Sorry about giving your hopes up, but I just changed a little detail in this chapter. The change is Frey's weapon; instead of a dagger, he was supposed to get something else. It was still in development, so I had to put in a rush hour work job. Well, hope you're surprised, and check out my sub-arc, the Rise of Atlantis.

Aquatic Kingdom Hearts

Chapter 35: Farewells and Departures; Two Worlds, One Family pt.2

Elsewhere that Night

Somewhere else in the palace, Princess Kida was overlooking the landscape, just as Eric and Ariel were at the time. At the time, she was wearing a traditional ceremony It had been a trying day for her and her kingdom. Her Father had died, leaving her and Suki as the next heirs to the throne, retrieving her sister Suki from the clutches of that treacherous Rourke, who had met his demise by the Seablade Bearer's hands. They didn't find the remains of that monster, but it was evident that seeing as how he was cut in half, it was likely that despite the crystallized mutation he had mysteriously underwent, someone like him could have survived being buried in lava.

But at the moment, that wasn't where her thoughts were straying that this point. Tomorrow morning, the explorers were heading back home, back to the surface world. But in true honesty, what was unsettling in her heart was the person she did not want to see leave: Frey. In truth, she had felt a strange twinge in her heart when she had first met him, and that feeling began to progress even farther than ever in her. And now that he was leaving with the others, it started to hurt even worse than ever.

She walked on over to a support beam railing, and leaned on it on her elbows. She looked up at the moon in envious and saddened eyes as she whispered, "There is still a great deal I wish to know about their world." And then her head drooped down as she looked down below to see the city as she closed her eyes, "And I wish that I did not have to part with my friends… or with Frey."

"Me neither."

Kida turned sharply around in surprise as she saw who it was that spoke out to her. It was none other than Frey, however he wasn't dressed in an Atlantean party outfit at all, just his regular pirate battle outfit. She was slightly relieved as she sighed, but looked to Frey with a small smile, "Frey. I did not expect you." She then asked as he walked over next to her at the rail, "Why are you not wearing…?"

"The Atlantean robes your servants tried to drag, strip, and forcefully dress me in, like they did with Ariel and Eric…", Frey stated as he leaned on the rail, accompanying the Atlantean Princess, "… I ditched them and hid when they were chasing after me to put that stuff on." He then sighed in relief from that little scene, and Kida couldn't help but chuckle at that story.

Then Frey looked out to the city as he sighed, "You know… when we get back… Port Royal's gonna seem so small compared to this place."

Kida sadly smiled at that as she looked to Atlantis, and then to Frey, "I am sure it will feel so." It was then that the feeling in her heart twinged again; this wouldn't stop until she spoke to him and tried once more. She then nervously gulped as she looked to him, blushing a little as she looked at how the cavern's moon lit him up. She then took a deep breath, and then asked, "Frey?"

Frey slightly turned to her direction as he asked, "Yeah, Kida?"

She then sighed, not knowing if what she said was the right idea, but then, she just came out and asked it, "Would you… would you stay here… with us?" And then looked to him, almost pleadingly as she asked, "With me?"

Frey looked in surprise by this, but then shook his head lightly as he said, "I'm sorry, Kida… but I can't." It was then that Kida's face looked of surprise and saddened disappointment as he went on, "I mean, I told you that all I have is my dad back home." And then he scratched the back of his head as he stated, "And also I've gotta watch over Eric and Ariel, who are practically family to me as well."

But then after hearing that, Kida look disheartened as she complained in a scolding way, "But you once said that you wanted to stay here longer!"

"I know I did.", Frey stated as he tried his best to calm her down, "But I've got a responsibility with my family back home." It was then that Kida had finally calmed down, but her shoulders slouched in sadness as she hung her head down, hiding her saddened face. It was then that Frey then decided to ask, "You know, you could… I mean you could come with us. If you want to, of course."

Like how Frey was in the beginning, Kida was also taken back by that proposal. She looked up to him with much surprise by this as her eyes nearly lit up, but then her face contorted in a saddened happiness. She politely shook her head as she stated, "I wish I could… but now that my sister has been appointed Queen, I must be by her side now." She then straightened up and tried to look as regal and calm as any royalty would in a situation like this, as she finished up to Frey, "I am sorry, Frey…. But as Second Princess of Atlantis, I must do what is necessary for my kingdom."

Frey sighed as he placed his fists on his sides as he sadly smirked in defeat, "Well… I guess this is goodbye then."

