Chapter 113: Whoso Pullethed?

"Heal what had been hurt…change the fate's design…save…what has been lost…bring back what once was mine…what…once…Eugene…"

Cobra Bubbles was still. Perfectly. Solid as a statue and senses sharp as icicles, he listened in the darkness. Rapunzel's voice echoed in the castle hallway, magic dispelled from her healing incantation. Her powers were gone, cut away with her hair.

Mr. Bubbles touched a dial on his sunglasses. The black lenses revolved, focusing inside Dr. Sweet's nurses office and on the crying girl. Song replaced with tears, she wept at a boy's bedside, holding his lifeless hand against her short hair. Mr. Bubbles tapped the lens. The image zoomed, amplifying the boy's knife wound and tears gliding down Rapunzel's cheeks.

A memory itched Mr. Bubbles' conscience, but he ignored it. Tapping his glasses, he forced indifference upon the girl's pain. Grief was part of life, and made frequent by war. And if you couldn't handle the consequences…well...either don't die, deal with it, or don't fight. It was that simple.

A dark flicker moved. As his lenses refocused, Mr. Bubbles watched Dr. Sweet cross the room. Consolingly, Dr. Sweet tried to ease Rapunzel away from Flynn. Unsurprisingly, Rapunzel refused, shoving the nurse's hand away with uncharacteristic aggression.

"No!" she gasped, pressing Flynn's hand into her head. Injured students stirred as Rapunzel cried. "No! Eugene saved me! He saved me! And I can save him! I can! I just – flower gleam and glow –!"

Two round ears pricked. They bobbed across the room. Mr. Bubbles switched his lenses to infrared. It was Mickey.

Dr. Sweet touched Rapunzel's shoulders. "…Rapunzel."

"—let your—p—power—shine—"

"…Rapunzel…it's over…your magic…is gone."

"…bring back…bring…ba…Eugene…"

Her lip trembled. Then, as Mickey approached, Rapunzel laid her forehead against Flynn's. Tears dripped down her nose and melted like molten gold on Flynn's cheek.

Mr. Bubbles gazed. Shoulders depressed, Dr. Sweet made to guide Rapunzel away. Sadly, Mickey followed.

Then someone spoke. "Wait."

Rapunzel turned. Eyes green as spring blossoms and wild with hope, she stared through the darkness. "Eugene?"

On the bed, Flynn smiled. Weakly, he extended a hand. "Did I ever tell you…I've got a thing for brunettes?"

Rapunzel glowed. Breaking between Dr. Sweet and Mickey, she tackled Flynn with an embrace that could end winter forever. "Eugene!"

Mickey smiled. Nudging a stunned, albeit relieved, Dr. Sweet, he made a silent goodbye before joining Mr. Bubbles at the door.

"The tear heals. It musta been Rapunzel's tears. Fixed Flynn – or Eugene I guess– right up. Like an elixir. Boy oh boy." Happily, Mickey lead Mr. Bubbles down the shadowy hallway. Moonlight bounced over the skip in his step. "Magic. Darn'st thing, huh Mr. Bubbles?"

Mr. Bubbles glanced. "That's what the Otherlanders think. Per report. Majesty."

The skip in Mickey's step flattened. He frowned, uncertain which part of Mr. Bubbles's response to correct first.

"The Other Land?" Mickey said, deciding upon the first. He'd address the 'majesty' business later. Voice lowered, he slowed. "You and Donald got through the Great Wall, then?"

Mr. Bubbles nodded. "Grandmother Willow's secret passageway. Just like the old days. She's glad you're alive. Again."

"Who did you take?" Mickey asked quickly, sensing another 'majesty' reference coming. "Mulan?"

"And the tall girl." Mr. Bubbles answered. "Along with the redhead, fox, and Captain Shang."

Mickey smiled. Mr. Bubbles was never good at names. Probably on purpose. "Pocahontas, Merida, and Robin Hood?" he guessed.

"Works." Mr. Bubbles strode indifferently down the hall. "Tall girl's a decent spy. Chinese one's a natural leader. Archers are fair shots. Did well. No one died. Successful mission."

Again, Mickey smiled. Cobra Bubbles had been head of the spy network, employed under his kingship long ago. When King Mickey went incognito as headmaster, and Cobra became Mr. Bubbles the school counselor, it killed his pride a tad.

