A Gathering of Clouds

Disclaimer: Same as before…

BOOM! "Your almost as bad as Vinny with explosives." Prue remarked as Paige mixed a potion.

"ARGH! How was I used too much Barrow's Spade?" Paige replied defensively.

"You know now." Prue replied, "Besides, I said almost. You should have seen how much damage his Walking Cherry Bombs did today."

"From the smoke and ash on your jacket I don't think I want to know." Paige replied.

Piper came down the stairs, "I see you walked in on Paige's Potion 101 project."

Piper noticed the ash and soot Prue was brushing off of her jacket. "I see Paige's explosive potions are improving." Piper quipped.

"No, blame Vinny." Prue replied, "And his Walking Cherry Bombs."

"His what?" Piper remarked.

"Walking Cherry Bombs." Prue replied, in a very matter-of-fact tone.

"Prue, where did the Elders choose to reincarnate you? A flying insane asylum?" Piper replied.

"Sometimes I ask myself the same question." Prue replied.

"Who on earth creates a Walking Cherry Bomb? For that matter, why would anyone create a Walking Cherry Bomb?" Paige asked.

"Vinny, to answer your first question." Prue replied, "And because Vinny is currently inspired…"

"By who? Screwloose the Loon?" Paige asked.

"I was just getting there Paige." Prue replied, "And Screwloose the Loon actually looks normal compared to Vinny."

"Who inspired him?" Piper asked.

"The Dreamfinder." Prue replied.

"The what?" Piper asked.

"The Dreamfinder." Leo said, as he orbed into the kitchen, also covered in soot.

"What happened to you?" Piper asked.

"Apparently a few of Vinny's Walking Cherry Bombs wound up in the Whitelighter Area. A very large number of them in Natalie's bedroom…" Leo replied.

"How many?" Prue asked.

"A few." Leo replied.

"That doesn't sound too bad." Prue replied.

"Dozen." Leo replied.

"How did they get up there?" Piper asked.

"They must have stuck to Nigel when he went to the Morrowind to warn me that the Elders are debating giving the Dreamfinder sanctuary up there." Prue replied, "Vinny was jabbering excitedly about how his new and improved Walking Cherry Bombs have little adhesive surfaces that stick to almost anything before they explode."

"What's next?" Leo asked, "Self lighting fuses."

"Leo, for all I know Vinny's turned our furnace into one enormous bomb right now." Prue replied, "Thank God it's springtime…"

"Has he done that?" Leo asked, eyebrows furrowing.

"Not yet." Prue replied, knocking on the kitchen counter.

"Prue, I never imagined you to be the superstitious type." Phoebe replied as she walked inside, "Why does it smell like smoke in here?"

"One, Paige is making potions again. Two, Prue and the Whitelighters apparently had a run in with Walking Cherry Bombs." Piper replied.

"Whoa. What?" Phoebe asked, "I get the Paige made potions part, but Walking Cherry Bombs."

"Exactly what I said, the Morrowind's lunatic inventor, Vinny, created them." Piper replied.

"Who is this guy? A relative of Dr. Frankenstein?" Phoebe asked.

"Actually, Dr. Frankenstein is Vinny's idol. He has a framed painting of the proto-type mad scientist himself in his quarters." Prue replied, "The man is everything Vinny aspires to be."

"Why am I not surprised?" Phoebe replied.

"Trust me, the Walking Cherry Bombs weren't nearly as bad as the Bouncing Duck Bombs." Prue replied, rolling her eyes.

"Come again?" Phoebe asked.

"Bouncing Duck Bombs." Prue replied, "Basically they're about the same height as Donald, but packed full of TNT or Nitroglycerin and bounce around on spring-loaded legs before they explode."

"You certainly were born again into a very interesting crowd, Prue." Paige remarked, "A British policeman-turned-Army Intelligence Officer, an Aztec…"

"Technically Kolopak isn't an Aztec, he's from a tribe called the Rubber Tree People." Prue replied, "They hated the Aztecs because the Aztecs persecuted them, and helped the Spaniards until the Spaniards started persecuting them too."

