WONDER ( Twisted Forbidden Tales ) Book Three

Perfect Pitch and Scheming Tricks Part One

TILLY

We arrived at Fuchsia Island on time, as I glared at the trio standing together by the bridge. Take that! You bothersome cousin of mine, I thought as I watched the confusion, worry, and anger on his face as his special seal couldn’t bring Alissa and Hank in as he had thought. Mother changed the rules especially when there was someone to benefit from. The Fuchsia Chromes stood bright and blooming at attention. Happy to please and Happy to sing despite being a hefty set of idiots.

The Rose Guardians looked over at me in disdain before taking their leave down the bridge. So what, I could care less because they could do nothing to me and only obey me and my mother. Who told their King to be useless, let alone fall into the palm of my mother’s hands?

The rainbow cast over Fuchsia Island was Mom and I secret signal. I smirked in readiness as I watched Anfim enter the border with his seal. He turned around to look at Alissa and Hank with his few puny little Orchid guards he had brought with us for their protection. Ha! He could dream on. I did owe Alissa one but only if she abides under my conditions.

“Don’t let these Fuchsia bombs fool you, Issa, I believe in you two. I’ll be waiting on the other end of the bridge. I’ll talk with my aunt later about this, so you have to endure it for now.” Anfim said with a frown on his face. He was so flamboyantly comical to me, that it took me a moment to compose myself as I sauntered over toward them. Subtly tried my best to brush my bountiful breast across Hank’s right arm, who knew he would dodge almost causing me to fall.

I had to shake my facial expression once more before looking up at them in feigned surprise. One of Anfim’s guards had caught me before I fell. His hands were on me leaving me feeling disgusted. Their race should have been eradicated during the spell. Christine hadn't kept her promise so now we had to deal with them on our own hands.

“Oh, how clumsy of me! Huh, luckily cousin’s dutiful guard saved the day. It looks like my seal won't let you two in either, I take full responsibility for the oversight on this matter unless someone thinks I’m scheming. I truly did not expect this to happen, however, you can choose to stand the test of the Fuchsia Chromes or we can bypass it altogether by getting my mother Queen Rainbow Rose involved.” I said my voice toned done a sweet yet sultry tone.

Hank didn’t even flinch or have a response to my seduction. He stood there like a rock, silently perusing the surroundings of Fuchsia Island. Had he spotted the winding pathways lined with blooming fuchsia flowers outside of the bridge? We needed these two in our favor, for some reason, I pondered over why my mother had been so adamant about this.

“A trap is still a trap no matter how you dress it up to be Tilly, you and Aunt Rose owe the three of us an explanation for this! I don’t believe Issa and Hank can't get through your crappy test at the border and let me find out girl……..I promise you!” Anfim said with a scoff he pointed a slender ringed finger in my face as his clothes began to change in fluctuation to his mood and angry temper.

“Smiling I couldn’t help teasing him a bit. “ Geez, calm down cousin! You need to have a load off, I said there is no trap, look this change came with the shift I guess, so we can't disobey the rule and only the Queen or King can bypass this new border restriction.” I said.

“Oh? Then why didn’t’ Queen Rainbow do that from the beginning? I find it convenient that she coincidentally forgot this, shift or not. There was plenty of time before we arrived here. Also, speaking of King’s isn’t this originally King Fuchsia's Island? Why does your mother have so much control over it hmm?” Alissa threw a bunch of questions at me in one set, it left me flustered a bit from the hard punch behind each one because it was as she implied, a setup for them to fall into. I couldn’t admit it and Hank's firm gaze made me uneasy.

“You two got this! I’m off to settle some scores!” Anfim took off angrily with his guards, leaving two the watch over Alissa and Hank making me pissed that he just couldn’t let go of things until he got an answer or solved it. That very part of him made me want to snap his neck like a twig, yet it was this very quality that kept his leadership and care of Orchid Island ever prospering even with the aftereffects of Christine’s spell. I had to keep him from finding out what me and mother had done and with that I left Alissa and Hank to their defense. Besides, no one could pass this test unless one knew how to sing.

ALISSA

“Now what?” Hank asked as we both watched Tilly scurry off leaving us behind at the bridge to deal with these Fuchsia Chromes.

“ We sing,” I answered leaving Hank looking at me like I was joking.

“Say what now?” Hank asked looking back and forth between me and the Purple Fuchsia Chromes.

