"Ode to Disney" is an original song I wrote specifically for this story :)


Chapter 28: An Ode to Disney

A breezy melody stirred Mindy from her slumber.

Her lips pulled into a contented smile as she sat up in bed and stretched. She yawned before drawing her knees into her chest. She couldn't remember the last time she had gotten a better night's sleep, and chose for the moment to not question why The Projectionist hadn't shown up inside of her mind to antagonize her further.

She honestly couldn't have cared less about the villain.

Mindy was just relieved that she had somehow been able to prevent him from entering her Dreamscape, and that she had actually succumbed to the void of unconsciousness to the point where she hadn't had a single dream.

It ultimately didn't matter.

Basil was right, she had needed that.

Her eyes fluttered open, and found the source of the tune.

Jiminy Cricket sat in the armchair she had found him in earlier that night. His eyes were closed in concentration as he whistled to himself. Mindy instantly recognized it as When You Wish Upon a Star.

When the song had finished, he looked up and was taken aback by the sight of her, "Oh... sorry kid, I-I didn't realize-"

"-It's okay." She cut him off, "That was beautiful."

His cheeks reddened a bit, "Thanks... are you feeling alright?"

"Of course." Mindy didn't hesitate to answer, "Why wouldn't I be?"

"It's just that you've been sleeping an awful lot today." Jiminy rubbed the back of his neck, "Basil told us about how you used your amulet against the bat at the toy shop, and passed out from the exhaustion. I came in to wake you up, but he thought it'd be best if we just let you sleep in a little longer. Are ya feeling any better?"

Mindy couldn't help but laugh, "More than you could possibly know."

His brows shot up.

"What?"

"Something's…off." The conscience replied, "You're never this cheerful. I mean, you used to be but that's just not who you are anymore. You hate anything remotely whimsical and you hardly ever smile genuinely."

"Wow, I didn't know that you could be this inquisitive detective cricket." Mindy teased.

"Seriously, talk to me." Jiminy pleaded, "What's going on?"

"Nothing!" She insisted, "I don't know, maybe something about Peter and I's adventure last night ignited a sort of spark within me, and it's a sign that I'm remembering who I used to be? Also I never said that I hated whimsy, I just find it annoying at times. And allow me to point out that you said hardly. I hardly ever smile genuinely, but that doesn't mean that I don't do it occasionally. What? Is it wrong for me to just be happy every now and again?"

His lips formed into a relieved smile, "No… no of course not."

A stab of guilt pierced her heart, but she shook off the feeling and instead asked, "So you're not mad that we snuck out?"

"I am upset that you didn't at least leave a note telling us where you guys were going." Jiminy admitted, "But I do appreciate the effort Peter put into trying to get you to remember what it was like to fly on your own… just be sure to let us know next time so that we don't have another panic attack worrying about you two getting hurt, okay?"

Mindy nodded with a playful smile, "Sure thing dad."

That earned a chuckle from him, "Speaking of which, I don't think Dakota will be as forgiving as I was. He's still bitter about us being left behind, and that kid is something else when he's angry. He tried to do the thing fathers do when their kids sneak out and sat in the red armchair for hours just so he could ask: "And where have you two been?", but he fell asleep before you even got home. You might want to head down and defuse the situation before he says or does something he'll regret."

"Okay, just let me change first, and tell everyone I'll be down shortly." She grabbed her glasses off of the nightstand, and slipped them on.

"Will do." Jiminy chirped, "Take your time…no pressure."

"Thanks."

He tipped his hat before he ducked out of the room, and closed the door behind him. Mindy released the breath she hadn't known she'd been holding. She didn't like lying to the conscience, but she wasn't ready to tell anyone else about her night terrors just yet. She didn't want to be a burden by dumping her problems on them, and she felt that it would be for the best to deal with them on her own.

Mindy glanced up at the grandfather clock and her eyes about popped out of their sockets, Four-thirty-seven?!

She threw herself out of bed, changed into her clothes from the previous night (which only vaguely smelled of river water), brushed out her tangled hair, and rushed out the door while putting on her socks, boots, sheathe, and satchel. She was so focused on her task that she failed to notice that she was nearing the stairs, and proceeded to tumble down all of them before landing roughly on her back with a grunt.

Her head spun as she moaned, "That certainly woke me up."

Mindy's eyes flashed open and she stared at the bemused upside-down faces of Dakota, Jiminy, and Peter (who had slapped his hands over his mouth in a fruitless attempt to stifle his chuckles). Her cheeks tinted pink as she scrambled to her feet and cleared her throat.

She waved awkwardly, "Heh… hey guys."

"Good morning to you too, Drunken Jack Daniels!" Peter couldn't help it as he burst into a fit of laughter.

Mindy rolled her eyes, "How's your leg jokester?"

"It still hurts a little, but it feels much better than it did yesterday." He replied.

"Good to hear." She then turned to face Dakota who now donned a white buttoned-up shirt with a wrinkled dusty-green vest and an ebony tie. He also wore a pair of brown trousers, and leather boots, "Love the change in wardrobe."

"We need to talk." His voice was disturbingly rigid, and didn't have its usual bubbly melodic tone, "Guys, could you give us a second?"

Jiminy and Peter shot each other bewildered glances before heading towards the chemistry set to join the others.

"So…did you have fun on your date?"

"What? What are you…" Her eyes widened as she gradually came to the realization, "No! No, that's- ew…ewww! What is the matter with you? We just went on a flight around town! Also, he's five years younger than me! What kind of cougar do you take me for?"

"I don't know." Dakota's icy stare seemed to penetrate her soul, "But apparently, that so-called flight around town was more important than informing your friend of eighteen years about your whereabouts."

Her stomach twisted with guilt, "Dakota, I'm so-"

"-Yeah, you should be." He interrupted, "Mindy, we already lost Scarlett, and I don't want to lose you too… I don't want to be left alone here."

Her heart shattered upon seeing the helpless look reflected in his hazel eyes…she'd had that same look when she'd attempted to chase after Scarlett's kidnapper, "I know."

Dakota pinched the bridge of his nose before continuing in a gentler tone, "I know that you're the heroine of this adventure. I know that you have a destiny to fulfill in defeating mister tyrannical sorcerer dude and rediscovering who you are and all… but if that comes at the cost of leaving me with no explanation or any indication that you're alright, I don't know how okay I am with that. Heck, I don't know how okay the others are with that." He placed his hands firmly on her shoulders, and she didn't flinch or shy away from his touch, "I for one don't appreciate it when you randomly decide to go off and do your own thing. Mindy we've been through a lot together, and I don't want you to feel like you can't trust me… so please don't ever abandon me like that again. I only want to help you…but I can't do that unless you let me."

Mindy could feel tears welling up, "Dakota, I know you want to help me… you want to see me safe and sound, I understand where you're coming from. That feeling you were describing last night about wanting to be by my side no matter what. I feel that too. But it's stronger than it's ever been before…and I think it's because of my powers. My point is, some of the things I'm going through are too complicated for you to understand."

