Karen: It's about time this came up. Geez, what is wrong with RSBCS-san taking so long to finish our story?!
RSBCS: *in a corner with darkness hanging over him*
Karen: E to, what's wrong?
Noelle: I heard he had a rough year last year, and it made it difficult to write.
Karen: Was it really that bad Onee-san?
Noelle: I believe so. Why don't we do the disclaimer so we can start the story.
Karen: Right. RSBCS does not own Mermaid Melody or any of us from the show. We belong to those that created us. Now...
Karen & Noelle: Pichi Pichi Voice, Live Start!
Chapter 22:
One Heart Lost, One Heart Found
Late one night at Pearl Piari, while everyone else was sleeping soundly, Karen was up in her and Noelle's room brushing her hair by moonlight. She had trouble falling asleep, thinking about everything that had been going on. Most of all, she was wrestling with her thoughts on him: Subaru Carraford Hashimoto. Sure he was caring, thoughtful, generous, disciplined, and just someone she wanted to be around. But he was a human, and it would never work out with a mermaid princess like herself. Yet all her friends and even her sister encouraged the idea. Sure, Kaito and those boys became Sea Princes, but that was the only exception.
And then, she began to think about if Subaru did become her Sea Prince. But the thoughts didn't stop at that. She went even further, thinking about them going on dates, him proposing to her, them getting married, and then having a family.
Before it could go any further, Karen cried out, "Stop it!" She slammed down on the dresser, but then flinched at the loud noise she made. She turned her head to see if she disturbed Noelle, but her sister barely shifted in her sleep.
Letting out a sigh, Karen looked back at her mirror and contemplated further on her feelings. She first felt attracted to Subaru during the meltdown crisis in Antarctica, when he was investigating the rising temperatures. Now he was here looking for mermaids, and she should feel outraged. Yet, she could not help the pitter-patter in her heart every time she came across him. And she just about hated herself for it. She just wanted to be the Purple Pearl Mermaid Princess, maybe flirt with the occasional cute boy, and rule her kingdom. Yet she found herself fawning and worrying over Subaru at every encounter.
"I cannot allow myself to live him," she told herself quietly, "it will be better for both of us that way."
The next morning, Karen was helping prepare meals for the hotel guests. Nikora had decided to make special breakfast meals for the guests as a way to bring in revenue, and the girls had been roped in to help. Being in the kitchen made Karen feel at ease and allowed her to focus on a single task. All other thoughts wee locked in the back of her mind. Whenever Luchia or Seira came in with a new order, she worked with Noelle and Rina to whip it up super fast, then dish it out for Hanon and Coco to deliver. And as head chef, Nikora was supervising business in the kitchen, but the girls could tell she was beaming with pride at how this was turning out.
Towards the end of the serving time, Coco greeted their last guest for the service period. "Welcome," she said merrily, "let me take you to your seat."
"Arigatou," came Subaru's response. Right when she heard it, Karen fumbled in her cooking and caused some flour to spill out and catch aflame. She hastily grabbed some baking soda nearby, knowing water would cause more trouble, and snuffed out the flame immediately. She then cleaned up the mess expertly before resuming the dish she was working on. Unfortunately for her, the accident had not gone unnoticed.
"Daijoubu Karen," Nikora inquired.
"Hai," Karen replied, not even taking her eyes off her work. Nikora did not make any rebuttal, as she went around to check on everything else in the kitchen. She was gonna tune everything out so she could focus solely on her job. She would not allow herself to be distracted.
Just as she set the meal out for Coco to take, the Yellow Pearl Mermaid Princess informed her as she came up, "Karen, Subaru was asking for our special tempura breakfast." Before she could utter a retort, Coco had hurried off to attend to her tables. Karen seethed at her friend pulling a stunt like that, and furiously began working on the tempura. Her aggressive manner made Rina and Noelle sweatdrop as they witnessed the excessive effort.
"It almost seems like she's made it her mission to avoid Subaru-san," Noelle commented.
"Karen has always taken her duties as a mermaid princess seriously," Rina said as she tossed some shrimp into a colander, "not to mention she was putting up a front when she had to say good-bye to Subaru."
"What do you mean?" Noelle asked, cutting some vegetables for another order.
