Day and Night

For Simi, and her fellow Disney fanatics.

When the sun was up, there was happiness. When there was light, there were people. When there was joy, there was magic. That was how it was at a place of peace, innocence, and pure humanity. That was how it was at Walt Disney World.

            When the sun went down, however, there was only evil. When the moon failed to give light, there was only the sinister. When everyone turned their backs and looked away, the bad took their chances.

            That was how it was that night.

            Evil took form in a powerful, mighty creature. It roamed the land as freely as it wished, for at night, there was no magic or sorcery. Only witchcraft.

            It stalked down Main Street, looking left and right at the dark shops. They were empty, abandoned. It would need to keep moving to find its prey.

            But when innocent lives were in danger, a hero stepped up to the challenge, a champion to bring back the light of day. And tonight, a fearsome warrior answered the call.

            Wielding a golden sword, he flew into the scene, jumping off the City Hall roof and landing with a thud on the pavement below. By the glow of his sword, he saw his enemy. With one well-calculated move, he could bring the beast down.

            So he took one big leap. He flew through the air, brandishing his sword. At the beast’s head, he brought down his weapon in a mighty swing.

            As the hero landed, the enemy went down. It crashed onto the street, throwing up a cloud of dirt. Another night, another victory for the Epic Mickey.

            With the deed done, Mickey sheathed his sword and turned to walk back to his castle. Suddenly, a greenish flame engulfed the slain dragon behind him. When the fire died down, the witch stood in its place, panting.

            “This isn’t the end, Mouse,” Maleficent spat. “I shall have my revenge yet.” With a snarl, she disappeared in a plume of fire.

            Mickey had nothing to worry, at least for tonight. But the darkness was approaching. Every day meets night. He’s been able to ward off the threat so far, but it was growing stronger, and one day, it will come to take its revenge.

            For no good deed goes unpunished.

She came at the dead of night.

            As Mickey slept safe and sound with Minnie beside him, dark magic made its way into the castle. A minute later, Minnie’s terrible scream woke Mickey. He rushed after her as she was dragged across the floor, through the broken glass doors, onto the patio, and finally out of the castle. She floated there in midair, screaming.

            “Minnie!” Mickey shouted from the patio, reaching out a hand.

            Then Maleficent appeared in a burst of fire. “Little hero, will you save your beloved? Or save your beloved park?”

            “What are you talking about?” he demanded.

            “Darkness will descend upon these parks and I will once again rule this world. And this time you can’t stop me.”

            She disappeared in a whip of her cloak, taking Minnie with her. A ghost of her cackling rang in the air.

            “No!” he screamed, but he knew she wasn’t coming back. Not here. If he wanted to find Minnie and save Walt Disney World, he would have to bring the fight to the witch herself.

            As a grim dawn approached, the Mouse was ready. Geared up in his yellow trainers and red-black outfit, with his sword strapped across his back, he began his quest.

            The first clue came before even leaving the castle. There was something odd on the floor of his bedroom. At first he thought it knocked down from a shelf or something when Maleficent attacked, but it was a keychain. Minnie had dropped it on the floor, except you can’t drop something that’s chained to your keys in your pocket.

            And the clue pointed to a certain Mike.

 

Storm clouds were gathering above Tomorrowland. Shadows have fallen over the land and darkness had taken hold.

            Mickey walked bravely across the bridge, hiding his worries about what Maleficent had said before. Darkness will descend upon these parks…

            No, not when I can help it.

            But that was going to be harder than he thought. Out of the shadows, dark creatures rose, little blobs of evil slowly taking form. Two beady eyes glowed through the curtain-like dark of their bodies. Soon, they became defined, shaping into a variety of monsters.

            “I don’t have time for this,” Mickey growled. He unsheathed his sword. It pulsed with a warm glow in the darkness. The monsters even seemed to retract away from its light.

            It only took one brave act to spur others to attack. Once one monster jumped up and attempt to scratch him, all the others began to swarm around him. One by one, they went for a head-butt or a body slam, but one by one, Mickey swung his sword and they dissolved into the air.

            Within minutes, the streets were empty once more.

            Mickey quickly spotted his destination and began the ominous tour through the wait lines. Only the emergency lights were on, splashing the hallways with a dim glow. When he finally arrived, however, all the lights snapped on and illuminated the entire Laugh Floor.

            From the speakers came Maleficent’s voice: “What led you here?”

            “A connection you’ll never understand,” Mickey said. “Trust.”

