THE DAY OF THE PRE-SHOW

    I smiled back while looking at the crowed despite the want to breakdown on the spot at the moment. If I wasn''t holding the hands of my teammate, the shaking would be very obvious. My hands were cold and sweating, my body was felt nowhere and my brain was dead. I didn''t dare to look back at the others as I know that I would only meet a few pairs of eyes that would held the same pity and worry since we started to get connected. I looked at my teammates who were doing the same thing as me. Waving at the audience with proud smiles and gleaming desires and will. The only difference is that mine was forced and theirs were genuine. They all looked back at me with the same smile and I, again forced a smile.

    "What an honor it is to work with you, Prince Alexander!" A boy about my height said loudly as the cheer of the crowd was too loud for anyone to hear somebody speaking in a normal tone. He offered his hands to me and I just took it with my hands shaking. It''s a good thing that they didn''t noticed and took my hands without any questioning look thrown at me. I only nodded as we looked at each other with a smile as I didn''t have the courage to lie verbally..

    "Give it up everybody for the second pair!" The crowd went loud again as we looked at them a second time before we turned our backs at them. I went back to my seat without turning my head despite the burning stares that I''m feeling on my body. I sat like a robot. Eyes fixated nowhere and body mechanically frozen.

    "And of course, our last pair, Prince Hade and Princess Dianne!" That was the last thing I heard before my mind immediately went away from reality and into nothingness. Everything looked very blurry and my the pace of my heartbeat has not went down since then. I was trying really hard to control my breathing as I felt like I was running out of air. I knew the Headmaster said a bunch of things but my mind was beyond occupied that it wasn''t even occupied. It just wasn''t able to listen and cope with everything going on. A fireworks display was initiated at the end of the pre-show and I could only stare at them without any emotion even if they looked very amazing up in the sky.

    "We will see you again next week when blood is going to be splattered for the thirst of victory!" After the Headmaster said that, the lights that shone down on us immediately went off as the crowd shouted in excitement. I immediately stood up from my chair not wanting to be there anymore. I immediately ran away from the stage even if all that I could see was pitch black. I heard the voice of Apollo but that only brought tears to my eyes and made me sprint even more faster. I bumped on someone but I didn''t care at the moment as I immediately got back up from the floor and started running.

    "Alexander! Hold on!" I heard Kaval this time but it was too late as my tears started to fall. My hands were on my cape as I ran down on the stairs. Air embracing my body and making my cape fly but despite that, I couldn''t let my tears dry. I let out a curse as I sprained my ankle while running down blind. I continued on limping, I didn''t care where my feet would take me as I just wanted to be alone and away from everyone at this point. I ran and ran for who knows how long and I only stopped when my legs started to strain from the frantic movement. I realized that I was already on the beach as seawater seeped into my boots. I looked at the sea with tears falling down my eyes, with heavy breathing and clenched fist. I tore away the cape that was flowing with every breeze sent at my way. I removed my boots and my outer suit along with my pants that I was only left with my sleeveless and tight shorts as my dress. I started to walk at the sea, tears falling even more from my eyes as the water embraced my feet.

    I could feel its presence which made me sob even more. I kept on walking towards the deeper parts until when the water level was at my neck. I looked up and saw the stars that shines so brightly above me and the moon that gives me a faint light for vision. The sea glimmered under its light as the wind made the waves crash towards the shore. My tears turned into pears as they met the sea water. Before I could even wail loudly, I jumped lightly and submerged myself down into the sea. I could feel my lower half changing as a tingling and easing sensation was starting to show itself. I swam even deeper and stopped when I was deep enough. I wailed loudly under the sea as the seabed shook lightly. Sea creatures started to approach me but I paid them no mind as I just wanted to cry my heart out and curse the heavens for putting me at the worst situations that I could be in right now.

    Small clownfish then started to approach me and swirl around me. I know that they feel my pain as the royal family is directly connected to the sea creatures. I opened my eyes and saw a crowd of sea creatures looking at me with sad stares. I only looked at them and gave them a sad smile. A huge whale made a sound but I did not pay any mind to how it translate as I looked at my hands, incapable of such a simple thing as manifesting a power. I was as the part of the ocean where coral reefs flourished. I don''t know how long it took for me to stop crying but I eventually did. I thought of swimming back home but I only shook my head in disapproval of the thought. In the middle of the sea where there are no problems, I found peace. I smiled as I caught a sight of my tail. One that I haven''t seen in a long while since I went in the academia. I inherited both of my parents tail. Mine was that of a gold pearl that came from my mon and streaks of blue pattern which I inherited from my father. I was the first ever merpeople to have a dual feat on a tail which is why our kingdom only see me when in this form when something important is up as my father fear that some trenchers might abduct me for the rarity of my tail.

    An octopus started to swirl around my tail to which I smiled at. It looked very happy at the sight of my tail.

    "You like it? Well, I like your patterns too octupie!" I said. I started to swim deeper and the sea creatures followed me. I sighed and they all released a bubble to which I found very adorable.

    "I have a problem. A huge huge problem that is why I came down here. This is only a secret between us but you guys are far more better than those people up there." I said with a giggle. I looked at a shark which looked very proud. I laughed at them for their actions that brought me immediate joy.

    I didn''t know how long I stayed under the sea but it took away my pain for a while. Even if it''s just a while, it''s good to have a break. Under the sea with these beautiful sea creatures, with the faint light from the moon that glowed bright green from under here, exploring ship wrecks and finding colonies of sea creatures, all of it placed me at ease and right now. I could stay here forever, away from problems and those who are up there. Away from chaos

    _______________________________

    I ran after him and eventually ended up at the beach. Hidden behind trees, I looked at his sadness and despair. My heart thumped twice than normal as I saw how pretty he was without his coutured suit. I watch him with a sad smile and a slightly aching heart as he cried and walk towards his home. My stomach was the filled with butterflies as I saw him in his true form. What a beautiful and pure person Alexander is. This pain and unfortunate situations are unworthy of being done to him. If I could take them all away and transfer all of the despair that he''s feeling, the pain in his heart and the sadness in his eyes, I would. Alexander, know that Apollo would. Just to see you smile.