Chapter XXXI- Atlantica (Part 2)
Ariel led the group through the undersea caverns. She knew about these underground tunnels with strong currents, they used them to speed up swimming time. They stopped when they reached an open area bunch of sunken old ships.
"Me and Flounder go looking around here all the time for treasure." Ariel. "Maybe what you are looking for is in here."
"Or maybe some gold." Koga said with his eyes sparkling.
"Let's check it out!" Donald said.
"Um maybe this isn't such a good idea." Flounder said nervously following the group as they made their descent into the ships. They picked one that looked like the oldest of the bunch.
"Don't be such a guppy Flounder."
The fish pouted. "I'm not a guppy."
They didn't see the shadow looking at them. Going inside the hold of the ship they examined all the stuff lying around.
"Hmm, is this the Keyhole?" Ariel said holding up the remains of a door with a rusted bronze keyhole in it.
"Uh... it is a Keyhole but not the one we're looking for." Koga said.
"How will we know when we found it?" Flounder asked.
"Trust me, you will know when you see it." Sora lifted up a piece of a fallen crate and saw a ornate chest underneath it. "Hey check this out." The group opened the chest and saw a shiny trident shaped crystal inside it. "What is this?" He asked picking it up.
"It looks familiar." Sora handed it to Ariel.
"Wait, this looks exactly like that rock back in your grotto." Koga said.
"You're right, good eye!" Ariel beamed at them. "What do you think it does?"
"No idea, but I think it's worth checking out."
"Alright back to the grotto."
"U-um Ariel..." Flounder stammered. The others ignored him too busy talking to themselves.
"Not now Flounder. Oh this will look so great for my collection!" She said holding the crystal up.
"Ariel..."
Koga felt goosebumps all of a sudden. He looked up and his pupils shrank. He trembled as he tapped Sora's shoulder.
"S-s-s-s-sh-sh-sh-sh-"
Sora looked at his brother annoyed. "What's the matter Ko-" He looked in his direction and saw what got him and Flounder so spooked.
"SHARK!"
They all instinctively swam out of the way as a giant shark bursted through the window gnashing it's teeth at them. They quickly swam around it and out of the hole it made in the ship. Luckily the shark has too little space to properly move around so it will take awhile for it to get out.
"Sora, I don't wanna become tuna!" Koga cried shaking his brother fanatically. He remembers the stories his dad tells him about the near death encounter with a shark, nearly taking his leg but leaving a wicked scar on it.
"Calm down bro. We can take it easily." Sora reassured him. "It's not like it can get any worse."
Koga paused and facepalmed. "You just had to jinx it..." He muttered as a horde of Heartless appeared. They were a bunch of jellyfish-like Heartless.
Sea Neon
And among them was a giant version of them.
Sheltering Zone
"Ariel get back!" Koga said summoning Shooting Star. He swung at one of them and it was far from a graceful swing, even by his standards.
"No, I can fight!" She said. She swam up and smacked one with her tail knocking it back. She then through out her hands. "There!" She shouted as lighting magic struck them.
"Alright, but be careful. These Heartless won't go easy on you!" Goofy said slamming his shell into a Sea Neon.
"Freeze!" Sora said using a blizzard spell on the big Heartless. The ice froze mid-spell making a stream of frozen water from his Keyblade all the way to the Heartless, trapped in the ice. Then the ice bursted, shattering the Heartless. "Magic sure works funny underwater."
"Take this!" Koga shouted shooting at the Sea Neon's coming at him. He didn't react in time to the other Sheltering Zone taking a swipe at him with it's crushing tentacles. Though it was a good thing it knocked him back because right after the shark finally got out of the ship and chomped on the Heartless's head. The other Heartless turned their attention to the undersea predator.
"That's twice a viscous creature saved us from the Heartless, this better not be a pattern!" Koga exclaimed.
"Come on!" Ariel shouted. "While it's distracted."
They all swam away while the shark took on the Heartless.
The group swam straight back to the grotto and took a breather.
"I hate sharks." Koga said still trembling. His brother rubbed his shoulder in a comforting manner. "If there's ever a shark themed Heartless I'm out, someone else can have my Keyblade."
"Hmm, lets see and there." Ariel said as she carefully put the crystal in the trident shaped hole. The group looked at the crystal and nothing happened. "Hmm, I was sure something would happen."
