He was panting heavily. He was battered, beaten, tired, but undaunted. Various scratches and wounds littered his body. They stood around him, ready to take his heart, such a powerful one at that. His heart was strong, and they knew it. Such a strong heart and will would never yield to the darkness. He had fought for years to keep peace in the worlds. It was his duty as king.
King Mickey stood at odds against the multitude of Shadows around him. They were the weakest of the Heartless, but possibly the most frequent. He'd suddenly found himself surrounded by Shadows and was able to make quick work of them, but more and more spawned, and the more that spawned, the more he used up his energy. But he couldn't give up. He had to keep fighting. The worlds depended on it. His friends was counting on him. Donald and Goofy... His family... Oswald...
And his queen and wife. Minnie...
"Mickey!"
Speak of the little devil.
In a flash of light a small, feminine figure landed in front of him, pulling off two front flips and landing with such style and grace that anybody would be envious of her skill, slaying three Heartless as she nailed the landing perfectly. She was a sight for sore eyes, but what a beautiful sight she was.
Dressed in her own battle gear; a pink T-shirt, a black and silver zipper-vest over top of her shirt, a black scooter skirt with silver snug shorts underneath, black and silver shoes with silver knee-highs, a black belt with two belts hanging around her skirt and her normal red hair bow, she was dressed to kill.
And that was what she'd just done. In her right hand, raised high, was her Keyblade, True Heart. It was silver like her husband's, but had a pink heart around the hilt instead of a gold square like his, and the heart had blue rhinestones embedded in it. The key chain was the same Mickey Icon.
"Don't give up, Mickey! You're not alone. We can do this!" Her sweet, little angelic voice was sweet music to his ears, and her tone was confidant and uplifting to his spirits. She stood as she turned her head around to face him. "Together." The smile she offered set his heart a twirl. "Are you alright?" Her tone changed to concern in an instant as she noted his body.
He gave a wry smile. "'Course I am. Jus' a little tired."
"Can you fight?"
His expression sombered. "I have to."
She faced him fully, placing her hands on his shoulders as she looked up deep into his eyes. "No. You don't. Not this time." She turned to face the Heartless behind her, noting the circle they created around them. "You've always protected me, always been there for me." Her tone was unwavering, confidant, determined. She raised her Keyblade into the air as she gripped the hilt with both hands. "Now it's time for me to protect you!" The tip of her blade began to glow with an intense white light. "Light shield!"
In a flash of light, a force field of light erected itself up around the mice, protecting them from the enemies around them. To say he was surprised was an understatement. He'd never done anything like this. He'd only been teaching and training her for a year and she already had incredible power. He summed it up to her having a strong heart and will, a heart that was pure light with no darkness within. That and she was just naturally talented.
She turned her face to him with a smirk. "Heh. Watch this." She closed her eyes and the field flickered, then it expanded with a sudden blast, slaying Heartless as it exploded around the couple. The Heartless were gone.
Minnie was panting slightly as she turned around to her husband. He was looking at her with shock at the display he'd just witnessed. She was looking at him with relief and happiness. Suddenly, she lunged toward him and he found himself in the warmth and comfort of her embrace.
"I was worried I wouldn't make it in time..." she said, her voice a little shaky.
"Aw, don't worry, kid," he said softly as he returned her hug. He gave her tiny body a gentle squeeze in his arms, already feeling like a million munny just from holding her so close.
She pulled away from him, but not far enough to be out of his arms. "Are you okay?" She glanced up and down his body, examining his frame for injuries.
"Yeah, I'm good," he tried to shrug it off, but his body betrayed him as a sting of pain pulsed through his side, making him wince. Concern flashed across her face as she held him.
"Here, sit down. Take it easy." She helped him to sit as she knelt down and unzipped his shirt to see the damage. She gasped as she saw the numerous scars criss-crossing along his body. "Oh, Mickey..." Her voice betrayed her as her attempts to be strong dissolved upon seeing his beaten body.
