Chapter 15 – A Girl Worth Fighting For

The vast audience chamber of Disney Castle was full of people. They had come from dozens of different worlds to witness King Mortimer's coronation. There were goblins in horned helmets; pirates with golden earrings; dark skinned thieves in turbans. Gangsters rubbed shoulders with weather beaten hunters; portly noblemen with ragged witches. Between their legs slunk a variety of animals: lions, tigers, talking wolves, Siamese cats. Two files of Emperor Zurg's robotic soldiers kept them back from the red carpet that ran the length of the hall from the towering purple doors to the foot of the golden throne.

Mortimer sat on the throne with his legs stretched out in front him. A long, dirty green python was draped around his shoulders. He had changed from his suit of armour into a blue doublet with pale green hose. His new keyblade was propped up against the throne. On his right Sora, Riku and Kairi stood to attention like three perfect statues. On his left sat Mickey, an iron ball and chain clasped to his leg. He had been made to wear a jester's cap, the horns of which drooped forlornly around his great round ears. Mortimer was speaking to him:

"You just wait, squirt. I'll show you how it's done. You know what your problem is? You're a schmuck. You spent all your time flyin' around in your little rocket ship, helping people, saving the day, and for what? You save the world today but then you've got to go save it again tomorrow.

"Y'see I worked it out. These guys," he gestured to the chamber at large, "will run things for me. Syndrome will give 'em weapons, I'll keep meddlin' heroes like you and your loser friends out of the way and these guys get to do whatever they want. Everybody's happy. Well everybody that counts, which means me."

"It won't work, Mortimer. Someone will stop you," said Mickey but it sounded half-hearted even to him.

"Ah but that's the beauty of it," said Mortimer, stroking the python under its chin. He smiled as he said what he and Mickey already knew:

"Nobody can stop me. You won't make a move 'cause you know what'll happen to your little gang up on the Iron Vulture if you do. And even if they do break out it won't help you any. They won't dare do anything so long as you're my prisoner. Ha-cha-cha, ain't it beautiful?"

Mickey hung his head and did not reply. Every instinct in his body told him that he should act but he was held in place by the only thing stronger than his sense of justice: his love for his wife and friends. He truly was as powerless as Mortimer said. He had conceived dozens of plans over the past two days, dismissing each one even as it began to take form. He had no idea where the rest of the League was or what had happened to them. He had neither heard nor seen anything. He was not yet ready to give up but, little by little, the hopelessness of his situation was creeping over him.

Mortimer had taken Disney Castle with an almost painful ease. As soon as Minnie had learned that Mortimer held Mickey prisoner she had extinguished the Cornerstone of Light. From that moment there was nothing to stop Mortimer's cronies overrunning the entire building. Donald and Goofy had reluctantly laid down their weapons and been led to the dungeons along with the rest of the inhabitants. Even the enchanted brooms that had mopped and cleaned the castle had been shut up in a cupboard.

It had not been long before the redecorating had begun, in preparation for the coronation. The old hangings of red and gold were torn down and replaced with ones of blue and green. Anything bearing Mickey's crest was either covered or destroyed. In its place were dozens of pictures of Mortimer; there seemed to be one smirking down at you from every wall.

The crowd at the far end of the chamber stirred. The vast doors, four feet thick, swung open just far enough to allow the small party to pass through. The musicians in the gallery scrambled for their instruments and launched into a din that might have been a bridal march but sounded more like a box full of rodents being fed through a mangle. Mickey was sure that some of them were playing their instruments upside down.

The files of the robot saluted the party as they passed with a single blast from their ray guns. As they drew closer Mickey could see that it was being led by Maleficent. She still cut an imposing figure, despite leaning heavily on her staff. Behind her came Minnie, pale and red eyed. She had been forced into a hideous wedding dress of pale grey and sea green. Beside her, his hand heavy on her shoulder, was Pete. Bringing up the rear were Ratigan, who carried the orb and sceptre, and Emperor Zurg, who carried the crown of Disney Castle, Mickey's crown, on a velvet cushion.

Mortimer rose from the throne as they approached. Lifting the python from his shoulders, he let it coil up beside his feet. Then he stepped forward to meet the bridal party. Maleficent genuflected as he approached but he ignored her, passing by to address Minnie.

"Ha-cha-cha! Hiya doll," he said, smirking.

"Drop dead, Mortimer," said Minnie, turning her face away from him.