"Well, whenever she was with him, Karen appeared very close to him," the green mermaid princes elaborated, "as she is with any of us. But with Subaru, there was a certain fondness she had for him that we could see. When she said farewell, I could see she was hiding how it affected her." Noelle paused in her work to ponder this new information. If what Rina said was true, that meant Karen must be trying especially hard to deny her growing affections. If Subaru was meant to be her number one, and by extension her Sea Prince, she would have to do something about it.
"You know, Daichi-kun had incited me out to see a movie tomorrow," she mentioned, "maybe I should bring he and Subaru with us. We could do a double date." Noelle could practically see it now: they would go to the movie, have a romantic dinner, then while they went back home Karen and Subaru would finally admit their feelings for each other. But while she fantasized, Rina could tell it would not go over so smoothly. Not to mention this could have the opposite effect on Karen to begin with. But considering how fixated Noelle was, she could only watch and pray Aqua Regina might make things more tolerable for them all.
Once the breakfast session ended, everyone went about their different activities. Meru and Seira were practicing for the play with Luchia supervising; Hanon and Coco went out with Nagisa and Ryu for a small shopping spree; and Rina had gone to a comedy show. As for Karen, she and Noelle drew the short straw and were finishing up cleaning after meal time. Though she didn't seem to mind having the task assigned to her as it gave her more to distract herself with.
As she was wiping down one of the tables, a small bunch of yen was placed in front of her.
"For exceptional service and a fantastic meal," Subaru told her.
Acknowledging that he was tipping her, Karen accepted the gesture and replied, "Arigatou gozaimasu." She went back to work, but Subaru lingered a little while longer.
"Say Karen, are you free tomorrow?" he asked.
"I'm not sure. Why do you ask?" she returned gruffly.
"Well, I heard about this movie playing tomorrow and wanted to go see it with you," Subaru informed, "a lot of people say it's really good."
With a grunt, Karen answered, "I can't. I have to help around the hotel. Besides, I don't have time for something like that." Subaru was a little disheartened to hear that. He had hoped to find some way to cheer Karen up, especially recently when she had gotten so frosty around him. So he accepted her refusal, and bade farewell for now. As he left, Karen scrubbed harder to combat the gnawing thoughts that were plaguing her mind.
While nearby, Noelle had seen it all happen and glowered at her sister. How could she be so cold to the one meant for her? But she was not willing to give up just yet. There was always a way, and she would get those two together one way or another. And she had the perfect idea for doing so.
Around late afternoon, Karen was going to the bath for a soak after all the work she had done today. As she was heading down, she came across Noelle who was also on her way to the baths. When they came across each other, they both exhibited mild surprise at seeing each other suddenly.
"Oh Karen, wonderful timing," Noelle spoke first, "care to join me?" Not having much of a choice and also wanting to spend some time with her sister, Karen obliged.
Inside the massive bath, the two reverted to their mermaid forms and relaxed. The warm water helped soothe all their worries and stresses. Karen could almost let herself sink in and melt with the water.
Sadly, that was not to be when Noelle inquired, "Karen, why are you avoiding Subaru-san?"
Annoyed that this was brought up yet again, the purple mermaid replied, "Why is everyone wanting to talk about me and Subaru? I don't care for him like everyone insinuates."
"But he's such a considerate gentleman," her sister elaborated, "and he gets along wonderfully with you. I think you two would be wonderful together." Karen's scowl deepened, but she chose not to respond. "And just think, if he becomes your Sea Prince, you two will-" At that point, Noelle was splashed in the face as an interruption.
"And why should I have someone be my Sea Prince?" Karen shouted, "I don't need someone like that in my life. I'll return home, and never see them again." In a quiet voice, she finished, "It's best to let go, so you won't be hurt when they're gone." Her face expressed a sort of deep sadness when she finished. She remembered how Subaru left after the incident at the Eternal Glacier. It hurt to say good-bye then. She didn't want to reintroduce that hurt into her life.
Noelle was saddened by her sister's words. But it was more like she was closing herself off from what could be. If only she could see, as Luchia and the others have, what a relationship born of love could bring.
The next day, Karen and Rina had gone out to the coast for a walk and to get some fresh air. They stopped along the sea wall, and Rina let out a huge stretch as they gazed at the rising sun.
