DISCLAIMER: This story is based on characters created by Alexander Key and
owned by Walt Disney Pictures. This is fan fiction, and not endorsed by
Mr. Key, his estate, or the Walt Disney Company. No copyright infringement
is intended, and no money is being made from this story. It is based on
plot elements used in the books Escape to Witch Mountain and Return from
Witch Mountain, as well as the movies of the same name, although the books
and the movies differ extensively. Please direct all queries, comments,
etc. to kevinpkhaynes@yahoo.com. It is my sincere desire that you enjoy
the story as the pure entertainment it was intended to be. Your feedback
is welcome as well!
LIFE ON WITCH MOUNTAIN
By Kevin Haynes
CHAPTER 38
It had been a year since that wonderful day. Eric had taken a week off from the Senate to get to know his parents, his people . and Tia. Trina and Ty moved in with Uncle Bené and Aunt Bri, who were lonely since Tony and Tia had gone on assignment. Trina took to being a Homedweller immediately - learning new abilities, helping out with building dwellings, and camping out in the woods so she could learn to communicate with the animals.
After that week, Tony and Tia returned to their assignments. Eric went back to the Senate. Ty had fun meeting all of the Homedwellers his age, but he still missed Tony so much that he talked to him daily via transmitter, and spent two weeks a month with Tony on assignment.
The most beautiful thing that had happened in the past year, though, was that Eric and Tia had grown so close. Tony knew he would miss being the "special man" in Tia's life, but felt that if anyone could take his place, it was Eric. Watching the two of them together, you could just tell that he loved her with his whole being, and that she felt the same for him.
Early on in their relationship, Eric's parents gave their blessing, as did Uncle Bené and Aunt Bri who had been the closest thing Tia had to parents since arriving at New Home.
So it was, on a bright spring day, Eric and Tia were married. The ceremony was held outdoors, of course. Since no one dressed up at New Home, everyone sat on the ground. Not only were all Homedwellers present - even many on assignment had come back to see this - all of Tia's animal friends were there as well. And for the first time ever, humans were among the group on New Home! Tia had invited Kurt - "Dazzler" - to the wedding, and he begged her to include the rest of the Earthquake Gang. After checking with Uncle Bené, who heartily gave his approval, they were brought via lifeboat to attend the ceremony.
Wedding ceremonies on Home were quite different from those performed on our world, but since most Homedwellers had now spent time with humans, they had combined the two traditions into one. No one "gave away" the bride - Homedwellers believed that two people united of their own will. Tia dressed in a simple garment adorned with flowers. Everyone - Homedwellers, animals, and humans - sat in a circle. Eric and Tia walked, hand in hand, into the center of the circle, where they were joined by Uncle Bené. As the senior statesman for the Homedwellers, he had the authority to formalize the union of the two.
He simply looked at Eric and said, "Benje, do you love Tia completely, and will you do everything in your power to show her that love for the rest of your life?" Eric, his face lit up with a smile, looked at Tia and said, "Oh yes!" Tia blushed, but was smiling as well, when Uncle Bené said, "Tia, do you love Eric completely, and will you do everything in your power to show him that love for the rest of your life?"
Tia looked at Eric, then looked at Uncle Bené and said, "Yes."
Uncle Bené turned to the crowd and said, "In the presence of the earth and the stars, I declare that these two are one!" Everyone cheered, and even the animals joined in, making their distinctive noises in approval.
Eric and Tia kissed. Then the congratulations began. Tony was the first to wish his sister well and to welcome Eric to their family. Benj and Tiana, Bené and Bri, all were exchanging blessings and congratulations with everyone involved.
The celebration would last the rest of the day and into the night. Tony, overwhelmed with emotion, sat down against a tree at the edge of the clearing. Ty came over and sat down beside him.
"Tony, are you OK?" he asked. His ability to sense the feelings of others impressed Tony. Tony smiled down at him and said, "Yeah, Ty, I'm actually doing great."
Ty nodded, then looked up at him. "Are you sure? It just seems like something's up."
Mussing the boy's hair, Tony laughed and said, "Just because you can read somebody doesn't mean you always read them right! Now, if you want to know what I'm thinking, just ask." He winked at Ty, who started laughing as well.
"OK, Tony . what are you thinking?"
Tony looked at him, then looked around at the celebration. "Well, I'm thinking that I won't be as close to Tia as I used to be, because she has Eric now. But that's okay, because we've already been apart for a year on assignment, and I know she's happy."
He continued. "I'm also happy, because I have you and your mom to be with and have fun with. I can't wait to teach you more of what I know and watch you grow. I'm also at peace because Dr. Gannon isn't going to threaten us anymore, Truck is in prison for a long time, and the AAAI has been disbanded. For the first time in years, I can just relax.
"It's a weird thing, though, Ty. Sometimes when you've been cautious and untrusting for a long time, it's hard to just believe all of a sudden that you can relax, that now you don't have to be on guard. So I guess what I'm feeling most is that it's OK to really just relax. I've been taking care of Tia my whole life and vice versa, and now I'm not. So I'm making an adjustment, and sometimes that just takes time."
They were both silent for a minute. Then Ty looked up at Tony with a serious expression on his face. Silently he said, "Tony, you know I'll be here for you!" Tony looked at the 12-year-old's face, full of determination and dedication. Tony smiled, hugged Ty to himself, and said, "I know, Ty. And I'll be here for you."
