A/N: Hey, everyone! It's me, MBAV fan66! Who's ready for part 5 of this fairytale by the sea, eh?! :D I hope you all brought your swimsuits. *giggles* ;P
Things are about to get a bit heated in this chapter. As the drama begins to unfold in the undersea royal family. Plus, we also see just how much alike Erica and her father are, too! Lol!
Uh...I'm not really sure what else to say about this chapter that won't give everything away before you all get the chance to read it first. Eh-heh. *rubs back of neck awkwardly/nervously* So, I'll just leave this author note short and sweet, then! ;) Anyway, I hope you all will enjoy the newest chapter of The Little Mermaid! Happy reading! :D
But first, some shout-outs to these lovely people!:
ashley164- I don't know if you've been following along with this story or not, but I just want to say thank you for the favorite and follow for my other story, My Deadly Sin. I really appreciate it! :D
Stretch Snodgrass- Thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed it. :) Unfortunately, that "good sister" role of Ellie's won't last for long. But not on purpose, though. You'll see, once you've read the chapter. Lol! Although, there will be a bit of a strained relationship between the two sisters now. Anyway, I hope you enjoy reading this chapter, as well! ;D
TiredOfBeingNice- Ellie is pretty cool. But after this chapter, Erica probably won't think that for too much longer, though. :/ Uh...yeah. All is well in this chapter, fanfic buddy. *nervous laugh* :P I hope you're still pumped because here it is, now! :D
Bennyweirlover17- Aw, thanks! I'm glad you loved it so much. Here's the next chapter now! Enjoy! ;D
Story: The Little Mermaid Part 5
Chapter 30: Broken Things And Broken Dreams
Main Pairing: Ethan/Erica
A little while later, back inside the palace, King Triton sat upon his throne all happy and giddy-like about his youngest daughter finding love. He whirled around the sea flower that Erica had given him in his hand a bit as he pondered out loud to himself. "Ooh, I wonder who the lucky merman could be?" he said joyously to himself, as he looked at the sea flower an adoring expression on his face at the thought. But he quickly stopped what he was doing once he noticed Ellie standing there in the throne room's entryway. He cleared his throat and straightened up his posture more on his throne while hiding the sea flower in his hand behind his back. "Um...come in, Ellie." greeted King Triton in a mighty but polite tone to her eldest daughter.
Ellie nervously came on it as instructed by her father. "You asked to see me, Daddy?" she said to her father a bit timidly, afraid of what it is that he might want from her after being told by a staff member that he wanted to see her just moments after Erica had left. She wasn't sure if he had somehow found out about Erica's infatuation with a human or not. Either way, she hated keeping secrets from their father. Especially, ones that are as big as this one is.
Thankfully, King Triton was too caught with up what was on his mind moments ago to even notice the slight nervousness in his daughter's posture and tone. "Yes! Yes, I did!" he stated regally in a serious manner. "Ellie, I'm concerned about your sister Erica." stated King Triton seriously in a strong fatherly-like manner.
"O-oh...is that so, Daddy?" nervously replied Ellie.
But King Triton was too caught up in his good mood to notice her stuttering and slight trembling. Instead, he simply nodded to her reply. "It is. I know how close you and Erica are so I'm sure she must've told you about her being in love with someone and has probably sworn you to secrecy to avoid any embarrassment from others." he said a bit more lightheartedly now as he looked at his daughter expectantly.
Ellie was so nervous that she started to feel herself crack from the pressure, as she anxiously refused to her father in the eyes. "Um..." was all she could say, thinking that they were probably busted and that he knew about Erica's dirty little secret already, somehow.
"So...tell me, Ellie. Just who it is that our dear little Erica has fallen in love with, eh?" asked King Triton then, expectantly and all giddy-like to his eldest daughter.
Not being able to take it any longer, Ellie caved under the pressure and spilled everything to him. Fearing that her father already knows all about Erica's little crush on a human. That and the intense glaring that he was doing was really starting to get to her, too. "I'm so sorry, Daddy! I tried to tell her! I honestly did! But you know how Erica can be! She just wouldn't listen to me when I told her that falling in love with a human was a big mistake and that she should just forget about it ever happening!" frantically rambled Ellie all desperate and anxious-like, as she couldn't stop herself from spilling Erica's secret to their father. She was always terrible at keeping secrets from their father. Especially, big ones such as this.
