Keeping Fantasia: The Third Book of the Fantasia Series

Chapter 119: Dance Monkey

Chapter 119: Dance Monkey

 "There she is! Back from Mount Olympus!" Ping pulled Gwen to the stage. Rufio and Yasmine where already there. As Grandma Fa distributed bamboo staffs, Ping hurriedly asked about Tinkerbell.

"How'd it go?"

 "Brilliant." Gwen seethed, taking a staff. "Just dandy."

 Ping's eyes narrowed. "Why do you look like your about to blow a fuse?"

Korean hip hop blasted over the speakers. Several audience members clapped, anticipating the performance

"Ohhhhhhh yeah!" Rufio pumped his staff. "Let's dance monkeys!"

 "Head up troops! Everyone on stage!" Great Grandma Fa swung her staff. "Drop it like it's hot!"

Ignoring Ping, Gwen ascended the stage. She tried positioning herself strategically behind Rufio, but Great Grandma Fa called, "Gwen you're up in the front with Ping! Yasmine and Rufio – take the back!"

Yasmine pouted. But Rufio laughed. Flying forward, he karate-chopped Gwen's shoulders, "Don't worry cuz! I've got your back."

"Rufio!" Gwen shook him off. "I'm warning you. If you dare touch me again – "

 "Meeee-ow! Down, kitty! Don't get your panties in a twist!"  Retreating, he poked her with his staff. "Don't be such a Darling."

Gwen glared. Rufio gave her a wicked wink.

He's going to do it Gwen thought He's going to force off my dress and show everyone my -

Squeezing her staff, Gwen stared into the spotlight, trying to control her emotions. She wanted to eat Rufio alive. All she could think about was Tinkerbell in the balcony with Titania and Jak, eagerly awaiting Rufio's prank. They were probably laughing at her right now.

The performance started. Gwen missed the entrance.

"Come on cuz." Rufio's duckbill mask flashed by. "Make your mommy proud."

"Gwen!" Unsuccessfully, Ping tried to talk. "Gwen what's going - "

Too late. The dance had begun.

Gwen followed the routine, synchronously twirling her staff with one ear pricked for Rufio.

At first she was tense. But after a minute without incident, she began to wonder if Tinkerbell had just been toying with her. After all - the pixie was a tabloid talkshow host – lying was her entire profession.

Another minute passed. The song was almost done.

Still nothing from Rufio.

Gwen dropped her guard. She focused on the perfecting the dance.

That's when Rufio made his move.

 "What the...?" Jim lowered his phone. After his dispute with Admiral Triton, he'd left table to cool off. Finding Melody along the way and learning that she tried to befriend Gwen, he suggested they linger closer to the stage and reapproach Gwen after the show. In the meantime, he agreed to take a livestream of Melody dancing to the music with the performers in the background.

 It was actually a ton of fun. Melody was so willing to involve Jim in her passion, and dancing seemed to relieve her restlessness. Jim was no expert, but Melody seemed to have a natural ability. Reminding himself to watch her Choir Reef videos on Youtube, Jim acted as Melody's human tripod.

However, as he recorded, Jim noticed a break in Rufio's dance sequence. It was sudden, but apparent enough for Jim to lower the phone and mutter, "What the...?"

Rufio slipped behind Gwen. Trapping her between his body and the staff, he flew several inches into the air, yanked up the hem of her skirt and –

POW.

Gwen's elbow snapped into Rufio's jaw. Spinning free, she wrenched away his staff, bolstered it against her own, and smashed them into his...

"AHHHH!"

Rufio dropped, hands between his thighs. But Gwen didn't stop. Unleashing all her repressed anger, she  drove the staff between Rufio's shoulder blades, striking the root of his wings. His right wing twitched then drooped. The pearly membrane turned black as blood collected beneath the tissue.

Rufio had the sense to grab her staff. Wrenching Gwen closer, he reached for her hair, but Gwen nailed him with her left hook.

And just like that, the dance turned into a bar fight.

"Get him!" Melody screamed as Rufio rolled over Gwen. She cheered as Gwen jerked her knee up his crotch. "Right where it hurts!"

Jim steered Melody from the stage. A mob had gathered to cheer, unwittingly creating a drunken wall. Shoving people left and right, Jim brought Melody to the edge and quickly headed for Ariel.

Then he heard the sirens.

"Shit."

Two policemen burst into the noodle bar. Silver badges flashed as they jumped into the fray: Officer Judy Hopps - Officer Razoul.

Judy Hopps zig zagged through the turmoil, easily transecting the crowd. She would undoubtedly apprehend Gwen first, but once Officer Razoul got through, he would clap Gwen behind bars in seconds.

Jim made a split decision.

"Melody – go to Mom! I'll be right – "

He dove into the crowd. Somehow he beat Officer Hopps to the stage and darted to Gwen.

Like Wendy, Gwen was stronger than she looked. She didn't even hear Jim as she smacked Rufio's stupid, conniving duckbill mask into his teeth.

"Okay break it up!" Jim hoisted Gwen by the waist. He staggered as she lunged back down. Mustering his strength, he tried to detach the pair. "Gwen get off him! Come on we've got to – "

"Halt!" Officer Judy Hopps bounded on stage. Carrot pen pointed she yelled, "Young lady, you are under arrest for public misconduct and disturbing the peace – "

Gwen suddenly became aware of her surroundings. Frozen with fear, she dropped the staff.

"Move!" Jim hissed, carting Gwen backstage. Half carrying her, he barreled into the kitchens. "Move, move, move! There's got to be a way out of – there! Back door!"

Pots and pans banged as they tore through the back entrance and into an alleyway. Without thinking, Jim turned left and sprinted down the street, pulling Gwen.

Sirens wailed as they reached the block. Gwen rammed into Jim as red and blue lights blocked their escape.

"Crap – no! Wait don't take her!" Helplessly, Jim combed the police car as Gwen was handcuffed and shoved inside.  "Just wait a fucking second! I'm Jim Hawkins – Outer World Gaurdian – I'll vouch for her – just let her go – "

"Too late Hawkins."

Admiral Triton materialized through the blurring lights. Morbidly, he thumped the police car twice. "Rules are rules. Especially for formal rulebreakers, such as yourself."

Mouth thin and shoulders pulled low, he met Jim's desperate gaze. "I know you care about the Lady Shadow Worker. But compassion cannot absolve her daughter's transgression. Gwendolyn is a military cadet. This is a military matter. There is nothing you can do."

Jim didn't know what to say. All he could do was stare as the car window slid under his fingers and drove Gwen to jail.