"LITTLE
MERMAID 3:
ARIEL’S
MELODY"
An
animated script submission from
HUNTINGTON
CREDENZA
@2001
HUNTINGTON CREDENZA
Fifth
draft 11-18-02
EXT:
DAY, OCEAN
A
corvette is cutting through the water. It is a choppy day at sea and the sails
billow frantically. The main sail has a giant stylized eye on it.
Behind
the ship, near the horizon, a major storm is brewing. The ship shudders and
pitches.
ANGLE
ON THE DECK
On
the bridge, the CAPTAIN is trying to pilot the ship, but she’s fighting back.
He is an old salt of the sea, with a full, gray beard, but portly from his
years on the briny.
As
he wrestles with the wheel, another man comes up behind him, also pitched
around by the waves. This is MEPHISTO.
He
is wearing a long topcoat that nearly covers his feet. Slender and tall, he
sports a pencil-thin mustache, and looks like the magician David Copperfield.
The collar of the topcoat is turned up, but is flapping in the wind.
CAPTAIN
Things are getting rough.
The
ship is hit with an oblique wave and Mephisto is sent sliding across the wet
deck. He grabs onto the rope attached to the clapper of the ship’s bell. The
bell CLANGS loudly, far too close to his ear. He is momentarily dazed.
As
he staggers to his feet, he is hurled towards the side railing on the bridge.
As he gets there, a giant wave sends up a fountain of water.
Mephisto
comes face to face with a fish that was caught in the wave. They hold for a
moment, and then SCREAM in terror.
Mephisto
has had it. He storms over to the Captain, using the slippery deck and tilting
ship to get there quickly. As he talks, he squeegees water out of his hair.
MEPHISTO
You
said the waters were calm this time of year. Well, if this is calm, I’d just
love to see what a hurricane looks like!
Mephisto
burrows right into the Captain’s face, who remains unmoved. A drop of water
hangs off of Mephisto’s nose. The Captain jerks his thumb over his shoulder.
CAPTAIN
You’ll get your wish soon
enough.
Mephisto
heads to the aft portion of the bridge to see the storm. He returns to the
Captain.
MEPHISTO
You
were hired for your sailing knowledge, but I could pilot this barge better than
you can!
Another
crashing wave hits the ship, drenching Mephisto. Looking dour, he doesn’t even
try to dry off. Why bother?
CAPTAIN
The rate that storm is gaining,
we’ll never make it to Boldoni.
The
Captain grabs Mephisto and has him steer the ship. Mephisto is horrified as the
wheel slams him about.
The
Captain pulls out a telescope and scans the far horizon.
CAPTAIN
Blast this weather. Makes it
hard to see if…
The
Captain stops as he focuses the telescope. Mephisto looks on with interest.
MEPHISTO
Well?
The
wheel spins maniacally as Mephisto leaves it and he approaches the Captain, who
hands him the telescope.
CAPTAIN
See for yourself.
The
Captain returns to the wheel, which is rotating with great speed. The Captain
puts out his hands to catch it. He grabs the wheel and it stops dead. The ship
is righted.
Mephisto
puts the glass up to his eye, trying to focus it.
MEPHISTO
I know there’s a trick to make
this work.
MEPHISTO’S
POV THROUGH TELESCOPE
There’s
something in the distance, but it slides in and out of focus.
EXT:
SHIP, DAY
As
Mephisto tries to work the telescope, another wave crashes into the ship. A
finger of water smacks the end of the telescope, collapsing it into Mephisto’s
face.
From
Mephisto’s POV through the telescope, is a crisp and clear picture of Eric’s
castle, still bathed in sunshine, although the weather is turning foul there as
well.
CAPTAIN
That should fit your needs.
Any port in a storm, eh?
Mephisto
removes the telescope with a noisy PLOIP and hands it back to the Captain.
Adjusting himself, trying for some degree of dignity, he gets ready to leave.
MEPHISTO
Yes. Fine. Good.
As
Mephisto heads down the stairs, the Captain starts barking out orders to the
crew, who scramble about the deck. Mephisto adroitly avoids them as he makes
his way below.
MEPHISTO
I don’t care where we go,
just somewhere that’s dry.
A
massive wave crashes into the ship, sending a cataract of water across the
deck. Mephisto is not only soaked, kelp fronds hang from him and fishes flop
about at his feet. He says nothing; his expression is enough. He goes below.
Zooming
back, up and away from the ship, attention turns to the castle. MUSIC swells
and the OPENING CREDITS begin.
The
background fills with views of the sea as we soar above it like a bird. Sea
life is leaping out of the water and the waves are heading towards the beach.
We
tilt up and slow down as Eric’s castle closes in. A small shaft of sunlight
hits the beach, but it is slowly swallowed up by the storm clouds.
The
TITLES end and the MUSIC finish with a grand flourish. At Mermaid Rock, a wave
CRASHES against it.
Ejected
by the spray is FLOUNDER and SEBASTIAN. They are propelled high into the air,
then splash back under.
EXT:
DAY, OCEAN
Under
the sea, Flounder regains his bearings and hunts for Sebastian, who is buried
headfirst into the ocean floor.
Horrified,
Flounder swims over and grabs hold of Sebastian’s legs to pull him free.
Sebastian shakes his head with an AYEAYEAYE and knocks some mud from his ears.
SEBASTIAN
I
tell you, mon, dis is gettin’ to be a real chore.
FLOUNDER
But the King is counting on us.
SEBASTIAN
(Resolved)
I
know. I just wish he’d count on someone else.
Sebastian
clamps on to Flounder’s back fin and they continue to the beach.
EXT:
DAY, BEACH
It
is a view of the sea from the beach. The storm clouds are gathering and the
ocean is frothing up. There is still some sunlight, but it is rapidly
retreating. There is still enough light, however. Whitecaps CRASH angrily on
the shore.
In
silhouette, someone is walking. They are bundled up against the howling wind.
As they look out to sea, Sebastian and Flounder break the surface. The hood
comes off. Close-up reveals Ariel.
She
is wearing a hooded cape gown with slits for her arms. It is a medium weight
garment, more designed for protection against the wind. Ariel goes to the
water’s edge as she sees her friends.
ARIEL
Flounder! Sebastian!
FLOUNDER
Ariel! Ariel!
Ariel
gets down on all fours as the two come up to her. She is elated at their visit.
ARIEL
Awwww! You know you don’t have
to do this.
FLOUNDER
But we want to.
SEBASTIAN
Besides, your faddah told us
to do so.
Ariel
giggles.
ARIEL
I
can just hear him now. ‘Ariel needs constant super-vision’.
FLOUNDER
‘And you’re just the crab to do it.’
All
laugh. Ariel looks at her friends with longing and homesickness.
ARIEL
I’m a big girl now.
SEBASTIAN
But
you’ll always be his little mermaid.
ARIEL
I know. He does this because he
loves me and misses me.
FLOUNDER
We all do, Ariel.
Ariel
stands up. A huge wave slams into Flounder and Sebastian, driving them onto the
beach. Ariel recoils from the strength of the wave, then hurries to get both of
them back into the water.
ARIEL
(To
Flounder)
You’d
better get back to Atlantica. It looks like bad weather.
SEBASTIAN
We’ll let your faddah know
everyt’ing’s all right.
FLOUNDER
Good bye, Ariel.
Ariel
waves good-bye as they disappear under the surface. She continues waving long
after they are gone. She puts her hood up and walks along the beach.
A
vicious gust scoops off the hood. Her long red hair flails about. She does not
put the hood up; rather, she turns into the wind to get pummeled by the fury of
the on-coming storm.
She
is barefoot and wades into the edge of the waves. Her feet and cape hem get
soaked. She smiles a happy, contented smile. The more ferocious the storm is,
the happier she is.
Sea
spray coats her and the ocean becomes a constant ROAR. The breakers SMASH onto
the beach, demonstrating their fury.
Blithely
walking along the shore, she sings, her dulcet tones drowning out the noise:
ARIEL
How long has it been since I left? Have
I spent that much time on the land?
I’ve been in a completely different world
Which, at times, I can’t understand.
To know about fire and footwear,
The wind and the rain and the sun,
Though difficult and enjoyable,
Both a challenge and also quite fun.
For no matter where I may go,
My heart belongs to the sea
But now, I live upon the land
And this is the place for me.
I love my Eric completely
The kindest man I have known
He’s been by me through the tears and the
joy
And the compassion that he’s shown
Ariel holds at the water’s edge, as froth and foam cascade about. As she wades back in, she looks down at her feet for a moment, then out to the gathering storm.
But there are times I wish I could be
A mermaid again for a while
Then I look about at what I have
And I give myself a great smile
I do miss my father and sisters
I’d just enjoy hearing their voice
But this is the life I have chosen
And I know this is the right choice
For no matter where I may go,
My heart belongs to the sea
But now, I live upon the land
And this is the place for me.
On land is where I will be.
Ariel
watches as wave after wave crash over Mermaid Rock. She smiles wistfully, but
her reverie is interrupted by..
ERIC (VO)
(From a distance)
Ariel! Ariel!
Ariel
turns to see Eric running down the beach. He catches up with Ariel, but cannot
speak, as he is panting. Ariel watches with love as Eric makes the long run.
ERIC
No
one saw you leave
and
we were worried.
Ariel looks distant.
ARIEL
I
just needed to take
a
walk. Get some air.
ERIC
We
were concerned about
you. Both of you.
Eric
kneels down in front of Ariel and parts her cape to reveal that she is
incredibly pregnant. Ariel, almost beatific in her radiance, smiles as Eric
gingerly puts his head to her tummy. He smiles with pride as he listens.
Suddenly, his head makes a shudder. Eric grins even wider.
ERIC
He kicked me. My son kicked me.
Eric
jumps up and begins to dance a jig around Ariel, singing, “He kicked me” over
and over. Ariel laughs. Eric stops and holds Ariel close and very passionately.
ERIC
I love you so very much.
They
start to kiss, but an immense gust kicks up and blows them aside. Eric catches
Ariel and he looks out to sea.
ERIC
We’d better get back inside.
It’s going to be a howling storm.
Cradling
Ariel protectively, they make their way back to the castle. Ariel puts her hood
on. As they leave, on the horizon is the shadow of Mephisto’s ship heading into
port.
INT:
CASTLE, NIGHT
Eric
struggles to close and lock a window against the vicious wind. Just as he does
it and turns away, SCUTTLE is slammed against the window.
Scuttle
holds for a moment and quickly slides away. Eric turns to see nothing. He
shrugs, thinking it’s the wind.
They
are all in the nursery, a cavernous room filled with stacks of shelves and
cabinets. Ariel is sitting on a fainting lounge, feet up, swathed in pillows. A
roaring fire casts the room in a warm glow.
Around
her are CARLOTTA and GRIMSBY. Four other people are off to one side. On a table
in front of her are yards of fabric, wallpaper, paint swatches and other plans.
We hear Grimsby nattering on, standing near a covered something.
GRIMSBY
This is the bassinet. Made
by one of the finest companies
in Europe. Real French Oak.
Grimsby
pulls the sheet off. It is immense, looking less like a cradle and more like a
ship. Ariel is feeling out of sorts. This is nice, but it’s a bit more than she
wanted.
ARIEL
I..don’t know what to say.
Eric
walks over and looks at the cradle, then shows it to MAX, his dog. Both of them
think it’s great. Max is sniffing the legs deviously.
ERIC
This will be fine, Grim.
As
they examine the riotous wallpaper strips, a beautiful sea-green background
with a pattern that looks like a fish stops Ariel. It shimmers in the
firelight.
She
picks it up and gazes at it. It transforms into images of her sisters and her
life beneath the sea. Smiling blissfully at it, her half-lidded eyes mist over.
Then..
ERIC
Then it’s settled. This one.
Ariel
is shaken back to reality as Eric makes the final decision on the wallpaper, a
boldly masculine gold-and-maroon design with a lighter red pattern.
Before
Ariel can speak, the sample is whisked away. The four people off to one side
are the wallpaperers, who begin work immediately. Ariel tries to get up but is
gently restrained.
CARLOTTA
Now, now, your Highness, you
shouldn’t get up. You need to
save your strength.
All
around her, plans and activities are being made, but Ariel is excluded. To add
to the insult, Ariel is covered with a drop cloth and left behind.
Eric
and Grimsby appear outside the room to hordes of servants, eager to do
anything. They start to sing.
SERVANT
#1
What
can we do?
SERVANT
#2
How
can we help?
SERVANT #3
This
hasn’t happened in many a year.
ALL
SERVANTS
Now
there’s a chance
To
all do our part
And
welcome the new child here.
GRIMSBY
(Rex
Harrison-sings)
Come
along people, no time to tarry,
Tide
and time wait for no one
We
must get ourselves fully prepared
Prince
Eric is having a son.
Back
in the nursery, Ariel manages to disentangle herself from the drop cloth. The
workmen are shocked that they covered her. Ariel scampers after Eric, but
trails him.
GRIMSBY
It’s a most joyous time in the castle
Activity is at fever pace
As we must have everything ready
And everything in its place
Even
at this hour, the castle is a hive of activity. The castle is being cleaned and
polished up with a joyful franticness bordering on zealotry.
One
servant cleans up and, moments later, another servant cleans again. The palace
is alive with lively colors, brightening up the dull walls.
CHORUS
The
Kingdom is getting a child
An
heir to the royal throne
And
we will make this place perfect
For
his highness’ brand new home
Ariel
pursues, dodging craftsmen and servants who dance and wheel about. Going high,
going low, she can’t get a clear pathway to Eric and Grimsby, who are seemingly
oblivious to the action about them and to Ariel’s plight.
As
the servants sing, Ariel tries to move. Every time she makes a little progress,
she is quickly placed into another seat. It takes her some time to cross the
room.
ALL
We
will polish the windows
Until
they glisten and shine
GRIMSBY
But
please, you all have to hurry
There
just isn’t very much time
A
sea of people surrounds Eric.
ERIC
Decisions,
decisions,
Hundreds
have to be made.
What
kind of clothes will he wear?
Where
will his head be laid?
