| Author |
Topic:
The Guardians of Light: The Bringer of Death( SW/KH crossover. B/J, S/K, R/A, J/J)Updated 8/28/08
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Earthknight
Registered:
Oct '02
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Date Posted:
12/17/07 2:31pm
Subject:
RE: The Guardians of Light: The Bringer of Death( SW/KH crossover. B/J, S/K, R/A, J/J)Updated 10/10/
- Date Edited:
12/17/07 10:15pm (2 edits total)
Edited By:
Earthknight
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Here's the next chapter to the story. But first, here's the answer to the trivia question.
Question: In what book was Jysella Horn first mentioned?
Answer: Dark Tide I: Onslaught
This chapter is pretty long. There was a Cem segment originally in this chapter but I decided to move it to chapter 18. Anyway, this chapter isn't as dark as the previous one but it will end with a cliffhanger.
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CHAPTER 17: From Bad To Worse
Saeon opened his closet, reached down, and picked up a medium sized red case from the metal closet floor. He then turned and walked over to his bed. He placed the red case on top of the bed and opened it up. Inside was a pair of gray leather gauntlets with two 2-inch diamond claws protruding from the knuckle section.
He removed his diamond gauntlets from his hands, tossed them on to the bed, and grabbed the pair of leather gauntlets. He put them on then grabbed the diamond gauntlets and placed them inside the red case. He closed the case, picked it up, and walked over to his closet. He sat the case on the closet floor then closed the closet door until it fully shut.
Saeon turned and walked over to his bedroom door. He stopped before the door, grabbed his staff that was leaning against the wall, and pressed on the glowing console near the door. The door slid open and Saeon stepped out of his bedroom and into the living room. He immediately walked to the other side of the living room and stopped in front of a metallic door. He clicked on the door's console and the door slowly slid open. He strolled through the doorway and made his way down the long dimly lit hallway that lead to the Quarrutuh Ball's chamber.
As soon as Saeon entered the chamber, he walked over to the pedestal, stopped, and looked around at the shelves full of skulls.
"Hmm... Now where I'm going to put the skulls of Ben and Sora?" he said with a thoughtful look on his face. "Meh. I'll figure it out after I kill them."
He then breathed out, closed his eyes, and placed his left hand on top of the Quarrutuh Ball. His head twitched, his left hand trembled, and all across his body he felt an intense tingling sensation.
Where are the Keyblade Master Sora and the Jedi Knight Ben Skywalker? Saeon asked mentally.
A full minute passed before the answer finally appeared in his head.
The ones that you seek are on the vessels Starkiller and Nirvana.
Saeon opened his eyes abruptly.
"Damn it." Saeon snarled.
He looked at the ball then carefully scooped it up with his left hand. He turned and made his way out of the chamber. When he reached the living room, he immediately walked over to the couch, sat his staff down on it, and then paced back and forth.
After four minutes of pacing with the Quarrutuh Ball in his hands, Saeon closed his eyes and prepared to ask the ball again about Ben and Sora. Suddenly, he heard a low hum nearby. He opened his eyes and saw a dark portal on the wall next to his bedroom door.
Stepping out of the portal with a small disk camera in his scarred right hand was Caim. The middle-aged man wore raggedy looking brown pants, brown boots, and a slightly torn black tunic. He only had one eye: his left eye. His right eye socket was nothing but a hole with torn and cut up flesh. Around his neck was a pair of gray binoculars.
There was zero emotion on Caim's face as he walked towards Saeon. He stopped before Saeon then reached his right hand out. Saeon turned towards the couch and gently placed the Quarrutuh Ball on top. He then turned and took the camera out of Caim's right hand.
"What did you find out on Radiant Garden?" asked Saeon.
Caim replied using sign language. "From what I saw on the apartment's roof, it looks as if Squall is building up The Radiant Knights."
"Hmph... Is he investigating the disappearance of the materia and magicite?" asked Saeon.
"I'm not sure. I read his lips through the binoculars. He didn't say anything about an investigation." said Caim.
"Nevertheless, there's still a chance that he might conduct one." said Saeon.
"There is something you need to see though. There is a person that could be a problem to us. Look at the footage that I recorded." said Caim.
Saeon frowned and stared at Caim for a second. He then looked at the camera and removed a pink disk from the compartment on the side of the camera. He sat down on the couch, reached across the small table in front of him, and moved his holopad closer to where he sat. He turned on the holopad, slipped the disk inside it, and pressed the play button.
An image of Squall and Aerith appeared. Because there was no sound on the recording, Saeon couldn't hear what they were saying but he could see the movement of their lips. He saw Squall turn, walk over, and sat down at a desk. Because Squall was sitting at the desk, Saeon could only see the back of his head. He then noticed that Aerith had a concerned look on her face. She said something then walked over to Squall. She slowly moved behind him and began to give him a gentle massage. Since he only saw Aerith's back, he couldn't tell if she and Squall were talking or not.
After one minute of seeing nothing but Aerith messaging Squall, Saeon looked up at Caim and said. "Please tell me something interesting happens in the next minute."
"Trust me, Saeon. Something does happen." replied Caim.
Saeon breathed out a sigh and leaned back on the couch. He looked at the image and saw Aerith suddenly stop massaging Squall. She slowly moved away from him and stopped once she was a few feet from his side.
Saeon leaned forward and stared closely at the hologram. Suddenly a look of shock formed on his face. Three women walked into the scene and Saeon automatically knew who they were.
"The Gullwings." Saeon said in a low tone. He pressed the pause button on the holopad and added. "Damn it. Who could've undone the spell?"
Caim frowned and replied in sign language. "You know those three?"
Saeon, not noticing what Caim had said, looked up at him with a frown. Caim repeated his sentence in sign language and Saeon looked closely at the movements of his hands.
Saeon then nodded and replied. "Remember the three women I told you about who declined my offer?"
"I do. So those three are the same women?"
"Yes. I thought turning them into fairies would keep them out of the picture. But it appears I should've just killed them when I had the chance."
A crazed smile formed on Caim's face.
"It is a mistake that can easily be rectified, Saeon. But I do wonder, how could these three cause us problems?" said Caim.
"Think Caim. They're from Gaia. Mostly everyone in KH-Titus believes that Maleficent was behind Gaia's destruction. The Gullwings, however, know what really happened and they've probably already told Squall about it. If he were to tell leaders like Ashe and Maria about Gaia and present the Gullwings to them as proof, the leaders would believe him." said Saeon.
"Plus he has the disk containing information regarding the Galactus." said Caim.
"And that would be the icing on the cake. It wouldn't matter if he had proof to back up what is shown on the disk or not. Ivalice, The Federation, and Valhalla would sign the agreement and they'd all work together to try to stop us." Saeon, a dark look on his face, turned his gaze to the paused image of the Gullwings. "Imagine: ships on every corner of the galaxy just waiting for the Galactus to appear."
Saeon looked back at Caim and saw him reply with a crazed smile. "So we would just kill them all. Spread their blood across space. The Galactus has the firepower to do it."
"I don't want to take any chances. It's better to have three worlds know about us than to have the whole galaxy know."
"Alright. So we'll deal with the Gullwings. But we also have to eliminate one particular target. A person that escaped my grasp years ago."
Saeon, an expression of curiosity on his face, stared at Caim for a second.
"What are you talking about?" asked Saeon.
"Watch the rest of the recording." replied Caim.
Saeon looked at the hologram then reached over and pressed the play button on the holopad. For four minutes, he saw nothing but the Gullwings conversing with Squall and each other. Finally, he saw the three women giggle, turn, and walk away from Squall's desk. Saeon, a look of interest on his face, stared intently at the screen.
He suddenly saw a man walk into view. The man had blonde spiky hair and wore all black. In the corner of his eye, Saeon saw Caim waving his hand. He looked at Caim and saw him pointing at the image. He briefly looked back at the image of the man before turning his gaze back to Caim.
"This is the person?" asked Saeon.
Caim nodded and replied. "Six years ago, I encountered him on Konga. He spotted the Heartless and I taking the materia off the asteroid. I chased him down and tried to kill him. We fought to a stand still and he managed to escape."
A murderous expression formed on Saeon's face. He paused the hologram, rose from the couch, and slowly walked over to Caim.
He stopped in front of Caim and said in a tone of outrage. "And you didn't tell me this sooner!? Why!!?"
