vidia
Flounder
it's like i'm in a storybook
Posts: 99
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Post by vidia on Aug 23, 2009 21:13:32 GMT -5
haha! thanks you guys! =D i really enjoy twisting the story around ;D you guys are all so nice. really makes my summer (which will end in some hours TT__TT) a good one.
and Aquisha, thank you so much! I'm so glad you don't think it's weird! *phew* XD and that's true what you said (though it would have been funny XD! sadly, Ursula's a bit too smart for that). I really, REALLY appreciate your comment! <333
[oh, and your icon's gorgeous ;D so cuuute]
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vidia
Flounder
it's like i'm in a storybook
Posts: 99
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Post by vidia on Sept 8, 2009 0:02:59 GMT -5
SORRY this chapter is so overdue and the writing is completely shoddy! School has been a killer. Might consider rewriting this DX but I hope it’s okay for now! I’ll make it up to you guys in the next chapter, I promise!!!! I was too tired to proofread this too, so please forgive the badness. Hope you all are having a good year so far though!
------
CHAPTER 6: “Marvels galore, and even more”
“It’s lovely to meet you too,” Vanessa replied back, her voice like silver chimes. Ariel grinned back at the girl. Humans were so nice!
“Vanessa has quite the voice, doesn’t she?” Grimsby chuckled. “It really is a shame that the shock of the shipwreck has temporarily taken away her singing voice, though.”
“Grimsby!” Carlotta said, wagging her finger at him as if to note that he might be spilling too much. “Let’s not be rude now!”
“Ah, pardon me, you’re quite right, Carlotta!” Grimsby said, shaking his head though a few chuckles continued. “Do forgive me, Vanessa.” The brunette beauty’s smile grew wider.
“Oh, it’s perfectly all right,” Vanessa replied. “I’m sure my voice will be back in time.” She seemed to be very pleased about something, and Ariel was a little curious as to what it was…and what her voice would be “in time” for. There was something very interesting about this female human, but Ariel wasn’t sure what it was. But before she could search through her thoughts for an answer, Carlotta gently placed a hand on Ariel’s shoulder.
“I just brought Ariel downstairs to introduce her to the both of ya, but I think it’s best she has a bit more rest for the evening,” Carlotta suggested.
“A fine idea, my dear.”
“But you can send Eric up once he’s done walking Max,” Carlotta nodded, smiling. Grimsby thought he saw Vanessa’s eyes to flash dark for a moment, but then he brushed it off his shoulder. He had just been spending too much time these days with his duties.
“Okay! Bye Grimsby and Vanessa!” Ariel said, not entirely against resting a little. It wasn’t that she was tired…the little mermaid just wanted to explore the room she would be staying in. It was bound to be different from the one back home! As Carlotta lead the cheery redhead up to her bedchambers, she laughed a little.
“He’s a funny thing, that Grimsby! Acts like he completely accepts Vanessa! Lord knows that he’s still hosting the contest the day after tomorrow despite she saying she’s the one and all. He wants to make sure little Eric has the right “mystery” girl for certain,” Carlotta sighed, though she could understand how he felt. The two of them felt rather protective of the prince, having almost raised him themselves.
“A contest?” Ariel asked, breaking her concentration on walking up the stairs. She was trying to get a hang of her human feet. The big clothes she was wearing didn’t help too much either!
“A singing contest!”
“Wow, how fun!” Ariel exclaimed, a little reminded of the concerts they used to have back home. Carlotta beamed at the girl, she was such a sweet darling thing. She opened the double doors to the room. Ariel gasped.
The headboard of the bed was shaped like a seashell with a beautiful seafoam bedset. There was a gorgeous balcony with a perfect view of the waves, and the furniture was all grand with an Italian touch. There were various treasures of the sea scattered about to give it a more homey feel to the owner. It reminded Ariel of Atlantica, yet…it was all…human! She loved it!
Carlotta always found the room a little kitschy. It had been designed by Grimsby after all, and he tended to overemphasize everything, Eric’s statue being a fine example (the one thing that had been lost in the shipwreck that everyone save the creator was fine with). However, after seeing Ariel’s face light up, she found herself seeing it through the newcomer’s eyes…and it didn’t seem quite as bad. She smiled.
“You just get yourself settled in then, dearie. Eric or I will come to check back on you in a while!” she said promptly before leaving. Once she was gone, Ariel fell back onto the bed with a deep sigh. It was so…comfy! And a little bouncy! She giggled, but then felt something move from under the pillow. A very familiar red crab squirmed out from underneath. Sebastian moved over in front of Ariel. He had been in the garden previously, where a man was cutting flowers to make a fresh bouquet for the latest shipwreck victim. Sebastian hadn’t thought too much of the “victim” when he first heard it, only looking to find a way in. The crab blended in with the colorful flora and had been taken into this very room, just before Ariel herself entered.
“Sebastian! How did you get in here?!” Ariel asked, surprised.
“Arielle, you’ve got to listen to me! Da prince! Prince Eric! He…He!” Sebastian sputtered, too busy freaking out to feel fortunate that he had been brought to the right room.
“Are you okay?” Ariel said, concerned.
“No, no, don’t worry about me, child! You’ve got ta listen! You’re in love with Prince Eric! Ya saved him from de shipwreck! And you got ta get a kiss from him n’ three days or ye gonna belong to de sea witch!”
“What are you talking about, Sebastian!?” Ariel asked, shocked. In love?! She didn’t remember liking ANYBODY! And… “VANESSA saved him from the shipwreck! And I don’t remember meeting any humans before today! AND, I haven’t seen Aunt Ursula in years, Sebastian.”
“Ye both lost your memories! We don’t got time to talk about it! Ya just gotta hurry and get dat kiss!” Suddenly, Sebastian’s jaw dropped. What did she say?! Vanessa?! Who was that!? No, it was impossible! But before he could ask, Ariel laughed.
“Sebastian,” Ariel began to giggle (she couldn’t help it, he was acting so funny!). “I don’t—”
Suddenly, someone knocked on the door. Ariel quickly lifted the pillow and pushed Sebastian underneath it.
“Come in!” Ariel called.
