Keith had his head bent down as his father started to reprimand him. Of course, he felt guilt flood through him as Slav was also giving him a look. He had missed the concert and celebration, something that was important to both his father and Slav.

King Shiro, Keith's father and ruler of Altea. Shiro sat on the throne, Slav beside him and his triton on the other side. Shiro had pale skin, grey eyes, black hair with a white tuff. His tail was black with white fins, around his wrists were golden cuffs and on his head sat his golden crown.

"I just don't know what we're going to do with you, young man" Shiro said as Keith winced. Pidge and Hunk were back a few feet from the entrance, under Keith's orders to stay back. "Dad, I'm sorry, I just forgot, I -" Shiro shook his head "ss a result of your careless behavior -" before he could finish Slav jumped in "careless and reckless behavior!" Keith winced.

"- the entire celebration was, er -" Shiro started to forget what he was going to say, so Slav jumped in. "Well, it was ruined! That's all. Completely destroyed! This concert was to be the pinnacle of my distinguished career. Now thanks to you I am the laughing stock of the entire kingdom!" Keith's head bowed down further as Shiro nodded in agreement.

Hunk had just about of the scolding, and without thinking, he swam up in front of Keith. "But it wasn't his fault!" Hunk's eyes widened as he realized the tone he used in front of the king. He was too far into the argument now to stop, so he kept going, trying to lighten up his mistake. "Ah - well - first, ahh, this shark chased us - yeah - yeah! And we tried to - but we couldn't - and - grrrrrrrrr - and - and we - whoooaaaaaa - oh, and then we were safe. But then this seagull came, and it was this is this, and that is that, and -".

Keith and Pidge's eyes widened as did Hunk's. Shiro didn't know that Keith ever went to the surface, nor was he supposed to. "Seagull? What? Oh - you went up to the surface again, didn't you? DIDN'T YOU?" Keith winced and Hunk hid behind Keith's back. Keith sent a glare over his shoulder to his friend and turned back to his father.

"Nothing - happened. . . ." Keith said trying to see reason with his father. Shiro sighed and got off his throne heading towards his son. "Oh, Keith, How many times must we go through this? You could've been seen by one of those barbarians - by - by one of those humans!" Keith shook his head. "But they're not barbarians!" Shiro sighed "They're dangerous. Do you think I want to see my youngest child snared by some fish-eater's hook?" Shiro said as he tried to get the thought through Keith's head.

Though, having his mother's spirit, Keith snapped back at Shiro. "I'm eighteen years old - I'm not a child anymore -" Shiro growled. Hunk jumped at his raised voice and swam back to Pidge. "Don't you take that tone of voice with me. As long as you live under my ocean, you'll obey my rules!" Keith huffed as Shiro continued to go on. "But if you would just listen -" Shiro shook his head and backed away to make himself taller than Keith.

"Not another word - and I am never, NEVER to hear of you going to the surface again. Is that clear" Keith was silent for a moment. Before he nodded softly "yes sir" Keith sneered the word out like it was a crime. Shiro went to yell again, but when he turned Keith was speeding out the throne room. Pidge and Hunk following sadly.

Shiro sighed and collapsed onto the throne. Slav propping himself onto the arm on the throne. Shiro turned to Slav "Hm! Teenagers. . . . They think they know everything. You give them an inch, they swim all over you." Shiro nodded slowly "do you, er, think I - I was too hard on him?" Slav shook his head towards the king. "Definitely not. Why, if Keith was my child, I'd show him who was boss. None of this "flitting to the surface" and other such nonsense. No, sir - I'd keep her under tight control" Shiro's eyes widened as a plan came to him.

"You're absolutely right, Slav" Slav nodded "of course" Shiro continued, a smile on his face. "Keith needs constant supervision" Slav nodded "constant". "Someone to watch over him- to keep him out of trouble" Slav nodded "all the time -" Shiro then poke Slave in the chest. The small crab's eyes widened at the kings next words. "And YOU are just the crab to do it."

Slav sighed and knowing he couldn't argue with the king, headed out of the throne room and down the corridor. How do I get myself into these situations? I should be writing symphonies - not tagging along after some headstrong teenager." Slav muttered to himself letting out a sigh.

Slav glanced around and froze when he saw Keith, Hunk, and Pidge. Pidge handed Keith his bag and then the trio was heading out of the palace, careful that no one was following them. "What are those three up to now?".

Slav followed the trio as they swam away from the palace and towards a rock formation with another rock in front of it. Slav watched as Keith pulled the rock back to reveal an entrance, Pidge and Hunk swam in first. Keith glanced around and when he deemed it okay, he swam in after his friends letting the rock close.