"He looked like a drifter or some mercenary for hire. I figured he was not too important and not worth the effort. So I did not want to waste your time by telling you about someone insignificant." said Caim.
In the blink of an eye, Saeon swiped his claw across Caim's belly. Caim cringed, clutched his belly, and fell to his knee. He glared up and saw a sharp diamond claw just a mere centimeter away from his face.
Saeon, a murderous look still on his face, stared Caim in the eye and said in a dark tone. "You lied to me. You told me that the mission on Konga was a success. Now I find out that that was all false."
Saeon raised his left hand and a ball of fire formed in his hand.
"What else have you been keeping from me?" Saeon asked in a deadly tone.
Caim replied with an angry look on his face. "Nothing. And that is the truth."
"It better be. And if you ever lie to me or keep a secret like this from me again, I'll make sure that you go from a one eyed mute to a blind mute."
Caim frowned at hearing this. The fire in Saeon's hand disappeared and he slowly retracted his claw from Caim's face. He then slowly walked back to the couch, sat down, and stared at the holographic image. He un-paused the image and kept his eyes on the blonde man.
"Whoever this....'insignificant person' is, he appears to be a friend of Squalls." said Saeon.
He looked at Caim and saw him say. "Do not worry, I will spill his blood."
"You better. Because if Squall finds out what this man knows, he will have another piece of evidence."
"I will not fail this time. I promise."
"Good......... I'm putting you in charge of running all missions to KH-Titus. You and your dragon friend will be working with Lulu, Yor, and Mortimer."
A look of worry appeared on Caim's face.
"No... Just no." said Caim.
"What's wrong?" asked Saeon.
"I do not want to work with Yor and Mortimer." said Caim.
"You're going to have to."
"But they are stupid."
"Yes, I know. But they can get the job done sometimes. Make sure that Mortimer gets the Cornerstone of Light and that Lulu kills Ambassador Larsa."
"Isn't she supposed to deal with him during 'Operation: Purge'?"
Saeon folded his arms. "I'm altering the plan......... I want her out of the way as soon as possible. Order her to kill Larsa and then afterwards terminate her and Chappu."
"Don't you think she might get a little suspicious that you're changing the plan?"
"You're giving her too much credit. Besides look how many times I've altered the plan already. This isn't new."
"You got a point there. I will see to it that she takes him out."
"Good. Here um.........give me a datapad over there on that shelf."
Caim looked over at the shelf in the corner of the room and saw ten datapads sitting on top. He walked over and grabbed one of them off the shelf. He then walked over to Saeon and handed him the datapad. Saeon took a deep breath and briskly typed on the datapad.
When he was done, he handed Caim the datapad and said. "These are names of the people that must be eliminated."
Caim frowned and looked closely at the list.
Yuna
Rikku
Paine
Ambassador Larsa
Negotiator Claire
"Consider this as a prelude to Operation: Purge." said Saeon. "I didn't put down the man in the hologram. I don't know his name but you have to kill him as well."
Caim sat the datapad on the small table and replied. "Understood."
"And don't go anywhere near Destiny Islands. It's the one world in KH-Titus that I will deal with myself." said Saeon.
"Why Destiny Islands?"
Saeon smiled, looked at his diamond claw, and replied. "Because I'm going to show Sora just how harsh reality can be."
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Tekli stared intently at the written information on her datapad. The Chadra Fan Jedi scratched her fury head and looked at the stony forms of Zekk and Jag. Her young assistant Tanya Iddrolle stood beside the bed where Jag's stone body was lying. The dark skinned human female Jedi had a focused look on her face as she typed on the datapad that she held in her left hand.
Tekli slowly walked over to where Zekk's stone body stood. She stopped, looked up at him for a second, and walked around the stone figure.
After making a complete circle, she stopped in front of Zekk's stone body and said. "I've never seen anything like this before."
"Can you help them?" asked Jaina, who was standing in the middle of her parents Han Solo and Leia Solo.
Tekli turned around and faced Jaina, Han, and Leia.
"I'm not sure," said Tekli. "They're both still alive. I can feel that. It's just...."
"Just what?" asked Han.
"Their whole bodies have been turned to stone: their limbs, their organs, everything. It's as if something has mutated their cells to that of solid rock." replied Tekli.
"So there's nothing you can do for them?" asked Leia.
"At the moment... no." said Tekli.
An expression of sadness appeared on Jaina's face as she looked over at Jag. Leia placed a comforting hand on her daughter's shoulder. Han just frowned and folded his arms
"But," Tekli spoke in a hopeful tone. "Tanya and I will conduct more tests. We might find some way to reverse this odd mutation."
"But there's no guarantee." said Han.
"When dealing with something unknown like this, there's never a guarantee." Tekli turned around and looked at Zekk's form. "We might also have to consider contacting some Alliance medical specialists to come and assist. It would help me and Tanya out greatly."
"We'll see what we can do. But first, we better contact Morgolith. Him and the Alliance need to know exactly what we're dealing with." said Leia.
"You guys go ahead... I'm going to stay here." Jaina said, keeping her eyes on Jag.
Leia looked at her daughter and replied in a low tone. "Alright."
Leia and Han turned, walked to the exit, and stopped in front of it. The door slid open and they both saw Sephiron standing outside the entrance with a concerned look on his face.
"Grandma. Grandpa." said Sephiron.
Leia's brow crinkled as she stared at her grandson.
"How's dad? He's not-"
"No." Leia cut the boy off and spoke in reassuring tone. "He's....he's going to be fine."
Sephiron looked at her for a few seconds. He then looked past her and at his mother.
"Can I?" asked Sephiron.
"Of course you can, kid." Han said to his grandson. "Your mom's going to need your support now more than ever."
Sephiron looked up at Han. He gave a nod and walked past his grandparents. Han and Leia's eyes followed the young boy as he slowly approached his mother.
"Remind me to punch Cem in the mouth when we find him." Leia whispered to her husband.
"Now, now." whispered Han. "You know that giving him a hard shot to the nose would be much better."
They both then turned and exited the Medical Bay.
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Sephiron stopped before his mother and looked over at his father. Slowly, the boy walked over to Jag's bed and stopped. A look of confusion appeared on Sephiron's face as he stared at the stony form of his father.
"Dad." he said, hoping to get a reply or at least see a sign that his father could hear him.
But there was no reply or any form of movement. Jag was just lying there motionless.
"Dad." Sephiron said again, this time in a more sad tone.
When he saw that nothing happened, Sephiron sighed and gently placed his hand on the stony hand of Jag. After a few seconds, the boy finally turned around, looked at his mother, and pursed his lips. He saw that she was starting to cry.
He walked over to her, looked up, and said. "Don't cry, mom. Dad will get better.........somehow... I know that he will."
Jaina, tears running down her eyes, looked down at her son and replied. "I know that he will too, Sephiron."
Neither one said another word. Jaina got down on one knee and opened up her arms. Sephiron moved into his mother's embrace and the two hugged each other for a long time.
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"I'm sorry I'm just not hiring at the moment." The shop owner said to Cloud.
"Are you sure you don't need an extra hand?" asked Cloud. "I mean I can deliver-"
"I already have a full staff." The husky man cut Cloud off as he walked over to a shelf full of pots.
The man grabbed a pot with ivory and flower designs and re positioned it so that the section with the most flowers was facing him.
"You sound like you'd be a diligent worker, but at this time all positions in my store are filled." The shop owner added.
Cloud, a look of disappointment on his face, nodded and replied in an emotionless tone. "I understand."
He was about to turn and leave but he decided to ask one last thing.
"Um... do you know any places that are hiring?" asked Cloud.
The shop owner turned and faced Cloud. He rubbed his chubby chin and thought for a second.
"Hmm.... I do not know about any of the places on this street. But I have heard that the Seventh Haven and Wendall's Supplies are always hiring." The shop owner looked at the giant sword on Cloud's back. "And since you do have the look of a fighter to yah, you might also be interested to know that the Radiant Knights are searching for new recruits."
"Yeah I've heard." Cloud said in slightly annoyed tone. "But I think I've been through enough battles to last me a life time."
"Well, it was just a thought... You have a good day now."
"You too."
Cloud turned around and walked to the exit. He opened the door, stepped out on to the sidewalk, and immediately headed left. He briefly looked around at the massive metropolis and noticed just how busy the city was during evening hours. The roads were dominated by traffic and on all the sidewalks were dozens of pedestrians moving about to their destinations. All around Cloud could hear the honking of horns, the loud swears from frustrated drivers, and the voices of a few pedestrians engaged in conversation on their cell phones.
