My name is Leonhart von Schroeder, Leon for short, and Leon Wilson for whenever I venture out to an unknown world.
Now, I know what you're thinking. "Why would you go and change your name?" and "You go to other worlds?" Well, I wish I can answer these questions, but that's for another time.
But compare my fake name to when you make accounts online for almost anything. Emails, games, blogs...you always have your real name and a username to hide under. In the websites you visit, you aren't really you and that can be a good (or bad) thing. With what I do, it's better to be safe than sorry, especially with the mission my brother has given me.
I always loved Alice in Wonderland-while a bit mad, it was all harmless fun. Not unlike Coraline where one sews buttons into their eyes in order to be happy…
But now, I get the feeling that something dark lurks within Lewis Carroll's world of mad logic….
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1st Dream
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Under Your Spell
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In Millefui and Kanata's apartment, three girls and one boy are hard at work in the kitchen, the sounds of electric mixers whirring, whisks rapidly hitting metal bowls, the roar of ovens and Serena's laptop playing The Halloween Tree composes a symphony that keeps them working even as they all slave over the hot stove.
"Heads up!" says Millefui, tossing two eggs to Serena (who swiftly catches them in her hands). "We've got lots to do before tomorrow."
"This will be done a lot sooner when Kanata comes back from the market," Serena notes. She swiftly cracks the eggs and tosses the egg shells behind her back where they drop into the trash can. "I bet she's busy haggling over the price of tomatoes again."
"I hope she's not out too long though," says Haruka, kneading dough for cookies. "Have you been hearing those rumors about some of the students at the International School of Domino City?"
"What rumors?" asks Masato, watching the movie playing (it's currently at the scene where the kids are offering a year of their lives as payment). Haruka sets the rolling pin down on the counter before approaching the laptop to stop the video.
"Well, I've been searching through the Chasing Shadows blog as of late and there's been trumors that students from ISDC have been unexpectedly falling into comas," she begins. "It's been like this for the past few weeks, and the list keeps growing and growing. Here are some pictures of the victims."
Haruka quickly types the URL for the Chasing Shadows blog, waiting for its home page (its logo depicting a motorcyclist chasing after a shadowy figure) to load as the other three crowd over her. Clicking a link, the page loads an article about the coma victims.
"The students were just minding their own business, going home or to the arcade and all," Haruka continues. "Then, all of a sudden, they wind up on the street unconscious. And the worst part is that there's no pattern to it at all-except that all of them came from the very same school, as if whatever is doing this is searching for someone specific."
From the various pictures shown (with their faces censored out to protect their privacy), most of the victims are boys, although one or two girls are seen too. They're easily recognizable to the four since students from both schools meet for various events throughout the year and all students hang out in the very same places.
"That can't be right," says Millefui, pointing to a picture showing two boys having lunch (one has a grilled cheese sandwich while the other is about to feast on fried shrimp that, for some odd reason, is covered in natto). "Mom says those two are regulars at the Café in Wonderland; it's hard to believe that someone with their appetites would find themselves unconscious."
"And look at that one," says Serena, seeing a boy with glasses pushing someone in a wheelchair. "No way that he could've been taken by how popular he is."
"Look at this one," Masato whispers, noticing a photo of a boy wearing a red mask over his eyes "Even someone as famous as him? And they all came from the same place?"
"Yeah. That's probably why mom and dad were so reluctant to let us sleepover," Haruka suggests, keeping her eyes on the webpage. "That could also explain why Mokuba isn't joining us, too...but does that mean…"
Just then, the door opens and a girl with short purple hair topped with a pink bow enters, three bags of groceries in her hands.
"Sorry I'm late," says the girl, Kanata, as she walks into the kitchen, setting three paper bags down on a clean corner of the counter (with one bag having a baguette sticking out for good measure). "Haruka-san, what are you looking at?"
"The recent coma epidemic at our rival school," Serena answers. She pauses as a thought enters her mind. "Say, you don't think…"
"Think what?" asks Millefui, noticing the look on Serena's face as she turns the bill of her baseball cap on her head to the right (something Serena does when she is thinking hard about something not related to school). After a few seconds, while Haruka shows off those very same photos to Kanata, and Masato proceeds to sort out groceries, she shakes her head.
"Just forget it," Serena answers readjusting her cap. "It's a ridiculous theory anyway…"
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Leon is no stranger to the Nightmare Realm.