Kida nodded sadly to that as well, and extended her hand to him in a handshake. From what she was told by the others, a handshake was the proper way to say goodbye to someone. She then sighed as she politely but seriously looked to Frey as she said, "Well then, goodbye, Frey. I am sorry, but I can not see you or the others off tomorrow."

Frey looked at her hand, and then slowly lifted his hand to hers. But instead of shaking her hand, instead, he aligned his hand to hers just as she did when they first met. But this time, startling Kida almost, he laced his fingers with hers as he looked up to her, and sadly smiled back as he whispered, "Bye."

This only made things worse for Kida, who was starting to grow teary eye from this small breakup. She couldn't take it anymore as she broke away and ran away from him, leaving him a little stunned from this. He just stood there, looking disappointed at this as he slowly brought his hand down. It was then that he heard a small whine coming from near his legs and saw Max, with Dax and Sebastian sitting on top of him.

Frey then caught the suspicious look that Dax was giving him as he asked, "What?"

Dax, who was half-smirking at the boy, finally answered, "You like her."

Frey, looking a little embarrassed shook his head as he stately denied to them both, "Hey, wait a minute!"

"Mmmmhmmm.", Dax only muttered, and then acted like a scolding parent as he pointed to the party, "Go to the Party and party down like the Laughing Warrior that you are!"

Frey groaned at that name as he turned to the trio and retorted, "You know, I really hate that name."

Even Sebastian seemed to be enjoying this as he scuttled up on Max's head and smirked, "Why not? It's wat dat tattoo on yer left arm means, right, mon?"

Frey groaned as he took off his left hand to reveal his tattoo that he received. It was the shape of half a circle, resembling a smile, with two lightning lines criss-crossing it in the center. This represented 'The Laughing Warrior' from which the Atlanteans deemed him as. He then put his glove back on as he groaned, "I need a good long party right now." And headed over to where it was happening, "And a long drink, to boot."

In Kida's Room

It was dark, except for the moonlight, as Kida sat on her bed, petting Obby on the head. The little Lava Dog purred as he felt his master's hands petting him. Kida looked out from her room sadly as she mumbled, "I guess… this is how it's meant to be, Obby." She then looked outside as she sighed, "I belong here in Atlantis; Frey belongs in his world."

"Is that what you think, dear Sister?"

Kida turned around sharply, as did Obby as he hopped off her, to see who it was that spoke out. it was Suki, leaning on the doorway as she got up and walked over to her sister. She then sat down next to her as Obby hopped off Kida's lap, and then placed an arm around her as Kida rested her head on her shoulder.

It was then that Suki looked over to her sister, and then said, "Sister… I can't help but think you should go with the explorers back to the surface."

Kida immediately broke away from her sister, looking at her surprised as much. She got up from her bed and looked at her sister in disbelief as she shook her head, "Sister, that… that is not funny." She then turned around as she came up with a few excuses as she tried to hide her excitement on the idea, and remembering her duty as a princess, "You know that with Father gone, you, Milo, and even Uncle will need all the help with the Council…"

Suki shook her head as she got up, "Milo and I have that problem solved on our own. Uncle can handle the security of the city."

But then Kida felt a little uneasy, not wanting to be torn apart from her home as easily. But in truth, she didn't want to say goodbye to her only friend at all as well. But still feeling slightly stubborn about not leaving her only home as she came up with more excuse, "Sister, please. I couldn't possibly… I mean, I… I belong here, with you, my people, and…" but then she was halted as she was embraced from behind by Suki.

The two sisters had a moment of sisterly bonding time, before Suki smiled at her sister as she concluded, "But you love that boy, don't you?" Kida fell silent at that last question as she lowered her head and closed her eyes in realization. But before she could answer her sister's question, Suki turned her around as the two were face-to-face, and she replied, "Kida, you haven't taken the throne; I have. This will give you the chance to have a chance to be with the friends that you have now. You should go with them." and then she smiled, "No matter where you are, Kida… you will not only stay a Princess of Atlantis, but you will always be my baby sister."

Kida couldn't help but smile at this as a tear went down her cheek. She then rushed into her sister with a big hug, which Kida returned as the two hugged each other, for which they somewhat felt would be the last time. In that moment, Kida whispered almost tearfully, "And you will always be in my heart, dear sister."

