Author's Note
I'm back, folks! After many, many, many weeks of delay, I'm back in action again! Life has its problems, y'know? Anyway, this is the second chapter of the Deep Jungle Arc, and it will be implementing events from the previous film to add more drama to the story. Sorry to keep you fans waitin'. Hopefully, this chapter will make up for it. The next chapter won't take long, I promise. Thank you, and I hope you enjoy!
That's right! Kingdom Fairy Tail is NOT dead! I'm back in the game, baby!
Camp
"Sky Dragon's Roar!" Wendy breathed a powerful whirlwind spiraling straight ahead, and she was joined by Alzack and Bisca, armed and loaded with their magical guns. Not long after exiting the tent, the group was assaulted by Sabor once again, having returned for another outrageous hunting spree. On the menu, there was a Keyblade wielder, an ape man, a Sky God Slayer, an Exceed, two from the Disney Kingdom, and a family of Guns Magic wizards. Sabor was fiercely determined to feast on the flesh of those who dealt her a humiliating defeat earlier. Realizing that the leopard's threat became apparent, Jane, Professor Porter, and Asuka hid themselves in the safety of the tent, watching the fight from the flaps. The ensuing fight lasted for less than four minutes, and so far, the camp sported no degree of damage.
Sabor leapt over Wendy's Sky Dragon's Roar, only to be stung by a Homing Shot, courtesy of Bisca. With a terrible growl, the leopard executed an aerial recovery, and threw herself at Wendy, unsheathing her claws. The Sky Dragon Slayer turned just in time to see Sabor leaping at her. "Sky Dragon's Crushing Fang!" Transforming her hand into a sharp claw of wind, she ducked and scratched the leopard's belly, making her cringe.
"Guns Magic: Spark Shot!" Alzack fired a stream of electric bullets as an additional attack.
"Sky God's Boreas!" Sherria summoned a horizontal black tornado.
"Goofy Charge!" Goofy surged forth, using his shield as a battering ram.
"Fire!" Donald shot a fireball from his staff.
The combination of special attacks was a success, and Sabor collapsed to the ground, battered and bruised. Fueled by another boost of adrenaline that helped her ignore all the injuries, she stood back up on all fours and pounced again. She realized too late that Tarzan, the ape man who had been her sworn enemy after causing her a few displeasures in the past, counterattacked with his spear. The sharp end cut Sabor's right leg, and she landed on her paws after taking the blow. She noticed the bleeding injury on her leg, and growled at the one who defiled it. Tarzan responded with his own growl, which sounded exactly like another leopard's.
The two circled around, each trying to confuse the other. The tension was broken when Sabor charged in and attacked with her claws. Tarzan responded with precise body movements, swerving and ducking every strike. The leopard may be fast in attacks, but the ape man was cunning and swift, his experience in the jungle tampering his agility, his senses, and his willpower. A moment passed, and when Sabor became distracted after missing a claw swipe, Tarzan jabbed with his spear. A rain of sharp spikes landed on the leopard's fur, leaving deadly cuts in their wake. Tarzan ended the combo with a kick that sent her flying against the iron stove, ramming her body against it. She let out an agonizing roar, realizing that she couldn't bring herself to continue at this condition. Gathering her last bit of power, Sabor scurried away into the depths of the jungle, vowing to strike back another time.
Sherria wiped sweat from her forehead, "Phew, that spotted kitty is really bugging us."
Resting her rifle against her left shoulder, Bisca spoke, "Like we said before, she always comes back, growin' stronger by the minute. And it's times like these when we gotta stay on our toes."
Donald sighed, "Why am I not surprised that the jungle's full of nasty animals?"
Carla said dryly, "Obviously, the jungle is a breeding ground for the wild. Animals have long survived the harsh environment through their natural instincts."
Donald snarled, "Don't tell me what I know, Darla."
Carla corrected angrily, "It's Carla, you feathered twit."
Donald rolled his eyes, "Whatever."
Jane, Porter, and Asuka emerged from the tent. Looking around, they saw that the leopard was nowhere to be found, and breathed sighs of relief. Porter called out, "Ah, my friends! I see you've chased away the Panthera pardus with your magical abilities."
Alzack smiled, "Well, what do you expect from Fairy Tail wizards like us?"
Bisca stated, "Fightin' that leopard's like a walk in the park."
Asuka cheered, "Mommy, Daddy, you're the best!"
Bisca giggled, "Aww, thanks, sweetie."
Donald interjected, "Hey, now. Let's not forget that Goofy and I helped."
Carla scoffed, "Oh, please. You would have been just as useful standing on the sidelines."
Donald frowned, "Oh, yeah? What makes you think I'm the weakest link?"
Carla retorted, "With all due respect, as exceptional as your magic and skill on the battlefield is, they are matched only by your short temper and delusions of grandeur."
Donald's eyes widened, "Huh?! What's that supposed to mean?!"
Carla pointed out, "In all honesty, if I had to pick either you or Wendy, I would've chosen her as the role model of the team. She's calm, confident, and wise to make decisions, unlike you. I believed in Wendy all my life, and the child's never once led me astray. Even friends like Romeo and Sherria." Her face was stern, but the tone of her voice made it clear that she was setting things straight. "At any case, I see a spoiled brat trying to show off."
Donald argued, "That's not true! YOU'RE the one showing off with your pampered princess attitude and your bad legs! Same goes for Wendy and Sherria, who prance around, doing whatever the heck they wanna do, all day long. If you followed the rules like you're supposed to-"
Carla held up her right paw and interrupted him, "Stop. Just stop right there, Donald. You've deluded yourself long enough. Haven't you heard what I said earlier? Following the rules doesn't always guarantee the safety of lives. At times, one must throw a stone into waters to set things in motion. Not just for the team, but for everyone. For the outcome. Do you really believe that acting in such a manner is the best option? That taking control gives you the right? It doesn't." She paused to let this sink in, "It only divides us."
Donald stammered, "Y-You're wrong! I'm just doing what I feel is right for the team!"
Carla deadpanned, "Then why did you refuse to land the ship? If we hadn't, we never would've found some of our friends." She gestured to Alzack and Bisca to make her point. "This isn't just your team. It's everyone's team. Being in a team isn't about getting your way or proving superiority; it's about cooperation and respecting each other's wishes. After all, it was not due to your efforts that the Heartless and two dark guilds were dealt with, was it?" She added slyly, "Who is responsible for these achievements? Hmm? Who is it that made this possible?"
Donald's mouth opened and closed as he tried to find the right words to say. Finally, with a heavy sigh, he admitted something he never had before, "Goofy, Wendy, Sherria..." A brief pause, and he cringed at the last words, "...and you."
Carla confirmed, "That's what I thought. I'm glad you realized the error of your ways for once in your life. But I still haven't forgiven you for your impulsiveness, nor will I ask for your forgiveness. At least not yet. I suggest you take some time to contemplate it." She flapped her wings and flew out of Donald's way, having said her last word on the matter.
Impacted by the words Carla filled him with, the only thing Donald could do was to put his head down, his eyes focused on the dirt. Could it be true? Was he taking this a bit too far? Were his actions creating dissension among the team instead of helping them?
Wendy observed the minor argument with deep concern. That little fiasco in the Gummi Ship sparked tension between Carla and Donald, but as time passed, it began to lessen. It would appear that the white Exceed's speech got through to the royal court wizard. However, the rift was yet to be absolved. Her palm caressing her heart, Wendy whispered to herself, "I wish I could take my own advice..."
Jane broke the Sky Maiden out of her trance, "That flicker of magic you've displayed... Were you using those Dragon Slayer spells Alzack and Bisca told us about?"
Sherria spoke up, "Did she ever! Even with Sabor trying to cheat her way to victory, Wendy's the one with the plan. She totally kicked that cat's butt!"
Wendy giggled, "You mean, we kicked that cat's butt. And I'm not the one with the plan. Tarzan is. He helped us outsmart Sabor."
Goofy agreed, "Yup, all the credit goes to Tarzan. He's sharp, tough, and dancin' like a monkey. Didja see the way he handled that spear?" He banged his fist against his open palm for emphasis, "BAM! Got that cat right between the eyes!" He then laughed.
Sherria nodded, "Yeah, he's awesome." She playfully elbowed Tarzan's arm, causing him to flinch. "Am I right, Tarzan? Are you awesome or what?"
Tarzan titled his head slightly. "Awe... some...?"
Sherria realized, "Oh, right. English wasn't your first language." She cleared her throat, "'Awesome' means..." She folded her arms to think of how to explain. "Well, it's like, really, really great."
Tarzan took a moment to fully understand the meaning. He then looked at Sherria and smiled, "Awesome."
Sherria grinned, "Awesome!"
Alzack remarked, "He's learning fast."
Bisca agreed, "He's got a new teacher in Sherria."
Carla interjected, "We must stay focused on the task at hand. We are to follow Tarzan to the gorillas' nesting ground."
Alzack confirmed, "Right. We better get moving." He turned to the tent and motioned with his hand, "Asuka, time to go."
Bisca urged, "C'mon, sweetie. We're gonna do some explorin'."
Asuka called back, "Coming!" She hurried her way to her parents.
Wendy turned to Tarzan and implored, "Tarzan, lead the way."
With a slight grunt, the ape man scurried his way to the east exit of the campsite, and pointed towards the pathway. "This way. Follow me."
Just before leaving, Sherria walked over to Donald. She informed him with a snicker, "Hey, Donald... You wanna know why the Connells are friends with Jane and the professor? They let out where they're from. They told them everything; their backgrounds, their magic, our home world!" She then laughed, "Made your world order rule look like weaksauce!"
Donald was stunned by the Sky God Slayer's revelation. "WHAT?! YOU GOTTA BE KIDDING ME!"
Hippos' Lagoon
Wendy and her friends had been traveling deep into the jungle for at least half an hour. The journey was not easy, with obstacles in the form of barricading plants or strange manner of creatures from bugs to snakes, but they pressed on nonetheless. Tarzan led the way, and the others followed him close behind, aware that it wouldn't be difficult for them to get lost in the green depths. After a long journey, Wendy and company reached a small lagoon. There was a large river in which a herd of hippopotamuses were bathing in. Out of the water grew several thin trees with round platform-like leaves similar to the ones in Wonderland, providing a small amount of shade from any sunlight managing to stream through the thick tree canopy.
"Whoa..." Donald's eyes grew wide, his jaw dropping.
"This place is bee-yutiful," Goofy remarked, looking out over the waters.
"This is where the hippos made their home," Alzack explained. "They spend most of their time in the water."
"With help from Tarzan, we know our way around the place," Bisca stated. "We'd have to hop across the hippos' backs to get to places we haven't seen yet. So far, all we found are some trees with tops you can step on to reach high spots, and some ivy growin' on bigger trees, like the one next to us." She pointed a thumb at the tree to the left, "The ivy's easily climbable. It takes us to the treetops, where we can take a route back to the tree house."
"Wait a minute!" Donald interrupted. "Did you say, hop across the hippos' backs? As in, jumping on the backs of animals?" When Bisca nodded, his voice became frantic, "This is crazy! Do you know what's gonna happen if we do that? They'll snap at us!"
"If they're agitated, yes," Alzack nodded. "They say hippos are some of the most protective and dangerous animals."
"But nothin' we can't handle," Bisca grinned. "We can move around the lagoon by swimmin' or jumpin' from hippo to hippo, just as long as we don't step on their heads or scare away the babies."
"I don't think it's a good idea," Donald said nervously. "If they see us, they'll tear our heads off."
"Here are two fun facts about hippos," Sherria interjected. "Fact #1: They have plump and bulky bodies. Fact #2: When they're in the water, they hardly pay attention to anything."
"You guys always make excuses for animals and crazy stuff," Donald said in agitation. "We've been through that over and over..."
"Oh, c'mon!" Bisca cooed, playfully pinching Donald's cheek. "Didn't I tell ya to look at the bright side of things? An adventure's no fun if it's easy, and Fairy Tail's all about adventure."
"Well, Goofy did encourage him the last time we're in Wonderland," Carla pointed out.
"Yeah, he did," Donald nodded. "But we're not in Wonderland anymore. We're stuck in a totally different world."
"Hey, as long as we're together, we'll be okay," Goofy smiled.
"Do you have to bring that up?" Donald said dryly.
"So to get across, we either swim or jump from hippo to hippo, right?" Wendy asked. Alzack and Bisca answered with nods. "Will that take us to the gorillas?"
Tarzan pointed a finger straight ahead. On the other side of the river was another tree with climbable ivy. He said, "Gorillas straight ahead. Up the tree."
"A tree on the other side, huh?" Bisca asked. "Never tried that one before."
"Must be new," Alzack guessed.
"Um, Mr. and Mrs. Connell?" Wendy questioned. "I thought you knew your way around the jungle."
"Technically, we know our way around most of the jungle," Alzack clarified. "There are some places Tarzan didn't want us to get to, like the gorillas' nesting ground."
"Why didn't he let you go there?" Wendy wondered.
"From what we understand, the ape guy's tryin' to keep the nestin' ground a secret," Bisca answered. "There's a possibility they could get exposed to hungry predators. It's like he's keepin' a sacred law in the jungle."
"But all of a sudden, Tarzan changes his mind," Wendy replied. "He's taking us to the gorillas now. Maybe we can learn something from them..."
"So we gotta cross the river and get to the other side?" Goofy asked.
"Yeah, that's how it works," Bisca replied.
"Alright, time for some lagoon fun!" Sherria smiled.
"Hold on tight," Bisca glued Asuka into her arms. "It's gonna be a wet and bumpy ride."
"Okay..." Asuka said anxiously, hugging her mother.
"Here we go!" Wendy cried bravely. And with that, she and her companions made their trek through the river, traversing the hippos' backs with well-timed jumps. Each member of the group took turns, careful not to lose their footing or trample the line. Carla flew over the water with her wings, keeping a close eye on the others. During the venture, Wendy stopped on a section of land and found a treasure chest. When she opened it, she discovered more Dalmatian puppies.
Found Dalmatians. Numbers 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, and 27 returned home!
The group continued crossing the river, and upon reaching another section of land, they accessed the platform-like treetops as an alternate route, until they stopped a few inches from the ivy tree. Focusing their strength, they took a very long leap from the last treetop and made a perfect landing. Donald wasn't so lucky, however, and he ended up splashing into the water amongst a school of three baby hippos. When they saw the duck, they perceived him as a danger, and wailed to their mother for help. Eventually, the mother hippo received the message and turned her attention to the one who scared away her babies.
