9. That Promise 300 Years Ago

Planet Poké

"Oh… my… gosh!…" Darcy gasped with the greatest joy. "I'm on Pokémon Planet! ! Sunni's gonna be SOOO jealous when I tell her I got here first!"

"Ha har har!" Lucario chuckled softly. "I'm sure she will. But that will have to wait awhile. You have a very important task ahead of you."

"Wh…What kind of task?"

"Darcy Chariton…" He threw a sash of Pokéballs at Darcy's feet, "it's time for you to begin your Pokémon Journey!"

An awkward silence followed. Darcy was at a loss for words. This was her destiny. And it came, hit her in the face just like that. If only she had time to comprehend it…

"HAAAAA ha ha haaaa! I'm just kidding!" laughed Lucario. "As long as this story is, we really don't have time for a *** Pokémon Journey! Ahhh… gotta make yourself laugh, ya know."

"…..Thank….. GOD…." Darcy felt a huge sense of relief fly off of her.

"Ha ha, yes… but you do have an important job here. With the Apocalypse dawning near, all species are in danger, including the Pokémon. And I sense the ones who kidnapped your mother are bringing chaos here as well."

"So what about the Pokémon?"

"Ahh, the New Universe just cannot be without Pokémon! These were the very first creatures created by the gods! They were the original benders and have the greatest connections to the elements than any. Such amazing creatures…"

"I thought dragons were the original benders."

"PAH HA HA HA HA HA HA HA—don't be ridiculous, Darcy. But if there is to be a New World, that cannot happen without the legacy of the Pokémon to continue. They must be saved, must be allowed a chance to survive."

"Right, so I'll just build an ark, get 2 of each Pokémon; maybe have to establish some mating rules, and judging by the sheer amount of them, that'll take a lot of math to determine the size of the ark, so we may also have to buy a lot of—"

"That duty will not fall onto you now. You do wish to aid your sister in her destiny, right?"

"Well yes, of course I—wait, what destiny?"

"Sunni must go on a journey of self-dependence, in order to better herself for the trials ahead. But you will be able to help her. Your father and I have talked it over, and we believe it is in your best interest to study the Element Arts."

"You mean I got other elements besides psychic? Is that why I'm bad at it?"

"No. But according to your father, you were very proficient in your martial arts classes. Almost each element has a martial art that ordinary humans can master and produce the illusion of bending an element. Chris Uno mastered Fire Kung-Fu as an extra defense measure should his bending be disabled, and your father is skilled in all arts."

"And the reason I'm learning it is… 'cause I'm bad at psychicbending." Darcy deduced doubtfully.

"You will master your element on your own time, but when times call for it, you must focus on what you excel at, not waste time perfecting an art you would need time and patience to master. I'm sorry to say, by the end of this month, we expect Sunni to be far more powerful than you at psychic… but you will have skills she does not have, and your strength will be used to aid each other when required."

"'kay, so, who'm I learning it from?"

"The Pokémon. Throughout the world are many gyms whose leaders favor a certain type of Pokémon. Not only do they train them to become stronger, the trainers learn from them as well. They form bonds with their Pokémon so that they may teach them what they know. While the trainers are not born with chi, the Pokémon teach them other ways to manipulate the elements. With this illusion of element mastery, the trainers feel closer than ever with their Pokémon. That is why we must save them. So the new generation may have those bonds as well."

"Well… then my journey of self-discovery begins now. ..Lead the way."

"Certainly." Lucario dashed across the fields as Darcy followed.

"Oh wait, what about the Pokéballs?"

"Those're just decoratives."

"Oh."

Gallagher Elementary

When the bus came to stop beside the schoolyard, the children were eager to head out. Their immediate destination was the playground, where dozens of kids were already roaming freely. "I'll be right there, Saraaaaah!" the blonde girl sang, rolling her backpack faster as she ran. "Lemme just hide my stuff!" She headed behind the jungle gym, lay her backpack down, and rushed away to join her friends.

Their tiny arms close to snapping, Team Rupert panted and stretched to relieve the stiffness after letting go of the bag. "At least we have some time to rest." Rupert gasped. "Why's everyone outside…"

"It's close to summer, so everyone gets extra pre-school recess." Timmy answered. "Principal Rachel's orders."

"Well, that's good!" Rupert beamed. "Maybe we can find Jessie in all this!"

"Yeah! And his MAAAAGIC kiss will CHANGE us back to normal!" Hikari proclaimed with hearts around her face.

"Hehe… none for me, thanks." Rupert sweatdropped. "Let's just find 'im before they go in." (Play "Perplexing Pool" from Pikmin 2.)

Stage 15: Iron Plains

Mission: Look for First Grade President Jessie.

Rupert, Timmy, and Hikari called 15 Red Pikmin, 15 Yellows, 13 Blues, 20 Pinks, 10 Whites, and 10 Purples, making 83. Their journey across the concrete plains would first require them to pass the gigantic jungle gym, the sun almost completely blocked by the huge metal poles. It became a maze since footballs, toys, or rocks were lain between poles, and within the bars, the team had to take out small groups of Dwarf Bulborbs. They came to a dead end in the maze, but noticed some green moss growing on one of the poles. "What's this stuff?" Rupert asked.

"Our dad said this jungle gym used to be an actual jungle for some reason." Timmy said. "I guess this was part of it."

"Hmm… well, it helps. Come on, Pikmin!"

The trio climbed the moss to a higher level of bars and their Pikmin stayed with them. The bars were still fairly narrow at their small sizes, so they stayed carefully along the middle and instructed their Pikmin to do the same. There were very small edges along the corners of the vertical poles, connecting other horizontals, so they struggled to squeeze their Pikmin alongside them. Swooping Snitchbugs were buzzing around the bars and swiping some Pikmin, forcing Rupert to send Wing Pikmin and wipe them out.

They noticed a series of other paths below which were enclosed, so they couldn't be accessed from the previous areas. But if they fell in, the Pikmin could grab Bomb Rocks and blow up the stones enclosing the paths, or grab bridge tiles to fix bridges leading to the previous paths, depending on where they landed. But they would open these shortcuts in time, first focusing on navigating this maze of different levels of bars. There were several moss ladders on many routes, with some leading to Pellet Posies, but others seemingly leading the right way. A huge shadow appeared to be engulfing part of the gym, and they looked up to see a boy strapped to the top of the gym by his legs and wrists, tied by rope.

The trio made their way to the top of the gym to see him struggling. "Nnn, stupid Brandon, makin' me do his dares. ISN'T ANYONE GONNA UNTIE ME? ! Ugh, I bet they left me here on purpose…"

Rupert nodded with his friends and had their Pikmin try to untie the ropes. They were tied surprisingly well, and even the Purple Pikmin couldn't help him. "Man, how else are we gonna help him?" Rupert asked.

Timmy turned a mini dial on his goggles to zoom in and view the ground below. "Hey, there's some little burning ember rocks on the ground. Dunno what they're for, but I bet they can burn off the ropes. …And over there is a pile of sticks. We could use those and make paths for the Pikmin."

"Alright, Timmy get the Red Pikmin on those embers." Rupert instructed. "Hikari, have Wing Pikmin get the sticks."

"Yokey-dokey, Artichokey!" Hikari beamed, guiding the Wings down as she glided using her sleeves. Timmy used his cape and glided to the embers, the Red Pikmin dropping after. The Wing Pikmin collected sticks and laid both sides on a low level and high level, starting from the Red Pikmin. Once they finished, the Reds could carry the burning embers to the kid and toss them on the ropes, eventually burning them off.

"WHOA!" He was taken by surprise, gripping the bars. "The heck just happened. …Oh well, Brandon's getting punched in the face!" He climbed off quickly and ran to find his, er, acquaintance.

Right away, Rupert noticed a squished, black object on the bar under where the kid's butt was planted. Rupert approached and discovered it was an Onion, which rose to life and floated to the ground on the other side of the gym. He, Timmy, and Hikari made their way to that area to find a seed sprout out. They plucked that seed and discovered the new Pikmin.

You discovered Rock Pikmin! They may seem like ordinary stones, but these little guys are as durable as boulders! They can't latch on and repeatedly bash enemies, but pack quite a punch if you throw them at enemies! And no one likes rocks being thrown at your glass, but if that glass happened to be blocking your way, it's something I'd recommend. ;)

"Awwwww! Look at his wittle eeeeyes!" Hikari cooed.

"This one's kinda different." Timmy observed.

Rupert saw the standing glass shard behind the Onion, blocking their path. He grabbed the Rock Pikmin and tossed it several times against the glass, eventually breaking it. "Hmm… let's work on making more first."

For the next several minutes, they worked on opening the shortcuts leading back to the Onions, and sending 5 Wing Pikmin back in. They brought their Rock Pikmin and had it collect some pellets around the area, and later harvested 10 Rock Pikmin, making 88 total. Within the maze, there was a blue coin (Tricky Buggah) encased inside a crystal, which they could break with the Rock Pikmin. They had the Pikmin carry it back before finally proceeding to the field where the dozens of titanic kids roamed.

Compared to the forest or the beach, the playground seemed like a lot more open area, few walls protecting certain paths. "So where's President Jessie, anyway?" Rupert asked.

"I dunno. But they let us in gym during recess, too. He could be in there." Timmy mentioned.

"Let's look for treasures first."

Roaming the playground were Decorated Cannon Beetles, big red beetles with round, open mouths. They spat round boulders at the trio which homed in on them, but they could easily beat them by separating from the Pikmin and tricking the boulders into rolling back against the beetles. It took 7 Pikmin to carry each one, so they let the Yellows have one, Blues, and Rocks. There were so many areas of the playground to explore, but they first noticed a group of four kids at the basketball court, jumping over and over to try and knock their stuck ball out of the basket.

The ball looked too smooth and slippery, and too big for the Wing Pikmin to grab, so they would look for a solution. They did notice a boy boredly sitting on the low end of a seesaw a few feet away from the court (miles at Pikmin size). "Siiiigh… when's Chelsea getting back so we can just ride this thing?" he said annoyedly.

