Hey y'all! Can is be?! I'm back from the dead AND writing another story instead of updating my old ones!? Man I am evil aren't I? Ok so the only reason I am writing this is because I really want to. So first I am going to torture you with background details before you read! I am sorry and you can skip ahead if you like, I just thought this would be useful. So here is the back ground!
Background: Ok so it is basically the same as the original Nightmare Before Christmas as far as the design of Halloween town and most of the side characters. Here's what's different. Instead of Jack Skellington being in charge, its Pitch Black the boogieman. Also, there are many different doors for many different magical worlds and beings, not just the holidays. This takes place in an alternate universe after the events of the movie. I think that's all for now, I'll make note of things within the story if I need to. Well now enough wasting your time, on to the story!
I do not own Nightmare Before Christmas or Rise of the Guardians.
Alice woke to a loud boom coming from her father's office next door. She groaned and pulled her covers over her face and put her pillow over her head to try and block out the sound but it was useless, there were still loud banging sounds coming from the office and she could still hear all the other loud noises coming form the rest of the workshop, it looked like sleep was no longer an option. She rolled back over and dared to look at the clock; 5:30 am. She let out another loud groan and finally sat up. She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and walked to her mirror. She noticed her massive bad head and shrugged. Instead of brushing it, she decided to pull her long brown hair back in its usual ponytail. She brushed the wrinkles out of her night gown and opened her door.
She flinched at the sudden change from her dim room to the bright and ever-active workshop. After her eyes adjusted, she saw the same things she saw every morning. She could smell the never ending trails of cookies and candy coming from everywhere. The elves were busy making their usual mess of things, a coupled of them were currently playing with one of those "Put the shape in the right hole" toys, and they were quite miserable at it. The Yetis were as hardworking as always too. A few of them greeted her with their strange language that Alice has come to understand. She saw Phil out of the corner of her eye and ran over to him. She jumped and hugged him like she did every morning, much to Phil's disadvantage since it caused him to drop the toy he was currently painting.
"Morning Phil! What's with all the ruckus this morning? Have you seen dad?" said Alice.
"He's in the office. He had another one of his "breakthroughs" on a toy design. Been there all morning." (A/N Since Alice can understand the yetis I've decided that when they are talking to her I will write their dialogue)
"Oh great... thanks Phil!". Alice waved as she walked toward the strange booming noises coming from the office.
As she approached the door she could hear her father yelling something that sounded like "blasted thing" and "work! work!" and a lot of other Russian phrases with his thick accent. She smiled and opened the door. Just then her father yelled "Eureka! I did it!" and Alice was almost bombarded by an ice-plane the size of her head as it zoomed by.
"Oh Alice! You're awake! You're just in time! I've made great invention! Look!" boomed North with a hearty chuckle.
Just then the plane zoomed by again, but it didn't almost hit her this time.
"Great dad...another airplane..." Alice said a bit unimpressed, she was expecting something amazing like what he usually makes...
"Oh-ho not just any airplane! Watch dis!" North bellowed as he pulled out a small controller made out of ice. "Hold out hand!".
Alice sighed and smiled, she could never say no to her father when he had his stupid I'm-the-best grin on his face. She held out her hand and the plane made another b-line for her. She flinched, expecting it to hit her for sure this time, but it swerved out of the way the last second and she felt something hit her hand.
When she opened her eyes, she saw a small package in her hand; cutely wrapped in red and white stripped paper and tied neatly with a small green ribbon.
"Go on. Open." North said enthusiasticly.
Alice brought her other hand to the end of the bow, and pulled. When the ribbon was off the whole box burst and Alice found her self surrounded in bright, glittering sparkles in every color of the rainbow. The sparkles swarmed around her and took many different shapes; a cat walking, a fairy, a bear. So many shapes; it reminded Alice of Sandy's dream sand. When the breathtaking show was over, the sand returned to her hand and blew away to reveal a small candy cane.
"HA HA! IT WORKS!" North screamed triumphantly.
"WOW dad! That was amazing, you never cease to amaze me! How in the world did you do that!? What's it for!?" Alice laughed as her father almost suffocated her with his tight embrace.
"Ha ha I was watching Sandy one day and thought to myself 'Sandy sure make beautiful dreams. Shame kids can't see then when they're awake too.' then it hit me, sure they can! So I create that box that would give children the same beautiful images they get in dreams! Was hard work too, I've been up all night! Even had to call Sandy for help with glitter sand, couldn't get it to keep shape! But now, it works!"
