Atlantis...
Hook looked on in complete disinterest as his crew tore apart the King's city. Atlanteans- the true, pure-blooded citizens, not the human refugees that they permitted to immigrate from Earth all those years ago- were running wild with panic, trying to protect their homes and their loved ones from the pirates. But they denied themselves an escape because they stubbornly refused to flee their precious city. Some Atlantean troops fought valiantly to protect their people, but it was impossible for their ancient weapons to match up to what lay in the Jolly Roger's armory. In a matter of days, Hook's crew had ravaged the surrounding lands and human villages, reached the hidden city where the real Atlanteans hid, and overruled it. At this rate, the planet would be an ember by the time the Legacy found it.
That didn't matter to Hook. Regardless of what condition the planet would be in when Amelia and her crew would arrive, he planned to ambush the ship and steal back his sprite. Though, with Vidia hostage, he figured Tinkerbell would come along without a fight.
He turned from the view of the city to watch King Kashekim still refusing to tell Rourke anything, despite the brutal beating his silence awarded him. The old man was tough, Hook had to admit. Hook remained stoic and resigned as the barbaric interrogation continued. He was allowing Rourke and Helga their moment to shine, since they were the ones who wanted this mysterious treasure so badly. He was playing the part of a neutral third party for now.
Rourke was starting to grow irritated with Kashekim's lack of cooperation. "Come on, old King Kohl. Let us in on the secret, huh?" He reached down and gripped the king by the shoulders, hefting him up and tossing him through the air. The king's frail body cracked against the stone floor, bounced once, and slid away toward his throne. Rourke stomped toward him.
Kashekim's young daughter- well, she looked young, at least- struggled violently to get out of Gaston's grip and run to her father's aid. Despite her efforts, there was no way for her to escape Gaston's iron-like grip. (Hook had hired Gaston for good reason. Sure, he was an embecil. But he was also a meta-human with strength that had so far been unmatched by any of their opponents. He was more brawn than brain, which made him the perfect lackey.) Still, her constant squirming and screaming in both Atlantean and English were wearing on Hook's nerves.
Hook turned sharply toward Gaston, then to Clayton, a poacher who he'd recruited some time ago. "You two take her deep into the jungle and shoot her."
Clayton nodded obediently and turned to leave the temple, with Gaston dragging the enraged princess along behind him. Hook turned back in time to see Rourke giving the king a solid punch in the stomach. The old man crumpled to the ground with a deep groan. Hook could tell that the hit had been hard enough to cause internal bleeding. Kashekim wouldn't last long now. Hopefully Rourke would get an answer before the king faded away.
"Tell us where the treasure is, and maybe we'll spare that pretty daughter of yours..." Rourke growled,lifting the old man up and dropping him into his throne. Rourke pulled out his gun and aimed it between Kashekim's milky eyes. "I'm running out of patience. I guess we have to do things the hard way. I'm going to count to ten, and if you don't tell me where the treasure is by then, I'll shoot." He cocked the gun. "One... Two..."
No reaction.
Rourke sighed. "Nine... T-"
He was cut off when he noticed the reflection in the king's blind eyes. He paused for a moment, then turned warily around to look at the floor of the king's chamber, which was really just a pond with wide, flat stepping stones reaching from the throne to the door. In the center of the pond, engraved in an old stone panel under the water's surface, Rourke spied the same symbol that decorated the cover of the Shepherd's Journal. He remembered a line from that little book, which he'd had translated so many years ago.
"'The Heart of Atlantis lies in the eyes of Her King'..." Rourke mumbled, his eyes lighting up. "That's it!" He put his gun away and marched into the water. Helga, Hook, Hades, Eris, Jafar, Maleficent and Grimhilde joined him on the panel in the center while a few other pirates stood guard. Under their weight, the old rock shifted and trembled, starting to sink downward. The water fell with it, spiraling and flowing downward like it was going down a drain.
They all stood clustered together as the stone floated downward into a dark, rocky cavern, with iridescent blue light dancing over every surface from a mysterious source in the center of the place, hovering in mid-air high above a large pool of black water. They drifted through the open air as if they were standing on a feather, until the round platform settled into a circular pocket in the ground below, fitting like a puzzle piece. They cautiously stepped off the platform and walked toward the water. Upon closer inspection of the floating light source, they stood in awe, unsure of exactly what they were seeing, but knowing that it was exactly what they came for.
Rourke grinned. "Jackpot."
In The Jungle...
Gaston wasn't sure how long they'd been walking, but he figured they were a safe enough distance from the city. He dragged the princess to a halt and threw her to the ground. In an instant, Clayton had his shotgun trained on her head. She crouched there, glowering up at the both of them with her intense blue eyes. Her white hair was in a disarray, some thick strands hanging over her face, in stark contrast with her richly-colored skin. Gaston smirked at her wild appearance. Savage as she was, there was something undoubtedly attractive about the princess. Now he was glad he'd never learned her name; otherwise, killing her might have been an irksome task. It really was a shame to waste such a pretty thing, though.
Clayton noticed how Gaston was ogling the princess and rolled his eyes. "Oh, for goodness' sake, man. Are you being serious? She's a savage!"
Gaston turned to Clayton and shrugged. "I take it where I can get it."
"Well, we don't have time for that right now." Clayton snapped. "We have to-" He turned back toward the princess and froze, seeing that she had vanished. "How on earth-?"
A battle-cry rang out overhead and they both looked up to see the princess swooping down on them from the trees. Both men received a kick to the face, knocking them both over with surprising force. She was a slim thing, but quite fit and strong. Built to fight, or at least hunt. She landed hard on Clayton's chest, knocking the wind out of him and cracking a few ribs. She used both hands to wrench the shotgun out of his grip and took off sprinting into the jungle without looking back.
She heard the men shouting and running after her, and a few shots ringing out from their spare guns, but she kept running without fear. She was out of their sight, and she knew this jungle like the back of her hand while they were stumbling around in the foreign terrain. They'd never find her out here as long as she kept her wits about her. She only hoped that she'd never have to figure out how this strange weapon worked...
The Legacy...
"Have you lost your mind?" Aladdin hissed at Flynn, who was watching Rapunzel climb around with Rat and Mowgli.
"I think I must be, to be in this line of work." Flynn grumbled.
"You know the Thieves' Code! You know what we're supposed to do with witnesses!"
Flynn turned toward him with a sharp glare. "Yeah, well, if you'd been in my position, would you have been able to do it?"
Aladdin's expression softened, and he looked down at his shoes. "No, probably not..."
"Exactly. So maybe we're both bad at this..." Flynn shook his head, looking back up at Rapunzel. The girl who'd caused him so much trouble. The girl who looked so at home up in the rigging, with a radiant smile and twinkling green eyes... The girl who made an unfamiliar warmth bloom in his gut every time he looked at her... Ugh, what was he thinking?! "We're not meant for this, Al... We need to finish it. Once you get the Lamp, we've proven ourselves to your father, and life will be smooth sailing. The sooner I can get away from Blondie, the better."
"You really trust her to keep this secret?" Aladdin asked doubtfully.
Flynn kept his expression guarded as he looked his best friend over. He remembered how Aladdin had been long ago, when they were kids- just a couple of orphans wreaking havoc in the streets of Montressor, before Aladdin found out who his father was and they were set on this trail to infamy. Aladdin had been so innocent, and hopeful, optimistic, trusting, unafraid... Now, he was constantly wary and worried, riddled with anxiety. The only person he could bring himself to believe in whole-heartedly was Flynn, who'd been by his side since the beginning. Flynn wasn't sure what kind of relationship Aladdin was hoping to have with his father, but he did know that it was driving Aladdin mad.
