This was placed in the Disney Section because the first season of The Dead Man's Gun was produced by
Touchtone Films which is a Disney Affiliate.
A gun, touched by evil, passed from hand to hand, changing the lives of all who possessed it. Year by year its dark legend grew, until it came to be known as, the Dead Man's Gun.
The introduction to the HBO (Now showing on Encore Westerns) Western anthology series, The Dead Man's Gun on which this Pinocchio fanfic is based. This story however takes place in three different worlds. The first is the World of the Dead Man's Gun, The Second is Pleasure Island Duckburg where Willy Wonka is attempting to keep Charlie Bucket and his family safe from Veruca Salt and the Black Triangle, and the Third is the World of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory where Veruca Salt is plotting to get Charlie and have him either committed or locked up for some made up crime in revenge for losing the Willy Wonka contest via the three weeks of rotten garbage.
The Coachman and the Ringmaster, two men addicted to evil magic as a part of their sordid business of turning boys into donkeys came to Deadwood in the Dakota territory looking for a new means to carry out that business in the form of a device bearing a whammy that could be changed and could not be taken away from them. They are about to find that whammies can be a two way street when the whammy bearing device is, The Dead man's Gun.
My own intro to this story designed to duplicate an episode intro for The Dead Man's Gun.
Chapter 1. Another Mission.
Deadwood, Dakota Territory, 1878:
It was a tremendous stroke of luck for the Coachman and the Ringmaster. They found the Dead Man's Gun almost upon coming to Deadwood in the possession of a gambling den's chief "bouncer". Furthermore that "bouncer" was employed by the very hotel they checked into. The Coachman savored every moment of his observations of the "bouncer" while playing at the hotel's faro tables. He tried to get a job dealing at the hotel but this very same "bouncer" bounced him from any such employment on the grounds that he was a foreigner. Therefore the Coachman looked forward to the mishap that would inevitably fall on the "bouncer" as the holder of the Dead Man's Gun.
That mishap was not very long in coming and as happened many times before it was a highly unusual death not connected to actual gunshot at all. It seemed that one of the customers in the hotel who had just come up from tombstone brought a little passenger with him. It was a normal sized Arizona bark scorpion but a sting could still be deadly to a child or an unhealthy adult and with the considerable amount of boozing, smoking and whoring the "bouncer" did in his lifetime he was very unhealthy. The scorpion got on him and stung him while he was going to his hotel room with the Coachman and the Ringmaster closely watching him. The sting in addition to being done on a very unhealthy person must have also been been on a person allergic to invertebrate venom because the man convulsed wildly and was unconscious within minutes. He would be dead within an hour. The Coachman took that opportunity to take the gun and step on the guest from Tombstone's "passenger" before it could sting anyone else.
He and the Ringmaster then returned to their room and there the Ringmaster made the gestures and said the magic words that would change the whammy on the revolver. As to show that the whammy had indeed changed the stylized SG logo on its frame that represented the original whammy changed to an outline of a boys head inside intermeshed with the outline of a donkey's head representing the Ringmaster's new one.
"You did it!" the Coachman shouted. "now we have a way to turn boys and even young men into donkeys than can never be taken from us."
"Don't you think we should test it out first before making such an announcement?" the Ringmaster asked. "We really don't know that what I did will actually work beyond the logo change."
"Of course we should." the Coachman answered. "There is a Native American Village, Sioux I believe about a mile from this town. "They are always looking for a gun to use against the gold seekers illegally in this town. We'll test it on one of their warriors."
"I don't know about that." the Ringmaster said. "I'm not keen on losing my scalp just to test what I did with that gun. I would suggest that we try it on one of the drunks in this town. We can easily lure one of them to an isolated spot where no one would see the donkey change with the promise of a bottle. That's considerably safer than trying it on Native Americans on the warpath."
"There is a likely candidate right now." the Coachman returned as he watch a particular young buck with a snoot full staggering out of one of Deadwood's many saloons."
"Sir," the Ringmaster addressed the drunken man."
"What do you want." the man snapped back. He was evidently one of those mean drunks that would be seen as a perfect target for the gun's new whammy.
"You seem to appreciate alcoholic liquors." the Ringmaster said. "you would you like to get all you can possibly drink before you pass out?"
"Is that an insult?" the drunken man asked.
"No it is a proposition." The ringmaster answered. "Come and meet my business associate."
