The Little Russian Mermaid Ch2

"Aniki~!"

Yao turned only to find his younger adoptive sibling from the Imperial Kingdom of South Korea, Yong So, jump on his and attack his chest, dropping his cat in the process "Aiyah, Yong So!" Yao tried to shove Yong So off of his back "Stop attacking me aru!"

Yong Soo pouted "But Aniki"

"Yong Soo, please let Yao-nii go, it is his birthday after all" Yao mentally thanked his Japanese adoptive sibling for getting Yong So off of his bac

Yong Soo then ran off towards the presents, Kiku took a step and stood beside Yao "Yao-nii, are you okay?"

Yao nodded "Just fine, I don't know what's wrong with that boy, I'm sure I never raised him in such a manner aru"

Kiku wanted to tell Yao that Yong So spent most of his time in the kitchen with their French cook but decided not to say anything; instead he and Yao observed their guests having a good time. Various nobles from across the world came to celebrate Yao's birthday and Coronation after party.

"Oh, Emperor of China~!" sand a highly feminine voice, Yao turned to find his Taiwanese sibling and Kiku's fiancé attack him with a bear hug causing Yao to stumble back, luckily Kiku used his ninja skills and held him up "Mei-Mei, what's gotten into you aru"

"I'm just happy you gave Kiku and I the blessing to wed, and of course it's your Birthday and your coronation day!"

"I know, Mei" Yao sighed and returned the hug; Mei then released him and walked over to Kiku "I understand the Coronation party but do you really have to throw me a birthday party as well aru?"

Mei pouted "Of course! It's just a big thank you for taking care of us"

Yao smiled softly at Mei, and then walked towards the railing, the same railing where Ivan was witnessing the whole scene play out, Yao stared out into the twilit horizon and sighed sadly "If only Jia Long was here" Ivan furrowed his eyebrows at the name

Mei silently gasped and looked up at her Fiancé, who bowed his head in brief remembrance; he turned to give Mei a quick kiss on the temple then walked towards Yao. "Yao-nii, it's been six months, Jia Long wouldn't want you to be like this"

Yao chuckled "No, he wouldn't aru"

'Who is this 'Jia Long' he speaks of?' wondered Ivan

"I couldn't do anything to save him from the storm aru" Yao rested his chin on his folded arms, Kiku hesitantly rubbed Yao's back

"He saved Mei that day, Yao, without him I wouldn't be engaged to her"

Ivan now remembered the day when the currents were flowing faster then usual and a glowing light had sailed across his castle, he never knew what it was until he and his Baltic Servants went to go expect it the day; only finding a ship much like this one had sunk, they never found any trace of a human body.

"You're right aru," Yao stood up and patted his younger siblings shoulder "Let's go get some food, aru"

"Not before you open your presents, Aniki!!" cried an overly enthusiastic Korean voice, a large wrapped piece of box was shoved into Yao's face

"Aiyah, I'm too old for presents aru" he grumbled, trying to push away the present

Yong Soo laughed "Relax, da-ze!" he forcefully placed the present into Yao's arms "You're age is not that old! What are you now, like-…?" Everyone hushed the Korean violently, Kiku was fast enough to run up to the Korean and cover his mouth

Mei smacked Yong Soo's arm "Yong Soo, you know Gege doesn't like talking about his age!" Everyone looked at Yao, who stood there with a shadow looming over his eyes, very few people saw that the corner of his mouth had twitched

'Oo, he's a temperamental one da?' Ivan inwardly giggled

Yao sighed "its okay everyone, continue with the festivities aru"

Kiku released Yong Soo who cried "Mansae!" then he ran up to his Aniki "Open, open!"

Yao clicked his tongue "I'm just glad you didn't get me a statue like the last time, I'm pretty glad it sunk with the ship six months ago"

Ivan furrowed his eyebrows 'But, there was no statue on the ship 6 months ago, da? And I only found it today' but Ivan kept listening

"That marble statue was from my Italian friend, da-ze!!" Yong Soo pouted "I paid a lot of money for that statue, and paying a lot of money did not originate from me, da-ze"

Yao's eyebrows shot up then down in doubt, knowing Prince Feliciano, he wouldn't care if it cost ten gold coins, the Italian would do it for then plates of pasta. Pressing an ear on the box, Yao shook it. Rattle rattle. Yao then mercilessly unwrapped the box.

Ivan cautiously tilted his head towards the opening, surprising got a good view of Yao and his
siblings. Ivan's eyebrows creased in curiosity. Yao seemed to be holding a long dress, seems to be really low at the chest and it was backless. The latter looked like he was going to kick a baby (and that's bad.)

"I knew you'd like it, da-ze!!" Yong Soo smiled victoriously, placed to sleeved arms over his waist and puffed his chest valiantly.

