Hope you enjoy this chapter! As always, major thanks to my major editor, Lies!
With the help of the noble cobbler, the maiden, the wolf, and the princess defeated their foes once again. Now none of them could ignore the looming shadow that darkened the path ahead of them. Yet the maiden never lost her resolve, and she continued forward in their journey. The group, now even bigger, followed her to their next destination. Prepare as they might, none of them were ready to face the next challenge…
Minnie did her best to be patient as she waited atop Mickey's motorcycle for him to return from the rickety apartment where he and his pack lived. He had promised they would get to work right after he did a small errand, and so Minnie was waiting for whatever that errand could be to finish up. She was a little grateful that Mickey had told her to stay there instead of going in with him. While she trusted him more with each passing day, even if this was only day four of getting to know him, the rest of his pack was a different matter. She was wary of them, and she didn't imagine they cared for her either.
The front door opened, and Minnie held her breath because Mickey was joined by a male and female from the pack. Mickey was still barking orders as he stepped out, waving a hand as he dictated. "… And that goes for everyone. I don't wanna find anyone slackin' off. I want a report from everyone by the time I get back. Capiche?"
"Understood, Alpha!" Both saluted at the command, before noticing Minnie was there. She leaned back as far as she could without falling, expecting snarls and glares for the girl who had gotten them in trouble with their leader.
Instead, the male sped up to her and grabbed her gloved hands, shaking them enthusiastically. "It's good to see you, Missus! Thank you for treatin' our Alpha so well! No hard feelin's?"
"Course not, course not!" The female was as chipper as her counterpart, peeking over his shoulders and chummily waving to Minnie. "Not when she's gunna be our new Pack Mama! And I can tell she's got the hips for it! I betcha we'll have three litters-"
"Get movin' already!" Mickey suddenly and violently interrupted the conversation, turning bright red as he delivered a swift kick to the male's shin. The two apologized profusely, running off and down the block with their tails between their legs. He cleared his throat and adjusted his cap, doing his darndest to act like he hadn't been embarrassed. "… Just forget what they said, okay?"
"… Okay?" It was easy for Minnie given the fact she had no idea what they were talking about. She could sense Mickey wanted a change of subject and provided him with one. "I'm still surprised they let you order them around… I know you said you're the Alpha, but some of them are three times your size."
"Size and strength got nothin' ta do with it." He could prolong the job a little longer if that meant he got to brag to his girl. As such, his chest was puffed out, and he gestured grandly as he spoke of his proud heritage and family line. "My old lady was the Alpha, and her old man was the Alpha, and on and on. If yer the blood of an Alpha, yer the next Alpha! And anyone who doesn't like it, they can challenge the Alpha… and get the snot beaten outta them!" Though no one had ever challenged him for the role, he tried to have Minnie think otherwise, flexing his arm muscles.
Minnie didn't notice the display, as she was distracted by questions. "And you're half mouse, half wolf… So your mother was the wolf, and your father was the mouse?"
"Yer a smart cookie, Red." With no obnoxious ducks in sight, maybe he'd have a chance to nibble his dessert. "Ma wanted him, and told the pack that she was gunna have him, and anyone who objected could try ta take her place as Alpha. Then she beat the crud out of 'em all!" He grinned from ear to ear, and while Minnie didn't think violence was anything to glorify, she certainly knew about motherly worship, and returned the smile. Out of all things to have in common, who would have guessed that they both respected their mothers to such high degrees?
"See, that's what a good mate does." Mickey continued, making his way to Minnie but not making any moves to get on his bike. "They protect the one they want, and fight for 'em, no matter what. Ya know how ya can tell ya got a good mate?"
"No." Minnie answered sincerely, getting that funny feeling in her stomach and chest again. His presence sometimes created a feeling of being ill, but not in a way that was unpleasant. It was more like being high on a fever, and with him this close, and saying these things, her fever was rapidly escalating. Her fingers curled up in her hood for a way to calm down, but even that was lost when his hand gently came to rest on top of hers. She didn't know why she asked, "How can you tell?"