The Ringmaster took the drunken man to the isolated spot where his adoptive father, the Coachman was waiting.
"What business do you have with me?" the drunken man asked the Coachman.
"It is very simple." the Coachman answered. "I just want you to take this fancy revolver I found to the gunsmith shop and see how much you can get for it. I will split whatever money you can get for it." The Coachman showed the drunken man the Dead Man's Gun with its new whammy as revised by the Ringmaster.
"Sure is a beautiful piece." the drunken man returned. "Why don't you take it to the gunsmith's shop yourself."
"Because the gunsmith and I sort of had a falling out." the Coachman lied. "It seems that he thinks that this is the Dead Man's Gun or something. As far as I know about it the symbol on the Dead Man's Gun is a stylized SG monogram. Do you see such a monogram on this piece?"
"No, I don't." the drunken man answered. "But in every other way it sure looks like the Dead Man's Gun ."
"Come and hold it in your hand and you will see that it is not that gun." the Coachman said. "At least not anymore it isn't" he continued his thought to himself."
At first the drunken man was rather hesitant but took the gun in hand. All of a sudden his slurred voice started becoming braying HEE HAWWWs as his ears began to grow tall and furry. A donkey's tail came out of a rip in his pants and he could no longer hold onto the gun as his hands turned into hooves. Finally his stance became quadrupedal and his head became that of a donkey. Since he was becoming an adult donkey and not a baby one as the boys of Pleasure Island became his clothes ripped off him as he grew to full adult donkey stature.
"It does work!" the Coachman whispered in an exclamatory manner to the Ringmaster astonished at what the Ringmaster's new whammy on the gun did to the drunken man who was now a donkey. "and very quickly too.
Pleasure Island Duckburg, Duckburg Calisota, 1952:
Charlie Bucket seemed to be adjusting well to Pleasure Island Duckburg. The facts that a, he was safe, b was a Junior Wookchuck and c, was still working as the apprentice of Willy Wonka in charge of the candy deliveries to the Pleasure Island amusement parks while in this place of safety from Veruca Salt and her Black triangle masters made him one very happy little boy. However Charlie still hoped to return to Willy Wonka's factory soon. To him that was the most wonderful place in all the universes. Pleasure Island Duckburg was great but simply not as great as such attractions back home as the Wonkatania, the Inventing Room, the Chocolate Room and the great glass elevator. Charlie wondered how long it would be before Veruca Salt would try to spring something on him. His answer would not be very long in coming.
Things were also getting off to a good start for Pinocchio's family. All of them including John Worthington Fox, Gideon Cat and Stromboli were in Pleasure Island Duckburg making sure that Charlie was settled in well. After all he was their ambassador so to speak from a candy factory in another world and time and he was now in the kind of trouble that they got in several times during their original adventures. Thus the Blue Fairy found them all together when she came for them again.
"I have need of your services again." the Fairy said to Geppetto. "There have been reports of a human to donkey transformation in 19th century Western America again, This time in a place called Deadwood in the Dakota Territory."
"You mean the Coachman is setting up another Pleasure Island in the American West?" Lampwick asked.
"I wonder what he is going to use for a Monstro this time, rattlesnakes or American Bison or "buffalo".
"No there is no great amusement park this time, this is an isolated incident so far but it would appear that the Coachman and the Ringmaster have come up with a way they can change not just boys but ANYONE into a donkey in virtually any time or place they want without the need of an amusement park. All I can say is they are carrying a force with them now that may be nearly as powerful as the original Red Star that made Pleasure Island Collodi a cursed boy to donkey transformation factory that originated with a very dark being, perhaps even the angel of death himself and have mixed the Ringmaster's own magic with it to turn it into a human to donkey transforming force."
"Then we are dealing with the worst magic that the Coachman and the ringmaster have to offer because it is not all their own but part of it comes from this even worse source." Pinocchio said.
"Yes indeed." returned the Blue fairy.
"But we can't forget our problems here." Geppetto said "What about Charlie Bucket and his family. Veruca Salt is still probably after him with that Black triangle bunch.
"He still has the ambulatory members of his family here and the Junior Woodchucks can also help protect him now that he is one of them. Also the three Duck brothers Huey, Dewey and Louie have a rich and powerful relative that might help protect Charlie named Scrooge McDuck. The person who is helping Veruca most now is Magica De Spell and Scrooge's money bin has been pretty good protection against her
So far. It might be good protection for Charlie too.