Kiku and Mei face-palmed as Yao began to hit the poor Korean with the dress, cursing at him in Chinese. 'Really temperamental, da?' Ivan giggled

Kiku read the atmosphere and didn't say anything, but Mei pouted and yelled "Stop it!" she pushed Yao away from the laughing Korean

"Is this some kind of joke, aru?!" Yao angrily placed the dress back into the box "How many times do I have to tell you, aru?! I AM MALE!"

"But it would be a perfect wedding dress, da-ze!"

Yao's cheeks became pink and he grumbled incoherently at the thought. Then his hands were taken by Yong Soo's "It would be perfect for our wedding, da-ze~?" Yao puffed his cheeks and pushed the sparkling Korean away "Stop saying such nonsense, aru!" he yelled

"Speaking of wedding, Yao-nii"

Yao's attention turned to his Japanese sibling, "You should really find a suitor, Yao-nii" Yao rolled his eyes and sighed "I can't, aru"

Mei raised an eyebrow "Why not, Gege?"

Yao gazed at the darkening horizon "They all seem to be fine suitors, aru. But I don't feel that they're the one of the other end of the red thread, aru"

Kiku shook his head "You must find a suitor, Yao-Nii. I know someone from the Kingdom of the Netherlands that is looking for a suitor"

Yao shook his head "I heard he already found a Bride in the Empire of Indonesia"

Mei pursed her lips in thought, "What about you're Southern Neighbor?"

"Maria is already married to the Prince Alfred of the Kingdom of the United States, remember? We went to their wedding last month aru"

"No, I meant Kim"

"She's waiting for Sunan to propose," Yao sighed "And besides, I only see her as a sister, same with Maria"

Yong Soo felt his sibling's sadness and wrapped an arm around the Chinese shoulders "If you don't find a suitor soon, da-ze. I will be it"

Yao snapped. He shifted his weight and grabbed his siblings arms and flipped him onto the boat "No, aru!" Everyone laughed

Ivan kept smiling, but during that whole conversation, he felt the selfish need to keep Yao all to himself. He didn't want to see Yao unhappily married to someone that wasn't him.

Kiku held up a small box that was tied up into a ribbon "Yao-nii, open our present"

Yao graciously took it and untied the ribbon; he opened the lid of the box and took out what appears to be a fat man sitting cross-legged on top of a pillow "A Buddha statue, aru?"

Mei nodded happily "To bring you good luck," Kiku took hold of Mei's hand "For the future" he finished
Yao smiled and rubbed the belly of the Buddha "I will cherish it," then he placed it in his pocket
Yong Soo pouted in jealousy "That originated from Korea, da-ze!!" he yelled trying to grope Yao; the latter got a hold of the Korean's face and tried to push away his kissy faced sibling away "I would cherish your present as well, if it wasn't so vulgar aru!"

Yong Soo stopped flailing around "Buh, you shtill like et, da-zche?"

Yao pouted (Asian's love pouting, do they?) "It's a beautiful dress, aru, for a woman"

Before Yong Soo could say anything, a loud thunder crash startled everyone on the ship. Yao released Yong Soo and ran towards the where the Captain was standing "Get your sailors prepared for the storm, aru,"

The Captain laughed "Nonsense, it's just a light thunderstorm, we'll turn the ship around right now" The captain nodded at the driver who then turned ship

Suspiciously, Ivan examined the storm; he tried not to shiver at the sudden drop of temperature "It shouldn't storm like this, da? Unless the Sea-Wizard is angry or if his father, Winter, is returning" Ivan's eyes widened at the thought of his father returning and discovering that Ivan had disappeared and is above water. There would be hell to pay, for him and for everyone else.

More claps of thunder were heard and the blinding flashes of light got everyone stirred up. The waves became bigger, the winds became stronger. Yao looked at the Captain, who stood narrow eyed at the dark clouds, he then yelled "Get to your places!" he ordered "There's a storm afoot!"

Yao ran back down towards Kiku, who was holding a worried Mei in his arms and told him "Get the life boats ready, aru" Yao turned to Yong Soo, who wasn't on deck " Yong Soo?!" he yelled

"Over here Aniki!"

Yao followed the voice, which was hard considering the winds howl and the loud thunder had blocked out most noises. He saw his sibling on the bow of the boat, holding on to some ropes; Yao immediately ran towards him "What are you doing here, aru? Go help your brother aru!"

Yong Soo's eyes never left the sight in front of him. Yao followed his gaze and saw that each time lightening had occurred, a figure of a man with an oddly shaped helmet would appear in the clouds above. "What is that?" mumbled Yao, before they knew it, the ship rocked side to side, following the large waves. Soon a large wave crashed on deck. Yao turned and ran to the railing and gazed down at the sailors recovering from the wave, he desperately looked for his two siblings.

He found Kiku frantically searching for his Fiancé, crying her name in a loud voice. Soon the water cleared and he found her getting up and clinging on to the mast for support.