Mickey suspected that his orders to spy on the Otherland had bolstered Mr. Bubble's self-respect. Mr. Bubbles would never show it of course, but Mickey knew that he was all sorts of sparkly inside. Cobra was back in the game and ready to serve his country by spying on its neighbor. The Land of the Others. The Otherland.

"So…" Mickey clasped hands behind his back. "…did they notice?"

Mr. Bubbles looked down through his lenses. "Isn't that why you sent us?"

Mickey sighed. "Yes…I suspected they would. Black and white magic run wild in that country. But they're sensitive to change. Someone was bound to notice black magic was trying to take Fantasia."

Mr. Bubbles cracked a knuckle. "More than someone. Try some-few."

"How close to our boarders? Ranks forming? Are they organizing? Magic status?"

Mr. Bubbles snorted. It was his closest attempt to laughing. Mickey sounded just like his old self – King of Fantasia. "Negative on the offense front – Shang was over there before coming here. Says the Otherland is chaotic as ever. No authority. No control. Only organized front they have are the pirates."

Mickey rounded a corner. He hopped up the stairwell to his office. "And it's a good thing they hate teamwork. What's the balance of magic over there?"

Mr. Bubbles followed Mickey "Balanced – black and white. Whosever over there, they've all noticed Fantasia's been attacked. They know Fantasia's in a state of flux. And they're all…"

Mr. Bubbles ascended the last step. "…eyeballing. Not moving. Not amassing. But… eyeballing."

Grinding his knuckles, Mr. Bubbles joined Mickey at the headmaster's doorway. He glared at the frame. It was still laced with ice, chipped by gunfire, and burned by Merlin's magic. "And I hate when eyeballs eyeball. Majesty."

Mickey paused. Gently, he rubbed the doorknob. "We have a knew king now." He looked sternly. "And a new future for Fantasia to go along with him. But with all the hurt, uncertainty, and Otherlanders 'eyeballing'…" Mickey nodded at the door. "…he's going to have a rough road ahead. Fantasia's new king will need all the loyalty of a lion's pride."

Mickey sighed. Kindly, he smiled into the dark sunglasses. "But…thank you Cobra. Old friend."

Emotionless, Mr. Bubbles gazed. "Force of habit. I'll keep the respect on the DL, Headmaster."

Mickey laughed. Opening the door, he strode inside. " 'Preciate it, Agent Bubbles. In we go. Oh boy…"

Headmaster Mickey stopped. He slapped a hand to his head. "What happened here!"

The headmaster's office was in shambles. But not from the events of the battle – save for the broken furniture and punctured door. Instead, every inch of the walls, ceiling, and floor was draped in fabric, textures, sketches, sewing instruments, tape rulers, and color palates. And bunched in the center, looking completely horrified, were King Arthur and Edna Mode.

"Edna!" Headmaster Mickey exclaimed as Mr. Bubbles barreled for Arthur. "Edna, how did you get in here?"

"Front door, Dahling." Edna said. Disgruntledly she watched Mr. Bubbles unravel Arthur from yards of blue silk. "Password was swordfish."

"How could you possibly know that?"

"Obvious, Dahling."

Mickey shook his head. "Well how'd you get past the seven dwarves? And Archimedes?"

Edna glared over her glasses. "Please." she snuffed, waving a hand to the corner. Mickey looked. Archimedes and the seven dwarves were bound in yarn knots, buttons, and bows.

Mr. Bubbles glared. Holding up an arm, he spoke into a wrist recorder. "Security breech. King's quarters." He looked at Arthur. "Should I dispatch with the little one, Majesty?"

Arthur gaped. "What? Dispatch? No! Er – um…" helplessly he looked to Mickey. "Headmaster? Headmaster, I – "

"It's all right Your Majesty." Headmaster Mickey nodded, trying not to smile at the fluster in Arthur's face. "It's your decision, but I think it's safe if we let Edna Mode live. But I think we should set some strict boundaries. When to enter the king's guarded keep, for instance."

Arthur shook his head. "King? Headmaster, I can't – "

"Boundaries? Strict?" Edna raised her fists. "Ha! I spit on boundaries!"

Mickey held a hand to Mr. Bubbles. "I'm not surprised. But Edna, think of old times. You know the rules – "

"—I am above the rules!"

"You can't just waltz into the King's – "

"It was an emergency, Dahling! Code red emergency!" Seizing Arthur's sleeve and ignoring the machine gun that suddenly appeared in Mr. Bubble's fist, she shrieked at Mickey. "Look at him! Look! These ratty-tatty rags of a pauper! Not fit for a king!"

