The Final Showdown!

[kefka]

***From Awaiting My Overture, The World that Never Was***

[glow=Yellow,2,300]Kefka stepped out from the black rift, the light from his earlier assault beaming through as he stammered out, his wings providing him cover.

He stumbled out into the night at the Altar of Naught, and stared up into the sky, a terribly evil, wicked grin stretching from ear to ear. He closed the Corridor and pressed his hands to his hips, examining his future battlefield. He moved to the side and leaned over, staring down at the castle below, re-imagining his former abode, Kefka's Tower.

"How lovely!" he exclamed, moving to the center of the open-air tower and kneeling down. He bowed his head an a pyramid-like structure of pure golden energy surrounded him, and there he would sit in wait of Atticus the Fallen's next orders.[/glow]

[MeadowSong]

[glow=Purple,2,300]***From A Giant Retreat, in Neverland***

A black rose sprouted from a rift in the air some several feet from Kefka's pyramid prism; it bloomed, and in its center stood a whirling Corridor, darkness spinning as fast as hurricane winds as the Faerie queen Heartless, followed by hundreds of her new Heartless servants, hovered out.

In her hands she carried Faeries' Wrath, and she peered down to her madcap clown servant with mild interest. So he has become a Heartless, as well? I wonder truly what Atticus is thinking... she thought with a smile.

She took her place at the side of Kefka and snapped her fingers; a black throne molded up from the darkness swirling at her feet. She retracted her wings and sat down, sitting up straight and looking as regal as ever.

"And now I wait. Ms. Go, you are free to come in now."[/glow]

[Secondary Characters]

A horrible, black substance would begin to bubble and pool in the center of the Alter of Naught. The stench was strong, enough to induce headaches, it was the scent of ink. The black, goopy, bloodlike liquid continued to boil, spreading until it was roughly a yard in diameter, and a perfect circle. From this ichous, umbral puddle would rise a hellish image, a skeletal form that wore the overpouring of ink like a cloak and dripped the goopy mess from its mouth, where it would rejoin the "clothing" of sorts.

This creature slowly rose, the puddle shrinking as it did, as though it were drawing it all into itself. From its back would sprout four tenticles which dripped the fluid all about, though the black dots would absorb into the alter as swiftly as they were made apparent. Within the eye sockets of the monster's skull-like visage, twin red points of light would appear as it looked to the two already in attendance. It stood tall, bones snapping into place audibly in a horrifying reminder of one's own mortality even when one was presumed immortal. It drew a wretched, gurgling, death-rattle of a breath before resting its bony hands in front of itself in an almost regal manner.

"Greetings..." he spoke, his voice like a drowning man's. "I am the Phantom Blot. Atticus sends me..."

[Shego]

[glow=green,2,800]There would be several poofs of black smoke, just over the surface of the black room before Ms. Go's presence could be felt, and she appeared at the center, where all the fumes merged together to take her form, "WhoOO~" she giggled psychotically, jumping up to stay hovering, and made her way next to Queeny, looking to the others curiously, "Hey, who's the clown?", she whispered, pointing over to Kefka before the blob made itself known.

She gasped a little, turning her head this way and that, trying to take in his form. She frowned a little, not knowing who it was, she hovered behind MeadowSong, "Hrm.." she hissed a little, getting a horrible feeling from both Kefka and the new presence. Just as she did when the girl was whole with her Nobody., "... I still think I should be doing something..." she mumbled, leaning close to whisper at Meadowsong's ear, "Where can I find HeartSteel?" she asked bluntly, " I need some to help Shego with her plan..."[/glow]

[kefka]

[glow=Yellow,2,300]Kefka opened his eyes and glanced around his Trine-like pyramid structure, taking in the sights of MeadowSong, Ms. Go and...that thing. He shrugged his shoulders and addressed the crowd.

"What's made this peppy little flock look so glum? Hm? Looks like everyone's been raped by the clawed, gloved hands of The Fallen."

The deranged Heartless looked over the Phantom Blob once more and sighed, bringing a hand over his nose as he winced.

"Well, not everyone. There's also a great big, steaming pile of excrements and bones standing here now. I wonder what Attikins has been scarfing?"[/glow]

[MeadowSong]

[glow=Purple,2,300]"Very nice, Kefka," said MeadowSong, scrunching her face at him in disgust of his language. She then turned to Ms. Go, who had brought about an interesting topic.

"HeartSteele? Is that girl still working on that blasted Keyblade of hers?"[/glow]

[Shego]

[glow=green,2,800]"Yes, yes!" She giggled, " She's still doing that, the Heartsteel is the ONLY part missing, Queeny~"

She hovered around everyone, keeping an eye on Kefka before going back to Maleficent's Heartless, " Please tell me you know where we could find some?? pretty please? I don't want to fail anyone..." she pouted. [/glow]

[MeadowSong]

[glow=Purple,2,300]"The only HeartSteele I have seen in decades that is readily available is sitting within my Eldritch Machine down in the throne room, but I can not just hand such power over to you to make a Keyblade."

