Penguin: New story. Woo.

White: You sound less enthusiastic than usual, Penguin. Why?

Penguin: Dare. * glares evilly at a snickering Black * From Black.

White: Ah. Well, let's get on with the story, shall we?

I hate clocks.

BEEP

Well, now that's unfair. I only hate alarm clocks.

BEEP

Particularly when they wake you up from your wonderful dreams every single day.

Which is exactly what this alarm clock did. I was dreaming I was having a conversation with my dearly-departed brother and father, yet this stupid alarm clock had the electronic nerve to wake me.

So, I angrily slapped it, telling it mentally to shut the hell up. I hauled my lazy self out of bed with a very annoyed expression, which only increased when my poor tummy growled at me.

Shut up, stomach, I'll go get you some food. I assured it as I padded to down the hall, not before grabbing my well-used note pad and a pencil. I heaved a heavy sigh as I came down to the cold, empty kitchen, just like every morning. Also just like every morning, I poured myself some frosted flakes and skim milk halfway to the top of my orange bowl.

I'm in a rut. I thought glumly, leaning against the granite counter and chewing thoughtfully. I wish something exciting would happen.

Before my thoughts could depress me any further, I put my bowl in the sink, and went up to shower, then put some of the apparently "scandalously odd" clothing that my sister loved to pester me about.

Think of the devil, and she shall appear. I thought dryly as I spotted a tall, brunette someone walking down the hall toward me.

"Good morning, Alice." Lorina said kindly as I passed. I gave her the mandatory nod, hoping to head on my way. "Would you meet me in the garden?" she asked sweetly, though she must have predicted my head-shaking. "I have something for you."

Now this piqued my interest. What could she have for me? I hesitated, but succumbed to my curiosity, and nodded.

She smiled. "See you soon, Alice." I nodded again.

I showered and changed into some of my supposedly "odd" clothing. I put on a black, mid-thigh length, u-neck tee shirt dress with a dark, red and green rose pattern curling all around it. A gray vest and converse completed my oh-so-awesome outfit. A black handkerchief was also folded artfully around my pale wrist. I ran my damp, ebony hair through a brush and headed to the huge back yard.

I gotta' admit, the back yard was pretty cool. It had a big, English-style rose garden maze thingy, that I spent afternoons getting lost in, being found by a maid, usually just in time for dinner.

I sighed and headed over to the big oak tree Lorina was waiting under. She smiled as her teal eyes found me. "Hello,"

I nodded. As you've probable noticed, I don't talk. I can't, actually. The psychological trauma I've experienced is to blame. But, that's a story for another time.

Lorina smiled. Her hands were behind her back, and her face shown with excitement. "Alice," she sang happily, pulling the something out for me to see. It was a bit anticlimactic, if you ask me.

It was a book. A small, faded, light blue book, with curly gold writing spelling Wonderful Wonder World on the cover. I stared at it for a moment before looking up to Lorina with a falsely grateful expression. She was very easy to fool. All people were.

She smiled at my faux gratitude. "I'm so glad you like it. I found it in the attic, and I know you like books, so..." She thrust it gently into my hands. "You should read it while I'm out, to keep you busy." I nodded.

If there was one thing I liked about Lorina, it was her immense kindness. She would give you her ice cream if you dropped your's, then feed it to you on a gold spoon. She would give you her kidney, then make you a sundae. She would give you a mysterious book, trying to keep you out of a spiraling depression. Okay, the first two were hyperboles, but not by that much.

I smiled at her and motioned for her to get going, gesturing at my watch. Lorina laughed.

It was actually my father's, who you'll recall is dead, and on the day he died, I stopped it. It would forever commemorate his favorite time, tea time. So, obviously, it was useless, and my weak joke was at least somewhat entertaining to Lorina.

"Oh no, I'm late." she exclaimed faintly, putting her delicate palms to her cheeks, opening her mouth in mock surprise. I laughed silently along with her. "But, really. I should be going." she said, slightly breathless after laughing. "Good bye, Alice." she called, waving her hand lightly as she walked away.

I waved back with a small smile. I would fake happiness, for Lorina.

As soon as she was out of sight, a melancholy frown seeped onto my face. I sighed, sinking to the ground. I leaned against the tree, and decided to take a crack at this Wonderful Wonder World. The familiar smell of old book hit me as I leafed through it.

