(AN: I would make excuses as to not updating in forever, but they're the same as last time. (grins sheepishly) Despite my terrible writer's block, I shall continue… here is chapter 6!)
"Quick!" cried Charlotte. "Is there any crowbars, lead pipes, sticks, or anything else I could possibly use to pry this cage door open?"
Crocker rolled his eyes. "There's NOTHING in here! That evil guy might be a complete idiot, but he isn't going to give us that obvious of an escape!"
Charlotte flopped down against the wall. "Look, Crocker, I'm not content to just rot in here for the rest of my pitiful life!"
"And you think I am?" cried Crocker. "Roosevelt, there's FAIRY GODPARENTS out there just waiting to be captured by me!" He broke into his evil laughter but Charlotte cut him off.
"Please, call me Charlotte." She sighed. "If we're going to spend the rest of our lives here, we might as well be a little less formal."
"Alright… Charlotte… as long as you call me Denzel!" said Crocker.
"Done," said Charlotte. "So, Denzel, do you have any ideas as to how to get outta here?"
Crocker thought for a moment. Finally, he said, "Are there any crowbars or anything we could use to pry the door open?"
Charlotte rolled her eyes. "We already discussed that, if you'll remember. …God I wanna get outta here! Who does that random evil guy think he is, anyway? And what on earth does he want Castle for?"
"Maybe he wants to harness her FAIRY energy to become supreme ruler of the universe! IT WAS MY IDEA FIRST!"
Again, Charlotte rolled her eyes. "You're crazy. Seriously. Fairies don't exist! Castle is just a little human girl! And if you don't believe me, you saw it yourself when you tried to 'harness her fairy energy'. She HAD NONE!"
Crocker stared at Charlotte defiantly, then slumped against the wall as well. Charlotte started to mumble to herself, "Now, if I had two small sticks, I could rub them together, make a fire, and heat the lock so we get outta here… what do I have to work with… nothing, huh? Well, that sets me back a little…"
Crocker snorted. "Why don't YOU give it up?" he asked.
Charlotte stared at him. "What do you mean by that?"
"There's obviously no way to get out of here!" cried Crocker, his arms flailing in the air. "So stop trying to think of one!"
"If there is one, I'll think of it," said Charlotte. She turned her back to him, obviously trying to think without any distractions. Crocker, in return, turned his back to her. The two sat cross-legged, facing the walls, in deep thought.
After a few minutes of silence Charlotte finally spoke. "It's too quiet," she said. "I can't concentrate."
"Well, what do you think we should do about it?" asked Crocker sarcastically.
Charlotte was quiet for a moment. "This is working," she finally said.
"What is?"
"Us talking. If we just talk about something--anything--then maybe we'll say something that'll trigger an idea as to how to get out of here."
Crocker actually seemed pleased with the idea. "Alright! I'm going to tell you about what I'll do as the supreme ruler of the universe!"
"Hopefully submit yourself to a mental institution," muttered Charlotte.
Crocker had had it. "Look Charlotte! If you've suffered as much from the imbeciles that infest our planet as I have, then maybe you'd want to be their ruler and PUNISH them as much as I do! HEH HEH HEH HEH HEHEHEHEHHAAAHHAAAA!"
His laughter died away. Charlotte gave Crocker a very serious look. "What do you mean, suffered?"
"I've suffered from people like YOU, who mock my ideas as a load of bull!"
Charlotte sighed. "I'm sorry," she said slowly, thinking every word through before she said it. "It's not… necessarily your fairy obsession that I get annoyed at. It's that crazed way you talk about them. If you think fairies exist, that's fine with me, but if you're trying to tell someone it, don't lose your control."
Crocker looked as if he had just seen the light, with eyes wide with wonder. "Do you really think people will believe me if I… calm down?"
"Not necessarily," said Charlotte quickly. "They'd just be more willing to listen, I think." She shuffled her feet out from under her and stretched them out. "I don't know if you've noticed this or not, but not everyone in the world is going to agree with everything you say."
