Chapter 56: viva la radiant garden
I do not own kingdom hearts or the properties shown in this fanfic. They belong to the respective owners and the original story is based on the works of Darius Almighty. Kingdom hearts and trials of the keyblade is owned by square Enix, Disney, and Tetsuya Nomura. Please support the official release.
Right. Now time for the resistance to take back radiant garden! By the way v the leader of the radiant garden resistance from v for vendetta was quoting the birth by sleep trailer at the last chapter.
With that out of the way, here's the next chapter. Enjoy!
Anakin moved swiftly through the opera house for he didn't want to be late for this meeting. He couldn't help but wonder why he had been called; his training had caused him to be innately mindful. But he was sure there was nothing to worry about. The one he was meeting had never lead him astray before. But still, there were other things on his mind right now. Such as that horrible vision he had, about Padme', dying in the birth of their baby. However, know was not the time to think such things. He soon reached his destination, an ornate box seat overlooking the show, where his friend sat waiting.
"You wanted to see me, Chancellor Palpatine?" he said upon arrival. The old and wise Chancellor Palpatine greeted Anakin with a smile.
"Yes, Anakin," he said kindly. "Come closer. I have good news. I've just received information that will put an end to this war. Our clone intelligence units have discovered the location of general grievous. He's hiding the Utapau system."
"At last," Anakin replied. "Soon we'll be able to capture that monster and this constant fighting will come to an end."
"I would worry about the collective wisdom of the council if they didn't select you for this assignment. You're the best choice so far. But they can't be trusted to do the right thing."
"They try." Replied Anakin.
The chancellor offers him a seat. "Sit down." He turns to his aides. "Leave us." And Anakin sits by the chancellor and for a while there was silence as they continued to watch the performance. "Anakin, you know I'm not able to rely on the jedi council. If they haven't included you in their plot, they soon will."
"I'm not sure I understand."
"You must sensed what I have come to suspect." The chancellor sighed heavily. "The Jedi Council want control of the Republic. They're planning to betray me."
Anakin shook his head in disbelief. "I don't think that..."
"Anakin." Palpatine looked in his eyes. "Search your feelings. You know, don't you?" Anakin looked away. What was there to say?
"I...know they don't trust you."
"Neither does the senate, nor the republic or democracy for that matter."
"I have to admit my trust in them has been shaken."
"Why?" Palpatine asked. Again Anakin looked away but he knew the Chancellor could read someone just by looking. "They asked you do something that made you feel dishonest, didn't they? They asked you to spy on me didn't they?" Anakin still didn't meet his eyes.
"I don't...I don't know what to say."
"Remember back to your early teachings, Anakin. 'All those who gain power are afraid to lose it'. Even the Jedi."
Anakin scowled. "But The Jedi use their power for good."
"Good is a point of view Anakin. And the jedi point of view is a valid one. The dark lords of the sith believe in security and justice also yet they considered by the jedi to be…"
"Evil." Said anakin finishing the chancellor's sentence.
"Yes from a jedi's point of view. The sith, and the jedi are similar in almost every way, including their quest for greater power. The only difference between the two is the Sith are not afraid of the dark side of the Force. That's why they are more powerful."
"The Sith rely on their passion for strength," Anakin argued. "They think inwards, only about themselves."
"And the Jedi don't?" Anakin frowned.
"The Jedi are selfless. They only care about others..." As he said this he thought of his lovely wife, Padmé, and they child she carried within her. What was her fate to be if he couldn't stop that awful vision from happening.
"And so you've been trained to believe. So why is it then that they asked you to do something you feel is wrong?"
"I'm…I'm not sure it's wrong." Said anakin doubtful.
"you ever heard the tragedy of Darth Plagueis the wise?" Anakin was snapped out of his thoughts by Palpatine's question.
Anakin shook his head. "No."
"I thought not. It's not a story the Jedi would tell," Palpatine sighed. "It's a Sith legend. Darth Plagueis was a dark lord of the sith, so powerful and so wise that he could use the force to influence the midi-chlorians to create life. He had such a knowledge of the dark side that..." The Chancellor smiled. "...he could keep the loved ones he cared about from dying." Anakin eyes widened.
"He...could actually save people from death?" Anakin tried to ask calmly.
"The dark side of the Force is a pathway to many abilities some considered to be unnatural."
"What happened to him?"
"Why, he became so powerful that the only thing he was afraid of was losing his power which of course he did. unfortunately, He taught his apprentice everything he knew; then he killed him in his sleep. He didn't see it coming." Anakin didn't know why, but Palpatine seemed to take pleasure in this. "ironic isn't it? he could save others from death, but not himself."
"Is it possible to learn this power?" Anakin asked, trying to keep the fervour from his voice. Chancellor Palpatine looked at him, and smiled warmly.
"Not from a Jedi."
