As always, big thanks to my editors, Drucilla and BlueShifted Thanks to their suggestions, you may learn more about Goofy's family in the future.

This chapter is more of a 'look at what the side characters are up to' sort of deal, since many characters make up a kingdom. Also making Goofy into a badass is something that needed to be done and will be done again in other stories.

TRIGGER WARNING : This chapter contains attempted sexual assault, I figured it was only fair to warn those who can't handle that.


Two nights after the prince and princess' failed attempts to see each other, they made due with their usual meet-up in Minnie's garden far past sunset. They exchanged their disastrous journeys, laughing in amusement – though Minnie omitted the part about Mortimer being in her life. She wasn't sure how to explain it to Mickey, and worried about his reaction.

This time, Mickey had brought along a small satchel containing many fruits from his kingdom. As they bit into melons and juice dripped down their chins, Mickey slapped his leg. "What we have to do is plan together this time."

Minnie was bundling up her hair, so it wouldn't get sticky from the juice. "What do you mean?"

"I'm saying we have to make a schedule of seeing each other during the day! Plot it all out to the last detail. And I already got somethin' in mind." He paused momentarily to lick his fingers. "In three days, Horace has a day off, so he won't be chasing me around. So you just have to get away from your guards. I'll meet you in the Forbidden Forest and take you all around the kingdom! I'll get you a disguise and everything."

Minnie smiled, letting her clumsily-made braid droop down her shoulder. "Mickey, you're so clever! If that works, we could see each other much more often!" After giving him a congratulatory clap, she began to plot. "It would have to be after I do the morning ritual with mother..." But before she could map her day out any further, her sense of curiosity struck. She looked at Mickey, her eyebrows raised. "You know, you never told me what your kingdom does with the Sun Talisman!"

Mickey had been about to reach into the satchel for another piece of fruit, but here he hesitated, sparing only a quick glance to his dear. "Uh. Huh. I guess I didn't."

"We use the Moon Talisman to control the water levels here," Minnie explained, though she'd already told Mickey this, her hands pressed together in excitement. "What does your do? Control the heat? Control fire?"

Mickey still declined to look directly at her, idly scratching his cheek. "Uhhh. Well. See...we have no idea what it does."

"No idea?" Minnie repeated, incredulous. "You've never used it?"

The prince of the Sun grumbled quietly, his cheeks pinking. He had wanted to keep up the image of the cool, wise man to his beloved, but in order to always be truthful to her, he'd have to crack that image. "...I'm going to tell you what happened to it, but you have to swear not to laugh."

Minnie was now sitting on her knees, trying to lean over and see Mickey's face, her excitement obvious. "Happened? Something happened to it? Oh, Mickey, tell me, tell me!"

Mickey uncomfortably cleared his throat, closing his eyes so he wouldn't have to see Minnie's reaction. "My old man wasn't sure what to do with the Sun Talisman and didn't want to risk accidentally getting the Phoenix angry, so he put it on a pedestal. I suppose he figured we'd think of something eventually. But one day, when I was a kid – and I mean a little kid, Minnie, you remember that! - I was playin' with Goofy...he'd just started livin' with us in the castle, he's a few years older than me, part of the tradition and all that." He took a deep breath. "We were playin' hide and go seek, but Goofy was taking forever to find me and I was getting really hungry so when I saw the Talisman, I...thought it was a giant cookie."

Mickey hoped he didn't have to explain it any further, and to both his relief and embarrassment, Minnie shouted, "You ate it?!"

Mickey finally looked at her, eyes narrowed. "I said I was a little kid. And really hungry!" Hungry enough to swallow the whole thing despite it being impossible to chew. He'd been a stubborn child, who turned into a stubborn teenager who didn't feel Minnie had to know every single last detail of his youth. Thank goodness it'd only been as small as his palm or he wouldn't be alive to be embarrassed.

Thankfully, Minnie hadn't sworn not to laugh, because she would have broken that promise and felt terribly guilty about it. As it was, she felt free to giggle hysterically, with her hands over her mouth. She could picture tiny Mickey with his grubby hands, pushing over the pedestal and eagerly shoving the foreign object in his mouth. Mickey managed to crack a smile – Minnie's laugh was a precious melody. "You think that's funny, huh? I'll give you somethin' to laugh at!"

Mickey threw himself at Minnie, his orange hands tickling her sides. Minnie shrieked an objection, laughing even harder as her skin was extra sensitive. When she tried to push him off, he grabbed her hand and kissed her palm before tickling it as well. "M-Mickey, that's not fair!" she heaved between fits of giggles. "Anyone w-would have laughed at that story!"

