Thanks for your overwhelming patience, folks! We're almost at the end! As always, major thanks to my major editor, Lies!

The heroine went face to face in battle against her enemy, but while she came out unscathed, it was not a complete victory. The wolf tracked a new scent to follow, and the group followed down this unmarked path, while the humble cobbler wooed the beautiful princess. With every step they were closer to the new moon, to their answers, and to more unspeakable danger…

Minnie was still feeling the side effects of both her heroics and her drinking when it came time to see the fortune teller. The day before she had stayed in bed almost all day, groaning with nausea while Granny wove sweet tales about her mother. She drifted in and out of sleep, dreaming of her mother's warm hands stroking her face and coaxing the sickness to leave. Wouldn't mother be proud of her accomplishments? Wouldn't mother praise her for her hard work? But mother wasn't there when she woke up, and loneliness she'd long since forgotten returned.

There were no engine roars to signal Mickey's arrival that day. Instead he simply knocked on the door and offered to walk Minnie there. They managed to leave before Granny had seen them, and the cold night air eased Minnie's stomach. The two held hands as they walked but did not consider it something to be deeply excited about anymore. It was natural. Even so, Minnie was distracted, and Mickey squeezed her hand twice to try and win her eyes back. "Somethin' on yer mind, Red?"

Minnie didn't answer right away, but she wasn't able to lie or shoo the question off. "I was thinking about my mother… Not that I've stopped thinking about her!" She suddenly spoke rapidly as if apologizing to her mother this very instant. "I mean, I always think about her. She's always with me. Well, she can't always be with me, and I do think about other things, but I do try to keep her with me, and-" She was pulled in closer to Mickey, as now he had taken her entire arm to hold. The gesture comforted her, and she sighed deeply. "… I miss having a family. Granny is always treating me like my mother, and mother… I still miss her."

A heavy silence hung in the air as Mickey calculated what to say. Some confused grumbles escaped his throat before he made a decision. "… The world's bigger than this city."

Minnie blinked hard and looked at Mickey. It was such an odd statement for the conversation she wasn't sure she heard it correctly. "Huh?"

"Somethin' my Ma told me. And showed me." Mickey wouldn't look at her, his macho sensibilities already embarrassed by what he was going to admit. "She'd try ta calm me down whenever I got angry by tellin' me how big the world is. That if I wanted, I could go and see every inch of it. And then when I got old enough to take over our pack… she went ta see the world for herself. She told me she'd be back, but that was a long time ago. And it gets hard ta remember what she said. But she was right. The world's a lot bigger than this city. And family… family is bigger too. Family, real family, is somethin' that can grow. It's not just the ones ya had when ya were born, the ones that die, the ones that go…It's, ah… it's, well… ya get what I'm sayin', don't ya?" His stamina for this sort of mushiness had died out and he tugged down hard on his black cap. He spared a glance at Minnie, and found her flushed in adoration.

"You're clever." She poked his cheek, and like a miracle cure his ego skyrocketed. "I was right to tell Mortimer that. You're terribly clever." To be honest she hadn't entirely understand his point but she knew if she had time to think about it, she'd unlock the secret. But right now she wanted to praise him. She wanted to stay with him. She still hadn't understood these feelings either but welcomed them without fear or confusion. She enjoyed the company of her dear wolf. "You always know how to make me feel better."

Mickey snorted once, chin up high. "I gotta take care of my girl, don't I?" But he instantly regretted the words, remembering the fight from days long since past, and he flared up defensively. "No! I didn't mean that! I mean, uh, gosh, not that yer a thing! Yer definitely not a thing! Yer not mine at all!"

There were no glares or yells from her this time. Instead she clicked her tongue in thought and then nodded. "I think, in a way, I am yours." She faced him again, not sure if she was wording this correctly. She was vastly enjoying the worry on his face, her adorable pup. "In the same way that you are mine. Do you understand it?" There were things they only said to one another, things they only called one another, things they only thought about one another.

It may have been the closeness of the moon, the full moon was only one night away – or it may have been Minnie's way of simply stating things that contained so much truth and prettiness that they were one and the same – but Mickey was overwhelmed with the desire to kiss her. He always found ways to complicate things but she saw past them and headed forward with more bravery than his entire pack put together. "That's right." He finally managed to speak after swallowing down his urges, though they still lingered in light flickers of his tail. "Yours and mine. Mine and yours." A relationship wasn't dominance, it was equality, and he knew he was an idiot for ever believing otherwise. He never knew walking could be filled with such happiness and warmth, and he traced his thumb over her palm over and over.

"Will you two, like, just get totally married already?"

