"Oh, and if you're wondering, he went... that way."

"Who did?"

"The white rabbit."

"He did?"

"He did what?"

"Went that way."

"Who?"

"The white rabbit."

"What rabbit?"

"…"


'Alice… Wake up.'

Green eyes snapped open and straight back shut when exposed to the bright lighting. She hadn't been expecting a bright blue sky to greet her as she woke. Hell, last she remembered there was a tarp above her, having been laid across the alley opening. Rubbing her eyes, Alice peered around her. Greenery lay in front of her, accompanied by purple flowers and a small stream. Turning around, she saw a complete drop off with nothing but sky.

Her brown hair rustled in the wind as Alice stood. Trying to ignore the dread filling her gut, she stepped carefully towards the stones in the stream and looked at her own reflection. Her brown hair was perfectly parted and straight, her thin figure covered with a knee length blue dress and a blood spattered white pinafore. Alice shook her head and kicked a stone in anger, her black boots protecting her previously bare feet.

Wonderland, the Vale of Tears to be exact; it was precisely where Bryson had wanted to go, and now he was here. Or… was he? Alice turned in a full circle, seeing no one accompanying her. Of course, if the past repeats itself, then this is all a hallucination. Alice smiled at the trees around her. She was back in Wonderland, and from what she could see, it looked quite well. Alice felt a shock run through her. Wait, this wasn't right, where was the cat? He always greeted her with a string of riddles when she arrived in Wonderland

"Cheshire?"

Not a sound greeted her as she called out the grinning cat's name repeatedly. Soon enough curiosity gripped Alice with their icy hands and she stepped towards the forest. Her feet guided her, already knowing where to step while her eyes trailed over the trees. She stepped over sticks and logs, refusing to make a noise until she knew the intent of Wonderland and its inhabitants. It broke her heart to think that they would be hostile towards her, but she DID leave them to die for five years. Alice scolded herself; it wasn't polite to think low of others, especially your family.

Soon enough Alice came to a familiar fork in the road. Between the two parting roads lay a fallen tree filled with past memories. The brown haired girl closed her eyes, forcing back tears that threatened to spill. Alice Liddell would NOT cry for the tree. She tried to imagine it standing proud in its place with Cheshire cat sitting upon it, confusing any unfortunate travelers that came further than intended into the dark forest.

Alice sniffed and walked along it, running her fingers along the wide trunk. The three signs at the middle read Mad Hatter, Yonder, and Up. Her pink lips turned up in a smile as she headed down the road leading to Hatter's Domain. Hatter would have answers; hopefully he hadn't suffered the same fate as that poor tree. Alice started up the trail, determination powering her every move. This was HER mind, HER family and HER Wonderland. Not anyone elses, especially not someone who toyed with her heart and betrayed her trust. No. She was going to kill him. Stab him for every lie he told her and cut him to pieces with every ability she had. Bryson could act as tough as he wanted in the real world, but in Wonderland, Alice was the hunter.

A smile graced her features when she saw the cliff edge up ahead, almost there, she'd be able to see Hatter's Domain from the top. Alice broke into a run, sprinting the rest of the way up. Once there, the smile fell from her face and she stared wide eyes at the broken carnage that used to be Hatter's Domain. The mansion like building was obviously evacuated, having been abandoned long ago most likely. Putrid smog hovered around the rusty machines, but the old worn clock tower was still ticking away as Hatter had made it to do. Alice bit her lip, forcing herself to not cry, she had to stay strong and keep a clear mind. If she backtracked for a bit, she would easily find the land of the Snow Globes. Nodding to herself, she turned away from the ugly sight, trying to keep her head high and thoughts cleared of horrible possibilities.

Suddenly a snap echoed through the forest and Alice froze, trying to calculate which direction it came from. Another twig snapping sounded out and a shock wave of fear vibrated through her. The blue clad girl threw her hand to her side, trying with all her might to summon the Vorpal Blade. Another snap came closer and Alice abandoned the idea of fight and instead chose flight, fleeing through the forest. The brown haired girl jumped quickly over a log, misplacing her step at the last moment and tripping over a bundle of white that appeared in front of her feet.

"EEK!"

Now, I don't think it needs to be pointed out, but when your face hits the ground so suddenly and quickly, the noise it makes isn't nearly as bad as the soreness that comes with it. Alice spat out pieces of earth and slowly stood up, brushing grit off her dress and thankful it wasn't as dirty as her mouth. The blue clad girl turned to her trip hazard and immediately felt her day get a little brighter.

"White Rabbit!"

At his name, the furry animal squinted up at her and ruffled his pink little nose. Alice gave his confused look a frown and noticed his fragile glasses lying on the forest floor. She smiled and pet his nose carefully, sliding his glasses back up his furry nose. Rabbit's face lit up when his eyesight cleared and her smiling face appeared before him. He pulled her legs into a death grip hug and laughed loudly. "ALICE! Oh Alice I've missed you so much, I haven't seen you in years!"

"I've missed you too Rabbit, how have you been all this time?"

With that Rabbit retracted his arms, bringing them down to nervously fiddle with his vest. His smile had vanished and in it's place was a sorrowful frown. "Not well Alice. Nothing has been well since you left, everything has just, just…"

"I'm so sorry Rabbit," Alice frowned, "I know I've made a terrible mistake and I'm very regretful, but Wonderland could be in danger again. I need help, where is everyone?"

"Oh Alice, everything has gone to ruins! Everyone has changed Alice, you won't recognize Wonderland anymore, let alone the things living in it."

Alice kneeled down to him and ran her hand along the fur on his arm comfortingly. "What do you mean Rabbit?" He shook his head and put his paws on her hands. "You've grown Alice, you've changed in the five years you've been gone, and we've changed with you."

