Chapter 1

(What started out as every fan girl's dream ended up a nightmare – the longest night of my life. multiple, multiple, multiple cross-overs, if you get the drift. Rated for possible loss of sanity.)

(A/N: the views of the characters are not the views of the writer.)

I'll say this once – all of you 'Mary-Sue's' writers, I HATE YOU! I believed all those stories about the young girl being wisped into Middle-Earth or the Labrynith, or the Millennium Falcon. You really consider those sweet nothing plots as anything towards reality? I hate to break it to you, but the truth isn't anything like it; in fact, it's a nightmare. Believe me, I lived it. And trust me, when everything 'Mary-Sue'ish' starts happening, you're clicking your heels together, saying, 'there's no place like home, there's no place like home…' Trust me on this one.

Maybe you need a better explanation…

I was away from home, in Disneyland in fact. The rest of my family was still home (parents working and siblings had school). I liked having little get-aways that included me, myself, and I. I love my family, I really do, but every now and then, I need to cut the cord. I'm sure you know how that feels.

The good thing about being alone in an amusement park is that you don't have to debate on which ride to go on or when to eat or where to meet up or anything like that. Everything I wanted to do, I could do it. If I wanted to eat, I'd grab something at one of the vendors and munch away. If I wanted to watch a parade, I could do so – and it was my decision when to leave. I could go on any ride I wanted – except for those reserved for children only. I could hurry, and I could take my time. Complete and utter freedom. The only side effect was there was no one I knew around to share the experience with.

The rides I liked going on were the ones I knew from my childhood – yes, I've been to Disneyland many time now, and no, I don't live in California. You know how it is, taking a ride on an attraction you came in contact with in your youth (okay, okay, okay, when you were younger). It's kinda like going against the saying 'there is no going home' and yelling 'well guess what, perhaps I can't stay there, but I can sure as heck visit it any time I want.'

As immature as that sounds, I had really grown up… I think. That would depend on your view of growing up. I always seemed to have a sober disposition, always thinking ahead with overall objective in mind. For crying out loud, I had a midlife crisis during the fourth grade!

Okay, I'm off my soap box now. Getting back to where I was…

I don't remember what the ride is officially called, but everyone knows it as 'A Small World' ride. It's dull, I know, but it was another ride back into my years before I turned into double digits. The line, as usual, was extremely short. Not that I blame the crowd. What attracts everyone was bigger, flashier, faster – not a slow boat ride with a bunch of puppets moving to a child's song. What made the line even shorter was that it was nearing closing. Yeah, you know – when it's dark out and everyone else is heading for bed.

I waited in line, observing the groups in the line, the coming and going of boats, the rate of the line's progression. The rate of those entering the line had diminished to a point where only a few others were behind me. Considering the ride was near the other side of the park, the numbers weren't surprising.

Some couples were discussing ride schedules, where they were going afterwards, and other personal affairs. I know it was rude of me to listen in like that, but I couldn't help myself. Come on, if you had nothing to do but wait, you'd be listening too – and with no intention to do so.

The average wait time on a ride is fifteen minutes. I only had to wait two. The boat drifted up, with the help of the underwater conveyer belt, and I stepped in, alone in my own row. The ride was only twenty minutes at most. There was time enough to go through and make my way out before the park closed.

The water was calm, gently slapping against the sides of the boat. The music was growing as the boat continued. Room after room was filled with moving puppets, some dancing, some building, some playing – but each of them were doing whatever it was together, regardless of race, religion, or whatnot. Gotta give Disney credit on trying to encourage world tolerance.

World's Fair… World's Carnival… was that what the ride was called? I mentally shrugged and decided to let it alone till after the ride. I could check for signs to be sure.

The boats were passing the Eskimo scene, cute like the rest of the ride, as the boats started to slow down. I certainly didn't remember that happening the last time I was here.

The lights went out and silence.