Hi everyone. This chapter will take place somewhere in October. Oh, and in my story, Coco is seventeen, and Noel and Karen turned sixteen last February. And all the kingdom/castle/palace in my story will resemble architectures in real life. Enjoy.
Chapter 9: Day of Fate
-Pearl Waters-
Two weeks have passed and today is finally the Day of Fate. However, nothing has happened yet because Emi has failed to mentioned when it will happen. While Lucia is in her room along with Seira, the other five Mermaid Princesses are helping with the celebration. Nikora even invited Kaito to come and help with the preparation.
"I can't believe it has been peaceful for only four months and now the new enemy decided to crashed the party!" Karen exclaimed as she haul a large box on a table.
"There nothing we can do about it. Whenever they have a chance, they'll start attacking." Noel replied.
"Lucia! Seira! Come downstairs, right now!" Nikora hollered.
-Lucia's Room-
"Lucia, Nikora is asking us to come downstairs. Lucia?" Seira called out until she stops. Lucia was staring in the mirror, looking confused for a second.
She turned to Seira, "It's time." and she walked out the door.
"Wait! Emi?" Seira ran after her.
"There isn't time to wait." her voice can be heard as she leaves the room
-Pearl Waters-
As Lucia went downstairs, she walked passed everyone. She was like in a trace.
"Lucia. Oi Lucia!" Kaito shook her but nothing happened. Lucia made her way out the bath house. Seira ran after her.
"We have to follow her, hurry!" she told the others as they nod in agreement.
-North Pacific Ocean-
In the ocean, Lucia swims to the North Pacific Ocean with the others close behind. The six Mermaid Princess, Nikora, and Kaito are riding on Hippo's back, who have taken on his form as the legendary Hippocampus. They then stopped to see her swims away from her kingdom and heading further away from it.
"Where is Lucia going?" Rina questioned.
"She has been acting weird lately." Hanon comments.
'Emi... Your taking us to your kingdom, aren't you?' Seira questioned in thought.
"I have to hurry. She's waiting for me." Lucia mutter quietly as if she was hypnotized.
-Nether Ocean-
Once Lucia reached to the Nether Ocean, an ocean between the North Pacific Ocean and the Indian Ocean, she stopped. The ocean has nothing.
"Where is Lucia going? There's nothing there." Noel asked.
"Is this the place?" Lucia asked, it looked like she's talking to herself. "I don't see anything."
'Look closer... through your eyes as the potential Sea Goddess, you will see my kingdom.' a voice told her.
Lucia closed her eyes more a moment and opened them. She saw a beautiful red kingdom and head towards it. Everyone else who is watching her saw her disappeared.
"Where did she go?" Kaito asked, feeling slight panic.
Rina got off of Hippo swim and swim near where Lucia vanish. She put her hand into the space to see her hand is gone and came back when she retract it.
"It looks like a barrier." Noel comments.
"Let's go." Karen replied. Everyone nodded in agreement.
They all went through the barrier.
-Nether Ocean Palace-
Everyone opened their eyes to see the Red Kingdom in awe. The palace has a couple of towers and a large entrance that resembles the Neuschwanstein Castle. The whole place is red while the roof of the towers are golden colored. The front entrance is white and throughout the castle, there are hints of pink. Briars covered the entire outer parts of the palace. Many white and red roses blossom from the green briars. Despite it appears abandon and parts of the castle is damaged, the thorny plants seem to hold the kingdom together.
"Over there!" Coco shouted as she points to Lucia, who is entering the abandon palace.
"Let's follow her." Rina told them. All nod in agreement.
They followed the Pink Princess to the throne room.
-Throne Room-
In the throne room, some parts of the palace looked broken as if there was an attack. At the center of the room is a red shell throne. Everyone joined up with Lucia. Her eyes were closed for a second.
"Lucia!" Kaito exclaimed as a red light leaves from her body. She almost collapse if it wasn't for Kaito who caught her.
"Kaito..." Lucia opened her eyes. "Eh? Why is everyone here? Where am I?"
"You don't remember?" Kaito asked.
"Remember what?" Lucia questioned.
"I think I can help with that." a voice told them gently.
The red shell throne glowed a faint red color as the spirit of a mermaid appeared. Everyone turned their attention on the spiritual mermaid.
"Who are you?" Lucia asked. She looked closely at the mermaid in front of her.
Although she is spiritual, she has beautiful bright red hair with a red rose pin pinned on the left side of her head but most of the strands of her bangs are moved to the right side. She wears a red bra that matched her rosy red tail. A red shell pendent shined brightly but what caught Lucia's attention is her pretty ruby eyes and her pale skin. She then remembered the ghost of a girl in her room a couple of weeks ago.
"Your that girl in my room at that time!" Lucia exclaimed in shock. The red mermaid stick out her tongue playfully.
"You caught me, Lucia." she answered playfully. She then turned to Seira, "Thank you for helping me, Seira."
