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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And reasonable was what Gruffi always was, as long as he had tools, and had his way... Currently arguing with Ursa on which tools to use for the job of retuning the quickcars, he was really in his element now. Grammi watched them and let 'em have their spat. She also watched Buddi. Sittin' on the ground plunking rocks.

She knew there was a reason for them bein' here. And he even gave her a clue as to what. But what was she supposedta say? And when? Time hopping

frazzled nerves as easily as an iron to hair.

Present, at sea, approaching the coast of England

The tree chuckled some at Buddi's comment. "How do you think we feel, riding in a structure made by man out of the skin and bones of my people?"

The cub cringed. "Er... I guess this wasn't as good an idea as you thought."

"No. Take heart. I do not criticize. And it is all right to feel fear, young one. But for now, just seek the calm I see you are familiar with."

"Huh?"

"You are no stranger to friendly branches." the wise tree said with a grin.

"Oh... Yeah." Of all the people he'd met and had known so far in his life, Buddi almost decided right then to tell her about the woods back home, before.... Before. But for once, his own sadness didn't stop him from shedding tears on a kindred spirit. No. He didn't wanna make _her_ sad.

"For now, Buddi, close your eyes and think of this trip as a gentle breeze rocking you calmly."

He wasn't sure if he could pretend that was actually happening but tried it anyway, to make her happy. And you know? It worked!

Near Past, Ursalia's inner coridoors

Snooping around was not a past time Zummi often partook but he found it necessary. No one else had joined him. He wondered if they remembered why

they'd started time travelling in the first place. Then again, they'd gone through so much, they were more likely just glad to be back. They'd seen kidnapping, murder, the birth of Ursa, the origin of the Barbics, the bright futures of Buddi and Sunni and Cubbi and Tavi, a returned and prosperous Gummadoon, and the fall of Gummeria... A lot. But he never forgot. The Barbics were all bent on tossing them out, even when they hadn't a home to go to. He _had_ to understand them. Zummi believed that through such understandings of the Barbic Code, they could persuade just a little more time. After all, they were all gummies. Whatever happened to trust and helping others?

Zummi wondered briefly as he searched the rooms and backways, no Barbics in sight, what the present would hold. They'd been gone a while, as Grammi had said. He knew, somehow, and just as surely as he knew his name, that things were happening. They'd have to, to make the future they'd been able to see. Big changes. But when? What would greet them upon their return to their proper time?...

Present, Battlefield of Gummadoon

Ursa had just enough time to confirm that the gash across Gritti's face hadn't taken his one remaining eye before she snarled and launched herself

at his challenger. She saw yet another gummi fall under their foes' forces. Many wounded gummies, and less of their attackers. Strangely, no ogres lay on the battlefield, nor were they visible fighting. Where'd they go? Didn't matter, as Ursa picked a new target. Too many of those left. It was simply that the Gummadoon and Dunwynian knights, the New Gumbrean enterage, and the commonfolk didn't have the training, the experience, or the heart of a Barbic warrior. It was up to Barbics to end this battle.

Quickly dispatching her current threat, Ursa made a grand decision. Why go after such peons? They weren't the heart of the problem. Her focus became

the lead of the threat, the head of the dragon, the heart of hate. Charging like the blackest kuson-pi, Ursa plunged on, heading straight for her target, straight for Lady Bane.

Aloft by magic, levitating above the carnage but not out of reach to attack, the witch cackled insanely, drunk with the pleasure of winning after so much defeat. Ursa never had a chance. Plucked out of the air as she leaped towards Lady Bane, she was held high and brought close.

"So much for spirit." the witch scoffed. "You'll watch your brave warriors die one by one with my suffocation spells, including that brat of

yours. I'll save him for last, for all the hurt you've done me!" Her snear twisted into an evil grin. "Oh, that'll be rich. If it weren't for that oaf

Zorlock wasting my time with planning, foolishly squandering my powers, I'd've done away with all of you long before now." Lady Bane's hand raised to squeeze around an invisible throat, but it was Sir Gumlittle, charging her, that felt the grip.

Just as suddenly, she released him. Her hand had begun to burn. In fact, visible flames sprung from her hand and she screamed, trying to douse the blaze.

"Oaf, am I? Foolishly squandered your powers? It is to laugh. I have more power in one little finger than you'll ever _see_ in your entire existance."

