Enjoy: Please like and review
Under the Seas
Sora leaned up against the chair of the Gummi Ship eating a sandwich in hand. For once in a long while he felt relaxed, taking his mind off all the adventures and hard earned lessons he had been dealing with for the last-he paused to think-it was getting harder to say how much time was passing. All he knew that his adventures were starting to get a bit episodic, going place to place, solving a problem, patterns were starting to appear. Helping others, getting into trouble, fighting Heartless, the patterns began to repeat again and again and again. It was getting tiresome.
He liked the times inbetween when he got to relax, train up using the techniques Phil had taught him, but also just eat some food. Something his stomach was being denied with all the adventures and perils they had been dealing with. Food for him was the one constant good things in all the worlds.
"Ah a nice sandwich." Sora sighed as he looked upon the juicy delight. "Just like mom used to make."
"Don't eat it all in one go." Donald muttered. "You'll choke-again."
"Hey only twice!" Sora glared before taking a large bite, and started choking but quickly managed to get it down after a few coughs. "Ha! Avoided it"
"Hardly."
Donald rolled his eyes as he went to work on the Gummi Ship communications array. Like Sora, Donald and Goofy didn't seem to notice these patterns in there adventures. Although they wouldn't say it, they were starting to become nervous that this pattern was leading them nowhere, Donald especially was starting to become more cynical about the idea of finding the King, only Goofy remained true, he believed and never gave up the idea of finding him. His loyalty to his monarch was unwavering and his joyful attitude was the only thing keeping them from going nuts when they had long stints in the gummi ship just by themselves.
Though right now Donald was to frustrated trying to get the computers communications grid to work. Banging his feathered fist on the control panel in a fit of rage the longer it kept fizzing out.
"Blasted thing!" Donald muttered throwing a wrench into the machinery. "Chip Dale, any luck."
"Sorry Donald." Chip said getting another wire together. "Still working on it, you know it's hard to get any sort of communications out here the farther we are from home."
"I know-I know…" Donald sighed. "But I want to make my report to the Queen and well Goofy-".
"Don't worry we know." Dale bit on one of the cords. "Nothing yet."
Sora had been watching them work on the communication array for the last hour or so. Goofy seemed quite interested in getting it working, pacing back and forth with a worried expression. Sora wondered just what they were trying to do. Rarely they talked to the Queen theses days when there was nothing to report. Plus it seemed it was getting harder to make contact with anyone the farther in they went from areas like Traverse Town or Disney Castle.
"Come in." Goofy spoke through the microphone giving it a few tabs. "Anyone there, hello…..Hello."
Slowly a familiar sounding voice come from the screen as it began to come clear as a younger looking Goofy began to appear on a screen. "Dad-Dad, are there."
Sora lifted his eye and was surprised to see Max Goof appear on screen. He looked back down on hi sandwich and decided to just ignore the conversation. He never felt like he should intervene when Goofy was talking to his son, that wasn't his place. This was their family time after all.
"Howdy son!" Goofy said beaming running up to the screen to give it a hug. "Finally glad to see yuh again."
"Is the Queen there." Donald asked trying to take the microphone. "I want to give my report - I have a bunch of…..
Sora grabbed Donald by the feathers and pulled him back frowning. "Let him talk to his son k."
"But-" Donald stopped as gave him a disapproving glare. "Ok, ok fine."
Sora let Donald go and returned to his sandwich he wanted to give Goofy this time.
He owed him that.
"Yeah through a computer screen." Max said disappointedly, putting his own hand on the screen.
"Ah don't be like that son, as long as we get to talk that's good enough. .Just seeing yuh is already making me warm up." Max gave a small smile. "That's my boy. Been getting farther so it's gonna get harder to talk but I send yuh letters every day "
"I know I've been reading them." Max said looking embarrassed. "Hope you are doing ok.
Sora gave a soft smile, he couldn't help but marvel at that father son connection. "I feel the same way when I see my mom."
"I'm good, Sora been keeping us safe." Sora blushed feeling he'd been getting them in trouble then helping them "So how are you doing Max?"
Max shrugged seeming a bit sad. "Not much happens here, just the average insanity that is home. Queen is a bit nervous because of what's going on more and more. Dad I um-I wish i could be with you fighting."
"Now son-"
"I know, I know, I have responsibilities here in case something happens, but come on Dad I know I can fight by your side, fight the Heartless go on all the adventures you are talking about in your letters. Also-you know...I miss yuh" Max blushed red from embarrassment, teenagers weren't supposed to miss their parents in his eyes. "I wanna be by your side fighting the good fight, not just stuck back home all I day."
"I know-" Goofy nodded. "I'm sure you can, I know you are going to be a great knight but we all gotta play are part in all this now. No breaking ranks. Everyone gotta play their role."
"Yeah but-" The screen started to fizzle again. "Dad-Dad!"
The screen went dark, and the connection was gone. Donald tried to get the thing to work again as Goofy walked back to his seat, looking sad, yet happy as well. Happy that he was able to have talked to his son again, if only for a little while.
Sora gently smiled as he admired how optimistic Goofy was, the love he shared for his son was genuine. It was moments like these that reminded him of the broader scope of what they were facing. Something he wished Riku could have seen instead of being constantly jaded by others and living in his own cynical world. That parents, adopted like Kairi's, single like his mother, could be good. Unfortunate as it still was that Riku came from a broken home and sad as it was, family took the form of all different shapes and sizes.
Small things like family, no matter what form it's in-made all the difference.
"You really believe in him don't you." Sora said taking another bite of his sandwich. "Don't see a lot of parents who'd actually wanna put in there kids in danger."
Goofy smiled. "Of course, he's my son, I gotta believe in him and of course I don't want him in danger, but I know I'm not gonna prevent it. Max has gotta grow up his way, and I gotta let him. Trust me I learned the hard way a few times that I gotta let go. Even though he'll always be my little Maxy."
"Well we made the right decision keeping him their." Donald muttered as he tied two wires together. "Why Scrooge is letting the boys in Traverse Town is beyond me, I would have kept them back home were I know they are safe."
"To be fair Donald nowhere is really safe with the Heartless out their." Goofy said, Sora grimace at the thought. "That's why we all gotta do our part."
Donald sighed and just muttered under his breath. "At least they'd be safe in my mind."
Sora understood, sometimes his own mom would rather be in denial that he and his friends were safe on the Island when they were doing what certainly were doing dangerous things. Not because she was being neglectful far from it, but because she couldn't bare to think of what would happen if something really bad befallen her beloved son. Donald and Goofy must have felt the same for their own families, probably why they never talked much about it during their travels together.
