-Hello, viewers! Now, since Ursula hasn't done a transformation spell on Eric, it was a touch to touch potion. It never consumed Ursula as the potion was immune to her sorcery skills, but yet it consumed Eric when he shook hands with her.
Ursula knew the human world far more than Ariel has, hence knowing that the prince is proper that way. And for Ariel, well, you just have to read along and find out.. And you shall know of what Eric looks like now. So, enjoy! -Traveler.
Ariel curled up upon the shore, hugging her tail in her arms, sobbing to herself as she wanted Eric now to comfort her after the terrible fight she had with her father.
{Flashback}
King Triton glared at Ariel, "Attina has told me about how you have been breaking the rules. You are disobeying me by seeing this human, the human you changed and brought him here!".
Ariel huffed, "I wanted Eric to come on my birthday! And you can't stop me from seeing him! He's not like the pirates! He's really nice and funny, and amazing!". Triton shouted, "He's tricking you into revealing us!". Ariel shouted back, "He's not! He never told anyone, he saved me after I saved him from drowning!".
Triton huffed, "Ariel, if you're not stopping to see him, I will forbid it, and have you locked up in your room!". Ariel called out, "I don't care about your rules!". Triton growled, "I consider myself a reasonable merman, but you are pushing it. Humans, they're all the same! Spineless, barbaric, murderous, fish-killing, no feelings-".
Ariel called out, "Daddy, I love him and he loves me!". Triton gasped, "No, impossible! You are a mermaid, he's a human! It's forbidden!". Ariel glared at him, "You didn't even know him like I do! I wish Mom was here instead of you!".
"How dare you bring her into this! She got killed by pirates and I lost her to them! That's it, you are to stay in your room, and you won't ever see him again, if I can help it!". Triton roared in anger, and Ariel's eyes widened, glistening when she shouted out, "I hate you!". Silence came, with Ariel sobbing as she swam quickly before Triton could even call the guards on her, away from the castle, from the city without a glance back, only focused on seeing Eric again as sunset was coming soon.
{End of Flashback}
Ariel sniffed as she wept her tears away, seeing that the sun has set already, and any minute now, Eric will call out for her. She got surprised when she heard a unfamiliar duo of voices calling out, "Hello, Miss Ariel? We got bad news for you. Prince Eric has disappeared, leaving out his bracelet and your gift!". Ariel blinked, dived as she rolled into the water, swimming closer as she heard the muffled voices calling out, and surfaced up near a patch of cattails, seeing a man and a woman holding hands in one, while the man's other hand had Eric's bracelet.
She called out, "Are you from the town?". The couple looked in Ariel's direction, and called out, "Yes, we're the shopkeepers who made your gift. Prince Eric was coming to you when he suddenly vanished out of nowhere.".
Ariel gasped in shock, and called out, "Can you get Grimsby here? Eric spoke of him as he's trustworthy. I have to speak to him, and please leave the bracelet and...my gift here near your spot.". The couple looked at each other and the woman nodded, and they walked a bit closer to shore, putting down the bracelet and a necklace, then leaving, "We will tell Grimsby of your request.".
Ariel waited until they were well out of sight, and then swam on, coming up into shore, picking up the bracelet lovingly, sighing softly, then looked over, a silent gasp as she beheld her gift, the one Eric promised to give her, and she covered her mouth, sobbing as she took in the words of the necklace, and she picked it up, putting it on, smiling softly as it laid in the crevice between her bra, the metal growing warm from her body temperature.
She then glanced at the bracelet, remembering how Eric had touched it often today to remind him that he was really a merman in the moments he was with her underwater. She then figured that Eric would appreciate it if she wore it for him while he's somewhere out there. She put it on her right arm, flickered her tail softly as she moved back down the shore, her tail now touching the edges of the water, half-hiding by the high grass, hoping that Grimsby has a answer.
Eric talked about Grimsby like he's a father to Eric, and that often makes Ariel smile as she's glad that he's got a family of sorts like she does. A half hour passes by, then a sorta familiar voice called out, "Hello? You have requested for me to come here as you are concerned about Eric.".
