Chapter Text
1. To be honest, Lucia thinks the redheaded boy is a little weird. They're friends now, because they've played together and made each other laugh and Nikora says that means they're friends, but he's little, like her, and he never has any company. He won't tell her where's from, either.
"Fine!" She'd said, annoyed when he refused to share. "If you won't tell me, I won't tell you where I'm from either! I won't even tell you my name!"
"Fine!" He'd pouted, seemingly as disappointed as she was. He'd held out his hand not a moment later, to shake hers. "But you'll still come see me again, right?"
Definitely weird.
--
"Y'know, if I ever got caught around here too often, I might get in trouble."
"Trouble?" Lucia blinks at him, surprised. He'd never mentioned anything like that before. "Why?"
Lucia leaves the palace often- well, she used to. Before Taki had told that fortune that freaked Nikora out and gotten Lucia put on the longest time-out ever- how was she supposed to stay in the palace until her coming of age ceremony? She might not be good at math, but even Lucia knows 6 years is way too long to wait to go out.
The boy shrugs, his cape shifting in the current, almost getting stuck in the same piece of coral it'd gotten stuck in not ten minutes earlier. He was kind of clumsy. "I don't know. I just know I could. Some people causing trouble in- well, where I'm from." He smiles at her, happy that he hadn't slipped and accidentally told her where he was from.
Lucia pouts, but sets her disappointment aside when she wonders if she should be worried. Taki said it was her job as princess to help people- should she worry for him?
"Are you in danger? I can help!"
He puffs up his chest, looking entirely like the little kid he is, arms on his hips and proud about it. "Me, in danger?"
The boy pulls out a piece of seaweed from the floor, waving it around like a makeshift sword despite the fact that it goes limp immediately, bending at every turn. Lucia gives him points for trying and for looking kind of cool. Kind of.
"I can handle anything that comes my way. They'd better watch out for me!"
---
Nikora brings him into the main hallway, and Lucia can feel the water get knocked out of her lungs when she spots a familiar head of red hair making it's way to her. It couldn't be .
"-And our princess is just down here, waiting to meet you. Ah- Lucia, there you are!" Nikora steps aside, an arm pointed in Lucia's direction. He stops, smiling politely at Nikora before turning his gaze to her.
Would he recognize her after so long?
"Lucia, this is Prince Kaito, of the Panthalassa Kingdom. He's come with his generals to coordinate with the mermaid kingdoms against the... well, the Panthalassa." Nikora fumbles on her words a bit, entirely unaware of the battle going on in Lucia's head. "It's a bit of a strange situation, but the prince reached out to the palace with good intentions. As far as Taki's fortunes can tell, anyway."
The room is silent for a solid minute before he speaks first.
"I've... been looking for you."
Lucia's sure Nikora might be saying something that vaguely sounds like Do you two know eachother? , but Kaito's looking at her, now, and swept up in the moment can't even begin to describe what she's feeling. He looks exactly like he did back then and entirely different at once. He's taller, of course, and he's healthy- he'd recovered well, then- she'd been worried, not knowing where to leave him after the incident by the reefs.
Lucia can barely focus long enough to reply. "The coral reef... by the palace. It was you, wasn't it?"
Her heart's beating out of her chest- she swims closer to him, pressing her palm against his cheek. She holds it there for a moment, but pauses once she realizes something. "Wait- you're a prince!? You didn't say anything!"
Kaito blinks at her, stunned, then laughs, warm and familiar and Lucia melts all over again. "You're the princess! You didn't say anything, either."
"There was a lot happening!" Lucia shakes her head, pulling her hand from his cheek and crossing her arms. "You never gave me your name."
Kaito smiles knowingly, and they both suddenly remember that they're not the only people in the room.
Lucia looks over at Nikora, who looks like she was going to burst if she didn't get an explanation, and soon. Lucia's not really sure how to do that without getting grounded into the next decade, again, so Lucia decides she needs to get out of the room before Nikora's head pops off.
"I'll show you around! I'll take you around the palace now, and then, when your generals come, Hanon can show them the grounds- this is going to be so much fun!" Lucia grabs his hand, emboldened by the adrenaline of being able to meet with him again and by the fact that he'd finally get to see her home.
"I'll show you the throne room!"
