((Thanks for your reviews again. I'm glad you're happy with Jake's suitable character. YES, I was thinking about doing a Layton/Prince Caspian if I ever finish this and Bill Hawks will be making a major appearance in that. Hehe, believe me— I have a special role in mind for him.
This is another scene that is more from the film. It took a while to write but I'm happy with how it turned out.))
"What the...?" Clive came into the room to find the set completely enshrouded in darkness. Suddenly a spotlight went on in centre of the stage, revealing a figure dressed from head to toe in black. It was the Queen of Drama herself— MJ, of course.
"I've failed, Clive," the authoress said in a stiff voice. She kept her back turned to him.
Clive rolled his eyes. The girl's contingent moods swings no longer disconcerted him. "Do I even want to ask... how have you failed?"
MJ still didn't face him. She sighed. "I'm losing my touch, Clive. A reviewer noted that the last chapter I wrote was slightly more 'serious' than the others—it's terrible! What's happened to my usual side-splitting humour? My funny bone must be broken. Broken, I tell you!"
"Yes, what a disaster," Clive agreed sarcastically "And I thought those hobos living outside the studio were the unfortunate ones... Don't you think all this (he referred to her mournful attire) is a bit much? The reviewer probably wasn't even condemning your story... I mean, how could they? That last chapter mainly focussed on me and my unmatched acting skills."
MJ didn't reply. She continued to stand there with her back to him.
"Oh, come on. It was one comment... And why won't you look at me?" He moved closer, so he could see her better in the harsh glare of the spotlight. "Hello? For God's sake, MJ—"
MJ's head slowly twisted to stare at him. Her face was covered in white paint; there were dark circles around her eyes and a jagged red smile had been carved across her mouth.
"Why so serious, Clive?"
[[Seriously, did anyone else freak out when they saw that scene with the Joker during the Dark Knight?
I'd like to thank lilyb12 for giving me this idea :D]]
Chapter Ten
ESCAPE!
Meanwhile, back at the Batcave- I mean back at the burrow...
"Let's see... I will require my deluxe cushion, a change of bows, five bottles of whipped cream, my whisker curlers, a mirror, my nail sharpeners..." Mrs Rabbit listed off the items as she added them to the bulging rucksack on her husband's shoulders. "...And most importantly, plenty of fish!"
"Is all this really essential?" Emmy asked discerningly. She watched while Mrs Rabbit determined which self portrait she was going to take with them.
The white cat looked at her in surprise. "But of course, Daughter of Eve. Comfort should be amongst our top priorities for the duration of this journey."
"You mean your comfort," Mr Rabbit muttered, wincing. He felt like a camel with boulders strapped to his back. "We haven't got time for this..." The words died in his mouth when there was suddenly a low eerie howl from outside.
"What was that?" Luke said slowly.
"Sounds like the Witch sent her wolves after us." Mr Rabbit dropped the baggage (much to his wife's shrill protests) and bounded over to the kitchen range. After several grunts and a bit of assistance from Emmy and Luke, he pushed the stove aside to reveal a hole about a meter and a half wide in the floor.
"Emergency exit," Mr Rabbit explained "Me and Catanova dug this a while back."
"So that's what you meant when you asked me if I wanted to see your hole..." Mrs Rabbit exclaimed. She blushed, having forgotten the children were present.
Mr Rabbit tapped his foot impatiently as he ushered the humans into the pit. Flora wasn't too keen on entering the inky black abyss, however. "I—I don't know... It's really dark down there."
"Well it's either this or we become dinner for the royal dogs," the rabbit shot a wild glance to the entrance as he heard barks, growls and rustling outside. The wolves had practically breached the burrow ceiling by now; tearing through the top layers of snow and frozen dirt with their rake-like paws. "Get moving!"
"I'll go first." The darkness rushed up to greet Emmy as she leapt into the hole, landing lithely in a cat crouch. She caught Luke when he jumped down, Flora next, and then a yowling Mrs Rabbit (it looked as if she had been shoved through the floor).
"How dare you push me!" the cat screeched.
Mr Rabbit returned the stove to its original inconspicuous position before he joined them, holding a flaming wooden torch which he passed to Emmy.
"And just where are my supplies?"
The rabbit responded by tossing the bag of 'supplies' in his wife's face. "You carry 'em. Now, stay with me and come quickly."
(("That's what she said!" Don Paolo sniggered.
MJ sighed "How old are you again..?"))
The five of them would have been lost as they rushed through the tunnels if it weren't for the glowing orange beacon in Emmy's hand that created strange quivering patterns on the damp earthen walls. However, the light also left shadows on some sides of the underground passage, giving them fear that an ambush could be waiting around every corner.
Luke's breath came out in a whoosh as he tripped over a thick protruding tree root. Just as Flora pulled him to his feet the wolves' baying echoed through tunnels... along with another terrible sound— a furious, hair raising roar.
"Not good," Mr Rabbit grimaced "Jakes is with them. And they've discovered our escape route."
"W-Who's Jakes?" Flora squeaked.
"Hopefully you won't have to find out. Come on, the way out's just up ahead."
Cracks of moonlight streamed down as Mr Rabbit broke through a patch of dirt above them. "This way, quickly!"
The group frantically scrambled out of the slanted opening. Mr Rabbit and Emmy used a boulder to barricade it right behind them.
"There. That should hold 'em..." Mr Rabbit trailed off when he took in the scene before them.