Ellie's confession had quickly changed King Triton's mood in an instant. Putting him in a bad mood now. "A HUMAN!" yelled King Triton furiously at the news of his youngest being in love with a human.
Ellie flinched at her father's tone, feeling terrible for betraying her little sister's trust in her to keep her secret and for being so weak when it came to their father, as well. Sure she respects the man a great deal and loves him dearly, but she also fears him a little, too. He's quite scary when angered and tends to have a bit of a temper, too. Although, so does her little sister Erica, too. And now she's gonna have to face her wrath now that their father knows the truth about her infatuation with humans.
"Now, Daddy...you need to calm down. Your blood pressure, remember?" cautiously/timidly reminded Ellie to her father, as she tried to quell the situation some between her and her father. But sadly, it didn't work.
"I will not calm down! How dare she disobey my orders to stay away from humans! Who does that girl think she is?! And to fall for one of those...those...MONSTERS?! That's even worse!" ranted King Triton angrily to his eldest daughter, as she got all worked up over subject. "I wonder what other secrets she's been keeping from me, all this time, too?!" he exclaimed loudly in curiosity and disapproval, as well. He then looked back at his eldest daughter. "You know, don't you, Ellie?" he said to her suspiciously while looking at her accusingly.
"Uh...I uh..." was all Ellie could say, as she felt back into a corner, now.
"Ellie, I demand you tell me the truth. What else has Erica been keeping from me." demanded King Triton in a measured tone as he glared at her.
Once again, she cracked under the pressure. Letting out a defeated sigh, Ellie began to tell him everything. About Erica's fascination with the surface world and wanting to someday go there to see what it's like. As well, as her crush on a human prince, who she then later saved from drowning after a storm had destroyed his ship. She also had told him all about Erica's hidden grotto that was full of nothing but human things, too. With each word that came out of her mouth, Ellie felt more and more ashamed of herself and wished she could just...disappear, right now. Or at the very least, wished she never knew anything about Erica's secret.
Once Ellie was done spilling Erica's secrets to their father, King Triton then demanded she'd take him to this grotto of Erica's. Not wanting to disobey her father's orders, Ellie shamefully (and regrettably, too) lead her father to where Erica's little hideaway was at. Feeling very disappointed in herself on their way there, as well.
Meanwhile, just a little bit before Ellie's betrayal to her, Erica was swimming along on her to see if she can spot the human prince, again, when she was suddenly stopped by her best friend Sarah.
"Oh! There you are, Erica!" greeted Sarah energetically, as she quickly swam up to her. "I've been looking everywhere for you!" she said excitedly.
"You have? Why?" asked Erica curiously with a look of confusion and intrigue on her face.
"I found something that I think you might like! Come on!" answered Sarah excitedly before snatching Erica's hand in hers and hurriedly swimming off to somewhere.
"Sarah, just tell me already what it is that's so important for you to show me!" lightly demanded Erica amusingly and intriguingly, as they swam along with her following Sarah's lead. She wasn't mad or getting frustrated at Sarah or anything. Just anxious and excited to see what the girl was so eager to show her, was all.
"Nope. It's a surprise." replied Sarah happily. "Besides, we're almost there." she then stated.
Sure enough, they were. "The grotto? Why are we here?" wondered Erica out loud perplexingly. But she never got the chance to hear Sarah's response because right as they entered the large chamber where she keeps most of her human objects at, Erica saw the most amazing thing.
"No, way..." said Erica in awe, as she looked at what sat in the center of the room.
"Surprise!" exclaimed Sarah cheerfully, as she swam up next to it and held her arms out wide in a ta-dah manner.
There in the middle of the room was the statue of Prince Ethan that was on his ship that had gone down during the storm, yesterday. Erica looked at it with wide eyes as a big fat smile then spread itself across her face at the sight of the glorious statue. She was so overwhelmed with excitement and joy at her surprise from Sarah that she let out an ear-piercing squeal of exhilaration first before then hugging her best friend practically to death.
"Eeeek! Oh, thank you so much, Sarah! I love it!" squealed Erica all giddy and joyous-like while hugging Sarah. "You're the bestest best friend EVER!"
