Chapter IV ~ Becoming Birds of a Feather

 As to what message that would be — for one thing, they could only hope…

Richard Rayan’s office sat mainly idle during these past two years. A single man’s grief hung on by a single tether was the only thing he had left of her. She was alive but dwindling, and all he could do was listen to her. She was hurting so much, and so was he. The man took the silver key in hand before he sat, clutching it tight in both hands.

“Just keep her still. God - she is going mad… I don’t think we can take anymore of this…” he prayed, deeply under his breath. “Please, someone just… just sing with her.”

Looking out on the lake under the sharp moonlight one night, gazing across at the mysterious winged statues on the other end that gated a river was becoming an ongoing habit of hers for quite a few months now. Even at her fellow swan’s support and comfort ~ despite being in the same boat~ Casey felt lonelier still, now more than ever before… That crescent mount above those statues stuck out as fairly odd to her… 

Not only were they bound to the water ~ not only this lake, but to be under the moon’s reflection precisely ~ could they ever be human again only for a small an amount of time each night. The rest of the time when the reflection vanishes, they return as swans beneath the sunlight. 

On this particular night though, Cassandra found that she was far from alone— Nevertheless, she was never alone here — However, she began to hear a voice. A tender one crooned through the chilling air from somewhere off behind her, left unseen. It was a male’s tenor, which shocked her because this forest was an untouched place and it sounded nothing close to one of the Dwarf’s sonnets. 

 

Sweet Northern Star, who brings to those who love~ a sweet fulfillment of~ a secret longing…

 

Those tender words spoke of a story that she fondly remembered as a child. However this time was a different melody. 

Soaring out with the swans tonight~ that is where you’ll find me ~ 

you and I can soar tonight without a need or a care~ 

all will be fair~

Cassandra searched closer until she came upon a tree with an entry way in its bole… and if she did not look any higher she would have missed him. Someone as small as a thimble sat beside one old bird’s nest… One who wore a tailcoat and teal top hat, with a golden ascot and a red vest~ she knew who this was!

As a way to help her depression lessen, she felt quite taken by the song… just enough for her to begin to sing along with such a remarkable melody, catching the attention of the Cricket. 

“Say, your singing is quite beautiful…” he remarked, at first not so shocked that he had been eavesdropped. 

Casey realized fully that she may have gotten a little carried away and blushed. “Oh- I… th-thank you. I couldn’t - quite - help myself.” she remarked, recognizing this famous figure. “I-I’m sorry if I interrupted you —“

“Oh no, no, m’lady~ perish that thought. As a vocalist enthusiast myself, I know a fine voice when I hear one. The more, the merrier~”

She smiled brightly at him as he donned his hat and parasol before hopping his way lower to her level on a wooden blank on the tree. “You might be the dear young lady I have been searching for… Cricket’s the name~ Jiminy Cricket.” he stated and bowed, with an ordinary man’s grace.

“Jiminy~ It’s very wonderful to meet you. I’m - My name is Cassandra.” she introduced herself, no longer feeling as lonely as before. “Begging your pardon, but we’ve never gotten a visitor here before. It has only been the ladies and the Dwarfs. Bless their hearts…”

Jiminy’s gaze softened at her, being able to tell that she was in a great deal of turmoil and deeply listened, leaning forward against his parasol. “… m’lady. Perhaps I did not come upon this lake by chance… I’ve been told by a dear friend of mine that you might need a nudge or two…”

By how he hinted at the sky, Casey had gotten a clue of whom he was talking about. “You had been told about us? By who…?” she asked.

“You probably know the answer of whom…”

“The Fairy…? What did she want?” Casey asked, forwardly, with a hint of resentment in her voice. The sound of it made Jiminy’s eyes widen in worry yet he understood why. There was powerful magic here, so powerful that not even the Wishing Star could simply break away with her wand that easily.

“Cassandra~ would you mind telling me what is certain to happen come the mornin’?” he asked.

She felt some trust settle for him because he was so careful with his words. There was no reprimand or even a reaction to her angry question.

