Note: Huff... Puff... I managed to transfer this all... I'm happy I managed to do so in time too... Phew... I'm supposed to leave for my vacation tomorrow... SO I guess this is going to be my last update until Jan. 3... I'm bringing my notebook though, so I won't miss out on writing. Well, just read on... I can't wait for the next chapter!

Umi's POV:

"Hey, Umi! There's something I gotta tell you!" Arashi called to me as we left the room.

"Yes, dear?" I asked him.

We both entered the room with the obelisk again. It was the same with how we had left it.

"Okay, Umi," he continued, "Somewhere in this room is an underground shortcut to the Milotic Tribe..."

"Wait... What?" I asked in shock.

"It's true! Ikari told me that this was the true purpose for this armory," he whispered to me.

"Wait!" I stated, "So, you're telling me that all these years your tribe could have snuck in and attacked mine?"

"Well... Yes, but not everyone had knowledge of this tunnel," he continued, "Even I had no idea about the armory's existence!"

"Even so," I replied, "Don't you think anyone could've accidentally discovered it after all these years?"

"That's not the point. What I'm trying to tell you is that if we find the entrance, we could use it as a shortcut to get back to your tribe," he informed me.

That did sound great to me, but I became aware that a greater danger could happen in the future if we discovered such a shortcut.

"But if we do manage to find it, don't you think the information could fall into the wrong hands in the future?" I innocently asked him.

"Umi! I'm sure no-one would do such a thing..." Arashi tried to convince me.

"If there's a war as intense as this one right now, what are the chances that another one might break out in the future? With this kind of information, my home would be devastated," I explained to him.

Arashi Thought about it for a while and closed his eyes.

"Umi... Please, just trust me," he whispered into my ear as he kissed me.

"It's not that I don't trust you, Arashi," I replied, returning his kiss, "It's just that there are others out there... Others like Ikari!"

"We'll just have to risk it, Umi," he anxiously replied, "Because I also riskjed telling Ikari that I chose you to be... my Queen... If that kind of news gets out, my own tribe... They might band up to hunt me down."

I felt touched by what he said, though I tried hard not to show him. I found it quite sweet of him to think of me as his queen but I tried to shake it off.

"Queen? I-I think you're taking things too quickly..." I stammered, blushing. I secretly desired his wish too though, I just wanted to take things slowly.

His face dropped a bit and I bit my tongue, scolding myself for my actions.

"Err... Sorry, I wasn't thinking very well back there... You know how I feel for you anyway..."he stammered, looking away to hide his blushing face.

I somehow managed to smile, reminiscing that night.

"Well... I do love you too... But we must take care of our problems first... Let's go find this tunnel now!" I rephrased my words properly.

"Umm... Right!" he answered, shaking off the silly blush that spread over his face, "I think it has something to do with the obelisk..."

I swam over to the center of the room, where the obelisk had sunken. I noticed a hole on top of the obelisk.

"Arashi!" I called, "What do you think about this?"

He swam over next to me and noticed the hole. He stared at it in silent thought before finally opening his mouth to speak.

"Hey Umi! I know what to do now!" he continued shyly, "Do you still have the gift I gave you the night... I told you I... um... liked you?"

"Err... yes," I shyly replied, handing him the beautifully-carved gem necklace.

He inserted it into the hole, which caused some symbols on the ground to glow. A small clicking sound suddenly echoed and part of the floor slid away to reveal a staircase which led deeper underground.

Arashi used the kelp that was laced around the gem to pull it back out. He turned towards me and put it around my neck.

"You always look more beautiful than ever everytime you put this on," he softly whispered into my ear. I couldn't help but blush at his compliment.

"Arashi," I continued, "Are you ready? Let's do this and win!"

"Yes, losing is not an option," he solemnly answered.

The two of us descended into the murky depths of the tunnel. It was literally pitch black, I couldn't even see my tail even if I waved it in front of me.

"Umm... Arashi?" I called.

"Yes?" a voice replied from the darkness.

"Well... Can you hold my tail? I'm afraid we might get separated," I shyly asked, hoping that he would be near me.