"Alright! Alright, Erica! Chill!" chuckled Sarah happily in amusement, glad that her best friend was so ecstatic and thrilled about her little surprise. "You're starting to suffocate me with your freakishly strong bear hug." she pointed out lightheartedly in a joking-like manner with a smile.
Erica then let go of her and just rolled her eyes at her teasing/sarcastic sense of humor for a sec before then swimming over to the statue to admire it's beauty. "Oh, wow... It looks just like him! His eyes. His hair. His lips..." she said admiringly as she pointed out every feature of the statue that looked just like the real Prince Ethan's facial features. Although, when she got to the part about his lips, she got kind of lost in thought as she imagined what it felt like for her lips to be touching his in a kiss. After a few seconds, Erica then started to pretend that she was talking to the real Prince Ethan. "Why, Ethan?! Runaway with you?" giggled Erica in a dreamy/playful manner with mock surprise in her tone at the end, as well. "This is all so...so sudden." she then replied to the statue (as if it was a real person) in a flirty/dreamy kind of way, as she leaned on the statue's chest with her head resting on it's shoulder while gazing at it's face lovingly and admiringly. She then let out a small giggle of happiness as she stopped leaning on the statue to do a little twirl of joy with her heart all aflutter.
But when she turned around, Erica gasped in surprise at who was standing there in the entrance of the grotto staring back at her with this very angry and disapproving glare. "Daddy!" gasped Erica startlingly at the sight of her father. "W-what are you doing here?" she then asked him in a nervous stutter.
"I consider myself a reasonable merman. I set certain rules and I expect those certain rules to be obeyed." stated King Triton in a strict/measured tone while scolding his youngest for breaking the biggest rule there is in the kingdom.
"But Daddy-!" began Erica pleadingly, as she tried to explain to him her reason for breaking the rules but he wouldn't listen, as he immediately cut her off and kept going.
"Is it true, that you rescued a human from drowning?" he asked her pointedly.
"Daddy, I had to-!" she tried to explain but once again she was cut off before she could finish by her disgruntled and unreasonable father.
"Contact between the human world and the mer world is strictly forbidden! Erica, you know that! Everyone knows that!" rebuked King Triton strongly and heatedly to his rebellious daughter, as his tone began to rise even more in volume.
Erica was now starting to get a little bit annoyed at her father for constantly cutting her off and not giving her a chance to even explain herself to him. But she tried to keep her cool, not wanting to make things even more worse for herself. "He would've died!" stated/defended Erica strongly with compassion in her tone.
"One less human to worry about." spitefully/coldly declared King Triton to her in anger, as he turned his back towards her to show that he didn't care about some human almost drowning to death at sea.
"You don't even know him!" stated Erica a bit miffed herself now at the fact that her father could be so cold and heartless to someone he doesn't even know. Her patience with the merman was really starting to become thinner by the second as this conversation dragged on.
This caused King Triton to turn back around to face her again. "Know him?! I don't have to know him! They're all the same! Spineless, savage harpooning fish eaters! Incapable of any feeling-!" explained/ranted King Triton angrily, as he went off and started to give all the reasons why he hates humans so much until Erica suddenly shouted something at him that he'd thought he would never hear.
"Daddy, I love him!" shouted/blurted Erica in defiance suddenly, not being able to take all of her father's harsh words anymore about humans. The moment the words came tumbling out of her mouth, Erica instantly regretted it as she saw the look of betrayal and shock on his face. Although, deep down, a part of her was actually very much relieved to finally have the truth out to her father. And nothing he would ever say or do would ever change the way she felt about Prince Ethan, either.
"No..." gasped King Triton incredulously in mild horror at first, before his anger took over once again. This time he was ten times more furious at her than before. "Have you lost your senses completely?! He's a human! You're a mermaid!" he told her blatantly in disapproval as he continued to yell at her.
"I don't care!" shouted back Erica stubbornly at her father, as she glared at him defiantly.
This pushed him even further over the edge. "So, help me, Erica! I am going to get through to you! And if this is the only way? Then so be it." threatened King Triton in a strict and overbearing tone, as he held his triton in both hands causing it to glow, now.
