The kingdom of Atlantica was busy with the creatures and merfolk swimming up, down and all around the ocean. It was an important day today. The youngest daughter of King Triton would be turning seventeen, coincidentally on the same day as the first moon. The first moon happened once a year, falling in what the humans would call 'Spring'. All of the sea-folk, big and small, dashed about the slippery vines of the seaweed, in excitement as today was two times as special. 

The king had made an announcement several days ago that nothing is to go wrong out of respect for the first moon and his youngest princess. The entire kingdom was filled with glee at the thought of such a celebration, but quivered with fear as the king expressed his expectations. 

As all of this chaos was happening, in the Caspian Sea, instructing her people to collect as many pearls as they can from the stubborn clams was the eldest daughter of the king, Sunny. As the eldest, she had, understandably, the most stress dawned upon her. She wanted everything to go perfect for the first moon, but especially for her little sister.

Sunny sighed at the thought of the young princess, she was still free-spirited, bright-eyed and naive. She thought about herself at that age, when she was only interested in exploring the seas and mermen, and she can only hope that her little sister soon realizes she has a role to play just like the rest of them. As Sunny watched her people attempt to convince the clams to let them borrow their pearls, she heard the familiar movement of a heavy weighted tail. She turned around to find her younger sister, Sooyoung, zooming towards her.

It is not that Sooyoung was particularly heavy-set, but that the girl never really learned to swim...quietly. They were princesses who were meant to travel the seas in a certain manner, but that never quite clicked for the boisterous girl who loved to make her presence known to all. Sunny sighed and waited patiently in anticipation of the news her sister was bursting to deliver.

Sooyoung made a harsh stop right in the front of her eldest sister, "Sunny, I know you're busy here with the clams but it's urgent," she bites her lip, scared of the reaction of her sister after she delivers this terrible news. "We can't find Tiffany."

"I just don't understand how you let that girl out of your sight," Sunny lectured the short-haired mermaid, "You had one job Sooyoung. All you had to do was make sure she stayed in place. Really...how hard is that?" She all but screamed.

Sooyoung, unable to take anymore criticism, "Enough, Sunny!" She grunted. "I had my eye on her for two days straight, wherever she went I was there. Poseidon forbid I take a short nap because of all the following I've had to do, alone may I remind you, to make sure she stays out of trouble." She swam further ahead, not wanting to hear any response. 

The eldest sighed in response, knowing she had upset her sister. She couldn't help it though, her father had drilled into all of them that this day had to go perfect. Their mother loved celebrating the first moon, since she were a mere mer-child, and their father wanted everything to go well not only for the first moon and his youngest daughter, but his wife as well.

The king's wife was much too sick to go to any festivities that happened in the kingdom these days. Their mother, despite being ill, promised she would come out and celebrate the first moon this year, as it fell on the same day of her youngest child's birthday. Now, that youngest child was nowhere to be found.

"I wonder if she went up to the surface," Sooyoung pondered. "I wouldn't put it past her."

Sunny scoffed, "She knows better than to disobey that rule."

Sooyoung kept her eyes focused in every corner of the ocean as she swam on, "That has never stopped her and you know it. She might very well be up there as we speak. You know how she is, Sunny."

"I just can't understand why she would disappear on this day," Hyoyeon, the second born sister who they grabbed along to help with the search, said in frustration, "You would think after mother said she would be there to celebrate with all the mer-folk she would stay in place. Why does she have to be such a busy-body?"

A faint laugh came from behind her, "Hyoyeon, don't you remember how you were at that age? Wanting to be any and everywhere except home?" 

They all stopped and turned at the teasing voice. Their younger sister, born three years before the inquisitive Tiffany, Jessica was there. They had known she was coming, but did not expect to see her until the celebration had begun as the girl only stayed within her sea, only leaving on special occasions. 

"Jess...how long has it been this time?" Sooyoung flatly asked. She began counting her fingers one by one. "One...two...three months?" 

Jessica rolled her eyes, "I was protecting my waters. Something you all need to learn to do a bit better, other than you of course, big sister." She nodded towards Sunny. "Word got back to me that our dearest little sister had, once again, gone missing. Doing a great job keeping an eye on her there, Soo."

Hyoyeon immediately grabbed the short-haired mermaid's arm to prevent her from lunging at the smart-mouthed one.

Sooyoung struggled against her, "No, you don't get to show up here and judge me for making one mistake. You're barely ever here. Even when we visit your sea, you're suddenly swamped with so many things to do. You haven't seen mother in three months, Jessica!" She sneered. "Our mother, Jessica. Our sick mother. And the first thing you do when you get back home is to condemn me for letting Tiffany out of my sight for ten minutes...you are shameless!"

"Enough!" Sunny finally interjected. "We will re-visit this conversation after we find Tiffany. Until then, everyone keep quiet and keep looking." She turned away and swam off, continuing her quest for her baby sister. 

The other three stayed there, Sooyoung still glaring at Jessica and Hyoyeon still holding her back. Sooyoung pulled away from the blonde mermaid, "You heard her, let's continue the search. Then, afterwards, you can give mother a visit. That is even if she wants to see you." She does not stay long enough to hear a response before she follows her eldest sister into the crystal blue waters of Atla