"Then make me understand." He begged, "I want to contribute in any way that I can…so tell me what I need to do in order to be useful."

She wanted nothing more than to blurt out: "Stop the Projectionist from entering my Dreamscape for good!" But she knew that doing so would be pointless as well as rude. Dakota knew just about as much as she did when it came to dealing with creatures that possessed nightmare-inducing magical attributes which was nearly nothing. It wasn't fair for her to throw such hypocrisies out on a whim solely out of frustration.

She wasn't used to having someone display this much dedication to her. She had felt an immense amount of awkwardness when the conversation had first started, but as it continued, she found it gradually shifting into comfort instead.

Mindy's eyes glistened apologetically, "I'm sorry. You're one of my best friends in the whole world, and the last thing I wanted to do was make you feel inferior to me just because you don't quite understand Disney history or magical dilemmas yet. There are a lot of things that I'm dealing with right now, but that doesn't mean that you're any less valuable to me in terms of support. I promise that from now on I won't be afraid to ask for your help, and that I won't ever leave you in the dust again… sound fair?"

Dakota nodded with an ecstatic grin, "Yeah…thank you."

She couldn't help but smile back, "Of course."

Before Mindy could wiggle out of his hold, he drew her into a tight embrace. She stiffened up at first, but then her body relaxed and she returned the gesture whilst giving his shoulders a firm squeeze. Dakota in return rested his chin atop her head, and she nuzzled into his chest.

They remained like this for a comfortable period of silence until the sound of someone clearing their throat sliced through the air.

"Is everything quite resolved between you two?" Basil inquired, "If so, then we really must get on to business regarding the location of your missing friend."

Mindy hastily detangled herself from her friend's grasp as a blush creeped onto her cheeks, "Yeah… yeah, we're all good here."

Dakota was a bit saddened that the embrace had ended so soon, but he got over it and instead followed her to the chemistry set to join the others.

"Alright, we're all here." The detective then withdrew a glass beaker filled with a mysterious crystal blue liquid, "While you all were asleep last night, Dawson and I (but mostly me) discovered where the list we found at the toy shop came from. Now, this vial contains sodium chloride which was extracted from said piece of parchment. From that sample, I deduced that Ratigan's lair must be somewhere near the riverfront, presumably in the sewers. And, judging from a potent odor of a certain alcoholic quality emanating from the list, I confidently concluded that the lair is located inside of one of the seediest pubs in all of London."

All of his spectators blinked synonymously.

"He found saltwater and caught a whiff of a cheap brandy on the scoundrel's list, and has a theory that the lair is somewhere within a pub by the docks." Dr. Dawson translated.

Everyone nodded while muttering incoherent noises of understanding.

"I know, I know." Mindy put her hands up with a look of defeat, "You want us to stay here while you guys do all the heroic stuff all for the sake of us not getting recognized and turned in by Fatigan?"

"Ratigan."

"I know. That's just what I decided to call him."

"Oh, alright then…well… to answer your question, no."

Mindy did a double take, "Say what now?"

"I've given it a fair amount of thought and consideration, and I've come to the realization that you were right." Basil confessed, "Sooner or later, the villains who are set upon turning you in will find you, and there's nothing you can do to stop the inevitable from occurring. However, that doesn't mean that you can't prevent it to the best of your ability."

Peter tilted his head, "How?"

"To put it quite simply, I've concocted a brilliant plan that allows you lot to accompany Dawson and I while simultaneously keeping your identities as wanted fugitives a secret." The detective clarified.

Mindy exchanged glances with her group before turning back to face him, "What do you have in mind?"

Her stomach filled with dread as Basil's mouth curved into a mischievous smirk and he rubbed his hands together with a chuckle…


The detective had taken them to the disguise closet in the hall, and tossed them some disturbingly realistic masks to make the humans (and cricket) look like mice. He had then allowed them to pick out their own seafaring attire in order to blend in.

Once they had selected their clothing, they hopped aboard Toby the bloodhound, and made the misty journey to the docks.

Despite all of Mindy's protests, Basil had insisted that she wear a corset with the lacey black-and-red showgirl outfit she had selected. After she had changed into her dress, fishnets, and heels, she reluctantly allowed him to assist her in attaching the torture device behind one of the humongous wooden pillars.

However, as soon as he had started pulling, she started thrashing about whilst screeching at the top of her lungs, "Nope! Ain't gonna happen! This-this is not okay!"

"Dash it all!" Basil grunted as he struggled to keep her in place, "Keep your voice down and hold still! You are only making this more difficult for yourself!"

"I cannot believe you guys talked me into this!" She spat at her crew, who were practically rolling around on the floor in laughter, "This is a mutiny! I am your leader and I demand respect!"

"Honestly!" Mindy inhaled sharply as the detective snatched her waist, "You're behaving like a child! This is perfectly harmless, and millions of women have to endure this every day!"

"Harmless?!" Her knuckles glowed stark white as she clawed the pillar, "Tell that to my organs! Things are moving around inside of me that are NOT supposed to be moving around in the first place!"

"I'm almost finished!" Basil gave one final yank before rapidly tying the bow in the back, "There! That should do it!"

"How does it feel kiddo?" Dakota managed to gasp out between giggles.

Mindy's eyes bulged, "I…can't…BREATHE."

Everyone erupted into another fit of obnoxious laughter.

Her mouth twisted into a pointed scowl, "I'm glad you find my torment so amusing… this is never going to work."

"Oh do try to display some optimism for a change." Basil chided, "You all look perfect."

"Perfect?" Dr. Dawson demanded as he and the entourage emerged from the shadows. He huffed as he pointlessly attempted to pull down his white-and-red striped shirt to cover his mid drift, "Perfectly foolish."

The doctor also wore a patch over his right eye, an earring, a bandana, and a pair of navy-blue trousers. Peter donned a jet-black leather trench coat, a brown undershirt with golden buttons, and matching trousers. He also wore a velvety feathered hat, and polished buckled boots. Dakota had on a white ruffled shirt, a red-and-black striped belt, and black tights with bows tied at the ankles. Jiminy wore a black undershirt with a blood-red coat that reached almost all the way down to his toes, two earrings, and dusty brown boots.

Lastly, Basil donned a maroon turtleneck with a blue trench coat and matching cap. To make himself even more unrecognizable, he had stuck a fake mustache onto his upper lip.

"I hate to be the debby-downer of the bunch, but I have to agree with Mindy." Dakota piped, "Even though these masks are freakishly realistic, that doesn't change the fact that our heads aren't mouse-shaped."

"Yeah, my quote-on-quote snout keeps flopping all over the place." Peter complained, "I feel like an idiot."

"You could say that again." Jiminy twitched in discomfort, "It doesn't matter how tight it is in here. Since everything is covered up and accounted for except for the eye and mouth holes, the greenness of my skin severely clashes with the color of the mask."

"I understand that you all have your concerns." Basil said, "But it will be dimly lit inside of this establishment, so unless the patrons are paying close attention (which is unlikely considering that the majority of them are too intoxicated), we should have nothing to worry about."

"If you say so."

