Fantasia Crisis
By Lord Akiyama
Inspired by "Crisis on Infinite Earths" by Marv Wolfman and George Pérez
Chapter Eleven
---
"Are you boys doing okay in the master's mystical plane?" Mickey asked. He was always comfortable to speak before his closest friends Goofy and Donald.
"Sure is a huge place, Mickey," Goofy said.
"And we're not allowed to even talk to the twelve," Donald said. "Why does he need us any way when he has them?"
"Well, it's situations like these when the twelve are scattered and most are being possessed that we enter the picture," Mickey replied. "The master is troubled by something and believes Hades is neglecting information."
"Gwarsh, this sounds serious," Goofy said.
"Sure is pal," Mickey nodded. "When he found Simba, we noticed that he didn't seem to have aged a day since we last met him. And it has been two years since the balance disruption."
"Maybe he got caught in limbo," Donald suggested.
"That was our first logical answer," Mickey said. "But we noticed neither Ariel nor Robin Hood have aged either. And they have been exposed to the alterations for the two years it has taken place. Something is up, fellas, and it looks like we're the ones who need to know what's happening?"
"So where should we go first, Mickey?" Goofy asked. "Back to the castle and to the library?"
"That won't explain anything, Goofy," Donald said, rolling his eyes at his friend's suggestion. "We need to go somewhere that can be helpful in figuring this mess out."
"That's exactly right, Donald," Mickey nodded. "And you guys know that there is only one person who can help us out."
"Oh no," Donald groaned. "The guy is a wacko, Mickey. And he's a school teacher for crying out loud!"
"Well, your nephews seem to like him, Donald," Goofy chuckled.
"Why not?" Donald muttered. "Ichabod Crane is more than friendly to the kids. Especially when they are the ones who give him piles of food to eat on a daily basis and I offer him nothing. How he hasn't fatten up is beyond me."
---
"It's getting dark pretty soon," Robin said while the three walked. "The forests are neither safe nor dangerous, but it doesn't hurt to find a form of shelter to spend the night in."
"Maybe we should stop somewhere close to a body of water," Simba suggested. "Is there something like a lake around here? You seem to know this forest rather well, Robin."
Robin thought for a moment. "Well, I know there is a river within the forest," he finally concluded. "I heard that there was a waterfall somewhere, but I myself have yet to see it."
"Waterfall?" Ariel asked. "I may have lived in the ocean, but I have never heard of a waterfall."
"I would not suspect you to be familiar with one," Robin chuckled a little. "A waterfall is more a land thing as opposed to using all forms of water. There are waterfalls near oceans, as I have come to understand, but I am not sure where. Waterfalls are basically a river of water running off of huge cliffs."
Hear Robin explain to Ariel what a waterfall was made him smiled. He recalled when he saw Nala after two years of exile. The sudden shock and happiness that emerged. Best of friends together again. And it was near a waterfall that their feelings begin to slowly change. He had come to care much more for his friend than ever before.
"Wait," Robin quickly whispered, cutting off his conversation with Ariel and interrupting Simba in his deep thoughts. Everyone had stopped dead in their tracks as Robin began to look about. "We're not alone," he whispered.
"You think it's unfriendly?" Simba asked in a low whisper.
"I'm not sure," Robin replied. "I do, though, smell something odd. Something that is... flammable."
Robin took one step forward and listened carefully. He then heard the snapping of twigs. The sound was small, but he could still hear it. He swiftly drew his arrow and rolled forward, getting back to his feet quickly and aimed. The tip of the arrow nearly touched the tip of the gun pointed at him.
---
The door opened, music singing from within, and a woman appeared with a smile. "My goodness," she said, "we have quite the visitors, Ichabod. It's Master Mickey, Master Donald, and Master Goofy."
"Quite the visitors indeed," a voice from inside called. "Please, Katrina my dear, allow them in. It must be of importance for the apprentice of Yen Sid to grant his presence."
"Come in, come in," Katrina cheerfully said. "It is always a pleasure for us to receive guests." Katrina widened the open door and stood behind it as the guests entered the house. She closed the door behind them and she then began to dance past them, humming to the wordless music.
"You just happened to come upon us as we were about to have dinner," Ichabod said, entering the room and dancing along with Katrina. "Though I do believe we have enough for our humbled guests, do we not my dear?"
"Of course we do, Ichabod," Katrina giggled. "You never know when unexpected guests arrive."
