DESCENT INTO DARKNESS

[Hercules]

So much happened all at once... it was hard to keep track. In the flash of an eye, that green girl that helped Maleficent kidnap Megara was back, with staff stolen from Gabranth. In the same instant, Kim was nearly back-to-back with her, notes in hand and reasoning with the Heartlified witch.

It was tense... and Herc knew if it came down to duking their way out of here, he'd probably not have a whole lot of strength to do so and it looked like it was going that way from the tone of MeadowSong's voice as she threatened to take Hercules down before it was all said and done... But then something strange happened.

Proving once and for all that intelligent Heartless are as unpredictable as they are insane, MeadowSong released Gabranth from his contract with Hades and opened a portal for them to take. "Now get out!" she told them, and even informed them to take the notes to Sai wherever he was. Insane, but Hercules was not about to pass up the opportunity to get out of there while the getting was good. Hoisting Meg into his arms, he made his way to the corridor.

"Gabranth! Let's do what they say before anything else goes wrong!" he called, then jumped through...

In a twist of good fortune (or intelligent design on the part of MeadowSong), the corridor would dump them out instantaneously next to where Sai and the others were gathered! Because it was so swift, there was almost no strain on the heart to make the move, as well. Hercules blinked a bit, seeing Sai standing there with others as well.

"Uhm... hey..." he said, blinking. "Fancy meeting you guys here..."

[Secondary Characters]

Kim nodded when MeadowSong gathered her staff and proceeded to honor her end of the agreement. For once, things seemed to be going well in their favor, so she slipped the notes she had snatched into a pocket and went over to Gabranth to hook an arm around his elbow and start leading him over to the portal. She didn't know who this "Sai" guy was that the dark queen was talking about, but she knew when to accept enemy hospitality and when to ask questions. Now was the time to tuck tail and run.

"Come on, big guy! Let's not keep the nice lady waiting, hm?" Kim said to Gabranth as she made for the corridor, all the while hoping the man didn't stick to his pride so much as to threaten this small chance they had to get out of there! She would stop at the corridor, allowing him to pass through first if he wished while she looked back to the emerald-garbed theif that had constantly been a pain in her butt in the past.

She sighed softly as she looked to Shego, more out of disappointment than anything else. She had been an annoyance in the past, but Shego had on rare occasion been a good ally and even friend (long story). This little exchange between them proved that they could work well as a team, if only the woman wasn't so compelled to do bad things, wasn't so self-centered and greedy. If Kim could change just one thing, this would probably be it.

However, she couldn't, and like it or not, the here and now demanded that she leave the raven-haired plasma-thrower behind. Reluctantly, and with some level of regret, Kim hopped into the corridor and reappeared elsewhere in the world, just to Hercules' right and looking over a strange assortment of people with a dragon overhead.

"Okay... bad guys, or what?" Kim asked Herc mainly as she got ready for a fight if there was to be one...

[Gabranth]

The Judge Magister seemed to have the most leverage among all the commotion. On one hand, he would get his freedom from Hades, a long awaited prize. However on the other, if Maleficent refused his request, Gabranth was ready to face his fate as Hades' pet. Considering Hades and his disposition, Gabranth would probably take the place of Minos. Holding a staff Maleficent held so precious, he was sure he had everything under control.

Within a blink of an eye a flash of green flashed about the room. Gabranth eye's still glancing at the witch, squinted a slightly due to the flash. He wasn't full certain as to who came about, but he remembered seeing such a thing before. Then, without warning the girl in green flew by with a great speed, swiping the staff. Gabranth clinched his left fist, the hand that was holding the staff as he felt something amiss. Staggered to feel nothing there, his eye's began to grow with a fury as his turn to his hand only to see nothing there. "No!" he shouted as he turned, grasping his left hand toward the girl. "This isn't your battle ... now hand it over." He said in a most anxious tone.

