30 Worlds: Royal Megaforce, Episode XXIV: "Cats Can Dance, Part I"
CHAPTER THREE
The night of the big premiere had arrived. In an alley behind Grauman's Chinese Theater, William and the rest of the away team could hear the festivities going on at the front of the building. "At this point, we don't need to worry about changing history with regard to Danny," William said. "All we really need to focus on is to making sure Danny's performance goes off without a hitch—and that means keeping Darla Dimple and the A.I.C. from ruining things."
The members of the away team nodded. William then put his hand on the backstage door. "Let's go then," William said. As William and the away team entered the building, William (with his Scarlett Warrior-enhanced hearing) could hear Danny whispering (presumably to Pudge), "They're in. The minute the movie ends, we go on."
William walked up to Danny and smiled. "Need some help?" William whispered. "Who are you?" Danny asked. "I am King William of Cinnabar, and these are my friends," William whispered, gesturing to Sofia, Nick, Mal, Sito and Ferb. "We're here to help you."
"Great," Danny whispered. "We don't have much time, so let's get to work." William and the away team nodded, then set to work.
As the movie continued, William was helping Pudge set up a drum kit and cymbals while Nick, Mal and Sofia were helping Danny move a baby grand piano into position. William let out a silent gasp as Pudge knocked over a drum, causing a cymbal to fall perilously close to the ground. William reached out with his powers and prevented the cymbal from falling to the stage floor.
"Be careful," William whispered to Pudge. "We don't want to make any noise that could let people know we're back here." Pudge nodded. Then, before William could put the cymbal back where it belonged, Pudge snapped his bow tie in the reflection of his face on the cymbal's surface.
Little did William or anyone else know that the sound would make its way to the hyper-sensitive ears of a giant sitting in a far-off balcony with Darla Dimple, L.B. Mammoth and Lil' Ark Angel's director, Flanigan T. Flanigan.
The giant left the balcony unseen. As William placed the cymbal back on the drum set, Danny whispered, "It's almost time. I'll go set the lights." "Check," Pudge responded. William smiled at the members of the away team. "Seems like smooth sailing from here," William whispered.
Then, William could hear Pudge grunt. William turned around and saw that Pudge had bumped into the leg of an enormous giant. "Oh, shit," William whispered. "That's Max, Darla Dimple's bodyguard!"
Max reached down and picked up Pudge between two fingers and rubbed Pudge's head on his head. Using the resultant static electricity, Max then made Pudge stick to a nearby railing. Stunned, Pudge stammered out, "Danny, look behind you! Danny!"
Danny turned around and saw Max. Danny then leaped onto the piano and picked up a lit candlestick. Max simply breathed out of his nose, simply snuffing out the candles. The force of the breath sent Danny flying into a nearby winch, which set it off.
As Danny saw Max clambering towards him, Danny grabbed the robe, which sent him to the overhead catwalk—just missing being smashed between Max's hands.
Up on the catwalk, Danny ran to the door onto the roof. Danny thought he had escaped Max, but he was wrong...for a giant fist smashed up through the roof. Danny ran away, escaping repeated punches by Max through the roof.
William and the other members of the away team came onto the roof just as Danny fell off the roof while running away from Max. "Danny!" William said. Max turned around and saw William and the away team.
"Who are you?" Max said in his monotone voice. William had the members of the away team get behind him as he readied a transformation device. Then, William gasped as he saw a giant inflatable effigy of Darla Dimple in her Lil' Ark Angel costume. Standing on the figure's head was Danny!
Max then grabbed one of the support ropes, causing Danny to fall to the balloon's waist area. He then called out, "Here, kitty, kitty, kitty. Nice kitty" as he began to pursue Danny. Finally, Max caught up to Danny and slapped him—nearly sending Danny off the balloon.
Danny saw that one of the support ropes was still connected to the theater building. Danny grabbed onto the rope and slid on it back to the roof. "Wait right here," William said to the other members of the away team before making his way to stand alongside Danny as Max began to pull himself and the balloon towards Danny.
"King William, what's going on? Am I gonna be all right?" Danny asked. William smiled when he saw that there was a weakness in one of the support ropes' connection to the nose of the balloon. "I think we are, Danny. Just follow my lead," William said. Max began to chortle as he threateningly stood over William and Danny.
But then, Max's gaze was drawn to the balloon's nose too. His look of triumph changed into a look of fear. "How does the kitty-cat go?" Danny asked. "M-m-meow? Hmm?" Max stammered out. "Very good," Danny said. "William, pull on my count. 1...2...3...pull!"
The force of the pull caused a hole in the balloon to open. The force of the air's evacuation caused the balloon—and Max along with it—to fly away at breakneck speed.
William and Danny took a sigh of relief. But the moment quickly passed as Pudge rushed past the other members of the away team and up to Danny and William. "Danny! William! The movie's over! Everybody's leaving! We've got to..." Pudge started to say before noticing Danny's disheveled state from the confrontation with Max. "Woah. You're a mess!"
Danny shared a look of concern with Pudge, William and the away team. "We've gotta get back down there!" Danny said.
"Allow me," William said. "Hold hands...or paws...or flippers, whichever you have." William, the away team, Danny and Pudge held on to each other before William made them all disappear in red mist. There was still one more important bit of business to attend to.
But that must wait until next time.
To be continued in
30 Worlds: Royal Megaforce, Episode XXV: "Cats Can Dance, Part II"