"I only hope that we don't lose sight of one thing – that it was all started by a mouse." - Walt Disney
The imagination is a beautiful, incredible thing. Human civilization is propelled by the ideas and creativity of countless individuals. By pursuing their dreams and allowing their imaginations to manifest, the top minds of the world have succeeded in bringing new technology to the world, advanced society to greater heights, and – most importantly – brought happiness to millions.
There is a dark side to the human mind's imagination, however. Darkness lingers even within the purest of souls, and one's more malevolent ideas can manifest into something destructive. That darkness even has the ability to overwhelm the goodness within one's own heart.
This is the story of one inspirational man's many worlds, a tale of a shining light in the midst of despair's deepest darkness, a battle between the light and dark of one's mind. A work that honors countless years of history and the combined efforts of many creative minds.
But, of course, it must be noted that it was all started by a mouse.
The sharp, ear-piercing ring of a twin-bell alarm clock echoed throughout the bedroom, its sound reverberating off the colorfully-painted walls and bouncing back to the source of the noise. Such an abrupt noise didn't go unnoticed by the room's sole occupant, who immediately began struggling with the heavy blankets that weighed down on him.
"Ow! Oof! Ah ah ah!" His high-pitched voice cried, his ears twitching sensitively. The person's hearing was clearly sensitive to the ruthless alarm. After a few more seconds of violent flailing, he managed to fling the covers off his body, sending them flying against the wall. Light peered in from a window's blinds. This caused the recently-awakened denizen of the room to cover his sensitive eyes, allowing them to adjust to the light as his heartbeat returned to a normal pace.
"Phew!" He gasped, leaping from the bed once fully recovered. He landed quite easily on the wooden floor at the foot of his bed, placing him in front of the vanity positioned directly across from it. Staring back at him were two wide eyes, positioned perfectly and evenly with his black button-nose at the center of a rounded face. Two circular black ears twitched at the top of his head, and the cheery animal couldn't help but giggle fondly at the sight of the twitching appendages.
'Yup! It's still me…!' The animal thought to himself, blinking a few times as he cocked his head to the side. 'No matter what day it is, big or small, you're still your old self...Mickey Mouse!' That comforting thought brought him a smile, which made its way across his lips and spread along his face.
A sudden scratching at the door tore the mouse's attention away from his own reflection, causing him to break his concentration somewhat. Loud barking made it clear who was attempting to claw their way inside. Mickey immediately rushed to the door, swinging it open and revealing a thin, yellow dog with black ears. The dog quickly began to nudge its head against its owner's leg eagerly.
"Good morning, Pluto!" Mickey greeted, patting the dog's head with a gloved hand. "Let me guess – you wanted to make sure I woke up on time?" He asked, his brows furrowing mischievously as he placed his hands on his hips. Pluto simply replied with a whine, its tail drooping slightly. His owner didn't seem to notice. "Well sorry pal – that was just the first of many extra-early alarm clocks I set for today." The mouse chuckled, dusting his hands together.
Yet Pluto continued to whine, pawing at the floor at Mickey's feet. Noticing the concerned look in his pet's eyes and his droopy ears, the mouse finally realized something was amiss. "Huh? What's wrong, boy?" He asked. Mickey suddenly felt his heart sink as dread washed over him. "Say...it wouldn't happen to have anything to do with me waking up early, would it?" His smile twitched into a nervous one.
Mickey's fears would only be confirmed when Pluto nodded, glancing past his owner's legs with sad eyes. Following the dog's line of sight, Mickey was forced to turn and face one of the opposite corners of the bedroom, where there rested a massive pile of twin-bell clocks identical to the one on his nightstand. Each one ticked away, though they were all well-past the time in which they were supposed to ring. It was only then that Mickey remembered that he had set his clock on the nightstand to ring the latest. His emergency clocks had failed.
"Oh no! I overslept!" Mickey shrieked, leaping out of his nightwear and landing face-first on the floor. Possessed by an energy that surpassed the one that seized him when he first awakened, the mouse began scrambling around the room, frantically preparing himself for the day. He slid into a pair of red shorts, wiggled his feet into yellow shoes, and combed his fur erratically while straightening his tail. Once he managed to make himself presentable, the mouse sprinted out of the room. Pluto followed closely behind, responding to Mickey's vigorous energy with his own barking.
