Chapter 24: Archer Rivals
Another day had passed. The Gummi Ship still hadn't fully recharged. But that didn't really bother them this time. In neither desert nor prison, this felt...FUN. Running in, robbing bad guys, fighting Heartless, and running off to share their spoils with the people of Nottingham. Good thing, too, since the citizens were having the life squeezed out of them by Prince John's heavy taxes.
Now, they were relaxing in a secluded spot in Sherwood.
"It's kinda calm and peaceful here," Becca smiled as she leaned against a tree. "I should crash the ship more often..."
"Do that and I'll strand you at the first pit stop," Joyex snorted.
"That was a joke," Becca pointed out.
"Yeah, lighten up, dude," Lucy nodded, sagely.
Sakuzy rolled his eyes as the three had their back-and-forth. Unlike in Camp Greenlake, though, he could sense a more playful nature to this bickering. It was less antagonistic and a bit more...playful. The three were reinforcing their bond.
Guess getting stranded has some advantages, he thought.
"C'mon, Daddy Yoz needs a new pair of shoes," Yozora murmured. Sakuzy saw their fifth companion nock an arrow and fire it at a target. Only to miss by a mile. "YOU'RE KIDDING ME!"
"Practice not going too well?" Sakuzy asked.
"Trying to get a handle on this bow, but it's just not going right," he murmured. "I chuck weapons ALL the time in combat, but THIS is giving me trouble."
"Maybe it's just a skill issue?" Sakuzy offered. "You could ask Robin for help. Sure he'd be glad to."
"That was my idea, but he's off in another world on his own," Yozora said, motioning with his head.
Robin was a short ways off, tending to the stew for lunch while Little John cleaned their laundry and Zidane foraged for food. Well, "tending" wasn't exactly accurate. He was absent-mindedly stirring the stew while humming to himself. Sakuzy and Yozora shared a confused look.
"What's up with him?" Sakuzy asked.
"I don't know! I'm not a psychoanalyst," Yozora replied.
"Lady on the mind," Zidane snickered, popping some berries into his mouth.
"Lady?" the two asked.
"Maid Marian," Zidane replied. "Childhood friend of his that he's still carrying a torch for~"
"Must be a special kinda torch to burn that long," Yozora commented.
Zidane gave Yozora a bewildered look. Sakuzy hurriedly invented, "He...uh, hasn't had the best education on...intimate matters?"
"Uh-huh," Zidane said. Sakuzy knew the simian thief didn't buy that, but that was the best he could come up with on the spot. Thankfully, Zidane let the matter drop as he just gave Robin a sly look,
"Betcha he's thinking about his dear, lovely Maid Marian RIGHT NOW~ Feelin' her up against him and smelling that sweet perfume~"
Yozora sniffed and immediately retched violently. Smoke was billowing from the put Robin was stirring.
"YOU'RE BURNING THE CHOW!" Little John shouted, rushing over to pull the pot off the fire and hurriedly waving the smoke away.
"Sorry, I can't help it," Robin apologized. "I love her, Johnny. But...well, it just wouldn't work out. She's a highborn lady of quality and I'm just an outlaw. What have I got to offer her?"
Yozora coughed and wheezed, eyes watering as he choked out, "Well, for one thing, you're as bad a cook as Beck."
"For Heaven's sake, son!" shouted a new voice. Robin Hood fell back into a laundry basket at the sudden appearance of a portly badger in brown robes. "You're no outlaw! Why, someday, you'll be called a great hero!"
"Think you already are, buddy," Sakuzy nodded. "Uh...who's this guy?"
"Oh, new men to the cause? Well, bless you all," the badger chuckled. "The title's Friar, name's Tuck!"
"But glad you think we've been pardoned," Robin said, sarcastically.
"That's rich, we ain't even been arrested yet," Little John chuckled.
"Think I can fix this...possibly. Even I can only do so much," Yozora murmured as he examined the ruined stew. Before he could do anything, Tuck walked over.
"Well, here to tell you all there's a big to-do in Nottingham," he said.
"I wouldn't do that, if I were-" Yozora's warning was unheeded as Friar Tuck took a spoonful of the ruined stew and slurped it down.
Tuck coughed as he smiled through teary eyes, "Well done, ain't it?"
"There gonna be good people to rob?" Becca asked as she, Lucy, and Joyex entered the conversation.
"Yep. A big ol' archery tournament," Friar Tuck replied. "Folks comin' from all over."
"Pretty sure our Robin Hood guy could win that, single-handed," Joyex remarked.
