Away from the Sun

I think I must have fallen asleep...

Or maybe the crying had given me a headache, and I was imagining things...

Because someone was.. singing..

" Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.

'Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!' "

My eyes flickered open, and I realized that whatever had happened to me (wether I had fallen asleep, or just hallucinations) I was sitting in the middle of a large forest. It was colorful, full of blue and purple bark, and pink and red leaves. Not your normal everyday forest. But it wasn't the colors and the oddness of the foliage around me that spiked my attention. It was the light singing of the song that still echoed around me, the words almost causing lights and flickers to appear on the trees.

" 'And hast thou slain the Jabberwock?
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!'
He chortled in his joy.

'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe."

The song. I knew it, Emmy would often start signing it at random times. She was a person for such poems, and could easily understand the point within the song. Jabberwocky I think it is called.

Maybe it was just my type of ADD, or lack of attention.. But the song never did make since to me. In fact, when Emmy would start to sing it, I would just shake my head, and focus on other things. I had imagination, yes. But the song was just way to "far out there" for me to really comprehend it. I had more important things.. like beating the next level in Zelda on the Wii..

I got up, my knees slightly weak from being sat on for such a long time, and walked towards the singing voice. Part of me almost knew what was to happen. As I have seen Alice in Wonderland many times as a child, and again many times at my current age. That part of me, my inner child, was excited to see what would happen, who was singing. But another part of me was timid. The forest (even though there was many flickering lights in random areas) was very dark.

"I would not go that way.... If I were you.." said a voice behind me, and I jumped forward a small bit. I quickly turned around, only to see the grinning teeth of....

Yes, it was him!

The Cheshire Cat!

The smile grinned at me, and soon I saw the glowing yellow eyes of the Cheshire Cat. Then, again, soon the nose, whiskers, ears, face, body, and then the fluffy tail that hung off the branch he was nestled on.

"I would not go that way.." he said again, now moving to stand on both feet. "You would be mad to go that way." he finished with a chuckle. I smiled inwardly at the fact that he was using quotes from the movie, and decided I might as well play along. I needed a reason to smile right now.

"I'm not mad." I said, rather flatly.

"You must be."

"How would you know?" I asked.

He didn't answer my question, and only jumped down from the tree, and walked towards me. He stopped only a few feet before me, turned invisible, and jumped up onto a high branch. He stayed invisible, and slowly started to hum and sing the tune of Jabberwocky again. I sighed, realizing I wouldn't get to much information out of him.

"Well.. then who are you?" I asked. Of course, I knew who he was, but I felt the need for conversation.

"I am a cat" he said, his tail becoming visible, and then the tail ran across his body, the parts being run over also becoming visible. "A Cheshire cat. And who.. Are you?" he asked, his tail pointing to me.

"Oh.. I'm Lilli-"

"Are you sure?" he asked. I blinked. Did he know I was lying about my identity?

His body slowly disappeared again, and he started to hum the song from before. He was enjoying this.

I looked down. He probably didn't know.. I mean, he's just some cat from a different world. Then again... he is a Cheshire cat.. And I guess that makes a difference. I then looked up to the large branch were he (supposedly) was sitting. "Can you at least tell me where I am?" I asked, half-knowing that my answer would only be some type of riddle.

"Well. You are here." he said, flatly, letting only his head be visible now.

"No.. No, where is here?" I asked again.

"Here is where you shouldn't be."

"..... Then where should I be?" I asked, slowly getting tired of this.

"You need to be there."

"And where is there?!"

"Over there." He said, pointing in three directions at once, using his tail for the third direction.

Sighing, I rubbed my head, and sat on the ground. "Can you at least tell me where to go?"

The Cheshire Cat slowly turned, and looking all around him. When he had stopped, his body was still moving, but his head was staring at me. "You.. Could always ask the Mad Hatter"

"I have a headache" I said.

"Oh.." was all the Cat said. He pointed in a completely different direction. "Then you could visit the March Hair" I sat up a bit at his words. "But... He is mad as well."

"I sighed, and now laid completely on the ground. "I don't want to deal with mad people right now" I said, knowing I just nearly quoted Alice from the movie.

