Chapter 0
Sunday
December 20, 2015
Oswald flipped through the pages of the photo album on his lap. Pictures all taken from his life after he regained a heart stared back at him as his memory left him with no recollection of the days he had proof of living. He let out a sigh as he leaned his head on his hand, elbow propped up on the armrest of the chair he sat in. He stopped on one of himself and Mickey, the mouse still turning his stomach slightly as in the back of his mind he still remembered the hatred that had festered for years while in Wasteland. He recalled what Ortensia said, that he had learned Mickey wasn't all that bad almost ten years ago, but he still had no memory of those events. Other than the past couple of days, where he had seen Minnie lead Ortensia and Daisy capture Julius, Putrid Pete, and Pete, the last thing he remembered was living on Mickeyjunk Mountain. He wasn't sure on the year, his past self had no longer bothered keeping track by this point. He just knew for certain that Ortensia was still inert and overlooking Wasteland from the perch he had left her at in Dark Beauty Castle. It was hard enough to remind himself that instead she was out with a few of the bunny children, getting put together something she had called a Presto-Box to decorate the house for Christmas.
A knock took his mind away from his thoughts and back to the present. He closed the album and sat it on the side table as he rose to his feet. The door opened, getting Oswald curious who was on the other side. He walked out of the living room and saw Oswald Junior 386 standing before an elder mouse.
"Oh, Oswald," the mouse said, looking through square glasses that rested low on his muzzle. "Your daughter here was just about to get you for me."
"Thank you, 386," Oswald offered, giving his daughter a pat in between her ears. "You'd better get back to the work your mom gave you."
"Yes Papa," 386 offered, her ears drooping slightly. She turned back to the old mouse and added, "Nice to meet you, sir."
"And you," the mouse said with a smile.
Oswald watched the girl hop away before turning back to the old mouse. Not recognizing the man, Oswald offered, "I'm sorry, I ended up with amnesia a few days ago. Should I know you?"
"Maybe if you've followed your brother's adventures or he's told you about me," the mouse offered with a smile. He held out his hand and said, "Names Churchmouse. Captain Nathaniel Churchmouse."
Oswald took the hand and shook it, offering, "Oswald the Lucky Rabbit." Taking his hand back he asked, "Do you need to sit down?"
"That might be wise," Churchmouse said with a nod of his head. "I'm not as young as I used to be. Do you have any place where we won't be overheard?"
"What, afraid of my kids?" Oswald said with a laugh as he stepped out the door into the winter cold.
"Not them, but I've reason to believe someone might be after what I'm about to tell you," Churchmouse admitted.
Oswald closed the door behind himself and walked off the front step. "This way, then," Oswald said, waving the old mouse to follow him. Hearing the old mouse's footsteps on the dead grass behind him as Oswald led him around the side of the garage he threw over his shoulder, "If you and Mickey's had adventures together, why not ask him to join you this time?"
"That's the thing, the princess of the island wants Mickey," Churchmouse offered.
Oswald paused at the side door and looked back at the old mouse, unsure.
"Dead and stuffed, I mean," Churchmouse clarified. "I'll explain more once we're inside."
Oswald pulled open the door and reached in to flick on the lights. He stepped back to hold open the door for the older mouse as he offered, "Sorry 'bout the mess, I haven't quite figured out what I was working on in here." He followed Churchmouse into the garage and shut the door before going over and pulling out a paint stained metal chair. He offered it to the old mouse before pulling over a stool to sit on himself. "Alright, start from the beginning, please," Oswald said.
"It starts in the summer of '44," Churchmouse began with, leaning back in the metal chair. "According to Mickey, who had been helping one of our seafaring friends on his tuna run, they got shot at by ghost pirates out in the deep."
"Are you sure this isn't one of his crazy tall tales?" Oswald asked, rolling his eyes as he rested his hands on the seat between his legs.
"I did my research, the Ruthie R. is still down in the deep with a cannon ball lodged in her belly," Churchmouse said, taking his glasses off to wipe them with the corner of his shirt. Putting his glasses back on he added, "Let me tell my story."
Oswald held up his hands in defeat, silently letting the old mouse do as he wanted.
"Where was I?" Churchmouse thought a moment before nodding his head. "Mickey, Pluto, and the crew of the Ruthie R. were swimming for their life, caught between pirates and sharks without a boat now. They took their chances with the pirates, jumping aboard their ship, and found Captain Greatbeard. The older pirates got Mickey's help to take control of the ship and they headed to Dead Man's Isle on the hunt for treasure as the old folk's last hurrah. Guess you could say I'm following their footsteps in that aspect.
"Once they reached the island they found a poisonous gas surrounds the outer edges caused by the volcano that made the island, but through an underwater passage deeper within the air is breathable," Churchmouse continued. "The locals communicated in music tones, Mickey said it wasn't quite music as we know it. Their ruler, a witch of sorts, took a liking to Mickey while they were there and showed them where the old pirate treasure was. Breaking the dam, they unearthed the treasure only for the volcano to erupt. The lava buried the treasure and the island, leaving Mickey to escape with Pluto and the witch. He watched as the island was sucked into the ground, the lava creating a thick smoke all around." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a piece of metal on a chain. "Before she disappeared, she placed this around his neck. When Mickey gave it to me, it was blank without a blemish on its surface." Churchmouse ran a thumb over the surface before leaning forward to hand it to Oswald.
Oswald took the medal only to see it showed, in detail so small he could swear it was machine made, an island with a volcano on the right side and a divot that could be interpreted as what had once been a lake on its left.
"With my work with Scrooge, I was able to send out some scouts to see if it was true, if the island has resurfaced again," Churchmouse explained. "It has, and with it, I believe, the treasure Mickey left behind."
"But you said it was buried under lava," Oswald pointed out, looking the metal over for some way it could have logically created the form it now was in. "That would melt any metal there."
"Most, yes, but there was also gems in that treasure according to Mickey," Churchmouse explained. "Those would've survived."
"So where do I come in to all of this?" Oswald asked, handing back the medallion.
"I need your help," Churchmouse admitted. "I want to get one more treasure found before I have to retire. Scrooge has agreed to let me have this one, even letting me use his ship, but these old bones aren't what they used to be. Treasure hunting is a lot of manual labor involved."
"And you can't get Mickey to help because the princess wants him," Oswald paused, recalling his words, "stuffed?"
"Dead and stuffed," Churchmouse said with a nod. "When the scouts found the island she sent her bird to tell them her message. She was mad he had taken off the gift she had gave him," Churchmouse held up the metal to indicate he was talking about the necklace, "and said if she ever saw him again, he wouldn't be able to leave the island."
"I don't know how I'll be able to convince Ortensia," Oswald offered, leaning back on the stool.
"So you'll do it? You'll help me?" Churchmouse asked, leaning forward with surprise on his face.
"You've got me curious enough," Oswald admitted.
Churchmouse rose to his feet and shoved the metal back in his pocket. "I've got the Rosa docked and the crew is all ready," Churchmouse explained. "I'll need your answer before sun down."