Disclaimer: I don’t own Pichi Pichi Pitch Mermaid Melody.

Editor: Okay, sorry for the wait, people . I actually got this chapter the same day I edited the third, but then I came down with the flu so I couldn’t edit…Just started feeling better yesterday…Anyway, enjoy!

Mama’s A Mermaid

Chapter 4 – Gackto

Toru stormed into the apartment that had been his home since he was born. The dirty blonde strands side swept across his crystal clear, aquamarine hued eyes.

“Dad,” He called out to the empty apartment. After many minutes of no sound he called again, “Dad,” he spoke a little louder before searching around. “He isn’t here…” Toru concluded. “Why isn’t he here?” He gasped then looked out the sliding glass door. There was the stormy weather before. It had happened just when Rina disappeared and it happened directly after his mother disappeared.

Everything was normal in his twelve year old life, except for the fact that his birthday was today, making him thirteen. His mother was a mermaid and both ofhis parents were missing.

“Dad…” Toru stared sadly out of the sliding glass door. He wiped his eyes then remembered the pink candy his father never allowed him to see, much less touch. Without a second thought, Toru ran into his parents’ room and found the pink pearl in a rectangular prism connected to a chain. It was old, but sturdy. “Why didn’t Dad want me to touch this?” Toru asked himself.

He glanced around and made sure that the three mermaids he had just recently met wouldn’t come knocking on his door any time soon then he opened the small prism. The pink pearl was surrounded by a healthy glow when it made contact with Toru’s skin. A wave of happiness and relaxation flooded Toru. A soft smile rose on his face and his eyes welled with tears.

“This is the feeling of the North Pacific Ocean,” Toru spoke quietly. He gently pulled the pearl close to him and let it rest in his fingers that pressed against his chest. “It’s so warm and calming. Maybe this is what Mom felt like and why Dad loved her so.” He held his happiness in his arms a little longer then a creak sounded throughout the apartment.

Toru gasped then looked around. It had gotten darker and the sea was a black pit of nothingness. He immediately slipped the pearl back into the miniscule prism and hung it around his neck, taking care to hide it in his shirt.

He stepped out of his parents’ room and into the living room. “Hello?” He asked the darkness. A chill engraved and sliced into his spine. The shadows moved as if they were little dragons, spinning around on the walls and furniture.

“He looks like the pink pearl princess,” A voice rang out, sending more chills down his spine.

Toru turned towards it, fear seeping into his trembling structure. “Who’s there?”

A younger voice perked up, “Aw, he’s scared.”

“No, I’m not!” Toru backed up into a corner of the room.

“I wouldn’t go in that direction, if I were you.” A womanly voice whispered from across the room.

A creepy voice mixed with a sweet tone, spinning back and forth resounded behind him, “We have him cornered!”

Toru let out a small yelp then he darted to the sliding glass door. He halted then slowly looked up with huge, horrified eyes.

A tall man with slick, dark pants loomed over Toru. His long, furry, black cloak hugged his body and arms then flared out at his hips down and from his shoulders up. His jeweled necklace looked like it pierced into his skin, which looked as if it had never seen the daylight. His smooth, silver hair flared out from the top of his ears, which were adorned with golden earrings. To top it off, his ominous, crimson eyes meant death to whoever stared for too long.

He glanced behind himself then down at Toru, “Surely,” His voice made Toru wince, “you don’t plan on going out there all by yourself.”

Normally, Toru would’ve shrunk back in fear, but he stood his ground…barely. He gulped and nodded.

“Heh,” The man’s eyes narrowed with amusement. “I can take you to your parents, but I need a little something in return.”

Toru gasped. Could this creepy guy really take him to his dad and long lost mother? “Can you…do that?”

The man’s smile curled into an evil smirk. “Yes, I can, but the little trinket you possess is necessary for the travel.” He held out his hand.

Toru stared down at the man’s hand then up into his entrancing eyes. “Who are you?”

“I am Gackto, the prince of Panthalassa,” The man, or Gackto, answered.

Toru scrunched up his nose, “That sounds made up.”

Gackto glared at Toru sending a shiver down the young boy’s spine. “Give me the pearl.”

“What pearl?” Toru was terrified, but he couldn’t afford to show it. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Gackto glared for a few minutes then stopped. He stood up straight with his hands at his side, one warming the stem of a rose, the other clinging to an intricate staff. Gackto opened his mouth and that requiem from eleven years before pierced open Toru’s skull.

Toru fell to the floor, clutching his ears. His mouth was twisted into a pained grimace and his eyes were clamped shut. “St-stop!” He yelled, “Stop singing!”

Gackto stopped his singing then knelt down to Toru’s eye level. “Give me the pink pearl.” Toru didn’t answer, but his expression relaxed. “Give it to me,” His voice rose louder. Toru cringed but didn’t move. “If you won’t give it to me willingly, we’ll have to tear apart this pitiful apartment looking for it.” When Toru didn’t answer again, Gackto motioned to the voices in the room and the place was torn apart.