Slav quickly swam into the entrance, making it just in time before he would have gotten stuck in the entrance. Slav looked around and his eyes widened, all around him was all kinds of treasure. Human treasure. The whole grotto seemed to be a collection of human treasures. From above, a small hole in the top allowed the sun from the surface to shine down and glisten down on the treasure.

Keith sat a raised part of the floor, staring at the dinglehopper in sadness. Hunk and Pidge watched sadly, the prince's mood now affecting their own. "Keith are you okay?" Hunk asked tenderly. Keith sighed "If only I could make him understand. I just don't see things the way he does. I don't see how a world that makes such wonderful things - could be bad" Keith placed the fork(I'm just going to use the human word now) into the middle of the candelabra, the other two spots held a knife and spoon.

"Look at this stuff. Isn't it neat?

Wouldn't you think my collection's complete?

Wouldn't you think I'm the boy,

the boy who has everything?"

Keith glanced up and stared at all his treasures. He never got tired of wondering what they were, and what they were for. Nor did he get tired of searching for something new for his collection.

"Look at this trove, treasures untold

How many wonders can one cavern hold?

Looking around here, you'd think

Sure, he's got everything"

Keith swam over to where a bunch of pocket watches hung. He grabbed one and showed it to Hunk who smiled.

"I've got gadgets and gizmos a-plenty

I've got whozits and whatzits galore"

Slav watched through a pair of glasses as Keith swam by.

"You want thing-a-mabobs? I've got twenty"

Keith said opening a box filled with different objects and showed them to Pidge who smiled and grabbed the box. Keith then turned and laid his head down on one of the ledges. Keith longed for human treasures. Though what he really longed for, was something he didn't, no, something he couldn't have.

"But who cares? No big deal. I want more!"

Keith swam towards a small figurine of a man and a woman dancing. When Keith turned it, the statue spun and made music.

"I wanna be where the people are

I wanna see, wanna see 'em dancin'"

Keith turned to Hunk and Pidge.

"Walkin' around on those...

What do you call 'em?"

Hunk pointed to the feet and Keith smiled.

"Oh, feet"

Slav rolled his eyes as Keith swam around his grotto.

"Flippin' your fins you don't get too far

Legs are required for jumpin', dancin'"

Hunk smiled and grabbed the prince and spun around in a dance. Hunk then linked arms with Pidge and Keith and they 'walked' forwards.

"Strolling along down the...

What's that word again?

Street"

Keith then let go of Hunk and swam up. Up to where the light was shining down. A school of purple shimmering fish swam by and Keith smiled as one struggled to keep up with the rest.

"Up where they walk

Up where they run

Up where they stay all day in the sun

Wanderin' free,

Wish I could be

Part of that world"

Slav walked around and as he turned, came face to face with a reflection of himself. He jumped back in surprise and ended up crashing into an open coffee pot, which closed when he crashed into it.

"What would I give

If I could live

Outta these waters?"

Keith lowered himself onto his back on the floor of the grotto. Hunk smiled and buried himself under the sand. Pidge sat beside Hunk and rolled her eyes at Hunk's antics.

"What would I pay

To spend a day

Warm on the sand?"

Keith shifted so he was leaning on his elbow and laying on his side. He sighed and stared at the sand sadly.

"Betcha on land

They understand

Bet they don't reprimand sons and daughters"

Pidge gave a soft smile as Keith sat up, Hunk shook off the sand and sat next to Pidge.

"Free and livin'

Sick of swimmin'

Ready to stand"

Keith swam up and out of the books, he plucked one and flipped pages. Hunk and Pidge watched as he pointed to several things. Meanwhile, Slav(still in the coffee pot) was stuck rolled. The lid being stuck shut.

"And I'm ready to know what the people know

Ask 'em my questions and get some answers"

Keith swam towards a painting of a women sitting next to a lit candle and staring at it. Keith placed his hand on the flame and sighed.

"What's a fire and why does it...

What's the word?

Burn?"

Keith moved away from the painting and swam up, Hunk and Pidge stayed on the ground beside where Keith had placed the fork earlier.

"When's it my turn?

Wouldn't I love,

Love to explore that shore up above?"

Keith put his hand through the hole where the light source was coming from. He reached up as if to grasp the light in his own hands. He sighed sadly as he told himself he would never be able to.

"Out of the sea,

Wish I could be"

Keith dropped back down to where Hunk and Pidge were sitting. He remained staring at the light, Hunk and Pidge also watched the light.