Erica didn't like the sound of that, afraid of what he was about to do. Unfortunately, though, before she could do or say anything else to him, King Triton had pointed his triton at one of her many human objects in the room and blasted it to pieces. But he didn't stop there. He blasted another human object in her little hideaway and another and another. Destroying them all one by one in front of her.
Erica was horrified at what her father was doing to her collection of human things. She tried to stop him but he wouldn't listen and kept on going until all that remained was the statue of Prince Ethan.
"Daddy! Daddy, no! Please, don't!" cried out Erica desperately to her father for him to please spare the statue. But he didn't. With one last mighty wave of the triton, he blasted the statue to smithereens. Turning it into nothing more than just a bunch of rubble on the ocean floor, now.
Feeling so heartbroken over it, Erica laid there on a rock with her head buried in her folded arms, crying. As King Triton was about to leave he stopped for a second to glance over his shoulder at the poor heartbroken girl. His proud strong demeanor then soften some, as he felt somewhat sorry for making her cry. He hated having to make her so sad and upset with him, but it had to be done if he was to get his point across to her. What kind of father would he be if he didn't discipline his daughters properly? Sure, what he did to Erica might've been a bit drastic and cruel, but she had to learn that there are consequences for breaking the rules. As well, as that humans and mermaids just don't mix very well. It was just...unnaturally wrong for a mermaid to be with a human. So, he had to get that silly notion out of her head some way. And if being coldhearted and harsh by destroying everything in this room that she cares about is the only way for that to happen? Then so be it. Even if it means breaking her heart in the process. With that, he let her be, to mourn over the loss of her beloved human artifacts.
Sarah gave Erica a few minutes to herself before going over to comfort her. "Erica...are you alright?" she asked empathetically in concern.
"No! I'm not!" yelled Erica upsettingly as tears still fell from her eyes after lifting her head to look at her friend.
Sarah flinched at the volume of tone she just used towards her, but she didn't let that stop her from comforting her friend, though. Sarah swam up closer to Erica and started to soothingly rub the sad mermaid's back slightly to comfort her. "It's ok, Erica." was all Sarah said to her as she rubbed her back. Erica then quickly moved to hug her while continuing to sob some more.
After a couple more minutes of crying into Sarah's shoulder, Erica felt slightly better, now. Pulling out of the hug and looked at Sarah perplexing. "I don't get it, Sare. How did he find out about this place?" asked/frowned Erica confusingly. Sarah simply shrugged her shoulders, not sure herself. But then they both got their answer the moment Ellie decided to make herself known to them, finally.
The moment Erica saw Ellie and the guilty look that displayed itself across her face, Erica instantly knew the culprit who ratted her out was. "YOU!" exclaimed Erica furiously as she narrowed her eyes angrily at her.
"Erica, listen! I am SO sorry!" apologized Ellie desperately to her sister, but before she could continue she was abruptly cut off by a furious Erica.
"Can it, Ellie!" snapped Erica angrily, as she looked at her. Obviously, very angry and disappointed in her big sister. "I can't believe you! You told Daddy about this place after I had BEGGED you not to and you had given me your word that you wouldn't?! Some sister you are!" raged Erica disappointingly to Ellie.
"Erica, I'm sorry! Ok?! You know how hard it is for me to keep secrets from Daddy! Especially, when he gives you that...overly bearing-fatherly look of his! I was pretty much pressured into telling him after he found out about you being in love with some mystery guy, Erica! Please, Erica. Say you understand?" explained Ellie frantically to Erica, as she begged for her forgiveness.
But Erica refused to forgive her. Like their father, once her temper takes over there's no reasoning with her. "Oh, yeah! I understand, alright." scoffed Erica bitterly and sarcastically with her arms crossed. "That you're a horrible big sister who can't keep her big mouth shut around Daddy and gives in so easily to the slightest bit of pressure!" she then blurted soon after in frustration and anger while glaring at her. "Some queen you'll make." she then sarcastically scoffed once again, as she looked away in disapproval and disgust this time.
Ellie's head lowered at that as she looked down in shame knowing that it was true. If she can't handle the slightest bit of pressure being thrown at her from their father (or anyone else for that matter), then how can she be Atlantis's next ruler someday, then? She has to learn how to stand up for herself when it comes to disagreeing with their father about something like her sisters do. Rather than just giving in to pressure and submissively doing what she's told without a fight. She has to be stronger than that!
