The cat roared as he was trying desperately to kill the two intruders before him... and then get the rest of them after they were taken care of, but John and Emma moved faster than he clearly wanted. Emma swiped at his underbelly as the cat roared in pain from the gashing wound that he suffered, but he wasn't down yet, not by a long shot.
John looked at Emma, mentally communicating, 'Pile driver?' John have learned about some pinning moves from the team and have observed them during training and decided to modify them a bit. Emma nodded swiftly before continuing to fight Lucifer as John lifted his wings, flapping them higher.
Emma kept swiping anywhere she could, distracting Lucifer, while creating more wounds on him, and when Lucifer was struggling to regain his breath, Emma roared, and John folded his wings, dropping like a rock, crashing into Lucifer as his jaws caught into the neck of the monstrous cat, suffocating him while Lucifer struggled to fight back, yowling.
John wasn't giving the cat a chance as he kept up the strangulation as the cat's resistance slowly dropped every second that he kept it up before finally John could feel all the strength fading from Lucifer.
With a snort, John dropped Lucifer's dead body, thudding against the ground, his eyes empty of life, hearing Tremaine's enraged scream, and he locked eyes upon her location at her balcony, and with a growl, seeing the flag shadow on her, and transferred from his own shadow to the flag shadow, landing smack, blocking the way back to her bedroom, trapping Tremaine.
Tremaine roared, "You won't defeat me, dragon!", igniting her green, dark magic, throwing curses at him. John moved quick to avoid the curses that were coming his way, but Tremaine honestly was much faster than he clearly expected as he ducked and dodged whatever she was throwing at him. He almost was forced out of the chamber through the balcony with how fast her assault was for a few moments there.
Meanwhile, Emma can see that the remaining enemy soldiers are finally dead, and the team is recovering their breath, and so with determination, she used a portal right over the balcony, and transferred, hovering with a growl. Tremaine then realized that she was trapped, and thinking frantically, she threw dark fireballs at the same time towards John and Emma.
John and Emma breathed fire on the fireballs, pushing them back at Tremaine, getting closer and closer before finally, burning Tremaine, hearing screams of pain, fury, and fear, and the shield is shimmering, getting weaker and weaker before right at the moment where Tremaine dropped dead, becoming bones, and the shield became nothing.
Almost suddenly, a huge weight practically could be felt lifting off of their shoulders. Tremaine was dead and Andalasia had been purged of its last great evil that threatened the land, the largest threat to peace and hope. What had been seen as almost a pipe dream less than half a year ago had now become reality.
John landed, shifting back to human form, panting heavily, "That was intense...", as Emma shifted back, landing besides him, touching his flesh arm with her hand, "We did it, my love.", hearing cheers from the team, and distantly, cheers coming from deep inside the castle.
"That we did... it's over.", Emma sighed as she gave him a kiss as he shook his head. "For now, at least, but I doubt we're fully done yet; the war is still continuing elsewhere.", John admitted.
"Yes, but at least this front might be reaching its end. All that's really left is to mop up a few remaining straggling forces.", Emma said.
John glanced at her, "Since Clayton is having trouble with the rebellions, perhaps it's time to have some time to help rebuild Andalasia back to normal...Downtime, I mean.", with a smile.
Emma chuckled, "Sounds good to me, and besides, I am sure King Edward would want to know the news, and Willow's End is free to rebuild their marketplace and their lives back...Pippa would be happy with that...", knowing how she was touchy about the topic of prostitutes ever since she found out.
John chuckled, kissing her warmly, "Let's head inside, search for those kiddos and slaves, and free them out. They deserve to know that they're finally safe, first of all.".
"Good idea. I hate to imagine what Tremaine had in store for us... and them.", Emma shuttered at the thought. The woman might be dead, but it would still take some time to wipe her influence and the black spot that she left in the land.
With content satisfaction, the duo headed inside while the team cleaned up outside, finding several slaves here and there, and to their surprise, after hearing the sisters' story, they found David who was a favorite slave of Tremaine, forced to be her pleasure toy, out of all the sick things they could imagine.
With David's help, they found the 2-year-old twins that held Tremaine's blood yet their uncle Ferdinand's blood in their bodies, and their names are Darina & Bryer. Darina has Drizella's black hair, otherwise, she has dark blue eyes and tan skin, and has the chin of Tremaine while Bryer has dark blonde hair, otherwise, he has Drizella's dark brown eyes, and Tremaine's pale tan skin.
They were scared and bewildered of all the noise, but they were glad that the creepy wrinkle lady with those icy green eyes is gone, even if she was their grandmother...
"At least they're not old enough to truly make any true connection to that witch.", John sighed in small relief; it would be worse if they were somewhat older and had a connection; especially a positive one that might drive them to get revenge and that was one of the last things John wanted; to constantly keep watching his back as the past tried to catch up to him in that way.
