Before I start this, I thought I'd mention that this chapter will focus a lot less on the main trio (Kiri, Aryl, and Lexia) and start to branch out into the other characters. You could kind of see it coming in the last chapter, and in this one it'll become pretty obvious. This chapter'll be kind of slow too, but this'll be the last explanation chapter. The action'll pick up next chapter, I promise. Actually, if we're being technical, it picks up at the end of this chapter, though I didn't fit in everything I said I would.

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Madison's thoughts wandered as she rolled over in her sleeping bag. Kiri had dug the old sleeping bags she used to use while camping with Elik and a few other friends in the mountains out of the closet, and the girls had set them up in the living room, since Kiri's apartment was now accommodating many more people than it should have been. Lexia was asleep, snoring away, and Aryl had, at one point, escaped the room with her sleeping bag, claiming that even sleeping on the hardwood floor in Kiri's bedroom was better than trying to sleep while Lexia snored. Madison was starting to think she was right.

'Coco, I hope you're okay.' Madison thought to herself, wishing her thoughts could reach the yellow princess. She felt bad for abandoning her search for the girl, but at least she was pretty sure where the girl was now. Settling on her side, Madison clamped one hand over her ear, letting the one closer to the ground stay unclogged.

It was official. Madison would be getting no sleep that night.

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Sara ran a hand through her long orange hair as he stepped out of her bedroom. Her boyfriend smiled at her from the couch and Sara stepped over, kissing him on the top of his head.

"Is something wrong?" she asked him.

"I'm a little confused. You know how you mentioned that mermaids give off a different aura than normal humans?" he asked, looking up at her.

Sara nodded, "Mhmm." She said, "What about it?"

"Well, I can't exactly tell, but three of the kids in my class seem a little different." He said, trying to think of the best way to explain what he was trying to say.

"How about I just come by at lunch and talk to them?" Sara asked him.

"That's probably best." He nodded.

Sara giggled, "Anyway, I'd best be going. One of my students asked to meet with me before class started. See you later, Tarou."

Tarou Mitsuki smiled at his girlfriend, kissed her, and watched her leave, a frown appearing on his lips once she was gone.

"You haven't let go yet, have you, Sara?" Tarou spoke, quietly, knowing she couldn't hear him. "You can't change the past. Uya's gone, you can't change that. But until you let go of that, the next warrior princess can't be born. Stop holding onto the past, Sara." There was a pause, as Tarou sat back down on the couch with a sigh, "Now, if only I could say something like that to her face."

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Milli pushed off the ground just outside Tarou and Sara's house, flying above the orange idol princess, watching her.

'She's holding the topaz crystal.' Milli realized, surprised. 'But where's the topaz princess? And why do I have a feeing this is Jeredeau's fault?' She took a deep breath, starting a soft song, knowing that if Sara had any power of the topaz crystal in the bracelet on her wrist, the sound would reach her.

But the orange mermaid walked on, oblivious.

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However, not too far away, Kiri and Aryl weren't too lucky. At the sound of Milli's soft voice, Kiri tumbled out of bed, landing on Aryl, who, as stated earlier, had migrated to Kiri's bedroom floor to escape Lexia's snoring.

"Oww." Aryl cried, having been woken up sharply.

"Do you hear it?" Kiri asked her, scrambling off the half-asleep form of the amethyst mermaid.

Aryl listened, "Mmm." She replied, sleepily.

"Come on!" Kiri dragged her out of her sleeping bag. "We have to go see if we can find the source, remember?"

"Do we have to?" Aryl whined.

"Yes, now come on." Kiri transformed to her warrior form with a flash of light, and with a grumbled sigh, so did Aryl. The two flew out the window, looking around at the early morning skies for whoever was singing.

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Milli's eyes widened as she saw the two warrior mermaids coming towards her. She flew in the other direction, her long hair flying out behind her.

"There she is!" One of the two girls, Kiri, shouted.

"Eep." Milli muttered, trying to think of the easiest way to escape the girls. With a disgruntled sigh, she flew straight into a cloud, the cloud turning dark. She few through several clouds, hoping to lose the girls in the fogginess, but the only thing she really did cause was a lightning storm, which Milli knew she'd get bit in the butt for later.

