Aquata Cove Ch. 101: Final Pt. 02

"Oh sweet, I love that place." Jamal grinned, "They got steaks like thick as my arm, I totally went nuts at their buffet."

"Awesome." Adam says as he opens the box. Jamal looks to see the sparkling wing-like diamond and platinum cufflinks.

"Congratulations, buddy." Jamal says as he gives Adam a pat on the shoulder, "Been waiting a long time for you guys to get married."

"Hahah... I'm still waiting for yours." Adam says.

"Naw, that ain't me..." Jamal shook his head, "You just get yourself good."

"Look, I uh... I know you don't like talking about stuff like this, but... Haven't you ever really thought of, well... Asking Nick to marry you?"

"Naw." Jamal chuckled, "He tells me to put a ring on it, he's talking about his junk."

"So you never want to make it official?"

"Ah love Nick, Adam. That's enough. And besides..." Jamal trails off.

"Cheryl...?"

"Yeah, that..." Jamal nods, "I love my lil Nicky, but I ain't making those plans again."

"What if... He asks you?"

"Don't know. He talked about having one of those swinger couples, but it's like we already do that."

"Heh... Of course..." Adam shrugged.

"Then there's Sasha..."

"What about her?"

"Well..." Jamal flattened his lips a bit as he tilts his head. Adam widens his eyes as he realizes.

"You and her?? Well," Adam scoffed, "Actually, not surprising, she said that once or twice, but are you saying..."

"Yeah, we hooked up a few times. And you know... I really like hanging out with her, and she just drives me nuts."

"What about Nick??" Adam asked, frankly a bit shocked.

"He knows, I've talked to him about it." Jamal nodded and shrugged, "Nuthin different's goin on."

"And he's just ok with that?? That you have a crush on Sasha??"

"It ain't no crush, I just... I really like her, man. And Nick's coo wit it, I'm still his 'El grande de Papi', heh heh."

"But... I just don't get it." Adam shrugged, "It seems tricky, isn't it?"

"What's not to git?" Jamal asked, "I love Nick, and I'm crazy about Sasha, and all three of us hit off great. Hahah, she even nags Nick about getting in a 3-way with me and her, but he ain't havin that shit. He just gives her a few numbers from guys he knows."

"I just... Really, Jamal? Are you talking about a polygamous relationship?"

"I... Maybe. I dunno." Jamal shakes his head, "I just, why's it got to be so complicated wit people? Why can't I love two people, especially when they do the same thing? Like that show you watch, Queer As Fuck?"

"Queer As Folk. And I don't see how that really applies."

"Whatever. Hell, maybe we'll get an apartment together in a few years if we still tight and when my probation is finally over."

"You're serious about this..." Adam says, "I-I'm not judging or anything, just... It's kinda weird, you know?"

"Hey, I've always fucked around and shit, how's it weird now alla sudden?"

"You're talking about romance though, Jamal. Just... I mean, it's gotta be like having too many pets, right? Dividing your love like that and being so casual about it."

"Why do I gotta be limited with how I feel? Ain't love a good thing? I mean, I read this thing where a guy was born wit two dicks, right? And he had a bae and a boo just like that. It's that simple."

"Well yeah, but..."

"Hey man." Jamal patted at his arm, "I don't need no preacher or some fancy paper to tell me how I feel bout people."

"Heh... Gee, thanks..." Adam scoffed.

"Hey, man, don't be like that. You gettin married." He smirked as he pats his arm again, "Look, whatever I do, or whatever you do, just... You know you still my lil bro, right?" He nudges his fist on Adam's shoulder.

"Heh heh... Yeah. You're the best bro a guy could ever ask for." Adam says with a smile, "Your first brother is a real fucktard for letting you go."

"Ah shit, Adam..." Jamal says as he turns his face aside and rubbing his fingers under his eyes, "Shit, shut up, man, don't start with that."

"Yeah, I'm making it weird. I still love you, you horny bigamist."

"What???" Jamal's voice shoots up, "I ain't no bigot, I'm black, dumbass!" He laughs as he wraps his arm around Adam's neck.

"Ow! No, Jamal, I said 'biga'! BIGA!"

"Aw hell naw! No you didn't!" He sneers as he half wrestles Adam around.

