Shifting Tides
[Our story begins with a shot of the narrow gauge railway as Skarloey and Rheneas pass each other on the bridge going in opposite directions, the former pulling a rake of blue and cream coaches while the latter is pulling a rake of coal trucks. We transition to a shot of Arthur crossing the viaduct with a train of fish vans while Nia is shown going in the opposite direction with a mixed goods]
[We transition to an aerial shot of the town of Mahogany, most recognized as the landmark with a large beach and plenty of traffic during the summer months. With stalls and shops reminiscent to that of a seaside town one might see on the capes, it's a place that many people go to relax and take in the fresh sea air. Some people can be seen walking through the town or simply chatting to one another, Sunset and Pearl are shown walking alongside each other while Jafar and Facilier are shown speaking to each other by a cafe. Augie Doggie and Doggie Daddy can be seen collecting ice cream cones as Officers Dibble and Carmelita Fox are shown patrolling the area. As they go by an alley, Sly Cooper, Bentley, and Murray pop their heads out to see that the coast is clear before sliding back into the shelter. By the nearby piers]
[Another transition takes us to the nearby railway station as Emily is shown pulling into the station with her coaches]
Emily: Here we are; Mahogany Station. Mind the gap, please.
[Several passengers disembark from the coaches; Haida, Retsuko, Fenneko, Ookami, Bubblegum, Marceline, Mr. Blik, Gordon Quid, Waffle, Kiara, Kovu, and Vitani. Two of the last people to step off are Aisha and Nabu, with the former assisting the latter off the train]
Aisha: There you go.
Nabu: You know, I'd have never expected this type of role reversal, not that I don't appreciate it.
Aisha: Well, you're not the only one of us who can flatter someone. Some say I can be rather charming myself.
Nabu: Well, you're not wrong there.
Aisha: Anyways, shall we head to the beach?
Nabu: We did come here for that reason, didn't we?
[On that note, Aisha and Nabu made their way down the platform and down the steps where there's a fork in the road. One path leads to the town, while the other path leads directly to the beach. Aisha and Nabu take the latter path as they continue to walk down]
[We cut to the duo on the boardwalk that runs by the beach, wearing their regular shoes, it would be rather messy to walk around in the sand. This isn't as much of an issue for others as Aisha finds out, turning her head to the left]
[Cut to Furrball and Calamity Coyote lying next to one another, before cutting back to Aisha smiling as they pass by]
Aisha: Awwwww, how adorable.
Nabu: Reminds me a little of us.
Aisha: [smirks] Last time I checked, we weren't the ones constantly having things blow up in our faces.
Nabu: [chuckles] Perhaps not in that regard, but more or less of how peaceful they appear.
Aisha: …Now this is definitely reminding me of you.
Nabu: Meaning?
Aisha: How you tend to observe people from a distance…doesn't that sound familiar?
Nabu: Ah, yes, the day we first met each other…as I recall, you weren't best pleased with my entrance.
Aisha: To be fair, you were spying on me and the other girls. Not exactly what I would call the greatest first impression.
Nabu: You're right, my introduction could have been handled a lot better, but I did eventually get through to you. If memory serves me right, it was through song lyrics.
Aisha: I still don't know how you made me drop my guard, but then again, maybe I needed something to help me loosen up.
Nabu: What can I say? I'm full of surprises.
Aisha: I guess it was a good surprise since I wasn't really fond of the whole arranged marriage thing to begin with. I thought I'd end up miserable with some guy I barely knew….but then, you showed me a different side to that story…
Nabu: [sighs] Those truly were the days…to think it almost happened for real.
Aisha: Oh yeah, hehe, that proposal you gave to me in Gardenia, hooooooo, what were we thinking?
Nabu: I imagine it must have been the excitement of finally settling down that got us…though, that ended up not going through…
Aisha: Oh…yeah…that…
[Aisha pauses as her mind flashes back to the climax of the fourth season, where the Wizards of the Black Circle turned the tables by faking their surrender, thus causing a rift to swallow the Earth Fairies into oblivion. In an effort to close the abyss, Nabu ends up over-exerting himself and suffers the equivalent of a stroke with the surge of power having used up all of his energy]
?: …sha? …Aisha? Aisha?
[We suddenly flash back to the present as Aisha gasps, having been pulled out of her train of thought. She awkwardly recovers]
Aisha: Sorry…a few memories just got triggered…
Nabu: Hmmm…you were thinking of Tir Nan Og, weren't you?
