After breakfast, Biff and Jolene joined their parents on the seaside. Thomas was wheeling Aquina over to the water, going a bit closer than their children because of something that needed to be demonstrated. Thomas then stopped the chair and scooped up his wife in his arms and stepped over and gently tossed his wife right into the ocean. Biff and Jolene gasped, but they didn't worry too much as they trusted their parents, especially with their father not drowning their mother. Once Aquina hit the water, she seemed to go far under the sea before there was a shimmering and golden light of magic and Aquina soon popped her head back out of the water and waved at her children as a sea green colored tail fin was suddenly shown, wafting in the water to show Biff and Jolene that it was their mother's tail fin.
"WHOA!" Biff and Jolene gasped in amazement.
"We told you so." Thomas and Aquina told their children.
"Crazy..." Biff whispered. "We never doubted you guys, but still... This is really wild."
"So wait..." Jolene spoke up. "If Dad's a human and Mom's a mermaid... How did you two get married and how did you end up visiting Atlantica with Aunt Athena and Uncle Triton? How did this happen? Where did you get that magic?" she then asked as she had so many questions in such a little time.
"Slow down, kids," Thomas chuckled. "Like we said, Aunt Saleen gave your mother a special way keep in touch with the sea and her mermaid legacy."
"We'll tell you more eventually." Aquina added with a nod.
"So... Does this mean we have our own mermaid magic too?" Biff wondered.
"Yes, but it has to be unlocked," Aquina replied. "After the incident with your Aunt Athena and Uncle Triton, we 'mysteriously disappeared, but we promised to come back whenever possible. We kept in contact with your Aunt Saleen though and we needed her to keep something very secret for us when you were wee little like Ariel, Biff."
"Ohh." Biff and Jolene then started to say, now understanding, but just a little bit for right now as there was more from their parents to be told.
"We'll head back inside," Aquina suggested as Thomas approached his wife and came to help her back into her wheelchair. Once she was back inside her chair, there was a bright glow beneath her waist and her legs came back through magic.
"Can you believe this is actually happening, JoJo?" Biff asked his little sister.
"I wouldn't believe it if I didn't see it," Jolene replied. "What would Bubbles, Clamhead, and Jabberjaw say?"
"Well, for one thing, Clamhead would probably say 'Zowie'," Biff chuckled. "But yeah... I don't know if we could tell the others about this."
"I don't know either," Jolene agreed. "Can we tell our friends, Mom and Dad?" she then asked their parents.
"Maybe another time," Thomas suggested. "Right now would probably be too shocking and concerning."
Biff and Jolene shared a look with each other before they seemed to nod in agreement with their parents.
Soon, the Starke family was back inside to talk this over a little more. They sat in the living room beside the fireplace as Aquina decided to make something special in the kitchen as it was almost nighttime for the family.
"I was a lost boy and felt like an orphan," Thomas began to lightly explain to their children who believed just about anything now after finding out that their mother was a mermaid. Not to mention the fact that they were best friends with a Great White Shark who was luckily very harmless and comedic. "My parents were very poor and they couldn't afford to take care of me, so they sent me to live at the local orphanage in Kensington Gardens. I was very unhappy about that and missed my parents very much, but they promised that they would come back for me someday."
"Did they ever come back?" Biff asked softly.
"They probably did, but I wasn't there of course," Thomas replied calmly. "I was there for roughly a week or two. The nurses had too much time on their hands looking after the babies and a boy came to me and he told me that he could take me to a place where I wouldn't have to worry about anything ever again and where I could enjoy being a child despite my childhood depression. He also decided to call me 'Wildcat'."
"Wildcat?" Biff and Jolene asked.
"Well, I had cat pajamas," Thomas explained, smiling bashfully before he continued to explain his backstory to his two children. "The boy mentioned how he ran away from home ages ago and was able to return home to his parents, beginning to miss them, but later found out that his mother had another baby and he thought that she had replaced him and decided to go back to where he was going before. He then introduced me to a girl he was friends with who he wanted to marry."
"Ugh... Sounds like that psycho King Sandy kid from the beach with those knight cousins of his who wants to marry any random girl like Kuki Sanban." Jolene rolled her eyes in disgust.
