This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. Note: This story is set in a fictional version of Walt Disney World Resort, and all referenced material is used in like fashion. The Walt Disney Company has not authorized or endorsed this story.
Story by David Foxfire; Artwork by David Foxfire, colored by Rich Koster
Mickey got the rest of his Tuxedo back on and stopped Amber on the way to getting back to meeting and greeting guests. Amber was trying out a custom outfit that someone made for her overnight, based on a classic Mouseketeer costume. “Hiya, Amber. Hey, there’s something I wanted to tell you, as a head’s up.”
“Sure thing, Mickey,” Amber said. “It’s about Oswald isn’t it?”
Mickey looked around.
“He’s talking with Johnny now, probably bringing him up to speed.”
“Ah, in that case, I can warn you without getting him mad: I know you’d like to show him around and stuff, but don’t go near Universal Studios or even mention that company to him. For obvious reasons.”
Amber’s mouth didn’t have time for her brain to catch up. “Universal, why would he be upset about…”
And then she remembered.
“Oh, right.”
Meanwhile, Oswald was telling Johnny the story behind that studios himself.
“Man,” Johnny said. “Sounds like a bunch of corporate lawyers suing a little girl. Darn, Ozzy, that’s way harsh, what happened to you.”
Oswald showed a somber expression. “Yeah, I know, Kid. If it weren’t for those jerks, all this you see around you would have started with me, instead of Mickey.” He shook his head. “Just because a committee at Universal thought they could do Walt’s Job.”
“Yeah, I’d understand if you’re a little peeved off at your younger brother.”
Oswald’s expression brightened up a bit. “Me mad at Mickey? Nah. Not anymore, once I was brought up to speed. Oh, sure, I might be jealous over the limelight he’s getting, but it’s not his fault. Besides, he’s helping me get back into the swing of things. Can’t be mad at a fella who’s isn’t afraid to share the limelight.”
He then pointed to Johnny, “Say, kid. Mickey’s been telling me about ya, budding action star, wall-crawling, bouncing off the poles and everything. You and me, we’ve got the same goal. Maybe we could be partners.”
Johnny blinked a couple times, smiled a bit, but then let his jaw hang. “Me? Team up with you? S-shure.”
Then there was another squeaky voice from the hallway outside. “I dub thee worthy, young knave. Don’t bother kneeling. Huh-hah.”
Oswald just shook his head. “He’s going to need my help, Mick, if he’s ever going to beat you.” He then chuckled as he approached Johnny. “I like you already, kid. Put ‘er there.”
Oswald held out his hand, but Johnny held out a fist. Actual Question Marks appeared over Oswald’s head.
“Oops,” Johnny said, “You don’t know about Fist Bumps. Just a light enough tap on the knuckles here.”
“Heh, I learn something new every day,” Oswald said.
Johnny just chuckled. “Wait til you find out where the Devil Horns and the Ozzy Chants people’ll be giving you come from.”
Almost as if on cue, a passing supplier CM walked by seeing the Lucky Rabbit. He made a hand sign showing his forefinger and little finger and went, “Ozzy, Ozzy, Ozzy, Ozzy, Ozzy…Go easy on JB, Oz.”
Oswald made a hesitant attempt at repeating the hand sign. He turned to Johnny. “Am I doing it right?”
“You need to thrust it up in the air,” Johnny said, showing the proper way, “go with gusto and all that.”
“Looks like some wacko alien greeting or something,” Oswald said. He shrugged. “Guess how much I need to adjust to.”
“Good thing for you ya got me as a guide,” Johnny said.
Amber walked out of the dressing room before her mouse friend and returned rabbit, all decked out in a modified Mouseketeer outfit, her name in bold letters over an electric blue skirt, light blue socks—which go up to Grade A Zettai Ryouiki levels—and shiny black shoes, plus a bow in her hair.
Johnny always had a smile for that outfit.
Oswald had to hop closer to Amber to get a closer look. “So this is the Mouseketeer outfit that Mickey always talked about.”
“It’s quite authentic, if I say so, I also customized it a little.” Amber said, as she spun around to give Oswald a look at a bow on the back of the skirt. “Mickey said it’s a lot better modernization than the two other clubs that followed the classic version. I think you’d like the extra add-on, Ozzy.”
In mid spin, she snatched a vest to slip on over the shirt. There was a patch where someone could put on a “Mickey Mouse Club” insignia, but Ozzy found that the vest was reversible as well as had a patch on each: One side had an embroidered patch with Johnny on it. But the side Amber showed had a Team Oswald Patch, which had the Rabbit instead of Mickey on the insignia.
“Oh, shucks,” Oswald said. “Yer buttering me up, you really are.” He then shouted down a hall. “Hey, Mickey! Get this, bro. I’m actually getting…”
He then paused.
“Er…”
He then turned back to Amber.
“What can I call my version of a Mouseketeer? And how can a human make a sweat drop that big?”
“Happens to me all the time,” Johnny said on the side. “It’s missing something though.”
