Author's note: I don't own any of the characters! They belong to their respective owners.

Chapter 38: Birth of a Brotherhood

Outside the Benbow Inn, Montressor, Disney Union

The sun practically shined upon the landscape, but Jim was sweating as he drank water. He along with his newfound comrades had begun practicing their abilities, with reluctant encouragement from Facilier. He, Mulan and Kenai watched as Milo was actually fighting Kida by using a wooden stick. Apparently, he had been encouraged by the white-haired woman to use it, as she felt that using a rifle would not help him in any way. Kida was using a unique spear, as she and Milo clashed in a duel.

So far, they were doing it smoothly, but Milo was actually pushing to his limits. The four-eyed man was not necessarily athletic, but he surprisingly possessed the determination to push himself in combat. This made his friends realize not to underestimate their bookish friend's abilities.

Eventually, they both stopped fighting, with Milo breathing to catch his breath. Kida smirked at her opponent. "You did great, Milo. For being new to this, you sure are learning" she commended him for his efforts.

"Heh…..I…..am…..only….getting…started" Milo replied while panting between his words.

Jim put a hand on his shoulder. "You know how to perform a Molchaniye, now! I'll admit I'm impressed" he praised the four-eyed man.

He only chuckled by hearing this. "Yeah…..but whenever I use it, my head starts feeling dizzy" he said and let out a deep sigh in defeat. "But there's no other way. I gotta get used to it" Milo suddenly said.

Kenai smirked by seeing how tough Milo sounded. "You're beginning to sound less bookish, you know that?" he said, although the four-eyed man fixed an offended look at him.

"Nerd jokes, really?" he said in return at the black-haired man, but Kenai only shrugged his shoulders. This made Milo slump his face in return. "You jerk" he thought while facing him.

But Mulan stood in the middle of the group, indicating that she wanted to have their attention. "Which one of you boys are up for a challenge with me?" she tauntingly asked her comrades, specifically facing both Jim and Kenai.

Both men brandished their respective weapons. "Give me everything you got, sweetheart!" Jim challenged her and readied his stance.

"Count me in too!" Kenai said excitedly.

But before they could even start, Facilier, who had been watching the duel from a hilltop, clapped his hands together, and walked down to the group. They were still feeling great animosity towards him, in light of what had just transpired.

"Good work, everybody! You're just starting to get better as each day passes by" he noted smugly. "I can tell it by hearing the enthusiasm in your voices" he added.

Jim scoffed at his words with a smug look. "We don't need praise from you, dirtbag!" he said in return.

But the witchdoctor ignored his jab and focused his eyes on Mulan, who seemed very confused at this. "Tell me, madam. Do you know the true meaning of Dalveniye, now?" he asked her.

"Dalveniye is about controlling and mastering your power level. One who has mastered it can also detect others with Dalveniye and locate their power levels and whereabouts. That is called Karta" she answered, much to Facilier's surprise.

"Unbelievable, who would've thought that you knew what Karta was? I haven't even mentioned it to you kids yet" he remarked. "Ya boys might as well start takin' lessons with her" he suddenly said to the boys.

Mulan only smiled nervously, while her friends only stared at Facilier with dissatisfaction. But there was something she wanted to know from the witchdoctor. "But what about the Vozmezdiye? Are we capable of mastering it?" she suddenly asked him.

This caused Facilier to only laugh his butt off. "I'm afraid not, pumpkin. Only those who have been influenced by Chernabog are capable of such. So unless you wanna do that, acquiring the Vozmezdiye is futile" he told her.

"But those hyenas at Corona's border, they were capable of using the Molchaniye. Could they also have been influenced by the Ancient's essence?" Milo suddenly asked him.

Everyone set their eyes upon him. "Sure they were! But the most humiliating thing to know was the fact that they were only lower-ranked henchmen" Kenai answered him while expression his opinion.

"You're correct, youngster! Those stinkin' hyenas are nothing compared to their superiors. The Koshachiy or the SSS as they prefer to be called have built an enormous fortress in Corona" Facilier explained to them. "While it would only be logical for them to retaliate against Pete, they have other motives in mind" he revealed to them.

Mulan got curious and suspicious at the same time. "You seem to know a great deal about them, Facilier. Or perhaps all loyal members of the Krasnyye Rystari have been given this information to their superiors" she noted and crossed her arms. "But enough with the deceptions, what are the SSS truly after? And if they were defeated, how are they still alive?" she suddenly wanted an answer.

Surprisingly, the witchdoctor fixed his cunning eyes upon Kida, who only rewarded him with a suspicious glare in return. "I think your newfound friend here has the answer to that. Wouldn't you agree, Kida? Or shall we call you by your true name and title: Kidagakash Nedakh, the Princess of Atlantis?" he quizzed her smugly.

Kida's eyes widened, but she immediately pointed her spear at him in anger. "I advise you to watch your tone, scoundrel!" she warned him sternly.

Milo was surprised by hearing this, while his friends were confused, considering that they didn't know what Atlantis was. "Not only is Kida an Atlantean, but a princess as well!?" he wondered in his head. "That explains why she was able to read that text in my book so easily!" he remarked.

Kida had her eyes locked upon Facilier. "What nonsense are you speaking of, witchdoctor? The people of Atlantis had no business with Shere Khan and his madness!" she pointed out.

Facilier only sighed deeply in disappointment. "I see. Obviously you have never been told the truth, the truth about the secret that Atlantis holds within its walls" he said.

