Princess Piper and the Hidden Kingdom

Thunder Mesa

The portals were not something to mess with. Everyone knew that. Cast members, characters, villains; all knew the power of the portals. The portals were pure magic, transformational magic. They had the power to take you to other worlds. Real worlds. Very real worlds. Worlds where the only normal was the ground you stood on. Even that could be interesting.

Portals were the gateways between the world we know, and character worlds. Most of the worlds have two portals, one in Walt Disney World, and one in Disneyland. Some only have one. Some have more than one, which connect to the international parks.

Portals could only be seen by someone wielding magic. For characters, they simply had to walk near the portal and it would appear. Things were not so easy for cast members. They required special spells, wands, or potions in order to enter the portals. Once you were in the world, there is enough magic that the portals are constantly visible.

Portals were tall, oval shaped veils of glitter. They often shined bright colors, such as green and blue. All one had to do was walk through the visible portal, and they would step directly into the new world.

Thunder Mesa was the world belonging to Big Thunder Mountain. It had a portal beside the mine entrance of the roller coaster. Piper knew exactly where to look for it, as she had seen it in her notebook. She also recalled some of the townsfolk walking to and from it when the park was closed. Since some characters also worked as cast members, it wasn't an uncommon thing for Piper to see portals open and close.

The only portal Piper had ever been through was the one to Cinderella's world. She and Grandmother had taken many trips there over the years. Piper always had marveled at the power the portals held, and the magic that coursed through the veins of all the characters.

It was after hours at the park, and Piper had thrown on a Frontierland cast member uniform to begin her journey to Thunder Mesa. She smiled and nodded at guests and cast member as they directed everyone out of the park. She had hoped to go unnoticed for the most part, since Big Thunder Mountain was near the end of the park. She didn't want to wait too late to begin her journey, but also knew she couldn't risk being seen by a wandering guest.

Piper walked through the ride entrance and over to the private cast member entrance. She walked onto the rides tracks, careful not to slip or hit a rock. Piper had been on maintenance for the ride many times, but had never approached the portal. She stepped into the tunnel and wandered around. Piper couldn't tell exactly where the portal was, so she started to make her way up the hill. She knew when she got close, the portal would begin to glow, opening her pathway.

Just as she was about to pass the waterfall, Piper heard a shimmer from her right. She turned around, and saw sparkles beginning to swirl. The portal had opened. She approached the portal slowly, amazed at the magic that it contained. Knowing she had this same magic pulsating through her gave her chills. She'd never tried to walk through a portal alone. She gently stretched her arm out, touching the center of the sparkling oval. Her hand casually passes through, making her fingers disappear. When she pulled her hand back out, it was dusted with sand. Clearly the portal worked.

Piper adjusted her backpack and sighed. No point in wasting time. Piper put her left foot forward and hoisted herself through the portal.

Wind whooshed around her, she had to close her eyes it was so strong. When she opened them, the wind had settled down to a breeze, picking up some sand as it went by and spraying it onto her clothes. Piper took a breath and looked at her surroundings. She appeared to be at the back of a building in a western town. She walked around to the front to see what building she was near.

A large sign was on the roof of the old building, reading "Thunder Mesa Town Hall."

"I did it!" Piper exclaimed and squealed.

"Well sure ya did!" A voice exclaimed from behind Piper. She screamed and turned around.