Pichi Pichi Pitch

Chapter 15

"Guys, the boats all set, we just gotta get in and go now!" Caren said as she walked through the front door. "Right, is everyone ready?" Hanon asked. "Yes Hanon, we're all ready." Rina said. "Then let's go home!" Seira said gleefully. They all left the house and began to walk to the shores to where the boat was tied down for them. "Hey Caren, is Subaru coming?" Coco whispered. "Are you kidding, he's got tons of things to do, and I don't want him involved too. Even though it was our idea for those three to come with us." Caren whispered back.

"Look, the boat's up ahead." Seira said. "Yeah, okay, so all your things are packed on board, it's a speed boat so it won't take as long as it would on a regular motor boat, if you get cold there are blankets on there. And uh, well, you guys had breakfast before you left so you all should be all set til you get back." Subaru said. "Okay, thanks for everything Subaru." Caren said. "Anytime Caren." He said, and she cheerfully kissed his cheek as a thank you. "Well, if your done being lovey dovey, Caren, we gotta go." Noel said, and made Caren blush a little.

"Shut up Noel." She said. "Oh come on, you know I'm kidding." She said. "Well you don't gotta kid when he's standing right there!" She whispered to her. "Sorry." She said with a smile.

They all reached the boat and climbed in, but just as he entered, Nagisa tripped and fell onto a seat. "Klutz!" Hanon laughed. "Well, I can't help it, the boat is tipsy." He said in defense. "Well, it wouldn't be if you walked right." She said. "Hey, there's no need to be mean." He said. "I'm sorry but it's so funny." She said with a big smile. "Hanon, should I tell him stories of your mistakes that were funny?" Rina asked. "No! No that won't be necessary." Hanon said quickly. "Thought so." Rina said as she sat down across from Hanon and Nagisa.

"Come on Lucia." Kaito said as he helped Lucia into the boat, as clumsy as she is, she would've fallen off the boat. "Thank you." She said as she sat next to Rina, Kaito sat next to her. "Okay, we're all in, lift the anchor, we're going home!" Seira shouted cheerfully. "Seira, there is no anchor." Caren said. "Well do whatever you do to move the boat!" Seira said laughing. "Okay, but you better sit down." Coco said. "I'm starting the boat, everyone prepare for lift off." Caren said. "That's for rockets dummy." Noel said. "Oh forget it, let's just go. Bye Subaru, again, thanks for everything!" Caren said as she started the boat and began to speed off.

"Caren, is this the fastest it goes?" Hanon asked. "No, why?" She asked. "Because we should make it go the fastest it can go!" She said getting all excited. "Are you crazy? We can't go faster than this or people will start flying off the boat." She said. "Aww, but it would get us there faster, plus, I can't stand to be over water when I can't swim in it." Hanon complained. "I'm starting to agree with Hanon." Seira said.

"Well, you two can swim the rest of the way there if you think you can keep up with us." Caren said as she returned to her driving of the boat. "I don't know if I can keep up but I can try." Seira said. "Hold it there small stuff." Hanon said. "What?" She asked. "I'll go with you, and if you can't keep up, I'll just drag you back onto the boat." Hanon said as she grabbed her hand. "Wait you two, I'll swim with you." Noel said. "Okay, the more the merrier." Hanon said. "How about you, Lucia, Rina, Coco, Caren has to drive." Noel asked.

"Oh you be quiet!" Caren said. "I don't feel like swimming right now." Rina said. "Me neither, I'm comfortable right here." Lucia said. "Me? Well, I don't know, not right now, maybe in a minute." Coco said. "Hanon, your just gonna leave me here on the boat?" Nagisa said with sad look. "Only for a little while, besides, it's not like I'm gonna be gone forever." She said. "Everyone ready?" Noel said. "Yeah!" Hanon and Seira said. "Then let's get in." Then they all jumped in and swam close behind them. "Told you we could keep up!" Hanon said. "Yeah, well let's see you keep that pace up." Caren said.