A window appeared before her and she blinked, accepting the shadow's call. "Yes?"[/glow]

***Projecting to The Jidoor Opera House, in Hyperspace***

[Shego]

[glow=green,2,800]"B-...but Queeny, without it the Keyblade can't be done.." she tried to insist, "Ahh What can I do for it? I'll polish your shoes-- I'll... I'll give you a lot of hugs, I'll cook for you, anything!" she flailed a little, kneeling somewhat, wrapping her arms around the other Heartless' waist and resting her chin over the faerie's stomach, "please?? I want to be useful to this plan..??"[/glow]

[MeadowSong]

[glow=Purple,2,300]"Frightfully sorry to tell you, my dear," said MeadowSong, fingering the glowing green crystal at the tip of her sceptre. "But I'm afraid I will not hand such a precious bit of bait and power such as that crystal over to you for something like a Keyblade."

"No," she whispered, looking over to the others who were gathered, and then back to Ms. Go. "If things work out with the general where she is, we may not need it any longer and the crystal's power will be exhausted through means of our destructive powers and then I shall hand it over. Otherwise you will need to find your own source."[/glow]

[Shego]

[glow=green,2,800]Ms. Go pouted, and hovered away to sit on the floor in thought, "Poo..."she sighed, trying to think of another way. "Fine then, I'll go ask Acteur, he should have some sort of idea." she pouted, and twirled into the air, to disappear in a puff of black smoke.

**To the Wonderful Land of Oz, The Emerald City** [/glow]

[Acteur de la Noir]

*From Hyperspace: Showtime!*

Some time later, another Corrridor of Darkness would open--a portal, appropriately enough, comprised of the penumbral element that so many in this castle favored. Perhaps, for a moment, the Mistress of all Evil--she who was once known as Maleficent--might think of her flighty apprentice, that green-and-black checkered beauty who had been known in life as Shego. Had she returned, then, with the answers she had left seeking?

But no...the figure who emerged was a far cry from her. A scarecrow physique wrapped in Victorian garb, wearing a long black cape and boasting a theatrical mask that hid all semblance of his visage. From beneath the wide brim of his hat, a pair of spooky yellow eyes gleamed--inhuman orbs that both the queen and her jester would recognize as belonging to a fellow Heartless. One who knew how to act in the presence of royalty, it seemed--for, as he stepped from the portal of the Corridor, Acteur de la Noir swept into a genteel bow, sinking to one knee as he brought a fist to his chest in medieval salute as he faced the Heartless Faerie Queen.

"M'lady Maleficent, how fortunate to find you here...and my contemporary, as well!" the eccentric puppeteer declared, addressing both Meadowsong and Kefka in turn. "This saves me quite a bit of time! I've stumbled across a most fortuitous development...one that, with both of you involved, promises great benefit for our cause! Now let's see...where did I put those...aha!"

With a crow of delight, Acteur produced a pair of invitations from the inside pocket of his purple tuxedo jacket--missives that, written a while back, could finally be delivered to their intended recipients. A deft flick of the wrist sent the letters flying into the air; each one gliding to their respective owner with supernatural accuracy.

[MeadowSong]

[glow=Purple,2,300]MeadowSong did indeed expect to find Miss Go stepping forth from the deepest reaches of the newly-formed Corridor of Darkness, but alas, this was not the case; instead the Mistress of Darkness was met with a familiar sight she'd not set eyes upon for quite some time and, when he stepped into his required bow of protocol, she smirked, but with the hint of sincere pleasure.

"Oh, Acteur, how wonderful of you to finally come and see me--oh?" she was interrupted by his sudden flick of the wrists, sending the letter flying into her darkness-coated, delicate hand. Slamming down her sceptre, emitting a "click-pang!", she chuckled in delight, letting go of the crisp envelope and using her power to keep it afloat, and telekinetically unsealing and unfolding the neat letter within.

"Let us see, then," she whispered, reading over Mister De La Noir's note:[/glow]

To the most esteemed Meadowsong, Mistress of all Evil,

In your journeys through the ether between Worlds, have you ever stopped to take in the sights? To listen to tales about other worlds? If so, then perhaps you’ve heard of the Jidoor Opera House. If not, then let this letter inform you…it is the work of genius, a sanctuary for the performing arts that very few can match. The stories that were told here, the quality with which they were performed…in all the Worlds, scattered across the stars and ether alike, one would be hard-pressed to find similar brilliance ANYWHERE else. To this day, Jidoor’s always been a source of fantastic performances…why, they even have a new play in the works, crafted by the Impresario himself!