"Well, you're not just anyone!" Mickey countered, leaning in to leave a necklace of kisses on Minnie's throat. "You're my Minnie, and don't you forget it." When he saw her actual necklace, the sun and moon linked together, the treasure she'd never removed, he felt satisfied with his revenge and laid his head on her belly. As Minnie caught her breath, she sat up, and fondly stroked Mickey's ears as he lay on her lap.

Despite Daisy's wild imagination filling Minnie's mind, and Mickey needing to be active in all he did, there were many times when the royals were happy to just sit in silence. They couldn't understand it themselves, but there was a certain kind of peace achieved by basking in the others' presence. It was made better by the quiet understanding that this happiness was mutual – there was no self doubt or worrying here. Often they heard nothing but nearby crickets and the whispered hush of their names.

After one such whispered hush, Mickey turned his head and lightly brushed his fingertips along Minnie's cheek. "I don't get it."

Minnie touched his hand, pressing it in closer. "What is it?"

Mickey smiled, thinking what he was about to say was a genuine compliment. "I don't get how you don't have a million suitors at your door, wantin' your pretty hand."

For half a second, Minnie thought maybe the Sun Talisman granted Mickey mind reading abilities. She faltered, clinging onto Mickey's hand tightly as she tried to find a way to change the subject. "W-well, I, ah, um...I wonder the same about you! Y-Yes, why don't you have a dozen lovely ladies trying to marry you?"

Mickey shrugged one shoulder, dismissive. "Eh, I get that kinda nonsense all the time."

"What!" This time Minnie did drop his hand, but Mickey didn't mind.

"My Pa's always trying to find me some gal to marry so I can give him grandbabies," when he rolled his eyes, he missed Minnie blushing hotly. "At least once a month he parades the daughter of some soldier or the sister of a high ranked merchant or blah blah blah." He mimed the passing women talking with an open hand closing over and over. "Never liked any of 'em. He'll probably keep at it until we find some way to introduce you to him without setting the war off all over again."

As always, Mickey's confidence floored Minnie. He had such faith in their relationship that he could speak of these women to her and know she wouldn't be angry. Minnie touched her chest, flattered by his sincerity. If he trusted her so deeply, then she should trust him too. "Mickey...Mother is trying to marry me off to someone."

Mickey yawned. "Is that so?"

"His name is Sir Mortimer Rodawn. I knew him when I was a child, but he was a horrible brat. He's a scholar now." Given that Mickey was nodding along without much change in his expression, Minnie felt relieved. "I avoid him whenever I can, which isn't all that easy, since he lives in the castle now-"

As soon as the words left Minnie's mouth, Mickey sat up abruptly, almost knocking her over. "He's livin' with you?!"

Minnie moved back an inch, surprised. "Well, yes, to see if he fits in with – Mickey, what are you so upset for? You have a woman trying to woo you every month!"

"That's different! I see 'em once, they don't live with me!" He then squinted, looking his girlfriend up and down rapidly. "He hasn't gotten his hands anywhere on you, has he?" Without waiting for her to answer him again, he tackled her down. "You just tell me where and I'll make it clean! Shoot, forget that, his ugly eyes have been all over you, I know it!" Mickey seized Minnie's arm and began to leave a trail of desperate, hot kisses up and down in order to eradicate Mortimer's presence completely.

There was a fine line between endearing behavior and annoyance, and Mickey was straddling it. Calling his name wasn't working, so Minnie slapped a hand over Mickey's mouth, making him stop. She wanted affection, but not as a result of useless male pride. "For goodness sake," Minnie said once her heart stopped racing. "Instead of losing your mind...how about we make a promise, and a reminder?"

Minnie held up her necklace, and placed Mickey's hand on it along with her own, much like Mickey had done the first time they met in the marsh gardens. "I promise to love you, and only you, for the rest of my life."

Mickey's face softened and he let out a chuckle before nodding. "I promise to love you, and only you, for the rest of my life." He was still miffed about Mortimer's presence, but promises made on this necklace were mystical things in his mind. It was if the gods themselves were in the necklace, keeping their promises tightly bound. Mickey laid beside Minnie and held her, the two of them lapsing into silent happiness once more.


That same night, two other people were also going over a plan, though theirs was sinister instead of sweet. In the Moon Kingdom, the Beagle family was infamous for their petty crimes and more than half of the bloodline had been captured by Drake Mallard for crimes such as theft and robbery. As they stood in their wet basement, doodling over a borrowed map, they went over the details again.

