𝐖𝐀𝐋𝐓 𝐃𝐈𝐒𝐍𝐄𝐘'𝐒 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐀𝐂𝐀𝐃𝐄𝐌𝐘

𝟏.𝟏 | 𝐟𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫

THE GIRL'S UNEASY EYES GLANCED OVERHEAD WHERE THE LARGE BUILDING LOOMED. The light breeze in the air gently tangled her vibrant, red hair across her face. Her heart palpitated within her chest, and she froze just before reaching out for the door's handles.

"I don't know if I can go in, Finn," the girl whispered with hesitance.

The small boy beside her raised an eyebrow. "You're deciding this now, Marina?"

She turned to look at the boy with fear in her eyes. "I think I acted too quickly. I was upset, and didn't stop to think."

The small blonde sighed. "Alright, let's just get back on the bus then."

Marina nodded her head gently looking back once more at the building she was so hesitant to enter before; however, she turned to find her friend frozen in place.

"Finn?" she asked with concern in her voice.

He slowly lifted a finger to point at a yellow gleam fading over the hill with the sunset. "It's gone."

"Looks like we're going in after all," Marina noted. The butterflies fluttering in her stomach grew with each passing second. She was petrified, but now that she had nowhere else to turn... optimism seemed like the next option. With uncertainty, she turned back to the boy at her side. "Maybe it's for the best?"

"What do you mean?" Finn asked with a frown. "A moment ago you wanted to leave as badly as I did."

Marina shrugged. "Now that an escape is no longer available, I suppose I've got to look ahead with a new perspective."

"Or..." Finn suggested. "We could wait for the next one."

Marina smiled and released a gentle laugh. "Come on, don't be such a guppy."

As she proceeded to open the doors to the building she could hear Finn mutter behind her, "I'm not a guppy."

Marina entered the building boldly—a confidence that had been lacking only a moment ago—while Finn followed behind meekly. Students inside filled the halls with noise and chaos as they socialized and interacted with each other. Suddenly, the bell overhead rang. Finn shrieked and dropped to the ground covering his head with his hands prepared to be stomped over, but to his surprise, no one moved. Marina smirked gently with amusement and stifled back some laughter as the noise levels in the room quieted. Finn sheepishly stood back up and glared at Marina with annoyance.

"Guppy," Marina whispered with a smile just loud enough for the smaller boy to hear.

However, before Finn could protest, a voice called out over the crowds, "Welcome! Welcome, each and every one of you! We here at the Walt Disney's Character Academy—now isn't that a mouthful—are truly elated to start this school year with all of you present. You'll find the privileges offered aren't like that of anywhere else you've ever been."

"However," a second voice added to the first. "Before you can partake of these 'privileges' that Headmaster Yen Sid speaks of, you must complete the enrollment process."

"Master Merlin Wyllt is correct. Before the school year can begin there are certain procedures we must complete." The headmaster nodded in agreement. "So the faster we finish the formalities, the sooner you can begin your next adventure!"

Marina noticed that the other professor seemed rather annoyed with the headmaster, and wondered what possible grudge rested between them. However, as the crowd around her began to shuffle toward the main office, she was pushed along with the current. In order to keep Finn nearby, she snatched the boy's hand. She noticed his face grew red with the contact. She elected to focus on the student body all around her. There were mixed emotions within the crowd, and it was detectable that each had their own opinion. Some were forced to attend while others seemed elated for the chance at this new life. Moments after this observation, she was sitting beside Finn in a small cubicle.