When I was a kid. Wait. Let me paraphrase that. When I was at the young age, dealing with reality was quite a feat for me. Basically because most of the times I was left misunderstood. But I'm not blaming the world. It would be a waste of time. Better than that, I need to improve myself as a person. That's what little me decided in the past. And to reach my goal I needed some advice from higher ups. Someone who lived through misery and joy. Seen the best and the worst of the world. And I found people like that. I'm not talking about my brothers. No. There are other characters who opened my eyes and helped me to develop. I found millions of them. Different genders, personalities, stories, ideas, and thoughts. It all was in between the pages of books which I cherished so much.
One of my first books that I read was 'Alice in Wonderland'. I enjoyed this book so much. Read it in one sit. And one quote stuck with me till this day. "Imagination is the only weapon in the war against reality". So there I was, fighting this battle of a survivor. But I guess I wasn't strong enough. Most of the times I was hiding from my problems by getting lost in the imaginary world which sometimes I created myself. Thinking about it now, it seemed cowardly.
I did have my weapon but I was too afraid to fight.
Reading and cars don't go well together. First of all, car moves which make it harder to read. Second, it's bad for person's eyes. And if we consider my situation, the third point would be, you're in the car with predators who by the way makes reading a difficult hobby.
As a matter of fact, I found this one retelling of 'Alice in Wonderland'. The book calls 'Splintered'. I found it in academy's library. I read some back there and it hooked me up right away. So, as we were going to the Academy, I decided to not to waste any time and take this as a chance to read some. That wasn't left unnoticed. The moment when I was about to leave this world for a second and enter another one, the book was taken away from my hands.
"Perra-chan what are you reading?" Laito flipped through pages from the begging till the end of the book "Hmm, there's no pictures in here. Are you sure this is the book for your taste? But hey, look here Perra-chan" he pointed at the book's cover "See this is a butterfly" pronounced every syllable as clearly as possible like he was explaining a picture to a toddler.
"I can see that Laito" I sighed, patiently waiting till this play of his will end.
"And it's blue"
"Okay, give it back" I reached for the book but he leaned back.
"Then work for it~"
"Damn it Laito, I...oh my God" my voice dropped and with eyes filled with fear I looked at the boy "Don't move a muscle"
"Say what?" Laito furrowed his eyebrows.
"There's a big spider just behind you" this time I whispered.
"Nfu~ I'm not falling for that, Perra-chan"
"Laito, I'm serious. Don't move" the same fear in my eyes was kept as my voice got more intense and nervous. Maybe not at first but Laito now seemed to believe me. His forehead started dripping with a cold sweat.
"WHA!" he jumped from his seat turning and smashing his back against my body. Holding his fedora on his head the boy looked at the vampire sitting next to him, who had a mischievous grin on his face.
Here's what happened. I lied to Laito that I saw a spider crawling behind him. Fortunately, next to him sat Subaru who found this as an opportunity to prank his brother by brushing his finger tips against the back of Laito's neck.
As I thought, even vampires are afraid of spiders.
"Subaru-kun, that's not how loving brothers act"
"I hate you" Subaru replied.
"Enough" Reiji closed the book which he was reading "Honestly, it's like a kindergarten in here. Acting more like adults wouldn't kill you."
I lifted my hand on which back was a patch which covered a quite deep scratch from this morning.
"I have a booboo" I made it sound like a little kid just to tease him a little bit more.
"Say one more word and I will give you something to complain about in agony" Reiji threatened me. And Lord is my witness, I did hear how his fangs just expanding. And all I did was nodded and mouthed the word 'Okay'.
"I can kiss your booboo~" Laito volunteered to 'help' me out. But I'm pretty sure I can handle this much. All I need is my book which I took back from the boy's claws.
'And I can rip your baby-maker off, son'
'Wha-? We-? No, just no'
'I'm just saying, that's an option. Off with his d**k, I say'
'Jesus girl'
The limousine stopped in front of the academy as usual. Same thing as always: we get our stuff, get out of the limo, look at the building like we are about to enter the hell, and ask ourselves 'What is the meaning of our existence?' while the teacher writes on the board the sine and cosine functions formulas which I'll probably never use in my life. But then I will get some coffee and my life will be colored in glitter once again.
