Author's Note: First of all I do not own MMPPP! This story is based off the manga not the anime. I only read the manga and watched a few episodes of the anime. Also if you noticed that the information is not right, you are very well correct and I do know that the information isn't correct. For example: The girls said that they were tracking down Sara's pearl, in the series, Sara actually gave her pearl to Lucia to hold until the next Indian Ocean princess was reborn (which was Seira). The location information is not correct also. ( I do not know where the author had intended to have everything.) So yeah. Bye. Until next time.
The mermaid princesses had been traveling for hours. Lucia was exhausted. She looked at the others and saw it in them too. They kept Hippo's happiness in mind, motivating them to keep pressing forward.
They had passed many islands. They had started at Lucia's Palace located right outside the Philippine Sea and traveled past the Northern Mariana and Caroline Islands. A hour ago they passed the Philippines going through the Molucca Sea. According to the pearl tracker, Sara was located near the Indian and South Pacific oceans border a little down south of the North Pacific border. The equator is the border that separates the North and Pacific. The border for the Indian and Pacific was harder to determine but many within the kingdoms considered it to be the 120 degree longitude line. So supposedly, they were heading for the area around Sumba Island of the Greater Sunda Islands. Lucia was so grateful of the knowledge they had or they would be lost. Every mermaid princess had to know every piece of land within her ocean.
"We should be there in soon, maybe less than a hour!" Rina announced.
"Thank Goodness!" Hanon cried out. " My fins are aching with all this swimming."
"That's a sign that we may have to start working out, Hanon," said Rina. "No, no I'm good, I'm fine, you don't have to think about that, Rina," panicked Hanon. "Let's keep going, no time for talking, it's starting to get dark."
After for swimming on for who knows how long, Rina stopped. Lucia almost rammed into her by the unexpected stop. Rina started to look around confused. "What's wrong Rina?" asked Noel. "The tracker says we're here… but there is nothing here."
Lucia looked around, they were surrounded by a beautiful coral reef. It was the first time she took in her surroundings. It was breathtaking. There were fish and marine animals everywhere.
"I thought that Gaito was the ruler of the deep seas, we're just in my kingdom," Seira pointed out.
"Don't tell me we came ALL THE WAY HERE and it led us to the WRONG PLACE!" Hanon shouted out in frustration.
"Hold on, calm down Hanon, let's first look around," Caren said calmly.
They looked around and swam up a somewhat looking hill. Coco went ahead and stopped at the top. She started to point at what was in front of her and called back to everyone. The other's quickly swam up beside their friend and saw what she was looking at.
Before them was a giant trench. They were basically on a cliff looking down at a bottomless pit of darkness.
"Well, looks like we finally made it…" Rina stated.
"You mean we have to go down … there?" squeaked Seira.
"Well, isn't that Grand! That's… that's lovely, just wonderful !" Hanon exclaimed sarcastically. She started to pace back and forth in frustration. Lucia was shocked and continued to stare at what they had to enter. She then looked around at the others. Caren and Noel were holding each other, shivering in fright. Rina was completely still and looked on, looking as if to mentally prepare herself. Coco was trying to comfort Seira who was nearly tearing up, but listening to Coco's soothing voice she could tell she was a little worried too, but still tried to act brave for the younger mermaid.
Rina was the first to recover. She turned to the others. "Look everyone we finally made it, we are officially half way through with our plan. I understand that this maybe the hardest part but we can do this together. We have fought many battles, and I refuse to have to be stopped by this trench. I ,for one, am not going to turn around and go home and give up." Rina yelled out encouragingly. "Oh, heck no, I did not come all the way here, resulting to sore fins and finding out we're going back. NO WAY!" Hanon shouted out.
Snapping out of it, everyone nodded in agreement. "Okay, I'll lead the way, everyone grab a hold of someone's hand so no one gets lost." Rina advised. Rina started to swim toward the dark, but slowed down in hesitation, then after taking in a breath continued on.
No one talked, trying to concentrate on not backing out in fear. Soon they were completely engulfed by the dark. Rina did not have a clue on where she was going. She soon was worried that she might run into something.
"I can't see anything. Does anyone have anything as a source of light?" asked Rina.
"Oh wait I think I have a flashlight." Hanon again replied sarcastically. Rina sighed at the comment. "Fine. Hmm... well I guess we can transform and use some power to light our way through."
The girls transformed and sang a melody to bring out a little power and light their way. They kept swimming on until they came to the mouth of a cave. "Man, do we have to enter that too? We don't even know what's in there." Questioned Caren.
"Well whatever is in there I bet we could handle it," Lucia said confidently.
