Chapter 22: C-Tiered Sea Bitch

The rest of that night was pure bliss.

The girls spent the countless hours doing bad impressions of their teachers, discussing what television shows they were missing out on as a result of being snatched from the Otherworld, but mainly, finishing up the worksheet Jiminy had given Scar on 'Challenging Negative Thoughts'.

At one point, they'd wandered over to the couch and dozed off in each other's arms. Luckily, neither of them had any unexpected visits from their respective 'demons' in the night. That was how the rest of the gang found them the next morning; snuggled close, emitting soft snores, and looking quite content.

Dakota withdrew his phone, and snapped a picture of the pair with a snicker. That then gave Peter an idea, and he shared it amongst the Lost Boys in a mischievous huddle. After breaking, they split off to find supplies. Dakota gave Peter an inquiring look, to which he shrugged innocently.

A few minutes later, the boys returned, and Peter hovered above the girls. His tongue stuck out in concentration as he sprayed two identical dollops of whipped cream on their foreheads. Stifling a laugh, Slightly shook rainbow sprinkles on top. The twins scribbled two handlebar mustaches on their upper lips in sharpie. Cubby, Nibbs, and Toodles then balanced two pairs of sunglasses over the girls' eyes. To complete the odd photo, Tinkerbell flew Jiminy up so he could set two cherries atop the whipped cream.

Wendy (who'd watched all this ensue as the room buzzed with barely-contained wheezes, snorts, and whispers) shushed everyone and started to scold them for their disreputable behavior, when Dakota handed her his cellphone.

Once he'd shown her how it worked, he squatted in-between his two snoozing friends.

Dakota made his hands into two peace-signs behind the girls' head, stuck his tongue out, and crossed his eyes for the camera. Peter and the Lost Boys joined him and made silly faces while trying not to laugh too loud. Jiminy and Tinkerbell perched on Dakota's right and left shoulders and smiled.

Wendy held up her fingers and mouthed: "Three...two...one..."

FLASH!

The sound of the shutter caused Scarlett and Mindy to jolt awake with similar shrieks of alarm. With the jig up, the boys erupted into applause and obnoxious chortles. Mindy looked around in confusion, but when she processed what was going on, she sighed and removed the sunglasses. She and Scarlett chuckled as blushes appeared on their cheeks.

"Oh har, har," Mindy drawled with a tired smile, "Very funny guys,"

"It is way too early for this," Scarlett said.

"Agreed,"

"You-you two should've seen the looks on your faces!" Peter doubled over with tears in his eyes. He mimicked the girls flinging themselves off of the couch, and matched their high-pitched screams perfectly, "It was priceless! I'd give anything to see it again!"

"As a matter of fact, you can!"

Dakota took his phone back, and showed them the blurred mess of a photo Wendy had taken. The expressions of shell-shocked panic, and the unflattering angle of the girls caused them to descend into another round of laughter.

"That one's going in the scrapbook!" Dakota declared.

"Scrapbook?" Scarlett huffed, "You've been planning a scrapbook? You've had the materials, camera-space, and time to organize a scrapbook capturing all the memories we're currently making on this dangerous, movie-material, adventure?"

"That's right," Dakota chirped as he yanked out an oversized multi-colored scrapbook from out of nowhere, and did a quick flip-through of the finished pages, "It's a work in progress, but I've been finding time to put it together ever since I convinced Basil to let me get a copy of that picture of all us together when we escaped that giant mouse trap!" he sighed in nostalgic glee, "Ah, good times...good times,"

Mindy bit her lip as she gazed upon the featured photograph. Bittersweetness, but also a flattered warmth spread throughout her chest, but she shook it off, and rose from the floor. She readjusted her glasses, helped Scarlett up, and cleared her throat.

"Yes, you are all comedic geniuses," Mindy said, "Now if you all excuse me, I'm going to have a private audience with our eight-tentacled associate before we get started for the day,"

"But what about breakfast?" Dakota asked.

"I don't have time," She shook her head as she walked to the door, "I have to touch base with Ursula as soon as possible, before she refuses to teach me altogether. You guys go right ahead though,"

But Dakota masterfully blocked her path, and linked her arm with his before she knew what was happening. Against her will, they started towards the kitchen, "Nonsense! There's always time for food! Especially when a handy dandy sorceress like you poofs up a kitchen that cooks on its own without you having to lift a single finger!"

