Pooh and friends were taking baths in a private tent. Each group had their own specific tub. Stories of their adventures in the Hollow Realm were exchanged between them. Mageln giggled as she and Honey Maple popped a few bubbles. Pooh stretched out in his wooden tub. Piglet scrubbed between his ears, enjoying the smell of jasmine. Rabbit sighed as he tried to get the dirt off his toes.

"It's good to see Mageln joining us for a bath," Pooh said as he climbed out. He rubbed himself dry with a towel.

"Well…Her dad might not be as fortunate," Owl pointed out. His response was only met by Kanga throwing a towel at him. "I say! I was only telling the truth."

Pooh recalled a little of what happened. Once they were able to get back to the Golden Desert, Queen Sandwisher and King Moonsoul ordered to have the residents of the Hollow Realm be brought in for questioning. Honey Maple got between Mageln and growled at some of her subjects. Pooh then proposed that Honey Maple get to stay with Mageln until they sort this problem out. Queen Flamesong agreed reluctantly.

Rabbit drained the water of his tub. A towel wrapped around his head. "Well…For the time being. We have to be careful. Everyone in the kingdom will be asking who's side we're on."

Pooh tilted his head. "Surely there's enough land in the kingdom for everyone to share. We don't have to live on both ends."

Rabbit facepalmed. "That's not-Pooh bear! You need to take this seriously! We've been to the Hollow Realm for a day so we have an inkling of what is going on. However, King Moonsoul and his subjects have been battling the Dark Dream King for years! Do you think their minds are going to change that easily?"

Pooh looked at Honey Maple. The little dragon crawled out of the bath and landed on a towel with a soft thud. He laughed as Mageln hopped out and Honey Maple handed her a towel. "Honey Maple doesn't think they're all that bad. Maybe if King Moonsoul saw how they've been hurting in their land, he might let them live here."

"Ehem!"

Everyone turned their attention to several guards. Two of them were rhinos. One each side was Hurricane. The Chimera was extremely ill. His breathing was irregular, tongue lolling to one side. Eyes unfocused. Wisp was beside him with Gypsy in tow.

"What's going on?" Pooh asked. He took a cautious step toward them. His eyes focused on Hurricane's sharp teeth.

"Hurricane's got an infection," Wisp said. She wanted to head over to the baths but Gypsy stopped her. "He was being stubborn for interrogation. He even got very loud with Queen Sandwisher. Then, his breathing was off and he collapsed. Whirlwind got scared and promised information on their kingdom if they heal Hurricane."

Hurricane growled. "The stupid fool-" His body wracked with coughs. His legs gave way beneath him. He couldn't lift his head as it hit the floor. "S-should.." He stopped as a soft paw was on top of his snout. He saw Pooh looming over him.

"Don't over do it, Hurricane," Pooh warned. He rubbed Hurricane's face. It felt strange touching the face of Honey Maple's kidnapper. However, he couldn't ignore the pain that was on the Chimera's face. "You need to get better if you want to have a new home."

"What?" One of the Rhino's yelled.

Rabbit groaned. "Oh boy…"

"Pooh…" Gypsy's voice took on a more serious tone. "They're prisoners. They can't go around the kingdom as they wish. Hurricane and Whirlwind have kidnapped Honey Maple and nearly killed you."

Pooh looked at Wisp and then Mageln. "What about those two? What did they do that was considered a crime?"

Gypsy was silent for a moment. Her feathers ruffle slightly. Her talons clicked the floor. "Uh…um…well…As far as I know this Nightmare-"

"Wisp," Piglet corrected. He shrunk as everyone turned their attention to him. "Her name is Wisp."

"Wisp," Gypsy said. "She's been stealing plants from our kingdom."

"I-I tried to ask in the past," Wisp explained. "W-when I do…they chase me away or laugh at me." She lowered her head. Her ears against her head. Eyes began to gleam with tears. Her legs began to shake under her weight. Flames flickered along her back.

Gypsy gave everyone a frantic look. The Rabbit and Pooh pointed at Wisp. The griffin turned her gaze back to Wisp. "Uh…Would you like to eat something if you help with Hurricane?"

Wisp met the gaze. "Yes please…"

With that, everyone went their separate ways. Pooh and the others began to eat their meals while Gypsy and Wisp were attending to Hurricane's wounds. Honey Maple soon joined her mother for a nap. Mageln also joined her father, who was concerned for her well being. Once Pooh and his friends were settled, they napped underneath the swaying palm trees.

