Greetings. To those of you who don’t know, my name is Scarab Dynasty (well, here, anyway). I’ve been buzzing around on for a while, but I’ve never written for this section before, so constrictive criticism would be greatly appreciated.

This 'fic is centred around a relatively minor character in the Disney Mythos (he has literally one scene, to the best of my knowledge), but he’s one for whom I’ve always had a certain fondness, ever since I saw the film he starred in at the age of... Five, I think it was. So yeah.. .don't expect any drama or dramatics from this, it's just meant to be short and sweet.

“Here is a baby with eyes of blue,

straight from heaven, right to you.”

Delivery.

Pardon me, miss, but is this seat taken? Oh, good.

Yeesh, what a day... I’ve needed to take the weight off my wings for hours and there’s not been a cloud in the sky. They’re best for perching on while you’re out on a job, you see; gives you a nice view of the horizon.

...Oh, you’ve never sat on a cloud before? You should try it, they’re really very comfortable. A little soggy, though.

Um. Pardon me for asking, but this is the right way to go, isn’t it? I was sure from the air but now... Hm... Well, if you could just look at this map right here. Now I think I need to go that way but— Ahh yes, I see. I knew I should’ve taken a left at the last storm cloud. Thank you very much, it’s appreciated.

So, how’re things in the local area these days? Been a while since I visited this part of town. Really? That’s good; those heartless were really starting to give me the heebie jeebies. I've seen some strange things in my time but those little guys reeeally take the mickey...

Oh, are you writing there? I used to dabble in that myself you know, came up with a little ditty for every delivery. I still have my little notebook somewhere... Hm? What happened? Oh, well, you know how it is. These days most people don’t seem to care about the ceremony, they just want you in and out as fast as possible so they can get on with their day. Most of the other storks didn’t really think too much of my little songs anyway. They just wanted to drop the baby off and that was it. Nothing more to it. But I think that’s a shame, don’t you? We should really try and make this a personal service. Happy birthday is still part of the job description, of course. We can’t be forgetting all of the traditions.

Well, yes, business is a little slow these days. Of course that’s only to be expected, what with that awful war we’ve been having... Nasty business, hm? Why, people didn’t know whether they’re coming or going... For that matter, it looked to me like whole continents didn’t know whether they were coming or going, which made my job darned complicated, let me tell you. And all those strange little creatures, following people around, eating everything up like cotton candy...

So nobody has really been thinking about calling up storks lately. Not a good time to be starting a family.

You’ve had a few run in’s with them yourself? My sympathies, dear... The less said about them the better. I suppose they’re not too scary looking, so far as things-without-hearts go, but take it from a Stork who once delivered a baby that was part lion cub, part wombat –and you know, I’m fairly sure there was a little bit of porcupine in there somewhere... amazing what families can work out these days, don’t you think?– the last thing you should do in these parts is take something at face value. It’s never wise, my friend. Why I could tell you stories about this one guy...

Yes, he was one of mine. A bit of a late delivery, you know? I got sidetracked over the ocean, plus he was one heavy baby, slowed me down quite a bit. Heh, it didn’t help that his mother was on a moving train by the time I caught up. But I got there in the end, and when I left he seemed to have settled right in...

...So many deliveries, so little time, but the company likes to keep track of some, you see, find out how things turned out. Now this one little guy didn’t have too good a time of it, from what I hear. He just didn’t fit in. Strange, really. I mean he looked just like any other pachiderm when I was picking him up, but when I went back to visit a few months later... I never spoke to him, it all seemed a bit hectic at the time and I didn’t really want to intrude, but my dear, if you had seen that elephant’s ears...

Of course, nobody took him seriously because of that. Hardly anybody ever did right by the little thing, and as for his poor old mother... well, they just up and turned on her! Darn near broke my heart. Why, I had half a mind to just... fly down there and give that...that ringmaster fellow a piece of my mind, I did. What did she do that was so bad, I’d like to know? Protect her baby? Now what’s so wrong about that?

I’m rambling? Oh. Yes. I am rambling aren’t I? I do that. Really it’s a very long story, I’m sure you don’t have time to listen to a stork going on and on...

Yes, I think so too. He’s the Star of the Show now, you know. That little guy I was telling you about. Silly really; all he had to be was himself and... Stop worrying about what others thought, and things worked out just fine. It’s a little lesson for people, you know, when they start judging too quickly, on silly things like their species and names and the size of their ears...

Excuse me? Oh, dear, is he crying? Poor little thing is all fussed up from the air pressure, I expect. You know, some of my deliveries just don’t take to the air as easily as that elephant did... Which is rather ironic, when you think about it. This is the first one I’ve taken after that war. Hopefully the business will pick up soon. The world needs more children running around, don’t you think?

...Hm. You know, would, you like to see him? It’s usual for parents to see first, of course, but... You would? Alright then, but uh... keep it hush-hush, eh? I think this one is a surprise delivery. Don’t want to ruin the revelation for the happy couple, now, do we?

There, there. C’mere little fella, let’s have a look at you...

...Hm.

Yes, yes they are, aren’t they? Goodness... you know, I’ll never understand that it is about the ears on my deliveries...

He’s a cute one, though, no doubt about it. Gonna make a couple out there somewhere very proud.

Prizes for anyone who can guess the delivery, not that it’s difficult ;)

Homages.

“Yes, he was one of mine. A bit of a late delivery, you know? My fault, I’m afraid. I got sidetracked over the ocean, plus he was one heavy baby, slowed me down quite a bit. Heh, it didn’t help that his mother was on a moving train by the time I caught up.”

It’s entirely obvious I know, but just for those of you who, by some strange twist of fate, haven’t seen this movie, the character that the stork is describing is Dumbo, with his enormous ears. I like the idea of the Storks keeping track of their deliveries just to see how things are going. It’s not really the kind of job where you can avoid becoming attached, I suppose. The opening quote is also from that movie.