Birth of Love

The air was cold and the surrounding area was foggy, but it didn’t stop him from going to that little shack on the beach. He had been going there awhile now, simply to ease the pain and depression he constantly felt. However, it seemed it was making things worse. There was so many precious memories here. He never wanted to let them go. This was his favorite spot; there was no other place greater then here. It was where he first met her; last held her. He sat down, and pulled his knees to his chest, and sobbed.

“Yuri…” he sniffled. Just saying her name brought more grief. Even when it had almost been a year now, he couldn’t help but miss his first love. She was on the side of the enemy, that was true, but still it felt right. He wished he could hold her, kiss her, be with her. He loved her, that was obvious, but still he felt a little mad at times. Maybe he was mad at Gaito, Sara, the Water Demons, The Mermaid Princesses, himself, or maybe it was just Yuri. If only Gaito had seen how evil he was being, or how Sara had really opened her eyes to Mitsuki’s love for her from the beginning. If only the Water Demons had understood or really excepted their love in the first place, and if only the Mermaid Princesses had tried harder to save her. Why hadn’t he been strong enough to protect her himself? Somehow, however, it always went back to Yuri. If only she would have stayed with him, instead of going to Gaito, and her doom.

“If only things could have been different.” he commented to no one but himself. But, he knew it would have always been that way. Yuri, loved him, of course, but she also loved Gaito. She loved Gaito first as well. So in the end, she went to Gaito. He would lie to himself, and say she did it out of kindness, but deep down, he knew she loved Gaito. Maybe not as strongly, as the other Dark Lovers loved Gaito, but still. He clenched his fist, and cried harder. Did this mean she made her choice? Did she not love him as much? Could he even love another like he did her? He almost hit himself for thinking that. Lately, he had started to think about similar questions like those. He shook his head, and pushed the questions away. No, of course he couldn’t. He loved her with every fiber of his being, despite how young he was. No one could ever love him like she did, and vice versa. He was about to get up and leave, when he heard a sweet voice. It seemed to be singing. He looked out to the little rock perched in the calm waves of the beach. That’s when he saw her. The Orange Pearl Mermaid Princess, Seira. She was the source of the singing. He listened to the song enchanting him.

Dareka no koe ni namae wo yobarete me wo samasuAoi nami ni ukabu umi no yurikago deYume wo miteta noKono umi no doko ka de ima arasuu koe ga suruNaiteru kokoro kara ai wa umare nai Kanashimi dake ga afurete shimau*Utsukushi umi no negai no kakera karaUmarete yukitai hikari wo daiteYuuyake ni somaru ORENJI(orange) no umi ni waSekai no namida ga nemutteru.

He let out a couple of tears escape his eyes. The song itself was beautiful, then throw in Seira’s beautiful voice, and it was all that was needed to make someone cry. The little orange mermaid smiled from her rock, then jumped into the water. She swam to the beach, and transformed into her human form. She walked over to where the humanized hippo was crying, and sat down beside him. It was silent for awhile, except for Hippo’s sobs.

“Hippo-sama?” Seira asked. Hippo cringed at the pain in his heart. Whenever Seira called him by this, it hurt. Nobody had called him that since, Yuri. Nonetheless, he wiped away his tears with his hands and smiled.

“Yes Seira-sama?” Hippo questioned. He used formal language with all the Princesses as a sign of respect, and Seira was no exception.

“Do you miss Yuri?” she asked . His smile faded. He chuckled darkly.

“So much it’s slowly killing me.” he replied. She frowned.

“I understand how you feel.” Seira assured him.

“How could you possibly understand?” Hippo spat harshly. Seira flinched, and dropped her head down low. He then realized how mean and rude he had been. She was his superior, and he didn’t have the right to talk to her like that.

“I’m sorry.” he apologized.

“No, I was just thinking about how I lost Mikeru, and you lost Yuri.” she assured him.

“Mikeru?” he questioned.

“I learned much about him, when I was inside of him, and I grew to love him. Maybe not in as strong a sense, but still.” Seira explained.

“In a way, Yuri taught me what love really was.” Hippo confided. Seira shook her head in agreement.

“Mikeru taught me as well.” Seira agreed.

“Seira-sama, do you think you can ever love again?” Hippo asked. She pondered for a moment, and smiled.