North grabbed Alice's hands and began dancing around his office. They both were laughing and giggling like maniacs, North especially. After he released her and began to dance around on his own, Alice smiled and thought This is why I love him... to herself before an idea of her own popped into her head.
"Hey uh...dad?"
"Hmm?" North responded twirling around.
"Now that you got your box thing to work, don't you want to show it off?" she asked innocently.
"HAHA YESS! You see, when I tell Bunny about dis, he said there was no way I could do it! Haha I want to see look on his face when I show him! Come we go to the Warren!" North bellowed and reached for one of his snow globes.
"Uh wait! Uhhh, could we-you know- take the sled? To the uh...doors? Instead?" Alice asked quietly.
"Sled? Why would we take the sled?" North asked suspiciously.
"Well, I mean you just finished making your box, and I am sure you used a good amount of magic to make it, and well you know how sometimes your magic clashes and you don't want to risk it breaking during transport through the snow globe...do you?"
North pondered this for a moment and Alice held her breath. Whenever she can, she tries to convince her father to take the sled to the other realms instead of using the snow globes. Why? Well lets just say there is an interesting door that caught her attention many years ago. And every chance she gets, she tries to see it again; tries to figure out its full story. And usually, whenever North is in such a good mood, he is more inclined to say-
"Hmmmmm, yes dis is true. Ok then we take sled! I will send note to Tooth, Sandy and Jack to meet us in Warren! Go get ready, we leave in 10 minutes!"
Alice had to stop herself from squealing with glee and ran off to her room. She pealed off her night gown and pulled on her favorite blue mini dress that went to her mid-thigh and her trade mark black leggings. She threw on her shoes and actually brushed her hair before pulling it back and styling it a bit. She had no idea why she felt the need to get dressed up every time she saw the door. It's not like she was trying to impress it, still she did it anyway.
When she deemed her self ready, she practically ran down through the workshop and into the room where they keep the sled. North was already sitting inside with the reigns in his hands.
"There you are! I was just about to leave without you!" said North.
"Yeah right! As if you would ever leave without me!" Alice giggled and slid in next to her dad.
North chuckled and agreed before cracking the whip and they were off in the sky. The air was bone chilling cold and Alice cursed herself for forgetting her coat. North noticed this and chuckled and took off his big outer coat to wrap her in. Alice grinned and snuggled into the coat, knowing that North had on more than enough clothes to keep him warm without his coat. The only cold she felt now was the icy wind blowing on her uncovered face. The sky was so quite and peaceful; Alice felt her eyelids begin to droop until she slipped into sleep.
When she awoke, Alice and North had just landed in the center of the forest where the doors were located. Alice stretched and handed North back his coat before hopping out of the sleigh. While North was busy tying up the reindeer and making sure he had everything. Alice's head automatically turned to where the strange door lie; making eye contact with it immediately. There just a little ways away, hidden in the shadows, was the door.
The door was shaped like what appeared to be a large black horse; small intricate designs covered its body. The wood and the tree it was located on were both old and dead-looking. The tree no longer bared any leaves and seemed to be rotting. That wasn't the only thing that caught Alice's attention, however. What caught her attention was what covered the door. Large, thick chains were wrapped around the door and the entire trunk of the tree. They were wrapped around so many times that the only visible part of the door was the horse's head, its yellow eyes seemed to stare right at Alice. A huge black lock held the chains together.
She can remember the first day she saw the door and the chains. She and North were heading to tooth palace to give the Tooth fairy the first tooth she'd lost. She was about 5 years old. When she saw the door she asked her father why they were there.
"They are there to protect us." North said seriously.
"Protect us from what?" asked young Alice.
"From what lies behind it dear. Do you remember the story I told you the other night?"
"The one about the booger-man?"
North chuckled "Yes, the one about the booger-man. We'll you see Alice, that man was real, and he was evil. He wanted to take away all the hope, joy, and love from children like you. So we had to lock him up to stop him"
"So he is on a time-out?"
"Yes, you could say that..."
"When will his time-out be over?"
"...Not for a very long time dear. Now come, let's go see Tooth so you can get your quarter!"
Alice nodded excitedly and ran after her dad. She glanced behind to look at the door again and wondered why exactly the booger-man had to be on a time-out for so long...
