The three friends are still gathered around the fallen bird.

 

“Think he’s dead?”  Dongho asks the obvious question.

 

“N-no,” the princess replies shakily.  “No it’s just his wing I think,” I hope.

 

Kevin jumps from Dongho’s back.  He lands beside the bird.  He lifts the birds head and all he can say before he drops it, “strange looking bird.”  *UGHH*  Then he hops a bit away.

 

Taemin leans down to take a look at the injured party.  “Poor fellow.”  Lifting the wing with the arrow he comments to knocked out bird, “you must be in a lot of pain.”  Looking at his two friends he advices them, “you better hold him.”  They comply without question landing on the bird.  *UGHH*  Taemin breaks the arrow in two, in case it has a poison tip.  The puffin grunts in pain.  Taemin pulls the rest from the arrowhead end out of the wing.  Tearing off a piece of his clothing he uses it as a bandage and wraps it around the injury.  *GRUNT*

 

Not being able to stand not being the center of attention Kevin decides to do something about it.  Lifting the bird’s eyelid he cheerfully tells him, “hello, this is your wakeup call.”  He waves to the dizzy bird.  Wrong move.

 

The puffin jumps up and starts holding his wings in a defensive stance.  He demonstrates his martial arts moves.  “It’ll take more than you three to keep Eli down!”  More kicks and jumps, even a few spins.

 

“Wait!”  Taemin breaks the now known Eli’s concentration.  “I’m your friend.”

 

Thinking he outsmarted the well-dressed boy, “if you were my friend how come you have an arrow in your hand?  Huh?”  Snatching the arrow he feels triumphant.  He uses it to tickle the other with the feather.  “Yes!  The exact kind of arrow I have in my … wing?”  Looking in disbelief at his bandaged wing then to the broken arrow.

 

Taemin laughs.  “I took it out while you were laying there,” he explains.

 

“You mean you had a chance to kill me but instead you help me?”

 

“Ugh huh,” the happy guy nods his head.

 

“Sir, I apologize.  My name is Eli.  Lieutenant Eli, at your service,” he bowed.  Dongho and Kevin mock saluete.

 

“It’s a pleasure Lieutenant Eli.  I’m Taemin,” he bowed back.  “Princess Taemin,” at those words Eli kissed his hand.  “These are my friends Dongho the turtle.”

 

“Hi,” he says nicely.

 

“And Kevin the frog.”

 

Feeling jealous for no apparent reason that Eli’s attention is on someone else, “I have no friends’ only servants.  They call me ‘Your Highness’,” he puts his hand out for the puffin bird to kiss.  The bird pulls his face away.

 

Dongho stage whispers to his new friend, “thinks he’s a prince.”  Eli responds with the ‘crazy person’ whistle.

 

Getting back down to business he turns back to his savior.  “I owe you princess.  I intend on staying until my debt is paid.”

 

Taemin shakes his head, “I don’t think there’s much you can do.  He has me under a spell.”

 

“You mean a magical woooohoooo?”  As he says that magical things start happening.  Flowers appear out of thin air.  Glitter sparks surround the four.  The broken castle grounds become whole and beautiful as they were in the beginning.  The two animals quickly pull the shocked bird away from the scene and into a hiding spot.  Allen appears from behind a pillar.  Taemin isn’t surprised.

 

“Your knight in shining armor has come to set you free,” the enchanter plays up his part with a mocking bow.

 

Two friends hold back the bird as he tries to attack.  “Let me at ‘em.  Let me at him.”

 

“Hyung chill,” Dongho whispers.

 

“All it takes is just one little word,” he gets down on one knee before the princess.  “Will you marry me?”

 

Taemin turns to face the sorcerer he finds annoying.  “Every night you ask the same thing.  And every night I give the same reply.  I’ll die first.”

 

Allen shakes his head in disbelief.  “You’re really starting to annoy me!”

 

“I should think you would be used to it by now.”

 

“That’s it!  Just stay a swan for all I care.  Keep pushing it but someday I’m going to boil over” now red in the face.

 

“Go ahead then.  But I will never give you my father’s kingdom.”