A man in, rubbing the back of his neck…but he was grinning. Ariel’s eyes widened. He was so…handsome and refined…and slim. Her brow lowered into a puzzled frown. He seemed very…familiar, somehow. Ariel almost felt as if she had met him before! But that was just crazy!
Eric stared right back at Ariel, mirroring her confusion. She was stunning, simply stunning. Her skin was radiant in the sunlight that streamed through the windows. Her eyes…well, Eric finally understood what people were talking about when they said “her eyes just sparkled”. Lips as red as cherries curved upward, and there was a small dimple on her left cheek, giving her smile a bit of a playful turn. And those red waves…where had he seen them before? For a moment, Eric pictured a girl giggling cheerfully as waters rolled on the sand under a dark sky. There was a sharp stab of pain in his mind, and he clutched his forehead. What was he doing? Vanessa was the one he loved. He was just being foolish. He hadn’t met Ariel before. He definitely would have remembered her. Eric cleared his throat and offered the girl a welcoming smile.
“Hello…! You’re…Ariel, right? Carlotta’s told me everything. You’re welcome to sta—” Eric began to speak, when suddenly, Ariel moved forward, reaching out and seizing his large hands in hers. Eric jumped slightly at the action, a little caught off guard…but for some reason, he didn’t recoil. He turned down, looking at her dainty hands grasping his. They were smaller and slimmer than his…almost a bad fit. Yet, Ariel’s hands felt so much warmer than Vanessa’s had, and Eric would have to admit, he liked it. But it was wrong…it was wrong, wrong, wrong! Vanessa was the one, not Ariel.
Behind the pillow, Sebastian watched, and a sigh of relief came over him. It seemed like both of them sort of remembered each other…maybe they just needed a push? “Thank Poseidon! Dat girl is gonna—” he began to say, when Eric’s eyes grew wide and turned to look behind Ariel’s shoulder, though she still held his hand. Sebastian stifled an “Eee!” and scuttled quickly back to his hiding spot. Ariel glanced back and whispered a sharp “Sebastian!”
“Did you hear that?” Eric asked, frowning in confusion and glancing around the room a little, too caught up with his own surprise to hear Ariel’s whisper. His words pulled Ariel out of her reverie and she snapped back to smile at him. But then her eyes fell down, suddenly realizing what she had just done. It was so strange! Her hands had just moved on their own!
“Oh!” Ariel exclaimed, withdrawing her hands and clasping her hands together behind her back. “Um…no…!” she shook her head back and forth.
“It sounded like someone with an accent talking about the seas, or…” Eric began, when he realized that he probably wasn’t making the best first impression. He sighed, shaking his head, but was still able to laugh at himself a little. “I’m sorry. I actually came up here to invite you to dinner.”
“Really?!” Ariel asked excitedly, very happy all of a sudden. At first Ariel thought it was because it would be her first human dinner…but it felt a little different than that. Her heart…
--“Vanessa, Grimsby and I would love for you to join us.”—
…felt like it was breaking.
But Ariel forced a smile. “That would be wonderful!” she replied.
“ Great! I’ll see you downstairs in a few minutes then,” Eric said, grinning at Ariel. He walked over to the door and started to leave, when he stopped. Eric turned to look back at her. Ariel had taken a seat on the bed and was facing the pillow. He frowned, shaking his head again to himself.
“Oh!” Ariel exclaimed. By chance, she had turned back in his direction, surprised to see the prince still there. But she beamed at him as if it was a nice surprise, and Eric felt his cheeks grow warm.
“I…well…see you at dinner,” Eric stumbled over his words and quickly closed the door behind him. He sighed, back pressed against the wood. What was he getting himself into? He had just found Vanessa, the love of his life, and now he was having second thoughts. He hated himself for it.
Meanwhile, back inside, Ariel scooped up Sebastian from behind the pillow.
“Now do you believe me? Ya two obviously met before! We gotta put you two in the right mood!” Sebastian shouted. Ariel bit her lip.
“I think I do,” Ariel agreed. She couldn’t deny that she definitely felt something special between her and Eric. He made her heart soar and hurt at the same time, and that definitely wasn’t an everyday feeling! “What should we do, Sebastian?”
“You gotta sing for de prince! Then he’ll know it’s you!” Sebastian said. He didn’t know who this “Vanessa” was or what she was trying to do, but either way, once Eric heard Ariel’s voice, Sebastian was sure that he would remember her. Fortunately, it didn’t seem like Ursula had planned anything so that Ariel wouldn’t get that kiss.
Or so, he thought.
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Post by Coral on Sept 9, 2009 11:50:38 GMT -5
Nicely done! I love the way you're slipping in the song lyrics.
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Post by fathomsbelow on Sept 9, 2009 17:14:50 GMT -5
This is a really awesome chapter! I really like how you include the lyrics too. Good job!
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vidia
Flounder
it's like i'm in a storybook
Posts: 99
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Post by vidia on Sept 10, 2009 8:55:57 GMT -5
Aww, thank you so much, you guys!! <333 XD HAHAH YEAH! I try to do it when I remember to =D
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Post by WickedElphie on Sept 10, 2009 14:33:37 GMT -5
Awww. SOoo much cute. And what exactly does Ursula have planned? Hmm...the plot thickens.
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vidia
Flounder
it's like i'm in a storybook
Posts: 99
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Post by vidia on Sept 11, 2009 1:07:10 GMT -5
;D AW THANK YOU <33 MUAHAHAH you shall see!!! =3
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vidia
Flounder
it's like i'm in a storybook
Posts: 99
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Post by vidia on Dec 1, 2009 0:16:57 GMT -5
YEAH this is really late I’m so sorry! Bleh. And I can’t say it’s really worth the wait =( I’ve just been really busy, but I really do miss writing this fanfic! D=
But anyways, I hope you can find it in your hearts to enjoy this at least somewhat XD D= so sorry again.
But =D Only three more chapters to go!<333
---
CHAPTER 7: “Something for tempting the palate!”
All of a sudden, there was another knock at the door. Sebastian hurried behind the pillow once again as Ariel called “Come in!” Carlotta opened the door, accompanied by another maid.
“Sorry to interrupt you, honey! I’ve just brought Mildred here to come get some laundry, ‘s all!” she beamed at the little redhead. Before Ariel could say anything, the woman walked over to the bed and yanked up the pillows.
