Santiago watched Zazu escorted Avalyn through the crowd of Disney royals, vanishing in the crowd. I felt a hand on my shoulder as I glanced over to see Minnie Mouse standing beside me, squeezing my shoulder as a pulse of her positive energy coursed through me. 

"Don't worry," she reassured calmly. "I'm sure she'll do just fine," 

The Chilean smiled at the mouse warmly, placing his hand over hers for a brief moment before moving away, "Did The Man say why he wanted to talk to her?" Santiago questioned, looking over at Minnie's boyfriend. "Or is that classified?"  

"I'm afraid I don't have the answer, Santiago," Mickey replied. "If Avalyn wishes to share what she heard, that's her choice," 

"Alright then, boys," Kaitlyn spoke up, placing a hand on Santiago and Sebastian's shoulders. "Our mission, should you choose to accept it, is to make Ava squeal on everything The Man told her when she gets back," 

"What's going on?" A young voice perked up as Vince jogged over towards the trio, the rest of the gang trailing behind him. "Where did Ava go?"

"She's not in trouble for bringing us here, is she?" Poppy asked with worry. 

"Calm down, everybody," Mickey waved his hands. "No one is in trouble," 

"The Man just wanted to talk to her," Santiago explained, hoping to ease everyone. "I'm sure it's nothing too serious," 

"The Man?" Ty repeated. "Who is this Man you speak of?" 

The lights all along the ballroom began to dim as the stage lights brightened. The audience applauded as a blue puff of smoke exploded on stage, Genie appearing wearing a Dapper Dan hat as he did some hat tricks, bowing to the crowd. 

"Ladies and gentlemen, it is now time for the dinner and a show portion of tonight's ball!" He announced whilst he materialized a microphone. "Find a table closest to you, and please no shoving!"

With a wave of his hand, more tables appeared out of thin air through out the dance floor, allowing all of the guests to take a seat as plates of delicious food were delivered to them by the penguin waiters you'd see in Mary Poppins. 

"We'll talk more later, Ty," Ben promised the boy as the group moved to their table. 

Ben, Sebastian, Kaitlyn, Santiago, Poppy, Ty, Jam, and Vince all sat at their town table together while Mickey and Minnie sat at the table across from them with Donald, Daisy, Goofy, Max, and Roxanne as the guests applauded the genie once more as she summoned a jazz band onto the stage. 

"Hope you all don't mind, but I'm feeling a little jazzy tonight!" Genie proclaimed. 

https://youtu.be/r21fH-ysABs

Genie zapped himself with his magic, transforming him into a spitting image of NE-YO(If he had blue skin anways). He wore a stunning black suit with sparkling grey shoes, and a matching fedora. He gave the band the queue as they began to play, the drums, trumpets, bass guitar, cello, and saxophones filling the air as Genie did some fancy twirls before grabbing the mic. 

"Mmmm,
 Well Ali Baba had them forty thieves
 Scheherazade had a thousand tales --!"  

*********

Making our way through the crowd, I followed Zazu across the ballroom and up a flight of stairs that took us to a hidden hallway inside Cinderella's Castle. I could feel butterflies in my stomach, making me feel uncomfortable. 

Why would The Man want to see me? Am I in trouble for bringing my friends to see my cousins? For showing them their magic? For bringing them back here to the World of Disney without proper authorization? It would ease my nerves if I knew exactly why I was finally meeting him, that was for sure. 

I could hear the music from the ball fading away behind me as I continued to follow the blue bird deeper into the hallway. Just how long was this thing? It sounded like my friends and family were having a good time, and I started to feel like I wanted to run back and join them. 

"Um, Zazu?" I spoke up, my voice squeaking slightly. 

"Yes?" He acknowledged, glancing his head around to face me. 

"Has anyone else seen The Man before?" I asked him. "Another Wizard, I mean..." 

"Oh, not for many years, Miss Macht," Zazu answered. "You're the first one in a very long time,"

"How long are we talking about here?" I pressed on nervously. 

"Long enough," The bird simply replied. 

We finally reached the end of the hallway, finding a large mirror hung on the wall. It was only looking through the glass did I really get a chance to really see myself and what I looked like. Fairy Godmother and her helpers really had outdone themselves. I smiled for a brief moment, admiring the dress I wore before my expression changed, gently lifting a hand as I pressed my finger tips against the glass.

"I don't understand," I spoke slowly, ". . . Did we take a wrong turn?" 

