Summary: Okay after watching a Fact or Faked paranormal files, I found out that mermaids would actually be very different than what we generally think of. So I decided to play this angle(with my own changes) for a little mermaid fanfic. How different is Arial in this story? Well…just see for yourself. The first couple of chapters are in Prince Eric's point of view and it's set in Modern time AU so something will be different

Disclaimer: I do not own the little mermaid that belongs to Disney.

"Happy 17th birthday Prince Eric!" Grimsby shouted to the top of his lungs.

But the Prince was gone. Grimsby heard a sound of grunting. As he looked outside, there was the prince training outside like he always did when he was old enough to learn martial arts. He then went outside calling the price by name.

"Eric me boy. Enough training. It's your birthday. Get out and enjoy it.

"Oh come on Grimsby five more minutes."

"I am sure his royal highness would not want to spend his 17th birthday outside breaking a sweat in the hot sun. But if it so pleases you. I've commissioned a crew and am willing to go…" He shuttered before finally saying the S word "…sailing"

"Sailing? Did you say sailing?"

"Yes my prince I do believe I said…"

Eric ran to the docks before Grimsby had a chance to finish with his dog Max following after him.

Once he had boarded the ship, Eric changed into a loose pair of jeans and a T-shirt much to Grimsby's display.

"Eric. Must you wear such drab clothing? You are a prince after all."

"Oh yeah. Where a monkey suit that makes me itch to high heaven just to say look at me and how important I am?"

"Well I'm only trying to say that…"

The conversation was abruptly interrupted when the captain signaled the crew to sail. Immediately the wind started picking up and the ship sailed. Grimsby started feeling seasick. As for Eric, this was what he lived for. He lept up to the upper part of the ship and felt the wind in his hair.

"Isn't this great? The salty sea air, the wind blowing in your face!" he took in a deep breath of fresh air "it's the perfect day to be at sea!"

Grimsby was leaning over the side of the rail feeling as though he was about to vomit

"…Delightful…"

One of the sailors was humming an old shanty in delight "we have a fine strong wind and a following sea. King Triton must be in a friendly mood today."

Erics curiosity got the better of him and he leaped down from the crow's nest.

"Triton?"

"The ruler of the merpeople me lad. Don't you remember those old sea tales your father told you about when you were just a wee lad?"

Eric may not have remembered them, but Grimsby sure as heck did. Just the thought of filling that boy's head with such tales made him shutter.

"Eric, pay no attention to this nautical nonsense! Merpeople ha! I suppose next you'll tell me there is some half-woman half-octopus living in the dark depths of the abyss as well.

"It's the truth!" one of the sailors snapped as he reeled in a fish. "down in the depths of the ocean they live!"

As he swung his hand wildly, he let go of the fish. The fish slapped Grimsby in the face before going overboard causing Eric to laugh.

"Hardy ha ha let's all laugh at the old man!"

Eric remembered the old paintings of mermaids as a child. They always seemed so delicate and graceful. Course no one had actually seen a mermaid before, and most of the stories about them had turned into nothing but myth. Still he couldn't help but wonder what it would be like to see a mermaid. One thing that had apparently stayed consistent in the myths was the fact that they sang with such beauty and grace that even the most hard hearted sailor would throw himself into the sea just to get closer to the beautiful voice.

The whole night consisted of dancing for the crew but Eric just took the time to be alone. Max started licking his masters hand. Eric Just sighed. Grimsby never approved of the prince's lifestyle. He wanted Eric to be regal, superior and quite frankly arrogant.

"I don't get it Max. What's so bad about a prince that everyone feel like they can be a friend with?" He did the best thing he could do when expressing himself. He broke out in song

All my life everything has been spoon-fed to me.

A regal snobbish street-rat that's how everyone views I should be.

Bu baby I can't go on like that. I can't feel like I'm living on the edge of a knife.

Can't even someone royal like me choose to have a humble life?

Who says I have to be alone? Who says I have to fake a part.

What's the point of being a prince if I don't have a humble heart.

They say pride comes before the fall but am I the only one that sees that at all?

Oh please tell me can't even someone royal like me choose to have a humble life?

The dusk quick fell and the men started shooting fireworks in celebration of Erics party. Eric spent most of the time dancing with Max and playing the flute that was until Grimsby interrupted him.

"Silence! Silence! It is now my honor and privilege to present our esteemed Prince Eric with a very special, very expensive, very large birthday present."

"Oh boy!" Eric thought In his experience that meant Grimsby had spent yet another insane amount of money on another over extravagant present. If Grimsby had actually put any thought and heart into his presents then perhaps Eric would be a bit more grateful but most of these presents it was never about Eric. It was about Grimsby.

Unfortunately this present proved no different. The flinging of the tarp revealed yet another Gaudy statue. It was a bronze statue that showed him in a kneeling position wielding a shield in one hand and a sword in another. That wasn't what was gaudy though. What was Gaudy was the fact it was covered in brightly colored stones from head to toe. It had 2 golden rings on each figure of both hands And the expression on the statues face was that of pride, arrogance in other words everything that Eric was not

"it's really something." Eric Groaned

"Yes, I commissioned it myself. Of course, I had hoped it would be a wedding present, but . . "

Eric's face darkened. "Don't start. I know your mad I didn't fall for the princess of Glauerhaven.

"it isn't me alone. The entire kingdom wants to see you happily settled down with the right girl."

That may have been the case, but there was no way the princess was the right girl. Sure she was drop dead gorgeous that any man would lust for, but she was snobbish arrogant and she had the nerve to actually slap a poor blind man because he spit on her dress. That wasn't the type of woman he wanted

"One of these days…" Eric thought "I'm going to find the right woman.

Just then the sky grew dark and thunder started rolling. The waves all of the sudden made a slight change in height and even noise. Eric's eyes widened.

"Hurricane! Everyone get to your positions now."

Waves thrashed against the ships. Rain and hail battered against the ship. All of the sudden with a mighty Crack! The ship split in two. Max managed to jump across before the wreckage drifted away, but a mighty wind blew both of the overboard. Eric hit the icy water hard and nearly chocked as he rose back up to get a breath. As his temperature dropped he could feel himself get dizzy.

The last thing his saw was the shadow of a large object swimming toward him