"Now you know that's not how it works Donald."
Sora focused on his sandwich even if his apatite was slowly going away. He kept forgetting that at the end of the day Goofy and Donald were parents. Families to take care of, and the fact that they were with him, he was keeping them away from his loved ones.
"Something wrong Sora?" Goofy asked.
Sora shook his head. "Nothing, just, I kinda feel guilty about keep you guys away from your families."
It was a feeling he never quite shirked off, no matter how positive he tried to be Sora still had a sense that everything that was happening was his fault. It was after all linked to his Keyblade and respectively him.
"Nonsense Sora, as far as I'm concerned we are family too in our own way." Goofy said patting his shoulder in a comforting matter. "Donald you and I, we've been going on adventure staying in this ship dealing with one another every day. We said at the start all for one and for all, and we mean it to this very day."
It was true, they had been growing closer as friends since the start of there travels. Gone was the mistrust and awkward nature at the start. Gone was even Sora's original thought that they were only using him for his power and nothing else. Sora did see these two as as good as friends as Riku and Kairi. Or at at this point Kairi considering Riku betrayal. But regardless Donald and Goofy were his true friends too, and he wanted to help them out more and more as the journey continued. He was thankful to have him by his side.
"Thanks guys-"
Suddenly a high pitch squeak came from the controls, Chip and Dale hurried there way. Sora didn't need the screen to know what was going on, a world was coming up on the horizon. Everyone pressed their noses up against the window ceiling to take a good look at it.
"Well this is the last world the King went too according to his Gummi Block." Donald said as he pointed to the last location on the map.
"The last one." Sora sighed as he slumped into his seat rubbing his forehead in exhaustion. "Hard to believe that we been this far and yet we haven't found anything. Do you think that the King is even..."
"Of course he is!" Donald interjected immediately almost incensed by the idea. "He has to be, we've been looking everywhere, he just has to be."
"Sorry, sorry….I'm just worried. What if we don't find him here. I mean, so much has happened"
Goofy shook his head. "We'll we just gotta keep looking even harder then."
"Like that will do us any good…." Sora took a deep sigh. "We've been looking everywhere! Are you sure he's even out there!"
"If he wasn't then we'd know." Donald said defensively, his eye twitching at the thought of losing there king permanently- he feared for himself but also for what might the Queen think.
Goofy nooded. "Yep, we'd have a feeling deep, deep, deep down in our hearts."
"Hey don't frown, we got very little smile power left on this thing." Dale chided as he gaged the power meter.
"Sorry!" Sora perked up immediately giving a big wide grin."Well, at least will be able to see another cool world. That's something, maybe will learn about the Keyblade along the way too. We've been pretty lucky on that front."
"That's the spirit." Goofy said
"Yay...More meddling." Donald muttered with a sarcastic tone.
"Oh come on our meddling normally works out...At least recently." Sora snickered.
"Sure it does." Donald groaned.
Despite his optimism, the fact that this was the last one was enough to make Sora feel his heart sink. After this any chance of finding the King's lead would be loss and it would then be back to chasing a needle in a sat down and rubbed his head hoping that this would finally be the place to be. He started to wonder just how long this adventure would go. Suddenly fear came to him as a image of him being on the Gummi Ship as a elderly man with a older Donald and Goofy drifting the worlds appeared..
"So, which world is it?" Sora asked trying to get the horrid image out of his mind quickly.
"Let's see."
Donald began fiddling with some of the buttons on the Gummi Ships control panel and activated a screen of a large rock like world covered with water, just a bit of land in the distance. Sora and Goofy sat up to take a better look. Both looked a bit nervous at the sight of all that water and very little land that made up most of this world. To Sora though, it reminded him of home.
"So…..Do you have a spell to make us breath under water?" Sora asked.
Donald shook his head. "Nope, I got something better."
Sora seemed unsure as he began to take them down, wondering just what it was that Donald had up his sleeve. He could only hope it wasn't that bad whatever it was.
But oh how wrong he would be.
-000-
The water was cold.
And very wet
Sora, felt his entire body shake up as he found himself surrounded by it. At first he struggled to rise yet he couldn't move. He was used to swimming but not staying underwater for longer periods of time, preferring being at the shallow end of the beach . The longer he remained under water though his body quickly adjusted, calming down. He could feel no ground beneath his feet, in fact he couldn't feel his feat at all. There wasn't even a normal sense of gravity anymore.
"Sora! Sora! Open your eyes!" Donald yelled.
Sora stopped hearing the sound of his friends, and realized that he was not alone. Taking a moment, he realized that he was able to breath. Not only that, but the water was not stinging his eyes. In fact, he could see just normally as if he was on land. Slowly he looked down to wear his legs were and saw a blue silver tail sticking out.
He gasped and swam back. "W-What happened!"
Suddenly he saw Donald swim over towards him, his lower body transformed into a blue looking octopus. Goofy was by his side, most of his body has morphed into a sea turtle, apart from his head which was still the same. He looked trying to piece together just what had happen. He found himself in the middle of a coral casam, a few bit of seaweed sticking out. Bubbles floated above him, and sea life could be seen swimming around the area, living in peace with one another.
"Look at us Sora, we can swim...Pretty neat huh." Goofy said as he did a twirl onto his back. "Surprised your hair is sticking up still though."
"That's my magic for yuh." Donald snickered. "Keeps even the most oddly spikey of hair up and dry."
"Woah-I feel funny.!" Sora looked down back at has tale, and then saw that he wasn't wearing any clothes. Quickly he covered himself putting both hands around his chest, covering his nipples. "This is so embarrassing….What happened to my clothes...My pampu fruit!"
"Come on Sora, we have to protect the world order." Donald explained. "You're clothes and magical fruit are probably back on the Gummi Ship or something, don't worry the magic will reverse itself when we leave."
"I hope so." Sora muttered looking back at his tale. "Because right now I feel very, very, very awkward, I'm not used to not having legs."
Slowly a tiny bubble rose up as Jiminy Cricket appeared. "Gosh what a sight."
"We have needed to disguise yourself again, just like in Halloween Town." Donald explained looking at one of his tentacles.
"So I'm a mermaid then?" Sora still felt freaked out by his tail as it swivelled around without much control from him. "Wonder how I swim in this place."
"Merman." Goofy corrected. "Or Merperson, if you wish."
"Sure fine, point is I got a fish tail and it's weird!" Sora grew a annoyed expression. "I don't even know how to swim. Like do I kick it do I- "
"Didn't you grow up on a Island?" Goofy asked. "Shouldn't you know how to swim already?"
