Disclaimer - In this story I only own my OCs: Mikola, Haleth, Achati and Lucinda. Gaara, Yamato, Naruto, Orochimaru, Kabuto, Kimimaro, Sai, Choji, Ino, Baki and Shukaku belong to Masashi Kishimoto (creator of Naruto). The storyline belongs to Disney's The Little Mermaid and the original fairy tale writer. Anything else is coincidental.
Land and Sea
Chapter 4: A Powerful Decision
Over in the beautiful underwater palace the young prince, Haleth, was fighting with a certain piece of his hair when he realised how long his sister had been in her room, sorting herself out. "Miko, come on, you've been all morning!" he called to her. Mikola then swam out, right past Haleth, humming to herself in a dreamy way. "What is up with her?" Haleth asked himself, having never seen his sister like this before.
As Mikola continued to swim she nearly bonked into her father. "Oh, morning Daddy." she said sweetly and even kissed his cheek softly before swimming away still humming. "Oh no, she's got it so badly, Dad." said Haleth as he came over. "What? What has she got, son?" asked Achati confused. "It's actually so obvious, Dad. Miko's in love." replied Haleth. "Mikola? In love?" asked Achati, with a smile on his face his little girl was growing up.
Elsewhere Yamato was pacing as he tried to keep calm with what was going on. After all, they had a secret to keep that was gradually getting likelier to be revealed. "I don't think the king knows yet...but it won't be easy keeping this secret for long, I need a plan..." he was saying, slightly panicky.
Above him Mikola was picking petals off a flower, saying "He loves me...he loves me not..." then she picked the last petal: "...he loves me! I knew it." she finished with a happy giggle. "Miko, stop being crazy!" exclaimed Yamato. "I have to see him again, Yamato. Sai will know where he lives." Mikola said and started to swim off. "Get your head out of the clouds! You belong in the sea!" Yamato shouted as he went after her. "I'll swim up to the castle then Naruto can get his attention and then..." Mikola continued, ignoring her crab guardian. "Down here is your home!" shouted Yamato, swimming right in front of Mikola's face to make her listen. "The human world is a mess, you know. It's far better under the sea away from all that." he continued then began a long speech about how life under the sea was better than the human world.
By the time he had finished Mikola and Naruto had swam off. "Oh? Mikola?" he asked then sighed to himself. "Why can't that girl stay still? We need to nail her down at this rate..." he said to himself. "Yamato! Yamato!" called a voice and the little seahorse who announced the contest before swam over to him. "I've been looking everywhere for you. The king needs to see you right now!" he said quickly. "The king?" asked Yamato with a slight shake in his voice. "Yes, yes, he needs to see you. It's about Mikola." the seahorse said then swam away. "Oh no...he knows..." said Yamato, looking very nervous.
In the palace's throne room Achati was sitting talking to himself about his recent discovery. "Now, let's see, which lucky merman could be the one she loves?" he asked. He then looked up and saw Yamato standing at the doorway to the throne room. "Oh, come in, Yamato." he said, back to a serious, king-like, look.
Yamato walked closer to the throne and quietly said under his breath "I must remain calm, everything is okay." then he reached the throne and said "Yes?" quite high-pitched, so cleared his throat and said "Yes, your majesty?" in his normal voice. "Yamato, have you noticed Mikola acting strange lately? This is important." asked Achati. "Strange? What do you mean, sire?" asked Yamato, playing unknowing for now. "Singing to herself, daydreaming, that sort of stuff. Don't tell me you haven't noticed?" replied Achati. "Well, sir..." Yamato started. "Are you hiding something from me?" asked Achati as he beckoned Yamato up to him. "Keeping something?" he asked as he reached the king. "About my little Mikola in love?" finished Achati with a smile.
Yamato then broke down and exclaimed "I tried to stop it from happening, sire! I told her to stay away! She wouldn't listen! Humans are trouble and..." "Humans? What about them?!" shouted Achati as he got up from his throne. Yamato then realised he had just blown it. "Um, who mentioned humans...?" he asked with a shaky laugh then got grabbed by the king quite harshly.
Elsewhere Mikola and Naruto were heading into a cave, the same cave that led to Mikola's 'treasure trove'. "Naruto, can't you just tell me?" Mikola asked as she followed him. "It's a surprise." he answered with a smile. As they entered Mikola saw the statue of Gaara that must have fallen from the ship back when the explosion happened.
"Naruto...why...it's beautiful. It looks exactly like him." Mikola said happily as she swam around the statue admiring it. As she swam around daydreaming of being with Gaara she giggled then gasped...as she saw her father and Yamato at the entrance. "I consider myself reasonable, Mikola, but I set rules and I expect them to be obeyed." Achati said firmly. "But Daddy..." started Mikola. "Did you save a human from drowning?" he asked her. "I had to..." she tried to say, but Achati interrupted again: "Contact between us and the humans is forbidden, Mikola! Everyone knows that, especially you." "He would have died!" exclaimed Mikola. "One less to be a threat." said Achati. "You don't know him. He's nice." said Mikola. "I don't have to know him. They're all the same anyway. They all have no feeling, they don't care about..." Achati started in a rant. "I love him!" shouted Mikola then gasped at her shock outburst.
"No...no. Have you lost your common sense? He's human, you're a mermaid." Achati exclaimed. "I don't care about that..." said Mikola, slightly in denial. "I will get through to you...even if I must do this." Achati said and his trident glowed; he then proceeded to destroy all of the human artefacts his daughter had found. "Daddy, stop! Please stop!" shouted Mikola sadly, but the king didn't hear it and only stopped when he felt he had finished: upon destroying the statue. Mikola then collapsed against a rock in heavy tears. Sad that he made his daughter so upset, Achati left the cave feeling ashamed and regretful.
