PART 1f Kevin suddenly tensed *severely * and damn near broke the table in his sudden crushing grip. Sarah watched amazed as his face turned beat red and his mouth opened and closed a few times. "Ggggggggggggggggggg," He growled forcing himself ( The amount of restraint he had to use in that moment would have been enough to impress *anyone *. ) to remain calm and polite. Well... at least not to scream. "No." He assured hissing through his barred teeth and jerked away hopping off the table and stomping over to his fallen suitcase, which had laid temporarily forgotten on the ground a ways away. Sarah pouted folding her arms across her chest and falling back a little on the table. "You're a sore loser!" She said obviously displeased and disappointed. "THAT'S right missy!" Kevin threw over his shoulder before turning back and leaning down to pick up his case. "I'm a sore loser... a spoil sport. I'm the kinda person that would pop a child's balloon and get some sadistic glee from it... rain on someone's parade. Bring down the party and just in general spoil all the fun for everyone. Cause right now that's *just *the type mood I'm in!" Sarah frowned and her jester hat actually seemed to wilt a little. "Boy... you should grow up, winning isn't everything! A game is for fun!" She intoned sounding perky at that. "Yeah right." Kevin said disinterested dusting off his suitcase. Fun his ass, he hadn't had any fun and hadn't even won. Kevin turned and took a few steps towards the path at the other end of the clearing. "Wish I could say I enjoyed myself... it's been real." He assured to Sarah in a tone saying that he didn't believe a word of that, he felt at least obligated to bid her goodbye. Course... he hadn't felt the need to be courteous... just obligated to say goodbye. Sarah looked panicked seeing that he was indeed going to leave this time. "Wah! Wait!" She cried. ZOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM! Kevin only jumped back to get some space between them... by this time he was hardly surprised to see her suddenly standing in front of him. Sarah looked kinda pathetic with big watery eyes looking at him hopefully. "Can we play another game? You can pick which one this time! And I'll let ya win to! Please?" She asked pitifully looking really sad. Kevin frowned. "I can't... I told you before. I have to gooooooooooo okay?" He asked feeling only semi impatient now. Sarah was looking really sad and put out. "Oh come on! Just one more game! I'm so board and hardly anyone comes out here and I can't play with anyone!" She cried pulling on her jester's hat pigtails. "So go find *them *." Kevin said not getting why she just couldn't go and find someone else to torture. He tried to move around her but Sarah just bounced back in front of him. Kevin had the feeling that by playing one stupid game with her before had been like feeding a stray... they *always * came back for more. "But-but-but-but-" Sarah couldn't think of an answer and so she just pouted slouching a little looking up at Kevin. "Please?" She finally repeated unable to think of anything else. Kevin frowned looking at her pitiful expression. He couldn't help but feel a little guilty since after all this was the face of someone he knew and his friends fiancée and he had sorta been a little nasty to her and he was indeed leaving. Kinda like that guilt one got when leaving the pound or something. Well he still couldn't stay. "Sorry. I can't." He said a little more gently this time. Sarah suddenly lost her sad demeanor and pouted. "Oh come on!" She said dismayed apparently thinking that if mournful guilt tripping expression wasn't working excessive whinnying would. Kevin gave her a beedyeyed look. "I already told you once and I'm not going to tell you again," He warned his annoyance returning as he suspected the pathetic act to just BE that. An act. "I. Have. To. GO! NOW!" "But you can't!" She whinnied holding her arms out to the side as if that would prevent him from going. "Just one more game!" Guess again. "Yes I can... *look *," Okay... Kevin had HAD it. "Apparently this isn't processing into your tiny mind." Kevin had REALLY had it. The suitcase landed with on the ground again as he dropped it to gesture furious. "Somewhere between you ears and you brain the connection must have rotted away or something cause this isn't just getting through to you. Or maybe it is and you're just in some kinda of psychological denial and frankly my dear. at this point I don't give a damn." He said sweetly. Sarah just blinked wide innocent eyes at him watching his wrath seemingly unfazed. "Its time for a reality check and I mean a MAJOR one Sarah!" He snapped. "Chess." She corrected. "No! NOT Chess! Your Sarah!" Kevin snarled getting fed up with this. "I know you think you are who you say you are but you aren't, your who I say you are cause I KNOW that I may have lost my complete balance of sanity here but I can at least recognize you people so that must mean there's some hope for me but not until I get to a freaking phone and find out just what the