The romantic mood wasn't so much killed as it was shot execution style. Mickey quickly jerked forward, and realized that in their walk they had reached their meeting place. Goofy, Donald, and Daisy – who , one could not help but notice, was invading all of Donald's personal space – were all waiting ahead of the mice, mouths turned into knowing smiles. Goofy offered a friendly wave as he towered over his friends, while Donald was putting a new nail between his beak. Daisy's outfit may have been a result of Donald asking her out two days ago, as now all she wore wasn't just red, it was rich, rose, romantic red. Her dress was coated in rubies, her red wig curled up in ginger around her shoulders, and each finger was adorned with heart shaped jewelry. "We've been waiting for, like, ever, while you two are off on a date! Major unfair, Mickey."

"Ah, hush up, princess." Mickey huffed, but he couldn't help but smile at how close Donald and Daisy now appeared. She was practically hanging off him and Donald couldn't be happier. The two men shared a grin of victory before facing their target. "So, this is the fortune teller's shop?"

It was a building that didn't grab anyone's attention and could easily be walked by without a second thought. The purple paint needed a fresh coat and the neon lights that used to flicker 'Magica's Lair Of Dreams' were broken and no longer glowed in the night. The windows were boarded up, much like Donald's shop, but these boards were fresh. Minnie fished the business card Mortimer had given her out of her pocket, and it matched the address. She detangled herself from Mickey's grasp and stood before the wooden door. "This is the place. And Mortimer said this is the one that's been helping him and Pete run this city… and the one who gave advice and predictions to Mother Goose."

"You'd think it'd be a little more impressive." Donald scratched off a line of paint with his finger. "Is this place even open?"

Minnie grabbed the door handle and twisted it in her hand. "There's only one way to find out. We're not leaving until she gives us some answers about the Grimms!" She swung the door open and walked in, followed one by one by each friend. The outside had been perfectly deceptive as the inside seemed to be ten times longer than logic would allow. All the walls were decorated with elaborate mirrors of every shape and size, giving the group distorted images of themselves as they passed. They walked on top of a violet weaved rug, softening their steps as they moved forward towards an open entrance covered in hanging beads. But when they passed this makeshift door, another endless hallway greeted them with the exact same design. So they had no choice but to pass through another wall of hanging beads again, and again, and again.

Mickey hung towards the back, nudging Donald for conversation. "So," he murmured with a congratulatory enthusiasm, "Finally got the gal, did ya?"

Donald chuckled, sticking his hands in his coat pockets. "She hasn't said yes, but she hasn't said no either. But… it was good to let it out, you know? It was worth a shot." Daisy glanced over to see what the conversation was about and the two went silent at once

"I think this is the last one." Goofy suddenly announced, peering up ahead. "I see a light at the end!" He managed to make it to the hanging beads first, and pushed them aside for Minnie. She thanked him, as did the others as they followed. He smiled and was content to walk in last, though he had to bend over to do so. His height was not welcome in this shop.

Mickey's nose suffered upon their entrance, as heavy incense was laced throughout this final room. The light Goofy had seen came from a single candle resting in the middle of a small table, snugly resting in a gold handle. The light barely illuminated the cramped corners where two black puffed up chairs waited for seats, and if Minnie squinted she could see that the walls were hand painted. They were scenes of a story, perhaps of Mother Goose, but she couldn't be certain. There wasn't time to inspect the setting as the owner of the shop was there for the asking.

"Miss… Magica?" Minnie wagered a guess at the old duck woman cutting up apple slices on the table.

She was much older than anyone in the group, with bags under her dark eyes, but she no made no effort to hide it. Her raven hair was wrapped in a single violet cloth, and hoop earrings swung to be level with her chin – though from what exactly they were hanging from was anybody's guess. Her clothes wrapped loosely around her, swirling designs of purple and gold that made no effort to hide the aging feathers on her arm or the sagginess of her body. She was slicing up an apple into a single white bowl, with a knife that shone in the bare candlelight. "Miss Mouse. The Grimms told me of your arrival… and all the company you'd bring." An ugly smile smeared across her lips as she surveyed them all.

"What, no crystal ball?" Mickey waved a hand in front of his nose but the smell kept coming. "How about those fancy cards? How are ya supposed ta predict anythin' in this rusty shack?" Minnie nudged him to stop the insults but Magica didn't appear to be offended.

In fact she chuckled at his remarks. "You've been reading too many stories, half breed." She chuckled again at how quickly he frowned. "Oh yes, I know all about you… I know everything about this little band of heroes. The hunter who left his clan to pursue happiness but found only darkness wanted to keep him around. The cobbler whose entire business is dying as quickly as his hopes. The little diva who thinks she can find true love by looking for a man who doesn't exist. And then… the sweet messenger, trying to return her mother to life by living her life." She finished cutting and twirled the knife in her fingers. "All of you straying from your destined paths in hopes of finding meaning to your short lives."