Arthur tried to pull away. He looked bewildered. "King? I – "

Edna jerked his wrist. "As royal fashion consultant, I am here to save the day! Oh envision the wardrobe, Dahlings! Envision it! Golden wool of the sun – "

"—wait a second! I can't —"

"—black walnut for buckles and clasps, harvested under a quarter moon—"

"—wait! I –"

"—Cashmere silk, lighter than air –"

"—wait!–"

"—Dragon leather hard as steel and red as flame—"

"—listen to me!—"

"Everything!" Edna proclaimed, raising Arthur's hand to the sky. "For the KING'S—NEW—CLOTHES!"

"Stop!" Arthur tore away his hand. Faltering backwards into Mr. Bubbles he stuttered bewilderedly. "Just stop! Stop! Everyone stop! I can't be king!"

"Arthur—" Headmaster Mickey began. "—Your Majesty—"

Arthur stumbled over Mr. Bubble's loafers. "—I don't know anything about ruling a country!"

"Should have left the thing in the stone, Boy!" Archimedes muttered through the yarn, buttons, and bows. The seven dwarves nodded in agreement. "Everyone knows the legend!"

Arthur shook his head. "Legend? What legend?"

"The legend…" Mickey replied, calmly taking Arthur's hand. "…of Fantasia's King. And his succession. The legend of…" Mickey glanced in the corner. The golden hilt and white blade gleamed in the darkness. "…the Sword in the Stone."

Everyone was quiet. Even Edna paused for a moment of reverence.

Arthur peeked at the sword. He looked away as the blade sparkled with magic, as if sensing his gaze. "I…I never heard of that legend. Headmaster. When I pulled it…I didn't know. I was just trying to help."

Headmaster Mickey smiled. "Of course not. The legend of the Sword in the Stone is an old one. Older than the Wishing Star prophesy. Although, you and Excalibur are mentioned in the Wishing Star prophesy. Briefly."

Helplessly, Arthur stared. "What?"

"I think –" Archimedes snapped, twirling upside-down by pink yarn. "—that an explanation would be helpful! Or else the young king of Fantasia will be so confused he'll be walking around wearing shoes on his head!"

Again, the seven dwarves nodded through their yarn, buttons, and bows gags.

"Good point." Mickey agreed. He motioned for Arthur to sit. As Mr. Bubbles directed Edna to untie Archimedes and the seven dwarves, Headmaster Mickey sat. Clearing his throat, Mickey prepared to share the past, present, and future of Fantasia with its new king.

"First…" Mickey folded both hands in his lap. "…what questions do you have?"

A thousand expressions crossed Arthur's face, corresponding to a thousand questions. Still, remembering his tutelage with Master Merlin, he started with the most basic.

"I'm…king?"

Mickey nodded. "Yes."

"Of Fantasia?"

"Yes."

"And I can't get out of it?"

Mickey smiled. "No."

Arthur bit his lip. Breathing deep, he looked at Headmaster Mickey. "And…Ariel and I heard…we heard…You were king? Of Fantasia?"

Mickey felt the gazes from across the room. Ignoring them, he returned to Arthur. "Yes." He answered softly, voice full of memory. "Long ago."

Arthur blurted before he could stop himself. "How old are you?"

Mickey smiled. "It's all right." he said as Arthur clasped both hands apologetically over his mouth. "You will learn diplomacy. And tact. But I am old…ancient in fact…"

Headmaster Mickey raised his voice over the sniggering dwarves. "Ancient as the company I keep."

"Speak for yourself, Dahling!" Edna, flipped her black bob. "We are all old – thanks to magic. But we look fabulous – thanks to me!"

Arthur looked at Mickey. "I don't understand."

"Magic can extend life. That's very common." Mickey explained. "Especially when one's fate is tied to a legend, prophesy, or spell. Many subjects from my reign as king – Masters Donald, Goofy, Minnie, Merlin…Mr. Bubbles, the seven dwarves, Edna Mode, even Tony from the pizza shop…they were connected to me. And for some reason we were granted long life. Maybe to play a part in this prophesy. Maybe to fulfill another purpose down the line. You never know for sure. But…"

Lightly, Mickey raised his hands in the air. "…here we are."

Arthur was quiet. Then, glancing at the squabbling dwarves, he leaned towards Headmaster Mickey. "How did you…didn't you…" fists tight, Arthur whispered. "…I thought you…died."

Silence.

