Morg: Heyo! For those of you who knew this was coming, thanks for waiting and I'm sorry I'm a day late!

Ikuto: Whatever, they don't care.

Amu: I'm sure someone, somewhere might possibly, just a little bit, care.

Morg: Thanks for the support, guys.

Ikuto: Welcome!

Amu: Not like we have to. You don't own us.

~At the Water's Edge~

It wasn't like Kukai hated reading. In fact, he quite enjoyed turning the pages of a good book. Just not every freaking waking moment of his day. Three days after they'd left Yaya's house with books in tow, they were still reading. Ikuto had planned to see his father rather quickly to settle matters with him, but he kept putting it off to read more.

Not that Kukai minded that his friend was doing so. The stalling just allowed for Ikuto to not go charging into his stepfather's office with guns a blazing, causing some more trouble. They didn't need any more trouble.

In fact, the more time Ikuto spent putting off the visit the better. His stepfather rarely called for him as it was. Usually Ikuto only ended up losing freedoms and having to go on trips because he'd been the one to go to the older man. Kukai had seen the pattern, but hadn't said anything due to the fact that he was certain Ikuto wouldn't like it being pointed out. His friend was well aware of it anyhow.

Closing his book, Kukai rubbed his sore eyes and wished he was done. Daichi sat perched on the table next to him, cocking his head as if asking what the human was doing. Chuckling, Kukai scratched the feathers on the bird's head before giving his little friend a cracker. "I'm just taking a short break. My brain is turning to mush."

A rather loud squawk was heard. Kukai took it as a form of approval.

Ikuto put down the last book he had to read just as Kukai's stupid bird decided to be noisy. Sighing, he rubbed the bridge between his eyes before pushing up and out of his chair to make his way to the kitchen for something to eat. Kukai was already there when Ikuto got there.

"Hey man, you taking a break too?"

"No, I finished."

Kukai groaned internally upon hearing that. This meant that Ikuto had no more reasons to put off going to see his stepfather. Something was sure to happen and they would be either given a new deadline as to when their little experiments would be over or Ikuto would have to leave again for another trip. "So what are you going to do now?"

Noticing the hesitation in the question, Ikuto got out the things he needed to make a sandwich. "Eat a sandwich."

"That's not what I meant and you know it."

"I might."

"You do."

"I said I might."

"I know you do."

Releasing another sigh, Ikuto finished putting the mayonnaise on his bread before adding the cheese, meat, lettuce and tomato. One squirt of mustard and he was ready for his mini meal. "I haven't decided yet. I'm sure that Yaya would like her books back relatively soon, which makes me wonder why you aren't reading. Aren't you two books behind me? Though I know I need to go and confront that man, I don't really want to at the moment."

Kukai grinned at his friend before sipping a drink from his coke. "Right, glad to hear that you have some sense in that head of yours. You don't have to worry about going to see him. Just don't go to see him when you're angry."

"I get it, Kukai. I know not to do anything stupid. I'm just going to ask him some other questions and try to work mermaids into the mix and see if I get a reaction."

"Okay, so what is your reason for going?"

"I just told you. Weren't you listening?"

"I know your real reason, but what are you going to tell your dad? You know the first words out of his mouth are going to be 'what is it this time'."

Ikuto fell silent at that. He was well aware that if he went to see his father then he'd have to have another reason for going to see him. "I don't know. Maybe I'll just make something up when I get there."

Rolling his eyes, Kukai downed the rest of his drink before offering his arm to his bird. "Yeah, because that is the best plan ever made. Think about it some more before you go. I don't want to be stuck here alone for another month with nothing to do."

"You have Daichi now, why are you complaining?"

"He is awesome."

The bird chimed in his agreement.

XXX

Standing in front of the door to the man's office, Ikuto hesitated. There was a good chance that he was sending himself to his grave by coming here, but he just had to have some more answers. Especially if he ever wanted to see Amu again. Besides, his stepfather was letting him dive. There was no way it would've remained a secret forever anyways.

The door opened before Ikuto had a chance to knock. His mother slipped past him without actually looking at him. Her eyes seemed dull and slightly unfocused when he caught a glimpse of her impassive face. Just another reason Ikuto hated his stepfather.

"What is it this time, Ikuto?"

Turning back to the open doorway, Ikuto decided that Kukai knew too much for his own good. "Just wanted to talk to you quick. I found a sunken ship not too far off the coast and was wondering if you've lost any ships recently."

Almost as if he was taken aback by surprise, Ikuto's stepfather shuffled some papers on his desk before looking up at the boy who would take over his company. "You found a ship while diving?"

"Yes, the ship was too far away for me to get a good look at it, but I want to go back and I was just wondering if there was anything you might need or want off of it."

Moving some more papers, the older man finally answered the unasked question. "I don't want you to go explore it."

"Why not?"

"Just listen to what I say, Ikuto."

"Give me a good reason first, dad."