"Secret…what secret?" everyone turned around and was surprised to see who it was. It was a dog-like alien dressed in red jacket and had his brown hair tied into a ponytail. As he adjusted his glasses, he smiled as he saw Jim. "Jim! You really are back in Montressor!" he called out with excitement.

"Dr. Doppler!" Jim exclaimed in return as he went over to see him. "Man, it really has been a long time since we saw each other hasn't it?" he asked him.

"Indeed it has boy." he said, before looking over Jim's shoulder to see his newfound friends. "Ah, these must be some of your new friends. A pleasure to meet you, I'm Dr. Delbert Doppler, a close friend of Jim's family as well as an astronomer, doctor and historian" he said while waving his hand cheerfully. While they (including Kida, who knew him from before) waved back, Facilier only stared at him with an unpleasant expression. Once he saw the witchdoctor, Delbert's expression changed dramatically. "Oh, and of course, the so-called "renegade member among Pete's powerful loyalists" is here with you as well. How neat" he remarked with sarcasm in his voice.

Hearing this, Facilier took off his hat in respect for his words. "I humbly appreciate the kindness in your words, monsieur" he said with elegance in his voice.

Delbert only snickered by seeing his. "Pfft…..sellout" he grumbled lowly in response. But he fixed his eyes upon Jim and his friends. "Anyway, I couldn't help but to overhear you speaking of Atlantis and its secrets. Perhaps we can visit my observatory and have a little talk about what your mysterious acquaintance just told you" he suggested to them with a friendly smile.

"Mr. Doppler, do you also know about Atlantis?" both Kida and Milo asked at the same time, causing both of them to stare at each other awkwardly. "Sorry about that" Kida said to him with embarrassment.

Milo had a similar expression on his face. "Actually, I let my curiosity get hold on me, so I should be the one apologizing" he assured her with a gentle smile.

"Well this is fun to watch" Mulan mused in her thoughts while seeing this.

Delbert cleared his throat before speaking. "Now as for your questions, yes, I do know something about Atlantis. After all, I actually studied under your grandfather's wing, Milo James Thatch" he revealed to the four-eyed man, who gasped in return.

"Woah…my grandfather really was a celebrity throughout the Disney Empire" the four-eyed man thought after hearing the words coming out of the astronomer's mouth.

Although he was unsure about the proposal first, Jim knew better than to doubt Delbert's intelligence. He had known him since he was a little boy, considering that he was a friend of the family. "That sounds great, doc. But we were just in the middle of practicing our skills. Mom told you what we've been through, yes?" he asked the four-eyed doctor who nodded his head in return.

"I have" he said and adjusted his glasses. "And I feel sorry for what you've been through. But perhaps you can learn something from this betrayal you all experienced?" he suggested to them. "In addition to finding out more about Atlantis, I can make you warm chocolate!" he added with excitement.

Surprisingly, Jim and his friend only cheered in return, indicating that they would gladly follow him. Facilier only listened with no enthusiasm. However, he was open to follow the gang to his observatory. The witchdoctor fixed a smug look upon Delbert.

"I ain't taggin' along for some bedtime story and candies, but I would like you share something with you. Come now, you are a respected scholar in this country" he said with a compliment. "And who could forget your beloved fiancé? I must admit Dr. Doppler, she's one hell of a chick and a great piece of ass!" he suddenly said something about the Vice-Admiral of the Air Fleet.

Delbert only eyed him sternly. "You better keep your dirty hands off Amelia, she's not an object, just so you know it" he told him while actually sounding threatening at the same time, which was actually unusual for the smart and well-reserved doctor. "But anyway, don't expect any warm chocolate from me! I still don't trust you yet!" he added, making Facilier rolling his eyes.

"I just said that, you damned moron" he said in return. But he was having enough of this nonsense. "But enough foolin' around, you may lead the way, doctor" he suddenly said and the entire group followed Delbert to his place.

As they were following him, Jim couldn't help but to wonder if his other friends were doing okay. Even so, he knew better than to doubt their abilities. For now, he needed to focus on what he, Milo, Mulan and Kenai were up against.

At the same time, in the southern city of Jazzcrib, Southwestern Disney Union

This city was infamous for its music, its restaurants and its people. Jazzcrib was the hometown of Tiana. She grew up in a lower worker class, but already as a 12 year old, she began applying for jobs in hopes of getting enough money to support her dream of opening her own restaurant.

She was now standing in her bedroom, the same bedroom she used to sleep in as a young girl. Having just arrived in Jazzcrib along with Taran Kuzco and Taran's adoptive grandfather Dallben via riverboat, Tiana and her friends headed to her home in the poor neighborhoods, where they met her mother Eudora. She was extremely happy to see her own daughter being alive and their reunion had been tearful. Tiana had also managed to introduce her friends to Eudora, and the elderly woman was happy to see that she had made new friends on her journey.

But right now, she was holding a picture of her deceased father James standing in a military uniform. The black-skinned woman dried her tears as she smiled, recalling what a fantastic father she had been given. James was a hard-working man and never got his long-life dream of opening his own restaurant fulfilled. But even so, he had something more important: love. It was the love for his friends and family. Since then, Tiana had vowed to fulfill her father's legacy.

"Daddy…..I'll always remember your words…..always" Tiana said sadly, recalling what her father had explained to her many years ago. She put the picture back to its location, sniffing sadly in the process.

Unknown to her, Eudora had been listening to her from the other side of the door. As much as she wanted to comfort Tiana, she knew that her daughter needed to be alone, considering that it had been a long time since she came back home, or to Jazzcrib for the matter.

