Arius turned himself to wave at Carlotta and Grimsby as they began their ride at sunrise. He looked back at the road, pointing excitedly. Erica smiled, then turned back. In another moment, she looked back in surprise at Arius flipped upside-down to watch the horses' feet clop, Y/n flipped with him.

As they passed the canal between the castle and the kingdom, Flounder leaped out of the water. "Has she kissed him yet?" he asked Sebastian.

"Not yet," he whispered back.

"Aww..."

They stopped at the town's square, Arius leading them to a puppet booth. He looked curiously, then grabbed at one, ripping it off the puppeteer's hand. Looking around, he grabbed their arms and rushed them over to where others were dancing, but stopped when he saw his fast they were moving and slithered off to the side to watch.

"Are you alright?" Y/n asked, leaning next to him on a wall. He pointed at the people dancing, gazing at them wistfully.

"I know what you mean. We're all kinda misfits, huh? A guy who can't talk in a world that can't shut up, a future queen who would rather be a sailor, and a princess who would rather be a mermaid. It's kind we're, well...fish out of water!" she snapped, thinking it was funny considering.

Eyes wide, Arius ran away from her, not knowing if she knew.

"Did I say something wrong?" Y/n asked, walking a bit closer. "I'm sorry." Knowing that he wanted to, she offered, "Hey, would you like to dance?"

He looked back at her nervously, playing with his fingers.

"Come on. Dancing beats small talk any day!" She took his hand and guided him to the edge of the group. "You can go so many things with just your feet!"

Y/n:
Dancing is a language that is felt inside

She skipped around him, Arius watching with a smile.

Y/n:
You can whisper, sing, or shout without so much as a word

"Try it. Go on."

Y/n:
Like so

Arius spun around, falling into Y/n's arms. She took his hands and steadied him.

Y/n:
Just let your emotions tell your body what to do

He waved his arms, then flapped them with a spin.

Y/n:
See how much a single gesture can reveal
And every little step
Every single step
Is one step closer to saying
What you feel

She took his hands again, Arius looking into her eyes. Shocked by a similar feeling from the day before, he let go and turned, backing away.

She skipped around so that she was on front of him and he had stopped trying to get away.

Y/n:
Once the music hits you, inhibitions fall away
And you find that you're expressing things
Your voice daren't say
Don't be afraid, let go

He turned again, trying to unfeel whatever confusing emotion was overwhelming him whenever he was with her. There was no way it could be love. He loved Erica. He had always loved her...

Y/n:
Soon as you surrender, what's inside will sweep on through
As the boundaries between us disappear

He turned back, watching as she took large, obvious steps towards him.

Y/n:
And every little step
Every single step
Is one step closer to talking
Loud and clear

She held a hand up and, reluctantly, he put his against hers, spinning around.

Y/n:
A dance is like a conversation
Except you never need to make a sound
And once you've begun
You speak as one
Give and take
Back and forth
Round and round

She grabbed his hand and spun herself, then spun out, her skirt fluttering with her. People began to look over and smile at them, dancing around them as they waltzed. Erica, off to the side, played along with her flute.

Arius let go and smiled at her, grabbing her by the waist and picked her up, spinning her around.

He put her down and she watched him solo dance, knowing she still loved him, then stepped out with him, the people twirling outward. They ran out, then back to each other, grabbing hands again.

Y/n:
A dance is like a conversation

She twirled herself into his chest.

Y/n:
Except your lips don't have to part

She got out again, still holding onto him.

Y/n:
And once you've begun,
You speak as one
Cheek to cheek
Toe to toe

She looked at him, filling him with a strange feeling again that now trapped him where he was.

Y/n:
Heart to heart

She had to brush away from him for a second.

Y/n:
Dancing is a language that is felt instead of heard
But it says much more than language ever could
And every little step

Arius stepped towards her. She walked over, then past him.

Y/n:
Every single step
Is one step closer...
One step closer...
One step closer...

She walked back to him, no longer touching him.

Y/n:
To being understood

She put her hand out, and he almost took it, but backed up before they could touch. Everyone else clapped, then left for the markets.

"Um...you're not bad," Y/n offered awkwardly. "First time?"

He nodded, looking down at his hands.

"Okay. Um...wanna see the river?"

He nodded, slowly walking back to the carriage, his energy gone.

Erica caught up, her hand on Y/n's shoulder. "Jeez, what'd ya say to him?"

She shrugged, honestly not sure.

