Chapter 11

Let Me Explain

Raymond finally blinked open. He was going to let his body felt light and almost energized. Raymond then realized, he was not home and was not in his dorm room. Raymond quickly sat up. He found himself facing the door. Raymond soon saw something that made him realize it wasn't a dream. He saw Simba sleeping near the door like a… well lion and a muscle man in a chair, who Raymond recognized as Hercules, sleeping, snoring in a chair. Raymond sighed as he grabbed his head. "And I hoped it was a dream."

He then looked to the side to see beds rows all with his friends sleeping. Raymond slowly quietly pushed off the covers and crept out of his bed. The bed next to him, trying not to wake the two "guards." In the bed next to him, he saw Thalia sleeping soundly. He gently pushed her but stopped. He looked at her… she looked so peaceful and… Raymond shook his head, and he started to push her a bit harder. "Wake up, Thalia," he whispered. "Are you okay? Wake up."

Thalia slowly blinked opened her eyes. As they were barely open, she looked at Raymond. "Vex," she muttered quietly. Thalia then her eyes widened. "Vex! You're here!" Before Vex could hush Thalia, she quickly sprang. Raymond and Thalia immediately groaned as they grabbed their foreheads in pain.

Just as they did, the others started to groan and wake up. Soon so did Hercules as his snoring was cut short. "Huh," he murmured. Before he could fully wake up, the door slammed open.

There stood a girl about fifteen years old. She had a slender figure and was a bit petite. She had blue eyes, fair skin, and blonde; thick, medium-length hair is held back by a black ribbon tied in a bow. She wore a cerulean blue knee-length dress with a white pinafore apron on top. Underneath her dress, she wore a white petticoat, white stockings, and white knee-length pantalettes. She also wore a pair of black strapped, Mary Jane shoes. She had an excited smile on her face with a black leather book in her hand, held against her chest. "Oh, I thought I heard a noise from in here," she said, having a British accent with a gentle yet energetic voice.

The girl soon ran over to shock Raymond. "Now, you get back into bed that bed. I must look you over," she ordered, pushing a shocked Raymond back to his bed. Raymond, still in shock, obeyed and went back into bed. "There, now," she said. "Let me see," she said and quickly placed the back of her hand on his forehead. The girl hummed. "You don't have a temperature anymore. Juniper did do a wonderful with her magic. "Now, do you feel drowsy, nausea, cold, weak, energized?"

Raymond was struggling to comprehend. "Just wake up, thanks," Raymond finally said.

The girl nodded. She hummed in response. "So, groggy but fine. Curiouser and curiouser."

It then hit him. Raymond, who this girl was. "You're Alice?!"

Thalia finally gets over the headbutt. She had also looked shocked. "You're Alice from Alice in Wonderland?!"

Alice looked between the two, then backed away from them, and she curtsied. "I'm pleased to meet you all; I am Alice. I haven't seen Guardians in a while."

"GUARDIANS?!" everyone yelled, except Ray.

"You're too old to be Alice?!"

"NOT NOW!"

Suddenly there was groaning that caused everyone, for their attention back to the door. Hercules was standing up and stretching. "Alice, Juniper wanted us to ease to that."

Alice pouted and stomped her foot. "She never told me. Oh, she never tells me anything." Hercules could only shrug as Alice continued to frown.

Aoife quickly sat up and gripping the side of her bed. "Who is Juniper?!"

"How did we get here?" Dakota asked.

"Forget, how we got here," Jack interjected. "Why are we here?!"

"Why are you a teenager?

"Ray, I swear, it is too early and too weird for this!"

"I can ask whatever I want!"

"Please stop, yelling! I don't like yelling!"

"Where's Snow?"

"Snow? You can't mean Snow White."

"Great, a princess like that won't do much good."

"Don't be mean, Aoife."

"I'm not! I'm serious!"

"All of you stop panicking!"

"I can panic if I want to panic! I have every right to panic. So, I'm going to panic!"

"Right!"

"Not right!"

Suddenly there was a loud lion's roar, all causing them to stop arguing and panicking. Everyone in the room turned to see it was Simba, who was now completely awake. "That's enough," he finally said firmly. "I know you are all scared and confused. We can explain everything, but you have to Alice examine you."

"Examine?!" Jack and Aoife exclaimed.