"Well you can't do that," said the cat, and I again inwardly smiled at the words that would soon come from his mouth. We seemed to be quoteing the movie, and probably my favorite quote ever to be said in the history of Disney Movies was about to be said///. "I'm mad, Your mad-"

"I'm not mad," I said again. "and I don't want to go among mad people"

The cat only chuckled. "Oh, but you can't help that." he said, "We're all mad here."

I smiled at the words he said, and repeated them in my head. I sat up, in a much better mood, and smiled up at the half vanished Cheshire Cat. He only smiled down at me. I got up to my feet, and held my hands behind my back.

"Mr. Cat." I said, politely. "Do you think you could help me find my friend? I wish to go home now."

His grin grew wider. "Oh. But you are already on your way" he said. I gave a confused look at his words, but he only laid down fully on the branch, and slowly started to disappear.

"W-.. wait!!" I said, running to the tree. "I have no idea where I am! Don't go yet!" I pleaded.

His chuckle filled the air, and slowly I heard the slight humming and singing of Jabberwocky around the trees. I sighed, and sat by the tree that the cat had been in seconds before, and laid my back against the bark. My eyes felt slightly droopy, and I closed them, letting out a small yawn. I was suddenly so tired..

But that didn't last long. As soon as my eyes had closed, I felt someone shaking my shoulder.

"Lillith...!! Wake up! You fell asleep!" My eyes snapped open at the voice.. it was Riku.. but what was Riku doing around these parts?

I looked up to him, into his eyes. They looked... worried.. My heart seemed to hurt a bit at the look he was giving me, and I stood up. "Sor--" I started, but then caught a glance at the place that was around me.

I spun around. There where no trees..! No cat, no trees, no forest! The floor was grassy, not dirt. And the only thing that was around here was the large hedge that sat before the queens court room...!! I was back where this all started!!

"Lillith!" I heard Riku exclaim behind me. "What are you--"

"Where is the cat?!" I asked, and Riku looked at me like I was insane.

"Cat...?"

"Yes..! Cat! The Cheshire Cat! Where is he?!" my voice seemed a little worried, which only made Riku look at me as if I was even more insane.

"Lillith.. Lillith, you fell asleep!" He said, grabbing my shoulders, trying to keep me still.

"A-...asleep?" I asked, and Riku nodded. I let out a small sigh, and an "Oh..." and pulled way from him.

"S..Sorry.." I said, running a hand through my hair.

Riku just started to walk off. "It's fine, I don't care" he said.

I looked down, and didn't follow him. He stopped, and looked back at me.

"Look..." he said. "Just.. don't run off like that again!" he said. I looked up at him. "You.. worried me.."

A blush crept onto my cheeks. 'He was worried about me?'.. i thought. "O-Oh... Sorry about that..." I said, now walking to him.

"Don't be sorry.. " he said, "Just don't do it again." He began to walk again. This time I followed, but I still kept my eyes upon the ground. "R-right.. ok.." was all I said.

My attitude around Riku seemed weird to me.. I was afraid to talk. Normally, around Emmy, I'm loud and rambunctious. I guess, when I am around Riku, I don't want to make a fool out of myself.. But at the same time, I really want to be hyper as well. But, I shouldn't be worrying about this.. I was supposed to be apologizing. Before, me and Riku had gotten in a fight at that ball thing, and I still haven't apologized to him. I could tell he was still angry at me.. or something.. 'maybe he just didn't like me' which was understandable anyway.

"U..Um.. Riku?" I asked, afraid of his answer. All I got out of him was a small "hmm?". I kept my look down at the ground, and spoke up. "Uhm.. listen.. about before.. I'm sorry..."

He looked at me confused. "Sorry?.. about what?"

"Y-you know.. At the party when we got in that fight.. and I'm--"

"Don't worry about it. It's no big deal" He said, rather flatly.

I glared at him a bit. "W... What do you mean?! 'No Big Deal'?! I hurt your fee-"

"I said it's nothing!"

I let out a small growl. "Look, I'm trying to say sorry! Your yelling at me for apologizing!?"

"There is nothing to apologize for!" He said, stopping now and looking to me. I stopped as well, and glared at him.

"Is it that hard to just say "Its ok" so that I can calm down and maybe focus on something more important?!" I yelled at him. He stopped glaring.

