My World
Chap 15 – The Heart of the Matter
It was dark. Axel and Roxas now walked in the area betwixt the tiny world of the table and chair that the Organization had created as the Joker's base of operations to whatever world the Joker now currently ran off to after their skirmish. They weren't particularly sure how he was able to create a bridge between both worlds; but he was a great talker of sorts and probably found a gullible magician to do the trick. And as they walked through the darkness they found as they continued making their way through the abyss it became thick and velvety and gradually grow in color from pitch black to a dark, dark, royal purple. It felt like walking through drapes.
"When a man's an empty kettle, he should be on his mettle
And yet they're torn apart!"
A lyrical song abruptly ripped through from the darkness. Instinctively Axel flicked up his thumb, and using it like a lighter, the spark of fire lightened up the immediate few feet in front of them. But neither one of them saw anything.
"Just because I'm presumin' that they could be kinda human,
If they only had a HHHHEEAARRTTT!"
The voice lingered and pulled out each and every vowel and consonant in the word HEART that it lasted longer than even the entire two lines that were sung.
"Who are you?! Show Yourself!" Axel angrily shouted into nothingness.
"Who am I? Who are you?"
Roxas felt a shiver of sorts shoot up his spine, conversing with the dark abyss left a somewhat unsavory taste in his mouth. "C'mon Axel, lets go – "
"I am somebody you shouldn't be playing GAMES with!" Axel had paid little attention to his cohort.
"Somebody? Don't you mean NO BODY?" The darkness giggled.
"SHOW YOURSELF!" Axel roared and flung his lit thumb all around him as his itching eyes saw only the empty dark purple spaces.
"Axel." Roxas gently tapped his companion's shoulder and was revealed the countenance of the anonymous voice.
Slowly but surely, and piece by piece, their invisible "friend" began to make his entrance. First, a haze of a bright purple tail soon solidified in midair and wiggled in delight. It was soon followed by wounding purple ribbons that created the familiar body of a cat. After, there came the immediate appearance of the Cheshire cat's head, sans eyes. Instead of eyes, he had two gaping black holes where they should have been.
"You – you're with THE JOKER aren't you!?" Axel looked straight into the black sockets of the cat – his rage overcame the twinge of apprehension he was feeling.
"Aren't you?" The cat smiled.
"YOU – I SHOULD'VE KNOWN YOU WERE WITH THAT FREAK!" Axel bellowed and his fists clenched.
The cat's eyes slowly started to fade into its sockets.
"WE SHOULD'VE KILLED YOU A LONG TIME AGO!"
"Coulda, woulda, shoulda…" He chuckled.
"WHY I OUGHT TO – " He lifted his now enflamed hand and balled it into a concentrated form of his fury.
" – destroy me? Your escort? Now that doesn't sound like a very SANE thing to do!"
"Escort? We don't need you to hold our hands!" Axel scoffed.
"Wait – Axel." Roxas pushed away his companion's flamed hand. "Let's listen to what HE has to say first before erasing him from existence." Axel twitched with irritation but folded his arms and grumbled under his breath in submission.
"Ever since the change in – scenery – only few have found the way to Wonderland. And for those who haven't, let's just say they're doomed to walk in the darkness between worlds for a very, very long time. In fact, this little warp has changed the way time works here as well." The Cheshire cat slowly turns about, his tail sticking high up into the air, "You stay five minutes and you lose a week!" immediately he began to walk away from the duo.
"And why should we trust you?" Roxas took a step toward the purple cat as it started waddling away.
"Why should you?" The cat slipped into the darkness. The two Organization members stood in their places – unsure of what to make of the more than ambiguous invitation.
Roxas let the proposal roll around his thoughts. Sorting out between the pros and the cons and whether or not the cat was telling the entire truth about the bridge between worlds. Would it engulf them in its entirety and leave them wandering for eternity? Does it really have the ability to speed up the process of time while its occupants only experience only a few minutes of it? As he was thinking – his comrade was able to answer the invitation for them.