It is a realm that exists in one's dreams which leads to doors to strange and alternate worlds that are equal to the number of stars that shine in the sky at night, only accessible to those blessed by its rulers to freely enter them to ensure their safety or, in worst case scenarios, find sleeping souls that wandered into worlds not meant for them and to wake them up.
Each world is populated by different versions of people, each world plays out in varying degrees depending on how history plays out. In one world, the death of a butterfly in prehistoric times warps the present into a dystopian future. In another, avoiding an assassination attempt prevents a world war from igniting. And in a third world, things happened where Eris is invited to a banquet and thus the contest to see which is the fairest goddess between Hera, Athena and Aphrodite never spirals toward the destruction of Troy.
The possibilities are as endless as time itself.
Leon is tasked as one of those wakers, a Dream Teller. It is his job to enter one of the more well-known locations of the Nightmare Realm, oone indicated by the myriad of trees as far as the eye can see, many of them with doors in the center. Each door marks a certain world, a certain story, ones that have been told time and time again in television, film, books, art and more.
The location is Fairytale Forest, and Leon has a love for these types of stories.
Growing up, he is pushed aside while his older brother is trained to take on the family business. To entertain himself, Leon reads as many stories about fairytale as he could. From traditional stories by the Brothers Grimm, the bittersweet ones penned by Hans Christian Andersen, the nursery rhymes of Mother Goose and tales from other countries with names he cannot pronounce, Leon finds himself wanting to live in those worlds and then some.
So it comes to a surprise when three significant events in his life, all in this exact order, brings him to where he is right now, at a tree that bears a door depicting a white rabbit.
The first is when he receives a reply from the Creator of Duel Monsters, Pegasus J. Crawford, responding to a letter in regards to creating Duel Monsters based on the fairy tales Leon loves. Pegasus, perhaps understanding what Leon has gone through, sympathized with the boy and a collection of cards was born.
The second is the circumstances that lead to both him and his brother to be living in Domino City alongside Siegfried's close friend, Mache, a fashion designer and children's book writer, where she reveals how she is actually part of a secret group of people dedicated to watch out on the strange circumstances going on in other worlds. Without hesitation, she initiates them as Disciples of the Crimson Dragon, something that the two gladly join in on.
Third, and last but not least, is learning of Seto Kaiba and the types of battles the CEO of Kaiba Corp. goes through at night. While he knows about how Seto overthrew his abusive step-father, he does not know about the double life Seto lives when it comes to investigating various dealings withthin Domino Below (a term coined by Siegfried after reading Neverwhere) until one night he finds himself captured by a Lady of Wight and about to be sold to the highest bidder.
That event (which has Seto take on various monsters while handcuffed) lets him manifest one of his powers as a Disciple; the ability to manifest his faithful Duel Monsters in battle. In no time, fairy tale creatures fight off the Skull Servants while Blue Eyes White Dragon destroys the headquarters of the trafficking ring.
Ever since then, Leon takes it upon himself to hone his skills and venture through the Nightmare Realm to help others. He never wants to be that frightened boy about to be used as an indentured slave.
And when he hears hiw his fellow students at ISDC have fallen into comas, he begs his brother to uncover the plot as tonight of all nights is the perfect time to enter the the world that has dragged his fellow students away. Reluctantly, Siegfried allows him to go, especially since they learned a few hours ago that Mokuba has gone missing.
Letting out a long sigh, Leon approaches the symbol of the white rabbit and watches as a shimmering outline forms into a door. Then, with a gentle breeze, the door opens. Leon makes sure that his deck and Duel Disk are on him before he jumps into the portal and the door shuts itself close.
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"How doth the little crocodile
Improve his shining tail
And pour the waters of the Nile
In every golden scale!
"How cheerfully he seems to grin
How neatly spread his claws.
And welcome little fishes in
With gently smiling jaws!"
"ENOUGH!" Mokuba exclaims, stopping in his tracks. "I am sick and tired of these poems!"
Noah blinks as Mokuba kicks at a conveniently placed rose bush over and over again. The two have only been walking for about half an hour or so to the nearest residence (which, as Noah notes, belongs to the Mad Hatter) so the two can have a bite to eat. To keep themselves company, Noah decided that it would suffice if he recites some poetry.
