A/N: Indeed, Nemo made a joke in my last chapter. I just thought he needed to make a joke. It's not like he's made out of cardboard, he can have a sense of humor. Hey, cool! I found a couple of Gambit fans! [He had better be in the third movie or I'll…] Ahem, yes, anyway, here we are with chapter 13. Now, allow me to make the League miserable. *evil laugh* Sorry, I'm mean like that. You'll see what I'm talking about, just read!
Steffi ~ Ugh. I just knew someone was going to take the painting thing the wrong way! Allow me to hoist your mind out of the gutter for you…
Crystal ~ Don't be sad, because that would make me sad. Then we'd both be sad and that would accomplish nothing.
Oogie Boogie ~ *sings* "Whoa! The sound of the dice to me is music in the air, 'cause I'm a gamblin' Boogie Man, although I don't play fair!" Cool! A fellow Nightmare Before Christmas fan!
Cecily ~ I hope you are "well chuffed" with this chapter! :-P
Snow was falling when the Nautilus surfaced, though the flakes were few and far between, everyone was certain the weather would worsen as the day wore on. The League stood on the deck, surveying the monotonous snow-white landscape. All of them were wearing their heavy coats, save Dorian. The cold obviously had no effect on him, and the snowflakes simply passed through him.
"Well, this is fun," Skinner commented sarcastically, his breath forming a cloud before his face. "Are we just going to stand here or…"
Suddenly, the door swung open, and Davis came stumbling onto the deck, having been rudely ushered out by a few of the crew. He too was wearing a heavy jacket – coupled with a coat of white paint on his face and torso, curtsey of Skinner.
"Oh, hello Mr. But Sir," Skinner said brightly, taking delight in the soldier's misfortune. "Come to join the party?" Davis just glared at him. "Oh, playing the strong, silent type are we?"
"Skinner, shut up," Tom, Mina, and Dorian chorused.
Skinner raised an eyebrow. "Sorry," he said. "Excuse me for breathing."
"It wouldn't be so bad if you didn't have to talk while you were breathing," Tom quipped. He ignored the look that Skinner gave him and turned his attention to Davis. "Let's get hiking. After you," he said and ushered Davis forward with the barrel of his rifle.
* * *
The League, accompanied by some of Nemo's crew, marched for what seemed like hours, their sprits dampened by fatigue and cold – even Skinner had ceased making conversation. Snow was pouring down in heavy, wet flakes now, and a bitterly cold wind whipped at their faces, which made their route that much more difficult. Tom glanced over his shoulder at his companions. The elements were beginning to take their toll, even Mina looked cold and tired. "Davis," he said, pressing his rifle into the invisible man's back, "Is there somewhere we can stop?"
Davis looked back at the young American in disgust. Tom pressed the gun harder into Davis' back. "Ah! All right, all right. There's a cliff face not far from here. It's not much, but it'll get us out of the snow and wind."
"Good, lead on," Tom said. They all needed rest, himself included. 'If I never see another snowflake again,' he thought as they trudged on through the snow, 'It'll be too soon.'
Davis led them on through the snow and wind for the better part of a half-hour before they came to the cliff face. It was a massive wall of dark gray-black rock, peppered with snow. The cliff above jutted out, providing meager shelter from the falling snow. Still, it was better than nothing, and it provided protection against the wind. The tired group sat themselves against the rock wall with much sighing and groaning.
"I hate snow," Skinner said, trying to restore circulation in his hands by rubbing them together. "Can we build a fire? I'm freezing."
"You're not the only one," Cabrilyn said, seating herself beside him. "I can't feel my feet, or my hands." She glanced over at Tom and Nemo. "Can we chance a fire?"
"It's not a question of chance," Nemo said matter-of-factly. "It's a question of fuel. We have nothing to build a fire with, I'm afraid."
"Great," Skinner said dryly.
"At least we're out of the wind," Jekyll interjected. He was seated beside Mina. She, too, was rubbing her hands together for warmth. Jekyll noticed this and gingerly put his hands around hers. Dorian stood nearby, hating every moment of it, but trying not to let it show.
"Where do we go from here?" Tom asked Davis, who was seated between him and Nemo.
"Strait up," Davis said, pointing at the rock ledge above.
Skinner was suddenly alert. "Wait, you mean we have to climb this blasted rock?" Davis simply nodded and Skinner groaned.
Tom looked at Davis incredulously. "The base is up there? On top of this cliff?"
"Yes, and yes," Davis said shortly and proceeded to grumble about how stupid Americans were.
"Dorian, get up there and check it out," Tom said, without taking his eyes off Davis.
Dorian laughed in a 'you-can't-possibly-be-serious' way. "You want me to go up there? Let me think about that. Um, no."
"I don't believe I gave you the option," Tom said venomously, still hating Dorian. "Now go."
The immortal simply stared at Tom with a mixture of disbelief and outrage on his perfect face. Still, he couldn't help but feel a small flicker of admiration for the young man – he was stepping into the role as leader quite nicely. After a moment Dorian shrugged – what did he have to loose? It's not like he would be caught or killed. He stepped into the cliff face and disappeared.
