Today was a big today in Atlantica: King Triton was going to officially crown Haley as Princess of Atlantica. Mermaids and mermen alike were all getting ready for the event, and King Triton and his daughters were all getting ready for the event as well.
Haley and Ariel were in Ariel's room, with Haley doing Ariel's makeup for the event. "Thanks for doing my makeup for the big event, Haley. You're pretty good at it too." Ariel told her pink haired sister with a smile as she watched in the mirror how Haley was doing her makeup.
Haley smiled and nodded as she continued working her makeup magic on her red haired sister. "Thanks. Back on the surface, I've been practicing since my little brother Luke was 3. Glad I can put that skill to good use beneath the sea surface as well." She replied to Ariel.
"So, are you nervous for the event?" Ariel then curiously asked Haley.
"A little bit, yeah. I just have to get used to the fact that I'm going to be living as a mermaid princess for a while until we can find a way to turn me back into a human. A few days ago, on my first night in Atlantica, I took off the necklace that turned me into a mermaid to see if it would turn me back into a human, but I remained a mermaid. I think that the necklace put some sort of curse on me or something like that, but I'm not entirely sure about it." Haley replied as she finished doing Ariel's makeup and put the makeup tools back into a clam shell that Ariel kept her makeup tools in.
Ariel nodded at that. "Well, I'm sure there'll be a way to turn you back into a human one way or another. It might just take a while to find that way." She replied back.
Haley nodded back. "My family back on the surface must be worried sick about me...I'd go and see them, but I'm not sure how they'd react to me being a mermaid now..." She sighed.
Ariel got up and placed a hand on Haley's shoulder. "Hey, I'm sure you'll get to see your true family again soon enough. Until then, me, my father and my sisters will be here for you as your family." She told her pink haired sister with a reassuring smile.
Haley smiled back at her red haired sister and hugged Ariel. "Thanks, Ariel. That's exactly what I needed. Thanks for the sweet words."
Ariel hugged Haley back. "Anytime, Haley. Anything to make you feel better." She replied before letting go and checking Haley's makeup job in the mirror. "Wow, I look amazing! Thanks again for the makeup job, Haley! I can't wait for all the mermen in Atlantica to see me!" She beamed.
Haley giggled a little bit. "Anytime, Ariel. I'm curious what the mermen of Atlantica will think of me when they see me." She wondered out loud.
"Guess we'll find out soon enough. Come on, let's head out and meet up with father and the others." Ariel replied with a smile as she took Haley's hand and the two mermaids swam out of Ariel's bedroom to where King Triton and the rest of their sisters were.
Sometime later, a whole bunch of mermaids and mermen alike had gathered in a stadium for the event. A bunch of King Triton's loyal subjects, being creatures of the sea were peforming a song together that King Triton's royal composer, a crab named Sebastian had composed for the event. After the song had ended, the crowd applauded as Sebastian bowed to the crowd.
"Thank you very much. 'Twas our pleasure to perform for you." Sebastian spoke to the crowd in a thick Calypso accent before swimming away from the scene as King Triton swam onto the scene.
"Alright, thank you, my loyal subjects, for that song." King Triton began to speak. "We're gathered here today as the newest addition to the royal family of Atlantica, Haley will officially be crowned princess. Haley, can you please come over here? Attina, can you bring me Haley's tiara?" He continued as Haley swam up to her adoptive father with a smile on her face, while Attina swam over, holding Haley's tiara in her hands. Haley's tiara was a pink tiara studded with white pearls and a pink seashell in the middle. King Triton took the tiara from Attina as she swam away again.
"Now then...Haley, I hereby officially crown you Princess of Atlantica. May you bring peace and joy to the kingdom with every task you fulfill." King Triton told Haley as he placed the tiara on the pink haired mermaid's head.
"I shall do the very best I can, father." Haley replied with a beaming smile as they crowd applauded.
"Now, Haley shall perform a song together with her older sisters to commemorate this event." King Triton then announced as everyone got ready for the performance. Haley was a bit nervous, to say the least. Back on the surface, she didn't exactly have the best singing voice, but ever since becoming a mermaid, she had gained a beautiful singing voice, and together with Ariel and her sisters, they had practiced with Sebastian for this performance. She hoped that the people of Atlantica would like her performance.