"…True…" Crocker hated to admit to Charlotte that she was right, but the way she had said it, he couldn't help it. Charlotte knew how to argue, that's for sure.
There was silence for awhile.
Finally Charlotte asked, "So you've always been mocked for your theories, huh? And it's really ruined your life?"
"Ruined it?" cried Crocker. He turned completely around, so he and Charlotte were now facing each other. "Their mocking lost me the respect of all my family and colleagues! It even lost me my one true love-who is now the principal and I don't love her as much as I used to--"
"Love isn't everything it's cracked up to be," muttered Charlotte darkly.
Crocker looked at Charlotte in surprise. "What do you mean by that?"
"Oh, nothing," muttered Charlotte. "Just that I married a complete deadbeat, and I was too 'in love' to realize how smarmy he was."
"I didn't know you were married," said Crocker.
"I'm not, not anymore," said Charlotte. "I divorced him, and took back my maiden name. I'd much rather be a Roosevelt than a… I can't even stand to say his name. I even changed Ashley's last name to Roose--" Charlotte's voice broke off suddenly.
"Who's Ashley? Your daughter?" asked Crocker.
Charlotte nodded, unable to speak.
"I didn't know you have a child."
Chralotte gulped down her tears. "Not anymore. She… she was killed."
"Oh," said Crocker suddenly. Then, with great effort on his part, "I'm sorry."
"Well don't be," said Charlotte gruffly. "It's not your fault."
There was silence again.
Charlotte's shaky voice broke it. "So what makes you think that fairies exist anyway?"
Crocker was unusually quiet. Finally he said, "I… well, I know what it was. I suddenly noticed I was holding this little piece of machinery that said 'Fairy godparents exist' on the back. It seemed to be some sort of fairy detector. But… that was all the proof I had, and even though it seemed to show fairies, it was always something else. Someone probably just gave it to me as a practical joke… but fairies have been my whole passion this whole time! I wanted to be supreme ruler, and I needed fairies for that!"
Charlotte couldn't help but smile to herself. He might be crazy, but he seemed to be coming to his senses, at least a little. "So it's all because of a little piece of machinery. How does it work, anyway?"
"Well, it--here, let me show you." Crocker reached into his pocket and pulled out his fairy detector.
Charlotte gasped. "You mean, all this time you had that with you?"
"Of course!" said Crocker. "You never know when you might see a FAIRY!"
Charlotte grabbed it from him. "Denzel," she said, her voice dripping with excitement, "this could just get us out of here!"
Crocker looked utterly confused. "But how?"
Charlotte ripped the back off the gadget. Crocker gasped in shock and anger.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO MY FAIRY DETECTOR?"
"Oh, be quiet. You wouldn't even be able to use it anyway if we never got out of here. Besides, you said it yourself that it was probably just some joke someone pulled on you." Charlotte rummaged through all the microchips and other assorted parts. "If this is any type of detector, though, it's gotta have a laser. And that can get us outta here!" She pulled out something that looked like a tiny laser pointer. "There!"
Crocker watched as Charlotte pointed the tiny laser at the lock. Nothing was happening. "You're crazy!" he cried.
"No, you are," replied Charlotte. "In just about five seconds it should happen. Three, two, one--"
The lock fell off with a clang. Charlotte pushed the cell door open smugly. "That was a little trick I learned in my community college general science class." She grinned. "Told ya I'd find a way outta here if there was one."
Charlotte walked out of the cell, dragging Crocker with her. "Let's go this way," she said, turning to the left. Crocker stood dumbly watching her.
The way she had done that! She's intelligent! Crocker's thoughts swarmed in his head. And she's witty, and she's been through a lot more than I have, and she hasn't let that get her down… and she's beautiful…
Crocker's jaw dropped as he suddenly felt a feeling blossom up inside of him, a feeling he hadn't felt in years. A feeling that made him floaty, drifty, confused, and giddy.
He was in love!