"Yes but I didn't swim always, and not completely underwater, I preferred the shallow end near the beach. Mom said it was safer that way."
"Suuuure." Donald groaned, rolling his eyes. "Now come on, we should head out before…"
"Hurry up Ariel!" Came a child sounding voice from the distance, sounding panicky.
Donald sighed. "Aw phooey, here we go."
Sora looked up near the narrow valley to see a tiny golden fish swim as fast as it could, looking scared and terrified followed by a red crab and shockingly a mermaid. Red hair, lovely green fin and young looking face, she and the others swam away right past them as fast as they could as they were being chased the Heartless who took on the background of the sea looking like mutated fish with green coral like skin.
"Heartless!" Sora shouted his Key taking place at once. "Come on guys, show time!"
Immediately Sora, Donald and Goofy clumsily tried to take on the Heartless. It was a hard battle, the lack of ability to swim made it difficult for Sora and the others to better attack their enemies. The Heartless for there part were far better swimmers and were faster and more intense able to avoid Sora's strikes with the Keyblade, Donald however was able to use his magic and strike them down. Goofy's shell made for a good shield especially when he hit the back of the rocks.
"Careful Goofy!" Donald shouted as he fired a round of fire at them, shocked it was actually being able to fire. "Sora to your left.
Sora dodged a Heartless with a spear. "Yikes!"
Before the Heartless attacked again, the red headed mermaid came and managed to strike the Heartless with her tail slapping it up against the rock and knocking it down with quick speed causing the water to rupture around them. Sora taking the initiative swam down if clumsy and struck with it's Key releasing the Heart inside.
Finally all the Heartless was gone leaving the locals looking at Sora and the others with a mixture of confusion and maybe a tinge of fear.
Eventually things began to calm down as they always did after another Heartless attack. Though Sora and his friends were now exhausted, Sora feeling sweat even if they were underwater-though that might just be his imagination playing tricks on him. Not every day a boy wielding a key appeared before them and knew how to fight the strange creatures.
"Uh….Hi." Sora said, giving them both a polite yet awkward smile.
The girl swam around them now looking more curious then concerned at them. "Hi." She said. "I've never seen you here before."
Sora looked to Donald who gave him a stern look. "We are um...Not from around here."
"Another ocean then?" The girl beamed looking astonished. "How fascinating. I'm Ariel."
"Sora."
"Donald Duck!"
"Names Goofy."
"I-I'm Flounder." The little yellow and blue striped fish said, as she continued to hide behind his friend.
Suddenly from behind one of the rocks a red crab swam up to them as he had a massive frown on his face and spoke with a thick accent. "Ariel what do you think you are doing?"
"Sebastian." Ariel sighed looking at the Red crab. "We just got attacked let us relax a little."
"We need to get back to the palace or your father will be blow his lid."
Sora watched as the two bickered with one another and wondered just who this Ariel was. Was she some sort of princess, perhaps there was more to this world than just fish and water. Either way it seemed that the Krab was most likely her babysitter, though Sora felt she was a bit old to have one. Although he was fourteen and Donald and Goofy at some points had to babysit him. Heck even back home Riku and Kairi always seemed to be do that when he was practically a baby. A sign that age didn't mean much in maturity.
"What about those creatures." The yellow fish swam up now still looking scared. "What if they attack again.
"Oh don't worry flounder, maybe they can help us." Ariel said pointing to Sora and the others. "I know we just met but we could use all the help we could get, this isn't the first time we've seen whatever they are."
"Excuse me!" Sebastian the Crab swam up. "I will be the judge of that-I am the King's royal advisor after all. It is my job to ensure that any and all people who see da king- even outsiders like you are properly vetted."
"Ok." Sora said with confusion.
"What do you wanna know?" Goofy asked.
Sebastian scratched his chin. "For started what do you know of those creatures."
"Of course." Sora took a moment to calm his nerves. "Those are Heartless, we've dealt with them many times already…..Why do I feel like I'm on repeat at this point."
Ariel looked at Sebastian then smiled back at Sora. "Interesting, my father had some outsiders here too who mentioned them."
"Outsiders, what kind of outsiders?" Sora asked wondering..
"They are at the palace, I can take you there if you want." Ariel said.
"What no! I said I needed to-"
Ariel stopped him before he continued. "Oh don't listen to him, come on it'll be fun."
"Ariel your father will-"
"Oh Daddy will be fine." Ariel brushed him aside. "So do you wanna come?"
"Uh….Great." Sora laughed nervous, afraid of what he was getting himself into. "Just-great-more of this….Just what we need."
"Come on." Ariel swam off. "Follow me everyone!"
Sora tried to follow shaking his tale and trying to get a handle of how to swim. He felt a bit unbalanced until he headed straight forward but didn't know how to turn running straight into one of the coral rocks hitting it flat faced. His face felt squished against the hard surface as he let out a loud groan. His nose was now all crinkled taking a while to straighten out.
"Ouch." He muttered rubbing his forehead. "That's smarts."
"Are you ok?" Ariel ask swimming up to him. "You don't seem to have your sea tail."
Sora struggled to free his face from his rock "Y-Yeah...I'm fine….Just uh…"
"The seas are a hard to swim in. Not as sturdy as we prefer." Goofy interjected.
Ariel nodded. "Ah….Well, you just need to get your tail strait and go with the flow, like this."
She demonstrated by moving her own tail and managing to swim naturally across the ocean current. Sora watched wondering how she did with such natural instinct. He tried it himself slowly getting the hang of it as he moved slowly with the water, trying his best to not go super fast or super slow.
"See, your getting the hang of it." Ariel beamed.
Sora kept swimming around slowly managing to get his sea legs so to speak. "Yeah...Yeah I am...Woo, this is kinda fun."
"Such strange mermaids you are." Sebastian muttered under his breath.
"Cool, come on, I'll take you to see my father, he might know more about these Heartless you are looking for."
"Thanks. So your dad lives in a palace?" Goofy asked.
Sebastian intervened. "Yes, King Triton! Ruler of the Sea, supreme leader of all the oceans, holder of the great trident of-."
"Yeah, yeah yeah." Ariel groaned. "It's just daddy Sebastian, you don't have to be so dramatic. Just be yourself Sora-I'm sure he'll listen."
"Yeah, myself…" Sora tensed up even more. "Sora the Keyblade Master-that can't go wrong at all."
