Chapter 28: Triple Showdown

"Ah, we're back," said Maddie, "thank you, Mr. AndrewK9000!"

"I don't like it when you do that," said Lizzie, "talk to your narrator friends. It's almost enough to make one think that you're not right in the head."

"Well of course I'm not right in the head!" said Maddie eagerly, "and so are you and Kitty! All Wonderlanders are mad."

"Some more than others," said Kitty as she filed her nails.

"Never mind that," said Tobias, "What was that about the approaching final battle?"

"Oh, that," said Maddie, "well, according to the book, Cuthbert and the others have one chance left to beat us. Seriously, Obsidian's had it up to their eyebrows with Cuthbert and his gaggle of goonies! If they don't win this next fight, The Obsidian Council will do unspeakable things to them! Seriously, I can't even find the words to describe what will happen to them."

"So all we have to do is hold out until the enemy is destroyed by their own superiors," said Daring, "easy enough."

"It won't be that easy," said Avery, "if this really is the last chance Cuthbert and the others have, then they'll hit us with everything they've got left."

"What do they have left?" Hunter asked, "more Worms and whatever half baked plan those Foundation X geeks can come up with."

"They're working on it right now," said Maddie as she looked at the book, "something involving…flashing drivers? No, that's not right…Gaius Maximus? Oh, come on, Storybook! Stop playing around."

"Gaia Memories?" Madison suggested.

"That's it!" said Maddie eagerly, "one of the Foundation smarties is making Gaia Memories for Cuthbert, Ophelia and Manfred."

"They're turning themselves into Dopants," said Tobias, "like that lunatic, Claymore."

"More than that," said Maddie, "these Donpanties will be much stronger than Claymore."

"We'll still beat them," said Hunter, "let them come! Let them try rampaging all over the place! We'll beat them!"

"Uh…only Manfred's gonna rampage," said Maddie, "while Ophelia's gonna try to find The Base, break in and take The Storybook of Legends."

"Let her try!" said Cerise eagerly, "we'll make sure she gets a warm welcome."

"And what about Cuthbert?" Raven asked.

"He's on his way here to finish Apple off and take you," said Maddie.

"Let him come!" exclaimed Dexter, "he'll never get within ten paces of the hospital!"

"He has to!" snapped Maddie, "this is between him and Raven now! Apple too. They have to face him and end it themselves!"

"You be serious!" snapped Ashlynn, "let Apple and Raven face Cuthbert alone? He'll eat them alive!"

"No, let him come," said Raven calmly as she threw the covers on her bed aside and carefully stood up, "when is he coming?"

"They'll be ready when the field mouse and the sand shrew cross the swap together," said Maddie.

"An hour then," said Raven as she sighed with acceptance.

"What about Ophelia?" Briar asked, "we can't let her get anywhere near The Storybook of Legends."

"That's why we've got to defeat her before she even tries," said Avery, "Maddie, is there anything at all in the book about where the enemy lair is?"

"Oh, the book knows exactly where it is," said Maddie, "and how to get in," she then checked the book, "uh-huh…uh-huh. So that's where it is."

"Where is it then!?" demanded Duchess.

"Here in Book End," said Maddie, "but nowhere we can see it."

"Underground?" Cerise asked.

"No problem!" said Hunter, "we'll tunnel right into their base and blitz them!"

"Nope, not underground," said Maddie, "more like 2.3987 inches up and 0.989 inches to the left, or right, I can't really be sure."

"Will you please stop speaking Riddlish and give us a straight answer already!?" snapped Duchess.

"She's not," said Dorothea as she ran some calculations on her computer, "it's phase variances, scanner frequences. That's how we've never been able to locate the enemy base or track The Worms while disguised! It all makes sense now! When they assume human identities, they become slightly out of phase with reality. Somehow, the enemy has adapted this phase variance to their base. Just a few adjustments…bingo! Their base right on the edge of town! There's an entrance at a dried up wishing well!"

"And would you look at that," said Briar as she pointed at the computer screen, "there's only ten disguised Worms in Book End right now."

"What about my mother's realm?" Apple asked, "and the other realms?"

