It wasn't often that Roman Torchwick woke up before eleven in the morning. Or what the base had designated as "eleven," anyway. His body seemed to agree what was too early and what wasn't.
Right now, it was telling him that it was too early, and yet he was awake all the same, just very groggily so. It took him a moment to take stock of why that might be. Most everything felt the same as usual. He was in his soft, comfortable bed, pivoted so that Archibald Snatcher's body was curved around him in a spoon position. Each was dressed only in their barest underthings, warm in the places where their skin made contact.
What was new, Roman realized, was the pressure of something fluffy and not too heavy on the side of his face that was turned up. Something that was, to boot, making a rather loud purring as it expanded and contracted with each breath.
Not yet having enough energy to open his mouth, Roman mentally cursed out Macavity, who'd decided to curl up and take a nap on his face. Thankfully not in a way that prevented him from breathing. Actually, awkward as this was, he was in no hurry to get rid of the cat. He supposed Delilah was somewhere about, probably sleeping on the other side of the bed against Snatcher's back. What a family this made.
As Roman waited to drift back into sleep, he was made aware of just how content this all felt. Comfortable. Intimate. He could've stayed this way for a long time, secure for once in a belief that things wouldn't change. That the real world had finally let him have happiness, and it felt like a paramour's arm draped over you from behind and a cat squishing your face.
When one is in such a blissful state, the last thing one wants is to hear the sound of circa one hundred firecrackers going off in one's kitchen.
That incredibly specific example, of course, was selected for a reason.
When the cacophony began, both Roman and Snatcher sat bolt upright in bed, color drained from their faces. Macavity and Delilah yowled as they leapt to the floor and began barreling about the apartment, Delilah eventually ending up hiding in the closet while Macavity made it his goal to jump to every elevated surface without repeating.
"WHAT THE FUCKING HELL?" Roman shrieked.
"GIVE US BLASTED HEART ATTACKS, WHY DON'T YOU?" Snatcher added.
The worst part was they both knew exactly who to expect.
As they burst into the kitchen, they found Mozenrath there, sitting on a stool at the counter and languidly watching the last of the blue firecrackers he'd conjured exploding. "Oh, good," he said without looking up. "You're awake." When the last firework detonated, he lifted his gaze and curled his lip. "Why do you two never have clothes on when I'm trying to have a serious discussion?"
Before there could be either argument, both were dressed in black-and-blue robes that complemented Mozenrath's own outfit but didn't really suit either of them.
"Hey, y'know why you keep catching us in awkward positions?" Roman countered. "BECAUSE THIS IS OUR FUCKING APARTMENT, AND YOU NEVER FUCKING KNOCK!"
"The door was locked," Mozenrath sighed.
"THERE WAS A REASON FOR THAT!" Snatcher insisted.
"Listen." Mozenrath slid down to stand on the floor. "I am beginning a very important mission today. The Huntsman, Dr. Hämsterviel, and I are about to set out to bring home the first batch of new recruits. The prospects at stop number one aren't exactly promising, but I've been assured they make up for it by being…colorful." He rolled his eyes. "My point being that I need you two on a very special mission of your own."
"And why us?" Snatcher asked. "Couldn't you go wake Miss Wuya up in the wee hours when she's in naught but lingerie?"
"I'm not THAT unafraid of death," Mozenrath replied. "Also, for this mission, I need a diplomat and a friendly face. Qualities that seem to be mutually exclusive, yet complementary in your case."
"I can't tell whether I'm supposed to say 'thanks' or try and break your nose," Roman said flatly.
"What is it?" Snatcher sighed. "Sow political unrest? Spread misinformation? Incite chaos?"
"Welcoming committee duty," Mozenrath replied, now smiling. "Also, tour guides."
After a pause of disbelief, Roman roared, "Are you FUCKING KIDDING ME?"
"I am going to be bringing back several waves of new recruits in a nearly rapid-fire fashion," Mozenrath explained. "These recruits will need to be greeted, indoctrinated, and shown their quarters, as well as most of the notable locations they'll need to visit in order to go about their daily lives. You know, the torture chamber, the battle training room, et cetera. I just figure you two would be the most fitting for the job with minimal incidents."
They gave a synchronized sigh. Then Snatcher groaned, "And I suppose we've no choice but to agree to this."
"I mean, you have the choice of defying me," Mozenrath told them. "I wouldn't punish you for that. We are friends, after all. And also, the pandemonium caused by everyone trying to find their way around while breaking the ground rules would be more than punishment enough."
"Since when do we have GROUND RULES?" Roman asked.
"Well, it largely boils down to 'don't kill each other without permission' and 'don't destroy my personal property,'" Mozenrath admitted. "You can see how someone who doesn't have our established rapport might not get these instinctually."
"All right," Snatcher relented. "You have us on board."
"Don't fucking drag me under the bus with you!" Roman snapped.
Snatcher merely raised a brow at him.
"…Yeah, you know I'm in," Roman sighed.
"You know," Snatcher mused, "Mrs. Overkill would likely be glad to assist us. She does have a jovial demeanor. An ideal host for those crossing the threshold."
"Good call," Roman realized. "We're third-wheeling her into this."
"I'll let you know when I've dropped off the first wave," Mozenrath told them. "Time passes differently on other worlds, after all, so I wouldn't go back to sleep if I were you."
Roman let out a strangled whine at this.
"Also, if any of them asks, they're only seeing the same ten cats multiple times," Mozenrath insisted.
"Easily arranged," Snatcher promised.
"Just remember." Mozenrath's smile was wide and smug. "These are going to be our new playmates for the forseeable future, so play nice!"
With that, he'd vanished.
"Ohhhhh-kaaaaay," Roman sighed, "so before we do anything, I'm gonna need about a gallon of coffee and the red outfit."
Down in the control room, the Huntsman and Hämsterviel waited, the latter tapping his foot rapidly. "What is taking that silly sorcerer so long?" Hämsterviel complained. "I could have taken over three worlds in the time it's taken him to hightail his own tail down here!"
"It's been ten minutes," the Huntsman sighed, "and we showed up ahead of schedule."
"I stand by what I have just said."
Mozenrath appeared in a cerulean flash. "You're both early," he said with a glimmer of enthusiasm in his eyes.
"And you are LATE!" Hämsterviel whined. "You are attempting to dominate the known multiverse and have yet to grasp the incredibly simple concept of punctuality! We have been waiting close to an ETERNITY – "
"Are we still headed to my homeworld?" the Huntsman asked, just wanting to shut Hämsterviel up more than anything.
"That we are." Mozenrath looked down to the irate scientist. "You're SURE about this first target."
"He was in my personal employ!" Hämsterviel insisted. "I reviewed his performance myself!"
"And did he fail you?" Mozenrath asked.
"Spectacularly," Hämsterviel grunted. "All the same, he is intelligent in the scientific sense, ambitious to a fault, and, most importantly, desperate for alliance. He will be easy to control."
"Then let's not burn any more daylight," Mozenrath decided. "Or whatever the equivalent is out here."
He cast the Corridor, swaggering through before the Huntsman and Hämsterviel followed, each a different flavor of bewildered about what they would find at their old stomping grounds.
...
Another benefit of Maleficent's stunt with the nightmare cast over Radiant Garden was that Mal and Lianna had shown Riku a new place to sit and reflect. He found himself once more on the gable of the castle, eyes cast out toward the kingdom at large.
He traced the pathways of the shoppers in the market, of those who toured the gardens, of those who entered and exited their homes to greet or to part with families. Every now and again, his gaze would drift down toward the gates, resting upon the memorial to the fallen and however many people stood before it. There were always some.
The sound of footfalls landing on the same gable alerted him to the presence of company. "Hey," Sora greeted with a wave. "Cool spot you found out here."
"Mal and Lianna showed it to me," Riku told him with a soft smile. "Back when Maleficent was pretending to be my mother. While you were – "
No. That had been when Amaterasu had died.
