This story is alive! Yahoo! Yes dear readers, I am continuing this story and I really am dreadfully sorry about the LONG wait. I have just been...busy with my Undertale fanfic (which is way more popular than what I had ever thought it would be, so thank you readers of that fic!), life, and writer's block. And while I don't know when the next chapter of this would be updated, be assured that it will happen sooner or later! I promise!
The Cynic: You're welcome! :) It is nice to see you again too!
I only own Bethany and Roger. Though seriously at this point, who wants to own Mortimer Mouse?
Bethany sighed from her seat by Timon's hospital bed. She looked solemnly at her little thin friend, who was currently wearing a breathing mask and had an IV hooked up to his arm. Timon's face was very pale and his body just looked so frail that it made the unanimated girl's heart ache just by looking at it. But the worst thing about this whole situation was that Timon probably wasn't going to wake up anytime soon. And he wasn't the only one, Big Mac and Max were in comas too. While a part of Bethany was glad that her friends probably weren't feeling any pain right now, the other part just wanted Timon and the others to wake up. Just so that Bethany could know with a surety that they were going to be alright.
"It's not your fault you know." A bit startled both by the sudden comment and by the words themselves, Bethany shot her head up. Pumbaa sat right across from her on the opposite side of the bed, his expression a solid mixture of sincerity, sadness, and fear. He was sitting next to Bunga, the young honey badger the warthog-and-meerkat duo were raising in the new show, The Lion Guard. Luckily, he was sleeping deeply or else Bethany would have to see the fresh pain on his face too.
"Wha…what is not my fault?" Bethany asked, even though she had a suspicion that she already knew the answer her warthog friend was going to give.
"That you couldn't heal Timon, Big Mac, and Max." And yep, her suspicion was right on the nose. Bethany sighed again when she turned her gaze back to Timon. After they got over their shock from Genie's confession, Batman calmly stated that they should worry about what to do concerning the quest later and just go to the hospital.
And so they did, and since Bethany could luckily still use her teleportation device, all of them arrived at the hospital a moment later. Bethany, even though she knew what the results were going to be, then desperately tried to heal her friend's injuries with the ring she created for that purpose. But since when Bethany created the ring she didn't think about countering Roger's cursed weapons, the ring failed to do its job.
"Are you sure?" Bethany question softly as her heart twisted with regret and guilt. "When we found out about the cursed weapons last year, I could have just created a ring or a bracelet…or something like that to break Roger's spell. But no, I created an elixir to heal the victims' wounds, something that could run out. And guess what? It did ran out!"
"But not before healing everyone who had been hit with those weapons," countered Pumbaa.
"Back then!" Bethany exclaimed, her frustration with herself finally coming out as she waved a hand towards Timon. "But clearly not now!"
With a short yell of frustration and self-condemnation, Bethany put her elbows on her knees as she placed her light-skinned face in her hands. If I had just created a ring back then instead of an elixir…then Timon and the others would be up and about by now! They would have been fine! They would have been well! But because I didn't prepare, Timon and the others are still in danger of dying!
"But you didn't know that you were going to get landed with a cursed necklace," Pumbaa assured her. "No one did." Bethany picked her head out of her hands and looked at the necklace hanging around her neck. When she had first laid her green eyes on the green emerald necklace, Bethany had thought that it was pretty. Now…she thought it was the most horrible piece of jewelry she had ever seen.
"I…I guess so," Bethany mumbled admittedly absentmindedly fingered the necklace. "But still…"
"There is no point in beating yourself up about it now." Both Bethany and Pumbaa looked up to see Batman standing by the curtain that separated Timon's from Max's bed, his mouth in a straight firm line.
"Batman…" said Bethany softly as the superhero walked towards them.
"What done is done. All we can do now is fight back and hope for the best possible outcome," Batman continued as he came up to Pumbaa's side. Like a wave on a sandy beach, Bethany's self-loathing was somewhat washed away by Batman's honest words. At least for now.
