Once Fallen - A 'New Fantasy Island' fanfic

[Mlle Bienvenu]

Another half finished fanfic of mine. I guess I post them in the hopes that I will be motivated to actually finish one of them if people can see it. Heheheheheheh. I think the reason why I haven't finished this one yet is because I actually came very close to finishing it, but then, my computer died (permanantly) and I lost it and all my other stories that were on it. This is actually an older version I had on a disk.

ONCE FALLEN

"No." Roarke whispered as he looked into the shaving stand, "no." He touched the smooth glass surface of the water and the image disappeared. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. It had to happen, eventually. He knew that, but that fact didn't comfort him.

"Excuse me sir. But it's Mr. Hallingsworth, he would like to discuss-"

"Not now, Harry." He said quietly, not turning around.

"Yes, but sir he's being quite adamant about seeing y-"
Roarke turned around and glared at him, his eyes flashing an icy blue.

"Exactly what part of 'Not now, Harry' didn't you understand?" He growled through clenched teeth.

Harry quivered slightly and backed out of the room, "Yes sir. I'm sorry, sir."

Roarke turned his back as the door closed.

Suddenly, the pneumatic tube rumbled as a message arrived. Wearily, he read the message. "d**n
." Roarke threw the paper onto his desk.


~~~*~~~*~~~
"Sir, I want to inform you, the plane has arrived."

"I know, Harry. You can handle it, can't you? I have something I have to do." He was very quiet.

Harry gave him a funny look, "Yes, of course sir." He made his way to the dock.

"Ariel, have you noticed Roarke's been acting a bit, oh, I don't know, odd today?"

"Odd? How do you mean?"

"Well, he seems. . .a bit. . .preoccupied."

"Hmmh." They stood there for a while, watching the plane dock.

"Well?" Harry said finally.

"Well what?"

"Aren't you going to tell me what's going on? Or is this one of those senior-staff-only things."

"Relax Harry, I'm sure it's nothing."

"Relax? We are talking about the same Mr. Roarke, aren't we?"

"Look. Everyone is entitled to their bad hair days, even Roarke."

"Well yes, I suppose you're right. Who's first today?"

"The usual, FI 46 and an FI 32."

He sighed, "It's going to be a busy week." Things just hadn't been the same since Cal left. The guests filed out.

"He's not on the guest list." Ariel's eyes narrowed as a third person got off the plane.

"Welcome to Fantasy Island, I'm the hotel concierge Harry and that's Mr. Roarke's, your host, assistant Ariel. Mr. Roarke, I'm afraid has been detained for the time being. But I'm sure he will be with you as soon as he is able. May I take your bags?" Harry led the guests to the hotel.

"Just what do you think you're you doing here?" Ariel stepped in front of the uninvited guest's path.

"Whoa, Ariel, babe, calm down, I just came for a nice friendly visit with my ol' buddy Roarke. That's all."

"Nothing with you is ever 'nice and friendly'."

"Mrrrorw! She-cat has her claws bared." He laughed.

She promptly slapped him across his face, hard. "Ooooh is that all you got?" He smiled tauntingly.

"Go to Hell."

"Been there, done that." He adjusted his sport sunglasses, looking around, he started to laugh, "Look at this place! You don't mean to tell me you guys actually gave him this island?" He shook his head, "You sure don't know Roarke like you think you know him."

"That's where you're wrong. He isn't the Roarke you knew."

"Yeah? We'll see." His face became darker and more serious as he pushed past her. "We'll just see."


~~~*~~~*~~~
"Roarke," Ariel burst into his office like a storm, "You aren't going to believe who's here. It's- what are you doing?"

"She's dead." He said absently as he turned the page of the photo album which sat in his lap. He didn't look up.

"What are you talking about? Who?"

He didn't answer, instead, he gently ran his finger along one of the pictures, lovingly. Ariel came closer, to see what he was looking at.