“Wait!” Ariel exclaimed…but there was nothing there.
“What?” Mildred asked, in a scruffy, yet, not exactly harsh voice.
Sebastian?
“Umm…thank you, Mildred,” Ariel smiled, her voice trailing off a little. “But I’m sure you have a lot to carry, so…maybe I could…help you!” Mildred lifted an eyebrow at the young lady. None of Eric’s guests had ever offered to do that before. She examined Ariel’s face for a look of ulterior motive or some sort of sign that the girl was faking it, but there was nothing. She seemed…honest, at least in some aspect.
“No, it’s all right,” Mildred finally answered, clearing her throat. She pulled the covers off the pillows, while Ariel watched for a flash of red. She wrapped them up in her warms, winding the fabric round and round before placing it on top of her large basket. Worry appeared on Ariel’s face when she couldn’t find her friend, but Carlotta misinterpreted it as an expression of anxiety after Mildred’s coarse words. But as the laundress walked by, Carlotta was certain she caught a glimpse of a smile. Well…that certainly was a first. She chuckled. And to think that Vanessa had simply muttered a “thank you,” with a tone that indicated she was brooding over something, while this little girl, the one who wasn’t the one for Eric, had made even the most disgruntled maid in all of Italy smile at a single statement. Carlotta smiled and placed her hands on Ariel’s shoulders.
“Come on now, dearie, it’s time for supper!” she said in a cheerful manner. “Chef’s been fixing his specialty—stuffed crab!” Ariel’s eyes widened, larger than they had ever been before. Stuffed…CRAB?! Sebastian!!!
--
Meanwhile, Sebastian was pushing and squirming his way through the laundry. It wasn’t easy, but he managed to snap his way through, with the help of his claws. He peered outside, looking for a good place to land, and he spotted a cart nearby, with a bowl filled with something green that looked kind of liked seaweed. Spongy enough for a landing! Sebastian jumped out quickly, before the basket was whisked off somewhere else. The metal bowl made a clattering sound against the cart, but the young boy who was pushing it was too busy thinking about a life of fishing instead of catering to notice. Sebastian peeped out and watched as they entered another room that was warmer than the hallway…filled with strange smells. Like if a fish was caught in a hot sea vent or something!
--
As Ariel walked downstairs, she couldn’t help but wonder where Sebastian was. Had he escaped from the basket? Or was he being cleaned with the rest of the laundry?! If it was anything like the water Ariel had been cleaned in earlier, she hoped Sebastian didn’t breathe or swallow the burning soapy water!
But all her worries dulled to a point when she and Carlotta reached the doorway. Ariel could see Eric sitting at the head of the table, with Vanessa at his left side, and empty chair on the right, and Grimsby seated on the side of that one [the English gentleman had figured that it would be best to have the guests sit next to Eric]. Ariel began to feel nervous for a whole ‘nother purpose…and for some reason, it was a familiar feeling.
Carlotta chuckled and gently pushed Ariel forward. “Come on honey. Don't be shy!”
Ariel slowly stepped into the light. Eric was talking to Vanessa…but then…as if there was a magnetic pull, his glance fell away from her and he turned to Ariel. Grimsby had already heard the two enter, on the other hand, and he spoke first.
“Oh, Eric, isn't she a vision?”
Though he hadn’t eaten or drunk anything yet, Eric swallowed. “You look – wonderful,” he stated, stumbling a little on the words. Ariel grinned, although her cheeks were quickly budding red like roses.
Vanessa glowered. She noticed Eric’s hand was resting on the table, and she swiftly moved to place her own on top of it, smiling as prettily as she could while she did. His attention was back to her again, but it took a bit longer than Vanessa would have hoped. Ariel’s smile faltered a little.
“Come, come, come, you must be famished. Let me help you, my dear,” Grimsby said as he stood up and helped Ariel over to her chair. She sat down, her smile once again broadening. “Thank you!”
Eric couldn’t help himself—he moved onto his feet, hand leaving Vanessa’s, and pushed the chair in. His mind was trying to convince himself that he was only being polite to this visitor…yet his heart seemed to be trying to tell him something else. Ariel turned, and for another moment of the day, their eyes not only met—they locked into each other, her teal with his gray-blue.
“There we go - ah - quite comfy?” Grimsby spoke, breaking the spell. Eric’s eyes widened, feeling those odd emotions stirring up once again, and he returned to his chair. Grimsby glimpsed questionably at the young lad, but continued. “Uh. It's - It's not often that we have such lovely dinner guests, eh Eric?” Ariel was about to say something, when she noticed the dinglehopper on the table! Just look at it all, look how it gleams! Did humans brush their hair before dinner? She knew her sister Alana did, but she thought that was just because Alana cared a lot about her appearance. Her other sisters only brushed their hair in the morning, or before bed. Either way, Ariel couldn’t believe that she was actually seeing one inside a human’s house! It looked a lot cleaner than the one she had found in the shipwreck!
Ariel picked it up and immediately began running it through her hair excitedly. Eric had been in the middle of taking a sip of his water when he saw the flash of red, and now he raised his eyebrow. Grimsby blinked, and Vanessa turned away so she could hide a triumphant laugh. Ariel hastily set it back down. What was wrong? Wasn’t that what dinglehoppers were for? Oh no, had she brushed her hair at the wrong time?!?! Scuttle didn’t tell her all the details. Maybe humans brushed it after dinner!
“Uh…well…I…” Ariel began, trying to explain herself, when suddenly, she saw Grimsby holding up a snarfblatt! She gasped. Grimsby noticed her staring at it with her eyes almost glittering.
“Uh, do you like it?” he began, handing it over to the young lass for her to see. “It is rather…fine--” Before Grimsby could finish, Ariel blew the snarblatt hard, expecting to hear music. Since the one she had found in the waters had been filled with kelp and sand, she couldn’t wait to hear what sort of sound it made! But instead of a sound, some sort of smoke blew out right in front of Grimsby’s face, making it turn as black as…well, a blackfish!
Vanessa’s lips curved up noticeably. Oh, this was too easy! This girl obviously was incapable of claiming Eric for herself, what with these continuous blunders she—
Eric burst out laughing. It wasn’t a jeering laugh like the one Vanessa had hid earlier, but a nice one, like someone had just told a very good joke.
