Giving Fantasia: The Taking Fantasia Sequel

Chapter 28: The Big Four

Chapter 28: The Big Four

The horns rumbled and boomed! The excitement was electrifying! The Fantasians were riotous as a rock concert! The guardians were coming! The guardians were back!

Wendy squeezed Jim's hand. With every upward step she squeezed harder, harder, harder, and harder...

"Wen, my circulation."

Wendy relaxed her grip. She stuttered something apologetic that she couldn't remember. Eyes glued to the crest of the stairs, she stumbled.

Jim paused. "You - "

"Yes." She muttered. "Fine."

"Sure?"

"Yes."

Big lie Wendy Darling. Her stomach was aching.

Three more steps...

Her head was spinning.

Two more steps...

Her heart was going to burst.

One...more...

"Wen."

Wendy heard Jim distantly, as if through water.

"Wen. You're going to knock him dead."

Wendy was too nervous to believe Jim; but she loved him outrageously for saying so. Giving a final squeeze, Wendy mounted the last step and strode into the sunlight, head held high.

And just as they ascended, two other hand held figures appeared across the balcony: Ariel Triton and Peter Pan.

Immediately, Peter's eyes leapt and grabbed Wendy. His gaze hit her like a knife and stuck. The intensity was disarming and magnetic. Wendy had no idea how she reacted. She only knew that she wasn't breathing, she could only hear her heart, and Peter had somehow enchanted her to not look away.

Ariel broke the spell. Unable to contain herself, she ran across the balcony and seized Wendy. Gasping joyfully, Wendy returned the embrace and held. She pressed affectionately into Ariel's hair as the boys approached.

Then she opened her eyes. Still hugging, she looked over Ariel's shoulder.

Peter was right there. Right there. Close enough to kiss.

They stared at each other.

Then, with a twinkle, Peter winked.

Wendy's heart just about exploded. Even Ariel felt the beat.

"Ah hem. Guardians. Ariel, Wendy. Fantasia is watching."

They turned. Headmaster Mickey beamed from the base of a second stairwell. The stairwell stretched before them, ascending to the tallest tower. And, as Headmaster Mickey had indicated, Fantasia stretched behind them. It was staggering. A colorful arena of spectators, hundreds in number, watched them from below.

Headmaster Mickey smiled at their astonishment.

"Follow me." Headmaster Mickey's tail swished up the stairs. "King Arthur is waiting."

They joined hands. Jim took Wendy's. Wendy took Ariel's. Ariel took Peter's. And they followed as one.

As they climbed the tension peaked. When they finally scaled the castle's summit, Fantasia was practically humming. The people were pulsating with excitement but no one cheered. It was as if they were waiting. Waiting for a signal.

Headmaster Mickey directed the guardians to stop at the tallest tower before the tallest doors. There were dignitaries waiting: Masters Goofy, Donald, Cogsworth, and Mistress Minnie. There were service men too: Agent Cobra Bubbles, Captains Amelia, Shang and Fa, Admiral Triton, P.I. Basil, and -

The guardians did a double take. "Flynn?"

Flynn Rider gave an inverted peace sign. He had a special title: he was the king's royal thief. But before Flynn could explain, the doorway opened.

And King Arthur stepped through.

Their mouths dropped.

"Kneel." Jim breathed, dropping himself. "Fucking kneel."

Again, Wendy did not even reprimand his language.

Of all the changes, of all the metamorphoses, of all the alterations of time, Arthur had changed the greatest.

He was a king. Young as ever, but Arthur was king. Nearly tall as Peter and Jim, King Arthur had grown into his large hands and feet. Wielding Excalibur had shaped him into a wiry youth. He moved nimbly as a panther and confidently as a lion. But most noticeable of all: Arthur's golden crown no longer slipped. It fit - extremely well.

King Arthur approached the guardians with a smile bright as his baby blue eyes. He tilted his head, a little amused that they were bowing.

Then almost mischievously, Arthur fingered Excalibur's hilt. He side-glanced to Headmaster Mickey. Can I?

Headmaster Mickey shrugged. You're the king.

King Arthur smiled. Radiating like the sun, he seized Excalibur, ripped it from his scabbard, and stabbed the sword into the air.

It was the signal the Fantasians had been waiting for.

They went wild. Cheers, applause, and celebrations erupted across Fantasia like an atom bomb - a couple atom bombs.

The guardians shared a blush - even Peter. Bashfully, astoundedly, and appreciatively they listened to the rejoicing Fantasians.

Arthur grinned. He extended a hand. "Welcome home."