Walt's Princess: Chapter Twenty Two

Still waiting for Retlaw to allow them to come in, Terrance, Yen Sid, and Mickey stood quietly outside the mirror room. Terrance, still infuriated over the argument he had between him and Rachel, had an angered look on his face. His arms were crossed and he grumbled a little. Yen Sid couldn’t stand much longer looking at Terrance this way. In his thoughts, he admits that what Terrance had done to Rachel was quite foolish. Mickey, on the other hand, kind of thought it was a little funny the way he turned himself into a live door and trick her with a kiss on her hand. Terrance made small kicks to the floor in small spite. As much as he loves her he hates having to deal with such temper from her or any woman. That was his reason he never wanted to deal with any women…before he fell for Rachel.

“Terrance,” Yen Sid started, “Did you really believe it was wise to pull a stunt like that and expect a good reaction from her?”

“Why? You think I over expect everything?” Terrance challenged, “You saw how she was at me. She was about to swear at me! Me!”

“ I have to admit this, Terrance, but that certainly was not the best move to impress a girl. Next to that, Rachel is still trying to get to things since Rodney’s death and her arrival in the kingdom. You should have thought twice about that.”

“What would you know? You’ve been a bachelor all your life with little experience with women.”

“I most indeed know what came at me when it came to women. I married Clara, haven’t I not?”

“Until she died.”

“Rachel was right, you are unbelievable!”

“Alright, I’m sorry. It’s just her. Couldn’t she take a joke?”

“Well, I don’t think that sort of joke would have been real appealing in here.” said Mickey, “After all, it is a haunted house.”

“I guess.” said Terrance, “But you know I only wanted to lighten the mood. I did just save her life, didn’t I?”

“Yes, you did.” said Yen Sid, “But you realize you could have hurt her, too, at least by accident. Terrance, I have to tell you this: I know it’s been your job to protect Rachel, but you really shouldn’t become too over protective and fight her own battles.”

“Where did that part come?” Terrance asked.

“Save that for a future reference. Anyways, you should just apologize to her. If you really love her so much, you shouldn’t keep all that anger bottled up and let it stay forever.”

“…Okay, but she’d better apologize for slapping me. That was unnecessary!”

“Where are you going?” Mickey’s eyes perked up. “Retlaw said he wants Rachel alone for now!”

“I’m sure he wouldn’t mind. What, you think I’m a narcissist or something?”

“You sure are acting like one.” said Yen Sid angrily.

“Thanks for your support, Obi-Wan Kenobi…and Yoda.” Terrance insulted, “Look, I’m not afraid of what Retlaw or what he would do to me when I get in there. He’s just going to accept it as it is.” Terrance walked through the door leaving Yen Sid and Mickey behind.

“I cannot believe I’m saying this, but he’s starting to sound like Olin.”

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“Rachel, don’t be afraid.” said Walt. “There’s nothing to be afraid about.”

Rachel couldn’t move. She became so paralyzed she couldn’t speak nor could she hardly breathe. She wondered if she really was dreaming. Perhaps he’s put her under a spell to make her believe he’s Walt Disney. His face was in every detail exact! She didn’t know what to do but just stand there in awe.

Walt took a step forward and looked at her. She was frozen in terror like little Piglet from the Hundred Acre Wood! He touched her face and saw that Rachel was turned pure pale. To come to her senses, Walt tried waving his hand at her, he snapped his fingertips, and he poked her shoulder, but she wouldn’t flinch. But the worst was about to happen. Walt was able to hear what Terrance said about ‘being afraid of him’ before he just stepped into the mirror room and he smiled. He took a few steps back away from Rachel into the shadows when Terrance arrived inside.

“Hey, I’m sorry to interrupt,” Terrance came in still looking a little annoyed from before, “Listen Rachel, I want to apologize about what I did with the live door act. I guess it was kind of foolish for me to do. And Mickey’s right, I shouldn’t have to react so recklessly especially in a haunted mansion ‘cause anything can happen in here and…Rachel? Are you alright?”

Terrance began to notice Rachel’s trembling and the paleness in her flesh. She just stood there like a statue without contact. This was certainly making the boy worried. He spoke to her again.

“Rachel. My princess, what’s wrong?” Terrance asked softly, “Talk to me. I’m here.” Terrance felt her face. It was as cold as ice! "My sweet love..." he spoke in his mind.

