sultal's note: literally had the BEST time reading everyone's reaction to "bad-ass" Wendy. You guys freakin rock. Ok, so long chapter this time bc I MAY not be able to post tomorrow (driving to the magical city of Buffalo), but there is bonding, Wendy/Jim history, and...well... you'll see! Next chapter we start the COUPLES PAIRINGS! Thanks for all the awesome suggestions -

keep writing.

Chapter 63: Girl Talk

Ariel had a magic gift. And it wasn't her trident.

It was her personality. Her bubbling personality that erupted through restrictions and challenged everyone around her to smile at life's boundless opportunities. She wondered about the unknown, attacked her curiosities, and found pure joy in the resolution. It was a way of life that was turbulent enchanting, and infectious.

And, racing through the boutique, Wendy was caught under Ariel's spell.

"Come on!" Ariel laughed, leading Wendy by the hand. "This way!"

Bewildered, Wendy ran after Ariel. Glitters, shimmers, sparkles, and shines twinkled by the aisles of gowns. Every imaginable color, cut, and style gown grabbed some part of Wendy's attention for a fleeting second before Ariel pointed out another more delicious selection.

Wendy felt like a princess. She was excited, overwhelmed, and afraid to touch anything.

"Gosh!" Ariel pawed through a row of mermaid dresses. Wendy stood behind, mouth slightly agape. She watched as Ariel blazed through dress after magnificent dress.

Suddenly Ariel turned. She held up a mint-green mermaid dress. "What do you think?"

Wendy marveled at the intricate crystal sequence. "It's lovely. But I thought you wanted a purple dress."

"Not for me!" Ariel laughed. Moving Wendy's ponytail, she put the hanger around Wendy's neck, letting the dress rest. "I meant for you."

Wendy looked down. She smoothed her hands over the mint-green satin and crystal sequence. Feeling terribly silly, she wondered if she would be able to move – let alone dance – in the restrictive form fitting bodice.

Ariel seemed to be reading her mind.

"Mermaid dresses can be a pain." she admitted, pulling a sparkling fushia gown from the rack. "Especially if you're trying to do the Cotton Eyed Joe. But, they do wonders for the figure. You know – accentuate the positives! I think you should try it on!"

Wendy swayed the organza flares doubtfully. "Really? It's lovely…but…not exactly…me…"

"That's because you don't belong here."

Ariel and Wendy turned.

Lana, Cordelia, and Adella smirked back at them. Each girl was strapped in a stunning mermaid dress. And although Lana's nose looked like a white beak with her castings, she regarded Ariel and Wendy like a queen.

"Look girls." Lana scoffed, waving out an arm. Ariel looked down. Lana and Cordelia both had a million Band-Aids on their left hand. "Look who it is."

Cordelia sniffed. "What's she doing here?"

Ariel curled a fist. "Shut up Lana. Leave Wendy alone – "

"I wasn't talking about her, Ariel."

Ariel froze. All she could do was stare at Lana. Lana, her cousin. Lana, her childhood playmate. Lana, her best friend forever.

Lana…disowning her without batting an eyelash.

Ariel's anger burned the tears from her eyes.

"Come on, Wendy." Ariel turned. She threw down the beautiful fushia mermaid gown. "Let's go."

Wendy stepped back as Ariel passed, tears in her eyes. Hurriedly under Lana's gaze, Wendy removed the hanger and replaced the dress. Picking up her backpack and sewing basket, she turned to leave.

Then, she stopped. Sewing basket in hand, Wendy turned to Lana.

"Lana. You can hurt me all you want." Wendy squeezed the sewing basket to her chest. She felt Peter's shadow vibrating inside. "But Ariel is your family. And…blood is thicker than water." Hugging the basket, Wendy turned. "Even for mermaids."

It was sadly that Wendy left. Not because of the marvelous dresses or princess character of the boutique. It was because Lana laughed, careless of her power to hurt.

Wendy caught up to Ariel at the intersection of Center-Point and Western Sectors.

"Ariel. Ariel wait." Panting, Wendy skipped steps to match Ariel's furious pace. "Ariel. Are…are you all ri – "

"Lana is the meanest girl in the entire world! I can't believe we are related!"

Wendy quickened her pace. The breeze picked up. The air was tinted with sea salt. They were nearing the ocean.

"Lana was wrong to say that to you." Wendy tried to be comforting, but Ariel shook her read head.

"I can't believe her! Standing there in her perfect mermaid dress!" Ariel flapped a hand over her nose. "Her perfect nose bandaged like a pelican! You'd think she would have learned her lesson but NO! She has to ruin our whole day – "

Wendy followed Ariel onto the boardwalk. The ocean air rippled across the sand. "Ariel…I…I'm sorry. Is there anything I can do?"

"She is a prissy – " Ariel ranted, marching over the sand. "— vindictive, backstabbing, bitch!"

"—Ariel! –"

"—with no regard for human kindness, NOT surprising because she is a perfect, precious, mermaid! OH! OHHH!"

