I could throw myself at your feet and it still wouldn't be enough. X_X I'm so sorry for the wait…I really, truly, madly, deeply am. The longer I wait, the less drive I feel to do it because I feel the pressure of making the wait worth while…but then you guys so sweetly ask me to update and I feel I must succumb O_O even if this chapter is blah. I hope it's…somewhat enjoyable. TT_TT THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT THOUGH, this started as such a little fanfiction by some little girl who has nothing to do with her life but now I really find myself enjoying it. Your kindness and support means the world to me. I may say it every time, because it's true.

I apologize in advance if it appears like I'm rushing things…but this really was supposed to be a more fast-paced type of fanfiction =) despite how long it takes me to update '_' goodness.

The chapter's three times as long as the usual one though! =3

One more chapter, and then it's off to devoting everything to The Seaweed is Always Greener! =D

SPOILERS:

*curious as to why Grimsby seemed upset and Ariel and Eric were havin' a ball? Wonder what happened while Ursula was brewing the potion? PONDER NOT, my friends, because I plan to feature their side of the story in an extra chapter, after the end of this story ;D

**Ariel doesn't remember saving Eric, remember? Er go, she doesn't recall sing the Part of Your World reprise. I took this chance to introduce the DELETED lyrics to the song =) Personally the one they chose for the movie was much better but I like them anyways XD

Chapter 9: The Contest

"Try to get some shut-eye, dearie! I have a feeling that you might have a busy day tomorrow!" Carlotta told Ariel as she opened the bedroom door for the redhead. Ariel grinned. She really liked Carlotta! She was so kind and motherly...and it had been a long time since Ariel had felt that gentle feeling of being taken care of by a mother. While her older sister Attina tried to watch over everyone, she couldn't fill the fins of Queen Athena, and many times, Ariel missed her mother. So this, this feeling…made her happy.

Ariel then hugged Carlotta suddenly, the surprised woman letting out a little exclamation of shock. "Thank you so much, for everything," Ariel said, her smile softening. Carlotta returned the smile, patting the sweet child on the back. "Why, you're very welcome! You don't need to thank me for anything!" Carlotta replied, drawing back from Ariel with a little laugh.

"But I do appreciate it. Get some rest now, honey, and I'll see you in the morning."

"Good night!"

Ariel hurried into her room and shut the door behind her. Then she immediately began combing her fingers through her hair, searching for friend. "Sebastian! You can come out now!" she whispered fiercely, but there was no reply. "Sebastian?" Ariel moved over to her bed and shook her red hair out over it. Nothing. She reached behind and patted her back. Nothing. Where WAS he?

-

"URSULA! YOU WICKED WOMAN! I heard dat plan of yours and I'm gonna…I'M GONNA…!...JEEZ MAN, GET YOUR FOOT OFF OF ME!" Sebastian shouted loudly, attempting to stand up but it was no use, she was too much stronger. Ursula threw her head back and laughed, pushing him deeper into the sand. She turned back towards Flotsam and Jetsam.

"Well well well boys, it looks like crab is back on the menu,'' Ursula murmured, leaning down to pick Sebastian up. Her violet eyes had a malicious look in them as she looked him over, licking her lips. "I think you'll taste finger-licking yummy with a side of caviar, and mayb—"

Sebastian took this moment to seize that sea witch's nose with his claw and squeeze it as hard as he could.

"YEEEEOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWW!" she screamed in pain, immediately dropping him on the sand. Sebastian moved as fast as he could towards the castle, he had to see Arielle and tell her! "NO! Don't let him get away!" Ursula hurried after him.

Just a little further! Once Arielle found out, she could tell dat prince everything and Ursula would be kicked out of the kingdom! And then they would kiss, and she'd be human forev-suddenly, a dark shadow was cast over the crab…and everything turned black.

The next morning, everybody sat down for breakfast. Vanessa seemed to be in a particularly good mood that day, Eric noticed, which he was revealed to see since she seemed upset last night. Ariel kept on asking questions about things that he wasn't sure even existed…like "thingamabobs", which were something that humans would spin on the ground when they're bored? It sounded like those toys, those wooden tops, but then Ariel described it as twisted and metal…little did she know, they were corkscrews, and Scuttle had just got them confused with a child's plaything. But even though there were times when Eric couldn't understand her…she made him laugh.

