Kingdom Hearts

Ch. 15

Wonderland

Reunion

"Cure"

Sora heard in a blanketed and numb state. The sound of Donald's heckled, and ruptured voice flew through his ears. Sora quickly opened his eyes to see the sky tinted red across the rose and black checkered sky.

"Sora," cried Goofy. Sora lifted his body off the ground. He was sitting up and looking down at his chest. He noticed his wounds were gone. He reached for his back but couldn't feel any bandages or scars. Sora looked in front of him with a muddled grim face before Donald and Goofy ran over to hug him.

"Sora you're alright," cried Goofy.

Sora smiled and rubbed his head, "Yeah thanks for saving me." After they let go of him Donald took his staff and wonked him on the head. "Ow what was that for?" Sora asked rubbing the bump on his head.

Donald rested his staff on his shoulder and responded, "That's for running out on us. We're supposed to stay together remember?"

"Heh-heh, sorry about that. I was just trying to-o. Wait, Alice," cried Sora desperately.

"Alice, who's Alice?" asked Goofy.

"She my friend. Alice was the girl I chased down here. We were both caught and brought before the ruler of this world. She was found guilty and is going to be executed. I've managed to escape but she's still in there." Sora looked behind him to see the castle in a distance.

"Gee. Then she's doomed. Nobody has ever evaded an execution before," said another voice. Sora looked over to see who it was. He looked upon a giant Griffin with golden feathers and fur sitting peacefully away from the three of them.

Sora recognized the creature from his storybooks. The griffin was a creature of myths and legends. Yet it sat right before him like everything was normal. Sora silently shrugged it off after coming to terms with everyone and everything that inhabited this world. He just causally excepted it and asked, "Who are you?"

The Griffin replied, "My name is The Griffin."

"Wait you're a griffin and your name's Griffin?" Sora said.

The Griffin lifted its paw and scratched his neck. "No, it's 'THE Griffin.' First name 'The.' Last name 'Griffin.' 'The' is a common name for males.

Sora too concerned with Alice brushed the question off and asked, "Is there any way to save her?"

The Griffin responded assertively, "What, that's like asking a flammberdoodle mechanic how to fix a door hinge. How would I know?"

"I'm sorry," Sora said shaking off what The Griffin said.

"Sora, how's Jiminy doing?" asked Goofy.

Sora lifted his head at Goofy. "Jiminy I thought he was with you?" answered Sora.

Donald thrashed out in anger, "What, were still missing someone. We've been searching for you all day. How are we supposed to find him?"

"Don't threat my friends. I'm am right here," shouted someone from high above.

The gang looked up to see a flying object head towards them. It came closer as the gang could make out the figure. A butterfly with a rider perched on its back flew towards them. Finally the animal landed in front of them. "Hey Sora. I was wondering where you went. Looks like you've found everyone," said the figure.

"Wait, Jiminy is that you?" said Sora.

"Yep," he replied. Jiminy was about as tall as Donald riding a butterfly and holding a javelin like a knight. He hopped off the animal and walked over to Sora and slapped him. "That's what you get for running off on your own," Jiminy said seriously.

"I know, I know. Donald already gave this therapy lesson," he said while rubbing his cheek.

"Oh Jiminy. These are your friends you were telling me about. I'd thought they'd be taller," said the butterfly.

"Hey, I know you," said Sora to the butterfly. "You were the Caterpillar that I met in the forest awhile back."

The butterfly nodded "Ah yes, I do remember you."

Jiminy immediately turned around toward the butterfly, "Wait you've seen Sora. When I asked if you saw them? You said they never crossed paths with you. I gave very detailed descriptions of their appearances."

"Why off course. You said that he were big enough that you could fit into his pockets. I was certain your friends were giants. You must be more specific next time," the butterfly assertedly pointed out.

"I never factored that in. I can only blame myself I guess," Jiminy said abashed.

Goofy walked over to Jiminy placing his hand on the crickets head, "Well Jiminy how's it feel that your one of the big guys now?"

Jiminy was almost normal height even taller than Donald. "Well it really makes a person envy others. Like when my journal was stolen by two hoodlums awhile back. I wouldn't have been able to get it back unless I was big like all of you," he said gratefully.

"Jiminy where did you get that weapon of yours?" asked Goofy.

Jiminy lifted his javelin up to show it off. "I got this from the Checkered Lands. It is the weapon of a knight. You see while searching for you I met "The" over here." He pointed over to the butterfly.

Sora interrupted Jiminy, "Wait is your name 'The Caterpillar?' First name 'The.' Last Name 'Caterpillar," turning towards the former caterpillar.

The Caterpillar nodded "Yes, it's quite a common name. I can't tell you how many other The's I have met. I am practically referred to as The Caterpillar all the time. Just so other people wouldn't confuse me with someone else. I wish my parents were better at coming up with names. I wish they'd give me a more unique or uncommon name like Steve or Bob."

"Preaching to the choir," said The Griffin empathizing with The Caterpillars struggles and frustrations.

Jiminy continued his story after being interrupted. The Cricket became more involved and passionate about his tale as he went on. "Well as I was saying. I climbed on his back and we flew all over Wonderland trying to find you. Eventually we came across a land set out like a chess table. We came down and met the White Queen. She asked that we take the role of one of the knights in a game of chess. The original knight couldn't come to battle after getting food poisoning from a bad bowl of Mocking Turtle soup. She gave me this javelin to fight the enemy. The Red Army. It was a marvelous battle but in the end. We managed to win the day. I was able to put the Red King into checkmate. Unfortunately not without consequences."

