Walt's Princess: Chapter Thirty Three

The cottage in front of Terrance, Rachel, and Retlaw was not so big yet not so small, but just right for seven little dwarves. It was ornately built with plastered stonewalls, small windowsills, a white brick chimney, and roofs made with straw. It sat quietly in a crooked circle of tree stumps, tall pine trees, and small birch. In front of the front lawn came a quiet creek streaming along under a small wooden bridge and glistening from the sun’s light rays as well as the different lights and shades of green shown and darkened. Butterflies fluttered about around the tiny patches of flowers and mushrooms that sat under the shade of the trees and opened their petals to greet the day.

“You know, it kind of does look like a doll’s house from a distance.” said Rachel.

“You think they might be home?” Terrance asked.

“I don’t know about Snow White,” Retlaw began, “but the dwarves might be digging at the mines. It’s probably empty.”

“Well, there’s only one way to be sure.” Rachel perked up, “Come on!”

The three friends ran a short distance from the bushes and then walked the rest of the way to the front door of the cottage. No one was around outside with the exception of little birds perching on top of the door and little chipmunks zooming past between Retlaw’s feet. After a few seconds of making herself more approachable, Rachel gently knocked on the door and waited. So far, no one answered the door. She knocked again and still nothing.

“I told you they might be at the mines.” said Retlaw.

“Then if they’re at the mines, why is the door slightly open?” Rachel opened.

“Maybe you knocked it open.” said Terrance.

Rachel leaned inside the house, making Retlaw say, “What are you doing? You shouldn’t be going into people’s houses when they’re not home!”

But Rachel ignored him, which is highly unlikely for her to against her idol. At this rate, her curiosity got the best of her. The cottage outside seemed happy and sunny, but inside looked all dark and spooky and possibly unused judging by all the dust on the floor and the cobwebs forming at each corner of the wall. Plus, the dishes in their sink piled high to half of Terrance’s height and the dining table was crowded with even more dirty dishes, a sock, a shoe inside a pot, and surprisingly, a pickaxe! The whole house was a pigsty! There was not even a tiny spot that’s clean.

“You’d think by now the dwarves would have learned more on keeping their house clean since 1937.” Rachel sassed.

“Hey, let’s not forget that they work all day everyday in the mines.” Retlaw pointed out, “Besides, that’s usually part of the story.”

“I’m actually pretty glad you didn’t make the story how it usually goes with Snow White almost getting killed not once, but three times and have the huntsman help her from choking the poison apple. I would’ve gotten bored.”

“I would’ve gotten used to it by now.” said Terrance, “Mainly because I live in this world.”

Suddenly, a fourth voice shouted, “Hey, who goes there?”

Rachel, Walt, and Terrance jumped a little in an instant when they heard the voice. It came from the tops of the stairs at the door to the bedroom. A short man coughed and wheezed after the sudden shout-out he made to the three intruders. His coughs get getting worse and worse as he climbed down the steps. He wore a brown hat, a red tunic with patches on the elbows, brown pants and peasant-like shoes, a blanket all-around him and the expression on his face was most definitely not a pleasant one. He walks up in front of Rachel sniffing the gunk in this cherry red nose, hoping he would scare her away.

“Who you be?” the short man asked, “What’cha doin’ in my house?”

“Grumpy?” Rachel revealed.

“Do I know you?” Grumpy asked again.

“Not personally up until now. I’m Rachel, the new princess and-”

“Princess? Heh! You’re nonthin’ more than a female! And all females are made of poison to me; full of wicked wiles!”

“What about Snow White?”

“Well, every female ‘cept her.” Grumpy sniffled.

“Are you okay?” Terrance finally spoke, “You don’t look so good.”

“Am I okay? Am I okay? Look at me! Sneezy had been gettin’ allergies from them flowers outside and then passin’ them to me! Now I be sicker than a dog and have to miss my day at the mines with the others. Rotten luck!”

“Awww. Poor Grumpy.” said Rachel, “You should head back to bed before you infect anything else.”

“Infect! Bah! Nothing in this place is infectin’! The only thing that be infectin’ here, however, is women, women, women!”

