Pooh took a breath. He felt tired. His arms and legs begged him to go to sleep. However, Pooh knew he had one more soul to save. He felt Honey Maple crawl up his shoulder. Her tiny claws pressed up next to his paw. Pooh repeated the enchantment once more.
Suddenly, the world grew dark around him. Cold air swallowed him back once more. He turned to see if there was any sign of the Dark Dream King. He felt something warm on his back. Pooh turned his head and realized that Honey Maple was with him. Her little body balancing on his shoulders. He smiled. "Let's go find him."
Pooh walked down the darkness. His eyes searched and searched. His ears, however, heard a faint sound of crying. He followed the noise. Each step started to become a bit troublesome as he got closer to the source. He spotted a silhouette that he knew for certain had to be King Despereux.
Pooh took a few more steps closer to the shape. "King Despereaux?"
A sharp gasp filled the air. The head turned around to reveal a Wyvern before him. He hissed. Tail raised into the air. "Who are you?! What do you want?!"
Pooh raised his paws into the air. "Easy…We mean you no harm…" He picked Honey Maple up and placed her on the ground. "We just want to talk."
The young King Despereaux turned to face the bear and baby dragon. His scales were a mossy green color. A pale yellow spike graced his barbed tail. Pink eyes focused on him. His four horns sit on top of his head. One spike on his nose. "Talk? About what?"
Pooh took a deep breath. His heart began to calm down whatever he had left for the Bad Dream King. "I know about your parents. How you've lost your fellow Wyverns. Cassiopeia told me."
Despereaux growled. "It was all her fault! She should've helped me! My family! Nightplague promised that he'd bring them back. He made me king of the Hollow Realm!"
Pooh shook his head. He took another step. His eyes were focused on the tail. When there was no movement, he took another step. Honey Maple followed closely behind him. He watched the Despereaux try to take a step back. He ignored whatever threat came from Despereaux's mouth. He just made his steps toward the small creature.
Despereaux's growls began to grow weak. His tail lowered to the ground. "Go away! It's your fault. You've ruined everything!" Tears began to form in his eyes. Without warning, he slammed his tail into the ground. Barb sinking deep into the shadows.
Pooh saw his opening. He walked with more confidence toward the saddened wyvern. On his very tip toes, he wrapped his arms around Despereaux. Honey Maple joined in as she hopped from the ground and fluttered onto Pooh's shoulder. Wings outstretched.
"Nightplague lied to me too." Pooh ran his one paw along the scales. "He promised to help me stop the fighting between you and King Moonsoul." He hugged Despereaux tighter. "I listened to him and put everyone in danger because of it." His voice tightened as he felt his sorrow become his own.
Silence hung in the void. An unwritten sadness tossed between them. Then, Despereaux let out a sob. Tears ran down his scaly face. His wings relaxed against Pooh's embrace. He returned Pooh's hug. Tail curled around him slowly.
"I want my mama…" Despereaux whimpered. "N-N-Nightplague said he'd bring back…"
"I know you do," Pooh assured him. His own tears began to trickle down. "My friend is gone too. If I wanted him to be brought back I would have." Then, he sniffed. "But you know what makes me keep him alive?"
"What?" Despereaux sniffed. "You used singing and light magic?"
Pooh laughed through his tears. "No. Christopher Robin would say these words to us: You're braver than you believe. Stronger than you seem and smarter than you think." He wiped his tears away. "When he was gone, we had a hard time saying those words. It still hurts to say them, but it helps remember him."
"Wa-" Despereaux's voice grew weak. "Was it able to make the hurting stop?"
Pooh sighed. A rainbow surrounded his body. "No…No, it didn't. But…Hurting just shows you care about them." His hug grew tighter. He could feel Honey Maple's wing touching his head. "It only helps to have someone to share it with."
Despereaux whimpered. Then, he finally sobbed once more. "I don't want to be king anymore. I wanna go home…I…want…friends."
"We can be friends." Pooh broke away from the hug as his light grew brighter. "My name is Pooh." He laughed as Honey Maple sat on his shoulder. "And this is Honey Maple. What's yours?"
