Morg: Heyo! I should really just stop saying that it has been a while…

Ikuto: Only because you would have to say it before every chapter you write.

Amu: True that.

Morg: That's why I said I wouldn't say it.

Ikuto: Then don't.

Amu: You can't really tell her what to do since she can't tell us what to do.

Morg: Yeah! Don't try to hold me down!

Ikuto: You are so lame.

~At the Water's Edge~

Once again in the one place he'd rather not be, Ikuto stood in front of his stepfather's desk. The man, though he called for the meeting, was ignoring him to finish some paperwork. Ikuto's patience was out before he'd ever step foot through the door. Making him wait like the man was doing was going to cause the young biologist to have a mental breakdown.

Mentally reminding himself over and over again that saying something harsh at this point in time could only make whatever was going to be taken away from him worse, Ikuto bit on his tongue. Not until the man he hated most finally sat back and put his pen down did Ikuto allow himself to actually breathe.

"What I'm about to tell you is nonnegotiable. Do you understand?"

The force of his teeth biting down on his tongue made the metallic taste of blood fill his mouth. Ikuto forced himself to nod.

"The king of the merpeople has requested that in order to alliance our two families and companies forever, you marry his daughter. I have agreed. You will do this."

Ikuto knew. He knew the moment he met that stupid fish that something he wasn't going to like was going to happen. "When?"

"You aren't going to argue?"

"You said I couldn't."

"There is apparently some sort of magical stone that the king has allowed his daughter and son to go find that has the power to turn a mermaid human and vice versa. When they bring the stone, you will be wed."

"Is that all?"

Nodding his head, Ikuto's stepfather allowed for the boy he was going to leave everything to, leave his office.

Ikuto was barely out of the building before his cellphone was ringing against his ear as he waited for Kukai to answer.

"What up?"

"That bastard is marrying me off to the mermaid princess if she can find that Tear. Did you read the book from Yaya?"

"Not yet, but hey, she has to find it, right? Maybe she won't."

Sliding into the driver's seat of his car, Ikuto frowned. "Maybe I won't let her get it first. Get the ship ready to sail. We're leaving port. The old man didn't say I had to stick around while the two royal brats searched."

"Two royal brats?"

"Yeah, he said that the prince was going along, which means that Amu is probably somehow involved. I'm not going to let that kiddy king do anything to my Amu."

Laughter filtered out of the speaker of Ikuto's phone as he turned down several roads. Kukai sounded more amused than he should, but Ikuto wasn't focused on that at the moment.

"Don't worry, Daichi and I will have the boat ready to sail before you get here."

Ikuto shifted his car into park. He jumped out without bothering to shut the vehicle off as he ran from it. "You better get the extra bedroom ready as well."

"Why?"

Ringing the doorbell, Ikuto stood back as he waited for the owner of the house to answer the door. "Because I'm bringing Yaya with us."

Yaya opened the door to find Ikuto hanging up his phone. "Ikuto-shi has come to visit Yaya so soon?"

Smirking, Ikuto pushed past the brown haired girl to enter her house. "Pack whatever you need, Yaya. We're going to be gone for a while."

XXX

Humming happily, Utau used her powerful tail to propel her down the hallways of her palace. Her father, the king, had just given her the thing she wanted most. That human boy would be hers if she had the Tear. The only other merperson she would rely on to help her get it was her younger brother. "Tadase!"

"What do you want?"

Pouting, Utau moved through her brother's room without invite to sit on a lounge. "Daddy granted my request. I'm going to go after the Tear."

Lifting his gaze up from the recent reports his guards had turned in about a certain pink haired mermaid, Tadase glared. "I told you not to talk to me about that."

Smirking, Utau knew that she needed her brother's help with her quest. "Fine, fine, but let me ask you this. How's your courtship with that freak going?"

"You better not be talking about Amu."

"Harsh, and if I was?"

"Get out."

Clicking her tongue against her teeth, Utau only leaned back more where she sat. "Too bad you don't have the power to make her bend to your will."

"I do!"

"Ha! Amu doesn't listen to Daddy! Why would she listen to you!? A fish like Amu needs to be taught her place. I know how you can do it."

Knowing that he was going to regret the question before it was ever out of his mouth, Tadase looked up at his sister. "How?"

"Come with me. We'll find the Tear. I'll get my human and you'll get Amu."

"It has that sort of power?"

"Of course."

Tadase sat in silence for a few moments. Everything else he'd tried so far had backfired on him. Amu was too good at dodging the men he sent to beat her, and she wouldn't see him as her savior. "On one condition."

Gleefully, Utau sat up. "Name it."

"We bring the nerd."

Laughing, Utau swam for the exit of her brother's room. "Done."

XXX

Kukai stood, Daichi on shoulder, waiting at the plank for Ikuto and Yaya to arrive. Their yacht was more than ready to go. Kukai had even taken the time to get groceries for their journey. There wasn't much that he could get considering he didn't know how long they'd be gone, but he did what he could.

The moment he saw the car pull up, the first mate-as he liked to call himself-rushed down the dock to help Yaya with whatever she was bringing. The sound of barking almost pulled him up short. "A dog?"

