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Post by Winnie the Pooh on Feb 28, 2009 23:09:26 GMT -5
Pooh looked up when he was nudged by Djali and recognized Esmeralda right away from the time at the fire when the old sea captain had drifted off to sea. He gave her a small sad smile in return.
“I’m not afraid,” he told her softly, sighing a little. “I’m just...” He looked down at his legs then up at her, glad that she was going to help him. He watched with great interest as she went to work on filling him up and then sewing him up, already he was beginning to brighten from being patched up.
When she lifted him up into her lap and gave him a warm hug he snuggled against her, getting soot and ash on her beautiful clothing. He pulled back just a little bit from her embrace when she asked who had done this to him and he shivered a little at the memory.
“A mean old lady and her scary cat,” he told her fearfully. “I... I was only looking for a warm place to stay for the night and possibly a small smackeral or two... but she tied me up and hung me over a fire. She... she said she’d find my friends and... and hang them over the fire as well. And she did... she found poor dear Piglet and Quasi. Her scary cat would circle me and he jumped up at me ripping my... my threads...” Pooh paused, the memories clearly upsetting him, tears filling his eyes and sliding down his furry cheeks.
“She said if I didn’t tell her where the gypsies were she’d lower me every... every hour into the fire,” he said looking up at Esmeralda now. “But I... I didn’t tell.”
“I wasn’t brave for poor Piglet, Christopher Robin always said I was braver then I seem, but I... I don’t feel very brave, not this time...” Pooh wrapped his arms around himself and looked down at the ground sadly.
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Post by esmeralda on Feb 28, 2009 23:32:02 GMT -5
Esmeralda remembered the little teddy bear that had tried to comfort her with a hug when Captain Teague Sparrow sailed away. Djali came back to her, carrying one of her shawls, where she had kept a jar of honey. Now she took the honey jar and offered it to the poor little bear. Her voice was soft. "Awwwww, you poor little dear, you must be starved. Here, take this honey so you at least have eaten a little today." She hugged him gently back when he snuggled against her, not caring that her clothes got soot and ash on them. What was important now, was that the little bear got the security and love he needed after a horrible nightmare like this. She looked at him, and to her horror, she noticed that his fur had traces of soot and ash. When she heard the horrible story about how he had been mistreated, her hot gypsy temper got the worst of her. She gritted her teeth, and her emerald eyes blazed with fire. A flaming rage built up inside her from Pooh started his story. When he ended it, Esmeralda flew ten feet up in the air in fury. "SHE DID WHAT?  ! THAT OLD HAG! I'M GOING TO... TO..... TIGHTEN HER CORSET WITH HER INSIDE IT, SO MUCH THAT SHE WILL BE KNOWN AS THE LADY WITHOUT A TORSO!! AND THE CAT WILL NEED A RETAILER TO STITCH HIS TAIL BACK ON WHEN I'M DONE WITH HIM!!!" She was so angry that her voice echoed over the market place, making people stop and stare at her. |
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Post by goliath on Feb 28, 2009 23:52:20 GMT -5
Goliath followed Esmeralda and Djali a short distance to an alley.
"Pooh!" Goliath had met the friendly stuffed animal in Paris, though now Pooh looked terrible. He was holding his stuffing in his arms, and for good reason, there were horrible tears in his legs. Goliath could also smell the faint scent of burnt cloth, and saw with horror that there were small burn marks on Pooh's body. Who could have done this to one so harmless as him?
Goliath's fury gripped him when Pooh told them what had happened. When he met this woman, he would make her sorry indeed. He looked at Esmeralda, startled at her sudden fury. He never knew the gypsy had such a temper, though he could hardly blame her. Still, he couldn't let her march off and attack Lady Tremaine, not when they had other matters to attend to.
He wrapped his arms around Esmeralda from behind, not enough to hurt her, but enough to prevent her from leaving. She struggled, and demanded that he let her go, raving about making the woman pay.
"Esmeralda, this will not help." Goliath pleaded. "Pooh needs us to take care of him, and you cannot forget that you must get your people to safety as well.
"Lady Tremaine will pay for her crimes, I promise you that. But you can't fight her alone, you know this."
Once Esmeralda stopped fighting, he released her.
"Besides, we must put faith in Elisa as well. She's not going to let Lady Tremaine get away with anything either."
Goliath turned to Pooh. The poor thing was still crying, no doubt feeling as though he let his friends down. When he heard him say that he wasn't brave, he picked Pooh up and hugged him, wrapping his wings around the bear.
"But you were brave." Goliath said. "To face such terrible acts, and not reveal anything. Even if you didn't know what to tell them, to stand up to such evil is a very special type of bravery. A lesser person would have snapped under such torture, and yet here you are with us. You survived. That is why you are brave."