"Let's go." Axel grumbled – obviously displeased with the fact that they had to follow the lead of one of the most conspicuous characters this side of the universe.
As they caught up with the purple puss, silence soon fell heavily upon them. Axel refused to speak, if conversation was to start between him and the cat – the cat would have to be the first one to start. The cat wouldn't speak – simply because – the thoughts and inner machinations of his mind were an enigma. Roxas, on the other hand, found the silence to be highly counter productive. He was an inquisitive member, and where Axel was the passion and fire of the team (figuratively and literally), Roxas played the grounded and factual partner. And a list of pivotal inquiries began to form in his mind.
"Who sent you to be our escort?" Roxas decided to break the ice.
"No one."
The deep rich purple "drapes" began to thin out and the ground became black asphalt.
"Then why have you decided to escort us personally?"
"You two just happened to be at the wrong place at the right time."
Soon the drapes were gone and they revealed the picturesque image of 1950s American suburbs. Each house was identical in color and structure, with their own lush green front lawn and backyard. It was clean – sterile even – but in the air wavered a stench of something filthy even though there wasn't a piece of litter in sight. It disturbed the Organization members the precision and calculation in this place, something they had never seen before.
"W-where - ?" Roxas stuttered with disbelief as the trio made their way down the asphalt road – now bare and lifeless – not a single person or animal stirred outside.
"We're in Wonderland – about a month or so has gone by now since you've entered the bridge here. Thing's have happened. The Queen is dead." The cat decided it was best to float rather than walk as the two cohorts looked quizzically to and fro, from each white painted house to the next, and they saw each and every living room filled with Wonderland creatures seated in front of their wall sized television sets.
Disturbed, they quietly etched their way across the great green lawns and looked through the windows of a house to find a white rabbit sitting solemnly in front of the large screen as False Alarms from The Three Stooges played in crisp black and white images. The Cheshire cat continued to float in place but did not follow the Organization members as they hopped from house to house to find that all the stations were playing the same Three Stooges episode.
"What is this stupidity?! Everyone's watching the same show - ridiculous!" Axel stomped off the yard of the late Duchess of Wonderland towards the cat. "Explain this immediately!" What made Axel's blood boil more so – was not the fact that Wonderland seemed to plummet down to an even more maddening state, but that deep down – he knew the Joker was the one responsible. He wasn't sure how, he wasn't sure if he was even still in Wonderland, but he knew that he was screwing around with the order of things – and he didn't like it ONE bit.
"It's Happy Hour – everyone at home must sit down and watch an hour's worth of comedies. If they refuse to watch the shows – HE'LL know about it."
"Who will?" Roxas continued to watch the TV show through the window. Seeing how each and every gag reel was met with an indifferent stare from the Wonderland populace – and it chilled him to the bone.
"You mean HOW – how is He doing this. Those wall sized televisions are Wall Screens that monitor every single household! Whatever you're doing and whatever you're saying – He knows about it! Quite ingenious! And probably the most genius part of the device is – you can't turn it off! It's always on! Either playing the Snewz – (a combination of the word Snooze and News), music that retches the ears, or nonsensical phrases and sayings that would drive one most certainly mad!"
"How come YOU aren't watching this – Happy Hour – garbage?!" Axel never liked the cat, and never would, the cat's indecisiveness and ambiguity in picking sides made Axel cautious and weary, and he never liked to second guess things.
"Cats don't watch television."
"And you've never told me WHO'S the one responsible for all this!" Roxas turned around to find the Cheshire cat beginning to float down the street; oblivious to his question.
"Twas brilig, and the silthy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe
All mimsy were the borogroves.
And the mome rath outgrabe."
The Cheshire cat recited an old poem, his memory of old Wonderland still intact from avoiding such Wall Screens that grabbed and poked and policed the minds of the Wonderland creatures. As he disappeared around a corner, Axel and Roxas immediately moved into a sprint to catch up with the whimsical cat. But only a few short blocks in they were immediately thrown into the sprawling gothic city of Wonderland. The sudden change in scenery immediately threw the two Organization members into a confused frenzy as they looked about their surroundings with dumbfounded expressions.
