After consuming the rotten potion once more, we made it to the Coral Sea and my clothes had changed into my swimsuit. Deuce never bothered asking me.

'The deeper you go takes several tries...'

Looks like that riddle wasn't as useless as I believed.

"No! It's closed!"

"Well...there goes that...." Jack muttered.

"We havent been attacked the Leeches at all, though. Were they aware of this?" Deuce pondered.

"Yea, I thought something was off. Let's just leave..." Ace sighed.

"So, you're saying we should run with our tails between legs after coming all the way here?" Jack growled.

"... no, wait! I've got a plan."

This should be interesting.

——————————

We were closer to the sidelines near the museum wall to put Ace's plan to action.

"Ffgna! In this world, there's even merfolk that are security guards!"

"Grim, why must you state the obvious?" Deuce rolled his eyes.

"Okay. I'll distract the mer-guards, you guys sneak through the back and grab that photo." Ace swam closer to the corner, ready for action.

"You sure you're okay going solo?"

"Jack, you're too honest for your own good. Deuce would just flub up halfway through. Leave it to me!" Ace smiles, ignoring the offensive look Deuce shot him.

He turned the corner, nearing the guards and then-

"Wwhaaaat? Seriously?!"

This caught one guard's attention. "Hm? Can I help you?"

"The museum's closed for the day? Dang, I was hoping I could look for the day...." Ace feigned defeat.

"Well, this is strange....you've no tail. You're a human from the surface? And came here alone?"

"Yea! I've been interested in the world of merfolk since I was a kid. I was saving up some of my allowance and bought a potion to finally travel here!..."

We continued to watch Ace blabber away, mildly impressed.

"Wow. This guy's got no problem keeping up his lie...." Grim stared.

"Now! While they're distracted. Let's sneak in!" Deuce waved to us and we followed.

—————————

"So this is the place Azul told us..." Jack nodded. We started looking along the walls for the picture.

" 'Photo commemorating the visit by imperial musician Horatio the 12th'..... 'the fourth princess'.....theres a lot on display....I guess they really wouldn't notice if one went missing...."

" 'Photo commemorating Prince Rielle's visit 10 years ago'....where....ah! Here it is!" Deuce swam up to where it hung. " 'Prince Rielle visiting with his friends from School'. Looks like it's from when they came during elementary school..."

The rest of us gathered around to look at it. A small boy with a green tail was surrounded by a cluster of younger merfolk with happy smiles on their faces.

"There's so many tiny merfolk..."

"But still, why tell us to get something like this?" Jack asked.

"Who knows? At least we found it." I smiled.

"She's right. Now let's take it and get back to Azul! And say goodbye to these anemones!" Deuce smiles as well. Together, he and Jack grabbed either side of the picture frame and lifted it carefully from the hook it was on.

"It didn't send off an alarm. It's seriously just an old memorial photo....threw me off a bit to be honest...." Jack raised a brow.

However, the victory was short lived.

"Hey! What are you kids doing over there?" I gasped and turned around to see one of the guards had caught us.

"Oh crap! The guards!" Grim looked over my shoulder. Jack scoffed.

"Well, seems like lots of things don't go as planned. Let's take them out!"

"No! We can't hurt them! They're only doing their job!" I refused.

"She's right! We can't attack the guards out of violence." Deuce backed up.

"But we gotta get rid of them!" Grim countered.

"Don't worry. I know what to do." I nod. "Just hang on to the photo!" I swam away from the others, ignoring their calls for me to come back.

"There's still one last part of the riddle I've yet to untruth: 'if Stone could talk, a lullaby is heard'...."

As if on cue, I heard a siren's voice resounding through the walls....

That's it! This place is made of Stone! That voice is begging to be let free! And I've got just the spell to use!

I looked at the guards, seeing the he two head for us. But I was ready. I placed my hand on the wall.

"Divine Melody." I call. I felt a surge of power flowing through the walls, as I felt the energy release into the atmosphere.

The voice has grown louder, reverberating against the hollow walls, shaking the earth.

The guards had fallen under the hypnotic sound of the voice, for they had lost a hold of their weapons, and floated to the bottom of the ocean floor, asleep.

I lifted my hand from the wall and the song had faded away.

"So that was the voice that had been calling to me...." I murmured. "But-"

"Charlie!" I looked behind me to see Jack and Deuce swim up to me. "That was amazing! How'd you-"

"It's a bit of a long story..." I brushed off. "Be thankful I didn't actually hurt them in anyway...."

"Yea...." Jack nodded. "My bad..."

I giggled at his flustered state. Just as I turned to leave, something had caught my eye. I looked up. Something shiny was at the top of the statue. On the middle prong of the trident.

"Deuce....hang on to Grim for a sec. I'll be right back." Without taking my eyes off the glimmering light, I plucked Grim off my shoulder, and let him float towards deuce as I swam up to the top of the statue. By the trident, I followed the glimmer, until it dimmed enough for me to see what it was.

It looked like a stone, about as big as a half-dollar.

My hands started to glow and the stone, glowing in the same manner, broke off from the statue, and floated towards me.

