Chapter 6: To the Sea
" What happened? Where is she?" demanded Eric looking at the huntsman
"We can only guess." Said huntsman
" Then take one!" demanded Eric grabbing on to the huntsman and getting in his face
"The Evil Queen made a deal with Ariel's father to break the deal Ariel made with her." Said the huntsman
" I'm going after her." Said Eric
"Ariel might not even be down there. She might be at the Evil Queen's palace." Said the huntsman.
"Evil Queen?" asked Eric
"Yes, but I know where the palace is." Said the huntsman. They are about to run up the beach when sand suddenly wraps around their legs tripping them and dragging them towards the sea and then under the water. The two men were dragged further and further under. Eric could feel his insides burning as he tried desperately to hold his breath as he and the huntsman were dragged deeper and deeper past sharks,eels, and some sea monster skeletons. They were dragged into a cave in front of a woman who was half octopus.
" So, this is what all the commotion is about. "said Regina going to take a closer look at Eric "O, yes, I can see why you risked your life for him. " then Regina kisses him and said to Eric " It's nice to meet you, Eric. Such a pity that things have to end up this way."
"What are you talking about?" asked Triton "I gave you my power now give me my daughter back and let these humans go!"
"I'm afraid, you're in no position to demand anything, Triton and according to the contract along with your power I get to keep you and your daughter as servants to do with as I wish." Said Regina
"And the humans?" Asked Triton
"Well, one of them already belongs to me and I haven't decided what to do with the prince. I mean your daughter risked her life for him so he must be something special. All I see right now is a handsome face. Perhaps in time I'll see the appeal." Said Regina
"He's human. He can't breathe down here. You'll kill him before you find out why he's so special!" yelled Ariel.
"Well, a man can usually show how special he is by proving how much he loves the girl of his dreams. Let's see how much he really loves you." Said Regina she snaps her fingers and he disappears.
"What did you do to him ?Where is he?" asked Ariel alarmed
"On the Jolly Roger." Said Regina "Don't worry. If he really loves you. You'll see him again. "
Meanwhile in Fairytale World's present, Red, Charles, and Eric were back in the ocean searching for Ariel. Every once in a while Red would come up to the surface and take a look around to see if she could smell or hear anything. Eric was still nervous about having her around. So, every once in a while when she got too close and would swim back to be behind Charles. A net came down around them and trapped them. They were pulled up until they were face to face with a pirate crew. "Well, it looks as if I caught myself some landlubbers and a merman." Said Hook. Hook then goes up closer to the net "Peter Pan?" he laughs when he sees Eric "You're a fish! I'd love to hear the tale of how my adversary became the catch of the day."
"Hello, Hook. It's a pleasure to see you and I'm sorry but I'm not at liberty to tell a filthy pirate how I became a merman. " Said Eric
"Peter Pan?" whispered Red
" I wasn't going to tell a pirate my real name." Eric whispered back
"Got back home I'll take it?" said Hook
"As a matter of fact. I did. " said Eric "Though, I misplaced my true love. Happen to capture any mermaids?"
" Aside from you? Maybe I have and maybe I haven't. I don't give away plans I may or may not have executed but you aren't getting off this boat alive, Pan. Not this time. Lock our guests in the brig!" said Hook as they were let loose from the net.
Pirates took them and threw them in the brig.
"When did you deal with pirates, Sire?" asked Charles
"The night Ursula captured Ariel. She sent me to this very pirate ship..." said Eric beginning the story.
Back in Fairy Tale World's long lost past, Eric suddenly appeared on board a pirate ship. Swords pointed directly at him. "Get up." Said Hook
Eric does as he is told then takes out his sword and points it at Hook. "Who are you? Where am I?" he asked
"I apologize where are my manners. They call me, Captain Hook." Hook said showing up his hook and then bowing.
"The most ruthless pirate in the sea. I know all about you." Said Eric
"I'm glad my reputation proceeds me. " said Hook "Now, who are you and what brings you abroad the Jolly Roger?"
" It's none of your business who I am but I was sent here by an evil sea witch." Said Eric
"O, the ever delightful Ursula. " said Hook "We're all familiar with her.I always believed she sent the crocodile that cut off my hand and left me with this!" yelled Hook showing off his hook again
"I don't care to hear the story of how you got that. I just want to get back to the girl of my dreams." Said Eric
"I'm going to give you a piece of friendly advice. Forget 're better off without her. Women are nothing but trouble. " said Hook "You'd be much better off joining my crew."
"I apologize but I don't share your feelings and I won't join your crew." Said Eric
"In that case, you walk the plank" said Hook pointing his sword at Eric.
"Not today!" Said Eric "Now, I demand you tell me how to get back to the sea witch!"