"I do." Flynn assured him. "She's a good kid... I've held up my end of the deal. She has no reason to turn on us." And for some reason, Flynn was sure she wouldn't.
Aladdin nodded, seeming more at ease.
Meanwhile, in the galley, Peter was being scolded by Audrey, who'd managed to trap Tink under a glass after a humorous bit of the protective sprite trying to pull the mechanic's hair out of her head.
Audrey adjusted her cap with a huff while Jim chuckled at her side. She glared at Peter and said, "Wendy's a nice girl, and you nearly got her hurt! Or worse!"
"Uh, me too, dude. Not cool." Jim put in unhappily.
"What were you thinking?" Audrey demanded.
Peter raised his hands defensively. "Okay, okay. So things didn't exactly go according to plan."
"According to plan? There was a plan?!" Audrey snapped.
Jim rolled his eyes. "There was a terrible idea, not a plan. He was going to get Wendy on the same line as him, trip her up when no one was looking, then try to swoop in and save her."
"Uh...yeah. But she went and slipped before I could get her in the right spot." Peter crossed his arms, pouting like a child.
"Are you being serious right now?" Audrey growled.
"It was lucky that Hercules was there. But really bad that my brother was. I'm not gonna be able to sleep for the rest of this trip!" Jim sighed.
Peter wore a smug expression, his brown eyes shining with utter amusement. Jim glared at him.
"Why do I put up with you?" Jim demanded.
"Because no one else will put up with you." Peter smirked.
"That's not true..." Audrey said quietly. Jim looked over at her with a small smile while Peter rolled his eyes. Tink whined unhappily from her confinement under the glass.
The ship jerked violently all of a sudden. The power flickered and the mechanics within the vessel groaned ominously.
Audrey jumped up from her seat. "I'm going down to engineering!" She ran from the galley and headed down below while Jim jogged up to the deck with most of the crew. Peter quickly grabbed Tink before running after Jim.
The ship shuddered and whined, the lights going out every few moments, then twitching back on again. Eric, Amelia, Doppler and Milo sprinted to the helm and were horrified to see the Legacy sailing straight toward a black hole. Eric had been in a meeting in the Captain's quarters and left the ship on auto-pilot toward Atlantis, unaware of what obstacles could lie in the way. Eric immediately took the helm and started to steer the ship away, but there wasn't much he could do to fight the currant. For the time being, he kept his eyes on the oxygen and artificial gravity controls. With the power going off and on, it was possible they could lose both.
"Evasive action, Mr. Arrow!" Amelia called down to the deck.
Mr. Arrow began to bark orders at the panicked crew and the ship was soon bustling with activity as every man, woman and child was hurrying through safety measures. Tarzan, Rat, Mowgli, Jim, Peter, Rapunzel, and John were racing to fasten the sails. Merlin, Mr. Porter, Jane and Belle were quickly ushering the younger sailors down below to safety.
Eric shouted into his comm to reach engineering. "Merida, talk to me!" He struggled to direct the ship as it was being pulled toward the black hole.
"I have an idea... But it's crazy!" She screeched in response, running around with Audrey and a few others like a madwoman.
"What is it?!" He demanded.
"It could work, but it could also severely damage the ship, or wind up gettin' us killed!" She cried.
"It don't see anyone else coming up with ideas! Whatever you've got, we have to try it!"
Merida groaned. "Okay! Well... You've gotta get the ship turned around, so her back is to the black hole!"
"Already on it!"
"Right, well, then Audrey and I have got to divert all energy to our thrusters. Hopefully, that'll give us enough power to sail out of its reach!"
"And if that doesn't work? What then?!"
"How about an extra push?" A new voice called over the ruckus.
Eric looked up to see Robin perched in front of him, brandishing a type of arrow Eric had never seen before.
"It's explosive. I''ve got a bunch of them!" Robin said. "If I fire them all into the black hole and they blow, it should help."
"Can you fire them all fast enough?" Eric asked.
"No... But Merida can help. She knows how to shoot."
"It'll be a tight turn-around after setting things up down here, but... Yeah, I think I can make it up there in time!" Merida said.
"I can hold the fort down here!" Audrey called.
"Let's do it, then!" Amelia ordered, having snuck over and heard the whole thing after helping Mr. Arrow secure loose cargo. "It's the only plan we've got, so let's pretend it's a brilliant one!"
"I've got her nearly turned around, Merida!" Eric shouted. The ship was creaking so loudly and people were yelling all around, so he had to shout to be heard.
"Okay!" She responded as she and Audrey quickly began to throw a series of switches. Then, Merida jumped on the control monitor and started to type in the absurd orders. She sighed heavily and muttered, "We're probably gonna get blown right to Hell..."
"That's not very optimistic." Adam said from right next to her.
She glared up at him, but didn't stop working. "And just what're you doin' here?"
"Arrow sent me down to help Audrey in your place. Direct me where to go."
Merida knew she shouldn't be surprised that Adam was being so cooperative during a deadly emergency situation, but she was any way. This was the most calm she'd ever seen him. She nodded toward where Audrey was struggling to pull down two very stiff levers.
"Pull 'em down halfway, and on my signal, throw 'em all the way down. Got it?"
Adam nodded and walked over to help Audrey. The ship jerked continually, nearly throwing Merida off her coding. Around her, she heard the engines whining and steaming profusely from the pressure both she Eric were putting on them. There were a couple of deafening pops, like gunshots, followed by the sounds of some of the engineering crew screaming.
"We're coming apart! We'll never make it like this!" Audrey shouted.
"We have to!" Merida snarled. "Don't lose focus!"
Up above, Eric noticed some alarming readings and shouted to Amelia, "Captain, the oxygen feild is starting to fade! Anyone on the deck right now is facing suffocation, especially in the rigging!"
Amelia called out over the deck, "Any person who doesn't need to be up here right now should get down below!"
"You heard the Captain! If your presence isn't needed on the deck, head below!" Mr. Arrow relayed to the crew.
Upon hearing this, Tarzan called from the mast, "Jim, Peter, Mowgli and Rapunzel! Get below deck!"
"What? I'm not leaving you up here!" Jim yelled back.
"Jim, I said get down! Now! " Tarzan bellowed.
Jim seemed like he would keep arguing, so Peter and Tink jumped in to coerce him downward. Jim fought with them all the while, refusing to abandon his older brother. Then, the artificial gravity gave out and everyone was scrambling to grab ahold of something to keep from drifting off into space.
Meg had been in the middle of arguing with Sinbad when they suddenly started to float off of the deck and away from each other. Meg realized she was about to go overboard and be lost in the vacuum of space. She flailed around, throwing out her arms and legs in an effort to grab onto something, but there was nothing around and she was only hastening her end. She watched as a few other crewmembers were cast overboard and screamed for help. She heard Sinbad shouting, but couldn't see him anywhere.
Miraculously, Phoebus, who was wearing a lifeline, grabbed her hand and pulled her close to him. She clung to him, petrified, and buried her face in his chest while he reeled them back onto the ship. He used the rope to direct them toward the stairs leading below deck and started to ease Meg downward.
"You stay below for now." He said in his most soothing tone.
Meg started to shake her head. "No, my brother, he's-"
Phoebus shifted to one side so Meg could see Sinbad perched safely on the mast, tying a lifeline around his waist. He gave Meg a reassuring smile and a wave before moving to help Rat, John, Marina, and Tarzan to once again release the sails, on Amelia's command. Phoebus floated in front of Meg once again. Sensing her fear, he cupped her face in his hands and said, "Everything is going to be alright. Wait below."
