Faith of the Heart

Part 3: Chapter 33
COLLATERAL DAMAGE

Written by DisneyFan-01
HTML Coding by Shadow20X6

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"Ariel!" Marina finally reached for her.  She grabbed a hold of her arm and pulled her close.  

José helped by pulling Marina away from the current.  The two of them started fighting the dying current together.  A simple flick of the tail was now all they could do to remain still.  

"Ariel?" Flounder made it to their side.  "Ariel?  Are you alright?"

"Ariel!"  Sebastian landed on José's shoulder.  "Oh, please be alright!"

With her head resting on her shoulder, Marina ran her fingers through Ariel's hair.  She whispered, "Ariel. . . can you hear me?"  

There was no response from the teen.  She was breathing regularly and didn't have any injuries, but her eyes remained closed.  

"Marina!  Joe!"  Donald called out to them.  "Watch out!!"

One by one, the dead ships were coming back down to the sea floor.  The haunting sound of their hulls sent vibrations of fear up and down their spines.  With her shoulders in one arm and her tail in the other, Marina held on to Ariel tightly as she quickly swam upward and away from the paths of all the ships.  José stayed by her side with Flounder and Sebastian next to him as they stopped and watched each old vessel crash to sea floor.  Dust clouds rose from the collisions as the sound of their crashing echoed to miles around.

Once the echoing came to a stop, Marina gave out a short sigh of relief as she held Ariel closer.  The sigh hesitated when she heard Ariel whisper sadly, "Daddy."

A great twinge of pain struck Marina in the chest.  All of the relief left her as she was feeling the pain in Ariel's chest for the disappearance of her father.  Still, a small bit of relief remained within her as she was hearing the sound of the mermaid's beautiful voice no matter how sad its tone was at the moment.

"Ariel," Marina gently shook her.  "Please wake up."

Donald came closer, "Ariel?  Are you hurt?  Can you hear us?"

Sebastian swam up to her face and softly brushed his claw through her bangs, "Ariel."

Her eyes finally began to open.  She took in a deep breath and shivered for a brief moment.

Marina took her hand from under Ariel's tail and gently touched her jaw to look straight into her eyes.  

"Ariel?" she whispered.

"Marina?" Ariel breathed in when she saw who's arms she was in.  At the first second, she was happy enough to see her and some of her other friends alive and well around her.  But then what had happened to Triton dawned upon her, and made her heart sink to the bottom of the sea.  She cringed as she immediately wrapped her arms around Marina's neck and started sobbing on her shoulder.  "Marina. . . they took him away.  They took my father."

Marina felt the pain as though it was her own as warmth of Ariel's tears could be felt around her neck and shoulder.  She wrapped both arms around her and nearly refused to let her go.  In spite of what had just happened to her father, Marina was far too relieved that Ariel was safe from Ursula's grip and power.  

She ran her fingers through the soft locks of red hair once more, "I know.  I'm so sorry."

José reached over and touched Ariel's shoulder, "Por favor, não chorar.  Please, don't cry, Ariel."

Ariel sniffled, "Why?"  She parted from Marina and looked into her eyes.  "Why did they take him?  What do they want?"

All Marina could do was shake her head once while holding Ariel's eyes with her own, "We don't know.  I really wish we did, but. . . we don't."

"Guys!  Look!" Flounder pointed with his fin.

Everyone turned around to see the glowing Trident sinking its way down to the sea bed prongs first.

"The Trident!" Donald gasped.

Ariel threw herself out of Marina's hold and swam as fast as she could to her father's property.  She swooped down and grabbed the Trident but with it in her hands, she stopped and stared upon it as the glow started to fade away.  She tightened her grip upon it and held it close as she whispered, "It's all my fault.  I'm so sorry, Daddy.  I'm so very sorry."



On the shore, not too far away, Goofy crawled further out of the water carrying Eric on his back as much as he could.  Once he stopped, Eric collapsed to the sand wanting to bring the remainder of his strength back.  Panchito, Chip, and Dale kept their tails in the water as they watched Eric refuse to stay down.

He sat up holding his head with a bit of pain.

"Are you alright, Your Highness?" asked Goofy.

Eric grunted, "I'm just. . . a little sore."  He looked up at the sea, "Ariel!  Where is she?  Did the others find her?"

Panchito looked over his shoulder only to see the ocean going calm and flat.  The clouds from the storm were starting to clear and reveal the stars.  No heads came up to the surface, but one movement caught his eye.