"Jamal, ow! Careful with my suit, ah!"

~~~

The members of the Kenovani mingle amongst themselves, fully clothed and adorned with the many offered cloths, hats, and accessories.

Yuri walks to Merrick's tent, and smiles as she sees him in front of a mirror, along with two of Hanamaru's colleagues, and a couple of Kenovani members who are more adapted for the cold. "Wow, Merrick, you look... Oh my God, you look amazing!"

"Heh, thanks." Merrick smiles as he looks at her reflection. He is dressed in a regal ensemble of robe-style armor. White silk sleeves that have gold scallop pauldrons on either shoulder and locked into place on a mantle of gold placed to the vest of the robe. He wears a small gold nautilus shell for a belt buckle, with the coat reach down to his ankles. And a crown of a gold spiral shells and white pearls around his blond head.

"Oh my gosh, this is the first time I'm actually seeing your robe!" Yuri admires, "It's fantastic!"

"Heh. I basically just browsed Final Fantasy clothing on Google, and told your Mother that I wanted 'this, this, and this'."

"Hahah, well you made some awesome choices." The two helpers duck out of the tent to give Merrick and Yuri some time alone, "It's getting pretty crowded in the tent lobby though, and the caterers still need to expand it for the reception. Why aren't your people going to the seating area?"

"The Kenovani are still merfolk, Yuri. And they're scared of humans. They refuse to go to anywhere until they absolutely have to when the ceremony begins. More than half of them are nervous enough as it is just being here. Comparatively, Deilan's wedding was a lot smaller and simpler than this one."

"And why didn't the Kenovani show up for Syrinx's wedding again?"

"Some of them did, Yuri, remember? There were only a few of them because we were recently attacked by Sovereign Urchins, and those things don't make easy injuries." Merrick explains as he looks at the mirror, then wandered his gaze with downcast eyes.

"Merrick?" Yuri tilts her head to look at him, "What's the matter? Are you having doubts?"

"You could say that..." Merrick says with a nod, "It's just... I have a few months left, maybe another half-year at the very most before my body will start to get weak again. I'll have to go back to the Kenovani for several months when that happens."

"Are you sure? Why can't you just spend a day in the water on a regular basis?"

"That's not enough. My body needs more than that."

"Well, I don't see what the problem is. You know Adam's willing to wait for you."

"That's not what I'm concerned about..." Merrick sits down and looks at her, "Yuri, the last time I went into the ocean, Adam was bashed, and he lost everything inside his head. He almost died, Yuri. I was only gone for a week."

"I see..."

"Adam says he always worried about me when I'm at sea with the pod because the ocean is so dangerous. Now I'm terrified of what will happen to him if I leave again..."

"It'll be ok, Merrick." Yuri says as she takes a seat too, "It's already happened once so we can be extra careful."

"It's not that simple, Yuri. I can always be attacked and eaten by a rabid shark at any given moment, just as Adam can maybe get attacked by a violent homophobe at any time..."

"Well... Tell you what." Yuri says, "Me and Jamal can teach him to fight."

"Pghghehheh, what?" Merrick scoffed. Then, he feels something in his brain. His smile fades as his eyes go to the opening of the tent. He hears a soft singing phasing in the air of reality... Like music is being slowly blown away by the wind.

"Hey, I know a handful of martial arts for self-defense, you know that. And Jamal used to live in a 'thug' lifestyle - so he says - so he knows how to brawl. So you don't need to..." Merrick furrows his brow curiously before he stands up. "Uhhhh, Merrick?"

"Do you hear that?" Merrick asked. He peers out into the lobby, where the merfolk were talking.

"Uuumm... Hear what?" She asked, not certain what to make of this.

"Someone's singing, but... It's weird; it's making me feel weird." He can't seem to find the words to define this.

"..." Yuri pauses and listens, "... I don't think I hear singing."

The breath-like melody rings a strong tone before fading into a wavering sound, "There it is again! I-It's like that singing from Doctor Who!"

"Merrick, I don't watch-"

"The, the, the, the, the 10th Doctor, when he was with Rose, there's this mystic singing, it's like that!" Merrick snaps his fingers as the singing pulls at his attention.

"Merrick, calm down, you're making me nervous." Yuri says as she stands up, "There is NO singing." She assures him, "Everybody is talking, that's all."

"Yuri, I KNOW what I'm hearing!" Merrick says as the song seems to want to yank him out of his tent. The song makes his very body tremble; it's almost scaring him how much the very sound is shaking his core. He steps out from his private area, and strides through the lobby.

"Merrick wait!" Yuri says as she rushes behind him. Merrick pants as he steps out to the cold snow-covered beach. He huffs as he turns, his whole world spinning as the mysterious symphony spirals like an indecisive compass in his brain. "Merrick, you're just having an anxiety attack!" Yuri says as she holds onto Merrick, "Look, just come back inside-"

"NO!" Merrick staggers as he throws her arm out, his eyes squinting as he tries to make some sort of sense with this feeling, until a direction finally settles his eyes from where the rhymic chanting streams inside his mind, "The sea..." He mumbles.

"Merrick, you're just having a nervous breakdown, that's all, it's perfectly natural" Yuri tries to say, "You're going to be fine, just..." Then, Merrick removes the shell crown on his head, "M-Merrick?"

"I have to go." Merrick states as he puts the crown on the rock, and starts to undo is outfit.

"M-Merrick! You're getting married in less than an hour!" Yuri exclaims as Merrick unbuckles the decorative armor, "Can't this wait?!"

"No, I need to know what this is!"

"There isn't anything!" Yuri says as Merrick strips naked, even yanking off his scale necklace, but keeping it gripped in his fist.

"I'll be back!" Merrick says before he immediately dashes into the shore.

"Merrick! WAIT!" But it's too late, Merrick already dives into the water, before she saw the glide of the base of his tail, and the white frilled fin slaps the surface. "Dammit, the snow." She cursed as she quickly picks up the discarded clothing.

Hanamaru watches with estranged eyes as Yuri came back, holding all of Merrick's clothing, "Yuri? What happened?"

"I don't know, Mom. But I think we may have a runaway bride." Yuri said with a frown.

