Chapter 117~!

                                    

                                          
Canada's POV~
                          
This was far from my second or even seventh world exploring. It was probably my twentieth. It had been four days since Alice had disappeared only to be replaced by Carlea, and I had diverted as much attention I could spare toward searching.
                          
Sadly, between being there for my kids and my country, my free time was severely limited.
                          
At least Tael, my nephew, and Vidya were settling in remarkably well among my family.
                          
'Who'd have thought I would have another nephew?' I thought, a smile twitching at one corner of my lips. 'He's a good kid, though, even with all the stuff that's happened to him. He'll be just fine.'
                          
As a precaution, I grabbed my wrist to make sure the bracelet was still attached. Yep, still there. Patting my pocket, I found the pen to still be with me as well. Well, that was everything. Time to go.
                          
I stepped through the doorway, which was as empty as all the rest. You couldn't see into the world until you stepped through yourself, which also made it hard to just peek in and see if it was the right world or not.
                          
Anyway, I stepped through the doorway.
                          
And suddenly couldn't breathe.
                          
I opened my mouth wide as a reflex to gasp for air and instantly clamped it shut as salt water flooded my nose and mouth, blinded me, blocked my ears. I couldn't see, even when I tried to open my eyes and found it hurt. A lot.
                          
'Gotta get back... to the portal!' I thought, trying to spin around and swim to the gate. But... was it still there? No, I couldn't see it! What had it been, where did it go? Did I float away from it?
                          
I don't want to drown here!
                          
A wall of rock, submerged deep down under the water, seemed to be my way in and out of the world. But where was that special spot that would take me home? It wouldn't be the entire wall, just a small part of it! Dammit, where was the portal? Maple...!
                          
A hand touched me.
                          
A hand touched me.
                          
I flailed around and managed to catch a glimpse of shimmery hair that was immensely long and wavy. Then a flash of a face came into view until it was too close to focus on, and chilly lips were pressed against mine.
                          
I was being kissed underwater by someone that had just randomly appeared out of nowhere.
                          
What. The. Maple.
                          
My oxygen was gone, that was it. My eyes, widened from the start being kissed gave me, drifted shut as my mind was muddled by a watery haze.
                          
Pain, a slap! Words? I could hear under water suddenly? What was the person saying...?
                          
"Breathe! Air, breathe!" she yelled, grabbing my shoulders and shaking me a bit to snap me out of my stupor. Both eyes hidden behind my glasses flew open to look at her.
                          
But what was she talking about? I'm under water, there is no air.
                          
"Mattie, breathe!" she all but screamed at me, smacking me across the face again. Again as a reflex, I inhaled sharply and coughed. But where did that come from...?
                          
"I'm... breathing?" I whispered, feeling light-headed suddenly.
                          
My apparent rescuer got me to look at her. "It only last for few minutes. Up, up! Surface, hurry!" She took my hand in both of hers and tugged, straining for the surface.
                          
Maybe I was just being stupid that day, but I didn't understand who I was talking to until that very moment. "Alice...?"
                          
Yet, to my surprise, she had no legs. Where her hips were, human flesh melted into scales and fins that moved powerfully through the water. Thin cerulean webbing fanned out between her fingers that were so tightly clenched around my wrist, dragging me up to the surface and air and light.