sultal's note: this only on weekends thing is a drag! Next chapter though is Peter and Wendy - I had a lot of requests for more Peter/Wendy fluff so I'll try to add a lot more in before the end of the story :)

Chapter 72: Solving Secrets

School bells cried. The sunrise bled over the bloodshot morning. Students poured like a trail of tears from empty houses.

Headmaster Mickey watched. Rubbing Pluto's ears, he stared out the window, through his reflection.

Fantasia stretched before Mickey in every direction, reaching for something beyond the horizon. Mickey snuffed: probably a hero….or…

"…the Chosen One."

A swirl of dark clouds revolved over Petrified Forest. Maleficent signature. Tendrils of the vortex itched towards the sun.

Mickey pressed his head against the glass. "How'm I gonna do it, Boy?"

Pluto looked up. Sympathetically he moaned as footsteps approached. Voices rose. Unnoticing the commotion, Mickey gazed at Petrified Forest.

"Three days. I only have three days. How am I going to protect those students?"

The voices outside the headmaster's door grew louder.

Pluto turned but Mickey closed his eyes in concentration, mumbling to himself. "How am I going to protect the Chosen One? Chosen One…Maleficent will accept nothing else. Oh Pluto….I don't even know who the Chosen One is! The Magic Bag of Tricks didn't give us a clue, or a sign or – "

Mickey stopped. "The Magic Bag of Tricks…didn't give us a clue. Or a sign. None at all…."

The headmaster drew a hand to his mouth. "Pluto…." Mickey whispered as the door flew open. "….that's it! That's the Chosen One!"

"Headmaster!"

"Mickey!"

"Headmaster!"

"We were here first!"

Headmaster Mickey turned. Mind buzzing he plowed through Captain Lee Shang, Peter, Jim, Ariel, Mistress Minnie, and Master Cogsworth.

"I—hold it – Headmaster!" Spinning and hip hiking over Master Cogsworth, Shang chased after Mickey. "Headmaster! Headmaster! The students are assembled into the auditorium and the seven dwarves have secured – "

"—no time!" Headmaster Mickey said. Diving into a filing cabinet, he ripped through the contents. Pluto barked as Shang objected, and Peter fought Jim for a word.

"Headmaster!" Peter elbowed Jim and skipped to the front. "Sir Ector was in on this whole thing! So was Lady Tremaine! Cindy, Wart, and I saw them with the exact same scars – "

"—yes, yes. The scars! Hand for a hand!" Headmaster Mickey tore a map from the filing cabinet. The ancient parchment nearly disintegrated in his hands as Mickey charged back into his office.

"Hand for a hand?" Peter lead the parade after Headmaster Mickey. He kicked up from the carpet. "What does that mean?"

Headmaster Mickey pressed a magnifying glass to the map. He waved impatiently. "Minnie. Explain."

Mistress Minnie clutched her beating heart. "It means they made a deal with Captain Hook."

Peter revolved in air. "Who?"

Worriedly, Minnie watched Mickey run a finger over the map. "Captain Hook. He is a…a pirate."

Peter made a face. "Pirate?"

Minnie nodded. "His left hand is a hook. A magical hook. He uses it to mark the palms of those that join his crew…" Minnie twisted her tail. "The hook slice…the hand for the hand…it's a mark of allegiance. Loyalty."

Jim's eyes widened. He remembered Billy Bone's dying omen. "Beware of the man with the metal hand…metal hand! Headmaster!"

Jim pushed by Shang and Mistress Minnie. He leaned over the desk, elbows on the map. "Headmaster! Billy Bones knew! He knew what's his name – the pirate – "

"—Hook." Peter shouldered into Jim.