            She spat an ugly laugh. “Trust won’t get you far, little mouse. You may be a King, but you still have so much to learn.”

            Her signature green-black flames erupted all around the Laugh Floor. Her spell spread across the room, darkening its mood until it became a Scare Floor. Even more, the characters on the stage became more than real; they became terrifying.

            A monstrous caricature of James Sullivan sprung to life. His once cute horns now became a lethal weapon as he charged at Mickey. Just as he was about to crash into him, the mouse jumped up above the attack. With a quick spin in midair, he hit the back of Sulley’s neck with the flat of his blade, knocking him out. His momentum carried him as he slid across the floor to the back wall, knocking down chairs as he went.

            Mickey called upon his light and his magic. He plunged his sword into the floor, hoping that his spell will work. The Laugh Floor came alive with blinding brightness and the darkness had no choice but to retreat.

            He slowly approached Sulley, who had turned back to normal. He patted him between the horns and said quietly, “I’m sorry.” Mickey turned from his unconscious friend to resume his search when he saw the little ball rolling slowly on the carpet. He picked it up and examined the curious little white ball.

            It reminded him of one unforgettable sphere.

 

Mickey craned his neck and looked up at the EPCOT ball. He must’ve gazed upon it a million times by now, but he never failed to be awed by its simple beauty and its sheer size.

            But he couldn’t waste time now; he had to find Minnie. So he tore his eyes from the sphere and pushed further into the park until he found himself in England. He stopped in his tracks when he saw a dark cloud in the distance. He squinted, trying to get a better look. Could that be the darkness?

            “Oh my,” a voice said beside him. Mickey turned and saw Alice standing next to him. “What could that be?” she asked, staring at the cloud. “Could it be a sandstorm?”

            A sandstorm! Of course! Morocco was notorious for spewing up sand with its winds. But a sandstorm in that strength and size… Maleficent must be behind this…

            “Alice, you need to go somewhere safe,” Mickey told her. He took out the ball from the Laugh Floor. He cast a little charm on it and handed it to Alice. “Take this and hide. Get inside and this will protect you.”

            Alice nodded obediently and, after taking another glance at the oncoming storm, skipped away.

            Then a terrified scream rang in the air. Mickey recognised the voice. “Belle!” He sprinted across the bridge and into France. There he found Belle on the ground, staring in terror.

            “Belle! Are you okay?” Mickey asked, helping her up.

            “Beast… he’s…” she breathed, not daring to even blink.

            As if on cue, Beast himself burst through a wall and roared. His hair was wild, his teeth bared, and his throat was growling savagely.

            “Beast?” Mickey said tentatively. He reached out a hand but jerked it back when Beast opened his mouth again and let out a deafening roar. In his anger, a dark energy radiated from him, and Mickey knew the darkness had bewitched him.

            “Belle, you need to get out of here,” he said urgently, unsheathing his sword. “Go find Alice in England. You’ll be safe there.” When she didn’t move, he said more loudly, “Go!”

            With Belle running to safety, Mickey faced Beast. He didn’t raise his weapon, not just yet. “Look, you have to break free, Beast. You have to get a hold of yourself!”

            But Beast only roared as a response. Then he pounced, his razor-sharp claws bared. Mickey blocked the claws with his sword and rolled to the side to avoid being crushed.

            “Please! Wake up, Beast, wake up!” Mickey pleaded in vain. Beast lunged again, catching Mickey with his shoulder. The Mouse freed himself from the tackle before he could be pushed into the water. Mickey sidestepped a swipe from Beast and he took a leap over another tackle. Employing the same method from the Laugh Floor, Mickey hit the back of Beast’s neck and knocked him out cold.

            Mickey wanted to break the charm now, but he had no time to waste. The sandstorm was getting closer and his friends in Morocco were going to be in trouble.

            Just as he was passing the door of the Moroccan clay building, it burst open and Jasmine came running out. Seeing the Mouse, she said desperately, “Aladdin, he’s getting chased by sand pirates! You have to help him!”

            Mickey was about to go through the door when Aladdin jumped off the roof and landed in a neat roll. The sand pirates mimicked his move in pursuit. Each was carrying a scimitar, but so was Aladdin. In a short round of close combat, Aladdin and Mickey defeated the pirates easily.

            “Thanks for helping,” he said, tucking his weapon in his belt.

            “Don’t put your sword away yet,” Mickey said as he heard a familiar roar across the water.

            “What is that?” Jasmine asked.

