Chapter 20: The First Requirement
This is 7th of January and I'm uploading the new arc :3
This is where it gets real, dear readers... We are finally getting into something serious.
"So you're not serious this whole time?"
Naaa I didn't say that. Admit it you enjoy the fluffiness of Piws and Wemy. And admit you want to see more fluffines in later chapters. ADMIT!
Now that I finally have some time for writing, I'll continue with this story's new arc. I had saved up a few chapters ahead, but I haven't checked it again so I'm going to do it this time. Hope you enjoy this one and see you guys later!
Disclaimer: I don't own HNKNA or any characters in it, they belong to Quinrose. I only own my characters and this story.
Remy fluttered her eyes open and immediately saw Alice looking at her with worry. "Alice?" she whispered.
"Remy..." she watched as Alice's face turned relieved and smiling with...tears?
She pushed herself to sit. "Alice? Why are you crying?" she asked with confusion. But instead of receiving an answer, she received a hug.
"I won't leave you ever again." Alice whispered on the side of her head.
She didn't understand what was that all about, but she could sense Alice's concerns. So she nodded and muttered an 'okay'.
Alice pulled away, "How are you feeling?"
"I'm okay. I feel good." She answered.
"Good." Alice then hugged her again lovingly.
Remy glanced at her for a second before hugging back. It feels familiar... This hug. It was like when her sister did it. She sighed inwardly. It's been a while.
"Alice..." she called.
"Yes Remy?"
"I... What would—" before Remy could finish her words, a loud but numbing sound was heard.
"W-What is happening...?" Alice mumbled as they watched the room became wider and the window became farther.
The numbing sound turned into a snap beside the bed. When Alice and Remy turned their head to look, a huge shadow was already looming over them.
"R..Remy..." was all what came out of Alice's lips before she was thrown to the other side of the room. A loud smack was heard as she hit the wall, hard.
"ALICE!" Remy shouted. The shadow roared and formed a very big hand before taking hold of Remy. She screamed.
Footsteps were heard outside the room and the door was swung open.
Peter and Boris came into the room with hurry. "Alice?! Remy?!"
The huge shadow was immediately in their sight and they saw as it shot tentacles towards them. Peter dodged to the left and Boris to the right. A scream was heard again and they saw as Remy dangling upside down, her feet held by the shadow's big right hand.
"LET ME GO! LET ME GO!" Remy shouted as she tried to hit the shadow with her tiny hands.
"REMY!" Boris shouted. Peter readied his gun as Boris instantly charged.
But a lot of tentacles shot out from the shadow's body and punched toward Boris. The Chesire cat had to flip backwards to dodge all of them. He cursed under his breath because he couldn't get close. He then changed his strategy, dodging while he made his way in.
A cough in the corner of the room got Peter's attention and he turned to look. Peter immediately took notice of Alice getting up and quickly ran to her.
"Alice! Are you okay?!" he asked, kneeling beside her. There was blood on the floor.
Alice wiped her lips and looked up at Peter. "Peter?"
"What happened?" he asked.
"I don't know... That shadow just appeared and threw me."
A loud growl was heard and then a scream.
"Hang on Remy!" Boris shouted, then he dodged the swinging tentacles again.
Alice looked at Remy and was horrified to find her on the hands of the unkown creature. She turnd to Peter. "Peter! Help Remy!" she urged.
Peter paused for a second before giving a nod. "Let's get you out first." He moved to pick Alice but Alice snapped at him. "Help her now!"
Peter looked at her for a moment before turning back and ran to the shadow. The tentacles took notice of him closing in and shoot out its friends. Peter dodged the tentacles with ease and shot two rounds to the huge shadow.
The bullets stuck on the shadow's side but did not seem to have any effect. However, the creature apparently felt something tingling on its side and turned its newly formed dile-like head toward Peter. A grumbling sound was heard and Peter's bullets were dragged into its inside. It was like...
"It's swallowing them up..." Peter mumbled under his breath.