“Oh my!” Carlotta exclaimed. Remembering his manners, Eric thumped his chest and cleared his throat.
“Ahem. So sorry, Grim.” Ariel pursed her lips, sorry herself, and ready to apologize when--
“Why, Eric, that's the first time I've seen you smile in weeks!” Carlotta beamed.
Ariel brightened.
--
Back in the kitchen, Chef Louis was happily preparing the meal for the prince and his guests. Sebastian, on the other hand, wasn’t so happy to see fish that looked like his friends being MURDERED right in front of him! King Triton was right! Humans WERE barbarians, in every way! Not that he ever really questioned His Majesty, but really. This was just too true! This human was cutting off their heads and pulling out their bones! And speaking some sort of VOODOO language in a funny accent!
Chef Louis turned to the cart to get some more greens to stuff into the prepared crabs. “ZUT ALORS!” he exclaimed when his eyes fell on the bright red crab sitting in the salad bowl. “I have missed one!” Chef Louis plucked Sebastian out and dropped him into a bowl of sauce. He cheerfully flung some flour on the crab (making Sebastian sneeze in the process) and stuffed him with bread and greens (making Sebastian wheeze). Oh, how he loved this job! Chef Louis tossed him into the boiling pot of water. Or, he thought he did, but Sebastian managed to grab the side of the pot. One of his legs hit the water though, causing the crab to yelp and hop out onto the table.
Chef Louis slowly turned around to the sound, seeing the familiar red figure on the table. He frowned and approached it, picking it up carefully.
“What is zis?” he said, staring at it.
Sebastian dropped his jaw. Now was his chance! He quickly reached up his claw and pinched the human as hard as he could on the nose.
Chef Louis yelped! He dropped Sebastian right on the pot of hot butter and lunged for him again, but Sebastian dodged the hand, leaving the poor chef with a burned one instead. Pots, knives, and sauce were flying everywhere!
--
Grimsby and Carlotta exchanged a glance as various noise could be heard.
“Oh…dear, I think I'd better go see what Louis is up to,” Carlotta said with a nervous smile, and she quickly headed off towards the kitchen. When she opened the door, Chef Louis was throwing out everything from under the table! He had gone stark raving mad!
“Come out, you little pipsqueak, and fight like a man!” he barked.
“Louis! What are you doing?” Carlotta scolded, placing her hands on her hips. Chef Louis leapt up at the sound of her voice, hitting his head on the table.
“Well - I - I was just - er, er,” Chef Louis stuttered, and then gave in. “I'm sorry, madame.” Carlotta simply shook her head and took the dishes away.
--
Ariel stared at the shiny round thing in front of her. What in the name of Poseidon was this?! She glanced around, and everyone else lifted them up…and a crab was inside! Eric and Grimsby were already beginning to eat! Ariel gulped and tried to copy their movement, when she heard a “PSSST”. Ariel turned and found no one other than Sebastian…on Vanessa’s plate, to boot! Sebastian lifted his claw to his lips. “Shh!” he warned. Suddenly, Vanessa looked down. The crab glanced back up at her…and a crafty smile formed on Vanessa’s features all of a sudden. Sebastian’s eyes widened. Wait a second…she was going to—
Sebastian inwardly shrieked and shrunk back into his shell as Vanessa’s swiftly diving fork aimed for his head! It screeched against the plate loudly.
[/font]
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vidia
Flounder
it's like i'm in a storybook
Posts: 99
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Post by vidia on Dec 2, 2009 20:30:35 GMT -5
[oh yes, btw: XD MY MOM BOUGHT A CRAB FOR DINNER TONIGHT. and i played with him in the sink and sang him Little Mermaid songs, and yes, called him Sebastian '__' LOL. especially "Under the Sea" because apparently he was right, and it really was better down where it's wetter for him! =O oh well. i felt sorry, but...Sebastian,
savez toujours delice XD!
btw, his response to my singing was POOPING in the sink D=! LOL]
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Post by Coral on Dec 6, 2009 13:28:58 GMT -5
Nicely done. Poor Sebastien!
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vidia
Flounder
it's like i'm in a storybook
Posts: 99
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Post by vidia on Feb 1, 2010 1:12:00 GMT -5
awww thank you Coral<333
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vidia
Flounder
it's like i'm in a storybook
Posts: 99
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Post by vidia on Feb 16, 2010 1:22:12 GMT -5
FINALLY, a new chapter XD might get to finishing this one before continuing The Seaweed is Always Greener. =) I’m on a huge muse kick for this one as it’s getting close to the end hope you guys had a great Valetine’s/Singles Awareness Day/Chinese New Year!!
Without further ado:
--
Chapter 8: “So wonderfully, impossibly familiar?”
Ariel turned at the sound of the dinglehopper against the plate. What in Atlantica was…her eyes immediately widened to see SEBASTIAN! What was he doing there!? She quickly lifted up the shiny silver thing for him to hide, but Vanessa scowled. She reached towards Sebastian. The crab gasped and, in defense, gave her a mild pinch on the finger. Vanessa grimaced and stifled a “yow!”. Instead, she dropped her utensils suddenly and let out an ear-piercing shriek.
“MY CRAB!!!” Vanessa screamed, and pointed towards the retreating Sebastian. She whipped her head to look at the men at the table. Eric and Grimsby, who had been in a deep discussion about the princess of Glauerhaven, finally turned, only to see the brunette pointing at the plain tablecloth.
“Uh, your crab, my dear?” Grimsby repeated, unsure of what on earth the girl meant. Eric rubbed the back of his neck with a curious look on his face.
“It was right there! It crawled onto HER plate!” Vanessa said.
“Oh…w-well, I…” Ariel began, trying to find her way out of this one. But before she could do anything, Carlotta reached over and lifted the shiny dome…to reveal Ariel’s meal. A cooked, very dead crab incapable of motion. Vanessa’s mouth dropped.
Under the table, Sebastian wheezed. He had dove for Ariel’s lap the split second that brunette began screaming. He wiped his forehead with his claw. And he thought those mermaids were bad! Dem humans were CRAZY!