The trio further explored the playground to solve these endless dilemmas. They noticed an enormous, overweight brown-skinned child in a red T-shirt and blue shorts, on his back at the base of a makeshift mountain that led onto the playground. The boy grew as tall as a mountain himself as the team made it up to him.

"Siiiigh… I wish I could stand up and move, but Ah'm just so darn fat. Oh bother…" With that, Cleveland Jr. proceeded to eat a Hershey bar.

Team Rupert exchanged glances and sent their Purple Pikmin on the boy. It took 120 Pikmin to carry him, so their 10 Purples, 10 Whites, and 10 Reds made enough to do so. "Hehe hehe! You silly ants, I'm not a tasty snack!"

The Pikmin carried the overweight boy to the seesaw, stopping beside the end that was up. The Pikmin squatted up and down, charging momentum, before finally tossing Jr. straight onto the other end. The force created by his weight caused the other boy to fly straight to the basketball court. "WHOOOOoooaa!" He went right in the net and forced the ball out, his face smashing on the ground.

The players ran over to see if he was all right, the boy's nose bloody and a hole left in the ground. "Whoa, dude! You totally broke the ground!"

"Let's take you to the nurse.." The boys kindly led him away, allowing Team Rupert to safely approach the newly opened hole.

"Wow… that looks pretty deep." Rupert noticed.

"Yeah, and it looks like it goes a long way." Timmy said, scanning with his goggles. "But there could be some stuff down there."

"Uhhh… let's focus on the main stage first. Maybe we'll come back for 'em."

They saw that Junior dropped his Hershey Bar (True Purity) and had their Pikmin return it to the Onions. Once back there, they plucked the new Pikmin they got from the Cannon Beetles, then decided to do some reorganizing: they took 20 Reds, 20 Pinks, 20 Blues, 10 Yellows, 10 Purples, 10 Whites, and 10 Rocks. They returned to the playground, recalling their reason for coming here as they searched for Jessie. It didn't appear the president was anywhere, so their next best option was the gym.

"Only one problem, the teachers keep the gym doors locked, you gotta head around the hallways." Timmy mentioned.

"WHAT?! That'll take FOREVER!" Rupert shouted.

"WELL, there IS the hall monitor, who gets access to all the keys in the school. We could find him and take the gym key." Hikari noted.

"I think this week's is Pig-Pen. Oh, there he is now!" Timmy pointed at a boy sitting atop a stone turtle, and it appeared a thin cloud of smoke surrounded his horribly dirty form. "They picked him 'cause no one wants to be caught by him. Guess why? Hehehehehe!"

"Euh… we better use our White Pikmin for this." knew Rupert. But now was a matter of getting onto the turtle where he sat. He noticed the two girls spinning hoolihoops around their waists, and lined with them were two trampolines, a larger and smaller one, at the end of a playground slide. "I have an idea, but it's gonna be pretty tricky. Follow me." Rupert led them to the Makeshift Mountain and climbed enough stable slopes in order to eventually climb to the playground. Crawling about the mountain were plenty of Dweevils, colorful four-legged spiders that each possessed an element power, depending on the color. The Pikmin were eager to attack them, even though they didn't attack first, so the kids frantically tried to call them back. In the confusion, five Blue Pikmin were shocked to death by an Anode Dweevil, so finally annoyed, they decided to chuck their Purples onto the spiders and take them out faster.

They allowed their Blues, Purples, and Rocks to haul them back, each getting two Dweevils, since they were pretty light. They finally made it onto the playground and carefully navigated the giant holes-whose-reason-for-existence-we-would-never-know. They had to cross a bridge in order to reach the slide, but two Puffy Blowhogs were floating around it. They threatened to blow the kids and Pikmin into the holes and onto the concrete several hundred feet below, so Hikari gracefully leaped across the holes with the Wing Pikmin and sent them on the Blowhogs, 10 for each. The friends hurried along with their Pikmin keeping between the holes, except a few Rocks and Yellows who slipped and dropped down. With the Wings distracting the Blowhogs, the kids made it to the slide, where some boys rolled a rubber ball down, let it bounce on the small trampoline, to the big one, and to the hoolihoop girls as they flung it away. "I think you guys know what we gotta do." Rupert said.

"I'm gonna be sick." groaned Timmy.

So they sent their other Pikmin below the playground, took only the Whites and Purples, and whooshed down the slide. Bounced off the mini trampoline, used their Purples to add force to the larger so they could bounce off it, and flew to the hoolihoop girls before grabbing tighter than they ever grabbed onto one's hoop. It was like a ride at an amusement park, the world only a blur around them, and their flesh seconds from flying off. "I-I-I think I see it. . .. Let go!"

They couldn't release any faster on Rupert's cue, flying directly for the stone turtle's neck. Seconds after, the girls dropped their hoops to take a break. "Let's go somewhere else, Leslie." One of them said. "Those boys keep throwing stuff at us."

"Yeah, let's… ewwww!" When Leslie picked up her hoop, her hand touched a spot with small goop. "There's some kinda stuff on it!"

Timmy grinned sheepishly. He couldn't hold his dinner in. So with that, they trekked up to the towering body of stench known as Pig-Pen, already having to clamp hands over their noses. He sat on the turtle like a horsy, so his legs spread to either side, forcing them to walk along the edge of the turtle and get behind him. A key that read 'Gym' stuck out of his back pocket, so they marched up to get it. Their White Pikmin had to first cut the weak stitching of his pocket, digging at it like it was ground, until the key fell out. All 10 Pikmin hoisted the key and began their journey to the gym doors. The trio dropped down the turtle as Rupert sent Timmy to get back the fallen playground Pikmin, and Hikari to get the Onion Pikmin. It also seemed the Wings finished brawling the Blowhogs and were collecting their fill.

Rupert followed the White Pikmin to the gym door. Unfortunately, there was no way onto the huge step before the door, and even if they could, the keyhole was a thousand stories above, and the Wing Pikmin couldn't touch the gassy key. However, near the corner of the step appeared to be cracked, making Rupert wish they had one of those Bomb Rocks. He called the Pikmin to drop the key before hurrying to reunite with his friends. After explaining the dilemma, they searched the park for possible Bomb Rocks, discovering a pair of giant shorts lain into a puddle. They deduced some bully stole a kid's shorts and decided to get them wet. But conveniently, Bomb Rocks stuck out of the back pocket, so they sent their Blues down to get 'em out of the liquid.

With that, they headed for the step and tossed three bombs beside the cracked part, successfully blowing it up and creating a hill of rubble to lead 'em onto the step. Now was the matter of getting the key to the door, but it seemed that problem would be answered when the chubby gym coach marched up and noticed the key "discarded" on the step. "Damn it. Sigh, Pig-Pen needs some new pants if he's gonna keep droppin' stuff. Oh well, might as well open it." Not at all seeing the tinies, she grabbed the key and unlocked the door, heading inside and leaving the door open.

"Lucky!" said Rupert, and the friends eagerly led their Pikmin in the gym. (End song.)

The sound was far more ringing in their ears, dozens of children scampering about the flat, polished gym floor, the stomping of their sneakers, bouncing of basketballs, the eventual earsplitting whistle, all mixed into a cluster of booming sounds that made audible conversation impossible. "DO YOU GUYS SEE JESSIE ANYWHEEEEERE?" screamed Rupert.

"I DON'T KNOW. THERE'S TOO MANY PEOPLE. THE PRESIDENTS' OFFICES AREN'T FAR FROM HERE, LET'S GO THERE AND WAIT FOR HIM." Timmy replied.

"WHAT IF WE GET SQUIIIIISHED?" screamed Hikari.

"JUST WALK WHERE THERE AREN'T MANY PEOPLE. BESIDES, SOMEONE HAS TO NOTICE A HUNDRED FLOWER THINGS RUNNING AROUND THE FLOOR."

But as it happened, in all this activity occurring about the gym floor, not one noticed an army of tiny, colorful ants skittering across their floor. The kids ducked with great horror when a basketball bounced over them and off the wall, and two kids in mountain-size sneakers skipped over them in their mission to grab it. Next, three kids were on their bellies on square-shaped skateboards, rolling around the gym floor as the team ducked with pure fright, safely right under the boards as they flew by, but 5 Reds, 4 Yellows, and 3 Purples were squished. "Oh crap—JUST RUUUUUN!" They booked it with all the remaining strength in their legs. Every kind of hazard threatened to smoosh them, basketballs, rogue hoolihoops, kids just running around like idiots, there was no safe haven in this gym.

But when they felt their legs giving out, Timmy saw someone that sparked him with relief. "HEY!! LOOK! IT'S JOEY!" Indeed, the black-haired Beatles child was innocently building blocks outside a corner doorway. So with even more strength to run, they rushed to the 5-year-old. "Heeeeeey! Joeeeeeey!" Arceus knows if their voices were heard in all of that chaos..

But all of that chaos suddenly silenced when the hallway doors burst open, a gang of fourth-graders stomping in with furious expressions. "ALL RIGHT you squirts, what'd you do with our princess?!"

"Huh? Princess?" questioned Rupert.

"WHADDYOU mean??" a first-grade boy yelled.

"Princess Shelly ain't in 'er office and no one's seen 'er! And we KNOW you shrimps are mad at her for beatin' your boss!"

"Hey, OUR boss is missing, too!!" another boy shouted. "We think you BIG KIDS mighta taken 'im!"

"Oh yeah?!" the fourth-grade leader stomped up and got in his face. "PROVE it!"

"YOU PROVE IT!"

"Grrrrrrrr!"

"Both of them are missing?" Joey asked himself as Rupert's team was struggling to climb to his very top block. "What coulda happened?"

The tinies finally made it and began jumping, "Joey! Joey! We know what happened! Look at uuuuuus!"

"You know what I ain't liking your TONE, Shortstuff!" yelled the older boy as his friends got beside him. "YOU kids are gettin' your afternoon wedgies EARLY!"

"BRING IT ON, Stinkbreath!" yelled the younger as those of his age got beside him. "We're throwin' YOU in the basket!"

"Uh-oh. This ain't gonna end well." Joey said worriedly. "Someone better do something."

