sultal's quick note: at the end there is an explaination of whether Wendy's gift is a magical power or magical item...really good question from a really awesome reader named Frieda (guest)! :)

Chapter 41: PTA

Headmaster Mickey turned.

The screams and shouts nearly knocked him over.

"A SHADOW WORKER? A SHADOW WORKER?"

The headmaster calmly straightened his robes. "Yes. A shadow worker." he said to the parent brigade. Calmly, he stepped from the door. "And actually we have two."

"TWO!"

"But this girl," blubbered Lord Hubert, "has killed a boy, hasn't she?"

"One of my orphans!" bellowed Sir Ector.

"Shadow workers are not natural!" Sultan reprimanded.

"They have not been seen since…" observed Fa Ziou, "...since the last Fantasian King –"

"—and the last war over the Wishing Star!" Dallben added.

Lady Tremaine pointed a long, sharp fingernail. "The school is endangered!"

Lady Elinor nodded in agreement. "Is this yer idea o' keeping our children safe?!"

Headmaster Mickey raised his hands.

"Please!" his wrists shook for emphasis. "Lower your voices! There are students in the Nurse's Office trying to sleep."

"Sleep! Sleep?" Maurice elbowed to the front. A hodgepodge of gadgets swung from the inventor's belt. "Headmaster – are students still frozen? Is my Belle – "

"Master Merlin has revived all uninjured students." Headmaster Mickey shifted as Captain Amelia strut to his side. "We thought it best to heal the injured students before unfreezing them. To avoid pain – if they are sleeping in a frozen state, Master Merlin and Dr. Sweet can fix them faster. But your children will be up bright and early tomorrow, completely healed and ready for school."

"And what –" demanded Sir Ector, "—in the blue blazing happens next? They just trounce around class with Shadow Workers? I've got a dozen orphans in this bloody school and insurance to worry about, Man!"

Headmaster Mickey frowned. "Shadow Workers are not dangerous if they are trained. I will personally train them – "

"What about my Rapunzel!" wailed Mother Gothel. "What if she doesn't come home one night? I'll die! I'll simply die!"

"And my Phillip!"

"And my honey lamb, Charlotte!"

"And – "

"THE STUDENTS WILL BE TRAINED! ALL OF THEM!"

The crowd parted. Admiral Triton marched through the sea of parents. A tall muscular man followed in the admiral's wake. The newcomer was silent as Admiral Triton spoke, but his slanted eyes darted across his surroundings.

"Your children have been given gifts. They will be trained to defend themselves and Fantasia." Admiral Triton joined Headmaster Mickey. The newcomer folded his hands quietly beside the admiral. "I have the headmaster's word – your children will be prepared for the evil coming to take Fantasia."

"Evil?"

"Hup, hup! What's this now?"

"I thought little Oliva was playing pretend…"

"Hasn't anyone noticed…" asked Headmaster Mickey, "…that the Wishing Star has broken?"

"I did." The crowd turned. Chief Powhatan, eyes soft and sturdy as leather, gazed at the headmaster. "Kekata and I sought the prophesy. It has been ten centuries since…"

Headmaster Mickey quivered as the ancient chief spoke. "…since the last Fantasian King. When the Wishing Star was wished apart…and evil held the earth."

"And the students – " Admiral Triton continued aggressively. "—are the referred 'children skewed to fight.' As dictated by the prophesy."

"What does this mean?" Eudora fingered her overcoat collar. "What does this mean for our children?"

"It means – " said Headmaster Mickey, "That your children must be trained. They must! Tomorrow, their training begins. Tomorrow we will assign them to the proper….er…training groups."

"Training groups?" Lord Fergus hefted his sword. Lady Elinor closed her eyes patiently as her husband circled the blade. "I dinnae know what hoot other sectors teach, but in the North Sector, our children learn te fight!"

"Only certain students will be trained as warriors!" Headmaster Mickey shouted as Lords Fergus, Macintosh, MacGuffin, Dingwall cheered. "Students will be placed into one of four groups. First: Warriors trained by Coach Phil."

"Second: Healers trained by Dr. Joshua Sweet." Mickey continued. "Third: Scouts trained by Master Donald Duck and members of the Rescue Aid Society, and…."

Headmaster Mickey glanced at Sarah Hawkins, standing silently by Chief Powhatan. "…and I will train students associated with the Wishing Star. Including the Shadow Workers."