Mindy couldn't disagree, but she didn't know how to explain to him she couldn't even consider eating. Not until she apologized to Ursula for the irreversible act she'd almost committed. Her thoughts were like the churning waves the night of the shipwreck. Agitated, choppy, frantic. Desperate for calm. She wanted to get this sorted so the waters in her head would become still and tranquil again. So she could rest easy again.

Scarlett seemed to pick up on the anxious energy she was giving off, and managed to loop her arm around Mindy's opposite arm, "Let's at least get something for when we hit the road, okay?"

"We?" Mindy asked, "Wait... you want to come with me?"

"Correction, I am coming with you," Scarlett insisted as she crossed her arms, "No way I'm letting you do this alone. If shit hits the fan, I'm going to be there to support you no matter what,"

"What if I go off the rails again?"

"You won't," Scar said with conviction, "How many times do we have to remind you, you'd never hurt the ones you care about on purpose? Besides, even if you did go berserk, we now know you have a reliable, (albeit silly) failsafe to keep you from doing something stupid,"

"But what if I-"

"-up, up, up," she cut her off by pressing a firm finger against Mindy's lips, "Buttons,"

It astounded her how one simple little word, had the ability to quiet the thrashing waters in her mind. The waves stilled. A refreshing calm washed over her. The ocean stood like a mirror, reflecting only the thoughts that were factual and valid.

Thoughts that told her that cliché concepts like friendship and love would be her greatest tools in battling the chaotic tendencies of her powers. Thoughts that assured her she'd never harm a hair on any of her loved ones' heads. Thoughts that expressed her true worth, and how capable she was of making things right between her and the Sea Witch.

And her mouth eased into a gentle, relieved smile as a result, "Thanks,"

"Anytime," Scar winked.

"Uh...okay," Dakota gave an awkward laugh, "Don't know what that's about, but I'm coming too. Emotional support for the win, whoo!"

The Pan Gang stepped forward, "Count us in,"

"Um, no offense you guys, but I think the fewer of us show up, the better the reception will be," Mindy said whilst twiddling her fingers, "The last thing she probably wants is a surprise house party,"

"Good call," Jiminy commended from atop her shoulder.

Peter gave in with a sigh, "Fine. But if you need backup, don't hesitate to holler, okay?"

"I think we can manage, but we'll keep that in mind," Scarlett said.

"With that settled, how do breakfast burritos sound?" Dakota asked, "Don't worry Bloom and Gloom...we'll get you some avocado toast instead,"

"As per usual, you my friend are a lifesaver...be sure to put extra pickles on that,"


The minute the trio set foot (tail?) outside the comfort of the Underwater House, they were accosted with the sinking feeling of something not being right. They withdrew their cellphones and checked the time; convinced their eyes were playing tricks on them.

Upon seeing that it was currently midnight, they stared into the pitch-black void stretched before them with fascination as well as awestruck horror...it only just occurred to Mindy how vast and downright terrifying the ocean was. Sure, they'd been sucked into a pastel, nautical, Disney-fied wonderland. However, that didn't mean it was devoid of any of the dangerous sea animals portrayed in the Otherworld. Not to mention, the danger would most likely be amplified due to how over-the-top animation tended to be.

"Uh, this is certainly an interesting, and totally not creepy development," Dakota said before taking a reluctant bite of his burrito.

"You could say that again," Jiminy shivered, "Although, I'll have to disagree with ya about it not being creepy,"

"Do any of you Disney characters know what sarcasm is?" Scarlett questioned.

"Only when it's convenient or funny," he raised a brow, "Why? Was that question sarcastic?"

"No, I was genuinely curious. Don't worry, I'm making an effort to be nicer to you,"

Jiminy's eyes glistened as he sniffled, "Aw, I appreciate that Miss Bloom,"

"Adorableness aside, this doesn't make sense, right?" Dakota asked, "I remember coming into the kitchen for a late-night snack, and seeing Scar and Min asleep on the couch! Shouldn't it be mid-afternoonish?"

