I want to thank the few persons who've supported me for this first chapter and who've encouraged me to continue. Thank you a lot, I hope this new chapter will please you!
PS: If some have had the opportunity to understand the french translation of this fanfic, you may have noticed that for some grammar matter, an information that is not visible in the english version has been revealed about Koena; don't worry though, it is not very important, and in this chapter, I'll take care of it.
-Chapter II: The king?-
I'm looking through the window the landscape passing in front of me: it's mostly mountains, and trees.
The forest is so familiar to me: I'm everyday in this little world, going and leaving, sitting down on the bank of a river, and enjoying all this serenity, this melody of the silence and of the few beings which sing and live in this natural environment, with us, the teensies.
Seriously: the cities are so noisy... I'm not used to hear all this mess! That's mostly a place for humans. Yeah, for humans. And when I go there, I wonder how they manage to bear all that... How do they? My own ears aren't as visible as human beings, and I can't stay in this kind of place: is it maybe because our audition is better than theirs? Or is it because they've grown with that?
I also notice how it is so dynamic over there: vehicles everywhere, people everywhere, who talk, move and move, run... It seems like there is a life rythm. Are they used to be that organized? Or is it maybe I who don't like this idea of being scheduled?
"You look pensive... what are you thinking of, Ko?"
I get caught from my own bubble by my cousin, and turn toward him.
"Just of... just of... this way the human life is programmed... and dynamic... it looks strange to me... do they all live in cities like this?"
"Mhh... lemmie find my shades: the sun is disturbing."
My eyes look at his hands which research something in a box just next to him; he takes a pair of sunglasses out of it and puts them on his nose.
"Well, don't be that stereotypical: not every human being lives in such cities. I'm sure some live on the mountains _I found some human guy who was leaving a house not far away from there_ or in the forests. I can't tell you if they all have this stuff of being scheduled but I guess it depends on the traditions and on the individuals."
"You think?" I frown and play with my fingers, still intrigued by the question.
"Yep, and at worst I can tell some teensies live in the cities nowadays _even if they're not a lot. I have heard some have even found a job in that human society and tried to integrate it completely. We're not a lot on this Earth, but go to the Glade of Dreams, and you'll see how this world is even more magical than here."
"Magical? The Glade of Dreams?"
This name sounded familiar to me, but so mysterious at the same time...
"Never heard of this place? That's where the teensies have firstly existed..."
I've heard of this...
"Mom told me about this... but I have never really known what kind of place it is..."
"There... teensies have magical powers. You know what's magic, right? Here we have technology, but there, their culture is based on magic powers... they grow in this kind of environment, and learn magic with time."
Magic? Is magic better than technology? Wait, some may prefer magic and some may prefer technology... or maybe does magic exist in a world and not in another? I didn't know teensies could be magicians... I feel like I've missed something in my life... I feel like something there has to be discovered. I've never learnt magic... never... Mom told me teensies were great sages who knew the secrets of the universe. Is it related?
"You know... in the Glade of Dreams, they don't speak french or english, or whatever you find in this planet... They speak teensie."
He still stares at the road in front.
I've learnt this language... I guess it is from generation to generation. Yet, another question comes through my mind...
"Are the animals there the same as here?"
"Mhhh..."
Matt introduces again his right hand in the box and extracts a chips package from it.
"Well... Koena, I should tell you that the beings are quite different over there. There are many beasts you find here which don't look the same there and which have distinct abilities; there are electoons and protoons, for example, and stuff and stuff..."
"Do they know human celebrities and have a sort of culture from Earth?"
He yawns and seems to make a kind of annoyed facial expression.
"I guess so... do you know Rayman, Koena? If you don't, I'll destroy you when we'll arrive in the castle."
"Rayman? Of course I know him... he's the guy who has saved several times the Glades of Dreams's world _I believe... mh... thanks to the video games and the commercials."
"Ok, you're saved. Michel Ancel has already met this guy and has, since so, talked a lot about him here representing him in his works. Now, he's very famous..."
I'm thinking about the castle... how does it look like? I've apparently been there when I was a baby, but of course, I don't remember... I was probably present at the ceremony of the new king... if today I am 18, I should guess I was only 2 years old when it happened.
Matt smirks at me.
"Do you find the queen of the Camorous sexy?"
