Disclaimer: The song Gonna Take You There belongs to Disney and was originally sung by Jim Cummings
{Chapter X "Francis Shows the Way"}
"Oh Prince Antonio, I am so humiliated about you having to witness that…frog fiasco last night," Feliciano apologized. He was hoping he could make up that embarrassment with the nice lunch they were having in his garden.
Daan smiled. "There is no need to apologize, Feli. I am just thankful that you're alright. You see, when you're next in line for the throne you need to be poised, like a panther. Ready to expect anything." He picked up his fork and gave a "seductive" snarl.
Feliciano giggled and did the same, then gasp when Daan's hair changed from a chestnut brown to a dirty blond. "Your hair!"
Daan cautiously picked up a spoon and gasped. His hair was turning blond! He pretended to drop his napkin and then ducked under the table to check the charm. Shit he thought, the blood in the charm was quickly draining. Instead of panicking, Daan sat back and up laughed. "Sometimes my hair changes colour in the light." Quickly, he grabbed Feliciano's hand and pulled him up. He cleared his throat to hide any grimace of pain, and if Feliciano noticed he grew a couple of inches, well nothing was said. "Feliciano, I know our time together has been short but it has been wonderful." Daan got down on one knee. "But, would you do me the immense honour of becoming Prince of Spain?"
Feliciano gasped and inwardly Daan rolled his eyes. Was he really that stupid that he didn't realize Daan wasn't actually the Prince? He doesn't even have a Spanish accent! Apparently, Feliciano didn't because he quickly nodded. "Yes of course I will marry you! Oh, boy there is so much to plan! The clothes, the shoes, flowers—Oh! We're going to have a Mardi Gras wedding!" Instantly, Feliciano took off running towards the house. "Daddy! DADDY!"
Daan sighed and slumped down in his chair, clutching the voodoo charm and watched the blood drain as he changed back into himself.
"Bollocks!" Dr. Kirkland exclaimed as he suddenly appeared next to Daan. He grabed the charm and glared at the last remaining bit of blood draining.
"What are we going to do?" Daan asked.
"Because you let the frog prince go, I'm reduced to asking for help from my friends on the other side."
"So Lovino, what are you going to have at this restaurant of yours?" Alfred asked as he swam along the bayou with Lovino and Antonio sitting as far away from each other as they could on his back.
"Naturally I'm going to have traditional Italian food, like my nonno planned, but because of the influence I've received while living here I decided I'll incorporate some of those famous New Orleans food as well," Lovino explained.
"Like étouffée?"
Lovino nodded. "And my beignets that I'm well known for at the main café I've been working at."
"That sounds wonderful! You know, I've always wanted to try those. Along with jambalaya, gumbo, red beans and rice, muffulettas, po' boys-"
"Alfred stop," Antonio begged. "You are making me so hungry." His eyes follow a couple of flies that passed by and his tongue jumped out for a second. "Interesante." Antonio jumped off Alfred's back and swiftly followed the flies.
"What are you doing, bastard?" Lovino asked, looking at Antonio as if he was crazy.
Antonio shushed him. "You are scaring the food, be quiet," he whispered. Before Lovino could respond, Antonio shot his tongue at a fly but missed horribly so his tongue fell limply into the water. Antonio frowned and sucked his tongue back in. "This is much harder than it looks." Taking care to aim well this time, he shot his tongue out again only to miss and instead catch a small twig in his mouth. He fell from the impact and pouted.
Lovino laughed at how ridiculous he looked until his tongue also shot out at a fly that passed by him. "No, oh no. There is no way in hell. I re-fucking-fuse to kiss a frog and eat a bug on the same damn day." Alfred laughed and was about to make a comment about him kissing Antonio when Lovino's tongue shot out again, this time farther and taking Lovino along with it. Both Lovino and Antonio noticed a firefly sitting on a dandelion, though the neither of them knew about the other. At the same time, both their tongues shot out at the firefly, one willingly and one unwilling. Luckily for the firefly, he noticed and flew away causing Lovino and Antonio's tongues to become tangled together. Lovino and Antonio were then shot forward and crashed together.
Lovino shivered and almost gagged. Noticing his grimace, Antonio frowned. "This is your fault as well."
"My fault! I'm not the one who got turned into a frog in the first place!"
"You're the one who asked about the kiss!"
"How was I suppose to know you'd answer?! I certainly wasn't expecting you to! I wasted my first kiss on you, you asshole!"
Antonio's face softened. "You've never kissed anyone before?"