A hand flew to her mouth, " Oh my."


~~~*~~~*~~~
"Harry!" Ariel shouted through the field as she ran.

"Ah! Ariel, there you are, It's the strangest thing, really, the flowers were completely dried out this morning, but I just watered them yester- What's wrong?"

"We have serious trouble. It's Miranda, she's dead."

"Miss Miranda? Oh no. Not miss Miranda!"

"Yes. You were right about Roarke. He isn't taking it well."

"Oh my."

"Our problems go deeper than that. Do you remember that third guest?"

"The uninvited one?"

"Yes. I want you to keep him as far away from Roarke as possible. Lie to him, distract him, use force, anything. Just keep him busy. And Harry--be careful."


~~~*~~~*~~~
"Ah! There you are sir!" Harry said, pushing him in the direction of the door out of the hotel, "I wanted to talk to you about, ah, about, um. . .your fantasy."

"You're not Roarke."

"Mr. Roarke is busy at the moment. But I certainly can help-"

"Out of my way, runt." He pushed past him. Harry reappeared in front of him.

"I'm afraid Mr. Roarke is busy."

"Well I'm glad we're seeing eye to nose on this-" He stopped, caught with an idea. Suddenly he laughed, "You know what? I think It can wait. I can talk to Roarke later." He put his arm around him like he was his best friend.

"Very good sir. What are you doing?" Harry said, caught off guard by the shift in sentiments.

"Outside."


~~~*~~~*~~~
Ariel entered Roarke's office. He was still hunching over the photo album. Page after page turned before she cleared her throat.

"Come in, Ariel." He never looked up from the book.

"I. . . don't know what to say."

"That's because there isn't anything to say." He turned another page. The silence that ensued was deafening. Finally Roarke spoke, "It's my fault, you know."

"As much as you may think so," she sat beside him, "It isn't up to you-"

"I should have left her where I found her." His face became taut and he clenched his hands into fists.

"That isn't true! It's better to have loved and lost, than never-"

"Don't give me that philosophical drivel!" His eyes blazed as he slammed the book shut. He got up and paced the room, pointing an accusing finger at Ariel as he spoke, "Where is the mercy?" His voice rose, "Huh? Where is it? Is that what you do? You, you, you build hopes and then scatter them to the wind, is that it?"

"Listen to yourself!" They stared at each other, neither moving.

Finally Roarke broke the gaze and picked up the photo album which was on the floor. "She had her whole life ahead of her."

"Death isn't an end, you know that."

He rolled his eyes, "Of course I know that. This isn't about death. This isn't about my grief. This is about her life. She had so much to live for."

"Sometimes these things just have to happen, there's always a-"

"Reason? Oh please, enlighten me to the all important reason she had to die. Well?"

"I can't"

"You can't? Or won't. "

"You know the rules. "

"The Rules. I'll just be d**n
ed then! I'm through playing in this ridiculous charade," He looked up at the ceiling, "Did You hear me? Through! I won't be a part of saving these misbegotten people! You can take Your Salvation and shove it!"

He disappeared.


~~~*~~~*~~~
"You really know how to kick 'em while they're down, don't you." Ariel said as she stormed up to the man sitting in the hotel lobby.

"Timing is everything, Ariel." He flipped a page in the magazine he was reading, "At any rate, I have plenty of time. It seems Roarke's doing just fine on his own. Oh, by the way, that friend of yours, Harry. He acts like he's got a stick up his ass. It's very entertaining. When you see him, tell him I said hi." He flipped another page in his magazine and held it up like a two page spread. "Wow, I guess this really is fantasy island."