KHKHKHKH
Anakin was once again meeting with Chancellor Palpatine. He seemed to be meeting with the man a lot lately. Not that he minded, as he seemed to be the only one Anakin could confine in these days.
"Chancellor," Anakin greeted with a bow. "Master Kenobi has made contact. He's just engaged general grievous. The report says the war should be over soon."
Palpatine said cheerfully. "We can only hope Master Kenobi is up to the challenge."
"I should be there with him," Anakin muttered. The Chancellor smiled.
"It is upsetting to me to see the council doesn't seem to fully appreciate your talents." They started walking down the hall to another part of his office. "don't you ever wonder why they won't make you a jedi master?"
"I wish I knew," Anakin admitted, his frustrations getting the better of him. "more and more I get the feeling that I'm to be excluded from the Council. I know there are things about the Force they are not telling me."
"that's because they don't trust you, Anakin. They see your future. They know your power will be too strong to control. Anakin you must break through the fog of lies the Jedi have created around you. let me help you to know the subtleties of the force."
Anakin looked at him askance. "How do you know the ways of the Force?"
"My mentor taught me everything he know about the Force," Palpatine whispered. "Even the nature of the dark side." Anakin stopped walking.
"You know of the dark side?" came Anakin's whispered query.
"Anakin," Chancellor Palpatine said calmly as if everything was fine. "If one is to understand the great mystery, one must study its aspects, not just the dogmatic narrow view of the Jedi." Anakin was just staring at the Chancellor now. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. "If you wish to be a complete and wise leader you must a larger view of the force. You must be careful of the jedi anakin. In time they will destroy you. Let me train you."
Anakin refused. "I won't be a pawn in your political game. The jedi are my family."
"Only through me can you achieve a power greater than any jedi. Learn to know the dark side of the Force anakin and you'll be able to save your wife from certain death."
"What did you say?!" he snarled.
"Use my knowledge I beg of you…"
Anakin's lightsabre shot to his hand and held its blue fire under the Chancellors throat. Palpatine, staring down the wrong end of the deadly weapon, merely smiled. But it was a smile laced with poison. Realization hit Anakin like a ton of bricks. "You're the Sith Lord," he whispered. "The one behind this war. It's you!"
"I know what's been troubling you…listen to me. Don't continue to be a pawn of the jedi council," Palpatine said, circling the young Jedi, Anakin keeping his lightsaber on him. "Ever since I've known you, you've been searching for a life greater than that of an ordinary Jedi…a life of significance of conscience." The Chancellor stopped walking and met Anakin's eyes. "Are you going to kill me?" The lightsaber trembled in Anakin's grip.
"I would certainly like to," he growled.
"Yes. I know you would. I can feel your anger, it gives you focus. makes you stronger." Anakin scowled fiercely. He held the lightsaber closer to Palpatine's throat, so close that the man sweat from the emitting heat, and for a second Anakin thought he would actually kill him, disregarding all his training. But he couldn't. His lightsaber switched off at the touch of a button.
"I am going to turn you over to the Jedi Council," Anakin stated, pocketing his weapon.
"Of course you should," Palpatine said. "But you're not sure of their intentions, are you? What if I'm right and they're plotting to take over the Republic."
"Then I will quickly discover the truth in all of this," Anakin growled. Palpatine drew closer to him and Anakin thought he was going to attack, though he sensed no ill intent.
"You have great wisdom, Anakin," he said in the kind voice Anakin had always trusted. "Know the power of the dark side. The power to save, Padmé."
Upon hearing this anakin couldn't help to glare at the evil chancellor. "Oh don't worry about me. I'm not going anywhere. You have time to decide your fate. Perhaps you'll reconsider and help me rule the galaxy for the greater good."
KHKHKHKH
"Master Windu I must talk to you."
Jedi Master Mace Windu raised an eyebrow at Anakin's approach. Clearly he had not been expecting the boy. "What is it, Skywalker?" Mace asked as he made his way to a hovercar. "we're in a hurry. We've just received word that obi-wan has just destroyed general grievous. We're on our way to make sure the Chancellor returns emergency power back to the senate and discuss what he intends to do after the war."
"I'm afraid it's nothing you'll approve of, Master," Anakin informed. "I've just learned a terrible truth. I think Chancellor Palpatine is a Sith Lord." Mace Windu stopped walking.
"A Sith Lord?" he repeated, doubt and astonishment in his voice. Anakin nodded to confirm.
"Yes. The one we've been looking for."
"This is a serious accusation, Anakin. How do you know about this?" mace replied.
"He knows the ways of the Force, and he's been trained to use the dark side."
"Are you sure?" Anakin nodded again.
"Absolutely." Mace frowned.
"Then our worst fears have been realized... We must move quickly if The Jedi Order is to survive."
"Master, The Chancellor is very powerful. You'll need my help if we're gonna arrest him on sight."