Grimsby stood up, clearing his throat.

"You know, Eric, perhaps our young guests might enjoy seeing some of the sights of the kingdom. Something in the way of a tour?" If only he could just get that lad out of the house once in a while! He couldn't spend his entire life inside the palace.

"I'm sorry, Grim, what was that?" Eric asked, too busy chuckling to himself as Ariel attempted to explain what whozits and whatzits were.

"Spend a day out of the castle! I'm sure Vanessa and Ariel would like to see what life is like outside these polished marble walls!"

"It's not a bad idea. If they're interested….Well – what do you say? Would you like to join me on a tour of my kingdom?" Eric asked the both of them with a grin. Ariel would probably have a lot of fun…she seemed thrilled about the simplest of things here. And uh…Vanessa…would probably find something she liked too, he hoped.

"Really? Yes, I'd LOVE to! Ohhh, that sounds like FUN!" Ariel exclaimed excitedly, hardly able to contain her enthusiasm. FINALLY, she was going to be able to explore the human world! People walking on the streets and EVERYTHING!

Ursula, on the other hand, was troubled. She couldn't leave the castle, not when she still hadn't finished the potion. "I'm a little busy with my own affairs today…I had hoped to write a letter to home letting them know that I'm being well taken care of, and where they might find me. I'm sure they're worried, after the shipwreck happened," she explained. But could she risk those two going out ALONE together? What if they kissed? Then the potion would be useless! She couldn't lose her man so early in the game. There had to be some way…the sea witch thought fast, and then it occurred to her. "Actually…" she began, standing up and she moved over to Grimsy, and she leaned in to whisper. "…I really wanted to get Eric a gift in thanks for his hospitality. Do you think you could…go along with them, and retrieve it for me?" she asked politely. Come on, you dried up fish.

"Oh, r-really? That's rather kind of you to be thinking of Eric! I do have a bit of things to attend to but I'm sure a short trip will be all right. What did you have in mind?"

"Oh…you know…the usual monogrammed pocket watch will do…" Something that would take a while, ensuring that Grimsby would stay with them.

"All right, Vanessa, I shall do my best."

"Thank you so much."

Grimsby turned to Ariel and Eric. "Well, it appears that there WILL be a carriage ride for three. I hope you two won't mind an old bird riding with you!" he chuckled.

"Not at all, Grimsby," Eric replied, surprised at first but then he gave in.

"Sure!" Ariel exclaimed. But deep down, the two of them were feeling the sting of disappointment, even if the former's was buried a little deeper.

Ursula waved them off from the window, watching the little redheaded tramp sit next to princey-poo. It was a good thing she took things into her own tentacles, or else they would have kissed long before sunset tomorrow. Now, down to business…she knelt down next to her bed and pulled out a cage from underneath, where a very heated crab was pinching the bars angrily. After Ursula had caught him in her cape, she had carried him up here. No, she wasn't going to kill him yet. She was going to wait till she won the contest and Ariel was her property, and then she was going to do something like…eat him in front of the little mermaid, for all the grief she caused her poor aunt, HA! That would teach her. Or, she could use him in the trade for the crown, along with Triton's daughter. His precious royal court composer might give him the little push she needed.

Ursula dropped the cage on the vanity table. "Uh-uh-uh, calm down, a stubborn crab makes such TOUGH meat. Not that I don't mind giving my teeth a little work-out, but it would compliment the caviar so much better," Ursula smirked, wagging her finger at Sebastian.

"YOU DEMON WOMAN! MONSTER! You wait till King Triton hears about dis and you'll be in BOILED WATER, young lady!" Sebastian shouted.

Ursula laughed. "That fuddy-duddy brother of mine doesn't scare me! Soon the oceans will belong to me, you just sit tight, crabcakes."

"AND STOP CALLING ME DAT!"

Ursula ignored him and took out the ingredients for her potion, along with a pot she had stolen from the kitchen. A dash of that there, a sprinkle of this here, and it was turning out well. This was TOO easy. Sebastian watched in horror as the monster dropped in the last ingredient…to his surprise, it was a strand of red hair.

