You slowly sunk to your knees to hide behind the boxes again before anyone could spot you. You slowly started to hyperventilate. "Okay," Eugene said kneeling next to you and placing a hand on your back. "Okay, so we're on a prison barge with basically everyone we've ever busted and had thrown in jail, but there's no need to panic."
"No need to panic?!" you exclaimed in a whisper. "This is the perfect time to panic. Not only are we are we trapped on a ship with a bunch of psychos hellbent on killing us; we're trapped on a ship with my psychotic, homicidal ex!"
"Okay, maybe this is a bit panic-inducing, but we're going to be just fine," Eugene said.
"How?" you asked still feeling panicked. Maximus grabbed a sword with his mouth.
"Are you nuts?!" Eugene said directing his attention to the horse. "There's fifty of them and not fifty of us."
"Great math," you said rolling your eyes.
Eugene ignored you and focused on Maximus. "Look, I know Max the guard feels the need to take down any crook he sees, but sometimes you just got to bend the rules." Max dropped the sword with a huff. "Good boy," Eugene said petting his nose.
"Yeah, yeah, that's great and all," you said. "But how are we getting off of this thing?"
"Don't worry," Eugene said. "We'll just use one of the lifeboats." You all slowly made your way to the lifeboat without being seen.
"Alright," you said. "Now let's get this baby in the water." You and Eugene tried to work the crank to lower the boat but couldn't get it to budge. "Come on, come on. We've gotta get out of here."
"Don't worry," Eugene said pulling out his special dagger. Max neighed angrily. "Yeah, I know it's technically damaging property, but we're in a life or death situation."
"Just relax, Maximus," you said. "We've got to get out of here at any cost. A little property damage isn't that big a deal."
Maximus just sat with a huff. Eugene swung at the ropes holding up the lifeboat with his dagger. You were all falling at an alarming pace, but you suddenly stopped before you could hit the water. The ropes had tied around Eugene's ankle and were suspending him high in the air.
"Wait to go, genius," you said exasperated.
Maximus took hold of the other end of the rope and started to lower Eugene down. You suddenly heard Pocket and Otter coming up next to the ship's railing.
"Pull him up! Pull him up!" you exclaimed in a panicked whisper as you tugged the rope the other way. Eugene started to swing all over the place, and you all panicked as Otter and Pocket kept looking in different directions.
Eugene suddenly dropped his dagger, and it landed on a barrel near the criminals.
"Was that there before?" Pocket asked.
Eugene quickly took a coin out of his pocket and threw it at a nearby bell. Otter and Pocket thought it meant it was dinner time, and walked away. Before you could let out a sigh of relief, the rope around Eugene's ankle broke, and he plummeted down to the lifeboat. His impact shot you and Maximus straight up in the air. You grabbed onto a rope before you could fall into the water, and Maximus landed on the ship's dock, sending the barrel with Eugene's dagger in it over the side and into the lifeboat, making it land in the water.
"See?" Eugene said with a small laugh. "Worked like a charm."
The lifeboat suddenly sunk, and the barrel floated away, taking Eugene's dagger with it.
"You were saying?" you slightly growled.
"We are still stuck on a prison barge," Eugene said nervously.
"Yes, I can see that!" you yelled.
You quickly climbed back on board and hid behind the cargo again.
"I don't get it," Eugene said.
"What?" you asked.
"These guys should know the law would be all over them as soon as they came into port," Eugene said.
"You're right," you said. "What could they be up to?"
"Wait, what's that little guy doing?" Eugene asked.
You peaked over the cargo again to see Ruddiger was sniffing around like a bloodhound. "Oh gosh, no!" you silently screamed as you sunk back behind the cargo.
"What is it, bud?" Varian asked following his raccoon companion. Ruddiger just continued to sniff and come closer to the cargo.
"No, no, no, no, no!" you screamed in a whisper. Eugene started to panic as well.
Varian and Ruddiger came around the cargo and saw you and Eugene. "(y-" Before Varian could finish saying your name, Max knocked him out. Ruddiger started to make sounds as if he was setting off an alarm.
"Quiet, fuzzball," Eugene said in a panicked whisper as he grabbed Ruddiger and kept his mouth shut. You quickly picked up Varian's limp body by his arms and dragged him below deck with Eugene and Max following right behind you.
As soon as you were all below deck, Max wasted no time and tied up Varian in the blink of an eye. It was soon after that you heard a groan come from Varian as he slowly opened up his eyes. "Huh? (Y/n)?" Varian said confused. He then realized he was tied up and fought against his restraints.
"We want some answers," you said in a demanding way.
"I'm sure you do," Varian said. "Too bad I won't give them to you."
"Now, you listen here," Eugene said stepping in.
"Or what, Fitzherbert?" Varian said in a mocking way. Max neighed angrily and nearly hit Varian again.
"So scary," Varian said with a bit of a smirk. "But it's going to take a lot more than that to make me talk."
"Varian, what are all of these criminals up to?" you asked.
"Still not telling," Varian said.
"Then what will it take?" you asked.
Varian hummed in thought for a moment then looked at you with a smirk. "A kiss from an old lover may suffice."
"W-w-what?!" you exclaimed. "No way!"
"Then I guess you don't get any answers," Varian said. You sighed in defeat.
"Hey, Max can take him on," Eugene said. "You don't have to do anything of the sort, (y/n)."
"No," you said. "Things will be easier and faster this way." You gulped as you turned to face Varian again. You slowly leaned in and closed your eyes. You tried to think of anything else and just pretend that this wasn't happening. Then your lips made contact. Strangely, you felt a small spark. For a moment you completely forgot the situation and stayed like that for a while. You leaned back with your eyes half-lidded.
"Didn't realize you missed be that much," Varian said with a smirk. Your cheeks suddenly flamed up, and you covered your mouth with both of your hands.
"Alright, you got your payment," Eugene said grabbing Varian's shoulders. "Now, start talking."
"We'll be taking over a ferry before we reach shore to lower suspicions," Varian simply said.
"Ferry?" Eugene said in alarm. "But that means...Rapunzel!"