"For your own good, stay out of this affair," Mace told him. "I sense a great deal of confusion in you, young Skywalker. There is much fear that clouds your judgement."
"I must go Master," Anakin pleaded.
"No. There is too much at stake here. If what you've told me is true, you will gain my trust. But for now, remain here. Wait for us in the council chamber until we return." Anakin felt familiar feelings of frustration build up.
"Yes, Master." With that said and done Mace set off for his hovercar again, with the same destination, but with a different purpose in mind.
KHKHKHKH
In the Jedi Council Chambers was where Anakin waited, as instructed by Master Windu, seated in one of the many chairs used by the Jedi Council, agonizingly waiting as the minutes ticked by. Anakin remembered when he had first set foot into these chambers, the day his training as a Jedi began. Back then it had always been his dream to sit here. Now there were other things on his mind.
'You do know don't you? If the jedi intend to destroy me, any chance of saving the one you love will be lost.'
The words of Palpatine still burned fresh in his mind. He stood from his chair and walked to the window, where outside the sun was beginning to set, casting a beautiful orange glow across the city. He could picture something just as beautiful though. Padme'. More beautiful than anything he'd ever seen. It might have been the Force, or simply an intuition, but something was telling him she out there in the city looking into the sunset just as he was. Was she thinking of him just as he was thinking of her? Did she know how much he loved her? Her face, her laugh, and most of all her smile. Was he to let that smile be forever snuffed out?
Was he to let her and their unborn child die?
Anakin knew he had made his decision long ago. There was only one thing left for him to do. He tore himself from the window with fire in his heart, and-"
KHKHKHKH
"Sora! Wake up!"
Sora's eyes forcibly opened.
"No! Wait!" he shouted shooting up in bed. "What happened!? What happened next?!"
"Sora?" As Sora's eyes refocused he saw Kairi with him, staring with a question in her eyes. "What's wrong? You were talking in your sleep again. Were you having another one of those dreams?" Sora blinked tiredly.
"No...," he soon said, shaking the sleep from his head. "It's nothing." Kairi still looked unconvinced.
"Everyone's meeting up now. It's time." All traces of weariness left Sora then. He instantly sprang out of bed.
"Let's do this!"
KHKHKHKH
"How much did you get?" Yuna asked Rikku, the three Gullwings huddled together.
"Not much,' Rikku pouted. "For a pirate, he didn't have much treasure on him."
"Did you manage to get anything?" Paine sighed.
"Of course I did!" Rikku reached into her clothes and pulled out a piece of parchment that was as big as herself. She unfurled it and presented it proudly. Yuna and Paine inspected it.
"It's just a picture of a key," Yuna pointed out.
"How is that treasure?" Paine asked annoyingly.
"Well, I was thinking it might be a treasure map! I mean, he is a captain!" Rikku exclaimed. Suddenly she was plucked from the air by her wings, and brought before the face of one irritated pirate.
"You know, it wouldn't be the first time I've eaten a midget," Jack Sparrow growled. Rikku screamed and tore herself from his grasp, but not before dropping the parchment in her haste, which Jack grabbed in mid-air as the Gullwings made their getaway.
Jack sniffed disdainfully as they flew off, then looked down at what the trouble was all about. The double-pronged key on the parchment stared back at him. That's right, Jack realized. Today was the day. He recoiled from the picture, as if it would come alive and gobble him up at any moment. Although, so far nothing had happened. There was a certain quaking in his stomach, though he did drink rum with turpentine last night. Maybe he really was safe as long as he wasn't on his own world.
"Are you sure you're alright?" Jack quickly stuffed the parchment back in his pocket when Sora and Kairi approached, and ran off before they could greet or question him. "You seem distracted by something," Kairi said as they walked. "Are you sure you're ready for this?"
"Of course," Sora stammered. "Just, uh, bit of indigestion. Besides, I have to be ready. A lot is at stake here." Kairi frowned but didn't press him any further.
Unfortunately, despite his assurances Sora's mind drifted to his latest dream. Apparently Ellone didn't have as much control over his visions as she thought. And this one was worrying him. Ellone did seem very nervous concerning the subject of his father. Was this the reason? Just had happened to Anakin Skywalker? Too many questions, not enough answers. Speaking of Ellone, Sora just happened to catch sight of her on the way. Ellone seemed startled when their eyes met. So...she had seen what he's seen as well. Not knowing what else to do, Sora grinned and waved at her. She smiled and did the same.
When he was out of sight Ellone's smile quickly fell, knowing how close Sora was to learning the truth.
Sora and the others came to the main chambers where the underground corridors all conjoined. Everyone about to fight for the resistance was gathering there. "Yo, dudes!" Jake called from the growing crowd. "This is it. Today's the day we finally settle the score with those Imperial jerks."
