Hi everyone. Thank you for the wonderful comments. Whenever there are dates present in my story, they may not be accurate because I don't know what year it was in both the anime or the manga. I know what date they began Mermaid Melody and when they finished it. Just not the year in it. Remember, this story is based out of the manga but will have some mixture with the anime. And almost all the mermaids and their boyfriends are in this chapter. Anyway, here is chapter 10. Enjoy.


Chapter 10: Memories of Love

-Pearl Waters-

Six days later after meeting Julie's spirit, everything went well so far until...

Lucia was coughing very violently. She couldn't stop and was gasping for breath. Everyone was becoming worried of her.

"Lucia, are you okay?" Seira asked worriedly.

"I'm fine, Seira. Don't worry about..." she started to collapsed in Kaito's arm.

"Lucia!" everyone exclaimed.

Hanon put a hand on the girl's forehead. "Strange, there's no fever."

Seira suddenly fall on her knees, covering her mouth with both of her hands as she started to cough violently as well.

"Seira?" Coco called out her name as she tries to support the little girl but she too, started coughing.

Slowly, one by one, each Mermaid Princess fell on their knees coughing. The third was Noel, followed by Karen, and Hanon.

"W-what is going on?" Nikora questioned weakly as she also fell to the floor.

Kaito looked around him to see all the Mermaid Princesses have passed out.

'What is going on? And what do I do?' Kaito thought.

-Outside-

Rina and Masahiro were spending time together on their date by going to places that would pleased Rina. However, during the afternoon, Rina looked dazed and was swaying towards Masahiro.

He caught her, "Rina, are you alright? You look like you need to be in bed."

"I'm okay... Just a bit dizzy. That's all." Rina assured him. However, he didn't buy it and put his forehead close to hers as she blushed a bit.

"You don't have a fever. Still, I should take you home. I don't want you to get sick or feel like it's your fault that you ruined our date. We can continue some other time, okay?" Masahiro replied.

Rina gave a nod, "Besides, tomorrow will be the Spring Festival. We can catch up then." she took his hand so they can walk home together.

-Pearl Waters-

However, halfway to Pearl Waters, Rina touched her forehead and then passed out.

"Rina!" Masahiro exclaimed as he caught her before she could hit the ground. "Rina, hang in there!" he carried her, bridal style, and run to the bath house. When he got to the bath house, he saw Kaito and Hippo, in human form, putting everyone in bed.

"Kaito!" he called out.

"Masahiro." Kaito took notice when he saw Rina in his arms. "Did Rina collapse too?"

"Yes, we were together until she suddenly fainted. What do you mean by her too?" Masahiro questioned.

"Lucia and the others are passed out as well." Kaito informed him.

"Do you think it has to do with them being mermaids?" Masahiro asked as he put Rina on a nearby bed.

"It's possible that it could be that but I'm starting to feel weak as well." Hippo crossed his arms.

"If the mermaids and Hippo are getting sick... Do you think this strange illness only effect those being born in the sea?" Masahiro asked.

"Well, I'm born from the sea but nothing bad has happened to me yet." Kaito replied. He regretted saying that because he think he might of jinxed it for he started to fall on his knees, clutching at his chest in pain as he started coughing.

"Kaito!" Masahiro exclaimed as Lucia's pendent opened. The Red Pearl started to glow faintly as the human spirit of Julie appeared.

The appearance of the girl surprises Masahiro. She opened her eyes and smiled at him as her pearl glowed slightly brighter. Briars grow around where Julie stands and surrounded the group. The briars creep up on all eight beds and surrounding each Mermaid Princesses and Nikora as if it's protecting them with its' thorny vines, creating a barrier.

Kaito suddenly stopped coughing as he looked up at Julie. The Mermaid Princesses and Nikora slowly awaken as well.

"Julie?" Lucia called out her sister's name. Julie put a finger to her lips for silence.

She spoke softly, "Lucia, everyone, do you see this?" she showed them yellow pollen. They all nod their heads. "These golden pollens are what made you became ill. It effects those who are born from the sea much quicker than they do with humans since it's originated from the ocean."

"Julie, do you know what plants they came from?" Noel asked.

"I do. They came from the ancient Kingdom of Reina. They're pollens from Wisteria Flowers." Julie confirms.

The girls can see yellow pollen outside of Julie's barrier. The pollen are floating everywhere around the bath house.

"Julie..." Seira called out as the girl's spiritual form started to flicker, the same with her barrier.

"My barrier is weakening. I don't have enough strength to keep it up. Lucia, do you remember what I told you and everyone else six days ago?" Julie asked, slight panic is hinted in her voice.

"Yes." Lucia answered.

"You have to find at least three objects to charge my Red Pearl. It will react to it and give out enough power to help you be immune to the pollen. You have three of the items already."

