2 days later, life in Atlantica went about it's daily business as usual. Just outside the kingdom, Melody was playing a game of finball with the 3 merkids she met when she first came to Atlantica.
The blonde-hair merboy that Melody accidentally ran into was named Alex. The brown-haired mergirl is named Lily, and the black-haired merboy is named Lee. Shortly after Morgana's defeat, she quickly became great friends with the trio.
Also playing with them were 2 of Melody's cousins, Tara who is Attina's daughter. Tara is 11, about a few months younger than Melody, she happens to resemble Attina a lot as she had her mother's eyes and hair, but inherits her father's blue tail color. And Leo who is Aquata's son, about 10, he has black hair, he resembles more of his father, but has his mother's eyes and tail color and most of her personality. Leo also has the same love of water sports as his mother.
It was Leo who introduced Melody to finball, and luckily Melody was a fast learner and was soon playing like a pro.
Right now they were playing on 2 teams, boys against girls, and at 2-2, it will be the next score wins.
"Ho, ho! We gotcha this time!" Melody said.
"That's what you think, Mel!" Leo said.
They then started passing the finball to one another, and then Melody tail-whips the ball extremely hard, and it went flying through the water really far as they watched it go.
"Whoops." Melody said.
"Melody, you sure you're not a pro player?" Tara asked turning to her.
"Come on, let's go get it." Alex said.
They then swam off to get the finball.
Some distance away, the finball bounced on the seabed towards the nearby kelp forest that once hid the original Catfish Club, now it was a home to many animals like a forest on land. Melody and the other merkids were able to track it down and saw the finball disappearing over the ledge.
"It's in the kelp forest." Lee said.
"Come on." Tara said.
They swam towards the kelp forest and dove down trying to find the finball, they eventually reached the seafloor as a number of creatures went about their daily business. A number of fish swimming between the reeds of kelp, Sheephead Wrasse keeping the number of urchins under control, stingrays gliding over the sand and even a Leopard Shark gently swimming by the 6 kids, fortunately these sharks are harmless and only feed on hidden food in the sand like clams and other shellfish.
They are also one of Melody's favorite sharks as it reminded her of the spotted pattern and coloration like their namesake, the African Leopard on land.
"Hmm, I'm sure the ball came this way." Melody said looking around.
"Wait, there it is!" Leo said.
Just ahead of them, the finball sat by a large rock.
He swam over to it, and grabbed and chuckled and when suddenly a cloud of ink was squirted into his face as he yelped tossing the ball away. He coughed and spat out any ink that got into his mouth.
"You okay, Leo?" Lily asked.
"Who squirted me?" Leo said looking around.
"Oh, I'm sorry." A voice said as they looked around. "I didn't mean to squirt you, you kinda startled me."
"Show yourself!" Leo said.
"It's okay, we won't hurt you." Melody said.
Then part of the rock changed color and swimming off it was a Cuttlefish.
"I'm just a Cuttlefish." He said.
"A Cuttlefish?" Leo said. "Then how do you explain the fact that you changed your color?"
"That's what we Cuttlefish do." The Cuttlefish said. "To protect ourselves, so other animals can't hurt us. I can make myself disappear."
He then settled on the rock changing his color to match it.
"Whoa!" The 6 merkids exclaimed.
"See? Now I look just like a rock." The Cuttlefish and changes back to his normal.
"Ooh." Melody said amazed.
"Or, I can myself look bigger." The Cuttlefish said.
He then swells his mantle making himself larger.
"Amazing." Alex said.
"Or I can shoot out ink, and make it look like you're seeing another Cuttlefish, while I swim away." The Cuttlefish said.
He then squirted a cloud of ink.
"That's incredible." Melody said amazed.
"Crafty even." Leo said.
"We didn't mean to frighten you, Mr. Cuttlefish." Tara said. "We were only trying to get our finball back."
"You mean that round thing?" The Cuttlefish said. "I saw it go that way."