Toru could only stare at the floor in complete anguish. He knew where the pearl was, but he couldn’t hand it over to Gackto. He just couldn’t; there was a feeling that made him think that it wasn’t the right thing to do.

After searching every square inch of the apartment, Gackto grabbed Toru’s chin and glared into his eyes, “Where is the pearl?” He growled. He obviously wasn’t pleased. “It wasn’t with your mother or with your father…so…it must be with you.” He felt the chain that led down under Toru’s shirt.

Toru stood and backed away from Gackto, “I don’t have it.”

Gackto walked towards him and with every step forward, Toru took two steps back. “I know you have it, whelp,” Gackto grew excited, knowing that he was about to have yet another pearl in his possession. “Hand it over.”

Toru stopped backing away and glared at Gackto. It was as if a different force took over him. “I’d rather die than hand over my kingdom to you, Gackto.” The force disappeared and Toru’s eyes widened. What had just happened??

Gackto glared and hissed, “The Pink Pearl Princess spoke that way to me. I wasn’t pleased by it.”

“Tough.” Toru glared back.

Gackto darted at Toru and pinned his shoulders against the wall. “I don’t want to remove your limbs. Give me that pearl-” Suddenly, the pink pearl shined brightly enough to see clearly through Toru’s shirt. “There it is.” Gackto said with a pleased smirk. He held his hand above the collar of the shirt and the pink pearl floated up with the prism around it.

“No!” Toru squirmed against Gackto’s strength. He became free then grabbed and held the prism as he ran to the other side of the room and stopped. “You’ll never have this pearl!”

Gackto’s voice grew even darker, “Maria, Izuuru, restrain him.”

Toru’s face grew confused. There were only Gackto and himself in the room, where would a Maria or an Izuuru come in? Toru was then pinned against the wall, his right arm was guarded by a blonde haired ice woman and the left arm was trapped by a woman with long, dark, wavy hair adorned with pink highlights and a monstrous tail. Toru looked up to see Gackto slowly walk towards him.

Fear crept in again. What would Gackto do when he stopped in front of Toru? Would he cut him? Bruise him? Or worse?

Toru tried to push himself farther back into the wall when Gackto stopped just a foot away from him. “Why so skittish?” Gackto let out an amused laugh. “Relax, I’m not going to kill you…yet.” Toru stopped breathing; the pressure and fear building up was too much to bear. Gackto reached out at Toru’s shirt for the shining, pink pearl.

Suddenly, the door slammed open with the help of two gorgeous voices. Gackto and the other two women, Maria and Izuuru winced and glared at the doorway. Toru merely watched in awe.

The two, singing females wore matching short, strapless dresses; they sang until Gackto, Maria, and Izuuru couldn’t stand it anymore and left without harming Toru.

Toru stared, his eyes huge and his mouth gaping once more. He watched as the two females morphed back into Noel and Caren. “Miss Noel, Miss Caren…What were you two doing in that get up?”

“Toru,” Noel stared straight through Toru’s eyes, “this is how we fight them off, those who want to take over the sea. Being mermaid princesses, we must protect the seas. Did you hand over the pink pearl?”

Toru shook his head profusely, “No, I’d never. The last thing I want to do is hand this precious pearl over to that fake prince.”

“Good,” Caren smiled, “then you won’t mind fighting with us.”

Toru stared blankly, “Good one.” He spoke. “There is no way I’m going to dress up in a frilly miniskirt and low cut corset to sing with you girls.”

“But…Toru…” Noel spoke sadly, “You must. It’s your duty, you have to. We just lost Hanon…” She sniffed. “We’ll lose each other if you can’t help!”

Toru sighed, “Miss Noel… If you and your sister had to bail me out just now then I really am no help you two.”

“Toru,” Caren hissed.

“No!” Toru clutched the pink pearl. “I’ll protect this one as best as I can! Relying on others would keep my guard down! I need to become stronger and then fight back.”

“Hey, don’t cut me off-”

“I said no!” Caren was cut off by Toru. He walked past the two mermaid princesses, “I won’t fight. I’ll play defense.” He slammed the door shut behind him and leaned on the door for a few minutes. “…I must be out of my mind.” He groaned and opened the door again.

The sliding glass door was broken and both twins were gone. “…Oh for God’s sake,” Toru sunk to his knees. “They’re gone, too?” He stared down at the floor with anger flaring in his eyes then he stood and ran to the balcony. He leaned out and yelled at the storm that was disappearing, “JUST YOU WAIT, GACKTO! I’LL KILL YOU!”

Aquamarine Pearl Princess – Acquired

Indigo Pearl Princess – Acquired

Purple Pearl Princess – Acquired

Editor: *cough cough* stupid flu x.x…

M-12: Thanks for editing, DSB! …sorry that you’re sick…I hope you get better!