I do not own Persona 4 (sadly) or the song Alice of Human Sacrifice by Vocaloid.
**
Five shadows . . .
The first shadow said, "There was once a little dream . . ."
The second shadow said, "No one knows who had dreamt it. It was really, such a small dream."
The third shadow said, "This made the little dream think 'I don't want to disappear. How can I make people dream me?"
The fourth shadow said, "The little dream thought and thought, and at last had an idea . . ."
The fifth shadow said, "I will make people come to me, and they will make my world."
A soft tune steadily grew louder and louder, and the shadows eyes opened, crimson orbs glowing.
Alice Human Sacrifice
**
A young girl practiced her Kung foo by the side of a yawning river. Her light brown hair was plastered with sweat, but her eyes glittered with a fierce determination.
This girls name was Chie Satonaka.
Stretching, she rested under the shade of a nearby tree, relaxing her eyes closed.
She started at the sudden touch on her cheek, and whirled around to knock the daylights out of the offender, only to find nobody was there. Instead, she noticed a white rectangular shape on the ground. It was a card. Flipping it over, she stared in puzzlement at the picture of herself on it, wearing a red dress and silver armor, carrying a long gleaming sword. The words ALICE were on the bottom of the card, and in the left hand corner was the symbol of the Spade.
"You will make very interesting Alice. An Alice of the Spades" I small, playful whispered.
Jumping up, she readied herself for a possible ambush.
"Who's there?" Chie demanded.
"Nothing and no one, dear Alice," the voice giggled, reminiscent of a small child.
"Quite messing with me! And my names not Alice," Chie shouted at the open air.
"Hmm, a very interesting Alice indeed. Come on, come on, Wonderland awaits!"
A white blur moved at the edge of the girl's sight, disappearing into nearby trees. Wasting no time, Chie followed the mysterious stranger. Deeper and deeper she went, slowly beginning to grow puzzled.
"There were never this many trees by the Samegawa Riverbed," she said, wincing as the sharp nettle catching at her dress. Wait, dress?
Indeed, her clothes had vanished, replaced by the red and silver attire that had been on the card, "Well, this isn't something that happens every day. Ugh, and red is Yukiko's color, not mine."
Something glimmered at the edge of her sight, and she turned to see a silver sword, not unlike the one on her card, its point buried into the damp earth. Almost as if it were calling to her, she grabbed the leather hilt, and pulled. It came away without a struggle, almost as if it wanted to be in her hands.
"This has got to be some sort of dream. This- this can't be real?" she said to herself.
"A dream it is, Alice, and because it is your dream, your can do whatever you want."
"The first ALICE was a gallant red one
Wielding a sword in hand in the Wonderland."
Continuing on her way, she saw many strange things, met weird, yet friendly people, all of them calling her Alice. Chie said many times she was not Alice, but slowly, that grew less and less. With a dawning horror, she realized she was forgetting her own name. But strangely enough, she didn't care. A young child skipped up to her, holding up a little red flower that seemed to sing.
"Make a red path," it said, "A beautiful world of red."
Something in her mind began to change. Dark thoughts filled her head, whispering Alice, over and over again.
Losing, falling . . .
A strange smile appeared on her face, "A pretty red world."
The child looked slightly confused, until that look was replace by a look of terror. It did not last long. Panic followed; screams of terror bit into the once serene and peaceful place. Thos wonderful screams . . .
On and on Chie went, slaying all that was in her way. And her smile grew wider and wider.
"Slicing everything down in her way
She was followed by a bloody red path."
On she went, deep into the woods, their thorny vines creeping around her, growing tighter and tighter. Until . . .
"Where am I?" she asked herself, noticing for the first time the small enclosed space that formed a thorny cage. There was no left or right, up or down, just thorns.
She dropped her bloody sword to the ground, and she began to laugh.
"This new ALICE deep in the woods
Was trapped as a wanted fugitive."
Her laughter continued, remembering almost nothing of herself except the beautiful red world she created. And tears that she would never get to see it.
"Poor, poor Alice of the Spades. She's already lost," A small voice said in disappointment, "Hmm, but red is a very pretty color."
"If it weren't for the red path she made
No one would think that she even existed."
**
A boy with silver hair relaxed on his couch, reading a book he had recently got. But his eyes only skimmed over the words, his mind examining what he had learned today in school. He had always been an overachiever, a dedicated workaholic.
This boy's name was Souji Seta.
Growing tired, he set his book down, getting ready for bed, until he noticed a white card on his nightstand. Curious, he picked it up, examining it. His brow furrowed in confusion when he saw himself, wearing a white shirt and a long blue collar, printed on the surface. On the bottom were the words Alice, and in the top left corner, the symbol of the Diamond.
"The second Alice, the Alice of the Diamonds," A voice chirped.