"Capitan!  Genie!"



A motor boat came cruising around the bay with Genie at the wheel and Silver at the bow.  When he spotted the boys, Silver pointed, "There!  On the beach!  There be only four o' t'em an' t'e Prince."

"Four?" Jiminy hopped to the bow.  "Where are the others?"

Silver was silent as he scanned the whole bay with his cyborg eye.  When he saw no other life nearby, he paused as he slowly inhaled with a scowl written in face.  

"Do you see them, Captain?" Jiminy asked.

"Not yet," he answered.  "But I know t'ey're out t'ere."  He stood up, "Genie, Cricket, check the lads on t'e shore.  I'll search for the others out 'ere."

Genie morphed his eyes into a pair of binoculars, "Are you sure you don't need my help out here, Skipper?  I can dive under the waves and--"

"I gave yeh an order, lad," Silver glimpsed at him with a shade of orange in his eye.  "I suggest you go to t'e shore an' help the others.  See if t'e Prince is in need of medical assistance."

Genie saluted with his eyes still in the form of binoculars, "Aye, aye, sir."



"Marina," José pointed toward the surface when he spotted the motor boat.

When she saw it, she spoke to herself, "Captain."  She nodded once and said, "Zé-Zé, Donny, go on up to him.  I'll follow."

"But--" Donald tried to say something, but Marina turned to join Flounder and Sebastian in meeting Ariel.

José placed a hand on Donald's shoulder, "El vai ser bem.  She'll be okay, Donal'.  Come now.  Let's report to the Capitão."

Donald watched as Marina came behind Ariel and remained still for a moment.  He nodded once and started swimming upward with José.

While still holding the Trident in her arms, Ariel reach over to Flounder to hug him.  He nuzzled against her, "I'm so sorry, Ariel."

"Flounder," she whimpered.  "What am I gonna do?"

Sebastian set himself on her shoulder, "Ariel. . . your father did what 'e did for your safety an' freedom.  He knew what 'e was doing."

Even though she understood, she still trembled in her sobs.  For that, Marina reached over and touched Ariel's arms.  Once again, she could almost feel all of the teen's pain through the touch of her fingertips.  She whispered, "Ariel. . . your father loves you more than his life.  He would always put himself in danger for your life.  Yours and your sisters."  She turned Ariel around with her hands remaining on her shoulders, "Do you realize that I am speaking of your father in the present tense?"

Ariel swallowed, "Is he. . . is he alive?"

Marina answered, "Not so long ago, when our mission first started, the Nightmares took away a friend of ours just like your father--  Sir Merlin, a legendary wizard of a great king of a distant land from here.  When he was taken, we were told by an oracle that the Nightmares wanted him alive and that they were in search of others like him.  It appears that your father is one of the others they mentioned.  That is all we know.  What they want and why they are doing it. . . that is what we don't know yet."

Sebastian said, "Dat horned witch.  She referred to Triton as an Alpha.  I t'ink I've 'eard Triton speaking of dis some time ago during his training days wit' Attina."

"Attina," Ariel blinked.  "Could my sister know what is going on?"

"She is next in line to your father's crown," said Marina.  "It could be possible that he has taught her something if he knows what the Nightmares want with him.  We should return to your home and ask her."

Ariel looked upon the Trident and tried not to tremble, "How can I face my sisters after what I've done?"

Marina softly touched Ariel's chin to have her look eye to eye.  She told her, "Your sisters would undoubtly worry for your father's well being and whereabouts.  However, I know they will praise of your safety and return.  That's the way all of us are feeling right now."  She took a firm grip upon her shoulders, "But listen to me on this one.  Whatever it is the Nightmares want, we will find out about it.  That is how this whole mission of ours started.  We went out to find and rescue Sir Merlin along with anyone else the Nightmares may have taken.  They have your father, but we will keep our mission and promise."  She brushed her fingers across Ariel's cheek, "I swear my life on it, Ariel.  We'll find your father and bring him back to you and your sisters.  I promise. . . with all my heart."

Ariel stared into Marina's eyes.  The warmth of her tears around her face started to fade away before she reached up and extended her pinkie.  A smile of proudness came to Marina as she curled her own pinkie around hers.  After a brief squeeze between the two of them, Ariel came forward and wrapped her arms around her in a hug.  Marina held her tightly to feel her heart calming down.

"I believe you, Marina," Ariel whispered.  "I have always believed you."

