Hi again!
Something to consider: my lovely chapter title. I awfully proud of it. I'm pretty sure quite a few of you already know what it is referring to and probably know already who the 'slithy cat' is, but that's only if you love Lewis Carroll, are very perceptive of a certain Disney Movie, or are a lover of poetry. Because I feel it would just spoil the fun to explain the gibberish, I'll explain it in my random mostly unrelated fact (RMUF).
Please enjoy.
Chapter 3
'Twas Eternity and the Slithy Cat
By, Greykey
O.o
What are you going to do after this?
I'm going to search for Sora and Kairi.
Perhaps you should ally yourself with Maleficent, then.
What? Why?
Maleficent is powerful, and she has many connections. Perhaps she could find your friends for you. Wouldn't that make life so much easier?
Stop that. I can see right through you.
Whatever do you mean?
You want me to work for Maleficent. I don't know why, but you do. It's like you're not even trying to conceal the fact you want me to. Well you know what? Tough luck, cause I don't need that witch, or you, to find my friends. I'm perfectly capable. So why don't you take your poor persuasive skills, and her connections and shove it.
…
Uhg, now you don't want to talk to me.
O.o
Riku hopped out of ship and was met by Maleficent smiling pleasantly.
"Mission completed I trust?" she inquired.
He picked up the unconscious princess and held her out to Maleficent. She grinned and stomped her staff on the ground. The princess evaporated out of his arms and Maleficent, along with her pet crow grinned satisfyingly.
"Well done, Riku. You shall have your ship as promised," she said.
"Great…" Riku glanced around the loading area, there were several ships, very few of them were big, "So… which one is it?"
"Oh, none of these. They belong to associates of mine, yours is coming. Tomorrow," she turned around and began to leave.
"What!" Riku snapped, "Tomorrow? What am I supposed to do until then!"
"You may choose a room and sleep," Maleficent said nonchalantly, "You've been gone for an entire day, and I'm going to assume you didn't sleep on your mission, so you'll need to now. May I suggest trying the room four doors from this one? It's quite nice."
She left the loading area.
Riku scoffed. He wasn't expecting to have to wait for his ship.
Another thought entered his mind: had he really not slept in so long? He wasn't feeling too tired right now. Maybe he was knocked out longer than he thought after the destruction of the islands.
He left the loading area. He wasn't sleepy, so he found resting out of the question. Perhaps he should explore the bastion.
The first room he looked into was the room Maleficent suggested should be his room. It was indeed nice. A lot better than his room back home. It was lowly lit by a single candle and the twilight sky outside.
The room was painted a light blue-grey color. The bed was about the size of a full, he would guess, and dark blue pillows and duvet cover adorned it. Two wooden side tables sat on both sides of the bed One had a handheld mirror (a rather feminine mirror), and the other, a candle.
There was also a desk with blank paper and a quill on the other side of the room. Perhaps this was a writer's room back when there were people here…
Riku sat on the bed and bounced on it for good measure. Good grief. Must have been a freaking important writer because the bed was really comfortable. Perhaps sleeping wouldn't be a bad idea…
He laid down on the bed and closed his eyes. He couldn't quite fall asleep immediately. Memories and thoughts of the Destiny Islands and Snow White's world and this world distracted him from rest.
He had forsaken Destiny Islands, his home. By opening the door, he had rejected almost everyone. His family, Tidus, Wakka, Selphie, and everyone else in that world. Only Sora and Kairi exist now, his two closest friends… the only people he ever found room in his heart to care about. He had to wonder where they were now… Were they stuck on some world, like he would have been if not for Maleficent? Or worse, the world they landed on got swallowed like Snow White's world… then they would be lost to him… no, the voice had assured him that they would be safe…
Riku turned over onto his side.
He hoped they were safe. Especially Kairi… At least so far, all the worlds he had been to have had less than likable people. Kairi was resourceful, but she lacked in the running and strength department. If she was pitted against some dangerous people or things, chances were she'd be able to neither fight nor run away. Sora on the other hand was a fighter, almost on par with him, making him a best rival and closest friend to Riku. However, Sora's inability to think things through had landed him (and Riku on occasion) into trouble before. He'd probably say something stupid in a foreign world and offend everyone (unknowingly of course) and then find his head on a chopping block.
