Tiāntáng...
General Li Shang wasn't the most emotive man around, unless the emotion in question was anger or disappointment. He was tall and broad, a stature that was emphasized by many pounds of armor. He carried his helmet- the same that had belonged to his father- under one arm as he walked- briskly and ramrod straight- into the Emperor's throne room, where he'd been summoned to a private counsel.
Chi Fu, the Emperor's advisor, turned to regard him with his usual misplaced smugness. "General."
Shang bowed shortly. "Chi Fu." He brushed past him to approach the Emperor's throne, and knelt humbly before it. "Your Majesty."
The Emperor, an elderly man of incredible height, rose from his throne to smile upon Shang. "Rise, General. Enough with the pleasantries."
Shang smirked and nodded appreciatively as he got back to his feet. "What can I do for you, Your Majesty?"
"Well..." The old man thoughtfully folded his hands in front of his stomach, which was shielded behind his long white beard, and started to pace to the right, his dark robes dragging behind him on the ground. "I recently received a call from a former trainee of your father's... Phoebus. Do you remember him?"
Shang's dark eyebrows popped up slightly in surprise. He hadn't expected to hear that name. "Yes, of course. We were quite close growing up." Before Phoebus left, so many years ago.
The Emperor nodded. "Yes. A very impressive soldier. And a good man. It seems that his travels have brought him in the employ of an exploration venture. The Captain of the vessel has found herself in need of some extra help. Security, specifically."
Shang tried to conceal his pride. So, Phoebus had gotten in over his head... "I can offer as many of our finest soldiers as they can carry, Your Majesty."
The Emperor started to stroll in the other direction now, looking up toward the high ceiling of the throne room. "Hm, well... I've already picked the soldiers that will be going along on the expedition vessel. And, by my careful calculation, Captain Amelia will only be needing..." he meticulously raised a hand and lifted up his first two fingers. "...two."
Shang stared blankly back at him. He had a suspicion of where this was going. "Which two were you considering?"
The Emperor just smiled back at him.
Shang sighed. "Your Majesty, I can understand sending her, but I can't just leave our planet. I have responsibilities here, the troops need me."
"Do not talk back to the Emperor!" Chi Fu cried.
The Emperor raised a hand and tiredly said, "Chi Fu..." He looked at Shang fondly. "You are so like your father. Now, we have many other generals who are more than prepared to shoulder those responsibilities in your absence. And, I'm not sure there is another that Phoebus would trust to help him on that ship. You can't deny that the two of you made a good team, back in the day."
"But-"
"And, as skilled as Fa Mulan is, I would never send her on a mission like this without you. I believe that the both of you together are the greatest asset we can offer to Phoebus and Captain Amelia."
"Your Majesty, I understand, but-"
"And I understand why the idea of leaving makes you so anxious. It is undoubtable that you and Mulan are our two best soldiers. But we have hundreds of skilled fighters who've learned from the both of you. We will make do without you for awhile."
Shang's jaw was locking up in frustration. He carefully spoke. "I just don't feel comfortable leaving on that ship, Your Majesty."
The Emperor nodded. "Yes, because you are your father's son...stubborn. And rigidly dedicated to our nation. But you cannot deny that recently you've been...distracted."
Shang frowned at his pointed expression. He turned to see Chi Fu giving him much the same look.
"It's very noticeable." Chi Fu added.
Shang resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "If this is about some kind of concern with my performance..."
Chi Fu did a double-take. "Should she be concerned?!"
"As a General." Shang snapped at him. He turned back to find the Emperor laughing.
"It's not about that, Shang. Quite the contrary. I just think... How can I put this gently? There are certain...avenues that you've been hesitant to explore. And I think this expedition would be the perfect opportunity to do so."
"I-"
"Li Shang. I have lived a long life. I spent much of that life ruling over this planet, and being good friends with your father. I've watched you grow up, I've seen you do amazing things. I have given you every bit of advice that I have to give, except for this..." He stepped forward to place a fragile hand on Shang's shoulder. "You don't meet a woman like that every dynasty."
Shang could feel the heat rising in his cheeks and wished more than anything to no longer be standing there listening to these words. That feeling was made worse by Chi Fu's abrasive laughter.
"Unclench for once, Li Shang! Think of it like a vacation!"
"Well, no..." The Emperor gently cut in. "You'll both still be active-duty combatants. You'll need to stay focused. But...there could be plenty of wonderful things to see along the way. Think about it, Shang. You've seen every corner of this little world of ours. But have you ever left Tiāntáng?"
Shang reluctantly shook his head. "No... I never really considered it."
"Well, it's settled! You and your Lieutenant will accompany the Legacy for the rest of their voyage." The Emperor turned from the stunned Shang to walk back toward his throne. He called back over his shoulder in obvious amusement, "I'll let you tell her yourself."
The Legacy...
Phoebus stood at the front of the deck and gazed across the glittering stars toward the small, carefully shielded planet he'd once called home. He'd been left like this in a blissful silence for almost half an hour; the rest of the crew had yet to wake for the day, aside from Amelia- who seemed to always be up, but hadn't come out of her private quarters- and Eric, who'd merely acknowledged him with a polite nod and a smile when he'd first walked out. He supposed Tiana and Cookie could be up, working on breakfast, based on the noises coming from the kitchen.
That suspicion was soon proven wrong when Jim Hawkins, weary and yawning as he pushed his hair away from his eyes, trudged out of the galley and toward the stairs leading below deck. Poor kid had been up all night seemingly, doing everyone's dishes. Phoebus offered him an appreciative look as he passed. Jim waved tiredly, but couldn't seem to be bothered with anything beyond that. Phoebus turned away to keep watching Tiāntáng, slowly inching its way closer and closer. He heard Jim mutter something behind him, and realized after a moment that it sounded like a "Hey", but it was clearly not directed at him, as Jim was disappearing down the stairs. He heard a distinct set of heels clipping against the wooden deck, accompanied by four sets of blunt claws and a heavy panting.
Phoebus turned to see Meg approaching him, with Spike in tow, on a leash at her side. He couldn't help but smile.
Meg smirked as she approached, the dog heavily breathing and pulling at the leash. She gave a short, sharp whistle and Spike immediately sat, grinning stupidly up at her and drooling. She looked down at him with obvious pride.
"What a good boy." Phoebus remarked, watching her face.
She glanced back up at him. "Yes... Well-behaved, sweet...simple."
"Unlike someone else you know?"
She gazed back at him, caught the gleam in his eye. She almost smiled- a real smile- but controlled herself. Her purple eyes betrayed her worry at what his answer to the next question would be. "Could we join you?"
Phoebus gestured toward the empty space next to him. "If it suits you."
Meg eyed him carefully for a moment, then hesitantly led Spike to stand next to him. Spike obediently sat again, leaning against her leather-clad leg, sniffing at the wood. She affectionately patted his head and turned to look where Phoebus' eyes were fixed.
"I heard you grew up there." She commented after a moment.
Phoebus quietly scoffed. "If you could call it that..."
She turned slightly toward him. "Well, how would you describe it?"
Phoebus thought on it for a moment, trying to decide how much he wanted to tell her. She patiently waited; she would take whatever he was willing to offer. Finally, he started to quietly explain.
"I was orphaned at a young age. Three or four, couldn't tell you for certain. Left with a, uh...merciful judge, back on my home world. No one else would take me. Hell, doubt they even could. It was a really poor planet. No one was anxious for another mouth to feed. So I was left on his doorstep. It soon became apparent that our personalities didn't meld very well." Phoebus grinned in spite of himself. "I wasn't his preferred temperament, and he was an overbearing zealot, to put it kindly... By the time I was six, he was tired of me. Called me 'insolent' and 'ungrateful', among other things. Decided the best way to teach me a lesson was to send me somewhere that would beat obedience into me."
Phoebus looked back at the tiny planet, was silent for awhile. Meg's heart sank a she watched his face.
Eventually he continued, less quietly, more purposeful. "I suppose he expected I wouldn't last long. Or that eventually I would beg to be brought back. Or that I would be molded into the man he needed me to be, that I would return once I was grown and help defend our world. For awhile, the latter seemed like my best option. I always figured somehow I would wind up back there. But, as it turns out, life had other things in store..." He was quiet for awhile again. "I did have a family, of a sort, on Tiāntáng. Brothers, so to speak. And a father figure. A just ruler to answer to. It was peaceful. Comfortable. Not in the way that most people would expect, but for me? Perfect... Well, almost."