" – away."
"Cool." Sora sat down next to Riku. "Great view."
"Yeah," Riku agreed, looking out at the town once more. "It's a good place to think about things."
Sora tilted his head as he faced Riku. "Is something wrong? Is that why you came out here?"
He couldn't hide anything from Sora, and it was useless to bother trying. "Yeah. And it's what you think it is."
Sora nodded somberly. "That guy."
"I keep thinking that I should've been here," Riku admitted. "That I would've been able to do something. But I know that if I'd been here, we couldn't have woken Ven up, and probably not saved Aqua either." He paused a while. "Now…ironically, here isn't really where I wanna be. There's so much grief, and I can't even say I was scared, because I wasn't there. I'm just an outsider looking in. All I can do is try to be there next time."
"Hmmm." Sora gave this a good hard think as he traced the skyline with his eyes. Then he gave a gasp. "Riku! We should get out of here!"
"What?" Riku flinched.
"Remember what we were talking about back in the Observatory?" Sora urged him. "About going on an adventure, just the two of us, when things calmed down? Maybe we can't wait for things to calm down, and we just need to go!"
"NOW?" Riku asked in disbelief, looking at Sora with bewildered eyes.
"Yeah!" Sora insisted. "Why not?"
"I…" Riku fumbled. He knew there were several good and logical reasons this was a bad idea. He was just having trouble thinking of them just then. "We can't just take off and not let people know we're gone."
"Yeah, we can," Sora told him. "We'll come back when we've seen enough. It'll just be a short trip. And we'll have our GummiPhones! We can call back once we're on our way, and even send pictures!"
"What about Master Yen Sid's training?" Riku asked. "I only just got him to agree to teach us Command Styles. I can't skip out on those lessons."
"Nah, you'll pick it up later." Sora waved dismissively. "You're the fastest learner out of all of us. You're the only master, right? Well, you and Aqua. But she already knows those styles."
"I just – " Riku shook his head. "What about the people who need me here?"
"Riku," Sora argued softly, "you're hurting. And you need to take care of yourself, too. I just…hate knowing that you're so down. I wanna make you smile again."
And suddenly, Riku was doing just that.
"Yeah!" Sora insisted. "Like that!"
"This is the worst idea you've ever had," Riku told him.
"But we're gonna do it, right?"
Riku's eyes sparkled. "Of course we are."
...
A rainbow of crystals, organized by color, were spread over Vexen's worktable. Delicately, he plucked a blue crystal and placed it on the platform he'd set up to begin his work.
Yes, he already knew what this crystal's function was. It was an Engine Crystal, meant for powering vehicles. He wanted to know more about its inner workings for his current objective.
Carefully, he placed a chisel over the crystal, tapping it with a hammer twice. The crystal cleaved, and Vexen made several notes on the pattern, drawing out the shapes he'd created. He fixed an eye-lens over his right eye, getting as close of a look as possible before making more notes, more diagrams.
Then, taking the smaller facet he'd chipped away, he positioned a small eyedropper filled with acid over the chip, letting a single drop fall. As the liquid sizzled against the crystal's surface, Vexen muttered "Interesting" and made still more notes.
He ignored the sound of shoes clicking on the laboratory floor until he was quite sure they were headed in his direction. He looked up to see Ravess settling in on the other side of the table.
"I didn't know you were a geologist," she observed.
"I have dabbled in many fields," Vexen informed her. "All the better to learn about the phenomena of the worlds. After all, the more one knows, the more one can USE."
"Is there a particular reason you're picking apart those crystals now?" Ravess asked.
"As a matter of fact…" Vexen smirked. "There is."
Before he could explain it, Yzma, Wuya, Zevon, and Lady Caine all came tumbling out of the roller coaster, hitting the floor eagerly and racing toward Yzma's side of the lab.
Vexen rolled his eyes. "Of course. Just when I thought I'd finally obtained some hard-won privacy."
"Ignore them," Ravess bade him as she observed the quartet huddling around Yzma's worktable to chatter.
"Believe me, I'm an expert at that art." Vexen nodded. Then, in a much softer tone: "I do wish to let you in on my current venture. But you must speak softly, and not breathe a word of it to anyone until the time is right. Are we clear?"
"As those crystals," Ravess replied.
Vexen leaned toward her, practically whispering; "As of the loss of the Tesseract – "
"VEXEN!" Yzma slammed both her hands down on the worktable.
"WHAT IS IT?" Vexen yelled at her.
"Oh," Yzma realized. "Was I interrupting something?"
"Yes!" Ravess huffed. "You were! Is that not obvious?"
"Well, I'll leave you lovebirds to it," Yzma resolved. "I just wanted to let you know, Vexen, that all your dreams are about to come true."
"You're permanently vacating the laboratory in order to give me a good percentage more peace and quiet?" Vexen sighed.
"No," Yzma told him, "I'm vacating the laboratory for a few DAYS to give you a good percentage more peace and quiet."
He hadn't been expecting that. "Dreams come true, indeed," he muttered.
"Now!" Yzma cried. "Back to business!" She rejoined her fellows on the other side of the lab.
"What's all that about?" Ravess asked.
"I neither know nor care," Vexen huffed. "I would prefer to go back to OUR business."
"I'm dying of suspense," Ravess informed him. "Get to the point already."
Vexen leaned back over to whisper at her. "As of the loss of the Tesseract, I have been working on a way to make up the difference for its absence. I am convinced that an answer lies in the Atmosian crystals. There is a crystal for every magical function you can conceive. There simply MUST be a way to replicate the warping of space. Obviously not in a single crystal, but in a combination of the stones. What I need is – "
"The Key," Ravess whispered, stricken with realization.
"No, no, no," Vexen dismissed. "Not a Keyblade. Those are only useful for unlocking the walls between worlds, not BRIDGING them."
"Not THAT kind of key!" Ravess hissed. "THE Key! The Key that Master Cyclonis used to open the gate to the Far Side! It turned an ordinary door into a portal to another realm of the world! If you had that stone, it would be no trouble at all for you to figure out the necessary combination to create a modified Tesseract!"
"Interesting…" Vexen mused. "And this Key. Is it still on Atmos?"
"Well, to my knowledge, yes. Who knows nowadays?"
"Still, a good place to start." Vexen smirked. "You know, Ravess, in days of old, this is the sort of project I would have kept completely under wraps from all, revealing my hand at the last possible moment so as to enthrall all to my genius and make them recognize how far above them I operate. Yet now…"
Ravess regarded Vexen with concern.
"Now," Vexen concluded, "this is the sort of project I intend to keep under wraps to all but you, so that we may BOTH reveal our hands at the last moment and establish ourselves as symbiotic alphas among the others' simple minds."
Ravess let out a sigh of relief. "You know, for a minute, I was worried you were about to confess you'd gone sentimental on everyone else."
"Hardly. You know me better than that, Ravess."
"That I do."
"Our objective," Vexen went on, "is now to spin a tale that explains our absence as we peruse Atmos for your Key."
They fell silent as Yzma returned. "Oh, one more thing I forgot to mention," she stated quickly. "The reason we're leaving is because we're on a mission to Atmos."
With that, she hurried back to her side of the lab.
Vexen and Ravess exchanged a stunned glance before nearly knocking over their seats to go join the crowd.
"And what might this mission be?" Ravess asked upon arrival.
"Didn't expect you two to come join in," Wuya said with suspicion. "Especially when you technically don't even know what we're doing yet."
"Well…it just MIFFS me that you would plan a return trip to my homeworld without consulting me first, is all," Ravess huffed.
"You know, she's right," Yzma pointed out. "Which unfortunately means we should also invite Snipe."
"NO!" Ravess and Vexen both shrieked.
As they fielded four curious glances, Ravess fumbled: "Snipe…has had enough of our homeworld! He's sick of all of it! He told me so himself! He said if he never returns to Atmos, it will be too soon!"
