They had a few close calls when claws swooped, hooves stomped, fangs chomped, and quills shot out at them when the umbrella dinged loudly, the light pulsing before dimming down into darkness, and as they tried to regain their sight in the darkness, a blood-red light glowed brightly ahead of them.
The monster bellowed even angrier as the trio ran into a huge cavern room where in the center is a crowd of large rock spikes surrounded by a huge blood-red gemstone, big as an entire cart, and above them is large rock spikes as well.
As the monster crashed into the large chamber, the chamber shook furiously, with some of the smaller ceiling spikes falling, and Jiminy screamed, "To the center, hurry!", but they couldn't get close enough with the guarding ground spikes, shaping suddenly into deadly thorn spikes.
"Not good!", Juliet cried as they all stopped before they could find themselves impaled on the thorns. "I think we've run into a dead end... quite literally in fact...".
Perla looked around the chamber, looking for anything to stop the monster before a raindrop splashed on her nose, and she looked up, to see about the biggest ceiling rock spike, right center above the gemstone, realizing that there are cracks on the ceiling, and she followed the cracks, to see a ledge of spikes above the monster.
She looked at the umbrella in Jiminy's hand, and she grabbed it, muttering, "Give me one perfect arrow.", and as Evangeline heard her, the handle shaped into a deadly arrowhead, and looked at the others, "Trust me! We need to throw it at the spike above us!", and the others didn't hesitate, wrapping their hands along Perla's hands, and with combined strength, they threw the umbrella at the cracks right on the spike hard and straightforward.
The umbrella fell back to the ground as the cracks got bigger and bigger, streaking and streaking across the ceiling, and the ledge of spikes came free, falling right over the monster, breaking the shadow men away from overtaking their old bodies again for the first moment when the ceiling spike suddenly came free.
Jiminy grabbed the umbrella, opening it over him and the girls, with the compasses shielding the open spaces between the umbrella and the ground as they tucked into a tight huddle as the spike fell into the gemstone and the thorns, destroying the thorns into dust, with the gemstone suddenly crackling, and the shadow men screamed as they felt their souls' prison weakening, with the dust cloud washing through the chamber for two minutes, with the rest of the ceiling spikes falling everywhere.
The trio loudly coughed as the dust began to settle from the collapsing chamber, all of them appearing to be okay for the moment. "You girls alright?", Jiminy asked.
Juliet shook her head, "Yeah, I'm good, dang, that was loud and crazy.", as Perla replied, "I'm alright too.", before seeing the shadow men glare at them, and she looked back, "The thorns are gone! Come on!", grabbing Juliet's hand, and ran to the crackling gemstone, putting her compass on top, and Juliet followed her example, putting her compass on top of the other compass.
The compasses then glowed white and blue as good magic swept into the blood-red dark magic, as the shadow men screaming in pain as their souls fought to get out, and then with Evangeline's struggling voice echoing from the compasses, "Put your hands on the compasses, hurry! Focus all your love for everyone into good magic!".
Suddenly, more swarms of shadow men started to appear, with one revealing the Coachman, holding his dark magic whip, glaring at the trio, "No one touches my gemstone!", as the girls instantly held into the compasses, focusing all their love for each other, their son, Leila, Geppetto, Figaro, Cleo, Evangeline.
Jiminy saw his umbrella handle glow, and he narrowed his eyes as the Coachman whipped at the girls, and Jiminy sprung into action, slapping the whip away with his umbrella as the good magic got larger and larger into the dark gemstone, creating more cracks and cracks.
Evangeline's voice struggled, "It's fighting back! What? Okay, okay, hold on!", before more voices came, and Perla gasped in surprise and tears as she heard Geppetto's voice, "You can do this, Perla!", along with two voices, "Baby girl, you can do this! Mama's here!", and "Yeah, you got this, little sis!".
She realized that it was her mother, Cornelia, and her lost brother, Emilio! Evangeline encouraged, "Good, good, give your love to your daughter and sister! More good magic! Juliet, your Pop is here too!".
Jiminy, in the meanwhile, was trying to buy the girls time with whatever they were attempting to do while combating the Coachman. "You two come all this way back after all this time! I should've hunted you down when I had the chance!", he growled as he struck at Jiminy once more.
Jiminy shouted back, "And we will be sure that you won't hurt anybody ever again!", as Juliet heard Pietro, her pop's voice, "Be the strong, brave daughter I know you are! I'm damn proud of having a daughter who defied odds for her family! You truly are a Juliet!", as her eyes teared up in joy, her heart swelling to find that her father loves her for who she is, approving that she's a woman.
Perla and Juliet found more love as they realized that they had more to fight for, focusing it all more and more to assist Evangeline as the good magic finally found the core of the dark gemstone, and Evangeline's voice called out, "Jiminy, we need you!".
