Giving Fantasia: The Taking Fantasia Sequel

Chapter 4: Peter and Jack

Chapter 4: Peter and Jack

There were three reasons people could not see the Skyworld.

One, gravity was greedy and no one could fly.

Two, when one looked up, they were actually looking at the Skyworld's underside. Fantasia's ceiling, was the Skyworld's floor.

Three, the Skyworld was colossal. Huge. Unfathomable to the human eye.

But it was still too small for Peter Pan.

"Kay, Rat Tail."

Peter crouched on the peak of a cumulonimbus cloud. It was his favorite type of cloud; gigantic, dense, with bellies full of lightning. Peter was so high, all he had to do was tip his nose to touch the boundary between the Skyworld and Outerworld.

Peter slid a finger across the invisible barrier. He smiled at the Outerworld, the realm protected by Jim Hawkins. The realm Peter was forbidden to enter.

Technically.

"Tonight's the night." Peter flicked the barrier. "Tonight I'm going to the Wishing Star, Rat Tail. Like it or not."

Grinning like a fool, he reclined against the cloud. Waiting.

"Bring it on."

Peter Pan did not believe in boundaries. Were he to define it, the definition would go something along the lines of, 'Boundaries: weird things that don't apply to me.'

Most people found this a frustrating conviction, but as guardian of the Skyworld it served Peter well.

The Skyworld was the most boundless of all the magical realms. The Underworld was enclosed underground, the Seaworld was confined by continental shelves, and the Outerworld was outlined by constellations.

But the Skyworld was unbounded. Air mixed arbitrarily into ocean and space. Up could turn down, down could flip up. Clouds and rainbows formed castles and streets that continuously metamorphosized, changing the shape of the kingdom. Weather was cruel or kind, wind pushed or pulled, and no day was ever the same.

Peter thrived in the ambiguity. Flexible as he was quick-witted, Peter learned the Skyworld's secrets. The indefinite nature of the Skyworld excited him, challenged him, and kept him entertained.

Once he mastered the Skyworld, Peter sought companionship. He charted wind-routes with an armada of feathered friends, Zazu, Dumbo, Aladdin's Genie, the Wright Brothers Orville and Wilbur Albatross, and Big Mama the Owl.

He put pegasi in the skies with the help of three fairies Fauna, Flora, and Merriweather.

Partnering with Fantasian's Indians, he learned to paint with the colors of the wind. He even learned to warp the colors as he flew - making it look like he was flying with wings.

Peter even collaborated with the Seaworld and the Underworld. Via liaisons (a seagull named Scuttle for the Seaworld, and Tinkerbell for the Underworld), he filled the Skyworld with pixies and flying whales.

There had even been plans to include dragons, but according to Tinkerbell, the dragons were perfectly satisfied to stay underground. That disappointed Peter - dragons would have been cool. Er - hot. Whatever.

There was only one realm not interacting with Peter Pan.

Peter unsheathed his dagger. He tossed the golden hilt.

The Outerworld. The realm of Rat Tail boy - Jim Hawkins.

Peter caught the dagger. Hand behind his head poked imaginary holes into the stars.