Eric
makes these decisions, much to Ariel’s horror. She reaches out to Eric, but is
swirled away by another phalanx of helpers.
Ariel
gives up trying to get to Eric and decides to wait for him to get back in her
direction. CHEF LOUIS shows Ariel his ideas.
CHEF
LOUIS
This
child will get to enjoy
The
finest food anywhere
A
palatial meal for him every night
A
marvelous bill of fare
Ariel
is appalled to see such adult meals like escargot, veal, goose liver, items
more for a four-star restaurant than a baby’s simple tastes. Before Ariel can
say a word, it’s whisked away and she spins off in another direction.
Every
time Ariel tries to eat something, it is taken from her as not being good for
her. A basket of fruit is whisked away and a piece of bread is left in its
place. Before she can get to the bread, it, too, is removed and a glass of
water sits in its place.
She
has little time to react, as the water departs and a hunk of cheese bounces
into view. Ariel views that with alarm, owing to the way it bounced. That, too,
is removed, replaced with the bowl of fruit at the beginning.
Ariel
is getting angry. She quickly snatches an orange, but it’s taken from her and
she gets a potato. The frustration builds as the music increases in tempo.
CARLOTTA
What
about diapers?
What
about diapers?
Are
we all set when I ask
What
about diapers?
Behind
her, an army of servants with piles and piles of fluffy white diapers are at
the ready. Carlotta signals them and they follow her. Ariel reaches out to
Carlotta, but she mistakes it for a greeting and waves, passing Ariel by.
Too
many do-gooders are over-attending Ariel, who feels trapped and suffocated.
Grimsby
and Eric are directing traffic as forests of flowers appear out of nowhere and
are plunked down. Ariel finds herself in a jungle, trying to stem the tide of
rising hysteria.
GRIMSBY
Get
it all ready
ERIC
Make
it all nice
GRIMSBY
Be
sure it’s all pretty
ERIC
Check
it all twice.
GRIMSBY
No
detail will be overlooked
ERIC
Nothing
is left to chance
GRIMSBY & ERIC
The baby will be entranced.
Ariel
extracts herself from the foliage and is nearly bundled up by the bunting
people, as festoons of ribbon bedeck the walls and halls. Ariel is treated more
like a piece of furniture, moved about and out of the way.
The
colors are getting to the point of garishness in their brightness. Ariel is
steered farther and farther away from the center of action.
Ariel
ends up in a seat, near an easel. The COURT PAINTER is trying to capture the
flavor of the event and when he sees Ariel, starts to put her in the painting,
capturing in a few brush strokes her anguish and spiritual exhaustion.
She
pauses for a moment, and then steels herself. She will accomplish her
task.
Samples
are showcased of everything, whether or not it is even practical. A virtual
parade of items passes in review in front of Eric and Grimsby.
ERIC
He’ll
only be bathed in the softest soaps For
washing the royal hair,
GRIMSBY
The
fluffiest towels to cuddle and dry him
To
show him that we all care.
An
explosive fury of music and dance detonates as it all races along out of
control.
CHORUS
The
Kingdom is getting a child
An
heir to the royal throne
And
we will make this place quite perfect
For
his Highness’ brand new home
Do
we have enough?
And
is it all here?
The
last two lines are repeated again and again, picking up speed. Ariel fights
against the tide of people, pushing her way through the crowd. She reaches her
limit.
ARIEL
(Booming)
STOP!
Everything
stops dead. All eyes are riveted on Ariel, angry and hurt. Eric steps forward,
genuinely unaware of any problem.
ERIC
Ariel, is there something wrong?
Ariel’s
eyes widen in rage as the servants all take several steps back, leaving Eric
alone to face Ariel’s wrath.
ARIEL
Wrong?
Wrong? How could anything be wrong? You’re having a child and the whole kingdom
is celebrating.
We
can’t wait for this child to get here. This child will have everything. This
child will be perfect. This child is going to be the best. This child this.
That child that.
Well..what
about me, the mother?! Remember me, the other half of this?
What
do I get to do? Aren’t I part of this? Am I part of it?
I
can’t choose my child’s wallpaper, or crib or even the name. I assume that’s
been taken care of as well!
Ariel
leans into Eric, snarling fury and hurt. Eric gulps. One servant with a poufy
hat carefully closes a book and puts away his quill, tucking it into the hat.
Another
servant gets Ariel’s chair and slowly pushes it towards her, SCRAPING it
horridly across the floor. Like fingernails on a blackboard, the noise causes
everyone to wince. Only Ariel is unmoved by the din.
ARIEL
I will be involved in this!
In all of it!
Ariel
furiously kicks over the chair, stamping her foot hard. The sound echoes
throughout the castle.
ARIEL
I am tired of being told
what to eat and when to
rest and what to do! I
will make my own…
Ariel
suddenly goes silent as her face has a look of total confusion and uncertainty.
She is experiencing something completely alien. Her whole body shudders.
The
room is deathly quiet; no one is certain what to do. The storm howls and the
thunder cracks. Ariel slowly puts a hand on her stomach and her mouth widens.
ARIEL
(Done
very quietly)
Ow.
Ariel
looks very scared. Eric leaps into action, going to Ariel and placing his hand
on hers.
ERIC
(Yelling)
Get the doctor!
INT:
CASTLE, NIGHT
In
the hallway just outside a bedroom, Grimsby sits on a chair while Eric paces
frantically. The flashes of lightening occasionally light the area.
The
thunder booms, the wind howls and rain pelts against the window. The room is
sedate, with only a couple of hall candle sconces lighting them.
ERIC
I should be in there with her.
Eric
starts to go, but is restrained by Grimsby, who speaks in reassuring tones.
GRIMSBY
If the doctor needs you, he
knows where to find you.
Eric
stares at the massive wooden doors. He wants to go in so much, but hold back.
Grimsby senses his feelings of loss and confusion and counsels him.
GRIMSBY
Things
like this have been going on since..well, forever. They know what to do.
ERIC
But
this is the first time for me and for Ariel. I want to do what’s best.
GRIMSBY
And
what’s best is to let those who know what to do take care of things.
Grimsby
leads Eric from the door. Eric walks to the edge of the hall and stands by the
window, a massive, cathedral-like, floor-to-ceiling structure.
Staring
into the storm. Eric looks very small, as he is lost within his thoughts.
Grimsby tries to occupy Eric’s mind.
GRIMSBY
As
the Royal Consort to the child, we need to address some issues.
Raising
his hand, Eric has him hold.
ERIC
That
can wait. A few days won’t matter for my son.
Eric
has a pregnant pause, mulling over what he has said.
ERIC
My son. My son.
Eric
begins to experiment with the way he says that.
ERIC
My son. MY son. MY SON.
I’m going to have a son.
Grimsby
nods appreciatively. Eric sings.
ERIC
I’ve
had this dream all my life,
I
suppose every father does,
Of
having a child of your very own,
We
have these hopes all because
It’s
just part of being human
The
best that could ever be done
The
feeling of wonderment total
The
joy of having a son
A
son who one day will be
The
ruler of all he surveys
A bright shining beacon of courage and hope
That
follows throughout all his days
I
will show my son the path
To
be a person, a monarch, a man,
And
with compassion and strength and heart To
give to him all that I can
Eric,
in a fantasy sequence, is playing with his child. His face is never seen as
Eric does these activities with him.
My
son whom I can teach
How
to play and read and learn
The
proper approach that a prince should take And the proper direction to turn
To
have care and concern for those
He
governs and leads and rules
To
be able to understand people
Seeking
wisdom, avoiding fools
He’ll
carry the name that we give him
Holding
it high and with great pride
To
understand fully his place in the world
And
to never be haughty or snide.
To
be the kind of person
Projecting
dignity and respect
To
know when to follow a cause
And
when it’s time to forget
I will show my son the path
To
be a person, a monarch, a man,
And
with compassion and strength and heart To
give to him all that I can
A
son who will always remember
That
once he was..my son.
As
Eric sings, he goes through the motions, acting out his nobility. He is filled
with awe on the mystery of life and how both wonderful and scary it is.
Just
as he finishes, a magnificent flash of lightening is seen, as a tremendous
crash of thunder shakes the castle.
The
door opens and the DOCTOR comes out. He is a man who has delivered hundreds of
babies, and is tired from the exertion. Eric accosts him.
DOCTOR They are both doing fine.
However, she needs her rest.
You can have a few minutes
with them, but speak in
quiet tones. But…
Before
the doctor can finish, Eric scampers into the room. Grimsby follows, but stops
to talk to the doctor.
INT:
BEDROOM, NIGHT
Ariel
is in bed, bedraggled from giving birth. Despite her exhaustion, she still
looks radiant.
The
room has many candles about and it far warmer and friendlier than the hallway.
Ariel gives a lack-of-energy smile to Eric.
Holding
a bundle, it is their child, swaddled fully. Eric comes over to her and
gingerly sits on the side of the bed, looking at the child.
Carlotta
is folding up some towels rapidly and looks concerned, but forces a smile.
Everything is done quietly.
ERIC
How..how are you?
Eric
holds one of her hands and brushes some wisps of hair from her face.
ARIEL
I’m feeling fine.
She
is tired, but he senses a great relief. Ariel cradles up the bundle and unfolds
the top. Eric is bursting with anticipation, but keeps his movements small and
slow.
ARIEL
Here is our child.
Eric
stares into the bundle. A shock of black hair adorns the head of the
now-sleeping baby.
ERIC
My son.
ARIEL
Our daughter.
Eric
freezes for a moment, as he feels let down. Carlotta reacts and she feels Eric
is depressed over the sudden change of events. He wanted a son; he REALLY
wanted a son.
Then,
Eric shrugs and smiles. It’s OK he has a daughter. It really wasn’t all that
important. He plays with her.
ERIC
My daughter.
ARIEL
Our
daughter Melody.
Eric
mulls over the name. He wasn’t expecting a girl, so he has no name of his own.
He still smiles.
ERIC
My daughter…Melody.
Ariel
smiles, as Eric has accepted the name and their child. He begins to look at
her.
ERIC
My daughter Melody, with
her ten little fingers…
Eric
takes one of her fingers, which looks huge against Eric’s hands.
ERIC
…and her ten little toes.
Eric
removes the baby from Ariel. Ariel tries to react.
ARIEL
Eric, there’s something
you need to know before…
Too
late, Eric unwraps Melody. Eric is now confronted with an orange fin flapping
up and down. Pole-axed, Eric’s eyes follow every movement of the fin.
ERIC
My daughter Melody…
He
is in shock as he carefully hands Melody back to Ariel and turns towards
Carlotta. He makes a goofy grin.
ERIC
My daughter Melody the mermaid!
He
turns and starts to leave, but passes out, crashing to the floor. Grimsby rushes
to Eric, the doctor following. Ariel and Carlotta stare at each other. Carlotta
doesn’t know what to do, so she wrings her hands over and over.
CARLOTTA
(Forced
gaiety)
Well, that went well.
FADE
OUT, HOLD BLACK FOR A MOMENT
EXT:
DAY, CASTLE
It
is a blazingly magnificent day. The storm has passed and everything looks
marvelous. With a bird’s eye view of the castle, the terns wheel about,
gracefully soaring on the thermals.
Another
bird rockets into view. It has to be Scuttle, as he flies so badly. Chasing the
other birds away, he loops and dips, finally crashing into a window of the
castle.
SCUTTLE
I have got to do something
about that.
Scuttle
slides down, squeaking against the window.
INT:
CASTLE, DAY
The
other side of the window Scuttle has slammed into is Eric’s room. In bed, he
turns fitfully, then bolts awake. Eric sees he is in his own bed. Feeling
assured, he sighs in relief. He pulls a cord by his bed and rises to get
dressed.
He
crosses over to the balcony window and opens it. The door squashes Scuttle.
Moments later, Grimsby arrives and Eric reenters the room. Scuttle rights
himself and begins to listen.
GRIMSBY
Your majesty..
Eric
goes over to the wardrobe and begins to dress for the day, putting on a shirt.
ERIC
I
guess Ariel got up early. That’s good, because I cannot begin to tell you the
horrible
dream I had last night.
Grimsby
looks at Eric with apprehension. What could have been worse than last night?
Eric is working with one sock on and the other in his hand.
ERIC
I
got Ariel really, really mad at me and did she let me have it. With the entire
castle staff watching on as well.
Then,
she had the baby, but it wasn’t a baby baby, but a mermaid baby. Can you
imagine anything so ridiculous in all ..your..life.
Eric
relates the tale, as Grimsby looks more and more dour. As Eric continues,
Grimsby shakes his head ‘no’ slowly. Eric, dejectedly, flops into a chair.
ERIC
It’s all true?
GRIMSBY
(Nods
agreement)
Every single word of it.
Eric
is crestfallen and emotionally bereft.
ERIC
I have a daughter who’s a mermaid.
GRIMSBY
Your wife is a mermaid.
Eric
quickly corrects Grimsby.
ERIC
WAS a mermaid.
Grimsby
realizes Eric’s vulnerable state, but he must remain true to the facts.
GRIMSBY
You
may take the mermaid out of the water, but you can’t the water from the
mermaid. She is what she is.
Carlotta
comes in, bringing fresh clothes. Scuttle takes advantage of this diversion to
try and sneak into the room to get an earful of this news.
CARLOTTA
And what a wonderful day it is.
Carlotta
heads over to the window to take in the breeze, done more for Eric’s benefit.
She takes in a huge amount of air, holds it for a moment and lets it out.
Scuttle
goes under Carlotta’s dress to hear everything, but gets enmeshed between
petticoat layers.
CARLOTTA
How is the brand-new father?
Eric
looks down. Carlotta will not stand for this.
CARLOTTA
Hmmph! You should be happy.
You have a wonderful baby
daughter.
Eric
does nervous work with his hands, cleaning under the nails and picking at them.
He is very dejected.
ERIC
I have a..a fish.
CARLOTTA
(Livid)
You have a daughter, Melody!
I have known you since you
were born. I’ve seen hundreds
of princesses, tsarinas,
duchesses, earlesses and
all other kinds of royalty.
Ariel was, and is, the best
you ever saw. And now, when
she needs you the most, you
just..just..just do nothing!
