Sebastian scuttled out of Triton's throne room, muttering angrily to himself.
"Why do I have to be the one looking after her?" He groused, "I should be writing symphonies! Not babysitting some crazy merbunny who's obsessed with land mammals!" Sebastian continued along the pathway, but stopped as a flash of grey caught his eye. He snuck over to the edge of the walkway and peered over. Underneath, he saw Judy, carrying a small bag, and Flounder lurking, peering furtively in every direction.
"What are you up to?" Sebastian murmured, watching as Judy and Flounder began to swim away. He jumped off the walkway and paddled after them, desperately trying to keep up with his far swifter quarries. He followed them for a mile on the sea floor, weaving through rocks, shipwrecks, and reefs, until they reached a seemingly innocuous rock formation. Sebastian landed on the sea floor and allowed himself a moment to recover from his frantic swimming. Judy and Flounder stopped and checked their surroundings once more, searching for any mammal, fish, or crustacean who could have followed them. Sebastian hid behind a rock and watched as Judy rolled a sizeable boulder aside, revealing the entrance to a hidden cave. She and Flounder slipped inside and the boulder began to roll back into place. Sebastian shot towards the entrance and slipped inside just as the makeshift door slammed shut, clipping his hind claws.
"Agh!" He hissed, springing forward and inspecting the sore appendages. After making sure his claws were ok, he returned his attention to the interior of the cave and stifled a gasp. Lining the walls, on each shelf and in each crevice, were things from above the surface. Weird twisted metal, ceramic figurines, boxes, and paintings filled every inch of space in the cave while candelabras, rings, and various dining utensils littered the floor. Sebastian's jaw dropped open as he beheld Judy's hidden collection.
"If her father ever found out…" He whispered, gazing upon the countless illicit items that Judy had obtained.
"Judy, are you ok?" Flounder asked, drawing the crab's attention to the sulking merbunny in the middle of the cave.
"Yeah." She sighed, "I just don't see things the way he does. I just don't understand how a world that makes such wonderful things, could be bad." Judy placed her newest treasure, the gleaming dinglehopper that Scuttle had been so impressed with, in the sconce of a tarnished candelabrum. Sebastian snuck closer, hiding on a shelf full of items.
"It's only stuff Judy." Flounder began, "I'm sure he'll get over it eventually."
"It's not just that Flounder." She replied sadly, "Sure, I have all these amazing things, gadgets, gizmos, whozits, whatzits, thingamabobs, but I want more. I know it seems like I have everything I could ever want, but I don't."
"What do you mean?" Flounder asked.
"I wanna be where the people are." Judy sighed, "I wanna to see them dancing! I wanna to see them walk on their hind paws. I want to have legs! I want to be part of that world! I want to dance, I want to jump! Flounder, they have such a wonderful life! All day, the land mammals wander free in the sun! Doing whatever they want!"
"Yeah, I don't think your dad would be ok with that." Flounder replied.
"I want to go and lay on the beach!" Judy continued, sprawling herself on the sandy floor of the cave, "I want to learn new things, like, like this!" She swam over to one of the paintings on the shelf and pointed at the brightly orange object painted in it.
"What is 'fire?' Why does it burn? What is burning? Don't you see Flounder?" She exhorted, turning to face her brightly colored friend, "There's so much to know! I just want to escape this wretched ocean and explore the surface!" Sebastian let loose a gasp of horror at her last statement before quickly covering his mouth with a claw.
"Did you hear that?" Judy asked, her ears perking up. Flounder shook his head. Judy picked herself off the cave floor and swam towards one of her piles of treasure.
"Hello?" She called, "Is anyone here?" Sebastian slowly backed away from the searching merbunny, trying to further conceal himself behind a flagon. As he was backing up, one of his back claws slipped on a plate, sending him clattering to the ground, triggering an avalanche of jewelry, boxes, and other collectibles. Judy whirled to face the intruder but her anger was replaced by panic as she beheld an extraordinarily angry red crab.
"Sebastian!" Judy said weakly, "What're you doing—"
"Young lady, have you lost your mind!?" He shouted back, "What are you thinking!? If your father ever finds this place, he will, he will be furious! He would destroy everything!"
