Disclaimer: Disney owns Disney characters. I am not Disney. Therefore, I do not own the Disney characters.
This chapter is dedicated to all those who have worked for WDFA and have recently been fired by the idiots in management. Thank you for all the magic you have created…thank you for fighting the good fight that can't yet be won…
Debate
Mickey stood at the podium, tail twitching nervously.
"Hi, everybody," he greeted the crowd, beaming. A murmur of returned acknowledgment rippled through the vast assembly, anticipation over his next statement almost to the breaking point.
"I know what you're all thinking, and you can relax: this meeting doesn't have a thing to do with the Exiles."
The announcement caused immediate relief; some Toons breathed out sighs they'd been carrying since the afternoon, others dramatically slumped into their seats, taut tension quickly seeping out.
"Thanks to our crack policing team-" here, the Mouse gestured towards the vigilant clan, Darkwing and cohorts- "all the criminals are safely far away from us with neither a pip nor squeak heard from them since their banishment.
"But I wanted to bring up something…just as important, if not more so."
The quick moment of respite fell away, replaced by another round of curious, slightly anxious mutterings.
Mickey looked to Minnie before continuing. She smiled that pretty, reassuring smile of hers and nodded. They were in together. As they always were.
"Some of us have been here a very long time. Others have just joined us. But tonight, I am asking everyone here to consider the possibility of…extending our borders just a bit."
"To where?" Aladdin called out. Jasmine immediately smacked his arm, annoyed at his outburst.
Mickey paused, not so much for dramatic effect but to question himself one final time whether this was the best thing to do.
It wasn't.
But it wasn't up to him anymore.
"Into the human's world."
The collective gasp seemed to draw all the air out of the room for a brief second. For that stunned moment, all possibilities of Animasia's future stretched out before him, all disasters, heartbreaks, delights and happy endings. He saw the stories of their lives coalesce into that single instant, their vitality brilliant in this new hope of the future.
This is what they wanted.
How could he have been so wrong?
Snow White was the first to break the silence. A sudden choked sob echoed throughout the hall as she buried her reddening face into pale hands. "Finally…" she whimpered as Cinderella comforted her. "…finally…"
Off in the wings, Donald rolled his eyes.
Out of her weeping came the rolling of voices, feather-quiet whispers churning into jubilant cheers, dissonant mutterings and outright celebration. Joy radiated from the First Generation, muting progressively as the age of the Toons dwindled. While the Dwarves jigged, Aurora and Philip hugged, Robin Hood conferred with Marian, and Woody and Buzz puzzled about the scene before them.
Belle clasped Gaston's hand, seeking reassurance that this wasn't some cruel dream. She beamed at him as they stood and joined the voices raised in delight while the castle staff remained more sedately contemplative, eyeing each other in mute askance.
Elisa looked up in the rafters at the clan. Even from far away she could see Goliath scowling, tension ebbing through his chiseled frame, quivering his wings. The others, while not looking nearly as perturbed as their leader, hardly echoed the jubilant racket from below.
She staved off her own impulse to join in the racket.
Mufasa looked at the pride, saw their apprehension, and deepened his frown.
Mickey waited a while longer before calling people back to their seats. "So…heh…I guess that's somewhat of an affirmative…" he mildly joked, feeling a bit sick. "So the best thing for everyone to do now is to talk this over with their kingdoms and we'll all come back and discuss this in a week or-"
"No!"
Startled, Mickey and the rest of Animasia looked at Cinderella, out of her seat and half-mad with desperation. "No! We've waited so long for this, Mickey. Everyone here knows what they want, have known for years. We don't need to wait any longer. We're all here now. Let's decide now."
Mickey felt the combined stare of the assembly back on him. Too late, too late, forever too late… A voice that was his own but without its energy, its character, asked, "Any objections to Ella's…suggestion…?"
The few voices who had the courage to challenge Cinderella were lost to the mass of wild support for the princess.
Mickey gripped the podium, steadying himself as the fresh round of cheers rolled through its momentum. He felt so shaky he wondered if everyone could see his ears quivering. In the matter of five minutes the entirety of Animasia had been lost to him. He looked over at Donald, glaring furiously at him, and Goofy, the hapless bewilderment he was best known for glazing his warm eyes.
What had he done?
"Okay," he murmured as the room quieted and waited for his next pronouncement. Knowing that there was no way he could safely get out of this mess, he bowed his head briefly, resigned to whatever fate may have in store. Looking up, he said in a louder voice, "Okay. Since it sounds like just about everyone's ready, we'll have the vote tonight. Donald will do the tally."
Mickey heard the beginnings of a livid squawk that was quickly stifled by one of the coldest stares Mickey had ever seen Goofy give. Together, both Donald and Goofy pulled down the tally board out of thin air, a rich, cherry wood frame that held dozens of carved silver names. On the top, a large "Yea," and "Nay" divided the board into two separate columns.