Kicking the sand, Ariel looked at Wendy. "Come on!"

Wendy faltered. "Where are we going?"

"Food!" Ariel growled, trying to boil away her anger. "I'm upset! I need junk food. Now. Come on."

Twenty minutes and two orders of milkshake and fries later, the girls were sitting calmly on the pier.

"Sorry for freaking out." Ariel apologized, bribing a seagull with a fry. "And sorry we didn't get a dress. We can go back in a bit. When they're gone."

Wendy dipped her toes into the water. "It's really just as well. I should stay home with Michael tonight."

Ariel tossed the fry. The seagull swooped and gulped it whole . "Who's Michael?"

Wendy smiled. "My little brother."

"Little brother? You have two?"

Wendy nodded. Her smile faded, thinking of John. "Yes. Michael's much younger. But more...bouncy than John."

Ariel laughed. "I wish I had two brothers. I wish I had one brother. I can't imagine loving a boy that's not my Father or my boyfriend."

Wendy tilted her head. It was an interesting perspective. "You're lucky to have sisters." she said.

Ariel snuffed. "Careful. Remember, they tried to drown you."

"No, no." Wendy said honestly. "I've always wanted a sister. I love my brothers – dearly – but…" Wendy shrugged. "…I've always wanted a sister."

Ariel ran a finger inside her fry tray. She licked off the salt. "It is fun. Alana, Attina and I are close. You just have to label all of your clothes. And makeup. And jewelry. And boyfriends."

Wendy laughed.

"So…while we're on that subject…" Ariel continued, sipping slyly from her straw. "…who are you going to ask to dance at the ball?"

Wendy choked on her milkshake. "Ariel. I told you. I'm not going to the – "

"Okay, but if you were going?" Ariel pressed, "Who would you ask?"

"I wouldn't ask anyone."

"What?" Ariel exclaimed. "Why? Oh…you like it old school? Guy asks the girl. Cool. That's neat."

"No." Wendy stirred her straw. "I'm just…not interested. In anyone."

Ariel twisted a strand of red hair. "Not in anyone? Anyone at all?"

Wendy looked out to sea. "No." she said quietly. "No one."

Ariel opened her mouth. She closed it. She opened it again.

The seagull cocked it's head.

"Not even…" Ariel gripped the edge of the pier. "Not even Jim?"

Wendy turned. Then she started to laugh.

"Jim?!"

Ariel's cheeks flushed. "Well…yeah. I mean, he's good looking." Ariel fidgeted as Wendy continued to laugh. "And I know you two say you're not girlfriend and boyfriend but you always hang around toge – "

"Why does everybody think that?" Wendy shook her head, smiling. She seemed tickled pink at the idea of a romantic relationship with Jim. "We are not dating."

"Oh come on!" Ariel tried to re-arouse her anger. "Wendy, come on! Seriously, you wouldn't date Jim? Seriously? You wouldn't be his girlfriend?"

Wendy's face broke into an incredulous smile. "No!" she laughed. Scrunching her nose, she wriggled back and forth. "Ew. Ugg."

"Ugg?" Ariel glanced at the seagull. The seagull flew away. "Why is that 'ugg'?"

Wendy rubbed her curls. "Ariel…Jim and I…we are…" Wendy looked up and to the side, as if trying to remember the answer to quiz. "We are… more than friends."

Ariel raised an eyebrow. "Annnnnd, normal people would call that girlfriend and boyfriend."

"No, no, no." Wendy moved her hands back and forth, "…Jim and I are…" Suddenly, Wendy's eyes lit up. She snapped her fingers. "Jim is my brother."

Ariel opened her mouth. "Uhhhh-huh."

"It's peculiar, I know." Wendy said. "But I can't explain it any other way. Jim and I have always been together. He makes me myself...and…"

Guilty, Wendy waved her feet in the water. "…and I know that Jim will always be there for me. And…I'll always be there for him."

Wendy sighed. "…even when we fight. Just like brothers and sisters do."

Ariel gazed at Wendy. Contemplatively, she dipped her trident into the ocean. "Sounds perfect. How did you meet?"

Wendy was silent. Ariel glanced over as the wind braided through Wendy's hair.

"Wendy?"

Wendy swallowed. "We met at a funeral."

Ariel regretted it the moment she said it. "Who's?"

"…my mother's."

Water bubbled at the end of the trident. Ashamed of herself, Ariel tried to apologize.

"No bother." Wendy said quietly. "None at all. It…it was a long time ago."

"I'm so sorry." Ariel offered again. "It's just that Jim is so…mysterious, and you know him so well. I should've minded my own business."

Wendy shook her head. "It's all right. Meeting Jim turned my life upright. You see, after the funeral I saw Jim. Crying. At Pirate's Point."

"That cliff? By The Docks?"

"Yes." Wendy eased her feet from the water. Holding her ankle, she stared into the wind. "I hadn't cried after my mother...well...and seeing Jim cry…it made me angry. So angry. So…I hit him."

Ariel gasped. "You?"

