Kingdom Hearts

Wonderland

Ch 10

The Ocean of Tears

Sora was rushed by the oncoming force of the water. The waves bashed the young boy struggling keep his head above the surface. After a while the sea became calmer with gentler waves brushing against their bodies. Sora, Donald, and Goofy swam to the surface gasping for breath laying eyes on a dark cloud covered sky. They tried to regroup swimming towards each other in an exhausted state.

"Where's Jiminy?" asked Sora trying to stay afloat.

"He's not in your hood?" cried Goofy.

Donald wonks him on the head "We're the same size now remember. He should be with us."

"Oh yeah," Goofy replied.

They looked around to see him gasping for air like they were moments before. Nothing but open sea met their eyes, "What the heck is this place?" called Donald.

"It's Wonderland," replied Sora calming kicking to stay afloat. With that they heard of voice call out from a distance. They turned there heads to see a large object like a boat inch closer to them. On top of the vessel they could see Jiminy waving his top hat calling for their attention. The vessel he was riding was a basket from the Bizarre Room that can be used as a boat.

"All aboard" said Jiminy placing his hat back on his head. Everyone climbed on the boat and immediately tried getting dry. Donald and Goofy shook their bodies like really animals do relieving their fur and feathers of the water.

"What kind of world is this?" said Donald irritated.

"I never been to a world like this before," proclaimed Goofy. As the gang looked across the vast sea. They could see another straggler in the water not too far away. They didn't know who it was but were more than willing to help. Jiminy took a rather large pencil in the boat and used it to steer the basket to the castaway. They helped the creature onto the boat. It turns out to be a giant brown mouse with realistic features and no clothes saved for a pink bowtie. The mouse stood up and began to speak in a foreign tongue. "Je vous remercie de me sauver."

Sora and the others looked at him not understanding what he's saying. "I'm sorry can you say that again," asked Sora trying to be polite.

"Excuse moi, you don't speak French?" asked the mouse.

Sora replied "No, do you know where we are, and can you tell us where there's some land?" The mouse pointed south still dripping wet.

Jiminy steered the basket towards that direction. They headed south for a several minutes until they could see a beach in a distance. The basket slowly hit land docking on the sandy beach. Donald immediately jumped off the basket and onto the wet sand kissing the ground. Sora and Goofy looked on to see several wet animals running in a circle around a large purple rock with what appears to be a rather plump bird on top of it. The French mouse jumped off the vessel and joined them in the dance.

Sora and the others followed after the mouse laying sights at the plump bird and asked, "Excuse me, who are you and what are you doing?"

The plump bird wore 17th century garb with a powdered wig and trusty pipe in his beak. "Why have you ever seen a dodo before. Then I bet you've never participated in a caucus race I presume and whoever becomes dry first wins." The Dodo bird pointed to the wet animals dancing around the rock.

Just as the Dodo answered both Sora's questions a giant wave crashed getting everyone wet again. Jiminy fell straight on his face with missed placed sand in his mouth.

"What but that isn't going to work your still getting wet from the tide!" said Sora brushing the water from his jump suit. Donald, Goofy, and Jiminy became annoyed after just getting dry themselves. Jiminy poured water from his top hat onto the wet sandy beach. Soon another wave came and went dousing the entire company in sea water yet again. Sora managed to keep himself standing despite the onslaught of sea water. He looked passed the caucus race to see the white rabbit wash ashore from that last wave.

He got up soaked to the brim. He repositioned his glasses on his face. He placed his hand over his bottom pulling off a stray starfish before throwing it back in the sea. "I'm late, I'm late no time to get dry, I'm late, I'm late" said the rabbit before running off into the woods boarding the beach with water dripping from his clothes.

Just as the rabbit did before the young blonde girl Sora has been looking for washed ashore as well. She slid across the wet sand with an octopus wrapped around her bottom. She lifted her head catching a glimpse of the rabbit before he disappeared into the forest. The young girl got onto her feet quickly. She grabbed the octopus's tentacles yanking the creature off her dress tossing it back into the ocean. She dashed off after the rabbit without drying her clothes first. She didn't even notice Sora, or the caucus race a short distance away. She disappeared into the forest just as the rabbit did before her calling out "Wait Mr. Rabbit. Please stop."

"Wait come back," said Sora to the girl, but she did not hear him.

Sora dashed after her leaving his friends behind. Donald seeing Sora running off calls to him before another wave hits. The wave maneuvers Donald to a new position on the beach. Donald finds himself on the track of the caucus race. As the animals dance around the rock they all step on Donald as each come across him one by one. Donald's head is continually forced back into the sand by the racers feet.

He calls out to Sora who is already long gone. With that a big shoe steps on Donald's head. It was Goofy's. He has joined the caucus race to get dry. "Goof-ooo whatoooofff," muffled Donald constantly being trampled on. "Come on Donald we need to get dry. Join the race" said Goofy as he ran down the line like the other animals.

Jiminy still standing volunteered himself "Don't worry I'll get him. We'll meet up in a bit." He emptied his hat and pockets of sand and water. Jiminy dashed across the back with his hat and umbrella in his hands.

Jiminy ran into the forest trailing Sora. His clothes became dry as he whisked though the trees. Unaware of the four prying eyes that are staring at him. Jiminy ran down a path until he accidently tripped over a rock. He got up and wiped the dust off his suit. He put on his trademark hat twisting it. He slowly looked around trying to find clues where Sora went. As he turned his head two individuals appeared in front of him. These two looked identical with matching red hats and overalls. "Hello," they said at the same time. "I'm Tweedle Dee and that's Tweedle Dum," said one.

"Well hello my name is Jiminy Cricket. Listen I don't have time to talk. I'm looking for someone."

He began to march off leaving them behind. They both moved in front of him blocking his path "You don't want to leave this place just yet," Tweedle Dum said.

Jiminy ignored them and tried to walk around the strange individuals. "Sorry I have to go."

"Wait, do you wish to know the history of this world?" they both said.

Now Jiminy being interested. He turned around and agreed to stay. "Well okay I'll stay. But only for a little while," he said. Jiminy sat on the ground as the two began to tell the story. But as 2 minutes turned to 10 minutes and 10 to 25. Jiminy still sat as both the cartoon characters kept going on about their history. He looked up at the sky lying back on the soft grass. He never felt some many blades of grass rub against his body before. He soundly fell asleep while Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum began to tell a story about a walrus and a wood carver.

Sora followed the girl into the deep forest. He began to slow down as he suddenly realized he lost her trail. As he walked around, he saw that he was standing in a giant garden. There were huge flowers as large as trees of many variety. As he walked down the path he came upon a clearing of grass twice as tall as him. He brushed the grass aside reaching the end of the clearing. He saw a huge mushroom surrounded by giant blue grass. On top of the mushroom laid a caterpillar smoking a hookah.

As Sora walked towards the bug it turned to him asking "Who are you?" The smoke from its mouth moved towards Sora face. The fowl stench and smoke bothered him as he coughed and waved the smoke away.

"I'm looking for a blonde girl, have you seen her?" he asked trying to be polite.

The caterpillar ignored his question and asked again "Who are you?"

Sora not knowing what to do answered the caterpillars question as the smoke hit his face a second time. "My cough… cough… is Sora."

"Sora hmmm, such a strange name. I have not seen this girl perhaps you should speak to the white rabbit he lives down in that direction." The caterpillar pointed to the left, Sora realizing that the girl was chasing a white rabbit. He concluded if he finds the white rabbit, he'll find the girl.

He thanked the caterpillar taking off to the direction of the white rabbits home. He was about to leave until a hoard of heartless appeared from the flower petals. Sora summoned his keyblade and charged forward at his enemies defeating them. After he was done, Sora caught his breath asking the caterpillar if he's okay. "Hey, you-u," he turned to the mushroom only the caterpillars skins was atop the mushroom. Sora worried for his safety looked around to see if he can find it. As he looked up in the twinkle of the sky, a butterfly flew off in the distance.

Sora nodded knowing the caterpillar was safe.

Sora followed the caterpillar's directions and ran off. In a few minutes before he could see the house. Sora heard some screaming from above. He looked up to see a green man fall from the sky. Sora stepped aside as the man err lizard fell before him. He was dressed all in black coiffing up black smoke.

"Whoa what happened?" asked Sora as the lizard lay in front of him.

The lizard grabbed Sora's shorts to pull himself up. "Pleae-huuu a monster in the house" the creature begged. He pointed in the direction of the rabbits house, he then let go of Sora's shorts passing out.

"Huh the heartless" Sora thought. Who else could be responsible? "Don't worry I'll take care of the monster" ensured Sora to the lizard. He summoned his keyblade and charged in the direction he was already going.

When he came upon the house that belonged to the White Rabbit it was pink and white with hay for a roof. Sora saw the White Rabbit run out of the house putting on his gloves. Sora ran over to ask the rabbit where the monster is. Just before he could present himself the rabbit brought out his watch. His eyes twitched reading the arrows "Ow I'm late, I'm late. No time to worry or the Queen will have my head for sure." He ran off in quite a hurry. Sora ran after him asking "Wait what about the monster?" The rabbit turned around still moving in the same direction. "I'm late, I'm late the monsters definitely not this way."

In a quick second the rabbit was gone leaving Sora all alone. Sora curious peered into the house to see it completely trashed. "Did the heartless do all this?" he thought. He did not enter the house but rather locked the door so nobody can break in again. He walked away from the house to see where he was. As he did a thought came to him, he slapped his head. "Donald and Goofy, I lost them. I don't know where they are, and that girl doesn't seem to be around either.
Guess we're all lost." Sora not known for having the best sense of direction wondered down another path hoping to find a sign.

He followed the path for about an hour with heartless attacking every once and awhile. After some time had passed, he sat down to think about his situation. He sat under an oak tree alone. "Well, I'm lost now. I don't know where my friends are, and this place is like a mad fun house." Sora sat in silence tapping his cheek with his index finger. He soon began to hear someone crying off in the distance faintly. Sora not having any other options went off in the direction of the crying.

He ran towards the sound as it got louder and louder. Sora came across the person crying immediately recognized who she was. It was the blonde girl wearing a blue dress and white bonnet. She sat on top of a rock with a tear stained face. She didn't notice Sora until he called to her. "Are you okay, what's wrong?" The girl turned surprised looking around to see the boy normal standing before her.

When she saw him, she burst out crying even more and ran towards him. She ran in front of him falling to her knees and wrapped her arms around his waist. She rested her face on his chest as her tears stained his shirt. Sora trying to control the situation took his arms and wrapped them around her head. They stayed in this position for one whole minute. Sora looked ahead trying to think of something to say.

When her crying faded, she looked up at Sora whipping her tears off her face Sora asked again "Why are you crying?"

After she ridded the tears from her face, she took a deep breath getting on her feet trying to reply back. "I.. I'm sorry. I've just been alone for so long. I was lost and I couldn't find my way. This world is just so strange I can't understand what's going on. And to top it all off there is some monster that keeps following me. He also has other monsters who do his bedding."

Sora gasped when she mentioned them. "Wait did these monsters have yellow eyes and are black all over?"

"Why yes as a matter a fact," she replied.

"Heartless," said Sora.

"Heartless is that what they're called?" questioned Alice.

"Don't worry if those monsters come back, I'll take care of them." He summoned the keyblade much to Alice's shock. "I'll be your knight in shining armor. But I don't think we've been introduced my name's Sora. What's yours?"

The young girl grinned a bit and answered back. "My name is Ali.. huu," She stopped for a moment before correcting herself. "My name is W-Wendy."

"Well nice to meet you. Listen I have three friends. A duck, a dog, and a bug. I need to meet up with them. I'm sure they'll help protect you too. But I have one question." He said to Wendy.

"What is it?" she asked.

"Do you know where we are?" Wendy's face froze as Sora giggled and rubbed the back of his head. Unknown to them a one singular eye was staring at the girl from a bush like a tiger stalking it's prey.