He hesitated before answering, and that only made me blush when I tried to deduce what he was thinking.

"Umm... Okay, then..." he replied as he wrapped his tail around mine.

I was glad that it was dark, so that he could not see me blushing.

After a few more minutes of moving around in the dark, we saw some light shining through a crack in the ceiling.

Arashi inspected it and inserted his tail in a crack. He then pushed, causing a boulder that was blocking the hole to move away. We both swam out to a small, enclosed coral reef. It was then I realized that this was one of my special places...

"Hey, Arashi..." I smiled, reminiscing that romantic night, "Doesn't this place seem familiar to you?"

"Umm... Yes," he shyly replied, suddenly being aware of it.

"It's where I met you," we both told each other in unison, closing our eyes.

"I'm surprised it's not damaged by the war..." I muttered out loud. I wasn't complaining though...

"Which is why we have to keep it that way," Arashi answered, "Now, shall we go pay this 'Armik' a visit?"

I smiled and nodded, feeling fired up already.

"Oh, we'll do more than just pay him a visit," I answered whilst still smiling.

I led him back to my home, which was not far from the reef. The entrance seemed unguarded, to which I found unusual for there were always Kingdra guards there.

"You ready, Arashi?" I gave him one last glance.

Arashi looked back at me and nodded, we would soon enter our final trial.

We both entered the palace and saw that the usual cheery atmosphere had been replaced. The whole place was full of Carvanha, and a few Sharpedo.

Arashi and I rushed through and defeated most of the Carvanha. They proved to be not much of a challenge.

"Wow, aside from the Carvanha... Your place still looks quite beautiful, oh... But I guess you're WAY beautiful than that!" Arashi told me as he fired a Stone Edge attack to an attacking Carvanha.

"Why, thank you," I bashfully replied while I used Ice Beam at another Carvanha. The Carvanha's expression when he was frozen in ice was priceless.

"My home doesn't seem to be as colourful as yours. It's just... dull... I honestly envy your kind of life," he continued, swimming beside me.

"It's not really all that great," I replied, "Dad doesn't really give me much of a chance to voice out my opinions. If he thinks something is good for me, I have to obey him."

"I'm sure he just cares for you," Arashi thoughtfully replied.

"I know... But he's not always correct," I rebelliously answered, "Besides, he wanted me to tie the knot with Armik and look what's happening now..."

"Oh, I see... But you know parents... They're always like that," Arashi answered teasingly, trying to cheer me up.

I smiled back at him but I suddenly heard a swift movement somewhere near. I noticed that Arashi and I had walked into an enclosed room. As if on cue, the doors closed themselves.

"I think we've got company!" I alerted Arashi.

"Indeed, you do have company..." ma voice emanated from somewhere.

Arashi stood in front of me, feeling protective over me.

"Show yourself!" he growled.

"Oh... Very sorry to interrupt you two... Now, I've made your 'boyfriend' mad... Eeheehee! Isn't that just cute?" the voice continued to taunt.

Arashi just growled in response.

"Ahh... Very well," the voice continued, "I'll come out then... After all, Master Armik isn't gonna pay me if I don't do anything."

A Sharpedo suddenly emerged from an opening in the ceiling. The Sharpedo seemed somewhat different from the rest we've faced so far. He seemed to have more scars on his body and there was an obvious air of power about him.

"Allow me to introduce myself," he taunted, with a mocking accent, "I am Gamma... I'm a cut above from all those rookies you've faced so far. In fact, I am a member of Armik's trusted Three Generals! Now, His Majesty has ordered me to capture you, Umi. We'll capture you so be rest assured that you will not die. However, if you resist, he did tell us not to hesitate in attacking. As for the Gyarados... I've been receiving information from my kin on Ikari's side that you've been stirring trouble lately. I've also heard that you've taken a liking to my Master's girl too, I cannot let him find that out though, so I am sory but you will have to die... Good day then!"

He gestured towards me to come with him but I didn't move.

"Excuse me," I hastily spat back, "but since when have I become 'Armik's girl'? I'm not going anywhere..."

