Milo had begun to feel the effects of homesickness during his first week in Atlantis. The feeling troubled him and he asked himself over and over, "Why am I home sick? There's nothing for me in New York; everything is here in Atlantis. Maybe I just miss my cat!" Milo was confused, but perhaps because New York was all he had known, he had lived there most of his life. Another question that troubled him was Kida, how exactly did he feel about her? She was his first kiss! Milo knew he felt something when they did, but he just wasn't sure of how she felt about him. "Milo! Come here, the children want us to play that game you taught us!" Kida yelled for Milo, who was too deep in thought to hear. "Milo?" Kida answered since he did not respond. Milo was in his usual position, Indian style with a book in his lap.

Kida stared at him. "Milo!" Kida said waving a hand in front of his face. "Oh! Kida!" Milo finally replied. "Come on! I've been calling you forever!" "Oh sorry, I was just thinking." Milo apologized. "About what?" Kida asked. "Oh, just about everything." Milo said, afraid to tell her his feelings. Kida was about to ask him what was wrong, but a ball flew past their faces. "Whoa! Looks like you guys are ready to play some baseball!" Said Milo, with a grin. The children shouted and Kida smiled; she still wanted to know if Milo was ok. She could hear concern in his voice.


After an exhilarating game of baseball, Milo was completely out of breath. "What a game!" He said. "Those kids can run pretty fast for their age of one thousand!" Kida laughed and hugged him. Milo smiled but took her arms and looked at her, "Kida this is killing me, I have to ask you: how do you feel about us?" Kida stared at him. "What?" She asked confused. "Well, where exactly do we stand? You know in love?" "Love is love, Milo." "No Kida, it's more than that. I mean we have only known each other for a total of two weeks. Where exactly do we stand?" Kida could not answer; she didn't know what to say. All she knew was that she felt something for Milo, something very strong. Perhaps his question was a good, but troubling one. "I don't know… I don't know." Kida answered quietly. Milo looked at her and both of them sat there soundly with out knowledge that they were being watched. Later on Kida left to go for a walk in the city. To take her mind off things she entered a store and walked around. Soon a young woman approached her from behind. "Princess!" The woman called. Kida spun around to the girl whose name was Nita. Nita was a thin, but short girl; a part of her white hair was flipped on to the right side of her face, shielding her eye. She had long thin lips and thin green eyes. She wore a short, red top, which covered her right shoulder. Long black earrings adorned her ears. A long blue skirt was tied around her waist. Kida smiled weakly for her mind was still on Milo. "How are you today?" Nita asked with a smile. "I'm fine thank you and you?" Kida lied. "Oh just great… umm I really don't mean to be a bother, but… well I've just been dying to ask you something." "Yes?" Kida asked. "You see… it's about Milo." Nita said. "Milo? What about him?" Kida asked surprised. "Well, I was just wondering, if you two are a couple?" "Oh, well…we're kind of up in the air about that." Kida answered. "Oh! Well, would you mind if I were to say, ask him out?" Nita asked Kida. Kida stared at her and then managed to answer. "Of course not, that's… that's fine." Kida answered, but she did not want Nita to at all.