Ariel gave a little shrug and smile. “I…don’t think this crab could move,” she stated, although she was doing her best not to pinch her nose at the smell of the dead sea creature, or mourn over the loss.
Eric glanced at Vanessa’s empty plate, where not even a trace of shell sat.
“I guess Louis forgot a meal,” he said, laughing a little at the whole situation. It didn’t seem typical for the French perfectionist, but, with the addition of two maidens to the castle, it was possible he had forgotten…even though Vanessa had a plate.
“Oh, well I’ll just go send for another one,” Carlotta said, always eager to smooth things out.
--
After dinner, there was a live crab hiding behind Ariel and a dead one that she had pretended to eat beneath her feet. It was a good thing the servant took the plate away immediately, or else they might have noticed there weren’t any shells left. Everyone was finished as well, patting their mouths with pieces of cloth. The mermaid couldn’t help but remember what Sebastian had said earlier. “You gotta sing for de prince! Then he’ll know it’s you!”
“Now, perhaps for tonight’s entertainment—” Grimsby started to suggest a poetry recitation in the library, when Ariel interrupted, thinking on her fin—oh, er…feet.
“I could sing!” she exclaimed, and her eyes glanced towards Eric’s hopefully.
“Not before the contest,” Vanessa said flatly and coldly, but then she scooted her chair over to be closer to Eric. She linked her arm through his and rested her head on his shoulder. “Right, Eric?”
Eric opened his mouth to speak, when he found he didn’t know what to say. Before he could pause to think, Grimsby [thankfully] spoke up, clearing his throat a little.
“Ah, yes, I’m afraid that’s strictly against the rules, Ariel,” he said. “Though I’m sure we’re all quite looking forward to hearing you sing in two days.”
“Ohh…” Ariel said, her lips curving downwards. “Okay…” In two days? Oh, she wished it was tomorrow. She didn’t have much time!
“Should we all go to the library then?” Eric finally managed to say something, although it wasn’t what he wanted to.
“Um, actually, I’m a little sleepy,” Ariel said quickly, knowing she needed to talk to Sebastian in her room. She hurriedly got up as the crab scuttled to cling to the back of her dress and blend in with all that red hair.
Eric stood up without realizing it. “Oh! Uh…good night!” He wasn’t sure why he felt disappointed. Ariel grinned. “Good night, thank you so much for dinner!” Imagine, her first human dinner! She didn’t eat anything except the green leafy stuff, but it was good nonetheless.
“I’ll help you get settled down, dearie,” Carlotta said, offering a hand towards Ariel.
“Thank you!”
Grimsby stood up. “I suppose I should be off to bed too,” he said, straightening out his collar. “Us old chaps need a lot of rest,” he chuckled.
“Good night,” Vanessa said. “Eric and I will stay here.” Eric turned around, surprised at this, but he decided that she must have something important to say. Soon the dining hall was empty except for the two…and the dead crustacean still hidden beneath the table.
“Eric, you can’t let her sing before the contest,” Vanessa said, her smooth voice so persuasive as she turned towards him in her chair. “It’s not fair…I’m already hurt that Grimsby is still holding the contest to begin with, but…you know I’m the one.”
Eric turned to look at Vanessa. She was…beautiful. And she did have a wonderful voice, even if he hadn’t heard her sing. But something deep down inside him said that something wasn’t right. But…that didn’t make sense, because Vanessa knew everything about the time he had been rescued, so that meant she HAD to be the one. Ariel didn’t even kno—wait…
Ariel?
Why did he think of her?
There were many other girls –princesses, duchesses, daughters of nobles—that Eric knew Grimsby had been trying to set him who were pretty. But…they didn’t have her personality. No one could.
Eric rubbed his face with his hands. He was so confused! What was he supposed to do when he knew one girl WAS the one, but she didn’t feel like it, and the other felt like the one, but wasn’t!? This sounded like a story one of the sailors would tell when he had a little bit too much celebratory rum.
“Eric?”
Eric jumped as Vanessa placed a hand on his shoulder.
“Are you all right?”
“Oh…uh..y-yes, thank you. I…I’m just…tired, that’s all,” Eric stuttered. While he felt guilty, he didn’t want to tell Vanessa the truth. It would crush her…and besides, he wasn’t even sure of the truth himself. Vanessa raised an eyebrow.
“Oh…okay,” she said, standing up. With her back turned to Eric, the woman crossed her arms. How could this be happening?! That little redheaded...ugh! But Vanessa smoothed out her brow and turned around, smiling at Eric. “I’ll just be heading off to bed, then. Good night, Eric.”
“…good night.”
--
Ariel was talking to Carlotta as the two ventured up the stairs. Unfortunately, the constant moving made it difficult for Sebastian to keep a good firm hold, and when Carlotta placed an aiding hand on Ariel’s back [the poor dear seemed to be so wobbly on her feet!], Sebastian let go in shock! Down, down, he fell, sliding down the marble steps. Ariel was too busy answering Carlotta’s kind questions about how she liked dinner and such to hear.
It was just one unfortunate incident after another for Sebastian! An ignorant servant who was mopping the bottom floor caught the crab in between mop and when she dunked it back into the pail, Sebastian found himself sloshing around in soapy water, coughing uncontrollably. And how did this lazy servant get rid of the water? She left the palace, walked down a few steps, and tossed the water and the crab out onto the sand, shutting the door hard behind her.
For a moment, poor Sebastian just lied there on the sand, afraid that he broke something. He was something of a soft shell crab after all, helping to raise dem daughter of the sea king had done it to him. “Oh, my achin’ back! Dat Arielle’s gonna—” Sebastian began to complain, when he heard footsteps. He rolled himself back onto his feet and peeked out from behind a rock, only to see Vanessa standing on the shore, as FLOTSAM and JETSAM appeared above the shallow waves.
“Ursula,” “We brought you—” “The ingredients.”
Sebastian’s jaw dropped. The…that….s-she! SHE WAS DE SEA WITCH! Dat human girl who had been making dem eyes at dat prince! How…well…she was a sea witch, so it was possible. Dat was how Arielle got them legs in the first place. WHY HE OUGHTA…the angered crab wanted to scuttle over there and give her something worse than a pinch!