"Part of that world"

The coffee pot Slav was trapped in rolled off one the ledges and ended up breaking into pieces. Slav hit a Jack in The Box and ended up rebounding off. He grabbed on to a tablecloth and with his weight, ended up pulling the objects on the table off.

The trio turned in surprise and Hunk hid behind Pidge, who was hiding behind Keith. Slave!?" Slav straightened himself up and turned to the prince with a glare. "Keith- what, are you mad? How could you - what is all this?" Keith gave a nervous smile and gesture to the grotto. "It, err, it's just my - collection. . . ." Slav nodded calmly. "Oh. I see. Your collection. Hmmm. IF YOUR FATHER KNEW ABOUT THIS PLACE HE'D -".

Hunk swam up to Slav with a frown. Pidge had come out of her hiding spot to and sat beside Keith. "You're not gonna tell him, are you?" Keith then swam up an gave Slav a desperate look. "Oh, please, Sebastian, he would never understand" Slav sighed. "Keith, you're under a lot of pressure down here.

Slav gently grabbed Keith's fingers with his claw and started pulling him towards the entrance of the grotto. "Come with me, I'll take you home and get you something warm to drink" halfway through Slav's speech a dark shape passed over the grotto, blocking the light. Hunk and Pidge glanced up, as did Keith. "What do you suppose?. . ." Keith asked as he pulled his hand out of Slav's grip and started swimming towards the entrance. "Keith?" He pushed the rock out of the way and swam towards the surface, Hunk and Pidge following.

"Keith!" Slav reluctantly followed the trio. Keith's eyes widened as he heard a loud boom from the surface, as he breached the surface he found the shape to be a ship. The loud booms were colorful fireworks exploding from the ship. Hunk and Pidge breached from beside him and their eyes widened seeing the sight.

Keith, what-what are you- jumpin' jellyfish!" Slav's eyes widened as he saw the ship. Keith dove down into the water and started swimming towards it, Hunk and Pidge following after him. "Keith, Keith!" Slav called after the prince "please come back!" though Keith was too far away to hear.

Keith swam to the ship and climbed his way up, Hunk and Pidge watched from the ocean. Though they did hold on to the ship as it moved. Keith perched himself on a ledge and looked through one of the holes on the ship. His eyes widened at the sight that he saw.

Men dressed in sailor uniforms were dancing to the music that was being played. Among the crowd was a dog with silver grey fur. The dog was barking happily as the crowd was all hyped up with the music and dancing. The dog then froze and started sniffing around. The dog sniffed around until it found Keith's hiding spot.

Keith had hidden himself so the dog would not alert that he was there. Especially with sailors on board. Keith turned back to see if the dog had gone, but when he turned the dog was panting happily. The dog then leaned forward and licked his cheek. Keith smiled and then a whistle made the dogs head jump up.

"Blue! Here girl!" Blue turned and bounded up happily to her master. Keith caught a glimpse of the boy and his eyes softened. The boy that blue had run up to laughed as she started to lick his face. "Hey, come on, mutt, whatcha doing, huh Blue?" when the boy had enough of the dog licking his face he started to push her off. "Alright Blue that's enough now".

Keith's eyes traveled up and down as he studied the boy. He had tan skin and brown hair. He was dressed in black pants, a white blouse with the sleeves rolled to his elbows, brown knee length boots, and a red belt around his waist. Keith was lost in staring that he didn't really notice Matt flying about until he heard Matt yell.

"Hey there, Keith! Quite a show, eh?" Keith's eyes widened and he turned to Matt to shoo him away. "Matt, be quiet! They'll hear you" Pidge yelled quietly to her brother. Matt got the point and flew down beside Keith. "Oooh, I gotcha, I gotcha. We're being intrepidacious". Keith rolled his eyes and turned back to the boy.

The boy was playing a flute and the dog was happily bouncing around him. "I've never seen a human this close before, oh - he's very handsome, isn't he?" Matt for some odd reason thought he was talking about Blue. He stared at Keith with a questioning look. "I dunno, he looks kinda hairy and slobbery to me" Keith slapped him upside the head.

"Not that one - the one playing the snarfblat" Matt's eyes wandered to the human and he nodded. "Ah, that makes for sense then".

"Silence! Silence!" called out a voice as he walked the deck. The music and the dancing stopped as a man with ginger hair and a matching colored mustache caught everyone's attention. "It is now my honour and privilege to present our esteemed Prince Lance with a very special, very expensive, very large birthday present". Coran motioned to a huge shape covered by a cloth and tied with a blue ribbon.