"Ah come on now," Mortimer said genially, "You haven't forgotten our little arrangement, have you? You're gonna marry me or Mickey here loses more than his throne, got it?"

"I remember Mortimer and that is the only reason I would ever marry you," snarled Minnie, turning to fix him with a look of such loathing that Mickey found himself flinching. Mortimer appeared unconcerned, saying:

"Give it time, doll. You'll come round."

"My lord," said Maleficent, "shall you begin with the marriage or the coronation?"

"The marriage, you idiot!" snapped Mortimer, "I can't be the king until I've married the queen, can I?"

"No, my lord," said Maleficent. She had lowered her gaze but Mickey caught the flash of hatred in her eyes. If I was Mortimer, he thought, I would be sleeping very lightly tonight.

"Places people!" bellowed Pete. Maleficent moved to the front, her back to the throne, with Mortimer and Minnie side by side, facing her. Pete, Ratigan and Zurg stood behind them.

"Keep it short, huh?" Mortimer said to Maleficent, "Stick to the 'I do's'. I've got a lot t do."

Maleficent nodded and began to speak, her voice echoing clear in the great chamber:

"Do you, Mortimer Mouse, take…?"

A great booming note from the far side of the hall interrupted her. She paused. Everyone in the hall turned.

"What the…?" Mortimer muttered, frowning.

Another note sounded and the doors shook, rattling on their mighty hinges. Mickey stared at the doors hardly daring to breath.

A third blow and the doors swung inwards, scattering the nearby crowd. Hercules was standing in the middle of the doorway, sword in hand. On his left loomed Sully, fur bristling to the very tip of his tail, and on his right was a great brown beast, a purple cape drawn over his massive shoulders.

The moment stretched out. Everyone in the chamber was staring at the doorway, unable to believe what they were seeing. Then Mortimer spoke:

"Get them."

The crowds rumbled. Hands reached for weapons; claws slid from beneath their pads; teeth were bared. The two files of robots turned to face the doorway. Hercules raised his sword:

"In the name of the true king: charge!"

The three figures leapt into the hall and the crowd surged to meet them. Mickey cried out in alarm, sure that they would be overwhelmed. The cry turned to one of joy as he saw what followed them into the hall. Dozens of figures were coming round the doorway. He saw Jack Sparrow, with Buzz Lightyear on his left, Merlin on his right and his crew at his back. There was Donald and Goofy, released from the dungeons, with Aladdin the thief of Agrabah and the Pumpkin King Jack Skellington right behind them. There were a band of young men in royal costumes, bright long swords flashing in their hands, and a young woman with a little red dragon riding on her shoulder. A fox in Lincoln green was firing his bow and arrow at the robots as a party of Indians with feathers in their hair raced ahead. Above them flew Peter Pan, crowing with delight as he led a flock of hideous gargoyles into the battle.

The crowd within the chamber struck the heroes and were hurled back, like the sea against some indomitable cliff. Then the crowd surged forward again and the area around the door was filled with the roaring, swirling melee.

"How'd they get in here?" wailed Pete at the far end of the hall.

"I don't know!" snarled Mortimer, spit flying from his mouth, "Just get up there you morons and stop them!"

Maleficent, Pete, Zurg and Syndrome turned and began to push their way through the crowd and towards the battle. Mortimer was left beside the throne with Minnie, Mickey and the keybearers. His own keyblade appeared in his hand in a flash of light. He was on edge, glancing up at the galleries above him and the hidden doors near the throne. Mickey knew what he was thinking: apart from Hercules, the League had not been among the group who had charged the door. Now he and Mortimer were wondering the same thing: where were they?

Seconds later, the question was answered. Flash bombs exploded all around the throne, filling Mickey's vision with stars. He was aware of three dim figures swinging down from the musician's gallery. Mortimer was staggering around, desperately trying to clear his vision.

"Get them!" he roared, "Kill them, you idiots, kill them!"

The three keybearers started forward at once, their weapons appearing in their hands. Now he could see a little clearer Mickey recognised Kim, Darkwing and Tarzan. They made no attempt to avoid the keybearers but ran to meet them. The joy that had blossomed in Mickey's heart suddenly withered. What are they doing, he wondered: they must know that they cannot win this fight.

The battle at the doors was moving out of the chamber as the number of Mortimer's followers began to tell and Mickey's friends were forced backwards into the castle garden.

