[i]Collab between Reem, Dragonbeastmode, Optimist, Rainmaker, YamiCuoreLaroux and Silver Carrot[/i]

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Charming didn't like the idea of a magic map, if he could not use magic in his whole life he would just leave it all alone. 

Thomas would have been more skeptical if he did not have magic shoes himself. He took ahold of a corner of the map and waited for the magic to take effect. There was a strange dragging feeling at the pit of his stomach, as if he were being wrenched out of the world, and then suddenly he was spinning through a vortex, with only a thin piece of paper to secure him to reality. 

The feeling of being in a portal was a weird thing for Charming and suddenly they simply stopped, appearing in a town.

Smelling the cool air of the salty sea breeze of a nearby ocean, Flint began to sing. [b]"Fifteen men on the dead man's chest--SQUAWK--Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum!"[/b]

Once they were in the bar, Charming could see Ariel sitting in the far corner of the room. Some woman was starring at her in the other seat and Charming found it rather weird.

"Is that her?" Thomas's eyes followed to where Charming was looking.

Captain Hawkins placed the map back into his pocket, and quickly gazed upon a gorgeously stunning sea-goddess. He paused. It was a mermaid, or former mermaid, as Jim recalled; he didn't remember her having human legs. She left an impression on him ever since the day he met her. How could one forget such a pretty face. Jim had only seen a handful of the legendary mermaids during all his years spent at sea, and he had a strong memory of those he was fortunate enough to meet. Ariel had been more than willing to help him track down the pirate, Captain Hook. Though she seemed different from the last time he saw her. Jim couldn't tell what it was that made her appear as such. If she was evil like Charming had said, he would be prepared for a fight.

"Yes, that is the one we are here for." Charming pointed to Ariel, who was talking to some poor drunk guy. That guy didn't know what was going to happen to him later today. "I think we should surprise her, keep her on her feet." Charming put on his gloves. "Just in case we need to restrain her, she might get a little out of control." 

She was beautiful, and looked innocent enough. Thomas nodded though, trusting his old friend's judgement. He could do the most to help by remaining in his larger three foot size. Still, his short arms would be the best tools to catch a girl. 

"Well, Thomas since you and Ariel have never met, I think you should go over to her and... act drunk so she could try and seduce you." Charming looked at Thomas. "Just try to get her to come out of the bar, and Hawkins and I will jump her."

Thomas nodded, he reached over to an abandoned mug of ale, spilled some of it down the front of his shirt, and then downed the rest. He moved toward Ariel, but suddenly a fight broke out and he saw Ariel run past, chasing after a red-headed girl. Thomas swore under his breath and ran after her, though his short legs did not carry him very far, very fast.

Before Charming could even react to the fight, he was hit by a chair in the back. He couldn't tell where Thomas, Ariel or even Hawkins was at. He saw a big fat man come his way. "You wanna fight, you so-called Prince?!" The man lunged at Charming and Charming punched the fat man in the face. He tumbled back and fell on top of some red-headed woman, who looked new to this land.

Charming picked up the fat knocked out man, threw him aside, and helped the mysterious red-head girl up. "Who are you, if I may ask?" But instead of answering the Prince, the red-head bolted outside while being pursued first by a handful of angry men, then followed by another red-head, and lastly Thomas bringing up the rear, stumbling out of the inn after the others.

The woman in the blue dress and hat was within sight of the inn. She had no name, no face, but all she knew is that her target had red hair. It wasn't a common hair color. Hopefully, only one lady in this bar would have hair of that color. She stepped forward to enter the bar, when there was a sound of....commotion inside. The lady's red lips were pulled into an amused smile. This was a bar full of sailors, after all. It was only to be expected. That was when she saw the figure burst out. A red haired girl, being chased by a horde of drunks.

Well, if she's the spy, she's not a very good one. The woman waited a little longer, and watched another red haired woman leave the bar, and carefully take out the drunks at the rear. 'Now [i]that[/i] is more spy-like,' she thought, 'I've found my woman, methinks.'

