Eric narrowed his eyes, "The anniversary of my beloved Ariel is coming up in three weeks, and this, you're asking me to leave Zaren for..for a mission that will already be failing with Mulan dying or worse?! For a recent courtship that isn't even saying true love in entirety!", with a depressed scowl...
Anger boiled in Emma, and she stomped up to Eric, "Listen to me, Your Majesty, and listen good! If Ariel is a prisoner in Pleasure Island, and alive to boot, would you do anything to save her? To have her in your arms, to kiss her beyond belief, to ask her to never leave you again, to love her with all your heart?! Ariel would be beyond angry with you if you didn't help rescue a good friend, and leave us to perish, to give my friend hopeless betrayal! What could she say about this?!".
Eric said nothing as he looked away, but obviously what Emma said certainly hit him. John leaned over to Emma and whispered, "I think that might have been a bit much, luv.".
Emma took a deep breath, and closed her eyes as she stepped away, "Many apologies. It's clear that you want to be alone. Come on, boys, let's head back to the docks. The team is bound to be there by now, if not soon, packing everything we need for the trip.".
Delbert nodded, "Alright, Emma. I hope you feel better, Eric.", before leaving with Emma as John glanced at Eric, "You know, your parents would be disappointed in you. Just sayin'.", before joining the others.
They thanked Grimsby as they exited the palace, walking through the village to the docks, with Delbert speaking carefully, "Did you really have to do that, Emma?".
Emma sighed heavily, "You have to be in Jason's boots, Delbert. If it was Amelia in there, would you do anything to save her?", and Delbert didn't hesitate, "Of course I would!".
John nodded, "Same way for either of us, or our children. Anyway, we tried, at least.", with a sigh, and the others nodded in agreement. "I suppose you're right... I'm sorry, I just was trying to do something...", Emma shook her head.
With some good time, they made it to the docks, seeing some of the team tying ropes around barrels and boxes, to carry them without straining, and others of the team coming down and up the stairs to the brig with more boxes.
John whistled in impression, "Wow, that looks more than enough to last a month.", as he walked up to Amelia, and Amelia shrugged, "Better more than less, as there could be a storm or something else to delay the trip, and true, it would be a bit slower with all of that in storage, but better to be safe than going headfirst into danger or such.".
Delbert chuckled, and kissed her warmly, "Indeed. I would never forget your infamous rant on preparation all those years ago.", and Amelia giggled softly, "Was that after I did a rant on pirates?".
Delbert blinked, "Maybe. I was too focused on you, personally.", and Amelia blushed with a smile. John chuckled, "Good to see love all around, eh, Em?", smiling warmly at Emma, and Emma smiled, "Sure is.", before hearing barks and shouts of surprise.
Curious, Emma turned around and, in the distance, she saw Eric on a horse, mostly cleaned up with the shadowy beard still, with Max trotting by the horse, barking like he's back to normal.
"Room for one more?", Eric asked as everyone was surprised to see him the moment that he got close to them. "Well...", John said. "We might be having quite a lot of folks coming with us on the way back possibly."
Eric nodded, "That's fair as your ship is able to fit more than all of us currently.", as he got off the horse, handing it off to a villager, "Take the horse back to the palace.".
Emma chuckled softly, "What changed your mind?", and Eric exhaled, "You were right...Ariel truly loved her family and friends and if she could, she would do anything to save them...Plus, redheads can be scary when they are angry...I can't promise that I can be on my best every day, but I will try, for Ariel's sake.", petting Max on the head.
John replied, "And Zaren?", and Eric chuckled, "Grimsby actually hugged me when I told him that I am going. He's happy to take charge of Zaren for me...".
"Well, hopefully it won't be too long, but I must warn you-", John tried to say. "Don't. I know, Pleasure Island... I've heard some of the rumors... you'll certainly need some extra help for sure.", Eric said.
"I don't know; I think we'd be fine as is.", Logan chuckled as Jasmine slapped his arm, "Don't try to make him turn around, Logan!".
Eric gave a reassuring smile, "It's okay. I'm sticking to what I signed up for. Are we almost done with the packing?", and Amelia smiled, "It's good to see you, Eric, and yes, we're almost done. We will sail out within 15 minutes.".
Morph barked to Max who yelped out in happiness as he ran up the ramp to play with Morph, and John chuckled, "And Morph is happy to have an old friend to play with.".
Delbert laughed, "Indeed. Let's head up and help out with the rest of the storage packing.", and everybody nodded in agreement, helping the others to put the supplies, food, and such in the hold compartment.
It only took them 10 minutes to get things ready before the ship set sail again. Of course, now that Eric was with them, that was one thing less to worry about, but it didn't solve the main issue that Jason was worried about.
"So... does anyone know how exactly we can find Pleasure Island?", he asked.