Back by the throne Mortimer's vision had cleared. He turned on the League members, his keyblade raised, magical lights playing along its length. Suddenly Minnie was right behind him. Forgotten in the confusion, she had snatched up the sceptre where Ratigan had dropped it. She was not very strong but it was the size of a baseball bat and made of solid gold. She struck Mortimer across the back of the head. He staggered sideways, propping himself up with his keyblade, the beginnings of his spell dissipating into the air.

Mickey watched anxiously as his friends fought the hypnotised keybearers. The League members did not seem to be trying to hit their opponents. They were dodging, avoiding every blow, but never retaliating, as if simply trying to buy time.

All of a sudden Darkwing, who was fighting Sora, leapt forward. He grabbed Sora's arms above the elbows and thrust them out to the side. Sora froze for a second, struggling to free himself. It was all the time that Darkwing needed. His broad brimmed hat flew back. Basil leapt out, wielding a pair of scissors in his hand like a sword. It was no great jump from Darkwing's head to Sora's shoulder. Sora twisted, hurling Darkwing back with a kick. Basil only had one chance. The scissors opened, snapped and then Basil was gone, scuttling across the floor.

Sora turned to follow him. As he did so his helmet slipped, the chinstrap sliced clean through. The visor lifted from his eyes as the whole headpiece reared back and slid to the floor.

For a moment he did not move. Then he shook his head, stretched and yawned, as if waking from a bad dream.

"What… What's going…?" he mumbled, casting bleary eyes over the audience chamber.

All of a sudden the drowsiness seemed to lift from him.

"Riku? Kair? Your Majesty?! What's going on?" he asked.

"Sora! It's the helmets. They're being controlled! You've gotta stop 'em!" cried Mickey.

Sora turned from Mickey to his friends and back. He nodded. Stretching out his keyblade he fired two thin beams of light at Riku and Kairi. The beams skimmed the very top of their helmets. A hairline crack appeared on their smooth, white surface. It widened as the whole helmet slid away. Kim and Tarzan fell back and waited as Riku and Kairi woke from the strange half-sleep of hypnotism.

Mortimer howled.

"No!" he screamed. Beating the sceptre from Minnie's hand he placed the teeth of his keyblade at her throat and grabbed her arm with his free hand.

"This isn't over yet," he yelled, dragging the struggling Minnie away towards the secret side door that Mickey had had installed for emergencies.

"Queen Minnie!" Sora shouted, starting after Mortimer.

"Sora, wait!" said Mickey, as Kairi unlocked his chain with a touch from her keyblade.

"Go help the others; there's a battle to be won," he ordered, "I'll deal with Mortimer."

Sora exchanged looks with Riku and Kairi, who nodded.

"Good luck, Your Majesty," he said.

"You too," replied Mickey. Then the keybearers were gone, racing for the door and the battle that was spreading throughout the castle.

"That goes for you too," Mickey said, addressing the rest of the League, "I've gotta stop him: alone."

The others nodded. They knew how Mickey felt; they all had someone like Mortimer in their lives; someone with whom their enmity was indescribably personal.

"And guys," said Mickey, pausing at the door, "thank you."

"Hey, what are friends for?" replied Kim, smiling.

The secret door brought Mickey out into a long corridor lined with suits of armour and other pieces of art. Mortimer had not been able to get far ahead with Minnie still struggling in his arms. He turned at the sound of Mickey's running feet.

"Ah-ah-ah! No closer," he shouted, moving the keyblade a little higher on Minnie's throat.

"Let her go, Mortimer," said Mickey, halting.

"Now why should I do a stupid thing like that?"

"This is between me and you. Let her go before she gets hurt."

"No. This is what's going to happen. You're going to give me a gummi-ship and then you're going to let me leave with my wife and my keyblade, got that?"

"You're not takin' my queen or my keyblade!"

Mickey held out his hand. There was a flash of light. The keyblade disappeared from Mortimer's hand and reappeared in Mickey's.

"What?!" howled Mortimer.

"The keyblade has chosen," said Mickey.

Minnie took advantage of the distraction to drive her elbow into Mortimer's stomach. Mortimer grunted and struck her with the back of his hand. She cried out and fell to the floor.

"Leave her alone!" cried Mickey, rushing to place himself between them.

Mortimer dashed over to the far wall and seized a sword from one of the suits of armour. He turned back to face Mickey.

"Okay, squirt, here it is. Just you and me," he said.