"Thank you." Melody said and swam off into the direction the Cuttlefish pointed.
"Bye." Tara said as they all swam off.
"Take care." The Cuttlefish said waving to them.
Several minutes later, they were still looking for the ball as they were near the edge of the kelp forest.
"It has to be here somewhere." Alex said.
Leo looked around and soon spotted the finball just outside the kelp.
"Aha!" Leo beamed.
He swam towards as Melody and the others followed him.
"There you are." Leo said reaching for it. "Easy as-"
As he grabs it, Leo was suddenly zapped as he yelled all straighten out with his hair standing on end as Melody and the others cringed.
Then suddenly, a Torpedo Ray shot out of the sand as the finball bounced off.
"Hey, what's the big idea touching me like that?!" The Torpedo Ray demanded. "Didn't your mother ever tell you to watch where you put your hands?"
"Sorry, sir, we didn't mean to startle you." Melody said. "He was trying to get our finball."
"Alright, sorry for zapping your friend." The Torpedo Ray said calming down. "He'll be fine in a couple minutes, he's only stunned. Just a warning zap."
"Me fine." Leo said all dazed.
"Your finball went down that hill right there." The Torpedo Ray said.
"Thanks." Melody said.
The Torpedo Ray then swam off.
"Fancy you getting zap." Melody smirked turning to Leo.
She then placed her hand on his shoulder when she suddenly got zapped.
"Ow!" Melody yelped.
Leo then laughed.
Many miles away, on the land of Prehistoria, a nest with eggs lay motionless.
Then a low bellow was heard, and then a snout lowers down and gently pressed it's snout against an egg in the nest's center. And soon the head lifts up revealing to be the head of an Iguanodon who is the mother of the clutch.
The mother Iguanodon lightly smiled as the egg seem to be only hours from hatching. The mother lightly snorted and grunts lightly as she lifts up on her back legs as 2 other Iguanodons were nearby at their own nests. Then the sound of brush breaking in the distance was heard as she looked over and saw a flock of birds flying off squawking.
The mother watches the birds and lightly sniffs the air incase there was trouble. But she soon turns back to her nest lowly cooing, and gently pushed the egg in the center of her nest near the outer rim with her left front foot.
Then, a young Parasaurolophus about several months old appear and looks at the nest chirping. But the mother Iguanodon gently swatted her left foot at the baby as she was not interested in visitors. But the Parasaurolophus didn't get far as it came back and sniffs the nest.
The mother Iguanodon then snorted a small roar at the nosy baby as it leaped back, and the Parasaurolophus shrieks as it runs off getting the message as the mother watches it go.
Dinosaurs vocalizing fill the air as the baby Parasaurolophus runs off, and nears another Iguanodon with a nest. And the mother soon wards it off as the baby shrieked and heads to a pond where other dinosaurs were drinking as a Brachiosaurus lifts it's head up high after having a drink.
The baby Parasaurolophus ran over to the shore of the pond as a flock of birds flew off, and they chirped and squawked as the little dinosaur leaps into the water. And the Parasaurolophus chased after the birds and runs around the legs of the Brachiosaurus and made to the other shore of the pond and lightly grunts watching the birds fly off.
Then something flew by the baby as it turns and saw a winged lizard landing on a land and settles down.
The little Parasaurolophus lightly chirps and heads towards it.
The winged lizard rested on the log, and then a dragonfly appeared as the lizard watched it. The dragonfly then flies off as the lizard caught the luckless insect with it's tongue and eats it. The lizard then noticed the baby dinosaur near it, and flies off as the baby chased it.
The Parasaurolophus chirped as it followed it to the edge of the forest, and tries to get at it like a cat after a bird. And the lizard flew into the treeline as the baby dinosaur followed it inside.
The Parasaurolophus made it through the first few trees and looked around, and the winged lizard was spotted flying by. And the dinosaur followed it deeper into the trees.
