Taran rushed off head strong and most likely half cocked with how fast he was running. It was the look in his eyes that told me what he was about. He needed to prove himself to himself that he was more than he was. That was a dangerous combination when it came to growing up.
It made everyone stupid. Even I had succumbed to the thrall when I was still in high school and decided I would work with my hands. Then the power saw I was using slicing through the table and I wisely decided that it wasn't my destiny anymore.
“Gray! He's moving too fast!” Octavia hissed out as we chased after him through lands we knew nothing of.
Spitfire and Sunshower remained on hoof for the moment. The fact that we were sneaking into a very dangerous place was perfect incentive to keep under the radar. After fighting Pete though… well I couldn't say if we were all that well hidden anymore.
“Just keep him within eyesight. If he does something stupid I'll intervene!”
I would have to jump through a few shadows but I would be able to handle it. The problem was more along the lines of what we were facing here. With Pete came the chance of meeting extremely dangerous heartless even if Pete himself was a pushover.
“He's slowing down.” Vinyl breathed out as she started to heavily breath from the strain of keeping up.
I looked over the girls noting that both Octavia and Vinyl were the most winded of the bunch. I would endeavor to make certain they ran with me every couple of days. A few wild nights did not in fact make up for training.
“Taran… you need to stay with us.”
“But I can fight too. I can handle myself.” Taran protested.
“That's fine but we are working together and sneaking through things will be our way right now.”
“But Hen Wen…” Taran started to protest.
“We are sneaking. That's final.”
My voice had been very deep at that point… something I noticed when he looked a little shocked at me. The rest of the ladies were as well. I clenched my jaw slightly to hold in my frustration. I knew what happened whenever a partner of my went rushing in never went good, gunned down in the middle of the street…
“Gray?” Vinyl waved her hoof in front of my eyes dragging my attention back.
“Hm? What?”
“You're spacing out again. Got something rattling around your head?” Vinyl questioned me as I noticed everypony else scouting the area with Taran patiently waiting for us to move on.
“Yeah… sorry. Just remembering what happened to others when they rushed in to danger without thinking about things.”
“Ah back when you were different. So quick question and feel free not to answer but… if we're safe in Equestria why not be a cop instead of this knightly figure? I mean, wouldn't it be easier?” Vinyl parsed out actually lifting her shades up to look me in the eyes.
“When I was a cop… I watched as several of my fellow officers were taken out by extremists because they rushed into a kill zone without considering our options at the time. I saw my mentor, who was trying to fix the system, get shot in the back of the head with his own weapon by our superior who was corrupt. As much as I find it something I want to do to help others… I would rather have more control in the situation outside of the confines of that little concept known as the red tape. In Equestria, it would probably be much easier and little to no corruption… probably, but I enjoy this more now. Being my own boss, the travel, and of course, the lovely ladies all of which encompasses a somewhat better life than I had.”
“Dude… that sucks.” Vinyl muttered as her shades fell back over her eyes.
“Sucks indeed Vinyl, sucks very much indeed.”
“Hey! I found it!” Spitfire called out as she flapped back down from the tree line.
“You found where the pig went?” Taran cried out jumping to his feet ready to dart ahead.
“Not exactly… I found a spooky castle with heartless flapping around it. If I didn't know any better that would be the bad guy’s lair.” Spitfire chuckled as she folded in her wings.
“The Horned King. He's the one trying to take over this world. Most stories tell that he is a powerful sorcerer who gave up their humanity to turn into an undead lich. It gave him power supreme… but it made his body frail in compensation.” Taran explained.
“So he'd be easy to deal with because he wouldn't be able to do much to fight then. We could excise him from his seat of power before he starts getting any ideas with the heartless.” Redheart muttered as she cut down some brush with her keyblade revealing a path towards the mountain that the castle was on.
“Maybe. I don't know about that. Hearing something like the Horned King sounds a lot more threatening than that.” Sunshower chided though her voice was low. It looked as though her fight with Rourke was now on her mind.