"What am I doing?" Milo asked himself as he paced back and forth over the fertile land. "How could I ask Kida something like that? I can feel that she loves me and now all I have done is confused her. What am I going to do?" Milo plopped down on the ground and closed his eyes. Suddenly he could feel that someone was behind him. Right away he thought it was Kida but when he sat up and turned around, it was Nita. "Hello!" Nita said with lots of perkiness. "My name's Nita!" She said with an out stretched hand. Milo took it, surprised by this random introduction. "My name is…" Milo began but Nita quickly sated it for him instead. "Oh, you know me." "Well, of course silly! You're a hero! You saved Atlantis." Nita answered. "Oh, well I wouldn't say hero. I had a lot of help." "Oh, you're so modest!" Nita giggled. Milo smiled, what a nice person Nita was. Nita and Milo talked for hours as they walked around Atlantis. Nita seemed to take Milo's mind off things. Before the two knew it, it was night. "Look at all the stars, aren't they beautiful?" Nita asked. "Yes they're truly amazing, did you know… oh jeez its really late I have to get back." Milo stopped himself. "Back where?" Nita asked. "This is your home right here, you don't have to be anywhere." "Well I have to get back to the palace, Kida might be worried." Milo answered. "Milo, she is the princess, she has plenty more things to worry about, at least that's what I heard her say. "She said that?" Milo asked. Nita nodded, "You guys had a fight than?" Nita asked. "No, not really. But she must be really upset to have said that. I really have to get back to talk to her, it was nice meeting you." Milo said and started to walk away. "Oh please stay a little more, I have heard what great knowledge you have of astrology! You could show me all the constellations!" Nita told him. "Really? Umm, that may take more than a "little" Nita." Milo answered with interest. Milo was surprised by her show of intrigue in astronomy and even more surprised that someone wanted to hear him. "Oh." Nita said bowing her head, trying to look sad. " Well I guess Kida won't be worried then, right?" Milo replied. "Oh Milo! You have to relax! Talk to Kida tomorrow, talk to me now! Besides I'm so glad you decided to stay!" Nita grinned. Milo smiled back. He took a deep breath, "Ok, see there's the big dipper…" but little did he know that Nita was
not at all interested in astronomy.
The next morning Milo found himself asleep next to Nita! They had both fallen asleep on the ground last night. Milo immediately jumped up. Nita awoke and yawned. "What's the matter, Milo?" Nita asked wearily. "Oh gosh! I can't believe I fell asleep right here last night. I have to go, I'm sorry Nita." Milo answered. "Don't be, I had a lot of fun yesterday. Thanks." Nita said smiling. "Me too, good bye." Said Milo as he took off. Nita sighed as she watched him disappear, "You're mine." She said.


"Kida!" Milo called for her when he reached the palace. Milo ran up and down the palace, entering practically every room. Finally, Milo ran past the garden where Kida was sitting near a waterfall. He backed himself up and walked over to her. "Kida, hey!" Milo said, hoping she wasn't too upset with him. "Milo! Where have you been?! I was looking all over for you yesterday!" "You were?!" Milo asked. "But I thought you were angry with me." "Angry? I could never be angry with you. Why would you think that?" Milo looked at her. Kida stood up and hugged him. "I was so worried when you didn't return." "Really? But I thought… well you said…" Milo stuttered. Kida stepped back to look at him. "What? What did I say?" "You said, that you had more important things to worry about." Kida shook her head. "No, Milo, I would never say that about you, when did you hear me say that?" "I didn't exactly hear you but…" Milo was interrupted when a guard entered the garden and told Kida she was needed right away. "Its urgent your majesty." Kida looked at the guard. "I must go now Milo, we shall talk later." Kida touched his arm and left with the guard.


Milo found himself alone by the waterfall, picking flower petals off and throwing them into the water. He sighed as he threw the last petal. "Milo!" Said a familiar voice from behind. It was Nita and she was climbing down the rocks over to him, "Nita! What are you doing here?" Milo asked. "I came to see you of course! I wouldn't come for any other reason! So do you think you could show me more of those constellations tonight?" She asked sweetly. "Well, I don't know Nita. You see, I have to speak with Kida." Milo said as he turned around. Nita rolled her eyes; all he talked about was Kida! "Milo! Don't you remember what I told you? Kida said she had more important things to worry about. She doesn't care about you." Nita said innocently. "What? No Nita, I asked her about that before, she told me she had never said that, you must be mistaken." Milo replied. "Oh poor Milo, you must stop pretending! I know what I heard! Kida just doesn't want you to get upset with her." Nita walked closer to Milo, "Not everything works out the way you want it, both of us know that. You are a strong person and you have been through a lot. Nita took Milos hand and looked at him, "If you ever need anything you can always ask me." Milo looked at her. "You're a really kind and considerate person, Nita, but things aren't as bad as you might believe." Milo said, still trying to convince her. "Ok, if that's what you think…" "It's what I know." Milo said nodding. But it wasn't too long until Milo was out again with Nita. Nita thought for sure she that was winning him over. However, Milo only saw her as a friend.



