Author's Note
Hey, guys! It's your man, TheSavageMan100, and after another temporary hiatus, here's the first chapter of the Deep Jungle Arc. I hope it's worth the wait, and please enjoy!


Gummi Ship Cockpit

"...Olympus Coliseum has given us permission to be in the Games," Donald was giving instructions to Chip and Dale through the monitor screen while operating the Gummi Ship in the co-pilot's seat. "I need both of you to keep an eye out for any new tournaments to compete in. Got it?"

"Read ya loud and clear!" Chip saluted. "Whenever the Games are back in action, we'll give the word."

"Good luck out there!" Dale encouraged. "You too, Wendy!"

"We won't let you down," Wendy promised.

"This is Chip..." Chip chimed.

"...and Dale..." Dale added.

"Over and out!" Both finished in unison, before the monitor blinked off.

"Well, that was refreshing," Sherria commented. "That three-headed doggie we've faced at the arena stuck out like a sore thumb. He nearly ripped us apart like raw meat, but fighting him was a breeze. And it didn't hurt that we get to enter the Games for free."

"It's been three worlds, and we made a lot of progress," Carla stated. "We defeated the dark guilds of Lantern Viscera and Jester Jugular, and saved the Coliseum from destruction. As a reward for our triumph over Cerberus, we've been given the honor to participate in the Games."

"I just don't understand why Hades would send Cloud and Cerberus after us," Wendy said. "He let us join the Games, so that he could watch us lose."

"His reasons for wantin' us to lose the Games is as itchin' as those Heartless tryin' to put us outta commission," Goofy spoke from his co-pilot's seat.

"Most of all, me," Wendy interjected. "They keep coming after me because I wield the Keyblade."

"The Heartless have great fear of the Keyblade, the one weapon that can destroy them," Carla recalled. "They stop at nothing to devour the heart of the one who wields it. It's no wonder they made their incursion into the Coliseum, whether they came by instinct or someone sent them after you."

"If someone sent them after me, it might've been Hades," Wendy grew concerned. "He'd do anything to get rid of us."

"There is a possibility that Hades and the Heartless share a connection," Carla rubbed her chin. "To arrive at the truth, the first approach is to consider everything one and the same problem."

"What's the deal with these people?" Sherria scratched the back of her head. "They've been on the run, serving plates of heart-eating freaks to feed on unsuspecting folks, like Master Jabberwock's Trickmaster at Wonderland. Then Hades decided to make two sideshows of a blonde guy with a sword, and a giant pooch afterwards. I've got a really bad feeling that we're gonna get sucked into something outrageous..."

"That happens on a regular basis for us," Carla replied casually. "Trouble always comes around. The Heartless and the dark guilds are undoubtedly tied together, and they're plotting something behind the scenes."

"The Alliance of Evil..." Wendy thought out loud. "That's the name of the group, right?"

"They could be as tough as the old Balam Alliance," Sherria said. "Or even more."

"It'll be okay!" Wendy smiled. "The bad guys are strong, but that doesn't mean we can't be strong too. They won't stop us from finding our friends. It's something I learned when we fought Master Hades eight years ago: 'On our own, we're weak to stand up to anything. But with friends on our side, we're strong. When we're together, we can accomplish anything.'"

"Speaking of, I heard you and your friends fought Master Hades of Grimoire Heart eight years ago," Sherria pointed out. "Didn't that occur the same time you were frozen in time for seven years after the Tenrou Island matter? Cousin Sherry told me everything about it."

"You've been doing something eight years ago?" Donald grew puzzled. "How old are you, exactly?"

"Twelve," Wendy answered.

"That's twelve minus eight equals four!" Donald exclaimed. "How can a four-year old outsmart somebody like Master Hades?"

"I was twelve years old that time, and I still am," Wendy explained. "During the S-Class promotion exam in Tenrou Island, most of my guildmates and I were under attack by the black dragon, Acnologia."

"Gawrsh, that's horrible!" Goofy gasped. "A dragon flyin' in the wild blue yonder, causin' a mess wherever he goes!"

"Uh-huh," Sherria nodded. "The one and only Black Dragon of the Apocalypse."

"His roar would've destroyed the whole island, but we were saved by Mavis Vermillion, our guild's first master," Wendy stated. "She activated the Fairy Sphere, saving Tenrou Island and everyone on it."

"But it has a powerful side-effect: the Fairy Sphere froze us in time, and our ages have been encased for seven years," Carla added. "When we emerged from the sphere, our ages stayed the same." She gestured to herself, "I was there with Wendy. The two of us were among the guild's core members who miraculously survived Acnologia's rampage." The Sky Dragon Slayer nodded in agreement.

"That means Wendy's still cute," Goofy grinned at Wendy. "Time flies, and cuteness can't be beat."

"Aww, really?" Wendy giggled with a blush. "You're too much."

"Too bad if she grows up, she won't be cute anymore," Donald rolled his eyes. "Time flies, and cuteness can get squeezed out."

"And that's when Fairy Tail was down on its luck these past eight years," Sherria added. "That is, until it came back on top after the Grand Magic Games."

"What's the Grand Magic Games?" Donald asked.

"It's an annual event where magical guilds compete in dozens of challenges to determine which among them is the strongest guild in Fiore," Sherria explained. "It's like Olympus Coliseum, but with a little magic flavor in it. Fairy Tail won last year, and defended its title this year."

"A-hyuck! Congratulations, Wendy!" Goofy complimented. "Fairy Tail's the winner of that there magical contest! You're the two-time champs!"

"We did our best," Wendy replied. "When we're pushed into a corner, the bonds we share gave us the strength to beat the odds."

"So how many of them guilds are a part of that there competition?" Goofy turned to Sherria. "Besides Wendy's, has yours joined?"

"Um, no," Sherria shook her head. "We were so focused on Lamia Scale's Thanksgiving Festival that we had to decline our invitation. But I do know the names of the other guilds. There's Blue Pegasus, Sabertooth, Quattro Cerberus, Mermaid Heel, Dullahan Head, Dwarf Gear, and Scarmiglione."

"That's a lot of names," Goofy commented. "Your world's got a lotta guilds."

"Yep," Sherria smiled. "That's why they call Fiore the most magical place on Earth-land. It's full of wizards and guilds, some fighting on the side of good, others on the side of evil."

"Boy, you talk a lot," Donald muttered. "Guilds? Fairies? Magic games? That's a mouthful."

"We're getting to know each other more," Carla countered. "What do you expect from a pleasant conversation between friends?"

"I get the idea, okay?" Donald groaned. "You just say that you, Wendy, and Sherria come from a magical world, and that's it. The less we know the details, the better. I can do with a simple explanation, thank you!"

"Friends share each other's thoughts and feelings," Wendy smiled. "It doesn't matter where we're from, not as long as we understand one another."

"I guess so," Donald admitted with a sigh. "It's easy to get along with somebody if you have a chat. Maybe a backstory or two from your world, friends, or whatever won't hurt a bit."

"Well, it's about time," Carla grinned. "You're beginning to warm up."

"One more question, fellas," Goofy interjected. "What's this Tenrou Island you mentioned before? That a tropical resort or somethin'?"

"It's Fairy Tail's sacred ground," Carla answered. "The resting place of Mavis Vermillion, our guild's founder and first master, and the one place where the S-Class promotion exam is held, according to tradition. Sinking its roots at the center of the island is the Great Tenrou Tree. It bestows divine protection upon those bearing the Fairy Tail crest, like mine and Wendy's, for instance." To make her point, she gestured to the guild mark on the Sky Maiden's shoulder. "At the same time, it enhances magic."

"I can see why your pals would wanna protect such an important place," Goofy nodded. "There's more to your guild than meets the eye, huh?"

"Fairy Tail is the best guild ever!" Wendy said happily. "It's full of great friends. I'm sure you'll like them when we find them."

"Of course!" Goofy smiled. "I'm lookin' forward to meetin' some of your buddies!"

"Very colorful," Donald sighed. "Try and save that kind of thing till we actually find them."

"Oh, please," Carla scoffed. "It's just an expression."

"With that out of the way, let's get back on the road," Sherria crossed her hips. "Three worlds down, and plenty to go. What's next?"

"We're gettin' to the next world in a hour," Goofy announced. "You can stay in the engine lounge while you wait."

"Sure thing," Wendy nodded.

Gummi Ship Engine Lounge

FAIRY, WHERE ARE YOU GOING
hikari zenbu atsumete
kimi no ashita terasu yo

The song danced from a little radio on the table, and Sherria's head bopped along with it while she sat on the couch, eating a biscuit she took from a plate. Wendy read a few books she perused from one of the drawers, while Carla was sipping a cup of her favorite Darjeeling tea. As the minutes passed, the influx of imagination from the words and pictures written on the books' chapters soothed Wendy's spirits, and she stayed that way until she grew tired, and fell asleep. Her head rested against Sherria's knee, and the latter didn't mind. Jiminy Cricket had seated himself on the couch's armrest, writing a new entry on what happened so far.

Having taken the last sip from her cup, Carla looked over at Wendy and watched her drift into the world of sleep, the edge of a book still inserted between two of her fingers. A small smile was across the Sky Dragon Slayer's face, and her voice was distorted into a soft snore. Carla smiled to herself, and decided it was best to leave her in peace.

All at once, Wendy's consciousness departed from her body, and it swirled its way into the dreamscape.

And everything turned white.


Before Wendy was a member of Fairy Tail, she was training under the Sky Dragon Grandeeney, her beloved foster mother who passed away after the destruction of Tartaros.

