Luka was still angry and sad, but the thought of taking revenge didn't make her feel better.
"I won't do that." She said, emotionless.
"You've done it well." They all heard a familiar voice saying.
"Aqua Regina-sama!" They exclaimed, happily. "You're alive!"
Clear as the day, still a bit transparent. Aqua Regina was before them. She walked towards Luka and the mermaid princesses of the past.
"I give my thanks to you, mermaid princesses. Once more the worlds are safe." She looked at Mira "I just have one more work to do." Her staff glowed and then, through the sunlight, she saw two figures like ghosts, floating above the sand. They had long billowing hair, large white wings and eyes, barely visible, were glowing green like Mira's.
Mira's eyes opened wide. A lump formed in her throat.
"What are you doing here?"
"Who are you?" Luka asked them
"Our greetings to the next Aqua Regina-sama. We are the guardians and keepers of the upper world. We came to take care of Arthemira from now on."
"Mira is...?"
"Arthemira used to be our companion, she rebelled and caused many misfortunes on land and in the ocean. For that we are sorry. She will respond to her actions and will be punished accordingly. Does that seem right to you?"
Luka looked at her friends, and they nodded. She turned to the angels:
"That sounds fair"
But before they turned their backs, Luka raised her voice.
"Wait! There are still things to be fixed. Mira, you said my power could save lives. Aqua Regina is that true?" Luka asked.
"I'm sorry child... But even Gods can't randomly resurrect the ones that were gone."
"I don't need to. I just need to protect one life."
"What are you thinking about?" Aqua Regina asked.
Luka made a sign to Aqua Regina come closer and then whispered to her ear.
"Can I have your permission?" She asked.
"You do realize that changing the past can have a cost, do you? Are you prepared to take the risks?"
She tough for a moment and then she answered, confidently.
"I do."
"Very well then." She answered.
Aqua Regina exchanged looks with the angels and they nodded. She shook her staff slightly in the air and the scenery changed. They were all were transported to a room where a couple was enjoying a sweet moment sitting on the ground and talking before a fireplace. They couldn't see them. Lucia recognized them immediately. The woman was pregnant and had long, wavy pink hair and the same face as Mary's. Luka looked at Aqua Regina, feeling a bit insecure. She encouraged the little girl to go to them.
She faced the woman and removed her pearl from the pendant. She held the pearl in the palm of her little hand and blew it lightly. It was as if a shiny powder came off the pearl and landed on the woman, who in turn felt a breeze brush her face and looked straight at Luka. For an instant, it was as if she could see the girl. And in her brown eyes, Luka could see her dear friend and smiled sweetly. The angels came to support her, also giving their blessings to the couple.
"Now what happened it won't repeat itself. Our work here is done. Farewell, little Aqua Regina-sama. Until we see each other again."
"Good-bye, and thank you."
Together they plunged on down, their wings beat and beat and beat, raising sand, and slowly the angels carried Mira up and up towards the sky until they were out of their sight.
As soon as they left, Luka reached out trembling for her father and put her arms around his neck. He held her tight, pressing her to his chest, feeling the wild beat of her heart against his chest. She was so small as he remembered. Her mother kissed and kissed her face wet by tears. He put his free arm over his wife's shoulder and breathed in the scent of her hair with a happy satisfaction: they were here, they were real.
"Mom, dad! I missed you so much. Never leave me again!"
"Luka, my daughter! We are so sorry, my dear one. Oh, you must have been so frightened." Lucia saw the tears glistening on the woman's cheeks. Everyone shed happy tears at the lovely encounter. Hippo blew his nose with a handkerchief making a noisy sound.
And then Luka's chest grew hot. Her pearl was glowing. The bright light was wrapping her hole silver necklace, turning into a shell pendant hanging by a silver string.
"Mom! Look! My necklace."
"It's beautiful, darling."
"Lucia! Kaito, look!" Luka ran to Lucia and Kaito.
"You did it, Luka!"
"I couldn't have done it without you. Sorry for not telling the truth..." she said, softly.
"It's okay, Luka. We understand." Kaito said.
"I'm afraid after this you will forget me like it never happened." She started to sob "But that is okay... because I will never forget you!"
"Oh, sweetie... We feel the same." She hugged Luka tight, crying. "We will always be with you."
"And knowing you're with me, I won't be afraid anymore," Luka said. "Lucia, Kaito, I will miss you both."
Kaito and Lucia embraced Luka, hugging her tightly and kissing her on both cheeks.
"Come on, darling. Time to go home." Her mother called.
Luka stood up and held her parents' hands. The mermaid princesses of the future, all gathered to say goodbye.
"Well, now that you are here. I want to ask a thing or two about the future. First of all, we have to go back to our kingdoms one day. Can we ever have a normal love life, like getting married and all?" Hanon did not miss the opportunity to ask her future self.
Rina also looked at her own future figure inquisitively, but the princess said nothing, just smiled.
"Well... It will be more surprising than you think." Hanon answered and winked to her younger self.
"What kind of answer is that? Can't you tell us? Hey! Wait a moment!" Hanon went after her, clearly dissatisfied with the answer.
Together they all of them walked to the ocean. Luka turned to Lucia and Kaito one last time.
"Mom, dad! Thank you and Good-bye." She said, smiling brightly.
Aqua Regina raised her staff and water enveloped them completely like a brilliant whirlwind and they disappeared without a trace. It was done, they were gone.
After two days that followed, Lucia still couldn't stop visiting Luka's old room without hoping to see her in bed, sleeping soundly, or turning her head sometimes at the beach at the sound of a little girl's laugh.
"Are you thinking about her?" Kaito asked since she seemed distracted from their usual date at the beach.
"Hm? Oh, yes... It's just so unreal... It feels like I woke up from a dream."
"I know. Sometimes I think I can see her waving to me from the beach with you."
"If none of this ever happened... I'm afraid I could forget her for good."
"We won't forget. Besides, will we see her soon."
"It's not that soon." Lucia laughed.
"It is soon if we hurry and got married."
"What?" Lucia blushed. "We still in high school."
"Just two more years to go."
"You are kidding!" She turned her head away from him to hide her embarrassment, but he gently held her chin and make her look at him.
"Do I look like I'm kidding?" He looked at her with determinate eyes and she felt her cheeks grew hot. He placed his lips on hers and held her in his embrace. When they finally drew apart, they've noticed a girl around their age running into their direction.
"Kaito! I've missed you so much!" The girl suddenly threw her arms around him.
"Kaito! Who is she?" Lucia asked, almost furious.
"I-I don't know! I've never seen her before" He was flustered. "Let me go! You are causing a misunderstanding with my girlfriend."
"Mom! Dad! Don't you remember me?" She asked, clearly hurt.
The girl was clearly a beauty. She had had big bright blue eyes and she was using a white light dress. She took off her summer white hat with a pink ribbon on it, revealing her long dark blond hair tight in a ponytail with a white ribbon. On her neck, there was a white shell pendant.
"... Luka?" Lucia asked, eyes open wide.
The girl smiled, nodding.
"I'm back!"
[Author's note:]
Sorry for the tremendous delay. I've read all your messages, thank you!
I had a very big block and I blame my work for that * nervous laughs * I thought that home office in this quarantine was going to be easy, but it was just the opposite. But I managed to launch the last two chapters of this saga and I already have the next saga formed in my head. The story continues, Luka could not become a mermaid princess with idol clothes yet, but from now on I expect her to have her transformation, her music, her loved ones and her friends (yes Hanon and Rina, I have not forgotten your future kids) I hope that you like it. Soon I will to update my chapters of this saga with new arts and start the new story. Thank you for the support and see you then!