The cabin was cramped and full of bunks and hammocks hanging haphazardly so that space was a limited factor. Every once in a while, as the number of the crew increased, more hammocks were added to what little space was left. Some of the crew were considering renovating the old boiler's room to another Sleep Cabin as they called it. However due to recent events, the suggestion was buried underneath all thoughts. No one could sleep peacefully anymore. Recent events filled them with horrors silenced in the normal conscious state. But once asleep, they returned in the form of nightmares. Terrible nightmares that set one's heart hammering and crunching one's hope. Happiness was a thing of the past.
It was all Imagination Queen could do to bring peace to her fellow mates: give them dreams. Every night, she would wave her wand, supplying everyone with a colourful vision. However, they never lasted long. At least, the fantastical images of fairies, elves, dragons, etc. provided them with something beautiful to look at as they stayed the night, giving up on sleep.
A satyr clomped away from Ami. He danced around a merry fire with a bunch of Dryads who laughed flirtatiously. Imagination Queen noticed Shadow and Arrowskull staring at the Dryads with an obsessed hint in their eyes. She suppressed a smile, but the boys caught the look on her face. They blushed a deep shade of scarlet before turning their gaze onto something else.
No one spoke a word. It was a time of silence. Everyone lay on their respective beds, watching the creatures. Worry was written clearly on their faces even though they tried to hide it.
Imagination sighed.
A few days ago, the crew of the Enigmus had fought alongside each other in battle against the Great One and his Pirate Lords. The crew had taken care of the Pirate Lords and their tricks while their Captain headed to meet the Great One in one final battle. The Great One - who was the Captain's brother...
Mysteriously, he was defeated by her. However, there was no happy victory. No, the Captain had been lost to the Black Spot as its final effects began to take hold of her. Revived from unconsciousness, she could remember nothing. Nothing at all. Her memory was wiped clean. The last stage of the Black Spot had taken toll: amnesia.
The crew had been mortified. They could not understand what was wrong with her. They carried her to the ship's infirmary since she was weak from the battle. Then the Doctor, after a quick check-up, came to the conclusion that Captain had kept her illness a secret. Writer's Block had never been healed. It had resulted in the dreaded Black Spot.
Suffering a broken leg, Captain was lying in the infirmary. She demanded to be allowed to leave the "creepy ship" whose crew had odd powers. It frightened her. These things seemed beyond normal to her.
Last night, Captain had awoken to a warm, tingling feeling in her fingers, only to find her blazing fingers.
"Holy crap! My hands are on fire!" she had shrieked, yelling and shaking her hands violently in an attempt to extinguish the fire.
Everyone had rushed to the infirmary. Someone had had the sense to splash a pail of water on the fiery fingers. Captain was cmpletely freaked out. She rambled on and on about some unidentifiable things, her eyes wide.
The Doctor had told us to leave. Winter had wanted to stay by her best friend in her time of anguish, but the Doctor had simply said, "I understand how you feel, Winter. But she is already in too much shock. She needs some time on her own to figure things out."
Deferentially, Winter had resigned, crawling back to her cabin. She was practically dead - a body with no emotion. At least that was what she showed on the outside, but on the inside she was hurting. She was hurting real bad.
Trilby had confirmed that Winter's mind was empty of thoughts as though her brain ceased to produce them. Shadow had noticed that Winter stuck to dark, empty corners.
All of them were in pain, but Winter was in excruciating pain. Nothing could compare hers. Her eyes had turned dead and hollow. She never left her cabin unless it was something to do with the an excited reaction on Captain's part.
It was Jodie, Hailey Hydra and Destiel who steered the ship now - steered it to land. They took turns, dividing the work into shifts. The Wattpadian Sea was calm, smooth and quiet. Yet, something was brewing in its midst unknow to all...
Imagination Queen surrendered. She had had enough of this! She was tired of watching everyone be unhappy and hide their emotions in a cocoon. Jumping off her hammock, she landed on lightly on her feet. Eyes shifted and fixed on her, but she ignored them.
First stop was the kitchen where Miss Disneymaniac was baking chocolate-coated vanilla cupcakes. Miss Disneymaniac was humming Do You Wanna Build A Snowman when Imagination entered.