"Pig."


~~~*~~~*~~~
Harry ran faster down the wet cobblestone streets. His chest hurt. Everything hurt. The squeal of tires could be heard somewhere in the distance. He ran into a dark alley. Chest heaving, he pressed himself against the clammy bricks, trying very hard to blend in with them.

Headlights passed by and he breathed a sigh of relief. He'd lost them. He closed his eyes and slid down the wall, it was then he realized he was bleeding. It was too dark to see how bad he had been injured, but he could tell by the pain that he didn't really want to find out. He curled up into a ball on the pavement.

"Get up."

"Oh, please no more, I beg of you. Please-"

"Harry, it's me."

He looked up, "Ariel? " He looked around and found himself half buried in the warm sand.

"Are you okay?"

Carefully, he stood up and felt where the wound was. "It's gone. What the devil's going on?"

"Interesting choice of words," she said sarcastically. "Come on. We don't have much time."

[Mlle Bienvenu]

~~~*~~~*~~~
The waves crashed against the shore monotonously. He didn't know how long he had been sitting there. The sun was reddening in the sky. It was a great view. He could see why Cal and Harry used to come here to watch the sun set after he had been particularly hard on them.

*You're terrible Roarke, why do you torture them?*

*It's this theory of mine, if things come too easily, then no one learns anything.*

*Oh Daddy! I love it here, I never want to leave!*

"I should never have let her go," he thought selfishly. "She would have stayed. She would have been happy."

"Yeah." The guest appeared on the bluff. "She would have been alive, too. What a terrible waste." Adjusting his sunglasses, he took up a position next to Roarke and stared into the sun.

"I think we know each other well enough that we can dispense with the ceremony," Roarke said coldly.

"If you want." He smiled. "Just like old times."

"Yesss," he drawled sarcastically, "Something like that."

Ariel appeared. followed closely by Harry. But it was too late.


~~~*~~~*~~~
The island seemed to pull away from him as he fell for a second time. Time seemed to freeze and he could clearly see the three people on the bluff above him. The waves that rushed up to meet him still crashed in his ears..

But now he could distinctly hear voices mixed with waves.

*How you have followed the Shinning One asunder, and fallen from heaven. But still Jacob's ladder was lowered to you, that you might climb from the pit, That through helping others, you might help yourself. But now, do you, Roarke, let go of the ladder and fall back into darkness?*

One voice answered and rang out above the crashing of the waves.

*Daddy, No!*

And Roarke reached out a desperate hand.


~~~*~~~*~~~
"Sir!"

"Roarke!" Harry and Ariel both yelled at the same time.

"Oh. It looks like you're too late. But hey, don't worry, you still got me, babe."

"You sick son of a bitch, you pushed him!"

"Ah ah ah," he wagged his finger at Ariel, "That's Mr. Sick son of a Bitch from now on, toots, because I'll be the one snapping the fingers."

"Well, not if I have anything to say about it," Harry said stupidly, he really wished Cal was here, he always knew the right thing to say.

"Hey! You don't. Oh, by the way, did you enjoy your little detour? Real horrorshow, wasn't it? I thought the whole 'clockwork orange' thing was a nice touch," he looked at Ariel, "You know, I think I'm really gonna like granting fantasies. Of course, the price will be a lot steeper. Plus the whole Rod-Serling-study-in-morality thing has got to go."

"I will not let you turn this into your own personal-"

"And what are you going to do about it? What. There is nothing you can do.. Do you think for one minute Mr. Almighty is gonna get up off his lazy ass for this little chunk of rock, you got another thing coming. You've just lost the battle, babe."