Before they could even move forward. Two big glowing eyes were staring right at them from inside the cave. The princesses froze and stared back. They prepared for whatever it was. A giant deep sea fish crept out. It's eyes looked at each one of them making them shiver in response. 'The fish seems to look familiar…' Lucia thought to herself. Lucia then realized what it was. "Wait everyone that's the-" but before she could finish a deadly melody seeped through from the cave. Everyone covered their ears from the horrible sound. Soon the temperature dropped and they started to shiver.
"W-why does it s-s-s-seem so c-c-cold?" questioned Hanon through chattering teeth.
"I-It was.. already c-c-cold when w-w-we got here. Ha-ha-haven't you noticed where we are!" replied Rina.
" I-I know that! It s-s-seems t-to be g-g-getting c-c-colder," Hanon responded.
Soon the water around them started to move slowly around them. Coco couldn't take it anymore, she uncovered her ears and began to sing. Everyone followed in and began singing as well. The music, the cold and the water stopped and were replaced by groans of pain coming from inside the cave.
Four figures walked out into the light that the princesses were producing. Everyone soon recognized the ones who called themselves the Dark Lovers. Lucia told everyone to stop. When they stopped the four women fell to the ground with agony. The princesses slowly started to move toward the pained girls lying on the sea floor. Suddenly Maria sent a ice shard hurdling toward Lucia. Noel quickly deflected it with a quick but sweet singing note.
"Why are you attacking us?" asked Lucia.
"No you were going to attack us!" yelled Izuru.
" NO WE WEREN"T!" Hanon yelled back.
" Yeah you were. Then why are you all in those get-ups?" asked Yuri.
" Oh sorry we couldn't see so we transformed to make our way here," Lucia stated.
" Well, why are you mermaid brats even here? If you are here to harm our sleeping Master Gackto, don't even think about it. We're prepared to fight with our lives to protect our love." Maria said.
"That's even low for you guys, to attack someone who can't fight back," Eriru imputed.
"We're not here to attack you at all! We're actually here for Yuri," explained Rina.
"HUH?" Maria, Izuru and Eriru cried out in confusion and quickly turned their heads towards their youngest member.
"ME? Why me? I haven't done anything wrong… well anything, to any of you since that day at Gackto's castle. I didn't do anything wrong on Valentine's Day either." Yuri said worriedly.
"We came because of Hippo," said Lucia.
"HIPPO? IS HE OKAY? DID ANYTHING HAPPEN TO HIM? I WOULDN"T BE ABLE TO BARE IT SOMETHING HAPPENED TO HIM!" Yuri cried out, panicking.
Everyone was impressed by her response. 'She must really love him' thought Caren. She started to feel bad for what she had said at the bath house.
"No, no calm down Yuri. Hippo is completely fine. We're here to bring you back with us so that you and Hippo can finally be together." Lucia reassured her.
"Oh, it's okay then… wait why isn't he here with you?" Yuri asked blushing just thinking about him.
" Well as everyone knows, Christmas is coming up, and we wanted to surprise and make Hippo happy. Besides he doesn't have enough power to come and get you." Hanon replied this time.
"How do you even know that he still loves me?" Yuri questioned.
"Trust us we know he still loves you. Ever since Valentines day all he has been doing is been depressed." Seira imputed.
"Wait who are you?" asked Maria, Izuru and Eriru. "Yeah who are you? I saw you at the beach cabin that night but didn't know who you were." Yuri asked.
"Oh, my name is Seira and I am the new Indian Ocean princess. Nice to meet you," Seira said introducing herself.
"Huh. So you're the replacement of our rival." Maria observed.
At that moment two ghostly figures ,hand in hand, walked out of the cave. Coco was the first one to notice them. She soon got excited and swam toward them. "SARA!" she cried out.
When Coco tried to hug her, she past right through her. "Sorry, Coco but since I'm asleep this is the only way I can communicate with you." Sara said turning to face her friend, bringing the other person with her.
Maria, Izuru and Eriru started to become upset seeing Sara holding Gackto's hand. They quickly got up and patted the dirt off themselves. Yuri slowly did the same, still a little shocked at what was happening to her.
The princesses soon crowded around the former princess trying to greet her.
"We heard why you all came here," said Gackto. He turned to Yuri. "Do you want to go?"
"Yes, but what about you and everyone else? Yuri responded.
"Yuri, do we look weak to you? We can protect Master Gackto. Besides an opportunity like this is unlikely to happen again." Izuru trying to convince her.
"You should go, we're happy for you. You are lucky to find love." Maria said hugging Yuri.
"You should go to your love, Yuri," Eriru said twirling excitedly.