Pooh's breathing shade in the trees covered him like a blanket. His snores rippled. Piglet was close to his side. His dreams took him to a far peaceful place. The field of flowers filled his nose with the sweetest smells. He hummed a tune. Pooh soon saw Christopher Robin again. His dear friend was a young boy once again. "Christopher Robin!"

Christopher Robin turned to the sound. He smiled. His arms were opened wide as Pooh ran to him. Laughter filled the air the moment they embraced. Boy and bear rolling in the marigold. "Pooh…It's wonderful to see you again."

Pooh began to tell Christopher Robin of all the things that happened to him. The sandstorm. Hurricane's portals that separated him and his friends. Their dangerous encounters in the Hollow Realm. Making some possible friends. Then, their current situation. Pooh picked up a nearby marigold. "Christopher? What should I do? Will King Moonsoul will listen to me?"

Christopher Robin looked up at the clouds. "Well…For now, tell everyone how you feel about it. A trial is supposed to be about fairness, right?" He laid on the ground. "It might take a while for everyone to understand. Plus there's always two sides to every story. You just need to tell your side." He rolled his head over to Pooh. "You did help me after all."

Pooh sighed. "I'm sorry…That was a long time ago..I usually think about today." His frown deepened. "It gets harder and harder to remember, you know…" Tears filled his eyes. "I barely even remember Madilyn…" He whimpered and sniffed. "I wish I could help Honey Maple and the others, but I don't know how."

Christopher Robin placed a hand on Pooh's head. "Silly old bear. You've helped Honey Maple plenty. You kept her safe in a scary world. You saw something in Whirlwind. Just believe in yourself and I'm sure everything will fall into place." He hugged his friend. "I love you Pooh."

Pooh hugged Christopher Robin back. "I love you too, Christopher." Pooh soon woke up. His eyes seemed to be wet with tears. Piglet looked over at him, a concerned look on his face.

"Pooh?" Piglet asked. "Are you ok?"

Pooh rubbed his eyes. "Yes, Piglet. Just had a nice dream of being with Christopher Robin." He got up, stretched and saw a blanket of stars above them. "Have we napped that long?"

"Yes," Rabbit said. He was rubbing his eyes, trying hard to hide his own sorrow. "We have the trial coming up now. King Moonsoul wants us to testify,-" He raised a finger at Tigger. "No Tigger, it's not an actual test! We need to tell them more details and our thoughts of what to do next."

Pooh sighed. "Couldn't we just-" His paw was soon grabbed by Rabbit. His feet dragged as they made their way to the largest tent in the camp. It was bigger than Piglet's tree that he calls home. Pale blue cloth contrasted with the yellow sand. Symbols of all kinds danced around. At the entrance was Gypsy and Lacy. To Pooh's surprise, Wisp was among them.

Wisp turned her attention to Pooh and his friends. Her thin frame didn't look as fragile as before. Her stomach was a bit filled out. Eyes glimmered as they laid on none other than Piglet. "Piglet!" She galloped over to him and stopped with ease. She nuzzled him, earning a laugh. "I'm so glad to see you again. It felt like forever."

"Mr. Rabbit!" Rabbit turned to see Magln and her father at his side. The little goblin jumped up to hug him.

"What are you guys doing out here?" Roo asked.

"Well…" Everyone jumped when Mau materialized alongside Tobias and Whirlwind. "Queen Flamesong and King Moonsoul decided to let us out for a bit since we're deemed 'harmless'." He stretched out. "Fine by me as long as I don't have to be tossed into a cage anymore."

Gypsy gave a low rumbling warning. "You'll find yourselves back in it if you try any magic." She waved a wing over to Pooh and friends. "Come on. The trial is about to begin."

Pooh and his friends looked at each other for a moment. Then, they went inside. Pooh suddenly found himself cold. The air around him was tense. The audience arranged in a semicircle. The rulers faced the front entrance of the tent. All eyes were on him. Even King Moonsoul's weary eyes held a stern scrutiny. Honey Maple, who was curled up in her mother's forearms, was the only thing that kept him from feeling too afraid of everyone that was here. The baby dragon was asleep.