“…Ret…” Rachel stuttered in horror, “he-he’s…he’s him…Retlaw is him! He’s here! Mickey was right, he was here all this time and we all didn’t know about it! He’s been hiding in the shadows all along!”

“Who was here all this time? Retlaw, what did you do to-” but Terrance couldn’t finish his sentence.

A spotlight turned on top of ‘Retlaw’ without his mask! The same face that Mickey saw today and then Rachel and now Terrance. Shock struck his spine and now he was turning pale. Walt took small steps to the side while he continued glaring at the boy. Out of all the times he’s seen things, Terrance had begun to wish that this were only a thought in mind.

“No…” Terrance began, “it can’t be.”

“Not afraid of me, aren’t you Terrance?” said Walt.

“You? Retlaw, you’re…?”

“That’s right. Fooled’ ya, didn’t I? I really wish I wouldn’t have done it. This will serve us right for frightening the girl with disguises.”

Terrance walked up to Walt and slapped him on his cheek. It was so red it almost started bleeding.

“Are you freaking crazy? What have you done to Rachel?”

“Nothing, really.” said Walt rubbing his face, “I just took off my mask in front of her and then this happened.”

“Rachel, snap out of it! I swear to God, why would you do this?”

“Terrance?” Rachel whispered.

“Rachel!” Terrance turned and hugged the princess as he spoke softly, “My princess.”

Regaining warmth and her color, Rachel looked over Terrance’s shoulder and took a look at Walt Disney, a long look. Both excitement and anger flooded her mind she was about to get a headache. She let go of Terrance and walked to Walt. Her footing stubbed as she walked on like a child. Rachel stared into Walt’s light brown eyes and sure enough, they were looking right back at her.

“So you really are Walt Disney, aren’t you?” Rachel asked. Walt nodded his head ‘yes’ and then she just socked him!

“Oh!” Terrance shouted.

“Are you freaking crazy, man?” Rachel shouted.

“Ah! I think we’re past that part.” said Walt still rubbing his face.

“I just…I can’t believe you would do this? I mean you’re you! How? Why?”

“Why don’t I call Mickey and Yen Sid in and I’ll tell you.”

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“Gee, what do you suppose is happening in there?” Mickey asked.

“Perhaps Retlaw doing something right for once.” said Yen Sid, “Like showing himself off.”

“You mean without the…” Mickey gestured his fingers into a circle around his face referring a mask. Yen Sid nodded. “You think he’s changed a bit?”

“With all the magic the man possesses, he can change whatever he wants including himself. I have no doubt that he would make himself look younger than he looked when he passed away from the main world.”

“Is he the same?”

“What sort of same?”

“Is his…personality the same?”

“Why don’t you ask him yourself?” Yen Sid smiled down at him.

“Mickey! Yen Sid! Could you two come in now?” Walt called from the mirror room.

The two them stared at each other. For once Yen Sid was not so sure if that was the best solution Walt would’ve planned. Mickey, still trembling over the situation, grabbed onto Yen Sid’s robe and squeezed it tight. He was getting so many butterflies in his stomach he felt like he was going to throw up. Yen Sid knelt down and gave Mickey a pat on the back.

“It’s going to be alright, Mickey.” said Yen Sid. “If it will make you feel better, I’ll let you wear my hat just in case.”

Mickey looked away Yen Sid and let go of his robe. Not even the hat would make him feel any better. He took a deep breath and began walking into the mirror room through the door with Yen Sid behind him.

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“Mickey?” Walt spoke.

Mickey shuffled himself inside all frightened inside and out the moment he saw Retlaw. Only this time he wasn’t wearing his mask. It was just Walt. The man who made him possible, the man who made him a star. In Mickey’s heart, he was both angry yet so happy to see him right here in front of his face! For forty-five years Walt had gone away from Mickey and the main world. Seeing each other right now, Mickey finds little yet so much relief.

He walked to Walt and just watched him towering over him, glaring his stern sad eyes at him, and then kneeling down to his height, as Yen Sid would do. He felt his little black fur on the head and the ears. In doing so, Mickey just kicked him hard in the shin!

“Ow!” Walt screamed.

“You’re a crazy mad man!” Mickey cried. “I can’t believe you tricked me!”

“Will you people stop hurting me?” Walt shouted.

“How could you do this to us? How could you do this to me, your own mouse, after all we’ve been through? Everyone believes you’re dead and here you just hide and invade our lives again in a disguise.”