The others came and immediately noticed the elephant in the room. Or more like the huge dile-like shadow in the room. Patrick was the one who voiced out everyone's question.
"WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?!"
The doctor's loud voice took the shadow's attention and it turned its head to them. Those who could fight immediately readied their guns and slipped into the room to help.
And then they saw as its side bubbling up and Peter's bullets were shot right back at him in a fast speed. He dodged them efficiently.
However, those bullets went smoothly past him and then toward Alice who were in the line of fire. Alice had no time to dodge it as she was still regaining her strength.
"Alice watch out!" Gowland shouted.
Alice looked up and her eyes widened. She raised her hands in a defense attempt and waited for the impact.
Peter heard Gowland's shout and was instantly on his feet. He ran back to Alice faster than those bullets, picked up Alice, and dodged them in time. He skidded to the furthest corner of the room smoothly.
"Alice! Are you alright?!" he asked as he looked at her.
"Yes...(cough) Thank you..." Alice muttered. Peter looked at her with concern.
On the other side of the room... Julius withdrew his gun after he saw what happened.
"We can't use our guns." The clockmaker muttered.
Gowland withdrew his gun too and saw what Boris did. Then he crouched slightly. "Then let's use our feet." He said, before charging in.
Patrick was terrified of the sight that Remy was dangling around like a sack of potatoes. He wanted to scream.
"Don't scream. You'll wreck Boris." Julius said without looking at him.
Patrick closed his mouth which opened unconsciously. Julius was right. But Patrick couldn't fight. "Then what do I do?"
Just then, someone went right past him and jumped. The person swung his sword and it cut off all the tentacles that were about to shoot at them.
"You're having a party and you did not invite me. I'm hurt." The person said while getting up. It was Ace.
Vein popped up on Patrick's head, then he punched Ace's back and replied. "Does this look like a freaking party you idiot?!"
The Knight of Hearts laughed.
"Ace." Julius called, gaining his attention. "That shadow caught Remy and we need to take her back before anything else happens."
Ace turned his head toward the source of problem and to Remy. He felt himself smile as he finally knew oh her appearance. "Ahh... So that's the little foreigner everyone's talking about."
"Yeeeesss and she's in danger now—" the doctor paused, "—again!" Patrick corrected.
More tentacles shot out from the shadow's body.
Julius changed his wrench to a rapier and took a swipe at the tentacles that went after them. That cut them off and he saw as the cut-off parts along with the ones Ace had cut, faded into bits. Cut them all then.
"Patrick, take Alice and get out of here." The clockmaker said.
Patrick voiced an 'okay' and went into the room to call Peter.
Julius turned to Ace, "Use your sword and cut them again. Aim for the big one." And then the clockmaker cut his way in.
Ace smirked. "This got to be fun." And then followed suit.
On Boris's part, he managed to dodge those irritating tentacles and climbed his way up to the shadow's hand. He was about to take Remy but the shadow raised its hand that was holding Remy close to the ceiling.
He stumbled and slided down a bit. "Remy!" he called, and then reached his hand upward. "Remy! Take my hand!" he shouted.
Remy who was busy knocking at the shadow's hand, not knowing that it had made no effect on the target, heard the call and turned her attention to Boris. "Bowis!" she shot out both of her hands to take his hand.
Julius made his way to Gowland, who was struggling to dodge with one tentacle holding his left hand. "Gowland! Cut them off!" then he swung at the ones shot at him to demonstrate.
Gowland saw this and immediately understand. "Gotcha!" he turned his violin to an axe and swung at the one holding his other hand. It worked. The marquiss smirked and took a big swipe at the body.
The axe hit the shadow's side and cut it pretty deep. It seemed to take effect on the shadow as it roared very loud afterwards. Boris had to cover his ears to cover the impact, but that made him vulnerable and the shadow unleashed another hand.
Remy saw something coming from Boris's back and shouted. "BOWIS LOOK OUT!"
