Back at the palace the sun was just setting and in the garden that looked over the dark ocean, Serenity was once again playing on her flute, the quite night was filled with the light note of a strangers song. Sadly stopped halfway through though, she paused examining the instrument in hands. 'What's the point? I would've found her by now if she was real, or maybe I'm not meant to find her.' Serenity sighed in disappointment.

Helios saw his friend overlooking the sea, and became a little worried with how upset she looked, so he decided to go over and try to help. He knew what was on her mind anyway. That girl she couldn't find.

"Greetings, Serenity." He said calmly as he approached.

Serenity turned to him, startled for her thoughts. "What are you doing out here?" She asked curiously. Not that she wasn't grateful for the company that he offered, she just wanted to be alone right now.

Helios sighed. "I know that you're thinking about that girl again." He said stepping next to her looking out at the sunset. Serenity was about to say something to that, but he cut her off.

"You should try to let it go, Serenity. If she was real then you would've found her by now but you haven't." He said as lightly as possible in that all knowing friendly voice. It was annoying.

She lowered her head, even though Helios was voicing her very thoughts didn't mean she wanted to hear. She was so sure that she was real and that she was in love and going to marry her, but now she found herself starting to not only give up on hope, but pursuing another person as well.

Helios placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. He knew how hard this must be for her. Serenity was a princess and therefore it was very important that she find her love soon else the high counsel would forced her to marry. Of all the law that should be removed that one still remained. The idea that she could have found her but then lost her would be a great disappointment to anyone. Not to mention the confusion she must have been going through with the arrival of Haruka. Such a fine young lady, even if she did challenge the stable boys to horse races for no apparent reasons.

He looked up at the only guest bedroom with a light on and motioned for Serenity to do the same. She looked up too and could see Haruka playing with her new pet in the window. "Maybe you should just give up on this fantasy person of yours and go for what you have right in front of your eyes." Serenity so lost in her thought saw his mouth moving but did not connect the words. Upon seeing the confused look on her face, Helios tried again.

"Serenity, if I may say, far better than any dream girl, is one of flesh and blood, one warm and caring, and right before your eyes."

Serenity looked at him with shocked face. 'He can't know, can he?' She thought to herself. Helios just gave her a friendly nudge before heading back into the palace. 'oh, fuck he does, have I been that obvious, do she know-' she was staring to panic. Serenity gave him another thoughtful look as he left before looking back up at the window. It was true, she did like Haruka. She liked her enough to try and kiss her twice, anyway! 'damn not one for subtleties am I'. She bowed her head. 'Ok so maybe I stair to much, but I love watching how her eyes like up when she finds something she like. Or how when she's frustrated she runs her hand through her hair. She has wonderful hands.' Her face took on a dreamy looked before she scrunched up her nose, 'damn it would be less obvious if I painted on my forehead. FUCK!'

She then looked down at the flute in her hand before throwing it into the dark sea. "Whoever you are that saved me, thank you." She whispered lightly before turning around and getting ready to go and see Haruka up in her room.

She didn't get a full three paces when the most familiar song entered her ears. She stopped dead in her tracks when he heard it. That voice! It was exactly the same! The tune was off but it was the SAME voice!

She turned and rushed back down to the beach, trying to trace the source of the song. She found it quickly when she spotted a young woman with long red hair walking down the sand while she sang a mesmerizing tune.

It was the same, and yet it was...different, colder some how. Serenity felt herself being drawn to the sound and unable to take her eyes off the stranger as she walked. She was so transfixed on the sound that she didn't register the yellow light that seeped out of the shell around her neck and slowly made its way into her eyes.

Beryl looked up at where Serenity stood staring at her. "You're mine now too." She hissed evilly with a smirk.
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The next morning, flying excitedly through the air and the early rays of the sun, Umino circled around the human palace getting ready to land at Haruka' window. If the gossip he heard were true then that kid had a big surprise in store for her!

"Haruka!" He called out happily, the sound of his voice echoing off of the giant rocks that poked out of the ocean near the beach and coming back up to his feathery ears.

