Chapter One:

Arrival

I looked at Mary suspiciously while she beamed brightly at me; her blue eyes twinkled with excitement.

"So they just turned up in the mail?" I asked and she nodded. "Mary, what did you enter this time?"

"Nothing I swear!" she protested as Mom and Dad walked into the kitchen, chatting together and stopped when they saw us.

"What's wrong with you two?" Dad asked curiously as Mary held up the two tickets in her hand. Dad read them, his eyes scanning and a look of surprise washed over his face. "An art exhibition?"

Mary nodded. "They just turned up in the mail, no idea how. Can we go?" she begged, batted her eyelashes while I rolled my eyes. Dad looked at Mom who pursed her lips in thought.

"I don't see why not, it'd be a good family day out" Mom said after a while and I groaned while Mary cheered in victory.

"But Mom, I have some requests to finish!" I complained and Mom narrowed her eyes at me.

"Isabella Eve Carstairs, you will give up alchemy for one day and spend time with your family!" Mom snapped, using my full name. "Honestly, your sister doesn't mind"

I rolled my eyes. "That's because she's fine with going anywhere as long as she gets to eat like a pig"

"I don't eat like a pig!" Mary protested, sticking her tongue out at me while I just shook my head at her immaturity. Mary left and went upstairs to get dressed while Mom looked at me expectantly.

"Fine" I muttered, walking past and heading upstairs.

"No bombs!" Mom shouted after me while I rolled my eyes, heading to my room and throwing on some light blue jeans and a grey hoodie with the alchemy symbol for 'Gold' on the front. I gazed at my treasure chest, debating whether or not to ignore Mom's order.

Finally, I just grabbed my brown satchel and filled it with alchemy bombs and my River Whip before heading down and throwing my white rabens on. Mom looked at me in suspicion before checking my bag.

I smirked as she failed to find any bombs or any other alchemy items before heading to the car. Thank god teacher taught me a camouflage spell or else I'd be dead.

Mary was bouncing with joy on the ride to the exhibition, her blonde curls moving with each bounce. She was wearing a simple yet pretty light blue summer dress with a royal blue ribbon tied to her hip like a belt and white ballet flats.

"This is going to be so much fun!" Mary declared and Dad looked at us through the review mirror, his eyes settling on my bored expression and sympathy filled his eyes before turning his attention back to the front. Eventually we arrived and Mom and Mary went ahead while Dad pulled me aside.

"Don't mind your mother, she's just concerned about you" Dad defended her and I sighed, crossing my arms over my chest.

"Dad, I'm seventeen years old. I think I can handle taking care of myself by now," I reminded him. "Besides, we all know it's Mary who needs protecting"

Dad smiled warmly at me, ruffling my hair since it was out. "I know kiddo, that's why I support your dream and job. Not many can train to be an alchemist"

I snorted. "Damn straight" I muttered as we walked into the gallery while Mom and Mary were waiting for us, both displeased.

"You two are so slow!" Mary complained before running off on her own while Mom looked between the two of us, trying to figure us out.

"Who's the artist?" Dad asked suddenly, trying to change the mood and Mom sighed with a small smile on her face.

"Guertena," Mom answered. "We've been to one of his gallery's before"

I frowned, trying to recall but couldn't. I just shrugged my shoulders and followed after them. We walked up the stairs to the second floor, gazing and admiring the paintings.

Mistress Ib.

I flinched slightly, turning around and finding no one there. I frowned, looking around and seeing no one looking at me.

"It's this magnificent?" Mom commented, snapping my attention back to her as we gazed at a portrait. "The Rose Maiden', she looks like you" Mom said looking at me. I looked at it and had to admit, it looked like Mary had gone crazy trying to dress me up.

"It's nice," I shrugged. "I'm going to go look on my own"

"Don't stray too far" Dad warned as I walked away. I was walking past the picture of the orange and pear when I heard the same, faint whisper as before.

Mistress Ib…

Come and play…

This is starting to piss me off I growled silently, ignoring the voices completely as my eyes found a breath taking portrait. The voices stopped, my body drawn to it like a metal drawn to a magnet. I walked over, lightly touching the frame with my fingers and reading the name.

