Tales of the Disneyverse - Tale #9 (w/ Commentary Notes)

Lost and Found
(The Merged Realms of Up and Peter Pan)

(Narrative Note: With the featured introduction of two new characters in the second half, this tale is notably longer than previous ones in the miniseries.)

            After an hour of wandering endlessly through the jungle and getting absolutely nowhere, Ellison’s leadership proved to be more questionable than Panda, Anne-Marie, Katie, and Mickey realized. It got so exhausting walking through the dense, humid jungle that Mickey abandoned skipping and walked to the point where he was just dragging his feet across the dirt. Ellison continued to be ever the optimist, skipping with more energy and width than she did earlier.

            Anne-Marie’s patience wore very thin. “I’m about to destroy her.”

            Hearing her comment (which sounded a lot like a vow), Panda panicked and spoke up to Ellison. “Uh, M-Mistress?” Ellison immediately stopped skipping when she heard him address her. “Perhaps magic could assist us in helping move things much…quicker?”

            “That’s very sweet of you to suggest, Panda.” Ellison said with a smile. “But I have a strong feeling right here,” she pointed to her heart, “that we’re very close to where we need to be.”

(Character Note: Ellison's sweet-natured personality is inspired by such Disney Princesses as Belle - who Jennifer Ellison is fluent in impersonating, Cinderella, and Aurora - whose Briar Rose attire is the basis for Ellison's.)

            Anne-Marie gritted her teeth; she could take the nonsense no longer. “Oh, really? Because I think where we need to be is the location of the rift that will rip the two worlds apart in a matter of minutes – not sightseeing!”

            Ellison giggled. “We’re not sightseeing. And we have plenty of time to get to the rift before things get nasty. You just need to have patience and not be such a Grumpy Lil’ Gus.” Her tone again shifted to baby talk on the latter half of her address to Anne-Marie.

(Authorial Note: Ellison is one of Livingston's favorite characters to write in the World of Disney series. Her sweetness and tendency to act in a motherly way - that reflects the parental lifestyle she possessed once in the life of Sean Thomas - is the one aspect Livingston finds enjoyable to express in dialogue.)

            Beneath the bangs of Anne-Marie’s auburn hair that covered her forehead was a large vein that popped from beneath the skin in response to her growing anger. “My patience was lost the moment you showed up. And, right now, my restraint is about to disappear as well!” She had gotten threateningly close to Ellison, practically right in her calm, smiling face (which heavily contradicted Anne-Marie’s stressed, pulsating one).

            Sensing a different kind of rift developing between the two of them, Panda quickly separated them. “O.K., O.K.! L-Let’s just take it easy, shall we? If it will save time – and lives – I’ll simply use my magic to light our way.”

            For the first time since they met her, Katie and Mickey saw how Ellison’s demeanor moved from tranquil and happy to great fear and concern from what Panda had suggested to do. “John, no!” Calling him “John” was further proof of this shift in attitude. “You know that using your magic will destroy you.” Katie and Mickey were caught off guard by this warning. Was Panda’s magic so powerful that even he could be a victim to it? Or was there some other reason that Ellison advised him against it?

(Narrative Note: With the lost of Fantasia from the perspective of Panda and Ellison, any surviving sorcerers from the realm are at instant risk to themselves in the event of usage in magic. Since it requires a use of energy reserved in their life force, the sorcerer or sorceress brings himself or herself closer to death.)

            “Only casting powerful spells will destroy me, Mistress.” Panda assured. “I’d be merely casting a tracking spell, which requires minimal, harmless magic.”

            The trepid look on Ellison’s face was enough evidence to show how she was still against this idea; but she allowed him to do it as an act of trust. She backed away while he clapped his hands together in front of him and shut his eyes, taking in a deep breath. To the others, it appeared that he was meditating while standing. Unfortunately, this mediation had broken as soon as they heard the shouts of help from a nearby elderly gentleman. They all rushed in the direction of the screams and came upon a clearing where Mickey discovered a cane with tennis balls.

            “Where the heck did this come from?” The mouse questioned as he picked the cane up off the ground.