"YOU CAN DO SOMETHING JOEY IF YOU JUST LOOK DOOOOOOWN!"

"You guys, stoooop!" a 2nd-grade girl rushed in. "Molly said she saw Shelly at the beach, she was kidnapped by BIGGER kids!"

"You mean the… MIDDLE-schoolers?!" the fourth-graders gasped.

"They probably took Jessie, too!!" a first-grader panicked.

"But what the heck do THEY want?!"

"Well, whatever it is, WE'RE taking them BACK!!" a scrawny 4th-grader fist-palmed.

"Go up against big kids?" the 2nd-grader asked.

"Well THEY started it! Everyone get your bikes ready, WE ride to Hendry Middle School AT DAAAAAWWWWN!"

"Uhhh it is dawn."

"AT LUUUUUNNNNCH!" And there was a sudden scrambling to get out of the gym.

"Uh-oh. Better find the kindergarteners." So grabbing his blocks haphazardly, Joey rushed out.

"WAAAAH-!" And the tinies ended up hitting the floor. "HEY! Whadda 'bout US, Joey? GET BACK HERE OR I'M TELLING AUNT KUKI!!" screamed Hikari.

"You know, Cousin Artie has a grow ray." Timmy mentioned. "Maybe we can find one o' his friends."

"Maybe." Rupert said doubtfully. "Any idea where they are?"

Stage Progress: Red Pikmin: 21. Yellow Pikmin: 39. Blue Pikmin: 41. Pink Pikmin: 51. White Pikmin: 26. Purple Pikmin: 27. Rock Pikmin: 28. Total: 180.

Mexico; near Miracle City

The morning was brisk and calm over Miracle Road, a light wind blowing sand across the desert and the sky a dim pink. With all this sand blowing everywhere, Sector V couldn't keep their eyes totally open, their C.O.O.L.-B.U.S. parked on the side of the road. "This is where we last recorded the Brotherhood heading to." Aurora said.

"Why can't we fly any closer again?" asked Mason.

"Because we don't want those Brotherhooders to know we're coming." Haylee replied. "Granted, we could totally smoke them if they did, just to be safe."

"Not really. Shouldn't one of us stay behind to watch Sheila?" Harry asked, glancing at the bus where their raccoon friend was still conked out. "At least try ta get 'er up, 'cause Lord knows without her crazy power, we might as well be…"

"…Hu?" But it was then that Sheila peeped awake, immediately getting to her feet and bursting out the door. "YOU AREN'T STARTING THE ADVENTURE WITHOUT ME, ARE YOU?!"

"She's awaaaaaake!" Haruka cheered.

"'ey now, can't I take a snooze for 2 minutes without me mates ditchin' me on the deck?" Sheila smirked, facing the road with excitement. "Ay, me legs feel all stiff and sleepy! You blokes don't mind if I go out fer a quick run, do ya?"

"Hn hn, not at all." Aurora chuckled.

"Strewth! Don't fall behind, you lot!" (Play "Mariachi Madness" from Rayman Legends!)

Stage 16: Miracle City

Mission: Locate the Brotherhood of Evil's hideout.

Act 1: Miracle Road

Sheila rushed across the windy desert as many lines of Lums slid past her path, having to jump or sidestep to grab them all before they passed. The tiny grains of sand blowing in the breeze obstructed her vision, but she would keep running forward 'til she got where she wanted. And though probly no one was seeing him, Murfy was there to help collect Lums or press those Eye Switches. And once a few miles across the desert, Skelopedes began appearing in attempt to snack Sheila; large centipedes with pink, skeletal bodies. She managed to jump them when they came, but now skeletons in sombreros were riding them as well, forcing Sheila to kick them away in mid-leap.

A team of five Skelopedes launched out to snack her, but Sheila passed a convenient Shrink Fairy and shrunk down, narrowly dodging the bugs. She came to a cliff and ran down a clothesline into a village below, jumping further clotheslines and swinging off clothes. "Baje de mi ropa!" An angry villager pushed open his wood window and flung Sheila across the street, where she landed on a passing horse carriage and jumped to hit a Grow Fairy, zapping to normal. She ran down a narrow alleyway and hopped atop some fruit stands, following the Lums. "Si usted toca mis cortinas, te voy a matar!" Angry villagers pushed open windows for Sheila to then jump across, followed by fountains of "Horchataaaa!" streaming from machines.

She grabbed and slid down a clothesline to a cactus field, hopping across safe platforms as well as giant sandworms. She swung a Purple Lum real quick before jumping a sandworm into a cliffside cave, then came out on the other side where she jumped more sandworms. Then with great precision, she flipped up a stairway of Airplane Doomtoons to a Hoodlum blimp, kicking off a Hoodmonger and down a deep, vast cliffside in which she softened the descent with her tail propeller, letting the wind breeze her face. Once at the bottom, she punched a Heckler away before continuing running. "Olé!"

The rest of the road was fairly normal until she made it to the gates of the town. She skidded to a halt to catch her breath, and grin at the camera.

"Adequate job, Sheila." Haruka remarked after the others caught up. "You enjoy your nap?"

"I' was orright. But me legs still need a bit o' waking up."

"Let us handle a bit, Sheila." Dillon told her. "I wouldn't mind a few scores with the Brotherhooders myself." (Play "Fiesta de los Muertos" from Rayman Legends.)

Act 2: Ciudad de los Trastornos

Dillon marched casually across the first city street, where it appeared strange, red-eyed skeletons in black clothes and sombreros were patrolling. A gang of them charged up and tried scratching Dillon with their long, boney claws, getting his shirt scratched as he dodged and stretched Mario to punch them. About 10 skeletons ganged on him, but after tearing them to pieces, the severed bones were determined and bouncing back to him. "Like father, like son, still hopeless." Midna said, getting in Dillon's shadow. "Do the shockwave." Dillon stretched a shadowy circle to catch all the skeletons inside, so Mario could zip around and tear 'em to even lesser shreds.

The further main road was blocked by a huge pile of flaming debris, leaving Dillon to only take a rightward alley. "Help me." A tiny squeak caught his ears, and he searched around for its source. Behind one of the food stands was an Electoon cage; not that he knew what these were, but they were helpless and trapped, so Dillon broke the cage open. With that, he continued down the alleyway and turned a left corner, where the alley was just a bottomless chasm with wooden pegs around the walls. Dillon stretched his shadow's arms to grab and swing the distant pegs, eventually reaching a safe land. He jumped up a pile of stacked garbage cans and got onto the rooftops where some Sky Guys began shooting slingshots at him. Dillon shot them down with his G.U.M.Z.O.O.K.A. and found his way to a huge chasm, where the ground was destroyed, exposing many rivers of what seemed like acid.

A few platforms were spread over the chasm which Dillon could fly to using Shadow Glide, though with a few Sky Guys threatening to shoot 'im down, he had to take care of them with the G.U.M.Z.O.O.K.A. first. He soon glided to a very unstable ledge before the backdoor of a windowless building. Dillon used Shadow Veil to slide under the door and find himself in a bakery, the pungent smell of colorful cakes hitting his nose; though from what he could observe, the ingredients being forced in the machines didn't make him want one. This small, steaming room was sealed, but a metal slide near the ceiling was pouring ingredients into a cauldron, with conveniently-horizontal cookies coming down to let him hop up. However, he was far too big to do so, but it seemed a jar on a shelf was containing a Shrink Fairy. Dillon sent Mario to open the cage, the fairy sprinkling magic dust on him to zip him down to size.

Dillon climbed a sack of flour onto a table beside the cauldron, carefully walking around its edge to reach the waterfall of dough. He jumped his way up the cookie platforms, then did the same once up at the slide, into the dark tunnel where it originated. He made it into a kitchen chamber where he hopped off the cookies above a row of cabinets. The cabinet roofs were pretty clear, but Dillon unfortunately walked onto a weak patch and plummeted into it. At the same time, the cabinet opened as a chef with a huge black mustache began searching it intently, with Dillon having to hide behind a series of giant food and condiments as he made his way across.

He walked up a slanted stick of celery onto a series of cans, having to glide to each one with Shadow Glides, but using Veil whenever the chef glanced over. He finally took land on a particular gold can, which the chef took out of the cabinet with a grabber and carried it off. He passed a movable shelf of cupcakes which Dillon quickly floated onto. Trapped within a maze of house-size cupcakes, Dillon decided to make his way to the top for a better view. After maneuvering around the maze, he found a ladder on one of the corner poles to fulfill this task. "Help me." But hearing the squeaky cry again, Dillon climbed down first, seeing Electoons trapped in a wooden cage. A spray can containing Super Spice stood beside them, close enough for Dill to Wall Jump between it and a cage bar. Once on top of the can, he bounced on it several times before it sprayed, severely scorching the wood bar until the cage fell open.

The (large) creatures walked free while Dillon returned to the ladder and climbed to the shelf's 3rd floor. It unfortunately wouldn't go any higher, so he explored the cupcake maze and found a ladder leading onto one of the delicacies; made of dripped icing that was hardened. He made it onto and began trudging the thick, colorful icings, and knew more than ever he would need a bath after this. Also, there appeared to be Caterpie digging around these cakes, so Dillon had to trudge through fast to avoid being snacked. Eventually, he found a rope of hardened dough hanging from the next shelf, so Dillon jumped to and grabbed it to climb up.

The fourth, top shelf had a melted cupcake which he could walk onto like a slope, letting him glide to the center one whose icing spiraled into a point like a Christmas Tree. After walking around and up this spiral (solid icing), he made it to the cherry on top, at level with an oscillating fan hanging from the ceiling that was blowing its scent into an air duct. Using Shadow Glide, Dillon blew into the vent as well, all the way outside where a Grow Fairy zapped him back to normal. "Well, that was an utter waste." he said. "Any idea where I should go now?"

Midna came out. "Well, think: what place in any city could possibly be big enough to hold a hundred supervillains?"

"The… prison?"

"Or the library. Whichever fits."

