//------------------------------// // Chapter XX: Capture, Enter & Escape // Story: KINGDOM HEARTS: Dark Order // by OliverSparkle //------------------------------// Tempest Plagueis wandered into his chambers in the castle of the Storm Kingdom. After trying to get Silverstream to join him, he couldn’t believe the response he got from her. And those words are still floating around his head every time he thinks about his niece, well, ex-niece since he betrayed the hippogriff race. “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.” He manage to reach his chambers as the door slide open up allowing him to walk inside before closing behind him. His chambers wasn’t very special really, just a light blue desk with a pencil pot and paper on each side of the desk and a spiny chair behind it. On each frame on the wall were just pictures of the Storm King symbol and The Storm King doing the “We want you!” poster. The evil hippogriff went to his desk and sat on his chair before looking at the wall that’s away from him. “What is with that hippogriff?” He said to himself in annoyance, “All I was trying to do is help everyhippogriff see that we don’t have to live in fear of those that try to threaten us, and what do I get from her? A go to Tartarus sentence. I’ll give her a few minutes to think about it and try again later.” Just then, a red armour Storm Guard came into the chambers and said, “Sir! We’ve discovered that three more intruders have entered the Storm Kingdom! And one of them is, Tempest Shadow.” Tempest Plagueis’s eyes went wide in shock before his face turned into an angry look. He knows that Tempest Shadow was the one who killed The Storm King moons ago, and she betrayed him as well. But now that she was here with the other two intruders, he can finally do what The Storm King couldn’t do to her himself. “Bring them in,” he ordered the Storm Guard, “Let me speak to them first, before we can ternate them.” “Yes, sir!” Obeyed The Storm Guard before he walked out of the chambers to get the three intruders. Tempest Plagueis grew an evil smirk on his face while rubbing his two claws together. “Oh, Tempest Shadow. Once I’m through with you, you’re gonna wish you’ve never killed my king.” After a few minutes of waiting, the red armour Storm Guard returned to Tempest Plagueis’s chambers with Riku, Mickey and Tempest Shadow. The guard stood by the door while the three walked towards the desk where the evil hippogriff was sitting at. They stopped near the desk as Plagueis looked at them. “Welcome, young travellers,” he said in a fake polite way, “I’ve been excepting you.” Plagueis then looked at the Guard and ordered, “Guard, leave us.” The Storm Guard bowed in respect before leaving the chambers leaving only the four in the room. Plagueis turned back to the three and then looked at Tempest Shadow who was giving him an angry look. He gave her a fake smile and said, “Tempest Shadow, a long last, we finally meet. Face, to face.” Tempest didn’t say anything and continued to stare angry at Plagueis. “So much hatred. Darkness rises, and storm, to join it. The Storm King did warn me once that as I grew stronger, my role as king of the hippogriffs will fall.” Plagueis suddenly saw the armour Fizzlepop was wearing. The one that Twilight gave to her when she became the first royal guard of Princess Twilight Sparkle. Tempest Plagueis recognise the armour and knew who she is now. “Princess of Friendship.” He chuckled while saying, “I assumed...” he breathed heavily, “Wrongly.” Riku and Mickey wasn’t amused by the way he was talking to Fizzlepop. “So tell me, Tempest Shadow...what brings you and your new friends here after so long you wouldn’t dare return here?” “A young child named Lightning Twister was foalnapped last night by one of your new and improved Storm Guards,” answered the reformed pony, “We’ve come to see why you foalnapped him and to take him home at once. He doesn’t belong here.” Plagueis pretending to gave Fizzlepop a shock look after hearing what she just said to him. “Foalnapped? By one of my Storm Guards? Oh no no no no, Tempest! You’ve got it all wrong. We didn’t foalnapped this Lightning Twister you’re on about, you’ve must accusing the wrong foal stealer.” He gave her a wicked smile. Fizzlepop knew he was lying. “I know that you’re lying, Plagueis. And you mustn’t tell lies. We know you’re behind the foalnapping even though The Storm King’s now gone.” Plagueis laughed before saying, “Oh please! You really think he’s gone? The