Chappy 6! A special thanks to Mo12341234, Awesome Rapidash, xXSakuraBlossomXx for reviewing my last chapter.

Disclaimer: I only own my OCs, the plot, and everything that is NOT mermaid melody.

Chapter 6

The Book of Lost Secrets

Akira had stayed at the Mermaid Academy for more than a week, gaining more knowledge, friends, and hatred from Sakura, Franchesca, and Jasmine. She occasionally missed her parents and friends, but wrote two letters to them. Classes were a little harder now, but still doable. Akira and the others participated in many activities, ranging from underwater volleyball to swim racing. Defense Skills was now her favorite class, where she got to trip Sakura during explanations. Her time right now was almost perfect.

"Today we are going to learn the history of mermaids and sea demons," Rina said, one day in history class. "Please turn to chapter 4 in your textbooks." Everyone turned to the right page and waited. "We will read together, and I will call on random mermaids. If you don't respond immediately, then you will be the last to leave. Got it?"

"Yes Ms. Toin," the class chanted.

"Good, Kristinia {1}, please read first," Rina told the mermaid with dark chocolate colored hair. She was the auburn mermaid princesses, and was the top student in the class, closely followed by Akira. Kristinia nodded and started to read.

"At the time of the original 7 mermaids, all of them used their voice as a defense against sea demons," Kristinia started. "But after a while, their voice was no use anymore. {2} Aqua Regina, the original ocean goddess, had no more powers and diminished, being reborn to her successor, Aquamarine, our current ocean goddess. Aquamarine, knowing that the mermaid princesses' voices, could no longer defeat the demons, gave them new powers, which are using weapons. The secondary mermaids, which is all of us, were also given powers to protect the oceans and seas and to help the original mermaids."

"Thank you Kristinia," Rina cut her off. "Before we continue reading, I may have to make a clarification. Everyone may think that I still have my powers of using weapons right?"The mermaids nodded slowly. "Every mermaid, either secondary or original, will loose their powers when they reach the age of 25. You teachers Ms. Nanami, Ms. Hosho, Ms. Nakamura, Ms. Mikazuki, Noel-san, and myself have lost our powers. And have given them to any of you mermaids." The mermaids started whispering, hoping they had the original mermaids' powers. "Ms. Itami, on the other hand, is younger than the rest of the teachers, so she still has her powers." Rina glanced at the wall clock.

"New plan. Please read the rest of chapter 4, and answer questions 1-5 at the end for homework. This is due tomorrow and should be done in your notebook. Everyone, please clear your desks except for a seaweed pen."

"I wonder what this is about," a mermaid whispered. Everyone sat quietly.

"This next material should never be discussed with anyone else," Rina strictly said. "Not with family, friends, humans, and especially anyone that you don't know." Rina held up a scroll with tiny writing on it. Akira squinted her eyes. She saw the faint words of, 'Contract of the Book of Lost Secrets.'

"Wonder what that is," the white mermaid thought.

"I will pass this scroll around and everyone should sign in their neatest script writing, which I'm sure you've been practicing in handwriting and lettering skills, at the bottom where the blank area is. Please read through this carefully, but quickly. We don't have much time." As the green mermaid princess was talking, she kept glancing at the windows, as if she was looking for something. She passed it to the first person in the first row. The mermaid quickly read the scroll, scribbled her name, and passed it onto the next mermaid. Akira quickly skimmed through it.

The Contract of the Book of Lost Secrets

All mermaids, or whoever, signs this scroll will promise not to discuss the purposes of the book of lost secrets to anyone, unless the mermaid or person knows of this matter. If they shall break this rule, they will be punished by receiving detention during lunch at Madame Amaya's office for the rest of the semester, will not be allowed to attend the End of the Semester Ball, and will have extra homework from every class.

Akira signed it, although it came out a little wobbly, due to her nervousness, under all of the other mermaids' names. What if her big mouth spilled everything about it? She handed it to the next mermaid.

After all of the princesses signed it, Rina took it and stored it in one of the drawers in her desk. She waited for a while until she took out a very big, very dusty, very old, and very heavy book. Rina dusted it off and some golden words were visible.

The Mermaids' Book of Lost Secrets

"This is the reason everyone of you, I hope, signed the contract," Rina explained. "This is the Mermaids' Book of Lost Secrets. This book contains every single secret of our powers, our life, how everything came to be, and more. If this book gets into the wrong hands, then all of our secrets will be spilled, and our race could be destroyed. That's why we have to protect it so carefully. This book is held in the highest system of protection in our library. It will be on display for anyone who is interested to see it after dinner." Suddenly, a door opened and an older mermaid with strawberry blond hair swam in and Rina gave the book to her. Akira could slightly hear Rina say, "Arigato Madame Shizuko." {3}The mermaid bowed and left the room.

