Author's Notes: I've debated whether or not to keep something within this chapter. Not that it was something I didn't want to happen, but the amount of detail I had initially seemed a bit much. Trigger warning for sensitive material, though I've removed anything very graphic, and I've also bumped up the rating so that I'm not falsely presenting this story in any way that may get me in trouble. Proceed with caution.
If you had asked Lucia how she felt about the evening's events, she would have likely told you her fate was sealed the moment she walked out the doors of the hotel.
Surprisingly for Lucia's sake, she managed to keep herself occupied with small talk as the young couple made their way to the aquarium, paying for their tickets and making their way inside. From time to time, through the exhibits and large viewing areas, she found herself focusing on the small ring that Kaito had given her some time back. It was a cute little number, given to her just before the battle against Gaito -when they finally confirmed their feelings to each other. So many memories were behind this ring, Lucia treasured it so much just as she did her own pearl. Oh, it pained her to think that soon they would have to be apart, but she had to be strong! She had a kingdom to run, a new goddess to find! The idea that someone would soon be the new Aqua Regina also hung a shadow over the light and laughter of their date; to be a goddess is such a high honor, and yet it's one of the greatest burdens that a mermaid could ever face. It's immensely disturbing to think that the moment the chosen mermaid takes her place, there is no running away. No returning to your past life as a princess, or goddess forbid a common mermaid. Or even a human being...
"Lucia?" The blonde girl's head snapped up, and she looked around; they were now at a little cafe near one of the small viewing tanks where people could see many of the colorful fish that lived in the marine world. Kaito had bought them each a glass of juice and one dish of ice cream; it was a marbled blue and white, just like the sky above, but was covered in whipped cream and star-shaped sprinkles. Kaito eyed her worriedly, and Lucia could see he still looked exhausted. "Are you okay? You've been acting weird all day."
"Ahh, no I'm fine!" Lucia shook her head, the red ribbons in her dirty blonde hair fluttering about. "I've just been thinking about a lot of things recently."
Kaito frowned; Lucia should've known better than to try and hide something from him. "Lucia, you know you can tell me things.. Is something wrong?"
"No, everything's alright," Lucia repeated. "I've just got a lot on my mind. But it's nothing you need to worry about-"
"Lucia." He didn't have to sound so stern, Lucia whined in her head. He shouldn't worry about it! "... It's something about your kingdom, isn't it?"
"..."
"... They're calling you back now, aren't they?"
Lucia sniffled; she was trying so hard to hold back everything she had, but it was proving to be no match against the pain she felt as her silence essentially confirmed Kaito's inquiry.
Kaito shook his head, disbelief rambling through him. He'd been aware of the uncertain future the two would have to face; Kaito himself was unsure of just how Lucia's kingdom- no, more the entire underwater world- would take to the news that the other half of the Panthalassan clan's twin heirs was indeed alive and aware of his powers. He could swear up and down on his life that he wasn't a threat to anyone, but the moment it even looked like his power was being abused, the world below would definitely call for his execution. Banishment from the sea wouldn't even be an option, he figured.
But still, he had wondered for so long about the mermaid that he met as a child that when he finally realized that Lucia was that mermaid, he swore on his life that he wouldn't let her disappear out of his life ever again. And he had done so well to protect her...
".. Well.. I guess it had to happen eventually.."
"What?" Lucia looked up at Kaito, who looked uneasy. Her chest burned with fear at what he would say, but this sounded… "Wh-what do you mean?"
Kaito scratched the back of his head, trying to play it as calmly as he could while keeping his voice low. "Well, y'know… You are a princess after all… You have a kingdom to watch over."
"And? Why should that matter?
"You know why it matters, Lucia." Kaito looked away, clearing his throat. "It's just… I know you've got a lot on your plate as the princess of your kingdom.. Since everything is calm again, it only makes sense that you'd be called back."
"I know that," Lucia whimpered. "But it's not fair! I don't want to leave you behind, I want to stay with you!"
Kaito clenched a fist together, struggling to keep from making a scene. "I know you do!" He took hold of the straw in his glass of punch, swirling it around as he tried to convey a sense of control over himself. "But it's for the best, I bet..."
