Disclaimer: All characters mentioned belong in the animé series Gundam Wing. The plot is taken from the book Midnight Pearls by Debbie Viguié. Please don't sue me…?
Summary: A mermaid story like never before. They say that the prince was bonded to a boy who was not what he appeared and that another boy who saved the kingdom vanished without a trace. Some said it was witchcraft. Some said it was only a legend. For those who knew the truth, it was magic… (3x4 and 1x2)
Gomen minna. I apologize for the lateness of the last chapter. My dorm life is hell. No privacy, no freedom, no fun… I hate my life.
Midnight Pearls
By Ninetails
These words are my own, they're from my heart
I love you, I love you, That's all I got to say
Can't think of a better way, and that's all I got to say
I love you, is that ok?
These Words by Natasha Bedingfield
Chapter 12
There was only about a half-hour left until sunset. Quatre stood inches from the water. He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself.
"I love you, Quatre," Trowa whispered in his ear.
"I love you too."
He looked at his beautiful face, lit by the light of the setting sun. Trowa looked so vulnerable as he stood there, patiently waiting for his actions. Quatre kissed him and he kissed back, equally fervent lips clashing to affirm a wordless bond. His gently caressing lips sent shivers down Quatre's back and all he could do was clutch his broad shoulders, feeling too dazed by his mere presence. At last he pulled back and looked at him, brushing a lock of auburn hair out of Trowa's face.
Trowa had said that the prince must agree to bond with Duo by sunset or he would die. Trowa hadn't told him though about the bargain he struck with the Sea Witch, but he guessed it was something similar.
"When this is all over, Trowa, I will bond with you," Quatre promised him.
A mingled look of joy and despair crossed Trowa's face, and he kissed him again. Quatre was puzzled at his expression, but did not have the time to question him about it.
"I wish I could go with you."
"I know but this is something I have to do by myself."
Trowa nodded. "Just remember, the pearls are the key to the Witch's power. Without them, she is nothing."
Quatre moved away from him and took a step toward the ocean. He stood at the water's edge, with fear sending icy tendrils to his heart. He clasped the pearl in his hand. The cold water lapped at his toes. I was playing with Trowa by a sunken boat, he recalledHe took a step into the water. He was my best friend. He took another step, the water lapping against both his ankles. It was almost dinnertime, and I left to go home. Another step and the waves lapped at his calves. A shadow darkened the water, and I turned to see what it was. The water was swirling around his knees.
The Sea Witch was there, more terrible than Father had said she was. His trousers slogged against his legs as the water slowly soaked it. She grabbed me and I couldn't fight her, she was too strong. She clamped her hand over my mouth so I could not scream. The water was at his hips and growing deeper. She took me back to her cave. The water was chest-deep and warm, so very warm. She cursed me. She turned me into a human. He looked down, and he felt the change coming over his legs. She told me I was nobody, nothing. She wasn't interested in me, She just wanted to hurt my family. His unbound hair was floating on top of the water and it began to glow a dull gold. She sent me to the surface to either drown or live upon the land. I snatched this pearl from her necklace before the seas tossed me upward. His clothes fell from him, the beautiful ceremonial clothing drifting away with the current. Through the light of his hair he saw his legs disappearing, merging into a shimmering tail covered with scales… She said that if I returned to the ocean I would die. He took in his merman body, noticing the way his skin shone under the water. She was wrong about that. She said I was nothing, that I could not harm her. He clutched the pearl around his neck. The Witch was wrong about that too.
With a flick of his tail, he dove beneath the surface. He breathed the water as naturally as though he had never forgotten how. He was Lord Raberba, child of the mer-kin.
He remembered.
He remembered everything, including where to find the witch.
Trowa heard the splash as Quatre dove beneath the surface of the water. It had worked. He had broken the spell binding him into human form. Trowa sank to a seat on the beach, overcome with emotion. Quatre had agreed to be bonded with him. He had saved his life while yet cursing him to live out his days as a human. Now that Quatre was once again a merman, they were again of two separate worlds.
Trowa had lost him a second time.
He sat and waited, counting out the minutes in his head and feeling the retreating rays of the sun upon his skin. The minutes of Duo's life were slipping away, and there was nothing he could do to stop it. Just as he judged that time was nearly up, pain ripped through him. He screamed and fell backward, writhing on the sand.
