The storm had died down finally. Keith had pulled Lance to the beach and laid the unconscious prince down on the sand. Lance's boots had been pulled off and his black pants were ripped to below his ankles. His hair was drenched and his bangs covered his eyes slightly. Keith laid beside Lance as he watched in concern, the prince had yet to stir awake.
Keith turned as Matt flew down in his seagull form and landed beside the two. "Is he - dead?" Keith asked hesitantly towards Matt, as Matt pulled open one of the prince's eyes. "It's hard to say" Matt said as he walked towards Lance's feet. Matt picked up one of Lance's feet and held it to his ear, he shook his head sadly. "Oh, I - I can't make out a heartbeat".
Keith turned back to the prince as he started breathing. "No, look! He's breathing" Keith said as he brushed the bangs out of Lance's face to reveal the closed eyes. "He's so, beautiful.".
"What would I give to live where you are?
What would I pay to stay here beside you?
What would I do to see you smiling at me?"
Pidge and Hunk pulled themselves onto the beach, their tails in the water. Slav washed up between the two and Matt flew back to give the prince privacy with the human. He changed into his mermaid form, his greenish-brown tail with dark gold fins, sat in the water.
Slav glanced up and his mouth dropped as he caught sight of Keith with the unconscious human prince. A million thought ran through his head. The trio around his smiled and pushed his mouth back up as the stared at the sight.
"Where would we walk?
Where would we run?"
As Keith continued to sing, the clouds parted and a ray of sun shone down on the two. Keith placed his hand on Lance's cheek and ran his thumb over the soft skin. At this point, Lance had started to wake up.
"If we could stay all day in the sun?
Just you and me
And I could be part of your world"
Lance caught sight of the male in front of him, but only slightly as he was still just waking up. The sun behind Keith shadowed most of Keith's face, Lance did, however, fully catch the soft voice that was singing to him.
"Lance!" Keith jumped as the sound of a dog barking approached. Keith pulled his hand back and followed his friends back into the water. Blue ran up to her master and licked his face, Lance drew back and wiped the dog slobber off his face. Blue turned to the water and caught sight of a red tail with light red fins disappearing into the ocean.
Blue headed into the water as Coran helped Lance up. His black pants were ripped to the knees, his shoes and socks were lost, and his jacket was lost as well, leaving the blouse exposed. "Oh, Lance. You really delight in these sadistic strains on my blood pressure, don't you?" Lance tuned out what Coran was saying, it was as if he was lost in a trance.
Blue continued barking at the spot where she saw the tail as Lance walked around trying to make sense of what he saw. "A boy - rescued me. . . . he was - singing . . . he had the most - beautiful voice" Lance almost toppled over but Coran quickly caught him and pulled the prince's arm over his shoulder. "Ah, Lance, I think you've swallowed a bit too much seawater. Off we go. Come on, Blue!" Coran called as they left the beach.
Blue had drenched herself trying to find the tail but at hearing Coran and seeing them leaving, she abandoned her mission and ran after them. The salt water dripping from her fur.
Keith, Hunk, Pidge, Matt, and Slav watched as the humans and the dog left the beach. Keith was slowly crawling up the rock to watch the prince. "We just gotta forget this whole thing ever happened. The sea king will never know" Slav turned to the group "you won't tell him, I won't tell him. I will stay in one piece".
Keith, however, had tuned them out and pulled himself more up the rock.
"I don't know when
I don't know how
But I know something's starting right now
Watch and you'll see
Someday I'll be part of your world"
Keith pulled himself up and the waves crashed behind him. The waves spraying him lightly with salt water. The others flinched as the wave hit them off the rock. Keith lowered himself back down as Blue turned back around and started barking.
The group then sat back on the rock as the humans left and Blue finally left with them. Unknown to the trio, Sendak and Ladnock were watching, their eyes projecting back to Haggar.
"Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no" Haggar laughed as she watched the image of the prince. "I can't stand it - it's too easy. The child is in love with a human. And not just any human - a prince! His daddy will love that" Haggar said as a plan formed in her head.
