Eris' Poor Unfortunate Souls/Kairi's Transformation (Alternate version)

Past the Ship's Graveyard, past the Canyon of Rocks, down, into the ravine filled with purple geysers that spewed noxious gas, a skeleton of a monster long forgotten sat. A pair of jaws large enough to swallow a whale gaped as if frozen in its last dying scream. Kairi stopped right in front thankful that the jaws were so large so there was plenty of room to swim between the dead, but still razor sharp, teeth.

She bit her lip as her heart and courage flutter for a moment.

"This way." Foxy Loxy and Lumpjaw said in unison.

Taking a nervous gulp, she entered the belly of the beast. The hallways were dark, and the fox and bear led the way, and a nervous Kairi followed them. But as they went in further, she heard a moaning and howling sound as they entered the next hallway. The deeper they were in, the louder it got, as Kairi looked down and noticed something moving along the bottom. She then paled in fright as some light shined in and showed the horrifying polyps. And then suddenly, one of them shot at her, wrapping around her wrist. She struggled, trying to pull it off, until one final tug, she broke free. In fear, she swam fast to the fox and bear's side as they reached their final destination.

It was a room with a huge conch hung from the ceiling, along with a few shelves full of strange concoctions, a vanity mirror, and a cauldron shaped like a closed clawed hand. It was when they entered the room. "Foxy. Lumpjaw. You divine, little vipers!" Eris spoke up from the conch, "Mmm, I see you've brought a customer. Come in. Come in, my child. We mustn't lurk in doorways."

Kairi nervously came in, and she saw Eris. "It's rude. One MIGHT question your upbringing." she chuckled.

Then her tentacles roughly tousled Kairi's hair. "Oh. Oh! Is this how they're wearing their hair back at the palace nowadays?"

Eris slithered her way out of the conch and landing on the floor, as she quirking, as an orange seashell necklace hovered around her neck. "Of course, I wouldn't know." she said, as she strutted towards a vanity in the corner. "I've been banished forever by your dear, old uncle!" One of her tentacles cupped Kairi's face, and her words brought Kairi out of her amazed stupor.

Once Eris let go of Kairi, she continued lamenting, "Reduced to living in this wretched hovel for all eternity!"

Even Foxy and Lumpjaw felt sorry for their mistress.

"And for what?" Eris carried on, "Because I was ambitious? Because I made a few pitiful attempts to elevate my station in life?" The fox and bear carried their bawling mistress.

"You tried to overthrow my uncle." said Kairi.

Eris just laughed at her. "These things get so blown out of proportion." she said, getting off Foxy and Lumpjaw, "At any rate, I've reformed. I only do good these days."

She sat down examining herself in the mirror.

"Now, then." Eris said, as one of her long, dark tentacles squirted some foaming hair gel from a shell-shaped bottle. "You're here because you have a thing for this human. This, er, Keyblade Bearer fellow." Her red nails ran through her dark blue hair. "Not that I blame you - he is quite a catch, isn't he?"

"Well, galaxy girl," Eris said. Red lips puckered as she applied lipstick. "the solution to your problem is simple." She finished the phrase with a pop of her lips. "The only way to get what you want - is to become a human yourself."

Kairi gasped in surprise by that solution. She figured it was impossible to even become a human; she even knew her uncle wouldn't allow it with the power of the Trident. But then she looked to Eris with hope in her eyes. "Can you DO that?" she asked.

Eris smirked as she turned towards Kairi and said, "My dear, sweet child. That's what I do."

She then swam towards Kairi as she stated, "It's what I live for. To help unfortunate merfolk - like yourself."

She then sighed sadly as she cupped Kairi's face with one of her tentacles, causing Kairi to flinch away, "Poor souls with no one else to turn to."

She swam up, and Foxy Loxy and Lumpjaw snaked around their mistress, her husky voice low and almost hypnotizing.

Eris: *I admit that in the past I've been a nasty*
*They weren't kidding when they called me, well, a witch*

Foxy Loxy and Lumpjaw laughed as they swirled around Eris, who also twirled in circles.

Eris: *But you'll find that nowadays*
*I've mended all my ways*
Repented, seen the light and made a switch

The fox and bear circled one last time before leaving Eris with a flourish as she floated back down towards the mesmerized mermaid.

Eris: *True? Yes*

The fox and bear returned to circling her again as she strutted over to the claw hand cauldron growing out of the ground.

Eris: *And I fortunately know a little magic*
*It's a talent that I always have possessed*

With a wave of her arms, the claw opened, and pink steam rose up, and whatever was inside cast an eerie glow on the goddess's face.

Eris: *And here lately, please don't laugh*

She grinned and waggled a finger at the princess who was slowly swimming closer, curiosity over coming her fear.

Eris: *I use it on behalf*
*Of the miserable, lonely and depressed*
*Pathetic*

Eris had pulled up two mer-people made of the glowing pink steam, and Kairi was too enthralled to hear the last part she had whispered to her laughing servants.

