Not So Happy Birthday

Ch. 4

Down in the ballroom, the party had already started. The food was out, the music was playing, and young kids were dancing gracefully with their partners. Once the song had ended, everyone stopped dancing and clapped as the band stood up and bowed towards them. Then as the clapping stopped, Grimsby walked up and cleared his throat. When they all turned to him, he called out loudly enough for everyone in the room to hear.

"My I present," he called, gesturing up the flight of stares. "Her royal Highness, Princess Melody."

From behind the wall, Melody could feel herself shaking with nerves. But once her name was called, she stepped out, and started walking down the stairs. As she continued everyone started clapping loudly. Many unfamiliar faces stared up at her. Melody started breathing heavily, but quietly.

"Oh yeah." She said quietly. "Mom's right. I can do this."

From behind her, Sebastian was still tangled up in her bow. He tried to move, but made no progress. Then finally, Melody reached the floor. A few of the girls and boys bowed to her. She bowed back, smiling slightly. Then from behind her she heard someone cough behind her. She turned to see a boy standing in front of her. He had bright blond hair that was below her ears, blue eyes and a dark blue shirt. He smiled at her.

"Um, hi." he said. "Would you,…like to dance?"

He held his hand out to her. Melody looked at it curiously. She wasn't sure what to do. Then she looked back up at her mother, who smiled encouragingly.

"Go on."

Melody turned back to the boy and smiled slightly.

"Sure, ok."

As he took her hand, he lead them out onto the middle of the ballroom floor. Ariel and Eric smiled at each other before looking back at Melody. Then Ariel crossed her fingers and hid them behind her back. After a moment, Melody and the boy just stood there, waiting for the music to begin. Then they heard the tapping from the conductor, and the music started. It was a slow and gentle tune that started immediately. As they started to dance, Melody and the boy grew closer to each other. He placed on hand on her mid back, the other griped her hand tightly. He started leading them around the dance floor gracefully and slowly. Melody was surprised at how good things were going. Then the music got louder and slightly faster. After twirling around for a moment, the boy pulled Melody close to him. He put his hand around her waist, keeping her close to him. Melody looked down at the floor for a moment. Then she looked up, smiling at him, and he smiled back. Then suddenly his face fell into what seemed like complete shock.

"Ow." he winced.

Melody looked up at him worryingly. As he pulled back, he lifted his finger up. Here hanging on his finger, was Sebastian. For a moment all they could do was stare at each other. Then the boy started screaming and flailing his arm around, trying to get Sebastian off. Everyone was staring at them. Melody could feel herself blushing slightly. Then after a minute, he finally was able to fling him off. But as he did, he tripped and fell backwards onto a table, right into a punch bowl. Meanwhile Sebastian was soaring through the air. As he started to come down, Louis came out with a giant birthday cake. Unfortunately, he didn't see Sebastian come dropping down right into the cake. The whole thing seemed to explode everywhere. Melody put her arms up to keep it from getting in her hair and face. After a moment, she looked up. There was a large pile of cake and icing on a table. Sebastian and Louis were covered in head to foot in it. Melody rushed over to the table and kneeled down.

"Oh no."

Then Sebastian burst out of a small lump of icing. His face was contorted with rage.

"Dat's it." he wiped cake out of his eyes. "I'm bookin meself on a cruise." he blew out the candle that was still lit on his head.

"I'm so sorry." Melody said sadly.

The blond boy had gotten up. He was completely drenched in punch., pieces of fruit sliding off his shirt.

"Well I should say-"

"Are you ok Sebastian?"

Melody had not even heard the boy. He turned and realized who she was talking to, and frowned at her.

"…so…"

Melody turned to him, face turning pink. Then people started muttering in the crowd.

"Who is she talking to?" asked a girl.

Another boy laughed. "Ha, she's talking to a crab."

Now everyone in the room started to laughing now. Melody stood up, not knowing what to do. She just stood there, listening to the laughter fill up the room. Melody was standing in the middle of the floor. Everyone in there kept laughing hysterically at her. The laughter rang in Melodys ears, piercing through her brain. Then she buried her face in her hands and started crying. The laughter got louder and louder, no end in sight. It kept going until finally, Melody couldn't take it anymore. Then, face still in her hands, she started running towards the stairs. She didn't stop for no one, not even when both Ariel and Eric called at her.

"Melody." Ariel called.

She didn't seem to have heard her. She just kept running until finally, she was gone.

Melody was on her bed, crying softly. She should've known this would end badly. After a moment, she wiped her eyes and stared down her bed. She looked in her bag. The weird shell she had found glittered up at her. Melody reached down and grabbed it. Then she sat up and laid back on her pillows, crying more. At that moment, Ariel came in and sat next to Melody.

