A/N: Wowzers, long time, no new chapter! xD; Sorries for such a delay on that! I'm going to be posting up chapter nine in a few days and chapter ten once I'm done writing chapter twelve. That's about halfway done annnnnd, after chapter thirteen, the chapters will not only get shorter, but we get to learn more about Ven! For now, though, I hope you enjoy the new chapters! =D
007 + HOP, STEP, JUMP
Tumbling... downwards.
Floating... upwards?
It didn't seem to make any sort of sense at all! Everything was upside down. The surroundings at least. This couldn't have been right at all.
A table was on its head. A grandfather clock was ringing insanely upside down. There were several chairs, even a couch, and many, many teapots. Everything was against a red background, as everything became painted with red the further you went.
Rena's eyes glimmered as she floated aimlessly downwards, going nowhere but down. Or was it up? That was the strange thing, wasn't it?
Ven found himself the same way, floating down or up aimlessly to nowhere. But, why were Raynie and Adyn upside down?
"Kid! Blondie!" Raynie exclaimed, "You might want to turn upri--"
"OW!" the two keybladers exclaimed in unison. They found themselves truly upside down; specifically on their heads.
"Told ya!" Raynie exclaimed with a grin, lightly floating to the ground. Adyn followed right behind, and he actually put out a hand to help the two keybladers up; Ven instantly jumped to his feet at the sight and became a bit repulsive, while Rena happily accepted Adyn's offer.
"I'm late! I'm late!"
"...Shit," Raynie cursed with a bit of sarcasm. She glared down at the ground as, of all things, a little white rabbit came running past the group. Adyn wasn't interested in it, neither was Ven, and Raynie looked pretty ticked off about the creature. Unfortunately, they weren't childish and attracted to cute little animals carrying watches.
"BUNNY!" Rena childishly exclaimed, her eyes wide with delight, as she proceeded to run after the small creature. Well, attempt to.
"DO. NOT. DARE. GO. AFTER. THAT. THING." Raynie scowled with a vicious tone. Her fist grasped Rena's hood and she quickly reeled the kid back in with the others.
"I think we should go after it, actually..." Ven spoke, his tone rather pensive.
"Really!?" Raynie was sarcastic once more, "And what happens when we fall into some weird little pit of doom, thanks to the pesky little rodent!?"
"...I don't think there's any pit of--"
"WHATEVER! JUST FIND THE DAMN KEYHOLE!!"
Ven gave a sigh, "And that 'pesky little rodent' might know where the keyhole is. Hence the following..."
Raynie paused, looking rather dumbfounded, "...Oh. Right then."
"THEN FOLLOW THE DAMN THING!!" the teen screamed, pushing Ven forwards in a rapid rush. Though she didn't say so, this was Adyn and Rena's cue to follow behind.
"...It was my idea first," Rena looking rejected.
Adyn rolled his eyes upwards, "Yeah, but Raynie's kinda... well..."
Rena blinked. Adyn gave a nervous laugh as the thirteen-year-old stared up at him.
"...You can talk!" she exclaimed with an excited tone.
Adyn gave a nervous laugh, "Of course I ca--"
"I thought you lost your voice or somethin'!"
"But I didn't..." Adyn sounded nervous.
"Well, umm..." Rena scratched the side of her head, "I thought ya did..."
Adyn frowned and briskly took a step forwards, beaconing Rena to follow behind, "C'mon, let follow that thing..."
--------
Ven could only seem to blink.
"I think it's sleeping," he whispered, his nose nearly pressed against that round, bulbous nose.
"Then wake it up..." Raynie snapped, towering over the boy with her arms crossed.
"Can't."
"Why not?"
"Then it'll be grumpy. And that won't do us any good." He gave a shrug.
The boy had been glancing around the room as he stood up. The place was quite small, just bit enough to fit three, maybe four, people inside of it thanks to a table in the middle of the room. Many very bright shades of pink were gathered around. It was definitely quirky place, ranging from strange pieces of furniture to strange looking doors.
Raynie gave a harsh, loud groan, "Whatever! Forget that!"
With a snap, the fist fighting teen pushed Ven out of the way and latched onto the golden nose of a doorknob.
"Ahh!" an English-accented voice exclaimed, eyes wide with fright and alarm.
"Hi!" Raynie grinned forcibly, "Do you know where the keyhole is?"
"W-What...?"
"Raynie!" Ven exclaimed. He pushed the teen aside and bent down before that small little door.
