This story is written for the forum contest by The Masked Chick. Go check out our forums people, it's pretty crazy there lol! But then I also realised from this first chapter that there is nothing much to guage Alice's magical power :/ I wanted to explain more but I haven got the time so I will try to explain more in the next chapter, pls bear with me till then!

Summary: I don't want to divulge too much but the basic explaination is that Alice attends a school where every student is able to summon a personal weapon that will bear their True Name which will only be known to themselves. And because of the nature of the school's curriculum and a power struggle within the student body, the students make Contracts or alliances, where a Master can have multiple Shields working for him/her to take over the school. In order to do so, the Shield will have to give their True Name to their selected Master and they will be tied for life. But soon you'll find out that Alice is different...

Disclaimer: I do not own HnKnA except for my story.

-Wonderland High: The Academy for Blades and Guns-

Chapter 1: The Exception

Pant pant.

Her heart beat furiously against her chest as she forced her legs to move as fast as they could. A bullet flew past too close, scoring across her cheek and she winced in pain. She tasted a coppery flavor as blood from her temple dribbled down to the corner of her mouth.

"Go back to where you came from Foreigner!"

"Yeah! Who the hell do you think you are! We don't need help from someone like you!"

The sound of protest from the student mob was growing closer. Alice turned around a corner just in time as kunai and knife struck the wall she was at.

Come on! Why won't it work? She screamed silently at the blank white gun clenched in her hand. It was a substitute gun Nightmare had given her for her personal protection but she had run out of ammo just as soon as the chase started. Her pursuers on the other hand had an unlimited supply since their bullets were not like the ones from her world but were formed through magical energy.

You can do it Alice! One more time, think of happy thoughts like Nightmare said. Think of what I like the most! As she ran, Alice focused on her inner being, concentrating her own energy on the weapon in her hand. She was already feeling light-headed from all the running but she tried her best to calm down her heart.

Lorina… Sunday's with her were the best… Graceful Lorina… Beautiful sister, how I wish to spend Sundays with you again… Alice will promise not to fall asleep while we're playing cards if I manage to come out of this school alive…

Despite the ironic situation she was in, memories of her loving elder sister made her smile. At once, the white gun grew warm and a small blue light flickered in the orb on top of the gun.

"You don't belong here at all!"

"You're Nameless! A shame to our school!"

They're right… no matter how much I try, I still won't be able to summon my own weapon, because I have no True Name.

She ignored the lone tear that escaped her eye but her heart was not deceived. At that thought, the steel of the gun in her hand grew cold once again. Fortunately, the orb, though dull, still retained the blue flame from the small amount of energy Alice had managed to gather.

It'll probably last only three shots, but it's better than nothing. She told herself as she analyzed the weak blue fire.

BANG!

"Argh!" she cried as pain shoot through her right leg and she fell faced down onto the ground. From practice, she immediately turned her body to face the enemy. But before she could take aim, one of the faceless students kicked her hand and the gun flew out from her reach. Alice tugged at the gun's chain that was clipped to her skirt for cases like this but a foot stamped down hard onto the length of the chain and no matter how hard she pulled, the foot and her gun wouldn't budge.

"Hahaha! You think pointing that poor excuse of a weapon at us would save you? You thought wrong girl." The faceless owner of the foot threatened as he used his own gun to tilt Alice's chin up. "Apparently the prophecy thought wrong too. You're pathetic." He sneered at her.

"I didn't ask to be the one it prophesied. It must have been a mistake!" Alice defended.

"Don't think you're so great just because you came from the Outside world." The faceless girl beside him said, with multiple throwing knives in each hand as she crossed her arms while indignantly looking down at Alice. "She will bring peace and harmony to this school, it said! Well we don't need to be saved from a No Name like you!

"Without a True Name, it shows that you don't deserve to ever hold a weapon, let alone be in this school. You're a weirdo, a freak!" Another student scorned.

"It's not like I wanted to be here either!" Alice objected. "Killing at each other everyday, it's just wrong! I'm not the freak here, you all are!"

ZING!

A dagger hit the wall behind her and Alice's body stilled as she saw her slashed up blue bow drift down in pieces in front of her eyes.

"You better know your place Foreigner." Warned the knife-girl. She bent down and pressed a blade deep into Alice's already cut cheek, drawing more blood. "You're in our world now. Just because Nightmare and Peter White seem to favor you doesn't mean you're safe. And without a True Name, you can't forge a contract, not that anyone would want to be your Shield." The girl laughed contemptuously and many of her comrades began to join in.

"So why don't you just run along home Alice, nobody wants you here anyway."

No! Alice bit her lower lip as she stared into the faceless girl and forced back her tears, not willing to back down, yet, she could feel the resistance and fight in her slipping away by the seconds.

I summon… I summon thee…who or what should I call upon? Why don't I have a True Name? Alice asked herself, racking her already pounding brain to find an answer. In desperation, Alice tried once again to summon her own weapon, even though she knew it was useless because without a True Name for herself, there was no way to anchor her magical energy, which was the foundation to materializing a weapon.

I can't find it! I can't find my True Name! And Alice knew that unless a miracle happens, staying defenseless like this will only get her killed. How the heck did I get into this mess? And it's only just the first week of school! I shouldn't have come here in the first place… Somebody… Help me!

"Why do you go so far as to threaten me like this? I haven't done anything to deserve this!" She asked the girl in order to buy time.

