miss minerva mouse

“They are. One of the best next to the dahlia.” Wednesday shook her head. “I actually find the inside less exciting truthfully.” She sat down on one of the benches. “Gardens are one of my favourite places to visit. The flowers one keeps says a lot and you can always find a good poison amongst them,”

“dahlia’s are quite lovely,” minnie murmured in agreement, before taking a seat beside the girl and automatically smoothing out the wrinkles in her skirt. “well, i don’t believe you’re the only one. my daughter’s similar - though her interest in the gardens are usually to avoid excitement rather than seek it out. as for the poison - well. there’s rather too many gorgeous flowers among them to entirely avoid having something dangerous out there. just don’t go eating anything that isn’t a canapé, hmm?” she continued, throwing in a wink to prevent the mood veering too morbid.

FULL MOON BALL.

🐭⠀  ⠀ ⠀  ⠀ ───────────  it   wasn’t   often   that   mickey   was   seen   by   the   public.   he   was   a   private   man   who   prefered   to   do   his   work   behind   the   scenes.   however   when   it   came   to   his   wife,   mickey   would   do   just   about   anything.   that   meant   helping   her   with   her   endless   flower   orders   for   valentine’s   day.   it   was   also   a   nice   distraction   given   his   catacombs   had   been   broken   into   not   too   long   ago.   what   artifacts   were   stolen   he   didn’t   know   yet.      “   you   have   a   better   eye   for   this   than   i   do.   ”      he   told   his   wife   as   he   attempted   his   own   very   sad   bouquet.      “   roses   are   always   a   classic.   a   true   staple   of   love.   i   don’t   know.   maybe   add   some   cherry   blossoms   or   sweet   peas   to   stay   with   the   color   scheme.   ”

🎀

it was heartwarming, even while being entirely expected after all these years, that all minnie had to do was ask and mickey would be there to fill valentine’s day orders with her. despite being clearly, endearingly, a little lost and out of his depths. “it comes from the heart, darling. and a decent amount of practice,” she replied, amusement glimmering in her eye as she gave his arm an assuring pat. at his suggestions, she turned a critical eye to her arrangement once more, mapping out colors and positioning in her mind. “sweet pea, and maybe some baby’s breath, i think,” she decided with a definitive nod. she paused to pluck out one of said sweet pea flowers, but tucked it behind his ear instead of adding it to the bouquet. “see, your eye is plenty good.”

minnie hummed to herself in thought, making slight adjustments to the display of flowers in front of her. she stepped back, considering, before casting around for a second opinion and gesturing over the first person who made eye contact. “tell me what you think, dear - too much on the roses? they’re a classic, of course, especially for valentine’s day, but i do wonder if some variety will do this some good.”

melody mouse.

“ everything stays right where you left it / everything stays / but it still changes. ”

༶ ⋆

still thinking about whether she should address her as sorceress, or just avoid the matter entirely … it was the drop of her surname that froze up serena yet again. “melody mouse …” she echoed, before quickly doing a half-curtsey herself. her cheeks tinted pink with embarrassment. “oh, i’m serena fain — you saw my booth?” a small smile broke through. “thank you so much — goodness, i feel like i’ve said thank you a million times tonight…”

she bit her bottom lip, thinking of a way to come back to her normal self — not someone so awestruck by the elias high society around her that imposter syndrome rendered her permanently nervous or embarrassed. “your name,” she began, her voice steadier. “melody. it kind of suits how beautiful your magic is … it reminded me of how music might look like if it could be seen. is that your main ability? generating light?” she asked with a polite but encouraging smile.

🔮

“oh, you really don’t need to thank me, i’m just... around. helping out,” melody replied, waving a hand dismissively. she hadn’t really had much influence over the gala, and there was always a little bit of discomfort when people thanked her, anyway. especially when they were thanking her for her family’s work. not that she didn’t appreciate it. it was just... uncomfortable. always had been. she was working on it. “but yes! i remember seeing your booth - your designs are incredible. unforgettable, even.”

she blinked in surprise at what serena said next, caught off guard. “oh,” she breathed. her face felt hot, and the awareness she was definitely blushing wasn’t helping her stop blushing. this girl - serena, remember her - had somehow pinpointed a perfect compliment. her magic was like music. what a way to phrase that. “thank you. um. i do actually play music - piano, specifically, but no. that was just, you know, a party trick. nothing special. i focus - or focused, i’ve stepped away from some elements.” she winced, self aware of her own stumbling and nervously tucking some hair behind her ear. she paused a moment - maybe the amount of people here was beginning to overwhelm her - before continuing to actually give an answer, goodness gracious melody. “sorry. i can do a few things, but i’ve always been most interested in divination.”

