_

[DecafKitten]

Blythe glanced over after hearing his friend shout his name. He walked over and knelt down by the hot tub. "Having fun?" he asked, watching the kids playing at the other end. He avoided his friends' gazes, he didn't want them to see the wild look in his eyes. He could wait one more day. After all, here soon there was a good chance he would be a wolf forever. Once upon a time, he had thought being only a wolf was all he ever wanted, but he had come to love his human form just as much. You couldn't kiss a girl as a wolf, you couldn't pull her into your arms and whisper how much you love her in her ear. You couldn't do a lot of things. Once bound, he wouldn't have a choice. His master could command him to stay in one form.  

[SKBCTayuyaFluteofDeath]

Syrah looked at the approaching clouds. It didn't smell like it was going to rain, but she could be wrong. She smiled at Blythe. "Mmhm." It bothered her, though, that he was avoiding her gaze. "What's going on, Blythe? Why don't you look at us?" she asked, using her telepathic link with the sea wolf.  

[DecafKitten]

"Nothing, don't worry, Syrah. I'm just nervous about the end of the cruise... you know I don't want Mac going into the sea... besides, what's going on with you and Mike?" Blythe replied, following theirs gazes to the approaching clouds. He sniffed the air, thinking too that it didn't smell like rain. But, then again, that didn't mean a thing. Some storms could attack with no warning. "They are serving ice cream sundaes in the lounge to celebrate the end of the cruise.." he mentioned, randomly, as the kids' parents collected the children and disappeared in the direction of the lounge.  

[EG Water]

"Nice eyes dude, saw them from over here. I might get contacts to look like that" he said with a hint of interest. His friend was still hesitant to turn towards them, "Look at me again" he said to his friend.

Mac looked out of the open window of his cabin, and then decided to get up and pull out his harp from the closet. He had a sudden urge to play it for some reason. "Hope you don't mind. I'm gonna play" he said to Matt in a gentle voice. He positioned it in front of him and began to pluck some strings. The gentle soothing sound filled the room.  

[Kiara_the_keyblade_master]

Dale smiled " Hey! Haha, so that's the famous "De human stuff" potion you were talking about! Alright, how about we help ourselves to some and get the heck out of here! " he walked towards it. " Wait you-" Octo grabbed a pebble near by and threw it at Dales head " IDIOT!" " Ooow! What'd you do THAT for??" Dale rubbed the back of his head as he looked back at Octo.

" YOU! Are as BAD as she is!" Octo pointed at Zethy. " Both of you, acting before thinking! Which is an obviously stupid way of- I SAID NO DALE!" Octo tried getting onto his feet. Dale retrieved the potion. " Pfft what's the worse that can happen? Narley and another one of his seizures?" he laughed at his remark.

The cave began to shake. " O_O....." the three looked over at Dale evily. " O-Oh you ******** us over THIS time DALE! " Narley glared. " I DIDN'T KNOW THIS WAS GONNA HAPPEN! D: " Dale began to look around for an exit. So did the other three. " Oh dear! Oh dear, we're going to DIE!!" Octo began to panic. " No we're not! We're going to find our way out of here! " Zethy tried digging her way out of the cave.

Dale lost his balance and tumbled against the pedestal. There was an exit underneath it. Dale sat up and rubbed his arm. " Crap that hurt..Y-YOU GUYS! LOOK!! AN EXIT!!" Dale said happily. The other three didn't waste time, they went through the exit as fast as they could. The cave imploded as soon as they had exited out of it, and as soon as they did they had turned back into the sea creatures they originally were. " This..seems..so ******** familiar! I swear to you, I think I've seen this happen in a movie!" Dale had a serious expression on his face as he was saying this.

" Then why on EARTH DID YOU RETRIEVE THE STUPID POTION LIKE THAT!" Octo scolded him. " D: BECAUSE IT WAS CALLING OUT TO ME-" " You guys! Calm, down! We made it out alive didn't we?" Zethy asked them both. They both thought about what she said. " Yeeeah I guess we did.." Dale and Octo both admitted. " Alright then. We've got the potion...now we must go onto the surface and look for my family.." Zethy explained. " Yyyyeaaah...I guess you're right.." Dale sighed. " You've got to admit though! That Was freakin' intense! Haha!" he laughed. Zethy smiled " It was wasn't it..." " Yep...alright lets keep on heading north.." Dale swam ahead of the group. " Alright! : )" Zethy and the other two followed.  

[SKBCTayuyaFluteofDeath]

Matt shrugged. "Go ahead. I don't own the rights to playing string instruments," he joked.

"I don't believe that, Blythe. There's something else bothering you, and it has something to do with that Neptune bedamned collar. Don't try to turn this on me." Now that there wasn't anyone else on the deck besides them, Syrah let her legs become a tail again.  

[EG Water]

Mike's expression shifted for a brief moment as he felt her legs become fins. He remained calm, still staring at Blythe. He decided to caress her tail a bit with one hand as he stopped giving her a massage.  