Throats clenched as tightly as fists but it was gentle Goofy who took to speaking. "Ain't no disrespect meant, ma'am, but if yer only goin' on what the Grimms say, then yer as goofy as I am. We came here ta find some answers, and once we got 'em, we'll leave. Ain't no need fer trouble… specially seein' how such a small place can get a lot of dings put in it by a tall fella like mahself." Even through intimidation he smiled kindly, hands held together behind his back.

"What he said, times infinity!" Daisy clapped twice in agreement, and then slapped down on the table. "Anyone who's in with the Grimms is totes bad news! So cough it up, Magica! I bet you've got a super big connection to the whole feathers drama! And my prince charming does so exist, okay?"

Magica locked eyes only with Minnie and the messenger felt a chill race through her body. "Ever since I met Mother Goose…" She now started to peel the skin off of her apple slices. "I have assisted the Grimms. The powers that be blessed me with magic upon my birth. There are only certain people who can make magic… but anybody can use magic." Once the skin was off, she stretched it out. "That's what allows you to deliver messages. And it is what can allow all of you to achieve what you desire." She dropped the skin into the bowl. "Yes, I know what the Grimms have done, and what will happen… but wouldn't it be a better use of my time to help you get what you want?"

This conversation was leaving a bad taste in Donald's mouth. "What's that supposed to mean? You think you can bribe us and we'll walk away?"

"Bribe?" Magica began to stand up, never disrupting her slimy smile. "Use your heads. I helped give Mother Goose a city. I drove out the earliest wolves, and I've helped give the Grimms complete power over the city. Think of what I could do for you." She snapped her fingers and suddenly candles lit up from each corner of the room – had they been there all along? Was else was the darkness hiding? "My magic is endless. But I don't use it to start silly business… I know my potential, I know where and why magic exists! And with it, I can give you everything you've ever wanted, if you ally yourselves with the Grimms!"

More candles began to light on their own, rising up the heat in the room, drowning them in incense and fear. The room seemed to shrink even more with the appearance of what the paint on the walls really was – battles, wars, fights that ended with a single victor in maddened glory. "I can make everyone fear you, love you, pay you, respect you, whatever you wish! This city can be yours to command, its people slaves to do your bidding! The hunters will drink with you, shoes will fill your shop, the man of your dreams will appear before you, your family will be reunited!" She stuck out her pale hand towards Minnie over the table, beckoning her to take it. "Everything you have lost, you will gain back. Join me… join us… and you will have your dreams come true!"

It was becoming more difficult to breathe or even to think in this cramped corridor. The group backed up against each other as if the fires themselves were seducing them to a greater power. The paintings almost seemed to move in the light, seizing power and happiness, and Minnie for an instant thought she saw her mother in the last battle, telling her to come, come here, come here my sweet Minnie –

"No!" Minnie seized Magica's hand and slammed it down on the table – and all the flames but the candle on the table went out. She breathed hard, frightened by what had happened, but her gaze was as firm as her grip. "… No. We will not be bought. We… we worked too hard to get where we are now…" She began to release Magica's hand and stood back with her back straight. "As long as the Grimms are causing havoc in the city, they're putting the lives of my customers in danger. As a messenger… No, as Minnie Mouse, I won't let it happen anymore!" She could not see her friends but she sensed their movement and could predict their actions – Mickey's fanged grin of pride, Daisy sniffling and reaching for a hanky, Donald nodding his approval and Goofy resisting the temptation to give her a big hug. It was her own fortune telling. "So tell us, Magica… what are the Grimms going to do with those feathers? What have they been trying to do all along?"

Only now did Magica's expression change. Her eyes lowered in annoyance, and she held her knife upwards. "… Disappointing. From all the stories I heard about you, I thought you'd make a great asset to our tiny organization. You needn't be so rash… it's an important decision. So why don't you… sleep on it!" She then stabbed the knife into the bowl of apple cuttings and red smoke exploded from the impact. It flooded the entire room, shoving itself into the mouths and nostrils of the group.

They hacked and wheezed, unable to see anything beyond the red. It flooded their bodies, but amidst the chaos Donald managed to hear running steps. "She's getting away!" Not on his watch!

The brave Donald ran after the sound, and after a moment of intense chasing, he saw through the smoke and managed to find Magica. "You're done for, lady!" He grabbed Magica by the arm, and as the smoke cleared it was obvious she was no match for him. "You can't get out of this one! You're telling the police everything you know!"

Magica winced under his powerful grip, and then whined with lament. "Curses! I knew I shouldn't have tried to trick such a handsome and smart man! Now all of my plans are ruined!" She stood up and bowed her head in defeat, fighting back pitiful tears. "All right, I confess… take me away, and I'll them everything."