But alas, hard times come for all…and tragically, not even a bastion of the arts like the Jidoor Opera House is immune. Though it escaped the rampage of such formidable individuals as Kefka the Dancing Mad, this venerable theater has found itself facing one of the worst vexations that can befall a theater…a lack of actors with TALENT. Without a proper cast, the Impresario’s vision may never truly see fruition…what can be done?

But lo and behold, a ray of hope exists—in you!

Yes, you—it is known, of course, that you are a queen and sorceress, not an actor. But worry not…as fortune would have it, one of the roles in the Impresario’s play fits you perfectly! The skills you possess, the experience gleaned from your adventures, your very NATURE…it applies, all of it! You need only apply yourself as per your usual to succeed in this role. With your assistance, the Impresario’s play shall be a roaring success…and YOU shall have the satisfaction of having saved the reputation of the great theater in all the known worlds.

“But I’m a busy ruler,” you protest? “There should be a SUBSTANTIAL benefit in this for me,” you insist? Fear not, my good queen…we are more than willing to oblige! After all, we know you’re quite busy, what with your own life to lead and all—we’d hardly expect you to take up this role for FREE. And, by stroke of fate, the Jidoor Opera house has a handsome reward in store for he or she who delivers the best performance! Not something as mundane as Munny, either…no, what we offer you is the chance to see the FUTURE. For you see, amidst the many curios and wonders that have visited the Jidoor Opera House, one stands out amongst them all…the Mirror of the Oracle. T’is no fancy title for a gaudy decoration…within this elegant mirror’s polished glass, a genuine spirit resides, ancient and powerful. Among her gifts, the Oracle’s most prominent is to be expected…with her fathomless eyes, she can pierce the veil of time to see what lies ahead—those events which are yet to come.

Surely, this is to your benefit? After all, had you a chance to peer into the Mirror of the Oracle, you could very well determine what lies ahead...and how you might ensure that all worlds might eventually fall under the dominion of Darkness?

If you would see your hopes and ambitions realized, then come to the Jidoor Opera House. Take up the role that your experiences have prepared you for. And put on a performance like the Worlds have never seen, as we know you can. Your presence is one we eagerly await, most esteemed Mistress of All Evil.

Sincerely,

A Humble Patron of the Arts.

[glow=Purple,2,300]When MeadowSong finished reading the letter it meticulously slipped itself back into the envelope and flew back into her hands, where she dismissed it somewhere private through means of a tiny, hand-sized Corridor of Darkness. She then turned her attention back to the Heartless Puppeteer, a look of satisfaction playing about her face.

"I see that you and your lovely apprentice took my offer to set up asylum for yourselves over in Jidoor; I am very glad, indeed. And to have already worked in conjunction with the good Impresario to form a performance that will smite every other? How productive. I shall indeed accept your invitation. After all, I do enjoy such dallying, especially when there is nothing else to do...you see, Atticus has not yet returned to give us further instructions with which to strike back at those bumbling fools of the light. Anyhow...thank you."

With that she spun her arm in a circle above her head, her sceptre's magical power crafting a Corridor built specifically for her arrogant needs; a purple and green rose manifested before the queen and bloomed, opening to reveal a whipping, spiraling vortex what would lead her away to a world beyond.

***Off to Showtime!, in Hyperspace***[/glow]

[kefka]

[glow=Yellow,2,300]When Acteur arrived Kefka stood, impatient now and ready to tear out Atticus' throat for being so late. He dispelled the trine-like barrier that kept him and his powers circulating for vanity and stepped forward. When he saw that instead of The Fallen Acteur stepped out of the rift his eyes narrowed and his menacing grin disappeared. He sighed.

"Oh, it's just the opera floozy," he said, giving the Puppeteer a slap on the shoulder. "Welcome to the boredom party, where nothing's going on! Ga--eh?"

Being handed the letter Kefka became annoyed and so his wings began flapping around him, crackling bursts of electricity zipping between them. His hair set ablaze somewhat and his eyes glowed an even brighter yellow intensity. But aside from this he unsealed the letter and read.[/glow]

To the most esteemed Kefka,

In your journeys through the ether between Worlds, have you ever stopped to take in the sights? To listen to tales about other worlds? If so, then perhaps you’ve heard of the Jidoor Opera House. If not, then let this letter inform you…it is the work of genius, a sanctuary for the performing arts that very few can match. The stories that were told here, the quality with which they were performed…in all the Worlds, scattered across the stars and ether alike, one would be hard-pressed to find similar brilliance ANYWHERE else. To this day, Jidoor’s always been a source of fantastic performances…why, they even have a new play in the works, crafted by the Impresario himself!