Shooting up from his seat, he looked around wildly. No one.
"Who's there?" he asked boldly.
"Just Wonderland. Tell me, dear Alice, can you sing?" the voice asked.
"Sing? Well, I suppose so," Souji answered, confused by the bizarre question.
"That's good! Come. Come! Come to Wonderland with me!" the door to his closet suddenly creaked open. Taking a few cautious steps toward it, he threw it all the way open. An eerie light shined through the cracks in his clothes, inviting. Standing straighter, he marched through the hanging attire. Stepping out, he discovered a strange yet amazing world.
The people were kind, and the strange creatures that bounded through the colored trees even kinder. It took him awhile to realize that his clothes had changed to that of his card, and that he had wandered away from his closet door. But he was so wrapped up inside this "Wonderland" that hardly mattered to him.
The logical part of his brain begged him to go back, that this was a bad idea. But that logical voice was so quiet, he did not listen to it. Instead, he sat under a rose bush, humming. A small girl, no more than seven, tugged at his sleeve.
"Can you sing me song sir?" she asked, a small innocent expression on her young face. Smiling, he obliged. It wasn't long before many others gathered around listening to his song.
"The second ALICE was a fragile blue one
He sang to the world in the Wonderland."
Time slowly passed by, and Souji continued to sing songs, unaware that he was forgetting himself, only aware of the voice that hummed "This world is so blue, and so boring! Make it fun, Alice. Make it fun again!"
Smiling a different smile, his song took on a darker tune, the once happy blue world changing with it.
"Filling regions with so many false created notes
That were of a crazy blue world."
Murder and insanity filled his blue world, No one aware of what they were doing, yet taking sadistic delight in their heinous acts nonetheless.
"The world is fun again. Are you happy now?" he asked no one and nothing except the empty air, but the voice in his twisted mind laughed.
On he sang, his dark song filing the even darker sky. Until . . .
He sat by his favorite rosebush, singing, when a gunshot filled the air. He barely registered the crazed, gun-wielding lunatic as he ran away. The second Alice only noticed the color red blossoming on his white shirt.
"This new ALICE was that of a rose
He was shot and killed by a mad man."
As he watched, the blood that dripped turned into a sad red rose, and he knew he was doomed to this place forever. But it didn't really matter, did it?
"After all, you all wanted me to sing, right?"
No one would ever give him an answer.
"It left a flower blooming sadly red."
"And the Alice of Diamonds sings no more, how sad," the voice said, "But I suppose it does make this place much more fun."
"The one who was loved was now forgotten."
**
A girl with brunette hair and burgundy eyes sat on her bed, giving herself a fancy pedicure. It was a pretty shade of green, one of her favorites, and she marveled at her beautifully glowing hand.
Her name was Rise Kujikawa.
Laying back, she let her toes dry, thinking of what tomorrow would bring. She hoped her Senpai would appreciate the new color. Suddenly, she jolted upward when she felt something land on her chest.
"Huh, a card?" she asked herself, flipping it over. She grew confused when she saw herself, wearing a beautiful green dress and a lovely golden crown. Alice was printed at the bottom of the card, the symbol of the Clubs in the top left corner.
"My stalkers have taken this way too far," was all she could think of.
"My, my, what a pretty little Alice you are," a voice said.
Startled, she let out a small squeak of surprise. But her room was empty, save for her pet cat. But the creature slept on, undisturbed.
"Alice of Clubs, have you ever wanted to be a queen?" the voice asked.
"W-what? My names not Alice, its Rise," she stuttered.
The voice continued, "Well? Have you ever wanted to be queen?"
"A q-queen? Well, o-once, b-but that was a long time ago," she answered uncertainly.
"Why not relieve that dream, and make it my dream as well. Get up Alice! It's time to go to Wonderland!" the voice declared. A light shown from her closet. Her curiosity getting the better of her, she stepped through. Beyond was a very strange but magnificent world. The people gathered around her, marveling at her cuteness. Skipping around, she noticed how everyone would stop and stare, some even giving her strange, yet tasty sweets.
"The third ALICE was a little green one
Very cute and dear in the Wonderland."
A beautiful green dress given to her as a welcoming present. She pranced around in it, and everyone stared. She was shown a beautiful castle of green, a large, but unoccupied thrown at its center. In the back of her mind, a voice begged her to leave, to walk away and never look back, but she paid no heed.
As time progressed, she grew selfish. She became manipulative and planning, her innocence lost. Seducing the people to get what she wanted, taking whatever she liked, she had become exactly what she had feared in her old life.
"She charmed people to her to her every beck and call
She had made a strange green country."
