I got home pretty late. My parent's were already asleep and the whole house was quite. I tiptoed my way to my room. I let out a breathe when I closed the door behind me. I turned on the light and quickly changed into sweatpants and a t-shirt.
I squirmed into bed and decided to read a book. It was the only way to keep my mind occupied and not worried. Sebastian crawled onto my bed stand and then jumped on my comforter. He found a snug spot on the pillow beside me.
"Ariana, it's late you should be going to sleep." he retorted.
"I know it's late, I just don't want to go to sleep quite yet." I huffed. He looked at me skeptically. " I'm afraid to go to sleep ok? My nightmares are becoming a reality."
His little head popped up, and concern flashed through his eyes. "You've gone through so much, and I keep pushing you. I never realized that I hit the limit a while ago. I'm sorry"
"No Sebastian, this isn't your fault. I just need to suck it up." I shook my head at him.
"We both know that's a lie Ariana. You need time to yourself. You need to let those feelings out. What exactly is bothering you?"
I thought about it for a second. " Everything. Derek's been brainwashed. The Scouts are putting their life in danger for me. I just feel so helpless. So many people are counting on me, and I just don't know if I can do it."
"Can I tell you something?" He started. I nodded for him to continue. "I might have agreed with you if you said this a week maybe two weeks ago. But today, at this very moment I do not agree with you."
"What do you mean?" I questioned.
"I know you can do it Ariana. You have grown as a Sailor Scout. I am impressed with how you have handled situations. Especially finding out about you being the Sea Princess. I know you had your moment of doubt. But look at you now."
I couldn't help but smile. "You really think so?"
"Of course. We all think so." he reassured me. "I promise Ariana, I will try my best to train you for everything that might happen in the future."
I cupped Sebastian in my hands and kissed his cheek. "Thanks Sebastian, that means a lot. Where would I be without you?"
He chuckled. I placed him back on my pillow. I put my book away, and turned off the light. "We'll get Derek back. Flounder and I will find a way back into Ursula's castle. Don't you worry."
"I trust you." I simply said and went to sleep.
The following morning I made my way to Jade's temple. We were going to have a scout meeting. Of course I went to go buy a doughnut before I arrived. Chocolate sprinkles are my favorite. When I finally arrived the girls were already there.
"There she is." pointed out Bella.
"Sorry I'm late" I panted. I ran up the stairs as fast as I could. Mags gestured to her face, and I immediately touched my face. I had some frosting from my doughnut on the corner of my mouth.
"You could have atleast brought some doughnuts for us." laughed Briar Rose.
"Maybe next time." I winked.
"Alright girls, let's get down to business. Jade has offered to do a fire reading." Sebastian said.
"Let's go." called out Mags as she stood up and led the way.
Jade was feeding the fire some more wood when we arrived at the room. She was wearing her traditional robes. "You're going to enjoy this" I whispered to B.R. since she was new to this whole thing.
Jade had centered herself in the middle. We then began to trickle in. Sebastian and Flounder joined in as well. As Jade began to chant, the fire grew. It would intensify at moments, and then it would die out. I turned my head to the side to see how Briar was doing. She couldn't keep her eyes off of the flame and Jade. Her face was focused, she absorbed her surroundings immediately. I turned around to see if Sebastian was doing alright. He wasn't too fond of fires. But as my eyes scanned the back of the room I noticed his eyes were closed. I thought he was asleep, but his facial muscles indicated that he was focused.
Mags then kicked my leg, she nodded her head forward. Pay attention she mouthed. I stuck my tongue out at her, but I did begin to focus. I closed my eyes, and tried to listen to Jade's chants. As the atmosphere grew more serious, images flashed through my mind. I saw the sun, then I saw it being blocked by dark clouds. I saw waves hugging the shore, then I saw violent waves crashing on rocks.
I opened my eyes. I looked around and the girls were doing the same. "Did you...?" I began.
They all nodded. Sebastian and Flounder made their way over to us. "We now know where we must go."
"The beach." The girls and I said together.
We made our way to the beach. Luckily there weren't many people today. "What exactly are we looking for?" asked Bella.