After a fifteen-minute walk through the city, Cloud finally made it to the Seventh Haven. He strolled through the entrance and looked around. The place wasn't too busy and there was only one waiter assisting and serving seated customers. Cloud could tell by the way the young man was behaving that he had to have been just hired.
He looked over at the bar and saw that Tifa wasn't there. There was however one young man with blonde hair sitting at the bar. Cloud walked over and took a seat next to the man,
The young man looked at Cloud and said. "Ah, let me guess. A radiant knight off duty."
Cloud sighed, and then replied in a rather snappy tone. "I'm not a radiant knight."
"Hey, no need to bite my head off. I was just asking." said the young man.
Cloud didn't reply. He just stared straight ahead.
"I mean you look like you could be a radiant knight. With that mammoth sword on your back." said the young man. He paused and looked closely at Cloud. "Hey wait minute.........aren't you that guy they found laying in the construction zone? Cloud Strife is it?"
"That would be me." said Cloud.
"I knew it. My name is Tidus." Tidus said as he reached his hand out.
Cloud shook his hand and Tidus spoke again.
"You caused quite a commotion in the Zell District. I heard you beamed down from a cloud or something." said Tidus.
"That's what everyone is saying." said Cloud.
"I don't know what craziness you've been through. But I bet those damn Heartless were the ones behind it." said Tidus.
"It wasn't the Heartless. It was.........someone else." said Cloud.
"Well, whatever. It's good that you're alive. There's been enough doom and gloom in this galaxy already. By the way, I'm sorry for thinking you were a radiant knight." said Tidus.
"I'm not a knight and I don't plan on becoming one." said Cloud.
"Heh, that's actually a wise decision. Not that joining is bad and all. It's just I don't exactly recommend it."
"You don't like the Radiant Knights?"
"What? No, no, I like the Radiant Knights. I work with them all the time. It's the War I don't like."
Cloud frowned. "War?"
"Yeah, the Heartless War. It's a necessary war but I still hate it. Those damn creatures have taken so many lives and we don't even know if we're making progress against them or not."
"What are you some kind of a soldier or something?"
"I'm a fighter in the Army of Destiny. No big rank. Just a grunt with...heh, heh... amazing skills."
"What is this Army of Destiny?"
"It's the name of the military on my home world Destiny Islands. I and ten other fighters are stationed here on this planet. You see, my world has close ties with Radiant Garden and the two worlds have been conducting a galactic war against the Heartless."
"I take it the war isn't going so well."
"Well, we just had a so called major win on Balamb but...... we've had dozens of victories in the past that end up looking minor in the overall run."
"Hmm."
"Anyway, not joining up is a good choice. Best thing to do is get a regular job, get a girlfriend, play sports, and enjoy life. One thing you don't want is to get stuck in this war and knowing that one of the missions you go on could end up being your last."
"If you hate the life of a fighter so much, why don't you just leave?"
"And be known as a cowardly deserter? No way. My family isn't known to be a bunch of quitters. Besides..."
Tidus's face darkened as he looked at his right arm.
He then finished. "I have some unfinished business with the Heartless. I intend on sticking with the Army of Destiny until the end of the war. I'm just urging others to not be so eager to get involved. I've seen.........and experienced.........the horrors of this war. The Heartless are beyond ruthless. I actually believe they're the very heart of evil itself. And those who help them are just as bad."
Cloud slowly nodded then looked down at the counter.
"Well, I better finish this smoothie and meet up with the guys." said Tidus. He took a sip of his smoothie and added. "Damn this stuff rocks."
"That's Tifa for you." replied Cloud.
"Yeah, she is one of heck of a smoothie maker. And her food here is good too. I'm surprised some people prefer...." Tidus suddenly paused and a look of unease appeared on his face. "I better not say it. Tifa is in the kitchen and might hear me. Last thing I want is to tick her off."
Cloud frowned and asked. "What exactly were you going to say?"
Tidus swallowed, looked around, and whispered. "Scarlet's Lounge."
Cloud raised an eyebrow. "And....what's the big deal about that?"
"It's The Seventh Haven's main competition. The place is bigger, gets a lot of business, and Scarlet even has her own band in the joint. She even does a musical number sometimes."
"Hmph. Theatrics."
"Yep. And man does Tifa hate her guts. I think she wanted to beat her up one time." said Tidus.
"Why?" asked Cloud.
"Well, Scarlet kind of acted like a big shot. She kept touting her place was going to be the best in the city and told Tifa that the Seventh Haven is........a worthless piece of crap and a waist of space. Man, that ticked Tifa off. So they've been going head to head since then. But the thing is...Scarlet seems to be winning." said Tidus.
Just then, Yuffie charged through the Seventh Haven's entrance and like a blur ran straight towards the kitchen.
"Hey, guys!" Yuffie shouted at Cloud and Tidus.
"Hey, Yu-"
Before Tidus could even finish, Yuffie was already through the entrance to the kitchen, which was just a few feet from the bar.
"I swear...she has to be taking energy pills. Lots of them." said Tidus.
"No, she's just very...hyper." said Cloud.
"Ah, so you met her before, huh? Girlfriend?" asked Tidus.
"Hell no." said Cloud. "I have my eyes on....a particular girl. But sadly, I'm not exactly the type of guy women would want."
"Damn. Talk about a negative attitude." said Tidus.
Cloud frowned. "You weren't so positive yourself a minute ago."
"Hey, dealing with a war is one thing. Dealing with hot girls is another. I'd definitely prefer dealing with the latter."
"In my opinion...fighting a monster is way easier."
"What!!!!!!!" Cloud and Tidus heard Tifa shout from the kitchen.
They suddenly saw Yuffie backing out of the kitchen with a look of unease on her face.
"Now, now, Tifa. Relax. Take deep breaths." said Yuffie.
Storming out of the kitchen with anger dominating her face was Tifa. Tidus was slightly taken back of the sight of angry Tifa. Cloud, however, just sat there with a frown on his face wondering what had caused to be so upset.
Tifa took several breaths then placed her hand on the wall.
"That harlot. That lousy little big mouth harlot!" Tifa snarled.
"I know she's rotten. But hey, you still got loyal customers." Yuffie said with a smile.
"I won't have any customers if she keeps spreading false rumors like that." Tifa folded her arms and glared at a window. "Damn. I wish I could just lay one good punch on her ugly face."
Tidus stood up from his seat and said to Tifa. "Well, I don't mean to interrupt but I have to get going. I just wanted to say that your smoothies are awesome and this place rocks."
He then reached inside his pocket, pulled out 10 munnies, and placed them on the bar's counter.
Tifa looked at Tidus, sighed, and said in a low tone. "Thanks. I hope you enjoyed your visit."
Tidus smiled, gave a nod to Tifa, and then looked back at Cloud.
"You're pretty cool, Strife. It was good talking to you." said Tidus.
Cloud didn't say a word. He just gave a nod. Tidus turned and walked towards the exit. He suddenly stopped, turned around, and looked at Yuffie.
"Oh and, Yuffie" said Tidus.
"Huh?" asked Yuffie.
"Zidane told me to tell you that he wants to speak with you alone at 8 o clock in the Tetsuya Mall." said Tidus.
Yuffie rolled her eyes.
"Fine. Tell him that I'll meet him there at eight." Yuffie said in a tone of annoyance.
Tidus smiled then turned and exited the Seventh Haven. Yuffie sighed and placed her hands on her hips.
"Maybe now I can end this nonsense." said Yuffie.
"Try not to be too hard on him. He obviously has a deep crush on you." said Tifa.
"Tifa... I've rejected him four times already. If he needs a fifth time to get the hint then so be it." said Yuffie. "I mean, seriously I can't be the only beautiful girl on this planet...okay, maybe none are as hot as me. But...come on, this crush is out of control."
"Well, do what you have to do." replied Tifa.
"Oh I will." said Yuffie.
She then turned and walked towards the exit.
"Good bye, Yuffie. And good luck." said Tifa.
"You too." Yuffie replied back. "Oh and good bye, Cloud."
"Yeah. Bye." said Cloud
As soon as Yuffie exited the building, Tifa breathed out a sigh and looked down at her feet with a look of misery on her face.
