The Magic Kingdom
"I'm so excited!" Ann exclaimed as she and her friends strolled through the gates of Disneyland. The gang had been looking forward to this trip for weeks and now it was finally here. It was forecasted to be a partly cloudy day with light winds coming in from the east, with temperatures to never exceed 70 degrees Fahrenheit over the next three days. Their schedules were cleared, their biggest summer assignments were either done or well on their way to being completed. The next three days for them to laugh, scream and make memories.
Akira hadn't been to Disneyland in almost ten years, he and his parents had gone many times when he was a kid but once he started middle school, their visits became fewer and fewer in number until they stopped altogether.
You're too old for Disneyland. His father had grumbled.
As they marched through the World Bazar arm in arm, at Ann's insistence, they did get some odd looks, but they were too happy to care. Futaba was smiling from ear to ear, while Mona examined his surroundings with fascination. Now that he was human, he saw the world in a whole new way. Makoto exuded a more relaxed aura now that she was away from the stress of her studies. Haru had noticed this too, regarding her friends with a great amount of fondness. She had made this possible for them, and they would make certain to show her their appreciation in the coming months. Ann was spouting off bits of trivia that captivated Makoto and Morgana while Ryuji, who had been playing down his excitement for the sake of being the cool stud of the group was now showing his age, already suggesting rides they should get on first. Yusuke was in awe of the Bazar's beauty and the sight of the castle that was the centerpiece of the park made him bring the group to a stop for a brief second, just so he could marvel at the structure.
Akira was surprised by the building's appearance, he thought the castle would somehow be smaller than he remembered but it still dominated the skyline of the park. Representing the hard work of those who worked to build this place. A place that had so much love and care put into every brick, every flowerbed, it was palpable. He may have been older since he was last here, but he knew this place was for everyone, a place where you could be a kid for a day. Something the world needed more of these days. The Castle and its surroundings were a monument to the power of imagination and dreams.
Akira's gaze shifted to his gaze to his girlfriend, someone who represented the core of all his hopes and dreams for the foreseeable future. Despite all that had happened these past few weeks, all his worries and doubts faded away and couldn't help but smile.
Today, the Phantom Thieves would take the Magic Kingdom by storm.
…
The line for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad was pretty short, but the Thieves chalked it up to the fact they bolted to it as fast as they could. The gang was all too excited to get Mona on his first roller coaster. The little guy had asked to ride with Futaba and Akira, a request that the pair had no trouble fulfilling. The group found themselves loaded onto the rear of the train in the second to last car, much to Ryuji's frustration as he declared the very last car to be the best on the train. Futaba, Akira, and Morgana sat in the first row with Ann and Ryuji behind them, behind them in the last row were Haru, Yusuke, and Makoto. Surprisingly, the ride's cast members were able to seat Yusuke with the girls as his slender frame meant he wouldn't be crushed by the girls as the train ripped across and through the mountains caverns and gorges.
"So, what's the story behind this one Akira?"
"What do you mean?" He asked.
"Well I heard every ride here has a story behind it, I was just wondering if you knew what this one was. Since you came here a lot when you were a kid."
"To be honest, I'm not sure if I remember."
"Well Morgana, hundreds of years ago, as the United States was expanding into the Old West, a group of miners struck gold near this very place. Big Thunder Mountain, but unbeknownst to them, this mountain was a sacred site of the local native tribes. As the stripped the mountain of its gold, the trains became cursed and started racing through the mountain, with no crew and no cargo. Some still venture into the heart of the American Southwest to this day, looking to take a trip on the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. The wildest ride in the wilderness.
The Cast Member checking lap bars gave her a thumbs up and a nod of approval, before heading back to his station to start the ride.
"C-cursed?" Morgana yelped as the train slowly pulled out of the station.
Ryuji chuckled before adding to Ann's story.
"Yup, they say the vengeful spirits will pluck cowardly riders from their seats and-"
"Ryuji!" Ann snapped as they were plunged into darkness, the only other sound being the ear-piercing whistle of the ghost train before it ascended to the top of the first lift hill. As they climbed, the gang marveled at the cave stalagmites which glowed an unearthly blue. As the chain lift clicked away, Makoto craned her neck to see ahead of them.
"Is the drop coming up?"
"I think it's after the waterfall…have you never ridden this before?"
"I only came here once as a kid and I never got on the roller coasters. I was too little!" Makoto replied.
"Here we go!" Ann exclaimed, putting her hands up as they began to crest the hill, passing under a small waterfall that sprayed them with a fine mist as they passed under it.
"Put your hands up Mona! It's more fun!" Ryuji encouraged his friend, who had a death grip on the lap bar. The screams from their fellow riders didn't help as their car was yanked down the first drop.
"NYAAAAAH!" Morgana yelped as they rocketed down a swooping dive to the left. Akira looked behind him to see Ryuji and Ann with their hands in the air having the time of their lives.
"WOOOOO!"
"HAHAAA YEAAAAH!"
Behind then, Makoto's eyes were wide with alarm and had linked arms with Haru and Yusuke who were laughing with delight as they crested a small bunny hill. Akira giggled as he felt his stomach and body linger in the air for just a few seconds before they were whipped into a hairpin turn to the left, racing through a narrow gorge and into a dark tunnel.
"You ok Mona?" Futaba asked as the train slowed, banking to the right and emerging from the tunnel before ascending its second lift hill. The little guy's hair was comically ruffled, and his eyes were wide, darting around as if he was trying to process what happened.
"Maybe roller coasters aren't for you buddy," Akira told him apologetically before he spoke.
"T-that…was…AWESOME!" He shouted, bouncing up and down in his seat.
"Is there more?" He asked, turning to look at Ann.
"You bet there is! Get ready and put your arms up! She replied.
"You too Makoto! If Mona can do it, I know you can!" Ryuji added.
"O-o-ok!" She replied as they near the top.
"Here we go, hold onto your butts' people!" Futaba shouted.
"Bring it on!" Mona declared, throwing his arms into the air as they were released from the chain lift and made another diving turn into the mountainside. The train whistle screeched again in unison with its riders and a mountain goat perched at the top a nearby outhouse bayed in concern. The ghost train tore through the cursed mountain, throwing its riders through tight turns and sudden drops, its pistons working overtime to pour on the speed as it thundered down the tracks.
Moana was having a blast now, earning him praise from Ryuji.
"ATTA KID!"
The train slowed a second time as it entered another tunnel before it was revealed their train was in peril. The cave was filled with dynamite, fuses lit and seconds away from detonation as the train crawled up the final lift hill.
"HEAVENS TO BETSY, SHE'S GONNA BLOW!" Futaba yelped, earning a laugh from her boyfriend. The cave rumbled as they neared the top of the last drop, the train's riders all whooped and hollered with excitement. Explosions could be heard behind them and Akira swore bits of rock were grazing his cheeks.
"Hands in the air everyone!" Ann commanded.
"Alright alright, here we go!" Makoto replied, grabbing Yusuke and Haru's hands and raising them into the air with her own.
"She's doing it!" Haru exclaimed.
"Hang on back there little missy!" Mona called out, putting on his best cowboy accent.
"WOO, GO QUEEN!" Futaba cheered as she grabbed Akira's hand as the train lurched forward, unleashing a final triumphant whistle as it roared down the final drop, shooting down into a shallow canyon before climbing out and snapping the left. The train's riders yelled and screamed, but Morgana easily outclassed them all.
"YEEEHAW!" He shouted, prompting his friends to burst out in laughter as the train bucked and jinked through the last few turns and drops before chugging into the station. The Thieves all cheered as they came to a stop, clambering out and heading for the exits.
"Can we go again?" Ryuji asked.
"I'm down," Futaba replied.
"I certainly wouldn't mind," Yusuke said, a broad smile on his face.
Haru, who was still holding Makoto's hand, turned to her friend.
"You wanna go again?"
Makoto nodded excitedly.
