AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hello again! Life gets crazy sometimes, which is why im doing terribly about updating. Good news is that I am updating today and should have day two done by the middle of June. So yeah, ENJOY!
(Please watch Paint The Night Parade by Its a Small World and the Main Street Electrical Parade before reading this section to fully understand references. THANKS 3 )
Chapter 53
While a lot of the crowd started to disperse, the Host Club remained where they were. Justin gave Steph a pat on the back, which was difficult due to the twins clinging to her. Katie had Kyoya in her arms as he stared at the stage with tears in his eyes. Mori and Honey couldn't stop applauding. Tamaki was blubbering as Haruhi kept repeating "Wow!" In a stunned voice.
"That had to be one of the best shows that I've ever seen." Kyoya whispered. Everyone agreed with him.
Katie smiled gently at her guests. "Come on, we got to get back to Main Street. Or at least close to it. This part of the park will be closing."
She stood and offered Kyoya a hand. He took it without question and proceeded to dust himself off. Everyone stood up and did the same as the sisters gently nudged the group towards the New Orleans Square train station. Everyone climbed on, still processing what they had experienced.
Finally, they made it to Main Street. They had to fight their way across the exiting crowd until Steph ushered the group into the Main Street Cinema.
It was empty, but several screens were playing old Disney Cartoons, mostly in black and white. Steph explained that it was a good place for solitude.
"So, thoughts?" Katie asked as they sat in the middle of the room in order to kill time before the new shows.
"Where do we begin?" Haruhi asked, still processing.
"The top, of course!" Steph giggled.
"Well, the music was phenomenal and I want to learn all of it on the piano!" Tamaki gushed.
"The theme of dreams and imagination in the beginning was great!" Honey added.
"Mickey." Was Mori's input.
"The technology was superb and the special effects are untouchable." Kyoya breathed.
"Yeah no kidding! Sparklers literally shot out from Mickey's fingertips!" Hikaru burst out as he stood up to dance around the room.
"Along with those water projections and that jungle scene? Priceless!" Kaoru joined his brother in dancing about.
"You could feel bits of water hitting us, we were so close!" Haruhi added, smiling widely.
Which led to Honey asking "Why didn't we sit in the VIP section?"
Katie smiled. "Then the characters can't see you waving from that far away. It also is much more engaging from the front."
"I thought the seating was wonderful, even if we did have to sit on the ground." Kyoya smiled. Tamaki noticed and laughed to himself. No Shadow King in sight, just a happy guy.
"Well, I loved the Peter Pan bit!" Haruhi sighed.
Everyone seemed to agree with her as Steph laughed and commented on how the sisters knew that section all too well.
"Does that have something to do with you dancing along?" Kyoya asked Katie quietly. She blushed and nodded.
"If they need a backup, I play Wendy." She whispered back as the group turned to the Princess scene.
Everyone loved it, saying lovely things about it, but no one said anything about why.
Finally, they got to the climax with the dragon.
"It was like I was a kid, seeing the boogieman in the shadows." Hikaru shivered, leaning into Steph as she patted his head with a grin.
"I couldn't believe it when I saw it. My brain saw it as a threat, a real creature. Further study may be required." Kyoya muttered, almost to himself. Katie giggled as she leaned into his side.
"It's called an adrenaline rush. It's very common. You can Google it." She grinned back. Kyoya gave her a smirk. Haruhi suppressed giggles at their barely concealed flirting.
"It was very intense." Mori ruffled his hair distractedly "Mickey did wonderfully."
They continued talking about the show for a good ten minutes, until it was 8:10. They enjoyed their break and went outside to find the park almost entirely filled with the camera wielding press, all wearing lanyards with Disney IDs.
Katie sighed when she saw them. Kyoya offered his arm to her as she whispered in his ear. "They are here to basically rate the new shows. See if the public will like it."
"Everybody's a critic, yes?" Kyoya sighed, as he followed Steph and the Twins. They sat on the edge of the sidewalk in front of the cinema. They sat, from left to right, with Honey first then Mori, followed by Katie, Kyoya, Tamaki, Haruhi, Kaoru, Steph, and Hikaru at the end.
Honey looked around, a bit confused. "Where are all the children?"
Everyone looked around, slightly put off by the lack of families in the area, for even though the place was crowded, it was crowded by loads of people with video cameras.
"This release of a new parade and fireworks show for the 60th anniversary of Disneyland, so those who give it reviews would get the first opportunities to record the show and eventually put it on the internet."
"So, these are all business people?" Tamaki asked, sad that the magic would be slightly dampened by all the hard-nosed adults.
