"...What do you mean, 'gone', Elliot?" Blood asked slowly, his face serious.
"She isn't in Wonderland anymore. She...left," I answered for the sputtering hare. My eyes were still wide with shock at hearing the news. Everyone was in a stunned silence that seemed to last for hours. Elliot snapped out of his shocked mood and finally realized what was happening.
"Um, was I interrupting something?" he asked with caution. I felt my face get hot, and I swear I saw Blood's eye twitch.
"LEAVE PLEASE," we said at the same time. Elliot held up his hands in surrender, then walked out of the room, closing the door behind him. I stayed in my spot behind the bed, glaring up at Blood. He glanced over at me, a smirk playing on his lips. My eyes narrowed.
"I wasn't just talking to Elliot when I said to leave," I growled at him. He chuckled, and I felt my eye twitch. I reached out to grab a pillow, but his hand caught mine and he yanked me back onto the bed. I landed on top of him, and I felt my face get hotter. One of his hands fell on my lower back, the other grabbed my chin and tilted it towards his face.
"So, shall we continue where we left off?" he asked, grinning wickedly. I growled lightly, then grabbed a pillow, rolled off of him, and hit him in the head with it.
"GET OUT, GET OUT, GET OUT!" I shouted at him as I continued to hit him with the pillow. He simply laughed at me, then got up from my bed and walked out of the room. I threw the pillow at him as he walked out, but it only hit the door and fell to the floor with a thump. I glared at the door, expecting someone to walk in. When no one came, I slowly stood up and walked over to my pile of clothes on the floor. I had only put on my bra and panties when I heard a knock on my door, making me jump. I ran back to my spot behind the bed and peered over the edge of it.
"Come in," I said cautiously. The door opened, and the same maid who had helped me last night poked her faceless head in.
"Good to see you're awake, Miss," she said with a smile. I relaxed slightly as she walked into the room, closing the door behind her. I pulled my dress over my head and smoothed it out as I stood up.
"Would you like me to brush out your hair for you?" she asked me. I looked up to see a hairbrush in her hand. I smiled and nodded in response, and she motioned for me to sit on the couch. I walked over and sat down and she sat behind me, then started to brush out my tangled hair. We sat in complete silence, and I turned to face her when she finished, a bright smile on my face.
"If that is all, then I must leave. Much work to be done," she said brightly, "oh, and Mister Blood would like to speak with you immediately," she added before leaving. My face twitched. No way was I gonna talk to him. I put my hair up into a ponytail, then walked over to the window, opening it wide. I peered out and saw the jump wasn't very far...for a vampire anyway. If a human were careful, they could probably survive. I grinned, then walked back for a running start. I ran towards the window, then leaped out of it. Gravity immediately took hold, and I rolled when I hit the ground. I looked back up at the window I jumped through with a smirk. He needs to learn I come when I feel like it, I thought as I dusted myself off. I walked out the gate and saw that Dee and Dum weren't there. Sighing contentedly, I continued walking down the path I was on. I closed my eyes, humming to myself, my bare feet patting softly on the ground. Soon I was back at where this all started. Judging from the giant hands on the building before me, I assumed it was the Clock Tower. I wandered around the building, finding a set of stairs that led to an area that I couldn't decide whether it was a balcony, porch, or lobby. I didn't see anyone there, so I walked around the area, stopping at the railing. My eyes went wide with awe as I took in the view. Wow. This is just-
"Who's there?" an angry voice asked, jolting me out of my thoughts. I whipped around to see a man with dark blue hair longer than my own looking at me with anger. Let me at 'im, let me at 'im! Arisu shouted in my head. I shook my head to make her shut up, then remembered what Alice had told me last night at the tea party.
"Er, you're Julius, right? Unless Alice forgot to mention something..." I asked, my face twisting with confusion.
"You met Alice?" he asked, his expression matching my own.