Zazu shook his head. "No, this is the place," 

Suddenly the glass mirror began to glow, a bright blue light flashing along the glass. The sight startled me as I stepped back, nearly tripping over my own two feet. "What was that?!"

"Our authorization, we may pass through now," Zazu explained. 

"Pass through?" I repeated. 

The blue bird merely smirked in my direction before flying straight for the mirror. I winched, thinking that he was going to smack right into the glass and hurt himself. Only that didn't happen. Just like he said, he literally passed through the glass. As his body disappeared, the glass rippled like a stone splashing into a pond. 

I stared at the display with complete astonishment. This was just like that one part in one of the Alice in Wonderland stories where Alice stepped through a mirror and was transported to another world! I think there was also a classic Mickey Mouse cartoon following this story too. 

"Well, aren't you coming?" Zazu's voice echoed from behind the glass. 

Composing myself, I pushed myself forward and reached out towards the mirror. My hand passed through the mirror and before I knew it, my whole body was pulled through the glass as I stumbled into a brand new room. 

The room was completely painted in white, almost like clouds. Peering my eyes as I scanned the area, I realized that they actually were clouds! I was standing on a floating cloud up in the sky! Turning around, I saw that the mirror was floating at the end of the cloud Zazu and I were stationed on. Looking through the glass, I could see the hallway from Cinderella's castle. 

Glancing up, I saw more clouds flying above us until finally my eyes focused forward and I spotted a strange looking building perched on a bundle of clouds a couple feet away from us. It looked like some sort of observatory, completely plated in gold. 

"This is so tripy," I gawked. 

"Yes, speaking of, watch your step," Zazu cautioned, flapping his wings as he swooped around and gently nudged me forward. "Follow me,"

Taking his advice, I followed Zazu's exact direction while occasionally glancing down to see if there weren't any holes that I might trip on. The view of the World of Disney was unbelievable from up here. Off in the distance I could see Mary Poppins sitting on a cloud as she prepped and did her makeup, just like in the film! 

Finally I followed Zazu up the front steps of the observatory before standing before the giant golden brass doors that would lead me inside. 

"This is where we'll part ways for now," Zazu spoke. "Only speak unless spoken to, and no dilly dallying, understand?" 

"Yes," I nodded in confirmation. 

"Very good," he acknowledged. "Ms. Macht, good luck," 

I watched the bird take his leave, making his way back towards the mirror across the path of clouds before turning back around to face the giant doors before me. Instantly I felt my stomach flip and my mind went hazy. My palms were sweating ever so slightly as I curled my fingers into fists, breathing in and out deeply. 

"Stay cool," I whispered to myself. "You're just about to meet your mysterious boss, no big deal!" 

I shook my head, trying to rub off all of the anxious nerves inside me as I rose my fist towards the doors and knocked. I waited for a moment before there was a loud 'click' and the doors magically opened on their own. I slowly made my way inside and when I was deep enough into the main foyer of the observatory, the front doors sealed themselves shut behind me. The sound startled me as I looked back for a brief moment, a quick shot of panic coursed its way through my body before I turned back to look at a grand staircase that led to another set of doors. 

It also didn't help with the fact that it felt like that I was being watched... was it The Man waiting for me to show up as he is expecting me to meet him? Or was it something, or someone, else? 

I looked around the foyer. For the most part it was empty, other than lights illuminating the room from the golden marble plated walls. A red carpet was sprawled along the middle of the room as it tracked towards the end of the staircase. If inanimate objects could talk (and some can if you even go to this world), it felt like it was practically begging me to go up those stairs. 

"No turning back now," I muttered. 

Composing myself, I made my way up the golden stairwell, the clicks of my heels being the only sound that rang in my ears. When I reached the top of the stairs, I knocked on the door. This time, there was a voice on the other side. 

"Enter!" 

It sounded... vaguely familiar to me. 

The doors slowly opened themselves to me, revealing the inside as I stepped through the arch. Whoever the man was, this must be his office, the main room of the observatory. 

His office had two levels. The first level consisted of a grey and faded yellow marble flooring, with a star emblem in the middle of the floor. In the middle of the first level was a podium that contained a sorcerer hat. It floated above the podium, the stars and moon pattern shining like a lantern. Behind it, up against the wall was an organ made from oaken wood. On the stand I could see music sheets, the titles of some classic Disney songs like "Feed The Birds" from Marry Poppins and "Whistle While You Work" from Snow White & The Seven Dwarfs, just to name a few. 