"Just like old times," replied Mickey.

"To the death?"

"If we must."

"En garde!"

They dropped into the correct posture: side on, back foot at a right angle to the front, sword raised, free arm held out behind for balance.

Mortimer stepped forward, the point of his sword hissing as it brushed the keyblade. He launched a wickedly fast lunge which Mickey parried only just in time. Mortimer was back on guard and ready for the riposte in an instant. He parried in turn and tried to bind Mickey's blade, thrusting for his stomach, but Mickey disengaged his keyblade and stepped back.

They fought down the length of the corridor, shoes whispering over the carpet. The blades, steel against gold, whirled back and forth in a clanging, clattering symphony. Neither gave any thought to the use of spells. Mortimer did not even attempt to use any dirty tricks. They both knew that this was a contest of skill and Mortimer was too competitive to spoil his victory by cheating.

Not that he had any need to cheat: he was a superb fencer. So was Mickey. Their blades and bodies moved together with ease, hands flowing between prime to octave and all the positions in between. They fought along the corridor, through an archway and into a wide, empty hallway. Ahead of them was a broad staircase of white stone leading up to a landing. Seeing it, Mortimer circled round Mickey until he had his back to the stairs. Then he fell back, sword still flickering from parry to riposte, until his rear foot was on the bottom step. He climbed backwards, never missing a beat, until he had gained a good height advantage on Mickey. Then he froze, moving not up but sideways, always denying Mickey the chance to face him on an equal level. Mickey fought hard but he was on the defensive, with Mortimer's blade slashing back and forth in front of his eyes.

The situation was desperate, so Mickey did something desperate. He hopped back a little, bent his knees and launched himself up, somersaulting over Mortimer's head like an acrobat. Mortimer thrust at him just as he landed. Mickey's parry was wild but successful. Now he was on the higher step. Mortimer made a few clumsy passes, all the while clearly wondering how to regain the advantage. A sudden fury seemed to come over him. He hurled his sword at Mickey. It was a crude move; the weapon was not designed to be thrown. Mickey easily batted it aside but it distracted him long enough for Mortimer to barge past. He raced on, up the steps, with Mickey following close behind.

Mortimer reached the landing, turned, ran on, seized a random door handle and threw himself through. He found himself on a stretch of battlements on the outer wall. To his left the inner wall rose sheer and unassailable. To his right was a drop of hundreds of feet to the town below. The only way left to him was straight ahead, to the door leading into a round tower.

It was locked. Mortimer was struggling with handle when he heard something clatter on the stone behind him. He turned.

"Your sword, Mortimer," said Mickey, gesturing to the weapon lying at Mortimer's feet. He was standing between Mortimer and the open door.

Mortimer smiled as he bent down to pick it up. His hand closed around the handle.

"Ha-cha-cha!" he cried, launching himself at Mickey on the last word. Mickey turned the blow aside but Mortimer's momentum drove him back until they were grappling against the parapet. Blades crossed across their bodies, they strained against one another: Mickey trying to force Mortimer back, Mortimer trying to drive the edge of his sword into Mickey's throat.

Mortimer's feet began to slip. He leapt back and lunged, hoping to pin Mickey against the parapet. Mickey beat the attack away and leapt aside, riposting with a high cut to the shoulder. Mortimer parried, stepped right and hopped up, balancing nimbly on the crenulations. Mickey swiped at his feet. Mortimer jumped over the keyblade, landed and chopped down at Mickey's head. Mickey parried, catching the blade in the teeth of his keyblade. Mortimer grasped the handle of his sword with both hands, heaving at it. With a crack the blade snapped, the top third of the blade spinning across the battlement. Mortimer was thrown off balance and stumbled back. He seemed to hang in mid-air for a moment, arms flailing, and then he was gone, plummeting down the wall.

"Mortimer!" cried Mickey, rushing to the edge. He looked down but there was no sign of Mortimer.

The food at the banquet was perhaps not the best to ever come out of the castle kitchens but to many sitting at the table it was the sweetest meal they had ever tasted.