Seconds after stepping out of his bedroom, Mickey could hear a continuous and sharp knocking at his door. "I'm coming, hold on!" He assured whoever was on the other side as he approached the only exit to his home. Somewhat hesitant of facing the wrath of the visitor, it took a few moments for him to well up the courage to actually follow through in greeting them.
Upon opening the door, however, Mickey was pleasantly surprised to see a female mouse that looked quite similar to him. She herself had quite an eye-catching look, with her red dress that had white polka dots, matching bow that was nestled between her ears, and bright-yellow stiletto-heeled shoes. Mickey's face lit up when he spotted the girl. "Oh! Minnie-"
In the same instance where the door had opened to reveal the house's occupants, Minnie had pulled a megaphone to her lips, shouting into it. "MICKEY MOUSE, GET OUT HERE THIS INSTANT-" The sheer volume of her amplified screaming sent Mickey and Pluto scooting backwards, nearly tripping over furniture as they moved.
Minnie pulled the large megaphone away from her vision to find Mickey and Pluto laying in a heap on the floor. She blinked a few times, as if perplexed by the sight. "Oh, there you are!" Her high-pitch voice pulled Mickey out of his stupor, causing him to glance up at her. His female companion quickly turned around, pulling the megaphone back to her mouth.
"Donald, he's awake! Hold off on the foghorn!" She bellowed. Her order echoed across the street, reaching a ferry that floated atop a man-made body of water. Minnie didn't give it much thought, returning her attention back to the two still laying on the hardwood floor. "Mickey, where have you been!? I've been knocking on your door for over an hour!" Her questioning immediately caused the male mouse to grimace as he rose to his feet.
"What, really? Oh gosh, I'm sorry!" He gasped, holding up his hands defensively. "Aw, jeez...I really am sorry, Minnie! I set my alarms, but I guess it wasn't enough." Minnie cocked her head to the side, confused.
"Huh? You slept through emergency alarms one through fifty? Every single one?" She asked.
"Yup..." Mickey replied, bowing his head in dismay. Minnie's expression slowly softened into one of concern as her arms dropped to her sides.
"Wow, you must have been really out of it..." She sighed. Her companion merely rubbed his arm sheepishly, but was quickly drawn from his hesitance when Minnie's attitude shifted back into a more demanding one. "Mickey Mouse! Don't tell me you were up all night because you were worried about today!" The girl cried, placing her hands on her hips once again.
"What!?" Mickey gulped nervously, his eyes widening. "O-Of course not! I must have stayed up a bit later because of how excited I was, maybe!" He suggested. The mouse began to rub his hands together vigorously. "We do the ceremony just about every year! I'm not worried one bit about how it'll go, haha!" Minnie continued to stare at him – clearly speculative of his statement. For a moment, Mickey felt a sense of worry. She may not have believed him.
"What? You were sleeping this whole time!?" An angry voice hollered. The two mice were fortunately drawn out of their conversation as they turned to watch a short, white duck wearing a blue sailor's uniform waddle towards them. The sound of his webbed feet patting against the pavement was easy to hear. It looked as if the newcomer was ready to storm at Mickey, who was forced to back away preemptively.
"N-Now hold on just a second, Donald! I can explain!" He began. Mickey was quickly cut off, however.
"Bah, there's no time!" The duck replied, shaking his fist at the mouse. "We're gonna be late, it's already the afternoon!" His words caused Mickey to begin panicking once again. "We have to get Goofy on the way to the castle, right now!" Donald suddenly grabbed the mouse's hand, before dragging him over the threshold. "Let's go, let's go, LET'S GO!"
"Whoa whoa whoa! Okay!" Mickey shouted, trying his best to keep himself standing while the unstoppable force that was Donald Duck pulled him through his driveway and out onto the street. As he fell onto his rear and was forced to watch himself be dragged away from his home, he shouted to the two they were leaving behind.
"Minnie! Can you do me a favor and watch Pluto until the ceremony?" He called. The mouse's request was immediately met with laughter.
"You bet! I'll take good care of Pluto!" She replied, doing her best to refrain her giggles. Mickey flashed her a thumbs up, holding the gesture until they were out of sight.