            “Hey! Up here!”

            Mickey and the others did as the unseen elderly stranger directed and looked up to see Carl Fredricksen – the old, cantankerous main character of Up – trapped in a net suspended ten feet above the ground. Carl adjusted his glasses to get a good look at his would-be rescuers. “What’re you people? Monks?” He jumped and let out a quick, startled cry once he caught sight of Mickey. “And what is that? I-Is that a three-foot walking mouse?” He pointed to Mickey with a quivering finger. “How did such weirdoes get to be in Paradise Falls?”

            Believing Carl’s rhetorical question to be legit, Ellison was prepared to answer until Anne-Marie stepped forward and addressed the jeopardized old man herself. “Sir, keep calm. We’ll have you down in a second, and you’ll be on your way.”

            Somewhat grateful by her straightforwardness on the matter, Carl relaxed and said, “At least one of you appears to act like a regular human being.” But his ease dissipated once he got a glimpse of the bizarre occurrence with Anne-Marie’s eyes, which had suddenly turned ghostly white. He was not the only one that had noticed either – Katie (again) and Mickey (for the first time) noticed as well.

            The net ropes around Carl vanished in the blink of an eye, and he found himself without support. He howled and thrashed about in fear, seeing how vulnerable he had become to the ten-foot drop, which would have certainly done him in. But he stopped his screaming and flailing once he realized that he was actually floating precisely where he had been for the past minutes when the net ropes were still around him. He was slowly and carefully lowered to ground level, landing feet-first. The whole thing scared the living daylights out of him; even as Mickey kindly handed his cane back to him, the old man flinched at first and then took the cane back with much hesitation – it was clear that he was still baffled and startled by the mouse’s “abnormal” appearance.

(Narrative Note: This is the first case in the series where Mickey comes in contact with one of the Disney characters outside the Fantasia realm. Carl's reaction to his appearance can be attested to others in the Disneyverse or the universes beyond it, with the notable exception of the Star Wars galaxy, which is where Mickey feels the most at home being among various outlandish species.)

            “Mr. Fredricksen, please don’t be scared.” Ellison urged. “We won’t hurt you.”

            Carl’s eyes grew wide behind his thick black spectacles. “You know who I am?”

            Anne-Marie face-palmed herself over the blunder that Ellison naïvely made. “Oh, great.”

            “I’ve heard stories about strange things found around Paradise Falls.” Carl said. “Mysteries that Charles F. Muntz dedicated his life into finding.” He directed his attention to Mickey and added, “Like you, for instance. You’ve got to be that monster he went after and disappeared trying to find seventy years ago.”

(Authorial Note: Tales of the Disneyverse marks the second time Livingston has written characters from Up. He has previous experience with writing them in his original Marvel Mayhem series in 2010, just a few months before he began work on World of Disney.)

            “Monster?” Mickey exclaimed, taking much offense in Carl’s accusation. “Now listen here, fella!”

            Katie was quick to calm the mouse down, placing steady hands on his tensed-up shoulders. “Easy, Mickey. He didn’t mean anything by it.”

            “Or maybe the monster might be you.” Carl said, switching his focus on Anne-Marie. “You’re no more human than this ‘mouse’ is, aren’t ya?”

            Although she did not express it as openly as Mickey, except for a slight twitch in her right eye, Anne-Marie was deeply offended by Carl’s accusation – more so than Mickey was. Fighting hard to hide her emotions – going as far as biting her tongue for a brief moment – she let Carl’s judgment on her pass from her mind and told the old man, “You’re free to go, sir.”

            Taking one last disgusted look at the group, Carl began making his departure from the clearing; of course, he did not do it without getting one last insult in: “Whatta bunch of freaks of nature.” Anne-Marie clearly heard it, and her body tensed. As if sensing her tension, Ellison placed a calm hand on her right shoulder, but it only just made Anne-Marie more tense.

            Carl was nearly out of the clearing before he was cut off by the sudden emergence of characters dressed in animal skin, jumping out from the foliage and surrounding the group. The Lost Boys! The ambush had not surprised Anne-Marie, who was aggravated in her failure to realize that the boys would return to claim their prize – Carl.

