Part XXXI

(Rated M-to-AO for coarse, graphic language and a little injury.)

Caren: So, then, the one who revived Gackto's lair was really the Indian Ocean Mermaid Princess, Sara?

Taiki: She says that she wants revenge… but Tarou did not do anything wrong!

Rina: And here, to think that Hippo was the legendary Hippocampus this whole time.

Lucia: You're right. I was really surprised.

Hippo: The Key of Sealing was stolen from me, so I wasn't able to transform into my Hippocampus form.

Rina: But now that we've got the key, we'll be able to seal Gackto's lair again, right?

Taiki: I don't think it's going to be that easy now…

Hippo: He's right. To suppress the power of the Panthalassa, which has already started moving, we need to reawaken Aqua Regina-sama and call on her powers.

Hanon is worked up to a fever pitch and kneels to get ahold of Hippo.

Hanon: Hippo! How could you be so careless and let the key get stolen from you?! If you had been more careful, this wouldn't have happened! The peace of the oceans has been shattered because of this!

Lucia + Taiki: Hanon!

Hanon: Tarou-chan wouldn't have been taken to Gackto's lair, either! Hippo, give Tarou-chan back to me!

She shakes him angrily.

Hanon: Give him back now! Give him back! GIVE HIM BACK TO ME!

Her eyes close and she stops shaking him

Rina: Hey, Hanon, don't blame everything on him.

Hanon: Stupid Hippo!

She runs off, just shy of bursting into tears.

Rina + Taiki: Hanon!

Lucia: I'm sorry, Hippo. Hanon is a little worked up now, so forgive her, okay?

Hippo: No. It's just as Hanon said. She is right… it's all my fault for allowing the key to be stolen.

Taiki goes off to try and find Hanon, as below in Sara's room in Gackto's castle, she is standing over Tarou, watching him play the piano as she holds a rose.

Sara: Mitsuki, you'll live in this castle at the bottom of the sea for the rest of your life… and for all time, you will play the piano here.

She remembers part of their time together when he was playing the piano and she sang for him as well as when they split an orange-colored oyster shell and each kept half of it. Remembering his, she starts to mellow to where there is a bit of tears welling up in her eyes.

Sara: 'Why? Why when I hear this piano…'

Again, she remembers back, this time to when they kissed in the shallow waters at sunset. This time, she is heavily gripped by grief and sorrow.

Sara: 'Why do I keep remembering those days?'

She snaps out of it.

Sara: Why does that still happen?!

She tosses that rose at him and the music stand.

Sara: You'll play the piano here for the rest of your miserable life!

She walks out on him to go over to Gackto, whom is back in the main chamber and looking over the two Mermaid Princesses he's already captured.

Gackto: 'To make sure that Sara's heart is mine, I need to obtain the powers of my other self, no matter what it takes.'

He looks back upon hearing the footsteps.

Sara: That you, Sara?

Sara: Gackto, what are you thinking about while gazing at the Mermaid Princesses?

Gackto: Of course, I would think of you.

Sara: Me? Are you sure?

Gackto: Soon, I will be able to deliver the present that I promised you.

Sara: Really…

Gackto: Are you pleased?

Sara: Of course I am, Gackto.

Gackto: Then please look forward to it, Sara.

He walks on and leaves for his chamber. Sara's gaze follows him, but then comes back to look upon Arctic Mermaid Princess Noel.

Sara: 'Does your present self really have that power, Gackto?'

Gackto is stopped by Sister Sheshe's voice.

Sister Sheshe: Ah, Gackto-sama.

Gackto turns to his left to see the sisters.

Gackto: Sheshe, Mimi. I will be in seclusion in my room for a while. Let no one disturb me.

The two of them look at each other.

Gackto: I'm preparing to raise my castle up to the surface.

Sister Sheshe: Well then, it's almost time for us to conquer all those people.

Sister Mimi: But then, Gackto-sama, to conquer the chaotic surface…

Gackto: I have to take command of the surface, so that I don't lose what's precious to me.

Sister Sheshe: Oh my. What is that precious thing, Gackto-sama?

Sister Mimi: Don't tell me it's the woman called "Sara".

Upon his hearing that, he whips around and slaps Mimi hard with his right hand. She falls back against the column behind her in pain from that sudden hit.

Gackto: You just keep quiet and follow my orders! All that you need to do is prepare for battle!

He walks away and leaves them, at which point Sheshe turns to Mimi and helps her up from the floor.

