No… Oceans no…" I leaned back against Mako's wall, "Quite the opposite… A single gift is a concentration of power, the more control you have the stronger it gets, and the more focused it gets. Ultimately four single gifts are far stronger than any one person with a million gifts… Far stronger…" I fell to my own thoughts for a few minutes as the girls smiled, pleased with themselves, though it was Mako that gave them the gift.

"So we're powerful…?" Bella asked breaking me from my concentration.

"Only while you're together. When you're apart you become pathetic, even a mockery of all that is merfolk…" I exaggerated a little but they got the picture. I looked each of the girls in the eye… would they be willing to help me? I smiled weakly at them, "I'm sorry, you don't need me telling you about your gifts, about the life you lead… you know what life you have… And you're happy," I couldn't destroy this for them. I'm sorry Mako… these girls are happy I cannot ask them to help me. Their gifts will be to protect you, nothing more.

I turned towards the pool, "I must go… I have things to do," just as my foot was about to touch water and angry shot from the moon pool forced me backwards. Mako was shooting at me! I turned to stare at the waterfall in disbelief, "Mako?" the girls swam back nervously.

Another shot fired, not aimed at anything, just fired in anger, "Mako… what are you doing? I have to go! I have healed you, my task is-" a shot fired at my feet interrupting me. I got the point, "Alright! I'll stay!" Mako could be frightening when she wanted to be! The girls laughed a little as Mako's waterfall formed into a generic human face and stuck out its tongue, "Very mature," I muttered, but had to laugh myself.

The girls swam back to shore and I traveled my own way meeting them as they came out of the water, "Seriously!" Rikki shouted grabbing her chest in surprise, "How do you do that?"

"Magic," I responded, with a smile, "Look," I said, discouraging further conversation on the topic, "I'm new to the human world and I haven't had much time to uh… have fun… so, if it wasn't a problem I was going to ask… Would you mind showing me around town?" my heart beat nervously, I knew Rikki and Emma did not approve completely of my presence but Cleo and Bella seemed all for it.

Then, to my surprise Emma smiled, "We'd love to show you around!"

Rikki turned her head in confusion, "We would?"

Emma nodded, "Yes we would," and that was that.

I was not truly up for fun, but I wanted to see the girls at their happiest. Mako had grown a fondness for them as a mother would and seeing them happy made her happy, which in turn made me happy… I pondered on how this web worked but found the process too vague. I couldn't tell why Mako's happiness made me so happy…

We were at the Marine Park and Cleo was showing us the dolphins. I taught her a few tricks of the language. It would make it easier for her to teach the dolphins and she seemed extremely happy with this. Next we followed Emma across the country, this was the most fascinating to me. There were so many trees I felt almost crowded and I wished for the open ocean more than ever. Ash had joined us for this section of the "fun trip" and Emma had walked off with him a ways away, Cleo and Bella following. I fell behind not used to the exertion this hiking asked for.

Rikki was with me and it seemed she was not having fun at all. I tried to cheer her up, "Beautiful country, I can't believe human life is so… varied."

"You're not having fun fish boy, admit it," was all she said. I frowned.

"I suppose not… but Emma is having fun, that is all that matters… She is very happy with him isn't she."

"Yeah," Rikki sighed with an almost imperceptibly weak smile, "They're all pretty lucky."

I paused, calculating, then said, "And why aren't you…?"

She turned in surprise, I'd gotten it right. She quickly recovered, "I am."

I sensed the lie and smirked, "You're not happy fish girl, admit it," she smiled.

"Why should I admit anything to you?" Rikki stopped a moment by a large tree with a lifted root. She sat down taking off her shoe and shaking a few rocks from her boot.

"Let's just say… it's a comfort of strangers deal."

"Oh you're strange alright!" she laughed. She replaced her shoe and dropped her foot but didn't move, I was grateful for the break.

I debated in my head for a moment then took a deep breath, "What was it Zane did, that made you leave?"