"Hey, what is happening over there?" I asked pointing at the right side of the building where three windows on the first floor were covered with a huge sheet of plastic.
"Probably some sort of renovation" Reiji adjusted his tie.
"Great, more noises" Shu sarcastically stated.
"This will make Teddy uneasy. Stupid humans with their idiotic activities" Kanato mumbled under his breath.
"And they will follow you with their drills everywhere you go ooOOoo" I used spooky voice tone to it with an additional ghost sound at the end.
"WHAT! I dare them to come close to me!" the boy flipped out. I really didn't think that he will react like that. But I wasn't the only evil mind around here. His brothers were geniuses as well.
"Kanato-kun, Kanato-kun, calm down, Perra-chan is just joking. They won't come after you" Laito 'calmed down' Kanato.
"Yeah, they have no interest in you" Ayato played along "they want Teddy"
"What?" from the horror that he felt the boy wheezed the question. Clenching and pressing the toy closer to his chest. Then he glared at me with eyes as if they were daggers "Tch, it's all your fault!"
"Wha-?" I looked behind me to make sure if he is talking to me "Me?"
On the side, Ayato and Laito were snickering because I was the one getting a dose of Kanato's rage. Just for the record, I made a spark but they created a fire.
"Sigh...Everybody. To your classrooms. Now" Reiji hissed at us and pointed at the academy "Again, would it kill you to act more mature?"
"We-"
"Do not comment, Yagami"
Before I managed to say something the vampire stopped me. He knew that it was coming and this time he was able to dodge this comeback.
"Rodger" I gave him thumbs up.
I had enough time to go to the bathroom before the class starts. Just before I entered the restroom, a couple of girls walked out. I knew them by looks, not in person. They were beautiful young ladies. Always with shiny and stylish hair. Eyebrows on fleek. Long eyelashes. Eyes without blue bags under or hints of tiredness. I overheard them talking about how last night they went with a group of friends to the cinema and had dinner together in town.
For a moment I followed them with my eyes while holding the door halfway open. I pressed my lips tightly together and finally entered the room. At this time, no one is here. So I had some privacy. I placed my backpack on the edge of the sink and started washing my hands. As I was drying them up with a paper towel, I looked at the mirror in front of me.
I saw the opposite of how those two girls. Red and baggy eyes. Hair that lost their silkiness and now the only way to deal with them is to tie them up in a messy bun or high pony tail. Healthy blush lost cheeks. Aching neck from all the biting and general tiredness. I did stop taking care of myself, not even knowing why. Maybe because I didn't see a point in it. Well, there is no point.
It feels like I'm losing all my hopes. This...I can't. I don't think I can. Keeping up with this is draining all the life force out of me. Without even realizing, I slowly weakening my body.
"How long will I be able to...?" a ball of tears started coming up my throat as my eyes started to sparkle from appearing tears. I shook my head and wiped my watery eyes and left the bathroom.
With my blazer's sleeve, I wiped small like crystal teardrops from the corners of my eyes. I speeded up and walked down the main hallway towards the stairs.
I hated this. I hated this so much. To not be able to cope with what is going on in my life. Telling myself that everything is okay but feel the opposite. How long was it since I moved here? Less than a year? I guess. During that time I was having breakdowns. But those were the minor ones.
"What choice do I have?" I mumbled to myself "I wish I could run away so easily"
At the begging of this journey I was quite optimistic, I thought I can handle things around the mansion. I thought that I will be strong enough. But those guys have their own ways to overcome you. Little by little sucking away my energy.
"Agh" I grunted and softly slapped my both cheeks "My brain needs more blood" with those words I bent forward and grabbed my ankles. Breathe in and out. In and out "...that's not really helping" I straighten my back and continued walking. Suddenly I remembered that I need something to drink. From all this blood loss my throat became as dry as a desert.
I reached a vending machine which was next to the renovating area. In a rush, I almost slipped on a wet floor.
"Son of a-!" I managed to keep my balance "Someone should put a sign here...oh here it is" I felt stupid for not noticing the yellow sign on the floor.
It was weird that they didn't move this thing somewhere else. It's not the best place for the vending machine now. I took a bottle of water from a take-out port and at the same moment, the bell rang through the whole building. Meaning that the class has started.