Yzma then shrugged. "Makes sense."
"And, more importantly," Wuya pointed out, "it means we don't have to bring Snipe."
"The plan is this," Zevon explained. "I have localeted the first of the gems of the Corona Aurora. The compass has informationed me that it was sent to Atmos. Thereforthwith, my mother, the woman who is functionalitally my stepmother, and I are going to return there to hunt down the jewel!"
"That being established," Vexen said as he eyed Lady Caine, "why are YOU going?"
Lady Caine shrugged. "I wanna get out of the house. Besides, I now have both the Gay Sword AND the Moon Sword to test out in battle."
"You mean Tsumugari," Vexen corrected.
"Gesundheit," Lady Caine said as she rolled her eyes.
"Be glad you're not returning to the sword's world of origin," Vexen warned. "Cultural insensitivity like that would get you vilified immediately."
"Um, you work for a guy who tried to single-handedly start a racially-motivated genocide," Lady Caine pointed out. "And I'm the one with the problem for making fun of a sword with a stupid long name?"
"At least Mr. Snatcher has the decency to ACT CIVIL IN PUBLIC!" Vexen asserted, throwing out his hands to hammer in the point with a gesture. "His attitude toward trolls in their various subclasses is none of my concern! You CAUSING A SCENE is!"
"Oh, this mission is just going to be barrels of fun," Yzma groaned.
"Does he HAVE to come?" Wuya asked Ravess.
"He is my ROMANTIC PARTNER," Ravess insisted. "Of course he has to come!"
"Goody," Yzma and Wuya sighed in unison.
"Have you forgotten that I am the most capable guide present in the field of reconnaissance?" Vexen reminded them. "My observational skills shall prevent us from getting off track."
"Combined, of course, with my intimate knowledge of the terras," Ravess added.
"You can at least say for Vexen that he is smartelligent," Zevon agreed.
"Especially compared to present company," Vexen grunted.
"And yet you don't see how idiotic of a move it is to INSULT MY SON IN FRONT OF ME," Yzma seethed through gritted teeth.
"Say the word and I'll switch the functions of the entrance levers at random intervals," Wuya suggested. "You know, the third, fifth, eighth, and twelfth times he tries to get into the lab, the entrance lever activates the booby trap instead. And NO consistent pattern to track."
"…Fine," Vexen grunted. "I will admit that what Zevon lacks in vocabulary, he does make up for in…what you might call the intelligence practiced on the roadways."
"In the whatnow?" Lady Caine asked.
"I think he meant to say 'street smarts,'" Wuya translated.
"Is that not what I said?" Vexen countered. "Just in less plebeian terminology?"
"The plebeian terminology is the whole point of the phrase," Yzma reminded him. "It doesn't make SENSE if you rephrase it!"
"HA!" Zevon cried. "THE TURNTABLES HAVE NOW – wait – "
"Don't give him the upper hand again," Wuya hissed to Zevon.
"At any rate," Vexen insisted, "we mustn't waste time. The sooner we depart, the closer we are to the completion of Zevon's coveted device."
"You know," Yzma accused, "you're being awfully sensitive toward something that ISN'T ABOUT YOU. What's your angle here?"
"My angle," Vexen said firmly, "is that if Zevon wields the Corona Aurora's godlike powers, we all reap the benefits, myself included."
"That's technically true…" Wuya mused.
"Y'know, the more we sit around trying to figure out everyone's angle," Lady Caine pointed out, "the less time we spend ACTUALLY DOING SOMETHING. Look, whatever the smart guy wants, it's probably something we want, too. He's also SMART enough to know not to let us leave without getting what we came for, unless he wants both the Gay Sword and the Moon Sword jammed through his heart."
"His newly-regained heart," Yzma broke in.
"Huh?" Lady Caine grimaced.
"He took out his heart, then replaced it," Yzma explained. "The taunt lands so much better when you point that out."
"Okay, see, I didn't KNOW that – " Lady Caine closed her eyes and shook her head so fervently, her ponytail nearly came loose. "Now I'M doing it! Let's just GO!"
She turned and stalked away.
"ONWARD!" Yzma cried, following her. Wuya and Zevon were close behind, with Ravess and Vexen bringing up the rear, smirking victoriously at each other. Surely, it would be no trouble to temporarily divert the Corona Aurora mission long enough for one or the other of them to find the Key.
"Oh, and Vexen," Yzma asked, "is there any chance at all of me talking you into carrying my tent on your suitably broad shoulders – "
"ABSOLUTELY NOT!"
...
Rapunzel smiled as she added the details onto her painting. A subtle, smug smile. A pair of sharp eyes. The curl of dark hair. For an instant, all was right with the worlds as Rapunzel looked upon her old friend again.
The sudden presence of her partner in art leaning over her shoulder. "That's detailed. It's good."
Rapunzel had suggested she and Stork go to the art room for the day to work out their anxieties about recent events. They'd set up a pair of adjacent easels, each selecting a library of paints to begin.
Rapunzel had since lost track of time, and Stork's sudden voice reminded her that he was even there. "Thanks!" she chirped. "It's a portrait of Cassandra. You remember Cassandra! She was there in Vardaros! She was the one who stayed back."
"Yeah," Stork realized. "That's off memory? It's reeeeeeeally good."
"I kind of have all my best friends memorized," Rapunzel admitted. "I could paint a pretty good one of you right now if I wanted. I just…was in the mood to see Cassandra again. I hope she's doing okay." She steeled herself. "No. I KNOW she's doing okay. If anyone can make it across Corona, it's her." She then turned back to Stork. "Let me see yours!"
"I don't think you want to." His voice cracked.
"Why not?" Rapunzel asked, rocking back and forth on her heels. "I've already seen you paint the dark, twisted depths of your soul, remember?"
"Yeah, well…this is…kinda different." Stork gave a sigh, stepping aside and gesturing to his easel. "Okay. You win. Take a look."
Rapunzel stepped into place to observe. The canvas was mostly still blank, a haphazard collection of streaks of pastels making up the abstract image. "It's very…minimalistic," Rapunzel observed. "And those colors are so…" She flinched as she realized it. "Light."
Because Stork, the Stork truest to his heart, would have chosen to paint a dark miasma. Retreating into his nightmares strangely contented him. This conveyed a different level entirely. The blankness, the lightness, it all spoke of an ethereal sense of self, like he wasn't there in his own skin. Not solidly grounded. Incomplete.
"You're hurting," Rapunzel said softly.
"What was your first clue?" He crossed his arms, turned his head away from her.
"I mean…I know," Rapunzel corrected. "Or I SHOULD'VE known. Is it…worse than I think?"
"You don't wanna know the answer to that question," Stork muttered, still not looking Rapunzel in the eye.
"Yes," she insisted firmly. "I do. I really, really do. If you tell me, then maybe I can help."
"I don't know about that." His voice cracked again. "Then again, I do have a natural inclination to complain. If you're willing to hear about it, I guess I might as well say."
"I'm listening," Rapunzel said sincerely.
Stork wrenched his gaze back to her, looking her in the eyes. "I thought at least I was safe from external threats in here," he began. "I wouldn't be safe from myself, or from catching the Gruesomus Plague, but at least the Heartless couldn't get me in here, and the Gorge Sloths couldn't get me in here, and THE VILLAINS COULDN'T GET ME IN HERE. Not after all the work we did to put things normal. I felt safe…for once. I actually had a place where I was surrounded by friends, so many friends, and I wasn't even alone in having insomnia anymore. But now I know that any old monster can just BREAK DOWN THE FRONT DOOR? That the person who bosses Master Cyclonis around – Master Cyclonis! – also has control over THAT? ALL of us almost died, AND SIX OF US DID! NO, I didn't know them! No, I don't even know if I should care! But that could've been me! It could've been YOU! It could've been ANY of our friends, and the fact that it wasn't is a miracle! No. No, it isn't. Because to the survivors' families, we got off easy, and they're sure feeling the other end of this. But now all I can think about is how next time – and there will BE a next time – I'm not gonna be the one who comes out on the other side! I'm not even sure I deserve to! I'm gonna lose more friends than I already have, and…and…"
His momentum halted. His next words were barely above a whisper: "I start wondering what the point is. If it's gonna end the same way no matter what."
