Star Harvesting

Facilier's Voodoo Emporium

"Really dear, there's no reason to exhaust your magic like this." Carla said to the blue-haired mage. "Until we find a permanent cure, I'm perfectly fine being a cat."

"I know, Carla, but I wanna keep trying." Wendy stated, wielding her Lamia Scale wand. "I don't think I'll be worthy to wield the Fairy's Tail until I'm good at magic with my own wand."

"Sigh, very well. Just… don't embarrass yourself. Or me for that matter."

"Hehe… okay." Wendy waved her wand and cast, "Transfiguro!"

A puff of smoke shrouded Carla, and when it cleared, she was standing in a humanoid body with Nimbi wings. The only features left unchanged were the ears, the tail… and the fact she was still close to Wendy's feet. Her child still towered over her. "Heh heh. Almost close." Wendy blushed.

"I hope you don't expect me to buy you a dollhouse."

"Hey hey, girls!" Dr. Facilier kicked open the door, walking in as his shadow shut it. "Guess what came in the mail?" He held up an envelope.

Charle flew up to read it. "A letter from Hogwarts?"

"It seems they're on to Wendy's little magic endeavors." Harvey opened the letter and pulled it out. "They're offering her some extra credit if she writes a report about a place she's been to. 500 words. And it's gotta be on paper and in cursive. They like to go old school."

"That doesn't sound too bad. I'll do it!"

"Which place are you going to write about, Child?" asked Charle.

"If you don't mind my interfering, I was actually thinking she visit someplace new." Facilier said as he scooped a handful of Floo Powder from a bag.

"What did you have in mind?" Wendy asked.

The doctor threw the powder in the fireplace and called, "Star Hill, Mushroom World!" The emerald flames burst into existence. "Ladies first!"

Wendy and Charle exchanged glances and entered the flames.

Star Hill

The girls emerged out of a lone fireplace in the middle of an indigo field. Shooting stars rained from a sparkling sky, breaking into glittery pieces on the ground. It was a steep, starry hill that seemed to stretch to the moon.

Facilier stepped through the flames, and was not surprised to see their gaping expressions. "Like it? The Star Hill is made up of millions of Star Bits that fall from Star Haven. Star Haven collects the wishes of people from across the universe and drops them here. Of course, it ain't the only Star Hill, otherwise there'd be way more stars."

Wendy looked down at a Star Bit by her feet, smiling with drawn eyes and a mouth. She picked it up and heard a voice. I want to be an artist.

"Sounded like April's voice to me." said the doctor.

"This is amazing!" Wendy beamed. "There are so many stars here! And they're all peoples' wishes? And they all come true?!"

"Who knows? I'm not the one who makes them. Anyway, I'm gonna stay here and rest. Talk to me if you're ready to go back." With that, Facilier laid beside the fireplace, facing up at the sky.

Charle made a perch on Wendy's shoulder, watching as she picked up Star Bit after Star Bit. I wish to fly every sky and breathe every air! Fybi Fulbright's voice. I want to meet every race and create a universe-wide KND! Nebula Winkiebottom. I just want my mom to accept me. Nagisa Shiota.

"Mom, did you ever wish on shooting stars?"

"Honestly, Wendy, why would I do something so childish?"

Wendy picked up another Star Bit. I really wanna be an engineer! Charle gasped and blushed at this familiar voice.

"Ha ha ha! Mom, did I just find your wish?!"

"Um…" Charle scowled and turned away. "J-Just keep looking."

"Hey, look at that star over there." Wendy approached a dark star with an angry face. She picked it up. I wish mah mom would get the *** off my back. Kimaya Heartly. Wendy tossed the star aside, displeased at hearing it. She noticed one with a sad face and grabbed it. I wanna die… Miyuki Crystal.

"I guess this place has negative wishes, too." Wendy observed. "That's upsetting." She looked up and spotted a pile of Star Bits. She went to pick one up. I just want to go home. Lapis Lazuli. The other ones were from the same person. I just wanna go home. I just wanna go home. One was a Dark Ztar. I wish Kyogre would get stabbed in the head.

"Hurrrrr!" The two looked around the pile, hearing a grunting sound. Not far away, an orange-haired girl in pigtails and a dress was trying to pluck a Star Bit attached to a stem. She didn't look to be any older than 17. "You're a stubborn one… aren't ya?"

I wanna be really big and strong when I grow up! Mocha's voice came from the star.

Wendy ran over and asked, "Would you like some help?"

"WHOA!" The star plucked off as the girl fell back and knocked Wendy over. She glanced back and realized she had fallen on someone. "Uh, sorry!" She scrambled to her feet and extended a hand for Wendy. "These things can be stubborn sometimes, hehe." Wendy took her hand and got back on her feet. "My name's Anna."