Her eyes bored into mine angrily, and for some time she did not answer. I was content to wait so the silence dragged, birds sang and wind rustled through the trees. I vaguely began to wonder where the other girls had gone to when she answered, "He kissed another girl."

Yes! She was opening up! I proceeded with caution, "Are you sure he kissed her… or did she kiss him?"

"Is there a difference?" she asked with a huff, "He didn't shove her away so he must have liked it!"

"Rikki… I may not be human, but I am male," I scratched my chin lightly, thinking, "Sometimes our reactions aren't true to our feelings… even yours are not the same… Mako told me of an incident not too long ago where you kept a secret from your friends, a secret that tore you up inside, you nearly lost your friends because of it. Your actions then did not show your true feelings. Mako believes it was because you were frightened about their reaction. What if… Zane is in the same boat? His actions weren't true because he was frightened of your reaction. A single action or misdeed does not make a man… it is the composition of all that he is that will tell you who he will be."

I looked up and our eyes met for only a moment and she looked away hiding her feelings as usual. Her gate closed, but not as abruptly as Zane's had done. I sighed. They were so much alike those two.

"Hey, did you get lost?" Emma asked, circling around a tree, Cleo and Bella followed looking oddly guilty.

"No, simply resting Emma," I called waving my hand, "Rikki here stayed behind with me to make sure I did not get lost."

"Yeah," was Rikki's response.

To end the day we found our way back to Rikki's café. I gladly sank down in a booth with a drink they called, "Mango Fritz" I sipped lightly as the girls caught up with Emma. She had been gone nearly a year now and had missed a lot. My mind began to wander and I didn't notice Will, Lewis, and Ash joining our small party.

My thoughts drifted to Mako and her crystal clear pool. I imagined floating on the cool surface, the sounds of the wind over the opening echoing downwards. It was so serene I could fall asleep and never wake. Mako made it so, being so close to a spirit always had this effect on my people. To be calm is to be in control, but to be serene was to be lost to life. It was a good thing, many had sought this moment of serenity, few found it. My mind returned to the pool and I felt Mako's soft hands touch my arm, warm and inviting, she gently shook my arm back and forth causing ripples in the water. "What did you talk to Rikki about?" she asked shaking my arm more urgently, "Hey," my mind snapped to the present with Cleo shaking my arm, "What did you say to Rikki when you were alone with her?"

"What?" it was taking me a little while to adjust from the sudden release of my daydream.

"When you were alone in the woods with her, what did you say?"

"Oh!" I chuckled, "We talked about happiness."

"Is that all?" Bella asked looking over her shoulder where Rikki stood talking to Zane at the counter. I stared and turned my head. Strange… did my words have an effect?

"Well… I did mention Zane a few times… only once in name…"

"I hope she knows what she's doing," Emma sighed, knowing far more than I, that Zane could be dangerous.

"Oh Emma, quit being a mother, Zane's not a bad guy," Cleo laughed.

I sat in silence for a long moment watching Rikki's exchange with Zane, they were both smiling, and neither seemed as tense as they were during previous chats I'd seen them exchange earlier. I turned my head once again losing myself in thought, but this time my thoughts escaped my lips, "It's strange," I commented and once I had I wished I hadn't. All three girls and boys turned to me and back to Rikki, then back to me, questioning. I sighed, now I had to continue, "In the Deep Blue Kingdom affection is something we do without… That is, it's not forbidden and you are very lucky to find someone that you care for deeply enough to love like that but… In the past few months," I paused and tore my eyes from Rikki and Zane, back to my drink, "My people have forgotten."

My heart was ready to break, I saw in my head the eyes of a grieving widow and those eyes became Rikki's for a single moment. I could never ask these girls to join our war. They were too happy. I could not stand seeing grief cross their face even for a moment… "I have to go," I said abruptly and slipped out of the booth my path out of the café crossed Rikki's as she was returning to her seat. At the last moment, I saw the drink in her hand, too late. I could not use magic to stop the fall of liquid there were too many human eyes! In near slow motion the liquid splashed across my chest and onto her hand. I shook my head, we were both in trouble!

