Today it is over 90 degrees. I haven't left the pool in literally like nine plus hours, typing this hurts my fingers. But I wanted to update this, as I forgot I actually finished this chapter last week and it's just been sitting, waiting for me to actually open the fanfiction tab and update. Sorry! I hope you enjoy this chapter. We're almost out of the sea! That makes me sad! But hopefully your excited to see what happens when Shirayuki gets some legs. See you all soon, and remember, review!

Zen awoke to only red. He blinked in confusion, before he realized he was staring at hair. He lifted his arms, pushing the hair aside gently. He twitched his tail, Lioj groaning in protest.

As he came to his senses, Zen realized that Shirayuki was lying next to him. Her tail was curled around his once lazily, and her arms were right against his chest. Lioj was lying just beneath them, one of his wings covering Zen's tail. Zen let out a huff of breath that made his gills flare, and looked outside. It was just morning, the light hadn't quite reached the bottom of the sea yet from what he felt.

He pushed aside Shirayuki's hair again, trying to ignore how nice it smelled. He looked around groggily. They were lying in his bed, probably because Shirayuki's was still a ragged mess from where she had accidentally torn it in her sleep. Shirayuki still had her skirt on from last night and Zen was still wearing most of the jewelry he had been given. including the pendant his Master had given him. He had to say, that one was probably his favorite.

The Prince had to smile at the memories of last night. While he had never truly loved dancing, last night had been a kind of dance he could have done for hours.

Lioj stirred finally and lifted off his tail with a grunt.

"Good morning, Lioj." Zen grumbled, flicking his fin free finally. He could probably wiggle free from the bed, but he was afraid he'd wake up Shirayuki. Instead, he settled his tail and stared around the room. The last time he was going to see it. He wasn't sure if he felt sad or anxious or even happy, it had been a home for him for weeks.

Zen leaned his head back, gently distancing himself from Shirayuki so she wouldn't hit him in disgust when she realized their proximity.

He was finally, finally going home. The thought of seeing his country, his two best friends, and his…well, in all honesty his legs had his fin curling with joy. He wanted to give his mother the biggest hug, and even his brother's annoying smirk would be refreshing. He didn't really miss paperwork, but oh, the fun adventures he had sneaking away with Mitsuhide and Kiki when he could. And his bed! A normal, human bed, with miles of thick blankets and soft pillows to actually hug his body and keep him warm. Not just a springy bunch of seaweed.

Shirayuki mumbled and curled closer to him, kicking her tail slightly in her sleep to push herself against his side.

Zen blinked, then let out a disbelieving breath.

Lioj slowly warmed himself up by swimming gently around the room, barely moving his wings as he basically flew.

Zen would miss that. His tail gave him the feeling of freedom like nothing else. He could always swim away, he always had a way to slip free of chains or ropes or responsibilities. And dancing with a tail instead of two legs? Oh, no contest. And sometimes just sitting near Vidre, watching the lights move and dance as if they were alive. Trying to change them by tricking them and always failing. There was a magic – and, of course, actual magic; Below Surface he couldn't deny.

Shirayuki's eyelids fluttered. She stretched, her fin swishing back and forth. Then her eyes opened, and she was staring right into Zen's.

Zen counted silently in his head, trying to bite back his smile. 3…2…1…and….

"What are you doing in my bed?!" Shirayuki trilled, her nostrils flaring as she launched herself away from the bed and into the air, almost into Lioj. The manta ray slipped underneath her and above Zen before he hit ether of them.

Zen rose, smiling. But also fighting back a huge blush he could feel in his neck. "You're in my bed, excuse you."

Shirayuki's cheeks were as red as her hair. She stared at the mess of her mattress and then down at her skirt, and groaned, covering her hands in her head. "Don't mention this."

"To?"

"Anyone!" Shirayuki made a face at him and swam to the other side of the room, trying to take off her skirt.