"H-hai." Seira replied.
"I guess I shall introduce myself now but before I do I would like to say that I'm sorry." the mermaid began.
"Eh? Why" Nikora asked.
"Because my name is not really Emi." the red mermaid replied. She gave a curtsey, "It's a pleasure to meet you all. I am the Red Mermaid Princess of the Nether Ocean, Julie. The Mermaid Princess of the original pearl and... the younger half-sister of the Pink Mermaid Princess of the North Pacific Ocean, Lucia." Julie introduce herself.
"Eh?!" Lucia exclaimed.
"The... Red... Mermaid Princess..." Hippo trialed off.
"And Lucia's... younger half-sister?" Nikora questioned.
"Yes." Julie confirmed.
"N-no way." Lucia could only manage.
"But why? How?" Hanon questioned.
Julie's smile faded, "Two years ago, when I was thirteen, I was captured by the enemy. Despite the barrier around my kingdom, her servants manage to catch me." she explained.
"Emi... No, Julie. If your the Red Princess, how come we never heard of you before?" Hanon asked.
"You used to know of the Red Princess and her Red Pearl." Julie answered sadly. Red petals came out of her hands as she show them the history of the Red Mermaid Princess, her people, and her pearl. "Many centuries ago, when the Earth was young, the Red Pearl was the original after the two eternal pearls of light and dark..." Julie started as an image of the Red Pearl appeared in everyone's mind. "We were the original rulers of the North Pacific Ocean and it's palace. The first Sea Goddess, the mother of all Mermaid Princesses, Aqua Regina one day appeared to us."
"Red Mermaid Princess, Aiko. There will be a new ruler of this ocean, the Pink Mermaid Princess and her Pink Pearl." Aqua Regina told them as the image fades.
"She showed them the Pink Pearl and the Red Princess and her mermaids know what to do. They leave the kingdom to the Pink Princess as the Pink Pearl gave the birth and rise of the pink mermaids. At the same time, the Red Princess became immortal, therefore a new princess can only be born if the previous princess passed their down pearl to the next." Julie explained.
"Were you mad?" Lucia asked.
Julie shook her head, "No, we were happy. The birth of the Pink Mermaid Princess are the Red Mermaid Princess' half-sister and vice versa. We decided to move between the Indian and North Pacific Oceans. Unfortunately as time goes by, we were forgotten, quietly disappearing from the ocean, and are considered 'Legendary Mermaids' or in my case, the 'Fabled Princess'. As a result, we decided that it was best to put a barrier around the kingdom to stay forgotten for the better of the other kingdoms. We believed that if we remain forgotten, the other kingdoms won't feel guilty that they've forgotten about us. But the Sea Witch, Shika, didn't."
"Julie..." Lucia called out her sister's name.
"I've long to meet you, Lucia... And everybody else but not like this. I'm sorry." tears were falling from her eyes.
"What happened to you?" Kaito asked.
Julie wiped away her tears, "She sought me out. Her servants came to my kingdom two years ago and told me to either give myself up or everyone who is close to me will suffer." an image of the past appeared in everyone's mind.
-Flashback, Two Years Ago-
"Princess, you must leave now!" a red mermaid exclaimed as three sea demons appeared.
"No! I won't abandon all of you!" Julie insisted.
"Princess, don't be careless. You have to leave or else you'll be in danger!" another told her.
"I don't care what happens to me! What matters is if her people is safe. You should leave!" Julie protest.
"Please, don't care about us. Just leave us behind." the first mermaid replied.
"No! As your princess, I order you to leave. Now go!" Julie told them as they hesitantly obeyed. "I'll catch up, I just have to do something first!"
Julie swim out of the throne room as some of the walls started to block the others from going after her.
"Princess!"
-Flashback Ends-
"At that time, I knew having my pearl with me would be dangerous. Shika would have both me and my pearl, so I have to keep it safe. I hid it at my kingdom's monument of the red and pink mermaids. I manage to keep it safe just in time before the sea demons captured me." Julie explained. She looked at her half-sister, "Lucia... Before you rescue me, you should first find the royal sisters of light and dark. They used to lived in the sea but now they no longer don't and my pearl can help you." she advised.
"The sisters of Light and... Dark." Lucia listened carefully.
"In order to find me, you'll need the help from those two princesses. Unfortunately, they were captured long time ago. However, unlike me, the enemy is using them as pawns, manipulating them to do their biddings. Please, Lucia find and save those two. Then and only than will you save me. You should first find my pearl... It's hidden somewhere in the palace. Find Taiyo, he can assist you." Julie's spirit faded.
Everyone did just that. Coco and Seira searched the ballroom, Noel and Karen search in the royal gardens, Hanon and Rina stayed to look in the throne room, Nikora and Hippo looked outside, and Lucia and Kaito search in Julie's room.