Storm King is never gone. The stone pieces of him that you threw away, I was the one who stole them and tried to put the Storm King back together again.” Fizzlepop Berrytwist has a shock look on her face. Not too long ago, she visited the place where she dumped the stone pieces of the Storm King and suddenly found out they weren’t there no more. And now she knows where they have gotten to. “But unfortunately, I couldn’t bring him back to life after placing most of the pieces back together. I needed powerful energy to help pump his blood up a bit. And after years of searching, I’ve discovered that the powerful energy can find in a another world called, Radiant Garden.” Riku and Mickey let out a gasp of shock before remember Ienzo’s call about a break in at Ansem the Wise’s lab in Radiant Garden. “But that would mean...” began Riku, “You’re the one who set up the break in!” Plagueis grinned at the Keyblade Master. “Yes, that is correct. I asked the evil filly and some of my guards to break into Radiant Garden lab and collect enough energy I need to The Storm King’s blood pump up a bit, and they worked quite well.” “Why are you doing this?” Mickey asked angrily, “Why are you bringing him back after all these years?” Tempest Plagueis grinned at the king before answering, “To help him continue what he was doing while invading Equestria. To find a young pony who is the future Storm King also known as, The Storm Pony. He’s been searching for years for the pony, even before me and Tempest Shadow here joined him. But after Tempest killed and betrayed him, he wasn’t able to finish what he started a long time ago.” Fizzlepop Berrytwist glared angrily at the evil hippogriff. “I didn’t betray him. He was using me from the very beginning! He made me a monster! Why would I be a traitor to a king who is just using us?!” “He may have used you, but I still obey him after spending my time here making the Storm Guards are still doing what he would have wanted.” “How can you? Are you still betraying your queen, daughter and all of the hippogriffs?!” Plagueis got off his chair and walked from behind his desk to the three. “The way you said betray, you remind me how my niece talked me when I visited her in the dungeon. That young hippogriff should know very well to show her uncle some respect after everything I did to save our race.” The three were in shock after hearing him say young hippogriff. They knew he was on about Silverstream. The pink hippogriff has made it before they did and got caught already. “No,” said Fizzlepop Berrytwist in shock and worried. “Oh don’t worry,” he said to them, “She isn’t hurt or anything. But I’m sure she would be more happy when she’s with me, as a new Tempest warrior.” Fizzlepop growled at the evil hippogriff. “I’ll hurt YOU!!” The reformed pony started to charge towards Plagueis with her broken horn sparkling. But just before she could attack him, Tempest Plagueis summoned a very dark Soul Eater with his right claw and slashed it at Fizzlepop sending her flying back and landing on the ground causing great pain on her pain. “Fizzlepop!” Shouted Mickey worriedly. The king looked at Tempest Plagueis and saw him raising his left claw out to him and flicked his claw fingers making dark ghostly chains appear from the ceiling as they wrapped around Mickey sending him up to the ceiling trapping him. “Mickey!” Exclaimed Riku worriedly. Riku turned towards Plagueis and summoned his Keyblade before charging towards him. But before he could even stop him, more dark chains appeared and wrapped around him sending him to join with his mouse friend. The chains did the same with Fizzlepop after that. The three struggled to break free, but it was no use. The chains were far too strong for them to break free. Plagueis looked up at the three helpless heroes before laughing evilly. “Foolish pony and Keyblade Masters. Think you could defeat me? Why would you think of such thing?” The three glared down at the evil hippogriff. “But don’t worry, I’m not gonna hurt you. I’m just gonna place you in a dungeon where I once trained to become a Tempest warrior, just for a trap I have planned for young Silverstream. Seeing that she’ll most likely escape with the young colt by the time I’m through with you.” Fizzlepop’s glare turned into a shock and worried look as Plagueis smirked evilly at her before flying up towards her and the two getting ready to place them in the dungeon at the training room. Fizzlepop let out a small scared gasp and