Later on Kida had returned to the garden as night was falling upon the empire. The only thing was that Milo wasn't there. "Where could he be?" Kida asked herself. Kida searched the entire city and Milo was no where to be found. The streets seemed like an old ghost town at night. Everyone was inside with their families, relaxing after a hard days work. "Milo!" Kida's voice echoed through the empty streets. As Kida walked further, she heard a familiar laugh and it belonged to Nita, who Kida saw sitting in the fields next to the city. Beside her was Milo with a fire fly-lit lamp. "Milo!" Kida called. Nita looked up and saw her heading straight for them. "Oh no!" She said to herself angrily. "Kida!" Milo said as he stood up. "Is everything alright?" He asked. Kida looked at Nita and spotted a strange but familiar symbol on her face. Kida's face was overcome with surprise. "Are you ok, Kida?" Milo asked as he looked at her. Nita looked at her in confusion. "Huh…yes, everything's just fine. But it's late and we should go back to the palace." Milo nodded and turned to say good bye to Nita who wasn't as ready to leave. "You're going to let her boss you around like that Milo?" Nita asked as she crossed her arms. Milo looked at Kida. "I'm not bossing Milo around Nita! I was just suggesting that…" Kida started. "You weren't suggesting anything Kida! Milo is a grown man, he can decide on his own bed time!" Nita said taking Milos arm. "Nita! You're blowing this way out of proportion! I want to go with Kida." Milo said stepping back; surprised by the way Nita was acting. "But Milo, I thought you wanted to stay with me! I'm the one who really cares about you!" Nita insisted. Kida stared at her in disbelief, "I love Milo, very much, Nita!" Milo looked at Kida and smiled. "Me too! I mean… I love Kida very much!" Milo said. The two had actually solved their problem right there and then! Nita stared at them as jealousy rose within her. Nita's face turned red and then tears began to form in her eyes. The two finally stopped gazing at each other and turned to Nita, only she wasn't there. Nita was running down the hill, crying. All of her dreams were dashed… Milo didn't love her.

"Where did she go?" Kida asked in bewilderment. "I don't' know, she just… disappeared!" Milo said astonished. "We should return to the palace." Kida said as she began to walk. Milo looked behind for Nita, he was still baffled by the way she had acted. "I wonder what's wrong with Nita? She's never acted like that before." Milo told Kida. "Isn't it obvious Milo?" Milo looked at her, "Isn't what obvious?" "That Nita really likes you." Kida said stopping. Milo stood there, "Oh yes, well, we became friends. Nita is a very nice person. I just can't believe…" "No, no, no, no, Milo! Nita has a crush on you!" "What?!" Milo asked. "Is that what you think?" Kida shook her head and smiled. "Why is that so hard for you to believe? You are a wonderful man." Milo blushed, "Well, for one thing, never in my entire life did I think that two women would like me at the same time! Never mind one!" Milo answered. "Oh Milo!" Kida said and hugged him tightly as they walked back home.


"On to plan "B"! Nita announced to herself in the kitchen of her house. "Milo will love me, whether he wants to or not!" Nita said as she grabbed a huge, old and black book. Nita dropped it on a table and a pile of dust flew up into the air. On the books front cover this ancient Atlantean symbol was printed:
"I'm sorry mother, I know you only used this book for good, but I'm not hurting anyone! I'm finally doing something for myself!" Nita said in a shaky voice. Nita set two oval shaped bottles upon the old table beside the huge book. She nervously flipped through the pages until she reached a page that spelt: "Mind Control."

