The fantastic five of this mission- Jen, Fahari, Becky and the Whiteclaw siblings - are back for a last go at things for the mission!

Of course, having a changing cast of enemies and NPC's (plus former PC's turned NPC's Fluffy and Blahking) helps keep things from getting stale. This one manages to have it all. Exposition, drama, backstory, action, even a little (as a space elf or furry might say) "fun sexytimes" but mostly, the focus is on taking on the threat on the Chrono Dragon and trying to drive the darkness away from the dragon of time!

As you're about to see, that's going to be a lot harder than it sounds!

 
Some language and sexual situations

Almost as soon as it dissipated from its last form under the combined assault of Becky Joy and the furries, the darkness gathered itself and moved to its real target, letting our unaware heroes to gather themselves together.

If the dark forces had thought to catch the dragon and his defenders unaware, it failed. The first to greet their attempts was the coppertone half dragon succubus, Nipha. The darkness knew little of her other than her one time forced service to the Elite 8. Chrono Dragon had saved her. She would now attempt to save the dragon and his child.

Moondream was behind her, holding a solid looking didgeridooka in one hand and a lead pipe in the other. Behind the advanced guards were KOKOL miners and guards, joined by a healthy number of both Frat Orcs and Hippies. Behind them? The chrono dragon and its young son. Both seemed to be oblivious to it all, locked instead on each other as father was pressed hard to gift all of his knowledge to a son still too young to understand it all.

Elsewhere

"You have an interesting mind, little one." Kyomi said to her passenger, who rode back in that most comfortable of places. Well, said isn't exactly the right word here. She was merely using the bridge that her earlier probing of the hampster's mind had left in order to communicate with him in a way that the space elves might understand- if no one else. "So filled with contradictions, at once prey animal and sapient being."

"Yup, that's me!" Fluffy answered in a squeek, not quite getting the mind speak concept as he thought to himself, I'll never sleep on a rock again after this!

Kyomi chuckled, both in the real world and in the hamster's mind. "If we survive this day, little one, I will personally see to it that you will have many well padded pillows to sleep between. But know that what happened to you- just as what happened to the others- was never an 'accident.' Those above have always known this day would come- and they made plans."

"Kewl!' Fluffy said as he started drifting off to sleep.

Becky found herself staring at Jen, who was so pretty, just like a princess, and she looked strong and smart and other good things, Becky thought to herself.

"You have an admirer." Cattaras purred into her ear as he slipped a paw around the elf's waist. "Or two."

"And you have an admirable butt," Jen whispered back, grinning.

"She looks thinky," Becky whispered to Cattaras. "You look thinky, Jen. Why come?"

"Chrono Dragon controls time, right? Why doesn't it go back in time and eat the villain before it becomes a threat?" Jen asked.

Becky shrugged, confused. "Um.. we'd get evil indigestion?"

"Or how about leaping forward in time, long enough for us to defeat evil and it will never come to harm," Jen continued, looking perplexed.

"Nice ideas- but that's not how it works." Catrina dropped back to join the others. "Evil exists- from the day time starts until it stops there is evil- just different forms of it. Trust me- if we were to defeat the evil that exists in the world today a new evil will be born tomorrow."

"Why's it called the Chrono Dragon if it can't time travel?"

Cattaras shrugged, squeezing elfrump. "Don't ask me- sis?"

"He can't travel in time because he is time!" Catrina's tailflicked as she tried to think of an example to give them. Then she thought of something. It wasn't her nicest memory but...

"When Dash and I were here before I watched as he fought against the Dragon- and the Dragon made him disappear."

"Like invisible?" Becky asked. "Like invisible ninja Dashie?"

"Like invisible- never existed." Catrina's tail thrashed, remembering. "A few others, too but... well I love- er loved him then."

"Mmm... wait, if he never existed, how did you remember him?" Jen asked. But then thought better of it. "This world is weird enough, there may not be an adequate explanation."

"Not so weird, hon." Catrina actually smiled." I had the same question- Chonoo explained. You see our minds- we can't just turn what we know on and off. Dash didn't exist at that moment and, if he'd continued not to exist I would have forgotten him. Also the fact that I was... now how's he put it? Oh- 'in the middle of the effect' had some part to play. As it was it was a good thing I was there because it took the three of us- Moondream, Becky and me- to work it out and break the curse."