"Listen, it's real simple," said Big Time Beagle, the elder of the two siblings. "I don't know why I have to keep explaining it to you, but this is the last time." His tattered clothes had been sewn together, so much that it looked like he was wearing the remnants of twenty clothes at once. He saw this as a badge of honor instead of poverty.

"Can't we just have the boss explain it again?" asked the younger yet taller brother, Bankjob Beagle. He was constantly growing out of his own clothes, leaving his hairy ankles for all to see. "It ain't that late, why don't we stop by his-"

"Shhh!" Big Time stuck a finger to his lips, and looked around the empty room. "That was part of the deal, dummy! We can't say his name ever again! And we don't need to bother him for what I already know!" He spread his hands out on the map, dusting off some crumb marks from dinner. "In three days, you and me sneak into the Sun Kingdom, and find out the state of their army. Learn their weaknesses and strengths. Be real spies. Then we get back out, report our findings to the boss, and we get paid!"

Bankjob scratched his abnormally large chin. "But Big Time, if we get caught, ain't the whole war gunna start up all over again?"

"So what if it does?" Big Time smirked, pointing to the Forbidden Forest on the map. "If a war's going on, they'll be too busy to catch crooks! But for now, we just do what the boss says. We still gotta work on our disguises." He pulled back, shaking water out of his shoe. "And one more thing...no matter what happens, we can't get distracted!"

Banjkob nodded and gave two thumbs up. "Sure thing, Big Time! Nothin' in that old crummy kingdom could distract me anyhow."


Three days later, Millie was waiting in the open doorway of Panchito's bar. Her plan was going at a snail's pace and while it was frustrating, she had to remind herself that the future payoff would ease all the wrinkles made from this stress. Today she figured she'd catch Goofy before he could plop himself in his usual place, gazing at her helplessly from the entrance.

She bit back a smirk as her prediction came true. Here came Goofy, humming a merry tune, dragging his spear in the dirt as he headed towards the bar. As he came closer, he picked up his weapon and slid it onto his back so it could be carried by the loose half belt he was wearing. But as he lifted his head and saw Millie, he dropped the spear in shock.

Millie beamed, waving at him. "If it isn't my favorite solider in the whole wide world!"

Goofy blinked, looked around, and then behind him, before pointing at himself. "Who, me?"

"Of course you, sweetie." Millie flounced over to his side, picking up his spear. "I got so excited to see you, I just couldn't wait." As she returned the weapon to its owner, she made sure to press herself up against his arm. "Did you miss me too, handsome?"

Goofy gulped as he slipped the spear onto his back, darting his eyes away. "I-I guess so, Miss Manchester."

"Awww, why don't you call me Millie?" She playfully tapped his nose. "You're going to hurt my feelings if you treat me like an old lady. And since you're such a big, strong man, that would hurt a whole lot!" She twirled and tittered, fluttering her eyelashes at what she knew was a fairly pathetic joke. In her experience, men didn't want girls who were funny – they wanted girls who thought they were funny. If she was pretty and dumb, a man would follow her like a cat and string.

Goofy tilted his head, blinking slowly as he observed her. "You all right there, uh, Millie?"

Millie stopped her twirl with a hard heel in the ground, her bells continuing to jingle. "Why, whatever do you mean, silly?"

The bodyguard crossed his arms, mulling over the way to put it. "Seems like you're puttin' in as much effort to talk to me as you do when you dance." A pause. "And that's a lot."

The dancer croaked like a frog, feeling color drain from her face. "I...I don't know what you're talking about, you big hunk of..." Millie had been so caught off guard by his observation that she was running out of flattery. She turned away, trying to come up with an answer. "Well, ah. Oh, yes! You see, this morning, I had no soy sauce for my rice! It was the worst. I almost couldn't eat!" She then clapped her hands together. "Say, I have an idea! Why don't you and I go out to lunch? Just you and me? I would pay, but oh, gosh, I simply have no idea where I put my coins! I'd lose my head if it wasn't attached to my neck!" She turned back, intending to playfully stick out her tongue and maybe strut her tail out, but Goofy had vanished from sight. The only remains were his footprints.

Millie deflated, her alluring demeanor replaced with a sour disposition. "I hate men."

Peg stuck her head out of the doorway, having overheard the last remark. "No luck today, huh?" Since her fruit cart has been smashed, she had gone back to dancing in order to start up her business all over again.

