sultal's note: This chapter is dedicated to Mr. Robin Williams. Ya done good dude. Ya done magnificent.

Chapter 86: No Escape from the Storm Inside

"Elsa… Elsa… Elsa…"

"She can't hear you." Ariel turned as Robin pressed against her. Grimly, he peered around the doorframe. It was slicked with ice. "She must be too far away."

Ariel didn't respond. Pushing Olaf back with her foot, she looked into the classroom.

Snow was everywhere. The room had malformed into a crystal forest, penetrated by the occasional frosty breath. The cold was ruthless. Ariel was sure her blood had solidified. It was hard to see anything. Anything except white.

Ariel sat back. Painfully, she flexed her fingers back and forth over the trident. Her joints creaked.

"Olaf?" she whispered, turning the little snowman.

Olaf beamed in response.

Ariel angled her trident at the door. "Are you sure Elsa and Genie are in there?"

"Think before you answer." Flynn muttered, rubbing his arms. "Because I'm freezing my tail off sitting here like a lame duck."

Olaf leaned back. "Well, of course I am sure!" he said, articulating each word. Furtively, Olaf edged towards Ariel.

"I think that one's gotta go, General." The snowman whispered, peering skeptically at Flynn. "Little belligerent and confused…"

Ariel responded mutely. She returned to the doorframe with unstated apprehension.

"Elsa must be inside." Robin said. Wryly, he tapped the doorframe as Wart crawled beside Ariel. "Door is frozen solid. Only Elsa can turn things to ice. She and Geniemust be inside."

Ariel gazed through the drifting snowflakes as Robin spoke. "….we just can't see them."

Wart's head lifted. His pale eyes darted over the snow. "That's…right."

Ariel frowned. "Wart? What—Wart!"

"Wart!"

"What's he doing?"

"OAAAHHHHH!"

"Zip it Frosty! You wanna give us away?"

"Wart's givin us bloody away!"

"Wart!"

Ariel lunged. Robin and Mulan pulled her back. Urgently, Ariel swung her trident as Wart sprinted into the classroom. "Wart! What are you – "

"We can't see them!" Wart hissed, wading through knee deep snow. He glanced back before disappearing into the drifts. "If we can't see them, then they can't see us!"

Panicking, Ariel shook her head. Then she paused. As Flynn flopped beside her, she darted after Wart. "Actually that makes sense."

"Sense? Sense?" Flynn watched as the rest of the group jumped into Ariel's tracks. It wasn't until Olaf skipped by that Flynn followed. "That makes no sense! They're probably planning our deaths right now!"

Ariel threw back her head. "They will be if you don't stop talking! Come on everyone! Faster!"

Robin and Merida grunted. Ariel ignored the response but realized it was easier said than done. Hiking her hips Ariel plowed through the snow. After three steps she lost momentum and dragged laboriously after Wart.

"Olaf." Ariel whispered as the snowman hopped alongside. She cringed as the snow crunched. "Olaf. Which way is Elsa?"

"She can't be too far." Rapunzel said, hair bundled like a scarf. Her eyes traveled over thin sheets of ice suspended like curtains from the ceiling. "This is a classroom. How big can it – yipe!"

"Duck!" Flynn yanked Rapunzel down. Ariel turned. Through three sheets of ice, someone had struck a match. The orange flame flickered fluidly as Ariel dropped beside Flynn.

Breathing deeply, Ariel waited before sneaking a look. Raising slowly onto her haunches, she peered through the icy sheet. Although the silhouettes were distorted, Ariel recognized the contours of her classmates immediately.

Gaston. And Hans. And, from the sound of it, a mix of pirates. Ariel squinted. The pirates were lowering cigarettes to Gaston's match. The ends flared red as the pirates sucked and sucked in hopes of warmth. Then, blowing bitterly at drifting flakes, they turned, cursed the cold, and twisted the smoking ends into…

"Elsa!"

"Shhh!" hissed Flynn. He bent an arm over Ariel's red hair as Hans turned. Breaths held, they listened helplessly as the pirates smothered cigarettes into Elsa's skin.

"We can't just sit here." Rapunzel whimpered as Elsa cried out. "We have to do something."

Flynn tilted his head sideways. "I say we sacrifice Frosty."

"Shut up, Flynn." hissed Mulan.

Olaf looked frantically back and forth. "Huh? What just happened?"

"Don't worry about it. Just go waddle over that snow bank and introduce yourself to those nice men over there– "

"—Flynn!"

"Hey. Everyone. Over here."

They turned. Wart's blond head appeared behind an ice stalagmite. Observant of Hans, Gaston, and the pirates, he beckoned. "Come on. Over here. Genie. I found Genie."

Ariel didn't wait. Lost of caution, she scampered on all fours through the snow. She didn't wait for Wart's warning. Hungry for hope, she twisted through the stalagmite teeth.

