Hey there you guys. Prism here. I know a lot of you have been asking me for updates and I'm truly sorry for leaving this for so long. To be honest, I ended up taking an unintentional hiatus due to a family death I'd rather not talk about in my authors note. So, again I'm sorry for leaving you guys for so long and I hope this chapter of New Orleans makes up for it. I still own nothing other than the plot and my OCs. Everything else belongs to their respective owners. Enjoy!
Chapter 72: Dig A Little Deeper
Mama Odie didn't hesitate to welcome Roxas, Naveen, Tiana and all the others into her home. Though, climbing up a ladder into a boat that rested at the top of a giant tree was a little difficult for some members of the group. Once they were inside, Tiana moved to explain what had happened to her and Naveen.
"...So you see Mama Odie, we're just really happy we made it to you." Concluded Tiana as Mama Odie started sturring a giant tub of gumbo. "Now if you could just help us become human again we'd very much appreciate it."
"They really have been through a lot." Continued Oswald. "Our magic can't turn them human so we were really hoping-"
"Yes, yes. I know why ya'll are here. Let he tell ya'll I'm glad we got some youngins here to help deal with them nasty heartless and the Shadow Man." Mama Odie interrupted as she sat down on a nearby lounging chair.
Naminé nodded. "Of course, that's what we're here for."
Mama Odie smiled as she turned to the two frogs. "Now little froggies do you know what you need?"
"It's just as we were telling you, Mama Odie." Tiana said. "We need to be human."
"No, no no." Mama Odie shook her head. "Y'all know what you want but you're blinded to what you need."
Naveen looked up at the old woman in confusion. "What we want, what we need, it's all the same thing yes?"
"WRONG!" Mama Odie shouted, causing the entire group to jump in surprise. "Y'all think y'all know what ya want but y'all are blinded to what ya need. Take Kyra for example."
Kyra blinked her eyes in confusion. "Me?"
"Yes, you." Mama Odie nodded. "I remember when y'all first came to this world so long ago looking for any information on your missing family. You were bitter and had only little Rusty as a companion. Y'all pushed everyone away because you were so focused on what you wanted. Now look at ya! You're more open and a better person because you needed friends to confide in."
"I... I guess you're right." Kyra rubbed the back of her neck. Since travelling the world's with Roxas and the others she really had grown stronger as a person. She wasn't as bitter and dismissive as she was before and she was able to work well with her teammates and trust them.
"Now, Prince Froggy over here wants to be rich again." Mama Odie continued as Naveen nodded his head excitedly. "Well that ain't gonna make you happy now, it didn't make you happy then! Money ain't got no soul or heart, not like someone else your heart's been pining for."
As Mama Odie approached Tiana, it suddenly clicked to Naveen what she was talking about. He was a selfish, spoiled Prince who's only focus was to get married so he could get rich again and continue to party. But, after meeting Tiana he'd slowly shifted into a better person. He realized at that moment that he was in love with Tiana and wanted to be with her. He never would have admitted it before but he actually liked being a better person and Tiana brought out the best in him.
"Now, you miss froggy. You're a hard worker I heard." Said Mama Odie.
Tiana nodded. "Yes ma'am. That's right."
"You're your daddy's daughter all right. What you've got in him, you've got in you." Mama Odie smiled as she picked up Tiana in her hands. "So, miss froggy do y'all understand what ya need?"
"Yes, Mama Odie! I need to dig a little deeper and work even harder to get my restaurant!" Tiana exclaimed happily.
Mama Odie, Naveen, Ray, Kyra and Rusty all facepalmed.
"Uh, Tiana I don't think that's what Mama Odie was getting at..." Naminé softly spoke up but stopped when Xion put a hand on her shoulder.
"Just leave it, Naminé." Said Xion. "I think we've all learned by now that Tiana's too stubborn."
Mama Odie shook her head and sighed as she set Tiana back down on floor. "Well, if ya'll are set on bein' human then there's only one way." With that, she approached a large bathtub full of gumbo. She took her magic club and started sturring the gumbo with it. "Gumbo, gumbo in the pot, we need a princess, whatcha got?"
For a moment, Roxas was questioning why she was sturring a bathtub full of gumbo. But, in the next second, the gumbo began to swirl and glow until an image appeared before them. It was a young, beautiful woman with short, curly golden blonde hair. She was sleeping in a large, expensive bed with a sleep mask over her eyes and she was snoring loudly.
Lydia raised an eyebrow. "That's a princess? Deffinately not what I was expecting."
Tiana, however appeared to recognize the woman in the gumbo. "Lottie? That can't be right."
"You know her?" Dragon asked.
"Yes, her name's Charlotte La Bouff." Tiana replied. "She's my best friend and the one Naveen's going to marry so he can get money again." She didn't notice Naveen look away shamefully.
At that moment, the the image in the gumbo shifted to a larger man, presumably her father entering the room with a tiara for her. Lottie immediately woke up and removed her sleep mask. She smiled excitedly as the tiara was placed on her head.