"This girl was Maimie Mannering," Thomas then continued. "So they took me to a special world they found where kids never grow up and never have anything to worry about and eat cake for dinner and candy for dessert. I'm sure you know this place as Neverland."
"Whoa..." Biff whispered in amazement.
"Yes, I know." Thomas nodded.
"This boy you knew... He wouldn't happen to be Peter Pan, would he?" Jolene guessed.
"As a matter of fact, he was," Thomas replied. "He took me to Neverland and I never looked back after that. Peter told me he had been there since before he can even remember and he made me a Lost Boy of his before he found others by the names of Slightly, Cubby, Nibs, Tootles, and The Twins."
"Weird names." Jolene commented.
"Jolene!" Biff lightly scolded.
"Well, they are!" Jolene shrugged in defense.
"Quite..." Thomas remarked before he continued his story. "So I hung around with Peter and The Lost Boys and had all sorts of fun, even avoiding Captain Hook and the crew that boarded The Jolly Roger. Eventually, one visit to Mermaid Lagoon became unlike any other. It was there that we were resting in the forest, deciding to have a camp-out that night and go treasure hunting in the morning not too far from Skull Rock. I heard a very magical and musical singing voice."
"I wonder who it was?" Biff commented, though deep down, he seemed to have a very good idea of who it possibly could have been.
"It was your mother," Thomas smiled softly. "She was singing for the other mermaids of Mermaid Lagoon and eventually, I followed her singing and I ended up slipping and I tripped and fell while listening to her, but ended up splashing into the water. I panicked because I didn't know how to swim and I couldn't call for help."
"Oh, no!" Jolene gasped.
"Eventually, one of those mermaids of Mermaid Lagoon swam down under the sea and quickly caught me before I could drown," Thomas then continued. "I came back into consciousness and soon woke up to find your future mother, leaning over me with an excited and entranced smile. I smiled back at her and I started to feel feelings I never felt before."
"You fell in love?" Biff guessed.
"That, I did," Thomas nodded. "Peter and the other boys didn't understand why or how, but they sort of saw me as an outcast."
"What? Why?" Biff wondered. "Falling in love is such a beautiful thing."
"Yes, that it is, but you have to remember, those boys never grew up and falling in love is usually a sign of falling in love," Thomas reminded and explained to his children. "Peter gave me a stern warning when I decided I wanted to keep seeing this mermaid who lived far away from Neverland and was only visiting, far away from her own family. Her brother and sister."
"Uncle Triton and Aunt Saleen." Biff and Jolene both realized.
"Correct." Thomas nodded.
"So what happened next?" Jolene asked.
"Peter told me that 'Once you grow up, you can never come back. Never'," Thomas quoted from memory. "I then decided to get going and I didn't think that anything would happen to me. Of course, we had to change a few things and Saleen had her mermaid magic, so she promised to keep a very big and dark secret safe from your Uncle Triton who was busy with learning how to become the future ruler of Atlantica."
"So does Uncle Triton know that you're actually a human?" Jolene asked.
"He never has nor will he ever find out because of what happened to your Aunt Athena," Thomas lightly explained. "Saleen promised to keep the secret safe for us. We can't even imagine what would probably happen if he ever did find out."
"So... How did you guys get together without him knowing?" Biff asked.
"Well, like I said, your Aunt Saleen used a mermaid magic spell to turn me into a young merman and your mother and I claimed that I got separated from my family a very long time ago and needed some help and comfort," Thomas then explained. "Soon, your Uncle Triton met me, but as a fellow merman and not a former human boy. Luckily, the spell would last as long as possible, unless I came to dry land and then I would change back into a human. Soon, I grew up and did fall in love with your mother."
"Well... That at least sounds very beautiful and wonderful," Jolene commented. "So, did you ever see Peter Pan and Neverland again?"
"Well, I did... But there was a dark price that came with that visit," Thomas replied lightly. "I came to see Peter and the Lost Boys, but they noticed I had changed. I grew up and they decided that, like Peter warned me, could never go back to Neverland... So they decided to ask me to leave. Maimie was even gone because she felt like her mother was going to miss her dreadfully, but she promised to write letters and send presents from then on."
"Whoa... That must've hurt..." Biff frowned. "You had to leave your best friends in the world just because you fell in love."