"What happened?" Meg asked in a hush. She was hanging on every word he spoke. Each time he fell silent, she was left in suspense.
Phoebus smirked, glanced sideways at her. "Even for them, I was too rebellious. Too 'righteous', too loud. Always asking questions, always prodding. And, except to a few, always the outsider, no matter how hard I tried. I got tired of it. Decided maybe it was time to try living by my own standards. To defend something..." He turned to regard the empty deck. "...different." He gave her a meaningful look before turning back to the stars. "I soon stumbled upon a Mr. Whitmore; the same one who provided us with Milo Thatch & Company... He introduced me to Amelia, and..." He gestured vaguely. "Here I am."
They stood in silence for a while, Meg taking in the information and occasionally turning to study his profile, while he kept watching the stars so intently.
"I owe you an apology." She finally said.
He turned to her in mild surprise.
She shrugged. "I made some assumptions about you. But it sounds like you've had a hard life. Harder than I would have guessed."
"Who among us hasn't?" He said coolly, giving her a long look.
She tilted her head slightly, her expression unreadable. "Why are you really up here, staring into space? I can't imagine you're excited to return there." She nodded toward Tiāntáng.
Phoebus chuckled. "Damn it. You're smart." In truth, he thought watching the little planet would be a good distraction from what really deprived him of sleep.
Meg gave him a careful look. "Do you think the void is going to cough him back up onto the deck?"
He didn't answer, couldn't look at her.
"Phoebus..." She drew closer to him, but didn't dare reach out to touch. "I know that I could never understand how you must feel. And, to be honest, comforting people isn't my strong suit. But there is one thing I know, that you and I have in common."
He turned back to her and awaited the answer.
She smiled sadly at him. "We both have a hard time moving forward. But that could change."
"How do you figure?"
"It changed for me, when you saved my life that day."
His breathing hitched slightly as he gazed at her. She paused for a moment, then went on, "I could have been killed, much the same way as Mr. Arrow. Suffocated in the vast expanse of space and swallowed by a black hole, if not for you. With that in mind, maybe it's selfish of me to think that, with everything we've been through so far, it's worth it to be present for the people we haven't lost...to look toward something, instead of staying stuck with what's passed..." She gently reached out and took his hand, staring down at their intertwined fingers. Phoebus, fixated on her face, gave her hand a firmer squeeze, prompting her to respond with equal pressure. She smiled up at him, a small, complicated smile, her purple eyes welling up. "And here you stand, suffocating, and I can't seem to save you..."
Phoebus had been in a standstill since watching Mr. Arrow plummet into that black hole. Unable to fulfill his duties. Compromised. But worse still, unable to connect with the people around him. Every member of the crew had been made to pay for his pain which had rendered him inert. It wasn't a way he preferred to live, as she'd described. Wallowing. Unable to proceed. He had never been debilitated in such a way before.
Granted, he'd never lost a soldier before.
But now, even with the despair that Mr. Arrow's death had brought, there was another, deeper distress that seemed to stir Phoebus. The thought of if it had maybe been Meg, instead of Mr. Arrow, who'd been lost that day. How devastating that would be, if he hadn't gotten to her in time...
"Phoebus, what happened to him, it- it wasn't your- "
Phoebus suddenly moved forward and caught her delicate lips in a kiss, silencing her. She sighed softly and eagerly kissed him back, running her lithe hands up his arms, over his shoulders. He gently gripped her by the hips and pulled her closer to him. She wound her fingers into his hair, deepening the kiss, while he wrapped his arms around her lower back, locking her in his embrace. They eventually remembered where they were and forced themselves to pull apart, lingering only for a few seconds with their foreheads pressed together.
Spike let out a long, agitated whine from beside them. They both turned to look down at the dog and laugh.
"It's alright, Spike." Meg patted the dog's head and smiled at Phoebus. "He's one of the good ones. I think."
Phoebus grinned at her.
Meg tugged at the leash, signaling to Spike that it was time to go. "I should get him back..." She peered up at Phoebus. "Maybe I'll come by your room later?"
Phoebus nodded. "I wouldn't mind that."
She gave him a playful wink and turned to lead Spike away. Phoebus watched her go, then caught sight of Eric grinning at the helm.
Phoebus jabbed a finger in his direction. "You didn't see anything."
Eric held up his hands disarmingly. "Course not."
"I mean it, Helmsman. Not a word!"
The Port of Tiāntáng, A Few Hours Later...
"My word!" Amelia sighed, adjusting her hat. "That must have been the most thorough checkpoint I've ever been made to go through!"
"Yeah? Did you get patted down, too?" Sinbad asked.
She just frowned at him in response.
"The government of Tiāntáng is nothing if not cautious, Captain." Phoebus said with a customary smirk.
Amelia gave him an inquisitive look. "You seem more yourself today, Phoebus. Glad to be home?"
He chortled, a little stiff. "I'm not sure I'd put it that way..." He gestured in the direction of the planet's Capitol Building, a path that he still had committed to memory. "This way, Captain. We should arrive shortly before the Emperor for our meeting."
"Right. Come, John, Hercules, and...well, anyone who's up for a field trip. The rest of you, feel free to explore! But behave yourselves! The citizens of Tiāntáng are a very honorable people, so don't offend them!" Amelia instructed her crew.
Everyone hollered in the affirmative and began to split up. Merlin (with Archimedes the owl on his shoulder), and his trio of mentees (much to their disappointment), followed Amelia, along with Robin Hood (surprisingly enough), Dr. Doppler, and Mr. Porter, who hesitantly left Wendy in the care of Jane and Belle. John thought about making Alice come with him, but she insisted that she would stay at Wendy's side and be alright.
With that, everyone dispersed in different directions to explore the Capitol City of Xiāo. It was bright, clean, and undoubtedly efficiently run, but constantly bustling with activity and typically a little crowded, as it was the only point of travel to and from the heavily shielded planet. If the planet were any bigger, or its people any less precocious, this might have posed a problem.
"This place is beautiful!" Jane cried, dragging Belle and Wendy by the wrists while Alice and Milo trailed behind in amusement. Milo was enthusiastically snapping photos- careful not to capture any of the citizens who gave him looks as he passed- while the girls pranced about the busy shopping district, studying the unique storefronts and goods. There were rows of small restaurants, where men could be seen cooking heaps of ingredients in large, deep pans; shops selling dresses of the finest silk, intricately designed hair pins, and various styles of flat shoes and sandals.
Even Eric, who felt that the ship would be safe under the watchful eye of the guards at the Port, was joining in with the others. He came up behind Aladdin and Flynn- who were watching Rapunzel and Jazz walk ahead of them through the street- and threw an arm around each of them. Aladdin chuckled and returned the gesture while Flynn ignored his urge to roll his eyes. Rapunzel suddenly turned around and giggled at the boys.
"This is amazing! I've never seen anything like this before. What planet is this?" Rapunzel asked excitedly, constantly spinning on her heels to take in new sights.
Flynn sighed. "Ah, this little Terran rock? This is Tiāntáng. It's the planet that the Chinese claimed for themselves after the Earth started becoming unlivable."
Rapunzel turned to him and tilted her head. "The Chinese?"
Eric choked down a scoff. "Is she being serious?"
Jazz sent him a sharp look and placed a hand on Rapunzel's shoulder, explaining. "They're humans; a race of people originating from Earth. They...well, they look like this. And now have an entire planet modeled after their beautiful culture."
Based on the looks on the boys' faces, Rapunzel could tell she was still missing pieces of the picture, but decided to accept that answer. "That's so cool!"
"Hang on, guys..." Jazz raised a hand, signaling for them to come to a stop. They stood just outside a small patio, and across from the gate that allowed entrance was a counter. Beyond the counter and the friendly girl at the register, you could see a kitchen, where a large man was expertly sauteeing noodles with a bountiful variety of proteins, vegetables and spices. Jazz grinned as the smell wafted over to them, "...that smells amazing." She turned to the others. "Anyone up for lunch? We can check out some shops after."
