I was terrified. Plain and simple. There was no magic here; this wasn't what I'd asked for. This place was Hell, filled with demons that got inside your head. Demons like the Vorpal Blade that claimed they wanted to help you just do they could hurt you. I'd regretted this decision as soon as I'd made it, there was no magic here. Well, there was a great deal of magic, just none of it pure or even lawful. It was black magic, like the kind my father had told about after his trip to the Amazon. There were tribes of men along the river that practiced voodoo, using only herbs and rituals to cure illnesses and injuries that modern science did nothing to help. My father had promised to take me with him on his next journey there, but I suppose that's no longer applicable.

'Don't waste time thinking about useless travels. Come find me.' that evil, evil voice hissed in my ears. I swallowed, harsh and grave, so it could hear my thoughts. I had hoped so strongly it could only put things in my mind, but now it could read it. My mind burst into a flurry of answerless questions, none of which relevant to the situation. Perhaps if I distracted the demon with meaningless chatter, maybe I could think without it hearing. It would be like positioning yourself in a crowded restaurant when someone was following you, they wouldn't be able to hear your true voice over all the others. In my opinion, it was a genius idea to escape the clutches of my demon. Damn. I already sounded insane. It wasn't my demon, it was a demon. How did I even know it existed? No, I couldn't let myself get distracted; I had to focus on getting out this horrid world. But, before I could pause to think, it spoke again,

'You're nowhere near smart enough to deter me. Oh, and if it's freedom you want... Just walk through that door.' was a light croon lying in his voice this time, propelling my feet forwards. I'd trekked up stairs and fell down as they turned to slides, I'd climbed the velvet tassels of a silken curtain, this dreaded creature had taken me to the depths of The Abyss and back. It used constant tales of evil things wishing to kill me and an evil cat that lived just around the corner, but it was always whispering something about freedom. But, no matter how many times it comforted me, I couldn't shake the sensation that freedom was a lie. My feet gave out beneath me, knees buckling and forcing me to the floor. I let out a sharp breath of relief. How long had I been zipping up and down these corridors? It seemed like over a hundred years, probably far past two hundred. This environment was unendingly strange with more twists and turns than my father's attempts at fixing a bow tie. I would have given anything to see him again, even if it meant staying a boy forever.

My thoughts distracted me from the wonder forming before my eyes. A door was forming, perfectly innate carvings pushing their way through cold concrete. The bleak room I was in suddenly shot to life. Plants sprouted from tile flooring, a crystalline table with a tea set atop it settled in the center, and the back wall disappeared to form a gorgeous balcony. For the first time in what seemed like eons, a smile graced my lips. Now this was the magic I'd sought after for so many years! This was my quest coming to an end! Finally, it took a journey through Hell to reach heaven I suppose. But I'd finally made it. And then, something happened that made my heart skip a beat. A dress, sewn from the fanciest silk I'd ever seen had laid itself on one of the chairs that had sprung up near the table. It was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen. No explanation needed. It was a sweet red, shimmering beneath the light like blood, with accents of black traveling down the bodice in a criss-cross of lacing. The neck line formed a perfect V, dipping down just enough to be considered flattering yet not revealing. It was bordered with a flowery ribbon, roughly the same color as midnight and just as soft. The skirt belled out at the waist, turning into a pool of vivid scarlet.

The sleeves acted much like the tutu, loosening at the crook of the elbow until they were flowy and free. I couldn't have loved anything more. This venture had proven perfect! A dress, my very first dress. Something that would make me feel beautiful. I had to admit; being a boy for so long made me appreciate girly things much more than the soon-to-be duchesses I'd met. They all seemed to be conceited and nonchalant when I took an interest in their clothing. I wasn't missing the outside world anymore; I was too caught up in this little slice of heaven. It was sheer perfection, absolute gorgeousness. It made me smile. A brimming grin that hadn't graced me for years. I'd felt trapped on the surface, I'd been struggling against the confines of daily life like a prisoner against shackles. This was no Abyss. This was a wonderland. My wonderland.

'Go ahead, it's yours.' the voice spoke softly this time, a faux kindness in his voice. I couldn't have cared less about his presence though; the only thought that gripped my mind was how sweet it was of him to lie to me. Obviously, the demon liked me enough to smudge the truth. I pulled my normal clothing off with expert speed, tossing plaid shorts and a dress shirt to the checkered ground. Not a single soul lay around me beside the one in my head so I didn't mind undressing. Plus, it only took me a minute to tug the gown over my body. And, as I struggled to pull it over my head a fit my arms through the sleeves, I finally felt pretty. For the first time, I felt female. Truly like a woman. My body fit every curve and contour with exact accuracy, as though the dress had been custom tailored to my measurements. The only issue I could spot was how short the skirt was. It reached only to my knees. I was used to things only covering my thighs, but this was different. As a woman, I had to be respectable and modest. To show anything above mid-calf made me feel like a tramp. And, as if on command, the fabric began to lengthen until it reached my ankles.

'Welcome to Wonderland. I can give you the world if it's what you desire.' And it was.

Sorry, this was short, wasn't it? Ah well! I hope you all enjoyed it~ Next chapter will introduce Cheshire, so stick around. Don't forget to review~

Thanks for reading, mooncalves!

~DNS