"I don't get this guy!" Millie groaned, her arms flopping at her sides. "Every time I look away, he heads for the hills! At this rate, I'll have to race him before I can marry him!"

Peg walked out, putting a sympathetic hand on her friend's shoulder. "Yes, curse yourself for being so pretty," she joked lightly. "Keep your eyes on the future, it'll be there before you know it. Just be patient, you'll never get him if you keep rushing things. You don't see me ranting and raving because I had to build up my fruit stand from scratch again."

Millie turned her head. "How did that happen, anyway?"

"When I'm rich, we can discuss it."

The poodle shook her head, and pulled back. "Well, I'm still going to get lunch. Tell Panchito I'll be back in an hour or two." The girls kissed each others' cheeks and went their separate ways.

Millie wondered if Goofy was worth all the trouble and all the acts she was putting on. In the end, maybe even he wasn't dumb enough to miss that she was a dancer and nothing more. She was a toy that men would outgrow and toss away. She had to win him over, quickly, before time won and he couldn't ignore the imperfections of a sagging, wrinkled body. Millie pinched her cheeks, trying to think of other things. Getting old and ugly isn't the worst thing in the world, she told herself. There are more horrible things out there.

One of those horrible things suddenly reached out from a dark alleyway and snatched her.


In the Forbidden Forest, Mickey was helping Minnie put on her disguise – which was only an old, far too large brown cloak that covered her from head to toe. He apologized for not finding one in her size, while Minnie struggled to walk. As they tried to make the sorry excuse of an outfit fit, Minnie passed the time by doing her usual inquisitive routine. "Shouldn't we have your bodyguard with us? Just in case?"

"Aw, we'll be fine," Mickey said, hoping Minnie hadn't realized he'd accidentally undone one of her elaborate buns. "He's been off doing his own thing for a while now. If he's having fun, I don't wanna interrupt him."

Minnie smoothed down her dress. "That doesn't really sound like the sort of thing a bodyguard should be doing. How did he get that job, anyway?"

"It's all in the family. His old man guarded my old man, and back and back and back. He's got all the training, but he's never been in a real fight. Y'know, I've always wondered what he would be like if someone actually did pick a fight with him." He offered a light smile. "I'm sure my best buddy would figure something out."


The Moon People were used to cold temperatures, so the heat of the Sun Kingdom was causing the Beagle Boys to sweat profusely. In order to try and "explain" it, Big Time had quickly purchased a small wooden lantern with a burning candle inside. He had hoped the heat from the candle would explain the sweat. It wasn't a well-thought out excuse, but time and smarts didn't always go hand in hand. He had also hoped this would be the only deviation from the plan.

"Geez, Bankjob," he grumbled quietly in the tight alleyway. "You're like a kid in a candyshop, just grabbing whatever your sticky fingers can find."

Bankjob grinned maliciously, holding Millie against the wall, one hand over her mouth and the other pinning her wrists to the wall. "I can't believe this, Big Time! It's true, these Sun floozies really don't wear nothin'!"

Millie had tried to bite Bankjob's hand but he didn't even acknowledge the attempt, nor the hot tears flowing down her eyes. Big Time rubbed his temples. "Yeah yeah, it's real fascinating. We got a job to do and it ain't to grab broads!"

"Aw, c'mon, we've got all day to spy!" Bankjob never took his eye off his prize, even as he shook off the turban that had been part of his disguise. "Gals like this, they're made to please! I'll get it done real quick, then we can get back to business. She won't even know what hit her! You can have a turn when I'm done! Please, please, please?"

Big Time inhaled loudly through his nose. "I ought to call you Babyjob with all that whining." He wiped sweat off his forehead with the back of his arm, giving Millie a once over, as she made a desperate attempt to kick her attacker. Even that did nothing, save for Bankjob calling her feisty. "Fine, fine, but you gotta be real fast about this." He checked his candle as a representation of time when an unusual sound hit his ears. At first he thought it was grinding gears, which should have been impossible given where they were. He then realized the sound was coming from the alleyway entrance, and the grinding gears were actually a grinding growl.

Through watery eyes, Millie didn't recognize Goofy at first, but even as she blinked them dry, she was unable to recognize the face he wore. His lips were pulled back, exposing that while his front teeth were square, the rest of his teeth were sharp canines, glinting in the candlelight. A broken bottle of soy sauce lay abandoned on the ground. Goofy's eyes were blazing as they burned down on the Beagles, and with his next step, he landed on all fours, his fingers digging into the dirt. "Put. Her. Down."

