And the 3rd one! Megaman Battle Network: The Little Mermaid!
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Aaron D: Hm, well, I want it to be quite goofy too, but I still want the characters to stay in-character, so… I like the song too!
Yamiyashi: Thanks! Yeah, but sometimes humour doesn't come to me naturally… (looks ashamed)
g: Serenade is NOT a guy. Even though she's called Undernet King in the American version of the game, she is female. At least from what I heard from friends who play the Japanese version.
Unknown-Character: Thanks! I hope you like this one too!
darth: Thanks! Hope this one will too!
RosaRosa: Yeah, that struck me as crazy!
RosaRosa(Again): Yup! It's in… Latin, I think, but it means bon voyage or goodbye (I think)
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Long ago in the deep blue ocean, the Undersea Electopia was ruled by King Tadashi Hikari (Yeah I know he's dead), a merman with a golden Trident and a regal look. He had seven daughtersMiyu Aquata Hikari, Sal Alana Hikari, Anetta Adella Hikari, Mari Attina Hikari, Mary Andrina Hikari, Haruka Arista Hikari and Mayl Ariel Hikari. Mayl was the youngest and prettiest, and she had such a lovely voice that when she sang, every sea creature stopped to listen.
At the age of 16, when she should be thinking about marrying a merboy and settling down, Mayl often went to the surface of the sea and shipwrecks to search for humans' belongings. King Tadashi had warned her time and again that humans would try to catch her. But Mayl refused to listen.
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Once, accompanied by her friend Roll, a pink flounder, Mayl found a fork in a wreck, and immediately dashed to the surface to find Ring, an albatross, who was a supposed expert on humans.
"Umm... This?" Ring fingered the fork. In actual fact she had no idea what it was. "It's called a Hanikoumb! Humans use it to comb their hair!"
"Interesting," Mayl took it and began to comb her pretty red hair. "Humans comb their hair too?"
"Of course! What, do you expect them to have a head that looks like a duck's nest?" Ring asked. She had always disliked ducks, thinking them below her level. "Humans are extremely vain, actually. Like us, they dress up especially for formal occasions and performances, like dances, choral concerts…"
Roll suddenly gasped. "I knew we had forgotten something! Mayl! Your father's concert!"
Mayl panicked. She was supposed to sing in King Tadashi's concert that day. Waving goodbye to Ring, she swam as fast as she could to the concert hall. It was, however, too late. Her sisters were singing in her place, and did not sound quite as good as she usually did. The special guests invited were already gossiping about the reputation of Undersea Electopia.
King Tadashi was furious.
"What in the name of Alpha were you thinking of?" he roared. Mayl looked guilty.
"I was, uh... wandering around... I lost track of time, and I forgot all about the concert…"
"Searching for human stuff again? How many times do I have to warn you, Man are..."
"Fish-eaters," Mayl finished for him. "But Daddy, aren't you always talking about how we should study hard? I want to study them!"
"No! Stay away from anything and everything concerning humans! Or else!" Mayl's eyes fell. She turned and swam off. King Tadashi sighed.
"Am I being too harsh?"
"She needs a babysitter. Someone to watch out for her..." The palace's most loyal butler, Glyde, said. He was a yellow fiddler crab with large eyes.
"Hmmm... Yes. The girl obviously needs protection." King Tadashi said thoughtfully.
"Who do you think is suitable, Your Majesty?" Glyde asked.
"You."
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Mayl was floating dejectedly above the corals.
"Cheer up!" Roll said. "You know King Tadashi. He's just worried about your safety."
"He just doesn't understand me," Mayl said sadly. She looked up towards the world of the humans. "Why can't he just try to look at things from MY point of view?"
As Glyde hurried up to her, a shadow fell over them. Mayl looked up.
"A ship!" She swam quickly towards it.
"No! Please, no!" Glyde howled. "Come back, Princess Mayl!"
But Mayl was gone.
When she broke through the surface, she saw the large wooden ship full of people. They were discussing about the birthday of a certain 'Prince Lan'.
When object of discussion appeared, Mayl gasped. He looked extrmely cute. He had brown hair pushed out of his face by a blue headband, and his matching brown eyes gleamed in the rays of the sun.
Immediately, the crowd on the ship cheered.
"Thanks, guys. Actually, I forgot it was my birthday." Lan said sheepishly. A greyish blue dog ran up, wagging its tail.
"Yeah, you can share the cake, Megaman," Lan grinned as a large statue in his image was dragged out with a cake.
"He's so adorable... Mayl sighed. Just then, the sky clouded over. The sea became rough as thunder struck and rain started to fall. Mayl watched in horror as the ship was caught in the tunderstorm and tossed around like a toy. Everything just happened so fast.