"Well." His other hand was neatly tucked under her neck, with his thumb on her chin. "They might say somethin' like… What big eyes ya have, R-"
HONK HONK HONK HONK HONK HONK HONK HONNNNNNNK!
It was no coincidence that the horn from Daisy's limo was as irritating to Mickey as her voice. If looks could kill, than Mickey would have been accused of Daisy's murder as she stepped out of the stretched silver vehicle, which matched her silver attire for the day. "Sooo sorry that we're late, Mins!"
"I'll give ya somethin' ta be sorry over, ya big-" Mickey's growling jaw was shoved shut by Minnie, who knew little of romance but by now was becoming an expert on his temper.
She turned around in her seat to greet Daisy, who was showing off silver sandals, a silver wig in a bob cut style, a silver purse, and silver sunglasses on top of her beak. After Minnie's hello, she picked up on the extra word. "We're? What do you mean, 'we're' late?"
"Like, me and Donald!" Daisy jabbed a thumb behind her, and sure enough the cobbler was stepping out, with a heavy brand of headphones on his shoulders. He looked dizzy as one hand was placed on his temple, and there was faint noise coming from his headphones. Minnie recognized it as one of Daisy's hits. "I felt so, you know, bad after those goons totally trashed his place, so I invited him to join our group! Maybe he can find a new place to work while I, like, find my prince charming!"
"Just great." Mickey began to climb on his motorcycle, clearly displeased with this turn of events. "Why don't we pick up a cowardly lion and a tin man while we're at it?" Was it so much to ask for alone time with the girl of his dreams?
"Actually, I think the extra help would do us some good." Minnie lifted one leg over the other as she thought out loud. "After what happened at Donald's shop and Daisy's concert, who's to say something like that won't happen again? Both times people were out of control after someone gave them a push, they kept scratching their ears, and then when they were knocked on the head, a white feather came out and they couldn't remember the attacks. Something that strange can't be a coincidence when it happens more that once."
"Mins is, like, right on! And you know what?" Daisy leaned in, with a hand cupped to her beak, whispering despite it being early morning with hardly anyone out and about. "When you two left, I found out something even stranger!"
Mickey's attention was snagged, and he and Minnie cautiously looked to the diva. What vital clue had they missed?
"The strangest thing of it all is…" Daisy then grabbed Donald by the arm, and pushed him in front of him. "This guy has never heard of me before! Can you believe it?! Someone in this city who doesn't know, like, anything about me!"
"Oh for cryin' out loud!" Mickey slapped a hand to his forehead, while Minnie awkwardly looked back and forth between the group, unsure of how to properly react.
Donald sheepishly shrugged, his ear canals still ringing from the headphones. "I… I don't get out much! I don't even own a radio!"
"Which is why I've had him listening to all of my top singles on the ride over!" Daisy slapped Donald hard on the back, almost making him fall over. "He's made me see the light! If someone like him has never heard of me, there might be others too! I'll never find my Prince Charming if I don't make sure everyone in this city knows my name! That's why I totally need to tag along for every delivery! I'll spread my name wherever we go, and then my Prince Charming will come to me! It's, like, for the good of all, you know! The good of romance! I need to connect with the commoners! I need to get to the nitty-gritty of those who aren't nobility! I need to…" She trailed off as she saw her captive audience, Mickey and Minnie, were gone.
"He drove off with her two minutes ago." Donald answered the unasked question.
Despite Mickey's best efforts, the ducks caught up with him. For the next delivery, though, they both had to leave their vehicles behind when they saw they would have to enter the forest. Grimm City was originally one large forest, but now the buildings towered over the trees, and more of them were cut down every year. Only a small portion of it existed now, thanks to those that had stubbornly refused to leave their homes.
"I'm surprised you and your pack don't live here." Donald commented as the group of four made their way through the grass. "For all your complaining about the Grimm Brothers, you could have stayed here and not lived alongside the buildings."