While
Carlotta is lambasting Eric, Scuttle raises the hem of the dress to get more of
the details. This is just too incredible to believe.
Carlotta
wheels about to get to Eric and Scuttle is sent skittering across the floor and
out to the balcony.
Carlotta
grasps Eric’s arm to pull him out of the chair, but he is inert. Carlotta,
fuming, grasps the bottom of the chair. She hoists it up and tumbles Eric to
the floor. She points towards the door.
CARLOTTA
You
get out there right now to see your wife and child! They are waiting in the
nursery!
Carlotta
goes over to the wardrobe and begins to fling clothes out. Grimsby fumes.
GRIMSBY
Really, Carlotta, I don’t
think that this kind of
behavior is appropriate.
Grimsby
gets a faceful of trousers. He pulls it off to confront Carlotta, who is still
flinging clothes.
CARLOTTA
And which kind of behavior
IS appropriate?
Scuttle
looks around the edge on the door as Eric does his best to put himself
together.
Scuttle
soars off the balcony. Flying ungainly, he scans the waters and sees two
recognizable figures. He dive-bombs Flounder and Sebastian, as they appear
closer and closer.
EXT:
DAY, BEACH
Flounder
and Sebastian are waiting for Ariel, but just sit. Flounder becomes intent.
FLOUNDER
Do you hear something?
Sebastian
cranes his neck to hear better, then sees a shadow growing larger around him.
He looks up to see Scuttle crashing down. Sebastian screams and tries to
escape.
Flounder
dives under the water. Sebastian manages to elude Scuttle, just as he
pile-drives into the water. The resulting wave lands Sebastian on the beach. He
is furious as Flounder resurfaces.
Scuttle
is in a pile, as sand and mud hang off his beak. Sebastian angrily scurries up
to him.
SEBASTIAN
No doubt about it, you
have got to do somet’ing
about your flying!
Scuttle
rights himself and sneezes out some sand.
SCUTTLE
I’m working on that. Now,
what was I going to say?
I knew it just before I
got here..
Scuttle
fumbles about; Sebastian is not impressed. Flounder hangs at the ready.
SCUTTLE
It has something to do
with someone and..
Flounder
tries to help.
FLOUNDER
Is it about Ariel?
The
light bulb turns on.
SCUTTLE
Yeah, that’s it. Ariel.
Ariel
and her baby, Melody.
Both
are stunned. News this important and Scuttle can’t remember? Sebastian sputters
as Flounder does loops.
FLOUNDER
Yippie! Hooray!
SEBASTIAN
What! How! When? Who?
Scuttle
frees himself from the muck and bends down to Sebastian.
SCUTTLE
And not only that..
Scuttle
whispers to Sebastian, whose expression goes from anger to total incredulity to
complete rejection of it. This is Scuttle we’re talking about.
FLOUNDER
What? What? Tell me! I’m
her friend, too.
Sebastian
shakes his head in disbelief.
SEBASTIAN
Are you sure on this?
SCUTTLE
I’ll show you.
Before
Sebastian can react, Scuttle takes to the air, grabbing Sebastian. Scuttle dips
and weaves while Sebastian, who howls, is nearly crab-caked by the misses.
SCUTTLE
Say, you wouldn’t know where
the nursery is, do you?
Sebastian
is in abject fear. As Scuttle gets close to a balcony, he puts out his feet to
land. Sebastian soars through the air and smacks against a window while Scuttle
alights perfectly.
INT:
CASTLE, DAY
Squashed
against a window, Sebastian opens his eyes to see a tiny baby with an orange
fin splashing about in a huge glass punch bowl, being watched over by Ariel.
Sebastian smiles as he sees Ariel so happy, being with her daughter.
As
he continues to watch, Eric enters very slowly. Ariel picks up Melody.
Sebastian cannot hear their conversation clearly, just muffled talk.
However,
the actions reveal that Eric is reticent to embrace Melody or Ariel. His hands
tremble with uncertainty.
Eric
cannot bring himself to hold Melody. He backs out of the room quickly. Ariel is
heartbroken as she settles herself onto the bed, quite depressed. Sebastian is
sad.
SEBASTIAN
I’ve
seen enough. Take me back, please.
Scuttle
salutes Sebastian, completely unaware as to the events that have just occurred.
SCUTTLE
Aye aye, Captain.
Scuttle
grabs Sebastian. The ride down is more frightening than the ride up, but
Sebastian is so lost in thought that he doesn’t even realize that Scuttle is
spiraling out of control until they both slam into the water. Both resurface.
SEBASTIAN
Scuttle,
we’re depending on you to keep up informed. We want to know every detail. What
ever happens at any time,
day or night, we want to know.
Scuttle
is still in the water, gurgling away.
SCUTTLE
You can rely on me.
Sebastian,
putting on his best face, motions for Flounder. No need for others to know
about the unhappy parts.
SEBASTIAN
Let’s
get back to the King
and tell him the good news.
Sebastian
clamps onto Flounder’s tail and they sail off, their voices fading.
FLOUNDER
So, you can tell me.
What was it all about?
SEBASTIAN
I don’t know. You can be
such a big mouth bass.
FLOUNDER
You can tell me, really you can.
This
is the last line heard distinctly. They fade from view as we hold. Then, clear
as a bell and just as loud.
FLOUNDER
Ariel had a merbaby!?
SEBASTIAN
Shhhhhhhhh!
EXT:
DAY, OCEAN CASTLE
The
shining spires of Atlantica’s Coral Castle glisten as the sun filters through
the azure waters. In the lower corner, Flounder and Sebastian come into view
and disappear into the great folds of the castle.
INT:
THRONE ROOM, DAY
KING
TRITON is at his throne, working on some important papers. Two of his
daughters, AQUATA and ARISTA, are there, watching intently as Triton explains
what he does as King.
AQUATA
Why aren’t you signing this paper?
ARISTA
You said it was important.
TRITON
It is. But I want to make sure
there’s enough money in the
Royal Treasury to be able to
do this right and..
SEBASTIAN
(OS)
Your majesty…
All
three look up to see Flounder exhausted and Sebastian hanging on for dear life.
Flounder crashes to the floor, as Sebastian sidles up to the King. Triton bores
in on him.
TRITON
Well, what news from Ariel?
SEBASTIAN
She’s a you..I mean you have
an Ariel, who’s you and..that
is, I mean to say that the news
I have is news and..
Triton
looks bored as Sebastian fumbles. The two daughters giggle as they help
Flounder. They grab him playfully.
SEBASTIAN
..it involves Ariel, to whom
the news is about, which is..
Suddenly,
the two daughters squeal in glee as they swing Flounder about in joyful
exhilaration.
FLOUNDER
Hellllllllllpppppppppp!
Triton
turns to the still-bumbling Sebastian.
TRITON
May I assume by their reaction
that I’m a grandfather?
Sebastian
looks on in total dismay, then sheepishly.
SEBASTIAN
Didn’t I say that?
The
noise from the throne room has the rest of the daughters come in. Once they
hear the wonderful news, Flounder is bounced about. He lands into Triton’s
arms.
FLOUNDER
AAAAAAAAGH!
He
peels out, only to crash into Sebastian.
TRITON
Let a proclamation go out
that on this day, we have
a new Atlantican, my grandchild.. my
grandchild..
Triton
pauses. It seems he never got a name.
TRITON
Sebastian!
Sebastian
nervously approaches Triton, who glowers at him. Sebastian speaks in a tiny
squeak.
SEBASTIAN
Yes? (AHEM!) Yes, your majesty?
TRITON
I
assume my grandchild has a name.
SEBASTIAN
(Laughs
nervously)
Oh, ho, ho, ho. Her name is Melody.
Triton
continues his royal edict.
TRITON
Let is go out to all parts of the Kingdom to
celebrate my first granddaughter, Melody.
The
throne room erupts in celebration. Triton sees the exaltation of his family,
and then beckons Sebastian to him. Sebastian slowly nears.
TRITON
I have a very special job
for you, Sebastian. I need to
to be the liaison between us
and Ariel. To arrange a time
so I can see my new grand-
daughter. Say, next week.
Sebastian
squeaks. This is not what he wanted. However, Arista somehow hears this and
quickly swims to Triton.
ARISTA
Oh, Daddy, please let me make
the arrangements. I want to
be the liaison.
Upon
hearing this, the other daughters come over and argue about who gets to go to
the castle. Triton comes up with a solution. He gets his trident and holds it
pointy side down.
TRITON
Whoever gets last grab on the
staff may be the Official Liaison.
Triton
holds it outwards and the hands start to grab it, going higher and higher. It
is so quick that it’s over hardly after it began. The winner is Arista.
Arista
swims around in circles, as she’s so glad to have won. The other sisters are
envious, but not resentful. Triton gestures Arista over.
TRITON
You are to make arrangements
so we can all see Melody. We will
arrive next week, as I want to give
the parents a chance to settle in
and for Ariel to recover.
ARISTA
I’m on my way.
TRITON
Take Sebastian with you, as
he knows how to get there.
Arista
looks anxiously at Sebastian. He clamps onto Arista’s tail and off they go.
SEBASTIAN
Noooooooo! You’re going too
faaaaaaaaaaaast!
Sebastian’s
voice fades into the waters as Arista speeds out of sight. Triton sits in his
throne and mulls over the prospect of being a grandfather. He is so happy.
EXT:
ERIC’S CASTLE, DAY
At
the pier that is attached to the castle, a bell rings.
Mounted
in such a way, it can only be rung by merfolk. There is a ladder that reaches
from the pier to a low dock.
Arista
is ringing the bell, but nothing is happening. She is getting perturbed.
ARISTA
How long do I have to ring this?
Maybe it’s better if I just drag
myself up the steps?
SEBASTIAN
Oh, well, you know humans. They
probably can’t hear us.
We
hear footsteps on the pier. Arista looks up.
ARISTA’S
PERSPECTIVE
Peering
over the pier is Grimsby, who is a little shocked to see a mermaid. We reverse
to show Arista waving at him.
GRIMSBY
(To himself) Oh, just marvelous. (To
Arista) I’ll be right down,
my dear.
Grimsby
starts the climb down the ladder. He is muttering, but we cannot hear it fully.
Arista watches him with great fascination. She turns to Sebastian.
ARISTA
How do they make those things
work? I’d much rather have fins.
Arista
starts to preen and pretty herself.
SEBASTIAN
I’m sure you get used to it.
They
look at each other and laugh. What a silly idea!
Grimsby
negotiates the pier, as the last rung is a bit higher than the bottom of the
pier. His foot wavers about, trying to find the floor. He eventually succeeds.
GRIMSBY
Yes, my dear, what can I do for you?
ARISTA
Good day. I am Princess Arista.
As
the official liaison for King Triton, I have been asked to set up a royal
appointment for the King to see his new granddaughter next week.
Grimsby
is shocked. How could they have known so quickly? He tries to stall out.
GRIMSBY
Well, (AHEM) the Princess
is still recovering and I’m
not certain if a week will
be enough time.
Arista
is not going to be put off by this.
ARISTA
If you let Ariel know, I’m sure
she’d be very anxious to see her father, the
King, and her sisters, the princesses, as we are to see her new baby daughter,
Melody.
Grimsby
sees that he is not going to win this discussion.
GRIMSBY
We can work on this. Next week
at this time?
ARISTA
it over in the cove on the other side of the
castle.
It is secluded enough from prying eyes and Ariel
can easily get to it. We’ll be here at 9 in the
morning, as Ariel will be rested.
Grimsby
is surprised at her acumen. He feels all mermaids are kind of spaced out and is
surprised when they aren’t.
GRIMSBY
I will pass this information
on to the Highnesses.
ARISTA
I have an idea. If you will leave
a basket here, with the infor-
mation in it, we can communicate better.
Grimsby
is taken aback. That is a great idea. He could also send one of the young bucks
to deposit the bottle or basket.
GRIMSBY
That is a wonderful idea.
I will leave a note here
tomorrow for you.
ARISTA
Thank you. So until then,
good day.
Arista
waves good-bye and splashes off, her flukes shimmering in the sun. Grimsby gets
a bit of spray from her push off. This is just grand!
INT:
DAY, CASTLE
Grimsby
comes into Ariel’s room, where she is holding Melody and singing a fragment of
“Part of Your World” to her. Ariel is seating in a rocking chair.
She
has recovered from the morning, but is still depressed. She is seated so if
Eric returns, she can get him quickly.
ARIEL
I heard the bell, Grimsby.
Who was it?
Grimsby
cannot handle these mermaids, as they are so aware of their environment. He
couldn’t sneak anything past them.
GRIMSBY
It was one of your sisters,
uh, Ariadne, Amelia, Alicia,
Amanda, Agamemnon…
Ariel
starts to giggle. It can’t be all that hard to remember those names. Grimsby
gives up.
GRIMBSY
In any case, she is setting
up a royal appointment for
her and your father the King
to see Melody.
Ariel
brightens up immediately. This is the best news ever.
ARIEL
When? Where? For how long?
This is great! Maybe I can
get Daddy to make Melody human.
The
barrage of questions from Ariel overwhelms Grimsby. It sounds like a dull roar.
Then he realizes it IS a dull roar. Ariel hears it, too. They both go to the
balcony.
Grimsby
is surprised to see a knot of people yelling and cheering their
congratulations. Ariel smiles as she holds Melody up. Grimsby is beside
himself.
GRIMSBY
I guess everyone knows by now.
Delightful.
EXT:
DAY, STREET
Mephisto
is striding through the streets, oblivious to the celebrations around him. A
man with a purpose, he heads, without error, to his moored ship and strides up
the gangplank.
INT:
SHIP, DAY
In
the galley of the ship, a variety of people are eating. But what a variety of
people! They are human oddities.
A
beautiful bearded lady; a man shooting out a stream of fire at a glass, then
eating it; an immense man with skin like a snake; a trio of midgets; and two
more.
One
is wearing a turban and a loincloth, the other is dressed in regular clothes,
but his hands are gooey. They are hearing hundreds of people speak at the same
time.
Mephisto
sits at the table, but does not eat. FELICITY, the bearded lady, speaks first.
