Once Upon a Time in Enchancia Chapter 54: The Times They Are A-Changin, a sofia the first fanfic

Once Upon a Time in Enchancia

Welcome to Chapter 54 of "Once Upon a Time in Enchancia". Meanwhile, be sure to check out my WIX page (simply do a Google search for "niagara14301 wix").

Chapter 54: The Times They Are A-Changin'

July 1, 1870

Personal diary entry of Dorrie Cosmarune-Cooper: Friday, July 1st, 1870

Three of our birthdays came and went this past month. My birthday was on June 2nd. Candice's birthday was on June 26th. And Lucinda's birthday was yesterday (June 30th). Each of us had a wonderful birthday, complete with each of us having a birthday party at Enchancia Castle. The three of us are seventeen now.

With Lucinda being seventeen, and since she and Sofia are now seventeen, the time has come for a new chapter in their lives - an invitation for the two of them to become Voyagers. The two of them have occasionally traveled with The Doctor, so they are use to the idea of time travel. All that is left now is for Mom to formally invite Sofia and Lucinda.

At that moment, a knock came at Dorrie's bedroom door.

"Come in," Dorrie invited.

The door opened, and in walked Violet.

"It's done," Violet announced.

"How did it go?" Dorrie wanted to know.

"Sofia and Lucinda didn't believe me at first," Violet started. "However, once I took them on an Omni trip, they were convinced."

"So, they accepted your invitation, then?" Dorrie asked.

"Yes," Violet answered. "However, they don't know that you, Candice, and Amber are Auxiliary Voyagers. I thought it would be best for the three of you to surprise them at Voyager orientation. You'll all be attending orientation at the same time - Sofia and Lucinda to start their training, and you, Candice, and Amber finalizing your training."

"Sounds good, Mom," Dorrie acknowledged. "When is orientation, anyway?"

"A week from now," Violet revealed. "I'm on my way to tell Candice and Amber."

A week later

At Voyager City, Violet, Sofia, and Lucinda appeared out of thin air on an Omni landing platform.

"Here we are, ladies," Violet announced to Sofia and Lucinda. "Voyager City".

At that moment, a woman in her 30s approached the three.

"Lady Violet," the woman started. "I've been sent to escort Princess Sofia and Princess Lucinda to Voyager orientation. I understand you have some additional recruits to pick up?"

"Yes," Violet answered, before turning to Sofia and Lucinda. "If you'll excuse me, duty calls. If you'll follow this woman, she'll take you to where you need to be."

Violet opened the cover of her Omni, adjusted the dials, pressed a button on her Omni, and disappeared into thin air.

"If you'll follow me, ladies," the woman instructed Sofia and Lucinda.

The woman, Sofia, and Lucinda walked down a street until they reached a large university-type building. The woman took Sofia and Lucinda inside, and they soon arrived at the doors leading to a large lecture hall.

"If the two of you will step inside and sit down, the orientation will begin shortly," the woman announced. Sofia and Lucinda then walked into the lecture hall.

"Well, this is interesting, Lucy," Sofia remarked to Lucinda. "First, we've been occasionally traveling around with The Doctor, then we get an invitation out of the blue to become Voyagers."

"And who would have thought that Violet was actually an undercover Voyager, assigned to Enchancia Castle?" Lucinda pointed out.

"I wonder if Dorrie and Candice know that Violet is a Voyager?" Sofia wondered out loud.

"The answer to that would be yes," a female voice answered from behind Sofia and Lucinda.

Sofia and Lucinda looked behind them to see ... seventeen-year-old Dorrie and seventeen-year-old Candice.

"Dorrie! Candice!" Sofia exclaimed in glee.

"What are you and Candice doing here?" Lucinda asked Dorrie, taken off guard by Dorrie and Candice's presence.

"The same thing that you and Sofia are doing here," Dorrie started with a smile. "Starting our official training as Voyagers. The four of us are going to be in the same classes."

"Actually, make that the five of us," a female voice came from behind Sofia, Lucinda, Dorrie, and Candice. They looked to see an eighteen-year-old Amber standing there.

"Amber?" Sofia and Lucinda asked, puzzled.

"She's with us," Dorrie explained. "For the past few years, Amber's been in training, coming along with me, Candice, and our mom on certain time trips."

"And an enjoyable time it's been, too," Amber smiled. "Did you know that me, Dorrie, and Candice have each earned the coveted title of Auxiliary Voyager?"

"Auxiliary Voyager?" Lucinda asked, not knowing the term.

"Young Voyagers in training," Amber explained. "Trusted so much that we've earned our own Omnis, and helped full Voyagers carry out missions when needed."

"Impressive!" Sofia and Lucinda exclaimed in awe.

"Excuse me?" a young woman's voice came from behind Sofia, Lucinda, Dorrie, Candice, and Amber.

The five turned around to see a white-skinned young woman in her early 20s with brown hair.

"Is this Voyager orientation?" the young woman asked.

"Yes, it is," Dorrie smiled. "Miss?"

"Oh," the young woman smiled back. "Matthews. Riley Matthews."

"Nice to meet you, Riley," Candice happily greeted. "I'm Candice, and this is my sister, Dorrie. And these are Amber, Sofia, and Lucinda. We're all from 1800s Enchancia."

"You're all friends, then?" Riley asked, curious.

"Yes," Dorrie smiled.

"I'm here with friends, too," Riley revealed as a man in his early 20s, and a woman in her early 20s stepped into the lecture hall. Riley then motioned the two to come over. "This is where we're supposed to be," Riley said to the two, before turning back to Dorrie, Candice, Amber, Sofia, and Lucinda. "These are my friends: Farkle Minkus, and Isadora Smackle. We're from 21st Century New York City."

