The Reckoning
---Que: Awakening---
The hardworking villagers of Flower Bud Village felt a sudden chill in the air as an ominous shadow loomed over their fair land.
Slowly, the mechanical turning of wheels made its way towards Flower Bud Square. Many were perplexed as how to take this sudden change in atmosphere, but there were a select few who chose to tremble with fear. Filled with sudden curiosity, most of the villagers gathered around Flower Bud Square, towards the source of the eerie sound. In a matter of moments, a terrifying creature ruthlessly ran over the trees in its way, making its presence known. The villagers panicked at its mere sight.
It was a huge, mechanical golden chicken tank, tall enough to peck down upon the Blue Sky Ranch. Its disturbing eyes glared with sheer malice.
Suddenly, the shadowy atmosphere that enveloped the fear-stricken town was soon joined with echo of maniacal laughter. The villagers looked around to figure out the source of the omnipresent laughter, but their eyes were forced to look up once more at the golden chicken tank. The laughter grew louder as the devious mastermind slowly rose from atop the back of the tank.
"MWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
The villagers gasped upon the ghastly sight before them.
"Citizens of Flower Bud Village, your era of peace has ended, for now you belong to Rick, the Dark Overlord and Future Master of the World!" the spectacled villan proclaimed.
The villagers muttered amongst themselves with uncertainty.
"For long have I been ridiculed by an unwelcome populace with incessive teasing, taunting, and the writing of questionable fiction! But NO MORE! Now I have come to take my revenge upon this world by embracing my dark nature! And you shall ALL PAY!" he yelled.
Mayor Theodore, utterly shocked by Rick's madness, attempted to retreat on the spot.
"FIRST, I DEMAND TO SEE YOUR MAYOR!" Rick yelled.
The unfortunate Mayor gulped upon hearing this. A few desperate villagers then tossed him into clear sight of the village square, at the mercy of the Dark Overlord.
"...d-d-d-d-Dark Overlord Rick...for what reason do I have this pleasure?" Mayor Theodore stuttered.
Rick smirked. "As head of this town, you're the one who holds power over it, correct?" he asked.
Mayor Theodore nodded slowly as cold sweat dripped from his big black top hat.
"Good. Then you're clearly the go-to man to uphold a new decree." he grinned.
"I don't like the sound of this..." Mayor Theodore thought.
"Therefore, if I am to become the new power of this village, I am to eliminate the current power..."
The Mayor's body shook wildly upon hearing this.
"...that is, unless you agree to meet my carefully thought out demands, of course." Rick concluded.
"G-GO AHEAD AND NAME YOUR DEMANDS!" Mayor Theodore cried.
Pleased to see some cooperation from the mayor, Rick pulled out a parchment from beneath his flared black cape.
"Let's see... first off, I demand all the earnings from every single business, and the entire treasury to be handed to me posthaste! Secondly, I demand the Mayor's resignation from his position! Finally, I demand that all the unmarried women in the village to be offered to me for my personal worship!" Rick cried.
Mayor Theodore pondered over this proposition while the bachelors of the village grumbled angrily amongst themselves.
"Hmm... I really wouldn't care if all I had to do is give up my Mayor position. Heck, screw being mayor! All the villagers could just bring all their complaints to their new Overlord Rick! But give up my money? No way! I had suckers pay me gobs of money just to own some land! I'm never giving that up!" Mayor Theodore thought to himself.
He then remembered the giant chicken tank threatening to destroy the village and trembled with fear again.
"Then again..."
The Mayor then cleared his throat before offering an answer to his demands.
"Does this offering demand also include my one and only daughter, Maria?" Mayor Theodore gulped.
"OF COURSE!" Rick crowed. "I couldn't care less if people say she has an unexciting personality, I've seen her pictures and she looks cute with her long blue hair and proper grey dress!"
The Mayor stared at the evil Overlord with a vengeful look.
"That's the last straw! He can take away my position of power, he can take away my money, but there's no way he's taking the bundle and joy my late wife left me! She's the only one in this darn village that'll cook a decent me for me without charging me a dime!" he thought while conveniently forgetting that he has to pay for the ingredients himself. "There's no way I'm going to give up my free meals---er, my only daughter! Besides, who'll run the library without her around? I'm too busy pretending to do political stuff!"
He then stepped forward with utter confidence. "I WILL NEVER HAND OVER THIS BEAUTIFUL VILLAGE TO YOU!" he challenged.