Rapunzel eagerly nodded and took Jazz's hand, and the two practically skipped inside. The three men followed, also in good humor.
Meanwhile, Tarzan was leading his brothers, Peter, Audrey, Merida, Pocahontas, Kenai and Tiger Lily away from the market and over to a fairly large community park. It was quite pristine; unlittered, spacious, with wide green fields against a perfect blue sky, and plenty of trees blossoming. A mountain range could be seen in the distance, misty and peaceful. There was a large pond, with equidistant statues of ancient ancestral figures along the border of it. A few benches where young girls sat to tea and gossip, or old men played checkers. Some children were kicking around a ball, farther on in the field. Each group was considerate and self-contained to their own activities. Compared to the unending thrum of the marketplace, this park was like a haven for the introverted.
Peter, Jim and Audrey all took a seat in the grass by the pond, watching in awe as a crane stood in the water, casually scanning for fish. Across the park, Audrey could spot her crewmates- aside from Milo, who'd been dragged into a museum by Jane- watching an old woman painting at an easel. On the other side of the pond, Meg, Marina and Sinbad were running around with Spike while Kale was chatting with Tulio and Miguel's crew, who were sitting in the grass. Rat came along to join Tarzan and Pocahontas in teaching Tiger Lily to climb a tree, on the lower limbs, while Kenai stood below as a spotter, laughing at their antics. Merida and Adam went for a stroll along the path, coming upon a little man with an ice cream cart.
They each ordered a small bowl. When Merida reached for her wallet, Adam waved a little and muttered, "No, let me get it."
She looked up at him in shock. "Ya' sure?"
"Yes." He said flatly.
She placed a hand on one hip. "And I suppose I'll owe ya' for it later?"
He shook his head as he handed his universal currency to the vendor. "No."
She stared at him in suspicion as he held the little paper bowl out to her with one hand, grasping his in the other. She eventually shrugged and took it from him, and then they walked on. They soon stumbled upon a maze of bamboo and wandered in.
"Never seen anything like this before..." Merida remarked in quiet awe. She thought to reach out and touch one of the perfectly smooth shafts of bamboo, but then decided against it. She looked up to see the shafts growing so tall above them and so thick that you could barely see the sky. "Incredible."
Adam shrugged, continually ingesting spoonfuls of ice cream like a giant toddler. "Just plants." When Merida turned to give him a look, he smirked and continued, "Wish we weren't confined to the Capitol, or at least had a couple days to explore more of the planet. Some really beautiful landscapes here on Tiāntáng."
Merida was undoubtedly intrigued. "You've seen them?"
He nodded. "Tarzan and I came here a couple years ago, on an extended stay. Trading here's good. Real healthy economy. We had our own little hut, in the countryside, closer to the mountains. It was unbelievable out there. Like a scene from a storybook. We traveled around as we pleased, from trading post to trading post, working the odd job. One of the better trips we've had. I'd say we saw most of the planet before having to leave."
"Not a very populated place, seems like."
"Nah. Only a couple other cities, none as large as Xiāo, and all really spread out. Some small farming communities- farming land out here's perfect- but they're also few and far between."
"Sounds like they really lucked out, compared to a lot of other humans."
"It wasn't luck." There was no malice or accusation in his tone, which surprised her. It was just a statement.
She tipped her head to one side and brought another spoonful of ice cream to her lips. "Am I correct in guessing that you're glad to be back?"
Adam nodded thoughtfully, examining the bamboo. "I'll take any excuse to travel, but this is one place Tarzan and I always wanted to come back to... It's just a shame we're stuck in the city. I think you'd really appreciate the wilder parts of the planet."
She watched him for a minute. He ignored her, started down the path again, taking a right turn. She followed quietly.
"I suppose I'll have to come back sometime too, then." She finally replied.
He turned to smile at her. They took another turn, going deeper into the maze, and stumbled upon an awkward sight.
Merida almost dropped her ice cream, choking on a laugh. "Oh, my..."
Naveen and Esmeralda suddenly pulled away from their intense embrace, both gaping at Adam and Merida. Adam didn't have a recognizable emotion on his face, while Merida was about to burst with amusement. Naveen chuckled nervously while Esmeralda looked flustered, straightening herself out.
"My friends!" Naveen said jovially, as though he'd known them all their lives. "This is not... I mean, we're not... I know how this must look-"
"Relax, pretty boy." Adam said coolly. "We're not gonna say a word to anybody."
Merida looked up at him in mild surprise.
"You swear?" Esmeralda asked, equally nonplussed.
Adam shrugged. "It's nobody's business."
Naveen and Esmeralda looked at Merida hopefully. She used her pinky to draw an "X" over her chest. "Cross my heart, hope to die. Nobody'll know a thing!"
Esmeralda smiled in relief. "Thanks, guys."
Adam was already walking away. "We'll leave you to it. Just try to be more aware from now on." Merida waved goodbye to the couple and followed him.
Adam became very aware of her wide blue eyes on him. He sighed. "What?"
"I just realized, we're missing a good opportunity to get you close to Belle again. Hercules is nowhere near her."
Adam was quiet for a moment, mouth pinched. Eventually, he casually replied, "I think I prefer this."
Merida screwed up her face in confusion. "Why are you being so mature all of a sudden?!"
Adam once again turned to smile at her, but didn't answer.
Meanwhile...
Amelia and her troop rose respectfully when the Emperor and Chi Fu entered the Grand Hall of the Capitol Building. They waited until the Emperor was seated before bowing and retaking their own seats, in a semi-circle before his throne. Chi Fu stood vigilantly at the Emperor's side.
"We thank you for meeting with us today, Your Majesty." Amelia politely said. "I know you must be immeasurably busy. I'm surprised you had the time."
"I made the time." The Emperor said cheerfully. "I could not miss the opportunity to meet the sailors who will be borrowing my best soldiers. I suppose we shall bring them in now, hm?" He waved toward a pair of servants who waited by the door through which he'd just entered. They quickly opened the doors again, and two soldiers walked in; one tall, broad and stern, the other smaller and practically bouncing on his dainty feet. The two stood at attention before the Emperor, saluting the sailors.
The Emperor assessed Amelia's puzzled expression and chuckled. "You weren't expecting only two of them."
"Not to seem ungrateful-" Amelia started sheepishly.
He laughed again, waving his hand. "No need to worry. The pair of them have done wonders for this little planet of ours. Practically transformed our army, as well as streamlined our security. They make a great team. The two of them are all you need." He looked at the backs of the soldiers now. "Li Shang, Fa Mulan, at ease."
The two of them relaxed and carefully removed their helmets. Amelia's face lit up when her eyes met those of the smaller soldier.
"The Fa Mulan?" Amelia asked, rising out of her seat. The others around her stirred in excitement.
The smaller soldier was, in fact, a woman. Her black hair had come undone when she removed her helmet- no matter how hard she tried, she could never get it tied just right- and fell in a sleek, straight bob, nearly reaching her shoulders. Her features were softer, rounder than what would typically be expected of a fierce warrior, betraying her youth, but there was an undeniable wisdom in the way she looked about the room.
Mulan smiled shyly. "The very same...but..." She was suddenly very aware of all the eyes on her. Including Shang's, shining with barely concealed pride. She cleared her throat and tried not to seem as nervous as she felt. "You've heard of me?"
"The Hero of Tiāntáng?! Yes, everyone has heard of you!" Dr. Doppler suddenly cried.
Merlin chuckled at his side. His three young charges were all staring at her in amazement. Archimedes the owl wasn't entirely impressed though. Merlin said, "You are a wonder, my dear. So honored to meet you."
Phoebus and John had also stood when Amelia had, and now both bowed a little to Mulan.
"It will be a privilege to serve with you, Fa Mulan." Phoebus said.
John nodded in agreement, and jokingly added, "And Li Shang, too, of course."
Shang nodded politely. It had not gone over his head that Phoebus had yet to acknowledge his presence. He turned to see Mulan blushing profusely at his side and gave her a reassuring look.