"The mornings sure are nice, aren't they?" she said as she relaxed.
"They sure are," Karen replied, doing a huge stretch herself, "I don't get to see these very often back home. It sure is lovely to see the sun rise now and again." The two just watched the amber-tinged horizon, listening to the crashing of the waves along the shore. As they did, Karen thought back to the day she rescued Subaru from the water demons. She didn't try to block it out, but rather contemplated on it. She knew Subaru was here to find her and the other mermaids, but she felt a sense of longing begin to develop within her.
Why do I feel like this? she thought.
As if on cue, Rina spoke, "It seems impossible to care, with us being mermaids." Snapped out of her musings, Karen looked over to Rina while she spoke, perplexed by her broaching this sort of topic suddenly. "We come to the land and see what it holds," Rina continued, "but know that we will return to the sea. Even if we care about something or someone, it is our inevitable fate."
Karen nodded, then turned back to the horizon and muttered, "If only we could not grow attached to things on land. Perhaps then, leaving it could be easier."
"Perhaps," Rina agreed. Then she asked, "But what if what we encounter on land came looking for us in the sea?" This made Karen give pause. If something came looking for her, how would she feel? Relieved? Angered? She figured she would be elated if they came seeking her. But if it was something she was trying to leave behind?
Carrying on, the green mermaid princess concluded, "I would rather feel the joy of someone coming to find me than hostile at something I wanted to leave behind." Karen felt her friend was trying to be suggestive about something, but her words of opposition fell to the wayside at that message. If she was honest with herself, Subaru could be considered more than a friend to her. He was her partner, someone she shared the same concerns and desires with. Maybe she would have to leave him again, as it was inevitable with their separate lives. So rather than be so cold, maybe she should give him something pleasant to remember her by.
Giving her friend and impish glare, she warned, "I'm gonna get back at you for this." And she headed back to the hotel. And Rina could only smile softly at her friend opening up to the same opportunity she herself scorned for a long time.
"Log update:" Subaru reported into his recorder, "the target has been sending agents that often impersonate individuals as a means of deceiving his targets. It is difficult to discern who they are while under these disguises, making them even more dangerous to confronts. However, if my recent observations have proven valid, they always seem to occur around Karen and her friends. It makes me wonder what connection they have."
"Further note; I have yet to meet that purple mermaid that saved me when I first came to Japan. I hope she is well, and safe from the suspect in question."
As he finished the data log, a knock sounded on his door. Setting aside his things, he went to answer, and found Karen on the other side.
"Karen. Nan desuka?" he spoke.
To which said individual replied with uncertainty, "E to... ano... Are you still free today?" The scientist nodded rather hesitantly, unsure why Karen was bringing this up. "Well, Onee-san was going to the movies with someone, and I wanted to ask if you... I mean, we could go together." Then she added as an afterthought, "You know, just an idea." Subaru was rather caught off-guard by Karen's request, especially since yesterday she made the claim that she did not have the time.
Still, he was not one to squander an opportunity, and answered, "I would like that Karen. I'll grab my things and meet you at the entrance." With the matter agreed, the two parted ways.
Just as Karen turned to wait at the entrance, Noelle appeared out of nowhere and asked, "So you invited Subaru-san to join us?" Before the purple mermaid princess could exclaim in surprise, Noelle dragged her to their room while cheerfully saying, "We need to make you look your best to impress."
"Ma te! Onee-san!" Karen cried out. But the door shut behind her as her sister conducted her preparations.
A little later, the group of four were walking into the city as their double date began. Karen was rather tense, her shoulders hunched and her head dipped with a mad blush on her face as she went in a purple dress with a slanted hem and yellow jacket. Noelle was dressed similarly, but in indigo and pale-blue respectively. The two were walking beside their respective dates: Noelle with Daichi, and Karen with Subaru.
"You're going to love this movie, Subaru-san," Noelle told him, "I hear it is very popular overseas."
"Yeah," Daichi came in, "I hear there's a lot of neat actions scenes." As those two continued talking about the movie, Subaru looked to Karen as he observed her rather withdrawn disposition. It troubled him to see her so bothered, especially nowadays.
"Karen, what's on your mind?" he asked, while the other two seemed absorbed in their business.