Poetry that Mokuba despises, seeing as they all are stuff he has to recite tomorrow morning at school.
Panting heavily, Mokuba has half a mind to tear through these roses with his bare hands, but stops because of how the sharp thorns will cut his fingers if he decides to do just that. Instead, he groans and seats himself on a nearby stump.
"I'm sorry if I caused you trouble," says Noah, approaching the cross boy. "I had no idea you found my types of poems... irritating."
"It's not you Noah," Mokuba sighs. "It's…" he shakes his head. "You wouldn't understand."
"Is that a challenge?"
"No, you really wouldn't understand." Mokuba looks at the card locket draped over his heart and opens it, seeing the image of his brother at a more innocent time in his life. "I... I'm just tired."
"Of what? Of living? Of being seen as a child?" Noah's concern-filled voice causes Mokuba to lower his defenses slightly, even if they have just met. "You can tell me anything, Mokie."
If someone is to say that nickname to Mokuba, he usually tells the person to shut up (unless it's someone he knows personally, like Serena). But when Noah says it, it's not in a mocking or jeering tone. It is with honesty, like he is someone who just wants to listen to what Mokuba has to say.
Seeing as there is no one else for miles, and no one, not even his brother, knows where he's at, Mokuba looks into Noah's eyes and begins to speak.
"I have an older brother," he starts, closing his locket. "We lost our parents when were younger and our other relatives could give a rat's ass about us."
"Language!" Noah exclaims. "I highly doubt Alice would swear like that." Mokuba just huffs.
"I'm not Alice, remember? Anyway, we were eventually sent to an orphanage, and my brother dreamed of the opportunity of someone adopting the both of us-most adults who came only wanted to adopt him, not me-and have our lives change.
"Then, that day came, and that was the end of everything."
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In his office, Seto Kaiba sneezes. This does not go unnoticed.
"Someone's thinking of you," Natsume chuckles. "I wonder if that person is Katsuya…"
"Not funny," Seto replies, hastily blowing his nose with a tissue. Tossing it in an overflowing wastebasket by the side of his desk, he returns to his work. Natsume sits on the sofa, cross-leggesd. She attempts to meditate, but the incessant clicking of mouse and keyboard distracts her. After five minutes of trying, and failing, to find inner peace, she sighs.
"What exactly are you looking for?" she asks.
"I'm trying to find any strange phenomena that are similar in nature to what's been going on with those coma victims," Seto answers. "And I think I found something involving a group conducting experiments in regards to dreams."
"What's its name?"
"The Arcadia Movement."
This piques Natsume's interest. The Arcadia Movement is an institution for those naturally born with psychic abilities (like she) whose true motivations have been shady as of late with multiple articles and posts on the forums of Chasing Shadows that boil down to how the Arcadia Movement isn't as it seems. Natsume personally knows the head of said movement, Divine, and anything involving him is enough to make her stop what she's doing and walk toward the young CEO, leaning over his shoulder (which he doesn't mind) to let get a better look. Seto clicks a link that leads to the Arcadia Movement's home page where it displays information about the movement itself, its founder and recent news as of late.
Natsume frowns. "I don't see anything useful if it involves him," she remarks.
"That's not what we're looking for," Seto notes. "See that girl in red?"
Natsume briefly glances at the girl in the picture and gasps. She knows that girl very well.
Natsume died by the person the Chasing Shadows blog dubs the "Black Rose Witch" a few years ago and would have stayed dead were it not for a large blue humanoid who granted her life-after-death. Sensing the woman's inner turmoil had the Earthbound Immortal of the Giant help control the sin that they bore (Lust) and use it to channel her anger and hated that she bore from both the woman who killed her and the man who instigated it when he realized that he couldn't "control" Natsume so easily.
Seeing both Divine and said Black Rose Witch together is enough to make her blood boil (if it could) and unleash Ccapac Apu on the Arcadia Movement's building and see it destroyed with a simple punch from her Earthbound Immortal before she personally assaults Aki Izayoi and chokes her to death as payment. For Divine, death will be seen as "mercy" compared to what the Dark Signer of the Giant plans to do to him.
Sensing Natsume's fury, Seto hastily tries to change the subject. "She hasn't been seen recently, despite being the star student of Arcadia. Divine has said that she has been in a 'meditative trance' to hone her skills. But…" He slightly moves out of the way as he notices how Natsume is close to shattering the windows with a single scream. "I have a theory that Divine is using her psychic abilities to see if he can use her as a conductor for the Nightmare Realm."
