Chapter 2

"You mean Uncle Mickey's been kidnapped?!" 199 exclaimed, dropping his spoon back into the bowl in surprise.

"Eat your breakfast," Ortensia ordered from her seat at the long table in the dining room. She gave a glare at those silent at 199's words, the bunny children quickly going back to their morning meal.

Ortensia turned her gaze onto Oswald, getting him to mumble around a mouthful, "They're gonna find out eventually." He crouched his head low to scoop up another spoonful of his colorful cereal.

"Uh, I guess you're right," Ortensia admitted with a sigh. She looked down at the flakes in her own bowl before mumbling, "After I finish."

"I heard they wanna ransom for him," a voice said through the hum of their siblings.

"How much would he be worth?" another voice said. "It'd be a lot."

"What if nobody can pay it? Would they really kill Unca Mickey?"

"I think we need to stop the rumors," Oswald mumbled just loud enough for his wife to hear.

"Finish my cereal, it'll be mush by the time I get back to it," Ortensia said with a sigh as she slid it towards him.

"Bland flakes, blech."

Ortensia pushed her chair back before climbing up to stand on it. Looking down the dining table she put her fingers to her lips and let out a loud whistle. In record time all eyes were on her as the room fell silent. "Some wild rumors have been going around and I want to nip them now. Yes, your uncle has been kidnapped. No, they don't seem to want to ransom him. No, he hasn't lost his memory or believes he's someone else. Your father accidently saved one of Uncle Mickey's relatives, who will be over sometime soon. Please do not over crowd him, I don't think he knows how many of you there are. Chief O'Hara also will be over sometime this morning, we're gonna see about finding your uncle." She let out a sigh before asking, "Is there any questions?" Ortensia let her eyes travel over her kids, eyeing the ones she knew to expect.

"You are gonna save him, right?" Oswald Junior 374 called out from her seat by the door.

"Do you really think we'd just leave him?" Oswald called out in surprise. He looked down the table, leaning on the arm still holding his spoon to look down at the girl.

"Well, you didn't like him for years," 374 mumbled, only just audible.

Oswald took a breath, closing his eyes. Opening his eyes he said, "You're right. I was stupid and held a grudge for too many years. Learn from me, don't do that. But I forgave Mickey years ago. I count him as my brother, as family. And I won't abandon my family ever again. You got that?"

"Yes sir," 374 said in a timid voice.

The door bell sounded out, getting curious eyes towards the doorway.

Oswald let out a sigh, looking at the remains of his multi-colored cereal. Making a quick decision, he rose to his feet with the bowl in hand and made his way out of the large dining room. Eating as he walked, he left the spoon in the cereal to pull open the front door.

"Oh, sorry to interrupt yer breakfast," O'Hara offered, the dog standing on the front steps in his black and blue uniform with Michael in his green suit beside him.

"You want some? The cereal bar's still set up," Oswald offered before taking another spoon full.

"Don't even know what it is, but I'll take it," Michael said with a smile.

"Eat quick. I've got news for ye once Minnie gets here," O'Hara informed, following the mouse inside.

"News?" Oswald echoed around a mouthful. Using his foot, he kicked the door closed and followed behind the two, O'Hara leading the way to the dining room. Swallowing, he asked, "About the collector or Mickey?"

"Hopefully both," O'Hara said, throwing a smile over his shoulder.

"Then why aren't we going?" Oswald asked, starting to hurry to finish his breakfast.

"There's nowhere to go yet," O'Hara admitted. "I don't wanna repeat meself, so just wait till Minnie gets here."

"Fine," Oswald grumbled, putting the last of his cereal in his mouth.

The three turned into the dining room only for Michael to freeze in the doorway, a sea of eyes turning to look towards them as the murmur of conversation died down.

Oswald made his way into the dining room and said, "Kids, this is Mr. Michael."

"Hi Mr. Michael," a chorus of voices said.

Michael stood with wide eyes a moment before slowly raising up a hand and said, "Hello." He lowered his hand as the murmuring started back up in the room.

One of the bunny children closest to the door turned around in his seat to look at the mouse. Catching Michael's eyes he asked, "Are you really related to Uncle Mickey?"

"Uncle?" Michael echoed, caught off guard. Quickly recovering he nodded his head, "Yes, I am."

"207," Oswald chastised.

"Just checking facts," 207 defended, turning around in his chair to finish his milk.

"He's trying to be a journalist," Oswald offered, giving a look towards Michael. "You said you were hungry?"

"Hum, oh, yes," Michael said with a nod. Oswald led him over to the wall that held dispensers of cereal, all in different brands.

Oswald sat his empty bowl on the table, picking up a clean one for Michael. He looked at the mouse, noticing his awed expression at the varieties. "It's a lot to take in, sorry," Oswald tried. "How 'bout I just make you a simple bowl and you can try that?"

"That'd probably be best," Michael said with a nod.

Oswald went over to the Frosted Flakes and turned the nod to fill the bowl up.

"These are all Mickey's nephews and nieces?" Michael asked, getting Oswald to notice him looking at the table. The mouse turned to look at Oswald and asked, "How? Are you or your wife related to my family?"