Quatre dove farther down into the darkness, the light from his hair all he needed to see his way. His people had defeated the Sea Witch, Trowa had said, but they had been unable to kill her. They had locked her instead in a set of underwater caves from which she should not have been able to escape.
She had, though. She had harnessed the magic from an ancient strand of midnight pearls to enable her to come and go out of her prison as she pleased. She had left the cave and kidnapped Quatre. His father had warned him never to go near the caves where the Witch lived, not dreaming that it would make no difference where he was.
He swam swiftly, his tail working better than his legs ever had. He thought about Duo when he had led him through the castle to see Trowa. Within a couple of days the young man was moving with more grace on land than Quatre had managed to achieve in thirteen years. He shook his head, astounded. At the action, his long hair floated around him, lightly illuminating the immediate vicinity. The view was breathtaking. He almost forgot how beautiful the world out of the land truly was.
The water rushed by his skin, cold and comforting, welcoming him home. He wondered if his parents had ever had another child; he had been their first born. He remembered his mother's gentle touch, his father's strong embrace. He could almost feel the beautiful smile of his favorite cousin, Zechs, sending waves of warmth to his heart. He longed to see them again, to be with them. First, though, he had business with the Sea Witch.
A dolphin came close to him, whistling a greeting. He approached so close that Quatre was able to reach out and touch him. He thrilled at the contact, and at the memory of riding upon one as a child. Mer-kin could communicate with the creatures of the sea, he remembered. Together, they spiraled downward until he finally broke off to return to the surface. Quatre continued onward.
At last he was close to the Witch's lair. He could feel it in the water around him, in the way the cold suddenly began to seep into his bones. His heart trembled for a moment, but he pressed on. He was no longer a child, helpless to defend himself against the Witch. He was a man, and he, too, had magic.
At the entrance to the caves he stopped and hovered in the water, tail flipping slowly back and forth.
"Come in," a voice called out to him. It washed over him, slippery as a serpent.
"Why don't you come out?" Quatre taunted.
There was a poignant silence, and then the Witch appeared just inside the entrance of the cave. "Come in, my child, and I can help you with whatever you desire."
"Can't you come out to me?" Quatre asked, all innocence. "I'm afraid of the dark."
"Unfortunately, my dear, I cannot leave these caves. They are my home."
"I can leave my home, why can't you leave yours?"
"I was cursed, child, cursed to live my life in these caves never to step outside."
"I thought I saw you outside the cave before."
"You must be mistaken. Now come inside and we can discuss you and what you came here to ask for," the Witch said, sounding irritated.
"So, you are unable to ever leave?"
The Witch stroked her pearls. "Apparently. Now, what is it you are here for? Are you looking for love, fame, or perhaps are you searching for something you have lost?"
"Actually, I'm here to discuss something you have lost," Quatre said. He held out the necklace with the pearl on it.
"Give that to me!" the Witch shrieked, flinging herself forward. The pearls around her neck were glowing bright; the glow was strange, though, since it seemed to add to the gloom of the caves. At the very lip of the cave she slammed into some sort of invisible wall and was instantly thrown backward.
"So, without the entire set of pearls, you really are powerless to leave here," Quatre noted as the Witch gathered herself up, glowering.
"The only way you can harm mer-kin is to get them to come inside to you. Without this one tiny pearl, you can no longer come out to them." He slipped the necklace back on. "It's ironic, don't you think, that in kidnapping me, you doomed yourself? I was able to live a full life on the land, while you were trapped here in your caves. I guess you could say that you lost more than I did, especially since I had no memory of the life I left behind."
Power surged through Quatre, and he drifted to within a half inch of the barrier, daring the Witch to try to snatch the pearl from around his neck. The foul creature tried, flinging herself against the barrier only to be repulsed once more.
"I had thought of killing you," Quatre answered. "But death would be far too kind for you. Instead, I'm going to let you live out your days here, alone. And mark my words, I shall see to it that no mer-kin ever enters your lair again."
"Who are you?" the Witch whispered, her face contorted into an ugly snarl.
He laughed and floated backward in the water. "I am Raberba, lord of the mer-kin, kidnapped by you and sent to live among humans." He smiled slyly. "But you can call me Quatre."