" I am the captain of this ship and I make the demands. Unfortunately, I do not know where the sea witch resides and I'm afraid if you want off my ship without going off the plank then you'll have to fight your way off." Said Hook
Eric put up his sword and he and Hook started to fight. Hook tries to stab Eric ducks out of the way. Then he tries to slash Hook but Hook blocks the sword with his hook . The crew cheers and jeers with excitement as the fight continues. The duel continues suddenly Hook loses his footing and falls over. Eric restrains Hook on the ground. "You are quite the adversary." Said Hook " My hats off to you. Mr. Smee, sail to shore and let this gentleman off the ship. But before we do. Only one man has ever bested me. His name was Rumplestilskine… I'd love to know who has lived up to his reputation." Said Hook
"The name is Peter Pan." Eric lied.
"We'll meet again, Pan. You can count on that." Said Hook.
Eric let's Hook up as they land on Never land island. Eric gets off the ship. "This is where Ursula resides?" asked Eric as he got off the ship
"I told you, Pan. I don't know where she resides but this is the only place in this world to go to. You'll have to figure out how to get out of Never land , on your own. " said Hook as he and the crew sailed off again.
Eric searched the island for anyone who could help him. Suddenly, he saw a bright blinding light and went closer to see what was causing it. As he approached he saw a grove of fairies. The fairies stopped and looked at him when they approached. The brightest shining one came forward. "Who are you? What brings you to our fairy grove?" asked the fairy
"I'm… I'm…" said Eric so mesmerized that he forgot his name. So, he said the only name he could remember saying to anyone. "I'm Peter Pan. I didn't mean to disrupt your gathering. I just landed here and I need a way to get back to where I came from."
"I am Tinker bell and the only way to get out of Never land is to fly. Just head towards the second star to the right and straight til morning. That should get you home." Tinker bell said
"I don't fly. " said Eric
"We can fix that." Said Tinkerbell the fairies throw fairy dust as him
"Hey! Watch it!" said Eric as fairy dust hit him in the face
"Now, think happy thoughts and you're off." Said Tinkerbell.
Eric starts to think about Ariel and floats off the ground and before he knows it he's speeding off towards the second star to the right. The fairy dust guided him as if it had a mind of his own. He started to think about where he last saw Ariel and a portal opened up in the sky. As he thought about Ursula however the magic stopped and he went plummeting towards the ocean. He hit the water and tried to swim deeper but couldn't get deep enough.
Meanwhile, in Fairy Tale World's present on the pirate ship. " That's some story, Sire." Said Charles
"I hope to find Tinkerbell one day so I can thank her." Said Eric
"First, we should get off this ship." Said Red "And find Ariel of course."
Eric sighs.
"You ok?" asked Red sitting next to him and putting a hand on his shoulder
" Don't touch me! I'm fine." Said Eric
Red gets up "What's the matter with you? I'm just trying to make sure you're ok."
"I don't need you to worry about me, Red." Said Eric
"You're a merman, you lost your true love, you tried to leave without us… I'm your friend and so is Charles and I'm sorry but I am worried about you. As Patrick you did some very drastic things when you were upset and I don't want a repeat of that." Said Red
"I'm not upset. Not about the situation. Just don't touch me." Said Eric
"Why? Why don't you want me to touch you?" asked Red
"I'm worried it might lead to other things." Said Eric "It's not you. It's me."
"We're not even dating anymore and you're giving me the it's not you, it's me speech?" asked Red
"I think I may be falling in love with you! I've been dreaming about you and me together. I left you and Charles on the island because I thought if you weren't around the feelings would go away and I could focus on Ariel but you're back and their back." Said Eric
"Eric, I don't know what to say. " said Red "I've been thinking about you lately too but I think it's just because you were the last person I dated before the curse broke."
"You were the last one I dated too." Said Eric "Red, do you mind if I kiss you? I just need to see something."
Red leans down and she and Eric kiss. Unlike in the dream Eric didn't feel anything just a nice kiss.
"Well?" asked Red
" I guess, I don't really love you. " said Eric " As a girlfriend anyway. You're still an amazing friend though, Red."
"Now, that that's settled let's figure out how to get off this ship and back to finding Ariel." Said Red.
From outside the cabin Mr. Smee comes with a huge tray of fish singing to himself " There you see her sitting there across the way. She don't got a lot to say but there's something about her…"
"That song… I recognize that song. My minstrels played it the night Ariel and I took a boat ride. She must be here." Said Eric
"Perhaps, I can break it down." Said Charles. He took a run at it rammed into the door. He tried two more times and the door broke down.
Red sniffed the air and listened for the singing. "He went that way" said Red going in the direction the voice was coming from. After many twists she stopped in front of a big iron door. That was half open. They waited for Smee to leave and then pushed him out of the way before he could lock the door. All the mermaids from Triton's kingdom seemed to be in this storage room. Ariel, Triton, and Colin were in a corner together. Red ran over to them carrying Eric.
