"Then what happened?" Peter asked after a long pause from Br'er Rabbit.
"Afraid dat's all der is to tell, honey." Br'er Rabbit stated. The three Mouse children bowed their heads sorrowfully. One could almost see the wheels turning in their heads as they dwelt on the sad story.
"Well, we should help clean this up. Right Daisy?" Minnie cut in. She began stacking the dirty dishes together. Br'er Rabbit held up a hand for her to stop.
"Oh, no, no ma'am. Much obliged, but I can take care of dis." Br'er Rabbit politely objected.
"Actually Br'er Rabbit, I'd like to have a word with you." Mickey interrupted. He left the rug, and walked to the hallway without giving Br'er Rabbit a choice in the matter.
"Uh, sho' thing." Br'er Rabbit mumbled to the open air. He followed Mickey around the corner. Just when Mickey was about to let everything off his chest, Br'er Rabbit shushed him. The rabbit opened a door on the left that looked nothing more than a coat closet. He pushed the door open, revealing a shadowy flight of stairs down to the basement. Br'er Rabbit hit a switch, lighting the stairs with a single hanging lightbulb. Mickey let Br'er Rabbit lead the way down the eerie stairs. At the bottom, Br'er Rabbit hit another switch, lighting up a wide garage-like room. The walls were unpainted, but they certainly weren't empty. The whole room was decorated in framed photographs and momentos of Br'er Rabbit's life. Mickey had to admire it. For a toon who's movie had been ridiculed by many and quickly forgotten by all, he'd definitely lived a full life up to that point. Oddly there were almost no knickknacks or photos pertaining to 'Song of the South'. Finally Mickey spotted a laminated poster featuring Br'er Rabbit, James Baskett, and the young Bobby Driscoll and Luana Patten. Around that hung photos of Br'er Rabbit, Br'er Fox, and Br'er Bear with the rest of the cast. There was even one in a golden frame of Br'er Rabbit shaking hands with Walt. Of all the treasures and memories from working on Song of the South, only two of those things were present elsewhere in the room: Br'er Rabbit's voice actor, John Lee Hooker and Walt Disney. Everything else was kept in that corner of the room. Not even Br'er Bear and Br'er Fox seemed to be present in Br'er Rabbit's well accomplished life after Song of the South. "You know what my favorite lines is in dat movie?" Br'er Rabbit hollered. Mickey flinched. He turned around to see Br'er Rabbit pulling out a couch bed on the far side of the room.
"No. What is it?" Mickey questioned. The rabbit threw a heavy quilt over the couch bed, and hopped to Mickey's side.
"Just 'cause these here tales is 'bout critters like Br'er Rabbit an' Br'er Fox, that don't mean they ain't the same like can happen to folks! So them who can't learn from a tale about critters, just ain't got the ears tuned for listenin'." Br'er Rabbit quoted.
"That tale you told..." Mickey started. "What were you thinking?" Br'er Rabbit tilted his head curiously.
"Excuse me?" Br'er Rabbit asked.
"A rabbit becoming a slave? What kind of a story is that to tell kids? Br'er Rabbit, they don't understand slavery, and they shouldn't have to until they're in school. Did you see the look on Tim's face?" Mickey lectured. Br'er Rabbit clicked his tongue disapprovingly and shook his head.
"Tsk tsk, Brother. You ain't got yer ears tuned in. Dat story wasn' fo' da kiddies. Was fo' you." Br'er Rabbit corrected, pointing at Mickey's nose. "An' you may not like dat tale. But dat's da sad truth Walt wanted me to tell. Speakin' o' him, you remember it was Thursday, December da 15th when Walt had gone, same like it is dis year?" Br'er Rabbit babbled. Mickey was taken back by the rabbit's words. He hadn't expected Br'er Rabbit to remember Walt's death down to the specific day of the week. Now he could say he learned a few things from his time with Br'er Rabbit.
"I didn't think it affected you that much." Mickey confessed.
"It affected all of us toon folk." Br'er Rabbit said glumly. The rabbit left the mouse standing there at the wall. "You and you's family can hit the hay down here 'til midnight. Need mo' blankets an' such, check da closet. It gets mighty cold down here in winter nights." Br'er Rabbit informed. Without another word, Br'er Rabbit hopped up the stairs. Mickey stayed put, contemplating Br'er Rabbit's story. His eyes wandered to another picture of Walt. This one was a self portrait, absent of Br'er Rabbit.
"You made up that story just for me to hear?" Mickey asked the portrait. Something about his words didn't sound right. 'No.' He realized. 'You didn't make it up. Br'er Rabbit said it was... the truth?' Mickey dashed for the stairs. He needed more answers. However Br'er Rabbit had already fed the gang and told his story. He probably already accomplished everything Walt asked of him. Mickey slowed his pace. He decided he wouldn't get much else out of Br'er Rabbit. What he needed was to solve more clues. Unfortunately he couldn't continue that until midnight. Mickey reached the main floor and closed the door behind him. He could hear Minnie in the kitchen, washing dishes as she volunteered to do. Goofy entertained the children by being... goofy, what else? Donald, Daisy, and Br'er Rabbit were nowhere to be seen. Pluto came to Mickey's side and nudged against him. Mickey patted the dog's head. "Peter, Martha, Tim." He beckoned. The children lined up single file in front of him. "Come on, you three should get ready for bed."
Meanwhile...
"Whaddya mean we can't go home tomorrow, Unca' Donald?" Dewey whined. Donald fidgeted with Br'er Rabbit's home phone in his hand.
