2. Mistletoe
The following morning, Alice wasn't surprised to see the long distance of snow outside her window. It actually seemed to relieve her. At least she wasn't finding ghosts in her bed or autumn leaves everywhere.
I wonder if they key did anything at all. she thought, almost happy as she pulled on a more Christmas-like red gown instead of her usual blue and threw on her common white apron overtop, sliding the clover key into her pocket just in case anyways before bounding eagerly down the stairs.
"Good morning!" she sang as she appeared downstairs, earning the excited grin from a previously working incubus and a slight nod from the clockmaker. Gray smiled warmly, but didn't reply.
"Christmas is coming!" Nightmare said excitedly, bolting out from his desk and making his way to the foreigner. Alice nodded.
"Yeah…" the brunette looked around, only to raise an eyebrow. She definitely didn't remember decorating this much. A large pine tree sat in the corner of the room; several colorful strings of lights and ornaments hung on its mighty green branches. Sparkling silver garland was strung in circles around the tree, and a shiny gold star sat on top. Underneath its shadow sat a roaring train set and a small Christmas village that reminded her of ones she used to have at home. On the walls hung more lights and cutouts of Christmas characters, while a thick, almost overwhelming stench of peppermint seemed to clog the air. "Wow. You guys, um, really set the place up didn't you?" Nightmare nodded eagerly, while Julius grunted and Gray continued his wordless smile. "Did you see this?" The incubus pointed to a few small leaves hanging from the kitchen doorway, a few red berries hung on it. Alice gulped.
"Um, mistletoe?" she guessed, titling her head to the side.
"Yup! A new game started." Nightmare exclaimed excitedly, seeming pleased. Alice paled. Huh. So she wasn't off the hook after all. Should have figured.
"So, um, what's this game?" the foreigner asked, quickly walking away from the incubus and the mistletoe.
"Don't worry, he won't sexually harass you this time." Gray comforted her, placing a hand on her shoulder. She quickly shrugged it off, but felt somewhat relieved.
"As if you're one to talk." Nightmare spat, sticking his tongue out childishly at the lizard. Gray sighed.
"What is this game, though?" Alice asked.
"The Game of Mistletoe!" the dream demon exclaimed, clasping his hands together excitedly. She shuddered; he almost looked like Peter White. What a scary thought to imagine.
"Doesn't sound like fun." she muttered, and Nightmare shook his head.
"With you here it'll be fun." he objected, pouting. "For role holders, the mistletoe is like a magnet. When we walk past it, we have to stop and wait until either an outsider or another role holder comes over. Then we kiss!"
"And what part of that is fun? This place is packed with boys!" Alice cried.
"It's not just that." the incubus argued. "We trade places, too."
"Trade… places?" the brunette frowned, unable to comprehend. Nightmare sighed.
"Fine, I'll show you." he said, quickly grabbing the objecting foreigner's wrist and yanking her to the mistletoe.
"Hey! Wait a minute- let go!" Alice cried, struggling to break free.
"Nightmare, just let her go." Julius ordered, but the lord of Clover Tower ignored him.
"My lord, this isn't necessary!" Gray objected, but the silver-haired incubus had already pulled the girl under the mistletoe; his lips at hers and his hand holding her head in place. A blush formed across Alice's face as she tried to pull away. However, it wasn't long before she felt her hand on his head, and blinked in confusion.
When Nightmare pulled away, Alice felt herself pale. Instead of the tall incubus, she saw a young brunette with a smirk across her face and playful blue eyes. A blush remained in tact on her face, but it was more amused than anything.
Horror struck, Alice turned her attention to herself. She felt different; taller and flat chested. She looked different as well; silver hair, an eye patch, a bloody handkerchief…
"Ack! Why am I you? !" the foreigner cried, glancing between Nightmare's body and hers. Her voice even came out deep like his; it frightened her. "I don't want to be you!"
"Gee, thanks." the incubus said sourly from the foreigner's body, his voice even sounding like her. Alice shuddered.
"Look, I don't want to be in your body, Nightmare." Alice said, trying to be kind. "No offence." As she said this, she felt something soft on her- well, Nightmare's- upper lip. Touching it, she gave her own body a strange look. "…You wear grape lipgloss?"
"Nuh-uh!" Nightmare argued childishly, but soon after he smiled devilishly in the body he held. "I'm sure it'll be interesting to be you."
"Nightmare!" Alice squealed, and Nightmare sighed.
"Fine, just kiss me and we'll switch back." he answered, slightly disappointed. Alice shook her head, sending the dream demon's silver locks bouncing.
"No way! I'm not going to kiss myself!" she cried.
"Do you want to switch back?" Nightmare challenged, and Alice groaned.
"Fine, but if you're lying I'm going to send you straight to the hospital." the foreigner threatened, finding it easier to do now that she had control over his body. She saw her body shudder, but Nightmare reached up to kiss his lips, and it wasn't long before she felt herself back in her own body.