“Mickey, everyone, just listen to me-”

“No! I’ve been listening to you all the time you’ve been alive! You told me that I could handle watching over Disneyland and the Disney Worlds when you were gone, but seeing that you were here all the time in hiding behind a mask in a haunted house telling us what’s best and what’s not has now gotten me to believe that you couldn’t trust me at all! Why? Is it because I was always mischievous? Was I still too young to do anything big other than acting in gagged cartoons? What is it?” Mickey grabbed Walt by the collar of his shirt and screamed, “Tell me!”

“…I was going to tell you until you so boldly and rudely interrupted me, your own father!” Walt shouted.

“You’re not my father…you’re mad!”

“Mickey! Let me go and just hear me out!”

“Mickey,” Rachel spoke out, “let him go before he gets angry.”

“Go ahead, then. Get mad at me all you want. I have a right to be mad today knowing that the one friend whom I loved so much just hid away and not talk to me about anything all. I have needed you all these years through every problem thick and thin, instead you just hide away in a mansion and wear a mask! Seriously, what are you, Phantom of the Opera?”

“That’s a funny way to put it.” said Walt.

“All these years, I’ve prayed for you to stop smoking, I’ve prayed for you peaceful rest, and I’ve prayed for one day to see you again and be happy! I should be happy to see you now, but…I just…I just wish you would have told everyone here what’d happened. Sniff. Walt…”

“…I’m sorry. I am so very sorry, Mickey.” Walt hugged Mickey tight with tears in his eyes.

Suddenly, without warning, Terrance socked Yen Sid on his arm with anger seeping inside him! There had to be a reason why.

“Ow! Terrance, what is the idea here?” Yen Sid shouted.

“You knew!” Terrance barked, “You knew all this time Walt Disney was here, didn’t you?”

Yen Sid looked at Walt for a brief moment. Walt nodded at the sorcerer. Since Walt finally had the courage to tell the truth, it was okay for Yen Sid to come clean, too.

“Yes,” Yen Sid sighed, “yes, I knew all along. Walt?”

“I do need to explain some things.” said Walt, “Come here.” Everyone gathered together in a circle so they could hear him better. “After I died of the lung cancer, which all of you were aware of, I thought my life in the world was done for. Just when I was about to see the light of Heaven and join the friends and family I have up there, I starting falling. I thought for sure I was going to Hell even though I wasn’t entirely sure of what I’ve done to deserve that. But instead I ended up somewhere here in the Disney Worlds. I took a peek at everything around and found everything that my artists and I have worked our lives off all in one place.”

“Like all the characters, the sceneries, and other scraps of illustrations that were thrown out or something?”  Rachel added.

“Exactly. It was great to see everything in place, but since I began taking residence here in the mansion I’ve often wondered why I was sent back here. Yen Sid, remember when you told me about your wife before Olin attacked you and the other sorcerers?”

“You realize every time you mentioned about that, I shutter in my mind about it and never want to converse of it again, don’t you?” said Yen Sid.

“Wait, Yen Sid,” Rachel smiled slowly, “…you had a wife?”

“…Yes, yes I had a wife.”

“Awww! Sidney Halric, you’re so cute!” The moment when Rachel finished saying those words Yen Sid quickly shot his attention to her! His eyes widened and his jaw dropped. He did not expect her to say that name nor did he expect anyone to hear it, not even Walt. “…Wait, what did I just call you?”

“N-Nothing…” said Yen Sid, “you were probably mentioning someone else.”

“I guess so.” she shrugged, “Sorry Walt, what were you saying?”

“…Uh, scratching out the wife part, I didn’t know what was I still here for up until Rachel was born.”

“Me? What did me being born have to do with anything?”

“Rachel, when you were born, you were given an amazing gift no one else could expect to have. And Yen Sid, your parents, me, and even Mickey, we all knew that with that kind of power Olin would not stop at anything until he would destroy you. Disneyland and the Disney Worlds were still at their time the happiest place on earth. With your magic and my Disney magic, we can finally put down Olin and his attempts from destroying everything and everyone we love.”

“Is that why you’re making me princess of this place? I’m to become a princess just so you could use me as a tool like you made everyone of your artists in your studio long ago?”

“I did not say that, Rachel.” Walt reinforced, “I would never use you as a tool nor have I did to any of my artists in the studio I had built with my own hands!”

“Walt, you had grandpa supervise the construction site.” said Mickey.

