My head snaps up as the dusk shifts to night. I let out a relieved sigh and fall back against the ground as the exhaustion from the day's work pounds into me. That was such a long afternoon and dusk shift! Now I really regret putting in to work with day shifts instead of timed shifts. Sometimes it pays off by being shorter but the days where Afternoon lasts forever aren't fun at all.

I lazily roll over onto my stomach and crawl out from under the rollercoaster tracks, hooking my tools into my belt. Man and am I starving too! I don't remember what I last ate today.

"Jackie."

"Hm?" I ask glancing up at the red suit.

"Peter -!" I nearly shriek, jumping back and smack against the tracks. Ow ... crap why is he here right now?! His cold red eyes study me closely before he heavily sighs, stubbornly looking off to the side.

"Gather your things and come with me. I'm taking responsibility." Peter huffs before turning around heading towards my house. My heart lightly thrums with hope. As in, take me home?

No, this is Peter we're talking about.

All warm and fuzzy to Alice but cold and heartless to everyone but Alice.

"Explain a little more -,"

Click

"Take it or leave it, filth. Do you want to leave Wonderland or not?" He coldly growls cocking his gun towards me. I'll be the only thought holding back hid finger from the trigger is the fact that Alice would never forgive him for killing me.

"Of course I do!" I immediately say, jumping to my feet.

"Then gather your things and come with me." He finalizes guiding me back to the place I've been staying here in Wonderland.

I suspiciously eye his back before shrugging it off. He's right. He's the one who put me here so it's only right he takes me back. I'm just so happy he's finally come to his senses! I hurry ahead of him and throw back my door, rushing inside as I grab my old duffle bag and throw on my cargo pants and tank top under my work clothes I had on when he threw me in here at the first place. Thank goodness he's finally going to bring me home! I glance at the half full vial balancing it on my palm.

But my drink hasn't filled up yet. Is there maybe another loophole?

I warily glance out the door as I gather my tools in the duffle bag and my violin. Can I trust him? Not at all. But Peter isn't someone who goes back on his word that's for sure.

"Aren't you done yet?" Peter demands becoming more and more impatient.

"Yeah." I quickly respond pocketing the vial. It's best to do what Peter says for right now and try not to piss him off. I sling the duffle bag over my shoulder and carry the violin case in my hand.

"It's about time. This way. And qiuckly, before it closes."

"Before what closes?"

"Do not speak to me unless it's necessary." Peter immediately returns refusing to look back at me. What, does even my face make him want to throw up or something? Freaking pansy can't even man up and admit to what he's done wrong.

I shake off the thought and eagerly follow him down a hardly used path overgrowing with vegetation. Where in the world is he taking me? My chest constricts with worry. What if he means to kill me by taking responsibility? No, I'm holding strong to his love of Alice. He knows if I suddenly die that Alice will blame him. She's even told me herself what she's told Peter. I nervously gulp and readjust the heavy strap as I follow him down the path.

What in the world did I agree to?

Without warning Peter stops in the middle of a small field. He glances back glaring at me from the corner of his eyes.

"Go over there, by that bush." He orders pointing by the vegetation. I hesitate, earning myself a cold sneer from the bunny man before I quickly comply. Why is he getting so worked up? Shouldn't he be happy that I'm not going to be here anymore? I nervously stand before the bush glancing around the open field.

Click

My head snaps up spying the barrel of Peter's gun. I stand up straight looking him dead in the eye as my grip tightens on my belongings.

"Alice will never forgive you if you kill me." I wonder how long I can use that card before he decides I'm too annoying anyway.

"Killing you would be merciful compared to what I'm going to do." He sneers before raising his foot and ram it into my gut. I painfully heave as his foot digs into my stomach sending me flying over the bushes. He kicked me -?! I gag waiting for the inevitable hit of the ground.

But it never came.

I open my eyes to pure darkness spying nothing but the light of the entrance steadily getting smaller. I'm falling down another hole? My thoughts freeze as I spin around in the air feeling the undeniable resistance of my body dropping through the air.

You've got to be kidding me -!