She remembered it well... She remembered how Grandeeney would teach her in the ways of the Dragon, to instruct her on how to control the wind, to bend the heavens to her whim. That was when things had been different, before she was left alone in the wilderness, before she traveled with Mystogan, before she became a member of a guild. Grandeeney was the closest thing to a mother Wendy ever had. The sunlight would reflect in from off the landscape and into the shades of the forest, the one spot where they spent their days together. It was the definition of an idyllic and peaceful life, where thoughts of grief and strife would be miles away.

But in the midst of this chasm of memories, there was another alongside Grandeeney.

A girl. Taller and three years older than Wendy. Her body was fuzzy, and her face more so, making her appearance hard to make out.

Wendy tried to call out, "Who are you?"

The girl turned her head, and a smile crawled from her shadowed face. She spoke, "Giving up already? Come on, Wendy. I thought you were stronger than that."

Wendy was confused. "Huh? How did you know my name?"

The girl chuckled, "Why would that matter? Anyone with a heart would never ignore someone in need!"

Wendy cried, "You haven't answered me! Who are you?"

Before she could get a response, a curtain of darkness blindfolded the sun. The forest was wrapped in shadows, and Grandeeney and the mystery girl vanished with them.

"What is this? Who is she? Why is she with..."

The darkness stole Wendy's words. Nothing came out. There was utter silence.

The mystery girl's voice broke it.

"I'm with you until the very end."


Gummi Ship Engine Lounge

"Wendy! Wake up!"

The illusion soon came to an end, and the only darkness Wendy could see emanated from her closed eyelids. She opened them slightly, and she turned to see Goofy giving a nudge of her shoulder. "Goofy?"

Goofy said cheerily, "Rise and shine!"

Wendy noticed that she was lying down on the soft end of the couch, indicating that Sherria's knee was no longer present. In fact, she wasn't sitting on the couch, and nowhere to be found in the lounge, especially Carla. Wendy stretched her arms and yawned, her senses slowly coming into order, before she sat up. She waved her hand in response, "Oh... Hi, Goofy. What's up?"

Goofy answered, "We made it to a new world after blastin' through some Heartless."

Wendy's eyes widened, "Huh? We made it?"

Goofy asked, "How have you been, Wendy?"

Wendy replied, "Well, I was having a dream."

Goofy chuckled, "I bet you're takin' the dream land express. Just imagine a vacation across a land of fantasy with your best buddies. Here comes the train!" He made a playful gesture with his elbow, "Toot-toot!"

Wendy shook her head, "No, not that kind of dream. It's..." She wanted to give an explanation, but a strange feeling prevented her from uttering words. She briefly met Goofy's gaze, but looked away, her mind focused elsewhere. "It's..." She lifted a hand and placed it at her chest, caressing it in an attempt to squeeze out the filtering twinge.

Goofy began to feel concern for Wendy's troubled mind. "Wendy? What's the matter?"

Those words helped Wendy realize where she was, and she cleared her throat. "N-Nothing. Just a dream, that's all." She then focused on the subject, "We made it to a new world?"

Goofy nodded, "Yup. Sorry to bother your beauty sleep, but we need ya to get movin'. Everyone's in the cockpit, and we're takin' a good look at the world out there. C'mon!" With a motion of his arm, he climbed up the ladder.

Wendy stood up from the couch and called back, "I'm coming!" She grabbed the rails and placed her right foot on the first step. However, her other foot remained still on the ground. The Sky Maiden breathed steadily as her mind returned to her dream. Every time she thought about the silhouetted girl, that uneasy twinge would grow stronger.

"That girl..." Wendy thought out loud. "Who is she? How does she know my name? And more importantly... Why is she standing beside Grandeeney?" She cringed at the mention of the dragon who raised her. The image of her foster mother, a caring creature who sheltered her from obscenity, filled her with nostalgia. With each passing second, she felt herself shivering with a familiar air. She could see Grandeeney smiling before her, paired with the mysterious girl. And for that same reason... the sight of the smiling silhouette rang familiar to her as well, though she could not process it. The dream ended without warning, leaving the Sky Dragon Slayer no time to figure out what was going on. Was this another test given to her by the voice that guided her before she received the Keyblade? Or was it a forgotten memory of her past?

Wendy's mind then snapped back to reality. She proceeded to climb the ladder. Discovering the meaning behind her dream would have to wait.

Gummi Ship Cockpit

Wendy regrouped with her friends, and they all gazed out the cockpit window to catch a glimpse of their new destination. The world's surface seemed to be covered in lush green trees, tropical in origin. Even from a distance, waterfalls and other bodies of water could be easily seen, including what appeared to be a wooden house built on top of a large tree.

Wendy exclaimed, "It's a jungle!"

Chip grinned, "Hey, you got it! This world is called the Deep Jungle. Kinda obvious, huh? It's home to the fiercest and ferocious animals you can ever find in the wild."

Wendy and her friends didn't like the sound of that. Goofy asked nervously, "All of 'em?"

Dale shook his head, "Nope, not all of 'em. While most animals are total freaks of nature, there's some around these parts that are passive and gentle, like hippos, elephants, and gorillas."

Chip stated, "The Deep Jungle has been a huge research magnet for schools and companies around the world. It's so popular that explorers and naturalists get there to study wildlife!"

Dale reported, "According to our scans, a new group of explorers recently came in to study gorillas. Some say gorillas are the rarest of all animals in the Deep Jungle. I figure that's their topic on the expedition."

Carla asked, "Who leads the expedition?"

Chip shrugged, "Can't say. The trees are messin' with our scans when we tried to get a closer look."

Dale stated, "But we do know it's a group of three. Scratch that, make it six. Our scans are poppin' like popcorn!"

Sherria wondered, "Six?"

Chip suggested, "Why don't you guys check it out?"

Dale agreed, "You're sure to find somethin' there."

Wendy affirmed, "We will." She turned to her teammates, "Let's go down there. If we could ask the explorers—"

Donald cut her off, "We can't go there."

Wendy wondered, "Huh?"

Donald shook his head, "It's not worth it. It's better if we keep going."

Sherria asked, "But didn't you hear what Chip and Dale said?"

Wendy nodded, "Yeah. What if my Fairy Tail friends are down there?"

Goofy added, "And King Mickey, too."

Donald scoffed, "In a backwater place like that?" He pointed a thumb to the world in front of them, "No way! I could hardly think they'd be in such a place! Go ahead and let those explorers do their homework or have fun with the monkeys. Not that it matters. Besides, I did mention Rule #2."

Carla recited dryly, "You can't meddle in the affairs of other people. We know. We get that. Don't you think you're taking this a bit too far? You need to sorten out your priorities and decide the best course of action."

Donald hissed, "I know perfectly well what I'm doing, cat. What makes you think you know what's best for us?"

Carla replied, "Action speaks louder than words. You don't prove ingenuity by simply following your brash instincts. You do it by understanding the situation with utmost care and applying it to your advantage." The others could tell she was trying to keep calm, "We cannot involve ourselves in affairs unless we deem it unbearable."

Donald suddenly lost his temper, "No, we won't involve ourselves in affairs because it's necessary!" He slammed his hands on the control panel for emphasis, "And I don't appreciate being lectured by the support party. Goofy and I are the main party. We run the team. We make the decisions!"

Wendy, Goofy, and Sherria jumped at the outburst. Carla spoke angrily, "Can't you see how pointless your 'rules of non-interference' are? What makes you think you can make the right decisions? Would you do so at the cost of others' lives? Do you refuse to take action and let those around us fall? Are you leaving the weight of everything on your shoulders?"

Donald retorted, "Don't make me laugh. That world over there is a jungle. It's filled with wild animals, and they can't talk or share info like normal people. And the explorers? I doubt they know anything about our friends. I don't have to take a look yonder at what that world looks like; it's no different than an affair we can't meddle in! The world order has rules, and we're supposed to follow them." He advanced towards the white Exceed, and added with a jeer, "You break 'em, you buy 'em."

Carla exclaimed, "So it's our fault that things aren't the way they were?!"

Donald spat, "What if I said yes? Don't blame it on me when a schoolgirl decided to crash the party, like she did at Wonderland!"

Carla snarled, "It was for a reason, you dolt! Following the rules doesn't always guarantee the safety of lives! All this time, you let yourself believe that the rules don't apply to anyone except yourself, hence making you a capable individual. But as far as I'm concerned, with your simple mind and lack of imagination, you're nothing short of a spoiled child!"

Donald dared, "Say that again, you little furball!"

Carla shouted, "You heard me, you miserable feathered rat!"

Wendy pushed between the two, stopping the argument before it could escalate into a brawl. "Stop it! What's the matter with you two?"

Donald nonchalantly replied, "Don't look at me. Your cat friend started it. She insisted on going to that backwater place of a world when we should be moving on."

Wendy said adamantly, "We're supposed to search every world. There's a chance King Mickey and Fairy Tail might be down there. Let's just land and check it out."

Carla crossed her arms, "I would follow Wendy if I were you, duck, since you agreed to follow her. That was the deal."

Donald argued, "Why should we go there when our chances of finding them here are zero? That, and it'd be a waste of our time." He added with a disdainful air towards Carla, "Least of all, this over-the-hill pussy cat." The white Exceed narrowed her eyes at that insult.

Wendy gasped in shock, "How can you talk to her like that? She's our friend! Our teammate!"

Donald stomped a foot, "Friend?! Not to me, she ain't! I couldn't care less if she likes me or not!"

Sherria questioned, "So that's it? We're not going?"

Donald answered, "Trust me, Sherria. It's a bad idea. We're on an important mission. We're moving on, and that's final!" With his last word said in the matter, he turned for the control panel.

That was the last straw. Flames of rage began to fester inside Carla, filling her with the desire to hurt Donald for his selfishness. "YOU FOOL!" Her voice grew loud and vicious, and the rest of the group was shocked of her sudden change of attitude. Wendy took it most of all. "You don't get to decide just because you're selfish enough to carry the weight of this journey! You don't have the right! YOU CAN'T HAVE IT!" She spread her wings and lunged out, grabbing Donald by the collar and slamming him against the control panel. In the next moment, the two were struggling, each fighting for possession of the Gummi Ship that calmly awaited the outcome. "LAND THE SHIP!"