“Definitely.” she replied.

“Definitely?” Hippo asked confused.

“Yes, definitely, because I know Mikeru would want me to be happy and love another. I’m sure Yuri would feel the same way.” Seira answered him. He thought about this; he sighed in defeat.

“I guess you’re right, but I don’t know if anyone could love me like she did.” Hippo admitted. He looked over to Seira, but found tears steaming down her face and her hands were clenched into tight fists.

“There is someone who loves you like she did, if not more.” Seira responded. Hippo felt a flutter in his chest. What was that? Was that …hope? What was he hoping for?

“Huh, who?” Hippo asked nervously. Seira did not respond, instead cried harder. All she wanted was to tell him, but she was so afraid. She was so scared she was no match for him; no comparison to Yuri. So, instead she stared out to the ocean, and continued singing.

Umarete ku sono sekai ga watashi wo yonde ita...?Fukai umi no soko de koe wa kikoetetaDonna ni kuraku tsurai basho demoUtsukushi umi no negai no kakera karaUmarete yukitai yami wo hiraiteAsayake ni somaru murasaki no umi ni moWatashi no negai wa tokete iruItsuka kanashi arasoi no taneSubete ga kieru sonna hi ga kiteHitotsu no ai wo utaitai...aoi umi no naka de...Dareka ga yasashiku namae wo yonde iruWatashi no negai wo shite ita you ni.

“Seira-sama?” Hippo asked. He was confused, if not worried for her. He felt like there was something she wasn’t telling him. He had felt like that a lot lately. They spent a lot of time together, and they were good friends, so he knew when something was up. He surprised himself by holding her hands in his tightly. Her hands felt so warm, much like her personality. For some reason, this felt, right. He hadn’t felt this way in a long time. His heart was beating wildly in his chest. She was just as surprised as he was, but did not move her hands out of his. She sighed deeply, and Hippo noticed she was lightly blushing.

“Hippo-sama?” Seira asked. This time, there was nothing but a warm, happy feeling when she said his name.

“Yes Seira-sama?” Hippo questioned getting a little curious.

“I…I…I love you!” Seira yelled pulling her head down to hide the tears steaming down her face. Hippo’s heart beat even faster at her words.

“You…you do?” Hippo asked.

“Yes! I have for awhile! I‘ve been so afraid to tell you!” Seira confessed.

“Afraid? Afraid of what?” Hippo asked puzzled.

“Because I knew you’d never return my feelings for you! I could never be like Yuri-chan was in your eyes!” Seira cried. Then he finally realized what his heart had been trying to tell him for a long time now. He wasn’t afraid that he could never love anyone like Yuri again. No, he was afraid to love again. What if he lost his second love like he did Yuri? He had been harboring feelings for her for awhile now, he just didn’t realize it. The more time they spent together, the stronger the feelings got. He knew deep down that all along he had been pushing away the love he felt for Seira. He loved her too. Seira was beautiful, kind, loyal, everything he could ever want and more. He loved this orange mermaid with all his heart. He pulled her to him and hugged her tightly.

“I love you too Seira.” Hippo replied. Now it was Seira’s turn to be confused. She stared up at him in shock. Hippo wiped away her tears.

“You…you do?” She asked him still shocked.

“Yes, and I’m sorry it took me so long to realize it.” he apologized. She continued to cry, but now they were tears of joy.

“I love you Seira.” he said gently stroking her hair affectionately. She looked up at him and smiled.

“I love you too Hippo.” She replied laying back down on his chest, as they looked back out to the sea together and Seira sang.

Ai to yume ga hitotsu ni nari Kanashii "ima" wo hoshikuzu ni shite kureru kara Shinjite... Umareta koto hokori ni shite Tsuyoku hikaru tenshi no you na manazashi wo kumorasenaide Kono chikara yume no tame ni Kaseru nara umarete yukitai no Ai ni naritai... Itsumo soba de mitsumetekita Osorenaide tabi datte yuku sono yuuki Mabushii... Kurai ginga terasu tame ni Umaretekita inochi no hikari sono imi wo tsutaete itte Sono chikara ai no tame ni Tsukau nara mirai no chizu de sae Kaete yukeru wa Kono chikara yume no tame ni Hateru nara umarete yukitai no Ai ni naritai...