"So...what's wrong?" Cloud asked, not looking over at Tifa.
Tifa slowly shook her head.
"It's nothing." Tifa said in a sad tone. She looked at Cloud and asked. "You want me to get you something?"
"A beer." Cloud said bluntly.
"Coming right up." said Tifa.
She walked over to the area behind the counter and went to work in making Cloud's drink. When she was done, she walked to Cloud and sat the mug of beer down before him.
Cloud took a sip then spoke. "You serve smoothies. You serve beer. You serve food. It seems like your place has everything."
"And still it's not enough." said Tifa.
"To beat Scarlet?" asked Cloud.
"You know?"
Cloud nodded. "That guy Tidus told me."
"Oh......."
"So um... what happened? A minute ago you seemed upset about something."
Tifa tightened her lips and then replied. "That woman...Scarlet...cut the prices of all her drinks in half and...is spreading these lies that The Seventh Haven is infested with rats."
"That's not good."
"I know. Sadly, some people are actually believing her lies."
"Don't worry about it. This is a big city with a huge populace. There's going to be a lot of people who will think she's full of it."
"Yeah....I guess you're right. But still... her restaurant has everything that The Seventh Haven has and more. If only there was something this place had that her place doesn't."
Tifa folded her arms and looked down with a thoughtful look on her face. Cloud, a thoughtful look on his face, took another sip of his beer. After a few seconds of silence, Tifa finally spoke.
"Forget it. I'm not going to stoop to her level and use colorful theatrics to get customers." said Tifa.
"What about delivery?" suggested Cloud.
"Huh?"
"Delivery. Customers order through the phone and you deliver them their food and stuff. It's not flashy, it's just pretty basic."
"Hmm."
Tifa thought for a second.
"That's not a bad idea, Cloud." Tifa's face brightened and she added. "In fact, it's a brilliant idea. Scarlet's Lounge doesn't have a delivery service. And if we created one..."
Tifa giggled and spoke again. "It's perfect! First, I'll need to run some ads and hire a...wait a minute. What am I thinking? I know the perfect person to be the delivery boy."
"Who?" asked Cloud. He took another sip from his drink and what happened next, took him totally by surprise.
"You." Tifa replied with a smile.
An incredulous look formed on Cloud's face as he turned his gaze to Tifa.
"What?" said Cloud.
"You." said Tifa.
"But..."
"Think about it. It all will work out. You'll have a job and the Seventh Haven will have an advantage over Scarlet's Lounge."
Cloud looked down and didn't say a word. Tifa walked closer to Cloud, placed her arms on the counter, and leaned forward.
"Please, Cloud. We can work together...as a team. You and me." said Tifa.
Cloud sighed, looked up, and gazed into Tifa's brown orbs. Because she was on the opposite side of the counter and leaning forward, her face was only a few centimeters away from Cloud's. Heat rushed to Cloud's face and his heart skipped a few beats. For at least a minute, he just stared at her completely lost in her brown eyes.
Tifa smiled, raised an eyebrow, and asked. "So what do you say? You want the job?"
"Uh...uh...sure." replied Cloud.
"Terrific! You're now officially an employee of the Seventh Haven." said Tifa. She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek then turned and made her way to the kitchen.
Cloud touched the cheek that Tifa kissed and smiled thinly.
"Working with Tifa. Maybe it won't be so bad after all." Cloud said to himself.
"I'm going to need to make you a uniform." Tifa shouted through the kitchen.
A miserable look instantly appeared on Cloud's face.
"Then again maybe it will." said Cloud.
--------------------------------------------------
King Mickey, a smile on his face, looked around at the fourteen knights who were stationed in every corner in the Hall of the Cornerstone. Mickey gave a nod then turned and looked at Goofy, who was standing right by his side.
"Looks like you and the knights have things all under control." said Mickey.
"We sure do, your highness. That feller Saeon won't be taking the Cornerstone without a fight. Right, fellas?" Goofy said with a smile.
"RIGHT!!!!!!!" The knights roared so loud that Mickey had to cover his ears.
Mickey uncovered his ears and said. "Well...keep up the good work, fellas."
Goofy and the soldiers saluted then shouted. "YES, YOUR HIGHNESS!!!!!!!"
Mickey cringed and rubbed his ear. He then smiled, turned, and made his way to the Hall of Cornerstone's exit.
--------------------------------------------------------
After a long walk through the shiny white halls of his castle, Mickey finally arrived at the Castle garden. The garden was quite large and was covered with grass so green that it could make ones eyes lit up. There were only a few flowers in the garden but the garden's main highlight were the dozens of lush green trees that were shaped like animals.
Mickey, a big smile on his face, looked over at a hippo shaped tree and saw his wife Minnie standing just a few feet from it. He immediately strolled over to her and stopped once the distance between them was only a meter.
A look of concern formed on Mickey's face when he noticed a sad expression on Minnie's face.
"Minnie? What's wrong?" asked Mickey.
Minnie looked at Mickey and said. "I'm worried, Mickey. Do you really think Saeon will attack the palace?"
"It's possible. But don't fret...everything is under control. The knights have this place so locked up and secure that not even Robin Hood himself could get in." said Mickey.
Minnie sighed. "But what if Saeon doesn't just come for the cornerstone. What if he comes for you.........to hurt you."
Mickey walked closer to Minnie and placed a comforting hand on her back.
"Minnie... I've dealt with beings far worse in the past. I doubt that Saeon will be as bad as Xehanort." said Mickey.
"I don't know... what if he is."
"If he is...then I'll deal with him just like I've dealt with all other villains."
"Just be careful...okay."
"I will, Minnie. I will. And I'm going to make sure nothing happens to you as well."
Minnie smiled and she and Mickey embraced each other in a long hug. They pulled away but Mickey his arms around her.
"Say, you want to join me in the Dining Room for some hot cocoa?" asked Mickey.
"I'd be honored." said Minnie.
"Good. Let's...oh no!" said Mickey.
"What?"
"I forgot to contact Buzz and see if they started constructing more ships." Mickey breathed out and added. "Meet me in the dining room. I won't be long."
"Alright."
Mickey then turned and retraced his steps back to the garden's entrance. As soon as Mickey was nowhere in sight, Minnie started towards the same exit that Mickey went through.
She suddenly stopped when she heard a rustling in one of the nearby bushes. She looked over and saw the bush shake violently. Minnie, a look of curiosity on her face, took a step closer to the bush.
"Hello? Who's there?" asked Minnie.
-------------------------------------------------
As Mickey approached his office door, he began to lightly sing. "Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, zip-a-dee-ay. My, oh my what a wonderful day. Plenty of sunshine heading my way. Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, zip-a-dee-ay."
He whistled the rest of the lyrics as he opened up the door. He stepped inside and closed the door. He walked over to his desk, stopped, and looked at his holopad lying on top. He was about to activate it when suddenly he heard the melody of his cell phone.
He frowned and said. "Hmm. Who could be calling me?"
He pulled out his cellphone from his pocket and pressed the talk button.
He brought it up to his ear and asked. "Hello?"
There was no reply.
"Hello?" Mickey asked again.
"Howdy...Mick."
Mickey's eyes widened. He knew who it was on the phone.
"Mortimer." said Mickey.
"So you do remember me. I'm touched." said Mortimer.
"How did you get this number!?" demanded Mickey.
"That's not important right now, Mick. What is important is the fate of the cornerstone." said Mortimer.
"I know about you and Saeon, Mortimer. And what you both plan to do."
"Do you really? You know, Mick, you always claim to know everything but this time I bet you have no clue on what's in store."
"I know that you and Saeon want the cornerstone and the Kaiburr Crystal so that you fellas can finish the Galactus ships."
Mortimer laughed. "That's only half of the plan, Mick. There's so much else we're going to do that if I told you, it would make you wet your pants in fear."
"What do you mean that's only half the plan?" Mickey asked, a frown on his face.
Mortimer laughed again. "You, Mick, are about to find out that not every day can be happy and glee. But things don't have to get too ugly if you...heh...simply agree to handover the cornerstone."
"Never!"
"Tsk, tsk, tsk. Not a bright answer, Mick. You might just end up being responsible for the deaths of countless innocent people."
"What are you getting at, Mortimer?"
"Question: what is the one thing you want to accomplish besides protecting the cornerstone?"
"Easy. Lock you in a prison and throw away the key."
"Besides that."
"Lock Saeon in a prison and throw away the key."
