Past the Ship's Graveyard, past the Canyon of Rocks, down, into the ravine filled with purple geysers that spewed noxious gas, a skeleton of a monster long forgotten sat. A pair of jaws large enough to swallow a whale gaped as if frozen in its last dying scream. Minnie stopped right in front thankful that the jaws were so large so there was plenty of room to swim between the dead, but still razor sharp, teeth.
She bit her lip as her heart and courage flutter for a moment.
"This way." Jasper and Horace said in unison.
Taking a nervous gulp, she entered the belly of the beast. The hallways were dark, and the Badun brothers led the way, and a nervous Minnie followed them. But as they went in further, she heard a moaning and howling sound as they entered the next hallway. The deeper they were in, the louder it got, as Minnie looked down and noticed something moving along the bottom. She then paled in fright as some light shined in and showed the horrifying polyps. And then suddenly, one of them shot at her, wrapping around her wrist. She struggled, trying to pull it off, until one final tug, she broke free. In fear, she swam fast to Badun brothers' side as they reached their final destination.
It was a room with a huge conch hung from the ceiling, along with a few shelves full of strange concoctions, a vanity mirror, and a cauldron shaped like a closed clawed hand. It was when they entered the room. "Come in. Come in, my child. We mustn't lurk in doorways." Maleficent spoke up from the conch.
Minnie nervously came in, and she saw Maleficent slithering her way out of the conch and landing on the floor, as she quirking, "It's rude."
An orange seashell necklace hovered around her neck.
Maleficent strutted towards a vanity in the corner and her words brought Minnie out of her amazed stupor.
"One MIGHT question your upbringing." she chuckled, sat down examining herself in the mirror.
"Now, then." Maleficent said, as one of her long, dark tentacles squirted some foaming hair gel from a shell-shaped bottle. "You're here because you have a thing for this normal animal. This, er, cat fellow." She took off her horned headdress, and her red nails ran through her black hair before she placed her headdress back on her head. "Not that I blame you - he is quite a catch, isn't he?"
"Well, miss mousie," Maleficent said. Red lips puckered as she applied lipstick. "the solution to your problem is simple." She finished the phrase with a pop of her lips. "The only way to get what you want - is to become a normal animal yourself."
Minnie gasped in surprise by that solution. She figured it was impossible to even become a normal mouse; she even knew her father wouldn't allow it with the power of the Trident. But then she looked to Maleficent with hope in her eyes. "Can you DO that?" she asked.
Maleficent smirked as she turned towards Minnie and said, "My dear, sweet child. That's what I do."
She then swam towards Minnie as she stated, "It's what I live for. To help unfortunate mer-creatures - like yourself."
She then sighed sadly as she cupped Minnie's face with one of her tentacles, causing Minnie to flinch away, "Poor souls with no one else to turn to."
She swam up, and Jasper and Horace snaked around their mistress, her husky voice low and almost hypnotizing.
Maleficent: I admit that in the past I've been a nasty
They weren't kidding when they called me, well, a witch
Jasper and Horace laughed as they swirled around Maleficent, who also twirled in circles.
Maleficent: But you'll find that nowadays
I've mended all my ways
Repented, seen the light and made a switch
The Badun brothers circled one last time before leaving Maleficent with a flourish as she floated back down towards the mesmerized mermouse.
Maleficent: True? Yes
The Badun brothers returned to circling her again as she strutted over to the claw hand cauldron growing out of the ground.
Maleficent: And I fortunately know a little magic
It's a talent that I always have possessed
With a wave of her arms, the claw opened, and pink steam rose up, and whatever was inside cast an eerie glow on the wicked fairy's face.
Maleficent: And here lately, please don't laugh
She grinned and waggled a finger at the princess who was slowly swimming closer, curiosity over coming her fear.
Maleficent: I use it on behalf
Of the miserable, lonely and depressed
Pathetic
Maleficent had pulled up two mermice made of the glowing pink steam, and Minnie was too enthralled to hear the last part she had whispered to her laughing servants.
Maleficent: Poor unfortunate souls
In pain
In need
This one longing to be thinner
That one wants to get the girl
And do I help them?
A snap of her fingers, and the two figures were transformed, the scrawny bow boy mermouse was now a handsome boy mermouse, and the chubby girl mermouse was now a slim girl mermouse, both were the way they wanted to be.
Maleficent: Yes, indeed
The two embraced each other, and Maleficent continued to strut and sing around the cauldron.
