Hi everyone. Sorry, if I didn't update yesterday. This entire week, I was sick and I still am. And it's funny that I'm sick while updating this chapter because someone in this chapter is also sick. You'll know who it is when you read it. So enjoy!


Chapter 25: Snow in Ruins

-Park-

It was close to night and it was hard to look for Miyuki when it started to snow and it was getting dark.

"Where can Yuki be?" Akari questioned, worried about her sister.

"I don't know..." Julie replied, carrying the grocery bag. "Let's head back to Pearl Waters."

"And then we can find my sister." Akari finished.

-Pearl Waters-

The doors were burst open as the two girls ran inside.

"Julie, Akari, what's going on?" Nikora jumped when the door was forcefully open.

"No time to explain," Julie gave her the groceries, "Yuki is missing and we have to find her."

Akari and Julie went outside again.

-Beach-

On the beach, Miyuki was walking on the snow covered sand, tiny shoeprints are made on the white surface. Since coldness is partially darkness, any cold elements doesn't affect her. After she saw that Doppelganger of Shika this afternoon, something in her seemed to be rising- as if she is remembering something really important. A part of her that is locked inside. After she ran, snow started to fall. Snow... That's what most of her name is. Silent, beautiful, and deep is exactly how you wound describe the coldest season of the year. She remembered reading three of her favorite fairytale stories. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Snow White and Rose Red, and the Snow Queen. Each of those stories have a meaning to her. Snow White was beautiful, the princess with the most purest heart. The other Snow White was really quiet, compared to her sister, Rose Red. Lastly, the Snow Queen... For some reason, she felt that character's story is more in depth than any other villains, but then again, everyone have their own reasons why they are that way. What really is bothering her though, is this strange voice that is speaking to her in her mind.

"Can't... Get this voice out of... My head." Miyuki quietly spoke.

"Come... Girl. Come to me..." the voice told her.

"Help..." Miyuki started to collapse and fall in the snow. It was so soft and cold, to her, it was very comforting.

The girls decided to find Miyuki at the beach. At first, they didn't find anything until Akari notice the shoeprints. The two followed the prints to find a half-buried Miyuki laying on the snow.

"Yuki!" both exclaimed as they ran up to her.

"Is she okay?" Julie asked as Akari place her hand on Miyuki's forehead.

"She has a fever. We have to take her home." Akari informed.

"Mm!" Julie nodded.

-Akari's and Miyuki's Room-

Back in the bath house, Akari and Julie help Miyuki on her bed. She opened her eyes a little bit and looked at the two of them.

"Yuki." Akari called out her name gently.

"Nee-chan..." Miyuki quietly spoke.

"Do you know remember what happen after you got the groceries?" Julie asked the Black Mermaid Princess.

She closed her eyes, "I don't remember... Everything is all... Blurry..."

"That's okay. Akari and I will leave so you can rest, okay?" Julie told her in a question tone.

"Mm..." Miyuki trailed off.

When they are out of the room, they went to the kitchen.

-Kitchen-

When they got to the kitchen, they found Nikora cooking diner.

"How is she?" Nikora asked.

"She has a fever, but some rest will do her good." Akari told her.

"Can you girls help me with diner? After everything is finish, I'll make one of my best soup to help Miyuki." Nikora questioned.

"Alright." the girls agreed as they help the purple haired woman.

-Akari's and Miyuki's Room -

Julie came into the room with a tray of food and a glass of water. She notice that the girl's skin is becoming a bit more paler, if that was possible. She became worried of the seal that she put on her when they first met might be weakening. It would awake her past self and who she will become in the future, if the seal were to be broken. Worse, if she is correct that it could be Shika's doing, everyone is going to be in big trouble. However, she shook the thought out of her head. This was no time to be thinking of things like that.

"Yuki." she called the girl's name gentle. Miyuki open her eyes, but didn't speak. "I brought you food, Nikora made it. Can you sit up?" Julie asked. The twelve year-old simply nodded and sat up a little bit. Julie gave the bowl of soup to Miyuki. She look at the soup, feeling a bit dizzy, but manage to put the spoon into her mouth.

"It's delicious." Miyuki quietly spoke.

Julie watched as the girl finished the soup before going back to sleep again. She soak a small towel in water and place it on the Black Princess' forehead to cool down the fever. She grabbed the tray and left the room.

-Store-

After they helped Nikora make diner, Julie and Akari head out once more to buy some things for the poor girl.

"I think Yuki would love this." Akari told Julie as she is eying a white teddy bear with a white ribbon around its neck. "Julie?" she noticed that the Red Princess was looking at a pink fabric. "Are you planning on making something?" she walked towards her friend with the teddy bear.

"Maybe..." Julie trailed off.

"Who is it for?" Akari questioned.

"Sakura." Julie whispered. She turned to her, "What is it like to be a big sister?"

She smiled, "Well to me, it's different. All my years, I dedicated my life for Yuki as she is only dependent on me for comfort... That is until you came to us. Even though your staying was short, you helped Yuki and pulled us out of that spell. I think she looks up to you just like the way she sees me. Plus, when you were in that cursed slumber, you still watched over us."