"Eh? What do you mean-" Lucia paused to see her ring shining. Her ring! Of course. It was a present from Kaito. Ever since she worn it, their love have never been destroyed despite it has faltered a bit. Lucia took her ring off her finger and put it close to Julie's pearl. It glowed a bit brighter.

Hanon took her aqua barrette from her hair, since it was like a treasure to her and it gave her hope for a better future with Nagisa. She joined with Lucia, followed by Rina with her clover. All three items react with the Red Pearl as it shine more brighter than ever. The briars disappears, no longer putting up the barrier as the pearls' shine slowly died.

Julie smiled at all of them before fading away as her Red Pearl stop giving out light.

-Lucia's Room-

It was night time as everyone went to their room to sleep. In her room, Lucia invited Seira to join her as she picks up Julie's diary which was put in her pink drawer underneath her desk. The two sit on the bed as Lucia opened Julie's diary. She flips to the first entry and read:

Dear Diary, 1995

My name is Julie, the Red Mermaid Princess of the Nether Ocean but mostly everyone calls me "Emi". I am six years old. I plan to only write in this dairy important news or dates, since I don't think everyday will be different from the others. I learn from Taiyo, my selkie friend, that I have an sister! She is a five months older than me because I was born after her. I heard from Taiyo that my sister is named Lucia and that she is a pretty princess. I can't wait for one day to meet her in person! That is why from now on, I will dedicate this dairy to my dear beloved sister, Lucia.

Love,

Julie.

-Store-

On the he next day, the girls decided to go to the store to either buy their costumes or materials because it's almost Halloween. Only Coco, Noel, and Karen didn't buy anything because they will eventually have to return back to their kingdoms but they still came along to give advice on the costumes. And of course, they will be attending the Spring Festival tonight.

"Nee nee, Lucia. What should I be for Halloween?" Hanon asked.

"I don't know." Lucia answered as she went through an aisle of costumes.

Karen sighs as she stood next to a wall. She is wearing a light lavender blouse with blue leggings today.

"Karen." a voice called out to her. Karen freezes at the sound of the voice.

'No way... It can't be him. And if it is, why is he here?' Karen thought as she turned.

"S-Subaru!" she exclaimed in shock.

Subaru Carraford Hashimoto is a British researcher who once came to the Antarctic Ocean to solve the problem of the unusual rising temperature and helped Karen save the Legendary Glacier from melting. When she first met him, she was surprise to meet someone as kind and caring like Subaru, who not only cared about her but the rest of Antarctica as well. He is wearing a dark orange cotton shirt and brown pants. She still remembered his sandy brown hair and tender light blue eyes.

"W-what are you doing here?" she questioned.

"I came here because of the mysterious pollen that has been causing strange sickness around this area... And it's spreading in both the east and the west. In less than two more weeks, everyone will be attack by this intoxicating pollen and it will be global." Subaru explain.

"I see..." Karen trailed off. "But then, shouldn't you be looking for it at the source?"

"Yes, but my mission is to start here, in Japan. Some people could get sick, I want to know if there is a way to somehow block the pollen from affecting us." Subaru answered. He saw her worried face. He smiled, "But today, I'm not here to worry you. How have you been, Karen?"

"I-I'm doing fine. I'm just staying with Lucia and the others for a couple of days before returning back home." Karen stammers.

"Oh, I see. Well, do you want to show me around?" he asked.

"Eh?"

"It's my first time coming to Japan, so I'm not so sure where to go. Despite it's almost Halloween, meeting with you here was a coincidence." Subaru replied.

"O-okay." Karen agreed after she made sure the other girls were busy.

-Outside-

Once Karen showed him around, they talk for a while.

"So how is it?" Karen asked when Subaru was researching.

"So far so good." he answered. They walked together at the beach.

"S-Subaru." Karen called out his name.

"Hm? What is it, Karen?" he asked.

"Tonight is the Spring Festival... Have you heard about it before?" Karen asked her question.

"No, I don't." Subaru replied.

"Are you going to go? I never went to the Spring Festival before but I've heard about it. Would you like to go?" Karen asked him out.

"I just came today so I guess I can spend the night having fun but in one condition..." Subaru trailed off.

"One condition..." Karen repeated the last two words.

"Karen, would you like to spend time together with me at the Spring Festival?" he asked.

"Y-yes." Karen answered. She might sound shy on the outside but inside, she is full of joy.

-Lucia's Room-

When all the girls came back to the bath house, each of them are getting ready for the Spring Festival. Of course, they're wearing their signature color. Lucia is wearing a pink kimono with tiny red flowers design. Her tied her hair up and secure it with a small red hibiscus pin. She stop to thought for a moment. Red and pink... sister colors. She smiled in hope that when she does save Julie, she can help bring her joy and fun.