"We're looking for an entrance into Ursula's castle, or her dimension atleast." Flounder responded. B.R held his fishbowl in her arms.
"Hold on you guys, I feel a really negative vibe coming from that cave over there." shouted Jade as she ran towards it. We closely followed.
"Oh I feel it too." said Briar. We walked in. It was dimly lit by the sunshine that poured in.
"I think you girls should transform just in case something does happen." suggested Sebastian.
Once we finished transforming we ran deeper into the cave. We followed the negative aura it gave out. Flounder proposed we should split up since there were so many tunnels.
"You think that's a good idea?" interjected Sebastian.
"Relax Sebastian the Scouts will be fine." Flounder reassured him. "We'll take this tunnel and you girls take that one over there."
Sailor Beauty led the way. As we separated from Flounder and Sebastian we felt something cold. "Somethings in here." noticed Sailor Beauty.
As the words left her mouth a gust of wind hit us. We held our ground and were prepared to fight. Then someone appeared. "Welcome Sailor Scouts, so you've finally discovered the entrance to our dimension." said a familiar voice.
"Caspian!" I yelled.
"Why hello there Sailor Sea. Let's make this easy for both of us, how about you just hand over the Sparkling Sea Diamond, and no one gets hurt." Caspian said confidently.
"Not a chance you creep. You took Tuxedo Mask away from me, I will not allow you to take any more of my friends!" I took out the Tidal Wand.
"All I hear is empty words. We took out King Triton and Queen Athena, we can definitely do the same to you." he shouted back.
"How do you know about King Triton and Queen Athena?" I asked taken aback.
"Why sweetheart I was there the day Atlantica was attacked. What a glorious day it was." Caspian walked closer to us. "You have a lot to learn Sailor Sea, you are no Queen Athena."
The last comment hurt me deeper than it should have. "Liar!" I yelled at him. I took out the Tidal Wand ready to face him.
That seemed to upset him. He outstretched his arm, like he usually does, and burst of dark energy was released. This time it was stronger. It blew the Scouts and I into the air. During the impact I accidently let go of my wand. "No no no no!" I screamed. I saw Caspian make a dive for it. But the wand made a flip and smacked Caspians hand away. We were then transported through time.
"Where are we going!" yelled Sailor Mystique.
Our bodies continued to flow through space. When we hit a hard surface we all prepared ourselves for battle. But then I heard my wand land. I went to grab it before someone else did. I then looked around. "What's going on, where are we?" There were broken pillars, and pieces of debris on the ground. "What is this place? It feels familiar...somehow."
"That's because it's your home Ariel. This is what is left of Atlantica." said a gentle female voice.
I turned towards the voice. "Who are you? How do you know my name?"
A light then descended from the sky and landed swiftly in the middle of me and the Sailor Scouts. Within the light there was a mermaid. She had red hair like mine, but only darker. Her tail was green and she wore a purple clam bra. On her head she wore a crown, there was also a seashell silhouette on her forehead. She began to laugh. "Oh Ariel, you haven't changed a bit. Your curiosity remains the same." Sadness then crossed her face. "I'm not surprised you don't remember me. That's the way I arranged it. I'm your mother, Queen Athena."
The girls and I gasped in shock. "You- You're Queen Athena? Are we on Disney?"
All of a sudden another light gravitated towards us. It was another mermaid, but he was a man. A merman. He had a blue tail. He had long gray hair, and a gray mustache. In his hand he held a trident. His crown was like Queen Athena's except bigger. He also had the seashell silhouette on his forehead. His smile grew when he saw me. "Ariel" he said.
"This is Disney, yes. But you are standing on the Kingdom of Atlantica." She then looked at the merman beside her. "This is your father, King Triton."
I was overwhelmed by so many emotions. I went in for a hug, but my arms went right through them.
"I'm sorry my darling. Our image is actually a hologram, it is based on records of the past. We were able to leave behind our will and record bits of our personality." said the Queen softly.
"We have waited ages for the time to come for you girls to awaken, so we can once again watch after you." The King interjected. He looked at each and everyone of us. "Where's Flounder and Sebastian?" he asked.
"Looking for the entrance to Queen Ursula's palace." I answered.
