(An: You people should be grateful. The inspiration for this chapter bit me during what would've been quite a peaceful sleep and didn't leave me alone until I went and wrote the damn thing in longhand. Fuzzy, we're all confused. Everyone, if you like my fics, go read Strange Fuzz's. NOW. They're quite a bit less confusing then mine... and apparently less predictable. Uhm, yeah, couple of bad words in this chapter so begone if you dislike that stuff.)
(Cheshire)
The Queen's castle is empty, as I thought.
Our footsteps echo hollowly down the long hallways. Nothing and no one is here... so it would seem.
(Alice)
I stay close to Cheshire, the memories smothering me like a mental gag. I don't feel as assured as I did last night. Who would, in a place like this?
(Rogue)
Alice and Cheshire lead the way, so close it's hard to tell where one ends and the other begins.
Remy and I trail behind.
What do I fear more than Apocalypse? The thought keeps running through my mind, unless I risk a glance at Remy. Then it's What does he think of me? again.
I'm not sure which is worse.
(Cheshire)
We come inside the throne room by accident, and find I'm wrong- there areother people here.
It's the Tweedles, oddly different, like everything else. Tweedle Dee is emanciated and now posesses silver locks, but it's Dum who's really noticeable- he being a she with straight black locks.
They're arguing, but that's to be expected.
They pause in mid-insult, looking at Alice and Rogue. "Would you like to help us battle?" they ask in unison.
(Rogue)
I barely hear their question, the poem in my mind prevalent.
Tweedle
Dum and Tweedle Dee
Agreed to have a battle
For Tweedle Dum
said Tweedle Dee
Had spoiled his nice new rattle
Just then
flew down a monstrous crow
As black as a tar barrel
Which
frightened both the heroes so
They quite forgot their
quarrel
"Why is a raven like a writing desk?" I whisper.
Remy glances at me, frowning, as if reading my thoughts.
(Alice)
"No, we would not," I reply. "Have either of you seen a portal?"
Dee ignores my question. "Oh, but we do so need to battle," she sighs. She scowls at her twin. "He broke my lovely rattle."
"Blame me for everything," Dum mutters.
(Cheshire)
They probably would've started arguing again, if there hadn't been a deafening squawk from behind the bare throne.
An explosion of almost comical terror comes across both Tweedles, and they dash off. But that's another thing to be expected.
What is new is the gigantic black bird.that steps from behind the throne, right in front of Rogue. It pauses, and then croons, "My daughter."
(Alice)
Rogue stands as still as a statue as the bird comes ever closer. Then she laughs. It's not a pleasant sound- far too close to things I heard in the asylum. She tilts her head back and laughs again. "Is that really the best you can do?" she asks, seemingly of the raven, but it really seems to be directed at all Wonderland... or maybe herself.
(Remy)
Mystique, I think. It makes sense.
Rogue shakes her head. "Ah'm not scared of you."
This is apparently the response this awful caricature of her foster mother has been waiting for, since a pleased gleam enters its eyes, and it leans forward as if to bite her head off.
"Ok, so maybe Ah am scared," Rogue admits, meeting its eyes. "But not of you. Ah'm scared of you coming and fucking with my life again." Regret enters her voice. "Ah've already done that, so why don't you just get out of mah way and let me go home?"
(Cheshire)
What she does next is unexpected by everybody... but especially the raven. Rogue reaches back and grabs the Vorpal Blade from Alice and hurls it straight into the monster's open beak.
"Ah'm not scared of you," Rogue repeats.
The raven screeches once, blood dripping from its maw, and then falls over. Its wing twitches once, twice... and then stillness. The raven disappears to be replaced by a portal.
Alice goes over and retrievers her Blade.
(Remy)
Rogue makes a soft sound. I look over and realize she's crying. "...Rogue?"
"Ah am scared," she whispers. "She's mah mom. What if Ah turn out like her- a conniving bitch who ruins everyone's life?"
She's gonna hurt me later. I banish this thought and pull her close. "Y' won't, 'cause y' aren't like her."
Rogue looks up, meeting my eyes for the first time in I don't know how long.
(Rogue)
I'm just about to suggest we go through the portal, when suddenly Remy is kissing me. I try to pull away for a moment, but his grip is too strong, and besides, nothing bad's gonna happen. I relax and for a few sweet moments there's nothing but Remy and me and none of the shit between us.
(Cheshire)
They break off and Remy nods at us.
Rogue steps through the portal without a backward glance and he quickly follows.
There is a rush of wind and a flash of light as the portal closes.
(And that's that. Blegh, I should've typed this up last night. I don't like it as much as I did then. Click on for the last chappy.)