"Sorry... about that..." he replied with a nervous laugh.
"Whoa! What's that?"
"It's a grumpy doorknob, idiot!"
Both Adyn and Rena had just now caught up with Ven and Raynie, who both seemed to be talking to a rather surprised looking doorknob. At the sight of it, Rena had to say something, which Raynie replied to with a snapped remark.
"Uhhh... hiya..." Ven waved to the doorknob with a nervous grin, "Have you happened to see a white rabbit pass through here?"
The surprised doorknob's expression was no longer in alarm: it now gave a scoff and pointed its nose straight into the air, "Why must everyone always ask about that dreadful rabbit?"
"Then what about a keyhole?!" Raynie jumped in, "You have to know where a keyhole is!"
"A what?" the doorknob queried, giving its gigantic nose a wiggle.
Ven threw his hand over Raynie's mouth and shot her a look that said 'shut up'; she folded her arms childishly.
"Nothing..." Ven gave a sigh, "But, don't you know where that rabbit went?"
"If you're expecting me to open this door, I certainly will not!"
"Huh? Why not?"
"Everyone's always chasing that idiotic, rushed rabbit, going off to who knows where! All everyone seems to care about is that stupid rodent..."
Raynie gave a sly grin beneath Ven's hand; the boy simply rolled his eyes at the sight, "Please just tell us where he is! It's importa--"
"Important!? Oh no no no! That thing isn't important at all! I will not let you pass through this gate..."
"But--!"
The doorknob gave a gigantic yawn, "Good night to you..."
"Wait!"
Too late. The animated doorknob had already fallen asleep. Ven gave a frustrated grumble as the brass object snoozed quietly away into dreamland, while four others were stuck in reality at a loss of what to do.
"...Told you it would be grumpy."
"Shut it, blondie!"
Ven simply rolled his eyes to Raynie's childish attitude; she seemed more like a child when she crossed her arms with a big huff. He was actually surprised, though, that she was the only one being loud. Both Adyn and Rena were standing there quietly, but the sight made that defensive thought click.
Immediately, he grasped Rena's hand and pulled her towards Raynie and himself; this was because of Adyn, who Ven knew he would never get used to.
Taken aback, Rena stood beside the blonde haired boy, who waved his index finger as if saying 'this'll only take one second' as he glanced around the room.
"Okay... how'd we get past the door?" Ven queried.
Raynie gave a laugh, "Funny, blondie. How're you going to get past that stupid door!? If we try to open it, the doorknob's gonna wake up and--"
"There's any other way," a pensive frown formed on his face.
Another laugh emitted from Raynie's throat. She rolled her eyes, "Do enlighten me..."
His finger pointed downwards, straight at an object. Raynie raised her brow, as did Rena's whilst she watched the scene from behind.
"The bed."
"Sure. Just let me go call up the mo--"
"No, we just have to move it!"
"...You've gotta be kidding me."
"I'm serious! Just trust me!"
Raynie gave a scoff, "Why should I?"
"Because, if you want to get out of here faster, you're going to have to stop thinking I'm crazy for two damn seconds," Ven snapped, his electric blue eyes seeming to flare as he shot a glare to Raynie; she didn't take his anger too seriously, but...
Raynie gave a groan, "...Alright. Just hurry it up..."
Ven grinned, "Alright!"
How could you move a bed, though? In a place this small? It sounded insane, like swallowing a bunch of fizzing candy and drinking a bunch of soda; it sounded dangerous, but in the end...
The boy narrowed his eyes, just like he had in Traverse Town. He scanned over the quant little bed that was probably small enough for a rabbit, and put his hands forwards. It had to go backwards...
Into a wall? Yeah, it did...
With a great push, as if by magic, the bed disappeared into the wall. And, thankfully, the empty spot now revealed a hole in the wall.
"...Blondie, YOU'RE A GENIUS!"
Ven was very taken back by the jumping hug he received, finding Raynie wrapping her arms around his torso; and, actually, she was choking him.
"R-Ray... nie..."
The teen paused, her mako blue eyes disappearing and reappearing in between a second.
"...Oh! Sorry!"
Raynie gave a cough, take a reverse step and beginning to fiddle with her long black sleeve, "So, now we just have to..."
"Drink this," Ven reached a hand forwards and grasped onto a little bottle that read 'drink me'.
"Give me that!" Raynie snatched it out of the boy's hand. She stared down at the little bottle. And the thought of drinking the stuff sounded atrocious. Especially since the stuff was green...