"Idiot! He's offering you a chance to live," Gamma growled, "Staying with someone who is supposed to die will only earn you the same fate. I guess I have no choice but to kill your mate first, then kidnap you!"

He immediately used Double Team after speaking, surrounding us with copies of himself. Arashi looked back at me and stuck closer to me.

"I guess I'll have to fight," Arashi told me.

"Count me in," I chimed back.

"I promise I won't let Armik take you, Umi," he answered.

"Another touching conversation, eh?" Gamma's voice echoed, "Sadly, I won't allow you to keep Umi, either. She doesn't belong to you!"

"She's not a thing to be owned!" Arashi angrily replied as he slammed himself at Gamma with Waterfall, coincidentally hitting the real one amidst all the copies.

I smiled. Arashi knew exactly how I wanted to be treated. Maybe he would really be the right choice for me...

Gamma regained his composure after being hit.

"Why... You pathetic little freak!" he yelled as he Crunched at Arashi, causing him to flinch.

"Now, eat my Giga Impact!" Gamma cruelly laughed.

I know that Arashi was already weak from his battles earlier, and I knew that he couldn't dodge the attack. I was worried that with Arashi's condition, there was a possibility of him... leaving this world.

NO! I won't let that happen!

"STOP!" I screamed as I blocked the attack, the collision sent m flying halfway across the room.

Arashi saw what happened and got up. He glared back at Gamma, who bared his fangs in response.

"H-HOW DARE YOU HURT HER!" he suddenly flared up.

Gamma ignored him and used Crunch, but Arashi swatted him away with Aqua Tail.

He viciously followed it up with Stone Edge, defeating Gamma.

I swam over to him, seeing that he was in pain. He had all sorts of cuts around his body. He didn't mind them though and was more concerned about me.

Before we could continue talking, Gamma swam off.

"I've done my part, you've fallen... into our trap!" he maniacally yelled as he swam off.

"Hmph! Quite right, Gamma! You never noticed the Rough Skin ability teared you up that well, eh? Now, we will finish you in a wonderful final performance!" two other voices echoed.

I looked back at Arashi's cuts and then back upwards, to find the source of the voice. I silently prayed that the ensuing battle wouldn't end in what I had predicted.

Fighting for oneself is for pride, fighting for a kin is respectable, but fighting for one you love is a way to show the depths of one's love.

Arashi's POV:

"Hey, Umi! There's something I gotta tell you!" I called out to her upon exiting the room.

"Yes, dear?" she cooed.

"Okay, Umi," I told her as we re-entered the obelisk room, "Somewhere in this room is an underfround shortcut back to the Milotic Tribe..."

"Wait... What?" she asked in a shocked manner. I guess she didn't hear the conversation I had with Ikari during our battle.

"It's true! Ikari told me that this was the true purpose for the armory," I whispered to her.

"Wait," she sternly stated, "So, you're talling me that all these years, your tribe could have snuck in and attacked mine?"

I began to nervously sweat. She sounded as if she was angry at me.

"Well... Yes, but not everyone had knowledge of this tunnel... Even I had no idea about the armory's existence," I defended myself.

"Even so," she replied, "Don't you think anybody could've accidentally discovered it after all those years?"

"That's not the point. What I'm trying to tell you is that if we find the entrance, we could use it as a shortcut to get back to your tribe," I explained.

"But if we do manage to find it, don't you think the information could fall into the wrong hands in the future?" she replied in doubt.

"Umi, I'm sure no-one would do such a thing..." I told her.

"If there's a war as intense as this one right now, what are the chances that another one might break out in the future? With this kind of information, my home would be devastated," she warned.

I closed my eyes and wondered if using this shortcut was a bad idea.

"Umi... Please, just trust me," I whispered to her as I kissed her, showing that I was doing this because I cared.

"It's not that I don't trust you, Arashi," she answered, returning my kiss with one of her own, "It's just that there are others out there... Others like Ikari!"

"We'll just have to risk it," I anxiously replied, "Because I risked telling Ikari that I chose you to be... my Queen... If that kind of news gets out, my own tribe... They might band up to hunt me down."