But…for Ariel’s sake, Sebastian just did his best to listen for the time being, holding his clenched claws tightly.
“Silver fish, rainbow fish, song fish, angel fish…” the sea witch was listing different types of fish. Everything Ursula mentioned was tossed on the shore and into the net by Flotsam and Jetsam. She gave a wicked smile and tightened the net when they were finished. “Good work, boys. Once I brew this together, I’ll create a potion with an artificial singing voice even finer than that of our little princess.” It wouldn’t last for long, but one song was more than enough to prove to Eric that she was his precious little savior. HAH! Men were so easy to manipulate.
Sebastian’s jaw dropped even lower. She was going to cheat in the contest! So Eric and Arielle would never have their kiss, and dat boy would marry dat…monster! He had to tell Arielle NOW! He quickly turned to silently move across the sand and back to the castle, when something heavy landed on him. Sebastian turned up slowly, only to see the foot of the sea witch pressing hard against the top of his shell with the most sinister smile in the world smirking down at him.
“Well hello there, sweet cakes,” Ursula chimed. “Or should I say…crab cakes.”
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Post by WickedElphie on Feb 18, 2010 0:47:05 GMT -5
So much good tension here! And a cliffhanger ending! Poor Sebastian. Can't wait to see how it all plays out.
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Post by fridamoonbeam on Feb 19, 2010 22:35:16 GMT -5
Vi, this is darling! I love how you built up the scenes. Ooh, so tense
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Post by Coral on Feb 20, 2010 12:12:41 GMT -5
Yikes! That was totally unexpected.
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Post by faya27 on Feb 20, 2010 15:49:39 GMT -5
Ooo, man! That stinks! I wonder how will Sebastian get out of this mess? And how is Ariel going to win Eric's heart since Ursula is creating an artificial singing voice better than Ariel's?
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vidia
Flounder
it's like i'm in a storybook
Posts: 99
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Post by vidia on Aug 6, 2010 23:12:08 GMT -5
I apologize in advance if it appears like I'm rushing things…but this really was supposed to be a more fast-paced type of fanfiction =) despite how long it takes me to update '_' goodness.
The chapter's three times as long as the usual one though! =3
One more chapter, and then it's off to devoting everything to The Seaweed is Always Greener! =D
SPOILERS:
*curious as to why Grimsby seemed upset and Ariel and Eric were havin' a ball? Wonder what happened while Ursula was brewing the potion? PONDER NOT, my friends, because I plan to feature their side of the story in an extra chapter, after the end of this story ;D
**Ariel doesn't remember saving Eric, remember? Er go, she doesn't recall sing the Part of Your World reprise. I took this chance to introduce the DELETED lyrics to the song =) Personally the one they chose for the movie was much better but I like them anyways XD
Chapter 9: The Contest
"Try to get some shut-eye, dearie! I have a feeling that you might have a busy day tomorrow!" Carlotta told Ariel as she opened the bedroom door for the redhead. Ariel grinned. She really liked Carlotta! She was so kind and motherly...and it had been a long time since Ariel had felt that gentle feeling of being taken care of by a mother. While her older sister Attina tried to watch over everyone, she couldn't fill the fins of Queen Athena, and many times, Ariel missed her mother. So this, this feeling…made her happy.
Ariel then hugged Carlotta suddenly, the surprised woman letting out a little exclamation of shock. "Thank you so much, for everything," Ariel said, her smile softening. Carlotta returned the smile, patting the sweet child on the back. "Why, you're very welcome! You don't need to thank me for anything!" Carlotta replied, drawing back from Ariel with a little laugh.
"But I do appreciate it. Get some rest now, honey, and I'll see you in the morning."
"Good night!"
Ariel hurried into her room and shut the door behind her. Then she immediately began combing her fingers through her hair, searching for friend. "Sebastian! You can come out now!" she whispered fiercely, but there was no reply. "Sebastian?" Ariel moved over to her bed and shook her red hair out over it. Nothing. She reached behind and patted her back. Nothing. Where WAS he?
"URSULA! YOU WICKED WOMAN! I heard dat plan of yours and I'm gonna…I'M GONNA…!...JEEZ MAN, GET YOUR FOOT OFF OF ME!" Sebastian shouted loudly, attempting to stand up but it was no use, she was too much stronger. Ursula threw her head back and laughed, pushing him deeper into the sand. She turned back towards Flotsam and Jetsam.
"Well well well boys, it looks like crab is back on the menu,'' Ursula murmured, leaning down to pick Sebastian up. Her violet eyes had a malicious look in them as she looked him over, licking her lips. "I think you'll taste finger-licking yummy with a side of caviar, and mayb—"
Sebastian took this moment to seize that sea witch's nose with his claw and squeeze it as hard as he could.
"YEEEEOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWW!" she screamed in pain, immediately dropping him on the sand. Sebastian moved as fast as he could towards the castle, he had to see Arielle and tell her! "NO! Don't let him get away!" Ursula hurried after him.
Just a little further! Once Arielle found out, she could tell dat prince everything and Ursula would be kicked out of the kingdom! And then they would kiss, and she'd be human forev-suddenly, a dark shadow was cast over the crab…and everything turned black.
The next morning, everybody sat down for breakfast. Vanessa seemed to be in a particularly good mood that day, Eric noticed, which he was revealed to see since she seemed upset last night. Ariel kept on asking questions about things that he wasn't sure even existed…like "thingamabobs", which were something that humans would spin on the ground when they're bored? It sounded like those toys, those wooden tops, but then Ariel described it as twisted and metal…little did she know, they were corkscrews, and Scuttle had just got them confused with a child's plaything. But even though there were times when Eric couldn't understand her…she made him laugh.
Grimsby stood up, clearing his throat.
"You know, Eric, perhaps our young guests might enjoy seeing some of the sights of the kingdom. Something in the way of a tour?" If only he could just get that lad out of the house once in a while! He couldn't spend his entire life inside the palace.
"I'm sorry, Grim, what was that?" Eric asked, too busy chuckling to himself as Ariel attempted to explain what whozits and whatzits were.
"Spend a day out of the castle! I'm sure Vanessa and Ariel would like to see what life is like outside these polished marble walls!"