Jiminy backed off, keeping an eye on the Coachman as he batted away the whip, with one hand reaching behind him, with his other hand still on his umbrella, and the girls helped grab his free hand to touch and grasp into the compasses, and Jiminy focused on his love for the family; Perla, Juliet, Carlo, Geppetto, Cleo, and Figaro, suddenly hearing a voice, his mother's voice, Teresa Cricket, "I'm right here, son! I'm so proud of you for being there for this family and more! You're a amazing son and a wonderful human being that I'll know you can be!".
Jiminy was happy to hear his mother's voice, focusing his love and feeling his mother's love assisting him as the dark gemstone got slowly destroyed, with the souls almost freed, lending their voices, "Almost there! You can do it! Save us! Bring us home!".
All the determination, love, faith, belief, and strength became one, and with a blast that swept everyone in sight, the dark magic itself became destroyed, with the boys on the stagecoach on the mainland feeling the urge to go back home, to fix things with their families, with the souls of the shadow men finally freed, cheering as they went home to the heavens, with Pleasure Island crumbling and falling into the sea, with the donkeys in the mines, farms, and such changing back into boys, and the women everywhere in ships, in Europe and such having their memories back, yet still stuck in their decisions to keep their new lives or go back to their old lives, for they need the Blue Fairy's help with that soon.
The compasses floated to Perla and Juliet as they coughed, as Jiminy checked over them, "Anything hurt?", and the girls shook their heads, "No, nothing bad.", as the trio had scrapes and such, but nothing serious. "RAHHH!", their attention turned to the Coachman as he roared at the group; still on his feet as he swung his whip again.
"You think you've won! I'll use your souls to start everything all over again!", he roared as they avoided his attack while seeing him starting to change. He was shriveling up into an ancient man, pruned and practically weak while his body began to mutate, changing him into a half-man, half-creature. A fitting punishment for his years of evil.
Of course, despite the change, he still was fighting as if nothing had happened. Perla was nearly whipped in the face as she just managed to avoid it before his whip cracked against the stone walls. Jiminy looked up and his eyes widened at what he saw: a stalactite that looked very loose and was position just right above the Coachman. Jiminy tossed his umbrella upward, hitting the rock before it finally was loose enough and cracked from the ceiling: heading straight down on the evil being.
"Wha- No-", The Coachman barely could scream out as the stalactite impaled him right through the head, practically destroying it in a gruesome mess before it finished tearing through his flesh and planting itself downward on the cave floor.
The trio's eyes widened in shock and Juliet muttered, "Damn...", and Perla felt relief all at once, "We did it...He's gone...", and shaky smiles showed around before they heard sounds of earth crashing into Pleasure Island, and into the sea, and Jiminy grabbed his umbrella, "Shit, we got to get out of here before we get crushed too!".
Evangeline's voice strongly rang from the compasses, "Huddle up! Hold on into the compasses!", and the trio wrapped their arms around each other tightly as the compasses glowed brightly, good magic enveloping the trio, and just as the cavern started to collapse, the trio knew nothing but a flash of light as they felt a rush of speed, and something close to a cannon in a way, and then vanished from the cavern, and appeared right into the living room of their home where Leila was already holding a stiff fireplace poker in self-defense, thinking for a moment that the house was being attacked before she shrieked in relief as the trio was then clearly seen, "Juliet, my baby! Perla, darling! Jiminy, you lucky cricket!", dropping the poker instantly as she ran to hug them in joy and relief.
"Hey... easy, Mama, easy...", Juliet chuckled as Lelia was being so passionate with the trio; just so happy and relieved to see them safe and back home.
"Is it...?", Leila asked as Jiminy nodded as he took a deep breath, "Done... whatever spell the Coachman had, and whatever Pleasure Island was... it's now gone for good.".
Perla whispered, "And the Coachman, he's dead too...", before sobbing in joy and happiness as she cried, relieved that her own son wouldn't have to suffer the horrors she and Juliet experienced, nor the ones they, along with Jiminy witnessed tonight.
The others huddled around Perla as she sobbed in joy, having happy tears, shocked for all the support behind the trio, of their parents, their loved ones, and the ones who were trapped on Pleasure Island.
It was the longest three hours of their lives on the mission, and now they're home, safe and sound, and over the next couple of hours, the trio celebrated with drinks and snippets of the mission to Leila who was shocked and horrified to hear yet she was overjoyed that all the mothers of those boys would be back together, and yes, some of them may have been grown-ups over the years, but it's a miracle for them all...
Perla and Juliet checked on Carlo, relieved to see him slumbering with good dreams, with Figaro on the foot of the bed, and kissed their son on the forehead lovingly before heading to their loft bedroom where they took a passionate, pleasurable bath in the bathroom, and then fell asleep in Perla's bed, cuddling and holding each other, in their nightgowns.