Eris: *Poor unfortunate souls*
*In pain*
*In need*
*This one longing to be thinner*
*That one wants to get the girl*
*And do I help them?*

A snap of her fingers, and the two figures were transformed, the scrawny bow merman was now a handsome merman, and the chubby mermaid was now a slim mermaid, both were the way they wanted to be.

Eris: *Yes, indeed*

The two embraced each other, and Eris continued to strut and sing around the cauldron.

Eris: *Those poor unfortunate souls*
*So sad*
*So true*

Jim Crow, Kaa, and Baba Looey had secretly entered. Shaking with fear, they sneaked past the polyps.

Eris: *They come flocking to my cauldron*
*Crying, "Spells, Eris please!"*
*And I help them?*
*Yes, I do*
*Now it's happened once or twice*
*Someone couldn't pay the price*
*And I'm afraid I had to rake 'em 'cross the coals*

Her hand clenched into a fist, and the two dissolved in a tornado, scraggly little polyps in their place. Eris closed her claw hand cauldron, grabbed one of the pink fluorescent curling seaweeds that hung from the ceiling, and began playing with it.

Eris: *Yes, I've had the odd complaint*
*But on the whole, I've been a saint*
*To those poor unfortunate souls*

She loomed over the other polyps until they all began to quake and cry in fear again. Kairi was distracted by them before Eris pulled the mermaid closer to her with the seaweed.

"Now, here's the deal," she said. She began pulling her over towards the cauldron, releasing the plant once her surprisingly strong hand had a hold of Kairi's arm, sharp maroon claws biting into the soft flesh. "I will make you a potion that will turn you into a human for three days."

A distracted look crossed her grimacing face as she tried to brush off a stray tentacle that had wrapped itself across her shoulder and chest.

"Got that?" Eris repeated, "Three days."

They had arrived at the terrible black claw which had sealed up again, and, leaning over it, Eris grabbed Kairi's chin with a tentacle as the girl had been unconsciously looking for a way out.

"Now listen, this is important." Eris said, as she opened her claw hand cauldron again, and three glowing yellow suns floated out between the cracks in the claws.

"Before the sun sets on the third day, you've got to get Key Bearer Boy to fall in love with you." Eris continued.

A crown followed as the suns set and a heart, pulsing and beating red floated up in the center.

"That is, he's got to kiss you." the goddess continued, "Not just any kiss, the special kiss: the kiss of true love."

The heart pulsed, and its shining red glow over powered the gold of the crown.

Kaa, Baba Looey, and Jim Crow were swimming around the corner, keeping out of sight, and saw what was happening and heard everything. Out of the cauldron then popped a silhouette of Kairi and Ventus together, but this image, Kairi had legs as Eris explained, "If he *does* kiss you before the sun sets on the third day, you'll remain human permanently,"

Kairi smiled at this outcome, but then frowned as the silhouette changed from her and Ventus together, with her back as a mermaid. She was sucked back down and Eris' grinning face filled her vision.

"But if he doesn't," Eris went on, "you turn back into a mermaid, and you belong to me!"

Jim Crow couldn't take it anymore. "No, Kairi! Don't be stupid!" he yelled. But then he, Kaa, and Baba Looey were quickly silenced by the fox and bear, as Eris once again grabbed her chin bringing her attention back to her. "Have we got a deal?" she asked.

Seeing Jim Crow, Kaa, and Baba Looey reminded her of home, and an interesting thought crossed her mind that caused her to furrow her brow. "If I become human," she said. "I'll never be with my uncle or sisters again."

Eris faked her concern as she nodded, "That's right." But then she smirked and chuckled, "But, you'll have your man. Life's full of tough choices, innit?" she jeered, lying back on the claw.

Then she got off the claw and faced Kairi as she continued singing.

Eris: *Come on, I know you need a little magic*
*And magic is my specialty* du jour'

She concocted a magic bouquet and gave it to Kairi, who looked terrified. The bouquet exploded and turned into an inchworm, which crept towards her. Eris took the inchworm, as if it were a thermometer, and, with the snap of her fingers, made it disappear.

Eris: *Don't just stand there, looking sick*
*Would I kid you, play a trick?*
*Like I told you, I don't do that anymore*

The goddess of chaos's tentacles wrapped around Kairi's wrists and tail, frightening her even more.

Eris: *So I think you ought to take my little bargain*
*Yes, I think you ought to make my little deal*

She dragged the Intergalactic mermaid aside and started freeing her

Eris: *Sure, it's hard to leave your life*
*But you could be a prince's wife*
*Why don't you let me take that dream and make it real?*
*Oh, oh, oh!*

At that moment, Eris spun Kairi around, dizzying her and laughing maniacally. "My dear, I almost forgot. We haven't discussed the subject of payment. You can't get something for nothing, you know."

Oh that look on her shocked little face! Hmhmhm!

Even though this goddess of chaos and her magic scared her, a touch of desperation colored her voice at the thought of the chance being taken away.

Kairi tried to explain, "But I don't have any -"

"I'm not asking much. Just a token, really, a trifle." Eris said, covering the Intergalactic girl's mouth with her hand, "You'll never even miss it. What I want from you is...your voice."

