As Baloo Waladaze has finally reunited with his pal Kit Cloudkicker; there was a lot happening outside the TerraStone City as well. It was one hour after midnight and there was a chase ensuing with Mad Dog, Dumptruck and Derek Thursday. While Dumptruck and Mad Dog were able to get a huge head start on Derek; their fitness level was not near the one that Derek Thursday had. Slowly but surely; Derek was gaining ground on them and was only about 100 meters behind them now.

"Hey;" Mad Dog said panting as he looked behind him and show the fitness level of Derek close-up; " that cop is gaining ground on us."

"I znow.." Dumptruck said panting as the running was starting to take his breath away slowly; "...I znow...." Despite the fact that Derek was gaining ground on the Air Pirates; Mad Dog and Dumptruck was given an advantage to the fact that they pushed through the final set of trees and finally arrived in the area where Gregory's brown rental plane and Baloo's masterful yellow plane the SeaDuck were docked. The kids were long gone now and all that was left was two airplanes. Both Air Pirates' faces lit up in amazement; particually Dumptruck's face. Baloo had left his plane in plain view so that the Air Pirates could steal. If Mad Dog were to fly the SeaDuck; then they would have an advantage over Baloo and company and even manage to plunder Cape Suzette without delay.

"Zey Mad Dog;" Dumptruck said pointing at the SeaDuck; "...there's ze bear's plane."

"Forget it...." Mad Dog said as he looked over his shoulder and sees that Derek is only 50 meters behind now; " We need the fastest plane and that's the rental plane of the _iceman_...."

"HALT!!" Derek shouted out as he was narrowing the margin of arresting these two pirates; " YOU'RE UNDER ARREST YOU SWINES!!" This would be a huge feather in the cap for Derek Thursday and the Cape Suzette police force if he catches Don Karnage two soliders in command. Mad Dog was right in a sense; the SeaDuck had no key which was with Baloo and Gregory's plane was not only the fastest plane in the area; not only was it the quickest to start; but also the only plane with the key still in the ignation. Gregory was not very smart after all....

"You zot a point zhere Mad Dog." Dumptruck said as he hops into the backseat of the plane allowing Mad Dog to hop into the front seat of the brown rental plane.

"See; that's why I'm you and I are friends." Mad Dog whinced; " Through thick and thin we are together!"

"Zhank you Mad Dog!" Dumptruck said quietly. Derek Thursday was now only 20 meters away from the group now; but he was about to be too late to stop them now.

"Oh; what is the _ice man_ thinking?" Mad Dog said blusing as he discovers that the keys are still in the igination; " I'm blushing with gas...." Mad Dog turns on the engines and they begin to roar loudly; killing the very quiet that was present on TerraStone Island.

"Zou are great Mad Dog." Dumptruck said before suddenly; the plane starts to go completely backward towards the ocean still floating on the salty water. Apparently; Gregory booby-trapped the plane thinking that he could sink the ship if the police found it. Mad Dog felt a clutch of panic in his own mind as Gregory has outsmarted Don Karnage again. Dumptruck couldn't say a word as the experience overwhelmed him because the backwards plane was gaining speed.

"UGH!! That _ice man_ left the plane reverse.... He still gets my goat!" Mad Dog sneers as he finds the shifting gear about 200 meters off shore and activites it causing the plane to stop going backwards and quickly goes forward and starts to lift off into the dark sky; " Ahh; there it goes. See Dumpy?! Nothing to it...."

"Zou are good.....!" Dumptruck said waving his hand as Derek goes through the trees and into the beach area; realizing that indeed he was too late as Gregory's rental plane climbs higher and higher and well above Derek's head by now; " Zye! Zye Zop!" Mad Dog and Dumptruck were laughing as Derek looks helplessly as the plane goes east up into the sky until it was completely out of sight.

"CURSE YOU!! CURSE YOU!!" Derek shouts as he pumps his fist in outrage that he couldn't stop the Air Pirates before he then turned to his right and sees that the SeaDuck was sitting there safe and sound; " Ah thank goodness the SeaDuck is safe! I'm fine now...." Derek felt a lot better since he knew that the Air Pirates have now made their fatal mistake. Derek sat on the edge of the SeaDuck as if he was guarding it and waits for the crew of Baloo to return and figure out the next plan of attack.

***

Time was wasting away as a couple of hours have pasted; we see the TerraStone Jungle was bustled with the feet running of Ernie Mandate, Baloo Waladaze, Sara Mandate and Kit Cloudkicker were walking very quickly through the jungle. There was no time to waste as Don Karnage was proably inside the Iron Vulture right now and soon Mad Dog and Dumptruck would arrive at the Iron Vulture as well. Then Don Karnage's plan can come full-circle and all of Cape Suzette would be cleansed and later plundered. That thought was shuddering down the spine of Gregory Skywinds and Kit Cloudkicker who have seen Don Karnage's ture power all to well.

"Now please explain what the greasy Air Pirate going to do to Cape Suzette again?!" Baloo asked Gregory feeling that Gregory was acting in the over-blown fashion.

"Remember that Don Karnage created the Lightning Gun a few months ago?" Gregory asked as the memories of saving Cape Suzette continued to haunt the grey bear known as Baloo. Not to mention that this whole situation was bringing Kit back to his past; something that Baloo tried so hard to remove that painful memory away.

Baloo remembers those event only too well; "Kit and I destoryed it along with that man-made stone..."

"_You_ managed to destory the gun itself..." Gregory said knowing that destorying the gun itself was not enough as all good villians always have a blueprint for recreating plans that should have worked like the Lightning Gun was.

"....but not the plans to them!" Kit said as he remembers that Don Karnage would redo that plan very easily. How did he find a way to rebuilt the Lightning Gun? He must have kept the plans somewhere in his own room with all those unhealthy mirrors..

"I noticed that there had been some strange robbries lately.." Sara said breathing heavily;".. goldfish bowls...."

"Hey;" Kit said knowing that fishbowls was part of the strange works of the Lightning Gun; ".... that is the same item that he stole to build the first Lightning Gun."

"Right Mr. Cloudkicker.....so it's clear now." Gregory said as he recaps the plan Don Karnage had to capture both him and Cloudkicker; " He then uses me to reclaim the Pearl of Wisdom, or so he claims."

"But the pearl proves to be the Emerald of Purification." Baloo said; " So; Don uses the legend of TerraStone to gain this power."

"That means only one thing...." Kit said knowing that if Don Karnage was finding an energy source then he has completed the recovery of the Lightning Gun.

"The Lightning Gun has been rebuilt." Gregory said nodding at Kit and he nodded back.

"He must be stopped!" Sara said as the gang finally went through the trees and walks into the sandy beach where Derek Skywinds was sitting down on the steps of the SeaDuck and was waiting for Gregory Skywinds and Baloo's other friends. He sees Gregory right away and Gregory starts to see Derek very quickly and does not take his eyes off of Derek for one second.

"Mr. Skywinds?" Derek asked as Gregory looks around and see that the SeaDuck was the only plane in the area.

"Oh no! They stole the plane that was a rental plane and I promised to bring it back.." Gregory gulps in horror as he sees that his brown rental plane was stolen and that airplane costs him five thousand dollars to rent and he would have to replace it ;"..I don't have $20,000 to replace it.." except that he looks at Derek and realizes that losing the plane won't matter in prison; "..Oh yeah! I forgot ....." Kit suddenly had a plan that was hitting him. However; in order for the plan to work; he needed Gregory's help; even if it would be againest the principals of the police force.

"Wait a minute! I have a plan to stop Don Karnage.." Kit said putting his figual thinking cap on ; "..but I need Gregory's help...." Derek was surprised. If Gregory is someone he needs help for then wouldn't that be condoning Gregory's previous actions. Still; Gregory was more of an expert for dealing with Air Pirates.

"I don't know...that goes againest the book..." Derek said putting his finger on his chin; " However; since I overheard the conservation; I see that our police force would not be able to stop them."

"I get it...." Gregory ponders as he thinks the predictions of Kit's plans; " Derek you and your police force can still help by warning the mayor and provide a decoy once Kit recovers the Emerald."

"All right..." Derek said as the same seaplane appears and land on the beach of TerraStone Island; apparently he had used the radio transmitter in the SeaDuck to that seaplane; "..But I'm joining you once Ernie and Sara are taken home."

"Awww...mom!" Ernie protested; "I want to go with Kit!"

"Forget it son!" Sara snapped back having enough of all this _exciting_ action; "You have had enough action for an entire lifetime."

"But; mom..." Ernie attempted to protest however; Kit started to look at him. Ernie was hoping that Kit would let him in; however, Kit shook his head no.

"Ernie? My plan involves just three people..." Kit explained; " It would be best; if you didn't come along...."

"Kit's right.." Sara said backing up the younger bearcub; "....We would just get in the way."

"I know these two can do this.." Derek also chimes in. Ernie looks at the ground before realizing that Kit was right. If Kit said that he would get in the way; Kit would be right. He , Baloo and Gregory knew Don Karnage better than he ever could. And if he is the reason why the world gets cleansed than everyone will curse him for life. Ernie looks at Sara and whinces.

"Okay mom!" Ernie said as he then looks at Gregory and points at Kit; " But you better come back alive...." Sara, Derek and Ernie turn around and both enter the seaplane and closes the door.

"Good luck!!" Derek shouts as the seaplane turns around as the engines begins to roar and the seaplane move forward. It begins to climb at about three hundred feet and the noise started to reduce after about a mile.

"Okay troops?" Kit said as Baloo and Gregory both huddled together with Kit; " Here's _my_ plan....." Now; it was time to show Don Karnage that they were not going to allow him to destory the lives of Cape Suzette ever again. However; the Air Pirates were ready to go it seemed.....

***

As the bears walk towards Derek and the SeaDuck; the midnight air and endless ocean only dotted a number of stars on that clear night. There was only one object in the air and that was the brown rental plane that Gregory used to kidnap the kids earlier. Mad Dog and Dumptruck were still flying and were wondering just one question. Where was the Iron Vulture? It's been almost two hours and there was no sign of it. The sky is pretty dark; but it was a clear evening with lots of stars shining the way for the Air Pirates. So much for discrimation; eh?

"Ah..." Mad Dog said looking around on most sides and finding pretty much nothing to share; "..where did the Captain say that the Iron Vulture was?"

"7.5 degrees zast-northzast of ZerraStone Island.." Dumptruck said as he was reading the map.

"We should have seen the Iron Vulture an hour ago....I.." Mad Dog said as he turned around and saw Dumptruck reading the map upside-down;"..What are you doing? You're reading the map upside-down...." Mad Dog shireks as Dumptruck realizes that he was indeed reading the map up-side down and turns the map right-side up once again. However; Dumptruck's mistake was costly and Don Karnage's policy for being late would make everyone come on time.... 24 hours earlier even.

"Zt's 7.5 degrees zest-zouthzest of ZerraStone Island." Dumptruck explained reading the actual flight plan correctly this time around.

"UGH!! Don Karnage is going to get us." Mad Dog said with a clutch of panic as he turns the plane around and places it perfectly into the flight plan set for the Iron Vulture, then he looks at Dumptruck in a cross-eyed mood; " Honestly Dumptruck; how do I put up with you?"

"Because zou are my friend." Dumptruck said with a dumb tone.

"Keeping telling me that and I'll stop believing that." Mad Dog responded as he continued to act like his feeling were hurt and those feelings were turely hurt.

"Zh come on Mad Dog!" Dumptruck protested in vain as Mad Dog was starting to hear Dumptruck whince as he spoke.

"You're starting to annoy me now." Mad Dog snaps at his only friend in the whole-wide world.

"Mad Dog?" Dumptruck said as he starts to whine bitterly; " I'm zorry for reading zhe map upside-down...."

"You are?" Mad Dog asked feeling that he has made his point about hurting his own feelings.

"Yeah; I am...." Dumptruck said in an honest tone.

"For the first time I actually understand you.." Mad Dog responded with a weak smirk on his kisser; "..You whine too plainly!"

"Zhat?!" Dumptruck said feeling that Mad Dog was playing on his own emotions; " I zas not whining..."

"Okay; I forgive you..." Mad Dog said with a grin on his face; "..But only because I have to work with you and I don't want Don Karnage to know that we are apart."

"I zon't want to be on the bosses wrong zide either." Dumptruck said. While Dumptruck's intellgence left a lot to be desired; he didn't need smarts to know that being on Don Karnage's bad side was a call for death.

"I guess I've been too hard.." Mad Dog admitted as he looks forward and realizes that the Iron Vulture was in fact coming towards them; "..and because we are coming close to the Iron Vulutre..." Apparently; Don Karnage knew from some unknown source that the Air Pirates made a huge miscalulation.

"You are right Mad Dog." Dumptruck looks up as he looks up and ahead and sees the famed airship flying into the sky and the Iron Vulture's mouth was open; " Zhere is zhe Iron Vulture..."

"Now you are catching on...." Mad Dog said as the brown rental seaplane enters the Iron Vulture via it's mouth. Standing next to the landing strip inside the Iron Vulture was Don Karnage tapping his foot.

"Zh! Zh!" Dumptruck said as the brown rental plane descends slowly down and it's speed is reduced as Dumptruck start to clutch of painc; " Zhe boss is zot happy...."

"Agreed." Mad Dog nodded as the brown rental plane grinds to a halt on the landing strip. Mad Dog and Dumptruck both jump out of their planes. Don Karnage was not happy at the tardiness of his troops.

"Where were you two going...." Don Karnage said not looking amused; " You are clearly mushy as mud.....15 minutes late!!"

"Well boss...." Mad Dog explained honestly; " We were going to be on time if Dumptruck hadn't read the map up-side down."

"Zait a minute. Mad Dog...." Dumptruck protested; " I zhought that you were on my zide."

"I have to tell the truth." Mad Dog explained knowing that Don Karnage would tear him apart if he didn't confess ;"I don't want to...."

"Zou promised to be my friend..." Dumptruck protested bitterly into Mad Dog as he grabs Mad Dog by the neck and that whole sequence caused Don Karnage to be even more cross and irraited.

"Stop. Stop. Stop....STOP!!" Don Karnage screamed so loud that as if it was no cue Dumnptruck would let go of Mad Dog's neck and he falls to his seat on the cold steel floor; " I cannot believe that after years of friendship; you cannot get a simple task done right."

"Uh oh!" Dumptruck said plainly as he was shuddering in fear as Don Karnage gets very angry.

"He's mad...." Mad Dog said looking into those firey red eyes of an angry Don Karnage ready to get them their just deserts.

"Just for that.." Don Karnage said as he suddenly changed from being demented to being graceful and was like walking on thin air; "..I'll give you your reward now instead of later. Yeah; that'll teach ya..."