The woman in the hat began to tail the target, who appeared to be tailing the other red haired girl. This was just a [i]little[/i] bit ridiculous, but that just made it more interesting.

Thomas was so late getting out of the bar that he lost sight of what happened to the others. He literally ran into a woman in a hat in his haste to find them. "Dreadfully sorry madam.''

The woman was almost knocked off balance, but regained her footing and dusted her dress off with suspiciously sharp reflexes, though her hat had been knocked off by the encounter, revealing her full face. Her eyes had absolutely no makeup applied to them but her lips were a rich red. She was a pretty woman, but hardly 'Princess level' beautiful. Her hair, on the other hand, was on that level. It had the color and sheen of molten gold, and had been painstakingly coiled into intricate curls. It was eye-catching without being extravagant, and had previously been hidden away by the hat. The woman knelt down and picked up the hat, shaking it clean and putting it on before she attracted too many eyes.

"It's quite alright," she said to the small man, before looking back to where she had been tailing the red-haired woman, who was now nowhere to be seen. That was less than ideal. She turned back to the dwarf. "You wouldn't happen to have seen a shifty-looking red haired woman around the docks, have you?"

Thomas was quite taken aback by the beauty of the woman's hair, and for a moment did not speak. When he recovered himself enough to do so, he frowned. "Indeed, I have, but she has scampered off. I am afraid that she has managed to lose herself in the crowd, along with my compatriots." He sketched a bow, which made him seem even shorter than before. "I am Thomas Thumb. If I can be of any service..."

The woman curtseyed in response. "My name is Gloria. If the red haired woman is with your friends, it would appear we have the same destination." She smirked. "You seem too well mannered to be a resident of this...place. Are you a traveller?"

Thomas nodded. "Indeed I am. I traveled here from the Fairy Queen's court, along with my friends. If I am well mannered, it is my mother who is to blame. Despite my humble origins, she required the best of manners from me." His eyes rolled slightly at the last statement. "Well, since we have a common, and presumably moving destination, why don't we accompany one another?" He looked up. "I would offer you my arm, but it would hardly work. Here, I have an idea, if you don't mind. You can carry me on your shoulder." He promptly shrank down to his original size, and jumped up and down so that she would see him.

She stared at him for a whole three seconds, eyes wide but hidden under the shadow of her hat. "That's a neat trick," she murmured, before picking him up and putting the tiny figure on her shoulder and walking in the direction she last saw her target. "Did you see where they went?" She asked.

Thomas shrugged, as if she could see him, and then spoke. "No, I was still clearing out of the pub when they vanished. This direction looks as good as any?" He gazed up at her hair, coming out from below her hat. It seemed to have a magic all its own, and he wondered if it was somehow enchanted. "So, if I might ask, what are you doing in this, as you put it, 'place'."

The woman chuckled. "I'm here on business. Trust me, I wouldn't be here if I didn't have to be." She looked around with a faint expression of disgust. "And definitely not at this time of night."

Thomas nodded. He was all up for adventure, but skulking about in a dingy little town, in the late evening was not what he had envisioned. He had imagined seeing knights clash on horseback, silver castles and fairy dragons. "I agree whole heartedly, Miss Gloria."

Following the waxing and waning temperature of the knife, Ariel found herself on the docks. Her hair was damp from sweat and humidity, clinging uncomfortably to her cheeks and neck. Her shoulder struck a wall rather hard when she granted it her weight, wearily peering forward.

Ariel peeked her head around the building that was currently supporting her weight and caught sight of one man creeping about. He looked a bit puzzled, as if the alcohol was quickly wearing off and he wasn't quite sure what he was doing so far away from his next pint. She let loose a soft, lilting giggle that easily traveled from where she stood to the man. He moved with considerably less gusto towards Ariel, his expression muddled with several emotions as he tried to decide what he wanted. Nearby barrels creaked and shifted, though they were neatly stacked and pinned by heavy ropes. Ariel didn't mind the noise, but the man glanced over his shoulder in search of the eerie sound before closing up the distance between himself and Ariel. She couldn't help but notice that his remaining companion was nowhere in sight. 