The Chesire cat turned his head to look but it was too late. The tentacles grabbed him by the hips and swung him to the bed. A loud breaking sound was heard.
"BOWIS!" Remy shouted again.
"Ugh..." was what came out of Boris. It seemed that Boris was used as a chop knife, as the bed was split in two.
"No... Bowis.." Remy's voice cracked and tears swelling up in her eyes as she saw blood on Boris's head.
Boris opened his eyes when he felt something wet dripped on his face. Then he looked at Remy's dangling form above him. He realized she was crying.
"I-I'm okay Remy... Don't cry okay?" He forced a smile. "I'll get you down. I promise."
On Peter's side...
"Hey rabbit! Here!" Patrick shouted at the white rabbit across the room.
Peter heard someone called him and turned his head.
"Get Alice here!" the doctor shouted from across the room.
The white rabbit stepped his foot forward to run, but his next step was stopped when the shadow roared very loud and made his ears hurt.
"Rabbit look out!" shouted someone.
Peter regained his senses and immediately responded by leaping forward, dodging bigger tentacles shooting out from the shadow in the middle. He didn't know what were those imbeciles currently doing, but he didn't have time to go there and reprimand them for the effect that could endanger Alice just now. It was a good thing he was there. He got to take Alice to safety. So he worked his feet like a bunny and skidded to the exit in time to dodge another sets of tentacles. Not even a single sweat.
"You're... fast..." the doctor mumbled.
"Where should I put her?" asked Peter in a hurry. His Alice needed a place to lie down.
"Peter, I'm fine..." Alice suddenly said. "Just put me here..."
Peter looked at Alice in worry, his brows met. "Are you sure? Just outside of the door, a few more feet and you'll be—"
"No, it's okay. Remy.. Help her.." Alice said, she forced to get on her feet and Peter was complied to put her down. Patrick was instantly by her side for her to lean on.
Peter stood up, still with that same expression, and then they heard more yellings from the front liners.
"What are—How can you get stuck?!"
"Gowland okaay?"
"It's been a while using my axe! And I'm okay honey hang in there! Papa's coming to get you!"
"THAT'S DISGUSTING OLD MAN"
"What is wrong with that?!"
"Hahaha! This is fun!"
That made the three people standing by the doorway to 'sweatdropped'.
Peter really need to get there and help. The faster they beat that strange creature, the sooner he could get his life back. Peter turned around to see how much trouble he needed to fix.
The floor around the shadow became pitch black and bigger tentacles were coming out of it. Those things were giving Julius a pretty big time as he kept swinging his rapier to protect himself from the never ending spawns from below. He's not progressing.
Ace was the nearest to the creature's right side and attacking, which was opened to attacks and got Gowland...stuck in it? Along with a quite big axe. Wait. How did he get stuck in there?
And the only progress he could see was the Chesire cat, as he was the closest one to the little one. But even he was dancing on his feet trying to dodge those tentacles while also trying to climb the creature, yet not even a few feet above the ground.
'They're hopeless...' Peter thought. Turning his clock to a sword, he cut his way in.
The attacks from Ace on the huge shadow's right side seemed to give an effect as it was slashed wide open, wide enough for Gowland to get out. And wide enough for it to feel and put on a rampage again.
It raised its big hand that was holding Remy and swooped it down. Remy screamed her lungs out.
Peter made it in time for the big swipe and swung his sword. Despite the small size of the sword, Peter managed to cut the shadow's hand before it reached mid air. He then kicked hard the hand to the side to disrupt the momentum of the swipe and it was sent flying to the right side of the room.
Luckily, Boris saw everything and he stepped his feet to run at the direction of the kick on instinct. The hand flew above him, fading fast in the air and freeing Remy. He turned his body so that he could run backwards to easily catch her. When he's sure to jump, he jumped backwards while opening his arms. She fell right to his arms and they crashed on the ground.
Boris opened his eyes and looked at her. "Remy...?" he called.