"You know how I said one of the first rules of the Dremesphere was to not question anything?" Jiminy replied, "Turns out my nose was growing when I said that and we didn't even notice it,"

Mindy rubbed her chin for a minute in thought...finally, she came to a conclusion, "I may be reaching here, but I think that somehow, someway, we are in direct control of the timeline for this film,"

"You lost me," Scarlett deadpanned.

"Think about it," Mindy carried on, "How was it even possible for us to spend hours wading through mysterious underwater caverns, building a shell harpsichord, unlocking a secret compartment, AND fighting off a trio of sirens in the middle of the plot for The Little Mermaid? Not to mention how we stalled Ariel going to Ursula for legs by her getting held hostage by Kida and company. We must be slowing it down. Either that, or The Dremesphere is accommodating us having these mini-adventures in order to fit into the narrative,"

Dakota scratched his head, "I guess it's just a more complicated form of Disney logic,"

"The most reliable line of reasoning in The Dremesphere," Scarlett nodded before rubbing her temples, "Ugh, my brain hurts. Let's get a move on already,"

"Yeah, I'd rather not stay out here any longer than we need to," Mindy agreed.

With a steady breath, she twirled her hands, and a sphere of lavender luminescence appeared. Mindy blew on it, and it floated forwards to light their path. Exchanging resolute nods, the trio swam through the thick kelp forests, and into the gorge that led into Ursula's Lair.

This time, they used the front entrance, which proved to be a huge mistake as they'd completely forgotten about the emaciated shrimp-people. With strangled yelps, they shot to the roof of the cave mouth, and did their best to avoid the polyps as they clawed and stretched and wailed up for mercy.

"Alright, alright, we get it, she's not to be trusted!" Scarlett shouted down at the little creatures as she nimbly escaped their grasps, "We know the consequences. We know what she's capable of. We also, do. Not. Give. A. Shit,"

"Excuse us, excuse us, hey-hey, coming through. Sorry, pardon me, excuse us," Dakota wove in-between their tendrils, "Don't mind us, we're only passing through. Just a quick visit, and we'll be out of your hai-ooh. I suppose you all don't have hair anymore. I'm so sorry,"

"Don't worry," Mindy said with assurance, "We promise you'll all be freed for good, once this is all over and done with. Just hang on a little longer, okay?"

When they eventually made it to the end of the tunnel, they drew back the curtains of pink lichen, only to meet a disturbing, panic-inducing sight. A sight that made Mindy question everything she thought she knew. One that felt even more illegal for her to witness than Ursula sobbing.

There, in the middle of the chamber, flailing around and gurgling for breath...was Vanessa.

Mindy, Scarlett, and Dakota wasted no time.

It was as though they shared one braincell as they positioned themselves to the former Sea Witch's left, right, and back. Once they'd grabbed hold of her torso and upper legs, they maneuvered out of the cave, and propelled to the surface with everything they had while instructing her to kick as fast as she could.

At one point, Mindy almost lost her grip. The human flesh was still new, slippery, and slimy to the touch. She felt the ghost of suction cups prodding and pressing against her tiny, dainty hands. Still, she dug her fingernails into Vanessa's shoulder, and used her free arm to paddle upwards. Her chest heaved with every excruciating flap of her tail, but she didn't dare stop.

Time was of the essence. It was still unclear just how long she'd been alone before they'd even arrived to her lair. So none of them faltered. None of them gave in. They only blinked away harsh tears when their ears started to pop from the pressure change.

Finally, they broke through the barrier and Vanessa sucked in as much air as she could.

The five of them hacked, coughed, and panted with exhaustion, but they couldn't stop. They guided the newly-turned human through the churning waves, towards the shore, and set her down onto the silent beach. Then, and only then did they collapse onto the cool, powdery sand.

Mindy flopped over to Vanessa's side, and summoned a heated towel to drape around her quivering body. She then started to rub her shoulders as her teeth chattered and a hardened scowl formed on her now heart-shaped face.

"F-fools," she hissed in a certain little mermaid's stolen voice, "Idiots...the both of them..."'

"Who are you talking about?" Scarlett asked.

