AN: Short, I know and a little repetitive but work with me, this one's just a filler. I won't update for a while because I still need my muse returns.

As far as the eye could see this strange land was desolate and full of despair, shadows draw across the earth and block out the light. Hope appeared to be eradicated only terror reigned.

Ariel looked around the strange environment appalled by what she sees.

There was no grass beneath her feet, no. The entire place looked like a wasteland as though it had suffered several droughts.

All around there seemed to hundreds of large monuments with Aku's hideous visage on it.

To her left, she could see very large digging sites and mine cart trails leading in and out, while to her right she saw the entrance to an enormous mine cavern.

Carefully, she edged closer to the entrance, her curiosity overpowering her common sense.

Inside, she could see...

Humans.

A vast number of them dressed in rags. Digging, pulling, lifting and carrying heavy loads on their backs all while being watched wicked looking figures with eerie green eyes and dress in red ninja garbs.

The jobs that were usually completed by heavy animals were being performed by weak, impoverished humans. Their narrow eyes were full of sadness as they toiled away.

Even young children were forced to work!

Ariel couldn't believe what she was seeing. What kind of terrible place is this, where these poor beings are forced into slavery to the point of death?

She felt her heart go out to all of them.

To her father they might be barbarians, but these humans –there wasn't anything spineless or savage in these poor people at all. They all just looked sad, weary and disheartened.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw an old man chained to a great mill, pushing with all his might. He looked so frail and weak yet something about him told her he must've been a strong man in his youth – much like her own father.

One of the guards then cracked his whip. "Break!"

Ariel saw the old man fall on all fours, gasping for air.

A woman scooped up water from a nearby well in a small wooden bowl and approached the old man. She offered water too him but the bowl was literally whipped out of her hands by the guard.

"Not for him!" he snapped.

"Water, water…" She heard the old man whisper.

Ariel had seen enough, she couldn't bear such cruelty.

She saw no reason to forbid this man any water.

Without thinking, she rushed out to his side.

"Here drink quickly." she said, raising her cupped hands to the frail man's lips, from which he drank from eagerly.

"I said: no water!"

In a split second, Ariel shielded the old man from harm.

It cut across her shoulder, making her cry out. The pain sent her falling to her side and in the process, her legs touched the water….

The guard's wicked green eyes suddenly went wide. "What…?"

"It's not possible…" The old man whispered hoarsely.

The sudden noise had caught everyone's attention. Many of the chained humans stopped what they were doing in awe of her, their weary faces a mix of shock, sympathy and wonder. The demonic minions were completely taken by surprise.

Vaguely, Ariel could hear the people whispering.

"An ocean spirit!

"A ningyo!"

"But what is it doing so far from the sea?"

As Ariel pulled herself up with her arms, she saw everyone staring at her legs. She looked down to see that her tail had returned.

She cast a desperate glance at the old man, whose eyes went from shock to deep concern.

A very long pause followed before the guards all snapped out of their reverie.

"Take her to Aku!" shouted one of them.

Quite a few of the humans gasped, they knew what it would mean and it was not good.

At the sound of the guard's order, Ariel immediately began to thrash and scream with terror.

"No! No! Jack, help me! Jack!"

But the minions grip was too strong. They picked her up without trouble and began carrying her to the pit of hate…

---

Jack gasped and bolted up from his sleeping position. He looked around warily. Scuttle and Sebastian were still asleep.

"Jack?" Ariel's voice spoke to him, "Are you alright?"

He turned and his heart swelled with relief seeing that Ariel was safe and sound right beside him.

"I…I'm fine." He said softly, "I just had a terrible dream."

Ariel put her hand on his shoulder. Usually she had been having nightmare lately, it seemed odd that it was her turn to comfort Jack.

"It was just a nightmare." she said reassuringly, "Everything will be alright. We're all safe for the moment."

------

Meanwhile in Atlantica, Ariel's sisters weren't themselves.

Their father had left to search for Ariel weeks ago and still hadn't returned.

Now they were starting to fear the worst.

"I hate this!" Alana cried, "We should out there looking for them too!"

"Really?" asked Adella.

Attina shook her head. "No girls, it wouldn't help. We'd be worse off if we get lost too."

"Good point." Adrina said grimly.

"But I can't stand it," Arista interjected, "I just think about Ariel gone and now Daddy…it all just gets me down."

Attina swam up to her, "I know you miss them we all miss them."

"It's just…" Arista said forcefully at first then she glance downwards, "You don't think she left because of me do you?"

"No, of course not." said Aquata gently.

Attina spoke up, "I believe Ariel's been wanting to leave home for a very long time but we just never really saw it."

She sighed. "All we can do now is just wait, pray and hope for the best."

The remaining five daughters of Triton looked sadly, not knowing what to do.

Would they ever see their youngest sister again?

AN: Like I said the next chapter won't be up for a while so you're all just going to have to be patient.