"It's just a scratch," he dismissed. "Nothin' t' worry about."
"It's more than just a scratch..." she uttered. She lifted a hand and softly ran her fingers along his scars, it tearing at her heart to see him hurt. She blinked back her tears and began focusing her energy into her magic. Her hands began to glow a faint white as she began to heal his wounds. "Just relax. I'll have you all healed up in a jiffy." She offered a warm, confidant smile, yet her concern still showed through it. "I hate seeing you hurt..." Her voice was low but he still heard.
"I know... But at least we're safe for a bit."
"Those stupid Heartless deserved what I did to them for what they did to you..." Now her voice was sounding a little fierce, as also evident by her expression.
"How'dja find me?" he asked, trying to help her to not focus on the enemy or his injured state so much.
"I sensed you were in trouble," she explained. "Not really sure how to explain it, I just felt you were in trouble." It was true, she did sense he was in danger. Minnie had developed a sort of psychic connection to Mickey while they were dating. Be it just a connection of their hearts or a result of them both using magic or a combination of the two she didn't really know, but she always believed it was the former. It was both a curse and a blessing for her. It bothered her to no end when he'd be out in some other world fighting the darkness and she'd be at home waiting for his return. She'd sense he'd be in danger and it would take Daisy, Clarabelle and Ortensia all to restrain her and keep her at the castle. She knew she didn't know much about magic and certainly didn't have a useful weapon, but still, she thought she could be of some help to him. Just seeing him and knowing he was okay would help her through another day of worrying.
But it was also a blessing, for she knew that as long as she felt that connection, he was alive. It alerted her to when he was in danger, and she'd pray over and over for him to be safe and come home alive. A few times, she sensed he was in trouble at night and she'd attempt to sneak to the Gummi Hanger to fly off to help and/or rescue him. But the Gummi Engineers Chip and Dale were instructed, unbeknownst to the queen, by Ortensia, Daisy and Clarabelle to let them know if Minnie tried to leave the castle. And again, it would take all three of them to restrain the determined young mouse from leaving the castle. And now that she had her own Keyblade and was journeying with him, she thanked the heavens above for her gift.
"How'd ya do that force field?"
She smiled rather sheepishly. "Not... really sure, actually. I just... did it."
"Well, ya sure did a great job with it," he complimented. "I've never done anything like that!"
She smiled, flattered by his words. "You could."
"Naw, I couldn't."
"You're a lot more powerful than me," she said with a shy smile.
"Are you kiddin'? Ya just just blasted two dozen Heartless to Kingdom Come! I couldn't do that."
"Sure ya could! You're more powerful than you think you are."
"How many years have I been trainin' under Yen Sid? I've only been trainin' ya for a year and you can do spells I can't. You're more powerful than ya realize." He chuckled. "'Sides, ya used to be a Princess of Heart, remember?"
She giggled. "Yeah, until I became your wife and Queen of Disney Castle and Disney Town." Her smile faded a bit. "I couldn't be a Princess of Heart now, anyway... My heart's not pure enough..."
"What're ya talkin' about?" he asked, looking up at her. "You heart's the purest there is!"
Queen Minnie smiled a light, fond smile, but she still felt she didn't deserve his words. "That means a lot to me, Mickey, but... my heart isn't pure..."
He sat up straighter to look at her eye to eye, placing a hand on her cheek. "A' course ya have a pure heart. What makes ya think ya don't?"
She looked away, shutting her eyes as she lowered her hands to her lap. "...Because I'm selfish..."
"Huh?"
"I don't know how I even have a Keyblade..."
"What're ya..."
She turned to him, her eyes glassy. "Because I'm selfish!" Her shoulders shook, her hands clenching into fists in her lap. "How can I have any light inside my heart? All those times you were out saving the worlds, I just wanted you home." She sniffed. "...With me." She whimpered. "I didn't care about the worlds, I only cared about you... I was selfish because..." She sniffed. "...because I only wanted you. I only wanted you home with me." She sniffed again. "I just... wanted you home. I just wanted us to be together again."