Meg slowly nodded, forcing herself to trust him. She didn't really believe his words, but she still went along with his faith. She eased herself down below deck, where everyone was getting more accustomed to the lack of gravity, and immediately felt safer. It was ridiculous, she knew that. No matter what part of the ship you were in, you were going into a black hole. But having a barrier between herself and the void made her feel infinitely better. However, her brother, sister-in-law, and lover were all still up there...
Meg's anxiety spiked when something ran into her side. She looked down to see Spike jumping up at her and whimpering unhappily. Meg tried to calm him down, but knew it was probably no use.
"Engineering! I need help with the gravity here! My controls are fried!" Eric shouted into his comm.
When Merida's voice came back to him, it was crackling and barely coherent- the comms were going, too.
"We're working on it!" She shrieked, using all her strength with a wrench while she was being carried toward the ceiling. The rest of the engineering crew was much in the same state. If the situation weren't so dire, Merida would have found it comical. She gritted her teeth as she tried to force the artificial gravity to kick back on.
On the deck, Phoebus noticed Mr. Arrow had been cast out into space, left to dangle from his lifeline. He was trying to climb the rope back to the ship, but his rough, rocky skin and heavy build were proving too much for the rope. It was starting to tear. Phoebus drifted over and gripped the rope, trying to reel Mr. Arrow back in quickly. Sweat soaked his uniform, caused by both exertion and nerves as he was watching the weak point in the rope slowly breaking. Mr. Arrow was still pulling himself along in an effort to make it aboard quickly, but Phoebus realized that it was only degrading the rope faster.
"Stop moving!" Phoebus called to him. "Just hang on! I'll-"
In an instant, the rope snapped. Mr. Arrow was being hurled into the black hole before Phoebus had time to blink. Though his dying scream was fading fast, it echoed in Phoebus' ears to a crescendo.
"No! " Phoebus yelled. Before he fully realized what he was doing, he leapt over the side of the ship and flew outward into the empty space, hoping to do the impossible and reach Mr. Arrow in time. But he was already gone. Phoebus hung there for awhile, totally numb. He barely registered it when his lifeline tugged at his torso. Someone was reeling him in. The time it took for Phoebus' limp body to reach the deck could have been only a few seconds or an eternity. Finally, he saw the wooden boards below his boots. He looked up to see John looking him over in obvious concern and pity. Phoebus just felt hollow and couldn't find a voice to speak.
Suddenly, the gravity was restarted and the thunderous clamor of a hundred bodies hitting the ground shook the whole ship. Sinbad and Marina were trying to get Rat untangled from his precarious bindings in the rigging. Tarzan was dragging Jim down below, despite the boy's protests.
John faced Phoebus head-on and spoke in a clear, authoritative voice. "Phoebus... You've been compromised. I think it would be best if you went below for now."
Phoebus stared up at him, obviously hurt. John gave him an apologetic look before walking toward the helm. Phoebus stood there for a moment, stunned. He wasn't sure at first that he could move. Eventually, he forced himself to march down below, feeling uncharacteristically sluggish.
"Oxygen levels are dropping fast!" Eric cried into his comm. "Merida, please tell me you're ready!" He had the ship in the right position and the hoisted sails were carrying them closer and closer to the black hole.
"Ready!" She shouted.
Eric turned to call to Robin, who was crouching on the back of the ship. "Ready?!"
"Yes!" Robin responded, notching an arrow in his bow and aiming.
Eric yelled into his comm, "Do it now!"
Merida screeched at Adam and Audrey over her shoulder, "Now!"
They threw down the levers and Merida slammed the release button. The noise that the ship made in response was indescribably unpleasant. The thrusters kicked on to maximum power, jolting the Legacy forward a good length. The ship didn't move far enough to escape the black hole's hold over it. The ship kept pressing forward, but it was being held in place.
"There's too much pressure!" Audrey hollered over the emergency alarm. "She's gonna blow!"
Merida jumped back to the monitor, but couldn't understand any of the readings. The screen was all buggy. Then, the lights fizzled out, leaving them all in the dark. After a moment, the back-up lights came on, flashing a dull red that temporarily disoriented them.
"Merida! What's going on down there?!" Amelia demanded, her voice barely understandable over the comm.
"We're givin' her all she's got, Captain!" Merida screeched in response.
"Merida, I need you up here! Now!" Robin cried.
"Coming!" She was already sprinting out of engineering and to her room. She grabbed her bow from her bunk and ran up to the deck. As she navigated the corridors of the trembling ship, the flashing lights made it difficult to see where she was going. After tripping a couple of times, Merida got her bearings and managed to jump over any other obstacles in her path. The ship was coming apart at the seams, and Merida took care to dodge that as well. She made her way through the crowd of people hiding out below and bounded up the stairs to the deck. She raced up to the helm and joined Robin, who handed her a bundle of the explosive arrows.
Both archers shot arrow after arrow into the black hole. It only took a moment after release for the arrows to ignite. The explosions were small at first, but as more arrows came into the mix, they grew and multiplied and grew some more. Eric could feel the explosions rocking the ship and started to push the thrusters a little harder. The ship started to inch forward.
Robin began to fire three arrows at a time into the black hole. Noticing this, Merida felt surprised...and a little inferior. She kept her focus and shot her own arrows after Robin's, aiming at the center arrows of the bundles. When her arrow would meet the center, all three would ignite along with hers. Robin nodded his head in approval of her efficient shooting. It was finally giving the ship the boost it needed. Eric was slowly moving the ship farther and farther foward, pushing the thrusters beyond their limits.
The Legacy was now shaking violently. Amelia could see entire panels being stripped away and sucked into the black hole. When the mast cracked and started to teeter, Amelia turned to Merida and Robin and shouted, "We have to act quickly! Just throw the whole lot in!" She ran over and started scooping up armfuls of the explosive arrows and tossing them off the back of the ship. Caught in the vacuum created by the black hole, the arrows flew right into the monstrous black void, crashing together and exploding with enough force to give the ship a good shove.
Robin and Merida slung their bows over their shoulders and followed her lead. The explosions blossomed to gargantuan size, nearly blinding them with the inferno. Tarzan, John and Sinbad joined in, and the six of them worked faster and faster, not giving the explosions a chance to ease up. All the while, Eric pushed the ship forward and Rat and Marina tried to keep control over the sails. As the ship was violently rocked back and forth, fighting against the vacuum of the black hole, the mast snapped in half and toppled over, crashing through a part of the deck and stripping away a good section of the ship with it as it was sucked backward. Thanks to the artificial gravity and the oxygen feild, no crew members were lost. But if the ship continued to fall apart at this rate, it wouldn't remain that way.
Finally, by some stroke of luck, as the last group of explosives was dumped, there was an eruption unlike any other that had come before. Eric was the only one not knocked off his feet when the blast made impact. He felt the force of it against his back, and that was the only way he could register it had really happened. There was no heat, no noise; they were in space. He gritted his teeth under the pressure and surged the ship forward. After such a long time of stagnation, the sudden speed nearly made his head spin. He was practically pinned to the helm as they shot off, far away from the black hole. Once he felt they were a safe distance away, he lowered the thrusters and called engineering to tell them to ease up the engines.
There was an eerie silence as the ship coasted onward and everyone left on board slowly processed that, in spite of the odds, they'd survived. Then, they remembered the few lives that had been lost and the silence dragged on, heavy and dismal.
Meg eventually found Phoebus, sitting on a crate of cargo, slumped over. As she slowly approached him, she felt uneasy. She'd never seen him like this before. What was wrong? Was he just tired? Or was it something worse? She soon found herself crouching in front of him. He didn't seem to know that she was there. He seemed to be trapped in his own head. He looked miserable.