"Mr. Bubbles." Headmaster Mickey smiled sweetly, but his eyes never left Arthur's. "Could you escort Madame Mode and our esteem dwarves outside? And guard the entrance. If ya please?"

Mr. Bubbles raised an eyebrow. Then, nodding curtly at Arthur, he pushed Edna and the dwarves over the threshold. "Call if you need me Majesty. All right perpetrators. Out the door. Move it."

"Headmaster?" Worriedly, Arthur looked at Mickey. He flinched as Archimedes perched on his shoulder. "Headmaster? What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Nothing is wrong." Comfortingly, Headmaster Mickey smoothed both hands over his knees. "Sometimes death can be a difficult, dark topic. For a king's ears only."

Arthur winced. "I…I wish you wouldn't call me that. I mean…you're the king."

"Was the king." Mickey corrected. His eyes were solemn and disproving. "You, Arthur Pendragon, are king of Fantasia. Better get used to it. As a matter of fact, you don't have a choice. Excalibur chose you. Thus it is so."

"Who?" Arthur asked. "Who chose me?"

Mickey smiled. Exchanging winks with Archimedes, he nodded across the room. "Excalibur. The sword. The sword in the stone. That is its name."

"Annnd…" Arthur looked more skeptical than confused, "…the sword…chose me? To be king?"

Mickey detected Arthur's misgivings. "Is that any different than the Wishing Star granting magical gifts through an old, pointed sorcerer's hat?"

"Pea-brain." Archimedes added, feathers ruffled imperialistically. "The sword chose you. You fell into the trap. Deal with it. Long live the king." he added unenthusiastically under Mickey's glare.

Arthur glanced sideways at Archimedes. Then, his eyes passed the owl and lingered on the magical sword. Excalibur twinkled. Sighing, Arthur repeated. "Oh, Headmaster. I don't understand. I don't understand. Not at all."

Mickey smiled. Sympathetically, he patted Arthur's knee. "Well then…" he offered. "…let's start at the beginning. Shall we? Once upon a time…there was a land. It was called Fantasia."

Archimedes rolled his eyes. But Arthur was captivated as Headmaster Mickey spoke.

"Fantasia began as a magical land, as you know. Separated into five magical realms." Pausing, Mickey turned over his hand to Arthur. "Do you know them?"

Arthur nodded, recalling Master Merlin's class. "Underworld, Sea World, Land World, Sky World, and Outer World. Merlin…taught us that." Arthur bit his lip. Painfully he remembered Merlin hurt in the battle outside this very room. Arthur rubbed his chest. "Merlin...said the realms were protected by magical guardians."

"Four guardians. Yes. Good. A-plus." Mickey smiled. "But the guardians could not control the magic and the non-magic. They needed help. They needed a ruler. They needed a king."

"You?" Arthur guessed.

"No." Mickey grinned, flattered. "My predecessors. And yours. You see, Fantasia is a strange land, knotted together with magical and non-magical string. The guardians were magical. So, they needed a non-magical king. A non-partisan. Someone that could balance their powers with an objective eye."

Arthur considered. "That makes sense." he said. "Everyone with equal parts of power."

Even Archimedes was impressed. Mickey raised his eyebrows. "Very good. That's right. And it worked well. Until…"

"Magic went bad?" Arthur said, again drawing upon Dr. Doppler and Master Merlin's class. "When people started to hurt others? With shadows?"

Mickey nodded. "Dark times. Very dark, cruel times." He shuddered. His ears drooped. "As you know, magic ran amuck. There was no king. There were no guardians. If they were alive, no one knows where they ran to hide. But, Fantasians lived in fear or not at all. Tony and Edna were children then – caught at the end of the magical age. Magic was dying out, hunted to extinction. Those magical folks still around were ordered to spellbound shadows into the sky and encase them with bits of broken stars. Then…they were slaughtered. Most of them. But still…Fantasia was not healed. Still Fantasia needed a king."

"What happened?" Arthur asked.

Headmaster Mickey sighed. He gazed over Arthur's shoulder, into the past. "The legend came to pass. The legend…of the Sword in the Stone. One day…the sword…the same sword over there…just…appeared. It fell from the sky…right out of the Wishing Star. And…there it was. A sword, magically frozen into a stone an anvil. And…with it…a legend on Grandmother Willow's wind…"

Mickey closed his eyes. "It went like this: Whoso pulleth out this sword of this stone and anvil is rightwise king born of all Fantasia. In a word…the Wishing Star had set an immortal task. To find the Chosen One. The ruler of Fantasia."

