Author's note: Apologies for the long wait. I have been busy with real-life stuff and had writer's block for this story for a while. I thank you all for being patient, and now without further ado, the next chapter.


Chapter 5

Phase Two

One hour before dawn came to the kingdom of Atlantica, the daughters of Triton were sound asleep in their bed champers... all except the youngest.

Vanessa swam out of the bed-chamber through the window and entered the nearby deep dark kelp forest where her eels awaited her.

"Did you get everything?"

"We sure did, Mistress." They hissed, showing her the bag with every ingredient she needed for phase two of her plan.

She chuckled softly. "Perfect. Now, all that's left to do is to find the perfect place for my soon-to-be formal sisters." Her evil beam slowly faded as she saw Flotsam and Jetsam's worried expressions.

"Don't tell me you're getting cold fins now."

"No, no, no. It's just..."

"What?"

"What if Ariel tries to take over Atlantica like you did?"

Vanessa began to ponder. They were right, the redhead's new persona meant she would be vengeful and with her memories believed that she was banished from the kingdom, she was sure to try and get even.

"Go spy on her. See if she has another weakness we can exploit."

Flotsam and Jetsam nodded and swam off.

Vanessa took the bag and headed for Ariel's grotto. Upon entering the secret hideout, she rolled her eyes.

"How many pieces of trash did she collect?"

She looked around and found a crystal ball. She took the object from a shelve and placed it on a tall, flat rock.

She cast a spell, and the crystal ball showed what Flotsam and Jetsam were spying on.


The eels were hidden in a dark shadowy corner of their former lair.

Ariel had just woken up, stretching her tentacles with a yawn.

Outside, a young couple were at the entrance.

"Are you sure about this?" The merman asked his girlfriend. "You know how dangerous she is."

"We don't have a choice." She stated. "We've tried everything else. I don't like this any more than you do, but she's our last hope."

"I know." he signed.

"Stay close to me." He whispered as they nervously entered the lair.

They swam over the polyps, disgusted by the revolting-looking creatures below.

Suddenly, one of the polyps grabbed the pink-tailed mermaid by the wrist.

"Tara!"

The blue-tailed merman assisted in pulling her free.

"They seem to like you."

Kari and her husband turned to see Ariel swimming over to the doorway.

"You're coming in or what?"

The couple swam forward.

"Miss Ariel." He nervously began. "My name is John and this is my wife, Tara."

Charmed to meet ya." Ariel scratched his chin with her finger while playing with his wife's long blonde hair with her tentacle.

"We were hoping we could ask you for your help," Tara stated shakily as they backed away.

"Oh, of course. After all, that's what I do. Help the miserable, the lonely, and the depressed." the cecaelia said before whispering to herself. "Pathetic."

"You see..."

"Whatever it is, I can make it happen. For the right price, of course." The sea witch chuckled darkly. "So what is that you need from mwah?"

"We would like to have a child," John stated.

Ariel did a double take. "Pardon?"

"We want to have a baby of our own."

"We've tried everything but never succeeded," Kari added. "We were hoping you could create a potion or something that could... you know."

Ariel was silent for a second.

"Please, we'll pay you anything."

Ariel didn't say a word. She made her way to her cauldron and began to put in ingredients.

John and Tara looked at each other before she spoke to the sea witch. "Are you..."

The cecaelia silents them with a tentacle around their mouth, not wanting to break her concentration.

As she poured the last component into the concoction, a pink smoke emerged from the cauldron. Then she swayed her arms and the smoke surrounded Tara and swirled around her before entering her body.

"Are you alright, Tara?" Her husband asked.

"Yeah. I'm fine."

"What was that?"

"It's a spell that creates life in the womb," Ariel stated.

"You mean I'm..." Tara gulped. "pregnant?"

Ariel nodded.

"Thank you."

"What do we have to do to repay you?" John asked.

"Nothing, except that you never mention my involvement in anyone," Ariel stated. "If you do, I'll turn all three of you into polyps. Understood."

They nodded nervously.

"Good. Now get out before I change my mind."

The couple swam out as quickly as possible with mixed emotions.

Ariel turned around, her face slowly melting into sorrow. She lay her head on her makeup table and using her ink, drew a heart. She didn't notice the eels slip out of her lair with wicked grins on their faces.


From the grotto, Vanessa chuckled softly. "This is perfect. Her one weakness. Love." She swam out of the hideout. "Now all I need is the perfect catch to make her all lovely dovely."

She quickly swam back into her bedroom and pretended to sleep. A few seconds later, Kath, Kari and Susan came in to wake up the seven princesses.

"Morning, Your Majesties," Kari called.

"Time to get up," Susan added.

"Five more minutes." Arista yawned, her closed.

"Make it ten." Adella tossed over.

"Have you forgotten what today is?" Aquata asked.

The two slowly remembered and shot up with excitement.

"Sister day!"

"Took ya long enough." Andrina jibbed.

The ladies in waiting chuckled and left the princesses to get ready.

"What are you girls talking about?" Vanessa asked.

"We decide that we should spend the day together just the seven of us." Attina expanded.

"It's your welcome-back present," Alana added.

"So where are we going?" The mermaid with indigo seashells and purple scally tail.

"We thought we let you choose that." The blue-tailed princess stated.

"So where would you like to go?" Arista asked.

A cruel idea formed in Vanessa's brain. "Why don't we just explore and see where the currents take us?" she suggested.

"Are you sure?" Aquanta asked.

"Positive."

Attina thought for a second. "I guess if Father allows it and if we stay away from dangerous areas."

"Well, what are we waiting for?" Adella cried. "Let's get going."

The sisters quickly rushed out of the room.

"Wait, we need to ask Father first!" Attina called out as she hurried after them.

Vanessa smirked. "Make sure you say goodbye to him." She whispered before following after them.