"Shit" I quickly picked up all my stuff and this time ran down the hallway. And guess who forgot about the sign saying 'Caution. Wet floor'. What was up, became down. My feet shoot up in the air and my head bumping against the hard surface. Pain like an electric shock went through my body. Vision blurred out. It felt that I blanked out for a moment. But I had been awakened by a voice.
"Oi!"
All of my limbs felt heavy and hard to move. The back of my head hurt. The impact even made my teeth chattered.
"Hey! Get up quickly! You're late!" the voice was familiar.
I slowly sat up on the floor with one hand behind my head, holding it pressed tightly and trying to reveal this pulsing ache. But the view in front of me acted like the fastest and the strongest pain killer in the world. My jaw dropped down to the floor. I was left speechless. Confused but curious. Puzzled but interested.
I did have a feeling that the voice belonged to one of the Sakamaki brothers. And I was right. Subaru was the one calling. I think it was him...
What stood in front of me was in every way same as Subaru. Crimson eyes, white hair, the body shape. but there was one extra adjustment. Well, make it a couple.
The boy had long white rabbit's ears popping out from his hair. He also had this brown over the shoulder bag. Subaru was tapping his foot impatiently, hands crossed on his chest and one of them was holding a pocket watch.
"Hurry hurry hurry hurry hurry faster faster faster faster" he sounded like a broken record.
"Hurry for what?" I still couldn't take my eyes off of him. Just what the hell is going on?
"For that bullshit!" he yelled. The pocket watch in his hand broke into pieces "Tch, damn it" he tossed the broken pieces aside and from the bag took a new one "We're losing time!" he showed me the watch. After that, he turned around and started running.
"No way he has a fucking bunny tail" like a white ball of fur was stuck to his butt.
"Don't just sit there!" Subaru turned to me before running around the corner "MOVE MOVE MOVE MOVE!"
"I must be dreaming" I slowly stood up from the floor.
"MOVE!" his roar echoed across the building making the walls vibrate.
"HOly shiii" I took off as well.
Subaru kept running until the end of the hallway, from time to time looking behind his back if I was still following him. He kept yelling 'There's no time' 'Hurry' 'Move' 'We are losing time' 'Faster'. What was so importing? Why did he need me? And why he has that rabbit tail? It seemed like he didn't even know the way that we needed to take. It felt almost like we were making circles around the academy, turning left, right, left, right, right, left. Taking stairs up and down, up and down.
To the question 'Where we are going?' he replied
"For that goddamn bullshit!"
And finally, things progressed. When we reached the janitor's closet he once again yelled at me to hurry up before opening the door and walking inside. The closet was small. What on earth would he be doing there?
"I swear if this is- aaaAGHHHHHHHHHH!" I screamed from the tops of my lungs. instead of a regular janitor's closet, I entered the door into some sort of black hole. I started falling down. At first, it was dark no matter where I was looking, but the further I was falling the more strange things started to appear. Clocks, teapots, cups, books, lamps. The end of the infinite space soon ended as the surrounding changed what it seemed to be a tunnel made of tree roots. Decorated with pictures, old clocks, armchairs and stuff like that, it reminded of a place where someone could live.
The tunnel started getting more horizontal which honestly started frighten me. This could mean that my head will smash against the roots. Instead of that I fell on the bed but was thrown out by a mattress and now uncontrollably rolling and sliding down up-and-down the path of tangled roots.
Finally, I reached the end of this fall. It's like the tunnel spat me out in a round room. My body slid a little bit forward on a marble floor.
I slowly managed to get up on my feet, even tho every muscle and bone seemed to be giving up on me, and started to do the look-around. The hole through which I came here was gone. The room was round with checkered black and white floor. The walls were cover with red curtains. Aaaaand that's all. There was nothing else in the room.
"This can't be" I brushed loose strands of hair behind my ear.
Without wasting any time I started to open the curtains only finding the wall behind it. The second time the same. Third as well. Starting to lose hopes here. But the fourth time didn't lie. When I opened the curtain, I found 7 small doors (you could fit your arm in it) scattered on the wall.
"...that's...okay?"
I tried to open one of them and instantly jumped back. My eyes met with red ones on the other side of the wall. It was Subaru's crimson glare. I could recognize it from miles.
"Look at the time!" the little door above opened and his hand holding a pocket watch showed up.
"How did you...?" the distance between where his face and his hand were, was logically impossible.
