"Kotomi! Where ya hiding?" Shinju called as he pushed Maria through the doors of the hotel.
"Hello. Welcome to... oh it's you Shinju. And you found a new girlfriend. Great." A girl said as she stood up from behind the front counter.
"I'm not his girlfriend! Who do you think you are saying that?" Maria puffed up and her face went red. She glared at Kotomi as she laughed.
"Not a girlfriend. Yet. Who's this one Shinju?" She asked as she walked over.
"She says her name is Maria. Don't know where she came from, she just was standing in front of the school chatting with herself. Weird don't ya think?" Shinju said as he patted Maria's angry head. She slapped his hand away.
"Who do you think you are Shinju-kun? Don't touch me like that!" Maria exploded. She jumped away from Shinju and cross her arms.
"Calm down cutie." He winked at Maria. She glared back. She heard the girl laughing and turned around.
"Who're you?" Maria asked her. She smirked.
"Kotomi Amai. I manage this hotel. And do most of the repairs." She looked at Shinju, than back to Maria.
"So... Kotomi, this is a hotel right? Where people stay?" Maria asked her. Her smiled faded and her eyes brows went up in confusion.
"Yeah, obviously. Why?" Kotomi said as she struggled not to roll her eyes.
"Would I have to pay if I wanted a room?" Maria continued.
"Of course. You need a room?" Kotomi asked.
"Yes, but I don't have any money. I'm not even sure I know what money is." Maria shrugged.
"Can you cook? Clean? If you can, I can reconsider your payment methods." Kotomi said as Maria, clueless, blinked at her.
"Uh... reconsider payment methods? You mean if I work here, I can stay for free?" Maria beamed.
"Not here, the store next door. They are short on employees. If you can work there, you can have a free room. I might consider taking a short portion of your pay to compensate, but maybe not. I'll think about it. Anyways, you can have a room on this floor." Kotomi said as she turned and looked down the hallway. She nodded and spun around.
"Kotomi, can you get her a uniform for school? We go back in two days." Shinju said as he ran his hand through his hair.
"I know that you idiot." Kotomi rolled her eyes.
"Plus, maybe she'll look as cute as you in the uniform Kotomi." Shinju winked.
"You perverted boy!"
"Get out you idiot!" Maria and Kotomi yelled at the same time as they slapped him. He rubbed his cheeks and smiled.
"It seems like my girls have something in common." Shinju laughed.
"I am not your girl!" The two yelled harmoniously.
"Maybe it won't be so bad on land anyways. Plus, if Mom could live here, so could I!" Maria thought as she watched Kotomi push Shinju out the door.
"Let me help you with the jerky boy." Maria said. She kicked Shinju's behind as Kotomi held the door open.
"Where is that Atlantic princess to?" The black mermaid said as she pushed her white hair out of the way. She looked around, looked at her pearl pendant and closed her eyes.
"I'm sorry everyone. I'm sorry I left you behind for myself. I'm so sorry to you Terra. If I can, I'll come back for you, all of you!" She thought as she swam up to the light. Jumping out of the water, the black mermaid sat on a rock. She stroked her tail.
"Goodbye Princess, hello human. Now, to find the Atlantic Princess. Where is she gone?" The silver haired girl said as she fell asleep.
"Time to find the princesses of the sea. Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Indian Ocean, Arctic Ocean, Antarctic Ocean. Seven, wait six," The winged woman smiled evilly. "Mermaid Princesses, and each one with a pearl. I need to get them for Bella-sama. I feel the violet pearl around here. Where?" She said as she disappeared and reappeared on the beach.
"Like a hummingbird, my heart beats with love. Like fireworks, I want to explode, and show my light! If I pray another day, can I find love? If I walk another step, can I find you in my heart?" Maria sang as she fixed the purple blankets on the bed. She laid on the bed and sighed.
"Can I really stay here and be happy? I don't belong here..." Maria said as she hugged her pillow and rolled over. Kotomi hummed and knocked on the door. Maria ignored her and stared at the ceiling.
"Maria!" Kotomi said as she banged on the door. Maria looked at the door.
"Come in." She said, yawning.
"Don't get so dazed. It's a bad habit." Kotomi said as she closed the door and went to the window. She opened it and stuck her head out.
