Chapter 2

Shunken Ships

One bright afternoon in Atlantica, i was swimming towards the palace. It was after school and I was to see King Triton's youngest daughter Princess Ariel. We had an agreement to hang out today. I was always super excited when she and i were together. Even sometimes found myself blushing. Princess Ariel was one of my first real friends after she saved me from two nausty crooks Lobster Mobster and Da Shrimp who said they were my friends but really not.

She then introduced me to her friends Flounder and Sebastian and then later on to her father King Triton. I was terrifed of him at first but the more i get to know him to less scary he seems. I have accompanied Ariel on some adventures. some have been fun and crazy while some have been scary but we always come home safe and sound. Even if King Triton has to rescue us!.

I swim into the palace grounds and are accepted in by the palace guards. As i swim through the halls, i hear nothing but sweet singing. Not just one voice but a whole lot of voices singing. I wondered if the voices were Ariel's sisters and maybe Ariel herself was with them. She had the most beautiful voice in the whole kingdom.

As i got closer the voices got louder along with the music that was now playing. It must be a rehearsal for the concert thats coming up in a few weeks. Sebastian the crab must be running the reshearal as he was no where to be seen nethier was the King. Suddenly i hear a voice coming from behind me, as soon as i turn a red haired mermaid was swimming towards me in a rush grabbing my wrist to take me with her "Urchin!" she yelled, "Oh hey Ariel!" i answer to her.

She was swimming ever so fast right toward the exit "No time just to start still Urchin! I've found something to show you!" she tells me "Sorry i was listening to you sisters sing, is it for the concert thats coming up?" i ask as she lets go of my wrist. Ariel completely ignores my questions and swims off "Come on Urchin, come on Flounder!" she yells.

I look behind to find a chubby yellow and blue fish swimming as fast as he could to catch up to us. "Ariel! I cannot swim as fast as you remember?" he says to Ariel, Ariel giggled "He he sorry Flounder! Now come on! You too Urchin!". "Oh...hey... there...Ur...Urchin!" Flounder says to me, "Hey there Flounder, hows it going?" i ask him, the little fish was puffed "COME ON GUYS!" Ariel screams from afar.

Flounder and i look at each other and begin to follow her. I offered to carry Flounder under my arm since he was still puffed and stuggling to keep up with us. "So why is Ariel in such a hurry?" i ask Flounder, "She has discovered some shunken ships a few miles out of Altantica and she was super excited that she had to show someone other then me!" said the little fish.

"Wow shunken ships cool!" i thought, however in the back of my mind, i remember hearing that King Triton had a dislike when it came to humans and human objects. Lately i had began to notice Ariel had becoming very interested in humans and human objects. Just the other day she found an object that humans wear on their feet (those things that humans have at the end of their legs). Anyway it would be cool to see this shunken ship seeing what we can find.

Soon the waters began to get darker and colder. I begin to feel a little uneasy as we swam through unknown waters to me. I look down at Flounder who was shaking in my arm "Its ok Flounder, i'm a little afraid too!" i whisper to him. "I've been here before with Ariel" Flounder tells me, "Wait you've been here before? The both of you?" i ask him. I jammed on my brakes and Flounder swam out from benef my arm.

"Ariel and i were swimming, while almost getting lost in the process and we came across this creepy shunken ship in fact we have come across a few lately!" Flounder explains to me, i raised an eyebrow "Wait how many shunken ships have you found?" i ask the little fish. "This is one of many! I've been collecting human things" says Ariel who was swimming towards us after being ahead of us.

I make a surprised look on my face. She then looks at me and begins to look worried "An't we going to get in trouble for being here?" i ask the red haired mermaid. Ariel then scunches her hands together to make a ball shape "Not if we do not tell anyone! You not going to tell are you? You know what Daddy can be like!" she worriedly asks me.

My face remains still as i look into her eyes and Ariel gets more worried. I then smile at her "This is so awesome! Your secret is safe with me!" i openly tell her. Ariel's worried look turned into a joyful smile as she began to hug me "Oh thank you! thank you Urchin, i knew i could trust you!" though the waters more cold, i could feel myself heating up as Ariel hugged me. I liked it...

As my cheeks were flashing and all i could think in my head was maybe this was the right time to tell her about my feelings towards her. As i tried to speak nothing came out. I was as nervous as an oyster refusing to reveal its pearl!. "Urchin are you ok, your going red!" she says to me gigging. All i could do was just give her a small reply "Yes...i'm fine! So shall we begin exploring?" i asked to change the subject, "Nice one Urchin! NOT!" i could hear my brain say. I am really gonna have to work on this!.

"Are you sure that we won't get caught?" Flounder asks her in concern. She just made a face and simply tells him "Come on Flounder! Unless you want to keep watch for Sharks!". Must admit the mention of sharks did even make me feel a little uneasy "SHARKS?" Flounder screamed before diving into Ariel's long red hair to hide. Ariel and i giggled.