“Yer right, kid,” Oswald said, tapping his nose. “But I also need to get my version of mouse ears. I don’t think they make them yet.”
“Would you believe that some of the characters here voted against Mouse Ears for Amber?” Johnny said. “Especially, Ariel.”
“It’s the hairstyle,” Amber said, flicking at the curved tip at top.
“Hmmm.” Oswald tapped his foot. “Y’know, I think it would be better if you have something more you in that get-up. You said you wanted to be an animator. Let’s find something animatorly. I’m sure there’s a souvenir shop somewhere in this place, come with me.”
And with that, Oswald just waddled out into the top floor of the Magic Kingdom.
“Wait for me,” Johnny said as he gave chase.
“Boy, did I ask for this or what?” Amber said, but then shrugged and ran after the two.
Oswald bounded over the bushes and into the public, easy to do with his rabbits feet. He flashed a smile when someone called him by name, happy as ever to have people know him. Even if it involves chanting his nickname and showing that strange index and pinkie salute. Whatever that was, he was sure Johnny’ll clue him in. He’s more used to the modern day. Speaking of The Kid, where is he, oh yeah here he comes.
Johnny wasn’t too far behind, vaulting over the same bush and leaping over light poles to catch up, with an occasional “Excuse me, pardon me, hope I didn’t run up your pant leg.” Amber was appearing behind him, looking like one of those Castmember Handlers that were supposed to watch after the characters. And not having an easy time at it, poor girl.
That was when Oswald heard a gasp.
He turned to see Minnie Mouse, favoring her forehead. “Ah, Minnie, something wrong, need an aspirin or something? Got the flu? Oh dear what would–”
Minnie placed a hand on Oswald’s shoulder. “It’s not that Oswald, it’s just that I got an image of the proverbial blind leading the blind here.”
And with that, Johnny put one hand over his eyes and pretended to tap a cane around.
“That’s right, Jonathan!” Minnie said, pointing to the young field mouse. “I’m talking about you,” then she pointed to Oswald, “with him. I know Mickey wanted to get Ozzy here up to speed after all that time in the Wasteland, but teaming up with you gets me worried.”
“Minnie,” Johnny said, “I might be an adolescent, but I’m not entirely clueless.”
“I’m referring to some of the stuff you’re used to, Johnny,” Minnie said. “Video Games, Mixed Martial Arts, Rock and Roll? YouTube? Some of the stuff you know about would just melt Ozzy’s ears off.”
And with that, there were a couple of thuds to Minnie’s right.
She didn’t even look. She just said, “Would you kindly put your ears back on, Oswald?”
“Ulp!” Oswald acted as if he didn’t notice that his ears had actually broken off his body and fallen onto the lawn until Minnie reminded him. “It happened again? You’ve gotta excuse me.” He picked up his loose ears and fumbled through reattaching them.
Amber didn’t know if she remembered that part about Mickey’s older brother, but she did put up a good act. “Oh my goodness,” she said as she hovered next to Oswald and his ears. “Are you all right?”
“I’m fine, I’m fine!” Oswald was doing his best to put people’s fears to rest. “Most of my body’s detachable by design. I do it all the time. Look.” He put one of his long ears back in place and it wiggled. “Good as new. As long as I keep track of where my parts are there’s no worries.”
To further illustrate the fact, Oswald snapped off one of his feet, kissed it, and rubbed it on Amber’s head. “You could use some good luck there, Amber. I’ve got tons of that.”
“Hey, watch it, pal! You don’t know where that foot’s been.” That came from the other side of the grassy field in a gravel-like and unmistakable voice.
“Pluto’s been laying land mines again, see?” Pete (in a security uniform) said as he walked through the crowd in his typical tough guy gait. His left leg tapped the stone border with an audible clack, announcing to the world where the peg leg is.
Johnny put his hands on his hips and bristled his fur for all it’s worth. “Well, if we in fact did step in Pluto Doo, that only means that someone in this park’s already fired isn’t it?”
“How did _he_ get out of the Wasteland?” Oswald said pointing to Pete.
“Oh,” Amber just shrugged. “He’s been here for quite a while already.”
“What’s Yensid doing to my side of the tracks, dumping hearts to anyone within arm’s reach?”
Pete just hovered over the young field mouse. “From what I hear, there’s a plan of someone looking for a five finger discount.” He then snatched Johnny by the shirt collar and hoisted him up to his eye level. “It wouldn’t’ve be you, by any chance?”
That only got him an off-speed kick to the jaw. A warning shot. “Knock off that crap, Pegs. You know I don’t do that stuff, I have a decent bank account at Scrooge’s Credit Union.”
That caused someone in the back to wonder. “You’ve got a bank and a credit union?”
That person was talking to Scrooge McDuck at the time. “Aye that I do. Used t’be a Savings and Loan, but all those scandals o’ these last years, I had t’ change the format. Good thing too; it be the only bank in Duckburg that stayed afloat.”
“You’ve got a bank account!?” Pete said as he looked Johnny over, “Hah Hah hah! That’s a good one. You don’t look like someone who’ll keep a job. You just ain’t the respectable kind.” He then looked at Oswald as he got everything back together. “Or is it the company you keep, right, Ozzy?”