"YOU..YOU'RE USING ARIELLE'S HAIR?"

"Well she DOES have the most beautiful voice in the sea. THIS ensures that'll my voice will be far superior. And it wasn't like it was difficult to obtain, with that wild mane of hers. Unlike THIS…" Ursula took out a shell comb that had a few pieces of auburn hair in it. Sebastian squinted at it…it looked so familiar…he gasped. THAT WAS!

"QUEEN ATHE—"

"That's right, brother's dearest darlingest Queen Athena's brush. Her voice was supposed to be the most beautiful before the pirate ship nailed her and Ariel grew up," Ursula cackled, plucking a hair from the comb and dropping it into the pot. "I have to say, the palace guards weren't really a match for my boys." She smirked. "And now, the final ingredient…a polished silver shell, to ensure the sillkkkiiinessss of my voice." Ursula dropped it in, and then a sound erupted from the pot…a sound so, so beautiful, that even the infuriated Sebastian softened at the sound of it. Then he shook his head furiously, snapping out of it. "YOU—"

"WHAT? I won't win? Is that what you want to say? This isn't a fairytale, honey."

After letting the potion stew for a while, Ursula was done. She dropped the cage back on the floor and kicked it under the bed again. Sebastian's shouts were muffled underneath the cloth. Ursula hid the pot between the space of the vanity and the window, draping the long curtain over it to cover the thing, just as the sound of the wooden wheels of the carriage on the cobblestone courtyard were heard. *Ursula glanced out the window to see a crabby Grimsby, a grinning Ariel and a laughing Eric…great, just great. She rolled her eyes. Gramps hadn't done his job. But at least it didn't seem like the two kissed…and that was all that mattered. She hurried downstairs to greet them and the shameless redheaded tease away from Eric.

Meanwhile, back in Atlantica, King Triton was overcome with worry. His daughters did their best to console him, but nothing could soothe the king until his youngest was found. King Triton anxiously awaited Herald's return, and soon the seahorse popped into the throne room and moved towards the king. From the look of his face, the news wasn't good.

"Any sign of them?"

"No, Your Majesty. We've searched everywhere. We've found no trace of your daughter - or Sebastian."

"Well, keep looking. Leave no shell unturned, no coral unexplored! Let no one in this kingdom sleep until she's safe at home!"

"Yes, sire." Herald swam off immediately, and his voice could be heard across the hall. "You heard the king! Double the search party! No one rests till Princess Ariel is found!"

King Triton hung his head, burying it in his hands. "Oh, what have I done? What have I done?"

Behind a pillar, Flounder chewed his lip nervously. He felt bad for King Triton…but what could he do? He shook his head and swam away. He had to let Ariel know, though, so the blue and yellow fish hurried to Scuttle's rock. The seagull wasn't there at first, so Flounder just swam back and forth nervously until he arrived, upon which Flounder told him of the sea king's frantic search. Scuttle had heard about Ariel getting legs from him earlier, since Flounder tried to stay away from the palace in case King Triton found him and tried to question him.

"Ariel should know!" Flounder said, and Scuttle shrugged.

"Are you positooovely sure? Okay! I'll try to find her!" Scuttle replied, and he took flight, heading towards Eric's castle.

"I CAN'T JUST SIT HERE!" the crab under the bed exclaimed, meanwhile, refusing to give up. No, Arielle HAD to know! Or at the very least, he had to get rid of that potion! Sebastian rammed his shell against the wire cage walls, but it was no use…it wouldn't break. It did, however, tumble, and he had made it outside from under the bed, now on the wooden floor. Sebastian glanced towards the window, panting. What would he do now? Oh, by the powers of Poseidon, he needed—

"WHOA! SEBASTIAN? What are you doin' under there in all—"

…help. Sebastian's eyes widened to see Scuttle flapping his wings at the window. He had been searching every one to find Ariel.