"Oh, hi there, Miss Hippo, ma'am," Donald stammered. "I didn't mean to..." He was silenced by a trumpeting sound from the hippo, the roar emitting a gust that blew over his face. She opened her huge jaws, revealing oddly sharp molars. Donald screamed in fright, dreading at the thought of being minced into food for the babies. In the nick of time, Sherria jumped and crashed her feet onto the hippo's nose, closing her mouth and forcing her to sink. "PULL ME UP! PULL ME UP! PULL ME UP!" Donald yelled frantically.
"Hold on!" Sherria grabbed Donald's hand, hoisting him up, before the two jumped back to solid ground, rejoining the gang. The hippo burst out of the water following the Sky God Slayer's distraction. Noticing that the duck took the hint, she flared her nostrils proudly and stormed away with her babies. Donald was relieved to have been spared a grisly fate, and at the same time, was trembling at how aggressive a hippo could be if riled up, telling himself not to underestimate these animals again.
Wendy knelt down to assess Donald's situation. "Are you okay?"
Donald shivered, "No kidding what you said about hippos being protective and dangerous..."
Bisca chuckled, "Never get on a hippo's bad side. It runs in the family."
Asuka giggled, "You're funny, Mr. Duck. I like you!"
Donald said sarcastically, "Gee, thanks."
Tarzan placed a comforting hand on the duck's shoulder. "Careful, don't disturb hippos."
Donald replied nonchalantly, "Yeah, sure." He then let out a deep sigh, "I wish I could fly."
Sherria noted, "But Donald, I thought you're a duck. Ducks can swim, walk, and fly."
Donald frowned, "Well, this duck doesn't fly. I'm a different kind of duck."
Carla smiled deviously, "Oh, how embarrassing. You can't even fly. What a shame."
Donald snapped, "You've got some nerve! You're always flying around, free as a bird, thinking you can get anywhere you want! It's not fair!"
Carla sneered, "Get used to it, duck. Not every living being in this universe is meant to fly."
Donald retorted, "Easy for you to say! I'm a master magician, but I can't fly. You're a wimpy shape-shifting cat with no talent in magic, but you can fly! As far as I'm concerned, we're even! Listen up, Carla..." He threw his pointing finger towards the white Exceed. He spat out his furious declaration, "As of today, you are my rival!"
"WHAAAAAAAATTTTTTTT?!" Wendy, Sherria, and Goofy exclaimed shockingly at the announcement. Tarzan, Alzack, Bisca, and Asuka were also flabbergasted.
"Sweet mother of Boreas!" Sherria shrieked. "All the arguing and bickering, and it comes down to this?!"
"I never thought we'd see the cat and the duck going at it," Alzack crossed his hips. "It all sounds familiar."
"Yep, just like old times," Bisca nodded. "Remember Natsu and Gray? They've been fightin' over which is better: fire or ice."
"They're really going to fight each other?" Wendy gasped. "This can't be happening!"
"What's the big deal, Wendy?" Sherria shrugged. "Anyone can get caught up in the excitement of competition."
"But that's wrong!" Wendy cried. "Friends shouldn't argue and fight over who's the best! They're supposed to work together and trust each other! Remember what Carla said in the tent?"
"Oh, we heard it, alright," Sherria nodded. "But I think Donald's head is in the clouds. Maybe he didn't hear it right."
"I gotta agree with Wendy," Goofy interjected. "It ain't a good thing for friends to horse around. Can't they just forgive and forget?"
"Can't we at least do something?" Wendy pleaded. "Anything to get them to stop fighting?"
"Hey, don't let it get to ya, kid," Bisca consoled. "I'm sure it'll turn around."
"Give them time, the fire will slow down," Alzack smiled. "For now, let them deal with it."
"But still..." Wendy said timidly.
"Rivalries happen every once and a while," Alzack stated. "It's only natural. It takes a lot for them to get used to things. When the going gets tough, they'll learn how to get along and put their differences aside. It's their problem, not ours. We shouldn't get in their way."
"He's got a point, Wendy," Bisca placed a hand on the Sky Dragon Slayer's shoulder. "This is somethin' they gotta handle on their own."
"But..." Wendy struggled for words, but it would seem that the Connells were setting the record straight. In the end, she relented with a sad sigh.
"Gawrsh..." Goofy worried.
Carla clicked her tongue, "You never learn, do you? I thought you were wise enough to know your place."
Donald countered, "This isn't about the team, cat. This is about you and me. I always knew we'd be rivals the moment you pushed me around the cockpit."
Carla scoffed, "Ha! If you were to steer the team the way you steer a ship, then we'd all be on the road to disaster!"
Sherria tried to interrupt, "Um, guys?"
Donald said cockily, "Yeah? Well, if I was meant to fly, I'd have a propeller on my head and a jet engine on my back. That way, I can fly faster than you."
Carla retorted, "Well, if that's how you feel, then why don't you conjure a spell that can make yourself fly? Though I doubt you have the capability..."
Sherria tried again, "Guys?"
Donald declared, "This duck's beaten things worse than Heartless or dark wizards! I have no problem proving it to you!"
Sherria raised the volume of her voice, "Guys!"
Carla sighed angrily, "You insist on showing off again? I have no time to play games with you!"
That was the last straw. Sherria screamed loudly, "GUYS!"
Carla and Donald froze for a second and turned to the Sky God Slayer. They said in unison, "Yes?"
Sherria asked, "What about the gorillas? Aren't we supposed to see them?"
Carla realized, "Oh, right."
Donald nodded, "Uh-huh."
"Wendy..." Tarzan called out, and the Sky Maiden turned to him. The ape man pointed at the growth of ivy and gestured towards the top of the tree, making climbing movements with his hands and pointing to the canopy.
"Climb up the tree, right?" Wendy asked. Tarzan merely nodded and smiled, offering to give her a boost. She stared at the ivy for a moment, before digging her hands into the plant, giving it a hard tug to test how sturdy it was. She then swung herself up onto it, finding holds for her hands and feet as quickly as she could, and climbed. "Hey, this is easy!" Wendy looked over her shoulder, down to where the rest of the group remained. She shuddered slightly upon seeing how high she had already climbed. Taking a deep, calming breath, the Sky Dragon Slayer called out, "It's okay, guys!" She swallowed hard, "Just... don't look down!"
"We'll keep up with ya, Wendy," Goofy promised.
"Lead the way, girl," Bisca encouraged.
"We're right behind you," Alzack assured.
"Should you need my wings, I'll be there," Carla offered.
"Yeah, sure. Fly up with your wings, while the snobs climb the ladder," Donald said sarcastically.
"Doesn't that make us the snobs?" Sherria raised an eyebrow.
"Let's just climb up," Carla sighed.
Vines
After climbing up a few inches, Wendy and company found themselves in the canopy, a higher area of the trees. There were vines dangling from higher roots, which swayed and moved in the breeze. Peering over the edge of the branch from which the group was standing, the ground was so far below, they could barely catch a sight. Wendy muttered in awe, "It's so high..."
Sherria pointed a finger, "Over there!" Wendy followed her direction, and the two saw the ocean rising over the trees from a clearing, a far blue blanket under a swift sun. "You can see the ocean from here. And the sky is pretty bright. You'd never find a view like this one."
Wendy agreed with a smile, "Definitely."
Tarzan moved a corner and motioned to the vines. "Use vines. Get around."
Goofy's jaw dropped, "Ya mean, we gotta swing 'em all the way?"
Carla affirmed, "Wherever Tarzan leads us, we must follow him by all means."
And so they did. For Tarzan, Alzack, and Bisca, it was a simple matter of swinging and jumping from one vine to the next. Asuka was secured in Alzack's arms, closing her eyes while muttering to herself, daring not to look down. Wendy, Goofy, and Sherria copied Tarzan and the Connells to less spectacular effect; every time they jumped, the vines would dangle and twist, their hands struggling to hold on. As for Carla, she elected to fly her over to keep up with the others. The group made their venture across the canopy, until they reached their destination.
As soon as they arrived safely, Wendy glanced around. "Did we make it?"
Tarzan silenced her with a raise of his hand. As his eyes scanned his surroundings, all he saw were branches of trees bent into loops or straight lines. Upon observing the countless leaves scattered in wider parts of the branches, he perceived them as nests. This indicated that the party had arrived at the gorillas' nesting ground. He expected one or two of them, even Kerchak, the leader of the troop, to appear any second.
But there was no gorilla in sight.
"Kerchak?" Tarzan called out. "Kerchak!"
He looked around, his breaths coming slow and steady. When using his voice proved implausible, his eyes and nose were his only two options. The gorillas were probably hiding under the leaves, too anxious to come out, simply lurking out of sight...
No sign was found. No presence was felt. No scent was caught. Even the wind seemed to hold its breath.
Tarzan paused, and bit by bit, the pieces were coming together. He looked back at Wendy, his expression mixing concern with regret. Wendy asked, "Tarzan? What's wrong?"
Tarzan paused, taking time to let his message sink in. "Gorillas left."
Wendy gasped, "They left? They were here?"
Tarzan explained, "Gorillas left nesting ground. Left to find something. Or someone."
Wendy wondered, "They're looking for something?"
Just then, a series of pops began echoing throughout the canopy. The group's attention turned to another clearing with a view of the tree house. From a distance, birds were seen flapping away from the roof. Tarzan's eyes peered through the source, an uncomfortable feeling rushing through his spine.
Sherria notified, "That came from the tree house."
Alzack stated, "It sounded just like a gunshot."
At that moment, Tarzan looked up, his eyes going wide. His nostrils flared, as though he had caught an interesting scent. "Clayton."
Bisca wondered, "Clayton? Is he up to his ol' target practice games again?"
Alzack suggested, "Only one way to find out. Let's go there."
Tree House
The young female gorilla plopped herself in the middle of the tree house, gazing in awe at the unusual surroundings. She turned her attention to the peculiar globe she pulled out among the boxes and crates. "What kind of primitive beasts are responsible for making such a nifty object?" the gorilla wondered out loud. Setting the globe in place, she poked the ball and backed away quickly, expecting something to happen. Interestingly enough, the sphere was spinning in place, until it stopped. Nothing else happened.
"Whoa..." the gorilla blinked. She moved back to the globe, one finger outstretched, and poked its surface again. Once again, the ball began to spin. A small smile crossed the gorilla's face, "Hey, this is fun!" She seated herself next to it and smacked the sphere, watching it spin faster and faster with each strike. She repeated the process, but would stop the ball with her other hand before hitting it again. She laughed lightly to herself, feeling content of her newfound game. "Man, I wish the guys could see this! Wherever they are..."
Three shotgun barrels glinted in the sunlight as the unknowing gorilla continued playing. They were held by three men in hunting outfits similar to Clayton's. The only differences were the masks worn around their mouths, each decorated into sharp fangs of carnivores. Several parts of their bodies bore a mark depicting a poacher stabbing a fang against a bleeding wild animal. The three stared at the unsuspecting creature with mysterious intent.
"That's it... Here, kitty, kitty..."
"This one's a beauty. It'll make a nice present for the boss."
"Set our weapons to stun. We're bringing in that gorilla."
The hunters aimed carefully. Their weapons were at the ready. Their fingers slowly reached their triggers. This was the perfect opportunity...
"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!"
The duck's voice was so loud and close to their ears, that the hunters jumped back with startled yells and fell onto their rears. By the time their fingers squeezed, the three bullets ended up blasting at the floorboards two feet away from the gorilla. The noise scared the creature out of her wits, forcing her to stumble backward, before climbing up the broken steps. Tarzan stepped inside and saw the gorilla reaching the second story. He opened his mouth slightly, his eyes widening in recognition. "Terk?"
"Tarzan!" the gorilla named Terkina, otherwise named Terk for short, recognized the ape man as well. She cried out in relief, "Tarzan, buddy! Thank goodness you're here! I've been so worried! So what brings you here? Did you bring the cavalry or something?"
"What are you doing here?" Tarzan asked incredulously. "I thought you were with the others!"
"Well, I was," Terk explained. "Until sometime in the morning, I got lost in the thicket while takin' a stroll. I couldn't even find you or the others anywhere. Where were you guys? How come you always left me out?! Seriously!" Her voice was tinged with agitation, until she resumed the topic, "Anyways, I was retracin' my steps. I just found this strange red rock , then I met this white animal with a flat mouth and some feathers. He scared the heck outta me, so I ran off, and..."
To everyone else present, the whole conversation between Tarzan and Terk merely consisted of grunts and hoots. Unbeknownst to the two, Wendy, Sherria, and Carla observed the scene. The white Exceed was the first to speak, "Tarzan is communicating with that gorilla in the form of animal language. It's similar to the word he spoke the first time we met him."
Wendy remarked, "Wow... That explains everything. The gorillas are his family."
Sherria cooed, "Aww, look at the adorable monkey! She's so cute! She even looks less scary than a Vulcan!"
Wendy giggled, "This is the first time I get to see a real gorilla! I haven't seen one in any zoo I visited."
Sherria nodded, "Me too. I wonder why there aren't any gorillas in any zoo in Fiore? Maybe they're in other countries?"
Carla stated, "Either way, we're lucky to have made it in time. If we hadn't, that gorilla would've been shot down."
Sherria mused, "Those mean men! How could they draw their guns against an innocent ape?"
Wendy smiled, "It's a good thing we stopped them."
Carla stroke her chin, "Speaking of..."
"What's the big idea?!" Donald demanded, jumping hysterically into the air. The hunters followed his voice, and they looked up to see Wendy, Donald, Goofy, Carla, Sherria, Alzack, Bisca, and Asuka looming above them.
"Hey, we're asking you the same thing!" the first hunter snapped. "Who the hell are you guys? How did you find us here?!"
"Whoa, hold on!" the second hunter interrupted. His eyes widened upon seeing the Sky Maiden, "That girl over there... Is that... Isn't she that Wendy girl? The girl with the Keyblade Lord Wrecker warned us about?"
"H-How did you know about me?!" Wendy gasped in shock. "And the Keyblade?!"
"What the... She is?!" the third hunter exclaimed.
"Yeah!" the second hunter nodded. "It's an exact match! It's all in the dossier!"