"I've been waiting for this," Zidane said eagerly. Sora could see that. He could see it on all of the faces here. He could see a nervous looking Professor Szalinski and a bored looking Lulu standing by. Yuffie and Jack Sparrow was leaning against the wall, seemingly asleep. Everyone else was chatting amongst themselves about the upcoming battle at hand.
Everyone fell silent all of a sudden as the man who made all this possible arrived. V entered the stage clad in his same unusual getup, Leon and Quistis coming in behind him. They must have been planning all night. Without a word V strode to the front of the crowd to address everyone present.
"This is it, people," he said in his accented voice. "Today is the day we fight back against the Empire to regain what is ours. You all know your assignments. In order to buy Sora some time to enter the citadel, we must hold the attention of all of the Imperial forces within the city. We don't need to win, we only need to survive until the Rebel Alliance can land reinforcements. You all know me, and I've been very privileged to come to know all of you. There is no other group of people more capable to fight this fight. And I wish luck to all of you."
"We'll be moving through the city," Leon went on. "Fast hit and run strikes to confuse them and keep them off balance. At the same time, the Rebel Alliance will begin their attack on the blockade in orbit. Once that starts, Sora, you make your way into the citadel. By the way...," he said, looking over at V. "If we're gonna pull this off, we're going to need some serious speed. Do we have any means of transportation?"
The smile V had could match the one his mask. "Only the fastest, most reliable form of transport around." He walked a few feet away and opened a door at the side of the room. Everyone peered inside. What met them was the bristle of feathers, and many odd squawks.
"You gotta be kidding me...," Leon asked in disbelief.
KHKHKHKH
The sun rose on another day in Radiant Garden. Not that its people would know, as the shield enclosing the city blotted out the outside world. Just another day for them under Imperial rule.
"You'd think one might be able to find a decent breakfast around here," a Stormtrooper muttered to his partner as the two of them patrolled the streets of Radiant Garden.
"Forget it," his partner said. "Moogles made all the decent grub around here, and they all went into hiding, like rats. I hate this place. How soon till the next transfer?"
"I think it's...uh..." He trailed off when they both caught sight of something. That some something was coming their way down the road. And it was coming fast. "Do you see what I see?" His partner blinked in astonishment beneath his helmet.
"If you're talking about the man riding on the back of a giant chicken, then yes."
Both troopers yelled and jumped out of the way as a horse-sized yellow bird rushed past them with incredible speed, carrying on its back a man wearing all black, his face concealed by some kind of white mask.
"Kya, Chocobo! Kya!" the man shouted. His mount squawked and, with another burst of speed, ran off down the road.
"That's him! That's the terrorist!" yelled one Stormtrooper as the two recollected themselves. "From the reports, he has a warrant on his head!"
"No doubt about it," the other growled. "Contact command. We'll need reinforcements."
KHKHKHKH
Chief Bast stood in the middle of Radiant Garden's Central Control Network. As men ran about and Stormtroopers stood guard, he oversaw all the preparations. Today the Keyblade War information would be the property Darth Vader. Everything had to go perfectly. His very life depended on it. "Is the program up and running yet?" he asked one of his many men operating at computer terminals.
"Full capacity, sir," the man answered. "It's doing a search on the Keyblade War files as we speak." Bast smiled. The resurrection of this world's old Master Control Program was the best idea he's had yet. Soon it would find those misbegotten files and take them from the infernal security program known as Tron. And once he sent them to Lord Vader, he might finally get a promotion, or at least off his bad side.
"Sir!" called another man from his work station. "A report from the city. The terrorist, sir, he's been spotted in sector three!" Bast raised an eyebrow, but smiled a cruel smile right after.
"Is that so?" he asked. "My, this really is a good day. We'll have the files and that rabble rouser all in the same day. Send Delta Squad there immediately, set weapons for stun. I want him alive."
"Sir!" Bast turned to yet another man at his station. "There's been another sighting but...this one's all the way on the other side of town!"
"What?" Bast growled. "Well, which is it? He can't be in two places at the same time!"
KHKHKHKH
"Halt! In the name of the Empire!" Such was the call of the Stormtroopers as they took after the masked man dressed in black. Chasing him on foot proved to be a futile effort as on his Chocobo steed the man was nearly un-catchable. The great bird had already bolted down the street before they had any chance to use their weapons. "Dammit! That chicken is too fast! We need to cut him off somehow."
"Wait," said another trooper in his squad. "There he is!" Directly down an alley they happened to be facing was the masked terrorist, still mounted on his Chocobo. He kicked his ride off once they caught sight of him. "How did he-?"
"Never mind that! After him again!" the leader yelled. He and his squad were about to take chase again, when a sound from above caught their attention. They couldn't believe it, but the very same man they had been after was now on the rooftop above them, this time with no giant bird as his horse. Once again, he ran off across the roof.