I find this interruption pretty sudden. There are several communities of teensies on this Earth... we're the Fetchus, and the Camorous are another community. I don't really know if in the Glade of Dreams this system of tribes is the same, but all I can tell is that every monarch of each tribe (or community, call that the way you want) is part of the same kingdom: the Teensie Kingdom, and reigns over it with the other sovereigns, so the power is kind of shared.
"Don't stare at me like that with that smile: look at the road, or we'll have an accident."
"I don't give a fucking shit, I know how to drive: answer."
He keeps smiling maliciously, and checks the highway to be sure he's taking the right direction.
"Well, dude, I think she looks like a barbie... she's the stereotype of it, anyway."
"Hey, come on, you're refering to a human being for a teensie! I find her so damn sexy; I wish I was the king: you imagine how close I could be to her? Waah... the fantasy... the fantasy... but you can't understand how it is to desire that much this kind of female, because you're a female..."
That's him, after all...
"... but you don't look like a female."
"I don't look like a female? And... does that make any sense to you? How should a female look like, then?"
"Bah... a female wears a wig, female clothes traditionnally... and wears mascara: that makes her attractive."
None of his notions really call me. I don't get mad at him, though... Is it maybe the pure cultural fantasy? I glance at my feet before answering frankly.
"Matt, that's something cultural which was born among this human culture: for example, pink is the female color... according to the society! But we could as well give blue to the girls and pink to the boys..."
"But you don't look like a female... you look like some average teensie..."
"Aren't females average teensies as well?"
He stays quiet and doesn't reply. I don't need to look like the female model to be a female. Nature hasn't given us so much difference, finally... that's just the society of here which has decided to add the difference and to call it "attractive".
I hear some nibbling noise near me. I see some crumbs on the driver's pants. Then he takes some can of coke and puts it in front of his mouth...
"Oh, shit! Motherfucking shit! Damn it, my white shirt! My shirt! Crap! How will I do? Fuck! My shiiiiiiiiiiiirt! MY SHIRT! YOU HEAR? AND HOW WILL I DO? HOW? MY SHIRT! I SPILLED THE COKE ALL OVER IT!"
He opens the windows, and throws the can through it, before stopping in a station.
"Calm down... We'll find a way to sort that out..."
He breathes deeply and lays his hands against his face.
"Koeena... I've spent like half a hour to prepare for this ceremony..."
"You should look at your pants, Matt."
"What... the... AAAAAAAAAAAAAH! Nooo! DAMN IT!"
"Calm down, calm down..."
He bangs his fists on his knees.
"Half a hour... for... this... ceremony... imagine, imagine... if in front of all those people... I show myself WITH A FUCKING SPOT OF COKE ALL OVER MY SHIRT AND MY PANTS! THEY'LL THINK I SHITTED MYSELF!"
I look at him with big eyes, a bit frightened by this brutal reaction. I even plan to move away to ensure my safety... He notices me.
"Phew..."
He breathes deeply again and wipes the sweat all over his nose.
"Alright... Pheeew... Sorry... I didn't want to be such a creep in front of you. Ahem... I just wanted to... let off steam... just a bit..."
He leaves the car and goes somewhere... with all this brown spot over his white shirt and his cream colored pants. Some eyes turn toward his direction.
I lay my head against the door of the car and close my eyes: it's dark, the world doesn't exist around anymore... I feel a bit tired, and I just want this day to finish quickly to go jump on my bed and sleep again. My bed... my pillow... the sweet pillow... and this blanket on me, with this warmth which gives me this feeling of safety and of comfort. The bed is my divine place, and I am engaged to it until my finger.
I wish I was away... or maybe on a hammock... with the sun... the noise of the waves, and nobody else... maybe a bit of music... maybe some food as well... well the typical dream... the typical stuff everybody has already imagined once...
"Ok, I'm back."
I slightly open my eyes, still groggy after this short rest...
"See? In the teensie highways they have stores and spare clothes! That's amaaaazin'!"
After this station, I notice the difference of landscape: we're climbing a mountain, and I see around the road many little things which look like lamps... I guess the lights are switched off as we already have the daylight for now.
My attention also get caught by the bars which have a funny architecture: their shapes are more or less irregular and give some orignality to the place: some even form kinds of thin transparent bridges over the road.