Lovino laughed bitterly. "Like anyone would want to kiss me."
"Certainly you've-"
"Listen bastard, if no one wants to kiss me that obviously means that no one wants to date me either."
"Honhonhon~! Aren't lovers' quarrels sweet, Alfred?" a French accent asked.
Lovino and Antonio both turned their heads only to face the firefly they were both trying to catch. "This is no damn lovers' quarrel," Lovino instantly protested.
"Certainly not! I am the Prince of Spain and he is Lovino th-"
"If you finish that sentence I will kill you," Lovino threatened, successfully cutting off Antonio.
The firefly smirked. "What else would you call a conversation like that? Obviously you and your boyfriend got a little carried away. Am I right?" He took hold of both their tongues and was able to quickly get them untangled. Antonio and Lovino instantly started protesting.
"No no no-"
"Fuck no-
Alfred laughed. "Francis, stop messin' with them."
"You know him?" Antonio asked.
Francis nodded. "I've known Alfred ever since he was a little baby gator. I'm surprised I don't know you two."
"Well we are from a world far, far away from this one."
"Let me guess, you are from Shreveport?"
Antonio shook his head. "No, we are humans."
Lovino pointed to Antonio. "This bastard got himself turned into a frog by a voodoo witch doctor."
"Arthur Kirkland?" Francis asked amused.
"He was charismatic!" Antonio protested.
Lovino cleared his throat. "Because of that, we were on our way to Mama Lizzie's-"
"You were going to Mama Lizzie's?" Francis asked. Lovino and Antonio nodded. "You are going the wrong direction, mon cher. Who told you to go this way?" Lovino and Antonio both glared at Alfred. "Alfred, you've been with me to her place before!"
"I know! But we were talking about food and you know when I'm thinking about food that then I'm thinking about nothing else!"
Francis sighed and after he whistleed, it looked as if the whole bayou was glowing. "Well, I guess that my relationals and I might as well show you the way!"
"Maravilloso!" Antonio exclaimed.
Lovino sighed as he heard the faint sound of music that started to play. "There's going to be more singing, isn't there?"
Francis smiled. "Of course, mon cher!
We gonna take you there
We gonna take you there
We gonna take you all the way there
Gonna take you there
We gonna take you there
We're gonna take you all the way
Goin' down the bayou
Goin' down the bayou
Goin' down the bayou
Takin' you all the way
We all gonna pull together
Down here that's how we do
Me for them and them for me
We all be there for you
We gonna take ya
We gonna take ya
We gonna take ya all the way there
We know where you're goin'
And we're goin' with you
Takin' you all the way
Goin' down the bayou
Goin' down the bayou
Goin' down the bayou
Takin' you all"
Throughout the song, Lovino had to pull Antonio along because he stopped to dance. Alfred too got caught up in dancing, or watching as the light from the fireflies danced around.
There was a distinct glow that could be seen coming from inside Dr. Kirkland's Voodoo Emporium from the small space between the bottom of the door and the floor.
"Friends!" Dr. Kirkland exclaimed with as much enthusiasm as he could muster. "Now I know I'm already pretty deep in this already, but because our frog prince has lost his way, I need your generous assistance." There was a deep growl as his 'friends' glared down at him dangerously. Instead of being scared, Dr. Kirkland just laughed. "I know what you're thinking. What's in it for you? As soon as I dispose of Daddy Vargas and I'm running this town, I'll have the city of New Orleans in the palm of my hand. You know what that means don't you? It means that you can have as many wayward souls as your dark hearts desire. Does that mean we have a deal?" His friends looked at each other, back at him, and then nodded. Quickly, the walls of the room were filled with dark shadows. "Excellent! We have got a frog to catch! Search everywhere, but bring him back alive. I need his blood pumping." Dr. Kirkland smirked as he waved the shadows off. "For now."
A/N: And here enters Francis! Anyone surprised that I chose him for Ray? I figured he would fit, especially with the Evangeline part. I'm hoping y'all will get it much more when that scene/chapter rolls around. Anywho, this will most likely be the last update for the night. I was going to attempt to update more but instead I got dragged off to my mum's work. It's boring, but nice because the Wi-Fi there is much faster than the Wi-Fi at my house. I was going to write and update there but then I remembered I told my friend I'd watched Cry Plays: Valiant Hearts. It is one of my favourite things and I recommend y'all watch it.
Anywho, I'm off for today/night. Love y'all!
Ciao, Athineath~