it all started with a mouse

☽ 𝙵𝚄𝙻𝙻 𝙼𝙾𝙾𝙽 𝙱𝙰𝙻𝙻 ☾

🐭⠀  ⠀ ⠀  ⠀ ───────────   mickey   could   already   hear   the   earful   he   was   going   to   receive   as   he   headed   towards   the   pendragon   apothecary.   the   mayor   wore   a   cloaking   broach   to   disguise   himself   from   citizens.   he   didn’t   have   time   for   questions   nor   did   he   have   answers   to   give   on   the   recent   events   that   were   happening   in   the   city.   little   by   little   word   was   getting   back   to   him   of   what   was   taking   place.   the   man   feared   that   some   wicked   was   upon   them   yet   again.   

“   is   the   wizard   enjoying   his   vacation   ?   ”      mickey   asked   as   he   entered   the   doors   and   took   off   his   broach.   the   doors   had   locked   behind   him,   the   sign   flipping   to   close   to   ensure   no   one   would   enter.      “   i   heard   he   was   on   an   eat,   pray   love   venture.   ”      mickey   joked   to   ease   some   tension   but   knowing   very   well   he   couldn’t   hide   anything   from   donald.      “   in   lighter   news.   the   prince   that   maleficent   cursed   is   awake   now.   i   don’t   know   how   yet   but   he   seems   to   be   on   the   mend.   on   the   other   end   of   it,   three   more   people   have   gone   missing.   there’s   no   trace   of   them   but   the   broomsticks   did   say   they   saw   something   the   other   night.   ”      he   made   sure   to   create   some   space   between   him   and   his   old   friend   knowing   the   next   part   would   upset   him.      “   and   ..   its   seems   as   though   someone   has   gotten   into   my   catacombs   of   artifacts.   two   amulets   are   missing.   i   fear   she’s   up   to   something   as   per   usual.   not   her   little   tricks   but   something   along   the   lines   of   what   she   did   with   hades.   ”

LOCATION: the mall .

🐭⠀  ⠀ ⠀  ⠀ ───────────    “   c’mon   man,   it’s   christmas.   hey-   ”      mid-altercation   with   a   mall   elf,   ozzy   stopped   someone   to   hopefully   help   de-escalate   the   situation.      “   tell   him   I’m   not   too   old   to   meet   santa.   i   wanna   tell   him   what   a   good   boy   i’ve   been   this   year.   ”

𝚃𝙰𝚂𝙺 𝟸𝟻; 𝙽𝙴𝚇𝚃 𝙶𝙴𝙽.

                    OZZY MOUSE.

it all started with a mouse ... and yes it’s this mouse. ozzy’s existence is the reason why elias is here and why walt academy exists. for a good chunk of his life his dad lied to ozzy and his sister about their powers because of that when they did manifest, ozzy didn’t know how to control them. he was a danger to himself and to everyone else. instead of helping he built a school for his kids to help them. obviously, that created some tension between ozzy and mickey that caused ozzy to dip after graduation but what really sealed the deal was when mickey took ozzy’s mortality away without his permission. that earned his dad a good punch in the face and ozzy leaving for a second time. he’s back and please don’t associate him with his dad. his mom and sister though ? he’d do anything for them. 

LOCATION: the office of michael mouse .

🐭⠀  ⠀ ⠀  ⠀ ───────────    the   only   people   who   ever   got   a   glimpse   of   the   king   was   his   wife,   donald,   gavin   his   daughter   and   the   keykids.   outside   of   that,   residents   of   elias   rarely   saw   mickey.   he   had   heard   the   news   of   what   had   happened.   while   some   might   think   mickey   wasn’t   in   the   loop   he   very   much   was.   it   was   moments   like   this   he   felt   utterly   powerless.   maleficent   grew   stronger   and   the   mayor   was   left   at   a   standstill   of   what   to   do.   could   he   help   philip   ?   without   his   staff   he   was   utterly   useless.   mickey   was   in   the   middle   of   paperwork   when   his   office   was   buzzed.   jiminy   had   informed   the   king   that   the   resident   who   wanted   to   see   him   refused   to   leave   without   seeing   so.   many   requests   came   in   and   they   were   often   turned   away   but   when   it   was   mentioned   this   person   was   the   brother   of   the   cursed   prince,   well,   mickey   made   an   exception.   he   allowed   the   prince   in.   

riku swiveled around to face him, drawn in by the warmth in his voice. in many ways, mickey was more like a father figure to him than a friend. he had been there through it all and had never left there side. but he was right. it was a waste of time to practice fake smiles that would never be seen. as he glanced at the king, his shoulders relaxed and the tension vanished.

