Featured songs

1. "Under the Sea" by Samuel E. Wright

2. "Poor Unfortunate Souls" by Pat Carrol

(May both these great artists rest in peace)

________________________

Days went by since the storm hit, and Omega's brothers were all starting to notice Omega acting bizarrely. She was brushing her hair more than usual, humming to herself, and spending a lot more time around flowers.

"What's with Omega lately?" Wrecker wondered out loud.

"I have no idea." Echo said, getting into his tank top.

"Maybe it's just adolescence for girls." Crosshair said.

Technically, that would have her acting more moody than merrily," said Tech. "Do you recall when she turned thirteen?"

"Oh yeah." Hunter said, not liking that reminder. "I still have the scar from that starfish she threw to prove it."

Of course, the youngest brother had a hypothesis of what led to Omega's behavior, but couldn't let his father know. So far, he'd kept his mouth shut, but he wasn't sure how long he could keep it. He'd covered for his sister a few times, but it usually didn't end well. Part of being a twin means you have to answer for your twin's misdeeds from time to time, and being the younger sibling in a family, especially a big one, means you have to answer for the misdeeds of every sibling who came before you.

Subjects of Koralmino often questioned what it was like in the royal palace, there being only one girl in the entire family. The king had been married twice and lost both his wives shortly after each set of children was born. His second wife did last longer; long enough to have Echo and then eventually the twins, but then she passed in childbirth, leaving Omega as the only female in the family, which didn't make raising her easy, nor was it easy for her to learn how to get along with other girls.

"Morning, Daddy." Omega said, placing a flower in her dad's hair and kissing his cheek.

Jango chuckled as his daughter swam away.

"She's in a good mood today." Jango said, picking the flower from his hair and enjoying how pretty it was.

After the king left to go on with his day, the boys all thought something had to be up with Omega. And Hunter noted that Boba was looking away from all his brothers as they all questioned what could be up with Omega.

"Boba, do you know something?" Hunter asked.

"What do you mean?" Boba said slowly, which he usually did when he was hiding something

"You're talking slowly." Hunter mimicked Boba's tone of voice.

"No I'm not!" Boba said very quickly, which usually happened after someone called him out for hiding something.

"You know something about Omega, don't you?"

"No, I don't!" Boba then imitated someone calling him from behind his hand. "Oh, someone'se calling me. Gotta go! Bye!"

And Boba quickly swam off, or tried to until Crosshair grabbed his tail.

"Ow! My tail!" Boba cried. "Crosshair, you know I hate when you do that!"

"You can go when you tell us what you know." Crosshair said.

Boba gulped. He had a feeling he knew what his brothers were gonna do next.

Moments later....

"STOP IT! STOP IT!" Boba guffawed as Tech and Crosshair held his arms while Echo held his tail and Wrecker was tickling the youngest brother's tummy.

This was a classic method of getting someone to talk in this family if anyone was hiding anything. It proved most effective on Hunter and the twins, them being the most ticklish. But Boba was determined this time to keep his secret, but he was definitely going to give Omega the tickling of her life if he wasn't tickled to death this time.

"Cootchie, cootchie coo!" Wrecker laughed, torturing his youngest brother.

Boba was extremely ticklish; not as ticklish as Hunter, but still.

"Just tell us what you know, Boba." Hunter said. "And the tickles will stop."

"You can't make me talk!" Boba squealed as Wrecker continued to tickle him.

"Is that so?" Hunter smirked. "Wrecker, do it."

Uh oh! Boba thought. Wrecker laughed though and was ready to do something he'd done to the twins when they were much smaller, which now served as ammunition when normal tickling didn't work.

Wrecker lifted Boba's tank up from his stomach and blew a raspberry on the younger merman's stomach, making him squeal with laughter. It tickled even worse than his fingers. Boba wasn't sure how long he could handle this, but Wrecker was sure having fun.

"Okay! I'll tell you!" Boba screamed. "Just stop tickling me!"

"Alright, Wrecker. Let Boba catch his breath." Hunter said.

"Aww!" Wrecker was disappointed to have to stop.

Boba, on the other hand, was relieved to be out of the tickle torture. Once he caught his breath, he told his brothers that before he told them anything, they all had to promise not to tell their father what he was about to tell them.

"Please don't tell me Omega went to the surface again," said Echo.

"Okay. Omega is in love with a human." Boba said.