"Hey, Imagination! Want some cupcakes? They're nice and warm," said Miss Disneymaniac brightly. She pointed a wooden spatula to three trays of cupcakes lying on the counter.
Silently, Imagination grabbed a tray. "Grab the other two and come with me," she said curtly.
Miss Disneymaniac's smile wavered for a second, then returned. "Where to?"
"Just follow me."
Miss Disneymaniac expertly balanced the trays on the palms of her hands and followed Imagination as she disappeared out. She led her to the Sleep Cabin and set down the tray on a barrel. The sweet aroma of the cupcakes attracted everyone's attention. They sat up to see where the smell was coming from.
Crystal Grace seemed to understand what Imagination was trying to do. "Everyone down! Now!" she shouted loud and clear, for all to hear.
As confused as they were, surprisingly, everyone descended without a question. They surrounded the barrels on which the trays of cupcakes sat and looked from Crystal Grace to Imagination Queen to Miss Disneymaniac.
Only Trilby hadn't moved. She sat on the wooden floor in a corner, watching them.
"How do you know it'll work?" Trilby asked. Everyone turned sharply to her. What was going on?
"There is a probability it will work," Imagination stated with determination.
"There is also a probability it won't."
Anime pulled out a pocket notebook and began scratching down something. She seemed to be in deep thought. Then, her face cleared.
"Here," she finally said, turning her calculations for all to see. "Probability of the plan to work is 0.6. That's a pretty good chance."
Shadow Walker slipped out from the shadows. "Wait....I get it now!"
Detective Arrowskull nodded. "This is a "Cheering Us Up" party, isn't it?"
Imagination Queen smirked. "You guessed right."
"Calculations wrong then. Not gonna work," AP declared, folding his arms on his chest.
"Actually," Violet smirked. "It will. Believe me, I know what's going on."
Luna Tardis laughed in mock belief. "How can we 'cheer up' when Captain's got amnesia and Winter's locked herself? There, I said it!"
There was silence. Indeed, she had uttered the words everyone avoided. They just didn't want to confirm it by saying it out loud. But now that Luna did speak the Unmentionable, it was suddenly allowed to do so. Everyone broke suddenly broke into puzzled chatter. Some even started to cry.
Imagination Queen waited. "If you guys are done, may I speak now?" The crew stared at her in shock. Never had Imagination spoken impolitely by interrupting chatter with a vicious remark. "Not to be rude or anything," she hastily added.
When she was sure no one would intervene, she spoke. "This 'Cheer Us Up' party (as Arrowskull put it) is not only for us who are standing - or sitting," she glanced at Trilby who tipped her trilby hat," in this room, but also for those other members of the Team. Let us be happy if only for one night for Winter and Captain and Doctor as well. We have each other to talk to about these...issues...but they feel isolated. Let us cheer them up cause they do need cheering up. Savvy? P.S. Sorry if this sounds too much like a lecture."
Silence.
Then, an outburst. "AYE! MISSION CHEER THEM UP ACTIVATE!" yelled everyone.
"I'll go get Captain and the Doctor from the infirmary," Trilby decided, jumping to her feet.
"I'm coming with you!" Crystal Grace called after Trilby as she ran out of the room to catch up.
"Erm....I will bring Winter," Imagination Queen said briefly before rushing out, her robes flying.
She reached the door and was about to knock when something creeped out from a corner. "I'm faster!" winked Shadow, emerging from the dark. "Didn't think I won't come to call Winter, did you?"
Imagination shrugged. "Shall we?" She knocked on the door.
No reply.
Shadow pushed open the door. Despite it being dark inside, he could see everything clearly. He wouldn't have minded walking into the room like this, but for Imagination's weak eyesight's sake he switched on the lights.
Imagination blinked as the light hit her suddenly. "A bit of warning next time, maybe?" she hissed.
"I can always turn it off," he smirked, his hand hovering above the light switch.
Smacking his hand out of the way, Imagination went in the room. It was empty of living soul.
"She's not here..." she whispered.
"No shit, Sherlock! Question is where is she."