For a moment anger flashed on his face. But he regained his composure. Queen Athena touched his arm, and he calmed down. She then looked at us. "Since you girls made it here, it's time you knew the truth. We'll take you back to the final days of Atlantica."
My wand then rose from my hands and spun in the air. It radiated a green light. The scouts and I were floating. Below us we saw our past selves. It felt like we were watching a dream. The ruins of Atlantica were no longer there, in it's place stood a beautiful castle, with open spaces and many towers. It was surrounded by water. There were fireworks that lit the night sky. The stars shone so brightly.
"I'm sure Sebastian and Flounder told you all about the Sterling Millenium. Disney was in peace. When Atlantica was above water we had parties every night. I remember laughter ringing through the hallways of the castle." began Queen Athena. "Your father and I were raising you to follow in our footsteps. You were the only heir to Atlantica."
I then saw my former self. She wore a pink long sleeve dress. The shoulders were poofy. The side of her hair was pinned back by a white barret. She was standing on the balcony looking out to the shore, where another castle was. Her face was full of sadness.
"Ariel!" we heard a voice say. I gasped it was Derek, um, Eric, well you know.
"Eric! You're here!" Ariel's face lightened up. Her smile radiated so much happiness.
"Darling. I have some bad news" He huffed. He seemed out of breathe, as if he ran there. He wore a white jacket that had gold shoulder cuffs with blue navy pants, and there was a sword strapped to his belt. His hand laid there as if preparing himself to take it out. Worry flashed across his face.
"What is it? Not getting cold fins are you?" Ariel giggled. But when she saw that he was serious, all traces of laughter left. "What's wrong?"
"I'm afraid Ursula has broken free. She already attacked my kingdom, and I fear she will soon attack Atlantica."
"WHAT?!" Ariel yelled horrified. "We must tell my father."
But as she finished speaking guards began to show up. They targeted Eric. "He could be a spy." They yelled as they ran toward him.
"Don't worry about me Ariel, go tell your father." Eric yelled out. With one last look at Ariel, he ran.
"Eric!" Ariel screamed in frustration. She then ran back inside the castle and went to the throne room. She opened the doors with much force. "Why have the guards targeted Eric?"
King Triton stood up with alarm. He was wearing a deep blue tuxedo. His trident held in his hand tightly. "What do you mean?"
"He was here, he was telling me about Queen Ursula attacking his kingdom and that she's coming here. Then the guards saw him and began to chase him." Ariel said quickly.
"Ursula attacked Eric's kingdom? That's impossible. There is no way she escaped the depths of the ocean. I would have felt it." The king began to pace. He was still new to the idea of walking, so he would wobble a bit.
Queen Athena then entered the throne room. Her purple gown trailed behind her. "Ariel, my dear, why aren't you at the ball?"
Ariel ran to her mother and hugged her. The queen was surprised by her sudden action. "What is it dear?"
The king then informed her about Queen Ursula and Eric. "Ariel don't worry about Eric. As a matter of fact, I have a surprise for you downstairs." She said.
"Mother how can you be giving me surprises when Queen Ursula can be attacking us at any minute?" Ariel began.
Queen Athena then faced her daughter with a somber look. "You go down to the ball and rally up your court. Your father and I will figure out some way to defeat Ursula."
Ariel looked at her father and then nodded her head affirmatively and ran out of the room. She walked down the stairs calmly, she didn't want to scare her guest. As she reached the bottom, her surprise stood there. "Princess Ariel, may I have this dance?"
"Eric" She whispered. He had changed into a simple black tuxedo. She hugged him as tight as she could. It was clear she didn't want to let him go. They began to dance around the ballroom. Everyone's eyes were on the two of them. "I'm glad you're alright. How did you lose the guards?"
He held her closer to him. "Oh you know." He smiled down at her. But he looked around the room as if expecting something bad to happen. "Did you tell your father about Queen Ursula?"
"Yes, I told both my parent's. They're in the throne room preparing a plan." She looked deeply into her princes eyes.
"Queen Ursula has grown in power. She's gotten stronger since the last time we faced her. I'm afraid things will change Ariel." He said. "We must prepare for the worst, her desire to conquer Disney is her only goal."
