Jack's Transformation [Ch. 4]

The wind blew and the waves crashed ashore. The beach was all but vacant. The sun shined, and the clouds moved across the sky. Birds chirped as they flew around in the air above, and the dolphins jumped up and out of the water a short distance away from the shoreline. A bright white light blinded the blockhead who was sitting alone on the beach. He shielded his eyes with his arm as he looked over in the direction of which the light had appeared.

Once the light dimmed, he lowered his arm away from his eyes. Strangely, there was nothing there. Nothing appeared after the light dimmed. How mysterious, right? The male blockhead was holding himself up with his hands as he leaned back slightly. His legs were straight out in front of him, with one leg over the other.

"Stanley?" Amelia asked as she set her hand down on his right shoulder. He turned his head slightly but didn't look at her. But he was listening. "Are you okay dear? How are you feeling?"

"I--I'm fine. Just--," Stanley paused as he turned his head around completely to look back at Amelia. Melinda was standing behind her, but staring at him too. She was frowning. She could sense something was off about Stanley, but she couldn't quite figure out what was bothering him.

Stanley raised his arm and pointed over at the lone male blockhead sitting down in the sand. As he turned his head, he finished what he was about to say a moment ago. "Is that him? Is that my grandfather?"

Amelia and Melinda both exchanged eye contact with each other. Amelia then looked back up at Stanley and then over at the male blockhead. She frowned and slightly nodded her head. Stanley looked away from Amelia and lowered his arm.

"The one and only, yes," Amelia answered with a faint smile on her face.

"Can he see us?" Stanley asked.

Amelia continued to stare up at him, preparing herself for his reaction when she told him the answer. She was mentally running through all of the possible things he could say back to her, the questions he might have, and how he might react. Amelia, along with Melinda, could both sense his sadness. This was the first and last time he would see his grandfather in person; well kind of at least. He couldn't see them, but they could see him.

"I'm afraid he can't dear," Amelia answered in s somber and soft voice. "Unfortunately, that's not how time travel works sweetheart."

Stanley shrugged his shoulders and sighed heavily. He lowered his head so that he was looking straight down at the sandy ground. "I guess this'll have to do then."

"Who's there?" Jack shouted loudly as he quickly got back up onto his feet. He didn't blink, not even once. He did, however, reach behind his back to grab an arrow out of his carrying quiver. With his other hand, he reached into his inventory to grab the bow out from it.

Once he had his bow in his other hand, he gently and carefully loaded the arrow onto the bow. He pulled his right arm back, aiming his bow over in the direction of where the light had come from earlier. "Show yourself now!" He ordered, "I'm only warning you this one time. Don't hide--witch!"

Stanley tilted his head over to his right, squinting his eyes. With his right hand, he began scratching the back of his head for a moment or two.

"Witch?" Stanley questioned, "what Witch? I don't see one."

Amelia and Melinda exchanged eye contact once more. Melinda shrugged her shoulders and shook her head a couple of times. A faint and quiet sigh was let out by Amelia.

"Your grandfather's journey began here," Amelia began to explain.

Stanley turned around, his back now facing his grandfather Jack. He looked over at Amelia and Melinda. "Here? His journey began here?" He asked.

Amelia nodded her head while faintly smiling up at Stanley. "Precisely, yes. On this day, your grandfather had decided that he wasn't going to tolerate King Miraz's vicious rule over the OverWorld."

"He didn't succeed. Why?" Stanley asked. "Does his decision have any relation to why and how he disappeared?"

Melinda walked over to Amelia and stood by her side. She wrapped her arm around Amelia's waist as she continued to look over at Stanley.

"Now, slow down cowboy! Don't get ahead of yourself. But to simply answer your question, yes," Melinda said, "just the previous day, King Miraz's forces had invaded his village. The only plausible option he had was to save his family and flee the Village. But doing so costs him everything."

Stanley shook his head slowly from side to side, scratching the back of his head. He was trying his best to keep up with everything Melinda and Amelia were explaining. He was starting to become overwhelmed with all of the information they were giving to him. "What happened after he and his family tried to flee? Were they caught?"

"Captured, yes," Melinda answered. "Punished? Yes. Although he managed to flee on foot, his wife and son were left behind. Not because he wanted to leave them. It would be a waste of time going back to try and help them. It was already too late. The Queen, Queen Mileena, had already turned his wife and son to stone. Not the slightest and easiest thing to accomplish," Melinda continued.

Stanley continued to listen to Amelia's explanation of what happened.

"So he and his family were captured by the King's forces," Stanley said, "then what happened to him?"