"Zhat?" Dumptruck face lit up as any montery reward would seduce an Air Pirate that would only care about money even though he would never be free from the evil that was the Air Pirates.

"You mean it?!" Mad Dog chimes in feeling very excited over this turn of events.

"Of course! I Don Karnage must be considerable to the interests of my crew.." Don Karnage said as he looks very smug and wonders how easy this really was going to be; "..So close your eyes and I'll give you the reward...."

"Zh; goody!" Dumptruck said as he closes his eyes without a hint of a second thought.

"Come to me baby!" Mad Dog also said as he closes his eyes in unison and was throwing his hands towards his upper chest. Don Karnage was surprised and his thoughts were pretty much what most people would think ~I cannot believe they are falling for this log.~ Don Karnage makes a fist and then proceed to place his fist above Dumptruck's head. However; he realizes something;~ I need them for my plan to work.~ he thought as he admitted that that he needed everyone and all of these punishments should happen later. He already has all the stuff he needs to plunder Cape Suzette and he would need his men in order to finish the task.

"On second thought;" Don Karnage said as he removes his fist away from Dumptruck; "...it would be better that I give you the reward later....."

"You are right boss!" Dumptruck and Mad Dog said with a sigh of relief as they open their eyes and did not see any of Don Karnage's antics. Suddenly Don Karnage's most important mechanic; Rachect enters the landing strip and Don Karnage sees his right away.

"Ahh Rachect?" Don Karnage asked as Rachect wipes the small amount of oil that was caught on his dark overalls; " Is the gun ready...?"

"It is ready for all comers Captain..." Rachet said as Don Karnage takes the dreaded Emerald of Purification out of his pocket and the gem and its luster shine was enough to cause Dumptruck and Mad Dog's eyes to light up once again in glee.

"Then don't just stand there;" Don Karnage protested as he hands the Emerald of Purification to Rachect's greasy hands; "....put this _stone_ into the holder."

"As you command Captain.." Rachect exclaims saluting his captain without question and exits back into the Iron Vulture the same way as he entered. Don Karnage notices that Mad Dog and Dumptruck were still in the area and that made him very cross indeed.

"Don't stand there.." Don Karnage yells out and points to them in a very cross mood; "..help Rachect bring our ultimate weapon."

"Right Captain!!" Dumptruck and Mad Dog said shuddering in fear as they quickly run towards the same path that Rachect entered and exits the main area; getting ready to bring their new toy into the light and blast Cape Suzette's souls into nothingness.

"Well Cape Suzette..." Don Karnage said as he raises his fist cheering for victory; "..your time is officially UP!!!" For now it seemed that Don Karnage has won....However; Kit Cloudkicker is still alive and as live as he was still alive there was no victory for the prince of pirates..... Also; don't forget about Gregory Masamune; as his new weapon is also magical as well.

***

Meanwhile; back at the docks of Higher for Hire, Rebecca Cunningham was sitting down just under the Higher for Hire sign as she was doing since Kit was kidnapped. The good news was that the angry mob that Rebecca dreamed would happen since many of Kit's friends were kidnapped as well; was completely fizzled out as only Ernie and Kit were left and Sara Mandate was with Baloo and Derek to rescue the remaining kids if they were still alive. However; the bad news was that the thought of Kit's death and the fact that she had not heard anything about Kit since Baloo said that he was on TerraStone Island; this caused Rebecca to fall into a deep state of depression and despair. She could cry any more for the sorrow was frightening to her.

"Oh Kit?" Rebecca asked yelling at the sky hoping for result that were not coming; " Where are you?!" As she continued to be depressed; Molly Cunningham was walking down towards her mother and finally sits down beside her.

"Mommy?!" Molly asked as Rebecca continued to look into the sky; " Are you okay?!"

"I don't know...." Rebecca said as she shook her head. Molly looked serious now; as she has known Kit for three months now as being the absolute pain for Kit during babysitting jobs. Kit is a tough person to take down.

"Kit will be okay Mommy.." Molly said in a reasuring tone sounding a bit like a child still; " .. He can take care of himself."

"How do you know?" Rebecca asked feeling that this would be the day that Kit's luck would run out.

"Mommy....Kit is a funny boy." Molly responded with the same tone; " He will find a way to come back to us."

"I'm...underestimating him..." Rebecca said sighing and remembering that Kit protected her from Mr. Macknee two months ago when Macknee was hunting the Yenekra; a flying buffalo-like beast with the ability to grow 12 feet tall when wet and shrink to one foot when dry. Molly was pretending to be Henry's mother (as Molly called her that) and Henry took both Molly and Kit away towards the Valley of Yenkra in order to flee from Macknee. Kit was the advisor and bodyguard when Macknee almost got his hands on that beast. Rebecca knew that he could stand up to adults (particually the evil ones) and should have known that Kit's street smart would get him out of situations. While Rebecca wrestles the memories; the sound of a roar of engines was heard once again.

"Look....more birdies..." Molly explained as she was looking up and was pointing at some light dot that was approching her eye in the distance. Rebecca shook her head and smiled once again thinking that Molly was seeing something that wasn't it. She had a ability for doing that after all she said that when the Air Pirates attacked her and Baloo early on.

"Molly? Your eyes are playing tricks on you again." Rebecca said smiling weakly as she looked towards the front and sees that the seaplane was coming closer and closer; " The only flying birds are owls and..." now it was close enough for Rebecca Cunningham to realize that it was a seaplane and it was the same police seaplane that carried the kids back from TerraStone Island ; "....Another seaplane....Could it be?"

"Mommy? Are you...." Molly said as she and Rebecca stand up and Molly embraces Rebecca feeling a bit firghtened by the engines of the seaplane getting louder and louder. The seaplane descends down towards the Higher for Hire docks and was reducing its speed. Frak WildCat suddenly enters the dock area and walks down towards Rebecca and Molly as Molly was then set on her feet to the ground as the seaplane lands slowly onto the left side of the side of the docks and the engines were cut off. WildCat was in awe since the seaplane _did_ look like an owl to the unaided eye.

"Wow....the owls are flying low tonight.." WildCat exclaimed; "...too low!"

"Isn't these jokes starting to grow old?" Rebecca asked as she shrugged her shoulders when just then the police seaplane doors open and out pops Ernie Mandate, Derek Thursday and Sara Mandate. To Rebecca this was a good sign; for it means that Baloo must've found Kit. It was also a sigh of relief to see that Ernie was now home safe and sound.

"That place is stuffed...." Ernie said as he wipes the hair back to its original position.

"Just hope that you never have to do this again..." Derek snapped back with a serious take of his own. Rebecca approches Derek and blocks his way.

"Derek? Where's Kit?!" Rebecca asked feeling that finally she was going to get an answer.

"I'm sorry Miss Cunningham. " Derek said as he walked past Rebecca and heads towards his parked police car; " I don't have time to talk to you... I have to warn the mayor..."

"Why am I not getting answers?!" Rebecca said as he looked very distaught at the thought that so far no one was giving her answers to her questions; " Where's Kit?!"

"Kit's with Baloo.." Ernie said honestly; "..alive and well." Those two words that Ernie said were the answers that Rebecca Cunningham was looking for. Not one adult; not one person in high authority would answer her. Only a 13 year old kid.. ~What has this world come to when I'm the one giving honest answers.~ he thought.

"Thank goodness.." Rebecca said breathing a huge sigh of relief as she wanted him to come home so then she could hug him and squeeze him; "...Kit's coming home...." She was smiling wide and it looked like she would be smiling forever. However; Sara had to tell her that Kit wasn't coming back just yet.

"Not yet Miss Cunningham...." Sara said harshly as Rebecca's smile vanished as quickly as it came. This was not the attitude she wanted to see.

"What do you mean not just yet?" Rebecca asked feeling a clutch of panic.

"Kit said that he has to go to the Iron Vulture and stop Don Karnage from cleansing Cape Suzette..." Ernie explained and this was the answer Rebecca thought she would never hear. Kit was putting himself in harms way again!

"What are you talking about?!" Rebecca asked looking terrifed. Kit was engaged in something that she didn't want Kit to do ever again as he was still in complete reform. The old side of helping people without a cause to do so was starting to relapse in Kit's brain and Rebecca was seeing it now. She was in a helpless state indeed.

"Don Karnage has built another Lightning Gun and intends to use the Emerald of Purification to zap the minds of Cape Suzette in order to force them to plunder their riches for him." Sara explained as Rebecca shudders in fear; " That's why Derek is going to the mayor."

"Oh; I know that Emerald: one blast and your brain goes boom.." WildCat said giving proably the best visual explaination of the effects of the new gun as he was making noises; "..boom...poof !! No more brain!"

"That's WildCat for ya." Rebecca said to Sara as they chuckle at the joke; however Rebecca mind was clearly somewhere else and another tear fell in that mind thinking the only question that could come up in her own mind. ~Why Kit? Why do _you_ have to go back to the fear of the past?~ 

Now the real harm for Kit was going to begin.... and what about the hunter Masamune?

***

Don Karnage was only three hours away from his brilliant plan being released full circle... Standing in the wheelhouse/observation deck was Don Karnage dancing around as Mad Dog was manning the radio and had the headsets on while Dumptruck and Gibber were guarding the doors with their muskets. Everything was going smoothly... or so Don Karnage thought....

"What a glorius night.." Don Karnage chuckled strongly; "....Only three more hours to full glory." As Don Karnage was celebrating; Gibber, who was looking out the window of the night sky; then suddenly spots a yellow dot flying striaght at the Iron Vulture about three miles away. There were no yellow birds in this area and that made Gibber wonder; ~What?~. With that he walks from the doorway and striaght at Don Karnage as Don stops to see him looking a bit annoyed that he was unable to continue his dancing.

"What do you want Gibber?" Don Karnage asked as Don Karnage kneels down to be on Gibber's level.

"[There's a yellow dot flying striaght at us!]" he wispers into Don Karnage's ear.

"What?!" Don Karnage said as his face turns red; " I have not time to see some little dots. Particually those yellow ones." Don Karnage shrugs him away as he walks away. Mad Dog is on the radio and he hears something very distrubing.

"Hey Captain?!" Mad Dog asks as he looks at Don Karnage with his headset still on.

"What is it now?" Don Karnage asked having a very annoying tone.

"There is giggling all over the radio...." Mad Dog said as he removes the headset from his ears.

"I am not intrested in giggling radios....!" Don Karnage whined bitterly as he was starting to realize that his plans were in the process of being ruined.

"But boss.." Mad Dog protested; ".....the sound is so familiar..."

"Give me that!" Don Karnage snaps back as he grabs the headset from Mad Dog's grasps; " You are starting to annoy me!" Don Karnage then procceds to put the headset on; " Well; well my giggling radio-user type person...." The giggling started again and to Don Karnage that laugh was spine-tingling to say the least and it sounded all too familiar to the prince of pirates; " That voice?"

"So you thought that you got rid of me eh?" Kit laughed like a giggling hyena and that caused Don Karnage to go flush white with anger and also had fear invade his own mind. ~How did that bear escape from those snakes?"

"YOU....YOU....Mr. Clownkicker!!" Don Karnage shoutted out the dreaded name that Don Karnage hated so much ever since the Lightning Gun was destoryed; " You're suppsoed to be encased in stone!"

"Never underestimate my power Garbage!" Kit snaps back with the ultimate insults which further drives Don Karnage into an maddening state.

"It is Karnage you traitor..!" Don Karnage shouts bitterly as he jumps up and down. The laughing has since stopped but the insults kept flying.

"You're the expert on that...!" Gregory snaps back and that voice confirmed everything. To Karnage; Masamune somehow was able to cut the ropes free and stop those perti-snakes. His beautiful plans were starting to come apart at the seams.

"So the ice-type bear person is also alive..." Don Karnage shouted bitterly once again and was even angier than before; "..GRRRR! I am so angry!"

"Give us back the Emerald of Purification....and we won't take no for an answer!" Gregory ordered firecely; "...We are here to stop ya!" Suddenly the phrase started to calm down Don Karnage and made him ponder. After one moment of slience Don Karnage starts to laugh as he had a trump card up his ear.

"So the ice-bear type person wants our jewel?" Don Karnage giggled heavily; " You know what; the ice-bear type is right.." as he said that he points directly to Dumptruck; "...Open the beak Dumptruck!"

"Has you zish, Captain!" Dumptruck saluted without question as he goes to a wooden wheel which is labelled in black letter in the center of the wheel _Beak Release_. He turns the wheel into the counter-clockwise direction. Don Karnage was giggled meancely now as he was going to get the last laugh on Gregory Skywinds again.

"Prepare to be cleansed of what little soul you have left....!" Don Karnage hissed as he removes the headset and sports a wicked giggle. Meanwhile; that yellow dot that Gibber spotted was in fact the SeaDuck as it was flying closer and closer to the Iron Vulture. Baloo was as always flying the SeaDuck and making excellent time; being with clear skies and all. Kit Cloudkicker was sitting in the navigator's chair laughing quite a bit with Gregory chuckling a little bit behind his seat.

"That was better than seeing the look on ol'Beckey's face when she thinks that she's going to catch me late and then I am on time at the last second..." Baloo chuckled causing Gregory to frown on Baloo's actions. He hated pet names even if it was nobody else's business.

"Oh behave Baloo.." Kit said giggling; "...Our mission isn't done yet."

"I hate pet names." Gregory said frowning at the thought because he himself had a pet name that he wished his brother would never give to him; " I wish they would go away..."

"What do you know about pet names?" Baloo asked feeling that Gregory was out to lunch on these times; but Gregory's eyes became crosser and crosser.

"Besides being offensive.." Gregory snaps on Baloo's kisser quickly; "....my brother gave me the accursed _pet name_ of Masamune."

"Painful to watch eh?...." Baloo said without any thought of Gregory's feeling as the Iron Vulture started to open and Baloo's face started to light up even more; this was getting too easy now; "..Those pirates are getting stupider every time I see them... Look; they just opened the Iron Vulture..." Kit and Gregory look on as the beak was now opened halfway and something in that beak caused them both to shudder in fear; "..... What are you two worried about?"

"If the pirates are getting stupider as you claim...." Gregory said with a clutch of panic.

"...then what's that?!" Kit said pointing as the Iron Vulture's beak completes it opening and on the platform was the most dreaded weapon that the world. It destoryed half of Cape Suzette only three months ago; and was built from a banned book and created out of stuff that we take for granted in this reality and in real reality: fishbowls, copper wire, metal pie plates and many other household stuff combined all into one super gun. Kit Cloudkicker was shocked beyond belief; as the very weapon that he nearly allowed to be fired by Don Karnage was in operation once again.

