Once a upon a stink fish

The morning dew was slowly running off the leaves of the trees at the back of the "Last Chance" garage. The birds were chirping, the sun was shining… and the mice were pacing.

"Guys cut it out! I already have one gutter in my garage. I don't need three more," Charley scolded them as she waved her wrench in their directions, while pointing to the chairs, a sign for them to sit down.

Heaving a sigh of defeat and unease, Throttle sat down and draped his arms over his legs,

"Sorry babe. It's just been so quiet these past few weeks. Too quiet,"

"Yeah, not a fin or fume coming from old fish breath in a while," Modo leaned back in his chair, resting it on its two back legs against the wall, while crossing his arms behind his head.

"I don't like it. Old lobster lips is up to something… I can smell it. The air is too darn clear,"

Scratching her chin in deep thought, trying to figure a way to unwind, Charley looked out the large open garage door frame and noticed the sun reflecting off of something big that was being lowered onto the top of Limburger Tower.

"Well that doesn't look good," walking up to lean against the door frame, she urged the mice to come see.

"What doesn't look good Charley-ma'am?" Modo came up behind her while Vinnie leaned against he side and Throttle came up between them.

"That!" just as she pointed to the object, a large purple colored lazer beam shot out from the top of the tower and spread out like a ray of sunshine, encasing the entire west end of Chicago in its purple haze, including the "Last Chance" garage.

"What in tarnation?!" Modo stood back as the haze made its way into the garage and covered them all in a dust like mist that soon clouded over the entire area. Not able to see past their snouts, the mice shouted to each other to get regrouped.

"Bros! Follow my voice. We need to stick together," All three mice regrouped and twined their tails to stay together while being on alert. At the sound of a tool chest falling over, Throttle called out worridly, "Charley!"

(Theme song and opening credits)

"Charley!" Vinnie tried to run in the direction of the noise but was held back when two tails pulled him back. "Bros! Charley's out there!"

"We know Vincent. We need to stay as a team. So we move as a team," Awkwardly but surely enough, the mice shuffled their way through the fog until Modo's toe came into contact with what he could only guess was a leg.

"Bros! I think I found her," reaching down he found her side and her knees and pulled up and off the ground, keeping her close until it was safe to put her down.

"Good job Modo. Now we need to figure a way out of this fog," just as the words came out of his mouth, the purple fog dissipated into a light violet haze, until it completely dissolved.

"Well, would you look at that," Modo looked out of the garage doors and then down at Charley to make sure she was alright. Blushing bright red, he elbowed his bros in the side and uttered softly,

"Um bros… I think we have a slight problem,"

"What's that?" looking over at Modo, he noticed that the big mouse had gone from having some metal parts to being completely metal.

"Whoa buddy, you're telling me!" turning to Vinnie to get his attention, he grinned broadly and decided to have fun with the sudden turn of events.

"Why Vincent, didn't know you had farming at heart," looking puzzled as he waved away remnants of the fog out of his face, he noticed he was wearing a plaid shirt and overalls, and had bits of straw hanging out from the opening of his shirt neck and cuffs.

"Wh- Oh man! I can't go around dressed like a … a hick! Do you have any idea what this'll do to my machismo rating?!" Both Throttle and Modo burst out laughing at the sight he made as he tried to undo the clasps of his overalls.

"Wouldn't do that if I were you," that was when Throttle noticed his hair was incredibly long, longer than usual.

"You know what. I'd rather look like a farmer than a giant cat," Vinnie shivered at the thought picked up the end of Throttle's tail.

"What are you talking about? Let go of my-" That's when he noticed the tuff of hair at the end of his tail.

"Why did it have to be a cat?!" angrily twirling his poofy tail in anger, he accidently waved it Charley's direction, brushing it off the end of her nose, waking her up.

"Wh-What happened? Ow…" rubbing the side of her head she noticed her fallen tool chest and closed her eyes at the oncoming headache, "that'll do it,"

"You okay Charley-ma'am?" Modo slowly put her down and steadied her when she weaved a little. Smiling at his gentlemanly manners, she thanked him and for the first time, noticed her attire. A white shirt, blue shoulder strapped dress coming down to her knees, white ankle socks, pigtails hanging on either side of her shoulders. And the icing on the cake… ruby red slippers.

"No way!" she looked up at the mice with a huge smile on her face that quickly turned to giggles at their questioning yet mortified looks. "Oh, you guys are cute!"

"Why thank you sweetheart. The vin-man can pull off any look with s-t-y-l-e,"

"Oh brother. The mouse has an ego bigger than Limburger's rear end,"

"Speaking of the old cheese puff, I have a feeling he's behind this. Whatever this is,"

"You mean you mice never watched the Wizard of Oz?"

