Chapter Text
“It all started with a mouse….”
Oswald slammed his fist against the wall of the room. It was dark and the floor was scattered with circular movie tapes. He kicked one and it broke apart when it hit the large metal door. He doubted they even remembered he was there.
The rabbit sat down, his chin in his hands as he sighed.he couldn’t remember how long he had been there since his last cartoon, though it must have been a long time, since over time the room he spent his time in slowly turned into more solid colors, and not just black and white. Sounds of murmuring and footsteps though appeared outside the chamber. Slowly the rusty safe door opened with a creak and a man with short grey hair and glasses, he smiled at Oswald.
“Here he is Mr. Bob Iger.”
February 2006,
Newspapers flew about the largest Toon Town within America and quite possibly the world about the most recent cartoon headlines. Most of the newer and younger toons set the booklets aside and went on their day, though a few ran to find their families and friends about the papers.
The headline read, “Mickey Mouse and Disney set to look for new toons.”
Though of course most toons already had their cartoons and didn’t need to look for another there was still a stir of excitement.
When the paper boy rode his bike into the silent toon’s home he set a pack down on the floor of the monochrome characters the animals were not in a hurry to read the daily information.
Bimbo slowly got out of his bed with a yawn and walked out into the main area of the apartment. His ears and fur rustled from sleep. He picked up a newspaper, skipping past the first page. Because never in a million years would Disney ever hire 20’s toons, it was just unrealistic.
“Kids these days, only looking for Color cartoons.” Betty Boop frowned looking behind him and tapping her slipper impatiently.
“Maybe not dear, but take a look at this.” the dog handed his lover the item from his hand. The girl read through it and gasped. “20% off shoes at The Fashion Shoe Shop?!”
“No sweet below that.”
The woman frowned and wiped a tear from under her eyes. “Oh dear,” she muttered. “What are they going to do with him I wonder.”
Bimbo walked back into his room and came back out with his coat. “I’m not sure, but I should at least go check it out.” he slipped on the jacket, Betty caught him by the tail before he could walk out the door.
“Stop, this isn’t your problem! Let's just wait and see what happens, okay?” the past poodle lady sighed. Bimbo frowned. “Oi, fine. I suppose your right.”
“Right about what?” Horace Horsecollar walked in. Bimbo whirred around to face him. “Oh, didn’t know you were here Horace… but it doesn’t matter if you probably already heard the news.”
The black horse scratched the top of his head. “What news?”
Betty raised a brow. “Oh, you still work for Disney right? You should have heard, it was on the papers this morning.”
The horse blinked, still having no clue what Betty was speaking of.
“About Oswald?”
Horace rubbed his chin and then snapped his fingers. “Oh! I remember now! I forgot to grab milk from the dairy market this morning.” he said. Bimbo smacked the palm of his hand into his face.
“Forget it, Horace, Disney will probably just throw him into Monochrome Toontown and forget about the problem.”
“Who?”
Bimbo growled. “Oswald, Horace.”
“Oswald the octopus?”
Betty grabbed the dog before he could go off on the confused horse. “Bimbo he can’t help it!” she explained the dog huffed. “Ya, I know. Just wish he could be a bit SMARTER.”
The horse shrugged and picked up a newspaper, he sat in a random rocking chair, reading it upside down.
Bimbo snatched a bag of bread and stuffed a slice in the toaster, waiting for it to pop. “so Horace what are you doing back here?” he asked.
The taller toon looked up from his reading. “Actually I was looking for Felix!”
Betty perked up. “Felix? Oh dear, I'm sorry to break it to you but… he’s been missing since his last show.”
“When was that exactly?” Bimbo asked grabbing his toast and slapping it on a plate.
“1995, only 21 episodes since kids were more focused on the newer shows with newer toons and not one with a black and white cat .”
Bimbo scowled. “Kids these days,” he muttered with a roll of his eyes. Horace stood up and stretched. “Ah well, I best be goin’, gonna go see what that new surprise Mickey has for all the toons.”
Betty raised a brow. “Just Disney toons?”
“All toons actually! They says it’s a huge celebration.”