FELICITY
What’s going on out there?
She
motions outside. Before Mephisto can answer, the turbaned man grabs his own ear
and stretches it to make a megaphone. This is HAMMAL, the Rubber Man.
HAMMAL
It appears to be a celebration
for the birth of the Royal Princess.
Mephisto,
again, tries to speak, but is overridden by a hulking, Amazonian woman, the
Strongest Woman Alive, SAMPO.
SAMPO
A baby? A baby girl?
Sampo
immediately grabs a length of thick metal and shapes it into a heart very
quickly. The others applaud. Mephisto again tries to speak, but the MIDGETS
stand one atop the other and speak in unison.
TOM, DICK & HARRIET
You know what that means?
We could get a chance to
perform in town!
They
proceed to do some tumbling. Tom is flipped too hard and heads towards a
porthole, which he could easily pass through.
Abruptly,
a hand lands on his head and he is stopped cold. A little bit of slimy ooze
dribbles down his face. On the other end is GREG, the Human Fly.
GREG
You have got to be more careful.
It just wouldn’t be right to
have the act be a duet.
TOM
My head is all sticky! It’ll
take forever to clean this up.
GREG
Would you prefer the alternative?
Greg
thrusts his arm out the porthole. Tom hangs pre-cariously over the ocean,
screaming frantically. Greg holds for a moment as he counts to five, and then pulls
him in. Saying nothing, Greg pleasantly rolls his hand off of Tom.
TOM
You weirdo.
Greg
is not offended by the line and smiles broadly.
GREG
I prefer to think of myself
as a human superlative.
Everyone
is nattering and commenting between themselves. Mephisto attempts to restore
some order.
MEPHISTO
Oh, people. Fellow actors.
You guys…QUIET!
As
Mephisto yells, everyone stops and turns to him. Preening himself, he speaks.
MEPHISTO
Yes, it is true. The Prince
and Princess have had a new
baby daughter. And if we play
our cards right, we could get
to perform at the palace!
There
are various stages of shock and delight around the table. What an opportunity.
MEPHISTO
I go to make the arrangements.
This will be our greatest
performance ever!
Mephisto
leaves while everyone talks on. A few of them get up and head to their rooms.
Mephisto goes to his quarters.
INT:
DAY, MEPHISTO’S ROOM
Mephisto
is making himself presentable when we hear a rap on the door. It is a special
rap. The door CREAKS open. Mephisto doesn’t turn around; he knows who it is.
MEPHISTO
Yes, I heard those stories,
too, about the baby. And if
they are true, even the
tiniest bit, we’ll have
a new member in our family.
Mephisto
gives a small, sinister laugh.
EXT:
NIGHT, CASTLE
A
few days have passed. The castle is ablaze with lights and banners. The
celebration continues. A fireworks show is proceeding above the castle.
INT:
NIGHT, CASTLE
The
Grand Ballroom is crowded with people. A giant curtain is across a portion of
the room to mask the performers. Eric and Ariel are there, and Melody in her
crib. She is heavily swaddled, so no one sees the fin portion.
From
behind the curtain Mephisto gazes at the crowd. He is not nervous at all. The
others are restless, except Greg, who sits, reading a book, although the pages
stick together. Mephisto turns to them.
MEPHISTO
This is just like any other show.
SAMPO
Except
for the diversion.
Mephisto
blanches for a moment.
MEPHISTO
What diversion?
SAMPO
Playing before the Prince
and Princess.
Mephisto
relaxes; his plan is safe.
MEPHISTO
They’re like other people,
so, play your parts well!
I want a good show from you.
Mephisto
leans into the last line. There is a drum roll. Mephisto holds for a moment,
and then bursts from the curtains.
ARIEL’S
PRESPECTIVE
Mephisto
looks stunningly magnificent as he acknowledges the applause of the crowd. Arms
stretched upwards, he does a small turn. As the applause dies down, he speaks.
MEPHISTO
Ladies and gentlemen, dignitaries,
Royal personages. Welcome to this
Command Performance of Mephisto’s
Amazing Circus of Human Oddities…
GREG
(VO)
Human Superlatives!
As
the crowd laughs, Mephisto fumes. He can do nothing about it. He continues.
MEPHISTO
What you will see may shock
or surprise or even amaze you.
But you will never forget what
goes on here tonight.
The
crowd is sufficiently awed. Ariel is very intent, although she keeps an eye on
Melody. Eric is rather bored; he’s seen things like this before. Ariel never
has.
MEPHISTO
How do you define strength?
How do you define beauty?
Can the two exist together?
You tell me, as we present
Sampo!
Out
steps Sampo, dressed in a very feminine outfit. This cannot disguise the fact
that she is huge in stature. She does some graceful ballet moves. As she twirls
about, she stops. A table is blocking her way.
She
grasps the table. In doing so, the dress is shredded off as she flexes her
muscles. People gasp as her rippling shoulder and back muscles burst through
the dress, revealing an outfit better suited for weight lifting.
Holding
the table firmly, she lifts it up and easily transports it over several feet
from where it was, and then gently places it back down. Mephisto brings out a
chair.
MEPHISTO
We see here an ordinary chair.
He
approaches Eric and proffers the chair.
MEPHISTO
Your majesty, I would like you
to examine this chair. Please
note that it is a solid chair,
and that it has not been weakened
or tampered with in any way.
Eric
checks the rungs and the seat back, then knocks on the seat portion itself. He
is satisfied it is the genuine article. Mephisto give it back to Sampo, who
proceeds to juggle it about.
MEPHISTO
If I could have a volunteer
from the audience.
Out
of nowhere, Grimsby is pushed into the area. He tries to escape, but Mephisto
is all over him.
MEPHISTO
You’re a very brave man to
do this. She might even get
it right this time.
Grimsby
looks horrified and protests, to no avail.
GRIMSBY
Now, see here, my good man,
I haven’t got time for
something this silly and..
Grimsby
is plunked into the chair. Sampo comes from behind, grasps one of the rungs
with her teeth and hoists the chair, and Grimsby, into the air. Grimsby is
terrified as what is going on.
Once
the chair is as high as it can go, Sampo then balances it in her hands, but on
two legs. She makes it wobble and teeter, as if it’s going to fall, but it
doesn’t.
She
then starts to twirl it about, faster and faster. Grimsby holds on for dear
life. Suddenly, it’s flung into the air and Grimsby is ejected. Sampo grabs
both Grimsby and the chair.
As
the crowd applauds, Sampo proceeds to crush the chair with her other arm. She
puts Grimsby down and he scampers back into the crowd.
As
Sampo takes a bow, a black man with a broom comes out to clean up the mess. He
proceeds to sit down and eat the chair. This is IRONGUT.
He
pulls out a pair of swabs and lights one, then proceeds to spit fire at the
chair to char it a bit before he dines some more.
Backstage,
Mephisto speaks to a shadowy figure.
MEPHISTO
You know what to do.
All
we see is a pair of eyes, white against the dark. The shadow steals away as
Mephisto goes out to introduce the next act, shooing away Irongut.
MEPHISTO
Now we move from the massive to
the minute. A trio of personages
no bigger than your thumb, but
full of vim and vigor. Here are
Tom, Dick and Harriet!
The
three tumblers roll out and perform a series of back flips and pyramids and
hurl themselves through the air and at each other. Everyone is so taken, no one
notices a figure stealthily snaking its way behind the crowd.
It
arrives behind the thrones, near the cradle. As it nears the crib, one of the
tumblers spins in the air for an abnormally long time. All eyes are riveted on
them.
CLOSE-UP
OF MELODY IN CRIB
Melody
is wriggling about. A gloved hand comes in and rapidly unwraps the bunting.
When the tail flukes appear, the child is merely covered over and the hand
leaves.
Backstage,
Mephisto looks out at the tumblers, then turns as he hears a sound. We hear the
whispered information. An evil smile appears. It’s all true! The act ends to
riotous applause.
Ariel
is applauding madly, and then turns to Melody to see her fluke is exposed. No
one can see in. Ariel quickly re-bundles Melody, but looks around
apprehensively.
Then
comes a montage of acts. Felicity is an adept knife thrower and lock picker;
Hammal ties his body into impossible configurations; Lizard Lad slithers
through a 90-degree pipe with ease; Greg scales the walls of the ballroom.
Finally,
Mephisto comes out.
MEPHISTO
What you have seen is amazing,
but ask yourself, was it real?
Did I actually see what I think
I saw?
Mephisto
pulls out a large, seemingly solid, ring and hold it up. He shakes it and
another ring appears, hanging from the first. He spins the second ring and a
third appears.
A
series of rings are produced and he constructs fabulous sculptures with the
rings. Suddenly, he shakes the rings violently and it returns to one ring. The
crowd goes nuts. Mephisto puts the ring away.
MEPHISTO
You have been mesmerized by
what we have done. But you
haven’t seen real Mesmerization!
I need a volunteer from the
audience.
Mephisto
strides up to Eric.
MEPHISTO
Perhaps his Royal Highness would
care to be a volunteer?
Eric
is hesitant at first, but heads down. The crowd claps as a chair is placed on
the floor. Before Eric sits on it, he checks it out, as it’s identical to the
one Sampo destroyed. The crowd laughs. Eric sits.
MEPHISTO
Prince, look into my eyes.
Mephisto
does over-exaggerated motions, making it look like he is a really bad
hypnotist. Eric crosses his arms, bored.
ERIC
I’m not easily mezmerized.
MEPHISTO
What about when you met the
Princess for the first time?
The
crowd roars with delight. Ariel blushes. Eric smiles.
MEPHISTO
And you also remember the first
time you went to SLEEP NOW!
Instantaneously,
Eric falls asleep, slightly sprawled in the chair. The crowd goes “ooooo”, as
it happened so fast. Mephisto calms the crowd.
MEPHISTO
The prince is all right. He is
just in a deep slumber. (To Eric)
You hear only the sound of my
voice and you will do as I ask.
Sleep deeper.
Mephisto
places him palm of Eric’s forehead and he sleeps deeper. Mephisto turns to the
audience.
MEPHISTO
I cannot make the Prince do
anything that may hurt or
injure
himself, but I can
give other suggestions.
(To ERIC) Prince, you will not
be able to remember your name.
At any time, when I say,
“One, two, three, awake!”
and snap my fingers, you
will come out of your trance.
(Puts hand on Eric’s forehead).
Prince, you are alert.
Eric
comes around, but is still hypnotized.
MEPHISTO
Your Highness, how do you feel?
ERIC
I feel fine.
MEPHISTO
Are you Mesmerized?
ERIC
I said I wasn’t easily Mesmerized.
MEPHISTO
So
you did. (Points to Ariel). And who is that radiant vision on the throne?
ERIC
That is my wonderful wife, Ariel.
MEPHISTO
I see. And that gentleman
over there? (Points to Grimsby)
ERIC
The Royal Advisor Grimsby.
MEPHISTO
And that one?
ERIC
That is Padraic, the Court Painter.
MEPHISTO
And you are?
ERIC
I am……I am…I..
A
look of consternation crosses Eric’s face as he struggles to recall. The crowd
titters, and then laughs as Eric cannot recall who he is. When the laughter
reaches its peak, Mephisto places his hand on Eric’s forehead.
MEPHISTO
Sleep.
Eric
goes under. The crowd applauds wildly. Mephisto props Eric up, but whispers
quickly.
MEPHISTO:
Mephisto
comes up slowly and faces the crowd.
MEPHISTO
We can also examine the very core
of what a person feels.
Mephisto
turns to Eric.
MEPHISTO
Prince, awake. How do you feel?
ERIC
I feel fine.
MEPHISTO
I understand that there is
cause for celebration. True?
ERIC
Very true.
MEPHISTO
(Ponders for a moment) It’s
a new child!
ERIC
Yes that’s right.
MEPHISTO
What kind of baby?
ERIC
(Grumbles)
It was a girl.
Some
people titter uncomfortably. This isn’t the Eric they know.
MEPHISTO
A baby girl.
ERIC
Yes. Didn’t you hear what I said?
Ariel
puts on a brave face. The rest of the acting troupe gets concerned as the
tension grows.
MEPHISTO
What is the name of your baby?
ERIC
(Mockingly)
Her mother calls her Melody.
Ariel
pants and wheezes, as the embarrassment is getting too much for her. Mephisto
plays his part with mock chagrin, as he “realizes” he’s going too far.
MEPHISTO
Well, we’ll talk about other things.
ERIC:
That would be nice!
MEPHISTO
I shan’t talk further about the baby.
Eric
detonates and launches into a screed.
ERIC
I hate them both!
MEPHISTO
What did you say about your
wife and baby?
ERIC
I hate them both! I hate them
Both! I hate them both!
The
words sting and cut deeply. Ariel is pole-axed and doesn’t know what to do.
Mephisto holds for a beat, then..
MEPHISTO
One, two, three, awake!
Mephisto
snaps his fingers and Eric comes around, completely unaware of what has
transpired. Mephisto pretends to be remorseful for his “discovery”. Eric sees
Ariel, tears pouring down her face. She grabs Melody and flees.
Eric
looks about seeing faces in shock, or anger. The crowd breaks up. Mephisto
disappears into the screened-off area. Eric is at a complete loss.
Backstage,
the troupe immediately packs up to go. We hear the murmuring of the crowd,
transfixed at the events. Mephisto hurries them along, but smiles slyly.
Grimsby
takes Eric and moves him off to a part of the room, away from everyone. It is
an animated discussion.
EXT:
PALACE, NIGHT
A
wagon being loaded up and the last of the troupe get on. Mephisto helps them
up.
GREG
(Grimacing)
How wonderfully pleasant.
SAMPO
Who’d have thought it?
IRONGUT
That’s royalty for you.
MEPHISTO
Head
back to the ship. I want to express my condolences for
the incident.
HAMMAL
How will you get back?
MEPHISTO
Don’t worry about that. Just go.
The
wagon lurches out. Mephisto heads back to the castle.
INT:
CASTLE, NIGHT
In
the darkened nursery, Ariel sobs. A gently tapping comes at her door.
ARIEL
Please..please go away.
CARLOTTA
It’s just for a moment.