"Yes... It was very hard..." Thomas nodded. "Eventually, while in Atlantica and under the sea, I grew to miss land life. I told your mother all about it and how wonderful it was. Soon, we saw your Aunt Saleen again and she helped give us some magic to come back onto dry land, but with a price. Magic always comes with a price."
"And what would that price be?" Jolene asked.
"Well, you know how your mother is in a wheelchair?" Thomas prompted.
"Yeah...?" Biff and Jolene nodded like it was obvious.
"The price was that only one of us would be allowed to walk," Thomas then explained. "Your mother decided that since I was born on land and everything that it would be better if I could walk and she wouldn't mind as long as she got to be with me and not too soon after, Biff was born."
"Man..." Biff whispered. "It sounds as crazy as Romeo & Juliet."
"Tell me about it," Jolene agreed. "So... You think we'll go to Atlantica?"
"After the discovery you made, that might be a good idea," Thomas nodded. "Just as long as you keep Daddy's secret safe from Uncle Triton."
"Hmm..." Biff frowned thoughtfully before nodding. "Well... I'm not sure how I feel about keeping secrets from family, but we'll keep your secret safe, Dad."
"Thank you," Thomas replied. "It's for the best."
"I agree," Aquina nodded as she rolled by with a tray filled with sugar cookies shaped like stars and hearts. "Now how about we sit down and have some cookies before we go to bed?" she then suggested.
"Yeah! Cookies!" Biff and Jolene beamed in excitement.
Thomas and Aquina smiled fondly at their children as they soon shared some cookies before they would head off to bed for the night.
"I can't get over the fact that Mom was a mermaid the whole time," Jolene said to her brother on the way to bed after they had their cookies. "Not to mention how Dad even knew Peter Pan and went to Neverland."
"I guess some fairy tales are real after all." Biff nodded in agreement.
"Part of me wishes we could see our cousins like you got to when you were little," Jolene replied. "Do you think that they will let us?"
"Hard to say, but I know what you mean," Biff said. "I wish we had a way to go down under the sea unless Mom and Dad already have an idea."
"Yeah..." Jolene replied softly. "Well... Good night, Biff."
"Good night, Jolene," Biff nodded at his younger sister. "Sweet dreams."
The two then shared a hug before they went off to their respective bedrooms for the night. Thomas looked over as he was finishing up with light work upstairs before he looked puzzled at what his children were talking about before he went to join his wife in bed as he came downstairs.
Aquina was shown to be brushing her hair down at her vanity table before she glanced at the splashing waves outside. It made her think of simpler times and she longed to have them back, but it was rather difficult. "Oh... I miss you all very much..." she said with a small sigh as she looked out the window over to the far-off ocean.
"Good to see you miss your family too." Thomas said as he came to join his wife in their bedroom.
"Oh!" Aquina gasped before turning around and nodding at her husband as she put her hand to her heart. "Thomas, you startled me."
"I'm sorry about that, my dear," Thomas replied. "I just overheard the kids talking."
"Oh... Well, I hope that they're all right." Aquina said.
"Oh, they are," Thomas nodded. "They just wish we could do something about Atlantica after we told them everything."
"Ah... I see..." Aquina then said. "I might have a way, but I'm not 100% certain about it or if it will even work."
"What is it, my dear?" Thomas asked his wife as he stepped over to her. "You can tell me anything."
"Well... I suppose I could try to contact my sister in the waters, but I'm not sure if she'll even be around," Aquina said lightly. "It's been so long and I haven't seen her since we decided to leave after Athena had died."
"I'm sure you could find her in some shape or form," Thomas insisted. "You know more about this than I do, so I don't doubt it will work. It's worth a try."
"Hmm... Maybe you're onto something," Aquina said thoughtfully. "Should I try tonight?"
"Whenever you're ready and feel the most comfortable is fine by me, but I would probably do it as soon as possible while the kids are still visiting us." Thomas replied.
"Hmm... All right then," Aquina said after giving it some thought. "Could you help me get outside though?"
Thomas smiled softly. "Sure thing." he then nodded as he came over to her wheelchair handles and began to roll her out of the room and out of the house.
"Thank you, Thomas." Aquina smiled back warmly.
"No problem, my dear." Thomas nodded.
Eventually, the Starke couple was outside on the beach. Aquina was rolled over to the ocean as the waves gently splashed.
