Artie woke, slowly at first. "Ugh..." he moaned.
"Oh, Artie!" Donkey exclaimed. "Good, you're awake!"
"What...what happened?" Artie asked. Artie tried to move his arms down but to no avail. "Where are we?"
"Well, we talked to Charming," Donkey said.
"Nothing good came from it," Puss added.
"And now we're in a prison cell," Donkey said. "At least, I think it's a prison."
"No, Donkey," Shrek said. "It's a dungeon."
"A dungeon?" Artie asked, calmer than anticipated.
"Yeah," Puss said. "We're kinda stuck."
Artie looked up, at his arms, to see they are placed in shackles and locked up, against the wall. "Charming put us down here?" Artie asked, confused.
"I think so?" Donkey said. "I was knocked out the way here."
"That was on purpose, Donkey," Shrek said. "He didn't want us to see where we're going."
"Ugh, my head hurts," Artie moaned.
"Yeah, that monkey hit you pretty hard," Puss explained.
"I'm gonna get a concussion," Artie joked.
"Well, we need to figure out how to get out of here," Shrek said.
Artie glanced around the room. Donkey is strapped in by all four of his feet. He's not hanging from the wall, but instead, stuck on the floor. Puss is tied up around his waist and his hands are trapped against the wall, like Artie's and Shrek's. His sword and belt are tossed haphazardly across the room where no one can reach.
"You think they would've taken my sword out," Puss complained. "It's tempting to reach but..." He removed his boot and began reaching with his paws, "I just can't reach."
"Hey, where's Jiminy?" Artie asked.
"I thought he was with you," Donkey said.
"Well, I don't feel him anywhere," Artie said.
"I guess Charming took him," Shrek mentioned.
"Why?" Donkey asked.
"He said he was going to lead us to Excalibur, but how did Charming know that?" Artie said.
"I'm more concerned who's leading him. He's not doing all of this by himself," Shrek said. "It's too cunning for him."
"You do make a point, Shrek," Puss agreed. "Almost like there's some other mastermind behind all of this."
"We can think about this later," Artie said. "The first thing we need to do is get out of here!"
"Now you're thinking like a king!" Shrek cheered.
"But how are we going to get out of here?" Puss asked.
"I don't see a way out," Donkey mentioned. "Plus, I don't have any hands so I can't take these things off."
"I have claws," Puss said. "Those can work." The group stared at him, unimpressed. "Well, at least once I get these things off myself." He giggled awkwardly.
Artie moved his arms and shuffled a bit to see if he could gain any distance, to no avail. "There's no point in trying," Shrek said. "I've already done that."
"there has to be some way out of here," Artie said. He looked up, squinting. A beam of light came in through the big gap in the ceiling. "We could get out of there, maybe," Artie said.
Artie tried a few other things, which was limited from his movement, before he gave up. "There has to be something we can do," Donkey encouraged.
"I can't figure anything out, Donkey," Artie said. "I'm sorry."
"But..." Donkey said. He didn't finish his thought. The party sat in silence for a while before Donkey started singing again. "Donkey," Shrek said. Donkey didn't hear him and continued. "Donkey," Artie said.
"Donkey!" Shrek cried, trying to get Donkey's attention. Donkey still didn't hear him. "Donkey!" Puss, Shrek and Artie yelled. Donkey's ears went down and his head drooped. Artie watched the rats scurry along the floor. He watched one rat climb up the wall before sliding down.
"Guys?" Artie asked, watching the rat run away. "If we don't make it out of here, I...I have to tell you what I saw from those trees." Artie waited for any replies, which none came, so he continued. "When those trees put me to sleep, I woke up at Worcestershire Academy. But...it was strange. Everyone treated me differently. I wasn't the joke of the school anymore. Even the nerds liked me.
"They carried me around the school, calling me 'Your Majesty,' and 'Your Highness,' and anything else like that. Then, I ran into Guinevere, and...she took me to this beautiful patch of forest with a lake and a shade of trees, and we talked for a while, and...and then she walked away and came back with...with Lancelot."
"That sounds like it was rough," Puss said.
"You like her, don't you?" Donkey asked. Artie didn't reply, and turned his face away. "That just sounds like a bad dream," Puss said.