"I was in New York City once, with Candice," Amber announced. "It wasn't, however, during a good time ... the 9/11 attacks."

Riley, Farkle, and Isadora sadly nodded their heads in acknowledgment, remembering the sad time from their childhood. At that same moment, a woman's voice came over a speaker.

"All Voyager recruits in Voyager orientation," the woman's voice announced. "If you will take your seats, the orientation will begin in a few minutes."

Everybody sat down. Dorrie, Candice, Amber, Sofia, Lucinda, Riley, Farkle, and Isadora sat together. Isadora found herself sitting next to Candice. As Candice looked at Isadora, Candice could tell that Isadora was nervous.

"You've been chosen to be a Voyager," Candice said reassuringly. "Voyager Command doesn't just choose anybody to be a Voyager."

"The thing is," Isadora started, "I have Asperger Syndrome. That makes it hard for me to understand emotions. It's something I'm working on."

Candice thought about what Isadora had just revealed. Candice then responded. "Perhaps that could be a good thing in a way," Candice admitted. "There are many, shall we say, intense moments being a Voyager. Somebody like yourself would have the ability to step back from an intense situation and look at it logically. I can see definite advantages to that."

"I hadn't thought of it like that," Isadora admitted. "Thank you for bringing that perspective to my attention. Perhaps I can fit into this new life."

"That's the spirit!" Candice exclaimed in glee. "Friends?"

"I'd like that," Isadora agreed. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," Candice smiled as Dorrie watched from the corner of her eye. It was nice seeing Candice befriending Isadora. It was going to be the beginning of a good friendship.

Getting started

In a few moments, a white-skinned man walked into the lecture hall.

"Hello," the man greeted. "I'm Professor Phineas Bogg, and I want to welcome each of you to Voyager orientation. Let's get started, shall we?"

"Professor Bogg," a woman's voice came over the speaker. "If you could delay orientation for a few minutes, we have some additional students on their way."

"Understood," Bogg acknowledged before turning back to those assembled. "We'll get underway in a few minutes. You've caught us on an unusually busy day."

In a few moments, the doors to the lecture hall opened, and Violet walked in with ... seventeen-year-old Abby Murphy, and seventeen-year-old Princess Isabel of Avalor.

"Abby?" Dorrie asked herself out loud.

"Isabel?" Candice asked herself out loud.

"Go sit with your friends," Violet smiled at Abby and Isabel.

Abby and Isabel walked up to where Dorrie, Candice, Sofia, Lucinda, and Amber were sitting.

"Isabel! Abby!" Sofia exclaimed in glee. "Please, sit down."

"I've got to admit, this is a shock," Abby said to Sofia, stunned. "Violet just told me there is such a thing as Voyagers, and now I find out that you, Dorrie, Candice, Lucinda, Amber, and Princess Isabel have been recruited as well."

"Talk about surprised," Sofia admitted. "Turns out that Dorrie, Candice, and Amber were already Voyagers to a degree."

"Have you seen the gadgets here?!" Isabel remarked, excited. "I've died and gone to Heaven!"

"And you've just begun to scratch the surface," Dorrie smiled at Isabel.

As Violet talked to Bogg, Lady Diana walked in with her seventeen-year-old daughter, Tricia.

"Well, the big day has arrived," Diana proudly announced to Tricia. "Your Voyager finishing training."

"I've been looking forward to this," Tricia smiled.

As Diana and Tricia hugged, Riley, Farkle, and Isadora looked at the scene, stunned.

"Is that?" Farkle asked himself about Diana.

"It couldn't be," Isadora said in disbelief. "She died in Paris in 1997."

"Well, according to history, yes," Candice pointed out to Isadora, Riley, and Farkle. "But, things sometimes happen behind the scenes."

"Is that Juliet Baring?" Lucinda asked about Diana, not quite believing what she was seeing.

"That's her cover name when traveling through time," Dorrie explained. "Her real name would be recognized in certain time periods."

"I know her," Isabel said, looking at Diana. "She came to Avalor to help Elena when Elena first became a crown princess."

"That's part of her job," Candice explained to Isabel. "She's the specialty Voyager in charge of keeping royal history on track."

At that moment, Tricia walked over and sat down, and happily waved to Dorrie, Candice, Sofia, Lucinda, Amber, Abby, and Isabel. A few moments later, another seventeen-year-old girl sat down nearby and smiled at Dorrie and Candice.

"That's Libby Oleson," Candice explained to Abby. "She's here for finishing training. Her mother is the specialty Voyager in charge of keeping magical history on track."

"Ah," Abby acknowledged as she looked around the lecture hall, nervous.

"You okay, Abby?" Candice asked, concerned.

"This is all so new to me," Abby answered. "I had no idea people like Voyagers existed."

"You'll get use to it in time," Candice said reassuringly. "And, you have Dorrie, Sofia, Lucinda, Amber, and me with you."

"Thanks, Candice," Abby said, appreciative.

"If everybody will sit down, we'll get started," Professor Bogg announced. "Welcome to Voyager orientation. I imagine you are asking yourself, what exactly are Voyagers? We travel through time to help history along ... give it a push where it's needed. When an Omni's red light flashes on, it means history is wrong. Our job is to get everything back on track."

Everybody in the lecture hall sat listening with great interest as Bogg continued. "There are different types of Voyagers. Some operate in the field, patrolling time looking for problems. Some are specialty Voyagers, each dealing with a particular type of history. Some Voyagers reside in specific time periods, making sure those time periods stay on track. And some Voyagers work behind the scenes here at Voyager Command in support roles. Everybody has a role to play, and everybody's role helps Voyager operations to run smoothly. During your training, each of you will eventually be assigned to a role that will best showcase your skills."