"Who do you think?" Vanessa demanded, "Flotsam and Jetsam...they were supposed to help me. All these years, they've always helped me get to the surface at this point in the story. But they were too busy checking on the Anomaly to remember this time,"

"Wait, you've been spying on me?" Mindy asked.

"It wasn't because I care about you or anything," she insisted in a lazy drawl as she mockingly patted her on the head, "I simply wanted to make sure my precious little savior was still intact after the...accident,"

"Vanes...Ursu...uh..." Mindy trailed off; uncertain of how to address her. Vanessa waved her hand with a look that said: 'Just pick a name, child!' and she made up her mind, "Vanesursula...about what happened yesterday. Things went too far, tensions were high, and I couldn't control myself. I'm sor-"

"-apology not accepted," the disguised Sea Witch flatlined, "You were only doing precisely what I'd told you to, and I got my just desserts. That's what I get for poking the sea bear. Let's let bygones be bygones, and never discuss it again, shall we?"

"Um, okay? So...you're not mad?"

"No. By now, I'm sort of numb to near-death experiences," Vanessa shrugged, "Besides, we made excellent strides yesterday. We now have a rough idea of what amount of damage you are capable of inflicting. Granted, I didn't anticipate you transforming into a wicked, homicidal maniac with a hunger for revenge, but that was an added bonus,"

"I knew it!" Dakota pointed an accusing finger at her, "You want to turn Mindy evil!"

Vanessa fluttered her lashes, "Why, whatever do you mean?"

"Don't pull the innocent card on me!" he screeched, "It all makes sense now! I can't believe I didn't catch on sooner! This isn't an 'enemy of my enemy is my friend' situation! You want to shape Mindy into just another evil puppet for you to manipulate! Once you have the Anomaly on your side, you and the rest of the Disney Villains will be indestructible! Nothing would be able to stop you from using her as the ultimate weapon in defeating The Projectionist, and starting the Disney Villain uprising!"

There was a beat of tense silence...

Vanessa opened her mouth, then tapped her chin, "I'd never even considered that. But now that you mention it, that's not such a bad idea after all...hmm..."

She then eyed Mindy like a valuable chess piece than a human being, and she recoiled in response. Jiminy's knees began to buckle at the increased silence. He hid his face inside his hat like a turtle retracting into its shell.

"Oh dear," he squeaked.

Scarlett took it upon herself to slap Dakota upside the head.

"Way to go, Davendork!" she burst, "You've gone and thought-up a foolproof evil plan to use Mindy as a pawn in a Disney Villain hostile takeover! And you went and gave it to someone who's arguably the most conniving, manipulative one of the bunch! AND, judging by that scary look in her eye, she is most definitely going to use it!"

"W-wait what?!" Dakota blanched, "No, no, no, I didn't mean-it was an accident Mindy I swear I-oh...oh sweet cheese and crackers what have I done?"

"I'll tell you what you've done!" Ursula's regular speaking voice exploded out of Vanessa's petite body; causing everyone to flinch, "You've given me the superb idea to not only take out The Projectionist, but take over the entire Dremesphere while I'm at it! I mean, why settle for killing the checkered menace outright, when the ultimate revenge would be taking everything from him before his very eyes?"

Tentacles sprung out from either side of her, and ensnared Mindy. Her breath came out in rapid wheezes in response. For a split-second, she swore she caught Vanessa's silhouette flash to The Projectionist's, which made her increasing terror all-the-more visceral. She squirmed in their locked embrace as the tendrils brought her closer to the cackling Sea Witch. Ursula then snatched her chin and made complete eye-contact with her.

"And you, my dear princess will become the weapon of mass destruction you were always destined to be..." She cooed, "And in time, perhaps you'll find that the side of evil has boatloads more fun than the side of good,"

Then, they disappeared in a plume of boiling bubbles.

"Where did they go?!" Dakota asked in a frenzied panic.

Scarlett's brain switched into maximum overdrive. She pored over the possibilities; desperate to cling onto the information they'd already established. Where would Ursula take The Anomaly having been presented the perfect plot?

Then it hit her.

"The only place that makes sense," Scarlett replied, "Wherever the closest villain in proximity is..."