Becky gasped, clearly confused. "We did?! Did we do it?!"

There was a chuckle from behind. "She means me, lass. Ol' Coconuts. And yeah- we broke the spell- and they all came back. Y' shoulda seen 'er pounce that guy!"

"So they really were close," Jen commented softly.

He fought for her, love. Fought rather hard, from the bruises I remember. It hit him pretty hard when she.. well you know that story. Cattaras thought, opening his thoughts and memories to her.

Did she know about Dash and Aleena...? Jen asked.

After I carried them off, then came back smelling like him and that strange elf and.. yeah, she knew. Cattaras blushed at sharing that memory. It wasn't that it embarrassed him- it was just remembering the reaction from his sister to knowing her ex was now 'plowing a different field.'

Jen's sensors were the first to pick up on the fight. Before she could even voice that, however, the furries had heard it as well. Becky and Rebecca immediately realized something was going on by the reactions of the others, as did Prince Blahking. Fluffy, of course, was still napping.

“The battle is joined.” Kyomi said simply as a glowing scythe materialized in her paws. For she was more than just a sensei’s (or a student’s) concubine. She was a Taker of Souls- either willingly at the end of life for those who lived in the Light or, for those who lived in (or were) the Darkness- not so willingly.

She flashed forward with a battle howl, the others following, only to find the previously mentioned scene of the darkness attacking the dragon and company.

"Stop that malevolent mist!" Jen shouted. She brought her arm cannon up and let loose a series of quick bursts of energy.

"Becky heroes away!" Becky shouted as she started throwing snowballs at the darkness. The attacks seemed enough to distract the darkness, or at least a part of it. Becky eep'ed and threw up a full snowstorm but the darkness passed through it.

"I could burn down my power pack and still not hurt this thing. It's a creature of magic, I'm not sure how to fight it!" Jen called out.

"Oh, I know!" Becky said before yelling, "Please stop that right now!"

It didn't work.

"Just keep its attention for now!" Blahking yelled, adding a fire elemental blast to the mix. "We'll find some weak point on this dark beast! Jen, can you analyze the beast at all?"

Fahari growled, concentrating on the mist as if waiting for something. "There is no need to analyze- it is pure evil- a heart of Darkness, and there is only one cure for it." With that she sprang forward, claws glowing as both she and Kyomi met at the shadow- and sliced into it!

"I'm trying! Temporal energies, complex magics, I can't make heads or tails of it," Jen replied to Blahking's request.

"It is not an energy known to science, sirra." Asami spoke softly next to Jen, a worried look as she watched the fight. "There is no laboratory that can test Evil, nor Good."

"Why aren't my weapons hurting it?" Jen asked. "They seem to have no effect!"

"Because physically the beast is no longer in this world. Only his darkness remains." Asami nodded toward the shadow, then gasped as Fahari stumbled slightly after landing a blow.

"Then let's shed some light on it," Blahking said, summoning up the brightest blinding blast of fire he could. The darkness recoiled, but the flash also had its effects on Blahking and the others.

"Hey, that was too bright!" Becky whined.

<Cattaras, synchronize with me! We'll attack together!> Jen charged into melee as her arm cannon morphed into a greatsword.

Meanwhile, Fluffy sneezed a bit of fire. "Hey, give me a few minutes and I'll come up with some kinda wacky anime holy spell, if you want."

"We've got it's attention! And it's not stopping!" Jen called out, hoping their friends lagging behind could hear. Jen's sword plowed into the cloud carving a huge gash into its form... that immediately closed over.

Likewise the big cat's claws gouged out a wound that instantly healed. "I think it's out of our hands, guys- unless the little.. I mean Fluffy can come up with something."

Myoko picked up the tiny mage and held it, stroking his fur. "Please, do not unleash such energy, little one. It would be as much your undoing as it would hurt the enemy." She also was watching her mistress, sadly.

"Oh, okay, yeesh, zzzzz.." Fluffy fell back into a happy nappy sleep.

"What do you mean?" Cattaras growled after having taken another (temporary) gash out of the monster. "And why aren't you fighting?"