Later On

Next Day

A giant Narwhale ship was being loaded up with supplies and other equipment by the Atlanteans and a few robots. Standing next to the ship was the explorers and heroes of Atlantis as Suki, Milo, and Akuda stood attendant to them as Suki announced to them all, "Atlantis will honor your names forever as heroes.", as she placed a crystal pendant around each other explorers' necks, including an alive and kicking Helga, with a little help of the crystal's power. "I only wish there was more we could do for all of you."

"Uh thanks away. But ah…" Vinny said glancing over at the enormous pile of treasure that was being loaded on to the ship and smirked, "I think we're good."

Jack scowled a short distance away, "All that treasure.", he looked to Gibbs and the crew as he lit up immensely with an insane look of happiness in his eyes as one eye glinted, "Lads. We could retire early in Tortuga, with a pile of money and wenches to boot. Or retire in Singapore… whichever has better wenches and rum."

Then Milo chuckled as he stated to everyone, including his nephew and friends, "They'll take you back as far as the surface goes, but that's pretty much it."

Ariel walked up to Milo as she hugged him fiercely, "We're really going to miss you, Milo."

And then Vinny walked up to them both as he hugged them as he gushed out, "You know. I'm gonna reopen the Flower shop, and I'm gonna think of you guys every single day. Monday through Friday; 9-5; Saturday to 2.", but then he broke the hug as he began to plan out ahead as he did most of the time, "Sunday, I'm gonna take Sunday off for sure, but… August, I'm gonna take August…"

But then Cookie walked up to Milo and Suki as he stated, "I ain't so good at speechifyin'.", and then handed the two a canister of grease as they both half smiled out of nervousness, "But I want y'all ta have this. It's the bakin' grease from the whole trip.", and then walked away before Milo or Suki could 'thank' him for the 'gift'.

Then suddenly, the two were glomped on by Audrey, who kissed them both on the cheek. She then joked with Milo as she lightly punched him on the arm, "Aha! Two for flinching.", and then hugged the two, "See you lovebirds around."

Then Helga stepped up to the two, and then saluted them both as she stated, "Good luck, you two."

"Hey, Milo…", Mole chuckled as he popped out of nowhere in front of the two.

It was Suki's turn as she smiled nervously, but then affectionately hugged Mole, despite the dirt on him, "Goodbye, Mole."

It was then that Sweet and Eric popped up as Eric insisted, "You sure you want to stay here, Uncle Milo?"

"Yeah, I hear there's gonna be a hero's welcome for the man who helped discovered Atlantis.", Sweet cheered on.

Milo shook his head as he looked to Eric, almost stating now that he knew, and looked to Sweet as he answered, "Nah, I doubt the world needs another Thatch for a hero. They've already got Eric as one.", and the chipped in, "Besides, I hear that there's an opening for someone down here who's an expert in gibberish."

"He's the only one who's an expert in Gibberish.", Dax muttered on Wally's shoulder, causing the robot to chuckle lightly, which earned a hard nudge in the ribs by Helga, who overheard that conversation.

Then Eric hugged his uncle as he hugged his nephew back as Eric said, "You take care of yourself, Uncle Milo."

"You too, Eric.", Milo said, probably seeing each other for the last time.

Sweet couldn't help but smile at this as he got them both in a crushing group hug, "C'mere!" and nearly crushed them both under the hug.

The two Thatches groaned out loud, even Milo who felt a small pop on his back. He managed to pull out his right arm as he pointed to his neck, "Um, Sweet? Before you and the others go, could you…?"

"No problem.", Sweet stated as he broke the hug, and turned his attention to Milo. And then in a few seconds, he performed the same procedure that he had done on Eric. It went pretty well as Milo was without any pain in his neck. Sweet chuckled at that as he joked, "Oh, you're getting' a bill."

Packard just mumbled as she looked to everyone else, "Can we go home now?" Everyone shook their heads as they started back on getting ready to go back home on a mission well done.

As they were loading the ship, Frey stood out next to the ship's doorway, looking a little depressed. He sighed, knowing that a certain someone wasn't about to see them off. He decided it wouldn't have been one to press on about this sort of thing as he grabbed his duffle bag and was about to load it on board, until someone grabbed his shoulder. He turned around and saw Akuda of all people.

He raised an eyebrow as he asked the Atlantean warrior, "Something wrong?"

"No nothing in particular.", Akuda said as he held out something that made Frey's interest peek him, "I just thought about giving a hero, and a warrior of Atlantis, something to remember us by."