Then they both sat back against the tree to enjoy the warm sunshine, the light breeze, the sounds of laughter and merriment, and the prospect of a peaceful life on Witch Mountain.
THE END
LIFE ON WITCH MOUNTAIN
By Kevin Haynes
CHAPTER 38
It had been a year since that wonderful day. Eric had taken a week off from the Senate to get to know his parents, his people . and Tia. Trina and Ty moved in with Uncle Bené and Aunt Bri, who were lonely since Tony and Tia had gone on assignment. Trina took to being a Homedweller immediately - learning new abilities, helping out with building dwellings, and camping out in the woods so she could learn to communicate with the animals.
After that week, Tony and Tia returned to their assignments. Eric went back to the Senate. Ty had fun meeting all of the Homedwellers his age, but he still missed Tony so much that he talked to him daily via transmitter, and spent two weeks a month with Tony on assignment.
The most beautiful thing that had happened in the past year, though, was that Eric and Tia had grown so close. Tony knew he would miss being the "special man" in Tia's life, but felt that if anyone could take his place, it was Eric. Watching the two of them together, you could just tell that he loved her with his whole being, and that she felt the same for him.
Early on in their relationship, Eric's parents gave their blessing, as did Uncle Bené and Aunt Bri who had been the closest thing Tia had to parents since arriving at New Home.
So it was, on a bright spring day, Eric and Tia were married. The ceremony was held outdoors, of course. Since no one dressed up at New Home, everyone sat on the ground. Not only were all Homedwellers present - even many on assignment had come back to see this - all of Tia's animal friends were there as well. And for the first time ever, humans were among the group on New Home! Tia had invited Kurt - "Dazzler" - to the wedding, and he begged her to include the rest of the Earthquake Gang. After checking with Uncle Bené, who heartily gave his approval, they were brought via lifeboat to attend the ceremony.
Wedding ceremonies on Home were quite different from those performed on our world, but since most Homedwellers had now spent time with humans, they had combined the two traditions into one. No one "gave away" the bride - Homedwellers believed that two people united of their own will. Tia dressed in a simple garment adorned with flowers. Everyone - Homedwellers, animals, and humans - sat in a circle. Eric and Tia walked, hand in hand, into the center of the circle, where they were joined by Uncle Bené. As the senior statesman for the Homedwellers, he had the authority to formalize the union of the two.
He simply looked at Eric and said, "Benje, do you love Tia completely, and will you do everything in your power to show her that love for the rest of your life?" Eric, his face lit up with a smile, looked at Tia and said, "Oh yes!" Tia blushed, but was smiling as well, when Uncle Bené said, "Tia, do you love Eric completely, and will you do everything in your power to show him that love for the rest of your life?"
Tia looked at Eric, then looked at Uncle Bené and said, "Yes."
Uncle Bené turned to the crowd and said, "In the presence of the earth and the stars, I declare that these two are one!" Everyone cheered, and even the animals joined in, making their distinctive noises in approval.
Eric and Tia kissed. Then the congratulations began. Tony was the first to wish his sister well and to welcome Eric to their family. Benj and Tiana, Bené and Bri, all were exchanging blessings and congratulations with everyone involved.
The celebration would last the rest of the day and into the night. Tony, overwhelmed with emotion, sat down against a tree at the edge of the clearing. Ty came over and sat down beside him.
"Tony, are you OK?" he asked. His ability to sense the feelings of others impressed Tony. Tony smiled down at him and said, "Yeah, Ty, I'm actually doing great."
Ty nodded, then looked up at him. "Are you sure? It just seems like something's up."
Mussing the boy's hair, Tony laughed and said, "Just because you can read somebody doesn't mean you always read them right! Now, if you want to know what I'm thinking, just ask." He winked at Ty, who started laughing as well.
"OK, Tony . what are you thinking?"
Tony looked at him, then looked around at the celebration. "Well, I'm thinking that I won't be as close to Tia as I used to be, because she has Eric now. But that's okay, because we've already been apart for a year on assignment, and I know she's happy."
He continued. "I'm also happy, because I have you and your mom to be with and have fun with. I can't wait to teach you more of what I know and watch you grow. I'm also at peace because Dr. Gannon isn't going to threaten us anymore, Truck is in prison for a long time, and the AAAI has been disbanded. For the first time in years, I can just relax.
"It's a weird thing, though, Ty. Sometimes when you've been cautious and untrusting for a long time, it's hard to just believe all of a sudden that you can relax, that now you don't have to be on guard. So I guess what I'm feeling most is that it's OK to really just relax. I've been taking care of Tia my whole life and vice versa, and now I'm not. So I'm making an adjustment, and sometimes that just takes time."
They were both silent for a minute. Then Ty looked up at Tony with a serious expression on his face. Silently he said, "Tony, you know I'll be here for you!" Tony looked at the 12-year-old's face, full of determination and dedication. Tony smiled, hugged Ty to himself, and said, "I know, Ty. And I'll be here for you."
Then they both sat back against the tree to enjoy the warm sunshine, the light breeze, the sounds of laughter and merriment, and the prospect of a peaceful life on Witch Mountain.
THE END