On either side of the organ were a set of curved stairwells, smaller than the one in the foyer. They both led to the second level of the room, where a dark wooden desk lay in the center, a black leather chair facing away from me, instead looking over at the giant window at the back of the room that overlooked the World of Disney, red theater like curtains draped along the sides of the giant glass window. Two the left of the desk, there was nothing, but to the right, the wall was lined up with shelves filled with books as far as the eye could see. In front of it was a giant globe that was latched to a table, allowing you to spin it endlessly if you wanted to. 

At a first glance, I wasn't sure if anyone was even inside other than myself. 

"Um. . . Is 'The Man' here?" I questioned with uncertainty. 

"I'm up here," a voice spoke up. 

It was coming from the leather chair at the desk of the second floor. Again, I felt a sense of uncertainty. Where have I heard that voice before? Temporarily shaking that feeling away, I made my up the curve stairwell to the left of me. Once I reached the top of the stairwell, it's then I realized the contains of the desk. There was a few scattered papers, to the left of me was a plate of food. Specifically, chili and beans with a cup of coffee on the side. I've seen that meal before. Didn't Yensid have that meal when he introduced himself to me at the hospital? It seemed odd to me, and for some reason, something was nagging me in the back of my mind that perhaps someone else I knew favored that meal. But who?

But what really caught me off guard was the object to the right of the desk. There was an ash tray, and inside it was a recently burnt out cigarette. I stopped in my tracks. Yensid didn't smoke, did he? I've never seen him smoke in his cartoon, or while seeing him whenever I played Kingdom Hearts 2. Perhaps he smoked a pipe? But that was a cigarette. What did it mean? 

"It is good to see you, Ms. Macht," the voice spoke again. 

Finally I watched as the chair began to turn, and I mentally braced myself. But when he finally revealed himself, it was certainly someone I wasn't expecting to see. And so soon for that matter. 

"You?" I called with surprise. 

The old Wizard sat in the chair, his hat removed whilst wearing a long blue robe, his long grey beard grew along down his chest, matching his long wavy hair behind his back. He had piercing caramel brown eyes as he raised a brow in my direction. "Where you not expecting to see me?"

My eyes lit up as I my fingers began to fidget, my lips stuttering as I spoke. "No! I mean-- Well, technically, uh--"

His warm chuckle interrupted me as Yensid raised a hand, signalling me to stop. "It is alright, Avalyn," He reassured me before standing up from his chair. "It has been many years since I've seen such a reaction," 

I watched him walk around his desk as he came towards me. I shook off the slight disappointment of seeing a familiar face before my lips formed into a small smile, reaching over as the two of us shook hands. "Well then, it's good to see you again, Mr.---" 

"You as well," he replied. "And please, call me Yensid. I prefer a first name basis with my colleagues." 

First name only? Normally Yensid seemed a tad more formal when it came to this sort of thing. Is he acting. . . different?

"Uh, sure, Yensid. . ." I corrected. 

"You're looking rather well since our first encounter," he complimented. 

"Yeah, I feel a whole lot better now," I nodded. "And speaking off, I'd like to thank you for allowing Santiago to stick around to help us fight the Dark Anomalies," 

"Normally I wouldn't agree to such an arrangement, given how Mr. Toledo was able to return to this world," Yensid stated firmly before his shoulders relax. "However, since he meant that much to his friends, and you I hope, I suppose it didn't hurt to have some extra help. Especially from one of my best and brightest," 

"Of course he means that much to me," I added before I lowered my head slightly, my voice sounding a bit sorrowful. "But it still stung a little at first when I found out the truth about him, and why he couldn't tell me," 

Yensid nodded, placing a steady hand on my shoulder. "I had a feeling you'd possibly behave that way when you finally saw him, which was why I thought it was best fitting to see you before that in order to prepare you," 

"And yet I still gave him the cold shoulder," I slouched, crossing my arms. 

"I suppose that is partially my fault. It is paramount that the rules of the Disney Wizards must be followed, include that our activities are not to be spoken of to anyone in your world. He was just doing what he was trained to do, in order to try and protect you from our world's dangers until it was time for you to discover them for yourself," He explained. 