            “It’s Beast, he’s bewitched. We have to get out of here,” Mickey said. “Jasmine, go behind the building and get to England. There, you’ll find Alice and Belle, but you have to stay off the roads. Aladdin,” he turned to the prince as Jasmine took off. He opened his mouth, but the sandstorm caught his attention; it was closer than ever. “RUN!” he screamed instead, bursting into a sprint.

            In their run, Mickey risked a glance back as they were leaving Japan. Beast was close in pursuit, running on all fours. Behind Beast, the sandstorm was finally rolling over Morocco and began its spread across the entire park. He put a little more kick into his speed.

            China. Without stopping, Mickey shouted at the top of his lungs, “Mulan! Mushu!! Help!!!”

            From behind a fruit stand, Khan jumped onto the road beside them with Mulan, Mushu, and the Lucky Cricket all on his back. He slowed down just long enough for Mickey and Aladdin to jump on before kicking into a full gallop.

            Even with the extra speed, Beast was catching up fast, and the sandstorm even faster. As they approached Mexico, Beast was right on their tail.

Mulan tugged on the reins and Khan jumped sideways onto a building began jumping roofs. Beast, not to be outdone, did the same, keeping pace with the horse. They could see the temple coming up fast as Beast got closer and closer, with the sandstorm just about to hit…

Khan took his final leap. Beast took a chance and swiped with a front paw mid-jump. And finally, the raging sandstorm swallowed them all.

            Khan missed his footing and slid off the temple. Crashing down on the ground, he dumped his passengers onto the street as Beast himself thudded on the ground nearby.

            Mickey got to his feet, trying to shield his eyes from the flying sand, but the air was so thick and opaque… He could barely make out the shadows that were Aladdin and Mulan. They both had their swords drawn and knees bent, ready to attack. Then he saw the giant looming figure as Beast approached.

            Beast seemed to be able to see perfectly well. With his opponents struggling to keep their eyes open, he easily deflected their weak attempts at an attack and sent them flying with body slams and hard punches.

            There’s got to be something… Mickey thought desperately. Something to get rid of this sandstorm… Then he remembered a little trick Yen Sid had taught him. He gathered his magic and conjured up a bubble of air around him and his friends, protecting them from the raging storm.

            Show time. Aladdin ducked under a swipe of a paw and gave a powerful kick to the side of Beast’s face. While he was staggering, Mushu breathed a little fire onto his paw. Beast let out a yelp as he retracted the paw instinctively. He was now totally thrown out of balance. Mulan took this chance to go behind him and give him a powerful kick, sending him crashing into the street.

            Mickey raised his sword and released the spell he’s been chanting. Beast gave one last roar of protest as the light engulfed him entirely…

            The storm had passed. The heroes of EPCOT slumped down after the moment of terror and excitement. Beast lay on the street panting, “Wha… What happened?”

            “You were bewitched,” Mickey answered, getting to his feet. He looked at Morocco in the distance, where the sandstorm had come from. Shadows have begun their advance. “Darkness is taking over Disney World. Soon, there’s going to be monsters of the dark infesting this place. Can I trust you to keep everyone safe?”

            “Of course,” they answered confidently.

            With his heart a little easier, he began his search for Minnie again, but he already rode through all of EPCOT and no sign of her. Sure, he was preoccupied at the moment, but it was unlikely that she was still around… Perhaps, though, she left another clue…

            Then he saw it, something leaning against the EPCOT ball, the sunlight glinting off it like a beacon. He picked up the small glass canteen. Gingerly, he cracked open the lid a tiny bit and a scream escaped.

            A scream of terror.

 

As Mickey looked upon Hollywood Studios, his heart fell to see such a bright place taken over by the darkness. The shadows prevailed here and the little light that was left was diminishing fast.

            He must hurry.

            Mickey broke off into a jog, his sword drawn. Out of grounds, the dark creatures from Magic Kingdom rose to fight. But this time, they weren’t just newborns, just coming to life; they were bigger and stronger. They attacked fiercely, but it still took just one swipe of the King’s golden sword to eliminate them.

            He just slashed through a monster when he spotted the next clue. It was sitting in the middle of the street, glowing brightly against the darkness around it. Mickey immediately sprinted over and picked up the tiny vial of fairy dust. He knew what it signified �" the most magical place in the entire park… it must be the end of this chase. Maleficent’s story was coming to a grand finale.

            But he won’t let her be the victor. Never.