The battle for Disney Castle was short but fiercely fought. Mortimer's forces had not just possessed the advantage of numbers. Despite being weakened by her recent battle with Mickey Maleficent remained a formidable witch and quickly took command in Mortimer's absence. Summoning a swarm of Heartless to aid her, she led the counter-charge that forced the attackers out of the audience chamber and into the garden. There the fighting really began in earnest. Some old foes, crossing paths in the melee, split off from the rest to conduct their own private duels. Merlin engaged with Maleficent, with the two magicians trading spells in the very centre of the garden. Pete attempted to revenge himself on Hercules for the blow he had received in Cape Suzette but Hercules once again proved the stronger and Pete spent most of the battle face down in a shrubbery. Fearing that they would be utterly overwhelmed the League's allies began to split up, heading into the narrow corridors where their opponent's numbers would be less of an advantage.

The fight ended very soon after the rest of the League appeared with the keybearers. Many of Mortimer's followers had crossed the young heroes before and to their cost. Most panicked and tried to flee, surrendering when escape proved impossible. A few of the more formidable members slipped away. Maleficent vanished with Pete in a burst of green fire. Zurg disappeared in a flash of purple light and Ratigan's transport machine was later found standing empty. The survivors were rounded up and sent down to the dungeons, to await whatever punishment Mickey saw fit to hand out. As soon as word reached the pirate fleet of their allies' defeat they broke orbit and scattered into the furthest corners of inter space.

Returning to the audience chamber, the League had found Mickey sitting at the foot of the throne with his arms around Minnie. He was very quiet. Although clearly happy to see them alive and victorious there was an undercurrent of sadness in him, as if he was weighed down by some great regret.

Minnie had taken charge and invited the victorious heroes to a celebratory banquet in the castle dining hall, which was a smaller and cosier room than the imposing audience chamber. The conversation was lively, as the diners shared their experiences of the battle and their past adventures. It was only then that Mickey cheered up sufficiently to ask the League how they had engineered his rescue.

"Well, getting off the Iron Vulture was easy," said Kim, "Baloo was right: the crew were all dead drunk by the time we escaped, so it was no problem to steal a ship and warp away."

"And then?" said Mickey.

"We went to Radiant Garden. We wanted to talk to Leon; see if he could help," said Kim, "He was all ready to come here and rescue you himself!"

"Until Cid pointed out that we'd never get past the pirate fleet," said Hercules.

"It was Sully who actually came up with the plan," Kim continued, "There's a door to every world in Monster's Inc, right? Well, he said, that meant that there's one into this castle too.

"We thought getting into Monster Inc. would be really hard but Waternoose was so sick of Mortimer and his goons that he sided with us! Steelbeak and his men were out cold before they could warn Mortimer what was going on.

"We used the doors to visit all of your old friends. By the end we had a small army! Then we snuck into the castle through a closet door. Darkwing, Basil, Tarzan and I got ready to drop from the gallery while Hercules and the others provided the distraction."

"Gosh, that was a pretty risky plan!" said Mickey.

"Not if you're extraordinary," said Kim grinning. Mickey grinned back.

"So, what happens now?" asked Sora, selecting a sea salt ice cream from the tray in front of him.

"Maleficent and Pete are still out there," said Riku darkly.

"And don't forget that blackguard Ratigan!" cried Basil.

"Or Zurg," added Buzz Lightyear.

"But now the keybearers are back…" said Hercules, leaving the common thought unspoken.

"Well… it's been fun," said Kim lamely. She had spent so long resenting the other members of the League she was surprised how sad she was to part with them, even Basil and Darkwing.

"Gee, fellas don't talk like that!" said Mickey, his ears drooping.

Everybody looked up at the sound of two squeaky voices calling from the doorway:

"Oh Your Majesty!"

"This is terrible!"

Chip and Dale appeared, racing towards them across the dining hall. They were dragging something behind them.

"What's wrong, fellas?" asked Mickey, immediately alert.

"It's gone!"

"Theft! Stolen!"

"What's been stolen?" Mickey asked.

"A gummi-ship!"

"From the hanger."

"You're sure?" asked Mickey

"Uh-huh"

"Yep!"

The chipmunks nodded.

"And we found this."

"Someone left it in the hanger!"

The chipmunks held up the object they were dragging. It was a sword, with the top third of its blade missing. Mickey took the sword and held it lightly in his hands.

"Oh boy…" he said.

He looked round at the League. The ghost of a grin appeared on his face:

"It looks like we could be stickin' together for a while yet."

The League grinned back.

THE END

Author's note: I won't list all the cameos in this chapter. I hope none of the references were too obscure!

Thank you to all the people who reviewed this story. I had a blast writing it. I hope you had just as much fun reading it.