-000-
Sora and the others followed Ariel and her friends towards this supposed undersea palace. Sora tried his best to keep up, still not completely used to his tail and ability to breath underwater. But as he looked around, he saw just how beautiful the undersea could be. The various fish that floated all over the place. The sea plants that grew on the ground, and the colorful patterns of coral that surrounded everything. It seemed like a underwater civilization similar to the tales of Atlantis he heard back home. Although according to Ariel this place was called Atlantica, similar but not the same.
As they swam Sora once again saw the pattern, meeting people, going off into the world, and probably soon going to have to help someone in need. These episodic adventures of him were the reason he started to wonder if they would ever find the King. The more he thought the more he wondered just how much true progress they were making.
Looking around though, he did know that whenever he entered a new world, he was still amazed by the newness and wonder of it all. That was something that would never die no matter how many places they would visit.
"You're home is beautiful." Sora commented as they swam along the coral reef."
Ariel nodded. "Thank you, the ocean is quite vast."
From his bubble Jiminy was able to get as much of the detail as possible, worried that his journal was about to get wet. "A whole world of just water-fascinating."
"What was that?" Ariel asked.
Donald hushed Jimminy. "Oh he's just not used to ocean like these are our kinda dull."
When he was younger Sora was scared of what was under the sea. Riku would tell him tale of giant monsters that would gobble up kids who swam into the deep end of the ocean. Hence why he didn't like to swim in the ocean unless it was near the shallow end. But seeing this beauty and peace. Perhaps he had everything wrong. This sea seemed quite lovely and the fish seemed rather friendly, many of them waving to him as they passed by.
"So what ocean do you come from." Ariel asked as they swam through a underground casam.
Sora gulped. "Uh…..Very, very far away ocean." He paused thinking of a good name. "Yep, very far….Destiny ocean yeah."
It wasn't necessarily a lie per say. The Island ocean was known as Destiny Island in line with Destiny Town and Destiny Island. The more Sora thought about the more he realized his home was connected to the word Destiny quite a bit. Probably because the Islanders believe that the ocean was a road to the unknown, sailors would let the tides control them whether than control it. Sora supposed he wasn't a good Islander though considering he couldn't even get on his raft when he tried going on his first voyage.
"Fascinating, never heard of that one before"
"It's very far away." Sora lied as he chuckled nervously. "Like very, very far away….The fact we came here at all is amazing, heh, heh…..
"Nice for being subtle." Donald muttered
"I've never been able to leave this part of the sea myself. Though I've always wanted to visit others places."
"Yeah, I know the feeling." Sora sighed
"I mean exploring all the new worlds and seeing all the new things...Who wants to stay here all the day."
Sora laughed awkwardly, she sounded just like him and Riku before all this madness happened. Part of him wanted to tell her about being happy for what you have and enjoying things with loved ones, but he felt it wasn't his place. They had just met after all, and her enjoyment of seeing the outside world seemed genuine for the most part. After all not so long ago Sora himself felt the same way, part of him still enjoyed seeing the world around him. Yet with all the bad that happened, it definitely had been poisoning the experience as time passed.
"So how far till we find the palace?" Donald asked, his tentacles becoming exhausted. "How do you swim in these things."
"We're almost there, you guys must have been on a long journey if you are already getting this tired." Ariel chuckled. "I'm sure father will let you rest once we get there, he's quite welcoming."
"Yeah, welcoming." Sebastian muttered under his breath. "Like a shark is to someone entering there cave."
Finally in the distance there it stood, the grand palace of Atlantica. A golden citadel to the undersea civilization. Sora revealed at just how magicient this place was. It looked like something out of a fairy tale, several mermaids were swimming around the place, a few of them in suits of armor, most likely the guards of the place How could something be under the water yet manage to stand tall like any grand structure was beyond him. Yet here it was in all its glory. The sight was something quite amazing to behold
"Your highness." They saluted as Ariel passed them.
Sora, Donald and Goofy gave him as well a small salute.
Ariel rolled her eyes as she lead them down the grand open areas until they appeared near the grand palace throne room.
"Throne room is this way." Ariel pointed out.
Sebastian then stopped them swimming in front of all of them. "Now hold on, we shouldn't just barge in on the king, he could be doing very important kingly business."
"Oh Sebastian, I'm sure he won't mind seeing us."
"Ariel I-" She swam off before Sebastian could finish, Sora Donald and Goofy just stood there unsure what to do. "Go ahead."
Sora quickly swam off following behind.
Eventually the trio entered into a large open are with a single throne standing on top a mighty hill in the center of the room. Sitting on it was a elderly man of great strength and stature, long white beard spiky coral gold crown, carrying a mighty trident with three spikes sticking up. King Triton, ruler of the sea and of all Atlantica. One of the most powerful beings in this world, he was wise as he was ancient. A firm ruler, yet a benevolent one.
Sora looked at him and tensed up instantly, he could feel the power of this man just by looking at him. A sense of fear coming through him, knowing that he was not this man equal in any regard even with his Keyblade.
"It's ok, Sora." Goofy said seeing noticing his fear.
Sora took a deep breath. "Yeah, ok."
They swam into the room Ariel swimming the fastest, until from the corner a familiar sounding voice called from the distance, Sora became shocked to see two familiar, although transformed faces swimming next to him now, both looking quite excited to see him again.
"Star! Marco!" Sora said in disbelief as the two swam over to him and gave him a wide hug. "Guys what are you doing here? I thought you were in Traverse Town-Wait did Toffee do something that got you kicked out!"
Star blinked. "What, oh nononono...We are on super secret mission for Leon...Plus look wer are Merpeople! Isn't that awesome."
"Yeah if you like feeling indecent." Marco muttered covering himself. "I mean come on people cant see my nipples, at least Star and the mermaids get to wear a braw, even if it is made of seashells."
Star adjusted her seashell bra. "Hey! It's very uncomfy I don't know how the locals do it ok!"
Sora grimace and blushed putting his hands over his own chest, trying not to think of Kairi if she was wearing one of those. As he saw Star and Marco he couldn't help but notice that something felt off, Star didn't seem to be one hundred percent perky as she was when they had first met. He would have to ask when they had the time.
"Sora you ok? Your cheeks are read." Goofy asked.
"I'm fine!" Sora yelled turning back to Star. "A mission for Leon? What?"
"That would be me." The large man in the chair said as he stood up, his commanding voice sending a shiver down Sora's spine and gaining the attention of everyone in the room. "I am King Triton, and who might you be young man… Don't tell me Leon and his resistance have now resorted to just children in there ranks."
"Uh….." Sora's mind went completely blank being intimidate by a man of such authority. "Me, yes I-I-I-am uh...Oh boy."
"Oh this is Sora, he's the Keyblade Master we told you about." Star explained. "Actually glad you are here, we are trying to get King Triton to join….