Unlike the clean and concise world of the Wonderland suburbs, the Gothic City was a decaying and dingy canker sore – a blot on a white picture. Here, the pungent smell they sniffed in the air became ten times stronger and it was presumed that this was the obvious source of it. They looked over their shoulders and found that the suburbs were lying right behind them and hadn't disappeared, and they found a stark line dividing the city from the suburbs – no transition – just an obvious contrast between a certain chaos and a certain order. Their eyes then immediately focused in front of them to the purple cat bounding down the cracked sidewalks and the three walked through the muck covered streets, crawling with bad consciences.
"This is the great UTOPIA of our times! People work here as Bakers, Toy Manufacturers, or Snewz Reporters."
"Those – are the only jobs available?" Roxas looked around the bleak streets and alleyways, and found no signs of clothes stores, hospitals or any other professions other than the ones the cat had described.
"Well I may be missing a few…" Up ahead of the trio, a distressed young Dodo walked aimlessly down the cracked sidewalk. Fervently he kept looking over his shoulder, and when both parties came together, he absent mindedly bumped into Axel who hissed loudly in aggravation and the Dodo quickly apologized before briskly moving on. Before he even got a block away, a screeching black van came out of a hidden alleyway. The Dodo, terrified, tried to run back the other way, however, multitudes of playing cards all dressed in purple and green suit backs jumped out of their van and proceeded to place a black bag over the Dodo's head, beat him senselessly and then drag his unconscious carcass into the black van, were they screeched their tires back out into the winding streets of the city.
The event that took place in such an extraordinarily brief amount of time had Axel and Roxas stunned as they watched the Dodo being kidnapped by what was seen to be the "Red Queen's" playing card troupe.
"What was THAT?!" Axel pointed out a red sprinkle of blood on the sidewalk where the event had taken place.
"What was what?" The cat proceeded to walk down the sidewalk. Claiming he saw nothing.
"Did you NOT just see that?! IT WAS RIGHT THERE!"
"I SAW nothing." There was a sharp turn he made and once again Axel and Roxas followed him around the bend. Every corner and every block of the city looked just as dark and foreboding and disgusting as the last. Roxas and Axel were shocked to see one or two churches as they walked by, but were disgusted to find pieces of animal carcasses and intestines strewn about in decorative fashions. The whole world was horribly, horribly, wrong. Someone had ripped it apart and had sewn it back up to their liking. But the worst was yet to be seen. They rounded another one of the cities many corners – but this time - the two Organization members were blinded by an immediate flood of white lights and muffled noises.
As their eyes adjusted to the bright lighting they found themselves in front of a large stadium, the size of it about the area of a small country. Its large skyscraping walls were large Wall Screens that swirled with a magnitude of colors – mostly purple and green – one could just look up the stadium walls for hours on end looking at the hypnotizing swirls of color. However, this stadium did not house the Olympic athletes or their fans within its confines, but in sky scraper sized neon red letters it said, "MIRACLES! MIRACLES! MIRACLES! GET 'EM WHILE THEY'RE HOT!" There was a disastrous line of people waiting outside the stadium hoping to be able to get in and see these "miracles". Some Wonderland creatures have traveled far to see these spectacles that the cat informed them happened at least once a week – but on random days that were never announced.
"Miracles?" Roxas squeezed himself through a pair of twins – eager faces plastered on – carrying what one would believe to be holy relics, except, they all had the images of clown faces printed upon them.
"These people could use a lot more than just a miracle." Axel grumbled as a bewitched broom scuttled passed him with two small dust pans following closely behind.
"Perhaps two miracles?" The Cheshire cat bounced amongst the crowds and Roxas and Axel began to find it more and more difficult to keep up with him as the crowds thickened the more they got closer to the entrance of the stadium of "miracles".
