And we're back! This chapter will be bringing us back to the main plot of the story. I wonder where Mickey and friends ended up since we last left them?

Rabbits, Foxes, and Shadows (Oh My!)

Location: Magic Kingdom, Main Street USA

Oswald was just happy to be on the journey with his brother this time. Sure, it took being dropped into this weird world that was sort of like the Wasteland but not really, but you weren't going to be hearing him complaining.

"So, what are we looking for, Mickey?" Goofy asked, scratching his head.

"Any way to get into that castle, Goofy," Mickey replied. "There's gotta be something in this land that'll take down the magic barrier."

"If only I hadn't left my magic staff at home," Donald muttered.

"You're a magician?" Oswald asked.

Donald furrowed his brow. "Sometimes. You know how Mickey started as a steamboat worker, but has also been an airplane pilot, clock cleaner, sorcerer apprentice, and everything in between?" The rabbit nodded his head. "Well, one of the 'stories' we were a part of was where Mickey was the king and I was the royal mage. If I had my staff, I could use my magic."

"I've still got my remote on me," Oswald said, pulling out a simple device with an antenna and a big red button. "If you need to start up any electronics, I'll be on it!"

Suddenly, a little fox came running by and snatched the remote in its mouth, running off down the street and into an alleyway. "Hey, bring that back here you fox!" Oswald shouted, running after the critter. Donald and the others watched dumbly as the scene played out.

"Uh, shouldn't we go after him?" Goofy asked.

"Oswald knows what he's doing," Mickey said. "We need to focus on the castle for now. Let's see who's around here. Oswald will catch up."

Meanwhile, the rabbit was jumping over boxes to follow the fox down the alleyway. "Give me the remote back!" he shouted, pulling a foot and tossing it. The fox yipped and ducked under a fence, leaving Oswald to comically splat against it. He groaned and peeled himself off of the fence, putting his leg back on and jumping over the fence.

On the other side, the fox had nowhere to run as a high wall blocked his path. "I've got you now," Oswald said. "So give me back my remote or- " His ears pricked up as a humming sound filled them, along with a staff coming into view being held at his neck.

"Don't. Touch. The fox," said a voice that rang with a European accent. Oswald audibly gulped and put his hands up, backing away from the fox as the staff wielder moved in front of the rabbit. She was a duck with short black hair and a matching black dress, giving her a witch vibe for sure.

"Alright Magica, you can stop with the theatrics," said a laid-back voice. Hopping down into the alleyway was an anthropomorphic fox in a green Hawaiian shirt and khakis. He walked over and picked up the other fox, pulling the remote out of its mouth. "Now Todd, why was this rabbit chasing you?"

Surprisingly, the little fox replied. "I took his remote, Mr. Wilde," Todd said. "I was trying to be like you."

Mr. Wilde patted Todd on the head. "Kid, when I hustle someone, I do it by the book. Stealing from people is what gets you in jail."

"As if you hustles are any better than stealing, con-man," Magica said with a roll of her eyes.

"Says the literal witch that's obsessed with a dime," Mr. Wilde replied.

"It's a magic, lucky dime!" Magica shouted, turning her staff on the fox.

"Would you two just kiss already?" came another voice. This one also belonged to a duck, though she was around a teen age with a grey striped sweater and pink-tipped bangs. She turned to Oswald and sighed. "Look dude, sorry that my aunt almost assaulted you, but she's kinda overprotective of the little guy here."

"Even though that's supposed to be my job," Mr. Wilde said. He walked up to Oswald and held out a paw. "Nick Wilde, at your service. Say 'Hi' Todd."

"Hello!" Todd said, perched happily on top of Nick's head.

"Oswald the Luck Rabbit," Oswald said, shaking Nick's hand.

"Lucky, you say?" Magica said. She put down her staff and placed a hand on the teen duck's shoulder. "Well, Mr. Oswald, I'm Magica de Spell, and this is my niece, Lena."

"Sup," Lena replied, shrugging her shoulders to get out of her aunt's grip.

Magica continued. "It's fortunate that you found us here, as we've been looking for someone with a lot of luck."

"Well, Lucky isn't really the best way I would describe myself," Oswald said.

"Oh, don't be modest," Magica laughed.

"Is this about that 'prophecy' of yours, Magica?" Nick asked.

"Of course it is," Lena said. "It's the only thing she's been focused on sense any of us got here." She looked at Oswald. "Let me explain. There's this prophecy or whatever that says a con-artist, a singer, a shadow, a statue, a matriarch, a key master, and a lucky individual will find the door to magic."

"Which we've already found, by the way," Nick said.

"But it's in that big castle over there," Todd added.

Oswald nodded. "I get it. You've got a quest to complete, and a list of people to find to complete said quest. I was already working with Mickey and the others to try to get into the castle, so if you're trying to do that same thing, then we should all work together."

Magica clapped her hands together. "Excellent. That's three out of four now. You said that you were working with others, yes? You may go back to them for now, and I will send you a sign for when you will be needed again."

"Alright, sounds good to me," Oswald said.

"Oh, and one last thing," Magica said. "Don't mention me or the prophecy to anyone else. The people around here can get a bit… judgemental when it comes to witches."

"You just want to make sure Scrooge doesn't- " Lena muttered, only to have her beak clamped shut.

"Not now, little shadow," Magica seethed.

Oswald gave them a funny look but shrugged it off as family drama and turned to leave. He stopped for a moment, however, when Todd jumped down and placed his remote at his feet. "Here you go, Mr. Oswald," the young fox said. "Sorry for stealing it earlier."

"Hey, it's fine, kid," the rabbit said with a smile, patting Todd on the head.

As Oswald left, Maleficent watched from the rooftops as the scene played out exactly as she had planned. It was simple getting the young fox to guide Oswald where he was needed, and now the seeds of her plan where starting to be sown. "Things are starting to unfold, Merlin," she said to herself. "Let's see if this witch has the heart to do what needs to be done when the time is right." Maleficent opened a dark portal and walked into it. "In the meantime, I'll see how my favorite Key Bearer is doing in this new world."

Author's Note

Sorry this chapter took a bit to get out! Real life happened, and you know how that can get in the way of things.

We've got a lot going on here: a prophecy, the introduction of some important characters, and Maleficent planning things. Let's hope Oswald isn't in over his head.

From now on, I'll be putting the new characters that appeared in the chapter down here so that those unfamiliar can look them up for themselves.

Anyway, next time will be another submitted idea chapter, so see you then!

Characters that premiered this chapter:

Todd (The Fox and the Hound)

Magica de Spell (Ducktales) she's a mix of both the original and the 2017 reboot here

Nick Wilde (Zootopia)

Lena (Ducktales 2017)