Sebastian swam up to the band and tapped his conductor's baton on the music stand before the band began playing music. "Alright, let's start with Attina!" Sebastian spoke as an orange clam shell on the far left opened, revealing Attina sitting inside.
Attina: Beyond the shore, beneath the waves, lies a world unknown to humankind. If you could, yes, you would, leave the human world behind. You would live a better life than you could have lived in the world above. Because you're ocean's daughter, and have answered to her love.
Sebastian smiled and nodded in approval. "Very good! Alana, over to you!" He said as a violet clam shell next to Attina's opened, revealing Alana sitting inside.
Alana: Would you rather walk on legs, or would you rather flip your fins? Life under the sea is oh so pure, while the human world is full of sins. One shudders to imagine what horrors lie above the waves. They would send every mermaid and every merman to their graves.
"Keep it up, girls! Aquata, you're next!" Sebastian said as a blue clamshell next to Alana's opened, revealing Aquata sitting inside.
Aquata: We are the children of the ocean, Atlantican Remains. We live in many waters, and answer to many names. We will not be forgotten, we won't be left behind. Our memories and work lives on in merfolk minds and our archives. These are our lives.
"Adella, your turn!" Sebastian said as a greenish yellow clamshell next to Aquata's opened, revealing Adella sitting inside.
Adella: Once you leave the land above behind, there is no turning back. There is no way that you can be rid of the gills in your neck. The fins you grow are permanent and will get you around. They're now a part of you, yes, you're merfolk now.
"Arista!" Sebastian called as a red clamshell on the far right opened, revealing Arista sitting inside.
Arista: Have you learned to embrace the sea like how you once embraced the land? Gliding through the currents, Mother Ocean holding your hand. If you love and respect her then she'll do the same to you. You will find your place down here in Big Blue.
"Andrina!" Sebastian called as a pink clamshell next to Arista's opened, revealing Andrina sitting inside.
Andrina: We are children of the ocean, Atlantican Remains. We live in many waters, and answer to many names. We will not be forgotten, we won't be left behind. Our memories and work lives on in merfolk minds and our archives. These are our lives.
"Ariel!" Sebastian called as a green clamshell next to Andrina's opened, revealing Ariel sitting inside.
Ariel: Now the years have passed, and you've been living under the sea a long time now. You've grown accustomed to merfolk's standards, yes, this life has made you proud. You've rejected humanity, and made the right choice in life. Now you live a life of magic, yes, for this you strive.
"And now, for the star of tonight's show: Haley!" Sebastian finally said as a pink clamshell next to Ariel's opened, revealing Haley sitting inside.
Haley: The life of a mermaid or merman can sometimes be proven tough. It is a life of sacrifice and can be very rough. But in the end it is worth everything that you have given up. You have everything you wanted, everything, yup. The world above is very cruel, but beneath the waves is peace. A life of wonder and whimsy, swimming along all the reefs.
"All together now!" Sebastian called.
All: We are children of the ocean, Atlantican Remains. We live in many waters, and answer to many names. We will not be forgotten, we won't be left behind. Our memories and work lives on in merfolk minds and our archives. These are our lives.
As the song finished, the crowd applauded as Haley, Ariel and the girls, as well as Sebastian and the band bowed. Later on, King Triton met with his daughters. "That was a beautiful song from all of you, especially you, Haley." He complimented his daughters.
"Thank you, father." Haley replied with a smile.
"You have the second most beautiful voice in the sea, behind Ariel. I'm sure you have gotten your singing talent from your mother, and I'm sure she would've been proud to see you perform like this." King Triton complimented again.
"Thank you." Haley smiled once more.
"I'm also glad that you're now officially a Princess of Atlantica, Haley. I know you'll do this kingdom proud." King Triton continued before looking up to the surface and seeing how dark it had become. "Well, it's getting late now. I think you girls should go to bed." He then told his daughters.
"Good night, father." Haley, Ariel and the girls replied in unison.