That was 13 years ago. Now every time they come here Alice stares at the door, wondering what is behind it...
"Come then! To Bunny!" North said enthusiasticly. Alice stared at the door for a few seconds more before sighing and following her dad. They walked over to Bunny's egg-shaped door and went inside. They landed in the middle of the Warren. Tooth, Sandy and Bunny where already there waiting for them.
"Alice! It's soooo good to see you its been forever!" Tooth said as she flitted over and wrapped her arms around Alice.
"Haha yeah since last Christmas right! It's good to see you to! You to Sandy!"
Alice waved at the small golden man who waved back warmly.
"Hey what-a 'bout me ya little ankle bitter!?" Bunny said as he swooped in and snagged Alice away from Tooth to give her an affectionate noogie.
"Ha! Who wants to see your ugly mug you overgrown Kangaroo!" Alice laughed.
"Kangaroo? Why ya little- you've been hanging 'round that Frost kid too long mate!".
"Hey I take offense to that!" yelled none other than Jack Frost himself. He was floating down to the ground and used his staff to "accidentally" drop some snow on Bunny's head.
"Jack! I haven't see you in forever where have you been?" Alice asked as she hugged Jack when he reached the ground.
He return the hug and said "Oh you know, around. Causing trouble, keeping Jamie and the kids entertained, the usual."
"Ya mean bein' a brat?" Bunny snapped
"Like I said, the usual." Jack replied with a smirk.
"Ha ha! Is great to see everyone again, now come look! I have created new toy!" North bellowed.
After everyone had finished congratulating North on his creation, and North and Bunny had another spat about whose holiday was best. The group had settled down and were now discussing Alice and how she had grown.
"Yeah I remember the day ya first came to us...like it was yesterday." said Bunny lovingly.
"Yup that;s right, that was the day the inspired your name!" Tooth said with a flit of her wings.
Alice laughed and said "Yeah I know I've heard the story a million times!"
"Well lets make that a million and one cause I want to hear it again!" yelled Jack.
"Ha ha alright then, lets see..." North began. "It was on Easter, a long time ago..."
Bunny was just finishing up his rounds, hiding a few extra eggs here and there. His last stop was Red Roses Orphanage. He placed a few extra special goodie eggs around the yard because he knew how hard the kids had it there. The place was run by a fat old hag who wore nothing but red and black and played cards all day. She treated the kids like subjects and made them do her every whim. Bunny likened her the the red queen from that one children's story book "Alice in Wonderland".
Bunny was inside the orphanage now and was stashing some more eggs in the children's bedrooms. He was so busy that he didn't notice a small pair of brown eyes watching him. The young girl had crawled out of bed and was sitting on the floor watching Bunnymund plant his eggs. She watch silently as he hid his last egg and chuckled. Then young girl smiled and began to crawl unseen toward the strange creature. She crawled up to the basket Bunny carried and looked inside for more of the little walking eggs. When she didn't see any, she crawled inside. Bunnymund chose then to pick up the basket and tap his foot to open his portal out of there. He hoped through with his basket and a small extra package.
Bunny hoped out of his hole and into his Warren.
"Another great Easter! Well done everybody!" Bunny set the basket down and began to walk away when he heard a small voice. He whipped out his boomerangs and assumed the defensive. There was no one there...except for his basket. His basket that had something moving around inside of it.
"What the-?" said Bunny before a small girl tipped the basket over and fell onto the floor giggling like mad.
"Now now, where did you come from ya little ankle bitter?"
"Bunny!" said the girl excitedly. She reached her arms out toward Bunnymund, hoping he would pick her up. When he did just that she squealed with joy.
"Ya must have come from Red Roses...Didja fall down my hole little one?"
He set the young girl back down and watched her crawl around and play with the plain white eggs that were running around. He chuckled when she had managed to find the ink baths and was currently making finger paintings on his giant eggs.
"Well...come on little one we best be getting ya back before someone misses-" Bunny stopped mid-sentence. If this girl came from Red Roses, then she was an orphan. And knowing that place, they wouldn't even notice she was gone. If he took her back...he would be taking her to a place where she would receive no love or kindness and spend her days as a servant to that hag. His job was to protect children wasn't it? He can't just take her back there. But he can't raise her either, he knew nothing about raising children...