[DecafKitten]

"It's not like there's anything you can do about it..." his thoughts sounded like a growl more so than he meant for them to. "Sorry, Syrah, I don't mean to snap.. I'm just stressed, but I have to watch out for Mac.. we can't let them get to him," he added, a bit ashamed about snapping at his friend like that. He glanced at Mike after shielding his eyes, pushing the wild, restless feeling to the back of his mind so that his eyes would be at least a bit more normal, more hyped up looking and not so 'I could tear your throat out' looking. "Sorry, guys, I'm just a worn out... if you'll excuse me, I think I'm gonna go nap for awhile..." he mumbled, glancing around again, wondering where Thaelia was.  

[Kiara_the_keyblade_master]

Cythe, Zeggy, and Ember made it into the first class flight to the U.K. The three of them were seated in their own area of the plane. Zeggy sat on one of the comfy seats and rested for a bit. " My head... feels so damn numb.." Zeggy tried to shake off the feeling.

" That's what happens when you drink too much damn tequila in an after party Zeggy... it ain't good for ya!" Cythe grinned. Ember seemed awfully quiet, which to Zeggy seemed very unusual of him. " What's wrong with you?" Zeggy called Ember out. Ember looked up and smiled a bit " N-No nothing compadre." he looked away.

Zeggy obviously didn't believe him, his eyes slowly went back to Cythe. " What's wrong with him?" he asked coldly. Cythe looked over at Zeggy and smiled " why are you giving me the third degree hun?" " Because whenever s**t happens, you're usually behind it all." his eyes narrowed and so did hers.

"Well, this time it WASN'T me! Hmph! Blaming me for everything..you a**." she looked away. Zeggy tried to relax, but he couldn't help but wonder what the heck was going on.

Back to Zethy:

" I wonder...how it's like in the world out on the surface." Octo thought out loud. " What types of dialect or cultures may be inhabiting that world..." " Oh so now you're interested in them? Did you forget the original reason to whyyyy we are doing this?" Dale asked Octo.

" Well there is no harm into just being curious! " " They probably have torture chambers for us sea creatures...or rituals of doom, I don't know.." Dale seemed a bit agitated with the whole idea, but if it was to reunite Zethy with her family it was worth the shot. He didn't know why he had grown so attached to her that he wanted to help her out. Maybe he just wanted to challenge himself!

Or maybe he just wanted to reunite a family out of the thousands that the humans had broken apart. Zethy was lost in her thoughts. She closed her eyes, and very faintly she heard the plucking of a harp. Her eyes opened softly. " D-Do you guys hear that?" she asked the other three. " Hear what Zethy?" Dale asked.

" I-It sounds like... like a beautiful melody..." she felt a soothing sensation wrap around her heart. " It sounds so lovely.." she placed her hand softly on her chest. Dale looked around. " B-But I can't hear anything!" he spazzed. " Nor can I..." Octo looked at Zethy.  

[EG Water]

Mackenzie began adding words to his dulcet melody, "Slumberland, Sluummberland, joys without nuummber land. Raaiinbooows eeend..." he continued his sweet alluring song he heard in his childhood youth as it seemed to fit the occasion. The music poured out of the window into the damp ocean air. Mackenzie was in an almost trance-like state of serenity.

Mike saw his eyes, and admired them. When his friend quickly left, he felt awkward. "Something is up with him" he said to Syrah mildly worried, "Its not like him to leave like that".  

[Kiara_the_keyblade_master]

Cythe relaxed on her seat, her bracelet began to shimmer a bit. She fiddled with it and managed to get in contact with one of the creatures from earlier. " What's the status report?" she asked the creature.

" ...she...she lives..." it replied. " WHAT!?" Cythe almost jumped out of her seat. " Well what did you do? Did you take care of the nuisance??" "N-No ma'am.." " WHAT do you MEAN " NO MA'AM!" I sent so many of you!! Are you telling me that she was able to out do you guys?? REALLY? That pathetic little- grr, how DARE you dissapoint me this way!" Cythe growled.

" It was the sword, the sword that she wields is way to powerful for our-" " I DON'T GIVE A RATS a** ABOUT THE SWORD! IT'S THE GIRL THAT I WANT DEAD CAPICHE? " " Yes, but you don't understand!" " Separate the girl from the sword! Then FINISH HER OFF! Leave her whole, so I can suck the youth outta that peep squeak! And once I do, dispose of her! DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR??" she roared through the transmitting device her bracelet was equipped with.

" ...yes..ma'am..." " Good... I'll send you some back up and THIS time... you better not disappoint me.. " she cut the connection. " what.. the ******** was that all about?" Zeggy asked concerned. " None of your damn business..go back to sleep.." Cythe threw him a nasty look. Zeggy glared back at her then looked away. She lifted up her arm and released a pulse of dark energy again.  