"Whatever." Paige replied, as she ticked examples off of her fingers, "An Atlantean princess, a pyromaniac Italian, a Medicine Man doctor, three Disney characters…"

"I get the picture, Paige." Prue replied, rolling her eyes, "Let's just say that Donald set the record for the number of times I figured anyone could bash their heads into walls before knocking themselves unconscious."

"My God, the Elders must be crazy." Piper replied.

"Most of the Morrowind's crew is the same way." Prue replied.

"Even Godfrey?" Piper asked, with a sly grin.

"When it comes to either darts or rugby he's absolutely out of his mind." Prue replied, "For example he got Doc and Andy into a match with the Welsh, because three guys on the English team came down with food poisoning. All three of them came back muddy, bruised and tired. But what's going on around here?"

"Well we vanquished the Source, only to discover Cole became the new Source." Paige replied, "Then Phoebe was pregnant with the child of the Apocalpyse…"

"Whoa. Back up a second! The what?" Prue asked.

"The child of the Apocalypse." Paige said, in a very matter of fact tone, mimicking Prue's reply about the walking cherry bombs perfectly.

"And then the Seer abducted us all, stole the baby, but couldn't contain its powers and the high council of demons got killed in the ensuing explosion and then we were freed." Paige finished.

"I'm out of this for a little while and things take a turn down the Bad News Turnpike." Prue replied, "I don't know which is worse…"

"Thanks a lot, Prue." Phoebe snapped.

"Sorry." Prue replied, "This is just all so new to me right now."

"Receiving letters from you and your astral projections home are kind of new to us too." Paige replied.

"Not that you aren't welcome." Phoebe replied, "We all miss you so much."

"Phoebe," Prue replied, hugging her sister, "I'm so sorry about Cole and the baby."

"I don't know what to believe about him any more." Phoebe replied.

"You'll always have us, Phoebe." Piper replied, joining in the group hug, with Paige joining as well.

BOOM!

"Paige, you had the portions for the smoke potion all wrong." Piper began.

"ARGH!" Paige groaned.

"You know, the Morrowind is so peaceful at night." Milo observed as he put an arm protectively around Kida, who had the two month old Lal currently sleeping in her arms.

"Especially when Vinny's batteries have wound down and he's collapsed in a stupor." Kida replied.

"And when Donald's not frustrated about something and not banging his head into the wall." Milo replied, "Which reminds me, I won the pool today."

"You're getting involved in Goofy's insane betting pool?" Kida asked, open mouthed.

"Well, it was for a good cause…" Milo began as they walked back to their quarters.

As he opened the door he replied, "Happy Anniversary sweetheart. It's been two years of lawfully wedded bliss."

"Milo," Kida began, as he wrapped his arms around her waistline, "You are too good to me."

Milo kissed the left side of her neck from behind and Kida whispered, "If you keep doing that you might give Lal a little brother or sister sooner than we intended."

"Well…" Milo began.

"Don't even think about it, mister." Kida replied, "It's all well and good for you, because you don't have to carry the baby and put up with being sore everywhere, a painful back, swollen ankles…"

"I get the picture, I get the picture." Milo replied.

Lal yawned again and turned towards her mother's breast, Kida instinctively held the baby closer to her, smiling as the baby barely stirred.

"So what did you spend your hard earned winnings at Donald's expense on?" Kida asked.

Milo reached into his pocket and took out a long slender box then handed it to Kida. Kida opened the box to see a bracelet, a simple, slender, yet elegant gold bracelet with a green emerald flanked by two diamonds.

"Green to symbolize the life we all hold dear." Milo explained, "And the diamonds are two as one in the Circle of Life."

"Champagne?" Kida asked, as her eyes flickered to the dinner table.

"That's from D'Artagnan, he claims he liberated it from a careless Italian guard at the Italy pavilion." Milo replied.

"The teddy bear?" Kida said, noticing one on the couch with a large cream colored ribbon on it.

"From Prue." Milo replied, "It's for Lal. And the bib is from Andy. Godfrey bought us that framed saying."

"You mean the: If We Can Dream it We Can Do It slogan from Horizons?" Kida asked.