"...Hey!!"
Lost in her thoughts, she failed to realize that the little bottle was no longer in her grasp. Rena glanced at it curiously, looking at it from the bottom as she raised it over her head and then looking down in the small open hole.
Raynie jumped forwards, "Give me that!"
"Adyn!" Rena exclaimed, pushing Raynie back as if they were playing some sort of childish game. The thirteen-year-old handed off the bottle to the black-haired teen who continued to stand along ever so quietly.
Adyn took the bottle. But, he was at a bit of a loss of what he was supposed to do with it...
Ven's eyes grew wide as he silently watched Adyn glanced down at the 'drink me' flask. No idea of what to do, he pushed himself forwards and jerked the vessel out of the strange teen's grasp, the sight of him already putting Ven's anxiety to the limit; why was he still here, anyways!?
Ven gave a frustrated sigh, "Okay... Raynie, you drink it first."
"Oh, so you can step on me, right?" Raynie snapped with a snarl.
"Just drink it!" A harsh frown formed on the blonde haired boy's face. Out of a bit of annoyance, he shoved the little vessel into Raynie's grasp; she looked at the little thing with much disgust.
"Then... Adyn..." he gave a cringe as he spoke that name, "Then, you, Rena. Then I'll go last."
"Ohhhhh! So I'm first and you're last, huh?"
"Just drink the damn thing! You're the one that wants to get out of here faster!"
Raynie gave an angry grumble.
"Alright..."
Hesitant at first, the teen brought the bottle to her mouth, eyeing the liquid inside the vessel with pure disgust. But, she closed her mako blue eyes and took a gulp.
"...Tastes fruity..." she said while trying to figure exactly what 'fruity' was...
"Whoa!"
Her voice was no longer loud; well, it was, but it was squeaky too. She was no longer just a bit taller than Ven and Rena. Instead, she was the size of a mouse.
Ven held back a laugh as he glanced down at the tiny mouse-sized Raynie that sat on the table placed in the midst of the room. She was sulking...
"Don't look at me like that, blondie!!" Raynie snapped, pointing a little tiny finger up to the blonde haired boy.
Hastily, as the tiny Raynie growled at him to hurry up, Ven passed the bottle over to Adyn, who simply looked at it with confusion. Rena realized this and whispered something into Adyn's ear, which he rolled his eyes at.
The black-haired teen did the same as Raynie: put the bottle to his mouth, took a gulp (Though, he wasn't hesitant like Raynie had been), and soon after...
Adyn was tiny! He stood besides Raynie on the table, both awaiting for the two keybladers to join them.
Rena took the bottle as Ven handed it to the thirteen-year-old, looking down into the small hole to find a sea of green fluid swimming around. Though unsure, much like Raynie had been, Rena tightly shut her eyes and took a gulp before quickly passing it on to Ven.
Ven didn't look to see its appearance, like the other three. He instantly took a gulp and begun to shrink down just as Rena was right at that moment.
The group was tiny now. Not even pint-sized! They were definitely tiny.
--------
"The court shall now come to order!"
A horn blew fluidly into the air. The bang of a wooden hammer against wood echoed throughout. And they were still in complete darkness.
The four stepped out of the dark hole and into a square room. Even though the place was outside; or appeared to be outside. Yes, that made no sense at all; but, of course, why would it?
Sharp blades of lime grass crunched beneath their feet as intricate hedges hovered above, shaped into mazes and many, many hearts. Yet, outside of these tall wall-like hedges was an outside court room.
People dressed as cards, black aces and red hearts specifically, stood in a line on a long, red carpet decorated with hearts. They lined sideways before a wonky, wooden stand, as if those cards created a path.
There was also a stand for the jury, though it had no stairs and trapped those within it, a tall stand with wonky, curved stairs that had a familiar white rabbit standing atop it, and a large place at the front, where a rather large, pompous looking woman sat dressed in black and red.
"Her Majesty, the Queen of Hearts, presiding!" the rabbit's voice squeaked as he tightly grasped his trumpet.
The queen cleared her throat as she smiled a sweet, petite smile, batting her eyes. Yet, her smile turned into a wicked grin and she pointed a large finger down at the figure standing before the queen, "That is the culprit!"
The group had their gazes looking straight at this trial. A girl, a large hood draped over her head as a cape flowed behind her, stood as the queen glared at her with spite.
"Guilty! Guilty guilty guilty--!!"