[Kiara_the_keyblade_master]

" Zethy?...Zeeethy?? " Dale waved a fin infront of her. She snapped out of her trance. " I-I'm sorry.." " No need to apologize. We were just worried we lost you to your thoughts for all eternity!" Dale joked. " That wasn't even funny Dale, you're trying too hard." Octo sighed. " NUH-UH!" Dale kept on swimming forward. Zethy looked up at them both. Was she going crazy?? Was she really the only one who could hear this?? " It..was lovely, just like the music on that cruise ship..." she thought to herself.

A net fell on top of the four. " WTF?!" all of them were swooped up into a ship. Zethy grabbed the potion and gave it to all three of her friends including herself. As the fishermen released the fish they had brought aboard they were surprised to have found four naked people within the pile. " Is this some sort of a dirteh joke ey??" one of them barked at 'em.


Zethy shook her head and tried to help her friends onto their feet. They were all startled at what was going on. Narley was trying to throw all of the fishies back into the sea. " SWIM FISHIES! FAR, FAR AWAAAAY! " he was yelling out to them. One of the fishermen pulled Narley away from the fish. " What's the meaning of this?!" he asked angered by what was going on.

Zethy walked up to one of the fishermen. " We fell out of our cruise ship and were abandoned at sea, where are you humans headed?" she had a serious expression on her face. The fishermen were talking amongst one another. " Wai- wai-wait a minute... YOU'RE telling me, heheh, that you fell out of your cruise ship like THIS? What were you doing in that 'er cruise ship of yers if you don't mind me askin'?" the fisherman grinned.

Zethy wasn't able to rationalize to what he was getting at, but somehow Dale catched on. " It's an all nude expedition to the other side of the world! Yeah, we were that ******** curious so we joined the cruise, but now we regret it now WHERE ARE YOU FISHERMEN HEADED?" Dale demanded answers.

" Don't get cocky boy I can throw yer arse back to were the fishies be swimmin'. Now, we're headed to the U.K.-" " Sounds good!" " Now wait just a minute! What make yer think we be taking the four of ya there?" the fisherman asked with his arms crossed.

" Umm..." Dale looked over at Zethy and hugged her close. Zethy had this startled expression on her face. " She bares my child...I must reach a shore as soon as possible.." he lied. Zethy felt her face turn red. What a crude lie. But she kept her mouth shut. The fishermen began to talk amongst themselves again, then they looked back at the four.

" Alright, my crew has decided to let you stay for the remainder of the trip..IN ONE condition..the three of you will have to work your right to stay.." the fisherman pointed at Octo. " You're in charge of keeping the deck spotless.." he then points at Narley " Yooou're in charge of helping with the dishes and all of the other kitchen duties.." and last but not least he points at Dale.

" You... are in charge of helping with the net. that and keeping the rooms nice and clean." the fisherman concluded. The three nodded, even thought they had absolutely no idea what to do.  

[Kiara_the_keyblade_master]

After getting dressed, a long day of hard work, and getting the hang of their jobs the three went into their assigned rooms and laid on their bunks. Zethy sat at the front of the ship. " It's... it's gone...the music that I was listening to earlier...I can't hear it anymore.." she hugged her legs as she lost herself into her thoughts again.

She looked out onto the ocean. A melancholic feeling came over her, " I...wish I could see father again...or mama Iris....I miss them so much.." her eyes rested onto the ocean view. The sun slowly sinking deep, deep into the ocean, soon to be replaced by the moon.

The breeze was lovely and the skies revealed so many other untouchable polca dots. A melody came into mind, and softly she began to sing. " Dancing bears, painted wings, things I almost remember. And a song..someone sings..once upon a December.." she lifted up her gaze and sang a bit louder " someone holds me safe and warm, horses prance through a silver storm! Figures dancing gracefully..across my memory~!" she began to draw circles on the floor with her index finger.

" I wonder..." she thought with a smile. " If I will hear that song again..." she closed her eyes and rested her head onto her knees.

Zethy's voice  

[EG Water]

Mackenzie ended his playing after awhile. The clouds have completely covered the sky now, and a gentle misty rain came down. It partially creeped inside the window of the cabin, giving a subtle feeling of relaxation. Mackenzie looked at the clock and saw it was a little past 6 pm. "Hey, wana go do a final show tonight?" he asked Matthias with a chipper attitude and a certain musical tone.

Mike enjoyed the subtle misty rain. He watched as it made pearly droplets on Syrah's hair, making it look like she was glistening.  

[M3Gnificent]

Thaelia snuck herself aboard once more, having just finished with some business concerning her ever so annoying mistress. She had her orders, as well as Blythe's. Speaking of Blythe, Thaelia had been doing some research of her own on the collar as well as the binding spell that her mistress intended on using. Not even she herself could comprehend why she had been searching for loopholes or odd ways to break such a contract without some form of suicide. Why did Thaelia care what happened to anyone aside from herself? She bit her lip as she fancied herself up inside her room, brushing the tangles from her hair and getting herself dressed in appropriate human clothes afterwards. Expensive clothes, as always, for even one such as Thaelia had a sense of pride within her. Once she was ready to be seen by others, she lurked outside, sticking to the shadows for the most part. As she stepped on deck, she quickly caught Blythe's gaze, and offered him a faint smile.