"Hey Haruka!!" He called out again as he swooped in for a land at the window.

He couldn't help the awing he made at the cute sight that met him. Haruka was still sleeping lazily on her bed above the covers while her new kitten peacefully slept on her stomach. Artemis was also still snoozing on another pillow next to Haruka.

Umino made a mental not to tell Haruka what the blankest was for when he had the time, but right now he was sure the kid would appreciate this a whole lot more as he spread his wings and tried to fly gracefully on over to the bed, he failed and crashed into the vanity. Still the ocupents in the room slept on unaware, so he tried again.

Unfortunately his second landing wasn't any more graceful and he ended up landing on Haruka's stomach right next to the kitten, knocking the wind out of her and scaring her cat away as he woke haruka up.

When the bed jumped up with the sudden movement, Artemis also woke up, and he wasn't too happy about having his sleep disturbed. He didn't like to admit it, but human beds were really very comfortable.

Haruka just looked around tiredly when the sight of her feathered friend finally became clear to her sleepy brain.

"Haruka! Haruka, wake up! Wake up! I just heard the news. Congratulations, kiddo, we did it!" Umino called out happily.

Haruka stared blankly at the bird '-the hell is bird brain talking about now'.

"What is this idiot babbling about?" Artemis demanded of Haruka.

"Right - as if you two didn't know, uh? The whole town's buzzin' about the princess gettin' herself hitched this afternoon!" at there blank looks he continued.

"You know, she's getting married! You silly sidewalker!" Haruka slowly sat up, taking in the good news. Unable to control herself in her happiness she smile brightly before quickly reaching out and grabbing the startled bird in a bone crushing hug before letting him go, hopping off of the bed and running out of the room as fast as her two feet could carry her with her heart pounding on the way out in her excitement. As Umino snapped out of shock, he watched as Haruka rushed about.

"I just wanted to wish you luck. I'll catch you later, I wouldn't miss it!" he called a quick good-bye as she began to strip in order to change.

She had to find Serenity and make sure that this wasn't some dream. Did she really want to marry her? This was so great! Not only would she get her kiss and stay human, but she would also be spending the rest of her life with the one she loved! What in all of the seven sea was better than that. Granted it would have been nice if she asked before every one else knew, but she could over look that this once.

Sapphire really didn't feel like being in a room with an animal supposedly below it on the food chain yet five times it's own size all by himself, so he also ran after his new master. He like following her anyway. In his opinion, she reminded him of fish.

Artemis panicked when his princess left the room without him, so he also hopped off the bed and quickly gave chase, all the while crying out to her to slow down. Just to be ignored, so he continued to chase after his wayward ward and that fluff ball recently named Sapphire.

After looking around through the entire floor that she was staying on, Haruka finally decided to look for Serenity downstairs. So she ran all the way down the red carpeted hallway towards the elegant stone steps.

When she got there she didn't even make it three steps down before stopping dead. At the bottom of the stairs was Serenity, Helios, and some bitch, how looked vaguely familiar, hanging off of her. Serenity had her arm around the red heads waist, and Helios was congratulating them on their upcoming wedding!!

All the blood drained from Haruka's face as she ran back up the stairs and hid in the corner where no one would be able to see her, tears streaking down her face. Serenity was getting married? She couldn't be! Not with what they had almost shared the previous day! 'No. NO. NO!! This has to be some kind of mistake! It has to be!' She thought to herself frantically as she slid down the wall and onto the floor in sheer disbelief.

She decided to just sit there and listen to what they had to say. Yesterday Serenity was on the very verge of kissing her! Twice! How could she be getting married? It just had to be a mistake! Something not right.

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"Well, uh - err, Serenity. I-it appears that I was mistaken. This mystery maiden of yours does - in fact exist. And - and she is lovely. Congratulations, my dear." Helios said in a slightly small somewhat disbelieving voice. He was quite embarrassed when his princess produced this beautiful young stranger saying that she was the one who'd saved her life out on the ocean. Embarrassed and shocked.