She looked at Julie's diary and then to her pearl next to hers, "Don't worry, Julie. When we save you and the White and Black Mermaid Princesses, the three of you will have fun in this world. And you'll get your wish, Julie. You'll get to meet me and everyone else and also see that this world is such a wonderful place."

She place the Red Pearl close to her lips and kissed it, "I promise."

Lucia felt like she can feel Julie's spirit in front of her, kissing her on the cheek to give Lucia her blessing and happiness in that world.

"I know you will." she heard Julie's voice spoke to her.

-Hanon's Room-

Hanon wears an aqua kimono with blue cherry blossom designs. She decided to keep her hair down. During those six days, Nagisa invited her to the festival which she happily accepts. She put her aqua barrette on the left side of her head.

"Alright, I'm done."

-Rina's Room-

Rina wears a green kimono with leaf designs on it. Her hair is styled in a bun shape. When she is ready, Rina turned to look at herself in the mirror. She recalled her time spent with Masahiro three weeks ago.

'I'm actually planning to go this year.' she remember what Masahiro said. 'I'll come.'

"So will I." Rina repeat what she said to Masahiro to herself.

-Coco's Room-

In her yellow room, Coco is wearing a yellow kimono with daisies imprint. Her hair is kept down but is decorated with a daisy or two. This is her first time going to the Spring Festival. Lucia once told her about it but that was the time when she and Hanon could have gotten captured by Eriru. She shook the thought out of her head. Today or rather tonight, she is going to enjoy her time with all her friends, especially with Seira. The poor girl is still having a sad heart. Hopefully, she'll find a way to help Seira be with Takumi again.

-Karen's and Noel's Room-

Meanwhile, Noel is wearing an midnight kimono with white flowers while Karen is wearing a violet one. Like Lucia, Noel has her hair tied up in a ponytail. Karen, on the other hand, has her hair in curled pigtails.

"Are you ready, Karen?" Noel asked.

"Yeah, Nee-san." Karen answered. She turned around so Noel can see her.

"My... You look beautiful, Karen. Subaru would think so too." Noel comments.

"W-what made you think that I'm doing this for Subaru?" Karen asked, she felt her face is slightly blushing.

"Because when it comes to love, I can tell. Especially when you haven't confessed your feelings to him yet." Noel answered. Karen decided to leave the room while Noel followed from behind. "Geez Karen, stop being so stubborn."

-Seira's Room-

Seira is in her room, yet she isn't dressed for the festival. She just looked at herself in the mirror when Lucia came in.

"What's wrong, Seira?" the Pink Princess asked.

"I don't know if I want to go." Seira answered.

"Is it because of Takumi-kun?" she asked. The young princess nods her head. Lucia sighs, "You can't keep avoiding him, Seira. He's special to you as you're to him. And even if you don't want to see him, at least come and have fun with us."

"Alright." Seira responded quietly as Lucia hands her an orange kimono with star patterns and a flower pin.

-Spring Festival-

The seven mermaids went to the festival. Hanon immediately meet up with Nagisa.

"Hanon!" he waved to her.

"Nagisa!" Hanon exclaimed.

They hold hands together and disappears into the crowd.

"Rina." a voice called out to her. She turned.

"Masahiro." Rina called out his name as she walk towards him.

"Let's go, I want to take you somewhere." Masahiro grabbed Rina's wrist and took off with her.

That leaves with just five. Karen was searching for Subaru until she found him.

"Subaru!" she called out to him as she leaves the group. She meets up with him and talk to him for a sec until the two left.

"Ah, Lucia onee-chan!" a little voice called to her. Lucia turned to see Rihito and four-year old Michal.

"Rihito, Michal!" Lucia exclaimed in joy to see her friends doing well, especially Michal.

"Hi Rihito." Coco greet him. Her leaned over to whisper into his ear, "Thank you for protecting me from one of Michel's arrows a couple of months ago."

"No problem." Rihito replied. "You seemed well, Seira."

Seira wasn't paying attention as she is looking out to make sure if "he" comes or not.

"Anyway, why are you two here?" Lucia asked.

"This is Michal's first time attending the Spring Festival, so I decided to let her have fun." Rihito answered.

"It's the first time for most of us as well." Noel replied.

The group walked around the stalls until something caught Lucia's eyes. Red candy apples.

"Lucia?" Seira call out to her.

"I'm sorry but I have to go." Lucia told her as she runs away from the group.

-Water-

Lucia was running towards the water near the large rocks. It was when she got more than waist deep that she turned back into a mermaid. A couple of minutes later, Kaito came. He was looking for Lucia at the festival but couldn't find her. When he meet up with Seira and the others, Seira told him that she was heading towards to water. The place they went the first time they attend the Spring Festival. He found her in mermaid form. She appears to be looking for something and was crying.