“Yes, but I did not expect that he would have also done a bit of hammering wood himself even at seventy years old. Listen Rachel, just as I was saying, I had never considered anyone in the studio as tools. I respected everyone, even the people who turned against me for the strike, for who and what they were. Frank Thomas, Mary Blair, Ward Kimball, my animators, my inkers and painters, my actors and actresses, life models, animals, everyone! Always! Sure, a lot of people believed that I took all the credit for making all of the cartoons and features films from Mickey Mouse to Snow White, to Fantasia and so on, and perhaps I did, but that didn’t mean I was trying to be inconsiderate and ungracious of them. Answer me this, why do think I had all the women only work on all the ink and painting?”

“Because women have a much more steadier hand than men do.” she answered.

“And in case if any of my artists and animators got drafted into World War II, I would have many of the women who would be experienced enough to work their way up and get the better job they would want with a better pay. Not that many other film studios did that for the women in those days.” Then Walt smiled and placed his hands onto her shoulder and said, “Rach, I know of a dream you’ve always had and always wanted to pursue so much.” Rachel looked up and he continued, “You wanted to be one of my Imagineers and make the theme parks more fun to enjoy.”

“…You don’t need magic to figure that out. But I guess being a princess means I probably won’t be able to fulfill that dream, huh?”

“I wouldn’t say that.” said Walt” I know you can be whatever kind of princess you want to be. It’s really all up to you. Don’t forget that.”

“As sweet as all of this is sounding,” Terrance was saying, “what does all of this have to do with Rachel being born?”

“We all knew that Olin would try to put an end to Rachel’s life and seeing that she had as much potential to do the things she could possibly do, it was my idea to make her princess of the Disney Worlds. With her magic and Disney’s combined, we can put an end to Olin’s oppression once and for all!”

“Pardon me for asking,” Rachel interrupted, “but wouldn’t combining our magic to defeat Olin, well…kill him?”

“Possibly, why?”

Rachel looked up at Yen Sid with discouragement on her face. Given the fact Olin is Yen Sid’s brother gave in another set of unease in her stomach.

“So what you’re saying is that you want your magic and my magic to join together and become powerful enough to take out his life permanently?”

“Well, since it’s the only solution, yes.”

“No, no, there has to be another way! I can’t just go around all willy-nilly in my silver spirit form and just kill people! Every generation of my kind have always been gifted with a pure heart of goodness, peace, love, and kindness. If I defeat Olin in a way that would offend the restrictions my mistress tells of, I would be stripped of all of the magic in me. And since Yen Sid told me that my mother drank the liquid that would me life and magic and since my mistress told me a long time ago that anyone who’ve been born in conditions like that, if I lose all my magic for doing something as terrible as that, I’ll die right there on the spot!”

“Walt, or Yen Sid, or either one of you,” Terrance almost couldn’t his words together, “please tell us there has to be another way to stop Olin.”

“In all my life,” Yen Sid began, “I have made many attempts to try to consult my brother not to perform such tasks as terrible and terrifying as he does today and failed. I even remember telling your parents, Rachel, that it would take a miracle to put my brother in good sanity for good.”

“So you’re going to let Walt make me combine my magic with his to take down your own brother even if he deserves it?” Rachel raised her voice, “Aren’t you at least a little frustrated about it?”

“Believe me when I tell you this, Rachel, I’m not so thrilled over this conclusion more than as much as you are. But unless you or anyone else would know a more suitable way to take on Olin while he’s off guard, this will have to be the only path to tread on.”

“Walt?” Mickey spoke out softly.

“Yes, Mickey?” Walt replied.

“I know Retlaw wanted Rachel to become princess so she could have all the magic she needs to defeat Olin, but why did you want Rachel here, really?”