And across this surprisingly-lush green courtyard stood the Miracle City Mint. Though when Dillon walked in, mutant vegetables and fruit monsters arose from the grass, hungry for some shadowbender. With Midna's help, he stretched a Shadow Shockwave and had Mario fly around and snack them all, but his shadow soon stopped and hacked the horrible foods out of his mouth. Seems like Gramma Stuffum was using this town's ingredients. He tried to Shadow Possess several of the fruits and merely strangle them, but his now-sickened shadow wasn't up to the task. He whipped put his G.U.M.Z.O.O.K.A. and tried to blow through them, hurrying through the yard and to the prison.

He thought he would have to Shadow Veil under the backdoor, but he was merely able to take the handle, and pull it open. This first hall had many open or half-closed cells, where an assortment of vicious, hairy thugs were chatting about or playing cards, discussing what they'd be robbing today, the most efficient secret exits, and which guards they just pranked or harassed today. This was truly the greatest prison Dillon ever did see. When Dillon turned a left corridor, a large, bear-like criminal called El Oso charged down the hall shouting in anger, Dillon quickly Veiling to avoid his wrath. He carefully progressed forward, Veiling again when El Oso made a loop and charged for him the same way. But by then, Mario was tired and still sickened by the poison fruit, so when El Oso came for him again, Chris Uno leaped from over Dillon and smashed the villain's head with a flaming foot.

"Thought you might need some help goin' in here." he said. "Mario not get enough sleep?"

"Ate some bad veggies. Anyway, the Brotherhood's gotta be close by."

"I dunno. This place feels a little too open."

The double-doors ahead were amazingly locked, so Chris ignited a blowtorch on his finger and burned through the lock. A storm of furious screams hit their ears as they opened the cafeteria, where hundreds of criminals ran like wild animals. Chris jumped in front of Dillon and started punching flames every which way, and when the criminals started charging at them, Chris erupted a great flaming wall which he pushed, stretched out, and scorched any criminal in its wake. "I exhausted nearly all my juice tryin' to beat up some pots-and-pans knight. You don't think I can beat you all in a QUARTER of that time?"

"Well, he certainly has it covered." Midna said while she and Dillon only watched Chris storm around and burn every villain with soot.

"At least he don't need to rely on anyone for his bending." Dillon replied, glancing at Mario holding his stomach.

Within about 5 minutes, Chris was done wasting every rampaging low-life in the room, leaving one bearded inmate whose neck he grabbed. "'ey, Mane! You no fight fair! No one in Miracle City ever gets any bending, Mane!"

"Then it won't be hard finding those that stand out. Seen about a hundred supervillains who, uh, look like they're from somewhere else?"

"I dunno, Mane! I was jus' gonna go to the arcade with the money I stole las' night. The only hundred villains I know, well, make regular visits here."

"Any non-Mexicans?"

"Tha's racist, Mane."

"Never mind." So he punched the man and knocked him out.

"If you were gonna do the Batman thing, I shoulda done that." Dillon said with disbelief.

"You weren't the one that whooped all their butts. Now let's go." All other doors were locked, so the two looked around until Chris pulled a strange lever beside a door.

"WHOA!!" A chandelier came down and almost crushed Dillon. "Watch it, buddy!!"

"Hey, you can get up now, right?" Chris noted.

"I coulda flew up."

"Really?"

But the look of Dillon's shadow said otherwise. "…Fine." So he got on the platform as Chris pushed the lever and let it rise him to the ceiling (then Chris just flew to the second-floor walkway using rocket boots). An Electoon cage also hung from the ceiling, which Chris took the liberty of shooting down with a fireball. Dillon swung the ceiling lights to get to the walkway before he and Chris left out a door to an outside balcony. Two teams of prisoners appeared to be playing hockey using cops tied by their arms and legs, sliding them around the floor.

"'ey, you kids wanna be our goalies? We still need two people." An inmate said.

"Umm… no thanks. You know any big villain hideouts around here?" Chris asked.

"Oh those're everywhere. The volcano, the orphanage, the elementary school, that old lady's garden…"

"One that belongs to the Brotherhood of Evil?" Dill asked.

"El Fraternidad? I no heard o' those, Mane, you ask someplace else."

"Try the volcano." Dill said, so with that, the duo hopped down the roofs and to the front yard, where they left through the open front gates. They saw the others waiting at a city street and hurried to reunite.

"So'd you find anything?" Haruka asked.

"No, but they picked a good town, though. It's like bad guys run the place." Dillon replied.

"We asked around, 'said so many bad guys run the place is 'cause of some old legend called 'El Tigre'." Harry explained. "'Say he's a legendary antihero who could never decide on the right path, but even though he stopped a bunch o' villains, he hung with them a lot, too. They have a statue of the one from 1800s, and one that was made in 2016, but they don't know why. But even though the city was already a mess, building that second one inspired criminals even more."

"This city IS a real dump." Dillon said. "Can't do any dumb shadowbending since Mario ate that fruit. I don't see why anyone'd-"

"Oh, BLIMEY!" exclaimed Sheila Frantic as she walked over, eating a bunch of churros. "This city is a BEAUT! You've got to TRY these things, mates, it's like a fiesta on my tongue!" She swallowed many in one bite.

"Sheila, you just got up, I wouldn't recommend it as a morning snack." Haru said.

"'ey, I need food in my belly, and I ain't get to eat anything after Stuffum's glop. Ay, and I feel MUY energized, mate! I feel like me ears hear a butterfly's… oh?" (End song.) Her ear indeed started twitching. A sound was sounding somewhere, somewhere not entirely visible. "…'ey, that sewer's talking." She pointed at a lid on the street.

Midna came out of Dill's shadow and peeped her eye in its hole. "…Hmm." Using her ponytail hand, she yanked it off. "I hear something, too. I'm going to see what it is." She floated down.

"Hey, I'm coming too." Dillon stated, getting into Shadow Veil as he followed.

The echoes steadily grew louder in Midna's ears, seeing a large gap broken into the sewer tunnel's wall. She found her way to a small cave after entering, and hid behind the wall as it curved left. "…and that is wah, Mah Dear, Ah would be delighted if you should join our noble cause." spoke the familiar Western accent.

"Well, Bean, if such a cataclysm is at hand, I will GLADLY join." The owner of this wicked, echoey voice was a skeleton woman with glowing red lights in her dark sockets, a red sombrero with dangling skulls, and a black dress of sparkling fabric and red edges. The gray bird known as Ying-Ying sat on a rock, and tiny Hannibal Bean beside her. "Considering the reputation of your organization, I know all of the scum of this city will not hesitate."

"Ah am counting on it." Bean bowed. "But it does mah heart well to know a lady of your stature will be joining us, Sartana de los Muertos. So Ah'm certain you will provide us much service in… what I have planned…"

"About the Apocalypse?"

"Y'see, Ah have a theory as to how to stop such an event. It requires the use of a certain Firstborn, a Firstborn that has long been set free by its Guardian."

"Yeeees, the Firstborn." Sartana spoke as though hearing of these creatures. "They were all the rage 20 years ago, if I remember. I believe the military troops who invaded this city back then were involved with them."

"In many ways." Bean rubbed some dust between his, er, "fingers." "But many attempts at locating it will be horribly wasteful, but we have other plans. First, Ah require the use of mah Yin-Yang Yo-Yos. Ah believe mah twin great-grandchildren took them into hiding after Arceus's defeat. We'd best be searchin' information outta them 'soon as possible."

"And how did you plan to do that?"

"Ah believe the answer is already in our doorway."

Midna gasped, sinking into the darkness of the cave. "Grrrrr, grrrrr…" A snarling beast was peering at her from behind. "GRAH-RAH-RAH-RAH!" The Shadow Princess was tackled from behind by Zant himself, holding Midna by the hair in his teeth as he scampered in on all fours.

"You will have to excuse dear Zant." smirked Bean. "He's not been right in the head since his stay at Brookfield Asylum. But he's an ever-loyal puppy, jus' look at 'im, sniffin' out them intruders." He spoke like an owner congratulating his puppy in baby-talk, Midna glaring at him with anger. "My, how convenient that a Firstborn falls right into our palms. No reason she shoulda come alone, right? Where're them others.."

Dillon was already slithering back to his teammates, reemerging outside. "Where's Midna?" Aurora whispered.

"She's been spotted. We better find someplace to hide, I think they're on to us."

"I hope is chocolatay." The kids looked up, hearts nearly stopping when a gigantic, green monster in a black sombrero was grinning at them with enormous teeth. "Hi." He squished them flat under his spiked ball arm.

Excess Express

A fiery orange began to fall over the horizon. Cheren looked at the time on his 4DS, reading 6:30. Looks like they would be arriving soon. Going to assassinate someone just felt so weird. And why did she want him, again? Because he was at equal level with her power? Cheren could only wonder just who or what this Head President was. Oh… but he already knew.

Mom was poking was remained of her Gorgeous Steak as Doflamingo approached her. "Your food can't get anymore dead, Mom. You seem lost in thought… fufufu."

"I find the quality of this meat sufficiently unsatisfying."

"Is what your last boyfriend said. Fufufu! You ought to save your stomach for softer things, anyway, lest that precious cast of yours give way. Please. Have some Healthy Juice." Doflamingo placed a bowl of green juice with little spaghetti inside it on Mom's table.

"Hmph. Worry about your own." She said gruffly.

"I would do nothing more! But it's only safe to tell you… you want to be heading to your room soon. We're about to… shift." And on that note, he walked toward the front of the train.

Mom casually returned to the back of the train as well. In his room, as Cheren was mindlessly twirling an arrow, Mom's sons walked in. "We had better strap in, Cheren. The train is about to shift."

"Shift?" Cheren got up and looked out the window, seeing that the train was speeding across the surface of the orange ocean, via some floatable tracks. "…WAAAAH!" And all of a sudden, the angle of his room slanted, flying him over and onto his bed while the sons pressed against the wall. The Excess Express was driving directly up a diagonal track, and when Cheren recovered and looked out the window, the sea was drawing farther and farther down below. "Whoa…" They were just shifting higher and higher, and would soon be out of the stratosphere in minutes, by the look of it. No doubt, this would be the most exclusive party he was ever going to.

