"She's never going to let you have it you know," Marissa said, swimming up behind her little sister. She was floating outside a large cave opening staring wistfully into the darkness beyond it.
"It's not fair. It's not like she couldn't make more of it. All I need is one vial."
"That's not the point, Ariel. Ursula is concerned about your safety. You don't know how to survive up there."
"How much different can it be than down here? All that would change is that I would have feet instead of this old thing," Ariel said, flicking her tale and glaring at it.
"And you don't know how to walk on feet, do you? Imagine the fool you would make of yourself."
"You just want me to be stuck down here forever like you," Ariel said, folding her arms in a huff.
Marissa shook her head.
"I am not stuck down here, I want to be here. This is where I belong. And I can go wherever I please whenever I please and-"
"Except to the outer reefs," Ariel interrupted. Marissa looked down and tread the water with her tail.
"Remember how much trouble you were in when Richard caught you there?"
"Yes well, I had no business being there. Richard was right to reprimand me."
"He didn't reprimand you," Ariel said, her eyes wide. "He posted guards outside your room to keep you there for a week. It's like he has forgotten he is our brother."
"Richard is our brother, yes. But he is also the king now. No one has ever been allowed to visit the outer reefs. He is just carrying on our father's rules."
"Father never would have imprisoned you in your own room," Ariel insisted. "He was an adventurer like me."
She smiled and lifted her head with a proud smile, her bright red hair floating gently behind her.
"Yes and he also knew when to stop adventuring," Marissa told her little sister.
Ariel's smile drooped slowly into a frown and her shoulders slumped.
"No one here understands me. You think I'm foolish, Richard thinks I'm a troublemaker, Ursula thinks I'm mad and Sophia thinks I'm trying to get away from her and make better friends."
"Sophia is a dolphin. You don't know what she thinks," Marissa argued. Ariel turned her frown on her sister.
"I understand her fine. You would too if you just listened more carefully."
"I can't imagine why anyone would think you're mad," Marissa mumbled.
"I heard that," Ariel snapped. Marissa shrugged.
"Well if you want to spend the rest of your day staring at Ursula's cave, be my guest. I have better things to do."
With a flick of her pink tail Marissa was gone and Ariel once again floated outside the cave by herself.
"I'm not mad," she said out loud to no one. "I just know where I belong. And it isn't here."
"Well I can tell you it's not up there either," said a loud echoing voice. Ursula emerged from the darkness of the cave, her eight long black tentacles floating in all directions around her. She smiled at the little mermaid.
"How is your brother doing? He has not visited the caves in quite some time."
"He's too busy doing important king stuff now," Ariel said in an irritated tone. "He barely has time for me anymore. I turned sixteen last week and he did not even say happy birthday."
"I'm sorry, darling," Ursula replied, comfortingly resting a tentacle around Ariel's shoulders. The mermaid grimaced and pushed it off.
"I don't need your pity, octopus," she snapped. "There's only one thing I want from you." Ursula looked hurt by her brusque words but her voice was still chipper as she said,
"You know I can't do that, little one. Even if I wanted to give you the vial, when your brother found out what I had done he would have my head."
"So come with me," Ariel invited, though she could think of nothing worse than becoming human and having only Ursula as company.
"I have no desire to be a land creature, my dear. I have lived in this cave my whole life and it is where I will spend the rest of my days. You have plenty of ocean to explore. Do not trouble yourself with what lies above the waves."
"I give up," Ariel said, turning her back on Ursula. "What good is being a sea witch anyway if you're not going to use your magic to give people what they want?"
Ursula smiled.
"One day you will understand why I am refusing your request and you will thank me."
"Ha," Ariel laughed mockingly. "Don't hold your breath."
With that she flicked her long mint green tail and swam away from the cave leaving Ursula smiling at her and waving goodbye. Ariel headed in the direction of the palace all the while trying to think of the perfect words to convince Ursula to give her the vial of magical potion that would grant her legs. She was so engulfed in thought she didn't notice the dolphin swimming next to her till it let out a loud squeak.
"Oh hi, Sophia," Ariel said, not even looking at her friend. The dolphin squeaked again as it kept pace with the mermaid.
"Just the same as always," Ariel answered. "Ursula refuses to give me the vial and tells me it's for my own good."
Sophia opened her mouth but Ariel spoke before she could.
"I know what you're going to say. You think I'm leaving because you're not good enough company for me. I've told you that's not true. You're my best friend, Sophia. But I need more. I want to see more than what's in this ocean. I want to be where the people are."
The dolphin made another sound and flicked her tail.
"You're right, I don't know how to walk with legs. But I will figure it out. It cannot be that hard. But nothing can happen until I get that potion from Ursula."
"Squeak squeak squeeeaaak," Sophia answered. Ariel stopped swimming.
"Maybe you can help me," she said, resting a finger against her cheek and looking thoughtfully into the distance. A clever smile crept over her face and she grasped Sophia's fin in her hand.
"Come on let's go to Ursula's cave. I think I know the perfect way to get her out of it."