"It was a lot of fun, I think I'll be better the second time around. I just didn't know what to expect."
"If your still scared, I can always ride with you, Queen." Morgana offered.
"Actually, I think I'll take you up on that Mona. Maybe your bravery will rub off on me." She replied, playfully ruffling his already messy hair.
"I'll ride with Yusuke then, I promise not to crush your hand," Haru said turning to the boy, who was massaging his fingers.
"That would be most welcome." He replied as everyone chuckled at his predicament before they hopped back in line.
…
Yusuke was another member of the team who had never been to Disneyland and wanted to ride as many of the classics that his friends spoke of as he could. After their second run on Big Thunder Mountain, the Thieves set their sights on the next mountain. With Futaba realizing it was a perfect opportunity for Morgana and Makoto to puts some more perk points into their guts stat. They needed to be ready for their ultimate challenge that would come at the end of the day. For now, though, Splash Mountain was the next mountain the Phantom Thieves would conquer. As they made their way towards the front of the line, they chose seat partners. Yusuke, upon hearing this was a story heavy ride insisted upon sitting up front, joining Akira. Futaba took up the second row with Makoto. Ryuji and Morgana took up the third row leaving Haru and Ann in the back. As they took their seats in their log, Yusuke noticed how wet the front row seats were.
"Perhaps we've made a mistake." He mumbled.
"Eh, the sun will dry us off as it gets warmer," Akira told them.
"Very true." His friend replied as the log departed the station with the vehicle coming to a stop at the bottom of the initial lift hill, so the Thieves could be briefed on appropriate safety measures by a large frog.
"What is that thing?" Mona pondered.
"An Audio animatronic."
"A wah?"
"A robot."
"Ohhhh, ok. It looks so real."
"Yeah, crazy huh? That's an older model too. Wait until you see the newer ones." Ryuji told him as they ascended the mountain.
As their little log floated down the river, the group was immersed in the sights and sounds of the southeastern United States. Crickets chirped, banjos twanged, and the early afternoon sun's heat was countered by the cool clear murky water. Soon the thieves found themselves venturing through the forest, home to all kinds of animals, all of whom were surprisingly proficient in making music. Much to Yusuke's delight.
"The work that must have been put into to make such a place, and build it last for generations. Remarkable."
"Very much so, I can't imagine how many families have been through here, with even more destined to come back at some point with their own kids," Makoto added.
"I remember when my mom and I first came here. She saved up for a whole year, so we could come for the long weekend. She loves this place, I remember her eyes lighting up when she saw the castle for the first time." Ryuji said with a wistful sigh.
"I wish we could come back, just me and her."
"Well maybe in a few years, when you have a family, you can take her with you guys. Imagine the look on her face when her grandkids stop and stare at the castle for the first time." Haru offered.
"Wouldn't that be something," Ryuji said with a chuckle.
The Thieves returned their attention to the plight of Briar Rabbit, who was off in search of something called a laughing place. Although none of the thieves knew exactly what that was exactly, they started to grow worried for the rabbit's well being as it became apparent he was being followed.
"Perhaps Briar Fox and his lackey could do with a change of heart." Yusuke mused.
"Well, the only thing that fox wants is dinner so I'm not sure what that would entail." Futaba countered.
"I guess a change of heart would make him a vegan?" Akira offered.
"This all assumes he has a Palace in the first place," Makoto added.
"True…" Yusuke replied, stroking his chin thoughtfully.
"Hey wait a minute I don't remember the drop being this-EARLY!" Ryuji yelped as the log was plunged into darkness. Akira laughed at the rest of his friends screeching as small wave water rolled across the log, getting them all a bit wet.
"Well, I suppose that's why they call it Splash Mountain." Yusuke chuckled.
"I was actually expecting worse…" Makoto muttered.
Akira and Futaba did their best to suppress their knowing snickers as their log floated past a dozen buzzing beehives, the insects humming happily as they worked. In the dim blue light of the cavern, the thieves could make out the sight of Briar Bear, snout deep in a beehive, yelping as he was stung by an unseen number of fuzzy pollinators. Downstream, Briar Rabbit howled in laughter at the bear's predicament, not seeing an angry looking fox sneaking up on him. As they continued into depths of the cave, they heard a scuffle behind them.
"Quite the predicament. I wonder how he'll escape." Yusuke mumbled.
"He really has no idea huh?" Futaba whispered.
"I think he's too busy admiring it all to think about it, I was that way when I came here the first time," Akira told her as they entered a darkened room. Up ahead they could hear Briar Rabbit calling for help while Briar Fox barked orders at his companion. Above them, two dapper-looking vultures sat perched on a branch, mocking the Thieves as they passed under them and began their ascent.
"So, you're looking for a laughing place too huh? We'll show you where it is. It's right up here." They sneered.
As the log climbed to the mountain's summit, it creaked and groaned. The happiness of the forest that had become familiar to them seemed miles away. They were in deep trouble, as was Briar Rabbit, who was tied up and sitting atop a pile of wood while Briar Fox licked his lips, digging around for something to light a fire with.
"Please, Briar Fox! Think about this, you can cook me, you can eat me but whatever you do, don't chuck me into that there briar patch!" The Rabbit pleaded.
"Time to turn around! Oh, if only you could!" The vultures called out as the log neared the summit, the screams of the riders in the log in front of them finally flipped a switch in Yusuke's head.
"Akira, what is up here exactly?" He asked, probably already knowing the answer.
"The only way off this mountain," Akira replied.
"Wait a minute, what's a briar patch?" Makoto wondered as their little log finally reached the summit of the mountain.
"Hands in the air everybody!" Haru decreed.
"HANG ON MONA!" Ryuji shouted as a loud THUNK resonated through the log.
"AUGGGGGGHUAAHH!"
The log practically sprang forward, rattling down the side of the mountain as the Thieves screamed with a mix of delight and fear. Akira's heart rose into his throat and the wind rippled through his hair as their trusty log dove towards the thorn-covered branches below, putting as much distance between Briar Fox and its occupants as it could as fast possible. As they reached the safety of the Briar Patch, a wave of water crashed over their heads, soaking just about everyone in the log. As music filled the air, the thieves all burst out in laughter.
"Oh man, that was scarier than I remember!" Ryuji said with a chuckle.
"Back row is the best row!" Ann and Haru called out in unison.
"Ah man I'm soaked, but I want to go again just for the end!" Mona exclaimed.
Makoto was dying of laughter, clinging to Futaba's arm and struggling to catch her breath.
"Did you guys hear Yusuke?" She asked before bursting into another fit of giggles.
"Of course, we heard him, how could we not!? Ann asked, now laughing as well.
"I'm pretty sure the whole park heard him," Futaba added, now laughing with Makoto.
"I can't wait to see the pictures."
"Pictures?" Mona asked as they floated through the final musical number, passing under a banner that read: Welcome Home Briar Rabbit!
"Yeah, they take your picture when you go down the drop," Futaba explained.
"Cool!" Moana beamed as their log drifted back into the station, with Briar Rabbit safely home and Briar Fox being menaced by a crocodile. Akira shook his head and laughed as he cleaned the water droplets off his glasses, turning to his friend who was soaked from head to toe and put a hand on his shoulder.
"And that is why it's called Splash Mountain buddy." He told his friend who couldn't help but laugh at himself.
…
At 11:30, the gang decided to grab lunch at Captain Hook's Gallery in Fantasyland. The Thieves were more than happy to be off their feet for a good 20 to 30 minutes as an early lunch meant they would beat the crowds who would be coming into every conceivable restaurant in the park looking to feed their cranky children and when that happened, the 40-minute wait for the Haunted Mansion would plummet to 15 minutes, perhaps 20 at the most. From there they would rush to Tomorrowland's newest attraction; Big Hero 6: Rush Hour. Rumored to be one of the most technologically advanced rides in the entire park. For now, though, they were content with eating their pizza and waiting for their Splash Mountain photo to arrive on the park's official app.