“So how do we handle this then? I doubt all of us could go rushing in like this… and I doubt they would be that ignorant to think they wouldn't get invaded.” Fresh Coat brought up tapping her hoof against her chin.
“One step at a time.”
With those words we trotted off towards the large mountain that held the fortress atop it. There were several lakes surrounding the entire castle and not a lot of places to actually sneak in. There were even heartless floating around the upper levels. It was fortuitous that Spitfire and Sunshower remained on their hooves. Taran looked as though he wanted to rush off but Vinyl held him back with Fresh Coat’s help.
“So… who has a good idea?”
“And that's what I saw out there. You know how dangerous those palookas are when they gather.” Pete bellowed out. He had raced away but instead of heading to the Horned King he decided to join up with Maleficent.
“Those meddlesome pests! Always getting in my way. Are you certain that there weren't any rodent problems?” Maleficent growled out as she waved her hand over the table revealing seven pastel colored ponies.
“Mick? No way that guys around now. These tiny horses were summoning up keyblades left and right. I barely escaped from them. Maybe we shoulda sent more people out there to deal with them?” Pete managed to get out as he twisted his fingers in worry.
“You lumbering oaf! You know that these imbeciles would sooner cut their ties with us than work towards the fall of all worlds. No! You shall return and make certain those fools fall. Am I clear!?” Maleficent raised her arms summoning up green flames that coated the room.
“Yipes! Alright, alright I got it. I'll deal with those keybladers no problem. I'll even straterigize before I get there, show them what happens when you mess with Ol’ Pete.” Pete boasted as he opened another portal and lumbered through it.
“Useless moron…” Maleficent held her head as if nursing a headache.
“Eh heh heh heh heh. Looks like you need better minions.” A mechanical voice laughed out from above as a new figure stepped down the staircase feet clinking metallically against the cobbled stone.
“Quiet Bagular. At the very least my fool can utilize the darkness without that tech you require so much.” Maleficent spat out.
“At least I have more than one loyal lackey witch!” Bagular shot back.
“Both of you shut it! You're messing with my scientific genius here.” Another voice called out. “Now what have you called me here for, hm?”
“It must be important if they want to waste our time so thoroughly here. I needed to go destroy a few more enemies today and this… distraction is ruining my day.” Another voice from above answered in kind.
The first unknown voice was a diminutive scientist with three tufts of hair sticking out of his head and a giant N on his forehead finishing up into a thick goatee. This was Dr. Neo Cortex, a scientist working for the betterment of his own life by mutating animals into loyal soldiers to conquer his world.
The next slithered from up above revealing a large purple dragon with large bone like horns on his head and an impressive wingspan. Parts of his body looked as though they were regenerating slowly from freshly opened wounds.
Bagular, leader of the five dastardly bombers and world conqueror, stood against one of the nearby walls. With arms crossed over his blue body and large bushy white beard he strode over to the table looking at the ponies trotting along towards the castle.
“So these are the threats we're worried about? Seven little animals! Are you serious?” Bagular held his head on his hand looking dispassionately bored from the supposed threat.
“Oh look at this guy over here. So blue boy thinks keyblade wielders are easy to deal with. Hm?” Another figure walked in covered in a dark toga with a scalp covered in blue flames.
“Hades, you decided to join us?” Maleficent chuckled as she closed her staff in on herself.
“What can I say? It's either appease those deadbeats or have these deadbeats appease me. Now what's this all about? There’s seven of them now? Jeez and I thought my luck was rough.” Hades created a smoke throne and sat on it completely calm about the appearance.
“Now I feel out of place.” Cortex muttered as he looked at the ponies as well. “Seriously they're not even mutated or anything and you're telling me they can fight us off.”
“Maybe you. I doubt they could even handle the power of a dragon.” Malefor boasted as he looked over things uninterested at the sight. “Nothing more than children trying to play heroes. There are more important things to discuss. Why send an olive branch to this failed lich. He is uselessly superfluous if we have the living torch over here.”