"There, look."
That's the castle? That's the castle! It looks seriously enormous: I didn't expect to see such a huge residence? It looks like the castle is a town! My heart is racing pretty fast... I am fascinated by this discovery. And we're getting closer to this beauty promised to my eyes.
The castle, which must be now one kilometer away from us, lets me see its exterior front side: it seems like the wall is shiny purpple and its roofs as green as my Grand Minimus tunic. Even if my description is not very clear _as I don't know how to describe it actually_ I'll just tell you that it doesn't really look like the old castles we usually see.
"We're arrived."
I leave the car and directly feel intimidated by the size of the monster: some golden heads of teensies are drawn on the walls, among other forms that I can't define.
The ground is bright white, like ice, and I notice how high we're over the mountain... it feels like the power is subjugating all the lanscape below. Something is even more remarkable: we're isolated from the rest of the world by all those clouds which highlight the altitude.
Two guards, also in their Grand Minimus outfit, stare at us with a neutral face.
The door in front of us is just gigantic: Matt finds another one, smaller, that he opens and invites me to pass with him. I follow him.
"So? How do you find the place? Nice, right?"
I don't believe my eyes: actually, it's even more surprising when we're inside it... inside this immensity. All the teensies who are sitting in the room are wearing their Grand Minimus clothes. There is a lot of noise here... everybody is speaking.
Matt takes my hand.
"Follow me."
The walk has to be long... as long as the room is actually. We get closer to the throne, we're just in front of the stage on which there is the throne.
"Fine, sit down here, I introduce you to the family: this is Koena who just turned 18."
Everybody smiles and waves at me. They're very numerous, and unlike the rest of the people who simply decided to come to be present at the ceremony, not all of them are wearing the traditionnal outfit. I recognize some of them though: and among them, my aunt Liany and my uncle Martino who are naturally Matt's parents. Mom just comes a few seconds later _where was she?_ and kisses my left cheek.
"I missed you, my child. I love you. I'm happy to have you with us. Dad is a bit busy with his work, and you know it, so he won't be able to come..."
"Mhh... when does the ceremony start by the way?" I ask impatiently.
Mom caresses my nose.
"In five minutes, I guess. Are you nervous?"
"I don't know... It's the first time for me... not for you, though."
She smiles at me, and takes my hand (ok, what's wrong with my hand, lately?) before kissing it.
"Mhh... I have dreamt of it all my life... I'd like so much to be the king!"
I look at Matt who visibly is pretty excited.
"What do you expect from this status?" that I ask myself curious.
"Money, cash, cash! Girls! Comfort! Food! Oh yeah, foodie! Hahaha, I'm just kidding."
My index finger scratches my forehead, then I stupidly laugh looking at him. What kind of king would that be? I wonder... I gotta think he's not being serious and that he's probably as nervous as me. I don't think he'd be such a bad king though... even if he can have some peculiar reactions at times, he still has the sense of responsability... when I think of all this time spent with him: he's been like my big bro' in a way, or maybe my father... he's kept me in his house, taken care of me... and how would that be without him at home? How would that be if he ever became the king? I'd be so lonely, exposed to myself... I'd have to live on my own, without him anymore... I love solitude, but how would that be without anybody anymore? Everyday? And what about this feeling of protection I've always benefited of? And this presence when I was feeling down or bored? However, something is sure: I'll have to face this problem somehow.
"Hello everybody."
A silence sets itself in the room.
"I'm glad to see that so many people are gathered here, today. I am glad to see how important is this ceremony for each of you."
Who is this old man?
"I am so cheerful when I look at those eight years among those amazing seven other monarchs, that you can see just behind me."
Synchronicly, the seven individuals diverge to be more perceptible for the public: everybody claps their hands. I try to follow the movement.
"That's Teensette! Look at the one with the pink clothes!" Matt catches my tunic and jumps by excitement. I notice her _which is reciprocal, then she smiles at me.
I should guess these eight teensies in front of the throne are the eight monarchs of the kingdom. They all bend over, and the noise in the castle gets even louder. I feel lost, and kind of confused by these multiple new discoveries at the same time: all this noise, all these places, all these important persons around me: that simultaneous influx of information creates a sensation of excess while I'm completely amazed by the events.