Morgana was on his third slice of seafood pizza, and Yusuke snacked on baked cheese potato while Futaba sipped on her soda and, looking to her phone and sighing impatiently as she awaited the arrival of what she was sure would be the greatest picture she had ever had the privilege of being in. Ryuji and Ann were reminiscing about past visits to the park while Haru showed Makoto her pin collecting lanyard, she apparently had 3 but the one she had brought with her today was her favorite. It was adorned with pins from various rides like Space Mountain and Indiana Jones to character specific ones like Mulan, Rapunzel and of course Mickey and Minnie. Makoto, in the middle of a severe geek out, wanted to get her own collection started ASAP and was asking if Haru would help her with the search for her first pins.
"Of course!" She exclaimed.
"GUYS ITS HERE!" Futaba yelped.
"It is? Lemme see!" Ann exclaimed, running over to her friend's side of the table.
"It's glorious!" Futaba declared, threating to explode into a fit of giggles. "Look!" She demanded, showing her boyfriend the picture. Akira laughed and shook his head as he absorbed all the details.
In the back of the log, Ann adopted her signature modeling pose. Her index and middle finger forming a V shape that she had twisted at a 90-degree angle and placed over her left eye. Haru had her arms in the air, her eyes squeezed shut, and her mouth wide open. The expression was undoubtedly one of joy. In front of them was Mona who had assumed a similar pose to Haru except his eyes were wide open in surprise and excitement. It almost looked like he had spotted someone's treasure at the bottom of that drop. Ryuji had a cocky grin on his face, looking right into the camera and holding up the sign of the horns on both hands. Next was Futaba who was also looking into the camera, sticking out her tongue and leaning forward to give Akira a pair of bunny ears with her fingers. Next to her was Makoto who was bear hugging the redhead's free arm with both of her own, her eyes were shut tight but it was clear her scream was based more in joy than fear and then there was Akira who's eyes were wide in alarm, lips parted and teeth clenched tightly in fear, he had a death grip on the lap bar, his white knuckles easily visible in the picture. Yusuke didn't look any better, the camera caught him mid-scream, one eye partially open with the other shut tight. His long arms were fully extended into the air and it looked like he was leaning backward like the wind was pressing him flat against the log. It was as if someone had taken a freeze frame of an anime character being punched and or thrown into the stratosphere and photoshopped him into the ride photo.
Futaba was leaning against Akira now, laughing so hard there were tears streaming down her face. She pointed up at him as she passed the phone to the others, barely managing to get out any words.
"He looks like he's constipated!" She shouted before falling into her boyfriend's lap and laughing even harder as the phone was passed around. Ryuji and Ann were the next to see and while Ryuji startling cackling, Ann turned to Haru and raised up her hand
"Back row for life, hell yeah?"
Haru high fived her as firmly as she could before taking the phone.
"Hell yeah!" She exclaimed, nodding in approval before looking at the photo.
"Aw Mako-chan!" She whimpered before she put an around her and squeezed her.
"It's ok Haru, Futaba helped me out a lot." She replied before chuckling at Yusuke and Akira's expressions.
"Hey, can I see?" Mona asked, reaching out to Makoto who nodded and handed him the phone.
"Hey Futaba, make sure you send that to all of us ok?" Haru said before releasing Makoto from her embrace.
"Yeah yeah, I will don't worry." She wheezed.
"I can't believe, of all the things you could have done, you gave me bunny ears," Akira said shaking his head at his girlfriend. "You're an even bigger dork than me."
"Well, then we should ask ourselves what makes me the bigger dork. You're the dork who wanted to go out with me." Futaba protested, sitting up and wiping the last of her tears away.
"Hey, you two can have your dork off later, I just checked the lines. Haunted Mansion is down to ten minutes." Mona chided, handing Akira the phone.
"WHAT?!" Ann and Ryuji yelped before scrambling to their feet.
"We gotta go!" Haru exclaimed as she started cleaning up her area of the table.
"Let's wake up, get up and get out there team!" Futaba declared, hopping to her feet as the group set off on their next adventure.
…
The app had lied…somewhat. The wait was actually closer to twenty-five minutes but even then it was close what they had been planning on at lunch, so the Thieves couldn't complain too much but after a brief wait, they found themselves in the center of darkened octagonal room, adorned with multiple portraits, presumably of the occupants and owners of the mansion. As the cast members ushered the last of the guests into the center of the room, Haru found her way to Akira's side.
"Hey, can we talk for a moment." She asked.
"Something wrong?" Akira asked, turning to face her.
"Well not yet…but I'm worried…ugh, I'm not making sense, am I?"
"Not yet no."
"Its…It's about Makoto." She explained. "These past few months we've been growing a lot closer and last week I realized something…I think I have a crush on her."
Akira's eyes widened in surprise, but then he looked at Makoto who was speaking with Ann and Ryuji regarding the ride's history.
"Does she know?"
"Not yet, I've been trying to lay down some hints but I'm not sure if its working or if she just thinks I'm acting strangely."
"Well, Makoto can be a bit oblivious to subtle things like that, especially in regard to romance. You may need to be a bit more direct."
"Will you help?" She asked. "I-I really want this to work…I hope for us to have what you and Futaba have."
"Of course, I'll help." He assured her. "My advice right now, ride with her on this one. Horror is your specialty, make it fun for her."
Haru nodded and smiled.
"Ok, ok I'll start there."
"Report back in an hour." He told her.
"You got it." She replied before walking off to see her crush.
"What was that about?" Futaba asked, sliding into place at her boyfriend's side."
He leaned over and whispered into her ear, explaining what had just happened.
"No way! Makoto was talking to me about having a crush on Haru like two weeks ago." Futaba yelped almost a little too loud.
"Really?"
"Yeah!"
There was a brief silence.
"We gotta get them together by the end of the summer."
"Well duh, this school year is going to be nuts for both of them. If they don't get together soon, who knows who will woo them instead?! It's now or never."
"We cannot fail."
"We won't, it's us remember?" She replied with a cocky smile as Morgana squeezed between the two of them examining his surroundings with curiosity when a menacing sounding man began to speak.
"Welcome, foolish mortals, to the Haunted Mansion. I am your host, your ghost host. Kindly step all the way in please and make room for everyone. There's no turning back now. Our tour begins here in this gallery, where you see paintings of some of our guests as they appeared in their corruptible, mortal state."
Akira heard Morgana audibly gulp and in the corner of his eye, he could see Makoto scoot a little closer to Haru.
"Your cadaverous pallor betrays an aura of foreboding, almost as though you sense a disquieting metamorphosis." Ghost Host continued as the walls seem to rise around them.
"Is this haunted room actually stretching? Or is it your imagination…hmm? And consider this dismaying observation: this chamber has no windows and no doors… which offers you this chilling challenge: to find a way out!
The innocent portraits from earlier now showed their true more frightening colors. The girl with a parasol stood on a tightrope that was heavily frayed. An elderly woman sat atop her husband's grave with a quaint smile on her face, the tombstone depicting an older gentleman with an ax embedded in his head. A balding pants-less man with tired eyes stood atop a barrel of dynamite with a startlingly short lit fuse.
"Brilliant," Yusuke whispered, a grin forming on his face as their ghost host cackled maniacally.
"Of course, there's always my way." Ghost Host sneered.
A thunderclap shook the room and the lights went out, Morgana jumped at the sound of a woman screaming as a corpse was revealed to be hanging above them by the neck. Then as the lights came back on, a set of doors straight ahead opened with startling speed.
"Oh, I didn't mean to frighten you prematurely. The real chills come later. Now, as they say, 'look alive,' and we'll continue our little tour. And let's all stay together, please."
The group started walking forward into the mansions sprawling corridors, startled by busts that watched their every move and suits of armor that seemed to be drawing labored breath. As the group moved on, Yusuke lingered in the stretching room, admiring the paintings that adorned the walls until a voice that was most definitely not that of the Ghost Host hissed at him.
