Chapter Twenty-three

Jack had barely taken one step onto the plank leading up to the Witch when he realized that he wasn't ready to go yet. He had not gone back to Will's and collected anything he could find for him. He walked the rest of the way up the plank and looked around for some one he knew he could trust. Spying Wesley, he called out to him, "Wes, I have to return to town, and I need you to watch these things for me."

Wes eyed them suspiciously, wondering what Jack had managed to steal this time, but nodded gravely. "I'll put them in my lab. They'll be safe there."

"Thanks," Jack said. "I'll return for them shortly. You also need to get Cole to pay the merchants for what they're delivering now."

"Don't be long, Jack," Wes warned. "We've got to get a move on. I've been looking at my scrolls, and Fred is right. Immense evil is coming. It will destroy the entire town and any one or thing in its path. It's unlike anything I've ever seen before and will be here soon!"

"Thank you for telling me," Jack answered. "I won't be gone long. Faith will probably get here before I will. Make sure every one's aboard and ready to sail."

"Aye aye, Captain," Wes replied obediently, hoping that for once Jack had actually listened to him and would pay heed to it. He watched as Jack turned and ran back toward the town.


Jack did not slow until he reached the smithy's. He opened the door to find it completely dark, the fire having gone out. He did not see the shop owner anywhere but figured that he was out, drunk and unconscious, somewhere. He moved further into the shop, glancing around in hopes of seeing anything of Will's but having not a clue as to where to find anything of value that might belong to him.

He did not see the donkey until he felt the air move past him as the donkey kicked backwards, his hooves barely missing Jack. "What the Hell!" Jack exclaimed as he spun around, grabbing his sword, to find that he was only facing a tied donkey. He reached out, untied the donkey, and swatted him on the butt. He had hoped that the donkey would go out the back door that was open, but he merely continued to chew on bits of hay and stare at Jack.

Seconds later, the donkey moved closer to Jack and looked him straight in the face. He swallowed the hay, then exclaimed with a grin, "Hey, I remember you!" Jack fell backward onto his butt, and the donkey brayed in laughter.

"Did you just talk!" Jack asked, so shocked that he was barely able to get the words out.

"Well, didn't you?" the donkey asked.

"Yes, but I'm human!"

"Oh, yeah," the donkey replied sarcastically. "Sure humans can talk, but animals? No way! They're just dumb, stupid things! Well, guess what, pal! This one talks!"

Jack swallowed hard and wondered why Will had not told him that the donkey could talk. Slowly getting to his feet and making sure that he kept a good distance from the donkey, he asked, "If you're so smart and able to talk, why are you hanging around this place?"

"I've got nowhere better to go, and the kid's not bad. First human I've met that didn't need to be kicked."

Jack made sure there was a few extra inches between them. "Since you know so much, where did Will keep his stuff?"

"His stall. Where else?"

"His stall?" Jack asked. "Show me."

"Why?" the donkey questioned, eyeing the pirate suspiciously.

"I want to get his stuff and take it to him. He's on my ship and he's not coming back, so you might want to find a new place to go," Jack told him, still watching the donkey's hooves.

At Jack's words, the donkey leapt into the air, joy spreading over every inch of his face. "Well, hot dang, if the kid didn't manage to get away from those bozos!"

"No, he got hurt by those bozos," Jack said, "but I managed to get to him in time."

At his words, the donkey stilled and faced Jack with as somber and concerned expression on his face as could have been on any human's. "How is he?"

"He's sleeping now and is healed, but he almost died. I killed the bastard that was behind it. Don't you go telling anybody." Jack was still surprised that he was actually carrying on an intelligent conversation with a donkey. "We need to get Will's stuff, and we both need to get out of here. You deserve better than this."

"I know that, but I don't have anywhere to go," the donkey admitted. "Hey, wait a minute!" he exclaimed, grinning once more. "Maybe I can go with you? Huh? Huh? Can I? Can I pleeeeeeeeeease?"

"Donkey, do you realize that I am on a ship and that we're going to be out at sea? It's not really a good place for a donkey."

"Oh, pleeeeeeeeease," the donkey pleaded persistently. "It's gotta be better than this dump!"

"Okay," Jack relented, still unable to believe what he was doing, "but don't forget that I warned you. Now help me get Will's stuff."

"Oh, yeah!" the donkey exclaimed, strutting as he pranced in a little dance around Jack. "We're bad! We're bad! We're Pirates, huh huh!"

Jack could not help but to laugh. He had never met a more unusual animal. He couldn't see why the donkey would want to be on the ship since he was a land animal and figured he might regret it, but there was no way that he could tell him no. The donkey seemed to have formed such an attachment for Will that he figured Will had one for him, as well. Jack looked around, spied a cart, and began loading it with the forge and other equipment he saw laying around.

The donkey had continued to prance around, still dancing giddily, when Jack finished collecting the equipment that was laying around. Donkey was standing by a door by that time and called out to him, "It's over here! You know, I always deserved better than this place, and so did that kid. That old fart even made his room out of a stall!"

Jack walked over and looked inside the stall. It was neat and orderly, and Will had tried his best to make it look like a home. Jack could not believe how small it was. Poor Will! he thought. Bad times are over for you, my love, he promised. He took a blanket and began to put Will's few clothes and other things he saw in the room in it. Then he tied a knot in it.

Will hardly had anything. Where had the money that he had given him for the swords gone? "Donkey," he asked, "did Will hide his money somewhere?"

"Sure did," Donkey said with a nod. "Come on, and I'll show you." Glancing over his shoulder a few times to make certain that the pirate was indeed following, Donkey walked back over to where he had been chained to the equipment. He tapped his hoof down on a spot on the floor. "Below that board."

Jack walked over, grabbed the board, and pulled it upward. There were three sacks under it. He did not open them but slipped them inside his shirt. Whatever was in there was Will's, and he had no business knowing what it was unless Will wanted him to know. He looked at Donkey. "Have we got everything now?"