"Phoebus?" She whispered, gently placing a hand on his shoulder.
He peered up at her, and the look in his eyes was so intensely sad it nearly took her breath away. They stared at each other for a moment, Phoebus seeming lost while Meg patiently waited for him to say or do something.
He slowly shook his head. "Mr. Arrow... It's my fault."
"No..." Meg wanted more than anything to hug him, kiss him, do anything to take his mind off of it, to assure him that wasn't true.
"I couldn't save him." Phoebus hung his head again in defeat.
"Nobody could have, Phoebus."
Meg and Phoebus both looked up to see Amelia standing by them. She was remaining strong, for the crew's sake. But this was the first time she'd spoken in the last few hours. She smiled slightly at Phoebus and added, "But you put forth a valiant effort. I'll remember that." She quickly walked away before either of them could say a word.
Meg and Phoebus shared a look. She squeezed his shoulder reassuringly. Then, she remembered how Phoebus didn't want the crew to become suspicious of their relationship. She spotted John heading their way and felt comfortable leaving Phoebus with him. She got up and left to find her family. Phoebus didn't watch her go.
Amelia walked back up to the helm, where Eric, Doppler, Mr. Porter, Milo, Merlin, Merida and Robin were. Eric was trying to figure out a new course for them while the others were chattering about the condition of the ship.
"We've taken as much pressure off the engines as we can, but they refuse to cool down." Merida was explaining. "The ship's not healthy. I'm not sure how long she can last without repairs."
"I'm not sure how long we can last." Robin added. "On top of the ship being wrecked, the crew's in rough shape." He noticed Amelia approaching and addressed her now, turning everyone's attention to the Captain. "We need to make a stop, Amelia."
Amelia quietly scoffed. She shook her head as she looked the deck over. "We don't have enough time..."
"That's right, we can't make a stop right now. Atlantis needs us!" Milo put in worriedly.
"They need a crew and a ship that's actually fit to fight those pirates." Merlin remarked, stroking his beard in thought.
"Hook won't just wait around for us to get there before he destroys the planet!" Milo snapped. "If we stop now, we'll be too late to help those people!"
"Mr. Thatch, please calm down..." Mr. Porter mumbled.
"Mr. Thatch, we understand your concerns, but we just don't have any other choice!" Dr. Doppler argued. "We just have to hope we can get the necessary parts and team to fix the ship as quickly as possible. We only need to give the crew a little bit of time to recuperate."
"If we could find someone to get it done in less than a day..." Robin thought aloud.
"With what money?" Amelia asked. "We've not nearly enough to pay for such an efficient job."
Robin shrugged. "We trade. Barter. Whatever we need to do to make up the cost."
Amelia's expression was doubtful and full of concern. She furrowed her brow in deep thought for a moment while the others continued to theorize and bicker. Then, suddenly, an idea came to her and her face lit up. "Brilliant..."
"What's that, Captain?" Merlin asked.
She smiled at them. "I think I know someone who can help." She looked at Eric now. "I believe that Agrabah is the nearest planet, correct?'
"The desert planet?" Eric thought on it for a moment, checking his maps. Then, he nodded. "Yes."
"Right, then. Head there straight away. We're making one short pit-stop, and we're off again. We haven't got a moment to lose."
Eric quickly entered the coordinates and immediately plotted a course. "Aye, Captain."
Atlantis...
Hook was growing bored as he watched Rourke continue to torment the old King, who was so near death that he didn't seem to feel or care about any pain Rourke tried to inflict. He was amazed that Kashekim had held on this long; it had been over an hour since they'd discovered the Heart of Atlantis.
"Tell me how to move it!" Rourke growled, obviously frustrated. "Spit it out! It's not like you have anything left to live for!"
To his surprise, the ancient Atlantean started to laugh. When he did, he started coughing up blood, hacking and wheezing. When he finally spoke, his voice was low and gravelly.
"You...are a fool...to try and control something so...dangerous. I will die...knowing that you...will never be able to harness its power. It can only be activated by one of my kind. An Atlantean of pure and royal blood."
"Royal, huh?" Rourke smirked.
"No, it will not accept me. Only someone young and strong, someone much more virile than myself..." He chuckled lowly, and Rourke saw tears in his eyes. "Kidagakash was my only child... After her mother passed...I never remarried. There is no other. She is the last of the Atlantean royalty. Kida is the key to the Heart of Atlantis..." He grinned ruefully at Rourke. "And your Captain sent her into the jungle to be executed."
Hook raised an eyebrow in surprise. He had thought the old man was too busy being beaten to notice when the princess was taken. He hadn't even put up a fight or said a word for his daughter... Of course. Kashekim remained silent on purpose. He allowed them to take Kida away to protect the Heart. What a clever, cold old man. Of course, the girl must have been in on it too. All her struggling had been a show.
King Kashekim's mocking laughter slowly faded away into a fit of coughing, until all the noise eventually subsided and his body fell still. Rourke watched the life drain from his eyes.
Rourke growled and stood up, storming away from the dead King. "Now what do we do?!"
Gaston and Clayton reappeared now, both bearing nasty bruises on their faces. Clayton leaned on a wall for support; his cracked ribs made it hard for him to stand upright, and Gaston had refused to help him walk back through the jungle.
"What the hell happened to you?" Helga asked them.
"The damn girl...got away from us." Clayton winced as he slowly sat down. "Someone bring Ursula to me... I need a medic."
Grimhilde left to find Ursula while Rourke and Helga continued questioning Gaston and Clayton.
"She's alive?" Rourke demanded.
Gaston grunted. "Yes. She was too quick. She's in the jungle somewhere with Clayton's favorite shotgun."
"It isn't our fault, you know. That savage girl nearly killed us." Clayton muttered.
"I think this one time, I'll let it slip." Hook stated. "The pair of you actually haven't screwed up as badly as you usually do."
Helga smirked at Rourke. "I guess there is hope, after all."
Agrabah...
This planet was a larger one, made entirely of sandy dunes, sweltering winds, blinding sun, and the occasional oasis- if you were lucky enough to stumble upon one. It was easy enough to get lost in the vast deserts if you weren't a native; plenty of explorers had been lost to the burning sands, or simply lost their minds after a few days wandering about, chasing mirages. It was not a friendly environment; the population was made up mostly of Reptiles- a species that was cold-blooded and had thick, scaly skin that made Agrabah's conditions bearable for them. them They also sported claws, sharpened teeth, slitted pupils, and the occasional forked tongue. Some even had tails.
There were a few humans- refugees from Earth, mostly of some middle-eastern descent. A lot of the families hadn't survived. To be a human living on this planet, you had to be exceptionally tough. Or, you could just be a member of the royal family- a human clan that had usurped the government centuries ago and lived a pampered lifestyle.
It should go without saying that tensions between species also ran very high on Agrabah. The intense heat only heightened the violent prejudices the coursed through the civilians.
The port was nowhere near the bazaar that Amelia was seeking, so she called in an emergency favor to the Sultan, asking for permission to fly in low. He was a funny old man, short and round and incredibly cheerful- nothing like the vicious tyrants that were his ancestors- and allowed it without much thought. He was quite jolly, Amelia noted. This was good. The last Sultan, who she assumed had been this man's very elderly father, had been a bit of a problem for her. But this man seemed like he'd be much easier to get along with.
Eric brought the Legacy in over the bazaar and stopped, letting the ship hover above a larger, darker tent on the outskirts of the large market. Amelia, John and Phoebus climbed down to speak momentarily with the owners of the rural mechanic shop. After about ten minutes of bartering/arguing, a deal was made and the three of them came back aboard. Amelia directed Eric to bring the ship down behind the shop and park it in their private bay. Eric didn't like the idea of leaving the ship sitting out under the desert sun, but it was the only option for the mechanics out here. They didn't have the luxury of a modernized detailing shop with high-tech equipment and air-conditioning. All they had were their old tools and a lot of will power.