"NO!" Donald shook his head defiantly.

"LAND THE SHIP!"

"YOU CAN'T MAKE ME!"

"Carla, no!" Wendy screamed, feeling the panic of friends fighting each other. Finding King Mickey and the Fairy Tail wizards was something she agreed on doing with Donald and Goofy as a team. She never thought she could see the team implode over a decision to enter a world lush with tropical green. Wendy couldn't stand it; friends are supposed to respect and trust one another, not tear each other apart. She valued friendship above all else, and those things kept her going, made her who she was. But conflict? Quarreling? Arguments? She didn't want this. She didn't want any of this! Forcing herself to take action, the Sky Maiden grabbed Carla's chest, pulling it in an attempt to break up the fight. "Carla, stop it! Stop it! No!"

"LAND THE SHIP!" Carla repeated her demand, ignoring the Sky Dragon Slayer's desperate pleas.

"NO!" Donald repeated his refusal, using his hands to defend himself.

"No, please!" Wendy begged, keeping her grip. "Please, don't!"

"LAND THE SHIP!"

"NO!"

"CARLA!"

Just then, the struggle came to a close when something among the controls cranked, and the cockpit grew silent. Wendy, Donald, and Carla turned their heads. They were completely surprised to see Sherria pulling down a lever and randomly pressing buttons, trying to figure out how to land the Gummi Ship. The Sky God Slayer had become so agitated by the pointless fighting that she had to do something, anything, to put an end to it.

"Sherria!" Wendy cried.

"You too?!" Donald exclaimed.

"Enough of this!" Sherria shouted angrily. "If Wendy says our friends are down there, it's a chance we'll have to take! We're gonna search every world in this universe, and we will! We're landing this thing!"

"Uh-oh..." Goofy gulped.

"What are you doing?!" Donald screamed hysterically. "DON'T TOUCH THAT! NOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

And just like that, the Gummi Ship began to shake and hurtle towards the Deep Jungle, alarms going off and assorted yells escaping from various throats. A burning chunk of iron fell through the atmosphere, and Wendy's group found themselves unintentionally separated from it due to extreme velocity. They fell out of the sky...


Tree House

"Wendy... Wendy... Can you hear me?"

Wendy groaned, her head pounding after a perilous descent through the clouds. Her throbbing temple was eased by her hand as the voice called out to her again.

"Come on, Wendy! Wake up!"

There was a shake of Wendy's shoulder, and she got herself into a sitting position, rubbing off the slight pain. "Oww... My head..." Her senses soon came back to her, and things began to look much clearer; she had crashed through the roof of the tree house. It was old and dusty inside, and not a single piece of furniture was found, except for various crates and barrels. Most of the wooden planks making up the house had vines growing between the cracks. Above, there was a second story, though the bottom half of the stairs was missing. Lastly, there was an open entrance directly in front of the Sky Dragon Slayer, through which she could see a balcony overlooking the trees.

The memories slowly came flooding back; Wendy and her friends had fallen out of the ship, and the turbulence split the team in two. She was with Carla and Sherria during the descent, clasping them tightly in an effort to lessen the fall. The next minute, they plummeted through the roof and landed with a loud thud, and Wendy was thrown unconscious for a brief moment. By the time she woke up, she saw Sherria kneeling down to her level, and Carla flying down to where they were. She breathed a sigh of relief.

Sherria quipped, "That's what I'd like to call a rough landing."

Wendy got up to her feet and dusted her dress. She asked, "Is everybody okay?"

Sherria answered, "Well, not everyone. When the five of us fell out of the Gummi Ship, the wind was so strong that it split us apart like a slice of cake. And here we are, in this rickety old tree house."

Wendy gasped in realization, "That means we're in the Deep Jungle!"

Carla nodded, "Indeed, though not in the way we expected it."

Wendy asked, "Where are Donald and Goofy?"

Carla shrugged, "In this case, I have no idea." She glanced at Sherria with an odd look, "Maybe it has something to do with a certain wizard from Lamia Scale recklessly operating the ship."

Sherria raised an eyebrow, "Huh? Why are you looking at me? What happened?"

Carla exclaimed, "What happened? YOU is what happened! You flew down the ship, and now we're stuck in the middle of this rustic old place!"

Sherria protested, "Hey, I did what I had to do. We were about to explore a new world, and I was looking forward to it, until it was delayed by a cat and a duck arguing about whether we're landing there or leaving it!" She grabbed her head and shook it in frustration, "I can't take it! Why can't you just decide?! That's why I had to step up for the team!"

Carla snapped, "But making a collision course?! That stunt of yours nearly got us all killed!"

Sherria retorted, "Well, it's not my fault you and Donald decided to fall out. And for what? World order rules? How the team works? Crossing worlds off our list?" She rubbed the back of her head, "This is starting to get really weird."

Those words seemed to have gotten through to Carla, as the memory of her argument with Donald replayed in her head. She responded only after a pause, looking at the floor despondently, "Donald refused to listen. He promised he would help us find our friends, in exchange for us helping him and Goofy find King Mickey. But that stubborn duck ignored us. I got frustrated, so I lashed out at him. I just..." She struggled for words, "It makes me feel that our trust in him has been misplaced."

Wendy understood Carla's dilemma, and reached her own conclusion. She knelt down on both knees and placed a gentle hand across the white Exceed's cheek. "I'm sure you have your reasons, Carla. And you're right. We have to find our missing friends, and it's not fair leaving them behind. To be honest, I don't agree with what Donald said, either. But there's no reason to fight about it. He's our friend, and friends shouldn't fight each other." Carla didn't respond. Wendy continued, "I know he's a bit bossy sometimes, but deep down, he still cares for us. I know it." She gave a reassuring hug, "We can get through this. When we find Donald, we can work things out."

Despite the comfort of Wendy's words, Carla was not convinced. She said blankly, "I don't think he even see us as friends."

Sherria beamed, "Duh, of course he does! He's a member of our team, the best team anyone can ask for."

At that moment, a savage growl emanated within the tree house, and the three paused to hear the noise. Wendy released Carla from the hug, and cautiously stood up. Her nose picked up the scent, her keen sense of smell picking up the trail of whatever it belonged to. The stench was composed of ingredients mixing an unquenchable thirst with sleepless malice.

Wendy whispered, "I smell something... It's getting closer..."

The growl came again, and this time, it came from the rafters. The Sky Maiden looked up in time to see the creature giving off that noise, and gasped upon seeing its full form.

"Over there! Sky Dragon's Roar!" Wendy breathed a whirlwind towards the rafters, and Carla and Sherria jerked their heads to where it aimed. Moments before the wood exploded and scattered, a leopard pounced from the rafters, its black claws extended. "Look out!" Wendy leapt up, pulling out the Keyblade and blocking the leopard's claws. At the same time, it attempted at a bite of her face with its razor-sharp jaws, compelling her to inch her head away. After a brief struggle, she jumped back, allowing the leopard to land gracefully on the wooden floor.

"It's a leopard!" Carla cried, morphing into her human form.

"First dogs, now cats?" Sherria tensed, her fists surging with black wind. "Animals these days. They just never wanna make this easy."

"Be careful, guys!" Wendy alerted, her Keyblade at the ready.

Letting out a fierce roar, the leopard gazed at Wendy and her friends, its eyes gleaming with murderous intent. It lunged forward, its claws and teeth flaring. Wendy, Carla, and Sherria immediately dodged or blocked countless tackles and swipes with speed and agility. They counterattacked with their respective weapons and magic, but the leopard was extremely agile and fast as well; it kept jumping around, making it difficult to attack for extended periods of time. Within less than three minutes, Wendy and her friends exhausted a bit of their energy, allowing the leopard to scratch their bodies a few times. Despite those injuries, the three continued their assault on the beast.

Sherria clashed her black wind-fueled fists with the leopard's claws, and the two got into a struggle. The animal was obviously the dominant one, as it was fueled by primal instinct. Eventually, the leopard pushed the Sky God Slayer to the ground. "Sky God's Dance!" Sherria summoned a spiral of black wind that swirled the leopard up in the air before it could attack again, and she proceeded to pummel it with an aerial combination of punches and kicks. "Sky God's Bellow!" She finished the combo with a black whirlwind breath that smashed the leopard to the ground. Due to the immense power added to those attacks, the leopard should've been easily knocked down, but it instead got back up on its paws, driven by the urge to hunt down its prey.

The animal attacked with its claws again, and Carla flexed her body to dodge each of the swipes. When the last swipe missed, the white Exceed unleashed a lightning fast combo of kicks, the last blow bashing its skull. The leopard was sent flying across the room, and it quickly recovered again. This time, Carla's legs clashed with the leopard's claws, and it ended with the beast tripping her with a swipe. Fortunately for Carla, the leopard took a blow to the back of its neck with a 9-hit Keyblade combo from Wendy, smacking it away.

Roaring with outrage, the leopard pounced faster than it ever had before, and Carla and Sherria barely had time to anticipate its next move. The animal performed a string of dizzying tackles, cutting the two down the middle. At the last strike, Carla and Sherria were paralyzed, the white Exceed reverting back to her original form, before she collapsed. That left the Sky Dragon Slayer to contend with the agile hunter of the jungle.