So Bunnymund took the young girl to tooth palace and tried to convince tooth to care for her.
"I'm sorry Bunny but I'm just too busy. And there is way too many things here that she could get into and hurt herself with. I think you just going to have to take her back..."
"No ya don't understand, taking her back there...I just can't do it..."
Tooth frowned and said "Well...what about North! He loves kids and he has the elves and yetis to help him with raising her. Plus think of how much fun she would have with all those toys!"
So off they went to North's workshop. After explaining the situation to him, North looked worried and unsure.
"I don't know Bunny... I love children but I too have never raised any"
"Aw come on North, just think of her as an elf, she's as small as one anyway. Plus now that we've defeated Pitch, there is no one that could harm her!" said Bunny.
"Hmmmm I just don't know..."
The small girl, who up till then had been playing blocks with a couple of the elves, got up and wobbled her way over to the big red man. She walked over and grabbed onto his leg. North looked down and chuckled when the girl reached her arms up with a bright smile; a silent demand to be picked up. North picked her up and held her up high pretending she was and airplane. The girl laughed loud and stretched her arms out.
When North held her in his arms she looked at him and smiled sleepily before she yawned and snuggled against his warm chest. It was only a moment before she was asleep.
"...alright..." said North.
"what?" asked Bunny.
"I will take care of her. How hard can it be!? Is our job to protect and care for children who need us and this little girl needs us yes?!"
"Oh North thank you! Your so sweet!" Tooth exclaimed.
"Ya North, I really owe ya!" Bunny said with a smile.
"Nonsense! Is no trouble! Now then, what shall we call the little one...?"
"Oh I know I know!" Tooth yelled. "Bunny, you said that she came from that orphanage with the "Red Queen" for a boss right? And she got here by falling through your rabbit hole right? Well then I think we should call her'"
"Alice!" Bunny finished.
"HAHAHA! Yes is good name! Very fitting no!?" North bellowed. The loud noise woke young Alice and she began to tear up.
"Now now little one! Don't cry!" North soothed. "Now tell me, how you like your new name huh? Alice? Do you like that? Alice?"
Alice sniffed before wiping her eyes and giggling. She repeated, "Alice!"
Alice chuckled when North and Bunny finished the story. It wasn't long after that that she met Sandy and Jack along with a whole array of other creatures. She has heard the tale of the guardians many times and grew up surrounded by toys, cookies, and mystical creatures. She had the life every child dreamed of. And she was grateful for every minute of it.
Still, after 18 years, she still wanted to adventure out and see things she hasn't before. The guardians have all taken her all over the world, but none of them will let her near the strange door. She tried to open it once when she was still young, and that didn't go to well. She has always been a curious girl she constantly found new things to crawl into and explore. Bunny made fun of her for that, saying that's exactly what got the real Alice in wonderland in trouble, curiosity.
But to Alice, that story seemed like one heck of an adventure. There were things she could only dream of. Cats that could disappear and reappear, strange foods, talking flowers, so many things that Alice would love to see and experience. Still, she loved her family and was grateful for what she had.
"Yeah, and now our little girl is 18! I just cant believe it!" Tooth said fondly
"eh 18 or not she's still a little ankle bitter if ya ask me!" Bunny snorted
Sandy flashed a jumble of images above his head. A young girl growing into a woman.
"Sandy is right! She has grown up to be a wonderful woman! She is no longer child, but she is still our girl no?" North laughed
Alice smiled and said "Yeah, it's not like I am any closer to your ages. Heck the closest one to my age is Jack and he's over 300 years old!"
"Yeah but I was 18 when I died! So technically your the same age as me!"
"Hmph, if ya ask me its not a good idea to leave those two together so often. They always find new ways to get in trouble." Bunny scowled.
"Ooooo sounds to me like some one is jealous!" Jack teased floating over to Bunny and tugging on his ear.
"Jealous? Of you? In your dreams mate!" Bunny retorted.
"He is right Bunny, you sound like you want to be the one spending time with Alice, not Jack!" North played along.
"Aww don't worry Bunny, you'll always be my number 1!" Alice teased
Soon everyone was making fun of Bunny and their laughs could be heard throughout the Warren.
North and Alice had just gotten home from the Warren. Alice was walking to her room when North stopped her.
"I must speak with you."
Alice cocked her head and followed him into his office. They both sat down on his big chairs and North was quite for some time before he began.