A short little figure sat next to the queen, who had bent down to listen to something being whispered in her ear. That was the king.
Ven surveyed the scene with his electric blue eyes, "I don't think that girl's a culprit..."
"Nah, ya think?" Raynie jumped in while shooting a glare at the blonde, "That stupid queen always puts innocent people on trial here..."
"Then, shouldn't we go help her?" Rena tilted her head to the side as she glanced up at the hooded figure.
"Well, people from other worlds aren't supposed to meddle with things like this." Ven mused.
"No, it's called butting in!" snapped Raynie.
"Is not!"
Her eyes seemed to light up as Rena continued to watch the scene before them. Even if they weren't supposed to meddle in this sort of thing, she couldn't help but want to come and save the day.
However, when the hooded girl turned her gaze, the urge to jump in just became a lot stronger for the keyblader. The tomboy's eyes widened at the sight of their eyes. Underneath the shadow of her hood, she stared over at Rena and Rena couldn't stop from staring back. The urge to jump in became a lot stronger.
"Alright, alright!!" the queen retorted to the pint-sized king beside her, "The court finds the defendant guilty... for attempted assassination of her majesty!"
"Rena!" Ven jumped," Wait a se--!"
"OFF WITH HER HEAD!!"
"DON'T YOU DARE!" the childish voice snapped. No longer was she standing still, watching the action unfold, but was standing before the hooded girl on trial, who merely watched this specific scene unfold before herself.
"Another culprit!?" several card soldiers cried.
Rena frowned, though it looked more like a pout, while pointing her blue and silver keyblade straight up at the Queen of Hearts. The queen gave a snarl at the young girl.
"So..." the queen snarled, "I assume you're helping this child..."
"Uhhh..." paused the brunette, "...Yeah! Of course I am!"
"OFF WITH THEIR HEADS!!"
Rena jumped as the fat woman spat right in the tomboy's face, the queen's mouth wide as her head seem to grow larger in a cartoon-ish way.
"W-What!?" Rena shuddered, "You not gonna listen to why first?!"
"Of course not, dear child!" the queen barked, "Why, that would be against my wishes, and my wishes is that it's my trial and what I say goes!"
"...Huhhhhh?" Rena mumbled, rather densely at that. She blinked several times, "But that doesn't make any sense!"
"OFF WITH THEIR HEADS!!"
That was the queen's final verdict on this trial.
They came from everywhere. Pouring in a river with their thin bodies floating aimlessly like... well... cards. They wielded spears shaped to their according symbol and these were painted their according colour: black for aces, and red for spades. They waved their weapons vigorously as they pounced forwards, straight towards their prey.
The cloaked girl stood still, hood shadowed over their eyes and body facing the front of the pedestal. On the other hand, Rena turned herself around and launched forwards, standing behind the girl to face the oncoming wave of card soldiers.
The tomboy tightly gripped the handle of her key, knuckles turning white, while an uneasy frown formed on her face.
What was she thinking!? It was such an impulsive act. She didn't even know if it was worth it...
An ace led the pack. Number nine, specifically. It raised its spear high into the air, mouth wide as if to let out a silent battle cry. Rena positioned her keyblade high over her head, fingers curled around the top of sideways, crown-shaped blade.
Heart pounding. Anxiety rising. Lungs gasping for breath. This whole thing seemed terrifying. Facing an army? By yourself?
"Genius, kid!" the female's voice screamed. The soldiers came scattered up into the air at the appearance of the trio: Raynie, Ven, and Adyn!
Raynie merely glared at the tomboy on the stand as she punched another soldier. Ven shook his head, looking rather unhappy about the whole thing. Adyn, though, was off fighting with his scythe.
Rena's face turned red. She gave a nervous laugh.
"...S-Sorry..." she mumbled, her keyblade placed by her side.
"Sorry!?" Raynie snapped, eyes turning red, "That was stupid! Especially since you're not allowed to butt in on--"
"Meddle!" Ven growled, his two keyblades expertly twirling through one of the many soldiers.
"WHATEVER!"
Rena gulped, "I'm sorry! Really! But, I--"
"If you wanted to be the hero so badly, then go finish it!" Raynie snapped.
The tomboy scratched the side of her head, "Oh... kay..."
"NOW!!"
Giving a nervous jump, her hand latched onto the girl's own that limply stood by her side. The cloaked girl followed off on a run towards a dark hole in one of the tall hedges; one that seemed to go somewhere but here.