"King Shiro's headstrong, lovesick son would make a charming addition to my little garden" Haggar said as she glanced to where former merfolk were now in the form of polyps. The polyps shrunk back as she approached.
The next morning, Keith's sisters were all sitting in the dressing room. "Keith dear, time to come out!" Shay called out as she looked towards Keith's bedroom. "You've been in there all morning" Keith swam out of his room, humming along to the song he sang to Lance the day before.
His sisters gave him a strange look as he combed through his hair. "What is with him lately?" Allura asked. Keith had been acting this way since he came home yesterday afternoon. Her sisters shrugged in response. Keith pulled one of the flowers from the pots and sniffed it gently.
Keith went to leave the room and almost ran into his father, which neither he nor his sisters heard or saw come in. "Morning father" Keith said handing the flower to Shiro who stared at his son. Keith then swam off still humming to the song. Shiro and his daughters stared at Keith as Pidge and Hunk joined him at the end of the hall.
"Oh, he's got it bad" Allura said connecting the dots. Shiro turned to his oldest in confusion "What? What has he got?" Shay smiled towards her father. "Isn't it obvious, Daddy? Keith's in love" Shiro's eyes widened as he stared at the flower Keith had handed him. "Keith? In love?".
Meanwhile, Slav had followed the trio out of the palace and to a rock where Keith was picking petals off a flower. Hunk and Pidge sat on the edge of the rock and watched their love-struck friend with amusement. Slav meanwhile was pacing back and forth under the raised part of the rock, the petals Keith was picking falling down in front of him.
"O.K. So far, so good. I don't think the king knows. But it will not be easy keeping something like this a secret for long".
Keith continued pulling flower petals while muttering to himself with each one plucked. "He loves me . . . hmmm, he loves me not. . . . " seeing only one petal left Keith smiled and hugged the petal close to his chest. He rolled onto his back and closed his eyes, Hunk and Pidge shared a smile of amusement. Pidge then swam off when Hunk whispered in her ear. "He loves me! I knew it!."
Slav swam up to beside Hunk and gave Keith a look. "Keith, stop talking crazy" Keith then sat up, dropping the petal in his hand. "I gotta see him again - tonight!" Slav's eyes widened as Keith ignored what he just said. "Matt knows where he lives" Keith then swam off the rock, Slav grabbed onto his fin with his claws as Hunk stayed seated on the rock.
"Keith- please. Will you get your head out of the clouds and back in the water where it belongs?" Slav asked as Keith continued to tune out what he was saying. "I'll swim up to his castle. Then Hunk will splash around to get his attention, and then with -" Hunk gave Keith a confused look, he didn't sign up for this plan.
Slav sighed and let go of Keith's tail. "Down HERE is your home!" Slav then swam in front of Keith who had started to swim back to grab Hunk. The prince halted and Slav continued to scold the prince. "Keith- listen to me. The human world - it's a mess. Life under the sea is better than anything they got up there".
Slav then backed Keith up until he was sitting on the rock with Hunk again.
"The seaweed is always greener
In somebody else's lake
You dream about going up there,
But that is a big mistake"
Slav noticed Keith was staring up at the surface and swam around to face the prince. Slav then pulled his chin down and waved a claw, Keith gave him a look and then rolled his eyes.
"Just look at the world around you
Right here on the ocean floor
Such wonderful things surround you
What more are you lookin' for?"
As Slav sang, sea creatures that passed by were soon joining him in his song.
"Under the sea
Under the sea
Darling it's better
Down where it's wetter
Take it from me!
Up on the shore they work all day,
Out in the sun they slave away
While we devotin'
Full-time to floatin',
Under the sea!"
Slav laughed as a lobster started to play seashell as if they were a xylophone. Through song, Slav was trying to get the merprince to see reason.