Maleficent: Those poor unfortunate souls
So sad
So true
Bugs, Mowgli, and Pudge had secretly entered. Shaking with fear, they sneaked past the polyps.
Maleficent: They come flocking to my cauldron
Crying, "Spells, Maleficent please!"
And I help them?
Yes, I do
Now it's happened once or twice
Someone couldn't pay the price
And I'm afraid I had to rake 'em 'cross the coals
Her hand clenched into a fist, and the two dissolved in a tornado, scraggly little polyps in their place. Maleficent closed her claw hand cauldron, grabbed one of the pink fluorescent curling seaweeds that hung from the ceiling, and began playing with it.
Maleficent: Yes, I've had the odd complaint
But on the whole, I've been a saint
To those poor unfortunate souls
She loomed over the other polyps until they all began to quake and cry in fear again. Minnie was distracted by them before Maleficent pulled the mermouse closer to her with the seaweed.
"Now, here's the deal," she said. She began pulling her over towards the cauldron, releasing the plant once her surprisingly strong hand had a hold of Minnie's arm, sharp maroon claws biting into the soft flesh. "I will make you a potion that will turn you into a normal animal for three days."
A distracted look crossed her grimacing face as she tried to brush off a stray tentacle that had wrapped itself across her shoulder and chest.
"Got that?" Maleficent repeated, "Three days."
They had arrived at the terrible black claw which had sealed up again, and, leaning over it, Maleficent grabbed Minnie's chin with a tentacle as the girl had been unconsciously looking for a way out.
"Now listen, this is important." Maleficent said, as she opened her claw hand cauldron again, and three glowing yellow suns floated out between the cracks in the claws.
"Before the sun sets on the third day, you've got to get Mr. Pussycat to fall in love with you." Maleficent continued.
A crown followed as the suns set and a heart, pulsing and beating red floated up in the center.
"That is, he's got to kiss you." the wicked fairy continued, "Not just any kiss, the kiss of true love."
The heart pulsed, and its shining red glow over powered the gold of the crown.
Mowgli, Pudge, and Bugs were swimming around the corner, keeping out of sight, and saw what was happening and heard everything. Out of the cauldron then popped a silhouette of Minnie and Danny together, but this image, Minnie had legs and a mouse tail as Maleficent explained, "If he does kiss you before the sun sets on the third day, you'll remain normal mouse permanently,"
Minnie smiled at this outcome, but then frowned as the silhouette changed from her and Danny together, with her back as a mermouse. She was sucked back down and Maleficent's grinning face filled her vision.
"But if he doesn't," Maleficent went on, "you turn back into a mermouse, and you belong to me!"
Bugs couldn't take it anymore. "No, Minnie!" he yelled. But then he, Mowgli, and Pudge were quickly silenced by the Badun brothers, and Maleficent once again grabbed her chin bringing her attention back to her. "Have we got a deal?" she asked.
Seeing Bugs, Mowgli, and Pudge reminded her of home, and an interesting thought crossed her mind that caused her to furrow her brow. "If I become normal animal," she said. "I'll never be with my father or sisters again."
Maleficent faked her concern as she nodded, "That's right." But then she smirked and chuckled, "But, you'll have your man. Life's full of tough choices, innit?" she jeered, lying back on the claw.
At that moment, Maleficent thought of something else. "Oh! And there is one more thing. We haven't discussed the subject of payment. You can't get something for nothing, you know."
Oh that look on her shocked little face! Hmhmhm!
Even though this wicked fairy and her magic scared her, a touch of desperation colored her voice at the thought of the chance being taken away.
Minnie tried to explain, "But I don't have any -"
"I'm not asking much. Just a token, really, a trifle." Maleficent said, covering the female black mouse's mouth with her hand, "You'll never even miss it. What I want from you is...your voice."
The way it came out, the way that red nail insisted on touching her chin again, it felt…sinister. Minnie gingerly touched her throat. "My voice?" she asked.
Maleficent nodded. "You've got it, cheesecake. No more talking, singing, nothing!" She listed off the stipulations on her fingers and ended it with a pop of her lips.
Minnie protested, "But without my voice, how can I -"
But was cut off again by the wicked fairy, "You'll have your looks! Your pretty face! And don't underestimate the importance of body language! Ha!" Maleficent responded in rhythm like she was singing on "body language", she started shaking her butt and began to sing again.
Maleficent: The men up there don't like a lot of blabber
They think a girl who gossips is a bore
As she said this, she went to a cupboard and opened it.