"Our mistress forbids it," Asami.. well, whined. "She says we are not strong enough yet for this level of Darkness."

"Wait, she forbid it? We need to beat this thing, we need to help my friend!" Catrina was livid, even more so as every swipe from her twin katana closed up as if it never existed.

"I wanna play fight evil shadows with my new buddies!" whined Becky even as she blasted the darkness with an ice. "Ow!" The darkness sliced at her like a razor. "Ow, quit it!"

"No, little one." It was Sliver's turn to be his usual voice of reason. "You are too pure for this fight- and not powerful enough to survive it."

"Wait, what?" Cattaras actually stopped trying to fight the Darkness when he heard Becky's cry.

"Think, Cattaras-san. In a cave the light does not defeat the darkness- it simply overpowers it for a little bit. Just as here you do not 'beat the Darkness..'"

"You overpower it with Light." Asami nodded., then looked back to the fight. "We hope."

Sliver nodded. "Exactly. Light and purity are the only weapons one can use against Darkness and Evil. And you must be strong enough to withstand. Your friend knows what she risks joining the fight."

Meanwhile, Jen found herself engulfed in the smoky entity. Rebecca and Becky rushed over to help her, but the smoke formed a solid wall to keep them back.

<Aaah! I can't fight it! It's got me!> Jen shouted over radio link to Cattaras.

Catrina, no matter how distracted she was by the needs of her friend, was shocked by the near-feral roar that came out of her brother as he attacked the wall to no avail. Becky tried freezing it. That didn't work. Cattaras' claws and Rebecca's cutlass were no more effective. Worse yet, the walls expanded several spikes at our heroes, forcing them to back off or risk being shredded to bits.

"Interesting," Sliver noted calmly, "Cattaras-san, does your lady friend possess some sort of.. um.. pure energy weapon?"

<Did you hear that, love? And are you okay?> Cattaras sent.

<Can't breathe! Crushing me!> Jen cried back. Cattaras could feel the fear, the struggle in her transmission.

"Do somethin, ya deft elf!" Rebecca yelled. Something clicked in Jen's suit. Without taking time to analyze it, indeed doing nothing more than giving her suit a mental 'nod,' she projected a powerful beam of ionized protons in a burst designed to take apart the darkness. Which it did, after several tense seconds. Reeling, the darkness gathered itself, barely avoiding the shots from Jen's newly formed arm cannon that nearly sent it back into the great light beyond.

"Thank the Goddess!" It was Cattaras' turn to be surprised as his sister took a new liking to Jen, apparently.

"Do not overdo, my friend." Sliver shouted- while still sounding calm, collected and quiet. "You will find that your new weapon hurts you as much as it hurts enemy."

That's when a strange looking hippie girl came up and hugged Catrina, who'd smelt it, probably literally, a mile coming. She didn't mind though, instantly returning the hug and joined by Rebecca- making a hippy sammich.

Becky held her nose. "She smells kinda like Gail kinda kinda!"

Cattaras snarled a bit. "I can't say what she smells like in mixed company."

"With you here, Catwomana," the hippie said, "We'll cure old Time Dragon in no time."

Jen joined Cattaras, throwing her arms around the big tiger and pressed kisses to his lips.
The big tiger hugged her tight, sharing that kiss for almost as long as their friends hugged.

Jen smiled, breaking contact with her love to focus her attention on the chrono dragon. Morlencir science would triumph today. The dragon was weak. Though she didn't bear the specialized medical tools of a science suit, there were a few things she could do for the dragon.

If, of course, the dragon would let her- or its son who was currently looking at her disapprovingly.

"Easy. I mean no harm. I'm a friend." Jen smiled, trying to appear friendly and non-threatening.

The little dragon didn't back off- but looked over at the hugging trio for advice.

"Oops," Catrina chuckled. "we're up guys." They broke the hug and walked over to Jen. Catrina smiled as the little dragon checked her out, accepting her scent and letting out a content purr. "It's okay, hon. She's a … well she's more than a friend now. She's family."

Jen grinned and gave Catrina a small hug. "Thank you."

Catrina smirked but returned the hug- even adding a grope. "For what? I need all the help I can get keeping doofus over there out of trouble."

Jen stifled a giggle and blushed.

