surface level

Dean and Sage were watching The Little Mermaid on DVD, the part where the little mermaid's father yells at her for making contact with humans. "And I never want to hear about you going to the surface again!" yelled King Triton.

"Ariel's daddy is mad at her," Sage confided to her own father.

"Do you know why he's mad?" Dean asked.

"Of course, Dad!" Sage said confidently. "He doesn't want her to ever go to the circus again."