Four broken lives. Two different countries. One king. Evil everywhere. The sequel to Taking Fantasia, and the return of Ariel Triton, Peter Pan, Wendy Darling, and Jim Hawkins...Fantasian Guardians, cursed to an eternity apart. A Disney/ Non Disney...
"Peter first. Jim second. Then..." Miserably, Arthur entered the interrogation chamber, Headmaster Mickey trailing silently behind. "Then it ends."
Headmaster Mickey did not speak. He was not present for counsel. He was not there to advise. He was present because King Arthur was ridden with guilt. On the day of his wedding, a day rainy and grey, Arthur had seen the repercussions of his kingship.
Five fates were dead. Five fates were tangled in sorrow. And Arthur accepted the blame. He accepted the afflictions of Ariel, Peter, Wendy, Jim, and Elsa. Four guardians cursed in love, and one innocent lady forced to love a man she did not. They were tormented, all five. And it was his fault.
Headmaster Mickey understood Arthur's guilt. But he did not say so. Sympathy would only sadden the young king, weaken his resolve. Shame was a burden of rule. It was an internal enemy, one that Arthur would have to fight harder than any foe.
No. Mickey was not there to play headmaster. He was there because Arthur was still a boy. A boy sick with guilt, and in desperate need of a friend.
So, Headmaster Mickey was surprised when Arthur asked him to leave.
"Alone, headmaster. I want to see Peter alone."
Headmaster Mickey complied, but only after a reticent farewell. Gently, Arthur nudged Archimedes after the little mouse. "You too Archimedes. Go."
Archimedes departed, almost too sadly to fly. Perching on Headmaster Mickey's shoulder, he sniffled as Arthur closed the door, brightened the lights, and awaited Peter Pan.
Peter arrived, accompanied by Agent Bubbles and Mulan.
Arthur was surprised: Peter neither struggled nor strut. He stumbled. Mulan pulled a chair. Agent Bubbles dropped Peter before the king.
Peter was bruised. Matted with blood. Indifferent to the welt reopening his lower lip. Stuck somewhere between life and death.
Arthur waited. When they were alone, he spoke.
"What happened?"
Throughout his life, nothing hurt Arthur the way Peter cried.
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Jim was tired beyond his years. The anger was still there, but tempered by Wendy's deceit. It was awful. Jim couldn't explain why he was exhausted. He had only felt such devastation as a child, when his father ran away.
But this...
This was worse. Unimaginably worse.
Wendy tricked him. Lied to him. Mistrusted him. Jim felt destroyed. Their friendship had been priceless: like air. Jim had needed Wendy, and he had needed Wendy to need him. She fathomed his pain. She took the garbage inside his head and searched for the diamonds. She let...she needed Jim to be the father neither of them had.