Sister Sheshe: Sister Mimi, are you alright?!

Sister Mimi: That hurt! Just why did he have to hit me like that?!

Sister Sheshe: Hey, Sister Mimi. Don't you think Gackto has a shorter temper than we thought?

Sister Mimi: Oh yeah, that's for sure! Having his heart snatched by that kind of woman, he's no longer fit to be ruler of the seas.

Once Sheshe holds her cheek, she blushes.

Sister Sheshe: So then there's no point to us staying here.

Sister Mimi: Sister Sheshe…

Sister Sheshe: Let's leave Gackto and act on our own, Sister Mimi.

Sister Mimi: Act on our own?

Sister Sheshe: Yes. If we gather the seven pearls and Taiki's black pearl, then our goal will be completed.

Sister Mimi: I see. At that point, we won't depend on Gackto and we can become the rulers of the sea.

Sister Sheshe: Yes. Gackto said he'll be in seclusion in his room, so let's proceed with our plans, shall we?

Outside, in that time, Taiki was unable to find Hanon by himself. He returns to shore to call for Lucia and Hanon to help him, then is the first one to reach the water again.

Taiki: I can't BELIEVE she's actually out to search for Gackto's castle by herself, even though she knew it would be dangerous! Talk about brash, arrogant and downright stupid… this is like suicide, for crying out loud!

All three of them call out for her, Lucia worriedly says out loud "Don't tell me that Hanon's been captured by the minions in Gackto's lair" and then Rina and Taiki spot her below them at the same time, entering an underseas trench.

Lucia: Hanon! Wait a second!

Rina: You don't have a clue where Gackto's castle is! How are you going to find it, Hanon?

Hanon: Either I look for Gackto's lair, or I wait until they come out and find me.

Lucia: That's too dangerous, Hanon.

Hanon: There's no other way!

Rina: Hanon, I understand your feelings, but you should calm down and—

Hanon: Tarou-chan was taken into Gackto's lair at the hand of the Indian Ocean Mermaid Princess from his memories! How am I supposed to be calm?!

She swims off faster ahead of them.

Taiki: HEY, HANON!

He speeds up after her and then Rina and Lucia do likewise to catch up to both of them. Over in Hawaii, Kaito is out on the waves surfing and he thinks back to his father who took care of him and took him surfing there when he was young.

Kaito: I wasn't Father and Mother's child. Whose child am I exactly?

A rogue wave behind the one he's riding suddenly rises up and swipes him down off of his surfboard and down into the water. As he comes to his senses again…

Kaito: T-This is… What on earth happened?

He hears Gackto's laugh.

Kaito: That voice is…

Gackto appears before him.

Kaito: It's you again! Why do you keep appearing?!

Gackto: Why didn't you protect what's precious to you… the one you treasure?

Kaito: You appeared only to say the same thing again, huh?!

Gackto: No, I came to take you home.

Kaito: To take me home?

Gackto chuckles.

Gackto: You're my other self.

Kaito: "I'm your other self"? What do you mean by this?!

Gackto: For you to gain the power to protect what's precious to you…

He opens his eyes and gets an almost evil, smiling demeanor on his face.

Gackto: …Then let us join and become one.

Kaito: I don't understand what you're talking about!

Gackto: You will understand soon enough.

He disappears.

Kaito: W-Wait!

This darkened sight fades and then the fact that he's in the water gets to Kaito; he starts to choke on the sea water as he continues to sink. He wakes up, apparently, to Lucia's voice, seeing that she and the others came to Hawaii. In the little talk between them, a storm then comes in out of nowhere. The ground shakes and the buildings all tip, fall and start to sink. He leads them to what he believes is a safer place, all while Gackto's words recur to him in his mind. But tragedy strikes where Taiki, Hanon and Rina are caught, if not crushed, under a very large piece of falling debris and Lucia screams in response to this happening.

Under the sea in Gackto's palace, he is situated on his throne, emitting a dark aura. This is, in fact, all a nightmare induced unto Kaito's senses and to thrust him into despair.

Gackto: 'My other self… To gain the power… let us join and become one…'

Meanwhile, the Black Beauty Sisters enter into the other chamber where the tiara is situated and they steal the Princess Pearls of Noel and Coco from it. Just as they talk among themselves and leave, the Dark Lovers enter into that hallway from the other side. They have seen everything and deciding that since they can't disturb Gackto, they instead leave to follow after the sisters. Back up on the surface, Lucia, Rina, Taiki and Hippo are overlooking the sunset in the west-southwestern sky, with Taiki off to the side below them at the foot of the steps to the shoreline.