"Queen? I-I think you're taking things too quickly..." she nervously denied, blushing.

I honestly feel embarrassed for having said that back then. Umi still laughs about it to this day.

"Err... Sorry, I wasn't thinking very well back there... You know how I feel for you anyway..." I anxiously stuttered, hiding my blushing face from her.

She did smile though, making me sweat even more.

"Well... I do love you too... But we must take care of our problems first... Let's go find this tunnel now!" she replied, changing the topic.

"Umm... Right!" I shyly answered, my voice sounding weird, "I think it has something to do with the obelisk..."

She swam over to the small mound on the floor, which was the sunken obelisk. I followed her as she called out to me.

"Arashi!" she called, "What do you think about this?"

She showed me an oddly-shaped grove on top of the mound. As soon as I saw that, I remembered the tales my Dad had told me about my mom's sapphire, about how it was also a key.

"Hey Umi! I know what to do now!" I exclaimed, "Do you still have the gift I gave you the night... I told you I... um... liked you?"

"Err... yes," she shyly replied, holding out the gem necklace while looking away.

I shyly used my tail to take it from hers, feeling that her tail was just as hot as mine was. I put it in the hole she showed me and it reacted as I heard a small clicking sound. A staircase leading downwards appeared on the floor. I yanked the necklace back out and gently put it around Umi's tender, cream-colored neck.

"You always look more beautiful than ever everytime you put this on," I whispered into her ear.

"Arashi!" she pepped up, "Are you ready? Let's do this and win!"

I remembered that only by winning can I have a chance to have a greater future.

"Yes," I answered, "losing is not an option."

I swam down into the tunnel with Umi following me. The tunnel was mostly dark. I could nnot see a thing. I couldn't even tell where Umi was.

"Umm... Arashi?" she shyly called out to me.

"Yes?" I replied, realizing she was beside me.

"Well... Can you hold my tail? I'm afraid we might get separated," she shyly asked.

I hesitated before replying. That action was usually reserved for mates. Hmm... How do I put it... In human terms, it would almost be synonymous to holding hands. Almost.

"Umm... Okay, then..." I shyly answered as I wrapped my tail around hers.

I was particularly contented that she could not see my face, because I bet she would've laughed.

After some time of travelling underground, a flash of light captured my attention. I inspected it to be a hole with a boulder blocking it. I managed to move the boulder aside after some time. We both swam out of the hole. We emerged at an enclosed coral reef which somehow seemed familiar to me.

"Hay, Arashi..." Umi smiled, "Doesn't this place seem familiar to you?"

I instantly recognized the place to be the reef where I had first met Umi. I remembered the time Kip and I played a game of hide and seek or something of the sort here and smiled.

"Umm... Yes," I shyly replied, my head filled with romantic thoughts.

"It's where I met you," we answered at the exact same time.

"I'm surprised it's not damaged by the war," Umi smiled, this place held a special meaning for the both of us.

"Which is why we have to keep it this way," I replied, "Now, shall we go pay this 'Armik' a visit?"

Umi merely smiled and nodded.

"Oh, we'll do more than just pay him a visit," she giggled.

She led me to her home. It was a light and airy place, contrary to mine.

"You ready, Arashi?" she asked as we entered the palace.

I looked back at her and nodded, knowing this was the final fight.

The palace seemed to be light in color, also being located in a reef. Everything looked so... beautiful! The only thing that was ruining it were the Carvanha and Sharpedo going about their rounds.

"Wow, aside from the Carvanha... Your place still looks quite beautiful, oh... But I guess you're WAY beautiful than that!" I told her, a compliment accidentally slipping my mouth.

"Why, thank you," she gracefully replied, her beautiful voice soothing my tension.

"My home doesn't seem to be as colourful as yours..." I continued the conversation, "It's just... dull... I honestly envy your kind of life."

"It's not really all that great," she replied in a hushed tone, "Dad doesn't really give me much of a chance to voice out my opinions. If he thinks something is good for me, I have to obey him."

"I'm sure he just cares for you," I smiled back at her, remembering my own father.