The detective withdrew a cigarette from his vest pocket, "Now…let's stop wasting time, shall we?"

Everyone trailed behind him as he led them to a run-down pub by the name of: The Rat Trap.

"Before we go in, does anyone else have any other burning questions that they are dying to ask?" Basil inquired.

"Why do I have to wear this bushy mustache?" Peter whined as he fiddled with mountain of hair on his upper lip, "It makes me look like a grown-up."

"That's kind of the point dude." Dakota lightly punched him on the shoulder, "Plus, you were the one who volunteered to be the captain in this scenario."

"I still don't understand why we didn't make one of the actual adults the captain but it's whatever I guess." Mindy grumbled.

"Alright everyone!" The detective clapped his hands together, "Follow me, and whatever you do…do NOT show any hint of weakness or trepidation! Remember, we ruthless criminal masterminds!"

"Uh, can you say that louder for the people in the back please?" She whirled around with an impish smirk, "Specifically, for Mr. Cricket and Davendork."

Jiminy averted his eyes while Dakota put a hand to his chest in mock-offense, "Ouch…have you forgotten that I am a part of Theatre Troupe #2461 back at Muldrow High? Trust me, I know a thing or two when it comes to putting on a show."

"Say what you will, but I know you." Mindy retorted, "I bet you won't last five minutes without complimenting somebody."

"Ha! We'll see about that!" He replied as they cautiously entered The Rat Trap.

Basil had (unsurprisingly) been correct in that the interior was lit with the almost invisible flames of the hanging lanterns casting flickering shadows across the cracked dilapidated walls. There was such an absurd amount of smoke that it created a thick cloud that hovered over the heads of the patrons, making it nearly impossible to see what was in front of their noses. The smells that were emanating from the establishment were otherworldly to Mindy's nostrils. Pungent scents of liquor, mold, and of course cigarette smoke caused her complexion to turn an unflattering shade of green. She found herself grateful that the mask was able to somewhat conceal the wariness and nausea that was present in her silver eyes. Empty life-sized spools served as tables for the other thugs, gamblers, and crooks, and a luminescent stage with velvet curtains was located at the far end of the room. An upbeat vaudeville-esque piano tune rang throughout the tavern, as mice aimlessly played poker, drank to their hearts content, or watched the juggling tap-dancing octopus in the straw hat having the time of his life on the stage.

Mindy glanced up at the great mouse detective, who now wore a hardened expression on his face. He discreetly struck a match against a wooden pillar, lit his cigarette, and took a puff.

"Now everyone stay close." He whispered, "And do as I do."

Basil stuck his hands inside of his pockets, hunched his shoulders, and lumbered forwards. Dr. Dawson followed his lead, but kept his head down as he shuffled after him. Mindy rolled her eyes before removing a fan from her pocket, and flicking her wrist so that it covered her face. She ignored the wolf-whistles she received as she padded through the crowd. She turned around to see how the others were holding up, and her eyes widened slightly.

Peter was doing a flawless job at blending in. He had wasted no time into getting into character, and looked almost as intimidating as Captain Hook himself. She hadn't even recognized him from the glowering, frothing scowl plastered on his face and the shiftiness of his narrowed flickering eyes. Peter even went as far as to take bulking, thundering steps in an attempt to make himself appear heftier than he actually was.

Dakota however, was an entirely different story. He took all-too-confident strides and had slapped a gigantic cartoonish smile onto his freckled face. His braces gleamed in the candlelight, and it looked as though his eyes were about to pop right out of his skull. He was as peppy as a school-girl and even waved to a few of the patrons who were staring at him in stupefaction. Mindy stared slack-jawed as he blew kisses to some of the lady mice he had managed to attract, but decided not to question his method and instead fixated her eyes on Jiminy.

She had to bite the inside of her mouth to keep herself composed.

It was abundantly clear that aside from his squabble (if you could even call it that) with Lampwick, he had never had to put on a tough persona in his life. His face was so scrunched to the point where he looked as though he were constipated and beads of nervous sweat dribbled out from underneath his mask. His eyes were narrowed to unnatural slits, and he had forced his mouth into a painfully fake scowl.

Mindy fought the urge to smash her head into the nearest wall, We're doomed.

She returned to the task at hand and almost bumped into Dr. Dawson who had removed his hat and was bent in a low…bow?

"Ah! I do beg your pardon madam." The doctor appeared to be politely apologizing to a mouse with a green ruffled dress, a head of messy red curls, and a thin seductive smile, "It was quite unintentional, I assure…y-"

While he was speaking, the lady had taken a drag of her cigarette. She and blew the smoke directly into Dawson's face, causing him to go into a coughing fit before he could even finish his sentence. The mouse then guffawed loudly at his misery, along with the rest of the patrons at her table.

The doctor was livid, "How impertinent!"

Basil hurriedly shook him by the collar while scolding him in a hushed tone, "Remember Dawson, we are low-life ruffians settling down for the night."

"Well I was until that-"

"-Shh, shh."

The detective selected a table in the center of all the action. As he pulled out the chair for her, Mindy sat down while crossing her legs promiscuously. Dakota and Basil took their seats to her left and to her right while Peter, Dawson, and Jiminy made up the other half of the table.

Mindy gestured for the grinning teenager to lean in closer, and used her fan to shield them from the other patrons.

"Why the hell are you smiling so much?" She asked through clenched teeth.

Dakota shrugged with an indifferent expression, "I'm asserting my dominance."

"In what world is that asserting your dominance? You're making us look like a bunch of clowns!"

"Because these guys are too afraid to smile!" He tilted his head to the side, "It makes people uncomfortable when you're the only one smiling, and if you put on an act of being upbeat and jovial all the time then you will accomplish making them more uncomfortable…hence, the smile."

"That just sounds like naïveté to me."

"To thine own self be true."

Before she could retort back, the music stopped, indicating that the octopus's performance had concluded. Both Dr. Dawson and Dakota clapped enthusiastically in response. The juggler/tap-dancer glanced up in surprise as the latter gave him a standing ovation.

"YES HONEY!" Dakota screamed, "YOU'D BETTER BE OUT HERE LIVIN YOUR BEST LIFE!"

Mindy snatched his arm in an iron grip, and forcefully sat him down in his seat right as the rest of the thugs booed the octopus off of the stage. In particular, one voice hollered: "GET OFF YOU EIGHT-LEGGED BUM!" and caused the performer to scurry out of harm's way right as a shower of rotten fruit and knives was flung in his direction.

"See? I told you that you couldn't go five minutes without complimenting someone." She hissed.

"Rosie? What're you doing out here girl?"

A thick cockney accent snapped her back to attention.

Mindy glanced up and found herself staring at a heavy-set female mouse with voluptuous swaying hips, green eyes, tan fur, and ruby-red lips. She has a beauty mark on her chin, and short curly blonde hair that reached her mid-neck. She donned a violet dress with a white apron, and black heels.