Karen looked up, then answered nervously, "Oh... ano... I don't think this dress suits me." It was a lame excuse, but Karen did not want to reveal what really bothered her.
With a chuckle, Subaru commented, "I think it suits you. Makes you look more radiant." Karen seemed to shrink more into herself after being told that. The complement made her feel warm inside, but she was trying to stamp out that feeling. Though the effort just made her more conflicted than before. Luckily for her, they arrived at the theater. The billboard at the front showed several superheroes with medieval weapons, and even one looking like a monster, going against some kind of warlock. Daichi raced to the ticket booth to get tickets for the show.
While he did, Noelle informed the other two, "Daichi said this movie is about a bunch of heroes from other movies coming together to fight against an evil wizard trying to resurrect his undead army and take over the world."
"I've heard of these movies," Subaru stated when she finished, "the people making them had hinted at the end of each one about all these heroes coming together. The other movies gave their backgrounds an villains while alluding to this greater threat." This didn't sound like anything new to Karen. But she figured she would grin and bear it for her sister's sake. Once Daichi got their tickets, they went inside.
As the movie played, Karen found herself lost in her thoughts again regarding Subaru. This time, she thought about when the water demons tried to capture him. Something bugged her about the incident. While she did admit to her that he was looking for mermaids, would they really go after him if they knew? If so, it meant a greater danger would follow him while on assignment for his research group, just like when the Black Beauty Sisters used him in their plans back in Antarctica. And therein lay another problem if Karen allowed this relationship with her and Subaru to develop: he could be used against her. It had happened before with Luchia and Kaito when they all confronted Gaito, so what was to stop it from happening again now?
Yet, if Subaru was used against her, what would she do? She thought she could move past it and do what was needed despite the risks, but those decisions led to her nearly being captured twice while trying to save her sister. Even more so, Subaru wasn't just some human she could cast aside when needed. The thought alone was painful, and she held a fist over her heart to fight off the pain. She had let Subaru go before, but could she if it meant losing him and bearing such guilt? She had no easy answer.
At that point in her thoughts, the movie played a scene where the warlock had one of the heroes under a spell and had him fight the saviors. Karen watched as the scene played out before her;
"What hope do you have to overcome my spell?" the warlock jeered at a female hero, you wouldn't sacrifice the one you love."
Noelle and Daichi were on the edge of their seats, while Subaru and Karen just watched with passive interest.
Just then, the heroine replied, "I will save everyone precious to me. You hold no power over me villain!"
"But then you shall lose your only cherished one," the warlock taunted, "you will be all alone."
But the heroine appeared resolute, and shot back, "They will always be with me. So I am never alone."
Karen didn't understand how this character could be so strong in her belief to fight. It was a hopeless situation, with no easy victory. Despite that, she still had faith in those she cherished, and was fighting her hardest for them. Then again, Luchia and the others were not so different.
Feeling conflicted from the subject matter, Karen excused herself and made her way out of the theater. She felt Subaru's eyes following her as she left, though she tried to ignore it. When she returned to the lobby, Karen found someplace to sit. She stewed over her thoughts a bit more, growing steadily more frustrated as she did. But then she recalled Rina's words:
"Love is another source of power for us as mermaid princesses... being in love means learning to cope with the bad as well as the good."
When she recalled these words, Karen became more contemplative. Learning to accept the bad as well as the good. Maybe she had been looking at this all wrong. Perhaps she thought all love was was mushy words and warm feelings, things she would lose in her duty as the Purple Pearl Mermaid Princess. But perhaps, it was not quite as simple as it seemed.
At that point, Subaru came to sit next to her. Before Karen could make a retort to chase him off, he spoke, "I suppose you are feeling rather uncomfortable about all this."
Mot even having the energy to agree, Karen replied dejectedly, "That's one way to put it. My sister just makes things so difficult sometimes."
Letting out a soft chuckle, Subaru said, "She does seem to be trying at something. But, I feel she might be neglecting you."
Her head shooting up, Karen argued, "Onee-san would never neglect me Subaru!"
