Chapter LXXXX: Goin' onto the Groovin Empire Part IV

"Let me out of here!" Riku shouted as he ran forwards. However he was too late as the cage door was slammed shut and he was thrown backwards by the electrical charge of the magical barrier that Yzma had set upon its metallic surface.

Seeing him falling upon the ground in a painful heap Mickey cried out, "Riku!"

Wincing from the pain he raised himself up slowly as he looked up to see Yzma who spoke to him with a sense of seeming sympathetic awe as she batted her long eyelashes, "oh no, would you look at that? You've fallen upon your legs again." When at once she changed as her decorated thin bony features revealed a wide sarcastic and evil smile as she then laughed loudly.

Looking up at this… hag hatefully, Riku detested the very image of her as she stood in a very thin black dress with trails of purple feathers blooming around her neck, finishing with a twirled purple head wig and round blue earrings hanging from her ears making her the very image of a tall bony witch.

Gritting his teeth Riku only stared on silently with fuming rage, due to the very, very inconvenient thing that she'd done to him and the king. Mickey though decided to voice his own complaints as he cried out, "you won't get away with this Yzma! When we both get out of here we'll-"

However the mouse king was stopped in his tracks as Yzma interrupted, "and you'll do what?"

Mickey was in silence as then she continued talking as she gazed at the two of them, "the two of you can't do a thing in the forms you're in now, so the both of you can just save your breaths."

Hearing these words Mickey was silenced entirely as he then only looked at her with the sane teeming annoyance Riku had as he held onto the cage bars.

Smiling then seeing that she had won the upper hand Yzma then turned with her eyes closed away from the cages as she looked over to face her current situation as she said opening her eyes again, "now then?"

To which then Pete stood ready and waiting an enormous grin on his face as his arms were folded as then his current employer asked him, "I trust you were able to take care of everything in the city?"

At this Pete smiled a little more as he told her, "bingo there ya lady Yzma! Them people now are all heartless and ready and waitin for ya orders!"

Pleased at these results Yzma smiled truly pleased as she grasped both of her hands together as she replied, "excellent!"

However Riku and Mickey hearing this information were horrified as they both sat in silent grief at their failure, ignoring them though Yzma continued on as she then turned to her other cohort, " Kronk?"

At her voice it was then he quickly stood to attention as well, "ah yes Yzma?" He was a tall man in height; almost shoulder length to Pete, though he was far more muscular in body in his purple, blue and yellow clothes. However it was also clear from his appearance with a single yellow cap and his slightly baffled expression that he was a little dimmer in intelligence and common sense in contrast to him.

Looking at him now with a silent seriousness she asked him, "have you been able to find him?"

At this Kronk blinked as he asked, "Uh find him?"

Hearing this reply Yzma became immediately displeased in her expression, Pete in turn also became annoyed as he then nudged him with his elbow, "hey!" Making him rub it slightly as Pete told him, "ya know that emperor runt!"

Finally getting it Kronk then spoke as an awkward smile appeared on his face as he said, "oh Kuzco! Well um…" he then looked bashful and then nervous as he replied then as his voice became quieter and quieter as he went further into his sentence, "uh… I gotta say no, he was nowhere in sight in the city."

Turning her eyes into the air Yzma then said, "why am I not surprised?"

Pete looking away from Yzma as he looked back to Kronk he then knocked him in the head, Kronk then cried out, "ow!" Pete then told him, "honestly if ya hadn't been a bumblin moron we would've had him six feet under already!"

At this Kronk just twiddled his fingers as he pursed his lips as he remembered how his foolish conscience had got the better of him making him drop Kuzco onto a peasants cart, which he hadn't let either of them know about in case he might also be turned into a heartless. So all he could do was answer sadly, "sorry…"

This in turn only made Pete more annoyed as he let out a "humph!" as he turned away from him, Yzma in the meantime continued to be silent as she had her arms crossed tapping her fingers against her pale skin.

Mickey and Riku were quiet as well as they watched on and wondered what on earth these villains would do next, then suddenly all at once in the distance of the darkened laboratory a swirling portal of darkness emerged as it's fluorescent shades of purple and blue filled the room.

Looking at this darkened energy with widened eyes Riku and Mickey watched then as that same white-cloaked masked boy appeared as he then swung with a single arm making the portal disappear in a flash.

