Morg: Heyo! I am really enjoying writing this mermaid fic.

Ikuto: I could be enjoying it more.

Amu: I don't know how you function. I mean, how do people even stand being around you?

Morg: Isn't that a bit harsh?

Ikuto: Naw, she just wants to keep me for herself.

Amu: Be glad that Morg doesn't own us or I'd get her to do something you don't want.

Morg: Kinky.

Ikuto: I don't know if that's possible.

Amu: I'm surrounded by perverts.

~At the Water's Edge~

After stopping Yaya from diving off the side of the boat and promising the girl that they would definitely save her Kairi-koi, Ikuto took a second to just look at the two mermaids and the merman sitting in the water looking back up at him. They were going to travel together, which meant that the three half fish people had to somehow get on his yacht so they could go. He might have gotten Yaya to calm down for the time being but the chick was seriously mental. There was no telling when she and her little dog would try to jump again.

Knowing that his first mate wouldn't be much help, Ikuto looked to the water to see the three faces looking back at him showing amusement. Stupid half fish people judging him and his friends. "How about we convene on shore and figure out a plan. From there we'll hit the waves."

Amu gave a small smile before heading for the beach where she'd been napping earlier. Her fatigue was still there despite her current rush of adrenaline powering her at the moment. "We'll wait for you there."

"Kukai, get out the dingy!"

The brown haired boy rushed to do as Ikuto instructed while Yaya collapsed onto the deck of the ship in a fit of giggles. Ikuto just decided it was better if he didn't know what she was laughing about.

Finished with his task, Kukai sent Dachi ahead to the island to wait for him there. The bird needed a reason to stretch his wings. "Come on, Ikuto, Yaya and Pepe. Let's get this boat on the water and go talk with some fishies."

Maybe the three merpeople had the right to judge him. Ikuto had weird traveling companions. "I would ask you two to be normal but I'm almost afraid to know what that would be like."

Scratching the back of his head, Kukai simply shrugged at his friend. Ikuto was a tough one to understand at times. "You ready?"

Climbing aboard the smaller boat, Ikuto nodded before he suddenly found himself with a lap full of Pomeranian. Yaya had decided that the best way to get her beloved Pepe onto the boat was by throwing her to Ikuto without warning the boy first. "Yaya!"

"Coming!"

Rolling his eyes, Ikuto dumped the little dog into the bottom of the boat. The thing definitely needed the chance to run around the island for a bit. Yaya had been right in saying that her dog was well trained, but Ikuto was sure that the dog was ready for some grass and not those pad things that Yaya put out for her. "Let's go."

Starting the small motor on the inflatable boat, Kukai steered them towards the beach where the merpeople were waiting for them. He was looking forward to getting to properly meet the merpeople he was hearing and learning so much about. "Aye, aye Captain!"

Maybe the dog wasn't the only one that needed to get off the boat for a bit. "Just get us there, Kukai."

Ikuto hadn't meant that the other needed to speed them up to the point where the small boat was flying off the top of the water as it hit the waves. They weren't even that far from the island to begin with and yet Ikuto found himself wishing he'd just tried to swim instead. Once they were finally on the beach-Yaya laughed like a maniac the entire way-Ikuto let himself catch his breath so he wouldn't look like an idiot in front of Amu. "So, who's got an idea for how to get you three on the boat?"

The other five just stared back at Ikuto, which meant that no one had thought about it yet. "Okay then, let's think about this. You have no feet so you can't climb the ladder, unless you all have amazing upper body strength. If that's the case then you can pull yourselves up with your arms alone."

When no one said anything, Ikuto simply cleared his throat and continued. "Let's just assume that you can't do that. I have a tank in the bottom of the yacht that can hold about fifty gallons and recycles the water as we move, but I don't think any of you would fit in there."

Deciding that she'd give Ikuto a bit of a break, Amu smiled at the boat captain. "I think the tank would be perfect for our companion fish. We can't leave them behind. As for getting on the boat, well, you said that we can't climb the ladder, but you can. What if I just wrap my arms around your shoulders and you carry both of us up?"

The thought of having Amu pressed against him in any way had Ikuto agreeing without thinking about whether or not he'd be able to hold both their weight. "Okay, so we'll get the three of you on that way. How do we keep you wet?"

Raising his hand, Kukai decided to share his idea. "We have those hoses from when I clean the boat, Ikuto. We could hook those up to the sink and spray them whenever they need it."

Switching her gaze from one human to the next, Rima could hardly believe that Amu, levelheaded Amu, trusted these people. They seemed a bit dim or slow witted. Thank the heavens that her Nagi was smart. "So we're getting a ride. What else needs to happen before we can go?"

Rubbing the back of his head, Kukai sent his best grin towards the blonde with a tail. "We just need to check around and see if the island has anything we can use for supplies."

Intrigued, Amu cocked her head as she looked over to Ikuto. "What do you guys need?"

