Pichi Pichi Pitch

Chapter 3

Lucia ran back to the beach, and found everyone standing there waiting for her. "You're a minute late, Lucia." Hippo said. "Sorry, I had to make a little detour for tape." She said with a smile. "All right everyone, it's time to go, Hanon, Rina, Lucia, say your goodbyes to each other now." Nikora said. "Bye-Bye Hanon, Rina." Lucia said. "Bye-Bye Rina, Lucia." Hanon said. "Bye-Bye Lucia, Hanon." Rina said, as they all got into a big group hug, which Nikora and Hippo joined. "Let's go home." Hippo said, and they all jumped into the sea they have been waiting to feel on their bodies again.

They all spread out and went into different directions to their kingdoms, it was about an hours swim for Lucia, Nikora and Hippo. All though it didn't feel like an hour, it felt like they were instantly there in a minute. Guess it was the excitement of returning home, they all thought. All the citizens swam outside the palace and gathered around them. The Princess has return-ed. She's alive. She heard some of them say. A maid swam in front of her, and bowed her head. "Welcome home Princess Lucia. We have eagerly awaited your arrival." She said as she raised her head.

"Nikora, Hippo, so wonderful to see you too." She said with a smile. "It's good to be home." All three said.

They swam into the newly rebuilt palace, it was more beautiful than when she left. "I'm sorry to keep you all waiting, and for making you rebuild this all by yourself." Lucia said as her eyes wandered the place. "Not at all Princess, you had business on the surface, but the hard work is only beginning, we still have parts that still need repairing. That'll take care of the palace, and then there are some civilian homes that need repairs done too." The Maid said as she escorted Lucia, Nikora, and Hippo through the halls.

"Well, I'll do my best to help this kingdom, I'd hate to have your time and energy be made worthless if I had it destroy-ed again." Lucia said in a low voice. "I'm sure you'll do fine Princess, by the way, while you were gone, some visitors came." She stopped and turned. "Visitors?" Hippo asked. "Yes, you see, after the big repairs on the palace were finished, some visitors from another country appeared and asked to see you. But I told them you were in an important business trip to the surface. They said they'd be back." The Maid explained. "What did they look like?" Nikora asked. "I'm not sure, but I could've sworn that one of them was a merman, and he looked like a prince. If you ask me, it was probably another mermaid country asking to join together." The Maid said.

"Do you think that he was a real mer-prince that came to ask for Lucia's hand?" Hippo asked. "It could be, I don't know for sure, they didn't give me much info, I guess they wanted to save the talk for when you came back." The Maid said. I hope they didn't come to ask me to marry a mer-prince, I told Kaito that I loved him. I better send him a letter.

Kaito sat on the beach, just staring into the sea, thinking that any minute now, she'll resurface. But something did resurface, but not Lucia, it was Momo the dolphin. And he swam as close to shore as he could go. Momo held a message in his mouth, and Kaito took it. To Kaito Was written on it, like the other letter he got from Lucia. He quickly opened it:

Kaito,

I'm home, and the construction is nearly completed, but we've had some visitors, they're from another mermaid country and their prince has come to ask for me. But I wanted to tell you not to worry, I know exactly how to take care of this. I still love you,

Lucia.

P.S. Send a reply with Momo if you have anything to say.

Kaito put the letter back in the envelope. "Wait here Momo." He said as he ran back to his house. He came back with a message for Lucia. Momo came back up and took the message and swam away.

Lucia sat at her window and waited for Momo to return, she probably should have left out the Mer-PrinceWho knowswhat Kaito will think, he might think something bad would happen if the prince came. She then saw a figure swimming in the distance, it was Momo. Momo entered her room and dropped the message in her hands. For LuciaWas written on the envelope. She quickly opened it, but she didn't read it because she heard a trumpet playing outside her palace. "Princess Lucia, we have come to discuss important business."

Lucia heard someone call out side her palace. "Opened the doors." Lucia shouted not wanting to be rude to her guests. She then pull the letter back out.