Arthur cocked his head. Something stirred in his heart, but still he spoke. "I…never heard that before. Headmaster. The legend."

Mickey shook his head. "Neither had I. Long years passed after the sword appeared. In time, the marvelous sword – and the Chosen One – was forgotten. Fantasia continued to suffer. Then…without warning...one day…"

Mickey smiled. "…along came the most unlikely of persons. A bumbling, clumsy, shy little apprentice. With inept hands." Mickey half sobbed and half laughed. "And big, round ears."

Arthur grinned. "You? It was you! You pulled the sword from the stone!"

Smiling ear to big, round ear, Mickey nodded. "Yes. I was the Chosen One. I pulled the sword from the stone. I…I was…surprised. But it felt…well…it felt…"

Softly, Arthur finished Mickey's sentence. "…right."

Mickey looked. "Yes…" he said, "...right. Like birds being right to fly. And deer being right to run. And stars being right to shine. Just…" he sighed. "…right. The rightest thing in all the world."

The silence shared was a pure one, ended only by Archimedes' impatience.

"Well!" squawked the owl, talons needling into Arthur's shoulder. "Tell him what happened next! You're first act as king!"

Headmaster Mickey smiled. Eyes twinkling, he shrugged. "I brought back the guardians."

Arthur was stunned. "You said they disappeared."

Mickey nodded. "They did. So I hired new ones – so to speak. The Wishing Star actually chooses the guardians. Just as it chooses the Chosen One."

"How?" Arthur asked, gestured to Excalibur. "Another sword?"

Headmaster Mickey laughed. "No. The Magic Bag of Tricks. It was Merlin's idea, actually. You see…my master, when I was an apprentice, was a sorcerer. A sorcerer named Yen Sid. I was a hopeless case with magic – "

Archimedes snorted.

" – but Yen Sid was a powerful sorcerer. He had a magic hat. Well, Merlin suggested that we use Yen Sid's hat as a liaison to the Wishing Star."

Arthur frowned. "Merlin has a pointed hat." he said defensively. "Why not just use his? Merlin is the world's most powerful wizard. It would have worked just as well."

Mickey smiled. "You loyalty is admirable. But…there is a difference. You see, Merlin is a wizard. Yen Sid was a sorcerer."

Arthur blinked. "Ummmm…"

"Clueless!" Archimedes huffed. "Clueless blockhead! 'Splain Headmaster! Wizards are white; warlocks are black; good versus bad are what sorcerers – "

"—lack." Headmaster Mickey finished. "Sorry, Your Majesty. An ancient poem taught to school children to remember the difference between different magic-users. But, it's a fact. Wizards – like Merlin – use white magic. Good magic. Healing magic. Warlocks use black magic. Evil magic. And sorcerers…"

Mickey gave a sardonic grin. "…are…in the middle. Grey."

"What does that have to do with the Wishing Star?" Arthur asked, still unclear.

"Think." Headmaster Mickey said, rolling into academic mode. "The Wishing Star is made of stars – white magic – and shadows – black magic. What do you get when you mix white and black?"

"Grey."

"Yup! So…in order to connect to the Wishing Star, we needed grey magic. A sorcerer. My master. Yen Sid."

Arthur nodded. "Did it work?"

"Did it work!?" Archimedes flapped against Arthur's ear. "I'll say it worked! Magic Bag of Tricks picked four guardians faster than the early bird gets the worm. Still think it was rigged though…"

Arthur leaned. Archimedes' feathers were tickling his ear. "Rigged?"

"Yen Sid…" Headmaster Mickey said, crossing his arms. "Was chosen by the Wishing Star to be the guardian of the Underworld. His magic specialty dealt with shadows, dragons, and bringing inanimate objects to life. It made complete sense. And it was not rigged."

"Because sorcerers aren't shifty." Archimedes muttered. "Not at all."

"Who were the other guardians?" Arthur quickly asked, sensing the tension between the owl and Mouse. "The other four?"

"Three." Mickey corrected, nose twitching at Archimedes. "The land realm is ruled by the Fantasian king, since most subjects reside there. Underworld, Seaworld, Skyworld, and Outer World were assigned guardians."

"Who were they?" Arthur repeated, cringing as Archimedes' talons tightened. "Are they still alive?"