Riku opened his eyes and sat up grumbling. He was too stressed to go to sleep. He left the room and pondered where he should go next. A thought popped into his head: what about that weird looking room with the other princesses? Would Snow White be there now? Personally, he didn't want to see her in that containing thing, but that room looked fairly interesting. Who knows what else it might contain?
He walked further down the hall, trying to remember how to get to the chapel. He made a couple of turns he thought he made last time, and scanned down ever passage for the elevator that had led him down here.
After a while of searching, he sighed and figured he was lost. He leaned up against a wall and tried to rest his mind. In the silence, his ears picked something up from the other side of the wall. His energy rose immensely as he found the door leading to the room and put his ear against it. These were the 'associates' Maleficent mentioned earlier, weren't they?
"Impressive, the key wielder took down that Guard Armor Heartless." The voice was sleek and sophisticated, and had a hint of persuasion to it.
"No, not really. That was rather a weak creature, that was." The voice was heavily accented by something, but Riku couldn't pinpoint what.
"I agree, if not for that key, I wouldn't consider this kid a threat at all," the voice let out a roar of laughter, "He looks kind of puny to me."
"True… Hey, Maleficent-" Riku's ears perked up, "-Don't you think we should be worrying more about that King guy… Ricky Rat or whatever?"
"Yes, and what about the boy you have?" an unpleasant female voice joined into the conversation, "Is he really to be trusted? After all, he did kill off ol' queeny…" Riku's eyes narrowed… they were talking about him?
"His majesty will not be disturbing our plans too thoroughly I think," Maleficent's voice reigned above all others, clearly being the leader of the group, "He seems to want to rely on the key wielder… if the king thinks he's good enough for us, who are we to deny his wish…?" The beginning sounds of protest sounded but Maleficent continued cutting them off, "As for Riku… it is impolite to eavesdrop behind closed doors…"
A raven's caw came from behind him. Riku's head reared back and saw Maleficent's pet raven perched on a near-by candelabrum. He mentally kicked himself. He should have seen this coming… The door was swung open by a skinny man in pirates' clothing. He glared down at Riku suspiciously. His nose was huge and he had a black mustache to match his long black hair. Riku recognized that the accent he couldn't place must have been that of a pirate's and figured this was the man who had mentioned the weak heartless…
Riku peered into the room to see six more bodies.
"Come in," Maleficent beckoned.
The pirate stood aside and Riku stepped in. There was a picture on a lit surface, but before Riku had enough time to figure out what it was of, the image flattened and the surface became nothing more than a light source.
Maleficent glided toward him and placed an arm around his shoulder, much to his distaste. "Allow me to introduce. All, this is Riku," she motioned toward another skinny man, but in a turban, "Jafar." Neither he nor Riku exchanged nods of acknowledgement and Maleficent continued, "Hook," she showed him the man who had let him in. The next person… or thing rather he was introduced to looked like a ratty enormous sack, "Oogie Boogie." Then there was a blue man in a toga with fire for hair, "Hades." Next was a purple obese woman with white hair and had octopus tentacles instead of legs, "Ursula."
So far, Riku could identify all of the voices with the people who said them, but there was one last body Maleficent introduced who hadn't talked the entire time. A purple cat with dark purple stripes grinned back at him in a knowing, cocky sort of way. It was the first face that had greeted him with a smile ever since Destiny Islands (with the exception of Maleficent), but the way the cat presented himself, Riku quickly decided him unlikable.
"This is the Cheshire Cat," Maleficent announced lastly, "All-"
"How do you do?" the Cheshire cat interrupted Maleficent. This caught Riku off guard. He didn't expect anyone to cut off Maleficent firstly, and he wasn't really expecting anyone to even consider having civilized introduction with him.
"Well… I guess…" Riku said, feeling awkward, something that he really despised feeling, "And you?"