"My…name…" Despereaux's scales slowly changed color. The dark green went away to take on several multicolored hues. "My new name is…Hope…"
At those words, light flooded out around them. A warm breeze met at their backs. Pooh and Honey Maple blinked for a moment. They were both sitting on the floor of a strange room. They looked around to see it was a dark-ish blue color with several hints of gold and white. Holding up the roof were pillars that had seven large beasts with wise looks in their gaze. A mighty tree loomed in place of the morbid throne they'd seen earlier.
"Pooh!"
Pooh turned his head to see Piglet rushing towards him. His little pink friend had Wisp following behind him. The others were further back. Piglet was dusty with a few scratches on his arms. Pooh grunted as his friend jumped into his arms.
"I'm so glad you're ok!" Piglet hugged his friend. A big smile on his face. "When you vanished upstairs, I got so worried. Then, the whole place shook and the whole place turned into-" He gestured to the walls and massive glass windows. "This!"
Pooh chuckled. "I guess my magic was stronger than I thought." He chuckled again.
"P-P-P-Piglet!" Honey Maple squeaked. She hopped into Pooh's arms as she hugged Piglet.
"Honey Maple!" Piglet cried out. He hugged the little dragon as best as he could. He flinched as the claws digged deep into his sweater.
Three giants loomed over them. King Moonsoul and Queen Flamesong were on the brink of tears as they saw their child once more. Queen Umbrina cradled a tired Jasper in the crook of her wing. The rest of Pooh's friends joined in the hug. Owl's wings almost engulfed everyone. Kessy tried her best and would succeed if her wings weren't so small. Eeyore gave his best smile. Lumpy almost crushed everyone with his trunk.
Whirlwind hobbled over. His broken wing was supported Onyx. The Chimera grinned. "Nice job, Pooh. You too, Honey Maple."
Onyx moved her head as she scanned the throne room. "Where's the Bad Dream King?"
A skittering noise answered the Kelpie's question as rocks began to move. The smaller ones rolled quickly but the larger ones took longer to push. With one final growl, a rainbow-colored head popped out of the rubble. He shook off the dust that hung around his head. He struggled for a bit, but Lumpy and Tigger were able to pull the creature out.
"Thank you," The creature coughed. Dust came out of his nostrils and mouth. He shook himself of anymore debris that clung to his scales.
Pooh ran up to him the moment he got back on his feet. He set Piglet and Honey Maple down. As he ran, Honey Maple flew close to his side. "Hope, are you ok?"
Rabbit raised a brow. "Hope? Where's Despereaux?"
Pooh pointed at Hope. "That would be him. Also not him." His answer was met by the perplexed looks by everyone around him. He frowned. "I guess I should start at the very beginning."
Pooh began to explain everything that happened to him. His time in the dark abyss. Cassiopeia's story about the world and Nightplague. How he was able to get out by remembering Christopher Robin and his own struggle. Finally, the battle between him, Honey Maple and Nightplague. By the time he finished, the crowd was in sheer awe.
King Moonsoul gave Pooh a solemn look. "Pooh…I'm so sorry for not listening to you." He bowed his head. His eyes closed. "After all this time. After all this fighting…It was just for his amusement. The real enemy was right by my side all this time and I was too blind to see it." He opened his eyes. He lowered himself. "I owe you an apology." He shifted his gaze to Hope. "To all of you."
Hope waddled over to King Moonsoul. "I should be the one apologizing too." He looked around the room. All the residents of The Hollow Realm was here. He took a breath. "I renounce my title as king." He was soon met by gasps. When everything quieted down, he continued. "Before I became king, I lost my family. I had no one else to turn to for some time. Then, Icarus, who I didn't realize was Nightplague at the time, gave me a proposition. Create a kingdom so strong that it would take revenge on the rest of the Starlight Kingdom for abandoning us while we fizzled away from existence."
Pooh and Piglet stared at Wisp. The little Nightmare nodded. The trio turned their focus back to Hope. Concern written on their faces.
"Now I know that wasn't the case." Hope raised his head high. "Pooh helped me see that Nightplague lied to me. He just used me to feed misery to everyone so he would grow stronger. I'm not a true leader. That's why I believe the monarch of the Hollow Realm should go to Whirlwind."
Whirlwind nearly fell as he stumbled out of pure shock. "Wha-me?! B-b-b-" A blank stare riddled his face.
Pooh nodded. "Whirlwind, you had many opportunities to steal Honey Maple. You could hurt me. But you didn't. You went out of your way to help me again and again."
