Aquatic Kingdom Hearts

Chapter 6: Poor Unfortunate Souls; An Unfair Deal

Back in the Caribbean

Ariel's Treasure Trove

After Ariel and Flounder had gotten out of the East/West Current, they swam their way to the cavern treasure trove. Ariel was just glad to get out of that number that Sebastian had planned out. It was his way to convince her that Eric wasn't the type of guy she thought he was, but she knew what kind of guy Eric was. That was why it was worth it to see him again tonight. And as before, she would give him his Family Album, as he did with her necklace. But when they were swimming to the trove, Flounder had been telling Ariel that he had a surprise waiting for her there.

As they arrived, Ariel tried her best to get the surprise out of Flounder but to no avail. As she pushed the rock opening of the trove off, the two swam in down the tunnel. As they did, Ariel asked one more time, "C'mon, Flounder. Why can't you just tell me what this is all about?" She had been trying her best to get the information out of him. But Flounder kept it secret pretty good, seeing as how he kept saying it was a surprise.

Flounder just smiled as he answered back, "You'll see, it's a surprise."

Ariel shook her head as she replied, "You keep saying that, Flounder. What's the big surprise?"

As soon as they got to the end of the tunnel, Flounder smirked as he answered, "Well, here it is."

As soon as Ariel reached it, she saw what the big surprise that Flounder had been talking about. She gasped as she smiled with delight and held her hands to her heart. What was in the center of the treasure trove cavern was the statue that fell off the High School yacht that Jones and his men commandeered. When they had taken the boat, they had shoved the statue off deck, claiming it was an eyesore and a waste of space.

But to Ariel, it was now a…no, the grand prize to her collection. She barely spoke in a whisper as she gasped at this, "Oh, my gosh." She smiled over to Flounder as she hugged him to her tightly, and spun around in a cheerful circle. She cheerfully said to her friend as she stopped the circling, "Flounder, you're the best."

Flounder chuckled as he smiled to Ariel as she broke the hug, "I knew you'd be happy to see this."

Ariel swam around the statue to try and find Eric, and she did. He was on the outside, in a lifting and supporting pose with his buddy Frey and the big fellow Krad on each of his side. She smiled at this as she looked at the statue; it was almost a complete replica of Eric in every way. She smiled as she stated this, "This is unbelievable, Flounder. It looks just like him. It even has his eyes."

"Yeah, except he can't talk back, but you can talk to him.", Flounder stated, seeing his friend happy.

After hearing that, Ariel snapped her fingers, "Flounder! That gives me an idea." She swam over to the sides of the cavern that acted as the trove's shells and found what she was looking for. She found the Thatch's family photo album and smiled at it, and temporarily hugging it; seeing it as a reminder of Eric, just as much as the statue was. She then swam over to the statue with Flounder being a little puzzled on what idea Ariel had on her mind. She then saw the confused look on Flounder as she explained, "See, I can use this statue as sort of a guinea pig, as they call it on the surface. A way to practice talking to Eric when I give him back his photo book."

Flounder thought about it and had to agree with her on that, "Yeah, you did kind of stink last night when you weren't able to think of anything else to say to him."

Ariel gave Flounder a playful glare and then turned her attention to the statue. She cleared her throat as she swam up to him, and spoke in a happy tone, "Eric! You came back; I was worried that you couldn't make it. I have something for you." She then shook her head at that and stated, "Nah, too girlish."

She then tried a sultry tone as she leaned in on Eric's statue, "Why, Eric. You look handsome this evening. I have something for you." She then stopped for a moment as she looked up at Eric's face, "What's that? Have a late night swim together?" She giggled a little as she whispered to him while wrapping her arms around his neck and leaning in, "Oh, this is all so…so sudden." She shook her head again as she backed away from the statue and giggled, "No, that's too flirtatious."

She then thought about it for a moment, swam back to the statue with the book behind her, and then spoke in her usual tone, "Eric! I'm glad you came; I was hoping you'd come.", she then smiled, picturing the statue responding back, "You wanted to see me again? That's very sweet of you.", she then acted like she was shying away, blushing at him as she replied, "I wanted to thank you for holding on to my mother's necklace for me, Eric. This necklace was a gift that my mother gave me before she died. It's all that I have to remind me of her." She then smiled at the statue, "And since you gave me something that helps me remember my loved one….", she then pulled out the photo album from behind her as she smiled, "Surprise! I found it during one of my scavenging hunts." She then gave it to the statue; she placed the book in his opened right arm, making it look like he was cradling it. She then pretended like the statue was all excited as she smiled, and giggled, "I knew you'd be happy to see it."

She then decided to take it a little further as she pretended to be shocked by what 'he' said next, "You…you love me?" She smiled brightly as she felt a little weak in the knees, as she replied when she swam up to the statue and leaned in towards 'his' face, "Eric…I…what I mean is…", she then leaned her face towards 'his', with her lips quivering as they almost touched the statue's, "…I feel the same way about you.." But at the last minute, she pulled herself away. Shaking her head from the dizzy feeling she had and just groaned as she held her head in her hands, "Ugh! I'm in trouble here, Flounder."

"I would say so, young lady."

Ariel and Flounder froze in their tracks as they heard that all too familiar voice came up from behind them. Ariel whipped around to see if it was who she thought it was. She nearly went white as a sheet as she saw the shadowed figure holding a trident in his right hand, and two eyes burning with anger. She gasped at this realization of who it was, "Daddy?"