"Yes, I think the two of you will do just fine." Amelia said, beaming. "Oh, how exciting!" She peered past the two soldiers and saw the Emperor rising out of his seat, seeming pleased. The others stood as well, and Shang and Mulan turned to face him. They all bowed again. Shang and Mulan opted to kneel.
"Thank you again, Your Majesty." Amelia said, and slowly stood straight again. "Truly, my gratitude knows no end."
He nodded and smiled down at them. "The honor is mine, Captain Porter." He looked at his two soldiers. "Li Shang, Fa Mulan, on this day, you bring great honor to our planet. Tiāntáng will await your return with grace. Represent our home well in your venture."
The two of them had not risen from where they knelt humbly on the floor. They both said, "Yes, Your Majesty."
He chuckled quietly. "As you were." He watched the two of them rise, and then waved politely to the room. "Farewell, and good luck to you all." He turned to leave, Chi Fu trailing close behind. After the doors were closed behind them, Mulan visibly relaxed, while Shang remained very much the same. They turned to their new crew, Mulan smiling while he was ever the stoic.
"Is this all of you?" Mulan asked.
Amelia chuckled and shook her head. "No, no. The others are exploring your fair city. Oh, just wait until you see our ship!" She reached out a gloved hand and Mulan shook it without hesitation. "I'm beyond pleased to have you aboard, Fa Mulan."
"Just Mulan, please. And I'm thrilled to come aboard, Captain."
"Amelia, my dear. Now, shall we head out?"
"We'll need to make a stop along the way. Grab some things." Shang said.
Amelia nodded. "Any goodbyes?"
"No." Shang replied flatly.
Mulan shook her head. "I saw my family last night, said goodbye to them then."
"Right, then. Let's go retrieve your things." Amelia shamelessly took Mulan's arm, and the two women walked side-by-side out of the building, with everyone else following. "And, my apologies- I'm sure you're tired of telling the story by now- but you simply must tell me all about how you saved the planet along the way."
Mulan laughed nervously.
A Few Hours Later...
"So you defeated the alien invader with explosives?!" Peter asked in amazement. He was sitting on the deck with all the younger crewmembers, all practically gaping at Mulan as she told her story for the third time that day.
She laughed. "Fireworks, actually."
"How clever." Alice said.
"Badass!" Peter cried. Tink chittered in agreement.
"Did he die?" Wendy asked.
Mulan noticed how Shang was watching her, but continued any way. "Actually, no. He survived, just barely. He's been imprisoned in the Capitol ever since."
"Capitol prison's no joke." Jim remarked.
"Sounds like a bad guy. It's a good thing he's there." Arthur muttered.
"But, with everything he did, why not execute him?" Mowgli asked.
Mulan shrugged. "It was the Emperor's wish that he be forced to pay for his crimes in other ways. He is the only member of his race left. The Emperor didn't wish to be responsible for the extinction of the Tengri Mo."
"Is that who invaded?" Tiger Lily asked.
"Never heard of 'em." Peter said callously.
"There's a reason for that." Shang cut in, stepping into view. The kids all stared up at him. He cleared his throat. "Will you leave us to speak?"
The kids all got up and left, heading down to the galley. Mulan stood and turned to Shang with a playful look, crossing her arms.
"You have such a way with them." Mulan said sarcastically.
Shang gave her a look, then turned to look out over the bustling marketplace. More of the crew was starting to come back to the ship; less than another hour to take off. Mulan came to stand beside him.
After a few seconds of silence, she peered up at him knowingly. "I know why you don't want to leave."
"Hm?"
"I'm worried about it, too."
Shang glanced over at her, and saw the comforting look she was trying to give him.
She continued, "But the entire planet's safety can't actually rest on our shoulders, Shang. We've left them an army that's more than fit to protect them. And our security-"
"I know, I know." Shang muttered. "It's very unlikely he could escape... But, Mulan, with just the right circumstances...and the power he holds-"
"The chances are slim." Mulan cut him off.
"I was raised to be prepared for every possibility."
Mulan smiled. "There was one possibility you weren't so willing to entertain, once upon a time."
Shang laughed, letting down his reserved composure for a few seconds. "Yes, and that possibility wound up making a fool of me."
"That wasn't the intention."
"I know."
Mulan studied him for a moment, watching him slip his mask of stoicism back on. "We do make a good team, you and I."
He turned to her. "Yes."
"But only when we're on the same page." She said pointedly. "I can't rely on you if your mind is elsewhere."
He turned away again.
She added, "Please, understand that I share your concern. And if something goes wrong while we're away, we'll come right back. Trust me, if I thought for an instant that my family was in danger, no one here could stop me from returning home. But, Shang, it's been over a year, and nothing has happened to make me think that we shouldn't go on this expedition."
Shang nodded. "The Emperor did say that this would be good for us..."
"He did?"
Shang sighed. "Yes... And I think I have to agree. I've been so entrenched in this life, so committed to our planet's safety...but since my father died, I, uh..." He trailed off. Mulan waited patiently for him to finish with, "Well, a little time away seems like just what I need."
"Even if it's with me?" Mulan joked.
He smirked slightly. "Yes, even so." He heard her laughing and turned to look at her. "You seem very excited about this. And I've been proven wrong by your intuition a few too many times at this point." He saw Amelia coming their way and stood at attention, whispering to Mulan, "I'm following your lead on this one."
Mulan snuck him a smile before turning to greet Amelia, Phoebus and John.
"Ah, there you are! We'll be taking our leave shortly. If you're looking to get freshened up, John will show you to your room." Amelia said.
They both stared back at her as though they must have misheard.
"Our room?" Mulan asked, gesturing between the two of them.
"Room...as in...singular?" Shang asked stiffly.
"Well, yes, we had one crew cabin available, and...well, pardon me for saying so but we weren't expecting a female soldier." Amelia explained.
There wasn't much shame in that. Tiāntáng was far behind on the times. Mulan had been the first female warrior in their army (ever), and even after her joining, there were very few other women who followed her example. Prior to Mulan being pronounced a hero, it was not allowed for women to enlist.
Mulan nodded in understanding. "Of course..."
"But..." Shang started, unsure where the sentence was going.
"Well, we figured it might be fine, since you two must be used to being in close quarters much of the time. And, besides..." Amelia raised her hands disarmingly. "Separate beds. I mean, if you'd really like for other arrangements to be made, we could try to figure something out..."
"No, don't trouble yourselves on our account. Someone on our end should have made you aware I was coming." Mulan said. "With two beds, we'll be just fine. Right, Shang?"
He stared down at her for a moment, incredulous. Then, he awkwardly nodded his head. "Yes..."
Amelia clapped her hands. "Excellent! I'll leave you to settle in." She turned and walked away.
"John, why don't you show Mulan to the room? If Shang doesn't mind, I'd like to have a chat with him about our security measures." Phoebus said.
John nodded and turned to Mulan. "Shall we?"
"Yes, that sounds great." Mulan agreed. She ducked her head to avoid Shang's hard stare and followed John away.
Shang and Phoebus stood and looked at each other for a moment, as though they were each trying to see somebody else.
"You look...different." Shang said curtly.
"Yeah, you two." Phoebus replied.
"Your hair...it's long."
"Yup."
"But you don't tie it back?"
"Nope."
"Ah."
They looked down at their boots for a few seconds.
Phoebus sighed. "You got...tall."
Shang raised his eyebrows. "Well...yeah."
"Hm..." Phoebus' face lit up with mischief and he suddenly looked up at Shang. "You still a virgin?"
Shang was stunned, and it was all Phoebus could do not to laugh aloud.
"What kind of question is that?" Shang demanded.
Phoebus shrugged. "Just got really weird about the room thing, that's all."
"That's not- It has nothing to do with-"
Phoebus grinned. "You're so old-fashioned."
"And you're too bold."
"Yeah..."
They stared at each other evenly for a moment.
Eventually, Shang smirked and said, "I have missed you...traitor."
Phoebus chuckled. "Seems you found an apt replacement."
"Not without some difficulty."
"That story's pretty complicated, huh?"
Shang laughed, surprising both Phoebus and himself. "Well, yes..."
"You'll have to tell me about it over dinner." Phoebus said simply.
Shang looked back at him for a moment, obviously caught off guard. Finally, he said, "Yes... I'd like that."
