Yay, I got another chapter done! I'm hoping to finish another chapter or two in the next two weeks, given I've finished school for the holidays, so I have to time to write more. Anyways, enjoy the chapter!

Sebastian paced around outside the grotto, rambling on to Flounder and the twins, who weren't necessarily paying attention for the most part.

"Where'd I go wrong?" the crab whined, "I didn't mean to tell, it's just- it was an accident! You know the King – you never wanna get on his bad side, and nothing's ever a secret a long!"

"Yeah…" Flounder back-channeled, "Poor Ariel, though…"

"I hope she'll look part this and-" Sebastian noticed a familiar shadow casting over them and looked up, finding Ariel swimming to who-knows-where with Sora and two other mermen he could not decipher.

What in the name of Poseidon was that girl up to?

"Ariel!" Sebastian called as he and the others swam up to join them, everyone stopping in their tracks upon seeing them, "What do you think you're doing?!"

"I'm going to see Ursula," Ariel dully informed as she went back to following Axel and Terra.

"And I'm going with her," Sora added as he continued, only to be grabbed by the wrist by Ventus. The other three also turned back to witness the exchange.

"Sora, wait! You two can't go with them!"

"Why ever not, pretty boy?" Terra asked, inching closer to the blond, who shied away.

Axel seemed to be pulling off a similar move on Roxas, "Ursula's able to make their dreams and wishes come true. You really want to stop them?" The redhead paused dramatically as he stared into Roxas' eyes for a few moments. The blond was silent, and Axel smirked as he continued in a seductive whisper, "Name's Axel. That's Terra."

"Nice to meet you," Terra grinned as he went to kiss Ventus' hand, only to be slapped by that hand. Not that it fazed him anyway, "Geez, a guy tries to be polite and gets a slap in the face…"

Sora huffed, his arms crossed. "Could we get going, you think?"

"Of course!" Axel smirked as he led the way, Terra joining him, and Ariel following with Sora.

Sebastian latched himself to Ariel's fin in attempts of a final plea, "Ariel, I won't allow for you two to do this! The King-"

"Why don't you just go tell our parents?" Sora hissed, as Ariel effectively flicked her tail, throwing the crab off of her, "You're good at that."

Roxas sighed as they saw the four swim off, "We best deal with this ourselves,"

"Come on!" Sebastian commanded as he followed their direction.

Today was gonna be a long day…

Ariel and Sora shivered slightly as they approached Ursula's lair in the Forbidden Waters. There was very little sea flora and whatever was there was all decayed or half-dead, no joy seeming to emit from the plants.

"You scared?" Axel asked, casually, moving some aged kelp out of the way.

Both Ariel and Sora shook their heads, "Nah, we're fine!" The latter assured, "We're just not used to this part of the ocean is all…"

"There's no need to panic," Terra interjected, "Ursula helped us out back when we were exiled from Atlantica, by making us her assistants."

"What does that entail?" Ariel asked, curiously.

"We basically help her find merfolk in need of a little help and bring them over so that she can work her magic."

"Is she any good?"

Axel scoffed, "Well, if she wasn't we wouldn't be in this situation, now, would we?"

Sora looked down, "N-no, I guess not."

"We're here," Terra announced as the four approached Ursula's "fortress". It didn't really look like a fortress, but rather a makeshift cavern made from the remains of a larger sea creature. Its mouth served as the entrance, and the merfolk made their way through.

Sora looked at the structure, slowing his pace down slightly as he moved more reluctantly. Ariel noticed this change and grabbed his hand, encouraging to move forward with her, "C'mon Sora. There's no going back."

"Right you are, Princess!" Terra nodded, as the four approached a "garden" of weird little creatures, "Oh, don't mind these things. They're just…"

"They learnt not to mess with Ursula." Axel finished, "If she gives you an opportunity, take it. Don't try crossing her."

"Good to know…" Ariel shivered. She couldn't believe these things used to be merpeople. From Atlantica, no doubt.

"Wait here." Axel calmly ordered as he and Terra swam around a corner. Sora and Ariel looked past the corner, to find a cauldron in the center of an open room, pink plants hanging from the ceiling immediately in front of the two, as well as a vanity nearby a small room, which Terra and Axel went in.

The two mermen reappeared, and gestured the other two to come forward.

"Come, my dears…" a deep, feminine voiced said sweetly, and with that, its owner emerged from the room. She was a rather big caecilian with six tentacles, grey hair and quite a lot of makeup on her face. For some people, she would definitely appear attractive, especially since she seemingly nailed being seductive through her looks.