hell has happened and that's not gonna happen till you get outta *my * way so I can leave and *find * that phone." Kevin ranted on not realizing he was babbling he was so livid. Sarah growled annoyed herself Kevin wasn't going to participate. "But I want to plaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay!" She started wailing like a five year old. "SHOVE IT!" Kevin hollered back making Sarah hop back surprised. What the flying hell was it with these people!? They couldn't talk at a *normal * tone!? FINE! TWO CAN PLAY AT THAT! Kevin pointed his finger at Sarah. "I did what you wanted I did the bet I played the game even when I was in a hurry but I still did it I tolerated your goddamn attitude and went along with it all but I paid my due did my time and now I'm outta here you empty headed preppy obnoxious hyper active mime! Go play some solitary if your so damn board" He bellowed his temper unleashing fully at that moment and lingering as he glared bloody murder at Chess. Chess stared at him for a moment with wide eyes and Kevin blinked when she did and he saw water rapidly building in them. Oops... shit. Kevin realized he had gone to far and regretted it instantly when he saw her lip trembling in the tell tell sign she was gonna start crying. He felt like a jerk now... great. "Oh... oh... hey... look I didn't mean that," He said quickly trying to assure her. "I'm-" "Your... so... MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNNNNNN!" Before Kevin could even start his apology Sarah let lose a wail that no girl on the face of the planet would normally be capable of. Kinda like one of those ultra sonic shrieks that you saw on TV, Kevin was surprise the damn trees didn't bend from the force of it. He yelped shocked and stumbled backwards taken aback by the sheer loudness of the screech. Sarah also burst into tears beginning to cry hysterically. And she didn't cry normally either. Course not... couldn't do one damn thing *normal * here! Noooooooooooooo! Water *gushed * from her eyes as she cried. And not gushed as in she cried a lot in hysterical sobs. but GUSHED. It was ridiculous! It was like... those anime girls Kevin had seen on TV when they toured through Japan. When they just started comically wailing and crying dramatically and water sprouted from their eyes... it was exactly the case right now. If Kevin hadn't been standing there at the moment actually witnessing it he wouldn't have believed it. Shocked he hopped back panicking as Sarah continued to stand there crying making Kevin feel like an even bigger jackass. "Shit! Hey! I'm sorry! Stop crying!" Kevin said wildly trying to make her stop. "Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!" Sarah continued to wail tears not stopping. "Look! I'm really really sorry okay! I didn't mean it! Just please stop crying!" Kevin cried and suddenly stopped looking down feeling something at his feet, surprise taking over panic for the moment. Only for the moment mind you. "WHAT THE-?" Kevin's eyes almost fell out of his head again as he stared down blown away. Pooling at his boots and rapidly rising... Was water. Kevin yelped and jumped splashing water around for a moment but it was all over the place... looking around wildly he saw to his shock water all around. in only a moment the blooming buds of the flowers and bright colors of them disappeared under water while... like the flowers had been before... now covered the forest floor in substitute. And... it was kinda rising... *like really fast *! "Holy-!" Kevin yelped and spun around the water had risen to his knees by now slowing him down somewhat. He managed to turn around without falling into the water till he was facing Sarah again who stood there as if this was nothing and continued to wail and cry. Kevin didn't know exactly how he knew... maybe he really was starting to catch onto this place but he just knew she was causing this weather or not she realized it. Normally he would have taken a moment for disbelief but seeing as while the water was now rising up to his waist he splashed around trying to wave his arms. "Hey! HEY! STOP CRYING!" He hollered yelping as the water rose past his waist. "HEY! HEY!" Sarah didn't hear him over her crying and still didn't notice the water rising up submerging her as well. Kevin yelped again and tried to turn waving his arms around wildly splashing water. His feet couldn't really touch the ground anymore, it wasn't like being in a pool, being in a pool the water was one constant water level. Unfortunately for Kevin the water rose... And rose... And rose... And rose... "AH SHIT!" Kevin shouted his eyes shut and water hitting his face, he forced himself to make a small jump and took the largest deepest breath he could realizing he wasn't going to get outta this one without a good ol jolly swim and just in time to, seeing as which the cool water rose above his head a moment later completely submerging the eldest Backstreet Boy. Kevin's sense of balance was completely thrown off as his feet left the ground and he floated, gravity had changed