"Let me zoom out on the scanner range," said Dorothea, "well we've certainly been doing our job right. There's less than two hundred out in the open in the entire fairytale realms. There's a lot more concentrated at the enemy base," she then focused the scanners back on the enemy lair, "they're clustered around something very big and nasty, and there's something else, something…I don't know what it is, but the big nasty, that must be the Worm Mother."

"We kill it and the enemy can't produce any more Worms," said Lucian, "Manning, let me lead the assault team on the enemy base."

"My brother and I know the main corridors of the place and how to get around most of the security systems," said Lilia, "we never figured out how to directly get in, we used gray portals to travel throughout the realms."

"You're not going anywhere but to bed," said Lucian irately.

"She's coming here to help me," said Dorothea, "she'll help guide you and the attack force."

"We still need to decide who's doing what," said Avery.

"Let me stay with Apple and Raven," said Dexter, "I don't care what the book says, I won't let them face Cuthbert alone."

"I'm afraid we have to, Dexter," said Apple as she carefully got out of bed, "you and your brother will be needed to break into the enemy headquarters."

"We still don't even know what kind of Dopants Cuthbert and the others will become."

"I'm working on it," said Maddie as she looked at the book.

"Well, you keep doing that," said Raven, "we'll get through this, all of us. No one else is going to suffer because of Obsidian. This ends today!"

"How?" Dexter asked, "how are you two going to beat him alone?"

"Uh…that's a good question," said Raven hesitantly.

"Oh for crying out loud," said Lilia, "you're all a bunch of pansies! Any of you have a gun or something?"

"I've got a derringer and a grenade launcher," said Madison, "but if Cuthbert's a Dopant now, I doubt any of that'll stop him."

"No, but it can slow him down," said Lilia, "I may be out of the fight for now, but I've still got my brain and many years of creative thinking to draw upon. How else do you think my big brother and I have survived for so long working Obsidian?"

"And what manner of dirty trickery are you planning now, sister of mine?" Lucian asked.

"That's between me, Apple and Raven," said Lilia, "you just make sure you get to Ophelia and kick her skanky ass into oblivion, big brother."

"Can do, dear sister," said Lucian, "can do."


…The Enemy Lair…

"You sure this thing is safe?" Ophelia asked as she rolled up her left sleeve, while Dr. Scimitar loaded one of the Gaia Memories into a Connect Shooter. He then pressed the device into Cuthbert's left palm, implanting him with a Living Connector.

"It's perfectly safe," said Dr. Scimitar as he handed the Gaia Memory to Cuthbert.

"It worked for Claymore," said Cuthbert as he rubbed his hand, then looked at the black Gaia Memory, said object now bearing a large red M, "and look what happened to her."

"Claymore was a lose cannon," said Manfred as he rubbed at the fresh Living Connector on his right arm, then at the Gaia Memory in his hand, this one bearing a large yellow A.

"Be it on your head if anything goes wrong, Scimitar," said Dr. Stiletto.

"I would have suggested it if I weren't sure it was safe," insisted Dr. Scimitar as he loaded the third Gaia Memory into the Connect Shooter, this one bearing a large blue L.

"We're out of options," said Dr. Falchion, "The Obsidian Council is leaving us with no choice but to try something desperate."

"And desperate is the word of the day," said Ophelia. She then looked at Dr. Scimitar, "do it!"

At that, Dr. Scimitar walked up to Ophelia, placed the Connect Shooter on her left arm and implanted a Living Connector.

"That actually didn't hurt," said Ophelia once the procedure was done as she rubbed her arm, "it tingles a bit, though."

"That's just your body accepting the implant," said Dr. Scimitar as he handed the Gaia Memory to Ophelia.

"And you're sure that the Dopant forms are superior to the Riders?" Cuthbert asked.

"I sincerely hope so," said Dr. Scimitar, "for all our sakes."

"You mean you've turned us into Dopants without assurance of victory?!" Ophelia demanded,

"I…well…if I had time to beta test the programming for the Gaia Memories, then yes," said Dr. Scimitar nervously, "but there's not time. We have to finish this before The Obsidian Council decides we've dallied enough."

"There is no more time, Mr. Lazarus," said Dr. Falchion to Manfred, "this is the final battle."

"Then let battle be joined!" said Manfred. He then pressed the button on his Gaia Memory.

