A.N. Here you go everyone, the sequel to my first crossover! I know that there are some of you who have been looking forward to this. This won't be as long as my first one, but hopefully it's as good. Like with Rothbart I did a creature combo for Clavius. His description will be later in the story.
A huge creature started walking through the woods with a rope. Upon closer inspection you could see that this creature was a cross between a gorilla and a Hercules beetle. He had the body of a gorilla, but the head and wing case of a Hercules beetle. His name was Knuckles, and he was setting up a trap. He climbed a tree and prepared a crossbow, tying a rope to its trigger and loading it. Other crossbows had already been prepared and armed. Knuckles then jumped down and walked away with the rest of the rope...
Now, after Austin and Uniqua got married they had decided to move into the old castle Rothbart used to occupy, Swan Castle. Mostly because it had turned out to be in the middle of Austin's homeland and Uniqua's homeland, but also because they loved imagining how Rothabart might react if he were still alive. Tasha was helping Uniqua set up the dinner table. Fortunately, setting the table for Rothbart in the past allowed Tasha to set the table perfectly.
"Everything looks great Tasha." Uniqua smiled.
"Yup, very romantic." Tasha agreed.
"Well it is a very special day for me and Austin, we've been married a whole year."
Uniqua then noticed that something was missing.
"Uh, where are the knives?"
"Oops, almost forgot." Tasha realized. "Hang on."
She rushed out of the room, and then rushed back.
"They were being washed, luckily they're done now." Tasha explained.
"No problem, now it's time to light the candles."
"Got it." Tasha lit a long wooden match by holding it over a torch and then used the match to light the candles. "Say, what is keeping Austin?"
"He's not used to ruling a kingdom, he gets so busy with royal affairs that he forgets about other things." Uniqua shook her head. "He's probably forgotten about dinner, but luckily Horton already knows about dinner."
"Yeah, good thing elephants never forget." Tasha chuckled.
Sure enough, Horton was reminding Austin.
"Uniqua awaits you for dinner Austin." Horton said.
"Right, now, the king of Lincolnshire?" Austin wanted to get a few other things right.
"He arrives on Sunday sir."
"Horton, come on, enough with the formalities. You know I'm not used to being king, though I still prefer being called prince for now."
Even though Jane was still alive she was sort of in retirement. Austin and Uniqua are the rulers now but still insisted on being called prince and princess if others have to use formalities. They were only gonna accept the king and queen titles once Jane dies of old age, which won't happen for a long time.
"Sorry Austin." Horton said.
"Now about the king, give him the red carpet. You know how egotistical he is."
"I sure do." Horton chuckled.
"Trumpets...banners...banquets...oh just give him the whole thing."
"Oh, and you'll need to greet him with a gift."
"Good catch, don't let me forget that."
Austin then noticed the painters who were working on the walls. The castle was being given a pink and purple theme to contrast the gloomy look it used to have.
"It needs to be a half-shade darker guys." Austin said before continuing to the dining room.
Horton stayed behind to observe the painters, and he nodded approvingly before realizing that he was falling behind.
"Hey wait up!" Horton hurried after him; thank goodness the castle was strong and sturdy enough for an elephant. "Oh, just remembered Jane's birthday is coming up."
"Whoa, have to think of something there. She's so hard to get a gift for..." Austin thought it over. "Well I'll think of something later. Oh and Horton, those shrubs by the lake really need to be trimmed."
"Yes yes of course...Uniqua awaits you for dinner."
"I know I know!"
Meanwhile, Knuckles had just fired a couple arrows into a field. Now normally this wouldn't be anything to be concerned about, except the arrows he fired were on fire! The fire spread through the field rapidly...
"Perfect!" Uniqua grinned. "Now all we need is Austin."
"Uniqua!" Austin ran into the room. "Someone has just set fire to the Western Fields!"
"Oh no!" Uniqua gasped. "Well dinner will have to be postponed then. Come on let's go help!"
They both ran out of the room. Tasha decided to stay behind and keep dinner warm for them.
Austin and Rudy immediately saddled up. They were planning to go after whoever set fire to the field. Uniqua was going to help the peasants put out the fire before too many crops were destroyed. She drove a horse-drawn wagon filled with water and blankets.
"Be careful Uniqua." Austin said.
"Me? You're the one going after whoever caused the fire." Uniqua chuckled.
"She does have a point." Rudy added; even though he had become braver he still got nervous easily.
"Easy bro, there's two of us against one of him." Austin reminded him.
"Three of us." Pablo corrected flying in. "General Pablo reporting for duty sir."
Tommy and Morton showed up as well.
"And I was having a good beauty sleep too..." Tommy muttered.
"Beauty sleep? It's an attitude adjustment you need Tommy." Morton frowned.
Tommy glared back.