He disappeared.


~~~*~~~*~~~
Roarke dug his fingers into the rock. Looking over his shoulder, he could see the waves crashing against the jagged rocks below. "Oh of all the luck," He scowled as he hung there for a moment.

"Luck?" A figure appeared above him, on a short outcropping of rock.

"Would you mind giving me a hand?"

The Man clapped, "Bravo."

"Taking up comedy, I see."

"Oh you noticed," he said dryly.

"I can see you're not happy with me."

"Should I be?" He stared accusingly at Roarke.

Roarke said nothing, instead, he made a grab for a higher rock to hold on to.

"You let him push you! You knew what he was going to do, and you let him do it anyway."

"What do I care? Succeed, fail. Win, lose. Live, die. It's all the same. It doesn't make a bit of difference." He gained footing in a small crack in the rock.

"Roarke?! Are you depressed?!"

"Now what on earth could I possibly have to be depressed about?" He said indignantly.

"This is about Miranda."

He hoisted himself a foot more.

"I'm confused as to why this upsets you. It's part of living."

"Death doesn't upset me. It's the triviality that's disturbing."

"Triviality?"

"Yes. The triviality. Do you think it really matters whether I climb this cliff, or plunge into nothingness? No. Because I'm just one in countless others. Completely replaceable. Does it matter whether some girl dies on a beach or in a car? Does it even matter when? Time is, after all, relative.. It can go forward, backward, sideways--it doesn't matter either. So what's the difference."

"Let me tell you a story."

"Oh joy, a parable."

"Are you quite finished? Good. A little girl was walking down the beach after a storm. The beach was littered with hundreds upon hundreds of starfish which had been washed up from the storm. Anyway, the girl walked along the beach picking up starfish and throwing them back into the ocean. A man was also walking down the beach and after a while of watching the girl, he went up to her. He asked 'What are you doing?' She replied, 'I'm throwing these starfish back into the sea.' He stayed a minute, watching her continue her work, finally he said, 'You know, it doesn't matter, you can never save all those starfish.' The girl said nothing, instead she picked up a starfish and threw it into the sea saying, 'It mattered to that one.' So, you see, It does matter. Think about it. Think of all the people you've helped. People are living better lives because of this place. Tattoo, Cal, both productive citizens. Everything matters. Every thing, every action, it all has purpose. Even if it seems like there isn't one."

Roarke looked at him, not in the least bit phazed, "You're right. Help me up."

"No."

"No?"

"I'm still not very happy with you. There are better ways to solve problems than jumping off cliffs."

"You'll have to forgive me, I forgot how tarnished my reputation is. I wouldn't want to sully your perfect hands on me, now would I."

"I'll pretend I didn't hear that." He sighed, "Look Roarke, I want to help you, I really do. But, only you can save you from yourself."

Roarke gained a footing on a small burr of rock and hoisted himself another few feet.

The Man continued, "If things come too easily, then no one learns anything."

"Oh, that's original."

"Don't push it, Roarke. As it is, you have this island, your own second chance."

Roarke stretched a hand to the ledge The Man was standing on, "Look, I'd love to stay here and chat all day, but seeing as how I'm dangling from a 150 foot drop..."

Roarke got his other arm over the ledge, he now was literally dangling from the cliff. With effort, he swung his foot up over the ledge, but his shoe flung off and he swung backwards.

"Damn!" One of his hands slipped. He hung by one hand. He looked down at the rocks below, then back up at The Man, "I can't hold on! I-" His fingers slipped, "Ah!"

The Man grabbed his wrist.

"Thought you weren't going to help me."


~~~*~~~*~~~
"Harry! Come here! Now!"

"Yes sir!"

"Did you finish with the modifications?"

"Nearly, sir; Do you really think it necessary to distribute all those flyers to mainland? We get plenty of visitors already. I mean Fisher...I don't think we have enough staff to accommodate-"

"There's plenty of people we can get to run this place, don't you worry."

"But, I'm sure that there is a certain criteria, Mr. Roarke was very particular about whom he chose to facilitate the fantasies, even I and Cal didn't-"

"Do I look like Mr. Turncoat Roarke to you? I didn't think so. Now I tell you what I'm going to do; you distribute those flyers and everything else I asked you to do, and we won't have to visit with Alex or his buddy droogs, are we clear?"

"Crystal, sir." Harry Hurried out of the room.