"Met her? Dude, I know her. I met her months ago in England," I explained, irritation in my voice.
"So you must be an outsider," he accused me.
"Thank god I already know what that means," I muttered. His face flashed for a brief second with shock, "If you wanted to explain how this place is pretty much set up, Blood Dupre, Alice, and Boris beat ya to the punch," I explained, shrugging my shoulders.
"So you've been to the other territories then," he implied. I shook my head in response, receiving a sigh in return, "be mindful then. Everyone is quick to draw their weapons on those they don't know well," he explained. I snorted.
"Like I couldn't figure that out on my own. I've already been swung and shot at at Hatter Mansion," I explained, jumping up onto the railing.
"Hmph. Surprised you're still alive."
"Psh. I kicked the gatekeepers asses."
"I wouldn't do that if I were you..." he warned, his arms crossed.
"What? 'Cause I'll do this?" I smirked, then kicked off the railing, falling to the ground below. I twisted my body and landed in a handstand. I flipped onto my feet, then looked up to see what I had supposed to be Julius looking down at me in shock. I saw someone with much shorter hair standing next to him. I squinted up and vaguely saw a lizard tattooed to his neck. I preceded to go back to where they were when the stench of mixed blood stopped me. I turned toward the direction of the smell, seeing the bushes rustle. I knew who it was before he even stepped out from the bushes.
"Wow, I'm pretty early!" Ace said brightly, brushing his hair out of his face. He turned his head slightly and spotted me.
"Hey, Ace," I greeted, smiling at him.
"Hey! Guess you were right about seein' me around, huh?" he said, knocking his knuckles lightly against my forehead.
"Is your bite all healed?" I asked, somewhat worried about it.
"Oh, that? It's fine, see? All healed!" he said, pulling down his collar to show me his neck. I giggled, glad he was fine, then started walking back up to where I had jumped. I wanted to see who the man with the tattoo was. Ace was right behind me, and soon we were back in the small area.
"Are you trying to prove something by attempting to kill yourself?" Julius asked, looking at me like I was insane.
"Uuuuuuuuuuuum...Nope. Unless I was trying to prove I can't die," I explained, shrugging again.
"That is highly impossible," Julius countered icily. I cocked my hip, placing a hand on my chin as I pondered how to prove something like not being able to die. I looked over at the man with the tattoo, and noticed he was loaded with weapons.
"Perfect! You! Person-whose-name-I-don't-know!"
"Gray," he replied.
"Okaaaaaay, Gray. Gimme one of your knives!" I asked. It was his turn to stare at me like I was insane, "well it's not like I'm gonna use Ace's sword! Who knows how clean it is? I can still smell the blood on it!"
"HEY! My sword is perfectly clean, thank you very much!" Ace argued.
"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Can I just have a knife please?" I tried again. Gray looked at me, then hesitantly pulled out one of his knives and handed it to me.
"Thaaaaaank you!" I sang as I took the blade. Not a second later, I plunged it into my stomach, making sure the wound would have been fatal were I human. Everyone stared in shocked silence as I pulled out the knife. I set the knife on the railing, then moved the clothe of the tear in my dress slightly. All three faces stared in shock as the wound slowly patched itself back up and healed.
"Is this enough proof, buddy?" I asked Julius sarcastically, "that wound would have killed a normal person!" I yelled, pointing at the now fully healed wound.
"Woooooah! That was cool!" Ace said, poking my stomach. I tried unsuccessfully to stifle the giggles bubbling to the surface.
"Yes, yes, very interesting," Julius said icily, "do you have what I asked for, Ace?" he asked, turning to Ace.
"Sure thing!" Ace replied, then handed Julius a bag of...something. I didn't even know Ace had a bag with him, "not that many this time," he added brightly. Julius grumbled something in return, then turned and walked back to the inside of the building. I watched as he left, then turned to face Gray, sticking my hand out.