Meanwhile, Eric was having a hard time understanding the command that Amelia had just given him at the helm.
"I'm sorry, Captain. You want to what? "
Amelia playfully rolled her eyes. "I know you heard me perfectly well."
"Yes, but I'm sure you're mistaken about what exactly we could be getting into... No one ever travels through the Frabjous System. At least, it's not recommended. It's too treacherous, unpredictable-"
"And, by all accounts, fascinating!" Mr. Porter cut in excitedly. "Wouldn't you agree, Merlin?"
Merlin started to nod when Archimedes the owl scoffed and sputtered in outrage, "By all accounts?! By the very few accounts that have existed over the course of centuries, uttered by absolute madmen! This seems like a horrible idea."
Merlin sighed in response.
"I have to agree with the owl, Captain." Eric said urgently. "I mean what are you expecting to pass by? Wonderland?"
"Glad to hear me and my crew aren't the only ones who've heard the rumors." Sinbad smirked. When Amelia glared at him, he added, "Seems we don't run in such different circles."
Eric ran his hands over his face in frustration. "You have to be kidding." He threw his hands up. "So you would have me take us through an unfamiliar System, with no map, and-?"
"Well, you'll draw up the map, helmsman!" Amelia said cheerily. "Come now! Can we really pass up the opportunity to chart a System that most wouldn't dare go? Think of what we could discover, what we could accomplish to make future travelers' lives a little simpler."
"Is it really worth risking the crew?" Eric asked.
"I have the utmost confidence in the crew, and the ship's defensive capabilities. Most who've ventured into the Frabjous System didn't have nearly the advantage that we do. And look what came of it! There's hardly been a ship through that way in ages."
"For good reason!" Eric snapped.
"All too fantastical for me to take any stock in, if I must say so." Amelia said, fidgeting with her sleeve.
"Captain-" Eric started wearily.
"Enough, now. The purpose of this expedition is to explore, helmsman. And I intend to do just that, even by the road less traveled. We won't stop anywhere, we'll just cruise through. Just consider it a shortcut to Sylva."
Eric sighed heavily, still obviously unconvinced, but couldn't argue any more as Amelia turned and swiftly walked away. He stood there for a moment, with his hands on his hips, and gnawed on his lower lip in thought. Eventually, he had to turn to his station and enter the coordinates to the edge of the Frabjous System. From there, he'd just have to set the ship to coast through, because they'd be on their own.
That evening, after a successful take-off and a pleasant dinner, the galley was buzzing with excitement. Most of the crew was gathered there, chattering about their day on Tiāntáng, or about their relief at having survived the ordeal on Atlantis, or their ideas about what else could happen on their voyage. All this while drinking, of course.
Jane was giggling as discretely as she could as she watched Belle and Hercules nestled together at the other end of the table. She turned and whispered to Milo, "What a turn of events for her, hm? If I'd predicted that this voyage would bring her a lover who's worth a damn, she would have laughed in my face! All our lives, Belle's been this stubbornly individualistic idealist, and now look. Oh..." She gazed at her old friend again and rested her chin in her hand with a dreamy expression. "Aren't they adorable? Isn't he simply perfect for her?"
Milo nodded along, hardly looking up from the book he'd been reading all night. "Sure, if she's really into that too-perfect hero archetype that you only find in romance novels."
When Jane turned to frown at him, he looked vaguely apologetic and practically pressed his nose between the pages of his book. She watched him for a moment, and soon looked toward her drink in a demure fashion.
"I'm sure you'll be happy to hear that many girls aren't actually looking for that too-perfect hero type, Milo..." She whispered.
He froze, and his brain started to reel as he tried to work out if he'd actually heard her correctly. She turned slightly to him and leaned in, continuing, "But the way you handled yourself on Atlantis was pretty damn close."
Milo's face flooded with color and he scoffed and spoke in a flustered way. "I got myself shot."
"Protecting someone else. And all the while all you could worry about was saving the planet and its people." Jane said. Milo slowly lowered his book down onto the table and gazed back at her in mild disbelief. She went on, "I think you carried yourself very admirably, considering how everything went on. I... I think..." They stared at each other for a moment. Now she was blushing as much as he was. A nervous ripple of laughter escaped her and she turned her gaze sharply to her lap. "I just think you were very brave."
He was quiet for a moment, just watching her. Then, he suddenly said, "I wasn't just worried about Atlantis."
She peered up at him curiously. "Oh?"
He blinked a couple times, and hesitantly finished, "When you were in that forest, with that insane super-powered pirate, and it was burning down... Well, I was really worried about you then. And when the three of you came running out of there, and I knew you were safe... Well, that's the happiest I've ever been... I think... Well, yeah." He chuckled and fiddled with his glasses, looking away from her.
Jane's smile had slowly grown as he'd spoken, and she gently reached out to take his hand in hers.
At the end of the table, Hercules nodded toward them and whispered to Belle, "They're getting awfully close, huh?"
Belle snuck a glance toward her two friends leaning so close together, and looked up at Hercules in wonder. "When did that start?"
Hercules laughed and reaffirmed the security of his arm around her shoulders. "What? I think they're cute together."
Merida and Adam were sitting at a table across the way, with Audrey, Jim, Peter and Tink. She noticed how Adam kept stealing glimpses of Belle nestled against Hercules' side, and secretively nudged him. He looked back at her sharply and she nodded toward the door, signaling that they should sneak away to the deck. He frowned, but nodded in agreement, and the two of them grabbed their drinks and snuck off while the others were distracted by Tink's antics.
Adam distractedly trailed Merida as she led him along the deck, gazing between her and the stars as he sipped his drink.
"What are we doing up here?" Adam asked after a moment of seemingly aimless walking.
She shrugged. "I thought I saw an issue with one of the cannons that I could use a second pair of eyes on."
His eyebrows popped up and he tried not to laugh. "That's quite an excuse. You know, if people get to talking..."
"I don't care what people have to say." Merida said, matter-of-factly. She perched herself on the steps leading to the helm. Eric was too focused at his station to bother acknowledging them. She tapped the step below her with one heavy boot, a gesture inviting Adam to sit. He sighed and settled into the space, the wood creaking slightly under him. He paused to give the steps an offended look, which made Merida laugh. He glanced up at her in mild amusement, but she could tell his heart wasn't really in it. They drank in silence for awhile, appreciating the quiet, and the view of an unfamiliar system. Merida studied the bizarre orbit of a pair of moons and thoughtfully drank her beer.
"Thank you for pulling me out of there." Adam eventually muttered.
She looked down at him and carefully responded, "I could tell you're not quite as over it as you wanted to seem earlier today."
"It's weird... Sometimes it seems like I am, but then I see them together..." He trailed off, then shook his head. "I dunno, better to just act like I don't care. I guess."
"I dunno about that." Merida replied. "In my experience, it's better to really sort through that kinda stuff. But I do think that some distance from 'em is probably what's best for ya."
"Hard to do on a ship."
"It's a big ship."
Adam gave her a peculiar look, then shrugged and gazed down at his drink. "You don't have to keep looking out for me, you know. I mean, why should you? I was such an ass to you before."
"You dwell too much." She remarked sharply. He looked up at her in surprise. She continued, "It's why you can't get over her. And I bet it's why sometimes you're such an ass, cuz you're dwelling on some mistake you made or some bad thing that happened to you in the past that has you convinced you don't deserve to be happy now."
"Hey-"
"Tell me I'm wrong."
They stared at each other for a moment, Adam obviously irritated and Merida waiting patiently- but smugly- for a response. Eventually, he had to look away in defeat, without answering her.
"If you ever want to talk about what it is-" She started, more softly.
"It's private." Adam quickly cut in. He didn't sound angry, but there was a cold edge to his tone that made her feel immediately shut out.
She nodded. "Everyone's entitled to their secrets."
He laughed bitterly. "Have you got one too, then?"
She scrunched up her face and comically replied, "You and I aren't there yet."
Now he laughed more genuinely, in a way that made her join in. She watched him turn his face up toward her, the light from all the astral bodies surrounding them lighting up his expression in a way that she hadn't seen before. There was life yet in those stormy eyes of his.
"Friends?" He asked, trying to maintain his guarded composure, though the laughter still lingered in the corners of his lips.