There was only a brief period of time where Mickey was at the mercy of his irritated companion's incessant grumbling and dragging before they arrived at their first destination. The antique but pleasant look of their suburban street was quickly replaced by rows of sunflowers, kept in line by a wooden gate that stretched across the side of the road. Donald was eventually able to find the familiar break in wooden posts, discovering the dirt road that led deeper within the field.
"Yikes! Donald! My shorts – they'll get dirty if you keep dragging me around!" Mickey cried once they were walking along the path. His complaints were met with a harsh glare.
"Be quiet! I'm still mad at you!" The duck hissed. Any other attempts to argue were met with a fit of angered babbling, all of which was incoherent to Mickey. He simply surrendered, resigned to having the bottom of his shorts soiled.
The duo eventually found themselves glancing up at a large red barn, its doors shut to the outer world. From the other side of the double doors, they could hear the sound of saws and drills buzzing. "Here...you be quiet!" Donald growled, dropping his companion to the ground. Mickey glanced up at him, annoyed, before picking himself off the ground and dusting himself off. "Goofy! Get out here! We're gonna be late!" Donald immediately began to shout, bashing his fists against the painted wooden wall. "GOOFY!"
Donald's shouting was met with continuous mechanical noise from within the barn. It was admittedly difficult to hear his words even to Mickey, who stood nearby. Once he realized that relentlessly pounding on the doors wasn't going to bring him any results, the duck gripped the handles of the entranceway before throwing them open. He quickly rushed inside, Mickey following closely behind. Due to the barn being relatively small, the two found themselves unable to walk a few feet inside without a large steel propeller glaring them down.
That propeller belonged to a biplane, which stood proudly at the center of the building. The barn was cleared of anything that didn't seem readily available to maintaining aircraft. Instead of stalls for horses, there were piles of scrap. Replacing chicken coops were toolboxes. Standing at the end of the plane was a rather tall individual, using a saw to modify the length of a landing skid.
Once Mickey and Donald approached him, they realized they were staring at a tall dog with floppy black ears, a long snout, and bucked teeth that jutted out. He wore loose clothing, as well as a patched green hat that sat atop his head. The two newcomers' presence was eventually made known when the dog noticed them out of the corner of his eye. He waved to them.
"Heya, fellas!" The dog greeted. His cordial greeting went unappreciated by Donald.
"Goofy! What are you doing – we're gonna be late for the ceremony!" He called. Goofy merely raised an eyebrow.
"What? It's too loud in here Donald, you're gonna have to speak up!" He replied. The duck's brows furrowed angrily, and he pulled up his sleeves.
"I SAID WE'RE GONNA BE LATE FOR THE CEREMONY!" The duck shrieked. Goofy blinked awkwardly a few times.
"WHAT? STILL CAN'T HEAR YA!"
"WE. ARE. GOING. TO BE. LATE. FOR. THE. CEREMONY!"
"WHAT!?"
Donald was losing his patience – a fact made quite apparent with how quickly his face was turning red. The duck ran to the wall, snatching the cord powering the saw Goofy was using before forcefully tugging it out of the power socket. This was successful in stopping their companion's work. "Goofy! We need to get going, or else we're gonna be la-"
"WHAT?" Goofy interjected, bellowing at the top of his lungs. His hearing was somehow still impaired. This was Donald's breaking point. He began to tremble, his face turning from red, to purple, before quickly returning to an even darker red. The others watched with worry as his body was seized by convulsions, his eyes twitching and his hands shaking furiously. Things turned violent when he began screaming, steam shooting out of his ears.
"BAAAAHHHHH! BAH BAH BAH!" Donald screamed, swinging his fist in every direction – hoping to hit every bit of air near him. Mickey was forced to step away, standing at Goofy's side. He watched the dog remove what appeared to be plugs from his floppy ears.
"Gawrsh, what's got him so upset?" Goofy questioned, genuinely concerned by the display his friend was putting on. Mickey let out a sigh, placing a hand to his face.
"Hiya, Goofy. You're working on the plane again?" Mickey asked, raising an eyebrow. At this point, Donald's raging was ignored. The dog nodded proudly.
"Yup! Soon the Barnstormer will be flyin' over Toon Town like any other plane would!" He boasted, puffing his chest out. "Been workin' real hard on it, so it'll have the Goofy-seal of approval, hyuck!" His chuckling was likable and infectious, though Mickey couldn't help but give him an anxious smile.