Wendy nodded, smiling a little at the memory. "He was surprised too."

"I bet. What happened?"

Wendy squinted, looking into the past. "He just…sat there. Crying. Letting me hit him. That made me angrier. So I yelled at him. I told him he had no right to cry…because…because my mother was dead. And she was never coming back."

Ariel leaned forward, captivated. Her arm hung slack as the trident glistened in the water.

Wendy heaved a great breath. "Then I remember Jim looking straight at me. And he said…My father is never coming back. And he is alive."

Wendy shook her head. "He is alive and he is never coming back."

Wendy did not say more. And all Ariel could do was stare. Suddenly, she saw Jim as something more than a dark, acidic, boy with a heart of stone. And Wendy. She was so much more than the quiet, demure girl with downcast eyes.

They were both people. People not so different from Ariel's herself...but two people that had needed each other to survive.

The ocean lapped gently in the silence shared by the two girls.

Then, Ariel lifted her deep, sea blue eyes. "My mother's in Heaven too."

Wendy looked up. She took Ariel's open hand, welcoming her kindness and trust.

"The little mermaid and the shadow worker." Ariel grinned, squeezing Wendy's hand. "Not so different after all, huh? Wendy – now you have to go to the ball!"

Wendy lowered her eyebrows. "Ariel." she said practically. "I'd like to. Really, I would. But without a dress…?"

"Why don't you just go to Edna Mode's?"

Ariel and Wendy jumped. They looked down at the voice that had spoken.

It was a fish.

"Hi!" said the fish after a moment of stunned silence. Shyly, he waved a yellow and blue fin at Ariel. "Did you hear me okay, Ariel?"

Ariel perked up, startled. Shadowed by Wendy, she leaned over the pier. "You're a fish."

"I'm Flounder."

Ariel nodded, clearly perturbed. "Well hi…um…Flounder. And how do you know my name?"

Flounder's eyes jittered. Nervously, he pointed at the trident. "Didn't you call? Just now?" To Ariel's confusion, he circled his fins. "You needed help. Asking a boy out to dance. And getting a dress."

Ariel turned bright red. "How did you know…I didn't say that!"

Flounder looked very confused and very nervous. "…but…you thought it…right…Ariel?"

"There it is again!" Flounder jumped as Ariel pointed, desperately trying to change the subject. "How do you know my name?"

Again, Flounder pointed at the trident. "I heard you. You thought it. Err..well felt it. With emotions." His tropical-hued scales trembled as Ariel looked at her trident. "…it's aquapathy…it's how all sea creatures talk…"

Skeptically, Ariel fingered her trident. Then, she lowered it into the ocean. "What am I thinking now, Flounder?" she demanded, eyes shut.

Flounder angled his head, listening. Vibrations from the trident rippled over his scales.

"Who's Jim?" Flounder suddenly said.

"Okay!" Ariel ripped the trident from the water. Mortified, she ran a hand though her hair to avoid Wendy's grin. "Okay. So aquapathy…new power….aquapathy…"

Blowing through her cheeks, Ariel returned to the little fish. "Thanks…Flounder."

Flounder saluted. "No problem Ariel! You're pretty cool!"

Ariel grinned. Stretching onto her stomach, she stroked a finger over Flounder's dorsal fin. "Thanks. You're neat too."

Flounder blushed. He nodded smugly at Wendy. "She thinks I'm neat."

"So…Flounder." Ariel motioned for Wendy to join. "You know where we can get a dress?"

"For free." Wendy specified, laying onto her stomach.

Flounder made a face. "Ooooo. Free? Well, Edna Mode is the best dress designer on the coast! Her secret lair – "

Wendy and Ariel spoke at once. "Secret Lair?"

"—is down the beach and under the sand. That way." Flounder splashed a vague direction before swerving back to the girls. "But I dunno if she'd give you a dress for free."

Ariel grinned. Nudging Wendy, she twirled her trident. "Sounds like an adventure to me. What do you say? Worth a shot?"

"Ummmmm." Flounder gurgled.

Wendy sighed. "After today…why ever not?"

Ariel popped up. "Great! Flounder lead the way!"

"Wellll…." Flounder began uncertainly.

"Oh come on!" Ariel taunted, shouldering her trident. "Don't be such a guppy!"

Flounder furrowed his snout. Fully resolved, he plowed underwater. "I'm no guppy! This way!"

"Great!" Ariel and Wendy ran down the pier. Hair streaming, Ariel grinned at Wendy. "Ready to get a dress for the ball?"

Wendy nodded, pony tail bouncing. "And…" Wendy added, tucking the sewing basket under her arm. "…I think you should ask Jim to dance at the ball."

FUN FACT: The comment Ariel made about "not being able to imagine loving a boy that was not her Dad or boyfriend" was inspired by an actual conversation I had. I have 2 brothers (younger, but basically my age) and my very good friend only has a sister. My brothers and I are tight, and my friend actually told me that she could not imagine "loving a boy like a brother." That literally BLEW my mind. So I had to add it.