"Thank you, my Merry Men," Robin Hood said, tipping his hat with a dramatic flourish. "But I'm sure we're not invited."
"Someone would be REAL disappointed if you don't," Tuck chuckled, taking another slurp of stew.
"Yeah, ol' Bushel Britches, the 'HONORABLE' Sheriff of Nottingham," Little John snorted.
"We could make it a fun chase, though. Wanna take a shot at that fat jerk," Lucy smirked, holding up her short sword.
"No~" Friar Tuck winked. "Maid Marian!"
"You mean the lady Robin's crushing on?" Sakuzy asked.
"Think he does," Zidane smirked.
"Why'd he be crushing someone like that? Sounds inhumane," Yozora murmured.
"You're an idiot," was Joyex's blunt retort… only to get splashed by a cup of water. "GAH-!"
"And now you smell like a wet dog." Yozora playfully informed.
"Word is she's gonna give a kiss to the winner," Friar Tuck chuckled, coughing a bit more as he kept taking in more stew.
That got an immediate response from Robin Hood, who did a cartwheel, "COME ON, WHAT'RE WE WAITING FOR?!"
"Hold it, hold it," Little John said, stepping over. "That place'll be CRAWLING with soldiers."
"Alternatively, faint hearts never won fair lady~" Lucy giggled.
"Precisely," Robin Hood proclaimed, loosing an arrow as he tossed his hat in the air. After bouncing off multiple pots and angled branches, it flew through his hat moments before it fell on his head. "Merry Men, this shall be our FINEST performance!"
"How do you shoot an arrow like that?" Yozora asked.
POHPOHPOHPOHPOHPOH
The elephants loudly trumpeted as people gathered for the archery tournament. Sitting off to the side were Prince John and Sir Hiss.
"You're so confident in this?" Hiss asked the concealed form of Opal.
"Given what I have observed, this is the best course of action," Opal replied. "Robin will come. And, from what I learned, my targets will likely accompany them. Both of our nuisances will be swiftly dealt with."
"A 'coup d'etat', to coin the Norman phrase," Prince John chuckled. "After all that humiliation, my thorn shall be swiftly plucked...just keep a keen eye out for them!"
"Indeed. The Sheriff is our cover, I shall keep to the shadows with my drones at the ready," Opal said before slinking away.
"I still have my reservations regarding her," Hiss commented.
Not far away, a vixen in a pink dress and headscarf walked along next to a chicken in a blue dress. This was the fair Maid Marian, cousin to the absent king and object of desire to a certain rogue, "Oh, Klucky! I'm so excited! But how will I recognize Robin?"
"Oh, your rogue's full of surprises," the chicken, Kluck, replied with a warm chuckle.
Off in the bushes and unseen, Robin Hood looked out with an eager smile, walking out on a set of stilts, "Isn't she BEAUTIFUL..."
"Cool it, lover boy," Little John said, pulling Robin back. The large bear was in a tight-fitting, pink shirt, collar, and a red cap with a pink feather. He also sported a blonde wig and mustache, "Heart's running away with your head."
Robin stuck on a fake bill and a large hat, making him appear like a stork, "Relax, this disguise would fool my own mother!"
"But your mother ain't here," Little John chuckled. "You gotta fool ol' Bushel Britches!"
He pointed to the obese wolf walking along with a bow slung over his shoulders. Robin Hood stumbled out and grabbed the Sheriff's hands as he spoke with a thick accent, "Sheriff! Meetin' you's a real treat! A REAL treat!"
"Well, thank you~" the Sheriff nodded. "OH! Excuse me, I gotta win this tournament..."
"Alright, so, got the plan memorized?" Zidane asked as Robin and The Sheriff walked off.
"Yep," Sakuzy nodded. "Yozora's gonna join Robin later in the tournament..."
"Gotta get a feel for this thing, lemme tell ya," Yozora said, holding up his bow.
"Little John's gonna keep an eye on Prince John," Becca continued. "So, we're gonna be seeded into the crowd to act as back-up."
"And do a little sticky fingers in the process," Zidane said, pulling a hood over his head. "On the folks who deserve it, of course!"
"Naturally~" Lucy said with a devious smirk.
"Just don't do anything TOO stupid," Joyex replied as he made his way into the crowd.
"Given OUR luck, Heartless or something's gonna show up," Sakuzy shrugged.
"Just means it won't be boring," Zidane snickered as he patted the butts of his swords.