            “Oh, man!” Katie cried. “What should we do now?”

            “We might wanna knock ‘em out with magic.” Mickey suggested.

            “I agree.” Anne-Marie said. “I have the best knockout spell that can buy us enough time to—”

            “NO!”

            All eyes centered on Ellison, who displayed a very serious side to her persona that they had yet to see from the usually-giddy sorceress. “We will not use magic on these children.”

            Anne-Marie could not believe what she was hearing. “This is a necessary time to use it, in order to spare the mission!”

            “I SAID ‘NO’!” Ellison’s voice amplified and echoed in reflection of her aggressive tone, but the one characteristic that was most noticeable to Katie and Mickey were her glowing eyes.

            They both came to the same mental conclusion upon this discovery: Ellison was a Guardian.

(Character Note: Ellison is the eighth reincarnation of the many to follow after Sheryl in the afterlife of Sean Thomas. She actually is many incarnations behind Anne-Marie, who is the fifteenth, hence Anne-Marie's full knowledge of her.)

            Anne-Marie saw no point in arguing with her; they had already wasted time in their debate on the matter that could have been used to conjure up a spell and make an escape. Fueled with anger and frustration, she allowed herself to be taken captive by the Lost Boys, along with everyone else.

            As their hands were tied at the wrists and connected to each other’s binds, Ellison’s sternness melted away and she returned to her usual perky self almost instantaneously: “We’ll be O.K. They’re nice little boys.” She smiled at one Lost Boy by the name of Tootles, who only blew a raspberry at her in response to her kindness.

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            “I was right!”

            “Shhh!”

            “Oops. Sorry. I mean, I was right. Most of the other reincarnations were called to the rift. There’s Ellison in all her sprightly glory. Man, am I glad that you toned it down a notch when you took in your body.”

            Tasha and Allison watched from a distance as the Lost Boys led their captives out of the clearing. The two women had crouched down low in the foliage during the entire scene, but they stood to their full height as soon as it was over. Both women were quite tall – Allison at 5’8” and Tasha at 5’9”; it was this reason they kept down low, avoiding detection from the boys and their captives.

(Biographical Note: "Tasha" and "Allison" are based on and inspired by Tasha Cyhanick and Allison White, both of whom are very good friends in real life, which helped Livingston to establish their characters as such. Cyhanick and White are two friends Livingston met through photographer Eddie Kiplinger, whose "ME Photography" line introduced Livingston to many models that he has written into the World of Disney series, including Anne-Marie McLean.)

            Donned in a blue robe with the hat of Yen Sid sitting upon her head, Allison was a true sight to behold with long, straight, flowing auburn-brown hair that parted to the side, a thin frame, light peach skin, rose-red lips, narrow eyebrows, and perfect, bright white teeth. Tasha (her fellow reincarnation, as well as successor) was just as much so with long reddish-brown hair (also covered by Yen Sid’s signature pointed hat), green eyes with a ring of blue around them, and a slender, toned physique complete with a six-pack. The two women were highly fashionable as well – Allison complete in a flowery scarf with matching colors to a long burnt orange colored blouse, forest green leggings with a braided pattern, brown braided belt, and brown leather boots (all worn beneath her blue robe); and Tasha in only a white sleeveless top and short skirt with very glittery flats (all worn beneath her green robe).

(Authorial Note: At this point in the miniseries, it was clear to Livingston that he had an opportunity of introducing a possibly endless amount of reincarnations that could go on to play vital roles in other World of Disney installments. For this, he approached as many women he knew - online and personally - that would be interested in being featured as a character. This even included a few celebrities.)

            “John’s with them.” Allison somberly noted. “I wonder if…”

            “Don’t!” Tasha hastily interjected. “There’s already a rift in space-time. We don’t need another by interfering with our own past.”

            Allison acknowledged her warning with a nod before changing the subject. “Who was that with them? The tall, thin blonde and that woman who looked ready to explode with rage?”

