In the middle of the night apparently Tiana and Naveen had woken up. I opened my eyes and just listened. They seemed to be getting along more. They were sitting in front of the opening of the tree speaking about earlier events.
"What do you think those things were earlier?" Tiana asked.
"I have no idea...good thing Ayame was there."
"Yeah, I'm glad she was. I was scared for my life."
"So, waitress...I mean Tiana... I heard you talking about a restaurant earlier."
"Yeah, I'm gonna have my own restaurant. I just need the money."
"Why doesn't your family pay for it?"
"Not everyone is so privileged, Prince Naveen."
"You can just call me, Naveen. Well, why do you want a restaurant anyway?"
"Well, my daddy always said he'd open one up to where he could sell his famous gumbo. It was his dream, it was our dream."
"Well, that is a beautiful dream. If you can help me get back to normal, maybe I can ask my parents to help you pay for your restaurant. Who knows how long we'll be like this."
"Oh no...I can't do that. I have to do this myself. If I don't get that building there will always be another option. "
"Well no one gets anywhere without a little help."
"We'll see."
It was good to hear that they weren't bickering. I didn't want to continue listening to their conversation. So I closed my eyes and drifted back to sleep.
When I woke, I stood to my feet and walked to nearby lake. When I looked around I noticed we were in a very swampy area. Where were we? Not long after, Tiana woke up and walked out yawning and rubbing her eyes.
"Tiana, where are we?" I asked her.
As she looked around it looked like something registered to her. "Oh my...why are we in the bayou?"
"The Bayou huh?" I said as I placed my fingers to my chin and held it as I placed a hand on my hip, thinking. "Well ...we're because I sort of just stumbled upon it."
"Stumbled upon it! Did you even know where you were going?!"
"Uhh..no" I said.
"No?! Do you know what's out here Ayame?!"
"Not really." I said nonchalantly.
"Ayame! There are gators and crocodiles and who knows what else out!"
"Tiana, stop being such a worry wart. We'll be fine."
"Fine! Fine! You don't get it Ayame."
I shook my head and smiled and tuned her out as she kept fussing. She would just keep doing this. She would never relax. With all of her fussing Naveen soon came out and of course it was obvious where it went.
"What on earth are you nagging about now, woman?" He said as he wiped his eyes.
"Naveen! Ayame came into the Bayou without even knowing where she was going?"
"Tiana. Tiana." He shushed her. "I'm sure we'll be fine. Ayame can protect all of us." At least someone gets it.
"Oh?" I said teasingly as I turned my head around to make eye contact with them. "On a first name basis, are we?" They both blushed a little and finally shut up.
"Well Ayame what's the plan?" Naveen asked.
"I don't know.."
"You don't know? Ayame we're in the Bayou."
"I'm trying to figure something out..."
"Well figure something out quick!"
I sighed in amusement as I sat on the ground. "Well, I was hoping you would have something. Tiana this is your home. You know more about it than any of us. I'm just here as a bodyguard."
"I don't know either!" Tiana panicked.
I sighed and stood to my feet as I picked them up and put them in my pockets. "Well we need to get out of here."
"Let's get back to New Orleans." Tiana said.
I walked toward the swampy water and hopped from stone to stone. I hopped further and further until we were in the middle of the swamp.
"Do you hear that?" Tiana said.
I paused my movement and heard low, deep, growling. I looked around and I didn't see anything. Something was near and very aware of us.
"What are we going to do?!" Naveen whispered loudly.
"Shut up, you spoiled little rich boy, before you cause more trouble!" Tiana whispered back.
"Well then! That's a lot coming from a waitress!"
Alligators were starting surface from the water I became more alert but those two would not shut up! I was starting to get aggravated.
"If you two don't shut up..." I whispered to them.
Naveen squealed and grabbed hold of Tiana, clearly getting scared and more annoying. "Tiana hold me!" he whimpered.
"Get your slimy, self, off me." She said and pushed him off.
"It's not slime! It's mucus!" Naveen screamed. Which, in turn, set off the crocodiles.
They started lunging out of the water snapping their jaws at us. I jumped up, stepping on their heads to get out of their reach. I twirled my keyblade and hit a couple of them to get them out the way.
"Give us the frogs!" One alligator said.
"We just want the frogs!"
"They look so tasty!"
"Ayame look!" Tiana pointed. "There's a boat over there."
I ran and jumped my way towards the boat and when I landed in the boat I immediately put up a shield to keep the snapping alligators at bay. I rowed the boat further along the water until we were smoothly moving along the current. The alligators eventually gave up.
"Oh thank goodness," Naveen breathed.
As time went on the boat just moved with the current while we tried to figure something out. Naveen grabbed a stick and spider webs and somehow or another he was making music with it.
"You are one talented frog," I said.
"I try," he said as he continued strumming the strings.
Time went on as the boat moved and Naveen kept strumming the strings until an unknown voice came out of nowhere.
"Now that's the kind of music I like!" We all turned around and Naveen screamed it was a crocodile. "Come on man, keep playing." This alligator then started to play a trumpet.
Naveen then calmed down and began to play along with him. What even is this world?
"So what's your name jazzy man?" Naveen asked.
"My name is Louis!" he blew again.