"Ariel." Said Eric
"Eric, what are you doing here?" asked Ariel
"I came looking for you. How did you end up on captain Hook's pirate ship? Tell me everything." Said Eric
"We were going to find a new place to live when we got sucked into a mysterious whirl pool. It threw us right in the middle of the ocean . Before we could entirely comprehend that we were back in our world this giant pirate ship came. It let down a net and trapped us all and we've been here ever since." Said Ariel "How did you get here?" she asked
"Whirl pool and you're right we are in our land." Said Eric
"You're a merman again." Said Ariel
"I ingested some magic back in Storybrooke. Magic is unstable there so it kept changing me back and forth but once I came here it stuck. " said Eric
"I'm glad. We can be together again." Said Ariel then she looked at Colin "I'm sorry, Colin. I know you were looking forward to being my husband and Father, I know you were looking forward to me marrying a merman but it's my life and I love Eric. I won't be with anyone else." Said Ariel
"You won't be with anyone if we don't figure out how to get out of here!" Triton stated
"I'll figure out a way." Said Eric
"How, you're just as helpless to do anything as we are now. They plan on killing us for our scales. They'll kill you for your scales too." Said Triton
"Charles and I won't let that happen." Said Red "We'll get you off this ship. If it's the last thing we ever do."
" That's right. I'm not turning back on the prince now." Said Charles
Suddenly, a billow of purple smoke appears and reveals Cora "My you are very valiant for a footman." Cora commented
"Cora, didn't get what you wanted from me?" asked Eric irritated.
"O, no I did but your friend Snow White and her daughter the Sheriff were much more resourceful than I thought. " said Cora "I popped by to thank you again for your valuable information and to check on the mer people who are going to help me create a portal to get to Storybrooke to see my daughter."
"If this is about you how come we're on Hook's ship?" asked Dreama
"Well, my dear mermaid. Hook has someone who he wants to get revenge on in Storybrooke so we decided to work together. Besides, I'm the one with the magic so he won't get anywhere without me." Said Cora "Now, who's first?"
"Me!" said Red stepping forward
"You are not a mermaid." Said Cora
"You get to these mer people through me!" yelled Red
"Very well." Said Cora who throws Red towards the wall
"And me!" said Charles
"Not a problem." Said Cora throwing him towards the wall next to Red.
"And me!" yelled Eric from the floor
"You?" Cora laughs "You're a merman. You're one of them. You are no threat to me. But if you are sacrificing yourself for the sake of being a noble prince. I'll take it. You're first. " Cora snaps her fingers and a table appears in the middle of the storage room.
"No… no! Don't take him! Take me first!" yelled Ariel
"Ariel, you can't…" said Triton
"He came all this way to rescue me. To rescue all of us. We can't let him die for us. I'm not going to lose him that way again. Take me first." Ariel said to Cora
"Very well." Said Cora she takes Eric off the table and switches him for Ariel.
" Before you kill me for my scales. I want to say goodbye to my family and friends." Said Ariel
"Ariel, what are you doing?" asked Eric
"Saving you. I didn't get a resurrection potion from Rumplestlskine so you could die again." Said Ariel
"I didn't ask him to make me a merman and wait in an asylum so you could. " said Eric
"Once, I'm gone you can rescue the others." Said Ariel. "I love you, Eric."
"I love you, Ariel." Said Eric
Meanwhile, in the Long Lost Fairy Tale world's past, As Eric thought about Ursula the magic stopped and he went plummeting towards the ocean. He hit the water and tried to swim deeper but couldn't get deep enough. "That was very impressive." Regina's voice echoed around him "You really do love her. I suppose I can't come in between true love, can I?" asked Regina. Ariel suddenly popped out of the water and swam towards Eric just as she got close enough to hug him t Regina dragged Eric under the water.
" Not again! You bring him back! Ursula! I won't let you take him!" yelled Ariel
"I have all the power of the sea and you are just a worthless little mermaid. You don't have the power to order me around. " said Regina popping up from the water. Regina tried to wrap a tentacle around Ariel and she dodged it. Regina threw out another and another as Ariel dodged each one trying to swim around her towards Eric. "You can't keep this up forever, Dear. "
"You have no right to take him!" yelled Ariel "This was not part of any bargain my father or I made with you!"
"But according to the fine print of both your contracts I have the right to change the deal as I see fit." Said Regina " But I'm a reasonable woman. You want your precious man? Come get him." Taunted Regina as she got out of Ariel's way.
Ariel swam deeper under the water searching for him. What had she done to him? Suddenly she found him and brought him to shore. She could hear Regina laughing and then heard her father come up and fight Regina with his fists. She then heard Regina yell as Triton wrestled the Triton away from her getting his power back when he did.
Ariel kept trying to wake Eric up but nothing was working "Wake up… Eric, wake up. Please, wake up." She kept saying but then she had to give up. "I love you, Eric."