“Watch it purse or I'll be showing you how strong this torch gets!” Hades stood up turning red from anger.
“Bring it!” Malefor roared back.
“Enough!” Maleficent shouted using her magic to stop the two from fighting.
“So besides the two children fighting what are we doing about this? Are we assisting him or leaving him to prove his worth.” Bagular hissed out as his red eye with the cross engraved on it glowing a deep red.
“Let's just leave him. You may have extended a hand to him but I doubt he would uphold his own word.” Cortex bitterly stated clearly speaking from experience.
“I agree with the shrimp here. Anybody who tries to fight death doesn't deserve the ambrosia on the side.” Hades piped up. “Now… I heard you had gotten more people or allies for our cause Maleficent. I see three here but where’s the one from that one wizard’s world.”
“Urgh… the old goat is more annoying than I figured and his opposite is unwilling to join us. She said too many cooks spoil the broth. Bagular have you figured out about the other two from your world?” Maleficent growled out as she took place at the head of the table wiping the image away as she did.
“Sirius is stubborn but agrees with me. The other one is being obstinate and trying to desperately fight against my forces. He wouldn't succeed for very long. Eh heh heh heh he.” Bagular laughed as he finally stood up proudly.
“Then we have an alliance of sorts, do we?” Maleficent smirked as she awaited his answer.
“Yes. We've got a deal.” Bagular waved it off clearly not caring.
“Agreed.” Cortex answered as he started to tinker with a few remotes.
“Fine.” Malefor growled out as he made to leave disappearing into the aether.
“A fine bunch of allies you all are.” Maleficent muttered under her breath as she turned to darkness to get more allies to her side.
“So we have our plan then?”
Vinyl, Spitfire and Redheart all nodded while Octavia, Fresh Coat and Sunshower started to get a new fallback position for us to return to. Taran would be going along with us but needed to remain quiet.
“I find this plan utterly crazy.” Octavia spoke up before we left.
“Crazy enough to work or just insane?” Vinyl brought up as she got picked up by Spitfire.
“Both!” Octavia shouted.
“It'll be fine Tavi. We got things covered.” Vinyl waved her off.
“We'll be working together. It should be fine.” Spitfire answered with a resolute state making certain that she could see her eyes to show her confidence.
“So why am I going along?” Redheart groused as I lifted her on my back.
“In case there are wounded. I'll be acting as the distraction of things go wrong… because I dive into shadows pretty easily. Taran you'll be following us so I expect you to follow orders. Since you fancy yourself a knight and all that you can follow orders can't you?”
“Yessir. It'll be easy and I'll show you I'm capable of doing this.” Taran answered immediately though I noted that uncertainty still painted his visage.
I wasn't convinced that he could handle this problem. There was too much riding on us and we were only going to find a pig. The pig had oracular powers capable of seeing the future or hidden things so that wasn't as far fetched as it seemed. I flapped my wings and lifted my hooves up and Taran took that as lifting his arms up. I grabbed his arms and he grabbed mine as we flew off for the castle of Annuvin.
Pete reappeared with the Horned King who was busy working on something in particular. Remaining quiet he made his way down looking over some of the other things.
Luckily, thanks to his height no one made any attempt to stop him. The men under his Horned King seemed rude, crude and unlike anyone he trained back in his heyday. Disgusted by the barbaric nature of the men he continued through looking for something in particular.
“Ah there you are Pete. Master was waiting for you.” A small green goblin with a purple cloak and uneven red eyes.
“Creeper I've already seen him and I don't need your backtalk right now.” Pete growled out staring down the little goblin.
“Ah yes but I need to make sure you have. I really don't want to be strangled again.” Creeper cringed as he tried to lead Pete back.
“Ah calm down. I'll go see him in a bit, just got to get my nerves settled.” Pete chuckled though his eyes were still scanning for things.
“Fine I'll wait by the stairs for you. Don't take too long… I don't want to be strangled just because you don't want to see him.” Creeper crossed his arms trying to appear in charge… something Pete rolled his eyes at.