Confident and assured, she ran to Genie. Genie could break the magical prison walls! Genie could free them! So…she could find Jim.

Suddenly Ariel stopped.

"…Genie…?"

Frozen. Genie was frozen. Bound in ice, Genie knelt like a lost child, head weighted by icy tears, and arms hugging an aching heart.

Wart gazed sadly as Ariel touched Genie's cheek. "There…there are more frozen people over there. By Elsa. Master Donald. Master Goofy. Captain Shang. The seven dwarves…."

"Shang?"

Wart turned. Mulan, leading Rapunzel, Flynn, Merida, and Robin, absently touched the lotus comb in her hair. "Shang is frozen?"

Sympathetically, Wart nodded. "Over there. By Elsa. And the pirates." He waited as the group encircled Genie. "I…thought that maybe Rapunzel could…unfreeze them. Just like the War Games…"

"Worth a go." Robin said. He smiled with forced positivity. "Rapunzel?"

Ariel watched as Flynn helped Rapunzel drape her hair over Genie's shoulders. Anxiously, she glanced over her shoulder. Elsa's outline flinched as pirates burned cigarettes into her arms and cheeks. Gaston preceded the torture but Hans was absent. Ariel frowned, gripping her trident.

Rapunzel started to sing. Softly. So softly, Ariel might have mistook the gentle tones for wind. But, when Wart and Merida touched her shoulder and whispered "Look." the song was clear as day.

And Genie was waking up.

Dropping all guards, Ariel knelt. Curiously, Olaf joined her.

"Genie?" Ariel called as snowflakes prickled off his face. Impulsively, she took one of his big blue hands. "Genie. Genie. Wake up!"

"Ariel, tone it down." Flynn cautioned, checking the pirates. "They'll hear—"

"Oiiiiiiiii."

"Genie! Genie!" Ariel squeezed Genie's hand as he creaked to life. Rapunzel's silky hair slipped over his shoulder as Genie met Ariel's eyes.

"Hey…" weakly, Genie smiled. His fingers trembled in Ariel's hands as Rapunzel stopped singing. "…little person."

"Genie – whoa! What?" Ariel sat back as ice recrystallized over Genie.

"What happened?" asked Mulan.

Ariel tried to move. Her hand was frozen inside Genie's.

"It must be Elsa's magic." She finally said, remembering her counseling sessions with Mr. Bubbles. Behind them, the pirates made hissing noises as they dropped lit matches into Elsa's hair.

"Her powers are controlled by emotions. Guilt. Usually people she's thinking about. Her emotions must be going crazy…so the ice just keeps flowing. Like a faucet…"

Suddenly, Ariel looked up. "Rapunzel! Sing! Sing again! And don't stop this time."

"But…the pirates!" Merida warned. "Gaston! Hans!"

"Just do it!" Ariel ordered. She glared until Rapunzel started to sing. Her voice came timorously but Ariel didn't care. She didn't care about the immediate danger or the consequences if they were caught. Extempore or not, Ariel was impatient with averting the risks. She had to get out of this castle. She had to find Jim. Right now.

"Keep singing Rapunzel." Ariel said as Genie shivered to life. Fingers numb, she probed Genie's hand. "Genie. Genie! Wake up! It's me! Ariel. Aladdin's friend."

"Al?" Genie lifted his head. His voice was hardly discernable, even over Rapunzel's soft singing. "Al? Little buddy? He's alive?"

Ariel paused. Genie looked down, reading the change in pressure between their fingers.

"Genie." Ariel said, reaching with her other hand. "I'm sure Aladdin is fine. But we need your help to make sure. If we can just get the lamp – "

Genie shook his head. Snowflakes twinkled under his tears. "No can do, I'm afraid, little mermaid. No can do. Look at me…frozen in ice….just like all the rest of the students…can't save them….can't save Elsa….worthless blue blob….can't save anyone…."

Olaf's bottom lip puckered. Rapunzel blinked, trying not to cry. Hugging her hair around Genie, she sang harder, trying to break the ice.

"Genie…" Ariel brushed Genie's cheek. Tears froze to her fingers. "Genie. We can't do this on our own. We need you."

"Fuck us – Aladdin needs you." With uncharacteristic sincerity, Flynn knelt. He looked into Genie's black eyes. "You know a lot Genie – a lot. You know how to make sunshine from rain. You know how to make someone feel like they're flying with both feet on the ground. You know how to make the stupidest coincidence into an f'n adventure. You know how to turn work into fun and nothing into laughter. But…"

Flynn grasped Genie's hand over Ariel's. "…what you don't know is how much all those things mean to an orphan. To Aladdin. To anyone that is alone and worthless…until you come along and make them feel like a prince."