"Gee, that's great to hear, pal! But maybe try flying your plane somewhere that isn't over Toon Town. Just in case, you know?" The mouse suggested. Goofy paused, removing his hat so he could scratch the top of his head.
"Well, I suppose so..." He muttered thoughtfully. His attention was brought back to Donald when the duck let out another series of angry shouts, before collapsing. "Aw, cheer up, Donald! Tell ya what, why don't we take a little test flight on the plane? That should cheer you up, hyuck!" His companion immediately glared up at him, before leaping to his feet.
"No! No no no! We're gonna be LATE!" The duck screamed.
"He's right, Goofy. We're pressed for time as it is!" Mickey added, hoping to reason with him more than Donald could. "If we don't head to the castle real soon, we won't be ready for the ceremony on time!" Goofy paused for a second, eyeing the mouse with a look of confusion. He pondered what the mouse had said, his head cocking to the side. After a few moments, his face lit up – only to melt into one of horror mere seconds later.
"Oh, right! The ceremony!...OH RIGHT, THE CEREMONY!" The dog shouted, beginning to hop up and down wildly. "I completely forgot! We're gonna be late!" Without any hesitation Goofy grabbed a hold of his nearby companion, before dashing away with a speed most easily attributed to his long legs. Mickey, realizing they would lose Donald with how quickly Goofy was running, grabbed a hold of Donald by the scruff of his neck.
"Hey! Ow! Stop pulling!" Donald screeched, swinging his fists at the air in front of him as their tallest companion sprinted through the cornfield, returning to the road in mere seconds. Not amused by the duck's continuous violent behavior, nor him failing to notice the irony in taking umbrage to being dragged around, Mickey chose not to say anything as Goofy sprinted out of Toon Town – pulling them along the entire way.
There was something about Cinderella's Castle that could only be described as magical. As the dark sky of night stretched overhead, the building's beautiful elegance remained untouched by the lack of light. Floodlights stationed around the moat illuminated the castle's blue and white walls, giving it a radiant glow. Even the courtyard, while filled to the brim with excited villagers of different shapes and sizes at the time, managed to maintain its elegant dignity.
A drawbridge stood at the front of the castle, pointed away from the courtyard, aiming towards the sky. This meant that there was no way for anyone to move to or from the home of Cinderella herself, but the villagers knew it was only a matter of time before that would change. They were quite familiar with the process, and awaited with eager and bated breath. The tension formed by their excitement was almost tangible in the air – made even more potent by the summer night's hot temperature. Soon, chanting began to break out from within the crowd, egging for the drawbridge to open.
Standing just behind the castle's only entrance was Mickey, his hands balled into fists. His eyes trailed the large wooden drawbridge, before darting towards the two guardsmen manning the mechanism designed to lower it. The mouse took a deep breath, a bead of sweat rolling down his cheek. He did his best to avoid looking nervous or unsure around the knights.
Just when he felt as if he'd break, Mickey heard several different voices call out his name. Spinning around, he found Donald, Goofy, and Minnie racing towards him, their expressions a mixture of glee and nervousness. "Guys! There you are…!" Mickey gasped. He let out a sigh of relief as well when the others finally reached him. "Looks like you're all ready for the performance, aren'tcha?"
"You bet, ahyuck!" Goofy laughed, placing a hand to his stomach. "And we've got our front-row seats this time!" The dog then paused, tapping his fingers against his abdomen. "I can already tell this year will be even better! Even if you're..." He was suddenly cut off by Donald, who roughly nudged his side. It was clear Goofy was close to saying something distasteful. Mickey watched with a growing sense of dread in his stomach as his companion forcefully slapped a hand over his own mouth, silencing himself.
"You're going to do great, Mickey." Minnie assured the mouse, walking forward and holding one of his hands in both of her own. "I believe in you, so all you have to do is go out there and do your very best!" Her words and suddenly grabbing him caused Mickey to blush. She watched, amused, as his ears and tail began to twitch.
"Thanks, Minnie...with all my friends cheering me on like this, there's no way I can mess up the ceremony!" Mickey cheered, placing his free hand over hers.
"And we'll be right by your side, too!" Donald interjected, flashing the mouse a thumbs-up. "For security!" Goofy nodded in agreement, puffing his chest out proudly again.
