I have to say that I've really been getting into Epic Mickey ever since the second one came out. I was just flipping through youtube videos on Epic Mickey and I came across this video that had the song Brother my Brother playing with clips from the game. I absolutely loved it and I was inspired to write this story. And seeing as how no one has done a songfic for Epic Mickey yet I thought I would be the first to do so. I hope you all enjoy and please make sure to review afterwards. I'm sorry to say that I had to remove the song from this story due to the fact that I got a message from Fanfiction that I could get in trouble. And if your wondering this apparently is a new rule that is going to be for everyone, just so you guys know.
"Before that, I used to be popular- a star! Until YOU stole my popularity mouse."
"My name is Mickey."
"Believe me, I know."
"For years I've looked at this mountain of your stuff- wondering why YOU got all the success I deserved."
Oswald hadn't regretted those words he'd snapped at the mouse. Why was it that HE got all the fame instead of Oswald himself, why had his father never come back for him like he'd promised? Why was it him that was the one to fade and end up here? Yes he was loved here, but he used to be loved by the world. How could they have so easily forgotten?
Mickey gazed at the statue of Walt and Oswald and couldn't help wondering why Oswald had tried so hard to push him away. Mickey understood Oswald's jealousy toward him, but they were brothers, or at least they were suppose to be. Through his years of building hatred the king of Wasteland seemed to have forgotten.
Mickey had always wanted a brother, but Oswald didn't seem to want anything to do with him. The mouse gazed up at the statue again as he wondered to himself, "how did we turn out so differently?"
"I caused the Thinner Disaster."
Oswald was shocked. Here he was, about to forgive the mouse, when he goes and confesses something like this. He could feel the hatred building up inside him again at an alarming rate. How could the mouse just not say anything before?
"You?!" Oswald hissed, "I should have known! You stole my life AND ruined my home!"
Oswald was ready to fight the one that had been responsible for him loosing everything: his heart, his darling Ortensia, his fame, and now his kingdom. His anger blinding him from anything else at that moment, focusing solely on the mouse, unaware that the surface beneath his feet was cracking.
Mickey knew Oswald would be angry with him after he told the truth, but this seemed to be much more than just simple anger. Mickey had hoped that maybe Oswald would find it in his heart to forgive him, but then the mouse remembered that Oswald had lost his heart, because of him. His brother had lost everything and it was all Mickey's fault. He felt terribly and was unsure what to do now. How could he possibly fix all the damage he'd done?
Before they knew it the Blot was out and Mickey was faced with the monster he'd created, now so much bigger than he remembered. The Blot snatched up Oswald and Gus and demanded for Mickey's heart, the one thing that would allow him to go back to the real world. But when Mickey gazed up at his brother and new friend he knew that he had to give it up.
Even if Oswald hated him he still would save him because that's just who he was, the hero. He bravely let the Blot take his heart, feeling the sudden emptiness of its absence, an emptiness that Oswald must feel everyday. Mickey understood Oswald now, he could feel what Oswald was feeling and any anger he might have held towards his brother disappeared with his new truth.
Oswald gazed at the Walt statue he'd created and thought about what the mouse had just done, what he had given up for him and Gus.
"Ya know, folks here would die for a Heart. And you GAVE UP yours! To save a gremlin you just met!" Oswald had shouted at him.
"You'd have done the same" he replied simply.
This caught Oswald off guard. The mouse really believed, despite how nasty he'd been, that there was still good in Oswald. Though this really touched the rabbit he couldn't help asking himself, "would I have really done the same for him?"
But despite that Oswald finally realized something that he hadn't been able to before, the mouse gave up his Heart because he cared for Oswald even though Oswald didn't feel the same. There was so much love within the mouse that it never stopped, and it was through that love that he was able to find courage to do what needed to be done. Turning back Oswald used the mouse's name for the first time in years, "and Mickey… now I really DO see why he liked you."
Mickey gazed up at the stone Ortensia and felt another wave of guilt. He caused this to happen; he knew he'd feel the same if he'd lost Minnie. Mickey couldn't imagine what kind of pain Oswald must have been going through, and still going through now.
"I'm so sorry. I messed up" Mickey apologized again.
"You didn't mean to. I believe that now" Oswald replied, no trace of anger in his voice anymore, "seems we both need some forgiveness, Mickey." He held out his hand once again, but hesitated, "wait, any more confessions?"