"Hm, hm. I'm glad to see I have such a good-tempered audience here..."
The silence comes back, and after a little smile, his tone finds again its previous relaxed tranquility.
"Well... as you know, today it's time for me to give up my place to somebody else. I don't regret any of these 8 years. I don't regret my time spent with these amazing monarchs that I've learnt to know. I hope the future elect will learn, as I have, how to enjoy this presence among them. I hope they will be careful enough with the new powers they will have to use to lead this wonderful population of teensies. I wish them the best of my hopes to make our dreams come true and to familiarize themself with this new environment which has been offered to them. They will rule over the Fetchus, but as a member among the kings of the Teensie Kingdom, their duty will also be to help their comrads to be sure that the teensie world keeps its peace and its serenity. Some of their decisions will be common, and important for our future. You know, for me this is a new step in my life: I have seen this population growing, I have seen it changing, I have seen its history, and I do not stop being fascinated by all these things we have managed to build together and to accomplish."
This man sounds sincere and really peaceful... I even notice a mark of admiration on some faces.
"And concerning this new start, I would like to make the future king know that if there is any problem related to their decisions or their adaptation, I will always be there to help them, and to assist them, as their comrads will too by the way."
Everybody slaps their hands again, and gets enthustastic.
My cousin taps me on the shoulder.
"Do you know who this old man is?"
I make a negative answer with my head.
"That's another of our uncles. He's pretty old, today; he used to play with us when we were younger."
I wonder why we have not interacted with him since so, then... Does the status of king prevent from seeing the family? Or have there been any problem which has prevented him from seeing us?
Matt's POV
Koena looks puzzled; she doesn't seem to understand anything of what's going on.
Phh, I wonder why her parents didn't take her in the ceremony 8 years ago. What prevented them from doing so? They were too lazy? It's funny to see her reaction: she's scanning all the room with her confused eyes.
If I don't become the king, I think I'll just leave the room to smoke a little outside. I've not done it since 10AM... and if I ever become the king, I'll still smoke, anyway...
Two Grand Minimus come with the crown on a green pillow and sit down. They're interacting and saying some bullshit nobody can understand: they just giggle between them, but I don't see any discretion in it.
Yeah, the stage is not only a place where the king sits down to talk to his people; it's also a place where they do some shows to entertain the visitors. That's why there are immense curtains behind.
I wonder what's behind this part of the castle: apparently that's where the kings live together; it must be spacious, and probably comfortable...
Teensette? She's talking with the former Fetchus' king. What does she say? She leaves the stage and disappears backstage. Hey, what happened? Don't tell me I won't have the opportunity to see her anymore like that for a long time?! That's painful for my heart!
Anyway, it's not lost; we'll see who will be chosen among all these members of the royal family _who're quite numerous, damn it_ to be the king, and to have the opportunity to live in this aaaamaazin' castle, and finally to get closer to this queen, who's just the divine beauty of the world.
The old guy is smiling as if he was stoned, and brings the famous icy mirror that everybody knows _except Koena who's staring at me now, probably looking for an explication_; but I don't need to explain her, because she'll understand pretty quickly.
The mirror starts shining and spreading that rainbow color all over the room; I glance at my cousin to notice she's completely stunned.
The object looses progressively its luminosity, to show a silhouette which starts appearing.
Is it me? I notice that the forms of the teensie who's represented don't let us see white clothes like mine, so that it can't be me. The person is in their Grand Minimus outfit, and I'm already researching in my family who's wearing this. I can't count them, 'cause they're a lot, so I guess we'll have to wait a bit to have a clearer image of who is exactly projected.
I feel already extremely disappointed seeing that the one who'll be chosen is somebody else than myself. I feel like I've wasted my time coming here, and that my odds to build a new relationship with Teensette just flew away. I already saw her disappearing from the stage, and now my dream flows between my fingers like an escaping sand.
The ceremony doesn't interest me anymore, but I still curiously regard the silhouette which appears better now: the one who's represented has a pendant; who's this? My view goes from the right side to the left side. I quickly give up my research; Koena looks worried for some reason, and stares at me without saying a word.
Her right hand joins the top of her bust, then holds something I don't manage to perceive clearly. She opens her hand and lets me see something glistening between her fingers; I quickly check out the mirror and link the shape of the two golden pieces of jewelry.