            Tasha shrugged. “No idea. Maybe other sorcerers that managed to escape from Fantasia before its demise?”

            “Could be.” Allison said. “So, let’s recap: there’s us and then there’s Ellison – that makes three so far.”

            “But there have to be more that the rift called to.” Tasha gathered. “The rift called to us and possibly Ellison, so it had to call to more.”

            “How many more of us do you think there are? You’re the ninth one and, as far as I can tell, the last of us.”

            “We still can’t be too sure. We both know the cycle of Guardian is never-ending.”

(Spoiler Note: Readers will see much later who the actual "Last Guardian" really is.)

            “You think that the rift might’ve also called to him, too?”

            Tasha did not consider this fact, which prompted her to think about it. Before she could, she felt a weird tingling sensation come from behind her. “Do you feel that? I think something just…” She stopped when she noticed how Allison was stifling a laugh. “What? What’s going on?”

            “There’s a dog sniffing your butt.”

            That weird tingling sensation increased once this was pointed out to Tasha. She half-turned her upper body and looked down to see there was in fact a dog with its nose lightly pressed against her backside. Of course, what made the moment even more “interesting” was that the dog was Dug – the short, obese golden retriever from Up. When he realized that his activity had been caught by the very person he sniffed, he looked up at her and said (through his brown collar/translator), “Hi.”

            Tasha responded with a simple “Hello.” She did not seem to mind very much how the golden retriever made his first impression.

            Curious by Dug’s gesture, Allison questioned to Tasha, “Did you use the form of a dog recently?”

            Halfheartedly, Tasha replied, “Maybe.”

(Narrative Note: This exchange is a tease at a story of Tasha's that will be told in Tales of the Guardians.)

            Dug moved in between the two women, rubbing himself against both their legs. “My name is Dug! I have just met you, and I love you!”

            Allison and Tasha responded to the classic, memorable line with a collective “Aww!” They gathered around Dug, petting and hugging him lovingly.

            “I was separated from my new master and the small mailman when my master was caught in a net that sprung from nowhere. The small mailman and I went to find help, but then we were separated and I saw a pirate lady and other pirates take the small mailman away with them. I could not keep up with them in time to stop them.”

            Dug’s story baffled Allison and Tasha; they could only manage to figure out that his “new master” and “the small mailman” were undoubtedly Carl and Russell. “I don’t remember any ‘pirate lady’ being in Up or Peter Pan, do you?”

            “Definitely not.” Tasha said. “You think there could be others from worlds outside these two that are coming in through the rift?”

            Allison frowned. “Man, I hope not.”

(UP NEXT: Enter Genevieve.)

Tales of the Disneyverse - Tale #8 (w/ Commentary Notes)

Making New Friends
(The Crossed Realms of Finding Nemo and The Little Mermaid)

            The lengthy swim that Nemo and Marlin took to the sparkling golden light had led them straight into the underwater kingdom of Atlantica (and – by Marlin’s standards – straight into trouble). Atlantica was filled with a mix of “regular fish” like Marlin and Nemo and more of the “mutant fish” (“merpeople”) that they encountered earlier. The merpeople were a fascination to Nemo, who was always open to new discoveries, especially “half fish/half human” creatures. Marlin, on the other hand, was appalled, terrified, and even disgusted just from the sight of the creatures.

(Disney Note: The character dynamic of Marlin and Nemo is practically equivalent to that of Sebastian/Triton and Ariel - one character, the parental figure, is overly worrisome and protective while the other, the child, is incredibly adventurous and easygoing. This dynamic is another example of why the Nemo and Mermaid worlds suit each other so well.)

            “They’ve got to be some type of freaks!” Marlin cautiously whispered as he and his son passed by a number of merpeople, swimming through Atlantica.

            “They are a little freaky,” Nemo admitted, “but I can’t stop looking at them.”

            “Of course you can’t.” Marlin reacted. “It’s common for someone to resist temptation to look at something so ugly and disfigured! Take the one we saw earlier – the one with all that red on her head!”

            “I don’t think that one was ugly or disfigured, Dad.” Nemo said. “I thought she was beautiful. I hope I see her again.”

