Gathering Forces

[Secondary Characters]

This whole time Kim had practically dissolved into the ranks of the soldiers, even though she was probably the only redhead. Because of her femininity, she was able to form an almost sisterly bond with them almost immediately. From them, she learned about everything that had happened through various stories and personal accounts. It seemed while she was chained up, the entire universe had gone to war!

She sighed as she heard it all, and watched as Hercules and Gabranth were lead off to collect their reward. It kind of felt wrong, taking these people's valuables when they were fighting for their freedoms. She frowned a bit, and continued helping wherever she was able. Sadly, she didn't have the money to buy any of that metal they were making into keys on her, nor did she have anything made of it. Oh well, no big.

Another man appeared randomly, and a strange black fox girl went over and flirted with him, which made Kim Possible roll her eyes a little. What a silly thing to do at a time like this! But when the alarms went off, she was one of the first ones to head to the Rose, so maybe she wasn't all that bad. Not long after, Kim saw the two boys emerging and heading toward their safe-shaped space ship (try saying THAT ten times fast!).

Running over, Kim grabbed Gabranth's elbow for a second to get his attention. "Hey..." she said, looking up to him. "Look, I appreciate the help from before..." she said, now taking a step back to put her hands on her hips. "But I've decided I'm going to stick around for a bit. With Shego on the loose, I can't justify going home until I get to the bottom of everything, and it seems this has a major part to play in it all, so..."

She held her hand out here to Gabranth. "I guess this is so-long for now..." she said, intending to do the same for Hercules once Gabranth either shook her hand or didn't.

[Gabranth]

While walking back to their ship, Gabranth heard foot steps running up from behind them. A moment after he was tugged on at the elbow. He turned his head to see it was Kim standing now at his side.

“Hey, look, I appreciate the help from before but I’ve decided to I’m going to stick around for a bit. With Shego on the loose, I can’t justify going home until I get to the bottom of everything, and it seems this has a major part to play in it all. I guess this is so-long for now?”

He glance quickly at Hercules only to see the same care free expression on his face, he looked then to Kim. “Look, I’m not in this for your revolution, and I’m not in it for you….” With that said, he walked off towards the ship. “Hercules…” he shouted back. “Make it fast.”

[Secondary Characters]

Kim Possible frowned a bit as Gabranth walked off. She never expected him to stick around, but for him to reiterate the fact that he was a loner then not have the good manners to say a proper goodbye,well... that was just rude! With a sigh, she dismissed it. Guys and their silly lone-wolf attitudes didn't always make sense to her. Thank goodness Ron wasn't like that.

Ron... she missed him a lot. Him, and Rufus, and Wade, and everyone else back in Middleton. Better get this mission done quick so she can go home finally. Looking to Hercules, she smiled a bit and held her hand out.

"Hey, hero... take care okay? And make sure Mr. Manners over there doesn't do anything too dumb?" she said sweetly, trying to get a chuckle out of the Demigod who clearly had something on his mind. "Hope to run into ya again someday!" she said to him by way of farewell...

[Twilight Path]

"Even the phantom didn't have a happily ever after." Sarah spoke softly, thinking of the ending of Phantom of the Opera. The musical had been one of the few things she enjoyed watching with her parents. The story of course had a novel form, but the story always ended with Raoul being chosen over the disfigured man searching for love by hiding his face.

"This is what I am,"

"A puppet given life by the shadows--an amalgamation of performance and imagination, with never a true life of its own before the darkness took hold. The very same darkness that set you on your journey.”

“Yes…the Heartless. We who have no Hearts of our own, drawn by instinct to feed on the light which we lack. I, too, can be counted among their number...though thankfully, I am no slave to instinct, as the lesser of my brethren are.”


She closed her eyes, trying to imagine what life would be with such an ending. The music of any time of day had value. The ending of this opera would be different and there was to be no Raoul. "A happy ending is something that one can only hope for. Making a happy ending takes much longer."

Once she had finished the soup an alarm sounded announcing the presence of an enemy. The dread grew inside her, but she felt the light, the one that had created her keyblade, gently guiding her. The snake knew the way to Acteur. Her heart had always known the way to him. She stood up, looking at Daphne for a moment. "Thank you." She spoke softly, then turning to Vivi, repeating her line. She was ready, running to the Rose.

[General Beatrix]

As the alarms sounded the general of Alexandria hastened to the bridge alongside her fellow Sisters of Light. Ever since the forces of light assembled together here in Sherwood the mood had shifted drastically, and the soldiers were more determined than they had ever been. Sure the flight against Memoria was intense, but Alexandria's finest were on the pursuit to save the universe now.