Calmer, Donald read the first name on the board: "The Black Forest."
Snow White stood, her flushed cheeks striking against the rest of her pale winter skin. "It's been sixty years since our creation," she announced softly. "It's a long time to be waiting for a world that's just beyond the Door. Many, many things can happen during that span of time. Many things happened that we don't know about, simply from our isolation. But we've been patient, as Walt wanted us to be patient." Behind her, the Dwarves nodded approval.
"Now the time has come for us to stop being patient. A time that we have waited for and have longed for since our beginning. Tonight is the new beginning, a new future for all of us. Our vote is yea!"
During the round of applause that followed, the "Black Forest" name slid over to the "Yea" position on the hovering board. Donald looked up, sighed, then called for "Florence."
Geppetto stood and gave a similar speech to Snow's, and Donald sighed once more as another name shifted to "Yea." "It's gonna be a long night if they don't shut up every stupid time they stand," he muttered to Goofy, who in turn gave a small laugh.
It wasa long night. As each group received their turn to vote, some representative made an overly dramatic speech about how long they had waited for this opportunity, how wonderful it was to finally have this chance, this is the most exciting thing Animasia has ever seen. Donald thought Mickey was going to blow a gasket when Ella's super-flowery speech started with her "long years languishing in captivity." The Mouse's usually pencil-thin tail fuzzed out like a cat's as she continued her overwrought soliloquy of her "relentless exile."
It wasn't until Robin Hood stepped up with a questioning eye to everyone that the tone of the evening started to change. "I don't see what the big deal is, quite frankly," he said as the assembled group puzzled. "The human's world is just one more place to explore. We still have a lot of lands people haven't bothered visiting here, and I know for a fact that most of you have never seen Sherwood in the spring." He grinned, sly and confident. "If it's variety you want, there's still plenty to go around. However, we also have no…inherentproblem with the notion of entering the human's world. We're not going to stand in your way against whatever it is you're looking for. Sherwood's vote is yea, but do think it over."
Mickey had long since retired from the podium, rather sitting on the steps in front of the dais. While Robin's words were of some comfort, it did little to cheer him as he looked at the long column of affirmative votes.
A knot was growing in Belle's stomach as the vote drew nearer. While she and Gaston may have been all for joining humanity, the decision wasn't nearly as clear cut between the servants. While Chip fell asleep on her lap, Lumiere, Cogsworth and Mrs. Potts whispered anxiously amongst themselves, with her father tossing in a comment every now and then.
As Basil mused on the necessity for joining humanity versus the want, Belle felt a tap on her shoulder. Lumiere slid between her and Maurice and half-asked, half-pleaded, "Don't tell them yes."
Expecting this request, Belle shook her head. "So none of you have any interest in seeing what's out there?"
"Non."
"You have no interest whatsoever in the millions of single women in America alone who fantasize about being romanced by a tall Frenchman?"
Lumiere's long face froze, and she could see him counting the possibilities. A few seats over, Cogsworth fumed. "Millions, you say?" Lumiere whispered hoarsely.
Belle smiled, sad, pensive. "You just want to protect him."
The manservant sighed, then returned the same smile. "Oui, ma chere."
"I know." She held Chip tighter as he slept on. "I know."
"South Lyons," Donald announced.
Handing Chip over to Lumiere, Belle stood, the knot filling her stomach and constricting her chest.
"Lyons abstains from this vote." She sat down, looking around the arboretum to dare anyone to question her choice. Anyone who she caught looking quickly turned their heads away.
"What the hell was that?" Gaston hissed once she was back down. "Isn't this what you've always wanted?"
"Yes, but I'm not the only one who gets a say."
"For god sakes', Belle-"
"Not everyone thinks this is the best thing to do. I'm not simply going to say what I think is best and neglect others' concerns."
"Fine."
"South Lyons" slid to the midpoint between "Yea" and "Nay," the first vote of its kind in the history of Animasia. "Agrabah" then rectified the dominating column with a "yea" vote.
"The Pride Lands."
Mufasa looked at the faces of his pride, his brother, his wife, his son. Knowing both that they were all in agreement, and that their agreed stance would not go over well, he stood and asked, "Does it not bother anyone that, if we do indeed let ourselves be known to the public, we are doing the exact thing the Exiles tried?"
A sharp silence punctured the gathering, promptly followed by a round of protests and jeers.
"What?"
"Is he serious?"
"This isn't like that at all!"
"We're not like them!"
"This isn't a violent takeover, damn it."
"Fraidy cat."
Above the cacophony, the lion could see Mickey trying to call order, his tiny voice drowned out by the countless others. Their eyes met briefly.
Mickey knew Mufasa was right.
