The Performance

A few days later Ariel and Eric stood on Mermaid Rock, with King Triton in the water in front of them. Pointing his Trident at the pair, he watched as it's power swirled around them, changing them from humans into merpeople. On seeing his tail and fins Eric gasped, both were a dark shade of red, the same colour as the belt he usually wore.

"You look fantastic in this form Eric, are you ready so see my world?" asked Ariel as she looked at his tail.

"As ready as I'll ever be" Eric replied as they dived underwater.

Entering Ariel's world Eric gasped in wonder at what he saw. Schools of brightly coloured fish swam around them, darting this way and that, their scales reflecting in the light. Light from the sun streamed down from the surface, turning the water a light shade of blue. Below them swam a school of small sharks, their pace relaxed and at ease. Then out of the reeds swam a group of five sleek, grey seals, their bodies twisting in the water. Seeing Triton, Ariel and Eric the seals swam up to them, their large eyes gazing at the three. Then Eric gazed at one in amazement, one with a white patch over its left eye.

"Storm, is that you?" asked Eric.

Seeing Eric the seal nodded and swam up Eric, pressing his face against Eric's, before licking him. Rolling onto his back the Storm let Eric stroke him, as the other four circled Ariel and Triton.

"I found Storm with his mother on the beach two years ago, they had been hurt in a storm. His mother was ill for several weeks so I took care of him, even after they were released I still saw him" Eric said as he stroked Storm's back.

"That was a very kind thing you did Eric, you have earned a true friend" said Triton stroking one of the seals.

Leaving the seals behind, they soon reached Atlantica, with Eric gazing at the city in awe. Never in his life had he imagined a city as magnificent as Atlantica existed so close to his own home. As a child he had dreamed of a city where merpeople lived, but Atlantica was far greater than he had imagined it would be. As he swam through the city he looked around, his eyes like saucers, eager to see everything. Reaching the palace gardens, they were met by Ariel's sister.

"We are the sisters of Ariel

Little sister with a heart of gold

Attina, Alana, Adella, Aquata, Artista, Andrina

Welcome to Atlantica Prince Eric" the girls sang, before swimming up and hugging the pair.

Chatting happily Ariel and Eric sat down with the rest of her family for lunch, all sitting on blankets in the garden. As they ate, the mermaids told Eric about life in Atlantica. The morning traffic with chariots drawn by dolphins and sharks flooding into the city, and seahorses zipping around everywhere. The seahorse races where the riders and horses were stars. How mermaids and fish could party together till dawn came. How majestic whales often swam above the city, their songs ringing throughout the city.

In return Eric told them about life on land. All about the castle and town, the jobs humans did. Birds which flew above the castle, calling pout their songs for all to hear, the livestock that were in the town on market day. Sheep whose wool was used to make clothes, goats that ate everything and anything and hens that got under people's feet. Cat's that walked across fences and roof tops and purred around people's ankles. Swimming to their beds that night all fell asleep, a family complete once more.

It was the following night, Ariel, along with her sisters; Father and Eric were wearing their best jewels. With her hair tied up with pearls and wearing silver jewellery, Ariel looked stunning as did her sisters. All had made an extra effort for Adella's big night, with there being no arguments about borrowing makeup. Leaving the palace in the royal chariot, the party soon arrived at The Piccadilly Theatre, where the manager personally escorted them to the Royal Box.

Back stage you could cut the tension with a knife, the atmosphere electric with nerves and excitement. Actors swam around muttering lines, the wardrobe mistress yelling orders and supervising costumes, in the orchestra pit the band warmed up. Peering out between the curtains, Adella saw her family in the audience and smiled.

"I hope I make Father proud tonight, I wish you were here Mother, I wish you could see me perform. I hope can be half as good as you" Adella thought.

As they waited for the show to start, the girls saw people they knew in the crowd. In the box across from them, they saw their Grandmother Eirene, who was sitting with the play's writer Elaine. Eirene was Athena's mother and had looked after the girls in the months following Athena's death. Seeing the girls, both waved as the theatre manger swam into their box.

"That's my Grandma, my Grandfather Uaithne composed the music, he is also playing in the orchestra tonight" Ariel whispered to Eric as the curtain rose.

As the curtain rose the orchestra began to play, and the musical Grease began. The audience soon fell in love with sweet Sandy and tough Danny, kind hearted Frenchy, cool Kenickie and tough but nice Rizzo. The mermaids fell in love with the T Sharks, picking out the member they would like to date. Mermen fell head over fins for the Pink Mermaids, choosing their favourite from the group.

Each song brought more applause from the audience, all thrilled with the quality of the score, and the heart the actors put into the songs. Summer Nights got the audience into the spirit of the musical, and received a tremendous applause, the audience ager to see what the rest of the musical would bring. The "Beauty School Dropout" scene made the crowd gasp with aw as a magnificent angel appeared on stage. As she watched Adella play the lead mermaid Sandy, Ariel marvelled at her sister's acting ability. When Adella sang "Look at me I'm Sandra D" the audience's heart went out to her, with more than one member getting tears in their eyes. The song was full of emotion, with the setting of Adella sitting on her own above the racetrack adding to the sense of her isolation and need to change. When final song "We go together" ended the audience swam up in their seats and cheered, calling for an encore. As the cast bowed the audience cheered, all clapping when Adella, Uaithne and Elaine were presented with bouquets of flowers.