"Anyway, I saw the brute who started the fire. He's huge, with gorilla arms and an ugly horned face." Pablo said. "And he's deadly with a bow and arrow."
"Don't lose sight of him Pablo, we're gonna need you to guide us to him." Austin said.
"No fear!" Pablo gave Austin the thumbs-up.
"I'm really getting tired of that..." Tommy muttered.
"Tommy." Austin said seriously.
Tommy nervously looked up.
"You and Morton take the river and try to slow this guy down." Austin ordered.
"Right away Austin." Morton saluted as Tommy entered the river.
"Speak for your-seeeelllllfff!" Tommy panicked as Morton used his tail to propel them through the water. "Slow down slow down! Mortoooonnnn!"
They suddenly fell over a waterfall! Fortunately they came back up unharmed. Well, except for Tommy, if you consider 'terrified' to be the same as 'harmed'.
Pablo stayed on Knuckles, following him through the woods. Austin and Rudy followed Pablo.
"Morton slow down-*yeesh*." Tommy winced.
They had just noticed Knuckles. Morton stopped his tail.
"Wow he does have an ugly face." Tommy remarked.
Morton started his tail again.
"Morton slow down!" Tommy protested.
"Hang on." Morton led them in front of some rocks in the river.
Tommy then noticed Knuckles heading towards them and realized Morton's plan.
"No way!" Tommy protested, zipping away before Knuckles could step on him.
This caused both Knuckles and Morton to fall into the river. Morton grabbed onto the back of Knuckles shirt. Knuckles almost got caught in the current but was able to pull himself back onto shore with a branch, Morton still on him.
"Darn it!" Morton pumped a fist disappointedly.
Knuckles didn't hear him, he still had his mind on the plan.
"Excuse me sir, but you missed my stop. Hey! I'd like to get off! I said I'd-" Morton was cut off by a branch hitting him. "But not that badly." He muttered, holding onto the branch.
Morton then fell into Austin's quiver as Austin galloped past him.
Knuckles, now having arrived in the place with the crossbows, dropped his bow. He then hid and held onto a rope, preparing to pull it. Pablo saw this and realized the situation.
"No one hurts the princes, not on my watch!" Pablo zoomed down.
Unfortunately Knuckles saw him and hit him aside. Pablo slammed into a tree back first, knocked out.
Having lost sight of Pablo, Austin and Rudy reined in. Austin dismounted and went ahead, searching for Knuckles. Rudy stayed behind, looking around for Pablo. Austin armed a bow...discovering Morton instead of an arrow in his bow.
"Morton? What are you doing?" Austin asked.
"Stretching my tail, what does it look like?" Morton retorted sarcastically.
"Sorry." Austin relaxed his grip, allowing Morton to hide on his back.
This time Austin grabbed a real arrow. He looked around, but didn't see anyone apart from Rudy and their horses. Rudy however noticed something...
"Austin look out! Above you!" He called out.
Austin looked and saw crossbows aimed at him! The crossbows fired! Fortunately, Rudy rushed forward and knocked Austin out of the way.
"Thanks bro." Austin smiled.
"No problem." Rudy smiled back.
They then heard muffled complaints. Morton had been squashed between them.
"Sorry Morton." Rudy got up.
"No problem, better squished than shot." Morton got up too and dusted himself off.
Morton then moved to the ground so that Austin could get up. Austin rearmed his bow and looked around more, but Knuckles had vanished. Austin did find someone else though.
"Pablo!" Austin gasped.
He dropped his bow and rushed over.
"Are you okay? What happened?"
"That brute whammed me into a tree and sprained my tail, unfortunately my Achilles Heel." Pablo explained and Austin gently picked him up. "I won't be flying for a while."
"We'll get you home." Austin started to walk away. "Now why would that brute set fire to our fields?"
"I'll tell you why: to lead a couple daring young princes into a trap." Pablo explained.
Rudy gulped.
"Don't say anything you guys, especially not to Uniqua." Austin said. "I don't want her to worry."
"My beak is sealed." Pablo agreed, making a zipping motion across his mouth.
When they got back to the field they saw that the fire had been put out. There was only some smoke left, which the peasants were fanning away. Uniqua was handing out ladles of water to the peasants.
"Thank you." One peasant said before taking a drink. "We're awful lucky to have a princess like you."
"I'm the one who's lucky." Uniqua smiled.
"You're an angel." Another peasant smiled.
"That's why I married her." Austin smiled, showing up for a drink. "You're so good Uniqua, and so kind."
Uniqua handed Austin a ladle of water.
"Well that was an interesting way to spend our anniversary." Uniqua remarked.
Austin did a spit take.
"Aw man I forgot!" He facepalmed.
"Oh it's okay, the safety of our people come first." Uniqua smiled.
"Even so, I still should have planned something. I'll make it up to you I promise." Austin vowed.
Austin wasn't the only one upset...