"THE LIGHTNING GUN!!" all three victims screamed in horror as Don Karnage places the headset back on and was laughing his head off now. The battle has switched to Don Karnage now.

"Oooooooo..." Don Karnage squealed cheerfully; "....I wish that I had pictures to go with radio....I would love to see the look on your silly-bear-type faces. Besides; this gun is the _PURE GUN_!"

"Climb up Baloo..." Gregory shouted sounding fearful; "Maybe we can get out of the line of fire!"

"Good idea.." Baloo said as he pushes on the stick and the plane starts to gain ground and goes up at an angle; "...Try and catch us now Karnie!!" It seemed like Don couldn't stop them now. The gun couldn't possiabily shoot left or shoot right or shoot upward at an angle because of its size. However; Don Karnage was only grinning.

"With pleasure!!" Don said as he snaps his fingers. As if it was completely on cue Rachect who was sitting in the Pure Gun's seat wearing the same gear that he used with the Lightning Gun months ago finds the wheel and turns it clockwise. The Pure Gun's turret started to tilt up right on the same angle as the plane and then Baloo sees it glups violently. The SeaDuck couldn't gain any more altitude because of the lack of oxygen and the SeaDuck was forced to level off; right in the path of the Pure Gun; "You are now the stupidest link...."

"We're done for....!" Baloo shouted as Don Karnage was smirking before unleashing his final assult.

"FIRE!!" Don Karnage screamed as Rachect pressed the double trigger-button on the joystick which controls the Pure Gun's horizontial plane left and right. The Emerald of Purification that was placed inside the holder of the back of the Pure Gun began to glow.

"No!" Kit shouted as the cannon's energy source glows intentsely and it transfers to the tip of the gun laser.

"I'm sorry brother!" Gregory said praying for a miracle that wasn't coming; " I've failed you!" The lasertip of the Pure Gun concerates the energy and it fires a large green bean directly at the SeaDuck. The large beam makes a direct hit onto the SeaDuck and surrounds the entire plane for a few seconds. Then as the energy reduces the SeaDuck suddenly begins to take a nosedive towards the top of the Iron Vulture. Meanwhile; back inside the Iron Vulture's main operating room; Don Karnage looks very impatient. He didn't quite see what happened since the blind spot was in effect. He wondered if the test actually worked.

"What happened here?" Don Karnage hissed at his motley crew; " Where is Rachect?"

"Boss...." Rachect said as he entered the main operating room. Then as if it was coming out of the blue; the Iron Vulture suffers a shaking and hears the sounds of a thud. As if two pieces of metal hit together. ~The SeaDuck must've hit the Iron Vulure~ he thought.

"What happened?" Don Karnage demanded shaking Rachect for all that's worth; " Tell me what happened?!"

"We managed to directly hit the Seaduck Captain." Rachect explained honestly as Don Karnage seers at him; " The plane took a huge nosedive and judging by the loud shake; it looks like it landed on the top of the Iron Vulture sir!"

"This only means one thing...." Don Karnage giggles as he finally lets go of Rachect and dances with absolute glee that his three main problems have finally been disposed of by the cleanig power of the Emerald of Purification; "... The silly bear type people have been cleansed! This has turely been the greastest thing in my fantastic- one's self's life.... And Cape Suzette's darkest hour.....Oooo; I'm so good that I scare myself...ho..ho..ho...."

"You are the best Captain." Mad Dog chimed in smirking with a wicked sense fo humor.

"It is moments like this I want to dance and celebrate." Don Karnage said continuing to dance around and ignore the good comments.

"Zeah; let's zet it on." Dumptruck said trying to dance a jig; and that causes Don Karnage to stop dancing and become very serious once again. Something was lingering in Don Karnage's mind. ~I still need to make sure that those silly bear-type people will not be a threat to me.~ he thought.

"Wait a minutet!" Don Karnage said as his bad english was present once again; " You Dumptruck will go topside to check out the SeaDuck."

"I don't understand boss." Dumptruck said looking confused.

"I need to make sure.." Don Karnage responded looking a bit paranoid; "..we cannot have any mistake now can we?" Rachect looked pretty down. He thought and assumed that

"Of zourse zot Boss!" Dumptruck nodded in agreement.

"Now get going.....!" Don Karnage shouted taking out his Regal Cutlass and points it to Dumptruck and that causes Dumptruck to jump. Dumptruck exits the main operating room as quickly as a cat. Mad Dog was smirking as he didn't have to do anything except party with the other Air Pirates.

"Looks like I get to dance with the Captain..." Mad Dog said dancing around until Don Karnage started to point the sword at Mad Dog's nose causing him to shudder in fear. Don Karnage was not about to let Mad Dog

"Not so fast.." Don Karnage said smirking and hiding his paranoia; ".you will call all the lovely pirates down here and will join Dumptruck for assistance....Understood?"

"Okay; Captain...." Mad Dog whines as Mad Dog exits the main operating room following Dumptruck's lead. Don Karnage then looks as Rachect and puts his Regal Cutlass away.

"Come on my brilliant mechanic;" Don Karnage sings as he exits the main operating room the same way that Rachect did; ".... it's time to pour the wine of excellence and celebrate.... Wooohooo....Time to really get the party going." Don Karnage was ready to have a good time and once the air pirates come down; they can start the final phase of the plan: plundering Cape Suzette. Rachect could only shake his head. He was loyal to Don Karnage; but couldn't stand how annoying he really was.

"That is a weird pirate...." Rachect said as Gibber came over and asked Rachect to kneel. Rachect kneels down and Gibber wispers something into Rachect's ear.

"[Agreed...]" Gibber wispers into Rachect's ear.

"You too...." Rachect responded as he wonders if those bears were cleansed. Don Karnage's attitude must be telling him something that the rest of the Air Pirates don't know of. He was right to be concerned as the event were continuing to unfold in their own crazy way............ Meanwhile... Dumptruck is in the central area of the Iron Vulture on the top floor before the roof of the Iron Vulture. He has found the steel trapdoor and the steel built-in wall ladder on the wall beside the trapdoor. It leads to the top of the Iron Vulture. There is a hallway about 10 feet tall and goes back towards the Iron Vulture's main operating room. This is the only path to the top of the Iron Vulture.

"I zate zhis job.." Dumptruck said as he begins to climb the ladder; "..I want to zarty harty myzelf! Zow I have to do zhis....It's zot fair.." Dumptruck begins to climb up the ladder and whne he reaches the trapdoor; he used his hands to push the piece of steel up to open the hatch. Dumptruck will then jump onto the top deck of the Iron Vulture.".. Zhat is zhis?" Dumptruck walks around and sees the SeaDuck on top of the deck without it's landing gear on. The SeaDuck is laying on it's side as if it had spun a couple of times before landing onto the top of the Iron Vulture. Dumptruck looks around and sees Gregory Masamune lying down on his side on top of the platform about six feet away from the airplane. Dumptruck eyes light up as he walks towards Gregory as Gregory starts to stir and wake up.

"Excuse me...." Dumptruck asked as Gregory stands up and looks at him in a numb-like state.

"Where am I?" Gregory asked without any thoughts about what he was saying; " Who am I?" This confirmed everything in Dumptruck's eyes. The cleansing machine that Rachect created worked like a charm and that Gregory, Baloo and Kit would basically zombies now. Don Karnage had turely won.

"Zhis is great?!" Dumptruck said as he turned around and as he did that Gregory suddenly became focused; " Do you zeed any help?!" Dumptruck was wrong all along; Gregory Skywinds was not affected by the Pure Gun after all....This was what Don Karnage feared all along and he knew it.

"Just one thing?" Gregory said with a big smile and he was nudging Dumptruck.

"Zhat?" Dumptruck asked as he turned around and it was like preparing thyself for the sucker.

"Say nighty-night!!" Gregory shouted as Gregory forms a fist and shows it to Dumptruck. Dumptruck was too late to do anything to counter it.

"Zighty-Zight!" he said dumbly as Gregory striaght-punched Dumptruck in the face causing Dumptruck to fall backwards directly onto his back and he was completely knocked out. Gregory rubs his fist as it were pretty hurt from hitting solid bone. The Air Pirates weren't getting very smart anymore.

"A brain made of solid bone." Gregory said as he heard Baloo and Kit laugh it up as they exit from the SeaDuck; "He fell for it."

"That was easier than serving cheap ground beef." Baloo chuckled causing Gregory to blush with being offended again.

"Stop with the meat jokes; I'm a text-book Kosher believer." Gregory said as he turns Dumptruck on his mid-section and removes the musket from Dumptruck's back; " He won't be needing _this_ anymore." Gregory throws the musket away with so much power that it had enough distance to fall striaght into the ocean. Kit looked as him wondering.

"Gregory?" Kit asked. Gregory realized that he might have been better off keeping the musket; but Gregory knew better. He was a good swordsman; but a very poor shooter, mainly because his family wasn't a fan of guns in general.

"Just in case _he_ tries to get up with our backs turned." Gregory suggests as he looks directly at Dumptruck with his frozen eyes looking like they always were; " I suggest that you _stay_ _knocked out_!"

"Good call Gregory!" Baloo said giving Gregory a thumbs up. Gregory didn't see it and looked towards the hatch; the entrance to proceed with the next part of the plan.

"The pirates's are not that smart." Gregory admitted as he walks towards the open hatch.

"Time for phase two of the plan." Kit exclaimed as he joins Gregory at the hatch. Don Karnage's fear were going to be answered soon enough. Kit's first theorim of the Pure Gun came ture. It wasn't as simple as if was first thought.

***

Things unknown to Don Karnage were not going as planned. Don Karnage was now standing next to a number of boxes labelled _grape juice_ and was getting ready for the party which took place on the main platform area; the largest part of the Iron Vulture area where the CT-37's usually land. The Iron Vulture's Beak was open and it was going to remain open until Cape Suzette was cleansed to the bone. To the right of the group of Air Pirates was the Pure Gun in it's own horror image. Rachect was sitting in the hot seat with his protective goggles and earplugs on; checking out the gun to see if it will still function. Unlike the Sub-Electron Power Ampiflier; the power of the Emerald of Purification was virtually unlimited. (read: It is a sacred stone after all.) As Don Karnage was laughing and smiling all the Air Pirates that were well known to Karnage after Kit's betrayal launched out into the plane launchpad in full force: Sadie, Hacksaw, Scottie, Will, Hal, and Gibber to name just a few. Many of the Pirates were not worthy of Don Karnage's presence (read: Rookies) that they were not invited to the party and many more were still on Pirate Island. All the Air Pirates that were invited all gather to face Don Karnage.

"We have achieved absolute victory on this glorius night.." Don Karnage cheered as he looked at his crew with a smirk on his face and if it was shown; a chip on his shoulder; "..The first test of the Pure Gun was completely successful....That nosy Baloo will never hurt us again...." No one was cheering just yet as Don Karnage kept holding his hand to tell his crew that they must hold their appluse until the end of his speech. As Don's victory speech continued and now that Mad Dog had completed all the work that Don Karnage asked of; Mad Dog walked into the same steel hallway leading up to the roof of the Iron Vulture until he finally reached the trap door and ladder used by Dumptruck. However; as he observed the steel door; it was closed shut.

"That's funny.." Mad Dog pondered as he knew that Dumptruck's brain of solid bone would make him so forgetful; "..He doesn't shut the door...." Mad Dog proceeds to climb up to the trap door and pushes the door aside to open it; "There!" Mad Dog climbs out of the hatch and discovers that the SeaDuck is completely intact; only its landing gear was not in use. Mad Dog steps onto the roof of the Iron Vulture and he suddenly spots Dumptruck about six feet away from the SeaDuck; on his midsection and was mumbling as a sign that he was completely coming to his senses. Mad Dog approches Dumptruck; his own budddy like all buddies do and Dumptruck slowly gets back onto his feet and looks a bit dizzy.

"How zid he zet so much power in zis fists?" Dumptruck asked dizzy and confused. This proves only one thing. Solid bone can still knock himself out.

"Are you alright?" Mad Dog asked as he checked Dumptruck's back and sees that Dumptruck's musket was gone. This proves that the bears were not cleansed after all and that causes Mad Dog to panic; " Oh, no! Those bears aren't gone!"

"Zhe boss is zot going to like zhis!" Dumptruck said holding his mouth and shuddering with fear; "Let's zot tell zim!"

"Sorry pal..." Mad Dog said as he was sweating sharp raindrops almost like daggers; "...We have to have to tell him; he's smart enough to find out...."

"You're right Mad Dog!" Dumptruck said gluping as he climbs down the hatch and exits down towards the hallway leading to the plane launchpad; " Let's zo!"

"He is _GOING_ to _KILL US_!!" Mad Dog said panicky now. Don Karnage was turely going to hate them now. His plans were going down the drain as he continues his speech with the listening troops at the Iron Vulture launchpad area. The Pure Gun was warmed up and ready to go and the Air Pirates were increasing smirking at the wicked antics of Don Karnage. Someone will stop them....however; no one was stopping Don Karnage's wicked speech as it continued..

"....the silly ice-bear type person will no longer threaten us....It's very sad that our ex-pirate has been cleansed....It looks like I'll just find another sucker child to replace him.." Don Karnage admitted as he laughed out loud. Don Karnage was evil to the soul; and prehaps beyond forgiveness now; he still wanted a successor and Kit had indeed failed him. Not like Kit wanted to really go back to Don Karnage; there was too much hate between the two and Don Karnage's evilness was something Kit doesn't want in his role models; "..I want a sucessor to my cause; not a brainless pirate like he is now. Rachect has informed me that the first official test for me in my humble thinking...was a complete success; a success that was beyond my beautiful nightmares...."

"Wooohoooo!!" All the Air Pirates were cheering out loud as this was the greatest thing to happen to them. However; Don Karnage looks a bit annoyed as he was not finished his beautiful speech just yet.

"Before I was interuppted by those silly-bear type people.." Don Karnage hissed brillantly that caused the rest of the Air Pirates to hush down quickly and be slient; "..we shall not fail in the ultimate goal: to plunder the riches of Cape Suzette and the entire world. With this very device; we can remove the memories of those furries in _that_ fortress city and soon the whole world will be hearing our name and work to plunder all furrykind." However; that whole speech was about to be in vain as Mad Dog and Dumptruck enter the launchpad area and walk towards Don Karnage who has stopped his speech and looks very cross indeed.

"Ah Captain...." Mad Dog started to speak and he was looking very frightened. This was going to be tough to explain since Don Karnage put in all this effort into his speech and he doesn't like his speeches being ruined.

"Please...wait...!" Don Karnage responded looking cross but still had the grace that made him the most feared pirate in all of Earthia; " Can't you see that I'm busy making this beautiful speech for my beautiful voice..."