            Suddenly, he felt his balance wobble as the ground below him melted into a swirling liquid. He realised he was rising, spinning, then falling…

            Mickey crashed onto the pavement. He looked up to where he fell from and saw one of his most terrifying enemies, one he thought was gone forever…

            “Not so Epic now, are you, Mickey Mouse?” the Shadow Blob roared, looking down at the terrified Mouse from its towering height. “The darkness has brought me back and there is only one thing I want… Terror.”

            The Blob swooped down on Mickey and knocked him to the side harshly as it snatched away his vial of fairy dust. It glided its way to the Tower of Terror, but Mickey was right on his tail as soon as he recovered, hacking his way through the mass of monsters that spawned in the Blob’s wake.

            It had lured him into the Tower, and Mickey found himself jumping over railing after railing in the maze of lines as he tried to keep up with the flying mass of thinner. He took a leap over the next railing and cast a ball of fire. The Blob easily dodged it.

            If I could just corner it… Mickey thought just as the Blob twisted around the corner and headed straight through the doors and into a cursed elevator. Bingo.

            Though the darkness had taken over, Mickey was still the King of this park. He waved his hand and the elevator doors opened for him obediently. But the Shadow Blob was nowhere in sight. Maybe through the shaft…

            Then came a low, rumbling vibration that shook the entire elevator. Only when it had stopped did Mickey realise that it was laughter. The walls shimmered with a strange light and two menacing, green eyes appeared on the doors as they closed. They were the Blob’s; it had taken over the elevator itself.

            The compartment gave a lurch and knocked Mickey to his knees. He held onto an arm of a seat as it began to move much faster than normal. Mickey pulled himself to his feet and gripped his sword as they neared the windows. He saw the grey sky through them and reminded himself of the urgency.

            The elevator paused. The Blob laughed again as they began their rise upwards. “Are you ready, little Mouse?”

            Mickey answered by lunging with his sword. Instead of sparking off the metal walls, it sunk deep into the Blob. It gave a scream and popped out of the walls. It took a trip around the compartment before body-slamming Mickey and taking back control of the elevator.

            Before Mickey could recover, the elevator dropped.

            Mickey felt his stomach do a back flip as the elevator changed direction. His body was pressed against the floor from the acceleration. The Blob didn’t wait for Mickey to register all the movement; it changed direction again and they went free falling down.

            But this time, Mickey was ready. He pushed off the floor and, falling at the same speed as the elevator, floated weightlessly. He wiggled in midair, trying to get himself close enough to attack the walls, but the Blob saw through it. It changed direction again and with a groan of metal, began racing up.

            The Shadow Blob did this over and over, lurching up and down, up and down. Mickey struggle to keep from vomiting as his stomach protested. He was far from done, however. He pushed himself to the back wall. When the elevator dropped again, Mickey put his foot up on wall and pushed off. The lack of gravity let him fly all the way across the compartment. The golden sword plunged deep into the Blob, right between those glowing eyes.

            It gave a terrifying shriek. Like before, it flew out of the walls. Mickey had planned for that; he gave a leaping attack and caught the Blob in mid-flight before it could escape. It gave another scream and exploded in a burst of magical thinner.

            Mickey was just about to take a breather when the elevator gave a lurch. The Blob and the explosion had damaged it. Now the cords were breaking…

            And the elevator went down, down, down… all the way to the bottom…

            Pop!

            Mickey materialised on the black grass out of nowhere. His knees wobbled and he fell with a thud. Teleportation was always a rough business.

            He mustered enough energy to look up. Even with the Shadow Blob gone, the sky was grey as ever. The darkness had not gone.

            Then he saw it again. The vial of fairy dust was just a few feet away, glowing brightly against the black of the grass. It must’ve teleported along with him after the Blob was defeated. Mickey got to his feet shakily and stooped to pick it up. Just as he was about to grab it, a hand rose from the ground and wrapped its murky black fingers around his wrist.

            Mickey jumped back shrieking. He fumbled for his sword as the rest of the monster’s body rose. He barely got his sword out to block the attack when it jumped him. After a moment of grappling, Mickey swung his weapon and the monster dissolved into nothing, but by then, he was completely surrounded.

            He fended off a couple before they began to overpower him. One kicked him from the back and he went stumbling. Another scratched his face and yet another clung onto him from behind, pulling him downwards as many more continued their attack. Mickey couldn’t feel more helpless. He was disarmed and his protests were in vain. He cried for help but no one was there to hear him. Out of the corner of his vision, he could see one of the creatures carrying the fairy dust away…

            “Don’t give up!”