"The Wizard of what?" Vinnie crossed his arms not knowing what she was talking about.

"Let me guess, it wasn't as big on Mars as it was here on Earth," trying to lighten their mood and seeing that it wasn't working, she just threw her arms up in exasperation,

"Sheesh! Sorry for trying to make a joke," coming up to them she sat down on the nearest chair, "The Wizard of Oz is a movie from the late 30's about a girl, a lion, a tin-man, and a scarecrow. It's a really good movie. We'll watch it when this is all over,"

"Sounds really weird babe. I don't get how a lion, a tin-man, and scarecrow fit together,"

"They don't. Dorothy helps each one on her way to the Emerald city,"

"What's in Emerald city?"

"The Wizard of Oz. He helps shows the lion how to be brave, the tin-man how to have a heart, and the scarecrow how to get a brain," at the last one the two mice burst out laughing.

"Sounds like my kind of movie!" Modo leaned over in his mirth, his hinges squealing in protest.

"Oh hold on Modo!" Running as fast as her ruby slippers allowed her she came back with a bottle of motor oil and greased the hinges of his arms and neck. "That should do it,"

Just as she put the can down, a loud explosion sounded from across the neighborhood.

"Let's hope it does babe. Sounds like we're gonna have some company!"

"D'Uh I don't think this is what Mr. Limboiger was lookins for," looking down at himself and his goons who had transformed into flying monkeys , Greasepit scratched his head trying to figure out what to do. After having thought of nothing, as usual, he shrugged his shoulders and rounded up his troops.

"Alright yous goons… uh monkeys…. Monkey goons. Yeah that's it! Now let's go get them dang mices!" Greasepit jumped off the top of his doon buggey hoping the fly off with his goons. However his wings were much too small for his big bulky weight and collapsed under his weight. Sending him face planting into the pavement.

"Hold on yous goons! Mr. Limbouger says we's gots to annihilate them vermin while he tests the myth lazer,"

"Oh momma, you don't see that everyday," Modo shielded the sun from his eyes with his hand to see the flock of flying monkey goons coming in their direction.

"Oh yeah baby! It's action time!"

"Yeah, 'cause turning into a brainless scarecrow is just so boring,"

"Well if you think about it, he went from a brainless mouse to a brainless scarecrow. Not much change there Charley-girl," Throttle dodged Vinnie's fist while smiling at Charley. Stifling her laughter, Charley retreated into the garage as the monkey goons landed… or more like crash landed, ready to attack.

"Ah button up and fight cat-breath,"

Taking up their battle poses, the mice waited as the goons approached.

"Well now. Looks like Limburger's branched out to the City Zoo for goons," Throttle launched himself at the first goons, sending them flying into a nearby dumpter that crashed closed.

"Sure looks like it bro. I'll tell you something though, they're still ugly," the nearest goons bared their teeth in anger and rushed Modo as a group, hoping to take him down.

Flexing his metallic arms, Modo crouched down and tackled them across the garage, leaving bits of monkey fur on the walls.

"There's one thing I don't get though bros. What does old stink face want with a movie like the Wizard of Oz?" Dodging the awkward attempts of a goon and swinging another into the ceiling with his tail, Vinnie guarded Charley from the slimy paws of Limburger's goons.

After many encounters with the walls, floor, and ceiling of the "Last Chance", the goons hightailed it out to tend to their bruised egos.

Watching them leave with satisfied smiles, all three turned to Charley to see if maybe she had a clue what Limburger had to gain from a old movie.

"The ball's in your court in this one babe. What do you think Limburger would want with an old movie?" Throttle asked, clearly perplexed about the new turn of events.

"Well… the only thing I can think of is… well he's always trying to find a way to get rid of you guys, right?"

"Yeah, what's your point Charley-ma'am?" Modo leaned on the wall beside her looking totally confused.

"Well, in the movie the Wizard of Oz, the Wizard of Oz himself prides himself on being able to solve all the problems of his people. Maybe… just maybe, and this is farfetched, even for someone as proud as Limburger. Maybe he's looking for a little help,"

Waiting to see what they thought of her opinion, she frowned at the first scoffing noise, then crossed her arms and rolled her eyes skyward when they all rolled on the ground laughing.

"Well, you asked!" kicking an empty can of paint in their direction, she huffed and sat down in the nearest chair, waiting for their mirth to end.

"S-Sorry sweetheart. We're not laughing at you. We're laughing 'cause old stink breath can't get rid of us himself so he's gonna ask some guy from an old movie how to do it?!" Vinnie had trouble finishing his own sentence before going off into another fit of laughter.

Coughing out the last of his laughter, Throttle straightened his glasses and whistled the bikes over.