"Grimsby! You're here... Can you try to find him? He wouldn't just had disappeared like this, not on my birthday.". asked Ariel as she saw Grimsby at the edge of the shore. Grimsby widened his eyes, "That explains why he was out here earlier... We searched everywhere in town, in the castle, and even on the beach. This is the last place I'd ever think he could be here, but I often heard that he came in the direction of the lagoon. You have seen him earlier, yes?".
Ariel sighed deeply, "He was spending the day with me, and last time I saw him, it was a hour before sunset. He promised to give me my gift and show me the constellations..".
"Pardon me, miss, but can you come up? Otherwise, I'd be thinking I am talking to my imagination, perchance my age.". Grimsby asked curiously as he took in Ariel's words. Ariel gulped nervously, then remembered that Eric told him that Grimsby would not betray Eric if he had asked him to keep a secret.. "Eric told me that he never told you about me, yet he wanted to tell you someday. It's really a big secret of ours..".
Grimsby sighed lightly, "It's true that Eric tells me everything he could, but he's an adult, a man, and there are times he has to keep secrets for his or someone's peace of mind. I won't hurt you, miss.". Ariel licked her lips, remembered the rules, then shook her head angrily as the fight with her father was fresh in her mind still, then took a deep breath. "Please don't freak out. I am coming to you.".
She dived, rustling the tall grass, and surfacing visibly in front of the edge of the shore, where Grimsby took immediately to look over, and gaped briefly as a young, beautiful, innocent lady swam up, glimpses of a purple bra and green fins flickering at the surface, and he remembered immediately one day when Eric reacted angrily at a sailor speaking about the myths of mermaids, talking about how they are tricksters, drowning any man they can find, and singing to them to lure to their death.
He said that the sailor was wrong, and that mermaids are mysterious, wonderful people who are simply the same in ways to humans. When the sailor left, not wanting to anger the prince any longer, Grimsby heard Eric speak to himself, 'I know Ariel is. She is like me..' Grimsby exhaled, blinked as he shook his head slightly to shake off the memories, and smile softly at the sea maiden who was looking quite scared yet wary. He noted the necklace and the bracelet, remembering what Bachu told him, and nodded.
"You must be the one that Eric has been seeing. May I have your name, miss?". Grimsby asked politely and softly, not wanting to scare her off. Ariel slowly smiled, her face softening into a wary yet relieved look. "Princess Ariel. I was the miracle that saved Eric that night on his birthday..". Grimsby blinked, "Well, now I know how he managed to be without any wound or injury. Thank you for saving him back then.".
Ariel smiled softly, "Of course. Now I am worried about Eric. I just wish I was human to find him out there.". Ariel's face grew frightened yet worried again, and Grimsby sighed, "Eric often told me that nothing is impossible since he was rescued by you.". Ariel blinked in surprise and exhaled as she glanced at the bracelet, and a determined look sparked up in her eyes. "Grimsby, I know a way to be human, but you have to return to the castle and wait for me, okay?".
Grimsby nodded solemnly, and smiled, "I'll prepare a room for you, after all, you are a friend of Eric, and more.. I'll inform Carlotta about you coming, and I promise I won't tell of your other...form.". Ariel chuckled softly, nodded, "Thank you, Grimsby. You are truly a wise man.". She then turned around, diving underwater, a idea in her mind growing.
She didn't like it, remembering how her father and sisters spoke of the sea witch, but she had to, for Eric.. Ursula may be the witch of the sea, but she was known for making deals and making them come true. Ariel exhaled deeply, remembering Eric's delighted face when he first swam for the first time with the help of his inky black tail. She swam harder, the hardest she'd ever done, wondering still about Eric, and where he is.
Meanwhile, in a field of grass, a very large dog was waking up, groaning to himself, rubbing his snout with a paw when he stopped, and growled softly to himself, and he heard a babbling brook nearby, and wobbling over with lopsided, weak steps as he tried to walk on fours, and leaning down, his ice blue eyes widening in surprise. His entire back is tan, with a black underbelly, a black muzzle with a stripe up his forehead, tan legs, with black paws, his lopsided ears tan with the inside black and nose pale pink.
He remembered the freaky lady's words: "I took away your species for another.". He realized that he turned into a dog, a mutt in fact. He is not himself, he's not Eric the human, but Eric the dog.