"GET OUT."
The young artist hurried out of the room, looking to catch up with his friends as quickly as possible. They passed mirrors, the noticed they were already being escorted down the final impossibly long corridor by a handful of ghosts. All the while, Ghost Host taunted them.
"There are several prominent ghosts who have retired here from creepy old crypts all over the world. Actually, we have 999 happy haunts here, but there's room for 1,000."
Their host chuckled to himself before continuing.
"Any volunteers?If you insist on lagging behind, you may not need to volunteer."
They now stood at the station, watching as their fellow riders were loaded onto their Doom Buggies. Akira, Futaba, and Mona would head up the group while Yusuke volunteered to go it solo this time around to simplify things and thus would be at the tail end of the group. Ann and Ryuji paired off to be the third buggy leaving Haru and Makoto to take up the 2nd buggy.
"And now, a carriage approaches to take you into the boundless realm of the supernatural. Take your loved ones by the hand, please, and kindly watch your step. Oh yes, and no flash pictures, please. We spirits are frightfully sensitive to bright lights."
Haru climbed ushered Makoto into their buggy, taking her hand to steady her. Akira and Futaba voice their approval quietly.
"Smooth Haru," Akira whispered.
"Very," Futaba added before turning her attention to Morgana.
You ready for this?"
"Y-yeah of course! I can totally handle this s-stuff." He replied.
"Do not pull down on the safety bar, please. I will lower it for you. And heed this warning: the spirits will materialize only if you remain safely seated with your hands, arms, feet, and legs inside. And watch your children, please." Ghost Host chided as they pulled forward, entering the heart of the legendary Haunted Mansion.
As the doom buggies lumbered forward, Akira put an arm around Futaba and Morgana who squished in a bit closer to him as they passed through the room which contained the Endless Staircase. A series of steps that stretched up, down, side to side for miles and miles with no end in sight, intersecting, going over and under itself at multiple points. Spectral footprints could be seen going up and down the steps at varying speeds, with some slowing to a halt as the doom buggies crawled by.
"Where does it all go?" Mona wondered allowed as they continued deeper into the mansion.
"No one knows," Futaba replied, trying to sound as ominous as possible.
"The history of the mansion is surrounded by mystery and half-truths. No one really knows what power keeps nearly 1000 ghosts in one place and everyone always come to their conclusion at journey's end. Keep your eyes peeled, you just might solve the mystery." Akira added as their buggy slowly spun around allowing Akira and Futaba to get a good look at Haru and Makoto, who were pressed together in their buggy, Haru pointing out little things that Makoto likely wouldn't have noticed on her own.
Futaba and Akira exchanged knowing looks before turning their attention back to the occupants of the mansion. On either side of a seemingly endless hallway, doors opened and closed on their own while others shook and rattled, threatening to fly off their hinges.
Whispers, wails, and growls snaked into their ears as they descended a staircase, once again becoming submerged in darkness. In the shadows, yellow eyes could be seen, scowling at the buggies as they crept by, entering a dimly lit room occupied by a single spirit. A disembodied head floating above a table and enclosed in a glass ball. The head chanted as the mansion's guests ventured onward.
"Serpents and spiders, tail of a rat... Call in the spirits, wherever they're at…Rap on a table, it's time to respond... Send us a message from somewhere beyond." She called, her only response came from the floorboards creaking and groaning under the weight of the passing buggies.
As the guests left the head to its séance circle, they entered a beautiful ballroom that was brimming with ghosts, who were acting surprisingly lively. One came flying in through the window before zipping upwards and vanishing as he met the ceiling. Down below, three finely dressed men conversed with hushed voices as a half a dozen ghosts spun around on the dancefloor, dancing to a distorted waltz, allowing the buggies to pass them unabated.
"It's a party…" Mona murmured, prompting Akira to nod.
"It never stops either." He explained.
"I don't know if I can dance to the same song for all eternity." Futaba pondered.
"Depends on the song," Akira replied.
"The partner as well I bet," Mona added.
"Yeah, that's probably the most important part."
"So, if you Futaba had to dance to the same song forever, what would it be?" Mona inquired.
"Hmmm, not sure," Akira answered, scratching the back of his head.
"We don't really have a song huh?" Futaba realized.
"Not really no." Her boyfriend said shaking his head.
"That's crazy, that's like one of the big rules for being in love! You have to have a song for when you dance at your wedding." Mona chided, causing his friends to blush.
"Guess we'll have to work on that." The redheaded girl whispered, her thoughts briefly wandering off to see all possibilities.
The Doom Buggies were traversing through the attic now, which was filled with cobwebs and dust as well as an assortment of junk. Suitcases, lamps, piles, and piles of books and more. Most curiously, however, was the many many paintings that were scattered amongst the junk.
"Hey …she looks familiar…" Mona muttered before his eyes widened, Akira could see the gears in his head turning.
"Is she the woman from the stretching room, the one who was sitting on her husband's tombstone."
"That's right," Futaba said with a nod, giving Akira a knowing glance.
"What in the hell is going on in this mansion…" Mona muttered as the continued onward, seeing more and more of the paintings. In each one, the widow had another string of pearls around her neck, as they passed the final painting, Mona narrowed his eyes and scanned the junkpile.
"Hatboxes…how many hats does one person need?"
"I mean she is filthy rich. Especially after being widowed like three or four times." Futaba reasoned.
"How suspicious…" Mona muttered as the sound of slow steady heartbeat resonated through the doom buggy, growing louder and louder as they rounded the next corner, coming face to face with a pale woman in an elegant bridal gown. Her eyes startlingly wide, seemingly staring into the souls of the mansion's guests as they passed, muttering to herself all the while.
"In sickness and in… wealth. You may now kiss the bride. We'll live happily ever after. Till death do us part. Here comes the bride. As long as we both shall live. For better or for… worse. I do."
A hatchet slowly materialized in her trembling hands.
"I did."
Moana looked at Akira nervously and slowly mouthed the word: no. Behind them, he could hear Makoto squeak in fear as yelp about creepy this all was as they all neared their next ghostly encounter. A man in black with a ghastly face jeered at them as they passed, holding a cane in one hand and a hatbox in the other. In the blink of an eye, his head vanished from its rightful place atop his shoulders and materializing in the box, still smiling at the passing guests.
For Moana, this confirmed his fears.
"She killed them?!" He yelped as the Doom Buggy spun around and tilted backward, falling away from the mansion, the bride and the mysterious ghost who had just helped Mona piece everything all together.
"Yes, she did, and that guy just showed us how it all went down. She cut her husband's heads off, stuffed them in boxes and stole their wealth but now she's trapped in the mansion, a place she coveted so much, forever." Futaba explained as the buggy marched onward through the graveyard, passing a caretaker and his whimpering dog in the process.
"Who was that guy?" Moana murmured, scratching his head as he tried to think back to the stretching room.
"He is known only as The Hatbox Ghost. Master of the Endless Staircase, and protector of all haunted places around the world. He's been gone for a while, but he returned at long last just a few years ago, warning visitors of his wife's true nature." Futaba continued.
"Wow…" Mona muttered before a grin formed on his face. "This place is creepy, but it's really cool." The buggies paraded through the graveyard, passing singing busts, and spirits enjoying each other's company as well as whiskey, all singing a morbid but surprisingly upbeat song. As they exited the graveyard, the voice of Ghost Host returned for one last scare.
"Ah, there you are! And just in time… there's a little matter I forgot to mention: beware of hitchhiking ghosts!" He sneered as they passed a trio of ghosts, all sticking their thumbs out in hopes of catching a ride, the buggies continued without slowing, as Ghost Host chuckled at them.
"They have selected you to fill our quota, and they'll haunt you until you return!" He exclaimed as the buggies passed a row of mirrors, revealing to Mona that a ghost had taken up a spot next to him earning a surprised gasp from the youngest phantom thief.
"G-g-ghost!" He yelped as the buggy pulled into the station.