"That's suicidal!" Natsume exclaims. "No person is strong enough to contain the Nightmare Realm."
"But Divine doesn't care who he hurts, as long as it benefits him in the end." Seto knows this first-hand, nearly dying after underestimating the extent of Divine's psychic abilities and only escaping thanks to Siegfried's timed assistance. That, and Natsume's undead state also hints to Divine's sociopathic traits. "If we can get his Witch out of the Nightmare Realm, or at least, squeeze information out of him in regards to how he can send others to the Nightmare Realm, then that's one less problem."
"...I'll call Nagi right now." Natsume wastes no time to make a phone call, punching the numbers in while she speaks. "She has a friend, you know, Misty?"
"Lola?" Seto nods his head, vaguely recalling a raven-haired beauty he met at a dinner party once. For someone who was in the fashion business, she was quite astute and could see, just through one glimpse of his face, what would be in his future. Let's just say her prediction involved him unable to save a boy from being hanged by a trio of sadistic monsters. "Yes, I do."
"Misty has a brother in the Arcadia Movement, Toby. And, coincidentally, Toby is a big fan of that…" Natsume curls her hand to a fist and snarls, "Witch, so perhaps he can be of some use. I'll also ask Kamitsure if she can have her Acolyte infiltrate the building."
"Wait...you'll let a child like her enter that lion's den?"
The thought of that girl, Molly Hale if he recalls, who died from the grudge of a discarded doll coming to life, innocently entering the Arcadia Movement to infiltrate it only to be caught and then tortured (or worse, hurled out of a window on the top story) is enough for Seto to cast doubt on the investigation. Natsume sighs.
"Molly has been dead for about eight months now," she remarks with a roll of her eyes. "And besides, she can take care of herself."
Seto says nothing but instead returns to his research. Natsume hears the phone ring four or five times before she hears her girlfriend ask, "Hello?"
"Nagi," Natsume begins. "It's me, Natsume. Can I speak to Misty for a moment?"
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"And ever since then, I have no idea what to think of him any more," Mokuba finishes, feeling much lighter now that this is all out of his chest. "I just wish I was that innocent boy who didn't have to be Atlas all the time."
Noah stays quiet as he absorbs everything Mokuba has told him over the past hour. If he can, he will give Mokuba a warm hug and tell him everything is all right.
Instead, he does something else.
Taking a deep breath, Noah gently plucks one of the roses and hands it to Mokuba, the boy in a dress slightly confused but understands the gesture.
"Thank you," he says, smelling the rose. He lets out a sigh as he twirls the stem in between his fingers. "Sometimes I wish I could just wake up and smell the roses. It definitely sounds better than constantly smelling like sulfur."
"Hmm?" Noah tilts his head in confision.
"Long story," Mokuba explains, wishing he has his deck on him (even if he still can't grasp being the chosen one for the Burning Abyss monsters).
Noah just smiles. "You don't have to tell me now," he pats Mokuba's shoulder and leans close to the boy's ear. "Because you'll be staying here for a long time."
Before Mokuba has time to react, the roses and their thorns fly toward the boy, binding him so he is unable to escape, lest he wants to be cut by the thorns and have the dress be torn into shreds (which, even though he dislikes, it is the only article of clothing he currently has on).
"Noah... what's going on?" He asks, doing his best to stay calm. Sure, he has been kidnapped once or twice, but not in Wonderland and not by a boy he just poured his heart to! "Let me go this instant!"
"I can't," Noah answers with a shake of his head. "Not until I get some questions answered."
"W...what do you mean by that?"
"Why are you really here?" asks Noah, leaning closer to Mokuba. His eyes start to glow like burning coals as the thorns around Mokuba begin to tighten. Mokuba doesn't wince as the thorns prick his skin-he's felt worse than that. "No, don't tell me...you hated your life up above and ended up here in order to escape your troubles, correct?"
"Well, yeah, I just told you my history and all," Mokuba looks around him, trying to hide the fact that he is nervous about this interrogation. "But I think that I would like to be free, if it's all right with you."
"Really now?" Noah chuckles. "I'm flattered and all, but I can't let you leave and tell Seto about me. It would ruin the surprise."