And the enigmatic adolescent simply leered.
--------
Breathless. The two ran from the trial scene and into a wood; a big, strange wood, specifically.
The whole place was dark as trees and strange lilly pads on tall stems hovered above, while the trees made the place seem like a maze. The sky was very dark, so much you couldn't even tell it existed.
Rena came to a halt, hair brushing into her face a bit more than normal, and drew in quick breathes, her eyes wandering around aimlessly.
The enigmatic girl, however, was still quiet; and still.
Rena gave a grin.
"You should be safe here," she spoke while turning about, "Away from that stupid queen, I guess."
She stood still, motionless and stone-like. A shadow covered most of her face, only showing her static-line shaped frown.
The tomboy begun to wonder: why did she try to save her in the first place?
She turned around once more and found herself wandering forwards, as if waiting for something. The girl swung her arms side to side as she twisted herself slightly, her legs taking her off to who-knows-where.
Why did she try to save that girl? Rena frowned. Was it because she may not have deserved that trial? Or maybe she was familiar... Who knows?
"You wish to know why I'm distressed?" a voice whispered in the air. It was just loud enough for Rena to catch it.
"...Wow! You actually talk!" she grinned ecstatically, springing forwards back towards the enigma.
They merely frowned, "Do you not wish?"
"...Huh?" Rena blinked, "What'd ya mean?"
Their frown deepened, "Why did you save me?"
"Uhhh... I dunno..."
"Could it be because of the danger that comes with my rescue?"
"...What?"
Swift. A flash of silver. Steel. Sharp. Massive. Terrifying.
The girl twirled her hand. It had appeared from beneath that cloth. She twirled its handle. And it dove forwards.
A blade. A knife, specifically.
However, this knife was no ordinary knife. Perhaps it was a cleaver. And that thing was slashing straight forwards to its prey. That prey was the only person in this place: Rena.
"AH!" Rena impulsively screamed, lurching backwards as the cleaver aimed straight towards her arm, "What the heck!?"
The girl gave a cackle, "Deception is a funny thing, isn't it? One moment, you're a damsel in distress. The next, you're trying to rip someone to pieces!
"I desire blood and flesh, dear child! Shall you be my next victim?!" the girl let out a wicked laugh, a deadly grin widening on her shadowed face.
When the girl tempted to slash, this time there was something to block it. A flash of white light and swirls of darkness took the form of Rena's blue and silver keyblade. The insane enigma twirled her cleaver and tempted to cut downwards. The keyblade went up, Rena's free hand pressed against the level blade, and the two weapons clashed.
One of them would have to back down eventually, right? Rena didn't know how to get out of that, like everyone else seemed able to do...
Unfortunately, this wasn't the only one of her 'friends'.
The girl gave a giggle and soon it became a rhythm. Bashing against steel blade with the blunt side of the cleaver. Yet, it was almost like a drum.
Why did it sound like two beats?
Because the girl had two cleavers in her grasp, both of which seemed to be coming closer and closer up the steel pole; nearly to Rena!
Rena yelped and, at a loss of what to do next, she jumped backwards. Her keyblade came with her, as did the cleaver-wielding girl.
The girl spun her weapons expertly in her grasp, giving each a twirl then proceeding to slash down towards her prey. Yet, her prey kept on running. Dodging. Trying to get away from this insane enigma.
Why did she rescue her in the first place?!
The tomboy ran faster. Across the woods. Into round recesses. Through trees. She felt like a coward from her running, but what else was she supposed to do?
She glared down at her weapon as she ran, growling at it as she wished it would fight like it had before. Why wouldn't it do that again? Was it only at specific moments? This was a specific moment, one where she needed to not seem like a coward!
The cloaked girl choked. Falling backwards.
Rena stared, eyes wide, as she laid sprawled about on the ground. Was she being overdramatic, or...
"...Ah!" Rena exclaimed as she turned her head about, "Adyn!"
The black-haired teen stood over the girl, eyes bright with discontent. It pointed the blade of his scythe at the girl's neck. She merely cackled.
"I feast for that taste... I feast for that blood..." she whispered in a psychotic ramble. She licked her lips, "They look so tasty, after all. Especially that fat one sitting high upon her throne..."
She giggled, her eyes bright. She pet the soft dirt ground.
"Why is it so wrong to be hungry?"
A hiss. And a lurch.
Rena jumped backwards at the sight of it. Adyn, however, kept his place.