Raymond sighed. "He's right. We all want answers if all it takes is a doctor's appointment, then I'm doing it."

The group was quiet as they exchanged looks. Thalia smiled and sat back in her bed. "Okay, I want to figure out my powers. So, I'll let you check me up."

Ray quickly followed and laid flat on her back. "Take me, doctor, do your worst."

Alice giggled and gave a confident smile. "I will! You will be my first victim!"

Jack looked a bit pale. It didn't help; he was not a fan of doctors. It especially didn't help that some of the games. Jack saw in the store had a videogame with Alice at this age as a killer, insane doctor, or one had her as a vampire. However, he was willing to get examined if it helped understand his powers and get what said about him. "I'm good with the examination. Please don't make it into a horror movie."

Dakota nodded and looked to Aoife, who was looking a bit angry. However, Dakota could tell she was just concerned trying to think this through. "It will give us answers," Dakota added, causing Aoife to jump, knowing that He was talking to her.

Aoife quickly composed herself. "Alright, I'll do it." Aoife looked at Sophia. "Are up to do it?"

Sophia hesitated for a minute but nodded.

Alice clapped her hands together perfectly. Alice quickly pulled out a small book. She then tossed it over her shoulder without looking. Hercules quickly caught before juggling it a bit. Simba soon turned words the door. "I'll let them know they're awake." He stared at the door for a minute, but he turned to Hercules with a small smile and cleared his throat. It took Hercules a minute to get it. Hercules quickly opened the door, and Simba immediately walked out as the door closed behind him.

Raymond could tell that Simba had a slight smile when he left. Simba was kind of teasing Herc. Even though Simba started to seem more like his late father, he still had that childlike essence in him. Before Raymond could analyze him even more, Alice quickly started looking at him. "Now, I need to know your power," Alice insisted. "Also, I need your name for the records and to be polite."

Raymond quickly recovered from Alice's sudden approach. "My name is Vex. Vex Drakon. I think light, I've been blinding people with it. Nothing else."

Alice hummed. Alice tapped her head. "That rhyme," she muttered. Before Raymond could respond, Alice snapped her fingers, "Oh, Light of great courage, may puff his chest, he holds others above himself." Alice grabbed Raymond's wrist and roughly pulled up his sleeve. The group looked a bit shocked, even Hercules, but he seemed more used to it.

"There you are!"

Raymond wanted questioning but looked down instead; on his arm, was a strange mark. It was a circle, and inside the ring was a triangle, which corners touched the edges of the circle. Inside that triangle, was a square which angle also touched the sides of the triangle. Inside that square was a circle that nearly filled the ring. Finally, inside that circle was a shape that looked like a lion.

Raymond's eyes widened. "That is new."

Alice continued to examine Raymond's arm. "It's not exactly uncommon for it to be dormant to the human world." Before Raymond or anyone could question it, Alice turned to Hercules, "I did need you to put Simba's mark next to his light symbol."

"Right," Hercules responded and started writing in the book

Aoife raised her eyebrow. "Why not call it Lion King Mark?

Alice looked confused at her as did Hercules. "Lion King Mark? I don't quite understand."

Aoife and Dakota exchanged looks before looking back at Alice and Hercules. "It's the name of the movie he was from."

Alice shrugged before gesturing Raymond to lay back down. "I guess that's his human world title just like you said I was Alice from Wonderland."

These words started to stir in the group's mind: how did these characters not know their movie names? Then again, it was asking them the title of their life's journey. A story they never wrote about only traveled.

"Now," Alice shouted. She then looked to Aoife, who immediately to look pale. "How about you?"

Before Aoife could object, Alice was already by her side. "Alright, Ms.…"

Aoife soon came back her senses, stood straight as much as possible. "I'm-I'm Aoife Byrne. I think I control fire."

Ray smirked as she had a mischievous gleam in her eye. "That's she just natural hot-head."

Aoife glared at Ray. "No, that's only with you."

Alice turned Aoife's head back to her. "Hold still," she ordered. "Now fire blazes with all its strength. This body courses forward with head outstretched out," Alice recited.

Aoife immediately covers her forehead with her hand. "There is nothing on my forehead, I swear!"