Applause rang out behind him – all of his friends were cheering for his victory. "I knew ya could do it, Donald!" Goofy slapped his leader hard on the back. "We were nothin' without ya! Three cheers for Donald!"

Hip hip, hurray! Hip hip, hurray! Hip hip, hurray! Donald proudly walked out with his companions, where the entire city was waiting to congratulate him. He had saved the city! Hurray for Donald! He's the greatest! His name will go down in history! Donald tried to shake hands with everyone, but he couldn't be there all day. He had orders to fill! With this newfound success, everyone would go to his business! He could fancy up his shop and then people from around the world would want their shoes fixed by the great hero, Donald Duck! He'd be sitting on piles of money while he shined shoes for mayors, presidents, emperors, everyone and anyone!

"Wa ha ha ha! Slow down, folks!" He laughed triumphantly in his store as everyone begged for him to take on their shoes, money falling in green rain and metal showers. "One at a time! I'll get to all of you! Wa ha ha ha ha ha!"

Wa ha ha ha ha ha…

Ha ha ha ha ha ha…

… Heeheeheehee…

Heeheeheehee…

MWEEHEEHEEHEEHEE!

A bony white finger ran down the long vanity mirror that showed off its victim. Magica cackled wildly at the image of her captured pray, tracing Donald's face. "Mweeheeheehee! I can't believe those fools actually thought they were going to stop us! Youth really brings out the stupidest in everyone!" Her malicious laughter echoed across the room and bounced off every mirror – including the mirrors that now also held Daisy, Goofy, Mickey and Minnie. "Honestly, Mortimer should have brought you to me ages ago… both of those men are utter fools. But at least it's finally done. Now we shall truly rule over this city, when we appear at the reunion tomorrow!"

She swung around, keeping up her insidious giggling as she faced Daisy's mirror. "It's a shame you couldn't reach your full potential, dearie… If only you knew the real secret of magic! But I'm sure you can come up with some pretty reasons in your dreams… sleep tight!" She tossed her hair over her shoulder and left her shop. Her pathetic prisoners would never leave so there was no reason to lock the door. They would be trapped in their dreams forever.

Who would want to leave their fulfilled fantasies?

Goofy probably should have been keeping tabs on how many jugs of beers he had finished, but he was too busy to stop and count. "Another round on me, fellas!" The entire bar chanted his name, and the drunken songs continued. Every hunter he knew and every client he had served were partying long into the night at the hunter's tavern. Rather, former hunters - They had followed Goofy's sage advice and hung up their weapons. No more fighting! No more killing! From now on, only friendship and laughter!

He felt light tapping on his shoulder, and glanced behind him to see Scrooge getting his attention with his cane. "Enough of that, laddie! Everyone's been wantin' to hear ye sing the next verse! Get up there!"

"Sure thing, Mister McDuck!" Goofy swallowed his next beer in one whole gulp, and then jumped off the bar stool. Goldie was there too, and he bowed formally to her before resuming his slightly tipsy walk. He slapped hands with Gaston, Le Fou, the Beagles, everyone was glad to see him and offer him more drinks, more food, more praise! Goofy, we'll never treat you badly again! You were right all along! Sing us another song, Goofy!

He kicked the jukebox and it began to belt out a classic hunter's jamboree. This was a fun one to dance to! He laughed and twirled around, and tried to find a fun dance partner. Maybe he could swing Minnie on his shoulder and –

Minnie? He grasped the air, taking no one. He slowly drew his hand back, looking at his glove. Who had he been trying to touch? His fingers flexed, and he thought he saw a faint, tiny hand in his own –

"What's with the silence, Goof?" Gaston had a muscular arm around Goofy's shoulders, bringing him back to the scene. "This is your party! You're the man of the hour! Why, you're the man of every hour!"

Goofy turned his hand back and forth but whatever picture his mind had been trying to conjure up was gone. "… Say, Gaston… don't it feel like… someone's missin'?"

"Of course not!" Gaston shoved another glass of beer into Goofy's open hand, and then swung his hand across the tavern. "All of your friends are here! We're all here for you, because you're our friend! Everyone's here because they love you! You're never going to be alone again!"

Goofy held the glass with both hands, searching across the bar. Yes, he knew all the faces there, all of these pleased people who waited for his every movement. The people who had used him for his skills but never thanked him, and the men who had laughed at his every failure and expected him to keep on failing for life, everyone was here. But they were friends now, so it was okay. This was what he wanted, for people to like him and accept who he was. His friends were here…

… Weren't they?

The orders kept on coming! Donald whistled a happy tune as a once damaged sandal was now brimming with life, eager to spread apart beautiful toes. He was a millionaire – billionaire – they had to invent new names for how much money he had! He looked up at his pristine marble walls, his shop now reaching the pinnacle of perfection. Everything about it was beautiful and cost thousands to make. He was a household name, and he paused in his work to grab a fistful of money and let it fly overhead.