“The others and I, we… we become swans during the day. In order to become human again, we must be in the lake when the moon shines on it… So we always have to be beside the water, or else we just stay as birds.”

Jiminy’s eyes looked strained with anxiety besides looking tearful at what he had just been told. It was just as he feared, it seemed. 

“It’s crazy, I know… but when morning comes, you will see.”

“I’m taking your word for it, hon.” he reassured her, placing a tender glove on her finger. “For how long has this been your normal…?”

“Two years.”

To him, she was a lovely young woman who should have her built of confidence however a curse was always cause for vicious drawbacks. These uses of dark arts held fairly similiar curses that went of for years with hardly much hope at the beginning. Spells of this strength often took something seriously personal in order to break them… The French Prince, Adam, unfortunately was victim to one of these due to selfishness, although… Cassandra did not come off as self-centered in any way to Jiminy. Only that she was downtrodden and hopeless…

“The Blue Fairy gave me this necklace before I was cursed…” she showed him the diamond. “I am not very sure if it has anything special about it…”

“Hm, curious.” he hummed while taking out a pair of spectacles from his coat. However, the two were surprised when he reached out to touch the jewel, it glowed a bright moon blue before a glamour came out of it and happened to reach out towards the cricket, glimmering the arm of his jacket, his hand entirely… and he seemed to feel something and had to jump back suddenly. “My stars!”

Casey gasped and feared it hurt him or something other. “Are you hurt~? I am so sorry! I didn’t know that was going to happen…”

“I don’t think so, I don’t think so~” he told her, chuckling nervously. 

“I’m really sorry, Jiminy…”

“… maybe that’s the catch.” he stated, approaching close again. “Magic has its own mind sometimes.” he was saying as he inspected his hand and arm for a moment. “…and if she gave it you, there must be a reason for it.” 

Casey shook her head, trying to wrap her mind further around this. However, one fact remained. “… I am very glad you’re here though. The Dwarfs too, we would not be well off without them. They protect this lake — never had they strayed from their promise… We cannot be more thankful. I’m thankful, anyhow.” she expressed, with a gentle smile growing.

“Soft hearted still.” Jiminy remarked, touched by those words.

“I suppose. Or I might just be used to this kind of trouble. Staying in one place…”

“It pains me to witness this first hand, from my travels, I’ve only heard tales of many falling victim to these sorts of spells. One of which I’ve seen for myself… For you, Cassandra, I can see your reasons for feeling so towards the Blue lady.” he said, wishing for her to feel comfortable. 

“… I only don’t- understand- why she just did not do anything. On that day…” Casey told him, needing to vent this out. “All she did was appear to me and the Dwarfs, giving cryptic advice. That there is something horrible happening in the lands, that we had to endure through it. Yet, I never took this off… It might protect me. That’s what I thought ~ at first… but then, this happened. After that, we never saw her again.” she explained, with her eyes beginning to water. Seeing that, he took a stance, puffing out his chest for a second to regain his own confidence in the matter.

“If it is of any consolation to you, dear~ she’s the one who sent me…” he pointed out, slowly.

Casey dryly swallowed down as she needed to think for a second. “She sent… you?” she pointed, confused at first. 

“She is quite right about the world being in pieces,” Jiminy expressed. “… Our little Villagio is in dire straits, that had gotten so blinding, that we all had to evacuate. As soon as our families were safe enough, she appeared to us as well…”

“Your Village? What happened…?”

“It was a mist, a cloud that just rushed in from the sea… It clouded everything, even our eyes, our minds, and then our hearts… It was to the point that no one could function the same, as if at all. We high tailed it out of there, yet none of us could feel the same as before. That was why I was singing~ I was trying to find home again.”

“Jiminy. You sure can sing, even better… to help anyone feel at home again.” Casey smiled. “So, how did you get to this lake…?”

“By wing, naturally. By her wings… Asking that I search for new grounds for the Villagio, she~ she told me that I would find a swan with a diamond. S-so far your story has merit.”

