Hello, everyone! This is my first crossover story, and my first fan fiction about The Little Mermaid and Treasure Planet. I have always been a fan of Ariel and Jim as a couple, and have tinkered around with different love story ideas for them, and I came up with this one. I have been trying to come up with a story that was original and has not been used yet. Keep in mind, I haven't read all of the Ariel/Jim fan fictions, so if you have written a story like this one, my apologies! I didn't steal anything! And, some details may be a tad different from the original stories since I tweaked them to fit this one (ex: Ariel "tells" Eric her name, not Sebastian). Just a heads up!

Synopsis: Ariel has just lost her voice, received her new legs, and has arrived at Prince Eric's palace. Her new love for the prince burning, and her 3-day plan in action, she enters the human world. But she and her plan are immediately thrown off-kilter when she meets a young and rather attractive palace guard by the name of Cadet James Hawkins. James, or Jim as he likes to be called, is both amused and intrigued by this beautiful mute red-head and her odd behavior, but he refuses to be attracted to it, mainly because he could lose his job for falling for the girl who the prince may marry. He can't have that since that would mean failing his test and failing everyone else who believes in him.

Chapter 1

It was a large break from her life under the ocean. Or maybe a permanent one, if she could in some way, make Prince Eric fall in love with her and kiss her within three days. Ursula's spell will be broken, and she will be able to remain a human forever. But how will she be able to make him fall in love with her if she couldn't speak or sing? Ursula said to use her pretty face and body language, but… her voice was the main asset she had that she was proud of, and really, the only thing about her that made her… her.

Yes, she was glad to get away from her controlling father and hovering sisters. She loved them, of course, but she just wanted to live her own life and follow her heart—or Prince Eric. That burning desire drove her to go to Ursula in the first place. Now, she has done it. She's in the human world. What will her family think when they realize that she hasn't been home for a while?

These thoughts rampaged her mind as she stepped off the winding staircase into the massive entry corridor to Prince Eric's palace. When she came the day before, she was immediately taken up to her room, was given a bubble bath, and received dinner, before she fell asleep. She didn't really have the chance to look around the rest of the palace, other than the dining room. It was surely different than the one she had at home in Atlantica, mainly because this one was not under water.

And this dress, as it was called, was suffocating her! She could hardly breathe! How could women wear these things?!

Ariel took several deep breaths, but her chest pushed into the dress, and the thing confining her waist. Undergarments, as the maid put it, and the thing squeezing her waist, a corset. She suddenly heard footsteps, and she immediately returned to her normal breathing, as difficult as it was in her dress. Her heart beat faster when she recognized his scent. After rescuing her from the beach—well, not rescuing since she intended it to happen—she memorized the scent, voice, and every physical feature of Prince Eric. She couldn't help herself. After falling in love with him at first sight when she saw him on that ship, she wanted to memorize every little thing about him—every hair, every eyelash… Of course, her father objected to her love for the prince, and objected in the most horrible manner possible—destroying everything that she has collected from the humans, including Prince Eric's statue that fell to the ocean floor after his ship was destroyed.

Letting those thoughts and feelings slide away like the tide, she turned and faced the man who she longed to call her own.

"Good morning," he greeted her with a handsome smile, and she wanted to ooze into these things on her feet. What were they called? Shoes? She held up a hand, signifying her greeting. She hoped that Prince Eric will fall in love with her and kiss her so the spell can be broken and she can be human permanently... and so she can actually talk to him! Relationships are created using communication, and it was infuriating that she couldn't speak to him. It was the price she had to pay.

"Would you like some breakfast?" he asked, and she loved how the lighting coming in from the windows made his coiffed black hair shine. She nodded her head. She tried some of the human food the day before at dinner—white fluffy stuff that had a brownish crust, with a yellowish cream on it, and a thick liquid with meat and vegetable chunks in it. She loved it! It was far different than the fish, plankton and seaweed she ate back home.

"Great," he said, and stared at her for a moment. "You look really nice today. I am so glad that my mother's old dress fits you."

She blushed at the complement, and ran her hands over the bodice of the pink dress. She didn't know anything about him—his family, his past... but she will find out. She wants to know everything about this young man. He was bit older than her, it looked. Maybe around eighteen. Did he have siblings? There was that fluffy hairy thing that was sitting on the floor near him with its tongue lolling out. But she was pretty sure it wasn't a human. Maybe just his friend like Sebastian and Flounder are to her?