As soon as the troupe reached the peak of their wandering through the masses, the Cheshire cat floated relaxingly in front of them, they gave no words or gestures of displeasure even though they had technically cut all of them in line. However, none of them seemed to mind or to even notice. The Organization members looked at each other in puzzlement, Axel wasn't particularly concerned with cutting people in line, in fact he took this as a sign of superiority – knowing that if any of these little pests were to get in their way they could easily destroy them. While Roxas took the route of – governmental conspiracy – perhaps the entire world was in on the changes in Wonderland and a trap was soon to be waiting for them…
They didn't need to wait long as the stadium of "miracles" soon began approaching it's opening hour, and the guards in front nodded to each other in approval to commence the entrance of the masses through the gates. The Cheshire cat motioned for his two companions to stray from the crowds into a small alcove at the side of the gates, they followed, and as the guards started to pull the gates opened, the people started to push, shove, elbow and virtually tear each other apart to get inside the stadium.
"You know, there are always a few people who die from being trampled over by the stadium masses." The cat stated with little remorse as Roxas and Axel looked behind them as they followed the purple feline down a small hallway that originated from the alcove. People began screaming and they watched a man, not fast enough or strong enough, fall to the ground, his face contorted in pain and terror as shoes, high heels, boots, and sneakers trampled over him, their own cries of religious fervor drowning out his pleas for mercy and help.
"But the real question is – why would you want to be the first one, if you know you're going to be the first to get pushed and trampled over?" The Cheshire cat quietly contemplated to himself, "When is a flock of sheep – a flock of sheep?"
"This is RIDICULOUS!" Axel stopped and stomped his foot on the ground angrily. "I'm TIRED OF YOUR RIDDLES – and SICK AND TIRED OF THIS TOPSY TURVEY WRECK YOU CALL A WORLD! We've come here for one thing and one thing ONLY! WHERE IS THE JOKER!?"
"He's here and there – everywhere and nowhere!" The cat not once looked back to talk to them directly but continued down the hall. There was nothing particularly special about it, its white washed walls and florescent lights left little to be desired. Axel didn't move but crossed his arms over his chest as he watched the cat slowly float away from his view.
"C'mon Axel!" Roxas took a few steps towards the cat's direction.
"I REFUSE to follow a trickster who will only get us NOWHERE!"
"He's the only connection we have to this world. Without him we're virtually lost."
"It's WONDERLAND – we've been here multitudes of times."
"Not this kind of 'Wonderland'. It's changed and I'm not entirely sure it's for the better."
"Fine! Whatever! We'll just find our way around like we always do!"
"We don't have time for that! If you want to wander around like a foolish tourist – then be my guest!" Roxas sprinted towards the cat who was just within sight to catch up with if he ran. Axel sighed heavily and watched Roxas run towards the mischievous feline. He didn't want to be here – and now was regretting the fact of ever even taking up the assignment to follow the clown or being irked enough to feel the need to follow him through this hellish place. What he should've done was report to his superiors and let the whole team come after him themselves – however, that was out of the question. Too be gone THIS long – and not bring anything back? That was just damaging to the ego! In the last second before Roxas and the cat both disappeared from his sight – he quickly went into running, hoping the two of them wouldn't be going off too far without him.
And luckily they haven't. The stadium was so packed by the time they reached the end of the hallway they could only move about a foot in front of them. Axel was thoroughly disgusted by what he saw. A place of worship so exquisitely gaudy that kings and queens across all the galaxies with bow their heads in shame. Pictures of comedians stood on high stained glasses instead of holy men, holy water was replaced with fountains of flowing wines and sweet beverages, phallic images and bad words were written all over the walls in golden scripts and fanciful artwork. But probably the most intricate but lurid piece of work was the statues found on the center stage.
There were marble statues adorning the stage, images of naked women and men copulating or performing various disdainful deeds, and the strangest part of it all, everyone seemed to be perfectly fine in their confinement.