“I didn’t know the reason for remaining here until the day I first saw Rachel. You should have seen yourself, girl. You were so cute and your parents really loved you! When I first saw you, I saw the promise of new life! New life not only for me, but for every one of my characters, every sorcerer there are to count and every person in world! For all the times I was alive and then dead and then alive again, Olin had taken every bit his rage from his past all out on me, my brother Roy, my family, and my company for no reason other than all the magic that there is in my studio. No matter where I was, everyone I knew and loved had suffered under his hand. Only the luckiest of my friends and my artists were fortunate enough to escape from him so easily or just hardly. Even a lot of people whom I’ve never knew that were my biggest fans me were threatened by Olin about believing in such magic or as calls it a 'virus.' By now, I probably know just as much of how you and Yen Sid feel about trying to handle that man and attempt to bring peace to everyone. The only problem for him is that my magic is not the kind of magic that most sorcerers would have, but the kind of magic that’s to be felt from the inside and have families and friends come together to enjoy what my staff and I had made for them. My films and cartoons for instance! I’ve gotten a good reaction from some people who wanted to distribute them since the start of Laugh-O-Grams and that always brought everyone together during its time! Generation after generation, people have enjoyed the works my artists and I have so ingeniously created yet they were, and still are, so blind to see the total chaos Olin has been trying to put onto all of us. Rachel, if you help me and my kingdom, I promise you will get everything you need and reconstructing your life will be a cinch to put into it’s former glory or even better! With you, me, and everyone here, we’ll be unstoppable and we’ll all be free forever! But if you’re still mad at me about hiding away from you after all the times you’ve been wanting to see me, ask questions, and gain all knowledge and happiness you’ve wanted, I understand.” Walt took Rachel’s hand, held them tightly and asked, “Please Rach, will you help me?”

Rachel looked at Terrance, then Mickey, then Yen Sid, and then back at Walt. It was true what Walt was saying about the two of them: all of Rachel’s life, and perhaps everyone else in the world, she’s been yearning and dreaming so long to meet the man behind the mouse in person and learn so much more than what she already knew. Perhaps even come into a close relationship with him. By now, she technically got her wish. Walt is here right now in front of her, he’s told her so much about the things whether or not she wanted learn, she had dinner with him the previous night, which was definitely something to be excited about, and now he’s actually asking her for help and entrusting her with all the power he has to do the job! Her body tingled with excitement. The anger and frustration she had on him had melted away with a smile she had just formed now.

She tightened her grip on Walt’s gentle firm hands and said, “I still can’t believe it’s really you right in front of me. And with honesty, I’m really glad you’re back! I’ll forgive you for everything you’ve done to me and I will definitely help you fight this battle!”

Walt smiled, he hugged her tightly, and he began twirling and swinging her in his embrace all across the room. Laughter and smiles filled the room like nothing in the haunted mansion has ever been so terrifying to be in! Walt finally put Rachel down to her feet and held her cheeks in his hands.

“Ha! God bless you, Rachel!” Walt gleamed, “You don’t know how happy and relieved I feel right now because of everyone of you in here.”

“You mustn’t forget, Walt. You still have everyone else in the Disney Worlds to tell about your resurrection.” Yen Sid brought up.

“That’s true!” said Terrance, “If you continue to keep this secret any longer, you’re only going to make yourself feel even worse!”

“That won’t be a problem anymore,” said Walt, “because I’m planning on telling everybody at the same time when they all come to the coronation!”

“Oh my God, my coronation!” Rachel shocked, “I totally forgot about it! But when would you-”

“Tomorrow- no, that wouldn’t give us enough time to prepare. Two days from now… at nightfall, seven o’clock! That’s when we’ll have it! And we can decorate everything with any kind of essence of the Moon! Or whatever you want!”

“Would we invite everyone here?” Mickey asked.

“Everyone! Even the villains ‘cause you know how they get whenever they don’t get invited to anything important.”

“Take Maleficent for example.” Terrance scoffed with a smile. “She ended putting a curse on Aurora and put her to sleep.”

“Speaking of Aurora,” Yen Sid spoke, “Weren’t you supposed to get Rachel ready for the Princess Social tonight at seven?”

“Oh God, what time is it?

“Walt looked at the clock and said, “It’s almost the thirteenth hour at night, so you should probably get out of here…just kidding! It’s uh…one-thirty.”

“Aw snap, we’ve got to get Rachel back to the castle and find a good outfit, put on make-up, comfortable shoes and-”

“Terrance!” Rachel shouted and then spoke calmly, “Just take a deep breath here…we’ve got six and a half hours to get me ready. That’s plenty of time. Okay?”

“Okay, thanks.” Terrance smiled. Rachel then shook his hand and he asked, “What’s that for?”

“I was supposed to shake your hand and make up for the dumb act you did, remember?”

“Oh right! You didn’t have to do, princess. You know I didn’t deserve that.”

“I know.” she winked at him as his eyes widened a little. His heart began to tingle a bit.

She must be getting suspicious, he wondered. And somehow, he was becoming glad she was.