Merida nodded and patted his shoulder. "Friends." They quickly clapped their mugs together and had a drink to it.
Meanwhile, inside the galley, Peter had been called away from his group by Amelia, who sat at the main table with Robin, Dr. Doppler, Mr. Porter, Merlin and Archimedes. Peter brazenly took the seat opposite the Captain and leaned forward so that he rested with his elbows on the tabletop.
"What's up, Cap?" Peter asked.
Dr. Doppler started to admonish him, but Amelia waved away his concern and leaned forward a bit. "Mr. Pan, I have been quite curious about the nature of Captain Hook's fixation on your little Sprite friend."
Peter frowned. "Yeah, I thought that was weird, too."
"Any idea as to what he was referring to on Atlantis?" Amelia asked, folding her lithe, clawed fingers under her chin.
Peter shook his head. "I've asked a couple times since we left, but Tink won't tell me anything. Says she's sworn to secrecy."
"Hm..."
"But Hook and his crew are dead now. So does it matter?"
"No, probably not. But you will let me know if she divulges anything to you, won't you?"
"Aye-aye, Captain." Peter said with a mock salute.
"Good lad. You go on, have fun with your friends."
He hopped up from his seat and walked away without hesitation. She watched him go with curious eyes, then felt the weight of Robin's gaze on her and turned coyly toward him. "Yes?"
"Why are we going through the Frabjous System?" Robin asked frankly.
Amelia's eyebrows popped up. "You all have such little faith in your beloved Captain..."
"Why, Amelia?"
"Simply to see what we can see on our way through, Hood. That's all. There's some who believe that, if charted properly, it could make for a significantly more efficient channel of travel for trading ships through this area."
Robin smirked knowingly. "And how much did the Grand Councilwoman have to twist your arm to convince you to do the Federation this favor?"
"Hardly at all. Why should she have to twist my arm, any way?"
"That's what I thought..."
"Oh, don't start."
"Amelia-"
"Your Captain is speaking." She cut in. He patiently waited for her to go on, without an ounce of scorn or irritation in his expression. Damn Fox. She continued, "It is the duty of this vessel to explore a variety of territories and to record their most significant attributes."
"And, apparently, to do the Federation's chores for them."
"Yes, it is also our responsibility to lend a hand to the Federation when asked. All for the greater good."
Robin seemed utterly amused by this. "I wasn't aware of that when I signed on."
"Should I expect you to leave again, then?"
Robin studied her for a moment, as if trying to discern what emotion lay under those words. Eventually, he sighed. "No, not likely. I'd worry about you too much."
Amelia laughed. "You really think so lowly of them? Robin, the Federation is the only reason the universe remained intact after the Earth collapsed."
"Humanity, you mean. Not the universe."
Amelia shook her head. "You and I are not ready to have that discussion again."
"No, probably not. But, Amelia, I'll always be around to tell you. As much as you need to hear it."
"Perhaps I'd prefer to hear something different from you." She practically purred.
Robin tilted his head and said in exasperation, "That's not fair, you know."
"What's not?"
"You can't always get your way by talking to me like that." Robin replied, doing his best not to grin.
She quirked up one eyebrow, in a way that told him that she absolutely could, and took a long sip of her drink. The look in his eyes let her know that she was winning, yet again.
As Peter was walking back to his table, he passed by where Wendy and Alice were sitting with Arthur, Taran, Mowgli and Tiger Lily. He couldn't help noticing how close Wendy and Arthur were, their arms practically pressed together where they rested on the table. Peter frowned and walked on, figuring that was that. But as he approached his own friends and saw how Audrey was perched in Jim's lap, and overheard them teasing Tarzan- who'd just joined them- about the picture of Kida that he kept in his wallet, he couldn't help but feel a bit of a sting. Back on Montressor, he'd never had an issue getting girls. He figured on the ship that it would be even simpler, and Wendy seemed like an easy target. But, as it had turned out...no. Perhaps he'd set his sights too low, acted too rashly. He thought he'd had her figured, like he usually did, but he'd been wrong. Now, looking around at the various couples who'd come together around him, he wondered if maybe the time had come to quit playing around.
Otherwise, maybe Tinkerbell would be his only company forever.
Meanwhile, as Esmeralda was serving herself another drink, she was suddenly tugged aside into a dark space by a pair of sturdy yet soft hands. She looked up at Naveen, who was biting his lip on a laugh, and tried to silently convey how unamused she was.
"Oh, come on. I didn't get nearly enough time with you today." Naveen whispered.
"We spent the whole afternoon together, Naveen." Esmeralda whispered back, allowing him to draw her closer to him so that they were chest-to-chest, his warm arms fastened around her waist. She naturally wound her hands up his chest and over his shoulders, into his hair.
"And it was not enough." He said sweetly.
"And we got caught." Esmeralda murmured.
"Just the one time. And Adam and Merida promised not to tell." Naveen said in a reasonable tone, all the while stroking the center of her spine with one thumb, as if to calm her. She smirked at him and he leaned down to nuzzle her throat.
"If my brother sees this..." Esmeralda started to warn him.
"I've seen your brother. I'm not worried." Naveen replied jokingly. Esmeralda shuddered with quiet laughter against him, and he pulled back to look down at her with a furrowed brow. "Should I be worried?"
"Clopin does have a crazy streak a mile long..." Esmeralda said ominously, but he could see the mischievous look in her eye and broke out in a grin.
"Well, well...to be with you, I suppose it's just a risk I'll have to take."
She gazed up at him, her expression suddenly becoming somber.
Naveen reached up a hand to cradle her cheek. "What is it?"
She sighed. "I don't want there to be any misunderstanding here."
"Oh?"
"I mean, if you think you have to say these pretty words to me just to get me to sleep with you, I-"
"Wait-"
"I'm just letting you know that you can just be honest with me. I'm not exactly looking for some fling, but if that's all that's here for you, just-"
"Hey-"
"-be honest. What?"
"These aren't just pretty words I'm saying to you. You want honesty? It's true, from the first moment I saw you, I've wanted you. But it's not just a want, it's... I'm drawn to you. I mean, obviously, it's difficult for me to keep away, or to keep my hands off you."
She smiled a little at that.
He continued. "Before I came on this ship, it became apparent to me that I should start thinking seriously about my future. And then you happen to be a part of the crew, on what's probably my last expedition before I settle down back home? I don't think that is coincidence." He gently rested his hands on her bare shoulders, and looked earnestly into her eyes. "And this is not just some fling."
Esmeralda gazed up at him for a moment, then slowly tilted her head back, inviting him to kiss her. He quickly obliged, kissing her with such care that it was all she could do not to melt into him. The kiss ended entirely too quickly, and they stood there in the dark, pressed firmly together and breathing in unison. It was as close to blissful as either of them had ever felt.
"Alright..." Esmeralda eventually whispered. "So...as long as you're not just toying with me..."
"No, never..."
"And as long as we can keep this between us, at least for now... Just because my brother and my friends, they're very protective."
"I understand."
She nodded. "Then I think this is worth a shot."
"Mm-hm... Plus, you like my cute accent."
Esmeralda sighed. "Okay..."
"Come on, admit it."
On the other side of the galley, Phoebus and John sat together by the door, watching the general merriment. They'd both heard about how they'd be passing through the Frabjous System and couldn't help feeling a bit uneasy. They made idle chitchat and tried not to appear tense to the others, but they'd both refused to drink. They wanted to stay alert.
Phoebus soon felt a tap on his shoulder and turned with slight surprise to see Mulan looking up at him. With her hair loose and falling around her bright expression, she appeared so much younger.
"I was wondering if I might ask you something." She said politely.
Phoebus nodded. "Of course."
"Why did you leave Tiāntáng?"
Now he was very surprised. He glanced around the room and saw Shang caught up in conversation with Amelia. That explained why Mulan felt safe enough coming to him now.
"This is just between us. I don't have to answer to Shang for every little thing." Mulan assured him, though it seemed more like she was convincing herself. He turned to her and she nervously continued when he didn't respond right away, "It's just that I only know you through stories from the others, and from what I've heard you're quite an impressive warrior. But no one would ever tell me what made you leave like you did."
