A Season of New Beginnings

The ocean, whose deepest depths were never too deep and surface that never had been too shallow, tears filled the sea from each and every memory anyone has made.

Most guards have been relieved of their posts when they instead escorted the youngest princess back to her home, her chambers.

But unlike the others, who immediately would want a welcome back party, telling about all the amazing things they done that others before them have not, she rather see her closest companion, her partner in crime, as soon as she gets back, no day later.

"Well now I just look like a fool," I stated, moving my hair over its part.

Levy held in a small smile as she laughed, "Well it was a bit amusing, I just didn't expect you to be here at all."

"Well if what they said is true, Alehkzir did want to ask me something..." Laiken recalled to his sister.

"That's right."

"You wanted to... ask Laiken something?" Her upper lip curved as if she just thought of a funny joke.

I stared at her and widened my eyes.

She was thinking about THAT but it was hardly even true.

Instead, I replied, "The ideas you had, I never gotten a chance to ask Laiken about them."

Levy's eyes widened, "You had all the time in the world, but now you are doing that?!"

I frowned, "I've been banished for the past several months."

Laiken nodded, "Yeah father indulgently had gone to another Ardizevepa to see if they would stop everything." He lowers his head, "It was a shame, it made everything so more entertaining."

"Oh!" She hadn't realized it was that long, "Well now that you are here I think I instead of that festival, we should have something better."

"Yeah and it seems you're the only one with a brain around here that can change things," I added, making them laugh.

"Instead there should be more prank wars and festivals where everyone is doing things besides being pretty and bragging!" Levy crossed her arms, smiling with excitement.

I nodded my head, "And we will get the younger ones that aren't so into all that being perfect stuff.  I never got it, nobody is perfect so why are they trying so hard to be the number 1?" I remarked afterwards.

Levy giggled at that.

Laiken raise his eyebrow and shook his head in laughter, "You two are something else, you know that right?" I simply grinned at the words he had to say, "First of all, Father would never approve of this and he wouldn't dare to get rid of the old one.  Please I've been trying for years."

Levy's face fell, "Well that's just mean.   It would be so much fun with pranks, umm glitter bombs, and--oh we could have sleepovers too!" She grinned.

I leaped over, leaning myself against her shoulder.

Laiken smiled, "I'll talk to him, but it honestly seems like something you both want to do together." He began to swim off, but right before he was out of earshot, he called out, "Alehkzir... Levy... I hope both of you one day do find your happiness."

I never understood why he said them.

Maybe it was because he knew what pain she went through and figured I experienced some of it too.

But I wish I held onto his words and remembered them.

Because I never found my happiness, I found death and I only brought death.

"Levy," I smiled, "I'm glad you're back." I tested on her shoulder like before.

She peered down at me, Levias a beautiful mermaid that taught me so much and made me believe not everyone is the same.  Her hair curled slightly in the front on the side of her former bangs.  Collectively, in the back, her hair went together in a long but beautiful fishtail.

"I missed you a lot." She hugged onto me, "You have no idea.  It was crazy being away from you that long, but I promise never again will I ever make you go through that."

I curled the rest of my body up by her neck, in small places Ardizevepa can make their bodies smaller and tightly tucked in and curled up.

I could just rest here all day.

"What do you think you're doing?" She stared at me belittled.

"Sleeping or relaxing.  Whatever you want to call it?" I muttered lazily, not moving positions as she moved.

"I'm not something to sleep on!" She exclaimed with a playful look in her eyes.

"I know," I laughed, "but it would be really funny if you just went to see your siblings or other mers to see their reaction to me like this."

I didn't plan to be like this forever, though I wouldn't mind now that I think about it.

"They would faint from fright after all the terrorizing you did," Levy remarked wittily.

I laughed.

"Let's terrorize that one annoying one." I decided.

She deadpan, "That's oddly vague.  Especially to you who think most of them are annoying, but you aren't wrong."

I laughed at her statement before continuing, "The one that misgendered me and use the incorrect pronouns."

That really ticked me off.

"Was is Laretta?" She tilted her head towards me.

I shrugged, "Maybe just swim by everyone, announcing that you're back."

She laughed, "Alright!"

Then she swam off.

Even though I felt a bit weird, I still managed to hang on with the end of my tail leaning off.

"Guess what I'm back!" She exclaimed with a bright smile on her face.

Lilac, Loretta, and Lusamine we're gathered together.

Loretta looked up, "Oh hi Levias, welco-" She stopped mid sentence when she undoubtedly noticed me.  Her features paled as she went back in almost fright.

"Yes?" Levy turned to her innocently.  I wish I could act as well as she is.

That's why I'm saying nothing.

"It's that deamon!" She pointed her finger aggressively at me, shrieking.  "Don't tell me you brought that thing when you went to aboard."

"First of all it's Ardizevepa!" I exclaimed, rolling my eyes, "Second of all I stated many, many times that my name is Alehkzir.  And thirdly," I grinned, "I did visit Levy abroad and scared the abyss out of everyone, but everyone thought it was so funny!"

I exaggerated, only a little.

Luzamine frowned, "Levy I thought being abroad would make you grow out of that phase," she sighed, "But here you are carrying him around like a lost pet."

My eyes flared, "THEM!" I hissed.

Lilac nodded, "Yeah and they got banned," Except when she said that it was almost discriminatory.  "I thought getting father to tell your clan would put you in your place,"

I was beyond ticked.

So it was she who did that?

She's going down.

I leaped off her shoulder, muttering Gigantius Magnumthus, and tackled the mermaid down.

And because of that phrase I was not as tiny, so I clawed her head to tail, and we both rolling in circles.

It made me so mad, I would curse her with a nasty spell that would turn her into some headless, disgusting monster that would smell absolutely rotten.