Hippo: I vow before the setting sun that I will find Gackto's lair and save Mitsuki-san… even if I have to sacrifice my life in the process.

Lucia: You can't do that, Hippo! Don't be reckless!

Hippo: But I've been thinking about how Hanon-san feels.

Rina: Hippo, Hanon should know already that it's not entirely your fault.

Lucia looks at Hippo with his head hunched and then looks to the ring on her right hand. Rina sees this and then decides to comment.

Rina: I wonder what Kaito's doing right now. He must be living it up and having fun surfing Hawaii's big waves.

Lucia: That would be great, but he hasn't sent me any letters. I can't call him either. I'm getting a little worried.

Hanon, having just stepped out to the patio as the subject changed, heard all of this. She opens up to speak as Lucia finishes.

Lucia: Kaito… I hope he isn't sick.

Hanon: You haven't given any thought to poor Tarou-chan, have you?

The three all turn to look at her as Taiki shuts his eyes and holds his tongue and his emotions as best he can. This incorrect assumption has just hit him in the heart.

Hanon: Well, I guess that makes sense. Lucia worries about Kaito-kun.

Taiki lowers his head and grips one hand into a fist.

Hanon: She wouldn't care about what happens to Tarou-chan.

Lucia: That's not true, Hanon! I DO care about Mitsuki-sensei—

Hanon: Don't say anything if all you have are hollow words! Rina, tell the school that I'll be taking a break starting tomorrow. I'm going to be looking for Gackto's lair—

Rina: You're not going alone, Hanon; it's too dangerous and you'll get caught as well!

Hanon: …Why can't you just trust me, Rina?! I thought that I could trust you! Even you don't care about Tarou-chan! Hippo doesn't and what is Taiki doing about it?! NOTHING! He's a heartless, stoic bastard son of a bitch!

She runs off to exit the hotel and the other two call out after her and run to follow her. They miss seeing her stop when she opens her eyes on a whim and sees Taiki there on the sand after the steps. They also missed seeing Taiki, but they do hear what he utters to interrupt her…

Hanon: T-T-Taiki! I-I-I, ah-ah-ah, di-di-di-didn't—

Taiki: YOU… HOW FUCKING DARE YOU!

They also see the next thing that happens, for he whips around and hits her on the left cheek so hard and with such force that she screams as she loses her balance and falls to the sand. In reaction to seeing this happen, Lucia and Rina immediately run that way with Hippo seeing this from the patio above them.

Hippo: Ah…! It's my fault! It's all my fault that their relationship is in ruins! I need to do something about this quickly…!

Before he can say or do anything, the Pearl Radar alerts him to the two pearls of the Mermaid Princesses that were taken to Gackto's castle. He immediately goes off to investigate by himself, unfortunately leaving the others behind at the hotel.

Hanon: Taiki, you bastard, that really hurt!

She is immediately grasped tightly around the neck and lifted up above him a bit.

Taiki: Be silent! I have never, ever been so personally offended in my life!

He repositions his hands.

Taiki: You were not present when the others were talking about Tarou! Then you come out and called us liars, capping off your yelling by saying that I never cared about him at all! You couldn't be more wrong if you tried!

He shoves her back-first against the nearby breaker wall and fights to ignore the blinding pain that is being induced upon him because of what he's doing to one of the princesses that he's duty-bound to protect. The sight of Taiki's red irises grips Hanon with dread and terror. Lucia and Rina, shocked at this sight, run to him and make to pull him off, eventually succeeding. Hanon, getting her breath back, staggers out an apology though gasps and coughs after what just happened.

Hanon: Tai…ki…! I'm…sor-sor…-ry…!

But Taiki doesn't really accept it.

Taiki: That is BULLSHIT! YOU ARE NOT SORRY!

He fights out of Lucia and Rina's collective hold, pulls Hanon up to his face and unloads his emotions, raw and true as they are, as the blue returns to his irises.

Taiki: Hanon Houshou, I KNEW Tarou Mitsuki from my very earliest years of childhood, before you were even born to your South Atlantic kingdom! He was like a dearly beloved older brother to me and aside from my mother Sylvia, I know him better than anyone else in this world! Compared to me, you know absolutely nothing!