"Well, we'd better get her, then!" the third hunter urged.
"But dude, Lord Wrecker told us to tell him immediately if we found the Keyblade girl," the first hunter reminded. "Remember?"
"You idiot!" the second hunter whacked the first's head with his weapon. "Use your head! If we capture her, we'll get all the credit! Duh!"
"Right on," the third hunter agreed. "Let's rock these chumps!" He and the second raised their shotguns and aimed them at Wendy and company, about to fire. "Ready, aim-"
"Guns Magic: Tornado Shot!" Alzack drew his two guns and fired two wind bullets simultaneously, which merged into a powerful tornado that aimed for the two hunters. Upon impact, they were sent flying out of the tree house and into the sea of trees. The last hunter remaining took out a small gun from his pocket and fired a red bullet into the sky. Within five seconds, the bullet exploded into an enormous firework, scattering sparkling wisps into the air. The sparkles turned out to be magical, and they spread like locusts throughout the trees, exploding into miniature fireworks.
"Oooooooh..." Asuka observed the fireworks display in awe, oblivious of the impending danger. "Pretty lights..."
The hunter then pulled out a communication lacrima, and spoke to it urgently. "Calling all units! We need reinforce—"
The lacrima was shattered by a bullet from Alzack, who slammed the butt of his pistol against the hunter's face, knocking him out. Wendy looked over the beaten adversary, her chest heaving with uncertainty. "Who are these people?"
Alzack knelt down to inspect the unconscious hunter. His eyes widened when he spotted the mark on the assailant's left shoulder. "Poacher Fang!"
The rest of the group were surprised that another dark guild was on the prowl. "Poacher Fang?!"
Wendy asked nervously, "Another dark guild?"
Sherria stated, "I've heard of Poacher Fang. It's notorious for hunting down valuable beasts in Fiore and selling them for money, including endangered species. It also engaged in many illegal activities, such as assassination, weapons sales, inciting public unrest, and defacing public property."
Goofy gasped, "Gawrsh, it's a guild full of poachers and bad wizards?"
Sherria answered, "You got it. They have a knack for Guns Magic, too."
Donald quacked, "Wak! Seriously?!"
Alzack nodded, "It's the truth. They're Guns Magic wizards, just like us."
Sherria continued, "Everyone in Poacher Fang utilizes full use of magical weaponry. Their strategic moves and tactical genius makes them tough to beat!"
Bisca noted, "I reckon you know a whole lot about those bozos."
Sherria nodded, "Uh-huh. The last time my guild made contact with Poacher Fang, Cousin Sherry and Lyon took on a mission to protect a herd of giant moles. They held them off long enough to get the moles to safety, and they came back with a few injuries they sustained. Poacher Fang's got some serious firepower."
Donald asked nervously, "So the poacher guys are a super-team of professional hunters?"
Carla turned to Alzack and Bisca, "I take it you've encountered them as well."
Alzack answered, "That's right. Sabor isn't the only problem we had to deal with; Poacher Fang's on to us, too. They've sent scores of armed wizards after us. We've beaten a lot of them, and Tarzan helped us."
Bisca added in disgust, "It's bad enough we had to tango with a leopard and her bad attitude, but dancing with poachers? It's even worse!" She then grinned, "Still, it's worth the explorin'. We totaled a number of Poacher Fang wizards, and pressed on with flyin' colors."
Sherria smiled, "Well, that's good news."
Wendy asked, "Have you fought Poacher Fang before you left Earth-land?"
Alzack shook his head, "No, we only heard about it. The story about a dark guild illegally hunting animals and making weapon sales, and total experts in Guns Magic. Imagine a guild like that..."
Bisca stated, "The first time we met Poacher Fang, it was right after we crashed here. They've been hot on our trail ever since."
Goofy interjected, "Y'know, I think they mentioned somethin' about Wendy and the Keyblade."
Wendy cried, "Hold on! That means..."
Carla confirmed, "It's clearly obvious that Poacher Fang is working for the Alliance of Evil. It isn't the only dark guild with knowledge of Wendy and the Keyblade."
Sherria recalled, "Jester Jugular and Lantern Viscera..."
At that moment, the distant thunder of artillery sounded from the trees. From inside the tree house, the noises were clear enough for Tarzan and Terk to process.
"Hey, what's with the noise?" Terk asked. "Another stampede or somethin'?"
"Stay here," Tarzan suggested. "I'll go check it out." The gorilla nodded in agreement, and as the ape man headed outside for the balcony, she moved over the edge to see what the fuss was about. Tarzan regrouped with Wendy and the others, and shared their gaze towards the right. In the midst of this symphony of booms sounding in the distance, dozens of Poacher Fang wizards traversed the large branch leading up to the tree house, each equipped with guns and swords. As they ran, their cries of anger blended with the bullets they shot up in the sky, sending explosions in multiple directions.
"Dang it!" Bisca growled. "They've sent in the cavalry!" She eyed the unconscious Poacher Fang wizard next to her husband, "They're scouts!"
"Mommy, Daddy, look!" Asuka nudged Alzack's hand to get his attention. She jumped excitedly, pointing at the miniature explosions erupting in the sky. "More pretty lights!"
"EVERYBODY INSIDE!" Alzack yelled, grabbing Asuka and running back into the tree house. In an instant, explosions rocked the balcony, tearing apart any infrastructure nearby and scattering the wood into tiny fragments. It was fortunate that Wendy, Donald, Goofy, Tarzan, Carla, Sherria, and Bisca managed to escape from the balcony before the bullets made contact. They gathered at the center of the room, shock jolting their hearts. Terk, too, was startled by the surprise attack and hid behind a crate for her own safety.
Donald screamed, "WHAT THE HECK WAS THAT?!"
Sherria replied, "That's the serious firepower I mentioned earlier!"
Bisca nodded, "Yeah, we noticed."
Goofy wondered, "It can't get any worse, can it?"
Just then, bright flashes of light caught the group's attention. They looked up just in time to see wisps of black and white appearing out of thin air, dancing along the rafters. Terk was cowering even more at the sight of them. The wisps took the form of men in purple cloaks, their hoods covering the backs of their faces. Eventually, they landed on the floor, their own weapons at the ready, the magic mist surrounding their chests dissipating.
Goofy shivered, "Yup! It just did!"
Alzack shouted in alarm, "Sleepy Hollow?!"
Bisca demanded, "They're here, too?!"
Wendy gasped in surprise, "Those guys are from Sleepy Hollow?"
Bisca clarified, "Do you notice the purple-hooded coats they're wearin'? It's a symbol of their membership. There ain't no doubt about it. They're Sleepy Hollow wizards."
Wendy confirmed, "So that's what they look like..."
Alzack growled, "I can't believe we have to fight both a pack of illegal poachers and a bunch of Kaze Viriniam's lackeys. Damn... This is gonna be tougher than I thought!"
The commanding Sleepy Hollow wizard registered his demand, "Keyblade master! Wizards of Fairy Tail! Lackeys of King Mickey! Surrender immediately, and your lives will be spared. Lord Wrecker expects your presence."
Carla raised an eyebrow, "Wrecker?"
Alzack narrowed his eyes, "One of the Headless Horsemen, the top wizards we mentioned earlier."
At that moment, the Poacher Fang wizards emerged from the fire and smoke, filling the gap. Wendy and her friends were now arrayed in a tight circle as the dark wizards completely surrounded them. The leading Sleepy Hollow wizard repeated, "Surrender immediately! You've got nowhere to run!"
Donald complained, "You have GOT to be kidding me! We have to fight ALL OF THEM?!"
Carla smirked, "What's the matter, duck? I thought you wanted to prove your strength."
Donald protested, "This isn't what I had it mind! Can't you see the numbers? We'll get creamed!"
Carla groaned, "Oh, for the love of... Stop your whining this instant!"
Donald snapped, "You can't tell me what to do!"
Wendy suggested, "Guys! We're all in trouble right now, so we need to focus!"
Carla pointed out, "I was about to say the same thing."
Donald sighed, "Just my luck."
The leading Sleepy Hollow wizard ordered, "This is your final warning! Surrender now, or suffer the consequences!"
Wendy shouted defiantly, "Never!" With a swing of her arm, the Blue Mistral materialized in her hand. A few dark wizards recoiled at her refusal.
One of the Poacher Fang wizards jeered, "You dare to challenge us? Look at yourselves! There's all of us against a few of you!"
Wendy countered, "It doesn't matter how many you are. Fairy Tail's beaten a whole army before! We'll do it again right now!" She stanced with her Keyblade, "We're more than enough for you!"
Bisca smirked, "You're speakin' our language, kid. Think you can keep up with that key-shaped weapon of yours?" As the Sky Maiden nodded, the female gunslinger summoned her magic rifle. "Bring it on! We'll take you all on!"
Alzack instructed Asuka, "Asuka, hide behind the box. We got this."
Asuka complied, "Okay!" Hurrying her way to a nearby box, she ducked behind it, expecting the bout to be chaotic and turbulent.
Turning his attention to the dark wizards, Alzack loaded his two pistols, "Don't let the numbers fool ya. If you try to stop us, you'll be put down."
Sherria's hands pulsated with black wind, "Time for a jungle beatdown."
Tarzan drew his spear, "Tarzan, fight."
Goofy held up his shield, "Here goes nothin'..."
Carla shifted into her human form, "Come at us, you insolent thugs!"
Donald vigorously took out his staff, "Anyway, there's plenty for all. May the best duck win!"
Another Poacher Fang wizard cackled, "Heh, whatever. It's your funeral! GET 'EM!" The rest of the dark wizards erupted with shouts of anger as they threw themselves into battle. Despite the overwhelming numbers, Wendy and company made their valiant counterattack.
"Sonic Blade!" Charging at lightning speed, Wendy executed a number of successive Keyblade strikes.
"Guns Magic: Spark Shot!" Putting his two pistols together, Alzack dished out an array of sparking bullets.
"Guns Magic: Wide Shot!" Pumping her rifle, Bisca fired a single bullet that split into several dozen magical attacks in a wide area.
"Sky God's Bellow!" Absorbing air into her nostrils, Sherria breathed a powerful gust of black wind.
"Thunder!" Donald raised his staff, summoning a lightning bolt from the sky.
"Goofy Bash!" Goofy threw his shield, turning it into a homing disc.
"White Moon!" Carla performed a cartwheel similar to Wendy's.
"Raaarrggh!" With a ferocious yell, Tarzan charged and swung his spear.
Explosions and bodies flew around the tree house as Wendy and her friends, flexing the extent of their weapons and magic, took out the dark wizards one by one. Wendy combined her Sky Dragon Slayer Magic with the Keyblade, Donald decimated them with his magic, Goofy smacked them with his shield, Carla twisted them with her flexibility, Alzack and Bisca's bullets whizzed overhead, Tarzan jabbed with his spear, and Sherria smashed them with her Sky God Slayer Magic. Despite the increasing numbers of the Sleepy Hollow and Poacher Fang wizards, the heroes were an unstoppable force in constant motion. Terk and Asuka watched the whole scene unfold silently, and in awe.
As soon as the dust cleared, more than half of the army of dark wizards had been defeated. The last remaining enemies trembled in fear at seeing the group's strength and determination. Though it exhausted a fair amount of energy, Wendy and company sustained little injuries. Putting away the Blue Mistral, the Sky Maiden smiled proudly, "How's that, Poacher Fang and Sleepy Hollow? Never underestimate Fairy Tail wizards."
Bisca winked, "Unless you wanna eat lead, you'd better run! And go tell your boss that if he shows up, we'll be ready for 'im."
A Sleepy Hollow wizard commented, "C-Crud! That stung, man! That brat packs a wallop!"
Another Sleepy Hollow wizard snapped, "Well, what do you expect? She's the Keyblade bearer! She took out Lantern Viscera and Jester Jugular with no sweat!"
Sherria grinned, "Hey, thanks for the compliment."
The second Sleepy Hollow wizard yelled, "Shut up!"
A third Poacher Fang wizard suggested, "Dude, we'd better report to Lord Wrecker, right away!"
A Poacher Fang wizard agreed, "Damn straight! Retreat!"
And with that, the surviving dark wizards disappeared into the jungle, fated to never set foot on the tree house again.
Donald yelled, "Yeah, you better run! Don't mess with this duck!" A pound of his chest was his final message to the fleeing dark wizards, and he turned to Carla with a cocky expression. "Hey, guess what? I've beaten fifteen. Beat my record."
Reverting back to her original Exceed form, Carla responded, "I've defeated twenty-five."
Donald exclaimed loudly, "You WHAT?!"
Carla said dryly, "You heard me. I've defeated twenty-five. That concludes your silly little game. Satisfied?"
Donald growled, "You cheater! I want a rematch! No furball's gonna outscore me!"
Carla groaned, "Oh, give it a rest. There aren't any enemies to battle at this point."
Donald shouted, "Shut your trap! Anything you can do, I can do a hundred times better! You hear me?! I'll BEAT you!"
Carla folded her arms and turned away in disgust, "I do not have the luxury of competing with a stubborn and ill-tempered person such as you."
Donald retorted, "You're just scared that you can't beat me. What are you gonna do, dance with your legs? Fly like a little birdie? Yeah, that's right... It's the only thing you're good at! Flying around, kicking stuff, and playing the fancy cat all day long!"
Carla replied coldly, "Your insults mean nothing."
Donald mocked, "Awww, what's the matter, Carla? Gettin' chicken? You sure have the wings of such a bird!" He then made sounds of a chicken while dancing like one in a effort to make fun at the white Exceed's expense, before bursting into laughter. Still, Carla showed no signs of breaking.
Wendy watched the scene unfold with uneasiness gripping her heart. "How long is this going to last? Why can't they just say sorry to each other? I like it better if they get along as friends."
Bisca quipped, "Hey, if duck boy needs to blow off steam that bad, he'd have to take it out on some more Poachers and Sleepies."
Wendy gasped, "Don't encourage him, Mrs. Connell!"
Bisca laughed, "Just kiddin'! Though Carla and your duck pal don't get along fine, I'm positive there's a little crack in the rift. It's like Alzack and I said before. We gotta let nature take its course and give 'em time to open up."
Once again, Wendy struggled to find the right words for an argument. "But... Someone has to..." The wind stole her whispered words.