Emma smiled softly, "I know. At least, they are free to reunite with their families and all.", and sure enough, with the use of the magic mirror and Emma's portals, they gave most of the freed slaves a way home to their families, in pairs and all to make sure.
With all the castle empty, the team left it to be abandoned, knowing that Ferdinand and his brother is dead, unable to claim the castle, and the team headed back to Willow's End, reuniting David with the sisters, Nani and Lilo.
After much talking, the small ohana decides to take in the twins, figuring that they would appreciate having a mother and father and sister even if David and Nani aren't married. The team happily settled in Willow's End, having downtime, cleaning up occasionally around the land upon King Edward's messages, and noticing that the river border between Andalasia and Congo is now patrolled by newfound soldiers in all ways of life.
It honestly felt strange for many of them; to experience peace in a way. Not total, there still was danger to Andalasia from neighboring regions and Mickey's forces still were being pressed from other forces, but at least for now, the wars seemed fairly distant for the Talons. Many of them were enjoying the downtime and the minimal risks of being attacked.
Two weeks came and went, and Emma noticed that her period hadn't come at all but decided to wait one more week before telling John, for being a dragon shapeshifter, it would have made her period finicky. After all, some women have unnatural period times.
It was the middle of the new week, and Emma was having fun with John in their dragon forms, flying above the town, delighting the citizens, and just after she finished a barrel roll, she suddenly lost flight, nausea filling her, landing roughly into a clearing as she shifted back to human form, puking and panting, with John immediately worried beyond belief, heading down fast to check on her.
"Emma!", John cried out as he got next to her. "Are you alright? That was a nasty landing you had.", he feared as he checked her over. She looked to be alright at least, but that wasn't normal for her.
"I'm... I'm alright...", Emma gave a small groan as she tried to recover.
John checked her forehead, "You're not hot, but you're pale, luv...", and Emma looked at him, looking tired, feeling strangely heavy yet not bloated at all...Emma sighed heavily, knowing that she had never reacted like this before around John or anyone else...
She then clenched her mouth before puking again, feeling John's flesh hand rubbing her back, "Breathe, Emma...Let's get you to the inn..give you some water or something...", and Emma panted softly, wiping off the vomit off her lips, "I think it's time to look for a magical healer...", looking at John with a half anxious, half resigned expression.
"You don't mean...?", John asked as she nodded. "I see. You really think so?".
"That's typical for those who are. I really think that it happened that night.", Emma sighed while giving a small smile. "I think we're going to be parents, John.".
John smiled gently, helping Emma up as he caressed her belly, "You made me so much happier, luv...Don't worry, you are always my beautiful lass, Emma.".
Emma kissed his cheek, "Thank you, John.", and John chuckled warmly as they got into walking back to town, "Well, looks like we gotta tell the others. Atlantis is closest as one of Queen Kida's magical healer people can help us...And besides, an island in the middle of the lake will be the safest place...", nodding with a protective glint in his eyes, with his cyborg eye glowing brightly.
"Sounds good to me. I think it's for the best we stay as far away from danger as we can during this time.", Emma said.
"Plus, gives us extra time to each other. Doubt we'll get too much of that when we're on the move again.", John flashed a little smile.
Emma giggled softly, "Too right there, John.", with a patient smile, and they soon got back to Willow's End via one of the forest trails, thankfully, heading to the inn where the team gathered frantically.
"We saw you fall from the sky! Are you hurt?! What happened?! Did you twist a wing or something?!", their voices clamored all at once. "You think we should tell them the truth right now?", John whispered to her as she nodded.
"They're going to find out eventually, aren't they?", Emma gave a small chuckle as she sat down as to give her body some extra rest; being both pregnant and the recent hard landing wasn't doing her body any favors at the moment.
John nodded and whistled sharply and long to stop the team's clamoring voices, and they became quiet, staring at John who spoke, "Thank you. First of all, Emma isn't hurt, rather tired from puking up her breakfast, thanks to the barrel roll. Secondly, Emma needs more rest for today for after the news she has informed me, we have decided to head south to Atlantis for a magical healer.".
Emma can see the anticipation and confusion in their faces through Jasmine was the clearest one, realizing that it's actually happening, and she smiled happily with affection and love as she unconsciously caressed her belly, "I'm pregnant.".
The sudden strike of realization on every else's faces as well as the congratulations that came right after it was almost comical in a way to her. But it still didn't change the fact that this was a happy moment. Though obviously there were also the issues that would come from it during these still trying times, but Emma knew that it was always the risk.
The entire day was spent by sharing childhood stories of memories, relaxing and having good food & drinks, and it was decided that Jim, Eilonwy, and Jason would go along with Silver and Emma to Atlantis while the others would stay back in Andalasia for any assistance to rebuilding the kingdoms and such.