The young woman just smirked as her grip around Serenity's arm tightened possessively. Beryl wasn't about to let this one out of her sight for anything! It would actually be quite nice to have both the princess of the sea and the princess of the land under her as slaves. She could think of many ways to enjoy herself with them while she had their control.

Helios sighed tiredly before continuing. He was so sure that Serenity would get together with Haruka. They just seemed so... right for each other. Not to mention that his princess had taken an obvious interest in the sandy haired young woman, so this new development was a bit of a disappointment. That and for some odd reason she just seemed to not like this woman at all.

"So when's the wedding?"

"We wish to be married as soon as possible." Serenity answered in a dead tone of voice that no one really seemed to notice. It was actually Beryl speaking through her with her magic, but nobody could tell.

"WHAT?!? Today!?!" He cried out in shock that something so big was expected within a time span of only a few hours. "But we'll never get everything ready in time--"

"This afternoon, Helios ." Serenity cut him off icily in a tone that demanded to be obeyed while narrowing her eyes at him. "The wedding is to take place at sunset." she ordered. Helios slumped his shoulders in defeat with complete and utter awe and disbelief. Serenity had never spoken to anyone like that before! Hell she's never given a direct order before! It just wasn't how she was.

"Oh, oh - very well, Serenity - as you wish." He said dryly with a mocking bow of respect before turning and leaving to get everything ready.

Beryl just smirked through her little human disguise before leading Serenity away to get all the things they would need for the wedding ready. 'That was too easy!' She thought happily, perfectly aware that Haruka was hiding at the top of the steps and had heard everything that she made Serenity say.

Serenity for her part was trapped in her own mind, she was aware of everything around her but she had no control over her self. She struggled against the mental bounds but she was to ensnared. She was taped and no one could tell. Serenity could believe that this cold hearted self sever manipulative BITCH was her savor, she just could be. Was the warmth and kindness that she felt that day all a trick? Not only was she trapped she was heartbroken not to mention worried about Haruka.
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Haruka just sat in her hiding spot stairs, her eyes wide with tears flowing freely down her face and being soaked into the rug as they landed. Serenity really was getting married. And it wasn't to her.

That red haired sea cow had lied to her. 'She didn't save Serenity, I did!' She thought in pure hatred towards the thief who had stolen her love. Not like it mattered anyway. She didn't have her voice and therefore couldn't tell Serenity otherwise even if she tried. She couldn't even write down human words to tell her, so that wouldn't help out either. 'Damn it, Damn it, FUCK!'

Artemis and the kitten had caught up to her some time ago, and to their shock they found her sitting on the floor, against the wall with her mouth slightly open in shock and tears flowing down her face. It didn't even take five full seconds of listening to what was going on downstairs to figure things out what had happened, and right now they were both doing their very best to try and comfort her. However, Haruka didn't even notice they were there, she was numb to her surrounding.

Haruka brought a hand up to clutch at her aching heart while she sobbed silently. It just hurt so much. She thought that Serenity liked her and maybe she had a chance with her. But no, she was still too caught up in the image of Haruka when she saved her that day. While it was kind of flattering it was also rather fucked. It didn't matter that she didn't see her face, Serenity wanted her rescuer. Unfortunately, Haruka was able to deliver that. Sweet Mother of Peal she couldn't even swim anymore!

"Haruka, it'll be ok. Everything will be alright. Please say something." The small crab pleaded at his feet while the kitten rubbed against her leg as she purred for both comfort and attention. Haruka could barely hear them.

'I'm gonna have to go and live with Beryl!' She thought to herself miserably. 'Sbee's going to make me into her own private slave and I'll never see Serenity, Mother, or my sisters again!'

With that awful thought in mind, Haruka startled the crab and kitten by quickly getting to her feet and running down to her room as fast as he could before slamming the door behind her, throwing herself onto the bed and crying her eyes out into one of the pillows. It was to much for her, she felt as if her soul was being ripped in half.

What a way to start your last day of freedom.

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A/N: I have nothing to say.