Bogg stopped as some men came in and sat a few boxes down on a large table. Bogg then turned back to those gathered in the lecture hall. "For those who are new here, please come down and you'll be assigned a training Omni. Your training Omni will be a simple version of a regular Omni, allowing you to travel to Voyager City for lessons, and to travel back home after a day's lessons. Meanwhile, for Auxiliary Voyagers who are here to start their finishing training, you make take the rest of the day off."

"I, Candice, and Amber will see you later," Dorrie smiled at Sofia, Lucinda, Abby, Isabel, Riley, Farkle, and Isadora.

As Dorrie, Candice, and Amber started to leave, Bogg turned to Dorrie and Candice. "Lady Dorrie, Lady Candice," Bogg began. "Your mother has arranged for the two of you to be invited to a Voyager midwifery gathering. Since the two of you are midwives in training, your mother thought you would benefit from such a gathering. It's being held in Room 212."

"Thank you, Professor," Dorrie and Candice acknowledged as they walked off.

Room 212

In a few minutes, Dorrie and Candice arrived at Room 212 and walked in. The room was empty of people except for Violet.

"Hello, ladies," Violet smiled as she hugged Dorrie and Candice. "Welcome. You're the first to arrive. While you're waiting for the others to arrive, please feel free to look at the equipment displays that are set up. I think the two of you will find them interesting."

As Violet walked over to a table to arrange some items, Dorrie and Candice walked around the room looking at the various displays. At one point, Dorrie and Candice spotted a table marked 24th Century.

"Hey!" Dorrie noticed, impressed. "A 24th Century medical tricorder."

"I love this version of the medical tricorder," Candice smiled as she picked it up. "Display screen, device input, and a removable handheld scanner."

"I've got to admit, its a piece of equipment I fell in love with immediately," a woman's voice came from behind Dorrie and Candice. Standing there was a white-skinned blond-haired woman in her late 30s.

"Oh, hello," Dorrie greeted. "I'm Dorrie Cooper, and this is my sister, Candice."

"Nice to meet you," Candice warmly greeted.

"You must be Violet's daughters," the woman smiled. "I've heard good things about the two of you. I'm Trixie ... Trixie Franklin."

"Wait!" Dorrie exclaimed, remembering something. "Weren't you connected to Nonnatus House?"

"That was a little while ago," Trixie smiled. "How did you know?"

"Mom told us," Candice revealed. "Dorrie and I are midwives in training, and Mom's told us a lot of Nonnatus House of the 1950s and 60s. Mom considers Nonnatus House to be one of the shining points in midwifery history."

"Well, I'll be," Trixie remarked, impressed. "You're in for a pleasant surprise. then. There are currently three others from Nonnatus House now in Voyager service."

"Did somebody mention Nonnatus House?" a white-skinned woman in her early 40s asked as she walked in.

"These two were, Phyllis," Trixie explained. "These are Dorrie and Candice, Violet's daughters."

"It is a pleasure to meet the two of you," Phyllis greeted. "Violet has told us so much about you. I'm Phyllis Crane."

"A pleasure to meet you," Dorrie acknowledged.

"Excuse me, ma'am," Candice started. "From what Mom has told Dorrie and me about Nonnatus House and its residents, shouldn't you be in your 70s?"

"A good point," Phyllis agreed. "I was in my 70s when I was recruited for Voyager service. However, thanks to Voyager medical technology, my age was reversed to when I was in my early 40s. I have to admit, I feel like a new person. Even my back problem is gone."

"Phyllis is the specialty Voyager in charge of maintaining midwifery history," Trixie proudly announced to Dorrie and Candice.

"Wow," Dorrie and Candice acknowledged, impressed.

"It's just a fancy title," Phyllis pointed out. "It doesn't change who I am inside."

"That's our Phyllis for you," a black woman in her mid-30s smiled as she walked up with a white woman who was in her mid-30s. "I'm Lucille Robinson, and this is my friend, Valerie Dyer."

"A pleasure to meet you," Valerie smiled as she extended her hand in greeting to Dorrie and Candice, before turning to Trixie, Phyllis, and Lucille. "Wait! Are these Violet's girls?"

"Indeed they are," Trixie happily acknowledged.

"Does everybody know about us?" Candice asked, a bit taken off guard.

"I should say so," Lucille acknowledged.

"We've been keeping an eye on you and your sister," Valerie revealed. "The two of you are among the youngest midwife trainees there have ever been. You show great promise."

Dorrie and Candice smiled at the praise.

"Ma'am," Dorrie started as she looked at Lucille. "I thought your last name was Anderson?"

"It was," Lucille happily acknowledged. "A few years ago, I got married to my dear Cyril, so I'm now Mrs. Robinson. Cyril is a Voyager, too."

At that moment, Violet walked up with a white-skinned woman in her early 30s.

"Dorrie, Candice," Violet started. "I'd like to introduce you to an old friend from my original time period. This is Danielle Alexander."

"A pleasure to meet you," Danielle smiled as she started to extend her hand in greeting, only to quickly pull it back. "Can't be too careful," Danielle apologized, "even though Voyager Medical has given me a pill which protects me from getting Coronavirus."

"Danielle is from 2020 England," Violet explained. "She's a Voyager-in-Residence during that time. She works for the National Health Service."

"I'm part of a specialized group of Voyagers who live in 2020," Danielle revealed. "Each of us are assigned to a different area of Earth. We help out where we can while keeping the time line on track."