"It's not a bad idea. If they're interested….Well – what do you say? Would you like to join me on a tour of my kingdom?" Eric asked the both of them with a grin. Ariel would probably have a lot of fun…she seemed thrilled about the simplest of things here. And uh…Vanessa…would probably find something she liked too, he hoped.
"Really? Yes, I'd LOVE to! Ohhh, that sounds like FUN!" Ariel exclaimed excitedly, hardly able to contain her enthusiasm. FINALLY, she was going to be able to explore the human world! People walking on the streets and EVERYTHING!
Ursula, on the other hand, was troubled. She couldn't leave the castle, not when she still hadn't finished the potion. "I'm a little busy with my own affairs today…I had hoped to write a letter to home letting them know that I'm being well taken care of, and where they might find me. I'm sure they're worried, after the shipwreck happened," she explained. But could she risk those two going out ALONE together? What if they kissed? Then the potion would be useless! She couldn't lose her man so early in the game. There had to be some way…the sea witch thought fast, and then it occurred to her. "Actually…" she began, standing up and she moved over to Grimsy, and she leaned in to whisper. "…I really wanted to get Eric a gift in thanks for his hospitality. Do you think you could…go along with them, and retrieve it for me?" she asked politely. Come on, you dried up fish.
"Oh, r-really? That's rather kind of you to be thinking of Eric! I do have a bit of things to attend to but I'm sure a short trip will be all right. What did you have in mind?"
"Oh…you know…the usual monogrammed pocket watch will do…" Something that would take a while, ensuring that Grimsby would stay with them.
"All right, Vanessa, I shall do my best."
"Thank you so much."
Grimsby turned to Ariel and Eric. "Well, it appears that there WILL be a carriage ride for three. I hope you two won't mind an old bird riding with you!" he chuckled.
"Not at all, Grimsby," Eric replied, surprised at first but then he gave in.
"Sure!" Ariel exclaimed. But deep down, the two of them were feeling the sting of disappointment, even if the former's was buried a little deeper.
Ursula waved them off from the window, watching the little redheaded tramp sit next to princey-poo. It was a good thing she took things into her own tentacles, or else they would have kissed long before sunset tomorrow. Now, down to business…she knelt down next to her bed and pulled out a cage from underneath, where a very heated crab was pinching the bars angrily. After Ursula had caught him in her cape, she had carried him up here. No, she wasn't going to kill him yet. She was going to wait till she won the contest and Ariel was her property, and then she was going to do something like…eat him in front of the little mermaid, for all the grief she caused her poor aunt, HA! That would teach her. Or, she could use him in the trade for the crown, along with Triton's daughter. His precious royal court composer might give him the little push she needed.
Ursula dropped the cage on the vanity table. "Uh-uh-uh, calm down, a stubborn crab makes such TOUGH meat. Not that I don't mind giving my teeth a little work-out, but it would compliment the caviar so much better," Ursula smirked, wagging her finger at Sebastian.
"YOU DEMON WOMAN! MONSTER! You wait till King Triton hears about dis and you'll be in BOILED WATER, young lady!" Sebastian shouted.
Ursula laughed. "That fuddy-duddy brother of mine doesn't scare me! Soon the oceans will belong to me, you just sit tight, crabcakes."
"AND STOP CALLING ME DAT!"
Ursula ignored him and took out the ingredients for her potion, along with a pot she had stolen from the kitchen. A dash of that there, a sprinkle of this here, and it was turning out well. This was TOO easy. Sebastian watched in horror as the monster dropped in the last ingredient…to his surprise, it was a strand of red hair.
"YOU..YOU'RE USING ARIELLE'S HAIR?"
"Well she DOES have the most beautiful voice in the sea. THIS ensures that'll my voice will be far superior. And it wasn't like it was difficult to obtain, with that wild mane of hers. Unlike THIS…" Ursula took out a shell comb that had a few pieces of auburn hair in it. Sebastian squinted at it…it looked so familiar…he gasped. THAT WAS!
"QUEEN ATHE—"
"That's right, brother's dearest darlingest Queen Athena's brush. Her voice was supposed to be the most beautiful before the pirate ship nailed her and Ariel grew up," Ursula cackled, plucking a hair from the comb and dropping it into the pot. "I have to say, the palace guards weren't really a match for my boys." She smirked. "And now, the final ingredient…a polished silver shell, to ensure the sillkkkiiinessss of my voice." Ursula dropped it in, and then a sound erupted from the pot…a sound so, so beautiful, that even the infuriated Sebastian softened at the sound of it. Then he shook his head furiously, snapping out of it. "YOU—"
"WHAT? I won't win? Is that what you want to say? This isn't a fairytale, honey."
After letting the potion stew for a while, Ursula was done. She dropped the cage back on the floor and kicked it under the bed again. Sebastian's shouts were muffled underneath the cloth. Ursula hid the pot between the space of the vanity and the window, draping the long curtain over it to cover the thing, just as the sound of the wooden wheels of the carriage on the cobblestone courtyard were heard. *Ursula glanced out the window to see a crabby Grimsby, a grinning Ariel and a laughing Eric…great, just great. She rolled her eyes. Gramps hadn't done his job. But at least it didn't seem like the two kissed…and that was all that mattered. She hurried downstairs to greet them and the shameless redheaded tease away from Eric.
Meanwhile, back in Atlantica, King Triton was overcome with worry. His daughters did their best to console him, but nothing could soothe the king until his youngest was found. King Triton anxiously awaited Herald's return, and soon the seahorse popped into the throne room and moved towards the king. From the look of his face, the news wasn't good.
"Any sign of them?"
"No, Your Majesty. We've searched everywhere. We've found no trace of your daughter - or Sebastian."
"Well, keep looking. Leave no shell unturned, no coral unexplored! Let no one in this kingdom sleep until she's safe at home!"
"Yes, sire." Herald swam off immediately, and his voice could be heard across the hall. "You heard the king! Double the search party! No one rests till Princess Ariel is found!"
King Triton hung his head, burying it in his hands. "Oh, what have I done? What have I done?"