"You've done the ceremony a buncha times, I don't think there's any way you could mess it up now. You haven't changed a bit, after all!" He added. His, Donald, and Minnie's words were enough to instill some confidence into Mickey, who gave them an assured nod.
"Alright, guys…! I'm ready. I can do this!" He announced, balling his hands into fists. The mouse watched his friends all mirror his nod, smiling eagerly.
"Oh, my! It looks like everyone's already waiting!" A female voice called. Mickey felt his ears perk up, before he and his companions turned to the source of the voice. They watched its owner, a young woman, slowly approach them. All four stared with admiration at the woman's startling beauty, which was accentuated by her neatly-combed blonde hair, pale-blue dress, and sparkling tiara. She towered over everyone – save for Goofy, who stood at a similar height.
Once they finally recovered from their shock, Mickey, Donald, and Goofy's eyes widened. "Princess Cinderella!" All three gasped, before bowing to the woman. Minnie, who was far more calm, simply curtsied for the newcomer. 'Thank goodness...she's finally here!' Mickey thought as he and his companions straightened their postures. 'She must be taking extra-special care of how she handles it...after all, it's the key to this entire ceremony!'
In the princess's arms was a faded blue cushion, kept even by Cinderella's perfect balance. A similarly-colored blanket was draped over whatever laid atop the pillow. It was clear the monarch was delicate, and treated the clearly valuable objects with care. "Hello, Mickey and Minnie!" Cinderella greeted the two mice, before flashing them a smile filled with perfectly-straight, white teeth. She then nodded towards Donald and Goofy, who both smiled eagerly.
"Your Highlyness...is that…?" Goofy questioned, bluntly pointing at the cushion.
"Yes, it is..." The princess giggled. "I'm a little surprised this is the first time you're seeing it up-close. You've always had the clearance to see it..." Her questioning caused Mickey to cough awkwardly, before stepping between her and the others.
"Haha…! W-Well, things have changed recently, as you know..." He explained, his friendly smile wavering. The mouse paused after a few moments to glance back at his friends. Their concerned faces sent a surge of guilt coursing through Mickey's body. "But...I think it's time you guys should be allowed to see it." Donald, Goofy, and Minnie turned towards each other, surprised. They quickly nodded, beckoning for him to share. "Princess, if I may…?"
"Oh, of course." Cinderella replied, crouching down ever so slightly while lowering her arms. This put the cushion at Mickey's chest level. The princess watched calmly as the mouse removed the blanket, neatly folding it into a small square before shoving it into his pocket. With steady hands, Mickey gently retrieved the item that had remained hidden until then. Cinderella mouthed encouraging words to the mouse as he spun around, facing his friends.
Resting in Mickey's hands was a blue cap, its tip pointing straight upwards. Golden stars lined the sides of the hat, with a single golden moon placed at the center. The object, much like the woman that carried it into the entrance hall, possessed an aura of elegance. It rested proudly atop the mouse's hands, its celestial-themed pattern glittering.
"Ooohhh! Shiny!" Goofy gasped, immediately impressed by the object's appearance.
"Yeah, really shiny!" Donald agreed, his eyes sparkling just as brightly as the stars reflected in them.
"So...this is the key to the ceremony?" Minnie questioned, raising an eyebrow. "That's amazing! I always thought the outfit was just tradition, but...the hat is what makes you do all sorts of magical things…" Her eyes slowly trailed from the hat to Mickey's face, who returned the admiring stare.
"You betcha!" The male mouse replied, his smile returning in-full. His eyes suddenly widened. "Oh, speaking of the outfit...you just reminded me-!" Minnie and the others watched as Mickey placed the hat atop his head, ensuring it was snug between his ears. With a wide grin, he snapped two of his fingers, causing those closest to flinch.
The loud snapping couldn't compare to what would happen next, however. Donald and Goofy let out a cry of shock as Mickey's body was suddenly overwhelmed by a white light – so bright that all those present were forced to cover their eyes. When the light died out, they unblocked their vision to see Mickey in a completely different outfit. Instead of the recognizable red shorts and yellow shoes, he wore bright-red robes, covering almost the entirety of his body. Brown shoes barely peeked out from the hem of the clothing.
"Whoa, there it is!" Donald and Goofy gasped. The two then glanced towards each other. "That's the outfit he wears for the ceremony…!" The dog whispered, only loud enough for his companion to hear. "I had no idea the hat made those clothes appear like that."