Instead, Eudora went downstairs and continued with her work. Even though she was nearing retirement, Eudora was a very talented seamstress. She had made various clothes for every people in Jazzcrib and she even was considered a favorite among the city's inhabitants.

But she was not alone, as Taran, Kuzco and Dallben had been sitting by the kitchen table to have some delicious gumbo, which of course had been cooked by Tiana. But they had also been very concerned about her as they had reached the city.

"Is Tiana doing okay?" Taran asked Eudora. "She seemed very sad once we came here" he added, noting how different the usually outspoken Tiana had behaved since they got to Jazzcrib.

"Oh she's doing fine. Tiana just needs some time alone to reflect herself" Eudora assured him with a smile while working. "But I gotta admit, my daughter is very lucky to have made friends with you on her journey" she added while facing Taran and Kuzco.

The slim, black-haired man only scoffed at her in return. "No big deal, madam! Tiana is a nice lady, even though she can be an uptight bitch sometimes" Kuzco said, much to Taran's outrage.

"Kuzco, not in front of her mother!" he scolded him while feeling somewhat embarrassed of being friends with a sassy guy like him.

But Kuzco only faced him with a silly look on his face. "Take it easy, pal. I was only being sarcastic" he claimed in return while poking his ear. Even so, Taran faced him with dispassion.

But both boys' attentions were on Dallben as he put his bowl of gumbo aside and laid a map on the table for the boys to see. "It's good that we are no longer in Prydain. Considering that Jazzcrib is a city without the stench of the government, it is a perfect place for us to plan our next move" he told them, who listened closely.

"Wait, so that is why you didn't say much back in your farm? You waited until we reached this bayou city?" Kuzco asked as if he was offended. "You're an asshole! Do you realize how painful the journey through that bayou even was for me!?" he snapped in anger, only to be calmed down by Taran.

He turned his attention to Dallben. "I get it now. Jazzcrib is technically a city built upon an island, as we did in fact use the riverboat to come here" he noted and suddenly came to a realization. "That means we're no longer on the mainland. We're free from spies of Pete!" he exclaimed with a smile.

The elderly man nodded his head in return. "Yes. The mayor of this city, Eli La Bouff may be a wealthy sugar baron. But he is among the most honorable and respected statesmen this country has ever had" he told them.

"I completely agree with your word" Eudora suddenly joined in. "In fact, because of his generosity, the people of Jazzcrib call him Big Daddy. Oh how I admire his leadership even to this day. You see, he's my favorite customer with regards to making these wonderful dresses" she explained and suddenly showed them all the clothes and dresses she had made.

Kuzco whistled in amazement. "Whoa, are all of those dresses for sale?" he asked her as he was very interested.

The elderly woman only chuckled at his interest. "I'm sorry, but these dresses have already been booked by other customers. But I can make one for you, if you want. But it's gonna cost ya" she told him clearly.

This made Kuzco snap his thoughts, and he was reconsidering his desire. "On second, I'm comfortable with the clothes I'm in already. And besides, I haven't any money to pay with….even though I used to have…" he said with a somewhat downed look on his face.

Eudora approached him with a smile and surprisingly patted him on his head. "I wasn't talking about riches, mister. What I meant was…it's gonna cost your taste in fashion!" she corrected him. Kuzco was completely dumbfounded by her words, and so were Dallben and Taran. "Anyway, once I'm finished with these, I will begin on yours, Kuzco. You deserve on considering that you've been a great friend to my precious daughter" she told him.

Hearing this, the black-haired man forced a smile of gratitude on his face at the old, but gentle lady. He also began reflecting back at how the relationship between him and Tiana actually were. Nevertheless, he faced Edurora and thanked her.

"Thanks madam….it really means a lot to me" he thanked her properly.

"Oh please. Just call me Eudora" she said in return, reminding him that there was no need for addressing her with such formality.

Dallben and Taran smiled at this, but they were could suddenly see Tiana step right into the kitchen. She appeared less saddened now, although they could tell that she indeed been sobbing and crying. But yet, the beautiful woman forced a smile on her face as she took a seat beside them.

"Sorry, I just needed some time by myself" she apologized to them.

Dallben smiled at her in return. "Don't be so harsh on yourself, young lady. Sometimes, we need to reflect on our pasts, even though we are supposed to keep moving forward" he assured her.

"Dallben was just about to tell us about what to do next" Taran explained to her. "Do you have some suggestions to what we can do, other than training? You know this city better than any of us" he suddenly asked her.

The black-skinned woman began thinking. "Well, we could perhaps start with finding more about what has happened in my hometown. Why don't we go visit Duke's Café? It was one of the many places I used to work at before joining the Youth League" Tiana came up with a suggestion.

While Dallben and Taran seemed opened to it, Kuzco seemed very skeptical. "Slow down. Why in the world would we be hanging around in a café? I mean, we've already eaten gumbo and I'm sure as hell not hungry anymore" he said while demanding an answer.

Tiana sighed in irritation at Kuzco's attitude. "I never said anything about eating at the place. What I meant was, getting information about the location of local dissenters. I'm positive that many of them came here to seek refuge from Pete and his lapdogs" she explained to him.

"Yeah, that would be a great place to start!" Eudora suddenly joined in the conversation. "Besides, the café has changed ever since you left Jazzcrib, Tiana. In addition to being a café, it is also a bar now. There are sounds of laughter and smiling faces every time you enter" she encouraged her daughter and her friends.

