Rescuing the Dreamfinder

Disclaimer: Same as before...

"You're up late, again, Godfrey." Doc observed.

"I might say the same of you, mate." Godfrey replied.

"I just had to inventory that new stock of quinine Prue was kind enough to get for me while D'Artagnan got us into that holding cell." Doc replied, "Which begs the question, why are you awake? And quit trying to act like a Spartan with a fox under his cloak."

"Prue just had a discussion with Andy." Godfrey replied, "And what happened was he told her he only has nine days to live?"

"What do you mean by that?" Doc asked.

"I'm saying the magic that created Andy can create one of two beings. One that lives for 100 years and another that lives for 2 weeks." Godfrey replied, "Andy is one of the former."

"And I take it he just told Prue?" Doc replied.

"Exactly." Godfrey replied.

"Where is she right now?" Doc asked.

"I'd check her quarters." Godfrey replied.

"I might need to check up on her." Doc replied.

"I'll go with you." Godfrey replied, at Doc's stare he added, "As a friend."

"Which brings up my question, where's Andy?" Doc asked.

"Likely with Prue." Godfrey replied.

The two men walked for Prue's door and knocked. They heard a sniffle and a, "Come in..."

Prue answered the door, still somewhat bleary eyed. "Sorry to bug you, but Godfrey told me what happened and as your doctor and your friend I wanted to check on you." Doc began.

"I'm OK..." Prue began.

"If I may," Doc replied, "You look like Hell."

"What do you expect?" Prue snapped, "My boyfriend is going to die, again! And what's worse is that I can't find him anywhere."

At this Prue sobbed, "I'm sorry..."

"It's alright." Doc said, gently.

"We're here for you. "Godfrey replied, "And that's a promise...We're your friends."

"Look, that's so sweet of you, but I really want to be alone." Prue replied, closing the door.

"This is serious. Andy's gone missing." Godfrey replied, "I'm going to go look for him."

"Not alone you aren't." Doc replied.

"We need to find him." Godfrey replied, "Not just for Prue's peace of mind, damn it. We've got a crew member missing, and for all we know something supernatural could be involved."

"And if you run across something supernatural, Godfrey," Doc replied, "You're likely to get yourself killed."

"I'll go wake up Sora, Donald, and Goofy, you might need their help. Prue's in no state to take on something supernatural right now." Doc replied, "I'll tell Kolopak and put the ship on alert."

"Right. I'll be waiting, presently." Godfrey replied.

After Prue closed the door and went back to her bed, lay down and clutched at her other pillow, tears in her eyes. Andy had just disappeared. Where the hell was he?

She heard another knock on the door, she didn't move to open it. "Prue, its Godfrey. I just wanted to tell you, I'm going to search for Andy with Sora, Goofy, and Donald. We'll find him, I promise..."

"Hang on, I'm coming with you..." Prue shouted, brushing a stray hair lock from her face and running for the door.

"Like hell you are." Godfrey replied when she opened the door.

"If magical forces took Andy you will need my help." Prue replied.

"And if magical forces are in fact involved, I'll be damned before I let you out there in the state you're in." Godfrey replied.

"Godfrey..." Prue began.

"No arguments. Donald, Sora, and Goofy are along." Godfrey replied, "You haven't slept well, you're emotionally distraught, you're..."

"A liability..." Prue replied, "Go ahead and say it."

"That wasn't what I was about to say." Godfrey replied, "I was saying you could get hurt."

"And you couldn't?" Prue questioned.

"Look, you're in a bad state after your argument with Andy. You might not be at your best, if we get attacked you could get hurt." Godfrey replied.

"Godfrey, for crying out loud!" Prue replied.

Just then Donald walked into the hallway with Goofy. "Look, if we have any close encounters of the magical variety I've got help." Godfrey replied.

"You're cutting me out of this?" Prue demanded.

"Prue, this is for your own good." Godfrey argued.

"You're starting to act like Roger..." Prue remarked.

Godfrey knew who she was referring to from chats they'd had, "Do I look like I'm yanking something important opportunity away from you?"

"Well, it looks like it to me." Prue replied, forgetting anything about indoor voices.

"Guys..." Goofy said.

"Prue, this is for your own good. You're in a bad way right now." Godfrey replied.

"You're starting to sound like a broken record." Prue replied.

"For the love of God..." Godfrey replied.

"Broken record." Prue snapped back.

"GUYS!" Goofy shouted, waving his arms, accidentally bashing Donald in the head with his round shield.

"Wuh...wuh...wuh..." Donald staggered away.

With the exception of Donald for obvious reasons everyone shut up immediately. "Why are you two yelling at each other?" Goofy asked.

