A/N: Truth be told, I had a lot of difficulty with Atlantica due to how little I tweaked it from the original. I was never a fan of the original world, and it's quite difficult to add main story points when our protagonists are literally underwater. Also, writing dialogue for Sora and Akira that sounded like dialogue fourteen year-olds would use proved to be a challenge. I'm happy with the final product, though, and I hope you continue to enjoy reading it!
Ariel raised her head from the comfort of her arms, wiping the tears from her eyes. She had found solace in the secluded undersea gardens, but it was nothing compared to her grotto. Now that her father had discovered her secret, she had no real place to turn to. Why couldn't he just try to understand how she felt?
"My, my, the poor child suffers such deep sorrow…"
Ariel raised her head, hesitantly eyeing the garden's newest visitors. Two, green eels had begun to slowly circle her, offering encouraging yet devious smiles as they watched her cry.
"What a pity. If only there were something we could do…" one of the eels cooed.
"Wait. Maybe she could be of some help," the other said, perking up at the idea.
"Yes! Surely she would be of some help to you."
Ariel wiped the last of her tears from her eyes. "Who are you talking about?"
The eels smiled devilishly at each other as a dark mist began to form behind them, growing larger in size by the second.
"Oh, she would surely help you; she'd make all of your dreams come true."
The eels pressed their cheeks together as the mist transformed into an amalgamation of smoke and ink. "Ursula can help…" they said in unison.
In a flourish of ink, Ursula the sea witch came into view in all her glory. She smiled softly at the reluctant mermaid, injecting sickly sweetness into her every move.
"You called, my dear?" she asked as the eels took their places at her side.
Ariel was momentarily awestruck by the octopus-like woman but swallowed her fear as she addressed her. "You're Ursula? They were saying that –"
Ursula interrupted her. "It's all right. Helping others is what I live for. Let me guess. You wish to see other worlds; that shouldn't be too hard. After all, your new friends came from another world."
Ariel was shocked. Sure, they seemed out of place, and she did entertain the idea of them being from another world, but she never imagined it to be true. After all, why would they ever lie to her?
Ursula sensed her apprehension and swam closer to her, almost whispering in her ear. "But they had special help – that mysterious key."
Ariel lowered her eyes to the floor.
"Now, now," Ursula comforted, "Cheer up, sweetie. You have something special too."
Ariel's interest was piqued, earning herself a wicked smile from the sea witch. "Listen carefully," she continued, "That Keyhole they were seeking is somewhere in the palace. It holds great power, and I can use it to send you to other worlds. However…"
"What?" Ariel asked.
Ursula put on her best sympathetic face. "My powers cannot rival that of the Keyhole. If I were to use it to grant your wish, I would need some more help…"
"What kind of help?" Ariel asked, keeping her eyes on the sea witch.
Ursula grinned; the young mermaid had completely taken the bait. "The trident. I can use its power to unlock the Keyhole and open a portal to other worlds. Simply take me there without your daddy knowing, and I can use it to help you get to these other worlds you long for…"
"So… any ideas as to where we'll find her?" Sora asked with a reluctant chuckle. They had relied so much on Ariel's guidance as they explored Atlantica, and now that they were left to their own devices, they hadn't the slightest clue how to proceed.
"Hey, isn't that Sebastian?" Goofy said, pointing his flipper towards the entrance of the palace.
A flash of red burst from the courtyard, leaving a trail of bubbles in its wake as Sebastian hurtled towards them, flapping his claws as fast as he could. "Please!" he cried, "You must help Ariel!"
His mention of Ariel instantly caught their attention as he screeched to a halt before them. "Where is she? What happened?" Sora asked urgently.
Sebastian took a moment to catch his breath. "The sea witch, Ursula… she followed Ariel into the palace and stole King Triton's trident! There is no telling what she'll do to Atlantica with its power."
"Sounds like the type of person who would lure the Heartless here," Akira said, crossing her arms.
Sora nodded. "Yeah, she definitely seems like a target. Regardless, we have to help Ariel. Lead the way, Sebastian."