The girl had jumped to her feet, laughing hard and maniacally. "My mistress will be most unpleased with this!" she snapped with a wide grin.
A flicker of black flame. The girl was gone. No trace of her was left in this dim forest. Except her steel cleavers.
Adyn placed his scythe by his side. He felt like he should've said something about Rena running off, even if Raynie actually allowed it, but alas, he couldn't think of the right phrase. However...
"Shizuka?"
The boy raised a brow.
"Who?"
Rena's eyes were wide, as he had seen when he turned about. She looked terrified, or deep in thought with a scared look upon her face. Adyn frowned.
The waving of a hand before her eyes snapped Rena back into reality, only after giving her head a hard shake.
"Who's 'Shizuka'?" Adyn questioned again.
"Umm..." Rena frowned, her hands playing with the very end of her oversized, white t-shirt, "She was this girl from Cucio Bay. She spoke this language that lots of people said there, but I don't think she liked me...
"She wasn't crazy like that, but..." she paused, "That girl glared at me the exact same way..."
"Well..." Adyn gave a little shrug and leaned his head to the side a bit, "People can only have certain coloured eyes. Maybe that girl had the same coloured eyes as this 'Shizuka' girl you're talking about..."
Rena's eyes grew wide. Not with shock or surprise; she actually looked rather... boggled.
She blinked. Her face got just a bit brighter, "Wow... that sounds really smart, Adyn! I didn't know that!"
Yet, the boy wasn't nearly as astonished by the fact as Rena was. He looked more dumbfounded than anything.
"Everyone knows that sort of stuff..."
"Oh." the young girl gave a pause, "...Really?"
"Yeah..."
"But..."
Adyn's brow rose, curious to why the girl sounded so melancholy, but it only lowered a moment later. He realized Rena looked both perplexed and forlorn, perhaps even a bit concerned. The boy remained silent.
"What if it was her?" Rena begun, balling up the bottom of her t-shirt into her black-gloved hands nervously. She dug a hole in the dirt with her oversized, black shoe, "What if she's really crazy like that?"
What was he supposed to say to that? His expression was static, but his thoughts didn't echo the same feeling; he was actually rather concerned, maybe lost as well. This girl named 'Shizuka' didn't seem important to Rena, yet at the same time, she did. He didn't understand why that was, perhaps he would never understand, but he was at a loss of what to say.
He gulped. "Don't worry about it," he cautiously gave a wave of his hand, "If it really was 'Shizuka', then--"
Alas, forgetting is not always the remedy...
A chill. A pair ran down their spines. Their anxiety pushed to the edge. That voice chilled them to the very bone. The air suddenly grew rather icy...
An occult being. This thing, this cat, was beyond enigmatic. It was strange, it was odd, but it was that normal strange oddity. It was something deadlier. Something lethal.
It grinned with those yellow-stained teeth. Grinning the most mischievous grin. It swished its black and grey striped, fat tail back and forth, its body covered with the same dark and light stripes. It had beady yellow eyes, a pair that seemed to bare into you. It curled its little round paws over the edge of the lilly pad, as its eyes grew brighter.
This thing, whatever it was, didn't seem to belong to this strange place. Yet, at the same time, you knew this was its home.
Adyn suddenly grew defensively. Overly defensive.
He snapped, "What'd you--"
The black and grey cat gave a snarl, "Not you. I believe my words are meant for the curious one." It pointed its stubby little claw at the shorter figure, who's lowered stance straightened up.
"Me, right?" Rena queried, pointing her own index finger to herself.
A most mischievous, if not rather wicked, grin grew wide on the cat's face, "Do you not wish to know who that person was?"
She gave a gulp. "Yeah," shuddered the girl, "Of course I do!"
"A cat is always willing to lead a hand to the curious," that thing gave a chuckle, "Especially the Cheshire Cat."
'That can't be right.' Adyn raised a brow, his gaze scanning over the black and grey cat. No, it couldn't be right. At all.
"You sure you're that cat?" he questioned, the cat realizing that the black haired boy was now standing before the 'curious one'.
It gave a bit of a stutter, "Why, of course I am!"
Adyn frowned. Just a mere frown.
"Funny," he begun, giving a glare, "I thought you were supposed to be a bit more... quirky."
Adyn rolled his eyes from that point and gave a quick glance to Rena, before waving his hand towards the forest's exit.
"C'mon, Rena," he whispered, taking the first step forward out of there.
Rena took a quick double take, looking up at the cat then over at Adyn, "Uhh... okies!"
