Chapter 2

AN: FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE READING MY OTHER STORY 'HELLFIRE' A BAD GUYS CROSSOVER STORY, JUST KNOW THAT I AM POSTPONING IT TIL THIS STORY IS FINISHED. SO, JUST KNOW THAT YOU ARE IN A LITTLE BIT OF A WAIT. IN THE MEANTIME, ENJOY THE CHAPTER.

"You know something, Robin." Little John said, pulling an arrow from his shirt "you're taking too many chances."

He and Robin Hood had just escaped an ambush from the sheriff of Nottingham and his soldiers and were hiding up in a tree.

"Chances? You must be joking." Robin chuckled, rubbing his fist on his shirt. "That was just a bit of a lark, Little John."

"Yeah?" the bear said looking at the arrow as if he was looking through a telescope. "Take a look at your hat. That's not a candle on a cake."

Robin looked up and his face turned to joy as he took of his hat to pull off and examine the arrow that pierced it. "Hello. This one almost had my name on it, didn't it?" the fox put his finger through the hole in the hat, wiggled his finger, and then pulled it out and sighed "they're getting better, you know." Robin then put his hat back on "you've got to admit it. They are getting better."

Little John broke his arrow and sat up. "Huh, yeah. The next time that sheriff probably have a rope around our necks." The bear emphasized this by gripping his own neck and gag for a second "pretty hard to laugh hanging there, Rob."

The fox was trying to balance his arrow with one finger. "Ha! The sheriff and his whole posse couldn't lift you off the ground." When his arrow lost balance, he flexed his finger and caught the arrow in the air. He then twirled, bending the arrow, and let go, causing the arrow to fly and pierce Little John's hat.

"En Garde." The fox whispered.

"Hey, watch it, Rob." The bear scolded, tugging the arrow of the tree and rubbing his head "that's the only hat I've got."

Robin then laid down, his hat sliding slightly to cover his eyes, and crossing his legs. "Oh, come along. You worry too much, old boy."

Little john was about to retort when he saw an odd-looking shadow on a tree trunk, and after a few seconds, the shadow slithered away. The bear used the arrow to scratch his neck, trying to process what he just saw. He looked at Robin, who apparently did not see the shadow. Little John decided to momentarily forget what he saw.

"You know something, Robin? I was just wondering." The bear said, now using the arrow to scratch his back. "Are we good guys or bad guys? You know. I mean, uh, our robbing the rich to feed the poor."

"'rob?'" the fox said, sitting up and straightening his hat with a look as if little john sweared for the first time. He clicked his tongue with a pitiful look and clamping his hands together. "That's a naughty word. We never rob." He then smiled, lying down in the position he was in earlier. "We just...sort of borrow a bit from those who can afford it."

"Borrow?" Little John said, surprised, then smiled. "Huh. Boy, are we in debt."

Robin's eyes widened when he heard a trumpet noise. He then stepped over Little John, and climbed to the top of the tree, followed by Little John. The fox cupped his hand around his ear and laughed.

"That sounds like another collection day for the poor." The fox clapped his hands together "eh, Johnny boy?"

The bear took of his hat and put it on his chest "yeah. Sweet charity."

Little John fell to notice the same odd looking shadow slither into the chariot.

...

Prince John tipped his hand, the coins falling back into the bag. The chariot he was riding was heavily guarded by a ton of rhino guards, and Captain Conrad, while three hippo's and two elephants where right behind the crocodile (Guy thought that it was a little specist to have all the rhinos in the kingdom to be soldiers). The chariot was made out of gold while the curtain was that of a light purple. There was a slender, triangular, dark red flags on each corner of the chariot.

"Taxes, taxes!" laughed the lion. "Beautiful, lovely taxes." The lion scooped up the coins and then let them drop back into the bag.

"Sire," Guy, a rock python chuckled "you have an absolute skill for encouraging contributions from the poor."

