Chapter 33
(The following chapter may contain triggering scenes. Reading discretion is advised.)
It's a world of laughter, a world of dreams. A world of hope and despair at every turn.
Goofy felt it the moment they stepped into the office of Walt Disney. Or so the man claimed he was. The neatly dressed man with a huge cigar welcomed them both in his office. He said his name was Disney. Was he? Or was he an imposter? No one knew.
"The park will be huge and you will be the guests of honor." said Mr. Disney.
"Why us?" asked Goofy. At the time, he was still very young. At age 19, Goofy wasn't naive. He probably never was. He was serious and dark within. Goofy observed that Disney's office was decorated with strange symbols. Symbols he once saw in a town called Bald Mountain.
"You are a famous gunman! Imagine what you would look like if you were … how to put it… goofy." said Disney.
"With all due respect, that is my name. But that doesn't mean I'm actually clumsy or an idiot." said Goofy.
"Nonsense! You are what I need right now!" said Disney.
"Show me who you really are. You are NOT Walt Disney. You are an imposter!" said Goofy.
"What?" asked Disney.
"Walt Disney is dead." said Goofy. He pulled out a gun and pointed it at his face.
"This world we live in… it's powered by imagination. Imagination of children, including Disney. I have seen a record of the actual names of the children who dreamed this place up with the power of imagination. You are an imposter." said Goofy.
"Clever. But I am truly Disney. You see, I'm his dark side." said Disney.
"His dark side?" asked Goofy.
"Walt Disney in life had a darkness in him. He did of course die a happy man who accomplished so many great things. And hopefully, he may have changed his views on people and topics. I am the dark side that escaped and found my way here to this world full of quote on quote imagination." said Disney.
Goofy shot him in the chest. The darkness fell to the floor. As Goofy was about to leave, the room turned dark. Disney rose up, with his face twisted and full of hate and rage.
"You shouldn't have done that Dippy Dawg." he sneered. Then he pounced on Goofy like a predatory raptor.
….
Mickey was in his cage, dirty and broken. His tail was curved and his ears were bent. His nose twitched as he saw Disney enter the dark room.
"The park will open in a day. I have captured the next star." said the man.
Mickey didn't say a thing.
Disney's face twisted morphed into his true form. The evil gargoyle of nightmares now stood in front of Mickey. What Goofy said before was true. This was not Walt Disney. It was Chernabog himself. And yes, he was the darkness in Walter E. Disney.
"In the outside world, beyond the reaches of our own, a film called A Night in Bald Mountain was released along with a movie called Fantasia. You were in it, as a little sorcerer's apprentice. I will never be forgiven for villainizing such a beloved American Icon, but who in this world would forgive if no one knows what is beyond our world except myself?" sneered Chernabog.
"What's your point?" asked Mickey.
"The point is that soon, the outside world will face calamities that no one can fathom. The year in the outside world right now is 2002. You see, about a year ago, the World Trade Center was destroyed. But I know what comes next. Wars, pandemics, racial divisions, more wars! More loss of human life! It's a paradise for me!" said Chernabog.
"You're sick." said Mickey, shaking his head.
"Mickey, in the outside world you are worshiped! There are things about you that you yourself don't even know! Join me! JOIN ME! And together, we shall rule not only this dimension, but all the others! I have found a powerful ally in a one winged angel. He will accompany us." said Chernabog.
Mickey stood up and puffed out his chest courageously.
"NO!"
"What did you say?" asked Chernabog angrily.
"I said NO! I will never join you! I don't care what worlds lie outside our own! This is the only world I know, and so do many others! There are people alive today making families and memories. I had a family once. I was married. I had children. But they were taken from me. I do not wish for anyone else to feel my pain! So don't EVER ASK ME TO JOIN YOU!" declared Mickey Mouse.
"Miserable rodent. Once I go to the outside world, I will destroy your mausoleums and your precious company." said Chernabog. He then morphed himself back to Disney's body.
"I envy humans. They have it easy with their body. They are able to move around so freely. You on the other hand, I will have people dress up like you, JUST LIKE IN THE OUTSIDE WORLD." said Chernabog.
Mickey scowled at Chernabog.
"Don't look down on me!" cried Chernabog. He then vanished into a puff of smoke.
Mickey sat down on his knees and began to cry.
"That was very brave." said a soft voice.
Mickey turned around and saw Minnie by the cage.
"I heard what you said to him. That was so brave." she said.
"You. You're Minnie right?" asked Mickey.
"Yes. I work as a cleaning lady in this place." said Minnie.
"How did he get you?" asked Mickey.
"He kidnapped my kitten. I came here to rescue him. I had to disguise myself as a cleaning woman to find my poor darling." said Minnie.
"I see." said Mickey.
"Did you know you are a star outside our dimension?" asked Minnie.