"Yes, but often they are theme park enthusiasts and Disney experts. Kinda like us." Steph explained, waving her hands around. Hikaru noticed she gesticulated when she got very excited, often resulting in her nudging his arms or stomach. He didn't mind.
Kyoya noticed something different about Katie, however. While Steph used her hands to convey what she said, Katie used her face. Her eyes and smile often told what she was thinking if he looked close enough. And her eyes said that she saw right through his cold demeanor.
Oh well, Kyoya thought with a smile. I can see through her professionalism.
Katie continued that train of thought. "For example, most of these people are going to give this stellar reviews, but Steph and I prefer doing the honest test."
"What would that be?" Honey asked, confused.
Katie looked at Honey dead in the eye. "If you guys, our guests, enjoy it."
"So are we your Guinea Pigs?" Hikaru asked. Steph laughed and nodded. Everyone seemed more than okay to get to see the newest Disney attractions.
"Steph, I got another text from performing, they recommend sitting by Small World." Katie frowned. It was easy with barely anyone in the park to get down there but it was still a pain. So, they made their way to the same place that they watched the last parade end and this new one begin. They made it and sat on the curb there in the same order.
Everything was fairly calm in the park, with press finding other people they recognized and caught up with their competitors. The host club was yawning and Katie was even dozing off on Kyoya's shoulder, she was so comfortable.
Then, at 8:30 exactly, the twinkling of chimes could be heard for a few seconds, growing louder and louder. Everyone looked confused as they heard epic music. Katie's head shot up in confusion as Steph looked very confused, as if she was trying to taste a flavor long forgotten on her tongue. Katie started to tear up, but she didn't know why. Why was all of this sounding so familiar to her?
The lights suddenly shut off as Kyoya held Katie close and a hush came over the crowd. She wasn't the only Disney fanatic that was reacting like this, for Mori noticed Justin from earlier with a hand to his mouth, for he got a text from Steph saying where the place to be was. Justin knew what was coming, only because he was older than the sisters and could remember the iconic tune better.
Ladies and Gentlemen, boys and girls!" A choir of voice sang out. Steph's jaw dropped and Katie nearly fainted. She whispered to Kyoya. "I haven't heard this in this park since I was three, it's the Electrical Parade Opening!"
"Disneyland proudly presents! Our spectacular nighttime pageant of magic and imagination! IN MILLIONS OF DAZZALING LIGHTS! And astounding musical sounds!"
Steph had grabbed Hikaru's hand as she held her hand to her mouth. She wished she could have remembered seeing the Main Street Electrical Parade, but she was still a baby. She looked at her sister on the other end of the group and saw her wide eyed and smiling, but steadily crying with Kyoya's handkerchief in her hand. Her earliest memories were watching this parade, and she would cry when she heard the original track. It seemed this would be the ultimate successor to that legendary parade.
"It's the PAINT THE NIGHT PARADE!"
Music started again, with people illuminated by lights on their costumes. They were fairies!
"Is this music from Wreck-It Ralph?" Kaoru asked. Katie laughed, tears drying, and nodded. It seemed that they were remixing the song Owl City made, When Can I See You Again? was the new theme.
Around the corner came Tinkerbell herself, but… SHE WAS FLYING! Sparkling with Pixie Dust, from a swirling light machine, and commanding the fairies to dance on was a way to knock the breath out of everyone watching and it certainly set the tone of the show.
The group watched in awe as the fairies danced beautifully to the song as they saw three fairies on the ground from Tink's newer movies.
"Rosetta, Iridesa, and Silvermist." Katie waved as they waved their wands at the group.
Then they noticed the giant drum that was attached to Tink's flying machine and who sat on top of the thing.
"PETER!" Haruhi cried, ecstatic, she jumped up, the rest following. They couldn't sit and watch, it was too much fun!
The music changed to a beautiful rendition of Baroque Hoedown, the original Electric Parade theme as Peter Pan waved at the group and the drum, beautifully lit, showed the show's title on its front, obviously another tribute to the predecessor. The music continued its magical transition to You Can Fly! and The Second Star to the Right, which made the hosts really feel the music.
As the music played, giant electrical figures of the Genie, Tigger, and Lumierre swept past in glittering glory.
The music changed again, this time into a funny tune which introduced a blue float, with Sully from Monsters Inc. in the lead! It looked like doors were behind him, as they kept opening and closing to show funny scenes behind them, from both the original and the University movie.
"Mike Wazoski!" Mori exclaimed as everyone saw the green little monster on the back, and they all laughed at the funny float.