"Hi, Anna, my name's Wendy. This is my mom, Carla—I mean, Charle."

"You know what, either name works." Charle sighed.

"Your mom is… kinda small."

"Hee hee. It was a spell mishap." Wendy blushed. "I practice magic. Of course, that's probably no big deal on this planet."

"Well, I don't know that many wizards!" Anna shrugged. "Though I've been through way too much to be impressed. N-No offense."

"It's okay. What brings you here, Anna?"

"I'm harvesting. Well, we call it Starvesting." Anna chuckled. "Because we're collecting stars, you know!"

"Ha ha ha! Are you gonna cook them for Thankswishing Dinner? …Or something?" Wendy flushed at her silly attempt at making a joke.

"Nah, we're… gonna grind them into dust and make Nightmares."

"Excuse me?"

"Anna, pick up the pace!" She was yelled at by a short creature in green armor holding an axe. "You're not still listening to every single wish, are you?"

"Sorry, Green. I'll get back on it." Anna threw the Star Bit in a sack and went to pluck more.

Wendy and Charle saw Green go down the hill. They curiously stepped to the hill's edge, finding saucers were parked in a field. More axe-wielding creatures were chopping down star trees and chopping Star Bits before the ships vacuumed the remains. Drills were burrowing into the ground and collecting Star Bits underneath.

"HEY, what are you doing?!" She ran up to Axem Red and grabbed a Star Bit before he could chop it. "Those are peoples' wishes you're cutting!"

I wanna learn alien languages the normal way. Makava.

"Oh, great, another eco-crybaby." Axem Red retorted. "Run along and play somewhere else, kid, this is a restricted area."

"I TOLD you we shoulda put signs up." Axem Pink shouted.

"How was I supposed to know there'd be other people around?"

"Just why are you harvesting these stars?" Charle demanded.

"Because our boss ordered us to, that's why. Now scram, kid, you and your little mutant cat-bird-human."

"Hold on, these look very much like spaceships."

"Yeah, what of it?"

"Could I assume, then, that your boss lives on a different planet?"

"If by planet, you mean floating city, then yeah." Axem Yellow mentioned.

"Shut it, Yellow!"

"A floating city?" Wendy thought for a second. "Mom, I remember one of the worlds I put a barrier around was a floating city. Nebula said it was Nightmare Land."

"Ugh, fine." Red huffed. "Our boss is the Nightmare King, Darkrai. If you got a beef with us, take it up with him."

"Well, maybe I will!"

"Wendy, a person with the title 'Nightmare King' doesn't sound like the right person to pick a fight with." Charle cautioned.

"But I remember Dr. Facilier mentioning the Nightmare King a couple times, like he knew him personally. Maybe he'll be willing to reason."

"You are way too optimistic sometimes, Child. But I'm in no position to restrain you."

"That's right, Mini Mom!" Wendy grinned.

King Dutchman

In a realm that looked like it could never have been anything beautiful, a game was taking place in the ship's dining room. The combatants, Ganondorf and Zorc Necrophades, were clutching three die, sitting on either side of a game board. Ganondorf rolled his die, and his player, the Skull Soldier (a skeleton in black knight's armor) moved three spaces forward and two spaces right, just one away from Zorc's player, 88 Faces.

Davy Jones sat a few seats over, watching them play with interest. He remembered the old days on the Flying Dutchman, playing with the souls who wanted to gamble for their lives. Even now, he was enjoying a drink of liquefied souls who have lost his Game of Deception. Holding the glass in a tentacle, Jones pulled it away, and said what had been on his mind: "I have no idea what you're playing."

"It's all right." Zorc said. "Neither does he."

"Hm hm hm." Ganon chuckled. "I'm only giving you a few moments of pride. This is a mere children's game for a mere child."

"I am no child, Human. Quite frankly, I can drop this form any time I want. I just don't want to crush my new underlings."

"HA HA ha ha! I almost forgot how adorable children are when they exaggerate."

"Yet, you are really no different than I am: a Demon King forced to walk in mortal shoes. You may talk down on me… but it doesn't change that my skills are far superior." With one more roll of the die, 88 Faces barfed lasers in all directions, destroying Ganon's player and any traps he had lain on the field. "You lose again. I get two more of your conquered worlds."

"Very well, Zorc… Take your pick." Ganon grabbed a rippled paper from his armor and threw it on the table. It contained a list of worlds.

"Interesting… I choose Earthsea and Middle-earth." Zorc used magic to take the names off the list and place them on empty cards. The cards depicted images of the worlds. Zorc placed them onto a deck of cards with the backs facing up. The back of the cards were black with purple designs. "Today, they have a new ruler to obey."