Slowly, Flynn uncurled his fingers. Picking up his frying pan, he sighed. "At least…that's how I see it. Aladdin needs you big guy. We all do. For the laughter. For the fun. For…" Flynn grinned, making quotation marks with his fingers. "…phenomenal cosmic powers."

Genie gazed at Flynn. Then, slowly, a tiny, itsy-bitsy smile crinkled the tears from his eyes. "Al…needs me?"

Flynn nodded. "Like best needs a friend."

"And we need you." Ariel leaned forward. Her nose almost touched Genie's. Flynn's speech was surprising, but seemed to have effect. "We can't get you out of this ice….but if Aladdin can make a wish for you to get all of us out of the castle, then that might stop Elsa's spell from reaching you. We just need the lamp."

Suddenly, Ariel realized. "Genie….where is the lamp?"

"Right here."

Ariel turned.

Hans.

Panting, he brandish both a sword and Aladdin's magic lamp. Anticipating a defense, Hans raised his sword as Ariel, Robin, Merida, Mulan, and Flynn raised their weapons.

Elsa screamed.

"Go ahead." Hans mocked. He smiled as pirates advanced, two dragging Elsa in chains. Gaston pressed a butcher knife against her white throat. "Go ahead." said Hans again, staring each student in the eye. Regally he waved the magic lamp towards Elsa. "I hate happy endings anyway. So make a move. Be heroes. And the Snow Queen dies."

"Liar. Lair." Genie breathed. Rapunzel had stopped singing. Ice was twinkling over Genie's face. "Pants on fire."

Hans laughed. "Idiot slave. You think just because Maleficent wants Elsa, I won't kill her?"

"…no…" Genie whispered, ice freezing inside his throat. Releasing Ariel's hand, he snapped two fingers before they turned to ice. "…you're pants are literally on fire you pompous- scheming-balloon-headed-psychopath."

Snap!

Poof! A small flame sprouted under the seam of Hans' pants.

Hans yelped, hopping on one leg and smacking the flame.

Ariel pounced. Twirling her trident through a crossfire of arrows, bullets, blades, snowballs (Olaf), and frying pans, she attacked Hans, knocking the magic lamp from his hand.

Before her next breath, Ariel snatched the lamp and charged for the door.

"The pool!" Elsa cried, choking as Gaston hauled her over the ice. "Ariel! The pool! They're all frozen in the pool – "

Crack!

Ariel cringed but didn't look back. Wrenching through the snow, she kept running.

"Ariel!" Wart cried.

Pounding around a corner, Ariel used the momentum to look back. Wart was following. Gaston and army of pirates pursued like wolves.

Ariel nodded, thanking Wart for the warning. Heart screaming, she jabbed the trident into the snow. Electricity burrowed through the flakes, but extinguished before reaching the pirates.

"Come on!" Ariel grit her teeth, willing her legs to go faster. She leapt down stairs, two, three steps at a time. She slipped over snow in the dark, but knew the way to the pool by heart. "Come on! You're not a real mermaid so you better be able to run like you're not!"

Wart was gasping behind her. Bullets ripped over her head. The lamp swung in her hand, banging up and down.

Almost there. She was almost…there!

The pool entrance was crusted in ice. Frozen students glimmered on the other side like displays in a glass vitrine. Muscles screaming, Ariel sprinted. Without wasting momentum, she threw the trident. The ice shattered, raining shards into her red hair as she tore inside.

"ALADDIN!"

Ariel buckled, slipping on the ice. She heard a slap, and saw Wart fall. Gasping, she dug the trident teeth into the frozen pool. The ice crackled and popped as she seized Wart.

"ALADDIN! WHERE ARE YOU?"

"They're frozen!" Gaston boomed. "They can't hear you! They'll never hear you! Hand over the lamp!"

Ariel squeezed the lamp. Desperately, she looked for Aladdin. She felt Wart's heart ripping through his chest. They were surrounded.

"Take them!" Gaston said, aiming a rifle. The barrel turned red. "Kill them both. NOW!"

The pirates attacked.

Ariel didn't think.

Clutching Wart, she stabbed the trident through the ice.

The ice broke, splintering into a million slivers.

They gave, plunging into the pool. Ariel might have been scared, but the freezing water stopped her brain.

The ice reformed, crystallizing into a white, ghostly ceiling above their heads.

For a silent moment, Ariel, Wart, and the Aladdin's magic lamp hovered like statues in the pearly light.

Then, as Ariel remembered, they sunk.

Just like before.

When the villains destroyed Fantasian School of the Magically Skewed in the first battle to take Fantasia.

When she chose to save a boy instead of run away.

When she met Jim Hawkins for the first time.

Calmed, and almost smiling, Ariel held Wart.

She gave the current control. She let the water take them.

Through the drain.

And out of the castle.