The bell on his door rang – more customers! Finely dressed men and women lined up to drop their shoes off."I'm coming, I'm coming!" Donald chuckled as he walked over to take their damaged footwear. "One at a time, everyone! I can take them all!"

"Well of course you can!" A choir of voices answered him, dumping their open wallets into his palms.

"I only trust you with my shoes!"

"If you do mine first, I'll give you everything in my bank account!"

"I want to open a chain of your stories across the world!"

"Take care of mine first, mine first!"

He eagerly snatched every dollar they had, every coin that dropped, and then took their shoes to inspect them. Beautiful shoes, lovely laces, loafers, sneakers, boots, he had them all, he'd perfect them all! He held up a very pink high heel, and he laughed more, for this was the exact sort of thing Daisy would wear –

The world was loud but he was quiet. What had he thought of? Who had he thought of? The money continued stacking up at his sides but he could only see the high heel in his hands. This… it belonged to someone important. Someone important to him. He lifted his head and tried to see beyond the crowd. "W-wait, who dropped this off?" He tried to push past the piles of people but made no headway. "Whose shoe is this? I have to know!"

But the hands of his customers pulled him back in, and dumped more footwear into his arms, blocking out the pink colors. "Forget about that, do mine next!"

"Yes, it's all the same, so get to work!"

"I'll pay you extra! Triple! Quadruple!"

More shoes, more money, his life was perfect. He didn't need anything else. All customers were the same, so why worry about any of them? He had money, his shop was alive. Money lets you buy everything you want. Money buys nice things. Money gives you food, respect, nicer clothes, nicer livings. Money is the same thing as happiness. Donald was happy.

Isn't this what happiness is supposed to feel like?

It was the concert of a lifetime! You had to buy tickets half a year in advance to get in, but Daisy was generous enough to let in some latecomers as well. Her joy was their joy. Besides, no one should miss the one and only time a concert was also a wedding! Princess Daisy had at last found her Prince Charming and they would be together forever! Her music had spread across the world and everyone wanted to see her in her wedding dress. The concert hall was stacked – some even had to sit on their friend's shoulders to get a proper view.

Then the lights came on! The guitar roared and the drums beat! Spot light, center stage, there was our beautiful princess! And what a wedding dress! Every single tailor in the land had a hand in creating it. The wedding train was as long as an actual train. She blew kisses to her fans as they cheered their love for her, but it was nothing like the love her future husband had for her. There he was, waiting at the end of the stage, dressed in a bright white tuxedo. He was rich, and handsome, and famous! He had no flaws, and he held out his hands to her, excited to start their lives together.

Daisy giggled and began to walk toward, taking petals from her bouquet and sprinkling over her fans. They loved her, she loved them, it was an endless echo of love. Her music was making everyone happy, and she was going to sing her vows – they'd be triple platinum hits by the end of the ceremony, no doubt! Everyone should feel a love like her prince was giving to her. Everyone should have a man who is perfect. That's what love is – perfection. Nothing ever goes wrong with love.

Oh, how she loved him! She loved everything about him! She loved from the top of his head all the way to the bottom of his shoes, which if they ever broke, Donald could easily repair –

She stopped her walk and lifted her veil. Even then it was difficult to see – the flower petals were dancing everywhere. His shoes wouldn't break, he was perfect. Yet she swore – could have sworn – there was someone who wasn't perfect out there. She looked back at out at her audience. Everyone was there, everyone from the city, everyone from the world. No one was missing. And yet – yet – something wasn't right, something wasn't perfect, something was wrong –

Prince Charming took her hand and kissed it. "Let's go, my sweet. On with the show!" He pulled her into his perfect arms with his perfect fingers and perfect voice.

Daisy couldn't see his face, and she touched a floating petal, wrinkled and worn out. "Wait… something's…" But what was it? What was wrong? She couldn't say it, and it was so hard to think. "You… love me, don't you…?"

"I love you!" Prince Charming kissed the top of her head with perfect adoration. "I'll love you forever, because you're perfect! And you love me because I'm perfect! You wouldn't love me if I wasn't perfect. Now let's be the perfect husband and wife, and have a perfect happily ever after!" He turned her forward as their perfect master of ceremonies started the ceremony with cymbals.

It was a perfect concert, and her fiancé was perfect, and her dress was perfect, and her love was perfect. What was love if it wasn't perfect? Why would you love anyone if they had flaws? Why would anyone love you if you made mistakes? Love was flaw free. Love didn't have blemishes. The audience loved her. Prince Charming loved her. The world loved her.

Wasn't this what love meant?