"This is hardly a place ta live either, thanks ta 'em." Mickey had his hands deep in his jacket, and kicked a nearby tree to prove his point. The tree almost seemed to shudder, and fistfuls of leaves began to droop down to the ground. "See? The smoke and smog from all those buildin's are killin' the plants. No plants means no food. So we either stay here ta starve, or go with the buildin's ta get a bed rep. We don't really win either way."
This was Minnie's first time in the forest, yet even she found herself agreeing with Mickey about the condition of the trees. It wasn't fall, yet the leaves and grass took on unhealthy hues of brown, easily crackling under their footsteps. Plants needed air as much as people did, and they were both choking day by day. Had things always been this way, from Minnie's naïve days cooped up in her home? Was there a time when the sun could shine bright, and the trees were green, as described in the stacks of books at school? But surely the Grimm Brothers didn't mean for this much decay. They were trying to improve the quality of life for everyone. That was what everyone had been taught.
"So, like, your rep." Daisy was taking very careful and very slow steps, wincing every time she thought her shoes were getting dirty. "You totally told me that it was the Grimm Brother's fault you guys have such a bad one."
"Course it is!" Mickey swung his fist around, as if wishing one of the brothers as there to be his punching bag. "They support all the good businesses, they're behind almost every buildin'… They tell the higher-ups bad things about wolves, and the high tells the low, and then the word's spreadin' like wild fire. But not a one of ya ever even met a wolf until ya met me! It's all word of a word of a word!"
"The Brothers never supported my business." Donald mused, still keeping the headphones since it was sure to garner Daisy's attention towards him. "But that might be because I wouldn't catch up with their magic and technology. And everyone I ever heard bad things about wolves from never met one either. It was always a cousin telling a friend telling a neighbor… maybe you're on to something." He stuck a nail from his pocket into his mouth again, rolling it around as he asked. "So… is it true that wolves steal from every store in the city?"
"No way!" Mickey held his head up high, leading them despite having no idea where the customer's house was. Minnie stayed by his side to guide him without making him lose his pride. "Wolves pay for everythin'! I worked myself ta the bone ta afford my ride!"
"So…" Daisy joined in the investigation, while wondering if she could goad one of her friends into carrying her. "Is it true that wolves kidnap anyone who's alone, like, at night?"
"No way!" Mickey repeated, feeling good that he could educate others about the real lives of his pack. "We just give people a lil' scare so they'll leave us alone! Ain't nothin' wrong with wantin' some peace and quiet!"
Minnie wanted to join in, taking in an inquiry she had once heard from Granny during her many warnings. "So, is it true that wolves go crazy during the full moon?"
"No w-w-well…" Mickey switched out the word when he realized exactly what had been asked, and his pride plummeted as he found one he couldn't deny. "… Not… crazy, but, uh… see… We become a bit more in tune with magic… And, uh…" Were it only Donald and Daisy in his presence, he would have answered easily, but he wanted to paint a good impression on Minnie. Sadly, his behavior during the full moon left him with ugly colors to paint with. Minnie couldn't figure out why he wouldn't look her in the eyes. "… Look, when it comes… we'll just have ta miss each other for the time, okay? I ain't… exactly… gunna be that… nice…"
Donald snorted, laughing as his nail rolled back and forth. "You mean you can actually hound that kid more than you do now? Heh heh heh! See, Minnie, I think what he means isss WAAAAAUUUUUUGH!" His adult explanation was blindsided as he was whipped up in the air, ensnared in a tight rope net that hung him from a tree branch. "What's the big idea?!"
Mickey doubted karma worked that quickly, and immediately grabbed Minnie close. "We're under attack already? We gotta move!"
Daisy's scream signaled that moving was too late. An iron contraption had seized up from the ground, holding her ankle down. "Oooh, this is totally awful! I just bought this dress! Lemme go!"