Ariel stopped dancing. Trouble and doubt masked her face. "I should be assembling my court just in case something happens." She was about to part from him.
Eric held her close. "Something tells me that they're prepared." He nodded to a group of girls walking around the ballroom. Each of them wearing a unique dress.
The scouts and I gasped. The girls walking around were Jade, Mags, Bella, and Briar Rose.
"Don't worry, Jasmine, Mulan, Belle, and Aurora, are ready if Ursula attacks. Anyway's their own guardians are alert as well." He nodded toward the group of five guys who watched us and them. Eric continued speaking"Your mother has asked me to help her defend your kingdom." Ariel looked around the room, she was making sure that no one heard their conversation. She didn't want to cause a panic. She grabbed Eric's hand and led him to the garden.
They sat on a bench, surrounded by roses. The moon lit the garden and created a romantic atmosphere. The water from the fountain was keeping Ariel calm. She sighed "I can't believe this is happening."
Eric grabbed her chin and had her eyes meet his. "I promise I won't let anything happen to Atlantica or you. I will fight as hard as I can." He held her hand in his. "If I don't come back, I just want you to know how much you mean to me."
"Don't say that." Ariel placed a finger on his lip. "Everything will work out. We'll be together." They leaned in for a kiss. "I love you." Ariel whispered. Tears began to form at the corner of her eyes.
Eric gently wiped them away. "I love you." He then wrapped his arms around her tightly. He lightly placed a kiss on her forehead.
A moment later the moon was blocked by dark clouds. The ocean began to churn, the waves crashed roughly onto the rocks, and the wind begin to howl.
"It's happening." Ariel said. Eric held her tighter.
An evil laughter was then heard throughout the castle. I perked up, I know that voice.
"She's here. We need to warn the others." Ariel said, she and Eric ran inside the castle.
"We're under attack!" yelled Eric but no one listened to him. Then the ground began to shake vigorously. The chandelier from the ceiling crashed to the floor.
Sebastian then made his way through his way to the ballroom "We're under attack!" he yelled over and over again.
Jasmine, Mulan, Belle and Aurora had changed into their scout forms and ran outside. Ariel knew they needed her help so she ran out after them.
"Ariel no!" Eric called out to her. He followed closely behind. When he caught up to her she stood on the balcony looking out to the erupting chaos unfolding in front of her. There were soldiers fighting off the Atlantican guards. Ursula probably found her soldiers from the depths of the ocean, since most of them had sickly blue skin and barnacles growing on them. The Sailor Scouts were fighting alongside the guards.
The cackle of laughter began once again. From the ocean, Ursula emerged. She looked exactly like in my nightmares, except for the fact that she was half octopus. "The sea will soon be ours!" She yelled into the night.
She raised her hand into the air and a wicked force hit the palace. Pillars began to fall, and towers came crumbling down. Ariel looked at the scene in fright, and later anger.
Dust covered her view for a few seconds. When it cleared up Ursula stood in front of her. "Why hello there cupcake." She greeted the princess.
"Ursula" she responded with irritation.
"Oh I see you aren't happy to see me." She began. "After all I've done for you." Faint green arms came out from Ursula's conch necklace, and straight to Ariel. Before they could grab her, a red rose stopped them in its path. Ursula's eyes looked for the source and landed on Eric. "You continue to hold deep promise Eric. I'm surprised she's clinged onto you for so long. You continue to waste your time on her. Why don't you join me and win for a change. We can rule the sea together." She invited him.
"Why would I ever want to join forces with someone like you?" Eric retorted. He stood in front, guarding me from Ursula.
"Suit yourself, doll face." Ursula was about to launch an attack on the couple but petals interrupted her. Sailor Blossom had sneaked up on her. The rest of the Sailor Scouts soon joined her. "You!" She yelled. With a wave of her hand a water vortex made its way on land. It sucked everything in its path.
"Guys look out!" yelled Ariel. But she was too late, the scouts were picked up by the vortex. "No!" she screamed as she reached out to the girls, but Eric held her back. He then was sucked into the vortex as well.
"Run Ariel! Just run!" He yelled.