Dammit, she was supposed to be hiding so Jeredeau wouldn't find her. A lightning storm did not quite accomplish that. 'They're not leaving! How can they still know where I am?' Milli thought to herself, worried. Suddenly, she slammed right into a man, and fell backwards surprised.

"Edur?" Milli asked, her eyes wide.

"Milli." Edur held out a hand to help her up. Milli took it.

"I can't stay." Milli said, "Two warrior princesses caught me, and I can't let them find me, and they're right there, and… who's she?" Milli asked, noticing Miriella standing there.

"Miriella." Edur said, "She's a warrior princess."

This momentary off subject topic gave Kiri and Aryl the opportunity to catch up, and soon the two girls were in a heaped pile on the… umm… "floor" of the cloud.

"Lots of visitors today." Edur muttered.

Miriella noticed Aryl's hair, and ran over, almost tripping herself halfway there, "Aryl?" she asked.

Aryl looked up, "Miriella!" Aryl shouted, pushing Kiri off of her and going to hug the girl. She ran right through her. "Well, that's odd."

"Oh, right, I'm still 'dreaming.'" Miriella sighed.

"That reminds me, I have to send you back in a few minutes." Edur said, "It's getting late."

Miriella sighed. "Where are you, Aryl?"

"Staying at Kiri's." Aryl said, gesturing to Kiri. "We got trapped out of Tokyo when the snowstorm hit."

Miriella glanced over at Edur, glaring at the ice spirit.

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Meanwhile, in the same cloud, Kiri approached Milli, "Who are you?" Kiri asked the girl.

"That's none of your concern." Milli answered. "I have to go."

She flew out of the cloud, hurridly, and as Kiri went to go after her, Edur stopped her with one arm.

"Just let her go. I'll answer your questions." Edur said. "Miriella, I must send you back."

"Fine, king of explanations and horrible timing." Miriella said.

Edur's eyes widened, "What?"

"It's a joke." Miriella said, "You know, meant to make you laugh?"

Edur blinked, "Well, it wasn't funny."

"Miri's never been funny." Aryl said, "She just thinks she is."

There was a pause, "Regardless…"

"Just send me back, I get it!" Miriella said. Edur concentrated, and Miriella vanished, probably waking up in her bed.

Aryl blinked. "Right. Well, I'm still tired, so, Kiri, whether you're coming with me or not, I'm going."

"I'll meet you back at the apartment." Kiri said.

"Okay." Aryl said, flying out of the cloud.

Kiri turned back to Edur. "You said you'd answer some questions?"

"Only a few." Edur said, "You can't stay long."

"Okay. Who was that?" Kiri asked.

"Milli, the spirit of lightning." Edur answered, without hesitation.

"Spirit of lightning?" Kiri questioned.

"Have Miriella explain it, there's not enough time for me to explain the entire thing again." Edur replied.

"Who are you?" Kiri shot.

"Edur, the spirit of ice, and your time just expired." Edur said.

"Alright, I'll go." Kiri said, "But I'm still not convinced." She said, flying out of the cloud without another word.

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Rayza climbed out of bed, yawning. Her eyes drifted over to the clock on the wall and she groaned as she remembered she was due at the airport to get on a flight home in three hours. She glanced at the window, and seeing no sign of Avira, she went into the bathroom to take a bath. She got two steps into the bathroom, when she was attacked, a slash across her back sending her flying into the bathroom wall.

She winced in pain as she pulled herself up, getting a good look at her enemy.

"Water demon…" Rayza muttered, throwing a hand into the air.

"Emerald!" she shouted, the bracelet on her wrist glowing and the emerald gem set inside of it transforming her to her warrior form.

Rayza always had been one for theatrics.

"Alright, then." Rayza smirked at the water demon as her transformation ended, "Come and get me, bitch."

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So, as I said earlier, I didn't end up putting everything in this chapter that I wanted to, but I'll put Luchia and Hanon in the next chapter, along with a new OC. Then, Avira still has to talk to Lexia.

Sorry for the wait on this, school's a bitch. Plus, my schedule just changed, and a whole bunch of other stuff.

Review? Please? My review count dropped again last chapter.

A-ny-way, hope you enjoyed! Drop me a line, and feel free to ask questions if you're confused! The next chapter should tie up the loose ends when it comes to OCs that haven't really been explained.

And sorry this was short! If I added more, it would seem like I was trying to drag the chapter on to make it longer, so I'll update again soon.