"Down here all the fish is happy
As off through the waves they roll
The fish on the land ain't happy
They sad 'cause they in their bowl"
As Slav continued to sing a sad fat fish in a bubble floated past Keith. The prince gave the fish a sad look and watched the fish go past. Slav swam in Keith's face and the prince jumped back in surprise. Slav then moved to the fish and popped his bubble.
"But fish in the bowl is lucky
They in for a worser fate
One day when the boss get hungry…"
The fish ended up landing on a plate with fruits and seaweed on it.
"Guess who's gon' be on the plate?" the fish sang pointing at himself.
"Under the sea
Under the sea
Nobody beat us
Fry us and eat us
In fricassee"
Keith had by now tuned Slav out, he was playing with some red flowers that were grown into the ground. The flowers then popped up and turned into small seahorses. The seahorses swam around Keith creating a bubbling whirlpool, which sen bubble up Keith's back. A smile cracked on the prince's face at the action.
"We what 'de land folks loves to cook
Under the sea we off the hook
We got no troubles,
Life is the bubbles!
Under the sea (under the sea)
Under the sea (under the sea)
Since life is sweet here,
We got the beat here
Naturally
Naturally-y-y-y"
As the song continued, Slav became lost in his own musical world. More sea creatures had heard the commotion and started to play along to the music.
"Even the sturgeon an' the ray
They get the urge 'n' start to play
We got the spirit
You got to hear it
Under the sea!
The newt play the flute
The carp play the harp
The plaice play the bass
And they soundin' sharp
The bass play the brass
The chub play the tub
The fluke is the duke of soul (Yeah)
The ray he can play
The lings on the strings
The trout rockin' out
The blackfish she sings
The smelt and the sprat
They know where it's at
An' oh that blowfish blow!"
Slav pointed out each animal and their instrument to Keith as he continued to sing. Hunk noticed Pidge waving to him and whispered in the prince's ear. The prince smiled and nodded, with Slav distracted they swam away and followed Pidge.
"Yeah!
Under the sea
(Under the sea)
Under the sea
(Under the sea)
When the sardine
Begin the beguine,
It's music to me
(Music is to me)
What do they got? A lot of sand
We got a hot crustacean band
Each little clam here
Know how to jam here
Under the sea!
Each little slug here
Cuttin' a rug here
Under the sea!
Each little snail here
Know how to wail here
That's why it's hotter
Under the water!
Ya we in luck here
Down in the muck here
Under the sea!"
At the end of the song, the creatures posed and their faces fell when they saw the prince had gone. "Keith?" Slav asked as everyone started to leave. Slav sighed and sat down "Oh . . . somebody's got to nail that boy's fins to the floor". Suddenly a seahorse from the palace swam up to Slav, panting as if he just swam a marathon.
"Slav! Slav, I've been looking all over for you. I've got an urgent message from the sea king" Slav turned to the seahorse with a nervous look. "The sea king?" the little seahorse nodded "He wants to see you right away - something about Keith.
Slav gasped and his anxiety levels started to rise. "He knows!"
Meanwhile, in the palace, Shiro was sitting on the throne, the flower from Keith still in his hands. "Let's see, now. . . . Oh, who could the lucky merfolk be?" Shiro asked happy that his youngest was in love. He glanced up and saw Slav at the doorway of the throne room,
Shiro however, failed to notice how nervous the crab was. "Come in, Slav" Shiro said as he hid the flower behind his back. Slav took a deep breath and slowly crawled in. "I mustn't overreact. I must remain calm" he muttered to himself as he approached the throne.
Slav stopped before the throne and spoke to the king. "Yes - " Slav started to say but his voice pitched, showing how nervous he was. He cleared his throat and spoke to the king normally. "Yes, Your Majesty" Shiro turned his gaze to the crab from where the flower was hiding.
"Now, Slav, I'm concerned about Keith. Have you noticed he's been acting peculiar lately?" Slav chuckled nervously and rubbed his head with his claw. "Peculiar?" Shiro nodded "you know, moaning about, daydreaming, singing to himself. . . . You haven't noticed, hmm?" Shiro asked giving Slav a look. The crab grew more nervous "Oh - well, I -".