"It's obvious somebody is being pigheaded here." Prue replied.

"Start from the beginning." Goofy replied.

"Well, I went to tell Prue that we were going to go look for Andy." Godfrey replied, "Then she wanted to join our search."

"Whereupon somebody said I'm in no state to go chasing after Andy." Prue replied.

"Don't you think he's right?" Goofy asked, "I mean you're in an emotional state, you're tired as anything..."

"You're starting to sound like Godfrey." Prue replied.

"Maybe it's because he's right." Goofy replied.

"Who's side are you on?" Prue asked.

"There's no sides here, Prue." Goofy replied, "Godfrey was just worried about your safety. We both are."

"You guys going out to fight whatever magical force that probably has Andy and you're leaving me behind." Prue snapped.

"Not fight, search." Godfrey said.

"We're not even sure if anything magical has Andy." Goofy continued, "He might have just gone out for a walk to do some thinking."

"Still it would be a bad idea to leave me behind." Prue replied.

"Prue," Goofy explained, "Godfrey made that call because he cares about you."

Goofy felt like he had said too much when he saw Godfrey's withering stare. Prue hadn't noticed, as she was focused on Goofy.

"As a friend..." Goofy hastily added, Godfrey's glare implied he was angry enough to beat the stuffing out of him.

"Let me know if you find him, OK?" Prue asked.

Godfrey nodded his acknowledgment and the group consisting of himself, Goofy, Sora, and Donald disembarked, leaving Prue standing there in wonder. Just what did Goofy mean by that? Prue thought. Note to self, ask Goofy what he meant by that?

Andy watched as the crowd thinned out, as the last tourists were leaving EPCOT. He glanced at the full moon's light gleamed with the lights of the park over the World Showcase lagoon. So many little things he saw he started to appreciate. The feel of Prue's skin against his own, the scent of the fragrance she'd choose to wear, the sight of the moonlight on the lake. So much he would miss when he died again.

You'd think having died the first time, I'd be used to it by now. Andy thought. I gotta get back to get to Prue and talk to her.

Yeah you were quite the jackass for not telling her sooner. Did you see how hurt she looked? I wonder if Kolopak's sent a search party to look for me...

"Your dreams are conflicted my friend." came a voice from behind Andy.

Andy spun round and noticed a portly fellow in a worn out top hat and a worn brown suit in the style of a century earlier.

"You dream that your beloved will be able to move on after you die, yet you don't want to die." Dreamfinder said.

Andy was perplexed, "How the hell do..."

"...I know what's going on inside your head?" Dreamfinder replied, "I am aware of dreams and imaginings of any being in existence. You included, Andy Trudeau..."

OK, if I can accept a walking talking duck, a walking talking a dog, the existence of demons and witches, what's so hard about a harmless old bearded guy who knows what I'm dreaming about. Andy thought.

"And I know that you're worried about your goodbyes, after all you only have eight days left to live." Dreamfinder replied.

"What do you want? Who are you?" Andy asked.

"I'm the Dreamfinder. This..." The Dreamfinder replied, gesturing out at EPCOT, "Was my dream made real."

"OK, that's interesting, but how do you know what I dream?" Andy asked.

"I already said that I know the dreams of all living beings." Dreamfinder replied, at Andy's disbelief he added, "If you can accept your girlfriend is a good witch, why can't you accept the fact that you're in the presence of someone who has dominion over the realm of human imagination. It's a realm that is limitless..."

Neither man heard the high pitched shriek or noticed the creature, pale as though drained entirely of blood with perfectly snow white hair bearing down on them...

"Goofy," Godfrey asked as they entered the park, "Might I ask what the hell you were doing earlier?"

"What was I doing earlier?" Goofy asked, "Oh, you mean what I told Prue..."

"Yes." Godfrey remarked.

"Well I was telling the truth, you do care for Prue." Goofy replied.

"That is the case," Godfrey replied, "But I was certain you understood why I wanted to keep this quiet."

"I understand, but don't necessarily agree." Goofy replied, "If you and Prue's friendship is as strong as I think it is, then it can survive the fact that you're attracted to her."

"Likely she's not going to speak to me again." Godfrey replied.

"And besides I meant you cared for her as a friend." Goofy replied, "Which is true."

"She could misinterpret that." Godfrey snapped.

"And would that be so bad?" Donald remarked.

"Well there is a factor named Andy in this equation..." Godfrey remarked.

"Will you two quit arguing about this!" Donald shouted, flapping his arms wildly, "You two can argue about the merits of Godfrey's platonic friendship with Prue until you're blue in the face later..."