so suddenly. It was one thing to go INTO the water from above... it was another to have it come to you from below! Kevin's hearing was cut off into a thick mute sound save for the sounds of the bubbles which he made plenty of floundering around shocked. Waving his arms and kicking his legs a little Kevin floated upwards completely floured by the sudden OCEAN that had formed. OH THIS WAS JUST UN-FREAKING-BELIEVABLE! Unable to believe what had just happened to himself Kevin floated in the calm quite for a few seconds not moving... he had his eyes open and could barely see through the dark blue. "BLURAB!" Was all Kevin could manage as he floated upwards and not by his own will either, something hit him making bubbles fly out of his mouth as he gasped in shock till he realized what was happening... he was passing upwards through the trees. The water level must have passed them as well! Which it had... unknown to poor Kevin the water had risen up very far past the tops of the trees. Suddenly jerking wildly at the sensation of getting tangled up in wet floral Kevin eventually got past through the tree tops pretty quickly and burst through the leaves blinking in shock as he floated up. Looking down he saw the tops of the trees formed what looked like a ground... a very dark black ground. Kevin stared down for a moment before something caught his eye in front of him a ways away. He looked up and squinted and then his eyes widened partially in fury when he saw what it was. Sarah waved her arms and legs looking like she was doing a jumping jack. She blinked a few times looking just as surprised at the ocean she had formed with her own tears. She saw Kevin in front of her and gave Kevin the biggest cheese eating sheepish smile he had ever seen. Kevin snarled sending a flurry of bubbles out of his mouth and nose and waved his arms wildly trying to swim towards her ( Probably with the intent of murder. ) but didn't seem to be able to move towards her. Sarah waved mistaking his wild gestures and kicked her leg forward smoothly doing a back flip till she was upside down, she beamed again at Kevin as if to say "Whoops! Sorry bout that!" and Kevin watched seething as she began to frog swim in the opposite direction towards the forest floor. Kevin didn't know where she planned on going and at this point didn't give a damn, she could've drowned he could have cared less right about now since she had gotten them both into this goddamn mess! Floating there and inwardly seething Kevin took a moment before looking upwards, since his career dealt with singing holding notes for a long period had given him the talent of holding his breath for quite a long time. But still... he really should get moving since the surface looked quite a ways up. Kicking his legs Kevin began swimming upwards furiously, not knowing that the surface wasn't just quite a ways up... it was so far up he would run of out breath and energy before he could even reach it at his pace. Fortunately for him... someone else knew. Up above... far, far, faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaar up above the surface of the water about ten feet above it actually, humming filled the air. Purple cat ears began to materialize in the air; once they did they twitched for a second before a tail began to appear. "Hmmmmmm mmmmmmmmmmm hummmmmm mmmmmmmmmmmm." The Cheshire Cat fully appeared, humming idly floating in the air. As if sitting in an invisible chair Nick had his legs crossed and his elbow leaning on his knee and resting his chin in his hand as he looked down at the gentle water that had appeared. His other arm was wrapped around something that looked like a stuffed animal of some sorts. His shinning gold eyes watched the water for a moment still humming amused. His tail swished behind him. "Hmm." He mused for a moment, the water remained undisturbed save for the exception of the natural small waves it made. Nick giggled seeing nothing happen after a moment and sat up happily. Grinning at the mess Kevin had gotten himself into he pulled the stuffed animal around to hold it in front of himself to look at it. It... was actually... a fish. A huge round fish... bout the size of a beach ball since it was inflated. It unfortunately was also asleep. No problem... Nick poked it in the face a few times and its large sleepy eyes opened up tiredly. Nick smiled at it showing his sharp teeth, which hardly threatened the fishy; it just blinked its eyes still halfway closed. It half-heartedly flapped its back fin before sagging somewhat as if that act had taken all it had. "If you wouldn't mind terribly... my stupid friend down there needs some help if you please." Nick requested politely before straightening up, extending his legs down so he was standing in mid air, leaning over Nick extended his arms out then holding the fish out but kept his eyes on the water. Without a second thought he dropped the fish and it landed in the water with a small splash. Nick floated up a little more, his tail curling around leg a little as he wrinkled his nose at the water. The