"Oh sweetheart," she put her hand on Melodys chin. "I'm so sorry."

Melody didn't look at Ariel. "What's wrong with me?" she whimpered.

"Oh, nothings wrong with you."

"Mom, I'm the princess of disaster!"

Melody planted her face in her pillows, crying harder. Ariel huffed and looked around for a moment, as if the right words to say would just pop up out of nowhere. Then she looked back at Melody.

"Being a teenager…is hard. And uh, all kids your age feel…awkward, and…"

Melody hadn't been paying attention to Ariel. She was staring at the gold necklace like thing. As her mother was talking, she had rubbed it with her finger, and some of the dirt came off. And when it did, there was a large yellow letter on it. As Melody had started to brush the rest of the dirt away, she saw her name written in neat yellow hand writing. She stared at it in awe and confusion.

"Melody?" Melody whispered. "What is this? My name's on here!"

Then as she started fiddling with it, it popped open. As it did, a bright light filled up the room as a large image floated up. It was a picture of a large golden palace. Yet the background seemed a little different, not like any land Melody had ever seen. Then sweet music was coming from it the minute it opened. It wasn't like anything Melody had ever seen before. A slow little tune sounded so strange, and yet so familiar.

"That song." she breathed. "Where have I heard it?"

Melody continued to stare at the image. Then she started at the things floating around it. Around it was what appeared to be half human, half fish people floating around it. Mermaids. Melody knew what this place must be.

"It's Atlantica. With merpeople and everything." Melody turned to Ariel. "Mother, you said it was just an old fish tale."

Ariel didn't answer. Then she reached over and took the necklace from Melody and closed it.

"Were did you get this?" she breathed.

Melody looked away, fiddling with her feet. "I…I-I found it..."

"You went over the wall, didn't you?" asked Ariel sternly.

"Actually, I went under it." Melody admitted. "I hate that stupid wall."

"Melody, you know you're not aloud in the sea!"

"But why?" Melody stood on her bed. "And why dose that necklace have my name on it?"

"Melody, listen to me."

"You're hiding something from me."

It was a statement, not a question. Ariel stared at her for a moment. Then her face fell and she started yelling.

"You deliberately disobeyed me! I never want you going out there again, do you hear me? It's dangerous in the sea-"

"How would you know!?" Melody cried. "You've never even been in it!"

They stared at each other for a moment before Melody started crying. Then she snatched the necklace from Ariels hand and ran off. Just then the door opened and Eric walked in. He had barley walked in before Melody rushed passed him.

"Melody…" Ariel called. But it was not good. Melody was already gone.

"Oh no."

She sat on the bed, face in her hands. Then Eric walked over and sat next to her and put an arm around her.

"Ariel darling,…we both knew this day would come."

"Oh Eric," Ariel sighed. "You're right. It's time we trusted her with the truth."

Melody was outside of the wall, stomping along the beach. She was so furious with her mother she didn't even realize where she was going. As Melody walked on, she walked passed Sebastian, who was sitting on a rock.

"Oh now child, it's gonna be ok." he assured her. "You know, when I was a teenager, you couldn't get me out of my shell for nothin. I had dis high squeaky voice, and dees itty bitty little pinchers. And den one day, boom." (A/N: Cant tell what he says next. Sorry. :p)

Melody wasn't even listening to Sebastian, she didn't even seemed to noticed him. She continued to look around the land for a minute, then saw a small paddle boat sitting against a rock. Melody went over behind it and started pushing it up towards the water.

"Young lady, just where do you think you going?" Sebastian asked sternly.

"I gotta figure this out." Melody grunted as she continued to push.

"Melody?"

They looked up. There standing on the side of a rock, looking down on them, was Peter. But they saw he wasn't alone. Right next to him was a small golden light that Melody knew must be Tinker Bell. Tink was a nice little fairy with blond hair that was always in a high bun, bright blue eyes, pale fluttering wings and golden tanned skin, always dripping in her fairy dust. Peter straightened up and floated down towards them and landed next to Melody, Tinker Bell floating after them, leaving a trail of dust behind.

"Peter, Tink?" Melody said, confused. "What are you doing here? I thought you went home."

"Guess I just wanted to see how everything went, and Tink wanted to see you." Peter looked at Melody curiously. "But what are you doing here?"

"What's it look like? I'm leaving this place."

"But why?"

Melody stopped for a moment, then turned to him and leaned against the boat. She started to explain everything that had happened from the time she got to the ballroom, to when she ran out of the room. Peter looked shockingly at her.

