Kris sat silently in his seat while he watched King Trident swim back in forth in anger. His wife was sitting in the corner, looking distraught, while consoling Kairi’s little sisters, who were crying. Her older sisters were just crossing their arms with annoyed expressions on their faces. 

 

“Why would she run away? I mean, this whole dinner is for her!” Trident’s voice boomed and vibrated the whole room in the process. 

 

“Don’t worry, honey. She’ll come back eventually,” his wife said, but her voice didn’t sound convinced at all. 

 

Trident shook his head. “I’m not so sure. She’s a rebellious child. She’s done some stupid things before, but THIS! What’s running through her mind?” He snapped his head at Kris. “Kris.” He turned his attention towards the king. “You’re the one dating Kairi-”

 

One of Kairi’s older sister blew a bubble from her gum and popped it annoyingly, interrupting her father. “Kairi’s a bit selfish. Making us worry like this,” she said in a monotone, bored voice. 

 

“Yeah, I agree,” nodded another one of her sisters, who was filing her nails, unconcerned. “I don’t know why she’s so different from us. Why can’t she be NORMAL? Ugh, she’s such a burden on our family.” 

 

“Can we just disown her already?” The rest of the sisters nodded in agreement. 

 

Kris shot them all a cold glare. *They’re supposed to be her family. Why would they talk about her like that?*

 

One of Kairi’s little sisters broke away from her mom. “Y-yah! Don’t talk about Unnie that way! She’ll come back because she loves us!” She wiped away her tears with her fists. “Kairi Unnie is not a burden! You’re just jealous because she got all the talent, and she’s pretty while you’re all ugly!” 

 

Kris stifled a laugh when he saw the expressions on the girls’ faces. “BWOH?!” they all screamed in unison. 

 

“Yah, come back here,” Kairi’s mother snapped at her daughter. “And don’t talk bad about your little sister. You should be ashamed of yourselves!” They crossed their arms even tighter and narrowed their eyes sourly. 

 

“Uh, ahem. You were saying?” Kris intervened nervously. 

 

Trident looked back at Kris again. “Ah, yes. That’s right. Ahem. Well, you should know where she goes, right?” 

 

“Uhm...” Kris shifted in his seat. “I-I do n-” 

 

“Oh, so you do!” The old man exclaimed excitedly. He pulled Kris up and started pushing him towards the exit. “Go look for my daughter and bring her back, okay?” 

 

“What? Wai-” But before Kris could say anything, the door was shut on him, and he stood outside of the palace, dumbfounded on what had just happened. 

 

He shook his head and started swimming off of the property. *Where would she go?* He looked around in the city, and the people all whispered excitedly. 

 

“I heard that Kairi ran away from home?” 

 

“Really? I heard that she chopped people up with her sword and got thrown in the dungeon.” 

 

“I heard that she dumped her boyfriend in front of everyone.” 

 

“Isn’t that him right there?” 

 

“Poor boy. Having to deal with that troublesome girl.” 

 

Kris shook his head in annoyance. *This town really IS full of gossipers.* He was about to swim away when he heard something that caught his attention. 

 

“I thought I saw Kairi swimming over to the Outskirts.” 

 

“Really? She wouldn’t go there, right? That’s where the Sea Witch is!” 

 

Kris didn’t know what compelled him to swim over to the old women and ask them where the Outskirts were. They frequently warned him not to go over in that area, but something in his gut told him that Kairi was there. He thanked them and started swimming out of Atlantica. 

 

 

 

 

“Ugh. I hate my family. I hate everyone.” Kairi fumed as she swam into the Outskirts. A couple of eels that swam past her looked back at her and shook their heads. “Why did I have to be the princess? Why did I have to get the looks? Why did I have to be born in this family? Just-UGH!” She yelled out loud as she swung her tail and whacked at a decaying piece of coral, letting it soar through the water and land 50 feet away from her. 

 

She collapsed down onto a nearby boulder and buried her face into her hands. She ran her hand through her white locks and looked up at the sky. She could almost see the surface of the water that separated her from the human world. *Am I doing the right thing for you?* She rubbed her temples in frustration as the memories started coming back. 

 

~Flashback~ 

 

Kairi was just swimming to her hiding spot with Flounder outside of Atlantica when she was stopped by two eels. 

 

“Hello, princess,” one of them hissed out. 

 

Kairi narrowed her eyes at them suspiciously and merely tried swimming around them, but the other eel blocked her path. She glared at the two creatures. “What do you want?” 

 

“We just want to help you,” they said slyly. 

 

Kairi’s eyes narrowed even more. “I don’t need any help, so if you EXCUSE me-” 

 

“Ah, but you DO need help, princess.” 

 

Kairi crossed her arms. “And what would I need help with?” 

 

“Love.” 

 

Kairi’s ears perked at that single word but kept her expression indifferent. She scoffed at them. “What do you mean?” 

 

“We know about your infatuation with the prince.” 

 

“Pfft, you are quite wrong. I’m not infatuated with any prin-” 

 

“Ah, but you are, princess. The human from above.” 

 

Kairi cocked her head to the side. “He’s... a prince?” 

 

Flounder looked at Kairi and the eels back and forth nervously. “Kairi...” 

 

“Shh, Flounder.” She pushed her friend aside and turned her attention on the eels again. “And how do you expect to help me?” 

 

The eels, who smirked at catching her attention, started circling around her. “You want to be away from your family?” 

 

“Away from your duties?” 

 

“Away from your responsibilities?” 

 

“Do you want to be HUMAN?” 

 

Kairi closed her eyes, and she thought about her conflicting feelings inside. She opened her eyes and looked at the eels again. “How?” 

 

“Visit the Sea Witch. She’ll help you beyond your wildest dreams.” 

 

Kairi stared at them reluctantly. She knew all about the Sea Witch. About how her father banished her to the Outskirts. About how the people who seek her help disappear and are never seen since. 

 

The eels noticed her hesitance. “Just think about it, princess.” 

 

“Yes, do it for your prince.” 

 

“Do it for love, princess.” 

 

“Escape.” 

 

~Flashback~

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Hai you guys. LOL. Oh, I keep forgetting to ask, but if you spot any grammatical errors, tell me! I won't be offended at all! I'm a grammar nazi, so if there are any, I'd appreciate the feedback ^-^

 

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