fish bobbed for a moment blinking again as it did in surprise. It bobbed like a booie before it exhaled opening its large mouth to yawn, which caused it to shrink considerably and then... sink. It disappeared into the water completely; with a grin Nick then yawned and stretched his arms. Folding them behind his head he leaned back lounging in the air waiting patiently and contently, his tail swaying hypnotically. Kevin was continuing his swim upward when something suddenly fell in front of him slowly, making him stop for a second surprised. He blinked trending for a sec and squinted. Squinting back... was a fish. Taken aback Kevin recoiled slightly his eyes widening. What surprised him the most was. how weird this fish looked. It was like a cartoon or something. He and the fish stared at each other for a moment when the fish suddenly inflated. Kevin watched amazed at it puffed up to the size of a beach ball... each eye on the side of its head about the size of a baseball now. He watched stunned as the fish began to move upwards... the air in its body making it float back towards the surface. Mutely watching it headed a few feet upward its body suddenly shrank again as it let out all the air. It sank again back in front of Kevin's face and looked at him with disinterest. After a moment of still just staring at one another it flapped its side fins as incentive. Oh... was he... supposed to... grab it? Hesitating for only a moment Kevin reached out but stopped instantly pulling his hands back when it started to puff up again like a blowfish. When it saw Kevin not reaching anymore it stopped mid inflate and stared at him. Oh... okay it wanted him to take it. Confidant that was what was going on Kevin reached out and it began to puff up again, this time not stopping he grabbed the large side fins with each hand and held tight. Once fully inflated the fish and its companion began moving upwards. Slow at first but then steadily faster, Kevin gripped the fins tighter. his arms above his head. Cool... it was kinda like someone had literally dropped a line and was reeling him back up! He moved much much faster then he had been swimming. Looking up Kevin saw the light from the surface get brighter... and brighter... and brighter... and... Swoosh! "GUH!" Kevin gasped breaking the surface hugging the blowfish tightly now ( Not like it minded or cared. ) it bobbed still inflated so Kevin could hold on like it was a life ring. Gasping and panting Kevin clung to the fish hugging it to his chest as he wheezed. Finally! Air! Relieved Kevin floated in the water enjoying the sensation of air... his hair clung to his head and some strands to his face. Breathing slowly returning to normal he looked around and came face to face with the last person he wanted to see at that moment. Nick/The Cheshire Cat grinned at him and Kevin's face instantly soured. "Oh... its *you *." He said in *pure * disgust. Nick's grin got wider at Kevin's words; Nick hovered in the air just above the surface. Had he been on the ground ( Or even in the water for that matter. ) he would have been lying on his back... with his arms folded across his chest his head was fallen back to look at Kevin upside down only a few inches away from him. "I leave you alone for only two hours and already you manage to upset a local resident and flood a forest." Nick giggled and pulled his hands up to clap them in front of Kevin's face as if applauding him. "Bravo! I love it! This is *much * better then I ever anticipated!" "Oh screw you!" Kevin exploded still hugging the fish, which was starting to fall asleep again. Nick just laughed at him making Kevin even more pissed. "What the hell was THAT!? That was *Sarah Martin *! Just what the flying hell was her deal!? Why didn't you warn me!?" Kevin yelled making Nick grin again as he slowly began to turn onto his stomach. "Because my lost friend... you never asked me!" Nick exclaimed smiling tauntingly as he finally was facing Kevin so he wasn't upside down anymore. "I... I... YOU... SON OF A-" Kevin started to lose it again. "Ah ah ah!" Nick said suddenly throwing his arm out surprising Kevin into silence. Nick waved his finger at him as if chastising him. "I did warn you about familure faces did I not?" Nick winked at him grinning. "Yeah! But you didn't tell me that I would run into my friend's fiancée!" Kevin yelled furious as water splashed around him. "Mmm... now she IS a familure face is she not?" Nick asked. "Well... yeah but-" Nick grinned and shrugged resting his chin in his hands. "So I should hardly think you should be mad at me!" "I-" Kevin couldn't think of anything to rebut that, Nick had put it in a way that he was right but... STILL! "Didn't I also tell you not to rush through this place?" Nick asked drawing Kevin's attention back to him. Nick smiled widely his ear flattening to his head. "Now look where being in a hurry has gotten you!" "I'm in a goddamn hurry cause I want *out *of this freaking place!" Kevin snarled livid. Nick stared laughing. "Yes and look where it has gotten you! You've