Looking at what was getting pulled behind the guard, AJ looked up at the creature and said "Oh, shit."
AJ just knew that she was up against something dangerous when she had to get outfitted with so much in the way of armor; she just had no idea that the Queen's 'pet' was such a large monster. Looking up at what she had to fight, AJ swallowed down the urge she had to scream in fear of what she was facing. What was being dragged out by the chain was something the likes of which AJ had never seen before. Taking a good look up at the beast, which was roughly a good number of feet larger than The Great Khali back in her world, AJ saw that the monster was a large black dragon with a large pair of black wings. Staring into the beast's blood red eyes, AJ also noticed what looked like tendrils of some sort waving off the dragon's face. With each step the growling dragon was dragged closer to her, AJ started to feel as though her chances of defeating this creature were between slim and none. AJ hadn't even realized she had been so preoccupied with cowering in fear of this beast until she heard the shouting of her Wonderland friends.
"Don't let that beast scare you, AJ!" Alicia shouted.
"You can take it down, no problem!" Alex shouted.
"We have faith in you!" Kaitlyn shouted.
"We're here for you, AJ!" John shouted, with the most passion and support in his voice.
Hearing similar yells like these coming from the rest of her Wonderland friends, AJ swallowed before squaring her shoulders and stepping forward to the edge of the checkerboard she was at. Stopping once she reached the edge, AJ looked over to see a malicious smile on the Queen's face.
Walking over to the beast, which was now growling lowly, Vickie looked over at AJ and said "I don't believe I've had the pleasure of introducing you to my precious. This creature, this most glorious beast, is my darling pet. Behold, the Jabracore!"
Hearing its name being said by its master, the Jabracore let out a vicious, loud, and earth-rumbling roar that shook the arena and everyone in it. Ceasing its roar, the Jabracore shot forward like it was going to attack AJ only to get yanked back by the chain the guard led it out of its holding area with.
A cackling laugh escaping Vickie, she then said "Don't you see? You can't win against my pet! It'd be best if you just surrender now and accept your righteous punishment. And I might be merciful enough to allow you to live."
Keeping a clamp down on her rising fear, AJ said "Well, let's say that I'm able to fight and beat your pet. Let's say that I win this battle. What do I get?"
"That's a good question, Your Highness," Punk shouted. "What does AJ get if she vanquishes the Jabracore?"
Seeing the look of confusion on the Queen's face, Zack said "Oh, come now. Surely you have a prize for AJ should she slay your Jabracore."
Hearing similar questions coming from the Wonderland group that was there in support of AJ, Vickie fumed and, in an almost screeching voice, said "Fine! Since you fools all seem to feel that there's some shred of hope that this insolent girl will slay my pet, then I will let you all decide what happens to me. Does that not please you?"
A smile sliding across his face as Punk and the others agreed, John said "I believe I speak on behalf of everyone when I say that decision pleases us very much."
"Very well. I wish you the best of luck in your battle. You're going to need every scrape of luck you can get," Vickie said, looking over at AJ with cold fury on her face. Turning to look at the guard that had the Jabracore's chain, Vickie yelled "Unleash the Jabracore!" as she went to climb a set of stairs in a tower and took her seat at a throne. Once she was seated, the Queen snapped her fingers, signaling the guard to undo the Jabracore's chain.
The minute the guard undid the Jabracore's chain, the beast took flight in a roaring flurry. Flying upward and circling around the top of the arena, the Jabracore then dived downward only to veer up at the last minute and flew at AJ.
Seeing the Jabracore flying her way, AJ screamed and ducked out of the way, just barely avoiding the tendrils of the beast as it flew past her. Looking behind her, AJ saw that the Jabracore flew back upwards into the sky, where it was now flapping its massive wings to stay aloft. Her eyes never leaving the Jabracore, AJ panted and thought 'I'm expected to fight this thing?! How in the hell am I supposed to do that?' These thoughts cascading around in her head, AJ dodged out of the way of the Jabracore as it dived down again. This time, however, AJ heard something that sounded like teeth crunching against each other and she could only guess that the Jabracore meant to try to take a bite out of her. Not quite knowing what to do in the name of trying to defend herself, AJ continued to dodge and roll out of the way with each diving attack the Jabracore launched at her.