The winged lizard landed on the root of a tree, and the Parasaurolophus appeared and slowly went up to it wanting a closer look. The lizard then saw the baby, and quickly flew up as the dinosaur stepped back lightly chirped.
The lizard flew up into the canopy and lands on the underside of a surprisingly large branch. Then what sounded like an exhale was heard as the Parasaurolophus stares at the lizard high up, and then a droplet of a wet substance lands on the root, and then another drops down catching the baby's attention as stares at it as snuffling was heard. The baby watched the substance and sniffs it knowing it wasn't rain water or droplets of dew from the early morning.
Then low growling was heard as the baby looked back up into the tree canopy knowing something wasn't right.
Then, what looked a head craned forward into view from the plants as a red eye was seen along with a deadly rosette of blade-like teeth.
Outside the trees, the baby Parasaurolophus launches out from the forest hitting the ground. It quickly got up and looked back and takes off running as if it seen a ghost.
The mother Iguanodon and 2 other Iguanodon looked back as the Parasaurolophus continues shrieking.
By a pond, 2 Brachiosaurus and a Pachyrhinosaurus turn to the shrieking baby as the Pachyrhinosaur lowed.
The Parasaurolophus continues shrieking as movement was seen in the forest, and then suddenly what looked like an oversized Carnotaurus all black with red eyes erupts from the treeline roaring. And with it was a large white predatory dinosaur with 4-fingered claws on long arms as they roared.
The Carnotaur continues roaring and soon noticed the baby Parasaurolophus.
The baby dinosaur ran for it's life crying out as the predator's shadow looms over it.
The Carnotaur roared and then looks ahead seeing the herd and roars deciding to go for a much bigger target.
The baby Parasaurolophus ran as fast as it's legs can take it, and the Carnotaur runs over it as the baby nearly avoids getting trampled by the stomping feet. And it quickly darts to the right to find cover as the 2 predators chased after the herd.
The herd ran for their lives as even the Apatosaurus in the area flee, but the mother Iguanodon was still at her nest trying to shield her clutch from the stampede for as long as she could.
The Carnotaur growled and roars out viciously as he then spotted a potential target as his eyes narrowed.
An Iguanodon trumpeted as it flees, and the mother continues shielding her clutch as an Iguanodon leaped over her. And then another ran over her as she was kicked in the face.
Then the mother quickly got up and was forced to save herself as an Iguanodon and Pachyrhinosaurus rush by. And the Carnotaur roars out as pursuits after them, and his enormous left foot stomps over the nest destroying most of the eggs except 1 that was nearly missed as the foot lifts up and the egg bounced.
The Carnotaur and the larger dinosaur chased after the herd as the mother Iguanodon quickly darts to the left, and the Carnotaur loudly growls a roar. And then looks back ahead seeing a Pachyrhinosaurus and roars out viciously as he charges towards it. And the larger predator brought it's hand claws out ready to attack as the Pachyrhinosaur looked back.
The Pachyrhinosaurus continued running as it pants with fear in it's eyes.
The 2 predator pulled up on both side of the helpless dinosaur. And then Carnotaur lifts up high and strikes down as the other predator swung it's right hand as it's claws slashed the dinosaur's side. And the Carnotaur bites down on the Pachyrhinosaur's back, and wrestles it to the ground creating a dust cloud as the 2 predators started mauling the Pachyrhinosaur alive.
They held the dinosaur pinned down as the killer blow was soon delivered as the herd continues fleeing, and the Carnotaur soon bellows out a roar and they both started feeding.
Meanwhile, Melody and her friends were still looking for the finball as they were in a rocky area.
"Has to be somewhere." Alex said.
They continued looking as then Lily spotted it by some rocks.
"Hey, I see it." Lily said.
"Oh, finally." Leo said.
They swam over to it and Leo grabbed, and was glad that nothing squirted or zapped him this time.