"You're rig…wait. Fight back?" Bethany asked, her brain finally picking up on Batman's subtle message. "You mean…"
"That I've decided to accept the quest?" Once again, Bethany looked up at the new yet familiar voice, to see Mickey standing there, with one hand on the white curtain that he had just clearly pulled aside, and with a solemn yet resigned expression.
"Yes," continued Mickey before he turned his head to look behind him. "What choice do I have?"
Bethany then looked past him and saw a comatose Max lying on the white hospital bed, hooked up to the same equipment that Timon was. And on the other side of him, sat both Donald and Goofy. Donald was looking back at Mickey with a worried and sad expression, while Goofy was holding his son's limp hand, looking like his world was in danger of ending horribly. It was that expression as well as the lost glint in the father's eyes that just about broke Bethany's heart. It's no wonder Mickey feels like he has no choice…not only is the safety and lives of ten kids rest upon his shoulders…he's gotta do this for Goofy.
However, as Bethany turned her gaze backed towards the comatose Timon, she had to admit to herself that she had hoped that they were going to find another way. A miraculous way that would allow us to save the kids and to let Mickey keep his friends. Heck, maybe there still was, but what is it? And if there was one, will we be able to think of it in time?
"So what now?" Everyone turned their attention to the doorway, to find that the familiar voice belonged to Yakko, who was standing there wearing a solemn yet serious expression. "I mean...who else is going on the journey? When are we leaving? Which land are we going to first?"
"We?" asked Pumbaa, sounding a bit bewildered.
"Yes we," confirmed Yakko with a nod. "I'm going to save my sibs, whether anyone likes it or not. They went on a journey to save me, so it's by time I did the same!"
"Yakko…" Bethany almost whispered as she had a flashback of Yakko's siblings protest their right to go on the journey to save the kidnapped ones last year along with her and Timon. The memory brought a bittersweet pang to her young heart.
"Alright," accepted Mickey, which caused Yakko's black eyes to widen in surprise.
"Really? I don't have to say that I'm not taking no for an answer?" asked Yakko as he made a show of cleaning his ears with his fingers. Mickey shook his head.
"If you are anything like your brother and sister, then there is nothing I could say that would change your mind," explained the mouse. "And besides, you could very well be a big help like they were."
In response to this, Yakko gave a small thankful smile as well as a small sigh of relief. While the part of Batman's face that wasn't covered by his mask looked strangely reminiscent, Bethany herself felt glad that the eldest Warner didn't have to fight for his right to help unlike his younger siblings had to do last year. She just wished that it was under way better circumstances.
"I'm going too." Even though the words were murmured, Bethany heard them loud and clear from the one person who hadn't said a word since they brought his injured son to him.
"What was that Goofy?" asked Mickey, though judging by the frightened tone of his voice and the shocked look in his black eyes, he had also heard Goofy loud and clear.
"I'm going on the journey too," Goofy stated louder as he finally turned his attention from his beloved son to his dear friend. Bethany's own green eyes widened in surprise at the firm determination in the usually cheerful and well, goofy animated dog-like man.
"But…but what about Max?! H-He needs you here!" protested Mickey fervently, like he was absolutely afraid of Goofy going on this trip with them. And it wasn't just because of Max dying either. But why? Goofy is one of Mickey's best friends and he knows how to fight because he is a musketeer…so what other reason does Mickey have to not want Goofy to come with us?
For a few moments, Goofy didn't respond. He just looked back at his comatose young son with an unreadable expression on his face, his usual friendly smile nowhere to be seen. Then he spoke, breaking the silent tension in the air.
"I know but…as a father…I can't just stay here. I…I have to find the ones who did this to my only son. I have to let the bad guys know that they can't just do this to Maxy and get away with it. That's why I have to go. Well, that and one other reason."
"And what's that?" Mickey asked silently. Goofy turned his head to look at Mickey again.