The howls reached across the sky and joined in unison. It was good to breathe in, to bask in the night without any smog or smoke. The buildings were lost memories, and now only towering trees were allowed to take up spaces. It was a happier time for everyone. Wolves were free to roam, and they did so without prosecution. They were free to be who they wanted without intimidating anyone. Their families could grow. They were respected. They were loved.

Their land had been returned so anger amongst the wolf clan was gone. The air wasn't polluted so they could live longer and become healthier. They could relax, they could smile – they could run! Look at the Alpha go! He was the fastest of them all, bounding across trees and showing them what their leader could do. Naturally he won the race, but by the end of it they were all so exhausted they flopped on their backs and wagged their tails. This was home. It was their home again at last.

Mickey sat up, wiping sweat from his neck as he watched his happy brothers and sisters roll over. "All right, since I won the race, I get ta rename the land. But I'm willin' ta take suggestions. Gimmie yer best ideas!" Once his land had a name, it would all be right. It would be truly theirs again and nothing could take it away. As long as you had your home you didn't need anything else.

"Aw, who needs a name?" One of the mangier wolves began to stand up and stretch. "It's home sweet home! What name could beat that? Ours, and no one else's! The wolves finally rule again!"

"And it's all thanks to our Alpha!" A female wolf began to help the others get up so they could hail their ruler. "He's a true wolf through and through! Thanks to him, we'll never have to worry again!"

Mickey smirked at the heaps of praise, and then looked up at the stars. Without the Grimms, they could finally see the sky again, and daylight could shine soon without being blocked. He'd gotten his revenge and the wolves had their trees, their land, their territory. This was home. All they needed was their home. Mickey was on his feet, and he walked in between the trees. The grass was growing healthily under his boots, and the wind was clean. Here was home forevermore. Here his wolves would live, where they would raise their families, where they would never fear the moon and the magic again. The wind blew on his lips, as soft as Minnie's kiss –

He opened his eyes and saw only the trees. There was a scent here, a lovely scent, but it was gone, fleeting, and Mickey was desperate to follow it. What was this scent? Who did it belong to? His heart ached and he wanted to move, but in a flash of gray the wolves were running around him.

"Let's race again, Alpha!"

"Yeah, there's tons more to explore!"

"We're home at last!"

They gave him a push and he started to run on his own. They followed behind him, by his sides, and they were home, and everything was right. The scent was the other way but what was the point of following it? He had his home. What were you without a home? He had lasted this long without the forest but now he could really start living. Now his pack would be happier. Now his family got what they wanted. He wanted a home. He wanted a place to belong. He wanted to be himself.

Shouldn't this have been enough?

The world was one big red riding hood. Minnie was nestled into her mother's hood and it covered every inch of her body. Her head was on mother's lap, her hair was woven through by mother's fingers, and mother was singing her to sleep. Everything else had been one long, scary dream. Mother – Mommy – never left. She never died. She stayed at home with her daughter and they were happy. Mommy was warm. Minnie never had to grow up. She never had to leave. Mommy was here. Mommy would always be here.

"My sweet Minnie." Mommy cooed, petting her daughter's ears. "I'll always be here for you. I love you so much." Mommy's fingers went over Minnie's face, giving rest to all of her weary muscles.

Minnie yawned and cuddled in closer, nuzzling Mommy's stomach. "I love you too, Mommy. I missed you so much." No more loneliness. No more tears. Mommy was here and that was all Minnie needed. "We'll be together forever, won't we?"

"That's right." Mommy kissed Minnie's ear, whispering into her. "Mommy will never leave you. It's just going to be me and you, from now on, forever and ever." Nothing existed outside of her embrace. Minnie would never need anything. She would never want anything. Mommy was here and all was well. "I will always be here for you."

Minnie closed her eyes, wearing a sleepy smile touched by Mommy's fair fingers. "And we can do everything… You can tell me all about your deliveries… and all of your adventures… I want to know all of it… The places you went… the people you saw…" Mommy must have seen the most incredible people, strong people, funny people, handsome people, clever people – terribly clever –

Her eyes flew open. He was terribly clever, wasn't he? The hood tightened around her but she tried to sit up, unwilling to let the memory fade. Someone was wonderfully, brilliantly clever and she – she wanted to – she could see him – but Mommy was pulling her back in. "Now now, sweet Minnie, stay with Mommy…"

But – but – "I can't!" She tried to pull herself up as she could see fangs that meant her no harm, and she wanted to touch the mouth they belonged to. "He's waiting for me!" She didn't know who he was, but he was important, and it hurt, it hurt so much to pull away, but he was waiting for her! This boy, this angry boy who needed someone to hear him, he was waiting for her and he needed her – "He needs me!"

"Nobody needs you but Mommy." Mommy wouldn't let Minnie go and the red hood flooded Minnie's vision. "You don't need anybody but your Mommy."