"Not good..." Wendy tensed. With Sky Dragon Slayer Magic supporting her speed, she slashed the leopard with a fierce 7-hit combo. "Sky Dragon's Crushing Fang!" She transformed her free hand into a wind-powered claw that scratched the animal's face. "Sky Dragon's Claw!" With a back-flip, her wind-powered legs knocked its chin, sending it airborne. Before the Sky Maiden could keep up the pace, the leopard effortlessly juggled its adrenaline to make a fast recovery. Finally, it was able to land on the ground, and a flurry of claws struck Wendy over and over. She couldn't anticipate where they would land or get a look at the animal that blazed into a yellow comet.

Suddenly, the onslaught stopped. Wendy sustained less moderate injuries, forced down on one knee. The leopard landed on all fours and roared triumphantly, confident that it would have its meal.

"It's super-fast..." Wendy breathed. "It's almost as fast as Cloud's sword attacks. Wait a minute..." Just then, she beamed with an idea. "That's it! If that leopard can move super-fast, so can I!" After drinking a Potion to restore her health, she stood up and assumed a stable pose. "I hope this works..." Wendy closed her eyes and focused her energy. An invisible aura began to appear around her feet, and gravity seemed to decrease. "Sonic Blade!" She opened her eyes and all of a sudden shot forward at the speed of light! She zoomed towards the leopard and slashed it at an incredibly fast pace, the Keyblade transforming into a deadly spike. The leopard was fast, but the Sonic Blade was even faster, and it was impossible to predict the Sky Dragon Slayer's movements. Eventually, after ten supersonic strikes, the beast collapsed in a heap. Wendy stood over the leopard's body, every muscle in her body relaxing when she saw the animal lying still.

"Whoo, you put the cat in the bag," Sherria praised, her automatic healing powers kicking in. "You used the Sonic Blade ability Cloud gave you?" Wendy answered with a nod, and the Sky God Slayer gave her the thumbs up. "You learned from the best. He'd be very proud."

"Yeah," Wendy giggled. "I know."

"But is the leopard truly down?" Carla questioned, quickly recovering from her injuries. "Even with your new ability, wild animals can't easily be defeated by force or strength."

"We have to be ready for anything," Wendy reminded. "Who knows what other trick it'll pull off?"

True to Carla's words, the leopard sprung back on all fours. It pounced with a loud roar, all in one liquid movement. Wendy, Carla, and Sherria expected the worst...

"Guns Magic: Stinger Shot!"

A small streak of emerald green light materializing in the form of a bullet struck the leopard in the left leg! The animal roared in agonizing pain, and it collapsed to the wooden floor, its leg bleeding profusely. Its eyes looked around frantically, searching for the perpetrator.

"Guns Magic: Spark Shot!"

Afterwards, a rain of bullets sparking with electricity zapped the leopard's wounded body, frying its fur to a crisp.

"Bullseye!"

"Nice shootin'!"

"Is that..." Wendy gasped, hearing from behind two voices she recognized very well.

"Could it be...?" Carla heard the voices as well, and shared the Sky Maiden's expression.

They turned around and saw two familiar faces in Western attire entering the tree house with weapons in hand; the man holding a pistol, and the woman holding a rifle. "Hey there, little dragon!" she greeted. "Miss us?"

Wendy screamed happily, "MR. AND MRS. CONNELL! IT'S YOU!"

Carla exclaimed, "I can't believe it! Alzack and Bisca! You're alive!"

Alzack smiled, "Of course we're alive. We were pretty worried during that fiasco in Magnolia, but the Connells are as strong as ever. And it's even better now that we found you."

Bisca nodded, "Yep, it's good to see ya alive and kickin', Wendy. This calls for a Fairy Tail reunion! Given that the rest of the guys are around here someplace..."

Once again, Wendy was overwhelmed by emotions at the thought of reuniting with a lost friend. "I knew we would find you, Mr. and Mrs. Connell! I just knew we would!" She rushed towards Alzack and Bisca, and they caught her in their embrace, before she began to cry softly in their arms. "We found you... We thought we lost you... I missed you..."

Alzack sympathized, "Kept you worried, huh? Sorry about that. We're here now."

Bisca chuckled, "You look mighty cute when you cry, sweetie."

Wendy dried away her tears, "I'm okay. I'm just so relieved, that's all. I thought you were..." She couldn't find the right words to say, as she was overtaken by joy. "I'm so glad to see you again. Thank you so much."

Bisca smirked, "Are you kiddin'? It's gonna take more than leopards, crocodiles, or a pack of bandits to slow us down."

Alzack added, "Other than that, we're very happy to see you, too."

Carla crossed her arms with a proud look, "Well, well, well. It appears that we were right all along. There are friends in this world. Donald should've listened to me, but he was too stubborn."

Sherria asked, "So you're gonna rub it in his face, huh?"

Carla nodded, "Precisely!" Clearing her throat, she turned to Alzack and Bisca, and bowed in respect, "We are very glad to have reunited with you, Alzack and Bisca. And thank you for saving our lives."

Alzack tipped his hat, "The pleasure is ours."

Sherria remarked, "Whoa, never expected to find you here! Alzack and Bisca Connell, Fairy Tail's gunslinger duo! Thanks for the assist."

Bisca turned to Sherria, "Just so you know, we're professionals. And what've we got here? A God Slayer from Lamia Scale making it here with those two!" She then winked, "It's good to see ya, Sherria."

Sherria saluted, "I'd do anything for Wendy, my best friend."

Wendy beamed, "You made it to another world, the same way Sherria made it to Wonderland! How did you get here?"

Alzack admitted, "It's a long story. Right now, we gotta get you to—"

Another roar sounded, turning into a snarl that sounded like a hundred animal growls combined. Everyone turned to the defeated leopard, in which a gale of powerful darkness erupted around it, nearly forcing them off their feet. Besides the powerful aura around its body, its eyes turned from yellow to red, devoid of life and brimming with hate. At the sight of the leopard's sudden development, Wendy felt a sensation running through her. Was it more than just a creature of the wild?

Bisca gritted her teeth, "She doesn't know when to fold, does she?"

Sherria raised an eyebrow, "She?"

Alzack explained, "That's Sabor, the most ferocious animal in all the jungle. She's a cunning hunter who targets the weak and helpless. In other words, she wants to eat you!"

Bisca stated, "We fought her a lotta times, and she always comes back with another outrageous hunting spree. She grows stronger every day. This time around, she's got some powerful magic runnin' through her!"

Wendy and Sherria gasped in unison, "Magic?!"

Carla exclaimed, "How could an animal learn how to perform such a feat?"

Alzack guessed, "Sabor might've pulled it off on her own, or someone gave her that power."

Bisca continued, "Whatever the case, she's bad news. We held her off for quite a while, and if it wasn't for Tarzan, we'd be chowder."

Wendy asked, "Who's Tarzan?"

Before Bisca could provide an answer, she saw Sabor leaping up with another paranormal roar, about to lunge at Wendy one last time. Bisca was about to fire her rifle, but luckily, she didn't need to. Someone burst into the tree house through a hole in the ceiling, running and maneuvering around the beams, before leaping to the floor. He landed in front of Wendy just in time and successfully blocked Sabor's bite with a spear. She struggled wildly, her jaws clamped around the base, until the man knocked her back a few feet. Sabor stared at the newcomer, who gave a defiant hiss, sounding exactly like another leopard. She growled furiously and made her escape, leaping out a window, sending shards of glass flying everywhere.

Bisca gestured with a smile, "This is Tarzan."

The wild man known as Tarzan put away his spear and turned to face Alzack and Bisca. The only piece of clothing he wore was a tattered, brown loincloth around his waist, and his brown hair was styled in long dreadlocks. He approached the two gunslinger wizards in a low standing position, his knuckles touching the ground like a monkey. Tarzan spoke gruffly, a warm smile across his face, "Alzack. Bisca."

Bisca put away her rifle, "Great timing, big guy."

Alzack followed suit with his pistol, "You sure scared her off."

Tarzan looked at Wendy, Carla, and Sherria, his face stern and serious. "Sabor, danger."

Wendy confirmed, "Okay. We'll keep that in mind."

Carla raised an eyebrow, "This man helped you in your endeavors? He looks questionable to me."

Alzack replied, "He's a wild man. The jungle taught him how to survive and interact with animals. He's been our guide ever since we arrived here."

Bisca grinned, "But don't let the wild looks fool ya. Deep down, he's got a heart of gold. He cares for others, especially our girl, Asuka."

Wendy gasped, "Asuka! Is she okay, too?"

Alzack nodded, "Yeah, she's safe in the camp with the others. We'll take you there."

Sherria beamed, "Cool! A man raised by the wild! They're just like the ones I read in the comics Cousin Sherry bought for me." She approached Tarzan and examined his masculine figure, "Wow, you've been working out every day. What's your secret?"

Tarzan echoed, "Secret." It's almost as if he was testing the sound of her words.

Sherria raised an eyebrow, "Huh? You don't even know what the word 'secret' means?"

Tarzan moved a few steps closer, awkwardly invading her personal space. "Secret, secret."

Sherria said slowly, mostly to herself, "Okaaaay... So that's what living in the wild feels like. You eat like lions, you sleep like bears, you bathe like fish, and you do lots of crazy things."

Wendy asked, "Where are the others? Where are the rest of our Fairy Tail friends?"

Alzack replied, "We don't know. We searched the whole jungle, and the explorers were kind enough to help us. But we haven't found a trace."

Carla confirmed, "I see. The others are still missing, then."

Bisca frowned, "Missing? More like kidnapped!"

Wendy gasped, "Kidnapped? What happened to the guild?"

Alzack folded his arms and glared down, "We were attacked by Sleepy Hollow and its leader, Kaze Viriniam. We put up a great effort to save our guild, but one by one, each of us got pummeled down by Kaze's top lackeys, the Headless Horsemen."

Carla wondered, "Headless Horsemen?"

Bisca stated, "They're the toughest in Sleepy Hollow's ranks, proper S-Class material. The bandits raidin' the museum turned out to be wizards. From the looks of things, they're a mercenary guild doin' dirty work for unsavory clients."