ASMODEUS

At that Manfred pressed the Gaia Memory into his Living Connector, the device absorbing into his body. With a flash and crackle of energy, Manfred became a living nightmare; a seven foot figure with the legs of a rooster, the tail of a snake, the forearms of a lion and the wings of a dragon. Two additional heads were beside the demonized form of his own head; a bull and a ram, all three snorting smoke and embers from their nostrils.

"By the darkness!" said a horrified and amazed Ophelia, "what an abomination you've become, Manfred."

"Am I that horrible?" the creature that was Manfred, Asmodeus Dopant, asked as two technicians wheeled in a large mirror. Asmodeus Dopant looked at his reflection, "yes, this will do." With that the creature teleported out of the lab.

"Well, he's definitely on task today," said Dr. Falchion.

"Yes, but is he up to the task?" Dr. Stiletto asked.

"He'll be fine," said Cuthbert. He then looked at Ophelia, "you know what to do?"

"Wait until Avery Manning and his friends go to face Manfred," said Ophelia, "intercept and track their communications with their base of operations. Once located, I am to storm their hideout and take The Storybook of Legends, and liquidate anyone who stands in my way. I know my part, do you know yours?"

"Yes," said Cuthbert as he rubbed his hands in anticipation, "and I've been looking forward to it for a long, long time: I am to go to the hospital where Apple and Raven are recovering, destroy anyone protecting them, destroy Apple and drag Raven to The Obsidian Council."

"Then there's nothing else to say," said Ophelia.

"Aren't you going to wish me good luck?" Cuthbert asked.

"Why?" Ophelia asked, "I never believed in luck."

"Neither do I," said Cuthbert. With that he walked out of the lab.

"I for one do believe in luck," said Dr. Falchion in a hushed tone to his dark colleagues. "and also believe in preparing for the worst." He then held up a printout, "this was received in my private email box a few minutes ago." He then handed the printout to Drs. Scimitar and Falchion.

"It's from the higher ups in the Foundation," said Dr. Scimitar, "we're to begin evacuation immediately."

"So, that's that then," said Dr. Stiletto, "after all our hard work, we're to pack up and leave. And without accomplishing out true objective."

"We never had that much of a chance at that," said Dr. Scimitar, "I mean, what are the odds we'd find the exact magical item we need for our true objective?"

Just then a technician whispered something into Dr. Falchion's ear, "What?!" he exclaimed, "now? Are you sure?"

"What's this about?" Ophelia asked in a slightly annoyed tone.

"Just an issue with the computer systems, Ms. Katzenberg," said Dr. Falchion, "nothing to worry about."

"See that it isn't," said Ophelia. With that she walked out of the room.

"Now what?" Dr. Stiletto asked.

"We've located 'it,'" said Dr. Falchion.

"You mean that 'it?'" Dr. Scimitar asked in a nervous yet hopeful tone, "the one rare and powerful magical item we need for our true objective?"

"Yes," said Dr. Falchion, "the one thing in the entire world of Ever After we need for our true objective has at long last been found. All that is needed is to scan the item and collect the necessary data to initiate Phase 1."

"And from there, Phase 2," said Dr. Stiletto, "it hardly seems real, now that we're finally on the right path. It's almost as if we're in a dream."

"If this is a dream, I don't want to wake up," said Dr. Scimitar.

"Believe me, my fell mercenary scientists," said Dr. Falchion, "this is as real as it gets."


"He's coming!" exclaimed Maddie, "Manfred! Asmodeus!"

Just then the hospital was shaken about as a deafening explosion occurred outside.

"I'd say that counts as the opening move of the final round," said Tobias.

"Alright, everyone," said Avery, "you all know what to do and were you have to be."

"Assault team to gather at the old wishing well!" said Dorothea, "I'll guide us into the enemy base. Now that we know their out-of-phase trick, getting into their base will be a cakewalk."

"But we've got to keep them out of our base," said Briar.

"Which is why I'm facing Manfred alone," said Avery, "and no one is to come to my rescue, no matter what, and don't call me either. Under no circumstances are we giving the enemy a lead back to The Base."

"And we've got a plan to deal with Cuthbert," said Raven, while Apple and Lilia nodded in agreement.