Triton was floating right at the entrance to the cave's hallway, and not looking mighty happy about it. Ariel tried to figure out how he had found this place, but then she spotted Sebastian, cowering behind a rock. He had been forced to tell the whole story about the night before…and to where he said the human boy and she would meet. It was only finding this place was of sheer coincidence. Flounder, being equally scared as Sebastian, hid behind one of the treasures, which was a cannon, and peeked over it to see what would happen.

Triton took a deep breath through his nostrils as he spoke in a deep voice, "I consider myself a reasonable merman." He then moved out of the shadows and towards his daughter. His voice then rose up a little as he, "I set certain rules…", he then glared at Ariel, "…And I expect those rules to be obeyed. Whether they are family or not." Ariel looked a little terrified at seeing her father this angry. She knew that reasoning with him now would not work, but she tried to. Unfortunately, he interrupted her as he asked her, "Is it true, you rescued a human from drowning? Not just once when you were young, but now a second time?"

Ariel pleaded with her father on that, "Daddy, I had to…."

Triton interrupted her once more as he barked out, "Contact between the human world and the mer world is strictly forbidden for any reason at all!" He then looked at Ariel with a father/serious look on his face, "Ariel, you know that! Everyone knows that!"

Then Ariel finally spoke up as she pleaded with her father, "He was only ten years old; he would have drowned. And if I hadn't saved him yesterday, he would have died by Davy Jones' hands."

Triton couldn't care less as he bitterly shouted while turning his back to his daughter, "So what? Let the captain of the Flying Dutchman deal with dead weight! One less human to worry about in the world! "

That seemed to make Ariel angry; as always, her father judged a person before he even knew what they were like. She then bit at him, "How would you know? You don't even know him."

Triton turned around, showing a raised eyebrow as he bitterly questioned and shouted, "Know him? I don't have to know him! As far as I'm concerned, he and the rest of his kind, are all the same." Ariel swam next to Eric's side of the five-figure statue, hiding behind his back as Triton described humans, including Eric, with much venom and distaste in his voice, "Humans are nothing but spineless, selfish, savage, harpooning fish-eaters, incapable of any feeling whatsoever…!"

It was at that moment, with tears in her eyes, Ariel couldn't stand hearing this anymore. With all her courage, she shouted with much truth and commitment in her voice, it never left the cave, "Daddy, I love him!" She gasped as she realized she had let that slip out. Sebastian covered his head with his claws as he hid, as did Flounder, both knowing what would happen next.

Triton's eyes went wide with shock, as he only uttered out, "No." He then snarled again at this insanity…this absurd infatuation. He then growled as he looked at his daughter as if she had lost her mind, "Have you lost your senses completely?" He then shot out, "He's a human! You're a mermaid!"

Ariel hid behind the statue's backside as she held on to the shoulders. She had heard what her father had said, but then she remembered what Eric had said to her. He had told her that he liked her for who he was, and that maybe her father was wrong about both Humans and Merpeople not getting along. However, she replied in a crackly voice, showing she was on the verge of crying, though she remained firm on what she had said and what she thought now, "I don't care."

Triton growled as his grip on his trident grew tighter. He looked at Ariel with much fury in his eyes as he stated, "So help me, Ariel…I am going to get through to you." And he held his trident high in the air as it glowed bright with powerful and destructive energy, as he shouted, "And if this is the only way…", he then growled quietly, "…so be it!"

The trident pulsated with red electrical energy, as Triton pointed at the treasure trove. The first shot was sent to a globe, destroying it into a million pieces. Ariel looked in shock as he shot at another shelf, destroying the paintings that she and Flounder collected from that giant ship in the Atlantic. She tried to reason with her father as she shouted, "Daddy, no!" But her father would listen as he destroyed the next items, leaving no trace as Ariel continued to plea, "No! Please!" He destroyed more and more, with Flounder, Sebastian, but mostly Ariel watching helpless as she tried to plead to him even more, "Daddy! Stop!"

She couldn't take it anymore as she swam up to him and pleaded, "Daddy, please stop it!" But she saw that he still wouldn't listen to her, but saw that his attention was drawn to something else. She looked to where her father was looking and saw the statue of the five swimmers. She then realized that was what her father was about to destroy next, but that wasn't what shocked her the most. She remembered that Eric's family photo was still in the Eric-statue's arms. She couldn't let that get destroyed, so she turned towards her father as she pleaded one more time, "Daddy…", but it went unheard as Triton shot at the statue, "…NO!" Ariel shielded her eyes as the statue exploded with tremendous light and energy.

Ariel was able to unshield her eyes as she looked to where the statue was, now reduced to a thousand shattered and smoldering pieces. She swam over to it, trying to find any sign of the album. She then found it, buried underneath what was Seifer's chest cavity and gasped in shock and worse, fear. The photo album had taken only half the blast, but was slightly burnt. She pleaded to the book, hoping that some of the pictures had survived, "Please…please…", but then her face was distorted in despair as she saw that half the pages had been burnt completely, or halfway as most of the pictures were completely destroyed. She closed the book, and hugged it to her chest, as she crashed to the ground crying.

Triton was about to say something to his daughter, but then his rage all disappeared. His once enraged face turned to sadness as the realization of what he had just done. Unable to think of anything to say to her to apologize, he swam away, leaving her to cry. Flounder and Sebastian came out of their hiding spots as they saw Triton leave the cave. The two then turned their attention to Ariel, whom was still weeping. Sebastian could only blame himself for leaking the secret out.