The tired resignation in the Mouse's eyes reflected the knowledge they both silently shared and feared. So why had this whole forsaken mess been brought up in the first place?
A brief lull in the commotion was enough for Mufasa to plough through. "There is a reason we have been hidden for so long, why Walt never told anyone about us. The world out there won't know what to do with us. Is everyone here fully committed to dealing with a radically different, far more challenging existence?"
Cinderella jumped to her feet again, golden hair flouncing with frenzied energy. "What good is it to be immortal if we don't take those risks, Mufasa? If we don't get the chance to live like everyone else?"
Below the din, Mickey winced.
"We're not like everyone else, Ella," the lion rumbled quietly. "That's why we're here."
"We didn't ask to be here."
"I don't think anyone does."
Her voice took an uncharacteristically hard edge. "Not all of us are like you, being here only a few short years. You have no idea what it's been like. Most of us have waited decades for this very night and we'll be damned if you ruin this for us."
"That was beautifully melodramatic," Sarabi murmured to Mufasa as he sat down on his haunches, her smooth contralto lost below the applause raised for Cinderella.
"She obviously had the audience for it," he returned grimly. "I don't like this."
The assembled finally quieted, Donald apologetically and unnecessarily asked, "The vote for the Pride Lands?"
"The Pride Lands say nay," Mufasa rumbled against the rolling consternation of the crowd.
"With a unified voice," Sarabi added defiantly.
Taka nodded. "Implicitly."
One lone name appeared under the "Nay" side of the board.
"The Wyvern Clan," Donald announced.
Goliath swooped down from the rafters and carefully glided next to Elisa. He folded his wings over his chest, giving the appearance of an imposing monarch robed in dark lavender.
"Has anyone here yet considered the method of how we are to integrate into human society? Of the consequences of that action? It is one thing to want something and entirely another to pursue that goal."
Before the natives could grow too restless once more, Mickey took the stand. "This is just the first step, Goliath."
"I understand. But there is a blindness that has pervaded this room tonight. Excitement seems to have clouded the judgment of most individuals here. Integration is a worthy goal, but only later, when rationality can dominate the debate. Wyvern abstains."
The rest of the night went by fairly quickly. The remaining kingdoms of the Second Generation gave little preamble before their votes, most just wanting to get home. When Nani gave Hawaii's vote of "yea," the Town Hall exploded with cheering, laughter, and some striking fireworks Genie cooked up on the spot. Mickey didn't even try to raise his voice and just announced to anyone within earshot that he's present Animasia's proposal to Misner in the morning.
The celebrations lasted long into the night.
Mickey sat alone on the steps of the Town Hall, looking into the starless black sky for answers.
How could he have been so wrong?
"You weren't wrong, you know."
The Mouse barely glanced over as Minnie sat down beside him. She glanced up at the night, then down at Mickey and sighed. "He's not about to come back and start yelling at you."
"I know that."
"Then why are you looking for him?"
Rather than defend himself, Mickey remained staring fixedly at a murky cloud crossing overhead.
"You couldn't keep them hidden forever. Walt knew that. Just for as long as you could. And you did, Mickey. You really did."
When Mickey said nothing, Minnie stood and brushed the dirt off her hem. "I'm going home," she said, the leaned over to kiss his forehead. "I'll leave a light on."
A nod. And that same resigned, ashamed stare into the heavens.
He kept vigil for the long night ahead.
The door chimed, a quiet "Fur Elise" playing out of the speakers. Misner looked up, pleasantly surprised to find a visitor calling on him.
"Come in."
The door to Animasia slid open. He grinned broadly. "I was hoping I'd see you before I headed back to the Coast."
"And here I am." She held up a jade green bottle of champagne. "To celebrate."
"There's not some Toon holiday that I'm missing out on, is there?" He walked over to the bar in his office and produced two goblets.
"We just started this one."
"And it is?"
She took the glasses and poured the champagne delicately, barely letting any foam settle on the surface. "Independence Day. Cheers."
Misner took a sip, raised his eyebrows. "Freedom from tyranny?"
"From oppression."
"You're kidding."
"No."
Misner laughed. "That old blowhard finally let loose?"
"I wouldn't say that. He fought it kicking and screaming and lost. He'll be in to see you tomorrow, so act surprised."
"Of course I will, my dear."
Her eyes softened, taking him in. "You said we could travel to Lake Tahoe when this happened."
"And we will. But not tonight."
"Of course not."
"I have to wait for Mr. Mouse to apologize to me tomorrow."
"I wish I could see that."
"I'll tell you about it."
"Good." She leaned in towards him, sliding her body provocatively across his desk. "Your wife isn't expecting you home anytime soon, is she?"
"My wife's in California."
"Good," she breathed, loosening his Armani tie. "Happy Independence Day."
The celebrations lasted long into the night.