"The answer is no!" He barked loudly his voice booming throughout the ocean. "And that is final, their will be no argument."
Ariel looked confused. "Daddy, what's going on."
"None of your concern Ariel, these people were just leaving, and hopefully never coming back."
"Daddy! We just met them!" Ariel groaned swimming up to her father. "They helped me against those creatures we've been seeing and they don't seem like trouble and…"
"Ariel, not another word!" Triton shouted as he sat back down.
"What! Oh come on, we haven't even showed you the powerpoint slide I made." Marco explained pulling out a floppy drive. "I had it all nice and organized and everything-it was very persuasive."
Star groaned. "Uh Marco, that wouldn't have worked anyway...we are underwater remembered."
"Yeah but….
Star glared at him.
"Ok fine." Marco folded his arms in a huff.
"Daddy, these people are not from the same ocean, we should at least help them find whatever it is they came here for…..
"Again Ariel none of your concern, they are strangers and I have no tolerance for unknowns in my land! Now please ...Everyone leave!" His voice echoed so soundly it should the water.
Ariel huffed out Sora quickly following suite along with the others, he took one more look at the king who seemed have a annoyed glint in his eye before swimming out wondering what had this King Triton so furious.
Sora wanted to know yet did not dare anger what seemed to be such a powerful individual like the King. His suspicious nature of them was not completely uncalled for, they were from another world, and he hadn't had to deal with the fact that maybe some people just didn't like outsiders entering their lands, after all the Heartless came and didn't always give the first best impression from someone else entering there world. Yet Sora meant them no ill will and a lot of people they met knew of the legend of the Keyblade Master, however if Phil was anything to go by Keyblade Masters weren't always considered in the best light, perhaps this was another one who saw the Keyblade wielders negatively.
As they swam out only Sebastian stayed behind, the last thing Sora saw was the two of them conversing about something. Once outside the group regathered to figure out what was going on. Again Sora noticed that Star seemed a bit off from normal, she was smiling but it part of it seemed a bit forced than normal.
"So you want my father for something?" Ariel asked Star and Marco right out the gate. "What is it? Are you from the outside world.
They both gave each other glances.
"You can tell her." Sora said giving them both a nod.
Marco took a deep breath. "Ok, we want your father to help us with the Anti-Heartless resistance. Merlin says he knows Triton and could be a good help to us."
"Anti-Heartless resistance, what's that?" Ariel asked sounding more curious than nervous.
"Those creatures you said chased you earlier...The Heartless? My friends here have been fighting them from Traverse Town while I've been fighting them using this." Sora held out his hand but nothing happened…."Using this!...Using this!...Using….
"It still doesn't work for you doesn't it?" Marco asked.
"Yeah it doesn't...Well It's called a Keyblade and….
"There goes the world border." Donald sighed.
Goofy chuckled. "Gee we aren't so good at this aren't we."
"Sorry if my father can be stubborn, even if I don't really understand. But I know what he's doing is wrong. I can feel it." Ariel said.
"Didn't even get to do my powerpoint." Marco muttered.
Star rolled her eyes. "Anyway, he would have been helpful but what can we do."
"Hey how is Traverse Town?" Sora asked Star.
"Fine, been keeping my eye on Toffee, he's been suspiciously quiet."
"But we got our eye on him!" Marco added giving a eye. "Or did, till we came here...and now I feel incident."
"Indecent?" Ariel asked looking confused. "This is how all mermen look, you are fine."
"No! I am pretty much na-" Star punched Marco stomach before he could finish.
"Shut up you are fine! Besides I get to see your skinny tummy...man you are all ski and bones….eh heh…..Anyway! Point is we hope your dad will help us but he's being a big jerk about it...any suggestions."
Sora pondered on the notion for a moment before realizing something. "If we could look for your worlds Keyhole. Maybe showing that will make your father understand that he should fight the Heartless."
"A keyhole?" Ariel asked.
"Yeah, the Heartless are looking for one. If the Heartless find it first then….." He paused to see Star and Marco's expression grimace. "Well bad thing will happen."
"I don't want that." Ariel face turned to one of concern. "Maybe there is something in my grotto that can help you. Follow me!"
Ariel swam off. Sora looked towards the others to get a sense of what to do, but all they could give in return was a shrug. Sora followed her quickly, wondering just what this Grotto would hold.
The trip there wasn't that far, it was down near the edge of a large underground cliff hidden behind a large rock. Ariel needed help moving it revealing the entrance to the underground grotto. Once inside everyone saw the large collection of items completely stacked on makeshift shells that was just the formation of the rock.
"This is all junk." Marco snorted. "I mean come on who needs a spoon."
Ariel scoffed. "It's not junk, it's strange and magical items that I've collected from the service."
"A broke down coco clock….Yeah it's junk." Marco said giving her a deadpan expression.
"That's a tick-tock." Ariel corrected. "My friend scuttle told me."
"Who's Scuttle?" Sora asked.
"A seagal, he knows all sorts of things about the surface like what a dinglehopper is to a warkworth to a ….
"That's a fork and a spoon." Marco muttered
Star punched him in the chest. "Well I think they are awesome!"
"Ariel been collecting this stuff for years." Flounder explained as he floated around Sora. "All of it from the surface world."
Sora just chuckled as he looked at Ariel vast collection. This underground grotto reminded him of the secret place back on the Island. He thought back to all the various pictures that he and the other kids used to draw on the walls. The last thing he ever drew was that of him and Kairi sharing a Pampu fruit with one another, that was the day he met the stranger in the hood. He couldn't help but admire all these trinkets, to her these were her treasures and he could respect that.
As he kept on looking he noticed a tiny blue shell stuck to one of the rocks, inside it was the symbol of Triton on it. Closely Sora looked at it getting a sense that it was more than just a random rock.
"Hey what's this?" Sora asked.
Ariel swamp up to get a better look herself. "Hmm….I don't know, but I bet something goes into that rock."
"It looks like your father's trident."
"Yeah…..I think it's from the outside world."
"Really?"
Ariel nodded. "Yes, like I said, i want to seem, and all the strange and unique things that lie beyond. That doesn't sound strange to you does it….Sorry if I keep talking about it alot."
"No, no….Not at all." Sora blushed. "I get it, seeing new places can be very exciting, nothing wrong about wanting to go to places."
"Yeah, I should know, when I got to go to Marco's world it was the best thing ever!" Star exclaimed as she floated around. "I learned all about Nacho's and Cell Phone rings."
"And I learned about monsters and magic…..Man i miss my quiet life sometimes." Marco sighed.
