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“Trust me! I’m a mathlete!” was the final plea Ruby had to give her mother to trust her plan to destroy the Trident of Oceanus.
Before Agatha could reply, she noticed Chelsea speeding towards Ruby.
“Uh… sweetie?!” was all the young Kraken needed to hear before turning around to glimpse the hysterical mermaid rushing towards her, ready to skewer her with the Trident.
She quickly fired off a laser at it, causing the Trident to shake in a subtle frenzy, staggering Chelsea in her tracks.
Chelsea focused on hardening her grasp, keeping the weapon from slipping out of her hands a second time. As she was distracted by this, Ruby helped Agatha and Grandmama to stand, causing the two to groan somewhat.
“I’m getting too old for this…” complained the senior-aged Kraken.
As the Trident settled in Chelsea’s hands, Ruby spoke up.
“Chelsea, I'm giving you one warning and one warning only. Give up the Trident, and this can stop right now!”
“As if I would ever! You're not talking me out of this, Ruby!”
“…I was afraid you'd say that. If that's how it's gonna be, then fine! See how far it gets you!”
Chelsea immediately started rushing towards Ruby again, who in return shot out a stream of her lasers, hitting the Trident dead on, with Agatha and Grandmama following along.
As the seconds went by, the Trident glowed brighter and brighter, vibrating in frenzy, and buzzing as if it were alive itself. Chelsea could tell this was going to be the end of the weapon, to her dismay.
“No! NO, NO, NOOOOOO!” was what she cried right before the Trident practically combusted in her hands. In the Trident’s place was an enormous cloud of smoke and sparkles, the air was practically stained with it all.
In the midst of it all stood the three giant Kraken, composed in their shared glory. The crowd of people watching the spectacle all started cheering for them, the newfound heroes of Oceanside.
“AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!” was all anyone could hear from Chelsea as she fell into the water.
The mermaid quickly rose from the water to compose herself, and noticed the three giant Kraken in front of her, now towering above her. It sent a chill through her spine, the three looking down at her. The eldest one in scorn, the middle one in disapproval, and the youngest one in grief. This feeling of fear was quickly overtaken by a more severe sensation; resentment.
“Well? What are you gonna do to me now? I know you better than to just let me off the hook after everything’s been said and done, so whatever you're planning, get it over with!”
Grandmama was the first to respond. She turned to Ruby and Agatha. “I don't know about you two, but I'm dead set on frying this eyesore!” She started to charge her laser eyes, moving towards Chelsea.
Ruby, in shock, put out her arm to stop Grandmama from getting near Chelsea. “Grandmama, no!”
“Ruby, what are you-”
“Just listen to me! This isn’t right! …None of this is right and you know that… Just… let me talk to her… Please?”
Grandmama looked at Ruby in slight shock, blinking a little bit. She then turned to Agatha, possibly trying to get her to side with her. “Mom…” Agatha rested her hand on Grandmama’s shoulder. “She needs this. Let her have it.”
Grandmama’s eyes slightly widen, and she blinks at Agatha a bit too. She then looks down at the water, contemplating these words. She slowly nods her head and looks back up at Ruby. “Okay…”
Ruby smiles at Grandmama and then turns her attention back to the mermaid with uncertainty.
“…Chelsea?”
Chelsea, arms crossed, scowling at the water, turned her head slightly to give whatever attention she could muster in her lingering fury to heed the Kraken’s words.
“I don't blame you for whatever anger you hold against us… But you and I both know that this isn't how things have to be… I want to help you… Just tell me what we need to do and we can fix ALL of this… together…”
The mermaid’s irritated expression slowly turned into a more somber gaze. She looked down at her reflection in the water.
“I wish it could be that easy… But… There is no fixing what's happened between our people… between us…”
Chelsea’s eyes started to slightly swell up with tears.
“It’s just… not worth it anymore…”
Ruby spoke up against these words.
“Chelsea?” was all she could muster.
Chelsea turned back to Ruby, her face painted with bitterness and regret.
“Goodbye, Ruby… I’m sorry… for everything…”
The Mermaid turned and swam away as quickly as she could, and all Ruby could do was reach out her hand, before Agatha gently grasped her other arm to stop her.
“Ruby…”
The young Kraken turned to her mother in anguish.
“It’s okay…”
Ruby sulked and hesitated, looking back at Chelsea and resting her hand down. All she could do was stare at the fleeting friend-turned-enemy, wishing she would just turn around before she escaped her view.
“Goodbye Chelsea… I hope you can find peace… even if our people can't…”
Agatha put her hand around Ruby’s shoulder.
“Hey… Chin up, honey… What you did today was amazing… I thought you weren't ready to know who you truly were… but you proved me wrong in more ways than one. So, from now on… no more lying, and no more hiding.”
Agatha brings Ruby in for a hug, and Grandmama follows along. After a few seconds, the old Queen speaks up.
“And… since this seems like something that can't be ignored any longer… No more fighting either… All my life I've had… such an unsightly sentiment on mermaids… but ANYONE with eyes could tell that girl meant something to you, dear… I will find her and talk to her, and I WILL help her see that it's not too late to start over, for our people, and for you and her… no matter what it takes. I promise…”
Ruby perked up at this.
“Really? …You mean that?”
Grandmama playfully pinches Ruby’s cheek a bit.
“Come on… I may be a bit of a fixer-upper but I’m no liar… but right now… You shouldn't worry about all that… I think you have a dance to attend to…”
Grandmama gestures to the prom boat a little away from them. Ruby’s smile brightens, and she turns to Agatha.
“Mom… is it alright if-”
Agatha puts her hands up to stop her.
“Ah, ah. Ruby… you don't even need to ask. Go have the time of your life, sweetie.”
Ruby perks up even more and quickly swims away from the two older Krakens.
“I love you guys!”
“We love you too!” the two say in unison.
Agatha sighs.
“Yep… that's my girl.”
“You did a good job raising her…” confessed Grandmama, “I know she doesn't want to take up the throne, but honestly… I think I could learn a thing or two from her.”
Agatha considers these words… “Yeah… I'm right there with you…”
The two share a look and chuckle. As the night continues, Ruby catches up with her friends, has the best dance of her life with the crush of her dreams, Brill meets up with the rest of the family, and Grandmama learns she's a grandma, AGAIN.
All the while, Chelsea just kept swimming away from the scene as fast as she could. She takes a look at her wrist, where Ruby’s friendship bracelet is adorned. She stares at the token of their connection for a moment, caresses the lettering with her thumb, and musters a somber smile, but then looks back up to focus on her swimming, not caring about where she’ll end up, but hoping the journey will clear her mind, even if it was just for a moment.