The welling up of tears from anger and sadness is very noticeable.

Taiki: Yet you think that you care about him and know him more than anyone else, then call everyone else liars and yell at us all to make yourself feel better!

He then proceeds to scream at her through his crying.

Taiki: YOU'RE SO STUPID AND YOU'RE FUCKING WRONG! When my father Kazuo died when I was still an infant, Tarou became my new father figure! THERE'S NO FUCKING WAY THAT YOU WOULD EVER FUCKING KNOW WHAT THAT FUCKING FEELS LIKE!

He lets go of her and everyone is absolutely shocked at these raw emotions, even Nicole and Madame Taki, who heard the start of this screaming from him and hurried outside to see if they could help.

Madame Taki: I've never felt such negative energy emanating from one of our own like this… I really hope he does not become consumed by rage, or, dare I think it, turn against us.

By this point, Taiki is in heavy tears and struggling to even talk now. Hanon only then realizes after all of this what kind of emotional damage she's done by what she's said in her own anger.

Hanon: Taiki…

She makes to touch him, but he smacks her arm away and through the tears he stares at her and points.

Taiki: Don't touch me, Hanon! You're an… an insensitive, narcissistic, sad and pathetic excuse of a Mermaid Princess!

Lucia: Taiki, please, stop!

Taiki: No, Lucia… she has to know this!

He exhales hard and takes one step closer to Hanon so as to continue enlightening her to the horrid truth of the matter at hand.

Taiki: Hanon, I have had it with you not knowing the obvious of this world thanks to your unhealthy obsession with Tarou! A grown adult man and an underage girl with such an age gap as the one at work here will be shunned by society for their relationship, but it gets even worse! A student and a teacher being together is absolutely taboo and forbidden! IT IS ILLEGAL AND IT CANNOT HAPPEN!

He's shaking violently and then he grasps ahold of himself tightly with both hands, digging his fingernails into himself very painfully; in fact, from the pressure, he finally starts to puncture his skin and bleed.

Hanon: Illegal?!

Taiki: That's right… if you had any sense at all, then you would drop this pretense and your senseless pursuit right now! You don't realize this, but if there is any indication of such a relationship even perceived as to be going on in the eyes of others, then Tarou will be severely punished and shunned by society for it even though this whole "relationship" is all you obsessing over him! If… if that happens, then he will NEVER be able to teach or play music for others ever again!

He grasps ahold of her with his blood on his hands.

Taiki: YOU ARE ENDANGERING HIS LIVELIHOOD, YOU ARE ON THE VERGE OF RUINING HIS LIFE, BUT YOU DON'T CARE ABOUT THAT AT ALL!!

His screaming of those last words into her face made Hanon come to the full realization of what was truly wrong as Taiki pulls back his hands, then turns and runs to the ocean. The massive emotional pain is seen as his Black Pearl and the two white ones from his mother's tears are all glowing a vivid red.

Hanon: …Oh no, what have I done?!

Everything hits her and the self-sacrificing attitude Taiki has been showing to her and the others dawns upon her thoughts, revealing just how horribly she is hurting her friend and ally whom actually confessed his feelings to her all those months ago. Back in the Yamada mansion, Sylvia is feeling all of the same pain as her son while being down on the floor as result of her falling from its acute onset. It takes a little bit of time for the mother to regain her composure and then make her way out to the coast while Hanon is already entering the water to follow after Taiki and go to apologize to him, feeling absolutely horrible for what she has done. Lucia and Rina follow in short order. They catch up to her and together they find Taiki after hearing him singing a sad-tone eurobeat song in slower italo disco style. In fact, it is the same one that played when he first introduced himself outside the concert hall.

Hanon: 'I have to move quickly to save Tarou-chan from the Indian Ocean Mermaid Princess. But, I need Taiki with me and the others. (eyes closed) Please, Taiki, forgive me for what I said! I didn't know the prospects of such a relationship were that bad… or that I truly meant that much to you even now…'

She closes the distance to him and without saying anything, quietly came and embraces him from behind him. A few tears manage to escape from her. A minute later…

Taiki: Do you understand what it means to sin and speak ill of your benefactors with lies like that which you have said?

Hanon: Oh, god, Taiki, I never should have opened my mouth like that. I'm so sorry…!

Now she starts to cry.