"Did you put it on backwards?" Goofy suggested. Ariel shrugged and pulled it out and flipped it over.
Donald rolled his eyes. "Goofy, it looks the same on both sides, how can that make a d-" As soon as Ariel put it in place the crystal glowed. Goofy chuckled as Donald scowled. They all watched in anticipation.
"ARIEL!" Roared a booming voice. They all turned around and saw King Triton swimming into the grotto with a furious expression. Sebastian cowered behind him. "You disobeyed me again! I told you not to leave the palace!"
"Uh oh, busted." Koga squeaked out nervously.
"Daddy!" Ariel shouted surprised. Triton turned his head and his eyes widened when he saw the trident crystal. He quickly pointed his trident at it. "Daddy no!" She shouted but it was too late as the crystal was blasted to pieces. Ariel looked at her father angrily, lip quivering and eyes watering as she swam away, leaving everyone behind. Flounder and Sebastian swam out of the grotto in her direction.
"Ariel wait!" Koga said trying to follow her but Triton blocked his way. Koga looked up at the towering ruler of the seas who was looking at him with a disapproving face. He swam back to his brother's side fearfully.
"Young man, you and your brother's are not from another ocean. You're from another world aren't you?"
The entire group froze. How did he figure it out? The shocked faces alone told the sea king his answer.
"Then you two must be the key bearers."
"How did you know?" Koga said.
"You may fool Ariel, but you can't fool me. You don't know your own dorsal fin from your tail! As the key bearer, you must already know. One must not meddle in the affairs of other worlds."
Sora tried to defend himself. "Of course I know that, but..."
"You have violated this principle. The key bearer shatters peace and brings ruin. It is the very reason the worlds should stay separated."
"Aw, Sora's not like that." Goofy said.
"And Koga would never do something like that!" Donald defended. "He and Sora has helped a lot of people with the Keyblade."
"It matters not, I will not allow my world to be meddled with." Triton glared at them. "I thank you for saving my daughter. But there is no room in my ocean for you or your key." He said with finality as he left the group.
Sora looked down at his Keyblade with contemplation. "Shatters peace and brings ruin?"
"Don't listen to him." Koga said. "We have done so much good for the worlds, in fact every world we visited would've been destroyed if it wasn't for us."
"Yeah!" Goofy agreed. "So wipe that frown off your face and let's keep looking for that Keyhole."
Sora smiled at them, thankful for their support.
Ariel was in a undersea coral garden crying over a rock.
She was furious. She wanted to help Sora and Koga look for this Keyhole but her father won't let her do anything. And she even destroyed a new part to her collection. Why won't he just understand?
"Oh poor child." Ariel looked up and saw two eels looking at her with their mismatched eyes. "She suffers such deep sorrow." They swam in circles above her. She felt a little apprehensive around these creatures.
"What a pity. If only there were something we could do..."
"Wait, maybe she can be of some help." One of the eels suggested.
"Yes, maybe she can be of some help to you."
Ariel, despite being fearful of these eels, couldn't help but be curious about who they were talking about. "Who're you talking about?"
The eels started swimming upwards. "Oh, she would surely help you."
"She'd make all your dreams come true."
"Ursula can help." They vanished into a pool of inky darkness, out of the darkness came a large woman with purple skin and white hair, black tentacles covering her lower half. The woman smiled at Ariel.
"You called, my dear?"
Ariel gasped."You're Ursula?" She heard of Ursula, the sea witch that was banished from her father's court. But maybe someone not under her father's eye can help her. "I was wondering if..."
"It's alright. Helping other's is what I live for." She said as she circled the little mermaid. "Let me guess, you wish to see other worlds. That shouldn't be too hard. After all your new friends came from another world."
"What?" Ariel said shocked.
"Not only that but they are not even merpeople, using magic to disguise their surface dwelling selves."
Okay, that wasn't such a surprise in all honesty. Their swimming is downright awful.
"But they had special help. That mysterious Key of theirs." Ariel looked downtrodden. Ursula puts a hand on her shoulder. "Now, now. Cheer up sweetie. I have an idea. You may have noticed that their Keyblades have a similar aura as the Trident."
Ariel nodded. Being around her father she recognizes the similarities, though the Trident seems to have more overall power.