So he scuttled over to her as he tried to apologize to her, "Ariel, I…"

"Just go away.", Ariel sobbed, wanting to be alone. But then Flounder tried an attempt but she shouted, "I said just go away! Leave me alone!" And returned to her crying.

The two sea critters looked at one another and thought it would have been best to leave her. And they did, as their faces showed much depression on what had happened, leaving the little mermaid to let it all out. As they left her, a familiar octopus faced pirate, along with his crew, merged from the cavern walls and saw the heartbroken mermaid. Jones had been given a strict instruction as to wait for the opportune moment. And he softly snickered as he whispered, "Fortuitous moment, eh? Well, what better moment than when a girl is heartbroken, and in her most vulnerable state."

As soon as the two were out of the cavern, Ariel got up in a kneeling position, and looked at the burnt book. She had something to remind her of her lost family, but now the one thing that reminded Eric of his family was gone. Her tears dropped and splashed on the book, despite the fact that this was in underwater. She then sobbed to herself, "It's all my fault.", she then clutched the book to her chest tightly as she sobbed once more, "Now I can't see him again without telling him…"

"What's stopping you, Poppet?"

Ariel shot up to see who that was, only to come face-to-face with the hammerhead shark head pirate, Maccus. She gasped in heart-stopping fear as she swam back, only to run into Ogilvey. She went towards the exit, only to run into Hadras, Koleniko, Clanker, and what appeared to be a pirate or two that resembled conjoined twins, joined from the shoulder down, each one with one arm on the sides, and two other arms hanging limp from their front and back from the center, and with a third leg ending in a stump where they were connected. The left twin had a horseshoe crab on his head with its claws hanging down like hair, and they both had small beards of coral and eyes like polyps. And so many other fish-men pirates, looking at her evilly and menacingly, as she looked around and saw she was surrounded.

Ariel looked all around her and saw the entire hideous crew of the Flying Dutchman in her trove. Things couldn't have gotten any worse for her; she clutched the book to her chest, as if it would protect her. That is until a familiar voice of authority stepped in from the crowd, "Now boys….is that any way to treat a lady?" Ariel looked back at the entrance, and saw Davy Jones come in, accompanied by his personal guard, Palifico. The pirate Palifico appeared to be primarily reef-like in appearance. He had two large rusted swords fused to his forearms and hands. In place of his eyes, nose, and mouth, he had a cluster of tentacles and two fan-worms in his eye sockets. The captain walked up closer to Ariel as he gave her an honest smile, "You're scarin' the poor lass."

Ariel dried her tears, more angry now than afraid or sad as she held the book like a weapon as she shouted, "Stay where you are!"

Jones held his 'hands' up in defense as he calmly stated, "You misjudge me, my dear. I merely came to apologize for what my men did to your friends the other day." Ariel, kind of caught off guard by that, but still held the book up like a weapon; let the captain continue, "What my men did was nothing less than barbaric." He then gave her a smile as he finished, "And I want to make it all up to you."

Ariel looked at the pirate suspiciously as she set the book down, and asked, "How?"

Jones smiled at this, knowing full well that the mermaid had taken the bait. He then strode around her as he stated, "My…sources…tell me that there is a certain 'boy', who's stolen your heart, and that you wish to be with him." He then raised an eyebrow as he asked, "Am I to assume I'm correct?"

Ariel's shoulders slumped as she remembered Eric, and sighed with sadness in her voice, "There is…but he's a human….", and then she held herself in her arms, as though she was trying to keep warm, "…and I'm a mermaid. It's not as if I can walk on land with him."

Jones smiled at this, and acted like he had just come up with an idea, "Walk on land?", he then spun in Ariel's sight as he proclaimed, nearly startling her, "That's it!"

Ariel jumped back and into Maccus and Koleniko as she asked, a little timid, "Wh-What is?"

Jones merely chuckled as he walked up to Ariel with a proposition in claw, "My dear, I might have the answer to all your problems." He then bowed for a moment as he stated, "You see, I represent someone who might be able to help you after all."

Then Maccus slightly ran his crab legged fingers in Ariel's hair, while he said, "Somebody who could make all your dreams come true." which caused her to cringed in disgust. She then pulled away as she ran into Two Heads, as the twins said in unison while holding each other, "Just imagine…." Twin #1 said, "You…", "…and your surfing Prince Charming…", Twin #2 said as the two heads finished in unison, "…together, forever."

Ariel didn't understand what or who they were talking about. She asked, slightly confused with much worry shown on her face, "I don't understand."

Jones simply answered, "Ursula…has great powers. And probably the power to give you want your heart desires most."

Ariel gasped at hearing that name; no merfolk was ever a stranger to that name. No one from the palace was even ignorant of that name as well, considering that Ursula was once a member of the council. She had heard that she had tried to overthrow her father, but was banished by it. She gasped as she questioned to be sure if this was the Ursula that Jones was talking about, "The Sea Witch?" It didn't take much, but all Jones did was nod as a positive response. Ariel was shocked to hear that, as she stammered, "Why that's…I…I couldn't possibly…" but then she shook her head as she shouted, "No! Get out of here! Leave me alone!", and returned her attention back to the book and knelt down, burying her face in her cradled arms that held the book.

Jones shrugged as he signaled his men to leave the cavern. "Suit yourself, your majesty.", he said while walking away, but not before he noticed a piece of the statue that resembled the face of the one she called Eric. He then smirked as he finished, "Of course…it was merely a suggestion." And then kicked the piece of rubble in Ariel's direction.