"Lilac!" The other two exclaimed in fright, once Levy pulled me away.

I was still clawing, hissing, and biting when she pulled me off.

"Levy stop!" I snarled, "Did you hear what she did?  I legit can't use any major spells anymore!  I've been trying to learn the major ones and then that happened.." I pointed at her accusatory, "Keth Zykrula had banished me for several months and I can no longer use the spell book!" I cried out.

It was a part of me.

Without magic, without spells, I wasn't even sure what I was.

"Lilac!  How could you do that?!" Levy yelled at her sister.

It was the first time I seen her yell at someone.

Lilac just glared, "Your friend or whatever just attacked me.  I'm bleeding and will probably have scars that won't ever go away and you care if they can learn how to do dangerous magic from some stupid book?!" She finally huffed.

The other two were at her sides to see if she was okay.

"Stupid mermaids..." I muttered, "Without magic... Without enchantment, I don't even know who I am.  I'm an Ardizevepa, not just some sea serpent or eel!" I cried out in Levy's arms leaning my head into her shoulder, my eyes red--feeling my tears absorb into the ocean.

"Take back what you said, Lilac. Tell father right away to apologize to their clan!" She stated fiercely at once, not moving until this was solved.

Who was this mer?

Cause she grown...

"Levia?!" Laiken's voice called out.

"Laiken we're in here with your so abyssal annoying half siblings!" I spat.

When I said that, they looked feared at once.

They all went down.

Laiken came through and widened his eyes, "What did you do?" He exclaimed at Lilac.

"I did nothing!" She gasped, "The clan member just jumped at me for no reason."

I crossed my arms angrily, "Nothing?! Nothing!  The abyss of course there was something!  That mermaid brought me to be banished for months and loose my right to ever learn new stronger enchantments!"

Laiken narrowed his eyes, "Yeah that was dumb of you Lilac.  Just cause you don't enjoy them doesn't mean you can do that to them." He stated calmly, "I want you to apologize and do all you can to get it back-- And Alehkzir don't ever resort to violence by tearing up another with your nails.  I want you both to apologize.

...

Okay that didn't turn out like I expected at all.

She actually did apologize, but that's because Laiken practically force her to.

She wasn't even looking at me in the eye.

I wasn't either, but that's only cause she didn't.

I said the most bored, empty, and emotionless apology I could ever muster.

And on top of it all, yeah the king disapproved of our idea.

What a shame.

Back in her room, Levy turned to me, "Are you upset I dragged you away?  I'm not hurt by the way." She looked down, "Even thought you accidentally bit me.". She smiled confidently, "Don't worry, it's fine."

I felt terrible.

I accidentally bit her and probably cut her too.

I let my emotions get the best of me, usually I'm never like that but then just that moment I just...

I snapped.

I couldn't control myself.

Nothing else mattered at that point.

I should honestly give myself a break to calm down.
I can act irrationally around her or anyone in general.
I should go.

"I need to calm down.  I think I should go." I told her honestly.

She widen her eyes, "What?  Hey," She turned to me, "I said I was fine didn't I?  I know you didn't mean to.  That's why I forgive you!"

"I just need to think okay?" I said nervously,  "I would have turned her into something permanent and I could have hurt someone."

And if my emotions get the best of me then I might tell her too much and just get myself hurt.

It's not like I'm scared of that, I just know I can't and she's not allowed to.

And maybe the possibility that she could feel the same way also scares me.

"So you're going to the abyss?" She lifted up to where I was--staring out the window and all.

"Mm-hmm," I muttered, "I just want to think, you know?"

She nodded, "Oh." Levy replied neither shocked nor sad.  It was a reply that was a realization, like an 'I see'.

But then she said more, "I'm guessing you don't want to explore or anything to get your mind off what happened earlier either?"

"Yeah that's right..." I trailed off, "So I think I will go.  See you tomorrow?"

She waved, "Maybe I can come to the abyss tomorrow and see those caves?"

I staggered in my swim, jerking my head back, "W-what did you say?"

Levy is not going anywhere near those caves again.

If Keth Zykrula saw me and Levy, right away I would be found out on why I really refused to leave.

"I'll come and see you tomorrow at the abyss." And I just shook my head, "Aw come on, you seen my home where I grew up in why can't a mer like me see yours?"

"It's dangerous..." I muttered thinking of the only excuse I could muster, "You'd be spelled by so many."

"Well..." She began to think, "If you're there then I'd be protected by that right?"

I frowned, she was right.

Great seas, what else do I say?

"It's really deep!" I exclaimed nodding at once, "You might not be able to handle it-- l-like how you thought I wouldn't handle where you were at abroad."

She pressed her lips in a line, "LEHZ!" She exclaimed, "What are you afraid of?  That they won't like me -- Listen I told you I don't care what anyone thinks of me.  Well maybe you don't want them to not like me, but I'll be fine." She pressed her arms to the side eagerly.

I sighed, maybe I'll have to just tell her.

"The thing is I was supposed to leave, but then I'd never see you again or anyone really and other things..." I took a deep breath, "So I basically told Keth Zykrula I wasn't like anyone else and enjoyed them and their company... B-b-but if you c-came they would definitely know r-right away what's up," I nervously stated, even stuttering a bit at the end.

"And what's wrong with that?" She asked.

Yeah, to her I'm just her closest one.
Friend, if I may, even though I don't like zoning ourselves because we are more than simple friends.

But no Ardizevepa has ever befriended a mer and even refused their life cycle to be with that said mer.

Maybe Keth Zykrula won't even say anything until some other time.

I leaned my head over, "Look I just... I don't know, maybe you can but just... Just be cautious and careful."

She smiled, "Alright, Lehz."

I gave her a smile back and retreated for the day.

//Legend here,
I say about three more chapters until the main plot starts\\