"Oh Sebastian, please don't tell him!" Judy begged, "He doesn't need to know! It would mean so much to me if you wouldn't. Please?" Sebastian looked at the pleading merbunny, eyes wide and paws clasped in front of her, and sighed.
"Alright, he doesn't need to know." Sebastian relented, "But you need to drop all this 'going to the surface' nonsense…" Sebastian continued speaking, but Judy was distracted as darkness fell over the cave, a large, oblong shadow blocking light from the opening at the top.
"Judy!" Sebastian shouted, startling her out of her reverie, "Are you even listening?"
"Yeah." She answered absentmindedly, hearing a loud boom from above, "But I wonder what that thing is." With a powerful swish of her tail, Judy propelled herself upwards, heading after the dark shape, Flounder following close behind.
"Come back here right now!" Sebastian shouted as Judy slipped out the opening at the top of the cave.
"Teenagers." He huffed, swimming after the elusive merbunny.
Judy broke through the surface of the ocean and let out a gasp of delight as she beheld a massive ship, skimming across the waves and letting off fireworks.
"Wow." She breathed, watching the multicolored explosions in the darkened night sky. Sebastian and Flounder surfaced next to her.
"Judy, you need to—" Sebastian began, but stopped as he watched a firework shoot from the vessel and explode into a pinwheel of red sparks.
"Need to what?" She teased the dumbstruck crustacean. Sebastian didn't respond, enraptured by the show.
"I'm gonna get a closer look." Judy said to Flounder. She swam after the ship and Sebastian started in surprise.
"No! Judy wait!" He shouted. She gave no indication of hearing him as she gained on the rapidly disappearing vessel.
"Oh no." Sebastian moaned, burying his face in his claws.
Judy followed the enormous boat, quickly catching up to it. She grabbed the side and allowed it to pull her through the water as she listened to the celebrations above. Her curiosity growing with each second, she began to haul herself up the side of the ship, using portholes and other protuberances as handholds. Finally, she made it to the top deck and was able to see the source of the festivities. Gallivanting around the deck was a young fox playing a flute. She gazed in wonder upon his face as the young prince laughed and danced, avoiding his friend, a fluffy sheepdog, who was trying to catch him. Judy giggled at their antics, watching the fox duck under his friend's outstretched arm and escape him, all without missing a note. As the fox stopped playing the lively melody, his friend threw an arm around him.
"Geez Nick, why're you avoiding me on your birthday?" He teased.
"Maybe because I don't want you throwing me into the water again Max." Nick retorted good-naturedly.
"Fair enough." Max chuckled, rubbing the top of Nick's head, purposefully messing it up. Nick glared at his friend and walked away, fixing his fur as he went.
"I'll get you back Max!" He shouted from the other side of the deck. The sheepdog gave him a thumbs up in response. Max wandered over to the railing where Judy was hiding and leaned over it, breathing in the fresh ocean air. He looked down at the merbunny, who was doing her best to hide behind the railing and rigging, and winked, smiling at the oceanic mammal. Judy gave a sigh of relief as Max wandered back off to the party.
"JUDY!" Scuttle shouted, swooping down out of nowhere, "HOW'S IT GOIN KIDDO?"
"Scuttle quiet down!" Judy hissed, "I don't wanna get caught."
"Oh I see." He croaked, tapping the side of his beak with a feather, "We're doin a little surveillance thing huh?" Judy nodded her head and returned her attention to the land mammals.
"May I have everyone's attention please?" A stuffy looking gray wolf announced, "It is my honor and privilege to present our esteemed Prince Nicholas with a very special, very expensive, very large, birthday present." The wolf gestured to an enormous object covered by tarpaulin.
"Grimsby ya old bag of beans!" Nick said affectionately, "You shouldn't have!"
"I know." He replied primly, allowing himself a smile. Nick walked over to the gift and ripped the cover off, revealing a massive stone statue of himself, a sword in one paw, and a shield, featuring the seal of his kingdom, supporting one of the hind paws.
"Wow Grim." Nick remarked, at a loss for words, "It's, uh, it's really something."
"Isn't it?" Grimsby beamed, not noticing Nick's discomfort, "I had it commissioned myself. I was hoping it would be a wedding present," He said pointedly, "but I can't see any reason not to give it to you now."
"Are you still angry that I didn't marry that princess from Arendelle?" Nick teased, "C'mon Grim, she was a total ice queen!"