"Now I will raise the safety bar, and a ghost will follow you home!" Their host exclaimed as the three exited their Doom Buggy and heading for the exit with their friends in tow as a tiny ghost perched above the doorway bid them farewell.
"Hurry back! Hurry back! Be sure to bring your death certificate… if you decide to join us. Make final arrangements now! We've been dying to have you…"
…
After hitting up both the new Big Hero 6 and much beloved the Monsters Inc ride, the thieves found themselves in line for another Disney classic. Star Tours, which had received some upgrades in recent years that they were all excited to see firsthand. They stood under a screen showing estimated arrival and departure times to various planets like Endor, Bespin, and Tatooine. They all appeared to be running on time, save for Flight 1138 whose flight to Alderaan had been canceled due to 'unforeseen circumstances'. All of the thieves, save for Mona, were familiar enough with Star Wars to recognize the gold protocol droid overseeing their Starspeeder's final preflight checks in addition to a blue Astromech droid who bleeped and chirped at his fussy companion as he demanded he double then triple check every single little thing on the ship.
"So, what's Star Wars about exactly?" Moana asked his friends, feeling a little lost as they inched their through the 40-minute queue.
Futaba turned around to face her friend, putting her arms up and halting everyone who was prepared to explain to him.
"Guys, I've got this." She told them before looking to Mona.
"A long time ago, in a galaxy far far away…" She began.
"The galaxy is dominated by the Galactic Empire, who brought through peace through fear and tyranny after years and years of war ravaged the galaxy. With the Empire's rise, however, came the fall of the Jedi Knights. Guardians of peace of justice that served the Old Republic, the Empire's predecessor. With the Jedi all but destroyed, things seemed hopeless, until one day, a daring strike was made against the Empire by the brave soldiers and pilots of the Rebel Alliance, a resistance movement that looked to overthrow the Empire. Now, after the destruction of the planet killing space station known as the Death Star, war rages across the stars as the brave Rebels; led by the dashing rogue Han Solo, the indomitable and fearless Princess Leia and the brave Luke Skywalker, the last of the Jedi. Together they struggle against the Empire, all the while preparing themselves for their next encounter with the most feared man in the galaxy: Darth Vader, Dark Lord of the Sith. The ancient enemy of the Jedi Order. Only by defeating him and his evil master can the heroes of the rebellion restore balance to The Force and restore peace and justice across the galaxy."
Moana was enraptured by the tale as Futaba told him of Stormtroopers, TIE Fighters, X-Wings, bounty hunters, droids and the Millennium Falcon. All while carefully darting around as many major spoilers as she could. Her crash course on all things Star Wars was so captivating, the next forty minutes flew by in the blink of an eye.
As they neared the front of the line, they sorted themselves into seating order. Morgana positioned himself between Akira and Futaba. Next to her was Yusuke and Makoto, followed by Haru and Ryuji. Soon they boarded starspeeder, its repulsor humming quietly as their ship slowly lifted off the flight deck. The radio crackled to life as the ship's engines rumbled and whirred.
"Star Tours 1401, you are cleared for departure." The station controller instructed.
"1401? That's us! We can't take off. The captain isn't onboard!" C-3PO protested.
"Auto takeoff sequence initiated." The ship's flight computer announced, apparently disregarding his remarks.
"Oh no! Um, excuse me, you don't seem to understand. I am not the captain. I am C-3PO." A familiar voice yelped as the viewport blast shield came down, revealing the golden protocol droid that was sitting in the captain's chair.
"1401, cleared for takeoff. Contact frequency on four-two-niner." The station controller replied flatly despite the droids continued protests as a droid hovered into place in front of them, holding up two batons of orange light.
"Follow me."
The plucky astromech R2-D2, assuming command of the ship, complied with its instructions and began taxing forward, carefully lining up for takeoff on the departure lane of the flight deck, much to his coworker's chagrin.
"R2-D2, I am not programmed to fly these things. Now, just turn us around this instant before we get into trouble!"
R2-D2 dismissed his concerns with a whistle as the marshal droid floated away only to be replaced by a black-suited man on a hover platform, accompanied by a dozen or more Stormtroopers who trained their weapons on the viewport of the speeder as the man extended his hand.
"Halt!" He bellowed as the speeder lurched forward before stopping in place as the Imperial March played in the background. Mona scowled at the Sith Lord.
"Vader." He muttered.
"Don't shoot!" 3PO pleaded.
"Prepare to be boarded, Captain." The Dark Lord growled as a group of Stormtroopers advanced on the speeder as the protocol droid tried to call them off, insisting this was all a terrible misunderstanding.
"We know you have this Rebel spy onboard." Vader snapped as the wall mounted datapad activated in the speeders cabin, scrolling through what must have been a hundred pictures before coming to a stop on Mona's, prompting the Thieves to all whoop in surprise.
"Uh oh!" The young phantom thief exclaimed.
"Mona! You're a spy?!" Ryuji yelped.
"I've never seen that person before." 3PO insisted before turning around and looking right at Mona.
"Oh dear…Gotta go!" The droid said quickly, applying full reverse thrust.
"Don't underestimate my power!" Vader snarled, reaching out and seizing the ship with the force. The ship's engines roared, trying to produce enough thrust to pull itself from Vader's grip but the Dark Lord held them in place as two TIE Fighters floated towards them, ready to engage the speeder should it try anything else.
"I want that spy!" Vader shouted as R2 chirped and whistled, deploying the speeder's defensive laser cannons and firing off several shots in rapid succession, forcing Vader to release the ship and deflect the laser bolts with his lightsaber as the speeder flew backwards out of the Star Tours Terminal, TIE Fighters charging at in head on, opening fire as 3P0 called for his co-pilot to put the shields up.
"Goodness, R2! Someone could get hurt!" He yelped as they began moving forward again, the power of the ship's engines pinning the Thieves back into their seats as R2 reduced an attacking TIE to space junk as the skimmed the belly of a Star Destroyer.
"Lightspeed, R2! Now!" 3PO commanded as the ship's internals hummed and whirred, the entire ship shook as the vast starfield ahead of the stretched and stretched before they were launched into hyperspace, causing everyone on the speeder to holler and scream in excitement.
R2-D2 chirped in alarm as the speeders came screaming down into the atmosphere of the ice planet Hoth as the flight computer started beeping and buzzing in alarm.
"Warning. Pull up. Pull up!" It exclaimed as the speeders belly slammed into the snow banks below, bouncing up and sending vibrations through the whole ship.
"Thruster malfunctioning." The flight computer cautioned prompting 3PO to examine the ship's diagnostic panel.
"Thrusters? Are they important?" He muttered as two snow speeders pulled in front of the speeder, prompting the pilot to hail them.
"Star Tours, this is a restricted area! What are you doing here?" He grumbled as 3PO expressed his confusion only for the pilot to cut him off.
"Stay clear of the combat zone!" He ordered.
The protocol droid seemed alarmed by this development as R2 whistled and blooped, warning him of the rapidly approaching danger.
"Combat zone? Oh no!"
The speeder skimmed just above a massive ground battle between the Rebels and the Empire, speeders raced along the surface of the ice and snow, strafing infantry before climbing up and away from the battle to avoid enemy anti-aircraft fire or TIE fighters looking for an easy kill. The most menacing combatant was the massive four-legged walker that plodded across the open battlefield, its two laser cannons pounding entrenched rebels into submission before turning the weapons on the commercial speeder. The entire craft trembled, and the engines fell silent as the speeder made a shallow dive towards the ice.
"We've been hit! Brace yourselves!" 3PO yelped as the speeder struck the ground, sliding under the AT-AT before coming to a stop at the edge of a nearby cliff.
"Nobody move!" The protocol droid shouted as Makoto grabbed onto Haru, seemingly cause the speeder to slowly tilt forward, revealing the long fall that was about to befall them. Ryuji jokingly turned to Makoto and raised his eyebrows as if to say
You almost killed us!