Aisha: How did you guess?
Nabu: I don't blame you, the memories have stuck with me too, even haunted me at times…
Aisha: [sighs] Bless Morgana for keeping her word…you can't imagine what I felt seeing you once again, not dead, yet also not completely alive…
[We ripple back to an unseen moment from the show in the post-S4 era. Aisha has flown back to the island of Tir Nan Og where Nabu is being kept under the watch of the Terrestrial Fairies. Nebula shows Aisha the room where Nabu is being housed. Ever since Morgana had stepped down as Queen of the Earth Fairies and given the title to Nebula, she has been the one looking after Nabu following Morgana's original promise.
[Cut to Aisha, Nebula, and some of the Earth Fairies as the Fairy of Fluids covers her mouth in painful shock]
[There lies the wizard in a transparent magenta casing, surrounded by a forest green glow, akin to being put on life support. Aisha goes over to the casing and kneels down, putting her hands over her eyes as she breaks down in tears. Nebula approaches Aisha and offers her a hand on her shoulder]
[Aisha slowly looks up, her eyes still soaked with tears when Nabu suddenly shifts. She gapes as his eyes slowly but surely begin to open…Nabu weakly looks to his right…and a small smile comes across his face…Aisha covers her mouth as the tears continue to flow, although this time, out of joy and relief while Nebula and some of the other Earth fairies smile at this development]
[Ripple back to the present as Aisha is looking out to the sea with a heavy heart. Nabu puts a hand on her shoulder to console the Princess of Andros]
Nabu: Many people won't understand what it feels to be given a second chance at life, or having come close to death, but at that moment, even in recovery, I don't think I'd ever felt happier in my entire life.
Aisha: Words couldn't describe the emotions I was feeling, when I thought you had died, my heart felt it was ripped outta my chest…Nabu?
Nabu: Yes?
Aisha: Please, don't ever put yourself through something like that again. You shouldn't have to sacrifice yourself...
Nabu: You might think of it as risky, but I will always put the people I care about above my own interests. A better life for you and the others is worth it in my eyes.
Aisha: …You're so needlessly noble…perhaps that's why I was so drawn to you…even if it's not the same as it was before, you're still a remarkable guy.
Nabu: Likewise, you're a remarkable woman, I've never seen someone with such passion and determination.
Aisha: Hmmmmm…thank you…
[We transition to dusk as Aisha and Nabu have walked up to the town of Mahogany, the two appear to have selected some ice cream cones as they walk down the path. They pass by the likes of Jasmine and Aladdin going in the opposite direction. Aisha notices that the Arabian princess appears to have a new piece of jewelry around her neck, a necklace with an opal gem in the center]
Aisha: Hmmm…that's a beautiful necklace.
Jasmine: Haha, why thank you. Aladdin made it for me…at least that's what he told me.
Nabu: Oh, is there a bit of a secret?
Aladdin: Heeeeey, you know me, would I be the type to steal a necklace?
Jasmine: Weeeeeell…
Aisha: Given your whole thing prior…
Aladdin: Scout's honor, it's all handmade, you can trust me on that.
[Jasmine playfully nudges Aladdin on his side]
Jasmine: Okay, I believe you, I can tell because the jewel wasn't completely polished when you first gave it to me.
Aladdin: What can I say, I'm no expert when it comes to jewelry. Catching people off-guard is more my specialty.
Nabu: I can relate, I've been there before.
Aisha: Hmmhmm, we had odd taste in men, didn't we?
[As Jasmine chuckles at this, we see Jafar and Facilier walking on the opposite side of the street as the former rolls his eyes disdainfully]
Jafar: Have you seen anything more revolting?
Facilier: Tell me about it…
[Unbeknownst to the others, we cut to a few yards away as Selina is shown watching the group. She narrows her eyes as she hears the sound of chuckling and admiration…then she looks down at a necklace made of shells in her hand]
[As Jasmine and Aladdin leave, Selina makes her move as Aisha and Nabu begin to walk away. The green-haired girl passes the duo and "accidentally" drops the necklace on the ground, causing Aisha to avert her gaze]
Aisha: Oh!
[Aisha reaches down to grab the necklace and Selina doesn't appear to be in a rush as she walks on as normal]
Aisha: Ma'am! You dropped something!
[As if on cue, Selina turns around and acts surprised at this incident, coming back to "retrieve" her necklace]
Selina: Oh, how clumsy of me, thank you for that…
Aisha: No problem.