"Excuse me- oomph!" Dakota elbowed her in the ribs before she could finish asking what the mouse was talking about, "Uh, I-I mean yes!" She cleared her throat before flashing her most suggestive smirk, "Yes…I am Rosie…"

The waitress was taken aback by Mindy's flirtatious tone, and actually appeared flustered for a few unending seconds, "W-what do you think you're doing fraternizing with the customers?! You're supposed to be on stage in the next three minutes!"

She went along with it, and rolled her eyes as she stood up to address the table, "Sorry gentlemen but it's not my fault that miss boss lady doesn't know how to loosen up and have fun once in a while. Don't miss me too much, I'll see all of you a little later." She winked at the boy beside her, "Especially you sugar."

Peter pursed his lips to contain his laughter at the shell-shocked expression on Dakota's face. His cheeks gradually reddened as Mindy winked and blew a kiss in his direction and sauntered away. Right before she entered a swinging door labeled: Performers only she dropped the façade for a split-second and mouthed the words: "Help me." with panic-stricken eyes.

The waitress turned back to the table and gave them a saucy smile, "I hope that she didn't bother you too much. She's new, and has a habit of bouncing around from table-to-table."

Dawson cleared his throat, "Well she's a rather charming young wo-"

"-What he means to say, is that we don't mind at all that the little lass was here." Peter interrupted in an eerily convincing Irish accent, "When you're out on the open sea for six excruciating months…good company is incredibly difficult to come by."

Everyone stared at him in astounded silence…

"Alright… what's your pleasure mates?" The waitress questioned.

"I'll have a dry sherry… ooh with perhaps a twist of-"

Basil slapped his hand over the doctor's mouth before he could continue, and said in a gruff sailor's voice, "Easy there sport, mayhaps we should let the Cap'n order first."

Peter took a moment to weigh his options before replying, "Five pints of rum all around."

The waitress took their order down and started to head to the bar, when the detective stopped her in her tracks, "By the way, we just got into port…we're looking for an old friend of mine. Maybe ya know 'im? Goes by the name of Ratigan?"

As soon as the cursed word was uttered, the other patrons let out horrified gasps. They murmured to each other in frightened tones and warily glanced around as if the villain was hiding in the shadows listening to their conversations.

The waitress hesitated before she replied, "I…I…never heard of him."

Basil tapped his fingertips together with a pleased smile as the lady hastily made her exit.

Jiminy was the first to break the silence, "Uhh… should we be worried that Mindy was just kidnapped against her will?"

"Oh she'll be alright." The detective waved it off, "We have to do whatever we can to blend in, and she's simply doing her part to contribute… I'm certain that she'll come up with something to sing...she is a Disney Princess after all… she has to learn to do it eventually."


Mindy barreled out of the way as an octopus in a straw hat whizzed past her.

Her breath quickened as she paced back-and-forth while fiddling with her hands. She had no idea what she was going to do. She despised being the center of attention almost as much as she despised singing.

And yet, somehow I ended up in this situation! Mindy couldn't remember another time where she had been this jittery, This is nothing like the Native village dance! If I'm not careful I could end up like that octopus! What the hell am I gonna do?!

She perked up as a ragtime tune erupted from the piano. Curious, she poked her head out from the wings and caught sight of a lizard on a unicycle while carrying an overweight toad on his back.

Immediately the crowd started booing, and threw all that they had at the pair. Their eyes widened with panic as they lost their balance, and collapsed on the stage from the impact. One of the stagehands desperately drew the curtain and the manager barked for the showgirls to get into position for the next act.

Mindy swallowed as a gentle melody filled the air.

The thugs held their fruit and even their chairs at the ready as the curtain opened, and a white female mouse stepped out. She had sparkling cerulean eyes, baby pink lips, and luscious eyelashes. She donned a midnight blue dress, a purple shawl, and wore a light blue bow in her hair.

"Dearest friends, dear gentlemen…listen to my song. Life down here's been hard for you. Life has made you strong…let me lift the mood…with my attitude…."

The audience could do nothing but stare in awe at the singer's incredible voice.

Mindy tapped her foot while her eyes flitted about in anticipation.

"Hey fellas." The mouse strutted back-and-forth across the stage with a bright smile, "The time is right. Get ready, tonight's the night! Boys what you're hoping for will come true! Let me be good to you!"

Everyone started bouncing along to the music, absolutely enthralled by the performance.

"You tough guys…you're feeling all alone. You rough guys, the best of you sailors and bums…all of my chums! So dream on, and drink your beer! Get cozy, your baby's here! You won't be misunderstood! Let me be good to you….!" The mouse made her way to center and closed the curtains with a suggestive twinkle in her eyes.

The band accelerated in volume as Mindy and two other showgirls shuffled onto the stage. It was clear that her outfit didn't match either of them, but she sandwiched herself in-between them to make it look like it was intentional.

As the curtain opened, it revealed them plus the soloist from before only she had removed her shawl and now wore elbow-length black gloves, "Hey fellas! I'll take off all my blues!" The mouse sang her heart out as she removed her skirt to reveal a feathery light-blue leotard.

Mindy struggled to keep the fake smile on her face as the men hooted and cat-called from the audience. One of them even tried to clamber onto the stage, but she speedily kicked him off and returned to awkwardly bouncing on her hip.

"Hey fellas! There's nothing I won't do, just for you!" The mouse pointed directly at Dr. Dawson, causing him to blush a deep red in response.

Then there was a dance break, which Mindy was totally not expecting. Sweat dripped from her forehead as she struggled to keep up with the other girls, all-the-while maintaining a mask of false confidence.

Kick ball-change, kick ball-change, pivot turn-

Peter slammed his fists on the table as he laughed crazily, "This is priceless! I'm definitely gonna have to tell the others about this when we get back on the ship!"

"Keep your voice down." Jiminy whispered as he did his best to focus on anything but the showgirls, "We don't want to cause a scene."

The waitress chose that moment to arrive at their table with the drinks, "Here ya are boys! It's uh…on the house."

She swaggered away as the others glanced down at the mugs of foaming liquid…

"I say." Dawson said as he lifted his cup, "How very generous."

"Yo…we're…we're not actually gonna drink these are we?" Dakota kept his voice to a low whisper.

Basil experimentally dipped a finger into the mixture, and took a small taste, "Of course not because these drinks have been drugged!"

He gasped when he turned to the doctor who had chugged more than half of his rum, and was already starting to feel its side effects, "Has a rather nice swig to it…" he then stood up from his chair with a lopsided grin, "Jolly good ladies! JOLLY GOOD!"

The detective grabbed his arm and yanked him down, "Dawson, get ahold of yourself."

The doctor didn't listen, and instead clapped enthusiastically, "Ooh! Bravo BRAVO!"

"Huh?" Mindy was momentarily distracted from the intricate steps of the dance as her eyes darted to her table, "Oh no-woah!"

The music abruptly cut off as she tripped on her own feet and collided with the soloist which in turn caused her to lose her balance, and plummeted into the orchestra pit. Mindy winced as her ears caught an ear-splitting crack and an agonizing screech afterwards.

