Chapter 5: Mushroom Forest

                                    

                                          



"All...except you."
Rogue uttered a sound of surprise as she abruptly spun around to find the cold steel of a shotgun pressed against her forehead. Fear swept through her body as the heat of the gun radiated against her skin. Mr. Turnbuckle held the gun in a firm grip, a look of worry and distress etched on his face.
"I hafta say, it's been mighty fine spacin' with you blunderheads these past few days," As Urdrumir walked up to the girl, his metallic arm snapped open to reveal a sharp, corroded blade, and he said in a satisfied tone, "now that we be so close ta Hyperion, and the Queen, well...ah think we'll take it from 'ere."
With a penetrating glare, Rogue watched the man before her shape-shift from a dwarf to a tall, overweight man. He then tipped his hat in a gesture of courtesy to his partners, who brandished their weapons at the Guardians.
"I say we kill 'em all now..." one of the aliens said, stepping forward and hooking his crab-like claw beneath Rogue's chin. Urdrumir growled and yanked the aliens face down, "ah say what's ta say! Disobey my orders again, and so help me, you'll all be joinin' the others in a black hole!"
Rogue and the others observed the quarrel between the group, with yells of exasperation resonating through the atmosphere. They looked to her, tracking her focus back to the command centre. Her pupils widened as she saw Erebus and Vanish incapacitated from the explosion, secured to each other with rope. A deep snarl left her lips.
"Ah must admit, Princess. Ya got the makings of greatness in ya..." Urdrumir stepped forward once again, his blades pressing to the side of her throat, "and truly, yer Ma's a great woman. Beautiful, kind, but you don't know a single thing about 'er. Just how...psychotic she be."
The Princess's nose scrunched up at his words and she bared her fangs, "you dare speak of my mother, filthy Pirate."
"Why you little-"
"Captain! Land Ho! There it is!" A high-pitched voice pierced the air from above. Urdrumir tore his eyes away from the Princess, a wide smile lighting up his face. The voice echoed throughout the air, prompting everyone on board to rush to the side of the vessel and look out into the twinkling sky with joyful amusement. "Feast eyes and click heels, if ya got 'em!"
Crescentia Space Port. With a resemblance to a waning moon, the artificial space station Crescentia beamed brilliantly against the backdrop of the dark red Hyperion, girded by a majestic ring of stars. This space station served as a mercantile trading port to the planet's inhabitants. Urdrumir joyfully threw his arms in the air as he beheld the spectacular view. 
Rogue stepped back with a slight nod to the others. In a matter of moments, she had scaled the stairs, supporting North and Bunny as they hoisted the two captains, who were still in a deep sleep, onto their feet. Then, without a moment's delay, they all rushed into the office, and Rogue had a bow magically appear in her hand. Planting her foot on the rail, she drew the bow and took aim, "I must say, Urdrumir. You're easily distracted."
Urdrumir was taken aback by her words, his eyes almost bulging out of their sockets. His cybernetic limb rotated, and a shotgun replaced the blade. Her barrage of arrows swiftly flew and drilled into his prosthetic arm and leg. His scream of agony was followed by the loud gunshot of a single bullet, ripping through her wing.
With a gasp of agony, she made her way inside the stateroom, swiftly slamming and bolting the door shut. Urdrumir uttered a groan of displeasure, accompanied by a shrill whistle. "Change in plans, lads! We. Move. Now!" he yelled out. An ecstatic cheer burst forth from the crew as they started running around in a flurry. Some leapt up the rigging, while others readied their weapons. They broke down doors, smashed any object that didn't belong to them, and finally raised their own flag in triumph.