"We mustn't lurk in hallways, or doorways…" she continued, a hand on her hip, as she landed on the ground, "It's rude." She then smirked, "One could possibly question your upbringing…"

"You're Ursula," Ariel stated.

"The one and only," Axel answered for his boss.

"Indeed, my dear," Ursula smiled, but whether it was to Ariel or Axel was anyone's guess, "Now, should we get to business?"

"Yes," Ariel nodded slowly.

"Well, my dear," Ursula strutted over to her vanity, her tentacles moving slowly as she did so. The sea witch picked up what seemed to be lipstick with her thumb and index finger as she swiped it across her lips, now a heavier shade of red, "You're hear because of this prince fellow, as I recall. A human prince, at that."

Sora looked surprised, "How did you-?" He stopped when he saw Axel and Terra grinning and waving at him, their fingers then pointing to their eyes, and the merman noticed a glow in the cauldron. Ariel's gaze, however, was focused on the sea witch, and what she had yet to say.

"Not that I blame you," Ursula continued, referring to the mermaid's situation, "He's quite a catch, isn't he?" As she giggled innocently, Sora shot another questionable glare at her mermen henchmen, who only look around the room with firm grins on their faces.

"What are you proposing?" Ariel asked the caecilian.

"Well, little angelfish, the solution to your problem is simple," Ursula smiled into the vanity mirror, looking at Ariel through her reflection, "The only way you'll be able to get what you want…is to become a human yourself.

A human? Was she suggesting what Ariel thought she was suggesting? There was no way she could…could she?

"You could do that?"

Ursula turned around, her hands in her lap, and smiling a seemingly warm smile, "Oh, dear child, it's what I do!" She rose from her seat, coming close to Ariel, "It's my life, sweetie! Helping poor souls, like yourself, with nowhere else, and noone else, to turn to. Indeed, I've had my share of nasty moments in the past, but trust me, I have repented and changed my ways since!"

"Are you saying that you have the power to…?" Ariel asked her question again.

"Indeed! I'm more than happy to help out the miserable, lonely and depressed! It warms my heart to see them happy!"

Ariel nodded, understandingly, "Well…go on…"

This place was spooky.

The twins had made their way sneakily to their destination, with Sebastian and Flounder in tow. They had been rather careful in making sure they were not caught by Ariel, Sora and those two, creepy henchmen.

Even if that meant hiding in a field of urchins.

"Never again!" Sebastian cried, pulling out a spike from his shell and hastily discarding it, "When we get back, I'm gonna go up to Triton and tell him to get a better babysitter!"

"Is this Ursula's fortress?" Roxas asked freely, "Or a cemetery?"

"No, dis is the right place…" Sebastian nodded, "Triton knows of dese Waters, and she made herself a house out of the great Serpentine…"

"O…kay…I'm not gonna ask…" Ventus said as the four made their way through the Serpentine's mouth, otherwise known as the only entrance.

"Jumpin' jellyfish!" Sebastian exclaimed, as they made their way through Ursula's 'gardens', "Where did all those polyps…" his eyes widened, "No…"

"Why, what…" Roxas' eyes widened as the three caught on to what the crab was thinking, "Oh, hell, no! Our brother ain't being turned into one of these!" With that, the twins swam faster to the main room, as they saw Ursula, Ariel and Sora in front of a glowing cauldron, as well as those two mermen from earlier standing close by. They made an effort to try and hear what Ursula was saying to the merfolk.

"…you'll belong to me!"

"No, Ariel!" Sebastian cried as he caught up with them, only for him and Flounder to be silenced by two eels, which seemingly came out of nowhere. Terra and Axel also swam in their direction, allowing for Ursula to go through more details with the mermaid.

"Well, well!" Axel said coolly, propping his arm on the wall as he eyed Roxas, "Lookie what the catfish dragged in!"

Roxas squirmed in his position, finding himself unable to take his gaze away from the redhead's odd eyes. Sure, the brunet also had them, but he was far more intrigued by yellow glow from Axel's green eyes, "Let us through!" he ordered weakly, "We're here to take our brother and Ariel back!"

"Oh, look at that!" Terra grinned, inching closer to Ventus, who shivered as he felt the bigger merman's hands land on his hips, "These two want to play the heroes…"

"You needn't worry…" Axel smirked, "They're in good hands…" His hands started to explore Roxas' body similar to Terra's on Ventus', both blonds seemingly distracted, "Just like you two…"

"Get off!" the twins exclaimed in unison, although it was to no avail…

Goddammit.