"Then there's nothing else to say but good luck, everyone," said Avery, "I'll see you all on the other side." With that our heroes all said their goodbyes and wished each other good luck. There was an especially tender moment as Dexter and Raven kissed goodbye before he walked out with his brother, while Apple and Briar embraced like the best friends they were.

But then Apple saw Avery slip out of the room as everyone else was finishing up their farewells.

"Avery!" Apple called after him as she hurried to catch up. She found him out in the hallway as he turned around and walked back.

"I…I just…" said Apple, unsure as to what she really wanted to say.

"I know," said Avery, "I know."

At that Apple walked up to him and they embraced, "thank you," said Apple, "thank you so much for everything. I'd be dead many times over if it weren't for you."

"Your friends helped a lot," said Avery, "and I guess they're my friends too now."

"We've been friends the moment we first met," said Apple, "and I truly wish we could be more than that." With that she kissed Avery on the cheek, "for luck." She then ran back to her room, leaving a slightly stunned Avery in the hallway. He pulled himself together a few seconds later and hurried down the corridor.

"Why didn't you kiss him on the mouth?" Raven asked as Apple walked back into the room.

"Huh? Oh!" said a slightly startled Apple, "well, we're not exactly a couple yet, and…"

"And you want to wait until you're sure we'll all be alive when this is over," said Lilia, "you know, in all the years my brother and I have lived, if there's one thing I've learned is that sometimes you've got to say 'what the frak?' and make your move."

"In a way, she's right," said Raven, "sometimes you've got to take a chance, especially when it comes to love."

"There'll be plenty of time for that later," said Apple, "right now we've got to get ready for Cuthbert's reception."

"You won't get any arguments from me," said Raven.


…Book End Town Square…

Avery rode his motorcycle through the streets of Book End, weaving his way through the feeling crows as they hurried to get away from the source of the explosion, centered in the town square.

He reached the square and found Asmodeus Dopant in the middle of a crater where the town square used to be. Avery parked his bike on the edge of the crater and carefully made his way down.

"Looks like you've become an even bigger monster, Manfred!" said Avery as he walked towards the creature, "as if you had any trace of humanity to begin with!"

"I stopped being human long before you were born, boy!" shouted Asmodeus Dopant. With a flash of light he powered down, ejecting the Gaia Memory from his arm. "So, is it just you, Avery Manning?" Manfred asked, "where's the rest of your beloved friends and comrades?"

"They're doing their thing," said Avery as he stopped a few paces from Manfred, "don't get me wrong, they wanted to come. I can't tell you how grateful I am for my friends, but this is something I have to do alone. In fact," he smiled eagerly, "I prefer it this way."

"You certainly have an abundance of courage," said Manfred, "and stupidity. Surely you know that you cannot defeat me alone."

"Maybe," said Avery, "on the other hand, I won't know if I don't try."

"Confident as well as courageous," said Manfred, "I'm beginning to understand why The Alabaster Council chose you to be Kabuto. It's a shame they didn't take your foolishness into account."

"I thought they picked me for my love of the stories," said Avery, "and my unshakable belief in good triumphing over evil. After all," he then pointed at the sun, "'in the absence of light, darkness prevails. But so long as there are those whom fight to protect the light, it'll never go out.'"

"You bastard!" snapped Manfred, "you impudent little bastard! You and your idiotic quotes from your senile bitch of a grandmother! Do you really think you and your friends will triumph over the unstoppable juggernaut that is Obsidian!?"

"Yes!" said Avery defiantly as he held out his right hand and into it flew Kabuto Zecter, while his Rider Belt appeared around his waist.

"Henshin!" he shouted as he slid his Zecter into place on his belt.

HENSHIN

Energy hexagons flowed from the device, materializing as the Masked form of Kabuto.

"So be it!" shouted Manfred as he held up his Gaia Memory and pressed the button.

ASMODEUS

He then clicked the Gaia Memory into the Living Connector on his arm, the device absorbing into his body. With a flash and crackle of energy, he became the living horror that was Asmodeus Dopant.

With that the two of them rushed at each other and began exchanging blows, beginning a conflict that would decide the fate of a realm and the minds and hearts of countless children across countless worlds.