"Besides that as well."
"Lock you both in a prison and throw away the key."
"NO! You stupid goody, goody Gary Stu! You want to unite Ivalice and the Federation!"
A look of suspicion appeared on Mickey's face.
"Wait a minute. How did you know about that?" asked Mickey.
"A big jungle cat told me. Now listen closely, Mick." said Mortimer. His tone darkened when he added. "If you don't give me the cornerstone, I will make it literally impossible for you and your stupid buddies to unite Ivalice and the Federation. I will destroy the two largest hospitals in the galaxy."
Mickey's eyes widened with fear. "You wouldn't."
"Oh I would, Mick. I'll blow up the Health & Care Hospital on Ivalice and the Silver Cross Hospital on Federation Delta. And frame it all on Ivalice and the Federation. Ashe will think Maria destroyed her hospital and Maria will think Ashe destroyed hers."
"No...."
"Yes! It will be one heck of a mass murder and the good thing is, I'll make out like a bandit!" Mortimer laughed. He paused then added. "Besides.........it wouldn't be the first time I committed a mass murder on Ivalice."
Mickey frowned. "What do you mean?"
Mortimer laughed.
Mickey began connecting the dots in his head. And soon the terrible possibility hit him.
"Mortimer....you didn't....did you set off the....were responsible for Rabanastre?" said Mickey, a look of shock on his face.
Mortimer just laughed louder. That's all Mickey needed to hear.
Mickey gritted his teeth then said. "Mortimer. I swear I'm going to-"
"What, Mick? What?" Mortimer replied in a dark tone.
Mickey didn't say a word.
"That's right nothing. Because you can't even find me...and you're not even smart enough to keep a close eye on your wifey." said Mortimer.
"Huh?" said Mickey.
"How do you think I got your number, Mick? Say hello to Mick, Minnie"
"Mickey!!" Mickey heard Minnie cry through the phone.
Mickey's eyes widened and he cried. "Minnie!!!"
Like a blur, Mickey hanged up the phone and rushed out of his office. The little king ran as fast as he could. He turned down one of the hallways and gave out a cry as he collided straight into Donald. Both of them quickly fell flat to the ground with a loud thud.
"Ugh." Was the only thing that came out of the mouths of Donald and Mickey.
Donald frowned, got up, and said. "What's the big idea, you big-"
He stopped his sentence when he saw that it was Mickey on the ground.
"Majesty!!!" Donald shouted.
He clumsily tried to get Mickey to his feet all the while speaking apologies at a rapid pace. Mickey looked at him with a dazed look on his face.
"Huh? What?" said Mickey.
"I said I was sorry for knocking into you, your majesty." said Donald.
"Oh."
Mickey's face suddenly lit up with fear. He looked at his cell phone, which was gripped in his left hand.
"Wait a minute! Minnie! She's in trouble!" shouted Mickey.
Donald's eyes widened and he cried. "Wha!?"
Mickey looked at Donald and said. "Come on!"
Both him and Donald started down the hallway. As soon as they came to the garden, they looked around frantically and saw that no one was around. Suddenly, Mickey spotted something gold lying near a bush.
His brow crinkled as he walked closer to the gold object. When he got a close look at it, he immediately knew it was Minnie's golden crown.
"Queen Minnie! Queen Minnie!" Donald shouted as he looked around.
"No..." Mickey said in a sad tone.
Donald looked at Mickey and saw the little king fall to his knees. He walked over to Mickey and saw him holding Minnie's golden crown in his right hand.
"Huh. What's going on, your majesty?" asked Donald.
"Mortimer...he took Minnie." said Mickey.
"Wha!? Mortimer!?" said Donald. He looked around and added. "Where are the guards?"
"Mortimer must've been quick in taking her. Donald, go and tell Goofy and every guard in the palace what has happened." said Mickey.
Donald did a quick salute and said. "Yes, your majesty!"
Like a rocket, Donald zipped out of the garden. Mickey stared at the crown with a sad look on his face. Suddenly, his cell phone ranged and he looked at it.
He sat the crown down on the ground, pressed the talk button on his phone, and held the phone up to his ears.
"That was very rude of you, Mick. Hanging up like that." said Mortimer.
"You fiend." Mickey said with a frown. "Where's Minnie!?"
"Oh don't worry, Mick. She's nice and cozy right here with me. Too bad she's going to be a widow soon. But at least she's gonna have a better man as her new hubbie." said Mortimer.
"You want a war, Mortimer. You got one. You want to bring me down then come and get me." Mickey challenged.
"Oh no. I'm not going to kill you yet, Mick. I'm going to pay you back for locking me up in that dimension years ago. Everything you hold dear, I will take from you. I'm going to make your life miserable. I will show the galaxy that the so-called perfect goody, goody Gary Stu... isn't so perfect after all. That even an undefeated hero can be defeated." said Mortimer.
"Mark my words, Mortimer. I will stop you." said Mickey. "And I will get Minnie back."
"Remember my ultimatum, Mick. If you want to play the perfect hero and save the day, it will come with a price: the escalation of the Ivalice/Federation war. You can mark my words on that. And Minnie..." Mortimer laughed. "You'll never see her again. Because I now have her in a place that no one can find."
Mickey's heart sank. A feeling of pure helplessness rose within him.
"Give me the cornerstone before the sun sets tomorrow...or else there will be death and chaos on Ivalice and Federation Delta. And it will be just as chaotic as the day I destroyed Rabanastre." said Mortimer.
Mickey looked down at his feet with a helpless look on his face.
"Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, zip-a-dee-ay. My, oh my...what a horrible day. For you anyway." said Mortimer.
Mortimer laughed loudly then hanged up the phone.
Mickey brought the phone slowly down from his ears. He looked down at Minnie's crown and slowly shook his head.
"What I'm going to do?" said Mickey.
----------------------------------------
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Oh yes, what is Mickey going to do? More excitement and surprises to come in the next chapter. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter  .
-----signature-----
Master to jacensolofangirl2007  Our philosophy: We strive for a 100 in awesomeness. And if we get a 90, it's still cool. ~My Fanfiction Stories~ The Guardians of Light- http://boards.theforce.net/Message.aspx?topic=259245
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Mira_Jade
Registered:
Jun '04
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Date Posted:
12/28/07 7:30am
Subject:
RE: The Guardians of Light: The Bringer of Death( SW/KH crossover. B/J, S/K, R/A, J/J)Updated 12/17/
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evil cliffie you left. I have to tell you how unfair that was.
Yet, the Cloud/Tifa made up for it. So cute!
Great update, it's good to see this story up again. 
~MJ 
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School's Out!  Updates coming soon to a Board near you! 
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Earthknight
Registered:
Oct '02
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Date Posted:
12/29/07 6:06pm
Subject:
RE: The Guardians of Light: The Bringer of Death( SW/KH crossover. B/J, S/K, R/A, J/J)Updated 12/17/
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Mira_Jade posted:
evil cliffie you left. I have to tell you how unfair that was.
Yet, the Cloud/Tifa made up for it. So cute!
Great update, it's good to see this story up again.
~MJ
I just love cliffhangers  . And leaving one after a chapter is just plain fun. Hehehehe  .
I'm glad you liked the Cloud/Tifa segment and I'm very happy that you enjoyed the update, Jade.
P.S- I'm working on Chapter 18 and I'm not going to give an estimate on when I will post it.
HAPPY NEW YEAR'S  !!!
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Master to jacensolofangirl2007 Our philosophy: We strive for a 100 in awesomeness. And if we get a 90, it's still cool. ~My Fanfiction Stories~ The Guardians of Light- http://boards.theforce.net/Message.aspx?topic=259245
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Lola64
Registered:
Mar '05
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Date Posted:
1/2 5:32am
Subject:
RE: The Guardians of Light: The Bringer of Death( SW/KH crossover. B/J, S/K, R/A, J/J)Updated 12/17/
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Nice update Earthknight.
Lots happening in this chapter.
Jag and Zekk are still stoned? Oh well, poor Jaina.
But I've got a question about that. If even their organs are stone, how could they be alive under there? 
Saeon, still a creep and with a new evil henchman. Don't like him either but I have no worries that Cloud will deal with him.
Mortimer... this mouse is cracking me up.
"Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, zip-a-dee-ay. My, oh my...what a horrible day. For you anyway." said Mortimer.