Before anyone could reply, Goofy said, "Guys, I think Donald's right. Did you hear that?"

"No." Godfrey replied, curiously, and drawing his revolver.

"I didn't hear anything." Sora replied.

"What did you hear?" Donald asked.

"A high pitched shriek." Goofy had said.

"A banshee." Godfrey replied.

"How do you know?" Donald asked.

"First of all, one of the chaps in the Mayapore Constabulary was an Irishman who told tales of the banshee to pass night shifts in the radio room to the others." Godfrey replied, "And then Prue told me stories about her encounter with the Banshee."

"OK, I'll bite..." Sora said.

"No pun intended." Godfrey replied.

"Anyway," Sora replied, "What did Prue tell you about Banshees?"

"And why does Goofy hear it while we don't?" Donald asked.

"Remember how Prue said that she got turned into a dog to track down the Banshee?" Godfrey asked.

"Vaguely." Donald replied.

"Goofy is a dog, technically, so he can hear the Banshee's hunting call." Godfrey replied.

"Good," Sora quipped, "I'm not about to get turned into a dog to hunt this thing down."

"I had the perfect collar for you there, damn." Godfrey remarked.

"Funny." Sora replied.

The search party followed Goofy just in time to see the Banshee come swooping down towards Andy. "Oh thank God!" Dreamfinder shouted when he saw Godfrey, Sora, Donald, and Goofy running towards them.

Just as they approached Shax appeared and a gust of wind lifted the Dreamfinder into the air. "Uh oh..." Sora groaned.

"Who the hell?" Godfrey remarked.

Andy covered his eyes as the Banshee practically stood toe to toe with him and shrieked a defeaningly loud cry. Godfrey aimed for the Banshee and fired two shots, both struck the Banshee dead center in the chest.

"Godfrey, bullets don't hurt demons." Sora began.

"What the hell do you expect me to do, mate?" Godfrey snapped.

"Argue later!" Donald shouted, "Fire!"

Donald aimed his staff at Shax and launched a fireball at the demon. Shax launched an airburst into the fireball. Donald dived out of the way.

Godfrey tried to shoot Shax with his third bullet, but the demon launched a wind gust into him, sending him flying into the lake. Godfrey treaded water for a few moments before he swam back towards shore, thankful that he'd had the foresight to put a lanyard onto the handle of his revolver.

"When will you learn, human, that your weapon has no effect on me..." Shax shouted.

"Thunder!" Donald shouted, and Shax shook violently as a lightning bolt zapped current through him.

"AARRRAGGGGGHH!" Shax screamed.

Sora leaped towards Shax, swinging the Keyblade in an arc. Shax recovered quickly enough to launch a gust of wind into Sora and send him flying into the pond.

Goofy tried to whack the Banshee with his shield but the creature turned towards him and sent an ear piercing shriek at him. Goofy covered his ears, as he was particularly sensitive to the Banshee's high pitched scream.

"Sora, use your magic!" Donald shouted.

"I don't have magic!" Sora shouted.

"You wield the Keyblade! Of course you have magic." Donald shouted, "Think of the Banshee on fire..."

Sora pointed the Keyblade at the Banshee and shouted, "Fire!"

The fireball struck the Banshee who shrieked in pain as its cloak caught fire. The creature dove into the Lagoon where Godfrey shoved its head underwater, attempting to drown it. She sank her teeth into his forearm and surfaced and hovered in the air.

"Thunder!" Donald shouted.

Shax used a gust of wind to send the thunder back to Donald, shocking him. "WWAAAAAAKKKK!" Donald shouted.

"Fire!" Sora shouted, and hit Shax with a fireball.

Shax launched a gust of gale force winds, intending to lift the Dreamfinder into the air. Andy realized then, that if the Dreamfinder knew and inspired the dreams of the good, he could do the same for evil if forced to do so. He sprinted forward and shoved the Dreamfinder out of the way feeling like his stomach was about to lift itself into his chest cavity as the gust of wind lifted him high into the air.

"Damn..." Shax growled, as he and the Banshee flew up into the air, taking Andy with them. "Send this message to your leader, Kolopak, and the witch. If they wish to see him alive, bring the Dreamfinder here to the Lagoon at midnight tomorrow."

Prue watched the group approach, and they all looked like they'd been in a fierce fight. Godfrey was soaked with water from the Lagoon, his forearm trickling blood to the grass of the airfield. There was no sign of Andy, only the Dreamfinder.

She raced down the gangplank, asking, "Where's Andy...?"

"Shax took him." Donald replied.

"He's still alive." Dreamfinder intervened, "And he will remain so, in exchange for me..."