            A bright light engulfed him. Mickey’s eyes fluttered open, and he found himself surrounded not by the monsters, but by his friends. “Donald, Goofy, Sora!” he cried in surprise and joy.

            They all looked over their shoulder and smiled at him. “The gang’s back together!” Sora said, his signature Keyblade in his hand. “And there’s nothing we can’t do.”

            “You’re right,” Mickey said. He picked up his sword and stood beside his friends. With their help, nothing could stand in his way. Donald’s magic froze the enemy while Goofy launched into a powerful spinning attack with his shield. Sora called upon his heart and a second Keyblade appeared in his free hand. Expertly wielding the two weapons, he eliminated dozens every swing. Mickey himself employed both his sword and magic.

            Then Mickey and Sora came together and crossed swords. Joining their abilities, they conjured pillars of light that drove back the darkness in an explosion of Faith. There was a burst of energy and the remaining few monsters sank back to where they came from.

            “We did it!” Sora exclaimed as he passed a round of high-fives.

            Mickey picked up the vial of fairy dust from the ground. He turned to his friends with a serious expression that wiped their victorious smiles away. “The darkness will not rest. They will be back. When they do, can you protect this place?”

            Sora, Donald, and Goofy nodded. “You can count on us!” Donald quacked.

            The King nodded in approval. Now there was one thing left: the showdown.

 

Mickey went straight to the Magic Kingdom. The darkness had taken over here too, but he didn’t bother himself with the little monsters. He was running out of time.

            Maleficent looked down at the Mouse from the Castle. When she saw him approaching, she shrieked a laugh. “Foolish little Mouse!”

            “Mickey!” Minnie shouted from the Castle. She was tied up next to the witch.

            “Let her go, Maleficent!”

            “I don’t think so,” she replied. “I need a pure and powerful heart to finalise my spell and take control of these parks, and she is the perfect contender. And you can’t stop me.”

            “We’ll see about that!” Mickey brandished his weapon.

            “You wish to fight? Fine. We’ll see which one truly deserves to be the ruler of this world.” Maleficent disappeared and reappeared in front of the Mouse.

Mickey attacked, only to be bounced back by a magic shield. Maleficent raised her staff and five fireballs launched themselves at him. Mickey dodged them swiftly and cast a fireball himself. She deflected it easily.

She blocked a swing with her staff and knocked him back with a fiery explosion. Mickey landed on his feet but sank to his knees. “Look at yourself, weak and tired. You cannot win this battle. You’ll see, you were never fit to be a King!”

            Maleficent cackled and erupted in green flames. She transformed into a giant dragon and her roar echoed through the entire park. The earth rumbled under her every step she took. Mickey danced beneath her, trying not to get crushed. She spun and her tail lashed out. It caught him right under the ribs and he went flying back. He crashed into a bush and a canteen of screams rolled out from his pocket.

            Then he remembered.

            He got back on his feet and shouted confidently, “You never had a chance, Maleficent. You could never win.”

            She roared in laughter. “Look who’s losing!”

            “Am I?” Mickey held up a vial of fairy dust. “Because I was never helpless. Wherever I went, I was met with friends and I was never alone. You never stood a chance because my Minnie will always be there to guide me into the light!” He threw the dust over himself and he floated upwards.

            Now it was a level playing field. Mickey flew with extreme dexterity, expertly dodging the dragon’s attacks. He swerved around a green fire erupting from her mouth and went straight for the head. With just two swipes, he dealt great damage and knocked her completely out of balance. As she was staggering madly, Mickey jumped back and aimed his sword right at her heart. He gathered all his magic and sent a jet of light striking in the core of the darkness.

            “No matter how hard you try to send this world into darkness, it will always find its light!”

            Maleficent gave one last roar as the light filled the park, expelling the darkness, ridding the place of hatred and revenge. And she was gone with the wind.

            Another night, another victory for the Epic Mickey.

 

Mickey flew to Minnie and untied her. They embraced each other and looked upon the Walt Disney World as a new dawn began, one powerful enough to fight off even the worst darkness. Light filled the world and day began anew, and there was joy and happiness.

            But he knew she wasn’t gone. The darkness could never be gone forever, for it is a part of the world. No one could ever destroy it, but it didn’t have to be bad. The night without scare, terror, or evil brought even more beauty and spectacles to behold.

            And it was all Fantasmic.