Taran smiled after hearing Eudora's explanation. "Well, Duke's Café it is!" he said to his friends. He suddenly began facing Dallben. "You are coming with us, aren't you Dallben?" he asked the elderly man.

Dallben only laughed in return. "Of course I am! Haven't you heard? They say that the cafes in Jazzcrib are the perfect spots for socializing, as well as meeting new people" he remarked with enthusiasm. "So what are we waiting for?" he suddenly asked, as he approved of this.

Tiana had already put on her jacket and hat. "Just leave your things here. Mama will take care of them" she told her friends and stood by the door. "I can hear the tram almost passing by this neighborhood! Hurry up, guys!" she said with excitement as she exited the door.

Her friends immediately rushed after her. Kuzco was barley moving when she said that. So he immediately rushed to the door. "I don't understand! Why do we have to take the tram?" Kuzco wondered aloud as he exited.

"Wait for us, Tiana! We are right behind you!" Taran said as he exited along with Dallben, but not before turning his face to Eudora. "Oh and thanks for looking after our stuff, Eudora. We really appreciate your hospitality!" he said before following his friends.

As the door closed, the elderly woman could not help but to laugh. She realized that her own daughter had actually changed in terms of personality. She was no longer the hard-working as stressed woman she used to be.

Eudora walked over to a picture of her and her deceased husband, holding it up. It was taken when they were younger adults, actually before they even got Tiana. True, she really missed James and tears fell from her eyes, but not because of sadness. It was because of love and joy. "Oh James, if only you could've seen how much our own baby has grown" she said while looking into the picture.

Above the island of Kauai, outside the Disney Union

Having just agreed to meet with Cobra Bubbles at this place, Max, P.J. and Huey were now sitting on a plane that was flying above the island. It was actually the famous cargo plane called the Sea Duck. The one piloting the plane was the lazy but talented Baloo von Bruinwald XIII, although he kind of prepared just Baloo. At first they were not sure about whether to trust him, but when Baloo revealed that he was in fact working for Cobra, they knew better than to turn down his offer to fly them to Kauai. Actually, their families also knew of Baloo and encouraged the trio to go with him. After all, flying a plane to a remote island was better than taking a boat.

While the sun shined brightly, the campmates could see their destination and were filled with wonder.

"There it is! Kauai!" P.J. exclaimed with wonder.

The three friends were now in the pilot's room where they could all see what a beautiful island they were arriving at. However, they were also concerned about the many ships of the Disnean navy being docked around it.

"So many ships….won't they suspect something?" Max asked the pilot, who only scoffed at him in return.

"Nah, they won't shoot down a cargo plane. That's actually beneficial about flying one" the bear said in return. He then turned his attention to his navigator, who was actually a young brown bear. "Hey Kit, how hot is it outside?" he asked him.

The young bear named Kit Cloudkicker checked it out. "Probably about 29 degrees" he answered, but suddenly shifted focus. "But we have no time for going to the beach. Mr. Bubbles probably has other jobs for us" he insisted to him.

"More jobs? Give me a break! It's true that I like flying and all, but I deserve some timeout" Baloo said in return. "Besides, I wanna see what Louie is up to" he added.

"Excuse me, but are you guys also from Kauai?" Max suddenly asked them. "If so, then you must be lucky. Places like these are the perfect holiday spots for us Disneans" he added with interest.

"We're actually from Kauai's neighboring island: Cape Suzette. But both islands belong to the same chain of islands that exists along the Western Disnean coastline" the pilot answered him before changing the expression on his face to that of annoyance. "But living on these islands ain't just chill. In addition to not living on the mainland, you also have to work your ass off in order to support yourself" he explained to Max.

"And not to mention that these islands have changed ever since Pete became the premier of this country" Kit added with a hint of bitterness in his voice.

This made Huey come to a realization, as he remembered something. "That's right. You're talking about the concentration camps. All enemies of the state are either sent to them or to the harsh climate in the Far East" he remarked.

"Yeah, but the worst of them all is built on a dead volcano located just outside the chain of islands" Kit replied. "It is a living hell over there" he added with fear, almost as if he'd been to that place before.

After hearing this, the three friends decided not to take up this subject anymore. But they couldn't blame themselves, especially Huey and Max. Donald, Daisy and Goofy were captives on one of these camps and who knew that torture they had to endure. Hopefully, they would find some assistance in Cobra.

The Sea Duck was now lowering itself as they were now flying over Kauai itself and this made the three campmates wonder about where they should land. They looked out the window, but they couldn't spot an airport.

"Hey captain…is there an airport on Kauai?" P.J. asked Baloo.

"Yes. And we'll be landing shortly. But first, we gotta get rid of the precious cargo belonging to Mr. Bubbles. He will take care of them once they've landed safely in the jungle" the pilot told him in return.

Huey got confused. "Precious cargo…..what are you talking about?" he asked him.

But Kit suddenly turned to face them as each campmate were sitting on their own seat. "It would be wise of you to have your backpacks on you now. Believe me, you're really gonna need them" he told them, making the trio even more confused.

Nevertheless, they put on their backpacks. As they did, they noticed that they each had a parachute cord and it made them surprised.

"What the….parachute cords…wait…..are you seriously planning on….." before Max could continue, Baloo pushed a large button which resulted in sending the three boys out of the plane and up in the air.

"DON'T WORRY! WE'VE INSTALLED PARACHUTES INTO YOUR BACKPACKS! USE THEM TO LAND IN THE JUNGLE. AND DON'T WORRY, I'LL LET MR. BUBBLES KNOW THAT YOU'RE HERE ON KAUAI! LAND SAFELY!" Baloo said loudly and waved his paw at the boys in the air. Kit did the same thing while watching them smugly.