Gazing at the boy the two of them watched as Yzma turned to him, "ah so you're back?"

At which the boy replied, "yes I am, " in his cool tone as he folded his arms.

Yzma seeing him like this asked him unimpressed by his tone, "so were you able to find him?"

Hearing her ask the boy was quiet for a moment as he then looked to both Riku and Mickey for a moment, making them both stare back at him in silence, but then turning back to Yzma he then told her, "yes I've located him… and the seventh as well."

At this Riku and Mickey recognised who the seventh was in moments, Nozomi! Yzma listening to this confirmation smiled as she spoke, "excellent and just whereabouts are they?"

Hearing her ask again the boy then told her coolly, "in the jungle beyond the walls of the city."

Pete listening himself though to this report from his new accomplice was a little puzzled as he then asked, "hey?"

The questioning tone entering his ears the boy turned and looked at Pete who then looked at him with his own quiet seriousness as he continued, "why didn't ya just take 'em both down here if ya found them so easily?"

At this the boy simply made a sound that seemed like a smirk under his cloth mask as he told him, "do you want me to cause a scene in public and rouse the peasants and have them revolt against us? I didn't wanna bother making a fuss, besides I don't remember any reason for us to rush."

Hearing this cold reply Pete was surprised but still he wasn't entirely sure about what he said, though Yzma seemed satisfied enough even if there was a little annoyance on her part, "well that I have to agree with, besides no-one in this kingdom knows any better and the capital is already in my hands, it'll be better to takeover silently and stealthily."

She then started to walk forwards as she spoke on, "besides I'd like to see the heartless in action myself, it'll be fun to have the peasantry succumb to my powers," then turning she looked at the boy again as then commanded him with a single finger, "now I trust I can leave you to take care of things while I make my conquest?"

At these words the boy was silent until he bowed down and then spoke in a polite tone, "as you wish my lady Yzma."

Surprised that even this lady was agreeing so easily to the plan and leaving HIM behind Pete stared after her as she then commanded, "Kronk! Pete we're going out to find them! Now let's move out!"

At the sound of Yzma's command Kronk was the first to reply as he spoke, "uh right there Yzma!"

Pete looking after her as she exited the room then turned back to his accomplice as he got up again and said sarcastically, "Happy travels Pete."

With that he only looked at him suspiciously and annoyed again before he then followed after Yzma and Kronk as they left the darkened realms of the laboratory.

Riku and Mickey left with this person wondered what on earth he was going to do as they both stared at him, the boy spoke as he began to remove his white mask, "well then, let's get better aquatinted shall we?"

The morning sun rose as then a hundred bats went flying distressed by the warmth of light as they all shrieked racing to return to their darkened homes within the caves.

Twisting at all this noise Nozomi awoke slowly and then yawned loudly as she opened her eyes blearily as the sleepiness was still there. Looking around herself unsure for a moment she then turned her head slightly and saw Cait sith still curled up as he continued to purr on quietly.

Smiling as she saw him do this she then touched his dark black fur with her left hand as she felt its soft warmth, her smile there she then began to wake up more as she remembered last night's events and that one odd episode when she was semi-conscious, moving her other arm she then felt her forehead where Wairu had kissed her, she then asked aloud, "Wairu… were you really there yesterday?"

But then at these words Cait sith himself began to stir, detaching Nozomi's hand he stretched out as he yawned loudly himself, then looking up he saw Nozomi with a hand to her forehead, seeing this and thinking it was a bit odd for her he asked, "what're ya doin lass?"

Hearing Cait sith she turned over to look at him as she removed her hand from her forehead as she then answered him smiling awkwardly, "oh nothing Cait sith, it's nothing."

As she said this though he wasn't completely convinced that it was but then from behind them both came the sound of splashing water, turning over they then saw that it was Pacha, as he seemed to be washing himself as he shook himself getting rid of several water droplets.

Seeing him Nozomi spoke out, "Mr Pacha!"

Hearing her he turned over as he smiled, "ah hi there Nozomi."

Smiling herself glad to see that he was awake too got up and then walked on over as she spoke again, "did you manage to sleep well?"

Watching her as she began to approach him he continued to look on for a moment as Cait sith followed behind her as he too asked, "yeah bloke, ya weren't too cold or nothin were ya?"