That had all the brothers gasping. Omega was in love with a human?! Wrecker actually fainted when he heard of that.

"Who is he?!" Crosshair said, cracking his knuckles. "I'll feed him to a shark if he thinks he can date my sister!"

"More importantly," said Tech. "Omega cannot be in love with a human. Father would not approve, and it is too dangerous if we do not do something now."

Omega's brothers knew they had to do something before Omega did something she might regret, or worse, their father found out!

________________________

Omega picked a flower and pulled off its petals in a game of "He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not."

"He loves me....he loves me not...." Omega then smiled when she saw the last petal. "He loves me! I knew it!"

Omega giggled and danced with the petal, Gonky chirping happily seeing.

"Oh, Gonky. I just have to see him again! I have too! Tonight." Omega then started brainstorming. "Estrella must know where he lives. Okay, since bipeds like seeing you, maybe you could get his attention and-"

"Get your head out of the clouds and back in the water where it belongs," said Hunter, swimming over with the rest of his brothers.

"Omega, we know what happened with you and the human." Echo said, crossing his arms.

Omega took a look at Boba, who looked apologetic.

"Wrecker raspberried me!" Boba defended.

"That explains it," said Omega. "Guys, he's not dangerous like Dad says. You should've seen them, they were all so wonderful and-"

"Omega, there are lots of wonderful merpeople down here," Tech said. "Surely you could meet a nice merman down here."

"I hardly even get out of the palace. And I live with six brothers." Omega said. "I'm around men all the time. Mostly ones related to me."

"But you're safe down here," said Hunter.

Hunter got Omega to lift up her left wrist, on which sat a gold bracelet with a little pearl on it. All her brothers wore identical bracelets like it.

"Do you remember what Dad said when he gave you and Boba these?" Hunter said. "That they're a sign of unity, and we merfolk have to stick together."

"That includes you," said Wrecker. "We all gotta keep you safe, especially from bipeds up there."

"You guys don't even know them." Omega said. "Have any of you actually met a biped?"

"Have you?" Crosshair said.

"Yes. And Estrella lives on the surface, and she's not dangerous. Why can't bipeds be safe? Haven't you ever wondered what it would be like to live up there?"

The six brothers had to admit, they were curious about the surface two. When the five oldest ones were little, they were all drawn to the surface too, but King Jango always told them never to go there because that was where the bipeds lived, and it was the bipeds who killed the quads' mother long ago. They didn't remember though because they were only two years old at the time.

"Trust me, Omega. We used to be like you." Hunter said. "But we came to realize that life in the sea is just fine. We don't need to go to some place that could be dangerous. Down here is our home, down here is your home. And the sooner you realize that, the happier you'll be."

"But I've been stuck here my whole life. We've all been stuck here. We've never even gotten to be in other parts of the ocean. Why shouldn't we see for ourselves, explore what's out there before we decide it's dangerous?"

Omega was about to swim away, but her brothers stopped her.

Hunter:

Omega, listen to me

The surface world, it's a mess

Life under the sea

Is better than anything they got up there

And soon, Omega's brothers were the ones bursting into song.

The seaweed is always greener

In somebody else's lake

You dream about going up there

But that is a big mistake

Echo pulled Omega over to a coral reef with lots of beautiful colorful ocean plants and seahorses swimming about.

Echo:

Just look at the world around you

Right here on the ocean floor

Such wonderful things surround you

What more are you lookin' for?

Hunter:

Under the sea

Under the sea

Darling it's better

Down where it's wetter

Take it from me

Tech:

Up on the shore they work all day

Out in the sun they slave away

Hunter:

While we devotin'

Full time to floatin'

Under the sea

Omega's brothers all took her to see all the fish and creatures swimming happily, hoping it would get Omega to forget about the surface.

Crosshair & Tech:

Down here all the fish are happy

Boba:

As off through the waves they roll

Boba, Crosshair, & Tech:

The fish on the land ain't happy

Boba:

They sad 'cause they in their bowl

Wrecker was trapped in a huge bubble to demonstrate how sad it was for fish in a bowl without all the space to swim they'd like.

Hunter:

But fish in the bowl is lucky

They in for a worser fate

Crosshair:

One day when the boss get hungry

Crosshair popped the bubble, and Wrecker plopped on a rock where he played dead.

Wrecker:

Guess who's gon' be on the plate?