All of the pain that was once in in Marina's heart was gone by such words.  She place a hand on Ariel's head and pulled it closer to rest on her shoulder once more.  Despite there still being pain in Ariel's heart and tears seeping out of her eyes for her father, a small smile was growing upon her face as she was again feeling the safety of Marina's arms like a child in the security of her mother's arms.



After reporting to Silver, Donald and José swam ashore to join the others.  Genie transformed all the boys back to their regular forms before they all helped Eric up to his feet.  As soon as he was standing, he looked out to sea only spotting Silver in his boat.

"Ariel!  Where is she?" he asked.

"She's safe," José answered.  "Marina is with her."

Donald wringed the water out of his hat, "She'll look after her.  We better get you back to your palace."

"No," Eric started walking back to the water.  "Not without Ariel.  I've got to get her back."

Panchito grabbed his wrist, "No, Su Alteza.  It cannot work as you think it could."

"What do you mean?"

"Sire," said Jiminy.  "You, being a sailor, must know the stories of King Triton.  Ariel. . . is the youngest of his daughters.  You saw with your own eyes Ariel's true form.  She's a mermaid."

"I don't care what she is," Eric yanked his wrist out of Panchito's grip.  "I need to see if she's okay."

"Look!"  Genie pointed.  "Mermaid off the port bow!"




Marina's head and shoulders came up to the surface near the motorboat.  It was seemingly delightful to both of them to see each other safe from the terrible storm.

"Captain," a half smile came to Marina's face.  "Did you have any trouble with that storm?"

"Not'in' the Argentum couldn't handle," he had a full smile.  "I'm glad to see all is well, Lassie."

"Not all of it, Captain," Marina shook her head.  "Maleficent was here.  She took King Triton just like Sir Merlin."

His smile disappeared, "King Triton.  Oh, that be terrible.  You did not get hurt?"

"Not physically," she answered as she came closer to the boat.  "It appears that there's another limb to add on our mission.  We have two souls to save from the Nightmares.  I have a promise to keep."  She paused to look over her shoulder.  She expected Ariel to surface next to her, but she found her remaining only a few feet below.  

Under the waves, Marina could see that Ariel seemed a bit nervous about coming up the rest of the way with Flounder and Sebastian.   She held on tighter to the Trident wanting to protect it with all her might.  

"Ariel," Marina reached down to her with her head still above the water.  "It's alright.  Come on up.  I want you to meet our captain."

Ariel looked upon her trusted friend as she slowly reached up and placed her hand into her gentle hold.  Marina easily pulled her up until her head and shoulders surfaced.

"That's better," Marina smiled.  

Silver leaned over with a coy yet friendly grin, "Ah, so you be the lovely princess mermaid, Ariel.  Forgive me for seemin' so familiar, but the Lass 'ere 'as told so much about yeh."

Marina nodded, "With the proper introductions;  Captain, this is Princess Ariel, youngest daughter of King Triton.  Ariel, this is Captain John Silver."

Ariel tried not to stare upon the mechanical parts of Silver's right side even though she found it all most captivating as her curiosity of the world above the sea was still with her.  She offered him a smile of kindness, "From my world to yours, Captain Silver, I bid you greetings."

Silver tipped his hat, "An' greetings an' salutations to you, Yer Highness."

Ariel looked to her side to have her two friends join her at the surface.  With Sebastian on his head, Flounder came up to Ariel's side.  

Marina said, "And this is Ariel's best friend, Flounder, and the court musician and advisor, Mr. Sebastian."

Flounder didn't speak as he waved a fin.

"There is no need of being nervous, my friends," said Marina.  "The Captain is aware of the life that goes on under the sea."

"Aye," said Silver.  "And the secret of such a world and its life be safe wit' the likes o' me."

Ariel looked to the shore, "Eric?  Is he okay?"

"Aye, Yer Highness," Silver zoomed in on the shore with his mechanical eye.  "He be alive an' well.  An' from what I see fr'm 'ere, he be most 'appy to see you alive and well.  We best go to him."  He held his metal hand out to Marina, "Let's see if Genie can get you back on yer feet a bit faster, Lassie."

Marina smirked, "I can only wish that he could do the same for you, Ariel."

No response came from Ariel.  She was ever more determined to swim to his arms, but, oh, how she wished to walk back to him instead.  