2. "You know, I think I get why Kaito is so worried about Gaito. Even if he is all.." Hanon gestures vaguely into the air, making a face Masahiro can only describe as, well, strange. "You know- dark and attacking the seas."
"Is that so?"
Taki is teaching Rina and Lucia the art of painting the royal instruments, a delicate process that Hanon says takes a skillful hand and plenty of time to master. Hanon also says it's a huge pain.
Masahiro had come to watch, partly because he was hoping to see what the process looked like when the finished product seemed to have hundreds of intricate patterns set into it, and partly because Rina said he could hear her play after if he came and watched with Hanon. Hanon always seemed to have an affinity for the arts, Rina had told him, so Masahiro's not surprised when Hanon mentions she's not joining because she already knows how.
" ...Yeah. We don't have any siblings, because we're born as princesses. From our pearls." Hanon shifts, placing her hand gently on her necklace.
Masahiro wasn't sure if he fully understood the depth of the princesses' connection to their pearls, or even the depth of their power, but from the way Gaito seemed to be after them with all he had, he could definitely take a guess.
"All that responsibility was picked for us by Aqua Regina. Sometimes it can feel like we have no control over what happens."
Masahiro nods. It was the reason he'd even come to acknowledge his Panthalassa heritage at all. Not to mention joining Kaito. A half-human boy wouldn't have been accepted, otherwise.
"I can understand that."
Hanon seems to pull herself out of her head, and turns to Lucia and Rina from across the room. Lucia brushes a bit of paint onto Rina's nose, smiling, her usual capricious self. Rina gasps, affronted, and pressed her paintbrush flat against Lucia's forehead, leaving a bright pink splotch of paint where the paintbrush was.
"But we have the other princesses. At least, some of them, now. " Hanon smiles at the two of them fondly.
"I can't imagine life without Lucia and Rina, anymore. They're my family, like Gaito is Kaito's family. I want the best for them- that's what Kaito wants for him, too."
Masahiro smiles. "There’s more truth to that than you know, princess. You all are so full of surprises."
Hanon flips her hair across her shoulder, pleased. "Of course we are! We're destined to be full of surprises, with the times we're living in. At least... having you all around makes it fun."
Masahiro ruffles her hair, mussing it and knocking one of the star clips in Hanon's bangs floating to the side. "We're family too, now."
Hanon nudges his hand away. "You're messing with my look, Masahiro." She grabs the clip from where it's floating, and carefully places it back into her fringe. "But yeah, I guess we are."
A smile creeps onto Hanon's face, and she leans back in her seat, her chin turned up.
"Even if you guys are marrying into it."
3. "The festival is usually prepared well in advance, but with the band of Panthalassa forming near our borders, it might not be wise to go harvesting outside of the palace." Rina clicks her tongue, debating her orders. Ayane needed to get news back to the North Atlantic Palace as soon as possible. She didn't have time to hesitate.
"It's just not safe."
"Yes, Princess. And what of the mollusk harvesting near the South Atlantic border? Haruna recommends we refrain for now, but the Panthalassa have yet to be spotted moving north."
Rina frowns at that. She certainly hoped they hadn't- they were already closer than she liked them.
"The last thing we need is an abduction- or worse, an attack. Tracking the right mermaid means he could have a direct path to the palace- No, no." Rina rolls up the map Ayane had given her, handing it back to her. "We can reconsider in a few weeks, but as of now, they'll have to stand down. Harvesting south of the palace is forbidden for the time being, as well."
"Of course, Princess. I'll send word right away."
"Thank you, Ayane. I'll see you--" Rina pauses midsentence, interrupted by the sight of Kaito entering the room she specifically picked so she wouldn't be interrupted. Rina frowns, then continues, pointedly turning back to Ayane. "I'll see you at our next meeting."
Ayane leaves hurriedly, bowing to Kaito on her way out, and leaving the two of them to stare at each other in silence. It's tense, but Rina doesn't particularly want to speak- they'll have time to talk if and when the engagement occurs.
Rina rolls up the parchments left on the table- reports she didn't particularly need to get to yet, but she needed something to keep her busy after the craziness of the past few days.
He speaks first, as he always does. "So, are we gonna talk about it?"
Rina starts preparing to leave when the first word leaves his mouth. "There isn't much to talk about, is there? It's for the good of the kingdom. I'm a princess. If I can do something to keep my people safe, I will."
