Sammy and I sit motionless, watching the sharks as they continue to swirl the water in front of us. Sammy's arms wrapped around me as she nuzzles her head into my shoulder. Our breathing becomes one, the sun drifting slowly behind the waves. A few seagulls fly by, cawing in the breeze.

"We have to go after her," I snarl, my shoulder stinging once more, no one can attack me without reason and get away from it. Sand cluttered the cut from my divebomb to shore. Sammy's green eyes search my face, looking for any reason she shouldn't cry. Her frail body shaking under my arm, digging her head further into my chest.

"You...you can't... go after her," her voice quivers, even though she had no idea what I was talking about. I pushed her away from me, my fin beginning to fade away with the sunlight. My hands placed on either side of Sammy's face. I searched her eyes, the green glowing with complete fear. I wanted to tell her it was going to be okay, but I knew it wasn't.

"This..." I shrug down to my shoulder, "this means war!" My teeth were still razor sharp, transforming while angry was not my best idea... Or maybe it was. I searched my hands, the claws like the ones Asada had used to attack me. I winced thinking of the pain once again.

"Olyvya, what are you talking about?" Sammy pulled her face away from her hands once again, her eyes puffy and red, her hair fell around her in knots. She looked like she had been on the beach since last week. My heart hurt at the sight of her. The wind slowly wisped some of the pieces away from her face. I shook my head. Sammy didn't need to know what was happening. She didn't need to know that the pink mermaid was Asada and that I was about to take her out.

Once my fin disappeared and I had legs once again, I stood from the sand, walking towards my clothes. I quickly put them back on. My shirt scraping at my wound, yet another reminder of the pain I had just endured.

"How long was I gone?" My voice was harsher than I had meant but I wasn't about to wait for her to fix herself and answer my question. Anger pulsed through my veins, my body craved the ocean, I needed to get back out there. I had to find Asada and I had to take her out. I knew one person who could help with that. Gage.

"I.. maybe a few hours," She whimpered, she too stood from the sand. Turning on my heel I quickly grabbed her shoulders. I look her over, she was a mess. My best friend was a mess. If she only knew what I knew. Did I really even know anything though?

"Sammy, hey..." I tried to get her attention. She refused to look at me. I grabbed her face once more forcing her to look into my eyes. "Sammy, I figured out who the pink mermaid was, and when I did, she attacked me. There is a world that we don't understand down there..." I paused to point at the water, "I need to figure out what that is, but I can't allow you to get hurt. I can't keep dragging you into this. After I get some help from Gage, he is out too. This is my battle." I drew my hands back by my sides before taking a few steps away from her.

Sammy tried to speak, but before she could say anything I began walking up the beach for the sidewalk. I needed to get to Gage's house before I did anything else.

"Where are you going?" Sammy questions, stumbling after me.

"Gage's," I mumble. My feet dug into the sand as it turned to dirt before meeting the asphalt. Sammy was jogging behind me now.

"Olyvya.." She grabbed my elbow, whipping me around to look at her, "you are not going anywhere without me, I don't care if you think this hurts me if you think you can do this alone. I don't care if this is putting me in danger. What the hell do you want me to do? Sit at home all day on my butt waiting for my mermaid friend to come home. Do you not realize how horrible the week without you was? When are we going to sit down and talk about that?" Sammy's hand fell from my arm, she folded them over her chest. I couldn't help but smile at what she had said. I was acting like a complete diva, my brain so focused on war with Asada.

"Sammy, thank you," I smile, wrapping her into a hug. "I'm so lucky to have someone as supportive as you, even in something that makes literally no sense." She nodded her head, and we both rushed off to Gage's house.

*~*

I hadn't realized how far into the town we had gone, my legs throbbing as we stood outside Gage's door. My fingers still numb from rapping them on the wooden entrance. The house was quiet, the lights were off, it seemed as if no one was home. My body felt numb, and I just wanted to collapse into my warm bed for the night.

"Where do you think he is?" Sammy questions, her voice much stronger now.

I shrug my shoulder leaning against the door. Knocking a few more times. There was nothing, not even the wind stirring through the empty hallways.

"Maybe he is just out, we can try to catch him tomorrow. Let's head home and get some rest, so we can plan our attack." I took a few steps down the stairs heading towards the street.

"Are we really going to attack her?" Sammy follows, her question filled with worry. I nod my head.

"I told you earlier, this is war."