-

Arius had perked back up once they were in the carriage, holding bread and a bouquet Erica had gotten for him and wearing new boots and a hat. Erica offered him the reigns for a turn. Excitedly, he shoved the stuff into Y/n's arms and grabbed them, snapping them, the horses moving at a running speed now.

Seeing them heading for a gulley, her eyes got wide, but Arius looked determinedly, egged on by Y/n's "GO! GO! GO!"

Erica ducked as they jumped, Y/n letting out a loud yell off excitement. They slammed into the ground, Erica peeking up. Still intact, she began to relax, her hands behind her head as Arius continued to steer them.

-

"Don't get pregnant," Y/n said as Erica dropped her back off at the castle.

Red and looking embarrassed, she responded, "How in the hell are we going to do that in a boat?"

She shrugged. "You're young. You'll find a way."

"Haha."

"But seriously, have fun. And be safe," she said, giving her shoulder a little shake goodbye.

She kept smiling as Erica drove Arius back out to the lake, the smile falling immediately. She turned back to the doorway, where Carlotta was there to greet her. Noticing her look, she asked, "Are you alright, dear?"

She nodded, slowly slumping inside.

-

"Move over! Move your big feathers, I can't see anything!" Flounder complained with Scuttle in his way.

But he reported back. "Nothing is...HAPPENING."

Arius forcefully smiled at Erica as she rowed into the creek, trying to feel the love that he knew he had for her.

"Only one day left! And that girl hasn't puckered up once! Okay, alright. This calls for a lil romantic stimulation."

Birds calmly sat on one of the tree branches.

"Stand back." Scuttle slammed himself down on a branch, the birds all scrambling away. He cleared his throat and began squawking off-key.

Erica rowed past, not noticing Scuttle. She laughed uncomfortably and said, "Wow. Someone should really put that animal out of its misery."

He nodded, then looked at Scuttle, who gave him the 'OK' sign, and put his face in his hands.

Sebastian covered his ears, glaring at him. "Jeez, mon! I'm surrounded by amateurs!" He dove into the water for a piece of seagrass. "If you want somet'ing done right, you gotta do it yarself." He got back onto a lilypad, informing the animals, "First, we got to create...da mood."

Scuttle flapped into the water next to him. "Oh! You mean like candlelight and champaign?"

"Nonsense. It don't take all 'dat." He started up the music by waving the seagrass at the animals. "Percussion."

The ducks began to drum on the turtles.

"Strings."

The crickets chirped.

"Wings."

The reeds blew in the wind.

"Words."

Sebastian:
'Dere you see him
Sitting 'dere across 'de waves
He don't got a lot to say, but 'deres somet'ing about him

Arius looked around absently until he saw Sebastian right next to Erica's ear, trying not to give him away with his face.

Sebastian:
And you don't know why, but ya're dyin' to try
You wanna kiss him, girl

"Did you hear something?" Erica asked, looking behind her. Arius shrugged obliviously.

Sebastian, Ducks:
Yes, you want him
Look at him, you know you do

Arius looked at his lap, pulling at his shirt. When he noticed Erica looking at him, he looked back, offering her a smile.

Sebastian, Ducks:
Possible he want you, too
There is one way to

Sebastian, Ducks, Flamingos:
Ask him
It don't take a word, not a single word
Go on and kiss him, girl

Erica leaned in a bit, but pulled away, still rowing: she wanted the boy who saved him.

"Sing wit' me now," he said with his head under the water to the other animals.

Frogs appeared on the ore when Erica lifted it out of the water.

Sebastian, Frogs:
Sha-la-la-la-la-la, my, oh, my
Look like da girl too shy
Go on and kiss him, girl
Sha-la-la-la-la-la, ain't 'dat sad?

Sebastian:
Ain't it a shame? Too bad
You gonna miss him, girl

"You know, I feel really bad not knowing your name," Erica said, stopping the boat for a minute. "Heh. Maybe I can guess. Is it, er...Milford?"

He cringed, looking disgusted at the name.

"Okay, no," she giggled, then went back to thinking. "How 'bout...Daniel?"

He shook his head again.

"Richard?"

"A-rius. His name is A-rius."

Erica looked around for the voice, trying to find where it was coming from. "Arius?"

He nodded, Erica catching it out of the corner of her eye. "Arius?"

He nodded again.

"Well, that's...kind of nice. Okay...Arius."

The leaves of a willow tree got pulled back for the boat to float into.

Sebastian:
Now's ya'r moment
Floating in a blue lagoon
Girl, you better do it soon
No time will be better

Fish jumped out of the water over Sebastian as he rose out.

