Chapter 25: The Magic Bag of Tricks (Take 3!)

"BOO!"

Wendy yelped. She snapped her hand out of the Magic Bag of Tricks.

Laughter heaved and rolled over the auditorium. Gleeful in his prank, Peter dove for cover. Hiding under Lana's seat, he high-fived Flynn and Aladdin as Master Cogsworth searched for the perpetrator.

Headmaster Mickey wiped his brow. Peter's outburst had made the headmaster jump right out of his yellow shoes. Kindly, Headmaster Mickey looked at Wendy. She returned a terrified expression.

"Trick or treat!" Lana, Cordelia, and Adella called after a fit of giggles. Below them, Peter shot a thumbs up.

Guilty to be associated in the group, Ariel leaned toward her sister and cousins. "Adella! Lana!" she reached for Lana's wrist. "Cut it out, she's scared."

"Chill out, Ariel!" Lana said, batting Ariel away. "One more time, girls: Trick or tree-eeeeeat!"

Wendy frowned. Clenching her fist, she stuffed a hand into the Magic Bag of Tricks.

"Ouch!" Wendy lifted her eyes to Headmaster Mickey. Astounded more than hurt, she lifted her hand. Blood dripped down her index finger. "It did…it,,, bit me."

Peter's head popped up from behind the seats. "Oh shit."

Headmaster Mickey started. Confused, he peered into the Magic Bag of Tricks.

After a brief investigation, Headmaster Mickey smiled.

"Oh…oh! Oh, not to worry My Dear. Look…" Carefully, Headmaster Mickey tilted the bag. "And…here…we are."

A needle and spool of thread tumbled into Wendy's hands.

The thread was black and braided with fine golden string. The needle, pure silver, was blushed with Wendy's blood.

"Oooops. Better not forget this…." Giving the bag an extra flap, Headmaster Mickey emptied a silver thimble into Wendy's hand.

"Wendy Darling…" Headmaster Mickey said as Wendy fingered the glittering thimble. "Magical Items: Needle, thimble, spool of thread. Can't imagine what adventure that has in store for you."

"Yeah…" Lana giggled to Adella. "…become your own pin-cushion."

Ariel rolled her eyes. She ignored Peter as he fwumped in the seat beside her.

Ariel was getting impatient. She fidgeted, wishing it was her turn to reach into the Magic Bag of Tricks.

The wait was unbearably long, with only a few surprises.

Lilo and Headmaster Mickey were nearly killed by a psycho blue alien before Lilo tackled the creature, declared her love, and named it Stitch.

Kocoum and Tigerlily attained the magical power of silencing, and muted the entire auditorium twice before Master Merlin figured out how to reverse the magic.

Phoebus got a sword. Clayton got a rifle.

Meg's magical power, to the public dismay, was listening to dead souls.

Charming received a tiny pumpkin that inflated into a full blown golden carriage.

Nani received a lei of white tropical flowers, each petal containing healing magic.

Quasimodo got a tiny bell that nearly ruptured everyone's eardrums when it rang.

Pinocchio turned into a wooden puppet.

Marian received a delicate water-lily ring that glowed even in the darkest of night.

David, much to Jim's desire, hefted a surf board that rode on water and air.

Eric produced a ship's steering wheel that flipped the world upside when it turned.

Eilonwy somehow pulled out a monstrous black cauldron that Headmaster Mickey told her hide in a secret place.

John and Michael Darling shocked everyone – mostly the group of pixies – when they lifted sand-buckets of pixie dust from the Magic Bag of Tricks.

"I believe…" said Headmaster Mickey, quickly skimming the next page of the Once Upon A Time book. "…that brings us to our next group…"

Ariel's stomach curled as Headmaster Mickey recited the list of names. "Could Maris, Marina, Coral, Cordelia, Limpet, Lana, Attina, Aquata, Andrina, Arista, Adella, Alana, and Ariel please come up to the stage?"

The Little Mermaids stood. Heels flashing, they took to the stage like a red carpet event. Intimidation, jealousy, and desire burned in their wake.

Ariel scanned the auditorium. Normally, she would have enjoyed the attention – typically taking special note of Eric – but the Magic Bag of Tricks preoccupied her mind. Again, Ariel's stomach curled.

"You have all been called," Headmaster Mickey explained as the Little Mermaids filed onto the stage. "Due to related magical ancestry. Normally, magic is difficult to control, but magical genetics are quite predictable – unless there is a mutation in the chromosomal sequence, off course."

Alana nodded. She was the health and beauty nut, and was studying to be a dermatologist. Ariel smiled – Alana would probably explain the specific science on ride home.

Regardless, Ariel knew what Headmaster Mickey meant. She had known all her life. Her ancient ancestors were mermaids. When she – and her family – reached inside the Magic Bag of Tricks….

Ariel squeezed Lana's hand. Immediately Lana reciprocated. "This is it!" she whispered as Attina was called forward. "Ariel this is totally happening!"

And totally happen it did.

Attina – who had previously received her powers at a swim meet – was again provoked into the mer form the instant her finger tips touched the Magic Bag of Tricks. But she also received a magnificent coral tiara, which Headmaster Mickey recognized as an ancient artifact.