Marina placed her hand into Silver's metal hand.  His fingers closed around hers firmly as he prepared to pull her into the boat.  However, when Marina was out of the water from the waist up, Silver paused.  Movement was detected in his cyborg eye.  He looked up to find a void growing in the air fifty feet away from the boat.

"What the devil?!"

Marina, Ariel, Flounder, and Sebastian turned around to see the void growing over the surface.  A strong wind picked up breathing into the void like a black hole in space.

On the shore, Eric shielded his eyes from the circling sands around him, "What is that?!  What's happening?!"

"It looks like Nightmare vortex!" Genie exclaimed.

Eric gasped, "Ariel!!"

The daggers of ice and fire have returned in stabbing into everyone's gut.  The whole gang recognized the feeling as the very same they felt in the palace of Agrabah.  Only this time it felt more powerful than they remember as the air around them was feeling hot and the sea felt like it was turning into ice.  Marina nearly shrieked as the pain of the aura increased from the sudden shock of freezing cold.  Even Ariel felt the enormous amount of pain.  Not even her amazing mermaid endurance could withstand such agony.  

"Lassie!"  Silver pulled Marina into the boat.  

Once she was aboard, she nearly curled herself up wanting the cold pain inside of her body to just stop.  However, she stopped trying to fight it when she heard Ariel screaming.  Flounder and Sebastian screamed with her as they both quickly dove back down by instinct to get away from the range of pain.

"Ariel!"  Marina sat up.

"ARIEL!!" Eric rushed back to the water.

The second his feet touched the water, the sudden pain of the cold made him scream in pain as though he had just stepped into a sea of needles and broken glass.  He fell forward breaking his fall with his hands, but doing so had the pain travel up his arms and legs.  Each of the boys tried the same thing, but all of them jumped back from the sudden cold.  The very moment Genie stepped into the water, a stream of ice ran up his body turning him in to a sculpture.

"Genie!" Jiminy shouted.

"Genie!" Panchito tried to wake him up, but he was too solid.  "Genie!  This is no time for dramatics!!"

But it was no good, Genie was so frozen that all he could move was his eyeballs.

Marina looked into the void.  When she saw Maleficent standing there with her free hand extended, she screamed, "Ariel!  ARIEL!!!"

She was preparing to jump back in the water to pull in Ariel, but Silver grabbed a hold of her shoulder.

"No, Lass!!"

Ariel was stunned for feeling the unbelievable power of the Mistress of Evil that she could not feel the last time.  Before she could think about diving under the surface, she felt a sudden pull on the Trident in her grip.  She refused to let go of her father's property as it was being pulled toward Maleficent like a magnetic force.  She tried desperately to swim backward from the void, but the current pulling her was too strong.

"Ariel!" Marina leaned over the bow and reached out toward her.  

"Marina!" Ariel reached back.

"No!  Don't!!" Silver pulled Marina back into the boat.  He held her back but she struggled to get out of his firm hold to reach for Ariel.  

"Ariel!" Eric tried to crawl further out to the sea to get to her, but the cold pain around him was slowing him down.  

The pull on the Trident got stronger but Ariel still didn't let go.  She was yanked out of the water like a fish on a hook and toward the void.

"ERIC!!" she screamed.

"ARIEL!!" he reached to her, but she was sucked into the void and disappeared in the darkness.  

"NOOO!!" Marina cried.  She struggled to get out of Silver's grip, but he was too strong for her.  She screamed louder and louder as the void began to close.  Tears were flowing none stop as she could see Ariel being wrapped up in coils of shadows while Maleficent yanked the Trident out of her hands.

Like an iris of an eyeball, the void grew smaller.  The temperature in the water was returning to normal.  Eric stood up and dragged his feet through the water until he was in thigh deep.

"Ariel!" he called to her.

"Eric!!  Marin--"  Ariel stretched out her hand, but the void closed and disappeared.

All that was left in the bay was the motor boat containing Silver and Marina.  The only sound that was left in the night was the frightening laugh of the Mistress of Evil.  It was the laugh of a witch that dug into everyone's spines, and would make even the strongest person fall to their knees.  The echoing of the laugh was fading out, but in the minds of everyone in the bay, it continued on.




Eric stood like a statue as his breathing was studdering.  Each pound of his heart was a painful one as he was slowly wading backward.  Once he was shin deep out of the water, he clumsily tripped over his own heel and fell over.  Panchito and José came over to his side.  Both wanted to ask if he needed help, but the look on his face kept them quiet.  As difficult as it was, he was using every bit of strength he had within him to keep his tears back and his breathing steady. Still, he kept whispering Ariel's name over and over.