About that very same time, the young lady who he had saved when his entrance was made, jumped down from some sconce on the wall and snatch papers from Maleficent. Any engagement with the witch at this point seemed pointless to the Judge. Seeing the young girl do such a thing only worried and infuriated him more.

However, all of these events must have started to drain Maleficent. She must have seen she was backed to a corner. Though, there was some hope that seemed to make the witch happy, Hades. She spoke an incantation freeing the Judge from the bounds Hades had on him. And with that, a small clinking, followed by the sound of a small mirror breaking, Gabranth felt a weight like no other life from his armored body. He was free. Even without the leverage, his gamble was correct. Maleficent indeed had something against Hades.

"Gabranth! Let's do what they say before anything else goes wrong!"

Hercules had called out after Maleficent opened a portal for all of her uninvited guests to take. Gabranth still surprised, just glanced at Hercules as he and Meg walked through the opening. Then the young girl walked to him and grabbed his arm. Anxious and regaining composure, he heard the girl speak.

"Come on, big guy! Let's not keep the nice lady waiting, hm?"

About this time he snapped out of his dumbfound state. Shrugging his arm off of the young girl, he took a step to the witch. "It seems I have a new debt to pay." As he bow his head ever so slightly as to not take his eyes off the witch or the girl in green. Quickly he turned to Hades, pointing his swords to the bottom of his jaw to tap his chin. "Heh, It seems you will indeed have to find another dog to put on your chain." As he said in a rare playful manner. He then stepped to the side of the God, as to antagonize him even more. "None of your trickery will do you any good. You will be Judged Hades..." he spoke before entering the portal with the young girl.

[Hades]

Hades blinked at this. Just like that, his perfect win-win-win-win scenario (all recipients being himself of course) was, forgive a pun, shot to hell when Shego and Kim suddenly came out of nowhere and switched up the game plan. Now, Gabranth was free (even got in a last word on the diety) and the heroes were out of there. It was just MeadowSong, Shego, and Hades...

And Hades was slowly coming to an absolute boil. He slowly changed from a cool blue to a boiling hot red, then threw his head back in such a rage, that this page cannot contain the roar he unleashed. Flames would tear apart the area, ripping metal from the walls and breaking down sconces and melting prison bars. A veritible storm of flames raked every available space in the small hallway, yet curved around the mortals (Zeus' decree that no god interfere directly with mortals, so Hades can't just burn people at random). Non-living things, however... well, that's a different story.

By the time the fires had died down, and Hades was standing at ground zero breathing so hard that steam was shooting like jets from his nostrils, the entire area was literally glowing with molten structures. Angrily, he pointed at MeadowSong.

"YOUUUU!!!" he hissed, his hair poofing in little plumes of on-and-off rage. "You... dirty... WITCH!!!" he growled, sharpened teeth gritted so hard they cut into his lip slightly. "I had this whole thing PLANNED! I had every angle worked out! All you had to do was... NOTHING!! Just sit back and enjoy the show!! Instead, you do WHAT??? All because I didn't wanna get hunkered down with some scarecrow that was clearly playing you??"

Hades looked ready to burst again, pointing now to Shego. "AND YOU, little missy... When your time comes, you can expect one HECK of a warm welcome down below, got me??" Here, the God of the Underworld stepped back, swirls of smokey substance wrapping around him. It wasn't darkness, but his own personal blend of evil. "Just the both of you wait... You can't out run death, and I am gonna YUCK. IT. UP. When it's YOUR turn to fry..."

With that, he vanished, leaving behind only one word hanging on the air, which will not be repeated here...

***Hades has left the building!***

[MeadowSong]

[glow=Purple,2,300]Fairly satisfied now, MeadowSong turned her attention back to Shego, to whom she nodded her head. She waved Faeries' Wrath before her for a moment before delighting in a maddening chuckle, and patted the thief's shoulder.

"You have done well, my pet," she said, shaking her head now in disbelief, amazed that her super-powered darkness actually managed to shatter completely the enchantment placed upon the Judge. And with those notes in the hands of the heroes, dominion of the darkness would soon be secured in the clutches of the Mistress. She snickered.