Gallagher Elementary

After the park was totally clear of kids, Rupert, Timmy, and Hikari sat boredly on the edge of the gym door's step, their Pikmin behind them. "Sigh… this is hopeless." Rupert said. "With everyone rushing to go to a war, they'll never notice us."

"I know those teenagers took Shelly away, but where did Jessie go?" asked Timmy.

"I wonder if he's too upset to come?" replied Hikari with teary eyes.

"Well, at any rate… maybe we should help these kids out. You know, before they get in trouble. If only we could get into that middle school and, look around. And if he isn't in there, we gotta let them know." Rupert suggested.

"But Rupert, they're already getting ready to go." Timmy said. "Even if we hitched a ride or something, they'll be getting wedgies from all those big kids before we can search the first hallway. Let's just worry about getting back to normal.."

"Yeah… you're right."

"Ruuuuuuuppyyyyyy?" Needless to say, this echo hit both their ears.

"Wha' was that?"

"Ruuuuuuppyyyyyyy?"

Rupert's jaw nearly dropped, seeing the two cat-earred girls crawling into the park, sniffing like the animals they partly were. "HEY!! It's Lil and Berry! They're looking for me! HEEEEEEY BERRYYYYY!" He bolted off his seat and across the vast park grounds, his friends following as they waved their arms faster than they ever would. "LILAAAAC! OVER HERE, IT'S US! 'EEEEEEEY!"

Not surprisingly, their cat ears twitched, and they looked in the tinies' directions. "LOOK, Berry! It's moving flowers!" Taking particular notice of the Pikmin army, the girls scampered on all fours.

"Ha ha ha!" Rupert was exceedingly joyous, having finally been noticed after all this legwork. It would be great to finally have assistance from normal-sized people. The werekittens slowed down as Berry crept up and whiffed the tiny trio, while Lilac crawled around observing the Pikmin.

Rupert's grin was positively beaming when Berry's eyes fell on him. He braced himself for a scream of surprise, since that was expected, in the form of a 'Reooooowww'. But that look in Berry's eyes wasn't one of curiosity and shock… it was one of desire. When they turned to Lilac, a happy smile was on her face, her eyes sparkling with love. And turning back to Berry, her eyes were narrowed, licking her tongue around her sharp, dripping teeth. The same look she had when viewing tasty meat. "Uuuumm… Berry?"

"REOW!" Her giant hands flew directly at them.

"WAAAAH!" The trio dodged aside and made a run for it, the Pikmin following suit, but Lilac chomped around and swallowed 5 Reds and 4 Blues. They were much too slow, so Berry jumped in front and blocked their path. Team Rupert shifted left-and-right, left-right, but there was no getting around Berry. "AAAAAHH!!" Her giant teeth were inches from severing Rupert's head. "BERRY STOP, PLEASE!!"

He separated from his friends, taking 5 Purples and 6 Whites. Berry performed another terrific leap to block his path, so Rupert threw some Purples onto her fingers, making her wince. "Yow!" Angered, she swiped her claws at the Pikmin, but they flew over them as the wind gust knocked them down. She then aimed to snack on them- "NO! !" and Rupert jumped in front as the triangle teeth slammed on them all. Berry felt the 12 tinies on her tongue, tipping her head up to send them falling.

"WAAAAH!" Rupert nearly fell in the abyss first, but a chain of his Pikmin started from the tip of her tongue, with him dangling by his leg over Berry's throat. "B-Berry! It's me, stoooop!" The blood rushed to his head as he struggled to glance down (up), and a White Pikmin was considering letting go to choke the beast. "N-No, don't! She's still my friend, I don't wanna hurt 'er!"

"Hold on, Ruppy!" Timmy cried as he and Hikari successfully got onto Lilac's head, a chain of Pikmin connecting her two ears. They rode her like a horse and rammed her into Berry, the latter falling over as Rupert and co. flew out.

"GRRRR!" Fuming with rage, Berry pounced and pinned Rupert under her thumb-tip. The tiny boy froze with fear at those clenched fangs, his heart ready to jump out with all its beating. The last time Berry was this angry, Rupert ended up in the hospital. There would be absolutely nothing of him after this. His tiny, terrified eyes saw perfectly into Berry's bulbous, soulless eyes.

But that darkness died down in her eyes as they opened slightly. A wave of realization flew over her. "Rupert?"

"Eh, heheh… hey." He didn't let go of his fear, but sported a smile.

"Wh…How in the world."

"Ruppy?" Lilac looked around, the movement wobbling the passengers on her head. "I don't see him."

"H-He's…" Berry looked at him again, "Your parents're looking for you, and they got our moms.."

"Well, uh… it's a funny story with a lot of laughs. Y'see-"

A sudden whistle made the werecats jump. The garage door that led into the gym was slowly creaking open, and hundreds of cannoned bikes and scooters were raring to ride. "GIVE THESE BIG KIDS HEEEEECK!" All participating grade-schoolers were zipping 'cross the streets, set on nothing but the imposing middle school.

"Oh no! They're already at it!" Rupert exclaimed. "Berry, you gotta take us to follow them!"

"What, why?" Berry asked.

"Just come on, let's go!" He jumped frantically, signaling Berry to scoop him on her finger and place him on her hair. "You guys, get the Pikmin back to the Onions and hurry and join us! Let's GO!" Berry began rushing after the kids like a horse.

"Uhh… Rupert?" Timmy and Hikari were on the ground again with Lilac staring lovingly at them. "W-We're gonna need…"

"Hey! BAD kitty!" Hikari shouted. "Sit Lilly, sit!" Lilac sat. "Good girl!"

Spirit World

Miyuki stood in a gym-room-like field surrounded by trees as she breathed calmly and focused energy. She whirled her hands close to each other and channeled gray chi into a sphere, thrusting her arms forward and destroying three targets with a laser. "You're pretty good." Agatha said, shading herself from the sun with an umbrella. "Your natural chi must be pretty strong."

"I never knew that spirits had any form of bending, besides the ones gods have to give them."

"All chi comes from this Spirit World energy, and as spirits are made of this kind of energy, the gods manipulate their spiritual bodies to take the form of element chi. The difference between them and Logia is, they're still intangible bodies of energy, and possess a more peaceful form of chi."

"But when my mom and her friends told us about being spirits, they still got damaged in the living world."

"I heard that they were inhabiting Gigai, artificial bodies for spirits to inhabit and interact with mortals. They touch things and can get hurt like regular bodies, and carry the flow of chi. But when the Grim Reaper used a Resurrection Stone on them, those artificial bodies became pure living bodies, allowing the spirits to stay."

"So our parents are using fake bodies?"

"They're using new bodies, as far as I know about it. And either way, they were still enough to bear children."

But it just made Miyuki so curious. Is that how their parents have always looked pre-spirit, or did they bare totally different looks that changed once they inhabited their new bodies. She would have to look more into these Gigai.

"Anyway, about your chi." Aggie continued. "Normally timebenders have blue chi, but yours is gray. That color normally signifies the changing of ages."

"Yeah, that's always been my specialty. Manipulating ages or seeing into peoples' past."

"Timebenders that possessed a gray chi tend to have a close connection with the past, specifically the pasts of people or things. Even the dead. Timebenders with gray chi could touch even a fallen body and see its history. You could pick up a small rock, the only remains of an old temple, and see just where it came from."

"Are there other timebenders like that?"

"I read it in a book. You're the only one I know that has it. Still, it's a very unique power, and developing your energybending will help you control your timebending better. But you seem to have a good grasp of it now, with just a little more training.."

"Just how much are we training, exactly? I need to at least see how my friends are doing."

"Come inside and look at our Reflecting Pool. You'll see them."

Aggie led Miyuki into a dark room with a glowing, golden tub, the light presenting an eerie look on their dark forms as they peered inside.

Sector IC was arduously trudging through the blizzard, having brought no coats and struggling to survive in the blistering cold as they were. Terry especially had to help MaKayla along as she was the least protected. They saw a shadowed clump lay dead in the snow a few feet away and rushed over to investigate. There was Miyuki on her back, eyes closed and still. "Miyuki!" MaKayla let go of Terry and knelt over her, putting a hand on her head.

"Is she… dead?" gasped George.

"I…I dunno. She feels warm, but… there's something off about her. I feel… a force."

"Does Obi-wan want her to come to Dagobah?" asked Terry.

"It is a perfect reference, isn't it? Well, we can't just leave her here, let's take her and look for help fast. Hopefully Suki can't be far." She stepped aside as George lifted Miyuki in his arms. "It's strange… I hear a distant singing." MaKayla continued. "Is someone else on this mountain, too? But there's a weird energy about it…"

"Yes, it's the voice of fallen souls of stupid travelers who flew over the mountain LISTENING TO SOME LITTLE GIRL!!" Terry screamed.

"Even if it is, there's nowhere else to go." George said. "Let's find this voice and see if it can help us find Suki. Or help Miyuki…"

Miyuki pulled her head out and gasped for breath. "They're going to get lost if we don't help them."

"Our special operative is still out there as we speak." Rukia stated, entering the room. "He won't let them freeze. So I see your training is going well."

"She has gray Timebending Chi." Aggie mentioned. "She's able to touch people or things and view their history."

"That's a very useful power to have." Rukia said with near awe. "Some of history's biggest questions can be answered with a single touch.."

"I'm not a historian, why would I care about the story of some old ruin…"

"Everything that's happened in the past may still have relevance now. I haven't yet told you about the ghost that's haunting Arendelle Mountain."

"Is it a dangerous ghost?"

"Dangerous in a matter of speaking. It's a tormented soul that's been growing with misery for 300 years. The blizzard is a result of her anguish, making it a thriving place for Hollows. The Hollows have begun to drastically multiply, and we think they're moving in to make this ghost one of them. If she becomes a Hollow, they'll be unstoppable."

"Well, when are we going to stop them?"

"We expect the blizzard to finally slow down now. Which…" Rukia looked at the pool, seeing Jack Frost speaking to Suki, "it's just about gonna."