Alice tapped her chin as the others minus Raymond looking at the situation along with Hercules. "No, marks aren't so noticeable." Alice then snapped her fingers and edged closer to Aoife, who was not fond of that, especially as Alice edged towards her neck. And on her neck, their symbol that almost look like a flower made of with types made of blades. In the middle of that "flower" was a newsies cap. "Aha!" Alice then pointed to Hercules. "Alright, a newsies' next to her fire symbol." Hercules quickly did so Alice as leap down. "Alight, who would like to go next?"

No one mainly looked excited, while Ray and Sophia had looked with mixed responses of curiosity and fear as Alice went to the next person of the group.

Alice went one by one to the other group of otherworldly children. On Ray's ankle, there was a pentagram star with a lightning bolt streaked down the middle. In the middle of the lightning was Peter Pan's hat.

Over Thalia's heart was similar to the flower as Aoife, but the edges were fuller and more rounded, and in the middle was the symbol of Olympus.

On the palm of Sophia's hand, was similar to the other two except but the edged shaped more like water waves and the middle was an apple.

Jack's back, which made Jack uncomfortable for Alice to find, was a simple dark circle with a simple red top hat in the middle.

Last, on in the middle of Dakota's chest, a triangle downward across close to the point of the triangle with a spear.

Hercules finally left with Alice in-toe. Alice quickly told the group to head down when the felt able to walk. The group more on agreed if they didn't feel like throwing up, they would go, more of Ray's words, but that's what they all really meant.

Well, that time finally came. The group quietly crept out of the room. They slowly went down the stairs only an inch away as they looked over the rail, to see it was all true. Disney characters all gathered around talking to each other.

"I'd say this was a dream," Aoife finally whispered. However, no one really looked at her. "However in the past hour or minute or whatever time of day it is; I have met Jack, the Cowboy, he beat up some thugs for me, I summoned a fire ring from my hands, I have a mark on my body I never had, and it was found and touched by Alice from Alice in Wonderland. My dreams aren't that real! So, anyone has other answers… I will agree with anything. Anything!"

The group hushed her as they continued to watch the Disney Characters continue to chat. It was quiet except for the talking seemed like mummers

"Okay, can we whispering again cause I can't hear them, and I don't like awkward silence," Ray muttered.

The gave a collective sigh as they had admitted it was too quiet, and they could barely be heard what they are saying.

"We could be dead," Jack finally whispered. Thalia gave a small squeal and quickly covered mouth when she did."

"We're not dead," Vex whispered. "I'd be in computer and video game heaven, and I'm an introvert, so no, you guys." Aoife and Ray glared at him as soon as he finished. "No offense." The two girls rolled their eyes as they looked back to the situation.

Dakota hummed. "It is…puzzling."

Thalia shook her head. "Uh, that's a lot of puzzling to do cause. This is more than a puzzle."

Sophia looked between the group. "I'm confused."

Ray only nodded. "I get it."

Jack looked at Raymond. "Did you get that? Cause all I got was the word puzzle."

Raymond waved his hands at all them. "Shhh, I'm trying to listen, I hear something."

There was all quiet leaning in until… "What did you guys hear?"

The group froze. That was not any one of their voices, whose was it? They all slowly turned and came face-to-face with Peter Pan. "Hi." The group started at him and slowly backed up, and soon they all stumbled and fell down to the ground. The group of kids was piled up on each other, groaning as they heard Peter Pan laughing.

"Oh, Peter."

from my hands, I have a mark on my body I never had, and it was found and touched by Alice from Alice in Wonderland. My dreams aren't that real! So, anyone has other answers… I will agree with anything. Anything!"

The group hushed her as they continued to watch the Disney Characters continue to chat. It was quiet except for the talking seemed like mummers

"Okay, can we whispering again cause I can't hear them, and I don't like awkward silence," Ray muttered.

The gave a collective sigh as they had admitted it was too quiet, and they could barely be heard what they are saying.

"We could be dead," Jack finally whispered. Thalia gave a small squeal and quickly covered mouth when she did."

"We're not dead," Vex whispered. "I'd be in computer and video game heaven, and I'm an introvert, so no, you guys." Aoife and Ray glared at him as soon as he finished. "No offense." The two girls rolled their eyes as they looked back to the situation.

Dakota hummed. "It is…puzzling."

Thalia shook her head. "Uh, that's a lot of puzzling to do cause. This is more than a puzzle."

Sophia looked between the group. "I'm confused."

Ray only nodded. "I get it."

Jack looked at Raymond. "Did you get that? Cause all I got was the word puzzle."