He stroked the pearl around his neck, and a low rumble filled the water. "I renounce your magic. I restore those whom you have cursed. And you, you are nothing more than a bad dream."
A slab of rock from higher up on the mountain slid down and covered the entrance to the caves, sealing the Witch in and keeping all others out. As the stone settled into place, even the scream of the Sea Witch was lost, sealed in for eternity.
Quatre turned and shot back toward the surface, swimming as fast as he could. The magic binding the Witch to the caves had been strong, and only the strength of all the pearls together could break it. Each individual pearl was powerful, but it needed all of them to overcome the other magic that had been used to banish the Witch. Without the one pearl that he had taken from the Witch, she had been unable to overcome the magic binding her to the cave. There was a lot of power in that one little pearl, enough to allow Quatre to do what he needed.
His vision returned in a sudden, crippling blow. He saw the last ray of the setting sun disappear beneath the horizon. What was happening? He tried to sit up but could not. He glanced downward and saw his legs growing back into a tail. He began to gasp, the air searing his lungs. He flipped over on his stomach and dug his hands into the sand, propelling himself toward the water.
When the pain stopped and his head cleared, he realized that Quatre had done it. He had defeated the Sea Witch and in the process had reversed all of her spells. He turned to search the waves for Quatre, eager to see him. Suddenly, fear knifed through him. Duo! Duo would be transformed back into a merman, too, and he was still in the middle of the village.
Duo screamed as the transformation began. He recognized it for what it was and wailed in anguish. Not now! Heero had asked to be bonded with him. He couldn't go back!
Vanyel clutched him tighter. "Stop struggling," the taller man hissed in his ear.
He couldn't help it. As the pain overtook him, he writhed in agony. Vanyel cursed at him, but he was beyond caring about him and his schemes. No! Fear ripped through him as he began to gasp for breath.
Vanyel screamed as Duo's scales rose up from his back and pierced his body. Then the marquis collapsed into the ground and fell atop him. He gasped once, and then lay still. Duo knew that he was dead.
Villagers came running and when they saw his tail and the dead marquis, they began to shout. Many hands grabbed at him, and he didn't have the strength to fight them off.
"Demon!" someone yelled, and the others took up the shout. Duo's head swam as he continued to gasp for breath. Suddenly he was lifted into the air, his unbound hair mercilessly pulled and tugged as the mob placed him against a post and lashed him to it. The ropes cut into his skin until his blood flowed freely.
He stared blankly form face to face; they all began to blur in his vision. At last his sight faded, and everything went black.
Quaterina was worried. She and Rashid had left the holy temple in search of Quatre but had been unable to find him. They couldn't even find Duo or the prince. Frustrated, they began walking through the village, looking for familiar faces.
"Do you think he would have gone to the ocean?"
"It seems to me that's where he goes whenever he's upset," Rashid answered.
Together, they turned and began walking toward the water. Quaterina just hoped Quatre was all right. She sighed. The last few days had not been easy on anyone, but who could have anticipated all this?
Suddenly, she stopped, listening. "Do you hear that?" she asked.
Rashid stopped and listened too. "Sounds like someone shouting."
"Sounds like several people."
Then one word rang clear through the air. Someone cried, "Demon!"
Quaterina turned and began to run back the way they had come. Her blood turned to ice water in her veins. It was a word she had long prayed not to hear, and on today, of all days, it was not a good omen.
Shouts of anger spurred Quaterina on to run even faster. When they reached the square, her heart flew into her throat. There was a boy lashed to a wooden beam. Flames were licking at his feet. The fire reflected golden on his flowing hair. Quatre!
"No!" Quaterina screamed as she raced forward. Beside her she heard Rashid shouting.
She picked up a bucket of water standing nearby and doused the flames as Rashid shouted at the angry crowd.
She glanced up at the face of the boy and felt herself sag in relief. It was Duo. Something was wrong with him, though, he was too still. It was then that Quaterina saw the tail where the boy's legs had once been. She gasped aloud. A merman! Suddenly everything made sense. Tears swam in her eyes. This, then, was what her Quatre was as well.
Duo was so still, Quaterina thought he might already be dead. She couldn't let herself think that way, though. If the boy was a merman, then he was like a fish. Fish didn't do well outside of water, but some could certainly live longer than others.