Phoebus pursed his lips, his mind racing for the right answer. It had amazed him that Shang had been willing to work with him on the ship, but if he were to be too honest with Mulan now, he doubted that would be the case.
"I just didn't agree with some of Tiāntáng's practices. It quickly became apparent that I wasn't a good fit there. So I left." Phoebus said bluntly.
"But, you grew up there. The other soldiers said you were like family. How could it be so easy for you to go?"
Phoebus smirked. Her tone gave her away.
"I'm guessing that this line of questioning is coming from a secret part of you that already knows the answer." He replied quietly.
She stared back up at him, wary of how the conversation was turning.
Phoebus sighed. "Look...in school, you were taught a certain...version of history that isn't really the whole picture. I grew up, I learned some stuff on my own, and then I started questioning what exactly I was fighting for. Which I'm sure is a similar struggle you're having now."
"So...what does the whole picture look like?"
Phoebus thought about this for a moment. He knew it had been hard on Shang when he'd left, and somehow over the years, he'd managed to find another confidante in this woman. Phoebus couldn't bring himself to be responsible for Shang losing another partner... But he also believed that Mulan had a right to know exactly what her nation's success had been birthed from. So...he needed help. He looked around the room, and very quickly had his answer.
"See the woman in the hood, sitting over there?" He asked.
Mulan turned to see Jazz, sitting at a table with Aladdin, Flynn, Rapunzel, Meg and Sinbad and their crew, goofing around over their drinks.
"She might have some helpful insight for you." Phoebus said.
Mulan noticed the talons that sprung from Jazz's fingertips and frowned, obviously skeptical. "What would that Reptile know about my planet?"
Phoebus gave her a stern look. "Check your bias, soldier. Just trust me on this."
Mulan gave him a long, measured look, then nodded gratefully and turned to leave, heading in Jazz's direction. Phoebus watched her go, mildly worried about what the outcome might be.
John leaned over and muttered in his ear, "You're playing a dangerous game, my friend."
Mulan wasn't even halfway to her destination when the power suddenly died out, all the ship's mechanics slowly whirring to a halt, leaving everyone in a pitch-black silence.
Amelia was rising out of her seat, though no one could see her. "Alright, everyone, remain calm, if you-"
The ship suddenly whined and gave a singular, heart-stopping jerk, earning a burst of panicked cries all around. Then, the emergency alarm started to go off, and a red light flashed from the corner of the room.
"To your stations!" Amelia called over the clamor that had begun among the crew.
Everyone started to file out of the galley and to their posts. Phoebus, John, Robin, Shang and Mulan followed Amelia up to the helm, where Eric was chattering over his emergency comm with Merida, who was already at work in engineering.
"Any help, Mer?" Eric asked.
"There's nothin' for it!" Merida cried back in frustration.
"Right, wait for my call."
"Okay."
He pressed a button and the channel hissed to a close.
"Helmsman?" Amelia addressed him.
He turned to glare at her. "We've drifted into a dead zone. The ship's zapped."
They all stood there, stunned.
"Well...did you add the dead zone to the map?" Robin asked sarcastically, earning a sharp look from the Captain.
"There's nothing to do but emergency-land, Captain." Eric told her flatly.
"Right. Where to, then?"
"There's only one place." Eric replied unhappily, gesturing to their left. Amelia, Robin and Phoebus walked over to see a small planet of a vibrant purple hue, with a multitude of colorful rings constantly spinning in an unpredictable pattern.
"And where the hell is that?" Phoebus asked.
Eric threw up his hands. "You got me."
"Looks gaseous...have you scanned it?" Robin asked.
"Just finished that before we lost power. The composition of the planet seems unstable, but there seem to be a variety of creatures living there, including humanoids. Not sure about the air. Our oxygen shield runs on the emergency power, but that won't last longer than a day." Eric explained.
Amelia nodded along. "Alright, well, if it's the only option, let's touch down and see if we can do something about the ship, or maybe get a signal out to the Federation."
Eric moved to the helm, obviously stressed. "Aye, Captain. Tell everyone to hold tight, because getting through those rings could be a bit of an adventure..."
Tiāntáng...
The Capitol prison was in fact- as Jim said earlier- no joke. It was a large facility, made entirely of impenetrable concrete and specially engineered metal that would be impossible to put a dent in. There wasn't a single window on the building. No way from the inside to tell whether it was day or night, or what the weather was like. Just grey all around you. There was no concept of time inside the prison. The guards were trained from a very young age to be able to handle the mental toll that could take, as well as to be automatic and brutal in their handling of prisoners.
It was no wonder that, although the prison's practices made it as difficult as possible for a prisoner to commit suicide, a few had still managed it. Just because death and dishonor were preferable to the conditions of this place.
Now, there weren't too many prisoners here. Tiāntáng was small, after all, and strictly regulated. Most of the people who wound up in Capitol were genuinely heinous. There was one in particular who was watched 24/7 and never allowed to leave his cell, which was located on the underground floor that was reserved for the worst of criminals.
He was currently the only occupant of that floor.
Now, no one had ever escaped from this prison. It simply didn't happen. And as for breaking in, it wasn't an idea that any sane person would entertain. It couldn't be done.
Or, so they thought.
The alarm blaring overhead was so loud that Shan Yu could feel it shaking the cement above his head. He could just barely hear it going off up there; the lower level was pretty much soundproof, so he hardly knew a sound aside from that of the guards' footsteps each time they switched shifts to watch him. So the alarm had to be loud enough for guards to hear on the underground level in case of serious emergencies, which never took place here.
Then, from within the alarm burst forth a new, exhilarating sound, brief and tremulous. An explosion. Then, another. The guards outside his cell turned on their heels and dutifully sprinted for the door that would take them upstairs. When the door he couldn't see was opened, there were a few sweet seconds of clear sound from above: impassioned shouting from guards and prisoners alike, another explosion followed by a round of panicked cries. The door shut, and it was as though he were listening from underwater again.
Shan Yu was feeling a faint whisper of something he hadn't bothered with in years: hope.
The chaos upstairs had apparently gotten worse by the next time the door opened. A set of slow, heavy boots came down the steps, along with two sets of heels clicking against the cement. Shan Yu leaned forward a little from where he was chained against the wall, turning his head in vague interest. Who could have come for him?
Before even meeting the man's sharp blue eyes, he knew.
"Hook." Shan Yu acknowledged him with a nod. "It's been awhile."
Captain Hook tilted his head to one side. "What have they done to you, my friend?" He stepped closer to the metal door, peering through the bulletproof window with an expression as close to sadness as anyone would ever see from him. "I was sure you'd have victory."
Shan Yu scoffed. "A pipe dream."
Hook leaned against the door. "I knew we should have ridden in with you that day."
"It would have made no difference." Shan Yu shifted his weight slightly, making a stiff, uncomfortable turn toward the door, as much as his chains would allow. "Tell me, what are you doing here today? How did you get in?"
Hook smirked and stepped aside. "We had an in..."
The two pairs of heels started clicking again. The first woman was a green-skinned lifeform he didn't recognize, who dutifully came to Hook's side. The next face made Shan Yu's jaw go slack in awe. He wanted to stand, but couldn't.
"Xianniang?" He whispered in shock. His breath hitched in his throat. No one had ever seen the war criminal so emotional.
Save for her.
The woman was tall and simultaneously regal and wild-looking. Her full lips seemed permanently pinched, her dark eyes- framed by white paint- cast in sorrow at the sight of him like this. She was clad in dark leather and furs, as was customary to their people. But a peculiar accent to her wardrobe was an ornate headpiece built from a native birds' bones. Her long black hair fell in a sleek, perfect curtain down her back.
"Shan..." She sighed in despair.
"I thought..."
"Almost." She pursed her lips as the painful memories washed over her. "I was horribly injured. Your followers made sure I got out. They figured that was what you would have wanted."
"They were correct."
"But they died...saving me."
"Do not feel guilty. It is what I would expect from them. They died with honor. They died for us." He leaned forward further, pulling the chains taut. "But tell me, Xian...where have you been all this time?"
Her expression became hard, and her eyes sparked with some pride. She raised a hand, and he watched as it was transformed into the great talons of a falcon. She pressed the talons against the glass.
