Princess Lina was back in her rooms at the royal palace daydreaming and, unknowingly, humming to herself. Her lady's maids were staring at her and giving each other knowing glances, when King Phil swam into the room. He stared at his daughter confused until one of her maids swam over to him.
"She's got it pretty bad sir." The mermaid informed him.
"What? What's wrong with Lina??" The King asked alarmed.
"Why, your majesty, Princess Lina is in love!" she answered with a slight smile.
"In LOVE!!" King Phil was shocked, then a knowing grin spread across his face. "Well well. In love. I wonder who the lucky merman is?"
The king swam off in search of his trusty advisor.
E.Sis: elsewhere...
Rezo the red priest was not happy. Noonsa and Lina had locked him in a closet so he wouldn't tell the king about their excursion to the surface. The closet had been so cramped that his raywing bubble spell broke and he almost drowned. After having successfully escaped and recast the spell his hair was matted down about his face and his velvet robes were ruined.
"Damn fish-heads. Do they KNOW how much a crimson velvet outfit COSTS now-a-days!!! Practically a bloody fortune!! And they ruined it! I'll never get these salt water stains out. And my HAIR! It takes me practically all day to get it JUST RIGHT! And now its all limp and smells like sea-weed. OH WHAT ELSE COULD POSSIBLY GO WRONG!!!!!" Rezo grumbled audibly.
"REZO!!!!!!!!" King Phil's voice boomed throughout the palace.
"I had to ask, didn't I." Rezo muttered. He floated over and entered the throne room trying to put some order back into his appearance.
"Rezo." the king began, "You've been keeping secrets from me."
"I've been locked in a closet drowning."
"Oh. Well what's this about Lina being in love hmmm?"
"Well, she went to the surface and rescued some human and fell in ..." Rezo began.
"WHAT!!!!! A HUMAN!!! WHERE IS SHE NOW!!!" King Phil interrupted.
"Probably back in her secret cavern of human oddities and treasu..." Rezo began again.
"WHAT!!!!!!!!" King Phil interrupted once more.
"You know sire you really should try to make a bigger effort in your father/daughter relationship here. Social Services wouldn't approve." Rezo stated.
E.Sis: elsewhere...
Princess Lina was in her cavern dreaming and making kissy faces at the statue of Zel. Noonsa was gagging in the corner.
King Philionel burst into the room and wrought all hell down on the cavern and destroyed everything before Lina could do anything about it. After he had left Lina sat stunned among her rubble.
"Why THAT... [ the following dialogue has been cut due to it being unsuitable for children, adults, and the most hardened of criminals ] !!!!!!!" screamed Lina at the top of her lungs.
The cursing and swearing attracted the attention of two eel-people.
E, Sis: who have the most annoying laughs...
"OH WAHAHAHAHAHAHAHH!" one of the eel-women bellowed out causing a minor cave in and Noonsa to have a stroke. I am Naga the white serpent and this is my partner Martina. OH WAHAHAHAHAHAHAHH!"
"Yeah what's your point you sea-hyena!" snapped Lina, covering her ears in pain.
"OH WAHAHAHAHAHAHAHH! My point my little flat-chested friend is that we may have the answer to your problem. OH WAHAHAHAHAHAHAHH!" Naga replied.
"Ah hahaha. I, Martina, servant to the Great Zomalgustar..."
"I know who you are you.." Lina interrupted, annoyed by all the laughing.
"DON'T INTERRUPT!!" Martina yelled. "Anyway, there is one who could help you get this princey of yours."
Lina appeared interested. This could be her one chance to get away from daddy-dearest, who she was very angry with at the moment, and be with Zel! Noonsa was beginning to become conscious and saw the two eels. He knew they worked for the bumbling seawitch. Sensing trouble he swam off in search of Rezo.
"Okay lead me to 'em."
"Off to Amelia's!" The two eels chorused.
E.Sis: later elsewhere...
Lina was led to The Sea-Witch, Amelia's place. There Lina explained how she had found the man of her dreams but how her father was opposed to the match simply because he was a human.