[Mlle Bienvenu]

~~~*~~~*~~~
"You're not going to deliver those." Ariel popped into the room,

"I had no intention of working for Satan." He chucked the papers onto a pile of half finished Fantasy Requisition Forms.

"Satan? No. He's not Satan. Believe me, you'd know the difference. Have you ever heard of Faust?"

"The German necromancer who sold his soul for wealth and power, Why?"

"Because that's who he sold it to."

"You mean he's Mephistopheles?"

"Precisely. Only nowadays he's more of the patron saint of dishonest lawyers and used car salesmen, always ready for a deal as long as you get the short end of the stick."

"What do we do now that he's in control of the island."

"He isn't. I am, but we can't let him catch on."

Harry looked annoyed, "If you're in control than why don't you just kick him off the island?"

"If only it were that simple. This is actually part of a much bigger problem. Harry, do you believe in God?"

Harry's face puckered, "I don't believe in anything I can't see."

She looked a bit incredulous. "You mean being on this island isn't proof enough?"

"There are other explanations. Besides I'd rather not envision my existence being because some super being was bored."

"So you'd rather be the product of a mathematical equation, or some sort of cosmic accident."

"No. Yes. I don't see what this line of questioning has to do with anything." His voiced became clipped, "God never bothered with me, so I never bothered with Him, I'm sure the the feeling's mutual."

"How do you explain this island?"

"I don't." He angily sorted papers shuttling them back and forth.

"Then why do you think you're here?"

He rolled his eyes, impatiently, "Who knows why any of us are here." He stopped fidgeting, "What does this have to do with Roarke?"

"Let's just say that a long time ago, Roarke made a poor decision about where his allegiances were and he's been making up for it since."

"And our guest?"

"Misery loves company."


~~~*~~~*~~~
"Harry!"

"Y-Yes sir!"

" Come here. " Harry timidly made his way up to the desk, The Guest's eye narrowed and he began to speak to him like he would a small child or a puppy. "Harry, Harry, Harry. I expected better of you. Didn't I ask you nicely to send out the flyers?"

Harry turned pale.

"I did, didn't I? Yes, you can nod your head if you want. It's OK. I don't bite. Now. You're going to go in there, and take those papers, and send them up the tube, whoosh, just like that. " He handed him the stack.

Harry turned to leave but then turned back again. He let the pile slip through his fingers onto the floor. "No Sir."

"Beg pardon?" he took a sip of coffee.

"I said, 'No Sir'." Harry voice rose and he became more animated as he spoke, "All my life I've done nothing but take orders, I've 'played the game' as it were, and where has it got me? Stuck on this island for god knows how long. Oh I played the game, all right. Well, not anymore. I'm through taking orders from the wrong people. You want these papers sent?" He angrily gathered the flyers and shoved them onto the desk. "Send them yourself." He turned around and began to walk brusquely out of the office, but the doors slammed shut in front of him. Harry squeezed his eyes shut.

The guest laughed low under his breath, "Well those are brave words. I must say. You've got spirit, you really do," He put down the mug. "Unfortunately, that was also very stupid." The doors flew open and a gust of icy wind blew in.

[Anonymous]

Wow Mlle Bienvenu! I know that you haven't updated this story in a really long time, and that you said you lost it when your computer broke down, but I had to make a comment after reading what is presently here.

It is amazing work. I must admit that there are parts that I truly don't understand...but that's alright...I'll imagine what it could mean, and relate it to what I know of God and religion.

Anyway...just thought I'd give you my two cents...hope that's alright...I like it very much! Much luck in the future with your writing!

~ Anonymous

[Mlle Bienvenu]

Thank You! I'm glad you like it so far ^_^ Have you seen the show? (it was on, back in 1998.... Malcolm McDowell was Mr. Rourke hehe...I wish they didn't cancel it...although it sometimes will replay on the Sci-fi channel, if you get that) If you haven't seen the show, I can understand why you'd be confused....Here's the Reader's Digest version of the show's premise:

.the show is about a magical, fantasy granting, island resort run by the mysterious Mr. Rourke and his lovely assistant Ariel, and of course Harry and Cal, who are trapped on the island to do menial labor for reasons never explained. (although Cal leaves the island in one of the last episodes, probably to try to boost ratings.... it didn't work...) although it's strongly suggested the island is a kind of purgatory for them.

At the front end of the buisness is a mysterious travel agency run by two elderly people, the man sort of has a bit of a friendly rivalry with Mr. Rourke because he wants to run the island himself, his secretary is like 'eh' (she's not really all that much developed in the show's fourteen episodes)

Miranda only appeared in one episode, she washed up on the island when she was a baby, victem of a shipwreck....