"What's this supposed to be?" Big Time asked with a nervous laugh, not willing to admit how much this dog was creeping him out. "This is their idea of security? Bankjob, take care of him."

Bankjob released Millie, who slowly slid down on the wall until she was sitting down. "Me? Why me?"

"Cause I'm the older brother, and I said so!"

Bankjob huffed, but smashed his fists together, advancing on Goofy. "It's lights out for you, you dirty Sun!" As soon as Bankjob was close enough, Goofy jumped onto the Beagle, ripping and tearing at him with claws and teeth, snarling in such monstrous noises that Big Time was sure to hear them nightmares to come. Bankjob yelled in pain and horror, barely able to shove the monstrosity off of him. Goofy rolled on the ground, but was up in seconds, ready for round two. In that same moment, Big Time threw the lantern at Goofy's back, wishing it'd be enough to drive off their opponent. But as the candle's flame touched Goofy's tattoo, it did the exact opposite.


Minnie had managed to figure out how to walk, as long as she held onto Mickey's arm. He came up with the idea to tell people she was an old lady who needed help getting from here to there. As they neared the kingdom, Minnie's curiosity rose again. "Is Goofy's father a good solider, at least?"

"I think so." Mickey shrugged as they walked. "Never saw him in battle myself, since the war was over before I was born. But whenever my Pa was in the battlefield, Goofy's Pa went with him. He's in the history scrolls. I think they used to call him something like...Danger Dog, or Double Dog, or..."


"DEMON DOG!" Bankjob screeched in fear, pointing wildly at what was in front of him as if no one else could see him. If the Beagles had done their mission properly, they might've learned beforehand that the tattoos on the soldiers were more than decoration. It was made out of a special flammable ink, so now Goofy's back was lit aflame, only serving to remind him he had a weapon. He withdrew his spear, spinning it around so it too could catch flames and become even deadlier.

Big Time chose a poor time to learn that lives were worth than money, as he attempted to run away. Goofy sped after him, taking him down and giving him a taste of what Bankjob had received. Bankjob showed slightly more loyalty, grabbing Goofy by the legs to pull him off his brother, but to his misfortune Goofy was able to handle two enemies at once. Goofy's spear thrust and jabbed, sliced and flew, the flames biting wherever his teeth couldn't. It was difficult to tell if he would've spared them if they asked it, although the brothers were far too terrified to say much of anything. Within one more minute, both bodies were thrown at the opposite wall, now in such agony that it ached just to breathe.

Goofy now stood tall, pointing his spear at the sniveling thieves. "Leave."

Maybe he was sparing them out of a small sense of mercy. Maybe he knew on some level that they were Moons, and exposing them would reignite the war. Maybe he was more concerned with making sure Millie was okay than giving the Beagles to the proper authorities. It could have been any of these reasons, or none of them, but the would-be spies weren't inclined to ask. Both Beagles had never run so fast in their entire lives. They contemplated committing a crime in the Moon Kingdom just so Drake would lock them up and they'd be super safe from whatever had attacked them. By this time a few heads had poked into the alleyway, wondering what the noise was, but all they saw was Millie still sitting in a stupor and Goofy rubbing his back against the wall to smother the flames. The townspeople assumed he'd done something ridiculous and went on their way.

When the spear was back in place, Goofy looked down at Millie, and offered his hand. "Sorry."

Millie took his hand, but found the strength in her legs had yet to return. As a result she had to lean on Goofy for support. Her body trembled, both from what she escaped and what she had seen Goofy transform into. It was if there were two different Goofy's, and the other one had vanished, like it had never happened. "What are you apologizing for?"

Goofy placed an arm around her shoulders, keeping her steady. "I went and broke that bottle of soy sauce you wanted." He gestured to the bottle on the ground. "Should I clean that up?"

For once, Millie took a good long look at Goofy. There was more than just simplicity in his voice and looks – he hadn't thought what he just did what he was amazing, or even noteworthy. But then she understood it wasn't simplicity – it was sincerity. Inside and out, with everything he did, he was sincere. She swallowed, and buried her face into his shoulder, feeling more tears come. "I don't care about that."

"Okay." Goofy slowly stroked her hair, allowing Millie to cry for as long as she needed.