Still trying to douse the agonizing flames magically, Lady Bane found the source to be the old wizardess gummadoon bear. She held an ugly, plain staff

but wreaked of intense power. Staff? No. No! It was only a tale of lore! It wasn't real!! Oh, but the fear Lady Bane began to feel was quite genuine and

real at the sight of the staff of Gummadoon, and who the wielder actually was. "You??!"

"Councilor Wooddale! Can you handle this witch?" Gumlittle asked, rubbing his throat and purposefully snearing the noun in derisive hate.

"Of course. Carry on, brave knight."

Gumlittle ignored the slight comical lilt in Wooddale's voice, and the evil gleem in her eyes as she flipped Lady Bane upside-down, just to haer her scream more shrilly.

"You fool bear! Can't you see she's possessed by Zorlock?! Kill her, quickly!!"

Gumlittle wouldn't listen to the murderess, tackling the much bigger problem of the Leviathan Mountain giant, whom she'd awakened just for this battle. May she die finally in this fight for slaying Lucki and the others!

Wooddale chuckled, cackled, burst out in a great bout of maniacal laughter. "This is too easy! No one can kill me. Not while I have this." Zorlock teased Lady Bane, twirling the staff in Wooddale's fingers and giggling mightily.

Ursa, watching from where Lady Bane's broken concentration had dropped her, wasn't quite sure what was going on. Then chaos erupted as the ogres returned to the battlefield.

"Smash gummies for dukie!" they cried, tearing into the fray. Their fists came down in great explosions of power. Unnatural, even for ogres. Fleeing at first from the changed threat, the gummies came to only one conclusion, confirmed by the reemergence of Igthorn on the scene.

"Ah-ah-ah. Put my lovely bride-to-be down." the duke said to Wooddale, swishing a jug of gummiberry juice tauntingly.

"Idiot! Just KILL her!!" And if he died trying, all the better. thought Lady Bane.

Just to the side, Tosslewind, Berrybottom, Flurryfeather, and Spinwillow were taking positions quickly to confront and hopefully cage the possessed Wooddale, but it all seemed unlikely. Zorlock, plus Wooddale? So powerful... Someone was likely to die.

Inside Gummadoon's Interior

Plucki looked over the cub, unsure what to do. "How do I bring you out of an invisible shell, brave Sir Cubbi?"

The Gummadoon captain held Cubbi like a babe, cradling his frail body and taking one small hand. He sighed. "Yes, I had a son, and he died of the sickness you most recently passed through. I never lied to you, Cubbi. I was never pretending you were my Aldi. I admit that at times, I saw you more as a father sees a son than a captain sees a squire. I do not doubt that, but I meant no harm in it. Please, Cubbi. Do you hear me?"

He wasn't quite sure, but there was no other way to try to reach the cub except through talking. So he kept at it.

"The first day I saw you, fighting so bravely against those ogres, Cubbi," and here Sir Plucki smiled at the memory. "I felt a great swell of pride. Not just for you in particular, but for the hope of all gummies. You are our future. You can't abandon us when we need you, Cubbi. Please, come back!"

He held the cub close, gave him the strongest hug he dared without crushing the lad.

"Please. If not for me, think of your friends in the Glen. What would they do without you? Gruffi and Grammi and Sunni and Tummi and Zummi? They

need you. _We_ need you. Please, hear me, Cubbi."

Was there nothing that could bring him back? Was all lost? Would Cubbi be lost to him as Illsi and Aldi had? Plucki was suffused with dark doubt.

A soft feeling tingled his shoulder. Confused, he had to pull the cub away to discover the cause. Wetness stained the shoulder of his tunic, where armor had been blown off by Zorlock's blast. With a gasp of hope, he looked on the cub's face. Blank. But his eyes, mirrors of the soul, were leaking tears.

Plucki curbed his triumphant smile. "I hear you, Cubbi. I know you're there! Please try! You swore to be the best of knights, and serve Gummadoon as any of us, as one of us. A knight is sworn to valor, to defend the helpless, to undo the wicked, to protect what is good, to be just in carrying out justice, and to speak only truth. You _swore_ to uphold your knightly calling, to fulfill the duty when called upon. Now, try!"

The pink-furred face was calm, immobile, for only a moment more. One by one, little muscles pulled with the strain as Cubbi's will reemerged. His face became a mask of extreme effort, every tendon pulling its weight to complete the motion of raising his arms, wrapping them around Plucki, closing tightly on the comforting form of a warm body, and holding on for dear life. With one great breath, Cubbi screamed a great wail and buried his face into Plucki's gold fur, trying his best to calm but unable to block out everything that had happened beyond his control.

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