Who: Kenzi and Xander What: Exploring Wonderland Where: a feast hall When: [Backdated] Sept 1 Warnings: None Status: closed/g-doc
Xander, upon hearing he could visit Wonderland, wasted no time in texting Kenzi. He hadn’t spent much time with his best friend in town lately and thought the two of them might enjoy some random fun in this particular portal. As much as he loved Rey, Xan wanted to go with someone who might actually enjoy it as much as he did.
He let her know he’d wait for her inside the portal. How odd to realize as he slowly floated/fell that there seemed to be floating furniture. Or furniture stacked on top of each other?
When he landed, Xan didn’t find himself in a Henley and jeans, but in this
After they explored for the day, Xander and Kenz found themselves outside a jeweled tree, which apparently held the heart of Wonderland. His new tattoo, below his earlobe, seemed to work on doors so far.
“Think we should have gotten high before we came?” he joked to his best friend.
It appeared as if Wonderland approved at Kenzi’s natural outfit which consisted of a corset, several belts, and knee-high boots. The only thing it seemed to add was a cute little steampunk top hat with gears that sat askewed on her head. So far, she was having a lot of fun.
“If we were high, this would all make sense and then we couldn’t appreciate how weird everything is.” She grinned back. “But I will say the only other weird tree I’ve met before I had to threaten with a chainsaw for Bo, so hopefully this one goes better.”
Xan thought his best friend looked really good in her outfit, but of course Kenz always looked good. He knew it objectively, even if he thought of Kenzi as a sister.
“You’re right,” he responded, grin still on his face. “Shall we?” Xan heard a click as his ear rested against the tree.
When they entered, Xan stared. He carried a Drink Me bottle and Eat Me cake, but he almost dropped them as Wonderland, the Heart of it, came into view.
“Holy. Hell.” Truthfully, he expected something like the Tim Burton film, if someone asked him, but nobody did and this seemed far outside his imagination.
This was so cool. She had seen a lot of weird Fae stuff, but nothing like this. She took in the sight. “I suddenly feel like that monkey in Aladdin.” She murmured Kenzi had no idea if her eyes went as wide as Abu’s did, but it sure felt like it. “Are we supposed to do something specific when we enter? Should we bow or something?” Kenzi had no idea.
Xan had no idea either. “I feel like maybe we should enter first and then worry about bowing?” Without hesitation, Xan held his ear up near the tree and heard an audible click, before suddenly there appeared before them a doorway.
He entered, and held out his hand to Kenz. “We don’t leave each other’s side, please.” The door clicked shut not long after the two stepped inside. As his eyes adjusted to…the colours and oh my God all of the neon threw up on everything.
His head turned when he heard someone…or something, say ‘Twinkle!” in a rather terrified tone.
Kenzi turned too and did a little gasp. She reached out to touch Xan’s arm and whispered. “Is this a call and response thing?” Kenzi had no idea, but she’d been around Fae enough to know weird was sometimes normal. Of course, she’d also been around Fae enough to know things could be super dangerous too. “Twinkle right back atcha!” Okay… so not exactly a call and response, but Keni couldn’t think of anything that went with Twinkle than the song about the star.
“Maybe we should…go introduce ourselves?” He moved slowly, partly because his eyes wanted to should Turn off the batteries!. Everything looked so damn bright.
Xander had exactly zero experience with Fey outside of Madison Valley. He sort of knew Alyssa because occasionally she’d show up to hook up with Kenny. But, somehow he knew, she would not enjoy being called Fey.
This time the terrified voice ran at them being chased by…a cross between a tiger and an eel. Okay, Xander didn’t blame the creature that ran towards them and suddenly it launched itself into Kenzi’s arms, hat falling from its head.
It took everything in Xan not to gasp, because they could now see the creature’s brains in its translucent head.
"Woah!" Kenzi tried to 'catch' the creature even though it was clear the creature had its own trajectory. Once it was on her arm, she brought it close to her body protectively and Kenzi went into momma bear mode. She didn't exactly have kids or anything, but she did have a streak.
Kenzi turned so the little thing was away from the big thing and she held out her free hand. She pulled her hat off and waved it around as intimidating as one could manage for a small top hat with gears. "Hey! No! Bad! Go away! Shoo!" Like she was talking to a normal dog or something.
