When Ai begun this task of helping Kǎi gather human corpses and help dissolve, she was admittedly somewhat disgusted with gathering the corpses, but the feeling of pity eventually overcame the disgust. It helped that they had yet to encounter any corpse that was severely decaying as they worked every day. The repetitiveness of the task also helped to numb the feelings of pity over time, but it was hard to suppress those feelings when corpses of children were gathered into the mix. She imagined that it must have been the same for the others.
After using their powers to make the currents of the water gather as many corpses as possible, Kǎi dissolving the bodies with his golden light which allowed their souls to rise, and taking breaks, the sun began to set as its red orange rays penetrated down to the ocean waves.
Kǎi bowed his head. "Thank you everyone for your hard work."
"Thank you for your hard work." The merpeople chimed in unison.
Ai held out a hand. "Wait, Kǎi, there's something important we haven't told you yet."
The rest of their group stiffened as they all thought was Ai going to admit the truth that they were supposed to be keeping their eyes on him and report on his daily activities to the Queen? Or at least, they had reported on his activities in the past.
Ai put her hands together. "The Queen is going to be in seclusion for 10 days to regain her powers. When she comes out on the 10th day, she wants all merpeople to join their water manipulation abilities to gather as much corpses as possible and she will use the power of the Silver Moon Pearl to cleanse the death aura and purify the sea. However, using the power of the pearl will strain her powers again and she wants you to lend your powers to the Silver Moon Pearl since it will be too much for you to dissolve all those corpses and she will ask the Dragon Kings if they are willing to lend us their powers as well."
"Hmm…" Kǎi knitted his brows in thought.
The rest of the group closed their eyes and sighed with relief in unison. Zhihao dramatically leaned against Qing as he did so with the back of his hair against his bangs while Lín dramatically leaned against Ruǎn yù with her hand over her chest. Mei and Yìngyù had their shoulders touching as their heads bent down.
Kǎi raised his white brow in suspicion and the group of merpeople began clearing their throats while Qing, Lín, Ruǎn yù, and Yìngyù nervously looked up while Mei closed her eyes and Zhihao looked forward.
Ai tilted her head as she looked quizzically at the group, unsure why they were acting like that. She looked back at the angel as he said "I understand. I give my consent to go along with this plan."
Ai nodded then said, "Goodbye and have a good night."
The others were bidding him a good night and their farewells.
He replied. "Have a good evening. I shall see you all tomorrow."
He nodded then with a powerful beat of his white wings; he flew up high at the speed of light, but he found that it took even longer for him to break free from the expanded sea. He feared that in a few more days, the sea would rise to the level of the Heavenly Realm. Did the pride of the gods know no bounds?
~Later~
After the group escorted Mei and Yìngyù back to the Temple of the Azure Dragon, they reentered the palace and Ai moved her orange tail as she excitedly said, "We must tell the Queen that Kǎi will go along with her plan!"
Zhihao gently held her arm as he said "Oi, idiot, have you forgotten? The Queen is going into seclusion for 10 days to gain the power she needs for the plan."
Ai stuck her tongue at Zhihao before having a wistful look at the hallway. "…It just feels weird, not taking care of Queen Ning, coloring her pink lips with the pink shell powder she's so fond of, picking out her dress for the day, not greeting her and not even able to report to her…"
Qing put a gentle hand on her shoulder. "I understand how close you are to Queen Ning given your role. 10 days may seem like such a long time, but they will pass, and we shall surely see her again."
Ai gave a bit of a smile as she put her hand over Qing's hand. "Thank you, Qing."
After eating dinner in the Royal Kitchen and having digested her meal, Ai swam to the court ladies' chambers, found her pink clamshell bed, and went to sleep. In her dreams, the Kun-Peng was there waiting for her in the waters as usual as of late.
"Kun!" Ai excitedly exclaimed as she swam towards the massive golden fish with fins shaped like pectoral wings.
As she got to his face, she placed her hands over it in a form of embrace as she placed her cheek against it contentedly with her eyes closed. "You're here again!"
She then looked at it, not letting go of the sides of his face. "I'm so lucky, it feels like every night we get to meet and talk and play together! …Will you always come visit me in my dreams?"
It seemed like the fish lost his smile as his expression seemed somber somehow.
Ai's midnight blue eyes looked concerned. "…Can you not promise me that?"
There was only silence from the fish's end.
Ai smiled again, not wanting to make the majestic being concerned in any way. "But you did promise that we'll eventually meet right?"
The giant Kun seemed to smile.
"Alright, then, I'll race you Kun! 1… 2… 3…"
Ai beat her tail powerfully, creating a massive stream of bubbles and the yellow soil scattered as she did so. The Kun-Peng beat its great fins and moved quickly despite its size.
Ai had a content smiling face then slowly but surely, she woke up. Despite the sudden, rushing knowledge that she wouldn't be able to see her beloved Queen just yet, she had a pleased expression on her face as she looked out into the room and remarked "It's a brand-new day."