"Come on, we better get back before trouble finds us." Tara said.
They begin to head back to Atlantica, when then Melody noticed something.
"Wait a minute, hold on." Melody said.
"Melody, come on!" Leo said. "Our parents are gonna be upset of us being this far!"
"Guys, hold it!" Melody said.
"What?!" Leo said.
"What is... this?" Melody wondered.
They swam back over to her, and it was then that they noticed what looked like a red cloud of water as a small current carries it out.
"What is that?" Tara asked not liking it.
"I don't know." Melody said.
They slowly begin to follow the red current.
Not far away, Ariel, Attina and Aquata were looking for them.
"Where could those troublemakers be?" Ariel wondered.
"You used to be one yourself, Ariel." Aquata teased.
"Hey!" Ariel said offended and nudged her sister.
Suddenly frighten screaming was heard that made them jump, but quickly realized it sounded like the kids.
"Melody!" Ariel said as they quickly swam off.
"Mom!" Tara's voice cried.
"Mommy!" Leo's voice yelled.
"Tara!" Attina cried.
"Leo!" Aquata cried.
They quickly swam through the kelp forest and Melody and the other merkids rushed over to them as 3 Atlantican guards appeared.
"What happened?" Ariel asked.
"Over there!" Melody said pointing to the direction they came from looking scared.
The 3 guards swam off to see what they saw, and soon passing some rocks they were in for a shock.
It was a slaughtered-up Minke Whale carcass recently killed, with both flippers missing, as well as a large section of tail missing and even it's side bares a large ripped opening. A few scavenging Blue Sharks were feeding the corpse, and by the carcass were a pectoral fin of a Great White, and even the head front half of a Pilot Whale corpse.
Ariel, Attina and Aquata soon appeared and saw the carcass and were horrified of what they were seeing.
"Oh, my gosh." Ariel gasped covering her mouth in her.
Never in her life, as Ariel seen anything so horrifying. Not even the time when Ursula or Morgana claiming the trident came close to this.
Triton was soon alerted as well as the entire castle guard, and soon a team of guards were sent off to try to find what killed the whale. As the only evidence they have on the corpses were a few teeth likely left from the killer.
Alex, Lily and Lee were sent home as Melody, Tara and Leo were in the throne room still a little shaken.
Then Sebastian appeared checking on them.
"You kids all right?" Sebastian asked.
"I... I think so." Tara said.
"What happened, out there?" Sebastian asked.
"I don't know." Melody said. "W-We were just playing some finball, I sent the ball flying off and we went to get it. We found it shortly after leaving the kelp forest, and there was this red cloud, and that's when..." She then hesitated almost scared of bringing it up again.
"We saw a dead whale." Leo said still shaken.
"Oh, dear." Sebastian said.
Then Tunip appeared with some kelp cakes hoping to cheer them up.
"Cheepa?" Tunip said slightly thinking it might be a bad time.
"Oh, thanks, Tunip." Melody said grabbing a kelp cake.
Tara and Leo soon took one as well.
Ariel soon came entered the throne room.
"Anything, Mom?" Melody asked.
"Nothing from the guards, yet." Ariel stated. "They're still searching."
"Mom, we're sorry for wandering off so far." Melody apologized. "It was an accident."
"Melody, it's okay." Ariel said gently. "Important thing is that you're all okay. Sebastian, can you bring Tara and Leo home?"
"Of course, come along you 2." Sebastian said and swam off.
"See you tomorrow, Melody." Tara said.
"Bye." Leo said.
"Bye." Melody said.
Tara and Leo followed Sebastian out of the throne room.
Towards evening, Melody was at the garden where the statue of Triton and Athena stood.
Melody still felt bad about the whale, and she couldn't imagine of what creature would deliberately attack and kill a whale. She almost didn't even want to know what could turn a Great White Shark into a main course after seeing the pectoral fin.
She then turns to the statue of Athena.
