Notes: For katzsoa: tis time for the cat's comeuppance. Also, some lyrics have been changed in this song for story purposes. As I said in the previous chapter, I own it not.
Chapter XXI: "…The Point of No Return"
As Russ spoke the name of the song, he took one of Mally's paws in his own, and then moved her other arm down, so that they were positioned as if to waltz. Slowly…very slowly…he began to move, guiding her to the left.
"You have come here," he sang, "In pursuit of your deepest urge. In pursuit of that wish, which, till now, has been silent…silent…"
He slowly turned her in a circle. She moved with him easily, raising an eyebrow at the lyrics, honestly unsure of what he meant, but thinking that it sounded…good…
"I have brought you," he went on, "that our motions may fuse and merge. In your mind you've already succumbed to it…dropped all defenses, completely succumbed to it…"
"That depends on what you mean…"
A finger on her mouth kept her from saying more. She glared half-heartedly. She could see the smile in his eyes.
"Now, you are here with me. No second thoughts. It's decided…decided…"
The music rose in volume, and he pulled away from her, beginning to circle around. He indicated she do the same, and she did so.
"Past the Point of No Return…no backward glances…the games we've played till now are at an end! Past all thought of if, or when…no use resisting…abandon thought and let the dream descend!"
Without warning, he moved toward her, and grabbed her hand, spinning her around as he sang. She squeaked in surprise, and fell silent, looking up at him with wide eyes.
"What raging fires shall flood the soul? What rich desires unlock its door? What strange adventures lie before us?"
Again, he brought her close, and moved her in a circle. She stared, never speaking, as he went on…
"Past the Point of No Return…the Final Threshold…what warm, unspoken secrets will we learn, Beyond the Point of No Return?"
He fell silent, holding her against him. She remained silent as well.
A small crowd of people, hearing the band and soft voices, had opened the door and were looking out through the portal of the door. Neither of the two dancers noticed them.
On the balcony above, Billnor Creole watched with a cool expression, waiting to see what happened next. His black costume blended with the shadows perfectly, allowing him a state near invisibility as he leaned against the floor-set pulley for the chandelier of the ballroom.
Mally shivered when she felt Russehc's silk mask brush against her sensitive ear.
"Mally? Your turn to lead."
Mally looked at him.
"I lead?"
"This dance is about partnership; partners take up equal portions. Besides, I'd think you'd like being in charge, wouldn't you?"
Mally bit her lip and nodded; recently, she hadn't been feeling "in charge" of anything truly significant.
"Do you want me to sing?"
"If you like."
Mally smiled and took the position to continue.
And after a moment, much to the gecko above and the crowd at the door's surprise…
"You have brought me to that moment where words run dry…to that moment when speech disappears into silence…silence…"
She moved him around; it felt good to be the one in control, she thought, in a dance or anything else, and she felt she was getting the hang of this dance…
"I have come here, hardly knowing the reasons why…in my mind, I've already imagined…"
She stopped abruptly. Russ looked at her patiently as the dance slowed.
"You don't have to sing everything…you can skip until you can find lyrics," he said softly.
Mally paused a moment more, and then went on, from a different part, as she pulled away from him and they circled.
"Now, I am here with you…no second thoughts…I've decided…decided…"
As this exchange went on, the Hatter rose from his spot on the table and moved toward the door.
"Hatter?" Alice said. "What is wrong?"
The White Queen, at the head of the table, noticing the crowd and the Hatter's movement, stood up, curious.
On the balcony, Bill placed a hand on the hilt of his saber, spotting the orange-toned eyes of the Mad Hatter…
"Past the Point of No Return…no going back now…our final play has now, at last, begun. Past all thought of right or wrong…one final question: how long should we two wait before we're one?"
She grabbed him, and spun him around, laughing softly at how odd the motion seemed to her; in a normal dance, even in Underland, she'd be the one spinning.
Her head already was…
"When will the blood begin to race? The sleeping bud burst into bloom? When will the flames at last consume us?"
Here they sang together…
"Past the Point of No Return! The Final Threshold! The bridge is crossed, so stand and watch it burn! We've passed the Point of No Return…"
They finished, and bowed to each other.
Only then did Mally see the small crowd at the door, as the White Rabbit, who was among them, began to applaud. She stared, mortified.
Did…did I just…?
She wasn't sure whether to kill something, run away, or giggle like a schoolgirl.
Russ stepped back a bit, and then glanced up at the balcony.
Bill's shadowy form nodded.
Behind the mask, the rodent grinned widely.
"Mally?" he whispered.
Mally turned toward him, red in the face. He gestured for her to come closer. She did. He took her paws in his. She frowned.
"I am NOT giving you a third dance."
Russ chuckled.
"No…that's not what I want at all."
There was a pause.
"Then…why are you holding my hands?"
Now it was Russehc's turn to hesitate.
"Mally," he said. "I want you to say something to me…"
"What?"
He paused a little longer, and then leaned in, to whisper in her ear, not wanting others to hear…
"Say you'll share with me one love, one lifetime…"
At this point, the white dormouse's heart seemed to go numb in her chest. Her eyes were now so wide she seemed to have lost her eyelids.
"Lead me, save me, from my solitude…"
"R-Russ…I…"
"Say you want me with you, here, beside you…anywhere you go, let me go, too…"
Mally moved away from him slightly. She looked into his eyes, her own expression utterly stunned.
Say yes! Half of her screamed. Oh, for the love of the Jub-Jub Bird, say YES, you dimwit!
But…what about Chess…?
The cat doesn't want you anymore…this one does. And you want him.
…But…
"Mally," Russ said, a little louder, with a sense of growing desperation, "that's all I ask of-"
"SLURKING GUDDLER'S SCUT OF A CAT!"
The sudden shriek of fury from the Mad Hatter silenced the murmurs of the crowded doorway, along with everything else, as a chair flew out of the dining room and straight at Russehc. Mallymkun ducked to one side, and Russ did the same…
And his mask fell.
All but two people – an anxious gecko and an outraged Hatter – stared with shock.
The grinning mouth of the gray dormouse held two rows of deadly, razor-sharp fangs.
There was a silence for a long, long time.
Mally and Chessur – we may now use his real name – looked at each other with matching expressions of utter horror.
In the dormouse's head, the pieces were coming together.
Russehc equals Chessur backwards.
Gray fur…doesn't mind being alone, but wants someone…stolen home…ability to get places faster than I can measure…
It was him.
All the time it was him…
It was him…
IT WAS HIM…!
Red clouded her vision, but before she could pull out her weapon, several things all happened at once…
First, Tarrant Hightopp raced forward, a butter knife held over his head.
Second, Bill, slashed his saber at the rope that held up the chandelier.
Third, the Queen and several of her courtiers gasped and cried out as the chandelier shuddered and began to fall.
Tarrant, eyes snapping green again, quickly moved back.
But Mallymkun, still in a state of shock, never even noticed the chandelier…dropping towards her.
Bill stared, willing himself not to cry out.
No! This wasn't supposed to happen!
Such was the thought of pretty much everyone present.
Almost on instinct, Chessur grabbed Mally by the front of her dress and practically threw her out of the way.
SWOOMPH.
CRASHK!
No one was hurt, but the chandelier was a wreck, and the Cheshire Cat was gone. Bill eased his way out the door, unnoticed, while the Hatter ran over to Mallymkun.
The white dormouse lay on the floor. Tears were in her eyes, but she did not move a muscle, just staring at the destroyed chandelier.
"Mally?" whispered the Hatter.
It would have given the Jabberwocky chills as the dormouse finally spoke.
"I'll kill him," she said monotonously. "I'll kill him…I'll kill him…"