Chapter 3: Lost in the Woods
At first, Cid's ride was very good, and he felt his confidence continue to rise.
First prize is nearly mine
It's quite my best invention
So simple, yet complex; So massive, yet so small
This triumph of design
Will be my old-age pension
As he continued however, he found himself lost.
That is, provided I can find the fair at all
I must have missed a sign...
I should have paid attention...
Eventually, he and Phillip found themselves completely lost.
"F$£%!" Cid called out as a wolf howled.
That's not a nightingale, and not a mating call.
"Wolves!" Cid called out, Phillip panicked and ran off, taking the machine with him!
The wolves then charged at Cid, and he ran for it, unknowingly leaving his scarf behind! He ran as hard as he could until he found himself in front of a large foreboding gate! Cid barely managed to get the gate open to squeeze through and quickly closed it as the wolves arrived! After a few minutes of clawing and biting, they walked away. He then turned away to see a large dark castle. He nervously walked up to it and knocked.
"'ello?" Cid called out. "Is someone there?"
Suddenly, the door opened up into darkness. Cid nervously walked in.
"'ello? 'ello?" Cid called out, seeking the owner of the abode, not seeing that he was being watched by two strange figures on a table.
"Poor man must have lost his way in the woods." A candlestick whispered concerned, to a brown clock.
"Keep quiet! Maybe he'll go away." The clock whispered back agitated, as he glared at the candlestick.
"Is someone there?" Cid called again, looking left and right thinking he heard a voice.
"Not a word, Kadaj. Not one word!" The clock seethed as he looked at the candlestick.
"I don't mean ta intrude, but I've lost my horse and I need a place ta stay for the night." Cid called out, still hoping the owner or someone would hear him.
"Oh Reno, come on have a heart." Kadaj crooned, as he looked at his friend like a little boy finding a mother.
"Shush!" Reno hissed as he put his hand over the candlesticks mouth, who in return raised his lit hand, putting in on Reno's; burning him.
"Ow ow OUCH!" Reno cried in pain, as he waved his burnt appendage back and forth to cool the burn.
"Of course, sir, you are welcome here." Kadaj called loudly.
Cid looked around in confusion, as he grabbed Kadaj seeking light.
"Who said that?" Kadaj smirked as he tapped the man on the right shoulder.
"Over here!" He called, trying to get the man's attention. Cid spun around frantically, carrying Kadaj with him.
"Where?" He called out again, still not seeing anyone. Kadaj then proceeded to tap Cid on the head, forcing him to look over to Kadaj.
"Hello!" Kadaj said happily.
"Oh f&*$!" Cid exclaimed dropping Kadaj on the floor, causing his flames to go out. "Amazin'!" The inventor breathed looking down at Kadaj, at this time Reno had jumped down from the table, looking extremely angry.
"Well, now you've done it, Kadaj. Splendid, just peachy kee-aaarrrgghh!" Reno screamed as Cid picked him up and began to study him.
"How's this achieved?" He asked, intrigued as he held Reno upside-down and begins to tickle his feet, causing Reno to laugh, which quickly turns to grunts of pain as Cid winds his knob, turning the handles on his clock, as Kadaj snickered at him. Reno had enough however when the man opened his door, and looked at his swinging pendulum.
"Sir, close that at once, do you mind!" He exclaimed, enraged as he slammed his door.
"Sorry; it's just tha' I've never seen a clock tha'...aah...I mean...aah aah aah-chooo!" Cid sneezes, blowing dust all over Reno, who uses his hands in a wind wiper fashion to clean himself.
"Oh, your drenched, sir. Come, warm yourself by the fire." Kadaj said, leading the sick man to the sitting room as Cid offered his thanks.
"No, no, no, do you know what the master would do if he finds you here?" Reno cried, following them. All too engrossed with the man, none of them noticed the dark figure watching them from over head.
"I demand that you stop...right...there!" Reno shouts, only to tumble down the steps as Cid takes a seat in a large throne in front of a huge, roaring fire.
"Oh no, not the master's chair!" Reno roars terrified. "I'm not seeing this, I'm not seeing this!" He chants as a barking footstool comes and props the old inventor's feet up, at the same time a coat rack drapes a large warm blanket over Cid.
"Wha' kindness, thanks." He says astounded.
"All right, this has gone far enough. I'm in charge here, and-" Before he could get farther a cart, holding a teapot, and cups come rolling in.
"How would you like a nice cup of tea, sir? It'll warm you up in no time." The teapot said as she poured some into one of the cups.
"No! No tea, no tea!" Reno says, his voice muffled by carpet. Sadly he was ignored as Cid began to bring up his cup, that he almost let slip and fall.
"Hey! Be careful!" The cup called out, his voice small but kind. Cid was startled for a second before looking on at the ceramic with a smile.
"Oh! 'ello!" He greets, when all of a sudden the den door slams open, as a gust of harsh wind blows into the room, extinguishing the fire. Reno dives under the rug, as the tea pot, and cups cower together.
"Oh no." The cups whisper fearfully, as a mighty beast enters on all fours, his cold blue-green eyes looking in the darkness.
"There's a stranger here." It growled, voice seething with anger. Kadaj looked absolutely frightened as he looked at the beast.
"Master, let me explain. The man was lost in the woods and he was cold and wet... " But Kadaj was cut off as the beast gave a mighty roar, causing the candlestick to look down disappointed. Reno, shaking came out from under the carpet and tried to speak with the best now.
"Master, I'd like to take this moment to say...I was against this from the start. I tried to stop them, but would they listen to me? No, no, no!" But once again he too was cut off by another fierce roar that had Cid quaking in terror as he looked over one side of the chair, trying to be discreet. Unfortunately the beast saw him.
"Who are you? What are you doing here?" It growled advancing on him. Cid was utterly frightened as he stared at the beast in horror.
"I was lost in the woods and..." He tried to explain.
"You are not welcome here!" The beast cried standing menacingly above him.
"I'm sorry." Cid said in a small voice, as he continued to gaze at the beast.
"What are you staring at?" The mighty creature roared to the shaking man; bearing his teeth.
"Noth-noth-nothin'!" Cid screamed as he tried to leave, but the beast was having none of that as he blocked the entrance with amazing speed.
"So, you've come to stare at the beast, have you?" He yelled, furious as Cid cowered below him.
"Please, I meant no harm! I jus' needed a place ta stay." He implored, but that only seemed to make the best angrier as he grabbed the man by his cloak and bit out.
"I'll give you a place to stay!" As he dragged the man away, leaving the other occupants of the room in the darkness, as they listened to the man's screams die away.
Here's a new chapter I hope you guys enjoyed it! There'll be a new one next week, and a free cookie to the person who can guess who the teapot and cups are! Please review!