“Hello….. Hello… Hello… Hello….” The twelve standing Fuchsia Chromes before us all sang one after another in tune to greet us.

Their petals looked so soft to the touch and their fragrance intoxicating to the senses as their greeting song brought the otherwise dormant landscape beyond the bring to life.

“Did you see that Issa?” Hank caught on quickly and asked close to my ear in a whisper. He saw as I did that there was indeed another way in from the bridge, but Tilly had specifically directed our stop right in front of the Fuchsia Chromes. Now, we had to pass this test or be drawn in my Rainbow Rose’s plan.

“Yup, but first…..

Hello, we seek to get through

can you grant us access to” I whispered the yup to Hank in response then straightened my back and sang the rest to the Fuchsia Chromes.

Hank arched an eyebrow up in surprise as I sang the return greeting but he didn’t say anything else keeping an eye on the Fuchsia Chromes.

“How lovely is your voice too,

sing a song to get through,

a song that must indeed soothe,

12 pitches of the Fuchsia Blooms

The song that we can only choose

In theme, you must stay in tune

A test prepared just for you

A song of passion, love

And where longing brews”

The 12-pitch Fuchsia Chromes sang in a beautiful tune. Leaving both Hank and I stunned for a moment before being lost in thought about what song or songs to choose. I realized quickly that the song would be the test itself. We had to sing a song that expressed all three of these things and not three separate songs or we would fail for sure.

Suddenly, as if an unknown force came over me another memory began to surface prompting me into a song that I didn’t even kw that I know…………..

“Even though the dancing's done

Don't worry, 'cause the night is young

Who cares where we go?

We're ready for the afterglow

Someone hold the sunlight back

'Cause we want this night to last

Smoke and lasers, love and ravers

Afterglow, we're ready for the afterglow

Lights and action, strong attraction

Afterglow, we're ready for the afterglow

Love and ravers

Strong attraction

Afterglow, we're ready for the afterglow

(Oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh)

Afterglow, we're ready for the afterglow

We're ready for the afterglow

We're ready for the afterglow……………..” Closing my eyes as I sang tapping into the emotions I held deep about Hank in my heart I let the song carry through me to voice. Unaware that Hank had also been pulled into this weird song trance. As Hank’s voice rang out hitting the chorus notes during the song with the Fuchsia Chrome’s my eyes sprang open wide in shock as he matched in perfect pitch to the Blooms. He glowed bright with glee swaying into the song that was chosen. Scattered pieces in my memory held this song, it was called Afterglow.

I am stunned along with the Fuchsia Chromes after finishing the song. Hank grinned with a wink at me then looked at the Fuchsia Chromes and the Blooms we had just soothed.

“Alright then, that about does it,” he said confidently as the Fuchsia's Chrome let us through. Smiling at Hank as we finally walked across the bridge, the rest of Fuchsia Island came into appearance and an unexpected welcome by Queen Rainbow Rose and the Fuchsia King, the fervent gaze from Queen Rose toward Hank making him tense in unease.

Instinctively I took Hank’s hand in mine, noticing the signs of a familiar black fur slowing beginning to appear on his hands. I frowned, the poison must be acting up again. I knew Hank would worried if he were turned back into a cat now. His biggest hang-up was not being able to protect me in that state, but I was far from afraid. We needed to get the Orchid Sanctuary fast, but of course there just had to be others playing games.

“Oh, Issa my dear! Welcome welcome! It's been so long since I last saw you. What a pleasure you are here. When I heard about your dilemma from Anfim and Tilly, I stopped everything instantly and came to your aid, but who knew you and your friend here would have such beautiful voices and his perfect pitch…….ah! what a surprise for my ears the blooms will be ever delighted for some time. Come! Come! Have you had lunch, you must be tuckered after all that……” Queen Rainbow's voice trailed off as she walked ahead into the Island not even caring to introduce King Fuchsia or mention that we had passed the test with flying colors.

She looked unperturbed on the surface, but she indeed had been bothered by her intentions being blocked by our unexpected talent. Like, mother, like daughter Tilly and Rainbow were the same. She would keep her closer to her now as she sought out a Plan C. As expected she brought us right to the Royal Rose Castle, but to my surprise the silent King Kai Fuchsia intervened. As I spotted Anfim with his Orchid brocade guards standing in wait for us before the castle's entrance I got the gist of things. King Fuchsia was on our side even though he had been shackled by Rainbow Rose's control.