Growing Up

The Barbics, Glens and any other Disney characters are copyrighted to Disney and we claim no ownership. However, any new characters are copyrighted to Ulisa, Silver Fox and Cheetah the Furry. This plot is a collaboration of Ulisa, Silver Fox, and Cheetah the Furry.

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The Glens stared at Cubbi... Sir Cubbi... for the longest time, shocked.

"Your... fiancée?" Grammi got out, then a great smile sprang forth. "Oh, Cubbi!" She took him in a great hug, and Tavi, too. "Where are ya from, dear?" For obviously Tavi was not known to the Glens yet. Where could other gummies have been found? Grammi had to know, to feel the truth all that much more.

"Oh, there's so much to tell!"

Cubbi dug Tavi in the ribs. "And not tell."

"I know, I know. I just... Okay. C'mon. There's no time anyway. Ceremony'll start soon!" Pulling the others along, Tavi moved closer to Grammi and whispered in her ear. "Gummadoon. And I'm happy to meet you for the second time."

Eyes wide as saucers at so much to look forward to, the Glens of the present past were indeed headed for the stable and active city of Gummadoon.

They were greeted by four of the original Gummadoon council. Had they all aged that much? What else had occurred? But Grammi and the others kept their mouths shut. What could be told to them would be and the rest they'd have to experience for themselves later on.

"You must be so proud of him, and your other young ones." a strange Gummi said to Zummi, grinning ear to ear.

"What do you mean? We've only just met Tavi."

"Oh, not Tavi. Buddi and Sunni of course. They should be here soon. Oh, I do so hope they don't miss Cubbi's knighting..."

Gruffi and Grammi exchanged looks. What had Sunni and Buddi been up to these future years?

Present

"Sir Plucki!" Out of breath, Sir Yaci ran to his captain. "Aerials spotted not quarter league away. The army is closing!"

"Ready your arms, Gummies!!" Plucki yelled to those behind him. He nodded to Calla.

"Arm yourselves, brave knights!" she called to her compliment.

Plucki's hand rose in the air, then fell. He led the march out the city gates, which would be sealed at their exit. But no sooner had they taken their first steps than Plucki halted them. Emerging from the forest to the east were the promised Barbic warriors.

"Ursa!" Plucki called her forward. "How many did you say you had coming?"

"Why?" But as she came to the front of their army, she saw quite a bit more gummies than expected, and the newcomers were certainly NOT Barbic!

"Ursa," Ryo greeted her, coming forward. "Ran into a bit of... company... on our way. Told 'em they could tag along if they didn't slow us up. In fact... That magician there made the going a bit faster." Hard for him to admit but it was true.

Calla also came to greet the newcomers, delighted to see unfamiliar but very welcome and friendly looking gummi faces. They were dressed remarkably similar to those gummies here, of Gummadoon.

The wizard Ryo referred to seemed in charge of the group of over thirty gummies. "Greetings. I am the Wizard Ruffi Gummi of New Gumbrea."

"New Gumbrea!" The news spread through the ranks like a cheering blaze, warming all hearts.

Ruffi nodded, smiling. "Yes. We summoned Gummadoon to once more rejoin us. And I can see that, despite the word of war brewing, that not all is lost to rumor." He indicated the numbers of humans among the gummi knights and other fighters.

"There is much to discuss, Wizard Ruffi. But we must now defend Gummadoon against perhaps the greatest of threats." Calla said. "I'll defend it as my own but we need more help. Have you any to help fight with us?" She glanced back among those behind him.

Ruffi grinned. "Oh, we have a few, and quite a lot of tricks up our sleeves. Where would you like us?"

As Calla conferred with Ursa and Plucki, Gritti gave a nod to Ryo. At least they'd made it. Ryo'd kick himself if he ever missed a good fight and they both knew it. Gritti grinned, having been looking forward to this for a while. Just some time to get in there and act. Tired of all this talk and waiting for the enemy to approach, he was ready for the Barbic way of handling things.

Off the coast of France

Buddi didn't like this. Rickety boats, going to another land altogether, and all in the daylight and in the open. But he trusted Sunni and she was sure this'd work so... Here they were basically knocking on a stranger human's door. A whole castle full of 'em! Sort of. They were sneaking into the bedroom of the local princess.

And in she came, sighing as if the largest weight on her shoulders was an upset stomach over eating too many sweets.

"Oh, mon dieu... What a day."

Sunni, holding her side with one hand and Buddi in the other, pulled him out into the open. "Marie? Thank goodness! I thought we'd never find you!

"Sunni! And you have a little friend with you! Oh, but you are hurt! You must tell me everything!"

And so they did and Buddi, not first impressed by the uppity sounding and too-courtiere appearance of Marie, soon saw that she could be some added help.

"But you are asking a huge favor indeed." Marie said, thinking quickly.

"You mean you can't help us? Please, Marie! Calla and all the others need you, need all of us! We need your help to release the tree folk from Fangwood's valley. I'm sure they can aid us a lot if only they could get out! That's all we ask. Just help us get the tree folk out of that valley."

"Well... You and Calla are my best friends, and it is rather boring around here... Of course I'll help! I merely need a bit of time to think, and figure out how to break this to my papa..."

"Easy! Just tell him!" Buddi said, wanting to get back in the game. He hated this going in circles. Part of his Barbic blood, he knew, and the fact that he still had issues to deal with about growing up and the changes in his body but, darn it!, ya just had to DO things sometimes and stop talking! "Where is he? Let's tell him now."

"Oh, that may not be a good idea. I don't think he would like gummi bears at all... If all you want is the tree people freed, you only need my help. You see, Papa had a visit from China's emperor last month and was given quite a lot of gifts. One was a brief demonstration on the power of a substance called blasting powder. They left some here and I swore to Papa I would not touch it but this is an emergency!"

"Well, what does it do?"

"It blasts!"

Outside Gummadoon

Eyes closed, Lady Bane took a breath and let it out slowly, smelling clear victory in the air. Even without the gummi brat's help, she knew they'd win. SHE'D win. And, she thought at her most private and guarded. Getting rid of Zorlock in her head would be an added bonus. Getting rid of him period would be even better...

Opening her eyes, they immediately latched onto the towers of Gummadoon, visible even now. Zorlock grabbed use of her mouth first. Impatient as always...

"Move out! We're almost there!"

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