This hidden forest area had once been a tiny village, a peaceful community made up of creatures living in the woodland. There were a number of dens, nests and tree houses usually filled with peals of mirthful laughter and birdsong. That was all gone now.
Little families of statues littered the forest floor: squirrels, birds, badgers, foxes. Each and every one of them turned to shiny, solid metal.
Mr Rabbit let out a gasp when he recognised a statue of a sleek tom cat sitting amongst them. "N-No..." He approached the feline with unsteady grievous strides. Wrapping his paws around the statue's neck, he wailed. "Not Catanova...! Why, Grosky? WHY?!"
Mrs Rabbit averted her gaze at his display of bereavement. (Now would not be the time to discuss her husband's former relationship with Catanova, she owed him that at least.)
Luke whispered with dismay "What happened to this place?"
"Oh, so you wanna know what happened here, do ya then? This is the Witch's work. Can't ya guess?" The droning voice seemed to come out of thin air at first making everyone jump.
("WAAAAAR-LOOOOOOOCK!")
"Who are you?" Emmy demanded, raising her fist "Show yourself!"
"I'm right here!" A bee, of all creatures, appeared hovering in front of her nose. "My name is Beasley. Bet you humans have never seen a talking bee where you come from, eh?"
"Look, as much as we would love to sit around and chat, we're being chased by the Witch's wolves," Emmy cast a wary glance back at the tunnels "So can you help us or not?"
("IT'S WAR— Wait, I'm not even going to bother.")
Beasley smiled. "Sure, alright. Leave it to me."
After much coxing on Mr Rabbit's behalf (he "refused to leave Catanova's side" and dragged the statue along with him) the five fugitives climbed into a nearby tree, each praying they would avoid detection and Beasley's plan would work.
Ten seconds later the wolves burst out of the tunnels growling to one another. They ran in circles— muzzles to the ground, tails wagging in the air as they tried to track their prey.
Luke gasped as one of the silver canines pressed its nose against the tree trunk. Emmy slapped a hand over her brother's mouth. Too late. The wolf's ears shifted and it gazed up into the tree suspiciously. (It would have noticed them if it weren't for the conifer's bristling branches.)
Then the wolf started pawing at its temples as an irritating buzzing sound filled its ears. It shook its head and growled but the buzzing never ceased. Eventually the wolf lost all interest in the tree and began to whine to the rest of its pack.
Suddenly there was a thunderous bellow that caused the very ground to shake, creating vibrations through the trees. "WE'VE WASTED ENOUGH TIME SEARCHING FOR THEM HERE... THEY MUST HAVE ESCAPED FROM THE FOREST BY NOW! KEEP GOING OR THERE'LL BE NO SCRAPS FOR YOU TONIGHT!"
The wolves released a series of high pitched whines before charging deeper into the woods, barking excitedly when they thought they had picked up the humans' scent again. There was another loud roar and the thumping of giant footsteps. Finally, silence settled over the small woodland area.
Emmy gave a start when Beasley spoke right in her ear. "The coast is clear now. You can get down."
The three children and Mr and Mrs Rabbit slowly clambered out of the tree.
Luke beamed at Beasley. "Wow, you're the most amazing bee I've ever met!"
"Thank you for saving us," Flora also smiled at him. She shivered when they heard the wolves howling in the distance. At least they're far away now.
Mrs Rabbit graciously bobbed her head to the bee. "We are truly in your debt. If there is anything we can give you in return..."
"Now that you mention it, there is something I'd like," Beasley crossed one leg over the other and hovered in mid air "I heard the Sons of Adam and Daughters of Eve were heading to Anton's camp. I want to go with ya."
"Alright, since you helped us," Emmy nodded.
"Great! I bet you're all wondering why I'm interested in meeting Anton and overthrowing the Witch... It's a long gripping tale so I'll tell ya on the way." Beasley flew ahead of them, rambling away.
Luke and Flora were all ears and began to follow, listening intently.
Emmy brought up the rear. She watched as Mr Rabbit sighed and placed Catanova's statue at the base of their tree, brushing off a layer of snow that had landed on the cat's body. "We'll be back," he promised. With that, he walked after Mrs Rabbit (who refused to meet his gaze) leaving the lifeless village behind them.
((MJ sighed. "I know, I ended this chapter on a sad note but guess what..? BEASLEY HAS JOINED THE TEAM! ^^
"That's right!" Beasley smiled.
"I bet you're all curious about the romantic past between Catanova and Mr Rabbit... Maybe there'll be more on that to come!"))
MJ repeated herself, this time singing the words to Clive:
"Why so serious?"
(Suddenly Emmy, Luke, Flora and Layton burst in each holding wine glasses. They were also singing.)
"So RAISE YOUR GLASS if you BUG Clive
In all the RIGHT ways
(At this point Descole and his pack of wolves galloped onto the set.)
All my UNDER DOGS
We will ALWAYS BE
ALWAYS BE
Tryin to make him MAD
(Cue dancing Don Paolo.)
Like IRRI-TATING
Irksome little FREAKS
Won't you COME ON and
COME ON and
Throw your GLASS
Just COME ON and
COME ON and
Throw your GLASS
At Clive.
When the song ended, the other cast members chucked the contents of their glasses in Clive's face. Clive spluttered and glared at MJ (who was still wearing a wide Joker's grin on her face).
"Why did I even ask?"
((Did you recognise the "Raise your glass" lyrics by Pink? I suggest you listen to the song while you read this!))