Mickey couldn't smell the same greasy sweaty stench that had come from the others, so what was going on? He heard a whipping noise, and held Minnie even tighter to his body. "I'll protect ya, Red!" What had been a very noble act quickly turned into a very embarrassing one, as criss-cross lines of rope bolted up from the ground, pushing Mickey face down, and kept him on top of Minnie in the grass and dirt. He couldn't budge, nor could Minnie, though they could blush very deeply from their awkward position. "… Oops."
"Oh, sure, you two get the fun one!" Donald snapped from the net, trying to use his nail to cut through the trap. All four struggled and writhed in their traps, unable to pull free, and Minnie found her fever at the highest pitch it had ever been. As they all fought and yelled, new footsteps came in, and though for some it was difficult to manage, they could all see the man who had entered the chaotic scene.
This wasn't a slack-jawed, drooling, insane individual who wanted to destroy everything in his path. Instead they got a very tall and very lanky dog who was in control of his senses, such as tapping his foot to the ground in disappointment. "Ya'll just never learn, do ya?" His shaggy clothes were red and black, and a few fallen leaves hung off of his belt, which was adorned in spikes and small knives. The fur on his vest could have been real or fake, no one was in the mood to ask, and the sound of several holsters jingled for every step he made in his spiked boots. The thing about him that got the most attention wasn't him at all, but at the hunting rifle that was nearly as tall as he was, and he carried it over his shoulder like it was as natural as any other body part. "I said it once, and I'll say it a million times 'til ya'll get it in yer heads! I quit! Q-U-I-T!" He emphasized the spelling the poking Donald with the end of his rifle for every letter. "Ya can just tell yer bosses ta deal with her problems in a better way! I ain't goin after anymore stepdaughters!"
"What are you, like, talking about?" Daisy put her hands on her hips, catching the dog's attention. "We don't have bosses, and we don't have stepdaughters! … Why, do I look old enough to have a kid?" She began to run her hands over her face, panicked. "Do I have wrinkles?!"
The dog blinked a few times to make sure his vision was correct, and he swung his rifle around as he walked toward Daisy, accidentally smacking Donald around with his weapon. "Hey, ain'tcha that famous singer lady? Princess Daffodil?"
"Daisy!" She crossed her arms, though she was glad that her name managed to reach the outskirts. "And these are my groupies!"
"Like huff-puff we are!" Mickey snarled, and Donald supposed it was a step-up from a complete stranger. Minnie was unavailable for comment, given that funny feelings that coursing through her body were starting to intensify. She was hardly aware a conversation was even being had, as she shut her eyes tight and tried to mentally force her heart to slow down.
The dog scratched his head, trying to understand the grave error he had made. "Gee… then none of ya are here for mah services?"
"I don't even know what your services are!" Daisy managed to gain control of her narcissism for the time being, hard as it was. "Why did you set all these traps for us? Like, we're here to deliver a message, that's all!"
"A message?" he turned around to face them all, accidentally hitting Donald again with the rifle. "Well, gosh, why didn't any of ya say so? These traps weren't fer ya… they're fer the people who want me ta be a huntsman again."
"Look, before ya share yer sad backstory…" Mickey muttered, his claws firmly in the ground as his own 'funny feelings' weren't going to stay funny for much longer. "Mind lettin' us go?"
The dog looked down at the wolf, eyebrows raised. "… Are ya sure? Ya look pretty happy ta be there." He pointed at Mickey's tail which had not stopped wagging since his unusual entrapment. Still, the dog walked over, and got down on one knee, pulling out a knife from his belt and beginning to cut away at the thick ropes. "Name's Goofy. See, I used ta be a huntsman, and I would do any job asked. But then I kept gettin' these plain awful people askin' fer really nasty hunts. Wantin' me to get rid of their stepdaughters cause they're too purdy, or get their kids lost in here so they don't have ta feed 'em, and all kinds of real terrible stuff! Askin' me ta cut out their hearts instead of just gettin' a make over… So I decided ta quit business! I even quit the H.A. H.A.!"