-----signature-----
Kyp/Nurse Lola: the new ship  I stalk people. It's a Lola thing. Senator & Dozen 11 of the KDFC
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Earthknight
Registered:
Oct '02
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Date Posted:
1/3 8:57am
Subject:
RE: The Guardians of Light: The Bringer of Death( SW/KH crossover. B/J, S/K, R/A, J/J)Updated 12/17/
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Lola64 posted:
Nice update Earthknight.
Lots happening in this chapter.
Jag and Zekk are still stoned? Oh well, poor Jaina.
But I've got a question about that. If even their organs are stone, how could they be alive under there?
Saeon, still a creep and with a new evil henchman. Don't like him either but I have no worries that Cloud will deal with him.
Mortimer... this mouse is cracking me up.
"Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, zip-a-dee-ay. My, oh my...what a horrible day. For you anyway." said Mortimer.
Yep, they are still stoned. And how they are alive is something only magic wielding keyblade master knows. Well and Merlin. There will be an answer to that later on. You'll find out.
Cloud is going to have some trouble coming. Tries to avoid it and still it comes knocking on his door.
Mortimer...he is quite a character isn't he. We'll see if Mickey can teach him a lesson.
I'm glad you liked the update, Lola .
-----signature-----
Master to jacensolofangirl2007 Our philosophy: We strive for a 100 in awesomeness. And if we get a 90, it's still cool. ~My Fanfiction Stories~ The Guardians of Light- http://boards.theforce.net/Message.aspx?topic=259245
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Jedi-Ant
Registered:
Jan '07
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Date Posted:
1/4 2:24am
Subject:
RE: The Guardians of Light: The Bringer of Death( SW/KH crossover. B/J, S/K, R/A, J/J)Updated 12/17/
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*saves place*
I'll be back later to post my reply... off to the movies.
Ant. 
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Solar Eclipse - Twilight/SW X-Over: http://boards.theforce.net/beyond_the_saga/b10477/28626695/p1/?0 And it grew both day and night, Till it bore an apple bright, And my foe beheld it shine, And he knew that it was mine. - A Poison Tree, William Blake.
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Earthknight
Registered:
Oct '02
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Date Posted:
1/7 3:48pm
Subject:
RE: The Guardians of Light: The Bringer of Death( SW/KH crossover. B/J, S/K, R/A, J/J)Updated 12/17/
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Jedi-Ant posted:
*saves place*
I'll be back later to post my reply... off to the movies.
Ant.
I'll be looking forward to it.
Anyway, I'm working on the next chapter. Hopefully, I'll have it up this week. Coming up with a title for this chapter is the hard part.
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Master to jacensolofangirl2007 Our philosophy: We strive for a 100 in awesomeness. And if we get a 90, it's still cool. ~My Fanfiction Stories~ The Guardians of Light- http://boards.theforce.net/Message.aspx?topic=259245
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Earthknight
Registered:
Oct '02
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Date Posted:
4/9 4:25pm
Subject:
RE: The Guardians of Light: The Bringer of Death( SW/KH crossover. B/J, S/K, R/A, J/J)Updated 12/17/
- Date Edited:
7/27 8:28pm (1 edits total)
Edited By:
Earthknight
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Here is Chapter 18. It's been a while again. This chapter mainly focuses around Mickey. ut it has a very creepy ending that hints at things that will play a role in later parts. I hope you all like it.
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CHAPTER 18: Decisions
Mickey, concern dominating his face, paced back and forth in front of his throne. Before him with equal concern on their faces were Donald, Goofy, Daisy, Pluto, and three knights: a tall male that resembled a parakeet, a rather plump young male that looked like a cat, and a young slender female that resembled a bear.
"This is our fault, your majesty." said the parakeet knight. "The three of us were assigned to patrol that section of the castle."
"But we passed by the garden and the king and queen were there. We came back and both were gone." said the female bear knight. She looked at Mickey, pointed at the other two knights, and added. "I don't know what these two assumed, but I thought you and her majesty left the garden together."
"It's not about what you think." said the young male cat knight, his tone stern. "The fact is, we failed in what we were ordered to do."
Mickey stopped pacing, looked at the knights, held up his hand, and shook his head.
"No. It's my fault. I should've ordered some knights to be stationed in the garden." said Mickey. "You were doing what you were assigned to do. None of you are to blame."
"But what are we going to do about Minnie? We can't just stand here and do nothing." said Daisy.
"I don't intend to." replied Mickey. "Mortimer must be traveling by portal. That's the only way he could've sneaked in and taken Minnie. He contacted me on my phone, so he had to have been somewhere on this planet. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to contact me."
"Does that mean he might still be here?" said Goofy.
"We're going to find out... Goofy send a team of knights to search the countryside, the towns, and the mountains. I also want security to be tightened in the towns and in the castle." ordered Mickey.
Goofy saluted and said. "Yes, your highness."
Goofy turned and looked at the three knights.
"Alright. Looks like you fellas can go back to your routes." said Goofy, a smile on his face.
"You mean we're not fired?" asked the male cat knight.
"Hmph. You should be though." said Donald, a frown on his face.
Goofy looked at Donald and said. "Aw come now, Donald. Everyone deserves a second chance."
"They already admitted they're failures. Why keep them around?" said Donald.
"Like you could do a better job...magician." said the female bear knight, her tone cold.
"Better than you, that's for sure." retorted Donald.
Mickey sighed, looked down, closed his eyes, and shook his head.
"Hmph. I doubt it. You and your so called magical arts couldn't even sense Mortimer's fowl darkness. You were just as oblivious as all of us." The bear female knight spat back at Donald.
"Tresha!" The male parakeet knight said to the bear female knight.
"Why I oughta." Donald replied angrily, his staff glowing orange.
"Donald!" said Daisy.
"Now, now, fellas. There's no need to fight." said Goofy, his brow crinkled.
Mickey looked at Donald and Tresha and shouted. "Enough!"
Everyone looked at the king with startled expressions and didn't say a word.
"I will not tolerate such behavior in my castle." said Mickey, a frown on his face. "Now, Donald."
"Yes, your majesty." said Donald, a look of shame on his face.
"You were out of line." Mickey looked at Tresha. "And so were you, Tresha."
Tresha looked down at her feet.
"Now. I want you and Donald to apologize to each other. Right this instant." said Mickey.
Tresha and Donald looked at each other and said. "I'm sorry."
Mickey smiled. "Good. That's better... Tresha, Gorduhl, Flacken; you can now go back to your duties."
The three knights bowed then turned and made their way out of the throne room.
Goofy looked at Mickey and said. "Gawrsh, I better scadaddle myself and get that search underway."
"Please do. There might be clues out there that could help us find where Mortimer took Minnie." said Mickey.
Goofy bowed, turned, and marched out of the throne room.
A sad look formed on Mickey's face as he slowly looked over at his dog Pluto. He saw on the dog's face an expression just as sad as his. The dog slowly walked up to his side, stopped, and whimpered.
Mickey reached out, rubbed Pluto's head, and said. "Aw, Pluto."
"Um, your highness." said Daisy.
Mickey, still rubbing Pluto's head, looked at Daisy.
"Do you think Mortimer will...hurt Minnie?" asked Daisy.
"I don't know... I hope not." Anger flashed across Mickey's face. "And if he does, I'll make him regret it."
"He can create portals. He could now be more powerful than you, your majesty." said Donald.
Mickey folded his arms. "If he is...then so be it. But no matter how strong he is, I'm going to see to it that he answers for his crimes."
"I just can't believe that he's the one behind the Ivalice/Federation War. I knew he was rotten but...destroying a whole city full of people........." said Daisy.
"I wouldn't be surprised if his heart was made out of sewage." said Donald, a frown on his face.
"What he has done is beyond serious. I have to contact Squall and Musashi and let them know what is going on. This revelation about the war has changed everything. But first I need to talk to Buzz." said Mickey.
"What do you want me to do, your majesty?" asked Donald.
"Help Goofy and the knights. They might need the assistance of a magician." said Mickey.
"Roger." said Donald.
The magician looked at Daisy and said. "Come on, Daisy."
Daisy nodded and the two ducks strolled out of the throne room leaving Mickey and Pluto all alone. Mickey sighed, walked to his throne, and plopped himself down on the gold cushioned seat. He slowly looked over at the empty gold throne next to him. Pluto whimpered and slowly walked up to Mickey.