Kolopak came down the gangplank behind Prue, "That is unacceptable."

"Is it?" Prue replied.

"Yes. We can't let the villains have the Dreamfinder to inspire their imaginations." Kolopak replied, "And now that they have the demon that killed you on their side..."

"And you're willing to sacrifice Andy?" Prue replied.

"If need be, yes." Kolopak replied, "Would you rather evil be inspired?"

"Wait," Godfrey said, as he turned to the Dreamfinder, "You can create illusions to protect yourself, right?"

"Yes..."

"I may have an idea." Godfrey replied.

"Upper level demons like Shax and the Banshee can see through my illusions." Dreamfinder replied.

"Godfrey, what's on your mind?" Kolopak replied.

"Give me a few hours." Godfrey replied.

"If you don't have an idea by ten o'clock tomorrow night, one that I can approve of, we'll have no choice." Kolopak replied.

"I'll get him back." Godfrey replied, a determined stare on his face as he walked onto the ship.

"Thank you..." Prue said, as he walked by.

Godfrey nodded his acknowledgment before he headed over to the lounge. Dreamfinder trotted alongside him, as fast as his shorter legs could keep up with Godfrey's longer strides.

"You helped dreamers make things happen, right?" Godfrey asked.

"Why, Mr. Godfrey, who do you think helped Archimedes defend Syracuse?" Dreamfinder replied, "Who do you think helped him design the claw, the interlocking fields of fire, the big mirrors that harnessed the energy of the sun, and other defenses that helped Syracuse repel Roman besiegers for two years? You admire the ancient Greeks for their cleverness, and I helped inspire them..."

"Point made," Godfrey replied, "But I want to know if you can help me help you?"

"I will." The Dreamfinder replied, "Just what is it you plan to do?"

"I plan to give Shax what it is he wants...and then yank it away, together with Andy." Godfrey replied, "Though how I intend to do it..."

"What?" Dreamfinder asked.

"Go find Vinny, I'm gonna need a few of his inventions for this..." Godfrey replied.

"Vinny?" Dreamfinder asked, "Ah, your Italian inventor who fancies himself an Archimedes of explosive devices..."

"Vinny is a lot of things, but Archimedes is not one of them." Godfrey remarked.

BOOM! Just then an explosion sounded down the hall and Vinny came out of the kitchen covered in soot and ash, and smelling faintly of canned spinach.

"Eureka! I've found it! The perfect detonator for the Spinach can grenades!" Vinny shouted as he ran down the hallway.

Dreamfinder smiled, "Point made."

"Eureka I've, uh oh..." Vinny said.

"Yeh stinkin' varmint!" Cookie shouted, "That was for my Spinach Casserole!"

"HELP! OW! OW! OW! OW!" Vinny screamed as Cookie beat him with the spatula in his hands.

"Listen, lads!" Godfrey shouted into the hallway, "You can kill each other later, but I'm going to need your help. Vinny, feel free to let this guy help your creative juices run wild..."

A wide grin spread across Vinny's face, "Boom."

"You brought us the wrong person, Shax." Jafar began, angrily.

"I made an ultimatum to the Morrowind's crew." Shax replied, "The Dreamfinder must be turned over, or he dies."

Shax pointed at Andy, who was surrounded by a whirling vortex of wind on all sides.

"You might have incited the wrath of the witch." Jafar warned.

"Hey, he killed her before, he'll kill her again and make it permanent this time." Hades replied, "Not to mention he's the witch's weakness."

"What was your ultimatum?" Oogie Boogie asked.

"Bring him to the World Showcase Lagoon at midnight tomorrow or he dies." Shax replied.

"Some ally." Jafar grumbled. He was lifted off his feet by gale force winds and slammed into the ceiling.

"Care to repeat that." Shax replied, "Now, my colleague here is a bit annoyed at being denied her nightly feeding."

Shax indicated the Banshee as he spoke, "However, if we can lure Prue to this meeting, the Banshee can turn her into one of our own with her scream. She has enough pain to sate the Banshee's hunger for a week..."

"If we turn her to our side, no more Charmed One to oppose us." Hades said, "Nice scheme, brother..."

"Perfect, if the Source decides to turn on us." Jafar said, "How can we be certain the Source hasn't sent you to kill us all."

"You have my word. I am no friend of the Source since the Halliwell sisters vanquished me with their reconstituted Power of Three." Shax replied, but even as he spoke, he had no intention of allowing this motely assortment of villains to live. As soon as the witch was transformed into a Banshee, the Source had a legion of demons ready to destroy these upstarts and utilize the power of the Heartless for himself...

TBC...