“I got it.” Pete answered as Creeper walked off.
Ignoring the urgency in his voice Pete wandered off looking for something. Maleficent had given him something a while back after their first meeting with the Horned King.
“Listen you fool. When you work for this fake king you will search for any magical artifacts he may have. Do not come back empty handed.” Maleficent growled out.
“But how ‘m gonna find those magical hoozits and doohickeys anyways? I ain't got anyway to know what he got there.” Pete groused as he kicked up some dirt.
“Here. Use this item to locate any magical artifacts he might have. Grab them and throw them into the portal.” Maleficent handed over a small pendant which flowed when next to her staff making absolutely certain the buffoon understood what was needed.
“Gotcha boss lady. He won't know what he lost after I'm done with him!” Pete let out one of his trademark laughs before entering the Portal of Darkness.
Pete slowly walked through the halls as the pendant he held on started to warm up and emit a little light as he stepped near a cast iron door.
Grinning, he started opening the door only to notice it was locked. Groaning, he summoned a heartless known as a Defender who saluted and attempted to break open the door while he went off to meet with the Horned King before he got too suspicious.
We slowly made our way across the water keeping low enough in case any of the guards that the Horned King could have on his payroll if he actually paid them. Taran struggled slightly to keep up above the water though I managed to hold him without too much problem.
Spitfire and Vinyl moved ahead finding a landing spot first allowing the rest of us to make it. I placed Taran down first who was breathing heavily from the sudden flight. Redheart climbed off my back and immediately went over to the boy checking on him before things got out of control.
“I didn't see many guards around here. The heartless either didn't notice us or were busy doing someone else's bidding.” Spitfire informed us as I peered over the edge into the water… I had a very important question at this point.
“How many of you can swim?”
“Yo.” Spitfire and Vinyl raised their hoof. Redheart didn't… Taran raised his hand.
“Keep close to me then Red. If we have to escape most likely there would be too much interference flying away. We're gonna have to swim.”
“I knew I should have switched with Octavia.” Redheart muttered as she realized that that water wasn't going anywhere.
“Nah. We needed you here mare. Besides if somepony is hurt, you've got the strongest healing power.” Vinyl assured Red placing a hoof on her shoulder.
“When we get home we're going to make sure you all know how to swim.”
“Home? Where is home for you?” Taran brought up as I looked towards him.
“It's far away. Should you meet with Dallben again, he'll explain better and in more detail.”
“But I - “ Taran started only for me to hold my hoof up.
“Look. We need to focus right now. If the heartless are here you're not going to fight them. You have no weapon and no experience. You are to get, Hen Wen was it, and keep her safe. When we are in a safer venue we'll talk more about us with whatever we are comfortable with. Okay?”
Taran looked a bit uncomfortable with my assessment but nodded in agreement. As much as he wanted to argue and he did want to, I was right. The four of us were to keep things off his and the pig’s backs while looking for the keyhole of this world. The trinket Merlin had given me still weighed on my mind as well. Someone here would find it irresistible if I needed to trade.
“We ready to bring this house down?” Vinyl nearly shouted out only for Spitfire to muffle her voice through her wings.
“Vinyl wait till after we get caught to yell.” Spitfire deadpanned.
“Killer idea. I'll wow these bozos with my mad skills.” Vinyl nonchalantly brushed off Spitfire’s brusqueness.
“I'm regretting my decision to be part of the infiltration team Grey.” Redheart confided in me.
“Don't worry too much about it. We're on a simple mission we just got to pay attention and never use any cliches which will get us killed.”
“You mean like - “ Vinyl started only for my to cover her mouth with my hoof.
“I'm just gonna say yes and ask you not to tempt fate. We've gotten this far without too many horrible things let's not jinx it.”
Even then I still felt as though I had tempted it too much by being savvy about infiltration missions. I even felt some of them during the stakeouts back when I was looking over certain cases. By then, I knew the biggest problem with my plans.
Plans never survive first contact with the enemy.