"I know! The entire outfit's magical!" Donald hissed. They then turned to face the group once again. "Looks like you're all ready to go, aren'tcha?"
"I suppose I shouldn't keep everyone waiting any longer, should I?" Mickey laughed, patting Donald and Goofy on the back. "Okay, fellas. You ready for this? You're getting front-row seats, just like I promised!" His closest friends flashed him even larger smiles.
"You betcha!" They both replied in unison. The three suddenly broke out in laughter, with Minnie and Cinderella joining in moments later.
"I wish you the best of luck, Mickey. I'll be watching the show from my balcony, as usual!" Cinderella announced after quieting her laughter. The band of animals waved the princess farewell as she turned her back on them, quickly walking deeper into the castle.
"Right!" Mickey suddenly faced the knights that manned the drawbridge. "Alright, men! It's time to get this show on the road!" The guards nodded obediently, before cranking the two levers that were attached to chains. Slowly, the heavy wooden door lowered itself down, making the outside world available. Mickey, Donald, Goofy, and Minnie were forced to shield their eyes for a moment as they adjusted to the outside lights. Once they were able to see, Mickey gestured towards the stage.
"Alright, everyone! Let's go!" He stated. His friends cheered, immediately following him over the drawbridge. Screams of adoration and excitement rung throughout the night air as the crowd spotted the four rush onto the stage that towered over them. Mickey allowed the collection of villagers to make noise for a few moments longer, before holding his hands up. The volume of the crowd lowered with the mouse's hands, leading to everyone eventually silencing themselves for Mickey's sake. Donald, Goofy, and Minnie stood a short distance behind him, watching patiently.
The castle courtyard was silent as Mickey cleared his throat, preparing himself for an introductory speech. "To all that come to this happy place...welcome." He began, his eyes scanning the crowd. The mouse took a moment to recollect himself. Those words carried meaning – one that all those present understood. "The Magic Kingdom, a land of magic and adventure, is home to many different places and people."
Donald listened intently to Mickey's speech, his hands resting behind his back as he resisted the urge to sway from side to side. His focus remained unbroken – that was, until he heard the sound of fluttering wings and felt an added weight on his shoulder. Upon investigating, the duck was surprised to be staring directly into the eyes of a crow. The fellow bird immediately cawed in his face, causing Donald to let out a sharp gasp. As he shuddered violently, forcing the crow to seek a roosting spot elsewhere, Mickey hesitated for a moment.
"...Er-hem. As you know, the kingdom is full of many different places, so small and enclosed that people often call them their own little words within a world." The mouse continued. "That may be true, but it's important to remember that even though other people can look different from us, we're really not that far off from one another!"
Minnie knew something was amiss. Mickey's voice had lost a drastic amount of the confidence that was there just moments prior. 'Please...I believe in you...you can do this!' The girl thought, her hands balling into fists. Despite how desperately she wanted to reassure her friend, she knew she couldn't do anything that wouldn't embarrass him further. As she returned her concentration to listening to Mickey's speech, she heard the sound of rumbling thunder in the distance. It was faint at first, but as her friend's rhetoric continued, all those present, even Mickey, could hear the rumbling grow louder.
"Ever since our worlds came together, the Magic Kingdom has been a place of joy, laughter, and love." Mickey announced, before pointing to his hat. "And using the Sorcerer's Hat, I will be presenting you our annual celebration of the joy that our differences bring each other. The magic that protects this land and I – Mickey Mouse, present to you...our annual Nighttime Spectacular!"
The crowd, who just moments prior had been whispering to each other speculatively, quickly forgot their concerns when reminded of why they were there. Mickey felt his heart pound against his chest, sweat already forming on his brow as he watched the countless men, women, and children wave their hands jovially.
That celebration was quickly cut short when lightning suddenly shot from the sky, the deafening crack of thunder startling numerous people in the crowd. Mickey's eyes slowly trailed towards the black scorch mark that was positioned just inches from his feet. "Wow...th-that was close, haha!" Mickey chuckled nervously, backing away. He would have attempted to play the coincidence off as a joke, were it not for what would appear next.