Casey was slowly realizing that something may have been falling into place even though days seemed like eternity lately. Feathered under the sun, vulnerable and alone at night. She felt alienated from the other swans still, yet they were supportive. Yet she was in a world she had no clue about and Jiminy understood why she would be angry with the Blue Fairy for this plight — this Curse. 

“She is not talking to me directly~ I-I see. She sends you…” she thought out loud. There was a warmth in her eyes that Jiminy picked up on. That resentment was slowly melting away. “W-well then… If that’s so then, we must wait for the sun.” she shrugged, sighting some gold and pink low on the horizon. “Then you will really know, sir…”

*

While trying to look for their new protege, Ida and Eleonor bickered as they walked through the lovely paths of the sleeping wood. There was a brilliant overlook that remained risen above their bound lake that revealed a view of a distant tower that held an air of mystery around it, which made the flock feel watched… As if they needed more of that nonesense ~ after being prisoners already.

"If Cassandra goes missing, our chance of normal lives will be dashed…" Mary feared, frightfully running her fingers through her hair.

"She is about… She wanders, don't any of you remember?" Ida gave them, hopefully, some peace of mind. "She would never leave us…"

"Not by her free will anyway." Eleonor included, snobbishly. "Knowing how these snakes work. Best if we find her, before someone else does. When we do, she is certainly going to get more than a slap on the wrist…"

"Be fair to her. She is just as frightened as we all are…" Dorothea begged of the black haired one. "It would not be fair knowing that ourselves wander along the lake."

"She feels too safe around the banks… where any villain could snatch her."

"I fear the Black Swan stays near~" Antoinette alerted them all. "The sooner we find Cassandra, the better."

"The Black Swan haunts all of us… If even a mere glance can bind us to the moonlight, who knows what else they might have in store. Now, it looks like our chance tonight has dwindled, because dawn is only less than an hour away~" Eleonor sorrowfully spoke on.

"We do not even know who they are," Antoinette mentioned, low-spiritedly.

"I-I'm here~" Casey called out after hearing their voices. "I am here~ girls - I—"

"Good, thank the Heaven's nothing had befallen you!" Ida praised, hugging her as soon as she joined the group again.

"I'm fine, girls, truly. I got a little sidetracked, is all."

Eleonor crossed her arms at that, like a mother reprimanding her child. "As someone who is accustomed to our ways, you sure have a wandering habit. You are more of a swan than the rest of us… If someone had found you…"

"Oh, someone had found me, or it was I who found them…" Casey carefully mentioned.

"… you mean…?"

"— that you have met a stranger?"

"A-as long as you only listen to me. I promise that they mean no harm to us. Promise me that you would treat them kindly. Please, Eleonor…"

Eleonor bit down on her lip before nodding her promise, reluctantly of course. At the girl's anticipation, Casey drew in a nervous sigh and looked down at something in her hand. Or rather, it was someone. Standing in the palm of her pale hand looked to be a small man, who was no bigger and no smaller than a thimble. Granted, he looked rather shocked at the sight of the group. He looked almost heartbroken at the thought, that was before he gathered himself to kindly greet the ladies.

"This is a rare sort of occasion, isn't it?" he remarked while he took off his hat for them.

A few of the ladies covered their mouths in shock at seeing him. It was at least someone other than the Dwarfs watching over them, so this was certainly a rare occasion. A dapper gentleman as well, looking just as unsure as they were in the moment. Eleonor looked at Casey begrudgingly before addressing him.

"How did you find us? How did you get passed the boundary?" she asked, even when she was hissed at by Ida, respectfully.

"Why, w-well… uh~ how does one answer an understandable query…? Urm, I was allowed in, madame. Under the fact that I'm advocating for the dear Blue Fairy…"

"Dear? How could you state that when she stood by and did nothing. She let us be to be tortured, now we linger here as the world falls to ruin." Eleonor countered, making it clear that there was so much resentment in the poor flock. The curse went far deeper than just transformation alone.

