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Oswald's First Disney Christmas (A musical)

Chapter 1: Coming to his new home

*Anything italicized is someone's thought bubble NAME: "italicized"=singing

It was a beautiful December 23rd in Walt Disney World. Snow was on the ground, carolers were singing, and children were playing and building snowmen. That is, everyone but Mickey Mouse and his new wife, Minnie. They had just settled down in front of the fire, snuggled up together, while listening to their daughter Melody play her piano. She was 17 now and played like a professional. She had a gift for music…just like his friend Corona Pug (who really was a beagle, not a pug). Like Corona, Melody could play guitar, violin…even the harmonica, but learned that from her father. But, the rest were like Corona. Mickey was afraid that Melody was really adopted, but he remembered being at the hospital when she was born. So, she couldn't have been.

Just then, Minnie's ears perked up when she heard Melody begin to sing. Her eyes watered when she heard what song her little girl was singing. She looked at Mickey and he smiled, letting her know he could hear too. She had a beautiful voice, like Corona, but when it came to this song, she sounded like a little girl singing it…to our Savior Jesus Christ.

MELODY: "Happy birthday, Jesus…I'm so glad its Christmas…all the tinsel and lights, and the presents are nice, but the real gift is You. Happy birthday Jesus…I'm so glad its Christmas…all the carols and bells, make the holiday swell, but it's all about You."

Just then, Minnie heard Melody about to sing her favorite part of the song. She always got chocked up at this part too.

MELODY: "Happy birthday Jesus…Jesus I love You!"

Melody stopped playing and singing, for there was a knock at the door. She turned her head as Mickey got up and answered it, and Melody's face brightened.

"Auntie Cora!" She yelled as she ran up to her god-mother and friend, Corona Pug, hugging her.

"Oh, well, hello, sweetie!" Corona said, hugging her back. Minnie chuckled and Mickey just smiled. He loved how close his daughter and his best friend were. "I only came to get your mother and father for a quick second." Melody let go of Corona and smiled bigger. Apparently, she couldn't contain her excitement for her floppy eared uncle to come to Disney for good.

"I think I know why!" She said, making Corona giggle.

"What is it Corona?" Mickey asked. "Did Pete banish Tommy again?"

Corona giggled again as she looked at Mickey. "No Mick. Tommy's fine. But, it's someone who came here for your guys' wedding…from where forgotten cartoon characters go." Mickey's frown turned upside down to a smile. He knew who she was talking about now.

"He-he finally came back? But…why did he leave in the first place?" Mickey asked, excited and yet mad at the same time.

"Now, that, I can answer…" Corona announced. "He wanted to finish up fixing Wasteland again before moving here permanently." Mickey sighed. He understood that. Wasteland was just recently hit by the Phantom Blot once again and he had to go back and fight it with Oswald's help…along with Tommy and Corona by his side.

"The only problem is…" Corona began again. Minnie stood up at Corona's sudden sadness and walked up to Mickey and Melody. "…Ortensia isn't with him." She finished. Mickey immediately grabbed his coat, gloves, and hat, threw on his boots and ran out the door to look for his half-brother, but acted like he was biologically related…Oswald the Lucky Rabbit.

Oswald was sitting at a bus stop, like Corona told him to do, waiting for her to return. He sighed when she hadn't yet and was about to walk away when he heard a familiar voice as he stood up. He turned his head and saw a black mouse with a tan mussel and blue eyes. He smiled. Mickey smiled when he saw that Oswald had a tan mussel like him and blue eyes. He still wore his blue shorts. But for the winter, they were pants. He still didn't have shoes; or boots on his huge feet. But then again, no one made shoes that would fit Oswald's foot size.

"Hey Ozzie…" Mickey said, with a hint of comfort in his voice. However, Oswald heard that hint of comfort and knew Corona had told him that Ortensia couldn't come with him, which caused his smile to turn to an angry frown.

"Oh, cut the act, Mick! I know Cora told you Ortensia couldn't come!" Oswald said crossing his arms in front of him and looking away, with his eyes closed.

Mickey sighed. "Yeah…she did. What's wrong with her?" He asked after a beat of silence. Oswald looked at Mickey again and sighed. He, to be honest, knew that him leaving Wasteland was the last time he'd see his lovely cat wife.

"Well, Mick…the last time you saw her was…when; your wedding day?" Oswald began, as he scratched his head. He saw Mickey nod yes and began again. "Well…just recently she grew very sick and…" Oswald choked. He couldn't say it. He just couldn't. His lovely wife was going to die and he wasn't going to see her again.

Mickey walked up to his older half-brother. "Oswald…is it a disease that you only get in Wasteland?" Mickey asked as he placed a hand on Oswald's shoulder. Oswald looked at Mickey as a tear fell down his cheek.

"Yes…and it's a disease you can die from, Mick! That's why she's not with me right now. Even though she has a heart again…she stayed behind so the disease wouldn't spread around the real Toon world." Oswald answered. Mickey, unbeknownst, just pulled Oswald in for a hug and Oswald returned it.

"I'm sorry to hear, Ozzie." Mickey said, sounding like he felt bad. Oswald heard the sound in his voice and pushed him away.

"I don't need sympathy, Mickey!" Oswald yelled. "I just need a warm place to stay until I find a place of my own." Mickey just chuckled his signature hearty chuckle and nodded in the direction of his house. Oswald smiled again and followed his little brother in the direction he nodded to.

Melody and Corona were sitting at the piano at Mickey and Minnie's house together. Corona was more than just a friend and a god-mother; she was also Melody's piano teacher. She decided, while she was there, that she'd teach Melody what she recently learned from her class. Minnie couldn't help but smile at them. They played piano a lot together, but around Christmas time, it looked so sweet.