Donkey paused, thinking, for a change, before he answered. His gaze traveled slowly around the shop as he ascertained that the pirate had gotten all of the tools. He knew most of them belonged to the drunkard who owned the smithy, but the man didn't even deserve the clothes he wore. Finally, looking back at the pirate, he asked, "We've got all of Will's, but can I pleeeeease have a bag of food?"

"To the store, then?" Jack asked. "We'd best get you several bags for we are going on a long journey and there's not much food for donkeys aboard." Donkey was looking at him as if he were about to cry, and Jack paused, looking at him. "What?" he asked uneasily, wondering if he was about to be kicked.

"The store? For me? Really?" the donkey asked in a small, quiet voice.

"Of course! Where else would we get oats?"

"Oh, man!" Donkey exclaimed, grinning from ear to ear yet again. "I think I love you, man!"

"Don't get any ideals!" Jack nearly screeched, raising his hands out toward Donkey who stopped just at his hands, his tongue hanging slightly out of his mouth. "Now you get to pull the cart, and we'd best get going."

Donkey nodded and pranced around, ready and happy to accept the cart. "Oh, man! Bags of oats for me! I don't believe it!" Jack looked at the harness, holding it in his hand and wondering how to connect Donkey to the cart. Donkey told him step by step, and soon they were out the door and heading for the store.


It was much too quiet in the holding cell area. Angel returned only to find Joxer and Carl asleep on the floor and the cell empty. Something crunched under his boots, and he looked down to find shards of ice littering every inch of the floor he walked upon. Looking back up, he saw that the cell was broken and two bars were completely gone.

"Holy Hell!" he exclaimed. "Where could she have gotten to!" He began to sniff the air, following her trail. How had she gotten past him? He'd only taken his eyes off of the door for bare seconds when he had looked to see if he could spot where Cordelia had gotten to. Jack would kill him if the woman got away!

In truth, the four beings who had escaped from the cell were still lurking in the shadows of the ship not too far away. They had just made it to the railing and the blonde had began to look around when the dragon on her shoulder cooed urgently. She understood his message instantly and dived over the railing and into the water before Angel could return to the deck. The wolf and lioness immediately followed their mistress.


Upon reaching the store, Jack saw that it was quiet. Had the man closed for the day? He had been about to reach for the handle of the door when it opened and he saw Faith. She did not even see him at first as she took a bite of the apple she carried and started to walk off. She found her way blocked and only then did she look up to find Jack with a donkey with the stupidest expression she'd ever seen on his face. "What are you doing here?" she asked in surprise.

"I'm here to get oats and whatever else donkeys like to eat." He looked questioningly at Donkey.

Faith quirked an eyebrow at him. "We're taking that with us?"

"Yes," Jack said. Upon seeing that Donkey was not going to talk to him, he walked into the store and back to the sacks that he saw resting against the back wall. Corn, oats . . . He wondered what else donkeys would like to eat even as he grabbed a bag of each and headed for the door. "Faith," he called as he got there, "would you get a bag and fill it with apples? I think donkeys might eat apples. I've got to get several more bags of feed."

"Sure," Faith answered with a shrug from where she was perched on top of the counter. Taking the last bite of her own apple, she tossed its core to the floor, then leaned back and grabbed one of the bags that was behind the counter.

"Thanks," he called even as he returned to the back wall.

"You've still gotta tell me what the Hell's up with this donkey, though!" she called after him.

"He's Will's pet," Jack answered her. "I wasn't planning on taking him, but when I got there to get Will's stuff, I couldn't leave him." Jack returned for two more bags even as he was talking. He collected three bags each of corn and oats. He hoped Donkey wouldn't need more than that. The apples would be a treat. He headed out to the cart and loaded the bags, noticing that Faith had several bags collected as well.

Faith returned at that moment with the bag of apples. She saw Jack looking at the bags she'd collected and took the opportunity to inform him, "There's a few clothes in there for that kid. I don't know what you did with him, and I don't wanna know as long as you keep your word. I trust you got rid of him, but knowing you, you know where he is and can get it to him."

Jack did not answer her at first. Why did she think he could have gotten rid of the kid already? He hadn't had a chance yet. "I'll give them to him," he said. "He's safe and out of the way. We'd better get a move on. Wes said it was coming soon. I don't know what it is, but it can't be good."

"Is it ever?" Faith asked though she was not worried in the least.

Jack shook his head in answer even as he loaded the last bag onto the cart. Looking at Donkey, he said, "Head for the dock, and move fast."


Angel's keen hearing picked up the splashes, and he raced to the railing. "STOP RIGHT THERE!" he yelled at Crys. "YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING! WE'RE ONLY TRYING TO HELP YOU!"

She started to call back to him but stopped, realizing that it would do her no good. She had already tried to talk sense into him, but he listened no more than those she had left behind at her homeland. Instead, she only swam faster, her swift and sure strokes carrying her ever further from the ship. Cindy and Elvira flanked their mistress, and the dragon flew just over their heads.

"WHAT WOULD IT GET TO TAKE YOU TO TURN BACK, CRYS? IT'S NOT SAFE FOR YOU OUT THERE!"

"I CAN'T TURN BACK!" she yelled back at him, her voice revealing her exasperation. Why did so few actually listen when she tried to protect them!


It was quiet all around them, and Jack did not like the feel of the tension he was picking up. Both Faith and the Donkey were feeling the same pressure and shared his thoughts, but only Donkey glanced at Jack. He reached over and nudged his hand with his snout. "You're welcome, Donkey. Now we'd better get to the ship."

Donkey nodded and picked up speed for a moment before stopping suddenly in his tracks. "Whoa," he whispered to Jack. "The babe's not with us."

Jack looked back to see that Faith was staring at something in the sky, her face blanched white with terror. "What is it, Faith?" he asked, urgency in his voice. He walked back toward her, his eyes drawn skyward. What he saw stopped him in his tracks, as well. "DAMNATION," he thundered, "WHAT THE HELL IS THAT!"