"That, I understand. Granted, ma'am." Jiminy was careful with how he carried himself here because these girls were all in the middle of a nearly impossible dilemma. He was entrusted by the latter as soon as the poor Italian village was safe from further assault that blew in from that isle. There was so much to say, for an honest start.

"If you would allow for me to introduce myself before I become too consumed in my own bewilderment. My name is Jiminy Cricket. Some know me, and some don't. I am only a cricket. I haven't anything special concerning magic or any of that like. Yet, I can speak. So that says somethin'."

"Sir, how did you come about our lake?" Ida had to question.

"It seems there is an entire plathora of turmoil just beyond those mountains. Our seaside home was overcome by a mystery." Jiminy continued on. "She just blew in one night, in the form of a white dove. She told me about all of you were gathered here, all alone. There's a beacon of hope, I assure you…"

"Whatever could that be, good sir? That you've come all this way from your home, for us?"

"I am a traveler by nature, s-so as soon as my folk were in the clear, she led them to safe pastures… She accompanied me in our search and soon told me of the fled swans of Germania… and that they were safely kept here in Mondfall. A secret land that lies on no map, either…"

"The Seven Dwarfs led us here, to keep away from Queen Grimilde." Casey finally spoke after much thought. "…for what it seems, it was she who unleashed this spell. But we were all left not knowing how to break it… As far as we know, we are still her prisoners."

Jiminy's eyes remained worried and wide while listening to her tell their story.

"…since she told you about us and brought you here, there is still hope." she said while looking at the other maidens for support. "… the hope that we might find this Black Swan."

"A Black Swan…? How ya mean?"

"W-well. You see, sir, we don't know who or what it was. Surely it looked like a swan but there is something wrong about it. It flew over the water, and I glanced at its reflection… After that precise moment, I was the last maiden to be changed into a swan." Casey explained.

"Could have just been some illusion or some extension of the spell itself, but I can't say for sure." Jiminy reasoned.

"We haven't come close to finding a way to break it, however the Seven have been in search for so long…" Dorothea worried out loud, coming close to tears.

"We have not seen much of them, but Cassandra sure has…" Eleonor said.

"I've seen them. I can only visit them during the day. I believe they are traveling out long at night and then returning. They've kept this place so safe this far."

Jiminy anxiously stood, swiping his coat fresh of dust. "Milady, then, that's where we might have to start."

"We've never met anyone like you before…" Ida began to grow curious.

"I am from a humble village, ma'am. Just a cricket. But tell me, what are your names?"

"I am Ida. A milk maid from Germania…"

"Eleonor, a former practioner in alchemy."

"Dorothea, I am. An orphan, but I have a good feeling that you would be able to help us, sir…"

"You are so kind, Dorothea. The feeling's mutual." Jiminy warmly tapped her finger as a form of greeting.

"My name is Mary. A Baker's daughter, and this is Antoinette~"

The red head curtsied to the tiny gentleman, with a dear smile. "A Nobleman's heir, no longer cared I fear."

"And here is Caroll Anne~ she has seen the seaside before." Mary introduced the last one.

"A pleasure, sir Jiminy." Caroll Anne sweetly smiled at him.

"I am Cassandra, that's my full name…. I've come from elsewhere that's very far and different from here. You can say I am a traveler too, like you."

Jiminy Cricket sweetly bowed to their equal curties before sighting brightness in the starry sky at this point. Seeing his face fall, the women and glanced at the horizon with dread in their hearts.

"Curses, all of this… We have only little time." Eleonor spoke on the group's behalf. "As soon as the moonlight leaves the lake, we turn back… This is why we are bound to the water."

"If we wish to be human again, we have to be on the lake…" Casey finished.

"And we cannot speak ~" Dorothea sorrowfully said.

Whilst listening, a thought occured to Jiminy when he touched Cassandra's silver diamond — That burst of enchantment that reached to him could have very well had been the Fairy's doing. Although, his heart was breaking with theirs as the sky was brightening further. "I-I understand…" he stammered.