At this question he replied, "oh no, not that much, I managed to sleep quite well thanks," it was then at this point Nozomi sat herself next to him as Cait sith jumped up and sat himself on Nozomi's comfy head once again.

As she heard him say this Nozomi replied, "that's good to know, it was quite chilly last night."

Nodding at this reply Pacha then said to her, "yeah it was, did you two manage to sleep well?"

Hearing this question Nozomi nodded herself as she replied, "yep definitely, Cait sith helped a lot too." She then tilted her head up slightly to look at him.

Hearing her he then told her, "well ya had to have a hot water bottle of some type lass."

Smiling at these words Nozomi let out a small laugh, but then from behind them all came a familiar voice, "uh hey?"

Turning then Nozomi's smile faded in moments as everyone turned then to see Kuzco who walked up to the lot of them with Pacha's green poncho in his mouth while Nozomi's pink waistcoat was over his back.

Everyone was quiet as Kuzco trotted over to them all, the llama emperor then took Pacha's poncho out of his mouth as he passed it over to him, and then he removed Nozomi's waistcoat from his back as he gave it back to her.

Taking it in her hands Nozomi was quiet as she held it on her lap while Pacha did the same with his poncho, it was then Kuzco said, "thanks."

Not thinking much of it Pacha replied sombrely, "uh no problem."

Nozomi not looking at him just stared into the water lily covered lake as she responded, "ditto."

The awkwardness in the air was practically pea soup thick as everyone was silent not knowing exactly what to say to one another, but then it was Kuzco who spoke once again as he said, "you know that feels like wool there Pacha."

With a slight nod the farmer replied with a nod and a slight smile, "yeah."

Trying to get a little more info Kuzco asked, "alpaca?"

Which Pacha replied his small smile still there, "oh yeah it is."

Nodding at this Kuzco spoke, "oh yeah I thought so, it's nice."

Nozomi in the meantime was still quiet as she continued to stare into the water, not really knowing what to say at all as Cait sith continued to sit on her head and look between the lot of them quietly.

Pacha then spoke again, "my wife made it."

At this Nozomi looked up to Pacha surprised as she blinked slightly, at this Kuzco then asked with a small smile, "Oh she knits?"

Pacha then nodded simply his smile still lingering, "crochets."

Replying with a slight nod Kuzco said, "crochets nice."

To which Pacha replied, "thanks" once again."

Seeing that the two of them stopped talking again Nozomi turned her head down once more as she looked into the lake as a single frog croaked in the distance, to which Nozomi sighed as the awkwardness was again settling in the air.

But then at the sound of her sigh Kuzco then decided to try and speak to her again as he asked, "uh hey Nozomi was it?"

Looking up to him Nozomi asked, "yeah?"

"What about you? Where'd you get your waistcoat from?" Kuzco asked.

Surprised he was asking her this Nozomi shrugged her shoulders she replied, "I kind of made it myself."

Hearing her say this Kuzco replied, "oh you made it?'

Again Nozomi replied, "yeah kind of."

Cait sith then looked down at her as he asked her, "What do ya mean kind of lass?"

At this Nozomi then spoke again, "well, I sewed it together but then I kind of messed it up… Wairu was the one who helped me to fix it and make it as good as it is now."

Hearing this name Kuzco asked, "Wairu?"

Nozomi nodded, but then suddenly it dawned on her as she went onto ask, "hey Kuzco?"

Looking at her as she asked him he replied, "yeah?"

Nozomi then said, "do you know who got us out of the water? Did you see anyone last night?"

At this question Kuzco replied in his usual tone, "how would I know? All I remember is waking up and having you in my face."

Hearing this Nozomi was silent for a moment before becoming annoyed in moments as she retorted, "well excuse me!"

Cait sith on her head though decided to speak up before any uproars occurred between her and the llama emperor as he told her smacking the top of her head, "Lass will ya just calm it! If ya wanna know it was me who got ya both out."

Pausing as she heard him thinking he was going to insult her again Nozomi was baffled as she asked looking up to him, "what you! You're the one who pulled me and Kuzco out! Cait sith?"

Hearing the surprise in her voice Cait sith grinned happily, "aye! Right you are lass! It took a lot of right tuggin and grittin but I managed to rescue ya both!"

Nozomi was silent as then Pacha added, "yeah he did, he even made the fire signal that let me find you and Kuzco."