Amelia sighed, "I do not know. I only know that it's somewhere in the Azure Sea among the island chain off Enchantia.", frowning, and Eric added, "And we are on the North Azure Sea, so we must head south.".
Sunset is approaching, and the stars are starting to show up, especially a special one, and John commented, "Is it just me, or is the Evening Star far brighter than before?".
They all looked up and saw the Evening Star shining much brighter than the nights before, and Delbert nodded, "The Blue Fairy must have heard you, Jason. Her star is leading the way.".
"I'd much rather have her just simply drop Mulan right on the deck of this boat than follow a star...", Jason grumbled. "Yeah, I'd wish Scar and Frollo would kill each other already, bro.", Logan patted him on the back. "All will work out, trust me."
The crew decided to have John at the wheel at night with Amelia at daylight, and Eric slowly regained his strength, his health, but he still has bad days. It was perhaps five days before something has happened, and it didn't happen on the ship, but back up in the Congo where Haku is going to have his turn to fight his trials, discover his soul dragon guide, and be the protector of his own Infinity Stone.
In the past five days, with the help of the Congo group, they carefully picked off one or two of the goon patrols, to make Scar think that the rebels are having trouble, and that the United Talons wasn't in the area.
"I still feel we could hit Scar a bit harder, you know? Really make his forces feel some pain out here." Pippa said as the group returned once more from a patrol.
"Right now, for the time being, it's better we just keep harassing him and not giving him a moment to truly regroup nor make him think he's figured out our strength.", Zuri reminded.
Pippa sighed, "That's fair. Haku, what do you think? Haku!", and Haku blinked, "I'm here, I'm here. Lost in thought, that's all.".
Zuri raised an eyebrow, "You already know that Pocahontas and her son, Koda is fine. So, what's up?", and Haku sighed heavily, "Apparently, I'm part of a cliche. The stories back on Earth, I am now relating to them.".
Adam spoke, "Which part?", as he joined them from doing his chore of erasing the tracks with a brush sweeper, and Haku blushed widely, "Falling in love with an incredible woman and her son.".
"Oh, I see...", Adam quickly blushed. "Yeah, I guess it's sort of fitting, we're all meeting our soulmates here, aren't we?", Haku gave a nervous chuckle.
Pippa chuckled, "Indeed. I mean, Adam and I are together, Emma got Silver, Logan adores Jasmine, Jason is driven for Mulan, and now you, Haku...Don't worry, Zuri, you will get your chance.", with a soft shoulder nudge to Zuri with a wink.
Zuri smiled, "I know. I just have to be patient and meet Eric one day...Good thing that he joined the team. The mirror helped out on checking on them.", and Adam smiled, "It's the least I could do for us apart from hassling the goon patrols for the rebels.".
Pippa laughed softly, "That's for sure.", before changing the subject back, "Have you told her, Haku?", and Haku groaned lightly, "That's the thing that's bothering me...I don't want to hurt her or Koda by taking the place of John Smith! But I love them already. Pocahontas is stubborn and incredible, laughing at my jokes and smiling when she feeds Koda, and Koda...He makes my day brighter, you know, with his love for stories when he goes to sleep and always is talkative with his gurgling and babbling when he sees me...".
"I get it, you feel that it's too soon. Again, it's like Jason and Mulan in a way; it depends on her...", Zuri said. "Just hopefully it doesn't last for years and all.", Pippa added as she got a look from Adam. "Right, right, not helping there.".
Haku chuckled, grateful to have friends like them, "You are the best friends I can ask for.", before hearing a thrilling purr, and he looks up in surprise to see a transparent, slightly glowing raccoon perched on a branch. He exhales, "Meeko?", recognizing him at once.
Pippa's voice echoes around him as she touches his shoulder, "Go, Haku...It's your turn, apparently. We will keep Pocahontas distracted so she won't worry too much. Just don't take too long before dark, eh?".
"I'll try... You never know how these things go through...", Haku said as Zuri smirked, "Just try not to get ambushed, would you?".
"And give you the satisfaction of me being out of your lives?", Haku chuckled. The trio laughed, and Pippa smiles, "You can do it, Haku.", with Zuri nodding in agreement.
Meeko gives a thrilling purr once more and goes tree-jumping with glances back at Haku, and Haku nods, "I'm coming. Keep dinner warm for me, will ya?", glancing at his friends, and Adam replies, "I may not see who's leading ya, but we will keep dinner warm and watch out for Pocahontas's sake.".
Haku smiles appreciatively, "Tell her not to worry.", with a wave before sprinting off to follow Meeko. "We'll keep her distracted!", Pippa shouted as Haku got further away from the group.
"Okay, Meeko... where are you leading me?", Haku whispered to himself as he continued to follow.
