Laughter's Hearts

by HeartfireFirebrand 2

Chapter 4: The Forest

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The four of them looked around the treehouse. Pinkie bounced around as Diane kept her guard up, Celia was prodding objects with her strange arms while Laughter darted around the higher levels.

Suddenly a leopard leapt at Celia only to be caught by the throat, Celia holding the creature in her hand as she pulled it face closer as it tried to free itself from her surprisingly strong grip “Get lost before I make you into a sweater.” The leopard bolted immediately. A man with a spear then leapt in only to see the tiger running.

The four of them approached the man who said “Sabor, danger.”

Diane frowned “Clearly.”

Pinkie smiled “New friend, we have a new friend.”

The man responded, “New friend.”

Laughter walked over “It seems our new friend isn't very vocal, well maybe he can show us around this place a bit.”

Celia frowned “I think given he lives out here, his vocabulary is limited. “ She then taps herself “Me Celia” she then points to the others in order “That Pinkie, that Diane and that Laughter. We follow you.”

Tarzan taps his chest “Follow.” They followed him outside to see that this cabin was built on the top of a really tall tree. He then leapt downwards into the forest. They followed him downwards, swinging on vines to continue . They eventually made their way into a camp, they entered the main tent. Tarzan said as he entered “Jane”

Jane turned around to stare at three other four who entered into the tent. She turned around “Tarzan.” She looked quizzically at Celia and three anthropomorphic animals “Hello, I see you have brought a fine lady and her animal friends?”

Celia gave a curtsy “I assure you they are not wild animals, they are civilised as the average human. That I can assure you.”

Pinkie pulled out a giant cake out of thin air “Here.”

Jane blinked as Diane sighed “She does this sometimes.”

Laughter giggled “I find it’s easier to go along with the madness, it’s actually quite fun.”

Then they hear a voice “Hmm, some strangers here. They don’t look like they're much help for hunting Gorillas.”

Jane then frowned “My Clayton, we’re studying them, not hunting them. This is research”

Celia raised an eyebrow “Maybe but that’s certainly why he’s here. He is a hunter, here to hunt. I hope you knew that before inviting him.”

Jane rubbed the back of her head as Clayton left the tent “He was the only one who would be willing to come out this far and we do need protection from predators.” She then smiled, “Well then, the more, the merrier.”

They found something strange laying on the floor. Diane frowned “It looks like one of those gummi blocks Sora and the other were collecting. We should hold onto it, it might help them later.”

Jane rubbed the back of her head “Some of these slides we had gone missing, could collect them for us.”

Pinkie smiled “Sure, why not. We might even find something fun.”

Celia nodded “I’ll help.” Laughter shrugged, between the four of them they collected all the slides.

After they had collected the slides, Clayton entered “We have seen no sign of the Gorillas since we have got here. Tarzan has refused to show us where they live.”

Jane protested “Really, Mr Clayton. Tarzan wouldn’t hide--”

Clayton then marched over to Tarzan “Then take us there! Take us to the gorillas. Go-ril-las.”

Celia frowned “Where I come from interfering with animals is a dangerous endeavour. Gorillas will not take kindly to us wandering into their territory.”

Tarzan looked at Jane “Tarzan will see Kerchak.”

Jane looked at him “Tarzan .. are you sure?”

Clayton responded “He must be the leader. Perfect. I’ll go along as an escort.”

Celia shook her head “I will go with him, you are a big burly man with a gun. I have the appearance of a little girl with no weapons, I appear less threatening. You would trigger an immediate attack and I can handle myself, I assure you.”

Clayton follows her and Tarzan outside to protest when Sabor leaps at him only for Celia to catch the leopard by the neck again and toss it “See, I’ll be fine.” Clayton blinks momentarily.

Once arrive at the forest, Celia looked up “You go. I stay here, I trust you.”

Celia after he had not come down, she went up only to see Tarzan alone looking forlorn. Tarzan patted chest “House in tree.”

Celia nodded “Let’s go. The duo headed up to the treehouse, when they arrived they saw Clayton aiming his gun. Celia clicked her finger appearing in front of him and plucked his bullets out of the air. She then dragged Clayton out of the room as Tarzan entered. She dragged him all the way back to the tent.

Everyone looked at him with disdain as Jane shouted “How could you do such a thing!”

Clayton held his hands up “Now, Miss Porter, as I told you, I was not aiming at the Gorilla.”

Jane was having none of it “You are not to go near the Gorillas again!”

Clayton continued “All because of one mishap? Come, now…”

Celia raised an eyebrow “Do you take us for fools? I am insulted that you think that any of us will fall for that.” Clayton left the tent. Celia grumbled “He’s going to do something dumb, we better follow him.” As they were about to leave, they heard a gunshot.

Pinkie’s eyes narrowed “He better not have.”

They leave only to see some monkey Heartless attacking a Gorilla, after clearing them out Diane frowned “Maybe Clayton shot one of those and he might be one now.” He group continued on eliminating Heartless and saving Gorillas. Soon they found Clayton’s pipe in the clearing. They then heard ruckus back from camp. After clearing out some Heartless they find Jane missing.

Tarzan sniffs “Jane near… Near tree house.” The group head up there quickly, they find Jane hiding behind some reeds with a young Gorilla behind some vines. They start attacking the Heartless only to notice they keep coming, after destroying a strange fruit on the tree the Heartless dispersed.

The vines disappeared, Jane frowned. “Clayton came to the tent and that’s the last thing I remember.”

Tarzan responded “Gorillas trapped. Terk ran.”

Celia grimaced “Well let’s help them and stop Clayton.” They soon found Clayton about to shoot a large gorilla and a smaller gorilla. The group jumped on him quickly, overwhelming him, then an invisible heartless burst through the wall which Clayton used as a mount. Despite it’s invisibility it was fairly quick to take out. It then fell on Clayton ending his life.

Celia sighed “Poor fool, too wrapped up in the hunt to see the darkness inside.” As they returned to the camp, they wondered what Sora , Donald and Goofy were up to.


Author's Note

I hope I wrote this chapter well, it was a bit of a tough one.

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