"Such a sad year," Candice sadly remarked. "Coronavirus, along with the senseless deaths of George Floyd and Rayshard Brooks ..."

Everybody bowed their heads in sad remembrance.

Meanwhile, away from Voyager City

At Royal Prep in Enchancia, on an open patch of land behind the school, ten-year-old Timothy watched from the sidelines as Swords and Shields practice took place. Swords and Shields was a separate sport from Tourney, with each sport having different players and different rules. Most schools either had a Swords and Shields team or a Tourney team, with only a few schools opting to have both. The vast majority of schools chose to have only one of the two sports in order to avoid confusion. Therefore, Royal Prep had opted to have a Swords and Shields team, while Hexley Hall had opted to have a Tourney team.

Players taking part in the Royal Prep Swords and Shields practice were split up into groups of two. One group was made up of seventeen-year-old Jade, and seventeen-year-old Derek Von Schroeder. Neither was happy to be paired up together. Derek, because he was magical nobility, was eligible to go to school at Royal Prep. Like Jade, he attended Royal Prep on a part-time basis.

"I take the time to get onto this team, and who do I get stuck with? A girl! And they make her the team Captain!" Derek mocked.

"Look at it from my point of view," Jade mocked back. "I get stuck with the male chauvinist pig of Royal Prep!"

"Players," Sir Maxwell, coach of the team, started as he stepped forward. "I want each group to practice swinging their swords while defending themselves with their shields. Begin."

The teams started the drill. Jade and Derek started in with each other. At one point, Derek used his foot to trip Jade, as Jade fell to the ground.

"Bad form!" Timothy shouted at Derek in disgust.

"Ouch!" Jade cried out as she grabbed her ankle.

"Let me take a look, my dear," Sir Maxwell gently said to Jade as he knelt down and examined Jade's ankle. "I'm afraid you have a sprained ankle. It's not too bad, but we should get you to the school nurse. I'll help you up, and you can lean on me."

"Thank you, Sir Maxwell," Jade acknowledged, gratefully.

"Practice is over for today," Sir Maxwell announced to those gathered, before glaring at Derek. "Mister Von Schroeder, you are no longer on this team! I can't have a player who will act in such a dishonorable fashion. Be assured that the headmistresses will be informed of this."

Derek stormed off as Timothy walked over.

"I can help," Timothy offered to Jade.

"A gentleman," Sir Maxwell smiled at Timothy. "Your help will be gratefully accepted."

"Thank you, Timothy," Jade said, grateful.

Timothy knelt down and gently touched Jade's ankle. Timothy then concentrated, and in a few moments, Jade's ankle completely healed.

"Thank you, Timothy!" Jade exclaimed, pleased. "That feels so much better. But, how did you do that?"

"It's something I've had inside me for a while now," Timothy explained. "One of my powers is the ability to heal injuries."

"Extraordinary!" Sir Maxwell praised Timothy. "Not only are you an excellent singer, but you're a healer as well. I see a bright future for you."

Timothy smiled at the praise.

"Well, Princess Jade, it looks like you may continue to play on the team, now that your ankle is healed," Sir Maxwell smiled.

"Thank you, Sir Maxwell," Jade happily acknowledged. "Just one problem - now that Derek is gone, who will I partner up with for practice?"

"Not a problem," Sir Maxwell reassured Jade. "I'll be your partner. I can manage practice sessions, and be your partner at the same time. A good knight knows how to do more than one thing at a time."

"I really appreciate that," Jade said, grateful.

"Anytime, my lady," Sir Maxwell happily winked.

Meanwhile, in the Kingdom of Cinnibar, Queen Scarlett stood looking out over the harbor of the Cinnibar capital city. Cinnibar was separate, technology-wise, from the other kingdoms of 1870. Scarlett was known to use magic to make limited but awesome advances in technology which benefited Cinnibar. One such advancement was the special magical device aboard the attack broom carrier ISS Escadron Pourpre which could make the carrier visible and invisible at will.

"Scarlett," a woman's voice came from behind Scarlett, who looked behind her to see Gwen standing there.

"Ah!" Scarlett smiled. "There you are, Gwen. Ready to field test our new engine?"

"Looking forward to it," Gwen smiled back. "Thank you for involving me with this project."

"My pleasure," Scarlett happily acknowledged. "I wanted to create an engine completely powered by magic, but I needed a top-notch inventor to create the mechanical components of it."

"I was happy to help," Gwen said as a man in a naval uniform walked up.

"Queen Scarlett, Lady Gwen," the man started as he bowed. "We're ready."

"Then let's proceed," Scarlett suggested.

Scarlett, Gwen, and the man boarded a small boat and made their way to a ship sitting in the harbor. Scarlett and Gwen then boarded the ship as the man departed in the small boat. Once aboard the ship, Scarlett and Gwen went below decks to the engine room.

"We're ready Queen Scarlett, Lady Gwen," a male naval officer reported.

"Then let's get this show underway," Scarlett happily suggested as she raised a wand and pointed it at the ship's engine. A powerful beam of magical energy shot from Scarlett's wand and made its way into the engine. The engine then started working.

"Mechanical processes working perfectly," Gwen reported. "We're ready to go."

Scarlett and Gwen made their way up to the ship's deck as the ship started moving forward in the water. In a few moments, the ship had left the harbor, and was heading out into open water. The engine was working perfectly and was doing an excellent job of powering the ship.

"Congratulations, Scarlett," Gwen said as she watched the ship glide through the water. "The first-ever engine totally powered by magic. This is a giant leap forward."

"Congratulations to us both," Scarlett smiled. "This was a joint effort. We make a fine team."

Gwen smiled at Scarlett's praise.

