//------------------------------// // Chapter XVII: Be Prepared // Story: KINGDOM HEARTS: Dark Order // by OliverSparkle //------------------------------// Inside the castle of the Storm King, it was still dark and spooky with thunder roaring outside as Silverstream walked through the hallway in search for her little brother Lightning Twister. Whilst walking among the halls of the castle, the pink hippogriff looked from one side to another to find the door that leads to the dungeons. That would be the one place they would keep the poor colt in. But she also hoped Lightning managed to escape the dungeons and was now trying to find his way out of the castle, even with the thunder and lighting scaring him. “Lightning!” She called quietly but loud enough for the colt to hear, “Lightning, are you here? Sweetie!” After a few seconds of silence, no reply or colt appeared. Silverstream now knows that Lightning Twister hasn’t escaped from the dungeons and she must come to his rescue. But first, she needed a weapon to help her on the rescue mission. That’s when she saw a Storm Guard spear just laying on the floor by her right. Silverstream stared at it for a few seconds before carefully picked it up and held it in her claw. She looked at it a bit more before turning forwards again. Suddenly, standing near her was a dark version of Silverstream wearing a dark robe with her hood up and was holding one hilt of what it appears to be a folded dual-bladed Soul Eater. The two Soul Eaters are falchion-esque swords, with a dark red, dark purple and dark blue blade shaped like a demonic wing. Their handle bears the Gazing Eye in dark light blue and the handles consists of dark braids. They have a striking resemblance to Way to the Dawn, as well as Void Gear. Silverstream took a step back in shock while staring at her dark self before she folded her second Soul Eater blade back to turn it into double dual-bladed Soul Eater which made the pink hippogriff let out a small gasp of shock and worried while still holding the spear. Dark Silverstream looked at the original Silverstream before saying, “Don’t be afraid of who you’re trying to protect.” She then started to walk towards her with her dual-bladed Soul Eater. Silverstream used the Storm guard spear to fight her dark self as she used her dual-bladed Soul Eater to block the attacks on each side for about four times before stopping her from attacking her right by pushing right Soul Eater blade up towards the spear. Dark Silverstream spun round to attack Silverstream with the right Soul Eater blade, while she attacked it with the spear, before pushing the right blade up trapping the spear in between the blades. Silverstream scaredy looked at her dark self while breathing heavily before Dark Silverstream slowly turned her head round to look at her. The evil hippogriff scared Silverstream by hissing evilly at her, with sharp teeth showing in her mouth, which made her drop the spear and uncontrollably walk backwards to an opened doorway that leads to a different room. Silverstream fell to her back before slowly getting up again while rubbing her head. She then heard growling coming behind her, so she slowly turned round and standing near her were four Storm guards, with new red armour, staring at her with their red eyes while growling at her. Silverstream’s eyes went wide in shock. “Uh-Oh,” she said to herself quietly. Now in most dungeons, it would have one bunk bed with a sink and mirror. But the dungeon in the Storm Kingdom, which is just one, it was a large circle room with two slide up doors which only opens to those that helps the Storm King. And in the middle of the dungeon room, was a medium size circle with a chain that can keep prisoners locked in case they dare try to attack. The door on the right door opened up and thrown in was Silverstream as she landed on the ground with a bump before the door closed down behind her. The pink hippogriff slowly got up once more while rubbing her head. Just then, when she looked forward, she gasped in shock to see who else was in the dungeon with her. Laying on the middle medium circle with the chain around his body and wings was none other than poor Lightning Twisters. His eyes were closed with scared tears running down his face. “Lightning!” She said in shock before running to his aid. The poor colt heard her voice as he slowly opened his eyes, with tears still running, and looked up to see the pink hippogriff was now in the dungeons with him. “S-Silverstream!” He cried weakly. Silverstream was now by Lightning’s side and she looked at the chain around him before sadly looked at her little brother while saying, “No no, what have they done to you?” Lightning sniffed before sadly answering, “A m-mean h-hippogriff told the g-guard to put m-me h-here until further n-notice! I-I w-was so scared!” The words “mean hippogriff” made Silverstream’s eyes go wide in shock and anger. She knew who he was on about. But she didn’t care right now, she needed to be there for Lightning Twister after what he has been through before she came to rescue him. Silverstream gently wrapped her talon arms around Lightning and slowly but gently stroked