"Ah; boss....zhe ice-man is ztill alive.." Dumptruck said fumbling his words hoping that Don Karnage won't make them out; "...They haven't zeen affected by the beam!"

"WHAT?! BUT YOU..." Don Karnage screams as he first looks at Dumptruck and Mad Dog which were frightened out of their skulls; then looks at the Air Pirate as the fear in their eyes became present and finally he looks at Rachect who was the most frightened because he had checked that Pure Gun and it was working perfectly; "...SAID!! UGGGHHHHHH!" Don Karnage looks directly into his pirate's frightened eyes and was ready to swipe someone for it.

"I'm sorry Captain." Mad Dog explained looking fearful to the actions of Don Karnage; " Dumptruck was knocked out and Gregory stole his musket."

"You have ruined my beautiful speech of purity!" Don Karnage said as he was flushed white hot with anger and was gritting his teeth trying to resist killing his troops; " Just for that there will be _NO_ _PARTY_!" He then proceeds to kick one of the boxes that was labelled _Grape Juice_ and the contents of the box (read:grape juice) poured out slowly just after impact causing a small mess of purple liquid on the floor. Don gritted his teeth as the impact was strong enough to cause pain in his toes.

"THANKS A LOT MAD DOG!!!" All the pirates except Mad Dog and Dumptruck screamed and whined at the same time; hissing at the two pirates who let those cleansed bears escape into the Iron Vulture. Mad Dog and Dumptruck felt very hurt by the comment and their fear of Don Karnage was still present and they started to whine as well.

"I should've checked this sooner.." Don Karnage said as he looked at all of his cremates who were doing nothing but whining and was getting angrier and angrier; "..STOP WHINING!! If you want that party back then catch those _silly_ _bear-type_ _people_! NOW!!

"Yes; Captain!!" All Air Pirates exclaimed in fear as Mad Dog, Dumptruck, Sadie, Gibber, Hacksaw, Hal, Will and Scottie run around and exit the launchpad area in different directions. Rachect was about to step down from the Pure Gun to help in the search for the three bears but Don Karnage notices him and holds his hand to tell Rachect to stop.

"Not you Rachect! I need you to recheck the gun." Don Karnaged demanded slowly and putting strength into each phrase; " _I_ _WANT TO KNOW_ _WHY_ _THIS SORRY GUN_ _DIDN'T_ _WORK_!"

"Yes boss!!" Rachect gulped as he returned to his post.

"This makes me so angry!!" Don Karnage said looking very irritated. However; his paranoia was about to come full-circle and Don Karnage almost knew it. If Baloo, Kit and Gregory were not cleansed; they were capable of bringing his force to its knees faster than any Police Force could. They didn't believe in criminal-coddling laws; and would show no mercy to him. That's what Don Karnage believed. As he was tapping down on his foot; Mad Dog has finally arrived into the Bunk Cabins; the area where the Air Pirate's usually sleep. Every room is 12 feet square and 10 feet high and had bunkbeds in each room. There were no private bathrooms; there were public bathrooms beyond the hallway. Mad Dog proceeds to storm every room (about sixteen rooms in all); opening the door; taking a moment to scan the room and then shutting every door without finding the bears. After the tenth room was stormed and showed nothing in those three bears; Mad Dog begins to get frustrated until he discovers that one door in the rear of the hallway was opened and then was quickly the door shuts by itself. Mad Dog's eyes lit up and this must be where the bears were.

"I got you now!" Mad Dog runs to the end of the hallway and walks towards the final door on the right (the 16th room). The metal door was a rectangle-curved door 10 feet high and 8 feet wide. Mad Dog then remembers that this used to be Kit Cloudkicker's room. He was the only member of the Air Pirates beside Don Karnage himself to have one complete room by himself unlike the rest of the pirate who had to fit two or three pirates per room and things got very stinky in them. It resents Mad Dog even to this day. Mad Dog was about the storm the room until he realized that these bears could have another plan up their sleeves after managed to outsmart Dumptruck into believing that they were in fact cleansed when they were not;" Wait?" Mad Dog goes to a microphone speaker at the right of the 15th room entrance which was a simple copper pipe with a lift-up cover. He takes the lift-up cover and speaks into the pipe; " Hey! I found the bears..... They're in the bunkrooms...Come at once!" The mircophone voice travels all about in the Iron Vulture on every platform including the one where Don Karnage is. He is grinning right now as Mad Dog has finally done something right for a change.

"AHA!" Don Karnage giggled like a laughing hynea; " Once Rachect fixes the Pure Gun then their attempts shall be in vain." Back inside the hallway of the bunkhouses; Mad Dog is waiting impatiently; a strange thing since there was no alternative exit in that room. He wasn't going to have to wait any longer as the Air Pirates Dumptruck, Sadie, Hacksaw, Gibber, Scottie, Will and Hal enter the bunkhouses and they were grinning from ear to ear. Those silly-bear type people were finally going to be caught.

"Zou found zhem!" Dumptruck exclaimed as Mad Dog smiles and feels so cocky about himself.

"Yeah; I did....I'll go in first! Watch my back.." Mad Dog said as Dumptruck stands behind Mad Dog and Mad Dog twists the doorknob; the door starts to slowly open; "... These bears are careless. The door is _not_ locked..." He opens the door and offically barages into the bunkroom; ".. AHA!!" The bunkroom was 15 feet long by 30 feet wide by 12 feet tall in size and ahd steel plating all about. To the northeast sector of the room there were wooden bunkbeds which didn't have any matresses on them (read: The room is reserved for Don Karnage's successor to the Prince of Pirates). The southeast corner was where a wooden closet was present and the door was shut tightly- and was ten feet tall. The only other thing that was noticable was a large vent with a rope tied to the vent with a large straw basket hanging from the ceiling only six inches from the vent. The rope dropps down with a cardboard message written in black letters: _To Find The Bear; Pull This Rope!_. Mad Dog looks at it and begins to laugh at the thought that those bears would think that they were stupid enough to fall for such an easy trap to defuse. Sadie and Gibber enter the room behind mad Dog as Mad Dog was asking for them to enter.

"Oh! This is a big joke....the oldest joke in the book. They want to bonk me on the head with a metal vent...Not this time Ice-bear.." Mad Dog proclaimed as he points at the basket and gives the two best shooters in the Air Pirates organization; ".. Sadie? Gibber? Shoot at the basket!" Sadie and Gibber point their muskets at the straw basket and pull the trigger on the muskets quickly as two bullets fire out from the guns. Sadie's shot missed the basket all together and instead hits the rope; cutting it slighty and it began to tear. Gibber's shot was much more accurate (according to Mad Dog anyway) and that bullet hit the basket directly. The rope quickly snaps and that causes the basket to turn upside down and fall down. The basket threw away as if nature intended this to happen three round containers which looked all too familiar. One of the containers was spewing orange gas from the bullet-hole created by Gibber. The Air Pirates were outsmarted once again as this was the same substance that put Kit and his friends to sleep. Mad Dog begins to panic once again as his plans are foiled again.

"Wait a minute! This isn't dust.." Mad Dog shouted as Dumptruck and the rest of the Air Pirates enter the bunkhouse; and that was a huge mistake;" ..It's the sleeping gas that Gregory used! Don't come inside!"

"Zhy? Uh-Oh!" Dumptruck said as the Air Pirates panic the moment as the containers fall onto the floor hard and they break; spewing orange gas all over the room. Each Air Pirate sniffs the gas and begins to get very sleepy; " Ughhh!" One by one; the Air Pirate collapse onto their bellies; and do into a deep sleep. Mad Dog first and Dumptruck last as they were completely outsmarted again; which isn't hard to do. A few minutes later; the orange gas finally disappeared after it was inhaled by the Air Pirates. There was a chrous of giggles coming out of that closet which was unchecked... It was Gregory laughing.

"The gasps for air simulate me.." Gregory chukled coldly as the closet doors slam open and out comes Gregory and Baloo as they looked everywhere within the room and sees nothing but bodies of Air Pirates scattered everywhere;"...for only one thing. Real justice!" Baloo gasped in horror; ~If Gregory meant by bodies then they are dead.~

"Are they...?" Baloo asked looking at Gregory fearing this man's own devices caused fatal harm. Gregory looked pretty cross at that question. ~Of course I didn'tm kill them! The sleeping gas is too weak to do that to furries. ~ he thought bitterly.

"Nope; the sleeping sands and gas are very weak." Gregory explained looking annoyed at Baloo's accusation that he killed them; " It took three containers to put _them_ to sleep.. We must work quickly before they wake up....The gas won't last long."

"Is Kit okay?!" Baloo asked since it was clear Kit Cloudkicker wasn't in the room with them. Where was he anyway? This plan of Kit's is getting weirder and weirder as everything comes to past.

"Hey; I trust the kid.." Gregory proclaimed as he notices that step two of Kit's plans has been completed; "..his seamy past is why I'm going with his plan.....Let's go!!"

"Right!!" Baloo shouted as he and Gregory exit the room and run into the main hallway and ready with step three of Kit's plan; which was to recover the Emerald of Purification. Don Karnage now has only one air pirate in reserve to fight with.... Rachect. Meanwhile as everything was beginning to rip up around Don Karnage; he was tapping his foot impatiently and the fear was starting to increase with every passing tap. The launchpad was empty except for a mess of grape juice and the Pure Gun with Rachect still checking every pointer that was there.

"Why hasn't my crew come back yet?!" Don Karnage snarls as he then looks at Rachect; " Rachect?! What is the status of the Pure Gun?"

"The gun is working perfectly.." Rachect said gulping at the thought of what Don was going to do to him next; "..There are no signs of intergity failures in the gun."

"I do not understand this!!" Don Karnage said looking up into the sky and looked very paranoid. Those silly bear-type people were in fact driving him crazy and off the wall to boot.; " We hit those silly-bear type people perfectly and that ice-man still has his memories. The machine worked? How can this be?"

"I'm sorry boss; but there's nothing wrong with the the Pure Gun." Rachect said honestly. Don Karnage looked at his hands in total fear.

"Then how..." Don Karnage said as he begins to hear a voice and it was laughing at him; that voice was the Ice-Bear Gregory Skywinds laughing in Don Karnage's evil heart; "..how did _he_ find me?" The main door to the launchpad flings open and both Baloo and Gregory both enter the aera and slowly walk towards Don Karnage. Baloo has a look of being angry while Gregory had a deep smirk on his kisser. This plan was almost complete and Don Karnage didn't like the odds. Kit Cloudkicker wasn't there and if he joins Baloo then it is three againest one. Any odds that are not ten to one in his favor were not good odds.

"Well...well.." Gregory said as they finally reach within 20 feet of Don Karnage and they both come to a stop; "..Not so stupid after all huh?!"

"How did _you_ find me?" Don Karnage asked looking in a state of disbelief, the Emerald must have been defective or even the legend must be defective; " Why aren't _you_ mindless zombines? The Pure Gun hit the SeaDuck perfectly!"

"The key word is _SeaDuck_ Karnie!" Baloo chuckled at the paranoid question that Don Karnage was saying. Gregory's smirk was deeper now.

"Yeah; you did _hit_ the SeaDuck; but not us..." Gregory exclaimed as he smirked from ear to ear.; " The Emerald of Purification's power is useless againest non-living things and even better; it cannot penarate most materials execpt for flesh, bone and blood....In other words Don; you won't be able to plunder the city and TerraStone was correct after all." However; the look on Don Karnage would change from that of disbelief to an evil smirk. He realized the Gregory and Baloo were inside the Iron Vulture and the turret on the Pure Gun could turn 360 degrees. He could simply point the gun inside and since there were no Air Pirates in the line of fire; this was an easy decision. Don was going to get the last laugh after all.

"Ah!" Don Karnage smirked back causing the smile to be wiped off Gregory's own face; " So you want to put a stop to my plans eh? Rachect?!"

"Yes Boss!" Rachect said as he turns the joystick to the right in order to spin the Pure Gun around and let it point at the two bears. Baloo and Gregory shuddered now as it seemed that their plan were about to be thwarted by the Prince of Pirates. This shows that Don Karnage's lackluster crew was nothing after all.

"Thanks for the information you silly-ice bear. I'll just use the Pure Gun indoors." Don Karnage giggled in a wicked tone; " Say goodbye to your free-forming thoughts!"

"Gregory? This is no time to be brave.." Baloo said frightened as he looked at Gregory who was biting his lip trying to show courage; "....We got to dodge the beam...."

"No Baloo.." Gregory said as he takes his sword out of the holder and draws it striaght at the gun; ".. We go out on honour!"

"But....!" Baloo cowards behind Masamune; not realizing that Gregory was readying for that attempt at cleansing.

"But nothing!" Gregory responds as he starts to give a wicked smile. ~He's right on time!~ Gregory thought as he looks slightly up the shape of the Iron Vulture and discovers that Rachect is directly under a metal grate which is connected to another vent. Suddenly; the metal grate pops open as if a ghost popped it out or the wind overpowered it and it drops right on top of Rachect's head. This causes Rachect to shudder and tip over to his right side and fall out of the seating area of the Pure Gun and drops to the floor and rolls about 20 feet away from the Pure Gun before coming to a stop right in front of Don Karnage. Don was scared stiff as his last line of defence was finally broken.

"Right on time partner!" Baloo said as Kit Cloudkicker drops in from the vent shaft and lands feet first right on the seat of the Pure Gun. He is wearing a rubber glove as he doesn't want to be cleansed by the Emerald of Purification's energy power.

"Hey Don; can I borrow this forever....?" Kit asked giggling as he grabs the Emerald of Purification with the gloved-hand.

"Good shot Kit!" Baloo said cheerfully as Kit jumps off the Pure Gun and approches Baloo. Don is very angry now as nothing in his weaponry was able to stop this trio from getting what it wants. The final step was complete and the trio could breathe a sigh of relief. However; Gregory Skywinds was not done... He wanted Don Karnage to suffer as he has ruined countless lives particually of his own.

"That wasn't a good shot!" Gregory proclaim with his eyes looking like they were turning to ice.

"I cannot believe this.." Don Karnage said on his knees and was pounding the metal floor with his fists.. Everything I worked for...All the riches from these silly-furry-type people; all to plunder.....cannot be had...What else could go wrong?"

"This is a good shot!" Gregory shouted as he rushes towards the empty Pure Gun and takes his sword from the holder on his hip.

"Now what is the ice-bear doing now?" Baloo asked looking at Kit who was just watching him look at Masamune and knows what was coming next.

"Watch...and learn!" Kit said as he pointed and shouted a message to Don Karnage; " Say goodbye to your dreams Don Garbage..." Gregory approches the Pure Gun and makes a simple slash motion in a complete striaght line with the blade hitting the front tip of the Pure Gun. Then as Gregory puts the sword back into the holder; the gun completely splits into two and falls in opposite directions. That didn't surprise Baloo since he has seen what the Lightning Gun was able to in cutting airplanes in half.