"Nonsense!" He proclaimed, "She was a suitable match."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Nick answered, waving his paws at his caretaker. Grimsby opened his snout to scold the young prince but was forestalled by a shout from the crow's nest.
"THERE'S A STORM COMIN' IN!" The squirrel called down, "GET READY FOR SOME ROUGH WEATHER!" For the first time, Nick noticed the mass of foreboding storm clouds stealing closer and blanched.
"Max!" He shouted as rain began to pour down, "Take the helm!" The sheepdog nodded his head and ran off towards the stern as fast as he could, trying to keep his balance on the now pitching deck. Judy clung to the boat like a limpet, holding on as wave after wave swamped the deck and poured over the edge, drenching her in seawater. Nearby, she saw a bolt of lightning arc down, quickly followed by the resulting boom of thunder.
"See ya kid." Scuttle said, taking off and flying in the opposite direction. Judy waved goodbye to the gull, but kept her attention on the sailors, who were frantically grabbed ropes, tying them off, and holding them steady as they tried to keep the massive ship from capsizing. Just as it began to look like the ship could weather the storm, the mast was struck by lightning. With an ominous creak, the enormous wooden post began to list, breaking at the point where it had been struck. After several horrifying seconds, it fell, crashing into the deck and smashing into the interior of the ship. With that impact, Judy finally lost her grip on the tossing vessel and tumbled back into the sea, landing in the trough of a monstrous wave. She swam back up to the surface in time to see the wave strike the ship, sending it crunching into an outcropping of rocks. As they hit, the crew was thrown clear and into the sea, with several barrels and lifeboats coming loose as well. Judy sighed in relief as she saw the prince being hauled into a lifeboat by his crewmembers. As she watched, another bolt of lightning struck the ship and the fallen sail erupted in flames.
Nick watched sadly as his ship began to burn.
"At least everyone got off." He thought to himself as the flames rose higher. Nick took a look around the lifeboat and frowned.
"Where's Max?" He asked. No mammal answered. Nick stood up in the lifeboat, searching for any sign of his friend.
"MAX!" He yelled, "MAX WHERE ARE YOU?!" Nick looked up at the broken ship and squinted. Through the flames he made out the outline of his friend, slumped over the steering wheel. Without a second thought, Nick dove into the water and swam towards the wreck, cutting through the sea with quick, powerful strokes. He reached the edge of the ship and began to pull himself up the side much like Judy had, using the portholes as handholds. As he climbed, Grimsby directed the lifeboat nearer, anxiously watching the heir to the throne clamber up the side of the burning wreck. Nick hauled himself onto the deck and ran towards the unconscious sheepdog, vaulting over the flaming mast as he went. He made it to the helm and slung Max over his shoulders, grunting as he supported the dog's full weight. He looked back at the way he came and grimaced as he saw the flames climb higher, blocking his escape. Coughing from the smoke, Nick struggled to the railing and found Grimsby in the lifeboat waiting beneath.
"THROW HIM INTO THE WATER!" Grimsby ordered, "WE'LL PULL HIM OUT!" With a herculean effort, Nick tossed his friend over the railing and into the drink. As Max splashed into the sea, several crewmembers, mostly otters, leaped off the lifeboat and hauled the sopping mammal to safety. As they heaved the sheepdog onto the lifeboat, Grimsby frantically gestured for Nick to follow. Nick took a deep breath and jumped with as much force as he could muster, but as he did so, the weakened timbers under his paws gave way, revealing the raging inferno below deck. Nick grabbed for the railing as his footing disappeared, clinging desperately to the wooden balustrade as the flames singed his fur. Barely able to breathe and drained from his mad dash to save Max, it was all he could do to hold on. Nick looked down at the furnace beneath him and cursed. As more smoke filled his lungs, he could hear Grimsby shouting as if from far away, begging him to escape. With the last of his strength, Nick pulled himself back to the deck, leaning over the railing.
"Get away!" He wheezed, "The powder's about to blow!" The mammals on the lifeboat sprung into action, jamming the oars into place and rowing away as fast as they could.
"NICK!" Grimsby shouted, "JUMP!" The world swam before Nick's eyes as he heard Grimsby shout. He slumped over the railing, the smoke and exhaustion taking its toll as he slowly succumbed to unconsciousness.