"I mean, everybody move! Lean back!" 3PO yelped, leaning backward in his seat as two speeders screamed overhead, the large downwash created by their passing pushing the nose of the speeder down and sending it careening down the mountainside. The girls screamed in delight and then in fear as the speeder went flying off another cliff, falling towards the ground at an ever-increasing speed as the ship's engines sputtered and groaned. The entire speeder shook, threatening to start tumbling end over end through the air.
"Oh dear! Please! R2, do something!" The protocol droid wailed as the engines finally came alive again, and the speeder lurched forward at top speed, climbing out of Hoth's atmosphere and into the stars, the speeder's rumbling ceased, and the passengers breathed a sigh of relief.
R2 finally broke the silence with a single chirp, informing his colleague of an incoming transmission before a hologram appeared in the cabin. The woman was dressed in white and her hair was fashioned into two buns on either side of her head.
"I am Princess Leia of Alderaan. We've placed a Rebel spy vital to the survival of the Rebellion into your Star Speeder. You must see him safely delivered to the coordinates I am transmitting to your R2 unit. This is our most desperate hour. Help me, Star Tours. You're my only hope."
"A Princess…" Mona whispered before a look of determination appeared on his face, the hologram reflecting brightly in his blue eyes before fading away.
"Her only hope." C-3PO lamented, turning to his passengers as R2 whistled solemnly.
"What do you mean we'll be making a slight detour?" His colleague grumbled as the engines thundered to life as R2 bleeped and chirped defiantly while 3PO struggled to dissuade him.
"Punch it!" Mona exclaimed, earning him a cheer from his fellow passengers as the Star Wars theme swelled triumphantly before the ship flung itself back into hyperspace, dropping out of lightspeed in the heart of an asteroid belt, in the distance loomed a rust-colored planet that dwarfed their objective: The 2nd Death Star.
"This can't be right," 3PO muttered, checking the nav computer as a ship emerged from behind a nearby asteroid, looking nothing like any Imperial craft they had seen today.
"You can run, but you can't hide, not from me!" It's captain declared, opening fire with his repeating laser cannons.
"Bobba Fett!?" Akira and Futaba yelped simultaneously before exchanging a glance, trying to contain their impending geek out.
It's that dreadful bounty hunter!" 3PO grumbled as R2 screeched in alarm and put all power into the engines, darting into the thick of the asteroids, twisting, diving and rolling through every nook and cranny imaginable as their pursuer continued his assault, serval laser bolts striking the hull and causing the entire ship to shutter and groan. Despite this, the starspeeder was rapidly closing the gap on the Death Star, drawing the fire of the surface mounted turbolasers as it dove towards the battle station, with R2 deploying the ship's sensor array so they could perform a detailed technical scan once inside. Despite all odds, the mission was going well, until an all too familiar mechanical breathing began coming from the comms channel.
"I have you now!"
Vader came screaming towards them at top speed, escorted by two TIE Interceptors. R2 had the audacity to exchange fire with the formation before steepening the speeder's descent as the passengers all yelped nervously.
"Here we go!" Ann shouted as they rocketed into the bowels of the planet killer.
"I have a bad feeling about this…" 3PO groaned as green laser bolts raced past them with increasing ferocity all while the speeder darted over, under and around fleets of droid construction workers as well as heavy machinery and massive cargo vessels carrying raw materials and sensitive electronics. One wrong move it this place would cost them dearly.
As R2 whistled triumphantly, informing his friend that the technical scan was complete, the gold droid took the controls and steered them away from the reactor core and into another series of tunnels.
"I'm getting us out of here!" He declared as the Astromech blooped and chirped nervously.
"I know exactly what I'm doing," 3PO replied flatly as the spacecraft emerged in a hangar filled with stormtroopers who starred up in bewilderment at the passing speeder as the ship's claxon blared, warning of an ongoing incursion against the station. As the ship made for open space one more, Boba Fett's ship cut in front of them and jettisoned a small cylindrical device with a blinking red light on its side.
"Say goodbye, Rebel spy…" Fett sneered as he applied full reverse thrusters to get out of the blast area.
"A sonic bomb!" 3PO exclaimed as R2 whirred and beeped, turning the speeders guns on the device and firing a lower power shot, sending the bomb tumbling across open space and right into Fett's ship. The bounty hunter screamed in terror as the weapon detonated, creating a massive blue shockwave that sent his ship tumbling into the void and left the speeder bouncing in space like they were driving an old country road at 50 miles an hour.
"Good shot, R2! Now, get us out of here!" 3PO commanded as the music swelled once again just as the ship jumped to lightspeed, causing the ship's passengers to cheer before they emerged in the midst of the Rebel fleet. A-Wings zipped around the medical frigates and troop transports while Y wings lumbered to the farthest edges of the battle group with flights of X-Wings escorting them, each element of starfighters ready to engage anything that would dare threaten the fleet and the Rebel flagship, which loomed over the tiny speeder: Home One.
"Star Tours, we were concerned about you. Is our agent safe?" Admiral Ackbar asked as two wings joined the speeder on its approach, flying on either side of it with their s-foils locked attack in position, just in case.
"Safe, but perhaps a little shaken," 3PO replied as the ship entered the hangar of the massive cruiser, coming to a rest on the flight deck, its engines humming deeply before going silent.
"We are grateful you made it. You are all heroes of the Rebellion." Akbar told the passengers as rebel soldiers and pilots made their way to the speeder to greet the new arrivals.
"I rather like the sound of that," 3PO muttered, sounding quite pleased with himself before turning to his passengers.
"Be careful out there, all of you. The Empire is watching." He warned as the viewport shield closed and the doors opened up. The Thieves gave one last cheer as they got up from their seats, exiting their spacecraft while Futaba playfully ruffled her friend's hair as he bragged about being such a good spy, even he didn't know he was one.
"Rebel scum." She teased, almost sounding proud.
…
At long last, the time had come. After almost an hour of waiting in line, the Thieves made their way through the heart of the biggest baddest coaster in the Magic Kingdom. Space Mountain, as they marched through the dim blue corridors, Admiral Akbar briefed the 'pilots' on their mission.
"Pilots, we've detected a Star Destroyer near Jakku. Report to your reconnaissance vessels and prepare to make the jump to hyperspace. The 77th Squadron will provide support during your mission. Good luck and may the force be with you!"
"Are you ready for this Mona?" Futaba asked.
He nodded solemnly before flashing a cocky smile.
"I was born ready!"
"Very good, my young padawan." Futaba chuckled, patting his head.
"How about you Makoto? This will be the most intense ride of the day." Haru advised her friend.
"I'll be ok, don't worry. If I survived two mountains, I'm sure I can handle this one. Although, I don't want you to have been stuck with me all day. So, I think I'll ride with Akira, that way you and Ann can take the back."
"Are you sure?" Haru asked to which Makoto nodded.
"You've been talking about how excited you were for this for the past hour. Don't worry about me, ok?" She said, giving her a reassuring smile.
"Yusuke and I will take second to the last row then," Ryuji added.
"Mona and I call front!" Futaba yelped as they arrived in the launch bay where excited riders were being loaded and unloaded underneath a New Republic X-Wing, its S-Foils folded shut. The Thieves marveled at the ship as they made their way down towards the loading area via a ramp.
"Wait! Doesn't each car only hold three rows of two?" Ann wondered.
"It doesn't look like it from here. I see four rows of two." Akira replied. "Maybe they changed the cars for the retheming?"
"Yeah, I guess that's possible." She replied as they passed under a large screen showing a technical readout of their target. Within minutes, they found themselves stepping into the ride vehicles, which lurched forward into a holding position where their lap bars were checked one last time by a cast member who gave them a thumbs up before pointing to a man in a control room that loomed over them.
The train rumbled forwards and the speakers near their heads came to life.
"You are cleared for launch!"
The train rounded a corner and began climbing up the first segment of the lift hill as the Star Wars theme blared triumphantly.