"Thank you," Sebastian said earnestly, bowing his head.
Donald gave the crab a scowl. "Don't think we forgot about how you blabbed about Ariel's secret to the king!"
He shook his head, looking very apologetic. "I know. I was simply worried about her well-being, as was his majesty."
Donald huffed in response but Goofy seemed more sympathetic towards him. "Aw, we know you're doing your best."
"But maybe now isn't the best time to get involved in family affairs," Sora said sternly.
Sebastian nodded and pointed towards the palace courtyard, signaling the group to follow him as he swam as fast as he could, with the four heroes following closely behind.
"The trident is mine at last!" Ursula screeched with a mad glint in her eye, "And I couldn't have done it without your help, my dear."
The way she went back and forth between her devious laugh and her exaggeratedly sweet voice made Ariel sick to her stomach. She held her father's arm as she glared at the sea witch. "Ursula, no!" she cried, "I didn't want this!"
"Why not?" Ursula barked with a wide grin, "Aren't you tired of following your dear daddy's orders?" She snapped her fingers, gazing hungrily at the young mermaid, "Oh, yes. We had a deal, didn't we? Time for a little journey to the dark world of the Heartless… after all, you didn't specify which worlds you wanted to travel to, didn't you, my dear?"
Ariel winced at her words. She knew she should have trusted her instincts; but she was so overwhelmed with grief and anger when the sea witch made her offer, that she simply did not think anything through. She watched in terror as the trident glowed in Ursula's hand, uncertain of what fate awaited her.
"We cannot find the Keyhole," one of her eels said softly, immediately grabbing Ursula's attention.
"The Keyhole is not here," the other said.
Ursula's brows furrowed; this was indeed not part of her plan. "How can that be?"
She gritted her teeth at the sound of fins flapping in the distance. Another distraction she did not need; but definitely not one she couldn't handle. "Why, we have company," she said, putting on the same evil grin she had from before as a cloud of ink began to form around her, "I'm afraid you're a little late, handsome."
Before Sora could have a whack at her with his Keyblade, she had disappeared in a burst of ink and smoke, taking the trident and her pet eels with her. "What a hag," he said with scorn as his Keyblade disappeared from his hand in a small flash of light.
"You came!" Ariel cried, never leaving her father's side, "I'm so glad. This is such a mess, and it's all my fault…"
"What happened here?" Goofy asked anxiously.
Sebastian lowered his eyes. "The sea witch stole the trident from under our noses. His majesty attempted to stop her, but she used its power to strike him."
"It's all my fault," Ariel said softly, tears forming in her eyes as she gazed at her injured father resting on his throne, "If I hadn't brought Ursula here, none of this would have happened."
King Triton feebly raised his arm, addressing the group that stood anxiously before him. "The trident," he said in almost a soft whisper, "We must get it back."
There wasn't a doubt in their minds as they watched the scene before them unfold; their friend desperately needed their help, and they were never the type to turn their backs on those who needed them. Sora was the one to speak up, but he spoke for all of them as he conveyed their feelings as well as his own. "You can count on us. We'll go."
"Not without me, you won't," Ariel said with conviction as she gingerly released her father's arm from her grip, "I foolishly believed Ursula when she promised me she'd send me to see the worlds beyond my own; now, my father is hurt, and it's all my fault. I have to defeat Ursula."
Donald crossed his arms. "Alright, but on one condition!"
"You have to stop blaming yourself for everything that happened," Akira said with a smile.
Sora nodded. "We have all made stupid mistakes when we weren't thinking straight; what matters is what we do with the hand that is dealt to us."
Ariel's solemn expression melted into a smile as she joined her friends' sides; it was certain they'd defeat Ursula if they worked together.
"I'm right behind you, Ariel," Sebastian said as he joined the group as well, "I have an idea where she may have gone."
Ariel blinked. "You don't think she returned to her lair?"
Sebastian shook his head. "Not with the trident in hand; she must have gone to the abyss beyond the ship you love to explore. She may be looking for an area large enough to weave her foul magic."
"Whatever it takes," Ariel said, "Take us there, Sebastian."