"You quit laughing?" Minnie felt confident enough to open one eye by now. Maybe if she concentrated on Goofy and his tale, she ignored the knots being tugged inside of her. Mickey was the first boy she had really gotten to know, and lately she was getting to know more about boys than she ever thought she would. It was undecided if this was good or not.
"Naw, the Handy 'n' Able Huntsmen Association!" One rope cut, a dozen more to go. Goofy had a sad sound to his voice as he explained himself, losing his love for the job and the respect of those who shared the occupation. "It's where all registered Huntsmen hang out and look fer jobs together… now they just get ta-gether ta get drunk and brag about their kills. Ain't fun fellas ta be around. So while everyone else was movin' outta of the forest, I moved in, ta make sure people would leave me alone! I don't wanna hurt anyone fer dumb reasons! I may be kinda goofy, but I ain't heartless!"
With another rope cut, Mickey was able to move his arms, and tried to push himself off of Minnie. As he moved, a distinct smell came to him, and his paws on the ground felt tremors. "… That sweaty smell… Oh, we're in trouble!"
A horrendous crack echoed throughout the empty forest, and one large tree fell forward in a dead heap, missing the heroes by a mile. An impish troll of a man jumped on the fallen tree, and this was what they had been expecting before – the slack jaw, drooling insane individual, who bellowed because they could not speak. He was small, but it was the weapons on him that made him a fright. Latched on each arm was a gigantic spinning wheel, the same as the legend of the pricked finger, only these wheels spun rapidly, a forever loop. They were adorned with razor sharp spikes, creating an endlessly spinning chainsaw that could cut down mighty oaks and mighty heroes. The troll swung his arms around, slicing down two more trees to send towards the group.
Mickey managed to bolt himself away from the rest of the ropes, and headed for where the trees were heading – towards Donald and Daisy! Both had screamed, unable to save themselves, but Mickey and Goofy weren't about to let this story end yet. Goofy held up his rifle high, and with one shot, destroy the top of the net and sent Donald down the ground to freedom. Mickey grabbed Daisy's iron shackle, and with impossible strength, ripped it from the ground in one pull. He then lifted her up in his arms, running her out of harm's way until the mighty lumber landed.
"Please tell me ya ain't one of the groupies!" Goofy grabbed another knife from his belt, and began to stuck it in the front of his rifle.
"We need ta knock his head out!" Mickey dropped Daisy down, cracking his knuckles before getting ready to battle again. "That will stop him! Donald, Daisy, get yerselves and Red outta here!" He ran forward, wanting to bash the bad guy's brains out, but he had to spend time and energy dodging another fallen tree. Goofy stuck his foot to the ground, taking aim, and shot off his rifle – the knife flew straight ahead, and hit the left spinning wheel, clogging up the system and stopping the wheel from any further spin. The troll didn't even seem to notice, as it continued to dangerously flail its arms everywhere it could reach.
Donald and Daisy managed to reach Minnie, and helped her to her feet. "We gotta go, Mins!" Daisy tried to yank Minnie away, but the red riding hood wouldn't budge now that she was standing up straight.
"No! I have an idea!" She pulled her delivery bag over her shoulder, her mind racing ahead of her fear. "I need to get close to that man!" Her mind spun faster than the deadly spinning needles, analyzing the situation – the area around them was becoming a flat and level due to the amount of trees knocked down. "Follow my lead!" She began running forward, and the ducks, seeing little choice, followed her as fast as they could. "That tree right ahead… Push, jump, and roll!"
Donald and Daisy followed Minnie towards a fallen tree, and so followed her commands – they pushed it all together, jumped on it as it moved, and using their feet as balance and direction, began to roll it towards the troll! They all held hands to ensure no one would fall off, and the wayward villain never saw them coming. "And… jump again!"Minnie shouted as they got close enough, so they jumped backwards and off the tree just in time to have it roll and flatten their enemy down. Both wheels were destroyed, and no one could ask for a bigger knock to the head.