~~~

Merrick flaps his tail as hard as he can. Now that he's in the water, he can hear the music clearer. The voice pulls at his soul as he swims out, reaching a rather far distance into the sea. "Who are you!?" He calls out as he looks around. "What am I hearing?!"

He turns in circles in the water, his eyes trying to find the direction of the omnipresent music. Finally, his eyes lock on a faint twinkle in the distance. His webbed hands pull him through the water as his tail pushes up and down with his undulating body. The singing gets softer and quieter as he swims as fast as he can, seeing something sparkling as he goes. His eyes widen as he can make out who was waiting for him...

"What... By the Sea Mother..." He says before he swims even faster, panting urgently as he races against the icy cold water.

~~~

Adam paces around his waiting area by the decorated, seeing people parking their cars near the road of the forest, rather than hiking through the snow. The coming guests go and sign into the guestbook; so far, Bertha has showed up, some of his closest people from the Fish House, Jerry and Carla has just signed in, other well-known performers from the Dream Waltz, and so on. He didn't invite a lot of people, just enough to match the Kenovani's number so both sides of the ceremony is even. He paces back and forth, and then looks up and feels himself smile.

"Adamu-kun." Fumiko says with a formal bow and a bright smile.

"Oh hey, Fumiko, you've made it!" He goes to her and then looks to an older woman next to her, "Hello, I don't believe we've been introduced."

"Hahah, Konichiwa, I am Taeko Kaguya." She introduced herself, her accent rather close to her speaking. "I am Fumiko aunt, I come to bring her."

"Oh, thank you very much for coming. Uh... Just curious, is there a Ryojin with you, orrr..."

"Oh no, Ryojin did not want come." She shook her head, "He and Yuri, no good, eheheheh." She laughed.

"Heh, I hope you don't, like... Hate Yuri,"

"Oh, nononono!" Kaguya assured, "I like Yuri-san! She is good girl, good. Is she here?"

"Ah no, she's actually in a big tent at the beach." Adam gestured before turning and pointing to the sand/snow trail around the down-hill corner of rocks, "Walk there, and turn left, and you'll see it, Fumiko can get ready in there."

"Tank yooouu." She said, "Oh, and present." Kaguya gives Adam a brightly shining wrapping paper as she holds Fumiko's hand and walks her down.

"Oh, thank you, arigatou gozaimasu!" He tells her before he goes and puts it with the other gifts.

As everyone talks and gets ready, a short figure in a white cloak looks about them all. The hood covers the face, and no one seems to notice her as she walks by. As she goes, snowflakes fly gently around her while she slowly approaches the altar.

~~~

"Ummmmm..." Arnaav thought, "No, I don't hear anything like that."

"Are you sure?" Yuri asked, "It just made him go crazy in just a few minutes flat. Is it just a Piscien thing then?"

"I don't think so, Sensei." Arnaav answers, "If it were, the others would've said something by now."

"Any clue where Merrick could have gone?" She inquired. Arnaav merely shrugged with an estranged look of his brow.

Meanwhile, Merrick walks out of the shore, with the scale necklace around his neck, his body drenched with seawater. He looks at the beautiful weapon in his hand, before planting it into the snow-covered sand, and then sprinting back to the large tent. He strides into the warmth, and grabs one of the towels.

"Oh my God, THERE you are!" Yuri's angry voice says as Merrick presses the towel into his face, "You're killing me, you know that, Merrick?! Do you realize what time it is?! Where WERE you!?"

"Where's your Mother??" Merrick asked her, ignoring her questions, "I need her."