Headmaster Mickey relaxed. "No." he said. "The guardians have all passed, bless their souls. They were…extraordinary in their time. Yen Sid, sorcerer and guardian of the Underworld. Tick-Tock Crock, patriarch lizard and guardian of the Seaworld. Marahute, queen of the golden eagles and guardian of the Skyworld. And Billy Bones, pirate lord and guardian of the Outerworld."

Mickey rubbed his forehead. "Your classmate, Jim Hawkins, was the last Fantasian to speak with a guardian. He was there, you see, when Billy Bones died…trying to tell us that black magic was coming again to take Fantasia."

Arthur waited. "Again?" he prompted when Mickey did not speak.

"Ohhhhh yes!" Archimedes piped, jouncing up and down. "Your big blunder! Eh, Mickey boy?"

"Headmaster?" Arthur said, concerd at the sorrow in Mickey's eyes. "Headmaster? What happened?"

Mickey closed his eyes. He swallowed. "I…" he whispered, too ashamed to look up. "…I…made a mistake. You see…the Wishing Star and Fantasian King work hand in hand. Magic and non-magic. The Wishing Star chooses the king. The king wields the magical sword, Excalibur. The Wishing Star chooses the four guardians. The king conducts them. The Wishing Star grants one wish. The king…"

"…gets one wish." Arthur finished. "…to make for Fantasia. To help Fantasia. But…" Arthur's eyes shown blue in the dark. "You made a wish…for another. You wished for two wishes. And…"

"…broke the Wishing Star." Mickey sighed. Long and hard. He stared into the ceiling. "I thought it would work. Two wishes…double the good for Fantasia. Well…the Wishing Star grants one wish. In order for the Wishing Star to grant two wishes…"

"….there had to be two Wishing Stars." said Arthur, beginning to understand. "…Second Star to the Right…"

"…and Second Star to the Wrong." Mickey shook his head. "The star broke. The shadows came. The villains – Captain Hook, Maleficent – crawled from the darkness. Children cried. Fantasians were slaughtered. At Petrified Forest. And I…was sentenced…rightly…to death. But not before…Yen Sid…and the guardians…were hunted…my master…killed. Trying...to...save me."

Mickey choked. He tried to speak, and failed. Clearing his throat to hide a tear, he continued. "Then…I remembered. I had one wish. So I wished…" Mickey squeezed his eyes together, as if he were wishing the memory away. "…I wished for the Wishing Star to mend!"

"And it did." Arthur said. Earnest in his concern, he leaned forward. "And it did, Headmaster! It did! The Wishing Star mended. You made the right wish!"

"Yes." Headmaster Mickey smiled gratefully at Arthur's kindness. "But…magic, as you will find, is a strange, perilous thing. Never black and white…as Yen Sid told me, long ago. Always a shade of grey. Which is why…"

Headmaster outdrew his arms. "…when I wished for the star to mend, I could not pull Excalibur from the tombstone of my master's grave. The Wishing Star was starting over. There would be a new king for its Fantasia. And…a new legend. A new prophesy."

"The prophesy." Arthur said. "The one Master Cogsworth told us, at the assembly? The one you recited for us in the auditorium? Before you ran away and raised the magical wall around the castle? The Wishing Star's Prophesy?"

Headmaster Mickey nodded. "Yes. Again, whispered on Grandmother Willow's wind. And again it was forgotten, for ten centuries. Remember the words? Twinkle, twinkle little star. Darned to whole with loose threaded scar. Ten centuries hence, once as long…"

"…resurrect star of the wrong." breathed Arthur, eyes bright with understanding. "Twinkle, twinkle little light. For the children, skewed to fight. So…" Arthur furrowed his brow. "So…the prophesy told you when the Wishing Star would break again? In ten centuries?"

Mickey nodded. "Darned to whole with loose threaded scar; we knew that the Wishing Star had been made whole by my wish, but only temporarily. Loose threaded scar. Loose. And the last part…for the children, skewed to fight. Well…"

Mickey smiled. "…children used to be born with magical powers. When I became headmaster of this school…" Mickey shrugged. "…it became obvious. The children would protect Fantasia. Not the adults. Or the geezers, such as myself and Archimedes."

Archimedes jolted awake. He'd been dozing. "Who? Huh? What –what?"

Headmaster Mickey winked at Arthur. "Oh nothing. Just interpreting the prophesy."

"How did you know?" Arthur interjected before Archimedes could inquire further. "That I would pull the sword from the stone?"