"Ok." Pinocchio said. "We'll see if Huey, Dewey and Louie can arrange for a stay in the money bin from Scrooge McDuck before we go to Deadwood.
"Fine with me," the Blue Fairy said, "get Charlie and his family and I'll see if I can help arrange this.
When they found Charlie's family at the School waiting for it to let out the Blue Fairy was very satisfied to see that not only Grandpa Joe but all four of Charlie's grandparents were getting out of bed for significant amounts of time without any tiredness or ill effects. Weather this was from better food or a combination of better food together with woeful miss estimations of their real ages did not matter. They all were now very healthy for their ages whatever they were. As expected Charlie came out of the School with Huey Dewey and Louie when it let out."
"Charlie!" Pinocchio shouted. "Huey, Dewey, Louie! We have to talk to you!"
"What about?" Huey asked. "There are no Junior Woodchuck activities today so I thought we would just go home to mainland Duckburg and leave Charlie with the Junior Woodchuck administrators here. They can teach him just as much as Mr. Wonka about running a place like that candy factory he is going to inherit."
"Basically we want to change Charlie's and his family's security arrangements." Pinocchio said. "We will be off on another Blue Fairy mission within the hour and we have every reason to believe that Magica DeSpell is helping Veruca Salt in her efforts to capture Charlie. Therefore we are thinking that your Uncle Scrooge's money bin would be better security than this island because it is known to be Magica DeSpell proof."
"I'm not to sure about that." Dewey said. "Unca Scrooge is very particular about who he allows in the bin and he has never seen true humans like Charlie Bucket and his family before."
"That's why I'm going with you." the Blue Fairy said. "I believe that Scrooge will make such arrangements with me. We will be going to the money bin by transport bubble and after we make the arrangements with Scrooge the Bucket family and the three duck boys will be let out there and the bubble will continue on to Pleasure Island Collodi to Pick up John Worthington Fox, Gideon Cat, and Stromboli, then its through the wishing star again to Deadwood.
"Hay don't forget me." a voice came from under Pinocchio's Tyrolean hat. "I'm a rather steady part of all this too."
"Of course we would not forget you sir Jiminy." The blue fairy said. "Buy you always seem to be under Pinocchio's hat so I just assumed you would be there for this mission too."
As soon as Charlie and his family, Pinocchio and his family and Huey, Dewey and Louie were assembled the Blue Fairy prepared to bring up the transport bubble around them when a Junior Woodchuck leader arrived with a suitacse.
"Hold it there." the Junior Woodchuck leader said. "That boy, Charlie Bucket is our ward as long as Pinocchio's family is gone. Therefore he mist wear his uniform at all times till they return."
"But we are changing the location of his residence from the Junior Woodchuck Administration Offices to Scrooge McDuck's money bin for greater security."
"That does not remove him from the status of being our full ward when Pinocchio's family are not around." The Junior Woodchuck Leader said. "That was arranged by Willy Wonka and the boy's family."
"I don't mind wearing it." Charlie said to the Fairy. "I like the Junior Woodchucks, It's the next most wonderful thing in the world beat only by the Chocolate Factory back home." Charlie picked up the suitcase."
The Blue Fairy then set up the transport bubble around all the assembled people with the exception of the Junior Woodchuck Leader and lifted it off the ground and toward the highest spot in mainland Duckburg, Killmotor hill, the location of Scrooge McDuck's money bin.
Needless to say Scrooge McDuck was sensitive to any object of magic coming within range of the money bin because of Magica DeSpell, However when he saw Huey, Dewey, Louie and familiar people from the Pleasure Island enterprises in it Scrooge prepared to make the transport bubble welcome. The bubble landed in the money bin side of the protective mote.
"Welcome Blue Fairy." Scrooge said.
"I really don't have time for pleasentries tright now." the fairy returned "I'm only here to Ask you to provide security for this true human boy and his family."
"Is this that Charlie Bucket boy who won the Golden Ticket contest that Huey, Dewey and Louie were telling me and my brother Donald about." Scrooge asked.
"Yes, he is." the fairy answered. "And he is in great danger. It seems the father of one of the contest losers whose name is Veruca Salt was supposed to sabotage the candy factory that was the center of the contest but instead wound up with the same loser's penalty as the contest loser. He was killed by an outfit called the Black Triangle for failing in his mission and we now believe that she is after Charlie here with the help of one of your enemies, Magica DeSpell.