The after show party was held in the exclusive Starlight Hotel, where the cast and invited members of the audience talked together. Speeches were made and bottles of wine were opened, with everyone raising their glasses to toast the musicals opening night success. Sitting at a table with Ariel, Eric was chatting to Uaithne and Eirene.

"The music was beautiful Sir, I thought it was amazing" said Eric.

"Thank you Eric, and it is Uaithne or Grandfather, none of this Sir business. You are family" replied Uaithne.

"My husband is right, you can call me Eirene or Grandma, I am just glad you could both make it" said Eirene sipping her drink.

"I wouldn't have missed it for the world, you did and amazing job Granddad" said Ariel hugging him.

"I am glad it went well, I have not been that nervous in a long time. I have to say it was amazing, one of the best scores I have written" replied Uaithne.

"You did, I am surprised you haven't retired yet" said Ariel with a grin.

"I keep trying to get him to, but he keeps being roped into more projects" said Eirene shaking her head.

"Ah well you'll have to wait a bit longer. Tell me Eric, what is music like on the surface?" asked Uaithne, taking a drink from a passing waiter.

"Mixed but good, it varies depending on who is making it. We have a Royal Band that works exclusively for the royal family and any productions we chose to be involved with" Eric replied.

"It's the same down here, some music I have heard is excellent, some singers I have heard cannot carry a tune. Mind you, most bad singers come out after they have had a few, or entered a talent show for fun at a club" replied Uaithne, as Adella and her boyfriend swam up to the table.

"So what did you think?" asked Adella as she hugged Ariel.

"You were amazing, you made Sandy so real" replied Ariel.

"Aw thanks Ariel, I was nervous back stage, what you think Grandpa?"

"Wonderful darling, you reminded me a lot of your mother when she first played the lead role."

"That means a lot to hear you say that, I never thought I could be as good as her."

"You brought Sandy to life Adella, I though you did especially welling singing Hopelessly Devoted To You. You have never played lead before, you did well, your Mother would have been very proud " replied Uaithne.

"You were brilliant Adella" said Eric.

"Thanks Eric I am so glad you liked it. This is my boyfriend Dante, he's a shark trainer.1"

"Nice you meet you Eric, I've heard a lot about you, Ariel it is great to see you again" said Dante shaking Eric's hand.

"It's great to see you again Dante" replied Ariel.

"So you train sharks that must be dangerous job" said Eric.

"Oh it is. I train them to pull chariots, for travel and cargo. I'm safe mostly, we don't often take the really deadly sharks, they are just too dangerous. I've had the odd nip or mild bite, but nothing that serous."

"Still it must be scary at times, they have razor sharp teeth."

"Well most are more scared of us then we are them, most are happy to be trained if treated well. Some I've trained have been really gentle, one even took food out of my hand. I'm not experienced enough to work some of the sharks, such as the Great White. Only mermen who have been training sharks for a good ten years would attempt to train them, for anyone else it would be suicide."

"Yeh it is, mate of mine lost his arm to one of them" looking round, all saw Ariel's uncle Carmine with his wife. "He wasn't a fool either, trained em for twenty years, then one day that happened" Carmine said sitting down.

Little had changed about Carmine in the years since Athena's death, his black hair was longer and tied back, his purple tail was still the same.2 He had aged a little, but to Ariel he was still the same uncle she knew as a child. A rebel with a nose for trouble, someone who was free spirited, a cool merman. Carmine had calmed down in the past years, the birth of his and his wife's first child three years before had seen to that.

"Eric this is my Uncle Carmine, my uncle on my Mother's side and Aunt Marilyn" Ariel said as pink tailed mermaid with bleach blond sat down.

"Ariel you grow more beautiful every time I see you, Eric it is nice to finally meet you" said Marilyn shaking Eric's had.

"Same here, what do you do Carmine?"

"I'm the lead singer in a rock group The Shark Slayers, we've been together for fifteen years n still going strong" replied Carmine.

"That's great, you must be good friends" Eric replied.

"We're a five piece, technically I'm lead but we switch it round every couple of weeks, let's all of us do the job. When I think of the stuff we did in are twenties, we caused our parents no end of worry."

"You got into some trouble I take it" replied Eric.

"We didn't half, partying every night other night, we did some stupid stuff there, tried a few things we shouldn't have. We toured, doing hundreds of gigs each year and met loads of mermaids. Now we are all married mermen with kids, those days are well behind us, you and Ariel should come to a concert some time" Carmine replied.

The party proved to be a very good one, with it lasting well into the night and the following morning. Swimming home Ariel, her sisters and Eric chatted as they went, all enjoying each other's company. Getting in they swam to bed silently, well aware that their Father was already asleep. The goodnights were in whispers as the girls headed to their separate rooms, with a few knowing grins being sent Ariel an Eric's way. As she fell asleep that night, Ariel though about the fun she had had, smiling at how lucky she was.

1 This is the boy Adella met in Ariel's Beginning, he is wearing a shark's tooth around his neck, that's way I made him a shark trainer.

2 Background info on Carmine can b found in my fic The World Above.