Rothbart entered the castle triumphantly, confusing Tasha who hadn't overheard what went on near the lake.
"No matter what they do, I'm always one step ahead." Rothbart said gleefully. "On the other hand, Prince Austin's vow could ruin everything."
Tasha now got what was going on, and started to realize that her master wasn't as powerful as she thought.
"I'm gonna have to deal with him, but how?" Rothbart said to himself. "The vow! I'll get Austin to offer his vow to the wrong princess!"
"And just how are you going to do that?" Tasha asked skeptically, her fists on her hips.
"Oh, I have something in mind." Rothbart smiled at her knowingly.
"Wait, you mean make me look like...?" Tasha got what Rothbart was hinting.
"Exactly, I'll make you look like Uniqua! Cause when he makes his vow to the wrong girl, Uniqua will die and I'll finish Austin off myself! Oh I love it!" Rothbart danced around a little.
"Wait a minute..." Tasha tried to protest.
Rothbart didn't hear, for he had already started singing.
ROTHBART:
Gosh it's such a hoot to see them quaking
When I'm king they'll treat me with respect
I can't wait to watch their poor hearts breaking
So much for politically correct
Rothbart turned the gloomy interior of the castle to bright pink and magically set up a banquet and images of members of Jane's court.
ROTHBART:
Up til now I've pulled my punches
I intend to eat their lunches
No more Mr. Nice guy, not for me
If you think that I'm hard hearted
Well lambie-pie, I haven't even started!
Rothbart slid down the stair rail, ducked under a bowl of punch held by a servant image, and started dancing on a table. He grabbed a couple poultry drumsticks, hit people images on the head with it, and then stuffed it into the mouth of the Tyrone image and forced him to chew it.
Tasha suddenly noticed theTyrone image and fell in love with him. She flirtingly smiled at the Tyrone image, who shyly looked away. Tasha tried to grab the Tyrone image for a dance, but Rothbart grabbed her for a dance instead. He swung her around and then spun her away. Rothbart then brought the female bird statues of the nearby fountain to life so that they could be his back-up singers. Each one was a different color, but they all looked like they belonged in a Dr. Seuss tropical jungle.
ROTHBART AND STATUES:
No more Mr. Nice Guy, no sirree!
He then zapped up an image of Horton and the band, except instead of Horton's face the Horton image had Rothbart's face. It looked really weird since the rest of the body was still that of an elephant's.
ROTHBART:
Soon as my witchcraft has zinged em
I'll gain control of the kingdom
As for Uniqua, well that's tragic
Cause I'm going back to that
He then used his magic to fool around with the band images and their instruments before making them disappear.
ROTHBART AND STATUES:
Old black magic!
This part actually got a little amusing, because after zapping up an image of Uniqua, turning her into a swan, and then making her disappear he turned himself into a magician and Tasha into a magician's assistant. He then pulled an image of Wesley, in his rabbit costume, out of his hat. The Wesley image looked really confused.
ROTHBART:
Good behavior is so much duller
Time to show my one true color
Rothbart then zapped up images of Horton and Jane dancing, and changed the colors of their clothes to black and white. In case you're getting confused, Rothbart had been spying on Uniqua ever since she was a kid, waiting for the right moment to attack her father and kidnap her. As for knowing about Wesley in his rabbit costume, well, he left the magic screen that he used to spy on Uniqua on and caught a glimpse of Rudy trying to get Wesley back when he and Austin were practicing.
ROTHBART:
Baby Mr. Nice Guy's history!
Here's where I'm getting confused: since when was Rothbart a nice guy?
*Ahem*, anyway, Tasha searched around the room for the Tyrone image but couldn't find him.
ROTHBART:
Vengeance is what I believe in
I don't get mad, I get even
Uniqua can't get to the ball cause I won't bring her
So I'll zap up a date
Rothbart zapped up an image of Austin and used it for a punching bag. He then zapped up another image of Uniqua with an iron ball chained to her ankle. The Uniqua image escaped, so Rothbart turned Tasha into an exact replica of Uniqua. The only difference was, instead of Uniqua's green dress Tasha was wearing a black dress. Tasha didn't look happy, and it wasn't because of the outfit either.
ROTHBART AND STATUES:
Who's a real dead ringer!
ROTHBART:
Up to no good I love plottin
Cause I'm so good when I'm rotten
Heh, talk about an oxymoron.
Rothbart zapped Uniqua's locket onto Tasha's neck and started dancing again. Tasha, looking very unhappy, didn't join in.
ROTHBART AND STATUES:
No more Mr. Nice Guy, wait and see!
Rothbart started pulling random pranks on the images, ending with temporarily turning them into animals.
ROTHBART:
I'll become that nasty, naughty
ROTHBART AND STATUES:
Petty, spiteful
ROTHBART:
Wicked, wayward
ROTHBART AND STATUES:
Way delightful
ROTHBART:
Bad guy I was born to be
"One more time!" Rothbart said, turning all the images back into their real forms.
Tasha found the Tyrone image and danced with him, until Rothbart snatched him out of her arms and spun him down the stairs.
ROTHBART:
Lying, loathsome
ROTHBART AND STATUES:
Never tender
ROTHBART:
Indiscreet
ROTHBART AND STATUES:
Repeat offender
Tasha ran down the stairs and helped Tyrone up, and then, since she still had her Uniqua body, carried him back up the stairs.