Perhaps up steering since Jodie was down in the Sleep Cabin and it was his turn to steer. They headed there, Shadow preferring to use his unique method of travel. There she stood - Winter - gazing at the moonless horizon.
"It's gonna rain," Winter whispered.
Shadow looked up to the sky. Dark clouds were gathering. "Yep. A storm's on the move."
"Winter, please come with us," pleaded Imagination. "It's no use locking yourself up like this. What do you get other than pain? You yourself used to tell us to not be like this, the why...?"
Winter did not reply. "Aye. We need to man the sails to prepare for the storm."
"Winter, listen to me!"
"Maybe Jodie can take over steering for a while as I -"
"Winter, look at me!"
Winter didn't.
"Oi! We came all the way here for you and you're just gonna ignore us?" demanded Lisa.
Shadow added,"Not cool, mate. Not cool. Everyone's waiting for you downstairs...The Captain's waiting..."
His voice trailed off as he let the bait sit there. It wasn't exactly a lie. Trilby and Crystal had probably managed to convince Captain and Doctor to join the party. The only one left to convince was dear Winter, who was as stubborn as the cold.
But no worries there, Lisa could be stubborn. Indeed she could be very stubborn when time called for it. In fact, she was not going to budge until Winter came along. However, she didn't have to be quite stubborn this time because Shadow's bait did catch the attention of Winter.
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For the first time indays, they sat down together and laughed. They ate. The joked. They teased. They had fun. Even the Captain joined in on the fun. Her only condition was that it was be a party sans magic. That was completely fine with crew. But when the 3D fantastical creatures began to fade away, she insisted that they were great decorations. Winter to had a smile on her face for a change. She was glad to see her friend removed from her dire state of confusion.
Imagination Queen smiled. It was human nature to fall in love with the 3D illusions. That was what made them effective. The addiction they were to human eyes. It was hope itself. Imagination Queen had been blessed with the talent in her most darkest times: the earliest days of her childhood when she could barely talk. That ability was the source of her life. No exaggeration. Without it, she would succumb to despair.
The temperature dropped to 4'C as frigid winds rushed into the room.
"Winter..." Angeline Black whispered. "Is that you...?"
Winter put her hands up in surrender. "Nope, I'm not doing anything!" She herself was puzzled about what was going on.
The wooden floor frosted with a thin layer of ice. It grew thicker and thicker by the second. Icicles formed on the beds and hammocks. Everyone drew in close to the centre of the room with their backs to one another in a defensive position. They looked about warily, hands on weapons and ready for reaction when action called for it.
Their breaths were exhaled in the form of wispy air. Heck, the fact that they could still breath was a shock. 4'C had moved down to the minus in a matter of seconds.
"I told you! No magic! What the hell is this?" demanded the Captain. "Cut it out! Cut it out, I said!"
"Captain, it's not us!" Miss Succubus whispered, licking her dehydrating lips. "Somethings out there..."
"Don't call me Captain! I'm Cara! CARA, YOU HEAR ME?" shouted Captain...or Cara as she preferred to be called.
Shade added, "Something's a party-crasher!"
"Is that you care about now - a party? We could be dying!" hissed Destiel.
Everyone suddenly began to laugh hysterically including Destiel.
Captain - Sorry! Cara stared at them baffled. "What's funny?" she frowned at them suspiciously.
Imagination Queen quieted down with some effort, "You know - " but ended up falling back to laughter.
Trilby took up the role. " - we've faced so many near-death experiences -"
"- we lost count!" finished Lestranger, howling in laughter.
"And what am I expected to do? Laugh along?" Cara snapped, her brimming with sarcasm.
The laughter died as abruptly as it had commenced.
"Er.....did I do something wrong?" asked Cara laughing nervously.
"Ca- Cara!" Winter seemed to have been on the point of calling her something else. "We're just so glad to see your sarcasm still remains."
"Yaaaay! Let's party again to celebrate."
"Sorry to ruin the party that is to never come!" a cold voice apologised.
Cara searched for the one who spoke in fright. She wasn't the only one to do so because it would have been perfectly understandable and normal if the voice had come from the surrounding walls or up above or even in the dark shadows. But, no, the voice had come from among their ranks. Someone sinister was among them.