 

“I was hoping you would say you would be mine.  It looks as if you need another day to think about it.”  With that he brings attention to the lightening sky.  Taemin quickly rushes to the lake.  He laughs maniacally as the princess has small tears come from his face.  The magic happens, it swirls around the princess, this time it turns him from a human to a swan.  With that Allen walks away.

 

Eli, who had to be held back until then, steps out into the open with his wings on his head.  With wide eyes he looks at the swan, “Princess?”  Kevin and Dongho nod their heads to confirm what he just saw.

 

2min

 

Key couldn’t help looking at the beautiful jeweled crown that was his husbands.  Thoughts of him always made him sad.  While he never truly loved him he did provide something he loved more than life, Minho.  “Beautiful, simply beautiful,” the queen turned the crown around to look at it completely.  “Soon Minho will marry and the kingdom will have a king again,” if only it was to Taemin.

 

Alexander cutely shook his head, “I doubt it.  Minho still refuses to be king unless he finds Taemin.”

 

“Don’t be silly.  That will all change at the ball tomorrow night.”  Maybe.

 

Soohyun ran in at that moment waving around a stack of letters.  “They’re all coming to the ball!  They’re all coming to the ball!”  He couldn’t help jumping around from his excitement.  “Every princess is coming!”

 

Key laughed really bubbly, even though it was fake.  Jonghyun had chosen that moment to walk past the room.  The sadness on his face was enough to bring down the happiness for Key and remind him of what his love had lost.  How could he forget about Taemin?

 

Keeping with earlier pretenses Key acted giggly again.  “You see Xander one of these girls are bound to attract Minho’s attention.”

 

Alexander couldn’t keep his face straight.  “Oh absolutely my queen … not.”

 

Turning his attention back to Soohyun he shook his finger at the excited man.  “You will not lose a single letter.  Do I make myself clear?”

 

“Oh no, no!”  Soohyun tried to smile assuredly at his queen.

 

Turning back to Alex Key posed a question.  “Where’s Minho.  Oh wait never mind I know where he is.  Researching the fat animal.”

 

“The GREAT animal, your highness.”  The queen walked out as the other man made sure to keep the letters from disappearing lest he wanted his head to.

 

2min

 

Minho was in the castles large library.  Searching through the books he’d researched multiple times before.  Hoping that maybe this time he might see something he missed before.  The king’s previous words ringing through his head on repeat, Minho it’s not what it seems.

 

“What did King Jonghyun mean by it’s not what it seems?”  He ended up going through a big majority of the library.  In the end he had stacks of books surrounding him.  The research was never ending.  Suddenly he found the book he was looking for.  “It’s not what it seems.  Of course.  It’s not what it seems.  Now I will find you Taemin!”  Quickly he ran off to inform his friends of his discovery after he tore a page from the book he found.

 

As he was about to reach the doors, said doors swung open.  “They’re all coming Minho!  All those princesses.”  Minho ran to his mother, lifted him up, spun him around then kissed him forehead.  “Oh Minho, where are you going?”

 

“To find the great animal!” he told her smiling as he tried to make a break for it.

 

Key brushed his hair, “wonderful just remember to be here tomorrow night.”

 

“Tomorrow night?  What’s tomorrow night?”

 

Exasperatedly Key told his son again, “the ball.”

 

“Umma, I can’t,” he held up the book.  “I’m going after the great animal to find Taemin.”  Key started sniffling.  “Okay, I guess I’ll come.  If I leave now maybe I’ll be back in time.”  Which made Key give a shout of cheer.  “Please Umma don’t turn this into one of your beauty pageant.”

 

“I promise.”  Soohyun who had come to help the queen could only shake his head.  His queen sure was something.  “It’s just a few friends,” he played it off.  Then he added, “and their daughters,” nudging Soohyun.  When Minho disappeared out of sight the queen turned to his helper and began dictating how he wanted the ball to be.  “I want it to be big and the envy of balls to come!”

 

“But you said.”

 

“Forget what I said Soohyun and do as you’re told now.”  Maybe if all goes according to plan Jonghyun and Minho can both forget their troubles, at least for a night.  After his queen finished telling him the plans the announcer could only hit his head on the ground repeatedly in annoyance.