"Mommy! Daddy! You did it!" Asuka cheered, emerging from the box and jumping with joy in celebration of her parents' triumph.
"Not bad, huh?" Alzack smiled, putting away his magic guns. "Just what you'd expect from your mom and dad."
"What about that sweet little gorilla they tried to shoot?" Bisca asked, putting away her rifle. "We gotta check it out."
Relieved that the turmoil was over, Terk jumped from the second story and ran to Tarzan, pushing Goofy aside. "Whoa!" The young gorilla and the ape man began roughhousing as a result.
NOTE: The dialogue between Tarzan and the gorillas will be in italics, since it consisted of grunts and hoots.
"You sure showed 'em whose boss!" Terk cried happily, releasing her grip on Tarzan after a brief game. "Hope the others saw you in action. And don't try to make a habit out of it; there are other ways of gettin' attention, y'know?"
"I'll try to remember that," Tarzan confirmed. "It's good to see you, Terk."
Just then, Terk noticed Wendy and her friends. She walked over and was amazed to see someone who looked like her best friend. She and the other gorillas had never seen other humans before. But this wasn't the first time; it was the day she and several friends stumbled in the Porters' campsite and trashed the place like it was a playground, until they were called back to the nesting ground by Kerchak. But a crowd of humans? That's a different story. Terk muttered, "They look just like the woman we saw the other time... Who are they?"
"They're my friends," Tarzan answered. "I found them. They helped me fight the enemies off. Don't worry, they won't hurt you."
Terk looked at Wendy, who smiled at her and waved. She didn't know what to make of her— her strange fashion, her hairless skin, and the fact that she spoke a language different from her own. As she stared at the Sky Maiden and her companions, she noticed Donald among the crowd. "Hey, I know that guy... He's..." Terk recognized. She reached out, wanting to touch the newcomers in greeting.
"Aww, the cute little monkey..." Sherria adored. "She's so adorable!"
"You're so fuzzy and funny-looking," Asuka commented. "I like you!"
"Yeah, that gorilla's somethin' else," Bisca chuckled. "If the whole pack's here, it'd be a sight."
"I guess Clayton was wrong," Alzack confirmed. "Gorillas aren't as dangerous as he thought."
"Say, ain't that the gorilla we saw earlier?" Goofy asked Donald. "She dropped that gummi block before she left."
"Positive," Donald nodded. "I guess we have her to thank for it. The block she gave us is a clue to where the King is."
Tarzan observed the scene with a smile, confident that Terk would interact with his human friends. By a stroke of luck, a bridge between two worlds could open. But that moment of bliss did not last long as he had hoped, when his smile turned to shock.
Suddenly, Wendy felt a large gust of breath around her neck. "Is something breathing behind me, or is it just..." She turned around, and was horrified to discover what was behind her- a large silverback gorilla with black fur and grey skin, towering over the Sky Dragon Slayer with an angry look. It wasn't long before Donald, Goofy, Carla, Sherria, Alzack, Bisca, and Asuka took notice, and they shared Wendy's expression. "Oh, I..."
The enormous beast let out a loud roar, beating his chest like a drum as a warning. Everyone screamed in fright, some falling backwards from the scare. Asuka seemed to be screaming the loudest, as she rushed to Bisca and hugged her chest tightly, terrified at how aggressive the silverback gorilla was. Alzack stood in front of the beast with his wife behind him, taking a defensive stance.
"Wendy!" Carla rushed to her friend's side. "Are you alright?!"
"Gawrsh, that's one big, bulky gorilla!" Goofy commented. "Scary, too!"
"Jugding by the size, he must be the boss," Alzack stated. "He looks angry. And overprotective."
"The boss?" Bisca questioned. "You don't mean—"
"Kerchak..." Tarzan recognized the beast.
The silverback gorilla known as Kerchak bent down towards a startled Wendy. As he inched his face closer to hers, a single snort escaped his nostril. "Who are you?"
"U-Uh..." Wendy was speechless, unable to find the right words.
"Stay back!" Carla cried desperately, defending Wendy with her paws. "Don't you dare touch her!"
But instead of attacking, Kerchak simply smelled Wendy and Carla, and then looked up with another roar, this time directed towards Tarzan and Terk. "Where have you been? Are you away from the safety of our family again?" Terk's eyes widened in horror, and she shrank slightly before him.
"Kerchak, I can explain," Tarzan replied nervously. "This isn't what it looks like—"
"Enough! Everyone, let's move!" Kerchak hollered the order towards the balcony. Responding to the call were more gorillas standing outside, each coming in shapes and sizes. One of them, an adult female gorilla with brown fur, looked on with deep concern. Terk only stood in stunned silence until another gorilla came and grabbed her. By that point, the brown-furred gorilla tugged on Tarzan's arm, urging him to follow her. The ape man looked at Wendy and her friends, who looked back at him, confused by all that was happening. The female gorilla just continued to tug Tarzan's arm, until he finally followed her out of the tree house.
"Did you see that?" Sherria shrieked. "More gorillas!"
"Too bad we only got a minute to spend with them," Alzack admitted. "But yeah, it's a group."
"Well, it's a good thing we found 'em," Goofy stated. "We even know where their hangout is."
"Should we follow them?" Sherria asked.
"Are you crazy?!" Donald exclaimed. "Look at the size of that gorilla! He scared the daylights outta us! If he sees us, he'll mash us like potatoes!"
"I'm loathe to agree with Donald, but he's right," Carla nodded. "That giant gorilla is the leader of the pack, and he acts aggressively towards those who would threaten his kind. Even if we know the location of their nesting ground, our chances of interacting with the gorillas are slim, as long as their leader is around."
"We can at least try," Sherria encouraged, before she shuddered. "Geez, he's the exact size of a Vulcan. It would've been better if he's nice to us, like that cute little gorilla we saved."
"Is he gone?" Asuka looked up to Bisca, tears flowing down her cheeks. "Mommy, tell me he's gone."
"Yeah, he's gone," Bisca dried her daughter's cheeks while caressing them. "It's alright. He's gone now."
"Thank you..." Asuka sighed happily, resting her head into her mother's chest.
"Good girl," Alzack knelt down to Bisca's level, and gently patted Asuka's back.
"Wendy..." Carla turned her attention to the Sky Dragon Slayer. "I'm so relieved. I thought that gorilla pounded you to pieces."
"Me too," Wendy breathed, before standing back up to her feet. "He's so huge. It's like he's the boss or something."
"He is the boss," Carla clarified. "Before he left, he relayed a command to the other gorillas. We saw them outside."
"More gorillas?" Wendy asked in surprise. "They're here?"
"Yes," Carla responded. "They left a minute later. Tarzan followed."
"Tarzan?" Wendy grew concerned. "He left with them?"
"Unfortunately," Carla confessed with a sigh. "It appears we have much to catch up on."
Tent
"...and then, after holding off Poacher Fang and Sleepy Hollow, there were gorillas in the tree house." Wendy and company had returned to the campsite and explained everything that happened to Jane, Professor Porter, and Clayton. At the mention of gorillas, the explorers gasped in surprise, realizing that their friends from other worlds had seen what the three of them had been looking for all day.
Clayton grabbed Wendy's shoulders and shook them. He asked frantically, "You saw the gorillas?! Where?!"
Wendy was unsure how to respond at first. "Well, I..."
Alzack questioned, "Why do you want to see the gorillas so much, anyway?"
Sherria narrowed her eyes, "Let me guess. You wanna sell 'em to a zoo?"
Clayton scoffed, "Preposterous! I'd never do such a thing. But just imagine the money to be made on the table. Such rare creatures... A lovely sight for all to see."
Jane scolded, "For the last time, Mr. Clayton, we came here on this expedition to study gorillas, not hunt them and sell them to a zoo."
Bisca suggested, "Hey, I think it's best you hunt some other wild animal. Like the leopard that attacked us before we left. She'd make a nice attraction."
Clayton replied, "I would, Mrs. Connell, but I was a bit occupied at the moment."
Bisca raised an eyebrow, "Occupied, huh? What were you doing all this time?"
Clayton answered, "I was taking a lovely stroll around the safety parts of the jungle, minding my own business. I had no idea the campsite was under attack by a leopard."
Bisca confirmed suspiciously, "Uh-huh..."
Clayton turned to Wendy, "Now then, you would be so kind as to tell us where the gorillas are?"
Wendy paused before giving an honest response. "They're gone. Tarzan left with them."
Porter questioned, "Is that all, Wendy? You don't know where they went?"
Wendy nodded, "Yeah, that's it."
Porter pouted, "That's it? But we were so close..."
Sherria whispered to Carla, "Why didn't we tell them about the nesting ground?"
Carla whispered back, "There is a possibility the Poacher Fang and Sleepy Hollow guilds will follow us there. The gorillas will be endangered. Other than that, there's their leader. We cannot risk Jane and the professor coming into contact with them at this rate."
Sherria asked, "So we gotta keep our lips sealed about this one?"
Carla nodded, "It's for the best. At least until the time is right."
Realizing that the situation wasn't as easy as he thought, Clayton slowly backed out of the tent, wearing a false face of displeasure over the group's failure. "I'm very disappointed of your progress, Miss Marvell. You should know better."
Jane wondered, "Mr. Clayton? Where are you going?"
Clayton replied, "Don't let it concern you, Miss Porter. I just have a few loose ends that I need to tie up." With that, he threw the flaps and exited the tent. As soon as he was outside, his face twisted cruelly.
Bamboo Thicket
"Hmph! She's craftier than I anticipated! Wendy Marvell and her little band of meddlers have arrived at the Deep Jungle, as Master Viriniam said they would. She even decimated a combined force of the Poacher Fang guild and my own. Marvell does live up to her name as the chosen one."
"A little too much for a common soldier, don't you think?" In the solitary confines of the bamboo thicket, Clayton was conversing with a magical hologram of none other than one of the Headless Horsemen, Wrecker. "Nonetheless, much like Porter and his insipid daughter, the child remains completely unaware of our plans."
"Have you found the gorillas?" Wrecker asked.
"Regrettably, I haven't," Clayton admitted. "But I overheard a few of Miss Marvell's little friends. They claim to know the location of the gorillas' nesting ground. But they trust no one else to take us there."
"This could work to our advantage," Wrecker smirked. "Keeping you close to the expedition has proven most fortuitous, Mr. Clayton. They never suspected one of their own to be a member of the council."
"Remember our deal, Mr. Xalemon," Clayton said sternly. "I give you half of the gorillas so you can transform them into Heartless to serve the Alliance's every needs. I get the other half to sell them back home. 60:40, just as we agreed. And triple the payment!"
"Madam Maleficent and the Alliance have always bargained with you fairly, Mr. Clayton," Wrecker grinned. "We keep our promises. If we capture the gorillas, you can have as much as you'd like. In due time, we, the Alliance of Evil, will rule over all! Once we do, there'll be plenty of money to go around!"
"And what of Miss Marvell?" Clayton asked. "She poses quite a threat."
"Leave Marvell to me," Wrecker assured. "You just worry about the promised payment you'll receive. In the meantime, we'll let loose the Powerwilds on the jungle. We'll turn any gorilla we see into Heartless. They'll make the perfect soldiers, the most powerful additions to our army! If Marvell and her friends try to stop them, let them beware!"
"Just make sure the little brat is out of the picture!" Clayton demanded. "I'm wasting time and effort!"
"Don't worry," Wrecker cackled. "I have other plans."
Meanwhile, somewhere in the jungle...
Wrecker sat in a meditative state, a ghostly green mist projecting around his head. As he opened his eyes, the mist dissipated. He stood up and walked over to where a battalion of Sleepy Hollow wizards stood at attention. "Commander Xalemon, sir!" one of the wizards saluted.
"What news from Lord Clayton, sir?" another wizard asked.
"Summon the Heartless. We're turning this jungle inside out," Wrecker ordered, to which his subordinates nodded. He then motioned with his left hand, "Come along, my pet."
Wrecker's pet emerged from the shadows, revealing herself to be a certain leopard who stalked Wendy and her friends earlier...
Nesting Ground
In the gorillas' nesting ground, dozens of gorillas congregated among the trees, sharing their concerns for the newcomers that had recently arrived. Had they come to befriend them or harm them? Their worries were laid to rest by Kerchak, who stood before his subjects, addressing his new command for their safety. "Everyone," he announced. "More strangers have come. No matter what happens, we must avoid them. Do not let them see you, and do not seek them out."
Tarzan, who had accompanied the brown-furred female gorilla back to the nesting ground shortly after they left the tree house, gave his protest, "They mean us no harm, Kerchak."
"I'm not taking any chances, Tarzan," Kerchak replied sternly. "I don't know them."
"But I do," Tarzan reasoned. "I've spent time with them. I led them to our nesting ground."
"You WHAT?!" Kerchak demanded angrily.
"Kerchak, listen to what he has to say," the brown-furred gorilla implored.
"You can't keep defending him, Kala!" Kerchak said stubbornly.
"Please..." the female gorilla said gently. Her expression was grave, her eyes glimmering in sympathy for her adoptive son. Only then did Kerchak concede to listen, sighing before turning his gaze to Tarzan.
Tarzan took in a deep breath before speaking. "I know the nesting ground is secret, but I trust them. You see, I want to help them, because..." His voice was softer and humbler, "Because... Well, they need us."
"They need us?" Kerchak frowned. "That sounds like violating everything we stand for. I'm doing all I can to keep our family safe from harm. You may be willing to risk our safety, but I'm not."
"I don't understand!" Tarzan bellowed in frustration, standing before the gorilla leader. "Why are you threatened by anyone different from you?!"
Kerchak responded by growling at the ape man, glowering down on him. "Protect this family," he hissed. "And stay away from them."
Tarzan glared back at Kerchak, and he uttered an angry grunt as he turned the other way and left. Kala, Tarzan's adoptive mother, walked beside him. "Tarzan, are you really this desperate?" she asked. "Why do you insist on spending time with those creatures that look like you?"
"Because the more I do, the more I learn about myself," Tarzan replied. "You should've told me that a long time ago."
Kala gasped silently. She wasn't the only gorilla who knew that her son hailed from a different race. She wanted to tell the truth a long time ago, how she found him abandoned in the tree house and raised him from infancy, but now wasn't the time. Tarzan climbed up a tree and sat on the branch, looking towards the sun. Despite Kerchak's warnings, he had to keep on discovering his roots, even if it meant risking the safety of those around him.