The way it came out, the way that red nail insisted on touching her chin again, it felt…sinister. Kairi gingerly touched her throat. "My voice?" she asked.

Eris nodded. "You've got it, girl. No more talking, singing, nothing!" She listed off the stipulations on her fingers and ended it with a pop of her lips.

Kairi protested, "But without my voice, how can I -"

But was cut off again by the goddess of chaos, "You'll have your looks! Your pretty face! And don't underestimate the importance of body language! Ha!" Eris responded in rhythm like she was singing on "body language", she started shaking her bottom and began to sing again.

Eris: *The men up there don't like a lot of blabber*
*They think a girl who gossips is a bore*

As she said this, she went to a cupboard and opened it.

Eris: *Yes, on land it's much preferred*
*For ladies not to say a word*
*And after all, dear, what is idle prattle for?*
*Come on, they're not all that impressed with conversation*

She threw five bottles with a few ingredients into a cauldron as Kairi looked on.

Eris: *True gentlemen avoid it when they can*
*But they dote and swoon and fawn*
*On a lady who's withdrawn*

Eris then threw a tongue into the cauldron, causing more smoke.

Eris: *It's she who holds her tongue who gets her man*
*Come on, you poor unfortunate soul*
*Go ahead!*
*Make your choice!*

As Kairi looked in the smoke, Peter's face began to form. She absentmindedly gazed into it until she heard Eris' voice.

Eris: *I'm a very busy woman*
*And I haven't got all day*
*It won't cost much*
*Just your voice!*

And then Eris' face shot through the image, scaring Kairi as she finished. She threw a little blue jellyfish right into the pit of her cauldron. It exploded into blue smoke, and I couldn't help feel a tad twinge of pity for the poor creature.

Eris: *You poor unfortunate soul*
*It's sad*
*But true*

Eris then put a hand on Kairi's shoulder and gave her a very, very long golden scroll and a quill. It is a contract that Eris gives to mer-people who had to make thier deals with her, official.

Eris: *If you want to cross a bridge, my sweet*
*You've got to pay the toll*
*Take a gulp and take a breath*
*And go ahead and sign the scroll!*

Kairi read the first part, which read, "I, hereby hand over to Eris, one voice. Signed X.\_"

Eris: *Foxy Loxy, Lumpjaw, now I've got her, boys*
*The boss is on a roll*
*This poor*

A stern look came onto Kairi's face as she looked up.

Eris: *un*

Kairi grabbed the pen as Jim Crow, Kaa, and Baba Looey gasped in shock.

Eris: *fortunate soul!*

Kairi then turned her own head away while shutting her eyes and clenching her teeth as she signed "Kairi" on the dotted line. When Kairi finished signing her own name, she opened her eyes and Eris took the contract scroll. The deal was done! Eris smiled evilly, spread her hands over her cauldron, chanting a spell, and her cauldron then started glowing blue.

Eris: *Beluga, Sevruga: Come winds of the Caspian Sea*

As Eris chanted this, a blue whirlwind appeared around her and Kairi, who looked extremely nervous.

Eris: *Larynxes, glossitis, et laryngitis*
***La voce** to me!*

Then two huge green phantom-like hands, symbolizing Eris' hands appeared. Each was to her left and right, and Eris looked towards Kairi as she stated, "Now, sing!" She looked at Kairi with an insane look in her eyes and an evil toothy grin.

Without any hesitation, the Intergalactic girl sang out, or vocalized, the tune of her song. But as she sang, a small golden sphere glowed in her throat; the small golden glowing sphere in her throat was none other than her voice. The spell was working!

"Keep singing!" Eris shouted.

As Kairi did so, the hands reached out for her. As one hand reached for her, Kairi flinched a little, but still held her tone. And then, like a viper striking for a mouse and getting it, the hand shot into her mouth and ventured down Kairi's throat. And in a few seconds, it pulled out, along with Kairi's voice as it continued to hold the notes in her song. Kairi saw the golden orb that was her voice, and held her throat, knowing it was lost forever. And then the hands were reeled right into Eris' shell necklace, which she insanely grinned at as she cackled like a maniac.

Then Eris began to laugh wickedly as Kairi got trapped in a yellow bubble, and she began to completely change.

Jim Crow shook, and Kaa and Baba Looey closed their eyes as they watched in complete horror as Kairi was transforming from mermaid to human.

Kairi felt her fins splitting into two, her lower fish body began to disappear as it started to lose its color and match Kairi's skin tone. Her legs emerged, and her tail fins become feet. She was now wearing a pink bikini bottom, but she was still wearing her necklace with a silver bead and pink shell bra.

The bubble disappeared, but now Kairi was left unable to breath underwater, and she couldn’t swim either.

Jim Crow, Kaa, and Baba Looey darted from their hiding place and went on either sides of the Intergalactic now-human girl and swam to the surface as fast as they could. Eris cackled evilly as they left her lair. The group kept swimming and swimming until finally managing to get Kairi above water. Kairi took a huge breath of air upon reaching the surface. With that problem solved, everyone guided her to the nearby shore. But will they be able to help their friend, especially in this dire time, and without Kairi's voice? This was now a serious problem for them.