Sebastian nodded to the group. "Steel yourselves; Ursula is not to be taken lightly."
The trenches beyond the outskirts of the city were so deep and wide that the ocean floor could no longer be seen. An endless abyss of sea surrounded them from every side, offering no refuge from Ursula's wrath. She had chosen a fitting place to make her stand; there was nowhere to hide.
"You pathetic fools! I rule the seas now!" her voice boomed across the deep ocean.
They could not see her, but the mass of darkness and ink below them began to grow and expand, concealing a frightening sight as it emerged from the depths below them. Ursula had grown immense in size; a golden crown had formed on her head, reaching the surface of the water as her height continued to rise. They were naught but tiny guppies compared to her incredible size; she could easily crush any of them in the palm of her hand.
She raised the now massive trident into the air, her booming voice echoing across the ocean. "The sea and all its spoils bow to my power!"
"She's… huge!" Ariel exclaimed.
Sora readied his Keyblade, determined. "But we've fried bigger fish than this. Let's go!"
They dispersed as Ursula inhaled deeply, blowing bubbles with her mouth and propelling them towards her foes. As she inhaled, she took the current of the ocean with it, which made it difficult for them to stay in one place. She eyed them scornfully, waiting eagerly for one of them to slip up and be swept away by her breath so she could take a bite at them. Thankfully, her massive stature impacted her movement, and the group strategically made use of that knowledge by keeping themselves behind her.
"Oh brother," Akira said exasperatedly. She gave the back of Ursula's neck a few good whacks but didn't seem to be inflicting more than a mere scratch. Her staff kept bouncing back off the sea witch's neck, doing little more than angering her further.
"This won't be pretty!" Ursula shrieked, circling herself with colossal bolts of lightning that sent everyone flying back. Sora winced in pain as he held his wounded shoulder, taking in the sight. Ursula let out a loud, shrill laugh, raising the trident triumphantly in the air. They had worked so hard to approach her enough to inflict some damage, and she swatted them away with ease. How were they supposed to stay close to her long enough to be able to do some amount of damage?
"Sora! I have an idea!" Ariel called. She brought her face close to his and whispered her plan into his ear, earning herself a gasp from the perplexed teen. It was a senseless idea; a stupid, foolish, silly idea. But it was just crazy enough to work. When Ursula inhaled once more, Sora and Ariel let themselves be swept away by the current, making no effort to escape the sea witch's clutches.
"What do you think you're doing?" Donald cried as Ursula closed her mouth around them.
"Did she just eat them?" Akira exclaimed, her eyes wide with fear. She wasn't sure which was worse; the fact that she had eaten her best friend, the fact that she had eaten the princess of Atlantica, or the fact that she had eaten the Keyblade master. Either way, Ursula had eaten someone important, and Akira couldn't wrap her head around it.
"Thundara!"
Sora and Ariel had cast a powerful spell in unison, calling forth a strong bolt of lightning. It tore through the sea witch's throat, electrocuting her as she spat them out of her mouth. They swam to safety as Ursula grabbed at her neck, sputtering and gasping as the pain shot through her entire body. She released the trident from her grasp as she panted heavily, shrinking in size as her now limp and frail body slowly sank into the depths, drowning amidst the cloud of ink and smoke.
Ariel reluctantly took the trident in her hands, taking a deep breath. It was finally over.
"Ariel! Ariel!" Sebastian called in a fit of worry, "Have you lost your mind? You could have been killed!"
Ariel huffed. "You really need to learn to trust me, Sebastian."
The crab hung his head, aware of what she was getting at. They had a lot to talk about once they returned home. "I know."
"Well, I thought that was pretty clever!" Goofy said with a smile.
Ariel giggled. "Thanks, Goofy. I think… it's time to go home. We still have a lot to discuss with my father."
With the trident safely returned to King Triton, Atlantica was safe once more. However, Ariel felt the anxiety within her rise with each passing moment. She had to say something eventually. "Daddy… I'm so sorry," was all she could say without losing her composure.
"Please don't be angry with her," Sora pleaded, fearing the worst.
