ENCOUNTER: Meeting (16)

"Are the floors all scrubbed?"

"Yes Mahad."

"Has everyone been fed?"

"Yes Mahad."

"Are you sure about the floors?"

"Mahad, we have wonderful janitors that we pay good money who do a marvelous job with the floors. Now IF you would calm down...."

Mahad grimaced, turned away from Ishizu and paced near the edge of the main tank, rubbing his chin nervously. Today, Maximillion J. Pegasus was making a quick stop to check on the aquarium's progress, and he wanted everything to be perfect.

Pegasus was one of the main funders for the aquarium and was the main reason they were able to house so many rare creatures with the finest tech. He was a friend of Mahad's uncle, the owner of the aquarium. The two had a beneficial partner ship. Pegasus gave money and tech to the aquarium and received publicity and a animal friendly image, and the aquarium got funding and the ability to care for the creatures and people within with coin to spare.

Every now and again, Pegasus would come by and check on things to see how progress was coming along. The aquarium wasn't open to the public yet, but in a few short months they would be ready. Now usually, Mahad's uncle would meet with Pegasus to give him any updates, but due to a stroke a few months back he was unable to come to the aquarium. Thus, Mahad would have to meet with Pegasus himself. He wasn't afraid of the man and he was sure that a slip up wouldn't shatter their partnership, but this was still a funder and the idea of meeting with him sent little butterflying whirling in his stomach.

There was knock at the door.

"Come in!" Ishizu called before Mahad could speak. The door opened, and another employee from downstairs poked his head in.

"Mr Pegasus is here. He's in the mer exhibit room."

Mahad groans and walked over, nodding his thanks to the man before moving past him and heading down the stairs.


Pegasus stood facing the glass, looking into the tank and waters beyond. Despite having long grey hair, he was actually surprisingly young for a millionaire. He wore his usual get up, a red shirt with matching pants. Near bye, two body guards stood at attention, their glasses covered eyes cold and alert for danger against their employer.

Mahad stepped quickly over, the light from the tank washing them both in shades of shifting blue and white.
"Mr. Pegasus?"

The grey haired business man turned and smiled. "Ah Mahad my boy, I hear you've been doing well eh?"

Mahad's neck stiffened a little. He didn't exactly like being called 'boy,' but he could put up with it for the sake of the meeting.
"Hello Mr Pegasus. I'm sorry my uncle couldn't meet with you."

"Oh it's fine. I won't be in here long anyways, I have plenty of other matters to attend to."

Mahad nodded and stood beside him and began running down on the current events.

"Several schools wish to book private tours. I said I would have to speak with you to see if it would be alright to take so many offers."

"If you can manage then I am fine with it."

"Okay. I'll let them know immediately. The shark specimens we had brought in recently have been settling well... We're also scheduled to show that mer breeding facility owner around to make sure it's up to his expectations..."

"Is that him?"

Mahad looked up at the interruption. "Eh?" Pegasus was currently looking to the tank with great interest. He followed his gaze into the tank to Yami, who was currently stalking a hermit crab in boredom.

"That the wild mer you brought in, correct?"

Mahad nodded. "Yes sir. That's Yami."

"Marvelous... I've never seen a mer like him." Pegasus said, eyes bright with interest. "Well I wouldn't be surprised sir," Mahad replied. "he's an Ebony Royal. Their kind are rarely seen close to shore and there are no facilities that breed them."

"Why not?" Pegasus asked, still watching Yami.

"Well they're called the Royal grouping of mers. They have a tendency to be more aggressive if kept in small places...  The only reason Yami is even here is because he was found with fatal injuries. Marine conservation protocol dictates that once he's fully healed, he will be returned to the ocean."

"Hmmm... What a pity... He'd get a lot of attention once the place opens..."

Mahad nodded. He didn't want to admit it, but he sort of wished they could keep him here. He'd being in more patrons then the common Akoia or Midians that were facility bred.

He looked up again, watching Yami crush the shell of the hermit crab in his jaws before crunching away at the crab within. There was a flash of gold out of the corner of his eye suddenly, and watched as Mana leaped out from the seaweed and tackled the dark mer playfully. Yami let out an unceremonious yelp, tumbling to the side now locked in battle with the Gold Midian.

"Seems they're getting along..." Pegasus said quietly, watching them. Mahad nodded. "yes, we're pretty lucky... Not all mers take to strangers so well..."

Pegasus nodded. "Hmm... You were saying about the facility owner?"