"'The Forgotten Rose'" I murmured under my breath. A sharp pain slipt my skull, causing me to gasp and bend down, clutching my head as images ran through my mind.

"Don't worry, Ib," the older, lilac purple haired man said with a warm smile. "I'll protect you no matter what"

"Okay" I replied, my nine year old voice filled with confidence. I reached over and grabbed his large hand over mine. He smiled, giving it a light squeeze before looking down the dark hallway.

It felt like an ice cold bucket of water was thrown on me. Sweat dripped down my neck as my whole body slightly shook of the aftermath. My throat was dry like sand paper as I breathed rapidly, trying to calm down my beating heart.

I squeezed my eyes shut, focusing on my breathing. What the hell was that? A vision...No, I've had visions before…nothing like that…

It was then I realised how deathly quiet the hallway had gotten. It snapped me out of my panic as I stood up and looked down both ways. There was nobody around.

I took a step forward, it echoing the hallway. "Mom? Dad? Mary?" I called, cupping my hands together. I waited a few moments but no one answered.

A shiver ran down my spine, something seemed way too familiar about tis setting, something I couldn't put my finger on. I walked down the hallway, calling out to anyone but no one answered.

A soft giggle echoed the hallway, forcing me to turn around in time to see a small shadow disappear down the other hallway. Without thinking, I ran after it, all the way downstairs and to the centre of the hall where the biggest painting in the gallery laid.

"Let me go!"

I ran harder when I heard Mary's screams of protest. "Mary!" I shouted and ran into the room just as she was pulling into the painting. "No!"

I ran over, skidding slightly against the white marble and gazed down into the picture. I couldn't see anything beyond the painting, my heart pounding hard in my chest. Without another moment, I jumped into the painting.

Gary's eyes flew open, awakening him from his brief nap when the scent of vanilla, jasmine and peach filled his nose. There was only one person he knew with that exact scent.

"No," he breathed, his heart pounding with excitement that he didn't want. "No, she can't be…"

Footsteps interrupted him and he glanced over at the doorway, seeing Red standing there, her face covered by the red hood. As always, five pink bunnies followed after her, ears up in high alert.

"It's chaos," she reported. "Everywhere in the air is peaches, vanilla and jasmine along with the faint smell of clay and strawberries"

Gary nodded. "Ib and Mary are back"

"The bunnies witnessed a few statues dragging Mary in, with Ib following after her" she stated and Gary closed his eyes in deep thought. They were silent, waiting for the next command. Finally, Gary opened his eyes and gazed back out the window.

"Protect Ib at all costs, no doubt they brought Mary back to resume her position. Ib will just be caught in the crossfire" Gary spoke, turning to them and they nodded, leaving the room.

Three ways to tell when you've entered a parallel dimension:

1. When your clothes change from a grey hoodie and light blue jeans to a long red skirt, a white long sleeved blouse tucked in the skirt and a red scarf tied around your neck like a tie. Oh, and don't forget the red ballet flats.

2. After the glowing lights finish changing you while you sink in the ocean from the painting, you land on the top of some purple stairs, completely dried.

3. The voices in your head get louder.

I groaned, rubbing the right side of my head as I walked down the stairs, my brown satchel being the only piece of clothing still with me. I gently lifted up the skirt, grimacing in disgust.

"It looks like something Mom would force me to wear to church," I groaned. "That is if we ever went to church"

A blue door waited for me at the bottom of the long staircase. I opened it and found myself in another empty hallway. I sighed, rolling my shoulders before walking the left side first.

"Mary?" I called. "Shout if you can hear me!"

When no reply came, I gnawed at my bottom lip, completely stumped at what to do. I searched through my mind an appropriate locating spell but the only ones I could come up with required either a map or something of the person you were searching for.

"Dammit" I cursed out loud before something red caught my eye. At the end of the long hallway was a brown side table with a blue vase, in it was a single red rose. It seemed familiar and beautiful at the same time. I reached over and grasped it in my hand as a sense of dejiavu washed over me. I shivered slightly at the strange feeling before placing the rose in my satchel and opening the door.

Just as I closed the door behind me, a soft voice filled my mind.

You have arrived.