This playground never existed, but it might have. Introducing: Ashara, Lady of Mysteries. Sort of.
"Heave-to, lads, we're almost to the Lost City of Gold!"
There comes a tiny grunt, like a child straining under a weight. "Corwinne, this weighs a ton and you keep squirming! Quit moving around so much!"
"Jaspar, stop being so grouchy. It's not like it's just you down there."
"Yeah, but Darkleaf keeps kicking me in the shins and then sticking his tongue--OW, he did it again!"
"Did not," comes the retort. "And anyway, I'm always happy to help carry a Sky Captainess' airship around."
"There's no such thing as a 'Captainess'. And anyway, it's just a wooden crate--OW!"
"Less complaining, ye scurvy dogs, or you'll feel my lash again!"
"Corwinne, if you hit me with your belt one more time, I'm totally going to drop you."
"Aww, is widdle-baby Jaspar gonna cry? Is he--OW, hey!"
"No more of that talk, Mister Darkleaf, or ye'll walk the plank to yer doom!"
Whispers: "Can we dump her?" "Yer goddamn straight we can dump her. She used the end with the buckle!" "Well, you were being mean." "Not to her, jeez!" "Yeah, you're always really nice to her. You know she doesn't like you, right?" "Does too!" "Does not!"
"I think you should dump her." The voice is somehow older than its body, feminine. "Come on, Jaspar, I want to play princess."
"Uh, hey, Ashara. Um, I'm kind of..."
A shrill screech from above. "Ahoy! It's the vile kraken, lifting its hideous tentacles from the deeps and trying to steal away my crew! Row faster, lads!"
"Ugh. Corwinne, you're such a sky cadet."
"Oh yeah? And what's 'playing princess'?"
"Jaspar likes it when I play princess."
"Does not!"
"Ugh. I'm leaving. Jaspar, are you coming?"
"I, uh..."
"I'll stay and play Sky Captains with you, Corwinne. OW, what the hell?!? Seriously, what is with the buckle?!?"
"I hate you, Ashara!" A crash as an airship becomes a wooden crate on the ground, and the sound of small feet running away.
"My, my, I didn't think she'd tear off sobbing like that. Now I feel just terrible."
"You don't look like you feel terrible."
"Jaspar, I swear, you are such a grouch! Are you going to be my prince or not? Well?"
"It's not that I don't want to, it's just that--ah, dang it, Ashara, wait up!"
"Nice going, grouchy."
"Shut up, Darkleaf. You suck."
"Maybe, but Ashara still needs a prince. See you around, loser."