"That's it?" Professor Archimedes Q. Porter, professional scientist, wrung his bow tie, "The students are dropping all classes? To…train?"

Headmaster Mickey shook his head. "No. All students will be instructed in the basic arts of magic, astronomy, and war. These classes will teach your children how to survive in the current state of things. But yes…these will replace regular classes."

Professor Porter gulped. "Oh heavens. Sounds awful."

"Who's teachin'?" boomed Lord Fergus, still swinging his sword. He and his wife seemed skeptical of the headmaster plan. "Who's teachin those classes, now? Not some dunderheeds?"

"Astronomy," frowned Headmaster Mickey, "will be taught by our very own Dr. Delbert Doppler. Magic will be taught by Master Merlin. And War will be taught by Captain Lee Shang, here with us now. Captain…if you please."

The newcomer accompanied by Admiral Triton – Captain Lee Shang – stepped forward. His broad shoulders and massive triangular body overwhelmed his composed aura.

"Captain Lee Shang attended the Academy with Captain Amelia." said Headmaster Mickey as Shang observed his audience. "He kindly returned from The Land of the Others to train your children after watching them today in the War Games."

"Land of the Other's, eh?" Sir Ector rubbed his belly and bristled his moustache. He squinted suspiciously at Shang. "Little fishy if you ask me, but more's the pity. Can't send him back then, can we? So…what'd you think of our children today in the War Games, then?"

Captain Lee Shang rotated his head slowly to Sir Ector. "Not inspiring."

Lord Fergus chortled over the uproar. "Cannie lad, this one. Must've noticed Kay blundering like a dafty doo out there, eh Ector?"

Sir Ector reached for his sword. "Better than that bloody mess of hair you call a daughter, Fergus! Have at you, Northern Sector devil!"

"Come and take yer best swipe you Center Point dobber!"

"Silence!"

Captain Lee Shang strode forward. His voice had rung like a thunderclap but he approached the parents unruffled as a blue sky.

"Only a handful made it to the finish line. Fewer than that made it unscathed. Most of them were girls – "

Fa Ziou and Powhatan smiled softly. Mulan and Pocahontas were first to cross.

"—and all were by luck." Captain Lee Shang paced, looking every parent in the eye. "I will teach your children what they need to survive. They will work. They will work hard. With any luck, they will cry."

Captain Amelia hid a smile. She was so happy Shang was back.

"But…" The captain halted, peering intensely into the crowd. "But…when evil comes…they will not die."

Silence.

Captain Lee Shang unfolded his hands. "I suggest that you – Sectors Leaders – do the same. Train. Prepare. Build your defenses…together – "

"Together?"

"Impossible!"

"The day I combine forces with the Northern Sector – "

"—Western Sector –"

" – Eastern Sector – "

"—Southern Sector – "

"—Center Point – "

" – is the day I run myself through!" Lord Fergus slapped his sword into its sheath. "Send my men to help these mingers? Ha! Elinor! MacGuffin! Macintosh! Dingwall! Come on! Let's go!"

"Aye!"

"Aye!"

"Aye!"

"Good riddance!" growled Sir Ector, covering his own weapon. "Pellinore, Tremaine – to home!"

"Parents!" Headmaster Mickey beseeched the angrily dispersing crowd. "Wait just don't – not like this – we have to work togeth – Well at least argue quietly as you leave! Please! The children are sleeping!"

Admiral Triton, Captain Amelia, and Captain Lee Shang watched as the headmaster chased back and forth.

Shang rubbed his neck. "We've got a long way to go."

Captain Amelia nodded. "Verily." she said, turning on a heel. "This way Captain Lee. I will show you out. Going to be an insufferably long day tomorrow. Admiral Triton – night."

"At ease." said Admiral Triton, straightening his jacket and preparing to depart. "At ease."

"Admiral. Admiral Triton."

The admiral turned. Before him was a middle aged woman with worn eyes.

"Madame?"

The woman's worn eyes considered him harshly. "Admiral Triton. I am Sarah. Sarah Hawkins." Sarah folded her arms. "We've met before."

"Ah. Hawkins." Admiral Triton bristled. "My office had the displeasure of arresting your son. Multiple times. And…" the admiral's eyes hardened into stone. "…your husband. Sinbad. Years ago, before he –"

" – left." Sarah's jaw tightened. A shadow covered her eyes. "Left. Forever. No contact. At all. Satisfied?"

