Chapter Text
Ariel: What a wonderful place! Do walls usually change colors and designs when you touch them? Has anyone seen my Prince? I only have three days.
Vetis: Princes are boring. How do you feel about chiefs?
Ariel: Why do you say Princes are boring? Prince Eric is wonderful! I wanted to go dancing with him. He danced on the ship, to the fire in the sky and to the music!
Vetis: All they care about is court, court, court. I don't know any Eric though so maybe he's interested in more than being a monarch. I'm interested in more than ruling and I definitely wouldn't mind dancing with a pretty girl.
Ariel: He seemed at home on the sea. I love him, truly! The Sea Witch Ursula only gave me three days to kiss him, to stay human forever and I'll get my voice back. I would so love to dance though! I am a bit unsteady. Feet are much different from fins.
Vetis: You normally have fins?
Ariel: I'm a mermaid, unfortunately.
Vetis: Unfortunately? I think that's pretty interesting. I've lived a long time and never met a mermaid before.
Ariel: That is unsurprising. My father forbids trips to the surface and there are not many who would disobey him.
Vetis: Parents are always big on forbidding things. I've never been good at being forbidden anything. You could say it was why I left home.
Ariel: Me too! Father doesn't understand. He's to afraid. Humans are marvelous! Just because a few are bad, doesn't mean all of them are!
Vetis: I'm not as fond of humans, but their world? It's filled with all sorts of things that I love in all sorts of ways that I'm not at liberty to talk about with you seeing as you seem so very young and all.
Ariel: What are you, if you aren't a human or a merman? I've just turned 18, you know. I missed my- well, I suppose you would say debut, because I was exploring a shipwreck. There'd been a shark and then Flounder and I went to see Scuttle and he told me all about the banded, bulbous snarfblatt. He's really quite knowledgeable.
Vetis: I've been around a lot longer than men or mermen. I don't remember being 18. Your friend sounds something alright. What were you debuting? Were they going to marry you off?
Ariel: Are you a god? Scuttle is a seagull. He's the only connection to the human world I have, really. He explains everything to me, because he's seen so much. It was just a celebration that I was of age. None of my sisters are married. Father is not so cruel as to marry us off one by one. It was meant to be my introduction but rehearsals were always so boring. I'd much rather be exploring shipwrecks! Humans are much more fascinating than singing, though Ursula says I don't need my voice to get a kiss from my Prince. She says I only need body language and that women don't speak much at all.
Vetis: I'm beginning to like this Ursula. I like a quiet girl. It usually means she's got secrets. Are you a girl with secrets?
Ariel: I have secrets from my father?
Vetis: That must be nice. I can't have secrets from my father. I'm not a god, but my father? He's the Creator. What kind of secrets do you keep from your father?
Ariel: Who's he? What did he create? He doesn't know how many times I've been to the surface. He doesn't even know I traded my soul to Ursula for legs! I really must find Prince Eric. I don't want to belong to the Sea Witch. Daddy didn't know about my collection of human things, or how badly I wanted to go to the surface, but then Sebastian showed him. He destroyed everything! All of my knicknacks and whatnots!
Vetis: Everything. My father Created everything. What a terrible thing to do! Destroy your collection. That sounds like something my father would do. So, tell me, would you like to keep your legs forever?
Ariel: He created me? Daddy was really mad. He hates humans, just like he hated music when I was a little girl. I don't blame him, exactly. My mother died when a ship caught her against a rock. We'd been playing and when we scattered, she forgot her music box and went back for it, but she got caught. I just wish he gave other humans a chance.
You could do that for me?
Vetis: He Created the first of your kind. Mortals. You specifically were born, not Created. You had parents. I only had the Creator.
I'm sorry for the loss of your mother. It's hard to lose a parent, I'm told.
Oh yes. I could do that for you. That's easy. What would it be worth to you?
Ariel: I think I understand.
I was very young, only five. I only remember the sound of my mother's voice, singing me to sleep.
Anything. Everything. I can't give you my voice. I gave that to Ursula. I would be human forever?
Vetis: Would you give me your soul? I could give you back your voice and I could make you human if you wanted. I could give you choices. Would that be worth your soul?
Ariel: Yes. How do I do it?
Vetis: It's not as hard as you might think. I don't take anything at all from you until after your life has passed by. All you have to do is meet with me and we make arrangements for what you want and how I can give it to you. After you've agreed? Well. That's when you sign. It's easy and a lot less painful than giving up your voice I imagine.
Ariel: Giving up my voice was [...] disconcerting. I only had to sing and it seemed like I was choking on it as it slipped from my throat. But then, water was filling my lungs and Flounder brought me to the surface. Can I come see you now? I don't want to waste any time.
Vetis: That sounds---unpleasant. I would be honored if you'd like to come visit me tonight. I'm on the D Deck.
Ariel: It was worth it, for my legs. I'll be there as soon as the sun sets! In the mean time, I think I'll go explore.
Vetis: That sounds exciting. I do love exploring. You'll have to tell me what you find when you come to see me. See you soon, pretty mermaid.
Ariel: Ariel. My name's Ariel. I'll tell you all about it once I have my voice back. I'll even sing for you, if you'd like.