Back at Voyager City

Amber, Tricia, and Libby stepped off of an advanced elevator and found themselves at the entrance to the Top Tier Cafe. The Top Tier Cafe was a popular hangout with younger Voyagers and had a futuristic drive-in diner-type interior. The Top Tier Cafe was located on the top floor of an Art Deco style building and had windows which gave commanding views of Voyager City. Amber, Tricia, and Libby walked over to an empty booth and sat down.

"So, Libby?" Tricia asked, curious. "Where is your mother, anyway?"

"On an important mission to 1877," Libby explained. "She's investigating the 1877 Quidditch World Cup Tournament that nobody remembers. A venue was chosen, tickets sold and merchandise produced, but nobody, player or supporter, isn't able to remember attending any matches."

"A mystery," Tricia remarked, intrigued. "I'm sure your mother, being the specialty Voyager in charge of magical history, will get to the bottom of it."

Libby nodded in agreement as a waitress walked over. "What may I get for you, ladies?"

"I'll have a cheeseburger, french fries, and a cola," Amber requested.

"That sounds good," Tricia agreed. "But, instead of french fries, I'll have onion rings."

"And I'll have a hot dog, french fries, and a cola," Libby spoke up.

"I'll be right back with your orders," the waitress smiled as she walked off.

As Amber, Tricia, and Libby waited, they had a pleasant conversation.

"I met your mother once, Libby," Amber revealed. "Lady Nancy Delphinia-Oleson, a member of the House of Delphinia. A fine woman."

"When did you meet her?" Libby wanted to know, curious.

"Shortly before I officially became a Voyager in training," Amber answered as she thought back to the past.

Flashback:

It was Sunday, January 26th of 1868. In sixteen-year-old Amber's room in Enchancia Castle, Amber sat on her bed staring into space. She was concentrating on the previous day's events where she had hitched a ride with Candice while Candice was taking an Omni trip. As Amber thought about what she had done, she sighed in sadness.

"I'm a monster!" Amber said to herself. "I almost got Candice into trouble. I almost got Candice booted out of Voyager service."

"You're no monster," a woman's voice gently said from behind Amber. "If you could have seen me as a child, now there was a true monster. Thankfully, as time passed, I became a much better person."

Amber turned around to see a white-skinned woman with blond hair standing there.

"Who are you?" Amber asked, nervous.

"I mean you no harm," the woman reassured Amber. "I'm a Voyager. My name is Nancy Delphinia-Oleson."

"From the House of Delphinia?" Amber wanted to know.

"The same," Nancy smiled. "I've been a member of the house ever since the Great Witch War. I helped a witch connected to the house. Unfortunately, she died before I could get her home. Just before she died, she transferred her powers to me, making me a witch in the process. You see, I received my magical powers in much the same way as Violet received her powers."

"Interesting," Amber remarked in awe.

"So I went from just being plain Nancy Oleson to Lady Nancy Delphinia-Oleson," Nancy explained. "I'm still getting use to the title."

"Dorrie, then Candice, were the same way with their titles," Amber recalled. "Even today, the two of them rarely use their titles."

"I know how they feel," Nancy agreed. "Those of us who have titles thrust upon them tend to be low key about it."

" ... like Sofia," Amber observed.

"Exactly," Nancy agreed.

"I was nasty to Sofia when she first came here, and I just endangered Candice's future with a stupid stunt," Amber sighed. "What kind of person does that make me?"

"Somebody who learns from her mistakes," Nancy gently said as she put her hand on Amber's shoulder. "Yes, you sometimes tend to be stuck on yourself, but that's getting less and less now. You're not the monster I was."

"You said that before," Amber remembered. "What do you mean?"

"I was a mean, nasty child," Nancy started with a sadness in her voice. "I did whatever I could to hurt people. Using Elmer for my own selfish means, locking Belinda in the ice shed, and betraying Matthew simply for some reward money. You've never stooped to that level. Looking at your history, you actually came through when it counted. You helped Sofia fend off Wormwood that night of the ball, you helped Sofia learn to dance, and when somebody hinted that King Roland wasn't Sofia's real father, you reassured Sofia that King Roland was as much of a father to Sofia as he was to you. You show great promise, Amber."

"Thank you," Amber responded, pleased.

"Praise well deserved," Nancy smiled.

At that moment, a white-skinned woman in her early 40s wearing glasses appeared out of thin air.

"Usually, I wouldn't appear out of thin air in front of a non-Voyager," the woman announced. "But, since Princess Amber knows about Voyagers, I made an exception in this case."

"Amber," Nancy started. "I'd like to introduce you to one of the finest Voyager field supervisors I know - this is Eliza Jane Wilder."

"Ma'am," Amber acknowledged with a nod.

"A pleasure to meet you, Princess Amber," Eliza smiled before turning to Nancy. "There's a problem up your alley, Nancy. The 1752 goblin rebellion is off track. Libby is there right now keeping an eye on things. Here are the coordinates."

As Nancy took a piece of paper from Eliza, Amber spoke up. "Goblins? That sounds like something magical."

"Indeed, it is," Eliza confirmed. "Nancy here is our specialty Voyager in charge of maintaining magical history. Libby is Nancy's daughter. Libby is the same age as your Dorrie and Candice, and is a witch like Dorrie and Candice."

"Wow!" Amber exclaimed, impressed.

"Well, I've best be off," Nancy said as she adjusted the dials of her Omni. "Duty calls. Just remember, Amber, that you're a decent person all in all. A bit impulsive from time to time, but you wouldn't be the first person guilty of that. Learn from your mistakes, and you'll be fine."

