It took some pushing and some running, but poor Sarah was able to find her way into an empty table area. For some reason, no one was going down here into this little corner. It seemed they had the corner for themselves. Sarah look around, cautiously before humbly sitting down in a table in the corner. It being a little creepy, she freed Woody onto the sofa and made it look like she was fiddling with her phone, which had 10% battery left by the way.
"I know I keep saying this, but I'm sorry for before... wigging out like that. I'm still trying to figure all this out."
"I know why you did..." he lowly replied, seeming down himself but thoughtful. "You were very brave. Didn't expect you to trust me either."
She didn't really feel all that brave. No. Yet she smiled.
"...I'm Sarah, by the way... but Dad and everyone else like to call me Jackie."
The cowboy smirked.
"A bit late...but very nice to meet you." Woody smiled. "And sorry about the whole... 'Whoa, doll is alive!' thing, in turn giving you a heart attack. I'm not all that good with first impressions apparently."
She laughed a bit, feeling the mood lighten a little.
"A-and thanks... for the help. I was scared for you back there."
"Nah. It could've gone much better."
"I still can't believe that it's really you either! How is all this... possible...? Real?"
He chuckled uneasily. He opened his arms wide though.
"See to believe, huh?"
"It's really you, Woody! The media would go crazy about this— "
"Ah-ah, well, we don't really want that. If they all knew, the faith and charm in this place will die. If that happens, I'd bet chaos would reign. Pretty much that's... that's what we're up against."
"Up against what?"
"The Wizard probably can explain better than me. I'm just playing a small role here, compared to what's happening behind the scenes."
Sarah surely did not grasp her full situation just yet, just worrying over vermin and now a live character, loved by many around the world. Spotting a popcorn box with Inside Out patterns all over it, Sarah spoke again.
"Please tell me..."
"I can't, Jackie... It's... it's a little too crowded to talk about this right now."
"But no one's here."
"Little hard to trust that because of that shadow..."
She looked up and around, worried too. She rushed her hair up a little, thinking. It was getting later and things were getting clearer bit by bit. Woody stood up to be more level and tapped her knee.
"Okay, listen... What we're gonna do however to get to Master Yen Sid. That's our solid goal right now. We'll get to the bottom of all this. Now, you need to trust me and I know how hard that is for you."
Mickey stared out from the bag at Woody as he was explaining.
"He will know what steps we need to take to get him back to where he needs to be."
"And we have to get to that door... in the apartment."
"Correct, girl."
"I guess I can trust you.... I mean, I got nothing else to lose..."
"Neither do I... Now. You ready?"
"Now or never."
He had to guide her through still even though she knew exactly where they needed to go by midnight. Cameras were on and security was high and the usually carefree park was nothing but stress and fear. Woody and Mickey were once again stowed in her bag and she was the feet for the journey to the Fire Station. Passing time was painful, but there was one last parade on the way to Main Street from It's a Small World. The upbeat music boomed throughout the roads and guests found their sitting spots to see. Despite the hidden secrets, the place was teaming with energy now that singing filled the air.
It's a music celebration
Come on, come on, come on
Strike up the band,
Feel the beat, what a great sensation
Come on, come on, come on
Move and clap your hands,
Get into spirit
Let everyone hear it,
So come on, come on
Soundsational
Whoa, whoa - hey, hey, hey
Whoa, whoa - hey, hey!
Sarah was not sure what to expect when they actually do get through that door. She took a seat in the back of a crowd by a bridge leading to the Fantasy Faire nearest to the shimmering castle. The castle had gone through a refurbishment and it was so beautiful, more than most of the park. Sarah's favorite land was Fantasyland and New Orleans Square, and she looked back to all the trips she took here. While she was doing her best to stay blended in with the two secrets in her backpack, something else was happening. In the form of a lone bubble blown from one of the bubble guns and it had floated up so high that no one could spot it. It was transparent, gentle with light blue, purple and pink sporting its form...above all else, it was magical. Unknown to the hundreds here. It was in tow of the wary three, dodging the leaves carefully. It shimmered a kindly blue. Every head was basically turned toward the introductory floats where a dapper dressed Mickey Mouse danced atop a set of drums. Sarah surely wasn't among those watching, more so she was keeping her eyes peeled. That shadow was still sneaking about through the shaded areas in the park. A fair few caught sight of something odd moving, but figured it was just the trees blowing in the wind.