            Marlin was shocked by his son’s words. “Please tell me you’re joking. You’re joking. Right? Right! You’ve gone delusional, Nemo! This place has made you delusional! We need to get you back home while we still can!” Unbeknownst to Marlin, he was creating quite a scene, attracting the attention of nearly two dozen Atlantica residents.

            As usual, Nemo did not listen to any of his father’s panicked ranting and kept his focus on the wonders and sights of the underwater kingdom. One particular sight that attracted his attention the most was the majestic palace that stood tall and proud in the middle of the kingdom. The small clownfish swam directly to it, and his father followed, still begging him into going back. While the two clownfish headed for the palace, one mermaid with long, flowing blond hair, blue eyes, a gold seashell bra, and a glittering light blue tail had taken notice of them from nearby and followed them into the palace.

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            King Triton paced/floated back and forth around his throne; he worried greatly about Ariel, who had gone missing for days, along with Sebastian and Flounder. He could not stop thinking about the way he and Ariel fought before her disappearance, blaming it all on himself. He hoped for news to come soon on her whereabouts, and it appeared that it did with the arrival of his seahorse herald. “Any sign of them?” He questioned.

            “No, Your Majesty.” His herald sadly informed. “We searched everywhere. We’ve found no trace of your daughter or Sebastian.”

            The update made Triton’s heart even heavier – he could no longer bear the fearful thought that something horrible happened to his daughter. “Keep looking. Leave no shell unturned, no coral unexplored. Let no one in this kingdom sleep until she’s safe at home.”

            Knowing full-well how hopeless the situation was turning, the herald accepted his orders. “Yes, sire,” he despairingly said before swimming out of the throne room and carry out the king’s wishes.

            Alone, a quailed Triton sat upon his throne, his head in his hand. “Oh, what have I done? What have I done?”

(Disney Note: In The Little Mermaid film, this scene occurs much later while Ariel has spent some time living on land as a human. Her disappearance was brought on by the second argument between Triton and Ariel, leading to Triton taking his frustrations out on the treasures in Ariel's grotto.)

            It was then Triton began hearing voices – ones that were coming into the throne room, echoing between the mighty walls. He had wished to be left alone in his misery, which he snapped out of to search for the unexpected visitors. Finally, he caught sight of the unannounced guests – two small, strange-looking fish (one smaller and younger than the other that was slightly bigger and older). The older fish made an attempt to get the younger one to turn back.

            Triton’s hand instinctively went to his trident.

-----------------------

            “Nemo! Listen to your father!” Marlin exclaimed, his frustration with his disobedient son turning into anger. “We are leaving this place now!”

            The promptings of his father fell on deaf ears with Nemo. What did not fall on deaf ears was the booming voice that filled the room, belonging to the large, muscled, white-haired, white-bearded half-man/half-fish creature that Nemo and Marlin quickly spotted before them. “Who dares enter my throne room unannounced?”

            Nemo was alarmed by the immensely intimidating figure he recognized as the king of the underwater kingdom he and his father found themselves in. But while this king’s immense half-man/half-fish stature was imposing to Nemo, the large “glowing fork” gripped in the king’s right hand looked absolutely cool to him.

            Meanwhile, an extremely petrified Marlin took his son into his shaky fins and pleaded to the king. “Oh, please, oh, please, Your Highness! Don’t destroy us with your glowy-fork-thing! We mean no disrespect!”

(Authorial Note: Marlin's reference to the trident as a "glowy-fork-thing" was Livingston's favorite line of dialogue to write for this scene.)

            “What are you doing here without permission?”

            Marlin was too terrified to say anything less of a stammer, unknowingly pushing Triton even further into fury.

            “ANSWER ME!”

            The trident was pointed directly at the two clownfish – its tip sparking with electrical energy that waited to evaporate them. But it was the intervention of a young blond mermaid with a glittering light blue tail that spared the clownfish of whatever punishment the trident would unleash. She swam right in between it and them, leaving her tight, lightly tanned abdominals in the trident’s aim.