"To coin a phrase, my dear counselor," the prince said, twirling his whiskers "rob the poor to feed the rich." The lion snickered "am I right?"

The snake laughed along, so that he may still have a head. The lion picked up and scanned the crown, looking for any signs of dirt.

"Tell me," Prince John said, "what is the next stop, Sir Hiss."

"Hiss" was a nickname the prince gave to Guy, who wanted to but didn't tell him that "hiss" was a nasty stereotype.

Sir Guy turned, checking the map of England behind him, "uh, let me see. Uh, I..."

Sir Guy was about to lie when a shadowy figure pointed at a city.

"Nottingham." A raspy voice whispered.

Guy sighed and pretended to be happy "oh! Yes. The next stop is Nottingham, sire."

"Oh! The richest plum of them all" the lion chuckled, about to put his crown on. The snake held up a mirror. "Nottingham"

John put on his crown for the first time...which sunk to his nose, looking like it was trying to consume him.

"A perfect fit sire." The snake said, for the actual king. "Most becoming. You look regal, dignified, sincere, masterful, noble, cheval..."

"Uh, uh, don't...don't overdo it, hiss." The lion said, knowing exactly what he looked like and adjusted the crown and chuckled. "There. That, I believe, does it. This crown gives me a feeling of power! Forgive me a cruel chuckle" which he did anyways.

"And how well King Richard's crown sits on your noble brow." Guy said, angling the mirror.

The lion took the mirror from Guy, "doesn't it?" he then processed what the snake said and glared. "Uh, king Richard? Look, I've told you never to mention my brother's name!" John strangled Guy, but then released him.

Stuttering, Guy managed to find the words to say, "A mere slip of the forked tongue, your majesty." He then nervously laughed, and the shadow from before, which was behind the frowning John, wasn't helping. "We're in this plot together, if you don't mind my saying so. And remember, it was your idea I hypnotized him and..."

John quickly smiled and laughed "I know. And sent him on that crazy crusade against Saladin." Guy joined John's laughing.

"Much to the sorrow of the queen mother." Guy said.

John started to sob. When John and Richard's mother found out that one of her sons is in the third crusade, she died from a broken heart. John never really recovered from the blow. "Yes. Mother. She always did like Richard best." Then John fell once again to his habit of sucking his thumb. Guy always felt both guilty and awkward when he did that.

"Your highness. Please don't do that." The snake begged. "If you don't mind me saying so, you see, you have a very loud thumb."

The prince was still sucking his thumb. Guy decided to do a little bit of therapy and said "hypnotism could rid of your psychosis...so...easily" the snake wanted to help the lion by easing his trauma, which it seemed to be going good until John gasped.

"No! None of that!" John started to order.

The snake frowned. "Well, I was only trying to help."

The lion snickered "I wonder." He then murmured "silly serpent."

"'silly serpent'" Guy echoed; I have feelings to.

"Now look here" the lion said "one more hiss out of you..."

"It's Guy, sir." The snake said.

"Hiss," John shouted, completely ignoring the snake "and you are walking to Nottingham."

Guy retreated to his basket (which, admittedly, was quite comfy.) and murmured "snakes don't walk. They slither. so there."

...

Wasn't the first time Little John had to wear girl clothing. Nor was it the first time that he pretended to be a gypsy. But the weird feeling of wearing the clothes of the opposite gender that he is still uncomfortable. Despite it all, he followed Robin, who was also putting female gypsy clothes an over his clothes. They arrived and hid behind a tree just in time to see an elephant trumpeting.

"Now what about that for luck?" Little John grumbled, looking at the fox, who looked rather joyful. "It's only a circus. A peanut operation."

The fox's head whipped to look at Little John with a raised eyebrow. "'peanuts? Why, you dunce. That's the royal coach. Its prince John himself"

Robin thought the comment would encourage him, but it did the exact opposite.

"The prince? Wait a minute. There's a law against robbin' royalty." He then started to walk away "I'll catch you later."