It seemed that rides were not functioning normally so many were watching in a bit of disappointment and some were keen to leaving.
Woody and Mickey both took a peek out through the zipper. Mickey panicked when he saw a shadowy face snarl up at him and it got the girl's attention.
"Go through there!" she picked up on Woody's whisper and Sarah pressed through the unknowing crowd.
She crossed the bridge towards the decorative Fantasy Faire which was quieter than the bustling street. She was able to run through, passed the theater and the themed miniature village and through the way that took her straight into Frontierland. The shady brute took advantage of this and followed, zipping along buildings and easily through the detour. Things were going wrong behind her, she can hear it. But by chance, she spotted a light that zipped by her face.
"What the!?" she gasped and there she was a bubble... glowing out like a sun glare.
It kept bugging her and bugging her. It led down the way to New Orleans.
"Follow it!" Woody stuck out of the bag.
"What!?"
"Trust me!"
Wasting no time, she just ran after it! It darted away through people walking by and they watched Sarah run off after this light that only she could see, it seemed. Through the alley the light went up the stairway within an empty courtyard where she dashed over and hid behind the wall. She caught her breath with Woody looked out just as panicked.
"I'm so sorry!"
"We can't do this with that thing... following us. What was that light?"
"I can't tell. It looked familiar to me..."
Sarah brushed her hair back, looking around at the balconies but she couldn't see anything now.
"What did you think it was then?" she asked, rather rudely.
"It looked.... ah! I swore it was her."
"Who? Not—"
"Lady Blue... The Blue Fairy." Woody looked back at her.
"I'd believe that." Sarah sighed.
"We need to look for her. She might have a message for us somewhere."
Where to find this message, she had no clue how? Something floated down from out of nothing, really. Woody gasped when turned around to see her catch this rolled up note, of old parchment.
"G'head. Open it..." he encouraged.
Sarah did and it was a note.
My dear friends,
There is so much that you do not understand just yet, dear. Believe me that you will in future. You are not the only one who does not understand yet. There is a great darkness trying to reach to your world and I must do what I can protect that innocence and that precious imagination it seeks to destroy. I sent you this through a bubble but I myself could not accompany it. We will meet soon. You have friends with you and more will come. You will not be alone.
Sincerely,
Evangeline
Remember, look for the lone lamp that stays lit by wick.
One touch will do the trick.
The poor girl could feel a pain in her heart as she read it. That name also seemed familiar.
"Evangeline...?"
"I knew it was her..." spoke a solemn Woody. "...she just gave us directions, right at the end there."
"...the lamp. She's talking about the lamp?"
"She was making sure we're okay... quick, we need to keep that." he advised.
She curled it up and placed in the bag... Inside there was Mickey being clueless once more.
"Oh Woody... what if we're too late...? I-I mean... look at him..."
Woody looked in and his brown eyes turned very sad at the sight. He sighed.
"We just need to have hope, partner. There is only so much we can do..."
"I just felt so close to him before...but now, it's... I feel nothing."
It was a dreadful evening to wait and keep watch for the one shadow, that will see it's chance the moment the sun would go down. Even now, that lamp was lit from the tiny window above the Fire Station where families took pictures. Sarah took some time to get perfectly comfortable to even get close to the place. Remembering what the letter had said, she had to have some faith. She was just a kid, she had no idea how big of a hole she was in. She had friends. Yes she did. Woody was kind and he kept helping her to keep her head above water. After staring up at the eerily light for a moment, she looked down. It was getting dark now and she felt the hairs on the back of her neck rise.
"Okay, Woody? Now what do we do?" she asked.