ROTHBART:
No more Mr. Nice Guy, that's not me
Yeah!
STATUES:
Do do do
Rothabrt turned everything back to normal and got rid of the images...including the Tyrone image much to Tasha's disappointment.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you." Rothbart laughed.
"Hold it." Tasha frowned.
Startled, Rothbart looked at Tasha with confusion.
"When I agreed to be your assistant I only did so that I could live in luxury, I had no idea there would be deaths involved." Tasha crossed her arms. "Well I'm against killing others, so count me out of your little scheme."
"Oh you don't get it do you?" Rothbart smiled evilly. "Once you're my assistant, you're my assistant for life...with no freedom of your own."
"Well I still have my free will so I'll be using it to leave." Tasha started to go down the stairs.
"On the contrary, you don't have your free will...not anymore."
Tasha, realizing what he was talking about, tried to run but Rothbart's magic hit her. Her pupils shrank, and everything went black inside her mind.
"Your orders: you are Austin's true love but there is an evil swan who wants to steal him. Don't let this swan get near him or even let him see the swan at any cost." Rothbart grinned evilly.
"Yes master." Tasha said in a monotone voice.
Meanwhile, Austin had made it back into the castle, and ran through the rooms until he found Jane preparing the meal room. Horton was conducting a lively tune to help the servants move along without getting too bored.
"Mother have you seen-" Austin stopped upon noticing the decorations.
"Oh Derek."Jane smiled, glad he was back so soon.
"What are these?" Austin pointed to the flowers on the table.
"They're roses of course." Jane shrugged.
"But they're red."
"What other color would they be?"
"White, like a swan." Austin took the roses out of the vase on the table near him. "Have you seen Rudy."
"No, wasn't he with you in the woods?" Jane looked concerned.
"He was but now I can't find him."
"Oh dear, he must have gotten himself lost again-" Jane shook her head.
Jane stopped because Austin had already ran to a servant who was carrying a platter of food.
"Would you feed this to a swan?" Austin asked, looking at the meat paste on crackers on the tray.
"Uh..." The servant shook his head.
"Take it back, something light, something fresh." Austin then approached the band. "No no no no no Horton, hold it."
"What's wrong?" Horton asked.
"Tonight the music must be played rubato, soft and graceful, like a swan."
"A swan?" Horton was confused.
"Have you ever seen a swan Horton?"
"Of course I've seen a swan." Horton shrugged.
"If you could play a swan, what would it sound like?"
Horton trumpeted slightly and then chuckled.
"Soft and graceful Horton." Austin smirked, amused. "Where is Rudy?"
"I'm afraid he might have gotten himself lost again Austin." Jane said. "I'll send out a search party later tonight."
"I hope he's found soon, I need someone to be my best man." Austin smiled knowingly.
"Best-? You mean?" Jane smiled happily.
Austin winked.
"You...oh Austin!" Jane cried happily tossing the roses in her hands into the air.
Horton was now having the band play beautiful music.
"There you go Horton, that's the stuff!" Austin started to dance to the music, and then grabbed Jane. "Come on mother."
They danced together, Austin spinning Jane around until her head landed in a punch bowl.
"Don't be secretive Austin, tell me who she is." Jane smiled.
"You'll find out tomorrow night." Austin smiled back, spinning Jane out of the punch bowl.
More roses were tossed into the air by Austin and Jane.
The following night, Rothbart tossed roses into the dungeon tower, which was now flooded from disuse. Uniqua, now a swan again, floated on the water at the bottom of the tower. Rothbart looked down on her from a door.
"It hurts me to lock you up Uniqua, hurts me deep." Rothbart said, not really meaning it. "But then a king's day is full of tough decisions, you understand."
Uniqua chomped on some of the roses angrily.
"Oh now you're mad at me again, doggone I can't do nothing right! Head full of pudding, that's me. Well I can't leave you like this, if you're not happy, I'm not happy." Rothbart thought for a few seconds. "I know! If you can't attend the ball I'll bring the ball to you! Let's see...the first thing you need is a young man. The prince is busy of course, but I think I can arrange a substitute."
Another door into the tower opened, and there was Rudy being forced inside by the hypnotized Tasha! Uniqua looked at the scene with horror and sympathy.
"No please, I beg you please!" Rudy pleaded.
"Oh poor fellow, he got lost in the woods." Rothbart pretended to by sympathetic.
Tasha pushed Rudy in so that he fell into the water. Uniqua dove down and brought him back to the surface. She then helped him over to a chain hanging from the wall.
"Don't go!" Rudy pleaded.
"Oh I'd love to stay but if I don't leave now I'll be late, that's tacky." Rothbart started to leave but then caught Uniqua's angry yet sad look. "Don't give me that look missy, had to be sneaky didn't you? Had to drag your weakling prince into it didn't you? That's fine with me, just fine with me!"
Rothbart left, slamming the door. Tasha left too, but in a trance.
"What's going on, what prince is he talking about?" Rudy asked.
Uniqua dipped her wing into the water and wrote the letter U on the wall with it. Rudy got it.
"Uniqua!" He gasped.
Meanwhile, Pablo was pacing outside, trying to think of a way to help Uniqua. Tommy was trying to keep up. Morton wasn't even trying, he just rested against a rock.