 

2min

 

“Let me get this straight princess, every morning you turn from a human into a swan,” clarified Eli.

 

“Yes!  And if I want to turn back human then the following night I have to be on the lake when the moon overlooks the water.”

 

Jealous once again Kevin butted into their conversation.  “To break his spell all he needs is a little moonlight.  Me, I have to be smooched,” while puckering his lips towards the bird.

 

Ignoring him Eli truns back to discuss the problem at hand.  “No, fear.  All you must do is fly to your prince.  We bring him back to the lake.  The moon comes up.  You change back into a princess and then the wedding march.  As simple as that,” he demonstrates an almost kiss with the frog.

 

“How do I find him though?” Tae asks.

 

Bird drops his frog friend, “you don’t know where to find him?”  It was a little hard for him to believe.

 

“I don’t even know where I am, let alone where Minho is.”

 

Ever helpful Dongho points to the castle and informs his friends, “I bet he does.”

 

Sarcastically Kevin shoots down the idea.  “That’s a great idea.  Let’s go to him and say ‘Mr. Allen I’d like to leave now.  Do you have a map or something I could use?’  Yeah like that’s going to work.”

 

*GASP*  “That’s it.  We just need a map!”  Taemin and Eli were in unison.

 

“Let’s do it!”  Taemin couldn’t contain his excitement.

 

Taemin:  We’re off on a mission.  We’re tough; in good condition.  (Taemin and Eli fly around the castle.)

Eli:  We're short.  (He’s hit with by Hoon opening a window.)

Taemin:  But standing tall.

All:  No fear!

Taemin:   There's danger around us.

Kevin:  They'd hurt us if they found us.  (Try’s to sneak away.)

Dongho:  Our backs are to the wall.  (Stops him.)

All:  No fear!

Taemin:   ‘Cause we have all the courage we require.  (Eli is chased by bats.)

Eli:   Take it from a frequent flyer.  (Looks in multiple windows.)

Taemin:   Try your luck.

Taemin & Eli:  Our plan will fly.  (See’s the map through one of the windows in a tower.  “It’s hanging on the wall in the upper chamber.”)

All:  No fear!

Kevin:  This plan if applied’ll.  Be simply suicidal.  You’ll be a sitting duck.

All:  No fear!

Kevin:  Suppose that I do this.  Who knows if we’ll live through this?  How ‘bout a kiss for luck?

Taemin:  No.

Eli & Dongho:   Fear.

Taemin:   Our team is shy one green, web-footed volunteer.

Kevin:  No way, Jose.  No chance!

Dongho:   No choice.  (Dongho and Eli drag Kevin with them.)

Taemin & Eli:   No fear!

All:  No fear!  No fear!  No fear!  We will take any dare that the other side’ll dare to dream up.  We’ll fight tough; we’ll play fair.  But we’re sure to win because we’ll team up.  (In the castle and sneaking around, with Taemin outside.  Eli: alright quickly.  Dongho: easy for you to say.  Kevin: when I have to do something quick I always bring a turtle.)

Kevin:  I’m gonna die!  I’m shaking!  I’m leaking!

Dongho:   He’s freaking, frankly speaking.

Kevin:  We’re riding for a fall.  (Hoon tries to stop them once he sees them.  The three friends have to come up with plans, somehow involving sports and references, to get past Hoon.  Seriously, the go from American football to tennis to baseball to hockey.)

All:  No fear!

Kevin:  He’s gaining!  He’s faster!  We’re heading for disaster!

Eli:   Our hero, warts and all!

All:  No fear!

Kevin:  I would be fine if one of us knew how to steer!  (They’re riding Dongho’s shell down the stair railing.)

Eli:   Get a grip!

Dongho:   Get set.

Eli:   That’s our respect!

Kevin:  No breaks!

Dongho:   No sweat.

Eli:   And no regrets!  (The go from the stairs through a window.)

Kevin:  We’re dead!

Dongho:   Not yet.

Kevin:  Oh no, not there!  (He almost lands in the alligator pit.)

All: No fear!

 

Taemin looks at the map and finds what he’s looking for.  “There’s Minho’s kingdom.  When do we leave?”  *GROAN*  He looks up to see his friends beat up and tired from their mission against Hoon.