Chapter 3

Oswald finished filling in the rest of Main Street that had been thinned out by the monsters as Mickey explained to O'Hara and the fire chief, Simons, what they knew. As Oswald finished with the part of the street that had been thinned out by his son's upset stomach, Mickey was saying, "I don't want to put anybody in danger but we might need help preventing them from overtaking the street again. If we can, I'd like to go through the portal and stop whatever's causing them to come here."

"Just the two of ye?" O'Hara exclaimed. "Yer crazier than I thought!"

"Who else'd be able to properly fight them?" Oswald pointed out as he dropped his arm. He looked down at his left hand as he stepped over to the three, the shaking evident. He quickly shoved the hand into his pocket, knowing his heart would restore the missing paint from his own body, as he added, "Other than my kids, 'cause they're recovering."

"Sure, but do you know what might be on the other side?" Simons asked, the Dalmatian crossing his arms.

"No, but if the same person that's sending them here is also sending them to Wasteland, maybe they're through that portal," Oswald pointed out. He handed Mickey back the paint brush as he added, "Even though it's not his M.O., it really sounds like it's that stupid monkey."

"Stupid monkey?" Simons echoed.

"That wouldn't happen to be one of those scientist brothers?" O'Hara asked.

"No, Dr. Vulter," Mickey offered. "First time I dealt with him, he had been creating an island of slaves but a few years ago he used some of the blot's monsters to try and take over all three plains."

"What do you mean by that?" Simons asked. "You mean here, the human world, and Wasteland?"

Oswald nodded his head in agreement. "Crazy man kidnapped me and brought me into the human world with the portal device he had created. Same day I ended up here fighting the creatures he had watching over me. All before I'd regained my heart."

"We had to stop his army in the human world," Mickey finished. "He wanted to rule there while supposedly Oswald would rule here if he could convince him of his ideals."

"And Wasteland?" Simons asked.

"I was afraid to ask," O'Hara admitted, giving the Dalmatian a sidelong glance.

"It would've been worse than the Thinner Disaster," Oswald simply stated.

"And you think this is the man sending these here?" Simons asked, looking over at the splatter and dropwing to see the two lazing about on the sidewalk as the sweeper walked back up to the two. A pig stood close by, still holding onto the hose as he watched them closely.

"That's the best guess until we go through that portal," Mickey said, throwing his arm towards what still was left of the police station.

"Ye better tell the girls, then," O'Hara said, nodding his head back down the street.

Oswald turned to see Minnie wrapping what looked to be the last of the injured as Ortensia explained how the arm would heal on its own after a few weeks.

"Do you think Tasers would work against them?" Simons asked.

"Should. It's the same idea as my remote."

"I don't think we have but a few, they'd just arrived in city hall yesterday," O'Hara said.

"Get as many to your men as you've got," Simons said before leaving them to go talk to the pig.

"I hope they're in city hall," O'Hara mumbled to himself as he looked at where the police station should be.

Oswald stepped away, knowing Mickey would be following behind shortly. He waited a few paces away from the girls working as they finished with the EMT.

"There'll be a little bit of pain but that should heal up as good as new within a week," Ortensia offered as she helped the taller cat to his feet.

"Thank you, ma'am," the cat said, giving Ortensia a strained smile.

Oswald watched the man as he left the two turned nurses as the tall cat checked over the gauze covering his pencil arm.

"Oswald," Ortensia said with a knowing tone in her voice.

"What?" Oswald asked. He turned to look at her as she put equipment back in a fabric red bag, the medical symbol printed on its side.

"I know that look," Ortensia said. She zipped up the bag and rose to her feet, leaving the bag before her on the ground. "Just because I help them doesn't mean they'll fall in love with me."

"Even if they do, you're still mine," Oswald said, stepping over to wrap an arm around her.

Ortensia let out a laugh, bringing him close for a proper hug. "Yes, I'm all yours." She left him go and looked him in the eye, all playfulness gone, as she asked, "You're going to go into the portal, aren't you?"

Oswald gripped tighter to her pink shirt at her side where his hand still sat as his smile vanished. "You know we have to," Oswald said. He threw a glance over at Mickey, seeing him try to explain to a disgruntled Minnie. Turning back to Ortensia he asked, "You know that, right?"

"Just because I know it doesn't mean I have to like it," Ortensia said. Her shoulders fell before she leaned close and kissed him on the cheek. Looking him in the eye she said, "Just promise you'll come home safe."

"I promise," Oswald offered, returning her kiss to her lips. He forced his hand to release her shirt, praying it was a promise he could keep, and stepped over to Mickey.

"You better come back," Minnie said, on the verge of tears as she broke her resolve and gave her mouse a hug.

"I will. I always have, haven't I?" Mickey asked. He rubbed her back before noticing Oswald standing a few feet off, waiting. He broke the hug and gave her a kiss before saying, "I love you."

"I love you too," Minnie said as he stepped away from her and to Oswald.

Mickey pulled the paint brush out of his back pocket, holding it tight in his right hand, and looked his brother in the eyes. "You ready?"

Oswald gave him a nod before looking past him at the three remaining monsters turned good. "Hey, Slobber, Sweeper, Dropwing!" he called out, not sure if they even recognized proper speech. The three turned at his voice, surprising Oswald stunned for a moment. Waving them over he ordered, "Come here."

The three made their way to the brothers, Ortensia and Minnie taking preventative steps back, as Oswald tested the monsters, "You understand me?"

"Yes," the slobber said, his voice coming out gravely.

Oswald stole a glance at Mickey, even more surprised it could talk back, as he saw a confused look on the mouse's face. Turning back to the slobber he pressed his luck by asking, "Where are you from?"

The slobber looked up at the dropwing, amusement on the flying blob's face, before the slobber looked back at Oswald. It pointed a hand at him and said, "Your world."

Oswald rolled his eyes, guessing they didn't know anything more than that. Looking back at the three he asked, "Can you help the toons here? Prevent any of the baddies from doing damage to them or the buildings here."

"Yes sir," the slobber said, giving Oswald a salute of sorts with the other two copying it.

Mickey turned, getting Oswald to look at what had caught his attention, seeing police armed with Tasers, a few holding guns with worried looks on their faces. EMTs and firemen worked together with hoses brought over, four hoses in total strung up from the fire hydrants along the street. Mickey turned back to Oswald and asked, "You ready?"

Oswald hardened his features, giving the mouse a sharp nod of his head. He pulled out the remote from his back pocket and flicked the safety off. Looking at the penciled remains of the police station, he bent his knees and said, "I'm ready."