“Easy, Grumpy.” Retlaw chimed in, “Sick or not, you should at least be nice. She’s going to be the one to defeat Olin the Oppressor and save our Disney Worlds.”

“Wow, that name for Olin really growing in on me.” Rachel mumbled to herself.

“Olin?” Grumpy barked, “Why that old coot’s even worse than them females! He’s been causing amok throughout this world and the main world since before even I were born! He’s even once barged into our own attraction and sabotaged half the ride! That feller’s got to be stopped! But how are you gon’ agin’em with her?”

“I’m willing to do whatever it takes to protect both worlds from his wrath no matter what.” said Rachel, “And that includes you, too. Despite your name, you should be glad someone’s trying to do something right.”

“Tryin’? Or doin’ it? There’s a difference! Many people who be like us or not have always be tryin’ to face that man either one-to-one or even millions-to-one and he’d still be the last one standing! You’d actually be doin’ it if you really be knowin’ how to defeat him. But you don’t, don’t ya?” Rachel shook her head ‘no’ and he concluded, “I didn’t think so. Until the day Olin becomes defeated, young lady, you’re both useless, worthless, and pathetic!”

“You shut your face, you pint-sized imp!” Terrance shouted.

“Terrance!” both Rachel and Retlaw shouted with shock.

“She’s worth more than anything this kingdom has, so you’d better take back what you said about my girl!”

“Why don’t you make me then?” Grumpy growled.

“Gladly!”

“Terrance! No!” Rachel screamed.

But it was too late. With enough rage inside him, Terrance was supremely pumped to sock Grumpy in the nose! He tightened his fists and swung it directly at the dwarf’s face, but when Grumpy felt was really going to get hit, he didn’t. Terrance’s arm literally thrashed right through Grumpy’s head; it was slowly becoming transparent and untouchable, which explains why Grumpy wasn’t able to feel anything. Terrance thrust his arm back and tried touching Rachel’s cheek. Nothing.

“What’s going on?” Retlaw asked.

“Yen Sid’s hypnokinesis spell.” Terrance said, “It’s wearing off! Dammit! I’m going back to the castle basement where my actual body is.”

“Aw. Now?” Rachel moaned.

“Don’t worry, princess. I’ll be fine. And I’ll see you back home. Okay?” As Rachel nodded, he turned to Grumpy and said, “You got lucky this time, Grumps. Talk smack about this girl again, and you’re really going to get it! So be nice!”

“You ain’t one to tell me was to do.” Grumpy grumbled, “I’m my own man to do whatever I wa-ah-ah-ah-ACHOO! Want. And don’t you forgit it!”

Terrance looked at Rachel again, kissed her cheek (despite the transparency), and whispered ‘I love you’ in her ear. With a voice that even at its most quiet, Rachel could almost swoon at it. As quick as a breath Rachel could make, Terrance’s image was gone. Already, she missed him.

The girl turned back to Grumpy and spoke, “I’m so sorry for Terrance’s behavior. I didn’t expect him to react like that.”

“Heh. What about it?” Grumpy remarked, “Terrance be a good lad, but sometimes he can be quite a troublemaker like ol’ Rodney was only more with words. And Rodney was no different than he.”

“You miss him?” Rachel spoke calmly. The dwarf nodded, leaving Rachel to say, “Me too.”

“You? How could you miss’em?”

“Because Rachel is Rodney’s younger sister by adoption.” said Retlaw, “Next to me, it was his dying wish to have Rachel live in the Disney Worlds and become ‘princess.”

“Oh, now I see here.” Grumpy understood.

“And speaking of princess,” Rachel began, “we came all this way from the castle to deliver this invitation to both you, the dwarves, and Snow White for my coronation tomorrow night.”

“Why in the blazes would I go?”

“Snow White and the other six dwarves would go if they want to.” Retlaw replied. “Can you at least show this to them?”

“Peh, fine.” Grumpy answered, “But I’m not entirely sure if I be havin’ a hootin’ of a time there.”

“Great! Tell them that and we also said ‘hello.”

“I hope you feel better, Grumpy.” said Rachel, “It wouldn’t be much of a party without you.”

“I can’t be makin’ any promises when it comes to me sickness.” Grumpy pointed out, “Otherwise, I be feelin’ better and go if I wanted to. And that depends on my mood.”