The Caterpillar bowed his head in grief. Jiminy's tone became more emotional and distraught. "In order put the enemy king in checkmate. The Queen had to sacrifice herself as bait for the enemy." Soon tears began to fall down their eyes. They were both grieving for their fallen comrade.

"After the war ended a pawn was chosen to be her replacement. We left shortly after being knighted," Jiminy said sobbingly.

"Are you okay?" asked Donald.

"Yes. I'll be fine," he said trying to contain his sorrows. Jiminy wiped his tears away trying to compose himself. "So what happened with all you?" he asked. Sora sat down and explained to the gang everything that happened to him and Alice.

"What the Queen of Hearts is going to execute that poor girl," said Jiminy astonished.

"Yeah and I couldn't save here," Sora said pulling his hood over his head.

Goofy looked at Donald, "But if she is from another wo-I mean land like us shouldn't we do something?"

Sora turned to Donald, "Yeah Donald. We've got to do something."

Donald crossed his arms and said, "Well we shouldn't be medaling but that girl is from another world like us. So I'm sure saving her wouldn't break the rules. Besides we won't want Sora lose his girlfriend now." He smiled at Sora and winked.

Sora stomped his foot down and said, "She's not my girlfriend."

Goofy got in on the action "I don't know Sora. You seem to care about her a lot."

"Shut up," he said before turning away from them.

Jiminy then spoke again. "Well when is her execution going take place."

"Around 5:30," Sora said.

The Caterpillar brought out his watch and told the time, "its 5:02:56:09."

"What we have less than a half an hour," Sora said startled. He dashed off waving at his friends encouraging them to follow. "Come on guys the castle is this way." He went off ahead while the other's trailed behind him.

"Wait Sora," cried Donald. Donald, Goofy, and Jiminy followed him on foot. While The and the other The followed him by the air.

After coming to their destination Sora stopped atop a hill a short distance away from the castle. The rest of the gang caught up to him. WONK "Y-ow," cried Sora after getting hit again by Donald. The Caterpillar and The Griffin landed behind Donald and Goofy.

"Didn't you learn anything?" said Donald holding the staff in his hand.

Sora rubbed the 2nd bump on his head and replied, "Sorry, we just don't have enough time."

Goofy smiled "Told ya he likes her." Sora too determined to be offended just ignored the comment.

Jiminy commented "Yeah Sora, we don't even have a plan."

"Well what do you think we should do?" asked Sora. The gang pondered a bit before Goofy got an idea. "Why don't we just barge through the front door?"

Sora shook his head, "No, there's a whole army of cards within that castle. Even if we could beat them it would take too long."

"Well, why not ask the cricket? He can get you through over the castles walls," said another familiar voice.

Sora looked around and said, "I know that voice."

"So do I?" said Donald concerned. Everyone surveyed their surroundings trying to see whose talking to them. Soon a floating mouth appeared in front of them.

Sora's seen this before. It was a grin without a cat. Then the rest of the Cheshire Cat appeared out of thin air. His paws stretched on the grassy terrain like a calm rabbit. "You wish to get inside the palace. And save poor Alice."

"Yes, can you help us?" asked Sora.

"I can't, but he can." The Cheshire Cat pointed at Jiminy. "He has the key to save poor Alice. Contained in a place where all items bigger then they seem go." The Cheshire Cat laughed as his grin disappeared first then the rest of him after that.

"That's a familiar sight," Sora thought. A cat without a grin.

The gang looked over to Jiminy. "What does he mean Jiminy?" asked Goofy.

Jiminy shook his head "I don't know."

"Hey Jiminy, where's your javelin?" asked Donald.

"Oh I've got it right here." Jiminy took off his top hat and reached inside. He then pulled out the handle of the javelin.

Goofy then asked, "What kind of hat is that?"

"Oh this. The wizard Merlin put a spell on this hat so I can put any amount of material in as I want. This is where I keep my journal and everything else, I own," he said stuffing the weapon back into his cap.

"Wait, who's Merlin?" asked Sora.

"Will tell you later," said Goofy. "Right now we got to focus on your girlfriend."

"She not my," Sora said before just giving up mid-sentence.

The Caterpillar then spoke up, "Perhaps the key is in your hat. Remember what the cat said. In the place where anything of any size can fit."

Sora's interest was piqued, "Yeah you're right. Jiminy what else do you got in there?"

Jiminy reached down in his hat and responded, "Well other than my javelin and journal. I only have some pencil and small cakes for the road."

Sora frowned again, "Is that it?"

"Sorry," Jiminy said.

He pulled out one of the cakes and tossed it into his mouth. Soon without any warning Jiminy began to grow tremendously. He fell over growing six times the size he was before. "Wow," said Jiminy shocked at his new transformation. Everyone retreated away as Jiminy's limbs spread out on the grassy plain.

"Jiminy you okay?" cried Goofy. The Griffin and The Caterpillar flew up to get a good look at the giant Cricket. Everything except his top hat grew with him.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" asked Donald.

Goofy then commented "Probably not."

"Not you. I'm talking to Sora," said Donald flustered.

Sora looked up after grabbing Jiminy's top hat off the ground. He stared at their giant friend and said to himself softly, "Don't worry Alice we're coming."