"Calm down Karen, I didn't mean it like that," Subaru said in his defense. Once she simmered down, he explained, "I meant she isn't taking your feelings into account. She doesn't see that this experience is a bit outside your comfort zone." Seeing his point, the Purple Pearl Mermaid Princess could see where he was coming from. He certainly proved to be far more perceptive than she realized. "Personally," Subaru continued to elaborate, "I would much rather find something you enjoy. Something that you would want to do. So what do you want to do?" Karen thought on the question for a bit. The movie still had a ways to go before it ended, so her sister might not notice her missing too soon. And if Rina was right, she was being rather unfair to Subaru.
So she requested, "Can we go walk around for a bit?"
With a soft smile, Subaru replied, "Of course. Whatever you want." With that, the two got up and headed out of the theater.
Nothing of note really went on as far as Karen was concerned. She and Subaru just walked around looking at the people and places in the city. It gave the mermaid princess time to think on what was bother her. And it gave her pause once more.
"Hey Subaru," she spoke up out of nowhere, "can I ask you something?"
Looking to her, the scientist answered, "Sure. Is it what has been bogging your thoughts."
"Yes, though it will sound silly," Karen told him. Taking a breath to settle her nerves, she asked, "What do you think love is?" Silence fell between them as Subaru seemed to think over the question, and Karen immediately began to chide herself on asking such a question.
She was about to tell to forget she ever asked when he spoke, "That's not an easy question to answer. There are so many explanations for what love is to different people."
"It's fine," Karen told him, "I was being foolish." Baka, she chided to herself. She couldn't believe how stupid she was being.
But Subaru assured, "There's nothing wrong with an honest question. But you should be prepared for when the answer differs from your expectations." Before she could make a rebuttal, Subaru concluded with a request, "Give me some time to think about it. I'll answer your question then." Karen opened her mouth to speak, but closed it just as quickly. Looking away, she simply nodded in response.
It was then the two of them heard a disturbance coming from the direction of the theater. They wasted no time rushing back to see what the commotion was all about. As they approached, Karen could make out the outlines of some kind of giant machine. With it, she could tell what it was they were about to face.
Dr. Hishki must be after Onee-san, she thought, I can't let her be taken again. Resolute, she put on a burst of speed to catch it. Just as they arrived, the machine pulled out Noelle, who was desperately trying to escape her predicament.
"Stop it! Let me go," she protested.
But Hishki inside the mech responded, "Subject acquired. It will all be over soon."
"Hey! Trashcan," yelled out Daichi as he stumbled out of the theater, "let my girl go."
The doctor let out a chortle as he replied, "How rich. Well, if you want her back, try and take her." And the robot took off with Noelle calling out to Daichi. Karen scowled and was about to follow after them when Subaru thrust something into her hands.
"Contact the local authorities, and use this if any machines come after you," he instructed. He took off before Karen could question why. Despite what she had been told, she knew this was a matter she needed to take care of. If Dr. Hishki wanted a mermaid, then she would confront him as one.
Down at the coast, the machine stopped on a beach with Noelle still firmly in his grasp. Said girl was struggling to escape, even hitting the claw that held her in an attempt to bust free. It was becoming rather tiresome for the doctor to listen to, and he decided to do something about it.
Before he did, however, Daichi came running up, looking like he ran for miles. Once he approached, he demanded in-between gasps, "Let... my girl... go... you... stupid... robot."
Turning to face him, Dr. Hishki regarded, "Well, I must say I am rather impressed you have gotten this far boy. A pity all your bravado was for nothing."
Catching his breath, the young man shouted, "I swear, you let her go or I will tear you apart piece by piece."
"You and what army?" Hishki countered.
And then someone shouted, "Sensei!" The robot looked past Daichi to see Subaru coming up to them, a steely gaze set on his face.
It almost gave the doctor a start, but he responded, "Well well. If it isn't the pupil I met so long ago. My how time has changed you."
Subaru, stopping just a ways behind Daichi, demanded, "It's over Hishki-sensei. Let Noelle go, and turn yourself in."
"After all my work and effort in my research, you want me to abandon it all when I am so close?" the doctor responded.
"What you are doing will ruin lives," Subaru argued, "this isn't what you taught me. Please sensei, you have to stop this before it's too late."