Tent
"...and he whisked me away from the fleet of monkeys into the confines of a large tree!" Jane narrated her story to Wendy and company, sitting on one of the hammocks with a sketchbook in hand. "When the rain passed, he took me back to the camp, only to find it was a wreck, thanks in no small part to gorillas."
"You saw the gorillas?" Wendy asked. "Right after you met Tarzan?"
"Exactly," Jane nodded. "But they disappeared before my father arrived. I wanted to give him as much of a full detailed account of my first encounter with the ape man." She opened her sketchbook and presented a page with a drawn picture of Tarzan. "This is an exact image of what he looks like. The day I met him, he seemed confused at first, as if he'd never seen another human before. His eyes were intense and focused and..." As she stared at the frame, it felt like she was attracted to it. Her expression was laced with fascination, and her voice even more so. "I've never seen such eyes."
Professor Porter noticed this and smiled. He asked playfully, "Oh, shall we leave you and the sketchbook alone for a moment?"
"Daddy, stop it!" Jane giggled, though she was blushing when she said that. Several others present in the tent chuckled at her reaction.
"You like him, didn't you?" Sherria teased. "You're starting to get attracted to him!"
"Well, I..." Jane couldn't find the right words to say.
"Come on, Jane," Sherria smiled. "Tarzan's a wild guy, but he's the right guy for you. A jungle man and an explorer girl are obviously the perfect fit."
"You've been spending time with him, haven't you?" Wendy asked.
"Why, yes. Yes, I have," Jane answered, quickly regaining her composure. "He helped me when I tried to sketch some birds in the trees. He even taught me how to swing vines."
"I knew it!" Sherria beamed. "This is a sign of love! That you two are meant for each other!"
"I-I-I'm not saying that!" Jane tried to contain her blush. "It's not what you think!" She cleared her throat, having decided to change the subject. She turned to Wendy, "Now then, what's your story? What is your reason for trying to look for your missing friends?"
"Well, our world was attacked by strange creatures called Heartless," Wendy began. "We fought them off, and we found out who's responsible. It's the Alliance of Evil, made up of dark guilds. Sleepy Hollow and Poacher Fang are a part of it."
"Poacher Fang?" Porter said thoughtfully. "Are you referring to that band of unruly hunters who were offered no participation in this expedition?"
"You know them, too?" Wendy's eyes widened.
"You seem to know them quite well," Carla rubbed her chin.
"From what the Connells described, Poacher Fang is a band of illegal hunters from Earth-land who pursue animals," Jane explained. "They're wizards, just like you. They are unaffiliated with anyone expediting the jungle, and they act on their own accord. Poacher Fang comprises of trained, experienced hunters, much like Clayton."
"Is it possible Clayton's in league with Poacher Fang?" Alzack asked.
"He does carry a shotgun wherever he goes," Bisca pointed out.
"Oh, don't mind Mr. Clayton," Porter chuckled. "He would never ally with a group of ne'er-do-wells."
"Deep down, he's not such a bad person," Jane smiled. "Just a bit impetuous."
"Impetuous is right," Donald scoffed, folding his arms over his chest in a huff. "Never met someone more impetuous in my life."
"Uh, pardon me..." Goofy raised his hand to ask a question from Jane. "What's 'impetuous' mean?"
"If someone is impetuous, it means that the person acts hastily or rashly, or with sudden feeling," Jane answered. She placed one hand under her chin, attempting at a simpler way of putting it. "Abruptly and passionately, I suppose one could say."
"Oh!" Goofy exclaimed. "Y'mean, like Donald?"
"Hey!" Donald's eyes widened in anger and disbelief. "I'm not impetuous!"
"Keep telling yourself that, Donald," Carla smiled playfully.
"One of these days, cat..." Donald threatened under his breath. "I'm gonna kick you in the shin."
Just then, Tarzan entered the tent as quick as a flash, standing between Jane and Wendy. The Sky Maiden was the first to react, "Whoa! That was quick!"
"Tarzan, dear boy!" Porter beamed. "Where have you been?"
"He's been spendin' quality time with his ape family," Bisca responded. "Last time we saw 'im, it was the tree house."
"Jane," Tarzan uttered, approaching the young woman and brushing her hair.
"Oh, hello, Tarzan," Jane giggled bashfully, a slight flush growing across her cheeks.
"A-hyuck, I get what ya meant 'bout those personal boundaries," Goofy chuckled at the scene, with Wendy, Sherria, Alzack, Bisca, and Porter joining in. "Pretty cute, huh?"
"He still has a lot to learn about the human world," Carla implied. "After all, it's a jungle out there."
"This is love..." Sherria sighed passionately.
"Anyway, Tarzan..." Jane composed herself again. "I see you've led Wendy and the others to the gorillas."
"Will you take us to them?" Porter hoped.
Seeing how eager the explorers were, Tarzan took time to decide on this matter. He knew he couldn't take Jane to the gorillas' nesting ground, fearing that it might incur Kerchak's wrath if he found out what he was doing behind his back. Even his new friends chose not to share the details. Finally, he answered, "I can't."
"What...?" Porter was appalled by that answer. "You can't?"
"Why not, Tarzan?" Jane asked.
"Kerchak," Tarzan replied simply.
"That's the name of their leader, isn't it?" Jane rubbed her chin.
"Yes," Carla nodded. "He acts aggressively towards anyone different from his kind. We encountered him in the tree house."
"As long as he's around, it's hard to get you there without getting hurt," Wendy stated. She then sighed sadly, "I'm sorry, Jane... There's gotta be a way to get you close to the gorillas, since you wanted to see them so much. If only we could get the leader's respect, get him to like us..."
Suddenly, the sound of a gunshot rang loud and clear outside. Wendy and company jumped slightly at the noise. Asuka did not take the noise lightly, and she rushed to her mother's embrace for comfort. Tarzan, on the other hand, recognized the distant thunder, and made an assumption of what it belonged to. "Clayton!"
"Huh?" Wendy raised an eyebrow.
"Clayton," Tarzan repeated.
"How did you know it was him?" Wendy wondered.
"He thinks it means the sound of a gunshot," Jane chuckled. "Only he would make a noise like that. It sounded like he was shooting something outside camp." She crossed her hips thoughtfully, "But what?"
"If Clayton's doing the shootin', it's gonna be a mess," Bisca said.
"He'd better not try to hurt another sweet little gorilla, as Poacher Fang tried to do," Sherria hoped.
"Or maybe Poacher Fang's up to no good again," Wendy assumed. "If they're looking for gorillas, it's gonna be an even bigger mess." She added resolutely, "Either way, we should check it out! We can't let Poacher Fang get away with what they're doing!"
"She's right!" Goofy agreed. "We gotta help them gorillas, or those mean ol' poachers are gonna do somethin' to 'em."
"At least we now know what they're up to," Carla confirmed. "The Poacher Fang dark guild plots to capture the gorillas for a purpose unclear."
"I'm with you guys," Donald determined. "Besides, you're nothing without a master magician like me!"
"Sure we aren't," Carla said sarcastically.
"We're counting on you, dear friends!" Porter smiled. "We can't expect a fair expedition with those ruffians running loose."
"Good luck, Wendy, Tarzan," Jane encouraged. "We're counting on you."
"No problem," Wendy nodded with a smile.
"Can I come with you?" Asuka asked.
"Not this time, honey," Alzack answered. "You stay here with Jane and her father."
"Awww..." Asuka pouted. "But I wanna go with you."
"It's too dangerous," Alzack reasoned. "We don't want you to get hurt."
"We'll be back soon, sweetie. We promise," Bisca smiled. "In the meantime, you can help yourself with some of Jane's stuff."
"Okay..." Asuka sighed reluctantly.
"Alright, let's get going!" Wendy turned to the exit.
Camp
By the time they got outside, Wendy and her friends gasped upon seeing a surprising yet familiar sight. Not fifteen feet away from where the group stood was a swarm of monkey-like creatures bounding and bouncing swiftly around the camp. They were covered in blue fur, appearing lighter around their head and torso, and darker around their arms, legs, and long tails. The center part of their faces were pitch-black with jagged edges, and two glowing eyes were seen from them. The inner sections of their round ears were a light purple color, as were their large paws and feet, which ended with sharp claws. They seemed to be wearing golden bracelets and anklets, and a heart-shaped emblem was clearly seen emblazoned on their chests.
"Heartless!" Wendy exclaimed. "They're here too?!"
"It's so obvious!" Carla gritted her teeth. "Where do you think a dark guild from the Alliance of Evil had such an army at their disposal?"
"Whoa!" Alzack shouted in surprise. "So these are the Heartless creatures you talked about?"
"The nasty critters eatin' people hearts?" Bisca asked. "Those guys?"
"Notice the heart-shaped emblems?" Sherria gestured to the monkey-like Heartless. "It's definitely them!"
"They look like monkeys!" Goofy pointed out. "If they're monkeys, they'd be pretty tough. They're best at all fours!"
"Well, monkeys are some of the most versatile animals in existence," Carla stated. "With great speed and agility, they can be hard to hit."
"Hold on!" Donald cried in shock. "They'll be HARD TO HIT?!"
"By resemblance?" Carla responded. "Yes."
"Ah, phooey," Donald complained. "Things always had to be complicated, don't they?"
"Still not lookin' at the bright side?" Bisca teased. "Ya gotta have some sense of adventure or somethin'."
"It flew out the window when that crazy pink-haired girl crashed the ship," Donald pointed a thumb at Sherria. "And it wasn't even the first time."
"Hey, don't hate!" Sherria countered. "If I hadn't landed the ship, you never would've found that gummi block. Besides, isn't that a clue to where King Mickey is?"
"So it's thanks to you?" Donald raised an eyebrow.
The Sky God Slayer hesitated for a moment. "Well..."
"Whatever," Donald sighed in annoyance. "If the King's here, then we gotta search the whole place for him. Least of all, Wendy's band of magical bozos, like those two gunslingers and that alley cat with the spoiled princess attitude."
"I am not amused," Carla rolled her eyes, morphing into her human form.
"Um, hey..." Sherria stuttered, but the Sky Dragon Slayer stepped in irritably.
"Why do you keep calling her that?!" Wendy questioned angrily as the others turned to her. "Stop calling Carla names! She's a person, you know! She's our friend!"
"Oh, I'm sorry," Donald said sarcastically. "Would you like me to stop referring to this alley cat as an alley cat, or maybe this pussy cat as a pussy cat?"
"Guys, come on!" Sherria cried. "Can't you see we're in the middle of something?"
"Oh, we're in the middle of something, alright," Donald responded. "That crazy cat pushed me around, allowing you to crash the ship! Give her time, she'll probably fly away and leave us to starve in this no man's land."
"No, I mean, we're REALLY in the middle of something," Sherria clarified. "Those Heartless are dancing all over the camp. We gotta take care of 'em first."
"Precisely," Carla nodded, before casting a glare at Donald. "Talk is cheap. Be silent and fight."
"Oh, yeah?" Donald frowned. "You think you're better than me? I'll show you! It's time for some payback!" He pulled out his staff, "I challenge you to a contest! Whoever beats the most Heartless wins!"
"Talk is cheap," Carla repeated, before stancing for battle.
"They're still at it..." Wendy muttered to herself. "This is getting hopeless. When will it end?"
"Gawrsh, we're fightin' Heartless monkeys?" Goofy asked nervously, drawing his shield. "What's next?"
The monkey-like Heartless, identified as Powerwilds, weren't the only ruckus outside the Porters' tent. In the midst of this turmoil, a myriad of screeches came from an open pathway on the left. Wendy and company turned to see a young gorilla bounding towards them. As soon as it caught sight of Tarzan, its yells became less frantic and more direct as it called out the ape man's name in gorilla. Tarzan shifted his gaze in search of something behind the gorilla. The group's worst fears were realized as more Powerwilds entered the fray in pursuit of the gorilla, adding the count of Heartless to twenty-five!
"Another gorilla? More Heartless?!" Wendy shouted. "What's going on?!"
"Gorilla in danger. Chased away," Tarzan explained. He turned his attention to the gorilla, and spoke to it in their language, "What's wrong?"
"It's horrible!" the gorilla alerted. "Those creatures appeared out of nowhere, and they drove many of us out of the nesting ground! They're too fast, and their claws are sharp..."
Two Powerwilds pounced with their claws, threatening to tear apart the innocent gorilla. In response, Tarzan jumped and smacked them away with a swing of his spear. "Hide! Quick!" Not wanting to be told twice, the gorilla scurried its way around the stack of crates and hid behind it. Tarzan turned to Wendy and company, and spoke in English again, "We must protect gorilla."
"You got it!" Wendy agreed, summoning the Keyblade. "We'll protect your friend! You can count on it!"
"We'll just have to watch their movements," Carla informed. "Find an opening, and then strike as hard as we can."
"Sounds good to me!" Bisca pumped her magic shotgun. "Leave it to me and my trusty shotgun."
"Monkeys may be fast, but can they stand up to us?" Alzack loaded his two magic pistols. "Let's see what they're made of!"
"Come and get it, you dirty monkeys!" Sherria's fists glowed with Sky God Slayer Magic.
"Alright!" Donald yelled.
"Here we go!" Goofy shouted.
The Powerwilds confirmed the presence of the Keyblade master and her companions, before they charged. Everyone immediately armed themselves, using their respective weapons and magic to block the enemies' massively sharp claws. True to their resemblance as monkeys, the Powerwilds possessed great physical strength and agility, and they often struck with combination attacks. Some swiped at close range, some performed sliding dash attacks, and some leapt while swinging both claws down repeatedly. Though Wendy and the others experienced little difficultly in predicting the Powerwilds' moves, and even sustained a few hits, they managed to analyze their patterns in a short time.
During the battle, Tarzan knocked three Powerwilds away with a sharp push of his spear before pouncing on them, extending the tip. Goofy used his shield to cover for Donald, who furiously cast a Thunder spell on two Powerwilds, eradicating them. Donald then followed with Fire and Blizzard, destroying two more. Alzack and Bisca struggled to keep their distance in an effort to hit the Heartless at long range. They had been able to deflect a few assaults using their guns as shields, and when they reached a soft spot, the gunslinging couple fired and subdued several Powerwilds with magical bullets, before finally destroying them.