The men of the village roared in agreement, with Dan stepping out among the crowd.
"That's right!" the lazy vineyard worked shouted, "And there's no way we'll hand over all the hot chicks of this town to you! Ever! Especially that voluptuous vixen, Eve!"
Rick smirked as he gave a single wave of his hand. The Chicken tank moved ever closer to the gathered villagers, then its great beak slammed downward, crashing its massive weight onto the helpless body of the town pick-up artist. After restoring itself to its proper position, Dan was horribly injured, but he was miraculously alive.
"I NEVER LIKED YOU OR YOUR FILTHY KIND!" Rick shouted in an insanely overzealous tone.
However, the last proposal of Rick's demands still enraged the single men of the village, and forced them to rally against their new adversary.
"Dan's right! Some evil poindexter like you doesn't deserve the love and adoration of our women!" Bob cried.
"We must not let Dan's sacrifice be in vain! I cannot let this madman take Maria from us!" Ray shouted.
"And don't forget Nina! Who knows if he's some sick, perverted pedophile, too!" Basil chimed in.
The poor, shaky Louis took offense at Bob's comment, but he was too afraid to either stand up for himself or join the others in battling the tank. He instead hid behind the back of his dear friend, Ann.
Meanwhile, the rest of the men then banded together to charge the chicken tank.
"If we attack from all sides, perhaps we can still stand a chance!" Doctor Alex proposed.
Suddenly, they all gave a desperate battle cry as the tried to surround the tank, but the Dark Overlord was too wise to fall for such a tactic.
"FIRE THE FEATHER VULCAN!" Rick ordered.
The mighty chicken tank flapped its wings and turned them sideways. Numerous massive cannons then emerged atop the wings and shot a volley of feather-shaped arrows, incapacitating all the valiant fighters.
"ALEX!" Nurse Gina cried as she rushed to her beloved's side.
"MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! DO YOU HONESTLY THINK SUCH AN ILL-CONCEIVED PLAN IS A MATCH FOR ME!" he gloated. "By the way, that last proposition was just a farce to bring out all the eligible bachelors out of hiding."
"What!" Ann shouted. "You mean you were planning to take them out from the start?"
"BUT OF COURSE, MY DEAR!" Rick smirked.
"Th-then... you intended to force us into being single, just so you would be the only man left standing? YOU FIEND!" Gina shouted as she still wept with a weakened Alex resting on her lap.
Eve scoffed. "You know, I was about to consider offering you my consoling services, however, what you have just done is unforgivable!"
"I WILL NEVER BE YOURS!" Maria shouted at the top of her lungs, although she was slightly flattered by the villain's earlier comment.
Rick laughed manically in triumph. "WHO CARES ABOUT YOU, NOW! WHAT MATTERED MOST IS THAT I ELIMINATED ALL THE MEN FROM FLOWER BUD VILLAGE WHO WOULD DARE DATE MY PRECIOUS SISTER! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
Maria pouted in disappointment while the other women muttered amongst themselves.
"He has a sister complex! That's just not right!" Gwen shouted
"Ewwww... incest!" Nina groaned. "He's a pervert!"
"SILENCE!"
The Dark Overlord's cry boomed throughout the land.
"After being brutally backstabbed by my last girlfriend, I've come to realize that most women in this world are conniving, backstabbing, and insensitive wenches! I have little need for dealing with the rest of you!" Rick shouted. "Besides, I already have a lovely young lady to be my loyal Queen, already!"
At that moment, an unconscious body rose up in front of the dastardly Rick, allowing him to embrace her in his arms.
"Ellen!" the entire village cried out in unison.
"That's right..." Rick uttered in a pleased tone. "With everything she has to offer, she will be the perfect Queen..."
He then proceeded to show her off in front of his vanquished foes in order to rub it in.
From the side, Lyla gasped in horror. "No! It's worse than what I thought before! He actually captured Carl's girlfriend! Please hurry, our sworn defenders of the peace!"
"YOU CRUEL... TWISTED... SISTER-LOVING... ELLEN-ABDUCTING... MAN-HATING PERVERT! YOU WON'T GET AWAY WITH THIS!" Ann shouted.
"Oooh... what do we have here?" Rick grinned. "It seems we have a foul-tempered girl with a big mouth."
He then took out a piece of paper that had profiles and photographs of Flower Bud Village's local inventors, which included Ann and Louis.