Arendelle Mountains

Suki's eyes were closed as she stood firmly in place, softly moving her arms. At this very moment, she felt nothing else but the skin-freezing cold, heard nothing but the angry snows. And the charming warm voice of Jack Frost. "You can do it, Suki. Just feel the blizzard. Feel the storm… and calm it down."

Yes… Suki did feel it. This storm… and where it came from. It was created by Ice Chi… Ice Chi flowed inside her… it flowed everywhere on this planet. It was cold… she loved the cold… it was so lovely… so magical… so peaceful…

Her arms glowed with a majestic blue as she threw them to the air, releasing two lovely beams as she opened her sunny eyes. The dark sky flashed blue, and in what seemed like a sudden warm whoosh, the blizzard slowed down. The starry sky was visible in the heavens, beyond a lovely aurora lights that Suki's ice had taken the form of. A gentle snow was falling over Arendelle, and it felt marvelous.

Jack's eyes lit with awe, as if never seeing something this beautiful. "Suki… you did it. You stopped the storm… you did it!"

"I diiiiiid?" Suki would almost melt with all that light in her eyes.

"You did! Now we can finally go up there and talk to her! After ALL these years, I can!…" Jack was beside himself with joy.

"Hee hee hee! Ask her to the GHOOOOOOST daaaaaaance!" She pushed her cheeks together.

"Heheh… yeah… Let's get up there ASAP!" He was rushing to the castle first, with Suki hurrying beside him.

"Hey Jackie, I have to ask." she began. "Who IS this girl?"

"Oh, um… she's just an old friend. We used to live together, in this…in this kingdom." He still smiled, but his voice seemed to sink.

"Ooooo what happeeeened? Tell me, tell me, tell me! Did you make a TREEHOUSE together, or play in the SNOOOOW, hu—or!- or!- or!, you two promised to LOOOOOVE and hug each other after deeeeeaaaath!"

He really wished it turned out that way. That's just the future Jack Frost had planned with Elsa. But things didn't go according to plan…

Planet Glacia; 320 years ago

A peaceful, sunny day over Arendelle Mountains. Any day on Planet Glacia where you could see the sun was a joyous occasion indeed, made the mountains feel a little less cold. There was already joyous activity going on in the southern peaks. "YEEEEAAAH!" A blue-eyed boy with brown hair, brown sweater, brown khaki shorts, and bare feet excitedly slid an ice-made board down a steep slope along a narrow mountainside, dodging to the left or right of rocks and jumping gaps. He was approaching a road between a close trench, sliding along the wall as he made a tight turn left.

He slid off a ledge at the trench's end and began making a series of long jumps across huge rock pillars, towering miles above the chasm. The last one had a wood bridge which he slid across, making it to a safe slope as he avoided more trees and swerved around a narrow, snaky path. "Almooost…" The path became straight, and the end was in sight. That is, before a polar bear walked in and blocked it. "WHOA!" He quickly formed an ice ramp to propel him over the animal, but he lost balance and went rolling down the following hill. "Ooh- ahh- AAH, ow, gah!" He finally stopped on his rear when the ground turned straight. "OW!" The iceboard hit his head.

"He he ha ha ha!" laughed a little brown-haired girl in a brown sweater.

"Hey, that didn't count, Jenna!" Jack yelled, rubbing his head.

"Diiiid too, diiiiid too!" Jenna danced and fell back in the snow. "You were AAAAALL ploppyyyyy."

"Well, just wait until the party." He brushed his hair back. "When I show off my grooves to Elsa, we'll be twinklin' in the sky." ;D

"Jackie loves the priiinceeeess, Jackie loves the priiinceeeeess!"

"No, not the princess. The queen." He winked coolly.

"Ohhhhh sure, Jackie. Get with the queen 'cause she's the first royal icebender born in centuries." She winked.

"Ahhhh, that's not what it's about. I just feel me and Elsa got a special connection. Like, we're bonded by fate… or somethin'."

"You only met her once at a noble family party. …When you tried to make an ice sculpture out of the punch to give to her and she had to break it off your tongue when you licked it."

"Eh, that was 9 years ago, she couldn't remember. This time, she's gettin' the real taste of Jackster, and before you know it, I'm gonna be king."

"Just don't cause too big of a mess at the party." Their mom said, walking out of their mansion. "And put some shoes on, you'll look ridiculous." She chuckled.

"Pssh, icebenders don't need shoes, we're the champs of winter." Jack grinned.

"Yeah, and the champ of making himself embarrassed in front of the queen! Ha ha ha!" Jenna laughed.

"Oh, shut up."

Royal Palace

The palace courtyard was already bustling with townspeople, all eagerly chatting amongst friends and discussing different views on this new queen. Queen Elsa was inside the palace as her younger sister helped get her dressed, fixing gloves on her hands. "It's gonna be fine, Elsa. Just remember what Mom and Dad said: Conceal, don't feel.."

"Don't let it show." Elsa spoke with a sad, worried frown.

"And don't randomly burst into song." Anna grinned. "Now just stay inside 'til we call you, I'll go straighten out the refreshments!" She hurried off excitedly.

The Frost Family and many other nobles gathered into the palace courtyard and chatted amongst their selves. "Sigh, when's she gonna get out?" Jack whispered, tapping his foot impatiently.

"Jack, will you please put some shoes on, you look so out of place." his mom whispered.

"Mom, I'm a free spirit!" He proclaimed quietly. "My toes hang free, my hair blows free, and my soul will ride the snows 'til the ends of-" He startled to a halt when a light-brown Fjord horse charged and stopped in front of him.

"Easy there, Sitron!" said the dashing prince riding the horse. He had a slightly large nose, but smooth auburn hair with sideburns by his ears, and gorgeous green eyes. He had a white jacket over a blue shirt with a magenta tie, blue pants, black high-heel shoes, and white gloves. "I know you're excited, but we can't have you guzzle all the food ag-" He hopped off the left and-

"OW!" crushed Jack's right toes.

"Oh! I'm so sorry." Hans backed up sheepishly. "Oh, my horse didn't almost run you over, did he? I told him to stop by the gate, but, sigh those steamed Floran Carrots really get him riled." The horse neighed in shame.

"No, it's alright…" Jack gripped his toes tight. "So who're you." He asked with slight resentment.

"Prince Hans of the Southern Isles at your service." He spoke humbly. "I came for the coronation of Queen Elsa. Is sheee…" He searched around.

"Hey, that's Jackie's girlfriend!" shouted Jenna. Jack immediately forced his foot over her mouth, but since that was the only one keeping him up at the moment, he fell.

"Jackie?" Hans understood by the gestures. "Oh, I-hi didn't mean to imply!" Hans chuckled. "If you were already together, then please, by all means. I'm just wondering-" He began to walk the opposite way, but as he turned at the same time, he bumped into someone and forced her punch bowl against her dress.

"Ooooooo." Anna shuddered. "Now I need to get a new dress! And more punch…"

"Oh! I'm… terribly sorry." Hans frowned.

The moment Anna looked up, it seemed everything began to move in slow motion. To them both. His gorgeous face with the silly big nose and cute freckles… Anna's beautiful clear face, also with cute freckles, and blue eyes that sparkled like ice… her hair looked so orange, he could taste it, and it'd be lovely. "…Uhh-h-h, Prince Hans, of the Southern Isles."

"Hehe… Princess Anna, of Arendelle!"

"Princess—!" He bowed immediately. "Wh-What an, embarrassing way to introduce myself."

"Hehe! …It's no big deal." Her face was as red as the punch on her blue gown.

"Heh heh… L-Let me come with you, to… clean it up."

"Um, sure.." Both held hands, smiling goofily as she led him into the castle.

Jack rolled his eyes, still on the ground, "What a player." Their attention was averted when the blares of horns sounded. The boy helped himself up and faced the stairs to the front gates, where four elders in ice-blue robes led the girl with an icy sparkling gown, snowy blonde hair, and ice-blue eyes out for everyone to see.

"Everyone, we are proud to introduce, eldest daughter of King Adgar and Queen Idun, the first royal icebender in four generations: Princess Elsa, the 104th Ruler of Arendelle!" One of the old sages brought to Elsa a small golden fountain, but insisted she remove her gloves. With slight worry, Elsa complied, taking the fountain as it began to spew water. "May a bright age arise under her rule, and may her powers protect Arendelle from invaders. Long live Queen Elsa!"

And with her powers, Elsa froze the fountain solid, and the unique streams that flowed from it formed into a sparkling, elegant crown befitting such a queen, except it was much too huge for her small head. Cheers erupted around the crowds as Elsa handed the crown back, slipping her gloves back on. "Time to make mah mooove! Wish me luck." Jack winked at his family, licked his hand, and smoothed his hair before making his way to the front.

It wasn't easy to squeeze his way around all these coated people without getting his foot stomped, but by the time he was at the stairs, a sage was already leading Elsa inside. "Come with me. There's something I need to show you."

No doubt Jack was curious, looking to a small balcony along a nearby tower with an open window.

Beneath the castle

The sage alit the passage with a glowing blue ball of ice, leading Elsa down a deep, dark stairwell. "This is the greatest secret in our entire kingdom. An ancient relic we have treasured for eons."

He brought Elsa to a deep, vast chamber where a dark chasm surrounded a single, central platform. Jack Frost, having come his own way, crept within a small opening above the platform, watching the sage lead Elsa onto. Sat atop that platform was a big stone cube with ancient writing. "Behold…"

"What…What is this?" Elsa asked with awe.

"It's a Poneglyph. There are only seven of them in the whole universe, and they can only be read by certain people."

"What does it say?"

"No one in our generations has ever been able to decipher it. It was left here by the gods of old… and your family's sole duty has been to protect it. So one day, the person of destiny would come and read its script."

"But how will I know… when that person comes?"

"I don't know… all we could determine was the person meant to read it, is an icebender."

Elsa gasped. "But… I can't…"

"We aren't sure if it's you. But while Arendelle is a kingdom frolicking with icebenders, only one is born in the royal family every four generations. And with very powerful chi that lasts even in the afterlife. We've always thought that, there was a meaning behind this. The fact that only an icebender could get here… even if you can't read it now, you may be the one to do so. …And whatever is written on this stone, will be your responsibility."