Beatrix stepped out from behind the curtain that had the nation's embroidered crest emblazoned proudly on it with a handful of soldiers, and as she took her place in the commander's chair she turned to Abigail, Ellin and Nexus.

"Is there a problem?" she asked, and quickly glanced back at the navigators and Ellis.

"Are our captains all assembled elsewhere amongst the fleet?"

One of the soldiers nodded, and a few others went to work fast on their terminals, reporting that one group had been turned down, having been relieved by Cloud. She and Zolapaz went off in search of Leon, while others had secured themselves amongst the other ships.

"Good." She turned to another soldier, signaling her to bring over the loud speaker, to which she called in to the Medical Wing.

"Professor," she intoned to Daphne, who had since fled--presumably with Sarah--back onto the ship when the alarms sounded. "Please ensure that the doctors have everything ready in case we need to make use of that wing."

When things were settled she had Ellis start the engines, while contacting the other ships and ordering them to prepare, as well.

"We face...something terrible," she said, staring off the bridge at the expanse of Sherwood Forest as the Red Rose slowly picked up some more.

"Alone it would be difficult...just let us be thankful it stands alone."

The general stood from her chair and moved over to where Agrias stood, and wrapped an arm over her shoulder, resting her head into Agrias' own. She smiled, holding onto the woman with loving intensity.

"It is time, Agrias," said Beatrix, pulling back and staring into the other's amber eyes, happy that they had returned to their bright color from before. She couldn't, however, put her finger on what exactly was still missing. Perhaps it was the uniform?

"We need to see what happened to you soon..."



Masheck--with Wall-E at his side--found their way over to Sai with great haste.

"Will you be traveling alone?" he asked.

"Accelorators! Nadiya! You're in command down here! Sheryl, I need you down in the cannon bay, while Alexia stands watch over the doors down in cargo. Fortuna, please escort your battalion into the newest chamber, where you will be supervising the Brass Duke's golems when the need arises to fire the--what was it?--the Sister Ray, that's it."

"Aye!" called the soldiers in unison, and ran off to their duties.

"Come, Master Kefka!" called the soldier following along with Zolapaz, as they made their way to wherever Leon was. "We have a war to fight!"

[glow=gray,2,300]"Yes," he said, and continued on his way until he found Leon, to whom he bowed.

"Cloud told me to follow with you through the assault, as well as the young lady behind me. She wishes to come along so that we may maintain correspondance with the Flagship."[/glow]

Vivi was escorted to the bridge some time after the alarm had sounded, brought over to the navigation panel once more, where he pressed down his hands and fueled the machine. As a Black Mage he was glad to help, but somehow felt used...

"Is it gonna be dangerous?" he asked, tilting back his head to Beatrix, Agrias and Abigail.

Back in command in his own seat, aboard his own ship, and chugging down a mammoth glass of chocolate-flavored milk, the Brass Duke spoke with the Alexandrian who had taken up her own position here, and frowned. "That is what I have Cobalt for, though," he said in an attempt to argue, but his man-servant Bartholomew stepped in to warn him that, with no contact with the flagship, they might be destroyed instantly.

"Hogwash," said Brass, and tapped his cane down several times. "Fine! Whatever, she may stay. Lift off!"

[Agrias Oaks]

'Why do I feel like I watch this all from someone else's eyes?' asked the novice looking knight quietly to herself, 'How surreal it feels...'

Agrias watched as her dear friend Abigail, the brightest light of them all went to create something apparently never seen before called a Key-staff. Then, she saw Beatrix give it a go, but there was not much change in her weapon, which seemed to confuse a few. Slowly, she watched the reactions of Ellin and the counseling the sweet priestess was giving her; soothing her mind about the evils she had heard of the keyblade to her kind. She swore to herself that she was seeing it from her own eyes, but she knew she would contribute so much more than starring, and passing the torch.

"I... I suppose you are right, Miss Abigail." She would whisper to the priestess, resting a metal covered hand delicately over the girl's own, " ... and I trust you. This is for... Balance, as you say. To a better beginning!" she encouraged herself.

Ellin would smile happily now, giving the girl a triumphant huzzah, and complimenting how fitting the staff was to its master. She then watched next to Abigail as Beatrix "gave it a go" and something, but almost nothing, happened to her weapon. The knight frowned a bit, and wondered if it was supposed to do that...