"End how?" Rapunzel asked.
"You know how." He was close to tears.
She understood, then. She gasped. "You can't," she said breathlessly. "No…no, no, no! We need you! You're our friend! You're MY friend!"
"You're gonna lose me one day," Stork told her. "You have a better chance than I do. Then again, maybe you'll go out too. Who knows? Maybe none of it matters. Maybe we're all just sitting ducks counting the hours until the end. Next time, Maleficent decides she wants to leave no survivors."
"There is ALWAYS a chance," Rapunzel insisted.
"I don't have the will to fight for it," Stork admitted.
"Then let me fight FOR you," Rapunzel insisted. "Let me help you, any way I can. When the next villain comes along, and I'm not so sure there WILL be a next time now that we've learned what can happen, I'll protect you. We all will."
"I probably shouldn't have told you any of this," Stork muttered, turning away again. "We already have Kazuichi on watch. You didn't need me, too."
"Well…" Rapunzel gave a dramatic shrug. "That's why you have so many friends. Because Kazuichi doesn't need EVERY SINGLE PERSON IN THIS CASTLE to focus on him all of the time. We'll work together to help both of you. I PROMISE. And when I promise something, I never, EVER go back on my word."
Stork realized he was crying now, tears drawing lines down his cheeks. "You're too good," he said in a shaking voice. "You know that?"
Rapunzel stepped closer. "Um…would it be okay if I gave you a hug?"
"Normally, no," Stork told her, "but today, I think I need it."
She wrapped her arms around him gently, and he returned the gesture, feeling almost close to recapturing that old sense of safety he'd talked about enjoying before it had all shattered with the hourglass.
"Hey, hey, hey!" a familiar voice barked from the doorway. "Don't tell me you two are gettin' it on behind Eugene's back!"
Rapunzel and Stork turned to see Ruby Rose and Kazuichi Soda having intruded, the latter being the one to make the statement. Once she realized he'd been kidding, Rapunzel laughed. "Because I'm TOTALLY the type to have secret affairs."
"We were just…um…having a moment," Stork muttered. Then, more loudly, "Are those new?"
"YES!" Ruby cried, twirling slowly so all could see her attire. It had some similarities to her old dress – black fabric for the skirt and bodice, corset lacing up the chest, red chiffon underneath that classified the miniskirt as a "battle skirt" that wouldn't reveal too much in action, a red cape with a hood. However, her sleeves were baggier, white; the lacing revealed a red panel. Ammo for Crescent Rose was still pinned to her belt, but that belt now had red hems. Her tights had been traded for thigh-high nylons and her old combat boots swapped out for even taller ones, almost reaching the knee, jet-black with a multitude of buckles. "Courtesy of Rarity and Pleakley Studios! Ren and Nora got some upgrades, too."
"Nice!" Rapunzel cried. "I should stop in and see if I can ask for some new dresses. But only if it's not too much to ask."
"Trust me," Ruby reassured her, "it won't be."
"Is there a particular reason you got in and out of that studio without wearing actual complementary colors?" Stork asked Kazuichi.
"Yeah," Kazuichi affirmed. "I put up a fight about it."
That got a laugh out of everyone.
"Seriously, I'm used to this now!" Kazuichi cried. "It's almost…kinda sad. But also not? I mean, like, I was a completely different guy before everything, and now, well, this is the guy I wanna be, I guess." He shrugged. "So what's up? Seriously, is something wrong, or…?"
Rapunzel said "Nothing" at the same time that Stork said "Everything."
"Hoo boy," Ruby sighed.
"Look, Rapunzel, they might as well know," Stork told her. "I'm just having a hard time DEALING, which shouldn't come as a surprise. You know, with the fact that we could get invaded again at any minute, with the fact that we might all die, with the fact that people actually DID die and that's a THING now, and on top of that, now I'm thinking back to how the rest of the Storm Hawks probably died of exposure on Atmos trying to make their way around, which would be just how my life goes, I guess!" He gave a great sigh. "But there's nothing we can do about any of that. It's out of your control. It's out of MY control. And I know it."
"Well…" Kazuichi suggested, "it's kinda like what Kairi said back at the funeral. We can't control that shit, but we can help fix it in other ways. Like…I've been thinkin' about it. And y'know all the people who showed up for the funeral? Isaaru had a little brother, and that kid has one less big bro to hang out with him. I thought maybe I could, I dunno, take him out for a walk or somethin'. I do wanna be a dad someday. This'll be practice. And then I guess Gus was actually this big-time mechanic over in Gremlin Village, so it's kinda goin' to shit without him, and if there's one thing I KNOW I can do, it's machine stuff! Then Orsh…Harsh…the guy with the big sword has all these friends who say they're fine and stuff, but I dunno, I kinda wanna at least get them some kinda present, and I have a few ideas of stuff I could make. Peter's grandpa…I dunno. I'm kinda too mad at him right now." He scowled. "He picked on Kairi! And that whole thing with Jaune, too! He doesn't get it! That's the other thing. Kairi's gonna need a lot of friends around, and I guess I haven't hung out with her much, but that's gonna change, 'cause this is the kind of shit that sends you into despair, and I've been there. Just…all the little stuff we can do to make things better. I haven't been feeling great, myself. But thinking about my to-do list for everyone else makes me feel a little better, y'know? Not as many thoughts of…well…you can guess. It'll be good distractions."
Stork shifted. "I guess you're right. It's…harder for me to think about throwing myself into projects like that."
"Ruby?" Rapunzel asked, noticing the girl's pensive expression. "Is something wrong?"
Ruby looked up to Stork with determination in her silver eyes, mouth set in a hard line. "You're wrong," she told him. "There's something you mentioned that we CAN fix."
"NO!" Kazuichi shrieked. "FUCK NO! WE ARE NOT FUCKING AROUND WITH ANOTHER TIME-MACHINE MAGIC THINGY THAT BLOWS UP IN OUR FACES AGAIN!"
"No!" Ruby shook her head. "We can't undo the incident. And we can't bring the dead back to life. I don't even know how we can make the castle safer without compromising Kairi's policy on sheltering the people who need it. But you mentioned your friends back home, Stork, and we CAN find them. We can bring them back here and give them a place to stay. Even if it isn't safe here, it might be safer than what they're dealing with in the Wastelands. We could even retrofit the Condor with Gummi and make it our main ship from now on. …Actually, Cid would be pretty happy about that, since it would basically replace the one we got blown up."
Stork couldn't believe this option hadn't occurred to him. "And…if it turns out they're all…?"
"We won't know unless we try," Ruby insisted. "If we never look for them, you'll always wonder. But if we can prove ANY of them are alive, we should do it."
"I wanna meet your friends!" Rapunzel cried. "I mean, you met Cassandra and Lance! This is only fair, right? And all the stuff you told me about your world…the flying machines, the crystals…I wanna go there! I wanna see EVERYTHING there is to see!"
"Well?" Ruby asked Stork. "It's your mission. Are you in?"
Stork paused, thinking it over for a while before he realized that the only thing holding him back was the fear of a loss he didn't know if he'd even experienced. "I'm in."
"Then we're finding the Storm Hawks," Ruby insisted.
"Uh, hey," Kazuichi broke in, "you don't mind if I sit this one out, right? I mean, I still have all that stuff I wanna do, and – "
"Of course!" Rapunzel cried. "It sounds like there's a lot of good you can do around Radiant Garden, and everyone's going to love that you're pitching in."
"I also get the sense that there's some Sonia-related ulterior motive going on," Stork guessed.