Wendy breathed in realization, "I knew it... They're the ones behind all this."

Bisca raised an eyebrow, "Huh? Who?"

Wendy replied, "The Alliance of Evil. It's a group of dark guilds using the Heartless for their own needs. Sleepy Hollow is one of them."

Alzack questioned, "Heartless? Isn't that a term to describe someone evil?"

Carla explained, "The Heartless are spirits attracted to the darkness in people's hearts. Upon swallowing a heart, they transform into all manner of frightening beasts."

Bisca crossed her hips, "So it's all part of a big conspiracy, huh? Sleepy Hollow and the dark guilds are workin' together, like the old Balam Alliance we took down. Figures."

Sherria spoke up, "Ah, big deal. Lantern Viscera and Jester Jugular are workers for the big conspiracy, and we've beaten them. We can beat the rest, no problem!"

Bisca wondered, "Really? You, Wendy, and Carla? All by your lonesomes?"

Wendy clarified, "We have others on our side. There's Donald and Goofy from the Disney Kingdom. We've been searching other worlds, looking for King Mickey and the rest of Fairy Tail." She added with a smile, "We're a great team."

Bisca remarked, "Sweet! Joinin' forces with guys from other worlds? We're mighty proud of ya, kid." She ruffled the Sky Maiden's hair, causing her to giggle.

Alzack confirmed, "I guess Professor Porter's theory was right. World travel is possible."

Wendy wondered, "Professor Porter?"

Alzack explained, "A biologist, one of the explorers we mentioned. He's on an expedition to study gorillas, alongside his daughter Jane and veteran hunter Clayton. They've set up a camp near the bamboo thicket."

Wendy beamed, "Three explorers! Like the ones Chip and Dale mentioned."

Sherria confirmed, "I guess that explains why the group's number is up to six."

Carla interjected, "How is it that you and your daughter managed to arrive here?"

Bisca narrated, "Well, after Sleepy Hollow smashed us to bits, Alzack, Asuka, and I were luggage in one of their ships. On our way to their secret headquarters, the ship's knocked off course by a meteorite from outer space, and we crashed here. The three of us made it out safely, and Tarzan found us."

Alzack added, "We followed him to Professor Porter's camp, and were nursed back to health. We became friends with Tarzan, Porter, and Jane. But that Clayton guy? Not so much."

Sherria questioned, "Why Clayton?"

Alzack shrugged, "Can't say. He keeps to himself, bragging about money to be made selling wild animals to zoos back at home. No one knows his reasons for being a part of this expedition."

Sherria nodded, "And that's when you decided to hang out with Tarzan."

Alzack said, "With his help, we've been exploring the jungle for quite some time, making new discoveries and fighting off wild animals. At the same time, we're trying to find out what happened to our Fairy Tail friends. If it weren't for Sleepy Hollow..." In his anger, he clenched his fist tightly. "Damn it!"

Bisca patted her husband's shoulder to comfort him, "Take it easy, darlin'." She turned to Wendy, "If you can get to other worlds, how do you do it? You stole one of their ships?"

Sherria answered, "We've got the Gummi Ship. It's a super-amazing rocket with a first-class lounge."

Alzack gasped, "Rocket?"

Bisca wondered, "First-class?"

Sherria cheered, "When we give you a tour of the ship, you're gonna be so surprised!"

Wendy agreed, "Uh-huh. And Asuka, too!"

Alzack confirmed with a nod, "You have your own ship? In that case, you can count us in."

Bisca affirmed, "The Connells are downright proud to be a part of your team. Findin' the rest of our friends is gonna be a cinch."

Carla suggested, "First thing's first. Right now, our priority is to find Goofy."

Wendy questioned, "Um, what about Donald?"

Carla responded in an uncaring tone, "Oh, right. Him, too."

Wendy thought to herself, "I think she's still upset." She turned to Alzack and Bisca, "Mr. and Mrs. Connell, where are Donald and Goofy?"

Alzack responded, "You mean your friends from other worlds? We haven't found anybody going by those names."

Bisca suggested, "Ask Tarzan. He knows more about the jungle than we do."

Taking Bisca's advice to mind, Wendy walked over to Tarzan. She cleared her throat, "Excuse me, Tarzan? We got separated from our friends. Have you seen them?"

Tarzan responded curiously, his voice rough, "Friends?"

Wendy nodded, "Uh-huh, our friends. We're looking for two of them. Their names are Donald and Goofy."

Tarzan asked, "Look for Donald, friends?"

Wendy nodded again, "Yeah."

Suddenly, in a beam of light shining in from the rafters behind Tarzan, Wendy's eyes shifted for one instant. It was then that she saw the image of a familiar young man with salmon hair, wearing a one-sleeved waistcoat and a dragon-scaled scarf around his neck. Natsu Dragneel, a fellow Dragon Slayer and mascot of Fairy Tail's strongest team, was bathed in the morning light, staring at Wendy with a cocky smile on his face.

"Goofy, friends?" Tarzan asked again.

"Uhh... right..." Wendy glanced back at Tarzan and nodded, then back at Natsu. She considered walking over to the Fire Dragon Slayer, to ask him what happened, how he ended up in the Deep Jungle, and if he was okay. But before she could even take a step forward, Natsu turned away, raising his chin high. Wendy tried to adjust her position to see him, but he had already vanished into thin air.

"Are you okay, kid?" Bisca asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Wendy replied.

"Friends here," Tarzan said calmly.

"Really?" Wendy asked hopefully.

"Ee-ooh-ooh-oo-ah," Tarzan told her.

"Huh?" Wendy was confused. It sounded like a bunch of grunting noises to her. She turned to Alzack and Bisca for guidance, but they simply shrugged.

"Ee-ooh-ooh-oo-ah," Tarzan repeated himself, speaking it in a way Wendy could understand. "Friends here."

"I don't know what you mean, but please show us," Wendy pleaded. "Take us to Donald and Goofy."

"Tarzan," Tarzan smiled widely. He pointed to himself, thumping his chest. "Tarzan go."

"I'm Wendy," Wendy introduced herself and the others. "This is Carla and Sherria."

"Carla... Sherria..." Wendy acknowledged the presense of the two. "Go. Tarzan go."

"You betcha!" Sherria whooped. "Tarzan go, Wendy go, everybody go go!" That made Carla shake her head in disappointment, and the Sky God Slayer turned to see her reaction. "What?"

Tarzan motioned the group to follow him outside the tree house. They stepped out onto the balcony, absorbing the beautiful sea of trees stretching out as far as the eye could see. Beneath the house was a large netting web designed to prevent any object from falling into the depths of the jungle. There was a small dinghy dangling on a rope from a branch in front of the house, designed to lift heavy objects up to the house from further below. Tarzan pointed to the ocean of green, from which Wendy and company could hear the screeches and cries of animals echoing harmoniously into the early day.

DEEP JUNGLE


Bamboo Thicket

Donald and Goofy had ended up in a clearing amongst a thick growth of bamboo plants, resting on a mound. Goofy sat atop with his eyes lowered to the surface, while Donald stretched out on his side, his eyes shut and his head propped by one arm.

"I can't believe this," Donald moaned. "We've lost our only way of leaving this waste of space, and it's all because of that pink-haired klutz."

"Gawrsh, where are we?" Goofy said in awe, looking up to the sky. "I sure hope Wendy's okay. Carla and Sherria, too."

Upon hearing the names of the two who recklessly endangered the mission, Donald jumped into a sitting position. He said stubbornly, "Aww, who needs 'em? We can find the King without 'em."

"What about Wendy?" Goofy questioned. "Aren't we supposed to follow her?"

"Well, duh! Of course we're following her!" Donald rolled his eyes. "She's holding the Keyblade, and we need her on our side to help us find King Mickey. We'll be fine with just her and not that stupid cat and that crazy fangirl!"

"But Carla and Sherria are Wendy's friends," Goofy pointed out. "She wouldn't have come a long way without 'em. Besides, you're just sore 'cause they wanted to see if more of their friends are here."

"That's all they cared about," Donald scoffed. "Sherria's obviously in cahoots with Carla to sabotage the mission! We'll have better luck finding what we're looking for without those two getting in the way—" Just then, he felt something soft while reaching for his magic wand.

"Huh?" Donald turned around to see what it was, and came face-to-face with a young female gorilla with dark crest hair, grey skin, and brown eyes. They stared at each other for a moment, their eyes wide, until they both screamed into each other's faces. Immediately after, he and Goofy heard rustling behind them.

"Yikes! I gotta get outta here!" the gorilla exclaimed. She ran away, but not before leaving something behind in the dirt. Donald looked back to where he saw the gorilla, only to find that she was gone. However, he did find something of interest lying on the ground. Glimmering in the sunlight was a fragmented block colored in red, that both Donald and Goofy recognized as a gummi block.

They didn't get to observe for very long, since more rustling was heard from within the bamboo thicket. The pair swallowed hard in fear, as they waited for whatever it was to appear before them.

"Well, well, well... What do we have here?"

Out stepped Clayton, the veteran hunter who was secretly a member of the council leading the Alliance of Evil.

Donald and Goofy exchanged nervous glances.


Tunnel

Tarzan led the group down from the tree house and into a tunnel of tree branches and stones, stopping in front of the large hole of a hollow tree trunk. "We'll just have to go down there?" Wendy asked, pointing her finger towards the path leading to an seemingly endless darkness. All of a sudden, Tarzan shoved her into the hole. She slid all the way down, her surprised screams emanating from inside.

"Wendy!" Carla screamed in horror. She turned to Tarzan with an angry expression, "What have you done to her?!" It wasn't long before he jumped in as well, not bothering to hear her protests. "Come back here!"

"I don't think he hears you," Sherria told her.