He then handed to Frey what appeared to be a leather holster. And attached to the holster was a backpack-sized disk, with a metallic gray texture to it, shaped like a hermit crab, with horizontal and vertical lines of the same blue designs. Frey graciously took the strange object as he looked at it in particular as he asked, "It's a… hermit crab shell?"

Akuda nodded as he explained, "It's been one of my trusty weapons ever since." He then smirked as he joined Milo and Suki, "I trust you'll be able to figure it out." Frey just looked at the weapon in confusion, and just shrugged it off. He then attached the new holster belt around his waist to the other belt.

After the long goodbyes, Ariel sadly smiled to Milo and the others, "Well, I guess we should be going…"

"Wait!", someone shouted, getting everyone's attention as they saw two individuals running towards them. It was none other than Kida, dressed in her usual attire and carrying with her a duffel bag of sorts. Following behind her was none other than Wally, helping her out as they stopped in front of the group.

Kida smirked as she looked to the leaving team and said, "I'll be coming with you." Everyone stopped at that in disbelief as Kida explained, "I wish to accompany with all of you. My friends. I want to see the world and how much it's changed." And then smiled as she turned towards Ariel, Eric, and especially Frey as she finished, "But mostly… I wish to be with the friends that I have cherished to know so much about over these past three days."

Even Wally stepped up to them and whirred out as he looked to the trio, "WaaalllEEEE. FrrieeEENDs."

The three teens looked at this to each other, and smirked. Ariel smiled warmly to Kida as she took her hands in a friendly gesture and said, "I'd like that very much."

Eric nodded, "Sounds good to me."

Then Kida looked at Frey, slightly blushing, and caught him blushing a little as well, as he turned away from her, shyly muttering, "Um, sounds good too. I mean, next time we have trouble, we'll have you two on our sides."

Kida figured this was what most boys would do; shy away from a girl they liked. But she shrugged it off as she chuckled, "Then it is settled."

Then Sweet broke up the moment as he shouted, "Come on y'all! Let's get one more picture in front of the fish!" And everyone gathered around as they grouped together to get one final shot of this one adventure.

An Atlantean guard took control of Packard's camera as he said, "Say Yachh!"

"YACHH!"

KER-SNAP!

Whitmore Manor

After the long and tiresome voyage, everyone had gotten home safely to Port Royal and back to Whitmore Manor. However, as soon as they got back, Jack and his crew had scudded out of there before the Navy caught wind of his known location of him and the Black Pearl. There, they were all gathered, including the kids who were back in civilian clothing once again, and Wally, who was disguised in an oversized-overcoat, hat and scarf. Kida was also in a different set of clothing, given to her by Ariel at this time. She was wearing a blue backless and sleeveless tie-on sky blue shirt with a blue bikini underneath, and a pair of white jeans held up by a black belt, and wearing bluish white sandals. The rest of the crew, were dressed up pretty fancy, considering how wealthy they had gotten, and that they took their crystals and had them carved into unnoticeable pins, earrings, or in Cookie's case, a new tooth.

They all sat down or stood together presenting Mr. Whitmore of the photographic evidence that they collected.

As he looked through the photos, he looked to everyone with a scheming wry eye as he made sure, "Now… let's go over it again, just so we got the story straight." He then smirked as he asked, "You didn't find anything?"

Vinny shook his head as he replied, "Nothin'. Just a lot of rock. N' fish, lil' fish. Sponges too."

Then Whitmore asked, "What about Kida and Wally? What's their story?"

Then Cookie absentmindedly and calmly stated, "Well, they came along wit us when we left Atlan…!" But then was swatted on the head by Packard. Cookie rubbed his sore noggin as he cleared up his story, "Um, Thatch's niece that we met at the pier, along with some old stowaway."

Whitmore nodded, "That's right. And Rourke?"

Eric answered that one, "It seemed the whole trip was too much for the poor guy. The underwater pressure affected his mind at his old age."

Sweet nodded as he sat in a lounge chair, with Mole acting a little uncomfortable in his clean clothing, as Sweet answered, "Caused a nervous breakdown in the guy. You could say he went 'all to pieces'."

"In fact!", Cookie added as he spoke up, "You could say thanks to ol' Eric 'ere, he was transmogified inta half-man half-crystal mutatoe, and then he was a'busted in half into a zillion…!", but then he stopped as he saw Packard and Wally, about to knock him on the head. He cleared his throat up again as he corrected that last mistake, "Um, he's missin'."

"What about Milo?"