Lance chuckled "Ah, Coran - y'old beanpole, you shouldn't have" Coran nodded. "I know" Coran said, though Lance could tell he was joking. "Happy birthday Lance" a few sailors untied the ribbon and pulled down the cloth, to reveal a statue of Lance.

Lance grimaced at the pose and Blue growled at it. The statue had Lance in a heroic pose, a shield underneath the raised foot with the initial L on it, and a sword in his left hand. He was dressed in what he should be wearing as a prince and had one arm in front of his chest. "Gee, Coran. It's, err, it's, err - it's really somethin'. . . ." Coran nodded lost in his own world. "Yes, I commissioned it myself. Of course, I had hoped it would be a wedding present, but . . ." Coran gave Lance a look.

Lance rolled his eyes. "Come on, Coran, don't start. Look, you're not still sore because I didn't fall for the princess of Balmera, are you?" Coran sighed and waved everyone off as the two talked alone. The two walked towards the edge where Keith and Matt were. The two ducked down before they could be spotted.

"Oh, Lance, it isn't me alone. The entire kingdom wants to see you happily settled down with the right spouse" Lance sighed and sat on the edge of the ship. "Well, that one's out there somewhere. I just - I just haven't found them yet" Coran sighed "well, perhaps you haven't been looking hard enough" he muttered.

"Believe me, Coran, when I find them I'll know - without a doubt. It'll just - bam! - hit me -" Lance turned back to Coran."-like lightning" as if his words were jinxed lightning struck in the distance followed by thunder. The sky started to turn dark as storm clouds rolled in. Following the clouds came heavy rain.

"Hurricane a'commin'! Stand fast! Secure the riggin'!" the sailor in the birds nest yelled as the waves started to grow and the ship started to sway. Lance's eyes widened, sailors started to run to their positions. Lance grabbed hold of some rope and ran to help out as much as he could.

With the rocking of the ship and the strong wind, it made it hard to hold on. Pidge, Hunk, Matt, and Keith ended up being thrown off and crashing into the water. Matt turned into his mermaid form before he hit the water.

The ship went over a huge wave and the captain ended up being thrown from the wheel. Another wave crashed onto the ship and swept running sailors off their feet. Lance ran towards the fast spinning wheel and grabbed hold trying to steer the ship against the current.

Keith surfaced and his eyes widened when he saw lightning strike the ship's mast and the sails caught fire. With no light, it was hard to see where the ship was being steered. The ship ended up being steered in the path of a huge rock. "Look out! . . . " Lance yelled as the ship crashed into the rock.

The force of the hit threw everyone overboard. All except Blue. Coran struggled to keep himself afloat and before he sank, Lance pulled him into the wooden boat. Barking caught Lance's attention and he turned back to the ship. His eyes widened as he saw Blue trapped on the burning ship. "Blue!" without warning, Lance dived into the water and started swimming towards the ship.

"Lance!" Coran yelled out but Lance ignored his advisor and continued swimming towards the ship. Lance climbed onto the ship and jumped out of the way just in time as a piece of the mast with burning sails fell down. The burning piece of the wood crashed through the floor and into where the fireworks were being stored. Lance only had precious minutes to get off, with Blue.

Blue barked at her master, Lance held his arms out as the flames started to grow. "Jump Blue!" Come on girl, jump! You can do it Blue!" Lance yelled as Blue finally jumped into his arms. With Blue in his arms, Lance started running towards the edge so they could get off. But at the last second his foot got stuck in wood, as he fell he tossed Blue into the water.

Lance tried to pull his foot out of the wood but it seemed to be really stuck. Coran had just pulled a shaky Blue into the boat and turned back to the swimming ship. He saw Lance trying to pull himself free and yelled at the prince in worry. "Lance!" Lance turned back to Coran just as the fire reached the fireworks, the ship exploding as the fireworks went off.

The crew watched with eyes wide in horror as the ship went down, along with the prince. Keith gasped as the ship went down and swam to try and find the prince. The trio behind him yelling for him to come back. He searched through the debris of the ship for the prince. He turned and found the prince, unconscious and holding on weakly to a piece of the broken ship.

The prince ended up slipping into the water and down. Keith dove down and quickly caught the prince before he could fall any deeper. Keith pulled the prince up and breached the surface, making sure to keep the unconscious prince above the water.

Keith watched as the ship went down. He heard his friend calling his name, but his priority was saving the prince in his arms. He wrapped his arms tighter around the prince and swam to shore and quickly as he could.