Nancy closed the cover on her Omni, pushed a button on the Omni, and disappeared into thin air.

"Time for me to be going as well," Eliza announced. "Even in an advanced society where Voyagers live, there's still good old fashioned paperwork to do. I'll take my leave of you, Princess Amber."

Eliza adjusted the dials of her Omni. Eliza then pushed a button on her Omni and disappeared into thin air.

End of flashback, and back to the present.

Elsewhere in Voyager City

In Diana's office, Diana was reading over a report when a knock came at her door.

"Yes?" Diana asked, seeing a man standing there.

"Princess Isabel is outside, as you requested," the man announced.

"Excellent," Diana smiled. "Please, have her come in."

In a few moments, Isabel walked into Diana's office.

"Please, have a seat," Diana invited.

"You called for me, ma'am?" Isabel asked as she sat down.

"Yes," Diana happily answered. "I wanted to get you up to speed on what lies before you as a Voyager."

"I'm very excited about becoming a Voyager," Isabel announced.

"And I think you'll make a fine one," Diana agreed. "During orientation, you heard Professor Bogg say that each of you will eventually be assigned to a role that will best showcase your skills. Well, Isabel, you've been chosen for a special purpose. You're to be my successor when I'm eventually promoted to Voyager Commissioner. All the arrangements have recently been made by Commissioner Richardson who is planning to retire in a few years. Those of us with special positions get to choose our successor. Commissioner Richardson has chosen me to be his successor, and I'm choosing you to be my successor when the time comes."

"What exactly do you do?" Isabel asked, curious. "I've heard you have something to do with royal history, but I don't know the exact specifics."

"I'm the specialty Voyager in charge of maintaining royal history," Diana started. "My job is to monitor royal history, correct things when something goes wrong, and to give help to new royals when they first come on the scene ... like I did with your sister, Elena."

"Sounds like a big responsibility," Isabel theorized.

"Trust me, it is," Diana agreed.

"Why me?" Isabel wanted to know. "It seems to me there are more worthy candidates - Sofia, Lucinda, Dorrie, Candice ..."

"The four of them have other responsibilities in their future," Diana revealed. "And now that Anna is Queen of Arendelle, she has responsibilities there."

"Wait a minute!" Isabel exclaimed in shock. "Queen Anna is a Voyager?!"

"For a while now," Diana confirmed. "She's Arendelle's Voyager-in-Residence."

"Wow!" Isabel remarked in awe. "But the question remains. Why me?"

"Because you're a free agent as it were," Diana answered. "You have a royal background, you have a can-do attitude, and you're very intelligent. All those things put together make you the perfect candidate. And you're always prepared for any situation by way of your go pack. I can only imagine what your go pack will consist of once you become a Voyager."

Isabel sat back in her chair, thinking about what Diana had just said.

"So, what do you say, Isabel?" Diana wanted to know.

"I'll do it," Isabel confirmed.

"Excellent!" Diana smiled. "We'll get your Voyager training underway, and after that, we'll begin your training to be my replacement. Welcome aboard."

"Thank you, ma'am," Isabel smiled back.

"I think you and Tricia will get along well," Diana announced.

"Tricia?" Isabel asked, curious.

"My daughter," Diana revealed. "Right now, she's my assistant. When I become Voyager Commissioner, she'll become Deputy Commissioner. Between me and Tricia, we'll make sure you're ready to become the new specialty Voyager in charge of royal history when the time comes."

"Thank you for your confidence in me," Isabel said, grateful.

"You're welcome," Diana smiled. "Any questions?"

"I'm curious," Isabel started. "How did you become the specialty Voyager in charge of royal history?"

"I was recruited from an alternate timeline, one where I didn't die in a vehicle accident," Diana explained. "It wouldn't be the first time somebody has been recruited into Voyager service from an alternate timeline. Our specialty Voyager in charge of legal history, Douglas Archer, was recruited from an alternate timeline where the Nazis won the Battle of Britain."

"I see," Isabel acknowledged.

"You'll get use to such things as time goes on," Diana said in a reassuring voice. "Right now, how about I give you a personal tour of Voyager City? I'll include things not on the new students tour."

"That sounds wonderful," Isabel accepted.

As Diana and Isabel walked out of Diana's office, the two had a pleasant conversation. It was the beginning of a good friendship.

Back home

Violet, Dorrie, Candice, Abby, Amber, Sofia, and Lucinda appeared out of thin air in the sitting room of Enchancia Castle. Nobody was in or around the sitting room, so their arrival went unnoticed by anybody who might question such an arrival.

"Well, ladies, we're back home," Violet announced. "And nobody in the castle knows we ever left. Abby, Sofia, Lucinda ... it goes without saying to keep your Voyager activities secret."

"Mum's the word, Violet," Sofia smiled as Lucinda and Abby nodded their heads in agreement.

"Well then, we should be getting about our usual business here at the castle," Violet suggested. "I'll see the six of you later."

As Violet walked out of the sitting room with Sofia and Lucinda, Amber turned to Candice. "You said you'd help me pick out a dinner set for next week's party?"

"Yes, I did," Candice smiled. "I was thinking we could go down to the basement and check out past sets now in storage. There are still a lot of past sets that would do nicely."

"Then let's go," Amber eagerly responded as she and Candice left.

"You okay?" Dorrie asked Abby.

"I'm fine," Abby reassured Dorrie. "I've just found out there's a whole new world out there. It's a lot to take in, but yes, I'll be fine."

"Good," Dorrie smiled as she gently put her hand on Abby's shoulder. "Welcome aboard."