Amber eyes glanced around the forest lines, watching the soldiers meeting up, and wishing each other the best. She watched a strange red headed girl speak with a Judge Magister-- those which she has known quite well from her time. She did not have a time anymore to return to, she realized, all she had was the 'now' with Beatrix and the others.

Even then...

...why feel so...

"Useless.." she muttered a little, holding at her mouth in order to not vomit at her own disgust. Apparently, when it mattered the most, she was not at her best. What a sickening thought. Even when the General watched her with adoring eyes, she couldn't help but give her an empty smile, as there was nothing to be happy about. She looked down at Beatrix's new 'blade' and admired it with only eyes. She dared not touch-- it would be too much. It was then when she heard the alarms sound, and the group started heading toward the ship.

"Oh! I wonder what is going on!" Ellin glanced curiously to the priestess next to her, before following the girl who darted to the Red Rose. Horrible times yes, but everything felt that it would fall into place... as long as she was with Abigail. She wouldn't help but smile in her presence.

Agrias followed quietly, looking down at her Save the Queen, whose dim brilliance had been reduced to a short dagger, a Novice weapon. Oh, how the dreaded Ultima would be rolling in her grave... to think this so-called-legendary knight placed her there. She stood a bit off, watching Abigail, Beatrix, and Ellin at the command center. Stricken mute, she only watched as the chaos emerged... unable to do anything about it. She had no control here-- almost blocked away by something unexplainable, and she hated it. Nothing, still, could be done to tame the anger that was slowly building within her heart as she watched helplessly at her surroundings...then...

"It is time, Agrias," spoke her love, wrapping an arm around the novice knight, and resting her head against her own. This snapped the girl a bit to the reality around her, and for a moment returned to look at it all from a first person's perspective.

"...right." She spoke off, shaking her head a little, before putting a bit of 'oomph' behind her empty words, "We will be ready for them."

"Is it gonna be dangerous?" asked the mage she just now noticed, and she knelt to be at eye level with him, before answering.

"Ser Vivi, it will be very dangerous," She whispered to him, reaching to rest a hand on the boy's shoulder before nodding, "... but that is why we must stick together. If it is not too much to ask, I would like you to find a group to defend the ship with, would that be ok? I am sure your great gifts would be quite handy in this time of need... along with your bravery and kindheartedness. We are all in this one together, alright?"

... a simple speech that she would tell the soldiers whenever they showed such nervousness. It always raised spirits, whenever it is needed. Still, it was something automatic of her to do, to soothe others.

"Do we have a plan?" Ellin would ask curiously, reaching up to scratch a little at her cheek carefully with her heavy set of metal claws, " I mean, the Harbringer comes in...and we just fire at it with the huge cannon thing?" she would ask Beatrix, uncertain of what her role would be, along with Abigail's.

[Hercules]

The Greek Demigod nodded a bit, and smiled. "Yeah..." he said in response to Kim's requests, then strongly took her hand in his to shake heartily. "We'll see," he added, smirking a bit. Who knows when it came to Gabranth what was going to happen next, so Hercules wasn't going to get suckered into a promise he couldn't keep.

"You take care too. Catch ya later... maybe," he said, then boarded the BinShip. The gangplank came up behind him, sealing the ship tightly as he took his seat next to Gabranth.

Looking over, Herc gruffed lightly. "Ya could've said 'goodbye' at the very least..." he muttered, then reached up to start flipping switches to prep the ship. "Anyway, Hephaestus' workshop isn't a huge flight from here. He works away from Olympus because he and my dad don't always see eye-to-eye on things..."

He sat back, allowing Gabranth to take the controls if he wished while he handled coordinates. "We'll fly over, grab a replacement helmet for ya, and then I guess we go our seperate ways..." he said kinda sadly...

[Secondary Characters]

Kim Possible couldn't help but smile a little when Hercules said his goodbyes. She watched as he walked up the ramp and disappeared into his ship. With a sigh, she couldn't help but feel that maybe they'd see each other again. And maybe next time have another adventure? Who knows in this madcap world she'd been thrown into?

As her friends on the BinShip would make their departure, she'd look around for a place to be. Everyone was scrambling for places, and she knew she'd have to pick a ship and stick with it. She didn't really know anyone too well, but maybe someone would let her on? She felt she had to do something at the very least!

Running to the nearest ship, she peeked inside just as a green-garbed wizard-looking guy and a little box robot had asked permission too. Lifting a hand, she tried to grab the attention of the only person here she really recognized.

"Hey, Sai?" she asked, stepping fully in after Oeilvert and Wall-E. "Me too, okay? You're about the only person I know so mind if I catch a ride?"