“We’ll play it by ear then.”

“Be seein’ you soon, Grump-head.” Retlaw teased.

The two of them walked out of the cottage leaving Grumpy behind. At the close of the front door, Grumpy began to ponder on the term Grump-head.

“Hmm… Strange.” Grumpy thought to himself, “No one’s ever been naming me that ‘cept  ol’ Walt. Could Retlaw really be…?” But then he said aloud, “Nah! That couldn’t be. Walt’s been dead for years now!”

Then Grumpy grabbed a cup of water and walked back up the stairs to bed. That’s another trait from his brethren he would be obtaining: Sleepiness.

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The sorcerer slept in his chair sleeping beside Terrance’s body in the basement. Hoping with all his might in his dreams, the boy would return safely without a scratch on him. He continued to sleep as well as snore throughout the whole process. Suddenly, Terrance’s body began to glow all around him. But Master Yen Sid didn’t notice it. The amount of magic he used to cast the hypnokinesis spell on Terrance had drained away his by a lot. Had he used both the spell and looked through the crystal all at once, he would drop dead unconscious for a few days.

Terrance’s glow faded as he woke up from his realistic slumber. He found his master sleeping in his chair right where he left him. Yen Sid looked like he managed time for himself judging by the small books stacked on his lapped. He figured the sorcerer would be researching different spells while he was away. Terrance got up from his seat and shook the sorcerer’s shoulder. Almost in an instant, Yen Sid woke up. And he was glad to see that Terrance had returned safely.

“Have you found Rachel and Walt?” Yen Sid asked.

“Yes, master. I made sure they made it safely to the Dwarves’ cottage.” said Terrance with a smile.

“That’s good. Now did Rachel have an answer about the engagement?”

“She wasn’t sure. She said she would ask her mistress before she goes to bed tonight. Though I’m pretty sure that this wasn’t part of the case at all; I’m assuming that Rachel and I are not immediately engaged.”

“Then we will receive news about it first thing tomorrow.”

“By the way, I’ve sort of…gave away the knowledge to Rachel about you knowing last silver spirit by accident. Sorry.”

“Are you saying I’ve never told her that yet before?” As soon as Terrance replied with a nod, Yen Sid continued, “Huh. I thought I have already done that. Ah well. She was supposed to know that sooner or later.”

“So you’re not worried about mentioning it again to her?” Terrance questioned.

“Well, that would depend on how Rachel would consume it.” Yen Sid replied, “She could be thrilled. She could get upset. Whichever way it goes, at least she will learn the truth about herself in her past life from me.”

“I suppose so. So…what do we do now?”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, the invitations are all sent. Rachel and Walt are safe from danger at the cottage and will probably return to the castle right about now. The coronation is tomorrow and there are still lots of things to prepare. We still need to make sure Olin doesn’t step foot in this realm. Other than that, I don’t know what else is there to do.”

“Perhaps you can go check on the coronation preparations in the throne room. I have already sent José Carioca, Baloo, Goofy, and Mike Wazowski to help out in the ballroom shortly after I sent you. You may check in on them there as soon as the throne room is ready for tomorrow.”

“Okay.” said Terrance, “If you see Rachel, which I’m sure you need her for you teach her things, would you mind asking her if she’s got any ideas for the coronation? It’s all for her after all.”

“Of course.” Yen Sid answered.

Terrance helped his master off his chair and they both walked up the stairs from the basement back to the main floor. They went there separate ways. Yen Sid used his magic to return to his tower while Terrance strode off to the ballroom. Having been giving enough inspiration by his beloved for decorating purposes, the boy assumed that he would take charge of everything.

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Leaving the cottage was probably one of the things Walt and the princess should have considered before going back into the Black Forest. It looked even more gruesome to walk into than it did before. High noon had then come, but even that doesn’t change how the trees would block the sunlight from down below them. The deeper Rachel and Disney trample into the forest, the even creepier it became. As well as the atmosphere was getting darker by the second the bark on the trees were literally changing form into angry faces…not very nice looking angry faces!

Rachel shivered and trembled as they continued to walk through the forest. Not one face on the trees remained unkind. She clung onto Walt’s arm tightly trying not to show the scared expression on her face. Walt, on the other hand, was feeling a little nervous in his stomach, but he kept his face as straight as he could.