She scrambled to her feet, "Oh my god I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to I-"

A chorus of boos interrupted her apology, causing her to shrink in terror. The other dancers' eyes widened in alarm as they speedily retreated into the wings, and left Mindy petrified on the stage. Her breaths grew short and rapid as her knees wobbled dangerously. No matter how hard she tried to calm herself, she couldn't seem to focus on her current surroundings and her vision started to grow disoriented and fuzzy as a result.

She felt like she was about to pass out, They're all staring at me they're all staring at me they're all staring at me they're all staring at me-

Dakota tugged at his hair, "I can't watch this."

Before anyone had the chance to stop him, he sprung to his feet and dashed to the pianist, "Excuse me my good sir? Do you mind letting me take over for just a few minutes?"

Unnerved by the overly-enthusiastic grin on his face as well as how jovial his voice was, the tall lanky mouse rose from the bench, and wordlessly gestured to the instrument.

The boy gave a salute, "Much obliged."

He then sat down and cracked his knuckles before letting his fingers dance across the keyboard in a lengthy over-exaggerated overture. Perplexed by the sudden music, Mindy glanced down and was taken aback by the sight before her. Her mouth struggled to form coherent words, but Dakota gestured for to sing with an encouraging smile.

Mindy shut her eyes and took a deep breath to calm her trembling nerves…

As she tilted her head upwards, her eyes narrowed from the blinding spotlight. She forced herself to ignore the uneasiness building in the pit of her stomach, and her lips formed into the most ecstatic grin that she could muster…

"Magic…wonder….and imagination." The lyrics as well as the melody seemed to pour out of her unconsciously, "O Disney, you've offered me all of this and more…"

Silence reigned and all eyes were fixated on her…

Mindy licked her lips before continuing, "While I don't know the source of my fascination…I still commend you for your expert storytelling and lore…"

Catching onto what she was doing, Dakota slowed the buildup of the introduction with a heavy: Bum…bum…bum.

"With characters so relatable, and animation so divine! Songs so well-remembered, and tales as old as time! I quite literally sing your praises, and every word isn't a lie! Disney I know for absolute certain I will love you till I die!" She started to do wild hand gestures while moving back-and-forth across the stage in a ridiculously goofy manner, "I've never done this before, so please just bear with me! Words are spilling out of my mouth, automagically! I'm being put on the spot, and I can't think of anything else to sing about! Other than the Disney company and I'm a fan without a doubt!"

Fortunately, no one had thrown anything at her yet. Unfortunately, the patrons were still defiant, and shot unamused glances towards the girl on stage.

I have to win them over.

Mindy cleared her throat as she waited for the perfect opportunity to come back in, "They're the pioneers of full-length cartoon cinema, they produced Snow White and the Seven Dwarves which served to inspire a-a line of other iconic films such as Pinocchio and Cinderella… (holding out this one note for as long as humanly possible so I can think of other things to say on the matter…) Oh yeah! And the man behind the magic was Walter Elias Disney, he had an obsession with toy trains which was incredibly far from healthy. But who cares because he paved the way for a new frontier of entertainment…and to this day his theme parks make people gawk in sheer amazement!"

By now, the crowd was tapping their toes to the beat as she repeated the chorus: "With characters so relatable, and animation so divine! Songs so well-remembered, and tales as old as time! I quite literally sing your praises, and every word isn't a lie! Disney I know for absolute certain I will love you till I die! I've never done this before, so please just bear with me! Words are spilling out of my mouth, automagically! I'm being put on the spot, and I can't think of anything else to sing about! Other than the Disney company and I'm a fan without a doubt!"

Mindy's eyes grew huge as Dakota appeared next to her on stage, now wearing a top hat and holding a cane in his hands. He gave her a reassuring wink before offering her a pair of her own. She didn't bother questioning where he had gotten the props from or how the music was still playing even though he wasn't at the piano, and instead put on the hat with a smirk.

"So what else can you tell us about the wonderful world of Disney sweetheart?" Dakota inquired as they bobbed side-to-side simultaneously.

"Oh it depends on what you want to know!" She followed his lead, "Me Disney, su Disney!"

"Well then how do you feel about the head honcho that runs the joint?" He had a spark of inspiration, "The BIG CHEESE if you will!" When this earned a few chuckles, Dakota decided to continue, "I mean I hear that his park is in actuality a people trap that was set up by a mouse for Pete's sake!"

Mindy waited for the laughter to die down before replying, "Well people tend to judge him too quickly in my opinion! Yes say what you will about the boss man who's a mouse, there's already so much controversy that statement will arouse. I for one believe that he is a friend to all, and wants to lend a helping hand…I just hope I'm not the only one who seems to understand."

"But he'll take your money from your pockets and whistle a merry tune!" Dakota interrupted as he wagged his finger and did the Charleston, "I mean have you seen how high their prices are? They're practically over the moon!"

Mindy giggled as she twirled across the stage, "But in the end, I think it's worth it cause' they're putting out great stuff!"

"Oh you mean like sequels and live-action remakes as if the originals weren't enough!"

"They're not just putting out sequels and live-action remakes!"

"Really? Then what about Finding Dory, Incredibles 2, Ralph Breaks the Internet, Toy Story 4, Frozen 2? And those didn't even count the straight to DVD sequels they did! Good lord there were so many! Girl, don't get me started on the reboots of Aladdin, Dumbo, Lion King, Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland, Beauty and the Beast, The Jungle Book, Maleficent, Lady and the Tramp, two 101 Dalmatians movies, a sequel to both Maleficent and Alice in Wonderland (which both flopped at the box office mind you) with Mulan, Peter Pan, Tinkerbell, Snow White, Pinocchio, and there's even talk of sequels to Aladdin and Moana rumored to be on the way-"

"-Dude!" Mindy snapped as the music cut off, "…I think they get the point."

Dakota bent over and heaved in exhaustion.

Once he noticed that the audience was dying of laughter, a deep blush formed on his cheeks, "Ooh… sorry."

"It's okay sport." Mindy dropped her cane, rushed over, and drew him into an embrace while patting his back, "You…you did your best."

The crowd started clapping and cheering in response to her bold action.

An idea popped into her head, and she waited for the applause to fade away before she straightened up, "You know what? You take as long as you need to get your bearings together, and I'm just gonna have a quick dance break M'kay?"

"Alright…" Dakota groaned as he shuffled out of her way, "Don't overexert yourself."

Mindy smirked as she cracked her neck from side-to-side, "I don't plan to… a five, six, seven, eight!"

The trumpets blared as she stomped her feet in a stiff, unchanging, rhythm which then transitioned into a more authentic tap routine. It was as though her feet were possessed as Mindy started doing perfect triple-time-steps, essences, and even Broadway rolls. The crowd ooed and awed at her impeccable skill, and she was just as mystified as they were. She had never taken a single tap class, and yet she was already doing double wings for crying out loud!

A sudden surge of confidence enveloped her, and Mindy hopped onto one of the tables.