Hunter:

Oh no, under the sea

Under the sea

All brothers:

Nobody beat us

Fry us and eat us

In fricassee

We what the land folks loves to cook

Under the sea we off the hook

We got no troubles

Life is the bubbles

Hunter:

Under the sea (Fish: under the sea)

Under the sea (Fish: under the sea)

Since life is sweet here

We got the beat here

Naturally (Fish and Mer-Batch: naturally)

Boba:

Even the sturgeon and the ray

They get the urge 'n' start to play

We got the spirit

You got to hear it

Under the sea

All kinds of sea creatures were joining in to play music and dance and sing along to remind Omega all the beauty that existed in the ocean. Even Gonky was joining in the fun.

Echo:

The newt play the flute

The carp play the harp

The plaice play the bass

And they soundin' sharp

The bass play the brass

The chub play the tub

The fluke is the duke of soul

(Yeah)

The ray he can play

The lings on the strings

The trout rockin' out

The blackfish she sings

The smelt and the sprat

They know where it's at

And oh that blowfish blow

But as lovely as the ocean was, and as much as Omega loved all those things, especially her brothers, she still longed for something new, even just for a day.

Hunter:

Yeah, under the sea (Fish: under the sea)

Under the sea (Mer-Batch: under the sea)

When the sardine

Begin the beguine

It's music to me (Fish: it's music to me)

Omega's brothers:

What do they got? A lot of sand

We got a hot crustacean band

Hunter:

Each little clam here

Know how to jam here

Under the sea

Echo:

Each little slug here

Cuttin' a rug here

Under the sea

Tech:

Each little snail here

Know how to wail here

Crosshair:

That's why it's hotter

Under the water

Everyone:

Ya we in luck here

Down in the muck here

Under the sea

Except, by the time everyone stopped singing, Omega had disappeared again.

"Ugh!" Echo facepalmed, and this time, all his brother said with him, "Not again!"

"Seriously, we oughta start taking turns holding that girl's hand every second of the day." Crosshair said.

That was when a voice called all the princes' names.

"Hunter! Crosshair! Boys!" Lama Su called. "Ah, there you six are. Your father wishes to speak with all of you immediately regarding your sister."

Boba gasped, and his brothers all fell silent. Did their father know about Omega being in love with a human?

Jango chuckled as he looked at the little flower his little flower gave him earlier. His sons hadn't seen this happen like he had. It crossed his mind that Omega must have been in love.

"Let's see now. Who could the lucky merman be?" Jango wondered out loud.

That was when Hunter approached the door, being the oldest.

"Dad? You wanted to see us?" Hunter said.

"Yes, I did, Hunter. Come in, all of you." Jango said.

Quickly, the boys huddled.

"No matter what happens, no one says anything about you-know-what!" Hunter hissed through his teeth.

"My lips are sealed." Boba whispered.

"Mine too," said Crosshair.

"That means you too, Tech." Echo said firmly.

And so, the six princes, as calmly as possible, entered their father's throne room.

"Now, listen, boys. I'm concerned about Omega." Jango said.

"She's fine! Omega's fine. We've been watching her." Boba blurted out, covering his mouth.

"In that case, I'm sure most of you have probably noticed she's been acting peculiar lately?" Jango said.

"What exactly do you mean by 'peculiar,' Father?" Echo said.

"You know, mooning about. Daydreaming, singing to herself."

"Isn't that something girls do all the time?" Wrecker said, trying to brush off the subject.

"So you have noticed. But I suppose none of you know why?"

"We're guys. What do we know about how a girl's mind works?"

"So none of you have seen Omega with another man?"

"Another man?" Hunter became nervous now. "Omega?"

"In love?"

"Technically, she only met him once, so it's hard to say if Omega is in love with him." Tech said.

"Tech, shush!" Echo slapped a hand over his brother's mouth.

"Who did she meet?" Jango said.

"No one!" Boba said. "She's not in love! She wouldn't listen. I told her to stay away from the surface and-"

"The surface?!"

Jango suddenly looked angry and he demanded they tell him everything they knew.

________________________

Meanwhile, Omega made her way to the grotto where she stored her treasures, where Gonky said he found a treasure the girl was sure to adore.

And sure enough, Omega did adore what had fallen into the grove from the surface above. The very statue that had been gifted to Benni. Benni might not have liked the statue, but Omega was in love with it.

"Oh, Gonky. It looks just like him! It even has his eyes." Omega sighed dreamily. "Oh, Benni. If you only knew me... we'd be together forever."

