The Mermaid Beginning

chapter 20

Triton cleared his throat as the merpeople and other sea creatures came. "To my daughters, new son, nieces and nephew, and to all the citizens of Atlantica, I hereby decree that music will once AGAIN ring clear from one end of my kingdom to another!" 

The people cheered happily to hear this. 

"Therefore, I hereby present Atlantica's first official court composer." Triton added, showing Sebastian as the crowd cheered again.

Sebastian THANKED for the job and introduced Swifty and Triton to each other. 

Attina hugged her youngest sister. "Thank you, Ariel."

Jessica ruffled up Atticus's hair. "Way to go, bro."

"Yeah!" Darla added with a smile.

Atticus and Ariel knew that this moment could never at all be ruined. Triton let everyone celebrate as he put the music box by his statue of himself with Athena, it seemed to brighten up the place once he did that. 

Ariel smiled and swam up to her father. "Daddy, how about a dance?"

Triton smiled to her, then danced with her. Darla swam around after Adella had kissed Stevie and Jessica was with the merboy she liked from earlier and was looking for a dance partner for herself. Everyone was enjoying the music and dancing. Darla sighed, she was about to give up as she sat down. Everyone had a dance partner except for her. A young deaf mute mermaid girl named Gabriella decided to dance with Atticus. 

And where they did dance, the only dance partner that left was Urchin. Darla looked to him, then smiled and danced with him. Everyone was happy, Marina was in jail with Benjamin and Evil Manta was forced to be imprisoned far from Atlantica where he couldn't hurt anyone, but he decided to look after his and Marina's egg, which, unknown to everybody, was both his and Marina's child they decided to name Little Evil, whether it was a boy or a girl. The time NOW came for Atticus, Jessica, Darla, and their parents to now GO BACK to their own time.

"Thank you so much for visiting." Triton told the parents.

"We're glad we came..." Emily smiled softly. "Hope to see you again soon..."

Jessica was holding hands with the merboy she liked.

"Jessica, it's time to go now..." Patrick told her a bit protectively.

"I know..." Jessica said, still holding the boy's hand.

Atticus could see Jessica was in love with this merboy. 

"You might see him later..." Patrick whispered to his older daughter.

Jessica sighed, but then looked to the merboy. "I better go back home with my family... It was very nice meeting you."

"Teenagers..." Darla rolled her eyes slightly to her adoptive sister.

"Ask him his name." Atticus whispered to his older sister.

Jessica blinked, then looked to the merboy she liked. "I'm SORRY... I don't believe I've asked for your name. I'm Jessica and you are..." she trailed off, allowing him to say whatever his name was.

"My name is Christopher." The merboy introduced himself.

Jessica smiled. "Christopher... I hope to see you again..."

Patrick grabbed his eldest child's arm. "Come on, Jessica!!!"

Jessica sighed. "Dad..." 

"Your father is right, time for you to come back." Emily encouraged her husband.

"*sighs* Alright." Jessica said.

"You are all welcome to visit Atlantica any time." Triton said with a smile.

"Thank you." everyone said.

Emily smiled, she looked to Athena's statue one last time, she swam over to it before sending her family home and gently stroked the face as it glowed with the magic. "I'm really going to miss you, Athena..." she whispered softly, but knew the statue wouldn't answer back to her.

"Ready?" Patrick asked.

Emily nodded, she then got her necklace set. "Let's go home..." she told the others.

They all grouped around her as the necklace glowed and was ready to take them back home and since they were GOING BACK to their real time, they would all return to their normal ages. And where after a glow they were all now back in their house and back to their original ages.

Atticus had something in his hand that would show them the way back to Atlantica.

Darla looked in the mirror and sighed. "I was such a lovely teenager..."

"Darla, remember, you're six, you'll be old like me in no time." Jessica teased. 

Patrick walked by Atticus, then noticed the object. "What'cha got there, son?"

"I think it's a map leading back to Atlantica." Atticus said, looking at the object he had.

Patrick hummed, looking to it. "Might be... Where'd you get it?"

Darla was in her bedroom, putting on make-up, just to be silly, she then opened the jewelry box and found something that wasn't there before. She held a conch-shell that glowed in her pudgy hands. It had her name on it and she wondered what to do with it, she shook it in her hands, but nothing was heard, she blew into it, and it made the wondrous and fulfilling music from Atlantica. She giggled and CONTINUED to play it like a wind instrument like the Catfish Club.

"I-I don't know." Atticus said, before having a thought. 'Sneaky Ariel.' 

Patrick chuckled. "Yes, your cousin Ariel is always the more adventurous of her sisters. Your mother told me she reminds her of your Aunt Athena when they were in Mermaid Lagoon with Peter Pan."

"And I'm thinking that she gave each of us something to remember of that day." Atticus said.

Darla came in, blowing the shell, then stopped. "Isn't this cool?"

"Darla, you better not PLAY that late at night." Patrick warned her.

Darla giggled. "Yes, Daddy..."

"Let's see if Jessica got anything from Ariel to remember our adventure in Atlantica." Atticus said

Darla smiled as she blew the horn happily, following Atticus to their sister.

Jessica was by her mirror as she sat in front of it and she was hooking a necklace around her neck as she focused on it. Atticus and Darla then ENTERED into her room, so then they could see what Jessica got.

Jessica pulled her hair back slightly and had ATTACHED a pearl necklace with glowing pearls like the ocean waves against a warm, sunny day.

Darla smiled, her eyes fluttering. "Is that from Christopher?"

Jessica let out a gasp, looking to them. "You guys scared me!"

"SORRY, we just wanted to see what you got from Atlantica." Atticus explained.

Jessica turned closer to them and showed her necklace. "I think this is made from oyster pearls."

"Oysters..." Darla sounded grossed out at that, but she thought it was a beautiful charm necklace.

"Who's it from?" Atticus asked.

"It doesn't say... I think it's from Ariel though." Jessica shrugged.

"I got this shell!" Darla showed, then blew into it again. "I can make my own music!" She blew it again instantly once she finished talking.

"Let's see what Mom and Dad got." Atticus suggested.