Grabbing Rikki's hand I dashed from the café as fast as I could, out of the corner of my eye, I could see the others standing to chase us. I could feel my legs begin to waver just as I reached the small pier, this would be close! My fin was beginning to form just as Rikki jumped into the water, I was on the edge and barely leapt from the dock as my fin spread. I hoped that no one had seen! But my mind left that thought as soon as it entered, something more important took its place. The Ravine were coming… I could feel their magic immediately zooming closer.

Rikki shook her head at me, in exasperation; this was not the only time she had to make a dive. The Ravine were moving fast now, having recognized my presence, I had to move just as quick: Rikki was in danger! I grabbed her hand once again and kicked my powerful fin against the water. Faster, I thought, faster, faster, faster! I saw a dock a short distance away, I knew this to be Cleo's father's spot, and his boat was in its space. There was no time to think she needed to be out of the water! So, pulling her close to me I kicked against the water, lifting out of the water enough to grab onto the edge and to pull her onto the deck of Mr. Satori's boat.

"What are you doing?" She whispered fiercely, "Get me back in the water! Someone will see me!"

"No," I commanded, she was taken back for a moment but still angry, "The water is not safe right now… dry yourself and return to your fr-" before I could finish I felt the cold hands grab my fin, the sudden weight it added forced my hands to release the edge of the deck, I went under. Their cold hands and pasty white skin loomed over my head, blocking the surface light from my eyes. I tried to swim deeper but the ocean bed was too close, I was trapped! I kicked my green fin hard ramming my body against one of their own, it broke the circle and I swam for the ocean. If I could get closer to my father he might be able to send some men to save me…. There was no such luck…

In the distance I could feel more Ravine closing in. I changed course and swam for Mako, her magic could protect me for a short while! I kicked and swam as fast as I could, I felt their presence closing in and in the back of my mind I knew… I wasn't going to make it. It was too far and the Ravine was too close. They wanted the Prince and they were going to get him… I was so stupid to think I could have escaped their notice, to think I was strong enough to resist!

There was a Ravine with his black tail swimming beside me now a harpoon in his hand. He was going to kill me and take my lifeless form to my father, and to his people. When they saw that I was dead all hope would be lost… there were no more heirs. If I had not been underwater a tear would have fallen from my eye but as it was I simply closed them instead. I am sorry that I was never good enough father.

It was then that a strange electrical charge zoomed past me. I felt pain, a sharp slicing pain in my side and I tasted my blood in the water! I stopped swimming then, if I moved anymore the wound would open further. I opened my eyes then, and I saw her… Mako's basic water form surrounding me! I had gotten close enough! In a smooth movement I was suddenly being towed backwards, faster than any merman or woman could swim. I marveled at Mako's ability to do this and held tight to her arm.

Once out of the water and away from danger I began to relax. Adrenaline was beginning to fade and with it, the pain began to sharpen! I moaned pulling myself out of the moon pool, it hurt to do so, but I couldn't be in the water. I thought about Rikki then, and hoped Mr. Satori did not find her mermaid self on his deck. I hoped she was smart enough to dry off before he saw her. But, maybe it was too late, maybe I had chosen the wrong place to take her. Could I trust Mr. Satori? If he knew the girl's secret, could he protect them?

Mako's serpentine head cooed next to my own, her nose touched my cheek and I reached up to pet her, "Thank you…" I whispered. She turned her nose to my side and whimpered. She could do nothing, I knew, this wound needed attention that neither of us could give. Mako pulled back suddenly, lifting and looking at me. Her head dropped once again touching my cheek then in a flash her head dropped below the water. She was gone! I couldn't guess where but somehow I knew she was getting help… I hoped it wasn't human… I shook my head, no, Mako was smarter than that.