"No" Mickey replied, slightly confused.
"You didn't create the Mad Doctor?"
"No"
"Kidnap anybody?"
"No!" Mickey was starting to get annoyed.
"Brain-swapping?"
"SHAKE!" Mickey said before Oswald could ask anymore.
But when they were just about to shake, just about to start over, the Blot snatched Oswald up.
"Oswald!"
The way Mickey had shouted his name formed a promise that he would save Oswald and sure enough the brave mouse wasted no time jumping in after him. Oswald was stuck to the Blot, unable to move but glad to see Mickey appear at his side, feeling better with him here.
"Gus is going to free you while I get rid of the bloticles around my heart, you're going to be ok Oswald, I promise. We will end this and find a way to fix Wasteland, count on that."
Mickey wanted to help Oswald fix his home? The mouse had once again managed to touch him, Mickey didn't have to help him, but yet he was willing to. Mickey's love really was endless even to someone like Oswald that felt he didn't deserve it.
As Oswald waited for Mickey to get all the bloticles he had time to think about how so much had changed between them in such a short time. And then Oswald thought of something that he hadn't before. Before he'd faded he saw Mickey in all those films and he hadn't realized how similar Mickey was to him. His father hadn't forgotten about him after he was taken. He'd created Mickey from his likeness and as a brother, not a replacement. Someone that could one day find him and bring him back where he belonged.
Why hadn't he seen that before? He should have known there was so much more to Mickey than what he thought, he should have known that his father would have kept his promise. Oswald should have known a lot of things, but his anger had gotten in the way of him realizing it.
The heart was free at last!
As Mickey rushed to get his falling heart, finally free of the Blot's clutches. But Oswald was the one to catch it. The rabbit stared at the heart in awe. It was the sole object that he'd longed for for so many years and now it was in the palm of his hand.
Mickey dropped down across from him and Oswald gazed up to the true owner of the heart. They stared at each other for a moment before Oswald gazed back down at the heart.
He could leave, he could finally get out of Wasteland and become a star again, all he needed to do was take the heart, it seemed so simple.
You don't have to be this way
Think about the consequences
Turn around and walk away
It would be so easy to just forget everything that happened and leave his little brother behind, but Oswald reminded himself Mickey had given up this very heart to save him.
"You'd have done the same" those words echoed in his head as he looked up at Mickey. It was this heart that allowed Mickey to say something like that, to love someone who'd forgotten how to. Oswald stared down at the glowing heart and sighed. He knew what he had to do, even if it meant giving up the thing he'd yearned for, but this heart wasn't his. If he'd ever go back to the real world it would be with his own heart, not a stolen one. He couldn't just turn his back on Mickey, not after all he'd done for Oswald.
Taking a deep breath Oswald stepped forward and held out the heart, it floated out of his hands and back into Mickey, where it belonged. Mickey looked so happy that Oswald had returned his heart. In that moment Oswald and Mickey seemed to have a connection that they hadn't before, one that destroyed the walls Oswald had built around himself for so long and at last letting the light back in, chasing away the darkness.
One remote zap and colorful explosion later Mickey and Oswald were soaring through the air, leaving a trail of colored light in their wake.
Mickey returned up to the real world, where a very angry Yen Sid was waiting for him with a much-deserved scowl. Oswald returned down to Wasteland where a shower of paint transformed the broken world back into its former glory. But it was not just the buildings that were restored, Oswald gazed down as the stone Ortensia started to gain color back until she stood and gazed around.
"Ortensia!" Oswald exclaimed.
"Oswald!" she squealed and leapt into his waiting arms, covering him in kisses.
"I missed you so much" Oswald said, tears of joy slipping down his cheeks.
There weren't any words for how much he'd missed her and it was all thanks to his brother that he was hugging her now.
Through all the celebration Oswald spotted a shimmering rectangle at the end of Mean Street. When he got closer he realized it was a mirror and Mickey was looking out on the other side. Oswald rushed up to the mirror and introduced him to Ortensia who he bowed to politely.
The two brothers gazed at each other for a long time, they'd overcome so much in saving Wasteland. Mickey placed a hand on the mirror and Oswald placed his hand in the same place, both sharing a smile.
"I want you to know, that just because I'm here now doesn't mean you'll never see me again. I'll always be there when you need me, brother."