"Very well," the cat never ceased smiling, "Thank you for asking. Pity though…"
Riku couldn't stop himself from asking, "What's a pity?"
"I don't know, tell me, what's a pity?" the Cheshire puzzled, grinning like a madman.
"…….. What?" Riku stared at the cat confused.
"Don't mind the cat," Hades said, "He's a little… crazy."
"You are quite mistaken dear sir, I am not crazy. Mad, yes, crazy, heavens no," the cat stated confidently almost bouncing a little bit.
"It's the same thing."
"What is?"
"Crazy and mad."
"What about crazy and mad?"
Hades bristled and the tips of the flames on his head started to turn red, "Are you messing with me!"
"Why-"
"Enough!" Maleficent silenced the two. Hades returned to blue, and for the first time since Riku came in, the Cheshire cat stopped smiling. He wasn't scowling, though. It was nothing more than an impassive look toward Maleficent, however he might have been hissing and raving since the contrast was so great.
"I believe that this meeting is ready to be concluded. Cheshire Cat, the key wielder is heading toward your world, and you must retrieve the princess as well," Maleficent said.
A small smile returned to the cat, but it now resembled more of a cocky sneer, "My apologies, I am not a part of this tea party." Riku looked up in shock at Maleficent who looked genuinely frustrated. Her hand tightened around her staff and the cat's stripes started to slowly fade away, "Don't be too upset. I know, like all queens you want it to be your way and only your way. I'll bring Alice and gimble the key wielder and be done by brillig tomorrow," he giggled madly as the rest of his stripes began to vanish, "But let us not forget what happens after you use the light to enlarge your shadow…" Only his mouth remained, and in all befitting word-play he chuckled, "you disappear!" The Cheshire cat was no where to be seen.
The room remained silent for the next moment or two. All stared at Maleficent, who looked positively angered. Her harsh grasping of her staff had turned her knuckles white (or at least a very pale green) and her eyes were narrowed down to slits. She regained her previous posture swiftly though, after realizing that the gathering was being held up by her.
"This meeting is concluded you are excused," she said, some anger still apparent in her voice.
Riku half expected them to disappear from their seats one by one like the Cheshire Cat, but instead they boorishly exited by filing out the door.
Wondering if her dismissal applied to him as well, Riku glanced up at Maleficent. She looked back down and said simply, "Walk with me."
She escorted him threw a few random halls and began to question him, "Why were you not asleep, Riku? Was the room not to your liking?"
"Nah, the room was fine…" he mumbled.
"Then what is the trouble?"
"Wasn't tired," he shrugged. It was the truth.
"Ah, I see…" there was no sarcasm in her voice what so ever, but it still made Riku bristle up in self defense, "I wasn't," he snapped, "I was looking for that chapel place and I got lost. I heard voices through the door and got curious."
"Oh? The chapel? Why…? Is it you wish to see the sanctuary where I keep the princesses?" she asked in a sort of sly tone.
Riku gritted his teeth and said nothing. There was no really good reply to that. She took everything he said and twisted her own version in her mind and then implanted it as the truth… at least that was the impression he got. He frankly loathed that ability and recognized the best solution was to not say anything at all. So, he changed the subject.
"Are all of those people from different worlds?" Riku asked.
Maleficent raised an eyebrow for a moment and then said, "My associates? Yes. Every one of them is from a different world. Quite a colorful bunch if I do say so myself…"
Riku chuckled as he considered just how literally that could be taken.
"They are all very flawed though… not suited to control the darkness…" Maleficent added.
Riku stopped chuckling, "What do you mean by that?" he remembered what she said on his first visit here, "Are their hearts too weak?"
Maleficent stopped walking and looked down at Riku sympathetically, "My, my, 'weak' is such a mean way of putting it; but if you're asking if their hearts are not as strong as yours… yes, very much so…"
Riku felt shame as a certain puff of pride beat in him at the mention of his superior heart.