Remy managed to whimper and moved her head a bit, but she was out after that. Boris sighed after he felt her breath on his skin.
"She's okay!" Boris shouted out to his comrades.
They managed to take back Remy, but the shadowy creature was still there, so... Problem unsolved.
The creature noticed the absence of its target(and its hand) and went for another loud roar to announce its rage. Large shadow hands shot out from the ground and tried to take hold of all of them around it. But they managed to get out of the way this time, and Patrick told Alice to stay out of the room and went in front of the door to protect her if any projectiles were to come their way.
However, another roar came from the creature as it found a new target, and it worked its way through. The black shadow on the floor creeped to the exit and grabbed Alice who was behind Patrick in a flash.
"Kyaa!" Alice shouted in surprise.
The guys turned around from the shout and saw in horror as the shadow wrapped around her body and neck in a very fast speed.
"Alice!" they all shouted in unison.
It all happened so fast and in mere seconds,they could only stare as Alice was swallowed into the shadow. Then the tower shook so hard as if an earthquake had come, and a bright light appeared in the middle of the room, blinding everyone. It took seconds until the earthquake subsided and the light to dissapear. The next thing they knew, both Alice and the shadow had vanished.
"This is all your mistake. If only you weren't selfish and went to find another 'Alice', none of this would ever happen."
"That's way too much for Peter—"
"He has to know his position."
"But still..."
"Hey, we can get her back. Right?"
"We don't know where she is."
"Aren't you going to say anything, Head of Clover? We know you're part of this too."
"Can't we just... Get along chu...?"
The conversations brought Remy up from her slumber. She opened her eyes slowly and could outline something in front of her. It took a few moments for her to blink her eyes and adjust before she could see. She was lying on someone's arms; a lady with dark curly hair. Remy could not see her full face from this angle, but she could see that the woman was beautiful. She also smelled very nice.
"Good morning, troublemaker! Did you have a good dream?"
A man suddenly appeared next to the beautiful lady and surprised her. It was the man who chased her and Pierce! She reached to the lady in reflex and that made the lady turned her attention to her.
"Oh? Awake at last. Do not worry my dear. You are safe with us." The lady gave a gentle smile.
Remy would have believed those words if not for the fact that—1) She didn't know this woman even though she's beautiful and seemed nice, and 2) That man who was chasing her and Pierce was close by and she remembered their first meeting wasn't pleasant. She was still having trouble accepting that man it seemed.
Voices to her left brought her attention and she turned her head. There, she recognized some faces and was immediately relieved that she wasn't alone in that room. She saw as their faces turned a sign of relief as she turned their way. She could see Bowis, Julee, Gowland, a bunnyman, Bwother Dee and Dum, the bunnyman Elliot, that man with big hat and big tie, Doctor Patwick, Piws, Gway! And Nightmare!
"Gway! Nightmare!" she exclaimed happily as she saw both of them. She saw them offered a smile back at her but did not walk near. Why did they not walk here? She did not know why but she reached out her arms to them, hoping they come over.
Her actions might somehow offended the lady as the lady said, "Did you not enjoy our company? Are men more satisfying to you my dear?" with knitted brows.
Remy stopped reaching out to them as she looked back at her. Oh she wasn't trying to be unfriendly, she just missed Nightmare and Gway so much she wanted to hug them now. And she also didn't recognize the lady, but she didn't know how to say it to her.
Patrick stepped forward. "If I may say, she just woke up, my Queen. I'm sure she's more comfortable seeing the faces she recognized."
Boris decided to help. "Yes. She just met you, and it would be better if she's with someone she recognizes and trust."
That made the lady looked at him. "So you say we are not trustworthy enough to her after we served as her temporary resting place?"
'You insisted taking her with you...' Half of the room thought.
Various glances were thrown at Boris. Way to make her more offended. But Nightmare knew what had to do to fix it. He walked forward to the lady and the guards readied their weapons, but Nightmare gave a soft smile even after he stopped about two meters away from her.