"Can't you tell time?!" he yelled.
"Actually, right now no. because I can't see the clock properly" I tried to see what time it is.
"IT'S TIME TO MOVE YOUR ASS!" with those words both doors closed.
But I wasn't ready to be left like this. Not knowing what to do. So I opened the same door which I opened the first and called for Subaru.
"I would move but if you haven't noticed, I can't really squeeze through these doors"
From the bottom door, I heard his voice.
"Then drink" he hissed annoyed.
"Drink what?" I kneeled.
But instead of answering, he threw a pocket watch, almost hitting my head. Fortunately, I was fast enough to dodge it. The clock smashed against a one-leg wooden table.
"This wasn't here before?" I pointed out
"Well, you shouldn't be here and should be moving. So stop doing what you shouldn't and start to do wHAT YOU SHOULD!" he slammed the small door.
I inspected the table. Nothing unordinary but the small crystal bottle with a tag attached to it saying 'Drink me'
" 'Drink me?'. Where did I...? This Wonderland stuff. I'm in Wonderland?" I looked around to see if something else appeared. "But if this is Wonderland, that means I'm just dreaming" I laughed to myself. And used this one guaranteed trick. I pinched myself.
Nothing happened.
I still was in the same room. So I tried again. No results. I tried one more time only on the other hand this time. Still no magical awakening in my room.
"This is ridiculous" I sighed and looked at the small bottle standing on the table "I guess I have no choice but to play along "
I opened the bottle and took one sip. The liquid inside was tasteless almost like a water. But a second passed and I hiccuped. Everything around me started to get bigger. I was shrinking. It felt like my body was slightly tickled. One good thing that my uniform was shrinking as well. That's convenient.
When I stopped shrinking I walked to the small door and entered the other side. A fresh air filled my lungs. The sounds of nature moving around, birds singing, somewhere in the distance running river, buzzing bugs. Mushrooms and grass being higher than me, not to mention trees.
As I looked back, the door through which I came, vanish like specks of dust in the air, leaving me in the middle of the forest.
"Here it goes"
I walked the path made of gigantic domino pieces. Some still reached the surface while other pieces were covered with earth only an edge or corner left to be seen. From behind me, a strong wind blow came, through the blue sky carrying cards.
I reached stone stairs going down in the flowers filled garden. A narrow river like a waterfall was running along side the stairs. A couple of weird looking mosquitos flew around my head. And I swear the God, one of them had this little violin and started playing it right next to my ear.
When I reached the end of the stairs I heard women's sobs. The sound came from somewhere in the garden.
"Is anybody there?" I carefully asked before spreading the tall grass and going deeper into the garden. In the open area, there was nothing but I kept hearing sobs.
"Hello?" I couldn't see anyone there. Only flower, flower, grass, flower, grass, flower. flower "This is odd" I placed my hands on my hips. But just to make sure I'm not missing anything I went a little bit deeper. I heard women's sobbing again. And this time it was near. I slowly spread the leaves and took a peek.
"BOOOO!"
It felt like somebody jumped from the side to scare. Well, and that worked. I got startled so much that I tripped over my own foot and fell in a mud pit. Getting the dirt on my skirt, shirt, bare legs, in my hair and spots on my face as well.
"hehe-HAHA HAHA" I heard woman's laughter "I wasn't expecting that"
"Me too"
"For sure, hehe"
"Now now, scaring somebody like that, is it lady-like"
"Is it somebody. More like something"
I sat up in a mud pit and found myself surrounded by flowers with faces like humans. They were leaning above me almost covering a daylight. They all looked the same, only their voices and manners were different.
"I'm not something, I'm someone"
The flowers looked at me closer.
"And what's someone's name?" the lady-like flower asked me.
"My name is Kaya. I fell in the rabbit's...janitor's closet hole... And now I'm here" I stood up and started cleaning myself as much as possible but it just made a bigger mess.
"Is 'Kaya' even a name?" the short one asked. She seemed to be a child of this group, while the prankster one was a teenager and the lady-like was adult one.
"It's impolite to say that. We only gossip about others when we are alone. Remeber that" the prankster one answered.
"Wonderful. Listen"I interrupted them "Do you guys know the way out of here. I'm mean how to get back to a human world?"
"What's it to us?" the lady-like came closer to my face.