Zen looked outside. It was just past dawn, Obi should have been here by now. A flare of anxiety bubbled up Zen's spine. He hoped the night watch went well. Zen and Shirayuki had spent their night shifts always on a three hour schedule, and usually high above the pod to survey everything in the darkness. Once, Zen had actually touched the surface of the water before realizing he had let himself float that high up. He wondered where Obi was watching from.

A groan from Shirayuki made him turn his attention back to her.

She stared at him pitifully from one eye. "The clasp is stuck."

"Let me help." Before Zen could stir the water to push him forward, the enchanted knife sliced through the water and easily snapped the clasp of the skirt open.

Shirayuki gasped and Lioj threw up his tail in shock. The green tailed mermaid grabbed the skirt before it could float to the ground and stared at the knife. "The magic hasn't worn off this thing yet?" Tentatively, she reached up and tapped the knife directly on the blade. The metal didn't react, just remained floating where it was.

"Magic can wear off?" Zen asked, moving forward curiously.

"Pearl magic? It always does. Especially in water, where it can get washed off." Shirayuki grasped the blade's hilt, and the knife dropped as if it was just a simple tool again. Shirayuki then tossed it into the water, and the knife twirled back in front of her. She looked at Zen, as if he had any answers.

There was a tapping sound downstairs, Obi had come knocking. While mers didn't have doors, they did have a general rule of politeness and magic enchantments to keep visitors out without welcomes.

Zen felt a swell of excitement, but when he looked to Shirayuki his smile died.

The mermaid pulled her arms around herself, her eyes uncertain and wandering. The skirt hung from her fingertips. Her body was leaning backwards a little, her tail floating up on what looked like a reflex.

"Hey." Zen's voice made her jump.

"Oh. Um…sorry. Will you go greet Obi? I just…I still need to get ready." She turned away from Zen, her fingers clutching her side fins shakily.

Zen swam towards her, then stopped himself. He nodded to Lioj, who swam over to Shirayuki and gently circled her. The Prince took a steadying breath then ducked downstairs. Obi was waiting by the doorway. The Sharkman had his spear in hand and his gold eyes glowed. At Zen's smile and wave, Obi swam inside.

"Good morning." He said.

"Morning." Zen responded. "Shirayuki's upstairs, she'll be down soon. How was the night watch?"

Obi shrugged, spinning his spear before resting it against the wall, where he then leaned back himself. "A few Xerturts."

Zen pursed his lips as he leaned over the counter. "What will happen to this pod, Obi? After we leave? Who will protect them?"

Obi shook his head. "We leave when Trow arrives – she's another Warrior of the Sea who possess the Aigua."

Zen blinked. "Sharkmen can be girls?"

Obi rolled his eyes. "Are all you humans like this? Constantly assuming the only persons capable of holding power are men?"

Zen hesitated, then nodded unfortunately. "If I can stand a defense, most of us are trying to get better at that."

Obi scoffed. "To answer your question, yes, we have plenty of female warriors. While not as widely known as Sharkmen, they are the Tigers."

"Tigers?" An image of the land dwelling, striped creature popped into Zen's head as he settled on top of the counter, his tail swishing the water lazily.

"You will see when Trow arrives. The Tigers' singing is gorgeous." Obi's eyes actually closed and he seemed to truly relax for the first time…well, ever. Zen blinked at the display, but then Obi's eyes opened and he slipped back into that feigning of relaxation.

Obi needed to teach Zen that trick.

"Can't all mers sing?"

Obi shrugged. "Most of them can, but there's being good at singing and then there's Sirens. Some just aren't gifted with the talent."

"Can you sing?" Zen grinned at the thought.

Obi smiled back. "I can. Care for a seduction, Prince?"

"I doubt you could manage that one." Zen bit back a snort.

"Is this a bad time?"

Obi and Zen both winced as Shirayuki slipped down from upstairs. She had braided her hair around the side of her head, pinning it with a clip. Not all the way, a good portion of her hair still floated freely, streamlining down her back as she moved. Zen realized it was the clip that she had received last night, the one Zen thought was magic because of it's pearls. She was also wearing two bracelets, and her purse. She smiled at the two of them, and Zen tried to cover his embarrassment.