"—Billy Bones knew Hook was coming!" Jim leaned father across the desk. Vaguely he noted a forest topography outlined on the ancient map. "Right before he died and gave me the orb – the map – he said 'Beware of the man with the metal hand!' He said he was coming from across the sea with…" Jim's stomach lurched. "…shadowy devils. Oh my God! Headmaster – "

"—And I saw him!" Ariel pounced between Peter and Jim. Strands of hair fell over her face. "After the school was attacked! Jim and I were sucked into the pool, into the sea, and we were saved by a ship. The captain had a hooked hand! He brought me home to Daddy! And now my Daddy is missing with all the other parents – "

"—So if we find Hook –" Peter hit his fist.

"—We can get all the parents!" Jim said. "My Mom! Wendy's little brother –"

"—and my Daddy!" Ariel reached across the map. "But we have to do something! Now! We only have three days before – "

"Headmaster!" Wendy sprinted into the office. Breathless, she stopped seeing the swarm of students around Headmaster Mickey's desk. Stepping back she tightened the hood pulled over her head, hiding her cheeks. "Headmaster, please I need to talk – "

"—Hey! Yo! Headmaster!"

Mickey spun around as Flynn and Rapunzel sprinted into the office. Panting, Flynn pointed his frying pan at Rapunzel. "Headmaster! Blondie's step-mom—"

"—Mother Gothel." Rapunzel blurted, shaking from head to toe.

"—whatever Gothel." continued Flynn. "—just tried to buy Rapunzel membership into the zombie club!"

"Mother Gothel has the scar!" Rapunzel cried, running a hand through her hair. "On her palm! He wasn't home last night and I thought she'd been kidnapped, but this morning she climbed through my window and tried to take me – "

"—drag her by the hair!" Flynn shouted.

"—to Petrified Forest!" finished Rapunzel squeezing her head. "Flynn hit her with the pan and…we ran! Oh I am such a terrible daughter – "

"I agree with the students!" Shang pushed to the front. "We need to organize an offensive. Any parent or student that defects – executed on sight!"

"Executed?" Wendy gasped. Peter frowned as she twisted her hood tighter. "You can't – "

"Action is needed!" Shang interrupted, mind already on the battle field. "The situation is getting out of control!"

"THIS situation is out of control!" Master Cogsworth spluttered, yanking on everyone's ankles. "Out! Out! Everyone out!"

"Mickey!" Mistress Minnie slid the map across the table. Pluto yapped as she met Mickey with teary eyes. "Why do you have a map of Petrified Forest? What are you going to – "

"ENOUGH!" Flanked angrily by Pluto, Headmaster Mickey swatted everyone from his desk. "How am I suppose to think with all this racket? Leave! I want each and everyone of you to leave! Go down to the auditorium!"

"But Headmaster!"

"No! Go down to the auditorium!" Unremorsefully, Headmaster Mickey steering the group from his office.

"And trust me!" the headmaster glared, pushing Minnie into the hall. "Everything is going to be all right!"

"Mickey!"

Mistress Minnie leapt forward, slipping through the door as it slammed shut.

Jim, Wendy, Ariel, Peter, Rapunzel, and Flynn exchanged flustered looks before Captain Lee Shang and Master Cogsworth marshaled them to the auditorium.

"Call attendance, Cogsworth." Shang instructed, thundering down the hallway. His pace quickened as he strategized aloud. "We need to know our assets. The students are the only hope for Fantasia now."

"Yes Sir!" Master Cogsworth saluted, bustling out of sight.

"I'll gather what professors and magical guardians are left: Merlin, Coach Phil, Dr. Dopp—" Shang stopped. Turning to the students, he pointed to the auditorium. "You heard the Headmaster. Into the auditorium!"

"But we don't understand!" Ariel opened her arms. The trident glinted. "What's going on?"

"Headmaster Mickey will explain!" Jabbing his finger once more before disappearing, Shang pointed again at the auditorium. " Just get inside with your classmates!"

The six students stared in silence.

"Shit." Jim said.

Peter glared. "Brilliant observation, Rat Tail."

"What do we do now?" Rapunzel asked, interrupting Jim's advance toward Peter. She bounced anxiously on her heels. "Just wait? In the auditorium? We could be attacked at any second –like last night."

Ariel shook her head. "We have three days. Sunset on the third day – remember?"