"I-I...I don't have anything that you wouldn't have" play cool Kaya, play cool. It's all about playing your cards right. Remember everything that Rin and Mamoru thought you.
"The best deal that you can get from me is a bubble gum" I wiped my hands on my dirty skirt, making them a little bit cleaner.
"We do you a favour, you do us a favour" the prankster one leaned closer on the other side.
"But let's make it clear, you guys do know the way back to human's world, right?" I asked the flowers.
"Of course we do"
"We do?" the short one asked the prankster one. This was interesting because the moment she asked it the prankster one shushed the smaller one. I just need to keep this conversation going and I might get some leads on what I should do.
"So you guys don't know the way?" I folded my arms.
"It's not like-" lady-like started to speak but I interrupted her.
"Because I can't do you a favour if are not willing to do the same for me~"
"We might...don't know...the way back...but we can direct you to the place where someone might know"
This 'might know' is better than not knowing anything. And these flowers are foxy ones. I wonder how many did they tricked with these games?
"What place?"
"What place?"
I and the smaller flower asked at the same time.
"I'm not telling. She must do a favour first" the prankster turned to the smaller one.
"But I wanna know too" now the smaller one sounded like a little child for real. I had to act quickly and win this poker game.
"Yeah, I do understand that they are not telling me. But you, they should tell you" I addressed the smaller flower.
"The something is right. I wanna know as well" the smaller one looked back and forth from the ladylike one to the prankster one.
"We can't tell you because she will hear it" the prankster one looked at me.
"Oh...wait, is it" the smaller one leaned closer to the prankster one and 'whispered' loud enough for me to hear "Is it about the village to west from here?"
"Shhhhhhh!"
"Not so loud!" The other two started shushing the smaller one.
"What village?" I walked closer to them all excited from the fact that I have my first lead.
"Nothing! She said nothing about the village...damn it" the prankster one got nervous.
"There's a village in that direction?" I pointed with my finger west.
"N-no"
"Got it. Thank you for your help but I must go now"
I was about to leave but I turned around and from my blazer's pocket took out a pack of bubble gum and placed it on the lady-like's leaf/hand.
"As I said I have nothing better to offer than a bubble gum"
The flowers were right. There were a village and a really small one. I counted 21 buildings and ten of those formed like a circle in which middle was a fountain placed in a stone-based square. The whole thing gave this second empire style with the way that houses and building looked. The whole complex looked off considering that the outskirts of the city were blue and violet colored trees.
Without wasting anytime I got down the hill and walked down the gravel road towards the village.
When I entered the village I started feeling really unsafe. Mostly because I wasn't my normal size. Every movement seemed to me like filler for a 'the reason of death' blank space. So I tried to keep close to the walls of buildings and not to run in the middle of the street.
At least I progressed somehow in... this world. I found the village. Now the question is 'What's my next step?' because I am so lost. Even if I would try to ask someone, will they even notice me? Will they even hear me? So far, I didn't bring anyone's attention. It's either my size or they are used to these kinds of things...? The people around appear that way. But I'm judging the looks right now, to be honest. They all had this 'screaming', bright-colored, extravagant style. Victorian times style but more playful, I would say. And the same goes with haircuts.
I saw a couple sitting on the edge of the fountain, sharing a conversation. I decided to swallow my fears and go ask them for help. What do I know? Maybe they will know the way out of here.
I quickly rushed towards them before I was stamped by a foot or kicked away. The couple didn't notice me until I called for them.
"Hello" I waved my hand.
The two of them looked down and saw me standing in front of them being a little bit awkward.
The woman had navy blue hair, braided like a headband and with the rest of her hair letting free. The dress was she was wearing was a green one with black dots, really revealing her bust. It's basically out there.
The male had an orange blazer with a white shirt underneath. But the most noticeable part of his outfit was a little bit short black pants which revealed his funny looking red and blue striped socks...Apart from long yellow 'Mario' mustaches.
"Yes?" the man asked.
"Umm yeah...I was wondering if you know the way out of here?"
The couple exchanged confused looks which meant that I needed to re-ask my question in a different form. I took one big breath in and spilled out the situation for those two.
