Jim Hawkins, Wendy Darling, Ariel Triton, Peter Pan -- and their children. THE NEXT GENERATION OF DISNEY AND NON DISNEY CHARACTERS!
Return of high school, Magic Bag of Tricks, shadow working magic... death of Fantasia.
Once and for all: will the rea...
Wendy had climbed through the Magic Oven with only minutes to spare.
As a consequence of her return to Fantasia, the Underworld was undergoing a second resurgence, this time societal. Wendy wanted to make the Underworld livable, rather than just a place of work.
This meant exploring untapped domains such as community health and entertainment. It also meant LOTS of questions, LOTS of paperwork, and LOTS of what-if scenarios she didn't have time to answer that very second.
So, dressed liked a steampunk aristocrat – because she hadn't time to change – Wendy strode briskly through Fantasia School for the Magically Skewed. Her hair was sparkly with pixie dust. Her sewing basket bumped gently against the briefcase she carried underarm.
Headmaster Mickey met her outside the Forum Room.
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They say with age comes wisdom, but Headmaster Mickey knew that wasn't necessarily true.
Age deteriorated the body, solidified the soul, and was a true litmus test of love.
Wisdom was taught, and the mentors were failure and pain.
Headmaster Mickey smiled as Wendy approached. He knew she saw his wrinkles, finally starting to crease his velvety skin.
"Do you remember?" he asked, "When I tried to teach a class to a buncha' students I called the Second Stars?"
Wendy knelt before her old schoolmaster. The sewing basket sat between them, as it had years ago.
"I remember, Headmaster. You said 'for the first time in forever, we have a shadow worker.'"
"Well..." Headmaster Mickey slipped a chocolate truffle from his pocket. "This class is what that should have been. And you..."
He folded the truffle into her hand. "Are the teacher it was always meant to have."
An unfamiliar feeling lifted Wendy's soul. Headmaster Mickey....was proud of her. He was glowing with fatherly pride, something her own father had never bestowed. And she knew, despite all her inadequacies, he was was proud of the journey she'd taken to be right here...teaching the class he could not.
"Headmaster...what if..." She blinked. A tear dotted her cheek. "What I fail?"
The mouse softly laughed.
"Time will pass either way. And you will either be successful..." He gave an all-too-knowing wink. "Or wise."
They joined hands. Wendy nodded reminiscently at the truffle in her palm.
"Coconut and white chocolate?"
"Coconut and white chocolate." He drew another truffle from his pocket. "Do you remember mine?"
"Of course." Wendy raised her candy. The foil shimmered as she remembered the night Headmaster Mickey told her she was a shadow worker. "Milk chocolate and strawberry cream."
They toasted, crinkling the foiled wraps. And as their memories converged into a new landmark, Wendy lifted her head and entered the classroom.
Her classroom.
"Everyone settle down. Time to start class, please."
Headmaster Mickey's tail twirled into a little heart.
"The Second Star that shone. If you can dream it, you can do it. And you can...Lady Shadow Worker."
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sultal's note:
I super wanted to include this little chapter, separate from the rest of the "Shadows 101 Class" (which is next)
Headmaster Mickey and Wendy have a relationship which is very distinct from the other guardians.
I do believe Mickey would be the closest thing Wendy has to father (even more so than her relationship with Jim. Jim often dons the father figure role to protect Wendy, but let's face it, he is always going to be her bestie).
Headmaster Mickey helped formulate Wendy's future. He saw her potential, and "nudged her" along a shadow working path in her formative years. And full circle, she is teaching the class he new was possible, but couldn't instruct himself.
Also...as I grow, I find that wisdom does not come with age. It comes with pain and failure. Like Headmaster Mickey...I can look back at my failures/pain and smile...because it's taught me how to confront the future.
I hope the same for all of you.
Anyway -- hope you liked this chapter, and the "flash backs" to Taking Fantasia moments :)
keep writing.
p.s. shameless Walt Disney quote at the end, on purpose. sultal likes to play devil with Mickey's lines every now and then. #evil writer