Amelia advised the crew to dress lightly, but stay covered up to avoid a third-degree sunburn while they explored the bazaar for a few hours. She also encouraged them all to spread the word that they were recruiting new crew members, since some had been lost to the black hole. She, John, Phoebus, and Eric stayed in the mechanics' tent to keep an eye on things.
"I should have it over with quickly." Aladdin whispered to Flynn once they found a more secluded spot to talk.
Flynn nodded. "Find a place to lay low until I call you. We don't want you and the Lamp hanging around before the ship can leave this place."
"I don't see why we can't both just stay here and ditch the Legacy."
"It'll take forever to try to get our own transportation to find your dad's hideout. Or, the Sultan's guards could come after us. We won't stand a chance on foot. We need to get back on the ship safely, take off from here before anyone realizes the Lamp is gone. Then, we can use one of the holophones to call your dad. He'll send us the coordinates to his hideout, which is probably on the opposite side of this planet in some oasis paradise, and we'll commandeer an escape pod before anyone knows what hit 'em." Flynn looked positively smug about his plan as he explained it all to Aladdin. He clapped a hand on his friend's back. "Got it?"
Aladdin nodded. "Yeah..."
"I'll cover you. Be quick. Lay low. And keep an eye on your watch."
Aladdin slipped sway down an alley while Flynn walked away to join the others before they could get suspicious. He was caught off-guard when the first person he ran into was Rapunzel, who'd made friends with the Porters, Belle, Hercules and Alice- the ship's goody-goodies.
"Oh, hi, Flynn!" She greeted him cheerfully, her green eyes lit up with excitement.
"Hey..." He muttered.
"We were just going to take a look around the shops and take notes for the ship's log. Wanna come along?" She asked him.
He was a little surprised that she was inviting him along. He also didn't really want to at all. But, for some reason, he couldn't bring himself to say no. He nodded. "Sure. Sounds, uh...fun." What the hell was he doing?
"Great!" She smiled genuinely up at him. His stomach felt like it was doing flips when he saw her so happy.
Seriously, what's wrong with me? He thought.
Back in the mechanics' tent, Amelia turned to John and said, "Why don't you remain here with Eric while Phoebus and I prepare to interview new crew members? We'll just be in front of the tent."
John nodded in agreement. He saw Phoebus looking slightly nervous and offered him a reassuring look. Mr. Arrow was one of Captain Amelia's only friends, one of the few people she trusted completely. He'd been very near and dear to her, and Phoebus was still blaming himself for his horrible death. John didn't blame him for not wanting to be left alone with Amelia right now. But, first and foremost, they all had a job to do. Mr. Arrow would be missed, but the real mourning would have to come later. For now, they had to move on.
It would be the hardest for Phoebus, of course. John couldn't imagine what he was going through. He pitied his friend and hoped that eventually he'd snap out of it. Phoebus was supposed to take up Mr. Arrow's position in the event of his passing. But, Phoebus' turmoil forced him to pass the job along to John. John knew he wasn't prepared for it- he didn't even want it- but there was no other choice.
John and Eric watched as Phoebus followed Amelia away, then shared a discrete look.
About An Hour Later...
Aladdin knew he'd be waiting awhile for Flynn's call. He was tempted to do some exploring, but he knew that he couldn't leave his hiding spot now, with the Lamp on him. A strange man just waltzing around the bazaar would definitely invite suspicion. He couldn't afford to have run-in with the authorities right now... Besides, he didn't have any currency with him, so he couldn't buy anything.
He sat in the shadows, watching the people in the bazaar for entertainment. The market was very large, and he was in a different part of it than the rest of the crew. Occasionally he saw someone he recognized pass by, but it was only for a moment. He'd tucked himself away in the seedier part of the bazaar for a reason.
His attention was caught by a petite form wrapped up in a brown cloak, completely concealing the face. He watched the person move quickly and gracefully on tiny, bare feet, easily moving through the crowd without touching or being noticed by anyone else. After a moment, Aladdin could tell that it was a woman under that cloak, but he couldn't tell much else. His interest was piqued now. His eyes were focused attentively on the girl as she swept through the market like a ghost.
She paused when she noticed a young boy dressed in rags and caked with dust and grime. He was looking longingly at a fruit cart nearby. The girl quickly looked around before sneaking over to snag an apple for him- an alien variant unlike any apple Aladdin had ever seen. Truthfully, it probably wasn't an apple, but it resembled one more than any other fruit that came to mind. Aladdin smirked as he watched her successfully deliver the stolen fruit to the boy, then usher him away. The little boy grinned thankfully up at her and ran off, while she slinked away the opposite direction, unseen.
Aladdin grinned. That little boy kind of reminded him of himself when he was younger, though he had a much stronger moral compass than Aladdin did. If Aladdin had been in his place, he would have just stolen the food himself; he'd had no choice as a kid. He didn't have a nice lady there to look out for him...
Suddenly feeling very intrigued, Aladdin decided to follow her. For some reason, he really wanted to meet this woman. He snuck out of his hiding spot, keeping his bag out of immediate view, and moved silently after her. He was careful when tailing her, not wanting to tip any one else off or be spotted by her. But, as careful and elusive as she'd seemed in the bazaar, she didn't seem too aware of her surroundings now. She moved through these shaded alleys like she owned the place, paying no mind to any of the thugs or mumbling bums lurking around. Granted, they didn't seem to notice her, either.
Aladdin paused behind a dumpster when the girl stopped next to a decrepit old building. He waited curiously to see what she would do next. Then, he was astounded when she started to scale the side of the building with ease. She was either a very strong, very skilled rock-climber, or a lizard hybrid. Aladdin had to figure it was the latter; the girl was so dainty and light-footed, he didn't figure she spent a lot of time teaching herself to climb buildings. Then again, if she was a street kid like he'd been, maybe she'd had no choice but to learn. She probably slept on rooftops most nights, freezing in the desert air even with that cloak.
Aladdin waited until she reached the top of the building before heading after her. When he reached the crumbling wall, he noticed something up-close that had been invisible to him before; little nooks and cracks in the stone, acting as foot and hand-holds. That was how she'd climbed up. He smirked up toward the roof before following her lead.
Once on the roof, he ducked behind a broken-down A/C unit. He peeked around the corner of it to see the girl lifting up a long, thin wooden beam. His heart started to race as he realized what she was about to do; he'd done this old trick a million times himself. But it still made him feel uneasy. His whole body tensed as she ran toward the edge of the rooftop and used the beam to vault into the air. He jumped up to watch her sail over to the next roof and land safely on her feet. She scurried away, leaving him stunned. Who was this girl?
Aladdin quickly grabbed another beam and mimicked her movement, his stomach plunging as he flew across to the other roof. He landed safely, but not as gracefully as she had. He carefully set the beam down, then looked around to see that she'd vanished. For a moment, he was disappointed.
"It's not polite to follow people around."
He jumped and looked around again, but the voice seemed to have come from nowhete. He frowned. Then, she climbed up from where she'd been hanging from the edge of the roof, out of his sight. She stood there with her hands on her hips and smirked at his shocked expression.
Aladdin quickly collected himself and looked smugly back at her. "Yeah, well, stealing isn't very nice, either."