"Godfrey also said he'd take my duty so that we could spend our last night in EPCOT together, Audrey and Bertha offered to babysit, Cookie got us reservations for the nicest restaurant in World Showcase, and Kolopak made a dream catcher for the baby's crib." Milo replied, "Goofy, Donald and Sora made a mobile for the baby as well."

"What did Vinny decide to make?" Kida asked, "Or do I not want to know…"

ZAP! HISSSS! WHAP!

"IT'S ALIVE! IT'S ALIVE! HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!" Vinny's shouting could be heard through the wall.

"You don't want to know and he didn't say what it was." Milo replied.

"AUGH! RUN! HELP HELP HELP!" Vinny screamed, "OW! SHARP BEAK! SHARP BEAK! OW! OW! OW!"

"Something tells me the Dreamfinder needs to get off this ship, pronto." Kida observed, "He's inspired too much of Vinny's inventive ability."

BOIIIINNNGGGG! SPLAT!

"OW!" Donald could be heard from the hallway, as he evidently tripped a spring loaded deck plate.

"Remind me to never let Vinny make any of Lal's toys." Kida groaned.

"Of course dear." Milo replied.

"FIRE!" Donald shouted as he fired a fireball at Vinny.

"YEOW!" Vinny shouted as he dodged the flaming projectile.

"You're not getting away that easily! THUNDER!" Donald shouted.

"ZOWWWW! YEOWWWCH!" Vinny shouted as Donald electrocuted him.

Milo headed for the door and poked his head into the hallway, "Will you idiots stop screwing around out there, you're gonna wake up my daughter!"

"Oh no…" Milo groaned as he saw three more Walking Cherry Bombs heading into the hallway. He slammed the door in time for the bombs to explode and wreck the front door.

"Vinny…" Milo began, as he grabbed a sword on the wall of their quarters, "PREPARE TO DIE!"

"HEY! Milo! Come back here!" Kida shouted, as she joined in the chase, "That's a ceremonial sword! Don't taint it with the blood of the lunatic inventor!"

As Prue astral projected back into her body, she could hear the commotion in the hallway. Andy already was lying face down with the pillow on top of his head muttering several curses against the 'Lunatic Italian Inventor' and the Dreamfinder.

Prue yawned and fell asleep as Andy said, "You're trying to sleep through all this?"

"Not trying, going." Prue replied.

"These people are beyond help." Andy groaned from beneath the pillow.

"Are you going to bed or not?" Prue asked.

"With all this racket outside?" Andy asked.

"I'm used to it." Prue remarked, "Good night."

For the umpteenth time Matthias Vossman checked his equipment and rifle over. For the past twenty-four hours the officers and NCOs had been calling on every German soldier fit to fight and putting them into various 'shotgun platoons'. He was being readied to seize the World of Motion pavilion, in the wake of the "Consular Guards" who were in reality soldiers of the Waffen SS, some of Germany's elite formations.

He assumed the Italians and Japanese consulates had similar designs. Capturing the technology that EPCOT's scientific laboratories could produce was a high priority for all three nations, that much he assumed.

"Why the hell are they grabbing us for this crap? To take this tourist trap world?" A German soldier recovered from wounds sustained on the Eastern Front.

"We have our orders." Matthias replied.

"For this world?" The other German soldier countered.

Another one added his own opinion, "The science labs in Future World, why else. Has facing the Russians left you completely addled."

"You'd be wise to take that back. The Ivan is a formidable enemy." The Russian Front veteran replied.

Natterman, the platoon sergeant for this mixed unit of recently recovered German soldiers, watched as the thirty-seven soldiers grumbled among themselves about their returns to their individual units being cancelled. In a few hours he knew this platoon would be ordered to reinforce the SS unit that would take World of Motion. He knew the Japanese were coming in from the east and the Italians would be on the southern flank of their German allies.

Either way the fighting was going to be toughest when the forces would be bottlenecked along the World Showcase lagoons. The SS formations would spearhead the assaults, while the 'shotgun companies' of the wounded would come in behind them.

