Chapter 28: Same

After several hours of waiting, night finally came. Once the clock struck midnight, the girls and I left to go sneak into the palace once again. Even though it was late, none of us were even a little bit tired. That was probably due to all the adrenaline coursing through our veins. The truth was only a few feet away. I don't know about anyone else, but I wanted to know what was happening with not only Same, but with the entire universe.

When we made it to the gates of the magnificent blue palace, I signaled Nami to go and distract the guard. She hesitated before swimming over. I could tell she was still upset that she wasn't going inside with us. Once she started talking to the guards, the rest of us swam up to the same window we went into the last time we broke in. I felt kind of bad for breaking and entering for a second time, but there was no time to worry about that. We needed to learn the truth about Same.

"This way," I whispered to the group as I led them to the throne room.

Nobody spoke as we swam down the hallway and to the big doors that lead to our destination and hopefully the truth. Together, we pushed open the doors and peeked in. Unlike before, someone was sitting on the throne.

"Welcome, land dwellers! I've been expecting you!" the merman on the throne announced, smiling a wicked grin.

"Are you Same?" I asked with a hint of anger.

"I'm impressed that you know who I am! I guess that pathetic merman managed to tell you my name! Here I thought he would die before he got the chance! Good thing I accounted for every possibility!"

"Are you sure you took everything into account?" I asked through gritted teeth.

"Whatever do you mean?"

Before I had a chance to respond, Yoko summoned some vines and restrained the smug merman.

"Wh-what is this sorcery?!" Same sputtered, trying to break free.

"We'll be asking the questions here," I replied boldly.

"What is it that you want to know? I have done nothing wrong!"

"Like we'd believe that! We know that you killed the true king and that you stabbed Uo, you ******* (illegitimate child)!" Mari shouted, ready to punch the conniving merman.

"Who put you up to all of this? You knew that Kazan was inhabited! You knew you'd be forcing innocent people to leave their planet!" I asked angrily.

"What are you babbling about?! We were the ones forced from our home! Do you think we wanted to move?!" Same replied, seething.

"I didn't say that! I said that there was life here on this planet that was either killed or forced to leave because you took over and flooded the whole planet! I understand that you were forced from your home, but that's beside the point! What I want to know is why you killed the king of Kaiyo!"

Same stared at me with an amused gaze. I was beginning to wonder if he was going to respond when he started to laugh almost maniacally.

"You mean you don't know why I killed the king?! Isn't it obvious?! I did it to gain more power and wealth!" he cackled. " I did it of my own volition! Nobody put me up to it! Only fools wouldn't realize what a brilliant plan that is!"

"You make me sick! How can you think so little of other lives?!"

Same didn't answer as he was too busy laughing.

"I don't think we'll be getting any more information out of him, Hana. I think it's time," Yuri told me somberly.

I nodded, disappointed that we couldn't learn more. It was time to tell the city of Kaiyo the truth. I sighed to myself. I really hope everything will go well.