At least, that's what she'd been rehearsing in her head for when she faced the North Atlantic Council. No use giving them a mouthful when it had to be done.
"Rina..."
"Don't- don't do that. What's the point, Kaito?"
He moves over to her, grabbing the scroll from her hand so she can't storm out. "Because you're unhappy! This whole thing has thrown everyone off balance- Lucia's trying to keep everyone together, but she's just as upset!"
Rina levels her gaze, glaring at him and the parchment he'd taken from her.
Kaito sighs. "Look, I'm not saying you have to talk about this with me- but Lucia and Hanon miss you."
He pauses, considering. "Masahiro does, too."
Rina stills completely, then decides saving face isn't going to do her any good. Rina turns to the table she'd been sitting at, and settles back down in the chair, resigned. "I've been right here the whole time. We live in the same palace, right? What's there to miss?"
He doesn't respond. Rina caves.
"I talked to Hanon about it earlier. Since we're the ones in danger."
Kaito nods, serious. "With the Panthalassa at your borders."
Rina snorts, turning to face the etchings on the side of the walls. A depiction of the birth of the first pink mermaid, Aqua Regina above her in all her glory.
"I meant in danger of ending up with you. But that, too."
"Wh- Hey!"
"Just kidding. Kind of." Rina smiles, but it doesn't quite reach her eyes. "We... Well, we want to talk them out of it, of course. But Lucia's kingdom is so much more... carefree than ours."
"We have our traditions, and being princess means upholding so many values... especially in the Atlantic." Her voice and expression soften. "I love my people. A sacrifice like this is worth it, for them."
"Of course. I have to be the best prince I can be for my people, with Gaito... well, you know."
"Trust me, we all know." Rina stands, pushing in her chair and holding an arm out in his direction. "My parchments, please. I have a pink mermaid to meet with."
"She should be in her study with her tutors. She'll be happy to see you." He hands back the parchment, a small smile on his face. "Tell her I'll see her later."
Rina raises an eyebrow, an amused smile painting her face. "Lucia, with her tutors? I'm surprised at you, Kaito. I'm going to the entrances for the dolphin messengers."
She takes her leave, parchments in hand, and from behind her she hears, "Remember to tell her I'll be at dinner tonight!"
Rina closes the door behind her. Before it shuts entirely, she yells out a quick, "Never!"
4. "Don't be ridiculous! I'm not nervous, it's just cold up here, is all!"
Nagisa smiles at that, inching closer to Hanon to not-so-subtly wrap an arm around her shoulder. "You'll be fine, Hanon- with a man like me by your side, you'll be the safest you've ever been!"
Hanon scoffs, but she leans into his side anyway. "We're doomed."
Lucia's leaning over the side of the boat, as far as Rina and Kaito will let her, admiring two unfamiliar sights- the way seawater glitters under sunlight, and the human girl currently staring back at her reflection in the ocean. Her hair had been cut down to her shoulders!
"Everything is so pretty!" Lucia turns back to face them. "Right, Hanon? We all look- different!" Lucia runs her hand through the ends of her hair, still surprised every time her hand brushes empty air.
"Right! I barely recognized you, Lucia. You know, the human girl look kind of suits you."
"Really?" Lucia preens, smiling and holding up her hand in a "peace sign" that Kaito had taught them in their last-minute human culture lessons. V for Victory!
"Of course! Not as much as I do, of course- but that can't really be helped."
"Hey-!"
"What? Back me up here, Rina!"
Rina laughs and shakes her head at the both of them. "Come on, you two. As long as we have legs, it doesn't matter what we look like up here."
Lucia takes a seat, hand still twisting a strand of her hair. "But Rina, your hair got shorter- and your eyes changed color!"
Rina blinks, touching lightly at the cheek under her right eye. "They did? Come to think of, it- so did yours, Lucia."
"Are you sure you don't have a little bit of control over your transformation, Rina? You and Masahiro match now- a little suspicious, if you ask me."
"Oh, please." Rina rolls her eyes at Hanon, and tries not to make eye contact with Masahiro, choosing instead to look out on to the sea. "Even if I could, that would be-"
Lucia and Hanon are giggling up a storm, whispering and joking low enough where Rina can hear some but not all of what they're saying. Rina pulls her jacket over herself tighter, embarrassed.