Now Axel knew the Wonderland critters were an odd bunch – but never one's to go over board with the obscene and degrading. The people raucously laughed and talked about their excitement to watch the "miracles", some were already drunk from drinking generously from the holy fountains.
And then suddenly, without notice, the stadium fell into an immediate hush as the lights dimmed down. The show was about to start. Both Roxas and Axel weren't particularly thrilled to watch what this "sultan of miracles" had to offer; however, their curiosity overcame them as they stared just as intently and quietly as the rest of the crowd. Fog came in and obscured the stage floor, making it appear as if the performance were taking place on a floating cloud. As the rolling mounds of fog came tumbling into the audience, the marble statutes soon began to move with their own life. The lovers thrust, the gamblers gambled, and the deviants defiled. As all statues continued to perform their duties, one lone bawd came sauntering down through the fog – empty and milky marble eyes scanned the room of stunned mystics.
"Welcome all." The marbles voice was harsh with misuse – like the sound of rusty pipes or of a long time smoker. "I am pleased to bring you – the most worthy, most noble and most holy majesty –" She paused, and was stiff again as the stone statue she was made to be. There was a low rumbling from beneath the audience, the deafening silence was soon crushed by the squeak of a mouse man in the crowd, "HE'S HERE!" The crowds began to cheer and clap and sing and rejoice, yet, no one had appeared on stage yet. But soon – their voices of appraisal had a receiver, and out came the kingly man only known as –
"THE JOKER!" The crowd roared in grateful unison, all except Roxas, Axel and the Cheshire Cat. Both of the Organization members watched stunned as the masses cried and chanted and worshipped the demented smiling face. The Cheshire cat only smiled.
The Ace of Knaves came waltzing in with his Sunday best. His shoes were newly minted suede with thick soles, all bright and shiny and most importantly royal purple. His socks were threaded in complete gold along with the stitch in his fine royal purple suit with rich violet drainpipe trousers with four inch cuffs, and long single purple breasted jacket with golden trim, golden undershirt and purple tie. His hair was done up in his usual signature pompadour, and he would've looked like he normally would, if it weren't for the obvious gaudiness, the little crown he wore carelessly to the side of his head, and the now golden covered Maleficent staff he held in his right crook. Without a look, he strode passed the statuesque announcer and with complete ambivalence pushed her over with his bone white hand and with that simple gesture, she fell over into a million pieces thus ending any future animated appearances.
"Ahoy, and other nautical expressions!" He waved to his adoring fans as they eagerly caught to his ever word, screaming and shouting with ever infliction of his hand or his voice.
"Are you READY for some MIRACLES?!"
The crowd cheered and shouted in unison "YES!"
"I CAN'T HEAR YOUUUUU!!!" His voice amplified – and he cupped his ear towards their direction.
"YESSS!"
"Then let's get on with the show!" The room pulsated with eager energy – so much emotion and religious fervor that when he proceeded to take out multiply amounts of water balloons from his vest pocket, no one seemed to take notice the awkwardness of it all. He then began to gleefully throw them at people, and when the first balloon hit someone's face – everyone began to cheer more uproariously than ever. He appeared more to fit his clown persona; performing tricks for children, rather than a religious icon.
"OH BLESSED ONE! PLEASE! DOUSE ME WITH YOUR GOLDEN ELIXIR!" A fanatic from behind the speculating trio shouted from the top of her lungs. Her voice sounded hoarse from screaming one too many times, and finally, her prayers were answered as a water balloon struck the side of her head. She screamed with delight as the Organization members turned around and acknowledged their aching ear drums. As the stadium was filled with more broken water balloons and questionable liquid, Axel sniffed the air and immediately held his breath. Something rancid was floating from the masses.
"THAT SMELL! What is that smell?! It's coming from the "WATER" balloons isn't it?! It smells like – "
Axel was immediately interrupted by the giggling cat. "It's the GREAT one's Golden Elixir. He makes it himself."