"We are together." He placed his finger under her chin, lifting her eyes to meet his. "I came home to ya, didn't I? Yer stronger than ya think ya are, kiddo. And yer heart's filled with more light than you know. Why do ya think that Keyblade chose you? I may have loved the adventure of travelin' from world to world, but I couldn't wait to come home to ya, t' tell ya about all my adventures." He moved his hand up to cup her cheek. "If bein' selfish means ya don't have any light in your heart, then I must not have very much in mine either, 'cause all I wanted to do was come home to ya and hold ya."
Minnie sniffed, and wiped a tear from her eye. But it wasn't a tear of pain, but a tear of happiness. His words melting her heart, the ends of her lips curled upward into a shy smile. "R... Really?"
He nodded. "Just knowin' ya where waitin' on me was what kept me goin'. Ya have nothin' to be upset about. Now c'mon, lemme see that cute little smile a' yours." He pulled her close and started tickling her, making her squeak with laughter as joyous giggles erupted from her. After a moment, he stopped tickling her, seeing her smiling again.
"Oh, Mickey..." The young little mouse leaned up and kissed his cheek affectionately. "Thank you." She gazed into his eyes for a second before lifting her hands back up to his torso. "Now let's get you healed up."
King Mickey watched the girl as she concentrated on healing his wounds. He couldn't deny that he was amazed by her quick abilities and powerful magic. Though she was humble and would never admit it, she had a lot of magic prowess inside her.
During his time away a couple of years ago, she had began taking lessons from Yen Sid, his teacher. At first, Yen Sid taught her all the basic spells; Fire, Blizzard, Air, Thunder and Heal. Although she was great at other spells, healing seemed to be a bit of her strong suit. But she could still fire a mean fireball or conjure up a heck of a lightning storm.
Once he returned, she asked him if he could start teaching her magic. He agreed, and her training began the next day. He taught her all the spells he knew and she picked up on them quickly. Before long, both of them were being taught new spells by Yen Sid together, which made the learning process even more enjoyable for the both of them. Then she got her Keyblade, and her magic and other abilities increased ten fold.
She finished healing him, the white glow around her hands diminishing as she lowered them back to her lap. "There. All better."
"Thanks, Min."
She smiled. "You're welcome, Your Majesty."
He rolled his eyes with a grin. "I toldja ya don't hafta call me that."
She giggled. "I know, but like I said before. I like calling you that sometimes." She helped him stand as he zipped up his shirt. Her cheeks pinkened. "Ya know... ya don't... hafta zip up your shirt... Ya look really hot... with it unzipped and open..." She was avoiding looking at him now, her cheeks now as red as his outfit. Even now, he was just too awesome for her mind and body to handle.
He chuckled and rolled his eyes, rubbing the back of his head. "Perhaps we should wait 'til we get back to the hotel."
"Aw, phooey..." she grumbled cutely, making him laugh. "So where to next?"
"We hafta head back to the First District," he explained. "Make sure it's safe."
"Think there's any Heartless there?"
"If it's like this district, probably."
"This time I'm making sure you don't go running off. We're a team, and we'll do this together." She nodded with a confidant smile.
"Yeah," he nodded.
"Welp..." Minnie raised her right hand, True Heart appearing in a flash of light. "Let's go. Time to kick some Heartless butt! Heh heh!"
Mickey blinked. "Man, that's awesome." His own Keyblade appeared in a flash of light.
"Are ya sure ya feel up to it?" she asked, watching him with a concerned eye.
"Are ya kiddin'? I feel like a million munny right now! Whatever ya did worked like a charm." He moved his arms back and forth and cracked his neck. "Let's do it."
She nodded as she smiled. "Together."
With their weapons raised, the mice ran for the doors to the First District, ready to face whatever lay ahead.
To be continued...