"You see, all hearts can be consumed by the darkness. Some easily, some very trickily. It all depends how strong of heart the person has. The only problem is one cannot measure the strength of a heart to a degree. For it isn't based on stamina or wits or amount of light within the heart, but possibly an equal distribution of all… I can't really say for sure. So I'm afraid, with the exception of you, I am surrounded by colleagues with particularly weak hearts. Almost all of them want power from the darkness… power which I can grant… it is the only reason they come for me. But power lust is a sign of the easily preyed in the eyes of a heartless. They will make my colleagues want more and more power until they entirely forfeit into the darkness, becoming no less than heartless themselves."
"So, if they only work for you for the power, then what are you working for?" Riku questioned.
"With the ultimate darkness at my command, I plan to rule all worlds," she smiled.
Riku wanted to ask what the ultimate darkness was, but the temptation of pointing out Maleficent's hypocrisy took over instead, "But isn't that 'power lust'? Doesn't that mean that you're also 'easy prey'?"
Maleficent laughed lightly, "No. For you see my dear, I respect the darkness and control it in small portions, but I won't allow myself to become infatuated with it and be controlled. It's true your heart possesses incredible strength, Riku, but that doesn't mean it's the only one who can fight against the darkness."
Riku felt his pride deflate and get stomped into the ground. She touched a sore spot with him, but he got revenge quickly, "So all of your colleagues are weak, huh? What about that Cheshire Cat, then? He seemed to have no desire to gain power from the darkness, nor help you."
It seemed like his mental back hand worked beautifully; because at the mere mention of the cat, Maleficent's face twisted sourly. She glared don at Riku furiously for a moment or two, but then a quick little smirk appeared on her face accompanied by a chuckle, "Touché Riku. Yes, you are right. I believe the Cheshire Cat has no interest in my cause and I half expect him to betray my council one way or another."
"Then why not toast him?" Riku asked blankly, "I assume that staff isn't just for show. I bet you can make a little purple smear on the ground out of him."
Maleficent turned angry again, which surprised Riku. He was frankly expecting her to lightly laugh and say something in that disgustingly wannabe sophisticated voice. "The cat is beyond my power. He may even be beyond the darkness' power as well. I find it difficult to describe exactly what he is because he seemingly has no heart, or at least no heart that might interest the heartless… But since the heartless crave all hearts, that means that the cat mustn't have a heart at all… but the only creatures who can exist without hearts without entirely disappearing to the world of darkness are the heartless themselves, and I'm positive the Cheshire Cat is not one."
"That still doesn't explain why you don't just do away with him. So the heartless can't kill him, big deal. Don't tell me that staff is good for nothing but summoning heartless and making princesses disappear one place and reappear another," Riku said.
"I will not." Riku glanced up curiously, for it didn't seem to answer his question. "I simply will not risk trying to kill that thing without the heartless to reassure me," Maleficent said firmly, "The heartless are now the most powerful beings in the world; if they cannot devour the heart of the cat and destroy him, why would I dare try?"
They entered the chapel and there was something different about it… It took Riku a second or two to identify exactly what it was, but he finally now noticed the thorny black rose etched into the floor. Riku figured he didn't even want to know how it got there and smirked.
"Watch out Maleficent," he said, feeling rather proud, "You're starting to sound dependant…"
He walked out of the side door and toward the princesses' room. He didn't hear Maleficent's foot steps behind him.
O.o
Riku sat in his room, quietly. Even though he wasn't even going to stay there, Maleficent had insisted on calling the place "his bedroom". As if he'd actually sleep in it…
He tried sleeping sometime ago, but he still could not. So, he decided to sit up on his bed and wait until morning, when his ship came. He couldn't tell how long he had been sitting there. He tried to tell by how much the candle wax would melt over time, but the strange thing was, it never melted. The candle had retained its exact same shape as it did when had first seen it.
Riku yet again tried resting his eyes. It felt odd, being widely awake and having your eyes shut. He wanted to sleep. If he slept time would go by quicker. But no sleep came. Perhaps it was this world. It didn't really seem to have night and day. It was always day outside but dark enough to the point where one might actually fall asleep… perhaps even that light distracted him. Who knew?