The only thing that he had ever seen before that came close to resembling what he was now looking at was a hurricane, but this was no hurricane. It was at least twice the size of the massive one he had been caught in before and was pure white. Snow and ice spun around at blinding rates in its winds, but what was perhaps the scariest thing about it of all was the face that peered angrily out from deep within its bowels. Glowing blood-red eyes swept the landscape, and what looked like fangs glistened from a mouth that was open in a piercing howl that only then reached his ears.

Donkey had also turned to look in the direction the humans were looking in, and he was the first to break free from staring at it. "RUN!" he hollered at the top of his lungs. "IT'S COMING THIS WAY!" He then transformed into a brown and gray streak as he took off, hoping that one of the pirates would get ahead of him and lead the way as he did not know where the dock was but never daring to slow down.

Jack's heart had almost stopped beating until he heard Donkey yell. He reached out and grabbed Faith. "Hurry, Faith! We must get to the ship!" She stood as still as a statue and continued to stare at it. He shook her. "Faith!"

His shaking stirred her back to her senses. She had not seen eyes that red and full of evil since she had been a child, and the sight of the creature had taken her back to another time in her life. Her memories shattered, and she found Jack standing before her, his face full of panic, fear, and concern. She did not answer him but only took off running for the dock.

Jack ran, too, hoping that Donkey would slow so that he could catch him. He finally caught up to him and looked at him even while continuing to run as fast as his legs could carry him. "Do you even know where you're going!" he asked.

"Yeah!" Donkey answered without hesitation. "Away from whatever the Hell that thing is!"

They turned onto the street that led to the dock and stopped again in their tracks as their eyes fell upon what appeared to be statues. Jack realized that it was humans but humans unlike any he'd ever seen. They were made of ice! What the Hell was going on! he wondered frantically. Doctor Doom had finally hit upon a tragedy and hit it dead on the head.

"Fuck!" the sharp exclamation spilled forth from Faith's lips as she, too, stood, looking at the people. "They were real!" she told Jack. "I saw that bitch," she pointed to one of the ice statues, "in the store just a little while ago!"

"Wh-What happened!" Jack stammered out. "Only the Gods know!" he answered his own question, shaking his head as he forced himself to calm and fought to maintain control of their situation. "We've got to get out of here! Run like you've never run before, Faith! Get on the Witch!"

"I'm not leaving you, Jack," she told him, not even realizing the words that spilled from her mouth, "so you'd better haul your butt, too!"

"I plan to!" Jack said even as he joined her in running again. He yelled back at Donkey, "THIRD SHIP ON THE RIGHT!"

Donkey sped past them instantly. He did not even pause as he flew up the ship's plank, dragging the cart right behind him. They hit the deck with a thud and Donkey yelled right in the face of a stunned man who stood before him. "GET US THE HELL OUT OF HERE!"

Everybody froze in their steps, and all eyes turned at him. The meek brunette who stood beside the stunned man even screamed. "Yeah, I'm a talking donkey!" Donkey snapped. "Get over it, and GET US THE HELL OUT OF HERE!"

Jack and Faith hit the plank together. "MOVE IT, WES!" Jack yelled at Wesley, who stood, stunned and still staring at the donkey in front of him. "It's coming after us! Hope to Gods it didn't see us!"

It was at that time that the blood-curdling howls met their ears, and the group turned toward the sound only to see the thing at the mouth of the dock. The crew sprang into action without another word spoken, all hands doing everything they could to ensure their escape. The plank was quickly pulled in, and the ship set sail.


Angel had jumped over board and had swam quickly after Crys. He didn't know how to stop her. The woman would not listen to reason, and he didn't want to have to knock her out and drag her back. Finally reaching her, he grabbed her arm and pulled her back around to face him. He was about to try arguing with her again when he heard a high-pitched, whistling sound. Looking up, he spied what appeared to be a Demon of some kind inside of a blizzard. The Demon's blood-red eyes were furiously scanning the area, and Angel realized that it was looking for some one or something. "Is that him?" he whispered to Crys.

She didn't have to turn around to know what Angel was looking at. She could tell from the sounds that met her ears, and the terrified look on her paled face told him more than her words could. "Yes! Damn it, I told you I had to get away if you and the others were to stay safe!"

"He doesn't see us down here, probably because he is not expecting any one to be swimming. We are in the ocean," he said as though that made perfect sense. "We need to get back to the ship. If you'll give us a chance, you'll find that we can hide you very easily from him. If you stay here, you'll die. Is that what you want? Do you want to die and leave your babies behind with no one to take care of them?" He looked into her terrified face. "Give us a chance. We're Pirates! We can fight anything!" he said with a bravado he really didn't feel at the moment.

"Angel, you don't understand! You don't know what he's capable of!" She sighed, her mind whirling as she tried to think of how to make him understand.

"Come back to the ship with me where we'll be safe and you can tell me your story. If I think, at the end of it, you'll make us unsafe, I won't try to stop you again."

For the first time, she looked behind her. She watched, her heart pounding frantically, as his blood-red eyes roamed the area, passing right over them. "We don't have that kind of time! He'll spot us at any second now, and when he does, he'll turn us to ice!"

"He will if we're out in the open and he actually sees us. He doesn't appear to be looking down here or it could simply be that we are protected by the Lewises. They are Sorceresses of a high order. They're cloaking the ships so that he can't see them. Come back to the ship, and he won't be able to see you." He tried again to reason with her, speaking as though she was a child.

"They may be powerful, but they're not more powerful than him! No one is!" she exclaimed, her voice and the frantic beating of her heart telling him that she truly believed her words. It was then that she saw his eyes narrow as he looked down at something. It was not them, however, and she followed his gaze only to see him turn a boat of innocent sailors to ice. "No!" she cried. "Not again!" Her animals cried out, as well, and they pressed more tightly around both their mistress and Angel.