With Sky Dragon Slayer Magic supporting her agility, Wendy dispatched four Powerwilds with precise Keyblade combinations, followed by a Thunder spell. Sherria cast Sky God's Dance, summoning a spiral of black wind that flung three Powerwilds into the air, prompting the Sky Maiden to jump. Once in the air, Wendy destroyed one Powerwild with a 5-hit combo, finished the second with a Blizzard spell, and disintegrated the third with Sky Dragon's Roar. Carla performed a backflip that kicked another Powerwild in the air, and the Sky Dragon Slayer added to the combo by executing a Sonic Blade, eliminating it.
Meanwhile, Tarzan stood firm against five surrounding Powerwilds, driven by the desire to protect his gorilla companion. Upon dodging a few attacks, he managed to jab them away with his spear. Within seconds, the Heartless lost much of their vitality, and the ape man executed a series of jabs, dispatching them. Soon, only one Powerwild was left standing. It attempted to strike an unsuspecting Tarzan from behind with an aerial claw attack, but fortunately, Wendy disposed of it with a 5-hit Keyblade combination.
When the dust cleared, the Powerwilds were defeated. Once again, the camp sported no degree of damage. The gorilla emerged from its hiding spot, and was relieved to see that the Heartless were gone.
"Wendy!" Tarzan looked over to see the young Keyblade bearer who saved him from being a living scratching post.
"That was close..." Wendy sighed in relief, before putting away her Keyblade. "Are you okay?"
"Yes," Tarzan assured her, placing the base of his spear on the ground with a grin. "I'm... okay."
"Glad to hear it," Wendy smiled warmly.
"I think that's all of 'em," Bisca disarmed her rifle and wiped sweat from her forehead.
"They may be fast, but they didn't stand a chance," Alzack did the same with his guns.
"Well, there aren't any monkeys around here," Sherria grinned. "Poacher Fang's getting a little sloppy."
"I wouldn't let my guard down if I were you, Sherria," Carla morphed back into her Exceed form. "They could be anywhere."
"Hey, guess what?" Donald smirked at the white Exceed. "I've beaten five. How many have you taken out?"
"I have no say in this whatsoever," Carla crossed her arms and turned away.
"Ha! You admit that you lost!" Donald laughed proudly. "That means I win!"
"Hmph!" Carla ignored him.
Tarzan walked over to the gorilla and spoke with it in low, calm tones. "Are you okay?"
The gorilla replied, "I'm good. Thank you, Tarzan. I'd best go back to the nesting ground before Kerchak finds out I'm gone. Oh, and I found something along the way. I hope this will help." It handed something to Tarzan and said its goodbyes, before fleeing into the depths of the jungle.
Tarzan peered at the object curiously, before moving back to rejoin Wendy and the others. He urgently presented the object to the Sky Maiden. "Wendy!" Following his voice, they looked over to examine what he had in his possession.
Wendy gasped, "Is that...?"
Donald identified, "Another gummi block!"
Goofy asked, "Where'd you get this?"
Tarzan answered, "Gorilla thanks you. For saving her."
Sherria wondered, "Another female gorilla? I bet she's as cute as the one we saw."
Alzack smiled, "Either way, we saved another one. We're always on the job."
Donald offered, "I'll hang onto it." He took the gummi block from Tarzan and pocketed it.
Wendy said thoughtfully, "Guys, we can't leave the Heartless running around the jungle. They might hurt the other gorillas." A different worst-case scenario came into mind, "Or worse, they'll turn them into Heartless!"
Bisca agreed, "You got that right, kid. Chances are, more gorillas are in trouble out there." She added firmly, "Guess it's time to clean house and do a little exterminatin'."
Sherria asked, "What about Clayton? Shouldn't we be there for him?"
Donald grunted, "Who cares? He's a professional hunter. He can take care of himself."
Sherria raised her eyebrow, "I don't think a shotgun is enough to make a dent in them."
Carla nodded, "Agreed. The Heartless are no joke; they're unlike anything an ordinary human has ever faced before. There is a high probability that Clayton will be involved in the conflict."
Wendy determined, "Right! If we hurry, we can save them all. We have to find Mr. Clayton and protect the other gorillas. Let's hurry!"
"Yeah!" the rest of the group approved. And with that, they departed for the next location.
By the time Wendy and company disappeared from the camp, Jane and Professor Porter stepped outside the tent, looking around in search of any trace of commotion happening outside. Porter wondered, "By Jove, what just happened? I thought I heard the grunt of a gorilla..." Perhaps if they had been more attentive and checked outside, they would have found the focal point of their expedition.
Bamboo Thicket
A few minutes after navigating through the bamboo thicket, the group came out into a familiar clearing. The area was completely surrounded by bamboo, a mound placed in the middle. Donald and Goofy paused to look around, exchanging looks as they did so. Wendy saw the concerned looks on their faces and asked curiously, "What's up, guys?"
Goofy looked back at Wendy, "This is where me and Donald ended up after the crash."
Wendy nodded in understanding, "So that's where Mr. Clayton found you..."
"Guys, look!" Donald shouted in surprise, pointing at something next to the mound. Everyone had just discovered another helpless gorilla surrounded by another swarm of Powerwilds. The innocent creature was shrieking for help, prancing around as the Powerwilds prevented any chance of escape.
Alzack questioned, "They don't know when to quit, do they?"
Bisca shrugged, "It's worth a shot."
Wendy cried, "That gorilla's in danger! We gotta help!" With that said, the group armed themselves with their weapons and magic. True to Bisca's words, it's extermination time!
Hideaway
by Cash Cash
A-away-away
A-away-away
A-away-away
A-away-away
A-away-away
A-away-away
A-away-away
Away-away-ay
I won't hide away, don't try to lock me up
And nobody knows what's going wrong, we know
So get in my face and I won't turn away
Away-away
Away-away-ay
I'll never hide away
So take a shot at me
Out of my hands and let them understand
You better believe I'll never hide away
Away-away
Away-away-ay
Away-away
Away-away-ay
Away-away
Away-away-ay
You better believe I'll never hide away
Away-away
Away-away-ay
Away, away
Away, away
Away, away
Away, away
The Powerwilds came in numbers with their speed and tenacity, but much like the previous battle, it was an easy win for Wendy and her friends. After dodging or parrying many of the Powerwilds' crazy attacks, each of the group members retaliated; Wendy with her trusty Keyblade and Sky Dragon Slayer Magic, Donald with his magic spells, Goofy with his shield, Tarzan with his spear, Carla with her flexible human techniques, Sherria with her Sky God Slayer Magic, and Alzack and Bisca with their Guns Magic.
Of course, the Powerwilds weren't the only threat; a new type of Heartless named the Bouncywild entered the fray, boasting a distinctly feminine form and colors apart from the Powerwilds. They had soft brown fur, over which they wore a darker brown shirt with jagged edges. Bouncywilds also wore a gold choker and hoop earrings, a bright red bow on top of their head, and blue, yellow, and green bracelets and anklets. In spite of their initially cute appearance, the Bouncywilds were undoubtedly dangerous. They attacked with their slingshots from a relative long distance, as a support to the close-combat Powerwilds with whom they were often paired. The Bouncywilds scampered around in high speeds faster than Powerwilds, making them extremely hard to hit. Get too close to one, and a Bouncywild would run away while throwing banana peels on the floor. For instance, Wendy, Donald, Goofy, and Sherria slipped on a few banana peels, dropping a small amount of supplies in the process. Nonetheless, with careful planning and analysis, Wendy and company managed to put the breaks on the Bouncywilds' antics.
As time went by, things only got worse when wizards from the Poacher Fang and Sleepy Hollow guilds paired with the Heartless! It was apparent that the Heartless and the dark guilds shared a common purpose, and they coveted the gorillas for a sinister purpose. Despite the odds, Wendy and her friends pressed on...
I won't hide away, don't try to lock me up
And nobody knows what's going wrong, we know
So get in my face and I won't turn away
Away-away
Away-away-ay
I'll never hide away
So take a shot at me
Out of my hands and let them understand
You better believe I'll never hide away
Away-away
Away-away-ay
Away, away
Away, away
You better believe I'll never hide away
Away-away
Away-away-ay
I'll never hide away
So take a shot at me
Out of my hands and let them understand
You better believe I'll never hide away
Away-away
Away-away-ay
Out of my hands and let them understand
Away-away
Away-away-ay
Away-away
Away-away-ay
You better believe I'll never hide away
Away-away
Away-away-ay
Wendy and company traveled from area to area, from a thicket of bamboos to a cliff overseeing the waterfalls, from the highest tree to the deepest wood, saving the rest of the gorillas and defeating Heartless and dark wizards along the way. They managed to successfully defeat all of the enemies, rescuing the innocent gorillas in the process. In return, they gifted Wendy and her companions with various gummi blocks usable for customizing the Gummi Ship, or serving clues leading to King Mickey's whereabouts, as Donald and Goofy suggested. It was long and tiring, but the result was still satisfying.
Wendy smiled assuredly, "I think that's the last of them. The gorillas should be safe now." She then grew concerned, "But what about Mr. Clayton? He's been gone for a while, and Jane and Professor Porter are starting to get worried. I do hope he's okay..."
Carla confirmed, "I suppose the only thing left to do is look for him."
Donald grumbled, "Big deal. Why do we have to waste our time with him?" He narrowed his eyes as he turned his gaze on Carla, "He's as crazy as you are."
Carla retorted, "Clayton may be impetuous as Jane described, but that doesn't mean we'll leave him to his fate. There are lives at stake here, and we cannot stand idly by. Now stop complaining and let's go."
Donald groaned, "You wanna dance with the fancy shooting guy? Be my guest."
Just then, a gunshot echoed across the jungle. Everyone's eyes turned skyward as they listened to the loud noise, and a large flock of birds could be seen taking off into the clouds.
It came from the direction of the bamboo thicket.
Bamboo Thicket
Upon returning to the thicket, Wendy and company discovered something resting on the mound's surface. "Guys, look at this!" Wendy moved towards the mound and picked up the object. Tarzan, Donald, Goofy, Carla, Sherria, Alzack, and Bisca hurried to join her and gazed at what the young Sky Dragon Slayer had found; a large curved wooden pipe. "I think someone left it here."
Placing his spear on the dirt, Tarzan took the pipe into his hands and inspected it, running the tips of his fingers over its surface and smelling its aroma. "Clayton."
Wendy confirmed, "So he was here."
Goofy wondered, "But then, where is he now?"
Donald suggested, "Well, he couldn't have gotten too far..."
All of a sudden, Tarzan focused his attention on something else. Moments after analyzing the pipe, he tore his eyes away to notice a figure concealed within the stalks of bamboo. He stared at it for at least ten seconds while Wendy, Donald, and Goofy were discussing Clayton's pipe, trying to distinguish its features. Finally, it struck him.
"LOOK OUT!"
The rest of the group had little time to react. A loud roar suddenly pierced the air, and the figure popped out of the bamboo, flashing its claws in just a fraction of a second too late. Fortunately, Tarzan managed to push Wendy, Donald, Goofy, Carla, Sherria, Alzack, and Bisca out of harm's way, before drawing the creature's attention to him. As soon as they recovered, they noticed the creature and the ape man locking each other's eyes. The leopard Sabor had returned with a vengeance! She roared viciously, baring her teeth against the prey that bested her twice.
"Sabor!" Wendy and Tarzan yelled in unison.
"Not you again!" Alzack and Bisca shouted at once.
"What's the point in fighting this spotted kitty cat?" Sherria shrugged. "She's the fastest cat in the world, but she doesn't stand a chance. We've beaten her before. We'll beat her again!"
"I don't think it's that simple," Alzack shook his head. "Remember what we said before? Sabor grows stronger by the minute. She can even use magic."
"Wait a minute..." Wendy grew puzzled. "If she can use magic, why hasn't she used it yet?" She turned to Alzack and Bisca, "Have you seen her do it?"
"Oh, we did, alright," Bisca nodded. "No matter how many times she's brought down, she always stands up."
"Is she really that dangerous?" Wendy questioned.
"Since Alzack, Bisca, and Tarzan are the only ones witnessing Sabor's ability to channel magic, I'm beginning to wonder why she hasn't used it against us," Carla rubbed her chin. "She must've been testing us. It's as if something or someone sent her to monitor our every move."
Sabor began to growl, a threatening rumble deep within her throat. She looked over at Donald and Goofy, Carla and Sherria, Alzack and Bisca, and then at Wendy. It didn't take long for her to decide which would be easiest to make her next meal. Finally, she jumped in the air, set on ripping apart her first selection- Donald. Wailing loudly, he frantically pulled out his staff. But even as the weapon was pointed at Sabor's powerful figure, he was too afraid to be able to focus his energy.
"Sky Dragon's Wing Attack!" Her arms pulsating with torrents of wind, Wendy swung at the leopard, smacking her with great force.
"Guns Magic: Blast Bullet!" As quick as a flash, Alzack drew his two pistols and fired multiple bullets composed of a blue-colored flame, striking the wild animal repeatedly.
"Guns Magic: Homing Shot!" Summoning her magical sniper rifle, Bisca released a powerful bullet that zipped towards the leopard. At the end of the combination, Sabor was knocked away at an angle.
"Sonic Blade!" Wendy bounded forth with her Keyblade pointed horizontally, transforming into a lightning fast magical spike. The Sonic Blade ability was the one thing that matched Sabor's speed, and the leopard was initially surprised when she witnessed its capacity firsthand. But this time, from the experience she gained from past battles, she was ready to face it head on. Standing on all fours, Sabor swiped her claws, deflecting the Sonic Blade attacks in rapid succession. A minute later, she seized the opportunity to swipe below her weight, tripping Wendy off her feet, thus breaking the string of Sonic Blade attacks. "Sky Dragon's Claw!" However, the Sky Maiden counterattacked with her wind-fueled legs, smacking the leopard across the face, before flexing herself back up. With Sabor distracted, Wendy proceeded to repeatedly pummel her with the Keyblade. She cried furiously between strikes, "Stay down! Stay down! STAY DOWN!"
An endless amount of blows would've brought down an ordinary animal, but to Sabor, the Blue Mistral's attacks were beginning to feel less painful. Surprisingly, her skin simply cushioned the blows, bouncing the teeth of the weapon away. As Wendy grew fatigued after swinging the Keyblade countless times, she stared wide-eyed at the beast who had just defied her weapon. With that durability, an animal could easily withstand the tools of humanity designed to establish their rule over the animal kingdom. "How did you... Why can't you go down?!" Wendy demanded. No matter how many times she swung, Sabor felt like it was nothing.