"This is Blue Leader, All wings report in!"
"Uh-Mona reporting in!"
The rest of the thieves joined in.
"Oracle, standing by!"
"Joker, standing by!"
"Q-queen, standing by!"
"Fox, present and accounted for!
"Skull here!"
"Noir, lasers linked and ready!"
"Panther, standing by!
Blue Leader quickly radioed back.
"All wings prepare to jump into hyperspace on my mark…PUNCH IT!"
The tunnel around them filled with a brilliant blue light as their ship continued to ascend before cresting the hill, a flight of TIE Fighters appeared to scream past them. The ship leveled off amongst a pitch black starscape as the X-wings pilots struggled to organize themselves as the Imperial March blasted out the coaster's sound system.
"It's a trap!" Akbar exclaimed as the ship climbed ever higher, earning the Star Destroyer that loomed over the desert world of Jakku.
"It's so dark!" Makoto yelped.
"That's what makes it so fun!" Akira insisted.
"The universe is a cruel mistress Queen, stop fighting her and just let go! Enjoy the ride!" Ryuji told her.
All ships, evasive maneuvers!" Blue Leader snapped as an Imperial fighter screamed past them.
"Hold tight everyone, we're going in!" Futaba shouted as their ship plunged into the battle, the iconic score of John William's TIE Fighter attack making Akira laugh giddily, leaning forward in the hope it would make them go faster.
"Keep it fast and keep it moving!" Blue Leader barked.
"WOOOHOOO!" Makoto screamed, her hands reaching into the blackness as an X-wing cut across their ship's nose, chasing an enemy fighter.
"Watch your back Blue 4!" Blue Leader warned as green laser bolts zipped past
Their little ship jinked to the right, the force of gravity pulling Akira and the rest of its occupants deeper into their seats as they rocketed through a diving turn, starts racing past as they zipped through the battlefield.
"We've picked up a tail!" Mona warned as another volley of laser bolts whooshed by and the ship went into a quick steep climb before leveling back off and diving again earning an excited cry from Ryuji as he was lifted out of his seat for a few seconds.
"YAHOOOO!"
"I'm hit I'm hit!" An X-Wing pilot wailed before his radio cut out as the thieves and their ship went flying through another hairpin turn that caused Yusuke to laugh with delight.
"What a rush!" He declared as a TIE Fighter spun out of control in front of them before exploded in a ball fire.
"We got em!" Mona cheered.
"Great kid, don't get cocky!" Futaba chided as they were made another sharp turn exiting it to find themselves flying straight an enemy fighter. The Thieves collectively screamed as green laser bolts filled the space around them before the ship dive underneath the TIE, safely avoiding a collision.
"Watch out for those blasters!" Blue Leader cautioned.
The barrage of turbolaser fire intensified as the ship neared their objective while other X-Wings slipped into position on either side of the reconnaissance vessel as the music reached a crescendo.
"You're all clear kid, now let's blow this thing and go home!" Futaba told her friend.
"FIRE!" Mona shouted, a pair of red laser bolts rippling through open space, striking the Imperial Star Destroyer and causing a massive explosion.
"Direct hit!" Blue Leader exclaimed as the fleet of ships turned away from the crumbling starship, eliciting cheers from the entire coaster train.
"All pilots, return to base!" She ordered as they jumped back into hyperspace and returning to the station with the music delivering an explosive and triumphant finale.
"Today marks a major victory for the New Republic! Good work out there. May the force be with you, always." Akbar told his pilots as they disembarked from their spacecraft.
As the Thieves made their way to the exit, they chatted amongst themselves about the ride and speculating as to how good their ride portrait would turn out.
"How'd you like the ride Makoto?" Haru asked.
"I loved it!" She replied, jumping up and down before pulling out her phone.
"I wonder if the wait time has gone down?"
"Check and see, it just might have considering it's getting late." Ann reasoned.
"Guys its here!" Ryuji shouted pointing to the screen. Futaba quickly typed the digital code into her phone's app, so the photo could be retrieved. With the code, they all made their way to a nearby bench away from the exiting crowds to view their picture. Much to their surprise, they didn't have to wait long for the photo to appear.
"Aw damn, we look good!" Ryuji exclaimed.
Up front, Morgana and Futaba gripped the handholds mounted on the top of the car with determination, each of leaning forward and sporting a sly grin as if they'd just gotten away with stealing the Death Star plans. Behind them, Makoto and Akira were locked in a fake lightsaber battle, trying to be serious but each showing a trace of a smile. Behind them was Yusuke pretending to force choke Ryuji, who was grasping at his neck like it was working. Lastly, Ann and Haru had gone for a classic pose, turning themselves to make it appear as if they were sitting back to back and sporting finger guns, putting on their best fem fatale face.
"Guys the wait dropped to twenty minutes!" Makoto exclaimed, showing them the screen of her phone.
"How?" Ann yelped to which Makoto just shrugged.
"AGAIN, AGAIN!" Mona shouted, already heading towards the start of the line.
"I'm riding with Mona this time!" Ann said with a laugh before heading off to catch up with him.
"Haru, you wanna sit in the back?" Makoto asked.
"Yes! I'd like that very much!" She replied before the two set off.
"Hey man, wanna ride with me up front?" Ryuji asked Akira.
"Sure!" He replied, taking Futaba's hand while she shook her head at the ride photo before she looked up at her boyfriend and shaking her head at the lovable dork.
"I love you." She cooed.
"I know."
…
After hitting all their favorite rides one more time, the Phantom Thieves decided to close out their day by grabbing dinner before finding a place to set up and watch the nightly fireworks, having heeded Haru's advice to get there spot an hour ahead of time. From there, they sat on the concrete, watching as the crowd closed in, filling in space around them. Morgana was wearing his new sky blue 'I was the rebel spy' shirt that depicted an orange Starspeeder 1000 fleeing from a pair of TIE Fighters, laser bolts grazing the hardy little ship. His black sweater was draped over his shoulders and he shared a pair of earbuds with Ann who was showing him her Disney playlist on Spotify and trying to get him to sing along.
Meanwhile, Futaba sat leaning against Akira, staring up at the castle as the projections on its face form the wallpaper of Andy's room to an ensemble of doors that surely belonged in Monstroplois before shifting to the stain glass images that made up the prologue of Beauty and the Beast, complete with the film's signature piano theme and narration.
Next to them was Haru and Makoto who were thumbing through the day's pictures and planning out the next day's activities in Tokyo DisneySea. Behind them, Yusuke and Ryuji were examining the surrounding area trying to decide where they would launch a snack attack, after coming to a decision they both stood up.
"Yusuke and I are off to grab churros. Who wants some?" Ryuji asked.
Akira, Ann, Morgana's hands shot up, as did Futaba's after she took out her wallet, which was adorned with the signature insignia of Organization 13 from the Kingdom Hearts series. Akira tried to get his own wallet out, but Futaba stopped him.
"Oh no you don't, you got lunch and dinner! The least I can do is get us some churros." She scolded before handing a thousand yen note to Ryuji who pocketed it before moving onto Ann who opened her purse to fish out some money only for Morgana to offer his own thousand yen note. Money everyone knew he had earned from Sojiro helping around Leblanc.
"Here, get one for me and Lady Ann." He instructed Ryuji, who looked to Ann for approval. She smiled softly at Mona before nodding at Ryuji who shrugged and took the note and started heading for the nearest churro cart with Yusuke at his side. Meanwhile, the castle's projection changed again, depicting a vast starscape where WALL-E and EVE could be seen dancing the night away.
Ann closed her eyes and took her earbud out stood up, swaying to the soft melody that washed over the pavilion like the day's first sunbeams, warming the soul of every being it touched as a computerized voice introduced the song.
"Dancing: a serious of movements between two partners where speed and rhythm match harmoniously with music."
Ann spun around and looked to Morgana who was putting his sweater back on when she called to him.
"Hey, Mona!"
"Hmm?" He asked, his big blue eyes darting up to meet hers.