"Enjoy your view of Kauai in the air, buddies. It is something few of us get to do when coming here" he thought while watching out from the window.

"Hey Little Britches" Kit focused his attention on his captain. The bear was fixing a mischievous look on his face. "Instead of landing at the airport, we could perhaps have some fun over the sea. How about some cloudsurfing?" he asked his navigator who only grinned in return.

"Heh, now you're talking!" the young bear said in return.

As they ursine duo flew away, the three campmates screamed with fear as they were now falling down. P.J. and Huey screamed at the top of their lungs as they didn't know what to do now that they were in the air. But Max could actually fix one angry look at the Sea Duck and flipped his middle finger at it.

"YOU GUYS ARE SO SCREWED ONCE WE GET OUR HANDS ON YOU!" Max shouted while heading downwards in the air.

"MAX, WHAT THE HELL DO WE DO NOW, MAN!?" P.J. asked his friend desperately. "WE'RE FALLING SO FAST!" he added with distress.

Huey had managed to calm himself, when he noticed the parachute cord still hanging by his backpack. He then faced his friends. "GUYS, THE PARACHUTE CORDS! PULL THEM ONCE WE'RE NEARING THE GROUND!" he reminded them as he raised his voice.

Max held onto his parachute cord, but he fixed an outraged look on the young duck. "THE GROUND!? THERE AIN'T NO GROUND BELOW US, HUEY! ALL I SEE ARE JUNGLES AND CLIFFS!" he pointed out while looking down.

"HEY LOOK! THERE'S AN OPENING IN THE JUNGLE!" P.J. exclaimed while pointing his finger towards a brief opening in the middle of the jungle, where the only thing that existed there was grass. "THAT MAY BE OUR ONLY PLACE FOR LANDING!" he added and pulled his parachute cord, activating his parachute.

Huey and Max quickly fell pass him, but they also unleashed their own parachutes, thus making their trip in the air smoother. But the three friends tried to battle the wind, as it was blowing quite strong, despite the sunny weather on Kauai.

"Damn it! These winds are preventing us from making us landing on that spot!" Max cursed while holding tightly. "At this rate, we'll only be forced to make a rough landing in the jungle" he added loudly.

"Maybe we should've waited a little bit longer before pulling our parachute cords" Huey remarked as he also had problems. He suddenly felt the winds chasing him away from his friends and it made him distressed. "Stupid winds, they are making me lose control!" he said.

But eventually, Max and P.J. were also sent to Huey's direction, drifting away from the spot they were intending on landing on. As their trip in the air almost ended, the three friends found themselves above the thick palms of the jungle. They all freaked out as they fell through the bushes and eventually hung in the air. Luckily, they were almost at the ground, even though their parachutes were stuck amongst the branches.

"Well…..that was….refreshing" P.J. remarked as he was trying to lose himself. It was impossible for him. "Argh, come on…..darn parachute….." he said with irritation.

"They could've told us about this before! But no, those jerks had to wait until the moment they did it!" Huey said while trying to use a knife to cut off the ropes.

Max had already cut himself lose and he was very pissed at what had just transpired. "When I get my hands on those bastards, I will kick their asses until they're begging for mercy!" he expressed his anger and frustration.

Huey landed on the ground, but he noticed that P.J. was still struggling to free himself, considering that he was actually using his arms to cut the ropes. The young duck slumped and reached for his knife. "Hey genius, use this instead" he suggested to him and threw the knife in the air to him.

P.J. caught it with his hand and faced his buddies with an offended look on his face. "How come I was never given a knife by my family?" he wondered aloud, as Max and Huey had gotten their knives from Gilbert and April respectively. Thinking about this made the obese cat slump in defeat. "Oh yeah, Pistol. How can I forget!" he added with sarcasm and began cutting the ropes. "That stupid bitch" he thought in irritation about his younger sister.

As the trio gathered together, they looked around and noticed that they had landed in the deep jungles on Kauai. All they could hear was the sound of life in this tropical environment. They also noticed how difficult it was for them to even get a glimpse of the sun.

"So…...what next?" P.J. asked his teammates after a moment of silence.

"That lazy pilot said something about letting Mr. Bubbles know of our arrival" Huey recalled what the piloting bear had told them. "But how in the world are we supposed to find this hidden compound of his? At this rate, we're stuck in the middle of nowhere" the duck added with a question.

Max looked around and noticed how difficult it was to spot the end of the jungle. The jungle was enormous. "If we could find a mountain or something then maybe we would've at least know where on Kauai we are" he suggested to his friends.

"That is easier said than done, Max. But at least it is a good suggestion" P.J. replied before confusingly facing both sides. "So which way do we go?" he asked them.

Before either Huey or Max could reply, they heard something sneaking through the bushes. It made them cautious and both Huey and Max reached for their knives while P.J. felt incredibly insecure.

"Damn it! I should've stolen a rifle or something from Mr. Slade before we left Arendelle!" he thought with distress.

Max stood on his guard while eyeing the bushes. "Who's there? Show yourself!" he demanded while firming the grip on his knife.

"Is it a wild animal or something?" Huey wondered in his head. But he suddenly snapped once something else hit on his head. "Shit, what if there are scouts of the Red Army patrolling these jungles!?" he wondered aloud.