"And THIS FOWL smelling concoction is what people believe will give them long life?!"
"Belief is a strong thing."
"You know – if I had to pin point the smell of this yellow garbage. I'd say it was piss – "
"Just be glad it isn't his Divine Seed."
Roxas and Axel immediately made faces of disgust and huddled closer to the edge of the stadium trying to avoid touching anyone who was covered in the "Golden Elixir".
"You are telling ME that people are dancing in HIS piss?!"
"Belief is a strange thing."
The crowd falls into silence once again. As the water balloons cease and the Joker begins to roll his sleeves up. "Now folks, THAT was just the preliminaries – THIS is the MAIN EVENT!"
The lights completely blacken out except a small beam that is directly above the Joker's head, his green hair more evident and alive. His eyes are closed but the smirk never leaves his face even in the solemnity of the atmosphere. Everyone appears to be in almost deep prayer or meditation and Axel scoffs as Roxas watched with childlike curiosity. Everything seemed in calm unity – nothing happened for minutes on end, and Axel was becoming quickly restless with watching everyone mumbling random verses of dead comedians under their breath. When, without warning and with shocking suddenness, there is a crackle of bright light and with the swiftness of lightning it shot through the darkness and sought the lone girl right beneath its beam. There was an electrical crackle and the woman began to scream out relentlessly and she ran through convulsions and sparkled with electrocution. Her body was pulled up towards the ceiling as the whites of her eyes stared at nothing before disappearing through a small trap door located at the very center of the ceiling. People clapped and trampled over each other to "cleanse themselves in His holy light". All the two Organization members could do was simply stare in utter disbelief as the fanatical devout flung themselves at the center stage – pleading with the clown to electrocute them. Randomly, people were simply being taken away up in to the ceiling – crispy pieces of flesh and smells of stench filled the air but no one noticed except the duo who wondered what happened to the shriveled bodies that disappeared behind trick doors.
The Joker watched smugly as people either passed out in ecstasy or were simply too distracted by the sights of "cleansing" light. Without a word of notice, the Joker whistled a tune and prompted his departure. The people hadn't noticed his disappearance till guards with cattle prodders began hustling the people out of the stadium till the next holy intervention. There was no Good-Bye, no announcements of his leaving; just an immediate and abrupt stop to the "festivities". Axel and Roxas were being dragged and pushed by the crowds towards the entrance and tried to keep up with the purple minx as he drifted above the masses to the base of the stage – where an over looked wooden door lurked.
It was hard fighting their way through the multitudes of people stampeding out the door. But Axel was able to use a fiery touch to get most of the people to step out of his way while Roxas caught up behind him. As the stadium cleared out near the stage, the cat ceased his levitation and pompously walked over to the door and waited with smile et al for the two organization members to meet him.
"And what was the purpose of bringing us HERE?" Axel leaned against the wall – short of breath as well as patience
"I'm a cat. I don't have thumbs." His clock work eyes darted to the knob.
"And what might be behind this door?" Roxas cracked it open and the purple cat slithered like a snake through it.
"Just the thing you've been looking for." They both heard his voice echo from within the darkness.
The two stepped into the awaiting room and casually began walking down the dark hall – but the silence and bleakness soon gave way to a large hustle and bustle backstage room where the burnt up bodies of those that had disappeared from the show hung from invisible wires. Axel and Roxas watched as people ran to and fro across the wooden floor and paid little to no attention to the two Organization members People with ear pieces were speaking out loud about performances and dates and times and supply units of materials that neither Axel nor Roxas knew existed. A young man carrying two cups of coffee looked over the crispy dead bodies as an older woman with a tight pencil skirt and hair pulled tightly into a bun walked by with an earpiece on talking loudly about the next show that will be going on in ten minutes on the other side of the world.
"Janet?" The man with the coffee stopped the rambling co-worker in midsentence.
"What are we suppose to do with these?" The woman with the ear piece immediately told the person online to hold and frustratingly looked at the apparent "new-guy".