It landed right next to her as Jones left, catching her attention. Her face went from anger to longing sadness as she picked up the face, and looked at it. Just seeing the statue was enough have Ariel back in tears. Her heart ached to see Eric once more, but she thought, 'I want to see him. I want to be near him again.' It was then that she realized, like never before, that now, she didn't see how much in love she was with him. She didn't care what happened; she wanted to be with him more than ever now. She looked at the entrance, with Jones nearly walking out, as she pleaded with a crackling voice, "Wait!"

Jones stopped for a moment, smiling that the fish was now on the hook. He turned around and smiled, "Yes?"

Outside

Flounder and Sebastian were waiting for Ariel to come out. But they themselves were feeling down in the dumps. Flounder couldn't help but cry as he knew that Ariel was completely heartbroken. He had learned about how the human, Eric, had held on to Ariel's necklace for some time, keeping it safe. And Ariel, who had found Eric's family album, was planning to return the book to him. But now with it destroyed, he knew that Ariel couldn't return the favor to him. And because of it, she was heartbroken, and so seeing her friend like that, he sniffed in sadness, "Poor Ariel."

Sebastian wasn't feeling too happy himself, seeing as how he felt responsible for doing all this. He simply confessed out as he told Flounder, and himself, "I didn't mean to tell the King. It was an accident!" If he hadn't have cracked from the pressure, and blabbed his mouth off to the king, none of this would have happened. And Ariel would have been happy as she was, even though she was breaking her father's law in associating herself with a human.

But before anyone could say or do anything, a huge shadow loomed over them. They looked up and nearly had the color drain out of them as they saw what it was. It was none other than the Flying Dutchman as it sailed underwater, gliding with effortless ease. Sebastian hid behind a rock as always, but Flounder took notice of something. He swam over to where Sebastian was hiding, and dragged him out, "Sebastian! It's Ariel!"

Sebastian stopped cringing as he asked, "What about Ariel?"

"She's on the Dutchman.", Flounder pointed at the boat, with Sebastian's jaw dropping. There they saw Ariel, leaning on the front bow's rail, overlooking where the Dutchman was sailing to.

Sebastian, confused more than ever, swam as fast as he could to the ship, shouting to Ariel, "Ariel? Ariel!" As soon as he reached the front bow's rail, he swam up to Ariel's face as he asked, looking pretty miffed, "Ariel! What are you doing with these riffraff?"

Ariel, not in the mood to talk with Sebastian, and still pretty mad at him, huffed as she looked the other way. But Sebastian was persistent as he kept asking her, until she finally huffed and replied, "If you must know…Davy Jones is taking me to go see Ursula."

Letting the boat past him a little, Sebastian gasped at that name. He then swam fast towards Ariel as he screamed, "No, Ariel! No! Unlike Jones, she's a demon! She's a monster!"

Ariel then shot him a look that nearly stopped him in his tracks, "Why don't you go tell my father? It's pretty obvious you're good at that!"

Sebastian stammered at that statement, "But…but, I…", but then suddenly, he was grabbed by one of the crew members of the Dutchman. Sebastian nearly paled as he saw the horror that grabbed him. Like the other crew members, he was covered in barnacles, mussels, and seaweed, but the most horrifying thing about him was his face was that of a stonefish, and he had a fin on his back, and wore a red bandana. He also seemed to be carrying something on his person; a whip, tipped with razor sharp shells. He was known as Jimmylegs, the sadistic crewman of the Flying Dutchman.

Jimmylegs snickered as he bellowed, "You heard 'er. Get lost, rat-legs!" And with that said, threw Sebastian off the boat.

As soon as Sebastian regained his balance in the water, Flounder swam up to him with a worried look on his face. Sebastian, not about to give up, looked to Flounder with hardened resolve, "Come on!" And with that, they swam after the Flying Dutchman, now knowing where it was heading; to Sea Serpent Pass.

Ariel looked back, feeling a little sorry about having that done to Sebastian. But she shook her head as she…almost…knew what she was doing. But she also remembered that in visiting Ursula, she had broken her promise to see Eric tonight, and saw up top from the glassy surface of the water, that the sun was already setting. She sighed sadly as she thought to herself out loud and in a whisper, "I'm sorry, Eric. I couldn't keep my promise to meet you, tonight." But then she looked ahead as she let out a small smile as she made another promise, "But I promise I'll see you again…when I can be on land."

Elsewhere

As the events in the ocean took place, somewhere else, someone sensed it was time to intervene. The place was slightly eerie with an old swamp shack feeling to it, considering it was a swamp shack. The place was lit up by several candles, nearly melting halfway. All around the room, bottles hung from the ceiling; within them were frightening and bizarre oddities of any kind. And on shelves and tables placed, strange artifacts of mystical properties were held around as well, along with al living yellow boa constrictor slithering up one of the support beams.

But at the back end of the house, was where most of the activity took place. Crab claws and bones lay strewn like fortune-telling runes, as someone read the message that the configuration was in at this moment. Who was reading the crab parts and bones, was a mysterious Jamaican woman of unknown young age. She was slim but slender for someone cooped up in a swamp house, with short-long dreadlock hair, black makeup under her eyes, black lipstick, strange dot tattoos under her eyes as well, and dressed in an old worn out Victorian dress. And had around her neck, a strange heart shaped crab medallion.