"Ah." Headmaster Mickey perked. He pointed a finger. "I didn't! That was the confusing part. That's the thing about prophesies…never tell you outright what's going on. Frustrating as an ear itch, but that's the way magic goes. I suspect that Merlin had an inkling you were special –"

"—fooled me –" Archimedes mumbled.

"—but none of us had a clue. Now, the prophesy hints at you in two stanzas…." Again Mickey cleared his throat before reciting.

"The last stanza….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 is the Curse of the King."

Mickey paused, waiting for Arthur to process before explaining. "What happened to me, happened to you. The star broke. Evil came to take Fantasia. You pulled the sword from the stone. Past was present again. Make sense?"

Arthur paused. He nodded, clearly perturbed, but decided to let Mickey continue. "But…you still didn't know who I was."

"Yesssss." Headmaster Mickey massaged his jaw. "The second stanza….we better take that one piece by piece. Because…it's still unclear. Twinkle, twinkle little star; Find your guardian and ours. Okay…guardian of Fantasia. The Chosen One. Now…it gets a little muddy…"

Mickey slowed his pace, articulating every word. "Four seasons turn, all are cursed; Choose the one born on the first. Twinkle, twinkle little light; This is your hope and your plight. So…it is the plight or the role dilemma of the Wishing Star to choose a king in times of darkness. It is also a hopeful time because the Chosen One brings order and virtue to Fantasia."

Arthur waited. He reviewed the stanza in his head. "Then…how did you know it was me? From the cursed seasons? And…born on the first?"

Headmaster Mickey waved his hands. "That part? No clue. Haven't figure it out. No…I knew you were the Chosen One before I left the school. That's why I raised the magic wall. To keep you from the villains. Things backfired when Mr. Silver hid his pirate crew in the kitchen – "

"You knew it was me? Then?" Arthur interrupted. "How?"

"Past must be present again." Mickey recounted. "I was in my office with Pluto, complaining that the Magic Bag of Tricks hadn't given us a clue. You see, Merlin and I decided to have all the student pick from the Magic Bag of Tricks because I thought the Chosen One would be revealed at that time. I thought – and Merlin agreed – that the Chosen One would draw Excalibur from the hat."

Arthur laughed. "That didn't happen." Bashfully he raised his hands. "I didn't get anything."

"Exactly!" Headmaster Mickey snapped his fingers. "Exactly! Think! Twinkle, twinkle little star; Guard Fantasia from afar. Save shadow, sea, skies, and sand; Choose the king with inept hands. Inept hands! Of all the students that picked from the Magic Bag of Tricks, of all the magical abilities and magical objects that were drawn, who would have ever suspected that the boy who received nothing could ever pull a sword from a stone? Just as no one would have ever suspected that the poor, fool-hardy sorcerer's apprentice could have become the king of Fantasia."

Headmaster Mickey took Arthur's hand. He held it to the candle light. "I was a failure, Arthur! A failure! Try as I might, I could not master Yen Sid's magic! I almost drowned Fantasia in a mishap with a magic broom and bucket! My hands were the most inept of all! The Wishing Star chooses the least likely hero. It gives no indication. No clue. Only the most inept hands…can pull the magical sword from the stone."

Beaming, Headmaster Mickey lowered Arthur's hand. Composure regained, he grinned. "Plus, I believe we share the same birthday. That little line in the prophesy…choose the one born on the first."

Mischievously, Mickey cocked his head. "Were you born on the New Year? January 1st?"

Arthur gaped. But, he nodded.

Satisfied, Mickey nodded. "Making more sense? Your Majesty?"

Arthur looked out the window. Dawn was far off. The Wishing Star – both parts – twinkled against the violet midnight.

"If…past was…or is…or has been…present again…" Arthur turned to Headmaster Mickey. "…why is the Wishing Star still broken?"

Headmaster Mickey smiled. "What did you wish for?"

Arthur started. "Wish? I…I didn't wish – "

"I think you did." Headmaster Mickey smiled. "Think. Real Hard. At any time…did you make two wishes? Not consciously, I'm sure. But, did you ever feel so hopeless that you used the expression… 'I wish.'"

Arthur settled back. He gazed out the window, remembering. Slowly, realization filled his crystal blue eyes.

"I…I did. Headmaster…oh no!" Arthur turned, horrified. "I wished that the wishing star had broken! I…I broke the Wishing Star!"

Headmaster Mickey nodded. "I thought so. Only the Chosen One can break the Wishing Star. I did, after all. When did you wish for it to break?"