"Aww Mel, I'm so sorry."

"Yeah,…me too."

"Hey Mel?"

"Yeah?"

"Can…can I see it?"

Melody looked at him for a moment, then she took the shell in her hands and opened it. As the sweet music played the image of Atlantica shone brightly, even brighter than Tinker Bells light, illuminating each others faces. Melody looked at Peter and saw he seemed to be struck with awe and amazement. After gazing at it for another second, Melody closed the locket. Peter blinked a few times before speaking.

"That's amazing!"

"Yeah, I know."

Melody clutched the necklace tightly in her hands. When she spoke her voice was barley a whisper, yet seemed to carry so they all could hear her.

"I know this necklace means something. But if no ones gonna tell me," Melody turned back towards the sea. "I'm gonna find out myself."

She walked forward and continued to push on the boat again. Peter looked at her for a moment. Then he got a sudden idea.

"Maybe not?"

Melody stopped pushing and turned to face him. "What?"

"Maybe you don't have to do it alone."

"Are you saying you want to help?"

"Well duh! As if I'm going to let you go out there by yourself. Anything could happen to you."

Melody smiled kindly, but at the same time exasperated. She was touched by his kindness, but a little annoyed by him being so tactless.

"You know I can take care of myself Peter." Melody put her hands on her hips. "Just because I'm a girl doesn't mean I don't know how to handle danger or anything."

"Sorry," said Peter shrugging. "I didn't mean it anything. And I know you can take care of things yourself, but that doesn't meant you don't need help."

"But how can you help. Neither of us know anything about this thing, or what it means."

"Yeah, that's why we are going to find the answers."

"How?"

Peter thought for a moment, then smiled slightly. "Two words." he held up two fingers for each word. "Never Land."

"WHAT!" shouted Sebastian.

Melody gapped at him. "Never Land? You really think I can find out about this thing there?"

"Maybe. What do you say?"

"Well, I guess we could try."

Peter beamed at her. "Great. Lets go."

"But Peter, you have to fly to get to Never Land, and I can't."

"I know." Peter turned to Tinker Bell. "Give her the dust Tink."

Tink folded her arms and turned her head away. Her jealousy had kicked in again. Melody might be her friend too, but she was still a girl. Now Tink didn't always act like this towards her, sometimes she could be rather nice. But fairies are so small, they only have room for one feeling at a time. And right now jealousy was the only thing on her mind. Peter rolled his eyes at her.

"Tink…"

Tinker Bell turned her back to him, arms folded, nose in the air. Peter sighed as he whispered to her.

"Gosh Tink, if she can't fly back, I guess I'll just have to carry her there."

At once, Tinks jaw dropped and her eyes went wide. She turned and gapped at Peter, who had a smirk of victory on his face. Suddenly Tink shoot towards Melody and started circling her, covering her whole figure in dust. Tinker Belle continued to coat her in dust even as she began to protest.

"I think have enough dust Tink." Melody giggled.

Tink backed away and smiled proudly. Peter floated up to Melody.

"Now, just think happy thoughts."

Melody closed her eyes. Many thought of the sea, her little friends in it came crashing through her mind. But also came a few thought about Peter. Thought of them playing together, laughing at their jokes, and messing around with Sebastian, which they did all the time. When Melody opened her eyes she saw Peter smiling widely at her. As she looked down she saw she was now floating feet off the ground. Melody gasped for a moment, then smiled as she began flying around, laughing loudly. Peter smiled up at her. Melody floated down to were he was, smiling confidently.

"So, you ready?"

"As I'll ever be."

Peter grabbed Melodys hand and they both began to fly into the sky. Sebastian had been staring at this in such shock he almost couldn't speak. Now however he seemed to have come out of his trance, and began calling them, begging them to come back.

"Peter, Melody please! You're making a big mistake!"

Morgana was watching all this from her magic globe. She smiled wickedly at she watch Sebastian try and fail to call the two children back.

"Oh this is delicious." Morgana cackled. "This is divine. Now she's got her little friend helping her out. This just gets better and better."

Both her and Undertow laughed evilly.

"So what happens now?" he asked.

"We follow them."

"But how? If they're going-"

"You are forgetting" Morgana cut across him. "That I am a witch. And I happen to know how to get to this Never Land by sea."

"You do?"

"Always the tone of surprise." Morgana said mockingly. "Now, first we must follow them. The rest of my plan with go from there."

Omg, this was 16 pages! Well, I think it was worth it. I hope you like this chapter. Comment please! Be honest, but please be nice. J