Sighing, the older man wiped at his forehead with one of his hands before fixing his stepson with a stern gaze. "Because I haven't lost any ships recently and I don't want something to happen while you're down there."

"Oh please, I'll be careful and it isn't like the fish are going to do anything to me."

"There are other things in the waters besides fish, Ikuto."

Scoffing, Ikuto's heart began to race. Was this idiot really about to tell him what he really wanted to know? "You know, I could just go and not tell you."

"You know I would find out anyways. Maybe you don't need to keep doing what you want until you're twenty. I should start having you run part of the company now."

Frowning, Ikuto decided to give up this small matter. He and Kukai had already gone back and explored the ship anyhow. He wasn't really there for that. "I get it."

"Good. Now, I do have a meeting that I need to go to in the next couple of days and since you have started diving I suppose it is time for you to come along. I expect you there. I'll email you the details later."

Groaning internally, Ikuto counted the visit as a complete waste of time. The old man had hinted towards there being something besides fish in the waters but said nothing more than that and now Ikuto had to go to some meeting. Great. Just great. Kukai was going to love this. "Whatever."

XXX

Somehow he'd managed to get himself stuck in another stupid meeting with his stepfather. The worst part was, Ikuto didn't even know who the meeting was with or what it was about. The only information he'd received was where to be and what to wear. Knowing the consequences of not complying, Ikuto followed the instructions and was ready when he was picked up.

Having been to meetings before, Ikuto was rather surprised when they boarded a ship and left port. "You aren't taking me off on another trip, are you? That wasn't part of the deal."

"Relax, we aren't going that far out to sea."

Rolling his eyes without the older man being able to see, Ikuto did the opposite of relax. There was no one to have a meeting with out at sea. No one except…

"We're almost there. Now, you better behave yourself, Ikuto or I really will take everything away from you."

That being said, his stepfather moved towards the edge of the ship and looked down over the railing. He motioned for Ikuto to join him, which he did. Staring out at the water, Ikuto waited for something to happen. Part of him was convinced he already knew what was coming while the other part of him was telling him he was wrong. Oh how he hoped he was right.

"Behave."

That was the last word said to Ikuto as several heads rose out of the water. "Hello Kazuomi."

"Your majesty. I want to introduce my stepson and future leader of my industry, Tsukiyomi Ikuto."

Ikuto didn't know what to do. From the way his stepfather had addressed the half man half fish in the water, the older looking merman was a king. "It is nice to meet you, sir."

The older merman looked up at Ikuto with deep seeing eyes. They just stared at one another for several moments before a new voice cut into the conversation. "Father, you must have business to attend to and I'm sure Ikuto has some questions. Why don't you allow me to speak with him while you talk with Kazuomi-san?"

Ikuto let his eyes switch from the king to the blonde mermaid beside him. Her long pigtails floated out into the water around her. She looked quite beautiful, though not as beautiful as his Amu.

The king didn't so much as look at his daughter. "Do as you wish, Utau."

Utau giggled as she motioned for Ikuto to follow her along to railing to give the other two men some space to talk. There was only about ten feet between her and the human she'd seen before. "I'm Utau. It is nice to meet you, Ikuto."

"Yes, right. Nice to meet you too."

Giggling again, Utau flipped her tail up so that Ikuto would be able to see it from where he was. She was gorgeous and she knew it. No one could refuse her. Not even this human and she wanted him. "So you will be taking over? That sounds like fun. I'll rule the kingdom as well. Sounds like we'll be working together in the future."

So mermaids were just like human girls, eh? Slutty. "I don't want to, but I don't have a choice."

Scrunching her face up into her cutest pout, Utau fluttered her lashes at Ikuto. "Why not? Don't you just love the sea?"

"I would live in it if I could, but I don't like the way my stepfather runs his business."

Utau frowned a little but masked it in a look of confusion. Ikuto didn't seem to be reacting to her at all. "But the way he runs his company keeps us safe. This way no one knows that we are here and we help to protect the ships from the other creatures in the seas."

Ikuto was intrigued to know that there were other things besides merpeople out there, however, he didn't want to hear it from some slutty fish girl as she hit on him. "That isn't what I was talking about. Things will change once I take over. I can guarantee that."

"Ikuto, it is time for us to go. Please come and say goodbye to the king."

Ikuto made his way back over to his stepfather and did as he was asked. Once the king returned the parting, he returned to the water. Utau gave one last flip of her tail and a smile before she followed after her father. Ikuto was glad that the meeting was over. At least now he could get some information from his old man.

Kazuomi turned to his stepson to see him still staring at the water. "Whatever you want to ask, save it for another time."

With that they returned to land.

.

Morg: So Utau and Ikuto officially meet! I'm so excited that this story is moving along so well!

Ikuto: You say that and yet I see very little Amuto happening.

Amu: So what? Amuto isn't what makes the story good.

Morg: Lies!

Ikuto: You'll have to be punished for saying that.

Amu: The readers will agree with me!

Morg: More lies!

Ikuto: You are so naughty, Amu.