Out from the bushes, a large anthropomorphic bear dressed in green appeared. But above all, he was unarmed. The three friends were intimidated by him and were about to charge at him, until both Max and Huey could feel two arrows narrowly hitting them. P.J. could also see it and felt even more insecure. They turned around and could see an anthropomorphic fox aiming his arrows at them with his bow. Like the bear, he was also dressed in green. He approached the trio who had so far, only stood still, not moving a muscle.

"What in the bloody hell do you think you are doing?" the fox spoke up in an English accent.

The three friends were outraged by what they heard, especially Max. "What we're doing…WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?" he angrily demanded with a loud voice.

Surprisingly, the large bear began hushing him, indicating that he wanted Max to be quiet. "Keep it down, will ya? These parts aren't necessarily safe from the government's eyes" he lowly scolded Max. For some reason, his accent sounded like that of a country boy. "Anyway, we're here on behalf on Mr. Bubbles. We were told by him to pick up some trusty acquaintances of his that had landed on Kauai" he spoke up with a friendly voice.

"You sure these lads are those, John? They were just about to attack you with their knives" the fox asked the bear while addressing him by his name. He was still aiming his arrows on Max and Huey. "I won't stop aiming my arrows at them unless they drop their weapons" he added with great suspicion towards the trio.

"Just knock it off, Rob. I admit that it was rather foolish of me to just waltz right in front of them in an environment such as this" John said while addressing the fox by his name, or nickname. He then faced the trio and lifted his hat in respect. "Allow us to introduce ourselves. Most people tend to call me Little John. Pleased to meet ya!" he introduced himself and faced his partner. "And this sly partner of mine is Robin Hood. We're both from Sherwood Forest outside the town of Nottingham" he added while introducing the fox to them.

Huey and Max withdrew their knives, making Robin do the same thing with his bow and arrows. The cunning fox walked to the group. "Heh, it astounds me that Mr. Bubbles has recruited three chumps like you to his cause. Could he not at the very least find someone…..better?" he expressed his opinion of the trio.

Both Max and Huey narrowed their eyes at him. "Oh yeah, well it astounds me that he actually employed a Cockney-accented douchebag like you to find us! Maybe you're some kind of cheap-ass mercenary, are you not?" Huey hit back and Max laughed by hearing this.

But Robin was not pleased, so he began aiming at them once again, much to the friends' shock. "You know that I can make you two look like an accident, right?" he questioned them sternly and threateningly at the same time. "One more ill word about me and you are both dead pincushions" he added to his warning.

John stood between them, breaking up their kafuffle. "Just can it already. Save your arguments back at HQ" he told them and began facing the trio. "Anyway, me and Rob have this jeep parked not far from us. We hop on it and then drive straight to Mr. Bubbles' secret hangout" he told them.

P.J. stepped before him with a smile of relief. "A jeep you say? Awesome! Then that means we don't have to be in the jungle that long, right?" he asked excitedly, but John hushed him while covering P.J.'s mouth with his large hand.

"Damn it, I told you to zip your mouth! We ain't 100 % safe in these parts, you know!" he lowly scolded him while looking to each direction. He breathed out a sigh of relief. Robin stood now beside him and he nodded his head at the bear, indicating that they weren't followed. John understood it and faced the campmates with seriousness. "Okay, enough foolin' around, kids. Let's head back to the jeep before something really bad happens" he suggested to them and turned around to walk away, with Robin tagging along.

The trio did what they were told and followed the weird duo. Even so, they preferred to stay safe than being stuck in the middle of a jungle, especially during the night.

Inside Duke's Café, the city of Jazzcrib

Tiana and her friends had just entered one of the many cafés she used to work at. At first, she expected the place to be bustling with activity, by that, seeing many waiters and waitresses running across the room serving the customers their meals.

But once they got inside, they were treated to a place filled with joy, singing and laughter. They could see many customers dancing on the tables, while a band of musicians were playing on a stage. It was a musical paradise.

Tiana couldn't believe her own eyes. "This place…..feels so….funny" she admitted with a smile forming across her face.

"My…I never expected to stumble upon this" Dallben noted with wonder.

As the group took a few steps, they could see a man dressed like a jester standing with the band of musicians, He was very charismatic and had the entire audience cheering for him. Beside him was a young and attractive woman dancing with him. What was noticeable was that both the jester and the woman had darker skin. Nevertheless, they were happily appreciated by the customers.

"EVERYBODY LET US ALL SING A SING IN MEMORY OF THE JOY THAT WE DISNEANS SHARE! I AM CLOPIN TROUILLEFOU! AND RIGHT BY MY SIDE: THE LOVELY AND SEXY ESMERALDA!" the jester exclaimed and the entire audience cheered in return. The young woman winked at the audience and most men were howling in return, completely taken by her beauty. The jester named Clopin focused his attention at the band, which was had an alligator and a black cat with a hat as the trumpeters, a young man with a pipe in his mouth as the pianist, a rooster as the guitarist, an obese, grey cat as the cellist, a tiny red-shelled crab as a xylophonist and a rabbit dressed in a pink t-shirt as the drummer. The crab began playing and everyone in the bar started to sing a familiar song known to most Disneans. The band joined in to making the music. "YEAH, ARE YOU READY FOLKS?" Clopin asked the audience and they shouted yes in return.

Kuzco was amazed by what he saw. "I can't believe it! Finally I can do something I love to do for once!" he said to himself. "I'm ready to groove!" he said.

Kuzco knew that this was something for him, so he quickly stepped among the crowd and demonstrated his dancing moves for everyone to see. They were impressed and many people began dancing in return as the music played in the background.

Here in the South! Here in the South!