That wasn't true! There was someone who needed her – there were many someones! Boys, and a girl, and she reached for them, and then her words fought through the fog in her body. "My friends! They're all waiting for me! My friends!"

My friends!

My friends!

MY FRIENDS!

Goofy's glass shattered on the ground. He'd heard that kind voice before, and he began to run on the wooden floor, trying to find the door. "She's callin' fer me!"

"I can't stay here!" Daisy threw her bouquet to the crowd and whirled around, her elaborate veil coming off in one fell swoop. "She needs me! They all totally need me!"

Donald jumped over the counter, rolling up his sleeves before dive bombing past the lines of customers. "This isn't what I want! They're waiting for me! They're all waiting for me!"

"I'm comin' Red!" Mickey wasn't letting any of his brethren get in his way, turning away and heading towards the one he was meant to be with. "I won't let any of ya go! I promise, I won't ever leave ya guys again!"

Minnie couldn't breathe, the red riding hood was choking her. Mommy wouldn't let go, and even now she continued to speak softly, fingernails digging in. "You can't leave your Mommy. We're finally together again. You don't need anyone else. Mommy's here, you have your family again."

Minnie reached out and stuck her fingers in the cloth, gripping with all of her strength. "No! Not anymore! You've been gone a long time… and I have to… to accept that! You're not coming back!" Hot tears ran down her face, yet she continued to pull at the strings. "I miss you so much… but I can't become you! I'm not you! I'm Minnie…And they are… they are…"

He had been right. The world was so much bigger than Grimm City. There was never one simple way to define things. Now she knew what he had been trying to tell her, and she reached and pulled. "Donald… Daisy… Goofy… Mickey… They're… they're my family!"

THEY'RE MY FAMILY!

Gaston grabbed Goofy by the shoulder, pulling him backwards. "Slow down, friend! You don't want to leave the party! Everyone would miss you!" He tried to push Goofy back towards the bar, where everyone was waiting.

Goofy shoved him off hard enough to make Gaston bang his head on a stool. "No they wouldn't, 'cause they ain't my friends! None of ya are! I don't want fake friends… I want real ones! The ones who accepted me 'cause of who I was, right from the start! They had my back and wouldn't let ya make fun of me! I don't need any of ya… not when I got the best friends… the best family a fella could ever want!" He faced the front door again, and lunged for the handle. "I won't let them down! Not Donald, not Daisy, not Mickey or Minnie… They're my real friends!"

Crack…

"Wait, my beloved!" Prince Charming grabbed Daisy's wedding train to yank her back in desperation. "I love you! I'm the man of your dreams!"

"If you're the man of my dreams…" Daisy yanked off her engagement ring, and threw it at his face. "Then stay in my dreams! I totally need to face reality! There's no such thing as happily ever after! It's always going to have major drama and bumps in the road! Nobody's perfect!" With the obstacle disposed of, she raced to the other side of the stage. "And that's totally awesome! Love isn't perfect! The flaws a person has is what makes them special! Bad fashion, bad temper, they're what make Donald who he is! And I, like, wouldn't want him any other way!"

The stage door was waiting for her, and she reached for it with naked fingers. "I've got beyond best friends waiting for me! They all make mistakes, they all have problems, and so do I! And we love each other, for real!"

Crack crack…

"Name your price!"

"I'll give you my mansion!"

"You're the only one we can rely on!"

Donald grabbed all the money he had in his pockets and tossed it out, as it was weighing him down. "Shut up, shut up, shut up! I don't need this, and I don't need you!" He was pushing every customer aside to get to that front door and no one was able to stop him. "They got me out of my shop and showed me how to live again! I don't need money to make me happy! Money can't give me their good times, a brother to share problems with, and a girl to drive me crazy! You can't pay me the happiness they give me! You can't buy a family!"

Money was thrown and rained on him, yelling voices becoming one greedy, gluttonous creature to try and drive him back. "Any price you want! Anything you want! We'll give you what you want!"

Donald spat out his nail toward them, and made a gigantic leap to grab the door handle. "What I want is on the other side! Even if Daisy tells me no, even if we all fail together… I won't let them out of my life! They are my happiness!"

The crackling began to spread…

The scent was getting stronger with every racing step Mickey made, and he could duck and weave around every wolf that tried to block him. "The world's so much bigger than this forest! I don't need it! I don't need revenge! My home was with me all along!"

"But this is our home!" One wolf made a swipe at Mickey's legs to slow him down. "This is where we belong!"

Mickey laughed hard enough it could be considered a howl. "So much for me bein' clever… I can't believe I thought ya were real! My pack, my real pack, knows we don't need a bunch of trees ta make a home! Home is where ya friends are! Home is where ya family is! And it took me way too long ta see where my family was!" He leapt bounds over his other wolves, reaching out for his target. "No matter where we go, no matter where we live, home is with each other! And that wonderful Red… she's my home sweet home!"

