Aladdin's the first one out of the elevator when the doors slide open. Agrabah heat may be bad, but a crowded metal box full of sweaty teenagers is much, much worse. He stumbles into the next room, breathing in the fresh, not body-scented air, and admires the animated kitchen they've been led into.
Three figures gather around the kitchen table, but as soon as the elevator doors open, one of them draws a sword from the hilt strapped to his side. Acting fast, Aladdin reveals his own dagger, pointing at the stranger. The others cower behind him, acting as useful as ever.
"Al?" The guy with the sword suddenly laughs, lowering his blade.
Aladdin snorts, sheathing his own dagger again while a smile passes across his face. "Eli."
A girl appears behind Aladdin's old friend, resting a hand on her tilted hip. He recognizes her immediately, except she's grown. A lot. When did she start wearing so much makeup? "Aladdin." She chimes, tilting her head up in greeting.
"Kiara." He nods back, not too surprised to see her here with Eli. Those two do go way back.
The last figure, a tall, lean, redheaded man, stands from his chair and cautiously peers past Aladdin, relief written over his features. "Kristoff!"
King-Arthur-who-goes-by-Kristoff just scowls in response, displeased. "Hans."
"Peter!" Mason hoots, joining in on the name game and somersaulting in the air.
Kiara chuckles, waltzing up to Aladdin. The last time he'd seen her, she was a rebellious teenager who loved picking on Ariel and had personal thieving lessons from Aladdin himself. Now, standing in front of him, he notes that she's taller, her blonde hair has only brightened, she colors her eyes with too much eyeliner, and a striking streak of pink runs through her hair. She's not that same kid he remembers from three years ago.
"What are you doing here?" She asks, regarding the group behind him. "And who are your friends?"
Aladdin briefly waves a hand at them, distracted. "I just met them tonight. I blackmailed Ariel in bringing me to a party." That's not entirely a lie.
Eli's face brightens, his blue eyes sparkling. "Ariel's here?"
Aladdin had almost forgotten how close Eli and Ariel had been. In fact, all four of them used to have many adventures together in Storybrooke. It's a little heart warming to know they'll all be reunited here soon.
Kiara scans the group, perking up. "Where is that fishy, anyway?"
"She's coming." Kristoff mumbles, his glare never wavering off the redheaded man.
But the other guy with the weird name isn't paying Kristoff any attention, instead focused on an image playing on the screen of his phone. His brows knit like he's frustrated, and tilts the phone forward to show the others. "Actually, no she isn't. You're friends have run into trouble."
Aladdin narrows his gaze at the screen, his vision struggling to focus on six images at once. The separate screens cast video feeds of six rooms, two of which are the rooms they had just passed through. Inside the room with the aquarium, a group of men dressed in black spill into the space, circling around a startled Ariel and Jim.
"Is that live?" Kayley questions, her tone hard. "Is that happening right now? That's my brother in there!"
Hans passes a hand over his face, but says nothing. He hands to phone to Eli, shifting away to think. Kristoff follows him.
"What is going on?" He demands, prepared to expose this lying scoundrel for the lying scoundrel he is. "Did you know this house was an entire video game? Did you bring us here on purpose–"