"Well…I mean, that's not the MAIN reason…" Kazuichi blushed and grinned. "But I did kinda save her life and everything, so this is probably the gateway to finally making our relationship official…"
"Good luck!" Rapunzel bade him.
"You'll need it," Stork said dryly.
"HEY!" Kazuichi snapped, but soon, all four were laughing again.
"Let's go," Ruby decided. "If we're going to be coming back with a ship, we should stop at the Gummi garage and pick up what we need to make it work, then use the Observatory to launch onto Atmos. Let's start with Terra Valhalla. We know Finn is there."
Did they? Stork couldn't shake the awful feeling that some terrible fate had befallen Finn in the time they'd left him behind to heal. A feeling so strong, it couldn't possibly be misguided – or could it?
Ruby was the first to leave the room, charging out at almost top speed. As Stork, Rapunzel, and Kazuichi (the latter of whom wanted to see the former off) followed, she lost her bearings and broke into her actual top speed, forgetting not only that her friends couldn't catch up but also that she ran the risk of accidentally colliding head-on with someone in the hallways of this building.
Which is absolutely what happened.
Knocked to the floor by the impact, Ruby began chanting, "I'msorryI'msorryI'msorry – "
"Hey," Lea said as he stood up from where he'd similarly been toppled. "Don't worry about it. Accidents happen."
They both looked to the nearby Roxas, who quickly hid something behind his back, smiling mischievously.
"You got a snap of us on the floor, didn't you?" Lea sighed.
"Maaaaybe," Roxas teased.
"So where are you off to in such a hurry?" Lea asked.
By then, Stork, Rapunzel, and Kazuichi had finally caught up. "Stork, Rapunzel, and I are going to Atmos to look for the rest of Stork's friends," Ruby explained with a sharp nod. Then a gasp: "You should come with us! It's gonna be so cool! It's this world where everybody flies around on skimmers and all the kingdoms are pretty and it's just NEAT!"
"You don't mind, do you?" Rapunzel asked Stork.
"I think being surrounded by positive attitudes would probably be really good for me right now," Stork sighed.
"Hey, sounds good to me," Lea said with a shrug. "Roxas and I could use an excuse to get out of the castle anyway. Have some bonding time. Kinda like the old days, huh?"
Roxas chuckled. "This castle's a lot better to RTC to than the old one. …Huh. I guess we don't need to RTC anymore. I don't even think we CAN. Anyway, Stork's world sounds like fun! Anybody else you wanna invite?"
"Hmmm." Ruby thought it over. Then she turned back to Stork. "It's still your mission."
"I had no say in inviting those two," Stork reminded her. "Then again, I will say I'm not UNhappy they're coming along. I guess if there's anyone else the rest of you wanna bring, go for it."
"Not sure," Ruby mused. "There are almost too many options."
"Actually, I think I have a suggestion," Lea broke in. "I've been hangin' out with some of the new crowd, and I think Atmos sounds just like the SPEED of one of our new friends."
"Are you thinking about…?" Roxas began.
"She's gonna find Atmos twenty percent cooler than kickin' around here," Lea said with a grin.
...
Edgar Balthazar's hand shook as he reached for a wine bottle in the cellars. He grabbed his wrist with the opposite hand, willing himself to stop. Maybe this time, he'll just say "Good job" without finding any new "funny" prank to play on me, he thought.
The sound of new footsteps entering Maleficent's dank wine cellar (a place she never used, but had installed upon request of the goblins) alerted Edgar to the presence of another; he jolted, then let out a sigh of relief upon seeing who it was. "Percival!" he sighed. "Good to see you, very good. Me? Why, I'm doing well. Nothing to be worried about whatsoever. If the Joker asks, I'm MORE than happy. After all, I am smiling, just like he wants! You know, apparently that Harley girl is still running around out there? After he heard the news, he was beside himself. I recall his exact words: 'It's all fun and games until you realize your traitorous henchwoman is still alive. Then it becomes a game of Find the Traitorous Henchwoman!'"
"Quit yer babblin'!" McLeach growled.
He was babbling, wasn't he? "Oh, dear," Edgar replied. "I certainly didn't mean to – "
McLeach shoved him aside roughly, and Edgar began to notice for the first time how the man seemed almost to have a glazed-over look, not truly registering anything. "Where's the cabber-nett sow-vig-nen?"
Clayton strode down into the wine cellar soon after. "Ah, Mr. Clayton!" Edgar greeted. "Jolly good to see you as well. I, myself, am more than content – "
"Silence!" Clayton barked. "I only came down here in search of a decent cabernet sauvignon. Amora demands it, after all."
"AMORA?" McLeach countered. "Listen, you musclehead, Amora told ME to find that wine for her, and I'm the one who's gonna give it to her!"
"As though you could even pronounce what she wants," Clayton said smugly. "Let a man of taste handle this endeavor."
"Back off, Mr. High-and-Mighty!" McLeach growled, curling his fists and taking a fighting stance before Clayton. "I'm bringin' the stuff to Amora, and there ain't nothin' you can do about it!"
"Oh, is that so?" Clayton held up his Grimm arm, smirking in the process.
"Ya half-human hybrid," McLeach spat.
"Such words from a weakling," Clayton responded. "You're an overgrown boy. Amora needs a MAN."
"THEM'S FIGHTIN' WORDS!"
Edgar made haste out of the cellar before it could come to blows. Before he exited, however, he did catch a glimpse of something rather odd – he could've sworn McLeach's eyes weren't that bright of green before. Nor were Clayton's. Then again, it wasn't as if he'd ever spent much time staring into the eyes of either.
One bout of fisticuffs later, a mildly roughed-up Clayton left McLeach unconscious in the cellar, cradling the cabernet sauvignon in his hands like the most valuable treasure in all the worlds. He bore it all the way to a lounge where Amora was draped over an emerald-green chaise longue accessorized with well-placed overstuffed pillows. "My queen," Clayton said as he knelt to present the wine up to her.
"Very good," Amora told him. "Though I must've forgotten to ask you to put it in a glass. Rectify this at once."
"Yes, my queen!" Clayton hurriedly stood and bolted from the room.
Loki passed him on the way in, three other figures in his wake. "I see we've already taken advantage of the locals," he teased. "How many of them have you kissed so far?"
"Only two," Amora told him, "though it's just a start. Both of them were more than eager to agree to it, and before they knew it, they were under my spell. Since then, I've been putting them on the same errands to see who comes out victorious in the brawls. So far, Clayton is most impressive in more ways than one. Such a pity about that hideous hand…"
"I'm afraid you'll have to put your orders on hold," Loki told her. "I've a special task for you."
"It couldn't possibly be half as fun as enthralling the men of this fortress," Amora told him.
"Be that as it may," Loki countered, "there is actually a greater purpose for all of gathered here, or did you forget? There are preparations by the multitudes to make for the upcoming uprising. The very first thing I want you to do is seek out a bit of divine knowledge."
"The Fates?" Amora sighed. "Or the Norns? Or didn't we figure out they were the same thing?"
"Neither," Loki told her. "The captain of your mission will be Master Cyclonis, who will explain everything."
He stepped aside, gesturing to the trio behind him, which consisted of Cyclonis, the Dark Ace, and Admiral Zhao.
Amora grinned. "I seeeeee," she purred. "Now, which of these two gorgeous specimens is the team captain?"
"Me," Cyclonis growled.
Amora flinched. "The child?"
"I'm mature for my age," Cyclonis said flippantly. "You would be, too, if your family got murdered while trying to claim what was rightfully theirs."
"Don't underestimate Cyclonis," Zhao growled. "She has power. Real power. The kind WORTHY of an emperor."
"Thank you, Zhao," Cyclonis said coyly. "At least ONE of my partners respects me. Too bad it's not the one who pledged his loyalty to me."
"Am I not making up for that with my service now?" the Dark Ace countered.