"That is not what the cat meant, Your Majesty. She had just gone through something that young kids her age should have not, and you have also seen her wounds. Waking up with someone she have not known yet is quite too much, don't you think?" he said it with patience and the rest in the room could imagine gentle breeze flowed around him as he said those sentences.
The lady looked at Remy and seemed to ponder it for a while, before glancing at Nightmare and noticing no change of behavior, she finally opened her lips.
"We suppose that is true."
Nightmare's smile widened. "Then—"
"Then let's introduce ourselves to her." The lady smiled at everyone before looking at her while everyone dramatically fall to the floor.
The lady picked Remy up and positioned her to sit by her lap and looking at her.
"Hello young one." The lady said with a smile.
"H-Hello..." Remy replied back shyly. She realized just how beautiful the lady was now that she could see her full face.
"We realize that we have yet to meet each other. We are Vivaldi, the Queen of Hearts."
Remy's eyes widened. "Q-Queen?" she voiced out in surprise.
The lady smiled. "Yes."
Remy blinked her eyes a few times. She could not believe what the lady just said. She's sitting on a queen? No wonder she's so beautiful! But her name is hard to pronounce! What was it? Vivv... Veevaa...? Oh Remy will call her the Queen.
"N-Nice to meet you... Queen."
"Oh no, you may call us Vivaldi only."
That made Remy sighed inwardly, and she slightly pout. "B-But it's hard to pronounce your name..."
A snicker was heard in the room and the queen instantly turned her head to the only audience in front of her. "What was that?" Vivaldi asked with narrowing eyes.
Gowland elbowed Patrick, and the queen did not miss this. "The doctor. Is there something you'd like to share with us?"
This reminded Remy of her own class in school, where any student who interrupts the class will get questions like this.
"Nothing, Your Majesty. My throat just felt sore after helping them fight the bloody creature."
Boris scoffed at that, but the queen seemed to buy it.
"What cweature?" Remy asked.
The attention turned to her. And then Remy realized that Alice was not with them, and she felt the need to ask "Where's Alice?"
At that question, nobody answered either and all of them either looking away or looking dissapointed. Knowing they did not know the answer to both questions yet. Remy waited for them to answer, thinking they probably forgot or Alice did not want them to tell her... Wait, that was strange. Why would Alice hide? But weren't the two of them together just now? They were in the Clock Tower, in Julee's home. She looked at Julius, but Julius looked away the moment their eyes made contact.
Remy furrowed her brows. Why is he looking away? Alice was with her, right? Where is Alice now?
Remy did not know. And she also did not know that they were still trying to think how they would tell her about the problem happened, that was one of the reasons they held this sudden meeting. While almost all of them decided to stay quiet, the Knight of Hearts thought to take the initiative. Nightmare eyed him as he could read what the brunette was thinking, and tried to send a reply inside his mind but was ignored away. Someone got to tell her everything that happened.
"Listen, little girl." Ace started, gaining everyone's attention. "Alice is—"
Peter could read what the knight was doing, and he immediately interfered. It would become another burden if someone say it for him, so he'll just do it himself. "Please let me explain it to her."
Now the attention turned to Peter. Remy was also looking at him now, and she could feel a spark in her mind that he was so important somehow. She saw as the new bunnyman near Bwother Dee and Dum walked forward. She felt like she knew him somewhere... He was so familiar. Who is he? Why did she wants to get close? Was it because he was a bunny like Elliot and she wanted to touch him? N-No... It did not feel like that. Well yes, partly, he's pretty and his ears looked fluffy. Now that she noticed, she wanted to touch him. Wait wait, that was not it!
It... It felt like she was missing something else. No, not her family, it was a different feeling. It was something that...she really likes. Yes. But she felt like, she lost it and had just found it again... And she felt glad. Remy gazed at the white-eared bunnyman with worry and... Glad? She didn't know what this feeling is. What is—what is happening? Who-Who is he?