"Lucia." he called out to her. Lucia turned to face him. She said nothing and resume to her search. "What are you looking for, Lucia?" he joined her.

"This." his eyes widen to see a box in her hands. "It's my music box."

Kaito hold her and was about to leaned over to kiss her when she stopped him. She put a hand on his lips.

"You shouldn't kiss me when it's not me you love, Kaito-kun."

"Julie?" Kaito questioned as Lucia smiled.

"Unlike Seira, whose spirit come out from her pearl, I can temporarily posses Lucia's body- similar to how your brother does it. Plus, I couldn't appear in front of many people." Julie explained. "I remember... Back when I first felt love but my love wasn't able to be reached out, unfortunately." she scoffs a bit. "And in this box, are the only few things I have left of that love which still aches deep within my heart... I'm sorry, I'll let you two be alone now." Julie told him as she let her grip on Lucia go.

"Kaito?" Lucia called his name in confusion. She looked down at the music box. "This is?"

Kaito hugs her tightly, "That belongs to Julie. Of her love once."

"Kaito." Lucia replied as both leaned over a share a kiss.

-Spring Festival-

At the festival, Seira did have some fun but those feelings are gone quickly for her heart wished for something else. She thought back when she first saw Takumi. It has almost been over a month since she last talk to him. During class, she would avoid him that it felt like he never appeared in her life in the first place.

"Seira?" a voice called out to her.

Seira became stiff as she turned. Takumi is behind her, genuine shock are on both of their faces for neither expected to see each other on this festive night. Only one word came to her mind, Run.

She started to run away from Takumi but this time he isn't going to let her go. He ran after her. Seira ran halfway way to the bridge until she couldn't run anymore. She stopped to rest, hoping that Takumi didn't have the strength to follow her all this way. She was wrong.

"Seira." he called out to her. She looked at him for a moment. Dark orange hair and soft brown eyes, just the way she remembered him. He was wearing a red t-shirt and black paints. Seira tried to run again but this time, Takumi caught her. "Wait!"

"Let go of me, Takumi!" Seira yelled.

She felt him pulling her towards him as he hugs her tightly. Her hair which was put in a bun became loose and undid itself, falling to her waist. Takumi then did the one thing that surprises her. His lips touched hers as she is re-experiencing the love she felt for him. They broke apart. Seira was a bit shocked at the sudden movement but she was able to calm down.

"Seira, I-I love you." Takumi confessed, a bit embarrass.

"Takumi..." Seira trailed off. Her first kiss, shared by the person she loves but also the person she's trying to avoid.

-Pearl Waters-

When the festival was over and everyone came back home, Lucia asked how was their day. Hanon answered that she and Nagisa went on a boat ride, Rina and Masahiro went to a quieter place, Karen gave a tour around the festival for Subaru, and Noel and Coco went to try to win some prizes. Lucia explain that she spend some time with Kaito and that she has Julie's music box.

"What about you, Seira?" Coco asked.

"Eh? Oh, it's okay. I had a fun time." Seira half told the truth. She didn't tell the girls about Takumi.

-Seira's Room-

When she finished changing to an orange night dress, Seira laid on her bed. She is thinking about her first kiss and Takumi's confession.

'Why? Why did Takumi decided to confess his feelings now? Was he worried about me because I haven't spoken to him for a while? Or was it because he saw my mermaid self? Was it fake- No, it's not false love... I felt it. That is what he truly feels towards me. But what should I do now? What do I say?' Seira thought.

"I love you, Takumi." she whispers. "And if I could, I would tell you my feelings... How I truly feel... That I love you but I can't. I'm sorry."

-Lucia's Room-

In her pick room, Lucia stares at Julie's music box. It was a rectangle shape and it's also like a jewelery box as well. The lock is a heart shape but there is no key. The box is pink with hints of white and silver. On all four corners of the lid are four red roses. At the center is where the heart shape lock is. Lucia then turned to Julie's dairy. She grabs it and opened it to the second entry when she got to her bed.

Dear Lucia, 1995

I wanted to meet you so much! However, the red mermaids said I can't and I don't know why. For some reason they said that all the Red Mermaid Princesses before me couldn't even leave the kingdom! However, I don't think that is going to stop me. I wish to see you and the other Mermaid Princesses. That is why I can't wait for my coming of age ceremony so I can go to the surface or leave the kingdom

Love,

Julie


I hope you enjoyed this chapter.

To marinabtr: Thank you for your support of my Mermaid Melody stories, though I cannot start MMFT 2 yet because not only I am busy with school but I think some people might be bored with my story since not much have left comments on this one. However, that doesn't mean that I will give up on it. I will do it eventually just not now but I can guarantee you that you will love the sequel when it start on February nine. Your comments can be long or short, I don't mind if it's long because it actually help me. Feel free to request anything you want if it's concerning with this story.