"Of course he didn't," Carla frowned. "He's a wild man, and he hardly listens to anything!"

"Relax, Carla," Alzack eased. "He knows what he's doing."

"What he's doing?!" Carla exclaimed. "He pushed Wendy down the trunk! Who knows what might happen to her? She could get hurt!"

"No, she won't!" Bisca laughed. "She's first in line for the biggest ride in the jungle. C'mon, we'll show ya." With that, she jumped into the trunk hole with an excited holler. "YEE-HAW!"

"Bisca, wait!" Carla reached out her paw.

"You'll get used to it," Alzack assured. "Just follow us." He became the fourth person to jump in.

"Alzack!" Carla cried.

"Ah, what the heck?" Sherria shrugged. "It's worth a shot." She hopped inside, letting out a valiant cry, "WAIT FOR ME!"

"Oh, dear... Why do we have to trust a wild man?" Carla mused. Reluctantly, she flew up with her wings and soared deep into the hole.

Jungle Slider

At that moment, Tarzan was taking the lead, grinding down the slippery moss covering the trunk. He stood with one leg positioned in front of the other, keeping balance with his arms. It was very similar to surfing on the ocean waves, but was more like grinding down railings on a skateboard. He encouraged Wendy and Sherria to give it a try, and as soon as they got the hang of it, they were beginning to enjoy it. Alzack and Bisca, on the other hand, were experts in this sort of thing, and they seemed to be traversing with little effort. The five surfed the rest of the tree trunks, weaving through the jungle like nothing else in the world could. Wendy, Sherria, Alzack, and Bisca whooped and cheered throughout the whole venture, while Tarzan simply smiled. They leapt over the tree branches without losing any momentum, and zipped through the loops and bumps. They even performed a few tricks, whether in the air or on the ground.

The only thing Carla could do was to fly along. With a deep sigh, she looked over her five friends surfing through the ocean of trees. "I should've asked first..."


Camp

After a few minutes of tree-surfing, Wendy and company flew off the tip of the tree and soared through the air for a brief moment, before landing at their destination. They found themselves in the middle of what appeared to be a campground. An orange tent was set up against a thicket of trees, surrounded by canopies of canvas sheltering several bookshelves, wooden crates, and other miscellaneous objects. In one corner was a grandfather clock next to a small round table with a tea set, and the opposite rested a long table loaded with countless scientific tools— beakers, test tubes, and potions. There was a black iron stove, and standing next to it was an easel holding a blackboard, sketched with an image of Tarzan. In the very middle, there was a bamboo flag pole with a small flag hanging from the top, sticking out from the midst of a pile of crates and boxes.

Tarzan, Alzack, and Bisca landed gracefully against the dirt, while Carla slowly floated down with her wings, and Wendy and Sherria hit the ground in a roll. As soon as the initial shock wore away, Wendy and Sherria burst out laughing, the adrenaline still rushing through their systems. Tarzan hurried to the girls' sides and helped them to their feet.

Wendy said excitedly, "That was super-duper fun!"

Sherria giggled, "Let's do that again!"

Bisca smiled, "We knew you'd like it. Ain't tree-surfin' the best thing ever?"

Sherria cheered, "Are you kidding?! That was AWESOME! Ever since this whole quest thing started, we've actually been through a lot, but wow, was that just totally cool or what? When can we do that again, huh?" She turned to Tarzan, "Tarzan, you'll let us do that again, right? Right?" The words had flown out of Sherria's mouth so quickly that Tarzan barely had time to understand a single word. He lifted his left hand and pressed his fingers against her mouth, silencing her. Bit by bit, the adrenaline began to wear down.

Carla affirmed, "Well, it's about time you calmed down."

Wendy breathed steadily, "What a wild ride..."

Sherria grinned, "We should seriously do that again."

Wendy agreed, "Yeah!"

Carla said sternly, "As much as you two enjoy this game, there is still work to be done. We have to regroup with the others first." She turned to Alzack and Bisca, "Is this the campsite you mentioned earlier?"

Alzack nodded, "Yep. Professor Porter and Jane are just that way." He gestured toward the tent's entrance, "I'm sure they can help you find your friends."

Carla confirmed, "Let us hope so." She then muttered to herself, "Though I hoped I wouldn't have to see that feathered imbecile again..."


Tent

The inside of the tent was very simply decorated; a few hammocks hung here and there, several crates with piles of books were positioned, and a projector stood at the center. There were several lanterns hanging on ropes dangling from the ceiling. On one side was a map of the jungle framed and mounted on the canvas wall. On the ground lay a gray and orange rug that stretched from one side to the other, leaving little room for any dirt or grass to stick out.

Fumbling with the projector was a tall woman with long dark brown hair. Clothing-wise, she wore a faded white tank top and a long brown sarong reaching to just above her ankles, held up by a knot tied in her right side, which exposed most of her right leg. Alongside her was an short-sized elderly man wearing a short-sleeved button up shirt with a blue bowtie, and tan shorts secured around his belly. Of course, the woman wasn't working on the projector all by herself; she was helped by Asuka Connell, who generously offered her assistance on setting up the machine.

"A little to the left, on the side, and..." the woman muttered, working on several knobs. "Ah, here we go!"

"How did I do?" Asuka asked, using her nimble hands to keep the projector in balance.

"With a few fine tweaks and proper adjusting of the slides, it'll be good as new," Jane smiled. "And on that note, you're doing a wonderful job, Asuka."

"Thank you!" Asuka appreciated. "I do my best!"

"Such dedication! Such imagination! Such charm!" the elderly man admired. "You remind me of my Jane when she was just about your age."

"We're back!" The three froze at the voice, and they saw Wendy, Tarzan, Carla, Sherria, Alzack, and Bisca making their way in. The female gunslinger wizard was the first to break the ice. "Howdy, Professor. Hey, Jane."

"Ah, Alzack and Bisca," Professor Porter chimed. "You came back so soon?"

"Jane!" Tarzan called out, his face brightening upon seeing the young woman. The moment he stared at her beautiful figure, it felt like he had been away after such a long while.

"Hello, Tarzan," Jane greeted. "Nice of you to stop by."

"Hi, Mommy!" Asuka waved excitedly. "Hi, Daddy!"

"Hey, sweetheart," Alzack knelt down on one knee to snuggle his daughter. "How have you been?"

"Jane asked me to help her set up the projector-thingy," Asuka answered. "I think she's making some kinda movie." She looked at her parents hopefully, "Have I been helping a lot?"

"You sure did!" Alzack grinned. "You're such a big girl." Asuka giggled at the compliment.

"Heh, they grow up so fast," Bisca crossed her hips. "Looks like all these arts and crafts she made at the guild finally paid off."

"Hi, Asuka!" Wendy waved at Asuka. "It's me, Wendy!"

"Wendy?" Asuka's eyes focused on the young Sky Dragon Slayer who used to be her playmate. In an instant, her heart leaped with joy. "Wendy!" She jumped up and hugged Wendy, who responded with a hug of her own, and the two laughed together. "Where have you been? Did you bring Uncle Natsu?"

"Well..." Wendy found it hard to answer that question, given the circumstances that Natsu vanished that fateful night.

"So, how was it, dear friends?" Porter asked. "Did you find something of interest?"

"Oh, we did find somethin', alright," Bisca smiled proudly. She motioned to Wendy, Carla, and Sherria, "We found three of our friends. They're from Earth-land, just like us."

"Oh-ho!" Porter chortled. "More denizens from Earth-land! All this time, we've searched every corner of the jungle for any companion hailing from your world. And lo and behold, you found them! It's just as I predicted; under the sea of stars are millions of worlds. The arrival of those strange visitors, such as the Connells, is proof that we are not alone in this universe!"

"How did you know we're from other worlds?" Wendy asked curiously.

"The universe is full of mysteries, my dear," Porter answered. "The history books say that a long time ago, worlds were formed after a specific event when space entered a period of expansion. On the soils of these worlds grew life, culture, and civilization. Your world and ours are no exceptions. Many of us cannot travel to other worlds by conventional means, but there are a few who can, either by a very special vessel or an inter-dimensional portal."

"Amazing..." Sherria breathed. "You're good at figuring this out."

"Knowledge is the essence of society, dear," Porter grinned. "Through the powers of theory and analysis, I believe even the greatest mystery has the greatest solution."

"In any world, its denizens come up with their own theories on how the universe functions," Carla affirmed. "We never know what twists and turns await us."

"Exactly my point," Porter nodded. He then looked at Carla and smiled, leaning forward so that his eyes were level with hers. "Oh, and who might you be, miss?"

Carla responded, "My name is Carla. I'm—"

Porter cut her off, his eyes widening in surprise. "Ah, a Felis catus capable of speech! What a discovery! Look at her, Jane..." He thrust his hand for Jane to take a glance, "She looks like a cat, but talks like a woman. She is yet another link to worlds beyond."

Jane agreed, "Absolutely fascinating."

Carla clarified, "I'm an Exceed, a cat born with magical abilities."

Porter cried happily, "Marvelous! A cat born with the ability to channel forces of the supernatural! What kind of talent do you possess, Miss Carla? Tell us everything."

Carla raised an eyebrow, "Everything? You're far too curious for a scientist, Professor Porter. That is your name, isn't it?"

Porter replied, "That is correct, my dear. Archimedes Q. Porter, at your service." He gestured to his daughter, "This is my daughter, Jane."

Jane smiled, "I'm pleased to meet you all. What are your names?"

Wendy introduced herself and Sherria, "I'm Wendy, and this is Sherria. We're friends of Alzack, Bisca, and Asuka."

Jane said thoughtfully, "Wendy... That's the name of one of the members of the guild the Connells belonged to, isn't it? The name of a young girl who can bend the wind to her whim. And the name 'Carla' rings familiar, too. A magical cat that can fly and shape-shift into a woman." She took a minute to make her assumption, "You're wizards of Fairy Tail, are you not?"