Where we are happy, where we are lucky, where we are free!

What is the North, a lonely place! The South is a holly jolly place!

Each men and women dance until their children join in the fun!

Each girl and boy here having good time filled with love!

Each cat and gator plays on the trumpet that's why it's pretty here in the city

We don't have muck here, we don't sit ducks here, HERE IN THE SOUTH!

Once it was over, a loud cheering was made towards the band, and both Clopin and Esmeralda happily appreciated it with a bow. But the jester focused his eyes on Kuzco and held the microphone close to him.

"THANK YOU SO MUCH PEOPLE! AND ESPECIALLY THANKS TO THIS YOUNG MAN WITH HIS SPECTACULAR MOVES! GIVE HIM A GOOD RECEPTION!" he said and people begin applauding the young man. The jester then focused his eyes on the band. "AND THANK THIS BAND, WITH LOUIS AND SCAT CAT ON TRUMPETS!" he said and people applauded the two animals. "ROGER RADCLIFFE ON PIANO!" he said and the young man only waved his hand to the audience. "ALAN-A-DALE ON GUITAR!" he said and the rooster only nodded his head in appreciation. "BILLY BOSS ON CELLO!" he said and the obese cat accepted the applause. "SEBASTIAN ON XYLOPHONE!" he said and the little crab raised his claws in the air. "AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST: BRER RABBIT ON DRUMS!" he announced and the young rabbit raised his drum sticks in the air.

While they had their fun, the gang of four found a table to sit by. As they sat there, Taran stared at Kuzco with amazed eyes, something the black-haired boy noted. "You were amazing out there, Kuzco! I didn't know you were talented in dancing" the young man remarked as he had actually never seen Kuzco dance before.

He only shrugged his shoulders. "Well, the others know that I'm talented in it. Maybe it's because that you haven't seen me do it before" he said in return and suddenly began facing Tiana. "Okay Mrs. Former Waitress, what now?" he asked her smugly.

Tiana only rolled her eyes in return. "It's pretty simple, Mr. Dancing Flamboyant. We see if there are any people who are dissatisfied with Pete's regime and…" before she could continue, they could hear someone making a coughing sound.

Turning around, it was a young woman dressed in blue clothes while wearing a white apron. Obviously she was a waitress. She smiled at them innocently. "Sorry to interrupt but can I take your order?" she asked them.

Dallben smiled at her kindness. "I would really like a cup of coffee, please" he said what he wanted and the young woman wrote it down.

"For us three, how about a plate with beignets" Tiana suddenly spoke up, causing both boys to eye her with confusion.

The waitress smiled at them in return after hearing this. "Very well, your orders will be ready in a minute" she said and left for the kitchen.

As the waitress left, Taran stared at Tiana with wondering eyes. "Beignets…..how do they taste?" he asked with interest, admitting that he wanted to taste them.

Tiana smiled in return. "Oh they are tasty! Covered in flour and newly baked from the oven!" she told him in return. "In fact, when I used to work here and Mr. La Bouff came here visiting, he would always order beignets. It's just that good!" she added, much to Taran and Dallben's interests.

Kuzco however, yawned in return. "Yeah, if he really did that, then I'm sure as hell he's fat as fuck" he said with his foul language. Both Taran and Dallben stared at him outraged, while Tiana surprisingly fixed a smug look at him in return. This made Kuzco confused. "What's with the smug look?" he asked her.

"Oh it's nothin'. I just couldn't help but to notice how little you've been bragging me since we got here. Maybe there is some heart beneath that spoiled shell of yours" she remarked in return.

Hearing those words would usually result in Kuzco throwing a fit. But instead, he only snickered lowly and looked to another direction, pretending he wasn't listening to her at all. This surprised his friends. But even though he didn't speak, he was thinking.

"Maybe this trip will teach me how to cope with charming, but bitchy hags" he noted in his thoughts. But there was something else on his mind. "Spoiled…..selfish…I used to be that 3 years ago. But I'm not that kind of person anymore" he added and surprisingly formed a smile on his face. "I have you to thank me for that….Pacha….I really miss you" he admitted.

The group of four could spot a young girl coming to their table with the coffee and the beignets. She was approximately 12 years old. Like the woman, she was also wearing a white apron. "Okay, here is one cup of coffee and a plate with beignets. Bon appetite" she told them before heading away.

As she left the table, Tiana stared in wonder. "So the café employs young children as well" she noted but couldn't help but to smile. "I was in her shoes once" she added, before watching her friends taste the beignets. "Well, what do you think? Aren't they delicious?" she asked them as they were chewing.

"I haven't eaten anything like this in a long time!" Kuzco said with food in his mouth. "It's so delicious!" he added with satisfaction.

Taran agreed with him and swallowed before speaking. "Do you know how to make these, Tiana?" he asked him, causing her to chuckle in return.

"Of course I do, silly! I worked here once" she answered in return.

"Ummmm excuse me" the voice came from the waitress that had taken their orders. But this time, she was facing Tiana specifically, with a gentle smile on her face of course. "I hate to interrupt, but you don't happen to be Tiana, the same woman who used to work here in Duke's Café?" she asked him.

The black-skinned woman was surprised by hearing this, but slowly nodded her head. "Uh yeah" she simply said, not knowing what else to say.

The woman showed understanding and suddenly held out a piece of paper to her. Tiana was staring at it with widened eyes. She saw the symbol on the paper and who it belonged to. "I was told to give you this by a woman who says she knows you very well. In fact, she's sitting at the bartender's counter as we speak" she told him.