Amelia shrugged her shoulders and didn't respond to his question right away. Still nervous about how he might react, she was very cautious and careful. They both shrugged their shoulders as they continued to glare over at Stanley.

"We only know so much about him, dear," Amelia answered, "we don't know everything about his life, what he did before coming to us," Amelia continued to explain, briefly pausing to sigh heavily. She covered her mouth with her left hand. What she realized just then was something that made her feel guilty in a sense.

Melinda walked over to her, wrapping her arm around her. She pulled Amelia closer to her and wrapped her other arm around her. Stanley stood in silence, unable to fathom why Amelia was acting the way she was. He tilted his head in curiosity. As he took a step forward, Melinda quickly turned her head to look over at him. She slowly shook her head.

"This has nothing to do with you, dear," Melinda mumbled as Amelia sniffled her nose. A single tear slid down her cheek and then fell down to the ground.

"What is it?" Stanley asked in a soft, quiet voice.

Amelia sniffled her nose once more as she raised her head. Doing that, she then glanced over at Stanley. She stared at him in the eyes, not looking away.

"It's--it's your grandfather," Amelia answered, "I'm the reason he was absent from your life. If only I hadn't given him that potion."

Stanley was shocked when he heard that Amelia had given him some kind of potion. He wondered what type of potion she had given him. As much as he wanted to be upset, he simply couldn't be. Amelia and Melinda were both helping him figure out who his grandfather really was. And for that, he was grateful. He wouldn't have been able to do this on his own.

"Hmm," Jack said as he put the arrow back in his carrying quiver, and lowered his bow.

After doing that, he sighed heavily. Being alone on the beach was something he couldn't do anymore. He had to take action. For his family. They'd still be free if he hadn't made the decision to flee from King Miraz's soldiers.

"What's he doing?" Stanley asked.

After wiping away the tears from her eyes and giving Melinda a hug, Amelia then turned to look over at Stanley. He had his back facing them as he watched his grandfather walk away.

"I told you dear," Amelia said, "this is the moment when he realizes that he needs to take action. This is the spark that lights the flame."

"I don't follow," Stanley responded, "what do you mean?"

"This is the moment when he decides that he's had enough of King Miraz," Amelia said, "he'd fed up with how King Miraz is treating the Villagers and native blockheads."

"Ahh, I see," Stanley responded.

Melinda grabbed Amelia's left hand. Amelia turned her head to look over her left shoulder at Melinda. She faintly smiled and tilted her head.

"He's seen enough here," Melinda mumbled, "we should move on. Show him what happens next."

She nodded her head a couple of times, smiling at Melinda once more. Amelia was holding her magical staff in her right hand. She lifted it up slightly off of the sandy ground, then slamming it back down onto the ground. The world around them began to stretch out and morph. Stanley quickly turned around to look over at Amelia and Melinda.

"What's happening?" Stanley asked.

As Melinda and Amelia stood next to eachother, they both continued to look over at Stanley. They both faintly smiled at him. Stanley noticed that the emerald at the top of Amelia's staff was glowing green.

"We're going to the moment where Jack transformed into what we call--well you'll see," Amelia responded.

After saying that, the beach they were on disappeared. Blocks had appeared in the air, swirling around in a circular formation. They began assembling a house, a small house. Raw oak wood assembled the swamp trees, the dirt blocks assembled the ground, and stone blocks assembled the mountains. After the new world formed around them, Stanley noticed that it looked very, very familiar.

"Wait a second," he said as he looked around at his new surroundings.

The trees were, from what he could recollect, were small and had vines growing down from the leaves at the top. The murky green water was familiar too. From the sounds of the frogs croaking and ribbiting, to the eerie sounds of the loom birds calling out, everything about this new location seemed eerily familiar.

"Are we back--," he said as Melinda interrupted him.

"Home? Yes. But this isn't in our time," Melinda mentioned, "this is the moment when Jack arrived to ask for our help."

"Time travel works in mysterious ways," Amelia said, "you'll have to go and watch by yourself. Melinda and I cannot be anywhere near our younger selves."

Stanley frowned and tilted his head slightly at them both. He was curious to know why they weren't allowed anywhere near their younger selves. For someone like his self, he had minimal knowledge of what time travel was and how it worked. But did any of that really matter right now?

So, instead of standing around asking questions about time travel, Stanley faintly smiled at the both of them. They smiled back at him as they glanced over to their left at their small house. Stanley looked over at their house too.

"Go on sweetheart," Melinda mumbled, "we'll wait here."