"Training."
With one twist of her wrist, she carved a circular hole into the glass with ease. Shan Yu watched in wonder as the disk of bulletproof glass clattered to the floor, and her talons receded until her hand was once more humanoid. She reached through the opening and used a fine needle that she'd fished out of her sleeve to disable the sensory alarm within the locking mechanism.
"You... You've mastered it." He said, his lips twitching into a grin, revealing a set of starkly white fangs.
"I had to." She pulled her hand back out and unlocked the door quickly. The door swung outward and she, Hook and the green woman hurried inside. Both women set to freeing Shan Yu while Hook leaned against the wall with his gun drawn, keeping watch.
"I still don't understand..." Shan Yu said in mild suspicion.
"I knew that the Jolly Roger would be our only ally after our mission failed." Xianniang explained. "After I made it back to Tengri, I managed to get a signal to the ship, in hopes that Hook and his crew might help me free you, whenever the day came. He agreed, and has waited patiently for my call all these years."
"Hmm..." Shan Yu turned his gaze to Hook now. "I suppose you didn't forget about that favor I owed you for your help back then?"
"The favor the both of you actually owe me now." Hook said coolly.
Shan Yu chuckled lowly. "Bloody pirate..."
Finally, all the restraints were removed, and Shan Yu could move freely for the first time in years. Though he had lost a fair amount of muscle mass, the genetic modification from his early days and decades of training for battle (far more than that of any Tiāntáng soldier, due to his extended lifespan) had maintained a tall and foreboding vessel. He rose to his full height, towering over the three of them, and stretched his neck and his arms, trying to get the blood to flow properly again.
"What is it you want, then?" Shan Yu asked tiredly.
"Well, it's not like the two of you have anywhere else to go now. They'll blast that little moon of yours to kingdom come just to be sure you're eradicated. Or worse, drag you both to Federation prison to cut their losses. So why not join our crew?"
Shan Yu laughed harshly. "Because that will keep the law off our backs?"
"You know you're safer with us than anywhere else. I've got little birds in every corner of the galaxy to guarantee success. Besides, I'm on a very specific mission that I know the both of you will be able to help me accomplish."
"They're following a ship that holds information that will lead us to a great treasure." Xianniang explained. "And..." Her expression clouded with contempt. "Fa Mulan and Li Shang are on that ship. Without any hope of assistance from their precious army."
"Any hope? Who is to say they won't call in for reinforcements?" Shan Yu asked.
Xianniang laid a hand on his forearm. She smirked up at him. "We've taken care of that."
"Xian..."
"Do you trust me?"
He peered down at her for a moment, obviously doubtful that the situation was all it seemed to be. He looked briefly up at Hook and assured her, "Certainly more than I trust them."
"We have no more time to waste. We should go now." Hook said briskly. "Maleficent, you and Xianniang lead the way. I'll watch Shan Yu's back."
Maleficent nodded and gestured for Xianniang to follow her out first. Xianniang's hand lingered on Shan Yu's for a few more seconds before she pulled herself away. Shan Yu concealed his worry well as he watched the two women leave. Then, he turned sharply to Hook.
"I'll need to find my armor and my weapons before we head to the ship."
Hook very nearly grinned. "Then it's a good thing we're making a stop on the way."
"A stop? Where?"
"Well, the palace, of course!"
As it turned out, it was not just the prison, but all of Xiāo that was under siege. Shan Yu had no idea how they managed it, and he didn't bother to ask. He assumed Xianniang would give him the details later. The trek to the palace was not without difficulty, but with Maleficent and Xianniang both using their otherworldly powers to get the men to the steps, it was relatively quick. Hook occasionally interceded with a blast from his pistol, and more than once Shan Yu had to quite literally throw someone out of his way. They raced up the steps, leaving the bulk of Hook's crew to continue their chaos in the city.
"Perhaps you should have ridden in with us back then, after all." Shan Yu remarked to the Captain.
"There is much about that time I regret, old friend." Hook replied solemnly. "At least now you're free."
"Why are their soldiers not in the streets?" Shan Yu asked.
No one answered him. They passed by the throne room and pressed on to the communication chamber, where Helga was hacking into the system while Clayton stood watch. A number of communications specialists were slumped around the room, some shot dead, some having been knocked out or seriously injured. And, in the center of it all, with Xianniang's talons immediately trained on him, was the Emperor.
Shan Yu slowly approached the old man, his fists clenched so tightly at his sides that his pale knuckles turned paper-white. His yellow eyes narrowed on the Emperor. The expressions on both men twisted with mutual rage and disgust.
"You cannot hope to get away with this, you pitiable creature." The Emperor practically spat.
Shan Yu stared down at him as though he were something that had just been scraped off the sole of a boot. "You haven't changed much, then..." He started to step closer. "How, even in this position, are you so prideful? How long did you actually expect to hold onto this empire of yours?"
"Don't you dare-"
"I prayed every day to live to see the day it all crumbled down around you. Hoped to be there to pick up the pieces. But...perhaps not as much as I hoped for this exact moment."
"You can't kill him." Hook cut in suddenly.
"What? " Shan Yu growled.
"The Federation will already be after us for this, once they get word of it. You want to add murdering the Emperor to the list of reasons why? There's no way to escape- or survive- that, if they catch us."
"I want my revenge. I deserve it!"
"I agree. But not now. Trust me, they'll be hurting from our attack long after they do get ahold of the Federation, which will be a long way off. However many of them survive this day, they'll be vulnerable. And we'll be able to come back and finish our business here. Until then, just do whatever damage you can that won't kill him."
Shan Yu glared at Hook with so much hatred that the pirate felt a need to keep a grip on his pistol, unsure how the mutant would respond. Eventually, Shan Yu turned back to the Emperor. He wrapped one absurdly large hand around the old man's jaw and snarled, "I suppose he's right. It'll be better this way. Because now I can go find Fa Mulan, drag her back here, and make her understand how she failed by forcing her to watch as I kill you!"
Shan Yu practically roared as he used both hands to smash the Emperor's skull against a desktop nearby. There was a deafening crack, just before the Emperor slumped to the floor, a bloody, twitching mess. Shan Yu stood there, panting heavily. Not even Xianniang dared to approach him.
Clayton eventually commented, "Well. He and Gaston ought to get along, hm?"
"Helga." Hook said sharply.
"I've mapped their trajectory. They were heading toward Sylva when they left the port, but it seems they tried to take a shortcut through the Frabjous System." She replied quickly.
Hook scoffed. "At the insistence of the Grand Council, no doubt. Damn fools."
"We're not insane enough to follow them through there, are we?" Maleficent drawled.
"Absolutely not." Hook responded without hesitation.
"What, then? Not that the idea thrills me, but there's no telling when- or if- they'll eventually find their way out " Clayton said in irritation.
"Knowing Amelia, somehow they will." Hook said bitterly. "And we'll be heading them off at their intended destination."
"Sylva? Is that really such a good idea?" Helga asked.
"No, it's a terrible one. Practically suicide." Maleficent's frown quickly faded away. "Unless..." She raised an eyebrow at Hook. "Is our old contact still there?"
Hook smirked. "And thriving, with us to thank for it. If you ask me, it's our best option."
"I agree. He can hack their system and Holo us a Shield." Maleficent said with moderate excitement.
"It's settled, then. I'll send him a ping when he get back to the ship so he has ample warning." Hook said matter-of-factly. Then, he turned cautiously toward Shan Yu. "Let's find your gear and get out of here, eh?" He turned back to Helga. "You've accessed the entire system, correct?"
"Yes, Captain."
"You can effect the whole planet from here? Even their most remote outposts?"
"Yes."
"Destroy it all. Comms, specifically. But all their security measures, even the back-ups. I want them down. We need as much of a head start as we can get. And I don't want them reaching out to the Federation any time soon. They'll be forced to address the breaks in their internal systems, which could take some time, considering how many of them are going to need medical attention when they come to."
"If they come to." Clayton added.
Author's Note:::
I don't really do these in my stories any more but I just wanted to give a shout-out to Amalia Santoro, if you're reading this, I hope the chapter was worth the wait. Sorry I left you hanging for so long!
Big thanks to anyone who's still here for my nonsense.