"No you don't." Star chided.
"Hey, I have a idea, I think I know were we could maybe look for information on that Keyhole?" Ariel said.
"Where?" Sora asked.
"Follow me!" Ariel swam off making everyone catch up.
Ariel swam off Sora stopped Marco in his tracks pulling him back. "Hey can I talk to you for a minute?"
"Yeah, what's up."
"Is something wrong with Star?" Sora asked watching her swim close to Ariel. "She seems-off.
Marco grimaced and took a deep sigh, holding back what seemed to be a big secret. "Look I shouldn't say, she's tough, but I know she's hurting because her world got taken by the Heartless. Her mom, her family, everything."
Sora nodded. "I understand, believe me I do."
"Also I didn't her mom too much but uh-if King Triton is anything to go by she too was a bit of stickler, probably seeing something similar go on probably isn't helping ease her mind."
"Huh-" Sora just pondered it for a while. "Well, let's just focus on finding the Keyhole, sooner we stop the Heartless the sooner everyone can go home."
"Right."
As they left the grotto they were unaware that watching them, two sickly green eyes swam around the cave, there only working eye glowing yellow as they swam off into the distance, showing what had happened to a force of pure malevolence, hidden in a cave.
-000-
She sat in her grotto looking into her caldron, her chubby arms swirling around it as the magical aura mixed with the ocean. Her tenictals floated around her body, tingling with delight at what they saw before them now.
Ursula the Sea Witch, exiled from the Kingdom of Atlantica long ago due to the usage of black magic, she was King Triton's greatest enemy and most sinister foe. These days she lived in a grotto on the outskirts of the Kingdom, alone, praying upon any poor unfortunate soul that dared come before her, begging for help with the use of magic. But all magic came with the price and she was more than willing to charge high for her services. Though right now she had her eyes set on one particular person.
"Yes….Little mermaid….Go and find the Keyhole so your Auntie Ursula can take it. Ha! Ha!" The Sea witch burst out cackling as she swam around her grotto, her massive body floating against the tide.
"And as for the Poor unfortunate Keyblade Master- quite a group you have gathered around you, each so easily manipulatable, yearning for something in life-as are you."
A idea popped into her mind.
"Well-I have the Heartless on my side, so watch out Triton, your day is coming."
-000-
"So yeah, I'm a Princess, your a princess...we should totally have a princess hang out just you and me." Star suggested as they kept on swimming.
"That sounds like fun!" Ariel beamed. "I'll have to sneak you in, father isn't big on outsiders as you know."
"Oooooh….I like your style girl!" Star said before a saddened smile appeared on her face. ""Trust me I know a thing or two about strict parents, but uh-uh- just enjoy them while you can."
Sora noticed the pain in Star's face show before she quickly perked up. Poor Star, Sora knew what it was like to having to hide his pain sometimes. Yet moving forward was really the only thing he could do at this moment. Star knew this too apparently as she kept going
Ariel for her part just ignored Star last sentence as she lead them through the vast ocean casams and rocks. She was apparently looking for something that would lead them in the correct direction. Thankfully there were no sign of Heartless around. The quite actually made Soar a bit paranoid. He expected them to come at any moment. However if his key did not appear then it must have meant there was nothing to fear, at least for now. Finally the group finally stopped near a open current tunnel, another tunnel on the other side.
"Um that looks heavy." Sora said as he put his hand in it feeling the strength of the wind. "I don't think we can get through."
"Maybe Star can use her wand to break the current." Marco suggested.
"I'm not doing that….It would mess with the climate of this world."
"How?"
"Look messing with the natural state of thing should only be done in emergencies and the occasional rush to ready for school."
"You don't know how do you?" Donald asked.
Star sighed. "Yes."
"See Star, Glossaryck is right you need to study that book more." Marco chided.
"Oh like you would help."
"Hey, I am a diligent tutor!"
"More like a nag." Star snickered giving him a small punch on the shoulder.
Sora rolled his eyes. "Well this is just great."
Ariel swam out to see if she could find something that could help them get through the heavy current. She looked through some seaweed and other various items. Yet she couldn't find anything. Until in the distance she saw a friendly looking dolphin swimming around, completely enjoying it's day. She waved over to it hoping it would come.
Whistling it over Ariel called over the Dolphin and whispered it in his ear.
"Are you talking to it?" Sora asked.
"Her...and yes."
Sora blushed. "Sorry...Hello Ma'am."
"Ok, now everyone grab on and she'll help us go through the current."
Sora and Marco blushed.
"Uh….Are you sure she's ok with this." Marco asked hesitating to touch the dolphins phin. "I mean I don't wanna get into any personal space or-"
Star rolled his eyes. "If she said yes, then yes. Beside it's a dolphin not a person."
Sora swam over the dolphin holding it by its dorsal fin. Star, Marco, Ariel, Donald and Goofy grabbed on as well.
Giving the signal Ariel nodded as the Dolphin headed off into the current at full blast. The sensation was wild yet quick. The ocean bubbles flew into everyone's face at a brush speed. Sora could feel his hair being blown right to his side, but then in a instant, it was gone. Although now his hair was even messier and perhaps even spiker than before. He tried putting a hand in it but forgot he was no longer dry.
"Woo! What a trip!" Star said her face beaming with excitement.
Marco looked like he was about to vomit for he held onto his tales as if he still had knees and needed to bend over. Sora and the others just took deep breaths looking exhausted yet managing to keep a certain amount of dexterity to them as they floated along the ocean floor.
"Thank you so much!" Ariel nodded.
The Dolphin gave a squeak before heading off as she waved it goodbye.
"What did it say?" Sora asked.
"It said if we needed its help again we just ask again?"
"Really? It's that ok with being our personal current barricade." Marco asked.
Ariel nodded. "Well, sometimes you just need to ask. Now come on, let's go and see if we can't find that Keyhole."
Sora and the others quickly followed through the cave to come through another wider casam. Standing in the center, a large wooden ship, completely wrecked, standing at the very bottom of the ground. Everyone gazed upon it with a look of awe. It was decayed, rotting and completely abandon. It was the kind of ship that Riku would tell Sora and Kairi they would look for on there travels.
"So you think the Keyhole is in there?" Sora asked seeming hesitant, the ship abounded nature giving him the shiver.
Ariel shrugged. "Flounder told me about it earlier, I've been wanting to find it and give it a good look."
"I don't know, what if it's haunted." Marco asked his voice cracking.
"Well then that makes it even cooler!" Star beamed.