"What do you mean?.. " he asked, confused.

"Maybe I worried about you too!!" I said, "This whole time we have been here, all I have been thinking about is that your mad at me, and that you hate me, and tha--" Riku moved his thumb to my mouth, and I quickly stopped talking. A blush quickly took over my cheeks, and I stared at him.

".. Whoever said I hated you?" he asked, taking his hand away.

I shrugged, and looked down. "I.. I don't know.. I just thoug--"

"I don't" he said, interrupting me. I looked up to him, and I blushed when I saw that he was smiling. He opened his mouth to say more, but someone spoke up behind us.

"I would greatly hate to put a stop to such a intimate moment, but it is time for you both to come back" I jumped a bit at the words, and looked behind me.

Maleficent.

I mentally cursed her for breaking up Riku and mines moment, but it might have been for the best. I don't think my cheeks could have gotten any redder. Riku stepped forward first.

"Unfortunately, you did not stop the key bearer from closing the door to this world. But luckily, I was able to get my hands on the girl" Maleficent said, holding up her hand. A small orb grew upon her hand, and showed a small picture of Alice. She look scared, and it seemed that Maleficent had put her inside some cage.

"..Wait.. You took Alice?!" I said, a bit to stern. Maleficent glared at me.

"Does that bother you, young Lillith?" she asked in a demanding voice. I just crept behind Riku, and peered at her over his shoulder. Though, what surprised me, was that when I did so, Riku put a hand in front of me.. protectively. Again, my cheeks went red. The Queen only smirked.

She waved her hand, and opened a portal behind her. "See to it that you come back quickly. The day is ending, and I don't wish to baby sit you two all day." and with that, she walked and disappeared into the portal. I slightly scoffed, and Riku looked back to me.

"Be careful around her.. " he said, "We don't know how dangerous she really is.."

"I do.." I said quietly..

"..What?" Riku asked.

"N-Nothing!" I said quickly. I needed to be more careful... Riku just shook his head.

"Come'on. Lets go before the Queen gets mad again" he turned, and walked towards the portal. I didn't move.

He looked back. ".. You coming?" he asked. I nodded, and walked forward.

"yea.." I said. He nodded back, and walked into the black portal, wisps of purple and black engulfing him.

I took a gulp, and stepped to the portal.

"Where.. are you going?" said a voice behind me. I quickly spun around, only to come face to face with the Cheshire Cat, who was currently lounging on the hedge in front of me.

"I'm.. going back home." I said, not sure if I should be calling Maleficent's castle a 'home'

"Then, You are not going where you need to go." the cat said bluntly, and spinned so that he was standing.

I tilted my head. "And.. Where do I need to go?" I asked.

"Do you know where you need to go?" He asked me, pretty much copying the question I just asked.

I shook my head. "No.. I don't.."

"If you don't know, then I don't know. Therefore, I cannot tell you where you need to go."

".. what?" I asked. The cat chuckled.

"I don't know" and with that, he simply disappeared again. I sighed, and listened to the fading hum of Jabberwocky being singed by the Cheshire Cat.

I turned back to the portal, and let out another sigh. I hated the feeling the portal gave me. But I stepped in anyway, and let the wisps of black and purple engulf me as well.

*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*

I.. was.. bored.

Terribly bored.

Riku was sleeping, he was tired after wonderland (Hell, I took a few naps there anyway).

The Queen was off somewhere doing.. evil-ish villain stuff.

And I was left here. Staring at the ceiling. Bored.

Bored.

Bored.

Bored

Bored

I sighed, and sat up on my bed. I needed to be doing SOMEthing.

Over at the edge of my bed was the small orb Maleficent had given me. I picked it up. Maybe some spying would entertain me.

"Show me Emmy.." I said into the orb, reminding my self of the mirror in Beauty and the Beast.

The orb glowed for a moment, and then showed me a image of Emmy.. I would have been happier to see her, except something was wrong..!

She was hurt..!! And there was something she was fighting. It looked.. it looked a lot like..

A three headed dog!!

Emmy was in The Olympus Colosseum! And she was fighting Cerberus!

But she was Hurt!

And she was loosing!