When Milo and Kida finally reached the place, Milo had remembered that Kida was called away because of something urgent. "Yes, I was about to take you there now. I need your help Milo." Milo followed Kida, curious of where they were going and of what happened. When they entered the enormous library, Milo was surprised. "The library? What happened here?" Milo asked. Milo thought, what could have happened in the library that was so urgent? Did someone get a paper cut?! "A book has been stolen." Kida answered. "Oh?" Milo replied. "That's not all." Kida added. "OH?" Milo asked now even more interested. "We have an enormous record of all the books we have. The book that has been taken is one that has never been open in centuries." Kida informed. "Wow! That bad a book?" Milo asked. "The book has a lock on it, there is no key, it has never been found." Kida explained. "Why would a book need a key?" Milo asked confused. "That is something I would like to know as well. The only way one can discover the books content must be by the symbol." Kida went on. "Symbol?" "Yes, there is an odd symbol on the books cover. And before, I noticed that Nita bares it on her face." "Really?" Milo asked. "Here…" Kida said taking a pencil from Milo. She began to draw the symbol and Milo immediately responded. "Wait! Wait a minute! I, I, I, I I've seen that before!

It's in the Shepherds…" Milo stopped suddenly. "Milo? What's wrong?" Kida asked. Milo's eyes went dull and he stared straight ahead. "I, huh, have to go." Milo answered. "You have to go? Go where?" "I have to go." With that Milo turned and walked towards the exit. "Milo!" Kida called. But Milo never responded or stopped. Kida was shocked and stood there at first, trying to figure out what was happening. She finally managed to move her feet and ran down the steps, outside. But when she finally did, Milo was no where in sight. "Not again!" Kida said, but now she was more worried then ever, why was Milo acting so weird?
KNOCK, KNOCK, came from the door of Nita's house. Nita practically flew up her tiny stairway into the front entrance. With her shaky hands she flew open the door and there stood Milo. "Perfect! It worked! Oh mother; thank goodness for your book! I knew this key would come in handy some day!" Nita said as she held a small key up in the air. She pulled Milo in by the arm and into the kitchen. "I'm so happy this worked, for once in my life things are going my way! We're going to be so happy together Milo!" Milo did not respond, but Nita was all too excited by the powers that she could control. She did not have Milos's love like she thought she did.


Once again Kida found herself wondering the streets, the sun was just about ready to rise and Kida was so drained from being up all these hours. Except, now, Kida was even more worried. Something was going on, Milo's face seemed to be taken over and then he himself seemed to be as well. "What am I going to do?" Kida leaned against a wall and put her face into her hands. "Princess Kida?" A woman's steady voice came from above. Kida stood back and looked up, there was a woman peering out from her window. "Rida, is that you?" Kida asked as she squinted at the face. "Yes, it is, what are you doing out so early child?" "Oh, I'm sorry, I must have awoken you!" "Oh no, not at all. I'm just getting a very early start on chores." Rida yawned then excused herself. "I'll be down in a minute." Rida announced. "Oh no that's fine, you're busy! I have to go any…" Kida began, but Rida was already standing in the doorway. "Thank you." Kida said as Rida handed her some hot tea. The two women were now sitting in the kitchen. "I really can't stay long, and you have things to do." Kida explained. "Alright, but no ones going any where until you tell me what's wrong. If there's one thing I know for sure it's that Princesses don't wonder the streets before the sun." Rida told her. Kida sighed and explained to Rida all that had happened. "Plus, Nita bares the same symbol on her face! Maybe she has something to do with the book?" Kida asked. "It may very well be possible." Kida shook her head. "No… even if Nita did take the book, the key has not been seen for centuries." "Well, just because you can't see something doesn't mean its not there. Just like… Atlantis." Rida added. Kida looked at her and realized, she was right. Kida soon found herself racing back to the palace. She ran up to Milo's room and quickly searched through the pages of the Shepherds Journal. When Kida finally found the symbol, she looked up and an expression of fear came over her face. "It means magic."