Mickey walked into the house, followed by Oswald. Melody heard the door open and looked. "Uncle Oswald!" She yelled, running up to him and hugged him.

"Whoa!" Oswald said, laughing a little as he hugged her back. "Hey kiddo, I missed you too!" He looked at Mickey and mouthed: 'When did this happen?' Mickey chuckled his hearty chuckle again and mouthed back: 'You remember Melody. You were here when she was born.' Oswald blushed with embarrassment and remembrance. He forgot about Melody Mouse, his niece, for a moment there.

When Melody pulled away from the hug, she said: "I've been waiting for you to return, Uncle Oswald!" Oswald was shocked to hear how her voice changed so much. She sounded like a full-fledge teenager. Well, considering she was one now, but still…

"You were?" Oswald asked, after the moment of shock wore off and guilt for leaving his niece for so long arose in him.

"Yeah…but it's okay! I'm just glad you came back!" Melody replied.

"Melody, do you want to show what your father and uncle what you learned just now?" Corona asked, making Melody look at her, and smile. She ran back to the piano, and began to play another religious Christmas song and began to sing, like a professional.

MELODY: "Oh holy night, the stars are brightly shinning, it is the night, of our dear Savior's birth. Long lay the world, through sin and error pinning, till He appeared, and the soul felt his word. A thrill of hope, a weary world rejoices, oh yonder break, a new and glorious mourn. Fall, on your knees, oh hear, the angel voices. Oh night, divine, oh night, when Christ was born. Oh, night, divine, oh night, oh night divine. Oh, night, divine, oh night, oh night divine."

Melody stopped playing the piano and stopped singing, as everyone cheered.

"Wow…I didn't know she could sing that well, Mick!" Oswald exclaimed, in disbelief.

Mickey chuckled heartily and said, as he pointed at Corona: "She has a great vocal couch." Oswald looked at Corona and smiled. He forgot that she had an amazing singing talent, and a talent for instruments. But, he never realized that Melody got that talent too.

Melody looked at her mom and dad, and her uncle as they all clapped for her and she smiled. "Thanks!" She said.

Corona smiled at how well she teaching Melody to play the piano, guitar, and violin. She was even doing a great job at being Melody's vocal couch. She could tell that Melody loved to sing and loved singing in front of her friends and family.

"Hey Mel…tell Uncle Oswald what you recently received from Pete." Mickey said, with a smile.

"What is it?" Oswald asked as Melody ran to the kitchen, grabbed the letter from the fridge, and ran back to the living room, showing the letter to Oswald. Oswald read it out loud.

'Dear Miss Melody Mouse,

We cordially invite you to perform in the Disney World Christmas Day parade on December 25th, 2026…'

Oswald stopped there. "Melody, that's great news!" He said, sounding excited for her. Melody just smiled at him, and ran back to the kitchen to hang the letter up on the fridge again.

"I'm so proud of our little girl, Mickey. She surely has a talent that not even I have!" Minnie announced with a smile on her face. Mickey smiled at Minnie as he took her hand and kissed her cheek. Oswald started to miss Ortensia again, and wished she was there.

"If-if you'd excuse me, I need some air…" He said, walking out of the house, not realizing that Melody was watching from behind the wall to the kitchen. He sat on the front steps and looked up at the sky, as he sighed.

(SONG: "Sending you a little Christmas"—Jim Brickman ft. Kristy Starling)

Oswald took a picture of Ortensia out of his jacket pocket and stared at her beautiful face on shinny paper. He remembered her beautiful singing voice as well. He missed her so much.

OSWALD: "A photograph, a blanket, some mistletoe, confetti snow, an angel to put on a tree. Santa Clause in crayon, to make you smile today; while you're so far, away. So I'm sending you a little Christmas, wrapped up with love, a little peace, a little light, to remind you of, how I'm waiting for you, praying for you, I wanted you to see, so I'm sending you a little Christmas, 'til you come home to me."

~WITH ORTENSIA THE LUCKY CAT IN WASTELAND~

Ortensia placed a stocking with Oswald's name on the fluffy white trimming at the top, in a box of stuff to move to the real Toon world with. She was packing her stuff to move away to Disney World to be with Oswald, because she got some great news from the doctor just 5 seconds ago, and she was almost done packing already (LOL).

ORTENSIA: "Some gingerbread, a candy cane, a stocking I made with your name; I filled it, with your favorite things. A way to say, I love you, like kisses through the air, hoping you'll feel me there. So I'm sending you a little Christmas, wrapped up with love, a little peace, a little light, to remind you of, how I'm waiting for you, praying for you, I wanted you to see, so I'm sending you a little Christmas, 'til I come home to you."

OSWALD: "Home into these arms of mine…"

BOTH: "Home, where you/I belong! So I'm sending you a little Christmas, wrapped up with love, a little peace, a little light, to remind you of, how I'm waiting for you, praying for you, I wanted you to see, so I'm sending you a little Christmas…"

~BACK WITH OSWALD~

OSWALD: "Till you, Come home…! Home, till you come home, to me."

(End of song)

Oswald sighed again and looked back at the picture of his lovely cat wife in his hand. "Ortensia, I'm so sorry for leaving when I did. I should have stayed with you, in your final hours." He said to no one in particular. Melody over-heard him though and got an idea. She grabbed her music binder from the music area as Corona, Mickey, and Minnie were talking and catching up. She ran up to her room, sat at the keyboard by the window, and began to write her very first original song, about Christmas and lost loved ones…and where those loved ones could be.

~END OF CHAPTER~