I had a few people point out a few confusing areas, so I went back and fixed them, as well as adding new content! Enjoy!
After their attempt at the obstacle course, Maleficent, Jafar and Ursula took over for their magic lessons.
With a strange gusto that had the other two stare, Ursula got really into teaching them.
Pulling out parchments to draw graphs on how the different spells linked with each other and how they evolved.
How each world has different types of magic, even using Maleficent and her dark Fae magic, explaining the Genie Wish magic that had Jafar grip his staff in greedy anticipation as well as wonder from what he heard tales of, and Ursula's own undersea magic as examples.
Throughout it all, Ursula was still in her undersea form as she 'swam' in the air around them. Ariel could only watch in wonder as the witch swam around in her enthusiasm.
She wondered at her own Mermaid form, daydreaming of swimming among the clouds…
After the lesson, the teachers pulled her aside for catching her wandering focus.
Ariel asked her questions and Ursula grinned, pleased. And promptly pulled her aside for an extra lesson of Transformation spells. The very same Sora uses to blend between worlds.
It took an hour to get it right, but eventually Ariel got the hang of it, switching between Mermaid and Human in a flash.
Ariel laughed in joyous glee as she felt her tail replace her legs and her feet-turned-fins- left the floor.
With it now being nighttime, Ursula chuckled as she held out her hand to the now-Mermaid and they 'swam' to the door.
Ariel had brief memories of swimming through abandoned shipwrecks flash in her mind. But they were easily replaced by the hallways and torchlights. Fire which she had only seen previously in that painting in her Grotto before Sora showed up.
Ursula patiently guided Ariel through the Lift Stop halls towards the outside. Diaval flying in circles around a cheerfully laughing Ariel.
The lights from the magic holding the lifts gently lit up the hall and the stained glass reflecting the night sky held anticipation. Then Ursula waited by the door for her.
Maleficent hesitantly followed after them, Jafar rolled his eyes and went to bed.
Ariel's laughing caught the attention of the rest of the girls, and in various states of dress (nightgowns, etc) they followed after their friend.
Upon catching up to them, they spotted Ariel grinning and zipping out the door and to the large balconies outside.
And like a dolphin breaking the water's surface, she swam to the skies before slowing.
It was one thing walking along the balconies during the day, but it was another to see the stars as easily as being in Sora's ship.
It was so clear!
Massive clouds surrounded them in the distance.
The castle constantly lit up through various means gave it an almost magical feel compared to the oppressive mechanical design of the day.
Her arm outstretched to the stars and shivering from the wind. As she left the confines of the balconies.
Ariel never felt so alive!
Hearing cheers, she looked back to see her new friends wave and cheer.
Ursula had her arms crossed looking smug, and something else…
Maleficent was staring at her, yet not. Lost in thought? Was she seeing someone else?
Shaking her head, a thought for later. Smiling, she decided to show off a little and even tugged on Ursula's hands to join her.
Indulging the young girl, the Sea Witch complied and they swam around each other, high above the rest. Diaval apparently wanting in on the fun had Ariel chase him, much like how she had the girls chase flounder.
She appreciated the irony.
"We're from an ocean very far away and my friends here aren't used to these waters."
And I'm not used to these SKIES! She mentally giggled. Oh, if only daddy were here!
~/~
Meanwhile, deep in Castle Oblivion.
Xemnas stared at an empty white chair.
A blank sketchbook he put there earlier resting in the seat untouched.
Why is it empty?
~/~
As Snow White watches amazed at her friend flying around under the stars, she can't help but remember her wishing well.
Before waking here, before her Prince Charming arrived or her Dwarves, she was wishing upon the well.
Wishing for the one she loves to find her today.
But now, there is no well. But….
She finds herself imagining new tiny wishes.
Her cheeks are hurting with how impossibly wide she's grinning.
But she also learned her lesson from that apple.
Looking at her friend above, Snow White realized she didn't need wells or apples for wishes to come true. (Even though there is an actual Genie who can grant wishes on another world!)
Looking back on her life…
Her stepmother made her a scullery maid because she was prettier than her, and then later hunted her down.
Just last night she had a nightmare of just the trees looming over her as she lay in that crystal coffin-turned bed as she awoke.
When just the day before she lay in a coffin again in this very castle.
But why…?
Is this a pattern to come? Always finding herself locked away?
Clasping her hands, she outwardly tried to remain cheerful for her friend. She needs to really think!
Ursula taught them that each world had its own type of magics. What did she learn from the queen?
Fact: She can change her appearance, like Transform. Fact: She can make anything poisonous. Fact: She supposedly had a magic mirror with a person in it that can show her anything she desired and to spy on others.
So… transformation, poison and magical mirrors.
Hmm… How can she use them?
Transform, she could apparently learn from Ursula.
That table in the chapel had similar properties. Perhaps she could ask Maleficent about that viewing spell? Oh! She could use it to spy on this Xehanort fellow!