Worse, Lan fell from the deck into the deep sea.
"Darn, I've got to do something!" Mayl dived to the spot where Lan disappeared. Franctically, she looked around, and soon found him, floating unconsciously just beneath the water surface, like a prawn. Grabbing him, the red headed mermaid swam for shore. When she finally reached the beach, the storm was gone and the sea was calm. Gently laying the still unconscious Lan down, Mayl checked him for any possible injuries.
"Dead as a doornail," Ring announced, fluttering down beside her. She was wrong as usual. Lan was still breathing. Stroking his hair, Mayl sang him the first birthday song that came to her mind.
Happy birthday to you… You've survived this cruel storm…
Can it be because your stars are shining today…
But do you have any? You're always unlucky
You've never before had any close shaves like this
Now your luck has changed, you must be feeling grateful
Praise the gods and give your thanks by kneeling down and praying…
As you lift your head and watch them
They, however, ignore you
Can it be that you're not good?
Oh, bother, change yourself please!
Well, it seems that the gods cannot understand you
Show them the true you that you have hidden inside
No, I don't mean jump up and start running around!
Gosh, you really need a change of heart, and mind, and soul too
Oh well, since it doesn't work, just forget about the gods
Just enjoy your birthday today, eat your humongous birthday cake
Count your lucky stars for blessing your life
Long ago was a happy time when you were bornLet the date this year also be happy…
Mayl sighed. "Wrong song. What is wrong with me?"
Just then, she heard a dog barking loudly. Remembering what King Tadashi said about being seen, Mayl dived bck into the sea and hid behind a rock. Megaman, Lan's dog, soon appeared with another young man. He had dual-coloured hair and blue eyes. Mayl thought he was pretty good-looking, but his face was screwed up in a frown. He lacked Lan's cheerful grin.
"Damn it, I TOLD them not to bring him to sea for his birthday. The guy can't even SWIM!" Lifting the prince, he headed towards a gleaming silver castle on a cliff nearby. Mayl headed back to the Undersea Kingdom, her mind full of Lan. But she knew the chances of her ever seeing him again was –0.5.
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When Lan woke, he found himself in his bedroom, on his bed, with his dog.
"Hell, what happened?" He sat up, rubbing his arm. "I feel sore all over…"
"The ship was walloped by the storm," The blue eyed man said. He was sitting in an armchair. "You fell. Megaman was the one who found you, and goodness knows how you managed to float back to shore. Probably because you're both full of fats and oil."
Megaman growled. Lan shook his head, thinking hard.
"Nah. It was a lovely girl with red hair who rescued me. She had the most beautiful voice you ever heard, though she's a little… mean. But wasn't she there when you found me, Chaud?"
"No. And Megaman was the one who found you. Being smart I stayed behind, and was able to bring you back. The rest of the crew drowned. At least, I hope." Chaud replied.
"Damn... Who IS she?"
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When King Tadashi heard about what had happened from a spying angelfish, he was furious.
"But Daddy, I really like him! You're always after me to get some male dates anyway," Mayl argued.
"I mean a merboy! That one's a HUMAN! A fish-eater! Don't you ever DARE go near him again!" King Tadashi roared. He went to Mayl's room and destroyed with his magic trident the many possessions Mayl dug out from shipwrecks. When he left, Mayl sat down and cried.
King Tadashi again wondered if he had been too harsh. But Mayl's mother Shuuko had been speared by a human, and King Tadashi was worried about his daughter's safety. He did not want the same thing to happen to his precious daughter.
In a deep dark area of the Undersea Kingdom, a sea witch slash octopus, Yuri, sat watching her crystal ball. She had brown hair sticking out of her head and instead of legs or tail, the bottom half of her body was replaced by eight black tentacles. Yuri was once the ruler of the Undersea Kingdom until King Tadashi came. She still hated him, and realised she might receive control of HER kingdom again through his youngest daughter.
"What do you reckon, Needleman, Plantman?" She asked the two electric eels circling her as they watched Roll trying to comfort Mayl. In answer, they swam off to find the princess.
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"Our mistress can fulfill your wish." Plantman said.
"To let you be with your prince... Yuri can do that anytime!" Needleman said. Roll and Glyde tried to talk her out of it.
"This is my only way out." Mayl declared as she swam off with the eels. "I want to be with Lan."
"Glad you're obedient, girl," Yuri said as soon as the young princess appeared. "I don't like wasting time, so let's make a deal."
"A-A deal?" Mayl stammered. She remembered her sisters telling her stories about the evil witch.
"Yes. I will make you a human, that is, give you legs, for three days. Then you will go and find your Prince. If, by sunset on the third day, you can get your prince to kiss you, you'll remain a human forever." Yuri said.