"I...I hope so," Artie said.
"Shrek?" Donkey asked.
"Are you going to tell us yours?" Puss asked. Shrek didn't answer. However, as soon as he opened his mouth, a small glow came from the corner. "Hello?" came a small, quiet voice from the light. "Who's there?"
"Are you a fairy too?" Puss asked.
"You are still in Pixie Hollow," replied the fairy. "I am King Oberon, king of the fairies."
"Oberon!" Artie cried. "Pleased to meet you, sir!"
"The pleasure's all mine," Oberon said.
"Where's Titania?" Puss asked.
"She is with Charming," Oberon said. "He took her captive and threatened me, so he threw me in here. She went with him to protect me."
"Why does Charming want Titania?" Puss asked.
"I don't know," Oberon said. "I wish I did."
"I'm sorry," Artie said.
"What are you fine gentlemen doing down here?" Oberon asked.
"Charming trapped us in here," Shrek said.
"Why did he put you down here?" Oberon asked.
"We were trying to take back your home," Artie said.
"He took his crown and threw us down here after beating us senseless with a stick," Puss said.
"A bit extreme but yea, that's the gist of it," Artie said.
"Your crown?" Oberon repeated.
"Yeah, I'm King Arthur of Far Far Away," Artie stated. "Charming is just trying to take the crown again."
"Ah, another king in my presence," Oberon said. "Pleased to make your acquaintance, King Arthur."
"Please, just call me Artie," Artie replied.
"My apologies, Artie," Oberon said, "but may I ask why you came to Pixie Hollow?"
"We came to get Excalibur," Artie said.
"Apparently, whoever holds the sword is the true king of Far Far Away," Puss said. "At least, what the legends say."
"I see," Oberon said. "And how do you plan on wielding the sword?"
"Plan on it?" Artie repeated.
"Is there something we missed?" Shrek asked.
"It may seem so," Oberon said. "In order to wield the sword, your mind and heart must be true and pure. Which I do not doubt you have, King Arthur, however, you also need a 'plan' to wield it. Your intentions must be true, whether they are good or bad, and meant to be accomplished. Without a clear purpose in mind, you cannot pull the sword."
"That makes this more difficult," Shrek said. "Why didn't that bug tell us?"
"I'm sure there was a reason he didn't mention it," Artie said.
"'Bug?'" Oberon repeated.
"We have a bug helping us," Donkey said. "He calls himself Jiminy!"
"Jiminy..." Oberon said. "I don't recall that name."
"He is the Ethical Bug," Puss said. "At least, from what he says. I saw him a little bit with Jack Horner before he died from the Wishing Star."
"There was a Wishing Star?" Donkey asked.
"Yes," Puss replied plainly.
"What is a Wishing Star?" Donkey asked.
"We don't have time for this," Shrek said. "We can talk about stars later!"
"If you have an insect companion, he must have been sent by the Lady of the Lake," Oberon said.
"That Lady of the Lake?" Shrek asked.
"She's supposed to be the lake guardian," Artie asked. "Apparently, she also protects Excalibur."
"The Lady of the Lake is an ancient guardian. However, she will test your heart for the true purpose of wielding the sword," Oberon said.
"Do you know how we can get out?" Artie asked.
"I can get you out," Oberon said. "However, you will need to be wary of Charming and his flying monkeys."
"Really?" Donkey exclaimed.
"Yes," Oberon replied. "However, you must leave me inside of this dungeon."
"What? Why?" Artie cried.
"That way, I can protect the village," Oberon said. "I may seem like I am not doing anything in this dungeon, however, I am protecting Pixie Hollow from inside." Oberon flew over to Puss and stuck his arm inside the keyhole. The shackle unlocked and fell from Puss' waist. He released his arms and flew towards Donkey.
Puss replaced his sword and belt while Oberon released Shrek from his shackled. Finally, he released Artie, who rubbed his wrists. "I cannot get you outside of the dungeon without you being seen, you must fend for yourself," Oberon said.
"Thank you, Oberon," Artie said, bowing a little.
"Anything to help a fellow ruler and protector of Pixie Hollow," Oberon said. He flew back into his corner. "Be careful."