She can also use it to check in on Sora and Riku! Kairi would be so pleased to know her friends were alright in that dreadful place they left for!
Smiling for real now that she had a plan, she turned to Kairi and softened to smile at her.
Kairi looks so happy! But it is very clear that she misses them.
~/~
The next morning the girls were all smiles from last night, swarming the redhead for details.
With Ariel, for some unknown reason, using a fork (A Dinglehopper!) to brush her hair as she spoke. Jasmine tried to explain to her what a fork actually was and how to use it.
Kairi noticed that Snow had a new glint in her eyes as she watched Maleficent and Ursula off to the side eating their own breakfast.
And then when they finished, Hades appeared and then portaled the now-ready group.
~/~
When the portal disintegrated around them at the base of the waterfalls, they were ready.
Lock, Shock and Barrel were casually tossing up and down new exploding things and whatever else was in that bathtub of theirs.
The Jolly Roger dropped from the skies above and flew in a circle around them as the pirates mocked them from above. Captain Hook had his arms crossed, clearly expecting them to fail as miserably as yesterday.
Oogie wasn't there, but he's probably finding a good spot at the castle itself.
"Ready, girls?" Kairi looked back at each of them.
They each nodded, determined, learning from yesterday. She nodded back and looked ahead.
Hook aimed his gun at the sky and fired.
Start.
In a flash, Ariel turned into a mermaid and swam up with the Waterfalls towards the Tricksters. But it looked like they planned for that as they dove into the tub and started tossing strange things into the water that went after Ariel.
Down below, Kairi froze the bubbles from the platform as Aurora went ahead, having learned how to cast it last night in class.
Kairi stayed to repeatedly cast it so they could pass with Aurora doing her own casting once it was Kairi's turn to advance and they switched as they progressed.
Hades cheered and then started shooting fireballs at them as the pirates watched stunned.
Jasmine cast Blizzard at a fireball and stared gobsmacked as it exploded between them.
That look changed to a smirk.
Hades clearly approved and eagerly kept firing.
Belle saw Ariel was losing ground with the Tricksters and cast Blizzard at one of the contraptions and cheered when the thing was destroyed.
Nodding to Jasmine, they now had a solid defense.
With Aurora and Kairi swapping places to get them to the top, Jasmine took one side with Hades and Belle took the other to aid Ariel.
That left Alice, Snow and Cinderella.
Alice was stumped and was stuck being in the middle as if they were babysitters. She needed to step it up somehow!
Her eyes drifted to the Pirate ship. It seemed as if a lightbulb went off in her mind. An idea for later...
The other two were simply giving helping hands as they progressed.
Finally, they made it to the top!
Cheering, Jasmine saw Hook grudgingly nod before steering the ship to the castle with the Tricksters.
Taking the lift, they made for the castle.
There they split into two groups.
One went to open the door while the rest waited there. When the door unlocked, that group dashed for the library to find the pieces for the other door inside.
With Alice staying in the main area, the others ran to the library and tossed down the pieces for her to catch and put into the door.
Eventually group one came back as the rest regrouped with Alice and they continued on.
Though not before they once again locked the Tricksters in the spinning pillars and spun them as fast as they could before bolting!
At this point the Pirates were in the process of wiping out the Heartless and were definitely shocked at their early arrival!
Not breaking their strides:
Jasmine took one of the Pirates swords and slashed at a Defender from behind while Snow waved her arms around to distract it. The others followed and started hacking away and gathering up much needed HP and MP orbs (The money being swiped before the pirates got to it was a nice bonus too!)
~/~
Up above, Oogie watched them.
The last two days gave him plenty of insight on what he has to work with.
Their progress was unnaturally fast!
They are quick learners, too.
His specialty is fear. In a generation of the shadows literally coming alive to devour you, there is always something to fear.
Hmm…
He snuck back into the shadows as they traversed the lift stop maze.
~/~
Later that evening, Maleficent was surprised when Snow white raised her hand during their lesson and asked about the spell on the table in the Chapel.
Curious to where this was going, she indulged them.
The witch tasked them to find an everyday object, a mirror etc, to use for this spell. The spell can be applied to anything so they can practice on their own time.
Excited to learn a non-elemental spell, the girls set out to explore a bit.
Some chose books in their room, others found small mirrors in their chests. One used a plate from the kitchens, and the rest used the strange wide swords they stole from the pirates earlier.
Both witches (and Jafar) raised a brow at their objects before shrugging and used the plate as an example.
20 minutes later the girls were practicing with various ranges of success. Their target of viewing, Sora. Unfortunately, they discovered, being in the Realm of Darkness required way too much power for a stable connection. So, instead, they compromised on their family members.
Kairi's excitement drained at that. Her only known family were the ones who took her in on the Islands. But even the Islands were gone.
Taking a breath, she closed her eyes.