Chapter Six: The New World
There were many Star Destroyers in the Imperial Navy, but
none were as colossal in design as the Executor,
a super-class Star Destroyer and Darth Vader’s personal battle cruiser. It
trekked through an empty sector of the galaxy with a dozen regular-class
Destroyers flanking it. Aboard the warship, Vader entered his personal
holoprojection chamber and used the HoloNet transceiver to make contact with
the Emperor.
(Star Wars Note: Executor made its debut in The Empire Strikes Back but only identified as the "Super Star Destroyer." It received its formal name in the June 1980 release of The Empire Strikes Back Official Poster Monthly 2 magazine. It was meant to be seen in only a few establishing shots in the film, but the production team was so impressed by the design that additional storyboards were created to accommodate Vader's ship, and it became one of the primary focal points of Empire.)
Kneeling upon the platform that lit once activated, it
was the proper position for the Sith Lord to take as soon as the massive
holographic projection of his master filled the room. “Lord Vader,” he greeted
in his gravelly voice.
“Master,” Vader responded, slowly looking upward from his
kneeling posture.
“You have made progress in your investigation.” It was
more of an observation or statement than an assumption or question. The Emperor
was strong with the Force, and Vader knew he sensed the information he
sought to share with him before he uttered a word.
(Star Wars Note: The holographic image of the Emperor that briefly appeared in the original version of The Empire Strikes Back was played by Elaine Baker, then-wife of makeup designer Rick Baker. Her face was composited with the image of a chimpanzee for the eyes while the voice was provided by Clive Revill. Thereafter in Return of the Jedi, the elderly Emperor was portrayed by Ian McDiarmid, who would play Palpatine in the prequel trilogy as well. Only in the 2004 DVD release of Empire did McDiarmid re-shoot the first-ever scene featuring the holographic Emperor, replacing Revill and recording new lines between himself and James Earl Jones, the voice of Darth Vader.)
“The Sphere is a gateway to another universe.” Vader
informed.
A wicked smile manifested upon the face of the Emperor.
“Good. The display of our might is no longer limited to one galaxy. Another
lies in wait of our rule. Enlist in the aid of the Inquisitor to see that our
efforts are carried out.”
(Star Wars Note: At the time this chapter was written, only the Grand Inquisitor from Star Wars Rebels was known, and it is he that is referenced in this scene. Season Two of Rebels recently revealed two new Inquisitors, "The Seventh Sister" and "The Fifth Brother." The specific number of Inquisitors has yet to be divulged on the show.)
“We have another who can do so, my master – Yve Ette. She
has vast knowledge of the artifact.”
“My trust in this woman is not as great as yours, Lord
Vader. I have sensed a presence in her that I fear will emerge and bring
failure to our plan.”
“I assure you, she can
be trusted. Her power is unimaginable and will maintain order in this world and
the new one.”
The Emperor momentarily paused in deep thought. “This…new
world…you have seen it yourself?”
“I have, Master.”
“Then, wherever it may lie, we shall lay the full
groundwork for our new expanded
Empire there.”
The Realm of Fantasia
Her rose-red robe was all that was in between the air and
her bare skin. As comfortable as she was in her skin, she was constantly
reminded that it was not entirely hers. The living cells that made up her body
once belonged to a man by the name of Sean Thomas. Following his death, those
cells disintegrated and dispersed through the boundaries of time and space,
until they finally reconstructed into a new body – one that was female in
design. Like a newborn baby, the body was unclothed, as it would be, since
clothes cannot construct with the new skin. As embarrassing a rebirth as it
might have been, it was natural…at least to her it was.
The process repeated fifteen times before the
form of a forty-something Scottish woman with strawberry blonde hair and an
athletic physique constructed from those magical blood cells and
chose to be named “Anne-Marie.” She stood there in her private quarters within
Yen Sid’s castle, the only place she could call home in her five
thousand-year-old life as Guardian of the Disneyverse, her robe clothing her
nude body.
(Character Note: Chronologically, this is Anne-Marie's first appearance in World of Disney since the epilogue of The Marvelous World: World of Disney 2. Her last published appearance was in Tales of the Disneyverse, which takes place prior to her scenes in the second installment of the series.)