Silently surprised and amazed her eyes widened as Nozomi then wondered to herself, 'man how strong is Cait sith?'

But as this question had come it was at that point Pacha decided to ask his own as he then did so, "yeah and talking about that, just where did you come from Nozomi? What're you and Cait sith doing here?"

Blinking breaking out of her thoughts Nozomi turned to Pacha as she said, "huh? What me and Cait sith?"

At which Pacha simply nodded his curiosity still there, Nozomi then was in a bit of a fix, what was she supposed to say now! She couldn't reveal anything about the world order or that she came from another world! So what could she-

But then it came to her!" um, well you see Pacha I'm here with Cait sith because we're trying to find a couple of friends of ours."

Hearing this Pacha asked, "friends of yours?"

Nozomi nodded, Kuzco then listened intently as Nozomi then went on, "yeah, that's right, one of them is called Mickey he's a very cheery person with a noble and good nature," Nozomi smiled as she imagined Mickey's happy smiling face as she then continued, "he's always the best when you wanna be cheered up and oh! Then there's snowball."

At this Kuzco repeated unsure, "snowball?"

Hearing this Nozomi turned and nodded to Kuzco as she continued to brighten telling them about her friends, "yeah! His real name's Riku I call him that cause he's got beautiful white long silver hair, just past his shoulders."

At this description Kuzco's eyes widened, though not noticing Nozomi continued on, "though he is a bit more of a grump and a little too serious compared to Mickey, he's a really strong reliable good person though a bit too stubborn for his own good." She laughed then as she said this remembering Riku's annoyed face he'd worn on many occasions.

Listening to this description Kuzco spoke again, "hey wait this Mickey guy, can you describe him for me?"

Hearing this Nozomi curious she asked, " describe him?"

Seeing her puzzled face Kuzco then made it more straightforward, "what does he look like?"

Wondering why he wanted to know Nozomi was still puzzled as she described him, "he's a small mouse, though um; he's not like a normal mouse, he's black in colour and he's about waist high." Nozomi then indicated roughly his height with her right hand to Pacha and Kuzco.

With this info it was then that Kuzco exclaimed, "Yeah! I know those guys!"

At once making Nozomi and Cait sith turn around at once shocked Cait sith then cried out, "what!"

Nozomi was open mouthed shocked as Kuzco spoke on, "I've met those guys, they were in the palace, they said that they were looking for someone, no actually a couple of people too."

At this Nozomi then enquired herself, "who did they say they were looking for?"

Hearing this question Kuzco then spoke again, "well the white hair guy you talked about, Riku, he said they were looking for this goofball of a girl with dark black hair in weird clothes and a small cat with a rowdy attitude."

At this description Nozomi guessed in a matter of seconds who'd given this one as she and Cait sith then became annoyed in moments as they imagined his grumpy face.

Kuzco then continued on despite the annoyance from them both, "they said they'd been looking for hours and hours so came running to me and asked if I could help them out, but I was way, way too busy for that."

Looking annoyed at Kuzco as he returned to his smug mode once more Nozomi murmured under her breath, "yeah I'm so sure you were."

Pacha at this point then remembered himself as well, "yeah now that you mention it I remember those guys too, I helped them find their way to the palace in the city and when they discovered what I'd been called for, they said that they were going to talk to you Kuzco! About what you were going to do to my village."

Hearing this Nozomi looked at Pacha as she imagined Riku and Mickey trying to convince Kuzco out of his decision to destroy his village, Cait sith then spoke up, "sounds just like what those lads would do, so what happened to 'em next?" He asked as he turned his attention back to Kuzco.

Kuzco hearing Cait sith ask had a hoof under his chin as he tried to remember, because it was getting a little bit dim in his memories, he then began to recall as best he could, "well… uh what did happen next?" He asked himself as he then began to tap his forehead in concentration, it was then after a few quiet moments as an image came to him, "ah yeah that's right! I was invited to a meal with Yzma and we sat down to have a drink and… that's all I remember."

At this point hearing this info Nozomi was blank for a moment but then remembering the incident in Basil's world she spoke aloud again annoyed, "when is that snowball going to learn not to take drinks from strangers!"

Cait sith hearing Nozomi saying these words looked at her puzzled for a moment but then turning back to Kuzco he said to him, "so then this Yzma woman, she's the last person to have been with the snow laddie and mouse cheeks right? So that means they're both-"

However Pacha finished as he said "in the palace."