"Come dance with me!" She told him, offering her hand.
"I don't know how…" He told her.
"Well, then I'll teach you." She replied giving him an encouraging smile, which made his cheeks flush as he stood up.
"Ok, sorry in advance if I step on your feet." He told her as he walked over, taking her hand.
"Since your new, I'll lead ok, so just do what I do." She began, taking his hands and placing them on her waist before placing her own hands on his shoulders. Thankfully he was only six inches shorter than her, so the size difference didn't impair their dancing ability.
"Close your eyes."
"Wait close my eyes?" He asked.
"Yup, go ahead. I'm leading, so just relax and trust me ok? I won't let you trip on anything, promise." She assured him.
"Alright." He replied, shutting his eyes like he was told. "Now what?"
"Listen to the music. The first thing you need to realize that unless your trying to emulate a very particular style, there is no right way to dance. There's Ann style, there's Futaba style, Akira style and after tonight there will be Morgana style. The only one you need to worry about."
"Ok." He replied as his body started swaying to the music.
"There you go, see you already got the hang of this." Ann said with a smile. "the next thing you need to pay attention to is your partner. If they look like they're getting bored, try mixing it up, that's only if you're leading though. Remember its ok to let the girl lead sometimes, that's what dancing is. Give and take. If your partner looks nervous, talk to them. Once you get into a rhythm, the dancing is second nature and you'll be able to hold a conversation."
Morgana nodded as he settled into the rhythm, now he and Ann were moving together much to her delight.
"You're a natural Mona! All the girls are gonna want to dance with you when you start going to school." She told him, making him blush again.
"You really think so?"
"Of course! Trust me, any girl will fall head over heels for a guy who can dance." She assured him as Futaba and Akira got up from their seats to join them. As they took their spot near Mona and Ann, Futaba wrapped her arms around her boyfriend's torso and pulled him close, resting her head on his chest while he put his arms around her waist and looked down at her peaceful expression with unbridled adoration. The two swayed slowly to the music, hardly moving from there spot as they got swept up in the rhythm. Nearby, Haru stood up and took a deep breath before turning and offering her hand to Makoto.
"May I have this dance?" She asked.
Makoto nodded enthusiastically and took the pink aired girls hand, and she responded by pulling her onto her feet and leading her to the others, giving her a quick twirl before pulling in close and starting to dance. The gesture earned her a delighted giggle from Makoto who gently rested her arms and on the girl's shoulders and gave her a quizzical look.
"So, I take it your leading?" She teased.
"For now." Her partner replied before they both shut their eyes and started to sway. Morgana had been watching them and looked up to Ann as an idea popped into his head.
"Hey, can I lead for a second? I wanna try something."
"OK, go ahead," Ann replied, giving him another encouraging nod.
Morgana then clumsily led her through a twirl, it was nowhere near as graceful as Haru's and because of that he grimaced and let go of Ann's hand halfway through the botched maneuver, shaking his head in disappointment as Ann spun herself back around to face him.
"Eeh, sorry. I didn't realize that would be so tough." He muttered, eyes focused on his feet as Ann guided his hands back to your waist before putting her hand under his chin and making him look at her.
"Hey, don't beat yourself up about it alright? Twirls are hard. Haru probably had a hundred bad twirls before she got it right. You won't get better at dancing if you don't have bad twirls or step on your partner's foot every once in a while. The most important thing is this, never ever leave your partner dance by themselves. You stick with them no matter what, all the way up until the end of the song, ok?"
Morgana nodded firmly. "Ok."
"Now, let's try that again, but this time don't let go of my hand until I spin around and come back you. No matter how bad the twirl may seem."
"I won't." He assured her as they started the move again. It, once again, was sloppy slow and a little cumbersome, but Morgana held his partner's hand firmly, guiding her back to him as she completed the spin.
"Good job!" She told him as the song ended, his cheeks were as bright as ever, but he was beaming with pride as they parted. She gave him a mock curtsey and he returned the gesture with a bow. Nearby, Makoto and Haru also parted curtsying after they did so.
Akira and Futaba finished with a twirl of their own but as he drew her back towards him, he took her hand with his own while placing his other hand on the small of her back, spinning them both before lowering her towards the floor. They held the pose for several seconds before Akira pulled her back up and twirled her again, but as she finished the spin, they remained at arm's length, tightly holding the others hand before breaking apart, doing as others had before them, Futaba curtsied, and Akira bowed earning them so light applause from nearby onlookers as Ryuji and Yusuke arrived with the churros.
"We're back!" Ryuji declared, holding the spoils of their adventure aloft as the group returned to their firework viewing spots.
"Good, now you two have to dance." Futaba teased as Ryuji handed her some change followed by the churros. Yusuke laughed and shook his head as he handed Ann and Mona their snacks.
"I'm afraid I must decline. I'm not very good at dancing."
"Well, there's no right way dance," Mona told him before biting into his churro.
"He's right you know," Ann added.
"Is that so?" Yusuke asked before looking at Makoto and Haru. "Most of the desert carts have almost no line, if you'd like to get a snack I'd recommend doing it sooner rather than later."
"There's still sometime before the fireworks start. We can run to one of my favorite shops in the bazaar and get your pin collection started while we're away." Haru offered.
"Let's do it!" Makoto said, springing to her feet and extending her arm to Haru.
"Shall we?" She asked as Haru linked arms with her after giving a quick nod.
"Yes, let's," Haru replied as they both turned and walked off, once they were out of earshot, Ryuji turned to Akira.
"2,500 Yen says they hook up by the end of the summer." He offered.
"5,000 Yen says any time before the first day of class." His friend countered.
"You two are terrible," Ann grumbled.
"No, the three of us are terrible. I want in on this too you know." Futaba replied.
"6,500 Yen says they hook up by the end of the month."
"No way!" Ryuji scoffed.
"That's bold even for you Taba," Akira added.
"I'll remind you when you're begging to play Jurassic World Evolution after I get it on day one. Hell, it'll probably an oversized sweater only day for me. Too bad you won't be invited. No T-Rex V Spino rematch for you mister" She teased, giving her boyfriend an exaggerated wink.
Akira looked at her and narrowed his eyes as she took a bite out of her churro.
"Oversized sweater only day and dinosaurs? You're pure evil."
"Oh yeah, bad to the bone, I should go find Maleficent and put in my application in to be the newest Disney villain, mwheheh. That's what happens you bet against your girlfriend though." She replied with a snicker.
Ann just sighed and shook her head before looking at Yusuke.
"Well at least someone isn't betting on our friend's love lives."
"I must confess that the only reason I'm abstaining from this is that I do not have the money to spare at the moment. Most of my funds are being held in reserve for souvenirs and food from this resort." He replied sheepishly.
Ann threw her hands in the air.
"Oh, my-Mona! Mona your with me on this ri-" She looked to her friend only to see he was leaning against her with a half-eaten churro in his lap, fast asleep. Ann just sighed and shook her head, ruffling Mona's hair before briefly tuning back into the ongoing conversation. They may have been idiots, but they were her idiots she thought as she put an earbud in and looked to the castle. Today had been amazing, and tomorrow couldn't come soon enough.
…
A.N- Man, another long one! Everybody still awake? Hopefully, that wasn't too repetitive. I also apologize if it seems I blew past anyone's favorite ride. I picked the ones that had the biggest impact on me as a kid, although I've only been to Disneyland Anaheim so if this seemed strange to anyone who has actually been to Tokyo Disney, I was basing this all of my own recollection. Even though this was all fluff, we've got another set of plot threads appearing! Haru and Makoto's closeness and Mona's new life as a human. Each coming with their own set of problems. Next time, we see follow the gang through the other park in the Tokyo Disney Resort. Expect Indiana Jones, Toy Story and of course The Tower of Terror! Thanks again for all your thoughtful reviews and comments, I hope I can keeping meeting all your expectations.
Have a good weekend everyone, thanks for reading!