"Oh yeah? Well nice to meet you! This is Tiana, and Ayame!" Tiana waved and I threw a quick hand up to say hi.
"What are two frogs like you out here doing with a human?"
Naveen then stopped playing and became quiet and looked towards Tiana. Tiana walked towards Louis and twiddled her thumbs.
"Well you see, Louis, we're not frogs..."
He stared at them for a long moment. "What do you mean?"
"Well....we're human..."
Louis burst into a loud and hardy laughter, so loud it caught me off guard and made me jump. "Human?! Ain't no way, y'all are frogs!"
I sighed in annoyance. "It's true!" I said.
"What? Naw? Really?"
"Yes," Tiana nodded. "I'm a waitress and Naveen is a Prince
"Whaaa-but how?"
"Naveen over here messed with the voodoo man and now we're frogs!"
"The voodoo man! Oh no no, he's a bad man with bad juju."
"But now we don't know what to do."
Louis stopped for a moment to think and then a light bulb hit him. "I know who could help! Mama Odie!"
"Mama Odie? Who's that?"
"Mama Odie is a sweet and kind old lady. She's good and is the fairy godmother of the bayou."
I stood to my feet, eager. I'd never had so much down time before. It was driving me crazy. "Yes a plan, alright, let's get a move on to Mama Bodie's."
"Odie..."
"Odie... We have to get these two back to normal. Do you know the way Louis?" I asked,
"I sure do."
"Then lead the way."
Louis swam in front of us to take lead and I took the paddle to steer the boat.
"Boy," Tiana started. "I hope this Mama Odie can really help us, Naveen."
"Me too."
"Oh she can!" Louis said. "She's powerful!"
As time went on I continued to follow Louis and it was starting to get dark. And I'm sure everyone was exhausted by now especially Louis.
"Ok everyone, let's stop and make camp, We should all rest."
"That's fine with me." Tiana said.
I stopped the boat and tied it to a tree as I got out and took Tiana and Naveen with me. Louis got out the water and rested his back against the tree about an hour went by and the bayou started to light up with fire flies. It was beautiful, they were like Christmas lights. It made me feel relaxed, and calm. Seeing this beautiful scenery made me think of Riku. I missed him so much. I missed his smile, his laugh, and the feeling of his hand on my cheek. I wonder when I'll see him again? I laid my head back against the tree and let the scenery take me. I wonder when we'd-.
"What you thinkin' about, Ayame?" Tiana asked as she scooted next to me, smiling.
I smiled, I felt so light care free when I thought of Riku. "My boyfriend..."
"OOOOH! You got a boyfriend?! Oh yeah I see it now..."
"See what?"
"That sparkle in your eye...love will do that to ya. I always saw that same sparkle when my momma and daddy looked at each other."
"How long have y'all been together?"
"For a year. I haven't seen him for a while. I miss him."
"As long as you love each other, your hearts will bring each other back together." She said and placed a hand on my knee.
"I hope so."
"Mmm," Louis hummed. "Love is such a beautiful thing."
"It is..." Naveen agreed. "Have you ever been in love Louis?"
"I am in love! With jazz!" He then blew his trumpet again. Naveen laughed and nodded in agreement.
"I hear you there my friend!"
"Have you ever been in love, Naveen?"
"I have plenty of love for women..." Tiana rolled her eyes. "But in love? With that one special lady? No...I haven't found her yet....probably never will."
"How come?"
"Well, you see, I am broke...and I have to marry to put some money one my name."
"What?!" Tiana yelled. "How can you help me with my restaurant if your broke."
"What? No, no, no, I said my FAMILY has money and that maybe they wouldn't mind helping. That is what I said."
"That wasn't very specific though..." I said.
"Aw, Ayame? Come on, help me out here?"
"Ugh," Tiana groaned. "I can't believe I trusted you even for a moment. You can only get through this word with hard work."
It grew silent and awkward and Naveen looked pretty disappointed in himself. I decided to break the silence.
"Have you ever been in love Tiana?" I asked.
She sighed. "Nope. Never. I do hope to find love. A love strong and true like my parents."
"I'm sure you will, Tiana. I'm sure you will."
While I was chatting with Tiana, Naveen stayed quiet. Louis perked up and got excited. Goodness...all of these people are so happy and over excited. I mean, I'm all for being happy and stuff but these people are too happy. I don't know how much longer I can take it.
"Hey I wonder if Ray is here?" Louis said. "Hey Ray! You up there?!" One of the lights twinkled quickly and flew down in the blink of an eye.
"Hey there, Louis!" Ray's accent was harder, and deeper. He was a firefly that had reddish brown hair, and only had two teeth in his little mouth. "What you doing out here?"
"I'm taking these little frogs to see Mama Odie to help them turn back to humans."
"Humans? What?!" He started to laugh. "I don't believe that! Whoo! I got to tell Evangeline!"
"It's true! They gotta get back to being humans so Naveen can get his life back and Tiana can get her restaurant."
"Well I'll be! Well, if you're going to Mama Odie's why are you out here?"
"Whatcha mean?"
"Well, Mama Odie's place is on the south side of the Bayou. You going the wrong way!"
"WHAT?!" Tiana, Naveen, and I said at the same time.