"What I mean is that I followed this rabbit. But not a rabbit-rabbit, he is a rabbit-vampire...to be more exact he is a rabbit-vampire-human looking guy. So I followed him and I accidentally fell down this rabbit-hole, woke up in the round room without any doors. That's what I thought at first. But then I found a lot of small doors and I thought to myself 'Why there are so many small doors?' Then that rabbit-vampire-human looking guy told me to drink this potion which made me small. I went through the door and found myself in a forest which had the biggest mushrooms I have ever seen. There was also mosquito which played the smallest violin in the world. Then I met the talking flowers which told me about this village. And now I'm here. So I was wondering if you how to get to the place from which I came from?" Feeling my face getting redder from the lack of oxygen, I took a sharp but satisfying breath in.
"Well, bravo. Some lungs of steel you got there, lady"
"Thanks" I wheezed the answer.
"But, unfortunately, we can't help you," the man said.
"Maybe the white rabbit can help you?" the lady placed her finger on her chin.
"He was the one who brought me here...not to mention he throws pocket watches at me like he wants to kill me...oh my God" the realization hit me which made me grab my muddy hair "This is a perfect homicide"
"Kaya?" in a distance I heard someone calling my name "Is that you, Kaya?" the voice came closer.
And again, the voice was too familiar to me. It was so bizarre. Without any hesitation, I turned around and found another well-known person to me standing tall just behind me.
"Yui?" I stood there astonished.
"Well I'll be damned, I always wondered when I'll see you here, Kaya" the girl placed one hand on her hip whiled the other one was holding a basket covered with a white piece of fabric.
"I'mmmm...yes, I'm Kaya"
She wore a long brown dress with sleeves ending at the elbows and from there flowing lace sleeves hang down. The pink flower pattern really suited the dress and her personality. Well, Yui's that I know.
Although in all ways she looked just like her, the manners and the way she speaks doesn't seem right.
"Oh, brilliant!" she clapped her hands.
"I'm actually glad to see a familiar face as well" I smiled. This was a relief of some sort. But I just need to keep moving "Listen, not to be rude by asking you straight away this, but do you know the way out of here?"
"I'm sorry, Kaya. But I don't"
"Oh"
"But I think the white rabbit should know something" she stated.
"You mean Subaru, right?"
"The one and only" Yui smiled "And just so it happens, he will come to my place so we can continue our conversation back there...plus we need to fix you height"
I sat in her basket as she was walking towards a small building that had a wooden door with the crooked door frame. Above it, was a sign hanging on ropes that said with curved letters 'All in One'. She opened the door which was 7 inches taller than she. An old fashion bell rang.
The place was small. For 6 people it would be hard to turn around. But despite that, it was cozy. Almost looked like one of those mysterious shops where characters from movies or books come to ask questions for an old shop keeper who knows all ancient stories and myths.
She placed me on a counter next to antique cash register and excused herself for a second and climbed the ladder upstairs. The shelves were full of all kinds of stuff. One section had a book collection; the other one had teapots and cups, tableware. In other shelves were placed plush toys. Next to the entrance, I saw a hat rack covered in hats: sun hats, fedoras, flat caps. And on one of the hats rack's hooks were hanged ties. Just behind the counter on a top of the shelf, were placed musical instruments. A clarinet, flute, banjo, violin, trumpet and so on.
I heard Yui coming down so I walked on the counter closer to the edge.
"Sorry about the wait"
"No worries"
She climbed down carrying in one hand a vase made of glass which she placed next to where I was standing. From underneath she took a gray stained apron and put it on.
"So" I started "You really don't know the way back to my world? Subaru somehow was able to bring me down here. So there should be the way out as well?" I asked one more time. Maybe she will remember anything that might help. Because waiting or looking for Subaru would take too long. And all he says that I am late for something which I assume is a tea party if this world follows the story of 'Alice in Wonderland'. But so far things are a little bit different than in the original story. But things feel so real (too real) that sometimes I doubt if this even a dream or illusion.
"As far as I know there no touchable 'exit'" she took away a cover from the basket and took a bouquet of white roses from it and neatly started placing one by one in the vase "If Subaru was the one who brought you here, then he should know more about this stuff. And he might be able to help you return back home" she said it so casually like it was an everyday thing to her.
"Oh before I forget" this time she went to the back of the store and came back with a plate full of cupcakes "These will make you grow back to your normal height"
This just made my day. I will get to eat something sweet and cupcakes were the best option. When Yui was bringing the plate, I didn't see it just as a plate. it was a holy grail of deliciousness. But the moment when she placed it on the counter for me to take, all excitement vanished.