"Good evening, King Moonsoul." Pooh gave a small bow. "Are you feeling any better?"

King Moonsoul's head lowered down to Pooh's level. "I'm doing well, thank you Pooh." He glanced briefly at the crowd then back at Pooh. "Are you ready for the trial?"

Pooh was a little hesitant to answer. He looked at his friends for a moment. His heart hammered hard in his chest. "Um…Yes…" He was about to take a step forward but turned around. "King Moonsoul? What will happen to the others if they're found guilty?"

King Moonsoul was silent for a moment. "They'll be put away into our dungeons."

"But…Wouldn't it be just as bad as placing them in the void?"

King Moonsoul sighed. "Pooh bear…Things are a lot more complicated in our kingdom than you can ever imagine…" He glanced one more time at the crowd. "Go now. It's time."

Pooh stood there briefly. With Piglet's paw in his, he walked over to the nearest seat. He sat down. He looked to his left to see Hurricane, Onyx, Mayble, Jinx and one of the Skeletal Beasts were in several cages of varying size. Hurricane looked better than he was earlier. His red eyes focused on Whirlwind. "I hope Hurricane would find it in his heart to forgive Whirlwind."

King Moonsoul roared loudly. A heavy silence filled the air. Before long, everyone turned their attention to the three monarchs that sat before them. Queen Sandwisher was the first to speak. "Good evening my loyal subjects. We have come to witness a disturbing travesty in our kingdom. Not only was princess Honey Maple kidnapped twice, but dark magic has entered our territory." She turned to Hurricane. "Now those kidnappers are in our custody along with the residences of their realm."

Several cheers resounded. A few even sneered at the prisoners with the most distasteful words that made Pooh want to scrub his mouth with honey. Tigger made a face while Kanga and Rabbit covered the children's ears. Queen Flamesong let out a low growl, a flame flickered out of her snout. The silence soon returned.

King Moonsoul raised his head high. "Now's time for trial." He turned to Pooh. "Winnie-The-Pooh. Please step forward."

Pooh took a deep breath. He walked forward. His legs were stiff. He kept moving until he reached a podium that Gypsy pointed to. Once he reached it, he turned toward the group. "Um…Hello everyone." He touched his paws together. "I…Hope you're doing well this evening." Pooh tugged at his red sweater. "As you know, Whirlwind and Hurricane took Honey Maple away from his mother. I know that was wrong. I don't blame you for being angry."

Whirlwind simply leaned forward. Hurricane let out a low growl. The two Chimeras staring at the bear of very little brain.

"I didn't like what they did to Honey Maple and made her family sad." Pooh continued. "However…When Whirlwind and I were trapped in the Hollow Realm. Away from their king…I learned that they've lived a lonely life." Pooh's eyes began to hurt as he thought of a baby Whirlwind and Hurricane having to struggle to eat something. "Whirlwind was picked on for being different from the other Chimeras. They had to battle out everything from the moment they crawled."

Hurricane glared at Whirlwind through the bars. "You told him about that?" His voice dripped with venom. He edged away from the cage the moment a rhino glared at him. His fangs gleamed into the firelight. Whirlwind looked away from him.

"I know I've only been to the Hollow Realm for a little while, but I feel like we could simply share a few things with them. Maybe things will be better." Pooh's heart sank as laughter hit his ears.

"Share?!" One Honey Badger scoffed. "With these bottom feeders?!" He rolled about in laughter.

"That's rich!" Another Camel exclaimed.

"Silence!" Queen Sandwisher's voice reverberated in the entire room. Her subjects immediately stopped their laughter. They all shrank at the furious gaze at their queen. "Shame on all of you! This bear is sharing his ideas and what he's experienced. Have you not forgotten those who went into the Hollow Realm and never came back?" More silence filled the air. Queen Sandwisher turned to Pooh. She took notice of the tears streaming down his face. "Pooh bear. I admire your honesty, but sharing alone wouldn't be enough to resolve everything that's happened."

Pooh wiped his face. "But-" He felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned to see Rabbit staring at him. "Rabbit?"

"Pooh…Let me have a go here." Rabbit gave a sad smile. "I think you need to sit down."