Then Triton appeared and saw his granddaughter staring at the statue of his beloved wife.
"Melody, are you alright, dear?" Triton asked.
"Oh, hi Grandfather." Melody said turning to him. "I... I just..."
"Melody, I'm sorry you had to see something like that poor whale." Triton said gently. "But you'll understand that death is part of life."
"I know." Melody said. "I just... can't imagine what that whale went through."
"I know." Triton said. "It pains me to see things like this as well."
"Even of what happened to Grandmother?" Melody said uneasily.
Triton then sighed as even though it's been 25 years, losing Athena is still a toll on Triton. And it took him 10 years to realize that being blinded in his grieve he kept a part of her away when forbidding music.
"Losing Athena was the most terrible thing that happened to me." Triton said. "But what pained me more was the mistake I made of forbidding a part of her away. She may be gone, but she'll always be with us."
Melody sadly smiled and they turn to Athena's statue.
"I still wish I had a chance to meet her." Melody said.
"I know, but listen to me." Triton said lifting her chin. "Your grandmother would be proud of the brave girl you've become."
Melody smiled and hugged her grandfather.
Elsewhere in the ocean, 2 of the Atlantican guards were scouting a rocky gully as it was starting to get dark.
"Axel, we've been swimming in circles." One of the guards said having caution. "There's no trouble here. I think we should get back."
"Shh. Keep it down." The other guard named Axel said quietly.
They continued on silently as they swam by some bends, and nearby, the head of the dinosaur-like creature from Slattern's army craned into view softly hissing watching. And then heads off to set up an ambush.
Axel then stopped thinking he heard something, and he looked back behind him as the other guard looked around. After a double glance, Axel continued with the other guard.
A shadow looms on the side of the rock as the shadow growled slowly moving forward.
Axel was the first to see it.
"Now, let's get out of here." Axel said.
Momentarily confused, the other guard turns to him and saw the shadow. Then suddenly, the sound of clamping jaws was heard as the guard yelled as he was suddenly pulled back as Axel turns to him.
The creature stepped back into the shadows and slams the merguard into the ground hard, with his jaws on the guard's tail. And he drags the guard back as he screams helplessly as he was pulled into the shadows.
Axel watched and then looked back hearing roaring and saw a crocodile-like creature emerging from the shadows. Axel quickly looked around for an escape route, and quickly swims up the ledge as the creature charges and snaps his jaws missing him, and the first creature was feasting on the dead guard as he rips an arm off and swallows it whole.
Axel nears the top and looked back, and then quickly takes off.
The first creature erupts from the dust cloud roaring as he lunges.
Now night, in their hideaway, Slattern's army was getting ready as tomorrow was the day of attack.
At the moment, Slattern was sharpening his double-edged sword. Then a creature about 8.5 feet tall, face plating, 4-fingered claws and torso of a T. Rex appeared and bowed.
"Raijin, report." Slattern said.
"She is free." Raijin reported.
That got Slattern's attention and placed his sword down and heads off.
A group of strange creatures, somewhat similar to a seahorse started to gather by a large council room. But these creatures have back legs with webbed feet and have more of a dragon-like appearance.
The Sea Dragons soon entered where a number of Great White Sharks gathered along with a Mosasaur and Great Hammerhead Shark all in armor.
The Sea Dragons gathered as a large one among whinnied, and soon the other creatures appeared. And the sharks snarled as the Sea Dragons whinnied more, and one armored Great White growled.
Soon, they all settled as Slattern arrived, and the dinosaur-like creature and crocodile-like arrived along with Undertow, Cloak and Dagger.
"Zilla, Raiju, report." Slattern ordered.
"Everything is coming together." Zilla reported. "All is left to awaken her."
"Bring her to me." Slattern ordered.
Soon, Zilla returned with the frozen case of Morgana only frozen in an inch-thick layer of ice.
Even Undertow, Cloak and Dagger were surprised by this.