Omega kissed the statue's cheek and rested her head on his shoulder.

"Oh, Benni. Of course I'll run away with you."

Unfortunately, Omega's happy moment was short-lived when she caught sight of the one person she didn't want to see any of this.

"Daddy?" Omega gasped.

Jango did not look happy at all.

"I consider myself a reasonable merman," said Jango. "I set certain rules, and I expect those rules to be obeyed."

"But, Dad, I..."

"Is it true you rescued a human from drowning?"

"Daddy, I had to-"

"Contact between the human world and the mer-world is strictly forbidden. Omega, you know that! Everyone knows that."

"He would have died."

"One less human to worry about."

Omega decided to play an uno reverse card on her father then.

"Well, what if a human saved me from dying? Huh? Would you feel threatened by them then?"

"A human would never risk life for another species."

"You don't even know him."

"Know him? I don't have to know him, they're all the same! Spineless, savage, harpooning fish-eaters incapable of any feeling-"

"Daddy, I love him!" Omega gasped when she realized what she'd blurted out.

If Jango wasn't horrified before, he definitely was now.

"No. Have you lost your senses completely? He's a human. You're a mermaid."

"I don't care. If we live with all different kinds of creatures in the sea, why can't we get along with humans too? Gonky goes to the surface all the time, but do you yell at him?"

Jango wasn't taking anything his daughter said though.

"So help me, Omega, I am going to get through to you. And if this is the only way, so be it!"

Jango raised his trident as it glowed a terrifying glow. When Omega's brothers caught sight of what was happening, they all froze. And Omega was forced to watch in horror as her father fired at all of her treasures from above the sea. Everything she'd collected over the years was shattered to pieces, destroyed in seconds. Omega begged her father to stop, but he just wouldn't listen! And to finish the job, Jango destroyed the Benni statue right before Omega's eyes.

Omega immediately burst into tears at the result of what became of her beloved treasures.

"If being in this family means you treat your own kids this way..." In a fit of anger, Omega looked at her bracelet, then ripped it off and threw it at her father's head. "Then I don't wanna be in this family anymore!"

And Omega quickly swam away, crying. Jango froze for a moment. He didn't like seeing his daughter like this, but he didn't know what else to do.

"Boys..." Jango said to his sons.

But Hunter just turned his back and swam away, throwing his bracelet away too.

"If your previous treatment wasn't too hard on her," said Tech. "This certainly was."

And then he swam away too, throwing off his bracelet in anger.

All of Jango's sons now wanted nothing to do with him after seeing what he did to their one and only sister. They didn't understand why Omega kept pursuing surface stuff, but that didn't mean they agreed with their father destroying her treasures. To her, that was like taking away her very soul.

Boba was last to leave, but before he did... When his father wasn't looking, he found one thing that wasn't destroyed; something that might cheer Omega up a little. Omega's silver spoon. Even he had to admit, it was pretty, and he could begin to see why Omega liked collecting these things, especially when he saw a 'handsome face' in the spoon.

________________________

Omega found a rock to lay on where she could just be alone and cry. She couldn't believe what her father just did; collecting surface treasures was the one thing she loved to do above anything else for years, and he took it all away in just a few seconds.

What she didn't know then was that someone was watching her.

"Poor child." Ventress said, swimming closer to the girl. "Poor, sweet child."

"Looks like this poor girl has a serious problem," said Fennec, joining in. "If only we knew something we could do."

Omega caught sight of the two unfamiliar mermaids before her. She wiped her eyes and became curious as to why they were there.

"But we do know something," said Ventress.

"Who... who are you?" said Omega.

"Don't be scared, little lady." Fennec said. "We know someone who can help you."

"Someone who can make all your dreams come true. Someone can give you what Daddy won't." Ventress said. "Just imagine.

"You and your prince," said both adult mermaids at the same time. "Together forever."

"I don't understand."

"Ooh, then you haven't met your auntie, have you?" Fennec said.

"My auntie?"

"Your Auntie Arla. Your father's big sister." Ventress said. "She has great powers. Powers that made your father jealous enough to kick her out of her own home. And she has been left to be known as... the sea witch."

Omega gasped. She'd heard tales of the sea witch before. The sea witch was said to hold great powers to grant wishes, but if you wish for something from her, she always wanted something in return, and it was usually at a very high cost, which if you couldn't pay, you paid an even higher price, and those foolish wishers never came back. But to learn the sea witch was actually her aunt?