"And if I don't?" Mayl asked nervously.
"Then you turn back into a mermaid, and you will be my prisoner. How about it?" Yuri asked.
Mayl thought hard and finally, she nodded. I'll do anything for him…
"The price for my potion, will be your VOICE!"
Mayl was shocked.
"But... How can I win Lan if I lose my voice?" She cried.
"You still have that pretty face." Yuri replied, grinning. "Well? How about it? No voice, no potion, no deal."
Mayl closed her eyes. She thought hard. Was it worth losing her voice for that cute boy? "Okay."
"No!" Glyde cried. Roll covered her face with her fins. "Princess!"
"That's a good girl!" Yuri took out a bottle of purple liquid. "Drink this when you get to the surface, and then your voice will belong to me."
She next took out a waterproof parchment. "Sign it, please."
Mayl signed the contract and swam to the surface, then uncorked the bottle and poured the contents down her throat. She fainted immediately. A pink orb containing her voice flew out from her throat and went to Yuri, who put it into the conical seashell she wore around her neck.
When she came to, her pink tail was gone, and she had a pair of long legs. And she couldn't speak anymore.
"Why did you agree, oh foolish princess?" Glyde moaned. "What is the King going to say about this?"
Mayl's face looked terrified, and she shook her head.
"We're not supposed to tell him?" Roll asked.
Mayl nodded. I don't want him to worry…
"But Princess..."
Just then, the sound of horses' hoofs were heard. Roll and Glyde dived into the sea just as black and white horses appeared with riders and a dog.
"Hey, who're you?" Lan asked as he dismounted. Mayl was alight with happiness, but she couldn't say anything. She just shook her head.
"Hello? Can you hear me?" Lan asked.
"Lan, I think she's dumb." Chaud leapt down from his white steed.
"She's what? You're not supposed to call people names, it's impo..."
"You're dumb too. The other meaning of 'dumb' means being unable to speak." Chaud said impatiently.
"Oh. I knew that." Lan muttered, then turned to Mayl.
"Where do you live?"
Mayl shook her head, then pointed at the sea.
"Oh, your house was washed away by the sea? Poor thing. Why don't you come back to my castle with me?" Lan asked.
"Lan, a girl will only bring trouble..." But Lan wasn't listening. He put his cloak over the delighted Mayl and climbed onto his black mount behind her.
"Come on, Chaud, Megaman!" He called as they trotted off. Chaud frowned.
"Don't say I didn't warn you…"
Lan's servants gave Mayl a pretty pink gown to wear and led her to the large dining hall, where Lan chatted to her while eating. Only one thing he mentioned dampened her spirit.
"I thought you looked familiar, and now I remember. A girl saved me from drowning once, and you look so much like her. But she had a wonderful voice, and you can't speak..." Lan sighed.
Mayl looked down, tears filling her eyes. He does remember me! But my voice…
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On the second day, they went out riding. Chaud was in a bad mood all day as Lan 'stolen' Protoman, his white horse, for Mayl. Staying home and kicking everything kickable, he broke about 50 ceramic ornaments before he collapsed into an armchair, knocked over his glass and swore to kill the prince when he returned.
After the ride, Lan took Mayl out to the gleaming sea in a steady wooden boat. Mayl smiled happily at him.
"Honestly, I can't imagine what Chaud's going to do to me once we return." Lan laughed. "Protoman, the horse you were riding, is his. Might just kick my butt for borrowing him."
Mayl looked alarmed.
"It's okay, he won't attack a lady," Lan assured her. Mayl shook her head, then pointed at him.
"Huh? OH! You're... you're worried about me?"
Mayl nodded. Lan grinned.
"Don't worry about me. Chaud may seem mean, but he's really nice underneath that cool act." Lan said.
(Back at the castle, Chaud sneezed. He rubbed his nose and growled. "Of all things to be sick today…)
Mayl smiled again.
"I... really like your smile. Makes you look really cute." Lan said, dropping the oars into the bottom of the boat and leaning back to look at the school of dolphins in the distance. "Aren't they pretty too?"
Mayl wasn't listening. He just said I'm cute!
She turned to look at him, then sat down next to him. Lan glanced at her, then looked about nervously, before attempting to lean towards her. Mayl stared dreamily at his eyes.
"Now that won't do!" Yuri screeched at her crystal ball. "Needleman! Plantman! Action!"
The eels swam like lightning towards the boat. Befoe Lan could do anything, the boat was upset by the evil eels. They fell head down into the water.
"AHHHHHH! I'm so sorry!" Lan apologised as they rode back, dripping wet. "I meant for it to be a fun day..."
