Coincide

In Planning, an Annoyed First Mate

Gil met up with Harry in Badun Alley.

"So, what's with Uma?" he asked anxiously. "Is she okay?"

Harry made a split-second decision.

"Look, Gil," he said slowly. "I'm going to need a favor from you."

"A favor?" Gil frowned. Harry wasn't much into favors. Nor were most of the Isle's inhabitants. "What kind of favor?"

"Look," Harry insisted, speaking faster now. "Uma's sick. I don't know what's wrong. Nor will the Isle doctor, probably. Besides, I don't trust him to do a decent job. I need to get Uma a doctor in Auradon."

"How in the name of Jafar's snake staff are you going to do that?" Gil asked, puzzled. "You know we can't get off the Isle."

Harry kicked at a stray dog that had come nosing around his leg. The dog snarled and retreated. "The Auradon guards are coming tomorrow. The King and Mal are coming too."

"Mal!" Gil smiled. "I wonder how she's doing? Hey, maybe we can go see her tomorrow and say hi to her, and we can all go-"

"No!" Harry exploded. "You're missing the whole point! I need to get to Mal and ask her to take Uma to Auradon to get treated by a decent doctor, don't you get it?"

Gil tapped his chin, frowning. He twirled an edge of his bandana around his finger for a moment.

"Nope," he finally conceded.

Harry wanted to yank his hair out on frustration. "Then listen, you great oaf! Uma has a magic piece- her shell necklace. Tomorrow, when the guards come, I'm going to go up to them and start yelling about how I have a magic piece, and that they'll never catch me. Then I'll run. They'll chase me, of course, and I'll lead them to the ship and into Uma's cabin. I'll show them the necklace-"

Gil gave a wide grin of understanding, pointing at Harry. "And then you won't give it to them, so they'll drag you and Uma back to King Ben and Mal, and then you'll ask them to come hang out with us!"

Harry fought to keep himself from punching Gil. "No, idiot, then I'll ask them to take Uma back to Auradon with them to get treated!"

"Ohhhhhhhh," Gil nodded in understanding. He grinned again. "That makes sense! Wow, Harry, you're smart."

"Smarter than you, at least," Harry sighed. "Now, the favor. I want to go to Auradon with Uma. Could you take my shifts in the diner for a while?"

Gil thought for a moment. "I don't think I have anything else going on," he said slowly. "Unless Mal comes to hang out."

"She won't," Harry gritted. "Just take the diner shifts, all right?"

Gil clapped him on the back. "You can count on me, matey!"