Mickey, a depressed look on his face, placed his hand on top of Pluto's head.
"I know, boy... I miss her too." Mickey sniffed, holding back the tears that were threatening to pour out of his eyes. "It's only been an hour. And already it feels like an eternity."
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Yor shook his head at the sight of the little female mouse tied to the burgundy wooden chair. He saw the mouse struggling to break free from the rope that wrapped tightly around her. He could tell that she was trying to also scream but the scarf tied around her mouth made her screams sound more like low pitch moans.
Mortimer, a cigarette in his mouth, strutted into the bright crystal covered room sporting a gray suit, gray dress shoes, gray tie, and a gray fedora. He took the cigarette out of his mouth, puffed out some smoke, and smiled.
"I hate to sound arrogant but I'm looking good and I know it." said Mortimer.
He laughed, placed the cigarette back in his mouth, and slowly walked over to where Yor was standing. He stopped and Yor looked down at him with a frown.
"You're crazy, Mortimer." asked Yor.
"Aw relax. I got everything under control." said Mortimer.
"I know. That's not what I meant. What I meant was, you're crazy if you think this little rodent is attractive. She's not even that pretty." said Yor.
A look of sheer anger appeared on Minnie's face. Both Yor and Mortimer could tell by the muffled shouts that whatever she was trying to say wasn't pleasant.
Mortimer turned and faced Yor then said. "You see what you did? You upset my future bride."
"So what? It's not like she's been a big ball of joy since she's got here." replied Yor.
"She'll come around." Mortimer removed the cigarette from his mouth, blew out some smoke, and smiled widely. "Once Mick is dead and time passes by, she'll be smothering me with hugs and kisses. Then proceed to doing anything I tell her to."
"Hmph!" is all that came from Minnie's covered mouth.
"You see." Mortimer pointed his cigarette at Minnie. "Already she's getting excited to be with a real man."
Minnie rolled her eyes.
Yor turned and faced Mortimer. "Well in my personal opinion, Twi'lek women and Bothan women are far better."
Mortimer shrugged. "They aren't too bad."
Mortimer placed the cigarette back in his mouth and strolled past Yor. He stopped a meter away from Yor, took the cigarette out of his mouth, and blew out more smoke.
"Since we're on the subject of tweety birds, how are things cracken with those Goowings?" asked Mortimer.
Yor turned around, looked at Mortimer, and corrected. "You mean the Gullwings."
Mortimer, a look of confusion on his face, turned around and said. "I thought they were the Goowings?"
"It's Gullwings, Mortimer."
"Are you sure it's not Goowings?"
"I may not be the brightest bothan in the universe but I know the difference between 'goo' and 'gull'. What came out of the dragon's mouth was 'gull'. Gull...wings."
"I don't know. When Caim and his kooky dragon briefed us, I could've swore that dragon said 'Goowings'."
"Oh, like you'd know precisely what she said."
"Hey I got an amazing memory."
"You were asleep through out the whole meeting. They had to repeat what your mission was eight times."
"I was a little tired! So sue me!"
As Yor and Mortimer argued, Minnie rolled her eyes and slowly shook her head.
"Alright, alright, alright. We'll stick with 'Gullwings' for now. At least until we can talk to that stupid dragon again." said Mortimer.
"We'll stick with 'Gullwings' because that's what those three scuttas call themselves." said Yor.
"Yeah...sure. So how are you coming on them?" asked Mortimer.
A few seconds passed by before Yor replied. "I...haven't exactly done anything yet."
"Well that's good to-" Mortimer paused and frowned. "Whoa, whoa, whoa...what do you mean you haven't done anything?"
"I don't know when to strike."
"You better do something soon or Caim, the dragon, and the boss are going to be pretty upset."
"Trust me." Yor's brow crinkled as he rubbed the spot where his ear used to be. "Last thing I want is to upset Lord Saeon."
Mortimer noticed Yor rubbing the wound.
"Still sad about the ear, huh?" asked Mortimer.
"He didn't have to do that. I mean, all I was doing was talking and he snapped. I didn't say anything to warrant such abuse. Sometimes I really wonder about Lord Saeon's sanity. Those sudden bursts of anger that he has frighten me to no end."
"So the boss gets a little rough sometimes. Big deal."
"He cut...off...MY...EAR!"
"And I've cut off people's fingers before. I know, it's sad that you were a victim of the boss's brutality but remember...the boss is running an operation here. And when you're the boss of an operation or a mafia you got to be a little extreme with your muscle. To keep them whipped into shape and from being completely stupid."
"But I wasn't acting stupid." Yor paused and scratched his head. "At least I don't think I was."
"Well whatever. Just make sure that you rub out those three tweety birds."
"Huh?? Oh yeah, I will...I will." Yor folded his arms and frowned. "Question is...when should I take them out?"
"That overgrown lizard said 'as soon as possible'. So you rub them out as soon as possible."
"But what would be considered 'as soon as possible'? Right now, tonight, tomorrow, or two days from now?"
Mortimer scratched his head, looked down, and frowned. "Hmmmm...I'm not sure. That's actually a good question."
"Well I need some help here. I don't know when to attack."
"Uh... you could always go kill them now."
"But I don't feel like it."
"Well when do you feel like it!?"
"I don't know."
Mortimer slapped his forehead. "Yor, you're the one doing the killing. You have to know when you feel like it."
"I'm confused right now. I'm also too lazy to do anything... And you know whose fault it is?" said Yor.
"Whose?' asked Mortimer, a baffled look on his face.
"That dragon. If she had been more informative I wouldn't be this lazy and confused."
Mortimer frowned and folded his arms. "You big dumb bothan, you can't place blame on your laziness."
"If I wasn't confused, I wouldn't be lazy. The dragon has caused me confusion, which has caused me to think too hard which in turn has caused me to be lazy. So it's the dragon's fault."
Mortimer placed his cigarette into his mouth and thought for a minute.
Mortimer took the cigarette out of his mouth, blew out some smoke, and said. "Hey, you know what...you're right. It is the dragon's fault. That stupid dragon."
"I told you." said Yor.
"Well, it just goes to show you. We're smarter than most of the people in this operation. We can even tell who's stupid and whose smart." said Mortimer.
"We're a couple of geniuses; you and me."
"And masters of crime."
Mortimer laughed loudly and Yor just sneered. A confused look suddenly appeared on Yor's face.
"Wait a minute!" said Yor.
Mortimer stopped laughing and looked at Yor.
"Who was it I supposed to kill again?" asked Yor.
Mortimer frowned. For three minutes, Yor and Mortimer stood silent in deep thought.
Mortimer's face brightened and he shouted. "I know! It's the Gullwings! You're supposed to kill the Gullwings!"
Yor frowned, shook his head, and said. "No. That's not right. I remember. I'm supposed to kill...the Goowings."
"It's the Gullwings."
"Goowings."
"Gullwings!"
"Goowings!"
As Yor and Mortimer shouted back and forth at each other, Minnie rolled her eyes.
"Oh brother." Minnie mumbled through the scarf.
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Pluto, a round fifteen-inch holopad in his mouth, carefully made his way to the center of the floor. Nervous of dropping the fragile but heavy piece of machinery, the yellow dog stopped for a second and wiped a droplet of sweat from his forehead with his long black ear. Immediately, he proceeded on forward. When he reached the center of the floor, he stopped and slowly sat the holopad down. He breathed out a sigh and wiped more sweat from his yellow forehead.
Mickey smiled, walked over, and gave his dog a pat on the head.
"Thanks, Pluto." said Mickey.
A proud look appeared on Pluto's face as he wagged his tail. He then took a few steps back when Mickey crouched down in front of the holopad. Mickey keyed in a series of numbers then stood up and took three steps back.
In less than two minutes, an image of Buzz appeared over the holopad.
"Commander Lightyear." said Mickey.
"Your highness. I heard from one of my men what happened. This is truly a dark day for the kingdom." said Buzz.
"The days are only going to get darker until we bring Mortimer and Saeon to justice. And that's why I called you up." said Mickey.
"Whatever you command will be done, your highness."
"We are dealing with a foe who hides in darkness and attacks when you least expect it. I want two teams from the Investigative Squad sent out to find clues on our enemies."
"Yes, your highness. Where do I send them?"
"I want one sent to Ivalice and another sent to Federation Delta."
Buzz stared blankly at Mickey for a few seconds. "Did I hear you correctly? Did you just say Ivalice and Federation Delta?"