Mayl smiled, shaking her head. Lan smiled as well.
"Yeah, well. That was fun in its own way, wasn't it?" he laughed. "Especially when I pulled that frog out from my pocket!"
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Yuri decided to take things into her own hands. Drinking a blue potion, she transformed into a lovely maiden with long, plaited blond hair that stuck up sideways as if pints of gel had been applied.
"And your name is Yai!"
Taking her shell with her, she went to search for Lan.
On the second evening, Lan was sitting on a rock thinking about what he should do with Mayl the next day when Yai appeared.
"Who..." Lan was startled. "How come you can appear…"
"Don't you remember me, Prince Lan?" Yai said in Mayl's voice. The shell on her neck blinked.
"T-That voice!" Lan stared. "But you don't have red hair."
"Whatever!" Yai put her arms around Lan, whose eyes immediately went blank.
"Marry me?" He asked mechanically.
"Why, of COURSE!" Yai laughed evilly. HAH! We'll see what now!
On the third day, Mayl heard that Lan's wedding was taking place that day. Her heart sank like a stone. The bride, who called herself Lady Yai, seemed to look familiar. She kept looking at Mayl with a triumphant face.
The wedding took place on a ship. Roll, Ring and Glyde was frantic when they realised what happened.
"What in the name of ACDC happened to that freak?" Glyde exclaimed.
Mayl shook her head sadly. Ring decided to act spy and flew to Lady Yai's cabin. She was looking into the glass. And the reflection was one of Yuri. The shell on her neck was also recognisable. Ring was shocked. She flew back to Mayl and the others and screeched out her news.
"Oh my gosh!" Roll gasped. "If Yai is really Yuri in disguise, she'd have put a spell over Prince Lan!"
Mayl looked horrified.
"We MUST stop the wedding before sunset!" Glyde said anxiously. The sky was orange and the sun was setting soon.
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"What's wrong with you, brother?" Chaud demanded.
"I'm not your brother." Lan said tonelessly.
"You know what I mean! What's all this about marrying a lady? What about your red headed girl? And that songbird?" Chaud asked angrily. "You can't be fickle about…"
"Just shut up, will you!" Lan brushed past him. Chaud's jaw fell open.
When Yai finally appeared in a white gown, Ring screeched. Immediately, thousands of albatrosses and seagulls swooped down, attacking her and pulling at her dress. Ring grabbed her necklace and threw it onto the floor. The shell broke and the pink orb went back to Mayl. The spell over Lan was broken, too.
"Huh? What's going on?" he asked, confused.
"Lan!" Mayl cried, rushing to him.
"That voice! It's... It's you! But how...!" Lan was amazed.
"Too late, mermaid!" Yai screamed as the sun disappeared over the horizon. Mayl fell; her legs had turned into a tail again. Lan froze in shock. Yai also turned back into Yuri.
"Good bye, your highness!" Yuri shrieked, grabbing Mayl and leaping back into the ocean.
Back at her cave, King Tadashi was waiting for her with Glyde. Yuri showed him the contract before he could speak.
"Your daughter is mine now, but I'll let her go... In exchange for YOU!"
King Tadashi agreed immediately. At once his crown appeared on Yuri's head, who laughed wickedly and grabbed the king's trident, then pointed it at him. The former king turned into a sea anemone.
"You monster!" Mayl cried in horror.
"Me? Well, let's just show you how monster like I am!" Yuri started to grow larger, until her head and upper body was above the sea. She laughed maniacally.
"Rise, storms! Tornadoes! EVERYTHING!"
Whirlpools, hurricanes and thunderstorms all came at her beck and call. Just then, something hit Yuri in the back. She turned, furious.
It was Lan holding a buster like machine. He was standing on the heavily wrecked ship.
"Don't interfere!" She yelled.
"You can just go to hell!" He yelled back, releasing another shot. This one hit Yuri's crown, which disappeared. She screamed and shrank until she was a starfish (0o Where did three legs go?). The rough sea swallowed the ship and Lan with it.
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With the witch gone, King Tadashi was ruler again. He sighed as he watched his youngest daughter craddling the unconscious prince in her arms.
"She really does love him, doesn't she?" He said.
"Um... yeah... I guess?" Glyde answered nervously.
"I'm sure going to miss her." Then King Tadashi raised his trident and pointed it at Mayl. Her tail disappeared. In its place was a pair of lovely long legs.
When Lan woke and saw his young sweetheart standing, he ran forward and gave her a hug.
They were married and lived happily ever after.
(Lan: Hah! You were saying something about girls being trouble?)
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(laughs) The song can be sung to Ave Maris Stella, a latin song about Virgin Mary. 0o And I destroyed the lyrics…