sultal's note: Hi! Sorry I didn't update last weekend - combination of sucky landlord not getting my internet connected and crappy writing that I was not about to post until it was better. I hope that all finals/regents/whateva all were successful and legendary. I've got some comments below for questions posted on reviews :)

keep writing.

Chapter 74: The Curse of the King

No one saw it coming.

Headmaster Mickey took the stage. The students watched his ascent, so enamored for answers they hadn't noticed anything out of the ordinary.

Then they noticed.

In place of his school robes, Headmaster Mickey wore a faded red smock. In one hand he held a broken broom and a worn bucket. In the other hand he held the Magic Bag of Tricks.

Conspicuous and unwonted, Mickey Mouse stood in front of Fantasia's students.

And when he spoke, no one saw it coming.

"Twinkle, twinkle little star,

How I wonder what you are.

Up above the world so high,

Like a diamond in the sky.

Twinkle, twinkle little star,

How I wonder what you are."

...

Twinkle, twinkle little star

Find your guardian and ours.

Four seasons turn, all are cursed,

Choose the one born on the first.

Twinkle, twinkle little light,

This is your hope and your plight.

...

"Twinkle, twinkle little star,

Guard Fantasia from afar.

Save shadow, sea, skies, and sand,

Choose the king with inept hands.

Twinkle, twinkle little light,

Hurt and heal, with wish of might."

...

"Twinkle, twinkle little star,

Darned to whole with loose threaded scar.

Ten centuries hence, once as long,

Resurrect star of the wrong.

Twinkle, twinkle little light,

For the children, skewed to fight."

...

"Twinkle, twinkle little star,

Then is near, future is far.

To stall evil and star mend,

Past must be present again.

Twinkle, twinkle...little thing,

This…"

Headmaster Mickey choked, stalling long enough to don the Magic Bag of Tricks over his ears.

…this is the Curse…of the King."

The hymn ended.

The students stared at Headmaster Mickey, uncertainly haunted by the last alliterated line.

Headmaster Mickey clutched the broken broom. The bucket sat at his feet. The Magic Bag of Tricks – now a hat – drooped on his head.

Then, without warning, Mickey moved. He twirled the broken broom like a wand. Spinning like a wheel, the broken shaft tumbled over his hands. The wooden end flipped and plunged.

Crack!

The broken broom sprouted hands. Walking on it's bristles, it seized the bucket, reared back, and dumped.

A fountain of magic poured from the bucket. The magic seeped up the walls, along the floor, and across the ceiling. The magic clung to every tile, crammed into every nook, and chased every empty corner.

The magic stalled.

The broom dumped the bucket again.

The magic surged.

Headmaster Mickey stumbled off stage.

And ran.

Simultaneously, Merlin, Donald, Goofy, and Pluto jumped up, but Minnie was the first to scream.

"MICKEY! NO!" Pushing through the aisle, Mistress Minnie scampered from the auditorium as the headmaster's tail sliced through the door. "MICKEY! NO! DON'T GO!"

"What's happening?" Rapunzel gasped as Merlin, Goofy, Donald, and Pluto sprinted after Minnie and Mickey. Merlin's wand bubbled and spluttered but Headmaster Mickey's broom and bucket had magical precedent. "What's going on? Flynn? Ariel? Jim? What – "

Ariel and Jim rose. Ignoring Rapunzel and climbing over Flynn, they followed a mutiny of students from the auditorium, ignoring Shang's orders.

Magic crackled over the stonework as Jim and Ariel caught up with Mulan, Robin, and Merida at the head of the pack. Master Merlin's pointed hat was just visible through Merida's hair as they raced ahead of the magic.

Twice Jim glanced up at the ceiling and over his shoulder. The magic from the broom and bucket didn't seem dangerous. Still, Jim ran harder. Whatever the magic was, or whatever the broom intended, it was all tied to Headmaster Mickey's escape.

"MICKEY!" Minnie tore down the castle steps. Desperately, she reached for Mickey under a dark red sky. "Mickey! Don't go! Mickey!"