"What we do EVERY time! Take 'em down to the morgue and put 'em under the "Newly Converted" list!" She rolled her eyes as the assistant looked down in shame as he rolled and pushed the carts of bodies to their designated spot.
The Organization members darted their eyes to and fro – completely taken away by the movements and the sounds of the backstage theater. They had never experience anything of the sort first hand – The Place the Never Was didn't really house such – commodities. Both of them were to busy being distracted that they not once looked down to see how their feline friend was fairing.
"Why did you bring us here?" Axel directed his slight annoyance to the purple fiend while his eyes continued to trace the scenes before him. But his annoyance soon bubbled to aggravation when no reply came.
"Do I have to – " Axel looked down to find that – the cat wasn't there.
"He's gone." Roxas said, already knowing the cat had disappeared a long time ago.
Before either of them had a time to react to the disappearance of their "friend", a loud shrill voice boomed from a far. The troupe of people immediately stopped talking and writing and walking, as the singular entity made its way across the floor, separating the sea of people like Moses.
"Harley?! HARLEY!?" The voice was getting louder, coming closer.
"Pfft, women!" The Joker emerged from the mass in all his purple silk laden robed glory, a cigar in his mouth and a glass of champagne in his hand which he capaciously kept tossing the contents out by whirling it too fiercely in his hand – however, the glass never seemed to run out.
"What good are they when they're never aro – " As his eyes darted from familiar face to familiar face to find his little Harley Quinn – his eyes stumbled upon something much more interesting that completely blocked and obliterated his thoughts on the whereabouts of his moll.
The organization members right in his sights! He looked at them with a dumfounded expression. Brows furrowed in utter confusion and his cigar nearly slipping right out form his slacked jaw. But his expression soon morphed itself into a crushing smile. The people, his assistants, were for now clear out of his way as he walked up to the two members, his frame towering more so than they had remembered.
"My I haven't expected to see YOU kid's in my neck of the woods for awhile!" He places a crawling white spidery hand on Roxas's shoulder and accidently spills some of his drink on Axel's shoes.
"Joker!" Axel angrily looks at the mess that the Joker simply disregards with a wink and a smile. "I've had ENOUGH of your childish antics! You're a despicable, little – " The Joker yawns and pulls his index finger to his lips in a motion for silence and like a muted television – Axel's threats and name calling become facial pantomimes. Roxas stares shockingly at his enraged friend as he soon discovers that the use of his vocal cords has gone completely caput. The Joker lifts the champagne to his lips and takes a sip with his cigar held in his other hand. Axel immediately sees that no words are pouring from his mouth and begins to slightly panic as he starts yelling silent bloody-murders to the clown; gnashing his teeth in ire.
"What have you done, to Axel? To this WHOLE place?!" Roxas turns to watch the Joker take more long leisurely sips from his glass.
"I happened to this place! Mixed in a little magic," He pulled out the hilt of his Maleficent staff from within his robes before letting it disappear into it's confines once more, "a little bit of thought – and a WHOLE LOT of LOVE! And I made a universe fit for the likes of me it's their king!" He spun around in a circle in his triumph. His drink spilling once more and his cigar dropping ash at those near by.
"But – HOW?!"
"Ah – ah – ah! This isn't the "parlor" scene just yet – it's not even the final act!" He stepped in close. "Really – it's only just begun!" He snapped his fingers and Axel immediately blurted out into sound.
"YOU COMMON SWINE!" Were the first few words to escape Axel's mouth as he rushed to the clown with feverish fists and clawed his fingers around the Joker's purple collar. "ENOUGH OF THIS! I DON'T CARE WHAT'S HAPPENED, AND I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU'VE DONE, ALL I CARE ABOUT IS HAVING YOURE HEAD ON A PIKE!"
"Oh such – insubordination!" The Joker simply slaps away Axel's fists from his face. "And in MY house! Definitely not one of your better plans."