shouted worriedly, “NOOOOOOO!!!!” Outside the Storm Kingdom, the Young five were outside near the castle. They looked at the castle and saw how scary it looks from the outside and knowing what the inside might look like. Ocellus shook in fear before saying, “I can’t imagine what scary things might be inside the castle.” “Yona agree with Ocellus,” agreed Yona. “Come on, guys,” said Gallus, “We can’t turn back and get scared by the things inside the castle. We have to be brave. Remember, it’s Lightning Twister and Silverstream we’re saving here.” “Right,” said Smolder while giving the griffon a nod. “You’re right, we have to save them,” said Ocellus in a now serious tone, “We have to save them no matter what scares us.” “Let’s do this!” Sandbar said in a serious look. “For Lightning and Silverstream!” Shouted Yona quietly as the five started to make their way into the castle. Inside the dungeon, Silverstream was gently stroked Lightning’s mane while the poor colt cried quietly in Silverstream’s fur chest. “Shhh...it’s okay, Lightning sweetie,” she said quietly in his ear, “It’s alright. I’ve got you.” Lightning slowly looked up to the kind hippogriff as tears still rolled down his face. “H-he was y-your u-uncle. W-why d-did he betray y-you?” Silverstream gently placed her right claw on his mane while placing her left claw on his hoof before answering, “Because he thought that joining The Storm King would save our race. But Aunt Novo knew it wouldn’t. But he still joined him and grew too much to his ruling that he became what he is now, a Tempest warrior. He’s no uncle of mine. That’s why I refuse to join him. It’s not the way to save everycreature.” Lightning continued to sadly look at Silverstream with tears still coming down his face. Silverstream gently brushed the tears while looking at her poor little brother. They continued to look at each other until a new voice was heard near them. “Oh, fellow hippogriff!” Silverstream and Lightning looked to where the second door was and saw a black coated figure with his hoof on walking towards them. It was The Master of Masters again. He stopped near them and just looked at them. “I see you made your way into the Storm Kingdom castle, but uh...unlike most travellers, you’ve survived. Heh.” MoM suddenly saw the young colt in front of Silverstream. “Oh, a young pony.” Silverstream quickly covered Lightning with her talon arm thinking he was gonna do something to him, “No no no, don’t hide him!” He continued to look at the colt, “That would explain why you refuse to leave this place.” “Who are you?” Silverstream asked while moving her talon arm away from her brother. MoM just looked at the hippogriff before answering, “Well, I know I had this before so I’m just gonna make this easy for you. I’m not Xehanort, I’m someone who trains young Keyblade wielders to become good Masters. That’s why I call myself, The Master of Masters. But that’s not really my real name. I’m not allowed to say it.” “You trained Keyblade wielders?” “Oooh!” MoM went over to the two and sat next to Silverstream, “I trained many wielders. But yes, and that Xehanort, ohhh. He was only young, when he saw lots of darkness in each world he visited. He even wanted to side with it.” “And you just let him do that?” Silverstream asked confusedly. Master of Masters gave a two second thought on that question. “Well I did try to tell him that he could make a change since he believes the world needs him, but he still decided to side with the darkness. There’s no other way to make him change his mind about it. And by the looks of things, he got himself into big trouble after disobeying the rules of time travel.” Silverstream let out a soft sigh before looking back at Lightning. “Yeah, it would seem so after we defeated him. But...there is one reason why I came in here for Lightning.” “Ohhhh? Tell me more.” “When I first met Lightning with my other friends, I couldn’t help but hug him because of how cute he was. After he told us his story about Fluttershy being his adoptive mother, I felt bad and sorry for what has happened to his real mother and what his cruel father had done to him. It also made me angry for how he treated him, along with Cozy Glow did to him in the caves beneath the school and trying to make him her king. Especially that shadow ghost of Storm King scaring him when we found him. And everything we’ve been through together, the good times, I treated him more than just a friend, I treated him more like a little brother. I