"All right, here you are," Thomas told his wife. "I'll wait here for you and then we'll get some sleep. I just know that this will work, even if it's been over 10 years since the incident."
"I suppose you're right," Aquina nodded as she lifted her nightgown's skirt and slid her feet out into the water. "Well, here I go. Under the sea."
"Under the sea." Thomas smiled softly.
Aquina smiled back as she took a deep breath as she looked into the ocean's waters. Eventually, there was a big glow that filled the air and soon, Aquina suddenly had her mermaid tail-fin back. Once her tail-fin appeared, she then stretched her body above her waist and soon leaped right into the water, splashing as she went down under the sea as Thomas sat by her wheelchair, trying to be patient.
Aquina soon came fully down under the sea. She looked around with a fond smile as her hair bounced around and she began to swim around, giggling and beaming as she loved being under the sea again after a very long time of being gone. She started to swim around, passing by various fish, crabs, starfish, and a whole lot more, even passing by bouncing and waving kelp. On her way, there appeared to be another mermaid out and about. She had long red hair tied at the end and she wore a matching orange crown and blue earrings and her tail-fin seemed to resemble that of a lionfish.
"Oh, my gosh... I don't believe it..." Aquina whispered before she called out. "Saleen? Saleen!"
"Huh?" The other mermaid blinked and looked around before gasping. "Oh, my gosh! Aquina, is that you?!"
"Yes, Saleen, it's me. Hello there." Aquina smiled.
The two mermaids then swam up to each other and shared a hug together.
"What're you doing here?" Saleen asked. "It's been so long. We thought maybe you moved to an entirely different ocean or something."
"It's a very long story," Aquina replied. "I'm not sure how to explain it, especially with my family situation on land."
"Ah... That's right..." Saleen nodded as she knew the secret.
Aquina then began to tell Saleen all about how her and Thomas' kids were visiting and how they learned about the family secret. Saleen listened and nodded closely as she could tell that this was very important.
"So... I was just wondering if you could maybe help us out," Aquina said to her sister. "You can see that it's very important and crucial."
"Yes... I see," Saleen replied. "So you want to come by and especially not have Triton know and learn about your secret."
"That would mean a lot to us, yes," Aquina concluded. "I mean... If you don't mind, that is."
"Hmm... Well, I suppose I could do something for you with my special magic~" Saleen smirked and winked. "I just don't know if right away. It's the middle of the night after all."
"Ah, yes... I don't wish to wake up my children, even with news this exciting," Aquina smiled bashfully. "So, do you think that you can help us?"
"Well... This is a pretty big job, but... I think I can help you and your family out," Saleen replied after thinking about it. "Probably tomorrow morning or afternoon at the least."
"That sounds pretty good," Aquina smiled hopefully then. "I can't wait for you to see how much Biff has grown and not to mention our daughter, Jolene. They're both very lovely children."
"So I see," Saleen smiled back. "I'm sure I'll be able to help you out no problem. Just remember to try to contain your excitement and be as patient as you can."
"I'll try my best," Aquina replied before hugging her sister again. "Thank you so much, Saleen. You're the best."
"Aww... I don't know about that," Saleen smiled. "I'm glad to have helped though."
"I'll see you tomorrow then, okay?" Aquina then said as she went swimming away back home.
"See you then, Aquina," Saleen nodded. "Just leave it all to me."
"Thank you so much," Aquina beamed before she swam away in excitement. "Oh, this is going to be so great!"
"Oh, it will," Saleen nodded before smirking. "It'll be even more exciting later on, especially for myself and a special friend of mine~" she added, sounding a little wicked.
Back on land, Thomas was sleeping soundly before water splashed on him, making him cough and sit up suddenly. "What? What? What?" he then asked before looking around, then saw his wife and smiled sheepishly. "Oh. Hey... Did you find your sister?"
"I did," Aquina beamed. "We're all set for a very special family vacation starting tomorrow~"
"All right!" Thomas smiled before hugging his wife. "That's great, Aquina. That's really exciting."
"I know~" Aquina smiled back. "I can't wait. I bet that the kids will be thrilled."
"I know I am, especially you," Thomas beamed. "This is going to be great, honey."
"I really hope so." Aquina nodded before she was helped back up into her wheelchair as her legs came back so that they could return home.