"Shall we go to the dining room?" he asked, and she nodded. She noticed the four-legged hairy thing follow close behind Eric. He noticed her staring at the creature. "That's Max."

Max? What is a Max? She purposefully gave him a confused look, hoping that he would understand her confusion and explain. He stared at her for a moment, trying to read her look. "Have you never seen a dog before?"

Her brows lifted. So that creature is called a dog! Whatever that is... She shook her head and he gave her a dumbfounded look. Why? He was about to say something when the tall elderly skinny man that was constantly at Eric's side the day before walked up to them and said, "Good morning, Prince Eric." He looked to Ariel. "And Miss..."

"We still don't know her name yet, Grimsby," Eric said to the man.

Ariel needed to find some sort of writing utensil and a surface to write on so she can communicate somehow. She looked around the massive room and could not spot a fish skeleton pen, like what Ursula had her sign her name with on the scroll contract. What could she do? She thought a moment, then an idea hit her. She tapped Eric on the arm and both he and the Grimsby man stared at her as she commenced writing her name in the air. The two men looked confused. Ariel dropped her arms, trying to think of something else. When another idea hit her, she got down on her hands and knees and traced her finger along the wooden floor, spelling out her name. How thankful she was that the humans on the surface and her people spoke the same language.

"Oh, she's writing her name!" Eric said, and leaned down next to her while Grimsby stared at the two with one eyebrow twerked up. After a moment, Eric beamed. "Ariel!"

Jim stared at the red-headed young woman waving her arm around in the air like a bird. What was she doing? It looked as if she was writing something in the air. When the men with her gave her bewildered expressions, she huffed and dropped to the floor and wrote something on the polished wood with her finger. Prince Erc leaned in for a moment, and then his brows rose. "Ariel!" he shouted, and the outburst echoed through the whole entry hall. Jim saw the red-head jump up and down with glee. Apparently, the girl's name is Ariel.

Jim was on the other side of the room near the hallway that led to the throne room. He eyed Ariel. She was a skinny thing, about the build as his mother, maybe smaller, and looked younger than him. Younger than Prince Eric, actually. Prince Eric was eighteen, so Ariel had to be around sixteen or seventeen. He had noticed her grip her torso earlier and try to breathe by taking deep breaths. He didn't blame her. He was surprised that any woman on this planet could breathe wearing those dresses.

Where did the girl come from, anyway? He had first seen her when the prince brought her into the palace wearing what looked like an old sail, and it was tied around her body with a rope. He has been working in the palace as a guard for two months already, and this is the first time that he has seen the prince do something so... reckless. Why bring in a stray person? He could understand a stray animal, like he has done countless times when he was a kid, but a person? Maybe she was just a charity case. He recalled Eric coming home after that storm out at sea, and rambling on and on about a beautiful red-haired girl with a beautiful singing voice who rescued him. He vowed to marry this girl if he finds her. It certainly isn't this girl, though, given she has red hair... but she is mute. Literally so singing voice to speak of.

Jim shook his head. Given he and the prince became friends since they share the common interest of ships and sailing, he shouldn't question what he does, he should just do his job. He was sent to prove himself worthy enough to escalate to the Interstellar Navy. He is only a cadet now, and had just graduated from the Interstellar Academy after being there for four grueling years. He knew that there would be a test after graduation, a test that everyone at the academy knew about, they just didn't know the nature of it. They only knew that everyone's test was different, and it determined whether the cadets are cut for being bumped up to the Navy or another similar higher rank. As his test, Jim did not expect to be sent through a portal like the one on Treasure Planet to a world with no aliens, only people, and to one that was living about five hundred years before his time. But he has to pass this test. If not, and he fails, he will be stuck doing menial work, like guarding a library in his hometown on Montressor. Jim didn't want that. He needs to make something of himself. Something great and important. He recalled what Silver said to him four years ago as they were sailing the skies, words that drove him every day through the academy and every day since he arrived on this planet...

"You've got the makings of greatness in ya, but you gotta take the helm and chart your own course. Stick to it, no matter the squalls. And when the time comes, and you get the chance to really test the cut of yours sails, show what you're made of."