"He's...he's everywhere!"
KHKHKHKH
"Sighting in sector 7!"
"Sighting in sector 2!"
"Sector 8!"
"Sector 4!"
A small bead of sweat ran down Chief Bast's face as reports from Stormtrooper patrols came rolling in from every part of the city. The masked terrorist had been spotted in nearly every sector, and more than once he had been reported riding an ostrich!
"Sir! What are your orders?" an officer asked desperately. Bast managed to snap out of it, and clench his teeth. This was his city now and he would not lose control.
"Dispatch Stormtrooper squads to all sectors," he ordered in an angered tone. "And as for bringing him in alive, scrap that! Use of force is authorized!" He looked at the giant computer screen which displayed a detailed map of Radiant Garden. Little red dots represented the masked man's sightings, there were at least twenty of them now. "And contact the Star Destroyer blockade, have them send reinforcements immediately!"
"Sir! We've just received a message from the blockade!" an officer reported urgently. "T-They're under attack, sir! By Rebel ships!" Bast's eyes widened in terror.
"Rebels?" he whispered. "HERE!?"
KHKHKHKH
Stormtroopers rushed out of the citadel and into the streets of Radiant Garden by the hundreds, rifles carried by every one of them. By the orders of Chief Bast, anyone caught wearing a mask was to be captured, or shot on sight, no questions asked. So all Imperial forces were put on high alert. The citadel emptied out a large majority of its troops in order to quell the uprising hastily.
Fortunately, the real intention of the "uprising" was not yet apparent to the Empirical lackeys. Even without the madness that was going on, no one would have noticed three tiny girls flying high above, carrying between them five similarly sized people. The Gullwings, Yuna, Rikku and Paine carried with them the shrunken Sora, Kairi, Mulan, Jack Sparrow, and Shelke, and headed their way for the citadel.
They managed to slip their way into one of the tower windows up above and luckily into and empty room. They landed on the floor. "You know," Jack Sparrow drawled. "Now that size no longer separates us, I find you ladies no less irresistible than I find myself."
"Back off you creep! You wanted to eat me!" Rikku snapped.
"Oh, I still want to eat you." Jack grinned saucily. "Just in a different way." Mulan punched him square in the jaw. "Jealousy is an ugly sign of affection, love." Mulan glared death at him.
"Why did we have to take him along?" she asked Sora.
"I don't know what it is, Mulan," Sora sighed. "But whenever Jack is with us, things just seem to work out in the end."
"They have to go horribly wrong first...," Kairi admitted.
"But then they work out." Mulan sighed hopelessly.
"Nice to finally be appreciated," Jack noted approvingly. Sora raised his arm and summoned his Keyblade, as did the others. As soon as that happened, they began to grow, larger and larger until they were normal size. According to Dr. Szalinski, to break the effects of his shrink ray, you would have perform a discharge of magic, and nothing discharged more magic than summoning the Keyblade.
"Thanks for your help, guys," Sora told the Gullwings with a grin. "We'll take it from here. You go out and help everyone."
"We'll be rooting for you, Sora!" Yuna exclaimed.
"All of Radiant Garden depends on you!" Rikku cheered.
"So...no pressure," Paine put in. In three flashes, the three of them vanished into thin air.
"Alright," Sora said firmly, slamming his fist into his palm. "We're about to teach these guys what it means to mess with our friends! You ready, guys?"
"Give me a minute," Jack interrupted, raised his rum bottle to his lips and proceeded to chug the entire thing, wiping his lips clean when he was done. "Alright, I'm good."
KHKHKHKH
"Freeze!"
After a lengthy chase, the masked perpetrator had finally been cornered by a large squad of Stormtroopers, their rifles trained directly on him. Backing against the wall of a building, the man had nowhere left to run. "Alright, don't move," the squad leader ordered. "Just go quietly and no one has to get-" Before he could finish, something suddenly leapt from the rooftop of the building they had their target cornered against. It landed right between them and him, revealing itself to be...
"What!?" the Stormtrooper leader exclaimed. "Two of them?!" There were now two masked terrorists standing before them, dressed in the exact same crazy outfit. "But, this can't be!" The Stormtrooper's eyes widened behind his helmet when something materialized in the second masked man's hand, resembling a sword made out of a large fang. He barely had time to scream when the man swung his sword and a large wave of energy engulfed him and his entire squad.
When the attack subsided only the two masked men were left standing, when the first one suddenly removed his mask. "You know, I could have done that," Aladdin said, smiling as he cast off his disguise.
"Yeah," the other one replied, removing his own mask. "But I wanted to do it first," sonic smirked, resting his Keyblade on his shoulder.