Arthur was shocked. He stammered in disbelief "When the villains killed you! I thought…I thought that if the Wishing Star had broken – like they wanted – they would've let you live! So, I wished that it had! I wished that the Wishing Star had broken!"

Headmaster Mickey smiled. Gently, he placed a hand on Arthur's shoulder. "Yes. You did. And…because there are two parts of the Wishing Star…you had one wish left. And I believe you made another wish."

"When?" Arthur panicked. Thinking furiously, he grabbed his bangs. "When? I…I don't remember! I – I should have wished for the Wishing Star to mend! Like you did! Oh – what have I done! What – "

"Arthur." Mickey said softly. He gazed into Arthur's young eyes. "Before, you asked if I had died. The answer is yes. I did. I died. And not by magic – where one is mostly dead but slightly alive. I was killed by brutality. I was killed by blade, tooth, fist, and claw. Arthur…dear King Arthur…"

Tears twinkled in Mickey's eyes. "…only…a wish…could have brought me back alive. A wish…of a king."

The Wishing Star sparkled. Archimedes sniffled as a tear slid across Mickey's cheek.

"Thank you." Headmaster Mickey smiled. Tears falling, he bowed his head and touched his heart. "King Arthur. Thank you. My life, is yours."

Arthur stared. "Please…please don't, Sir."

Mickey smiled. "Of course. Of course. Well…I have told my story. Our story. The story of Fantasia. And now…"

Rising, Mickey gestured out the window. Snow still speckled the night. "….now we find ourselves at a new Once Upon A Time! Fantasia's new reign! Second Star to the Right! And Second Star to the Wrong! You've used your two wishes…."

Mickey grinned. "…who knows what adventures are in store!"

Arthur stood. He joined Mickey at the window. The headmaster was suddently struck at Arthur's frosty reflection. Older. Wiser. And….sadder. Interesting.

Arthur looked up. The Wishing Star spread silver across his face. "Headmaster? If I must be king of Fantasia...then….I should like to be a good one."

Headmaster Mickey smiled. "Any ideas?"

Arthur chewed his lip. "I…I think…I think we should bring back magic. Not make it bad. Welcome it. And…the guardians. I think they are good too. Helpful. Especially…if the Wishing Star is going to stay broken."

Headmaster Mickey nodded. "Wise beyond your years. I believe the Wishing Star is ready for the guardians to return. That is why…Long John Silver hasn't been sentenced to death."

Arthur turned. Sharply. "What? Mr. Silver?"

"He betrayed Fantasia." Headmaster Mickey admitted darkly. "But…he...may very well be…the next guardian of the Outerworld. He's nearly dead – alive only by his metal heart. But…" Mickey sighed, "…we owe it to the Wishing Star to keep him alive. Unless you say no, Your Majesty."

"No! I mean yes! I mean…" Arthur stared at Mickey. "…don't kill him. Wait."

"Very well." Mickey folded his hands. "His fate will be made clearer by the Wishing Star. At your coronation."

"Coronation?"

Headmaster Mickey smiled. "Your crowning. Before all of Fantasia. Big party. Balloons. Cake. Ball. Honoring you and your classmates. The whole shebang. If…if only…" Mickey sighed. He'd been told of the battle. And it's casualties. "…if only Minnie…well…she loved parties."

Arthur was quiet. Wiping away a tear, he gazed back at the Wishing Star. "I wish Merlin were here."

Mickey knew better than to question facts. He knew better than to question fate. But as Merlin and Minnie spiraled from the ceiling on a jet of sparkling blue magic, he wondered if the Wishing Star hadn't just decided to grant King Arthur a third wish. Just to play a last trick on all of them.

"King! King of Fantasia!" Merlin thumped Arthur's back. Magic twinkling from his wand, Merlin spun Arthur around and wiped away his tears. "I knew you had it in you! Well done, boy! Well done, indeed!"

"I'm never going to let you go!" Minnie squealed, kissing Mickey's nose and cheeks. "Never! Never! Never! Not until we are dancing at King Arthur's coronation! Oh Mickey! Oh Mickey Mouse!"

"To the king!" Merlin proclaimed.

"To the king!" Minnie and Mickey agreed.

"To his majesty the king!" Archimedes joined, feeling generous.

Well, they would have celebrated all night. But Mr. Bubbles poked his head inside, and signaled Headmaster Mickey in a deep voice. "Headmaster. Message from Dr. Sweet. Jim Hawkins. He's awake."