Audrey shrugged as she answered, "Went down with the sub." And then they all heard digging sounds coming from the right side of the room. They all saw Mole, out of his clothing, and up to his shoulders in dirt in a nearby urn as he dug smugly in it. After he had completely submerged into it, he chuckled crazily and satisfied to be dirtful again.

Everyone groaned at this scene, even Sweet as he muttered, "Lord, give me strength."

Whitmore sighed with a smile as he looked back at the photos as he mentioned about Milo, "I'm gonna miss that boy." And then smirked as he saw a photo of him with Suki, acting like a newly wedded couple, with Eric, Ariel, Akuda, Kida, and even Frey in the picture as he chuckled, "At least he's in a better place now."

It was then that Eric and Ariel looked to each other and nodded. Then the two walked up to Mr. Whitmore as Ariel handed him a final package, "Speaking of which, Milo wanted us to give this to you."

Eric added, "It's the one shred of proof that would be enough."

Whitmore raised an eyebrow at this as he took the package and undid it. it was then that he noticed it was an old picture of the Thatch family all together, with writing on it, and an Atlantean crystal pendant in the package. As he took the crystal out, Whitmore read the letter on it out loud,

Dear Mr. Whitmore,

I hope this piece of evidence is enough for you.

It sure convinced me and my nephew on all this.

I hope you can take care of him and Ariel, as you did for his parents and Grandpa.

Thank you… from all of us.

Milo Thatch

Whitmore looked at the crystal in amazement, and then put it on as he smirked at the 'shred of proof'.

Caverns of Atlantis

Deep within the hardened caverns, to where the volcano erupted, there was no sign of life whatsoever. However, that all changed as soon as a lone Xeno flew inward down. It landed on the ground, and began to sniff about, trying to find some means of food in this darkened abyss. It crept along the ground, hopelessly picking up any scents of human or Atlantean, until it came across a molten imprint of something in the ground.

What it had found was the imprint of some man, flat on his back in the ground. Well, actually, it was only half a man; his upper torso, and his right half looking a bit on the spiky side. The creature sniffed over the strange imprint very closely, and growled at it, like it was about to take a bite out of it.

Then suddenly, a crystallized clawed hand shot out of the imprint, and grabbed at the Xeno's head. The beast howled out in pain, as the clawed hand sunk into its flesh; the beast squealing and shrieking in extreme pain. Suddenly, a massive electric blue blast shot from the hand, incinerating the beast's head, as the body lumped to the ground dead.

Then the imprint crumbled as someone shot out from the solidified ash. Halfway glowing crystal blue, and only the flesh of his face sneering in the dark, exposing his human teeth, he glared in the darkness with a glowing yellow right eye, and a normal flesh and blood left eye. He then growled with much hatred and insanity in his voice, to the one responsible for what happened to him, "Thatch….!"

Ursula's New Lair

Ursula sat at her ice-shaped conch room as she growled at the news from the return of Jones' men. From what they had told her, the Thatch boy and Triton's youngest daughter had foiled her plans yet again. She drummed her fingers on the ice, nervously angry, as she growled to herself, "Those two are getting in my hair, far too much. First they caused me to lose the First Heart, and now the Second Heart is out of my grasp."

She then huffed as she looked on over to a shadowed corner, "Well, not for long! Not this time! NOT EVER AGAIN!"

It was then that a silhouetted character in the shadows was shown. They appeared to be female, sixteen from the look of her figure, slim but slender, sitting down from the edge of the ice cavern's watery entrance, and had a crop of short hair that stopped at her shoulders. The only thing visible about her, was a lone lavender left eye as the stranger looked to Ursula.

Ursula then stated the obvious, "I can't rely on Jones at this point. He can't handle the two. And Rourke was a complete waste of space… though he might come in handy… if he survived. And my third partner is still trying to keep his end of the deal in check." And then she smirked at the strange female in the room, "For now, my dear… I have a very important task for you…. Get the Spear of Longinus… as well as the Sapphire Army… and bring them to me."

But before the figure left, Ursula stated one last order, "And before all that… find me a suitable Darkblade Bearer." She then threw a clothed sword-shaped object to the girl, who caught it just as it reached her. Ursula then smirked evilly as she clicked her fingernails together, "Calypso may have her chosen champion… but so do I."

The figure nodded as she dove into the water, as Ursula cackled immensely. She may have lost the first two battles, but the next few would soon be hers in the future.

Next Chapter: Bonus Features