"We have a filter system that can take ocean water and make it drinkable but it doesn't work as fast as we need it to. It takes out a lot of power from the engine to make the machine run. We'd be able to go faster if we could find a stream or something to get water that we'd just have to filter."

"I can filter it for you."

"I don't think you should be using your powers so quickly, Amu."

"Rima, I'm not doing anything major. I'm just pulling the salt from the water. I could do that in my sleep. Besides, I'm feeling better already."

Furrowing his eyebrows, Ikuto looked over at the blonde that looked entirely too concerned about Amu for something to have not have happened to the pinkette. "What happened?"

"Nothing."

Rima refused to not tell the humans they were about to get involved with about what made Amu so tired. Maybe they'd respect the ocean a little more if they could understand. "Amu fought off a sea monster when it tried to attack the ship that Nagi was guarding. She fought it back so that the captain of the guards would let Nagi come with us. Amu used too much power. She was resting here on the beach when you guys came."

"She's making it sound worse than it was."

Deciding that he needed to be on his wife's side, Nagihiko shook his head. "She's telling it right, Amu. You fought off a monster and needed to rest. That's the reason you're so eager to get a ride from Ikuto and his friends. You don't want us to get held back because of you. Are you sure we can trust them? They are humans."

Rolling her eyes, Amu turned to give Ikuto a small smile. "Of course I trust Ikuto. He's been nothing but my friend. Besides, our goals are similar. We both want the same thing. To get the Tear so Utau can't use it."

Ikuto couldn't help but return the grin directed at him. "If you want to use my boat to rest then it is fully open for your use. Kukai, let's get searching this island so we can be on our way."

Jumping to his feet, Kukai let out a scratchy sounding caw to call Dachi to him so they could go explore a bit of the small island. There wasn't much land to cover, but Kukai was ready to stretch his legs. "You little fishes wait here. We won't be long."

Amu couldn't help but laugh as Rima muttered that they had nowhere else to go.

"Yaya would like to know if Amu-chi is going to rescue Kairi-koi."

Turning to the girl that had managed to remain quiet despite the ruckus she'd made on the boat earlier, Amu gave another small smile as her weariness crept up on her again. "Of course, Yaya. Kairi-san is our friend as well. We wouldn't let anything happen to him. I'll fight a hundred monsters to keep him safe."

Grinning at the mermaid she'd heard so much about, Yaya couldn't help but hug the half human half fish girl before her. "Yaya wants to say thanks to Amu-chi!"

Laughing, Amu allowed herself to be hugged before she pulled away. "We'll definitely get him back."

The trip around the island didn't take too long for the two males and the bird. They didn't find much, though Kukai managed to snag some coconuts. The merpeople were a little skeptic of the fruit despite the brown haired boy assuring them that it was delicious. Soon enough, Ikuto and Kukai had the three merpeople on the deck of the ship-carrying Amu up had been just as pleasant as he'd been hoping-and they were ready to sail.

Standing at the wheel, Ikuto looked down at the pink haired mermaid sunny her tail on his boat. "Which way do we go?"
Looking over the railing and off into the distance, Amu raised her hand to point in a direction other from the way she was looking. "We go that way."

"How do you know?"

Ikuto threw Kukai a looking for doubting Amu, but the other boy wasn't looking back at him.

"I know it is that way because I can feel the Tear. I can always feel it."

Ikuto decided that the time to ask Amu about the Tear would have to wait for when the girl didn't look like she was going to fall asleep if she spoke too many more words. "Get some sleep, Amu. We'll head that way. The course is set. We'll get you there before the princess and prince."

Drawing her eyes away from the horizon, Amu glanced up to see Ikuto looking down at her. The pinkette couldn't help but be grateful to the human that she saved. Her decision that day had definitely been a good one. "The little ones are safe in your tank. We're ready so let's not delay."

Nodding, Ikuto put the boat into motion, keeping his eye towards where Amu had indicated they should go. He finally had a guide and they were going to stop that mermaid princess from forcing him into a marriage that only his stepfather wanted. They could not fail.

XXX

Tadase couldn't help but feel a bit doubtful as they swam through the pillars of rock. The place looked quite ominous to the young prince. "Are you certain that this is the way, Kairi?"

"That's what the maps indicate."

Flicking her tail so they could keep heading the way their guide told them to, Utau pushed herself forwards. There was no way they wouldn't succeed in their quest. She would get the Tear and then she would get Ikuto. "For your sake, I hope you're maps are right."

Kairi could only wish he was back at the castle, occasionally sneaking out to see that lively human girl. "Me too."

.

Morg: So yeah, things are moving along.

Ikuto: Amu is my prisoner now.

Amu: I'm riding on your boat. I could leave at any time.

Morg: Too bad she's a fish and you're human.

Ikuto: We could make it work.

Amu: I don't want to know what you're thinking.