Joyex weaved among the tents, taking in the smells of the various vendors. But he also kept his guard up. Considering everything he'd experienced with this group, he expected things to go horribly, HORRIBLY wrong. Among other things.
"I've been expecting you, Josephus."
THAT caught his attention. He slowly turned around to see a woman, face cloaked in a bluish-purple cloak. And she carried a set of pistols in hand that she was absent-mindedly twirling in her hands.
"And you are?" he asked.
"Don't give me that little game. If it doesn't fool Emerald and Amber, it won't work on me," she said, tossing a gun into the air. Joyex remained quiet as she caught her pistol. "Fine. You may choose that. Whichever makes you more comfortable..."
"Got any more of your color-coded co-conspirators, Opal?" Joyex asked.
"Alliteration. How droll," Opal commented. "And no, I'm not. It's a hunter's pride."
"Hunter now?" Joyex snorted.
"Yes, I am. Considering I've just isolated one of the primary targets," Opal replied. With a sudden flash, a cage of electricity formed around them. "That's what we have in common, Josephus. We prefer hunting alone."
"Okay, so it's gonna be like THAT," Joyex muttered, readying his whip as the brawl began.
POHPOHPOHPOHPOHPOH
Arrows flew through the air. Targets were peppered with the flying projectiles. Except the ones fired by Yozora.
"MY CABBAGES!"
"Sight's off on this thing...how do I know what that means?" he muttered, darkly, as he swung his bow around in frustration.
"No one seems to be any the wiser," Becca said as she slunk through the crowd, having...relieved some people of their munny.
"And Johnny's right where he needs to be," Zidane said, pointing to the stand, where Little John was sitting with Prince John.
"You mean the prince or our buddy?" Lucy asked.
"...Yes."
TWANG!
Another volley of arrows flew out, peppering the shooting range. The Sheriff's hit a bull's eye. Robin's hit just above his. And Yozora's arrow hit just below the two.
"YES! I'm getting this!" Yozora whooped.
"Nice to see he's pepping up," Lucy giggled.
"Yeah," Sakuzy nodded. But then he realized something. A certain Nobody was notable by his absence. "Wait, where's Joyex?"
"Probably found something NEW to snark about," Becca replied. "I'll go check on him."
She slunk off...relieving some Munny from a few rhino guards in the process. Zidane wiped a tear away with his tail.
"She's learned so fast," he sniffled with a smile. "Makes me fall for her all over again~"
"Don't try it," Lucy advised.
"Trust me, no luck there," Sakuzy snickered.
"Eh, dashing, heroic thieves don't wait for long to get a lady's attention," Zidane shrugged, unabashed.
"ATTENTION, EVERYONE!" Prince John proclaimed. "For the final round, the target will be moved back TEN paces!"
As he made this command, the targets were moved back. Yozora was the first one up. Taking a calming breath, then made his shot. It looked like it would make it...until the target side-stepped, making it miss by a mile. Yozora let out a yell in anger.
"ARE YOU SERIOUS?" Sakuzy shouted.
"That CAN'T be legal!" Lucy yelled in turn.
The indignation was only compounded when the Sheriff made his shot. When the arrow was fired, the target jumped up to make sure it hit a perfect bull's eye.
"Hey, that's CHEATING!" Yozora objected.
"Don't be a sore loser, kiddo," the Sheriff chuckled as the disguised Robin Hood readied his shot. "That's gonna win me the whole kaboodle..."
Just before Robin could shoot, the Sheriff used his bow to bump Robin's. This sent the arrow veering off course. Before Yozora could say more than an angry "YOU ROTTEN!", Robin nocked another bow and fired. This arrow hit the first one. It spun in the air for half a moment before going down...down...down...
Splitting the Sheriff's arrow clean in two to hit a perfect bull's eye. The crowd cheered at the Sheriff being shown up. Unseen by them, Prince John smirked. He had just connected the dots...
POHPOHPOHPOHPOHPOH
"Yo, Joyex?" Becca called as she looked around. "Where are you? We want an extra set of eyes out..."
She then noticed the electric cage. And, inside, Joyex was fighting with a figure in robes. The previous two experiences had taught her all she needed to know...
"Crystalli," she hissed, summoning Outlaw Shovel and charging.
"Beck, STAY-"
ZAP!
Becca ran into the cage and was immediately sent flying back. The Crystalli looked back at her before saying, "I had hoped to dispose of you before any backup could arrive..."
"GATHER!" Joyex shouted, holding out his hand. Arrows flew out, going right at Opal, who shot down each one with her pistols. Then shot him in the chest, knocking him into the barrier.