"Oh I'm sure you have enough food for us," Donald muttered quietly, to which Mickey gave him a disapproving look. "What?" he continued in his low whisper. "Look at them. There is a continuing threat and they're dancing like nothing is going on."
"The least we could do is allow them that happiness, Donald," Mickey whispered. "If anything, everyone deserves not to be troubled by that with which we are troubled with."
Ichabod and Katrina continued to dance until Katrina began to spin away. "I shall have dinner prepared in just a moment, dear masters," she sang in unison with the music, giving the three guests a curtsy before disappearing into the kitchen. Ichabod sighed with a dream-like smile on his face as he watched Katrina go.
"Ms. Katrina Van Tassel is such a beauty to behold, is she not," Ichabod said. He did not seem to be speaking to any one in particular, keeping his eyes still locked on the kitchen door. He sighed and then released himself of the love spell. "Well then, I believe you have come to see me for great importance, apprentice," he said to Mickey, clapping his hands together.
"Yes we have, Mr. Ichabod," Mickey began to say.
"Please, just Ichabod shall do for you," Ichabod said happily.
"Okay," Mickey said. "My master has been rather curious with something since the balance disruption. We believe that Hades is not telling us something, whether he actually knows about it or not."
"I see," Ichabod said, thoughtfully. "Well then, we shall have to take a seat as I am not much of a thinker when I am on my feet. Please, have a seat and enjoy the cooking of my dear Katrina as I help you discover your master's troubles."
---
"I see we have guests, John Smith," an elderly voice spoke.
"A little jumpy, but they're alright," John Smith said, allowing the others to enter. Simba noticed that even though it looked small, it seemed quite comfy. Ariel looked about in amazement, images of her underwater world flooding through her memory. Robin cracked a smile, remembering how he used to hide in places like these before.
"Aw, I see they are extra special, John Smith," the elderly voice spoke.
"Who is that speaking?" Ariel asked.
"Take a look yourselves," John grinned, pointing to a tree to the side of the room. The three turned and they watched as a face appeared. "This is the Grandmother Willow," John said.
"And I sense you three are more than meets the eye," the tree spoke. "You three, like many outside, are from different worlds. The young lady is a princess of the sea. The man like fox is an outlaw for the people. The lion a king in his realm. Not only that, he talks."
"I take it you're like a spirit," Simba said in a low chuckle after the discovery that he could talk.
"You could say that," a voice said. The three turned to see a woman, appearance very different from John's, entering the room carrying a basket. "Grandmother Willow is a spirit of guidance and wisdom."
"And she is Pocahontas," John said. "To her, I am a foreigner. To me, she is an Indian."
"Pleasure to meet you, ma'am," Robin said as he bowed, the others following his lead. "My name is Robin Hood. My companions are Ariel and Simba."
"And I see that you are seeking shelter for the night," Pocahontas said with a light laugh.
"Indeed they are," a familiar voice sounded. Robin, Ariel, and Simba quickly began to look around in relief while the others were in a sense of confusion. "They are on a quest of importance and the road ahead shall become as dangerous as ever."
"My goodness," Grandmother Willow gasped. "The master of masters..." Upon hearing this, Pocahontas quickly fell into a bowing position. John seemed rather reluctant before joining.
"No need at the moment," Yen Sid said, setting himself down on the ground. "All I ask is something to drink as I explain to Robin, Ariel, and Simba a new situation. Though it would be kind if I could happen upon one of your herbal drinks, my dear Pocahontas."
---
"My apprentice and his companions seemed to have discovered something troubling," the master said, drinking a cup of herbal liquid by Pocahontas. "Simba, we believed it was rather peculiar that when we came upon you after the two years the balance disruption took place, you had not aged a day."
Simba arched an eyebrow and thought for a moment. "Well, maybe it is because I'm one of those unaffected by the balance disruption," he suggested.
"That was what we concluded ourselves when we set you out to retrieve the others," Yen Sid nodded. "That perhaps you were suspended in limbo between time and space somehow. But then we began to notice that neither Ariel nor Robin had aged a day either despite engaging in the alterations that took place."
"How is that possible?" Ariel asked. "I have been married for almost a year now and I haven't aged a day even before?"
"That is exactly right, Ariel," the master answered. "We decided that Hades had neglected information, whether it was intentional or not. My apprentice sought the services of a man whose knowledge was widely vast. He, too, was unaffected by the balance disruption and has since isolated himself and his companion, though it is more out of personal pleasure than it is out of fear. Through this man, my apprentice has discovered that Hades has disabled time."
"What?" Robin said. "What are you talking about? The sun rises and sets as though time itself is moving?"