"Hmm, it seems Miss. Lina that your problem can be easily solved. For the sake of Love and Justice, I shall help you! See all I have to do is make you a human!" Amelia exclaimed with a smile.
"Hey that sounds like a great idea Amelia!"
"Thankyou Miss Lina! Hm" Amelia searched through her spell book and found the incantation 'From Fish to Human in 3 Easy Steps.' reading along the three steps were:
1} sing a not-very complimentary song about yourself and practice.
2} demand her voice as payment for services rendered. remind them for it to be permanent the must be kissed by a human they are in love with before the sun sets on the 3rd day of the spell being cast.
3} sing yet a another song about how the price isn't that bad and get them to sign the contract.
"Seems simple enough." Amelia stated, "okay here goes."
Amelia began to sing: "I admit that in the past I've been annoying, they weren't kidding when they called me well a... HEY!!!" growled Amelia in mid song. "Humph. But you'll find that, now-a-day, I've mended all my ways, repented, seen the light and made a switch. And I fortunately know a little white magic. It's a talent that I always have possessed. And here, lately, please don't laugh, I've used it on behalf of the miserable, lonely and depressed, pathetic, poor unfortunate souls. In pain, in need. This one longing to be thinner, that one wants to get the girl. And do I help them? YES IN DEED!" Amelia smiled, really getting into the song. "Those poor unfortunate souls. So sad, so true. They come flocking to my cauldron crying spells as they please and do I help them yes indeed."
By this time she had begun to dance around and Lina sweatdropped.
"Now its happened once or twice someone couldn't pay the price and I'm afraid I had to rake them across the coals."
"Well you see a contract is a contract and those who cannot meet the details have to be punished by the blazing star of justice!" Amelia put in so that she didn't sound too evil.
"Yes I've had the odd complaint, but on the whole I've been a saint; to those poor unfortunate souls."
"So what is this spell going to cost me?" Lina asked hoping there wouldn't be anymore singing and dancing.
"Cost? Oh yes. According to the spell book the price is... your voice."
"MY VOICE!!!!!!" Lina shouted in a panic. "But but but... how will I cast spells and... HEY how am I supposed to talk to him!!"
"Well," Amelia started "according to this you have to have him kiss you before the sun sets on the third day of the spell being cast and you'll stay human forever. I'm assuming you'll get your voice back then."
"sigh Okay I guess that sounds reasonable but still..."Lina mummered off.
"Hmm well on to step 3." Amelia continued and began to sing again. Lina moaned.
"The men up there don't like a lot of blather. They think a girl who gossips is a bore. Yes on land its much preferred for ladies not to say a word after all dear was is idle prattle for? They're not all that impressed with conversation. Two gentlemen avoid it when they can. But don't they swoon and fawn on the lady who's withdrawn; its she who hold her tongue who gets her man."
"Hmm maybe I should write these down. Besides." Amelia added blushing, "you could always use bodylanguage. Heehee."
"Come on you poor unfortunate soul, go ahead and make your choice. I'm a very busy girl and I haven't got all day. It wont cost much; just your voice. You poor unfortunate soul, its sad, but true. If you want to cross the bridge my sweet you have to pay the toll. Take a gulp and take a breath and, and go ahead and sign the scroll."
Lina shrugged, grabbed a pen and signed her name to the contract. Amelia jumped up and down happy to have another signed customer, and turned to her employees.
"Naga Martina, now I have her girls, the boss is on a roll, this poor unfortunate soul." She sang.
As Lina began to transform Rezo and Noonsa arrived. Amelia noticed a slight flaw in the spell. "Hm when she finishes transforming she'll drown. Oops."
Upon hearing that Rezo rushed forward and enveloped the choking Lina in his bubble.
"Gee Rezo," Lina thanked him "The air in here tastes pretty good, don't you think?"
Rezo just smiled and rushed up to the surface, Noonsa following close behind. Amelia watched them leave and thought. 'Another satisfied customer!' and went back to cleaning house, what she was doing before Lina and company arrived.