Four hands reached out towards the single hand pushing and pulling through the intricate weavings of red. Goofy, Donald, Daisy and Mickey all reached out to take Minnie, and Minnie was crying to see them, crying to leave Mommy, crying because she now understood so many things – her friends, her family, and her wolf, her wolf, her Mickey, her terribly clever Mickey, her Mickey who kept her safe, who impressed her in stupid ways, who she belonged to and that belonged to her in turn –

The mirrors shattered and Minnie opened her eyes. She was laying sideways on the floor of Magica's shop, covered in bits of broken glass. Slowly, she pushed on her hands to look around, but someone was laying on her legs – Mickey! And there was Donald! Daisy too, and Goofy! They were all opening their eyes and blinking, and all at once came a jubilant yell of everybody's names. Donald hugged Daisy, Minnie hugged Mickey, and then the four where in a group hug created by Goofy, and they laughed.

"Gosh, I feel like I haven't seen any of ya in ages!" Goofy sniffled, ready to blubber huge silly tears. "I missed everyone so much! It was real awful! It…" he then glanced behind him at the destroyed mirrors, raising his eyebrows. "… What was it, anyhow?"

Donald picked up a broken mirror shard, ignoring Daisy's rampant kisses along his face. "That apple… it must have been part of her magic! She tricked us all and made her getaway!" He began to help Daisy to her feet, searching his friends for any sign of injuries. "How long have we been in there? What day is it?"

"I can tell ya." Mickey's voice was suddenly dark, the cheer of reunion swept away. He was standing under a window, intense eyes at the sky. "… It's the night of the full moon." He could feel it pump inside of his veins. The magic was high in the city, high in the room, and it was putting him on edge. "… The reunion's tonight. Whatever they were plannin' ta do… we couldn't stop it. We're too late."

Perhaps such news would have devastated the group, but Minnie wouldn't allow them to waste time in lost chances. "No we're not! We're going to the reunion!" She retied the string of her hood, and faced the original doorway of the shop, the last bits of glass falling from her clothes. "If they've already started their plan, then we'll stop it! When we're together, we can do anything! We will stop them, we will free the wolves, and this is the last chance we have to do it!" She then faced her friends – her family – and stuck out her hand. "Are you with me?"

They looked at another but there wasn't a great need to think things over. Goofy leaned forward to place his hand on top of Minnie's. "Sure am! I'd do anythin' fer my real friends! If the rest of ya believe in me, then I believe in what we can do!"

"How can I say no to anything that cheesy?" Donald rolled his eyes while putting his hand in the pile. "Besides, last time I checked, I was invited to the reunion. I'm stuck with you weirdos, so I may as well see this out to the very end. Maybe then we can get to know each other when something strange isn't attacking the city."

Daisy only joined her hand in once she removed her wig. "I'm think it's time I went with a more retro, old school style, don't you totally think? Giving up is definitely last season. Let's go show these silly boys what happens when you mess with the coolest family ever!"

Now all eyes were on Mickey but he had yet to look away from the moon. He wasn't going to admit it, but he was afraid. The wolves were supposed to hide and lock themselves away during this time. Now his wolves were all in jail, and he was entering into danger. Who knew what affect the night would have him? What if he hurt his new family? What if he hurt Minnie? He finally looked over, but before he could admit his worries, he saw fear reflected back in him from all of his companions.

Of course they were afraid. They didn't know what they were facing, and they had just sampled a taste of extremely powerful magic. They were scared right down to the depths of their bones – and yet they were still going. They would fight on despite how afraid they were. Perhaps they found the strength to face their fears within each other. Or perhaps they had been brave all along, and it was this odd ragtag team that brought it out. Either way, it made Mickey's worries seem deeply insignificant. He huffed, and then stuck his paw inside. "Like ya even had ta ask? The pack stays together, no matter what. Lead the way, Red."

They broke up hands, and headed out with one destination in mind – Mother Goose's Hall of Education. It was the only school in the entire city, and it would be the final battleground, illuminated by the light of the dangerous full moon.

Tick, tock. Clothes taken off the rack. Cigars stuffed into pockets.

They closed the door behind them. Tick. Tock.

Then the tall clock in the office of the Grimms chimed out nine times. It was 9 o'clock. The Grimms would arrive at the Hall of Education by 10. The ceremony would start at 10: 15. But as far as the men and woman inside the limousine were concerned, the countdown had begun years ago. Back when the wolves ruled the land, back when a foolish goose of a woman had tried to make peace with them. Now her past mistakes would be erased forever.

Tick. Tock. For the wolves, their time was up.

End of Chapter Nine.