By now, all had entered the room, the doors shut to sequester them. "I will not be accompanying you, of course," Loki stated. "I have much bigger plans to attend to, both here and in Asgard. The people need their bread and circuses, after all. The five of you should be able to accomplish this task with relative ease, combining your respective skills and knowledge of the world you target."
"You claim to be a perceptive observer, yet you are slipping," the Dark Ace remarked. "I only count four of us, if you include the witch."
"I don't think I like your attitude," Amora told him. "I'd be careful. One misplaced kiss and you'll lose all control."
"I dare you to even try to get close," the Dark Ace warned.
"Isn't it obvious what Loki intends?" Zhao brought up. "He's picked out one more for us. This one better be able to keep up."
"I assure you, he can and he will," Loki stated. "I'm sure you'll be more than satisfied with our beautifully blue fast-talking new recruit."
"Ah, yes," Amora recalled. "The ice sorcerer. He would be a competent pawn to my kiss if nothing else."
"Summon him at once," Cyclonis grunted. "We don't have any more time to waste."
"I quite agree," Loki said as he tapped the end of his spear on the ground twice.
The reverberation was felt only by the one it was meant to call to the assigned meeting grounds. The doors were pried back open, allowing the fifth member of the team to stride through.
"Yo, Lokester," he said as he entered. "Gotta admit, I haven't stopped thinkin' about how that was the biggest check you cut me yet. Why do I get the feeling this isn't your ordinary hit?"
It wasn't Flurious.
Instead, he was a relatively tall man, broad-chested, clothed in armor that was red-plated from the waist down and violet from the waist up, mellowing back to red on the left sleeve. His right arm was actually a metal cannon, making Cyclonis suddenly wonder how much of his armor actually was armor and not part of his body. His raven-dark hair was close-cropped; a goatee graced his strong chin. As promised, his skin was indeed blue, a calm sky shade.
"I don't recall seeing this associate of yours around," Cyclonis remarked.
"You know, he's actually rather dashing," the Dark Ace remarked.
"I know." The blue-skinned cyborg grinned. "You're not half bad, yourself. If I weren't a taken man, well. This would be an entirely different conversation. As is, we're just business partners. So. Lokester. Gonna tell us exactly WHAT business you paid me off for or what?"
"First, introductions," Loki began. "May I present Warp Darkmatter? An evildoer of all trades foul and fiendish from his own galaxy to infinity and beyond."
"Don't," Warp sighed. "Just don't. You KNOW how I feel about those words."
"He goes wherever his paycheck demands," Loki explained, "though he usually defaults to the service of a particular galactic empire back in his home territory – owing no doubt to certain biases."
Warp shrugged. "Hey, he makes me laugh."
"As it turns out," Loki explained, "Darkmatter had been accepting mercenary work from both Maleficent and myself for several years. We both thought to contact him at once, and it came as a bit of a surprise that we both knew him so personally."
"Seriously?" Warp asked. "You don't think a guy like me gets around? You know my philosophy: evil for fun and profit. The Mistress of All Evil and the Lie-Smith combined make for some real tasty missions. The stuff they turn me loose on is almost worth more than the cash. Not that I'll do anything for free, by the way."
"You know, I like him," the Dark Ace stated. "Tell me you're a natural born traitor and you may just win my heart."
"Hey now," Warp reminded him with a wink. "Taken. And by somebody with a net worth way more than yours, in both the traditional sense and not. To answer your question, though, backstabbing's the most fun part of the job. I'll never forget the first guy I went turncoat on. …For better or for worse."
"I like him QUITE a bit," the Dark Ace affirmed.
"I'm so glad you're making friends," Cyclonis huffed.
"I didn't forget about you," Warp grunted. "Lokester told me all about ya. Didn't mention that you were TWELVE – "
"I'M FOURTEEN!"
"But evil doesn't really have an age limit," Warp went on. "No eighteen-and-up clause. No legal evil license. Now, I got my ILLEGAL evil license when I was sixteen. Good times." He sighed, remembering fond montages of death and destruction, all behind the Academy's back. "Point is, I got the debriefing on you, even though you apparently didn't get one on me."
"I thought you might like to make an entrance," Loki said with a bright-white grin.
"Got it in one," Warp replied with a grin of his own. "Anyway, the rundown." He pointed to Cyclonis. "Cyclonis. Evil emperor. Second-rate or lower to MY evil emperor, but I'll deal." To the Dark Ace. "Dark Ace. Evil emperor's bodyguard. Also wasn't told you'd be that hot." To Zhao. "Zhao. Naval officer. Y'know, I keep forgetting BOATS are even a thing." To Amora. "Amora. Enchantress. Do not kiss under any circumstances."
"Your smart mouth had better not cause any PROBLEMS on this mission," Cyclonis growled.
"Okay, okay!" Warp put up both of his hands in the Wallopian gesture for combat initiation, which Cyclonis remembered a second later was actually the gesture for keeping peace literally everywhere else. "I'll try and take you seriously! You're a pretty scary kid. It's not gonna be hard."
"I'll take it," Cyclonis huffed. "Now that we're all accounted for – unless Loki has any other SURPRISES waiting in the wings – "
"If only," Loki sighed, rolling his eyes.
"I'm going to explain our objective," Cyclonis went on. "On Atmos, there lives an Oracle whose knowledge is all-encompassing. She would be able to provide invaluable knowledge toward our divine conquest. Unfortunately, the last time I summoned her to the Forbidden City, I ran into a little…complication. She refused to answer my demands."
"I'm certain putting a little fire under her would get her to talk," Zhao suggested.
"Believe me, I tried," Cyclonis told him. "There is only one way to make her once more a slave. She must be bound to the crystal from which she came. That crystal passed between myself and the Storm Hawks several times until I was forced to abandon it by fleeing. However, thanks to Grimhilde and her mirror, I now know exactly who has the Key, and where she can be found. Furthermore, I have a plan as to how to bait her into our clutches. The Key is as good as ours, and from there, we will have access to the Oracle's infinite knowledge."
"And your plan for sticking the chick back in the rock?" Warp asked.
"That's why we have an Enchantress," Cyclonis said with a smirk.
"I appreciate you asking my permission to be involved in this matter," Amora huffed.
Cyclonis fired her a sharp look. "Between your knowledge of magic and my prowess with the crystals, the two of us can overcome the Oracle. She may be all-knowing, but she isn't all-powerful."
"And the worlds will be the Overtakers' to command," Zhao said with a grin. "Inter-world transport may not rely on boats anymore, but I know I'm capable of commanding the PROPER kind of armada."
"Precisely why I selected you to accompany me," Cyclonis told him. "The strength of a military tactician will serve well…and you could use the experience behind a pilot's wheel."
"It seems you've got everything under control," Loki observed. "And, given enough time, you'll all get along swimmingly."
"So you think," Amora huffed. "Was it your intent to pair me off with egomaniacs who will attempt to eclipse me?"
"An unfortunate choice of words, for you," Zhao told her mischievously. "I've ECLIPSED before."
"Excuse me?" Warp broke in. "I'd say I'm your STAR attraction here. Lokester brought me in as the MVP of the hour special for this, after all!"
"On Atmos, you're nothing," the Dark Ace reminded her. "I am the most feared warrior to fly its skies."
"AND I AM THE MASTER OF CYCLONIA WHO IS IN COMMAND OF ALL OF YOU!" Cyclonis cried, withdrawing her staff. "Don't test me."
"Fine, fine." Amora stood up from the chaise. "I'll play nice. But on one condition."
Cyclonis rolled her eyes. "What NOW?"
"We don't leave," Amora told her, "until I've selected the proper wardrobe for a mission of such importance."
...
On one side of the room: Mad Madam Mim, thirsty for some carnal satisfaction.
On the other, Ayam Aghoul and Rémington Smisse lined up side-by-side as if on the firing line.
Mim gave her verdict: "Duel to the death for it."
Before Aghoul could blink, Rémington had drawn one of his pistols and shot him in the shoulder. "We dueled and he's dead," Rémington remarked. "I win."
