Mari couldn't see much, but she could feel herself being thrashed around. She tried to breathe, but the air was gone, replaced by salt water that burned her throat. She squeezed her eyes shut, hoping that it would be over soon. She was going to die, all by herself, without anyone caring. Her mind thought back to Sinbad. And Mas-chan and Ja-kun and everybody. She was going to suffocate down in the ocean without even being able to say that she was sorry. She opened her mouth up, unable to hold her breath any longer, letting water flow in. Just as it seemed she was about to die, pressure began to force her upward. The pressing against her forehead and her chest and she began to see slight blurs of light coming and going until finally...

"!" She burst from the water, almost unable to breathe. She sucked in air greedily, and waited until he eyes focused before she yelled out. "What was that for?! I saved you for Djin's sake, but I should've left you in the street!" She yelled. She hadn't meant to be so cruel, but her chest was burning from holding air in so long that hateful things began to spill from her mouth.

"I..."

"No. I don't want to hear it."

"Are you upset with me?" the voice asked, innocently. Mari only turned in the water and crossed her arms, although it was hard to stay in that position. From behind she felt a surge of water that lifted her up, forming hands beneath her.

"Please do not be upset with me."

Mari turned away again, avoiding him. He whimpered, letting his water form take over, splashing back down into the ocean below. Mari plunged back into the water, giggling a bit. She heard his soft whimpers and waded until she could touch the sand at the floor. She slowly cupped her hand in the water and giggled, nuzzling the water gently. "I'm not upset with you silly." she smiled, letting her lips drift over the water. A face appear in the clear liquid and Mari smiled a bit, letting the man slip back into the water and back into his solid form.

"What's you're name?" Mari asked, finding her way to solid rock and pulling herself out of the water.

"...I don't..." he began, looking down a bit embarrassed.

"You don't have one?! That's awful!" she gasped reaching up to him. He slowly leaned down, allowing her hand to graze his skin.

"Would you like one?" She smiled.

"Mhmmm." He nodded a bit.

"How about Samudra Adami?"

The man sat in question, his long bangs hanging over his eyes. She reached up to brush them away. "It means "sea man". Fitting right?" she giggled, seeing as the water around him was beginning to boil.

"I'm gonna call you Samu-da." She smiled, placing a hand on his nose.

"Samu-da, I need help."

"Anything, my lady." Mari shook her head wildly, partly to shake water from her hair and partly because she objected to be called such.

"You don't have to call me that."

"But I want to." His deep voice wavered a bit with sadness.

"Alright, alright." She smiled a bit

"I need to get home, Samu-da."

"Where do you live?"

"In Sindria. Do you know where that is?" Mari asked, placing a hand up. Samu-da nodded lifting one of his own hands to meet her rather small ones. "I've been there many times. For trade. But somehow I ended up in Balbadd again."

"Well I need to get there. There is family that I need to get to."

"Family?"

"Yeah..you know..." She looked back at his questioned looked.

"You don't know...do you?" Samu-da shook his head and sank into the water.

"It's okay. I'll be your family." she smiled placing a hand on his nose again. "And when I get home, there will be a whole bunch of people who will be your family too."

Samu-da stood to full height in the large cage and turned to a row of corridors that were too dark to see down.

"We can take this Amlah." He gestured to the first corridor and placed a hand inside the water that seemed to be sealed there. It began to glow and Mari smiled with wonder.

"What does it do?" she giggled, leaning over the edge of the rock.

"It will take us right to Sindrian seas." he brought down and large hand that scooped her up and placed her on his shoulder.

"But you'll have to hold your breath and close your eyes until I say." He warned making Mari pout.

"Fine." She crossed her arms and Samu-da began to enter the portal, making sure that Mari was tucked tight beside him and that her eyes were closed and such.

A great pressure came down on Mari shoulder and she could make out that they were being propelled up from the bottom of the sea. After a while the pressure began to lessen and she could see light blurring across her eyelids.

"You may open your eyes now." Mari heard Samu-da in her head...or sort of all around her. She slowly opened her eyes and inspected the tiny lights that she'd noticed before. They were little tiny fish that glowed when they swam. Mari smiled, making sure she didn't let any water in.

"They're angel fish." Samu-da said moving a bit faster in the water. Slight pressure pressed down on Mari and she snuggled back into him so she would fall. The surface of the water came quickly this time and Mari opened her mouth and took in air. She opened her eyes to the dark sky spotted with stars. In the far distance she could see the slightest form of land.

Sindria! She smiled and threw her arms up and splashed back into the water, giggling a bit.

Upon making it to shore, Mari hid Samu-da under the docks, promising him profusely that she would be back. After a long argument and a lot of whining on his point, she was finally able to calm him and walk up to the front gates of the palace. Oddly, there was no one around, not even guards. She pushed the large gates open and slipped through, stumbling over into the courtyard. Still no one. Looking over to the palace, she saw that there were few traces of light.

Had something happened?

She slowly crawled up the steps and snuck into the main hall.

Silence. No one was around.

She stood and crept along the shadows, looking for any sign of activity. Nothing. She sighed. Maybe they'd gone out? Maybe they had forgotten about her...

She shrugged and turned back to the door, only to be stopped by a loud cry.

"MY DAUGHTER! MY PRINCESS!" the voice groaned, echoing through the halls. "WE MUST FIND HER!"

"And we will, my king. But I think it would be better if you just stayed here." Another voice soothed.

"NO! Let me go!" the whining was familiar. As Mari crept around the corner she found a large door, slightly open with light pouring out. Through the small crack, she saw the two men wrestling on the large bed, her father acting like a child and throwing pillows and sheets around, and throwing a complete tantrum, while Ja'far was desperately trying to keep him from leaving the room.

"As far as I know you hardly wanted her in the first place! So why is it such a problem now?!" Ja'far yelled, managing to pin the larger man to the bed.

Mari slumped over. He hadn't even wanted her?

"Because she's my child!" Sinbad yelled back, fighting against the grip.

"She could have easily been someone else's child with you always having such elaborate infatuations with multiple women!" Ja-kun yelled, butting heads with the king, making the older man fall dazed for a while.

"And she certainly deserves a better father than you!"

"Like you could do better!"

"I'd take care of her and watch her carefully!"

"And what do you think I've been doing?!"

"Not much if she's lost now!"

The room fell silent as Sinbad stopped resisting against the restraints. (awkward bondage moment z_z) He unwillingly relaxed and Ja'far sat up, taking a few breaths.

"She's gone because of me...isn't she...?" Tears streamed down his checks.

Mari stood and turned...

If she wasn't wanted then she would go.

"Mari?"

She turned to see the rather large man behind her. His red hair draped over his eyes. They were puffy and a bit damp and there was a rather large red mark on his cheek.

The larger man wasted no time in grabbing the small child and hold her close in his arms. "Where have you been? I was so worried...and..."

Masrur had never talk to much in his life, his heart was pounding and his bruised cheek pressed up against her forehead.

"What happened to your cheek?" Her smaller hands reached up to touch his skin and he flinched.

"It's nothing." He lifted her. "As long as your fine."