"My great plans will come into fruition very soon, Shego...I'd suggest you take your front seat, or you'll miss the festivities. Hahahaha!"

She began to fade away, disappearing away to one of her private sanctums to continue her plotting, leaving the thief alone to her own thoughts.[/glow]

[Sai]

Mysteries abound tonight... Just as Sai finished looking over the notes and declaring the weight of the situation, things grow more interesting with the opening of a corridor and the subsequent emergance of a few familiar faces, accompanied by a new one. An eyebrow lifted slowly as he saw Kim Possible ready herself for trouble, and Hercules standing there with Megara in his arms. Even Gabranth was on hand, the portal closing up behind him.

"Evening..." Sai said, very much like one who expected guests rather than one who was caught off guard. Looking to Gabranth, Sai nodded slightly. "I trust your vehicle has been repaired?" he asked, his thoughts on multiple things all at once. Cheifly, on Airnose, who was too injured to make a space flight with more than maybe one or two people on her back. That meant that they had a few who needed a ride.

Without much more adieu, Sai turned fully to them and slipped the notes he held into his pocket. "We will be requiring transport to the Red Rose, if this is possible. Not all of us, mind you, but maybe two passengers, if Nexus' companion is strong enough for two."

Sai pulled out a small device, the very same that he had created back at the Pride Lands. With a small tweek, it started to beep slightly. "I can provide bearings. Likely, Beatrix and her crew will offer what they can in compensation, in case you worry about what is in it for you..."

Pausing, Sai looked to Megara and Hercules' conditions. Pulling out his weatherwand, he pointed it at the two of them. "Also, a down payment..." he added, casting Heal on the both of them. Good thing he learned it a while ago. It would revitalize the two of them enough to make them functional, but didn't quite have the power that Nexus' spell had on Sai.

"Can I assume this is satisfactory?" the Nobody asked, looking to Gabranth whom he presumed the logical captain of this squad...

[Gabranth]

After the the past events inside the castle, Gabranth was actually relieved to have left. Though as he walked through the portal that Maleficent had opened, he wondered what became of the hideous black thing. Unsure of it's condition he had a sense that he would cross paths with it again. As for Hades, if Gabranth never saw him again, it would be too soon.

Once he and the others reached the end of their trip through the portal, they happened to be greeted by none other than Sai on the opposite end. Considering how Gabranth knew virtually nothing of Maleficent, other than being able to pull the strings of Hades, he was surprised to see the other end came out somewhere other than sheer oblivion.

"Evening...I trust your vehicle has been repaired?"

He heard the nobody Sai speak to him as he stepped out, portal closing behind him. "Indeed." he replied. "Ammunition caches are spent, however." He watched and listened as Sai explained the situation they happen to be in. In need of a ship, Sai offered to provide bearings to the Red Rose, and compensation provided. Up till now, Gabranth had little concern for much more than breaking his chains to Hades. Only till his death did his vision clear, to make things right with his own blood. He would have to contemplate on a new goal. "If our contract is transportation, this I can provide. We will depart upon reaching the Red Rose." Though free from Hades' grasp he still spoke as a Magister.

He would glance over to Hercules who was slightly healed due to Sai's spell, pointing at him he said "As for you...you owe me a helm." Gabranth was not amused.

[Hercules]

Hercules smiled a bit as Sai began to speak. Somehow, hearing the man's dull monotone was comforting. It was like being reassured there were no tricks being played or nasty plot twists in the near future. With a sigh of relief, he just listened for a second or two while the Nobody outlined the immediate situation and asked for help. Funny, considering the state of the group as is.

Just then, he felt a more literal relief wash over him. Sai had pointed his wand at him and Meg and gave them a small boost of health, which was VERY much needed. Hercules stood taller, his strength returning to him. With a smile, he flexed a bit with Meg in his arms. "That's better!" he said, then nodded to the silver-garbed wizard. "Thanks, Sai."