"No!" She climbed onto the edge of the balcony. "I lost you once, I'm not going to lose you again."
The vortex then swept Ariel from her feet. She tried to cling onto the pillar closest to her. She couldn't hold on to it for so long, her fingers slipped and she was soon taken by the vortex as well.
"Ariel grab my hand!" Eric yelled to her. She reached her hand out, he did the same as well. Their finger found each other and interlocked.
"Pathetic." Ursula said out loud. "I'll end both of your suffering." She began to move her arms and saying words that I didn't catch. Then she swung her arms toward Ariel and Eric. They were hit by a strong force, that made them seperate. The faint green hands came out again from Ursula's necklace. Their first target was Ariel, they retrieved a pink light from her. The hands then moved on to Eric, and just like Ariel, a blue light was taken from him. The lover's lifeless bodies then began to float towards Ursula. "That was too easy."
Queen Athena ran to the garden to look for her daughter. "Ariel!" She began to cry. Her sobs grew louder, and her tears stained her face. King Triton ran behind his wife, and witnessed the scene. "She's taken them both Triton." She sobbed into the kings chest. He wrapped his arm around her.
Sebastian and Flounder pursued the King and Queen to the garden. Sebastian saw what was happening before him. "Not the Princess!" he yelled.
"Ah so you finally decided to show up your majesties." Ursula greeted the King and Queen. "I decided that your punishment for taking my freedom was to take something from you that means everything."
"Ursula give them back." yelled King Triton angrily.
"No can do. You see I just took out their souls, and they now belong to me." She taunted. "Let this be a lesson to you, no one messes with Queen Ursula."
"My dear Ariel, I won't let it end this way." the king whispered, with sadness in his eyes. He looked at his queen and she nodded. He took out his trident and pointed it into the sky. Queen Athena took out the tidal wand.
"No your majesties. If you use the tidal wand along with the trident your energy will be taken from you." Sebastian said.
"It is the only way Sebastian." the Queen reassured him. "There are sacrifices we have to make for the restoration of our kingdom and our peace." She raised the tidal wand high in the air and yelled "Sea Cosmic Power!"
King Triton pointed his trident higher in the sky, and released a golden light into the sky. Meanwhile Queen Athena's wand illuminated pink light. Both lights began to fight off Queen Ursula's army. They disintegrated into sea foam. The light then made it's way to Ursula, who stood in shock watching.
The gold and pink light shone on her purple skin. "What is this? You can't do this." She yelled with panic. She began to disappear little by little. "I'll be back Triton!" She said as she vanished entirely. Her necklace shattered onto the ground. The blue and pink light that was captured inside it found their way back into the body of their owners.
Once Ursula and her soldiers were gone for good, the King and Queen fell to their knees. The power that surged through both of them seemed to have taken most of their strength.
"Your majesties they're gone." Sebastian said climbing up to the kings shoulder.
"I trapped them inside the Sparkling Sea Diamond." Said the Queen removing the diamond from the wand. "I couldn't destroy them, because that means I would have destroyed Ariel. They are now inside the power of the Diamond."
"We must send them somewhere far away, We must send them to a new future." Said King Triton, trying to comfort his queen. She continued to sob.
"Your majesty are you alright?" asked Flounder.
Queen Athena wiped the tears from her face, and gained her composure.
"Flounder while we send Ariel and her court to Earth, they will not remember Atlantica. They won't know anything about this time or this place. Nothing. We won't see our sweet daughter again." King Triton looked up at the moon. His eyes then met Sebastians. "I won't see you two either."
Flounder and Sebastian looked confused. King Triton and Queen Athena then raised their triton and wand together.
"This is the only way for any of you to live on. We have enough power left to send what you need for the future." The Queen continued. "Ariel and her court will need your help if Ursula ever escapes again."
"All of you will be reborn on Earth, with no memory of your past life. If evil forces repeat what has happened today, you two will know what to do. Do you understand?" asked Triton.
The two underwater creates nodded. It was clear that they understood their mission.