"Ari Lemire," I said, introducing myself. I watched him smirk as he reached for my outstretched hand.
"Gray Ringmarc. You must be the girl Alice was talking about last night," he said, kissing my hand, "I've heard good things."Something tingled under my skin, and I felt Arisu shiver in my head, which meant only one thing; the guy was a perv. I internally shivered, then gently pulled my hand back.
"Well, I'm just, uh, gonna go now, yeah..." I said, starting to back away.
"Come visit soon," Gray called. I waved, then turned and left the Clock Tower. Soon I was on my way to the other territories. Hm, how about...the Amusement Park, was it? I thought. The last place I wanted to go was Heart Castle. I most certainly didn't want to see Creeper Peter anytime soon. I started humming again, and soon I was softly singing. I reached into the pocket of my dress, sifting through them as I tried to find my iPod. I shivered as my fingers grazed the vial with the heart shaped stopper. I took out my iPod, grumbling at finding the headphones to be tangled again. I untangled them, then put them in my ears and unlocked my iPod and hit the "play" button. "Kiss With a Fist" started blasting from it, and I started singing and dancing along to it.
"You hit me once, I hit you back. You gave a kick, I gave a slap. You smashed a plate over my head, then I set fire to our bed!
"My black eye casts no shadow, your red eye sees no pain! Your smacks don't stick, your kicks don't hit, so we remain the same! Blood sticks! Sweat drips! Break the lock if it don't fit! A kick in the teeth is good for some, but a kiss with a fist is better than none!" I continued singing and dancing until the song was over and I heard someone clapping. I paused the iPod and turned to see Boris leaning against a tree, clapping for me.
"Job well done!" he said, smiling.
"Hey Boris! What's up?" I asked, smiling brightly.
"Meh. Not much. Just wandering around. You headin' somewhere?"
"Yeah. I'm trying to find the Amusement Park," I explained, rubbing the back of my head.
"Pff. You got lost, didn't you?" Boris snickered.
"Shut up. I have no clue where it is."
"I can take you there!" he offered, walking towards me.
"Please do." He laughed again, then started walking off, me following close behind.
"Um, yikes," I blanched upon seeing the Amusement Park.
"Funny, Alice said the same thing..." Boris grimaced.
"Why is it so...bright?" I asked. Boris shrugged in answer.
"Welcome, Honored Guest!" two voices exclaimed brightly. I jumped, then slowly turned to the voices. I blanched again at their insane outfits.
"Are you here to see Gowland?" the male asked.
"We'll get him for you!" the female chimed in.
"Wait, that's not-" I started, but they were already gone. I slapped my forehead at the same time Boris did. A small jingle caught my attention, and I turned to see Boris' tail ring jingling as it swished back and forth. His ears were perked, and he crouched down.
"Uh, Boris? What the hell are you-" I was cut off as he pounced on something. Or from the following squeaks (squeaks?), it was a someone.
"Nooooo! Boris, let me gooooooooo!" the voice squeaked. Boris stood up holding the collar of the person who most likely made said squeak.
"Caught ya, mousey-boy!" Boris snickered, grinning wickedly. The poor boy being held captive looked close to tears.
"Boris, let him go!" I scolded. The boy had already wiggled out of Boris' grasp and ran to hide behind me.
"Don't let him catch me-hm?" the boy said, pausing. His nose wiggled as he sniffed me.
"Wh-what?" I asked.
"Are you an Outsider?" he asked, his eyes bright.
"Uh, um...yes?" I grimaced.
"No wonder you smell so nice! Can I have a kiss?" He wants a WHAT NOW? Arisu screamed in my head. My jaw dropped, and I stared at the boy in shock. My expression went completely blank as I did the only logical thing I could think of; I slapped him.
Author's Notes: those who actually read my stuff should know i write these in everything, BUT ANYWAY! i promised you guys a side story and i delivered, so TA-DAAAAAAAAAA! hope you guys enjoy it~