Quickly pulling away, Alice sighed in relief; hugging her body tightly, pleased that she was no longer stuck in the man's body. However, her joy didn't last long before she was sprinting towards the door of Clover Tower; exiting the building and running aimlessly in any direction that lead her far, far away from the men there. She didn't want a repeat like last time.
"Where's she going?" Gray asked in surprise as the brunette had disappeared behind the open door.
"I don't know." Julius grumbled from his desk, continuing on his clock.
"Shut the door!" Nightmare instructed, suddenly shivering and running upstairs to hide in the warmth of his blankets. Gray sighed, doing as told.
Alice ran to town, and to her suspicions, the rest of Wonderland had been coated in thick blankets of glossy white snow. Cobblestone bricks were being swept by faceless in comfy sweaters, while sharp icicles hung to frosted window panes. Rooftops were dusted in white, and any fountain nearby had immediately been frozen.
"Uh oh." the brunette murmured, suddenly regretting her quick decision to dash out without a coat or cover for her arms; it was freezing out here. She dismissed this stray thought, though, and ran aimlessly towards Joker Forest; easily familiar with the snowy trees and icicles clinging to stray branches. Her breaths came out in large puffs of silver smoke, and snowflakes clung to her bare arms, but Alice kept running until she saw an upcoming tent in the distance.
Before she could make a dash for it, a voice startled her.
"Can I safely assume you're the cause for the new game?" She didn't have to turn around to know it was White Joker, but Alice did so anyways; eyeing the man's unusually warm attire. Thick red earmuffs pressed against his ears under his hat, his normally leather-like jacket was replaced with faux fur, and he fashioned black snow boots. Overall, Alice was jealous of his warmth.
Alice sighed, nodding an affirmative. "It's not my fault, really. I tried to hide the key, but Julius got a hold of it before I could."
"So it's your f****** fault I'm freezing my ass off." Black Joker snapped from the mask, and Alice glared.
"You're not even outside, Black-san." she reminded him, and Black Joker bit back a growl.
"You're lucky." the jester stated, regaining the outsider's attention. "This game shouldn't be as much of a burden on you as the last. The role holders aren't specifically obsessed- only when they're near mistletoe."
"It sounds easy enough." Alice agreed, pulling out the clover key from her pocket. "I just need to get this back to the Hatter's."
"That's not where the box is, you idiot." Black-san stated, and the brunette frowned.
"What do you mean?" She asked, and the Jokers sighed in irritation.
"The box doesn't stay in one place." White-san explained. "You'll need to find the box of Clovers this time, which could very well be anywhere." Alice groaned.
"You're kidding, right?" she muttered, already knowing the answer. "I have to go everywhere again to find the box?" White-san nodded.
"Don't think you're off so easy, bitch." Black Joker warned from the belt. "There's more."
"More? Like what?" the foreigner asked with a heavy sigh.
"I'm not telling you!" the darker Joker argued, and Alice moaned.
"Please, Black-san? I just want to get this over with! I'll do anything you want." the foreigner tried to compromise, but the mask wasn't easily persuaded.
"Nice f****** try. You used that last time and I didn't get s***." the prison guard reminded her, and Alice huffed in frustration.
"That wasn't my fault!" the brunette objected, but quickly sighed, shaking her head. "Look, I won't pull anything. I promise. I'll do whatever you want the minute this ends."
"And if it doesn't?" the darker Joker challenged, and Alice felt her heart leap to her throat at the thought, but faked a smile.
"Then I guess I'll have to do it during this." she replied.
"Is it a deal then, Black?" White-san asked, looking at his belt. Black Joker mumbled a few words, and they made out a small "yes" in there somewhere behind all the cussing. Smiling eerily yet sweetly, White Joker leaned down to lift Alice's hand to his lips; kissing her ice cold skin gently.
Black growled a little from the mask, and shortly after, White Joker pulled away; the girl's hand still resting on his, and that smile never fading. "A deal it is, then. Welcome to the new game, Alice."
Not a very big eventful chapter, but think of it! Roleholders forced to kiss at mistletoe no matter who they're with? IMAGINE IT! *evil laughter* Oh these guys aren't getting a break from me any time soon. 8,D
And my, oh, my. What will Black Joker have in mind for Alice during this whole adventure? What will he make her do? *more evil laughter*
On a side note, I'm thinking of starting maybe a Pandora Hearts/HnKnA crossover or a new HnKnA story sometime. I don't want to do it now since I still have to finish Alice in the Academy of Hearts, this series, and eventually get back to Twin Roses, but it'd be a fun challenge for me. I'll have to wait and see. I REALLY want to write a modern HnKnA story that'll get updated whenever I have the time or so; it'll be put behind a couple other stories (I.e., this one) but I'm REALLY interested in writing it. Or maybe one where Alice leaves Wonderland, but something messes up and she and all the role holders end up in her world at a modern time. I'm really getting attached to these ideas, so if you have any suggestions or comments on this, let me know. 8D