Then, he freed one hand to lift to his lips and unleashed a whistle which echoed in the heavens. From high above, a single star would shine brightly, then swoop down over them, materializing into Pegasus. The winged steed trotted up happily, butting heads with Hercules by way of greeting before shaking its head with a happy whinny. The demi god smiled to his partner, and lifted his still unconscious beloved onto the horse's back. "Take Meg home, boy... She needs rest, and I know you can carry ONE of us..." Herc said, and with a slap on the steed's haunches, sent it rocketing into the sky with Meg in tow.

Turning now to the group proper, Herc's attention was drawn to Gabranth, who just then informed him that a helm was owed. With a blink, Hercules looked at the man confusedly. "Why, what happened to your old one?"

[Secondary Characters]

"Thanks, Sai," Hercules said.

That's when it clicked for Kim that this was a friend. Furthermore, this was that person that the fairy told them to deliver the note to. Seeing as he seemed the type to know danger when he saw it, she figured if this was some kind of trap then Sai would probably sense it beforehand.

"Uhm, excuse me?" Kim Possible said, slipping a hand into her pouch where she had stowed the notes and walking up to the silver-dressed mage. She held it up to him, smiling as nicely as she could, considering the sitch. "I was told to give these to you?" she said, officially handing them over.

Looking around, she wondered what they were talking about a moment ago. Transport? Were they waiting for a ride? And now the armored guy was telling Herc he was owed a helmet? Not really her business, the dynamic, but it was still fun to see. It was good to see that she was around friends, at least...

[The Alexandrian Army]

She was covered from head to toe in dust, her hair freed from its ponytail and messy with dirt and scorch marks. Daphne shook off what she could and brushed off the remains, adjusted her glasses and began fixing up her jacket. The armor beneath was dented--ruined--so she simply undid it and let it fall with a crash; her tie now torn, she let that go, as well, while she made her way to Sai.

Looking over the newcomers she quickly abandoned all facial expressions in favor of the Nobody's guise and nodded to them each in turn. Shaken, maybe, but Daphne was not going to forget who she was simply out of fright.

"Sai..."

[Sai]

Sai nodded as Gabranth agreed to the transaction. Transport was now assured, at least as far as the Rose. From there, it was a matter of rooting out the final note...

Which was suddenly being placed in Sai's hands by the redhead that came alongside Hercules. He accepted graciously, then allowed his eyes to slowly fall to the paper. Written across the top were the words "Keyblade Notes #12". The sensation he now had was... difficult to place. He couldn't help but stare at the notes in his hand. He struggled to place how to behave, questioning if he should be excited, or beside himself with relief, or all too eager to get to work.

"Sai," came a voice to his left. Daphne. He looked up to her, his eyes so empty and blank that you'd never know the papers in his hands were of any importance at all. "Daphne," he said in a calm voice, never once wavering from how he'd been since the day he met the scientist. However, unlike before where he'd simply look into her eyes and stay, this time they would drift downward over her form, taking in the various injuries and damages.

"Are you hurt?" he asked her, disregarding the papers in favor of the woman. It had less to do with the fact she carried nine of the thirteen notes, and more to do with a concern for her well being. With a tilt of his head, he bluntly added, "You look terrible."

Walking over now, he held the notes up to her. "We have all thirteen..." he said dully, looking into her eyes again. "... We need to get back to the Rose..." he finished, then looked back to the others.

"We are ready for departure at the soonest possible opportunity..."

[The Alexandrian Army]

Not knowing what to expect from the unpredictability of a Nobody she simply stood before him, staring at his visible eye and waiting for a response. When he presented her with his newest notes and the greatest bit of news yet, she would have squealed if no one else was present.

"You have them!?" she yelped, eyes wide behind those spectacles of hers, and she soon began fumbling in her scroll cases sitting inside her messenger bag.