Having frayed the ropes to an acceptable fragility, Karin put away the knife for now in a place she would be able to reach easily later. One good kick was all it would take to send the barrels toppling, so now she just had to wait. 

At an odd sound, she peered around the now unsafe stack of rolling weapons to see what was going on. Was someone giggling? That didn't much sound like one of the drunks previously chasing her. Upon peeking out from her hiding spot, Karin could see one of the men from earlier approaching a cloaked figure...wait, what was she doing here? What happened to her other sailor? In her confused staring, she didn't notice the other figure until he was practically behind her. 

Letting out a yelp, she ducked around the man as he lunged, smashing her foot into his backside to further disrupt his balance and send him headfirst into the barrels. With a loud, ominous creak, the barrels broke through the frayed rope and started rolling forward, a few crashing open as they hit the ground. 

As the man approached her, Ariel caught sight of mass movement, soon followed by splintering wood, sloshing liquids, and a yelp of fear and pain from a male she couldn't see. Her own intended victim gave a decidedly slow look behind him before emitting a shrill shriek and lunging forward - right towards Ariel. Surprised at the speed with which he now moved, Ariel hastened backwards and promptly lost her footing. 

Hawkins watched with anticipation as the hasty events unfolded before him. Wisely choosing to stick with a solid plan of staying with their mermaid target. He followed Ariel to the docks where she was pursued by the others, but Jim seemed to be on top of things; and it looked like he got there just in time. Ariel fell only to be caught by the graceful catch of Captain Hawkins. The two locked eyes. Only for a moment, time seemed to freeze as he stared into her ocean-blue eyes. [b]"Hello, my lady. We meet again."[/b]

It was strange to be expecting the painful crash to the ground, only to be caught and held in arms instead. Ariel immediately began to struggle, fearing one of the men she'd knocked down had gotten up and was seeking retribution, but she had barely begun to move when she met startlingly familiar eyes. "Captain... Captain Hawkins? W-what are you doing here?" A flush of color infiltrated her cheeks as she remembered the last time she'd met the fellow, helping guide him along to Hook. She'd been so damned innocent then, and now had a string of murders under her belt. Being nose-to-nose with such an honorable man made the woman feel a tidal wave of guilt. 

[b]"Princess, I will explain everything. But first, let's get you out of here,"[/b] Jim said noting to the immediate dangers around them as he swung his warm coat around the lady like a true gentleman. [b]"Follow me, I will get us to safety."[/b] Captain Hawkins grabbed the mermaid's arm and led her out of the docks and out of sight, away from the likes of angry men. [b]"Listen, Ariel, I came here on a mission to gather magical beings to fight the forces of great evil across the realms. Prince Charming is a member of the team and recommended you, so I took us here to ask you if you would join our cause?"[/b] Hawkins said quietly as he surveyed his surroundings. He didn't know why but he knew something was bothering the mermaid, [i]something deep[/i]. He hoped she would open up to him eventually. Jim was always ready to help anyone in need, but this time he owed her the favor. And for some strange reason, he felt the desire to protect her from something or someone.

Ariel let Hawkins give her his coat and guide her away from the docks without protest, though she looked behind her in search of the sailor. Having caught sight of Captain Hawkins, the drunk made a rapid retreat and vanished from sight. She had to stretch her legs to meet Hawkins's stride and couldn't help the loss of color to her complexion as the pain inflamed muscles and burned from toes to hip. The captain's compelling voice drew Ariel's attention, though his words caused a frown to knit her brow. A strangled sound of surprise crawled from Ariel's throat as he spoke, blue eyes searching Hawkins to see if he had knowledge of her past. "Charming recommended me? Strange, considering I..." [i]slaughtered his friend.[/i] "Considering we have a rather rocky history," she finished with a trace of dark amusement that cast a thin veil over more subdued, sorrowful thoughts. Straightening her back so she wasn't giving away how weak she physically felt, Ariel deliberated. "I am not so sure I can help fight a great evil when I am not particularly good myself. Why are you so involved in such a grand endeavor, anyway?"