"Thank you guys" Yuri said hugging Maria back.
"Well all of you can't leave now it's already nighttime. Rest first and you can leave in the morning. That means we all can catch up." Sara said with a smile.
Seira and Coco were talking Sara's ear off. Hanon went to sleep. The dark lovers talked with the others as they ate the food from their bags.
Later that night when everyone was asleep, Yuri swam past the sleeping people quietly. She swam up until she was outside the trench. She surfaced on top of the water and swam up to a rock jolting out of the water. She looked up at the stars and the almost full moon.
'Are you looking at the sky too… Hippo? I'll be there soon. Back into your arms.'
Back at the bath house:
After he got home from the mall, Hippo had wrapped all of his gifts for everyone. When he came to the jewelry box he left it unwrapped. He continuously had opened it to listen to the melody. 'Why did I even buy this?' He wondered to himself. Well I can save it until I see her again. Till whenever that was. It had been 311 days since he had last seen her. Yeah, he had to admit that it was kind of sad that he had been counting the days, but he couldn't help it. He thought about her everyday. He didn't have a picture of her , but he still had the music box to see her.
He ate and got ready for bed. Instead of going to sleep right away, he went on top of the roof to look at the night sky.
He wondered what the stars would look like without the city lights. He sighed as he took in the peace and quiet he had longed for as he started to doze off to sleep.
At dawn at the top of the trench:
The princesses were prepared for their departure and everyone was saying their goodbyes. Yuri had all her processions in a bag which were: a few hair accessories, her bathing suit (the one she was wearing when she met Hippo), the shoes that Hippo got her, and a brush. She was wearing her only dress, a bit embarrassed that she didn't really have anything else. Coco wanted to hug her best friend so badly but knew she couldn't.
"Master Gackto, how am I going to make it on land? As soon as I leave where your body is I will turn into a fish." Yuri said worried.
"Well I already put a huge charm on you. Meaning that you will stay in your human form for a while, actually it is to end midnight on Christmas to be exact." answered Gackto.
"By then I will have everything to make your transformation permanent." Lucia added.
"Hehehe, it sounds like that one story, Cinderella, I believe," giggled Seira.
" Okay everyone we need to leave, so wrap it up. It's dangerous to swim at night so we must get there before then." announced Rina.
"Okay, Yuri it's time for you to go," Maria looked down at the smaller girl.
Yuri looked down at the ground and slightly nodded. "Yuri…?" Eriru said concerned.
Yuri started to shake. She suddenly ran and hugged Izuru tightly. Muffled sounds were then heard from Yuri sobbing into Izuru's dress. "Yuri what's wrong don't you want to go?" asked Maria. Yuri looked up with tears streaming down her small face.
" I want to go… but I'm afraid I won't ever see you again." Cried Yuri. "You are the one and only family I have ever had. I never imagined my life without you all. I never had any other family, no relatives, no nothing. I don't even remember the time before I met you all. I was there since Gackto was small too…"
Yuri felt something hit her face. When she looked back up she saw that Maria, Izuru and Eriru were tearing up. Maria and Eriru joined in on the hug, and couldn't hold back their tears anymore. Yuri could feel the hug become tighter, making her feel secure.
She thought of how Maria was protective and strong like an older sister, Izuru was seen as the motherly figure for her and Eriru was the fun loving one, always cheering her up.
She was with Gackto all her life, trying to show love toward the abandoned prince, causing her to do all those awful things to others for him. Now they were being taken from her.
"Don't worry, Yuri, we'll be there for you. If Hippo dares to break your heart or hurt you, he will have to talk to us. We are still a family no matter how far away you are." Izuru said trying to keep her voice from trembling.
Maria and Eriru pulled away as Izuru used her dress to wipe Yuri's tears away.
"You have to be a big girl now, okay?" Izuru said straightening Yuri up.
Yuri nodded and forced a smile, trying to make herself feel better.
"I will, don't worry about me, I'll see you again someday," Yuri replied.
She started to swim over toward the princesses when she stopped in front of Gackto and Sara.
"I'm sorry I didn't really get a chance to know you Ms. Sara and how I continuously failed you Master Gackto." Yuri apologized. She then began to start swimming when Gackto stopped her.
" Yuri I am very grateful for you, you never left my side or betrayed me. I will miss you Yuri, and remember you never truly failed me. I should apologize for causing so much pain toward you when you tried your hardest. Thank You." He then bowed in respect to her. "You greatly deserve this."
Yuri smiled her thanks and stood beside the mermaids. They turned around and waved bye. The others waved bye in response. Yuri looked back as they swam away until they were out of sight.
She looked forward and followed the girls to her new home.