Near her was a stone-made tub, filled with boiling,
bubbling water that glowed in gold and rainbow colors. It would have appeared
like the perfect bubble bath, but it was something else entirely. Anne-Marie
poured a special potion she concocted herself into the water, which turned
into the hot tub it was that moment in mere seconds. She stared over it with
an expression of hope.
This has to
work, she thought.
Slowly, she disrobed, exposing her bare, toned form to no
one in particular. She was alone – more alone than she felt after the loss
of John Panda and before returning to Fantasia in this reincarnation...in this new timeline. While
disrobing, she looked out the small, squared window beside the tub, which was at
perfect eye level with her, granting a majestic view of the enchanted city
outside. Down below, at the steps of the castle, she could see her apprentice,
Katie, conversing with another resident sorcerer. Judging from his dashingly
rugged appearance and how much Katie enjoyed his company, she could assume this
man was the “Brandon” character Katie discussed so much about.
(Biographical Note: "Brandon" is based on/inspired by Brandon Cordner, the real-life boyfriend of Katie Mackintosh - the inspiration for "Katie." The character was written into the story as a love interest for her, but also as an enigma that will play a huge role in other World of Disney installments, such as the current miniseries, Tales of Fantasia.)
It was clear how much in love the two were from the way
they visibly flirted. A warm smile and a chuckle came out from
Anne-Marie, who found the whole relationship completely adorable. She was
reminded of the romance she once had in her life as Sean Thomas with Christina.
Those memories of the times they shared were all that kept her happy; there was not a lot to be as far as she was concerned.
Looking away from the window and back to the tub,
Anne-Marie finally went into the boiling, bubbling water, the toes from her right
foot dipping in before the rest of her body. She sat there in the water with
only her head above the surface and already felt her pores tingling as if she were in a hot tub. She then inhaled and
exhaled a few times until ultimately taking a deep breath and submerging her
head into the water.
For several minutes, her entire body was kept submerged, not a single appendage rising out. The water continued to boil
and bubble before it intensified. Its glow became brighter and even emitted
steam that fogged the room. Suddenly, a hand rose; it was not
that of a Caucasian female but an African American male. It intensely clenched
into a fist just as the tub rocked back and forth before toppling over,
dumping out the water as well as a new
body – that of a black man with very short curly black hair.
His stark-naked body sprawled out onto the wet floor,
Sean Thomas trembled and curled into a fetal position. He fought to regain his
breathing; unfortunately, it was difficult for him to do so. He gasped with
every attempt he made to get air into lungs that did not feel like his.
It was then that another metamorphosis occurred over him.
His body type shifted from masculine to feminine, his hair grew longer,
straighter, and brighter (its color changing from black to strawberry blonde), and his complexion lit up to a fair tone. In a matter of
minutes, the form of Sean Thomas was replaced by Anne-Marie once again,
her breathing returning to normal.
(Narrative Note: This is the only circumstance in the series that a "Sean Thomas" reincarnation successfully, albeit briefly, returned to their original form. It has been alluded that some in the past have tried and failed, leading to corrupted or emotionally detached incarnations like Michael and Adrienne. Much of these other attempts will be depicted in future tales from Tales of the Guardians.)
Slowly and carefully getting back to her feet, she
retrieved her robe and covered herself with it. In doing so, she tripped on her
own feet and smacked painfully hard against the wall near the small, squared
window. She found herself looking out of it again and seeing Katie with
Brandon, both sharing in a passionate kiss. The sight was soothing enough to
help bring ease and focus back to her body.
She glanced at her hand in disappointment. For one
hopeful moment, her plan worked. But the spell did not possess the right
amount of strength to endure a lasting effect, as she hoped.
Three separate knocks at the door took her out of her despair.
Making certain her robe was securely closed and fastened,
she went to the door and permitted entry for her visitors, who turned out to be
Donald’s nephews – Huey, Dewey, and Louie. The boys each wore robes that
corresponded to their signature colors, which Anne-Marie never stopped finding
cute.