"I know," Umi retorted, "But he's not always correct. Besides, he wanted me to tie the knot with Armik and look what's happening now..."

"Oh... I see... But you know parents... They're always like that," I answered teasingly, lightening her mood.

She smiled back at me, but she soon looked around as if she had sensed something. We had entered an enclosed room. The two doors suddenly slammed themselves shut. I guess we had fallen into another trap.

"I think we've got company!" Umi swiftly told me.

"Indeed, you do have company..." a voice emanated from somewhere.

My instincts took over and I stepped forward wanting to protect Umi from our mysterious opponent.

"Show yourself!" I growled, ready to fight.

"Oh... Very sorry to interrupt you two... Now I've made your 'boyfriend' mad... Eeheehee! Isn't that just cute?" the voice cackled.

I growled, showing that I didn't find this in the least bit amusing.

"Ahh... Very well," the voice continued, "I'll come out then... After all, Master Armik isn't gonna pay me if I don't do anything."

A Sharpedo entered the room from the hole on the ceiling. This Sharpedo seemed much older... and definitely more experienced.

"Allow me to introduce myself," he continued, "I am Gamma... I'm a cut above from the all those rookies you've faced so far. In fact, I am a member of Armik's trusted Three Generals! Now, His Majesty has ordered me to capture you, Umi.. We'll capture you so be rest assured that you will not die. However, if you resist, he did tell us not to hesitate in attacking. As for the Gyarados... I've been receiving information from my kin on Ikari's side that you've been stirring trouble lately. I've also heard that you've taken quite a liking to my Master's girl too, I cannot let him find out though, so I am sorry but you will have to die... Good day then!"

He gestured to Umi to come quietly, but Umi didn't budge an inch.

"Excuse me," she replied with distaste, "but since when have I become 'Armik's girl'? I'm not going anywhere..."

"Idiot! He's offering you a chance to live," the Sharpedo growled, "Staying with someone who is supposed to die will only earn you the same fate. I guess I have no choice but to kill your mate first, then kidnapped you!"

He immediately started the battle with Double Team, having his illusory copies surround us.

"I guess I'll have to fight," I told Umi.

"Count me in," she replied, getting in a battle stance.

"I promise I won't let Armik take you, Umi," I promised.

"A rather touching conversation, eh?" Gamma's voice echoed, "Sadly, I won't allow you to keep Umi either. She doesn't belong to you!"

"She's not a thing to be owned!" I angrily replied as I slammed into him with Waterfall, miraculously hitting the right one.

After hitting Gamma, I felt a searing pain. Gamma merely smiled as he used Crunch at me, causing me to flinch.

He took the opportunity to use Giga Impact on me. I closed my eyes. But that was when something unexpected happened.

"STOP!" Umi screamed as she took the blow for me.

She flew halfway across the room. Seeing that, my pain disappeared and was replaced with rage. Nobody hurts Umi like that and I'll make sure anyone who does regrets doing so!

"H-HOW DARE YOU HURT HER!" I yelled as I charged forward.

Gamma grinned and charged forward to Crunch me, but I swatted him with a ferocious Aqua Tail, ignoring the searing pain that his skin gave. I ended the battle with a Stone Edge, defeating him.

"Are you okay?" I asked, concerned about Umi.

She nodded in reply and was more concerned about my wounds, but before we could do anything else... Gamma interrupted our conversation.

"I've done my part, you've fallen... into our trap!" he chuckled sinisterly before swimming away.

"Hmph! Quite right, Gamma! You never noticed the Rough Skin ability teared you up that well, eh? Now, we will finish you!" two other voices growled in unison.

It was then I realized that not every battle is won by brute force.

It is always better to be scarred and crushed on the outside, rather than have your heart scarred and crushed. For that, Umi... I would give up my life if it's for you!

I... won't lose!

Note: Awww... Arashi really likes Umi so much... But will he really get his rishes? Only I know, ehehehe! Either way, I'll try to update "What a Thief Can't Steal" tomorrow morning before leaving... I hope you guys review... Please, it really means a lot to me. I really love hearing your opinions... Oh well, seeya and Merry Christmas!