"Mei, are you okay?" asked Kiku

Coughing, Mei nodded, "Just cold," Yao let his breath go and thanked the Gods in heaven for keeping his sister safe

Ivan sighed at the sight, he had caught the girl before she had a chance to hit the ocean and threw her back on deck.

"A-Aniki!" Yao snapped his attention to Yong Soo "R-Rocks!"

Yao then grabbed Yong Soo by his collar and dragged him on deck towards Mei and Kiku still in an embrace "You three get the sailors on the life boats now aru!" Yao saw his cat under the stairs curled into a ball and shivering, he immediately ran towards him and picked him up and threw him at Yong Soo, and luckily the Korean caught the cat. Then Yao ran up to the captain and warmed him about the rocks.

Mei was the first to get onto the life boat with Mao in her arms, Yong Soo and Kiku had gone off telling the Sailors to make their way to the life boats. Soon, all of the life boats were filled and were cautiously but quickly let down onto the water, only Yong Soo, Kiku, the Captain and Yao were left on deck and in the last life boat. The Captain had confirmed that no one is left on deck, just as Kiku was stepping into the Life Boat. Before Yao could reply, the ship had collided with the rocks, sending their life boat crashing down onto the water.

Ivan who had been trying to hold on also had fallen into the water, of course he doesn't need to worry about drowning like the Humans, but what he has to worry about is the current that could send him crash into the rocks. Luckily, it didn't, he quickly swam under the boat, eyes focused up in search for Yao's life boat.

Yao sat up, and asked if everyone was okay, only two voices had answered him "Kiku, where's Kiku?!" Yao looked around desperately for his sibling trying to find traces of the Japanese Prince.

"Yao-Nii, up here!"

The trio looked up, to find Kiku had somehow stayed on the ship. Yao then yelled "Kiku, jump aru!"

The Japanese Prince nodded, and jumped, but at the same time, lightening had struck one of the masts, causing some debris to fly out and hit Kiku upside the head, knocking him out as he fell into the water in an odd angle.

Ivan saw the boy's body sinking into the depths of the water, before he could swim towards him; Yao had jumped in the water, grabbed his sibling and began to swim up to the surface.  Soon a familiar glow from the ship flickered in the corner of Ivan's eyes. I looked up and found that the ship is on fire.

Yao pushed Kiku up onto the boat, with the help of the captain and Yong Soo. Yao heard the crackle of flames behind him. He looked back and saw that the ship had engulfed in flames. Yao turned back at the trio "Hurry; there's Gun powder on the ship! It would explode at any second, aru!" The captain nodded and grabbed the ores and desperately tried to row away from the flaming ship.

Yao, on the other hand, was having trouble getting into the boat; the Captain and Yong Soo were too busy with their own tasks to help. Ivan saw Yao's struggle to get onto the boat, he quickly swam and grabbed Yao's ankles and pushed him up.

But due to how Ivan pushed Yao up, caused the Chinese Prince to flip over and land on his back "Aniki, are you okay, how did you do that, da-ze?!"

Yao flipped onto his stomach and craned his neck to get a better look at the water "Something grabbed me aru,"

"How is that possible, da-ze? Fish don't have hands!"

"I don't kno-…" the Ship exploded. The shock wave of the ship, and their somewhat close distance caused the life boat to fly off and thus causing everyone to fall into the water. Yong Soo kept his grip on his unconscious sibling and swam up to the surface.  The Captain had already swum up to the surface, but was at a distance from the two. Yong Soo grabbed a large wooden plank that was drifting beside him and threw Kiku on top to keep him and Yong Soo from drowning.

"Yong Soo, Kiku!"

"Captain!"

Yong Soo turned his direction to the other lifeboats. "Mei!" Yong Soo pushed the wooden plant towards the boat with Mei, the Captain had successfully pulled himself up on the other life boat just a few meters away from them "Quick, grab Kiku, he's unconscious!" without hesitation Mei had grabbed her Fiancé's limp body and pulled him onto the life boat, the sailors with her had grabbed Yong Soo and helped him up.

Mei quickly performed CPR on Kiku, and it was not long till Kiku had coughed up water and was breathing heavily "Mei, are you okay?" he asked between breaths

Mei nodded, "Yes, just rest" Kiku relaxed and shut his eyes for a moment, then Mei turned to Yong Soo, who was looking at burning ship with wide and knowing eyes "Where's Gege?"

At this Kiku's eyes snapped and sat up, ignoring the sudden feeling of dizziness overwhelm him "Yao-Nii," he was about to jump in the water but Yong Soo had gripped his waist, Kiku struggle to break free, but a distant explosion from the ship stopped him. "He'll be fine, Aniki is a strong man" Kiku relaxed, but Yong Soo did not release Kiku, just in case he would jump in the water.

A sudden pain in Kiku's arm caused him to hiss in pain, Yong Soo laid him down and expected his left arm, only for Kiku to hiss again, then Yong Soo sighed "It's broken,"