“Walt?” Rachel sort of whimpered.

“Just stay close to me, Rachel.” Walt ordered, “We’ll be out of here soon.”

“Walt, can I be honest with something?”

“What is it?”

“I’m actually a little scared.”

“Don’t worry, kid. Just remember what I told you earlier about fear. If you let run too wild in your imagination, then you’re in trouble.”

“There’s one thing I want to ask, though. Did the Disney Worlds ever exist even before the Disneyland Resort open? Say like since October 16, 1923?”

“You know the exact date Roy and I first started my company?” Walt said in shock.

“Just goes to show how big of a fan I am about your history.” Rachel partially smiled, “And research helps a lot!”

“Well…to tell you the truth, the Disney Worlds have existed even before I had my brother, my friend Ub Iwerks, and me open the studio for the first time. Just like discovering my magic for the first time back in Marceline, my imagination came to life without hesitating itself. I may have been so young to remember almost every dream and idea I had, but if you were me, you would have been living in ‘dream central!’ Same went for that cartoon pig I made on the wall of my house outside mistaking tar for paint.”

“Even if that was true, I thought you denied that.”

“I learned to accept that in the future. Besides, who else in my family other than me would even think of knowing how to draw like me and think of doing stuff like that? It was my parents who reminded me about that on their fiftieth wedding anniversary where I rejected that.”

“Well I believe them.” Rachel giggled, receiving a left eyebrow from Walt. “Since that’s the case, were there any times you’ve ever had nightmares or good dreams of your films while they were in production?”

“Good question.” Walt scratched his head at the thought. “Unfortunately, I can’t really give you a straight answer ‘cause I don’t remember. But if there were, then fearing more about it while I’m awake would have made my life terrifying enough to believe they all would have come true by now. That’s something I’ve noticed about you lately.”

“Me?”

“Yes, you. And I’ve known it’s been that way since even before Terrance, Yen Sid and I brought you to this world.”

“Tell me then.”

“When you first came to Disneyland, there was a moment in the day where you were so frightened of almost everything in life you didn’t even want to stand five feet away from your own family.”

“That was only because I was afraid of revealing my magic to the public.” Rachel admitted in gloom, “And walking into the park at that age made me feel tempted to give up my secret and show the world what I was. Or ‘am’ for that matter. The only moment where I did use my magic someplace was when Terrance found me. After our time together, as well as feeling sad I had to leave him, I felt even more nervous than ever show my power. Even around the statue of you and Mickey in the middle of the park I was so frightened to reveal it there and you’re the one who’s made all the magic go on there! But…”

“But what?” Walt asked.

“That wasn’t the only place I felt tempted to use it. In fact, there was actually a time where I really did use it on someone! And I was increasingly hated for it because of that.”

“How? What did you do?”

“I was four or five years old when it happened and attended a public school across the street from my church. Within the first few days of the starting in September, I was sitting by myself in the playground when I saw two boys, a big one and an average-sized one, beating up another little boy. I figured he was maybe three or four years; he was much too young to be beaten up and that hurt me inside the most. I got up, I began running up to those boys, and with just a tiny bit of my magic I levitated those mean boys away and slammed them by theirs backs against the wall. For sure they were scared. Trying to help the victim up on his feet I was expecting a big ‘thank you.’ But you know what he said? ‘You’re a freak!’ A monster! And a wicked witch! Those three names struck me through the heart deep enough for me to bleed tears. At the remark, all the kids in the playground that had watched all this happen including the bullies started crowding around me giving me the dirtiest looks that even the devil couldn’t compare to. Much like the trees around us right now glaring down evilly, hatefully, and menacingly. Then they started kicking me, socking me, throwing stones at me-”

“Stones?!” Walt exclaimed.