She had read the signs from the parts, and sat straight up. She then spoke in a Jamaican accent as she got out of her seat, "Da princess goes to da Eight-armed Sea Witch already." And then she walked over to one of the shelves, looking for something. "She will be granted the gift of bridging da two worlds: The Land and da Sea." She then frowned, "But da Witch has an ulterior motive, as she did when she sought out what was left to govern the Sea itself." She then smiled as she pulled out what she was looking for, "For dis…she will need all da help she can get, until he is ready…"

She pulled from the shelf a strange looking otter statue, with the otter in a sort of Asian Dragon position. She placed the statue on the table as she waved her hand over it, ordering, "Dax! Arise…!" And suddenly, the little statue started to crack and shatter to pieces, as a meerkat sized otter colored in orange brown fur, came stumbling out. He fell flat on the floor as smoke covered the bottom.

For a moment, there was no movement, as two skinny little arms popped up from the smoke. The otter then rose up like Dracula as he shouted hysterically, "I live…I LIIIIIIIIIIVE!" The little otter jumped onto his feet as he looked around, eager as he shouted excitedly, "Alright, Tia Dalma! What's the mission? Who do you want me to deliver the Black Spot to? You just say the word and I'm on it!"

"Dax!", Tia Dalma shouted to the little otter, as he finally calmed down as he looked up to Dalma as she asked, "Do you know why you were summoned?"

Dax scratched the back of his furry head in curiosity, and then finally asked, "To…serve as messenger boy?"

Tia shook her head as she replied, "First off, I sealed you back because you failed me as guardian to the third Heart of the Sea, allowing it to be corrupted." Dax nervously tugged the collar of his fur as he gulped, but allowed Tia Dalma to continue, "I've decided to give you one more chance…to play guardian."

This got the otter to smile as he jumped on the table, "Alright! What needs to be protectin'?"

"The destined Princess…", Tia explained as she walked towards her desk to get something, "Da child has already been led to Da Sea Witch…", that caused Dax to cringe as she went on, "Her friends will be dere to protect 'er, but her beloved, the one with da Touch of Destiny about 'tim, 'is in need of a guardian…", she then pulled something from her desk as she walked towards Dax, "But before 'e is ready…", she pointed to him, "…you…must 'elp da Princess get ta shore."

Dax seemed a little confused, and more so as she tied something around his tiny right wrist. As soon as she was finished, the little otter Dax looked at what she tied on his wrist. It was a strand of red hair with a peculiar sea scent. He then looked at the hair and at Tia Dalma as he spoke in a monotone voice, "Hair. This is a strand of hair."

Tia nodded, "Yes."

Dax looked at the hair, and back at Tia Dalma as he questioned her action, "Is the…strand of hair going to help in any way?"

Tia Dalma gave the otter guardian a crossed look as she shot back, "If you don't want it to find da Princess, 'den give it back."

Dax clutched the hair and whimpered, "No."

Tia Dalma's smile returned as she answered, "'Den it helps." Dax sighed in relief as he jumped off the table and headed out the open door. But then he stopped as he ran back to Tia Dalma, as she asked him, "Is 'dere something wrong?"

Dax sheepishly replied, "I think…I have a need to find where the Princess is going."

Tia smiled at this as she walked back over to her table. She then scooped up the pieces and shook them like they were dice. Dax watched carefully as she chanted only once, "A Touch…of Destiny." And threw the bones on the table, with the bones and crab pieces forming together the picture…of the skeletal remains of a long dead sea monster.

Sea Serpent Pass

The Flying Dutchman sailed over the sulfur pipes and underwater volcano filled canyon area that was Sea Serpent Pass. The sea water tasted bitter, as it smelled of sulfur and brimstone due to the purple and red valley that was a graveyard of ships, boats, yachts, and even long sunk battleships from different years of the 1900s. The whole place gave Ariel a chill in her body as she looked all over the rotted graveyard. She was then startled by Jones who snuck up just to the side of her as he stated, "It must put a chill in your bones to see how many human vessels went down and got collected here."

Ariel then looked carefully as she saw some Merpeople working on the sunken vessels. She then took notice that they had webbed hands and fins on their shoulders, back, and some acting as their hair. They were colored pale and dark green, and dressed in armor that was made from clams, the bones of sharks, as well as their teeth. She immediately recognized them as a banished race of Merpeople as she stated out loud, "Mer-eels."

Jones looked down below and noticed them as well as he nodded, "Aye. They were part of Ursula's followers when she attempted the coup de tat. And as such, they were banished along with Ursula here…those that survived, that is."

Ariel then asked, "But what are they doing?"

Having not wanting to answer that truthfully, he groaned, knowing she was becoming too nosy already. However, before he could give out a lie for a truthful answer, Maccus walked up on deck, and reported to Davy Jones, "Captain. We've just spotted Ursula's home lair, coming into view." Jones nodded as Maccus went back to his post. The two then spotted what appeared to be a giant skeleton of a long dead sea beast, nestled in the coral encrusted rocks. That was Ursula's lair, and the destination of the Flying Dutchman.

Then Jones turned towards a nervous Ariel as he stated, "Before we go aboard and inside the Devil's home. There'll be no use going unless you feel ready." He then glared at Ariel, giving her a short of chill down her spine, "This boy…how far are you willin' ta go ta be with him?"

Ariel thought about it for a moment, and wondered if what she was doing was the right thing. But then she remembered that kiss; the touch she felt when her lips touched his. And six years of nothing else but thinking about him, and seeing him again. It hurt her heart just thinking about not being near him again. She would give up anything just to be with him once more. She looked to Jones, with a hard resolve on her face, as she answered, "I'd give anything to be with him."

Jones smiled as he replied, "Oh, good." And then turned away to walk back to the helm. He then smirked evilly as he whispered, "That's all I need to know."