"You should be thankful that I can put you to use in a much higher calling, instead of simple enslavement like the rest. And I suppose your little boyfriend wouldn't mind aiding you in the contribution of my many spectacular inventions!"
"WHA! NOT ON YOUR LIFE!" Ann responded. "AND WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT! LOUIS ISN'T MY BOYFRIEND!"
While he grasped Ann's leg tightly, poor Louis knelt down, feeling depressed at his friend's recent claim.
"That's what you say... for now!" Rick answered back. "I'll just have to do a little adjustment to your mental processing like I'm about to do with Ellen dear, and then you'll be more than happy to work for me in my personal laboratory! And if your nervous little friend doesn't agree, I'll just have to assume that he's yet another savage wolf that will try to steal my precious sister away from me!"
The chicken tank then re-adjusted itself, then slowly opened its mechanical beak. "It's time I do a little pickup!" Rick remarked.
Once again, the chicken's head dropped downward, this time in an attempt to abduct the two helpless inventors. Louis shivered in fear while Ann's eyes dilated as she screamed in panic.
"FIRE!" a voice from afar shouted.
---Mute Music---
Suddenly, a big, emerald laser beam launched right into the chest of the mechanical chicken, pushing it back yards away, until it slammed harmlessly away from Ann and Louis. At the same time, impact shook up Rick's flailing body, but Ellen still remained unconscious. Somehow, the mechanical chicken's chest remained unscathed.
The aspiring villian blinked, feeling utterly dismayed. "WHAT THE---?"
"LOOK! UP IN THE SKY! AND COMING ALL AROUND US! IT'S... IT'S THEM!" Gina cried as she breathed a sigh of relief.
Lyla, too, felt her sense hoping rising. "You've made it! You've finally came!" she said to herself.
Figures approaching from the three paths into Flower Bud Square, and one in the sky, had officially made their presense known.
"THERE'S NO WAY WE'RE GONNA LET SOME STINGY NERD CONQUER OUR VILLAGE!" a voice from the heavens proclaimed. Flying high above the clouds was fuming girl dressed in black gothic-lollita attire with black bows in her curly red locks, and a black Papillion mask.
---Que: Destiny---
"THANK GOODNESS! IT'S THE KATIE DEFENSE FORCE!" Maria shouted.
"YOU BET YOUR TUSHIES WE ARE!" the cute crusader above announced before making a smooth landing on the ground. "I am the masked avenger of darkly-cute fashion! The holder of burning courage that engulfs evil, and the leader of our humble band! I am the possesser of demi-god strength I AM KATIE!"
From the path behind the bulletin board, another figure zoomed into the square with lightening-fast speed before performing an impressive quadruple back flip over the Goth Lolita avenger, making yet another perfect landing. This second avenger wore a dark violet mask along with a violet fedora and violet skintight suit, and some matching violet boots. Her long violet cape, along with her long blonde hair flowed in the breeze.
"I fight with the daring and awareness of the human spirit! I am the daredevil of the righteous soul, the acrobat of unwavering faith! My trusty chainsword lashes and slashes through the designs of darkness! My lightening reflexes are second to none! I am the Violet Fox!"
From the path facing the chicken tank, the villagers parted to allow their next heroine pass on through. This one had shoulder-length raven-black hair adorned with a white hair band. She also wore a white masquerade mask adorned with emeralds, and an angelic, flowing white gown.
"I carry out solemn judgment aided by the hopes and dreams of the innocent! Although I follow the humble path of servitude, my stalwart soul shall never waver in the face of evil! My mystical might shall overcome the will of corruption, and my emerald gaze shall pierce through the miasma of malice! I am the Angel of Hope! I am Arch-Diva!"
Finally, from the path approaching the front side of the bulletin board, a feisty figure ran headlong towards the crowd before skidding to a halt next to her companions.
She had dark brown hair with two curved ponytails held together by green ribbons. Her unmasked face revealed sparkling jade eyes and a charming smile. From the top of her head were two black cat ears, and from her back sprouted a black tail. She wore a black, sleeveless skirt along a green sash at the waste, and a green bowtie held up with a shining ruby broach.
"As for me? I am the feisty feline familiar of Asgard! My cleaver wit and fearsome fighting spirit will send you back into the deep abyss where you belong! My burning tenacity shall blaze a trail right through the heart of evil, For I am Rose!"
The four mighty heroines then got into a spectacular, presentable formation to conclude their introduction.