            “Forgive them, King Triton.” The young mermaid calmly said. “They’re friends of mine from out of town…er, I mean, outside the kingdom…and they just didn’t know where they were going – that’s all.”

            It had taken quite a long moment for Triton to consider the young mermaid’s words until he finally trusted her reasoning and slowly lowered his trident. “Just…leave me…leave at once. I…I need to be alone.” He gave this order with much depression and sorrow, reflecting his growing concern for his lost daughter.

(Character Note: It is possible for Triton to have looked at this young mermaid who saved Marlin and Nemo, reminded of Ariel by her, explaining his automatic trust of her judgment.)

            Marlin, Nemo, and their mermaid savior did as Triton wished and swam out of the throne room. As soon as they emerged within the outside hallway, they heard King Triton crying – his weeping echoing from the throne room and into the hall. Listening to it made Marlin feel even more uneasy. “That fella’s got some serious issues.”

            “Hey, cut him some slack,” said the defensive mermaid. “The guy’s daughter just went missing. Surely you would know how it feels to have someone you love up and vanish.”

            “Actually, I wouldn’t.” Marlin retracted. “I always watch over my son and would never let him out of my sight…not even for a second.”

            The mermaid seemed a bit quizzical over his statement. “Hmm…your story’s still early on before the rift came up. You haven’t lost Nemo yet.”

            “L-Lost?” Marlin exclaimed in confused apprehension, which got him shushed by the mermaid – not wanting Triton to hear them, as they still floated near the throne room entrance. “Who are you? Why did you stick up for us back there?”

            The mermaid snickered. “I’ll take that as a ‘thank you,’ Marlin,” she wittingly remarked.

            “How do you know my name?” A stunned Marlin questioned.

            “Do you know who I am, too?” Nemo asked her.

            The mermaid smiled at Nemo, tickling his chin with her finger – a gesture that made the tiny clownfish giggle. “I certainly do, you lil’ cutie. I’m not really a mermaid. I’m known as a ‘Guardian.’ My name’s Mindy.”

(Narrative Note: This is Mindy's second appearance in the World of Disney series and the first to fully establish her role as Guardian of the Disneyverse, a surprising twist for readers who read The Marvelous World: World of Disney 2. Her appearance in this series differs dramatically from the one she bore in WOD2, carrying blonde and blue-eyed features rather than her usual brown-eyed brunette look in the Marvel Universe.)

            “You’re a guardian angelfish?” Nemo inquired.

            Mindy chuckled. “You are so sweet, Nemo. But, no, I’m not that type of guardian. I’m the guardian of a universe you two are a part of. But it’s beginning to merge because of a rift that’s opened recently.”

            “A reef?” Nemo misinterpreted. “Like the Great Barrier Reef?”

            “No, sweetheart. I mean ‘rift,’ as in a tear.” Mindy said.

            Marlin floated his way into their exchange. “Look, I don’t have a clue what you’re talking about. I just want to go back home with my son, so he can go to his first day of school – if it’s still in session, that is.”

            “There won’t be a home or school for you to go back to if I don’t take care of this rift, Marlin.” Mindy warned, trying her best not to scare Nemo in her intense cautionary tone.

            “What do these ‘rifts’ or ‘tears’ or whatever you call them have to do with us?” Marlin asked.

            Mindy sighed. “It has everything to do with you guys. If I don’t stop what’s happening here, then you, your son, and everyone in your world, this one, and hundreds of others will be destroyed.”

(UP NEXT: How a real-life friendship inspired the chemistry of two new characters.)

Tales of the Disneyverse - Tale #7 (w/ Commentary Notes)

A New Familiar Face

(The Realm of Fantasia)

            As she sat at Yen Sid’s worktable, Joan cannot remember the last time she was so exhausted. In her old age, that could have been ages ago; but at that moment she had to be weaker than she had ever been her whole life. It was not just her most recent usage of magic that put her in such a frail state, but the shock of discovering who the young woman standing in front of her really was. “Jacqueline,” as she called herself, in actuality her son - Sean Thomas. Joan could not get over the dramatic change in his new body: the raven hair cut in a bob style with bangs hanging from the sides of the face; the tanned skin that was nearly as dark as his used to be; and the sparkling blue eyes (bluer than Joan’s almost). Fitted to a toned, slender 5’5” physique was a pair of blue jeans, black knee-high boots, and a navy blue top – all worn beneath a black robe. To complete the ensemble was a pointed blue sorcerer hat with a white crescent moon and stars - similar to the one Joan wore at that time.