"I have kept your others safe," she said, smiling at the man and hoping for a reaction she knew would never come. "It will now be possible to get your heart back...well, with the right material components too, as I've learned. We must get back to my lab immediately!"

[Gabranth]

After the agreement with Sai, Gabranth gave a nod in compliance. He reached under a piece of armor he wore, and pulled out a very small device with a couple of buttons. Pushing a few in a specific order, the device gave off several short, erratic beeps before blinking off. "The ship has been called. It should arrive in a few minutes." he said to Sai.

He glanced over to Hercules, throwing the small device for him to carry. It was about that time Hercules asked him about his old helmet. He took a step to the demi-god. Getting right up to his face he, pointed to the dry scare of blood that had been there since the fight with the Blot. "That..." was all he said with a frustrating tone, before walking away to wait for the ship to arrive.

[Hercules]

The DemiGod blinked a bit as Gabranth got right up in his face and pointed out the minor injury on his head. Herc couldn't help but be a little taken aback by the man's behavior, especially considering this was really the first time he had a chance to notice he was hurt at all. It's not like they weren't just in a life-or-death situation a few moments ago, after all...

"When'd that happen?" he asked as the man suddenly turned and started marching off. He shrugged, feeling completely thrown off after such a random encounter, looking to Kim and the others for some kind of support. "I didn't do it!" he'd defend himself as accusing looks started to spawn on a few that could feel emotions.

The BinShip would respond fairly quickly to Gabranth's call, swooping into the area they were with little-to-no difficulty navigating around the massive buildings which lined the streets in this world. It set down and opened in the back, allowing for everyone to get it. Herc would be a gentleman and let the women and injured go in first, and this included Gabranth.

When the man went to pass Herc by the large doors, he'd speak to him. "I'm in good with Hephaestus... maybe I can get you a new helmet when we get back to Greece?" he suggested, trying to make amends for something he wasn't really at fault for. A friendly, albiet goofy smile added to the sincerity of his words. "A real good one..."

[Sai]

Sai allowed the women to board the ship when it landed, taking this opportunity to speak with Nexus. "You should probably be the one to ride your dragon..." he muttered, nodding to the partially injured creature. "You know her limits better than us... plus, should we be blindsided it is better to have an experienced rider out and about..."

With that, Sai stepped onto the ship behind the women. Hercules would follow after. Once Gabranth was aboard and handling the cockpit, they would begin liftoff. The group were all crowded in the back, placing Sai rather close to Daphne. It was strange... whenever he was in contact with her, he had a bizarre sensation course through him. Almost like he could feel again. Almost.

He remained silent for takeoff, his thoughts on the notes and the next step. He had been looking for them for so long now and finally he had all thirteen. Soon... very soon...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

On the surface, a familiar face to Gabranth would be walking into the little clearing from which the BinShip was departing. The Blot growled angrily as it threw its arms forward, attempting to entangle the ship and hold it back.

"No intruder escapes aliiive!!" it hissed, nasty black blobules of ink dripping from its form as it gripped the ship. However, this threat would be short-lived as the thrusters passed over the Blot's arms. A horrible, ear-splitting screech would escape the monster as its arms were suddenly boiled through, seperating it from the BinShip,and granting the vessel its freedom.

As the Ship blasted away, the Blot stood there, nursing its damaged arms. It growled angrily, bilelike ink bubbling from its skeletal lips. "Next time, intruders..." it warned silently, then began to sank into the ground. "And then... I won't underestimate you..."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Above, a monster of a different kind was watching. He knew all about the attack. He knew of MeadowSong's treachery and the subsequent escape. He watched as a point of light shot off into the night sky, carrying with it precious cargo. With a soft "Hmph..." of self-assurance, the Fallen looked behind him to see Kefka arriving...

"You may want to get ready..." Atticus muttered, taking in the fact that he carried two 'heroes' along with him.

"...The Final Run is swift approaching..."

*** END OF DESCENT ***