The moon's reflection soon vanished from the water's surface as soon as the morning sun glowed bright from behind the mountains. The girls all painfully touched their feet to the water before it began to levitate and then dance around each maiden. The thin veils of water whipped around so harshly that Jiminy had to take cover in the clovers. He was stunned to silence as he had to watch them, helplessly, be engulfed and dive into the bank… Not even a blink of a moment after, there came seven swans, each diving up and out of the waters. Flapping their white wings and shaking their heads in great despair. Each possessed their own grace… The black winged one seemed the least panicked, while the one with the diamond humbled her head more than the rest. There were seven maidens, and in a mere moment, seven graceful swans took their place before the shocked cricket. They did not have a say against this. At once when the sun came, they were given no choice. He watched them gather themselves before they all put their attention on him.

"… as I live and breathe … I believed you, all of you, and yet I ~ gosh…"

"Now you can see for yourself." Casey, the diamond wearing one, was first to paddle up to the bank towards him, seeing him perk up in alarm.

"… I beg your pardon?"

"… what? You ~ do you understand me?"

"My word. And do you understand me?"

"I do."

"My stars!" Jiminy was purely frantic for a second, hopping higher to her level upon a blade of grass. "So this is why she asked me to come! Er, uh, at least one of the reasons…"

"The Diamond… You do not… Do you suppose she enchanted it? You touched it."

"I did." he answered, observing his own hand for a second.

"You mean he can hear us?" Ida came forward, her wing feathers ruffling up. "I thought we could only speak with each other!"

"It's this diamond that I wear. No wonder it doesn't vanish with each change."

"She gifted it to you, for good reason. Gosh, if I can speak to you, this is our chance if we ever wish to break this spell that's over you. Perhaps you would be able to venture away from here…"

"We do not know if that's even possible. We never tried… unless…" Mary wondered and pondered.

"Hold on. The Dwarfs led us away from the Queen. It is not set in stone of where we have to be, just as long as we are near water." Eleonor began to explain. "He has a point… shockingly."

"Which means, we can go as we please… but, now we need to learn how to fly." Dorothea reasoned, with one excited flourish of her tail.

Eleonor arched up and stretched her black dipped wings out, pridefully. "I assume it shouldn't be that hard."

Casey placed her attention back to Jiminy, who was wiping his eyes with a handkerchief that he had taken from his coat. "This might be the reason why she brought you here too. She is looking for us… all along."

"No time for tears. The Lady works in many ways. There is so much magic at work, everywhere, and most of it Dark but this place hasn't been touched by any of it. Which could explain why the Dwarfs took you here. It has no mark on any map, so no dark magic can enter here."

"I knew my faith in them was right… B-but before we do anything, we have to find them." Casey told them. "They would be heartbroken if they found us gone…"

"Indeed. Sentimental fools…" Eleonor nipped at Casey's wing. "I suppose we owe them much, they're quite dear to us."

"If that's the case, then we shall set out for them. I'll be your guide, I have a fine memory of where I've been." Jiminy dutifully hopped to Casey's bill and found a safe spot between her wings. "As we see you all together again, we shall see about those flying lessons."

"I think… I ought to try~"Antoinette hoisted herself up and arched and opened her wings. "That terrible Queen often kept us lock up in that tower… and something magically called us back every day… We never got that chance to learn for ourselves…"

"Well, my dear, that is no longer the case here." Jiminy urged her. "Go on ahead~ Try that again!"

Antoinette puffed out her chest and did her best by flapping her wings. Lurching forward, she did her best to paddle quick and sadly got her feathers hitting the water too hard, so she slid again to a mere float. However, she was not close to giving up and attempted one more time~ then three more. On the fourth, Antoinette managed a few feet above the surface before splashing down.

"My graciousness, Antoinette!" Dorothea cheered.

"I could not help myself… The feeling's remarkable! Come, come, try with me!" she encouraged the whole flock.

"Goodness, you've began an epic~" Mary chortled at this before trying it out for herself.

"Does it feel how you thought it would?"