All around the Witch, other sea-faring vessels were taking off, as well, but already they could hear screams. They looked back just as the screams stopped in mid-pronunciation and the screamers and their boat were turned to ice. Nearing the mouth of the harbor, they were joined in immediate accompaniment by the Pearl. The ships' escape was aided by Celina and Katrina working a spell to cloak both ships and excess winds that seemed to sweep mysteriously down from the sky, pushing each vessel that had not already been turned to ice ten times faster than its normal speed.

Jack looked up to see what was causing the winds and smiled at Ororo. She flew high above them in the darkened sky, and he could tell from the gestures of her hands, that she was controlling the winds. It was going to be really good indeed to have a Weather Witch. He had only heard about them in the past, but now he was lucky enough to have one on his own ship. She was already earning her keep.


Memories filled Crys' mind, and she had to fight to stay with the present even as tears raced down her cheeks. "Is that what you want to happen!" she asked Angel, turning back to face him as she could not bare to see the monster destroy more when all he was truly after was her. "All he wants is me! If you let me go, everybody else will be safe!"

"Wouldn't you like to be free of him once and for all, Crys? Nothing is all powerful. Everything has a flaw somewhere, a weakness. Just because you don't know what his is doesn't mean he doesn't have one. If you come back with me, the Lewises will keep you safe and perhaps, between all three of you, you will be able to find what his weakness is. Then you could destroy him and you would be free. You and your babies would be safe for all time." He didn't know what else to tell her. He believed they could defeat him if she'd only give them the chance.

"Don't you think I've tried to defeat him! I've tried again and again, Angel! Blue's engulfed him in fire! We've even seen him fall into a volcano, and still he came back! He always comes back, and even what you're seeing now is only a small fraction of what he's capable of! If I was to let him take me, you'd be safe! The others would be safe! And yes, I love my babies, but they'd be safe too!"

It was at that moment that Blue let out a low roar. He circled around her, then perched on Angel's shoulder. Looking directly into her eyes, he began to coo in a rapid series.

Angel listened in rapt attention as Blue scolded his mistress. "Listen to what he's saying, Crys. He speaks the truth. The Demon only wants you because he wants your power and he doesn't want you revealing who and what he is. Do you really want to give him your power? If he was not already the most powerful, wouldn't that make him the most powerful?"

"He already is," she told him. "I'm nothing compared to him." She looked at him with questioning eyes, however, upon realization that he actually understood what Blue was saying. Outside of herself, Elvira, and Cindy, there were only two other living beings who knew Blue and understood every sound the little dragon made.

It was then that Blue set off again, reminding her that she knew that Frostbite wanted any one who knew the truth about him. How could they ever have a chance at safety without her? Of course, there was Jack, but they couldn't stay with him as he was always flitting around the world.

Angel wondered who Jack was but figured out that the Demon was Frostbite. "Who's Jack?" he asked.

"Jack Frost," she told him, looking him dead in the eyes. "That's right," she added, seeing the flicker of surprise therein. "That Jack Frost."

"What are y'all -- Elementals or something?" He reached up and scratched the little dragon on the head. Angel did not like water and was hoping that Crys would soon make up her mind to return to the ship so that he could get the filthy stuff off of him and dry off.

"Precisely. Ice Elementals. Cold Elementals. Whichever you want to call us. You've heard about Jack. You know how powerful he is. That thing," she jerked her head toward the blizzard, "tried to kill us both when we were four years-old. We both barely escaped."

Angel stared at her in astonishment. Just how old was this beautiful woman? Had he found some one, finally, as ageless as he himself was? He hoped to find that out later. "Crys, you do see that he's not seeing you now?" he asked.

She looked back up at the blizzard. He did not appear to be seeing them. That much was true enough. "He just hasn't spotted us yet."

Blue spit at that. He was able to mask, as well, and could tell very easily when he was being masked. Before any one could stop him and ignoring his beloved mistress' frantic call, he flew straight up and let out a huge roar. Frostbite did not even blink. Indeed, he made no reaction whatsoever.

Crys had been about to throw up a shield of ice to stop Blue, but the dragon had proved to be faster than she. When he roared, she went completely still, as though she had been frozen herself, with fear, but when Frostbite ignored him, her mouth fell open in pure shock.

"See what I mean?" Angel asked gently. "Come back to the ship. You will be safe there. We are masked. The Sorceresses are very strong, so strong that not even your Fro -- "

Before Angel even knew what she was doing, Crys had whirled around and covered his mouth with her hand. "Don't!" she told him, her tone as frantic and urgent as her eyes. "Don't say his name! If you do, he'll hear you even if we are cloaked!"

He nodded, and she dropped her hand. "Not even he can penetrate their cloaking."

"For now," she had to admit even as Blue returned to them, "but we don't know how long it can last." She took a deep breath, thinking over everything both Angel and Blue had finally made her understand. Could it be possible? Could she have a chance at a real life? Could her babies, the familiars she loved so much and who were her dearest friends in all the world?


Things had happened so quickly aboard the Witch that Jack had almost not had time to slip away and find Dawson, but he did finally manage to look for him. He found him in the sleeping quarters and shook him to wake him up. Dawson opened his eyes and rubbed them. "Huh?" he asked and then quickly sat up when he realized that it was Captain Jack. "Yes, sir?" he said, jumping to his feet.

"Calm down, Dawson, and be easy," Jack told him. "I want you to stay with us, but Faith wants you gone far away. What do you want to do?"

Dawson answered without even a second's hesitation, "I want to stay as close as I can to her in case she needs me. She'll never admit it, but I still want to be where I can help. I love her, Captain Jack!"

"Figured as much," Jack said with a nod. "I want you to stay hidden as much as possible. Do not let her see you under any circumstances. Find another place to sleep, and take all of your stuff with you."

"I don't have much," Dawson told him.

He handed Dawson the bag. "You do now. If you need anything, get word to me by Cole. I'll tell him to keep an eye out for you. Just whatever you do, don't let Faith know you're still on board."