"What do you...wait-" Mokuba pauses. "How did you know about…"
"Seto?" Noah giggles as he circles his trapped prey. "I know all about you two because of your step-father, Gozaburo." Noah leans close, his eyes turning fierce as he adds, "Who happens to be my father too."
Alarms ring in Mokuba's head. Noah is the son of Gozaburo Kaiba?! He looks away as he recalls a wish he made so long ago with the Netherlord of the Burning Abyss, the guilt in his heart building like a wildfire before Noah places a hand under Mokuba's chin and forces the boy to stare at his grey eyes once more.
"I'm not mad, Mokie," Noah whispers. "I'm actually glad you came to Wonderland in order to see me. You see I populated Wonderland with various characters large and small but there was always something missing…
"That something was an Alice who could venture through it.
"And who do I find just coincidentally dressed as Alice but the same person I wanted to see." Noah laughs, stroking Mokuba's cheek all the way down to his chin with a finger. "This is all too perfect. I have you, my Alice, and soon I will have my revenge on Seto once and for all."
Before Mokuba can realize what's next, the rose in his hand fires a green mist in his face. He does his best to hold his breath, but he isn't expecting Noah to lean close…
And then to seal their lips with a kiss.
The horror of being kissed by his step-brother causes the boy to panic as he struggles both to escape and for air. Noah forsees this though, and keeps his mesmerizing gaze on Mokuba, slowly watching the trapped boy's eyes glaze over before Mokuba's body slumps to the side. Noah steps back as he sees his prey breathing slowly, inhaling the poisonous mist with each breath he takes.
"You are my Alice," Noah whispers, taking Mokuba's hand and kissing it. "And you will stay and rule Wonderland with me. You can forget all your troubles up there and be the innocent child you always wanted to be down here…"
"Forever…" Mokuba mumbles before his eyes close shut.
Noah smiles and waves his hand so the vines slowly recede, before running his hands over the scratch marks that decorate Mokuba's arms, the cuts vanishing within seconds. Cradling the sleeping boy into his arms, Noah is about to head back to his castle when he hears someone approach.
"Mokuba!" The voice shouts. "Are you here?"
Noah snarls as Leon emerges from some large bushes, the purple haired boy gasping when he sees Mokuba unconscious in Noah's arms.
"You!" Leon exclaims. "What have you done with him?"
"I've done nothing wrong to my dear Alice," Noah answers. "I found her asleep here and am bringing her back to my home. You're welcome to join us if you want."
"You sick…" Leon spits out, ignoring the fact that Mokuba is dressed as Alice. "Give him back right now or else!"
"Or else what?" Noah smirks before his eyes drift to the Duel Disk strapped to Leon's arm. "Oh, I see now."
He sets Mokuba down against the tree stump, softly smiling at the boy's sleeping expression, and excited to find 'Alice' awake in a few hours. He turns to Leon and summons his own Duel Disk in a flash of light, one that has his tray colored black and white like a chessboard and the main body showing the four playing card suits, alongside a deck of Duel Monsters cards that he slips into the deck holder.
"So," Noah begins. "Will you join the dance with me...um, I'm sorry. What's your name? My name is Noah."
"Leon Wilson," Leon answers, drawing five cards. "I don't have time for idle chit-chat. I came here to uncover what's happened to people in Domino City and why they've fallen into comas. Are you the cause of them?"
"Maybe, maybe not." Noah also draws five cards. "Tell you what, if you win this duel, I will let Alice go back to her world and tell you how to free the others that wander in Wonderland."
"And if I lose?" Leon frowns. For some reason, this all seems too easy.
"Then you will become one of the whimsical characters here," Noah smiles. "This will be such fun, don't you think?"
"Like I want to waste my life away here," Leon remarks. "And if that's out of the way, let's begin!"
"Let's Duel!"
(Leon: 8000) - - - - - - - (Noah: 8000)
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Serena: All those people who were attacked, where have they gone?
Haruka: Better yet, why were they taken? And what caused them to fall into comas?
Masato: I hope Mokuba is all right. Who knows what he's going through?
Millefui: Wherever he is, I'm sure he's safe and sound... right?
Kanata: You never know, sis. Next time, 2nd Dream - "Surrender"
Noah: After this duel is over, a new life awaits you, Leon. Just you wait.