Admiral Triton lifted an eyebrow. Sinbad had entire files devoted to crimes, misdemeanors, and arrest warrants. "If you say so…Madame."

"I'm not here to be interrogated." Sarah said, forcing the admiral's eyebrow to raise even higher. "I am here to talk to you about Wendy."

Admiral Triton narrowed his eyes. "Excuse me?" he said, unfamiliar with the name. "Wendy?"

Sarah resisted the urge to roll her eyes. So much for Fantasia's finest officer.

"Yes. Wendy Darling. She's been in your daughter's class for ten, eleven years? Since kindergarten? Well anyway, Wendy is the daughter of George Darling. Your department arrested George last night, allegedly for supplying liquor to minors despite evidence to the contrary. Or…" Sarah leaned forward, arms still crossed. "…didn't you know? Admiral."

Admiral Triton gripped his hands behind his back. "What evidence to the contrary?" he asked.

"Wendy, Jim, and Tiana – she goes to school with your girls as well, you probably didn't know– all say George was framed. Yes, he was drinking. Yes, he was under the influence. But those children took advantage of him. They were looking for trouble." Sarah stepped forward. "And they got it. George was arrested and George's family now suffers because he is in jail."

Sarah waited two seconds as Admiral Triton considered her statement. Impatient, she added in a softer voice. "George Darling should not be in jail. Especially – especially for Wendy's sake. After all this…after today…Wendy needs her family in one piece."

Admiral Triton's eyes ticked. Then, adjusting his cuffs, the admiral turned. "I cannot."

"Wait – what – excuse me? Admiral. Admiral!"

"You are asking me…" Admiral Triton restated, half turning his head. "…to trust the actions of an inebriated man and the word of three adolescents? One of which is the son of a criminal and has a police record? Madam!"

"Have you asked your daughters and nieces?" Sarah seized Admiral Triton's shoulder. Angrily, she spun him around to face her. "Have you asked them what they were doing out on a school night half drunk with boys and booze – "

"How dare you tell me how to raise my daughters." Admiral Triton growled, leaning into Sarah, "How dare you accuse my girls when your son – "

"Jim gets into trouble, I won't deny it." Sarah tore after the Admiral as he marched to the exit. "But my son is not cruel. He does not hurt for the sake of hurting. And he cares – he cares deeply –"

"—for breaking rules and undermining authority." Admiral Triton slashed a hand between himself and Sarah. Fire blazed behind his bushy white eyebrows. "Much like a criminal named Sinbad wanted in all the seven seas of Fantasia!"

Sarah's eyes flashed. "How dare you. You –"

"That is my final word!" Admiral Triton wrenched open the door to the exit. "Good evening, Madam!"

sultal's note

I LOVE writing with these characters - Fergus was especially fun to play with! I looked up Scottish insults and just went wild baby!

WENDY'S GIFT QUESTION FROM AN AWESOME READER:

Ok, so I usually answer questions in PM's but an awesome reader named Frieda (guest) asked a really good question - she also always gives amazingly helpful reviews so I'm going to answer right now! I also wanted to say "Hi Frieda: thanks for all the reviews! Glad you are enjoying the story!"

Ok, so Frieda asked if Wendy's "gift" was a Magical Item or Magical Power or both. Awesome question. I WROTE this story and I was like...ummmmmm...

Haha, so I thought about it on 2 runs, and I finally decided that Wendy's power is DEFINITELY a Magical Item. Think about it - Sarah can hug her and people can touch her without getting their shadows/souls ripped apart. The only way that Wendy can manipulate shadows is if she is using her needle, thread, and thimble...especially the thimble. This lets her touch shadows without being "attacked." MORE ON THAT LATER.

BUT that is not to say that shadows can't come to Wendy...or to any other student for that matter. Remember, Elsa and Jim were attacked by Facilier's shadow. Wendy was attacked by Peter's shadow. Shadows do that...I will explain this in a later chapter. You will see why I PROMISE. BUT anyway, if Wendy is wearing her thimble, she can control and manipulate shadows. AND if she has her needle and thread, she can sew them back on to people...just like Mickey explained in the last chapter.

Guys I PROMISE that Mickey is going to explain all this later. We will also find out more about what shadows exactly are...lot of cool philosophy about souls and shadows coming up.

Hope you enjoyed this chapter.

keep writing.