A grumble and a growl were heard from the darkness of the hallway Roxas and Axel emerged from. Roxas took a brief look behind his shoulder to find two large lumbering figures creeping their way with heavy padded footfalls towards the two cohorts. Roxas and Axel took a few steps back as they watched the beasts come into the light. They were unmistakably animals of a sort, resembling dogs, but their sizes are impeccably exaggerated, since they appeared to be the size of horses. But that was not the most magnified aspect of the entire animal. No, what made them terrifying creatures to gave upon was that they're skin had been peeled off and rippling muscles and tendons glistened in the light. One could even hear the squish and squirm and drip of each and every opening fleshy part. A tuft of green hair served as their mane as grizzly smiles were painted on their faces. They immediately began to pounce and bounce around in anticipation of a meal, their barking gave way to what they were – hyenas.
"You're lucky this isn't the army, or I'd have ordered you two to be pulled apart at sunrise!" His smile grew more sinister, "And the sun rises whenever I want it to rise!"
Something in that line – struck something inside Roxas, something familiar. "But you couldn't do that." He knew he needed to buy him and Axel sometime. As much as he hated to admit it – at this very moment it was virtually impossibly to fight the Joker and WIN. Someone who had the power to alternate the whole universe? That was power one didn't want to go up against.
"Why not?" The Joker cocked a brow and was immediately intrigued. Like a cat that plays with it's mousey meal before devouring it.
"Because…" He paused. He wasn't entirely sure if it would work. But he recalled where he got the line from. "We don't get up that early." It was from the episode False Alarms by The Three Stooges, the very episode he had watched today through people's windows earlier that day.
A sudden pause.
And then a burst of laughter that made even the burly hyenas flinch. Immediately the Joker shooed away the dogs. And whimpering and snapping they reluctantly retreated back into the darkness from whence they came.
"A stooges fan I see! Maybe you two aren't as hopeless as I thought! And maybe – " He paused in mid thought, lips licking. "YOU would care to join me!"
"Never in a million years!" Axel's refusal burst out. And the Joker green acidic eyes burned into him. It wasn't a stare of anger or even frustration but of contempt and mockery.
"No?" Even his questions were drenched in childlike satire. "Not even if I told you I have something you'd give your entire existence for?"
A pause.
"And what is THIS THING that you're offering? What could possibly mean THAT much to us?"
A slow chuckle, a knowing smirk. He leaned in close to his ear as if whispering to him a secret. "A heart."
His eyes grew wide. But he made no response or movement to indicate his approval of displeasure. Roxas looked from between the two, waiting to hear what the proposal was.
"I can do it you know." The Joker looked directly into the blazing fire of Axel's eyes. "I can do ANYTHING. And all I ask for in return is just a little bit of loyalty."
Another pause.
Roxas stood in complete silence. He wanted to know what was going on between the two. He wanted to interrupt and speak with Axel in private before making a decision, but he knew that wasn't possible. Axel was in that "place", a state of mind where he was thinking so clearly that any interruption would be met with a quick fist to the face. Axel took a deep breath before giving his answer.
"…What do you want?"
Again - sorry for the really really long wait for the update! OKay so - THERE IS A LOT GOING ON HERE! That I think my brain will melt if I even try to explain all of it. Just know that this is probably an extrememly satirical piece, and whatever the Cat is saying is pretty symbolic or has at least some form of a double meaning or foreshadowment because - the Cheshire is a crazy cat dude who likes to do things like that! I do kinda want to point out the somewhat cyclical form of hte chapter, where it starts off concerning a Heart and ends with a Heart. And a lot of references to dreams - the Wizard of Oz quote and such and the really trippy feel to it all - believe me that will become important later on. So ya - lot of thought kinda went into this! Hope you enjoy xD.
Oh BTW - dont mean to whore myself out - but I did write another story - this one completely relating to Batman about the Scarecrow. A really underappreciated rogue who I do love to death! If youre interested please check it out!