"Magica DeSpell!" Scrooge shouted. "Then by all means bring Charlie and his family in here. They can be put up in one of the money bin's residence rooms. It may not be as fancy as Willy Wonka's candy factory but it is secure against Magica. Every time she has tried to get my number one dime failed.
"Don't take Magica lightly." The Blue Fairy warned Scrooge. "She has access to magic of which you are not yet aware."
"In that case I think we should stay with Charlie too." Huey said for him and his brothers. "He's not only a Junior Woodchuck now but he is also a full ward of the organization while Pinocchio's family is gone. We can be sure that he stays in uniform during his wardship and gets to work on some of the merit badges that can be earned indoors."
"What about the candy making one?" Charlie asked.
"Somehow I knew that you would pick that one." Huey said to Charlie.
"Enough of this." Scrooge said to Charlie and his nephews. "Its high time we got inside and arranged for the Bucket family's accommodations.
With that the bucket family was released from the transport bubble and were now in the custody of Scrooge McDuck and the Junior Woodchucks.
Salt's Nuts Inc. Factory, Buckinghamshire England, 2005:
It had been weeks since any of the Bucket family were herd of. In fact only news even remotely concerning them was the final collapse of the old dilapidated house they lived in about a week ago. No one from the Bucket family came to inspect the damage however and Veruca Salt was counting on that for it was she that arranged for the house to collapse hoping one of the Buckets would return to try to salvage any belongings still in the old structure. But that did not happen. The Buckets were simply not in the world of Willy Wonka and Salt's Nuts, not any of them.
Veruca however was busy "Wonka-izing" Salt's Nuts while she was waiting for a chance to get to Charlie Bucket. She had fired all the Salt's Nuts employees as she was advised by Magica DeSpell and was in the process of having lavish greenhoused nut forests and peanut fields reminiscent of Willy Wonka's Chocolate Room installed in her factory. With these in place Salt's Nuts would no longer have to buy nuts from outside growers. She even thought of having a flying glass elevator installed along with a Wonkatania style boat that would use the new indoor nut forests' and fields' irrigation stream rather than a chocolate river as the stream that would carry it throughout the factory. There was only one thing left where the Salt's Nuts factory in its new "Wonka-ized" form was concerned. "Who would its new employees be."
"Magica," Veruca asked Magica DeSpell who was now her virtual right hand woman replacing her still living mother in that roll. "Now what about these new employees you told me about. When do I get to see one?"
"Right now," Magica answered. She waved her hand and immediately a black figure with glowing viper like eyes joined her and Veruca. "Your new employees Veruca will be the former Pleasure Island Minions. You will find them much stronger and more efficient than Willy Wonka's Oompa Loompas and much more geared to your's and the Black Triangle's way of doing things than they are as well. From 1875 to 1881 in Pinocchio's world these Minions helped the Coachman transport boys turned to donkeys from Pleasure Island Collodi to the mainland for sale to the various salt mines, circuses and side shows in 1870s Italy. They will certainly be strong and efficient enough to handle this nut factory for you.
"Yes," Veruca returned. "They do look like a better match for some of the business we do here than the Oompa Loompas are. How many can you provide?"
"As many as you need. They will also be helpful in your plans the get Charlie Bucket. These minions know both Pleasure Islands like the back of their hands having worked on both of them.
"Come to think of Charlie Bucket," Veruca asked "How do we get him. He is under the full protection of Willy Wonka, the Oompa Loompas, those censored squirrels, the current administration of both Pleasure Islands and Pinocchio and his oddball family. And by the way I also want the kids of that family, Pinocchio, Peter and Lampwick to get the same thing that Charlie is going to get. They are responsible for my current troubles too."
"As I said before." Magica said. "I believe that Geppetto's three kids are going to be occupied with my former partners in 1878 Deadwood for quite a while. However we can get Charlie bucket."
"And just how are we going to do that?" Veruca saked.
"With the minions," Magica answered. "these minions can go through solid walls and then become as solid as the walls themselves then are powerful enough to take the walls down. There is no hiding from them."
"Then the only thing left is how do I get to your world." Veruca said.
"That is simple enough," Magica returned. "Through the wishing star. It is a wormhole to all the various timelines that make up the multiverse."
"Than all that remains is when do we go?" Veruca asked.
"All in good time," Magica returned. "First we have to get this factory re organized, then we get Charlie Bucket."