"The sea witch is my aunt?" Omega gasped.

"Why, yes. She's always wanted to meet you, but of course your father won't have that either," said Fennec.

"And she knows more about the surface than your father claims to know." Ventress said. "But if you'd rather stay here, alone, with your father, being his prisoner in your own house... we understand..."

Then the two mermaids began to swim away.

"Wait!" Omega exclaimed.

________________________

All of Omega's brothers felt awful about telling their father. Now all her possessions were gone. She'd worked so hard to collect all those things, and they meant so much to her.

"Poor Omega." Boba sniffled, holding the spoon he'd rescued.

"How could we do this to her?" Echo said.

"I feel awful." Wrecker said.

"Technically, it would be odd if none of us felt awful," said Tech.

Even Crosshair was saddened by this whole ordeal.

Omega was their little sister, and they should've stepped in and defended her. They thought, maybe if they'd jumped in and stood in front of Omega's treasures, maybe their father would've let them be, and they could've done something so he would stop making Omega feel like a prisoner, but instead they froze and watched like a bunch of cowards. They had to something help her.

"There's gotta be something we can do." Hunter said.

"We could try asking her friend Estrella." Boba said. "I know what she looks like. She seems friendly."

"Are you crazy?!" Echo said. "We'd have to go to the surface for that."

"Well, maybe it's not as bad as we think." Boba handed the spoon to Hunter. "I mean, look at this thing."

Hunter looked at the spoon. He wasn't sure what it could be for, but it was pretty.

"Pretty." Wrecker said. Then he had an idea, and licked it. But it didn't taste very yummy. "Nope, it's not a snack."

"I didn't think it was," said Tech. "Perhaps we should go look for Omega and ask her what it is."

And so, the six brothers split up into two teams of three. Boba, Tech, and Crosshair swam toward the surface to look for Omega's surface friend Estrella, while Hunter, Wrecker, and Echo searched for their sister.

________________________

Omega stayed within the slipstreams Fennec and Ventress made as they guided her to a darker part of the ocean where there were sea volcanoes and a glowing cave that looked like a big monster's mouth.

"This way," said the two older mermaids.

Omega was scared by the sight of this place. She could see why her aunt would want to leave this place, even just for a moment to see her niece and nephews. And as she entered the cave, she saw a little garden of seaweed-like creatures called polyps. Omega felt nervous as they all looked at her. One even jumped up and wrapped itself around Omega's wrist, scaring the poor mermaid and making her scream loud enough for three mermen to hear her from a distance.

________________________

"Omega?" Hunter gasped. "Omega!"
That scream immediately told the three brothers their sister was in danger! Thus, they all swam, trying to swim faster than they'd ever swam before.

________________________

Omega got the creature to let go of her and swam a little higher up so the creatures couldn't reach her.

"Come in. Come in, my child." said a woman's voice. "Is lurking in doorways a way to behave when visiting your auntie?"

And that was when Omega was graced by the presence of a woman with tentacles instead of a tail. But she was even more surprised to find that the woman looked like her. The same blonde hair, brown eyes, everything. If the relationship with his sister was as bad as Omega imagined, she was beginning to understand that one time Jango accidentally called her Arla.

"Ah, now that you're here, let Auntie Arla take a good look at you." Arla came closer.

Arla took a good look at Omega, the girl nervously standing still as her aunt circled around her.

"So, it's true. Jango did have a little girl. And you've inherited your auntie's good looks, no less." Arla chuckled. "Now, what's this I hear about you having a thing for a human? A prince, no less. Not that I blame you. I'll bet he's quite a catch. Is he not?"

"Y-Yes. Benni is a catch."

"Ah, Prince Benni. The apple of every girl's eye. But you have no chance as long as you are stuck with a tail."

Omega self-consciously looked at the orange scaly tail on her bottom half, and then at her aunt.

"But there is a simple solution, my dear. The only way to get what you want is to become a human yourself."

Omega gasped.

"Can you do that?"

"My dear, sweet niece. That's what I do." Arla spoke in baby talk, holding Omega's face in her hands. "It's what I live for."

Arla"

I admit that, in the past, I've been a nasty

They weren't kidding when they called me, well, "A Witch"

But you'll find that nowadays I've mended all my ways

Repented, seen the light, and made a switch

True, this

And I fortunately know a little magic

It's a talent that I always have possessed

And here lately, please don't laugh

I use it on behalf of the miserable, lonely, and depressed

Pathetic!