"Miko?" asked Yamato gently. "Go away." said Mikola through her tears. Yamato looked down sadly then left the cave with Naruto alongside him. Shortly after he left Kabuto and Kimimaro swam overhead. "Poor little girl." said Kabuto. "Yes, poor child." added Kimimaro. "She seems to have a problem, doesn't she?" asked Kabuto as he swam down closer to Mikola and she looked up at them. "If only we could help." said Kimimaro. "But we can." finished Kabuto. "Who-Who are you?" she asked nervously. "You don't have to be scared of us." said Kimimaro. "We know of someone who can help you." said Kabuto. "Your dreams all come true at once." added Kimimaro. "Imagine if you and your prince...together forever." the two eels said simultaneously.
"I...I don't understand." said Mikola. "Our master, Orochimaru, has powers you can't imagine." said Kimimaro. "Him? That evil sorcerer? No! I can't possibly...! Get out of here!" Mikola exclaimed and turned away from them. "Fine, suit yourself. We only provided a suggestion." said Kimimaro and, as they swam away, he flicked the broken stone of the statue's face towards Mikola. She turned back and picked it up. Upon looking at it she changed her mind and said "Wait." and the eels turned back. "Yes?" they both asked, almost looking happy their plan succeeded.
Outside the cave Yamato and Naruto were feeling sad about what had just happened. "Poor Miko..." said Naruto sadly. "I didn't mean to tell...it slipped out, very accidentally." Yamato said. They looked up as shadows passed and saw Mikola with the two eels. They swam up to her and Yamato asked "Hey, Miko, what are you doing with these two ruffians?" "I'm going to see Orochimaru, if you must know." said Mikola and swam past Yamato. "No, no, no, he's a monster, Miko, don't do it!" he called. "Go tell my father then; you seem good at that." Mikola said. "But I..." started Yamato then turned to Naruto. "Come on, we gotta move." he said and they swam after Mikola and the eels.
As they approached Orochimaru's lair, Mikola began to feel fear as it looked so creepy, but the eels turned back and said "This way." so she swallowed and followed them inside. She then heard a voice say "Come on in. You mustn't lurk outside like that. Your upbringing could come under questioning." then the sea snake emerged from his shadowy 'room'. Swishing his purple and black tail around he came nearer Mikola and his yellow eyes stared at her as he said "I know you have feelings for a human prince. You can't be blamed for that, you're just an innocent teenager. There is one very simple solution, you know. You must become a human yourself."
"Is that possible?" asked Mikola. Orochimaru smiled evilly then turned around, his black hair swishing behind him, as he said "Princess, I do things like it all the time. I help unfortunate souls who can't get what they need without my powers. In the past I have done bad things, so my title of evil sorcerer fit quite well, but I have changed since then." He began to put some ingredients into his 'cauldron' and coloured smoke rose from it. "I have always known magic and I use it to help the miserable." he continued then whispered to his underlings: "Pathetic..." and continued playing the good guy. "If two people want something so they can be together, whether it's less weight, more muscle, I help them. Though it has happened before where they can't pay the price for my service and I've had to act on it, so yes I've had complaints, but in reality, I do an honourable thing for them."
Mikola watched the potion in the cauldron bubbling as Orochimaru said "Now, here's your deal: this potion I can make will make you human for three days. Do you understand? Three days. Pay attention, this is very important. Before the sun sets on the third day, your prince must fall in love with you and I mean he has to kiss you with a true love's kiss. If he does, you remain human for the rest of your days...but, if not, you return to your mermaid form and belong to me." "Miko, don't listen!" shouted Yamato, but the two eels bound him and Naruto using their tails. "So, do we have a deal?" asked Orochimaru.
"I'll never see my brother or father again if I become human..." said Mikola, as she weighed the options and what she'd lose. "So true, but you'll have the man of your dreams. Life has tough choices indeed." said Orochimaru with an evil chuckle. "We also must discuss payment, as you won't get all this for nothing." he added. "I don't have..." started Mikola. "It's easy, I'm not asking for much really. Your voice." he finished. "My...voice?" asked Mikola as she put a hand to her throat. "You got it. No more talking, no more singing, nothing." he confirmed. "Without my voice I can't..." Mikola started. "You'll still have looks, don't underestimate them. Besides, men don't like gossipers and chatterboxes." Orochimaru said as he put the potion's final touches together. "Now make your choice, Princess. I'm a busy man, it only costs your voice." he said and produced a contract for her. "Sign it." then he added to his underlings: "I got her." and they looked happy. "You'll remain a poor soul if you don't!" he exclaimed and Mikola signed the contract, worrying Yamato and Naruto.
Orochimaru smiled evilly as he took the contract and began the incantations to start the spell. Winds and small lightning emerged from his cauldron then two long arms reached out of it. "Sing, Princess." he ordered. Mikola began to sing and, as she did, the spiritual arms came towards her and reached down her throat. When they emerged they held a glowing ball where the song was coming from...leaving Mikola silenced. The glowing ball entered a container Orochimaru kept safe, then he laughed as a golden ball picked up Mikola and began changing her, splitting her mermaid tail into two legs. When it was finished she was a naked, bottom-half, human who struggled to swim, plus couldn't breathe underwater anymore, so Yamato and Naruto rushed over, lifting her to the surface as fast as they could, while Orochimaru continued to laugh in his glee of succeeding so far...