"I can always come back down when you've finished." Shirayuki continued to tease. Lioj slipped downstairs behind her, grunting with the effort.

"We were only joking!" Zen gaped.

All mers chuckled.

"Shirayuki and Zen, are you ready?"

Zen straightened. "Ready."

Both mermen looked to Shirayuki, who clutched her purse strap tightly and pressed her lips into a thin line. Behind her, the Vidre glowed a sparkling green. Then she looked up. "Ready."

They saw no mers as they left, but at the gates of the pod they were met by a mermaid. She was lounging against a rock, picking lazily at her wickedly sharp nails. She had scales down the sides of her cheeks, and her ears had little fins as well. Her skin was pale but had traces of a deep tan. She wore no shirt, and Zen tried not to feel embarrassed about that. Her tail was shorter than Obi's, with a shorter fin but with more extra dorsal down the front and back of it. The gray was mottled with black stripes and dots – the perfect image of a tiger shark. She had golden brown hair pulled back into a high ponytail, and her eyes were amber with gold lining the iris's.

At their arrival, she smirked and kicked upwards, flinging herself up and around so she was in Zen's face in the blink of an eye. "So. You're the famous Prince."

Before he could respond to that, the Tiger turned and smiled at Shirayuki. "And you're the famous healer."

Obi leaned on his staff with a small smile and a soft roll of his eyes as the Tiger righted herself, extending her hand straight forward towards Zen. Like them, she had fins protruding from her forearms. "I hear this is how people on land greet each other. I'm Trow."

Zen snorted a small bubble. He grabbed her hand, careful of her claws, and lowered it gently, then gave it a shake. "Well met. I'm Zen."

Trow blinked curiously at their hands before Zen let her go. She smiled it off and turned to Shirayuki. "A pleasure to meet you too. I like your necklace. I can promise you you're pod will be completely safe under my care."

Shirayuki blinked gratefully, then pulled Trow in for a tight hug. Trow blinked in surprise, and Obi looked at Zen for explanation.

Zen made a sympathetic face. Shirayuki tended to reach out for touch when she needed comfort. But he didn't say anything and shot Obi a warning look as Shirayuki pulled back.

"Sorry. I'm just grateful to you." Shirayuki said.

Trow paused, then gave a half smile. "Right. I'm sure that's it." Trow's eyes traveled to Lioj, sitting behind Shirayuki and blinking curiously at the Tiger. "Oh! Your so cute!" Trow rushed forward and ran her hand down Lioj's back. Lioj jumped, but relaxed under her touch.

Obi groaned. "Trow, where's your spear?"

Trow blinked, then did a slow spin. "Oh, curse the skies! Must have left it buried in the side of that Liopleurdon I skewered the last hour. Sorry." She extended her hand and made a motion like she was grabbing something. Nothing happened, but Zen felt the stirring of the current in his tail. Trow grinned at Obi. "No worries, it's coming back."

Obi gave Zen an apologetic look.

Zen grinned. "It's nice to see someone who enjoys their job."

Trow was suddenly in front of him, and she bopped a finger against his nose, making him blink. "That's the idea! Life's too short – this guy gets it!" Zen blinked and she was gone again, moved back to Shirayuki to grab her hands. How was she so fast? "Say, you're a Siren, right?"

Shirayuki bit her lip. "I haven't sung in…in a while."

Trow nodded, humming. "When you were trying to out sing Kay. Don't feel bad about that, you didn't remember the words to the counter song. But no worries! She won't be able to affect Zen like she did before."

Zen ran his hands through his hair agitatedly, remembering his first night as a mer. He didn't remember anything past the Queen's singing, and he didn't remember if Shirayuki had tried to sing him back to her or anything. He just remembered hearing the song, and then waking up to a fully paralyzed Shirayuki.

Shirayuki shifted uncomfortably.

Trow made a face. "Okay, you know what you need?" She swam around to Shirayuki's back and put her hands on Shirayuki's shoulders, her tail sticking straight out like a Tiger Shark's actually would. "You need to sing that old dancing song. I bet we can get both these men dancing like idiots really quick."

