Crimson Rose: The Crooked Man and the Crooked Cat

Chapter 8: Revelations

"If you want your book back, you'll have to play my game of puzzles and perils. Should you solve and survive all of them, you'll walk out of these woods with a masterpiece and return safely home. But should you fail, you will remain here till you have solved them."

Blinking at his proposal, Annette asked "And what if I say no?"

"You'll become a lifeless puppet like all those who defied my old masters and my magic."

Annette felt her blood run cold. But if this is truly her fate, she might as well try to survive whatever madness Noir is planning to dish out.

"Well, I suppose I got nothing to lose and everything to gain, then."

"Yes, yes you do."

Annette thought for a minute. Then she sighed. "Okay, I'll do it." she said reluctantly. "Purrfect! Let's get to work, my friend."

Noir smiled secretly. He can't even begin to describe the joy he felt in his heart.

Even though it was an empty threat that got her to agree, he can't really change her into a puppet. If he told her he couldn't really change her into a puppet, the fun of his planned game would be lost.

"Let's get started then, follow me to your first task." said Noir. With a flick of his crooked tail, he turned into a cat.

Turning towards the bush, he took out the sketchbook, held it in his mouth and walked down the forest path.

Annette followed him with vigorous intent. They raced through the forest until they came upon a clearing surrounded by faded red roses blooming on dead brown brambles.

Annette looked around. "Kitty....Noir, why have we stopped here? Surely, your first game isn't here, is it?" she questioned him.

Noir shook his head. "Of course not."

"In truth, our first game is not here but a tool that would serve to protect you is." he said. He carefully reached his clawed hand into the thorny spires and dragged out a long wooden box with intricate markings.

"How are you able to do that?" Annette asked. "Do what?" asked Noir. "Being able to transform into a human. Is that magic or something?"

Noir pointed at the gold cat bell around his neck. "With this magical bell, I can turn into a human at will." Annette knelt to the ground as he pulled the box to her.

"The combination to this box is when all the animals on it thrive. Don't ignore it because its contents you'll need to survive." said Noir in a playful riddle.

Annette shook her head in mild annoyance. "You talk just like the Cheshire Cat."

"The who?" Noir gave her a puzzled look.

"Never mind. Just let me think." Annette looked carefully at the box in her lap. There was a puzzle box on the lid. Each depiction of the box was that of an animal, time of day and an object.

Annette remembered how she and her friends would have puzzle races. The goal of the puzzle races was to finish the puzzle before the timer rings. She was pretty quick at finishing puzzles. "This looks easy-peasy." she thought.

Noir watched her so closely he could almost hear her brain grinding its gears. It was really fascinating to see her work.

"Cat's curiosity", as one might call it, but he just had to know what was going on in her mind. "You seem rather skilled in this. Do you attempt puzzles like this in your normal life?" he asked.

Annette scoffed and shook her head. "Not normally. And I don't normally have talking cats watching over my shoulder whenever I do." Noir rolled his golden eyes at her. "This human was rather stuck up." he thought. "That cat is crazy, that's for sure. I'm more likely worse off thought, to be conversing with him." Annette thought.

Noir hovered over her shoulder, watching as she worked over the puzzle box.

His riddle gave her a good idea how to solve it. Twisting the dials on the sides, she matched each picture to the ever-changing slots present on a plague at the top of the box.

Suddenly, as she placed the last picture disc into the puzzle slot, the box sprang to life, opening its lid to reveal a scabbard. She unsheathed the scabbard to reveal a beautiful rapier with a beautifully crafted silver and red hilt and a long, thin, but razor-sharp silver blade. On top of the hilt was a silver crafted rose.

Annette picked up the sword and examined it in awe.

"This magical sword, the Rose Sword will help you avoid some of the dangers that hide within the Twisted Woods."

Annette looked at Noir in a mix of confusion and horror. "Are you kidding me? I'm not gonna kill anyone, you crazy cat!" Noir shook his head. The human girl really didn't seem to understand what he meant.

"You're not willing to kill, but in this place there are plenty of monsters that would want to kill you."

"I did nothing wrong. Why would they want to kill me?"

"Many of the inhabitants of these woods are not like me. They were once people who have know become tainted by an wicked temptress who offered things that one can only dream of."

"Were you one of those people, Noir?" asked Annette.

The cat-man paused for a moment, contemplating whether or not to answer. "No...no, I wasn't. My master was, though..." The cat's attitude changed dramatically. Annette could tell she struck a nerve.

"Who was your master?"

Noir snapped his eyes towards Annette, giving her a look that made her want to take back what she said.

Noir didn't know how to feel. So many emotions were running him, it was hard to catch and name them as they flew by. Guilt, loneliness, anger, heartbreak. One by one, they all rushed through him.

Then, after a few brief minutes, Noir narrowed his eyes. "Forget it. It does not matter to you. It's in the past and the past is dead. Now come, on to your first task, lest you suffer my wrath."

"Gosh," thought Annette. "I should be careful of what I say."

She really struck a nerve with the cat-man. Annette didn't mean to bother him. But still she wanted to know: Maybe if she could learn more about the crooked cat, she could feel better about whom she was working with.

Maybe, she could be even comfortable enough to call him a friend.

They walked through the forest path in silence. To Annette, it seemed like hours. Finally, after a little hesitation, she got the nerve to break the silence between them. "So....What exactly are the tasks or challenges you wanted me to do?"

Noir stopped briefly. He turned into his human form and kept walking. "Once upon a time, a wise kind woman ruled this realm of magic. But all of a sudden, she mysteriously turned evil. Now that she is gone and my master is dead, the other inhabitants of this realm have risen to forms of their own power."

"Corruption reigns supreme over my woods, and it's our job to stop it."