They headed into the ship, large cobwebs and balls of dust could be seen everywhere. Even in the ocean the place was a bit musty and difficult to maneuver. Sora got stuck a few times in between floor boards needing to get pulled out with the help of his friends.
"I don't think a Keyhole would be here." Sora said as he kept looking through the ships captains quarters.
"Well there sure is a lot of neat stuff here." Ariel said holding a magnifying glass.
Star looked at the desk insignia. "Wonder where this place came from?
"Up there." Ariel pointed to the sky. "The surface world. If there is anyplace I hope i could go one day, that would be my number one choice."
"The surface world...I don't know, it's not that interesting." Marco muttered.
Star again hit Marco in the stomach. "Hey! Trust me...I know what that like. You get tired of being at home all the time, you just wanna see it all explore the sights-" she sighed. "Makes you appreciate though the things about home."
"Yeah-I get that." Sora sighed.
The group continued to look around, unaware that outside, a large lingering shadow was looming over them. But they didn't have to notice. Everyone started opening chest and looking through various items. Until finally Sora found in one of the drawers in the captains desk a tiny silver Triton shaped Crystal and held it up to the window. All of it was mundane and silly but to Ariel it was her precious collection of trinkets.
"Look at this." Sora said showing the others the strange piece glint in his hand. "It's beautiful.
"Hey it looks like the trident." Goofy pointed out.
"Wonder what's this is doing all the way down here." Star asked.
"I mean this ship must have come from the shore, maybe it's from a whole other world itself." Ariel exclaimed, the mere notion excited her to no end. "Oh these are the reasons I love exploring this stuff-It's so strange and unique, things you couldn't even imagine to find back home."
"Makes you wonder why this world is mostly ocean." Sora muttered thinking aloud.
It was strange to him that there was little shore, at least to what he saw. Perhaps there was and he didn't know it. Yet the fact that he landed in the ocean and appeared as a mermaid or man in his case made him wonder about just how big these worlds were. In fact he was starting to wonder just how the world's worked out. Perhaps at a later date he could ask Merlin, he would be someone to know.
Star examined the thing closer "I bet it fits into the little rock somehow. Maybe if we put it in it will reveal something cool. Maybe even the Keyhole itself."
"Really?" Sora's eyes widened. "Would probably be the easiest Keyhole I've found yet."
Ariel beamed. "Great! Lets go before my father…."
"Uh Ariel." Flounder said, his voice stuttering.
Again Ariel ignored him. "Now now Flounder, come on lets go before my father finds us out here. Oh this will be great to see a Keyhole for my-.
"ARIEL RUN!"
"WHAT!?"
Ariel turned around, suddenly her and the others saw to there horror a large massive sharp heading right towards them. It's gigantic teeth smashing straight through the window as it tried to take a bite out of all of them. Everyone leaped back in shock. Sora felt his own heart now going twenty paces a minute before they leaped into action and ran as fast as they could out of the
"Well things can't get worse." Marco said as they were out of the ship
Sora's Keyblade emerged in his hand. "Oh no!"
"Heartless!"
Sora swam into action going as fast as he could and swung his Keyblade at one knocking it out. Yet he could not stop himself in time that he knocked himself into one of the rocks. He slammed up against it with a loud thud, his face contorted in pain. All the while the shark tried to take a large bite out of them.
"Ouch! How do you fight underwater!" Sora grumbled, as he got back out and charged forward trying to avoid the sharks constant strikes.
"Like this!" Ariel shouted as she swung her tale knocking a nearby Heartless back.
"Or this!" Star added firing her wand at one of the Heartless.
Sora still struggled to swim. He didn't know just how he was able to coordinate his tale and his key. Both felt heavy and his movement seemed restrained. "Ugh...Stupid tale, how do you move this thing!"
"Sora hush!" Donald said as he swam neared him. "You'll give yourself away."
"Oh a half duck octopus doesn't give us away." Sora chided.
"It's working so far as long as you don't go blab….."
Sora rolled his eye. "When has keeping secrets been a good thing in the first place."
"Hey guys less talking more Heartless fighting!" Star yelled as a few more Heartless appeared.
"Yeah but what about the shark!" Flounder yelled.
Soon there question was answered for soon to the shock of everyone, the Heartless immediately turned around and headed not towards them, but towards the shark. The one with the spikes poking at it, causing it to be blocked. Allowing Sora and the others to get away.
"What's going on?" Sora asked looking shocked.
Donald and Goofy also looked confused. "Uh….."
"Come on let's go." Ariel said as she started to swim off.
Sora looked at the shark, shocked by the fact the Heartless were helping them. That had never happened before. Something definitely felt up.
-000-
"I've never seen that happen." Sora said, finally speaking once they were far away from the shark as possible.
Everyone took a moment to breath. Marco seemed the most distressed, clutching his chest as if it was in agony. Ariel seemed the least fazed though, still fascinated by the little marking they found back at the old ship.
"I-hate-the ocean!" Marco said in between breaths.
Star rolled her eyes. "Oh don't be such a downer, you've dealt with worse...and yes, they have tried to eaten you."
"Well at least we got the trinket." Sora said as he swam next to it. "So, what are we waiting for, back to the grotto!"
"Things sure do happen fast it seems." Goofy pointed out as he followed Sora and the others.
Once back at the grotto they placed the tiny little trinket inside the trident shape hole, everything was ready and after a few failed attempts for Sora to get his Keyblade in hand he managed to summon it. Finally it was all ready to go. Sora aimed, he was about to fire, he could the energy from the Keyblade charging through him. Just a few more seconds and then…
"ARIEL!" A familiar sounding, booming, voice called out from behind him.
Suddenly the energy from his Keyblade faded as he turned around in a quick haste. Behind them King Triton himself stood, looking both furious and shocked. Everyone in the room gasped and looked nervous. Marco hid behind Star out of fear of being blasted.
"Um-Hello." Sora waved gently after a few moments of awkward silence.
King Triton's eyes screamed bloody murder as they gazed upon Sora. Being razed to respect authority Sora already could feel his body stiffen at the white bearded king, that sense of age and experience on his grizzled face, made the young key bearer realize that he was not someone to be trifled with.
"I told you to not go looking for the Keyhole and you deliberately disobeyed, now I'm afraid you will suffer the consequences!"
Aiming his trident the King used all his power and might and blasted the crystal right out of existence. Everyone gasped, all about Ariel who looked angry than anything else. She pouted her lips and took a deep breath, tears swelling in her face before swimming off without a moment's notice.
Sora tried to stop her, but it was to late, she was too fast, then he looked at Tritont upset. Elder or not, he knew what he did was wrong.