"Any other failures you wish to enact?" Opal asked.
Joyex looked at the scene. Then he just sighed in concession, "I surrender."
POHPOHPOHPOHPOHPOH
Zidane, Sakuzy, and Lucy comforted Yozora as Robin walked up to the royal seats, looking adoringly at the vixen from earlier. Prince John held out a sword, tapping Robin's shoulders with the flat.
"I knew he could do it, had no doubt!" Lucy commented.
"Everything about this stinks," Yozora muttered.
"Yeah, I saw a few skunks back there," Sakuzy replied.
"No, I mean something's up..." Yozora said, looking around to see a few...quite distinct rocks peppering the fairgrounds. "Aaaaaand there's the smell."
"I officially declare you the winner...or, more fittingly, LOSER!" Prince John sneered, bringing his sword slashing up through Robin's disguise. This left him completely revealed to a bunch of rhinos. The prince leaned back, cooly, before ordering, "Seize him...AND his friends~"
Immediately, the stones around them transformed, becoming spindly, bluish-purple Crystalli with spidery limbs, spiked heads, and glowing red spots in the center to give them a semblance of a face. Beams of red light were trained on Sakuzy, Lucy, Yozora, and Zidane.
As Heartless formed to dogpile on Robin, the Crystalli began firing lasers. Zidane was hit first, going down immediately. Lucy jumped and evaded, but precise blasts dropped her to the ground. Sakuzy and Yozora blocked, but they were eventually dropped and restrained by the Crystalli.
"As I said, capturing them would be simple," the hooded general stated as she led Becca and Joyex over by bands made of pure electricity. "And displayed the effectiveness of combining your Heartless with my Snipers."
"Indeed, my dear Opal," Prince John nodded with a cruel chuckle before proclaiming, "I sentence you all to IMMEDIATE DEATH!"
"Oh no," Maid Marian gasped before pleading, "No...no...please, Sire. Please have mercy."
"And why should I?" Prince John asked.
"Because I love him," Marian replied.
"And does this outlaw SHARE your love?" Prince John asked, looking genuinely surprised as he turned his gaze to the still-chained Robin.
"Marian, my darling," Robin said, voice sincere as he looked up at Marian. "I love you more than life itself."
Yozora still didn't understand the bond between them. But seeing this display made his eyes moisten. Why? He didn't understand...
"Your pleading has not fallen on a heart of stone," Prince John nodded before proclaiming, "BUT TRAITORS TO THE CROWN MUST DIE-"
"Traitor to the crown? That crown belongs to King Richard!" Robin shouted in indignation, but by yelling that, he gave Little John time to sidle off. He then bellowed, "LONG LIVE KING RICHARD!"
"LONG LIVE KING RICHARD!" the crowd shouted in solidarity.
"NO! SHERIFF! OPAL! STOP THE EXECUTION!" Prince John suddenly yelled.
From behind, Little John had a dagger in Prince John's back, "Now, you're gonna release my buddies or I'll have myself a new pin cushion."
"R-release my buddies! I-I mean, the PRISONERS!" Prince John screamed. "LET THEM GO! FOR GOODNESS' SAKES! LET! THEM! GO!"
"You heard the man, Rockette," Yozora said, smugly, as the Snipers stood down and Robin Hood was untied.
"Something fishy's goin' on around here," The Sheriff murmured, drawing his sword.
"WATCH OUT, JOHN!" Lucy yelled.
Little John ducked under the Sheriff's slash and delivered a quick upper-cut. Freed, Prince John scrambled away and hurriedly ordered, "HEARTLESS! KILL THEM ALL!"
"Caught us off-guard, NOT happening again!" Sakuzy shouted, tossing his Keyblade in a Strike Raid right at Opal. The Crystalli General dodged, but this gave Joyex an opening.
"Becca, summon your Keyblade," he quickly said. She obliged, he immediately yelled, "GATHER!"
A Magnera formed in his palm, drawing Outlaw Shovel to his hand. It vanished almost instantly, but it dispelled the electric binds on his wrist. He then pushed Becca's reformed Keyblade to undo the ones on her hands.
Heartless formed around them as the Snipers began to reorient themselves. Yozora and Zidane charged, smashing into the Crystalli and knocking them down instantly. "Monkey see-" Yozora quipped, as he dove around a Soldier's lunge, delivering a sweeping kick with his legs. He quickly followed it up by jack-knifing both feet into its chestplate, knocking it into the air-
"MONKEY DO!" And a volley of slashes from Zidane's dual long knives promptly shredded it into the nether. The two landed side by side, forearms bumping together with broad, cheesyg rins.