"Wait, that's right." Tiana gasped as she suddenly realized something. "Big Daddy's king of the Mardi Gras parade. So that would make Lottie... A princess?"
"Does that count?" Asked Lydia curiously.
Mama Odie nodded. "Yes, but only until midnight when Mardi Gras is over. All y'all got to do is get that princess to kiss price froggy before time runs out then you'll both turn human!"
"Midnight?!" Oswald asked. "Well, that doesn't give us much time at all!"
Kyra nodded. "Right. We need to hurry back to town and find Lottie."
"Wait, there's actually a town in this world? I thought it was all bayou." Myde questioned.
Kyra rolled her eyes and glared at Myde. "Uh, let's just go." She said as she started leading Tiana and the others down the ladder. One by one each one left until only Louis, Roxas, Naminé and Xion remained.
"What about me, Mama Odie?! I wanna be human too!" Louis asked excitedly. "I want fingers and toes and a belly button! Not the kind that sticks out but the kind that goes in..."
Mama Odie shook her head. "Remember what I said? You gotta think about what ya'll need." She then turned to the trio of former nobodies as she took out a summon charm from her robes. "Best of luck to ya'll. I hope this will help ya on your travels." She smiled as she handed the charm to Naminé. It was green with a picture of a rubber duck and a pink scrubbing brush on it. It was known as the Alligator charm.
"Thank you very much, Mama Odie." Naminé smiled. "This will help a lot!"
"Thanks for all your help." Roxas said.
Xion smiled too. "Yes, thank you. I'm glad we know how to help Tiana and Naveen now."
"Glad to hear it, dears. Now ya'll better get to hoppin'! It's a long way back to New Orleans!"
"Hop?" Louis asked. "Oh no wait! I got a better idea!" He smisled.
~*KHIII*~
Louis had led the team to a riverboat that was headed straight for New Orleans. It was fairly empty with only a few guests and a jazz-playing band in animal costumes so the large group was able to sneak on easily. It was a really nice, fancy riverboat with bright twinkling lights.
"This is going to make gettin' back to New Orleans much faster." Said Tiana from her position on Kyra's shoulder. "Great idea, Louis!"
The moment he got on the boat, Louis started dancing to the beat of the band's jazz music.
"Oh yeah! I'm diggin' the music on theis ride!" Louis smiled.
"Same here!" Exclaimed Myde as he summoned his sitar. "Louis, my man! We should go join the band! My sitar, your horn, let's do it!"
Louis suddenly started shaking nervously. "I... I don't know about that. The last time I tried to jam with the big boys it didn't end well. They were scared of me cuz I'm a gator."
"Oh, come on! Go for it!" Exclaimed Dragon. "They're all dressed like different animals, just say Louis is just dressed like an alligator."
"Yeah! Just say Louis is wearing a really good alligator costume!" Xion said enthusiastically.
"I uh, guess that could work?" Louis asked hopefully with a sparkle in his eyes.
Myde nodded as he took Louis's claw. "Yeah! Come on man let's go!" He exclaimed as he dragged Louis up to the band. Myde talked to the band for a bit since they couldn't understand Louis, he just played a few notes on his horn. Immediately, the band invited Louis and Myde to join the band. The band had no idea Louis was a real alligator.
"Oh we can't miss this! Louis and Myde are finally gonna play with the big boys!" Ray exclaimed with a big smile on his face.
"All right! We gotta get front row seats to this!" Roxas smiled.
"I'm excited!" Said Naminé. "I've never heard Myde play his sitar outside of battle before."
"He's actually really good. He used to play in the gray area all the time back in the organization." Xion stated.
Kyra shrugged and smiled. "Well, I guess since there aren't any heartless around we've earned ourselves a break." Rusty barked and wagged his tail in agreement.
Lydia nodded in agreement as she wrapped her arm around Kyra's shoulders. "Glad to see you're finally learning to relax!"
The group made their way to the band but only Naveen remained. Tiana turned around and looked at Naveen with a kind look in her eyes and a warm smile on her face.
"Naveen?" She asked warmly. "Are you coming?"
"Oh, I'll catch up with you guys later." Naveen smiled back as he watched Tiana hop away, his heart pounding as he watched her join the others. Looking to the floor of the riverboat, he noticed a small pile of discarded beads and bottle lids. The frog prince picked up the seemingly useless objects and moved to the roof of the boat to get to work. Mama Odie was right; there were things that could make him happier than money. And he wanted to be able to say that Tiana was everything to him with the ring he was going to make.
Before I end this chapter I have to make a shoutout to Greymon Leader Baxt Flashpoint (Dragon's creator). He wrote this amazing, beautiful oneshot called Inheritance that dives deep into Dragon's past and character. When you guys have s chance go check it out and give him a review!
Thanks so much for reading you guys and be sure to leave a review! We're officially done with the Disney world's next chapter so next time we'll be haging the final boss of this world then heading back to Radiant Garden! See if you guys can guess who the summon Cham is. Here's a hint; it's a character from a Disney mobile game. See you all then!