Ursula's Lair

The Flying Dutchman was docked across the mouth of the lair as a plank bridge was set up. The crew was setting up the docking while Jones walked along the bridge to go inside through the dead beast's mouth. Ariel swam behind him, but then saw the eerie place was, and stopped a little out of fear and hesitation. She wasn't sure if she should do this, but then she saw Jones stop at the entrance as he beckoned her in, "This way."

Taking a nervous gulp, she swam in after him, entering the belly of the beast. The hallways were dark and eerie as Davy Jones led the way, and a nervous Ariel followed him. But as they went in further, she heard a moaning and howling sound as they entered the next hallway. The deeper they were in, the louder it got, as Ariel looked down and noticed something moving along the bottom. She then paled in fright as some light shined in and showed some horrifying seaweed creatures. And then suddenly, one of them shot at her, wrapping around her wrist. She struggled, trying to pull it off, until one final tug, she broke free. In fear, she swam fast to Davy Jones' side as they reached their final destination.

It was a room with a huge conch hung from the ceiling, along with a few shelves full of strange concoctions, a vanity mirror, and a cauldron shaped like a closed clawed hand. It was when they entered the room, Ursula spoke up from the conch, "Davy Jones."

Jones smiled as he walked towards the conch, "Ursula, my dear old friend."

And then Ursula noticed the new company as she smiled, seeing Ariel peeking from behind the doorway covered in seaweed, "Ah, I see you wrangled me a new customer." She then beckoned Ariel to come in, "Come in…come in, my child. We mustn't lurk in doorways." Ariel nervously came in, as she saw Ursula slither her way out of the conch and land on the floor, as she quirked, "It's rude." She then smiled as she swam her way towards Ariel as she chuckled, "One might question your upbringing." She then strolled on over to Ariel and then, with two of her tentacles, examined Ariel's hairstyle, much to Ariel's confusion as Ursula commented, "Ugh! This is how they have their hair done at the palace nowadays?"

Ariel pulled away as Ursula shrugged as she went on, "Of course I wouldn't know; I've been banished from Atlantica forever…", and then she turned her back to Ariel as she grumbled, "…by your dear old daddy. Reduced to living in this wretched hobble with my own loyal followers." She then acted all dramatic as she looked to Jones for answers, "And for what? Because I was ambitious? Because I made a few pitiful attempts to elevate my station in life?"

Ariel shot out, "You tried to overthrow my father."

Ursula chuckled lightly as she shrugged, "Well…things do tend to get blown out of proportion." But then she cleared up as she stated, "At any rate, I've reformed; I only do good these days." She then swam to her vanity mirror as she plopped down to fix herself up. But as she did, she cleared up the information before her, "Now…Jonesy here tells you're here, because you have a thing for this human…this surfer fellow in the Caribbean?" She turned her attention to Ariel as she quirked, "Not that I blame you; he is quite a catch, isn't he?" She then turned her attention back to the mirror as she fixed her lipstick, "Well, Angelfish…the solution to your problem is simple: the only way to get what you want….is to become a human yourself."

Ariel gasped in surprise by that solution. She figured it was impossible to even become a human; she even knew her father wouldn't allow it with the power of the Trident. But then she looked to Ursula with hope in her eyes, as she asked, "Can you do that?"

Ursula smirked at this turn of events; the naïve mermaid had taken the bait and was hook-line-in sinker. As Jones' men came walking in to witness the witch's work, Ursula smiled as she turned towards Ariel, "My dear, sweet child…that's what I do." She then swam towards Ariel as she stated, "It's what I live for. to help unfortunate merfolk, like yourself." She then sighed sadly as she cupped Ariel's face with one of her tentacles, causing Ariel to flinch away, "Poor souls, with no one else to turn to." She then slowly swam over Maccus and Ogilvey as she started to get to work,

I admit that, in the past, I've been a nasty

They weren't kidding when they called me, well, a witch, that earned a chuckle from the two pirates as she continued,

But you'll find that nowadays,

I've mended all my ways,

Repented, seen the light, and made a switch, she then swam over to Ariel as she smirked, "True? Yes." She then swam over the cauldron as it opened up all by itself, and the inside let out a glowing yellow light.

And I fortunately know a little magic, it's a talent that I've always had possessed

And here lately, please don't laugh, I use it on behalf

Of the miserable, lonely and depressed…then two foggy images of a skinny merman and a corpulent mermaid appeared. Jones mumbled as he saw the images, "Pathetic.", Ursula let out a tiny smile, but then continued,

Poor unfortunate souls

In pain, in need, she then pointed to the two merfolk respectively, this one longing to be thinner, that one wants to get the girl, and do I help them?… with a snap of her fingers, the two were magically transformed: the mermaid was gorgeous and the merman was handsome as the two embraced, with Ursula smirking… Yes, indeed

Those poor unfortunate souls,

So sad, so true

They come flocking to my cauldron crying, 'Spells, Ursula! Please!'

And do I help them? Yes I do.