The fox blocked the bear's path, pushing him back. "What? And miss this chance to perform before royalty?"

"Ah! Here we go again." The bear said, putting his hand on his head. However, he followed Robin further down the road so they could be ways in front of the cavalry.

"Fortune tellers!" the fox shouted in his best old women impression, which Little John joined him saying "fortune forecast! lucky charms!" tossing the crystal ball in the air.

Robin opened a scroll with the Greek zodiac calendar on it. "Get the dope with your horoscope."

The lion opened the curtain and smiled "fortune tellers! How droll. Uh, stop the coach."

The rhino's stopped. Guy peaked from the inside the chariot, "sire, sire, they may be bandits."

"Oh poppycock." John whispered with a chuckle, "female bandits? What next? Rubbish."

The fox smiled, but his face then fell when he saw a shadow on the chariot. It looked like it was wearing a trench-coat and a fedora with red eyes staring down the fox, giving him a chill up his spin. He also felt something he hadn't felt in a long time...grief.

"Um, um, my dear ladies," the lion said, snapping the fox back to why he was here. Robin bowed as John continued. "You have my permission to kiss the royal hands. Whichever you like...first." John held out is hands, earning a weird look from Guy. Robin and Little John's jaws dropped, and eyes widened, not believing their luck.

"Oh! How gracious." The fox said, kissing the hand, but not after he slide John's ring off. "And generous."

Guy gasped. "Sire! Sire! Did you see what they...?" guy accidently stuck out his tongue, which tickled john's ear.

John giggled "stop hissing in my ear."

The bear kissed the rings, sucking the jewels out of there sockets. Little John made a mistake by smiling, revealing the jewels. The snake gulped and started to stammer, his tongue going wild on John's ear.

"Did you see" the snake said, "did you see."

"Ah." The lion clamped his hand around his left ear, then picked up Guy and scowled. "Hiss! Oh, you've hissed your last..." the lion then tied the snake in a knot where the throat is, gagging him. John then threw the snake in a basket, closed it, and then sat on it, earning a glare from the snake.

"Suspicious snake." John said folding his arms.

"Masterfully done, your excellency" Robin chuckled, entering the chariot, and closing the curtains. "Now close your eyes and concentrate."

John did as he said. He opened one eye though.

"Close your eyes. Tight shut. No peeking, sire." The fox chuckled. He then looked at the bag of coins next to the table. Then he started waving his hands saying, "From the mists of time, come forth, spirits."

From outside, the bear tied a ball with fireflies inside to a stick. He then shook the ball saying as if he was talking to a child. "Ok, little fireflies. Glow, babies, glow." He then grabbed the stick and stuck it into the curtain.

"Look, sire, look." Robin said, pointing what looked like a crystal call floating in the air. John opened his eyes, startled. "Oh! Incredible. Floating spirits." The lion reached out to touch the ball, only for his hand to be smacked.

"Ah, oh!" Robin snickered. "Naughty, naughty. You mustn't touch, young man."

The lion glared "oh, how dare you strike the royal hand."

Robin put his hand to the prince's mouth. "Shh! You'll break the spell." Robin removed his hand from the lion's mouth and grabbed the ball and set in on a mat on the table. "Just gaze into the crystal ball."

John did as the fox said, while the later started speaking gibberish and waving his hands around the ball, hoping to sound like he was saying some sort of spell. The lion continued to look at the ball.

"A face appears." The fox gasped "a crown is on his noble brow."

The lion shouted, much to Guy's displeasure. "A crown! How exiting!"

The fox smirked and continued to whisper. "His face is handsome. Regal, majestic, loveable, a cuddly face."

Little John leaned in to hear what Robin said and scowled. He knew robin was lying, but he still felt offended.

"Handsome, regal, oh! Majestic." The lion echoed, flattered. "Loveable. Yes, yes. Cuddly. Oh, that's me to a T."