Raymond waved his hands at all them. "Shhh, I'm trying to listen, I hear something."

There was all quiet leaning in until… "What did you guys hear?"

The group froze. That was not any one of their voices, whose was it? They all slowly turned and came face-to-face with Peter Pan. "Hi." The group started at him and slowly backed up, and soon they all stumbled and fell down to the ground. The group of kids was piled up on each other, groaning as they heard Peter Pan laughing.

"Oh, Peter."

Peter continued to laugh his head off, and someone was chuckling as well.

"Jack."

"Hey, if it's funny."

The group finally rolled off each other as they were still on the ground They looked up and saw them. There was Peter Pan still laughing, Jack, "the Cowboy" was sitting with his feet crossed on the table, Melody standing behind Jack, Snow White sitting across from Jack, Hercules sitting beside Snow White, Tarzan squatted behind Hercules Alice sitting next to Jack, Regina stood behind Snow White, Simba looking at them beside Melody, and Juniper was looking exasperated.

Juniper finally looked at Peter Pan with a stern look as he slowly stopped laughing. "Peter."

Peter shrugged. "I can't help it."

Juniper went over to the kids. "I am very sorry," she apologized as she helped all of the kids. 'We've just… haven't seen different humans in a minute."

Raymond raised his eyebrow. "Wait, human?"

Juniper sighed. As she held up her wand and waved it and then pointed behind the group. Suddenly seven chairs appeared behind them. The group exchanged looks but slowly started to sit down. Aoife tapped the chair a couple of times before she began to sit down.

"Now," Jumpier started as she walked in front of them. "I'm sure you have a lot of questions—"

"Yes!" they all answered in unison.

Juniper cleared her throat, getting their attention once again. "And I have promised, and I will answer them as best to my possibility."

Ray instantly raised her hand. Juniper raised her eyebrow. "Yes…" Jumpier said with a confused face.

"Yeah," Ray started. "So, if you call me a human, what are you?"

Juniper folded her arms with an inquisitive look. "Well, I guess we can start there."

Melody smirked. "I thought there wasn't an order."

Juniper cleared her throat once again. Raymond raised his eyebrow. Those two seemed close, and that Juniper seemed like the one in charge of this group. But he had never heard or seen Juniper before in any way, especially in the Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea. So, who was she?

"All of us are considered Disney Characters," Juniper started to explain. "You can say D.C."

Ray raised her finger. "That's another company—" but quickly, her mouth was covered by Aoife.

"Save it for another time," Aoife whispered.

Juniper continued. "Now, as simple as that is, there are many types of D.C."

Thalia raised her eyebrow. "Other types? Like character types?"

Juniper scratched the back of her hand with her wand. "Not quite. Let me explain." She then stepped back to gesture. "Take Snow White, Peter, and Alice." Alice and Snow White gave a small wave as Peter Pan landed on the table and gave a playful bow. "These three would be considered O.D.C."

Jack looked confused. "O.D.C?"

Aoife snapped her fingers, finally uncovering Ray's mouth as her eyes lit up. "Oh, that stands for Original Disney Characters," she chirped. Ray giggled. Aoife glared at Ray. "Oh, quiet."

Juniper nodded. "Yes, you are correct and Hercules, Tarzan, and Simba," Tarzan and Simba merely looked to the group as Hercules gave a small wave. "are known as N.D.C.: New Disney Characters."

Raymond held up his hand. "Wait, aren't the six of them all considered original characters? What's the difference?"

Juniper slightly jumped and then looked crescent fallen. The group seemed to notice that the group of Disney characters did look sad. As it brought back horrible realization.

Juniper finally recovered as she cleared her throat once again, getting the group of humans and Disney characters. "It's just the O.D.C have Walt's original magic. N.D.C don't have that; they mostly rely on others for magic."

"Oh." The group said in unison looking guilt, even Sophia. Walt Disney was basically their creator. Snow White, Peter Pan, and Alice were basically there when Walt was alive. The others never met him and never had this magic. However, Vex wondered: Was that the reason why they were sad?

Aoife soon broke the silence with a question. "Then what does that make Jack?" Jack soon looked to Aoife. "I mean, he is a Disney character, but he was not animated."

Jack smiled that Aoife honestly made her remember of charismatic he was. She wouldn't lie that at one point, she did have a crush on him. And seeing almost her idol smile, made her feel… giddy if that was the right word.