Xan watched the other creature stare at Kenzi. He’d jump in if necessary, but Kenzi could hold her own, obviously. When the creature just stared at Kenzi like she lost her mind, Xander made to step in, but it lost interest and turned away.
“Are you okay?” Xan asked the creature. “Twinkle!” Okay, the creature sounded less petrified at least, although the lack of vocabulary gave Xander some Groot feels like in the Guardian movies.
Kenzi wished Trick was here so she could ask ‘is that normal’ to everything they saw. Would that annoy the Blood King? Probably. But in the best of ways.
“Daww, you’re so cute! Aren’t you? Who’s an adorable Wonderland creature?.” She baby talked to it like it was a dog even if maybe it wouldn’t be considered cute in most circles. “Don’t worry about Tiger-Snake dude. He’s gone now. You’re okay.” Maybe. Kenzi realized it might be a case of ‘let the mouse down and it gets swooped up by a bird’ scenario. She paused, then looked at Xan. “We probably can’t keep it, right?”
Xander went to respond to Kenzi’s question, but then the creature licked Kenzi’s cheek. “I don’t think we can bring him home, Kenz. But you are adorable, little guy,” Xan added. He watched as the little guy snuggled against Kenzi’s shoulder for a moment, before hopping down, grabbing his hat, and running off.
“Okay then?”
Kenzi’s lip wibbled. While it would have normally sucked that the creature left so suddenly, Kenzi felt as if it was devastating. Her lips quivered again and her eyes grew wider. She started to think about Hale and about Bo and her breathing became a little laboured. “Everything is so sad.” Her eyes started to water.
Xander didn’t know what to say. He pulled his best friend in for a hug. A flower nearby said, “Let it out girl. One tear.” Okay, whatever that meant.
“It’s okay, Kenz. I promise. Let’s go find something to drink?”
“She needs to cry. I promise that’s all she needs. One tear.” Xander looked at his best friend. “Can you cry?”
"I might be Russian, but I'm also Canadian." It was as if the word Canadian itself was what made Kenzi cry. It seemed like it was going to be a big, ugly cry, but it was only one tear. One tear that slid down her cheek and turned into a glowing wish that fell into her palm.
"Make a wish!"
"What?" Should she even take advice from talking plants? But if she was, what kind of wish was she even supposed to make? She looked at Xan, then thought of Kaa, Bo, Vex, Dyson… this was so impossible it was unfair. She looked almost distraught. And how did you even make the wish? Out loud? In your head? Was she supposed to blow on it?
Ugh.
"... Here goes nothing, I guess." Kenzi closed her eyes, brought the wish up in her palm, and whispered to it. "I wish that all my friends find their happiness."
She opened her eyes. Now what?
The flower sighed. “At least you didn’t wish for more wishes. Try again. Only you can be the subject of the wish.”
Xander ran a hand over his face. Who knew a wish could cause this much stress.
“Only an idiot would do that.” She’d watched enough movies and tv shows to know that never ended well.
Ugh.
Despite the way Kenzi could come off, she was actually really bad at making wishes for herself. Also a wish for something like more wigs or unlimited sugary cereals seemed… artificial? She made a bit of a pout as she concentrated.
Then she had a lightbulb moment. She looked at Xan, though, because she did have to wonder if it was a smart thing to wish. Was she about to screw herself? God, she had no idea. Where was Bo when she needed her? No, she knew what Bo would say. Wait, would she?
Ugh again.
She pressed her lips together, then began to speak. “I…” She worried her bottom lip. “... wish to live as long as Kaa can</i>.” She wasn’t Fae, but Kaa was. Kaa was already however old despite his looks. Kenzi knew she’d die of old age and he’d have to deal with that and she didn’t want him to have to deal with that. Of course now she had to hope they never divorced or anything because if the wish could do that, they’d be around each other for a long time.
Xander watched as the wish dissolved in Kenzi’s hands, sinking into her skin. The flower spoke, “Your wish is granted.”
He hugged Kenzi. “I guess you have some exciting news to share with Kaa.” Xan adored Kenz and wanted her to have as much time to be happy with Kaa as the two wanted.
Well, it wasn’t every day she had something sink into her skin. Maybe she should be more concerned about that, but she wasn’t. It did suddenly occur to Kenzi, though, that maybe Kaa would be upset by the wish.
Welp.
She hugged Xan back. “Let’s go find a feast or something and see if we can’t get drunk in Wonderland.” At least, she needed a drink.