"Yes, sir, I won't," Dawson vowed, "but I will still be close to her. She just won't see me."

"Good," Jack said. "Best hide now. She is aboard." He turned away from Dawson and headed back up the stairs. When he turned around to look at Dawson one last time, he was gone. He hoped Faith did not realize that the boy was aboard or there would be Hell to pay.

He then returned to the deck in time to hear Donkey fussing. It seemed that Donkey just could not be quiet, and he was beginning to give Jack a headache. He laid a finger on his nose. "Sh!" he said to Donkey. "Quiet down now! You could have a heart attack! Wouldn't want that to happen."

"A heart attack!" Donkey repeated, looking at Jack as though he had taken leave of his senses. "Yeah, right!" he added, prancing around and shaking his head. (He had been released from his harness shortly after arriving aboard the ship.) "Like I'm really going to have a -- " His voice cut off abruptly, and he suddenly began to choke. His tongue flapped wildly around, tossing spit toward Jack but not actually hitting him. He rose up on his hind hooves and stumbled around before toppling over backwards. His hoof landed on his chest, his head hit the dock, and his eyes shut. His tongue lolled out at an odd angle from his mouth, and he lay completely still.

Jack went over and pushed him. "Get up from there, Donkey! You're the worst clown I have ever seen, and you don't scare me any at all! Why, if you do kick off, I'll just push you off the side of the ship and let the fishes eat you!"

Donkey jumped up at that . . . and right into Jack's arms. "NO!" he screamed, pawing at Jack as he tried to climb even further up him. "You wouldn't do that! You wouldn't let them get me!"

Laughter came from behind them, and a tiny horn blew from a button. "You know, I was going to say that I resented your saying that he was the worst clown you'd ever seen, but I have to admit," came Morph's voice, "that I think he's even got Tom and me beat!"

Jack shook his head even as he pushed Donkey down. "Morph, get out of the clown suit," he commanded, referring to the clown that Morph had transformed into. "Gods, I swear! All of you are going to drive me crazy with your foolishness, and if I hear 'I'm bad' one more time, Donkey, no oats tonight."

"Can I have some corn?" he asked hopefully.

"Only if you're good." He looked around for Tom but did not see him; he was relieved that at least one of the comedians was not bounding around him.


Though her tears had stopped falling, her ice blue eyes still shimmered as she again looked up into Angel's soulful eyes. "All right," she said at last. "I'll come back, but you have to let me tell you. Even if you don't know, he'll still kill you if he finds out that I've had anything at all to do with you. The others have to know, as well, because everybody on both of the ships is put in danger by my presence and was even the first moment I sat foot on the Pearl."

"Okay," Angel agreed, relieved and glad that she had finally decided to give them a chance, "but first thing, let's get back to the ship and get the Hell out of here. Once we outdistance him, I'll tell Jack that you need to tell every one what's going on."

She nodded. "But Angel," she added, "if even one person or animal doesn't want me on there after they know what I have to tell you all, I'm not going to stay."

A loud crashing noise caused Angel to turn around and look behind him at the city of Port Royal even as it shattered into a million pieces. The sound started tears flowing back down Crys' face instantly; she did not need to look to know what it was made from. "Well, I'll be damned!" Angel said. "Jack was right! Its evil has destroyed it!"

She shook her head. "No. He did that."

"Yes, but that town deserved to die," Angel said, wishing that he could somehow stop her tears but knowing that he could not. She did not mean anywhere near as much to him as Cordelia did, wherever she had gotten off to, but he already cared deeply for her. "It was full of bigoted, self-righteous people who crippled, killed, and maimed both animals and humans all in the name of their religion, rather it was greed, money, or God. They deserved to go." He turned back to swimming toward the ship, hoping that Jack would realize that he was not on the ship and that they would wait for them.

Crys' heart remained heavy as she followed after Angel. He might be right about the humans, but she knew that animals and children had perished, as well. Surely, there had to have been some innocence in that town, and she bore that cost heavily upon her shoulders and heart. It was then that she suddenly felt herself plucked from the water, and a scream broke from her lips. Roars surrounded her as her animals were also snatched up, and ahead of them, she could see Angel being lifted from the water, as well. Yet she could see nothing and only felt wind.

"Thanks for the lift, 'Ro!" Angel called. "I was afraid Jack was going to leave us!"

Crys looked in the direction Angel called to and was surprised to find a black woman with long, white hair streaming out around her and a gentle smile looking down at them from high in the sky. "He would not intentionally do so," she told the man whose name she thought was Angel but was not certain.

"Never in a million years," Angel agreed, "but he doesn't know we aren't on board."

Ororo nodded. "That shall be remedied soon enough," she assured him, "but would you rather me set you on the Pearl or the Witch?"

"Where Jack is."

At his answer, Ororo looked around, her blue eyes scanning the ships until they finally fell on Jack who seemed to be rather surrounded at the moment. Her eyes widened slightly. Was it her imagination, or was that donkey talking! His mouth certainly appeared to be moving in the sounds of human language, but surely she must be mistaken. She gently lowered Angel, the blonde, and the three animals to the Witch's deck.

Crys had been startled out of her wits by the Weather Witch, but the talking donkey did not phase her at all. After all, she had grown up around talking reindeer. "Hey!" Donkey yelled. "It's raining people! Don't get it on me!" He moved closer to Jack.

Jack was surprised to see Angel flying through the air along with the rest of his company. They were all dripping wet. He wondered just what had happened, how the woman had gotten out of the cell, and why they were all wet. "Long story?" he asked, looking at both of them.

"Sort of," Angel replied.

"Then let it wait 'til we reach the Pearl," Jack said. "We keep our laundry on our ship." He turned to watch as they came closer to the Pearl.

Crys shook her head. "Sir?" she spoke quietly.

"Yes?" Jack asked, turning to look at her.

"The story is one that both ships must be made aware of in the utmost speed but must also wait until we can escape . . . " She glanced back at the blizzard that was howling madly around the port. " . . . my uncle," she finished, having to brace herself as she made the admission to a nearly complete stranger but knowing that those two words would tell him a great deal more than a long stream would have.