(Narrative Note: Despite the concept being introduced in The Marvelous World: World of Disney 2, the Guardian ability to reincarnate is addressed for the first time in the perspective of Joanie for Tales. However, throughout the miniseries it is further emphasized how the process works and how long it continues, providing the reincarnations of Sean Thomas as examples.)

            The first question Joan asked her son’s new “avatar” was: “How can you be here? You’re back in my...our world in California.”

(Narrative Note: This is the first story to establish the Thomas family and the Muppets switching home locations between the present-day events of World of Disney and World of Disney 3 in the Muppetverse. In the very first story, they lived in Florida, whereas in WOD3 they have settled in California.)

            Jacqueline nodded, understanding her confusion. “I’m not the Sean from your current timeline. I’m him from the far future,” She then added in a somber tone, “after he died of old age.”

            Joan was overwhelmed and a bit discouraged by this news. “H-How old were you when you died?”

            “Eighty-six.”

            Joan gave a weak chuckle. “Later than me.”

            Jacqueline tried to pay no mind to that last remark Joan made and continued with the details on her being there: “The day I was born, you’d passed something down to me. I found out in my first reincarnation that it was the ‘Power of the Guardian.’”

(Narrative Note: Sean Thomas is the only known child of Joanie to have inherited her mystically-enhanced genes that enables him to become a Guardian after death. It was never revealed as to whether or not he possessed any Guardian abilities while in his original form, since the Guardian code states that "only a female can hold the Guardian title," yet this has been put to rest with the introduction of Michael - one of Sean's reincarnations - later in this miniseries. Considering this, it's possible that Sean did possess some Guardian magic as himself.)

            “First reincarnation?” Joan repeated the words from her explanation that fascinated her the most. “You mean...this isn’t...?”

            Jacqueline knew what she was going to say before she finished and answered ahead. “This body is only the second one I’ve inherited from my new ‘job.’ After I died, I became an entirely different woman – I named her ‘Sheryl.’”

(Spoiler Note: As it will be revealed later in this miniseries, Sheryl is in fact NOT Sean's first reincarnation.)

            Even more surprised, Joan asked, “How are you being reincarnated as two different women after each death?”

            “Your policy.” Jacqueline told her. “Or the one you unintentionally set up when you first became Guardian.”

            “And what’s that?”

            “That only a female can carry the job.” She sighed a bit and added, “Gotta say, it sucks big time having to be two completely different women – two separate lives, two separate clothes, two separate bodies. Sheryl’s was the toughest to get used to. She was almost as tall as I once was, but she was much...stronger...physically stronger. I’m not sure if it was the power or the fact that I was reborn as such an incredibly tall and athletic woman as her, but I spent half a century discovering all what I can do as her – with the help of Yen Sid and Mickey, of course.”

(Narrative Note: As it was revealed in the first tale from the Tales of the Guardians miniseries, Sheryl's reincarnation occurs within the Fantasia realm under the supervision of Yen Sid and Mickey Mouse. It is the only noted supervised reincarnation in the series, as other reincarnations - from both Sean and Joanie - presumably occur without an audience present.)

            Joan blinked rapidly, trying to comprehend another surprising detail in Jacqueline’s explanation. “Half a century? That’s...”

            “Way much more than 86 years I’ve spent being me.” The frustration was evident in her voice over this. “Don’t get me wrong – I absolutely love being Guardian. But I’d much appreciate it if I had the title as me and not...this stranger.” She gestured to her face in her distressed way of describing herself. “I just want what you got when you first became Guardian – to be yourself.”

