Chapter 2: Finding the first Alice
By The Next Alice
Disclaimer: QuinRose owns the right to their characters. Crypton Media owns the Vocaloid Characters: Miku Hatsune, Kaito Shion, Meiko Sakine and Len and Rin Kagamine, who are all featured in the song Alice Human Sacrifice. However the original Alice's Adventures in Wonderland story by Lewis Carroll is out of copyright. It's rather a pity, actually.
"Children! Come back here now, please!" a harrowed and tired young teacher called to a duo of mischievous young boys, who had dashed off to a fruit stall.
"Yes, Miss Vivaldi…" they answered, one rolling his eyes while the other discreetly slipped an apple into his pocket. Vivaldi noticed but held her tongue; these brats were their parent's most prized possessions - if she accused the child of stealing, he would inevitably make a fuss to his mother and father, who would believe the words of their lying son and come complain to her, which would result in her possibly losing her job.
Oh, how she hated her position as a teacher. But she had to keep it. There was no other way for her to support her family, not besides selling her body, which would mean giving up her morality and dignity. And that, Vivaldi would never do.
Men were such pigs! She hated most of them too.
"Miss Vivaldi? Lionel and Eric just ran off to the wishing fountain, and we would like to go to the sweet shop, please." a light tugging at her skirts brought Vivaldi back form her thoughts. The woman looked down to see a little girl by the name of Violet peering up at her, having finished her speech. Violet was one of the more tolerable students, and occasionally tried to be helpful, as a 'proper lady' should.
"Thank you, Violet," Vivaldi said, already scanning the area near said wishing fountain for the runaways, "You may be in charge and take everyone to the sweet shop, however, I expect you to go straight there and nowhere else. When you are all finished with your purchases, wait outside together. Do you understand?" as she spoke, Vivaldi had turned back to Violet and looked down into her small, cherubic face.
"Yes ma'am. Straight there, wait there, stay together. Thank you ma'am." Violet nodded sincerely.
Relieved, Vivaldi patted the girl's chestnut curls and purposefully strode off to the fountain, anxiously - and angrily - looking for the truanting boys.
"Lionel! Eric! Come here at once!" Or you will be beheaded! Her mind added. She didn't expect a reply of any sort. Oh, how she hated these children! Did they not know the dangers of running off? Had their parents not told hem about child abductions, murders and the white slave trade? It wasn't just girls who were kidnapped these days - it seemed anything with two legs that was worth a sixpence was stolen or killed.
Vivaldi would never tell anyone (as they would question her sanity and have her locked up), but she secretly felt she understood some of the murderers running around - sometimes she hated the world and society so much, it felt as if there was nothing else within her but hatred. Still, just because she empathized didn't mean she would go so far as to actually kill.
"Aha!" the exclamation punctuated her action of grabbing the two missing children by their collars, so that she was holding them at least 10 centimetres above the ground. Their short nine-year-old legs dangled in the as they looked away from their educator, ready for a good scolding.
And what a good scolding they got.
The man strode down the streets of the town, too absorbed in his thoughts to pay attention to the sights as they passed him by. His light brown hair ruffled in the light breeze as he hummed under his breath, glad to be back on land after awhile at sea. The man was the captain of a navy vessel, and his name was feared throughout all the seas.
"Good day, Sir Ace," a lower-rank officer called respectfully, earning a nod in response. Sir 'Ace' indeed, the nickname was well deserved; Ace was legendary with his sword, not to mention an excellent shooter. It was said he had once thrown a playing card into the air, shot at it three times and then slashed at it with his sword. By the time the card came fluttering down, there were three bullet holes, all almost dead centre, while the card itself had been sliced neatly into two exact halves. The only evidence of what card it had once been were the two 'A's on the corners. The symbol in the middle had been shot away.
The story had been passed around, and no doubt been embellished as it went, but it was still extremely impressive.
However, being impressive was not what was on the young captain's mind. Ace was bored. Bored bored bored, of his ship and his job and his life. Fighting was fun, but there was no-one around that could match his skill, therefore all his opponents were easy to beat and there was no thrill to the duel. Women - Ace certainly still liked the women he acquired - like flies to honey - but they were worthless and all of the same ilk: weak simpering things he would never spar a thought to after one night. Captaining his vessel was entertaining enough, but he had just been given three months leave on land, so returning to the sea with his men was out of the question.
If only he had something to do, a new challenge to face…
It was only when two small boys pushed past him; laughing rambunctiously as they tossed a small coin apiece into a fountain and peering anxiously in to make sure it hit the bottom that Ace realized he had reached the town square. Finally noticing his surroundings, the man's attention was captured as the same boys who had unintentionally alerted him to his surroundings were swooped upon by an irritated looking young woman, who berated them harshly for running off. Maybe a bit too harshly, Ace mused, but what did he really care? His gloved hand rested on the sword at his side, a habit from knowing his life was always in danger.
Looking back at the well, Ace frowned. Maybe he should make a wish? Scrabbling in the deep pockets of his red coat for change, the brunette laughed cutely and flipped the coin into the fountain, watching it spin through the air and land in the water with a small splash.
I wish for something interesting to do.
Beside him, Vivaldi also made a wish, gently dropping her smaller coin into the liquid of dubious cleanliness.
I wish I could get rid of the things I hate.
From his comfortable position under a nearby tree, Nightmare smiled. He had found his first Alices.
A/N: Sorry it's been so long! This chapter was on my iPod, which was taken away from me because I got a bad report for school. So I had to sneak it up to my room and type it up there.
As I was writing this, both of my feet fell asleep. It was a very strange sensation. And then I got pins and needles in both..!
I just couldn't decide between Vivaldi and Ace. So I chose both. But Ace was actually terribly hard to write for! Next chapter: The Bloody Red Spade(s)!
As always, reviews are love, and love makes the world go round!