A couple of hours later, Juliet woke up sleepily to a tug on the blankets, and she saw Carlo, "Carlo? What is it, kiddo?", and Carlo shyly smiled, "Can I sleep here? I not want to put you, Momma, or Mama, in trouble in cart on adventure...", with a frown, scared that he couldn't get a chance to sleep in their arms together for some time as his mothers say that being on the road is different than in the village.
Juliet chuckled softly, "Carlo, I know keeping us as mothers is hard for a secret, but we both love you, kiddo...And you are so smart beyond your years sometimes, just like your mama...Come here...I guess this is the last night of a real bed...", gently giving Carlo a lift into the bed, stirring Perla to wake up sleepily.
"Huh...?", Perla muttered as she slowly started to wake up. "Carlo wanted to sleep with us, Perla... sorry to wake you but you need to make some room for our plus one.", Juliet chuckled.
Carlo yawned before he looked at his mama, "Is it being okay, Mama?", and Perla smiled happily, "Of course, darling, you can sleep with us...Did you have a bad dream?".
"No...I think being bad thoughts...You say being in cart on road is different...Does that mean no more sleeping with my mommies?", Carlo frowned sleepily, and Perla replied, "Oh, I see...Well, how about this? You sleep with me one night in the cart, and Momma can sleep with you the next night, if you're worried about us mommies getting caught together...Does that make sense, Carlo?", trying to explain to a three-year old.
Carlo blinked, "I think so. I be having time with each mommy every night?", and Juliet smiled, "That's right, kiddo. Is that good for you as this is a whole new adventure for all of us?".
Carlo nodded as Juliet took a deep breath. "Good... and maybe I should've corrected myself... we'll sleep in a real bed again soon, I'm sure... just... it's only for a little while.", she told him.
Carlo sleepily smiled, "We be finding new home...New bed and new toys...Mama, can I take toy train with me too?", and Perla kissed him on the cheek, "Of course, darling, you can. After all, you will have new friends who will love to play. Now, go to sleep, my little dreamer...".
"Yes, Mama...Love you, Mama, Momma.", Carlo snuggled into the blankets, and the mothers cuddled together around him, "We love you, Carlo.", falling asleep contentedly, with Juliet and Perla's hearts enlightened from the miracle they did for all of the boys they saved from the horrors of Pleasure Island, and so, the night stars, especially the Evening Star glinted brightly more than usual, to signal a ending of an adventure, and the beginning of another adventure.
And so, the morning was spent in packing up everything, with Arnarldo the mule secured after a feeding, the family set out from the village for good, with sentiment belongings in their luggage, and plenty of food to last for a few days until they go through a village or something.
It was a slow journey as the family just weren't in much of a hurry, especially since they had a huge mission, not that Carlo knows, but he was all too happy to see new things every hour and so on, exploring places on breaks with any of the family.
As they got closer to the border of Italy, to France, on the fourth day, Leila herself was thinking to ask one of the compasses, if she has a significant other...On one hand, she couldn't forget the wonderful 6 years with Pietro, her first husband...on the other hand, this is a whole new start for the rest of the family, and should she do the same?
"Something wrong, Mama?", Juliet asked. Perla, carrying Carlo, was sitting in the front with Jiminy while Leila and Juliet were in the back with much of the stuff. "Oh, nothing... just... just thinking of things at the moment...", Leila told her.
Juliet frowned softly, "Mama, I may not have a significant long time with you, since I technically had 8 years with you as a boy, and then the past five years as a woman, but I can tell that you are really having a serious discussion in your mind.".
Leila gave a soft chuckle, "No matter how old you are, you always find a way to cheer me up or talk with me, Juliet...You know, I knew that your Pop would be proud of you, and when I heard that he was there with you that night, supporting you, I was happy but...I was jealous for a moment...wanting to hear his voice again...to tell him that I'd always have a place for him in my heart...yet afraid to hear if he is waiting for me...to tell him after a long time of healing with Carlo and all of you, I want to move on, have a whole new start, and...be like you and Perla...", with a deep sigh.
Juliet raised an eyebrow, "You thinking of hopefully finding your soul mate as well?". Leila nodded at that, "I suppose... I'm not really sure to be honest.. your father... Pietro, I feel in my heart he might have been my soulmate from the very beginning.".
Juliet frowned softly as she wished she had talked to her father more than for that brief moment back on Pleasure Island...She tried to think before widening her eyes as she remembered a day where Perla read with her, a book about different kinds of soulmates, even plural as well.
She then replied, looking at Leila, "Mama, what if you have plural soulmates?", and Leila looked at her daughter, "What do you mean?".
"I mean, if Pops was your first soulmate, then just maybe, you would have a second soulmate in your significant other...", Juliet explained, and Leila widened her eyes, and Juliet continued on, "And you said that you weren't his best friend in the first place as it was a courtship on family pressure, so it would have been a life partner soulmate thing with Pops. And if you have a second soulmate, it would well as be a best friend or twin flame or even a romantic soulmate thing.".