Taiki: Hanon Houshou, I need some time to recompose myself after this…

Hanon: I promise, I won't ever say such things again to you and the others! I had no idea you and Tarou-chan were that close; I thought no one else was hurting as much as or worse than me, even over him.

Sylvia: Yes, you didn't know because you are too caught up in thoughts of yourself and Tarou.

Hanon: S-S-Sylvia-san!

Sylvia: You are not mindful of others' feelings and relations.

She lets go and turns towards Sylvia when she says that, but then receives a very hard slap across the face.

Hanon: OWWWCH!

Sylvia: I heard what you called me. Not even my own son has disrespected me like that!

Taiki: Mother, PLEASE! She's an emotional mess no worse than me right now. Go easy on her.

Sylvia relents and goes to embrace her son, calming his troubled mind and heart with her warmth.

Sylvia: But now, at least this selfish one knows her mistakes and I would hope she's going change herself for the better now that she has realized them. She understands that you are sacrificing your own well-being for her and the others to make sure that they are all safe and sound.

Hanon, with her head down, relents. "From a Mermaid Princess, this is inexcusable…"

Taiki: It's all but impossible to come to control when you're under that much grief… I should know… rage came into my emotions and I've hurt one of those I am duty-bound to protect…YOU. I feel just as bad… I'm sorry, Hanon; I pray you will forgive me for it.

With that exchange done, all five of them set off to find Gackto's castle. They heard Hippo yell out "Stop this!" and they hurried to his location, transforming when they arrived.

Izul: The Mermaid Princesses have appeared, huh?

Yuuri: Winter mermaids swim into the fire on their own accord, right?

Maria: We won't let you sing.

Eril: If you try to sing, we'll do THIS to Hippocampus!

Eril tightens the kelp around Hippo and he yells out in pain.

Taiki: STOP IT, NOW!

Maria: So, Mermaid Princesses, Surface Prince, be obedient and let us capture you.

Hippo: Everyone, don't give in! Don't worry about me and sing!

Izul: Shut up!

She tightens the kelp more and Hippo yells out in further pain.

Lucia: (uneasy) Wh-What should we do?

Suddenly the kelp is cut up, freeing Hippo, but it is not Taiki's doing. Caren has suddenly appeared by Hippo's side and Legend of Mermaid has started from the live stage.

Hippo: Caren-san, th-thank you!

Caren transforms and joins her allies in the live stage for the song, punishing the Dark Lovers most severely for what they had done. They fled in defeat from this. Meanwhile, however, the nightmare being experienced by Kaito turns yet more tragic when Lucia uncharacteristically says back to him "Protect me…? What exactly can you do to protect me, Kaito?" and a large fissure opens up, falling into it when she slips out of his grip. With Gackto's words repeating in his head up to that point, Kaito can no longer take it after seeing Lucia fall into the fissure and he has yelled out her name in despair and defeat.

Gackto's voice: "Come, my other self. If you want the power, then come over to my side."

Kaito himself falls forward and down, surrendering and giving up here. Under his breath, he has fallen to his despair…

Kaito: Give me the power… to protect what's precious to me.

Light bursts over him in the "sky" as the scenery all undoes itself and he falls unconscious. He is magically whisked away from Hawaii's spot in the North Pacific. Out in reality, back on shore, everyone is actually there safe and sound.

Lucia: Hippo, didn't I tell you not to act recklessly?

Hippo: I'm so sorry, Lucia-san. But I got a response from the pearls of the Mermaid Princesses that were taken to Gackto's lair. So I tried to follow it.

Rina: What on earth does that mean, Hippo?

Hippo: I don't know… When I thought I found the Black Beauty Sisters, I was captured by the Dark Lovers.

Lucia: I wonder what's going on in Gackto's lair.

Taiki: Wait! Did you say you saw the Black Beauty Sisters by following the radar?!

A hellaciously violent shudder shakes his body and makes him grasp himself tightly.

Taiki: OH DEAR GOD, NO!

His mother gets ahold of him.

Sylvia: Taiki dear, please, calm yourself.

Taiki: BUT IF THEY HAVE THE PEARLS NOW, THEN WE'RE IN SERIOUS TROUBLE!

Lucia hears Kaito call her name and tells everyone she heard it, but none of them did. Down in Gackto's palace, he opens his eyes with his head slightly tilted downwards.

Gackto: Welcome home, my other self.

Kaito is face-down and unconscious right there in front of his throne as he chuckles.

Gackto: Welcome to my castle.

—