Watching from her throne on high, Vickie laughed and said "This is simply marvelous! How my dear Jabracore flies through the sky and deals with impudent subjects! It is simply marvelous!"
Hearing the Queen practically shrieking with joy over AJ having to defend herself and 'fight' for her life, Alicia frowned and said "I'm not sure about you guys, but I think 'Her Majesty' is enjoying this a bit too much."
"Someone's got to do something about this," Justin said from where he was fluttering near Zack.
"Well, what exactly is that you suppose we do about this?" Tyson asked from where he was perched on Alicia's shoulder. "In case any of you haven't noticed, AJ's grossly ill-equipped to defend herself and we don't have anything that'd be much in the way of useful as far as helping her out."
Hearing the arguing between Alicia, Justin, and Tyson, Punk had gotten hit with an idea. Quietly getting both Alex and Kaitlyn's attention, Punk motioned for them to join him a few steps away from the others. Making sure not to draw attention to himself, Punk walked over to an area where John and the others didn't notice him slipping away to. He had only been waiting for the girls to join him when they suddenly phased in front of him.
"Any particular reason why you decided to draw us away from the others?" Alex asked.
"This had better be important," Kaitlyn said, her tail waving around impatiently.
"It is. I think I may have figured out a way for AJ to take down the Jabracore," Punk said. "But I'm going to need you two to help me with my plan."
Their pupils narrowing to thin slits and irises changing from their normal colors to a purplish-pink hue, Alex and Kaitlyn, grinning widely to reveal two rows of sharp teeth, asked "What do you want us to do?"
While Punk talked with the girls about his plan, John had stood by and watched all he felt he could stand to watch. Feeling a spring of anger bubble inside of him, John lowly muttered "Someone must put an end to this."
Mumbling sleepily from her position of hanging onto John's neck, Layla muttered "No one slays the Jabracore. Many have tried but none have succeeded."
"I'm aware of that," John said, keeping his hold on the sleeping Dormouse. "It still doesn't make it fair that AJ has to do this on her own."
"No one slays the Jabracore," Layla muttered again. "It is an impossible feat."
Wanting to say something to counter what his sleeping friend was say, John then took her words into consideration. ''No one slays the Jabracore'. That much is a given, but what does it mean? 'No one slays the Jabracore', 'No one slays the Jabracore', John thought. A lightning bolt of realization striking him, John shouted "That's it! No one slays the Jabracore!"
Hearing John shouting, Alicia looked over to her friend and asked "Do you mean to make things seem more grim for AJ than they already are?"
"No, not at all," John said, trying to reassure the more alert of the two Dormice. "It's just, I think I may have found a way for AJ to defeat the Jabracore."
For people that want a good idea of what the Jabracore is, I was going off of the Jabberwocky from the original Alice In Wonderland stories...the Jabracore's a smaller version of the Jabberwocky (kinda like a baby Jabberwocky). But, don't worry...while the Jabracore may be smaller, it's still as threatening as the normal-sized Jabberwocky. Anyways, going on to what happened this chapter. Poor AJ. She almost had a heart attack at glimpsing the Jabracore and it doesn't seem like her fight against the beast is going all that well (funny thing about AJ's battle against the Jabracore is that I was thinking about the boss fights from the Kingdom Hearts games...a good number of those fights require dodging and strafing and all that good stuff). While it seems like The Queen's enjoying every second of AJ not being able to combat the Jabracore fairly, the Wonderland group isn't liking seeing their friend in peril at all. But it doesn't look like all hope is lost. Punk appears to have a plan, one that Alex and Kaitlyn are definitely willing to be a part of (their more catlike sides coming out = major craziness ahead) while John arrived at what he feels is a way for AJ to defeat the Jabracore with the help of a sleeping Dormouse. More action set to come in the next chapter. Until then, don't forget to R&R please. =)