(AN: Romantic time! Now this story's getting interestin'. So hopefully I'll update soon. (That's what I said last time…) See you later!)
"Quick!" cried Charlotte. "Is there any crowbars, lead pipes, sticks, or anything else I could possibly use to pry this cage door open?"
Crocker rolled his eyes. "There's NOTHING in here! That evil guy might be a complete idiot, but he isn't going to give us that obvious of an escape!"
Charlotte flopped down against the wall. "Look, Crocker, I'm not content to just rot in here for the rest of my pitiful life!"
"And you think I am?" cried Crocker. "Roosevelt, there's FAIRY GODPARENTS out there just waiting to be captured by me!" He broke into his evil laughter but Charlotte cut him off.
"Please, call me Charlotte." She sighed. "If we're going to spend the rest of our lives here, we might as well be a little less formal."
"Alright… Charlotte… as long as you call me Denzel!" said Crocker.
"Done," said Charlotte. "So, Denzel, do you have any ideas as to how to get outta here?"
Crocker thought for a moment. Finally, he said, "Are there any crowbars or anything we could use to pry the door open?"
Charlotte rolled her eyes. "We already discussed that, if you'll remember. …God I wanna get outta here! Who does that random evil guy think he is, anyway? And what on earth does he want Castle for?"
"Maybe he wants to harness her FAIRY energy to become supreme ruler of the universe! IT WAS MY IDEA FIRST!"
Again, Charlotte rolled her eyes. "You're crazy. Seriously. Fairies don't exist! Castle is just a little human girl! And if you don't believe me, you saw it yourself when you tried to 'harness her fairy energy'. She HAD NONE!"
Crocker stared at Charlotte defiantly, then slumped against the wall as well. Charlotte started to mumble to herself, "Now, if I had two small sticks, I could rub them together, make a fire, and heat the lock so we get outta here… what do I have to work with… nothing, huh? Well, that sets me back a little…"
Crocker snorted. "Why don't YOU give it up?" he asked.
Charlotte stared at him. "What do you mean by that?"
"There's obviously no way to get out of here!" cried Crocker, his arms flailing in the air. "So stop trying to think of one!"
"If there is one, I'll think of it," said Charlotte. She turned her back to him, obviously trying to think without any distractions. Crocker, in return, turned his back to her. The two sat cross-legged, facing the walls, in deep thought.
After a few minutes of silence Charlotte finally spoke. "It's too quiet," she said. "I can't concentrate."
"Well, what do you think we should do about it?" asked Crocker sarcastically.
Charlotte was quiet for a moment. "This is working," she finally said.
"What is?"
"Us talking. If we just talk about something--anything--then maybe we'll say something that'll trigger an idea as to how to get out of here."
Crocker actually seemed pleased with the idea. "Alright! I'm going to tell you about what I'll do as the supreme ruler of the universe!"
"Hopefully submit yourself to a mental institution," muttered Charlotte.
Crocker had had it. "Look Charlotte! If you've suffered as much from the imbeciles that infest our planet as I have, then maybe you'd want to be their ruler and PUNISH them as much as I do! HEH HEH HEH HEH HEHEHEHEHHAAAHHAAAA!"
His laughter died away. Charlotte gave Crocker a very serious look. "What do you mean, suffered?"
"I've suffered from people like YOU, who mock my ideas as a load of bull!"
Charlotte sighed. "I'm sorry," she said slowly, thinking every word through before she said it. "It's not… necessarily your fairy obsession that I get annoyed at. It's that crazed way you talk about them. If you think fairies exist, that's fine with me, but if you're trying to tell someone it, don't lose your control."
Crocker looked as if he had just seen the light, with eyes wide with wonder. "Do you really think people will believe me if I… calm down?"
"Not necessarily," said Charlotte quickly. "They'd just be more willing to listen, I think." She shuffled her feet out from under her and stretched them out. "I don't know if you've noticed this or not, but not everyone in the world is going to agree with everything you say."