Sherria guessed, "Alzack and Bisca must've told you the whole story."

Jane nodded, "That's right. Fairy Tail is a magical guild going on grand adventures, fighting evil and rescuing innocents. A guild of powerful magicians, respected and praised by all..." She added with a chuckle, "No wonder it's named after a fairy tale, another term used to describe a book, but with the word 'tail' on it! The Connells happened to be members of that guild. Alzack and Bisca gave us a demonstration of their magic by summoning weapons out of thin air, and they held off a wild leopard when it tried to eat us."

Sherria asked Bisca, "Is she talking about Sabor?"

Bisca nodded, "Yep."

Carla rubbed her chin, "I suppose it makes sense how you and the Connells became very close."

Wendy asked Alzack, "What did you tell them?"

Alzack chuckled, "Only the good stuff."

Sherria crossed her hips, "Gosh, with info from Earth-land slipping out, and these guys knowing about it..." To state her point, she pointed a thumb at Jane and her father. "...that makes Donald's 'keep other worlds a secret' rule totally pointless. I wonder how he'll react?"

Jane continued, "The first time we met Alzack, Bisca, and Asuka, we found the crash site of an unfamiliar ship in the waterfalls. They helped us on our expedition, and in turn, we helped them search for anyone familiar to them; someone might've crashed here as well. But now that you're here..."

Porter shook each of Alzack and Bisca's hands, "Congratulations, you two. You finally found these friends of yours!"

Alzack clarified, "Technically, they found us. They arrived with a ship of their own."

Porter beamed, "A ship? How glorious! Once again, research has proven its worth!" He took Wendy's hand and shook it, "Once again, congratulations! All of your efforts seemed to have paid off, dearest Wendy. For a child, you are quite the prodigy."

Wendy giggled, "Thank you, Professor Porter. We appreciate what you and Jane have done for them. And Tarzan, too."

Porter replied, "You are most welcome, dear. I take it you know the ape man, as well?"

Wendy nodded, "Uh-huh. He saved us from Sabor, the leopard."

Jane asked, "So what have you been doing in your adventure? Were you studying the mysteries of other worlds? Or perhaps you've come here to study the gorillas?"

"Highly doubtful."

Another voice came from the entrance, and everyone looked over to see Clayton making his way inside, his rifle gripped firmly in his hands. Following close behind him were two familiar and sorely missed faces.

Porter smiled, "Ah, more guests!"

Goofy cheered, "Wendy! Sherria! Carla!"

Wendy and Sherria cried excitedly in unison, "Goofy! Donald!" They rushed over and wrapped their arms around the Disney Kingdom's Captain of the Royal Knights, relieved that the team was back together again. Goofy scooped both girls into his arms, spinning them around as the three laughed.

Carla breathed, "I'm so glad that both of you are unha—" She stared directly into Donald's eyes for a moment, and the two quickly remembered what had gone on in the Gummi Ship. Carla and Donald immediately turned away from each other, crossing their arms with scowls. By the time Wendy, Sherria, and Goofy stopped hugging, they looked at the two with dismay.

Porter commented, "By Jove, they're quite a lively bunch."

Sherria sighed, "You're still at it, I see."

Bisca asked, "They're your travellin' companions, huh? The duck and the dog followin' Clayton?"

Wendy nodded, "That's right. Donald and Goofy."

Bisca grinned, "Well, I'll be! Those two critters look a lot tougher than a barefoot jackrabbit on a hot greasy griddle." She approached Donald and Goofy, and tipped her hat in introduction, "Howdy there, guys. The name's Bisca. I'm a Fairy Tail wizard and a friend of Wendy's."

Goofy's eyes widened, realizing what the gunslinger wizard just told him. He yelled excitedly, "You WHAT?! Oh, my gosh! You're one of Wendy's pals, aren't ya?! Them Fairy Tail wizards!" Bisca answered with a nod, before she was wrapped in a tight embrace, much to her surprise. "You have no idea how long we've searched for ya!" He released the hug, "Nice to meet ya, Bisca. I'm Goofy."

Bisca chuckled, "Nice to meet ya, too." She patted Goofy by the shoulder, before pointing a thumb at the frowning duck next to her. "And that angry chicken over there must be Donald."

Donald clarified, "Duck." By the tone of his voice, he doesn't seem to show any enthusiasm.

Alzack added to the conversation, "My name is Alzack. I'm Bisca's husband." She gestured to the young Connell next to him, "This is our girl, Asuka."

Asuka greeted, "Hello!"

Goofy asked, "Are you a member of Fairy Tail, too?"

Alzack nodded, "Yes."

Goofy exclaimed, "You're a FAMILY! Gawrsh, a guy wizard and a gal wizard gettin' married and raisin' a baby girl? Oh, you lucky dogs!" Lifting Asuka up in his arms, he made baby sounds and tickled her body in an effort to appease her. That seemed to do the trick as she broke into laughter. Alzack, Bisca, Wendy, and Sherria couldn't help but smile at this scene. Donald and Carla paid no mind. Afterwards, Goofy placed Asuka down, and she regrouped with her mother and father.

Asuka cheered, "He's funny! I like him!"

Alzack complimented, "You have such a way with kids, Goofy."

Goofy grinned, "A-hyuck, thanks."

Wendy smiled, "You see? I told you you'd like them."

Goofy gave the thumbs up, "Well, congrats on findin' some of your Fairy Tail pals, Wendy. We just gotta keep it up, huh?"

Wendy agreed, "You got it! We'll have no problem finding the rest of them."

Donald grunted, "What do you mean, we? There's no point in doing anything since a certain cat ruined everything." He projected his angry voice to Carla, his back still turned. "You're alive, huh? I was hoping some wild animal ripped you to shreds."

Not bothering to face Donald, Carla growled, "It almost did, you feathered buffoon. Instead of a dog with three heads or a normal dog prancing in the alleyway, we had to contend with a wild leopard."

Wendy interjected, "Now that you mention it, we did meet a dog the first time we came to Traverse Town."

Goofy asked, "You met a different dog, huh? What's he look like?"

Wendy described, "He has yellow fur and long droopy ears, and wears a green collar."

Goofy wondered, "Yellow fur? Green collar? Hmm..." He tapped his chin thoughtfully, before he responded, "You're not talkin' about Pluto, are ya?"

Sherria asked, "Who's Pluto?"

Goofy answered, "King Mickey's loyal pet dog. He's with us when we started our trip to other worlds. Last time we saw him, he wandered off to an alley, thinking he found somethin' there. But Donald thought it was nothin', so we moved on."

Wendy pointed out, "Carla and I landed in an alley after we flew out of Earth-land. If Pluto was the dog who found us, doesn't that mean..."

Goofy gasped, beginning to realize where that previous chain of events in Traverse Town led to. It would appear that Pluto caught the scent of the one wielding the Keyblade, and Donald didn't bother to follow him! At that moment, Goofy began to laugh to himself. It wasn't long before Donald took notice. "Huh? What are you laughing about?"

Goofy said gleefully, "Remember the first time we came to Traverse Town? Pluto thought he found somethin' in the alley. He's tryin' to get us over there, but you ignored him. Turns out he found what we're lookin' for the whole time! The Keyblade master, right under our noses!" He added with a light-hearted chuckle, "Gawrsh, if we'd listened to Pluto, we'd have found Wendy easily."

Donald yelled incredulously, "Pluto found WHAT?!" He couldn't believe how foolish he was to have ignored Pluto's discovery of Wendy. Upon learning this revelation, he began to blush, and the group's laughter at his expense only increased his embarrassment.

Carla affirmed, "Well, your instincts are not so good after all."

Donald snapped, "Shut it, fleabag! That doesn't excuse you and your pink-haired accomplice for what you did!"

Sherria shrugged, "Hey, you started it. You're arguing too much, so I had to make the decision to land."

Donald rolled his eyes, "Whatever. That doesn't change the fact we're stuck in this tropical dump, thanks to you. I was expecting you to fly away and leave us in the dirt."

Clara frowned, "What on earth is that supposed to mean? You made a promise to help us find our Fairy Tail guildmates. It seems clear to me that you're not true to your word."

Donald argued, "FYI, our mission is to follow the Keyblade master, and we need her to help us find King Mickey. I was only confident on finding the King than Wendy's band of washed-up magical wannabes."

Carla retorted, "We'll gladly look for your king, but Fairy Tail is equally important! Finding them is part of the deal!"

Donald growled, "Our only mission is to find the King! That's the real deal! That's what we agreed on!"

"No, Fairy Tail!"

"No, the King!"

"Fairy Tail!

"The King!"

"FAIRY TAIL!"

"THE KING!"

The air filled with a flurry of bickering, and the rest of the group watched. In the midst of this heated argument, the camel's back was broken, or however Wendy supposed that saying went.

"STOP!" Donald and Carla stopped mid-sentence and whipped their heads around in shock. They saw Wendy standing between them, spreading her arms. Her face was wrought with grief and worry, and her voice even more so. "Would you two stop yelling at each other?! It won't help anything! We're all in this together, so why can't we just get along?"

"Hmph!" The two scoffed and turned away from each other again, crossing their arms.

Knowing that she was unable to convince the two for the time being, Wendy looked down and let out a depressing sigh. She muttered, "I hate it when friends fight. Friends shouldn't argue and fight each other. I don't like arguing..." She felt her body shiver a little, "I'm scared. I don't want it to happen. I didn't mean for it to happen."

Goofy said softly, "Aww, it's gonna be okay, Wendy. They're just upset. We can work it out." He patted Wendy's shoulder to comfort her.

Wendy nodded weakly, "I know we can. But..." Her heart heaved with concern, "I don't know if it's gonna work."