(Disney Note: Huey, Dewey, and Louie make their first appearance in the series here. Their first-ever appearance was in the Donald Duck comic strip by Al Taliaferro, the artist for the Silly Symphonies comic that featured Donald. The strip was printed October 17, 1937, six months before the theatrical release of Donald's Nephews, which starred Donald and the boys. They were voiced by Clarence Nash, Donald's voice actor, in the shorts. By their starring roles in the DuckTales series in 1987, they were voiced by Russi Taylor, best known for her work as Minnie Mouse, giving them more of an intelligible voice than Nash's.)
“Quack-a-rooney!” Louie was the first to exclaim as he
and his brothers discovered the state of the room.
“What happened here?”
Huey asked.
“Yeah,” Dewey said, “what’s all this glowing water all
over the floor?”
Anne-Marie had not noticed it until the boys pointed it
out. The floor glittered from the spilled tub water, beautifully illuminating
the room like tiny lanterns scattered around. She felt it necessary to be
honest with the boys: “This was my attempt at controlling my ability to
reincarnate. I used part of Yen Sid’s masking spell to return me to my original
form.”
(Narrative Note: The "masking spell" was used previously by Yen Sid and Mickey Mouse when they went in disguise as Agents Lisa Stevens and Sammi Solus to infiltrate S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Project Geo Base in The Marvelous World: World of Disney 2.)
“Did you succeed?” Louie inquired with interest.
Anne-Marie solemnly answered: “Only for a few seconds.”
She switched her demeanor to a more uplifted spirit. “But never mind my mess. What about you three? Have you
found anything about Yen Sid and Mickey?”
“Ever since Yen Sid got that freaky vision from the future,
nobody’s seen him or Mickey around here for days.” Huey stated.
“And Unca Scrooge has been walkin’ around, actin’ pretty mad lately.” Dewey added,
sounding a bit intimidated.
Anne-Marie frowned. “Mad at whom?”
There came a pounding at the door that was soon followed
by the furious voice of McDuck himself: “Open up, Guardian! I need tah have a Scott-to-Scott talk with ya!”
(Authorial Note: Anne-Marie's nationality is referred as Scottish in this scene, due to a minor error in The Marvelous World, in which she is described as having an "English accent." The reason for this is Anne-Marie McLean, the inspiration for the character, is actually Scottish in real life.)
Aggravated enough as she was, Anne-Marie reluctantly
opened the door for the cantankerous duck, who barged right in, screaming his
head off. There were moments like this when she just saw so much of a
resemblance between the old duck and his other nephew, Donald.
In his fury, Scrooge failed to notice the wet floor,
which he slipped and fell on, a comedy of error that urged his nephews to
burst into laughter and Anne-Marie nearly to herself.
“Stop that laughing right this instant!” Scrooge angrily
screamed to his nephews while struggling to return to his feet. “You three!
Leave, so I can speak alone with the Guardian!”
The boys did as they were told, saying “goodbye” to Anne-Marie on their rush out of the room. During their
departure, Scrooge sniffed the air and detected the peculiar scent of fruit,
particularly in his robe, drenched from the water that glowed across the floor. He
directed his attention to it, realization
sinking in.
“You used the masking spell!” He bellowed.
“Scrooge, I can explain…” Anne-Marie began.
“Yen Sid strictly advised against you using that spell!”
“Well, Yen Sid isn’t here!”
“And that’s the reason I wanna chat with you! Yen Sid
should not have gone off and gotten himself involved with the outside worlds –
that’s your job! Why would he do
something so foolish? Did he or Mickey tell you anything before they left?”
Anne-Marie shrugged. “Neither told me anything. I’m just
as much in the dark as you are, Scrooge.”
There came yet another knock at the door that made
Anne-Marie wonder just why so many people decided to pay her a visit that day.
Scrooge’s anger intensified at the interruption. “Go
away! We’re busy!”
“I-I’m truly sorry. I…I just need someone’s help.”
“Victoria?” Anne-Marie recognized the young
English-accented voice as that of her very first reincarnation, having only
reminisced about her earlier. Ignoring Scrooge’s protests for her not to,
Anne-Marie answered the door, allowing the young Englishwoman to
walk in.
(Character Note: Victoria makes her first appearance in this story following her role in Marvel Mayhem, last depicted bidding farewell to Natalie prior her departure into the Marvel Universe with Walter.)