"Ah yes. A man named Mr Sanders. He owns a very high grade Akoia and Midian breeding facility. We've asked him if he's like to start a partnership wish us.  He says he'd be more then willing to check and see if we have all the requirements. If all goes successfully, we'll be able to house more mers then just Mana."

"Including pups?"

Mahad blinked, slightly surprised and glanced over and Pegasus. He was still watching Yami and Mana, who were now chasing eachother around the tank.

"Well yes and no. Sanders says that mer pups can't be away from their mothers until they are at least 13. He says he keeps them until they're 14 or 15 for good measure."

"Why not purchase the mother's as well?"

"Sanders says he needs them for future whelps. He only has three queens and three sires."

Pegasus grimaced and rubbed his chin, narrowing his eyes into the water. "Hmm... Could we have pups born here?"

Mahad blinked. "Eh?"

"I mean we have everything we need here..."

Mahad narrowed his eyes, confused as he mulled over what Pegasus was saying. 'What does he...?' His eyes widenedand he blushed as he followed the grey haired man's gaze into the water to the two mers beyond. His spine stiffened and his stomach clenched as he realized what Pegasus was getting at. The millionaire continued. "Whelps born in here would bring lots of people in... Everyone loves baby animals... Imagine little Royal/Midian hybrid offsprin-"

"Out of the question."

Pegasus turned, surprised by the finality in Mahad's voice. "What?"

Mahad replied calmly. "Mers are not like other creatures. You can't just put a male and a female in a tank and expect offspring. Mers are like humans. They feel emotions like us, they have 'types', and they experience genuine love. You wouldn't put a human man and a woman in a tank and expect THEM to have children."

Pegasus blinked, surprised. "Hmm... I see... You'll forgive me for my forwardness then?" Mahad nodded, relaxing a bit. Pegasus was a bit naive when it came to mers, but Mahad was grateful that he trusted him enough to not press the idea farther.

"It's alright sir. I'll speak with Sanders to see what we can do."

Pegasus nodded, and finally turned away form the glass. "Very good then. You do that. I also heard that there will be a college group coming by this week."

"Yes sir."

Pegasus grinned, fixing his suit collar carefully. "Make a good impression Mahad. I'll be expecting good feedback."

"Always sir."

"Very good. Well good luck Mahad my boy. Give my best to Ishizu and Harry for me."

Mahad nodded in farewell. "I will. Good afternoon Mr Pegasus."






"How'd it go?" Ishizu asked as Mahad walked back upstairs and into the room.

"Well enough. Nothing huge. A bit of awkwardness but that's not incredibly rare with him..."

Ishizu chuckled. "Ah well... So long as everything's fine..."

Mahad nodded and sat beside the water, splashing at the surface. "Everything's fine..."

Mana, alerted by the splashing, broke the surface and swam over to Mahad, chirping and sliding up beside him before bumping her forhead against his shoulder. The mer sign of a warm greeting. Mahad smiled and pet her head and making her giggle, before reaching for some fish in a pale nearby and handing it to her. The midian took it eagerly and barked a quick thanks before slipping back into the water and vanishing beneath the surface.

"Yami should be fully healed by next week."

Mahad glanced over at Ishizu "Really?" She nodded. "His wounds are almost but scars now. We should set to trying to find his pod."

Mahad nodded in agreement. Protocol dictated that they couldn't just toss him back into the sea and at the mercy of the elements alone. For the best chance of survival and mental health, he needed to be returned to his pod's territory... How they would find it was a new problem all together. But they could worry about THAT bridge when they needed to cross it...

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EDIT: Just wanted to add that this segment is less about if Yami and Mana will have kids, and more to show that a good relationship takes TIME with mers like people.
A lot of people are focusing on the baby shipping aspect, not that there is anything wrong with that. Also, dont be tooo angry with pegasus, its a legit question for a bussiness man. If it were about seals having young or dolphins, then it would be different


PLEASE no inappropriate jokes in the comments. I MEAN it.
Tried to keep their discussion as short as possible. If you don't know what they are talking about it's probably for the better.

Not much of Mana or Yami in this one. That'll change.

Working on other projects, but I'm proud on how far we've come with this one. We're almost half way through the Encounter series now. ALMOST. If someone could tell me how many ENCOUNTER "episodes" there have been, it'd save me some time. XD

We also learn that a head bump to the shoulder is a warm and caring greeting in mer culture! ^^

Also wanted to get back to this after getting Yugioh Millennium World for Christmas! (Thanks mom and dad!)
I wish it had more Mana in it like in the anime. Ah well.


YuGiOh/YuGiOh Characters (c) Kazuki Takahashi

ENCOUNTER/Story/Mers/Mer Designs/ (c) Me