Taking Fantasia : A Disney Fanfiction

Chapter 50: Higitus Figitus

Chapter 50: Higitus Figitus

"All right!" Master Merlin poofed into the classroom. He charged through the desks carrying a carpet bag in one hand and Archimedes on the opposite shoulder. "Everybody up! Stretch! Come on stretch, stretch, stretch! And then we can get down to this learning business!"

"This is lame." Jim muttered.

Sulking, he stood but did not stretch. Glaring around the room, he suddenly saw John Darling. Catching Jim's eye, John quickly looked away, conveniently initiating a conversation with Tigerlily.

Jim glanced at Master Merlin. The wizard was taking enormous maps and wacky objects from his carpet bag as the students pretended to stretch. Clearly, he was preoccupied.

Jim crossed the room to Tigerlily and John.

Tigerlily saw Jim, acknowledging him with a milk chocolate, doe-eyed stare. Wordlessly, she nudged John.

"Hey." Jim said, forcing himself to look John in the eye. The wide glasses were unnerving. "I gotta talk to you. About Wendy."

John stared. "And?" he said.

"And..." Jim specified, a bit off put. "...today she's not in school. Yesterday she was...upset. I couldn't find her after my detention. Is she okay?"

John's glasses flashed. He considered Jim. Then, turning back to Tigerlily he said. "I don't know."

"You don't know?" Jim rounded the desk. He studied John's profile. "What's that suppose to mean?"

"Exactly as it sounded. I don't know."

"Well what did she say? What did she do? Last night? This morning?"

John bristled resentfully. "I don't know. Unfortunately Michael and I are stuck with your mother at Dr. Doppler's house."

Jim paused. It had been days since he slept at home – Dr. Doppler's. He'd forgotten that his mom took the Darlings under her wing ever since Mr. Darling's arrest and Wendy' shadow attack.

Suddenly Jim narrowed his eyes. "Wait. Wendy wasn't with you last night?"

"No."

"Well, where was she?"

John clenched his jaw. "I. Don't. Know."

Jim couldn't believe it. "She's your sister!"

"Hmph." John turned away. "Some sister."

"Hey. Hold it." Jim wrenched John about face. "What the Hell kind of brother are you?"

John's cool, academic mien broke. Lividly, he slapped down a pencil. "Wendy lied to us! She lied to Michael and me! What kind of sister lies to her brothers?"

"What are you talking about?" Jim said, "When did Wendy lie?"

"Oh." John puffed indignantly. " As if you didn't know! It's your fault!"

Jim threw up his hands. "My fault? Excuse me? What the Hell are you tal – "

Abruptly, Jim stopped. "Oh...shit." Dawning with realization, he met John's wrathful face. "Your Dad."

John brushed away Tigerlily's hand. "Father was...not right. Ever since Mother..." vigorously John shook his head. "Wendy should have told us the truth."

Jim frowned. "Yeah. Because protecting you and Michael from getting hurt was a picnic for Wen too."

John glared. His knuckles were white against the desk. "Wendy needs to grow up. Ever since Mother died she's been living in a fairytale world – pretending that we're a big happy family that's going to live happily ever after. Well maybe if she stopped pretending for a second – one second – she could have helped Father stop...stop..."