"So, if I were to become human…" Ariel pondered Ursula's bargain, "I'd never see my family or friends again…"

"That's right!" Ursula sarcastically looked surprised, before relaxing her expression, "But, you'd have your prince!" She chuckled, "Life's tough, isn't it?"

Ariel shied away, nodding slowly.

"Oh!" Ursula's eyes widened in surprise, "We've not discussed the subject of payment! We've got to be fair in the deal-making process, yes?"

"But-" Ariel stammered, "I don't have-"

The mermaid was silenced by a tentacle, as Sora watched on, ready to fight should the situation get ugly, "Don't worry, it's not going to be much," Ursula assured, removing her tentacle, "I'll guarantee you won't even miss it!"

"What do you want, then?"

Ursula propped a finger under Ariel's chin, "Your voice, my dear."

Ariel was taken aback. Her voice?! But surely, she'd need that to talk to the prince if she was to get him to fall in love with her, as required for her to remain human permanently.

The sea witch took note of all the expression the mermaid was making as she continued, "You have your looks, you know," she informed her, "You have a pretty face to win him over with! Remember the importance of body language!" Ursula, in order to express her point clearly, shook her own body suggestively, immediately gaining rather disgusted reactions from both merfolk. She took no offence as she made a golden contract appear, along with a pen, "So…do we have a deal?"

Ariel eyed the contract. There was a lot at stake here. If the prince did fall in love with her, she'd be able to live happily on the surface, but with that, she'd have to leave everything else behind. And, if she failed, she would belong to Ursula, and have no chance at finding love again…

OK, that actually made things a whole lot easier.

"Wait!" Sora exclaimed as his friend made a swift grab for the pen.

"Yes…?" Ursula look unfazed by the teen's interjection.

Sora inched closer to Ursula, his nerves increasing, "I…I…" He shook his head. He could do this. "I want to go with her!"

"WHAT?!" Ventus and Roxas exclaimed from around the corner, before being immediately silenced by Terra and Axel's hands, respectively.

"Sora…" Ariel said slowly, "Are you sure?"

"Yes." The merman nodded, "I want to go with you."

"You know, I am aware of you also being infatuated with that other prince…" Ursula added, "If you want…I could extend the contract for you."

"You could?" Sora asked with hope, "Oh, thank you! I'm guessing I'll have to give you my voice too!"

"Just sign the contract and you're good to go!" Ursula grinned, as she made another pen appear before her. Sora took it and swam over to the contract, signing it almost enthusiastically with Ariel.

"Pleasure doing business with you," Ursula smirked, magically bringing the contract to her before it disappeared in her hand.

The deed was done.

"Now…" Ursula began, her hands gesturing above the cauldron, "This shan't hurt a bit."

Beluga Sevrgua, come winds of the Caspian Sea
Larynxes Glacydis Ad Max Laryngitis, la voce to me!

Two pairs of magic yet eerily thin green hands emerged from the cauldron, and each on lunged towards Sora and Ariel. They found themselves singing as the fingers made their way down their throats, and took out two golden glows, each one representing a voice taken. Ariel made a grab at her throat in surprise. She didn't feel pain, but it was all so shocking and soon…

Ursula's cackles could be heard as Sora and Ariel were each engulfed in two golden bubbles, their lower halves glowing bright gold as their tails separated, transforming into a pair of fresh, new human legs. As the magic faded, they found themselves struggling to breathe.

Of course, humans couldn't breathe underwater.

"Sora!" Ventus cried as he swam out of Terra's grip and grabbed his brother's arms, pulling him up to the surface as quick as he could.

"Ariel!" Roxas elbowed Axel in the stomach (who uttered a snarky comment about how the blond was "a feisty one") and proceeded to guide Ariel to the surface. Sebastian latched himself to Flounder as they swam up to follow them out of the fortress.

A few moments later, Ursula smirked at her two henchmen, as well as her pet eels, "Well, that went better than expected. Two royals in my hands…oh, Triton is sure to fall!"

Axel, only half-listening to his boss, grinned as Terra nodded in approval, "That Roxas is a hoot and a half! What about you, Ter?"

The brunet responded, "Mm…his brother isn't half bad either…"

So now, they're humans. How will they get on in the first day? (Which is literally the same day as the one in which they transform, following the timeline of the original movie.)