She looked taken aback for a few seconds, then sighed and reached up to pull back her hood that shielded her face. When her hands were raised, Aladdin noticed that her fingernails were unnaturally long and slightly curved, and black like claws. Glancing down at her bare feet, he realized that her toenails looked similar. But that was the only observable abnormality on her. Her skin was smooth and tan, her almond-shaped eyes were the color of amber, her hair was very long and thick, cascading down her back like a black waterfall. She was beautiful. Aladdin couldn't help likening her to a goddess. But under her cloak, she was dressed in plain, old, dirty clothes that clung to her wiry frame. She was tiny and thin, but undoubtedly strong. Those claws must not have been a huge help in climbing, after all; She'd obviously built some muscle over the years. Most peculiar, though, was her face, which was painted with what looked like black grease paint, in a peculiar pattern that kept her dominant features fairly hidden. Obviously, she didn't want to be easily recognized.
"I guess you want to turn me in, huh?" She asked flatly, crossing her arms over her chest.
Aladdin gave her a playful look. "Why would I want to do that?"
She rolled her eyes. "For the bounty on my head? What other reason could you have for following me this far?"
"Well, I didn't even know about the bounty. But now that you mention it..." He stroked his chin in thought.
She immediately looked ready to run.
Aladdin laughed and held up his hands to show he meant no harm. "Kidding. I'm kidding."
She narrowed her eyes at him, obviously not pleased by the joke. Also, she was still suspicious. "Then why are you here?"
He shrugged. "I just thought what you did back there was nice and wanted to meet you."
She raised one eyebrow.
He sighed. "Listen, I know what you and that kid are going through, and... Well, just keep doing what your doing. Look out for each other. It's tough, but... Once you find someone you can trust, it gets a little easier."
Her expression softened as his words sank in. "Oh... Well... Thank you."
He nodded, then started to turn away. "I guess I'll leave you alone now..."
"No, wait..." She called meekly.
Aladdin turned back to her with a questioning expression. She seemed surprised by her own outburst. She stood there for a moment, gawking at him. Then she said, "You come all this way to meet me, but don't even ask for my name?"
Aladdin chuckled and took a few steps toward her now. "Alright... What's your name?"
"It's, um... It's Jazz." She said, raising her head high.
"Jazz, huh? Well, I'm Aladdin. You can call me Al." He held out his hand for her to shake.
She hesitated for a moment before reaching out and gently taking his hand in hers, minding her claws. They'd obviously caused her some trouble with people in the past. Aladdin couldn't help being curious. Jazz noticed him staring at them and ducked her head shamefully, pulling her hand out of his grasp and stepping back. Aladdin immediately felt an absence within him when she drew back; it was a sharp feeling that he hadn't felt in a long time, and he was immediately alert.
"So, uh..." He nodded toward her claws, seeking a distraction from the harsh, empty feeling. "What's the story there?"
Jazz looked up at him cautiously, and for a moment he was afraid he'd struck a nerve and scared her off. He opened his mouth to start apologizing, but to his surprise, she was already explaining.
"My great-grandmother on my mother's side was a native of this planet. The only full-blooded Reptile to be a part of our family. Relations between the Reptiles and the humans on this planet aren't exactly forbidden by law, but by pride. My father's side is completely human. But because of my mother's blood, I am a hybrid, like she was."
"Was?" Aladdin asked softly.
"She died years ago. Illness." Jazz replied bluntly.
"I'm sorry... I lost my parents, too."
She looked him over curiously. "Where do you come from?"
"Well, I was actually born here. But when I was about a year old, we moved to Montressor. That's where I've lived ever since..."
"And what are you doing here now?"
"I came here on a ship. I'm a sailor."
Her eyes lit up. "A sailor?"
He nodded.
"Like an explorer?" She asked.
He nodded again. "Exactly. We were searching for Atlantis when we were almost sucked into a black hole. We're here for repairs."
"A black hole? How exciting... But... Atlantis?"
"Yeah, pretty wild, right?"
"Very wild! No one ever travels there. And, if they do find it, they never leave."
"We're answering a distress call. Pirates have taken over." Aladdin wasn't sure if he was actually allowed to be revealing this much to a civilian, but he had actually captured the girl's attention and he didn't want to just lose her now.
"You seem like you aren't scared at all." Jazz mused.
He shrugged. "I'm not really scared of pirates."
She smirked. "If pirates and black holes don't scare you, I can't help but wonder what does."
He grinned in response. Then, his face became more serious. "How does a nice girl like you wind up with a bounty on her head?"
Her face fell and she turned away slightly. Aladdin quickly reached out to grab her arm. His grip was surprisingly gentle, but she still looked alarmed.
"I'm not judging you. I'm just...concerned." He said sincerely. He released her and crossed his arms.
She watched him for a moment, then shrugged. "I've been at this for a few years... At some point, I caught the wrong person's attention."
"Which is why you paint your face and wear that big cloak in this heat?"
She nodded in response.
"You seem like kind of an expert for someone who's only been at this a few years. What started it?" He asked.
"I ran away from home..." She said quietly. "I felt...trapped. We were very poor. My father insisted that I needed to marry someone rich. He was trying to sell me off to the highest bidder, but none of the men who came calling actually loved me. They didn't even want to breed with me, because of my 'tainted blood'. In fact, a few of them were already married. They just wanted me for..." She trailed off, unable to continue.
"I'm so sorry." Aladdin whispered, sadness filling his eyes.
"I don't need pity." Jazz said defensively. "Or your concern, for that matter."
"No, what you need is an escape. There has to be another option for you aside from being an outlaw or someone's plaything."
"Like what?"
"How about adventurer?"
Her eyebrows skyrocketed. "What, me? A sailor? Oh, no..."
"We lost a few crewmembers. We're recruiting today. You should join up."
She shook her head. "I don't think I'd do much good aboard a ship. I've never done an honest day's work in my life! There's no way your Captain would allow a criminal to join the crew..."
"She doesn't have to know you're a criminal. You wear a disguise any way, right? No one would be able to identify you."
Jazz bit her lip. "It's true... No one here even knows my name..." She noticed Aladdin's triumphant look and shook her head, groaning. "No, I couldn't possibly..."
"Jazz. I'm offering you an escape. Freedom." He was practically pleading with her now, and she felt it tearing at her heart. "Just promise to think about it. We leave in a few hours." He turned and started to walk toward the edge of the rooftop.
"You're leaving?" She called after him.
Aladdin had noticed his holophone blinking at him and had to get away to answer Flynn's message. He turned to grin at her and replied, "I'm sure I'll be seeing you later!" He turned away and started to climb down the maintenance ladder on the side of the building.
Jazz jogged over to see him reaching the ground safely. He smiled up at her from the alley and waved good-bye before running off. Jazz watched him go, feeling like something important was going away with him. She felt like a silly girl for having to tell herself that she was just worried that she was watching her first- and probably only- chance at freedom running away. But even her logical brain couldn't convince her that there wasn't something more. She shook her head. She had a lot to think about.
But for now, she had to go home.
At The Sultan's Palace...
Jazz knew the secret tunnels running under the palace like the back of her hand. They were what made it possible for her to sneak in and out of the heavily-guarded palace in broad daylight. At some point, night trips through her window were no longer enough. And these tunnels were rarely used any more.
She kept walking until she reached a small hole in the wall and ducked into it. She crawled through the mucky crevice for awhile, having to shimmy sideways at some points because the path got too tight. Then, she came to the spot where there was an opening above her and started to climb upward through the cramped space. It was a good thing that she was so tiny, and that she wasn't claustrophobic. Finally, she reached above her head and her hands felt something wooden. She carefully used both hands to move the old crate aside and pulled herself up into a large, brightly-lit closet with white walls and gilded trimmings. The walk-in closet was filled to the brim with the finest clothing, shoes and jewels a girl could ask for. Jazz stood up and jumped onto a towel that lay nearby to avoid leaving filthy footprints on the plush white carpet. Then she pushed the widen crate back over the opening in the floor to hide it.