"Now listen, I have reason to believe that the Keyhole is located inside the palace, all I need for you to do is to get me inside and with the Trident I can take you to another world."
"What?" Ariel backed up and looked at her astonished she would suggest such a thing. "Why would I ever do that? It would be easier to ask Sora and Koga to take me along after they find the Keyhole."
Ursula shrugged. "They are forbidden. Keyblade wielders are not allowed to meddle with other worldly affairs. They seek to lock the Keyhole, preventing anyone from leaving."
"No!" Ariel shouted. "They can't do that!"
"They will, and once they do, I'm afraid you will be stuck here forever. This is your only chance child. So make your choice, I'm a very busy woman and I haven't got all day."
Ariel bit her lip looking at her with nervousness. "What do you need me to do?"
Ursula smiled widely and leaned in close to her. "Good child, now listen carefully..."
Reinvigorated, the group left the grotto and decided to help out the sea life. They went around the Kingdom and fought the Heartless when they came up. The fighting was good training to make them better at underwater combat. When they saved a dolphin they were so thankful that she taught them a way to swim better. The sea people were entirely grateful for their help, reminding themselves that Triton was wrong in thinking they were dangerous.
"Hey, how do you think Ariel is holding up?" Koga asked as they were swimming around the palace grounds.
They noticed Flounder and Sebastian with upset expressions.
"What's wrong with you?" Donald asked.
"It's all my fault that Ariel hates me now. I told Triton what you were doing, it was his orders I had no choice!"
Koga sighed irritated but looking at the crab sympathetically. "Well you had your orders and I can't imagine how he would take you saying no."
"But Ariel won't talk to us anymore." Flounder said. "She came back to the palace and she told us to go away."
"Maybe we should check on her." Goofy suggested. "Maybe her seeing our new swimming skills will lift her spirits."
"Maybe..." Sora said.
They swam to the palace, expecting her to be there. As they swam closer they felt like something was wrong.
Ursula cackled with the Trident in her hand. Ariel fell for her trick and now thanks to her the power of the seas are all hers. Triton laid wounded on his throne as his daughter looked at him with terror. Flotsam and Jetsam were busy searching the palace.
"Finally! I have been waiting for this for so long, and I couldn't have done it without you dear!" Ursula laughed wickedly.
"Ursula no, I didn't want this!" Ariel said looking at her pleading for her to stop. "We didn't agree to this!"
The sea witch looked at her with mock sympathy. "Why not? Aren't you tired of following your dear daddy's orders?" She smiled. "Oh yes, we had a deal didn't we?" Ariel backed away in fear as the Trident was pointed at her. "Time for you to see the other worlds, as a Heartless!"
"Mistress!" Flotsam said swimming to her side. "We cannot find the Keyhole."
"The Keyhole is not here." Jetsam said worried.
"WHAT!" She exclaimed turning her back to Ariel. "I was sure it was here. Well no matter, with this new power I no longer need Malefi-" Suddenly Ariel swam towards her and tried to rip the Trident from her grip. Ursula easily overpowered her and shoved her back. She then noticed Sora, Koga, and the others swimming into the throne room hearing the commotion.
"Sorry dears but you're too late!" She laughed as she vanished into inky smoke with her eels following her.
"Your majesty!" Sebastian gasped swimming to the king's side.
"Daddy..."
"The Trident... we must get it back!" Triton said weakly.
"What's going on!?" Sora asked confused.
"Ursula... the sea witch. She controls the Heartless." Triton said.
"She tricked me, it's all my fault that she has the Trident. Now the entire sea is in trouble." Ariel sobbed.
"She must be working to Maleficent." Koga turned to the king. "Where is she?"
"Her lair is near the shipwrecks, where she draws power from her magic cauldron."
"Come on let's go!" Sora said. The group swam forward but Ariel blocked their way.
"Wait, I'm going with you!" She declared. "My father is hurt and it's all my fault! I have to stop Ursula!"
They gave an accepting smile.
"That's right, I'm right behind your Ariel. It's the least I can do to make up for what I did." Sebastian said. "And I know the directions to the lair!"
"I'm coming too!" Flounder said.
"No, Flounder I need you to watch over daddy until we get back." Ariel said. Flounder deflated but nodded.
"Alright, lets get that witch!" Koga said as he and the others swam out and made their way to Ursula's lair.
See you guys next time...
HAVE FUN!