"You need me too Mick," Goofy simply answered, both his face and voice full of the truest sincerity. That touching display of loyalty along with Mickey's reaction, which was closing his eyes and biting his lip, warmed Bethany's heart to the point that it almost hurt. In fact, she would have gone 'aww' if the whole situation hadn't been so dire.
"And me," chimed in Donald after a little bit of time had passed. "I'm a musketeer and your friend too you know! And I don't want to stay home like last year either!"
"You guys…" said Mickey, his voice wavering and looking like he might cry. But then Mickey took in a deep breath and let it out, before putting on a wide smile. A smile that Bethany couldn't help but think looked just a little bit forced.
"Alright, alright, you two can come along," Mickey agreed with a small chuckle.
"Well, we were coming along whether you liked it or not but whatever," said Donald truthfully.
"Looks like the required party of ten now has five members," observed Batman. "Now we just need five more."
"Two of which are right here." Once again, Bethany found herself looking towards the doorway with the other conscious people in the room to see Leo and Aang standing behind Yakko.
"We were with you and Bethie in the expedition last year," continued Leo as he walked into the hospital room, wearing a grin that was both smug and determined. "So it would be weird if we just stayed behind for this one."
"And besides, we owe it to the Warners to rescue them and to Timon to stop Mortimer," added Aang as he followed the fifteen-year-old ninja turtle. "They're our friends too you know."
"I know," stated Mickey with a nod, while Bethany admittedly felt a bit better inside knowing that her aniki and avatar friend were coming along too.
"Alright, three more volunteers," adjusted Batman. "And till those turn up, the rest of you prepare for the journey and say any good-byes you want to give. You all will need to leave as soon as possible in order to not waste these two weeks."
"You're not coming Batman?" Bethany almost exclaimed, totally surprised that her clever superhero friend wasn't coming to save the two captured Warner siblings and the other children.
"Not with you ten, no," explained Batman with a shake of his head. "Gandalf and I are going to look for the children by ourselves while Mortimer is focused on your group. Then, if we are careful and smart, we can rescue the children before Mickey's curse can take full effect."
"Batman…"
"And if you are planning to dissuade us, don't bother Mickey. I decided this before we even arrived back here at the hospital and Gandalf agreed to help as soon I told him on the mirror. There…"
"I wasn't going to dissuade ya Batman," interrupted Mickey calmly. "I was going to say…thank you." Of course…Mickey doesn't want people to forget him just as much as I'm sure we don't want to forget him. Oh Mickey…
"Oh. Then you're welcome," accepted Batman. "So again, make your final preparations and try to get some sleep while I try to find some volunteers. It will be a good idea if you all left at sunrise."
As soon as Batman said that, Bethany began to think about if there was anyone in her home-world that would notice her missing for the next two weeks. Her roommates would need to be alerted because while they were going to be gone all of fall break, fall break only lasted for about a week. Bethany just had a nice long talk with her parents so they probably wouldn't notice her disappearance for the next two weeks, though she might leave them some sort of message just in case. Then, just when Bethany thought she had all of her cases covered, she thought of someone.
"Oh shoot, I almost forgot about Aaron!"
"Who the shell is Aaron?!" Leo exclaimed, immediately looking suspicious and to Bethany's slight confusion, protective.
"My boyfriend," Bethany bluntly stated, too focused on trying to figure out how she could almost forget alerting the man she had been dating for the last month to realize the bombshell she just landed on her animated friends. But when she did, it was far too late.
"WHAAAAAAAATT?!" cried just about every conscious person in the room.
Just some comedy to lighten up the mood. Because gosh darn it does this story need it...in any case, what did you think? Were the characters in character and what did you feel during this chapter? Please tell me your thoughts in a review and have a good night/day!
P.S. For the readers who read "I Can't Do This Again," the next chapter of that will hopefully be posted by the end of this week. Big stress on the word hopefully.