And with that, Pete threw Johnny right at the returning cartoon character. Oswald pretty much shattered on impact, with his head, and all four limbs remaining stationary while Johnny took out the torso.
“Dang Nabbit!” Oswald’s head said as that body part landed in Amber’s arms. “I hate it when this happens!!” His arms tended to flop around while the legs just walked aimlessly. He did his best to look back to where Johnny landed, with a roll to cushion the impact. “Are you all right, kid?”
“I’m all right,” Johnny said, thrusting up a slip of paper in his own–and still attached–hand. “I don’t know about Petey Boy here, though.”
Nobody heard that remark, because the crowd was watching an indigo-ink cat toon walk into the scene, with a softer version of Minnie’s voice. “Oh my goodness, young man, are you all right…and what’s this slip of paper all about?”
Meanwhile, Pete was eyeballing Amber. “Whoa! Someone just plussed throwback week. How’ya doin, toots?” He said, giving her an unwanted wink. Or was that because of a wayward drop of sweat. “Man, thin fabric or not, how do you Mouseketeers handle those sweaters? It’s almost eighty degrees in the winter, jeez.”
Just then he reached into his back pocket and pulled out a handkerchief…with a price tag still attached to it.
And a couple of other security guards, each of them twice the muscle head of Pete, saw it.
“Hey Hey Hey, chill out guys,” Pete said as he raised his hands. “I got the receipt for this…right here…or is it here…” He tried to look for the receipt, digging through pocket after pocket in his outfit, until he gets knocked down. “Hey! I have it! I have it! Give me some…YOU!” He pointed to a smiling Johnny. “You’ve got it! Give it back! Come on pal. You know how these security thugs can get!”
“He’s got a point there, Mister,” the lady cat told the young mouse. “You better return that to him, or he’ll get arrested. Now if you excuse me.” She picked up Oswald’s torso. “I have to reassemble my honey bunny.”
Johnny got up, sighed, shrugged, and then bounded over to the tackled down Pete.
“That’s right, pal. Give it back to me, please. I’ll buy you that hat for your lovely lady, ‘kay.”
Johnny just hopped up on top of Pete’s back, reached into the pants behind Pete’s back and pulled up Pete’s
“MY EYES!!!”
The look on Pete’s face was priceless.
So was Oswald’s and his cat friend’s.
“Ortensia,” Oswald said. “It’s-it’s a thong!”
Ortensia, the cat, just shook her head. “What kind of a man wears a thong?!”
That only got some concerned looks by some of the castmembers.
Oswald just muttered about sights he’d rather not see, while Johnny talked about his poor burning retinas. Then Oswald thought of an idea of getting Pete back for this injury: he took the jockstrap and pulled it out further. Just enough for Johnny to slip the receipt under the underwear, which was his intention in the first place.
Oswald released the jockstrap, which produced a echoing *snap!*
“Ow Owowow!” Pete complained, still on the ground, still pinned by the two security thugs. “I’ll get you for this, Johnny Briz!” He then lowered his head to mutter to the guards. “Just get me outta here so I can properly die of embarrassment, will ya?” He managed to belt out a “Young Punk,” to Johnny as he was carried away.
“A young punk?” Johnny said, feigning shock. “The nerve of that guy.”
“You do have some of the image, I have to say,” Ortensia said to Johnny as she approached him and Oswald. “But from what I’ve heard, you seem all right. Johnny Briz, is it?”
Johnny smiled. “You heard of me right. And you are?”
She made a curtsy with her skirt. She looked as much modernized as Oswald, with a skintoned face, gloves and heeled shoes. She also had on a Popcap T-shirt and a hat that had one of those Sunflowers from ‘Flowers vs Zombies’ on it. “Ortensia, Oswald’s beloved wife of…er, that would be showing my age, would it? I feel so younger now that I got my heart back I end up a little shy about how old I am.”
“That’s quite all right,” Johnny said, making an tip of his invisible hat. “Er, my mouse ears are kinda attached pretty tight.”
“Oh!” Ortensia remembered. “You two live in Celebration, right? We just moved there ourselves. We’re wondering if you could join us for a housewarming party tonight.”
“That’s terrific,” Amber said. “We can show you around the place in the meantime.”
“That’s great, Amber. Oh, by the way, like the outfit. Missing something though.” She turned to Oswald. “Do they make…”
And that’s when Ortensia froze, and froze as in frozen solid. She actually shuddered.
“What’s wrong, love?” Oswald said, showing a bit of concern.
Johnny slapped his forehead. “Let me guess, you Googled Bunny Ears.”
“Let’s just say,” Ortensia said, once she got her voice back, “that there are some parts of this Internet thing I don’t want children to see.” She looked back to Amber. “You’re perfectly fine with that bow on your head, young lady. Now then, think you can show my husband and me around your hometown?”
“That’s just what I was planning to do,” Amber said with a smile, as she guided the three of them out the front gates.