The crowd hollered with delight, as she continued with her impromptu dance. They even clapped in time to the beat as she threw her arms up dramatically and spun around in a nauseating circle. Her complexion paled as she stumbled, and fell. However, the mice around the table were quick to catch her, and thrusted her back onto her feet. She haughtily lifted her skirt and shifted tables, causing the thugs to lift their mugs and spill their beer all over the place.

Mindy laughed with glee as she started kicking her feet, and twirling at a more reasonable pace this time. She once again switched tables via cartwheel and stooped down low as she flipped her hair with a mischievous smirk.

A brilliant idea formed in her mind.

Cheers thundered across the bar as she performed a perfect split, and transformed it into a back-hand-spring. However, she had miscalculated where she would end up afterwards, and she let out a terrified squeak as her foot soared through the air.

Mindy's eyes snapped shut, and anticipated hitting the ground as the music ceased.

When she hadn't, she eased them open, and gazed upon the beaming face of Dakota Davenport who had caught her right in the nick of time. They held each other's stares for a brief period before they leapt back onto the table and proceeded to dance in tandem.

"I didn't know you could tap!" Mindy exclaimed with an amused giggle.

He stifled a laugh, "Neither did I!"

"Well whadduya know? I guess Disney logic does work after all!"

It was as if the pair was hopping on hot coals as they shuffled elbow-to-elbow across the table, their feet moving in perfect synchronization with the jazzy 1920s flair of the music. Vivid splashes of color flashed across their figures and no one bothered to question where the nonexistent light crew was.

Mindy was filled to the brim with contagious giddiness and it was evident that it was spreading like wildfire to every single person in the room (including a certain bat limping past Basil's line of sight).

A sensation similar to the one she had experienced while she had been soaring over London with Peter engulfed her at that moment. Ecstasy was the closest word she could use to describe it, but it somehow felt more intense than that.

More invigorating.

They continued for a solid minute until the two clicked their heels and chugged forwards with their palms facing out. Sweat dripped from their foreheads as the crowd went wild for a few seconds.

Mindy took that as her cue to resume the song, but took a softer approach, "While some say they're an evil corporation that brainwashes the press, that is taking over the world with every franchise….They've worked so hard to be here and in filmmaking they're the best… O Disney why can't others see you through my eyes…?"

She stepped forward, removed her hat, and held it against her chest with a sincere expression on her face, "You've taught so many morals to generations through the years…you've even helped me conquer all of my greatest doubts and fears. But most of all you've never failed to make me shed my tears….." Mindy paused with a chuckle as she wiped a few that had formed in the corners of her eyes, "All in all, you've made me see a whole new world so crystal clear."

The band picked up the pace again as she readjusted her top hat, and Dakota linked their arms together, "Let's take it on home!"

They started kicking as they sang in perfect harmony, "With characters so relatable, and animation so divine! Songs so well-remembered, and tales as old as time! We quite literally sing your praises, and every word isn't a lie! Disney we know for absolute certain we will love you till we die!"

She nodded with gratitude, "I've never done this before, but thanks for hearin' me!"

"Words are spilling out of our mouths automagically!" Dakota shot back.

"We both were put here on the spot, and couldn't think of anything else to sing about…..!" They chorused, "Other than the Disney company and we're big fans…..without a…..doubt!"

The two did a series of stomps, time steps, and twirls before they threw their arms up, "Without a doubt!"

Dakota grabbed ahold of her hand and spun her into his chest. The drums increased in volume before cutting off when he dipped her with a dramatic flourish. As soon as the elaborate musical number had ended, the patrons erupted into outrageous applause. Some gave them a standing ovation and a few even whistled (but in a non-creepy way).

The two teens panted as they struggled to wrap their heads around what had just occurred.

Tears threatened to pour out of Mindy's eyes as her lips parted into a disbelieving laugh. Dakota couldn't help but laugh along with her, feeling an immense amount of pride for what they had accomplished swelling in his chest. Their cheeks reddened at how close in proximity they were to each other, and they speedily untangled themselves.

Mindy held his hand and lifted their arms up before they bowed with elated smiles.

Ever the gentleman, Dakota helped her off of the table and they practically bounced over to the rest of the gang while the bar patrons chattered and buzzed with excitement.

"I guess this finally makes you an official Disney Princess." Peter teased.

"Okay, okay, yuck it up." She punched him lightly on the shoulder, "That was a one-time thing, and chances are that you'll likely never see me do something like that ever again."

"Whatever you say princess."

The group laughed whole-heartedly but immediately got back into character as soon as the barmaid arrived at their table.

She eyed Mindy suspiciously for a few unending seconds to which she flashed a dazzling flirtatious smile in response, "Didn't know you held such a fondness for Disney Rosie… who wrote that number?"

"Aw, you really do care about me." She purred, "But…to be honest, yes I believe that there is nothing more charming than the magical filmmaking of Disney. As for who wrote it… we sort of came up with it on the spot? I mean it was kind of in the lyrics…"

Sweat unconsciously started beading down her neck. She didn't know if it was from just finishing a complicated tap routine on top of multiple tables, or the dubiously penetrating stare the waitress was giving her.

An eternity passed before the mouse beamed from ear-to-ear, "Well for flying by the seat of your rump, you've caused quite the commotion! In all my years of working here I've never seen everyone this carefree, not to mention chatty!"

Dakota waved it off with an all-too-sunny grin, "Aw shucks, were just doing what anyone else would've done."

"Listen, I'm not supposed to do this..." Basil perked up at the uncertain tone of her voice, "But that doesn't mean that I can't point you lot in the right direction."

Before the detective could ask her to elaborate, she slid a tiny piece of parchment to him and scurried away.

Everyone huddled around him as he unfolded the hastily scrawled note: Behind the bar.

Basil's eyes lit up like a child seeing the Disneyland Castle for the first time, but he cleared his throat to contain his excitement. He then gestured for everyone to follow him as he got up from the table and made his way over to the other side of the tavern.

Puzzled, everybody rose from their seats and trailed behind him. Mindy bit her lip as she helped Jiminy escort a still intoxicated Dr. Dawson to where the others were.

"Are we really supposed to trust her after she tried to poison you guys?" She whispered.

"That my dear, is the satisfying phenomenon known as karma." The conscience replied with a smirk, "When you kids saved the performance, you might've just saved the entire establishment from going into a state of absolute chaos for all we know. One good deed sparks another."

Mindy lingered on that last thought, "I guess you're right."

"I'm proud of you."

"For what?"

"You were faced with something that you didn't particularly want to do, and yet you did it anyway for the good of the team." Jiminy answered, "You're shaping up to be a fine leader, and you're really starting to embrace your role in the Dremesphere...also, your voice is nowhere near as awful as it used to be, if anything it's an improvement!"

Her lips formed into a genuine smile, "Thanks…it means a lot."

Just then, Dawson shook his head as he came out of his drunken stupor, "What-what in blazes is going on?"

"Welcome back doc!" The cricket chirped, "You missed a Disney-centered musical number that was provided by this iconic duo-" He tilted his head at Mindy and Dakota (who was a couple feet ahead of them) "-and now we're following the detective to the back of the bar to find you-know-who's hideout."