She picked up another bucket of water and doused him with it, aiming at his face and torso. Duo gasped, and his chest heaved as the water entered his mouth.
Villagers jumped back with shouts of "Witchcraft" on their lips.
Rashid's voice boomed out. "Aye, 'tis witchcraft, but not of this young one's choice. He had been cursed by an evil Witch."
Good thinking, Rashid, Quaterina thought.
The crowd quieted slightly, listening to what he had to say. "It is part of a plot to kill our beloved king. The king lives, though, and this boy helped save him. That's why the Witch has tried to kill him."
He pointed to the body of the fallen marquis. "Behold, the marquis was another victim of her evil."
There were murmurs of anxiety as everyone began to drop on their knees in fervent prayer, a few more lifting their hands to the Light. Suddenly there was a shout, and the crowd parted as though by magic.
Prince Heero strode up to them. "What is happening here?" he boomed.
He saw Duo, and his face turned ash white. For a moment Quaterina was afraid he would faint. He regained his composure, though, and turned to the crowd. "It is true, what this man says. An evil Witch has attacked the kingdom. We have, all of us, been saved, though, by this boy and by Quatre."
Ragged cheering rose as Quaterina helped Heero cut the ropes binding Duo to the post. He slumped into Heero's arms, and Quaterina splashed more water on his face.
"You must get him to the sea, and quickly, Your Highness," she advised the distraught prince.
He looked at her with tears in his eyes. "Yes, of course, you are right."
He picked Duo up and called for a horse. One was at his side in a moment, and he mounted with Duo in his arms. He kicked the beast into action, and Quaterina and Rashid ran in its wake.
"How did you know the king was all right?" Quaterina gasped as they ran.
"I didn't, I was bluffing," Rashid admitted.
They arrived at the ocean shortly after Heero did. The prince was crouching in the water, holding Duo and splashing water over his face. As they watched, the boy began to move and finally he looked up at the one embracing him. Heero bent down and kissed him once. Duo then slipped from his arms and into the sea.
Quaterina rushed forward but hesitated when she reached the prince. He looked up at her. "Quatre too?" he asked.
"I think so," she whispered as she crouched beside him. They knelt together in the water, mourning.
Quatre broke the surface of the water near the beach. He scanned it for a sign of Trowa, but there was none. That was a good sign that what he had done had worked. He flipped his tail up and slapped it on the surface of the water.
Moments later, Trowa's head popped up. Delighted, Quatre ducked back beneath the water and swam to him. Trowa met him halfway and caught his ecstatic form in his arms. Their tails wrapped around each other as they kissed.
Trowa's hands roamed his back, and Quatre arched at the sensation. He threaded his fingers in Trowa's hair, feeling its silkiness as it was caressed by his fingers and the warm sea water. He was drawn closer to Trowa's body, and he could feel his warm chest and the rapid heartbeat mirroring his own. At last they broke apart after a last lingering kiss. "Duo?" Quatre said.
A cloud passed across Trowa's face. "I don't think he made it," he said. "When you broke all the spells the Sea Witch had cast, it turned me back into a merman. I barely made it into the water. Duo was still in the village. I don't know how he could have made it."
"I am so sorry, Trowa," Quatre said, voice and body trembling as he wrapped his arms around his love's broader frame.
"It's not your fault. There was nothing we could do," Trowa said, his voice sending shivers of warm pleasure down Quatre's entire being.
They drifted closer to the shore, holding each other, comforting each other. Slowly, a new sound intruded upon Quatre's subconscious. It was a splashing sound. He lifted his head out of the water and stared toward the shore.
He saw Quaterina and Rashid on the shore. Heero was in the water and he was holding something. Duo!
Quickly, he and Trowa headed for them. Before they made it there, a new sound emerged in the water, and suddenly Duo collided with them. He was wide-eyed with despair and threw himself into Trowa's arms. He held his younger brother close, trying to soothe him, and Quatre lifted his head out of the water again. He saw Quaterina and Rashid huddled together in the water and he could feel their pain.
He ducked back down and looked at Duo. "Duo, do you love him?" he asked him gently.
"Yes," he softly said, violet eyes filled with gloom as he turned to look at Quatre.