He looked at the map of the route of the proposed German advance and figured the worst of the fighting would be against the Free Norwegian contingent at the Norway pavilion. Of course a puppet government had been installed in Norway after Germany occupied her, but the Pro-German Norwegians also had the Free Norwegians to contend with, who greatly outnumbered them in EPCOT.

Nervous soldiers were checking watches, examining weapons, and scribbling out letters. The officers were still in a meeting elsewhere in the consulate. The cramped basement stank of sweat and stale nerves.

Godfrey had just awakened to go out to run when he saw a British soldier in the passageway, "Lieutenants Godfrey and D'Artagnan?"

"I'm Lieutenant Godfrey, what's going on?"

"I can't say anything here, but both of you are needed at Allied HQ, immediately sir." The soldier replied.

"I'll go get dressed and wake D'Artagnan." Godfrey replied.

"There's a car outside for you gentlemen, I'll be there sir." The soldier replied.

Godfrey rousted a sleepy and somewhat hung over D'Artagnan and the two men headed for the car. The British staff car drove them on a fifteen minute car rid down towards the Allied Headquarters, which was located between the United Kingdom and Canada pavilion.

Major Waverly of the Allied Intelligence Bureau was waiting for them. "Sir." Godfrey began.

"Things are going to come to a head and soon, Mr. Godfrey." Waverly began without ceremony. "We have reports that the Axis Powers are up to something, very likely operations aimed at seizing the scientific innovations of Future World.

Godfrey noticed there were officers and non-coms from all the Allied Nations, British, Canadians, Free French, and Americans milling about, talking amongst themselves, exchanging information on German, Italian, and Japanese intentions.

"Orders, sir?" D'Artagnan said.

"You two are to defend HQ from capture." Waverly began without ceremony. In the background a British sergeant was inspecting the rifles of a motley assortment of ciphers, clerks, and radio operators. Most of them were pale, slender rear echelon troops who never expected to face the Japanese.

"I don't envy you boys at all." A voice said.

Godfrey turned and saw an American officer standing behind him; he was a 2nd Lieutenant, about twenty two years old. The officer introduced himself, "James Sutherland. Malden, Massachusetts. 10th Mountain Division."

He noticed Godfrey outranked him and added a, "Sir."

"Alan Godfrey. Mayapore, India. 1st Battalion, His Majesty's Royal Indian Engineers." Godfrey replied.

"We're being held in reserve, you boys are on the forward positions." Sutherland replied.

When Sutherland headed back to his unit, D'Artagnan turned back to Godfrey and said, "Elite unit my ass."

"You want to make something of it, Frenchie." Sutherland replied.

"Perhaps." D'Artagnan replied, "But someone was being arrogant."

"Hah, a Frenchman accuses us of arrogance…" Sutherland began.

"Both of you shut your traps. We're on the same bloody side here." Godfrey replied, with just a touch of irritation, "We've got the Germans, Italians and Japanese, plus whatever Heartless they have here about to come bearing down on us and you chaps can't help but argue."

The two officers looked at Godfrey askance, before they separated. "D'Artagnan, after this is over, if we survive this, you can punch him to your hearts content." Godfrey replied, "He is, after all, an arrogant young whelp."

"It would appear, Monsieur Godfrey, that we think alike." D'Artagnan began

"In some areas, D'Artagnan. But being an officer demands that cooler heads prevail." Godfrey replied, "Especially now."

"We have to warn the Morrowind." D'Artagnan replied.

"Head over there immediately, I'll meet you back here." Godfrey replied.

"Oui mon leutnant." D'Artagnan replied.

D'Artagnan departed as Godfrey checked the M1 Carbine in his hands, and the revolver at his side, remembering words of his father said to him many years ago, as a squad of Military Policemen from the American 1st Infantry Division marched by.

"My son, recall the proud line you descend from. Godfrey men have always been a line of fighting men, as soldiers of Britain."

Especially when it comes to those we care about. Godfrey replied, thinking of his friends on the Morrowind, and not just Prue.

"The Book of the Dead brings the dead back to life." Colonel Rourke began, "I'm sure the witch will want this to save her beloved."

"It's a possibility, yes." Imhotep replied.