I grasped it carefully and felt a wave of energy make my heart beat faster.

A light appeared before me, and I found my Grimoire floating in air. The pages opened and I heard a voice speak.

Shimmer surrounded the book and it disappeared into thin air.

I couldn't help but smile. The first of the artifacts have been recovered! That's all that mattered to me as of now!

"Let's move!" I shout over my shoulder and swam for the back door with the picture in tow.

—————————

By the time the others made it back outside, Ace was still chatting up the guards. "I still like the story about the mermaid princess and the human prince my grandma read to me when u was younger."

"I heard they made it into a movie. I saw it with my wife a few years ago and it was astounding. 30 years ago....the final scene at the end where they reunite still bring a tear to my eye." The guard smiled.

"Oh totally! It just stays with you!"

"You're so knowledgeable do someone so young."

Ace rubbed the back of his neck shyly. "Ah, well, my bro loves movies. And the songs are catchy! That reminds me! Is it true that all merfolk can sing well?"

"No, no, thats just an urban legend. There were a few students who couldn't sing to save themselves." The guard chuckled in sheer comic.

Grim rolled his eyes. "Geez. He can carry a convo for so long...."

"And he's so sociable towards those he just met...." Deuce agreed.

Jack reminded them, "We got what we came for. Let's head to the surface."

"And fast!" Charlie added as the started to swim up in order to not be caught.

Ace spotted them and hurried, "...uh, I should probably head back."

"Must you? If you're interested in our culture, you can take a quick look inside the museum." The guard offered, but Ace shook his head.

"Nah, I couldn't bend the rules. I'll take time to memorize the time schedule. Bye!" And with that he swam off to follow the others.

"Come again! It's so rare meeting youngsters to understand nowadays..."

—————————-

Once they were far away from the museum

"So! You guys got it?!" Ace asked.

Charlie smiles, "Hell yea we did!"

Grim popped up behind her. "Piece of cake!"

"Then let's head back to the school while we've got time!"

"And rub this picture in Azul's face!" Deuce smirked, knowing victory was near.

Jack stood them. "Hold up!"

His ears perked up dangerously.

Two looming shadows flew overhead.

Charlie grimaced. "I already know this is bad..."

"Aahhhh~! Koebi-Chan has returned!"

"Hello, once more. It seems you didn't heed our warning and traversed here again."

"It's Them again!" Jack growled as he turned to face the twins.

Jade eyes the picture in Deuce's hands. "And it seems you obtained the photo as asked."

"Good little freshies.....but still....it's be too much trouble for you to hand it over so how about a game of chase until sunset?" Floyd grinned.

"We figured you guys would be here. I thought this wouldn't go as planned." Ace snarked.

'And just as I predicted.' Charlie thought.

"You wanna chase us until times up and snatch the photo from our grasp. So these anemones can't get removed and still get what's yours." Ace predicted.

"Using the least amount of effort gains the maximum amount of results. That's just good buisness." Jade merely laughed.

"Wha....you sons of bitches!" Jack fumed.

Ace whispered, "Charlie, got a plan?"

"We didn't get this far for nothing without keeping this in mind." Deuce joined.

"For now, we need to keep the photo away from them!" Was all she said.

Deuce thought it over, "Simple....nice! Don't know how well it'll go without specialty magic:..."

"We came this far so do what you can!" Jack ordered.

~~

Charlie went sailing through the air, but slowed down her momentum by landing on a few nearby rocks. Her breath was heaving, but her adrenaline was up high.

"Ugh....I'm getting bored of this little game already...." Floyd moaned in boredom.

"It's only for a while for. Keep up the momentum." Jade reassured.

"Hey, Rabbit! The sun'll go down at this rate!" Jack swam up to her.

"You sure going about this was the right way?" Grim asked over her shoulder.

"Trust me! I know what I'm doing!" She answered, her eyes never leaving the eels. In her head, her mind was a flurry. 'C'mon....just a few more minutes....'

—————————

Azul sat as his desk in the Mostro Lounge, keeping a keen eye on the clock.

"Jade and Floyd must be doing an exceptional job. At this rate, the Ramshackle Dorm, the photo and Little Lotte will all be mine...." He laughs maniacally.

Suddenly, the doors flew open.

"S-sorry for disrupting!" A student apologized.

Azul raised an eyebrow, "What's the fuss?"

"We got a bit of a....problem..."

"What problem?"

"So many unstable customers are causing a ruckus in the lounge! A-and Jade and Floyd aren't here to contain it!"

Azul sighed. "Is that so....I thought it was made clear no trouble should be caused. Very well, I'll see the damage. I'm certain those two can handle things on their end...." He stood from his desk and followed them out of his office.

When he made it towards the lounge, a crowd of students had flocked the place like flies towards mold. Most, if not all, were from Savanaclaw.

"What in the....how's it so crowded after we've opened up?" Azul's eyebrows rose.

"Oi! Get those drinks over here!"

"And some meat on the bone! Hyahaha!"

"Pardon, management coming through." He straightened his coat and wove his way through the crowd. "Excuse me."