"It has an eyeball on it" I pointed out.
"Don't' worry, it's all from my garden. This season was pleasant for eyeball-plants" again she said it like it was a completely casual thing "Or you're not a fan of eyeball cupcakes, they are really sweet. I also have some with bugs, sour tree bark, vanilla soup...ummm I forgot what this one is"
"...I don't know why but I want this one" As much as it was twisted I couldn't stop staring at the one with an eyeball. I had so much mixed feelings about this.
"Great, just take a small bite. It should be enough"
I did as Yui told me took I bite. It tasted a lot like a sugary apple with cinnamon. From the first bite, I felt a familiar tickle going through my body. My body started to grow. I jumped off the counter and a second later I was a normal size again.
"One thing solved" Yui placed her hands on her hips "Now, you need to clean yourself"
"That's a good idea" I smiled.
Suddenly the door opened and closed with a big bang. Yui and I looked at a person who barged in and what do you know. Speak of the devil it was my pathfinder to this place.
"I'm running out of CLOCKS!" Subaru yelled.
"Calm down, calm down, I have your pocket watches" Yui sighed.
"You!" Subaru pointed at me "You need to hurry up for that bullshit"
"White Rabbit! Have some manner" Yui took a wooden box from a shelve and walked towards Subaru. He opened his bag and Yui poured bunch of pocket watches in there "And you need to start saving these"
"Tch, it's not my fault they are so fragile"
"But whose fault is for breaking them?" Yui raised her eyebrows.
"I don't have time for your nagging. Look at the time!" He took one of the pocket watches which he just got "It's half passed move your ass, idiot!" he addressed me this time.
"Hey! How about I-!"
I was about to shout back but Yui interrupted before I could say anything.
"Enough. Goodness gracious. It's like babysitting two toddlers. Subaru, you will have to wait and Kaya, you are not going anywhere looking like this. Let's go" She waved her hand and all of us went tot he back of the store from where the door opened to a small backyard.
On the right, there was a string tied to two trees on which some clothes were drying. Just next to it stood a tiny shed with what it like a shower box only without a roof and instead of a door, it had a curtain hanging on.
And on the left side, she had a garden filled not only with flowers (that I never saw in my life) but also with vegetables...? I guess. I did recognized cabbages but I couldn't identify a plant which had leafs like carrots but in color blue with black dots.
"How long have you been living in here?" I asked Yui but at the same time walked closer to weird form red flowers.
"Hmm? That's a good question" she took a towel from the string and came close to me "...Long enough to make this place a permanent home. Come to think of it, I don't really know for how long I am here...hmm?...I easily lose track of time"
"I don't!" Subaru kept tapping his foot. His clench was so tight on a pocket watch that I heard how the lens cracked. He cursed under his breath and started checking if the clock still works.
"Subaru" Yui sighed rolling her eyes up "Okay, there's a shower box. you can take off your clothes and I will bring some water for you to clean"
"Great. Thank you" I started walking towards the place but before I know, Subaru started pushing me from behind.
"You are walking TOO SLOW!" he grabbed my blazer from behind and with his foot pushed me inside of the shower box, at the same time taking off my blazer. My face slammed into the wooden wall. At least it stopped me from falling down.
"If only I had a nickel for every time I was slammed against the wall..." I rubbed one cheek and started unbuttoning the shirt. But then I heard Yui saying something to Subaru.
"Wait, Subaru! It's not warm enough!" Yui sounded panicked.
"What's going on?" I asked myself. For a moment I heard something moving on top of the shed's roof and then a cold wet wave soaking me wet. It stung so much that I couldn't hold my scream when the water was poured on me.
"WE'RE RUNNING OUT OF TIME!" Subaru shouted from the rooftop and tossed the bucket tot he side "She can handle the cold give me another one!"
"No!" I protested from the shower box.
A. N.
Hello, readers.
I'll be short here. So I sat down and in a couple of night wrote this. I'm so excited to post this because I had this idea of Wonderland thing for too long and I just needed to do this :)
I planning to do three chapters so this is a short story which takes a place somewhere in between the main story :)
Let me know what you guys think ;)
And thank you, everyone, for all of your patience and support!