It’s the Mesmerizer.
ARIEL
I don’t wish to see anyone!
MEPHISTO
It will take only a moment.
Please, your Royal Highness.
Wiping
the tears away, cuddling Melody, Ariel goes to the door and opens it. A shaft
of light pierces the gloom with the silhouettes of Carlotta and Mephisto.
MEPHISTO
Thank you, Carlotta.
Carlotta
remains. Mephisto holds for a moment, and then pleads his case.
MEPHISTO
I wish to offer my most sincere
and abject apology for what
happened. I try to bring joy
and entertainment to all whom
I meet, not this. Had I but known, I…
Mephisto
holds, then lets his words fail him, bowing his head in despair.
ARIEL
Had we all but known..
Ariel
takes Melody over to the crib. Mephisto grabs a candle to give Ariel light.
Ariel settles Melody in the crib, still tightly swaddled.
Mephisto
holds the candle high to give better light. As she tucks Melody in, Mephisto
puts the candle down on a table, then turns to the window.
MEPHISTO
Would you like the drapes drawn,
your Highness?
Ariel
nods agreement, and Mephisto pulls them shut. However, he unlatches the catch.
MEPHISTO
I
realize I cannot undo what has happened. I am just so sorry that it did.
Mephisto,
looking sufficiently saddened, leaves the castle.
EXT:
CASTLE, NIGHT
With
the nursery window in the background, Mephisto comes into frame, gives an evil
smile, and leaves. A shadowy figure lurks outside the room.
INT:
CASTLE, NIGHT
The
clock in the darkened room ticks away, showing a late hour. The drapes unfurl
momentarily and the figure ducks in. Moving with precision and grace, it looks
over at a sleeping Ariel. Heading to the crib, it discovers Melody is gone!
It
looks about and sees Melody in bed with Ariel. After examining the situation,
the figure extracts Melody with a fluid movement. Picking up Melody, the figure
looks at her. Then Melody makes a cooing sound.
Ariel
bolts upright to see Melody floating. Before she can react, the figure mutes
Ariel’s and hoists her over its shoulder. Bolting, all are down and away from
the castle in moments. At a nearby wagon, the figure jumps on.
In
the wagon, Ariel is shocked to see Mephisto, who glowers at the figure. The
figure shrugs, and then proceeds to tie and gag Ariel better. They gallop off
into the night.
EXT:
CASTLE, DAY
The
day is bright, but not as bright as yesterday. But there is a palpable sadness
in the day.
INT:
CASTLE, DAY
In
the dining area, Eric is alone at an enormous table. There are three places set
up, but only he dines. He looks terrible. Grimsby comes in, looking sallow.
Eric stares off.
ERIC
No answer, eh?
GRIMSBY
She won’t reply.
ERIC
Look, I don’t recall anything
I say last night.
GRIMSBY
To add to matters, her father,
King Triton, is due to show up
to see his granddaughter.
Eric
rises from the table.
ERIC
I will prepare myself.
GRIMSBY
I will see if I can get the
Princess and the baby.
ERIC
I hate them both!
Eric
quickly leaves the room. Carlotta comes out to clear the table.
CARLOTTA
Well, I never..
EXT:
BEACH, DAY
Eric
is standing on the beach in the cove, dressed regally. He paces nervously. Max
is at the ready. He wants to play, but Eric is absorbed in thought.
He
looks up to see the water boil and churn. Arising from the depths, trident held
high, is Triton, surrounded by his six daughters.
Eric
freezes at attention until he comes to the beach, borne on a crest of water.
Also along are Flounder and Sebastian.
TRITON
I don’t see Ariel or Melody.
Eric
smiles weakly.
ERIC
Well, you know how she is.
She wants everything to be
perfect for you..and her
sisters.
The
daughters titter as Triton looks regal.
SEBASTIAN
(To
Flounder)
Dat’s just like her. She’s
never on time.
FLOUNDER
Except she’s has a great
excuse this time.
Then..
GRIMSBY
(VO)
Your majesty.
Eric
and Triton turn to see Grimsby fast-walking to them.
GRIMSBY
It’s her Royal Highness..
ERIC
Does she need a few more minutes?
GRIMSBY
Well, uh, she’s gone.
ERIC
She’s gone for a walk?
GRIMSBY
She’s missing. Her and the baby.
Upon
hearing ‘baby’, Eric detonates.
ERIC
Well, that’s just fine with
me!
I hate them both!
Triton
recoils. The daughters look on with horror and fear. Alana breaks into tears at
such ugly words.
TRITON
What kind of father are you
to desert your wife and baby?
ERIC
I didn’t want a mermaid for a
daughter! Never! And it’s all
Ariel’s fault! I hate them both!
Triton
is stunned by the words.
TRITON
Melody is a merbaby?
ERIC
Are all you undersea types
hard of hearing? Of course
she is and I hate it. I hate
them both!
Triton
raises his trident to zap Eric, but is restrained by both Andrina and Arista.
TRITON
This is why I wanted no contact
with the human world. I will
find my daughter and her baby
and take them home with me. I
will deal with you later.
ERIC
Good! Find ‘em and take ‘em.
I hate them both!
Grimsby
is shocked as Eric is sputtering. He tries to calm him, but that only raises
his ire. Triton turns and leaves.
GRIMSBY
Eric! Your wife! Your baby!
ERIC
Don’t you start with me either!
I hate them both! I hate them both!
Eric
shrieks as Triton is barely able to contain himself. As Eric turns to storm
into the castle, he stumbles over Max and slams his head hard into the beach,
knocking himself unconscious.
An
overhead view of the cove shows Eric is splayed out, Max is running and barking
frantically and Triton is heading out to sea, leaving a great wake. Scuttle
flies into view.
SCUTTLE
Hmmmmm. I wonder what’s going on.
INT:
CASTLE, DAY
In
the library, Eric is stretched out on a lounge, head swathed in bandages. He
comes to with a start, reacting to his injury. He struggles to sit up, but is
very unsteady. Grimsby enters, but he is rather frosty.
GRIMBSY
How are you, your Royal Highness?
Eric
is taken aback; Grimsby rarely calls him that.
ERIC
My head hurts and I feel badly,
but other than that..Wait! What
about the arrival of King Triton?
Grimsby
stares at Eric. His young charge must be insane.
GRIMSBY
He came and went, especially
after you told him that you
hated Ariel and baby Melody.
Eric
looks completely lost.
ERIC
I said that? Why would I want
to say that? I admit I was a
bit shocked at my daughter,
but I have come to accept
her. She is my child. My baby.
Our baby.
Eric
gets up and goes over to the fireplace. He stares at an enormous portrait of a
king, a man full of regal bearing and stature. Eric looks very small compared
to the portrait. Grimsby comes up behind him.
ERIC
He
was a great man, wasn’t he?
GRIMSBY
Yes, he was. I miss him. We
all miss him.
ERIC
I never really knew my father.
GRIMSBY
He knew about people. And
he accepted them for what
they were.
Eric
turns away from the portrait to see one of him and Ariel on their wedding day.
She looks radiant. Eric stares.
ERIC
If I did what you say I did,
I have to make it up to both
of them, if they’ll let me.
GRIMSBY
So, why did you say those
things about your baby?
ERIC
What things did I say?!
No one will tell me!
Eric
stares at Grimsby with incredulity, then looks forlorn. He speaks in measured
tones.
ERIC
What did I say?
Grimsby
shakes his head ruefully.
GRIMSBY
You don’t want to know. You
never want to know. What do
you really recall?
Eric
strains to think.
ERIC
Nothing. It’s like a haze.
Eric
rubs his head as Carlotta enters with a tray.
CARLOTTA
Here is lunch.
Carlotta
is equally distant as she clunks it down. She starts to go, then turns on Eric.
CARLOTTA
Even strangers are nicer to your
wife and baby than you are!
ERIC
What do you mean?
CARLOTTA
That
elegant Mephisto came by to apologize for his actions. You never did!
GRIMSBY
He came by? When?
CARLOTTA
Just as Ariel was going sleep.
Mephisto came by and help put
her and the baby to bed.
Eric
stares, stunned. Grimsby notices something, puts it together, and then steels
himself. He looks at Eric.
GRIMBSY
Baby.
No
reaction from Eric. Grimsby continues.
GRIMBSY
Baby. Baby, baby, baby, baby,
baby, baby, baby, baby, baby.
Eric’s
faces screws up; he’s angry.
ERIC
Stop that! (Pause) You’re
giving me a headache and I
hurt enough as it is.
Grimsby
turns to Carlotta.
GRIMSBY
When did you last see Ariel and
Melody?
Carlotta
ponders the question.
CARLOTTA
Actually, I can’t recall seeing
her at all since last night.
ERIC
She always says ‘good morning’
to everyone, every day.
GRIMBSY
Eric,
brace yourself. I think Ariel and Melody have been kidnapped!
Carlotta
gasps in shock.
ERIC
Kidnapped? What? By who?
GRIMSBY
Mephisto.
He mezmerized you so that every time someone said ‘baby’, you got angry.
Eric
strides over to the window, flings apart the curtains and opens the panes. He
sticks his head out.
ERIC
Captain Prescott! Captain
Prescott!
PRESCOTT
(VO)
Aye, Prince Eric?
ERIC
How long will it take to
prepare my two ships for sailing?
PRESCOTT
About an hour.
ERIC
You’ve got 30 minutes!
Eric
shuts the window smartly, and then proceeds to his room. Grimsby follows him
through the castle.
GRIMBSY
What are you going to do?
ERIC
first place. What I hope I can
do now. We are going to find
Ariel and Melody.
Eric
launches into song.
ERIC
I
made a mistake
I
shouldn’t have done it
My
faith in myself has been shaken
I’m
not sure what happened
Now
I look like a fool
I
really got myself taken
I
won’t ever let that happen again
But
the damage I’ve done is severe
All
that I’ve worked for so hard is now gone
Poof!
It just disappeared.
Now
the time has come
To
do the right thing
That
thing which should have been done
I’ll
not make excuses
I
know I was wrong
This
task is one I won’t shun.
INT:
DAY, TRITON’S THRONE ROOM
Music
goes into a vamp in the background. Triton slams his fist onto the table.
Around him are soldiers, his daughters and other Atlanticans.
TRITON
This is what I should have done
in the first place. What I hope
I can do now. We are going to
find Ariel and Melody.
Triton sings, handing out orders as he prepares for his journey.
TRITON
I
made a mistake
I
shouldn’t have done it
My
faith in myself has been shaken
I’m not sure what happened
Now
I look like a fool
I
really got myself taken
I
won’t ever let that happen again
But the damage I’ve done is severe
All
that I’ve worked for so hard is now gone
Poof!
It just disappeared.
Now the time has come
To
do the right thing
That
thing which should have been done
I’ll
not make excuses
I
know I was wrong
This
task is one I won’t shun.
Intercutting
between the palaces, they do the same thing at the same time. Eric’s tone is
remorseful; Triton’s is angry.
ERIC
I
must make a brand new beginning
This
time, I’m doing it smart
TRITON
I’ve
learned a hard lesson from all of this
I
now must be strong of heart.
ERIC
I
won’t be deterred from what I must do
Nothing
will stand in my way.
TRITON
I’ll
do what it takes to accomplish this deed
Should
it take me the rest of my days.
It
is a non-duet duet, where each sings but not with each other.
ERIC & TRITON
I
thought I was smarter than that
And
now I am paying the price
I
let people down with my failures
That
certainly will not happen twice
What
lies before me is such a tall order
I
must make amends for my deed
If I even hope to correct all my errors
My only chance is to succeed
Now
the time has come
To
do the right thing
That
thing which should have been done
I’ll not make excuses
I
know I was wrong
This
task is one I won’t shun
I
just hope it’s not too late
I
just hope I’m not too late
As
the music builds, we see both parties heading out to find and rescue Ariel and
Melody; Triton in his conch shell chariot, pulled by three dolphins, Eric
piloting his ship.
EXT:
DAY, OCEAN.
Mephisto’s
ship is cutting through the water.
INT:
SHIP, DAY
In
the brig, Ariel is at the cell door, nervously trying to pick the lock, holding
Melody. The outer door CLICKS. Ariel retreats as Mephisto comes in, smiling
broadly.
Two
burly sailors are with him. The brig has a “visitors” area. The bars are set
back to allow the cell door to open.
MEPHISTO
And how are my guests?
Ariel
grabs a stool and throws it one-handed against the bars. It smacks hard. The
sailors recoil. Mephisto grins.
ARIEL
How dare you! I demand that
you
release us immediately!
MEPHISTO
Fine. Go.
Mephisto
points towards the porthole. Ariel looks out to see a vast expanse of empty
sea.
MEPHISTO
Provided you know the way home.
Ariel
turns back, seething with outrage and anger.
ARIEL
When my Eric gets to you...
MEPHISTO
Oh, the Prince. Is this the
same Prince who declared his
complete hatred of you and your
child? Where is he?
If
he doesn’t come after you soon, he never will. And even if he did, he couldn’t
find us. Besides, I have plans for you and yours.
Mephisto
glares menacingly.
ARIEL
What did you do to him?
MEPHISTO
Just help him express his true
feelings. But enough of him.
On
to us. As you know, most people consider mermaids a figment of their
imagination.
What
if I was able to give a mother-and-child combination? The money, the fame.
Mephisto
goes into the hall and returns with the worst-looking mermaid costume. The tail
is ratty and shabby and it looks like a costume (and it’s also in Ariel’s
colors).
MEPHISTO
We used to have a fake one.
You will wear this and your
baby…your baby will be the
real one!
One
sailor opens the door, the other hurls the costume in. It lands with an
unpleasant thud. Ariel shields Melody. Ariel is scared but defiant.
ARIEL
And if I refuse?
MEPHISTO
Well,
you’re not all that necessary to the plan. It would make it work better, but
should you have an, oh, “accident”, either way works for me.
Mephisto
smiles wickedly, and then turns to go. Suddenly, a piece of hardtack sticks
hard in the wall and close to Mephisto’s head. Mephisto is impressed as he
turns back to Ariel. He smiles grandly, turning to one of the sailors.
