Doll Strings

7: Beanstalk And Truths

Jack makes it grow. Jack climbs up fast. Better times can never last. Try as they might try as they may. The wolf has found another way. Now the story can begin. Another loss or another win?

3rd person pov:

By sunrise, both wake up to a huge beanstalk in the horizon.  It's height towers above the clouds. After lu pulls out some dried meat and hands some to Cheng. He hears a sigh.

Cheng:"No time like the present. "

Lu:"That's the spirit. "

As lu walks ahead. Cheng bites into the jerky and yanks it for a bite. Taking out his frustration.  Then he remembers what Xia Fei said. About how lu has killed before.

Cheng:"Hey lu guang? Have you ever killed anyone before?"

Lu pauses before he answers.

Lu:"Everytime we go back. There's a change for change. Something as small as sending a text. Could lead someone  into a killer's sight. Even helping a friend find someone,  could end up getting that friend killed. That's the responsibility we take on everytime we dive."

Cheng:"I swear, you're allergic to giving straight answers aren't you?"

Lu:"You wouldn't want that."

Cheng:"Yes I would! You forget, I'm not the brains of our group. I'm the muscles."

Lu:"You're pure impulse and wear your heart on your sleeve.  You're the emotional wreck. Nothing muscular about you."

Cheng:"Ouch. That was harsher than normal.  Are you alright?"

Lu:"I just want us to get back home."

Cheng:"Fair enough. "

Both soon reach the bottom of the stalk. With climbing gear soon ready. They start heading up.

Elsewhere, Qiao Ling is in the real world. While looking for her charger. She stumbles on a sight. Plush dolls of Cheng Xiaoshi and lu guang are on the couch. Between them is a book of fairytales, folklore,  nursery rhymes and a lullaby.  First thing she picks up are the plush dolls.

Qiao:"This has amazing detail to them. Even lu's scowl is on point. She then looks at cheng's plush and sees that both have one half of a button that can be put together to make them hold hands. Before she could snap them together.  A huge static charge zaps her. Causing Qiao Ling to drop them. So she picks them up and sets them where she found the plushes. She then sits down to read the book.

By this point, both are near the top. Cheng helps lu once he's on the top. Both sit for a short rest.

Cheng:"Man-huh. If we EvER talk about-huh mountain climbing... smack some scenes in to me."

Lu nods as he too is out of breath. After a few moments, they feel a violent shake and a loud grown of pain. Both rush to the castle. That's when they see Liu Min as jack. He's attacked the giant and runs up a broom handle to a window.

Cheng:"Oh no you don't. "

Lu:"Wait! Ghrah! Idiot."

Lu tries to keep up but suddenly, he's caught in a net trap.

Lu:"Damnit."

With his pocket knife. Lu starts cutting himself free. Meanwhile,  Cheng sees Liu Min at the ledge smiling.

Cheng:"That's far enough!"

Min:"tell me Cheng xiaoshi.  Don't you know the tale?"

Cheng:"jack came up here in search of riches and kills the giant."

Min:"That's right, but have you noticed? There isn't any gold."

Fei:"Actually there is."

Cheng suddenly feels the air around him tingle. Before he begins to float. In moments, fei grabs cheng and flys away. Cheng struggles to get free. That's when he sees lu guang running up the broom.

Cheng:"LU GUAN-Mfh!"

A hand covers chengs mouth, while an arm locks around his neck.

Fei:"That's enough.  I want a private conversation. Liu Min! Handle the other one, but don't kill him. Boss wants him alive... for now."

As lu gets to the top. His eyes narrow with rage.

Lu CHENG XIAOSHI!!"

As lu turns to face jack. The blonde smiles, and dices out of the window. As he falls. A glowing sword he has pierces the beanstalk.  Cutting clean through it as jack fell. Lu sees him laugh. Even after his grip on the sword gives and he free-falls. The ground begins to quiver. Before a drastic shift of it twisting as it falls. Lu hangs on, but soon ends up in the ocean. He reaches for the surface. Vision beginning to fade with consciousness.  Then, a shadow of a fish like human floats over him, and reaches. Lu passes out as a gentle hand with sharp nails grabs his hand. Song echoes around them. As more creatures sworm.