“you should follow your own advice. how about this: i’ll make an effort to give this whole thing a go, but you mustn’t be to hard on yourself. it is impossible to change the fact that you are a legend. there is nothing for you to live up too. hey. if they can’t see that, they shouldn’t be here”

🐭⠀  ⠀ ⠀  ⠀ ───────────    seeing   riku   relax   made   a   smile   appear   on   mickey’s   features.   he   often   worried   the   most   about   riku.   he   had   been   through   so   much   in   these   past   few   years.   a   lot   mickey   blamed   himself   for.      “   i’m   not   very   good   at   following   my   own   advice.   perhaps   i’ll   try   this   time.   for   you.   ”      his   features   were   gentle   as   riku   spoke,   nodding.      “   deal.   i   expect   you   to   report   back   at   the   end   of   the   night   and   tell   me   about   all   the   fun   you   had   and   i’ll   ...   give   myself   some   grace.   ”

Sora knew that there was a lot more to Mickey than he showed. He knew that a lot of work went into keeping the town safe and protecting life the way they knew it. Sora had seen it himself and he was grateful for the mentors he had.  “Yeah, well it’s hard not to with how great everything is.” Sora laughed. “Well, I’m sure some fresh air wouldn’t hurt, sir. It’s not good to lock yourself away either. Donald says that too. I think he worries about you.”

🐭⠀  ⠀ ⠀  ⠀ ───────────  there   was   a   part   of   mickey   that   wished   to   be   out   and   about   with   everyone   in   the   city.   he   wanted   to   spend   more   time   with   those   he   loved   but   with   danger   looming   over   them   the   mayor   felt   it   was   better   if   he   stayed   hidden.   to   make   sure   work   got   done   but   also   for   safety.      “   minnie   and   i   did   our   best   to   make   sure   everyone   would   enjoy   themselves.   ”      mickey   replied.      “   you’re   probably   right.   i   should   step   outside   my   office   more   than   i   do.   ”      a   small   smile   appeared   on   mickey’s   features   when   sora   mentioned   donald   worrying   about   him.   he   might   have   drove   his   friend   to   the   edge   but   no   matter   what   donald   still   remained   one   of   his   closest   and   most   loyal   companions.      “   he   worries   too   much.   you   can   tell   him   i   said   that.   ”   

riku shook his head, brushing his words aside. despite the fact that he was right. he should have fun or at least try a little harder to find some enjoyment in this. yet. everything simply felt too…ordinary. and riku was always on the lookout for the other shoe to drop. “am I really so obvious?” he taunted the king about being too transparent. “sulley helped me get ready for this event. i even practiced my smile, but you know me. i can’t help myself. always in my head”

“well, I’m sure everyone is impressed. though-..” he responded, words now being said in whisper,“i’m pretty sure they were already impressed by you before the chocolate cake" 

🐭⠀  ⠀ ⠀  ⠀ ───────────   although   he   wasn’t   the   best   at   showing   it,   mickey   did   care   for   riku,   sora   and   kairi.   where   he   fell   short   with   his   own   children   he   tried   to   make   up   for   it   in   them.   they   were   after   all   fighting   this   grand   fight.   making   sure   they   were   okay   was   at   least   something   he   could   do.      “   i’m   afraid   so.   ”      he   teased,   a   hand   gently   placed   on   riku’s   shoulder.      “   ah,   that   makes   sense.   i’m   sure   sulley   has   been   to   many   parties   like   this   given   what   i   know.   i   know,   riku.   you   even   coming   out   here,   dressed   so   wonderfully,   your   smile   practiced   is   a   step   enough   but   please   do   try   to   enjoy   yourself.   even   if   it’s   for   a   dance.   ”

“   oh   i’m   sure   they   were   but   i   felt   the   need   to   live   up   the   legend   you   know   ?   ”

-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ-  

“ i apologise — i promise i’m usually not that rude. thank you for taking it in your stride, ” she said, shaking her head at herself. belle was mortified, and she collected herself while being quiet, making sure to hear what he had to say. “ well … she may have a point there, ” she admitted with a laugh. “ it’s already a night to remember. but it would be a wonderful display. ” she recalled the conversations she overheard; the people with a judgemental look in their eyes, who attended the gala to inspect the mouse family rather than enjoy it. belle had her own questions, that’s for certain, but she knew how to appreciate a gift; and the gala was definitely a grand one. 

