Keeping Fantasia: The Third Book of the Fantasia Series

Chapter 156: FU!

Chapter 156: FU!

Peter colored the sunset.

Then he shot through the sky, letting his stress disintegrate into atmospheric particulate.

It had been a long day indoors and Peter just needed to stretch his proverbial wings. Assuming Wendy could manage the household without him, he soared through Sky World.

At first he flew at breakneck speeds, but slowed as the sky turned a sleepy grey.

Peter floated with hands behind his neck, pondering over the day.

The CIA thing was getting old. Peter had thought the secret government project would be cool, like a James Bond movie, but it was no better than high school: the nitpicking – nagging – the three thousand rules! It was like no one knew how to have fun during a criminal investigation.

Speaking of the criminal:

Oogie Boogie was obviously taunting Wendy. And his tactics, while theatric, were eerily similar to Eris' and Pitch Black's.

They all played mind games.

If history repeated itself, Oogie would exhaust Wendy mentally, then strike. It made sense – Wendy's shadow working magic was her strongest weapon, and it was all in her head.

The CIA thought they kept hitting dead ends, but with Wendy there, it was only a matter of time before Oogie Boogie attacked. Honestly, the surest way to capture him was to use Wendy as bait. Peter knew that. Ariel knew that. Jim knew that. And Arthur probably knew that. But, no one had the guts to endanger Wendy again.

Jim had said Wendy always wanted a Prince Charming, a hero that would sweep her off her feet. Peter once thought he could keep Wendy safe, but the scars on her abdomen reminded him otherwise.

Peter pressed his eyes. He wished Oogie Boogie was right here, right now so he could wring his sorry neck! Peter was sick of the chase! He was tired of waiting for Oogie Boogie to attack! Being reactionary wasn't working, Arthur was never going to catch him if they kept playing hide and seek. There had to be a faster way to find him! There had to be –

Peter stopped, suddenly struck by the solution.

"Tink."

Of course. Tinkerbell. She was obviously conspiring with Virana Fang and Oogie Boogie, but she was too  influential to be threatened by Arthur. Nothing short of torture would prompt a confession.

Well, nothing short of torture, or desire.

Peter remembered Garrett saying Tinkerbell would 'sing like a canary if he slept with her.' The idea a knife was his conscience, but that didn't make it untrue.

Peter exhaled. He realized he was holding his heart. 

He couldn't sacrifice fidelity for Wendy's safety. 

He couldn't. 

Couldn't he?

Far below, a roar jarred his thoughts. Peter jumped. It was the roar of a dragon. The dragon was echoed by a comparatively punitive, although still impressive, cheering crowed.

Peter flew down to investigate. Breaking through the clouds, he found the dragon. It was a brilliant red beauty, and she was parading across the Fantasia University Football Stadium. The stadium was lit like a firework and teaming with students. 

Peter gathered the red dragon was the Viking mascot, likely School of Dragon, and the Viking fans were wearing the same color: red mixed with various metals, bronzes, irons, and golds.