A small rap came through the door. If Riku had actually thought, he probably wouldn't have said 'come in' but habit got the best of him. Maleficent entered and smiled warmly, "Did you sleep well?"
"I didn't sleep," Riku said sitting up and turning to her.
"Oh? Was it the bed? The lighting? Or is it just not the same as home?" she asked in what Riku identified as a mocking tone.
"I'm not tired," he said firmly, with his voice raised slightly.
"Oh? That's too bad. Well, I do have good news…"
"My ship is here?" Riku cut in quickly.
"Yes," Maleficent smiled, "Your reward has come. It is in the loading area."
Riku got up and nearly pushed her down to get out of the room and to his ship. He rushed into the room and saw the ship he took to Snow White's world and a new ship. It was slightly bigger and had different colors to it, but other than that it looked almost identical. He ran over to it and put his hand on the hood.
"Leaving immediately, I trust?" he heard behind him.
He turned to Maleficent and genuinely grinned, "Yep."
"I don't suppose you'll consider staying with me?"
"Nope."
"I have great resources, you know, and I can provide payment beyond a measly ship…" she said.
Riku let out a laugh, "Like what? Do you have my friends hidden in your back pocket?"
"No, but if given time, I bet I can reveal their location for you…" Maleficent said.
Riku gave into a moment's thought before snapping back into attitude, "I think I'll pass. I can find my own friends…"
Maleficent shrugged, "Very well… but in case you change your mind, I have the coordinates to this world programmed into the ship."
"Whatever." He hopped into the ship.
O.o
Not accepting her offer?
I told you yesterday. NO. Did you think I'm going to change my mind after one night?
No, of course you never even considered it; how dreadfully stupid of me.
Stop that!
What, Riku?
Stop acting so condescending! Everybody that I've met is so freaking full of themselves in these worlds! I don't think I've even met somebody who hasn't spoken to me in either a commanding tone or with heavy sarcasm! It's pissing me off.
Well, then I suppose it's good news to you that I won't be around for a while…
… What?...
I'm staying behind. When you return, so will I to you.
Uhg, God. You just gave me another one-hundred reasons never to come back here.
Heh, heh.
Well, what are you waiting for? A good bye kiss? I'm taking off.
Very well.
O.o
I have to say, I like writing dialogue for Riku. I'm afraid I might be making him a little out of character at points, but I'm not trying to. The one thing I'm sort of wary about in regards to what Riku says is most of the puns I put in his mouth. I remember that on destiny islands he would use some sarcasm, but not quite as heavy as I have him going now, and from Neverland on it's more of just a mockery talk toward everyone because he's all cocky that he has the heartless or whatever, but hen it isn't quite the same thing I have him doing now (in fact, I'm having him resent that sort of attitude). Oh well, any comments you could give me would be appreciated.
RMUF: So, by now you all know who the 'slithy cat' is from my title. The form of my title comes from a famous poem Lewis Carroll wrote for Alice Through the Looking Glass called 'Jabberwocky'. It starts out with a stanza filled with utter gibberish (or so it seems), the first line saying "'Twas brillig and the slithy toves…" Humpty-dumpy gladly translates us the first stanza in the book, but even the translation gets confusing at times, being it Lewis Carroll. The first lines translation is (in its simplest form) "It was 4:00pm and the unclean long-snouted-badger…" Another reason why using the Jabberwocky poem line for a title is because in Disney's version of Alice in Wonderland, they had the Cheshire cat himself almost constantly sing the first stanza of Jabberwocky over and over again as if it were pleasantly stuck in his head. Just for fun, I'll put down the first stanza of the poem followed by my basic translation. (You might also notice that I used a couple words from the first stanza for the Cheshire Cat to say outside of the original text)
'Twas brillig and the slithy toves
Dis gyre and gimble in the wabe
All mimsy were the borogoves
And the momeraths outgrabe
It was 4:00pm and the unclean long-snouted-badgers
Frolicked and dug holes around the grassy area around a sundial
The large birds were particularly droopy and sad-looking
And the little lost greenish-pigs make weird little noises like sneezing