Lightning’s mane while saying, “Shhh...shh shhh shh shhh...it’s alright, sweetie. I’ve got you. I’m gonna get you out of here, I promise.” Just then, the slide door on the left opened up. Silverstream looked forward, while comforting her little brother, and saw an adult hippogriff walking in. The hippogriff was the same height as General Seaspray with the same coat colour with white and grey mane and tail. He has a mini grey beard on his beak. He wears a black rubbery clothing with a Storm King symbol on his left talon arm with three dark silver projection rubber armour on the three pointy feathers on each leg. His claws and paws had red gloves on and he also wears a cape that goes down to his tail, the cape was dark red on the outside while it was dark orange on the inside. His name was, Tempest Plagueis. Another Tempest warrior that serve The Storm King, and he still does to this day. Silverstream glared angrily at the hippogriff. “Traitor.” Once he was inside the dungeon, with the door closing behind him, Plagueis was shocked to see what was in the dungeon. He then said, “Oh no, my dear. This is a mistake, a terrible mistake. They’ve gone too far, this is madness.” “I figured you were behind the foalnapping, Plagueis.” “This has nothing to do with me, I assure you,” said Plagueis while beginning to slowly walk around the colt and hippogriff, “I will immediately tell the Storm Guards set you two free and return you home at once.” “Well I hope it doesn’t take too long. I have work to do back at the Crystal Empire, and so does Lightning Twister.” Silverstream continued to give Plagueis an angry look. “May I ask why a young hippogriff is all the way out here in the Storm Kingdom?” “Lightning Twister was foalnapped by one of your new Storm Guard last night, so I snook out to rescue him while believing that it has something to do with that evil filly and Keyblade wielder named Cozy Glow and Vanitas. Do you know them?” “Well there are no “Keyblade wielders” or evil fillies here that I am aware of,” answered Tempest Plagueis while taking a few more steps and looking at the two, “The Storm Guards won’t even dream to trust them.” “Well, who can blame them?” Silverstream said sarcastically, “But they are here in Equestria, I can assure you. And they’re after this poor sweet little colt.” Silverstream looked down at Lightning while still gently stroking his mane as she gave him a sad smile. “It’s a great pity that our paths have never crossed before, Silverstream. Queen Novo has always spoke very highly of you when you were just a baby before The Storm King invaded.” Plagueis looked down in such rubbish sadness. “I wish she was, still brave than before. I could use her help right now.” Silverstream continued to have her head forward as she looked at Plagueis with a cross look on her face. She got up and turned round to look at the evil hippogriff, with Lightning gently holding her tail, as she said, “Aunt Novo would never help a traitor like you.” Tempest Plagueis looked at the pink hippogriff before saying, “Don’t be so sure, my young hippogriff.” He started slowly walk round them again. “You forget, that I was once king of the hippogriffs before The Storm King invaded. Queen Novo knew all about him that she wouldn’t let her daughter live in fear if she had never learned the truth just as I have.” Silverstream was confuse by this. “The truth?” “The truth.” The evil hippogriff stopped walking and looked at Silverstream for a few seconds before slowly walking round them again. “What if I told you the other reason The Storm King invaded all lands in Equestria before he came back alive so far from his stone defeat?” Silverstream was shocked by hearing Tempest Plagueis say The Storm King came back to life after he was destroyed in stone, she didn’t know how that happened. But she refuses to believe him. “No, that’s not possible. The princesses would be aware of it!” “The darkness of The Storm King has clouded their minds of hearing his return, my dear,” said Tempest Plagueis before he stopped walking and turned to the young hippogriff, “The Storm King has now returned to find the young pony who is known as, The Storm Pony. Silverstream still refuse to believe such rubbish. “I don’t believe you.” “The Storm Pony was to become the new Storm King when he retires after taking over Equestria. But he was betrayed moons ago, before having Tempest Shadow on his side, when the mother of the Storm pony ran away from him before she was pregnant. The Storm King came to me for help. He told me everything.” Plagueis leaned forward a bit before saying, “You must join me, Silverstream. And together...we will destroy those that try to ruin our race.” Silverstream was not amused by Tempest Plagueis’s offer as she still gave him the angry look. “You think I would join you, betray my friends, my family, my little brother, and throw away friendship like trash? Go to Tartarus, so called uncle.” Plagueis’s hopeful smile slowly faded away to a disappointed look before turning round to the door on the left. He turned round to look at the two one last time before saying, “It maybe difficult to have you released.” The slide door