Fish:
Nya, nya, nya, nya

Sebastian, Ducks, Flamingos, Turtles:
He don't say a word and he won't say a word
Until you kiss him, girl

The fish swam up and swam around the boat.

All:
Sha-la-la-la-la-la, don't be scared
You got the mood prepared

Turtles joined in the swimming.

All:
Go on and kiss him, girl

Fireflies flew around them, lighting up the swamp.

All:
Sha-la-la-la-la-la, don't stop now
Don't try to hide it, how
You wanna kiss him, girl

Sha-la-la-la-la-la, float along
And listen to the song
The song says, "Kiss him, girl!"

Scuttle jumped in front of the flamingos, squawking again.

Scuttle:
WAA WAA WAA WAA WAA

The flamingos tackled him to try to quiet him.

Fish sprayed water from their lips to give a fountain effect over them. Erica smiled shyly at Arius, who gave her a flirtatious look.

All:
Sha-la-la-la-la, the music play
Do what the music say
You got to kiss him, girl

They whispered at her to kiss him.

She began to lean in, Arius doing the same.

Sebastian:
You've got to

All:
Kiss him, girl

Other animals loudly chirped.

Sebastian:
You wanna

All:
Kiss him, girl

They motioned for her to kiss him.

Sebastian:
You've got to

All:
Kiss him, girl

Excitedly, Sebastian rung out Scuttle's neck. "GO ON AND"

All:
Kiss him, girl

They got closer to each other until they could just feel each other lips. Closing their eyes, they pressed their lips against the other's in a kiss.

But there was no spark.

Arius pulled back, the swamp suddenly having gone dark. He looked around, confused. Was there supposed to be some more magic? Was he supposed to get his voice back? Was this it?

"Um..." Erica picked up the ores, beginning to row back, looking around. "I'll - I'll take you home, now."

Sebastian hit his head and Scuttle watched them go, confused. Why were they not more excited?

-

"Damnit! That little tramp!" Ursula exclaimed, watching them row back through her bubble. "Now he's kissed her! He's sure to realize now! Well, 'true love prevails all' my ass! It's time Ursula took matters into her own tentacles!"

She smashed aside a few bottles, taking only what she needed. She threw them into the cauldron, smoke puffing up into the water, then stuck a knob on it and cranked it down.

"Triton's son will be mine. Then I'll make him writhe. I'll see him wiggle like a worm on a hook!"

She laughed evilly as her purple skin turned black and her voice dropped to a deeper version of Arius', the shell around her neck glowing yellow in the darkness as she clutched onto it.

-

Y/n looked out at the ocean from hey sitting spot, the only thing illuminating it the moon. She debated on jumping in and just swimming away where she always wanted to be. If only Arius had stayed, she would have, too.

Y/n:
What would I give to live where you were?
What would I pay to go back before you?
What would I do to see you smiling at me?

There was a dream
There was a goal
Now there's a grief I'll never control
I won't be free
'Cause I can't be
Part of your world

What would I give
If I could live back in those waters?
What would I pay
To spend a day holding your hand?

She stood, not noticing Grimsby had come outside and was approaching her.

Y/n:
I'd give my life
I'd sell my soul
'Cause now there's no point, I can't feel whole
And I can see
I'll never be
Part of your world...

"Y/n, if I may say so..." Grimsby put an arm around her. She looked back, still sadly. "Far better than any boy you pine after is one who loves you back. One warm and caring. One who will soon be right before your eyes."

He walked away to leave her with that and to glance at Arius' bedroom, watching him brush his hair. She smiled, then frowned, looking out at the water.

"Okay, Arius. You win."

She got up and made back for the castle.

"Ah ah ah ah ah ah..."

She looked back, startled. The voice sounded familiar, but she could not put her finger on it.

"Ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah..."

She leaned against the rock she was sitting on, squinting into the distance. A man, shadowed by the darkness, walked along the shoreline, singing.

"Ah ah ah ah ah ah...ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah...ah ah ah..."

Her eyes glazed over as she listened to the voice, the yellow magic spilling into her eyes, turning them catlike.

-

Arius put down his brush and plopped onto his bed with a sigh, his cheek in his hand. The kiss had not seemed to work; he could still feel the remnant of fish in his legs. He squinted, thinking hard. He had strong feelings creep up on him around Y/n, but with Erica, they felt...fake. Like they had been planted there. But it felt like he had known Y/n all his life.

He jumped up suddenly, almost falling back onto the bed, eyes wide.

He had known who she was all that time.

He did not understand why he had forgotten, but he remembered now. As if...he had loved her enough.

His mind was made up. He would let her know the next day. He just hoped he was not too late...