After swimming for a while, Haley, Ariel and Flounder arrived at Ariel's grotto. Ariel moved a large rock out of the way, and the two mermaids and their fishy friend swam inside. As Haley looked around inside the grotto, she couldn't help but notice all of the stuff from the surface world that Ariel had collected overtime. There were chests and jars and other things that were filled to the edge with stuff from the surface world.
"Wow...You've collected quite some stuff from the surface world throughout the years, haven't you, Ariel?" Haley remarked as she looked around the grotto.
Ariel nodded. "Yeah, I have. Your surface world just fascinates me so much, that's why I collect all of this stuff. My father and sisters just don't understand my fascination with the surface world, and they probably never will. But I don't mind. My happiness is what counts." She told Haley as she put away the "Digglehopper," "Snartflat" and "Fishpeeper" with the rest of her collection.
"Oh, you have sisters too?" Haley asked curiously.
Ariel nodded. "Yeah, I have six older sisters; Atina, Alana, Aquata, Adella, Arista and Andrina." Ariel replied to Haley as she swam back to the pink haired mermaid after putting away her new finds.
Haley giggled at that. "Wow, the names of you and your siblings all start with an A. Doesn't that make it hard for your father to keep track of all of your names?" She asked Ariel curiously.
Ariel shook her head. "Not at all. In fact, it actually makes it easier for him to keep track of all of our names." She told Haley.
Haley nodded at that. "Interesting."
"Well, I think we should get back to Atlantica now before my father gets worried. Plus, since you're most likely going to be stuck as a mermaid for a while, it'd be good to get you a place to stay there, don't you think?" Ariel suggested.
"Yeah, that would probably be a good idea. Let's head to Atlantica now." Haley smiled as she, Ariel and Flounder left the grotto again and Ariel put the large rock in front of the entrance again. The three of them then swam off to Atlantica.
"So, Ariel. What's it like being royalty?" Haley then asked Ariel curiously. She was very curious about Ariel's life under the sea, especially with her being a mermaid princess.
"People look up to you and put their trust in you. It's like everyone's family in my perspective: Each have their own flaws and benefits. I don't really look at being royalty like it's an achievement, though. I just do what I think is right for the people. My father thinks in a similar way as well. Sometimes I disagree with him on what he thinks is right though, but most of the time, it is right for the people." Ariel told her.
"I see." Haley nodded. "I'm guessing you're not a fan of being a princess?" She then asked Ariel.
"I honestly don't mind being a princess, it's just that there's things about being a princess that turn me off from it, but I somehow manage to put up with it." Ariel shrugged.
"Alright." Haley nodded again. They soon arrived in Atlantica, and Haley's eyes widened as she saw the city. "This is an underwater city?" She asked in awe.
Ariel smiled and nodded. "Yeah, it is. Welcome to Atlantica." She told Haley.
Haley couldn't help but smile as she looked at the city. "I think I could get used to living here for a while." She said.
"Alright. Let's go to the palace first. I think you should meet with my father first." Ariel told Haley as the two mermaids swam off towards the palace together with Flounder. Once they got to the palace, they went inside. As they swam through the palace halls, Ariel saw her father and swam over to him together with Haley and Flounder.
"Father, there's someone I'd like you to meet!" Ariel told her father. King Triton turned to Haley, Ariel and Flounder. King Triton was a tall elderly merman who was well built and had long white hair with a long white beard and mustache along with a dark blue fishtail and blue eyes. He wore studded gold gauntlets around his wrists and a yellow five pointed crown on his head.
"Father, this is Haley Dunphy. She's a mermaid I met while I was exploring with Flounder." Ariel told her father with a smile as she gestured to the pink haired mermaid.
Haley couldn't help but feel a bit nervous being in the prescence of a merman king like Triton. "U-Uh...Hello..." She nervously smiled.
King Triton blinked for a moment. "Hello, Haley. Tell me, what brings you to my kingdom?" He asked Haley calmly.
Haley tried to think of a story to cover up the fact that she was a human turned into a mermaid. "I...came to Atlantica because I lost my parents to pirates. I've been looking for a place to call home for two years since the incident." She told King Triton with a frown, hoping he would buy the story.
King Triton's eyes widened upon hearing Haley's story. "You've lost your parents to pirates? That's terrible..." He frowned as well.
Ariel knew that Haley was trying to cover up the fact that she was a human turned into a mermaid, so she decided to play along. "Yes, Flounder and I found her hiding inside of a cavern and decided to bring her to Atlantica in the hope she would be able to make a new home here." She explained to her father.
King Triton nodded at that before he began to think. "Hmmmm..." He then had an idea. "...Haley, would you like to become a part of our family?" He asked the pink haired mermaid.
Haley's eyes widened at that. "Like...adoption?" She asked King Triton in disbelief.
"Yes." King Triton nodded.
Haley grew a wide smile and nodded at that. "I would love that." She replied happily.