Jim sucked in a breath. He always felt something tug his heart when he thought of those words coming from, really, the only person he looked up to. He's doing it now. He charted his course—entering the academy, graduating, moving up into the Navy, and then hopefully, after years of service in the Navy and making his way up the ranks, running his own academy or interstellar military unit as General. Now, he is still at the bottom, testing his sails and is showing everyone—like his mother, Silver, and all of Montressor—what he's made of. This test has been easy so far, just standing around guarding doors and protecting the prince whenever he went out of town. That was all Jim has done for the first two months out of his assigned six—no squalls to speak of. Passing the test will not be problem. He is as good as accepted into the Interstellar Navy.

Jim jumped out of his thoughts when Morph, his little pink sqooshy best friend that has been at his side since Silver gave him to him four years ago, escaped from his jacket pocket."Morph!" Jim whispered in urgency, but the blob already saw Ariel out there with the prince and Grimsby and made his way to the foot of the staircase. Jim grabbed his little friend in his hands before he could float out and scare everyone, and hid behind the railing.

"Let us move on to the dining room," said Eric's right-hand man Grimsby, and the trio, plus the shaggy mutt, crossed the room to a different hallway on the other side of the stairs. Jim noticed Ariel glance his way. Her eyes widened for a moment, but he moved out of sight before she could take a good look at him. Heat rose on Jim's cheeks, and Morph definitely noticed. The blob escaped his hands and instantly turned into Ariel's head, intentionally making her eyes bigger, and batting her long eye lashes at him in a flirtatious way.

"Very funny, Morph. Now back into my jacket. You know you're not supposed to be seen."

The blob turned back into his normal self and did what he was told, and Jim turned to walk down the hallway towards the throne room where he needed to stand at his post. If he wasn't there by eight sharp, he would be reprimanded by Lieutenant McHillen, the head palace guard, and the only other person who knew about his situation. And of course, the moment he turned into the hallway, there was said man, taller than Jim by half-a-foot, thirty years older, and with a bushy white mustache that twirled at the ends. He wore a spruce tan uniform and hat, and colorful military pins and buttons adorned his front.

"Cadet Hawkins," the intimidating man said in a gruff voice, and Jim stood straight and tall, saluting with his hand.

"Yes, Lieutenant McHillen."

"Did I just see you dilly-dalling just now?"

"No—Sir. I was on my way to my post at the throne room doors—Sir."

The man stared at Jim with a scrutinizing look. "You better have been. Every moment counts, Cadet Hawkins. Even the slightest slip-up can drastically reduce your marks on this test of yours—and that includes eyeing Prince Eric's new and rather lovely guest."

"I am aware—Sir! I will leave to the throne room now—Sir!"

"Very well. Off you go." He made a shooing gesture with his hands.

Jim left his presence and huffed in annoyance. As soon as he turned a corner and was out of sight of his boss, Morph came out of his front jacket pocket again and instantly turned into a miniature Lieutenant McHillen, stomping around, barking orders in an exaggerated way. Jim snickered, honestly amused. "Okay, stop it, Morph, seriously." The pink blob turned to normal, laughing. He went back into Jim's pocket.

This job wasn't difficult, but his boss was. Lieutenant McHillen is more strict than his mother and Silver combined, which is really saying something. And like the two of them, he knew what he was talking about... Jim shouldn't be slacking off and checking out Ariel, the girl who caught the interest of the prince. She was definitely off-limits, even if she was some destitute charity case beggar who happened to clean up nicely. Very nicely.

Ariel learned to not use the dinglehopper as a brush again. She was really put back when the whole table stared at her like she was crazy when she started brushing her hair with it at dinner yesterday evening. That's what it's used for, right? She thought so—that's what Skuttle told her. The plump maid told her later, though, that the item was called a fork and it was used for eating. Then the maid showed Ariel what a real brush looks like. Ariel wanted to die of embarrassment, mainly because she felt like a fool. Good thing Prince Eric was nice enough to not say anything about it when he greeted her in the entry corridor before she wrote out her name on the floor.

Her heart jumped with glee. He knows her name now! And oh, how she loved it when he said her name whenever he addressed her. He did so at breakfast five times, she counted, and her heart fluttered each time. His voice is just so enchanting, as are his blue eyes and his smile. Does he remember me? Should I let him know that I was the girl who saved him? He glanced at me many times as well at breakfast, and smiled that handsome smile that melts my heart, so maybe. At this rate, he may end up kissing me tomorrow, or even tonight! This 3-day plan is as good as executed!

After breakfast, she walked along the halls to the palace, just so she could get her bearings. Eric had some royal business to attend to with his father, the king, and would be back later to show her the village, so she took it upon herself to familiarize herself with the palace. If she marries the prince, she will end up living in it permanently. She needs to know where things are.