Tiana was stunned by what she heard and slowly began taking her eyes on the barstools. As she did that, she could spot a blonde-haired woman dressed in pink clothes. As their eyes met, the blondie happily waved a hand at her. The black-skinned woman was filled with overjoy and she immediately rose up from her seat and headed for the barstools.

"LOTTIE! I RECOGNIZED THAT SMILE QUICKLY!" Tiana exclaimed while embracing the blondie in a big, friendly hug.

Lottie returned the hug. "OH TIA! HOW I HAVE MISSED YOU!" she exclaimed while squealing her friend. They soon ended their hug and Tiana took a barstool and sat beside her. "I couldn't believe my own eyes when I saw you walking straight into the café!" she added with excitement in her voice.

Tiana smiled in return. "Well, believe it or not, I have returned!" she told her and both women giggled.

Taran and Kuzco walked over to see what was going on, but they felt happy for Tiana, as she had been reunited with someone she knew from her hometown. Lottie stared at them with curiosity.

"And by the way, who are these two gorgeous men you have brought here, Tia?" she asked them while winking at Taran and Kuzco, who only snapped in surprise at her behavior. Tiana only laughed by seeing this.

"These are two of the many people I've made friends with while joining the Youth League. The red-haired one is Taran while the black-haired one is Kuzco" she introduced her friend to the two men.

Lottie gasped when she heard that, almost as if she was surprised. "Oh my goodness what spectacular names they have! I hope that we can become good friends" she said while eyeing the boys seductively.

"Ummm Tiana….just who in the hell is this flirtatious bimbo?" Kuzco finally spoke up, causing Lottie to be stunned at his comment. But the black-haired boy faced the blondie. "It was actually a compliment" he said with sarcasm. Nevertheless, she smiled gleefully in return, much to Kuzco's utter disgust. "She sure is a creepy one" he noted in his head.

"Gentlemen, this is Charlotte La Bouff. We've known each other since childhood" Tiana introduced them to Lottie. "But you may just call her Lottie for short" she insisted to them.

Both Kuzco and Taran waved at her awkwardly in return, still being viewed as a prey by Lottie. But Taran suddenly realized something. "Wait. La Bouff as in Mayor La Bouff?" the red-headed boy asked her.

"You mean Big Daddy. Well, he's my daddy!" she said with a smile. But she suddenly faced Tiana with it. "Oh, you and your friends must come visit us at the La Bouff Mansion, Tia! Big Daddy would be so happy to see that you're alive and all!" she suggested to her wildly.

Tiana only smiled at her nervously while her friends only stared at this with a raised eyebrow. But she faced her friend. "That sounds really great, Lottie, but we have an objective here in Jazzcrib that we need to…" before she could say any further a peculiar voice interrupted her.

"Searching for any dissenters to join your resistance-movement, am I right?" the voice came from none other than the bartender himself. He was a red-haired man dressed in green clothes, but his ears were pointy. He was cleaning a glass as Tiana and her friends stared at him with surprised glances. The man naively looked up with a smile. "Well, isn't that reason you're here?" he asked them simply.

"Who…..the hell….…are you?" Tiana asked him slowly but demandingly.

Lottie put a hand on her shoulder. "He's the new bartender of Duke's Café. They call him Peter Pan and he claims to have been waitin' for you arrival!" she told her, making Tiana filled with confusion.

Both Taran and Kuzoc took each a barstool and faced him suspiciously. They were unsure about whether they could actually trust him. "Don't push yourself, smartass! How exactly do you know what our objectives are?" Kuzco asked him sternly.

The bartender only faced him with his same normal glance. "Well, your leaders are infamous and coupled with the fact that you survived the expedition you joined" he said, but surprisingly changed his expression into that of seriousness. "And also, we all know what kind of madness Pete and the SSS are doing in our realm. Therefore, it's only logical for us to unite" he told him. The black-haired man was surprised and intrigued by the answer at the same time.

"I think you should go visit Mayor La Bouff's mansion" the voice came from the waitress, who was now standing with the young girl at the side. "In fact, he charged us with letting him know of your arrival at Jazzcrib" she added while smiling at the group of three.

"Are you two also new employees at this café?" Taran asked them and she nodded in return.

"You may call me Wendy Darling and this is my daughter Jane" she introduced themselves to the group. The woman then faced Peter. "Peter, I can take of the bar for you while you accompany them to the mayor's mansion" she offered and walked behind the counter.

Peter smiled in return and exited his spot, allowing Wendy to take care from now on. "Thanks Wendy. I trust you and Tiger Lily to watch over the customers while I'm gone" she told her which made her grumble lowly in return. The red-haired man then faced the young girl, who glanced at him normally in return. "Be a good girl and help your mom, Jane" he encouraged her.

Taran went over to get Dallben, who was confused about whether they should pay for what they just ate and drank. Luckily, Jane got over and was cleaning up the table. "Just leave a tip for us. It will be a satisfying payment" she said to him. The old man did that and left come coins at the table.

Once the whole group was gathered before Peter and Lottie, they exited the café and sat their course to the La Bouff Mansion, with the trio of friends hoping that they would find some allies against the evil that was encroaching upon their world.

To be continued…

Author's note: Chapter 38 complete! We are beginning to see that our friends have begun finding allies, as well as seeking out ways to improve their skills. We will see more of them and how they will recruit allies to their cause. Our friends also met characters from Robin Hood and Peter Pan, as well as series like TaleSpin. And by the way, that song they sing here have its melody from Under the Sea. Stay tuned.