-Julie's Room-
Julie's Room is wide and red. It's like all the other Mermaid Princess' room. The only difference is the color and it has more stuff in different part of the room. There is a sewing kit and a bunch of fabric on the bed while on the walls are hung paintings. On the red desk is a red, pink, and white diary. Lucia swim towards it to take a closer look.
"What is it, Lucia?" Kaito asked.
Lucia picked up the diary. A note on it said:
Lucia, in case if I can't meet you in person but you manage to find my kingdom,
I want you to take my diary with you.
It can only be unlocked by another member of the Red Princess
and since you are my sister, you can open it.
Love, Julie
"I've wonder... If Julie have always been lonely. She lives in this palace alone with only the red mermaids. She knows everyone and even me but I don't know her." Lucia answered. "It doesn't seem fair. She wanted to meet everyone but she never got the chance... Especially when I'm her older sister..." she gasped as Kaito hugged her suddenly. A side of her head leaned against his chest. "Kaito?"
"We'll save her and then the two of you can meet for real." Kaito assures her.
"Um." Lucia nodded as she closed her eyes for a moment. Kaito turned her so she is facing towards him. They leaned and shared a kiss.
-Royal Gardens-
Everyone regroup at the gardens when they saw something approaching them. Kaito and Hippo step in front of the princesses while they stand guard. A man or a seal appeared to them. He has short dark hair and a furry tail. He was not a merman.
"Who are you?" Lucia asked.
"My name is Taiyo. I'm a selkie. This kingdom's animal are represented by seals. You must be Lucia, right?" Taiyo asked.
"H-hai." Lucia confirms.
"Julie has told me a lot about you and of your arrival. Follow me please." he told them.
-Monument-
When Taiyo took the group to the royal gardens, a path which was cloaked with magic suddenly appeared in sparkles.
"Ano, Taiyo-kun..." Lucia began.
"Call me Taiyo." Taiyo insisted.
"Taiyo... How come when Julie appeared in my dreams, she called herself Emi?" she asked.
"Ah, you see, Julie was raised up like you, Lucia. I raised her as if she was a normal mermaid. Back then, I've used to gave her the nickname 'Emi' because it means blessed with beauty. Everyone grew to like the nickname that they started to called her Emi. When she was older and I called her by her real name, she thought 'Julie' was a nickname when it's vice versa. By the time she found out that it's her real name, she was already used to the name Emi and would tend to call herself by her nickname." Taiyo explain.
"So that's why..." Lucia trailed off.
"It did came in handy though because the enemy even thought that Emi is her real name too." he stopped. "We're here."
The monument has two statue of a mermaid. The statue on the left is colored red while the one on the right is color pink. In the middle, they hold an orb that has flowers in them. In the center, Lucia could have sworn she saw a red shine. She reached out and put her hand at the centered. Her pendent opened to reveal her Pink Pearl. It glowed very bright that the Red Pearl in the stone began to shine as well. The sister pearls are calling each other out. Lucia put her pearl closed to Julie's. The Pink Pearl pulled the Red Pearl towards it until it's finally out of the stone.
Julie appeared one last time in front of everyone.
"Thank you Taiyo for leading everyone." Julie thanked him. She turned to Lucia, "Lucia, once you are able to save both sisters, all of you will need to find nine magical items that can charged my pearl. A Heart of New Friendship, a Ring of Undying Love, the Flowers of Eternal Happiness, a Tear of Pure Magic, a Clover of Trust, a Coral of Wisdom, a Charm of Courage, the Golden Key of Loyalty, and the Treasure of Hope." she explained. "Back when I hid my pearl, I embedded it in the stone, so now I am powerless. The spell to seal my pearl took a lot from me and my remaining powers are taken. My pearl would not have enough power to assist you on your journey or stir me from sleep if it does not receive enough power. Please Lucia, save the White and Black Mermaid Princesses and find those items. Please." Julie pleaded as she disappears.
"Wait, Julie!" Lucia called out but she was already gone.
After the mermaids, Kaito, and Hippo said their goodbyes to Taiyo, they returned to Japan.
-Land-
On land, everyone went back to Pearl Waters except her Lucia. She was at the beach staring at the sunset. Orange, Yellow, Pink, and Red. Red. Julie's color. She looked at her sister's beautiful Red Pearl. It's lost it's shine as Julie's heart is in sleep.
"Lucia." Kaito called out.
"Kaito." she called out his name in sadness.
"It'll be okay. We'll save her." Kaito reassures her.
"But we don't even know where she is." Lucia replied.
"Don't give up hope. We will find Julie." Kaito replied.
"Um." Lucia respond as she put Julie's pearl, her heart, close to hers.
I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Hint Hint the Neuschwanstein castle in Germany was inspired to be Sleeping Beauty's castle hint hint. Next chapter will be the Spring Festival. Remember, Favorite, Follow, or Comment. See you soon.