"…True…" Crocker hated to admit to Charlotte that she was right, but the way she had said it, he couldn't help it. Charlotte knew how to argue, that's for sure.
There was silence for awhile.
Finally Charlotte asked, "So you've always been mocked for your theories, huh? And it's really ruined your life?"
"Ruined it?" cried Crocker. He turned completely around, so he and Charlotte were now facing each other. "Their mocking lost me the respect of all my family and colleagues! It even lost me my one true love-who is now the principal and I don't love her as much as I used to--"
"Love isn't everything it's cracked up to be," muttered Charlotte darkly.
Crocker looked at Charlotte in surprise. "What do you mean by that?"
"Oh, nothing," muttered Charlotte. "Just that I married a complete deadbeat, and I was too 'in love' to realize how smarmy he was."
"I didn't know you were married," said Crocker.
"I'm not, not anymore," said Charlotte. "I divorced him, and took back my maiden name. I'd much rather be a Roosevelt than a… I can't even stand to say his name. I even changed Ashley's last name to Roose--" Charlotte's voice broke off suddenly.
"Who's Ashley? Your daughter?" asked Crocker.
Charlotte nodded, unable to speak.
"I didn't know you have a child."
Chralotte gulped down her tears. "Not anymore. She… she was killed."
"Oh," said Crocker suddenly. Then, with great effort on his part, "I'm sorry."
"Well don't be," said Charlotte gruffly. "It's not your fault."
There was silence again.
Charlotte's shaky voice broke it. "So what makes you think that fairies exist anyway?"
Crocker was unusually quiet. Finally he said, "I… well, I know what it was. I suddenly noticed I was holding this little piece of machinery that said 'Fairy godparents exist' on the back. It seemed to be some sort of fairy detector. But… that was all the proof I had, and even though it seemed to show fairies, it was always something else. Someone probably just gave it to me as a practical joke… but fairies have been my whole passion this whole time! I wanted to be supreme ruler, and I needed fairies for that!"
Charlotte couldn't help but smile to herself. He might be crazy, but he seemed to be coming to his senses, at least a little. "So it's all because of a little piece of machinery. How does it work, anyway?"
"Well, it--here, let me show you." Crocker reached into his pocket and pulled out his fairy detector.
Charlotte gasped. "You mean, all this time you had that with you?"
"Of course!" said Crocker. "You never know when you might see a FAIRY!"
Charlotte grabbed it from him. "Denzel," she said, her voice dripping with excitement, "this could just get us out of here!"
Crocker looked utterly confused. "But how?"
Charlotte ripped the back off the gadget. Crocker gasped in shock and anger.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO MY FAIRY DETECTOR?"
"Oh, be quiet. You wouldn't even be able to use it anyway if we never got out of here. Besides, you said it yourself that it was probably just some joke someone pulled on you." Charlotte rummaged through all the microchips and other assorted parts. "If this is any type of detector, though, it's gotta have a laser. And that can get us outta here!" She pulled out something that looked like a tiny laser pointer. "There!"
Crocker watched as Charlotte pointed the tiny laser at the lock. Nothing was happening. "You're crazy!" he cried.
"No, you are," replied Charlotte. "In just about five seconds it should happen. Three, two, one--"
The lock fell off with a clang. Charlotte pushed the cell door open smugly. "That was a little trick I learned in my community college general science class." She grinned. "Told ya I'd find a way outta here if there was one."
Charlotte walked out of the cell, dragging Crocker with her. "Let's go this way," she said, turning to the left. Crocker stood dumbly watching her.
The way she had done that! She's intelligent! Crocker's thoughts swarmed in his head. And she's witty, and she's been through a lot more than I have, and she hasn't let that get her down… and she's beautiful…
Crocker's jaw dropped as he suddenly felt a feeling blossom up inside of him, a feeling he hadn't felt in years. A feeling that made him floaty, drifty, confused, and giddy.
He was in love!
(AN: Romantic time! Now this story's getting interestin'. So hopefully I'll update soon. (That's what I said last time…) See you later!)