She waited, hoping the man wasn't as stern as Gabranth was...

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Wall-E had followed Oeilvert all the way onto Sai's ship. He looked around with an appreciative whistle at the small craft, and though it was simple, found it beautiful. He drove himself around a bit, enjoying the sights while Oeilvert handled whether or not they'd be part of the crew.

Then, Kim Possible arrived and he blinked. Driving over, he held a hand up to her, realizing he hadn't introduced himself! "Wawwwll-Eee" he spoke, shaking hands with her before anything else could happen and make him rude by not getting this done sooner!

[Abigail Crescentlight]

Abigail nodded to Nexus with a smile when he responded. "So long as she'll be alright..." she said, then looked back to the others as they began to take positions. She felt a horrible knot in her tummy, brought on by stress and fear and nervousness. They were about to go against a monster of a battleship, and it was Ellin that would give voice to her most pressing concern.

"Do we have a plan? I mean, the Harbringer comes in...and we just fire at it with the huge cannon thing?"

Abigail tried her best not to look very worried as she spoke, but felt it inside. Her heart was racing and her mind was a blur. So much happening all at once, but she had to be stronger now than she had been in the past. She'd grown up a lot since Agrias and Beatrix pulled her out of the rubble she used to call home.

Walking over next to Ellin, Abigail nodded. "She's got a point. We don't have a plan, here. I remember what it was like the last time, when we got lucky..."

Pausing, Abigail then looked to Agrias as she finished up with Vivi. "Miss Agrias? We could really use a strategy right now..." she said encouragingly. She had noticed the woman's sadness since they reunited. But she knew, that even with maybe a handful of skills unable to be accessed...

...Agrias was still a Tactician at heart.

[Sai]

As Sai busied himself with pre-launch preparations, he glanced out the main window of his ship to see a strange man appear. Now, under normal circumstances, Sai would have gone to check on this himself, but by the time he was ready to raise from his seat, that odd heartless fox girl had already made her way to him. Strange, the kind of company they kept... Still, the man was being handled so it was no concern of Sai's.

Settling back down, the Nobody went back to work, only to hear Oeilvert enter behind him not long after. Slowly turning to face the man, he listened to his request, shortly followed by the request of the red-headed Kim Possible. The silver Nobody sat there a moment in silence, looking to them and trying to judge their respective mind processes. By the time Wall-E was introducing himself, Sai would answer.

"I believe it is unwise... of the last three that followed me, only one survives, and damaged..." he reasoned, looking at them with unsympathetic eyes, unburdened by sadness or fear. "Naturally, if you wish, I cannot stop you from staying. Just consider your next course of action carefully..."

With that, Sai turned away from them, and pressed the button to close the door. It would offer them plenty of time to get out, but no more than necessary. Once it was closed, he would reach over and press another button, opening a hailing frequency to the Rose.

"This is Sai. I am ready to launch," he said calmly and simply.

[Cloud]

The lone swordsman watched as Zola and his escort walked off to find Leon. Fixing the Buster Sword to his back, Cloud revved his engine some, to keep it ready. Knocking the kickstand off, he was all set to take off. Only thing left to do was let someone know.

Reaching up, Cloud pressed a button on the side of his helmet which would allow him some radio communication to the Rose.

"It's Cloud. Let's go," he muttered, alerting the Red Rose and crew that he was ready whenever they where.

[General Beatrix]

Having been hand-chosen by Agrias to select a number of soldiers with which to aid in the safe-keeping of the Red Rose, Vivi's confidence rose a bit, and he tottered off saying his goodbyes to the others as he went about carrying out the request.

Oeilvert smiled at Sai's words rather weakly, having no previous knowledge of Sai's old crew, or their fate. As the doors closed he collected Wall-E and moved him over where they'd strap in for take-off.

"Gonna have to introduce yourself later, my little friend," he said warmly, running his hand over the automaton's smooth head as he glanced outside the ship.

He handed his wand over to the robot to hold onto for now, in case he needed it, but doubted as much, what with Brass' earlier modifications within the enchanted mansion.

"You may wish to take your seat," he said dismissively to Kim, having only one prior ship experience that was less than pleasant. "And if I may, I'd suggest you secure yourself in until you're snug."

-------------------------------

"And Ser Cloud," said Ellis, pushing buttons at the control near the helm. "Most of the others have called in; I believe it is time."