"Let's see, we're going to have to do something about Kida, she's annoying but she isn't stupid. Once she sees you she will suspect something." Nita said to Milo, who of course could not hear her. However, Nita wasn't yet aware that Kida suspected, exactly, what was going on. With the spell, Nita was able to control Milo and so she ordered him to find Kida and tell her that he loved Nita instead. But before Milo was able to leave, there was a knock at the door. Nita stepped in front of Milo and walked calmly to the door. Kida was standing right there with her arms folded. "Where's Milo Nita?" Kida asked in a firm tone. "Right here." Nita said. "But, he prefers not to see you." Nita informed. "Well, I think you're the one that prefers I don't see him. Milo can't prefer anything, because of what you've done!" Kida told her, as she started to get upset. Nita gave Kida a puzzled, but fake, look. "What are you saying Kida? I think your jealousy is making you think crazy things." Nita smirked. "You know very well what I'm saying, and now it must be stopped! I know you are controlling Milo with the book!" Nita stared at Kida, how could she possibly have known that she had the book?! Nita was dumbfounded and a stunned look over came her smirk. Nita didn't know what she was going to do now. Kida was Atlantis' leader, which meant she had power to do whatever she wished. Nita looked down and stepped aside for Kida to enter. "Milo!" Kida said as she ran over to him. His eyes were as cold as before and they showed no expression. "I don't care what you do to me! But if I can't have Milo, then no one will!" Nita announced. "I am, after all, the only one who knows how to reverse the spell." Kida turned to look at Nita, who she knew, was not an evil person. She could feel how much Nita wanted to be loved and how much she wanted to love. "Look at him, Nita. This is what you really want, a man with no expression? He won't be able to express love for you unless you order it. Like this, he's nothing but a machine. That's not fair to him or to anyone else. If you really do love Milo, you will stop this." Kida said as a tear ran down her face. Kida's heart was filled with hope that Nita would open hers, and break the spell. Nita sighed and looked behind her, where the book laid. "No." Nita answered. Kida stared at her, could Nita be so selfish? "No, I don't want a machine." Nita finished. Kida exhaled greatly with relief. Nita walked over to retrieve the book. As she held it in her arms she informed Kida that only she could break the spell. "Me? Why me?" "Because, you are the one that he really cares for. You must express your strongest feeling towards him." Nita explained. Kida looked up at Milo and knew exactly what to do. As Kida kissed him, his crystal began to glow strongly and a bright light came upon them. Kida stepped back and Milo's eyes were no longer expressionless. "Milo!" Kida said over come with joy. As she hugged Milo, he announced, "Journal!" Kida smiled and hugged him tightly. "What's Nita doing on the floor?" He asked wearily. Kida turned around and rushed to Nita's side. Kida quickly realized that Nita's crystal had shattered. "Oh no!" Kida said as she held the broken gem. "Nita!" Kida shouted, trying to wake her up.

Kida and Milo had soon found them selves at the Atlantis' infirmary. They were in a room where Nita was lying in a bed. "I can't believe she would do that." Milo said, after Kida explained to him what had happened. "She just wanted your love so bad, but, then, she realized that it was something she could never have." Milo looked over at Nita and hoped that she would survive. For, with out the crystal Nita was at a terrible risk. Hours had past and then finally Nita began to open her eyes. Both Kida and Milo were sound asleep together on a chair. Milo awoke first and had noticed Nita's eyes were opening. "Kida!" Milo whispered as he stood up and walked over to Nita's side. Kida joined him and was overcome with relief. "Nita? Are you alright?" Kida asked. "Kida?" Nita asked weakly. "Yes, it's ok I'm here and so is Milo." Nita sighed. "I'm so sorry. I'm a horrible person." She apologized to them. "No, no you're not Nita. You made a mistake but you are not horrible because you made things right again. You're a good person." Kida told her. Nita smiled weakly. "But, Nita, what happened? Why did your crystal shatter?" Kida asked. "I knew that if the spell was broken I could die. But it was a risk I was willing to take. The crystal was what was being controlled in the spell. That's why it glowed when you kissed him. And why I collapsed." Nita explained. "Oh Nita why would you risk you're very life just for me?" Milo asked. "I was so selfish, Milo, that I didn't care. I just wanted your love so much. But Kida cares for you even more and I know that both of you will be very happy together. And you will have many children!" Nita told them. Milo blushed a great red and Kida laughed.
The End


Future Reference
Nita went on to live many more years, even though she no longer possessed a crystal. Many believe it's because she righted her wrongs and risked her life so that true love could prevail. The magic very well may have saved her because of her heroic act.

By Melissa Gregory ‘01