"Looks like an ordinary wishing well to me," said Kitty as she, Lucian, Cerise, Blondie, Duchess, Sparrow, Maddie, Tobias, Cupid, Daring, Dexter and Dorothea, stood around the abandoned well on the edge of town.

"This well's been dried up for over a decade," said Blondie as she and Cerise looked down the inside of the well, "plenty of time for whatever's down there to dry up."

"And plenty of time for the enemy to establish themselves there," said Dorothea as she used a portable scanner, "there's a decent sized chamber beneath the well."

"And you're sure the way inside the enemy base is there?" Duchess asked as she looked down, "and that there's no water there?"

"There's no danger of you drowning," said Cupid as Dexter threw down a rope ladder, "unless you're claustrophobic. Then you'll drown in your own fears."

"I'm not claustrophobic!" said Duchess irately, "and I'm certainly not afraid of the dark!" with that she shoved Tobias and Dorothea aside and was the first to climb down the well.

"Almost as if she has something to prove," said Tobias as Dexter went down next, followed by Cerise.

"Anyone want to go back to The Base, now's the time," said Dorothea, "I'm sure Briar, Ashlynn, Hunter and the others would appreciate the company."

"And miss out on the greatest battle our world has seen yet? I don't think so!" said Daring as he climbed down without any need for assistance.

It wasn't long before they were all in the bone-dry chamber beneath the well.

"There's nothing here but rock and old coins," said Sparrow as he and the others looked around with flashlights in their hands.

"It's here, alright," said Lucian as he ran his fingers across the rock wall, "I remember hearing about an emergency back door in the event of a fire or some other form of disaster."

"Gee, I didn't know Obsidian cared that much about its employees," said Kitty.

"The lair was constructed by Foundation X," said Dorothea as she scanned the wall, "unscrupulous, greedy bastards they are, they do comply with health and safety codes."

"So where's the back door then?" Duchess asked.

"Betwixt and between," said Maddie as she stared at one point on the rock wall, "neither here nor there."

"It's here, alright," said Dorothea as she scanned the point where Maddie was looking at, "out of phase with reality." She then pulled out a small black device, "and this will bring the door back into phase, with a little help from Kitty and Blondie of course."

"Just tell us what to do and we'll do it," said Blondie, while Kitty nodded in agreement.

"Just hold still for a bit," said Dorothea as she hooked two pairs of electrodes from the device to Kitty and Blondie, "the phase re-modulator will harness your natural abilities open the door for us." She then placed the device on the rock wall, "you'll feel a slight strain as your powers are channeled through the device, nothing to worry about. Oh, and try not to throw up."

"What?" Kitty asked as Dorothea activated the device. There was a loud thrumming as the device glowed brightly, while Kitty and Blondie looked extremely nauseous. The entire rock wall shimmered and seemed to melt away as a large metal door appeared and opened, on the other side of which was a wide corridor that stretched on out of sight.

But then they all heard a loud klaxon from the corridor.

"Of course the door is alarmed," said Duchess sarcastically as Dorothea unhooked Kitty and Blondie from the device, "as if things would be that easy."

"At least we're in," said Sparrow as he and the others rushed into the corridor, only to be met by several Salis Worms and Masquerade Dopants.

"Now comes the fun part!" said Daring as he, Tobias and Dorothea summoned their Zecters and transformation devices, "Henshin!" He then clicked Gatack Zecter onto his belt, Tobias clicked Sasword Zecter onto his sword, while Dorothea clicked Hercus Zecter onto her brace.

HENSHIN

Energy hexagons flowed from the three devices, metaralizing into the Masked forms of Gatack, Sasword and Hercus.

"Let's go!" shouted Hercus as she lead the charge against the Salis Worms and Masquerade Dopants.


"So," said Ophelia as she watched the three Riders and others battle the Worms and Dopants on a hologram image, "they've brought the fight here," she then looked at her Gaia Memory, "that suits me fine."


"All too easy," said Cuthbert as he made his way through the hospital corridors unopposed, "not a single defender in sight. It's almost disappointing."

He then reached the room where Apple and Raven were recovering, finding them sitting around a table where tea had been set up.

"Hello, Cuthbert," said Raven as she stood up, "would you care to join us for tea?"

…The End Is Just The Beginning…