JERICHO'S POV

I heavily exhale and lean against the long shovel, taking a break from burying the last wooden box of silverware. Honestly the things people throw away amazes me. This can be sold for a decent profit on the black market. Oh well, none of my concern. I cringe as my lower back aches, leaning far back and I lightly tap my spine's base with my fist. Ah~ curse this back of mine. Digging is going to be the death of me I know it. I thump my lower back harder temporarily halting the pain. Bah, if only I could crack my back that would help with-

BANG

I nearly fall back in shock as a piece of solid plastic hits the back of my head.

"OW!" I shout, startled as the projectile falls into my arms. Huh? A violin case? I stare at the object, making sure this is what actually hit me before taking a look around the graveyard. Why, there's nothing here but patches of churned up dirt from past burials so where in the world did this come from?

THUMP

I jump slightly as I look over to my left spying a small duffle back. Hm? I take a moment to measure the possibilities before setting the violin off to the side and kneel down beside the duffle bag. I wonder if someone is throwing them over the fence when I'm not looking? I brush off the idea and lean over the bag, unzipping it to find dozens of tools and wrenches, most of them neatly tucked within a leather bound casing or otherwise. Now who in the world would throw away a perfectly good set like this?

CLATTER

I look up spying a wrench dropping to the ground and lands beside the duffle bag. It's coming out of the sky?

" ... Hah? How does that even happen?"

JACKIE'S POV

"Eek -!" I yelp as the night sky suddenly consumes my line of sight. I'm at the end already -?!

THUMP

I gasp as I fall face first into a hard substance.

"AH -!" A very deep voice rings out, clearly startled. My moan intermingle with a deeper tone of groans as I wobble over, laying against a solid yet somewhat soft resistance. My fingers roll over coils of muscles as I try to get up feeling it move up and down as it breathes hard. A body? I jump back, startled as I spy someone beneath me.

"Oh my gosh did I land on you?! I'm so sorry!" I immediately apologize as I jump off. I run my hands over myself trying to find any injuries. I'm not hurt at all? I look up cringing at his clearly pained face. But it looks like I practically broke this guy!

"O-Ow - my back -!" The older man groans as he lightly taps against his lower back with a painful grimace on his face.

"Oh my gosh I'm so sorry!" I again apologize helplessly fluttering my hands over him. I can't believe I landed on someone this is terrible!

"B-Back." He grunts, propping himself up on his elbows before trying to get up but fails. He shakily breathes gritting his teeth as he lays back down and tries to dull the pain.

"Back?"

"S-Stand on my back. Quickly, before it settles like this." He painfully exhales, continually thumping his lower back harder and harder with his fist.

"A-Alright." I agree as guilt plagues my chest. This is awful! I just broke this poor guy! I lean down and untie my shoes noticing gravestones and churned up patches of dirt.

Am I ... back in my world? Why else would there be graves here?

"Quickly, girl -!" He urges as he tightly clenches his fists.

"Right." I say, gripping a nearby stone to hold most of my weight as I lightly step over his back. He groans as I move my way around his back lightly digging my toes into the stiff muscles.

"L-Like this?" I've never done something like this before.

"Y-Yes." He rasps, shakily breathing out. Wait, I shouldn't be doing this I could have cracked his spine coming down on him like that!

"W-Wait what if I broke your spine?" I nervously say staring at his twitching legs. I could make his back worse by standing on it.

"If you had do-done that then I wouldn't be able to move my toes. N-Now go a little lower ... yeah, that's it. P-Press down right there." He says, his breath hitching now and then as I work my foot along his spine. Press down? I nervously gulp and go through with it. Heck, this is his body so I'm sure he knows what to do with it.

I hope.

Crack

"Whoa -!" I shout, startled as I feel something click within the full grown man's body. Oh, my gosh did I snap something?! I quickly get off, terrified as I look over his pleased face that looks like it's in complete bliss.

"Ah ... perfect! Thank you - ah?" He says, his smile falling as he catches sight of my face, "You have eyes." He observes, slightly groaning as he gets to his feet. My eyes widen as I lean back staring at his staggering height. My gosh this man is huge. He's even taller than Elliot! I-I'm hardly even up to his peck!