"It's raining. And it looks bad out there. Keep this closed." She said as she closed the window. She looked around the room and stopped at Maria, who was staring blankly at the wall.
"You okay?" Kotomi asked her and shook her head. "Here. It's bath salts. Lavender scented. I figured you might like it." She said as she tossed a small packet at Maria. She caught it as it hit off her forehead and smelled it.
"Mmm... It smells good. Is lavender a flower?" Maria asked.
"Are you serious?" Kotomi asked after a moment of silence.
"Yes." Maria said. She looked at Kotomi with a confused face.
"Are you stupid? Of course its a flower." Kotomi asked as she went to leave. A pendant fell out from the pocket of her shorts. Maria went over to pick it up, and looked at it.
"Maya's pearl pendant? Kotomi! Why do you have this? Did you hurt Maya-chan?" Maria yelled as she opened the pendant to see a yellow pearl. Tears ran down her cheeks as she fell to her knees on the floor.
"The pendant! It fell! Wait... How do you know Maya? Are you a mermaid too?" Kotomi said as she spun around and looked at the pendant in Maria's hand. Maria looked up.
"Did you hurt Maya-chan?" She repeated, not angry, but sad.
"Why would I hurt her? She was my best friend! Are you a mermaid too?" Kotomi cried. She spotted Maria's pendant around her neck and gasped. "You are. Where is Maya?" Kotomi asked on a sob.
"She's dead. She was killed by a sea demon. I hadn't seen her for so long..." Maria whispered.
"Dead... Maya can't be dead! Maya-chan can notbe dead... That's why she left the pearl." Kotomi said as she stared out the window.
"She left the pearl to you. A mermaid princess pearl to a human. You must of meant a lot to her. Only those that are family get the pearl of a deceased princess until she is...uh... replaced." Maria said. She stood and looked at Kotomi.
"Replaced? Maya can't be replaced. Is she?" Kotomi asked without facing Maria.
"No. That's why they gave me her part of the Atlantic to rule as well. No new yellow mermaid was touched by Aqua Regina Lucia-sama."
"Aqua Regina Lucia. She always spoke of her, but I didn't know who she spoke of. She always told me that if there is nothing to hold on to, still believe in Aqua Regina. So I have, but I don't know if she hears me." Kotomi said, biting her lip.
"No doubt. Whether a mermaid or not, Aqua Regina knows that you are special to Maya, so she loves you too. She can't always be there and tell you the answer straight forward. Like when she told me to come here. She didn't tell me why, or what would happen, just that I had to come here." Maria said happily. She started for Kotomi, but froze when she realized what she just said.
"She told you to come here? Did Aqua Regina send you after me to take back the pearl?" Kotomi asked in a whisper.
"No. I don't think so. She isn't selfish. Plus, I don't want or need the pearl. It's not mine, and Maya gave it to you. So it's yours." Maria said as she held out the pendant. Kotomi looked at her hopeful eyes. She smiled and outstretched her hand. She touched the pendant within Maria's hand and Maria dropped it into her hand.
"Thank you. I think this can work for us." Kotomi said as she refastened the pendant around her neck.
"AH! Aqua Regina! Help ME!" The black mermaid called from the water as she struggled against the black feathers of a cruel faced woman.
"No goddess can help you know princess. I will take your pearl and your powers!" The woman said as she reached for the pendant that hung around the mermaid's neck.
Maria's pendant started to shine a luminescent purple light. She stood from the table.
"Is it another mermaid?" Kotomi asked.
"Maybe. But the light makes me feel like somebody is hurt. And it makes me want to go to the water." Maria said as she looked down.
"Then let's go. We can't let someone, mermaid or not, get hurt. It's not right." Kotomi said as she took off her apron and threw it on the counter. She took Maria's hand and dragged her out of the hotel.
As they reached the beach, Kotomi and, after getting up and wiping sand from her face, Maria seen what was happening. They seen the black mermaid, and the dark wings that surrounded her.
"That's the Arctic Princess! I'm sure of it!" Maria said as she ran and dove into the water. She swam towards the mermaid.
"No! Stop!" She cried as a dark feather hit Maria and a inky chain of black wrapped around her.
