(This story begins after Ariel saves Prince Eric from the ship wreck. She is in her room in the palace in Atlantica. P.S. there's a lot of dialogue and it's not that good so don't be too harsh. Also, there's not much explanation for a reason. I've intended it to be more of a story that makes the reader develop their own conclusion of what's going on.)
FLOUNDER
"Oh Flounder, you should have seen him. He was so handsome!" Ariel cooed. "And his feet! They were so..."
"Feet-like?" Flounder asked, bored.
"Yes! Exactly!" Ariel smiled, looking out of her jewel-lined window and resting her head on her hands.
Flounder swam over to a sponge chair and plopped down. He played through the last few days in his head. All he could remember was the dreamy-eyed mermaid looking out of her window and talking about how wonderful Eric was.
"Ariel?" He whined.
"Yes Flounder?" Ariel answered quietly.
"Let's go visit Scuttle. I heard he found a new human thing!" Flounder perked up when he saw Ariel moving. But rolled his eyes with annoyance when she didn't turn to look at him.
Ariel continued gazing out of the window. "Maybe later."
"C'mon Ariel! I heard it looks sort of like a giant, floating sponge!" Flounder exclaimed.
"No Flounder!" Ariel turned to him, frustrated. "I said maybe later!"
Flounder quickly swam out of the room, deeply irritated by Ariel's behavior. Since she had rescued that human all she had done was go on and on about how wonderful he was. He was getting sick and tired of Ariel's constant obsessing.
"Huh!" Flounder huffed.
He stared at his upperlip for a while, which made mocking Ariel easier. He could make faces and not have to pucker up his lips. But as he rounded the corner he collided with something hard and slimy. He looked up to se King Triton towering over him.
Flounder gasped. "I'm sorry your majesty! Please forgive my clumsiness! I really didn't mean-"
"That's quite alright, Flounder." King Triton interupted. "Do you happen to know where Ariel is?"
Flounder looked at him uneasily. "She's in her room. Why?"
"No reason." King Triton looked down at Flounder curiously. "What's the matter, Flounder?"
Flounder hesitated. "It's nothing your majesty."
"Alright." King Triton sighed, not wanting to investigate. "Swim safely."
Flounder nodded and swam towards the door, wondering why this human was so important to his best friend.
* * *
ARIEL
Ariel sat on a plush sponge and gazed out of her window. The room was silent and Ariel guessed that Flounder left. But she was too happy to feel mad at him for abandoning her.
"Oh, Eric," She murmured as she thought about his handsome face and his wonderful abs.
Suddenly, a blast of bubbles blew in her face and she looked up to see Rowdy, her sea horse, charge up with a message tied around his neck. She grabbed the seaweed rope connected to his halter. Reaching across his face to cut the rope, she noticed a note. She ripped the dangling note off of the rope and held it gently in her hand, examining it carefully. Before she read the note, she noticed that Rowdy's rope had been roughly cut. She picked at the frayed seaweed with her neatly manicured nails.
"Hmm." She breathed and studied the rope before tying him to the rail outside of her window.
Ariel opened the seaweed paper note.
Ariel,
I've heard you're in love.
Come to me tomorrow if you
want to be with your prince
forever. Meet me behind the
black kelp forest. Can't wait
to see you, Darling!
Ariel's eyes widened. Now Eric could be with her forever.
Ariel swiftly swam to her pink and green polka-dot sponge bed and pulled a gold key from inside of one of the holes. It was the skeleton key for all of Atlantica and now was her chance to try it out.