Genie had finally thawed out.  He jumped out of the water and wrapped his arms all around himself like snake coils.  With his knees knocking together he whined, "Holy hummus!  What was that all about!?  One moment it's freezing and now it's just fine!"

"Oh, stop with your complaining, Genie!  We've got a serious situation here!"  Jiminy scolded him.  He hopped to the edge of the shore and spoke calmly, "Your Highness. . . I'm so sorry."

Donald prepared to say more for him, but Goofy immediately touched his shoulder and gestured him to look back out to the bay.  Both of them could see Marina's face from their distance.

"It's happening again," Donald held in his breath.  

"We've gotta help her," Goofy told him.

Donald nodded, "Joe, Panchito, stay here and help the Prince.  Genie. . . get us to Marina.  Quick!"




Marina's breathing was getting too short as she was still staring at the very spot where she saw Ariel's face disappear in the void.  Her tears kept flowing down her cheeks and dripping off her chin into the ocean.  Silver remained behind her and watched her hand tighten into a fist with her fingernails clawing into the bow.

With her throat getting sore and her breathing finally stopping, she whispered, "Ariel. . . . no. . ."  She trembled and gritted her teeth, ". . . Robert."

Silver looked up at her face not understanding about the name she spoke of.  He reached over with his metal hand for her shoulder, but the very second he touched her, like a sheet of paper that was once glued together, a piece of her heart was torn causing her to scream at the top of her lungs.  Silver's hand jumped back at the nerve shaking, yet heart aching sound that came from the woman before him.  Never before did he hear such a cry that would cause him to back away.

She took in a deep breath and let it all out again with another long scream.  Once she let out all of her air, she had to fight herself to bring in more to scream again and again.  Before she could make it into her fourth scream, she was grabbed from behind by a four-fingered hand and was held in the arms of an old friend.

"Marina," Goofy held her close against his chest.  "We're here!  We're here!"

Donald was at their side as he came closer and put his arms around the two of them as much as he could.  With his head against her back, Donald heard the sound of her heart beating too fast in a way that was the same sound he heard nearly fifteen years ago.  It tormented both him and Goofy to be in the same position with Marina as they were then.  

Goofy put his hand on the back of Marina's head pressing it against his shoulder and rocked back and forth.

"Marina" he spoke softly.  "Don't be like this again.  We're here with you."

The warmth of her friends' arms steadied her breathing and heartbeat gradually.  Memories of being in the very same position fifteen years before began to calm her body down.  She inhaled with a stammer as she slid her arms around Goofy.  Once her lungs were finally full of air, she began to sob against his shoulder.

"Goofy," she cried.  "Donald.  She's gone.  That witch. . . she took her."

"Lassie. . ." Silver spoke up.  ". . . what happened. . . yeh can't change it."

Marina opened her eyes with a sniffle.  All she could see was Ariel's face in her mind and hear her screaming.  She closed her eyes again and tightened them.  More tears flowed down her cheek and absorbed into Goofy's sweater.  Finally, the sound of Ariel's screams were drowned out as she started remembering everything she said to Ariel before.

For the memory, she opened her eyes once more and said, "I made a promise.  I intend to keep it.  I must make another with it."

Donald parted from her to look her face to face, "But don't let this stay with you, Marina.  We don't want you to be the way you were when. . . when Robert died."

Marina clenched a fist taking a hold of Goofy's sweater for a moment when an old scar in her heart and soul throbbed.  She parted from Goofy and stared out into the water.  

When she didn't say anything for a long moment, Goofy told her, "We'll get her back, Marina.  I know we will."

Marina took in a deep breath and nodded once, "Yes. . . . we will.  I. . . must stay strong about this. . . for both Ariel and her father."

"We all will," Donald took her hand.  "We'll get that witch and save them and anyone else she has taken."

Goofy placed a hand on her shoulder, "Yeah, Marina.  We're in this together.  Remember the pact we made?  We'll all save them as a team should.  Right Cap'n?"

When Goofy looked over at Silver, the captain blinked in surprise at first.  He didn't answer right away as he seemed trapped between decisions.  He laid his eyes back upon Marina seeing only the corner of her face, but saw her tears still flowing down her cheek.  His lips parted as he took in a breath and nodded a few times.

"Aye," he said.  "We are."