"Alright, I invite the new king to join the stage now, and to make us hear their little speech."
After a hug from her mother, she looks down at the ground and climbs nervously the stairs of the stage. She clumsily joins the former monarch, her arms behind her back.
"Sir, you're the new king of this community, among the other sovereigns of the Teensie Kingdom. We request you to sit down on your throne, and to let us know your best wishes."
Koena's POV
"Sir?" They don't know anything about my gender?
I kind of feel intrigued by this new experience, but also amused: it sounds funny to be perceived as a king, and not as a queen.
I look at this immensity of people; what am I going to tell? No word comes through my mind for now... Matt was probably right when he said I should take some notes to not come speechless. I feel intimidated by these looks which gaze at me; I feel so nervous, and think again of this morning: a few hours ago, I was still in my bed, dreaming, as a normal teensie citizen, and now, I'm here, in front of a public, completely lost. Is it a dream? Or even a nightmare? It feels so real, though. My body can't prevent itself from shaking of confusion, I feel paralysed by my own fright.
The throne feels comfortable, though, and this upright view on this gigantic room underlines a sort of autority, a power over the setting and its public: I can clearly see the crowd.
This silence is the reflect of my interlocutors' waiting. Even the eldery man, and the six other monarchs stare at me, with a slight smile which invites me to express myself. I force myself.
"Mh... well... hello, everybody... I guess, mh... I guess I'm glad to be with you, and to see you're in such a good mood."
Matt is crossing his arms, looking hard at me with a serious expression. I'm afraid of saying something bad, and I already feel that my shyness becomes embarassing. I feel extremely hot, and about to sweat... Yet, I have to find something to say, and quickly!
"I guess when I look at you, I'm very stres.." Oh, crap, a slip.. "...very satisfied, and I hope we'll manage to accomplish many things together... Of course, I'll need time to get used to this new situation, but I'll do the best I can to... to... give you the best I can... and to... mh... to give to this world a lot of happiness and a smile that it will never forget."
The silence is still set in this room: I gotta calm down and collect my wits. My fingers play with each other.
"Anyway... anyway... I'm conscious of my responsabilities, and of the fact that this power is not something insignifiant. Together, I'm sure we'll build a new future with a lot of strength and promises."
I don't know if I better stand up, but after a few seconds, the public starts applauding again.
The two teensies who brought the crown a few minutes ago hold it and approach to me. These seconds are pretty long to me: one second... two seconds... three seconds... three seconds and a half... four seconds...
I see them standing just around me, then I feel something laying on my head. They hold my arms and make me stand up; I decide to get closer to the audience, and bend over to greet it. I hear something hitting the floor; eyes are staring at me, which makes me almost blush. I take back the crown and put it again on my head.
I still wave at the public, and get again a big round of applause. People are throwing sorts of confettis. Teensies come with trumpets at the other part of the room and play music. I don't really know what to do? Shall I move and leave the stage, or shall I stay here without doing anything like a dummy? The noise kind of breaks my eardrums.
Matt makes me a sign with his left hand to approach. I go downstairs.
"Well, Koena, you could have said better."
I frown at him and place my hands against my hips.
"Anyway... I find you cute with that crown; take care of it, it's made of gold... and mh... pssst: if you ever see Teensette, don't forget to mention me in some of your conversations, kay?"
I smile at him, but still worry about one detail:
"Mhh... Matt... thanks for these two years together with me. Will you come to see me?"
"You're welcome. You're a member of my family, right? Mhh... I think I'll come back to bring you some stuff you've left at home... if you need anything, you know how to contact me, right?"
I nod, and hug him, before going on stage then backstage, after closing the door behind me.
I see a long hallway in front, with four doors. The voice of the former king calls me and gets closer:
"Hey, wait, Koena. You're my nephew... I'm glad to see how you've grown after like fifteen years. "
His eyes are shining of joy; he suddenly embraces me.
"You're 18, now, right? Ah, you're being a man! Nice to see the mirror has chosen you. You're gonna discover what the royal power is. By the way, tonight we'll make a party to celebrate your accession to the power: there will be a lot of music and fireworks. Tomorrow, I'm gonna show you some places of the castle, and the gate of the Glade of Dreams of which you're the terrestrial guardian with the seven other monarchs."