"That is true," Yen Sid nodded, "but only the sun is unaffected by this sudden discovery. Everything else is no longer under a clock and not a soul has aged since the balance disruption two years ago."
"No one..." Simba said. "... you mean... my daughter hasn't been born yet?"
"I am afraid this is the case, Simba," the master said. "The same with Ariel, as a matter of fact."
"What?!" the three cried. Simba and Robin quickly turned their heads to Ariel, whose eyes were wide open in confusion.
"Yes," Yen Sid said, drinking the cup some more. "Because time has not moved, you could not have possibly known that you have been pregnant these past five months. Otherwise it would have been plain to see."
"Why has Hades stopped time?" Simba asked.
"We assume that this is to provide a greater sense of urgency to quickly end this battle," the master answered. "One thing for sure is that when he relinquishes his control over the soul of the world, only then will time resume."
"So there is more to us having to defeat Chernabog now than just to save the world," Robin said. "Everything is at stake."
"Very much," Yen Sid replied. "Your trials will now become more difficult than ever, I am afraid. I sense that Chernabog will no doubt give up this game of cat and mouse with you all. I fear he will make a strike to eliminate everyone. You must find the others as swiftly as possible and you must always be on your guard, even in your sleep. There is bounty on your head and there will be many as determined as ever to collect. Now more than ever must you succeed in defeating him. There is no second chance if you fail."
---
"Speak to me my fortune, great spirit from beyond," Chernabog said, slowly waving his arm before the mirror. Clouds fogged the mirror within and a thunder strike could be heard. Soon, the clouds disappeared and a face appeared, floating without a body.
"Thou shalt conquer all if not for twelve," the head within the mirror said. "Twelve band together in true glory, thou shalt fall."
"The twelve cannot possibly band together, great spirit from beyond," Chernabog said. "My servant of fire and flight has eliminated a spirit of seasonal spring."
"Under estimation you have concluded, a foolish decision," the head spoke. "Her true power have yet to be revealed, and revealed it shall."
Chernabog narrowed his eyes in confusion. He ran the words of the mirror through his head many times before he raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Rebirth..." he whispered.
"Yes," the mirror said. "The weapon of glory discovered it has, in the hands of the twelve it be." Before Chernabog could react to the words that was spoken, the clouds reappeared to take the head away.
Chernabog stared at the mirror, putting together the words that was spoken. He then thought about the scar Maleficent received from the lion. "Maleficent," he called. "I believe you have withheld information from me."
Maleficent awoken from her concentration and looked to Chernabog with narrowed eyes. "And what are you implying with those words, Chernabog?" she hissed.
"You said that you were distracted when the lion created that scar upon your face," he said. "How was this so?"
"As I told you, I was distracted by the princess," she answered.
"How did she distract you?" he demanded.
She looked at him with a look of displeasure before she answered. "She had a sword within her grasps. The humans call it 'The Hand of Triton.'"
Chernabog raised his eyes before screaming in frustration. "This cannot be happening!" he yelled.
"Is this sword important?" Maleficent asked curiously.
"There is no such thing as 'The Hand of Triton,' there never was," he answered. "It was a name I devised to mask the one thing Yen Sid must not discover. It is an essential weapon of the twelve and now they have it."
"What is the true name of the sword?" she asked.
"EXCALIBUR!" Chernabog screamed. Her eyes shot opened upon hearing the name. "Yes, the very sword that when the balance was disrupted was never released from its prison. Not even Yen Sid knew that the sword itself was an essential tool to defeat me. Especially in the hands of The Spring Sprite."
"But we eliminated her," Maleficent quickly said.
"Do not be so sure," he said. "She is more than just a spirit of seasonal spring. Her true power benefits from her also being a spirit of creation and rebirth. If we do not act quickly, she shall be reborn and more troubling to us than ever before. And with Excalibur in the possession of the twelve, Yen Sid shall no doubt be one step closer to fulfilling his desire in defeating me."
Maleficent took all this in with shock and fear. "What must we do?" she asked.
"We have to eliminate them now," Chernabog answered.
"How?" she said.
"ANY WAY!" he screamed, smoke fuming out of his body to evoke his rage. "You have control over many of them, you figure out how to kill them! Do you hear me, Maleficent?! The twelve are not permitted to live another second longer! Call upon the sea witch, the vizier, The Horned King, the Hun, the bumbling captain, my servant, everyone. All who worship me are to kill the twelve on sight! Do you understand me?! KILL THEM ALL!"
to be continued...