"Besides." Jim added, scowling away from Peter. "Pretty sure Maleficent and Hook are in Petrified Forest. Not like they're at our doorstep."

"No. They are. They're here. In Center Point."

Everyone turned to Wendy. Her face was covered by the hood, but her blue eyes shown with worry.

"What d'you mean, Wen?" Jim asked, stepping forward. Peter also advanced, eyeing her hood suspiciously. "You saw something last night?"

Wendy nodded. "I…I think it was the man with the metal hand, Jim. At least it was a metal hooked hand. Just like you said Billy Bones - "

Jim and Peter spoke together. "Captain Hook."

"Who?" Flynn and Rapunzel asked.

"Pirate." Peter said curtly. He walked briskly to Wendy. "Maleficent's buddy, apparently."

Flynn gripped his frying pan in one hand and Rapunzel in the other. "What kind of freaking evil circus is this?!"

"Wendy, you need to tell the headmaster!" Ariel said, stepping forward and naturally falling her fingers into Jim's hand.

Wendy nodded. "I tried." she said, eyes flickering to their interlaced fingers. "But he shooed us away."

"What are we going to do?" Rapunzel pressed again, squeezing Flynn's hand. "What are we going to do?"

Jim worked his fingers over Ariel's, thinking.

"For now…" Jim sighed, shaking his head. "…we get into the auditorium. Wait to hear what Headmaster has to say. Get his information. Then…we decide."

It was an anticlimactic decision, but one that was grudgingly accepted as the wisest. Depressed, the group turned toward the auditorium.

Holding Ariel's hand, Jim waited for Wendy. Executive responsibilities paused for the present, he suddenly noticed that Wendy was wearing hood up. And tightly. Curiously, Jim opened his mouth just as Peter spoke.

"You hot or something, Girl?"

Flynn gave a weak laugh. "Tactful, Pete."

"No. No." Swerving in front of Wendy, Peter pointed at her hoodie. "Your hood. It's up. You look like an Eskimo. You hot? Warm?"

"Caliente." Flynn clarified.

Wendy looked at Peter. Then she looked at Jim for help. But Jim stared accusingly back, for once not pouncing on Peter's comment.

Realizing she was alone, Wendy returned to Peter. "No." she replied, carefully walking around Peter and keeping her head down. "I'm comfortable…"

"Peter side stepped, blocking her. "Right. It's gotta be a billion degrees in that sweater."

Wendy straightened, insulted. "I always wear this."

"Not with the hood up."

"Yeah…" Jim suddenly agreed. Releasing Ariel's hand, he joined Peter. "Wen, why don't you take off that hoodie?"

"I'm fine Jim."

"You're flushed." said Peter. "Hiding something, Girl?"

"My name is Wendy."

"Don't change the subject." Crossing his arms, Peter took a giant step into Wendy. "Take it off."

Wendy stepped back. She almost tripped. "I…" Wendy backtracked down the hall. "We…we have to get into the auditor –"

"It can wait." Jim interrupted. "Take it off."

"I will!" Wendy snapped, pushing pass Jim and heading toward the auditorium. "After I hear what Headmaster Mickey has to say."

They watched her leave.

Then, Peter kicked up from the ground. "Like Hell you will!"

Ariel caught Jim under the arm as Peter sped after Wendy.

"Let him." she said, coaxing Jim back. "Let Peter get his Wendy."

"His Wendy? What the fu – "

"Jim…" Ariel's red hair swished as she shook her head. "…can't you see it?"

Jim glowered resentfully. "What? That Wen likes Pan? I know, I know she told me but – "

"No." Ariel said quietly smiling. "Peter likes Wendy."

Jim stopped. "What?"

Flynn and Rapunzel exchanged grins. Winking, Flynn held the door open into the auditorium. "Dude, come on. Why do you think he picks on her?"

Jim was flabbergasted. "What the frick are you talk – "

"Jim." Ariel kissed his cheek. "Peter can handle this one. Let it go."