The general turned, perplexed, but when she realized what the captain had said, she nodded, shaking away her slow effect. "Ah, yes...er, anyway, Miss Ellin...unfortunately, I'm afraid we have no solid plans right now. I was definitely not expecting a sudden ambush by the Harbinger, of all things."

Ellis tapped in some more keys and the engine boomed even louder than before, and the general tilted back to face Agrias. "It appears you and I must once again work a miracle. i hope you're all ready for this."

[Gabranth]

Gabranth already stationed at the helm ready for take off, he glanced over to Hercules as he took his place. He merely made a "hmph" sound and shrugged at his comment. "Lets find this Hephaestus of yours."

Their Bin ship began it's ascension over the army. As it began to shadow over the group below, they could see the clearly off the impending war. Just as quickly as they took off, they were headed off to find Hephaestus.

Off to "Ancient Greece > One-Legged Discounts"

[Agrias Oaks]

Why can't I...

...become again what I was?

"Miss Agrias? We could really use a strategy right now..."

"Hm? oh. OH!" Agrias would snap from her trance, shaking her head a little before smiling to Abigail. It was obvious something was bothering the woman, but she insisted or tried to play the fool. She nodded a little bit, before turning to face away from the group, and to a white-graph board, "Why, yes, of course! A strategy...ah..."

"Hm.." she would be quiet for a little bit, starring at the empty board before beginning to write, and draw the Harbringer, the Rose, and the other ships that have tagged along in "attack" position, "I doth assume that this Sister Ray is a timed device yes? Time for starting it up, to when it needs to be cooled, like all technological devices of this intensity?" she would ask no one in particular, hoping for an answer...

Sylvia, the navigator would stand at this point, and say "yes" while working a bit on the coordinates.

"Also, there will be the challenge of hitting a moving object, so every shot fired from this weapon MUST count. All must be aimed at tender places of the Harbringer-- one being the heart--" she would point at the center of the ship, " and the brain." she would point at the Bridge of the ship, "For this to happen we need to use all our resources."

She now pointed at the smaller ships next to the Rose, "We need the smaller ships to concentrate their fire power on the clustered weapons, since they are easier targets which show off the most damage together. I'm certain if thou jam a few, all should be jammed from the last time I noticed-- they seemed locked in barrel... We also need one to try for the engines, though massive they are-- we only need enough damage to slow it down enough to ensure that the Sister Ray does not miss."

The tactical novice breathed finally, before turning to the others, "As for individual works, Lady Ellin and Lady Abigail, since thou two are protected from the darkness in your garbs, I suggest thou work together for a special mission...of course, with thine acceptance to it..." she faced Abigail, "... Lady Abigail-- pray tell, have you mastered, in your training with the Teddy Bear, any powerful spells such as Holy?"

[Shego]

[glow=green,2,800]How wonderful it was to be taught in the arts of ninja, to a point that every action seemed to come naturally in hopes of survival and completing missions. On the last moment of the portal closing behind the heroes, the cunning thief jumped in after them, and hid near some rock structures while the good guys gathered to talk, and exchange information outside Castle of Naught.

That is when she saw the Bin Ship, and everyone getting on, she decided to sneak up, and at the last moment, latch onto the bottom of it with her claw-like fingers. Of course this was dangerous, but thankfully that little pouch she carries had a small oxygen device she could place over her nose and mouth for air. They would then leave to sherwood forest, where she tiredly let go of the metal of the ship to land on some trees before they landed. She climbed down while the group got out of the ship to meet with the other Heroes...

She noticed Bea Bea, and the group from before -- the mage, and the knight turned novice. Shego stumbled on nasty waters, being surrounded by Alexandrian soldiers, and other good guys-- and here she was standing out more than usual in her Apprentice robes...so~

As soon as an Alexandrian soldier came by, she whacked her over the head with a piece of wood, and sneaked her into the bushes. A few moments later, a pale green Alexandrian soldier came out, and blended in with the dark lighting. The thief's weapon had vanished, but she knew it was her partners being smart and helping her conceal her identity while she moved about as a soldier.

She watched from one of the back rows as the Red Rose was made a new. her glowing emerald eyes would widen at the next set of events: An army equipped with keyblades! Kim was there too, possibly getting her own keyblade soon.

"Oooh ..." she chuckled quietly, walking backward to hear Tin Can and God-boy talking of returning to Greece, "...heh... first class trip for me?" she mumbled, and retreated into the darkness, and sneaked into the very ship the two were going to return to, and hid in the back, near the cargo section.

"Heh... now we wait..."

*To Ancient Greece > One-Legged Discounts*[/glow]