"That's right."
"But, your highness..."
"I know, it's risky...but those two worlds are the ones Mortimer is threatening to attack. Which means he could very well be hiding out somewhere on one of those worlds or on a world near them. Tell the teams to be discreet and to do whatever is necessary to keep their presence on the worlds unknown. I don't want Ashe or Maria to know about any of this. Not yet anyway."
"Um, pardon me, your highness. I'm not disagreeing with your decision but...wouldn't it be better to contact Ashe and Maria and tell them about Mortimer?"
"I would've." Mickey folded his arms and frowned angrily. "If two certain pals of mine hadn't made things more complicated by lying to them."
"Huh?"
Mickey sighed. "It's a LONG story. But there's no time. Form up two teams and send them out."
Buzz saluted. "Yes, your highness. Is there anything else I can do?"
"Keep building up Fantasia Force. We need as many ships as possible."
"We'll need more pilots as well. We took a huge blow in the Battle of Radiant Garden. A lot of good men and women died during that space battle."
Mickey frowned. "Wait a minute. Aren't there a lot of people signing up for Fantasia Force?"
Buzz shook his head. "Not as many as we expected. I don't know if the casualty count has scared off a few thousand people or if there are more people that just don't support the war, the fact is the number of those turning up isn't as large as we hoped."
Mickey folded his arms and looked down with a slightly worried expression on his face. "This is bad. I do know there are citizens here who don't support the Heartless War and claim that we are sending people to their deaths."
An angry look appeared on Buzz's face. "Personally, your highness, I dislike those who claim that. They're always protesting and yapping on and on about peace and how WE hate life. But what those fools don't get it is that we're busting our butts out here trying to protect them. We're preventing life from being exterminated and all they do is send in hate mail and shout to have the troops sent home."
"Buzz..."
"If we don't kill these Heartless, all life will be exterminated! Those creatures have tried over and over again. And they won't stop unless we put a stop to them and those who command them. I'm telling you there are some really ungrateful people on this world. Really ungrateful!"
"Buzz, settle down."
Buzz took a deep breath and looked down. "Forgive me, your highness. It's just I got a large bag of mail today. All of it was hateful letters from protesters and family members of the knights and pilots."
"I understand. But you also got to see things from their point of view. Some of them have to sit at home and worry if their loved ones will return or not. And when they hear about the casualties, it only makes them more worried. But when they lose someone they love, well...they become hurt and angry. It's very understandable and my heart goes out to them all."
Mickey paused then added. "Then of course there are some citizens who just want the war to stop because they want an existence without fighting.........truth is..."
Mickey's brow crinkled as he looked down. "I wish the fighting and all the death would stop also."
"But you know that won't happen...as long as the Heartless and scum like Mortimer exist." said Buzz, his arms folded.
Mickey nodded.
"Your highness...what are we going to do about the low numbers?" asked Buzz.
Mickey sighed and said. "There is...sadly, one thing I could do."
"And that is?"
"A draft."
Buzz, slightly taken back by the King's reply, opened his mouth and stared at the King for a minute. He looked down and added in a low tone. "You realize that if you do that, there will be many people who will hate you beyond reason."
Mickey nodded. "I know. That's why I'm going to think long and hard on whether or not to do it. Hopefully, more citizens will sign up...but if not........."
"Your highness, I will stand by your decision one hundred percent. No matter what it is."
"That's good to know, Buzz...in the mean time, you have your orders. Make sure those teams are sent out."
"Yes, your highness. Farewell."
Buzz bowed, Mickey gave a nod, and the image of Buzz vanished. Mickey looked over at Pluto and saw that the dog was staring at him with a concerned look on his face.
"I know, boy. Things aren't looking good." said Mickey. His face brightened as he added. "But it will all get better. You'll see."
Pluto looked down, whimpered, and slowly laid himself down. Mickey pursed his lips and walked over to his dog.
He knelt down beside Pluto and said. "Aw. Cheer up, boy. Hey...how about I give you an extra helping of turkey slices?"
Pluto just looked up at him with sadness in his eyes.
"Aw, Pluto." Mickey rubbed Pluto's head. "Don't worry. Everything will be fine. One of these days, Minnie will be back, Mortimer and Saeon will be behind bars, the Heartless will be gone forever, and the whole kingdom will be at peace. I promise."
Pluto smiled slightly, stood up, and slowly wagged his tail.
"That's what I like to see." said Mickey.
Pluto licked Mickey's cheek and in return Mickey gave him a big hug.
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Darkness. That's all he could see. That's all he wanted to see. Nothingness. No light. No life; just an empty abyss with no form of feeling or emotion. He craved it. He wanted that existence more than anything...to crave death and give it to the living. He was so close...and yet so far from his goal. He still felt the hurt from life's betrayal. He wanted it to be gone. He wanted to be rid of the last shred of humanity within him.
Saeon slowly opened his eyes and looked around. He saw standing around his couch were ten invisibles. Their lifeless glowing eyes bored into him as he sat motionless.
When he first encountered the Heartless years ago, he was terrified of them. But after being with them for so long and knowing what they want...more than anything he desired to become one of them. He was so close...and yet so far.
"Am I ready?" asked Saeon, his tone exasperated.
The ten invisibles hissed and they all replied in a deep demonic tone. "No...much to do still...you are close...but more sin is needed."
Saeon sighed and looked down. "I feel that I'm ready."
"You are our chosen one...our prince...the bringer of death...but you must spill more blood of the living...give fully to darkness...shed the skin of humanity from your very being." said the invisibles.
Saeon buried his face into his hands and replied in tone full of turmoil. "I still feel the pain. The betrayal. I want it gone. Please...just take my heart. Make me a Heartless. I command you."
"You are our chosen one...but you are still living...your blood is still mortal...we follow you...we obey you...but to make you officially our prince...you must shred your humanity."
"I have." Saeon looked up, his eyes now filling up with tears. "I have! How much death must I bring for you to see that I'm ready!? I hate life! I hate these emotions! I hate this internal suffering!"
Tears dripped down his face and he buried his face into his hands.
"Just free me. I'm ready. I'm building our weapons. I'm preparing the great crater. I'm going to eliminate those that are pure...please just make me one with you all." begged Saeon.
The invisibles hissed. "Pitiful creature...filled with sorrow...it is an emotion...a trait of the living...let go...to be our TRUE prince...let go of all things...that make you one with the living."
"I'm trying." whispered Saeon.
"The others...who follow you...kill them...they are weak...we tire of this charade...tire of obeying them...kill them." said the invisibles.
"We need them still." said Saeon.
The invisibles growled and roared.
Saeon looked up at them and said. "I am your prince, the Bringer of Death. And I say...we need them for a little longer."
"For a little while then...but remember...we only follow you now...to prepare you...to be our prince." said the invisibles.
Saeon nodded, looked to his left, and grabbed the Quarutuh Ball. He held it in his hands, rubbed it gently, and rocked back and forth.
"Sora...Ben...I will break them...then kill them." said Saeon.
"Spill their blood...and the blood of the pure ones...the keyblade masters...the Jedi...but we want the hearts...the hearts...of the princesses...and a drop of their blood...to unlock the seal." said invisibles.
"Yes." replied Saeon, a look of realization on his face. "We need a drop of blood from the princesses. From the seven and the lost four. The lost four...who are they?"
"Later...later...much to do still...find them later...other things to do right now."
Saeon nodded. "Yes."
An invisible, a bowl of blood in its hands, strolled in front of Saeon. The creature sneered and offered him the bowl.
"Drink...bringer of death...drink...our prince...drink." said the invisible.
Saeon reached up and took the bowl into his hands. Slowly he brought it up to his mouth, closed his eyes, and slurped down all of the thick red liquid. He coughed a little then smiled.
"Life...light...must perish...life...light...must perish." said Saeon.
"Life...light...must perish...life...light...must perish." said the invisibles.
Oh yes. He was so close...so close of being rid of the chains of the living. So close to being rid of the last bit of humanity within. So close to being rid of the memories that haunt him. So close...so very close.
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Next chapter we will se more Mickey, some Squall, Musashi, and the Jedi. In Chapter 20, we will be seeing a lot more of Allana, Sora, and the gang.
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Master to jacensolofangirl2007 Our philosophy: We strive for a 100 in awesomeness. And if we get a 90, it's still cool. ~My Fanfict | |