MEPHISTO
Cut her rations.
Mephisto
troops out, the sailors following. Ariel ponders her situation.
ARIEL
Eric. Oh, Eric.
Ariel
moves to the porthole to get some air.
ARIEL
If it was just me, I would
dive right it. But I have
you to think about, my
precious Melody.
As
she looks at the sea, a bird swoops down at her. She backs up as the bird
crashes into the porthole and sticks. It’s Scuttle, with loose feathers
fluttering about.
SCUTTLE
How ya doin’, sweetie?
Scuttle
notices the rather seedy nature of the room and Ariel’s bedraggled condition.
SCUTTLE
Traveling light?
Ariel
is relieved to see a familiar face. She moves closer and speaks in hushed
tones.
ARIEL
Scuttle,
I’ve been taken against my will! Me and Melody! Help us!
Even
Scuttle understands that.
SCUTTLE
Right! (Holds for a moment)
What do you want me to do?
ARIEL
Find Daddy or Sebastian. Tell
them where we are so they can
rescue us.
SCUTTLE
What about the Prince?
Ariel
looks downcast; Scuttle doesn’t know.
ARIEL
I..I can’t rely on him anymore.
The
words are so painful to say, they come out slowly as Ariel understands their
import.
SCUTTLE
I’ll get right on it!
Scuttle
struggles against the porthole, wriggling about.
ARIEL
How will you find us?
SCUTTLE
As a bird, I have an uncanny
sense of direction and location.
Seeing
Scuttle in trouble, Ariel pushes on his head and forces Scuttle out with a
PLOIP. Scuttle splashes into the water, and then rights himself. Scuttle looks
up at Ariel as she peers through the porthole.
SCUTTLE
Don’t worry, sweetie! I have
everything under control.
Scuttle
takes off, but makes a series of loops, uncertain of his bearings. Ariel sighs;
she hopes her plan works, but goes back to work on the lock just in case.
INT:
DAY, SHIP
Mephisto
strides into the galley to see the troupe in a circle. They are not happy as
they approach Mephisto menacingly. Mephisto senses their discomfort.
MEPHISTO
Yessssssssss?
SAMPO
Is it true? You kidnapped the
Princess and her baby?
MEPHISTO
That baby is a real mermaid!
GREG
Her mother is a real princess!
HAMMAL
If they catch us..
Hammal
puts one arm under his neck and “hangs” himself.
MEPHISTO
They aren’t going to catch us.
IRONGUT
The Prince isn’t going to stand
idly by.
MEPHISTO
They aren’t going to catch us!
TOM,
DICK & HARRIET:
He’ll hear stories if we try to
let her perform.
MEPHISTO
THEY AREN’T GOING TO CATCH US!
FELICITY
He won’t give up.
MEPHISTO:
THEY AREN’T GOING TO CATCH US!
SAMPO
Well,
I’m not going to wait for
that
to happen. We’re turning this
ship around.
As Sampo charges Mephisto, he
dodges her and touches a spot on her back. Sampo goes down in great pain.
Mephisto rages.
MEPHISTO
This
is the thanks I get? Let
us
not forget the miserable lives
I
saved you all from. Slaving
away
in mines, working in stables,
languishing
in jail?
I
was the one, the only one, who
saw
your greater potential. I had
the
vision and foresight. So, If
this
isn’t what you want, then
YOU
leave. As for me..
As Mephisto sings, the other members
of the troupe try to incapacitate him, but he eludes their clutches with ease
and aplomb, as if they weren’t there.
MEPHISTO
Everything I’ve ever wanted
I had to fight to obtain
I
had to be quick with my feet and my fists
And equally quick with my brain.
Felicity throws knives at
Mephisto to pin him down, but he deftly moves ahead of them. Felicity sends a
barrage, but he positions his body so they stick in the hull and not to him. He
then leaps out of the way to reveal the outline.
MEPHISTO
I have a
great nose for talent
And seeing the weakness in Man
When all of it coalesces and mixes
I’m close to achieving my plan of
Greg and Hammal try to catch
Mephisto in a pincher movement, but he disappears at the last moment, leaving
them stuck together and enmeshed.
MEPHISTO
Mastery
Mastery
King of all I survey
No one can touch me
No one comes near
It’s best to get out of my way.
Lizard Lad tries to slither
about his ankles, but another series of swift movements keep Mephisto ahead of
him.
MEPHISTO
I’m tired of being a doormat
Getting trampled and pushed to the side
Don’t I have feelings of anguish?
My courage and daring and pride?
Sampo tries to wrestle him to
the ground. Mephisto not only eludes her grasp, he cuffs her into arm
bracelets. The design prevents her from breaking free using her strength.
MEPHISTO
But now I have fate when I want it
I can feel in within my grip
I won’t be deterred from obtaining my goal
From my fingers will not be ripped my
Irongut tries to blow flames at
Mephisto, but he clamps down on his mouth and the flames shoot out of his ears,
singeing the others. Mephisto pushes them all aside as Irongut sticks his head
in a bucket of water.
MEPHISTO
Mastery
Mastery
The power of hope and gloom
My list is checked twice
So you’d better be nice
Or else you’ll find yourself doomed
Mephisto looks into a hand-held
mirror, preening with pride. The troupe tries to sneak up on him, but he
reflects a shaft of sunlight, blinding them.
MEPHISTO
Don’t try to fool me with flattery
Or cajole me with platitudes weak
The Road to Success goes straight up a hill
And I’m finally reaching my peak
Tom, Dick and Harriet launch
themselves at Mephisto like human cannonballs, but he swats them away like
mosquitoes.
MEPHISTO
There’s nothing that I will not do
For my ends justify my means
If you found you were I, wouldn’t you do
the same?
You’d want to achieve your dreams of
Mastery
Mastery
There’s nothing else that fits the bill
Beauty and grace
I guess have a place
But so does my might and will
And it’s all because I possess
Mastery
The troupe gangs up on Mephisto
and seemingly smothers him under a massive dog pile. They learn that he has
escaped them again and he hurls a fishing net atop them, adding to the
confusion.
MEPHISTO
Any more questions?
He overlooks his troupe, who are
unable to defy or overpower him, as they strugge to free themselves from the
net. Mephisto leaves, his coat swirling about him.
MEPHISTO
On to Boldoni!
EXT: DAY, ERIC’S SHIPS
Eric’s ship cuts through a
sunset sea, reflecting oranges and reds. His second ship is behind and farther back.
INT: DAY, ERIC’S SHIP
In the Captain’s Quarters are
Eric, Captain Prescott, Grimsby and the NAVIGATOR, who pour over a map of the
region.
ERIC
Where
could he go?
PRESCOTT
The
nearest port is Boldoni.
NAVIGATOR
But
they could push on to
Port
Mahi, another half-day’s
sailing,
depending on the weather.
Eric mulls for a moment,
contemplating the map.
ERIC
If
I were he, I’d be feeling
very
sure of myself, having
set
up a situation where any
pursuit
might be delayed. Enough
of
a delay for him to get to
the
nearest port. Captain.
Prescott snaps to attention.
ERIC
Signal
the other ship to head
to
Port Mahi, then come back
to
Boldoni to meet us. We’re
going
to Boldoni.
EXT: NIGHT, PORT
The city of Boldoni is a typical
seaport town, filled with raucous people and the standard unpleasant mixture of
cutpurses, inebriates and other dangerous types. Despite the hour, there is
still a bustle. Mephisto’s ship is moored.
INT: NIGHT, SHIP
The troupe is doing much
grumbling, owing to their cargo.
GREG
This
is madness. We have to do
something,
or we’re doomed.
SAMPO
We have
to get her free, here in Boldoni. There must be some-
place or
someone to turn to.
FELICITY
All we
have to do is get her out of the ship or the build-ing. I’m sure she could make
her way to the police or..
LIZARD
LAD
But
would they believe she’s
a
princess? With a merbaby?
HAMMAL
Something’s
better than nothing.
IRONGUT
I have
an idea. During my act, I could catch something on fire. In the confusion, say,
Felicity and Sampo could get the Princesses out of here.
The troupe looks at each other.
It’s a terrible plan. Irongut senses this and is irked. No one else is trying.
IRONGUT
Well,
you come up with something.
But
it better be soon.
INT: NIGHT, BRIG
Ariel has struggled to put on
the costume. It is ugly and bulky and looks very bad. She is sitting on a
stool, looking at Melody, sleeping away in a wicker basket.
Mephisto enters, grinning, as
the two burly sailors accompany him. Mephisto unlocks the brig.
MEPHISTO
It
is good you’ve come to your
senses.
Things will work out for
the
best.
ARIEL
What
stops me from calling for help?
Mephisto reveals a horrible
mouth gag (like in “Silence of the Lambs”). Before Ariel can react, one sailor
has the gag about her head and locks it tight.
The other grabs her lower fins.
Ariel struggles against the mask, but cannot get it off. She can only make
sounds.
Ariel then pushes against the
sailor on her feet, shoving him against the wall. He was unprepared for this
repulse and goes reeling.
The sudden shift in weight pulls
down the first sailor as Ariel crashes to the floor. Both sailors conk their
heads and fall back and away.
Ariel heads to the bars as the
sailors get to their feet. Seeing her against the bars, they charge her, one
high, one low. Ariel hoists herself up and they both miss her, their burly arms
getting stuck between the bars.
Ariel sees Mephisto cradling
Melody. Ariel tries to totter over, but she can’t balance on the fin and
crashes to the floor in front of Mephisto. Quickly, Mephisto puts wrist cuffs
on her. Ariel is crestfallen.
MEPHISTO
No
one will question me!
(To
the sailors) Bring her.
From the perspective of the
troupe, they see Ariel manacled and taken from the brig. Ariel struggles as
Mephisto follows behind. The troupe retreats.
GREG
We
have got to do something!
FELICITY
Then
let’s go with Irongut’s
plan.
Sampo and I will be
backstage
at that point. We
can
do it.
LIZARD LAD
You
have to. You’ll know what
Mephisto
will do once he finds
out.
If we don’t succeed together,
we’ll
all swing together!
SAMPO
I
can handle him!
Sampo grabs a solid chunk of
wood and proceeds to crush it to pulp between her hands, leaving a pile of
dust. Sampo wipes her hands.
INT: NIGHT, THEATER
Crossfade shot of hands clapping
in a performance hall. Mephisto is on stage, greeting everyone. The audience
looks rather rough and surly.
MEPHISTO
Welcome
one and all to the
Circus
of the Great Mephisto,
presenting
people and acts
you
have never seen before!
The curtains part to reveal
Felicity. The audience recoils in shock at her beard. Sampo comes on, flexing
her muscles. Then, brought in by Irongut, Hammal and Lizard Lad is Ariel.
She is on a sedan chair. The
audience can’t see is that she is chained to prevent any escape. The audience
gasps as Ariel waves her fake flukes and cradles Melody. Then, from the
audience.
SOMEONE
Fake!
The crowd reacts. Mephisto is
unmoved.
MEPHISTO
Ah,
a doubter. One who feels
we
deal in chicanery and bluff.
One
who does not trust his eyes!
Mephisto wrenches Melody from
Ariel’s arms and presents her to the audience. Ariel lunges, but is restrained
by the chains. They rattle noisily as Mephisto showcases Melody, her fin
flapping away.
MEPHISTO
Then
explain this! Her mother
and
she were captured off the
Azores.
Do not let her appear- ance fool you! She is gagged for your safety.
Once she
sings her siren song, we would all be doomed! I did what brave Odysseus did and
poured wax into my ears to resist her evil charms and spells.
Melody is returned to Ariel, who
clutches her tightly. Felicity and Sampo go off stage, but Ariel remains.
Irongut
crosses over and sits in a
chair.
MEPHISTO
And
she must be constantly guarded
against
any escape!
While Irongut sits, Greg comes
out and proceeds to set a table for Irongut, with a checkered cloth, a set of
dishes, utensils, a couple of glasses, a candleholder with a lit candle and a
small vase with a rose in it.
As Irongut remains transfixed on
Ariel, he proceeds to devour the tableware. Ariel cannot avoid the gaze of the
audience, as they are uncertain whom to look at.
Backstage, Sampo and Felicity
stand at the ready to put the plan into action, Felicity fingering her lock
pick.
Onstage, Irongut has devoured
everything and pretends to have indigestion. He pulls out a pair of wands and
sets one aflame, then begins to eat fire.
FELICITY
Get
ready. This is it!
Before Irongut can set the
curtains aflame, a MAN leaps from the audience, wrenches Melody from Ariel and
then heads to the door.
Distracted, Irongut sends a
sheet of flame at him, scorching his rear. The man reacts, but still heads to
the door.
Felicity comes onto the stage
and flings knives to cut the man’s suspenders, causing his pants to fall to his
ankles.
As he nears the door, Greg is
hanging upside down above it.
GREG
I’ll
take that!
He grabs Melody and retreats.
Hearing a deep-throated AHEM! the man turns to see Sampo’s fist zoom in,
followed by a tremendous thud.
EXT: STREET: NIGHT
The man goes flying out the
doors as if he were rocket propelled. The doors tear off their hinges as well.
INT: THEATRE: NIGHT
There is a healthy circle of
distance around Sampo. Roaring in anger, the theatre clears out, people
crashing through doors and windows.
Greg tries to hand Melody back
to Ariel, but Mephisto magically appears and takes Melody. As the last
straggler flees, the local POLICE come in.
OFFICER
All
right, what’s..this..?
The officer sees the hulking
presence of Sampo and is stunned. He walks around her and goes to Mephisto.
OFFICER
You.
Out. Now.
EXT: SHIP, NIGHT
A partial moonlit night as
Mephisto’s ship cuts through the still waters.
INT: SHIP, NIGHT
The troupe is sitting around a
table, commiserating.
GREG
What
went wrong?
HAMMAL
Nothing.
It was just an
unforeseen
event.
IRONGUT
It
was all so perfect!
FELICITY
We
were all set and ready to go.
Sampo slams her fist onto the
table. Everything jumps.
SAMPO
Blast
the luck!
TOM,
DICK & HARRIET
We’ll have to do better next time.