"I know..." her smile started to fell.

'But Yuki's seal... Could the reason why she is sick is because she's almost waking up?' she thought.

"Akari..." she called out her name.

"Yes?" Akari asked.

"Nothing, never mine." Julie decided not to mentioned it as she puts on a fake smile.

After the girls payed for the teddy bear and the pink fabric, they returned to Pearl Waters.

-Akari's and Miyuki's Room-

When they went inside the bath house, Akari went to her room while Julie went to the kitchen.

"Yuki?" she knocked the door. "I'm coming in, okay?"

Akari opened the door to find Yuki's side of the room to be a devastating sight. The pillows and blanket are on the floor, the lamp is knock off of the desk, the cold wind is blowing from the shattered windows as glass shards are around the place, and the Queen of the Night petals are on the bed.

-Kitchen-

Meanwhile, at the same time Akari entered the room, Julie entered the kitchen to stop in her tracks to stare at the scene in front of her.

"Julie!" she can hear Akari's voice calling for her. She then hear footsteps going down the stair frantically. "Yuki is gone!" she exclaimed. "Julie? What's wrong?" she asked when the Red Princess did not respond. When Julie didn't answer as soon as she joined her, Akari followed her gaze.

The kitchen was more of a wreck than the room. The dishes are broken, the food that was prepared for diner was spilled on the floor, Nikora was laying on the ground, unconscious, and Queen of the Night petals are everywhere.

"Nikora!" Julie exclaimed as the two rushed to her side.

"What happened?" Akari asked.

"Miyuki... She was different." Nikora answered.

"Come on, we have to find Yuki!" Akari told Julie as she nods in agreement.

-Beach-

On her way back to the beach, Miyuki walked down the steps wearily. She changed her outfit by wearing a sleeveless snowy white full dress that has a train trailing down to the ground to match the weather outside. Since her now live in Japan, Nikora suggested that she, Akari, and Julie should wear more modern clothes to fit in and not stand out, but there will be times when she feel like wearing dresses that seemed to come from fairytale stories. She has kept her flower crown just like Akari, but neither wore it much often anymore. Instead, they made a headband that has crystal flowers sewn onto them. Akari's was made out of light crystals while hers was made out of snow crystals. She walks on the fresh snow barefooted, feeling the soft surface on her feet.

She continued walking and didn't bother moving aside when three big boys are walking towards her, away from the beach. Instead, she pushed her way through them as they turned to glare at her.

"Hey, snob!" one boy dared to call her.

She stops to turn slowly and looked at the boy who called her out with cold, icy, and empty eyes.

"Ahh!" a voice screamed.

Julie and Akari heard the scream and head towards the sound. When they reached the scene, they saw a boy unconscious with two other boys who are shaking in fear. The same white flower petals are on the stairs.

"What is going on with Yuki?" Akari questioned in concern.

'No way... It can't be...' Julie started to realize what is going to happen.

"We have to hurry!" she exclaimed as she and Akari run down the stairs.

-Sea Cave-

In the sea cave, Shika was watching the scene in absolute delight.

She laughed, "Yes, it's almost complete. You're very close, Princess. Just go... Where the moon shines bright!"

"No, stop it!" Kyle shouted at the witch who is planning something really wicked. "You can't just forced her to wake up!"

"Watch me." she dared.

-Beach-

During their search, the girls called the other mermaids to help them. Although, Julie was hesitant on calling Lucia, but she called her anyway.

"Hello?" it was Rina's voice at the other end.

"Rina, something is wrong with Yuki. Are you with the others?" Julie asked.

"We're about to meet up soon." Rina answered.

"When you get to them, please meet with us at the beach." Julie requested.

"Alright... But why? What's wrong with Miyuki?" Rina questioned.

"You don't want to know." Julie told her as she hangs up on her cellphone.

Meanwhile, Miyuki continued walking to where the white moon shines best. Once she's there, she stops at the sight of the Doppleganger. Above the demon is a giant clock made out of magic that is suspended in the night sky.

The sea which turns into cold ice seemed to be crackling, "It's almost time, now come..."

Before she could take another step...

"Yuki!" Akari and Julie called out. The girls tried to grab her first, but the Doppleganger snatched her away from them.

"You." Julie now fully realize what Shika is planning.

"Julie!" the girls turned to see Lucia and the other mermaids have arrived.

The water demon laughed really insanely, "Welcome, Mermaid Princesses. What an honor to have you come to witness a wonderful event... And it starts with this lovely little girl."

"Well, don't count you luck, we're going to take Miyuki back!" Hanon exclaimed.

Shika's double laughed again, "It's too late for that, dear. Time is up." she points to the clock directly above her and Miyuki.

The light of the full moon started to shine on the clock as the large hand struck midnight.

Chime, Chime, Chime

"He, he, he, he, yes!" Shika's double yelled. "Let the ritual begin!"

"No!" Julie shouted.


I hope you enjoyed this chapter. What is going to happen to Miyuki? Remember to Favorite, Follow, and Comment. I'll try to update chapter 26 before the day ends, but I can't guarantee it. See you soon.