Chapter 3

"I just don't know what we're going to do with you." Emiliano said.

"Daddy I'm sorry I just...I just forgot. It's a common mistake."

"As a result of your careless behavior."

"Careless and reckless behavior." Jorge interrupted.

"The entire celebration was-"

"Well it was ruined." Jorge interrupted again.

"Papa don't be so dramatic. I'm sure the concert was just fine with Anita and Nikita." Frida said.

"This concert was to be the pinnacle of my career." Jorge said. "Now thanks to you I am the laughingstock of the entire kingdom!"

"But it wasn't her fault." Davi said. "You see there was this shark that was trying to get us and then there was this parrot."

"Parrot?" Emiliano said.

"Davi!" Frida said.

The fish covered his mouth. "Oops."

"Frida! You went up to the surface again! Didn't you?" Emiliano said.

"Nothing happened." She said.

"Frida! You know you're not supposed to go up there! How many times must we go through this? You could've been seen by one of those barbarians, by one of those humans!"

"Daddy they're not barbarians."

"They are dangerous! They're cruel and brutal."

"Dad, they can't all be like that. Have you ever met one?"

"No!"

"Then how do you know that they're all like that?"

"Don't get smart with me! Do you think I want to see my youngest daughter snared by one of those fish eaters."

"Daddy I'm not a child!"

"Don't you take that tone of voice with me young lady! As long as you live under my ocean you obey my rules. And I am to never, never! Hear of you going to the again! Is that clear?"

Frida sighed. "You never listen." She swam away with Davi following behind her.

"Teenagers, you give them an inch and they swim all over you." Jorge said.

Emiliano looked at Jorge regrettably.

"Do you think I was too hard on her?"

"Definitely not sir."

"I don't mean to be so harsh with her it's just that she's...she's..." He calmed down and took a deep breath. "She's already so spirited just like her mother."

"Yes sir, and that spirit is gonna get her in a whole lot trouble. Why if Frida was my daughter I'd show her who's boss."

"She needs...constant supervision. Someone to watch over her."

"Exactly."

"And you're just the crab to do it."

"Me?" He gasped. "How do I get myself into these situations?" He said as he walked out of the palace. "I should be writing symphonies not babysitting some headstrong teenager."

Then he noticed Frida and Davi sneaking off somewhere. "Hmm...what is that girl up to?"

He followed them, they swam into a small cave that led to a grotto filled with human stuff.

"Are you okay?" Davi asked Frida.

"He just doesn't understand." She sighed. "He never listens to me."

"I'm sure he doesn't mean to upset you."

"I know, but the humans can't all be bad." She said. "I wonder what they look like? I know that instead of a tail, they have these appenedges called legs and they have feet instead fins."

"Chapi says they're pretty ugly."

"I've always wanted to see one."

"Frida!" They turned around shocked to see that Jorge had followed them. "What, are you mad? How could you...what is all this?"

"It...errr...it's just my collection."

"Oh I see your collection." He said faking calmness. "IF YOUR FATHER KNEW ABOUT THIS?!"

"You're not gonna tell him are you?" Davi said.

"Oh please Jorge." Frida pleaded. "He'd never understand."

"Frida, you're under a lot of pressure down here. Let me take you home and get you something to drink." Jorge said.

Suddenly something glided across the sea. Curious, Frida swam up to the surface with Davi and Jorge behind. Not too far from them was a ship that was shooting off fireworks.

"Frida, what are you-" Jorge looked to see Frida swimming toward the ship. "Frida! Come back!"

She pulled herself up to the ship and hid behind the edge where she had a good view of the ship. Aboard it, sailors were playing music and dancing around, they seemed to be celebrating something. Then she saw Zebra Donkey running around, braying.

"What kind of animal is that?" She asked herself.

Suddenly Zebra Donkey caught her scent and began sniffing for her. She turned her head and hid from the creature. When she thought he was gone she looked back only to have Zebra Donkey lick her face happily.

"Zebra Donkey!" A voice called. "Come here boy!" The voice whistled. Zebra Donkey then ran over to his owner Manny. When Frida saw him she felt heart flutter, a real live human boy, she had never seen one before. He had thick, dark, curly hair, a cute button nose, freckles, and the most gorgeous brown eyes ever.

"Hey there sweetie, quite a show eh?" Senor Chapi said flying over.

"Chapi! Be quiet they'll hear you." Frida said.

"Oh I gotcha, we're being intrepidatious. WE'RE OUT TO DISCOVER-"

She clamped his beak shut. "Shh!"

Manny began stroking Zebra Donkey playfully, Frida's eyes never left him for a second.

"I've never seen a human this close before." She sighed.

"Ugly aren't they?"

"I like that one, he's actually kinda cute."

"I dunno know." Chapi said looking at Zebra Donkey. "He looks kinda hairy and slobbery to me."

"Not that one, the other one." She said pointing to Manny.

Then a tall muscular man and a beautiful woman with hair and eyes similar to Manny's walked forward with a box. "Happy Birthday Manny." They said handing him the box.

"Thanks Mom and Dad." He said opening the box, inside was a brand new telescope. "Wow! Thanks! Just what I needed."

"You're very welcome Manny." Rodolfo said. "Though I had hoped it would be a wedding present?"

"Oh don't start Dad." Manny groaned. "You're not still sore that I didn't fall for Princess Sofia of Gluerhaven are you?"

"I don't know why you rejected her, she was very pretty."

"Yeah and she was also spoiled, mean, and her eyebrow yeesh. I've seen gorillas less bushy. Worst of all she hates the sea and she said I was a fool for loving it."

"Well she did seem very demanding."

"And her voice, just terrible."

"I can't disagree with you on that son." He said. "But Manny your mother and I won't be around forever, eventually you'll have to take my place as king and take a wife."

"Dad marriage is the farthest thing from my mind right now."

"Oh Manny it isn't me alone the entire kingdom wishes it to see you happily settled down with the right girl."

"Leave him be Rodolfo." Queen Maria said. "He's still young, he'll marry when he finds the right girl."

"I know dearest, but he's rejected pretty much every eligible woman that comes."

"Well she's out there somewhere Dad, I...I just haven't found her yet." Manny said.

"Well perhaps you aren't looking hard enough."

"Believe me Papi, when I find her I'll know it, it'll hit me. Bam! Like lightning."

Suddenly thunder clapped and lighting struck. Frida could sense a nasty storm coming soon, she hoped no one on the ship would be harmed.

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