"I- Uh- She's over there, talking to your leaders," Yuri pointed out, "Merrick, what-" Before she can talk, Merrick walks as fast as he can to Hanamaru, wrapping the towel around his waist as he goes.

"Yuri!" Kaguya says, instant catching her attention.

"Oh, Kaguya! [I am so glad you came!]" Yuri says in Japanese. "[Hello, Fumiko, thank you for coming...]"

Fumiko is out of focus right now, as a half-naked Merrick has just passed her, "Ahhh..."

"Fumiko. Fumiko!" Yuri snapped her fingers.

"Wha- Ah, nani?"

"[We need to get you ready! I will take you to where you can change clothes.]"

"Hai." Fumiko smiled as she followed Yuri.

Arnaav idly pushes and feels at the small shiny pillow he was given, liking the feel of it in his hands. He's nice and warm now, and he's actually pretty excited to get started with this human ritual that's happening.

Then, his ears catch a very familiar laughter. He gasps as he quirks his head up, and beams as sees his human walking a short distance from him, "Hhh! Fumiko!" He whispered with glee.

"I hold complete responsibility of my pod," Triton Samudra tells her, "Being near a gathering like this is most unsettling to say the least."

"We simply cannot ask them to risk themselves to the presence of humans more than they already have." Noita Vanora adds.

"I understand, but I assure you, no one who is coming to day is aware that you are not humans." Hanamaru replies, "As we have explained, we have already thought of a backstory to-"

"Hana, I need to talk with you!" Merrick says hastily as he takes her arm.

"Ah! O-Ok," Hanamaru stammers as he pulls her away, "Merrick, why aren't you dressed? I thought you were getting ready."

"Never mind that. Just how many materials do you have??" He asked quickly, "Is there enough to go around??"

"U-Uh, Why- Yes, I brought enough to clothe twice as many people as you've brought just in case, why?"

"Ok, I need you, come with me." He takes her hand, "And just so you know, I'm going to be doing most of the talking."

"A-Alright." Hanamaru says as she walks with Merrick out into the snow.

~~~

"It's almost time..." Adam says, his insides churning like crazy, "Hoh my God, I think I might throw up."

"Dude, you need to chill; we're already out here in the cold." Nick pointed out.

"Oh hey, is that them?" Harold asked as he looked at the robed people coming to the seating area.

"Huh? Oh yeah, that's the Kenovani." Adam answered, his whole body still shaking. Him, Jamal, Nick, Harold, and Kevin have all put on their cufflinks, Arnaav is currently with them holding what looks like a metallic miniature giant clam in his hands that contains the rings, and the girls are waiting on the other side of the clearing behind the trees.

"Ok." Jamal crouches down to Arnaav's level, "You know what to do, lil man?"

"Yes!" Arnaav nods quickly.

"Ok..." Adam's insides continue to squirm as he looks over the scene. The left half of the rows of seats occupy his relatives and close friends - his grandparents, his dearest coworkers from Kele Kolika Pier. The right side of the seating is being used for the whole of the Kenovani pod. Adam sends a quick text to Hanamaru, letting her know that they're ready.

A minute after, a select few mermaids walk up to a platform set up for them, all of them wearing light gold colored robes with crescent moon brooches, to signify that they are to be the choir. Vanora stands before them, ready to conduct them.

As well as a very discrete hooded figure, blending in next to the row of Coshiton mermaids. None of them seem to notice the addition.

Noita Vanora raises a unique baton made of pearl and starts to gently wave it to begin the song. Four of the mermaids release a harmony for the background for the song.

"~Look at this stuff ~Isn't it neat? ~Wouldn't you think my collection's complete?~" A single mermaid begins to sing, before two and three join in on the lyrics, "~Wouldn't you think I'm the one? ~The one who has everything?~"

Firstly, Erin makes her way to down the carpet, carrying a very large book, wearing her billowing black robe. She comes to the middle to the silver ornate podium, where she places the book.

The mermaids overlap their singing in a beautiful round of the lyrics. "~Look at this trove~"

"~Treasures untold~"

"~How many wonders can one cavern hold?~" Triton Samudra walks from the right side of the trees as he holds his trident in his free hand. He makes it to the archway, and takes his seat at the front row on the right. "~Looking around, people think ~He has everything~"

"Huh?" Adam looked at him as he goes. Wasn't Samudra supposed to walk Merrick down the aisle? "Guess he just decided to go it alone..."

Harold nodded to Nick before he walks forward. He walks himself down the aisle and stood in place on the on a step of the altar. "~I wanna be ~Where the people are~" Nick follows shortly after, and stood next to Harold, "~I wanna seeeee~" Kevin walks down the isle as the singing goes, and took his place next to Harold, "~Wanna see them danciinnng ~Walking around on their feet~"