Sakuzy, Lucy, and Little John gathered around Robin Hood and Maid Marian.
"Marian, my love, will you marry me?" Robin Hood asked.
"OF COURSE!" Maid Marian exclaimed.
"Mazel tov, let's fight!" Lucy smirked as she slashed with her sword.
"Let's go!" Sakzuy exclaimed as he swung his Keyblade at a Soldier, making it vanish.
"What a beautiful brawl!" Little John smirked as he hammered at Heartless with a staff.
Opal, meanwhile, was watching as her Snipers attacked Yozora and Zidane, who were quickly joined by Joyex and Becca. She saw Yozora fire his arrow, this one going straight through a Sniper's face.
"Hey, you're getting better!" Zidane complimented, slashing with his swords.
"Helps when I have a fair match this time," Yozora beamed with a thumbs up.
"Just watch out for their boss, she's tricky," Joyex said, snapping his chain whip around to deflect a Sniper's blast.
"Zidane!" Becca shouted.
"Let's do this, then!" Zidane exclaimed, spinning fast enough to create a small tornado. This sent some Snipers flying into the air. He then began jumping around, Becca bouncing off him as they slashed through the Heartless at lightning speed. "And it's...THE CLIMAX!"
"Take this!" Becca shouted as her and Zidane's weapons glowed with a bright, pink light. They then smashed them down, creating a shockwave that shattered the Crystalli.*
"Hm, Limits are already within their skillset," Opal commented as she kept an eye on Yozora, who swapped his bow out for a shovel that he used to smash another Crystalli. He then swapped out for his katana, which he hurled at a Heartless, splitting through one that was coming for Sakuzy.
"Thanks!" Sakuzy called out.
While Sakuzy and Little John herded the Sheriff, his posse, and some Heartless and Crystalli into a tent. Unfortunately, this caused the tent to be untied. And the chaos within caused the tent to become untied. And then, Lucy walked right up and poked one of the guards inside, making him scream in pain. With that, the entire tent took off, wreaking more chaos in its wake.
"Hey!" Little John yelled. "Who's drivin' this flyin' umbrella?!"
"I dunno, I never passed my exams!" Sakuzy yelled as they smashed through Prince John's stand. His chair was shoved right in front of them as Sakuzy jumped down, hacking at their enemies within.
"GUARDS! SEIZE THE SMALL ONE!" Prince John commanded.
Lucy just geared up and charged, evading and hitting guards as she did so. All in all, she looked more like an American football quarterback than a Struggle swordsman.
Even amidst the chaos, they broke free and ran for cover in the forest, accompanied by Maid Marian.
"LONG LIVE KING RICHARD!" they all shouted.
This left Prince John, The Sheriff, Sir Hiss, and Opal in the wreckage that had been the tournament grounds. The prince was fuming, The Sheriff was lying on the ground, battered and bruised, Opal just stood off to the side, and Sir Hiss looked up at their hooded compatriot, smugly.
"Well, now, looks like YOUR plan didn't work out so well, did it?" Sir Hiss asked.
"I made a few miscalculations. Next time, though...I will have them trapped," Opal commented.
"We had them trapped HERE, but they still got away! Like they ALWAYS do," Prince John snarled.
"Next time will be different," Opal answered. "We just need to make them come into OUR hands, where they can't easily retreat to their home turf. To do that, we need...bait. To MAKE THEM hurt..."
Hitchhiker Entries:
Friar Tuck:
A portly and pious badger who's a friend of Robin's and upstanding member of the Nottingham community. Judging by how eagerly he consumes burned things, he possibly has a blessed stomach as well. His mass began in Robin Hood (1973).
Maid Marian:
Robin's beloved vixen and niece of King Richard. How that works is a mystery of biology and zoology that...no one wants answers to. While years separated her and Robin Hood's acquaintanceship, their passions have not dimmed. Proof that letting it go is rarely a bad idea. She debuted in Robin Hood (1973).
Lady Kluck:
Maid Marian's lady-in-waiting. Known for being Scottish and...everything that comes with it. She clucked in on Robin Hood (1973).
Sniper:
The grunts of this new Crystalli general, Opal. Stealthy and with long-range lightning blasts, they're a bit trickier to deal with than earlier fare. Thankfully, though, they're about as brittle as glass, so no problem once you actually get your hands on them.
*Zidane's "Reverse Gaia"