"No!" Antoinette cheered. "… it feels so much better~"

---

All it took was a sporting run, while they all spread open their wide wings, and began to flap. The seven maidens cursed from the seventh fall all began to fly in unison. With their new voice and guide on Cassandra's back, they were off-! With Eleonor taking her side… There was bittersweetness in their hearts as they departed the beautiful wood that homed them with safety from the horrors beyond those snowy mountains.

Casey felt that in her heart that there will be a way out of this in due time, but for now they had to travel, miraculously by wing. Even with their guide, the flock was far from alone, flying through the cold air, into the distant clouds. The feel of the cool air beneath her wings was unleashing an emotion she had never felt before. Just like a silver lining, there was hope.

Gazing down at the forest below, Casey's entire frame shivered at the height which almost altered her flight a bit. Her wing was lifted up a bit by Eleonor's black one with a note of pride in her eyes. Each and every one of them had their sights set for the Seven kind men who were still hard at work at retrieving these magical orbs.

At first, they believed them to be gems… but they held much better value that were linked to faefolk. The Fae were more likely to thrive in Mondfall, and that may have been why the forest was so untouched by the outside turmoil happening with each wingbeat. Yet they came a small lull in the journey when their wings began to tire from their first flight, and so by midday, they landed into a river that pooled quietly within a lovely glen.

To one mute youngin's blue eyes, he was able to witness the flight of seven lovely white swans end their journey by soaring down and making their mark on the waters. A slide and flap forward all ended the excitement before the ladies would shake their heads to dizzy away the thrill that settled in their stomachs~ It was as if for a moment — Just a moment — their Curse was forgotten.

---

For there grand forces at work, it seemed that other eyes were over the flock that could only guide but never reveal themselves, save for those souls who dedicated themselves to the enchanted. The seven women once remarked as fallen and gone, alive still by a sudden miracle. The Fairy born of light and song had sent them a guide, and a voice.

Little did they know was that the Dwarfs were never far away either. Dopey, the silently eager one, climbed high onto one of the rocks to get a better look of them landing. Casey tried to look to her tiny passenger, not yet aware that they have been seen just yet.

"Sir, are you hurt?"

"Not any worse for wear, my dear~ That was quite the ride." Jiminy spoke, waving his hat close to his face, trying to catch his own breath. ". . . I must hand it to ya, being able to understand you will pay off." he hinted, noting that his response was quite quick.

"We are so glad to have you with us, Jiminy~" Ida complimented on her swim past them, all giddy from that flight. "Now you will meet those who protected us thus far…"

"In a sense, you're in the same boat as us~" Eleonor scoffed, much to their delight at that.

"I have no qualms about that! As things sometimes would go astray, I am a grateful cricket of my word. As much as I can help it on this front."

"At this rate, we put these pretty wings to fine use. Now, for those mining brave fools of ours…" Eleonor continued on searching with her long gaze.

"No need for brashness~" Jiminy scorned her a little but he knew she meant well. "By far, somebody is looking for us~"

"I think I see Dopey!" Casey excitedly rose her head higher and began to paddle forth. "Ladies, come on! I knew they were never far away!"

Doc was usually not so gleeful to see a hyper youngi'n trying to wave for his attention. This time though, it was for a different reason… Seeing Dopey's efforts, Doc ran close to climb up to see what was going on yonder bank. Out yonder was a flock of swans~ their flock, to be certain! Doc happily hugged Dopey in celebration before they both went running down towards the flock. "Grumpy! Fun — Come here, quick! It's them! They flew!"

"What wiles be this!?" Grumpy wailed in the distance before throwing his carving knife into the air.

"It's them, Grumpy!" Happy celebrated, running along with Bashful to meet them all.

Casey was the first one to meet with them at the bank, as the diamond bearer with someone new riding upon her head. Jiminy hopped high to the top of her head. Casey wanted to cry upon seeing her good friends again, safe and sound. Happily, she arched up, spreading her wings in praise.