Unknown by anyone, Sebastian and Flounder had arrived at Ursula's lair. Sebastian gulped nervously, while Flounder was shaking like crazy-scared, but they knew what they had to do. They swam in there, avoiding the seaweed creatures, and did their best to remain undetected. However, they didn't go unnoticed, for when they past by a wall of green seaweed, a figure moved out of it. The creature had only a belt across his torso and wrangled pants, but his whole body was a latticework of hanging seaweed covering his body. He had mussels for teeth sunk into his face, with only one eye set within a slit-shaped socket. He was known as Greenbeard, the navigator and more plantlike of the Flying Dutchman, as he followed the two interlopers as Ursula continued her song,

She frowned as she waved her hand at the two, and clenched it into a fist,

Now it's happened once or twice, someone couldn't pay the price…and then the mer-couple transformed into a pair of the seaweed creatures that Ariel had seen before…And I'm afraid I had to rake'em across the coals

Yes, I've had the odd complaint, but on the whole, I've been a saint…

To those poor unfortunate souls

Ariel then looked back nervously at the seaweed creatures, but then her attention was pulled back by Ursula. She placed a reassuring hand on the shoulder of the little Mermaid as she led her to the cauldron, with Jones waiting there. Ursula then stated, "Now, here's the deal: I will make you a potion that will turn you into a human for six days." She then made sure of her point as she repeated, "Got that? Six days."

Then Jones stood next to Ariel as Ursula explained with great detail, "Now listen, dearie. Because this is important to remember." Ariel listened as Ursula explained the whole plan, "Before the sun sets on the sixth day, you've got to get the surfing knight in shining aquatic armor to fall in love with you. That is, he's got to kiss you." But she made it very specific as a heart materialized in the cauldron's light and lit up immensely, "Not just any kiss, I thank you. It must be a special kiss; the kiss of True Love."

Flounder and Sebastian were swimming around the corner, keeping out of sight, and saw what was happening and heard everything. Out of the cauldron then popped a silhouette of Ariel and Eric together, but this image, Ariel had legs as Ursula explained, "If he does kiss you before the sun sets on the sixth day, then you'll remain human…permanently, with no repercussions."

Ariel smiled at this outcome, but then frowned as the silhouette changed from her and Eric together, with her back as a mermaid. Ursula then explained, "But if he doesn't….then you'll turn back into a mermaid, and…."

Then Jones stepped up, and evilly smiled at Ariel, finishing, "…you will serve an eternity…aboard the Flying Dutchman…to me."

Sebastian couldn't take it anymore as he whispered his shouting, "No, Ariel! Don't be stupid; don't be…!" But then he and Flounder were both muffled by Greenbeard as he could only speak in a growl and kept out of sight.

Ariel turned around back at the door, thinking she heard Sebastian. But her attention was turned back towards Ursula as she asked, "Have we got a deal, dearie?"

Ariel was about to answer that, but then she thought about something. If she did this, if she became human permanently, she would be leaving all her friends and family behind. She then whispered that out, "If I become human…I'll never be with my friends, my father or sisters again."

Ursula faked her concern as she nodded, "That's right!." But then she smirked and chuckled, "But you'll have your one true love."

Jones nodded but then he stated, "But seriously, child. What do you owe that old buffoon you call your father? All he's ever done in your life is control every action you've ever made. In order to try and make you a happy life. And when you finally found happiness, he disapproves of the company and destroys everything that you spent your life collecting. Do you really think now that you owe him anything now?"

Ariel remembered what had happened back at her trove and her resolve came back. She shook her head as she answered, "No, I don't."

Davy Jones then smirked, "There."

Ursula chuckled at that scene, but then she snapped her fingers as she held Ariel's hands and stated, "Oh, there is one more thing: we haven't discussed the subject of payment." She shrugged as she went over to her supply cabinet, "You can't get something for nothing."

Realizing she had nothing to give, Ariel stated as she explained, "But that's just it. I don't have any…" however, she was stopped as Ursula let one of her tentacles be placed over her mouth to stop her from going on.

Ursula explained, "I'm not asking much. Just a token really, a trifle." She then swam back to Ariel as she stated, "You'll never even miss it." She then explained, "For payment to turn you into a human for seven days. What I want from you is….your voice."

Ariel was taken by surprise by that as she looked in fear of that. She gently held her throat as to where her voice box was. If there was one thing she needed, it was her voice. Without it, how could she possibly talk to Eric at all? She asked them if she heard correctly, "My voice?"

Jones nodded as he answered for Ursula, "You've got it, my dear. No more talking, singing, a big…fat…zip!"

She then pleaded to them both, "But without my voice, how can I…"

"You have your looks!", Ursula answered as she went to her cabinet, "Your pretty face! And don't underestimate the importance of…", she then shook her hips as she replied with a cackle, "…Body Language. Ha!", she stated as the ingredients, which were a bunch of rummaged creatures that looked like some half-baked experiment.

The men up there don't like a lot of blabber!

They think a girl that gossips is a bore

Yes, on land it's much preferred for ladies not to say a word

And, after all, dear, what is idle prattle for? She then had the ingredients line up, floating in a row. And with the right timing, they fell into the cauldron, causing an explosion or two as the potion began to mix.

Come on, they're not all that impressed with conversation,

True gentleman avoid it when they can,

But they dote and swoon and fawn, on a lady who's withdrawn,

It's she who holds her tongue that gets a man…and then a fireworks display of more explosions occurred as more ingredients were thrown in.

Come on, you poor unfortunate soul,

Go ahead, make your choice…and then as Ariel looked in the smoke, Eric's face began to form. She absentmindedly gazed into it until she heard Jones' voice, She's a very busy woman, and we haven't got all day…it won't cost much and then Jones' face shot through the image, scaring Ariel as he finished…just your voice! And then Ursula took over as she threw in the final ingredient,

You poor unfortunate soul,

It's sad…but true….

