Thanks to VenusUnchained for help with plotting and detail.

Chapter 2: Taking Initiative

The angel used his wings to propel himself forward.

Ai held out a hand "Wait, where are you going? Kǎi."

At the mention of his name, Kǎi stopped and turned his head "At this moment, many human souls are unable to move on much like that of my charge. I must find as many human bodies as I can and free their souls."

"I'll help." Ai clapped a hand over her mouth as soon as the words left her mouth. What was she saying?

She knew that the situation with Kǎi's charge was complicated, but she still couldn't help but feel a slight sting of guilt.

Kǎi lowered his brows "Did you mean what you said?"

"Yes! Yes, I really meant what I said. I'll help you. I can't pull out souls like you can, but I can help you gather as many human bodies as you need. I'll even call my friends to help."

Ai was embarrassed at herself. She couldn't believe that she rambled on like that. After a moment of silence, she spoke up. "I just realized I never introduced myself, my name's Ai."

Kǎi gave a nod in acknowledgement. "I appreciate your offer. However, this is my task and my task alone. Farewell."

The angel quickly moved away with a beat of his wings. Ai got hit with a stream of bubbles and when the bubbles dispersed, she raised her fists and said "Argh! Who does that guy think he is?! Does he think he's better than everyone just cause' he comes from the sky?" She bent her arms and said "I'll show him, angel or not. No one can do what he's doing all alone."

The orange mermaid swam off to look for her friends.

Ai entered a garden filled with kelp and red and pink roses lined with multiple colorful shells. This was the Royal Garden.

Her green tailed friend with the wavy brown hair, green eyes, wearing a beaded jade headdress, and pink shell bodice and was the one who arranged the rose garden and tended to it.

The brunette mermaid was patting soil around the roses when she noticed her friend enter "Hey Ai."

"Hi Lín."

Lín straightened her green tail and dusted her hands off. "What's up Ai?"

"Are you done tending the garden? I don't want to interrupt you in the middle of your job."

"No worries. I can work while you talk to me."

"Um. It's fine. I don't want to share this without Qing around."

"Alright." Once Lín finished patting down the new soil around the roses, the two of them swam towards the Royal Library.

When they opened the doors, their blue tailed friend wearing a blue bead headdress and light blue shell bodice was making sure all the scrolls were all in order. She turned her head and greeted her friends.

Lín asked "So, are you going to tell us your story or not? Qing can listen while she works."

Qing nodded while rearranging the scrolls on the stone shelves.

"Guys, you'll never believe what just happened…"

Lín and Qing listened to Ai as she retold them about the earlier events of the day and they comforted her, telling her that she did her best to help Kǎi's charge.

"I know! I know!" Little tears started to emerge from her eyes which turned into pearls that rolled off her cheeks. It wasn't until she had processed the whole event that she finally got hit with the full force of helplessness, guilt, sorrow, and started sobbing into her hands while Lín and Qing held her.

After Ai finally calmed down, she asked her friends if they would help her aid Kǎi in her task.

Lín held her bent arm and said, "Of course we'll help!"

Qing said "Those poor humans. If this is the only way, we can help them then we'll do it."

Lín suggested that they report the angel's presence to the Mermaid Queen and ask her if they could help him.

Ai and Qing agreed then after Qing locked the library, Ai grabbed their hands and the trio sped through the hazy yellow water. In the halls, a dark brown wavy-haired merman with a brown tail with a golden highlight holding a spear was angrily chasing a merman with a yellow-green tail with tied back pale blond hair who was also holding a spear and both mermen nearly collided with the three.

The pale blond merman abruptly stopped which made the golden-brown tailed merman bump into his target's back.

The brunette merman said "Zhihao! You idiot! You did that on purpose."

Zhihao dryly said "Well, of course I did, you dolt." He gestured to the three mermaids. "We nearly caused a collision."

The brown-tailed merman swam towards Lín and held her hand in his which made her smile and blush.

"Lín, are you alright? That idiot didn't hurt a single scale on your tail, did he?"

Ai rolled her eyes then smiled as she sarcastically said, "Thanks for being so concerned about us Ruǎn yù."

Ruǎn yù turned then asked, "And are you ladies alright?"

The mermaids giggled at his concerned tone.

Lín said "We're all fine Ruǎn yù, thanks for asking. Are you guys fighting again? I thought you guys were supposed to be patrolling the halls."

"We are. It's just a certain guy thought it was funny to insult me again." Ruǎn yù glared at Zhihao before turning to look back at Lín "By the way, where are you ladies headed?"

Ai explained that they wanted an audience with the Mermaid Queen.

Zhihao asked about their purpose with the Mermaid Queen.

Ai replied, "Do I have to answer that?"

"Just because you work for the Queen doesn't mean you have the privilege to call upon her Majesty as you wish."

"Ugh. Fine." Ai began to explain that she had encountered an angel who was gathering human bodies to release their souls and that she wanted to get permission from the Queen to aid him in his task.

The two mermen looked at each other before asking in unison "Are you serious?"

"Urgh…Why don't you guys believe me?"

"Guys…" Lín replied in a displeased tone as she crossed her arms.

Qing simply gave the two a disapproving look.

Seeing Qing's stern blue eyes, Zhihao mustered a weak "But…"

Ruǎn yù said "Remember that time you thought you actually saw a Kun Peng, but you really dreamt it all up?"

Ai erupted "WELL, THIS TIME, I WASN'T DREAMING OK?"

Ai swam off before the two mermaids looked at the mermen disapprovingly and followed their friend. The mermen realized they were really in the wrong and swam after the mermaids and apologized profusely.

It was only when they approached the doors leading to the throne room that they decided to forgive the mermen since they got them access to seek an audience with the Queen by talking with their fellow guards who guarded the entrance.

The guards opened the door then Ruǎn yù and Zhihao escorted the mermaids as they approached the Mermaid Queen on her throne.

The Mermaid Queen had silver eyes and long silvery hair that was pulled into two buns and two tails on each side of her head. She wore a pearl headdress and a white shell bodice. Her white tail was covered under a silky white dress. She sat on her throne which was a giant silver clamshell.

They all bowed before her. "Greetings Your Majesty."

The Queen raised her hand "Please rise. What has brought you all here?"

Ai spoke up "Your Majesty, I have come here because… Many humans are dying in our sea. There is an angel by the name of Kǎi who has appeared in our realm with the aim of freeing their bodies and souls. I, Lín, and Qing wish to aid him."

The mermaids bowed and spoke in unison. "Please allow us to do this task, Your Majesty."