"There she is!" Bashful was the first one who cried out. "All of 'em, and we thought she may have never forgiven us~"

Grumpy was the last one to come to her, with a mark of regret in his eyes. Unbeknownst to them all, including Casey, he could not help but to admit a tiny smile of relief. While the others greeted her, he began to approach quietly while setting a precious burlap sack down and settled it safely close by, and hidden. He was careful but Eleonor caught on, secretly, but kept herself distant at first. In truth, she had trust in them as far as her attitude would go upon occasion.

Jiminy Cricket was a confident chap, hopping onto the peak of one of the rocks before the brave Seven men. He was remarkably nervous at first, seeing the fear and relief in their eyes. If that little spark when he touched that diamond had done any work, it was worth to show it now. They had guarded this flock for more than a year, so it was understandable. Eleonor did her part by staying nearside Casey and he, hopefully this will end kind-like.

"Look there, men!" Doc noted, as he was the first to see someone emerge from Casey's feathers.

"Gosh, who are you…?" Happy inquired, at first with concern.

"Where'd y'come from?" Grumpy prodded in, not leaving room for breath.

"T-take it easy, gentleman ~ Easy, easy now." Jiminy put up a reasonable front, knowing how rare this occasion was compared to another magical doings. "I am only a cricket."

Doc fixed his spectacles in order to get a good look at this new face. "And what-where-who might you be…?" he asked. The girls lingered near hoping this conversation would go gentle… Jiminy was willing and took his hat off in due respect to these men who happened to have kept this flock as safe as could be. Casey had strong faith.

"How a pleasure it is to make your aquaintence. If you allow me, I shall explain my being here —"

"Git snappy with it then!" Grumpy rushed. "We've been on a search for a ways to get out of this blasted wood for months…"

"That does not serve as a safe way for our ladies to go… The mountains are fraught with dangers…" Happy explained further.

Jiminy looked at the swans, clearing enduring some stress before carrying on. "On that note, indeed, the world outside of this forest is overturned, I fear for worst! I come from a small town. A town that was taken by mysterious cloud that seemed to come from the sea. It effects everyone, including me until we lost all heart in everything we did…"

"For us all, women had been taken away and stolen of their youth… and only to find the surviving ones had been turned into swans," Doc shared.

"Cassandra was the final one, no matter how we tried to spare her… Seemed like it just felt like punishin' her for something she didn't do…" Bashful chimed in.

"She told me about a Black Swan, appearing out of nowhere~" Jiminy thought that would be crucial to mention.

"Coulda just been the Queen hatchin' some illusion on us~!" Grumpy was overly passioned, clearly in spite.

"It trapped her, forced her to touch the water and… there she became like 'em. A swan." Happy was full of sorrow.

"And now we discovered a bath — No, no! A path out if we are to find a way to help them, but all we got is this wall of strange crystals…"

"And we can't even break through them…" Sneezy groaned.

"It's like someone's keepin' us trapped here…" Grumpy suspected. "Ain't new news…"

"… or it could be an attempt to keep this place safe. I'll have you know this forest and lake, it's not recorded on any map." Jiminy enlightened, with full confidence. "I ventured here on the wings a dove ~ I had audience with with Blue Fairy…"

"THE BLUE FAIRY!" the Seven Dwarfs all chorused, that almost spooked a few of the flock, who flapped their wings in surprise. "You know the Blue Fairy? Well, no wonder y'were brought here."

"I am afraid I can only prove it by my words~ my name is Jiminy H. Cricket, at your service, gentleman. It seems we are all dragged in, for these ladies alone, yet there is another story, men… besides my humble village. Thankfully all had gotten out of there, but something is coming, something far bigger than curses… This diamond given to Cassandra~ I happened to touch it. She claims that it was gifted to her before her spell was cast. By some miracle, I can speak with them ~ as they are now…"

Grumpy scoffed a little, honestly at the name, knowing this was not something worth commenting on, first of all. Honest and true, Cassandra's plight was put above all else. Others were willing to help, and perhaps that Fairy did not leave them in the dirt after all… The girls were hearing every word of this, so he kept it like still waters.

"Let us see this crystal wall you all discovered, if you are so kind?" Jiminy kindly ask, feeling sullen in his heart just as they all had.

Next Chapter ~>