April 7, 2014- Ariel's Accident

I found out what happened to Ariel.
Mama called Rapunzel and me to Ariel and Rapunzel's apartment this morning. (They're roomies.) But before letting us in, she told us that Ariel was inside resting with two friends. That sounded a might off to me, but I took Rapunzel's hand and... in we went.

We saw that Ariel was curled up in bed, being watched by a pony and...
"URSULA!" Rapunzel whisper-yelled.
"Shhh!" I hissed.
Ariel muttered something in her sleep.
Rapunzel turned to the purple doll and I followed suit.
"I should explain," said a Southern drawl.
Gingerly, Rapunzel and I sat on the end of the sleeping Ariel's bed, facing the Ursula doll.

Looking back, we were extremely unfair to that doll. After all, we've been living with Maleficent and she's made no move to put Aurora to hundred year sleep. I guess we were just worried about our friend.
"My name is Lula. Your human picked me up at a thrift store and then sort of... forgot about me, I guess. Then there was the accident, and she remembered me saying how I've studied doll medicine. Tickles here insisted on comin', too."
The pony nickered and Rapunzel looked at Lula. "The accident?" she asked.
But before Lula could answer, Ariel stirred. She looked up over her blanket and smiled when she saw me and her BFF.

"You met Lula and Tickles, right?"
"Yeah," I answered, "they seem nice."
"Oh, they are!" my friend gushed, "After, well..." her smile faltered.
"What? Rapunzel asked gently, "what happened?"
"I don't really want to talk about it," Ariel mumbled.

"You should tell them and get it over with," Lula advised.

Tickles whuffled her agreement.
"You can tell us anything," Rapunzel insisted.
"She's right," I said softly, "we love you. We want you back."
I took my friend's hand. "Please. Bring our bubbly mermaid back!"

Ariel took a deep breath. "I was in a purse with a black lining and it rubbed off on me, staining my plastic. My forehead, my nose, my knees, my finders, my toes- all charcoal gray. With some soft scrub, baking soda, and acetone, we were able to get most of it off. My toes are still a little gray, but over all it is a TON better. But there was an- incident- with the acetone..." she bit her lips. "It dripped on my back. It felt like fire on my vinyl. I was burned- my back, and my shoulder. I worried I'd be trash, you know, spoiled goods- so not mint condition that Mama wouldn't want me anymore. But Mama found Lula and Tickles and made sure I would be okay. And she gave me Tylenol for the pain. Now it only stings a little when I rub against something. But I'm going to be okay." She set her jaw. "I'm not going to let this stop me. Tiana lost a head." (Long story- you don't want to know.) "Esmeralda lost a leg. A few scars shouldn't hold me back!"
Rapunzel was crying a little- she's our Fluttershy that way. I could feel a tear on my cheek, too, but Ariel's eyes remained dry, which impressed me.
"May- may we see?" Rapunzel asked tentatively.


Ariel's back- you can't see it very well, but she has an arc of melted vinyl on her back.

And her peeling, flaking, yet held together shoulder

"Oh, honey," Rapunzel crooned motherly, swathing Ariel in a hug, "that must have been so hard."

"It was no bed of roses," Ariel agreed. She hesitated before continuing. "So... am I horribly disfigured? I can only see through my own eyes."
"Of course not!" I answered, "you're the same beautiful doll we know and love." I hugged her, too.

"But," I said, "You need rest so you can gain your strength."
I helped tuck her back in, fluffing her pillow and smoothing her hair.

"Get well soon, Ariel," I wished, kissing her on the forehead. "Are you coming, Rapunzel?"
"No, I'd like to stay here if it's okay with you, Lula."
The purple doll smiled. "That would be lovely. I'm starvin'."
As Lula and I left, I saw Rapunzel settle onto her bed and Tickles start to whinny a lullaby.

Lula smiled, seeming to read my unspoken worries. "Sugar, she'll be fine."

Lula left- but I stayed put.
My life isn't perfect. I have messy hair and rubbed paint and a bunch of missing accessories. But I'm not scarred or stained. Somehow, my beautiful friend had become more beautiful because of her injuries. I thought for a while and decided that that was what inner beauty was all about: courage in the face of suffering.

It's Been a Real Slice.

Meg <3