Then Davy Jones appeared behind Ariel, and in his clawed hand he held up a golden contract, which read: I HEARBY GRANT UNTO URSULA, THE WITCH OF THE SEA…ONE VOICE, IN EXCHANGE FOR………………………..A LIFETIME OF SERVITUDE ABOARD THE DUTCHMAN. And in his tentacle-index fingered hand, he held an old-fashioned ink pen. Ariel looked confused as he sang,

If you want to cross a bridge, my sweet, you've got to play the toll

Take a gulp and take a breath, and go ahead and sign the scroll…after taking the pen, Jones whispered to his men, "Now, we've got her, boys." And then the song finished off with a duet by Ursula and Jones singing in unison,

The boss is on a roll…………..

This.

Poor.

Un…fortunate soul………………………………

With much hesitation, Ariel looked at the contract, not certain what to do. But then, she knew right here and now that there was no turning back. With silent pleading from her friends going unnoticed, and two anxious villains watching her, she made her choice. She signed the contract with her name on it; then the contract folded itself up and flew into Davy Jones' right hand. He smirked as he looked to Ursula as he stated, "It's done then."

Outside

Swimming like never before, Dax was looking everywhere in Sea Serpent Pass for the mer-princess. The location that his mistress, Tia Dalma, had given him was square on, but no one was spotted within an inch. He took one more sniff of the hair that was tied to his wrist as he tried once again to pick up the trail, but no such luck. He grumbled to himself, "This would be so much easier for me to find one mermaid princess…IF THERE WASN'T SO MUCH SULFUR AND BRIMSTONE MIXED INTO THE WATER!"

He thought his efforts were in vain, until he spotted light coming on one direction. He then spotted the Dead Beast lair…along with the Flying Dutchman berthed there. He slapped his face with exhaustion as he groaned to himself, "Oh sure, hide it in plain sight for me." After his destination was spotted, he swam as fast as he could towards that area.

Back in Ursula's Lair

With the contract signed and the potion all ready, Ursula wasted no time getting the spell underway. Jones and his men stepped back as they were the captive audience to this little performance piece. Greenbeard still stood in the opening of the hallway, holding on to Flounder and Sebastian. And Dax had finally made his way in there, but stopped as he saw that the spell had already begun, as Ursula chanted, "Beluga, sevruga, Come winds of the Caspian Sea…" Suddenly, out of the cauldron, a blue whirlpool started to spin up and light up the room. Then the whirlpool turned green as two skinny demonic hands popped out. Ariel looked frightened as Ursula continued, "Larynxis, glossitis, Et max Laryngitis…La voce to me!" The hands were all at the ready, and Ursula looked towards Ariel as she stated, "Now, my dear…all you have to do now…is sing."

Without any hesitation, she sang out, or vocalized, the tune of her song. But as she sang, a small golden sphere glowed in her throat; the small golden glowing sphere in her throat was none other than her voice. The spell was working as Ursula shouted, "Keep singing!" As Ariel did so, the hands reached out for her. As one hand reached for her, Ariel flinched a little, but still held her tone. And then like a viper striking for a mouse and getting it, the hand shot into her mouth and ventured down Ariel's throat. And in a few seconds, it pulled out, along with Ariel's voice as it continued to hold the notes in her song. Ariel saw the golden orb that was her voice, and held her throat, knowing it was lost forever. And then the hands were reeled right into Ursula's shell necklace, which she insanely grinned at as she cackled like a maniac.

And then out of the cauldron, a yellow cloud came out of it, and ensnared Ariel into a bubble. Ursula, Davy Jones, and the fish-pirates all cackled evilly as the deed was finally done. Even as Greenbeard cackled, something bit him from behind, causing him to scream out loud. Sebastian and Flounder were free, and then spotted an otter as he babbled out, "Come on, we've got to get the Princess outta here and up to the surface!"

Sebastian yelled back, not even thanking the rescuer, "What are you crazy, mon?"

Dax shook his head as he pointed out, "We've gotta…because when Princess Ariel goes human, so does her ability to breathe underwater!"

The two looked at each other in fright at that, as they along with their new companion, watched as the spell was taking completion. While in the Bubble, Ariel's body was being shocked at by yellow energy, causing her to flinch and spasm in pain. And then finally, her fin and tail split right down the center vertically, and changed shape and texture, until finally her tail was gone, and in place of it, was a lower torso, legs, and feet of a human teenage girl. The bubble burst as the spell was over, but when it, Ariel went wide eyed as she couldn't breathe.

Flounder, Sebastian, and Dax paled at this as they raced over to her in time. With Flounder at her right, and Dax and Sebastian at the left, the three critters pulled out non-stop to race to the surface of the ocean. The villains still cackled at this as they raced to the surface.

Ariel held her breath as hard and long as she could. It felt like her lungs were on fire as she tried her best to hold it in. 'It hurts!', she screamed in her head, 'I can't hold it my breath any longer….' She then looked up in fear as she nearly blacked out, 'Am I…going to die before I…see Eric again…' however, her prayers were answered as she broke the surface of the water, and for the first time in her life, savored the feel of fresh air going into her lungs.

She then crashed on the surface of the water as she was helped up by Flounder, with Sebastian and Dax at the lead. Ariel coughed a little water out of her system, as Sebastian coughed a little too as he asked, "Great! Now what?"

Dax claimed out, "We've got to her back to the Caribbean. Someone there'll help her out…and all of us out."

Not liking this idea, Sebastian knew that they had to get Ariel back to land. And the only place for that was the Caribbean. And so, the three worked together as one to get an exhausted Ariel back to land as fast as they could for their friend.

Next Chapter: Walking on the Surface; A Home Away From Home