The two briskly made their way out of the forest. They would never dare to set their eyes on that occult cat again.
That cat didn't enjoy being ignored.
--------
"Anyone want to explain to me as to why that stupid girl isn't here?!" Raynie snapped, her frown formed into a sour pout as she gave a nasty growl, "Please don't tell me I just bashed all of those stupid things on the head for nothin'!"
Adyn was the brave one. He was the first to speak; he was nervous enough to fiddle with his dark purple collar, though, "Well, we could... ya know... lie to you and make you happy, but--" Of course, just because his face wore a static expression didn't mean he wasn't the least bit sarcastic.
Raynie gave an intense growl, now at the point of fuming, "Tell the truth, dammit!!"
He begun with a sigh. "The girl was insane, tried to attack Rena with butcher knifes, and then started talking about eating people before she disappeared."
"Oh," Raynie gave a pause, a rather calm pause, "So, bonking cards on the head was for nothing.
"...BRAT!!"
"I'm sorry!" Rena gulped, her eyes peering from behind Adyn, "I really am!!"
"When we get out of this stupid place, you'll be damn sure you'll get a damn leash around your neck!" Raynie snarled, charging forwards towards the hiding girl.
Rena only buried her face into Adyn's shirt in attempt to hide away, "I'm sorry!"
"Raynie, cut it out!" the voice of reason stepped in, though he couldn't help but give a frustrated sigh. Ven folded his arms after his two keys disappeared and stood behind Raynie, surveying the scene that seemed to be created out of nothing in just a few seconds.
"What!?" the angry teen protested, "We just did all of that for NOTHING!"
"You don't have to go around trying to choke anyone just because of it!" Ven furrowed his brow.
Raynie couldn't seem to muster up anything else to say. She wanted to protest, oh so badly, but that would just have them standing there for hours more. She merely gave a growl, and demanded what she had wanted in the first place.
"ALRIGHT!" she huffed with annoyance, "We're getting out of here right now!
"Go find that damn keyhole, blondie!"
Ven raised a brow, "How? I don't know where the thing is..."
"THEN START LOOKING FOR THE DAMN THING!" Raynie retorted angrily. Ven was rather taken aback when he found himself being shoved back towards the Bizarre Room's entrance, all thanks to the hands of a very annoyed Raynie.
"Okay, okay!" Ven protested abruptly, "Don't be so pushy!"
"Oh, I'll be pushy alright..."
Ven's face had suddenly turned bright red, "H-Hey! Cut it out!"
"C'mon you two!" Raynie quickly exclaimed, "'specially you, brat!"
Rena gave a bit of a yelp when Raynie eyed her with a ferocious glare, "Ahh... kay!"
She gave a gulp, "C'mon, Adyn..."
--------
"It's gotta be around here somewhere..." the teenaged girl huffed between glances.
Back into the Bizarre Room. The quant, even quirky, room that was brightly coloured and, being in the middle of a dark, upside-down corridor and a courtyard, its appearance didn't make any sense.
"How'd you expect us to find it?" his eyes glancing around, Ven managed to muster up a query, "It's not like there's some weird keyhole detector or anything..."
A keyhole detector? No, that sort of thing didn't exist. That sort of thing would never, ever exist. Raynie glared at Ven and his thought, believing it was too stupid to even giving the thought to reply to a comment like that.
Yet, at the same time, it could work. Maybe a keyhole detector did exist!
"Of course there is!" Raynie exclaimed, after having cursed herself for her doubt. She gave a grin.
"Rena, where's your keyblade?"
"Uhhh..."
The tomboy had been standing there in the room behind Raynie and Ven, with Adyn standing quietly right behind her. And she hoped that silence would make it seem like neither of them existed; hopefully, that would keep Raynie from shifting any attention on either of them. But, alas, it didn't.
"Hiding," Rena nodded with her hands behind her back.
"Keyblades can't hide!" snapped Raynie, "Where's the damn thing?"
"Sure it can!" Rena gave a grin. But her voice soon lowered into a mutter, her eyes turning off to the side, "It's probably hiding from you..."
"IT BETTER NOT BE, DAMMIT!"
"It won't come out if you keep on yelling about it!"
"It's an inanimate object, kid! It can't hide!"
"How'd you know that?"
"Just call the thing! Grab it, find it, whatever, but just get it here!"
"No!" The tomboy had given a protest, this being shown through her tongue sticking out immaturely at Raynie.