But alas, hard times come for all…and tragically, not even a bastion of the arts like the Jidoor Opera House is immune. Though it escaped your rage when you set forth on your crusade to destroy all of existence, this venerable theater has found itself facing one of the worst vexations that can befall a theater…a lack of actors with TALENT. Without a proper cast, the Impresario’s vision may never truly see fruition…what can be done?

But lo and behold, the chance to change that exists—ironically enough, in you!

Yes, you—it is known, of course, that you are a destroyer of towns and manipulator--that, while versed in the arts of performance, you don't always have the chance to use them. But worry not…as fortune would have it, one of the roles in the Impresario’s play fits you perfectly! The skills you possess, the experience gleaned from your adventures, your very NATURE…it applies, all of it! You need only apply yourself as per your usual to succeed in this role. With your assistance, the Impresario’s play shall be a roaring success…and YOU shall have the satisfaction of having saved the reputation of the great theater in all the known worlds.

“But I’m a busy traveler,” you protest? “There should be a SUBSTANTIAL benefit in this for me,” you insist? Fear not, my good nihilist…we are more than willing to oblige! After all, we know you’re quite busy, what with your own life to lead and all—we’d hardly expect you to take up this role for FREE. And, by stroke of fate, the Jidoor Opera house has a handsome reward in store for he or she who delivers the best performance! Not something as mundane as Munny, either…no, what we offer you is the chance to see the FUTURE. For you see, amidst the many curios and wonders that have visited the Jidoor Opera House, one stands out amongst them all…the Mirror of the Oracle. T’is no fancy title for a gaudy decoration…within this elegant mirror’s polished glass, a genuine spirit resides, ancient and powerful. Among her gifts, the Oracle’s most prominent is to be expected…with her fathomless eyes, she can pierce the veil of time to see what lies ahead—those events which are yet to come.

Surely, this is to your benefit? After all, had you a chance to peer into the Mirror of the Oracle, you could very well determine what it would take to bring destruction, absolute and final--the grandest finale of all time.

If you would see your hopes and ambitions realized, then come to the Jidoor Opera House. Take up the role that your experiences have prepared you for. And put on a performance like the Worlds have never seen, as we know you can. Your presence is one we eagerly await, most esteemed Dancing Madness.

Sincerely,

A Humble Patron of the Arts.

[glow=Yellow,2,300]Kefka's eyes widened and the letter burned away in his palms as he moved closer to the Puppeteer, his fists clenching together, his sharpened nails digging into his very own flesh.

"What is this!? T'was YOU who removed that despicable hussy from my torture chamber far below! I wondered why she just up and disappeared! Graaah!"

His whole form was soon on fire, and he looked around, ready to do something terrible to everyone here. But with a quick glance to MeadowSong before she passed through her Corridor stopped him and instead he raised a finger to the sky and let out a most destructive beam: the Light of Judgement. When it passed through the atmosphere a bright, explosive burst could be seen from miles below and Kefka's rage had subsided, albeit only slightly.

"Very well...perhaps I'll have another opportunity to kill that blasted whore at some point there...and you're right! I don't get to express myself anymore lately!" Clenching his fists a final time and shuddering manically for several moments Kefka melted in on himself in a puddle of smoking darkness, his eerie, ghostly chuckle remaining only in his place.

***Off to Showtime!, in Hyperspace***[/glow]

[Acteur de la Noir]

And so it was that Acteur de la Noir was left alone in the throne room, basking in the aftermath of those departures--one, the graceful and pleased exit of a dark queen in whose eyes he had decidedly atoned for his woeful first impression; the other, the vengeful tantrum of his competition...although he had to admit, the Dancing Mad wasn't without his own sort of chaotic, destructive form of style. But regardless of beauty or gaudy, elegant or outlandish, both queen and jester had departed. Now, the vast chamber was exclusive to the Phantom Puppeteer, he who directed his fellow Heartless and the fools of the worlds on the strings of Darkness.

Turning around to take in the forboding surroundings, Acteur allowed himself a delighted peal of laughter, reveling in the sound of his elegant, ghostly voice as it echoed in the vastness. "Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha...and so, the cast stands fully assembled!" he declared, gesturing this way and that for grand effect. "T'is been an eventful tale, leading up to this moment...I have been both fool and vanguard, manipulator and confidant..." A pause, and he whirled to face the throne, thrusting a pointed finger into the air for dramatic effect. "...but now, at long last, I shall become director! As night closes in on all worlds, I shall help guide the performance that preludes it all!"

With those words, and a grand flourish, Acteur de la Noir snapped his fingers briskly. While his own Corridor of Darkness had none of the embellishments that Maleficent had devised, it was dramatic in its own way--a simple-yet-elegant vortex of darkness of shadow and violet energies. And it was into this vortex that the Heartless Puppeteer leapt, flying through the dark aether to where his services were beckoned...

*Back to Showtime!*