"The Coral Crown…" breathed Headmaster Mickey as the auditorium gazed in awe. "…that hasn't been seen in thousands…millions of years!"

Impressed, Headmaster Mickey turned to the quill and composition notebook. "Did you get that?" he asked.

The quill and notebook bobbed eagerly. They continued to scribe as each of Ariel's cousins and sisters reached into the Magic Bag of Tricks and buckled under a beautiful technicolor mermaid tail.

"….and Lana Cascadia…" said Headmaster Mickey for the thirteenth time. He waited patiently as the professors assisted Lana off the stage so Master Merlin could transform her back. "…Magical Power: Mermaid Transformation…"

Headmaster Mickey stretched his back as Lana's pale aquamarine tale dissolved into human legs. Expectantly, he turned to Ariel. "And last, but certainly not least, Ariel. Ariel Triton."

Jim sucked in his breath. "…Triton…" he quietly mused. All that time, the girl…the girl with sea blue eyes…the girl that saved him…was…Admiral Triton's daughter. Jim pressed forward in his seat. Despite his frustrations, Jim could not take his eyes nor his mind off the girl reaching into the Magic Bag of Tricks.

"Ariel…" Jim breathed over a thundering heart. "…Ar.."

Jim turned. "What?" he asked, quickly sitting back.

Adjusting Michael and his bucket of pixie dust on her lap, Wendy smiled. "Nothing." she said sweetly. Across the aisle, she exchanged grins with Tiana and Rapunzel. "Absolutely nothing."

Jim glowered. Burying himself under despondence, Jim focused on the stage.

"Whatever." he mumbled as Ariel slid her hand into the Magic Bag of Tricks.

The students watched and waited.

But Ariel did not turn into a mermaid. The swift pattern of transformation passed, leaving a perplexed audience. Even Headmaster Mickey frowned at the bag. Concerned, he gave it a little shake.

"What's happening?" Lana whispered loudly offstage. "What wrong with the bag? Why isn't Ariel a mermaid?"

Headmaster Mickey seemed to be thinking similarly. After, two more shakes, he suddenly paused. After a final inspection, he raised suspicious eyes.

"Ariel?" asked the headmaster. "Ariel, are you holding something?"

Ariel's face paled. Slowly, she nodded. The Little Mermaids gasped in horror.

Ignoring the outburst, Headmaster Mickey nodded at Ariel. "Go on, My Dear. Remember…the Wishing Star chose this. For you. And you alone. Go on…"

Ariel swallowed. Slowly she turned her arm out of the Magic Bag of Tricks. Glinting in her grasp was a powerful, deadly, golden trident. The magic pulsed beneath Ariel's fingers, reverberating across the auditorium like baritone whale songs.

"She's…she's not a mermaid." Lana said in the backdrop of student whispers. Disgust eased into her voice. "Ariel is not a mermaid. She' a mutant!"

"That will do, everyone!" Headmaster Mickey addressed the gossiping assembly. "Everyone back to your seats. Come, come now!"

"Bottoms in the chair!" Master Cogsworth rapped the podium as the Little Mermaids returned to their sector. "Bottoms in the chair, not in the air!"

Headmaster Mickey turned to Ariel. Swiftly, Ariel ducked away, her deep blue eyes on the floor. Heart throbbing, she hugged the trident to her chest.

"Ouch!" Lana hissed as the trident snagged her perfect hair. Shouldering past Ariel, Lana flicked aside her shinny locks. "Mutant."

"Sorry, Ariel." Andrina whispered as Alana rubbed her arm. "Don't worry. The trident's…nice…"

"We still love you." Attina added forcefully. "Don't listen to Lana. You got what you got. Father's not going to be angry."

Ariel closed her eyes. Holding back tears was hard enough without everyone prying into her emotions. She had to leave. She had to leave now. Breathing hard, Ariel made for the door. In the rush, her face burned. Her heart banged out of control.

Ignoring Master Donald's objections and Mr. Silver's gaze, Ariel exited the auditorium the second her tears started to fall.

"Oh no…" Wendy turned as Ariel left. "…poor Ariel. She must be so upset."

"Don't know why." Tiana muttered, still leafing through restaurant brochures with her highlighter. "Do you how impractical a fish tail is? Basically you can swim, lounge on rocks, and be served with chips."

Wendy didn't answer. She considered the door. Her eyes flickered to Jim. "Do you think someone should…"

Jim glared. Truly concerned, Wendy continued, "…see if she's all right?"

Jim's heart flipped as Wendy met his eyes. But before he could defend indifference, Headmaster Mickey spoke.

"We have only two students left to pick from the Magic Bag of Tricks." The headmaster's ears sagged a little, saddened by the weight of his words. "Please, Jim Hawkins. Come forward."

As promised! I hope everyone had a great week and I hope this chapter was worth the wait. I know that I needed to write in the worst way! Things are still super busy on this end, but I'll try to get in another chapter soon. If not, next weekend for sure. Let me know how you guys are doing and if you approve. Good, exciting things to come (think Hunger games disney style...sorta...kinda...well...you'll see!) :)