Queen Athena then raised the Sparkling Sea Diamond into the air. "Goodbye Ariel. You are in my heart. Always. Good luck my love." She said. The diamond rose from her hand. It rose twenty five feet or so and then began to spin. Pink light shone from it, as it did so, crystals began to raise from the ground. They then changed into bubbles, inside of them where people. I looked closer. It was Sailor Blossom, and Sailor Mystique, and the rest of the scouts. The Diamond was leading them to Earth.
The king and the queen watched as everyone left Atlantica. "Be happy." the king said. "Perhaps we'll meet again."
"In the name of the Sea, you will be free again." The queen whispered. She sounded out of breathe. She let go of the Tidal wand she had clasped around her hand.
"Queen Athena!" yelled Sebastian and Flounder in unison. But before she could respond, they too were enclosed in a bubble and sent to Earth.
As I watched this scene, my eyelids grew heavier. My head began to spin. The scouts must have been experiencing what I was feeling because I heard Sailor Beauty ask for ibuprofen. Our bodies were then flying through space like before. We hit the floor of the cave where we last saw Caspian.
"We're back!" yelled Sailor Mystique.
I was still processing what the Scouts and I had just witnessed. "They saved us." I blurted out.
"They're the reason we're here." said Sailor Beauty.
We then heard yelling coming deeper into the cave. The scouts and I ran toward the noise. It was Sebastian and Flounder. They were cornered by Caspian. He created a boomerang of energy and threw it at them. It was a direct hit. They slammed against the cave wall.
"Sebastian!" I yelled. This is it, I'm done with Caspian hurting my friends. "This is low even for you Caspian."
"I can go lower." and with that a black mist began to infiltrate the cave. I couldn't see anything. I then felt something sharp scratch my legs. I screamed out in pain. I felt the warm blood began to trickle.
"Sailor Sea are you alright?" asked Sailor Beauty as she came towards me.
I nodded. I focused back on Caspian since his black mist disappeared. He continued to throw the boomerangs. The scouts managed to dodge a few.
"We need to fight him as one."suggested Sailor Blossom.
"ROSE POWER!" "MYSTIQUE POWER!" "BLOSSOM POWER!" "BEAUTY POWER!" The scouts yelled. I was in the middle. Each of their transforming pens gave out their individual color and created an forcefield around us.
Caspian threw everything he had at us. One of the boomerangs scratched Sailor Beauty's arm. Another one ripped Sailor Mystiques uniform from the back. Each of their faces indicated that they have been hit and that they were in pain.
I left the forcefield that they created and faced Caspian. I grabbed my Tidal Wand and spun it in the air. "COSMIC SEA POWER!" I yelled. The wand held a different energy this time. It felt stronger.
"Caspian surrender now! Let me heal you!" I said, hoping he would accept my offering.
"You heal me? Never!" He hurled another boomerang towards me.
With the wand I hit it back to him. It hurled toward him. I could see the fear in his eyes. The boomerang hit him in his torso. He fell to the ground as he clutched his stomach. He then disintegrated into sea foam.
He's gone. I thought.
"Way to Sailor Sea! You finally defeated Caspian." I heard Sebastian say. I ran to him and Flounder. They were injured but not too badly. I held both of them in my arms.
"What were you two thinking going up against Caspian?" I questioned them. The scouts walked towards us.
"He surprised us. We were coming back to tell you guys that we think we might have found the entrance back into Ursulas castle." Sebastian huffed.
"And by the looks of it, Ursula's just about ready to launch an attack. The time is coming close to finally defeating her as well." Flounder added.
I looked at them both reassuringly. "I think we've all had enough of her." I stood up and looked at the girls. "So what do you think Sailor Scouts?"
"We're in!" They said in unison.
Queen Ursula is about to meet her match. I thought to myself.
_AUTHORS NOTE_
Hey you guys, thank you so much for continuing to read The Sailor Scouts of Disney! It makes me smile knowing that some of you guys keep coming back for more.
First of all I wanted to apologize for how long this chapter has taken me. School has been eating me alive, but that's all over now. I will have a new chapter up for next week, I promise, maybe even sooner, who knows?
I also wanted to give credit to Puffgirl1952 for the idea of the Sailor Scout's guardians. I will be going more into detail about it in next weeks chapter. Stay tuned!
Thank you once again! Love you all!