“Okay, maybe not stones. But I burrowed my head in my arms deep enough to not watch what they really were throwing at me. All the time, I was crying for dear life and I thought for sure I wasn’t going to make it until the teachers came out and sent all the children away. But even with that, I was so scared to my wits to ever speak to anyone. Suddenly, one of the teachers grabbed my wrist, which made me even more frightened. Trying to get that teacher to let me go and with so much fear inside me, my hand started to form into ice freezing me and the teacher together! And to think it was only 78°F that day, too! We tried pulling away from each other to break the ice, but it was no good. I could still hear the kids continue crying witch, monster, and freak at me during the process. Finally, we broke loose. The teacher then slapped me in the face and called me the Devil’s Daughter! I was a complete mess after hearing all of this. I managed to escape the school and run all the way home, which was a bit difficult because both me house and the church and school were on two separate hills to climb up and down to. Of course I got in trouble by my parents for doing that, but after telling them my story while cutting out the parts about me using magic, they decided to pull me out of that school and send me someplace else. The new school was much better compared to the last one, but all the same goes to hiding my magic for as long as I can live. And now that I think about this, it makes the atmosphere here look just as exact as how that all happened: me being the most ashamed of everything whether or not I deserved it.”

“And I thought my story was tragic.” said Walt. “But why didn’t you explain the magic part to your parents?”

“If I did, they wouldn’t have believed me. Though, it could have been obvious enough because of the bruises and cuts. Right now, I’m just glad to have gotten away from that place. Not going to that new school would probably not have let you see me as the same person you’re talking to today.”

“What made you forget for a while?”

“Forget? That day’s been haunting me my entire life! Even at the time I took my first steps into Disneyland. And after hearing Grumpy call me ‘worthless’ and ‘useless’ today in this kingdom, I don’t think I can live anything down.”

“It’s unhealthy to keep that in forever, Rachel. I’m no therapist, but if you really want to live your life without stuff like this stabbing your mind so much, then you should know that in bad times and in good, you should never lose your sense of zest in life.”

“…Walt?” Rachel began tearing up a little.

“Yes?” a masked Walt replied.

“I really want to get out of here right now! This place scares me too much to say anything else.”

“It’s not far now, Rach. We’ll be out in time for you to catch your magic lessons with Yen Sid.”

“Great.” Rachel gloomed.

The two of them finally found a path that would lead outside the forest. Still clutching onto Walt’s sleeves, Rachel could only bury her face in there and cry more, sullying the masked man’s shirt. The dark memories continued to flood her mind throughout the trip and that made Rachel feel weak.

Walt took notice of her, took his jacket off, wrapped it around Rachel and said to her, “It’s all in the past now, Rachel. There’s nothing in there to fear of anymore.”

And that made Rachel begin to howl in great depression. Nothing in this world or any world would stop her except for the gentle, fatherly embrace of Walt Disney himself. He allowed her to cry every bit of her emotion even if it were to echo throughout the entire forest or even have her tears drench his clothing.

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After a while, Diane Miller had gotten a sip of her water in the suite of the Disneyland Resort Hotel. Thankful for her father, Walt, he made all the water in the parks and resorts taste filtered. Hours had gone by since Olin had left her and there was not a single peep of a voice from anyone of her and the two henchmen. Every breath from one of them would be heard with a faint echo that would keep bouncing off the walls back and forth without end. More than anything, Diane had hoped Olin would not come back and continue threatening her.

“Mrs. Miller?” the first henchmen finally spoke. Diane didn’t reply, however. “You’re probably wondering why the two of us wanted you to flee earlier yesterday.”

Thinking about it, Diane replied, “Yes, I have been. But what difference would it make for me to know now? You’re doing what a human robot says and keeping me hostage.”

“To be honest, Mrs. Miller,” the second henchman joined in, “we didn’t know Olin was an animatronic this whole time until today. We definitely understand what you’re feeling now.”

“Are you animatronics, too?” Diane said in a pout.

“Not exactly.” said the first one with a chuckling smile allowing the second henchman to join in, “In fact, we’re not exactly humans either.”

“Then…what are you?”

“Would you believe us if we told you and show you later?” the second henchman asked.

“I would prefer show then tell later.” Diane clarified.

The henchmen then reached their hands into their jacket and took out their company photo identification cards. The picture in the first henchman’s card was a photo of a rabbit with long black ears while the second henchman’s was a photo of someone with a great familiarity of Goofy, only younger.

“So…you two are really…?” Diane couldn’t finish.

“Oh yes, we are.” the first henchman continued smiling. “We're…”