#i enjoy the choice to make her a manta ray but I DESPERATELY wish they gave her a flatter head | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

aybee-seawitch · 4 years

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Always Read the Fine Print

“As I’ve told you before… Magic always comes with price. For this favor, it will be even bigger,” said the voice slowly dripping out from the shadows of the cave like an oil spill.

Ursula looked down, feeling unsure of the favor she so desperately asked for. Ariel wanted to get away from her father and Ursula knew if she stayed home, she would continue to be underestimated, underappreciated, and unloved. It didn’t help she had pissed off some scary, sketchy people. She needed a fresh start. Her life depended on it. She wished there was someone there to talk her out of it. Deep down, this felt almost too good to be true. The only person who could have changed her mind was the person she was doing this for in the first place.

“How big of a price?” Ursula asked reluctantly. “It’s not that I’m not interested… I just want to know what I’m up against here.”

An amused chuckle floated from the dark shadows. “It won’t cost much… Just your choice.”

If she was being honest with herself, Ursula had no idea what that could have meant. To her, it might have meant having to answer to a mysterious, old asshat for a while, but it wasn’t anything she couldn’t handle. Or so she thought.

One of her biggest mistakes will be the moment she underestimated how big a price she would be paying.

“You need to make up your mind, dear. I haven’t got all day. I am busy with my own things to worry about,” urged the voice. “Are you willing to pay it? Is this really what you want?”

“If it means I can be somewhere and someone else, and make my best friend happy, then yes.” Ursula gave a nod as she sighed.

“Wonderful…” A manta ray slowly emerged from the darkness with a scroll. “If you’re willing to leave your parents, your friends, your siblings and your life here in Atlantica behind, sign the scroll,” the voice instructed. A fishbone pen was offered by the manta ray.

Urusla bit her lip, wondering if it was too late to back out but she couldn’t handle living down here anymore. She let out a breath, took the pen, and signed on the line. The second she did, it disappeared with a flash.

“You made a wonderful decision, Urusla.” The voice grew closer, as if whoever belonged to it was coming towards her. Her heart was racing, and the mermaid’s instinct was to swim back the closer it got.

Slowly, from the shadowy cave emerged a man with an octopus-type face, a torso of a man, and his bottom half was crab-like. “Working for me is going to be the best decision you’ve ever made, my dear. I know your potential, I’ve seen it firsthand…”

“How? I just met you…”

“Or have you?” With a swirl, the man transformed before her eyes, resembling the blonde-haired merman she met a year or so ago. It was the merman she trusted. The one she loved. “There is that better? Figured my original form would be alarming…” he said, clearly pleased with himself.

Ursula gasped, her heart sinking when she realized she had been lied to and manipulated this whole time. She couldn’t hold back the tears that rolled down her cheeks. She shook her head,” How could you!? So this whole time you were… manipulating me?”

“Manipulating you?” He swam over to her, a hand resting on both of her arms even though she turned away and reared her body away from him as he tried to comfort her. “I brought out the real you. Your mom has withdrawn into herself since your brother’s passing, only having enough energy to tend to your sister while your father outright ignores your existence. Running with the small crowd you were with---aside from the friend you’re doing this all for---was only going to get you thrown into Triton’s jail, which is not good for anyone. I gave you an option and all I did was solidify it.”

Ursula shook loose from him, swimming away from him, shaking her head. “I can’t believe you. Davy, I trusted you. And now… well… now what? You give me the magic and I work for you now? Why not just ask? Why all of this?”

“Oh you don’t just work for me. I own part of your soul.”

Ursula felt like she was going to faint. Shock and appall was all over her face as the merman swam back to her to comfort her.

“Something you’ll learn in this business is no one ever reads the fine print,” he stated casually. “It’s really just collateral, my dear. All you have to do is what I ask of you. “

Ursula was crying despite herself, wishing she could be tougher in this moment. “And what does that mean? What do I have to do?”

“For now… all you have to do is enjoy yourself. Make friends. Refine your gift of magic. Then, soon, I’ll send you a message on what to do next. I’m not here to hurt you Ursula, I’m giving you a future. Together, we have potential. When I’m done with you, we will be able to rule the oceans together. You’ll see…” he reassured her. And just like that, Davy’s whole body bubbled and instantly disappeared.

In his place, two yellow glowing viles sank into the sand with a piece of paper wrapped around them. She leaned down and picked them up, unraveling the paper and reading: “For now, my end of the bargain. Two potions to help you get out of Atlantica. Read below for the incantation. See you around, Ursula.”

#ursbackstory #dont ask how she's able to cry under water #she just can #also davy jones in gunna be like a sea wizard guy #sorry this sucks

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