*enter life fail* D: I take too long to update!
Okay, so from what I can tell, I'll update a chapter roughly every Saturday, as my schedule allows. Approximately. It'll depend. :)
I got some important stuff out of the way in this one, some foreshadowing, plot points...general epicness. Anyway, enjoy, my sweets!
P.S. I'm so sorry I haven't responded to reviews lately! Busy and exhausting schedule is busy and exhausting.
Jessie's ears are on full alert, ready to sense any changes that could equal life or death for them. They are forty seconds away from the ship.
And then many things happen in a three second period.
The temperature, always cold, drops twenty degrees in one full second. The result is seizing muscles and the inability to run any further. Any breaths make misty clouds in the black night, disappearing almost as instantly as they came into existence.
Jessie, concentrating so hard in every way to sense danger, trips and falls, due to the sudden cold and other factors she recognizes as an attack method. Buzz partly catches her on her way down, but he, too, falters.
The reason and cause for both instances is revealed one moment later. Because not only is the air cold, but it begins to fill with a sound, and sound so truly terrible and familiar to both Woody and Jessie that the two of them instinctively flinch. The sound is low yet high, joyful and yet clearly evil. It is a laugh, barely identifiable, horrid and haunting. It causes the hair on Buzz's neck to stand up, and for a moment he truly wonders what they're up against, and if they could win it at all.
Jessie's eyes narrow in rage, and it's clear she understand their situation. Buzz doesn't. This irritates him.
"Jessie," He says, pulling at her. She doesn't budge. "Jessie."
"No, Buzz." Her eyes are fixed on an oncoming storm of swirling blackness, no doubt used to cause confusion to the opposing side. Which is, in this case, them. "No. I'm not going anywhere. I've waited too long for this."
Buzz still doesn't understand, but doesn't stop pulling at her. Woody makes his way over to her, jerkily, because of the cold. He rests a hand on her shoulder and kneels to her level. Jessie turns her head to him.
"It's him, Woody." She murmurs quietly, grasping his hand with frigid fingers.
"I know, Jess. I know."
Woody kneels by her side, comforting her in a way she hadn't allowed Buzz to. Despite the danger looming, he can't help but feel slightly annoyed. He removes his hand from her arm. Both cousins are staring into the blackness, with almost identical expressions of rage, hatred, and fear. They suddenly look very much alike.
The darkness looms closer, seemingly more agitated and angry. Bo moves behind Woody, in a clear position of self-defense. Her eyes are very cold and clear.
And then, just as soon as the whole ordeal happened, it stops.
It doesn't go away, exactly, but merely stops in its tracks, as though it hit some invisible barrier. Buzz tenses, ready to use every ounce of his Academy training to his advantage.
Jessie's eyes roam the area. She completely recognizes this tactical plan.
A shadow forms in the already solid black in front of them. Jessie grips Woody's hand harder. A soft, friendly chuckling emerges from the curtain of smoke. Buzz's eyes narrow.
"Well, well. My sweet grandchildren. Look at how you've grown."
The dark mist clears a few yards ahead, and Stinky Pete steps forward. He looks no different than the last time Jessie or Woody saw him, minus his lavish clothing. The fat little man is clothed in golden garments that shine despite the lack of light. He wears golden trousers, a waistcoat, and a sweeping long coat that reaches to the ground.
"Oh, no, that's right. As I last recall, you two haven't aged in near twenty years."
Peter's eyes are calm and fond. Jessie's knuckles are completely white on Woody's. Her face hasn't changed expression. Bo crouches to Woody's level and puts both hands on his shoulders and whispers in his ear. Woody's expression doesn't change, either.
Stinky Pete's tiny eyes travel across the foursome, taking in every emotion and stance. He seems amused.
"Now, who do we have here? A Space Ranger, is it? One of them? And who is this delicate flower?" He eyes Bo in a way that is both disgusting and unwarranted. Woody grits his teeth.
"Well, my children? Will you speak to me?" Pete gazes at them expectantly.
Jessie is the first one to move. She slowly loosens her grip on Woody's hand, which he doesn't even seem to notice. She rises, very slowly, carefully. Buzz moves forward and touches her shoulder protectively. He reasons with himself that he doesn't want her vulnerable to attack, conveniently ignoring the fact that she can completely take care of herself. Jessie doesn't shudder from his touch, but merely places one hand over his for a brief moment. She steps forward.
"Grandfather."
Pete opens his large arms wide, invitingly. Jessie's expression is blank, but she moves towards him. When she's close enough, Pete envelops her in a warm hug. Jessie can no longer hide her emotions, and her eyes screw shut against her grandfather's chest. Her face is full of love, and terror, and longing. She tries desperately not to cry.
Stinky Pete rubs his granddaughter's back with the caresses of a loving parent. He seems to hold no hostility. Buzz wonders how good of an actor he really is. So far, he's been phenomenal.
Pete lets Jessie go, and holds her at an arm's length. He studies her face.
"My sweet little Jessie, so young, so full of life. Why did you ever abandon me?"
Jessie lowers her tear-filled eyes. "I didn't."
"No?" Stinky Pete's eyes travel to Woody. "Woodrow. My stubborn grandson. And how may you be?"
Woody rises as well.
"Same as always, Peter, thanks to you. Now may you return Jessie to me, please?" His voice is hard.
Pete chuckles. "Now, Jessica will leave when she wishes to. She is perfectly capable of making her own decisions. That's one thing you never understood about her, Woody."
"I know it better than you."
Stinky Pete loses interest in the direction of that particular conversation. His eyes are instead directed to Bo.
"And this sweet young blossom; who is this?" Woody strides to Bo, quick as lightening. He wraps an arm around her waist protectively and glares at Stinky Pete.
"Never you mind."
"Oh! Well, what is this!" The squat man's eyebrows lift up, noting the golden bands on both of their left hands. "Married, I see! Now, really, Woodrow, I expected at least a notification. Not even telling your elderly grandfather!"
"You're twenty years older then you're supposed to be," Woody hisses, "Elderly, my ass. You left us and act as though it's our fault. I want to protect my wife from you. She deserves better then you ever gave us. And I won't let you hurt her."
"We'll see," Pete says lightly. Jessie backs up from Peter and allows Buzz to pull her against him protectively. Footsteps echo behind Stinky Pete and a smaller figure appears in the mist. Her violet hair and black eyes give her the appearance of a celestial being. She smiles slightly at the scene before her.
"Well. Well well well well well." She clicks her tongue.
"Bazooka Jane. It's been a while, hasn't it?"
Jessie stiffly nods in the direction of the creature. "Dolly."
Dolly's eyes take in the four before her. She smiles widely, revealing sharp teeth.
"I did not see this coming. Most odd. Peter—gather the soldiers. The combatants will emerge from the strange shelter in five minutes. We must be ready."
Peter nods and disappears as suddenly as he appeared in the mist. Dolly returns her attention to the Outlaws and their counterparts.
"I would take cover, if I were you." Her eyes rest on Jessie, and her wide smile widens further to a frightening degree. "You might…need it."
She turns swiftly, back in the direction from which she came. All that surrounds them is the never-ending darkness and the fear of what is to come.