"I'm sorry boys. Something important's come up." Donald spoke regrettably.
"Well what is it? What's going on?" Louie asked.
"It's complicated. You're just gonna have to stay with Uncle Scrooge a bit longer. Maybe the whole weekend." Donald informed. "Are you sure I can't talk to Uncle Scrooge right now?"
"Yeah, he's way too busy." Louie confirmed.
"He said if we interrupted his meeting, he'd make us shine every last coin in his money bin." Huey added. Donald nodded, understandingly. Donald endured that punishment once before, and afterwards couldn't grasp anything with his fingers for a week.
"Okay, okay. Just promise me you'll get the message to him first thing tomorrow morning." Donald compromised.
"We promise, Unca' Donald." The three chorused.
"And Junior..." Donald continued.
"Uh-huh?" A fourth voice spoke up.
"Play fair with your cousins. Listen to your Uncle Scrooge." Donald instructed. There was a brief pause and the faintest sound of whispers.
"Daddy? Are you going away for a long time?" Donald's heart melted.
"No, Son. This is just an adventure... for adults. I'll tell you all about very soon." Donald comforted.
"Like the adventures you and Unca' Scrooge used to go on?" The youngest duckling implored.
"Yes. Only this treasure is greater than anything Uncle Scrooge has ever discovered." Donald exaggerated as if telling a bedtime story. Before a reply came, the recipients of the call hung up. "Hello? Hello?" Donald scowled at the phone, having the slightest feeling that he'd been played for a fool. Back at the McDuck mansion, three of four ducklings gave each other sly looks.
"Boys? Who was that on the phone?" Scrooge hollered from another room.
"No one, Uncle Scrooge. Wrong number." Huey answered with a smirk.
The next six hours at Br'er Rabbit's house were rather uneventful. However the dullness of the situation had Mickey on edge. He couldn't wait till midnight when he could receive guidance from Walt. He seemed more determined than ever to move forward. But then again, he knew he couldn't move forward without completing the task assigned to the previous clue. Mickey couldn't be sure if he had done that yet. Had he learned everything Br'er Rabbit meant to teach him? And what about that bear in the snow globe? What did that mean? Obviously the mouse had a lot to figure out before midnight. Aside from Mickey, the toons slept soundly. Br'er Rabbit in his hammock, Donald and Daisy in the upstairs guest bedroom, Goofy on the couch, Pluto on a rug in the basement, Minnie at Mickey's side in the couch bed with the children sprawled over them. Despite how close the five mice were positioned, none but Mickey could hear his loud thoughts; his uncertainties that wouldn't be resolved until midnight no matter how hard he pondered them. Eventually Mickey gave up. He relaxed and let his eyes close for just a few seconds before...
"Rise n' shine! It's midnight!" Br'er Rabbit's voice echoed throughout the house. The rabbit stomped down the basement stairs and turned on all the lights. His guests moaned as the light hit their eyelids. Peter rolled onto Mickey's chest to shield his eyes, Martha hid her face in Minnie's pillow, and Timothy pulled the covers over his head. Br'er Rabbit left as soon as he barged in, to wake up the rest of the house. Mickey sat up, gently lowering Peter to the pillow. He'd hoped to give this speech at the formal celebration, but there was no changing fate now.
"Peter, Martha, Timothy." Mickey started.
"Hmph?" Peter muttered.
"Today your origin of animation 'Mickey's Christmas Carol' is released to the public's eye in your country of origin, the United States of America. It is on this day you are designated official Disney toons and representatives of Walt Disney. May you be the inspiration for hope and magic in the people's hearts. May you take your place in the this family, believe in it, protect it, and help it to grow. Peter Ubbe Mouse, Martha Marie Mouse, Timothy Walter Mouse, welcome to the Walt Disney Company." Mickey reverently decreed. The three mice didn't even perk their ears up. After a second the realization seeped in. Martha at least attempted to react.
"Yay..." Martha mumbled before falling asleep again.
December 16 1983 12:24 am.
Later, when the gang was dressed for wandering the bitter winter night, Br'er Rabbit lead everyone down a snowy dirt path along the briar patch fence. This time Br'er Rabbit walked without a lantern. Only dim moonlight kept everyone on the winding trail and not walking into trees. Mickey, who carried a slumbering Timothy on his back, walked alongside Br'er Rabbit.
"Br'er Rabbit, I was wondering..." Mickey hesitated.
"Yeah?" Br'er Rabbit responded.
"About what you said before in the basement..." Mickey carried on. That got Br'er Rabbit's attention.
"Ya got dose ears tuned now, neighbor?" Br'er Rabbit hoped. The confused look on Mickey's face said they weren't. Br'er Rabbit sighed. "Alright. Fine. Whatcha beatin' around da bush fer?"
"I was wondering why you had so little from Song of the South? I thought that would be a bigger part of your life." Mickey said. Br'er Rabbit silently stopped the group where the briar patch met the woods.
"Cuz dat's only 'un piece of me." Br'er Rabbit shrugged. "I don' 'spect you wanna ride steamboats ya whole life." Then Br'er Rabbit began to pace and kick up snow.
"Well not that I don't love freezing my feathers off, but it's after midnight; what are we waiting for?" Daisy demanded.
"Dat doggone bear." Br'er Rabbit grumbled, still pacing. Minnie caught that, and brought the snow globe out of her handbag.
"Br'er Rabbit, do you mean the bear in here?" She questioned, tapping the glass dome. The rabbit's expression suddenly changed. He grinned, focusing on something taller than Goofy in the woods.
"Nope. I mean da bear out here." The rabbit chimed.