[Aisha reaches out to hand the necklace back to Selina, but as the latter takes it, she then offers it back to Aisha]
Selina: Actually, I was planning on giving this away.
Aisha: Were you now?
Selina: Indeed…I think this would look very nice on you. The shells go well with your complexion.
Aisha: Is that so? Well…what do you think, Nabu?
Nabu: Perhaps a test run is in order.
[Aisha puts on the necklace and adjusts it a little before turning to face Nabu. He looks down and gives a nod of approval]
Nabu: She wasn't wrong.
[Aisha smiles and turns back to Selina]
Aisha: Thanks, I appreciate the gift.
[Selina gives her own "sweet" smile at this]
Selina: It's no trouble at all. After all, I imagine you'll find more use of it than I did…
[Before Aisha can inquire further about this, Selina leaves without a word, sliding back into the darkest. However, Nabu watches her intently, almost with a suspicious eye about him]
Nabu: Bit of a strange one, she was…
Aisha: I wouldn't say strange, just…a little out of the ordinary…
[As Aisha and Nabu were talking, they weren't completely out of earshot of Selina who had been listening from behind the wall of a building]
Selina: You're not the first person to say that…
[Selina reflects on her words…she then silently slinks away into the shadows]
[We transition to Aisha having arrived back at her home and changed into her pajamas. She sets the necklace down by her drawer and sighs as she lies down on the mattress]
Aisha: What a day…
[Aisha glances over the necklace and picks it up, holding it over her head…while smiling at first, the longer she stares at the necklace, something about it makes Aisha feel…off]
Aisha: Strange…
[Upon further inspection, Aisha notices several small chips in the shells. This wouldn't really be an issue all things considered, but the chips are consistent within all of the shells]
Aisha: Doesn't appear to be a rush job, yet at the same time, there's a bit of…aggression in these patterns…
[Aisha tries not to think too hard over the circumstances, but as she sets the necklace back down where she put it, there's a feeling in the back of her head that causes a bit of unease, even as she tries to go to sleep to take her mind off the incident…if only her prayers for a peaceful night were so]
[Aisha is shown walking through the ruins of Shadowhaunt as she tries to rescue the pixies from their imprisonment, but before she can reach them, Lord Darkar suddenly grabs her tight by the shoulders and picks her off the ground. Aisha struggles in vain to pull away from his grip before Darkar throws her over the edge, sending Aisha falling to the surface]
[However, Aisha instead lands in her realm of Andros, set at the time between her first encounter with Valtor. Speaking of the lord of evil, he stands in front of her before putting his hand over her face, threatening to steal the light from her eyes as the POV suddenly turns to black]
[We are taken out from the darkness to the penultimate battle against the Wizards of the Black Circle as we pan down to a barely conscious Nabu lying on the ground before cutting to Aisha in shock as Ogron suddenly stands above her, dropping the Gift of Life onto a flower]
[The earth begins to crumble under a shell-shocked Aisha as she falls into the abyss, this time with nothing to catch her as her screams pierce through the destruction]
Aisha: AH!
[Aisha rises up, blinks twice, and takes in her surroundings. Mercifully, the abyss has been replaced by a mattress and pillow, along with the darkness replaced by a bedroom. She lays back down with a heavy sigh]
Aisha: Oh…
[Aisha closes her eyes once more, and slowly drifts off back to sleep]
[Cut to black]
Character Guide:
Aisha, Nabu, Selina, Valtor, Lord Darkar, Orgon, Nebula, Morgana - Winx Club
Aladdin, Jasmine, Jafar - Aladdin (1992)
Dr. Facilier - The Princess and the Frog (2009)
Emily, Nia, Arthur, Skarloey, Rheneas - Thomas and Friends
Augie Doggie, Doggie Daddy - Augie Doggie and Doggie Daddy
Furrball, Calamity Coyote - Tiny Toons Adventures / Looniversity
Kiara, Kovu, Vitani - The Lion King (1994) / Simba's Pride (1998)
Mr. Blik, Gordon Quid, Waffle - Catscratch
Officer Dibble - Top Cat
Pearl - Steven Universe
Princess Bubblegum, Marceline - Adventure Time
Retsuko, Haida, Fenneko, Ookami - Aggretusko
Sly Cooper, Bentley, Murray, Carmelita Fox - Sly Cooper
Sunset Shimmer - My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic
