L&DH: Woot, I got another chapter done! Happy almost-Halloween, guys!
Tegan: Oh, that's right. It's almost that time of year again.
Dante: *eating a bunch of candy* Works for me. Plenty of candy, an excuse to mess with people. Fun, fun, fun!
Jade: LightandDarkHeart doesn't own Kingdom Hearts, Final Fantasy, or the 2010 Alice in Wonderland film. She does, however, own us. So don't even think of trying to steal, otherwise it's my wrench up your arse!
Angelique: *sweatdrop* um, Jade, mon amie...I do not think it is a good idea to threaten ze readers...
Salem: Anyway, enjoy!
The White Rabbit blasted out a few notes on his trumpet, silencing the chatter of the White Queen's court as everyone gathered in the gardens in front of the castle. Up on the steps the Queen, White Rabbit, and Alice took center stage as the rest of the court, the guards, and the teenagers looked on. The air was filled with nervous excitement. The day everyone had been waiting for had finally come.
The Frabjous Day.
"Who will step forward to become Champion for the White Queen?" the White Rabbit asked the crowd.
The Mad Hatter pushed his way to the front of the crowd. "That would be I."
"You have very poor evaporating skills," Cheshire drawled, appearing over his shoulder with a lazy grin on his face. "I should be the one."
Much to the Alice's surprise, Mally and both Tweedles stepped forward as well.
"We could do it!" Sora volunteered, only to get a jab in the side from Vanitas.
"Moron, if the Jabberwocky ain't a Heartless, what good are we gonna be?"
Jade scoffed. "But it does seem like something that would happen, don't you agree? With two powerful Heartless already here, I wouldn't be surprised in the slightest…"
"Besides," Tegan pointed out. "It's not our part to play."
On cue, the White Rabbit picked up the Oraculum scroll and let it roll down the steps. The odd little "calendar" stopped just in front of them, showing one specific picture.
Alice, and only Alice, facing off against the Jabberwocky.
"No other Slayer no how," the Tweedles realized. "If it ain't Alice…It ain't dead…"
All eyes turned expectantly towards Alice, who froze up like a deer in headlights thanks to that no-quite-bombshell bombshell. Panic was written clear as day over the blonde's face.
"So we can't do anything?" Ventus frowned in disappointment.
"Now hold on, you don't know that just yet," Salem whispered. Fully recovered, Salem was back in uniform thanks to Angelique repairing his trademark sweatshirt that he had recovered using magic. That same magic was used to recover his knife bags, which were restocked. Along with his fading injuries, he looked more like himself again. "We just have to wait and see how everything plays out."
Back up on the steps, the White Queen had turned to Alice.
"Alice, you cannot live your life to please others. The choice must be yours. Because when you step out to face that creature…you will step out alone…"
Reduced to a state of shock and disbelief, Alice took a step back. The color drained from the blonde's face as she turned around and fled, much to the dismay of the Wonderlanders.
"Alice, wait!" Kairi broke away from the group and chased after the other Princess of Heart, disappearing around the corner.
"How could they just send her off on her own?!" Sora exclaimed. "Alice hasn't had any fighting experience!"
"Well, in the movie Alice is able to do it," Tegan pointed out. "But with the Organization here, the film canon is pretty much out the window. Who knows what could have changed?"
That was the problem. Even if Tegan knew what was going to happen from the movie, everything could change with their presence or the Organization's meddling (not that they didn't meddle either…). Things had played out close to the movie so far, but now as they got close to the final battle there was an entirely new variable to deal with. There was no way of knowing how the presence of two Organization members would change the flow of events. Things could still go the way they were supposed to, with Alice fighting and defeating the Jabberwocky. But things always got changed in the games. They could very well be sending Alice to her grave…
"Just as Salem said," Jade pointed out. "We won't know until it actually happens. But in any case, we all have to be on our toes."
Riku nodded. "Right. Jade and Tegan, you two go after Kairi and Alice. I don't like the idea of two Princesses by themselves when there's the Organization loose, even if Kairi can defend herself now. We'll talk to the White Queen and see if there's anything we can do."
Both girls nodded and took off in the direction that Kairi went. At first, Tegan had been afraid that they were going to get lost. But luckily, the White Queen's castle wasn't as labyrinth-like as her sister's. There was only one way to go, a path that led straight to a section of the gardens that overlooked a couple of waterfalls.
The sight of the falls with the morning light shinning down over them was absolutely gorgeous. Tegan was stuck staring for a few seconds, fingers itching to capture the moment It was one of those times when she really wished she had a camera at least.
Wait, no, focus Tegan! No time to go all ga-ga over the scenery! Gotta find Alice and Kairi!
As luck would have it, as they turned around a corner, Jade's arm shot out and Tegan skidded to a stop. She could hear three voices just around the bend. Alice's, Kairi's, and the Caterpillar.
"Bloody hell," Jade sniggered. "That caterpillar really does sound like Snape!"
Tegan hushed her as she pulled herself up onto a trellis. Climbing like a monkey, Tegan peered over the top and saw Alice pacing around frantically as Kairi tried to calm her down. All of a sudden, Alice whirled around and faced the abnormally large caterpillar hanging upside down from an arch.
"But I don't know what to do!" Alice shouted.
"Alice please, you've got to calm down," Kairi pleaded. "Getting all worked up isn't going to help you."
"We can't help you if you don't even know who you are, stupid girl." Absolem chided, much to Alice's irritation.
"I'm not stupid! My name is Alice. I live in London. I have a mother named 'Helen' and a sister named 'Margaret'. My father was Charles Kingsley. He had a vision that stretched halfway across the world and nothing ever stopped him. I'm his daughter…I'm Alice Kingsley."
"Alice at last…" the Caterpillar sighed in relief. "You were just as dimwitted the first time you were here you called this 'Wonderland' as I recall."
Alice blinked. "Wonderland…"
Kairi nodded. Granted, she didn't know what had happened before, but she figured if Alice could remember who she was, it might help.
Alice turned silent as the gears began to turn in her head. Slowly, she began to remember her adventures in "Wonderland" as a child. The Bizarre Room, the mad tea party with the Hatter, Hare, and Dormouse. The Caucus Race with all the birds, and her trip through the flower garden. That insane croquet game and then being put on trial by the Queen of Hearts. And even…
"It wasn't a dream at all," she realized. "It was a memory. This place is real, so are you and so is the Hatter!"
"And the Jabberwocky…" Absolem reminded her. "Remember, the Vorpal sword knows what to do. All you have to do is hold onto it…Fairfarren, Alice. Perhaps we shall meet again…in the next life."
As the Caterpillar sealed up his cocoon, Kairi peered at Alice cautiously. "Alice. Do you remember…everything now?"
Alice looked at Kairi and tilted her head, almost as if she didn't recognize her. But Alice gasped as she suddenly remembered that particular "adventure" too.
"Kairi…Good lord, I had completely forgotten!" she exclaimed. "Sora tried to save me from the Queen of Hearts, and then I was taken…to that castle…That's right. I'm a…Princess…of Heart…"
Kairi smiled and held out her hand. "It's nice to finally meet you, Alice."
Alice glanced up, startled out of her recollections. Pausing for a moment, Alice smiled back and shook her hand. "We never did get to actually meet, did we? You were asleep, and then with the Keyhole business, I never got to say hello….It's very nice to make you acquaintance, Kairi…"
The two girls giggled and turned.
"You can come out now," Kairi called.
"You aren't very sneaky, you know," Alice teased.
Tegan, from her spot up on the trellis, laughed nervously as she pulled herself up and over. At the same time, Jade walked out from behind the wooden structure and strode up to the two Princesses.
"So you've finally remembered then? Good for you."
"Well, now that you remember who you are," Tegan scampered up and stood beside Jade. "What are you going to do? Like the White Queen said, it has to be your choice. Free will, and all that jazz."
Jade scowled and rolled her eyes. "What's with the solemn tone? Honestly, you sound like you should be offering her a red or a blue pill. Fancy a spot of tea while you're at it, love?"
Tegan rolled her eyes back. "Leave your sarcasm out of it, will ya? I'm just saying 'cause that Jabberwocky still needs slaying, and Alice is the only girl for the job."
"But…" Tegan looked back at Alice, who looked uncertain again. "I can't do this alone…"
"You won't be alone," Kairi assured her. "We'll all be right there with you."
"Of course. All for one and one for all, and whatnot." Jade stuff her hands into her pockets and shrugged. "Really, it's not like we're planning on letting the Jabberwocky take a bite out of you…So what's your decision?"
Alice looked down at her hands.
"I…"
…
…
The final preparations were being made before the White Queen's army would go to war against the Red Queen. Soldiers were lined up in battle formations, with the White Queen and her self-appointed "guardians" in the very front.
The Queen was checking her horse's saddle one last time, straightening out the belts and buckles, making adjustments as she saw fit. On one side, the denizens of Underland stood ready to march out. The Tweedles both had their wooden swords, the Dormouse had all of her gear together, and the Mad Hatter looked spic and span with his sword by his side. Even the March Hare and the White Rabbit were ready for battle, the Rabbit with his Page's trumpet and the Hare armed with a shiny new ladle he had swiped from the kitchens.
On the other side, Sora and the gang were making their own preparations. Oddly enough, they had found a Moogles Post inside the castle, and had stocked up on everything they needed. Potions, Hi-potions, Elixirs and Ethers.
"Are you sure zat you are well enough for zis, Salem?" Angelique fretted over the Nobody like a mother hen. Angie had been doing that ever since he woke up. It was sweet really. Salem, in return, just laughed and continued to reassure her.
"Relax Angel, I feel fine. Fit as a fiddle! Check out my muscles." Angelique laughed as Salem comically flexed his arms, wiggling his eyebrows at her.
Vanitas groaned. "Yep, he's fine alright. Just the normal brain damage that makes him say crap like that…"
Meanwhile, Sora kept looking back expectantly towards the castle. Riku and Ventus caught it, and reassured him that the girls would show up eventually.
"We're not going to leave without them, Sora," Riku sighed. "Stop looking so anxious. It's almost sad."
"Hey!"
"I'm sure Kairi and the others will be here any minute," Ventus assured him. "Don't worry."
"If you say so…"
"Those three sure are taking their sweet time," Vanitas grumbled. "I want to go see this big battle already. And kick some ass while I'm at it."
Salem grinned and gasped dramatically. "And you say there's something wrong with me? Vanni-boy, you're far too bloodthirsty. Really, it gives me the chills!"
"Oh shut up, Alexsm!" Vanitas spat back. "And stop calling me that, dammit!"
The others all sighed as the two began to bicker once more.
"Are we sure they're friends?" Riku asked wearily. Both boys twitched and turned back.
"Of course," Salem cheered gleefully, swinging an arm around a thoroughly P.O.'d Vanitas. "Vanni-boy and I are the best of friends. Ain't it obvious?"
"If 'best of friends' means that one day I will beat you into a coma, then sure," Vanitas gave Salem a murderous grin. "Best friends…"
Sora took a step back as Vanitas started shoving Salem away. Salem, however, just kept on laughing like an idiot and clinging onto his "best friend" like glue as Vanitas swore emphatically. "Yeah, something's wrong with both of them alright…"
Just then, a sudden commotion broke out from the back of the troops. Soldiers rushed out of the way to clear a path and everyone whirled around to get a look at the ruckus. And what they saw made everyone—humans, animals, and Chess Soldiers alike—cheer.
Coming up the rear was Alice astride the Bandersnatch, wearing a suit of silver armor that blazed in the sunlight as the Vorpal sword and a shield hung at her hips. Flanking her sides were the other girls, each wearing their own armor. Kairi covered Alice's left, riding her Glider as Tegan flanked the right, Bahamut roaring. And finally, coming up behind the Bandersnatch, was Jade with her own sword by her side riding a ferocious, wild dog-like Heartless called a "Dark Hide", with black-and-white marbled skin, wicked claws, and hooked chains wrapped around its forelegs.
The four girls made their way up to the front of the army and stopped just in front of the White Queen. The Queen nodded to Alice, who returned it with a smile, and gave the signal for her army to march. As they moved across Underland, Jade got more than a few curious looks from the others over her black-and-white armor and her Heartless.
"Where'd those come from?" Sora wondered. He knew Jade didn't have a set of armor and he had never seen a Heartless like the one she was riding. Jade shrugged.
"One of the tricks the White Queen did to my cards was the ability to make new, blank cards. Apparently, I can use the blanks to copy an item and create a useable card with it."
Tegan nodded. "I helped her figure that out last night. We were messing around and one thing led to another, and she ended up 'copying' my armor by accident."
"Yes. It could be quite handy, actually," Jade admitted. "As for the Heartless, it appears to be a smaller version but…You don't recognize it because you've never seen it. Actually, I…I don't even know what this fellow's doing in my deck. Truthfully, there are a few cards that I know I never had in my deck before…"
Of course, that wasn't all. Truth be told, Jade had no idea how she even had her cards to begin with. When she had been sent through the Dark Corridor, it was at the garage where she worked. Jade knew for a fact that she had left the cards in her room, locked inside a box with some other things. And yet for some reason they had appeared in her tool belt. And not only that, but her deck had been tampered with too.
Jade was a closet geek, with one of her hobbies being card games. She taught herself how to play a few different games and kept her playing decks meticulously organized. So if her Kingdom Hearts deck had been tampered with, she would know. And there was no way for her to have gotten a Dark Hide card, given how she had stopped buying those cards before the "Final Mix" of Birth by Sleep had been released. How could she have gotten her hands on the infamous "Red Eyes" boss Heartless before it was even released? It didn't make sense.
So while Jade puzzled over the mysteries of her cards, the White army made their way across Underland until they reached the designated battle area (which really did look like a life-sized chessboard, much to Tegan's amusement). And just in time too, the Red Queen's army marched in just as the White Queen's. Both armies came to a stop as the monarchs came to meet each other in the middle of the field. The Red Queen was looking particularly angry.
Salem twitched, stiffening as his eyes narrowed. Angelique caught sight of it and glanced at him nervously.
"What is it?" she whispered. Salem answered with a steely edge to his voice.
"Those Heartless are here somewhere," he growled low in his throat. "I can sense Him nearby…"
Angie bit her knuckle anxiously. She didn't like the sound of that.
"On this, the Frabjous Day," the White Rabbit announced with another blast on his trumpet, "the Queens Red and White shall send forth their Champions to do battle on their behalf."
After a brief exchange between the two sisters, the ground rumbled as the Red Queen called out for the Jabberwocky. Not far off, the massive black dragon emerged from the ground, flexing and stretching his limbs as he made his way onto the battle field.
"This is impossible…" Alice gasped.
"And I thought Maleficent looked bad as a dragon…" Riku nudged Sora in the side.
"Good luck, Alice." Tegan patted the blonde's shoulder as she passed.
"Keep a level head out there," Riku advised. "Don't let your guard down."
"Remember, love," Jade added, keeping her eyes dazedly fixed on the Jabberwocky. "Impossible things and whatnot…"
It wasn't long until Alice clashed with the giant monster, and Tegan couldn't help but remember Alice's "six impossible things".
"Not six," she muttered. "Seven…There's a potion that can make you shrink…"
She flinched as the Jabberwocky let loose a blast of purple electricity at Alice.
"And a cake that can make you grow…" Jade gripped onto her wrench tightly. Now even she was getting anxious...
"Animals can talk…Oh dear!" Angie looked away as one giant talon ripped Alice's shield from her hands.
"Cats can disappear!" Salem shouted. "Come on, Alice!"
"There's a world called Wonderland!" Sora and Riku shouted, distracting the Jabberwocky just long enough for Alice to strike at its leg.
"Even Princesses of Heart can fight," Kairi added emphatically. "We believe in you, Alice!"
"Seven…You can kill that Jabberwock bastard!" Vanitas bellowed.
Alice continued to fight even as the Jabberwocky rammed into her relentlessly. But as its tail swiped near Vanitas and the Hatter, neither of the two could resist taking a stab (literally) as the opportunity presented itself. But by doing so, they opened the flood gates for a full-out war as the Red Queen shrieked.
"They're interfering! Off with their heads!"
The Card and Chess Soldiers went into immediate battle with each other as the Knave of Hearts put two fingers to his lips and let loose a shrill whistle. A signal.
Heartless popped up everywhere, attacking groups of soldiers indiscriminately, be they Red or White troops.
"That's our cue!" Sora called, Keyblade appearing in his hand instantly. "Let go!"
"Finally!" Vanitas roared as Void Gear appeared and he leapt at the closest cluster of Heartless.
Jade hefted her sword over her shoulder as her Dark Hide jumped into the fray, Tegan and Bahamut trailing close behind. The Destiny Island trio split up and went in opposite directions while Angie summoned her Dream Eaters and sprinted off. Which ultimately left Salem…
A small troop of Shadows surrounded him, hissing and twitching their antennae agitatedly. Salem glowered at them venomously.
"Oh, believe me, I don't like being near you any more than you near me. But there's only one way for us to fix that problem…Perish in Frozen Despair!"
With a snap of his fingers, every Heartless around him froze solid in a block of ice as Salem raised his arms and summoned needle-like shards of light. "Skyfall!"
As his spell destroyed the Heartless, Salem surveyed the area. His whole body was tense and alert, on edge because of His presence. The bile burning his throat, the ripping feeling in his stomach. The urge to throw up and the pounding in his head. All signs that He was incredibly close by.
"Where are you, you worthless bastard," Salem muttered when he heard a faint "whoosh" sound. Looking up, Salem dropped to his knees in a heartbeat as a giant chunk of rock sailed over his head.
Close call, Salem thought as he heard the boulder clatter across the ground behind him. Just a second later and that could have taken off my head.
Heavy, thudding footsteps approached Salem as he looked up, eyes hardening into dark blue stones as he glared at the figure in front of him.
In some ways, it was a lot like looking into a mirror, albeit some sort of warped, demented one. The face that glared down at him was a lot like his. Same eye shape, same nose. But where his eyes were dark blue, the other figure had gold, blazing like molten metal from anger and rage. His skin was darker too, more of a dusty-tan compared to Salem's warmer tan. Ink-black hair held back from his eyes by a purple strip of cloth wound around his head.
The condition of his clothes reflected the way he lived his life: full of unnecessary fights and violence with total disregard to his own well-being, the opposite of Salem. His black baggy pants were full of holes and held up by a ripped, shredded belt. He never wore any kind of shirt, even though he kept a ratty old red vest tucked over his belt.
There was no doubting it.
Lexsam. His Heartless.
"You ran away before I could end your sorry excuse of a 'life' last time," Lexsam's raspy voice burned with contempt and rage as he glared down at Salem. "Now it's time I finished the job, Alexsm. This time my claws are going right through your damn heart!"
Salem pulled himself back to his full height and regarded Lexsam coldly. "If I had a nickel for every time you threatened me, I'd be a rich man, Lexsam—Gah!"
A swift punch to the stomach sent Salem skidding back, head cracking against the rock Lexsam had previously thrown at him.
"Got anything else to say, you whiny bitch?"
Salem looked up, glaring past the stars that he swore were circling around his head and at the spikes protruding from Lexsam's shoulders and arms from dark tattoos on his skin. That explained the new slash in his arm, which dripped a little bit of blood down his fingers. Salem cast a quick Cure spell and picked himself back up.
"Other than the fact that you look like a porcupine?"
Lexsam roared as he rushed as Salem, who warped behind him and let loose a howling laugh as the Heartless smashed into some Card Soldiers. Oh, how he loved harassing the poor moron…
"Get the f*** out of my way!" Using the Soldiers as a springboard, Lexsam back flipped and crouched low to the ground, arms spread out in his typical offensive stance.
"Say, Lexie, riddle me this," Salem dropped his arms down by his sides and summoned his two swords. "What is exactly did you bring that girl here for? What does any of this have to do with the grand scheme of things? Enlighten me, because I do wish to know…"
"As if I'd tell you. You ain't worth the wasted breath!"
"Funny, because you sure did waste a lot of that back in the dungeon…So, the Organization's after a Twilight Compass. Good to know." The look on Lexsam's face confirmed Salem's suspicions.
Good in multiple ways actually. It gave him insight into what the Organization was up to, and it also gave him an idea of why Jade may have been dragged into this. But if the Organization is going after a Twilight Compass, he was going to have to find it first.
I've got a lot of research to do, once this is over…
"Well, shall we get on with the beat down? I'd say the odds are evened out now that I'm not trussed up like a turkey."
"Oh, I am so going to enjoy ripping you to shreds," Lexsam laughed sinisterly, flexing his claws as his spikes glittered in the light. Salem rolled his eyes and sunk into his own fighting stance.
"Boy, you wish you could get a piece of this."
The two began circling each other, eyes locked with the other and tensed for a fight. Other Heartless and Soldiers seemed to sense the rapidly growing tension between them and wisely kept their distance. It was like they all felt that if any of them got in the way, they wouldn't be around long to tell anyone.
It was Lexsam that made the first move. While he wasn't as fast as his partner, Lexsam heavily relied on his strength when he fought. He roared and slammed his fist into the ground, lifting up a cloud of dust. The marble cracked and flipped up, launching Salem up in the air. While he flailed, Lexsam grabbed a loose, bowling ball-sized piece of marble and hurled it at Salem.
In turn, Salem warped out of the way behind his Heartless counterpart. "Needle Rain: Thunder Shot!"
Salem whipped his hands forward, throwing a volley of electrically-charged needles at Lexsam's exposed back. The needles hit their mark and delivered what should have been a painful jolt of electricity onto his skin, but the Heartless didn't seem fazed.
Salem cursed. Of course the bastard had built up immunity to Thunder spells since they last fought. Salem had gotten an upper hand the last time around by turning his "Evil twin" into a living lightning rod. While it had been funny to see him flail around like a spazz before, this only seemed to piss him off as Lexsam reached around and yanked a handful of needles out of his skin and cast them aside.
"Nice try," he spat. "But I learned from before, and took a few hits from the Viking bitch. Your little bug zapper spell ain't gonna work on me!"
Lexsam spun around and slammed his fist into Salem's chest, using his momentum to pivot on his foot and swipe his other arm across the Nobody's face. Salem hissed as the sharp edges of Lexsam's spikes cut into his cheek and retaliated with a high kick to his jaw.
"Frozen Despair!"
A chunk of ice shot at Lexsam and he smashed it into pieces. "That better not be all you got!"
"Of course not, brother dear…" The blades of Salem's swords slipped around his neck as Salem warped behind the Heartless. The sharpened edges criss-crossed under his chin, pressing down on his skin. Salem laughed darkly and Lexsam growled angrily.
"What do you say, Lexie?" he asked. "I've got you in Check…Should we make your head roll too?"
"Son of a…!"
Salem pressed his swords closer, drawing a few drops of blood. "I would seriously rethink your choice of words if I were you…She was technically your mother too…"
"Screw you, Alexsm! You—!"
The ground suddenly shook and Salem's weapons lowered just a fraction of an inch. Lexsam saw his chance and slammed his head back into his Nobody counterpart's forehead. Salem grunted and fell back, rolling to just barely avoid a savage kick aimed at his face.
A high-pitched shriek interrupted their fight and the two turned to see the Red Queen—eyes burning furiously—pointing at Alice. The blonde's chest was heaving from exertion and at her feet was the Jabberwocky's head. The lifeless body lay not too far off.
"She did it!" Salem ginned as he watched every single soldier drop their weapon. "Checkmate."
Lexsam cursed. "Don't bet on it…"
As Salem wondered what Lexsam meant, the Knave of Hearts let loose a long, piercing whistle.
Lexsam grinned and disappeared in a Corridor, only to appear on top of the Jabberwocky corpse. Another portal appeared next to him and his partner Karin stepped out, sword in hand.
"The hell do you think you're doing?!" Vanitas pushed his way out from behind a cluster of Chess Soldiers. The appearance of two Organization members on the field set him and Salem on edge.
Lexsam grinned maliciously and flexed his fingers. "I think this is a good place for a snack break, don'tcha think Black Flash?"
Karin shrugged her shoulders as a small, calculating smile tugged at her lips. "For once, I agree with you…"
Salem blanched. Right before everyone's eyes, the two Heartless raised one of their arms. Black smoke curled around the limbs, turning their skin into an ink-black. Their hands became twisted and grotesque, with wicked claws emerging from their fingers. Both grinned demonically. "No…Quick, stop them!"
"Too late, bitch!" The two plunged their claws into the Jabberwocky and black fire exploded all over its body. The ground shook as the force of the blast pushed everyone back. Lexsam cackled as he ripped his arm out of the corpse and the two jumped back onto the ruins behind them. Clutched in his fingers was a large, glowing heart-shaped crystal.
The Jabberwocky's heart…
Before anyone could stop her, Karin's sword sliced through the heart, shattering it into tiny pieces. Light surrounded the two Heartless but was quickly engulfed by Darkness and was absorbed into their skin. Lexsam licked his lips and grinned.
"Not bad. A little gamy, but not bad. Now, where was I—Ahg!"
Karin shoved Lexsam through a Dark Corridor. The dark-haired teen stumbled back and his curses echoed almost comically out of the portal. Karin turned around and made to follow him through it when a shout made her pause.
"Wait!" Karin spun her sword to deflect the cards Jade had thrown at her back. the Black Flash turned slowly and stared at Jade emotionlessly.
"Why did you bring me to this world?!" Jade demanded. "Why did you kidnap me?"
The Black Flash sneered. "A pawn like yourself doesn't ask questions. I don't owe you anything." And with that, she snapped her fingers and exited through the Dark Corridor.
The Darkness surrounding the Jabberwocky lashed out, slamming Jade back. Luckily, Sora and Riku appeared to catch her before the auburnette slammed into a marble column.
"Are you alright?"
Jade nodded. "Of course. But right now, I believe we have more pressing matters…"
The Darkness around the Jabberwocky had triggered a monstrous transformation. Its body shuddered and got back onto its feet, black smoke wriggling snake-like around it. The spines jutting out from its great leathery wings grew larger, with deadly serrated edges dripping purple ooze. Black skin marbled with smoky purple as even more jagged spikes drew along the Jabberwocky's spine and down its arms, legs, and tail. And even thought Alice had taken off the creature's head already, it didn't stay headless for very long.
Black smoke and ooze swirled and bubbled around the stump of a neck, gelling together into one large mass. A new head emerged; a black-and-purple version of the original head with a mouth full of razor-sharp teeth dripping ooze with a forked tongue flicking between them, replacing the one Alice had cut off in the beginning of her battle. Soulless yellow eyes blinked sleepily as the Heartless Jabberwocky's head swayed back and forth. A Heartless emblem was displayed for all to see from its spot right between the eyes.
"What's happening?" Alice gasped. Kairi and Tegan stepped in front of her, weapons drawn.
"The Jabberwocky's been brought back as a Heartless." Kairi nudged Alice further behind them and pointed her Keyblade forward.
"Which means your job is over," Tegan added. "Now it's our turn."
L&DH: So, who's ready to take on a Heartless Jabberwocky?
Salem: gah! Mark my words, Lexsam, one of these days I am going to kill you!
Dante: Funny, he says the same thing about you. Only with a lot more swearing...
Jade: Focus on the bigger Heartless at the moment, nitwit.
Tegan: Oh, this is gonna be fun! I always wanted to take a crack at that thing.
Angelique: I 'ope we can keep ze damage to a minumum...Zere is a lot of people still in ze area...
On to the reviews!
-Little J: Glad to see you were excited for the last chapter. Hopefully you'll like this one too. ^^
-Antex-The Legendary Zoroark: Oh, cue the sinister laugh! The Organization has plenty planned, my friend. But you'll just have to wait and see what.
-RobotToxic: Tegan: *laughs* Thanks!
Salem: Of course I'm okay. Rest assured, it'll take a lot more than what Lexie dishes out to take me out.
L&DH: Ha, arrogant much? But at least with Angie on his case, the amount of reckless stupidity should go down at least.
-CatLoverx33: Well, Jade has her moments when she can get along with others. Having a persistent conscience like her's doesn't hurt either.
Well, that's it for now. Oh, and a cookie for whoever gets the movie reference in this chapter!
BYE!