She eyed the large portraits of the sea hanging on the walls as she passed them, picturing ships sailing on the waters, as well as portraits of men with curly white hair, and a few of them were wearing comical hats. Did all older humans have the same hair style? There is a lot to learn about the surface world and how people are here.

The other decorations in the palace were grand as well. There were large pots of plants, and smaller ones with flowers in them sitting on little tables against the walls. There was also a statue of a metal man with slits for a mouth, and holding a spear, which she found amusing. The other do-dads that she has seen around the palace so far she has recognized from her collection that her father destroyed. Maybe she could start a new collection and keep it in her room. Human things fascinated her.

She came into a large corridor, and faced double doors that, she learned yesterday, led to the throne room, a room similar to the area where her father would address subjects or merfolk in the kingdom when they had a concern. There were two guards standing at the doors, both wearing trim black uniforms, much like the one Grimsby wore, only with yellow tassels hanging from the shoulders. She paid them no heed and looked around a bit more. She stopped at a little table against the wall that had a bowl sitting on top of it. It was white with shiny gold trim, and had a flower pattern on the front.

How beautiful! What do they use this for? She grabbed the swirled handles and picked up the object. She lifted it up and looked inside and saw nothing. Confused, she examined it further. Maybe this is not a bowl at all. This resembles those hats that some of the people in those portraits had on their head. This one is white and has flowers on it. Maybe it is for women?

She held up the object and placed it on her head. She winced at how hard it was, and how uncomfortable. She heard a snicker. She immediately turned and found one of the guards holding a hand over his mouth. She realized in that instant that she had done another thing wrong. She probably looked as much like a crazy person with this object sitting on her head like she did when she ran that fork through her hair at dinner the evening before. She took the object off her head and placed it back on the table, now realizing that it was, indeed, just a bowl.

"My apologies," said the guard after uncovering his mouth, and clearing his throat. "I couldn't help it. You just looked really funny with that bowl on your head."

This particular guard was rather young, older than her, it looked, but still young. She recognized him. Oh, he was the guard I caught a glimpse of this morning! Now that she could have a good look at him, she saw that he was very handsome, with brown hair and big penetrating blue eyes. She felt heat rise up to her cheeks intensely in embarrassment.

"I was just..." she began, but remembered that she couldn't speak, she just mouthed the words. Her embarrassment level elevated and she looked down at the floor.

"You were just... what?"

Her gaze popped back to him in surprise. He can understand me?

"I can read lips," he explained, apparently noticing her surprised expression. "It was a skill I acquired at the academy. You know, where I trained to be a guard."

He can read lips! This is wonderful! I will be able to talk to at least one person in this place! What should she say to him, now that she knows that he can understand her? Introducing herself would be a wise idea. She stepped up to the young man as the other guard—a tall, pudgy man who looked around thirty—eyed them, and held out her hand, knowing that is how people greeted each other above the surface. She mouthed, moving her mouth slowly so he caught each word, "My - name - is - Ariel."

The young man smirked rather attractively and held out his hand as well. "Cadet James Hawkins. It's a pleasure to meet you, Ariel."

He took her hand, and she immediately noticed just how warm and firm his hand was. Tingles ran up her arm as his fingers gently held hers. A bit startled at her reaction to this greeting gesture, she took her hand back and folded her arms over her suffocating dress. She noticed Cadet Hawkins's jacket pocket move, and a bit of pink came out of the top. Her eyes widened, and Cadet Hawkins noticed. He pushed his pocket shut and cleared his throat.

What was that? It looked like pink slime oozing out of his pocket!

"So, are you liking the palace so far?" Cadet Hawkins asked, and Ariel returned her attention to his face. She nodded.

"Yes, it is beautiful."

"Where are you from?"

She couldn't tell him that. She couldn't tell anyone. Not yet. Or ever, even. What would they think—what would Prince Eric think—when he finds out that she is actually a mermaid?

"That is not important," she mouthed, shaking her head. She pointed down the hallway. "I have to go. It was nice to meet you."

"Yes, you, too." He made a little bow, which she appreciated since she was royalty after all.

"Do not tell anyone about the bowl." She pointed to her chest. "Promise me."

He saluted. "I promise. Not a word."

His smirk returned, and that made her heart beat faster. She suddenly walked on, hoping that the tingles in her hand where he touched her would go away.