Hearing him say this Nozomi spoke again, "so that's where me and Cait sith have got to head to but…" remembering the predicament that Pacha's village was in she looked at Kuzco with negative eyes as was his fault.

Kuzco seeing her face looking at him like this looked at her just as annoyed as he turned his face away, this again caused the awkward atmosphere to return in full force.

Nozomi in the quietness then put one finger into the water, she was glad to know at least where Riku and Mickey were but now. But instead now she was really worried for their safety, were they really all right? What had this Yzma person done to them? What was it she and Cait sith do to-

"Well actually… so maybe I've been thinking…" Kuzco began to speak as he looked between Pacha Nozomi and Cait sith as he darted his eyes back and forth.

At this Cait sith asked him, "what lad?" In an annoyed tone wondering what this dumb llama emperor had to propose next.

Looking up at Kuzco curious herself Nozomi listened on to what he had to say, "That well…when I got back to the city, we'd a, I mean there's lots of hill tops and maybe I could help you guys with you know, I might …"

Listening to his uttering like this Nozomi asked him curiously, "wait a minute… are you saying you're gonna help us?"

To which Pacha added after her, " you've changed your mind Kuzco?"

Looking away from them both again Kuzco spoke again, "well I uh, eh…"

Cait sith sceptical spoke again, "ya're doin a u turn that easily lad?"

Which made Pacha smile slightly as he added, "yeah, cause you know if you are that means you're doing something nice for someone else."

Kuzco nodded as he said, "yeah, yeah I know that I know."

Nozomi herself still unsure though was not completely convinced as she spoke to him again, "are you being really legit with us?"

At this Kuzco answered her directly as he nodded with a serious expression, "yes."

Pacha seeing the serious expression on Kuzco's face became serious himself in moments as he turned to Nozomi and asked, "Nozomi give me your hand."

Turning as Pacha said this seeing the seriousness of his expression asked puzzled, "why? "

Cait sith sensing what Pacha was going to do then smacked her head with both paws as he told her, "just do it lass."

Closing her eyes annoyed slightly at the harshness of his paws Nozomi uttered, "all right fine." With that she moved her left hand up to him, as she did Pacha took it in his big right one as he held it gently.

Nozomi was surprised to feel the warmth of his touch and wondered still what on earth he was doing, but then Pacha then looked over at Kuzco now intensely with his serious gaze. Kuzco puzzled himself then asked, "what?"

With that he moved his and Nozomi's hand over towards him making her really confused and feel weird, Kuzco unsure still began to move his hooved hand towards them both but then Pacha drew it back moving Nozomi with him as he then said, "don't shake with us, unless you mean it."

At this point Nozomi finally understood what he was doing and couldn't help being amazed once more by Pacha's sincere and honest nature as she then turned and watched to see what Kuzco would do.

The llama emperor looked uncertain for a moment as he gazed at Nozomi's and Pacha's extended hands but then after a moment he then joined his hoof with theirs as then they all began to shake together.

Nozomi was amazed as she then spoke out with a smile, "wow! This is a promise then." She laughed as she felt positivity in the air at their unison.

Cait sith seeing this himself then smiled too and then jumped down and put his own paw down declaring, "yep that's it allright! Looks like we've got a good start now!"

Pacha glad now himself feeling secure then replied with a big smile on his face, "yeah we are." With that he then pulled on his green poncho and placed his hat on his head as he spoke again, "well then, let's all get a move on and go to the palace."

Nodding really energised now Nozomi responded pulling on her pink waistcoat, "yeah lets go and find Riku and Mickey!"

With that everyone was ready to go but before leaving Pacha then turned to Kuzco and told him, "oh by the way thanks."

Nozomi then nodded herself as she added, "Yeah thanks Kuzco."

With that Pacha and her started to walk off and away from the lake, Cait sith then began to make a move as he then jumped up and landed on Nozomi's shoulder as she walked, but then Kuzco had a clever calm smirk on his face as he uttered slightly quietly, "no thank you all."

Cait sith thinking he could hear something being said turned around to look at him, but all he saw was Kuzco starting to catch up to them all, slightly suspicious Cait sith wondered if he'd only been hearing things. But then paying it no heed he rode along with the others as they began to make their journey onwards.