"What was that for!" Sora yelled angrily holding on to his Keyblade firmly in case a fight broke. "We were going to seal this world Keyhole once and for all and save this world from the Heartless, do you know what!"
"And what if the Heartless had used this time to sneak up, strike you and embrace this world in darkness." Triton yelled back causing Sora to stop speaking. "Don't think I don't know about that Keyblade bearer. Or worse what if your Keyblade had enacted the Keyhole and unleash the Darkness itself!"
Sora blinked. "You know about the Keyblade."
"Of course I do. Don't think I don't keep tabs on the likes of Phil or Merlin, both have spoken about you. And from what I have gathered, you are not only reckless, but ill prepared for fighting this battle against darkness."
"Hey, he's been doing a good job from what i've seen." Star defended.
"Not good enough-otherwise Mewni would still be around as well as your mother. The Keyblade has been the linchpin for death and decay for generations."
Star looked taken a back as she sighed.
"Hey, don't rub it in her face that she lost her world and mom too." Marco said putting a hand over her shoulder to comfort her. "That was cold -even for a King."
Triton took a deep sigh and began to scratch his long white beard, the wrinkles around his eyes becoming more apparent.. "I apologize, Queen Moon was a dear friend of mine, definitely a credit to your unique family line. But that doesn't excuse the fact that the Keyblade bearer is still very well ill-prepared. Plus I've never been one to believe that they have always been the great hero's they've claimed to be."
"W-What are you talking about?" Sora asked his voice shaking. "P-Phil brought up the same thing at first."
"Hey we're heroes." Donald fought back aghast at being accused like this. "Who are you to judge us."
"The King of this realm! And no-You are the wielder of the Keyblade and accomplices. Not a hero, that is a difference. Your principal duty according to the ancient laws and legends to be the guardian of the worlds of the light. Not to galavant and meddle in there affairs or the lives of others. That breaks the natural order of things."
Tritons words struck a nerve leaving Sora speechless. "I-I wasn't meddling I was helping I….."
"That is practically the same. Having the Keyblade master already gives someone the advantage" King Triton cut him off causing Sora to gulp. "It is that sort of mentality that brought them down in the end."
Sora blinked. "Brought them-Phil said the same thing."
"And he should know, he was there when it happened as was I. Granted I was not old enough to know what the world was like during the age of Fairy Tales, but I am old enough to know how the Keyblade fell."
"W-When what happened?" Sora asked a bit hesitation in his voice, unsure if he ever wanted the Answer.
"The Keyblade Masters fell, when one of their own turned on them and planted the seeds for the mess that we are in today. In fact if it wasn't for Xehanort, none of this probably would have happened in the first place. His drive for power and understanding of things he was never meant to understand has lead us down the path we are now and nearly unleashed evil and darkness beyond even him. Simple put it was Keyblade meddling plain and simple that led to their demise."
"W-Who is Xehanort?" Sora said, something about that name made his heart fidget in fear, as if he had heard it before.
"Whos…." Triton looked stunned before brushing him off. "It doesn't matter, it was a long time ago, just know that my daughter doesn't need your kind here, nor does my world. The Keyblade has for to long done nothing but shatter peace, and bring ruin. Now please, be gone, as well as you Princess Star and friend Marco and never bother these oceans again… I will not have that Keyhole reveal itself and stay it out of the way of anyone who would seek to do my world and my people harm"
With those last stern words Triton left leaving Sora and the others standing there in shock. Looking down at his Keyblade Sora was starting to understand why Phil had not trusted him when he first arrived back at the Olympus Coliseum. But this was different, this was information, more detailed information that even Phil had knew or perhaps refused to tell him. In fact the more Sora thought it over the more he realized that he knew little about why he was the last Keyblade Master in existence right now. What had happened to the others, and why were they so maligned.
"A evil Keyblade Master." He said to himself in a hush whisper. "Xehanort."
"Sora? You ok?" Goofy asked swimming toward him.
"Gee that king is such a stuck up no good." Marco paused noticing Star's face. "I mean-"
Star held up a hand. "No, no- I get it….But i do get him, he was just- thinking of what was best for his family, even if he did go a bit over the top."
Although Sora could not tell she was probably thinking of her own mother who must have been on that same level of overprotectiveness, he couldn't let Tritons words get to him personally right now.
"Sora?" Donald said.
"Y-Yeah, I'm fine, let's find Ariel! She's probably upset, she could use a friend."
Although he said he was fine, again his mind began to wonder of just what happened to the Keyblade Masters. Now a name, Xehanort, was thrown into the mix. Yet right now he tried to push those thoughts aside, he had a friend that was in trouble, and he knew one thing, meddling or not he needed to help her.
-000-
Ariel sobbed.
"If only daddy can see-I can do much more-" She whimpered.
Why couldn't her father understand, she just wanted to help. She just wanted to see other worlds. See the world, maybe go on a grand adventure. Was that so bad, was that so wrong? Well apparently for her father it was. She kept crying for several more minutes that was until a slippery voice echoed behind her, two echoing voices.
"Poor, poor sweet child."
"Wallows in her depth and sorrow."
Turning around Ariel saw two eels swim around her, each with a glowing yellow eye staring right at her. They grinned widely as they began to swim around her. Ariel was unsure what to make of them. She had never seen creatures like this before. Something about both seemed sickly and unnatural, yet she was too distraught to think.
"Perhaps she can help you?"
"She?" Ariel said, her voice stuttering.
"Oh yes, she'll make all your dreams come true….Ursula can help"
Both eels began to swim around until a large puff of black ink appeared, several technicals appeared, and on top, a large lumbering body, white tuff of hair, and large red slips. I rules the sea witch had emerged in all her lumbering body gently floating down to Ariel with a sympathetic expression on her face.
"You called my dear?" She said
Ariel looked up and blinked, unsure of just what to do say. "You're Ursula...I heard of you, I thought my father banished you."
"Oh just rumors and a few nasty stories that a few gossiping mermaids love to spread to someone of my uh….caliber." Ursula responded giving a light chuckle from her large body, her sleaky tentacles drifting in the water.
"Oh." Ariel sighed. "Well I uh-I was wondering if maybe, maybe….
"Let me guess, you wish to see other worlds, well that shouldn't be to hard. Not like there are barriers or anything….anymore…..After all your new friends are from another world.
"What? Sora? I know Star and Marco but….."
"Yes, yes…." Ursula laughed. "But they had special help, that mysterious Key."
"The Keyblade?"
"Indeed...Now, now, cheer up sweetie, you have something special too." She wrapped a technical around Ariels shoulder and beamed. "Now listen-carefully."