[b]"Look, whatever it is you've done or think you've become I know there is good in you. I don't care about whatever history you have with Charming, I know you are better than that. I believe in you."[/b] Hawkins sincerely spoke. [b]"And to answer your question, have you ever been to Neverland? Or Wonderland even? I have seen the great evils first-hand and know they threaten the peace of the realms. When have you known me to be a man who stands around and does nothing?"[/b] He allowed his words to sink in deep before continuing. [b]"You helped me track down Hook, you know the evil he is capable of, and yet I have even seen the good in that man. He has changed I tell you, and I was the one that swore to hunt him down. I ask you to please consider this, I will not judge you for your past. I don't care about that. I care about you, and what you will do with a task such as this. Ariel, I need you."[/b]

He offered absolution, though Ariel knew it wouldn't be enough. Entering into his deal meant she'd lose control of her situation and would surely struggle to maintain her voice - a ship had limited crew, and Captain Hawkins would quickly notice if some began to disappear. She'd risk becoming a mute again, a state of existence that was decidedly detestable. Ariel vacillated between her options and was going to refuse the man when he uttered the last words. Needed? Her mouth, open to produce a negative, closed without a sound. Shielding her eyes with a sweep of thick lashes, Ariel avoided Hawkins's sincere gaze. She recalled the Captain being honorable and dedicated, but when had he become such a silver-tongue? Ariel chewed on her lower lip, staring at her hands that appeared so much cleaner than they truly were. Hawkins claimed it didn't matter, but he couldn't possibly be aware that she'd become the executioner for many sailors - men he might have sailed with at some point, for all she knew. [i]Wonderland, though? Neverland? Might find better ways of getting a voice than this silly knife and sea shell.[/i] Ariel took as deep a breath as the dress would allow before lifting her head, flinging several wayward strands of red hair from her eyes. "Oh, very well. I will join your crusade." 

[b]Thank you,"[/b] Hawkins said as he was relieved to hear Ariel's words. Jim wanted to say something else, but he let it slide now wasn't the time to tell her what was truly on his mind. Jim was now concerned about the others. He was not sure where Charming and Thomas were. [b]"Let's go find the others so we can get out of here."[/b] Jim looked around the town with Ariel to the spot he last saw his friends also being wary of any unseen enemies. Hawkins felt like they were being watched.

Karin, meanwhile looked up at the group of people now crowding the dock. The man chasing her had been successfully knocked out, and apparently something had happened to the other one, since he was just lying there on the ground a ways away, but it looked like the night was still not over after all. "Are you kidding me? I hit one guy! I didn't even hurt him that badly!" Where did all these people come from, and how did just trying to eat some soup turn into this? 

However this had happened, one important thing remained, and that was to get out without getting killed. The way back into town was blocked, so unless the sea was an option, there was no easy way out of there. Maybe if one of the ships was capable of being launched at a moment's notice, that would work, but surely no ship was [i]that[/i] easy to deal with. "Arrgh! I just wanted to--!" Karin was quickly cut off by a sudden coughing fit. It looked like she had finally reached her limit, and now she also had to face the consequences. Nearly doubled over, she tried to lean against one of the crates still on the dock to catch her breath, but slipped and fell in the water instead. 

After escaping from the fat man, Charming ran out of the bar and towards the docks. He heard the mysterious red-headed woman coughing near the sea bed. He was walking over to her to see if she needed help, but then he saw her fall over into the water. Her red hair was muted by the blue sea.

Charming jumped into the water after the woman. She was lifeless, like a bag of flour. Charming picked up the red-headed girl out of the water, and laid her on the sand. He leaned over her and breathed new air into her lungs. "I should get you to safety, my friend has a boat around here, somewhere." Charming knew the woman probably couldn't hear him, he lifted her up over his shoulders and set out to find Hawkins and Thomas.

Aware of only the cold from falling in the water and an odd pressure on her face a short time after, Karin slipped into unconsciousness. [i]Stupid curse...[/i]