“ and i am, thank you. it’s the first gala i’ve ever been to, and it’s been … tremendous. how has the night been for you ? ” 

🐭⠀  ⠀ ⠀  ⠀ ───────────        mickey   waved   off   her   apology,   a   smile   present   on   his   features.      “   no   apology   needed.   you   were   not   rude   whatsoever.   i   snuck   up   on   you.   ”      he   assured   her.   the   king’s   head   tilted   back   and   forth   in   agreement.      “   she   always   does.   ”      mickey   replied,   his   words   filled   with   nothing   but   admiration   for   his   wife.   “i’ll   remember   fireworks   for   the   next   event.”   he   told   her.   mickey   was   sure   somewhere   word   word   would   get   back   to   howl   and   the   wizard   would   be   on   firework   detail.   there   was   so   much   going   on   but   mickey   wanted   this   night   to   be   nothing   short   of   perfect.      “   your   first,   hm   ?   a   big   milestone.   it’s   been   wonderful   thus   far.   ”

if there was one thing melody felt she could relate to her father regarding, it was reclusive tendencies. yes, she wasn’t quite the ghost he was but, for all that she loved people as a concept, the anxiety that ate up her stomach at the sight of a crowd still lingered. it was a good night, though. there was nothing to panic about. it felt… odd to have people inside the manor - people that weren’t family, blood or otherwise. a little uncomfortable, but a little like a step forward too. at least here, melody knew the places to duck away to if she needed a moment to herself like the back of her hand. despite her self-assurances and positive attitude and efforts to socialise, she found herself drifting to the edge of the room. then, upon catching an ever-familiar, ever-comforting presence out of the corner of her eye, drifting to a window to stand beside her father. she gave him a small smile, quickly fixing her eyes on the stars adorning the night sky. “of course. are you?” she replied, flicking her eyes back over to him briefly to give him a bright, teasing look. 

she stared out the window a few moments longer, fingers tapping idly on the windowsill as she turned an anxious little feeling over and over in her head. perhaps anxious wasn’t the best word - or not the only word. it wasn’t anxious the way she felt when looking at a crowd. it was anxious the way she’d felt when looking at the monsters attacking the city. dread, maybe. an anxious dread. “do you think…” she hesitated before completing the question. she shouldn’t need to ask someone else, really. she shouldn’t. her focus had been on the divinatory and oracular when learning magic. if she really wanted to know something, that was the exact kind of magic she’d need to pull on. she could just turn her head and pull her magic in the right way and then she wouldn’t need to worry about any surprises. but she knew that kind of thinking didn’t go well for her, so she did her best to release the thought with a small sigh. “do you think everything’s safe? no… monstrous surprises in store?” she finished, words quiet, watching her father out of the corner of her eye as her fingers tap, tap, tapped on the windowsill.

🐭⠀  ⠀ ⠀  ⠀ ───────────    looking   at   his   eldest   child   then   back   to   the   people   behind   them,   mickey   felt   a   tug   at   his   heart.   here   they   were   the   mouses,   opening   their   home   to   the   citizens   and   yet   a   crucial   part   of   their   family   was   absent.   they   weren’t   united   as   mickey   had   hoped   they   would   be.   mickey   was   well   aware   he   was   in   his   own   world   more   often   than   not   but   he   was   not   totally   blind   to   what   happened   to   his   family.   ozzy   leaving   made   him   be   more   present.   he   had   lost   one   kid,   mickey   didn’t   know   if   he   could   stand   to   lose   another.   melody’s   anxiety   was   something   he   had   known   about   since   she   was   young.   he   could   remember   her   first   panic   attack   so   vividly.   he   did   what   he   could   to   ease   the   weight   on   his   daughter’s   shoulders,   knowing   very   well   he   placed   that   responsibility   there.      “   i   am.   ”      and   his   answer   was   an   honest   one.   mickey   was   enjoying   himself.   for   someone   who   lived   a   very   private   and   reclusive   lifestyle   he   was   enjoying   the   party   more   so   than   he   thought   he   would.   