Someone cackled in glee. "Can't even locate me, can you? I am right here! Holding a....Why am I holding a stick?"
The word "stick" sent all eyes flying to Imagination Queen, who was the only witch on board. Wands were often mistaken for simple sticks. Sure enough, someone was Imagination Queen. But Imagination Queen had changed. Her eyes glowed blue like fire. Her skin paled with a tint of blue as though cold itself had taken hold of her. Her once-red lips were reduced to pale, dry ones.
The crew of the Enigmus, backed away and stood guard. Some closed in around Cara protectively, pushing her to the wall. She did not look too happy about that. She tried to push Ami out of her way, but Ami did not budge.
Meanwhile, Imagination Queen had broken away from the confusion of holding a stick. Now, she examined the "stick" as if it had the potential of being useful to her. If these actions did not make the crew aware that it wasn't Imagination Queen who stood before them, then it wasn't certainly the yells of Cara to be freed from her "pirate cage".
"A witch? How promising!" grinned Imagination. She returned her icy gaze to the crew who were ready to attack on a mere command from the first mate.
First mate stepped forward to interrogate Imagination Queen who was not Imagination Queen. She matched her cold eyes and casually conjured up a ball of ice and juggled it in one hand.
"So...," Winter said,"Who are you? Cause you're certainly not Imagination Queen."
"I am not Imagination Queen," confirmed Someone. "But I am Imagination Queen."
Frowns were formed all around the room as their owners wondered how that was possible. How could you be someone and not be someone at the same time?
"Oi! Is that a joke of yours, Imagination Queen? It's not funny at all, and I know funny!" Cara said in a warning tone. She held out a dagger in front of her for defence. Since heavy weapons were prohibited for her, she had to abandon the sword she had had on her belt, but she could keep the dagger the Doctor had said.
"Stupid humans! Can't even think - " Imagination was saying when she was hushed by a scientist who was coming to a conclusion.
Anime grew excited. "I know, I know! Wait! Let me speak! She is Imagination Queen only physically, but mentally she is Someone. Whoever Someone is..."
"Oi! That was my line, you dolt!" snapped Imagination. "Stealing is punishable by cutting off your tongue!"
Anime shrugged. "Sorry, but you stole Imagination's body. Does that mean we cut off your....Oh!"
"What? Did you just remember the Law of Possession?" sneered Imagination. "A body can be possessed by not another body but by another soul. Which means that I am a soul, and souls don't have tongues do they?"
Imagination Queen threw back her head and laughed. Then, she disappeared off into the shadows.
Everyone looked aghast. Where had she gone? She can't shadow-travel could she?
"To the deck!" Shadow ordered as he mentally followed Imagination through her shadow-travel. He rushed up the stairs leading up above.
Cara was the first to follow him. She finally managed to get Ami to move and ran out. Team Enigma shared worried glances with each other before climbing the stairs.
They reached the top to find an odd sight. Imagination was waving her wand from which erupted blue flames which swirled around her and muttering spells under her breath.
"Why her? Why are you doing this?" Winter yelled at her above the howling winds which fed the fire with fuel.
Imagination paused for a moment, still in her blue flames. She looked at Winter straight in the eye with a piercing gaze.
"Because her soul was the easiest to silence. She is silent now, not fighting, being submissive to my soul. That's why it's so easy to look into her thoughts and use her magic. All I had to do was crush her talent of illusions, which is her source of life...or should I say was?"
Imagination cackled evilly. She continued. "That was a job quickly done. Now, your friend is gone - only her body, memories and powers remain. All for me to use. Your kind have tormented us by murdering us and trapping our souls in Skullrock Cave. But a few days ago the chamber in which we were trapped broke due to the destruction caused throughout the Cave. We are set free! And now, we're here for vengeance and for bodies so that we may live again! We are here to end the Age of Piracy before it can be fully developped."
Everyone was baffled, jaw dropped and eyes staring. Except for Cara who said, "Isn't that a good thing? There will be no more looting and all those stuff pirates do! It's better for the community."