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Post by Winnie the Pooh on Mar 1, 2009 0:30:47 GMT -5
“A hunny pot!” Pooh exclaimed at the sight of the jar. The smile that had been missing from his teddy bear features returned a little and his tummy rumbled when it heard the words.
“Thank you Esmeralda,” he told her holding the pot tightly to him.
After he had explained what had happened, he put the hunny jar down beside them and watched as Esmeralda got to her feet in rage. For a bear of very little brain Pooh had never often seen such rage from any of his friends and he felt a tiny bit of fear run through him as he realized he might have been the cause of this anger. He watched as Goliath moved in to restrain her and he also got to his feet coming over to them.
“Please Esmeralda...” he sniffled looking up at her worriedly and tugging gently on her dress. “Don’t be angry.” Pooh turned when he was picked up by Goliath and he hugged him back in return.
“I am?” Pooh asked when Goliath said he was brave. He listened in awe as Goliath explained the kind of bravery Pooh had shown and Pooh blushed softly. He never thought of that, he’d never knew there was different kinds of bravery.
“I suppose... I was brave...” he said slowly, but his smile faded at the memory of his friends. “But Piglet’s my very dear friend and... and when he... he screamed... for help...” Pooh felt a final tear slid down his cheek as he whispered. “... there was nothing I could do.”
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Post by goliath on Mar 1, 2009 0:43:37 GMT -5
"Don't worry." Goliath said as Pooh expressed concern for Piglet. "My friend Elisa is there, and Bronx is with her. They'll help your friend Piglet escape."
Goliath looked to Esmeralda. He lowered his voice so only she could hear, not wanting to frighten Pooh.
"Esmeralda, perhaps we should leave Pooh at the Court of Miracles as well. When Lady Tremaine discovers he's gone, she may try to find him again. And once his friends escape, we can make sure they get there as well."
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Post by esmeralda on Mar 1, 2009 17:22:56 GMT -5
When Esmeralda noticed the tiny little teddy, still covered in soot and ashes tugging on her dress, she calmed down and lifted him up in her arms, hugging him tightly. There were no mistake about the love in her eye when she spoke mildly to him, like a mother comforting a child.
"Pooh, you were very brave entering that house and going through what you did. And you have helped your friends in the house by coming here and telling us what is going on there. To be as anxious as you must have been in that house, and still running here to get help, is the bravest thing anyone can do. You are a hero, little one."
She placed the teddy bear on Djali's back, and Djali took him for a ride, trying to cheer him up, while Esmeralda and Goliath spoke. Esmeralda turned to Goliath, still angry at Tremaine, but calm enough to speak, and to plan. Her face was serious, and also her eyes were filled with concern about her dear little fluffy friend.
"I agree, Goliath. Lady Tremaine will use her brother's soldiers to hunt him down and kill him. He will not be safe until she is arrested. I will speak to my people and make sure they protect our tiny friends from Tremaine."
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Post by Elisa Maza on Mar 8, 2009 16:47:49 GMT -5
~As Bronx~
Bronx barked happily as he found Goliath, Esme, Pooh and Piglet. They were all safe.
Gently letting Quasimodo roll of his back, Bronx sat in front of Esmeralda, whining at her as he held Elisa's note in his mouth.
He licked her hand as Esmeralda took the note, then looked to Goliath.
"Good work, Bronx." Goliath said. "Now I want you to go back to Lady Tremaine's mansion and protect her."
Bronx barked. He licked his friends to say goodbye before hurrying back towards the mansion.
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Post by esmeralda on Mar 8, 2009 17:01:37 GMT -5
Esmeralda smiled when Bronx suddenly came running towards them.
"Hey, look who's here," she said and knelt down in front of the dog, hugging him gently. She laughed when he licked her face, and placed a kiss on his snoute. She gave him a dog snack she had kept in her pocket in case Djali got hungry. Then she took the note he was carrying and looked at it.
"What do you have for me, Bronx? Let me have a look...."
She tried to see what was written, but it was too hard for a girl that had never been welcomed in school. With a deep sigh she gave the note to Goliath.
"Since Bronx is here, I suppose Elisa wants to tell us something. I only wish I knew what. I have never learned how to read or write. I don't know what these strange drawings mean. They are not like the magic drawings I use on my amulets."
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Post by Winnie the Pooh on Mar 8, 2009 17:21:23 GMT -5
Pooh was still riding on Djali’s back when he noticed Bronx approaching the small group of them and he smiled, glad to see his friend. When Djali lowered down so Pooh could get off, Pooh ran over and hugged Bronx
“I never learned to read or write either Esmeralda,” Pooh told her as he overheard what she said. “Owl always wrote for me as my writing was always wobbly you see. And Christopher Robin used to always read to me whenever he came for visits.” He gave Esmeralda a warm smile, hoping to cheer her up about the situation and came over to stand beside her and Goliath.