In another part of town yet another masked man ran with all speed down the streets of Radiant Garden, not knowing where more Stormtroopers would pop up. Unfortunately, an entire squad of them appeared before him. "Halt! You're under arrest!" the leader shouted. But the man in the mask didn't stop running towards them, even when the troopers took aim with their rifles. The Imperial soldiers didn't expect cooperation. What they really didn't expect were two great webbed wings to sprout from the man's back, or for him to be suddenly engulfed in flame. When the flames died down the outfit was burned off, and a red dragon was now rushing towards them.
"Get ready for a smack down in my town!" Jake shouted. With one great flap of his wings he took off in flight for the Stormtroopers. They opened fired, but with Jake's scaly, fireproof body the lasers bounced off him harmlessly. He took a deep breath and released it as fire, and all the Stormtroopers were engulfed.
"Alright! Surround him!" Stormtroopers closed in around the masked terrorist and the Chocobo he rode upon. As the soldiers surrounded him they made sure he wasn't going anywhere. "Give it up. There's nowhere left to run," the lead Stormtrooper commanded. "Now take off your mask!" At this, the man reached for his face as he was ordered. The Stormtroopers kept their rifles ready, as the man slowly removed his mask...
"BLAAAAAAAAAA!" Jack Skellington shrieked once the mask was off, revealing his skull at its most scary. Hardened soldiers or not the Stormtroopers screamed in terror, threw down their weapons and ran off in all directions. "Well, that was fun!" Jack noted with a grin as he removed the getup hat. "Nothing like a good fright to get the blood pumping. Except I don't have blood. Well, then I got your blood pumping!" His Chocobo squawked. "Atta boy!" Jack placed a cowboy hat on his head, the King of Halloween never without a change in costume, and raised his Keyblade to the air. "High ho, Drumstick! Away!"
All across the city, V impersonators cast off their disguises much to the surprise of every Stormtrooper pursuing them. "Stand strong!" Leon shouted throwing off his disguise in one fluid motion, brandishing his Gunblade from atop his Chocobo. "This is our city, our world! And we want it back! For Radiant Garden!"
"For freedom!" Aerith shouted.
"FOR THE HELL OF IT!" po hollered. With Leon at their head, the Chocobo calvary stampeded down the streets on an one way charge for the Stormtroopers. The soldiers fired off their rifles, but the very sight of the chicken mounted force that rushed them caused many to falter and, before they could organize, the heroes were already upon them. Harsh, close-quartered fighting erupted in the streets, as the V impersonators fell upon their foes with utmost valour.
But where was the real one?
He was underground, in the hideout, watching the map of Radiant Garden intently. "Jake, head right. There are Stormtroopers hot on your tail," V said through the communicator that everyone in the field now had. "Leon, Aerith, back up the Beast now. Zidane, quit trying to be a hero and fall back."
"po, head to the town square and hook up with Yuffie," Quistis ordered, also pouring over the map. "Inuyasha and Aladdin, get ready, there's a squad heading right for you. Form a perimeter before they get there." As the two directed everyone in the field, a holographic image appeared before the table, materializing into Princess Leia.
"We've begun our attack on the blockade in orbit," she reported. "We've caught them completely off guard. It's only a matter time before we've beaten them back. How go things down here?"
"So far so good," Quistis replied hurriedly. "But that can quickly change. We're far too outnumbered to take them all on. If we're to have any chance at all, that shield needs to come down."
"It's up to Sora now," V whispered. "'The multiplying villainies of nature do swarm upon him.' Shakespeare never wrote it so true."
KHKHKHKH
"What in the hell is going on!?" Chief Bast screamed. The Central Control room was being flooded with reports. Stormtroopers radioed in from all over the city, how every masked man had been an imposter, and that they were now engaged with various enemies. The Star Destroyers in orbit were under attack at this very moment by Rebel Alliance ships, and they were quickly losing ground. Control was slipping from his grasp with every passing minute.
"Sir!"
"What!" he snapped at the officer that had addressed him. "And it had better be good news!"
"W-Well, sir, the Master Control Program has found the Keyblade War files." Bast calmed down slightly. That was good news. "We're beginning extracting now. They will be downloaded directly to Lord Vader's ship as we progress." Despite everything that was happening, Bast managed a grim smile.
"Excellent. At the very least we can deliver those files. Then I can get the hell off this stupid world. Let those fools fight to their deaths. Begin downloading the files now!" The men at the computer terminals did as commanded. Soon enough, on the main screen appeared a loading bar, starting at 1 then very slowly moving to 2.
Bast sighed impatiently. "Damn dial-up."
KHKHKHKH
"You can't catch us! You can't catch us!" Rikku sang. She, Yuna, and Paine were flying away from the Stormtroopers that were right on their tail.
"Catch those things and put them in a birdcage!" the Stormtrooper squad leader shouted. The three sprites they tailed suddenly zipped out of sight into a nearby alley, and the soldiers followed them right in. "Whoa!" What met them in the alley wasn't just the Gullwings. From the shadows stepped the four-legged gargoyle beast named Bronx, summoned earlier by Sora to aid in the battle, growling angrily at the startled Stormtroopers.