Bisca wondered, "What's eatin' those two?"

Alzack noted, "It looked like they've been through a lot."

Sherria explained, "They had a fall out over wanting to see if King Mickey or your guildmates are somewhere around the jungle. I think Wendy took it the hardest."

Clayton rolled his eyes at this display, "How delightful. A group of friends going on a grand adventure to search for their missing friends." He added with a scoff, "More like a circus of clowns. Not much use for hunting gorillas."

Jane crossed her hips angrily, "Mr. Clayton! How many times have we been through this? We're studying them, not hunting them. This is research."

Clayton deadpanned, "Why do you waste your time studying gorillas when we should be setting traps for them? These are wild beasts that would sooner tear your head off than look at you. They're better off in a zoo than a nest."

Jane countered, "On the contrary, Daddy's theory is that these are social creatures, not monsters. That's why we have to find them and study their nature." Clayton was about to give his second opinion, but she sternly cut him off, "And don't think for one minute that we're selling any gorilla to a zoo. Not one."

Clayton could tell that the young lady was setting the record straight. He complied with a shrug, "Have it your way, then. But if any of you saw a gorilla and it wants to rip you apart, you know where to find me." He strolled over so that he could see Tarzan eye to eye. "Until next time, dear boy. Let me know if you're ready to give the answer I expected to hear." The ape man could only watch the veteran hunter stride out of the tent.

Sherria remarked, "No kidding what you said about that guy bragging a lot."

Bisca stated, "I've got a feelin' he's hidin' somethin' from us."

Alzack frowned, "I'm already sensing some bad vibes."

Jane interjected, "Though Clayton is ambitious and a bit conceited, we can't deny he's a dependable ally. If it wasn't for him, we never would have made it through the deepest parts of the jungle." After a moment, she turned to Wendy and company, putting on her best smile. "Well, the more the merrier. Do make yourselves at home."

Carla began stubbornly, "Well, anyway..."

"I'm staying." The words had come from both Carla and Donald at the same time.

Carla spun around in surprise, "Huh?"

"Guys, look what we found. Look at this," Goofy said with a chuckle. He held out the red gummi block, cupping it in both hands.

"It's a gummi block," Wendy identified. "But it's not shaped like the one we found at Wonderland."

"Yup," Goofy nodded. "That means King Mickey could be here."

"We gotta work together to look for him," Donald suggested. He then narrowed his eyes at Carla, "For now."

"Fine. I'll let you tag along," Carla complied. She then narrowed her eyes at Donald, "For now."

"Carla, Donald..." Wendy said worriedly.

"Alzack, Bisca, you comin' with us?" Goofy asked the Connells.

"The Connells are always ready for action," Alzack nodded. "And Fairy Tail wizards stick together to the end. We're in."

"We'll join your crew," Bisca smirked. "We're gonna show 'em posers that we're not to be messed with."

"I'm coming, too!" Asuka cheered.

"Okay," Bisca chuckled. "You can come with us, sweetie."

"Just as long as you stay out of trouble," Alzack offered.

"I promise," Asuka nodded.

"Alright, the gang's all here!" Sherria smiled. "Now we can do some exploring."

"Oh, joy," Donald rolled his eyes. "More weirdos."

"Oh, stop being such a duckling," Carla rolled her eyes. "Have you learned nothing of the stubbornness of Fairy Tail wizards? You might as well accept it."

"We're going with you, and we're sticking with you," Alzack said firmly. "It's not our style to leave a friend in need. And everyone in Fairy Tail is a friend. Including Wendy and Carla."

"Strength comes in numbers," Bisca smirked. "Grow into an army, and the bad guys don't stand a chance." She patted Donald's back playfully, "Don't let the crowd get ya down. Ya gotta look at the bright side of things."

"Don't feel bad, Donald," Wendy assured with a smile, placing a hand on Donald's shoulder. "You'll get used to it. Everyone in Fairy Tail is friendly. They'll like you, and I know you'll like them, too."

"Yeah, sure..." Donald said under his breath.

Wendy raised her hand to get Jane's attention. "Excuse me, Jane? You seem to know Tarzan very well. The first time we met him, he speaks only a few words, and he grunts like this." She lowered her voice in an impersonation of Tarzan's voice, "Ee-ooh-ooh-oo-ah."

Tarzan repeated her, "Ee-ooh-ooh-oo-ah."

Sherria added, "It sounded like a monkey or a Vulcan. What's his story?"

Jane answered, "Apparently, he was raised in the jungle by the gorillas."

Wendy gasped in surprise, "Tarzan was raised by gorillas?"

Sherria marveled, "Wow, no wonder you call him the 'ape man.'"

Carla stated, "It's quite similar to dragons raising children to be Dragon Slayers, such as Wendy, Natsu, and Gajeel."

Alzack nodded, "In a way, yes. He's spent most of his life in the wild, he barely understood a thing we said."

Bisca added, "We and the Porters decided to take it upon ourselves to teach him. It ain't easy, but he's learnin' fast."

Porter stated, "This is but one of many discoveries during our expedition. When we met Tarzan the first time, he was a man with no language, no human behavior..."

Jane added, rolling her eyes, "And no respect for personal boundaries."

Sherria chuckled, "Yeah, I remember when he got this close to me."

Jane laughed lightly, "You've noticed it, too?" She cleared her throat, "The point is, the more we communicate with him, the more we understand from him. He could be our link to the gorillas."

Wendy confirmed, "So he was speaking in 'gorilla' back there... And what about Ee-ooh-ooh-oo-ah? What does it mean?"

Jane offered, "Why don't we try this?" She showed them the projector, "We'll show Tarzan some slides and see if any of them match that word. Asuka helped me set up the projector, and provided the slides. Let's give it a whirl, shall we?" She turned on the device, and inserted the slides one by one. The images were cast onto the blank canvas wall, the first of which was a picture of stars in the night sky. The next slide depicted an old woman crouched on the floor, raising a baby. The third was of two men dressed in fencing outfits, facing each other. The fourth was a fully grown silverback gorilla (to which Tarzan's face brightened in response). The fifth, a classy man extending a bouquet of flowers to an equally classy woman.

The last slide depicted a pack of dragons floating above a majestic castle, perched at the top of a cliff surrounded by a sea of forest and mist. But there was something in the slide that stirred something within Wendy; she noticed a dragon in white at the center of the picture, its body covered in feathers instead of scales, and its feet resembling bird talons. Her heart began to beat a little faster, and her breath held still, making a small noise. "Grandeeney?!"

Goofy grew concerned. "What's wrong, Wendy?"

Wendy snapped out of her trance and glanced back at her companion. "What? Um, nothing." She looked back at the image, tilting her head curiously to one side. She thought to herself, "That dragon in the picture... It looks exactly like Grandeeney. But how? She's never been to another world before. Or has she...?"

The slideshow came to an end, and Jane switched off the projector. She turned to Tarzan, expecting an outcome. "Well, Tarzan?"

Tarzan looked back, his eyes meeting Jane's for a short while. He then dropped his gaze and shook his head.

Wendy questioned, "You don't know? I thought—"

"That leaves just one place." Everyone turned to see Clayton entering the tent again, his head held high with pride and dignity. He told Alzack and Bisca, "Mr. and Mrs. Connell, we've been in this jungle for some time now, but we have yet to encounter these magical friends of yours." He turned to Wendy, "And I take it this young lady is one of them?"

"Yes," Wendy nodded. "I'm a friend of the Connells. My name is Wendy." She gestured to the rest of her group, "This is Donald, Goofy, Carla, and Sherria."

"The name's Clayton," Clayton introduced himself. "I've come with the Porters on this expedition."

"To hunt gorillas?" Sherria asked.

"Why, of course not!" Clayton countered. "I'm not trying to hunt them. I'd just like to get a look at them." He changed the subject, "As I was saying, we have yet to encounter more of the Connells' missing friends. I'd wager they're with the gorillas. But Tarzan refuses to take us to them."

"Really, Mr. Clayton," Jane said exasperatedly. "Tarzan wouldn't hide—"

"We've wasted all this time on what he wants," Clayton cut her off, gesturing to Tarzan. "The boat could arrive to pick us up any day. It's high time we asked him straight out." He walked over to the ape man, and his voice turned persuading. "Take us there, Tarzan. Take us to the gorillas." He repeated the word in a miming note, "Go-ril-las."

Tarzan paused. As much as he wanted to please his human friends, he knew that he couldn't reveal the location of the gorillas' nesting ground, out of fear that it would violate everything his adopted family stood for. But seeing how eager Clayton was, and Wendy's group driven to seek answers, he couldn't help but acknowledge their curiosity and resolve. He would have to find a way, any way, to get them closer to the gorillas. With much consideration, Tarzan nodded in agreement.

"Tarzan..." Jane wondered. "Are you sure?"

"Tarzan take Wendy to see Kerchak," Tarzan offered.

"Kerchak?" Porter asked.

"He must be the leader," Clayton stroked his chin. "Perfect! I'll go along as an escort. After all, the jungle is a dangerous place."

"Thanks, but no thanks," Alzack shook his head. "We know our way around the jungle, and we can take care of ourselves."

"We'll have to play it cool if we're gonna see those gorillas," Bisca suggested. "Just leave it to Tarzan."

"She's right, Mr. Clayton." Jane agreed. "It's for the best. For all I know, your shooting might be scaring them off. So we're asking you to remain in the tent until further notice. Is that fine with you?"

"Ugh... As you wish," Clayton groaned. He spun on his heel and exited the tent, admitting that he was unable to fully convince the group... at least for now. Wendy and company watched him go, and it was with discomfort and suspicion.

A minute after the hunter left, a mischievous, wicked grin crossed his face. So far, everything was going according to his plan.