King Triton smiled at that. "I'm glad to hear that. Come, Ariel and I will take you to find a room in the palace for you to sleep in." He said as him, Haley, Ariel and Flounder swam off.
Ariel couldn't help but smile at her father's offer to Haley. "That's really nice of you, father. Now Haley finally has a family again after years in solitude." She said to her father.
"Indeed. Once dinner time comes around, we shall inform your sisters about this as well." King Triton replied as they found a vacant room for Haley to sleep in and swam inside. "Will this room do, Haley?" King Triton asked Haley.
The pink haired mermaid looked around inside the room and nodded in satisfaction. "It'll definitely do." She replied with a smile.
"I'm glad to hear that. For now, just stay in the palace. Dinner will be served in about an hour." King Triton told Haley and Ariel as he left the room again, leaving Haley, Ariel and Flounder there.
Haley and Ariel smiled at each other. "Well...I guess that we're sisters for now." Haley told Ariel, keeping the smile.
Ariel smiled back and nodded. "I guess so. Well, welcome to the family, sis." She told Haley as she hugged the pink haired mermaid.
Haley returned the hug before letting go. "I just can't believe that I'm a mermaid princess now too..." She said in awe at the realization that she was now a mermaid princess herself.
Ariel giggled and nodded. "Yeah. Don't worry, me and my father and sisters will teach you as much about being a princess as we can." She assured Haley.
"Alright, I'm glad to hear that. This is definitely something I will have to get used to..." Haley said, taking all of it in.
Later, around dinner time, Haley sat down at the dinner table with Ariel, her father and her sisters. Flounder had gone home by this point. Ariel's sisters couldn't help but eye Haley curiously, which Haley completely understood.
"Alright, girls. Before we have our dinner, I have to introduce you to someone. This is Haley Dunphy, and she's going to be living with us from now on and will be your new sister." King Triton told the rest of his daughters.
Haley smiled and waved at her new sisters. "Hiya!" She greeted them before turning to Ariel. "So, Ariel, why don't you introduce your sisters?" She asked the red haired mermaid princess.
Ariel smiled and nodded before gesturing to Attina. "This is Attina, she's my eldest sister and the next heir to the Atlantican throne." She told Haley.
Attina smiled and waved at Haley. She had an orange fishtail with a matching orange seashell bra, as well as green eyes and light brown hair and wore an orange five pointed tiara on her head. "Hello, Haley. If you need to know anything about being a princess, don't hesitate to ask me. I'm sure I can be of assistance." She told the pink haired mermaid.
Ariel smiled and then gestured to Alana. "This is Alana, the second eldest after Attina." She then told Haley.
Alana smiled at Haley. She had a violet fishtail and a matching violet seashell bra. She also had gray blue eyes and black hair and a small pink tiara on her head. "Hello, Haley. I hope you'll enjoy living with us in Atlantica." She told the pink haired mermaid.
Ariel smiled again and then gestured to Aquata. "This is Aquata, the third eldest of me and my siblings." She then told Haley.
Aquata also smiled at Haley. She had a blue fishtail with a matching blue seashell bra, as well as brown eyes and brown hair with curly bangs that she wore in a ponytail tied up by a band of white pearls. "Hiya! I'm sure we'll get along just fine, sis!" She happily greeted the pink haired mermaid.
Ariel smiled again and then gestured to Adella. "This is Adella, the middle child of the family." She told Haley.
Adella smiled and waved happily at Haley. She had a greenish yellow fishtail with a yellowish green seashell bra. She also had teal eyes and dark brown hair tied into a ponytail with a pearly headband and headpiece that both match the color of her tail. "Hi, Haley! I'm glad to have another sister! Makes things more lively around here!" She beamed at the pink haired mermaid.
Ariel smiled once again and then gestured to Arista. "This is Arista, the fifth of me and my siblings." She then told Haley.
Arista smiled at Haley. She had a red tail with a matching red seashell bra along with long pale blonde hair tied into a sloppy ponytail and ice blue eyes. "Hi, Haley! It's nice to meet you!" She told the pink haired mermaid.
Ariel smiled once more and then finally gestured to Andrina. "And finally, this is Andrina, the sixth of me and my siblings, making me the youngest." She told Haley.
Andrina smiled and waved at Haley. She had a purplish pink fishtail with a pink seashell bra, as well as blonde hair worn in a high ponytail along with a pink decoration resembling an actual ponytail. "Hello, Haley. Let's try to be the best sisters we could possibly be." She replied to the pink haired mermaid.
(Author's Note: There might be some inconsistencies with the birth order of Ariel's sisters in this story, as I'm going with the birth order from the prequel film which is a bit inconsistent in my opinion. Keep that in mind, okay?)
Haley smiled at all of the kind comments she was getting from her new sisters. "Hello. It's nice to meet all of you too." She told her new sisters.
King Triton smiled. He was happy his daughters were so accepting and welcoming of Haley. "Alright, I'm glad you girls are all giving Haley such a warm welcome. Now let us get to dinner." He said as everyone began to eat their food.