"I thought I could trust you, Ellie. But I guess I was wrong." stated Erica bitterly. "I...I...I hate you! And Daddy, too!" she stuttered a bit trying to get the words out until finally, they did. More tears ran down Erica's face then but her expression wasn't sadness, though. Instead, it was one of anger and hate. Erica not being able to handle looking at her big sister anymore or even being in the same place as her then told her to leave. "Now...leave! I don't want you here!" she demanded stubbornly/coldly, as he pointed towards the exit.
Ellie gasped when she heard Erica say that she hates her. Her heart broke at those words, knowing that she let her baby sister down so much that it meant she now hates her. Ellie sniffled a bit as tears of her own fell from her eyes, but she got the message. She was no longer welcomed here. So, with her head held low and an ache in her heart, Ellie left.
"Geez, Erica. Wasn't that a bit harsh?" piped in Sarah apprehensively from concern at what just happened between the sisters after Ellie left.
Erica simply just scoffed bitterly before answering her. "Of course, not. She deserves it."
"Come on, Erica. They're your family. You can't just...hate them forever all because you're mad at them." advocated Sarah reasonably, as she tried to get Erica to let go of her anger and resentment towards her father and sister over what happened here today. Sarah knew how much Erica loved her father and sisters. So, there was no way she could ever truly hate them for too long. No matter how badly they might've hurt her.
"Watch me!" snapped Erica rudely out of spite.
"You're being ridiculous, now. It was only just things that the humans had dropped into the sea, Erica. And that statue? It was only just that. A statue. It wasn't like your father blasted the real Prince Ethan." explained Sarah rationally. Although, she had to admit. She, herself, was now starting to get a bit miffed at Erica's attitude, right now. But she remained level-headed and calm, though, to prevent things from getting worse by one of them saying something that the other couldn't take back. Sarah was really trying to be sympathetic here, but her best friend was just...making it so hard when she's like this.
Erica gasped dramatically at what Sarah said to her. "They are not just things that the humans dropped into the sea, Sarah! They're more than that to me! They're my treasure! Precious human artifacts that gave us a look into the humans' world up there! And I cherished each-and-every one of them will all my heart, too!" stated Erica in offense. "It took me a really long time to gather everything here and now it's all gone! Thanks to my blabbering big mouth sister going off and telling Daddy about this place. Only for him to then immediately come swimming on over here to destroy my collection that I've worked so hard on! Now, all of my precious valuables are nothing more than worthless rubble now! Including, my new favorite! The Prince Ethan statue!" furiously ranted Erica at her best friend. Her angry facial features then softened a little as a sullen look fell upon her face. "I know that the statue might've not been the real Ethan. But...it was the closest thing I had to ever be able to see him, again since I can't exactly walk on land." she stated sullenly/longingly while thinking about it. "At least with the statue, I was able to see him whenever I wanted and for however long I wanted, too."
"Erica..." frowned Sarah sympathetically then, as she saw the sad look upon Erica's face. But Erica's brooding didn't last long, though, as she immediately went back to being angry and upset at her sister and father, again.
"But now he's gone! Thanks to Daddy and Ellie! And I'll never forgive them for taking that away from me, too!" declared Erica strongly in anger and resentment.
Sarah sighed in defeat/disappointment, seeing how her best friend's anger and stubbornness as once again returned. "But Erica-" tried Sarah once again, but again was shut down before she could even speak.
"No, Sarah! I don't want to hear it!" snapped Erica heatedly to her. "And if you can't accept that then...you can just leave, too!" furiously stated Erica out of frustration and stubbornness, as she crossed her arms and turned her back towards Sarah with her head tilted upward like a spoiled little kid.
Now, fed up with Erica's childish behavior finally, Sarah's expression turned sour as she decided to give up on getting her best friend to let go of her resentment towards her father and sister before something bad happens and she regrets it later on when it's too late to take back.
"Fine, Erica. Have it your way. I'm out of here." resentfully replied Sarah with a bit of attitude of her own. Realizing that maybe it's best just to leave her alone for now while she's like this and that some time alone is just what she needs to think it over some more. Besides, it was impossible to get through to the girl when her temper is flaring, like this. Also, now she needed some time to cool down herself, as well, after dealing with an upset and angry Erica. So, Sarah left.