Stanley hesitated for a moment before working up the courage to go over to their house. His heart was pounding rapidly because he was so nervous. But what's there to be nervous about anyway? He did want to learn more about his grandfather didn't he? This could be the only chance he gets at finding out what happened to him.

Many years have passed. Stanley sighed once more as he began making his way over to their house. He walked up the stairs. Standing outside on the front porch, he peaked inside through a small window. Amelia and Melinda were at their small wooden table, sitting across from eachother. The small fireplace was burning. Just faintly, he could hear the fire popping as the wooden logs continued to burn. Light gray smoke was rising up into the chimney and out into the air. When he realized that his grandfather wasn't inside, he turned around to look back down at Amelia and Melinda. He didn't know at first that they were paying attention to him.

"I thought you said he'd be here?" Stanley shouted loudly down at Amelia and Melinda. "So where is he--."

Jack was seen walking towards the house. Stanley paused and stopped talking. At first, he was a little embarrassed. Only because he was impatient and curious to know where his grandfather was at a moment ago. He felt dumb for asking those questions now.

"You were saying?" Amelia shouted back up at Stanley.

He scoffed and shook his head a couple of times, followed by him faintly smiling. He looked down at the wooden floor, closing his eyes briefly. But when he opened them and raised his head, there his grandfather was standing. Right in front of him. He stared at him, shocked because he was so close to Jack. Stanley was so close to him, that if he held his hand out in front of him, he could touch his grandfather.

"Why? Why did you come here for help?" Stanley mumbled to himself, knowing that his grandfather wouldn't be able to hear him, muchless sense he was watching him. "Was this really the only option you had? I'm certain there were other options too."

Jack raised his right hand. He knocked on the front door three times. Stanley took one step backward. He once again looked inside through the small window. He could see Amelia and Melinda getting up out of their seats. They both walked over to the door. The door was opened cautiously. Amelia and Melinda both looked directly into Jack's eyes.

"Jack?" Amelia said, "what are you doing here so late? You know how dangerous it is at night, don't you?"

Jack nodded his head a couple of times as he briefly looked down at his feet. After traveling through many different biomes these past few days, he was exhausted. Hungry. Thirsty. Dirty.

"I wouldn't be here if it weren't important," Jack said as he raised his head to look back up at Amelia and Melinda. "May I come in? I'll explain everything once we're inside."

Amelia and Melinda both stepped aside, opening the door further to allow Jack to enter. Before the door closed, he rushed into the house behind his grandfather. Inside, it was warm and toasty, unlike outside where it was chilly.

"Tell me, Jack," Melinda said, "why have you come to us?"

Stanley stood silently over by the small wooden table, paying close attention to the conversation they were having. Jack had his back facing Stanley, while Amelia and Melinda did not. They were looking right ahead at Jack.

"They took them from me," Jack began to explain, "King Miraz's forces attacked my Village a few days ago. I was determined to protect my wife and son. So what did I do? I fled along with my family too."

Amelia and Melinda were quickly putting the pieces together one-by-one. It didn't take them long to figure out why Jack had come to see them. EVerytime he needed help with something, they would belp him anyway they could.

"I once read this book about wizardry and sorcery a while back," Jack said, "in that book, I read about this potion that could turn anyone into an animal."

"The transformation potion," Amelia said as she turned her head over to the left to look at Melinda. "That's the potion he read about in that book."

Jack took one step forward towards Amelia and Melinda. They both turned their heads to look back over at him.

"That's why you came to us, wasn't it?" Melinda asked. Jack nodded his head, putting his hands behind his back.

"Yes," Jack answered, "this is the only way I'll be able to save my family and stop King Miraz once and for all. Can you help me? Please?"

Amelia sighed as she put her right hand behind her back. Reaching deep into her inventory, she grabbed a single glass bottle out from it. The liquid inside was a dark green color. Before handing the bottle of potion over to Jack, Amelia mentioned a couple of things to him. Things he needed to know and be warned about.

"If you drink this, there's no turning back," Amelia began to explain, "for the remainder of your life, you'll be trapped inside the animal of your choosing. Once that happens, we won't be able to help you anymore. Are you sure you still want to proceed?"

"Yes!" Jack answered as he held his hand out. Hesitant to hand the transformation potion over to Jack, Amelia began shaking her head.

"Please Jack," she began to beg, "please, don't do this. There are other ways we could stop King Miraz."

"You're right. There are other ways. But even those won't be worth trying," Jack explained, "this is my choice, not yours. Now may I please have the bottle?"