"No… It's not..."
Kaito heard it. The cracking of her voice. The destruction of the very last defenses she had. "Lucia, please-"
"No!" Lucia cried out, no longer able to hold her tears back. "It's not for the best! Sure I have duties to do, but I don't want to leave this world.. I want to stay, I want to be with you, I want to enjoy human life with you! Everyone says they're sorry for it, but they don't really care! They just care that the ocean world is safe again! And they want to keep it that way, so when I do leave it might very well be that I never can come back up here again!"
Kaito caught the implication of that statement like a stab in the heart. "But I'm not bad-"
"They don't care, Kaito! They don't care that you're a good person! All they see is your stupid bloodline and they won't care one bit if I never get to see you again..."
By now, the scene had garnered attention, and both teens were burning under the crowd's growing interest and disdain. Lucia's cheeks burned with sorrow. Kaito couldn't even bear to look at her. "Lucia," Kaito started to speak, uncertainty slowly leaking through, "I know how you feel about this… I don't want you to leave, believe me! But I can't keep you from your home.."
Lucia's sobbing grew louder, wishing she could scream out her frustrations. "But that's just it… It's not just my home, it should be yours as well! You belong down there, and you know that.. I don't want to live in a world where you're not with me, and if I can't even come back and see you then why would I even bother to care and be so upset about it?!"
Lucia had had enough, and she quickly got up and started off towards the exit of the aquarium. Kaito had been caught off guard by her running off, and soon jumped up after her. People in the crowd shouted and yelped as the two pushed through them; Lucia occasionally apologizing between sobs, while Kaito rushed to reach her, his chest burning as he struggled to catch up.
Soon they found themselves in the last chamber of the aquarium, and the light of day called to Lucia. Freedom from Kaito, but not from her own future. Her body betrayed her, however, and she tripped just in front of the exit doors. She hit the ground hard, and pain rocketed through her.
"Lucia! Are you okay?!"
No! She couldn't let him reach her… She got back up as quick as she could muster, her knee screaming in agony, and continued running. "Just leave me alone!" She made it out of the aquarium, sprinting for one of the crosswalks that bridged the lot to the sidewalks along the road. Her luck allowed her through despite her knee, and she was home free.
"Lucia, please sto-" The screech of tires and a loud crash broke the moment, and Lucia stopped, suddenly frozen in her tracks.
Someone screamed. People started shouting.
Lucia's breath caught in her chest as her body chilled over to the core, and her mind went numb. She couldn't hear Kaito anymore.. What just happened?
The bustle of the crowd mellowed into a quiet, muffled rumble. "Oh god," she could hear someone say. Did she dare to turn around?
Lucia hesitantly looked behind her to the crosswalks. She couldn't see Kaito, but a crowd had formed, and smoke could be seen emanating from something nearby. Far from her control, Lucia made her way back towards and into the crowd. "I'm sorry, please excuse me- …!"
Words couldn't form. No sounds could be made. Lucia couldn't even move. The world swayed around her as her eyes refocused out of her control onto the sight that would curse her memory for a lifetime. A pale blue car was now stopped onto the grounds of the aquarium's entrance; most of its windows were cracked, some shattered with glass strewn around, a tire or two deflated, and the front of the car was smashed in from hitting one of the lightposts, smoke releasing from under the car's hood. A lightpost was toppled over, bent in the middle, but Lucia cared not for the lightpost, as the pale blue paint of the car's exterior had splatters of red dotting its surface.
And on the ground laid a body, haphazard in its state of rest. Blue pants shredded and stained, black and white sneakers scuffed and scraped. A white shirt growing dark red by the second. An arm laying motionless on the concrete, adorned with a silver ring on one finger. A red, matted mess of hair struggled to move in the small breeze.
Lucia stumbled back and collapsed to the ground as the crowd milled and rushed to get help. She heard the command, but couldn't fight the fact that it wouldn't fix anything. "O-oh god.. S-someone, anyone, call an ambulance!"