To their complete surprise, Nikora had been the one to suggest their little trip to land. The Panthalassa hadn't attacked in weeks after Aqua Regina had gifted them a new song, overwhelmed by the combined forces of three mermaid princesses and the strength of three well-trained swordsmen. They had some time to themselves, and with the boy's half-human blood out in the open, things had been noticeably less tense.
"What's there to do here, anyway, Masahiro?" Hanon asked. She had been particularly excited- all she'd heard about life above the surface were rumors from other mermaids, and sea creatures that visited from time to time. It'd been a strange way to gather information- fish schools were terrified, but seagulls only wanted to talk about the food.
"Well, everything, really. Humans have a lot of events and sports and places to have fun. There's karaoke, shopping, theatre, good food- it'll be up to you guys which ones you want to try."
Kaito speaks up for the first time since they got on the boat. "Well, we have two days. We can probably try it all before we head back to the palace. Right, Lucia?"
Lucia nods, jittery. "We can try surface food! Nagisa was telling me all about the different types of food they have, and they have so many desserts!"
"I know! I really want to try- uh, what's it called again? The frozen one?"
Masahiro laughs good naturedly. "Ice-cream."
"Right, right- it sounds so good! In that weird, human way."
Rina looks over at Masahiro from where he's standing, driving the boat to lead them onto land. "It's nice of your family to let us stay with them, Masahiro."
Masahiro smiles, although it is a bit tense. "We won't be seeing much of them, I'm afraid. My father's always busy with work. But... I guess I should thank him. That just means more time together for us." He has the audacity to wink at her, because of course he does.
Rina clams up, her cheeks heating up. "Don't be ridiculous."
Hanon interrupts them, waving her hands in the air in front of her. "You guys can't just have this romantic mood in front of the whole group!"
Masahiro smiles, turning back to steering the ship. "Sorry- I'll save it for when we hit land."
"So, what do you guys wanna try first?" Kaito asks.
"Shopping, of course!"
"Karaoke!"
"More singing? Don't we do that enough fighting the water demons?"
"Hanon- it's about the experience! Plus, how are you going to fit a human skirt on your tail once you bring it back to the palace?"
"Well, it might be fun just to sight-see, instead of doing all of that..."
Hanon stops, putting a hand in the air to get everyone's attention. "I know what we'll do! We'll stop at Masahiro's house, drop off our stuff. Then, we go to the down city-"
Rina interrupts her, scratching at her cheek. "I think it's called downtown, Hanon."
"Right! To the down towns, and we'll go shopping. Once we get tired, we'll go eat and go see the sights- and then we can finish the day with karaoke! That gives us the whole day to shop, and we can save the best for first!"
Lucia laughs a little. "I think the saying is best for last, isn't it?"
"Isn't that what I said?"
Nagisa smiles, putting a thumbs up out in front of him. "That's my Hanon!"
Hanon pats Nagisa's head despite his protests. "I belong to the South Atlantic, thank you very much! Anyway, does that sound good?"
"What if we want to split up at one point?" Rina asks. Shopping seemed fun, but Lucia and Hanon could get carried away, sometimes. It might be a good time for her to try and get away for a little bit.
"Oh- I guess we could split into couples on our second day."
Lucia lights up at Hanon's suggestion, and Rina wonders how she didn't see it coming. Those two...
"Oh- but I guess I'll stay and keep Nagisa company while you guys go on your dates."
Nagisa's cheeks flush. "Hanon!"
She smiles at him, feigning innocence. "Yes?"
Lucia catches sight of the marina from her seat. "We're almost there!" She races to the side of the boat closest to shore, nearly tripping on the way. She was still a little unsteady on her new legs. "More boats- and more humans! Did you ever think boats were so funny looking on top, Rina? They look like big whales from underneath, don't you think?"
"Lucia, we're undercover! You can't call people "humans"- it sounds weird."
Lucia turns back to them, blinking. "Why not?"
"We're supposed to be human!"
"Oh- understood." Lucia performs a mock salute at Rina, and then turns back to face the marina when she hears the sound of people talking by the boats.
Kaito smiles, already looking forward to what the trip was gonna be like.
"This is going to be the most fun we've all had in a while."