Next to come racing down the street was Lightning McQueen from Cars, with dancing Pit Crews behind him, dancing to a racing version of the theme song, Baroque Hoedown, and Life is a Highway/Route 66. Behind him came the huge truck Mack, all lit up and glowing, showing off an amazing light show. On the back of Mac was DJ, pumping the place even louder with the music.
It was a lot to take in, for it was hitting the group very fast, but now came a little break between sections, which Katie explained for being traffic control to get back and forth between the sidewalks, mostly used on Main Street, the Hub, and the entrance.
But they could see the next act coming in. "Is that coral?" Tamaki asked, excitedly, as the music swiftly changed into something new.
It was, and behind the coral came a huge underwater scene, with a giant King Triton bursting from the water in a dazzling show of colors and lights. And who sat at the helm of this display was none other than Ariel!
As her coral friends danced to Under the Sea mixed with the theme, she was exclaimed her hellos to the group and asked if Mori knew Prince Eric, for they both looked similar. Mori blushed deeply as the twins, Steph and Honey erupted in laughter. She beautifully kicked her tail and waved her hands as she swayed with the music, talking about the amazing human world.
Behind the float came jellyfish twirling and whizzing around two more characters, Marlin and Nemo from Finding Nemo, avoiding the stinging and deciding to go see the crowd. Marlin went up to Honey to wiggle in his face while Nemo chose Katie. Honey laughed at this as Katie and Nemo gave each other Eskimo kisses with their noses. Marlin acted to laugh as Nemo acted shy and 'swam' away.
Next came a Cowgirl they recognized as Jessie with some more Cowgirls. Behind them came a huge version of Slinky the Dog, as he glowed fantastically. The cowgirls had light up balls they swing around as they danced while the giant slinky toy was amazing as it illuminated the entire area. On the toy were two more toys, Buzz and Woody, all from Toy Story!
Buzz contacted Star Command as the Twins freaked out, jumping up and down, while everyone laughed and applauded.
There was a spaceship with the little green men inside it as it twirled around behind the Slinky Dog. You Got A Friend In Me played.
Another small break between floats occurred, where the twins realized that their Disney hats, which had been glowing in Fantasmic, which they took off for so those behind them could see ok, were glowing in time to the music and changing colors as the music changed from thing to thing. Everyone was astounded.
Up next came beautiful ladies in ball gowns, followed by a huge Belle who was waving to them in front of a huge rose, the music turned elegant and sweet. Tamaki swayed to the music with Haruhi, side by side. Katie stood in front of Kyoya as he had his arms around her shoulders, enveloping her. They began to sway as well. Hikaru grabbed Steph's hand and swung it in time to the music as Mori, Honey and Kaoru gazed at the princess and waved eagerly at her. She blew them all kisses, which they joyfully received.
Next on the float, at their regular sizes, came Rapunzel and Cinderella as fairies escorted them with a mash up of their songs playing, weaving together a beautiful melody.
Next came some snow fairies, dancing in front of a huge palace made of ice! It was Elsa's castle and on the balcony was The Queen and Princess.
They said hello to their guests, they waved and greeted them, which gave everyone the chills, literally! The palace was so beautifully made and lit and the music was perfect. As the float went past, the music change to Let It Go, Do You Wanna Build A Snowman and In Summer, showing Olaf waving to the crowd.
Next came what looked like pinwheels, glowing and shaping the air, dancing around. Then came Goofy on a Puffball, another tribute to the former light king, followed by Donald and Minnie on the same, and the changing to the song When You Wish Upon A Star and Mickey Mouse Club.
Following them were more pinwheels and the finale to the parade, a float that became everyone's favorite.
"Mickey!" Katie screamed with joy.
"MICKEY!" The Host Club and Steph followed, minus one.
"Mickey." Mori stated, with a childlike smile breaking on his lips.
Sorcerer Mickey stood atop a platform that was shimmering and spraying light everywhere. That was magical enough, but it was the magical creation behind him which stood out. It twisted and twirled, creating a magical art piece behind him. As Mickey waved to them, Katie had to burst into tears again, with Steph behind her. The Host Club could only applaud and be mesmerized by the magic. Kyoya held Katie close as she heard Zip-A-Dee-Do-Dah and Star play as the rope leaders closed the show with a glowing rod. Steph ran to her sister and they embraced, crying joyfully at this amazing new champion of the parades. Everyone soon joined in the hug, unable to keep from crying too.
The fireworks had a lot to keep up with for the hosts, the bar had been set very high indeed!
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Thanks so much for all your continued support, you are all magical to us. Please R&R with opinions, ideas, and thoughts. WE LOVE YOU!
THAT"S ALL!