"Enough fun bros. It's tail whipin' time!"

Vinnie and Modo jumped up into the saddles of their bikes and took off after Throttle with their trademark yell,

"Let's Rock,"

"And Ride!"

Charley waved the smoke out of her face and ran out of the garage after their bikes, but she was too late,

"Guys, guys wait!" watching their taillights fading in the distance, she crossed her arms and shrugged her shoulders.

"Guess they're gonna find out on their own,"

Throttle ignored Charley's pleas for them to wait, but figured that Limburger's newest shenanigan was more important, we'll figure it out babe.

"Karbunkle!" Limburger bellowed from his office,

"You yelled your malodouresness,"

"Yes, has our dear friend the Wizard come up with a spectacular solution to my rodent problem?"

"Not yet my cheesiness, he is still in the lab testing theories,"

"Well tell him to hurry up will you. I'm sure those insufferable rodents will be here any minute since Greasepit was unable to stop them… as usual,"

Just as he had finished uttering those words, the mice crashed through the side window of his tower, and rolled right into his office.

"Really… you must learn to use doors. It's quite expensive to repair the damage you rampaging rodents cause every time you rudely invade my building!"

"It's not like you can't afford it lard-butt," Modo's arm cannon came out and his eye glowed red.

"Why should we care what we do to your office. You don't care about what you did to Mars," Throttle aimed his lazer gun straight at Limburger.

"Besides… it's more fun to crash stuff. Yours especially," Vinnie stated matter-of-factly.

"Yes, well your days of obnoxious violent ruckus and heavy metal are coming to an end my repulsive rodents," snickering to himself he pressed the button on his desk that opened the wall behind the mice revealing a small shriveled baffled old man pulling levers and pressing buttons in no particular order. That's when it hit Throttle, I wonder if Charley knows something we should about this old guy…

"Big fella, think you and spaz mouse here can distract cheese face long enough for me to contact Charley? I have a feeling she may know something about this Wizard guy,"

"Spaz mouse?!"

"Plug it bro. No prob. They're gonna be tread marks on the carpet by the time we're done with them,"

"I owe ya one," quickly turning on his com, he contact Charley.

"It's about time. I was waiting for one of you fuzz brains to call in. You need the scoop on the Wizard?"

"Can't fool ya babe," laughing into the com he listened as Charley gave him the information he needed and covered his eyes in amazement at Limburger's stupidity.

"Wow…"

"I know. At least this'll be a good warm up exercise for you guys 'til the next fight huh?"

"Yeah, thanks babe. See ya at the garage,"

Turning back to his bros, Throttle whistled to his bros to join him and quickly filled them in on the so-called Wizard of Oz.

"Man, and here I thought we were gonna get some real action bro!"
"We got no dice on this one Vinnie. Flank 'em and Skank 'em maneuver # 7,"

"# 8, #8!! I look so cool in that one,"

"# 7 Vincent. Now!"

Making quick work of the goons, Greasepit, and Karbunkle, the mice made their way to Limburger who backed up to his main man, the Wizard of Oz.

"Well you withered wombat, what's your plan?!" Limburger looked at the screen and turned pale at the sight that greeted him. The Wizard had made use of Karbunkle's lab to make a drawing of the Emerald tower.

"W-what is that?!"

"Why it's the Emerald tower," he spoke matter-of-factly.

"What about your solution to rid me of those ridiculous rodents??"

"The only solution I have is for you to move Mr. Limburger,"

"WHAT?! But you're a Wizard! A WIZARD,"

"Gracious me, I'm not a real Wizard, who ever gave you that impression,"

Turning to Greasepit with a face the color of a red tomato, bared his teeth and snarled,

"B-But boss… I thought he was real… It's such a great story. My momma told me he was real!" Greasepit ran out of the office as fast as his oily feet allowed him with Limburger hot on his tail, so to speak.

"Well bros, do we chase 'em?" Modo inquired.

"Nah, looks like it's all gonna work itself out without us," looking around the office and spotting the old man he walked up to him, "um, sorry to bug ya, but do you know how to reverse this?" gesturing to himself and to his bros, Throttle and his bros sighed with relief when the wizard looked at them and smiled,

"My yes. Now hold on," pulling down on a lever, all became cloudy and suddenly everything was back to normal.

"Now that's more like it! Back to my studdly self!"

"Yeah, but still brainless," Modo burst out laughing and drove l'il hoss out the building with Vinnie hot on his tail, literally, shouting,

"Get back here you big lummox! Call me brainless will ya!"

Throttle watched them from the office and smiled, climbing on his bike he pet her gas tank affectionately and spoke to her,

"You ready baby?" beeping at his request, the bike revved up and sped out the building.

The End.