"Y-Yeah." His eyes narrow slightly as he tilts my head up, placing his other hand on his hip.

"What Role do you have?"

"R-Role? Well, I was the Amusement Park's engineer if that's what you mean." I say as an automatic response.

"Was?" He asks, curious as he stands straight up, leaning on a nearby shovel as he curiously studies me.

"Well, yeah. Hey, am I still in Wonderland?"

"Still in? What are you saying?" He asks before his focus shifts to behind me. His eyes slightly widen as he reaches forward. "Hey, wait -!"

CLANG~G~G~G

JERICHO'S POV

I reach forward letting the girl droop in my arm. I heavily sigh and achingly rub my head as I stare at the bump already forming on her head. Ah~ that's going to leave a mark.

"Are you alright Master Bermuda?" He dutifully asks staring at my waist.

"I'm fine, I'm fine." I reassure him staring at the girl. She's out cold. I press my fingers to her neck hoping to find her pulse. "I was hoping to find out what Role she had before you killed her."

"My apologies." He says clearly taken aback by his irrational reaction.

"It's fine. You were performing your job. Oh?" I say, feeling a gentle pulse moving against my fingers, "she's still alive." I take another look at the placement of the bump. I thought it was closer to what I was afraid he hit but it looks like he missed it by hardly an inch. That's good. Now I can ask what Role she has when she wakes up. I like to know what Role I may receive before killing the Role Holder.

I dip down and smoothly place her over my shoulder glancing over what I'm guessing are her possessions.

"Take those back to the Art Museum with me." I'm interested as to what else she has in there. I can't think of a Role where tools like those would really be needed unless they were a hobby of hers while she was a faceless.

"Yes, Master Bermuda." The servant says picking up the back and violin case.

‡

She's been asleep for a while now. I take a small gulp of coffee before setting it aside watching as she smoothly breathes in and out. It doesn't look like she has suffered any serious injuries so that's good. I don't need her brain dead before I figure out what Role she has.

I lean back against the couch lightly pulling up her left eyelid to look at the icy blue eye. Well that's interesting. The only Role Holder I've ever seen with mismatched eyes is that Prime Minister fellow, Sydney Black. I sure hope her Role isn't similar to his. I have no interest taking a Role like that.

She softly murmurs as she tosses her head back and forth on the pillow sitting in my lap, as if trying to wake up. I continue to hold the ice pack against her head as she moves, nuzzling her head into my stomach. I lightly chuckle and cup her cheek in my hand. She's small. I lightly press my hand over hers mindlessly noting the difference in size.

This is interesting. I've never had a Role Holder literally fall right on me when I least expect it. I should consider myself lucky, I suppose.

But she doesn't act like a Role Holder at all.

Her movements are much too messy to be trained. Her eyes, when they were open, were much too genuinely innocent to truly hold a powerful Role. None of her tools even transform into a weapon. I pick up her wrench, trying to make it shift one final time before sighing and placing it down on the table. It's no use. It's just a regular wrench. I pause and hold my breath listening for the ticking of her clock.

It's not there.

I check her pulse again. But she's still alive so where is her ticking clock? I stare at her uniform's zipper before pulling it down to her stomach revealing a black tank top. Her fashion choice is also a little strange. Is it possible that she's a foreigner? I trace my fingers along her neck before pressing my palm over her chest. Ever so faintly I can feel a small, thumping presence.

So she is foreigner.

I lean back looking her over with a new eye. I've never encountered a foreigner before. This is interesting. My hand stays over her chest simply feeling her tiny presence. So small, so fragile it could be wiped out in an instance. I lightly chuckle before pulling the zipper back to its proper place, keeping my hand softly over her heart.

This is an interesting turn of events.

‡

Alright I don't know much about Diamond Country so I'm trying my best to make it as authentic as I can. Any little tidbits of information will be a great help to me if you can spare some. If I get any details wrong concerning the layout or their responses to things help me out so I can make it as real as possible. Thank you it will be greatly appreciated!

10 REVIEWS for the next chapter. I'm still trying to decide if Jericho is worth writing about.