"So, how did you come by here? I've never seen a human around before." The mermaid asked Roy. Then, looked up pensively "Well, actually i have, but most humans just tend to pass by flying. Most of them don't bother coming down to the river."

   Roy got out of his stupor at this. Flying? But humans didn't fly, only... "How come they fly? Do this humans have wings?" The prince asked excitedly, had the mermaid seen fairies? Chengxin thought some more before answering, hand on his chin.

   "Some do. But the ones with wings are usually the size of a scale. You are the biggest one I've met." Roy giggled delightedly, thinking about how cute a tiny fairy would be and how adorable was that Chengxin thought he was one as well.

   "They must be lovely, right? And kind. Do they sparkle?" Merboy eyed him awkwardly, seeming to measure his words "If you are talking about appearance then yes, they are lovely. And they do sparkle, bright as a firefly. But my uncle once mistook a winged human for a firefly and tried to eat it. It was not pretty, he got cursed for the rest of his life."

   Roy was surprised that fairies cursed beings, but the reason seemed fair enough. The pixie must have been angry for almost being killed, or being taken for a firefly of all things. He had seen fireflies up close before, and they were not one ounce of pleasant looking.

   Then the prince realized something "You said the winged humans are tiny, but there are other humans that fly?" The prince asked urgently "Yes, they were big. I have seen them twice some time ago. Passed right over the trees." Chengxin answered looking to the sky, as if visualizing it again.

   Roy grabbed a stick and some dry grass, tying them together. "What are you doing?" The mermaid asked, and the prince showed him the stick. "Was the human perhaps on top of something like this? But bigger?" Merboy looked at the prince's craft "I... I guess. Why, what is it? You are very serious."

   Roy looked angrily at the makeshift broom in his hands, snipping it in half. "It is a broom. Witches and wizards use it to fly." The Sorcerer of the South had passed through this forest... They were going the right way, but would they be fast enough? Remembering the fragile pale face of his friend, Roy wished that he would hold on. That he would keep strong.

   They would save Rilakkuma, and Jackson would be fine. Is going to be fine. Maybe, if The prince thought hard enough, Jackson would be able to hear him, and hang a while longer. Roy stared at the twig in his hands, tears dropping unnoticed from his eyes.

   Clenching his fist, he threw the two halves away. They landed on the water and got carried by the river. Away from his view, where it could be floating or it could have sunk and it would remain unknown to him. Just as his friend's fate, Roy thought bitterly, trying to contain his sobs.

   He couldn't cry like this in front of Karry, he knew the other was also suffering. He must be strong, for the sake of them all. But maybe it was okay to cry here, where no one would know, Roy reasoned, letting out his sorrow.

~*~

   A broom, Chengxing thought, didn't in fact fly very well. When the human threw it, the thing just fell into the water lifelessly. 'Maybe it's because it was broken...' the mermaid thought.

   But why would the human make one just to break it? He turned around to ask, only to see two drops of water roll out of the big human's eyes. "Hey, Roy, your water's leaking. Keep it in, or your insides are going to get dry." The merboy said worriedly.

   The boy didn't answer. It seemed as if he hadn't even heard him, the only change being the drops turning into trails. "Oh my god, you are leaking so much!" Chengxin started getting alarmed as the water flowed non stop.

   "Stop, Roy! Hold it in! You are going to dry!" The human just became wetter and redder. Chengxin remembers one time he stayed too much in the sun and almost died, becoming red like a lobster. Like Roy was now.

   "Close your eyes, your water's getting all out!!" The mermaid cried out in panic, but the human didn't pay him any attention. When the boy started convulsing weirdly and gasping to breathe, the mermaid decided he had to take some action, or this lovely human would die. So, he did what was more sensible, and dragged him into the water.

~*~

   Roy was trying to keep his loud sobs under control when a hand grabbed his arm and pulled him into the water. He let out a scream in surprise, but his head was already submerged and only bubbles came out, emptying his lungs. Looking down, he saw Chengxin dragging him.

   How stupid had he been? Letting his guard down near a mermaid! The pressure of the water got stronger and stronger as the merboy swam quickly.

   Roy's head began to hurt, and his lungs burned in air deprivation. Struggling, he tried to free himself, but the mermaid just kept going deeper. As the pain became unbearable his vision and hearing became less clear, and soon, the world faded to black and nothingness.

~*~

   The human had finally stopped convulsing and struggling, and the redness was gone, replaced by a healthy paleness. 'Finally, he is well.' Chengxin thought relieved, stopping his dash and hugging the human. "I thought you were going to die!" He said, smiling.

But there was no smile back.

   "Roy?" The merboy asked, nudging the other, but the only movement he made was when the currents of water swayed his limbs. "Roy? What? What is wrong?" Chengxin asked again, getting no answer.

   'He is in the water now, he should be fine!' The mermaid searched his brain for all he knew about humans: they glowed, had brooms, sticks... Legs, Roy had said, Chengxin remembers that well. 'This sticks are my legs. Humans have legs, for walking on land. We can't breathe underwater.'

   Yes, they walk- Can't breathe underwater! Is this why Roy wasn't moving? Holding the boy's torso tightly, the mermaid swam as fast as his fins would take him, erupting off the water with a jump, and splashing back. He dragged Roy back to the stone the boy had been on, and hoped all would be fine.

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A/N:

...

Did i just kill Roy?

(And does anyone see what is going to happen? *evil smile* please tell me if you've figured it out and i'll let you know if you're right)