Mim cackled as she grabbed Rémington's pale-gray hand, dragging him into the bedroom. Aghoul snapped his fingers as the door slammed; "Aw, drat!"
His smirk when the door opened less than a minute later, Mim slumped over as she shuffled out and Rémington looking utterly baffled, the pair emerged, only the outer layers of Rémington's clothing stripped away. "Ohhh, what's the matter?" Aghoul teased. "Couldn't RISE to the occasion?"
"We didn't even get that far," Rémington said in bewilderment. "She called it off."
"Ah, so it WAS me you wanted," Aghoul proposed to Mim.
"No," Mim sighed. "Not in the slightest."
She pulled up a stool at the counter, taking a seat and propping her head in her hand, elbow on the countertop as she stared at the wall. "Gentlemen," she said wistfully, "have you ever desperately wanted someone who didn't want you in return?"
She couldn't have picked a better duo to ask. "YES," Aghoul and Rémington chorused. Then, in a gesture of sympathy, each pulled up a stool to either side of Mim, putting their own heads in their hands, elbows planted on the countertop.
"I haven't been able to stop thinking about him all day," Mim sighed. "That garishly pink hair…those dangerously sharp teeth…that amazingly UGLY outfit that looks like it hasn't been washed in days…"
"HIM?" Aghoul cried in surprise.
"Who's 'him'?" Rémington asked.
"One of our bitter rivals!" Aghoul informed him. "Kalamazoo Sofa! Or something like that."
"It was Kazuichi Soda," Mim recalled. "We would never work. He's a HERO. I'm a VILLAIN. But he's just so handsome! By which, of course, I mean 'alluringly disgusting.'"
"Just like Eva," Rémington sighed.
"Just like Jasmine," Aghoul sighed immediately after.
"I don't give a rat's tail about the goodness of his heart," Mim insisted. "Not one bit! I just want that gorgeous body in my bed."
"I know the feeling," Aghoul and Rémington chorused.
"You know," Aghoul went on, "in times like these, I usually take the initiative and just capture my bride-to-be of choice. She'll be mine whether she wants to or not."
"Eh, it's more fun when they want to be there," Rémington countered. "You seduce them, you get them hanging on your every word, you get worshipped for a night…you leave them in the morning with their best jewelry in your pocket and laugh with your brother about wishing you could see the look on her face when she realizes you're never going to write."
Mim's head snapped up. "THAT'S IT!"
"Kidnapping?" Aghoul asked.
"Seducing?" Rémington asked.
"BOTH!" Mim cried. "Am I a witch or am I not a witch? And here I always thought love spells were too mushy-gushy and goody-goody to use. But now, I'm seeing the potential!" She leapt down from the stool. "Come on, boys! We have an elaborate scheme to concoct, and I'm going to need some lovely assistants!"
Aghoul and Rémington looked at each other for a single second before shrugging and hopping down from their own stools. Wherever Mim went, they both wanted to follow, and even though this involved playing wingman to someone who wasn't either of them, it sure did sound like a good time. After all, Mim could make anything into a good time.
Mim scooped a hissing furball off the table on her way to the door, carrying the cat under her arm. "You too, Spitfire!" she engaged. "We're going to Radiant Garden to open up a shop!"
...
Kazuichi and Aqua had had the same idea regarding spending quality time with Kairi to get her mind off the public backlash. Aqua had suggested inviting her to play Fruitball, a magical sport that resembled volleyball but messier.
Kairi had accepted the invitation, and Merlin had imported a fruit-scatterer from Disney Town to turn the courtyard into a Fruitball field for a few hours. Of course, they could only play doubles with a fourth person, and thus did Kazuichi extend the invitation to the person everyone really should have expected.
As Aqua and Kairi set up the posts of the net, Kazuichi was in charge of calibrating the settings of the fruit-scatterer. "So," he asked, "you wanna go 'casual' or 'nightmare' mode?"
"Hit us with nightmare," Kairi said with a grin.
"Okay," Kazuichi said as he twisted a dial. "But don't blame me if you – MISS SONIA!"
He got up and rushed to the blonde so quickly, he bumped the fruit-scatterer in such a way that it turned toward Aqua and Kairi while whirring into motion. A giant apple knocked each off balance.
Kazuichi skidded to a halt before Sonia. "You…" His eyes lit up and glittered. "You're BEAUTIFUL!"
"Thank you." Sonia nodded. "I paid a visit to Pleakley and Rarity. Royal gowns are fine, but I wanted something that would let me be more active."
She sported a light blue tank top over blue-gray shorts and open white sandals. Her hair was pulled up into a ponytail that sprouted from the apex of her scalp.
"Man, you can pull anything off!" Kazuichi told her. "Oh, hey…uh…I was kinda wondering if before we started the game…you and me could talk?"
Sonia flinched. She already knew where this was going. The bandage had to come off sooner or later. "Yes, Kazuichi. We should talk. Let us go somewhere out of the way so as not to disturb Kairi and Aqua."
As the aforementioned duo set about raising the poles that had gotten bowled over when they did, Sonia and Kazuichi left the courtyard to enter the hallway just beyond. "So, uh…" Kazuichi fingered the brim of his hat nervously. "You…remember how I saved you from that bad guy and all?"
"Yes," Sonia replied calmly. "I do."
"Pretty brave of me, huh?"
"Yes. It certainly was."
"Well, I was kinda wondering…" Kazuichi's throat all but dried up. How was he never able to ask this? Lewd comments had come easy. This was an altogether different sort of matter, one that required openness and sincerity. Things he had been jaded to early on. "Just…y'know…if maybe, after that…you thought I…"
"Please just say it!" Sonia cried. "You must say it, and I must respond, so that we can finally put this to rest! This cannot go on any longer!"
It all came spilling out of his mouth in a babble: "Willyougoonadatewithme?"
She heaved a deep breath before saying, quite firmly, "No."
"GREAT!" Kazuichi cried. "I was thinking we could start by going out to that café on the – WAIT, YOU SAID NO, DIDN'T YOU?" His demeanor did a 180, his face betraying his heartbreak.
"I did," Sonia told him. "I have never been interested in you in that way. I doubt I ever will be. And I feel as though I owe you an apology for letting you believe I may have. Please, take my utmost apologies."
"But…why?" Kazuichi keened. "I…I saved you! It was a big hero moment! This is usually the part where the guy and the girl get together 'cause…'cause…"
Sonia shook her head. "By now, you must know that the simple act of rescuing another person can be perfectly platonic. Has it not happened enough to you?"
Kazuichi's reply was a strangled croaking noise.
"I wish to be your friend," Sonia told him. "You are one of the most important people to me. You are one of the few who understands what I have been through."
"But that's the THING!" Kazuichi cried. "Where else are we gonna find people who get us? I'm not goin' after Akane! She's got her eye on Nekomaru and nobody else! And you…you…" He deflated. "You're still holdin' out for Gundham, aren't ya?"
"Who I desire does not matter," Sonia said softly. "Please…can you not just accept my friendship without anything further?"
He was left with no other choice. "Yeah," Kazuichi said meekly. "You are my friend, after all. And I don't wanna lose that. I just thought…I was hoping for years…"
"Again, I am sorry for letting you hope."
"No, I get it." Kazuichi lowered his gaze. "I shouldn't have…got all obsessed, I guess." He shrugged. "I'd still save you, you know."
"I know."
"Let's just go out there and play."
"I think that is a good idea."
"Everything okay?" Aqua asked as the pair returned to the field.
"Yes," Sonia replied, though Kazuichi's expression said otherwise. "We have settled something that has gone unresolved for too long."
"We don't have to play today if you don't want," Kairi pointed out. "I'm okay if we wait."
Kazuichi snapped up to attention. Right. Kairi. She needed this, even if she didn't act like it. "Nah, I'm cool," he said, forcing a toothy smile. "Let's get it rollin'! Team Hope's Peak against Team Keyblade! You're goin' up against a pair of Ultimates, y'know! And we're not gonna go easy on ya!"
