A lighthearted episode showcasing Ariel's uncanny ability to get in and out of trouble all on her own. This time it starts in the middle of one of her history classes with Sebastian. Ariel, of course, keeps getting distracted, so Sebastian deems her a lost cause and sends her off.
As Flounder, Sebastian and Ariel are playing hide-and-seek, a cranky sorcerer blowfish swims into the area. When Sebastian accidentally grabs the sorcerer blowfish's tail by mistake, chaos ensues, in which Ariel typically bursts into a fit of laughter. Angered, the sorcerer blowfish casts a spell on her (without being seen by Flounder and Sebastian) that would trigger devastating seaquakes every time she laughs. Sure enough, when she starts laughing at Sebastian's antics, a seaquake occurs. The sorcerer blowfish also warns her that if tries to tell anyone, the seaquakes would also happen.
A week passes by. Sebastian and Flounder have brought Ariel before King Triton, reporting to him that she hasn't been laughing. Sebastian tries to make her laugh, and sure enough Ariel completely refrains from even cracking a smile. She insists that nothing is wrong, and that she only wants to be more serious, and swims off. King Triton expresses his worry, and tells Sebastian and Flounder to cheer her up. They try again and again to make her laugh with their crazy antics, and when they finally succeed, a terrible seaquake hits Atlantica. Ariel decides that she has no choice but to leave, which she does, after giving a quick goodbye to Flounder and Sebastian.
Ariel starts searching for the sorcerer blowfish, and eventually arrives at Avlo-Kadavlo, a kingdom far away from Atlantica. Flounder and Sebastian, who have been following her secretly, are spotted by a pair of a blue and purple sorcerer blowfish, who take turns using their magic on them, eventually exchanging their bodies, so that Sebastian has Flounder's body, and vice versa.
Meanwhile, Ariel has found the orange sorcerer blowfish who cast the spell on her. Finding a twist in the curse, Ariel laughs at him, causing a seaquake to erupt all around them. Hence the orange sorcerer blowfish has no choice but to take the spell off her. Just then, Sebastian (in Flounder's body), and Flounder (in Sebastian's body) show up. Ariel convinces the orange blowfish to change them back, which he does. The pink and blue blowfish appear to tell them that it's against the law to take off another's spell, and send the group to work in the bubble mines.
Working in the bubble mines, Ariel tries to understand why the orange blowfish is so cranky. It seems that he feels his magic is inferior compared to the other blowfish. Ariel suggests that the other blowfish are more powerful because they enjoy what they do. With this thought in mind, the orange blowfish turns himself, Ariel, Sebastian and Flounder into a giant sea serpent and escape from the bubble mine. The blue and purple blowfish try to use their magic on them, but fail and swim away. Thus they all lived happily ever after, laughing to their hearts' content.
Ariel is not the most studious of pupils.
Playing hide-and-seek.
The blowfish casts his spell the blowfish way.
Ariel is cursed.
"But why would you do such a thing?"
One of Sebastian's royal duties, it seems, is to be Ariel's tutor. At least, when it comes to history lessons.
Sebastian's favourite game is hide-and-seek, because Ariel and Flounder have to be quiet, while Sebastian doesn't.
King Triton: | Sebastian, I think you should tell Ariel that you were wrong. |
Flounder: | Yeah. |
King Triton: | Being too serious is not really her nature. |
Flounder: | Yeah! |
King Triton: | And you, Flounder. |
Flounder: | Uh, yeah? |
King Triton: | Help Sebastian... cheer her up. |
Sebastian: | Yeah! |
Sebastian: | I'm the funniest crab in the sea. And we're not just talking funny-looking. |
Ariel: | I just want to be alone. |
Flounder: | Can't you be alone with us? |
Sebastian: | What do we do when we are really in trouble and have no hope of ever getting out of it? |
( They look at each other. ) | |
Sebastian & Flounder: Ariel! |
Ariel tries her best not to laugh.
Triton, Sebastian and Flounder look on in concern.
Other blowfish looking for a laugh.
Flounder the blue whale and Sebastian the giant squid.
Finally free to laugh as she pleases.
The mer translation of the word "day" is "tide".
This episode features the song "The Sound of Laughter".