Meanwhile, inside the royal palace of Avalor, Isabel appeared out of thin air inside her room. Since there was nobody around, Isabel looked at her training Omni for a few moments, then quickly put it in her pocket. At that moment, a knock came at Isabel's door. The door then opened, and in walked Elena.

"Ah! There you are, Isa," Elena happily remarked. "Where have you been?"

"Just lost in thought," Isabel explained. "You know how I am."

"I do indeed," Elena acknowledged with a smile. "Probably working on an idea for a new invention."

"I have a few things up my sleeve," Isabel winked.

"That's my Isa," Elena grinned as she hugged Isabel. "I have the afternoon free. I was thinking we could go down to the kitchen and make some chocolate?"

"I'd love that, Elena!" Isabel exclaimed in glee.

As Elena and Isabel walked out of Isabel's room, Elena stopped for a moment.

"What is it, Elena?" Isabel wanted to know.

"I treasure these moments together," Elena smiled.

"As do I," Isabel smiled back.

Elena and Isabel then happily walked toward the kitchen. Everything was right with the world.

(End of Chapter 54).

Behind the scenes

We still live with Coronavirus hanging over us. I'm still feeling well, and I hope you and yours are feeling well. And now, sadly, we have something new to throw into the mix in addition to Coronavirus. We've all heard of the senseless death of George Floyd in Minneapolis on May 25th, and the equally senseless death of Rayshard Brooks in Atlanta on June 12th. My heart grieves over these senseless deaths, especially since these were deaths that didn't need to happen.

I am heartened that my state of New York has become one of the first states to ban the use of chokeholds by police. This is a good first step, and I applaud states who have done this. There have been discussions in many communities across the nation about defunding police forces. While this may seem good in the heat of the moment, such an idea puts forth the notion that all police officers are bad. Yes, we have seen some bad apples such as those involved in the senseless deaths of George Floyd and Rayshard Brooks. But they are far outweighed by the many good men and women who serve as police officers across the nation. Allow me to give you two shining examples. In Houston during a protest march, one little girl was afraid at the presence of police. A male police officer walked over to the girl, gently put his arm around her, and reassured her that the police were not there to hurt her or anybody else. And, in my city of Niagara Falls, a little girl was playing in the Niagara Falls State Park when a female State Police officer drove by. The little girl became frightened at the sight of the officer. The officer turned around, got out of her vehicle, and gently reassured the girl that she wasn't there to hurt anybody. At one point, the officer and the girl even exchanged high-fives.

I am heartened that the PepsiCo company is retiring the "Aunt Jemima" food line because of its origins in racist imagery of black people. I am heartened that Mars Inc is retiring its "Uncle Ben's" food line because of its origins in racist imagery of black people. I am also heartened that B&G Foods is reconsidering its "Cream of Wheat" food line and that ConAgra Foods is reconsidering its "Mrs. Butterworth's" food line. These products have featured racial stereotypes for many years and should have been done away long ago.

I am saddened that there are still people who hold racist ideas. This is the 21st Century. You would think we could do better. On social media, I have encountered some who obviously hold onto what could be called the old ways. On one post discussing "Aunt Jemima", one person responded by saying "Sick of the petty bs! Attacking name brands, flags, statutes and cartoons!? Really, time to stop the bs!"

All of us live on the same planet. We should be able to co-exist with each other, regardless of what race we belong to. We're all human beings. We all breathe the same air. We all want to be treated with common decency. And I don't think that's too much to ask for.

Thank you for listening to me. In light of the current situation, I felt the need to say something. See you next chapter.

Yours faithfully,
Niagara14301

Author's notes

24th Century medical tricorder is from "Star Trek: The Next Generation".

"Bad form!" Timothy shouted at Derek in disgust - this was inspired by the same line used by the character Jack Banning in "Hook".

Derek Von Schroeder and Timothy O'Toole are characters created by MisuteriTenshi / SailorWednesdayMercury and are used in this story with the permission of MisuteriTenshi / SailorWednesdayMercury.

Douglas Archer is from the BBC mini-series "SS-GB". Those familiar with "SS-GB" should be aware that Voyager Command recruited Douglas after he escaped from Nazi-controlled England at the end of the "SS-GB" mini-series. Voyager Command also rescued Douglas' son from the Nazis, and both Douglas and his son now live in Voyager City.

Eliza Jane Wilder and Nancy Oleson are older versions of Eliza and Nancy from "Little House on the Prairie" and "Little House: A New Beginning". For more about Nancy being a Voyager, and eventually, a witch, see Chapter 14 of my story "Dorrie: Book Two".

Farkle Minkus, Isadora Smackle, and Riley Matthews are slightly older versions of the same characters from "Girl Meets World".

For more about Lady Diana being in my stories, please refer to Chapter 49 of my story "Dorrie", as well as Chapter 4 of "Once Upon a Time in Enchancia".

"I was a mean, nasty child," Nancy started with a sadness in her voice. "I did whatever I could to hurt people. Using Elmer for my own selfish means, locking Belinda in the ice shed, and betraying Matthew simply for some reward money" - Belinda was from the two-part "Little House on the Prairie" episode "The Reincarnation of Nellie". Elmer was from the "Little House on the Prairie" episode "For the Love of Nancy". And Matthew was from the two-part "Little House: A New Beginning" episode "The Wild Boy".

"I was in New York City once, with Candice," Amber announced. "It wasn't, however, during a good time ... the 9/11 attacks" - this is a reference to events in Chapter 16 of "Once Upon a Time in Enchancia".

"Is that Juliet Baring?" Lucinda asked about Diana, not quite believing what she was seeing - Lucinda would have known Diana, using the alias of Juliet Baring, from Chapter 3 of "Once Upon a Time in Enchancia".