Maleficent: Yes, on land it's much preferred
For ladies not to say a word
And after all, dear, what is idle prattle for?
Come on, they're not all that impressed with conversation
She threw five bottles with a few ingredients into a cauldron as Minnie looked on.
Maleficent: True gentlemen avoid it when they can
But they dote and swoon and fawn
On a lady who's withdrawn
Maleficent then threw a tongue into the cauldron, causing more smoke.
Maleficent: It's she who holds her tongue who gets her man
Come on, you poor unfortunate soul
Go ahead!
Make your choice!
As Minnie looked in the smoke, Danny's face began to form. She absentmindedly gazed into it until she heard Maleficent's voice.
Maleficent: I'm a very busy woman
And I haven't got all day
It won't cost much
Just your voice!
And then Maleficent face shot through the image, scaring Minnie as she finished. She threw a little blue jellyfish right into the pit of her cauldron. It exploded into blue smoke, and I couldn't help feel a tad twinge of pity for the poor creature.
Maleficent: You poor unfortunate soul
It's sad
But true
Maleficent then put a hand on Minnie's shoulder and gave her a very, very long golden scroll and a quill. It is a contract that Maleficent gives to mer-animals who had to make thier deals with her, official.
Maleficent: If you want to cross a bridge, my sweet
You've got to pay the toll
Take a gulp and take a breath
And go ahead and sign the scroll!
Minnie read the first part, which read, "I, hereby hand over to Maleficent, one voice. Signed X._"
Maleficent: Jasper, Horace, now I've got her, boys
The boss is on a roll
This poor
A stern look came onto Minnie's face as she looked up.
Maleficent: un
Minnie grabbed the pen as Bugs, Mowgli, and Pudge gasped in shock.
Maleficent: fortunate soul!
Minnie then turned her own head away while shutting her eyes and clenching her teeth as she signed "Minnie Mouse" on the dotted line. When Minnie finished signing her own name, she opened her eyes and Maleficent took the contract scroll. The deal was done! Maleficent smiled evilly, spread her hands over her cauldron, chanting a spell, and her cauldron then started glowing blue.
Maleficent: Beluga, Sevruga: Come winds of the Caspian Sea
As Maleficent chanted this, a blue whirlwind appeared around her and Minnie, who looked extremely nervous.
Maleficent: Larynxes, glossitis, et laryngitis
La voce to me!
Then two huge green phantom-like hands, symbolizing Maleficent's hands appeared. Each was to her left and right, and Maleficent looked towards Minnie as she stated, "Now, sing!" She looked at Minnie with an insane look in her eyes and an evil toothy grin.
Without any hesitation, the female black mouse sang out, or vocalized, the tune of her song. But as she sang, a small golden sphere glowed in her throat; the small golden glowing sphere in her throat was none other than her voice. The spell was working!
"Keep singing!" Maleficent shouted.
As Minnie did so, the hands reached out for her. As one hand reached for her, Minnie flinched a little, but still held her tone. And then, like a viper striking for a mouse and getting it, the hand shot into her mouth and ventured down Minnie's throat. And in a few seconds, it pulled out, along with Minnie's voice as it continued to hold the notes in her song. Minnie saw the golden orb that was her voice, and held her throat, knowing it was lost forever. And then the hands were reeled right into Maleficent's shell necklace, which she insanely grinned at as she cackled like a maniac.
Then Maleficent began to laugh wickedly as Minnie got trapped in a yellow bubble, and she began to completely change.
Bugs shook, and Mowgli and Pudge closed their eyes as they watched in complete horror as Minnie was transforming from mermouse to normal mouse.
Minnie felt her fins splitting into three, her lower fish body began to disappear as it started to lose its color and match Minnie's fur color. Her legs emerged, a long, skinny mouse tail appears at the end of her back, and her tail fins become feet. She was now wearing a pink bikini bottom, but she was still wearing her pink shell bra, matching bow, and white gloves.
The bubble disappeared, but now Minnie was left unable to breath underwater, and she couldn’t swim either.
Bugs, Mowgli, and Pudge darted from their hiding place and went on either sides of the now-normal female black mouse and swam to the surface as fast as they could. Maleficent cackled evilly as they left her lair. The group kept swimming and swimming until finally managing to get Minnie above water. Minnie took a huge breath of air upon reaching the surface. With that problem solved, everyone guided her to the nearby shore. But will they be able to help their friend, especially in this dire time, and without Minnie's voice? This was now a serious problem for them.