All around Cuddleland peace lay upon the residents. The early morning light crept softly across the meadow, waking the bears and bunnies and elves and knights and princii with it's gentle playful touch. All except for one...

Suddenly the morning stillness was broken by a strange sound. A whuffling growling grumpy sound. One by one the residents popped their heads out with curiousity to see what could possibly be making such a whuffling growling grumpy sound on so fine a morning.

In front of the carousel, Ariel Flion paced. Agitation hummed in every line of his body and the sun glinted off of his ebony mane and fur as he strode back and forth, pausing every so often to snuff at the carousel, and growl unhappily. Sir Richard Court came out from the Castle and walked over to the pacing Flion.

"What is it, my good friend?" he inquired kindly. "Has something happened to our Magic Carousel?"

"Worse, said Ariel, nodding his head toward the magical apparatus. "Look."

Upon the Kelsey Swan Boat was a note, printed in an elegant hand on a piece of tattered parchment. On were inscribed the words:

Sir Richard furrowed his brow. "Why, this is terrible!" he exclaimed. "But who is this 'Gentleman Dave Scarlett'?"

"Did I hear someone mention "Gentleman" Dave Scarlett?" Sir Dave du Lac was just arriving on the scene.

Ariel and Sir Richard turned to him. "Yes," replied Sir Richard. "Ariel found this note on the Carousel this morning."

Sir Dave stepped up to the Carousel to inspect the note. "Oh.." he said, "This is terrible! Truly terrible!"

"Do you know of this Gentleman Dave Scarlett?" inquired Ariel.

"Only that they say he is the most dread Pirate Captain on the entire seven seas!" said Dave as Princess Rita, Sara and Gayle arrived on the scene. "They say that he's the youngest son of an impoverished nobleman and that he took to the seas to make his fortune because there was nothing for him to inherit. I have heard it said that he must have won the heart of the Sea Witch, for so charmed is he that none can capture him. He is legendary from Madagascar to the Caribbean to the very Coast of Africa for his daring exploits and his ferocity and fearlessness. Oh, this is most terrible! I daresay our Elven Princess is truly in trouble if this barbarian rogue has her in his fell clutches!" The two KiTAs looked at one another with deep concern as Ariel whimpered unhappily.

"They say he's so handsome that when he broke into the Governor's Mansion in Tortuga to steal the Governor's Crown, the Governor's wife didn't tell the Governor!" said Sara, giggling.

"They say he's called "Gentleman" Dave because he never hurts a lady," chimed in Gayle with a smile.

"Well," said Sir Dave, "Whatever they may say, they also say he's a most Dread Pirate. And he's got our Elven Princess! I don't know what we shall do!"

"We wait," Said Princess Rita calmly, pointing at the note. "He says he'll be in touch. He wouldn't have left us the note that he had her unless he wanted something in exchange, so he's not going to hurt her because she's valuable to him. Since he hasn't told us yet what that is, then she's ok for now and we must just wait to hear from him again."

The others agreed (with Sara and Gayle exchanging secret smiles). There was nothing to do for now but wait for the Dread Pirate Captain, "Gentleman" Dave Scarlett to make his next move!

Part Two