"Wendy!" Alzack shouted urgently. "Get back!"
Their pleas fell on deaf ears for a moment, as Wendy stared wearily at Sabor's newfound strength. The leopard was looking at the girl with a sneer, a dominating look laced with pride and overconfidence. When another roar escaped her muzzle, her body simultaneously erupted with a barrier of magic that pushed Wendy away, knocking her to the ground.
"Wendy!" Carla morphed into her human form as she rushed to Wendy's aid.
"Hang on, kid! We're comin'!" Bisca and the others followed suit.
"Hyaaahh!" Just then, Tarzan bounded forward and wrapped Sabor in his arms before the others could provide their aid, locking her front limbs tight. He looked up at his teammates, who had regrouped around Wendy. "Go!" he implored, as he held the leopard fast.
"No!" Wendy shouted back. "We're not leaving you!"
Tarzan's eyes went wide in surprise. His grip on Sabor loosened slightly enough for her to break free. She turned to him furiously, and was about to vent her frustration. "Fire!" However, Wendy shot a homing fireball from the tip of the Keyblade, the projectile exploding on impact.
"Gotcha!" From behind, Sherria grabbed hold of Sabor's tail and threw her down to the ground with a rough yank. "Sky God's Bellow!" She then breathed an enormous gust of black wind, smashing the leopard and sending her rolling across the dirt, until she finally managed to catch herself back to her paws. She gave a defiant growl, simply shaking off Sherria's attack like it didn't affect her at all.
Donald was clearly amazed. "Wow. That's one tough cat. Dealing with a pampered princess cat is bad enough, but this wild cat?" He gestured a hand to Sabor to state his point. "It's even worse."
Carla crossed her hips and said playfully, "Oh, so now you admit I'm a dependable ally? That you dislike this cat more than me?"
Donald shook his head, "No way! I still don't like you. I could've handled that leopard all by myself."
Carla rolled her eyes, "Confident as you may be, you sound like you're throwing yourself into danger so rashly. You shouldn't let your pride cloud your judgment."
Donald frowned, "I didn't ask for your advice, cat. Quite frankly, I don't need—"
He was interrupted when he heard Goofy yell, "Donald, behind you!" The duck looked over his shoulder and saw Sabor shooting towards him with her claws.
"WHOA!" Donald yelped, holding his staff to brace himself.
"Look out!" Wasting no time, Carla quickly jumped and formed her two legs into a missile drop kick, smacking Sabor in midair. She then turned to Donald with a stern expression, "You were saying?"
"Whatever, lady," Donald grumbled. "Like I said, I could've handled that on my own."
"Fine," Carla sighed. "I won't stop you. If you wish to fight Sabor alone, then you may. We'll see the totality of your actions." She then turned to Sabor, and delivered a series of fast kicks against Sabor, dazing the animal. Donald only clenched his fists at his sides, unable to say anything in response.
"Goofy Charge!" Goofy followed with a charging shield attack, bashing the leopard by the skull.
"Guns Magic: Wide Shot!" Bisca then shot a stream of widespread bullets.
"Guns Magic: Spark Shot!" Alzack loaded his guns with electric bullets and fired.
"Blizzard!" Wendy launched a stream of icy crystals from the Keyblade.
"Fire!" Donald shot a fireball from his staff.
"Yah!" Tarzan jabbed with his spear seven times, and then finished with a kick. The combination of attacks heavily damaged Sabor and sent her crashing against the mound. But despite the inflicting pain, she slowly went back to her paws, and glared with a menacing growl.
Sherria breathed, "Whoa... She gets back up like it was nothing."
Donald complained, "You're kidding me! We've dealt a lot of damage, and she gets up easily?"
Wendy wondered, "How does she get up after all those attacks? It's like they don't have any effect on her!"
Goofy worried, "Alzack and Bisca ain't kiddin' what they said about this kitty bein' pretty tough..."
Carla assumed, "It must've been a side-effect of the magic Sabor learned to channel."
Tarzan was speechless at how much stronger Sabor seemed to have become, the leopard who had caused misfortune to his family of gorillas for a long time. Regardless of the danger, he stood firm with his spear, expecting another attack.
Just then, Sabor's eyes shifted from yellow to red, as they did before in the tree house, and her growl became even more menacing. It sounded like another animal had joined the hunt, and then another, and the number kept increasing...
Bisca tensed, "Uh-oh Look like someone's gettin' angry."
Alzack muttered, "What is she up to this time...?"
At that moment, Sabor exploded with the same dark energy she emitted earlier. The roar sounded more vicious and inhumane, and a crimson aura revolved around her body, symbolizing how far she had pushed her limits.
But Donald wasn't going to buy that excuse. "So what if she can use magic? We can take out that oversized furball, no problem! Just leave it to me!" He raised his staff in the air and gave a loud shout to the heavens, "Thunder!" Right on cue, the lightning bolt rained from the sky and zapped Sabor where she stood. Unfortunately, the aura surrounding her skin made her impervious to almost any kind of magic. The lightning simply flowed around her legs, a few jolts striking the ground and the surrounding leaves. It took seconds for Donald to realize that his spell had no effect. "Come on! Thunder!" Another lightning bolt. No effect. "THUNDER! THUNDER! THUNDEEEERRR!" More lightning bolts. No effect. "BLIZZARD! FIRE!" He resorted to using different kinds of magic. No effect.
The aura quickly absorbed the magic. It fueled Sabor's vitality, and allowed the blanket to grow into an electrical field of multicolored energy. The electricity sparked, jolts dancing around the bamboo thicket. Sabor inhaled deeply, letting a tremendous amount of air fill her nostrils. As she breathed, the energy converted into a fireball that grew almost twice her size. Wendy and company jumped at this new development, while Donald was on a frenzy, summoning an array of spells against the leopard out of desperation. She just stood there, absorbing his magic into her, multiplying her power. "COME ON!" Donald roared. "IS THAT ALL YOU GOT?! IS THAT ALL YOU—"
"Donald, no!" Wendy screamed in horror. "Get back!"
"DONALD!" Goofy yelled. "NOOOOOOOO!"
TOO LATE! Sabor released the beam, the energy compressed of multiple elements combined into a single magic. The group ducked to avoid it, but Donald wasn't so lucky; he was directly hit by the blast as he screamed in agonizing pain. Any stalks of bamboo caught in the beam's vicinity were reduced to ash. When the energy dissipated, Donald was completely burnt to a crisp, and he collapsed in exhaustion.
Everyone stood to their feet, their eyes shooting wide open at the leopard's sudden growth of power, but more so at Donald's predicament. "DONALD!"
Sherria quivered, "Okay, so she can eat and breathe magic, just like us God Slayers and Dragon Slayers. Totally scary!"
Carla gritted her teeth, "What kind of animal is she? She nearly incinerated Donald..."
Alzack stated, "He's still alive, at least. But that blast knocked him out real hard."
Goofy mused, "Gawrsh, now we get what you're sayin' about Sabor usin' real magic..."
Bisca nodded, "That's Sabor for ya— she's a magical loose cannon."
Carla shouted, "What's the matter with that feathered buffoon?! He could've been killed!"
Wendy gasped in surprise, "Huh? Carla, are you actually showing concern for Donald? After all you two have been through?"
Carla replied sternly, "Why wouldn't I? His behavior is intolerable, and he rushes without thinking things through. Above all else, he is hot-headed, impatient, hyperactive..."
Wendy wondered, "Carla...?"
Carla cut her off, "...and don't even get me started on his capacity for magic. And I suppose he can be a bit..." She cleared her throat, "...difficult... but I can't deny that Donald is a dependable ally. We never would've made it this far without him, especially Goofy. If only that duck would stop showing off and coordinate accordingly with our team, I'd be able to..." She finished with a deep sigh, "...open up to him."
Wendy smiled, "Donald's not trying to show off. He wanted to help us."
Carla admitted, "That may be the case. He just needs to control himself and think before he acts."
The Sky Maiden was touched by Carla's change of attitude. Given the right push, the divide between the white Exceed and the royal court magician would lessen, leading to an opportunity for amending their initial hostilities. Perhaps Alzack and Bisca were right; it wouldn't take long before the fire would die out. "Deep down, she still cares..." Just then, a loud growl caught Wendy's attention, and she turned to see Sabor circling with Tarzan, the beast's eyes flicking from one target to another. "Tarzan!"
With a motion of his hand, Tarzan gave an urgent warning. "Stay back!"
Ethereal magic surging through her, Sabor made the first move by spewing an array of fireballs, forcing the ape man to back away. With the natural habitat tampering his agility, Tarzan jumped and pranced around to avoid each of the projectiles. But eventually, he was struck by one of them and knocked across the thicket. He landed and slid across the dirt. Guided by a boost of adrenaline, Sabor approached Tarzan at breakneck speed, and attempted to swipe at him. He got up just in time to jump out of the way, and he swung his spear downward, the momentum propelling him. The sharp end left a cutting trail against Sabor's skin, but it showed no signs of peeling. "Raaaarrggghh!" With a ferocious cry, Tarzan thrust his spear in a jury, dealing an excessive amount of cuts across the leopard's body. Again, the skin wasn't peeled in spite of the number. With Tarzan at a disadvantage, Sabor dug her magic-powered claws across Tarzan's chest, the scratching pain much more devastating than before. What followed was a lightning fast claw combination that tortured the ape man. Next, the leopard's crimson aura flowed all over her body, and she discharged it in the form of a large magnetic field of elemental energy, damaging Tarzan with a thousand ethereal jolts. Finally, Sabor ended the combo with another ethereal beam from her mouth. Tarzan then sprawled to the ground, decimated and unable to move.
The remaining teammates yelled in horror, "TARZAN!"
Alzack snarled, "Why, you...! How dare you! Guns Magic: Tornado Shot!"
Bisca yelled, "It's payback time! Guns Magic: Homing Shot!"
Sherria affirmed, "I'm with you! Sky God's Bellow!"
Wendy raised her Keyblade aloft, "Thunder!"
Goofy joined in, "Goofy Bash!"
Flexing the extent of their weapons and magic, Wendy and company made a desperate attempt to bring down Sabor, but none succeeded. The animal's near invulnerability and endurance ultimately trumped everything they could dish out, and she retaliated; Alzack was fried to bits by the leopard's ethereal breath, Bisca was pummeled by a rain of claws, and Goofy was blasted away by a magnetic field. Wendy, Sherria, and Carla suffered Sabor's wrath as well, but the three managed to keep themselves alive for the remainder of the battle; Wendy and Carla healed themselves with Hi-Potions, while Sherria's regenerative powers kicked in. The disadvantage of the group filled Sabor with confidence. She knew what she was capable of, and knew her time was at hand.
Sherria whined, "Oh, this is hopeless! We can't keep up with her!"
Carla questioned, "How does Sabor gain those new powers? She can absorb magic to increase her strength, and redirect it into energy. Her only disadvantage is her speed."
Wendy spoke up in surprise, "Wait, what did you say?"
Carla repeated, "Her only disadvantage is her speed. Every time Sabor attacks, she appears to be slowing down."
Wendy rubbed her chin thoughtfully, repeating Carla's description of Sabor's strengths and weaknesses. "Speed... Speed..." Finally, an idea popped into her mind. "That's it!"
Sherria wondered, "Huh? What's up?"
Carla asked, "Do you have a plan?"
Wendy explained, "Her attacks are strong, but her speed is weak. I guess there's only one thing to do at a time like this..."
Sherria gasped in realization, "You're gonna..."
Wendy nodded, "That's right! I'm using the Command Style!"
Sherria asked worriedly, "But what if she absorbs your Command Style, too?"
Wendy insisted, "I'll have to try! Sabor hasn't experienced a Command Style yet. I'm gonna give her a demonstration."
Carla confirmed, "Very well, then. We'll leave Sabor to you. Good luck, Wendy."
Sherria encouraged, "You can do it, girl. We believe in you."
Taking her friends' words to heart, Wendy focused her attention on Sabor, who gave her a malicious hiss that provoked her to tremble before the might of the most ferocious beast in the jungle. However, the Sky Maiden simply adjusted her hold on the Keyblade, responding to the leopard's threat with a defiant glare. "This is it," she thought. "For Tarzan and the rest of my friends, I won't lose!" Suddenly, Sabor made a dash. "Blue Mistral Command Style: Skyward Wing!" In the same instant the leopard pounced, Wendy's body exploded in a flash of blue light. The beast was forced to squeeze her eyes shut at the deafening brightness. By the time she peeled them open, she was surprised to find that the Sky Maiden was gone. If all else failed, she relied on her nose to trace Wendy's scent. She then turned around to see the young Keyblade wielder floating in the air, supported by crystal wings and armed with a glimmering white sword.
But Wendy wasn't the only one who came prepared. Sabor roared again, the crimson aura furiously spreading. The ethereal energy grew stronger and bigger by the minute. And then, it happened! The aura's color shifted from red to purple, and the leopard's fur ripped itself apart. Spikes popped out from the back and legs until finally, the remaining yellow fabric dissolved into flames, revealing the rest of her bizarrely new outline. The cunning hunter of the jungle had taken the form of something beyond the precepts of nature— a spiked demon with purple scales, golden claws, and fangs stained with the color of blood. Wendy, Carla, and Sherria were visibly shocked by this transformation.
Sherria yelped, "Yikes! Now she's ever bigger and scarier than before!"
Carla exclaimed, "I can't believe it! This is Sabor's ultimate form!"
Wendy shook her head, "I don't care how scary or tough she is. I'm ready for her! I'll give it everything I've got!" She turned to Sabor's new form and pointed the edge of the Keyblade against her, issuing her declaration. "Get ready, Sabor! Here I come!"
Sherria cheered, "Go, Wendy! Go get her!"
Carla advised, "Keep your guard up, child!"