"I know that you have grown up here and I hope that you have been happy here after all these years-no let me finish- I have tried my very best, we all have, to raise you and care for you. But now that you are 18, and a woman who can make her own decisions. And I understand if...if you have grown tired of being...I understand if you want to leave..." he finished.
Alice couldn't believe what she was hearing. North actually thought she would grow tired of her life? Yeah sure she's joked around a few times about leaving, and true she would like a little more adventure in her life, but never once has she thought about leaving for good!
"What' what are you talking about? Of course I'm going to stay! I love it here, and I love you and everyone else. There are so many things here that I have that I couldn't possibly have anywhere else! I mean yeah it would be great if I could travel more often and when I leave when I like, but I never want to leave you for good!...unless, do you want me to leave?"
"No! No of course not darling! I just thought... I just thought that you wanted to leave. You are always saying how you want adventure somewhere else and I thought that meant you wanted to leave and return to the humans..."
"No no, of course not. Your my dad... I never want to leave you. What could the human world possibly have that is better than here? I love you dad. And if you will let me stay, then I'll stay."
"Oh Alice, you have no idea how happy this makes me..." North said with a sad smile. He stood up and wrapped her in a huge hug. They stayed like that for a bit before they finally parted and North let out on of his deep bellowing laugh.
"Well then, now to finish up everything before Christmas comes yes?"
Alice chuckled and gave her dad one more hug before saying goodnight and went off to bed.
It was now Christmas eve and North was preparing the sled for departure. Alice had suddenly come down with a bad cold and had to stay home. At least that's what she wanted him to believe. Tonight she was finally going to get to the bottom of the mysterious door if its the last thing she does! She knows that someone has to have the key to that lock and she has already searched tooth palace, the warren, and even Sandy's dreamland. For good measure, she even searched around Jack's pond. Nothing. Now the only place left was the workshop. She has searched everywhere and almost gave up, but there is still one place she hasn't checked.
"Sorry I can't come with you dad...I just really done feel well..."
"Is alright Alice, you cannot help being sick! I am sorry too, I know how much you love the sleigh. Don't worry, I will be back by the morning and I will bring souvenirs! Just get some rest and get better alright?"
Alice nodded with a small smile and wave as North took off into the night.
Time to put the plan in action.
She speed walked through the workshop. All the yetis and elves were busy celebrating another successful Christmas and left the halls empty. Alice walked straight into Norths office and locked the door. She looked around before pushing his desk to the other side of the room to reveal a hidden trap door. She had discovered this door one day when she dropped her earring and it rolled under the desk. Unfortunately she didn't have the time to investigate since North was still in the workshop. But now she had all night.
She tried to open the door but found it was locked. But there was no key hole. Instead there was a small circle that depicted the moon. That's when she realized only MiM could open the door.
"Great... so much for my adventure..." Alice sighed defeated. She sat back and tried to stop the tears threatening to fall. She was so close she could feel it...now she will never have her adventure...
Then all of a sudden, a small beam shone through the window. Alice lifted her head and saw the moon outside. "M-Man in the Moon?"
Alice had seen Manny's moon beams before when he and North were talking together, but she had never seen them on her own...
The beam traveled across the floor until it shined directly over the circle on the door. Alice could hear the gears inside whirring and moving when the circle pooped out like a button, and the door...opened.
The moon beam faded away and left Alice there confused and excited. Why did MiM help her? Did he want her to do this? Why?
All these questions were swimming around in her head but her body was moving on its own toward the door. When she looked inside, she saw a small chest. She reached down and pulled it out, expecting to find another lock but to her surprise there wasn't. There was only a small latch that she needed to move to open the chest. Alice's heart thumped wildly in her chest. Was she really going to do this. Apparently because once again her body moved on auto pilot and undid the latch keeping the chest closed. She slowly put her hand over the lid and lifted it up. When is was completely open, she looked inside an felt her heart stop. There inside, was a large, black, key. The key she was looking for. The key that held the answers to her questions. The key to her adventure.
Phew man this thing is 10 FREAKING PAGES LONG on my computer! Whew. So how y'all liking it so far? I kinda wrote this in a hurry and sped the story line up a bit so I could get to my main story. So now she's got the key! Pitch will definitely be in the next one! See ya!
PS if there is something I didn't explain well or you have a question about please tell me! I want to make my writing better!