Shanti Runs Away

Shanti and Pinocchio walked across the rope bridge to the cottage. Pinocchio was covering Shanti's eyes.

"Pinocchio, why can't you just tell me what this is all about?" Shanti asked curiously.

"You'll see! It's a surprise!" Pinocchio said with a chuckle. After they went into the cottage, Pinocchio closed the door. When they were all the way into the cottage, Pinocchio uncovered Shanti's eyes. Namine gasped. Standing in the middle of the cottage, tilted to one side, was the statue of Diego.

"Oh, Pinocchio! You are the best!" Shanti exclaimed happily and gave him a hug.

Shanti then went around the statue and said "It looks just like him! It even has his eyes!" Shanti then said "Why, Diego, run away with you? This is all so sudden!" Shanti then laughed happily and spun around in joy. She stopped and gasped when she saw King Sinbad in the entrance with an intent look on his face.

"Father!" Shanti exclaimed in shock.

Pinocchio hid quickly. Brer Rabbit was a few feet behind Sinbad. He had his head down in guilt.

"I consider myself a very reasonable king! I have kept my patience until now, Shanti!" Sinbad said angrily. "I set certain rules and I expect those rules to be obeyed!"

Shanti bit her lip and began to explain "But, Father, I--"

"Now, I'm going to ask you once, and I want the truth. Did you or did you not rescue a mortal animal rescuer from drowning?" Sinbad demanded.

"Look, Father, I had to!" Shanti argued.

"Contact between the mortal realm and the Magical Realm is strictly forbidden! Shanti, you know that! Everyone knows that!" Sinbad shouted.

"But if I didn't do anything, he would have drowned and died!" Shanti said.

"Do you think I care? One less human to worry about!" Sinbad cried.

"You're more arrogant than Tzekle-Khan! You don't even know Diego!" Shanti shouted.

"Know him?! I don't have to know him!" Sinbad roared. "They're all the same! Spinless, savage, cold-hearted monsters and immortal hunters who capture fun 'n' games, incapable of having any feelings-"

That did it for Shanti, who couldn't hold it in anymore. "FATHER, I LOVE HIM!" she shouted at the top of her lungs. Upon realizing what she had just said, Shanti gasped and clamped her mouth closed. Brer Rabbit and Pinocchio gasped as well. Sinbad looked stunned.

"No!" he gasped. His shock turned to anger. He drew his scepter and turned to Brer Rabbit. He screamed in terror and flattened himself against the wall, trying not to get killed. "I leave her in your care and this is what happens?!?!" Sinbad shouted.

"Please, Your Majesty! Have mercy!" Brer Rabbit cried as he got on his knees.

"It isn't his fault!" Shanti shouted. Sinbad then turned back to Shanti.

"Have you finally lost your mind completely, Shanti? He's a animal rescuer! You're a village girl!" Sinbad shouted.

"It doesn't matter! I don't care anymore!" Shanti pouted.

"So help me, Shanti, I will get through to you, and if talking to you isn't good enough, then I guess I got no other choice but to do this!" Sinbad said menacingly as his scepter glowed. Sinbad's scepter glowed. Brer Rabbit and Pinocchio gasped and ran for cover. "Father!" Shanti said, trying to make Sinbad stop, but no avail. "No! No, father! Please, father, stop!" Then he set his sights on the statue of Diego. He pointed his scepter at it. "FATHER, NO!" Shanti shouted. But it was too late. The statue was destroyed, blasted into a pile of rubble.

Shanti started to cry, saying "How could you?" She began to cry and ran away from home, never to return home again.