She shuffled toward the closet door and peeked out to make sure no one was in the grand bedroom, then used the towel to slide across the room to the adjoined bathroom. She shut and locked the bathroom door and started running herself a warm bath. Just before jumping into the tub, she rinsed the grime out of the towel as best as she could before dumping it in the hamper. Then she sank into the tub and began to scrub away the marks of adventure that had collected on her skin throughout the day.
See, not everything she'd told Aladdin earlier was completely true. Her name wasn't actually Jazz- she'd come up with that on the spot. The truth was that she was Princess Jasmine, the only child of the Sultan, and not a child of the streets. What was true was that she felt trapped within the palace walls, because she was being forced into marriage by her father. True, it wasn't for others' money, but so the Sultan could feel secure about her future and be assured that she married a man who would make a good successor for him. Although, it was true that none of her suitors really loved her (and that some of them were already married and just looking for a mistress). They just wanted her father's power and wealth. No man actually looked at her, a hybrid, and thought she'd make a suitable wife, regardless of her royalty. She was just some exotic trophy to them. A prize. It was like a game to see who could bag the freak princess and cash in on the Sultan's position. Well, Jasmine refused to be a pawn in her own life. She'd turned away every man who called on her, causing her doting father much stress.
As for the double-life and the thieving? Jasmine was always looking for an excuse to leave the palace, because she was rarely allowed to unless she was being paraded around, and definitely not without a body guard. She was always intrigued by the common people, always watching the commotion in the bazaar with such longing. What finally drew her out was witnessing how harshly the poorer people were treated. "Street rats", they were called. She'd brought it to her father's attention a few times. The Sultan was a kind, caring man who wanted to help his people, but he was also out of touch and didn't have the time. Jasmine realized that the less fortunate needed someone there to look out for them. But she couldn't do it as the Princess Jasmine. So, she started sneaking out. When her first disguise started catching attention, she came up with a few others that covered her more completely. She totally blended into the crowd, helping humans and Reptiles and hybrids alike.
She'd never really taken the time to worry about what would happen if she got caught. Sure, there was a bounty on her head. But, once they realized who their outlaw really was, what would they do? Arrest her? Execute her? Not likely. There would probably be an uproar if she was let off and held above the law, but she knew her father would never allow anything to happen to her. If anything, Jasmine hoped that if she got caught and all of Agrabah learned her true identity, they'd realize that their future ruler really does care for them and that everyone is better off working together and helping each other instead of allowing silly old prejudices to seperate them. A part of her secretly wished to be caught.
But, she knew that it was probably not going to happen. Where was this road she was on really leading? Jasmine couldn't help feeling hopeless as she watched the world around her refuse to change. Maybe what she needed was to visit other places and gain experience around the galaxy before she could help her own people. Jasmine couldn't help seriously considering Aladdin's offer...
As much as Jasmine fantasized about the freedom to travel wherever she wanted, she did relish coming home to a nice bath and a warm bed. Feeling her tense muscles finally relax and her skin smelling of jasmine blossoms, she sighed and pulled up the bath plug, massaging her sore legs and arms as the water drained away. Then, she climbed out of the tub and found a fresh towel to dry herself off. She took extra care drying her hair, which would remain damp no matter what she did any way. She wrapped her hair up in the towel and piled it on top of her head, and quickly examined herself in the mirror to make sure she'd removed every trace of face paint and dirt. Then, she pulled on one of her silk robes and strolled out to her room, where a servant girl was waiting with her pet, Rajah.
Jasmine immediately smiled and kneeled down, opening her arms for the animal to come to her. Rajah was a rather large mutated tiger that her father had gifted her years ago; the Sultan had had him imported (rescued, really) from the nuclear wasteland of Earth when he was just a cub. Now he was fully grown and quite the body guard, far more competent than any of the palace guards. But, he was really just a big softie. Rajah purred and leaned into her, prompting her to wrap her slim arms around his neck and give him a hug.
The servant looked slightly amused, but also annoyed. Jasmine could already tell she was in trouble.
"Princess Jasmine, where have you been? We were looking for you everywhere." The servant asked.
Jasmine put on a face of innocence. "Oh, I'm sorry. I was just taking a walk around the palace. And I was in the library for a while earlier."
"Well, I'm sure your father will be glad to hear that you missed your meeting with Achmed to wander around." The servant said sarcastically.
"Oh, was my meeting with Achmed today? I guess I forgot..." That was a lie. Of course Jasmine knew she was supposed to meet with her latest suitor today. And she'd been dreading it, so she skipped out on purpose.
"Well, he's gone now. And quite angry. But he said he'd be back tomorrow."
"That's nice." Jasmine said in a bored tone.
"Meanwhile, your father wants to speak to you."
Jasmine pulled a face. "I'm in trouble, aren't I?"
The servant smirked. "Not trouble, Princess... He's just worried, you know."
"Right." Jasmine patted Rajah's head and stood up. "Well, I can't face my father without my mask on. Help me with my makeup, please."
After nearly an hour of primping and styling, Jasmine left her room and was escorted by a team of guards to her father's study. The guards stopped outside the door and closed it after she entered. The Sultan didn't notice right away that she was there. He was busy fiddling with some little figures at his desk. Jasmine smirked a little at her father's childish nature and cleared her throat, catching his attention. He turned to her.
"Ah! And where have you been, my dear?" He asked, walking away from his desk and giving her a quick hug, which she had to bend down to reciprocate because he was so short.
Jasmine giggled. "Oh, just roaming the halls... I was just told that I missed my meeting with Achmed. I'm sorry, father, it must have slipped my mind."
He gave her a knowing look. "Right..." His expression became more serious and he gestured for her to come sit with him on the balcony. She obliged and he continued. "I'm afraid that we must have a serious discussion regarding that subject, my dear."
"What's wrong, father?"
"Well, Jasmine, there's no easy way to put it. You've turned away every suitor before, and I fear that Achmed may be the last one to come calling. I understand your feelings about marriage, but you must put your people first. The kingdom needs a suitable ruler. And you know the people won't stand for you taking the throne for your own..."
"Because I'm a woman." Jasmine huffed, crossing her arms.
"You know this isn't a very progressive planet we're living on. And the law- and tradition- dictate that-"
"Father, the laws and traditions are ridiculous!"
"But they are what's preserving the culture of this planet!" He snapped.
Jasmine bit her tongue. She knew how important that was to her father. His love for her hybrid mother led to his sympathy for the other hybrids and the Reptiles who were overthrown by the human refugees who later proved to be invaders. It was the thing that set him apart from past Sultans, and made the human residents of Agrabah dislike him.
Her father sighed. "Jasmine... You have a responsibility to the citizens of Agrabah. And it is for this reason that I will have to insist that you marry Achmed." Seeing her hurt expression, he tried to placate her. "I'm sorry, but I do believe that, in time, you'll realize that this is for the best."
Jasmine shook her head, jumped up and ran off. Sultan sighed as he heard her slam his study door on her way out. He did regret that things had to be this way. He did worry for his daughter's happiness, and sometimes wished he could just change the law and do what was best for her. But really...what choice did he have?
About An Hour Later...
Amelia sighed deeply as she massaged her temples. "Is there anyone else, Phoebus?"
Phoebus shook his head. "No more to interview, Captain."
"Let's decide from who we've already got, then..." She reached over to the sign up list and scanned the names with tired eyes.
"To be honest, Captain... I think it would be a mistake to hire any one of them. It's just a group of dim-wits and cutthroats."