loved him and cared for him like he was part of my family as well as Fluttershy’s and the others. And I enjoy being a big sister to him.” MoM was surprised by this. “Ohh, never seen or heard that one before. A young hippogriff letting a young colt be a part of her family? What made you wanna be his big sister in the first place?” “Because, after everything he’s been through and still have fear of thunder storms and that so called father of his, I wanna be there for him whenever Fluttershy can’t at the time. And since he’s the only colt born from his real mother, he deserves to have a big sister to be there for him.” The Master of Masters couldn’t argue with that, so he stood back up while saying, “Well I can’t argue with that. Seems that you know exactly what you’re doing.” Silverstream continued to look at the colt before slowly and gently rubbing his mane. “Although,” she continued on, “I can’t help but fear I have to leave him soon when he grows up, marries Smolder and goes on to live on the good life he now has. I love him with all my heart, but I don’t know if I will leave him when the time does come.” “Hmmm...” was all MoM had to say before Silverstream and Lightning looked at him and saw he had his hands behind his back. “No. You’ll be with him forever.” Silverstream was somehow confuse by this. “What do you mean?” “I mean that in the future, you’ll still be his big sister. And if he and Smolder have kids in the future, you’ll be their, what you Equestria creatures call, foalsitter. And you’ll never have to feel worried about leaving your little brother again. Me, on the other hand, I’m too much of a scaredy cat to ever see my wielders again after saying I will disappear one day, which I have, but not exactly like gone for life yet.” Silverstream turned back to Lightning and grew a small happy smile on her face once more. “Yeah,” She said happily, “As long as Lightning continues to feel happy whenever we’re around him, I don’t have to feel worried about leaving him. And with that, I believe it’s time for us to actually break out of here and head on home!” “That may have to wait till later on,” said Master of Masters. Silverstream looked at him with a confuse look on her face. “Huh?” “After you ran off to save your brother, the princess of friendship asked three of her friends to come here and rescue you two in case you get in any sort of trouble.” MoM pretending to try remember their names as he tapped his zip with his finger, “Now what were their names? Riku, Mickey and Tempest Shadow, was it?” Silverstream and Lightning were shocked by this. Riku, Mickey and Fizzlepop went all the way here to help rescue poor Lightning. “Riku, Mickey and Fizzy are here in the castle?” Lightning asked. “They arrived a few minutes ago,” answered Master of Masters, “However Tempest Plagueis has captured and locked them in the dungeon in the training room so that you do escape and rescue them, he’ll try to get you to join him again.” Silverstream was so not amused by this. “That hippogriff just don’t know when to give up.” “But don’t worry,” the black coated man said, “You’ll be able to save them.” “How though?” Silverstream asked, “Plagueis is much too strong for us to defeat him.” “That’s why I’m here,” replied MoM before placing his right hand out. Just then, a Keyblade magically appeared in his right hand. It looked exactly like Lightning’s Keyblade only it’s in pink this time to match Silverstream’s fur. The two looked at the Keyblade in shock before Master of Masters walked towards Silverstream while turning his hand round so the hippogriff can hold it in her right claw. “Here, take it,” He said politely while holding the Keyblade near her. Silverstream slowly took the Keyblade out of his hand and held in her claw while looking at it. MoM reached his hand out and flicked his fingers magically making the dungeon door on the left slide up open allowing the two to escape and rescue their friends. Master of Masters then flicked his fingers again at the chain around Lightning and they magically opened up and flew on the ground letting the colt go free. Lightning looked at Master of Masters and kindly said, “Thanks.” “Anytime, kiddo.” Silverstream gently helped Lightning onto her back before saying, “Let’s go, cutie. The others need our help.” Lightning gave her a nod before she ran out of the dungeon and towards the training room while Master of Masters watching them go with his hands behind his back. “May your heart be your guiding key.”