Whirlwind was able to regain his balance. "Me? Lead? I don't know anything about that. Let alone give commands to be taken seriously." He was surprised to feel Hurricane's claws on his shoulder. He nearly jumped as King Moonsoul lowered his head.
Hurricane had a tired look on his face. "Do you remember how we met?"
Whirlwind's eyes went soft. He took a breath. "You were all by yourself. None of the Chimeras wanted to play with you. Let alone talk." He shuffled his claws. "I thought of talking to you since I didn't have much luck with the others either. I'm not going to lie that I was pretty nervous. You were about to kill me when I tapped your shoulder."
Hurricane laughed. "I've never seen anyone jumped so high." He lowered his red eyes to the ground. "My encounter with Piglet and Wisp reminded me why I've been partnered with you for so long. You treated me like a soul worth living. Even when we were among other Hollow Realm creatures or the Hundred Acre Woods, you would chat up a storm with little fear."
All around Whirlwind, murmurs erupted. Some were nice. Others would take on an annoyed, sarcastic tone.
"Whirlwind," King Moonsoul's voice brought everyone's attention back to him. "You wanted to know others first. Even if it meant getting hurt. I'm sorry that my kind gave you such cruelty. You've risked your life to save my daughter and protect Pooh. You managed to help us find a way to trap Icarus and Echowing." He raised his head. "Whirlwind, if you would like, join the Council of Monarchs so we can all have a bright future in the Starlight Kingdom."
Whirlwind gulped. He shuffled nervously. Then, he glanced at Pooh and Honey Maple. He did help them, but would such a small act make him king?
Pooh nodded. His eyes beamed with encouragement. "You can do it, Whirlwind. You're braver than you believe, stronger than you seem and smarter than you think."
Whirlwind's eyes brimmed with tears. "Ok. I'll do it! But only if someone helps me out. It's going to be a while until I get the whole kingdom thing down."
Hurricane laugh. "I'll make sure you don't do anything too foolish."
Queen Sandwisher nodded. "I'll make sure to do that as well."
"Let's hear it for King Whirlwind," Wisp cheered.
A roar filled the room. Excitement came in waves as all the creatures of the Starlight Kingdom, now including the Hollow Realm, were in grand celebration. Hugs were exchanged. Some made an effort to hi-five each other. Comments of a new future buzzed around.
Pooh smiled. He soon felt a warm face pressed against his. He saw Honey Maple purring at him. Then, he noticed King Moonsoul looking at him. His heart leaped as King Moonsoul nodded his approval. Everything was going to be ok.
—-(Sometime later, Rainbow Forest)-
As the night sky blanketed Rainbow Forest, the trees came alive with music. The birds were chirping with all their might. Drums from the Emerald Jungle thundered loudly. Shell horns from the Sapphire Seas mixed into the songs, creating a harmonious tune.
Pooh and friends were at their table. Their mountain of food barely got smaller as minutes ticked by. They all laughed about their time in the other parts of the kingdom. Piglet was munching on his acorn biscuit. Pooh was having his favorite honey. Eeyore had a plant that was called Sea Thistles. The sea green plant barely did anything to his mouth. Tigger was teaching Mayble and several Woozles how to bounce, rattling the table in the process.
Pooh was cleaning out the last jar when Gypsy approached him. Pooh looked up from his meal. "Hello, Gypsy. Enjoying the party?"
Gypsy smiled. "Yeah! A few fights popped up here and there, but nothing I could deal with."
Pooh sighed. He fiddled with his pot. "I guess Whirlwind is going to be dealing with a lot of trouble. Isn't he?"
Gypsy nodded. Then, she placed a wing on his shoulder. "Hey! Don't worry about it. All the royals are going to step up." She glanced over to where Mageln, Wisp,Lacy, Hope and Honey Maple are now playing. The little creatures tossing around a ball. "I think the kids will have a way better start than the adults."
Pooh laughed. "I suppose so." He licked the last of the honey off his paw.
Gypsy gave a heavy sigh. "Pooh. I just talked to King Moonsoul. He said that now would be a good time to send you back home."
Pooh stopped. He slowly turned his head. His eyes held a hurt expression as he frowned. "Head home? But…won't you need us to help you rebuild everything later?"