"I am, sort of," Oswald tried to explain. He walked down the wall to where the milk was in a small fridge, and poured enough in the bowl, He put the milk back in the fridge before trying, "It's confusing, technically we're not brothers but we call each other that and I've heard the humans refer to us as half-brothers."

"I see," Michael mumbled. Oswald gave him a look, getting the mouse to shrug. "Alright, not fully."

"Said it was confusing," Oswald said, grabbing a spoon for the mouse.

"But still, that'd make me your grandfather as well," Michael realized aloud with a smile.

Oswald held the bowl in both hands, looking at the mouse stunned for a moment. "I've never had grandparents before," he admitted, just realizing it was a feeling he had wanted.

"No? How about parents?" Michael asked, taking the bowl from Oswald's hands.

Oswald shook his head. "Walt was the closest thing to a father I had, him and Ub. After them, Universal just wrote off the idea of me having parents."

"Maybe, when I get back to my own time, I'll see if my son could leave something for you," Michael thought aloud, looking at the cereal in his hands. He took the spoon and tried a mouthful of it, giving a shrug as he chewed.

"I know the idea of time travel has to be around in your time," Oswald said, crossing his arms over his chest. "That'd mess up the time line."

"I know," Michael admitted. "Is this really the breakfast of the future?"

"Don't like it?" Oswald asked. "That one's not my favorite but I didn't wanna give you a sugar high either."

"Don't get us wrong, I still like a good breakfast with eggs, sausage, bacon, hash browns," Ortensia said as she and O'Hara walked over to the two. "Make some waffles or pancakes too. It's just too much to do when I know people are coming over in the morning."

"It's not bad," Michael tried before taking another spoonful.

"Dad, you should've given him Trix," a bunny child said as one came over with her dirty bowl and cup. She laughed as she passed them adding, "They're your favorite anyway."

"Silly rabbit, Trix are for kids," two bunny children sang together as they followed their sister. Looking at each other the two called out in sync, "Jinx, you owe me a soda!"

"You're rabbits too, you know!" Oswald called out after them, pointing a finger up in the air.

"But we're also kids," a voice called out.

"Sure does get lively around here," Michael commented as he worked at finishing his breakfast.

"You should see it when Mickey's here," Ortensia said with a laugh as she watched her children take their dirty dishes into the kitchen. "I think he forgets he's an adult sometimes."

"There you are," Minnie's voice called out, drawing eyes to the doorway as she walked in. She walked over to the group still standing by the cereal bar, getting a hug from one of the children on her way. Stopping in front of O'Hara, she put her hands on her hips and said, "With it being so urgent, I thought we wouldn't still be on breakfast."

"I'm sorry Minnie," O'Hara started.

"No, I'm sorry, Miss Minnie," Michael offered as he quickly ate the last of his cereal. Swallowing he added, "I felt wrong about rifling through Mickey's cupboards, it felt wrong doing so to feed Pluto his breakfast."

"Anyway Minnie, the kids just finished eating themselves," Ortensia pointed out, crossing her arms over her chest.

Minnie dropped her arms, letting herself fall into a slouch. "I know, I'm sorry, I'm just..."

"I know, you're worried about him," Ortensia said, dropping her arms to take Minnie's hand in hers. Minnie raised her head to look her friend in the eye as Ortensia added, "We will get him back."

Minnie forced herself to smile as she said, "I'm getting tired of it though. Once he gets back, I'm gonna chain him to his house so he can't get kidnapped or anything again."

"And we all know how well that worked when you tried it before," Oswald pointed out with roll of his eyes.

"We're all here and I'm done eating," Michael said as he sat the used bowl by Oswald's. He looked up at O'Hara and asked, "What was the news?"

"The boys found out who the Mouse Collector is," O'Hara said, a smile on his face.

"That's great, why aren't we at his place now, then?" Oswald asked.

"We can't find him," O'Hara admitted. He pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket and handed it to Oswald for the group to see, showing a picture of a hippo with glasses. "His name is Doctor Elvin Barkley. He works for the Institute of Sciences down in Duckburg. They're working on finding all of his research so we can go through it, but it seems he created a time machine as well as the device that put those mice in the paintings."

"You're gonna make me build it, aren't you?" Oswald asked, eyeing the dog.

"You'll have help this time," O'Hara said. Quickly he added, "And modern technology." He took the picture back as he continued, "But that's only if he left enough notes. The institute said he hasn't been to work in two months but were under the idea he was on vacation."

"Only two months and he's got that many in his collection?" Oswald exclaimed.

"If he's got a time machine, he's got all the time he wants," Ortensia pointed out.

"So why is he still missing?" Michael asked. "Couldn't he've just done what he wanted in an afternoon and no one would know he was missing?"

"That's what we're hoping for," O'Hara admitted. "But we're already talking to Von Drake to see if he's got his time machine working yet."

"So we're still waiting?" Michael asked, disheartened.

"Until somebody finds something," O'Hara admitted.

"There's gotta be something we can do," Ortensia said.

"Ye wanna scrub through surveillance footage?" O'Hara asked. "There's loads of it."

Ortensia put a finger to her lip as she asked, "If we find enough tablets and computers, you think the kids could help too?"

"Are you sure they'd be able to?" O'Hara asked, eyeing the few stragglers still talking at the table.

"If they know it's for Mickey, I'm sure they will," Oswald said.