One day, she decided the thrown needed someone to sit upon it, as was intended, and sit upon it she did. So cute about was she that no one questioned her. Sitting in the castles thrown, a golden crown with an emerald clover imbedded into its polished surface was placed upon her head. She smiled sweetly, and became the pretty little queen everyone wanted.
Butin later nights, she had terrible nightmares, waking up, screaming . . .
She saw herself rotting away, becoming a cruel disgusting monster before her death. She saw her country would rot, horriblely, then die with her . . .
The voices in her head continuously whispered, "Do not let death take you, Alice, you must rule your green country."
"This new ALICE was the country's queen
Taken over by a distorted dream."
And so she sat on her throne, never dying so she would always rule. Always, always, always . . .
But while her body remained, her soul rotted.
Death can take its victims in more ways than one.
"She was afraid of losing to death
She would forever rule her country."
"And the Alice of Clubs never dies, but is dead nonetheless. Such a selfish queen," the voice muttered.
**
Out in the forest, two children walked under the forest eaves surrounding Inaba, exploring the unknown. Both were blond-haired, blue-eyed, one girl, one boy, obvious twins. The children talked amongst themselves, delightedly speaking of all the wonderful things they found.
These young children's names were Kuma and Kumako.
Stopping under a wilting rosebush, they took out two teacups and a thermos filled with jasmine tea. Neither noticed the red liquid the dripped from the rose's velvety petals.
"During this, two children went into the woods
They had a tea party under rose trees."
Suddenly, a white card floated in between them.
"Hey nee-san, what's this," Kumako asked curiously.
Kuma shrugged, "I dunno."
Simultaneously, they picked it up. On the front of the card were both of them, their hands clasped together. Kuma was wearing a white shirt with yellow overalls, and Kumako was wearing a yellow dress with a white bow. Alice was placed at the bottom, the symbol of Hearts in the left corner. On the back of the card was written "from the castle."
"An invitation from the castle was for them
The trump cardof hearts."
"An Alice of two, the Alice of Hearts," a voice whispered through the trees.
"Who's there?" Kumako asked, scared.
"Don't be afraid little Alice," the voice cooed, "Come with me. There are so many different worlds to explore."
"Worlds?" Kuma asked.
"Yes. Come, come, it's off to Wonderland we go!" A white shadow ran deeper into the woods, disappearing amidst the ferns.
"Hey, wait!"
Kuma ran after it, Kumako right beside him.
"The fourth ALICE was two siblings
Their curiosity in the Wonderland."
They stopped when they came across a green door. Curious, yet hesitant, they looked at one another.
"What should we do?" asked Kumako.
"I don't--Kumako-nee, what happened to your clothes?" he asked, stunned.
"And you too, Nee-san," Kumako yelled, pointing at his attire. It matched perfectly with the picture on the card. While they marveled at their change in appearance, the door clicked open a crack.
"Enter," a quiet voice said.
Startled, they both took cautious steps away from the door. A soft, green light poured out, glinting off the grass.
Her face hardening, Kumako took her brothers hand, "Come on."
Walking forward, they pushed the door all the way open, stepping into a large royal chamber. In the center of the room was a large thrown, a figure in a green dress; its current resident. A golden crown lay perched on her head, her eyes covered by her brunette bangs.
". . . Hello . . .," she said in a quiet, yet familiar voice.
"Hello," they both said uncertainly.
"You . . . come from far away. I used . . . to live there too," she was so quiet they had to strain to hear her.
Kumako spoke up, "Excuse, um, miss, what is your name?"
" . . . Alice . . ." she said. Lifting her head up, they both started as they recognized her.
"RISE!?"
"Once, maybe . . . can't remember . . . anymore," she whispered, her dead, tired eyes staring at them.
Growing more than a little nervous, they backed up toward the door.
Kumako was scared of this Rise look-alike, until she remembered. "You can't be Rise."
"Huh, Kumako-nee?" Kuma asked.
"She can't be. This is just a dream. These places aren't real, were all just having a dream."
"You're not . . . leaving, are you?" she asked tiredly.
"Yes, we are. When we wake up, you'll see us again," Kumako said, pulling her confused brother out the green door. The Rise clones last words, however, chilled Kumako.
"This is a dream . . . you can never wake up from."
When the door closed behind them, Kuma gave her a questioning look, "A dream? Are you sure, Kumako-nee?"
She nodded, smiling, "Of course. How else do you explain everything that's happening?"
A slow realization came across Kuma's face, "I think your right."
"Yep. Now come on. Let's go explore."
_
Continuing on their way, and seeing many strange and wonderful sights, they came across a blue door. Giving each other a teasing stare, they simultaneously pushed the door open. The sky was somewhat dark, the forest and flowers budding with life. Sitting under a rose bush, a boy with silver hair lay down with his eyes closed. The shadows cast by the bush obscured his face. His white shirt had a large rose blooming on it, almost as if it were a part of his skin.