"Sorry Grim." Nick thought as the world faded to black, "It looks like you'll never see me get married after all."
Judy let out a gasp of horror as the ship blew up, sending timbers flying and setting off even more fireworks. She watched as the smoking fox flew through the air, landing in the water with the other debris.
"Nick." She breathed as the fox splashed down. Judy tore through the waves, headed for the young prince, determined to save him. When she reached the spot where he had landed, she dove under the water and shot downwards towards the rapidly sinking mammal. She grabbed his trailing paw and began stroking upwards with all her strength, but she was barely able to support the waterlogged fox. Finally, she broke the surface and pulled Nick up in her arms. Judy looked around for some land, any land, to deposit the half-drowned prince, but there was only the vast expanse of the ocean. She slung him on her back, making sure his head was above the water, and started swimming. There was a long way to go.
Judy finally hauled Nick up onto a beach, well above the water line, and collapsed next to him.
"You're heavier than you look." She panted, eyeing the unconscious fox as the afternoon sun beat down on them. After a few moments of recovery, Judy sat up and inspected him. His fur was caked with salt, stiff and dry to the touch and his hind paws and tail were blackened with soot. Judy tenderly brushed his cheek, combing the sea salt out of his fur. Scuttle flew over and alighted next to her.
"Is he, dead?" Judy asked hesitantly, pulling her paw away from the fox's cheek.
"It's hard to say." Scuttle responded, putting one of Nick's hindpaws up to his head, "I can't make out a heartbeat." Nick let out a sigh.
"He's breathing!" Judy cried in relief.
"Hallelujah!" Scuttle proclaimed, horribly mispronouncing the word.
"He's so beautiful." She murmured, admiring the bedraggled mammal as she brushed stray strands of fur from his eyes.
"What would I give to live where you are?" Judy crooned, "What would I pay to stay here beside you? What would I do to see you, smiling at meeee?" As she sang to the motionless fox, a wave rolled in, washing Sebastian and Flounder onto a rock. Upon seeing Judy lying on the beach, singing to the prince of the land mammals, Sebastian's jaw dropped open and he swooned. Scuttle quickly flew over and steadied the teetering crab before he fell back into the sea.
"Where would we walk? Where would we run? If we could stay all day in the suuuuun, just you and me, and I could be, part of your wooooorld." Nick coughed and slowly opened his eyes as Judy sang. His first sight as he regained consciousness was a stunning bunny with amethyst eyes and the morning sun shining behind her, singing to him in the most lovely voice he had ever heard.
"Wha?" He groaned, trying to sit up. Judy's head whipped up as she heard mammals coming and, giving Nick one last look, she slipped back into the water.
"Nick!" Max shouted, running across the beach, "Nick you're alive!" Nick slowly sat up as Max reached him and clapped him on the back.
"I thought I lost you there pal." He said, pulling Nick to his paws. Grimsby rounded the corner and let out a sigh of relief.
"Nicholas you're alive!" He cried, rushing to pull the fox into a hug, "I can't believe that you—it's a miracle that you're alive." He finished, holding the fox at arm's length and looking at him affectionately.
"We've got to get you home." Grimsby declared, marching Nick towards the palace, "I need to get the doctor to look at you and—"
"Where's the bunny?" Nick asked, interrupting Grimsby's rambling, "There was a bunny here. She saved me. And she had the most amazing voice I've ever heard."
"Oh dear, you may be worse than I thought." Grimsby fretted, "Female bunnies don't just show up, save mammals, and sing to them Nicholas. We need to get you some rest young mammal; you've been through quite an ordeal."
Judy watched from a distance as Grimsby hustled Nick off to the castle to take care of him.
"Just you wait." She whispered, "I'll be back, and then I can be part of your world."
A/N: Hi guys! Just have a quick thing and then I'm done. For pretty much every song in every au I have written, I find a workaround because they don't always sit well in the middle of a narrative (this is my personal opinion. Feel free to disagree), however in this case, Judy singing to Nick on the beach is an exception for several important plot reasons that I'm sure you all are familiar with. The rest of the songs from the movie will most likely not be explicitly in the story as songs, however I may/will steal certain words and the overall tone to advance the plot in a similar way to the song. That's about it. Thank you all so much for reading! I'll get the next chapter out within the next week!