"TOGETHER, THE FOUR OF US MAKE FLOWER BUD'S CHAMPIONS OF JUSTICE! WE ARE THE KATIE DEFENSE FORCE!" they cried in unison as they struck individual, yet well-coordinated posses.
---Que: Picnic--
The villagers cheered while Rick stood by, completely uncaused.
"It's kinda funny how Katie from Cafe Callaway, and the Katie of this band share the same name. It's obvious that their not the same person though, because not only is this one wearing a mask that makes it hard to identify her, she doesn't loose her temper as often as our inspiring chef!" Duke remarked, which somehow got a reaction out of the gothic-lolita avenger.
"This is really making my head spin! Both Katies are just so cute... I just don't know which one I prefer!" Joe cried weakly.
"That Violet-clad Violet Fox sure is hot..." admitted Bob.
"There's just something about that long-haired crime fighter always agitated me for some reason..." Gwen thought as she scowled.
Gina watched the angelic superhero in awe. "I'm so proud of the peace Arch-Diva has brought to our fair city... and she looks so stunning in the gown I spent all night knitting for her..."
Alex gave a weak groan as he barely made out the figure of Arch-Diva. "Why does she look... so familiar?" he pondered.
At the front lines, Arch-Diva started fiddling with her fingers why she gazed at the floor with a blushing face. "Why did Gina insist on making this costume? I'm thankful for all the training she had me go through with my powers, but... this gown is a little too flashy for me. And why do I have this silly superhero name?" she thought in embarrassment.
The curious fisherman looked intensely at the feline familiar. "Wait a second! The Super Hero with the cat ears just looks like our new farmer, Rothe! She's not even wearing a mask like the rest of them! She just looks like some strange cosplayer!" he cried. "And for some strange reason, I'm starting to get a craving for Trix Cereal!"
Rose put her hand upon her hips and gave a hearty laugh. "Silly Fisherman! Trix are for kids!" she responded. "Not only that, but you are clearly mistaken about my identity! My name is Rose, while your farming friend's name is Rothe! I have no "th" in my name, and I doubt she has the genuine ears and tail of a cat like yours truly!"
Ray scratched his head. "But I don't see Rothe amongst the crowd, anywhere!" he shouted back.
The villagers muttered, and Rose quivered. "Ah, of course not! She's probably one of the smart ones that fled to the safety of their homes! The rest of you should do the same!"
Upon hearing this, the rest of the villagers spoke amongst themselves and pondered over whether or not they should follow Rose's advice.
Meanwhile, the Violet Fox and Katie were quarrelling over something.
"I wonder... why are we called the "Katie Defense Force", anyway? I mean, sure you're the leader and all, but it's still kinda overbearing to name the team after you!" Violet Fox complained.
"Why not? It was my boss Carl that formed our super powered team! If our commander believed this name is most appropriate for our team, then it should stay that way!" Katie rationalized.
"Oh, sure! Being our commander's favorite makes everything fair!" the Violet Fox remarked sarcastically.
"Shove it, Karen!" Katie scowled in a secret voice.
"STOP YOUR INCESSANT CHATTER!" Rick yelled.
---Mute Music---
The four super heroines turned to confront their invading villain. Their fierce gazes met Rick's with great intensity.
---Que: Trouble!---
"So, the greatest defense this Village has to offer is four young ladies in costumes?" Rick asked.
"Hey! You better watch it, pal! We're not just any four chicks, like some nutty pop stars! We're four girls with superpowers, and we know how to use them!" Rose argued.
"It is true that you possess incredible powers, but do you posses the skill to even challenge me?" Rick taunted.
Katie laughed boastfully in response. "Well, duh! We have awesome super powers, and what do you have? A lame chicken that's only gold plated! We outnumber you, AND we have better weapons at our disposal! It's obvious we're kicking your can today!"
After the Katie Defense Force exchanged more pleasantries with the villain, Rick and the Violet Fox exchanged troubled glances.
"I see... so SHE'S with them." Rick thought to himself. "This only furthers my desire to destroy these bothersome do-gooders."
"MWAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHA! I See you are utterly confident in the abilities of your team, Katie! Very well. Let us see what happens when I pit the genius of my golden chicken tank against your supernatural strengths!" Rick announced.
"YOU'VE GOT IT!" the Katie Defense force answered in unison.
Afterwards, their eager leader stepped forth and shook her fist at the Dark Overlord's he ran his hand through his short hair.
"BRING IT ON!" Katie declared.
END OF PART II