“Can anyone here... read it?” he asked curiously.
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Post by goliath on Mar 8, 2009 17:32:56 GMT -5
Goliath took the note from Esmeralda.
"A country vast of things that do not exist..." Goliath read. "What does that mean?"
He continued to read the note, gasping.
"She says that Lady Tremaine has control of Frollo's soldiers." He said. "We need to solve this clue, and fast."
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Post by esmeralda on Mar 8, 2009 17:52:28 GMT -5
Esmeralda furrowed her eyebrows thoughtfully.
"To solve the clue written by Lady Tremaine, we have to think like Lady Tremaine.... Put ourselves in her place. What do we know about her? She is an evil, cold manipulative woman, who cares about none other than herself......"
She grasped about the amulet around her neck, the one she had carried from her childhood, and who gave her security and kept her safe from danger... normally. She looked down at the amulet and a smile lit up her face.
"This amulet was given to me by a very powerful gypsy witch when I was a little girl. It was given to me for protection. Do you think Lady Tremaine believes in magic?"
She furrowed her eyebrows again, and thought over the riddle Goliath had read for her.
"A country vast.... It could be a kingdom, right? And if Lady Tremaine doesn't believe in magic......"
She looked up at Goliath and smiled.
"Do you think she is talking about The Magic Kingdom?"
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Post by goliath on Mar 8, 2009 18:01:19 GMT -5
"It seems as though it's the best place as any to start looking." Goliath said.
"Come, we've no time to lose." He said. "First we must take our friends to the Court of Miracles, where they will be safe. Then we shall go to the Magic Kingdom and rescue the gypsies which reside there."
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Post by Winnie the Pooh on Mar 8, 2009 18:08:19 GMT -5
“But Goliath!” Pooh gasped, reaching his paw up and lightly taking Goliath’s talon in worry. “If we go to this... Court of Miracles... how will we know if you’re safe? I don’t want to see you guys get hurt.” He tugged gently on Goliath’s talon and looked to Esmeralda in worry.
“That mean old lady doesn’t seem to be afraid of anything...” Pooh told them his voice filled with fear, the burn marks on his body were proof of that. “I’m just afraid of losing you.” He wrapped his arm around Goliath’s leg while his paw reached out and took hold of Esmeralda’s skirt and he looked up at the both of them, like a child who was about to lose his parents.
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Post by esmeralda on Mar 8, 2009 18:12:15 GMT -5
Esmeralda made sure Quasimodo was safe on Djali's back. Then she lifted up Piglet and Pooh, and tilted her head to Goliath.
"Please follow me," she said in a low voice. "We need to be quiet, because our guards shoot first and ask afterwards. Let me do all the talking."
She started walking through narrow streets and dark alleys, and she didn't stop until she had found a hidden entrance in a tall stone building. Three armed gypsies were outside. At first they jumped up, ready to kill, but Esmeralda calmed them down. They recognized their princess and lowered their weapons.
"This is Quasimodo, Winnie the Pooh and Piglet. They have been prisoners of an evil lady who wants to wipe our people away from the surface of the earth. They are not safe out here anymore. Bring them inside and care for them, the same way you once cared for me. I will go with Goliath here and try to get our people in The Magic Kingdom in safety."
She left Pooh, Piglet and Quasi in the care of the friendly gypsies and gave Pooh a hug.
"Don't be afraid, little one. You are among friends now. My people will protect you. Lady Tremaine will never find you here."
She turned to Goliath.
"I know Djali well enough to tell he wants to come with us. Should we go to the Magic Kingdom?"
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Post by goliath on Mar 13, 2009 23:29:54 GMT -5
Goliath felt touched at Pooh's concern for him. The bear's loyalty and devotion to his friends was unquestionable.
"I promise you, we will return. Once this woman answers for her crimes, no one will have to hide anymore."
They reached the Court of Miracles, and left their friends in the care of they gypsies. Djali, however, had planted his hooves firmly in the ground, and refused to move. Goliath turned to Esmeralda.
"Djali will never leave your side." he agreed. "But we've no time to lose trying to argue with him. Let's go to the Magic Kingdom to rescue your people."
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! THAT OLD HAG! I'M GOING TO... TO..... TIGHTEN HER CORSET WITH HER INSIDE IT, SO MUCH THAT SHE WILL BE KNOWN AS THE LADY WITHOUT A TORSO!! AND THE CAT WILL NEED A RETAILER TO STITCH HIS TAIL BACK ON WHEN I'M DONE WITH HIM!!!"