Angel stared at her in surprise. He would never have expected that they were kin to each other.

Jack simply nodded, knowing that they must escape and that they were coming very close to doing just that. "It can wait, miss," he told her in a gentle voice, almost as surprised to realize that he still did not know her name as he was to learn that the monster that was chasing after them was the uncle of the woman who had so kindly healed his beloved Will, "for a little while." He then turned back to watching and waiting for the Pearl for even though he owned the Witch as well, he did not feel as comfortable on her decks and longed to be on his own beloved mistress.


As she rose back into the sky whose clouds of snow and storm were almost as dark as night, Ororo's attention immediately returned to the howling, Demonic blizzard. She was just in time to see its blood-red eyes narrowing down at another boat. She had seen him turn another boat and all it carried to ice and knew that the boat he now looked at was about to share the other's fate. She had not been in time the first time, but now that she had a warning, she would not willingly allow it to take place again. "NO!" Thunder roared in unison with her cry, and lightning shot from her hands.

The effects of Ororo's good intentions all happened at once and in the space of just a few heartbeats. The lightning bolts she had thrown hit the blizzard but bounced back; she barely had time to register their return before she was struck by her own lightning. Screams and yells shouted from both the Pearl's and Witch's decks as they saw her fall from the sky.

Tom, who had never strayed from Katrina and Celina, realized their and, more importantly to him, his own mistake. They had cloaked their own ships but either had not thought or had not had the power left to cloak the other vessels. He dashed forward but did not speak a word to either of them. He placed one gentle hand on each catwoman's shoulder instead and joined them in the chant. The spell grew as it derived power from three now instead of just two who were already tired, and they extended it together to include all the fleeing ships.

Crys had been one of the ones who had screamed at the sight of Ororo being struck, and before any of the men around her could react, she had flown into action. Ice had suddenly appeared under her feet and swiftly built a makeshift bridge that carried her to Ororo.


Logan had been standing next to the rail, gripping it tightly with his hands, ever since they'd left port. His eyes had never left 'Ro. He hated that she was out there, a target almost, against whatever Demonic being was coming against him. His claws slipped in and out; he did not even notice.

He was proud of what she was doing even as he was terrified at her exposure. He saw her lift Angel, the blonde, and the animals back to the Witch.

For a brief instant, his mind slipped back to thoughts of what had happened between him and Gabrielle. He had been expecting it for a long time and was secretly relieved that, at last, it had happened and he was allowed to go home to the Pearl at long last. He had had to put up a big fuss with Gabrielle even though he had not wanted to. Xena and he had discussed it in the past, and he knew she was glad that the truth was out at last. He hoped the ladies were making up just fine. He loved both of them as a brother.

He was jerked back to the present as he saw something bounce back and hit 'Ro. His mouth opened in a silent scream even as his body set into action. Racing toward his beloved, he ignored everything in his path, jumping over things that didn't move and pushing aside things, and bodies, that did. He flew up to the crow's nest and then leaped skyward, his arms outstretched to catch her, never thinking of how he was going to keep from crashing back to the ship. He only hoped he could make it to the water.


Jack watched as a blur of yellow and black passed through the air. He never could figure out why Wolverine liked those colors, but he was often to be seen with them and could be spotted a mile away. He opened his mouth to yell at him even as he saw him leap skyward. He did not want to lose him, because not only was he a great fighter but he was a good friend. He gripped the rail and closed his eyes, saying a silent prayer that something would save him.

Angel's mouth opened in surprise when he saw ice shoot from underneath Crys, forming an ice bridge. He nudged Jack in the ribs. "Captain?" he said in a voice of awe.

Jack opened his eyes. Had a miracle occurred? Had Wolverine managed to survive? "Where did that come from?" he asked Angel.

"Crys," Angel said. "She made it. She's an Ice Elemental." They stood side by side, watching, as the rescue occurred.

Donkey seemed to be surprisingly quiet as he watched the scene unveil before them with eyes rounded by shock. He was standing beside Jack, his mouth next to the Captain's ear, when he suddenly smacked his lips.

Jack smiled as Wolverine's feet landed on the ice, making a hard thudding sound, and he was relieved to see that the ice was strong enough to hold both of them up. It was then that Donkey smacked in his ear. Jack's fist clenched; even as he turned, his fist gently met with Donkey's nose. "Don't. Do. That!" he ground out. "Next time, it won't be gentle! What do you call that any way!"

Donkey looked at Jack with wide, innocent eyes. "What?" he asked, his tone just as innocent.

"That Gods-awful sound you just made!"

Donkey cocked his head to one side, his face adopting a look of confusion. He shook his head. "Don't know what you're talking about, Captain."

"Do it again, and you'll know," Jack threatened him. "Why don't you go see if you can find Will?"

Donkey brightened at that suggestion. "Okay!" he exclaimed and pranced off joyously despite the danger that surrounded them.

Jack hated to have deceived the donkey, but he just couldn't take any more of his Gods-awful noises at that moment. He wondered if Donkey was ever quiet or if he talked even in his sleep. His eyes returned to Wolverine and the women.


Crys had almost reached Ororo when a blur passed by her. She barely had time to register it as being a short, rough-looking man before he and Ororo, who he had caught in his arms, fell onto the ice bridge.

Wolverine stepped carefully, not sure what he was standing on, but glad that some one had thought to throw something out there for him to land on. It felt very slippery, and he prayed that he would keep his footing. He did not want to drop 'Ro. She was unconscious, and although she didn't weigh that much, she was at least twice his height and he was having trouble keeping her off the ground until a pair of hands slipped under his to assist him. "Thanks," he muttered around a lot of hair. "Can't see where I'm goin'. Don't want to drop 'er."

"If you stand still," a voice that he had not heard before told him, "I can heal her." Though he could not see her, she still looked at him with tears shimmering in her ice blue eyes. "And I'm sorry."