"Hello, little girl." The bunnyman greeted.
Wait. Did they ever met?
"I... I apologize." The bunnyman's ears lowered.
Why is he so familiar?
"It was...my mistake." His gaze also lowered.
The pulse in her head did not stop her from remembering. Just, just for a bit. Let her remember this one. It was important. But what...? Who is he?
"I asked Nightmare to take care of you until you can get better—"
That outfit! It was very familiar! Her head was pulsing now. She leaned her head on the Queen's chest and held her moan by biting her bottom lip. Red.. Big clock...
"...I planned to take you home—" the bunnyman continued.
No... Be quiet and let her remember...
"No, stop." Nightmare said, stepping closer. He sensed what she's trying to do and he's worried.
Peter glanced at him for a second but decided to continue. He needed to lift this from his chest, and he would say it even though his words were jumbled. He did not know what the little girl was trying to do and what will be the effect.
"I am not going to stop." And neither did Remy. "I planned to take you home. But I was too—" White ears... Carrot sticks...
"Remy stop!" Nightmare's voice got louder as he stepped closer. This made the guards come and closing in on him. Unbeknownst to them, he could clearly see how painful it is for her to remember Peter. And what's more, she did not want to stop. This worried him to an extent and he got more closer and was about to take her from Vivaldi. But the guards took hold of him in time before he could take her from the Queen.
"What is the meaning of this, Head of Clover? Why did you try to attack us?" Vivaldi asked.
Everybody were confused, even Vivaldi herself, and they looked back and forth between the two men and the little girl in her hands. What is happening? All of them needed an answer.
"What's happening?" someone asked.
Meanwhile, everything else were numb to Remy's ears as she was too absorbed in her own mind. It hurt her so much. But it felt really important to remember him so she carried on. And at that point, she felt something cracked in her mind and body, but after that she felt so light and no longer in pain. She could remember a white bunny with red suit like this bunnyman. She could remember she picked the bunny up in the park near her home. She could remember...
"Oh brother dear, carrots are delicious. Juicy, sweet, healthy." Said her sister, still smilling.
"Yesh! Cawwot gucchy! Delicious!" she agreed.
"You carrot maniacs." Replied their brother, eating away a sandwich while smiling.
The girls burst into fits of giggles.
Yes. She could remember now. She was with her siblings in the park, enjoying their afternoon together. It was one of those holidays, her brother had time to spare from his busy work and they decided to have a picnic outside.
Her sister looked down and smiled, "No more carrot sticks, cotton cake. Your belly will go boom."
"Boom!" she repeated.
"Aa~ Little bunny sleepy~" she sang, looking at the bunny with cute eyes.
"Sleep alright, we'll wait till your owner comes up." Said their brother, sandwich gone and now slouching around on the blanket.
"Yay~" she lied down with her back on the blanket. She opened her arms towards the bunny in a friendly gesture.
"Careful, sweety... Wittle bunny ish a bit heavy." Said her sister.
She found the bunny at the park. They fed him with the carrot sticks her sister had prepared for her to munch along with her milk. But then they went home because no one came to find the bunny, and she fell asleep didn't she?
"Bunny? Bunny where are you?" she cried.
She woke up to find the bunny gone...
Drip drip
"Oh no Remy!"
"Li'l sis!"
"Memy stop thinking!"
Huh? Who was that talking? It wasn't in her mind, but it sounded numb. She ignored it and carried on. She went to find that bunny, the bunny with red suit. She went to their lawn, thinking the bunny was hungry and went to find grass. That was when she...
Suddenly, there was a very loud crash in the room. One of the big window glass in the room was broken to pieces as a small figure with wings landed on the ceramic tiled floor, surprising everbody else.
However, as everyone's attention averted to the new presence in the room, Nightmare used this opportunity to put his hand on Remy's head and used his power to make her unconscious.
Can anyone guess who is it...?