"That was Madame Shizuko, our librarian, for anyone who didn't know," the green mermaid told everyone. The bell rang and the mermaids waited for dismissal.

"You are dismissed, and don't forget about the rule," Rina called. Akira swam quickly out. Kristinia tapped her on the back.

"What do you think about the rule?" she asked. "I think it's useless, you know? It's just so tempting to blurt everything out!"

"Yeah," the white mermaid meekly replied. It was very strange to her. Kristinia usually never talked to her.

"Well, see you later!" Kristinia cheerfully swam away with a wry smile. Akira stared at her. Maryssa came up from behind and waved her hand in front of Akira's face.

"Hello, spacing out?" she asked. "Come on, I don't to be late for painting! You know it's my favorite class! And Noel-san is so nice!"

"Sorry, I was just deep in thought." The two mermaids headed towards their next class.

Throughout the day, Akira couldn't stop thinking about the book and how harsh the consequences would be.

"Hey, has any of you seen Maryssa?" asked Victoria during dinner.

"Nope, but I think she's sitting with Kristinia," replied Natalie, taking a bite of the smoked salmon.

"Kristinia Delrosso?" asked Hanna. "The auburn mermaid of the Kara Sea? Isn't she the best at mermaid history?"

"Yeah, but she's not that great," Annika replied. "Our kingdoms are pretty close together. The Sea of Okhotsk, the Kara Sea, Barents Sea, the Laptev Sea, the East Siberian Sea, the Bering Sea, and the Chuckchi Sea are the seven seas that surround Russia. Every year, we have a celebration of peace. I've met Kristinia. She may seem innocent and nice, but she's really mean though. Kristinia used to be nice, but I think something has changed her. A few years ago, she all of a sudden just turned like, evil!"

"Like Sakura?" asked Katatsu.

"Sort of, but she doesn't really show her meanness," the scarlet mermaid answered. "And she probably was ALWAYS evil. Kristinia lets it all go on you, but when you try to tell an adult, no one believes you. It's not just me. She did it to the other mermaid princesses as well. One time she spilled clam juice on my dress, which can't be washed off, and said that I was just clumsy like that. My mom got really angry, because she said it was a one of a kind dress made by my grandmother, who is a really good dress maker."

"Really?" exclaimed the peach princess. "She's really nice to me in etiquette class. Kristinia helps me with my hair."

"Don't trust her," Annika said. Natalie glanced at Akira, who was staying quiet the whole time.

"Are you okay?" silver haired mermaid asked. "You've been really quiet."

"Yeah, I'm just thinking a lot about something," Akira replied.

"Well if you don't want to talk about with a lot of people around, you can tell us at the library later," Victoria told her.

"Yeah, we're going to see the Mermaids' Book of Lost Secrets!" exclaimed Katatsu. Akira nodded slowly. Then her eyes opened wide. The Mermaids' Book of Lost Secrets? That's what she wanted to avoid!

I can't disappoint my friends. I'll just go along.

After a while, Madame Amaya dismissed them and the group of friends headed towards the large marble building.

"I've never been to the library before!" exclaimed Katatsu.

"It's a nice place," Natalie told her. "I've been there once. There are thousands of books and really comfortable seats."

"Book nerd," Victoria teasingly whispered.

"Hey I heard that!" Natalie retorted. "Reading is good for you! It helps calm you down and you can find your inner place! Unlike you have a really fast metabolism and a short attention span!"

"At least I pass school!" the gold mermaid hissed. "It's not my fault I can't stay still! I can barely sit down during class! And it's definitely not my fault that whenever I focus on something too long my head hurts!"

"Hey guys, no time to argue right now!" informed Hanna. "There will probably be thousands of mermaids crowding around the book! I want a good look at it."

"I will if she will," muttered Natalie.

"As well as I," her twin growled.

They opened the glass doors to find many mermaids surrounding a tall case. Akira, Natalie, Victoria, Katatsu, Hanna, and Annika crowded with them. Annika noticed Sakura, Franchesca, and Jasmine was there as well.

"Why do they want to see this?" Akira thought.

"Sc' use me, pardon me, I WANNA SEE!" shouted Katatsu. She pushed through the crowd and got herself and everyone else in front of the case.

"Wow it's old," Victoria commented.

"You mean it's GOLD," corrected Natalie. "I'm pretty sure that the print is made out of pure real gold!"

"Well that's a shame to put it to waste!" Victoria exclaimed silently. "All that gold could make me 50 more tiaras!"

"Selfish," Natalie thought.

"Ahhh, sisterly love," joked Annika.

Akira stared at the book. Natalie was right. It was beautiful, excluding the dust part.

What secrets are in there? How to defeat all evil? Well, me, Liana, and Layla already did that, but could there have been an easier way?

Katatsu rolled her eyes at the dumbstruck Akira and pulled her and the rest of them aside and she sat her down onto one of the chairs. Everyone sat as well.