"Don't you know Alice? Here in Wonderland High, everyone hates you. We just do."

.

.

.

(3 days ago…)

To: Ms Alice Liddel,

We are glad to inform you that we have accepted your application to our school. Upon arrival, you are to proceed to the principal's office for an initiation and briefing on the school rules, lodgings and class schedules. You are also expected to register all weaponry and contracts that you own to the student committee. Please note that failure to do so will result in expulsion.

A school representative will be sent to escort you into the school entrance at the following address.

We look forward to meeting you and hope you will enjoy your stay with us.

Signed, Nightmare Gottschalk

Principal of Wonderland High

…

It was the tenth time she had re-read the letter as she stood at the allocated location with her luggage by her side and in her new high school uniform which consisted of a white shirt, blue plaited skirt with gold trimmings, a matching sky-blue blazer with the school crest and a yellow-gold tie.

Nightmare? What a weird name. And weaponry? Contracts? What does that mean? She narrowed her brows in confusion as she stared at those words. Alice also noticed a few splatters of red paint at the corner of the paper. She checked the directions and address that was given, making sure it was no mistake, but when she looked up from the letter, all she could see ahead was a thick and dense forest, and the only indication that she was at the right place was a white arrow-shaped board nailed to a tree with yellow letters spelling 'Wonderland'.

Only thing was, the board was pointing at the empty clearing where she now stood.

In fact, she doesn't even recall signing up for a school with such an odd name as 'Wonderland High'.

"This is really weird. Maybe I should just go back home… I knew it was too good to be true to just accept this offer!" Alice sighed and slumping her shoulders, her favorite blue bow bobbing on her fair hair. As she about-turned, she heard a voice from behind.

"It's not weird! Everyone loves to be in Wonderland High, even you will too." Said a bespectacled white-haired boy with red eyes who emerged from behind a tree. "You must be Alice Liddel! I'm Peter White, sent to receive you and at your service." He said and bowed courteously but his eyes never left her face. He wore a similar uniform but with a dark blue pants and blazer instead, and slinging across his shoulder was a huge golden pocket watch. However, the most peculiar thing about him was the things on his head.

"Are you some kind of cosplayer?" Alice asked distastefully as she pointed at his white rabbit ears.

"Cosplay? No they're very real." He asked as he tilted his head. His ears cocked up naturally which took Alice by surprise. It was be some kind of new otaku technology, she assured herself.

Noticing that her teal eyes were still on his ears, the boy leaned down asked with a grin, "You like them? I'll let Alice touch them if you give me a kiss!"

"No thanks." She said with a deadpanned face. "Besides, I just went through the forest," she explained reluctantly while brushing off the twigs and dead leaves that were still stuck on her uniform, no wanting to offend her first schoolmate. "I'll probably dirty them."

"Alice is so cute!" The boy chuckled and gave her a bear-hug, much to her annoyance. "I won't mind if Alice touches them, you can dirty me anytime!" He said, rubbing his face against hers playfully and Alice could feel her own burning up.

"Please don't get so familiar with me when we just met you perverted cosplaying rabbit!" she cried, pushing him away hard but he just stood with a big smile, unfazed. How dare him! This isn't really a good way to start the first day…Alice thought, half annoyed and half blushing that someone had called her 'cute' for the first time, even if it IS a pervertic rabbit man. "So how do we get to school anyway? Is there going to be some transportation to pick us up?"

"Nope. We're already on top of it!" Peter said while Alice looked at him incredulously. "Hurry up and say the password, we're already late!" He urged her, fingers pointing at his clock's face.

"I don't get it. On top of what? And what password?" Alice asked. This is getting crazier by the minute!

"You'll find out soon enough dear Alice! You were sent a small vial with a slip of paper attached to it in a separate package that was sent to you right? Just read out what's written on it."

"Oh that! I have it here with me." Alice dug her skirt pocket and her fingers wrapped around the cool glass bottle. Straightening the flimsy piece of parchment tied to the cap, she read aloud:

"Password: Blades and Guns… but Peter, it doesn't make sense. I don't see how this will help us get to scho-"

Suddenly, a black hole appeared out of nowhere and Alice felt the ground beneath her feet disappear. Too stunned for words, she could only hear her frantic self screaming in her head as she watched her outreached hand desperately grabbing at the light from the opening of the ground which was diminishing quickly as she fell deeper into the hole.

What's happening? Am I going to die here? No... I can't! Definately not like this! Not even after having a cosplaying pevert hug me! Lorina… I still want to see her!

She shut her eyes, not daring to look as the darkness of the hole began to engulf her. Before she passed out from shock, Alice thought she felt strong arms holding onto her body and pulling her in protectively. By instinct, her hands grabbed onto a shirt for support and she pressed her face into soft snowflake hair fearfully, as she heard Peter's voice whisper calmly and reassuringly into her ears:

"Don't worry Alice, I'm here. I'll always be here for you."

I'm so glad i wrote this out even though it isn't much to judge by ^^ I've been thinking about writing this for so long! And I just had to write about Peter first!

In the next chapter: The person Alice hopes to see last appears before her! Can you guess who? But will he save or or kill her instead? And to everyone's surprise, Alice will make her first Contract! But how...?

Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed it and do review! I always feel more motivated to update faster and longer stories when I see reviews! Lol!^^