            Joan gave a laugh that roughly transitioned into deep coughing. When the coughing settled, she told Jacqueline, “I won’t be myself much longer, sweetie.”

            “You’re dying,” a despondent Jacqueline signified.

            Joan nodded, confirming this. “And the entire Disneyverse along with me.” She looked to the workshop window, seeing the dark, vicious skies above them. “We’re linked. This whole time...since I first inherited my powers...we’ve been linked. Thanks to the Sphere. Without me, the Disneyverse ceases to exist.” She then focused on Jacqueline, a hopeful smile emerging on her face. “But I guess it isn’t all bleak.”

            “How so?” Jacqueline inquired, curious by her optimism.

            “Well…you are here.” Joan indicated. “That must only mean the Disneyverse survives with you as Guardian.”

            Jacqueline lightly bit her lower lip, her trepidation evident. “It was your death that got me the job, Mama…but not your death.”

(Narrative Note: Jacqueline refers to the death of "Gigi," Joanie's first reincarnation, in this scene. Gigi's death leaves Sheryl the only living Guardian to protect the Disneyverse at the end of The Marvelous World. But, as the story's epilogue revealed, Gigi only reincarnated, meaning there are in fact two currently living Guardians.)

            The cryptic nature of her words left Joan totally baffled. As she tried to figure them out, she was caught off guard by yet another shooting pain in her chest; she doubled over at the windowsill where she got a good view of the chaos that reverberated from her declining health. A few buildings within the kingdom had sunk to the ground, driving hundreds of citizens away from it. The pain in her chest was bad, but there was no pain worse than that she felt for the people of the Fantasia kingdom suffering because of her.

            “Please do something about this.” She desperately beseeched of Jacqueline. “Do whatever you can to stop the Disneyverse from dying along with me.”

            Jacqueline pessimistically shrugged. “You’re the only one who can stop this, Mama. I can’t do anything.”

            “I’m too weak to do anything, Sean.” She appealed to the identity past the one standing in front of her, hoping that her son had not completely changed in his morale. “If I use magic again, I will die.”

            Jacqueline sighed, taking off her hat and rubbing her fingers through her black hair while pacing back and forth. Removing her fingers from her hair, it became a disheveled mess – her bangs moved in closer around her face than before. She turned back to Joan, barely able to see her through all the hair over her eyes. “There is a way,” she told her. “But it will cost you the only life you have now.”

            Joan was again confused by her enigmatic solution. “What’re you talking about?”

            Jacqueline moved her hair away from her face, revealing the tears that had begun to flow from her eyes. With great reluctance, she said, “You…You have to submit your soul to the Disneyverse…and let your body retire.”

(Narrative Note: By definition, for the original form of the Guardian to submit their soul to the Disneyverse and leave their original body behind is the process of reincarnation. Although, in Tales of the Guardians, both the body and soul - in the case of Sean Thomas - submit to the Disneyverse altogether for a total rebirth. Whether or not the same occurred with Joanie's body and soul remains unclear, even after the events of this miniseries.)

            Joan’s eyes grew wide. “That’s still death!” Her shocked reaction only generated more tears from the clearly heartbroken Jacqueline. After a while, the notion started to settle with Joan. She gave a long, discouraged sigh. “Whatever it takes to save this universe…I’ll do it.”

            “What?” Jacqueline almost could not believe her willingness.

            “I said that I’ll do it. Now, just show me what I have to do.”

            “No, no, NO! Stop!”

            “What? Why?”

            “Because this is exactly how I lost you the first time – when I was still me! And I’m not going to lose you again!”

            Her strong declaration surprised Joan and also made her suspicious of the young woman. “Why are you really here, Sean?”

            Jacqueline clenched her fists and bit her tongue, remaining firmly silent.

            “Answer me, child!” Joan furiously ordered with glowing eyes.

            Unable to resist any further, Jacqueline finally conceded: “I’m not here to save the Disneyverse – I’m here to save you. And if that means the Disneyverse gets lost…then tough.”

            The glow in Joan’s eyes extinguished, making way for the heart-shattering disappointment shown in them.

(UP NEXT: Nemo meets King Triton!)