Behind a pillar, Flounder chewed his lip nervously. He felt bad for King Triton…but what could he do? He shook his head and swam away. He had to let Ariel know, though, so the blue and yellow fish hurried to Scuttle's rock. The seagull wasn't there at first, so Flounder just swam back and forth nervously until he arrived, upon which Flounder told him of the sea king's frantic search. Scuttle had heard about Ariel getting legs from him earlier, since Flounder tried to stay away from the palace in case King Triton found him and tried to question him.
"Ariel should know!" Flounder said, and Scuttle shrugged.
"Are you positooovely sure? Okay! I'll try to find her!" Scuttle replied, and he took flight, heading towards Eric's castle.
"I CAN'T JUST SIT HERE!" the crab under the bed exclaimed, meanwhile, refusing to give up. No, Arielle HAD to know! Or at the very least, he had to get rid of that potion! Sebastian rammed his shell against the wire cage walls, but it was no use…it wouldn't break. It did, however, tumble, and he had made it outside from under the bed, now on the wooden floor. Sebastian glanced towards the window, panting. What would he do now? Oh, by the powers of Poseidon, he needed—
"WHOA! SEBASTIAN? What are you doin' under there in all—"
…help. Sebastian's eyes widened to see Scuttle flapping his wings at the window. He had been searching every one to find Ariel.
"DON'T WORRY ABOUT ME! We have to hurry and get rid of the potion! If Ursula drinks it—"
"WHOA WHOA WHOA, Ursula! What do you mea—"
Sebastian sighed. "Listen, you feather-flappin' idiot, we gotta hurry up! I'll give you dem details later! Jeez!" Scuttle would have crossed his wings, insulted, but because his favorite mermaid kid was in trouble, he knew that he had to act fast. Scuttle slipped his right wing through the space in between the windows, unlocking it, and then he flew in. "Voi-o-lah!"
"We gotta find that potio-!"
"Hey, what's the smell? Is that…fresh fish? SILVER FISH? MMmmmMMmm…" Scuttle murmured. He didn't eat friends like Flounder but hey, a seagull had to eat. He moved over to the curtain and pulled it back, revealing the pot. "Oh, whoops, never mind. You guys have a potluck party in here or somethin'? 'Cause I know just the—"
"DE POTION! Dump it out the window, quick!"
"All right, all right, yeeeesh! You gotta lay off a little."
Scuttle grabbed the handle of the pot with his feet and flapped, hard…really hard, as white feathers flew everywhere, towards the window, where he poured it all out. Sebastian let out a huge sigh of relief. Now everything would be okay.
"Okay, let me tell you what happened…"
Ursula noted how disgustingly close the two had gotten after the trip into town during dinner, however. While the squids away, the prawn will play! But she didn't care, because ALL would be settled, tomorrow, with her potion.
The next morning, there were six other princesses competing for Eric, besides Ariel and Vanessa. Ariel was nervous…but…she and Eric were meant to be together, she knew it now, and she couldn't give up so fast. She still was unaware that Ursula was Vanessa, as Scuttle hadn't been able to find her room in the dark last night to tell her. But now, the seagull was stationed outside the window. Though unable to contact Ariel, he was watching the contest, eager to see Ursula fall flat on her face.
"Welcome, dear friends, to our contest…" Grimsby began introductions, stating that today would be the day when Eric would finally choose someone to be his queen. The princesses were first, being of noble birth, and then it would be Ariel, and then Vanessa.
The first princess claimed to be rich, loud, and with perfect pitch, but Eric stated that she wasn't the one.
The second princess claimed to be clear and hit a high C, but Eric shook his head.
The third princess…kind of just screeched at him.
The fourth was "a world famous Coloratura", the fifth had a "vibrato is second to none", and the sixth was "a walking display of Gravora", but none of them were the one. And then finally, it was Ariel's turn. Eric almost felt nervous than she did…so unsure of what he wanted…and what was right.
Ariel stepped forward, taking a deep breath.
**"What would I give to live where you are? What would I pay to stay here beside you? What would I do to see you smiling at me?
Now there's a dream Now there's a goal Now there's a need I'll never control
I won't get free Till I can be part of your world."
Ariel sang even more beautifully than she had that night they met, for this, this meant everything in the world to her. The notes were clear and the melody…it had such a lilting quality that even the six princesses stopped gossiping, the jealous royals bickering about a girl who washed up on shore able to participate [much less TWO] silenced. Eric closed his eyes..her voice…it was as sweet as angels sighing…warm as summer sky. It was the sound that haunted his dreams and spun him around until it felt like he was flying.
She was the one! There was no doubt about it.
Scuttle grinned and pumped his wing in the air, ATTA GIRL! He shot a look at Vanessa, eager to see her fuming at Ariel's naturally charming voice, but her brow was a smooth as marble, a proud smile on her lips.
WELL, not for long. She'd see that she wouldn't have the potion upstairs before her turn!
After Ariel finished, the princesses begrudgingly applauded. Eric was about to rush over to Ariel, lift her up and spin her around in his arms, so happy that he had finally found her…but then Vanessa stepped forward, the sound of her heels on the marble floor clicking.
"It's my turn now."
Ohh, this was the moment Scuttle had been waiting for!
…but then…Vanessa turned around, her back facing them. She looked like she was warming up or something before hand, but in reality, she pulled out a necklace that had been tucked into her corset. Or, it wasn't so much a necklace as it was a vial…and she drank the contents.
Oh…no. She had already planned everything out! That meant that…her voice would be…
The most beautiful thing ever to be heard in the world, ever in time. It would enrapture anyone who heard it…enveloping them in the music of a goddess.
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vidia
Flounder
it's like i'm in a storybook
Posts: 99
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Post by vidia on Aug 6, 2010 23:13:14 GMT -5
and THANKS SO MUCH YOU GUYSSSSS<33!! XD i really like ending chapters with cliffhangers...even though i hate-love them myself when i read stuff!! =DD XD
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Post by WickedElphie on Aug 10, 2010 20:36:45 GMT -5
Gaaah. Love this. Ursula's so deliciously nasty and Ariel and Eric are adorable and Sebastian is aweeeeeesome. *ramble* I can't wait to see how everything wraps up.
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Post by faya27 on Aug 26, 2010 23:13:47 GMT -5
Uh oh! I got a bad feeling about this...
Oh, I wish Eric would take Ariel, already!
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