At the start of the duel, Wendy and Sabor flew into each other and clashed furiously at high speeds, the Keyblade and claws harmonizing into a symphony of clangs that resonated throughout the bamboo thicket. "Wind Step!" Once the clash came to a close, the Sky Maiden teleported behind Sabor, but before she could reach her, the demonic leopard bounced to the side of the thicket. As she jumped again, she spun like a drill and ricocheted like a pinball, bouncing around the thicket! Wendy's eyes widened at this and she Wind Stepped again, whisking over to the left. The spinning drill continued to bounce and fly, the Sky Dragon Slayer Wind Stepping or deflecting with her Keyblade to avoid getting hit. When Sabor landed, Wendy saw her chance and whisked towards the leopard, ready to attack. Before she could do so, however, Sabor suddenly emitted another magnetic field, knocking her backwards. She took advantage of Wendy's distracted state with a swipe in the back of the head, knocking her down onto the ground face-first.
While Wendy was lying on the dirt, Sabor charged her ethereal breath again. Sherria glared at the leopard; not only had she taken advantage of her best friend's speed, but she was hurt because of that dirty trick. Before Sabor could finish firing her attack, Sherria yelled at her, "Hey, you! Sky God's Boreas!" Forming her hands together, she summoned a black tornado that hit Sabor by the face. The attack didn't really faze her, but the black wind from the tornado scattered and spread out over her eyes, temporarily blinding her. As Sabor attempted to recover from her blindness, Sherria looked over at Wendy, who was just beginning to recover. She called, "Get her now, Wendy!" The Sky Maiden looked up, and upon seeing the state Sabor was in, she leapt to her feet and flew towards her. Then, in one swift motion, she unleashed a hypersonic Keyblade combination that devastated the demonic leopard, the edge of the white blade somehow capable of penetrating the skin. With a final swing, Sabor was sent crashing into the mound, shattering into pieces.
Wendy breathed a sigh of relief. She nodded in appreciation for the Sky God Slayer, "Thanks, Sherria."
Sherria winked her eye in response, "That's what friends do. Now, you ready to kick that cat's butt for real?"
Wendy gave a determined nod, "Yeah!" She shot after Sabor, who had recovered from her weakened state. The demonic leopard was heavily shocked. She couldn't understand; she was supposed to be invincible! Her new powers gave her the capacity to withstand even the strongest attack, and yet, Wendy's Command Style abilities were able to harm her. But she didn't care. All that mattered to Sabor was to hunt down Wendy, to devour her, to eat her flesh.
Both Wendy and Sabor engaged in another high-speed clash that spanned the thicket. A minute later, the wild beast unleashed a string of attacks from ethereal fireballs to a magnetic field, and even her signature ethereal breath attack and her spinning drill move. Wendy managed to avoid them all with a series of Wind Steps and defensive swings. Afterwards, Sabor was stunned after exhausting so much energy, and Wendy executed another hypersonic Keyblade combination, damaging the leopard further and sending her down to the dirt, where she rolled and flopped around a bit before righting herself again.
Wendy determined, "This is it! If I keep this up...!"
Carla beamed, "Sabor will finally be defeated!"
Sherria whispered, "Let's hope so..."
With all the moderate wounds she sustained, Sabor began to roar in frustration. Accompanied by her absolute rage, the violet aura erupted into insurmountable levels, and it discharged into a magnetic field that surrounded the entire bamboo thicket! The ethereal electricity subdued Wendy, the gravity forcing her down to the ground. For the first time, her Crystal Wings actually failed to support her flight. She cried, "Huh?! I... I can't move!"
Carla and Sherria were also affected by the magnetic field's powerful force as they struggled to defend themselves. The Sky God Slayer grunted, "Ugh! That's one crazy cat!"
Carla indicated, "Sabor's magic field restrains Wendy's movements! At this rate...!"
Coupled by the magnetic field's restraining energy, Sabor inhaled and began charging another ethereal breath attack, only growing three times her size! Wendy's eyes widened at the sight of the electric sphere surrounding the leopard's open mouth. Given that the magnetic field was halting her movements, she had to come up with other ideas. "This is not good... If it hits, it's all over. There's gotta be a way! But I can't move... How I am gonna..." She then glanced at some of the Crystal Wings on her back, "Wait a minute..."
Sabor had been waiting for this moment. Wendy was down for the count. One release of her ultimate attack, and it would be the end for her. Carla and Sherria shrieked in unison, fearing for the end.
The beam fired.
"Crystal Wing Shield: Sky Cloth!" Seconds before the ethereal blast reached her, Wendy made a swift motion of her hand, allowing the Crystal Wings to assimilate and form into a virtually indestructible shield of crystal! The shield blew the ethereal beam backward, until it bounced upward, impacting the magnetic field! With a loud explosion, the field surrounding the thicket was gone. Carla and Sherria stood in awe and surprise at Wendy's new ability.
"Wow!" Sherria remarked. "That's a cool new shield! Where'd you get it?"
"Well, I mixed my Crystal Wings into a shield to protect myself," Wendy answered. "A thought just came to me."
"Once again, you continue to amaze me," Carla admired. "You're a quick learner."
"No time to waste!" Wendy reminded. "I gotta finish this one!" She turned to Sabor, who had wasted much of her strength and energy following her last-ditch effort to end the battle in a flash. But now, it was Wendy's turn to deliver the finishing blow. Transforming her Sky Cloth back into Crystal Wings, she adjusted her Keyblade. "Here we go! Command Style Critical Art: Great Dragon Wind!" The Blue Mistral compressed itself into a small floating orb. It zipped forward and swirled around Sabor, leaving behind a trail of gusts. Within seconds, the orb popped into a colossal stream as it rose into the air, forming a tornado with the leopard trapped inside! Startled by the Sky Maiden's counterattack, Sabor attempted to escape from the rising pillar of wind. However, upon making contact with the wind, she received cuts in its wake. She tried to claw her way out, even unleash a magnetic field or an ethereal blast, but the tornado could not be severed. It kept on growing into an impassable wall that cut everything it touched. Sabor could do nothing but watch helplessly; she was furious at her situation, and was running out of options. She had been humiliated by the Keyblade bearer, taken advantage of! And now, she was trapped in a cage. In the end, the Great Dragon Wind constructed the head of a dragon that rained down on the hapless leopard. It pierced through her body, before crushing the rest of it in its jaws. A powerful explosion occurred, the tornado vanishing afterwards...
Strangely enough, Sabor was still standing on her paws when the wind scattered. A large crack was located in the center of her body, the hole connecting the back and chest. Every ounce of bloodlust seemed to drain from Sabor's face as it contorted in pain. The destructive blows of the Skyward Wing seemed to had taken a toll on her physical and mental health. Regardless, her eyes were still set on Wendy, who grew fatigued when she deactivated her Command Style, Carla and Sherria rushing to her side. The adrenaline kept on flowing, and her primal instincts urged her not to stop.
Sherria complained, "Oh, great! Just when we thought this was all over!"
Carla asked the exhausted Sky Dragon Slayer, "Can you use your Command Style again?"
Wendy answered wearily, "I can't. I used up too much energy..."
Carla took a defensive stance, "Don't worry, Wendy. We'll protect you."
Sherria followed suit, "Yeah! We won't stop until she's down!"
With one last roar, Sabor charged forward, her fangs bared. The three began to brace themselves...
But the leopard got no closer. Instead, her muzzle was held up high by the tip of a spear, the spike penetrating the brain! Wendy, Carla, and Sherria were dismayed by the setback, and they turned to whoever plunged the spear. It was Tarzan, who regained a bit of consciousness and plunged the spear before the beast could strike. Sabor gasped, and made a movement to try and grasp the spear. Her vision was blurry, the view of her prey fading into shapes and shadows. Then she made a choking gurgle, gave up her futile attempt to save herself, and finally let her head bend down. Her eyes returned to their original color, and the last flames of primal fury died.
A crack from where the spear broke through was created in the leopard's forehead. It grew and began to spread throughout the back, and then the legs. Static electricity jolted around the body, as it turned red and glowed.
"Watch out! She's gonna blow!" Sherria screamed. She swung her fist, sending Sabor flying out of the spear's end. The leopard flipped over several more times before she inflated into one enormous POP, random spasms of magic scattering about until they faded.
Sabor, the cunning hunter of the jungle, was no more. The only remainder of her existence was a broken fang. Wendy, Carla, Sherria, and Tarzan let out a loud sigh of relief, content that the vicious leopard would trouble them no longer.
Sherria whooped, "Woo-hoo! We did it! That was great! Way to go, Wendy!" She gave a friendly pat on the Sky Maiden's back for good measure. "Serves that mean ol' cat right! You beat her good!"
Carla corrected, "Don't you mean, we beat her good? Wendy only damaged her. Tarzan delivered the final blow." She rubbed her chin in deep thought, "When he struck her through the head, I never expected her magic to spiral out of control..." She then reverted back to her original form as an Exceed.
Wendy smiled, "I never would've beaten Sabor without you guys. We really are a great team!"
Sherria agreed, "Uh-huh, nothing in this or any world's gonna stop us!"
Carla affirmed, "Now that Sabor is eliminated, we can focus on our objective."
Wendy turned to Tarzan, who used his spear as a support beam to force himself up despite the extent of his injuries. She said, "Thank you, Tarzan. You saved us."
Tarzan grinned, "You're welcome, Wendy. Wendy very brave. It's... okay."
Wendy giggled shyly, "Aww, it was nothing."
Carla suggested, "But first, we must tend to the wounded." She gestured to Donald, Goofy, Alzack, and Bisca, who were unconscious during the battle.
Sherria grinned, "This looks like a job for our stock of healing potions and Wendy's Sky Magic. The doctor is in the house."
Wendy nodded, "Definitely."
Five minutes later...
Thanks to the miraculous healing powers of Hi-Potions and Wendy's Sky Dragon's Healing Spell, the rest of the party had been restored to perfect health. When Wendy, Carla, Sherria, and Tarzan explained the details of the battle's final moments, the party members were relieved, though some were disappointed that they missed the action. Donald groaned, "You should've saved some for me..."
Carla suggested, "Calm yourself, Donald. You need to be patient. You'll get your chance."
Donald questioned, "Huh? One minute, you're acting mean and snobby, and all of a sudden, you're complimenting me?" He scratched his head in confusion, "I don't understand you sometimes."
Carla admitted, "I don't understand you, either. But I suppose we can agree on something. To think before acting is the key to success."
Donald sighed, "I know. I didn't realize Sabor's a super-tough cat until she hit me with her magic. I was so focused on her, I didn't know what I was thinking or doing. And it's all her fault."
Carla nodded, "Well, I'm glad you shifted the blame to someone else. And that you've learned your lesson. Your short temper and inability to make decisions are a sign of profound weakness. If I were you, I'd ask help from friends to decide the best course of action, to determine what is best. So, what are your plans afterwards? Another contest, I suppose?"
Donald shook his head, "Nah, I think I'll pass. For some reason, I'm not in it for the competition anymore."
Carla grinned a little, "I'm glad you saw it my way."
Donald muttered, "Yeah, I guess so."
The slightly warm conversation between the Exceed and the duck had brought elation to Wendy's heart. "They're starting to warm up," she said softly to herself. Even Goofy couldn't help but chuckle at this scene. Rekindling a partnership torn apart by hostility was just around the corner.
Bisca grinned in satisfaction, "Who would've thought a cute little Dragon Slayer would make sure Sabor didn't bother us no more?" She playfully rubbed Wendy's hair, causing her to giggle. "Ya done good, kid."
Alzack smiled, "Thanks for taking care of the wild cat for us, Wendy. Even with Sabor trying to cheat her way to victory, you finally beat her." He chuckled confidently, "She got what she deserved for attacking us earlier. Now we can rest easy." He then dropped the confident act and asked, "By the way, where's Clayton?"
Sherria nodded, "That's right, we haven't found him yet. The only thing left of him is his pipe."
Carla confirmed, "Then I suppose our sole priority is to find him."
Wendy nodded, "Uh-huh. With the gorillas safe and Sabor beaten for good, we have nothing to worry about... Right?"
Just then, three gorillas emerged from the stalks of bamboo, giving shouts and hoots of complete urgency, much to the group's dismay. As for Tarzan, he perceived them trying to deliver a message to the gorilla troop's noble protector. "Hey, guys! Calm down! What's the matter?"
The first gorilla cried, "We've got trouble! Terk's been missing! A while ago, she's with us. The next minute, she's gone!"
The second gorilla suggested, "I think it's got something to do with a certain place in the climbing trees, next to that giant tree with a funny-looking triangle cave on top."
Tarzan repeated, "A giant tree with a funny-looking triangle cave? You don't mean..."
The third gorilla implored, "Terk's in trouble, man! You gonna help us or what? You brought those hairless friends of yours with you?"
The second gorilla nodded, "Yeah. They helped us, and we see no reason not to trust them."
The first gorilla prayed, "Let's hope Kerchak doesn't find out."
Tarzan nodded, "Don't worry. We'll try and find Terk."
Wendy asked, "What's the matter, Tarzan?"
Tarzan turned and explained in English, "Something coming. Terk in danger. Terk near tree house."
Wendy assumed, "Sounds like trouble. Let's go!"
The three gorillas hooted again, compelling Wendy and the others to follow them out of the thicket. As they did, the area was silent, and the charred remains of bamboo remained bare. Of course, the ensuing battle with Sabor had not gone unnoticed by Wrecker, who entered the thicket as soon as the group vanished, accompanied by four Sleepy Hollow guards. The Headless Horseman picked up Sabor's broken fang in his left hand, his eyes darting to what remained of the once mighty beast.
"Wendy Marvell has killed Miss Fluffy," Wrecker said pitifully. "What a shame! She's such a thing of beauty! I even infused her with a small portion of my magic."
"Shall we pursue her, Commander?" one of the Sleepy Hollow wizards asked.
"We will, in time," Wrecker assured. "I'll finish Miss Fluffy's work." He added with fierce determination as an unknown form of magic surged within him, crushing the fang in his hand in the process. "I'm going to deal with the Keyblade master personally!"
Author's Note
Finally, it's done! This is, by far, the longest and most ambitious chapter I've ever written. It's been a long time coming, but it's here now. Again, I must deeply apologize for the hiatus. Every chapter I post will be a miracle for those who crave for more. As a bonus, this is a birthday miracle, since last Saturday's my birthday! Stay tuned for the next chapter as Wendy and her friends learn of the blossoming relationship between Tarzan and Jane and Clayton's dark treachery, before the epic battle against one of Sleepy Hollow's Headless Horsemen, Wrecker Xalemon.
This is TheSavageMan100, and I'll see you guys later!