Little John closed his eyes and rapidly shook his head, promising himself to throw the fox in a lake after this was over. Robin was about to grab the bag of coins while the lion said "it really is. Yes." When a shadowy, skeletal, cold hand gripped his wrist.

He then was pulled back to when he was a baby. A black hound stabbing a female fox in a red dress, who was shrieking. Robin pulled his hand back, the flashback instantly going away. Robin stood there in silence, breathing heavily from the memory "I..."

"Now what?" John said.

The fox gasped, and then chuckled, recovering from the sudden trauma. "I, uh..." the lion started to scowl, glancing at the ball and the fox. "I see, um, your illustrious name."

"I know my name!" the lion yelled "get on with it!"

"Your name will go down, down, down, in history, of course." Robin grabbed the bag again to feel to same cold hand. This time, seeing the one-eyed hound leering above him, a bloody knife raised, prepared to strike. A voice in is head whispered "robin...you...will...die." the fox pulled back his hand again, this time with the bag of coins. He then recovered from the memory, reached his hand out of the curtain, and dropped the bag in Little John's hands.

The other john said "yes! I knew it! I knew it! Do you hear that, hiss? Oh you..."

The lion then remembered where he put the snake "he's in the basket." He knocked on the basket of the glaring snake, who decided not to respond. "Don't...don't forget it." John said.

Meanwhile, the bear John was looking at the golden hubcaps. "Hmm. What have we here? Solid gold hubcaps." He then loosened and took the hubcaps on the left side of the chariot. He then saw a chest with six locks, carried by four rhinos. "The jackpot." John whispered to himself.

He then went under the chest, used his sword to cut a circle at the bottom of the chest. He then pulled on the collar of the shirt where to coins fell into. One of the rhino's heard the noise. He looked behind him to see nothing, and back to where he was looking to see Little John. He whistled, thinking he was a gypsy girl.

The bear ran off, Robin bumping into him, wearing the lion's robe and carrying another bag of coins. The coins flew in the air and landed on the ground. Both Little John and Robin scooped the coins back into their shirt and bag. The lion, opened the curtains to see the two running away, realizing that the gypsy was wearing his robe. Robin laughed and waved goodbye while he ran.

"Robbed!" the prince yelled "I've been robbed!"

Guy lifted his head, opening the basket just in time to hear the lion holler "Hiss! You're never around when I need you!" the snake than slither as quickly as he could to Prince John's side, who was folding his arms.

"I've been robbed" the prince coughed, trying to sound casual.

"Of course, you've been robbed." The snake scolded.

The lion managed to see the fox running, with Little John trailing behind. "After them, you fools!"

The rhino's then ran full speed, unaware of the now-removed-from-there-hubcap wheels. The wheels then came off, causing the prince to be bucked out of his chariot, clinging onto the curtain. The curtain then ripped, causing Prince John to fall in the mud, lucky enough for the rhinos to not trample him.

"No, no, no, no!" john sobbed, slamming his fist on the mud. Guy, who was bucked off as well, said. "I knew it. I knew it. I just knew this would happen." The snake put on his muddy hat. "I tried to warn you, but no, no, you wouldn't listen. You just had to...ah!"

The lion prepared to smite the snake with the mirror. "Seven years of bad luck." The snake said, prepared for the lion to smite him. The lion was about to slam the mirror onto the snake when he felt a cold hand stop him. He turned around to bat the mirror behind him, only to have it pass through the red-eyed shadow. The lion quickly stepped back in horror.

"shouldn't...dispose...allies...quickly." the shadow rasped. It looked like it was wearing a trench coat and a fedora.

"Be gone from me." John ordered "I had enough 'spirits' today."

"Only...someone...could...help." the shadow pitied. It then squinted, as if smiling "But...Zalaph...knows."

"You know someone that can help, am I understanding you correctly?" Guy said, guessing the shadow's name is Zalaph.

The shadow nodded, gestured them to follow, and slithered away slowly into the forest. Guy followed. John tensed, folded his arms, and then stomped toward them into the forest.