"Oh, Mins, I love you, you brilliant girl you!" Daisy squealed for joy at the success of the strange plan, but when she went to hug Minnie, the messenger was still moving, so she wound up hugging Donald instead.
As Minnie predicted, a white glitter began to leave his ear, but she wasn't going to let it vanish this time. She got down on her knees, and shoved the white feather into her bag, and then closed it shut. After a moment of pause, she opened the bag again, and to her relief, the feather was whole. "It worked! A messenger's bag is meant to contain magic!"
"Red!" Mickey and Goofy managed to catch up to the others, and the wolf grabbed his woman by the arms in a mixture of anger and fear. "What were ya thinkin'?! Ya coulda gotten hurt! They were supposed ta getcha outta here!"
"B-But Mickey, look!" Minnie held up her bag defensively, believing she didn't do anything wrong. "I got the feather! Now we can take it to someone and see what it is, and why it's making people so crazy!"
"S-Still! That don't… that don't give the right ta be… all… all brave, and smart, and…"He huffed and puffed, and then held her close to his chest again, and Minnie oddly found that this time her funny feelings had settled down. "Yer gunna kill me, Red."
Goofy poked the moaning troll with his rifle as the foe began to wake up from his stupor. "Now what'dja go ruinin' all the trees fer?"
"What…?" The troll rubbed a hand through his dirty hair, his sloppy attire matching his every moment. Yet his real voice was far cleaner."… I say, What am I doing here? I was on my way to the H.A.H.A. to show them my newest weapon…" He held up his arms to show them off, and then gasped to see their appearance. "My wheels! Who did this to my beautiful wheels?!"
"Then, let me guess." Donald offered a hand to help the troll up. "You got shoved, and your ear felt weird, and you can't remember anything since then."
The troll went quiet as he tried to recall, and gasped even louder when he couldn't find his memories. "By jove! You're absolutely right! I can't remember a thing, and my ear itches something dreadful!"
"Then there's one last thing we need to tie up all the totally crazy similarities…" Daisy strutted up to Goofy, tugging his sleeve. "Did you go to a school that, like, might have a reunion coming up?"
Goofy scratched his head with his rifle, nodding slowly as he recalled what he saw as unimportant timelines. "Gosh, I just might. I ain't got any invitation, though."
It was time for Minnie to wrap up the line of clues, and she dug into her bag, pulling out Goofy's marble. Sure enough, there it read in the inscription, the one who had ordered it was the same one who had sent invitations to Daisy and Donald – the Grimm brothers.
"I knew it!" Mickey took the marble away, holding it up so he could see the names. "That's the only thing the three of ya got in common… ya all got this school reunion comin' up! Whoever's behind these feathers wants ta get rid of all the student's comin' ta the reunion!"
"But that totally makes no sense!" Daisy snatched the same marble out of his hand, wanting to take a look for herself. "Why would anyone, like, want to get rid of us? Nobody cares about Donald's business, Goofy shut himself away from the world, and everyone loves me!"
Minnie managed to take back her marble, since she still had a job to do. "Whoever is behind this… I have to figure it out. This person is putting my customers in danger, and as a messenger, I can't let that happen. So I'm going to take this feather to the smartest man in Grimm City, Professor Ludwig Von Drake!"
It was mutually agreed with the group, save for the troll who was still lamenting the loss of his weapons. "And I'll be with ya every step of the way, Red…" Mickey patted her shoulder, and then began pushing her towards Goofy. "… Right after ya deliver yer message." There was no way he was going to miss out on his kiss after all that delightful trapped torture.
"Something's made those wolves anxious. There are more reports of their movements… what do you think their 'Alpha' told them to do?"
Tapping on glass.
"Who cares? It won't matter in the end. A few screw-ups aren't gunna stop us, not after all the work we put through."
Apple wine, poured into a borrowed cup.
"Tick tock, tick tock. I hope he makes it to the full moon. The most fun happens at the last second."
End of Chapter Four.