Pooh stared at everyone. His world began to spin. His legs wobbled. He briefly glanced at Whirlwind. Pooh could see the Chimera look at him with sincere eyes. The words "I'm sorry" mouthed to him. Pooh even looked at King Moonsoul. The dragon king had an expressionless face. Pooh whimpered and sat down to his spot beside Piglet. He watched as his friends gave their statements. His paws ached for Honey Maple's warmth. "I…I…couldn't change their minds…."

Piglet gave him a sad glance. "Aw, Pooh. I'm so sorry." He leaned into his friend and gave him a few pats.

As the night wore on, Wisp had her first turn on the stands. Her thin legs shakily took the steps up to the platform. Her ears were pulled back slightly. She tried her best to smile, but she tucked her lip. "H-hello everyone…My name's Wisp."

"Don't care!" A Meerkat yelped.

"I've been a resident at the Hollow Realm, yes…However, my kind has rejected me for several reasons. My mane being one of them." She cleared her throat as the crowd murmured. "A few times I've asked some of you for a little scrap of food, but I would be chased off. I never wanted to steal…Really, I like your plants and healing."

Then it was Whirlwind's turn. He looked a bit nervous. His wings plastered to his side. Ears flat against his head. He gave a brief glance at Pooh then at Honey Maple. "L-like Pooh said and as I've told the monarchs in this tent, I was only following orders." A few murmurs followed. He cleared his throat. "It doesn't justify what I did. Following orders meant food for us. Even if the orders were questionable."

Queen Flamesong lowered her neck as her eyes met Whirlwind's. "What made you question them?" Sparks flickered out of her nostrils. Smoke slowly billowed out of her mouth.

Whirlwind shrunk back in fear. "A-all I know is that we were told to go to the spot where there were less guards. No-nobody was guarding the door we came in. Yeah I knew you were poisoned but I thought you'd bounce back quickly since you were given Firebane."

Gasps filled the room. Even Wisp stared in shock. Whirlwind looked around frantically, trying to understand what went wrong. Pooh turned to Piglet. "What do you suppose that is?"

"It must be the plant that made Queen Flamesong sick," Rabbit guessed.

"Did you know how you were able to possess Firebane?" King Moonsoul asked.

Whirlwind shook his head. "No sir. All I know is that someone from your kingdom set it up." Whispers filled the room. Whirlwind raised his head and looked around attentively. He took a deep breath. "If you want to imprison us, go ahead. It's better being a prisoner here than being turned to stone in the void."

"What?!"

"Turned to stone?!"

"Never heard of that in the scout's reports!"

King Moonsoul raised his head. "Very well then. This trial is over. We hereby have Whirlwind and Hurricane of the Chimeras imprisoned on the charges of egg napping and attempted harm."

"Hey!" Jinx squawked. He was silent up until now. His cage glowed violet with magic. "What about the rest of us?!"

Queen Sandwisher was quick to answer. "The rest of you will remain here for the night until we take you back to Rainbow Forest." She turned to her subjects. "Meeting adjourned."

Pooh stood there stunned. The words he wanted to say were trapped in his mouth. Tears stun his eyes. He failed. He let Whirlwind and the others down. He took a brief glance at Honey Maple. The Hollow Realm had also been her friends too. She was going to be heartbroken when she woke up. The mere thought of the baby dragon's sad face forced Pooh to run outside the tent. He ran and ran.

He was only a few feet away from the oasis when King Moonsoul stopped him. The silver dragon king picked up Pooh by his sweater. Taking great care that his teeth didn't damage the bear. Pooh dangled above the ground. "Let me go, your highness. Please!" He swayed in the dragon's step. He was taken to a tent that was silver as King Moonsoul's scales.

King Moonsoul set him down gently. His tail curled around the bear. "Pooh…I'm sorry that it turned out this way." He frowned as Pooh turned away from him. "Whirlwind still did wrong. He has to pay for what he did." He briefly looked into the moonlit sky. Then, he picked something up. It was none other than Honey Maple. He placed his daughter next to Pooh. "I'll let you have a chance to sleep with her tonight. Queen Flamesong went out hunting."

Pooh looked at Honey Maple. Unable to bear it anymore, he cried. He wrapped his arms around Honey Maple. Her warm scales gave him some relief. His heart was ripped to pieces. After some time, he fell into a dreamless sleep.

—-

A/N: I hope I did ok with this chapter. I wanted to hold on to the tone of Winnie the Pooh holding some realism to their situation.