The burden of being a queen sounded troublesome enough… but what if she was the one meant to read this message? What ultimate task would she have to carry out? It made her heart race.

From high upon his perch, Jack could sense the anxiety Elsa was feeling. "…WHOA!" With a single light step, Jack slipped and plummeted to the platform below, startling the two as he crashed on his head. "Uhhhh-" He flipped back to his feet, "Hey!"

"Who are you?!" Elsa hissed.

"Elsa, it's me, Jack! Remember? 9 years ago? …Punch stuck to the tongue?"

"Jack, what are you DOING down here?!"

"Well uh, was a little curious," he grinned and moved sheepishly, "you being mysterious, following you to this mysterious… rock."

"Look, just get out of here and DON'T say a word about this. Not that it's any good to anyone…"

"Oh yeah, I can read it."

"You can?!"

"Yeah, it's just uh, dedededede…" He walked closer and skimmed it. "'Here lies our fabled Gibberish Rock, made to baffle royals for eons, anyone who learns the true purpose of this rock may be wedded to the princess as his reward for keeping her from wasting brainpower on it', etc. etc., so let's hang out." He grinned coolly.

"Ugh! Who let you in the castle, anyway, how'd you get down here?"

"I let myself in." He said coolly. "And I followed the Call of Love to where my queen would be." He sported a sparkling grin.

"Uh." She rolled her eyes and walked away. "Let's just go."

Castle halls

"Look Jack, I'm not really looking for a relationship right now. And you and me just won't work." Elsa kept her hands folded on her front while Jack had his behind his head in a laid back fashion. "I've just become Queen, I have a responsibility to protect the kingdom, to make sure everyone's happy and control these crazy powers, and if the daily newspaper about some little prankster freezing the teashop isn't lying, all YOU care about is-" When she turned left, Jack was gone. "AAAAH!" Upside-down, hanging from a chandelier by his legs and an ice chain, Jack grabbed Elsa's hands and flipped her on top with him. She clutched the chain for dear life as the chandelier swayed. "Being a troublemaker!!"

"Having FUN." Jack smiled coolly (how else does he smile), standing straight with great balance.

"Get us down!"

With a shrug, Jack took her hand and slid down an ice path. They continued their walk. "What're you talkin' about CRAZY powers, you're the first princess in decades to have 'em and yours're better than anyone's!"

"You just don't understand, do you, my Ice Chi doesn't want to stay in, if I don't keep 'em under control, they'll freeze the whole kingdom."

"And what planet is this?"

"One that doesn't need to be COLDER than it is!"

"Y'know, maybe your powers are going so crazy BECAUSE you don't let 'em out. If there's one thing I know about icebending, my ice just itches to get out every day and do fun stuff. Elsa, if you don't let your ice out, your body will IMPLODE upon itself, creating a force that rivals a hundred atomic bombs that turns EVERY living creature on this planet into chunks of uniquely frozen shapes of water!"

"My parents taught me to be a levelheaded princess who knows self-control and conceals any rebellious side of her inside. And by controlling myself, I can easily control some silly ice."

"Siiiiigh. Well if that's how you feel. But uhhhh, Elsa."

"What?" Jack glided past her front.

"Gotchor gloves." He grinned mischievously, wiggling the gloves.

"!! HEY, GIVE THOSE BACK!" Jack jumped out the window and slid to the roof via ice path as Elsa slid after, struggling to keep balance on her ice-made high-heels as she chased Jack, who was far more nimble, across the roof.

Jack thrusted his arms down and propelled himself high up a tower with ice blasts, shattering the conjured trail as he smirked down at Elsa. "Careful, Princess. Don't lose control. Conceal, don't feel, get punked by a total cutie."

"Oh you SON OF A-" Elsa thrusted her arms down and shot at Jack like a rocket, the boy already hopping to the parallel tower. Jack slid around the towers via ice path as Elsa chased on her own path, and the guests down below gaped in awe as two trails of ice wrapped around the towers like giant ribbons.

"Her Highness is truly fantastic!" a woman gaped.

"Mmm, and Jack Frost is with her, is his punishment to serve her?" a man inquired.

"Jack, what in Polaris' name are you doing?" questioned his mom.

"GOOOO Jackiiiie!" Jenna cheered.

Jack took the slide down the back of the castle and toward a mountain, hopping off as he made the dash up. Elsa tried to chase, but her high heels didn't move well in the deep snow, so she was forced to ditch them and chase on bare feet, also having to hold her dress up so she didn't trip.

Jack made it onto a flat ground with a dead end, and when he saw Elsa coming, he brushed his hands across the ground and turned it to solid ice. Elsa immediately slipped and started sliding to him on her bottom, and Jack didn't move aside before he was pushed off his feet and facefirst onto Elsa's face. "Hehe." He grinned sheepishly in her surprised, gaping face.

The queen pushed him off and stood, throwing a beam that froze Jack's body to the ground except his head. "OW!" Elsa planted her right foot against Jack's cheek, keeping him down. "You know you got pretty nails." Indeed her toenails were as icy as her eyes.

"…" A smirk found its way on Elsa's face, "Do you wanna build a snowman?"

They were back on more snowy ground and spiraling dozens of snowmen together with helmets and polearms, sending them to clash with each other. Jack created a snowcannon and fired, but Elsa raised an ice wall that shielded her and launched a storm of ice arrows at her opponent, who bent like a stickman and avoided. Elsa spun together a big ice shovel, and Jack created a rake as the two ran at each other and dueled. The snowtools eventually fell apart as Jack slid and spun a whirlpool below Elsa's feet, causing her to slip and fall, but thinking quickly, Elsa spun and caused the snow to rise instead, letting her jump to a mountaintop. She made many huge snowballs rise from the mountain, and Jack mimicked as they both readied to launch at each other. Both snow storms flew, an equal amount that blocked them perfectly, until Jack shielded himself in a snowball and rolled up the mountainside.

The snowball flew above Elsa as Jack shot out and grabbed her, the two rolling down the mountain as a snowball formed around them both. When it bounced, the two shot out and surfed the sky across trails of ice, tiny blue sparkles raining everywhere gently.

They returned to the roof of the castle and lied back with arms behind their heads. "I should go find my shoes, but… eh, it's kinda nice without them."

"Yeah, when that chill spreads between your toes, it really gets you goin'."

"I've always stayed inside the palace to keep my powers under control, but… I've never felt better. There's this feeling in my heart…" She held a hand by her chest, "like a huge weight's been lifted off me. It feels more…"

"Free." Jack rolled onto all fours. "When you act on impulse, and let yourself have a little fun, your spirit becomes more free. That's what I read in an old airbender book. Ice is close to Air as it gets, so why not?"

"It wasn't hard to keep them under control either." Elsa stared at her hands. "Maybe I can control my ice better, if I just let it blow more freely."

"That's the spirit." Jack lied back again. "Just don't worry about what'll happen and everything will turn out-"

"Elsa, THERE you are!" They looked onto the nearby tower balcony, seeing Anna and Hans staring down at them.

"I guess we aren't the only ones enjoying ourselves." Hans remarked with a witty smile.

Jack and Elsa exchanged humorous smiles and rocketed their selves up to the two. "Weeee have some newwwwws!" squealed Anna quietly. "Hans and I—should I say it?"

"By all means." Hans bowed.

"We're getting married!!"

"What?" questioned Elsa with concealed panic. "Anna, can we talk?" She led her inside rushedly.

Hans and Jack were left to their selves, viewing the party down below. "Ever wanted to say something crazy and suddenly, your whole world turns bright?" the prince asked.

"I've had those feelings." Jack replied, leaned forward against the railing.

"And by the looks of things, those feelings have led us to become brothers-in-law."

"Heh heh heh." Jack had to laugh at that. "Right. Except how long have you known Anna?"

"Well, half an hour ago. But after sliding around the halls on socks for that long, and singing some song about love, it's moments like those you really know, she's the one." Hans looked at the starry heavens, lost in them as he was in Anna's eyes just moments ago. "Or in your case, having to get a punch sculpture off your tongue."

Jack blushed. "Oh-ho, she told you that, huh?" He grinned nervously.

"It's small little gestures like that and such short, fated meetings that tell you, the stars have aligned for you to be together. And for both of us, the stars have sent us that message in the form of punch."

"Heheh… well 'f you ask me," he turned and leaned on his back, "I never like to rush these fates too quickly. I sorta like to, play the field, yeah I like Elsa, but it's never very fun when we get there too quickly, I like to steadily work my way there 'til she's cool with the Frost." His grin twinkled.

"Anna, get BACK here!"

"No!" Anna stormed back out and clutched Hans' arm. "Why won't you give us your blessing?!"

"Because you don't even know him, we can't just let anyone into the royal family so easily!"

"Oh, like you weren't letting JACK into your little ice show."

"I DIDN'T let him in, he was just…"

"He was just showin' you a good time." Jack said smoothly.

"He was WASTING my time with some silly snowball fight when I SHOULD'VE been looking over things at the party, especially YOU two!"

"Elsa, I know you have a hard time with your powers, but you've been acting REALLY sour since our parents died, and I think the only reason you can't understand our love is 'cause YOU'RE too concealed on your emotions to see ANYTHING."

"And who was it that was helping me conceal those powers?"

"The powers are one thing, I was just being nice, but it didn't mean you had to conceal ME from anyone I wanna share my LIFE with."

"If you just decide to share your life with any random person, how can I let you-" The sounds of distant screams distracted them.

"YOUR HIGHNEEEESS! The monsters from the Chilly Depths are invading the castle!" Beyond the castle gates were legions of ice demons marching up the mountain, armed with weapons and catapults that launched giant ice chunks into the courtyard.

Jack and Elsa skied to the gates and fought the monsters away with their powers as Chilfos climbed over the wall. "EVERYONE, get inside the palace!" Elsa ordered. "Stay in the dungeons until we tell you to come out!"