"Morgana?" Undertow frowned.
Zilla then placed Morgana's case down by Slattern, and he lowers down to it as if he was examining it. Then he brought out a vial, and opens it and pours it on the ice case, and the little on his hand.
Slattern clutched his hand into a fist as the potion casted a red glow. And then opens it as he placed his hand on the ice case and red lines appeared on it and course around and through it like a bloodstream. They soon reached Morgana was the case then glowed brightly red.
And then the ice broke off Morgana as the light soon fades.
They then waited few moments.
Suddenly Morgana woke up, and rose up.
"W-Where am I?!" Morgana said frantically regaining her senses. "What is this place?"
"Welcome to Monster Sea." Slattern said.
Morgana then turns to him.
"I am Slattern. King of the Monsters." Slattern introduced himself. "And it was I who brought you back. And I have a very interesting proposal for you. Interested?"
Morgana stared at him for a moment pondering.
"Hmm. Slightly." Morgana said deciding to hear him out. "Go on."
"I brought you back as we have a common enemy: King Triton." Slattern said. "Alone, your reign of terror only a brief hour. But my army, I'll make sure it'll last forever."
"How could you be so sure of that?" Morgana questioned.
"Because, unlike you, I don't have a life-long obsession against Triton." Slattern said. "Or a grudge against a sibling who is desperate to be better. What I'm after, is not only Triton's throne, but the whole ocean."
"How could you be a difference?" Morgana inquired. "That daughter of his will ruin everything. Especially that pesky runt she has. And Triton has control of the ocean."
Slattern then went up to her.
"He won't for much longer, that's why we're going to kill him." Slattern said.
Slattern then walks off as Morgana then smirked evilly liking the idea.
"Triton has always shown too much restraint when it comes to true power." Slattern said and walks onto a rock standing over them. "When I am king... the mighty will be free to take whatever they want. Because revenge is never satisfied."
"Triton's far too powerful to challenge." Morgana said.
"Triton is yesterday's message" Slattern chanted. "A clapped-out distracted regime, Whose failings undoubtedly presage, The need for a different dream"
Yes, oceanic times are a-changing
He then got down from the rock.
Which means that villains must too
He then leaps down on a ledge crushing a piece of ice.
My vision is clear and wide-ranging
And even encompasses you
He turns to Smaug who has recently arrived and agrees to join his army.
So prepare for the coup of the century
Prepare for the murkiest scum
Undertow, Cloak and Dagger turn to each other as Morgana joins them
Meticulous planning
Tenacity spanning, decades of denial
Is simply why I'll be king
Undisputed, respected, saluted
And seen for the wonder I am
He then climbs onto a rock ledge.
Yes, my teeth and ambitions are bared
Be prepared
Soon his entire army started to gather.
(Be prepared, be prepared, be prepared, be prepared)
(Be prepared, be prepared, be prepared, be prepared)
Be prepared
Slattern then heads up a rock formation
(Be prepared, be prepared, be prepared, be prepared)
Be prepared
(Be prepared, be prepared, be prepared, be prepared)
Slattern then climbs higher on the rock formation.
Be prepared
(Be prepared, be prepared, be prepared, be prepared)
Be prepared
(be prepared, be prepared, be prepared, be prepared)
Slattern then climbs higher to a ledge and looks down on his entire army.
Yes, our teeth and ambitions are bare
Be prepared
Slattern's voice ranged through the air as new dark threat begins to rise.
Author's Note:
The eve of attack begins.
Next, will probably be the Disney equivalent of the attack of Pearl Harbor.
You maybe a couple references from Disney film, Dinosaur. Both Dinosaur and The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea actually have a few things in common, both came out on the same year, 2000, just nearly almost 3 months apart. And 2 of the same actors, Max Casella who played Tip was Zini, and Samuel E. Wright who played Sebastian was Kron.
And there may be a reference from Octonauts and Walking Dead.