"Looking at your history, you actually came through when it counted. You helped Sofia fend off Wormwood that night of the ball, you helped Sofia learn to dance, and when somebody hinted that King Roland wasn't Sofia's real father, you reassured Sofia that King Roland was as much of a father to Sofia as he was to you. You show great promise, Amber" - fending off Wormwood and helping Sofia learn to dance are references to events in "Sofia the First: Once Upon a Princess"; having Amber point out that Roland is as much a father to Sofia as he is to Amber is a reference to events in the "Sofia the First" episode "Dads and Daughters Day".

Lucille Anderson-Robinson, Phyllis Crane, Trixie Franklin, and Valerie Dyer are slightly older versions of the same characters seen in the "Call the Midwife" TV series. Regarding Lucille, I took the liberty of having her marry Cyril Robinson from this past season of "Call the Midwife". Regarding Phyllis, readers of "Once Upon a Time in Enchancia" will remember she made an appearance as a Voyager in Chapter 40. Regarding Trixie, readers of my story "Enchancia Castle" will remember she made an appearance as a Voyager in Chapters 11 and 12. Trixie's appearance in this chapter of "Once Upon a Time in Enchancia" marks the first time that Dorrie and Candice met her.

Midwife: a woman skilled in aiding in the delivery of babies. Readers of my stories "Dorrie" and "Dorrie: Book Two" will remember that Violet is a midwife and that Dorrie and Candice are training to be midwives.

Midwifery: the profession or practice of assisting women in childbirth.

Nonnatus House, seen in the "Call the Midwife" TV series, is home to the nuns of the Order of St. Raymond Nonnatus and is the headquarters for their work in midwifery and nursing in the district of Poplar, London, England. Along with the nuns, Nonnatus House is home to the midwives, nurses, and nuns that work there.

Omni, Phineas Bogg, and Voyager are from the "Voyagers!" TV series.

"Our specialty Voyager in charge of legal history, Douglas Archer, was recruited from an alternate timeline where the Nazis won the Battle of Britain" - this is a reference to events seen in the BBC mini-series "SS-GB".

Princess Isabel is from "Elena of Avalor".

Queen Anna of Arendelle is from "Frozen 2". Queen Anna (then Princess Anna) first appeared as a Voyager in Chapter 29 of my story "Tales from the Castle".

Quidditch is from "Harry Potter". The 1877 Quidditch World Cup Tournament that nobody remembers is part of "Harry Potter" history, with a makeup Quidditch World Cup having been held the following year.

Swords and Shields, and Tourney, are both from "Disney Descendants".

The 1752 goblin rebellion is a part of "Harry Potter" history.

The Doctor is from "Doctor Who".

The ISS (Immortal Sea Ship) Escadron Pourpre was the idea of Brigade701, and goes back to Chapters 46 and 47 of "Once Upon a Time in Enchancia".

The Kingdom of Arendelle is from "Frozen" and "Frozen 2".

The Scarlett Warrior (A.K.A. Scarlett) (A.K.A. Queen Scarlett) (A.K.A. Queen Scarlett Katherine Felchenerow) is a character created by Jake H Voronkov and is used in my stories with permission from Jake H Voronkov.

The scene with Derek, Jade, Sir Maxwell, and Timothy was based on an idea by MisuteriTenshi / SailorWednesdayMercury. Also, having Timothy heal Jade's ankle was the idea of MisuteriTenshi / SailorWednesdayMercury.

The scene with Scarlett and Gwen was based on ideas by Jake H Voronkov, Brigade701, and myself.

The scene with sixteen-year-old Amber sitting in her room is connected to events seen in Chapter 13 of "Once Upon a Time in Enchancia".

Disclaimer

Derek Von Schroeder, Timothy O'Toole, and the other original ideas from MisuteriTenshi / SailorWednesdayMercury are the property of MisuteriTenshi / SailorWednesdayMercury and are used in this story with the permission of MisuteriTenshi / SailorWednesdayMercury.

"Elena of Avalor" and everything associated with it © Craig Gerber, Disney Television Animation, Team TO, and Disney-ABC Domestic Television.

"Girl Meets World" and everything associated with it © Michael Jacobs Productions, It's a Laugh Productions and Disney Channel.

"Harry Potter" and everything associated with it © J. K. Rowling, Bloomsbury Publishing, Arthur A. Levine Books, Little Brown, Heyday Films, 1492 Pictures, Patalex IV Productions, and Warner Brothers Pictures.

"Little House on the Prairie" and everything associated with it © Ed Friendly Productions, NBC, Worldvision Enterprises, CBS Television Distribution, and NBC Universal International Television Distribution.

"Little House: A New Beginning" and everything associated with it © Ed Friendly Productions, NBC, Worldvision Enterprises, CBS Television Distribution, and NBC Universal International Television Distribution.

"Sofia the First" and everything associated with it © Craig Gerber, Jamie Mitchell, Disney Television Animation, Toiion Animation Studios, Team TO, and Disney-ABC Domestic Television.

"Star Trek: The Next Generation" and everything associated with it © Paramount Domestic Television and CBS Television Distribution.

The Scarlett Warrior and the other original ideas from Jake H Voronkov are the property of Jake H Voronkov and are used in my stories with the permission of Jake H Voronkov.

"Voyagers!" and everything associated with it © James D. Parriot Productions, Universal Television (MCA), and Scholastic Productions.

I only own Abby Cosmarune-Murphy, Candice Cosmarune-Cooper, Commissioner Richardson, Dorrie Cosmarune-Cooper, Libby Oleson, the Great Witch War, the House of Delphinia, the Top Tier Cafe, and Tricia.