Raynie gave a deep growl at the immature act, "BRAT!"
Once again, he had to be the voice of reason. Ven gave a groan at the thought of having to step in once more between the two of them.
"Rena, just give her your keyblade so we can get out of here..." Ven groaned, rubbing his temples with his hand.
"Why should I?" she questioned behind a pout and crossed arms, "She keeps on yelling about him..."
"Oh," Raynie raised a brow, "so it has a gender now..."
"Yeah! He says he has a name, too! I just call him... um..."
Immaturity again? Raynie rolled her eyes, "Just give 'whatshisname' to me, so we can leave this creepy place..."
I do not believe an escape is a possibility in this world.
"What the..."
A voice ran through the air, chilling you to the very bone, and slithered through your thoughts. It had a sharp bite to it.
However, that didn't mean the 'creepy voice' didn't have a body to go with it.
"Oh!" Rena exclaimed. The sight of a familiar figure seemed to startle her a bit.
The cat had reappeared, now sitting high on the table above, and it looked almost as if it had been watching their idle chatter. It soon found itself floating softly down to the floor below, sitting amongst the tall figures.
Rena gave a hesitant grin, "Hiya, Mr. Kitty--"
The creature let out a hiss. A low, rumbling hiss. It was no longer on its four feet; it was floating.
It begun to slough this appearance. Its perfectly striped fur was no longer 'perfect', but razor sharp and tattered. Its yellow-stained teeth unsheathed themselves, revealing long, deadly fangs, and a hiss emitted from its throat. It retained those beady eyes, but they only seemed more violent. Those perfect round paws revealed long, piercing claws. Its tail seemed to become a knife. And its voice? It hissed with such a demonic tone.
"Okay... that is freaky," Raynie's eyes grew wide at the sight, as did the three others nearby.
Ven stared at the sight in between them all. An evil cat? A talking one, no less? He never heard of such a thing!
"Whoa..."
Do not tempt to anger the Cheshire Cat, the creature hissed, for a cowardice flight would bring this place to ruin.
"Yeah," Raynie gave a nod of her head, "You were cuter last time I saw you... and not nearly as serious..."
Its eyes gained a glint of monstrous light in its sight. It twirled about aimlessly, floating high above their heads. It lowered its head down to Raynie, eyes glimmering, and gave a low hiss to the teen.
"Hey! What'd I do!?"
I fear annihilation is before this company...
A snap of those stubby little cat fingers. It's scary what just a snap can do.
The room suddenly became much darker.
The windows disappeared, leaving just an empty wall where the cat once stood. The open spot that lead to the courtyard slammed shut, disappearing from sight altogether. You could see the gigantic door disappear, too, so that meant no escape to that corridor; even though it wouldn't matter because they were so tiny.
A hole on a fireplace had disappeared and the doorknob soon just became a doorknob sleeping on a wall.
And a little flame came on overhead. On a candle that the cat now stood beside, its pupils transforming into little black slits. It snapped its stubby fingers once more.
And the shadows wish to come present this annihilation...
A small black dot had appeared right in the middle of the floor. A dormant, useless dot.
It grew. So much, so fast.
It gained a pair of legs, it gained a pair of arms, and it gained a body, too! The arms folded out like repeatedly folded strips of paper. Its legs looked like two red and two black poles held together by a purple screw in the middle of its leg, the whole thing scrunching up when it walked, and its feet were two curvy boot-like shapes. Its head many faces, at least 5 blocks on top of each other that were staring helpless down at the group watching from the floor. It carried two large, curved torches for hands, its black pointed fingers curled around each handle, and had a malicious glint in each of its yellow eyes. It almost looked like a toy of sorts.
Yet, something was different. The colours on it were unsaturated; where colours like red and purple were now nearly grey and lifeless. And it seemed to be eroding away by grotesque brown spots all over its body. Its mouthes seemed to be oozing out some strange black liquid, a lifeless, helpless stare in all of those eyes, and everything on its main body was pointed in a malevolent way. And, the final touch? A heart was stabbed through its main body, with two lines stabbed behind the picture of the heart; this too seemed to ooze a thick, black liquid. This thing was vile.
It was like a puppet. Those faces revealed this. It did whatever its master wished. And its master wished for only one thing. The creature begun to twirl its torches as black flames lit up inside, even though it simply hung its head down aimlessly.
The cat hissed one final statement, eyes mad with malicious, and it gave a sadistic grin.
No one shall escape this world in existence!