"Do you love him enough to live out there with him?"
"Of course. He had asked me to be bonded with him and I would have stayed with him, gladly," he answered with conviction and he slowly seemed to be steeling himself.
"Come with me then," Quatre said, grabbing the other merman's hand.
They swam toward the shore, Trowa following them. When they were close to Quaterina and Rashid, they stopped and broke the surface. "Heero," Quatre called.
He looked up, startled. They joy that flooded his face made Quatre's heart sing. He had always been his dearest friend. He had given him so much, and now there was something that he could give him. The other two hung back as he moved toward Heero.
"How long have you known?" he asked Quatre wonderingly.
"Only a day," he told him, still a bit unsure if Heero would truly believe him. But he believes in magic, doesn't he? "I was kidnapped as a child and turned into a human by the Sea Witch."
Heero laughed through his tears, and it made Quatre laugh too. He never knew that his friend could show such emotions. "I always told you there was magic in the world."
"And you were right," Quatre told him. "Do you love Duo?"
Despair overwhelmed his beautiful eyes. "I do."
"Would you bond with him if he could live in this world?"
"Tonight, if he would consent."
Quatre turned to Quaterina and Rashid, who had come up beside him. "Would you both watch after Duo as though he were your own son?"
"As though he were you," Quaterina said, touching his face tenderly and he leaned into her familiar touch.
Mind resolute, he then nodded and turned. "Duo," he called.
The other merman floated up, fear and hope mixing in his eyes. Quatre took the necklace from his neck and placed it around Duo's. "The pearl is magic, and I want you to keep it safe for me. It will help you be who you truly are. You just need to look in your own heart."
Duo closed his eyes. "I want to be that which I truly am inside," he said, clutching the pearl to his chest.
Before Quatre's eyes, Duo's tail split once more into legs, and his skin lost its scales. Slowly he stood out of the sea and Heero stood with him, wrapping his arms around him and kissing him. Heero pulled back to look deeply into his eyes, and Duo said the words he longed to say ever since he set eyes on his prince.
"I love you."
Quaterina smiled up at them before turning back to Quatre. "I'm going to miss you, son."
"And I, you, Mama," Quatre told her, reaching up to embrace her with all his might.
Quaterina nodded to Trowa. "Make sure he takes good care of you."
"I will, Mama."
"And make sure you come to visit from time to time," Rashid added gruffly
"Papa, look out for your nets," Quatre laughed as he hugged him.
They parted, and Trowa swam forward, taking Quatre's hand. Together they turned and dove into the ocean.
Quatre was sad to leave the others behind, but his heart lifted the deeper they went. I can always go back and visit, he told himself.
"Do you still want to bond with me?" Trowa asked as they swam.
Quatre turned to him. "More than ever."
A smile broke across his face, half-concealed by his hair, and Quatre reached out to gently move his hair to see the entirety of his smile. Trowa kissed the fingers on his face, and they dove together, racing around each other.
After a while Quatre could see a tiny pinprick of light ahead in the darkness. It grew brighter as they drew near. Home, he realized with a thrill.
"Are you nervous?" Trowa asked.
He nodded. "A little bit."
He grinned as he grabbed Quatre's hand. "Don't worry. You defeated the Sea Witch today. This will be easy."
Quatre smiled into his emerald eyes and held his gaze as they sailed into the sphere of light. They stopped, and he looked around cautiously. Dozens of mer-kin surrounded them, with dozens more arriving by the second. An older merman with a wreath of shining pearl-laden seaweed on his brow came to the front. "Son!"
"Father!" Trowa cried, embracing the other.
"Where's your brother?"
"It's a long story, Father, but he's safe and sound. Right now, I'd like to introduce you to someone. His name is Quatre, but we all know him as Raberba."
"Raberba?" he gasped.
Trowa nodded as the cry was taken up by the rest. Trowa squeezed his hand, giving him strength. Suddenly the cry died down and a path cleared. An older couple swam toward them. They each wore a crown of seaweed strewn with white pearls.
"Mother! Father!" Quatre cried, recognizing them. He let go of Trowa's hand and flew into their outstretched arms. They held him close, and all three babbled incoherently. A fourth figure joined them and Quatre was once again ensconced in warm arms as Zechs hugged him.
