Taking Fantasia : A Disney Fanfiction

Chapter 33: Countdown

Chapter 33: Countdown

"Students. The War Games are about to begin."

Jim reached. "Wendy."

Wendy turned. Her eyes were bloodshot. "Jim?" Relief flooded Wendy's face, though she looked exhausted as Jim felt. "Oh Jim!"

"The goal of the War Games," continued Headmaster Mickey, "Is to run to safety. The finish line is three miles away. Through the forest, behind the track field."

"Thank goodness you're safe." Jim nodded vaguely as Wendy spoke. Peripherally, he watched Silver settle behind the teachers and parents in the back row of bleachers. Guiltily, Jim refocused as Wendy asked about her father.

"He was asleep when I left." Jim said. Darkly, Jim spotted his mother, sitting solemnly beside Dr. Doppler. Little Michael Darling was curled in her lap. Mrs. Hawkins looked up. She caught Jim's eye. She looked mad. Very mad. Jim looked away. "Same cell. Sorry."

Wendy squeezed her spool of thread. The needle was woven into her hoodie. The thimble hung from a silver chain. "He must be so, so dreadfully cold. Oh dear, poor – "

"—so, the War Games..." Headmaster Mickey said, projecting his voice, "Is really a game of tag. As you run to the finish line, you will try to tag and freeze each other. Students that are tagged will literally become frozen - completely still on the spot! They will not make it to the finish line, to safety."

"Tags must be made with the hand." Headmaster Mickey emphasized, holding up his own hand. "Not with your gifts – those of you with magical items. So, for example, Aladdin, Genie cannot tag students for you."

"Well there goes Plan A." Aladdin said as Genie slapped his knee. "Oh snap!"

"Your gifts, " continued Headmaster Mickey are meant to help you get to finish line."

"And slug the living daylights out of each other." Coach Phil added, adjusting his baseball cap.

"Jim." Wendy's tone was urgent. "Jim, the orb!"

"Yeah, yeah." Jim surveyed the crowed. Easily, he spotted Peter hovering in playful circles around Lana and Tinkerbell. The orb was in Peter's hand. Angrily, Jim's stomach growled. "Yeah. I know."

"To make the game fair," Headmaster Mickey said, glaring at Coach Phil. "We are going to allow you to pair up. In the next 30 seconds, I will ask you to find a partner – "

Jim looked at Wendy. He raised his eyebrows questionably. She nodded.

" – and touch them. You and your partner will be a team. You able to touch each other during the game – "

Jim's head suddenly lifted. "I've got an idea."

"Jim?"

" – and work together – " said Headmaster Mickey.

Jim turned. "Wen, find a partner."

" – so that both of you can make it to the finish line – "

Jim shoved through the crowd.

" – without freezing each other. So..." Mickey nodded to Merlin to start the magic spell. "Students: find a partner. Touch them now."

Swerving around Rapunzel, Jim lunged.

As the magic spell set in, he grabbed Peter Pan.

"Whaaaohhh! Dude!" Flynn threw up his arms as Peter wrenched from Jim's grasp. "Dude! I was just about to – oh crap!" Accidently, Flynn's hand smacked Rapunzel. Magic sizzled. "Seriously? Seriously!"

Slapping his forehead, Flynn watched as magic sparkled up his arm and through Rapunzel's hair. "Come on! The Flower Power chick?! Geeze! See, this it what happens when I don't get my morning coffee."

Rapunzel frowned. Her little nose scrunched at Flynn. "That makes two of us...Frying Pan Wonder." she mumbled. Apologetically, Rapunzel shrugged at Wendy, her intended partner.

Peter put fists on his hips. His black eyes were on fire. "Well. Look who's out of prison. What's the matter Rat Tail?" Peter fingered the metallic orb like a baseball against his hip. "Girlfriend not good enough to be your partner?"

Jim glared. "Leave Wendy out of this."

"Her?" Lana sneered. "She's not good enough to be anybody's partner. Little Miss Goody- Goody with the drunk daddy."

Tinkerbell, linked-in-arm with Lana, laughed. Then, she stopped.

"Well..."Tinkerbell pointed. "...almost anybody."

Jim turned. His insides triple knotted. Ariel, trident pointed diligently vertical, tapped Wendy's shoulder.

"Little mutant mermaid to the rescue." Lana said as magic rippled between Ariel and a rather stunned Wendy. "Mutant and the Prude. God Ariel, get a grip."

"Oh just shut the Hell up. Don't want to hear it." Jim slashed out a hand, cutting Lana off. "Just shut the Hell up."

Flynn and Rapunzel looked flabbergasted at each other. Flynn nodded at Lana's boiling face. "I should've picked Rat Tail for my partner, Blondie."

"How dare you talk to me that way, you scum bag!" Lana hissed. "You are literally nothing. My Uncle Triton – "

" – will kick my ass? Yeah, aware." Jim leaned forward. Lana stepped back into Tinkerbell. "Whatever, don't care. Just shut the Hell up."

Lana's mouth ogled like a dead fish. "Why don't – why don't you go back to your own kind, Scumbag!"

"He wants the orb." Peter said. He regarded Jim with the esteem of a worthy opponent. "Rat Tail thinks that if we're partners, I'll hand over the orb. By being partners..."

Peter tossed the orb, waiting for headmaster Mickey to finish describing the route. "By being partners...he's forcing us to work as a team. So...unless I want the disadvantage...I have to give up the orb."

Jim watched his reflection flash in and out of the metallic orb as Peter tossed it. "Less dumb than you look, Pan."

Headmaster Mickey held up his hands. He was starting a countdown. In ten seconds, the War Games would start.

"Ten – nine –"

"Hand it over." Jim said. His body was tense like a catapult ready to explode. The countdown continued.

"Eight – seven – " Jim saw Wendy shift away from Ariel, a frown on her face. Ariel reached, but Wendy shrugged her away. "Don't talk about my Father." she said, glaring back tears.

Jim turned for the orb. "Hand it over, if you want to survive to the finish."

"Six – five –"

Peter levitated into the air. "Tell you what, Rat Tail...I'll give you the orb. And never steal it again...if..."

"Four – three – "

Peter's eyes gleamed. A twisted grin corked across his face. "If little Miss Wendy makes it to the finish. Deal?"

"Two –."

One eye on Ariel and one eye on Wendy, Jim seized Peter Pan's outstretched hand. "Deal."

"One."

The countdown fell.

A gunshot ripped into the sky.

Students surged forward.

And the War Games had begun.