But the team will go with Emma and Silver all the way south to the border of Enchanted Lake on the horses for Jasmine would need to guide them through the ruins of Agrabah and the patch of sand dunes that surrounds Agrabah, and of course, bid them good-bye.
The town of Willow's End gave the team a huge farewell ceremony in exchange for freeing them from the nightmare they had fallen to over the past couple of years. It almost brought a tear to the eye for quite a few in the group, seeing it.
From Willow's End, through Agrabah on the south road to the border of Enchanted Lake, in the port town of Aquarine, it will take a week with camp-out stops for the nights.
The trip through Agrabah obviously would be one of the more difficult ones; not in terms of traversing, but just Jasmine's pain that the entire group could feel. A once proud kingdom devastated by the dark forces that Jafar once led.
Logan can see the buildings half shredded like someone had taken the tops off all at once, the marketplace stalls broken in pieces, the streets littered with broken pottery, deceased citizens that is half eroded to bones, rats and vultures almost everywhere...Jasmine, with her first and second wishes of the three wishes, had saved the majority of her people, but she couldn't save the already dead ones...
The palace itself is half crumbling, half solid, and was the place where the team stopped for the night in the middle of the week's trip. Jasmine was relieved at least her beloved bedroom chambers and the guest chambers are still intact...The gardens themselves are ruined, overgrown, and the menagerie was in pieces, with many animals' bodies scattered like trash for the rats and vultures, but she didn't see the flamingos anywhere, and speculated that they found a better home somewhere else...Maybe Atlantis...
"You alright?", Logan asked her after they stopped in the area for that night; it was better than simply camping out in the dunes, especially if a sandstorm would've come through that night which one actually did in the distance of the direction they were heading. Nearly avoided a disaster they had with the choice they made.
Jasmine sighed heavily as she pets Rajah next to her, resting against the balcony railing, "It nearly feels like Father would come through those doors for his morning and curfew visits, or the servants coming in to wake me up for my bath, or one of the trainee guards delivering a slab of meat for Rajah...".
"I understand your pain... it's hard to know it for so long and then suddenly it all changes. I'm sorry we're having to open the wounds and all by being here, Jazz..", Logan told her as he wrapped his arms around her from behind.
Jasmine relaxed just a little bit, feeling safe in his arms, hearing Rajah purr and huff, rearing back from the railing and his paws thudding against the stone floor, stepping away from them.
Logan chuckled lightly, "I think he's glad that I'm here to comfort you as I should.", and Jasmine smiled a little, "I'm glad you're here too...I'm sorry you have to see my home this way...Somehow, if Father knew that a guard like you fell in love with me years ago, perhaps he would approve that better than having a peasant boy...Even if Aladdin lied to me, he meant well... I know you said that he was happy for me...".
"Yeah...", Logan sighed, thinking back to that part of Jasmine's past that he ended up getting caught up with. "I often find it crazy how much the past seems to keep catching up with our group in some way. I mean, take finding David for instant. Didn't think we would find him so quickly... or that he would be so near to Nani and Lilo.".
Jasmine nodded, "Or that Tremaine had kept him. I half honestly thought he would be with Clayton.", and Logan chuckled, "I thought the very same thing, Jazz. All the same, the past may be painful, but it is also good. I mean, look at this way, you have saved Agrabah's people. There's one Earth phrase, and I believe this one fits it; 'Where we love is home- home that our feet may leave, but not our hearts.' My foster father Frederick has said it to me and Jason before we left for the army.".
"Sounded a lot like my own father... in some ways.", Jasmine gave a small smile as she sighed once more. "I don't know what I have planned for Agrabah after this war is all over; whether to help rebuild it or just leave it for history to claim and start somewhere else for my people.".
Logan blinked softly, and then looked up with a smile, "Did you know that stars are eternal? Even if they die, they still give a glow no matter what.", and Jasmine followed his glance, seeing the stars, especially the Evening Star...
Jasmine spoke softly, "I'm relieved that Father has reunited with Mother, and that they're looking down on me..For some reason, I feel like I can finally make good memories now...", with a serene smile.
Logan gently let go of her, stepping to the side to grasp her hand, "Rebuilding Agrabah, just not for your father, but for yourself, that is a perfect goal for good memories, but why not start now?", before kneeling down before her, hearing a gasp from Jasmine, remembering Logan's culture of Earth from his stories.
"I may not have a ring, but I do have my love for you. Your personality shines through you, I love you for your sassiness, your stubbornness, your compassion, your bravery, and your beauty inside and outside. I love you for your flaws, your strengths, and your dreams. Will you, Princess Jasmine of Agrabah, be my wife forever and ever?", Logan lovingly and strongly spoke as he held her hand.