The monsters were piling in fast, the citizens scrambling to get inside the castle. Jack blew ice trails along the ground to make Chilfos slip as he searched around desperately for his family. "AAAH!" He looked and saw his mom kicked to the ground by a Chilfos, ready to pierce her with its spear. Jack saw a wood cane on the ground, likely discarded by an old man, swiping it and skiing over fast as he caught the creature's spear in the hook from behind and yanking it away, forming an iced point atop the hook to slice the monster's head off.

He helped his mom up, "Mom, where's Jenna?!"

"JACKIIIIEE!" He was horrified when he saw his sister hanging from a Freezard's teeth by her coat as it leaped over the eastern wall.

As he skied over the wall to save her, more monsters burst through the front gates, charging to the castle fast. Elsa was furiously throwing ice beams, making spikes rise from beneath them and creating ice walls to further block, which she also pushed to keep them back. She started to panic as they continued to pile in, unable to blast her powers any faster. "UUH!" The monsters succeeded in shoving her down and trampling the ice queen like a dead matt on the floor. The bruises were multiplying, and no matter how much she wanted to, they gave her no time to stand. "UUUUUUUHHHH!"

A great blue light burst into the sky, the queen emitting a small explosion that blew the demons off of her. Many beams of ice flew everywhere, crashing the tops of many mountains and making the clouds turn blue.

The Freezard was charging up a gorge along a mountain as Jack chased on the left ledge. But both faced ahead when the mountain shook, and a massive avalanche began to slide down. "RAAAH!" The monster was caught in the snow current and began to slide down, tossing Jenna up in the air in his rage.

She took land just on the right ledge, but couldn't keep balance before she fell back. "WAAAAH!"

A gloved hand saved her from doom, pulling her onto the horse behind Prince Hans. "Don't worry! You're safe now."

"Hans!" Jack beamed.

"NEEEIGH!" The horse panicked when the snowy ground gave way, plummeting all three into the river.

"HANS!" Jack screamed.

"Er-, here!" The prince threw Jenna up to Jack's ledge, the boy swinging his cane for her to grab. He stood on the edge of the cliff, struggling to pull up her heavy body (he noticed she was a bit heavier than Elsa for some reason). But another shake caused Jack to slip off, while he swung the cane and flung Jenna onto the ledge.

"JACKIIIIEE!" She reached for him in despair.

"JENNA, I'll be all right, get to the castle!!" With very mixed feelings, his sister hurried off.

But the snow was surprisingly strong even for Jack. He rose and sunk, over and over in this thick white river, and no matter how much he tried to blow it back, he couldn't find the strength to stand or throw his ice.

At the palace, Elsa's ice beams couldn't come faster, and it almost felt like her arms were throwing their selves. She couldn't conceal the storm inside her, not when her kingdom was in danger. Her parents told her to keep her powers under control, Anna helped her to accomplish that, but this was the only way. In order to keep the kingdom out of their control, she had to lose control herself, lose control until there was nothing left. She understood why Jack was the little free spirit he was, because this was the only way to hold back creatures with no order. So when swarms of them succeeded in bypassing her, heading for the castle, Elsa spun like a whirlwind and let the beams of ice flow.

"ELSA, we got everyone-" The moment Anna rushed out was when a beam pierced her heart.

Elsa immediately froze. Anna struggled to get back to her feet, shivering like she was in the deepest part of the coldest freezer. "E-Elsa… Why…" Her arm stretched out to her sister before her whole body transformed into solid, blue ice.

Elsa couldn't bring herself to move, her face ridden with guilt. Not even the frozen spear that pierced her heart from behind could match it. A Chilfos had successfully claimed a fatal blow on the queen, a devilish grin on his frosty face. Small cracks began to spread along Elsa's body, glowing blue as tremendous energy began to build inside her. The royal palace, and all of Arendelle around it, was swallowed in an expanding sphere of snow and ice.

Arendelle never saw the sun again, never saw anything but pitch-black skies and freezing winds. The avalanches buried hundreds of people beneath many feet of snow, among them Prince Hans and Jack Frost. No signs of life could be seen anywhere.

Jack found himself lying in a mound of snow on a dark, barren mountain. He didn't feel any pain as he stood up, but was confused as to why his brown sweater turned blue. Also, why didn't the spot he was laying in have a snow-shape, why did his hair dye like snow, and why did he leave no footprints? Why did he feel absolutely weightless. "Confused?" Jack looked up when a bright blue light lowered down to him. The stone, shivering colossus with the massive snowflake on his back. "I… am Polaris."

"Polaris, the… Snow God?"

"Yes. Who better for a mischievous icebender like yourself to meet than me as you pass to the Spirit World?"

"Are you saying I'm… dead?"

"Indeed, but alas, your effort to save your sister was for naught. She, and all of Arendelle were destroyed… by Elsa's wrath."

"No…. No!" Jack was seething in rage, unable to process this so suddenly. "That can't be true! Jenna… Elsa… THERE'S NO WAY ALL OF THEM CAN BE DEAD!"

"This was this kingdom's ultimate fate. The fate for Elsa, having used her powers so haphazardly. Perhaps if you haven't persuaded her to suddenly start using them-"

"SHUT UP!" Jack threw a nonexistent ice blast at the god. "If ELSA hadn't used her power, EVERYONE would've been killed anyway, you CAN'T pin the blame on either of us! And I don't care WHAT happened, I'm GLAD I taught Elsa to be more free! Now her spirit will be BETTER than ever!"

"Is that so? Well… perhaps you'd like to see her?" Polaris swallowed Jack in a blinding blue light.

"Let it GOOO! Let it GOOO! Can't hold back aaaanymooooore!" The palace still stood, sparkling with beautiful ice, and Elsa danced on its balcony, a green aura around her body as she let her ice flow everywhere. Jack and Polaris were hovering high in the heavens above her.

"What-… She's still alive?"

"Her spirit appears well, but in fact, she is a ghost. A ghost that is eternally tethered to what she did to her sister. Just look." What Jack saw horrified him. A statue frozen in solid ice, much like this whole castle. Her face was desperate for warmth, reaching out in despair.

"Anna…"

"Because of her lack of control, her sister will now stand stiff, frozen for all eternity. Elsa died, knowing this. Her heart sunk in this unbearable guilt, and this carried to her spirit. And because of her powerful Ice Chi, which has remained with her as a spirit, this mountain has been swallowed in an endless blizzard where not even the Reapers can claim her. As you see, she is desperately trying to let her pain go, but her guilt remains glued to her deep down. She will forever remain as a ghost bound to this world, never to truly shed her sorrow and become a spirit."

Jack felt the greatest sorrow. All he wanted was for Elsa to be more free… but seeing her this happy, masking unbelievable sorrow inside of her… he couldn't bear to see her in this much pain. "I'm… sorry."

"The fault is not yours, Jack. True, Elsa would've had pain as a spirit, had she been more concealed. You were following your own beliefs, so now your spirit can be free."

"I can't be free until I help her!"

"You must be patient. Help will come to her, but she must look into herself. …I can assure you, however… your sister and family are safe in the Spirit World."

"They… are?" Jack felt a sense of relief.

"But your attempts to rescue her will not go unnoticed… I have a proposition for you. I will give back your Ice Chi and allow you to roam the Mortal World as an Ice Spirit. To protect children in danger from the evils of winter. But you must stay away from Elsa. Her power far exceeds yours as a spirit."

Jack looked at his friend. Her lovely vocals echoed for miles beyond the mountains. As a ghost, her lungs would never grow tired, singing that song for ages. "…Sigh, okay."

So Polaris touched a finger to Jack, a blue light shining for a few brief seconds before it faded. Jack opened his palm as a snowflake softly floated. "For you, also." Polaris gave Jack a wooden cane, the same as he used in the last moments of his life. "Do not leave your soul tethered to her. See that other children… can have free spirits." And with that, Polaris dispersed into snow.

Jack spared one final look at Elsa. Trapped in her ghostly limbo, she drew farther away as Jack soared to the heavens. He would return to her.

Present time

After all these years… he may finally have a chance. With Suki, her unbreakable spirit… maybe she was all he needed to save Elsa from her despair. It had to be… and he was going to save her… no matter what.

Base of the mountains; Chilly Depths

Swarms of Hollows were gathering at the foot of these mountains. Some small, walking on all fours like animals. Some as high as skyscrapers, pitch-black like moving trees. In a dark, dead cave was a Hollow like no other, a human-like one on two legs, dark cloak with red and white designs and spiky edges, and the grim Hollow mask. Four more Hollows who bared similar designs appeared in the cave out of black smoke, gathering before their leader. "The spirit is moving up the mountains. Children are within the mountains as well, but we've lost sight of the ghost kids." One of them spoke in a grim voice, only his eyes exposed above his mask.

Member of the Arendelle Arrancar Gang

Former BOE member

LEGION

"AH HAHAhahahahaha!" cackled a witch with pitch-black hair, black lips, and a black cloak with skeletal designs, the top-right of her mask broken off. "He's tryin' to save ELSA after all this time! What a itty, bitty, baby."

Member of Arendelle Arrancar Gang

Former Death Eater

BELLATRIX LESTRANGE

"His chances are futile. But at least we'll be able to collect a few extra souls." spoke a white-haired woman with wrinkly skin and blood-red designs all over her cloak.

Former BOE member

Avatar Realms denizen

Bloodbender HAMA

"Those monsters, and their sorcery and witchcraft which goes against God," spoke the last member with deep hatred, bright blue flames burning on the shoulders of his cape, "dare to pollute the world He hath created. My duty, as God has given me, is to drag them into the fiery pit from whence they came."

Former Judge and gypsy hunter of Cité des Cloches

CLAUDE FROLLO

"How DARE you call us monsters… FILTHY MUGGLE!" screamed Bellatrix.

"He is as his God made him." Hama said.

"Well, the storm has finally calmed." Legion followed. "Shall we move up?"

"…Begin moving. We take the castle tonight."

"As you command: Lord Hans." they chorused.

The leader's mask opened, revealing the visage of the once-handsome prince, his green eyes soulless. "About 320 years behind schedule. But better late than never."

"NEEEEEEIIIIIGH!" His dark ghost-horse Sitron cried an otherworldly neigh, pitch-black with exposed bones and flaming blue eyes and hair.