"What's wrong with you?" asked the indigo mermaid princess, rather loudly. "You look like you got your eyes pulled opened from some kind of machine!"

"Sorry to worry you, I'm just really worried," replied Akira.

"About what?"

"Well, the book," Akira answered. "I'm afraid that I'm going to open my big mouth and spill out about what's inside it."

"You don't even know what's inside it though," reminded Annika.

"Yeah, but Ms. Toin told everyone that there was every single secret about us. Our powers, how everything came to be, probably even how to wipe us out! And if that temps someone, then they'll try to steal the book and it'll be my fault!"

"You worry too much," Victoria sighed.

"I agree with Victoria," Natalie nodded. For once."If that even happens to you, which I don't think it will, they'll probably bring this to court or something.

"Yeah Akira," agreed Hanna. "Don't worry."

"Yeah, turn that frown upside down!" Katatsu exclaimed. "Or right-side up!"

"Thanks guys, for your support," Akira smiled. "But there's something else." Everyone's eyes and ears were on the white mermaid. "Kristinia was talking to me about the book, and how the rules are so lame. I don't think that's how a princess is supposed to act, and she never talks to me. Why now?"

"Don't know," shrugged Victoria.

"But probably up to something," said Annika suspiciously.

"Okay princesses, it's time to go back to your dorm houses!" called Madame Shizuko. "You may see the book tomorrow at this same time." The mermaids started to leave the library. Akira and the others were the last to leave.

"See you tomorrow guys!" Annika and Katatsu smiled. They swam towards their dorm house. The rest of the mermaids started to swim towards the Victoria dorm house. Akira quickly glanced back at the library. It was now dark, but she could slightly see the figure of to mermaids rushing out holding something.

Hrm, strange.

~.~.~.~.~.~.The Next Day.~.~.~.~.~.~

The dining room was bustling with chatting mermaids as usual.

"So how are you feeling?" asked Katatsu.

"Better," Akira replied, smiling. "You guys were right, nothing to worry about." Suddenly, the doors of the dining hall burst open and a panting mermaid with strawberry blonde hair and a pink tail rushed in. Madame Amaya turned around from where she was talking to the mermaid waitresses.

"What's wrong Madame Shizuko?" asked Madame Amaya. The mermaid took a long time to rest and cleared her throat. She looked like she was going to faint.

"The book," the librarian started. "The Mermaids' Book of Lost Secrets, it's, it's, IT'S MISSING!"

Ahahaha, cliffy! My longest chapter! And it didn't take long. Probably just my laziness of doing anything else has made me update this...

{1}{3} I added them to the character list.

{2} I have an idea that after college, the original mermaids become the teachers of the Mermaid Academy, so they are in their early to late 20s and 30s. I count Seira (in pure), as seven years old. Lucia, Rina, and Hanon were like 15 years old. I'm estimating that Seira is like 21 years old (just out of college) and Lucia, Rina, and Hanon are 29 years old. Caren and Noel are a few years older than them, so they're like about 32-35 years old, and Coco was about the same age as Sara (I think), or younger, so she's like 35-39 years old. If you're wondering, they're (except for Seira) are married, but the mermaid just use 'Ms.'

Don't be afraid to give me your suggestions, opinion, or anything else about my story. Just PM it to me please.

REVIEWS!!! I NEED REVIEWS!!! Arigato!~

Sneak Peak of the Next Chapter: (First time I'm doing this!)

"I know who did it, Akira did!" Sakura blurted out. Madame Amaya's eyes raised to Akira."I saw her, she was the closest one out of her little group to the book! I know she stole it! It has to be her!"

"It wasn't me, I swear!" Akira stuttered. "She's lying! I would never do a thing!"

"Yeah, I'm Akira's cousin and I know she would never do such a thing!" Hanna retorted.

"Lies!" Sakura screamed.

"Calm down princesses, Akira, you won't be accused of it for now, but we will have to keep an eye on you and your friends," Madame Amaya sighed. Akira's hands turned sweaty. She couldn't be accused! She couldn't receive the punishment, or worse!

Also, if you would like to hear the spoiler (I doubt anyone would), then tell me your the review. If anyone is wondering, then there'll probably be more chapters than my other story, but I'm not sure.

And I need someone who is good at math. I don't know how long each class should be. Their day starts at 8:00 am (time they go to breakfast) and ends at 9:30 pm (when they have to go to sleep). They have 10 periods, and home room should be 5 minutes long. Each class has to be the same length long and they need to have at least 1 or 2 hours before their bedtime, so they can socialize, do activities, and other stuff. Breakfast and dinner should be like half an hour. I would do it by myself, except I'm lazy, and I can't really figure it out. If anyone can help me, I'd be really grateful! Tell me in a PM or your review.

~Akira