Obi's face stiffened. "Don't you dare, Trow."

Trow smiled, and cleared her throat.

Obi looked at Zen. "Swim!" The Sharkman started to take off, but then Trow let out a long whistle that halted him.

Trow let go of Shirayuki and spun around, floating upwards as she sang.

"Oh the waves, born of the ivory moon and the salty land.

Jump! Jump! Jump! Toss and turn, tumble and rumble.

Rejoice for this life, for this world, for this beauty we see."

Zen expected to feel an uncontrollable urge to dance, or to black out and wake up in an hour with a sore tail and an odd blank in his memory. None of that happened. He still felt very in control of himself.

Obi swam back to his lax position, shaking his head. "You're not funny, Trow!"

Trow swam down and grabbed Shirayuki's hand. "Come, sing with me."

Shirayuki cast a glance at Zen nervously. "I…I might actually hypnotize them – or, at least Zen for real this time. I don't think I can sing that."

Trow frowned, then flipped down so she was right next to Shirayuki. "Okay, fine. How about this one?" Trow settled and curled her tail around her, taking a breath before singing in a much smoother, even baritone that Zen felt in his chest.

"If I gather all the love in my heart, all the power in the waves,

If I gather all the strength I have been given, all the strength in the currents,

If I gather all the hope I once lost, I will swim into the sun."

Shirayuki's expression brightened. She settled next to Trow and took a few quick breaths, before opening her mouth and joining in. Her soft soprano rolled right next to Trow's and Zen felt his muscles relaxing. He looked over to Obi to see the Sharkman looked as calm as he felt. Lioj purred loud enough that Zen felt the vibration in his tail. Obi smiled softly at Zen, as if to say; told you so.

"I am stronger now. I am different now. I swim through the seas, looking for a past long gone and long returned.

I breach with the whales, I skip with the dolphins and glow with the jellyfish.

The world is my oyster and I am its pearl. If only I can draw on them.

Hope! Strength! Love! They embrace me like a mother, and I believe the only time,

I will ever drown, is without them by my side."

As the mermaids finished their songs, Zen let out a blissful breathe. Obi clapping jarred him a little, and Zen scrambled to press his hands together as well.

Shirayuki brushed her hair behind her ear, seemingly unable to get rid of her smile. Trow grinned and poked her in the cheek. "That's how we do it!" She zipped over so she was in front of Obi, lying on her stomach with her chin on her hands. "So, have we seduced any mermen yet?" Zen blinked and she was in front of him, teasingly running her finger down his cheek. Zen caught himself before lashing out on instinct. "I mean, I can never tell with this one; whether he's seduced or just in love."

Zen felt a blush rush at his neck and cheeks. "I am not in love with-"

Trow clicked her tongue to cut him off and spun into the air. She held out her hand and her spear suddenly appeared, rushing right into her palm. She spun it a few times, probably to release all the extra energy from the force of it's speed. It looked like an exact replica of Obi's, only her blade looked a little more battle hardened. Not as well maintained, really. "Okay, happy mers! I got my spear, so you little minnows can have fun beaching yourselves now! Oh, before I forget." Trow appeared by Shirayuki's side, cupping her hand by Shirayuki's ear and whispering something.

Zen watched, as Shirayuki listened intensely, then turned beat red, and shook her head.

Trow giggled and plopped a kiss on the red haired mermaid's cheek. "And don't forget to keep your vocal cords loose. The Ocean knows the only thing that can cool those beasts of humans is a good song from a pretty lady."

Shirayuki shook her head again. "Um, thanks."

Obi rolled his eyes. "And that concludes our introductions. Trow, take care of the pod. Zen. Shirayuki. Are you ready?"

"Yes." Zen responded immediately.

Shirayuki hesitated, then took a deep breath. She gave a brave smile, at which Trow gave her the thumbs up. "What choice do I have?"

Obi nodded and lifted his spear. "Then, follow me."