Giving Fantasia: The Taking Fantasia Sequel

Chapter 17: No Place Like Home

Chapter 17: No Place Like Home

"I'm....home."

Wendy lifted her feet. The magic oven had spit her out head first; back on the floor, legs sprawled over the door. Several painful moments passed before Wendy recognized the oven. It was the magical oven discovered by Jim; it was the magical conduit between the Underworld and Fantasia; it was an appliance inside the high school kitchen; it was inside Fantasia School for the Magically Skewed!

Which meant, she was inside Fantasia School for the Magically Skewed.

Which meant, she was -

"Home!"

Wendy spun onto her knees. She whipped around in half circles, laughing, gasping, and sparkling from head to toe.

"I'm home!" Wendy cried. The kitchen was empty, no one could hear, but Wendy was so happy she didn't care. "I'm home! I'm home! I'm - "

Wendy poked her head inside the magic oven. Voice echoing, she called elatedly down the dark hole.

"Take that Underworld I'm home!"

She could almost hear the Underworld grumble.

Wendy flipped the oven door. BAM! The oven banged shut. Vindictively she opened and closed it again. BAM! She repeated the sequence four times more; six times total for every year she had been away from home.

It felt good. No. It felt wonderful.

She was home.

Wendy tossed her bowler. She caught it and twirled. She did a little happy dance. And she sprinted out the door.

Then she got lost.

Although Wendy had been away, she was confident with her ability to navigate her old high school. After all, it was only a high school. She'd spent more time in these corridors than her own house!

But Fantasia School for the Magically Skewed had changed. There were extra sets of stairs, mysterious hallways, and doorways that shouldn't exist. Clearly the school had been renovated, and Wendy became helplessly lost in the maze. She was impatient to go home, and became frustrated with every wrong turn.

Suddenly Wendy remembered: she didn't have a home. At least, she didn't know where it was. When she left Fantasia, her childhood house had been ransacked by villains, and her adopted home (The Benbow) had been burned. Wendy was certain Mrs. Hawkins (her adopted mother) had relocated with Michael and John - but Wendy hadn't the foggiest idea where!

Wendy quickened her pace. Her boots clicked in the empty hall. She considered asking Peter's shadow to locate her family, but the poor thing was still in the Underworld. Wendy was on her own.

A little panicked, Wendy started to run (despite the 'No Running In The Hallways' sign). Desperate to find the exit, she whipped around the corner and collided into -

"Master Merlin!"

"Jehoshaphat!"

Wand, books, papers, carpet bag, and signature blue pointed hat flew into the air.

Incredibly apologetic, Wendy began gathering Master Merlin things.

"Yes, yes, yes it's all right, it's all right! Stop apologizing!" Master Merlin stuffed papers into his carpet bag. "But didn't you see the sign?! No Running In the Hallways! Master Cogsworth spent hours making those confounded things!"