"Reminds me of the time I let my daughter burn down a neighborhood for her birthday. You really think those worlds will acknowledge you as their conqueror, in place of the one who conquered them? There were religions in Hyrule dedicated to me. Even today, demons and simple mortals alike pray to me for sustenance."

"You think that impresses me? I was an icon of five different religions. Millions worshipped me. Given enough time, millions more in those pathetic universes would worship me."

"Sure, sure… But would you have the same charm as me?" Ganon grinned.

"Is that a BET I smell?" Bill Cipher walked across the table.

"What do you want, Triangle?" Zorc said spitefully.

"Look, Ganny, Zorcy, both of you are pretty big stars, I'm sure you have quite the fanbases. So, how about we make it a bet? See how many loyal followers you can accumulate over the next year. No brainwashing, no threats, just good old fashion mortals thinking you're awesome. I'll be keeping score." Bill snapped fingers, poofing a scoreboard out of thin air with Ganon and Zorc's names written. "Of course, I have managerial duties, so don't expect me to watch you 24/7. Instead, I'll just see into their minds to see if they truly acknowledge you as a god. Sound like a plan?"

"I accept the challenge." Zorc smirked.

"As do I. We will reconvene in 365 days." Ganon agreed.

"Yeah, like anybody can tell the time here." Bill rolled his eyes. "Well, best of luck to both of ya. And remember: it's all fun in games when cults start slitting each other's throats." He snapped again and poofed into flames.

Nightmare Land; Throne Room

"Da'ky? Dey's something I really dink I should bring up wit' you."

"Fine, Jar Jar. What is it?"

"Da'ky… how can you go drunk when you don't have organs?"

"…The truth is, Jar Jar… I-"

"Boss, we have visitors." Customer Service spoke. "Dr. Facilier is here, and he's brought the Wendy Marvell child."

"Ah, Facilier, eh? Let him in, Customer."

"Howdy, Darky!" Dr. Facilier greeted perkily as they entered the throne room. "My student wanted to talk to you about something."

"Yes?…"

"Go on, Wendy, don't be shy." The doctor nudged Wendy forward.

"Uh… um…" Wendy shifted her feet. She didn't expect him to put her on the spot.

"Are you here to give me a small meal?" Darkrai joked. "Because you are clearly nervous."

"Is bad Nightmare joke." Jar Jar said.

"Oh for goodness sake, we want to know why you're harvesting the stars down on Star Hill." Charle explained impatiently.

"Those stars are born from peoples' wishes; their dreams, so to speak. By squeezing the wishes out of them, they serve as perfect materials to create Nightmares. After all… a person fears nothing worse than seeing their dreams crumble. Like you, Miss Marvell… You were afraid of never finding your family. Of being alone forever. It is why I kept your star." Darkrai reached into his body and extracted a sad face star, throwing it to Wendy.

I really wanna have a family. I wanna know why my parents abandoned me. Wendy heard her voice.

"Of course, it wasn't the only star you created. People tend to make the same wishes over and over again." He grabbed another star from his stomach.

I wish people like Corey were more accepted. Nolan's voice.

"This one's pretty old, though. …To be honest, guys, it's a mess in there." Darkrai frowned shamefully. "I don't remember the last time I cleaned up. I have wishes from, like, the 1800s." He got another star from his belly.

I wish pictures could move! A voice of someone that sounded like a retro movie.

"But Mr. Darkrai, you can't just destroy peoples' wishes like that!" Wendy shouted. "Think of all the dreams that can't come true! The princesses who can't marry princes, the orphans who can never find homes, the…"

"The non-magic children who wish for magic they can never possess?"

"W…What do you mean by that?"

"What I mean is wishes and stars are irrelevant. True, dreams emit positive feelings that give life to Star Beings like my Nightmares… but their effect on the mortals who wished them is nonexistent. No matter what, their fate is decided. The mortals either follow their dreams with their own strength and achieve them, or they go down a different path. Wishing on stars does not matter. The same is with you, Wendy. You were only able to meet your family because you stayed alive; you allowed yourself to live and see your fate."

"But I feel like I didn't even do anything. I feel like I only met Dr. Facilier and Carla because the stars heard my wishes."

"Y'know, Darkrai, it's a tad odd to me that someone like you doesn't think there's a point in wishing." Facilier mentioned. "How many times did you wish Dimentia would find peace? I'm sure you got yo' share of stars on that hill."

"I do. See?" Darkrai extracted a star with one eye.

I wanna try me a couple of them mushrooms.