Merlin, Goofy, Donald, and Pluto burst through the castle doors, followed by confused students and the magical wave.

Torrentially, the magic spilled outside, dripping over the doorstep and lunging into the air.

"Mickey!" Minnie begged. "Mickey! Mickey please! Don't do it! Don't go! For me!"

Headmaster Mickey faltered. Still running, he turned to face the castle.

Minnie cried. Magic swirling around her, she reached for Mickey's empty hand.

Mickey raised his arms.

Staring at Minnie, he beckoned the magic forward.

"MICKEY! NO!"

The magic flew forward, burning between Mickey and Minnie like a caustic element. Minnie slammed into the magic as it fused and arched over the castle, forming a glittering embankment.

Skidding over the steps, the students gaped at the magical wall. Donald, Goofy, and Pluto fled to the outskirts, looking for free avenues. Master Merlin zapped the wall with a spell, but Mickey's magic was impenetrable.

"It's…a cage." Ariel whispered as Minnie recovered. Wide eyed, she looked at Jim. "Headmaster Mickey is keeping us in the castle."

"No one in." Robin said as Merida squeezed her bow. "No one out."

Ariel shook her head as Minnie rose. "But…how are we going to protect Fantasia?"

Jim didn't know. But for the moment, he didn't have to.

"MICKEY!" Mistress Minnie hit the magic wall. Her tears slid down the enchanted sides. "Mickey! Don't! Don't go!"

"Yeah!" Master Donald flapped over the steps, echoing Minnie. "Come back Mickey! Don't go!"

"Get on over here Mick!" Master Goofy added, galloping down the stairs.

Pluto barked, joining the accord.

Mickey watched his friends scratch the magical wall. Broken hearted, he looked into Minnie's eyes.

"Mickey..." she begged, curling the tip of her tail against the wall. "…Mickey…"

Mickey stepped forward. He curled his tail against the wall, right next to Minnie's. The magic pulsed between them.

Then, Mickey closed his eyes.

And without another word, the little mouse tugged snug his hat, and turned towards Petrified Forest.

"NO!"

Minnie was inconsolable as Goofy, Donald, and Merlin ushered her back into the castle. "No! Don't let him! Don't let him! Mickey! Mickey! MICKEY!"

"Don't what?" Jim demanded, pushing through the students. Inconsiderably, he beseeched the crying mouse. "Mistress Minnie! What? What is the headmaster going to do?"

Mistress Minnie looked at Jim with teary eyes.

"Surrendering." Minnie gasped before Merlin, Goofy, and Donald swept her away.

Jim turned to stone. The red morning sky expired into a lifeless grey as Ariel and the students gathered around him.

"Surrendering…"

…surrendering."

"To…whom?"

"Them." Jim said, lifting his steel gaze to the vortex over Petrified Forest. "The villains. Maleficent. Captain Hook."

Silence. The vortex smiled at the students, black arms cutting into the sky like knifes.

Rapunzel squeezed Flynn's hand. "What are we going to do?"

Jim felt Ariel's muscles tense as she gripped the trident. Reading her mind, he ascended the castle steps.

"We get the Hell out of here…and—"

Jim stopped. Atop the steps were Wendy and Peter; she in a camisole, bruises in plain sight, and he holding her ripped hoodie.

Solemnly, Peter took Wendy's hand. An angry sting in his eyes, Peter finished Jim's sentence. "…and we take back Fantasia."

Comments/Q's from reviewers:

1. guest - thanks for the feedback on the summary! I need for more people like you to tell me what can be improved! I re read the summary and I agree - it does sound jarring. I will work on a summary, but if you have any more input, go for it dude!

2. thatcoyotegirlwolf - YES! YOU WIN! I wanted to make that parallel. At the begging of the story, Wendy cries and Jim tells her to stop BUT Peter lets her cry (hence the romantic interest)! Yay! Have a cyber-cupcake! :)

Thanks everyone -

keep writing.