In the Year of the Cat (Queen or Freddie Mercury Fanfic)

Freddie vs. the Magic Mirror

(Behold, the first and last part of this story told by Freddie.  It's a little on the fluffy side, so if you don't like fluff, please skip, you won't miss much anyhow.  But if you do, hope you enjoy, as this is the last time everybody's in a good mood for a while.)

My eyes open, and I sigh.  Everyone's still asleep.  I'd love to know what time it is, other than time for everyone else to be up.  The lights are dim in the cabin, and the girl beside me is out cold.  Poor thing's knackered.  Across the aisle, Rudy's eyes are also closed, mouth slightly open as he snores.  For the first time I totally realize just what a whirlwind the past two days have been.

Quietly I reach across her and lift the visor over the window to see it's pitch dark except at the very edge of the horizon, where the sky is turning from black to a kind of violet.  I shrug.  I don't mind flying, I really don't.  I've spent far too many hours aboard planes to be frightened of them. What I do mind is being tossed around like beans in a maraca- and then someone dropping the maraca.  That upsets me.  But that would upset anyone.  Show me one instance where the beans are happy that the maraca slips from someone's hand and crashes to the floor-

Why am I talking about maracas?  Sorry, dear.  I'm getting sidetracked.  I had a little something to drink before dropping off, but I don't suppose that's a very sound excuse.  Anyway.

By this time we must be more than halfway across the Atlantic.  My fingers impatiently drum against my knees.  I could be still working on that costume design I'd started the first leg of our return trip, but to do that means turning on the lights, and I don't want to wake my sleepy stray kitten. 

The same goes for scrawling possible lyrics to a song I've recently been mulling.  It's a pretty thing, if I do say so myself, in the vein of a love song.  But I still can't decide if it's going to be a happy or sad one.  I've written both kinds, and the sad ones always seem easier to write.  Maybe I'm just a naturally tragic person.  Who knows.  I don't feel sad lately, though.  It's very likely this will end up being a little more playful as a result, assuming this song even comes into fruition.  Most don't.  We shall see.  It's "Champions" that deserves more of my attention anyway.

A sudden urge to run up and down the aisle just to stretch my legs hits me, but I don't act on it.  Though we may be sitting in first class, I'm certainly not alone, and despite what so many believe, I'm not that thoughtless.  I think of trying to go back to sleep, but I'm not exhausted anymore. I don't need much, and what I do need I've already had. I sigh again, becoming more decidedly bored by the second.

Eve shifts in her sleep, turning her head away from me.  I notice a thin black cord trailing from her ear to something by her side.  Squinting, I see it's the Magic Mirror.  Ooo. 

In a trice, nosiness is no longer a sin.  I gently slip the thing away from her hip and cradle it between my fingers.  I slip a cautious look her way.  She sighs deeply, letting out a little moan.  I try not to let the sound get to me- and fail.  A bit less curious than before, I pull my eyes away from her and focus back on the Mirror.

It reminds me vaguely of a smaller monolith from that indescribably dull film 2001.  I remember someone talked me into going to see it when it was released- it might have been Brian, for all I know, it certainly is his style, but I can't remember for certain.  Difference is, this thing has a little red light that flashes randomly at the top, and an odd-looking smiling face beside the letters "LG".  Wonder what they stand for.  "Looking Glass," maybe.  It is after all the Magic Mirror.  That's probably it. 

I press the button like she showed me, and there's the image of the penguins.  Just below, it says, "Enter password."

Bugger.  I'd forgotten this part.  "Who wants to know?" I mutter under my breath.