Meeko gives a thrill as he just jumped from one tree to another, and Haku follows him on for at least 10 minutes, before Meeko jumps down from a tree into a clearing, running up to a boulder, climbing up before sitting down with a glance to whatever's behind the boulder in the distance.
Haku blinked in confusion as he walked up to the boulder and glanced in Meeko's direction before gaping in amazement as he saw a combination of a wigwam and longhouse, with accents of Chinese and Mayan.
"Where have you led me too, little guy?...", Haku whispered in awe as he looked at the incredible sight he was seeing. He heard another chirp from the little raccoon before he turned to see that he had vanished. "Leaving me on my own then, huh?".
Haku took a deep breath and walked to the building, seeing a door with a Chinese proverb chain he recognized from home, and translated it into English, "Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it. Continually give, continually gain.".
A doorknob shimmers into view, in the shape of a bear, and Haku puts a hand on it, feeling a prick in his palm, and the door clicks open as he pushes it in, opening it forward.
"Damn, that stings...", Haku said to himself. He had been warned about the prick, but it still caught him off guard. "Alright; whatever force is out there and guiding me right now... what have you got for me?".
Haku steps in, seeing red Chinese lanterns mixed with torches, as the door closes behind him, and Haku nods, "Keep going forward.", walking on through an archway tunnel with rafters of a longhouse before hearing a child cry in the distance.
He walks faster, almost losing his balance when he nearly finds himself at the edge of an ice pond. He breaths fast as he realizes that the ones in charge, the force, it knew his deep fear of falling through the ice.
It stemmed from when he was young, perhaps 8 or 9. He was trying something that was intriguing to him when he saw the show of Charlie Brown. Flying a kite in the middle of winter. After some tries, he had succeeded for a full minute before the wind changed on him, taking the kite away from him.
It landed in the middle of a frozen pond as the wind died, and Haku thought it was more than strong enough to hold him up, but he was wrong...He spent in the hospital for a couple of days, seeing so many people care for him, hence why he's so determined to be a doctor before his parents strongly requested him to sign up for the army. He was at least glad that there was aid training, not doctor training, but it was similar enough for him to be happy somewhat.
Taking a deep breath, Haku looked over to see a child, barely out of toddler age, maybe 5, and to his horror, he recognized it to be Koda, but his happy-go-lucky smile wasn't there as he was scared and crying, frozen to the spot.
"Koda...", Haku was frozen with fear as he started at the frozen boy that was before him. "No, no... please... no... What happened?", Haku asked himself. He knew this wasn't real... but it still disturbed him.
The boy opened his eyes, holding his arms close to his body, and glanced at Haku, "H-Hapa, Hapa.", shivering in fear and cold as the ice cracked slowly under himself, with a nearby hole of ice water with signs that he managed to climb out, "I want Momma! Hapa, I'm scared!".
Hapa? Was that a mix of Haku and Papa? He shook his head as he slowly got closer to Koda. "Just stay still, Koda, don't make any sudden moves. We'll find Momma soon, but you've just got to stay still and let Hapa get you away from that hole."
Koda shivered, sniffing, "I'm cold, Hapa.", and Haku nodded, "I know, Koda. Just hold still. I'm coming.", carefully watching his steps as he walked further and further into the ice, slowly laying down to spread his weight around.
After the accident that gave his fear, Haku researched deeply for ways to be careful on an ice pond in case if he finds himself on one once again, and now, right here, he is doing it...
Haku slowly slides to Koda, reaching to Koda, "Grab my hands, climb into my back, that's it, son. You will get warm soon. We can have hot chocolate; would you like that?".
Koda sniffed, shivering, "You say sweets are for-forbb, not allowed before dinner.", and Haku chuckled softly, "I think Momma wouldn't mind just this once, kid. Hot chocolate is really cozy and gets you warm from the cold. Heck, we can have whipped cream too. Sounds good, Koda, hmm?".
Koda nodded as he gave a little smile. "There it is... Come on... Let's get you warmed up for sure then we go look for Momma, alright?" Haku smiled. "O-Okay, Hapa...", Koda whimpered out as Haku was trying his best to keep the poor boy warm.
Haku carefully crawled low, and scooted slowly, inching and inching forward to the shore, and gave a breath of relief as he made it to the ground, and got Koda off his back, rubbing and holding him tightly, "Feeling better?".
Koda nodded before smiling at Haku with a strange look, almost like a proud look as he pulled back, glowing and changing shape and size, with Haku closing his eyes momentarily at the sudden glow before widening them in shock as he opened them again.
Standing before Haku, is Pocahontas's father, Powhatan, chuckling, "I apologize for that, but I offered to be part of your physical fear test as an illusion decoy of Koda, and well, my grandson seemed like the best option without actually risking him. I wouldn't dream of taking Koda from my beloved daughter that young, and babies doesn't understand too much about situations of fear.".