Now, that she was alone. Erica sorta felt awful for being so mean to Sarah like that. She was only trying to help like the best friend she is. But instead, she blew up at her too and pushed her away. Uncrossing her arms and letting her stand-offish posture fall to more of a slumping one, Erica sighed. Feeling disappointed in herself and like a bad friend, too. But the anger she held for Ellie and her father still remained, though. Only...not as much as it did before. She was still mad at them, yes. But not to the point now where she feels the need to go off on others who weren't them. Like she just did to Sarah.
"I'm such an idiot." sighed Erica disappointedly, feeling like a bad friend, now. But the anger she held for Ellie and her father still remained, though. Only...just not as much as it did before. She was still mad at them, yes. But not to the point now where she feels the need to go off on others who weren't them. Like she just did to Sarah.
Unaware that she was being watched this entire time, Erica suddenly heard someone speaking to her from behind.
"Poor child. Poor sweet child." said the mysterious voice mockingly, who turned out to be one of Stephanie's eels with the other one following close behind it. "She has a very serious problem."
"If only there was something we could do?" said the other one rhetorically in a helpful/thoughtful manner, as they swam around Erica mockingly.
Erica didn't know what to think, as she watched the pair of moray eels carefully while listening to their words. Something told her not to trust them and that she should just ignore them and swim away. But...a part of her was also very curious at what it is that they had to say, too. So, she stayed and let them talk.
"But there is something!" said the other eel in realization immediately after.
"Who...who are you?" asked Erica curiously, now somewhat intrigued by their offer.
"Don't be scared." said one of the eels coming right up to her. "We represent someone who can help you." stated the other one, coming up from behind her.
When the first eel that had spoken came up to her and slithered around her, the contact made Erica kinda cringe a little at the feel of it.
"Someone who can make all your dreams come true." said the eel that slithered around her.
"Just imagine." they said at the same time, now, as they twisted their bodies together slightly. "You and your prince." only one of them said this time. "Together. Forever." they both said in unison again, batting their eyes innocently/dreamily with their head barely touch each other.
"I don't understand?" replied Erica in confusion, wondering what they're getting at.
"Stephanie...has great powers." answered one of the eels in a whisper-like tone while grinning at the girl.
"The sea witch?! Why...I couldn't possibly..." started Erica in surprise and conflict with herself, not knowing what to think. She's heard stories before about the sea witch Stephanie as a child but wasn't sure whether to believe them or not. They say that she's evil and cruel and those who dare bother to make a deal with her are never heard from, again. But...if Stephanie is able to somehow help reunite her with Prince Ethan, again, then...isn't it worth the risk? Those were all just stories she's heard as a child, after all. Perhaps, she's not as bad as they say she is? No! What was she even thinking?! No way was she going to trust Stephanie! She's a sea witch, after all! Meaning, she's bad news and not to be trusted! "No! Get out of here! Leave me alone!" rejected Erica defiantly/heatedly then at the two eels. She then turned her back away from them with her arms crossed.
"Suit yourself." said one of the eels smugly, as they turned to leave. "It was only a suggestion." said the other one in the same way, as they swam along but then it took it's tail to casually knock a piece of the statue's remains over in her direction.
The piece had landed next to Erica causing her to turn around out of curiosity to look at it. It was of Prince Ethan's face. Feeling sad and still conflicted, she picked up the chunk of statue and looked at it longingly as she felt her heartache at the sight of it. Reminding her of what could never be if things remained the way they are now. She was probably going to regret this but...she had to do it. If it means leaving this place that only brings her pain now, to be with the one she loves who lives on land. She'd do anything to be with Prince Ethan, again. Even if it means...making a deal with the sea witch Stephanie.
"Wait!" called out Erica urgently to the eels.
"Y-eeesss?!" they both said in unison, drawing out the word intriguingly/mockingly as they turned around to face her.
Outside of the cave somewhere, Ellie waited patiently for Erica to come out as she debated with herself on what to say to the young mermaid as an apology. Going over how to apologize to her out loud to no one but herself, really. She really did feel bad for breaking her sister's trust, like that. And she hated it, even more, to have her darling little sister be so angry and upset with her, too.