managed to get Chess to cry you an actual river!" Nick floated up into a sitting position and leaned back laughing whole-heartedly as Kevin fumed. Okay... so maybe this was his fault. "Listen you!" Kevin yelled as Nick calmed down but still chuckled. "I'M SICK OF THIS! I WANT OUT OF HERE!" Kevin's eyes narrowed dangerously at Cat Nick who grinned amused sensing what he was thinking. "You know you seem to know a LOT of what's happening around here-" Kevin started in a suspicious tone. "I'm The Cheshire Cat my lost friend!" Nick leaned down a little to look at Kevin in the face and grinned. "I know a lot and can do a lot remember?" "Yeah whatever!" Kevin growled batting at the water that was dripping down his face. "May I give you some advice my lost friend?" Nick asked smiling. "Oh... oh please do." Kevin said sarcastically... oh he'd just *love * to hear this! Nick leaned down again and grinned so wide his eyes closed. "Keep your temper." With that spoken Nick leaned back as if sitting again on an invisible chair again. Kevin stared up at him as he bobbed in the water. "*That's it *?" He asked after a moment when he realized that was all Nick was going to say. Nick chuckled and nodded. "Yes!" He chirped. Kevin wasn't taking that piece of advice at that moment. "*What kind advice is that *!?" He shrieked. Nick just smiled still. "Valid advice my livid friend!" He declared. "Look where your temper has gotten you already!" He pointed out though he clearly hadn't lost his amusement at what Kevin had gotten himself into. Looking around Kevin bit his lip realizing that there was some validation in that advice but... he was kinda expecting something more! "That's it? That's all your going to tell me?" He demanded. "What else would you like me to tell you?" Nick asked slyly. "Like how the hell I get out of here!" Kevin roared accidentally squeezing the fish a little harder in his furious state. "In case you haven't noticed dunce the goddamn path is gone now! Not like your directions were oh so helpful in the beginning but what am I supposed to do now huh!? How do I get out of here!?" Nick grinned. "I told you that before! The same way you came in!" Kevin started to shake with rage. "HOW DID I GET IN!?" "Hmm..." Nick's grin got bigger. He should tell him... he really should...but he was so fun to torture and so easy to irritate! Maybe just a little clue... "Well now, if want to know that, then you'll have to ask The White Rabbit." Nick finally said after a moment. Kevin blinked surprised at the answer...and the fact Nick had actually TOLD him something useful. "The White Rabbit? Brian? *Brian * knows how I got in here!?" He demanded. Nick just smiled and shrugged. "Ask him." Nick started to chuckle again. "Good luck catching him... he's in quite a bit of a hurry." "Where do I find him!?" Kevin instantly gasped out his hope lurching. Nick waved his hand dismissively off to his right. "Well... he's on the path you were on." He informed him. Kevin's jaw fell open and he looked down quickly at the water he was still in. "You mean he's in *this *!?" He asked panicked at the thought of his cousin stuck in this ocean now and had horrible vision of him not being able to get out. Nick's grin though wasn't at all worried. "Oh no... he's way *past * what parts of the forest that are watered by now. But he is still on the path that you were on!" Kevin opened his mouth to ask just what that meant when Nick suddenly leaned back still sitting on an invisible chair and waved as if shooing him away. "Now then! You should really be on your way! It's very hard to catch The White Rabbit you see!" Nick laughed floating back a little away from Kevin. "And at the rate you're going my lost friend! It's going to take a while for you to catch him!" "Wait! Hey I... HEY!" Kevin yelled when suddenly... the fish he was hugging turned and began swimming away taking Kevin with it since he was holding onto it. Nick's grin grew as Kevin was forcibly towed slowly away since... after all... he couldn't let go of the fish cause the water stretched on for quite a ways and he sure couldn't swim that far on his own. "Hey! HEY!" Kevin was shouting furiously as the fish continued its tread away flapping its fins. Nick grinned and waved pleasantly. "Don't worry! Cho will take you where you'll need to continue!" He called out at a screaming Kevin as he was dragged away. "THIS IS NOT FAIR WHY THE HELL DIDN'T YOU TELL ME THIS BEFORE I SWEAR TO GOD THIS ISN'T FUNNY STOP SMILING-" Kevin's shrieking rants were fading as he was pulled farther away. Nick giggled and waved again. "Goodbye lost friend! And remember! Keep your temper!" He called out again before his grin faded into a smirk as he leaned back. Tucking an arm under the other The Cheshire Cat rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I'm sure I'm going to see you again soon." Nick grinned and began to hum while laughing as he began to fade away once more. At the rate dear old Kevin was going... he had *no * doubt he would run into him again *very *soon indeed. BACK NEXT |
| Wonderland |