MEPHISTO
Oh,
there won’t be a next time!
All turn to see Mephisto,
holding Melody as if it were his own daughter.
MEPHISTO
I
knew of the plan to free the
Princess
and her child. That
guy
was a plant to make certain
Irongut
didn’t set the place
afire
to let Felicity and Sampo
rescue
everyone.
Mephisto walks among them,
Melody giggling in a playful manner, to contrast his stark evil. The troupe is
shocked at his knowledge of events. He stops at Sampo.
MEPHISTO
And
no one is going to grind my
head
into sawdust, either. It now
doesn’t
matter what happens. We all
succeed
together or we all swing
together.
I suggest you opt for the
former!
Mephisto heads out. Everyone is
sufficiently revolted and stunned at the bizarre turn of events.
INT: SHIP’S BRIG, NIGHT
The door slams. Ariel sits,
cradling Melody, who coos and makes bubbles. She has absolutely no idea of what
is happening in her life.
Ariel takes solace in the fact
that she still has Melody, but her eyes brim with tears over her current
plight, seemingly insoluble.
She begins to sing, a slower,
more melancholy version of the song she sang at the beginning.
ARIEL
How long have I been in this place? It
seems like I’ll never be free
I’m now in a totally strange world
But at least I have you with me.
I don’t know what lies before us,
And I’m staying right, near your heart
You’ll not be abandoned or left alone,
We’ve got each other, and we’ll never part.
For no matter where I may go,
My heart belongs to the sea
But now, I’m trapped upon this ship
And this is where we must be.
Ariel breaks into heart-wrenching sobs.
INT: SHIP, NIGHT
Back at the galley table
SAMPO
I don’t care what it takes,
but we’re getting them off this ship.
FELICITY
But how can we do this? Our
last plan went wrong?
HAMMAL
We need one that’s foolproof.
GREG
I hate to say this, but there’s
a traitor in our midst.
TOM, DICK & HARRIET
How can you say such a thing?
LIZARD LAD
Did you hear what Mephisto said?
He
knew too much for it to be mere
happenstance.
He was informed!
HAMMAL
But
that means we can’t make any
plan,
as Mephisto would know.
FELICITY
I
want to know how the Princess and
the
baby were taken in the first place!
HAMMAL
If
they had to scale a wall..
Hammal turns to Greg and says
nothing more. Greg gets it.
GREG
Oh,
I see, blame it on the Fly Guy.
Well,
Felicity could have driven
knives
into the wall and Tom, Dick
and
Harriet could have clambered
up
to drop a rope so Hammal could
have
captured them!
TOM, DICK & HARRIET
Lizard
Lad could have slithered
through
a small open window!
The accusations start to fly hot
and heavy as everyone challenges everyone else. Sampo has had it.
SAMPO
Enough!
Everyone stops and faces her.
SAMPO
The
last thing we need is
disharmony
now. We have to
come
up with a plan.
GREG
Wrong!
We can’t make any plan.
Mephisto
would know. We are
doomed.
Plain and simple
Greg views everyone uncertainly.
Sampo fumes.
SAMPO
I’m
not giving up! Who’s with me?
No one says a thing, which
enrages Sampo more.
SAMPO
Fine!
I’ll do it myself!
Tomorrow,
if I have to!
She storms off. Lizard Lad
follows her. Tom, Dick and Harriet confer amongst themselves.
FELICITY
Well,
I’m going to bed to think
on
this. A good night’s sleep and
all
that.
Felicity
leaves, with Irongut following moments later.
IRONGUT
I
don’t know. Anything’s better
than
waiting for the consequences.
Greg gets up to turn off the
light.
GREG
Doomed.
That’s all she wrote.
HAMMAL
Greg,
what are we going to do?
GREG
I
don’t know. I really don’t know.
Greg sighs as he looks into the
flame. ZOOM into the fire.
EXT: SUN
Dawn breaks. Zooming away from
the sun, Eric’s ship is anchored outside the Boldoni harbor. From the shore, a
launch is being rowed furiously towards Eric’s ship. Eric stands up and waves
at the ship.
ERIC
Get
ready to make sail!
Get
ready to make sail!
Eric clambers on board as the
other sailors follow up. Eric heads to Captain Prescott as the longboat is
hauled up.
ERIC
They
were here yesterday and
set
sail on the midnight tide.
PRESCOTT
Their
next stop is Port Mahi.
They’re
not that far ahead of us.
Prescott barks out orders as the
ship makes sail, then turns to console Eric.
PRESCOTT
We’ll
get Princess Ariel
and
Melody. Don’t worry.
Eric heads to the prow of the ship,
and stands looking out at the vast reaches of the sea.
ERIC
I’m
coming, Ariel.
A long shot shows Eric and the
figurehead of his ship, which looks like Ariel. A crossfade has it morph into
Ariel, still trapped in the brig with Melody. She is intently thinking.
Hearing HSST, Ariel looks about,
trying to find the source of the sound. She hears it again. As she turns, she
sees a note dangling at the porthole. She cautiously moves towards it, and then
takes it.
ARIEL
We
are getting you off the
ship.
Be ready.
She sits down to eat her morning
meal. As she lifts up the bowl, there is a folded paper underneath. She opens
it.
ARIEL
We
are getting you off the
ship.
Be ready.
She compares the notes to see
they are in a different hand. As she ponders this, a piece of hardtack flies
through the door grill and lands onto the floor. Ariel picks up the hardtack
and unfolds the paper around it.
ARIEL
We
are getting you off the
ship.
Be ready.
She heads over to the porthole
to peer about. As she rereads the notes, a menacing shadow crosses over Ariel.
She turns and before she can react, she is swallowed up in black.
INT: SHIP, DAY
Greg is standing by a longboat
and speaks in hushed tones.
GREG
We’ll
have to make certain
they
have enough water and
food.
It will take some time
to
get to the nearest port.
From underneath the cover,
Lizard Lad pokes out his head.
LIZARD LAD
We
may be expecting too much
to
have the princess row. She
could
head farther out to sea.
Hearing the click of rifle
hammers, Greg and Lizard Lad turn to see a phalanx of sailors brandishing
rifles with bayonets at them. One motions for both of them to come along.
In the galley, Tom, Dick &
Harriet are scuttling about the lower shelves, looking for items.
TOM
Here’s
some lovely grease.
DICK
I
don’t think they’ll miss
this
bucket.
HARRIET
I’ve
got a sack full of
provisions
for them.
Suddenly, a bayonet stabs the
floor in front of Harriet. All three turn to see sailors with rifles.
They begin to scamper under
their legs and create confusion. However, they are captured when a stew pot
falls atop them.
Felicity and Irongut are poking
around the armory, Felicity picking the lock.
IRONGUT
I
could have chewed through
that
easily.
FELICITY
We
need to be subtle and not
draw
attention to ourselves.
Especially
since we’re getting
some
guns.
Hearing a satisfying CLICK,
Felicity smiles. She opens the door to a bristle of guns and bayonets. Irongut
forces the door shut. Felicity turns to see more sailors behind her.
IRONGUT
Run!
Run! I can hold…
Irongut looks up to see the
fruitlessness of the situation.
He releases the door, the troops
tumbling out.
Hammal and Sampo are skulking
through the ship, drawing attention to themselves in an attempt not to draw
attention to themselves. Sampo is constantly looking about.
SAMPO
Thanks
for helping me. No
one
else would.
HAMMAL
Isn’t
it a bit early to be
breaking
them out of the brig?
SAMPO
The
more confusion, the better.
It
works in our behalf. Besides..
As Sampo’s hand pushes along the
wall, it touches a coat.
MEPHISTO
Besides,
it won’t work anyway.
Sampo turns to see Mephisto.
Sailors come out of nowhere. Sampo gives them what for as sailors fly about.
As she turns to fight more,
Mephisto touches the spot. Sampo crashes to the floor in pain. Trussed up in
chains she cannot break, Sampo is dragged to the brig.
The brig is filled with the
troupe. Ariel is in the corner, chained to the hull. The troupe rush the gate,
but are repelled by the sailors and their weapons. Sampo is thrown in and the
door clangs with a disturbing thud.
GREG
How
could you have found out?
I
didn’t know about Sampo.
TOM, DICK & HARRIET
We
knew nothing of Felicity.
IRONGUT
When
I saw Greg here..
MEPHISTO
Because
I am the Great Mephisto.
You
cannot fool me. Besides, the
first
rule of performance is
always
have a plant. Isn’t that
right?
Mephisto looks down the gangway
and Hammal enters.
HAMMAL
That
is so right, sir.
The troupe rushes the gate to
bash against it uselessly.
HAMMAL
You
see, I saw the opportunity
and
knew we had to act on it.
None
of you have the vision and
foresight
to plan ahead.
Mephisto leans in.
MEPHISTO
I’ll
deal with you traitors
later.
(To Ariel) As I said,
you
weren’t completely necessary
to
the plan, so you will join
your
compatriots at the last
curtain
call! I never liked
any
of you FREAKS!
Mephisto starts to laugh. A
cannon report BOOMS.
CAPTAIN
All
hands on deck! All hands
on deck!
We’re under attack!
The sailors scramble, but Mephisto remains calm. He fairly waltzes out. The brig door slams with finality. Everyone is crestfallen. Greg looks to Ariel.
GREG
Some
rescuers we turned out to be.
TOM, DICK & HARRIET
Maybe
we can get out through
the
porthole.
They form a human tower to get
to the porthole. Harriet puts her head out and a shot is heard. She pulls back
in too quickly and they go tumbling.
TOM
Are
you all right?
Harriet checks herself. She’s
OK. A voice is calling from outside.
VOICE
That
was your only warning.
Next
time, I won’t miss.
GREG
Now
what? This is the end.
Doomed.
Just so doomed.
LIZARD LAD
(To
Ariel) You have to believe us,
we
wanted none of this, but we
seem
powerless against Mephisto.
FELICITY
Not
completely.
All turn as she pulls a lock
pick out of her beard. Felicity goes to the cell door, where she gets it open
in nothing flat. Going to Sampo, her locks are easily opened. When she goes to
Ariel, a look of consternation crosses her face.
FELICITY
These
are the newer locks. I
don’t
know if I can get it.
Felicity tries, but the pick
breaks off in the lock. Ariel and Felicity are frustrated.
SAMPO
The
time for finesse is over.
Sampo grabs the chain by the
wall and clenches it tight in both hands. Sampo strains. The chains hold tight.
Sampo does not give up as her muscles ripple and wobble.
GREG
Sampo,
it’s not working.
It’s
OK. You did your best.
Sampo lets out a primal scream
building from deep within her, culminating in a ferocious roar of defiance. One
of the links slowly bends apart, snapping the chain. Ariel is free.
IRONGUT
Where’s
your baby?
ARIEL
Mephisto
has Melody in his quarters.
Greg pulls everyone together.
GREG
This
time, our plan will work.
INT: SHIP, DAY
There is a guard on the door.
Sampo crashes through the door, knocking the guard out as the door is
shattered.
Going to their quarters,
everyone retrieves their props: Felicity gets her knives, Irongut his fire
tools. Greg removes his gloves and takes off his shoes. Sampo stands with
Ariel, noticing the chain still dragging off her ankle.
SAMPO
I
could pull that off you.
ARIEL
Later.
I want my Melody.
The troupe meets in the hallway.
IRONGUT
We’ll
distract the sailors,
you
two get Melody.
EXT: SHIP, DAY
The Captain pilots as Mephisto
holds Melody.
CAPTAIN
I’ll
not be joining this ship
in
Davy Jones’ Locker.
MEPHISTO
You
won’t. None of us will.
Just
prime your cannons and
let
them get closer. (Towards
Eric’s
ship) You’re made of
sterner
stuff, Prince, but
it
won’t do you any good.
Eric’s ship closes in on them.
ERIC
They
responded to the warning
shot.
They’re heaving-to.
PRESCOTT
But
I can bet you they’re
getting
ready for a volley
against
us. I would.
ERIC
Prime
the cannons, but fire
on
my command only. I do
not
want to risk hurting
Ariel
or Melody.
Eric
puts the telescope to his eye.
ERIC’S POV THROUGH TELESCOPE
Mephisto holds up Melody with
one hand and waves pleasantly, then fake drops Melody. He smiles knowingly.
ERIC
He
may have us over a barrel.
Fire
another shot across her bow.
The cannon shot tears off the
bowsprit.
CAPTAIN
That
was too close.
MEPHISTO
No,
it wasn’t. FIRE!
Cannons belch out. Two shots
hit, one tearing a hole in the main sail, the other shearing off one of the
spars.
MEPHISTO
(Yelling at Eric)
Work
on that one.
A distant BOOM is heard.
Mephisto’s ship is rocked, as a sail crashes to the deck. Nothing came from
Eric’s ship. The Captain and Mephisto turn to see Eric’s other ship.
Eric sees what’s happening and
barks out orders.
ERIC
Signal
the other ship. Tell
them
not to fire.
Their shots were more direct.
Parts of the ship catch fire, including the powder room. Chaos reigns. In an
entry, the troupe stands at the ready.
GREG
Charge!
Leaping out, Felicity sends a
barrage of knives, which pins sailors to masts, hulls and the deck. Tom, Dick
and Harriet roll, tripping up more. Lizard Lad scares sailors overboard.
Irongut shoots out flames, but catches a sail on fire.
Sampo slams sailors into the
water as she and Ariel make their way to the bridge. Ariel pauses for a moment
as she looks outwards, then brightens up.
ARIEL
That’s
Eric’s ship. He’s
come
for me. Eric! ERIC!
Ariel starts to jump up and down
to get Eric’s attention. Sampo comes back to grab Ariel as the flames leap onto
the deck. Greg shinnies up a mast. Grabbing a rope, he swings out for Mephisto
and Melody.
Hands extended, Greg sails
through the smoke and zeroes in on his target. Mephisto sees him at the last
moment and ducks. Greg careens wildly and, on the return trip, knocks more
sailors into the sea.
Sampo and Ariel deftly avoid the
flames as sailors are now jumping off the ship. They both look up to see
Mephisto heading into his quarters. They follow, with Ariel leading.