opened up and Plagueis made his way out of the dungeon before the door closed behind him. Silverstream gave one last glare before turning back to Lightning with a sad look on both their faces. She gently placed a claw on the left side of his face and let him rest his head on it. While looking at the poor colt, Silverstream heard something near them but also far away from them. It felt like another vision contact bond. Silverstream looked to the left and grew an angry look on her face once more to see who she saw. It was Cozy Glow and Vanitas in their little quarters to the Storm Kingdom. They looked at Silverstream before Vanitas said, “What Tempest Plagueis said is true. The Storm King is truly back.” Unlike she did with Tempest Plagueis, Silverstream actually believed what Vanitas just said to her about the Storm King’s return. She wish she can refuse to believe him, but she knows Vanitas wouldn’t lie that much after their first meeting. “Serving another master who wants to be ruler?” “No, we made a deal,” answered Vanitas, “Plagueis was your uncle, he wanted you by his side as uncle and niece. Why didn’t you accept his offer?” Silverstream continue stare crossly at the two before saying, “Cozy Glow wanted Lightning to join her when she returned to the School of Friendship before trapping him in the caves. Why does she still want him?” Vanitas and Cozy Glow just looked at the hippogriff and didn’t even give an answer to her. “You can’t hide him, Silverstream,” Vanitas said, “Not from us.” The pink hippogriff was not amused at his response. “Can’t you see the fear in Lightning’s eyes? He’s haunted. He can’t stop fearing the darkness you tempered in his heart.” “So you still count the days since you went back to the surface again.” Vanitas started to slowly walk towards Silverstream. “Such pain in you, such anger. I don’t wanna have to kill Lightning Twister. We’re gonna come to him, and we’re gonna make him Cozy Glow’s king and a new seeker of darkness.” He stopped near her. “And when Tempest Plagueis offers you to join him again...you’ll accept it.” Silverstream continued to glare Vanitas before saying, “We’ll see.” Vanitas slowly reached his out to touch Silverstream, but the hippogriff took the upper claw and slapped the evil Keyblade wielder with her left claw causing him to yell in pain and anger while placing a hand on his cheek and ending the vision contact bond. Vanitas rubbed his sore cheek while having an angry look on his head. He was still in his quarters, after that second vision contact bond earlier, with Cozy Glow and the three Nocreatures watching him. Cozy Glow flew up to him and asked, “Are you okay, Vanitas?” Vanitas stopped rubbing his cheek while growling angrily. “I’m so gonna teach that hippogriff some manners when we get see her again.” He turned to the evil filly. “Cozy, let’s go talk to The Storm King before we go visit that colt and hippogriff in the dungeon. We have some more business to talk about.” “What about us, Master?” Asked Xodiac, “What should we do?” Vanitas turned to the Nopony before answering, “Carry on what you three were doing before I summoned you back here, and make sure none of the heroes or guardians save that colt. That good for nothing Sora has always shown too much restraint when it comes to ruling Kingdom Hearts and all worlds.” Vanitas walked past the Nocreatures. “When Cozy Glow’s the new queen, the darkness will be free to take over all hearts. Because darkness, is never far behind.” “But what about Oliver Sparkle?” Xocarl asked, “That pony’s far too powerful to challenge.” Vanitas looked at the Nodragon while saying, “Oliver Sparkle is yesterday’s problem. A clapped-out, distracted regime. Whose failings undoubtedly presage. The need for a different dream.” The evil Keyblade wielder turned forward and began to sing. Yes, friendship times are a-changin' Which means that Unversed must too My vision is clear and wide-ranging And even encompasses you Vanitas turned round to Cozy Glow and the Nocreatures while raising his arms out. So prepare for the coup of the century Prepare for the murkiest scam Suddenly, Floods began to rise from the ground and wonder around the place. Meticulous planning, tenacity spanning Decades of denial is simply why Cozy Glow will be queen! Undisputed, respected, saluted And seen for the wonder we are! He grinned evilly at the three. Yes, our teeth and ambitions are bared Be prepared Big Unversed rose from the ground while they, along with the Floods, kept saying be prepared over and over again. Be prepared While the Unversed kept saying be prepared, spiked turtletoad Unversed rose up and started saying be prepared as well. Vanitas pointed his finger out. Be prepared! While more Unversed appearing and saying be prepared, Cozy Glow walked on the spiked turtletoad’s shell and stood near its head and began to sing. Be prreeppaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrred Be prepared! With the Unversed repeatedly saying be prepared, Cozy Glow flew off the shell and towards Vanitas while flying next to him. Yes, our teeth and ambitions are bared Be preppaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrred!!