"No problem!" A familiar Hyena smiles nonchalant, keeping his laugh to a minimum.

He made his way towards the front as two students ran to him.

"Dorm lead, there's so many orders and the food stock has run low!"

"Plus, the drinks are close to running dry!"

"So soon?!" His eyes widened, but reassured them calmly, "Okay, I'll grab a few bills from the vault and I'd like you to run by the student store and...." He reached into his coat pocket, but froze in fear, finding it empty. "Huh? The keys! The vault keys....where did they..." Without regarding the students, he rushed back to his office.

He bursts through the door, only to find a certain third year, with a smug grin on his face, eyes full of mischief, and his feet propped up on the desk as he leaned back in the chair. " 'Sup, Octo-Punk?"

Azul's eyes turned cold. "Leona Kingscholar....."

Said person smiled back, unfazed by the fixated glare. "Somethin' eatin' ya? You're pretty frazzled for a person who's usually so reserved....."

"It's none of your buisness. And what are you doing here?"

"Why? It's about this, ain't it?" From behind his back, he dangles the rig of keys keys between his fingers. "They're yours? Just happened to find 'em on the ground and I graciously came here to return them safe and sound."

"Y-you-"

"Are they or aren't they yours?" He took his feet off the desk, and sat up straight.

"Give them back! This is nothing but theft!" Azul demanded, stepping forward.

Leona stands slowly "Hmph. You're saying I'm the thief even if I came back here to return then out of the kindness of my heart." He paused. "Okay. Here they are." He chucks them and Azul caught them with a relieved sigh. "That's all I've wanted to do. See ya." He two-finger saluted and sauntered our the doors.

As soon as he was down the hall, Azul became worried. "The contracts....please...." He fumbled for the locks and wrenches it open.....

Only to find....

"No....no, no, no! They're gone!!" He cried. He clenched his hands, turning towards the door where Leona just left. "Did he...." His voice shook at the dreaded possibility.

Outside the Dorm, Leona joined his underling.

"We got them outta there with no trouble." Ruggie giggles.

Leona smirked in response. "Those sticky fingers of yours sure are impressive."

"If you don't want something stolen, lock it somewhere else instead of your pocket." He shrugged. Standing beside Leona, he looked over the paper. "There's a crazy number of contracts in here....somewhere between 5 to 600."

"So he's been striking shady deals long before he got accepted here." Leona put that fact into his brain for future use. "Now that we got what we came for, there's just one thing left to do...."

He held the paper his his hand and started to chant.

"Stop right there!"

He looked behind him at the sound of the voice. "Uh oh....Here already?" He held out a finger and pointed. "Take one more step and your little contract will be turned to dust." He threatened.

"Give them back! I need them, I beg of you!" Azul demanded shakily.

"Hold up, hold up! At least try and keep up appearances. What happened to that little facade of control? Seeing you like this proves that her theory was right on the dot." He smiled relentlessly.

"What...what are you saying?" Azul stopped.

~~

Leona put a fist over his mouth as he absorbed what Charlotte just theorized. "So you're saying that as long as the contracts are secured within the vault, they're in a state of 'invincibility'?"

"That's what I said!" She smiled.

Grim was lost, however. "Uh...I'm still kinda confused..."

"Y'know, now that ya mention it, it does seem weird." Ruggie stood by her. "If what Azul says is true, and anyone who's tried to touch it only gets electrocuted, then there'd be no reason keeping them locked up. He can leave them lying around anywhere. Like Leona's wallet." He joked.

"W-wait! The vault! I remember he lost it when he said there was a scratch on it!" Grim remembered from earlier.

—————————

"Agh! There's a scratch on the door! What if the dials and hinges are broken?!" Azul ran for the vault. Checking, he sighed. "They're good." Then he turned a stink eye towards Floyd. "I keep telling you to stop throwing around your magic without thinking! How many times must I scold you?!"

"I said 'sorry'! You don't have to get so pissed over a tiny scratch!"

"Well, what if it doesn't work anymore?!"

—————————

Ruggie nods after listening. "Yea. It'd be common sense to put valuables in a safe so we didn't think to even question it. Even the habits of an out-of-touch prince can be useful sometimes...." He smirked.

"Tch, you really don't know when to shut that mouth..." Leona grumbled as Charlie snickered.

"Which means that the zap you guys must've received was another magic spell. Well, except you Charlie, since you saw it coming." Ruggie deduced.

"They knew you Fresh-babies were there, and they left it on the table waspecually for you. All he had to do was watch until you grabbed it, and use a lightning spell at the right time. Stop falling for simple tricks." Leona's scolded the raccoon.

Grim shook in anger. "Grrr...Azul kept duping us left and right! Enough of these games!"

"And therefore, being able to pilfer the contracts outta the vault speeds things up." Leona finished.

~ ~

Azul stayed still, looking at the ground in bitterness and simmering anger.

"This was....Lotte's doing?" He asked incredulously, remembering what she told him yesterday, that she's different unlike the other students here. And he started to waver.

"Why....why must she keep standing in my way?! Is freeing those anemones not satisfactory enough?!" He cried, eyes narrowing.