Rabbit laughed at the confused look she gave him. "I won't change Alice; no matter how old you grow, I'll always be your stuffed rabbit."

They both smiled at each other, enjoying the long lost company that both had missed dearly. At that moment, Alice noticed something terribly wrong. "Rabbit, what happened to your face?" Gently she ran a finger down a long ragged scar along his cheekbone; the tip of the peach colored cut just barely touched the outer side of his left eye.

"Oh they're will be time for that later Alice," Rabbit grinned. "It's high time we get you some weapons, hmm?" Alice gave him a determined grin and followed his footsteps through the forest. Thoughts seemed to flow through her head at their conversation. 'Changed? Who and what has changed? I don't understand, maybe when I find Hatter and Cheshire they can explain things better. If Bryson is here, I'm sure he'll head for Queensland first.' Alice felt around her neck for the Omega necklace and wasn't surprised that it was missing. 'He must be here, or else my necklace would be back in its place, right? No, no. It's impossible to enter someone's mind. Right?'

Alice was snapped out of her reverie by the sound of pebbles crunching under her feet. The grass had turned to rocks, and the green trees to stone statues. The pair walked along the eroded trail in silence and Alice was becoming increasingly nervous with each step. "Rabbit," she started nervously, "What is this place? I've never been here before."

"This is a memorial we created after the War."

The emerald eyed girl gasped, "War? I didn't know there was a war! How could a war go on inside my head without my knowing?"

"It was when you were skeptical about whether to trust that man or not. We all chose sides, some against our will. Those that trusted him and those that didn't. Some of us… didn't make it through." Rabbit turned to see Alice's face twist in horror and he could almost hear the anxiety in her voice. "Oh my goodness, Rabbit, your scar. I didn't know… I mean, I didn't want…"

"It's alright Alice. In the end we are only thoughts and memories. We will be erased sometime, I'm just sad that some of us were destroyed so morbidly."

Rabbit came to a stop outside an open circle. Surrounding it were large boulders stacked on top of one another in different patterns, some even had markings etched into them, different symbols with unknown meanings. Towards the middle of the circle was a stone tablet with a poem scratched onto it, reading:

Twas bryllyg, and ye slythy toves

Did gyre and gymble in ye wabe:

All mimsy were ye borogoves;

And ye mome raths outgrabe.

At the peak of the tablet was the shiny form of a large butcher knife, its blade stuck in the stone. Making her way up the tall rock structure, she smiled at her reflection in the silver. Seeing its bloodstained design was comforting as she pulled it from its resting spot. The Vorpal Blade was cool in her palm and definitely made her feel much better than before. This. She could fight with this. Wonderland could be defended, and she would fight to her death for it.

"Alice?"

She turned at her name and a smile spread across her lips at seeing White Rabbit with her Hobby Horse and Pepper Grinder. When she equipped them, the furry figure clutched her hand tight and shook it reassuringly before finally letting go. Rabbit stepped a ways away to let Alice look at the new possession in her palm.

"A Demon Dice?"

Rabbit nodded at her and smiled brightly. "One of the last. Please keep it safe Alice."

"I… I will." Alice held it to her chest, and felt her heart drop when Rabbit bounded away. "Wait! Rabbit! Where are you going?"

"To the Oriental Grove, of course." Rabbit called back at her, pointing east. "I must inform Caterpillar of your arrival. Please wait for me!"

"Wait, Rabbit! Who were on… which… sides…?"

His fuzzy body quickly disappeared into the brush before he was available to answer any questions she had. Alice sighed to the now empty structure, slipping the Demon Dice into her apron pocket. "I'm sorry Rabbit, but I must find my family now. Good luck with Caterpillar." With that she turned and headed for Tundraful. Carpenter, crazy as he was, would have some idea as to what to do now.


Tundraful wasn't her favorite place in Wonderland, no. It lacked in more ways than one. The Deluded Depths were lovely and had unexpected beauty, but the only thing Tundraful had was an angry Yeti, frozen racers and an unlimited supply of icy pathways.

"Ack!" Alice growled and cursed under her breath as she slipped for the umpteenth time on the cold ice. She was almost to the boat. Or at least, where the boat was supposed to be. It hadn't crossed her mind that she was falling hard on her bottom for nothing, but then again, she tried not to think about that either.

"Wretched, bloody, irritating ice. Not helpful in the least bit." The green eyes beauty mumbled to herself as she struggled for footing. She ignored the nagging at the back of her mind, telling her that if there was no boat, she would be going through hell trying to get back up the icy hillsides.

"I'd rather be in hell than in this frozen WASTELAND!" Alice screamed the last word out and watched with mild amusement as her breath fogged in front of her. For a moment she wondered how strange she looked, yelling at ice in the middle of nowhere. All the same, it helped ease her frustration, if only just a bit. Tundraful WAS a barren wasteland; that much was true. Sure, the air smelled fresh and cold, and when she wasn't slipping on ice the crunch of the crisp snow was reassuring, but the place was spotted with broken ships and icebergs. Icebergs filled with people and animals, frozen in time. Alice had to stop herself from snorting when she passed by an iced Yeti, its mouth hanging open in a permanent roar.

Alice squealed and slipped, cursing whatever horrible luck had been cast upon her as she slid down an icy hill and slamming into a rock. She groaned and leant against it for support while her shoulder and legs throbbed. She wanted to get up, she wanted to move and go find Carpenter and the Walrus, but her body demanded rest after her hike. Emerald green eyes slipped shut, embracing the comforting darkness of sleep.


Another chapter, another day. My thanks go out to the ones that favorited, alerted, and reviewed! Makes me feel much more confident going in this, so thank you again.