"WHAT IS THAT WEAPON.....?" Don Karnage screamed in total fear. His shuddering was showing up in his kisser as he felt absolutely defeated. No amount of swordplay could stand to that power. The sword was thinner than Don Karnage's Regal Cutlass sword and seemed easy to break.

"It gets even better...." Kit said as he points to Gregory as Don Karnage sees his own creation which has already split into; each pieces starts to split into two and seperate which was just like the dividing the cells of a human being. The process repeats itself for about one minute until the entire Pure Gun crumble into dust. Baloo eyes and jaw dropped in shock. Only a gun could do better than that swordwork that Gregory had done before him. Now that the Emerald of Purification was no longer flashing and was stable; Kit place the jewel inside Baloo's pocket.

"What power?!" Baloo said feeling ver humble as Gregory looks at Don Karnage with no fear at all; " No sword can do that?!"

"Unbelievable!!" Don Karnage shuddered in fear; but then realize that this may be a good thing after all. The power of the Masamune sword was even more powerful than any man-made weapon and it needed no special device ~ That sword could be more powerful than the Pure Gun. I won't even need a device to concerate its power.~ he thought as they laughing in his own face. Gregory starts to turn his back on Don and feels that Don was a defeated man and that Cape Suzette was safe once again.

"There is no point on continuing this worthless fight.." Gregory admitted as Baloo turns his back in unison with Masamune; "....No matter what; the Pirate's fate will be the same. Let's go."

"Agreed." Baloo exclaimed as Kit was about to turn his back until in the corner of his eye; he sees Don Karnage drawing his sword and was on his feet.

"LOOK OUT POPPA BEAR!!" Kit screamed as Don Karnage is about to thrust his sword to strike Baloo in the back and kill him first. However; for some reason as if he knew it was coming and was able to see into the future turns around just as Don Karnage pulls his sword back to stab Baloo in the back; Gregory spears Don Karnage causing Don to fall back and his sword was flying away and it lands on the floor about ten feet away. Baloo turns around and sees Gregory kneeling on top of Don Karnage who was flat on his back facing a Masamune sword pointed at his nose. Gregory was breathing heavily and looking down at his target with very cold and very sharp eyes. Baloo and Kit were shuddering in fear. In Kit's case he almost saw another friend die at the hands of evil while Baloo was shocked at Gregory unbelievable power; that no one has ever treated Don Karnage this way and Gregory Skywinds was starting to glow which shocked Don Karnage even more. This was not a normal furry by any means; it was just like Kit in too many ways

"He saved me?" Baloo asked looking at the sence was shocked beyond belief; " How did he?"

"That sword.." Kit said feeling the aura of the glow that Gregory was emitting; "..that aura...it's so familiar...."

"Kit do you....?" Baloo asked wondering if Lord TerraStone XVI was telling the truth after all. He was reading the power of a sword that he was no expert on.

"You dare point that sword at me you bumpkin?!" Don Karnage shouts as he spits into Gregory's face to disfigure him and degrade him; " Show your power and kill me!"

"You killed my mom; you killed my dad.....you brainwashed Konvent....you turned my brother againest me...you turned me into a fugitive..." Gregory said ticking out the offenses that Don Karnage himself was gulity of; " What is stopping me from running you through with _this_ power?!"

"Don't you dare do this?!" Baloo said almost ready to pull the sword away from Gregory if he tried anything funny. However; there was only a pause as Gregory thursts the sword back.

"Gregory; please don't make me..." Kit said with the tone of compassion; "..the aura will....!"

It was a tense moment of right or wrong. Was Gregory going to listen?....Yes.....Gregory then stops almost instantly as his tight body goes slack and Gregory puts his sword back into the holder and gets off of Don Karnage as Don wasn't going anywhere and was scared stiff as for the first time he was completely stood up by a more powerful being; "... However; the spiritual force withing thy sword says I should spare your wicked soul."

"Kit;" Baloo said as he overhears the voices of the Air Pirate through the metal grate and realizes that Gregory's sleeping gas had finally worn off; "....help me lock all the doors?!"

"Right Baloo!" Kit said as he and Baloo walks towards the doors and prepares the metal barriers for all nine doors leading into the belly of the Iron Vulture. Meanwhile; Gregory stops and looks at the frightened Don Karnage with his sword drawn and suddenly had an idea. It would be the best idea yet in Gregory's eyes to bring Don Karnage down completely to Gregory's mercy; so that no one would even attempt to repeat Don Karnage's actions.

"Hey Don?!" Gregory said as Don Karnage finally looks at him with ashamed eyes; "I have a deal for you? Do you want this sword?"

"[What does this silly bear want now?!]" Don Karnage wispered to himself.

"If you win the sword fight by knocking the sword out of my hand; you get my sword." Gregory proclaimed; " However; if I knock the sword out of your hand; you will surrender to the police...What do you think of that?"

"You want to fight againest the greatest swordfighter-master of them all?" Don Karnage asked thinking for a moment. This was an excellent idea for Don Karnage. As that was happening; Kit proceeded to slam each metal door one-by-one while Baloo puts wooden barriers (solid oak wood) on the doors making sure that the Air Pirates couldn't enter the launchpad area. Gregory didn't seen to mind as he was ready to say the words that would incite Don Karnage to fight him.

"Yes I do challenge you Crazy Freak!" Gregory shouted and that was all Don Karnage needed to flush red hot with anger. No one was going to call him crazy and live to tell about it.

"You dare call me _CRAZY_!!" Don Karnage shouted as he takes out his Regal Cutlass and draws his sword towards Gregory Masamune; " EN GRADE YOU CRETIN!!"

"With pleasure!!" Gregory responds drawing his own sword at Don Karnage and they both lunge at each other striking each others swords at the same time creating a claning sound.

"YA!" Don Karnage and Gregory screamed repeatly as they swings their swords together and they clang together again. Don Karnage proceeds to swings his Regal Cutlass down at Gregory; however, Gregory's Masamune sword met the Cutlass strike for strike. Neither side was winning this as both has about the same skills in fencing. As this was happening Baloo and Kit were able to finally slam the main door and Baloo puts a metal barrier on just a second before Mad Dog can get through. Mad Dog nails the door full blast and fall to the metal floor knocked out cold for awhile. Kit and Baloo breathe a sigh of relief; however, they were trapped with no real way to get to the SeaDuck.

"That was close.." Baloo said breathing heavily; "..but we are trapped now!

"Don't worry Poppa Bear.." Kit reassured; "..these doors of made of six-inch thick metal... The pirates heads are hard; but not enough to cause us harm."

"You are smart kid.." Baloo said as he looks around and sees that Don Karnage and Gregory Skywinds were fighting once again; "..They're fighting!" Kit turns around and sees the very same thing and it caused Kit to feel that aura again. That aura that always come out as a sign that Kit Cloudkicker was going to help someone and get into trouble.

"Oh no! If Gregory continues to fight he'll never be free!" Kit shouts as he runs towards the fight and that causes Baloo to panic. The dismay of Kit getting right back into the line of fire shuddered through his veins again. His fatherhood was not doing very well to protect him.

"I thought that I was leading him out of danger." Baloo shrugged as he follows Kit Cloudkicker's lead; " Now we are back into the fire again!" The fight was continuing unabaited by Kit as both Don Karnage and Gregory Skywinds strike each other swords and no one was conceeding an inch. Each; each dodge was met with a similar block and both men were becoming frustrated that the other couldn't stop each other.

"You are not as awful with the sword as I thought.." Don Karnage commended; "...You put on goody show." Gregory took that as a sign that Don Karnage was running out of steam and he was going to win. ~The Air Pirates will finally be gone and the world will never fear them again. I'll lose my freedom; but that's a small price to pay for the safety of Cape Suzette.~ he thought.

"Your flattering is useless.." Gregory said as he was countering every strike that Don Karnage had to offer; "..Why don't you surrender? I mean you cannot build another _Pure Gun_?"

Don Karnage finally stopped the fight and Gregory out of respect for the honor of a sword duel decides to let Don Karnage speak; "What are you mouthing about you King of Shiva?!"

"Well; you shouldn't have left your plans in the room where Kit could grab them.." Gregory exclaimed pointing at Kit with his sword; "..He simply ripped up a banned book and threw the garbage into the ocean; where it belongs!" That book was banned because it showed how to build the most dangerous weapon in ther world. It was meant to cut diamonds; but it cuts through building now. That was the truth as Kit was indeed in the radio room where the vent was connected from his room. That's how Kit was able to steal the treasure box from Don Karnage when Kit betrayed him the first time three months ago. However; as Gregory will realize, he just made a huge mistake. Don Karnage had one unintentional trick up his Regal Cutlass.

"WHAT?!" Don Karnage screamed getting madder and madder than before as his face turns white hot ;" HE DID....." His anger was however doing something that was favoring him. His anger was being channeled into his body and was getting stronger and stronger. Since this battle was considered useless the Masamune was not responding in kind. Don Karnage's next strike was able to cause Gregory's sword and he is forced to stagger back a little bit. And every strike afterward was causing Masamune to go off-balance upon every counter.

"I don't like this at all...." Kit said as he realizes that Gregory was going to lose this sword duel. He was right as Don Karnage was now to the point where his power was overwhelming. His last strike strike the thin-bladed Masamune perfectly and the sword is cleanly knocked out of Gregory's hand. The sword falls to the floor and slides until the sword stops to a halt just five feet away from dropping into the ocean. Don Karnage has won the sword duel and Gregory had make a gaint mistake after all..... Don Karnage was smiling at his supreme victory.

"You lost....I won....I win the sword.." Don Karnage cheers as he points the end of his sword right at Gregory's nose; "..Now wasn't that fun?... Now; get my brand new sword..."

"Yes my lord....." Gregory said as he walks towards the edge and picks up the sword which was five feet away from the edge and awaits Don Karnage to walk forward and accept the sword as him own. Gregory was only smiling as he kisses the sword for the very last time.

"Oooo.." Don Karnage smiles as his laugh track continued; ".I feel so happy...." As Don Karnage approches Gregory however; Gregory starts to laugh right back in Don Karnage's face. Don stops laughing and realizes that he was caught in another one of Gregory's traps as this was apparent when Gregory accepted the match putting his sword on the line. It was all just a ploy.

"You really want the sword?" Gregory giggled; " Come and get it you scumbag!!" With that statement Gregory takes the sword by the blade and in shotput fashion throws the thin-bladed sacred sword into the sky where it would in the end fall into the sky and was completely out of sight. Don Karnage was in horror now as his last gasp for plundering Cape Suzette was wasted. With the Air Pirate now officially at bay; surrender is proably the only option that Don had at this point; not that Don was thinking that. Surrender was considered death without a fight in Don Karnage's eyes.

"Gregory?!" Kit protested strongly; " TerraStone ordered you to protect that sword at all costs!"

"Kit; I...." Baloo said stopping in mid phrase as he sees Don Karnage getting up from the edge and was walking away from Gregory Skywinds. Baloo was becoming a bit surprised and was thinking that Don was letting Gregory waste time to come up with another assult on Mr. Skywinds.

"If the sword is in the vastness of the ocean; " Gregory said as he turns to his side and looks at Kit coldly; " then Don Karnage will never be able to find it." Sadly; Gregory's luck was about to run out as Gregory from the corner of his eye; Don Karnage tries delivers a quick thrust to Gregory face. However; Gregory was quick to back away from the force of the blow and it misses by five inches. Sadly; Gregory's feet had touched the edge of the ship and Gregory begins to fall much to Baloo and Kit's horror. Not to mention that Don Karnage was smirking. However; at the last split second; Gregory was able to grab with both hands onto the ledge and starts to look up. Gregory was breathing heavily and a sigh of relief that he was still alive. However; he was in such danger that he was hanging for dear life. Don Karnage was laughing as he started to walk forward towards the edge.

"Well; look who is hanging around..." Don Karnage chuckled; "..Oooooo; this is good and you are fishbait!" Don Karnage approches Gregory's hand which was still keeping him from falling and Don Karnage laughs as he is ready to smash his fingers. Unless someone helps Gregory now; then Don Karnage will finally get some reuse for losing to Kit Cloudkicker once again. A win from the jaws of defeat if yo want to say that.

"That's it.." Kit exclaimed as he proceeds to rush Don Karnage with Don's back turned much to the dismay of Baloo Waladaze as Gregory was in a dangerous spot and Kit could fall with him; " ..I cannot take this standing around anymore...."

"WAIT!! Please don't...!" Baloo protested as on cue Kit Cloudkicker jumps Don Karnage from behind and covers Don Karnage's eyes causing Don Karnage to stagger and struggle as Kit and Don dance around once again.

"Guess who?" Kit asked in a little girl's voice as Don Karnage continues to struggle behind deciding to answer in hoping at Kit Cloudkicker would let go.

"My mom who loves to play peek-a-Baloo!" Don Karnage answers thinking that this was his mother calling him and that causes Kit to whince at the thought of that game.

"That....IS....GROSS!!" Kit whinced in the horror of that vulgar talk and almost indicates a gaint ~Yuck~ in the thoughts of Baloo.

"Kit? Please..." Gregory said as he looked into the heavens; "....just let me hang here? The almighty is calling me...."

"Please don't fall....?!" Kit said which snaps Gregory back into common sense; but not before Don Karnage finds him and grabs him by the sweater and puts him into a headlock.

"Confounded all.....I'm slipping..." Gregory said before pausing on the spot and starts to look up at the heavens as if he was hearing something from the almighty for some reason; "..What do I hear?.." As he was talking; Baloo comes behind on the distracted Don Karnage and applies a full-nelson on Don Karnage and pulls him back allowing Kit to spring himself free. Kit comes over to the edge where Gregory is hanging by a thread; ".....It's all coming full-circle...I can hear your voice now. Up from the heavens...." Gregory was able to point with one hand toward the sky as Kit looks at him and thinks that Gregory would want his help.

"Grab my hand Gregory?!" Kit shouts as Kit kneels down and extends his arm and out-reached hand towarding the hanging Gregory Skywinds. But his hope turned in sorrow and fear when Gregory Skywinds refused to extend his hand towards him. Gregory looks at him and has a face of seriousness and there was no fear in his eyes. That caused

"Kit you are the hero of Earthia.." Gregory said looking at him; "...the saviour of this design. You being alive is far more important than my own life." Kit was extremely frightened at the tone of Gregory's lanuage as it was strong and in biblical terms. This was a sign that Gregory was willing to die for his lord; something that always put the most innocent of children into growing up and in acute sorrow.

