Chapter 9: Sasha and Annabelle's Conversation

A few days later in the morning, Sasha swam to the seaweed garden to find Annabelle where she was with the sea creatures and playing with Oliver. Annabelle was using her necklace with a heart on it reflecting the light onto the ocean floor and Oliver was chasing the light as she moved it back and forth ten times.

Sasha and Annabelle giggled that Oliver was chasing the light. Sasha asked her, "Why would you come to the sea garden with dolphins, sea turtles, and seahorses?" Annabelle says, "I like to spend time with a dolphins and sea turtles. They tell me stories of land dogs."

Sasha looked at Annabelle quizzically and said, "What things did they tell you?" "They tell me about the music and other happenings that are going on land." "Is that where you get your music ideas?" "Yeah, they tell me all about the latest songs and popular trends. Like today, they told me there's a new singer named Ed Sheeran from Dog York City who has a lot of new songs."

Sasha asked her, "do you ever go to the surface?" Annabelle says, "Sure, I been to the surface all the time." "Is my dad know that you go to the surface? He has banned me from going to the surface." Said Sasha. Annabelle responded with, "What your dad doesn't know won't hurt him. He tried keeping me from the surface ever since he got rid of Rehab the gigantic demonic sea beast. When we were pups with Belladonna, we would go to the surface anytime. Because Rehab was so evil, your father banned all merdogs from going to the surface in fear that aardwolf pirates or land dogs would kidnap merdogs."

"I understand why my dad hates aardwolf pirates, but why does he hate land dogs?" Sasha asked. Annabelle put her paw on Sasha's arm and said, "There was a time when merdogs were protecting land dog sailors when one of the sailors tried harpooning a merdog. He thought it was a sea demon. He has despised merdogs for many centuries ever since." "But how can land dogs who use such clever tools like the dinglehopper, snarfblat, and others be barbarous?" Asked Sasha.

Annabelle responded, "I think that was an isolated case. I think most land dogs are just like merdogs. Good, loyal, kind, friendly, joyful, and playful. Of course we have our bad actors too. For example, Belladonna, Roscoe and Desoto are pretty mean as evil merdogs. If you want to know more about the land dogs, follow me to the surface. The sea turtles and dolphins told me about the cruise vessel passing by tonight. You can see first hand how they act." Sasha said, "Oh really? You're kidding." So Sasha was excited that she broke into song. She and Annabelle sang "Part of Your World" together like they were swimming in circles with joy.

After the song, Annabelle looked to Sasha and said, "You have a beautiful voice like mine." Sasha said, "Thank you Annabelle, that was the best compliment I could ever received." Then Sasha gave Annabelle a hug and said, "I'm going to take Oliver back to the palace and I'll grab Bess to come with us to the surface." Annabelle said, "Okay, we have to leave in half in hour, so hurry back." "I will..." Said Sasha, "I won't be late!" Then Sasha took Oliver back to the underwater palace and told Rita to keep an eye on him.

When Sasha and Bess were leaving, Sebastian said, "Sasha, your father wants me to keep an eye on you whenever you leave the palace." Sasha said, "Okay Sebastian, try and keep up." Sasha and Bess then shot through the kelp forest and the rock garden as fast as they could. Sebastian, being a crab could not keep up and gave up in the kelp forest. Sasha and Bess laughed as they swam to the seaweed garden to meet Annabelle.