"So the Dreamfinder being in the hands of the Morrowind's crew, with his ability to inspire plan and imagination, can work to our advantage. Let's just assume they found out just how you were raised from the dead." Rourke replied, "And if my knowledge is right, Lieutenant Godfrey is related to your longtime enemies, the O'Connell family."

"Set a trap for the witch, and the others follow. Very brilliant of you, Rourke." Imhotep replied, "You are proving yourself useful."

"But what if this trap fails?" Jafar quipped, "I would rather redouble efforts to capture the Dreamfinder."

"As if that succeeded." Oogie Boogie sniped, "I say we get help from the new Source."

"Are you insane?" Hades replied, "The Source of All Evil was vanquished twice by the Charmed Ones."

"The Source is far stronger than we think." Oogie Boogie protested, "Three mere witches cannot defeat the source of all evil."

"You would do well, Oogie Boogie, to bear in mind that the Halliwells are not 'mere witches', and that the oldest sister, Prue, has aligned herself with the wielder of the Keyblade and is causing more than enough trouble for our operations." Maleficent began.

"On another subject we have to operation to seize EPCOT's technology underway." Imhotep replied, "We have the element of surprise on our side."

"True, but technology versus a witch?" Jafar remarked, "And risking the Book of the Dead? It sounds like a bad gamble to me."

"She will throw all caution into the wind for her beloved." Hades said with a wolfish grin, "Trust me on this one. No matter how powerful or intelligent, humans will do anything to save those they love. It is their chief vulnerability."

"I don't want to risk our best weapon." Jafar remarked.

"Use it to raise the Source." Oogie Boogie replied, "And then he can kill the Halliwell witch once and for all."

"And have the Source turn against us. I don't think so!" Hades replied, "That's an even worse gamble Roach Bag."

"Why don't I just blow out your hair, Candle Brain?" Oogie Boogie snapped back.

"Why don't both of you shut up and stop acting like children." Jafar said, "Raising the Source with the Book of the Dead is out of the question."

"And who died and put you in charge, Jafar?" Oogie Boogie challenged.

"Don't make me pull out your stitches." Jafar replied.

"I'll help." Hades replied.

"Silence!" Maleficent ordered, "We are doing no such thing as raising the Source from the dead. He will invariably bite the hand that feeds him."

"He could rid us of the witch." Oogie Boogie replied.

"And in exchange he will subjugate us all." Maleficent replied, "For he doesn't share power. His agenda is different from ours. I would rather not run that risk."

"If all of us unite we can control the Source." Oogie Boogie protested.

"We are not discussing this again." Maleficent replied, "We are not raising the Source for the simple fact that he will exploit us."

The villains dispersed and as Oogie Boogie remained behind a shadowy apparition appeared before him.

"You were unsuccessful." The Source's spirit began.

"I know." Oogie Boogie replied.

"We need the Book of the Dead to bring me back." The Source replied.

"And will I gain what I hoped?" Oogie Boogie asked.

"Halloween Town will be yours, and the holiday you so crave will be yours as well." The Source replied.

"Maleficent said that you would subjugate us all." The Source replied.

"Perhaps," the Source replied, "But those who helped me return will be spared. After all I am not so heartless as to forget those who have helped me."

"Consider it done." Oogie Boogie replied.

"I will hold you to that." The Source replied.

"Whoa, wait." Prue began, "So you're saying the Germans, Italians, and Japanese together with the Heartless are converging around on Future World?"

"Exactly." D'Artagnan said.

"Where's Godfrey?" Prue asked.

"He's at HQ, and that's where I'll be as well. We have to stay, but you don't. Get out of here while you still can." D'Artagnan replied, "Come back for us if we survive."

"Kolopak, what do you think?" Kida asked.

"Who knows how powerful a force the Germans have mustered?" Mole began.

"Add the Italians and Japanese for spice." Cookie said, "It's a big risk, especially if they get the ship."

Kida nursed her infant, and then wiped her mouth as Cookie spoke.

"But we have not only all those Allied troops, but civilians caught in the crossfire." Prue began, "I for one don't want those innocents…"

"Prue we understand where you're coming from, but what if the enemy is victorious?" Vinny began.