"I'm impressed," Mina said, looking at the place Dorian had gone through. "Dorian was never one to take orders from anyone."
"What's your secret?" Skinner asked.
"Skinner…" Tom began.
"I know, I know," Skinner interrupted. "I'm shutting up now." Cabrilyn let out a small giggle at Skinner's antics.
"But then," Mina continued, "I think he's a bit more passive as a ghost – he's got nothing to loose or gain from any of this."
"Hm… it's not got to be much fun being dead," Skinner mused.
"Oh, believe me, it's a riot."
Skinner jumped – Dorian was coming out if the rock directly above him. He chuckled a little at the startled expression on Skinner's face.
"That was quick," Tom said as Dorian stepped the rest of the way out of the cliff face. "Well?"
"Oh, it's up there," Dorian replied airily. "I doubt there'll be anyone invisible guarding it in this weather."
Skinner stared up at the rock ledge above. "Really going up there, are we?"
Tom nodded. "Yep."
"Oh boy," Skinner said flatly. "Words cannot describe the joy I feel in my heart right now."
* * *
"Nobody say 'don't look down'."
Tom looked at Skinner, clinging to the rock face directly below him. "Why?"
"Because then I'll look down," Skinner replied shakily. Tom was certain that, if he were visible, Skinner's face would be the same color as the greasepaint that now covered it.
"You're afraid of heights?" Mina asked from below. She stifled a laugh. "Skinner, don't look…"
"Mina," Cabrilyn scolded. "Honestly, if it wasn't Skinner with the fear of heights, I'd expect such a remark from him, not you." She hoisted herself up to Mina's side and looked up at Skinner. "We're almost there, just keep going before I loose the feeling in my hands again."
Suddenly, Dorian poked his head out of the cliff face, right next to Jekyll. "Jesus!" Jekyll yelped. "Dorian!"
Tom chuckled. "I hardly see how you could get those two confused."
Dorian rolled his eyes and issued an exasperated sigh. "Are you coming or not?"
"We're coming," Tom replied. "This isn't as easy for us as it is for you."
"Obviously," Dorian muttered and disappeared into the rock once again.
Jekyll sighed. "I really wish he wouldn't do that."
"Come on," Tom said. "My arms are falling asleep."
"That's not a bad thing," Davis muttered from above.
Tom looked up. "No one asked for your opinion. Shut up and climb."
* * *
Cabrilyn hauled herself over the ledge and strait back into the relentless assault of the elements. "Oh, brilliant," she said, shielding her face from the flying snow. "I think I liked it better on the…" her last words trailed off as she laid eyes on the monstrous fortress before them. It was absolutely massive, composed of dark stone and dirty steel. It looked so much darker and more foreboding against the brilliant white of the snow. Smoke rose from the steel chimneys jutting up from the roof.
"This seems oddly familiar," Skinner commented.
"Indeed," Nemo replied. "Hopefully it's as much like M's fortress on the inside as it is on the outside."
"The only way to know that for sure is to send somebody in there," Tom said. At once, all eyes turned to Skinner.
Skinner sighed. "Why did I have a feeling this conversation would come back to me? I suppose I… hold on, where's Davis?"
"Oh no, not again," Cabrilyn sighed. She surveyed the landscape – Davis was nowhere to be seen. "Why couldn't you have painted him purple or something? Now he blends in with the… oh, there he is!" Sure enough, they could just make out Davis, running towards the fortress. Fortunately, the deep snow and harsh wind were slowing his escape.
Tom sighed. He lifted his rifle, took aim and fired. Davis fell face-first into the snow. "So much for that," Tom replied, lowering his gun.
"Spoilsport," Skinner grumbled. "I wanted to get rid of Mr. But Sir."
"I think you'll get your chance," Cabrilyn said. "Look." Davis was hoisting himself up and resuming his mad dash for the fortress gates, though he ran with a slight limp now.
"I missed," Tom muttered. "I missed…"
"No, you hit him," Cabrilyn pointed out. "Besides, not the best conditions for shooting. We've got to… where is Skinner?" She looked around – there was no sign of the gentleman thief. "Don't tell me he…" One look at the fortress confirmed her suspicions – Skinner was slipping through the gates, in hot pursuit of Davis.
"Did he just…?" Tom asked incredulously.
"Yes," Cabrilyn replied dazedly. "Yes he did."
Silence reigned over the group. No one knew what to do, or to say. Finally, Tom spoke up, "We've got to regroup and figure out a plan. There's got to be somewhere we can find shelter, come on." The group agreed and solemnly trudged away.
Cabrilyn threw a glance at the fortress, and whispered a quick prayer for her invisible friend. "Be careful, and please, come out of there alive."
A/N: This chapter was a cliffhanger – literally! [Get it? 'Cause they were hanging on a cliff? Hehehe!] Ok, bad joke. I'm sorry. Well, I guess this chapter is kind of a cliffhanger. [You never can tell when Skinner will get the urge to do something heroic.] Anyway, I feel this chapter was better than my last one. Hopefully, they will just keep getting better. All right, movin' right along… in search of good times and good news, and good friends you can't loose. This could become a habit… [Ok, sorry, I had a random little Muppet moment. I'm very random.]