Maze Runners
Disclaimer:
I do not own Alice in Wonderland, Pillsbury, or Kingdom Hearts, nor Riku or Xion. In fact I own nothing in the story other than the plot. Thank you!
I stand in a wild looking room; picture frames askew, colors seemed blasted everywhere. Almost as if a painter went mad or someone's wife couldn't decide on a color. A large clock ticking away, reading the wrong time. A table in the center of the room. One lone bottle standing on its glassy surface. A very tiny Riku standing in the shadow of the table. Xion, what on earth did you just agree to. The first date and he takes me to Wonderland?
My gosh... not again... "Riku! I told you that wasn't safe." I crouched down my black hair falling in front of my big blue eyes. Holding out my palm for the shrunken Riku to climb on. His small hands waving around flippantly. Faint squeaking coming from my palm. "Riku, I really can't hear you. Stop flailing. You should have known better than to drink things in Wonderland. Why do you always insist on showing off?" I complain. Slowly I stand the muscles in my long, thin legs tightening. I laugh as Riku falls on his butt. He reminded me of the little Pillsbury Doughboy in TV commercials.
Turning towards the table I place Riku onto it carefully. Watching him as he runs around it before coming to the bottle in which he drank from. His arms going around the bottle shaking it. He jumps back motioning for me to come closer. His small face contorting to a look of frustration from my disobedience. "Hold on Riku!" I crane my neck closer to him. He motions for me to drink the bottle.
"Are you crazy?" I stutter. Riku shakes his head no. His impatience growing. "Fine but if I end up the size of a grasshopper for the rest of my life I'm blaming you. I really hope you know what you're doing. I really do. I have a feeling our date nights may be coming to an end if every single one of them is me shrinking."
I gulp down a small sip expecting to shudder at the taste, texture, or smell. The liquid has a strange yet familiar flavor. Not particularly notable but present. No texture to mention. Much like water. No scent to it in any way either. I blink as I feel dizziness overcome me. My heartbeat slowing. The table below me is suddenly above me. The rim of the table getting larger. Then rapidly smaller as my body shrinks to the floor.
"Hello Xion! So glad you could join me on our date! Answer to your question, yes. Of course I know what I'm doing. I've done this so many times already. But I'm not giving away where we are going just yet. After all Wonderland is supposed to be a surprise!" My arms and legs tingled slightly from the odd downsizing I just went through. "But Riku-" I started. "No buts, just follow me. Trust me you'll have a good time. After all you consented to the weird and wacky." Riku laughed, grabbing my hand playfully. I followed him as we ran off.
"You might get lost but it's fun!" Riku insisted. "But it's a maze! Riku, I've never been on this side of the maze before." Xion protests. "Don't worry if you get lost I'll come and find you. I've mapped the area. Oh and don't worry about Heartless. I took them out before we got here the day before." Riku said flushed with excitement.
"Riku. Isn't this the Angry Woman's garden?" Xion said. "Yes, but she won't find you. Even if she's around you won't run into her. Your smart. Now remember the rules?" "I think so. First one out wins? Oh and no Dark Corridors unless your in trouble." Xion listed giggling. "That's right." Riku replied. "But you have a map! That's cheating!" Xion whined "I know I have a map. But I promise I'll only use it if I need to find you. I'm can guess where you've gone and use a Dark Corridor to find you."
"Alright you ready?" Riku asked. Xion nodded. "Alright! First one there wins!" Xion took off. The hedges high above her whisking past.A turn ahead. Another, a fork coming ahead. The hedge in the middle cut into a heart with Roses. Xion paused looking through it. Riku's form ran to the right past her through the cut out. Ha! I'll just follow him! Since he knows his way around!
Thirteen minutes had passed since Xion had been following Riku. Her breath heavy. She stopped. Her breathing heavy. Guuhhh why does this have to be a race? She hadn't seen a cut out for a while now and had lost track of Riku. She walked over to a corner of the hedge leaning against it with one hand. Riku... he loves to play games. I wonder why he chose a maze to have a date in. Can't dinner suffice? A rustling in the bushes behind her startled her. What if it's the Angry Woman and her peculiar guards! More rustling. "Riku?" Xion whispered. No answer. Oh no. Xion ducked around the corner of the maze creeping slowly away from the noise. The rustling sounding closer.
Xion's quickened her pace. Breathing silently as she looked for hiding places. The rustling in the bushes louder and closer. Footsteps sounding behind her as they gave chase. She dared not look behind her. So her fears wouldn't come alive and make her stumble. She pumped her legs harder the rustling fainter behind her. As she rounded a corner. She slowed her ears scanning for sound. She stepped backwards cautiously. The bushes' prickly leaves brushing against her striped tights. Weight of a small twig landed on her shoulder.
She jumped. Spinning around on one heel. Her shoulder smacking into a grinning Riku. "Found you Xion!" "RIKU!" Xion fumed trying to glare at him but smiled instead. His muscular arms slipping around her waist. "You ok Xion?" Riku asked playfully. "Riku! Were you the one following me?" Xion glanced around at his figure. A small piece of paper hanging out of his pocket. She pulled it out. Examining it. The map!
The map contained circles and a selected path. "Oh yeah that." Riku laughed. How'd you know where to find me?" "See those circles? I circled all of the cutout thingies. So that you'd see me. If I guessed right you would follow me. And you did. So no I didn't follow you. You followed me." Riku explained. "Why?" Xion questioned. "Because, I wanted to do this." Riku's grip tightened on her waist pulling her into a deep kiss.