Cattaras was about to make a smart comment- but his jaw dropped open as Fahari and Kyomi limped over to the group, looking like they had just had the Hey Deze beaten out of them. Sliver, Asami and Myoko all rushed to help them, the young 'sunes looking relieved to have their Mistress back with them.

Meanwhile, Prince Blahking got down to business. "What's the status of the Chrono Dragon?"

"Weak, but stable. I can use my nanites to accelerate his healing, but it'll leave me with precious few left," Jen said.

"I can use my ice nanites for.." Becky paused. "Nevermind, I don't have any."

Jen ignored Becky's tease. Her battlesuit shimmered, then melted into the chrono dragon. His eyes fluttered, but he seemed more at peace almost immediately. Jen, however, stood completely naked.

"Who else will give it their clothes?!" Becky asked as Moondream eep'ed and covered her eyes.

Catrina smirked at her brother. "One word out of you, buster and you'll be regretting it, I think."

Cattaras said nothing- but joined Jen in her state- not embarrassed but sharing her discomfort.

"I'm not used to feeling so... unprotected." Jen blushed, turning and walking back to Cattaras' furry embrace.

"You are always protected. Don't worry about it."

"Here." Prince Blahking handed her his cloak, made of the finest silk. "Wear this. It should provide you some limited magic protection."

Jen smiled and clasped it shut around herself. "Thanks." Cattaras for his part leaned in, whispered an indecency, then retrieved his own loincloth.

"You are a very naughty kitty." Jen giggled, giving him a hug that parted the cloak and left her feeling his fur along the length of her lean form.

"Yep." Cattaras purred, paws slipping under the cloak to squeeze that ass. "Your point?"

"I love you," Jen said, gazing into the tiger's golden eyes.

"Save the universe now, guys. Make kittens later." Catrina growled- but smiled.

"The darkness has been driven off, the dragon will mend quickly. I believe we have accomplished what we set out to do," Jen mentioned happily.

"Besides," Cattaras smirked, "Jen isn't dressed to save any universes. I don't think shes goin' anywhere for awhile."

"You're just saying that because she's naked and you want her tail up and waiting." Catrina said with a chuckle. "Fine, go make kitties. But do it away from innocent eyes, okay?"

Catrina smiled as she watched her brother pick Jen up bodily and carry her off, her robes falling away from her body as he did so.

"They seem happy." came familiar voice next to her- Sliver. "Perhaps, you wonder, can you be as happy?"

Catrina growled. "I can't be happy, not now. That bitch has my mate in her thrall, and my child. I shudder to think what she's done to him!"

"Yet you are stuck here, between battles in your life, and you do not rest. Perhaps you feel you cannot rest, that it is all your fault, that if you hadn't succumbed to the Darkness yourself none of this would have happened."

Catrina stiffened at her master's words, then nodded. Sliver chuckled. "Do not think that you had a choice in this matter, Catrina-san. Every step in our paths has been measured and set for us. Everything that has happened to us- good and bad- has happened for a reason- for this reason, to bring us here."

Catrina looked up into the sky.. closing her eyes- especially at hearing her brother and his mate. "Goddess... I think I need more than just a rest."

Sliver chuckled. "I have always seen that side in you- even if I did not push it." Another chuckle. "Perhaps having three lusty kitsune to take care of me.."

Catrina looked down, smiling. "You realllly...thought that?"

Sliver shrugged. "You are a beautiful person- inside and out. I could not help myself."

She laughed, then knelt so she was more his height. "I believe your kitsunes are busy tonight."

And the rest is left to your imaginations.

Yes, the rest is left to your imagination. I like to imagine they fought off evil Roman Nazi space monsters that appear through a portal and learn a little something about love and the power of teamwork.

That or they make out. Yeah, the "making out" thing probably makes more sense.

That roleplay topped off a breathtaking run from these five, fair to say. It's one of the cool scenarios that this kind of mission encourages. With the five taking the Chorno Dragon's part of the mission, isolated from the rest of the stories (for now), it really allowed for a run of these five, and just these five plus NPC's.

AIL is the kind of game where all kinds of things can happen. For example, next we're going to get the very late mission return of Sassy Snake! And after that, there's only a couple more pieces before we finally hit the very Grand Finale!