"Splendid job Min-"

"-Shh!" She glanced around to see if anyone had heard, "Thank you, but we have to refrain from saying the M-word… along with the J-word, the P-word, and the other D-word."

"Oh…" The mouse nodded in understanding, "Right…I'm terribly sorry."

"No worries."

The bartender was conveniently absent as the group stealthily made their way behind it. It took Basil a total of two seconds of inspecting the place before he gave a triumphant laugh. He bent down and lifted the hatch of a trap door to reveal a set of wooden stairs leading into an abysmal darkness.

Mindy pushed her way to the front and removed her amulet from underneath the bodice of her dress. She pressed the gem on the far right, and a golden light emanated from it. She sucked in all of the air that she could as she creaked down the stairs.

The stench was as poignant as the tavern.

It was as though she had dived head-first into one of the lift stations located behind her house…only it was on fire…and covered with rat corpses…and rotten fruit.

Nevertheless, she continued her descent until she reached a stone cavern overlooking a pool of sewage water and a rusty pipe at the far end of the room. She put a finger to her lips as she caught sight of an all-to-familiar bat hobbling into the drain.

He held a flickering lantern as he skipped down the passageway and sang in a raspy voice, "With characters so relatable, and animation so divine! Songs well-remembered, and tales as old as time! Doo-doo-doo-doo-ba-do-da-doodle-da-doo! Hehehehe!"

As soon as she was certain that he was out of earshot, Mindy released the breath she'd been holding only for her nose to wrinkle at the repulsive odor.

"That was amazing!"

She squealed as she was hoisted up and spun around by none other than Dakota Davenport, "I can't believe we managed to pull that off! And hopping onto the tables was a stroke of genius! Hahaha! I've never experienced anything like that, and I guess I have you to thank!"

Her entire body stiffened the minute he plopped her down.

She let out a small chuckle of amusement, "You weren't too bad yourself theatre kid! I gotta admit I was wrong to ever doubt you. You really do know a thing or two when it comes to putting on a show! I've never heard you sing before, and yet you open your mouth and boom! THAT comes out?! How did you do that?!"

"Lots and lots of practice kiddo." Dakota replied as he pushed the rim of his glasses to keep them from sliding off of his face, "But it's hard to believe that you've never really been much of a singer… heck, your last name is Singh for crying out loud! Ooh! You should consider joining theatre club when we get back to school!"

"Come on, stop over exaggerating!" She jabbed him lightly, "My voice is nowhere near as awesome as yours, and it will never be."

"Not with that kind of attitude it won't!" He gasped as a thought popped into his head, "You have the makings to be the next Sutton Foster if you keep it up!"

"I have no idea who that is, so I'll just take your word for it!" Mindy's cheeks grew warm, "Hey…thanks, for you know saving me back there…I honestly don't know what I would've done if you hadn't stepped in."

"Aw, I'm sure you would've thought of something." Dakota rubbed the back of his neck while avoiding eye-contact, "You're a great improviser."

Mindy's heart soared at the compliment.

"Alright break it up ya crazy kids!" Jiminy intervened, "Let's get down to business-"

-To defeat, the Huns!

"-Mr. Basil? It's your call…should we follow our peg-legged compatriot?"

"Indeed." The detective cleared his throat, "Follow me everyone."

"Wait." Mindy stepped forwards and offered him her amulet, "Here…so you can see where you're going."

His hands shot up, "Princess, I couldn't possibly-"

"-Hey, it's okay…I trust you." When he still hesitated to take it, she rolled her eyes, "We're wasting time, and I won't take no for an answer." Basil opened his mouth to retort back when she forcefully stuffed the pendant into his hand. She then gestured to the pipe with a forced smile, "After you."

He stared at her incredulously before he straightened up, and landed into the shallow sewage water with a barely audible splash. He then hopped into the opening of the pipe, and crawled into the inky blackness whilst using the Amulet of Illusions as his only source of light.

Mindy trailed behind him followed by Dawson, Jiminy, Dakota, and Peter taking up the rear.

She tried her best to keep herself from going into a whirlwind of panic by focusing on nothing but the shimmering beacon ahead of her. Part of her anxiety came from being separated from her amulet, but it was mainly from being in an enclosed space with hardly any room to move let alone breathe. Her breaths came out in short huffs as her eyes flitted about in trepidation. She could feel herself about to go into a state of hysteria, but she pushed forwards in order to conceal her rising dread from the others.

She couldn't be a burden…especially not now.

At some point, Mindy caught the sound of someone crying out in pain and questioned: "Who was that and are you okay?"

"It was me." she heard Dr. Dawson chuckle lightly in the dark, "I'm alright dear thank you for asking. I simply took a wrong turn and walked right into a dead-end like the clumsy fool I am."

"Oh please, you're nowhere near as clumsy as Peter." Mindy teased.

"I'm offended, but at the same time I don't have a retort for this one." She heard the muffled voice from somewhere behind her.

She allowed herself to smirk, Mindy: 1 Red-headed trickster: 0.

There was an awkward silence…

"Do you have any idea where you're going?" Dawson inquired.

"But of course!" Basil stated confidently, "Left… right turn everyone."

"Sorry, sorry." Dakota said with a laugh, "I absolutely despise negativity of this caliber. I don't know what's going on with me today, but uh, how do you know where Ratigan's lair is if you've never actually been there yourself?"

"I don't." The detective admitted, "That's why I have to not lose sight of that bat."

He hummed in satisfaction, "Fair enough."

They shimmied through the grime and sludge for what seemed like eons before they came to an abrupt halt. Mindy peeked around Basil's shoulder to see what the hold-up was. She released her breath upon seeing him lift a mold-covered grate above them. He then poked his head out to get a good look at their surroundings.

"We found it chaps!" He burst as he climbed out of the hole, "Ratigan's secret lair! And it's filthier than I had imagined!"

Basil held the grate open for everyone as they piled out into the open.

Mindy narrowed her eyes at the washed-out pinkish light that poured out of a massive wooden barrel in the center of the area. An elegantly cursive letter R had been painted over the top of the entrance which had a set of velvet curtains that fluttered slightly in the breeze. A pipe hung limply from the rafters and continuously dripped driblets of water into a large puddle on the cobblestone floor, and a ginormous emerald-green bottle containing the huddled figure of Olivia Flaversham.

"Guys, the bottle!" Mindy whispered as she and the rest of the group sprinted towards it.

The detective groaned as he yanked on the cork, "It's stuck!"

Dawson tapped on the glass, "Olivia?"

He let out a startled gasp as the figure whirled around to face them. The imposter was none other than Fidget the bat wearing a wooly blue coat and a wooly plaid cap. No one knew how to react when he blew a kiss in their direction with a toothy smile.

Mindy nearly jumped out of her skin as a chorus of voices shouting: "SURPRISE!" peeled through the tense silence…

She looked up in puzzlement as multicolored balloons, streamers, and confetti rained down on them. Her confusion only increased as a banner unraveled above the barrel that read: CONGRATULATIONS BASIL in wide bold lettering.