Bimbo zoomed out of the room and returned with his jacket and Betty’s. “Let's go, Betty! You haven't been out of the house for a good time and I ain't taking no excuses not ta go.” he grinned.
Betty smiled and grabbed her fur coat from him. “Ok, you got me there sugar,” she said pinching his cheek.
Downtown was bustling with toons of all kinds, comic books, television, you name it. Betty, Bimbo, and Horace walked up to a large circus parade as it traveled down the colored part of town, they however still stood on the monochrome area.
“Huh, kinda just looks like the Macy's parade Horace and not some huge surprise,” Bimbo said.
Horace stared at the display. “Oh that's just for the arrival of Mickey, he never ever comes into ToonTown,” he added.
Betty nodded and walked down the sidewalk and into the colored part of town, her dress and heels turning into a bright crimson red. Bimbo the Dog joined her side, his long sleeve shirt and coat also turning the crimson color.
A trio of siblings stood in front of them.
“A bit over the top huh.” Dot said hands on her hips as she stood next to her brothers.
Yakko smirked. “Oh ya, these Disney Toons are horrible about controlling their egos.”
Wakko looked confused. “Okay, but that mouse guy never comes into ToonTown so what's he doing here now?”
Yakko looked down at the middle child. “His long lost brother has returned from the grave after 80 years to claim his rightful place as ruler of Disney!” the eldest joked. Dot laughed along with him but this just made Wakko even more confused.
“Then what are we doing in ToonTown?”
This made Yakko freeze mid-laugh and think for a second. “Actually I have no idea,” he muttered. The parade came to a stop and a black limbo with the Disney Logo pulled up to the courthouse across the street. Mickey Mouse stepped out covered with bodyguards as he walked and entered through the glass front doors. Soon enough all the residents and visitors of ToonTown began to pile into the small building, the Warners included.
All the seats were taken as the doors were closed. Yakko Wakko and Dot squeezed around the area looking for any open seat till they were pulled down into a row by Babs and Buster.
“Saved a seat for ya!” the pink bunny exclaimed happily.
“We knew you were coming,” Buster said.
Yakko smiled at him. “Oh yes, wouldn’t want to miss...whatever this is.”
Buster shrugged. “We don't know either. But they let us out of school early to attend it!”
The courtroom got dark as the stage was set on Buggs, Garfield, and Mickey Mouse as they stood/slept in the middle of the stand.
The Toon kids all took out a bowl of popcorn from their hammerspace as the meeting started.
“Okay, Mick, what did you want to tell us?” Bugs asked as he took a bite of his signature carrot. Mickey grinned. “Well, I’m glad you asked Bugs!” the mouse said cheerfully.
Garfield said nothing, instead, he was basically just there for decoration and for the BBQ afterward.
The Disney Icon cleared his throat. “Ladies and Gentlemen. We Toons have been on this earth for almost forever. From the toons born from Hieroglyphics to Felix The Cat, May, he be in a better place now,” there was some sniffling from the crowd
“But! There is one character that we all seem to take for granted. His name?”
A large poster unrolled from the ceiling behind Mickey. It depicted a smiling monochrome rabbit Toon.
“Oswald The Lucky Rabbit!” the mouse screamed, throwing his hands in the air and clapping wildly. There was silence from the crowd except for Jiminy cricket who just chirped.
Mickey bit his lip. “Um, Oswald The Lucky Rabbit!”
More silence…
The mouse narrowed his brows in concern. “Um, you do know who he is right?” He scanned the crowd till his eyes caught a random toon.
“Fanny! You remember right?!”
The chicken shook her head.
The mouse sulked in defeat, Bugs placed a hand on his shoulder for comfort.
“We remember!”
Mickey perked up. “Inky and Winky?” he asked and the two kittens ran out of the crowd.
“Why wouldn’t we remember?” “Uncle Felix loved to talk about Oswald!” “It was almost unbearable!”
The twins giggled to themselves and turned to Mickey. The mouse blinked and smiled.
“At least someone can remember.”