"Prepare to have your…" Sonia thought on it. "Is the expression 'have your ass whooped'?"
"SURE IS!" Kazuichi affirmed, and suddenly it seemed all was right again.
"I think we need to teach these two a lesson about not underestimating their opponents," Aqua told Kairi with a grin.
"Let's do it!" Kairi cried excitedly.
The scatterer shot a bunch of overlarge grapes. Sonia spiked it over the net. Kairi was quick on the uptake, punching the grapes back over in such a manner that they scattered. Sonia and Kazuichi, overwhelmed by all the tiny bouncing projectiles, let several goals get scored against them, Kazuichi taking one grape to the chest and staining his jumpsuit.
"Aww, maaan!" he groaned as Sonia chuckled.
"Keyblade girls rule!" Kairi chirped as she and Aqua exchanged a high-five.
Aqua bumped the next fruit, a pineapple, over the net, and the game was on.
...
"THIS…IS SO…AWESOOOOOME!"
Rainbow Dash flitted hither and thither among the buildings of Terra Valhalla, gasping and cooing over every sight. When a squadron of knights piloted their skimmers in formation above her, she nearly fainted.
"Told ya she'd like this place," Lea remarked.
"So let's go over what we know," Ruby recounted. "Finn should be somewhere around here. He's probably still healing. Piper could be anywhere on either side of Atmos, but most likely on this side. She has the Condor. Aerrow managed to cross over somehow, since Merlin found him when he went to the…near side."
"Um…wouldn't THAT side be the Far Side if we're on this side?" Rapunzel asked.
"I get what you're saying," Roxas told her, "but that's just confusing."
"Then we have nothing on Junko and Radarr," Ruby concluded. "Nothing but hope."
"They're doomed," Stork sighed.
"No." Rapunzel shook her head fervently. "I KNOW they're okay. We'll FIND them."
"This is exciting!" Lyrae the Luma cried. "I can't wait until we find everyone who's missing!"
"And we're gonna do it." Ruby smacked a fist into her opposite palm. "Let's go. We have work to do."
...
"Seriously?" Warp sighed as he looked up to the mountain of Terra Atmosia. "We came all this way just to break someone's toy?"
"The backup Timepulse is only used if the Terra Glockenchime mechanism fails," Cyclonis explained. "We want to use Terra Glockenchime as bait. That means there can't be any distractions that delay our target from flying directly into our hands. Ergo, we destroy the backup Timepulse first."
"Tell me the rest of this world isn't this boring," Warp groaned, looking around at Terra Atmosia's now neatly-groomed neighborhoods.
"Get ready to be disappointed," the Dark Ace remarked.
"You're sure this will bring the girl?" Amora asked Cyclonis.
"Of course I am," Cyclonis insisted. "She's the only one of them with an airship, and no Storm Hawk is going to resist a distress signal of this magnitude…no matter how much of a trap it obviously is." She smirked. "I, for one, am looking forward to catching up with my old friend."
"You mean your girlfriend," Amora retorted, and Cyclonis blanched. "You haven't been able to keep your mouth shut about her."
"I – what – it isn't LIKE THAT!" Cyclonis growled.
"It better not be," Zhao threatened. "We'll be disposing of her, after all."
"I ship it," Warp remarked cheekily.
"JUST FOCUS ON THE TIMEPULSE!" Cyclonis turned on a heel and stomped toward the mountain. "Now come on! We have work to do."
...
"Why is it ALWAYS the jungle?" Yzma groaned as Zevon led her, Wuya, Lady Caine, Vexen, and Ravess through the wilds of Terra Amazonia. "Can it never be a beach resort?"
"Must I suffer your constant complaints?" Vexen snapped.
"Pot, meet kettle," Wuya retorted.
Vexen folded his arms angrily in response.
"Let's see." Zevon was focused on the compass in his hands. "We're headed in the right direction. It should be…almost…" His eyes alit upon a glittering stone sticking from the ground. "EUREKAHA!"
In a single fluid motion, he'd plucked the light blue crystal from the dirt. "We need suffocater the jungle no longer!" he cried triumphantly. "For I, Zevon, have found – "
Vexen, looking over Zevon's shoulder, cleared his throat loudly.
"DON'T INTERRUPTIONAL ME WHILE I'M GLOASTING!" Zevon yelled at him.
"Then perhaps you shouldn't gloast – boat – " Vexen gritted his teeth. "LOOK AT THE COMPASS!"
"WHAT?" Zevon flinched, recoiling in shock. For the needle was still pointing away from it. "But…this is it! HOW?"
"That isn't your Corona Aurora stone!" Ravess huffed. "Were you not paying attention? This world is loaded with crystals of every shape, size, and color! That's JUST a Paralyzer!"
"No, it isn't!" Zevon insisted, gesturing madly with the arm that held onto the crystal. "It HAS to be a…"
He then noticed that his fingers were still curled around the gem, and his arm stiffened, making it impossible for him to let go.
"…All right, so my arm is paralasysized," he grunted. "That doesn't prove anything! The Corona Aurora can paralyze people, too!"
"Just let it go," Lady Caine told him.
"I literaturally can't," Zevon reminded her.
"No, I mean METAPHORICALLY," Lady Caine argued. "We're looking for a different rock."
"That does it!" Vexen saw his window, and he took it. Swiping the compass into his own hands, he insisted, "I am taking over the navigations of this mission! Perhaps THIS way, we'll actually achieve our desired goal instead of blundering around and picking up every crystal on the ground!"
He looked down to the compass, willing it to show him not the Corona Aurora gem but the Key. The needle angled slightly.
"You weren't even going the right way!" he insisted, pointing to it for emphasis. "Just FOLLOW ME, and we can get this OVER WITH!"
With that, he set off. Ravess matched his pace. Lady Caine and Zevon followed, the latter shaking his arm fervently to try and let go of the Paralyzer and instead smacking Lady Caine in the face with his hand.
Yzma and Wuya brought up the rear, whispering to each other. "Something stinks about how we're suddenly going an entirely different direction now that he has the compass," Wuya pointed out. "Zevon isn't THAT directionally challenged. Actually, someone so good at measuring exact ingredients for potions should have no trouble following the angle of a needle."
"Are you suggesting Vexen is tricking us?" Yzma responded.
"I'm only suggesting it," Wuya told her. "Why he would is beyond me. But I've seen enough backstabs in my time that I know how the game is played. Most of those were backstabs I carried out, so believe me, I REALLY know how the game is played."
"He knows he can't take us all on in a fight," Yzma reminded her. "…Right? He can't, can he?"
"No, he can't," Wuya affirmed. "But he could be leading us off track to get something he wants instead of what we want."
Yzma shrugged. "So we'll let him lead us along. Big deal."
"You're not concerned about this?"
"Wuya, if you're right, then what is Vexen most likely to do once he gets what he wants?"
"Well," Wuya mused, "given what I know about Vexen, he'll probably take what he was after straight home, use it for some mad experiment, and…"
"And?" Yzma prompted. "What happens to us?"
"…And we get left behind here," Wuya realized, "to do what we came for in the first place."
"You see why there's no harm in humoring him. He can't see past his own ego. Believe me, I know the type. It's only ever all about me, me, me. Wouldn't even notice I'd been sitting on his throne for two weeks while he was on vacation in Machu Picchu. And the best part is that THIS one works for US, so there'll be no frivolous job terminations unless he decides to quit."
"You're right," Wuya relented.
"Besides," Yzma muttered, "I'll follow anyone who gets me out of this gods-forsaken jungle at this point."
They came to the edge of the Terra, looking out at the grand Wasteland canyon below. "What now?" Zevon asked.
"We press onward." Vexen opened a Corridor that opened at the next adjacent Terra. "We haven't come this far to back down. We have work to do."