"I'm what you call L.D.C," Jack with his thick New York accent.

"Live Disney Characters," Vex answered. "Or Live-Action."

Jack smirked. "Yep," he then pointed to himself. "Us lives look much better than a human."

Aoife rolled her eyes. "You said that before."

"Ah, you repeat if it's true."

And Aoife's heart skipped a beat, her childhood crush made her want to squeal.

Juniper cleared her throat. "If you're done, Jack." Jack simply shrugged it. "Now, there are only three more types I should mention. Now there are S.D.C. known mean Semi- Disney Characters."

Thalia raised her eyebrow. "Semi? I don't understand what makes someone half?"

Melody stepped forward. "I'll explain," she said a bit nervously. "Half means that we don't fit into the original line like me, for example."

Thalia still looked confused. "Not original? Aren't you original?"

Ray raised her finger as if she was a teacher answering a question. "She means not original cannon. She's a character in those direct to DVD. So, she's Disney but not full-fledged."

Melody nodded. "That's about right… think. I could explain better explain the next tone. I.D.C and that stands for Imagined Disney Characters."

"Imagined Characters?" they all asked in unison.

"And that's me."

The group of kids all turned to the voice. It was Juniper. "Me, Regina, and Scarlet. You can say we're never made from where the others came from. We are made from the minds and imagination of multiple."

Raymond raised his eyebrow. "Multiple?"

Regina walked closer to the group. "Take a good look at me. Do I resemble someone to you?"

The group exchanged looks and then stared at her for a good minute. It was quiet till there was squeal causing them all to jump.

"Oh, my God!" Aoife's eyes lit up as if she was a crazed fan. "You're the Regina! Your character is based on Once Upon a Time!"

"The tv show?" Ray questioned.

"Of course," Aoife exclaimed. "Her attitude, the sarcastic, and complete unwavering confidence. That determined look and solid pride. She's Regina Mills, also known as the Evil Queen."

"Hold on," Jack said. "If she is that character, she would be a Semi-right?"

"Was that a pun?"

"You'll never know," Jack teased.

Aoife shook her head. "No. For example, Regina is a middle-aged woman. Its semi-characters, original and new, are either older or the same age. There's no reverse."

Scarlet snapped her fingers. "She hit the nail on the head," her eyes then shifted to Regina. "Not to mention, she's got your 'sweet' little personality of yours, Genia."

Regina with a slight smirk. She held out her hand as a green fireball formed in her hands. "I know you like heat, want more."

Juniper glared at them. "You two can fight later. We have more important matters."

Scarlet simply continued her smirk and winked. Regina scoffed and bold up her fist, and the flame was immediately snuffed out.

Juniper looked at the group of children. "And that last type you should be aware of E.D.C. Extra Disney Characters. In plays, their unknown characters called, some do have magic like your friend, but that's not uncommon. That's just about it. Any more questions?"

"Friend with magic?" Dakota questioned.

Raymond nodded. "He's right, we're all human."

Juniper looked shocked and then looked at Regina, and the two looked at the children. "They're not kidding, are they?" Juniper whispered.

Regina gave her a look. "They can see you and hear from you, but if you'd like an answer, no, they are not." Juniper was about to say something, but Regina stopped her. "There are only six humans and one," Regina then pointed to Sophia. "Is an E.D.C. In other words, she was not human."

There was silence. The group guardians slowly looked at Sophia, who was shocked, to say the least. Her eyes looked blank and confused. None of the Disney characters could say a word to help.

"Huh?" was all Ray could utter.

Now, some do have magic like your friend, but that's not uncommon. That's just about it. Any more questions?"

"Friend with magic?" Dakota questioned.

Raymond nodded. "He's right, we're all human."

Juniper looked shocked and then looked at Regina, and the two looked at the children. "They're not kidding, are they?" Juniper whispered.

Regina gave her a look. "They can see you and hear from you, but if you'd like an answer, no, they are not." Juniper was about to say something, but Regina stopped her. "There are only six humans and one," Regina then pointed to Sophia. "Is an E.D.C. In other words, she was not human."

There was silence. The group guardians slowly looked at Sophia, who was shocked, to say the least. Her eyes looked blank and confused. None of the Disney characters could say a word to help.

"Huh?" was all Ray could utter.