"I'm just a 12 year old kid....Look; I'm a cyinical realist.." Kit shouted with compassion as he looked down and noticed that Gregory wasn't even listening to him, this was very bad right now; "..I am _not_ the devine child and I'm not going to let you die..."

"I'm sorry Kit;" Gregory explained as if he was quoting his destiny in biblical terms; "... but I have been called to become a sword for the saviour; a part of the armor to the destiny and the part of saving Earthia. You have shown me ture strength, ture courage, ture leadership and ture love for all. You have turely overcome your dance with the devil that destorys us all."

"Why must you perish?" Kit cried out as tear were starting to come down his face and Baloo was keeping Don Karnage at bay; " Why must you choose this path?"

"One day you will understand.." Gregory said feeling compassionative as he looked down and his fate and in one phrase he finally accepted it; "....But not now....Farewell Kit....!!"

"No..." Kit said as the tear get bigger and bigger; ".....please don't act like this?!" However; Gregory simply fails to listen to him. The higher calling has found him and nothing was going to stop him. Gregory was finally feeling that calmness deep inside him and was no longer feeling the emotions that have destoryed his spirit for so many years.

Gregory Masamune proceeds then to do the unthinkable; he simply pushes off the edge intentionally so that he couldn't be grabbed by Kit and screamed this last phrase; "I'LL NEVER FORGET YOU NOW!!" That might have been Gregory Skywinds' last words as gravity works its accursed magic and Gregory Skywinds falls quickly right directly into the clouds making a small dent that was instantly covered by the clouds' substance. Gregory Skywinds will never be seen again; particually no one will see him hitting the water.

"NOOOOOO!!!...." Kit screamed as he is about to jump into the sky below and save Gregory however; Baloo tosses Don Karnage aside with a considerable amount of strength; runs over to the Iron Vulture's edge and grabs Kit by the shoulders just before he starts to fall from the jump and drags Kit back as Kit was kicking, crying loudly at the thought of losing Gregory who was in almost every shape and form like him and screaming loudly; ".......LET ME GO BALOO!! LET ME GO!!"

"I'm not going to let a second bear die!!" Baloo protested harshly as he drags him away from the edge of the Iron Vulture; " Please stop making this harder on yourself!!"

"BUT BALOO!!" Kit screamed kicking and screaming. To Kit; not letting him go with equal to self-inflicted murder. Gregory Skywinds must have hit the water right now and that there would be no way to save him. Baloo saw the tears streaming down Kit's cheeks and started to stop his stern tone. His tone was only making things worse for both him and Kit. This was Kit's morals at work. Gregory didn't deserve to die this way and had no right to kill himself to protect him.

"Kit...I...." Baloo said calmly not noticing that Don Karnage was getting up quickly and grabbing his sword out of his holder. He was able to get rid of Gregory Skywinds and now it was time to get rid of Baloo and Kit as well.

"..should follow the boy's orders." Karnage chuckled wildly as he points his sword directly at Baloo as he turns around; Baloo yipes in fear ; "Now turn around and I shall witness the walking of the plank-like thingy."

"Come on Karnie!!" Baloo said as he and Kit turn around and the threat of the cutlass was able to cause Baloo and Kit to slowly walk towards the edge; " Isn't this _so_ unorginal reuse just a bit too crude....?"

"Maybe you're right.." Don Karnage said pondering before he sees that the crudeness was the whole point of this walking the plank stuff anyway; "..Ah; what am I thinking? You are supposed to be...."

"...SAVED!!" Kit shouts as Kit manages to points to the sky and sees the SeaDuck flying towards the entrance of the Iron Vulture. Baloo was surprised as the diffculty of flying the SeaDuck made it a bit diffcult for anyone else to fly it. Life was full of surprises as demonstrated by this. Kit was relieved and now that Kit has the Emerald of Purification there was no point in continuing this event anymore.

"Who is driving my baby?!" Baloo asked to himself as seeing someone else flying was an insult to him. The SeaDuck lands on the right side of the Iron Vulture deck and grinds to a stop about 40 feet away from the edge of the Iron Vulture. However; the SeaDuck engines continue to roar powerfully. Time for Baloo and Kit to escape....

"Let's get out of here!" Kit shouted and as he said that; the main door which was barricaded earlier has finally thrusted open and the Air Pirates: Mad Dog, Dumptruck, Sadie, Will, Hacksaw, Gibber and Hal were coming out one by one and rushes towards the group as Kit and Baloo start to run towards the SeaDuck.

"You don't have to tell me twice!" Baloo panted as he follows Kit towards the airplane.

"Stop those silly-bears?!!" Don Karnage ordered to his motely crew but it was officially too late; as Baloo and Kit enter the opened SeaDuck via the cargo hold and they close the door. As if it was on cue the SeaDuck begins to move once again and went off the Iron Vulture's edge and back into the air; "SHOOT THAT PLANE DOWN!!" Don Karnage screams; but none of the Air Pirates even attempt to chase or rush the SeaDuck. The SeaDuck flies until it is completely out of sight and no one was able to stop it. Mad Dog approches Don Karnage and looked scared of his skull.

"Boss?! The Cape Suzette Air Force is coming towards us." Mad Dog said with a clutch of panic as he heard this from Jock; " Scottie says we should retreat!"

"Retreat?! Don Karnage...which is me..shall never..." Don Karnage said before he starts to hear gunfire and the sound impact of bullets raining down onto the top of the Iron Vulture; the Cape Suzette Police Force was at full steam causing Don Karnage's tone to change from courage to cowardly quicker than Molly Cunningham eating her frosty pep; "...fight if our only option lets us fight another day...RETREAT!!"

"Yes Captain!" Scottie speaks over the radio as the Iron Vulture starts to close its beak and the Vulture starts the move more quickly.

"I guess we won't be getting our rewards after all." Mad Dog whines as he and Dumptruck feel upset. Don Karnage is now very upset and decides that if nothing is to be done; it was time to pound his Air Pirates for failure....

"Here's your rewards.." Don Karnage said as he approches the two pirates creates two fists and nails repeatly on the head, and was looking steamed; "..One bonk....Two bonks.....Three bonks....." Dumptruck and Mad Dog cry out in pain as the pounding continues. It was sad and yet fitting for two air pirates whose intellegence levels were low to say the least.

As the Iron Vulture retreats from the gunfire that the Cape Suzette Police Force was using; the SeaDuck was travelling south toward the Island of TerraStone. Inside the SeaDuck; Baloo and Kit were in the cargo hold catching their breath and trying to breathe a sigh of relief. Baloo turns around and walks towards the flight cabin and was wondering who was flying his plane. 

"Who is flying my baby?" Baloo asked as Kit Cloudkicker enters the flight cabin behind him and looks very somber. He proceeds to turn to his left and says something.

"Mr. Thursday?" Kit asked as if he knew the style of that pilot flying; " Baloo would like to fly his plane again...."

"Huh?" Baloo said as he looks to his left and sees Derek Thursday harnessing the controls of the SeaDuck and he was stunned that Derek was a part-time pilot as well; " Derek; I didn't know that you were a pilot...."

"Well; I'm only average in that department." Derek stated looking very humble; " This is a well-built airplane here...." As he said that Kit Cloudkicker goes onto his navigator's chair and sits up with his left leg propped down loosely; while the another leg was tightly folded as if he was depressed or insecure. Kit's face had told the story as Baloo notices this right away.

"Are you okay?" Baloo asked. Considering everthing he saw and the tragic death of Gregory Skywinds that only Gregory preformed he wasn't expecting Kit to respond at all; however, Kit was going to surprise him. And surprise him with a sign of guilt.

"Gregory....I couldn't save him.." Kit said shaking his head and putting a fit and was a sign that he was ashamed of himself; "..He fell...."

"I noticed.." Derek said looking at Kit and the look told the tale without a sence; Gregory Skywind had fallen to his death trying to protect Cape Suzette and Kit Cloudkicker; ".....I'm sorry.."

"How did you find my plane?" Baloo asked as Derek Thursday turns his body around and jumps out of Baloo's seat. That allows Baloo Waladaze to return to the pilot's seat and he was able to refly the SeaDuck on his own.

"Well; actually I got a radio message from the Iron Vulture." Derek explained as he pointed at Kit for a job well done; " Apparently; Kit found the radio room and relayed a message telling me where the plane is. Then I informed the Falcon Squad of the Cape Suzette Police Force to slow down until I got the plane away from the Iron Vulture..."

"Derek; you are a lifesaver!!" Baloo proclaimed beautifully feeling graditude for the police that he had some trouble with in the past.

"I'm a police officer.." Derek admitted thinking that this was not a big deal; "....That's my job."

"Rest in peace Gregory!" Kit hissed bitterly as he was as quickly as he was depressed Don Karnage will face justice sooner or later."

"If the United Nation of Furries would change it's international laws concerning criminal-coddling than it would be sooner." Derek said nodding his head in agreement. Don Karnage has been unstoppable because the world won't agree on an universal law to stop crime aboard which is not owned by the countries. The wicked sense of Don Karnage shows that even furries have the ability to become evil.

"What do we do now?!" Baloo asked to Kit as the bitterness was starting to decrease quickly.

"Return to TerraStone Island.." Kit exclaimed without a second thought; "..and deliver our promise to the high priest!"

"Hope he accepts our excuse about Gregory more than Beckey ever does..." Baloo chuckled.

"Baloo; you are _too_ much!" Kit giggled softly as the SeaDuck is heading towards the C-shaped island known by TerraStone Island once again. The mission to recover the Emerald of Purification was successful and Cape Suzette was safe from Don Karnage once again. However; no matter what has happened; no one will ever forget what Gregory was in the hall of hearts.

***

No one.....Back inside TerraStone City II; at the solid stone pathway that separate the high chruch and the elevator there was Lord TerraStone XVI, Lady Wemir, John Ark kneeling in with the middle group, Armos #1-#5 guarding behind them, Baloo Waladaze, Kit Cloudkicker and Derek Thursday kneeling down in front of Lord TerraStone. Lord TerraStone is holding the Emerald of Purfication and all the people involved were down on their knees and were praying for their fallen friend; Gregory Skywinds. It was a very somber moment for the people involved; there was no real justice involved; the Air Pirates were not caught; Gregory Skywinds was dead and not one person in the room could be held blameless in this tragic event. Lady Wemir provides the hope by talking to the lord while the rest looked down to the ground and prayed.

"My grand lord and saviour of the grand design.." Lady Wemir said looking up into the stone ceiling as she was looking at the heavens; "....please forgive Gregory Skywinds the support he needs and forgive him for all the sins he carrys as baggage. Let him be a sword for the lord to use in battle againest the evil within..We shall await for your safe return...Amen!"

"Amen!" all said at the same time and all involved soon rose to their feet with their heads looking forward. Gregory was in good hands now in heaven.

"Thank you my lords, my ladies and the group that brought us back our peace...." TerraStone XVI proclaims and gets on with the reward that he originally promised; "....I understand that you wanted to know about our people..."

"Yes...We'll keep your secret." Kit said crossing his fingers on his left hand; ".. promise!"

"Actually we want you to tell as many people as you can." Lord TerraStone XVI said nodding that it was all right to reveal this sad serect to everyone; " If we are to flourish in this world; we must be open; even if it means that we put ourselves at more risk. John?" It was not known why TerraStone XVI was do this considering that their peaceful life could be a death wish for them if the outside world knew what had happened to them.

"I understand...." John said bowing as he looks around and points at the celing; " See the ceiling above you?" Baloo, Derek and Kit looked up into the ceiling and sees patterns in the rock that looked like familar scences. They were pictures of an anicent race thought to be extinct. A race in which lived off the land and was in sink with the religious teachings of the almighty. A race that was supposed to be dead....

"My history teacher has seen the style of this.." Kit said realizing that this race still existed; ".. You are from the Gaia race."

"That is correct!" John responded and stun slience fills the room as TerraStone XVI and Lady Wemir simply smiled as they knew who they were. They were a sacred race indeed.

"I thought that this race was wiped off the face of the earth?" Baloo asked remembering that his own school teacher was teaching this kind of history. It was pretty strange considering that Baloo failed history so bad and yet was able to remember this little detail in history. It was unbelievable; the Gaia race was supposed to be wiped out by an opposing squad in a war in which

"Then our peace was long-lasting after all.." John began as he continued to point at the image; the first one was in the shape of wheat and rice; ".Anyway; our race was founded 1650 years ago as a believer of the harvesting of the earth in accordance to the bible. We were a peaceful group and at one time we were also a very open group. We grew harvests for our needs and no more. We didn't believe in creating new products for the sake of improving the planet when we have all that we need. We also do not believe in eating meat or the by-products of meat either...." Every non-Gaia member was in awe except for Kit. That lack of awe showed that Kit was not surprised and it points to him being the so-called _devine child_.

"I noticed by the large fruit and vegetable garden in this place." Kit said looking down at the south-eastern area of TerraStone City II and sees the fruits and plants that are planted on the ground and some light was shining down on thee; "I see your traditions have been kept..."

"The boy has some common sense." Lady Wemir nodded with approval at the _devine_ boy's common sense.

"Ah yeah? Anyway; we were at peace;" John said as he pointed to an image to the right of the wheat and rice; which was the shape of a cross broken by a sword which was a symbol which should religious proccustion againest the Gaia race; ".......however, a part of out past was about to come back to haunt us. We separated from the high chruch because they unconditionally accepted a rugged race called the Boar race as part of the enity. The Boar race for the most part as a few did join our cause out of digust for their former traditions; was a tribe that created excesses and ate meat. Now normally; we were open to their views mainly because we were falling into the same trap as they did in some years. However; we really couldn't accept their total rebellious attitudes againest the rituals that made the high chruch so peaceful. These were rituals that prevented such violent and agressive behaviour that many of the denizens of that race showed. For example; the reason why we have grace is to reflect on the fragile tactic of eating..which is really a very violent act...At any rate; the Boar race was not a race of boars, but a race of various furries who disregarded the laws of the almighty.." he proceeds to show another image to the right and this voice sounded even stronger as they showed the leader of the so-called Boar race; a boar-like creature wearing animal skins that looked like massive religious robes; a symbol of rebellion againest the Gaia race and the almighty lord; "..... However; the high church was not impressed with our opinion and felt that we were starting a war; if we did not forgive the race for their violent temper. The Gaia race was banned from the clergy. We moved away in exile to a place called Zion and we were welcomed then by their people. However; the whole ordeal was just beginning as the leader of the Boar race Sacak Volhalla would finally show his ture colors.... for he felt that we didn't deserve to exist because we allegally idolize Tinfirma; the spiritual servent of the Spiritual Force Gaia. Againest the chruch's very own belief system; Volhalla created an army of solider who would serve the will of the race to procescute and execute the Gaia race for idology. They want from town to town and proceeded to raid houses, businesses and gardens; destorying anything that even remotely idolized the Gaia race. If you grew a garden; that was a tipoff in their eyes that you were an idolizer of Gaia." This was the most vulgar thing that these bears ever heard. A whole race was accused of a crime they didn't commit and the very first line of defense againest this crime was gone because of forgiveness that wasn't earned nor respected by a race that basically committed blastomphy againest the almighty lord.