Screams rung out throughout the courtyard as green flames erupted from where the lightning struck. Mickey, now accompanied by his other friends on the stage, backed away even more. Panic was finding its way in his heart, causing his hands to tremble and his legs to quiver.
A figure slowly took shape in the green fire, growing taller and thinner as the flames that summoned it died out. Once the final traces of the fire ebbed away, the newcomer finally took full shape. The person was a woman – deathly-thin, pale-faced, and hiding most of her body features with black ropes. A headpiece took the shape of dragon horns, stretching past her head and pointing towards the sky. With one hand she gripped a golden scepter, which a similarly-colored orb topping off the cane. All aspects of the woman made her appear dangerous, if Mickey's reaction hadn't made that clear enough.
"Maleficent!" The mouse gasped, clenching his fists. Her appearance only made his anxiousness worse. "Wh-what are you doing here!?"
"Ah, Mickey Mouse..." The woman greeted. Her voice was cold, yet kept a polite tinge to it. It was as if she were addressing an esteemed colleague. She glanced towards the castle, her eyes narrowing as she spotted a balcony. "This is quite a glittering assemblage you've gathered, is it not? Royalty, nobility, and..." Maleficent's eyes darted towards the crowd, trailed towards Donald, Goofy, and Minnie, before eyeing Mickey once again. "Eheh...even the rabble. How quaint."
"What? Rabble!?" Donald protested, already eager to rush the woman. Goofy held him back for the moment, however.
"Don't do anything rash, Donald. You wouldn't like what she'd have in store for you." Mickey warned, not taking his eyes off the intimidating woman. "Maleficent, I'm not going to ask again...what are you doing here?" He demanded. "What would a sorceress like you want with us?"
"My, there's no need to be so upsetting. I recall this event being open-invitation, after all." Maleficent replied coolly, scratching one of her fingernails atop her scepter. "As someone who is adept with magical powers, I've always been intrigued by your little light-show." Her lips curled into a grin. "Despite what many would wrongly tell you, I enjoy my fair share of entertainment as well."
"If ya wanted to see the show so badly, then why'd you interrupt it?" Goofy questioned. Maleficent's expression went blank as she glanced towards the clueless dog. She had no counter to such a blunt question. Her eyes narrowed vainly, and the sorceress pointed one of her index fingers at him and Donald.
Suddenly, a small bit of lightning shot from her finger, striking Goofy's left shoe. "YOWCH-!" Goofy cried, letting go of his companion so that he could hop up and down, clutching his shocked foot. "Ooh ooh ooh! Ah ah ah!" Donald, who moments prior would have immediately rocketed towards Maleficent, turned to look at his friend in horror, his back now facing the others.
"Goofy, are you alright!?" The duck questioned. Maleficent's smirk widened as she saw an opportunity to punish him for his rude behavior earlier. Another shot of lightning raced towards them, striking Donald in the rear.
"BAAAAAAHHHH!" Donald roared, covering his backside as he hopped up and down – perfectly in unison with Goofy. It was Mickey and Minnie's turn to watch their companions struggle.
"That's enough! You've gone too far, Maleficent!" Minnie cried, glaring at the sorceress. "This event is open for anyone to attend, but you've been very rude. Attacking Donald and Goofy just goes over the line!" Mickey nodded in agreement.
"She's right! I'm gonna have to ask that you leave, now." The mouse warned. "And if not...I'll have to take action!"
The courtyard was silent as the two mice stared Maleficent down, their expressions sharp and fierce. Despite sweating bullets and feeling anxiety coursing through him, Mickey knew he had to stand his ground. Minnie stood directly by his side – she refused to back down as well.
What broke the silence, much to their dismay, was a faint laugh from the sorceress. "Eheheh...Oh dear, what an awkward situation..." She giggled, her eyes betraying the hatred she was feeling towards them at that moment. "Well...I'd hate to be a poor guest. I suppose I've also accomplished everything I needed to..." Mickey and Minnie glanced towards each other, confused.
"Like what?" Mickey questioned. He only felt himself grow more nervous when he saw the woman's eyes gleam dangerously.
"For example, I've learned that that hat of yours...the 'Sorcerer's Hat', as you put it? It is the source of your magical power...and the artifact that protects this kingdom." Maleficent replied. Mickey's eyes reflexively glanced upwards towards his hat. "But I suppose there's still one tally left on my to-do list...and that's to take your little protector away from you."