"It's alright, you don't have to apologize," I replied reassuringly as he moved his hand away. "You were just doing your job, as was everyone else," 

I could sense something was off. I've talked and interacted with Yensid before, but this new meeting felt different to me. The aura I could sense standing before him felt off. Everything about his body language felt wrong to me. His voice was down, but his mannerisms were something, or perhaps someone else entirely.

The chili and beans, the ash tray and cigarette, his mannerisms, the first name basis. . . 

The old man raised a brow at me again. "Is something wrong, Avalyn?"

I slowly came to realize that I recognized these qualities. These weren't Yensid's, but they belonged to someone else almost exactly like him. 

"No, I was just thinking," I began slowly. "Do you think there's something wrong. . . Walt?"

The man's eyes widened as his hands flinched. He stood there for a moment, unsure of what to say or how exactly to react. 

"I've never seen Yensid smoke, and from what I can tell, there's only one person I know who enjoys eating both chili and beans on a daily basis," I continued. "Is it really you?" 

Suddenly the man started to. . . laugh. His lips formed into a smile as he laughed before composing himself. He raised his hands, and purple sparks surrounded his body, and in a flash, his figure transformed into someone else. His true form. Before me stood a man in a well tailored suit with a thin mustache, silk combed back black hair with light brown eyes, and stood at 5 feet 10 inches. 

I was in the presence of The Man himself.

Walt Disney. 

"You figured it out," he chuckled. "I'm impressed."

"I didn't realize it at first, but the pieces slowly started coming together," I replied.

"What made you realize it was me?" he asked with curiosity. 

"Slowly piecing together your favourite meal, the ash tray caught me a bit off guard at first, first name introductions, putting it all together made me realize something," I explained, a small grin spreading on my lips. "Who was Yensid's design based off of?"

He laughed again, bringing his hands together as he applauded me. "Very good,"

"Now that I know who you really are, it's an honour to meet you, Mr. Dis--- Ah, Walt," I quickly corrected myself. 

"And you as well, Avalyn," He nodded firmly as he placed his hands behind his back. "Now then, shall we move on to the matter at hand?"

I nodded in confirmation as he waved his hand to the side, signalling me to follow him as we both traveled to the glass window, looking down at the entire magical world before us. 

"Why did you summon me?" I asked, looking over at his face. "Am I in trouble for bringing my cousins here?"

"No, no, nothing like that," he waved it off. "In fact, I think they are a wonderful addition to our ranks," 

"So why did you summon me up here?"  I repeated. 

"One, I wanted to congratulate you and your team on the progress you've made against the Dark Anomalies," I began. 

Wait. . . Progress? 

My eyes twitched slightly as I completely turned my body to face him. "Progress? But. . . I don't understand, we defeated their leader back in the Pride Lands!"

Walt sighed with despair as he shook his head at my accusation. "Defeated, but not destroyed. That's the second reason I've called you up here, to warn you," 

No. . . 

That sickening feeling I've been having for the last little while was right. The Dark Anomalies were still out there somewhere. I knew our last battle was too easy! 

After a few moments of silence, Walt spoke, "You knew, didn't you?" He realized, finally meeting my gaze as his brow was once again raised in my direction. It seemed like it was a key habit of his. 

"Let's just say I had a feeling in my gut," I shrugged nervously. 

He hummed in reply, focusing his attention back to the glass window. "While your victories over these evil creations are valiant, I must tell you now that he is not defeated so easily," 

"He?" I repeated. 

"Mickey has told me in the reports of what you witnessed whenever you went up against the Dark Anomalies creator. The image of the boy, his glowing yellow eyes as if he's staring daggers into your soul, his hellish scream. . ."

"The Dark Anomalies aren't a what, but a who," I came to realize, my eyes trailing off to nothing in particular as I spoke. I then looked back up at the man once more. "Do you know who it is?"

"A young friend of mine. One that I hadn't seen or heard from for almost 50 years," he answered. He motioned his hand towards the spinning globe and the bookshelves, giving me a curt smile. "Would you like me to tell you who exactly he is?"

I looked over towards the small looking library before I met Walt's gaze again. "Yes," 

"Good," he nodded, motioning for me to follow him. "If I am going to tell you this story, then we need to start from the beginning,"

He placed his hand on the globe, and I was amazed to see it glow brightly upon his touch. The bookshelves began to shake, yet none of the books fell from their resting places as one of the shelves moved upwards, revealing a secret passage way that led into what appeared to be a pitch dark room. 

"The very beginning,"