"Vinny's right you know." Audrey replied, "You're not just putting yourself in danger. But you're also endangering Lal, Sora, and…"

"Audrey, I know. But we can't just leave all those innocents unprotected." Prue replied.

"The decision isn't ours to make though." Milo began.

"Milo, what are you talking about." Goofy countered, "It's all our decision."

"We have our inputs, but the call lies with Kolopak to make. He is the captain of this ship." Bertha replied.

"Kolopak, what do you think?" Prue asked.

The old Indian sat, no readable expression on his face, as the eyes of his crew all focused on him. An old 1903A1 Springfield bolt action rifle was across his knees as he breathed in and out.

The thatch huts burned swiftly into the sky. Running people of the Rubber Tree Tribe were being pursued by the Heartless. A young Kolopak returned from a hunting trip, watching the few warriors of the tribe being overwhelmed. He saw Leawak, a hulking mountain mass of a man strike a Bandit in the head with the heavy stone ax. He struck another running Shadow only to be impaled through the back by the sword of another Bandit. Blood issued from his mouth as four more Heartless ganged up on him, tearing Leawak apart.

Kolopak dropped to one knee, taking an arrow from his quiver and nocking it into his bow, pulling back the string and letting fly, hitting a Soldier Heartless in the neck, watching the creature bleed black blood into the dirt.

"FATHER!" Kolopak shouted as he saw Chakotay, an aged man in his fifties, his back against a tree and a stone studded war club in his hands. Five Heartless surrounded him, keeping their distance, for a sixth Soldier Heartless lay bludgeoned to death. The others saw that Chakotay, though an old man was still as formidable as a jaguar in battle.

Even from the distance, Kolopak saw the pain in Chakotay's eyes, could see blood from a wound. The Heartless circled him like jackals.

"Kolopak! Leave! Save yourself and the tribe!" Chakotay shouted.

"I can't leave you Father!" Kolopak shouted.

"Go my son! Do not allow my sacrifice to be in vain!" Chakotay shouted, pain creeping into his voice, but Kolopak could see the strength in his father.

A Shadow Heartless lunged, promptly taking a crack in the elbow from Chakotay's club. A Soldier Heartless stabbed claws into Chakotay's back and he let out a roar of pain.

Kolopak dropped to one knee, nocked his last arrow, taking aim and firing, hitting the Soldier Heartless through the left eye at sixty yards. The creature lay on the back, blood spurted from Chakotay's back and he dropped to one knee.

The four surviving Heartless rushed Chakotay's kneeling form, knocking his club loose. He took an obsidian knife from his belt and stabbed it right into the chin of a Shadow Heartless. The three others showed no mercy and clawed Chakotay to death. Kolopak couldn't look away, but he knew he had to be strong, he had to lead the tribe, what survived of it…

"Kolopak?" Vinny asked.

Both sides were compelling arguments. Leave and protect the Keyblade wielder and the Charmed One? Stay and risk losing the lives of his crewmen and his ship? Kolopak had grown up on the stories of what had happened to his tribe under the Aztecs, and later the Spaniards. He had seen firsthand the devastation the Heartless could wage on a world, the destruction of his village.

"I'll be damned if I allow any more losses to innocents." Kolopak replied, "But I want us to stay close to the ship. Vinny, how many of your explosive contraptions are still around?"

"A few dozen." Vinny replied, "I was up all night inventing."

"And you say the Walking Cherry Bombs stick to anything?" D'Artagnan asked.

"Yes." Vinny replied.

"Perfect if they decide to hit us with tanks." D'Artagnan replied, "I'll take some back to the Allies."

"I'll see if I can't rig up some more." Vinny replied.

"Audrey, help him out. Kida, you and Milo stay with the ship, keep her ready for takeoff, we may be needing to get aboard and into the air fast. Doc go through the armory and arm anyone who doesn't have powers or the Keyblade." Kolopak replied.

AN: Recall this is an AU World War II that Prue was reincarnated into…

TBC (Things with the Germans, Italians, Japanese and Heartless really come to a head with The Storm…)