"There's no way I'd let you do something like that!" Mickey cried, getting into a fighter's stance. Donald and Goofy jumped in as well, standing on either side of him. While he didn't want to risk them getting hurt in the fray, Mickey knew he was pressed for time, and desperate to boot. He immediately rolled up his sleeves, readying himself for combat. His opponent merely stood there, continuously smirking. She wasn't perturbed in the slightest – not the least-bit concerned.
Before the mouse could fire a single spell, something snatched the hat from his head. Mickey, his friends, and those in the crowd watched in shock as the crow that had disturbed Donald earlier flew over their heads, before dropping the hat into Maleficent's hand. "No!" Mickey cried. Upon realizing what was happening, many members of the crowd began scrambling towards the exit, screaming in fear and panic.
Maleficent could barely contain her joyous laughter as her pet crow took its perch atop her scepter, cawing at the group in an almost mocking way. Soon, the sorceress couldn't restrain herself at all, and allowed her ear-piercing cackles to ring out throughout the courtyard.
"D-Don't worry, Mickey...we'll get the hat back! We can take her still!" Goofy stammered, trying to assure his companions, as well as himself. This caused Maleficent to cut her laughter short.
"Silence, fool! You know nothing!" She cried. Donald didn't take kindly to this insult, and immediately fired up again. His face was even redder than earlier that day, and his entire body trembled with rage.
"I'll show you who knows nothing!" The duck shouted angrily, before rushing towards Maleficent, his arms swinging violently. Again, the sorceress was completely still and calm. Only when Donald was within striking distance did she act. Instead of actually attacking him herself, however, Maleficent merely tapped her cane against the ground twice. The sound was somehow audible, even over the furious duck's babbling.
Suddenly, several people from the crowd leaped onto the stage, removing the hooded robes that previously hid their features. Mickey, Goofy, and Minnie grouped together as the newcomers surrounded them. Donald, on the other hand, was plucked off the ground after someone caught him by the scruff of his neck. After craning his neck and glancing back, the duck noticed he was being carried by a tall pirate.
"Terribly sorry, but we simply can't let you get in the way." The man sighed. He held Donald a safe distance away from him, before releasing him from his grip. A swift kick to the duck's rear sent Donald flying into the air, screaming as he rocketed away from the courtyard and out of sight.
"Donald!" Mickey, Goofy, and Minnie cried. Mickey immediately returned his attention to glaring at Maleficent. The woman held the treasured hat in both hands, muttering words under her breath. To the mouse's horror, the magical hat became shrouded in a green light. "Guys, she's doing something to the Sorcerer's Hat! We have to stop her!" He shouted.
"Okay!" Goofy gasped, slamming his knuckles together. "Alright, Mickey! Let's do this-" He was quickly cut off by one of the other attackers, who punched the dog with so much force that he too was sent flying away from the castle. Mickey felt his heart sink after witnessing another one of his friends being defeated.
'Donald...Goofy...' The mouse thought, bowing his head. 'This Maleficent, she's...going to ruin everything. I have to stop her!" Mickey finally glanced back at the evil sorceress, his eyes flashing dangerously. He let out a war cry as he charged towards the woman – his only mission to snatch the Sorcerer's Hat out of her grip.
Before Mickey could break through the group of villains or be dealt with the same way his two previous companions had, Maleficent spread her arms wide, allowing the hat to shoot towards the mouse rushing her. There was nothing Mickey could do as the entire stage was consumed in a bright white light. He was temporarily blinded, stopping him in his tracks completely. "Gah! Ngh…!" The mouse grunted, covering his face with his arms defensively.
The sound of a blast echoed throughout the area, causing Mickey's ears to ring painfully. Deaf and blind, all the mouse could do was stumble around, covering his ears and squeezing his eyes shut. Fatigue and pain ebbed away at his consciousness, leaving him exhausted. His awareness was completely taken from him when another explosion occurred, this one close enough to fling him off the stage. The last thing Mickey sensed before fainting was the feeling of his own body flying through the air.
That's how it started. That's how that sorceress took control of the Magic Kingdom, and left us all scrambling to sort things out. It left Mickey, Donald, and Goofy with a heavy burden, one they had to carry without complaint. This was the start of a journey that spanned across countless worlds, and many kingdoms.
...But this event? That was only the beginning.