he   wrapped   one   arm   around   his   daughter’s   shoulders,   pulling   her   into   a   gentle   side   hug.   his   eyes   were   transfixed   on   the   night   sky   before   him   as   a   comfortable   silence   fell   upon   them.   moments   like   this   with   melody   were   fleeting.   the   king   couldn’t   remember   the   last   time   he   took   a   moment   to   breathe   and   just   spend   time   with   his   daughter.   a   poor   reflection   of   his   parental   skills.   he   often   envied   gavin   and   donald   because   they   were   far   better   fathers   then   he’d   ever   be.   his   gaze   was   pulled   at   the   sound   of   light   tapping.   an   anxious   tick.   one   minnie   had   made   him   aware   of   in   hopes   to   be   more   helpful   in   situations   like   this.   he   pulled   away   and   turned   to   give   melody   his   full   attention.   her   concerns   were   just.   after   everything   they   had   been   through   in   the   last   year   it   was   hard   to   let   one’s   guard   down   even   during   joyous   occasion   such   as   this   one.      “   they   are   the   safest   they’ll   ever   been   in   this   manor   tonight.   ”      mickey   assured   his   daughter.      “   i’ve   done   all   i   can   to   keep   the   house   secured.   there’s   security   detail   at   every   entrance,   surveillance   and   protection   spells.   there   will   be   no   surprises   tonight   from   maleficent.   i   assure   you,   mija.   ”

Sora was patiently waiting for Haven to finish her conversation with another scientist there. He loved how smart she was and she was great at explaining things to him but right now he wanted her to just talk without having to explain anything to him. He was sipping his drink when Mickey appeared. He didn’t see the man as much as he used to. “Oh, hey, sir, it’s nice to see you.” His grin was bright with excitement. “I’m having a great time. Didn’t think I’d see you here though. Donald said you’re too anti-social to come out.” 

🐭⠀  ⠀ ⠀  ⠀ ───────────   a   bright   smile   fell   upon   mickey’s   features   as   he   looked   at   sora.      “   it’s   nice   to   see   you   as   well,   sora.   ”      it   had   been   a   minute   since   mickey   had   seen   sora.   he   was   cooped   up   in   his   office   before   but   now   it’s   practically   the   only   place   he   resided.      “   good.   i’m   glad   you’re   enjoying   yourself.   i   thought   i’d   surprise   everyone   and   come.   ah,   yup,   that   sounds   like   something   he   would   say.   ”

“enjoying as much as I can” from this distance, they appeared to be stars as riku shifted his attention away from the window and the external environment that was lit with the most exquisite set of lights. a pleasant diversion from the on-going crowds and loud music, long enough for lingering thoughts and small conversations. 

“i sincerely hope you’re having a good time, your Majesty.  you’ve really outdone yourself this time. chocolate cake and ice cream all in one place. who are you trying to impress?” light hearted words spoken with one hand in his pocket,  expression tinged with the faintest hint of a smile.

🐭⠀  ⠀ ⠀  ⠀ ───────────   “   you   deserve   to   enjoy   yourself,   riku.   even   for   one   night.   ”      mickey   told   him   with   a   gentle   smile.   he   was   all   too   aware   of   the   pressure   he   had   put   on   sora   and   riku.   tonight   was   a   night   of   relaxation   for   everyone.   he   only   hoped   riku   took   advantage   of   that   and   left   the   keyblade   at   home.      “   I   am   having   a   good   time,   thank   you.   i   was   apprehensive   to   be   out   and   about   but   it’s   been   nice   thus   far.   well,   i   am   a   big   fan   of   chocolate   cake   you   know.   ”      he   laughed.      “   i   guess   i’m   trying   to   impress   everyone   in   the   city.   if   we’re   being   honest   here.   ”