A Big Mermaid #Wattys2014

Chapter 2 THE GALA

"No Flounder! I'm not going!"

The neon blue and yellow fish groaned with irriation, puffing up his chubby fishy cheeks.

"Come on Ariel!"

"No Flounder!"

Sighing, he blew a storm of minature bubbles out threw his scaly , puckered lips. "SEBASTIAN!"

Seconds later, a crimson red crab scuttled from behind a canopy of lambent seaweed.

"Wo' wo' wo' I was asleep y'know!"

"It's Ariel!"

"When is it never Ariel?"

The redhead laughed humourosly, combing her fiery titian hair with her slender fingers, relishing the way it tickled her bare, arched back.

"You guys! I just don't like big events. I'm big-event-phobic. It's all the people and, the pressure of being one of the 7 kings daughter and..."

Flounder swam his way towards Ariel's lap and nestled his patato-shaped head into her thighs.

"Just be who you are Ariel."

She sighed, before rising from the slimy rock she was perching on. Streaming out like a carpet of crushed, red beryl, Ariel swished her hair away from her dainty face.

Ducking her head shamefully, she muttered "Tip things over, break things, forget what to say, embarrass myself, be late-"

"You're-a late now!" Sebastion whailed, snapping his blunt, crab claws.

Ariel rolled her eyes, before flicking her fins in a direction opposite of the palace.

"ARIEL!" Flounder desperately called out, trying to swim after her and force some sense into her passionate yet niave brain.

"Its of no use Flounder. She's a-just like her mother."

Defeated, they both watched her stubbornly tread water and swim away.

***

"Flounder!" Adella squealed at the sight of the chubby, child-like fish. "You're coming to the gala too? Well you can't go like that!" Ariel's boy-crazy sister with the golden-rod tail and the chartreuse green seashell bra yanked at his fins.

"We-" The fish spluttered, inbetween having his cheeks squashed together enthusiastically.

"You can't go like that!" She frowned, placing him on a stool. "ATTINA!!!!"

Ariels oldest sister with the vivid orange tail and spiky crown pertruding from her caramel hair qppeared into view with a bored look splayed on her face, evident from her impatient expression. "What? I need to get ready to go to the gala, now hurry up!"

"Do you have any waterproof makeup for Flounder?"

"Oh no- I really don-" The fish protested.

"Here! And be quick Adella! It's in 10 minutes!" Tossing a couple of shells her way.

The excited mermaid scooped up a shimmery gloop from the first shell, bathing it in flounders fins.

"Look at you! All shimmery!" Cooing energetically, she dabbed some pink powder from the second shell, rubbing it above his squinted eyes.

"Flounder stay still! And pout for me while I put on this fishstick!" She clamped his lips together, before smearing on some vivid red fishstick. (mermaid lipstick)

"TADA! Don't you look wonderful!"

The now clown-fish let out a shuddery breath. "Ariel isn't coming."

A frown replaced her proud smile. "What do you mean?"

"I meant she isn't coming."

Silence. You could almost hear her mind ticking with a frenzy of thoughts.

"But oh, Flounder! Father will go spare! We need to cover up for her! Oh, SEBASTIAN!!!!"

The familiar, red crab heaved himself into view. "A guy needs a vacation, h-"

"Well your not one!" The dark-haired sister snapped. "You need to cover up for Ariel!"

"I do?"

"Do you want her to be burnt to peices?" Dramatically, she raised a hand to her forehead, fever-like.

"Surely not-"

"Shattered to splinters?"

"But the highness would ne-"

"Do you? Do you Sebasto?"

"I guess... No?"

"Then cover up for her, Flounder will help!" And with a toss of her glossy, raven locks, she flapped her fins and swam away.

 I PROMISE THIS STORY WILL GET MORE AND MORE EXCITING BY THE MINUTE. PATIENTLY PASS THE BUILD UPS AND THATS WHEN THE MYSTERY BEGINS ;D -ALSO, SOME CHAPTERS ARE LONGER THAN OTHERS XX