"Maria!" Kotomi screamed from the beach.
She started out a bit into the water, but realized the truth. She couldn't swim, and she wasn't a mermaid.
"Two mermaids, two pearls. I'm going to be the highest ranking servant!" The winged woman cheered as she made a pulling motion towards Maria. The dark tendrils pulled her in.
"What can I do?" Kotomi asked herself as she watched helplessly.
"Come on Koto-chan! Pray with me! If you do, I bet Aqua Regina might actually appear. Remember, if you believe in her, you can know that you live with love. Come on!" An echoing voice said. A young Kotomi smiled at her and gripped her hands together.
"Ok Maya. But I don't really know what or who Aqua Regina is. I'll believe in her for you." Kotomi said.
"Not for me, for you." The young mermaid said. She took off the pendant that hung around her neck and opened it.
"This pearl is a miracle thing. It can do wonders if you believe. I'll show you." The little yellow mermaid said. She smiled and looked at her pearl.
"Yellow Pure Voice!" She said cheerily. The yellow pearl shined dimly and turned into a microphone. The mermaid now had legs, and a short, cute yellow and orange dress. An orb of light appeared around her as she spoke.
"The rainbow colored wind blows from a far coast. Before dawn, there was a melody I heard. It was a very nostalgic song.
The birds that fly towards the eastern sky, now escape to the treasure island using this shortcut,
Where the paradise of the seven seas lies.
After the stormy night, to tell you my love I will be born again. Even if there comes a day where everyone, is to journey away from here, as long as we sing the melody of the seven countries,
I'll never forget." She sang. Kotomi clapped as the idol mermaid asked for an encore.
"You sing so pretty Maya. I wish I could be a mermaid like you and sing that pretty and look that pretty too! You look so beautiful Maya!" Kotomi said as the girl dropped into the water and came back up as a mermaid again.
"Believe Kotomi..." Two voices whispered at the same time, twisting together in harmony in Kotomi's head.
"Can I become Yellow Pure Voice?" Kotomi said as she looked down at the pendant. She closed her eyes.
"Yellow Pure Voice!" Kotomi called as, to her surprise, the yellow pearl began to shine. It flew out of the pendant and turned into a microphone. A long yellow dress wrapped around Kotomi, and golden clips clasped her hair. She wore orange slippers, with yellow ribbons reaching her knees. She wore flowing, layered gloves with a fading color between orange and yellow. She grabbed the microphone and smiled.
"Don't worry Maria! I'll help you! And I'll believe!" Kotomi said as she ran to the water. The water seemed to still at her touch, and she ran upon it. When she reached Maria, the winged woman and the black mermaid.
"Kotomi!" Maria gasped. She smiled at Kotomi. She looked at the winged woman and pushed against the darkness that had wrapped itself around her. She pushed and pushed, and it broke.
"Violet Pure Voice!" Maria called out as her pearl became the ai-pitch microphone and her idol outfit formed around her. She flipped her hair and smiled. She turned towards Kotomi and held out her hand.
"Let's do this together." She said. Kotomi gasped as her eyes went wide, but the look faded quickly and she smiled as she took Maria's hand.
"Star Light! If you gather more light, you can surely change this world. Even the depths of the dark seas lie in the wind ahead, but if you never... let go of my hand, our dreams can begin in a super live concert! On a stage of light and shadows. With our super songs, we"ll convey our love and give everyone a little bit of courage... in this song of love." The two sang together. The orb of light around them sparkled as the held their hands out to the black mermaid. The feathers busted from around her, and the winged woman cried in agony as she disappeared into the water.
"Thanks, but thanks Atlantic girl. I don't need your rivalry, being as cute as I am. So don't offer." The black mermaid said as she swam off.
"What a rude person. I'd like to give her a good-" Kotomi started angrily as Maria put her hand over Kotomi's mouth.
"I was going to say piece of my mind." Kotomi grumbled.
"Sure you were." Maria rolled her eyes and swam back with Kotomi in tow.
"Still, she was rude. What did she say her name was?" Kotomi asked as she wiped the splashing water from her face.
"She didn't, but I'd like to know." Maria smiled as she dumped Kotomi on the sand and got out of the water.