Ikuto glared at his friend as he moved past him with several bags and boxes already in hand. "Don't ask."

"But-"

"Just help her with the rest."

Kukai sighed before turning back to help Yaya with a few other boxes and bags. "What's all this?"

"Ikuto-shi didn't tell Yaya how long Yaya would be gone so Yaya brought everything!"

Realizing that most of what he carried was probably Yaya's mermaid related stuff, Kukai just grinned before taking his load back towards the boat. "You brought a dog?"

"Yaya couldn't leave Pepe! Pepe is Yaya's treasured Pomeranian!"

Daichi swirled through the air to land on Kukai's shoulder. "Don't worry, Yaya. I know exactly how you feel! I'd never leave Daichi behind. Let's get you on board so we can leave before someone tries to stop us."

Nodding her head with more vigor than she should have, Yaya grabbed her remaining luggage and pulled her little dog along with her towards the boat. "Kukai-san and Ikuto-shi don't have to worry about Pepe! Pepe has plenty of food and loves the sea!"

Grinning, Kukai just nodded as he helped Yaya onto their boat and made certain everything was ready for them to set sail. He let them loose from the pier before hurrying up to where Ikuto stood at the wheel. "We're ready."

Glancing back over his shoulder, Ikuto smirked at the land that they were already a good distance from. Several black cars sat with men rushing out only to stare at the leaving ship. "Looks like we made it just in time."

Slugging his best friend on the arm, Kukai grinned. "I've got something that I trained Daichi to do. Ready?"

Rolling his eyes, Ikuto nodded. "Let's get this over with."

Kukai couldn't help but chuckle as he moved towards the control panel and plucked out a small device that Ikuto's stepfather had installed in the boat himself. They were told that it wasn't ever allowed to leave the boat unless Ikuto wanted to lose his ship. "Daichi, return."

Ikuto felt a smile slowly form on his lips as the bird took the small tracking device and flew back towards where Ikuto could see the men his stepfather had sent were standing. The bird dropped it on their heads before squawking loudly and swooping back towards the yacht. "Brilliant."

Giving his little, feathery friend a cracker, Kukai just nodded. "I knew you'd like that! Let's sail!"

XXX

Amu was just about to go out for a swim when she was pushed back into her cave by one of her best friends. "Rima? What's-"

"Shhh! I had to swim as fast as I could straight here. Kusu-Kusu is helping me keep guard. I had to tell you right away."

An alarmed feeling slowly crept its way into Amu's chest. "What's wrong?"

"Princess Utau and Prince Tadase set out today on a quest. They're going after Mirene's Tear."

Golden eyes widening, Amu stared shocked at her friend. "Are you certain?"

"Kairi barely had time to tell me before they forced him to go along."

Amu moved further back from her friend as she ran a hand through her pink hair. "We have to stop them. There is a reason that Mirene's Tear is hidden. They could die."

Quickly nodding her head, Rima couldn't help but agree with her friend. Even if they didn't like the royal children so much, Kairi had been forced along and the journey was dangerous. "We need to find Nagihiko and try and stop them."

Amu caught herself nodding as she tried to figure out what she should do. "Do you know why they're going after it?"

Rima hesitated for only a moment. She knew of her friend's unacknowledged crush on the human boy she saved. This wasn't going to make her happy. "Princess Utau decreed that if she finds the Tear then she will marry the human you saved. He's the son of the man the king does business with."

As if the news couldn't have gotten any worse, Amu actually felt her mouth go dry-a very hard feat for someone who lived underwater. "A-and Tadase?"

"Power."

"He thinks the Tear will make him powerful? He's already the prince!"

"But he doesn't have you."

"What?"

"Think about it, Amu. You're the one that he's been after and you're the one he can't get. Why else would he go after it?"

Nodding her head though she still didn't want to believe it, Amu couldn't find a logical argument for her friend. "And they dragged Kairi along to show them the way."

"That boy has always been too smart for his own good. So what do we do?"

"Like you said, we get Nagihiko and we try and stop them."

"And if they won't be stopped?"

"Then we'll have to get the Tear first so they can't do anything stupid with it."

Rima grinned at her friend just as her clown fish darted into the cave. "Kusu says that guards are coming. We have to go."

Amu motioned for her friend to follow as her fish gathered around her flowing pink hair. "Don't worry, I have a second exit."

As they snuck out of Amu's cave, Rima couldn't help but worry. "How are we going to find Nagi?"

Smiling, Amu gave her friend a pat on her shoulder. "I won't have any problem with that."

Grinning, Rima knew she had made a good choice the day she became friends with Amu. This was turning out to be one heck of an adventure.

.

Morg: So a couple of character introductions. You met Pepe, Kusu-Kusu and Kairi was referenced even if he wasn't in the scene.

Ikuto: Whatever.

Amu: Don't be sour because you have to marry Utau.

Morg: That's never going to happen.

Ikuto: Better not. The chick is my sister.

Amu: But not in this story.

Morg: Anyways! The plot is moving! Hold onto your seats! Let's get ready to ride! Enjoy~