Cheers erupted from the villain's lackeys as they popped out of their hiding spots and surrounded them. Mindy and Peter simultaneously withdrew their weapons, standing back-to-back as they pointed them at the thugs with menacing scowls on their faces.

Who spends this much time and effort into greeting their enemies like this?

Mindy received her answer as the sound of clapping caused her head to snap forwards.

The nefarious Professor Ratigan stood at the top of the steps with a sickeningly cunning smile on his face.

He was a muscular rodent with a pink-and-purple cravat, a pitch-black buttoned suit, and an opera cape with scarlet lining. He also wore pristine white gloves and had a spindling tail that curled behind him similar to that of a worm.

Mindy immediately took a disliking to him solely because of his appearance.

"Bravo! Bravo!" Ratigan bellowed in a mocking tone, "A marvelous performance!"

He cackled with glee as he skidded down the stairs towards them.

"Well thanks!" Dakota piped up, "Although the key was a bit weird, (I mean who puts a song in D-flat major) but we were sort of put on the spot and ha-"

"-Dakota?" Mindy said through clenched teeth.

"Yeah kiddo?"

"Ixnay on the oopid stay."

"Gotcha."

"Though frankly, I expected you fifteen minutes earlier." Ratigan tutted as he withdrew his pocket watch and addressed the detective, "Trouble with the chemistry set old boy?"

He bristled in silent fury as the hooligans guffawed at their boss's playful insult… however, Basil clasped his hands with a cool and collected smile as he waited for the laughter to die down, "Ratigan…no one could have a higher opinion of you than I have." His once calm expression twisted into one of absolute loathing in the blink of an eye, "And I think that you're a slimy contemptable sewer rat!"

A few shell-shocked gasps erupted from the crowd, but the villain's composure didn't falter for a second. Instead, he snapped his pocket watch shut as he hummed a bit in amusement… a pensive expression overtook him as he took in the detective's appearance.

"Oh by the way Basil… I just love your disguise." Ratigan's once teasing smirk shifted into a hardened scowl before he ripped the fake mustache off of his face.

Basil flinched, but refused to show an ounce of weakness.

"Really one would hardly recognize you." The fiend cupped his chin as he removed his sailor's cap, "The greatest-" He leaned on the detective as his chest filled with rumbling laughter, "-detective…in all of Mousedom!"

"Don't disrespect my man's disguise over here M'kay?" Dakota blurted out, "He's out here trying to live his beautiful, beautiful life and I will not-"

"DAKOTA!" Mindy growled in vexation, "XNAY ON THE OOPID STAY!"

"Whoopsie doodles I did it again." He twiddled his fingers, "Sorry kiddo."

"Oh come now, don't think I haven't forgotten about you." Ratigan's smile widened as he approached her and pushed the tip of her sword down so that it wasn't dead-set upon him, "Tsk, tsk, tsk, there's no need to resort to such violence… It isn't every day I receive distinguished guests such as yourself." She fought against him as he ripped off her mask and tossed it aside…

Knowing that they were caught, everyone else removed their own masks.

The villain's eyes lit up in childish excitement as he snatched Mindy's hand, "Princess Melinda Maye Singh of the Dremesphere…what a pleasure it is to finally make your acquaintance."

She slipped out of his hold before his lips could grace her knuckles, "Heh, can't say the feeling is mutual Fatigan."

Silence reigned…

Mindy, why can't you shut your enormous mouth for once?

"What a delightful play on words." Ratigan was physically restraining himself from strangling the impudent girl in front of him, "Oh, sooner or later that sharp tongue of yours is going to lead to your demise."

"Yeah, well." Mindy's lips quirked into the cockiest smile she could muster, "I'm a member of Generation Z so I choose not to care."

Seriously? Where did you pull that one from, your ass? Do you want to die?

The rodent balled his fists as he advanced, but Basil intervened.

His eyes ignited with nothing but seething hatred, "Ratigan don't you dare strike her! So help me… I'll see you behind bars yet!"

"You fool!"

Mindy drew forward and raised her weapon as the Professor lifted him up by his shirt collar, shaking him violently, "Isn't it clear to you? The superior mind has triumphed!" He dropped him and spread his arms out dramatically, "I'VE WON!"

As he and his goons burst into another round of spiteful laughter, Mindy rolled her eyes, "You haven't won! Ha! If-if you think that some harmless schoolyard taunts will bring down the intellect of the mouse equivalent to Sherlock Holmes, then you are dead wrong sir! Come on Mediocrity at Its Finest! We have one mission objective: Get Scarlett, Olivia, and her dad to safety! Peter and Dakota, veer left! Jiminy and I will take the right! Dawson and Basil you…"

She trailed off as she turned to look at him… his once puffed out chest had deflated and a crestfallen expression overtook his features. His eyes were cast downward, and his bottom lip quivered slightly.

"…Basil?" Mindy's eyes clouded with concern, "You okay bud?"

"Ooh! I love it! I love it! I love it! It's adorable how much faith you have in him!" Ratigan wheezed as he wiped a tear from his eye, "One's own mind is a powerful weapon indeed!"

"What are you going on about rat?"

She noticed him wince, but he brushed it off and instead continued his explanation, "Isn't it obvious? Your dear detective's greatest enemy is himself! He's nothing but a sniveling pipsqueak who puts on a façade of greatness in order to conceal how truly pathetic and cowardly he is! He's the reason why you are all going to suffer at my hand, because he is a burden to all he encounters!"

Mindy's eyes ignited with flames at his words.

She sprang forwards without even thinking, but he leapt out of harm's way and withdrew a tiny bell from his pocket, "Ah, ah, ah…not another step."

"What?" She huffed, "Are you gonna summon fairies to come to your aid?"

"Ohoho…what I summon will be far worse than that." He replied, "I'm certain that my precious feline Felicia will be more than pleased with having two meals in one night."

Mindy searched his eyes to see if he was bluffing or not…When she was sure that he would follow through with his threat, she licked her lips, and dropped her weapon. She turned to Peter and tacitly ordered him to do the same. He hesitated for a moment, but when she nodded in confirmation, he let his dagger clatter to the floor.

Ratigan hummed as he put his dinner bell away, "I must admit, you're such a clever little thing…" she grimaced as he reached out and pinched her cheek, "but not clever enough it seems." He released her and turned to address his entourage, "Escort our guests to The Trap."

She was accosted from behind by two mice and shoved towards a different section of the lair. Mindy turned to see how the others were holding up, and noticed that everybody was struggling to free themselves except for the depressed detective…

"Basil!" She called out, "What are you doing? Fight back!"

He didn't seem to hear her, and instead walked to where he was being led in a zombie-like trance. Aggravated, Mindy thrashed about and stomped on one of her captor's feet. He groaned and squeezed her arm tighter in response. She yelped in pain as she was roughly tugged to the side.

"Now, now, be gentle with that one." Ratigan chided, "Wouldn't want to damage the merchandise."

Her eyes widened at his choice of words, "Merchandise?"

"All in due time your highness." He purred, "All in due time."