"Sorry? Ya didn't have anythin' to do with this, but 'preciate it. Did ya throw out whatever I'm standing on?" he asked. "What am I standing on? It feels very slippery."

"Actually," she told him quietly, "I did . . . on both accounts." She paused a moment, then told him further, "It's ice."

"Ice!" he asked. "Where'd it come from? Normally I'd say it couldn't exist here, this being the Tropics an' usually hot as Hell although today, it's definitely not been hot. O' all things, snow and now ice! Will wonders never cease!"

"No," she told him gently. "Trouble never ceases."

"That's definitely true," he replied, "but when there's trouble, there's always some one to help ya. Thanks again for the save. Now I've got to get 'Ro down to the ship." He would not give her up, and he would not let go until his feet were on the ship and he could lay her down. "Ya say somethin' about healin'?" he asked even as he continued walking.

"Yes," she agreed. "If you could hold still for a moment, I could heal her now even."

"Nope. Not till I get on the ship. I 'preciate the ice bridge, but I don't trust it. I want my feet on the Pearl."

She shook her head, knowing fully well that the ice bridge was perfectly safe, but then relented as she remembered that she had caused the bridge just as much as she had caused Ororo to be hit. "I'll take us down then. You might want to hold still for a moment."

"What do ya mean yer'll take us down? What are ya -- a giant?" He wished he could see who was talking to him, but there was no way he could see around 'Ro.

"Not highly likely," she answered. Had the situation been any different, she might have even laughed, but her voice remained as somber as her face. "I control the ice."

"Wonderful! Is that anythin' like Weather Witchin'? I swear, you Witches are somethin' else! We're lucky to have found ya!"

"No one's ever lucky to find me," she told him gently, "and I'm not whoever you think I am." She began to slowly melt the bridge, and as it melted, it took them closer to the deck.


Jack watched in amazement as the bridge began to withdraw on itself even as it melted. Angel stepped forward to help but then realized that Wolverine would not let go easily. "Jack," he nudged his friend, "maybe you could . . . "

"Thanks, Angel. Another second, and I would've thought of it. I'm just totally amazed at this ice bridge! You said the woman made it? What is an Ice Elemental? Is it anything like a Weather Witch?" Even as he was asking Angel, he moved forward to meet Wolverine and the women. They landed, and Jack cleared his throat. "Wolverine, may I help?"

If any other man would have asked if he could help, Wolverine would have growled, but this was Jack and Wolverine would no more think of growling at him than he would have growled at 'Ro. "'Preciate it, Captain. I could use a little help." It took a lot for him to admit that.

Jack reached out and picked up 'Ro's legs. He felt Wolverine's hands move down to her shoulders. "We'll lay her right here and give Crys a chance to work on her. She's a healer," Jack said, talking reassuringly to Wolverine and hoping he wasn't going to go berserk on them.

He had once seen Wolverine in a beserker rage, and the guy was absolutely relentless. He had been butt-naked with only his boots on and had almost wiped out an entire pirate ship on his own. They'd never said anything about it to each other, but Jack was still grateful to him and would be to his dying day. Wolverine had rescued Jack from that pirate ship. No one else knew about their past, because neither one of them talked much about their pasts. Jack relived his nightmares from time to time, and if Wolverine ever talked about anything of the past, it was not about the times that he had pulled off rescues.

The very moment that Crys had stepped off of the remainder of the puddle that had been the bridge, she was surrounded by her animals. Cindy and Elvira flanked her, and Blue settled in on her shoulder. They stood silently to the side of the men, waiting for Crys' chance to heal Ororo but not making a single sound.

Jack and Wolverine laid 'Ro gently on the deck, and Jack stepped back. It was the first chance that Wolverine had had of seeing the strange woman and her pets up close. "Thank ya fer the rescue, lady. I'd 'preciate it if ya'd heal my 'Ro. Is there anythin' I need ta do?" He thought the lady was pretty, but he couldn't even begin to imagine where she had gotten three such strange companion animals.

She shook her head, her long, blonde hair shimmering down her back as she did so. "Please do not thank me," she told him gently, "for it is my fault that she was hit." She moved forward to kneel before Ororo, Cindy and Elvira making every step she did.

Wolverine could not figure out why the woman kept blaming herself. After all, she was not that Demonic being that he could still see up there, floating around like some kind of a bleeding fairy. He had seen many things in his time but none of them as weird as the things he had seen this day. "If ya say so, ma'am," he finally got out. He knelt beside 'Ro, taking one of her hands in his. "If I can ever do anythin' fer ya, just ask."

"I would never ask anything for helping where I can," she told him, even as she withdrew her necklace from where she kept it hidden in the bodice of her black grieving gown, "especially when it is my fault that they need healing." She had seen him glance up at Frostbite who was still flying around in the sky, constantly trying to find some sign of where the ships had disappeared to but being unable to attack what he could not see. "He is after me," she told him.

Returning her attention to Ororo, she leaned forward and pressed the crystal gently to the woman's forehead. It began to glow instantly and quickly engulfed Ororo's body in a shining, blue light.

Wolverine could feel 'Ro's shallow breathing begin to quicken and normalize. He was so relieved that he wanted to scream for joy, but he said nothing because he did not want to disturb the healing the woman was doing. His mind had caught onto the fact that the Demonic being was looking for the woman and trying to wipe out everything in its path. He vowed it would not get her if he had anything to say about it.

When the blue light ceased, Crys withdrew her necklace and tucked it back into its hiding place. Standing, she backed up a couple of paces; both the lioness and wolf continued to keep their steps with their mistress'. Elvira bumped into something and glanced up only to see that it was Angel's leg.

"Nice girl," Angel spoke softly to the wolf.

Elvira's eyes shone up at him, and the Vampire could almost swear that the wolf had smiled before she turned her attention back to Ororo who was slowly coming to.

Ororo's blue eyes fluttered open, and she found Logan gazing down into her face with deep concern. "Wolverine?"