“I remember!” Bimbo jumped up and down from his seat, Horace watched him curiously.
“Hey Horace throw me up there.” the dog said and the Horse grinned. Betty was about to protest but Horace kicked the smaller Toon up to the stand. He landed right in front of the twins.
“Say where’s Dinky?” he asked the kids, they looked down. “We don't talk about Dinky,” they whispered.
Bimbo frowned. “Oh okay.”
Mickey helped the dog to his feet and embraced him in a tight hug.
“Where have you been?” Mickey asked.
Bimbo coughed. “Living in downtown Toontown? Mick, I send you a postcard every Halloween.” he groaned.
Mickey blinked. “Oh, most fan mail doesn’t get through security.”
The dog frowned and his ears went flat against his head as he clutched his fists tightly in anger. Inky and Winky disappeared and began to paint a mustache on the sleeping orange cat a few feet away.
Bugs pulled them off of Garfield instantly with a scowl.
Mickey kicked his leg out. “Well hot dog! Three people! Any more remember him?”
Yakko was passed out cold when Buster wrestled him awake. “Huh?” the eldest Warner snorted.
Buster kept shaking him. “Come on Yaks! You know who he is right? I’ve seen that poster in your room!”
Yakko’s eye twitched. “Who are we talking about again?”
Mickey frowned again no one else spoke. “Well I only have one last thing to say.” he sighed.
“Oswald is coming back! And you all can meet him and you’ll see how amazing he is!” Mickey began to dance around in a small circle as he imagined everyone cheering for Oswald and him body surfing through a mass of people and toons.
Bimbo smacked the mouse out of his trance. “Everyone’s gone Mickey.” he sneered.
True to his word the courthouse was almost completely empty, except for a group of kids sitting in the back row and the 5 of them at the stand. Though there was a mysterious figure in the front seat, who wore a long trench coat and thick yellowed patterned fedora.
“Even Garfield left” Mickey noted disappointedly.
“And my wife.” Bimbo shook his head in amusement.
Inky and Winky yawned. “We are leaving too,” “we want food.”
Mickey didn’t stop them and instead took a seat on the step of the makeshift stage. “I don't get it, don't people remember Ozzy? I mean he was one of the FIRST real cartoons.”
Bimbo turned around. “He WAS the first real cartoon.”
“No he wasn’t,” the mouse said. “Everyone knows my cartoon was the first.” he laughed nervously.
Yakko jolted awake again. “Whoa! That was uncalled for!” he shouted throwing Mickey a thumbs-down. The mouse narrowed his brows.
Babs looked surprised. “Wow, that really bothered you huh Yakko,” she said
Yakko scoffed. “I don't care who you are, but you don't take credit for someone else's show.” he huffed.
Mickey shook his head and walked away, off the stage and into another part of the building where his bodyguards were waiting for him. The group watched on and Bimbo sighed. “Might as well leave,” he muttered and left the building to find his wife and possible Horace too.
Yakko leaned back in his chair, his arms folded over his chest. “Some toons can’t help but not control their egos,” he growled, his siblings and the rabbits nodded staring in awe at the maturity of the oldest.
The mysterious person in the front row stood up, walking down the aisle to the back of the room. When he was in the row that the last of the individuals were he turned and sent them a kind smile, then left through the back doors.
No one seemed bothered by this and they too made their exit.
XXXXXXX
Sheba walked into the printing store with a stack of pages. She set them on the counter. “I need at least 500 more copies,” she said straightening her hat. The cat blinked from behind the papers. “Miss Sheba, I’m afraid we can’t print you anymore missing person flyers. There have been some complaints from people about the mass quantity of papers flying uncontrollably around town.” he handed the stack back in her arms. “Good day,” he said and rolled down a curtain between him and Sheba.
Sheba sighed and walked out of the business, just in time to bump into a certain duck. “Here,” Sheba said handing him the flyer.
The duck stared at it. “Sorry, never heard of him.” he shrugged and walked away handing it back to Sheba. A vulture took the flyer though. “I apologize for the young master,” he said and ran off after the vampire. Sheba frowned and sighed, walking back to her home.