Lucia,

I know I can trust you, but at least try not to be a scatter-brain and say something that makes it harder for both of us. I know you'll do the right thing. Hurry and come back,

Kaito.

P.S. I love you more

She smiled at his letter, she knew he spoke the truth. She put it into her drawer and left the room to go and welcome her guests. She swam to the front door where her guests stood. They all began to bow. A merman swam and turned to his side. "May I announce his royal highness, Prince Gareth. Prince of the Garnet Stone of the Sea of Japan." The announcer said loudly and a Merman swam into Lucia's view. "Hello Princess, I am Gareth." He bowed his head. "Charmed." She said with sarcasm.

"I have come to ask your hand in matrimony, for our seas to join together to form a stronger kingdom." He began and raised himself and began to discuss the reason he came. "I'm flattered, but I have to refuse." Lucia kindly said. "How dare you reject the prince!" The announcer said before the Prince stopped him.

"Easy my friend, Let's hear her reasons." He said calmly. "Yes your highness." He bowed and stepped back. "So, why have you rejected my kind offer?" He asked. "No offense to you or your country, but I rejected for two reasons. Reason one, my country has enough reinforcement with the other mermaid countries, and I can defend the best I can. And reason two, I do not wish to marry, because there is already someone I wish to be with." Lucia answered truthfully. The prince looked confused on both parts, but was more confused about the second reason. "May I ask who is this merman?" He said gently. "He is not a merman, he's a human that I met when I was on land." Lucia was confident this would send him off.

"A human!? Are you out of your mind, mermaids, and mermen were made to be together, mermaids and humans is mutiny to our species!" The Prince lost his kindness and got very angry. "I don't think the same rules apply in this kingdom, I will do what I wish without being judged by an outsider, now please leave." Lucia said calmly. The prince put his kind face back on. "Of course, sorry to object to your terms, your high-ness." He said as he bowed his head.

Lucia watched as the Prince and his company left the room and the big doors that shut behind them. "Oh Lucia, I can't believe you rejected a Mer-Prince!" Nikora said happily surpris-ed. "I can't accept a marriage I don't want when I'm in love with someone else." Lucia said with a smile on her face. "Lucia, Nikora, are you two out of your minds!?" Hippo began to shout. "As the princess you must marry a prince, and I'm sure Kaito is no prince above or below!" He continued to shout.

"Hippo, I will not marry a prince just to watch some strange merman take my ocean and turn it into a reinforced battlefield! I happen to care you know!" Lucia shouted back. "Lucia..." Hippo began, he was shocked at her words. "I know you want to protect this kingdom, but if we don't do something he could be back and take over by force. We need some kind of defense, he looked very upset even though he put on a kind face. I can guarantee he'll be back." Hippo said. "Well what he goes to the other mermaid princesses first?" Nikora spoke. "Then we should send them letters telling them to refuse him." Lucia said. "That's a good idea, I'll write them and send the fastest dolphins to send them." Nikora said as she swam off.

"Lucia, if this gets to dangerous, you may have to return to the surface." Hippo said. "Why just me, I got back and I have to help?" Lucia asked even though she wanted to go back, she had to at least put her home first. "Because you are the main attraction to the prince and his desires to join together." Hippo said, he had a point. I want to see Kaito, but I can't leave, not when the kingdom's at it's most vulnerable time. She thought that maybe if it depended on it, she really did have to go.

Lucia returned to her room and shut the door. She pulled out the letter Kaito sent her, and read over and over the last sentence on the page. "P.S. I love you more.

Kaito, I really want to return to you, but if this get's out of hand, it might take longer to get back then I hoped. I wish that you were a prince, then maybe I could be with you and never have to worry about these things

She thought about it until Nikora knocked at the door. "Lucia the letters are sent, we should have replies by tomorrow." She said. "Right, thank you." Lucia called. It was a start of their new mission.