Aye. The Captain had turned into a Community Server. How wonderful!
Suddenly, the blue eyes disappeared. It brought everyone back to reality.
"One-way-to-stop-peril! The-Skull-Enflamed-in-Blue-Flames! Extinguish-the-flames! But-don't-crush-skull!" Lisa screamed in one breath.
Then, the blue eyes returned.
She resumed muttering spells. The wand was now tracing symbols on the floor of the deck. Dark symbols were engraved on the floor with an inky black liquid.
"We the Slitheen family of the Raxacoricofallapatorius race hereby curse this ship and its crew. May they perish slowly and be tormented by nightmares. May they die while suffering as the curse takes on them like the Plague!" hissed Imagination the Slitheen.
"Oh, crap!" Winter muttered angrily. "Imagination always wanted to visit this family's planet. Looks like they are invading her body now. Why did she have to wish that?"
No matter how horrible the curse was. One thing was for sure. Imagination Queen was fighting. She wasn't being submissive...
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It was like entering the North Pole, but Miss Disneymaniac didn't care nor did Violet Nightshade. They didn't care about the bitter cold or the rule that no one was to enter the room. A figure sat on floor shackled, her head drooped down. She was dressed in a white dress, but there was no sight of her belt or her cloak. These were confiscated before caging her here.
"Shhhh!" Violet warned as Miss Disneymaniac slipped on the smooth floor. She helped her up, then the two proceeded towards the figure.
Miss Disneymaniac, holding a small bowl containing a left-over cupcake, kneeled down in front of the figure. The figure slowly raised her head, a creepy smile etched on her face. Her eyes had a wild look about them.
"Oh, God! Her eyes!" Violet winced, looking away.
"She's just hungry," assured Miss Disneymaniac.
The captive's smile disappeared in an instant. It was replaced by a sad face. "Hungry, very hungry! Yes, she is very hungry," she said in a mock-baby voice.
"Listen here. We're not going to let Lisa starve just because you possessed her!" Miss Disneymaniac said with determination.
"Please," whispered Imagination Queen. "I am dying of hunger."
Miss Disneymaniac softened. She held out the cupcake in front of Imagination Queen's mouth for her to take a bite. Imagination leaned forward to take a bite, but bit Miss Disneymaniac's hand in the last second.
"Owww!"
The cupcake fell from Miss Disneymaniac's hand and rolled over to Violet's feet. Miss Disneymaniac rubbed the spot she was bitten on.
"Are you OK?" Violet asked anxiously.
"Yeah, I'm fine."
"You two shouldn't have come here," Winter called out behind quietly. She was flanked by Trilby and Shadow. The latter two seemed to be working together ever since last night's incident.
"Why do you trap me here, Winter? I thought we are friends," Imagination said with a tear-stained face. She sniffed.
"That's exactly why your condition is such, Lisa," Winter said with no emotion. Her fingers were suddenly very interesting to look at. "To protect everyone else and yourself from the soul that possessed you. I am sorry."
"You call this protecting? By tormenting me? By starving me?"
Winter did not reply. She continued to examine her nails.
"Winter, look at me!"
Winter did not. She turned and walked out, a tear rolling down her cheek. But as usual she hid the tear from everyone.
"Sorry, mate. But you know what this soul's been trying to do to you," Trilby apologised, her gaze falling to the deep cuts and gashes on Imagination's arms, face and neck. "Everyone out now! This is only temporary, mate. We're gonna get that demon out of you soon..."
Trilby frowned as the demon sent her a rude thought. Then, shaking her head, she held out the door for the others. After they had all left, she too exited, closing the door behind her.
Miss Disneymaniac decided to not bother going to the infirmary for a minor injury, but an odd sight awaited her when she looked at the bite. Inky black mist was entering her skin through the bite which left deeper marks than she had thought.
The last thing she though before someone entered her was "as the curse takes on them like the Plague."
Hello, mates! Imagination Queen aka. Lisa Potter here! Hope you like this chappie. Sorry if it's too long or too short. Yep. We've got a new "baddie" as Captain - I mean Cara calls them. And yes....the baddie is me.....*evil laughter*