"Yes, darlin', 'Ro?" he asked in a gentle voice.

She was slowly remembering what had happened and thought, from the way her body felt despite being struck by her own lightning, that the Lewises must have healed her again. She really must thank those women as soon as she had a chance to do so. "Is it still here?" she asked quietly, referring to the Demon within the blizzard.

"Unfortunately so, love, but it's not safe fer ya to go back out there. We've caught a good wind, an' we're makin' good time. Rest a little while so that if you're needed again, yer'll be able to take on the world," he said with a grin. "Only you, 'Ro, would attack the worst bleeding fairy I've ever seen!"

Crys opened her mouth to correct the man called Wolverine but thought better of interrupting the two and hushed herself. Ororo, however, nearly spoke Crys' very thought. "Whatever that creature is," she gently informed Logan, "he is no fairy. However, if he's still up there, are you sure that the normal wind will be enough?"

"It should be, darlin'. Rest until you feel a little stronger, an' if we haven't gotten away, you can conjure those winds again."

"I feel fine actually, Wolverine," she told him, getting to her feet with no problem. "I really must thank the Lewises. Where are they?"

"It wasn't the Lewises this time, darlin'. It was this nice woman. I still don't know her name." He looked inquiringly at Crys.

"You may call me Crys," she told them, "but please do not thank me. I am only sorry that he hit you."

Ororo's blue eyes widened at that. "Why, child, you had nothing -- !"

Crys cut her off with a shake of her head. "As I have told the gentlemen here, I have everything to do with it. He is after me."

"My name's Wolverine," he stated, "an' he won't have ya, at least not while I'm alive an' then if he does me in, there'll be others to step in. We'll overcome him. Just gotta get the Witches on it or maybe Doctor Doom might come in handy. He's always spoutin' off about one thing or another; maybe he's got the answer. This beautiful lady," he said, turning to look at 'Ro, "is Ororo. I call her 'Ro."

Crys nodded, taking in all that he said. The moment he stopped speaking and gave her a chance to say something again, however, she quickly told him, "I appreciate your offer, Wolverine, and know you have the best of intentions. However, please do not make such calls until you know exactly what it is you so freely and kindly offer to involve yourself in."

"You healed 'Ro, an' that's all I need to know. I'm in yer debt, an' Wolverine pays his debts."

Crys glanced at Jack as Wolverine spoke those words. What was it with these men? Why couldn't they just take a healing and be happy for it? Looking back to Wolverine, she told him, "Had I intended to place you in debt to me, I would not have healed her. I do not do such."

"I didn't say ya asked fer anythin'; I'm givin' it freely," Wolverine said. "We take care o' our own here. 'Ro's mine." He smiled at her, hoping she wasn't going to throw a lightning bolt at him for making such a claim.

Crys bit back a sigh of frustrated aggravation. "Like I said, I appreciate the offer. I do, but please do not make such when you do not truly know what it is that you are offering."

"I know this much. I like ya, an' I don't like him. That's all I need to know fer him to be my enemy."

Crys took a step closer to the considerably shorter man, her ice blue eyes glaring with frustration. Why was it so hard to make these people understand that they did not have the first real clue as to what they were trying to take on! "That is not all you need to know! You know nothing of him! You think that you have an ideal of what he can do! You might even believe that you've seen the worst that he is capable of, but you have not even seen an inkling of what he can do!"

"An' he ain't seen an inkling o' what I can do either, darlin'." Wolverine was never one to blow his own horn, but he was proud of his abilities. He felt capable of taking on anything and coming out a winner.

"It doesn't matter what you can do," she told him. "All he has to do is take one look at you, and you can be ice instantly!"

"Better get me some protection shields," Wolverine said, "soon as the Lewises're recovered."

Crys stepped closer still, her second stride placing her directly in front of him. "You are not taking him on!"

"Not right now. I haven't had my lunch yet, but if he messes with 'Ro again, he's messin' with me, an' ya don't mess with me an' live ta tell about it."

Jack, overhearing the conversation, nodded glumly, remembering all the battles that he had been in with Wolverine and how many buttholes had bit it, many of them taken care of personally by the little man he thought of as a giant. He didn't want anything to happen to him and hoped that they could soon come up with something that they could fight with against the Demon.

"You wouldn't even have the chance to lay one hand on him! One of his thoughts would turn you to ice, and the second would shatter you!"

He looked at her, knowing that this conversation was not going anywhere and knowing that there was no way that he could walk away from the battle that was coming. If there was any way possible, he would find a way to destroy that Ice Demon. He had family and friends aboard both ships, and he'd never stand idly by, waiting for something to happen to them. He looked at 'Ro and kissed her. "Guess ya better be about yer job, baby?" he asked.

She could tell that she would get nowhere with Wolverine and turned her attention to Ororo before she could answer him. "You're not going back up there . . . " she started but the woman was already shaking her head.

"We appreciate your concern," Ororo told her with the gentle voice of a mother, "but we must do what must be done. You need not fear, though, for he can not see me." She gave Logan's hand a gentle squeeze even as Crys' eyes narrowed. She didn't know what the blonde was thinking to do, but a gust of wind lifted her from the ship and well out of Crys' reach before she could do anything.

Crys whirled around to face Angel, throwing her hands up in despair and letting out an exclaiming shout of frustration. "I'm sorry, Angel, but if the rest of them are as blindly stubborn as those two, this is never going to work!" Shaking her head, she continued before he could say anything, "If I tell you what happened, it will only increase the danger I've already placed you in! I'm out of here as soon as we hit the next port!" She stalked off, ignoring Blue's gentle coos from where he was still perched on her shoulder. Cindy followed beside her mistress, but Elvira trailed behind considerably more reluctantly.

All three men watched as Crys and the animals walked away, each one of them wondering what they could do to help her and vowing to find a way. It was then that they felt huge gusts pushing the ship and were soon carried out far past where the Demon still circled, howling like a mad banshee.

To Be Continued . . .