Gypsy shook her head. "No. You've already done enough. But you have lives back in the Hundred Acre Woods, right? We shouldn't keep you from that."
Pooh sighed. He looked at Honey Maple. The little dragon was able to fly, speak and walk in the shortest amount of time since she's hatched. His heart sank as the truth hit him. He protected Honey Maple all this time, but she needs her family more than him. He also found himself missing the trees of his home. The honey pots that lined up against the wall. His own honey tree. The thinking spot where he would sit with his thoughts. Homesickness finally hit him like an ocean wave. Pooh's eyes stung with tears.
Pooh rubbed his eyes. "Yes…I suppose it's time I got home." He sniffed. "But can we say goodbye first?"
Gypsy nodded. "Your friends better start packing."
After some time eating and playing games, Pooh and his friends reluctantly packed their things. They were even given some memorabilia of their time in the Starlight Kingdom. Each item they put away grew harder and harder to do so. This colorful kingdom felt like a second home to them. By the time they were done, the moon was hanging low over the horizon. Pink hues of the sun peeked over the horizon.
Everyone gathered outside King Moonsoul's palace. They all seemed a bit sad watching Pooh and his friends go. Mageln,Wisp and Jasper were having a hard time trying not to cry. Mayble was crossing her arms. Whirlwind, covered in bandages, was the first to speak.
"Remember to send some letters to us," He said. His eyes glowed as he was finally in high spirits. His body was heavily bandaged but his wing wasn't in a crooked position. "I'd love to know what's going on at your home." He received a light tap from Hurricane.
"Don't you think that it'll get out of your duties." Hurricane still had a serious tone. However, his eyes were trying their best not to let out their laughter.
Whirlwind made a face. "I won't."
Mageln walked over to Rabbit. In her hands was a bag of seeds and one large flower that was as pink as Rabbit's nose. She held them up as best as she could. "Here Mr. Rabbit, something for your garden. In case you miss me, you just plant it before spring."
Rabbit took Mageln's gifts. He hugged her. "Thank you my dear."
Tigger was trying to make sure he didn't cry as he, Roo and Lumpy were saying goodbye to their newfound Woozle friends. He held out his paw. Lips tucked in. To his shock, Mayble leaped in for a hug. Tigger could no longer hold back his tears. He bawled as he returned the hug.
Piglet and Wisp exchanged a few words. Piglet blushed at Wisp's mother, thanking him for protecting her daughter.
Pooh stared at Honey Maple. The little dragon stared back at him with eyes so full of sorrow that it almost destroyed him to think she'll leave him alone. He reached out to pet her. "Honey Maple…" His tears threatened to leak out as they pressed against warm scales. "I know saying 'goodbye' is hard, but I promise to visit you one day." He knelt down and hugged her. "Just work hard on flying. I'm sure you'll be able to get it in no time."
Honey Maple sniffed. "Pooh…Best Friend…" She wrapped her wings. "Will fly…Fly high."
Pooh hugged a little longer before breaking away from his little friend. Then, he turned to King Moonsoul. The Dragon King lowered his wing before him. He grabbed his things and climbed up, up to his back. The silver webbing acted like regal sails as wind began to pick up. Pooh watched the ground below him grow smaller and smaller. The cheers and goodbyes were soon changed to howling wind.
Everything rushed before him. Just like on the night he first arrived in the Starlight Kingdom. Before long, he saw the familiar trees of the Hundred Acre Wood beneath him. He looked to his left. Piglet, Tigger, Gopher and Lumpy were on Queen Flamesong's back. Gypsy had Eeyore, Roo and Kanga with her. On his right, Rabbit was by himself on top of Hurricane's back. Owl and Kessy flanked the Chimera General.
Pooh waved goodbye as he was sent back home. Once he landed on the ground he looked at King Moonsoul. He bowed. "Thank you for letting me come to your kingdom."
King Moonsoul nodded. "Thank you for protecting my daughter and saving the kingdom. Honey Maple and my people can have a bright future. Thanks to you." He bowed in return. "Farewell, dear Pooh bear." In a flash of his wings he took to the sky.
Pooh watched him go. The silver and white body glowing in the light of the moon. Then, vanished completely in a veil of stardust.
—-
Finally done! Will be working on the final chapter. Get ready for more wholesomeness!