"Ellie? What are you still doing here? I thought you left earlier." came Sarah's voice from nowhere it seemed, startling Ellie a bit.
"Sarah! Oh, goodness gracious. You startled me." stated Ellie a bit startlingly in relief.
"Yeah...um...again. What are you still doing here? I thought you left right after your father did?" inquired Sarah curiously in confusion.
"Oh, yes. Well...I honestly do feel really bad about what happened in there with Daddy and I um...just wanted to apologize again to her after she's had some time to cool off a bit." replied Ellie with a sad and disappointed frown on her face.
"Yeeeah... Somehow I still don't think she's quite ready, just yet. Erica's still pretty riled up in there about everything. I tried to talk in the hopes of getting her to see reason, but...you know how she is when she gets so mad. It's nearly IMPOSSIBLE to get her to see reason while her temper is high. Eventually, I got tired of her childish behavior and attitude and decided to just leave her alone for now. This time, I think it's gonna take a long while for her to cool down after what all went down in there earlier with your dad." informed Sarah helpfully, as she suggested to Ellie to give the poor girl in there more time to herself.
"Yeah. You're probably right." agreed Ellie sullenly while looking down. She was about to say something else when she had looked back up again at Sarah but didn't, as she then suddenly saw Erica swimming overhead with two very suspicious and shady-looking moray eels on either side of her. Something in Ellie's gut told her to not trust these two eels and that they were probably up to something no good, as well. Curious and concerned, Ellie then swam up to them.
"Erica, what are you doing with these two...riffraff? Obviously, they can't be trusted." worriedly asked Ellie. Although, her tone was also little on the offensive/rude side which was more directed at the two eels than anything.
"I'm going to see Stephanie." answered Erica snobbishly, as she held her head up high in a snooty manner to show that she was still mad at her.
Ellie gasped then. "What?! No, Erica! You can't! She's evil! You know the stories about her! You can't go!" urged Ellie in great concern, not liking Erica's idea to go see the sea witch one bit. Ellie tried to stop her by swimming in front of her and holding her arms out wide with a determined look on her face. "I won't let you!" she said confidently.
But Erica didn't care, though. Instead, she just swam around her sister and kept going in the same direction as before.
"Erica!" called out Ellie desperately to the mermaid, as she went around her. But before Ellie could say anything more to her, Erica spoke instead.
"Why don't you go tell Daddy. You're good at that." snapped/stated Erica spitefully from over her shoulder at Ellie before finally swimming off and leaving her behind.
Ellie was left there in shock and hurt at her harsh words. Sarah then came swimming up beside her. "Are you alright?" asked Sarah in concern.
Ellie quickly shook off her feeling of guilt and hurt, as none of that matter now. What mattered now was that Erica was headed for danger by going to see the sea witch Stephanie to possibly make a deal with her!
"Yeah! I'm fine, Sarah. Thanks." replied Ellie. "But Erica's not, though. She said she's going to see the sea witch Stephanie." informed Ellie worriedly to Sarah.
"What?! Stephanie?! But what for?!" exclaimed Sarah alarmingly with concern.
"I don't know. She didn't tell me. But if I had to guess, I think those shady pair of eels that she left with must've gotten inside her head, somehow? Probably, by taking advantage of her current state of anger, grief, and pain she's in right now." deduced Ellie forebodingly in worry. "We have to stop her!" stated Ellie in determination, now.
Sarah nodded strongly in agreement, after all, Erica was her best friend and she wasn't about to let her best friend make the greatest mistake of her life by making a deal with the sea witch. Erica isn't thinking very clearly right now due to a freshly broken heart and a raging temper all mixed into one. So, the two mermaids set off after them in the hopes of stopping Erica in time from doing something very stupid.
A/N: That's all for this chapter! :D
Erica is really mad at her father and Ellie, huh? So, much so that's she's willing to pay the evil sea witch Stephanie a visit to help make her dream come true. Will Sarah and Ellie make it in time to stop her from making a deal with the devil? Will Erica ever forgive her father for destroying all of her human stuff and Ellie for ratting her out to their father?! Stay tuned to find out! :D
Until then, I'll be seeing you all around! Bye! ;D