The Forbidden Forest seemed much bigger to those who hadn't thoroughly explored it like Mickey had. That was why Peg thought she could bring her latest fruit to the forest, and have no chance of running into that big buffoon again. She had stacked them perfectly, and while she didn't have a cart to sell them in, she could still make an attempt to sell her beauties. She had even given them kisses for luck. "Okay, invoking the Phoenix was just asking for bad luck last time." Peg said out loud, nodding to herself. "This time, stick with the facts." She rolled up what little sleeves she had, ready to practice her boasting skills.

That's when she heard rapid footsteps, and her breath caught in her throat. "No, no no no no!" She grabbed all the fruit she could with her arms, getting them out of the way of the miniature stampede. It was just in time, as the Beagle Boys – still screaming and, in some places, still on fire – ran past her without a second thought. They hadn't noticed her at all and her fruit was untouched. She sighed in deep relief, placing them all down again.

Peg took a few steps away from her prized possessions, feeling positively giddy. "Maybe the Phoenix really is on my side after all! Keep that up, big guy, and I'll dance for free for the next guy I see!" She laughed hard, hands on her hips.

As said before, the forest was much bigger to those who hadn't given it deep exploration, like Pete. He'd easily figured out where Minnie would run off again, and while in the forest, he'd heard the sounds of running, assuming they were coming from the princess. So he'd headed in that direction, again not looking where he was going, again trampling over Peg's hard work, and again continuing on like nothing had happened.

At the end of the forest and near the entrance of the Sun Kingdom, Minnie was trying to even out her breathing. "Oh, Mickey, I'm so excited...and nervous. It's like the beginning of some great adventure story."

Mickey held her hand close to his heart. "See, what'd I tell you, I've got everything under control! If this is a story, then we're the heroes, and nothing bad ever happens to the heroes. No side characters, just you and me!" He gave her a small kiss, which she returned.

The kissing was put on hold when they both hear a very tiny thud far off in the distance. Minnie pulled her hood back a bit. "What was that?"

Mickey placed her hood back. "Ah, probably nothing, don't worry about it. Maybe a tree fell over." No, but Pete had, when Peg threw her arm around his neck and tried to jam a slice of melon skin where the sun didn't shine. Mickey and Minnie linked arms again, and headed into the kingdom, where they thought nothing all that interesting happened that day.


That night, many stories were exchanged. Minnie told Daisy of the bustling marketplace in the Sun Kingdom, where she bought a small child a doll made of straw. Mickey told Goofy about how the cloak had a tear in it, but due to Minnie's naturally white fur, people assumed she really was an old woman. Again, Mickey left no room for Goofy to say any of his stories. Millie told Peg about her heart-pounding encounter, while Peg only said she exchanged bruises with a rough customer.

The last story told that night was from the Beagle brothers to their employer, not leaving out a single detail. They didn't care what punishment he'd give them, because it certainly couldn't be worse than what the hell-hound had done.

But when they were done, their boss chuckled as he poured a glass of wine for himself and his guests. "Punish you? Whatever for? You did just as I told you to."

Big Time and Bankjob exchanged confused looks. Big Time took the lead as always. "We did? 'Cause last time I checked, getting the stuffing beaten out of us wasn't part of the plan." He didn't take the offered glass, but Bankjob grabbed them both, downing them both at once.

"What have I been telling you, boys? History is made by those who remember the important parts, and your little...altercation won't be remembered. Instead, what the history books will say is that you two were masterful spies who led us to victory." He took a seat on a plush chair, crossing one leg over the other.

Big Time scoffed. "If you're really planning to go to war with those...things, you'll have a tough time getting the win! No wonder it was a tie for all those years!"

"That was then." The boss held up his glass. "And this is now." Mist slowly began to appear around the wine glass, and within seconds, the red liquid inside was frozen completely solid.

Big Time and Bankjob's mouths hung open in shock, causing the wine in Bankjob's mouth to drool onto the ground.

The boss sighed in annoyance and snapped his fingers. "Clarabelle!"

The maid walked into the room, a towel in hand. "I had the same reaction, the first time I saw it," she admitted as she knelt down to dab at the mess. She doubted anyone outside of his home had seen this nifty trick of his. He was officially living in the castle now, but had the freedom to return to his home to do research, so he said.

Bankjob was so stunned he forgot one of the big rules. "B-But, how did you do that, Sir Mortimer?" While the Sun people had the ability to control fire, the Moon people had the ability to control water. But no one, not even Princess Minerva or Queen Lune, had the power to freeze.

Mortimer smiled sharply, enjoying their wide eyes. He lightly tossed the frozen glass to the ground, expecting Clarabelle to pick up the pieces. "All in due time, my friends. History is nothing but time."