The robot sized him up, then returned, "You want me to stop? You want me to stop?!" Daichi and Subaru tensed at his raising his voice, and Noelle watched fearfully for what would come next. Suddenly, the mech shot out a claw that knocked Daichi to the side, into the sea wall. Both Noelle and Subaru watched, their expressions wide with shock as he hit the wall hard.
"Daichi-kun!" Noelle screamed. But she was quickly silenced when the doctor applied pressure to her.
"I will not stop, Subaru," he proclaimed, "not until they see the truth I have worked so hard to show to them." Subaru grew worried. Hishki seemed almost enraged. But he had to do something.
Luckily for him, someone else stepped in.
"Purple Pearl Voice!"
Karen came in front of Subaru, transformed into her idol form, her personal song, "My Wish," already playing. With a steely gaze, she called out, "You harm not only the lives of my friends, but your fellow humans too? Hishki, I will sing to stop your senseless rampage." And she began to sing.
Asahi ga ureshikute (ureshikute)
Omowazu namida ga deru
Dokokade miteru ka na (miteru ka na)
Omaji sora dakara tsuzuiteru
Yume wa mada, yume demo
(Let's Play ina anata ga)
Iru basho wo shinjite
Aurora no kaze ni notte "My Wish" todoiteru
Mukae ni kyu yo datte zettai aitai yo
Juujisei no shito ina wa Two Life hanarettate
Koko wa hitotsu
Onaji One Wish dakishimete
Despite her best efforts, Dr. Hishki's mech appeared undamaged. Though Karen had somewhat expected this, seeing as her power alone wasn't strong enough to do much of anything. Dr. Hishki seemed aware of this himself, as he regarded, "Your song truly is something else, Purple Pearl Mermaid Princess. But, it will not save you this day." Karen grimaced. She truly wished she had some help from the others, but she didn't know where they could be or if they had been alerted to Noelle's distress. Ultimately, like she used to be, she was on her own.
"Now mermaid," the doctor spoke as he prepared a claw, "come!" And he shot it out at frightening speed. Reacting on instinct, Karen pulled out Subaru's device and activated it. But she knew that, even if she could use it, she would be captured alongside her sister. That is, until she saw someone put themselves between the mech and her.
The claw made impact, hitting Subaru hard in the back and causing him to collapse. When he realized he protected her, Karen saw it all happen in slow-motion. Even as the device sent out some kind of pulse, causing Dr. Hishki's mech to malfunction, all she saw was Subaru falling and landing in the sand. Karen froze, not moving an inch. Noelle, having been freed thanks to the reaction of using the device, had rushed over to Daichi to make sure he was alright.
As she looked on, Karen began to think back on her time with Subaru: the incident with the Eternal Glacier, his departure from her life, his return, the confession on finding mermaids. These and more played in her mind's eye before her knees gave out and she collapsed. Tears streamed down her face as she looked at his almost peaceful expression.
Failing to hold back her sorrow, Karen cried softly, "Don't..." She choked a bit before saying, "Don't do this. Don't leave me." Picking him up gently, Karen chided bitterly, "Baka. What were you thinking? Baka. Baka." She clenched her eyes in a vain attempt to halt her tears. "You haven't..." she whispered, "you haven't even told me what love is."
She held him close, and continued to cry, "Wake up. Please wake up Subaru."
Meanwhile, Dr. Hishki's mech was struggling to recover. But the doctor eyed the purple mermaid princess and her supposed lover with contempt. Seething, he growled, "I will not let you best me today, mermaid brat." Karen did not register the insult. She was consumed with grief.
And then, as if by some miracle, she heard Subaru take a breath. Adjusting herself when she thought she heard life return to him, she rested her head against his chest, and heard his heart beat. Along with this revelation came a pair of voices.
"Indigo Pearl Voice!"
"Yellow Pearl Voice!"
And Noelle and Coco came up to Karen, transformed into their idol forms. Both looked worriedly at her, and Noelle asked, "Karen, daijoubu?"
Tears still pouring, Karen looked up with a smile and spoke, "Onee-san... Coco..."
"I was out shopping when I was warned about the trouble," Coco explained, "I hope I am not too late." At that moment, the mech made a grinding sound as it tried to move again, catching the attention of the mermaid princesses.
"I will not let you get away, mermaid princesses," Dr. Hishki roared in anger.