༶ ⋆

we’ve opened the manor …? the phrase echoed in serena’s mind, her eyebrows rising a little with pleasant surprise at the speaker. there was something familiar about her, but not in the way that serena had met them before. more like, she felt she should know them. the stranger was important, but she couldn’t tell yet why. 

serena chuckled a bit as the stranger mentioned the fairy tale. and then a clear gasp as the blue light appeared.

“ oh my goodness, are you a … a… ? a sorceress ? i’m so sorry, i don’t know the correct term, i don’t wish to offend, ” she stammered, but her smile couldn’t help but break through. “ that was so beautiful ! are you … may i ask who you are ? “

🔮

melody gave a quiet laugh at the gasp. it was a small joy whenever she got to show off a little magic to those who weren’t so surrounded by it. it helped her appreciate it more, really. “sorceress works. or wizard. i believe the terminology is a little nebulous,” she assured at the girl’s stammering, aiming for the gentle ease her mother wore so well. perhaps her tone was still a little too coloured by her amusement to fully nail it, but there was definitely no offense in her words. 

she blinked in surprise at the question - for better or worse, events like these were often filled with people who spoke to her mostly due to who she was. “oh! i’m melody,” she said with a smile, hesitating for a brief moment before she continued. “melody... mouse. at your service.” she lifted her skirt in a small, only half-serious curtsey, before quickly adding; “and you? i thought i saw you at one of the booths at some point.”

🐭⠀  ⠀ ⠀  ⠀ ───────────    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.   ”

🔮

melody’s expression turned pleased at his answer. it was good for him, to see the people he was protecting. to step out of his isolation and have a good time. it was all too easy to get trapped in your head if you were alone too long, and she didn’t want that for her father. she wanted moments like this, at the edge of a party with his arm around her shoulders. it was comforting. she knew ozzy would scoff at the sentiment, were she ever to express it to him. but if he wanted to scoff, he’d have to actually be here. for all his faults, at least her father was here.

melody didn’t turn to look at him immediately when he started answering her question. instead, she shifted her focus from the stars to his reflection, looking at the way he was looking at her. there was a rabbit hole opening, of worry about his potential worry about her original worry. but instead of following it, she did her best to push it aside and close it off. she forced herself to relax, halting her tapping and relaxing the parts of her that had been slowly tensing. instead, she turned her head to look at him properly, and gave a nod. “okay,” she murmured. there were holes she could poke, she was sure. there was a whole slew of maybe’s that would ruin this assurance. but, she reminded herself, maybe’s were not certainties. potential was just that - potential. they’d done the best they could and maybe the anxious dread wasn’t gone, but it was soothed. “okay,” she repeated, moving closer to wrap her dad in a proper hug for a moment. “parties look good on you, you know. you really should get out more. otherwise i’m going to have to start telling people you don’t exist, and then no one will take you seriously when you do emerge from your hermit cave,” she teased as she pulled away with a grin, a little eager to transition away from the previous topic.

where: elias gala

“oh, the dress? it’s a daisy duck original, of course!” minnie beamed, showing her dress off with a small curtsey and a sparkle in her eye. “i could gush about her all day, really, but if i started gushing about her, i’d gush about everyone who has something on display too and then i’d never stop talking. the people of elias really are a wonder, aren’t they?” she took a sip from her champagne, taking a moment to let her eyes wander over the crowd assembled for the event. she always loved a gala. her time in new york had tested that love, but she’d found daisy there so she could never truly dislike that time. and here, in this city she adored? with all the people she adored? yes, she loved a gala. she hoped for many more to come. “i do hope people are enjoying themselves,” she added, turning her warm gaze back to the latest person to catch her in a conversation.