"Not you too. I don't want to talk about it. I don't care about any of this stuff. I only care about one thing. Our world. Where we live now. I don't believe in parallel universes and the like." said Mickey.
Minnie nodded. "I understand. May I ask how you were captured? Forgive me if I'm being very forward." said Minnie.
"Chernabog found me all alone. He was desperate to capture me. He claimed about journeying outside and seeing the outside world and things like that. Me? A superstar? That's ridiculous." said Mickey.
"You don't see yourself as a movie star?" asked Minnie, chuckling sweetly.
"Chernabog said I appeared in short films. I don's see how that would make me into a movie star. And the idea of me being one is very funny." said Mickey.
"You look like a movie star. At least to me." said Minnie, blushing.
"I'm not going to stay locked up here and do nothing. He's captured innocent folk and somehow he brainwashed them to do his bidding here at the park." said Mickey.
"You are going to take him head one?" minnie asked, surprised.
"Yes." replied Mickey.
"How will you do it?" asked Minnie.
Mickey waved his hand, and the lock was unlocked. He smiled and walked out the cage free.
"I am actually a sorcerer in secret." he said with a wink.
"You're magic!?" cried Minnie.
"Yep. With the power of imagination!" said Mickey jokingly.
….
Chernabog (in old man Disney's body) walked around the park with the brainwashed characters. All of them were hypnotized. And walking around the park with creepy smiles.
"What is the purpose of your park?" asked Sephiroth, who was standing next to "Disney."
He simply smiled and rubbed his fake human hands together. "In the outside world, the park is supposed to be the happiest place on Earth. Or so they say. But it's mostly money. Money money money. The whole shebang. This man here, the one I'm pretending to be, was the founder of this mega company on Earth. It grew and grew and now it's become a permanent mark in people's lives." said "Disney " .
"I still don't see why you would open a theme park. When you came to me for allegiance, you said you had bigger plans for this dimension." said Sephiroth.
"I do. You see Sephiroth, this park is merely the beginning of something major." said "Disney."
Sephiroth didn't say a word and listened in. "Disney" got close to his face. A little too close for comfort.
"This park is going to cause a turning point in this dimension. Something bad will happen here. You and I will be long gone from here and I won't use this body no longer. The people here will fight one of my demons here, while being free. The image of DisneyLand will forever be tarnished. And then, we shall begin the next phase of our plan for world domination as we know it." said Chernabog.
Sephiroth wasn't impressed. He yawned and looked around the park with no interest. "So your saying is that you are playing Tolkien. You are making some sort of strange and unusual mythos here in our dimension. Oh how horrific." he said sarcastically.
"Yes. I am playing at the author of Lord of the Rings. But think about it. Wouldn't it be interesting to see these people make up resistances? I managed to seduce people to the darkness. Frollo, The Horned King, and recently, I discovered an old man by the name of Xehanort. You know, the billionaire from Twilight Town. I will round them all up and they will be sacrificial lambs for this dimension." said Chernabog.
Sephiroth didn't make an expression. He stroked his chin. "Impressive. Not only are you making a mythos here, but you are also making things move in motion to your own will. You will have these villains together, make them believe they are doing something important, and then you will do away with them." said Sephiroth.
"I have foreseen their deaths. They will die separately. The only deaths I do not see are my own, and yours." said Chernabog. He quickly transformed into his true form, disposing of the human carcass he was using.
Sephiroth eyed Chernabog. "How do I know I'm not a pawn in your sick game?" he asked.
"Please. You are the only one who knows the truth. No one else." said Chernabog.
"And how do you know if you yourself are not a pawn in someone else's story? For all we know, this universe we live in could be the work of some storyteller in a bygone era or perhaps we are simply figments of the imagination you claim the universe is made up of." said Sephiroth.
"As the One Winged Angel, you should know how the galaxy works." said Chernabog.
"Alas, I am but of this dimension. I do not know what I am outside our dimension. Nor do I care. I am simply happy being myself here. And if you offer me greater power, I will refuse it. I alone will achieve my goals. We are allies for now, but be warned that you and I may become enemies, should something were to happen." said Sephiroth.
"I assure you Sephiroth. You are not a pawn. You truly are an ally and the only one fit to be my rival." said Chernabog.
"I hope so, for you sake." said Sephiroth. With that being said, the two wicked souls left the park and allowed things to go in motion.
All according to Chernabog's plan, he summoned a giant heartless. A Guard Armor. It was massive and had a giant sword. Mickey and Minnie arrived. He used his powers. He set everyone free. The Disney Heroes all joined forces to take down the Guard Armor. Goofy with his guns, Donald with his lightsabers, Hercules with his fists, Baloo with his claws, Elsa with her ice powers, Bruno with his sand abilities.
They destroyed the Guard Armor and DisneyLand was destroyed.