King Triton buried his face in his palm as the young merpeople trembled before him. Was he really so frightening? He felt a pang of guilt as a response. "No, it's my fault. You followed Ursula because… I wouldn't let you follow your heart. And when you found that crystal, I lost my temper and destroyed it. It held the power to reveal the Keyhole, and I had to keep you away from it at any cost. The Keyhole is dangerous, and if anything happened to you, I… wouldn't know what to do."
He took another deep breath, smiling softly at his almost fully-grown daughter. "Sometimes I forget you're not a little girl anymore, Ariel. Please forgive your foolish old father."
Ariel sniffed as she held back tears and hugged her father tightly. Triton returned the hug before laying eyes on Sora, with one last thing on is mind. "Key bearer, I have one more request. Please seal the Keyhole. My trident also holds the power to reveal it; I will lend that power to you. Will you do it?"
"Of course," Sora said with a nod, "That was our plan from the start."
Ariel pulled away from her father. "Where is the Keyhole, Daddy?"
Triton let out a hearty laugh. "You should know better than anyone; it's in your grotto."
The moment Ariel approached the trident-shaped impression on the walls of her grotto, the trident her father had entrusted to her began to glow and slowly lift itself from her grasp. It floated towards the impression and filled the crevices with a brilliant light, revealing a hollow Keyhole amidst a flurry of bubbles. Sora raised his Keyblade as he had many times before and watched as the familiar ray of light shone from the tip of his weapon, followed by the familiar locking sound they had all grown accustomed to.
His weapon disappeared from his hands as Ariel gently swam over to the group. "Tell me, Sora. What's your world like?" she asked in a dreamy voice.
Sora patted the back of his head. "About that… Sorry for lying to you."
"We kind of had to… we're not allowed to let others know we're from other worlds," Akira explained.
Yet Ariel shook her head, smiling. "It's okay, I understand. Besides, if you can travel to other worlds, maybe I can too."
Donald shrugged his shoulders to them. Who were they to tell her she couldn't explore other worlds? After all, if she could find a suitable ship, there was technically nothing holding her down to this one.
She began to swim in a spiral, slowly floating upwards as she continued to let her mind wander. "So many places I want to see… I know I'll get there someday. I'll find a way somehow, I'm sure of it."
Sora smiled as he watched her swim, admiring her adventurer's spirit. He truly hoped her wish would one day come true. Some people are just born curious and fearless.
Others... not so much.
Sebastian shook his head as he floated beside Sora. "Well, if you find it, do me a favour and leave me out of it!"
They had never been so happy to climb aboard the Gummi Ship. As much fun as they may have had under the sea, there was nothing quite like dry land and dry clothes.
"Don't get too comfortable; our next destination isn't too far off," Donald quacked. He flicked some switches on the dashboard of the Gummi Ship, lowering its speed as it prepared for landing.
"And I just got all of my fur dried up!" Goofy said with a smile, packing up the hair dryer.
Sora grimaced as he ran his fingers through one of his taller spikes; it stayed intact, but it felt softer and looser than normal. "I'm never going to get my hair back to normal after that..." he whined.
"Gawrsh, the next world looks to be on dry land, so no worries there!"
Sora and Goofy pressed their hands on the window, admiring the view of their next destination. Sora let out an audible sigh of amazement, his excitement rising with each passing second. "Come on, Akira, you have got to see this!"
She blinked at him, placing the handkerchief she was using to clean her staff back on the table. He had never been this giddy to land in a world before... what could be so exciting about this one? She gazed at the massive world outside the window, gasping softly in amazement as Sora and Goofy practically bounced back to their seats.
A sprawling town filled with houses and buildings lined the streets before converging into a town square; it seemed like any other town square, save for the fact that it was resting above a massive jack-o-lantern. It looked like something straight out of an after-school Halloween special on television.
Yet, she could not find it within her to smile and bounce with excitement the way her friends did. She wanted to, more than anything, but it was difficult to ignore the burning sensation in her hand as she felt the weight of her staff holding her down.
For the first time in a while, the Staffblade spoke again.
There's something here.