CHAPTER 11: Underwater Adventures

The team soon arrived in Atlantica. Thanks to Donald's magic, they adapted to the environment with Kai and Tyson getting dolphin tails, Ray getting a catfish tail, Max getting a shark tail, Donald getting octopus tentacles and Goofy becoming a turtle.

"Woohoo!" Tyson exclaimed, swimming around with glee.

A young mermaid and her fish friend were swimming towards them.

"Come on, Sebastian!" she called.

"Ariel, slow down! Don't leave me!" Sebastian, a crab, cried. Sebastian yelled in terror seeing Donald and swam back to Ariel.

"Calm down, Sebastian! They don't look like them! Right, Flounder?" Ariel grinned.

"I'm not sure. They look kinda weird." he replied.

"What do you mean?" Kai asked, laughing nervously.

"They do look a little different. Where are you from?" Ariel asked, swimming around him.

"We're from somewhere far away. And we're not used to these waters." Tyson chuckled.

"I see. In that case, Sebastian can teach you how we swim around here." she smiled.

"Ariel, King Triton is not going to like this!" he exclaimed.

"Oh, don't worry." she replied. The Blade Breakers were soon swimming like professionals.

"Good job. Now let's try out self-defence." Sebastian smiled.

"Sebastian!" Ariel exclaimed. Heartless were arriving. She and Flounder swam away.

"Class dismissed! Good luck!" Sebastian wailed, swimming after them.

They arrived at a different part of the world. The Heartless chasing them were suddenly destroyed.

"That was too close." a merman began. "As long as I hold this trident, those creatures will never be welcomed in my palace." he announced.

"Daddy!" Ariel exclaimed.

"Ariel, when will you start listening? It's dangerous out there!" he sighed. Ariel grunted in protest.

"Strange creatures lurk beyond." he added, glancing at the Blade Breakers.

Sebastian cleared his throat. "Behold, the ruler of the seas, His Majesty, King Triton!" he exclaimed.

"And they are?" King Triton began.

"They helped fight those creatures." Ariel explained.

"They don't seem familiar." her father replied.

"We're from an ocean far away." Max announced.

"Yup. We came to look for the Keyhole." Goofy added.

"The what?" King Triton exclaimed.

"What's that?" Ariel asked.

"It's a—" Goofy began.

"There's no such thing, certainly not here." King Triton yelled.

"But, Daddy..." she began.

"Ariel, not another word. You are forbidden to leave the palace, understand?" he announced.

Ariel swam off furiously, with the Blade Breakers, Donald and Goofy swimming after her.

"Perhaps I'm being too strict. I just want her to be safe." King Triton sighed.

"Of course, Your Majesty. But I'm a little curious about this Keyhole." Sebastian began.

"That's none of your concern, Sebastian." he replied.

"Anything to report?" he asked.

"It was as you suspected, Your Majesty. They seem to be coming from Ursula's grotto." Sebastian announced.

"I knew it. She's up to no good again. It would seem being exiled has taught her nothing." King Triton exclaimed.

"She poses great danger." Sebastian agreed.

"And I told you to keep Ariel away from danger, did I not?" King Triton added.

"Your Majesty, I, uh..." he stammered.

Meanwhile, Ursula was watching an image of Ariel and the Blade Breakers. "Those fools will never find the Keyhole. But the girl may be useful. And I have the Heartless on my side." she mused. "Triton, old friend. Your day is coming fast." she smiled, and laughed wickedly.

They soon found where the Keyhole was. "Ariel, you've disobeyed me once again! I told you that you were not to leave the palace!" King Triton exclaimed. He spotted the trident symbol glowing, and aimed his trident at it.

"No, Daddy!" Ariel cried. But he destroyed it.

"How could you..." she asked, near tears. She swam off. King Triton turned to the Blade Breakers.

"You boys, you're not from another ocean, but from another world, aren't you?" he asked. They looked surprised that he knew the truth. "Then you must be the key bearers." he added.

"How did you know?" Ray asked.

"You may have fooled Ariel, but you can't fool me. You don't know your dorsal fins from your tails." he exclaimed. Kai grunted in dismay.

"As the key bearers, you must already know...One must not meddle in the affairs of other worlds." he explained.

"Of course we know, but..." Max began.

"You have violated this principle. The key bearers shatter peace and bring ruin." King Triton continued.

"The Blade Breakers aren't like that." Goofy protested.

"I am grateful to you for saving my daughter. But you and your keys have no place in my ocean." he finished, swimming off.

Ariel was crying. "My, my, the child seems to be in deep sorrow." Jetsam, an eel smiled.

"What a pity. If only we could do something." Flotsam added.

"Wait, maybe she can help." Jetsam announced.

"Yes. Maybe she can help you." Flotsam agreed.

"Who're you talking about?" Ariel asked.

"She would surely help you. She would make your dreams come true." Jetsam smiled. He and Flotsam spun around.

"Ursula can help..." they chanted. Ursula appeared in their place.

"You called, dear?" she smiled.

"You're Ursula? I was hoping if—" Ariel began.

"Don't worry. I love helping people." she replied. "Let me guess. You want to see other worlds. That won't be too hard. After all, your new pals came from another world." she smiled.

"What?" Ariel blinked.

"But they had help, those mysterious keys." Ursula added. Ariel sighed.

"Cheer up, dear. You have something special as well." she beamed. Ariel looked puzzled.

"Now listen carefully...I think the Keyhole is somewhere in the palace. If you take me there without your father's knowledge, I can take you to those worlds you've been longing to see." Ursula began.

Ursula cackled. "I finally have the trident! And I couldn't have done it without you, dear." she exclaimed. King Triton was injured.

"Ursula, no! I didn't want this to happen!" Ariel cried.

"Why not? Aren't you tired of obeying your dear daddy?" she asked.

"Oh, we had a deal, didn't we?" she realised. "Time for a little trip, to the world of the Heartless!" she exclaimed.

"We cannot find the Keyhole." Flotsam announced.

"It is not here." Jetsam added.

"What?" Ursula demanded. The Blade Breakers, Donald and Goofy were swimming to them.

"Looks like we have company. I'm afraid you're too late, sweeties." she smiled, vanishing.

"Daddy!" Ariel began.

"We have to get back...the trident." he croaked.

"Let's go!" Kai exclaimed. They were about to leave when Ariel caught up with them.

"I'm coming with you! My father's injured and it's my fault. I must stop Ursula!" she exclaimed. Kai nodded with approval.

"That's right! I'm with you, Ariel!" Sebastian agreed.

They soon found Ursula. "Come out! You can't run!" Donald yelled.

"Your time has come!" Sebastian cried. Ursula floated towards them, glaring at them with a menacing look. The two screamed in fright. After the battle with her, Ursula watched in horror as Flotsam and Jetsam were destroyed.

"You'll pay for this!" she promised, fleeing.

They soon caught up with Ursula. "You fools! I'm the ruler of the seas now!" she yelled. "The sea and all of its spoils worship my power." She cried, using the trident's power to grow in size. After the battle, they watched Ursula fall. A bright light appeared before them, and after it vanished, the trident hovered peacefully.

Later, they used the trident to find the Keyhole. Kai locked it. "Kai, what's your world like?" Ariel asked.

"Oh, about that...Sorry we lied to you." Kai apologised.

"It's OK. Besides, if you can visit other worlds, maybe I can too. So many places to see...I know I'll get there someday. Somehow, I'll find a way. I know it." she smiled.

"Well, when you do, I want no part of it." Sebastian sighed.