star_kingdom | Courage of the heart

[Video / Action]

[ The mud bubbled and popped as the cement block slowly began to sink beneath the dark brown liquid earth. The cries of the children… “Mother, mother! There’s mud coming in!”

And she couldn’t do anything! The block was too heavy to lift! The pulleys and ropes the rats had been using to move her home were destroyed!

Mrs. Brisby was frantic as she ran back in forth trying in vain to secure fresh rope lines to her home. To save her children, the ones she cared the most about! But, the lines kept snapping and the mud kept pulling.
Finally as she was grabbed from behind by one the rats trying to help and pulled to safety before she too was sucked down into the mud.
She didn’t want to leave them! Her children! The rat had too strong a hold on her and no amount of struggling allowed her to break free and run back to her sinking home.

NO!

The cement block disappeared below the waves of dark mud. Her children were gone…

Suddenly a brilliant light flashed to life. A bright red glow that for a moment blinded everything. The stone she was wearing around her neck, filled with the courage of a heart struggling to save those most precious to her, unleashed its power.
The nightmare duck shuddered and melted beneath the warm light… freeing Mrs. Brisby from her nightmare and leaving her exhausted from the event. ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Most impressive, little one... You broke free rather quickly. Are you all right?

[She felt weak, unable really to speak, but unlike the last time she had used the power of the stone she didn’t faint. It just took her a little while to find the strength to talk. ]

I… I think so. It was all just a horrible dream, wasn’t it?
That already happened… before I arrived here…

Yes, it was. There are... ...rubber ducks terrorizing the worlds, it seems. Forcing unsuspecting victims into nightmares.

The duck!

[That brings her back to herself as she quickly glances around the room for the duck tat must have attacked her, but of course it was gone already. ]

Its gone? How many more of these things could there be?

That... would.. explain everything.

[His words were halting and more to himself. Basil had always wondered why Mrs. Brisby's hands hand been so horribly burned upon her arrival. The nightmare was so vivid, he couldn't help but feel sympathetic.]

Are you, alright Mrs. Bramble?

[It did not however make him any better with names]

[Mrs. Bramble? She only vaguely hears the name… tries to form the words to correct it… but then gives up. It was a bit too much right now, and maybe he had said the right name after all? She could have heard him wrong. The fog of exhaustion was only just beginning to lift. ]

I should be… fine in a little while.

[She takes a deep breath as she tries to wake herself up more. ]

The power of the stone, takes a lot out of you.

[As tragic as the dream was, it was a pity.. in a sense that he'd been unable to get a clear look of... her...children. It would have aided the search... though after that]

Of course. You should take all the time you need to recover.

[Listens to the follow up]

Is.... that stone, how you managed to rescue your children?

[Hates to ask the obvious, but the nightmare made the outcome look quite grim]

Yes, thankfully this stone…

[While she does indicate the sparkly she wisely doesn’t touch it. The necklace was still pretty warm from destroying the duck. ]

With its power I was able to move my home out of the mud and over to the lea of the stone in the garden.

I… [Sob. This is a bit much for her. Its about time for a good cry.]

[He listens calmly, then he regrets having asked. He didn't mean to force her to focus more on the unpleasant memories. The power of that seemingly harmless bobble is quite remarkable]

[He can't very well reach out to her from here... nor is Basil the past with emotional situations]

There, there... everything... is alright now. There's nothing to be upset about.

[Doesn't realize that she might just want to get it out of her system]

I'm sure... thanks to your efforts. Your family must be doing fine.

[She sniffles, trying her best to stop crying. It was upsetting Basil and that was something she really didn’t want to do. ]

I’m sorry… [Sniff. ] This has just been… a very long day.

You don't need to apologize, Mrs Brisby. [Do not expect him to get it right again XD] It's perfectly understandable. Really.

Courage of the heart

[video]

[video]

[video]

[video]

Video

Video

Video

Video

Video

Video

Video