"Unbelievable.." Baloo gasped in horror as he was given the best history lesson that even his history couldn't give; "..and unforgivable!!"

"The most unbelievable thing was yet to come and this opened the eyes of the chruch..." Lady Wemir continued; "... In 295, Volhalla began to go insane. He started to burn lower chruches to the ground; claiming that the almighty must be killed because he allowed Gaia to exist." she showed the next image that would chill the bone of most moralists as it was a chruch that was on fire; " The high chruch was so distrubed that they reinstated our clergy and begged for our help. Even though it was _their_ mess; our value system said that we must help them. However; Volhalla realized this and called his armies to burn the high chruch down. We recruited 500,000 people to stop the Boar race. However; by the time we got there; the whole chruch burned to the ground. Only three chruch members were left alive by the three year onslaught." She then showed the next powerful image which was a picture of the boar race which contained three characters ; a boar; a tiger and a lion wearing animal skins; fighting with swords and spears againest the Gaia race which wear leather robes and fight with wooden sticks and had three characters; a horse , a bull and a cow and this iamge caused Lady Wemir to choke on her own words; " We found the Boar race and challenged them to battle. However; we underestimate them..."

"I heard that the chruch was built in Chruch Junction;" Kit said; "...a small country contained by Parris and Animea." That statement caused TerraStone XVI to feel a sigh of relief.

"Thank you...I'm glad that the high chruch was restored..." Lord Terrastone XVI said with a sigh of relief that the high church had indeed learned their lesson and that the world turely had hope after all ; "..However; we were no match of the Boar race's army. Our 500,000 force was reduced to just 1,000 in less than a month. We were never built to fight wars or any sort of violence for that matter. The Boar race only lost 300 people despite having only 350,000. They decided to wipe out the last of our race by capturing us and killing us executation style; and thus making their dreams of destorying idolization come completely ture. However; the Boar race would make a big mistake and we would get a miracle.." TerraStone XVI points to the next image and it showed a wolf with multiple tails and very sharp teeth; Kit gulps as his teacher teached him mythology; ".. when they surrounded us with their swords drawn; the moon became completely full and another legend would come to pass. Suddenly; a huge borreal-hound appeared on a hilltop colored mostly blue with a multi-colored, multiple tails and roared violently at the Boar army. The Boar race turns around and shuddered with absolute fear... The borreal wolf's name was Fenrir; who was the guardian who protected Gaia from evil and clearly was not about to let the good name of Gaia be defamed... In just one motion the wolf chomps his mouth together; causing a massive shaking of the area of battle. Every single Boar race furry dropped dead like flies. According to legend; they died from a earth dagger into the heart; rendering their hearts shattered. We had won.... Only one Boar member stood to live; Volhalla himself. Like the coward he was he didn't take part in the fighting and left for Thembria; never to be seen again. However; the war proved to have dire consqeuences in which other races and faiths create their own soliders in fear that Volhalla would recruit the boars in Thembria." TerraStone then shows them the final image on the ceiling; a large ark made of wood which was deeply inspired by the great flood in the bible; " We were through with wars and the senselessness behind them and at 299; we left Zion and landed here by an ark.... Do you remember the Great Flood? We landed on TerraStone Island in 300 and started on building our city. We brought a popular builder with us and we decided to build two cities; one a ruined city above the actual city to be used as a decoy to prevent intruders. We also build a hide-a-way elevator and that fake mountain you entered. It took 2,500 furries, five years to build the entire city.." TerraStone finally points to the device which was seen earlier as a fliter; "..See that? This device is our lifeline....It gives us life by filtering the polluants of air and water and we also get sunlight. Getting water is easy because it rains a lot about the same amount of time as sunlight. The rainwater is then transferred to the pool in the southwest part of our city.... "TerraStone finally looks at our heroes and finishes his story on their race; " Despite all the hardships we have had; we have been at peace ever since....Any questions?" Despite all the tragic results created by the Boar race; this story did have a happy and peaceful ending; just what the Gaia race always wanted. Baloo wondered if this boar was considered a martyr in Thembria considering their tough attitudes towards the laid-back concept of captialism.

"Yeah; what about the Tickle Tricksters?" Baloo asked as he felt that TerraStone was not finished yet in telling his story and that there were still some loose ends to tie up.

"Or the Perti-Snakes?" Kit chimed in with a question of his own.

"Well; we don't call them by that name.." Lady Wemir admitted; "..they were the Zion race; the ones who welcomed us. Some of them joined us in building this city and agreed to be guards nearby. However; we have never see them doing such vulgar acts....As for the Perti-Snakes; they are native to the island and they live in the ruined city; so they are our guards. They also were used to build our city of stone. Every building is made of pertified wood from the Ark. Of course; we lost some lives because of it...."

"Why do you want to be more open now?" Kit asked as his next question; " I thought that you liked peace?"

:Our decision came four years ago when the ruined city was raided by a team of archologists. Sadly; they created so much noise that an angry swarm of snakes were attacking them; turning every single one of them to stone." John said feeling very bad by that incident that happened four years ago; all that death by being turned to stone by their own methods of stopping intruders; " However; one of our soliders spotted a child being able to escape.... The whole thought of seeing a mini-war being protrayed in our very own area lead us to the decision that once that child returns that we would tell this story..." Baloo suddenly realizes that it was almost dawn and it was time to finally go home for the first time since this caper began.

"Come on Derek; it is time for us to go..." Baloo said.

"Agreed.... Thank you for the story..." Derek responded as Derek and Baloo turn around and walk towards the elevator. Kit was about to say goodbye; when TerraStone XVI approches Kit and nods at him.

"Before you go my child..." TerraStone said. Baloo and Derek start to enter the elevator and turn around to see that Kit has not moved since TerraStone approched him.

"Yes sir?" Kit asked trying to maintain his politeness. Lady Wemir simply smiled at the sence.

"I have something for you...." TerraStone XVI answers as he reaches into his pockets and hands Kit Cloudkicker a green opaqe pearl. Kit was in shock; as this was indeed the legendary Pearl of Wisdom...the very pearl that Gregory Skywinds wanted all along.

"Is this the Pearl of Wisdom?" Kit asked feeling surprised that the legend of the Pearl of Wisdom had some actual truth; " I thought that it didn't exist..."

"This is our national jewel; unique because of it's color." Lord TerraStone admitted; " It doesn't give people wisdom; however, the trial to the Palace of Wisdom makes it all worthwhile." Kit nodded and felt humnbled by its presence. That was the whole point of seeing the more important things in life that gave the Pearl of Wisdom its legend; not the pearl's power (or lack thereof) itself.

"Thank you.....I will treasure it.." Kit smiled; "...I will never forget this day......Goodbye for now...." Kit turns around and walks towards the elevator and enters the elevator with Baloo. Lady Wemir and John waved goodbye along with Armos#1-#5.

"We'll see you soon...." Wemir and John responded as Baloo operates the elevator crank mechaism and cranks it up until the elevator starts to go up and out of sight. Lady Wemir, John and Armos#1-#5 stop waving.

"May the light shine upon thee.." TerraStone XVI said smiling and then returns towards the high chruch once again; "..Okay; we're got to get back to normal work." Armos#1-#5 turn around in the other direction and exit towards the high church.

"Agreed..." John and Wemir nodded as the peaceful reign of TerraStone XVI was going to meet new people for the first time since landing on TerraStone Island. Hopefully; there are more peaceful people besides Kit Cloudkicker that are present on the surface below the city. The Gaia race was officially reborn....and Kit Cloudkicker was finally able to become a normal kid again...Until the next crisis......!

***

Back at the Higher for Hire docks with it being near the crack of dawn; Rebecca Cunningham was sitting down back under the Higher for Hire sign once again and was looking depressed once again. Everyone was back to their own lives as if nothing had ever happened. It was sad and prehaps outrageous in the eyes of Miss Cunningham for even Molly and WildCat were back to their place; although they were not smiling strong in order not to offend anyone. Even more so; the police seaplane was gone; apparently it was used to counter the failed attempt of the Air Pirates. Rebecca didn't care one bit as a tear went down her cheek just as another roar of the engines starts again waking her up. She looks up and finally in the distance sees the large yellow seaplane with the red nose coming towards the docks. Her upset tone was changed into a face of hope as Baloo's Seaduck decends down and lands onto the water; reducing its speed until it finally grinds to a complete stop on the right hand side of the docks. Rebecca gets to her feet as the roar of the engine reduces to a stop as the engine are finally turned off.

"Baloo?" Rebecca asked as she has that concerned look when Baloo opens the door and he and Derek both exit the seaplane. Rebecca starts to worry as Kit Cloudkicker wasn't shown exiting the plane behind them.

"Yeah; Becky?" Baloo asked.

"Where's Kit.." Rebecca shireked thinking that Kit Cloudkicker was dead and was about to pound Baloo to his demise until Baloo moves out of the wat and shows what Rebecca was looking for all along. There sitting in the navigator's chair was the navigator himself Kit Cloudkicker doing what he always does after a long trip; check all the fuel and instruments making sure that the SeaDuck was in tip-top shape; "....Kit!" She was showing her ture happiness and relief that her employee was safe and sound. The nightmare was officially over.

"Miss Cunningham?!" Kit said looking surprised that she was crying tears of joy. While this was a clear mushy sence for Kit; he was taught to let the good things in life set him free. Good advice since Kit jumps from his navigator's chair; walks out of the Seaduck and they both embrace each other.

"Oh Kit!" Rebecca said cheerfully as she hugs him tightly; " I'm sorry that I wasn't taking you more seriously."

"I'm sorry that I should have told you about TerraStone..." Kit responds as Rebecca and Kit separate from each other quickly thinking that Derek might see this as a mother and son thing. Luckly Derek didn't notice nor care; it was a tender moment that was needed in a hostile world. To Derek; Kit was in good hands now.

"You forgive me?" Rebecca asked choking back a tear.

"Of course Miss Cunningham..." Kit said grinning sheepishly and was starting to yawn.

"Where's Gregory Masamune?" Rebecca asked wondering where he was. Was he in custody? Did he escape? That question turns Kit's grin into him holding his head down in shame as he now has the explain that Gregory fell off the Iron Vulture along with the Masamune sword.

"Gregory's..." Kit started but couldn't say the word dead and he couldn't bare to see Rebecca's reaction to this; "..I couldn't stop him...."

"I see..." Rebecca said looking somber that Gregory was dead; criminal or no criminal, he shouldn't have perished that way before facing justice; restoritive or not; "..I forgot that it is almost the crack of dawn!" Rebecca notices that Kit Cloudkicker was yawning and looked very sleepy; " You better go in and get some sleep..."

"Thank you Miss Cunningham.." Kit said quietly as he walks slowly towards the Higher for Hire office; opens the door and enters inside; "....I need it big time!"

"Look; I better get going." Derek exclaims looking at his watch and notices that he better get back to the police station; " I've got a report to write and a massive headache to come when I have to explain the whole situation of the Windia Police Force to the press."

"Thank you for helping us." Baloo said nodding at Derek as he now has the vigor to be the father of Kit and not just a buddy in this family.

"Like I said earlier....I'm a police officer..." Derek said as he walks towards his police car and hops in it; " Just make sure that your group stays within the borders of the law okay? Goodbye..." With that gesture he starts his car and it drives away towards the belly of Cape Suzette. Derek is going to find out what kind of headache he was going to get as a result of this revelation about the Windia Police Force and the question of interigity in the police force which must be addressed.

"We won't forget....Now Baloo!" Rebecca said as she turns around and looks stern as her arms are folding and looked very cross; " I want to talk to you about putting my navigator into undue danger...!"

"But Becky?!" Baloo protested trying to explain that it was Kit's idea to stop Don Karnage not him. The vollies continue with each other as Baloo claim it was Kit's idea and Rebecca responding with _you should have stopped him_ reference. As this was going now Kit Cloudkicker walks into his room and took a long glance at the window and saw the two sides of the arguement and gesturing full blast between Baloo and Rebecca. In Kit's eyes this was a sign that things were getting back to some form of normal.

"Looks like thing are back to normal.." Kit said smiling sheepishly; " Kit goes away from the window and head to a wooden desk with two shelves underneath the table. Kit opens the top shelf and take out a vanilla box with a top; a piece of paper about 6 inches by 8 inches; and a piece of green ribbon that is big enough to wrap around the box and create a bow. Kit places all of these items on the desk and then proceeds to turn his baseball cap with the rim to the front and takes his hat off revealing the Pearl of Wisdom was indeed on top of Kit Cloudkicker's head . He places the pearl into the vanilla box and covers it with a vanilla cover; "..Perfect!" Now; it was time to write one of the best poems that he could ever write. It was a gift for someone very special....

***

Saturday afternoon and the business of Higher for Hire was resuming as normal as possible since Kit didn't return until early morning. Despite needing some sleep; Kit was already inside the Higher for Hire office with his clipboard ready to work once again. Baloo was still inside the bedroom getting ready for today as well. While Rebecca had not announced the shipments for today; Kit was ready to inspect the SeaDuck; as if he didn't do so last night. Finally; Rebecca Cunningham enters the office and sees Kit is ready.

"Hello Kit.." Rebecca said nicely not trying to give Kit a hard time since judging by the time; Kit only got about seven hours a sleep; "..Bright and early as usual."

"Yes I am...Look; I got to get the SeaDuck ready for insecption." Kit said as he quickly exits the office and walks towards the Higher for Hire docks; "..I'll see you later."

"Okay Kit....Do your best." Rebecca said waving to him and looking concerned yet again ~He works too hard...~ she thought as she couldn't understand how Kit could resume his life so quickly after getting kidnapped and tangled into the web of the Air Pirates again. It was like he was numb to that pain. Rebecca walks to her deak and notices a small vanilla box wrapped with green ribbon on her desk.