"Excuse me sir, could you tell us where we are," Kuma said politely.
"You're in a blue Wonderland," he said softly, as if talking drained him of his energy.
"Uh, okay. What's your name?" Kuma asked, though his heart already knew the answer.
"Alice . . . but I used to have another name," the man tilted his head backwards, one silver eye facing us.
Kumako gasped, "S-Sensei?"
Kuma looked at her in shock before his gaze slowly drifted to the boy, "Is that really you, Sensei?"
"Sensei? I don't know," he responded.
Kumako shook, then straightened herself, "This is just a dream. When we wake up, you'll be our Sensei again."
Kuma looked hesitant, then shook his head, "Your right," he turned back to face their 'Sensei', "We'll see you back in the real world, okay Sensei, so bye."
With that, they retraced their steps out the door. But just before it clicked shut, the man with silver hair said, "I don't think you'll ever see that world again."
Kuma looked slightly disturbed, but Kumako just smiled, "Don't worry. I read dreams sometimes play on people's fears. We'll wake up, no worries."
Kuma still looked unsure, but nodded nonetheless.
"Going through many different doors
Coming not to long in a yellow boat."
Kumako smiled and continued to walk, her brother trailing behind her. His worries only grew worse when he noticed that the grass was covered in a red liquid. Of what, he did not want to know.
They came across a red door.
Smiling, Kumako placed her hand over the knob, turning . . .
"The stubborn big sister."
Suddenly, Kuma's hand was on hers.
"The smart little brother."
"Stop."
"What? Kuma, what's gotten into you? You were having so much fun earlier."
"I was b-but . . . look, we should just stop, okay."
"Why? I want to see what's behind this door."
"We've been through two, isn't that enough?"
"Come on, just one more, and I promise we'll go back."
Before she could hear another word of his protests, she pushed the door open, and stepped through.
"Though they were closest to ALICE'S Wonderland."
Inside was a dark and scary place. The only sight to be seen was the endless wall of red thorns, their tips looking lethally sharp.
"A-are you h-happy now? Let's go!" Kuma said, backing up toward the door.
Gulping, she turned to follow her brother when the sound of footsteps made her stop. A woman in a red dress carrying a long gleaming sword walked toward them, her eerie smile looking very misplaced.
"C-Chie?" Kumako asked in shock.
The woman's smile broadened, a horse chuckle passing through her lips, "You aren't planning on leaving are you? Wonderland is so much fun, and I want to show you the pretty world I made."
"Y-you're not Chie," Kuma said.
"Oh, come, come, and don't be so brash. Hey, I have an absolutely wonderful idea!" she suddenly proclaimed, looking . . . delighted.
"Kumako, on three, run," Kuma whispered. With the slightest of nods, she waited.
The Chie clone lifted her sword and stepped toward them, "I'll make you a part of my red world too."
"One."
"So just hold still . . ."
"Two."
"And it will be painless."
"THREE!"
Turning rapidly, Kumako sprinted for the door, terror giving her feet wings. Time seemed to move achingly slow, face stinging as the thorns halted her progress. Then . . .
A loud shearing sound pierced the still air, and a warm liquid sprayed across her back. Kumako stopped. Her mind screamed to keep running and not look back, but . . .
Turning around, she took in the sight of her brother's beheaded body, his life blood seeping into the ground to feed the thorns. And the insane laughing woman stood over him, her sword painted red. Kumako fell to her knees, her will gone.
"This is only a dream, this is only a dream, this is only a dream . . ."
And she said those words, over and over again, even while Chie advanced toward her, sword held high.
Kumako paused, "No, this isn't a dream."
The sword fell.
"This is a nightmare."
"They never awoke from their deep dreaming."
"Oh Alice of Hearts, forever to wander this Wonderland. But you'll have fun. I know I did."
A small giggle permeated the bloody sky. A crow cawed somewhere in the distance.
"Forever they wandered in the Wonderland."
**
If you look, there are things you can see, but not see.
"A red sword wrapped in a thorny vine."
Things that cannot be explained.
"A blood-splattered rose."
Or perceived.
"A tarnished golden crown."
So they are better left unspoken.
"A card with a red heart, ripped in two."
Somewhere in the fringe of dreams, a white shadow examined the cards in its hands.
The card of Kings: a boy with whitish hair with a gruff outward appearance.
The card of Queens: A young girl with long ebony hair and a shy exterior.
The card of Jacks: A boy with honey-colored hair and an orange headset.
The card of Aces: A boyish girl with blue hair with a calm expression.
The card of the Joker: A young man with blue hair and clumsy demeanor, but carries a dark secret.
"I wonder; who will be the next Alice?"
**
W00T! This took a lot longer than expected, but it was worth it!
R&R please. You know you want to.