Karen set Subaru back down, telling him, "I'll be back Subaru." Rising to her feet, she proclaimed, "Onee-san, Coco, let's finish this."
"Hai," the two replied. And as the melody of their next song began to play, the three transformed into their second forms. When they were ready, they called out,
"Pichi Pichi Voice, Live Start!"
Arashi no umi ni utarete makesou na ima wo
Furiharae ai wo mitsumete kono mune ni
Tachiagaru yo nando demo yakusoku no tame ni
Shukunetsu no RAITO wo abite shibuki ga mau
Taiyou yori mo atsuku atsuku atsuku
Utagoe wa motto takaku takaku takaku
Ima koso
Ima koso
Hageshii kodou afuredasu ai no MERODII
Takanaru kodou shinjitsu wa tatta hitotsu
Kunori no mai kagami ni utsushite
Tsutawara kodou wakiagaru ai no chikara
Sohite umameru atsui PAAFEKUTO HAAMONII
The song had a much greater impact on the mech, causing a greater power shortage and components to crack. When they were done, the girls called out, "Love Shower Pitch!" And parts of the exterior were destroyed, exposing much of their internal wiring. "Encore wa ika ga?" Afterwards, another mechanical claw shot out and latched onto Hishki's mech.
Then he warned, "Mark my words, mermaid princesses. I will bring the truth of you to the world. Then all will see the greatness that is me!" And with that, he was promptly dragged into the sea. Though chasing after him was far from their minds, as the three looked back to the two humans conked out behind them.
A little bit later found Karen, still in idol form, watching over Subaru. She held a clenched fist over her heart, her emotional turmoil rampaging in her chest. She couldn't understand why she felt this way. She was a Mermaid Princess, and she would return to her kingdom one day and never return to the surface world. She would be leaving everything behind, including people she met.
Why? she thought, clenching her eyes shut, why do I feel so attached to him? I'll never see him when I go home, so why am I suffering this torment? As she battled herself, she felt a hand on her clenched fist, and her eyes shot open to see Subaru smiling up at her, his bright green eyes beaming.
"Gomen Karen," he spoke softly, "I did not mean to make you cry."
Struggling to keep her emotions in check, Karen looked away with a scowl and replied, "I don't know what you're talking about. And I do not know this Karen."
But the man's chuckle caught her unawares, especially when he told her, "It's okay. I know who you are Karen. Or should I call you Purple Pearl Mermaid Princess?"
Seeing as how she couldn't maintain her facade, Karen relented by saying, "Just Karen, Subaru. So what gave me away?"
To which Subaru answered, "The device I gave you. I only brought one with me today. And I am glad it protected you." Grunting with effort, the scientist managed to rise to a seated position with Karen helping him. And he spoke, "You know my mission was to find mermaids. I should probably mention that I am here to protect them from that man. But I never would have thought my old partner was someone I would be protecting too. And now, I want to keep you safe. Because you mean the world to me, Karen." She felt her heart had stopped. Hearing him make such a bold statement blew her out of the water. It took her quite a bit of time to process this revelation. As she did, Subaru pulled her into a hug, resting her head against his chest.
"You don't have to say anything, or return my feelings," he whispered tenderly, "just let me help you in whatever way I can.
After he said this, Karen thought, But what should I do? Even if I do feel like this towards him, I'll have only despair when I leave him. Closing her eyes, she prayed, Aqua Regina-sama, please. What do I do?
At another part of the beach, Noelle had returned to her human form and had Daichi in her lap. She watched him in earnest, hoping he would wake up soon. After a while, her hopes came to fruition as Daichi's eyes opened.
"Ah, that's good," she spoke sweetly, "I am glad you are alright Daichi-kun?" Said teen looked up at her, but his face seemed to indicate confusion. Then, he asked a shocking question,
"Who are you?"
Luchia: Daichi-kun is in the hospital?
Rina: And Noelle seems to stay by his side.
Luchia: What do you think happened to him?
Rina: I don't know. But I am more concerned about Noelle.
Luchia: Ee. I'm worried about her too. This isn't like her.
Next time on Mermaid Melody Pichi Pichi Duo
The Hidden Guardian
Rina: That man, I hope he can help Noelle.