"What is this?" Rebecca wondered; " Why did Kit give this to me?" Rebecca sits down on her chair and unwraps the green ribbon. She then quickly proceeds to open the box and she sees a green pearl; the same one that Kit got from Lord TerraStone XVI. She was surprised that someone would give her a present. It must've been from Kit since the box didn't appear last night. She also notices a grade-school written letter underneath the pearl. She picks up the letter and starts to read it. It was from Kit and it read as follows:

~Dear Miss Cunningham;

I understand that you have been concerned about me lately. Well; I don't blame you after all my past _does_ cause a lot of trouble. However; just before I was kidnapped by Masamune, Baloo, Molly and I were actually considering giving you a birthday party and at least one present. Well; let's just say Molly and I. Sadly; I couldn't find anything for you of course I was more concerned about my life when Gregory kidnapped me. Still the whole experience as frightening as it was; this would be without a doubt an experience to the palace of wisdom. I saw two races; a ruined city, a lost city that was found, understood their origins and of course stopping the Air Pirates from plundering the city once again. A grand precher taught me that wisdom comes from age and experience as a furry being. Kind of like a spiritual being on a furry journey. After Cape Suzette was saved; the high priest gave me this green pearl which I give to you on your birthday. Ture; it doesn't grant wisdom as so many legends claim it does. However; it reminds us that age and experience do count. It applies to me as a pilot-in-training and even you as a business major trying to own a shipping company...Thank you for the memories; as I still will be your faithful navigator of Higher for Hire.

Happy Birthday Rebecca Cunningham!

Your humble navigator; Kit Cloudkicker~

Rebecca puts the letter down and was reduced to tears. It was a joyful letter and to her eyes an excellent gift to bring. More importantly; Kit did not forget her birthday was in fact today. She stood up; gently grabbed the green pearl out of the vanilla box and exits the office towards the dock just as Baloo enters the office from the bedroom and notices Rebecca leaving. He saw her in a somewhat troubling state as she was in tears.

"What's with her?" Baloo asked himself as he walks downstairs and proceeds to exit the office. On the docks; the afternoon sunshine only blocked by small white puffy clouds. Kit had just closed the door of the SeaDuck finishing the insepction on the SeaDuck and was walking towards the office with his clipboard at his side. He was quickly forgetting the events they were protrayed on him last night and had a big smile on his face.

"Everything on the ship is ready to go." Kit said feeling very good about himself; " All I need to do now is wake up Baloo and await Rebecca's orders." Suddenly; Rebecca Cunningham enters the dock area and walks towards Kit with a huge smile and tear streaming down her cheek with joy. Kit sees her right away and the first thought that raced in his head was pretty predictable. ~Was what I wrote too strong?~

"Are you all right Miss Cunningham?" Kit asked looking worried as Rebecca brings her arms out to embrace Kit once again; a sign that Rebecca was proud of Kit's present. Kit and Rebecca embrace.

"Thank you for remembering my birthday Kit!" Rebecca said with compassion as she kisses him on the forehead and that made Kit blush a bit.

"Gee thanks.." Kit said admitting that he was embrassed; "..I was thinking about throwing a party later today; but that was all before I was kidnapped..." As the conversation was going on; Baloo Waladaze enters the dock area from the Higher for Hire office and watches the tender sence unfold.

"Look Kit...." Rebecca said as she and Kit separate from each other and Rebecca proceeds to brush some of the hair that was on Kit's head; " Today; you can have all of today off."

"I'm not sure if I can...." Kit said acting surprised. It was her birthday and he felt that Rebecca was there to make him work harder. It was Rebecca's soft side coming into play as she had a surprise for him.

"Actually;" Rebecca said taking a note that she wrote this morning just before she came to Higher for Hire; " Ernie called me this morning from my apartment and he wants to meet you at 617 West Cape Suzette Street which is four blocks to the west; this afternoon."

"I almost forgot!!" Kit gasped remembering that they were supposed to start a special club once they got home; " I should go now; I promised him!"

"Be back at 7 o'clock for our party..." Rebecca nods as Kit Cloudkicker will proceed to exit towards the western path of Higher for Hire that leads to Cape Suzette street. When Kit finally is out of sight she gives out that frownish look as she looks directly at Baloo; "..Now you Baloo; you're coming with me!"

"For what?" Baloo asked with a grumble thinking that if his navigator gets a day off then so should he. Baloo's teenage mentality was in play once again; not realizing that Kit was still a kid and he should continue to experience his childhood as much as possible. Even if he doesn't want to...

"You and me are going shopping for my birthday..." Rebecca proclaim cheerfully and with a smirk that caused Baloo to whince at the thought of having to carry large bags of stuff that Rebecca didn't need.

"I thought it was the thought that counts?" Baloo asked in a tone that sounded like a rebel. However; Rebecca's frown turned to controlled anger as she pulls Baloo by the ear instantly.

"You didn't think about my birthday buster!" Rebecca shouts into Baloo's ear before giving out the last phrase gently; " Unlike Kit...."

"OUCH!!" Baloo whinced in pain as Rebecca drags Baloo and Baloo is forced to walk as well. It was painful to say the least as the antics that was Higher for Hire were as normal as usual. Kit's life is going to change forever...

**

The city of Cape Suzette in the afternoon was a beautiful thing to watch. No furry would discount the power of a tall and strong city despite it's own shortcomings. However; only a select few know exactly what happened and knew that they came very close of being cleansed by Don Karnage and his band of Air Pirates. Once again; Baloo and Kit save the day; but couldn't save Gregory Skywinds as Kit's somber face was showing. Sure he was happy to be alive and with his friends and was sure that the late Skywinds were want it that way. However; it was Gregory's own voice before he drop to his death was the thing that haunted him the most. That he was devine and that he had the obligation to protect the real world. Kit was a person that thinks big; not that big however. Still he couldn't let these emotions get the best of him as he had things to do. Kit Cloudkicker was walking along the sidewalk towards the lot number 617 of West Cape Suzette street. The lot itself measured 100 feet square and was surrounded by a 25 foot wooden fence with pointed triangles sticking out. Kit enters the lot and takes a good look inside. What he saw was not surprising. It was mostly a dump with airplane parts scattered everywhere; most which can be recycled. However; the most noticable thing was that there was a path cleared in the middle of the lot which led to a large oak tree about 20 feet hight and just underneath the thick branches of the oak tree laid a medium-size clubhouse type wooden building. Kit walks towards the clubhouse; opens the shower curtain that reveals the club-house entrance and walks in.

"Ernie? I'm here.." Kit shouted out as he sees nothing but pitch darkness and Ernie wasn't responding it seemed; "..Ernie; this isn't funny!" As Kit said that suddenly he feels as if someone had grabbed him and put him into a headlock and that causes Cloudkicker to panic;" Ernie!"

"Hi Kit!" Ernie finally responds as someone the lights get turned back on and indeed it was Ernie placing Kit Cloudkicker in a headlock; " Welcome to our new base of operations." Ernie then proceed to do a noogie that causes Kit to laugh uncontrollably. As he was laughing; Ernie's friends started to show up one-by-one: Lars, Spot and S.D. Also present looking from the windows which were now uncovered were Lion Hazelnut, Scott T. Cat, Will Thursday, Zal Polis and Jason Sadler; all the players from the soccer game they had yesterday. What a difference a day makes; Kit went from having zero friends his age to as many as eight. And there was more to come out of this...

"Ernie?!" Kit said as he giggled; " Is this the secret handshake or something?!"

"I promise that I would not do it again." Ernie said feeling that he hazed Kit enough and let's him go. Kit manages to keep his balance as he raises his body and looks at Ernie.

"I doubt it!" Lion said knowing that Ernie was too much of a prankster to prevent himself from doing that again. Ernie flushes red with embrassment as everyone is now laughing at Ernie for his musings.

"So; what's going on?" Kit asked. Scott T. Cat was surprised ~I thought that Kit would know what today would be. Ernie was planning to have this in the first place.~ he thought.

"Don't ya know..." Spot exclaimed wondering why Kit would forget that joyus occasion; "We're setting up a new club for people and kids who have a feeling for adventure and aircraft. However; we've run into a few problems..."

"A few problems?" Kit asked look a bit skeptical that his new friends would be quick to run into such trouble. They were kids after all and kids were not up to skeptchism as their adult counterparts would. The experience of Masamune has grown on them too fast for their own good.

"Yeah;" Lars chimes in feeling better after the torture session with Masamune; "... like we need a name for it?" That was interesting; since the name of a club would not even been on the agenda.

"I got it!" Kit said thinking for a moment as if they did have a name then he would accept it anyway. Then the lightblub went off; this name is in a form of common sense; " How about this name: The Jungle Aces Secret Midnight Club. How about that?"

"Why midnight?" S.D. asked looking confused that Kit was make such a long name. The word midnight was very unusal for a secret club.

"Well; out first adventure ended at midnight..." Kit responded without question.

"That makes sense.." Lion said shrugging his shoulders and decides to call for the first vote in the club; ". Let's put it to a vote..."

"All those in favor of the name say: _Yay_!" Ernie asked.

"YAY!" they all said in a predictable chorus. The name was as good as had for Kit Cloudkicker.

"Those opposed?" Ernie asked as slience fills the room after the statement; there was no doubt about this one; " The name has been accepted by majority vote." The motion was officially passed and the name was created as: The Jungle Aces Serect Midnight Club. Now you would think that this would be over; however, like real life there are more conflicts to resolve...

"All right? The next problem we have is right in front of us...." Lion said as he points to the inside of the room and there was only four boxes and a pulpit similar to the once Lord TerraStone XVI was using. The clubhouse could only fit about five people; prehaps seven tops; certainly not enough for the club to accommendate everyone and it also didn't allow for extra members; " Any ideas?"

" I got an great idea.." Scott said as he looked around ; "..If my father thinks it's all right."

"This I got to hear..." Ernie smirked at the thought that his arogrant counterpart would come up with a better plan than this. Kit was frowning as the last thing he wanted to see was kids fighting over a lack of space; plus Scott's idea could resolve this conflict. Ernie sees his frown and figure that it would be best to hear Scott out and his smirking was completely wiped off his face.

"Typical!" Scott responded; " Anyway; I thought that I get to build a clubhouse on the east side of the city."

"I agree completely with Scott.." Zal said as he lived right next to Scott's house and Scott's father is a carpenter by trade; "....You, me, Jason, Lion and Will all live on the east side of the city."

"I'd like to add something to this.." Will added as he was only one block away from Scott's new clubhouse if it was built; ".....We can exchange notes every so often and this would allow us to recruit kids who have the same vision as us."

"Plus; Scott T. Cat becomes leader of Jungle Ace East and Ernie becomes leader of Jungle Ace West." Jason said trying to prove to the rest that this is no competition and that this was a co-op club to help young boys (and if they like young girls) realize their adventurous dreams; " That way; we can prevent the battle of who's the better leader...Lion?"

"Only on one condition..." Lion said as he points to Kit Cloudkicker to appoint Kit as the leader; " Kit should be the one who has the right to veto ideas." Kit started to become a little somber once again; which no-one noticed.

"Fine by me." Ernie and Scott said agreeing to Kit being the leader as they have a lot of graditude to give to the youngster; " Kit's a great leader!"

However; Kit Cloudkicker was not convinced on the leadership; he could resite the death of Gregory Skywinds as proof of not being able to protect people, even if he shouldn't be thrust into this role. This still shows that the careless adults of this world still haunt his mind and that he must step forward when no one else would; ~Some leader I am. Gregory's dead now!~ he thought bitterly. However; he saw the innocence of those kids his own and despite the horror that took place on TerraStone Island, they still believed that Kit was a leader. It was time to act like a leader; "Let's put this to a vote." His words were as assertive as ever. His job now was the same as it was with Molly: do not be a stranger to his new found friends and take their hands away from the very madness that he saw.

"All those in favor of Lion's motion please say _Yay_!" Ernie asks the new members of the club.

"YAY!!" All of them shout without any second thoughts. The most important conflict of the Jungle Aces Serect Midnight Club was resolved as quickly as the name itself.

"All opposed..." Ernie said as slience fills the room once again; indicating that everyone was on the same page; "..The motion is declared carried."

"I guess that's it." Scott admitted as he turns around and sees Kit starting to chant some word and it sounded familiar; " Ah Kit?"

"Aces.....Aces.......Aces......Aces....." Kit hummed with an agressive tone increasing on ever word. The Jungle Ace members thought that the song was catchy and they begin to hum and repeat the lines that Kit was saying:

Aces.....Aces.......Aces......Aces.....
Pick 'em up! Put 'em down!
Hit them hard and make 'em frown!
Over sea, in the sky,
Jungle Aces flying high!
FLY ACES!!!~

Everyone inside and outside the clubhouse cheered and jumped up and down just like regular boys would. Despite the hostitle world that was presented to them they are the bastion of what is the essence of life. As this was happening; outside the junkyard, Baloo Waladaze and Rebecca Cunningham were listening onward and hearing the entire laughter and cheering that the new Jungle were preforming. It was a sigh of relief for Rebecca Cunningham.

"Back to normal boys.." Baloo said chuckling and feeling that his adulthood was complete again; "..like it should be."

"Let's hope it stays that way!" Rebecca said with a deep sigh knowing that Kit's checkered was going to haunt him once again...someday; " Now let's go Sonny Jim; we still need to go to the bakery..."

~If only my life was normal.....!~ Baloo thought as he carried the boxes of presents forward as Rebecca Cunningham was walking towards the bakery about a block away. Everything was back to normal and Kit Cloudkicker was safe to persuit his dreams of becoming a pilot when he grows up and learning the laws of life. However; one question still looms......Is Gregory Skywinds really dead? No one has been able to find him since he fell from the Iron Vulture... Prehaps the consequences of this event will come full circle and come with a certain swiftness that no one has ever seen... As for Kit Cloudkicker; can he keep his serects from his own family in order to protect them. Soon or later; Kit will have to expose them to the reality that he was running away. If they turely love him as they claim; the ultimate test will be coming sooner than even Rebecca believes....and that day will change the gang forever....

**THE END**

Final Notes:

It was back on June of 1998; a full month before the Unofficial Kit Cloudkicker Homepage was debuted on the internet, when this story was first started. It took nearly four years just to write the story script and by the time this was done; I've already uploaded three chapters for the AeroStars Saga not including the introduction.(and one more chapter has been completed; but was not uploaded due to problems with my browser.) Not to mention that my other two stories that originally made up my fanfics have not been touched and they were created well back as well. Many of the elements for this story were not incorperated until this year and it looks like the other two stories that have been written won't be done for quite a long time to come (employment has become a reality for me right now thank the lord for that). Also I have had to cut two major storylines from the original story because they have manifested into two seperate stories which will be called _Faint Cape_ stories. Finally; I have added a fifth chapter to the AeroStars Saga along with the beginning of the DreamFlyers Saga and two additional fanfics that have taken shape. Thank you for reading my first official fanfic that I started with.

P.S.: I still plan to work on this on a limited basis until all the stories are done.

Gregory Weagle- A tired but gamed writer of fan fiction.