She was just as beautiful as Anne-Marie remembered her,
still sporting her black, short-cropped hair and ruby-red lips. Always the one
to show off the latest fashion design, she was donned in a blue sleeveless
tunic with a lightweight cape draped over the arms and hit mid-thigh. As
confident as the dress should have made her, there was much apprehension in her
conduct.
Anne-Marie detected it right away. “Victoria, what’s
wrong?”
It took much for Victoria to open up to her future incarnation. “A…An accident has happened. Genevieve and Christina…t-they were
sent a-away…to another realm.”
“Oh, now that’s just wonderful. More missin’ people!” Scrooge grumbled.
After shushing the old duck, Anne-Marie returned her
attention to the young Englishwoman: “How did this happen?”
“It was Natalie, this reincarnation that ‘fused’ with
Sean Thomas at her birth.” Victoria informed. “She lost control and sent them and herself to God knows where.”
“He does? Does He
know where Yen Sid and Mickey are, too?” Scrooge remarked in jest, annoying
Anne-Marie even further.
Continuing to ignore the rants of the old duck,
Anne-Marie focused on the details Victoria just shared with her. She lightly
touched her forehead, as if she were experiencing some type of headache. “I’ve
been having these fluctuations in my memories lately. New ones emerging from the
time I spent as Adrienne. I’d have to assume these feelings are coming from that
point in our timeline, which could mean Genevieve and Christina could be
there…in the Star Wars universe.”
(Narrative Note: The notion of multiple timelines existing in World of Disney's expanded universe was hinted at in the epilogue of the first story. Joanie Navarro's alteration of events splintered different realities from her realm, one in which she only had one child in Sean Thomas and never gave birth to daughters - as introduced in Marvel Mayhem. The fourth tale, The Disney Access, goes into much more detail about alternate timelines and how their existence was influenced by the events of World of Disney.)
“The Star Wars universe?” Victoria uttered the name in
confusion – there was still much she admittedly had to learn about the worlds
outside the one she was born into, within the Disneyverse.
“It’s where I spent my entire time living as Adrienne.”
Anne-Marie shared.
“Well, congratulations on solving one missing case.” Scrooge mockingly said. “Now if ya can just
solve the other one!”
Anne-Marie rolled her eyes at him. “We’ll get right to
searching for Yen Sid and Mickey, as soon as we’ve found Genevieve, Christina,
and this ‘Natalie.’ Who knows – maybe the two problems might be solutions to
each other.”
With no other choice than to accept her word, Scrooge
irritably grumbled on his way out of the room.
The moment he was completely out of earshot, Anne-Marie
said to Victoria, “Finally, I thought he’d never
leave.”
Victoria noted how more relaxed she appeared with McDuck
no longer present. “You’re hiding something from him,” she deduced.
“Your intuition’s correct. I had to keep ol’ Scroogie
from finding out the truth: Yen Sid and Mickey are in the Star Wars universe,
too.”
Victoria’s aquamarine eyes widened. “What? Why are they
there?”
“Because of Yen Sid’s vision. It’s the nightmare that’s
haunted me – or will haunt you – for
years.”
“And what’s that?”
Anne-Marie grew cold. “The destruction of Fantasia.”
The revelation brought shock over Victoria; she was
almost speechless but managed to bring herself to talk to know more. “H-How
did…How will it happen?”
“The Galactic Empire gains
possession of the Sphere and use it to bring their entire army to invade
this world. We put up resistance, which only makes them use their Death Star to
blow the entire planet away, killing every living thing here – women,
children…”
Ruminating over the horrifying incident that plagued her
past and Victoria’s future, Anne-Marie felt weak at her legs. Immediately, she
rested on a nearby wooden barstool.
“There must be something that can be done to prevent
this.”
Anne-Marie negatively shook her head. “There’s nothing
that can be done. It’s an event that will end all the same no matter what
events may change or who changes them. Believe me, I’ve tried many times, and it just creates
paradox-upon-paradox. I’m sorry.”
Victoria despondently sighed. “Alright. What about
Genevieve and Christina? There must be something we can do for them – get them out of this ‘Star Wars
universe,’ as you call it.”
(UP NEXT: The Frozen gang and two giant metal elephants!)
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