"Slav. . . ." Shiro said grabbing the crabs attention. "Hmmm?" Slav asked innocently "I know you've been keeping something from me. . . .". Shiro waved his finger, a sign for the crab to come closer. "Keeping . . . something?" Slav said giving a nervous smile. "About Keith?" Slav felt his legs start to shake and quickly hid them from view. "Keith…?" Slav asked innocently once more.
"In love?" Shiro suggested trying to finally get the point across. Slav finally broke and collapsed on the arm of the throne. "I tried to stop him, sir. He wouldn't listen. I told him to stay away from humans - they are bad, they are trouble, they -" Shiro's eyes widened as anger filled him. His titon glowed as he stood up in anger. "Humans? WHAT ABOUT HUMANS?" realization hit Slav that they weren't talking about the same topic. "Humans? Ho ho ho ho. . . . Who said anything about humans?".
Slav tried to back away, but Shiro grabbed the crab in anger and ordered him to take him to his son.
Keith pulled back the rock that hid the entrance to his grotto. He then followed Hunk and Pidge in. "Hey you two, why can't you just tell me what this is all about?" Pidge gave a smile "You'll see" Hunk also gave the prince a smile "it's a surprise".
Keith gasped when Hunk and Pidge moved out of the way. In front of him sat the statue of Lance from the night of the shipwreck. "Oh, Pidge, Hunk you're the best!" Keith exclaimed as he gave the two a hug. Something he didn't really do. "It looks just like him. It even has his eyes" Keith pointed out.
(A/N: Now this song wasn't in the movie, but I love this song so much that I decided to put it in here. The song is called One Dance by Jodi Benson. I highly recommend listening to it)
Keith was lost in his own world as he swam up to the statue. Staring the eyes, Keith couldn't help but imagine life a human. Something he desperately wanted.
"There is music in the air, can you hear it?
It's in two, no
Maybe three
Or maybe four
And I see me dressed in white
With two feet that feel so light
It's as though they've never ever touched the floor"
Keith swam around the statue as if in a dance. Hunk couldn't help but join in the dance.
"One dance,
Just you and me
Beneath the moon
Beside the sea
One dance
And it's happily ever after
One dance
And you will see
We're not so different
You and me
Just us two
Me and you
One dance"
Keith just wished that his father would see it as he does. Despite being of different worlds, they were not that different from the humans.
"There are stars that fill the night
Can you see them?
There are two
Or three or gee
A million more"
Keith glanced up as fish swam by, their bodies shining in the light as if stars in the night sky. He turned back to the statue with a smile and grabbed the hand.
"And I see you in their light
Who, me?
A dance?
All right.
Just to move and glide with you across the floor"
Hunk grabbed Keith's hand and they continued in another dance. Pidge smiling on the sidelines. Her friends could be truly idiots sometimes.
"One dance
Just you and me
Beneath the moon
Beside the sea
One dance
And it's happily ever after
One dance and you will see
We're not so different
You and me
Just us two
Me and you"
Keith then sat on the ground in front of the statue. He stared longingly at the legs, wishing he too had legs.
"I would change who I am
Leave the sea for the sand
Just to stand with you
I would leap at the chance
For a glimpse of a glance
Of one dance with you"
Hunk gave a smile and grabbed his friends and they started a three-way dance.
"One dance
Just you and me
Beneath the moon
Beside the sea
One dance
And it's happily ever after
One dance and you will see
We're not so different
You and me
Just us two
Dream come true
One Dance"
Keith let go of his friends and headed back to the statue. Hunk and Pidge finished the dance and then sat on the ground, smiles on their face.
"One Dance"
Keith smiled as he placed a hand on the shoulder of the statue. "Why, Lance, run away with you? This is all so - so sudden. . . ." Hunk and Pidge rolled their eyes at their love-struck friend. Keith spun around and he froze when he caught sight of an angry King Shiro at the entrance. "Dad!. .".
A/N:
Two chapters in a day! Crazy I know! You're Welcome 3