"Fine," Amelia said as she began quivering her lips, trying her utmost best to hide her emotions. But Jack and Melinda saw right through her emotions, especially Jack. "I know now that I won't be able to stop you from doing this. Just promise us one thing," Amelia continued.

"What's that?" Jack responded.

"You'll never forget about us. Can you promise us that?" Melinda said.

Jack sighed heavily one time. After giving him the potion, they both hugged him one last time. It was a hug that they'd cherish for the rest of their lives. The memories the three of them shared will also never be forgotten.

"Don't worry, I won't," Jack responded, "you'll always have a place in my heart."

After they stopped hugging, Melinda and Amelia took a few steps back from Jack. As much as they didn't want him to leave and transform into a creature, they couldn't stop or prevent him from trying.

As Stanley continued to watch the three of them converse and say their goodbye's, the three of them suddenly vanished. He was the only blockhead inside. He was confused and disorientated.

"What the heck?" He questioned, "where'd everyone go?"

It was just then that the front oak wood door opened. Stanley quickly looked over at it, seeing Amelia and Melinda walk inside. Amelia walked in first, with Melinda right behind her. Melinda closed the door behind them.

"Now you know," Melinda said, "he was desperate for a solution, so we gave him one. But doing so, left us feeling miserable and guilty. That night was the last time we saw eachother. Since then, his whereabouts remain a mystery."

"Then let's find him then," Stanley said, "How hard could it be? If he did drink that potion and turned into a creature, then it can't be that hard to find and locate him, right? How hard could that be?" Stanley continued.

"Harder than it sounds," Amelia stated, "the OverWorld is a vast, endless place. For all we know, he could be anywhere. The only question is--is where?"

As Stanley, Amelia, and Melinda began talking about finding Jack, Queen Mileena was still lying down on a table in the medical treatment room. Minnie, Ramona, and Sylvie were all present. King Miraz and Quintin had long vacated the room and the Castle. After waiting for a few minutes, Ramona went out into the hallway to make sure the coast was clear. Luckily enough, it was.

"My Queen," Ramona said as she turned around. Walking frantically back into the room from the hallway, shutting the oak wood door behind her. Minnie and Sylvie were standing over by the table where Queen Mileena was lying down on. "They're gone."

"We must hurry," Queen Mileena said as she sat up on the table, "is the Carriage ready?"

Minnie, Ramona, and Sylvie were all moving as fast as they could. Sylvie had reached back into her inventory to grab another potion out of it. Holding the potion in her right hand, the liquid inside of the bottle was red. By pulling the cork out of the bottle, Sylvie handed the bottle over to Queen Mileena.

She snatched the bottle out of Sylvie's hand and held it up to her mouth. She tilted her head back and began drinking the potion. Once the liquid was all gone, she handed the bottle back over to Sylvie. Red bubbles began floating up into the air from her body. Queen Mileena turned to her right to where her legs were dangling over the side of the table. Ramona and Minnie grabbed both of her hands as she jumped down onto the floor.

"Do they know?" Queen Mileena asked as she looked straight ahead of her at Minnie, staring directly into her eyes. Minnie nodded her head once in response.

"I sent a messenger," Minnie answered, "they'll know in time."

"I'm impressed your majesty," Ramona mentioned as she took a bow and some arrows out of her inventory. She took one step closer to Queen Mileena, holding the bow and arrows out in front of her. Queen Mileena took them, putting the bow and arrows into her inventory. "The plan worked."

"I knew it would," Queen Mileena said, "my husband isn't one of the brightest blockhead. His judgement has been clouded by the fact that he'll lose this War."

"How can you be so certain he'll lose?" Minnie asked.

Queen Mileena turned her head and looked straight ahead of her at Minnie. She stared at her quietly for a moment, only smiling at her at first.

"I know some witches that can help me see into the future," Mileena responded, "but I must go now. Tell the Carriage driver he can leave. We have to make them think I'm fleeing the Kingdom in that carriage."

"What good is that going to do again?" Ramona asked.

"It's going to buy me enough time to warn them," Mileena responded.

After saying that, she held her arms out straight and tilted her head back. Purple smoke began swirling around her feet, quickly rising up. A moment later, she was fully engulfed in her own purple smoke. Minnie, Ramona, and Sylvie all took a couple of steps back. When the smoke dissipated, Queen Mileena had turned into a falcon.

She was flapping her wings to keep herself in the air. The potion she had drank was a healing potion. A potion that could instantly heal any wounds and restore perfect health. If this whole incident was planned by the Queen, what else could she be hiding from the King?