"Yes... I suppose allowing any of them aboard would prove disastrous." She glanced toward the horizon. "Well, the sun's going down. We can't put it off any more. Let's prepare to launch."
"Sorry to interrupt..."
Amelia and Phoebus looked up curiously to see a young woman standing in front of them, dressed like a peasant, with bare feet and a brown cloak. She pulled back her hood slightly so they could look into her eyes, while most of her face was concealed by black paint. The girl smiled a little, holding up the tiny knapsack that she called her luggage.
"I heard you were recruiting new sailors? Aladdin already briefed me on the Atlantis mission. I want to help." She explained.
Amelia leaned forward, obviously interested. "I see... And what is your name?"
The girl smirked. "Jazz. My name is Jazz."
The Jolly Roger...
Vanessa wasn't sure what it was that brought her to this hell-hole of a ship. Well, that wasn't true. She knew it was her mother's fault she was here. But she wondered sometimes just what possessed Ursula to join a crew of pirates with her young daughter in tow. Vanessa was 8 years old when she was first dragged aboard the Jolly Roger. That was 10 years ago. So why was she still here?
She had nowhere else to go.
She'd spent most of her life depending on these crazy people to survive; everything she knew, she'd learned from them. She'd taken all their abuse over the years, and now she was just numb. She didn't care what happened to her at this point. That was probably the real reason she stayed. She was too indifferent to seek a new life away from all of this. And, whether she liked it or not, this crew was all she had.
Her heeled boots clicked across the floorboards as she strolled along the deck. She popped her purple bubblegum over and over out of pure boredom as she approached the only person on this ship she could stand- Sadira.
Sadira had come aboard the ship in much the same fashion as Vanessa; She was an unsuspecting child- albeit a few years older than Vanessa had been- dragged along by her irresponsible guardian, Jafar. They both came from Agrabah, but unlike Jafar, Sadira wasn't a native. At least, they were pretty sure she wasn't born on Agrabah. Sadira was a meta-human who held sway over sand and earth; meaning, she could control it. It was a power that none of them had ever heard of before, but they knew they could use it to their advantage. They abused Sadira's power, and then they treated her like a princess afterward to keep her from wanting to turn on them or run off. Regardless, she was unhappy, like Vanessa. At some point, the girls started finding solace in each other.
Sadira was sitting on the railing on the side of the ship, letting one leg dangle over the edge and tucking the other one close to her chest and hugging it with both arms. Her turquoise eyes stared emptily over the burning village that the ship hovered over. Of course, she heard Vanessa coming.
"Doesn't it bother you? What we're doing to these people?" Sadira murmured. She looked up at Vanessa like a lost puppy. "What we do in every port we stop in?"
"I don't think about it too much. And neither should you." Vanessa stated flatly. She perched next to Sadira on the railing, keeping both feet above the deck and facing her disillusioned friend. "It's just what we do."
"But we don't have to..." Sadira mumbled, looking once more toward the decimated village. There were no survivors from this raid. The closer the pirates got to the main city, the less mercy they had. This was the village that had been guarding the entrance to that city.
Vanessa decided not to respond to that. She wanted to believe that what Sadira said was true. Deep down, she wanted to have hope that people could be better, if they wanted to. But she also knew that all these creeps enjoyed the life of piracy; that they wouldn't give it up for anything, save for enough treasure to run off with and start their lives completely over.
Vanessa and Sadira both knew that even Jafar would probably dump her somewhere and take off if she no longer proved to be useful. Sadira was terrified of it; the thought of being abandoned fueled her to behave like his little slave. It angered Vanessa to no end, but she never brought it up.
A deep, booming laugh emanated like thunder from the galley. Sadira stiffened at the sound while Vanessa just rolled her eyes. Gaston and Clayton had opted out of searching for the missing princess, since she'd already kicked their asses earlier. Ursula had already taken care of them, and now they were sharing a drink.
"Are you seeing Gaston again tonight?" Sadira asked quietly.
Vanessa shrugged carelessly. "If he comes by my room, yeah."
"He's kind of a brute." Sadira said, obviously worried.
Sure, he was a little rough. And yes, he was very, very stupid. But, he was a the only semi-attractive man on the ship who wasn't too much older than her, and he knew how to please a woman. And Vanessa could handle him fine, and take care of herself. They didn't have to depend on each other for anything. It was a match made in heaven.
"We don't meet nice guys in our line of work." Vanessa replied stonily.
Meanwhile...
Gothel rolled her eyes as the Stabbington brothers scrambled to follow the Legacy's trail.
"What's taking so long?" She demanded.
"They nearly led is into a black hole!" One of them snapped in response. He growled. "They made a short stop on Agrabah. They're taking off now, it'll take a minute to map their trajectory."
"I wonder where the hell they're going?" The other one asked.
"It doesn't matter where they're going as long as we follow them." Gothel said icily. "Remember what precious cargo awaits us on that ship, boys."
The Legacy...
"You're sure it's secure?" Flynn asked Aladdin for the tenth time since take-off.
Aladdin stared at him in annoyance. "Yes. I've got it all wrapped up and hidden in my bag, under my bunk. No one's touching the thing."
Flynn nodded, but still looked slightly nervous.
The reason why Flynn was so worried was that the Lamp was one of the most dangerous weapons ever created. It looked harmless, designed like a Genie's Lamp from an old storybook. But it responded to touch. Should a person lay their bare hands on it, they would unleash something horrible; the Lamp would open up and release a force so deadly that it could obliterate an entire planet in mere minutes. No one was quite sure what was inside, or how it was so powerful, since it had been kept under lock and key on Agrabah for centuries. And Flynn really didn't want to find out.
Aladdin had been cautious when retrieving the Lamp, grabbing it with a cloth and wrapping it up immediately. He was careful not to let one bit of skin even brush against the metal thing. Still, he couldn't blame Flynn for being paranoid. He'd have to watch over the Lamp like a hawk.
"I say we take one of the escape pods tonight. We don't want to wait around too long." Flynn said.
Aladdin got this weird look on his face.
Flynn narrowed his eyes at him. "What is it?"
"It's just... Well... What about Rapunzel and Jazz?"
"What about them?"
"Well... They're on this ship because of us. We recruited them just before going on this really dangerous mission, and now we're just taking off?"
Flynn crossed his arms and raised one eyebrow in slight amusement. "What's your point?"
"I just think we have a responsibility to make sure nothing happens to them. That's all." Aladdin nervously ran a hand through his thick hair.
Flynn stared at him for a moment, obviously amused. "You like Jazz, don't you?"
"What? No! No..."
"Alright, alright... I'll humor you. We stick around through this whole Atlantis thing. Then we're gone. Deal?"
Aladdin grinned. "Deal."
Flynn sighed and turned to walk away. "Okay, then..." He actually wasn't too put off by this sudden change. He would be lying if he said he wouldn't feel bad about ditching Rapunzel with the pirates.
Aladdin glanced over to see Jazz sitting with a group of people- for someone who'd seemed so cold when they first met, she was eager to make friends aboard the ship- watching as Robin taught Merida to shoot three arrows at a time (at her insistence). Jazz noticed Aladdin watching and waved him over to sit with her. Aladdin smiled and walked toward her as Merida and Robin assaulted the target that was tied to the mast. The group sitting around them cheered with each shot, whether it was successful or not. They'd obviously been drinking.
Aladdin leaned toward Jazz's ear and whispered, "You seem to fit right in here."
Jazz smiled at him, a true genuine smile that reached her amber eyes and seemed to make them sparkle. He was mesmerized.
"I feel right at home." She assured him with a giggle.