"She's right, we can't keep up forever." Seira said. "So we'll fall a little ways behind, but just a few feet. Big deal, we'll catch up." Noel said. "It's getting cold out here, traveling at this speed, it get's colder up here than it does from just walking in the snow." Lucia said. "Here Lucia, grab a blanket like I did." Rina said as she handed her a blanket that was tucked away under the seats like Subaru said. "Thank you Rina." She said as she wrapped it around her. "Are you cold too, Kaito?" She asked as she offered some of her blanket.

"Sure, thanks." He said as he wrapped up in the part of the blanket she gave him. She began to blush a little. "You know, I can't help but feel like we forgot something." Coco said. "Like what?" Rina asked. "I don't know, just a feeling." They all thought for a minute. "Oh my gosh, Hippo!" Lucia shouted and she quickly got up and dove into the water. "Lucia, come back!" Rina shouted. "Should someone go after her?" Coco said. "Well, I can't exactly turn around, I don't know how." Caren said. "You mean your driving a boat you don't even know how to turn?" Coco said.

"Sorta." She said. "Tell me you know how to stop?" Rina said. "I think so, but someone has to go after her, we don't have the time to all go back." Caren said. "Hey, why'd Lucia jump off? She's swimming back to land!" Hanon shouted. "We forgot Hippo, she's going to get him." Rina said. "Should we go after her?" Seira asked. "No, if we all go we'll risk getting found, we should just stop and wait for her to come back." Coco said. "Coco's right, Caren stop this thing." Rina said. "I'm trying!" She said annoyed. "You don't know how to stop either? Where'd you learn to drive a boat?" Coco said. "Hey I only got a few lessons before we left!" She said.

"Well, do you remember what he said about stopping?" Nagisa asked. "I was distracted by a thought when he told my that." She said. "What thought!?" Coco shouted. "The thought of Hippo getting stuck under that tire that we saw." She said with a small smile. "You mean you knew Hippo was trapped and you forgot to mention this before we left? And now Lucia's swimming about five miles back to land to get him?" Rina said. "Yeah, you can say that." She said. "CAREN STOP THIS CRAZY THING!" Coco shouted. "I'm trying I said, it's not my fault this boat is so complicated!" She shouted back. "Then what's that lever that says 'brakes'?" Hamasaki asked. "Caren you blind idiot!" Coco said. "Sorry, I can barely see what's down there with my hair blowing in my face!" She said. "Just stop it." Rina said, and Caren pulled the lever back. "Okay, now we're stopped." Caren said. "Hey, I don't see land anymore, we should go back, I don't like the idea of leaving Lucia back there." Noel said.

"If we go back we'll be seen for sure, we can't risk it, besides, she can take care of herself. She shown she can thee past few days." Rina said. "But what if she's seen, and she get's into trouble?" Seira asked. "Then we'll be in the water waiting, but I doubt she'll run into trouble at this point." Coco said, then she Caren and Rina dove into the water. "You guys wait here, we're going a little ways out." Hanon said and they started swimming in the direction Lucia swam in.

"Hippo! Hippo! Where are you?" Lucia shouted above and below th water, no sign of him. "Hippo!" She continued to call his name. "I can't believe we forgot him, how could I be so careless, poor Hippo." She said. She finally reached Antarctica and got out and stood on the shore line. "Hippo! Where are you!?" She called out. "LUCIA!" She heard someone say. "Hippo, is that you? Where are you?" She called again. "Lucia, help! I'm stuck under this tire!" He called out for help. "Tire? Oh yeah." That tire has always been there and it never gets fully covered with snow, plus it's a signal we're near the house.

She remembered Caren say that on the way back. "I know where you are, stay calm, I'm coming!" She said as she started running, in the distance she could see a blue blob fidgeting under a tire. "Hippo, there you are, are you okay?" She said as she lifted the tire off him. "Yes, thank you Lucia, when Subaru was telling Caren how to work the boat, I was looking for my hat that blew under the tire and I got stuck, I was scared you forgot me." He said. "Well, we did but if Coco hadn't said something we would've left you here, I'm sorry." She said with a sad look.

"It's okay Lucia." He said with a smile. "Come on, the others are waiting miles out at sea." She said as she helped Hippo stand and they began to walk to the sea. "Not so fast, little mermaid princess." A voice said.