Arla showed Omega an example of past unfortunate merfolk who'd come to her.

Poor unfortunate souls, in pain, in need

This one longing to be thinner

This one wants to get the girl

And do I help them? Yes, indeed

Those poor unfortunate souls

So sad, so true

They come flocking to my cauldron

Crying, "Spells, Arla, please!"

And I help them

Yes, I do

Unfortunately, although the two merfolk were happy at first to get their wishes, they were unable to pay the price, and then they got transformed into polyps.

Now, it's happened once or twice

Someone couldn't pay the price

And I'm afraid I had to rake them 'cross the coals

Yes, I've had the odd complaint

But on the whole, I've been a saint

To those poor unfortunate souls

All the other polyps looked scared. And that was when three of Omega's brothers arrived, and they were shocked to see where she was.

"Now, here's the deal: If you dare. There's a potion I'll prepare, and you'll be human for three days. Got that. Three days. One, two, three. Now, listen carefully. Before the sun sets on the third day, you must get your dear princie to fall in love with you. Putting it simply, he must kiss you."

Omega fluttered her lashes at that thought.

"But not just any kiss. The kiss of true love."

That had Omega frowning; that task wouldn't be easy.

"If he kisses you before the sun sets on the third day, you will remain a human permanently. But if he doesn't, you turn back into a mermaid, and you belong to me!"

Omega's brothers tried to rush in and stop her, but Fennec and Ventress blocked their way.

"Have we got a deal, dear niece?" said Arla.

But Omega thought again.

"If I become a human.... I'll never be with my father or my brothers again."

"Hmm... perhaps... it wouldn't have to be this way, if not for your father. But that's another story. If you take this deal, however, you will have your prince."

Life's full of tough choices, isn't it?

Oh, and there is one more thing.

We haven't discussed the subject of payment

"You are my niece, not an exception." Arla said.

"Okay... what do you want?" Omega asked.

"I'm not asking much. Just a token, really! A trifle! What I want from you is... your voice."

"My voice?" Omega gasped.

"That's right. No more talking, singing... zip!"

"But without my voice, how can I?"

You'll have your looks

Your pretty face

And don't underestimate the importance of "body language," Ha!

The men up there don't like a lot of blabber

They think a girl who gossips is a bore

Yes, on land it's much preferred

For ladies not to say a word

And after all, dear, what is idle babble for?

Come on, you poor unfortunate soul

Go ahead, make your choice

I'm a very busy woman

And I haven't got all day

It won't cost much

Just your voice

You poor unfortunate soul

It's sad, but true

If you want to cross a bridge, my sweet

You've got to pay the toll

Take a gulp and take a breath

And go ahead and sign the scroll

Fennec, Ventress, now I've got her, girls

The boss is on a roll

Those poor unfortunate souls

Omega was hesitant when she looked at the scroll. But on impulse, she grabbed the pen and signed her name in mermaid writing, which looked a lot different from human writing.

And with Omega signing the deal, Arla gathered the ingredients and placed them into the cauldron and sang the incantation to make it work.

Beluga, sevruga

Come winds of the Caspian Sea

Larengix glaucitis

Et max laryngitis

La voce to me

Now sing

Omega:

Ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ah, ah-ah (Arla: keep singing)

Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah (Arla: ha-ha-ha-ha!), ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah

As Omega sang, Arla raised a seashell she wore around her neck, in which Omega's voice was carried, and Omega was fed the potion.

Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!

In a bright flash of light, Omega began to change. Her tail transformed into legs, and now where her tail used to be, she was wearing an orange skirt, like she was dressed for a day at the beach.

Unfortunately, Omega forgot one thing about humans before transforming: humans can't breathe underwater!

Quickly, Wrecker grabbed Omega, and he, Hunter, and Echo swam as quickly as they could to get to the surface so Omega could breathe.

Omega took a big, silent gasp as she got her head out of the water for the very first time as a human.

________________________

I didn't think much of it when I first saw the movie as a little girl, but later I realized the plot hole that Ariel could've written notes to Eric. Thus, why I decided to put in this story, that mer-folk write differently than humans, thus the latter wouldn't be able to read it, the way someone who only knows how to read in English might struggle to learn to read in Chinese or hieroglyphics or basically any language with different symbols.