I stopped my rifling and went to the page titled Prologue.

To whomever is reading this story, I would like to point out, first and foremost, that it is true. I have remembered these facts to the best of my ability, and tried to maintain an unbiased view of the characters portrayed. So, please, take this seriously.

Also, dear reader, remember that beyond a dream, there is only reality.

What a... foreboding beginning. I thought with surprise. This looked like an old children's book, yet the author had made it so serious. I flipped curiously to the cover, to find the gloomy writer. I was disappointed when I found none.

I shrugged and headed to the first chapter, titled Wonderland.

Wonderland is a very odd place, where lives are taken lightly and weapons are had by all. This makes it very different from anywhere in our world. However, we will get more into that later.

Wonderland is divided by a power struggle into several territories. There is Heart Castle, the Amusement Park, Hatter Mansion, the Clock Tower, Clover Tower, and Joker Forest. The last two are only present occasionally, though under what circumstances, I am not sure.

Heart Castle, the Amusement Park, and Hatter Mansion are currently the only ones in the struggle, though they are no more dangerous than the other neutral territories.

Across from this writing was a hand-drawn map, with small illustrations of the territories and paths that lead to them. I flipped to the next page.

Clocks

All of the inhabitants of Wonderland, faceless (see page 15) or not, have clocks in the place of hearts.

I gotta hand it to Lorina, this book seemed pretty cool.

These clocks are taken by the afterimage (see page 20), or, occasionally, the Knight of Heart Castle, Ace (see page 45). These clocks are then repaired by Julius Monrey (see page 48), causing the severe lack of value on lives.

I was getting real excited now. This concept of clocks for heart enthralled me. I mean, repairing the clocks, bring the inhabitants of Wonderland back to life. This Julius fellow sounds cool. my brain thought before I could stop it.

You're talking about him as if he's real. the cynical voice in my head stated.

You're right, sorry. the other voice said quietly.

Ugh. I marked my place and put the little book in my pocket. Rubbing my temples, I lay down on the grass, looking for cloud shapes to take my wandering mind off of Julius and Ace.

What if they are real, what if the book is true?

I rubbed my throbbing head.

Well, they're not, so shut up. cynical voice said sharply.

You shut up.

No, you.

No, yo-

Both of you, shut up! I screamed to the little voices. I sighed and closed my eyes, the bright sun warming my skin and lulling me to sleep.

Mustn't... fall... asleep. I thought vaguely as the darkness overtook me.

-OoOoOoOoO-

"Alice." a small voice said off to my left. "Alice." it repeated, a little impatience seeping into it's tone.

I opened my eyes sleepily to see a white rabbit. In clothes. That had just talked.

It noticed my awakening, little red eyes lighting up. "Hello, Alice."

I'm dreaming. I am so dreaming. cynical voice said in shock.

But in all your dreams, you can talk, right? Well, you can't now, can you. the happy little voice said smugly.

True, true... But, rabbits can't talk in real life, either. cynical voice retorted.

Shut up, guys. I told both of them before turning my short-spanned attention back to the bunny.

"Come on, Alice. We're late." It pulled out a large watch out of his pocket, pointing to it, as if to prove that we were, indeed, late.

I shook my head cautiously. No. Hell no. I thought blankly as the rabbit sighed, ears drooping.

"I guess I'll have to make you, then." There was a flash of white light. Then, standing before me, was a handsome guy, with white hair, though he looked rather young. He had white rabbit ears, and small, round glasses, similar to the ones that the little rabbit was wearing only moments ago. He had on the same clothes as the rabbit, thought his ensemble was obviously larger.

"Come on, Alice." he said merrily, picking me up, bridal style, and running off, surprisingly fast, toward the rose maze.

I screamed silently and reached frantically for my pencil, so I could gouge his eyes out. But, alas, I saw it sitting, abandoned, by my note pad under the oak tree.

Shit. I thought angrily. Shit, shit, shit.

Penguin: Okay, before anyone says it, yes, it is a sucky place to end the first chapter, but it was, like, 2000 words, so...

Anyway, I'ma' gonna' update J-bel in Wonderland next, so yipee for me.

Well, tell me if ya' like it.

Bye!