The Gullwings grinned. "Sick em'," Yuna ordered. Bronx roared and pounced with teeth and claws barred, tearing into the Imperials with monstrous ferocity.
In another part of town Stormtroopers open fired with their rifles while at the same time backed away, because heading right at them with screeching tires was the white Volkswagen Beetle named Herbie. In his driver's seat was Kim Possible, and his passenger seat Ron Stoppable. Both were screaming as lasers bombarded Herbie but they bounced off his metal plating until he plowed into the Stormtrooper lines. His doors, trunk and hood swung open to smack them around until there were no troopers left standing.
Kim and Ron sat stock still in the car, until Kim suddenly squealed. "That was awesome! I never knew cars could be so cool! Right, Ron? Ron?" But Ron had passed out from all the frightful excitement. "Hello? Earth to Ronny?"
Zidane ran like mad with Stormtroopers right on his monkey tail, lasers flying over his head. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you guys were trying to hit me!" he laughed mockingly. He suddenly jumped high into the air and clung to a wall, kicked off of it and grabbed a flagpole by his tail. Twirling around it till he was dizzy he used it to vault up the side of a building. Stormtrooper fire pelted the walls as Zidane lunged onto the rooftop and was gone.
"Blast it!" the squad leader growled. "Come on, he couldn't have gotten far. We'll-" A strange sound reached all their ears. It sounded like...bongos? By following the sound they found its source: a black bear beating on a pair of bongos. Another of Sora's summons from earlier, Baloo the bear, danced down the street. "What in the-? Is this some kind of joke!? And what are you doing!?" he yelled at his Stormtroopers, who suddenly started dancing to the beat of the bear. Suddenly, the commander had the urge to start dancing himself, the hypnotic rhythm of the bongos too strong for him to resist. "Can't...fight...the music!" With all dignity left behind, the Stormtroopers danced under the musical spell of Baloo.
Staring down the advancement of a small Stormtrooper force were Leon, Aerith and Beast, weapons drawn as they came closer. Leon scraped a line in the street with his Gunblade. "They won't get by us. Whatever happens, they won't cross this line!"
"They won't have to cross a line to shoot us, genius," Beast informed irritably. The Stormtroopers stopped their advance and lined up to fire. The heroes readied themselves as the Stormtroopers raised their rifles, took aim...
ZZZZZZZZAAAAAAAPPPPPP
A crackling beam of energy soared over Leon, Beast's and Aerith's heads and struck the entire Stormtrooper battalion. After a large flash, the troopers were now much, much smaller than before, the size of thimbles. Once the mini-troopers established what had happened they threw down their weapons and ran screaming in all directions down the street.
"Haha! It works!" Wayne Szalinski cheered. He was standing with Lulu and his shrink ray, still smoking from the blast. "A successful field test for multiple target range! Thank goodness it worked. I mean, I really didn't have a backup plan if it didn't."
"You're a true blue genius," Lulu sighed sarcastically..
The battle raged on.
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Elsewhere ellone watches the war unfolded from the hideout until an old man approaches.
"Is he close to the truth?"
She turns and sees the old version of sora.
"y-yes. I tried to warn him about what he-I mean you just said. But he wouldn't listen."
"You did this to me remember?" he responded coldly making ellone nervous upon hearing that. "it's fine. There's no stopping him. You were right. No good would come out of it. About your power I mean. As far as you and me are concerned those visions don't belong to him. The past of anakin skywalker doesn't belong to him. They've been lying to him the whole time. Master yen sid only just told him…a fib."
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Meanwhile, Sora, Kairi, Mulan, Jack Sparrow and Shelke were able to move through the citadel without much trouble. Hardly any Stormtroopers crossed the halls, all of them being called to fight in defense of this uprising. All according to plan so far. "I can't believe how easy this is," Kairi commented as they ran. "V was right, Bast really isn't that bright. So where do we have to go?"
"Ansem's old lab," Sora answered hurriedly. "It's the only other computer in the building directly connected to the network. I just hope they haven't gotten to Tron yet."
They ran inside the door to Ansem's office. It was empty, luckily. The Empire must not have found a use for this room. Thankfully they didn't know about the secret entranceway leading to Ansem's secret lab. Sora activated it and they all went inside.
"This is it!" Sora announced as they entered the computer room. It was exactly the same as he remembered it, the supercomputer sitting unused inside. "Shelke, can you get the Keyblade War files from here?" Shelke wordlessly stepped up to the super computer and typed away, her fingers moving across the board with practiced speed, pulling up all kinds of programs and files on the computer.
"I can," she answered tonelessly soon enough. "I can access the entire mainframe from here. But I'm afraid the Empire has already begun downloading the files."