"DON'T WORRY ABOUT ME! We have to hurry and get rid of the potion! If Ursula drinks it—"

"WHOA WHOA WHOA, Ursula! What do you mea—"

Sebastian sighed. "Listen, you feather-flappin' idiot, we gotta hurry up! I'll give you dem details later! Jeez!" Scuttle would have crossed his wings, insulted, but because his favorite mermaid kid was in trouble, he knew that he had to act fast. Scuttle slipped his right wing through the space in between the windows, unlocking it, and then he flew in. "Voi-o-lah!"

"We gotta find that potio-!"

"Hey, what's the smell? Is that…fresh fish? SILVER FISH? MMmmmMMmm…" Scuttle murmured. He didn't eat friends like Flounder but hey, a seagull had to eat. He moved over to the curtain and pulled it back, revealing the pot. "Oh, whoops, never mind. You guys have a potluck party in here or somethin'? 'Cause I know just the—"

"DE POTION! Dump it out the window, quick!"

"All right, all right, yeeeesh! You gotta lay off a little."

Scuttle grabbed the handle of the pot with his feet and flapped, hard…really hard, as white feathers flew everywhere, towards the window, where he poured it all out. Sebastian let out a huge sigh of relief. Now everything would be okay.

"Okay, let me tell you what happened…"

Ursula noted how disgustingly close the two had gotten after the trip into town during dinner, however. While the squids away, the prawn will play! But she didn't care, because ALL would be settled, tomorrow, with her potion.

The next morning, there were six other princesses competing for Eric, besides Ariel and Vanessa. Ariel was nervous…but…she and Eric were meant to be together, she knew it now, and she couldn't give up so fast. She still was unaware that Ursula was Vanessa, as Scuttle hadn't been able to find her room in the dark last night to tell her. But now, the seagull was stationed outside the window. Though unable to contact Ariel, he was watching the contest, eager to see Ursula fall flat on her face.

"Welcome, dear friends, to our contest…" Grimsby began introductions, stating that today would be the day when Eric would finally choose someone to be his queen. The princesses were first, being of noble birth, and then it would be Ariel, and then Vanessa.

The first princess claimed to be rich, loud, and with perfect pitch, but Eric stated that she wasn't the one.

The second princess claimed to be clear and hit a high C, but Eric shook his head.

The third princess…kind of just screeched at him.

The fourth was "a world famous Coloratura", the fifth had a "vibrato is second to none", and the sixth was "a walking display of Gravora", but none of them were the one. And then finally, it was Ariel's turn. Eric almost felt nervous than she did…so unsure of what he wanted…and what was right.

Ariel stepped forward, taking a deep breath.

**"What would I give to live where you are?
What would I pay to stay here beside you?
What would I do to see you smiling at me?

Now there's a dream
Now there's a goal
Now there's a need I'll never control

I won't get free
Till I can be part of your world."

Ariel sang even more beautifully than she had that night they met, for this, this meant everything in the world to her. The notes were clear and the melody…it had such a lilting quality that even the six princesses stopped gossiping, the jealous royals bickering about a girl who washed up on shore able to participate [much less TWO] silenced. Eric closed his eyes..her voice…it was as sweet as angels sighing…warm as summer sky. It was the sound that haunted his dreams and spun him around until it felt like he was flying.

She was the one! There was no doubt about it.

Scuttle grinned and pumped his wing in the air, ATTA GIRL! He shot a look at Vanessa, eager to see her fuming at Ariel's naturally charming voice, but her brow was a smooth as marble, a proud smile on her lips.

WELL, not for long. She'd see that she wouldn't have the potion upstairs before her turn!

After Ariel finished, the princesses begrudgingly applauded. Eric was about to rush over to Ariel, lift her up and spin her around in his arms, so happy that he had finally found her…but then Vanessa stepped forward, the sound of her heels on the marble floor clicking.

"It's my turn now."

Ohh, this was the moment Scuttle had been waiting for!

…but then…Vanessa turned around, her back facing them. She looked like she was warming up or something before hand, but in reality, she pulled out a necklace that had been tucked into her corset. Or, it wasn't so much a necklace as it was a vial…and she drank the contents.

Oh…no. She had already planned everything out! That meant that…her voice would be…

The most beautiful thing ever to be heard in the world, ever in time. It would enrapture anyone who heard it…enveloping them in the music of a goddess.