On the other ship, that CAPTAIN
looks through a telescope at Eric’s ship.
CAPTAIN
I
just can’t seem to make out
the
signal flags. All that smoke.
His FIRST MATE takes a look.
FIRST MATE
I
can see the “fire” flag, sir.
CAPTAIN
He
wants us to send forth another
volley.
Turn the ship about! We’ll
give
them what for!
OVERHEAD SHOT
Eric’s ship is in the upper
right-hand corner, Mephisto’s flaming ship is in the middle and Eric’s other
ship is in the lower left-hand corner. Scuttle floats into view and circles.
Just off Eric’s ship, the water bubbles.
EXT: OCEAN, DAY
Triton comes up at the stern of
Eric’s ship, unaware of what the problem is. Eric does not fire as he takes
another fusillade. Triton, disgusted, submerges.
MEPHISTO’S QUARTERS
Mephisto is scrambling about,
while Hammal is holding a shrieking and crying Melody. Hammal has no idea what
to do.
HAMMAL
Perhaps
this wasn’t a good idea
after
all.
Mephisto turns on Hammal.
MEPHISTO
Perhaps
you should shut up.
The door bursts open. They look
up.
SAMPO
Perhaps
you should shut up.
It is the hulking shadow of
Sampo, shattered door in hand, which she casts away. Ariel squeezes in beside
her.
Mephisto grabs Melody from
Hammal and shoves him towards Sampo. Her fury is unmatched as she pummels
Hammal, but he's the Rubber Man and the punches have no effect. Sampo is
stunned but redoubled her efforts.
Hammal lets Sampo give him a
solid hit. He reels back and bounces off the wall. Curling up, he becomes a
ball and slams hard into Sampo.
Ariel takes on Mephisto, who
smiles cruelly. Melody howls as they circle the desk.
MEPHISTO
So
it gets down to this.
You
never were needed.
ARIEL
Wrong!
It was you who were
never
needed. Or wanted.
MEPHISTO
You’re
stronger willed than your
husband.
I underestimated you.
Ariel starts to leap over the
desk. Mephisto runs to his right. Ariel spins about, leading with her chain
leg.
Mephisto reacts too slowly and
is caught on the ankles. He goes down, Melody pitching into the air. Ariel
reaches out and catches Melody. Mephisto struggles to his feet.
MEPHISTO
Let
me have it!
SAMPO
Then
here!
Sampo has tied up Hammal and
pitches him at Mephisto. Both go down.
SAMPO
(To
Ariel) Get out of here!
EXT: SHIP, DAY
Triton is at the stern of
Mephisto’s ship, near his quarters. He fires a massive bolt from his trident.
The ship bursts into flame and smoke.
Ariel, Melody and Sampo are
blown onto the deck. Ariel holds onto Melody as they pitch about. The ship is a
ball of fire. Sampo grabs them both and heads to the railing.
SAMPO
You’ll
have to jump!
ARIEL
But
I can’t swim!
Sampo stares at her for a
moment.
SAMPO
You’re
a mermaid and you can’t swim.
Ariel looks sad.
ARIEL
I’m
not a mermaid anymore.
An explosion lurches the ship.
The shudder throws Sampo into the water. Ariel looks down after her, holds
Melody close and jumps in. They are hit by a bright beam of light.
ARIEL
Daddy!
Triton envelopes them in a ball
of energy. As he carries them over, Mephisto appears. He heads to the mini-deck
cannon. He primes it to fire at Triton, who cannot see him. Ariel tries to warn
Triton, but he cannot hear her.
Eric, through his telescope,
sees the situation. Grabbing a sailor’s rifle, Eric squeezes off a shot.
ERIC
Make
it count.
Mephisto is wounded, as the
bullet richochets off the cannon and into his shoulder. He recovers to aim at
Triton. Flames are licking about him. He is a maniac.
MEPHISTO
No
one shall have her. You
must
all die! DIE!
Eric grimaces. He looks about
for another rifle.
ERIC
Give
me another rifle! He’s
getting
ready to fire!
FIRST
MATE
Fire!
Fire, fire, fire!
Eric turns in horror. He was misunderstood.
ERIC
Nooooooooooooooooo!
The Captain of the other ship
gives his order.
CAPTAIN
Fire!
Both ships fire simultaneously.
Mephisto’s ship explodes, lifting out of the water and breaking in two. Smoke
spreads outward, enveloping all. The ship sinks rapidly. All we see is debris,
including Mephisto’s coat and Hammal’s turban.
At Eric’s ship, the crew and
troupe are brought on board, wet and grimy. Eric looks out at the smoking
wreckage, stunned at the turn of events.
PRESCOTT
Eric,
I..
ERIC
What
have I done?
Eric turns to the people on
deck, eying the troupe fiercely.
ERIC
Take
them below. I will
deal
with them personally!
They are taken below. Eric views
the carnage remorsefully. Then the water starts to churn and boil. All rush to
the side to see a bubble rising, phoenix-like, from the water. Ariel and Melody
are inside, safe.
Borne by Triton’s trident, the
glowing orb alights on the deck and then disappears to free them. Triton rises
up on a fountain of water to deck level.
Eric runs to embrace both Ariel
and Melody.
ERIC
I
though I had lost you both.
He realizes how awkward this is,
considering what he had done. He backs away and turns to see an unpleasant
Triton.
ERIC
Your
majesty, I..
Before he can continue, Ariel
steps in front of Eric.
ARIEL
Daddy,
here is your grand-
child,
Melody.
Triton stares at the merbaby
with admiration and respect. He looks up to see a very sad Ariel.
ARIEL
I
need you to make Melody a human.
Eric steps in.
ERIC
Stop!
Stop now!
Eric stares down Triton. Ariel
recoils in confusion.
ERIC
I will
have my say! I have experienced my first test and
...I
have failed. I failed as
a
monarch, I failed as a hus-
band
and I failed as a father.
Ariel’s
happiness means more to me than anything else. But it is apparent she won’t
find it here. Feet or fins, it shouldn’t have made a differ-ence. But it did.
Eric turns to Ariel.
ERIC
I am
unworthy of your love.
It
would be best if you return
to
Atlantica, with Melody.
It’s not
fair to you, or your father or to Melody to remain on land. She needs to be
what she is and what you truly are..a mermaid.
ARIEL
Wait!
Eric, I don’t want this. My place is with you.
ERIC
Do you
really want to be with a person such as myself? At a time when you both needed
me the most, I was not there.
ARIEL
This
isn’t the right thing to do! Think about what you’re doing.
ERIC
I had a
lot of time to think.
It may
not be the right thing, but it is the best thing to do. For everyone’s sake.
Eric takes Melody from Ariel and
moves to one side. Ariel is stunned but cannot find the words to say anything more.
She starts to move towards Eric, but is restrained by Triton. He speaks low to
Ariel.
TRITON
Being a
king means making tough decisions. I see the reasons behind his words. He shows
much courage.
Triton raises his trident. Ariel
steels herself against the transformation she doesn’t want. She tries to put on
a brave face, but her trembling chin gives away her true feelings.
The trident charges up. The
faces of the crew and the people are seen as they prepare for the event. The
trident glows and the energy bolt shoots from the trident. The report is
tremendous.
Ariel holds, and then realizes
nothing has happened to her. She opens her eyes to see the bolt went to Melody.
A ball of white light, too bright to stare at, bathes Melody. When it fades,
Melody is human.
Eric looks up, stunned. Ariel,
who is relieved that she is staying with Eric, runs to them both. Triton looks
at Eric.
TRITON
Ariel’s
happiness means more
to
me than anything as well.
Eric faces Triton.
ERIC
I
will never fully comprehend
the
level of your sacrifice
that
you just made.
Triton puts an arm around Eric.
TRITON
I
believe you have.
He turns to go, then pauses.
TRITON
But
I want a proper presentation
of
my granddaughter to me.
ARIEL
Oh,
we will. We most certainly
will,
daddy.
Ariel is enraptured at her
daughter and that her husband is back. There are tears in both of their eyes.
Triton smiles to himself as he leaves.
INT: SHIP, DAY
In the brig of Eric’s ship, the
troupe is there, looking pensive. Greg is pacing, talking to no one in
particular.
GREG
We’re
doomed. No way around that.
Plain
and simple. End of story.
Doomed.
Doomed, doomed, doomed,
doomed,
doomed. Dooooooooooomed.
LIZARD LAD
You
know, I’m getting to really,
really
hate brigs. I’ve seen
enough
in my life.
GREG
The
way things are going, your
life
may not be much longer!
Doomed,
I tell you. Doo..
The door opens. Greg forces a
smile. Eric, visibly upset, peers at them with a furious intensity. It’s really
bad.
GREG
(Under)
We’re
doomed.
ERIC
The
mark of a good ruler is
how
he dispenses justice:
Swift,
direct, immediate!
GREG
(Under)
Are
we ever doomed.
ERIC
Crimes
against the Crown cannot
go
unpunished.
GREG
(Under)
We
are incredibly, totally doomed.
ERIC
A
message will be sent!
GREG
(Under)
Doomed
totally beyond belief!
ERIC
You
will be escorted back to
my
palace, where you will all
be
summarily released.(To the
guard)
Unlock the door.
GREG
We’re
not doomed?
ERIC
Justice
means nothing if it’s not tempered with reason and mercy.
Princess
Ariel has interceded on your behalf, regarding your valiant efforts to free
her.
Once at
the castle, you may go where you wish, or stay in the Kingdom.
GREG
No
offense, your Majesty, but we’re not Kingdom folk. We prefer being on the seas,
traveling from town to town.
LIZARD LAD
Which
we are unable to do, as
our
ship is sunk.
The troupe is horrified at the
presumptiveness of Lizard Lad and tries to clam him up. Eric makes a wry smile.
ERIC
I
can do something about that.
Eric leaves. The troupe relaxes.
Sampo passes out.
EXT: SHIP, NIGHT
In the background, a celebration
is going on.
Ariel is with Melody on the
bridge. They are staring off into the distance as a breeze whips Ariel’s hair
about. Eric approaches from the rear, putting his arm around Ariel.
ARIEL
That
was a very brave deed
you
did this afternoon.
ERIC
It..it
needed to be done.
ARIEL
It
must have been very
difficult
to tell Daddy that.
ERIC
Actually,
I was afraid that
you
wouldn’t want to come
back,
after what I said. They
were
still my words, all of them.
I
wasn’t going to force you.
Ariel stares into Eric’s eyes,
speaking firmly, but kindly.
ARIEL
I
am your wife, you are my
husband,
this is our daughter.
We
are a family. For better or
worse,
in bad times and good.
ERIC
Then,
would you consider
marrying
ME..again?
Eric kneels before them. Ariel
tears up. Melody burbles. Eric rises and kisses Ariel.
EXT: DAY, WEDDING BARGE
Morphing into the wedding kiss,
they are in their wedding finery. The assembled multitudes cheer. Triton, who
holds Melody, beams. Melody sees Sebastian and proceeds to squeeze the
unfortunate crab. But he’s slippery and squirts away.
Above, Scuttle flies and crashes
into the mast of a ship. The troupe is on the deck of this ship, waving their
congratulations. The sail still has the stylized eye on it, but it also reads
LIVING MUSEUM OF HUMAN SUPERLATIVES. Sampo is bawling like a baby.
The Captain, who piloted the old
ship, is at the wheel, dressed snappily. Greg salutes Eric and Ariel, only to
have his hand stick to his head.
As to the human participants,
Carlotta is a teary mess. Grimsby is also teary, but he’s trying not to show
it. Chef Louis wheels in an enormous cake, but does not see Max.
He runs the trolley over him.
Max bounds up and upsets the trolley. Louis manages to right the trolley and
keep it from tipping, but in doing so, he overcompensates and the cake falls
over onto Louis. He is both livid and embarrassed.
Eric and Ariel come to Triton.
They collect Melody in her beautiful dress. Ariel tears up as she hugs her
father and waves at her sisters. All are happy, except Arista.
ARISTA
Hmmph!
She gets two weddings
and
I haven’t had any.
Attina, who is next to Arista,
continues to wave at Ariel. With her free hand, Attina dunks Arista beneath the
waves.
Flounder is brought up and waves
to Ariel. Melody reaches out and grabs him, squeezing him like a plush toy.
Everyone giggles.
Triton raises his trident and
instead of a rainbow, makes fireworks that outshine everything.
Back to Eric, Ariel and Melody,
the happy family, as Sebastian speaks.
SEBASTIAN
It’s
so nice they’re together again.
As Sebastian sings, both the
land people and the merfolk react and act out parts of the song.
SEBASTIAN
Together again, together again,
We’ll stay by our side,
And we can outride,
Whatever they send.
With our love so strong,
We’ll never go wrong,
So, things might get stressed,
But we’re at our best,
Together again.
When I was but a tiny one
My folks would always say:
“Money come and money go
But
friends are there to stay”,
So, you
had better learn,
The
simple truth I sing,
Once you
lose all of your friends,
You
haven’t got a thing.
ERIC
Together
again, together again,
I paid a
big cost,
And I
nearly lost,
My very
best friend.
ARIEL
If we
understand,
It’s all
in our hands,
We won’t
go astray,
And
always shall stay,
Together
again.
SEBASTIAN
Now,
events can get quite stormy,
And you
get blown around,
But if
you’re strong and wise on this,
You know
that hope can be found.
Just
take a dash of belief,
And
faith in what you can be,
Troubles
will scatter like sea foam,
You’ll
be rid of your quandary.
Life, we
know, isn’t easy, mon,
Good
fortune can shift like the tide,
We must
be prepared for the changes,
And able
to take it in stride.
You can
always rise to the challenge,
As long
as you are as one,
So, if you’re
there for each other,
Your
love will not be outdone.
ALL
Together
again, together again,
If you
speak from your heart,
Then
you’ll never part,
This I
recommend.
Please
take the time,
To make
love sublime.
You can
banish strife,
And have
a great life,
Together
again.
We all
have a choice,
Let’s be
of one voice,
Together
again
Together
again.
Eric and Ariel kiss. Hold as the
ORCHESTRATION concludes.
END