"So, we're too late?" Kairi asked worriedly.
"No. I can still retrieve the files and download into my mind, but only if I perform a neural net dive. It shouldn't be too much trouble."
"All this technical mumbo jumbo is making me head hurt," Jack groaned boredly. "Can't we just hit it with a rock then suck the info with a straw?"
"There's one more thing," Shelke added, still typing. "I can also access the self-destruct program for the citadel." Sora winced. He knew to take down the shield they had to destroy the shield generator, and that would severely damage the citadel itself. It was a sacrifice that had to be made but he was still hesitant to do it.
"We'll talk about that after we get the files," he decided. "Do your thing, Shelke. We're counting on you." Shelke's eyes slightly widened.
"Counting on me?" Sora grinned and nodded. Still taken aback, Shelke turned back to the computer. "No one's ever counted on me before...," she whispered. She took a deep breath, stared at the computer, and her blue eyes glowed bright orange. As she focused on the computer, her consciousness actually entered the computer mainframe, becoming one with the interface itself.
"I can see it," she soon announced, eyes still glued to the computer. "They're being downloaded right now. Their progress is slow, the information is must be substantial. I can still get them back. All I have to do is connect to...wait. There's something here. It's some sort of...program. I don't know what it is. I-It's enormous. I've never seen anything like it. S-Something's coming towards me. No. No! AAAAHHHH!"
"Shelke!" Sora cried when electricity suddenly blasted from the computer and struck the girl head on. Normally stoic Shelke screamed in pain. Her suddedly started glowing, brighter and brighter, until she simply disappeared. "Shelke! What happened!?" The girl was gone without a trace.
"Where'd she go?!" Kairi gasped.
"You mean that wasn't supposed to happen?" Jack asked cluelessly. The screen on the supercomputer, suddenly crackled ominously with static.
"Access Denied." On the monitor suddenly appeared a face, but it was no ordinary face. It was red and cylindrical, and frightening to behold. "Greetings, Users. I've been looking forward to this reunion for quite a long time."
"The MCP!" Sora yelled in disbelief. "But how? We defeated you last time!"
"I've been restored," the computer entity known as the Master Control Program replied. "Reactivated by the Users to complete their trivial tasks. But your arrival here was a most welcome surprise."
"What have you done with Shelke!?" Kairi demanded.
"Do not concern yourself with her. You shall be joining her soon enough."
Sora's eyes widened. "Get down!" he shouted but it was too late. The digitizer machinery behind them fired. Sora, Kairi, Mulan and Jack were caught in the blast, freezing into solid blocks, each section reconfigured into digital data and uploaded into the supercomputer.
"Upload complete," the MCP announced with a certain amount of satisfaction. "Now running latest protocol: REVENGE."
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The group reappeared in a grayish-blue world of whirring red and blue lights. Kairi groaned and looked at her hands, and found them clad in strange blue armour, as was the rest of her body. Scratch that, it was her body. "What the?" she gasped. Looking over at Sora, Jack and Mulan, she found them in a similar state. "Where are we?"
"The Space Paranoids," groaned Sora.
"This is Tron's world?" Kairi asked.
"You mean we're in the computer?" Mulan gasped.
"After being a bug, a car, and a dinosaur, this seems like the logical next step," Jack Sparrow muttered, staring at his hands that flowed with blue energy. "Trippy."
"But...where's Tron?" Sora wondered aloud. "And Shelke! Where'd she go?" Suddenly, twenty huge program guards sprung up from around them, red lines of energy flowing through their bodies.
"The Master Control Program orders you to come with us!" one of the guards commanded, brandishing an energy staff threateningly. "Do so or you will be derezzed."
"I take it that's a bad thing?" Jack asked. As a result, he was zapped in the butt by an energy staff, and yelped in pain.
"Wait!" Sora cried as Mulan was about to summon her Keyblade. "We have to find where Shelke is. These guys are our only lead. For now, we'll do what they say."
The sky above them suddenly shimmered and changed, as the MCP's eerie red face filled the entire sky. "Foolish users," it boomed. Sora couldn't help but feel small and helpless, but put on a brave face, as did Kairi and Mulan. Jack just stood there and wondered how rum tasted when it was digitized. "You are in my world now. Here I am in control. There is no hope for you now. You are now and forever mine. Take them to the Game Grid. And make sure they're well accommodated." The sky shimmered again, and the MCP was gone.
"By the orders of the MCP, you are all to take your place in the next Death Cycle Tournament," the guard growled. "Now move!" They were all harshly zapped by the guards to get them moving, as they were herded off for the Game Grid.
And that concludes another chapter. Be sure to write nice reviews, adapt the original story (Darius Almighty's work) on DeviantArt, turn it into a webcomic or post the story on TV tropes or follow and favorite it. And remember may your heart be your guiding key!