"Er… but yes, basically." He tossed it elsewhere. "Look, there's nothing wrong with having hopes and dreams… but on a physical and productive scale, we need to harvest the wishes so my people can survive. It's as simple as that. If I decided to grind that star in your hands into dust, you wouldn't lose what you now have. Furthermore, my operations are environmentally friendly, in a matter of speaking. By harvesting Star Hill's stars, I keep it from being literally buried in wishes. Plus, people make far too many wishes for me to level it completely. There is truly no harm being done."

"I…I think I understand. I'm sorry for wasting your time." Wendy weakly threw the star back to Darkrai, but it fell short and rolled against the base of his throne. She turned to leave.

"Are you sure you feel that way, Child?" Charle flew by her face. "I wouldn't want you to be discouraged by some corporate jerk."

"Mom, he's right. We won't be able to fight the Darknesses by just relying on wishes. By now, everyone in the universe must be wishing for the worlds to be saved… but the only people who can make it happen will be us. Besides…" Wendy smiled. "I'm just trying to write a school paper. I'm certain I can squeeze 500 words out of this!"

"Before you go, would you like to buy anything from my stomach sale?" Darkrai asked. He stuck a finger down his imaginary throat and- "BLUUUUEEEEH!" threw up a pile of items, ranging from an inflatable raft, an Aerodactyl doll, a wheel from an old automobile, and a script that read Titans Together REDUX.

"Um… that's okay." Wendy replied awkwardly. Charle was mortified by this man's stomach.

Facilier's Emporium

The Star Hill is a magical place where wishes take solid form. You can pick up a star and hear a person's deepest desires. Nightmare Enterprises harvests the land's stars in order to create their products. At first, I was upset at this because I thought the peoples' wishes wouldn't come true. But then I realized that, even in physical form, wishes are just expressions: they are heard, but after a while, they disappear. Only actions truly decide our fate. That's why-

"Forgive this cat's prying, Child, but that cursive is hardly legible." Carla stated.

"I was never taught how to write it!! Weh heh heh!" Wendy cried.

"Relax, Wendy, nobody does, anymore." Facilier consoled.

"It's a dead language!" Sonny popped out.

"What are you still doing here?"

"Mommy and Daddy are fighting and we had no other shelter! Donna also might go bye-bye."

"I just realized something." Wendy spoke. "If I go with my friends to the New World, I'll only just be finishing my 3rd year at Hogwarts. That doesn't seem like enough experience at all."

"Wendy, you got way more experience in four months than most students ever get in school." Facilier replied. "I won't be surprised if they bump you up a few grades. You'll blow that school out of the water, Ah know you will!"

"Ha ha! If you really think I can… Hey, I just thought of something funny! Wanna try it with me?"

"Try what, Child?"

Star Hill

The Axem Rangers continued chopping down trees and digging up stars. "OW!" A large Star Bit fell on Red's head. "What the-?!"

A star storm began to rain heavily. I WISH I HAD PEANUTS! Wendy shouted. I WANT MORE PRODUCTS! Facilier joined. I WISH PEOPLE WEREN'T DUMB! Charle nagged. I WANT LOTS AND LOTS OF CANDY! Wendy. I WANNA OPEN A SUPERMARKET CHAIN! The doctor. I-SA WANNA BUY DA'KY'S OLD WHEEL! Jar Jar. I wish I could leave my family and join the League of Assassins. Peter Griffin. I wish I had a MILLION wishes! Sonny screamed.

"WAAAAAAAHHHH!!" The Axem Rangers were quickly buried.

A barren world; one year later

Ragged flags depicting both Ganon's likeness and Zorc's likeness blew in the dead wind. Bloody corpses lay beside one-another with blood-soaked weapons. "HAIL ZORC!" Wamuu declared.

"HAIL GANON!" Eric Cartman yelled back.

"ZORC IS THE LORD OF GAMES!" Angry Video Game Nerd cut a guy down the middle.

"GANON WILL BURN MY WEAK MORTAL FLESH!" Fanatic drilled through a man's face.

In the King Dutchman's Portal Chamber, Ganon and Zorc sat in lawn chairs and watched the show, sipping cups of sacrificial blood. "I must admit, you gathered more than I thought you would." Ganon said.

"True. But your followers fight admirably."

All the while, Dutchman Pirates were collecting the remains and throwing them in the nearby sea. "I guess we all won a little today." Jones said.

Bill Cipher chuckled to himself in the manager's office. He stared at puzzle pieces, each depicting his Darknesses. "It doesn't matter how many followers they collect individually." He put the pieces together and flipped them over to show Lord English's image. "Because they're all just pieces of you, My Lord." A triangle eye was on English's forehead. "…Hm?" Bill cocked a brow at a tiny gap on the arm. "Though we appear to be missing one…"