Minutes passed before his father regained his composure and stretched out his arm to Trowa. The other merman joined them.
"I owe you a great debt for restoring our son to us," his father said as he bowed to him.
"Your son has consented to be bonded with me, that is all I need."
He beamed upon them both. "Well then, let's get this holiest of ceremonies underway. I believe the two of you have waited long enough. After all, a seventeen-year engagement must be a record."
As he laughed, Quatre felt encompassed by warmth and understanding. As Trowa's lips met his, he knew that he had found the home he had been searching for.
Owari... Really
Author's Notes:
Yegads! That was awful! I should start hiding in fear of angry mobs. I'm SO sorry for the uber late update. I won't have the time to write any more fics or even revise this one. Gomen! I'm gonna miss all of you! For everyone who put my story in their favorites (this means you, Amy Hirosaki), thank you! For everyone who reviewed, you kept me going. For everyone who read this piece of crap, I admire you all. Thanks, minna!
If any of you still have questions, just mail me at If anyone still dares review this (thanks in advance!), please leave an e-mail add so when I get the time, I could answer your review, 'kay?
Thanks! And now, I gotta go concentrate on surviving the hell that is my life.
Replies to Reviews (Chapter 11): You people are the best ever. Your reviews and comments (and a few veiled threats) were the motivators for this fic. I love you all so much! Thank you for sharing this wonderful experience with me. God I sound so pathetic. A celebratory piece of cake for everyone!
Shinigami-Heero Ehehehe, you love a story where the people are tortured? Ehehehe, wai! Goodie! I love angst too! Mwahahaha! Err, gomen for that. Oh, and now you know what happens. I hope you weren't too disappointed. And yes, this is the last chapter. Thanks SO much for reviewing! (huggles you extra hard)
Amy Hirosaki Wai! I'm glad you're alright with my characterization of Treize! I'm sure everyone was OOC, but it couldn't be helped with Au fics, ne? Ehehehe… Or maybe I'm just making excuses. (shrugs) Waaah! Don't do anything bad for me! They all ended happy so please don't hurt me! Waaah! (runs around screaming) Thanks, I just hope that you're not too disappointed with the ending. Wai! I'm glad you're alright with my characterization of Treize! I'm sure everyone was OOC, but it couldn't be helped with Au fics, ne? Ehehehe… Or maybe I'm just making excuses. (shrugs)
Dentelle-noir … (starts having a seizure) Oh. My…. Ahem. Ehehehe, I know how you feel. I now have limited net access, damned dorm life. Err, before I start ranting about the hell that is my college life now, I just want to comment on a similarity of ours. I usually save the fics I think are interesting and print them out (since I print about 10 fics, I make the font size 6. And yes, it's possible to read.) so I don't get much chance to review too. Of course, when I net again, I'm just too lazy to appreciate the authors who work so hard to write such great fics. Gah. I'm horrible. I'm the one who's uberly flattered! To tell you the truth, my love for GW fics have phased out. But I'm into a bit of 13x5 (ever read "The Purr-fect House Guest" and other AU 13x5 fics) and of course, 3x4. I was lucky to have stumbled upon your fic. It's one of the few 3x4 fics I read. Shine Q's fics are great too, but I really don't like "The Game of Hide and Seek." I love her "The Ventriloquist" though. Wai! Needless to say, I love "Wilderness" to bits! Aw, their first lover's spat. How cute! Wai! Trowa deserves to suffer, mwahahaha! Have you noticed the recurring theme in my preferences? I'm weird, I know. I really can't wait to know what happens next. And you got down ALL my favorite pairings too! Good girl! I just hope I have the time to read fics. Darned college life! Err, and since my college life (is hell!) will be pretty hectic, I won't have time to write fics anymore. Gomen nasai! They're crappy anyway. Ehehehe, this is the last chapter though, so… Wai! If you still somehow want to review this last chapter, I might e-mail you… if I have the time, that is. Darned college life. Thanks SO much for the wonderful review! (huggles you extra extra hard)
No one Ehehehe… poor fish!(snickers) I just hope you liked the way the "happily ever after " was written. Thanks SO much for the review! (huggles you extra hard)
fruits of Eos Ehehehe, don't worry, I write crazed reviews too so… Err… (scratches head) Yeah. That made no sense. Gomen. It's now three in the morning. Gah. Ehehe, glad you weren't too bothered by the OOCs. I know it's an AU fic and I have a good excuse for the OOCness but some people are too… particular. Gah. Um, gomen, still no smut. I did up the limeish (or is it citrus-y?) factor a notch. Yeah, lame excuse. I really can't write smut, or even write lime. I'm such a crappy author! Uwaaah! Oh well. Thanks SO much for the review! (huggles you extra hard)
humanwings Yegads! Go do your homework first! Well, I don't, but that's beside the point! Waaah! I'm a bad influence! (bawls) Err, gomen. I know I'm weird. Ehehehehe… (sweatdrops) And yeah, this is a parody of The Little Mermaid. It's my favorite fairytale and I just wanted to pay tribute to its simple beauty so, here's the fic! Mwahahaha! Ehehehe, thanks for noticing that. I just changed it… I'm SO embarrassed. Thanks again! (huggles) Err, and I'm sorry for updating too slow! My college life suck right now, and it'll continue to do so for three years. Gah. I hate my life. Oh well. Thanks SO much for the review! (huggles you extra hard… again)
Hikaru … Mwahahahaha! We laugh almost the same way! Err… Ahem. 'Nyways, well, the story's not sad anymore, ne? I just hope you weren't too disappointed with the ending. Wah! Oh, and I'm SO sorry for taking too long in updating. Too much college shit. Oh well. Thanks SO much for the review! (huggles you extra hard)
Pandora-chan Ehehehe, gomen for the suspense. I was toying with the idea of making this an Anderson ending (I think I mentioned it sometime somewhere…) but, well, the happiness (or fluff?) won out. Ehehehe. I'm glad you like ToyaxYue more. It's more aesthetically pleasing; the operative word being 'more,' of course. Err, well, my love for CCS fics has diminished a loooong time ago so… gomen nasai! I couldn't read fics nowadays too. My college life is hell. Gah. Ehehehe, I didn't pay much attention to the series too! I found the whole political thing a bit boring. Oh well. I watched the dubbed version though and everyone I know insisted that the subbed version is better. I really just wanted to stare at the GW guys and catch the little yaoi hints that are too prevalent in the series. Ehehehe, good luck on your fanfiction schemes. Continue to make good yaoi fanfiction. And thanks SO much for the review! (huggles you extra hard)
El Terrible Fizzy Ehehehe, I'm glad you loved it. I'm SO sorry for taking too long though. As I keep telling everyone, my college life sucks. I'm sorry to since this is the last chapter of Out of the Sea. I hope you're not too disappointed with the outcome. Wait, POCKY! Wai! Pocky! I love Pocky! Especially chocolate pocky! Wai! Waaah! I want to watch the FMA series but I don't have the time. I have a friend though who's watching it (she hasn't finished, though) and she's making me SOOO jealous. Roy and Ed are SO gorgeous! (drools) Good luck with that ficcie! Thanks SO much for the review! (huggles you extra hard)
I'M SORRY. MINNA! IT'S 3:30 IN THE MORNING AND I HAVE TO GET BACK TO MY DORM TODAY. GAH. I HATE MY DORM. OH WELL. AND SINCE IT'S AN UNHOLY HOUR IN THE MORNING, MY BRAIN REALLY AIN'T FUNCTIONING, SO I'M GONNA STALL REPLYING TO THE REST OF YOUR REVIEWS (FOR CHAPTER 11) ON A LATER DATE. I'M REALLY SO SORRY, BUT IT'S A STRUGGLE TO TYPE AND KEEP MY EYES OPEN. I JUST WANNA THANK ALL OF YOU FOR THE WONDERFUL REVIEWS YOU'VE GIVEN ME AND I WILL GIVE THEM A REPLY AS SOON AS I GET THE CHANCE. (This goes to you, Shadow fat, GundamPilot03, Mikki Amboree, DemiSaiyan and Shin-chan.)
I just realized that I'm turning 19 in less than a week's time. Gah. I am old. Um, sorry for offending anyone out there (hides under convenient… towel). Oh, Happy Fathers Day everyone! (or rather, to all your fathers. It's already June 19 here soo…)