The stiff muscles slow my movements as I sleepily inhale, stretching my sore muscles out against the couch. I flinch but continue to stretch as the couch cracks my back, groaning in the back of my throat before slumping forward. The light brightly shines through the open shades, hurting my eyes as I sleepily rub them. Ugh I'm tired ...

I glance over to the bed finding it neatly made and smooth. Huh. Whenever I make my bed usually the sheets are bunched up at the bottom and the covers are flung somewhere off the side. I blink, searching the room for Atticus. Where did he go? My head twitches towards the bathroom with the light on, hearing the shower squeak shut.

After a few moments Atticus comes out, wearing the sweat pants but no shirt, showing his embarrassingly thin upper body. "The tank top got dirty inside. Sorry ... ,"

"Oh, it's fine. Here." I say pulling out a tighter tank top from the box within the closet. "This should work for now while we look for new clothes."

"Look for new clothes?" Atticus asks, puzzled. I turn and try to put on the best smile I can despite the circumstances.

"Yeah. You'll be needing some." I sadly note. Because you drank the lotion you're stuck here. Just like I , waiting for Alice to finish her game before mine can start.

"Hey, don't sound sad, Jackie ... ," Atticus quickly pulls the tank top over and walks to me, putting a comforting hand on my shoulder. "It'll be okay."

"It's not me that I'm worried about, Atticus. It's you. Wonderland is a crazy place." I say, biting my inner lip. If I had been a little more aware then maybe this wouldn't have happened.

I've practically doomed him.

"If I stay with you, I'm sure I'll be okay if I play my cards right," Atticus says, trying his best to comfort me despite his dire situation. An ill humorous laugh bubble past my lips as I head out the main door, waiting for him to catch up.

"Yeah." That worked out real good before didn't it? Bc now you're stuck. Atticus obediently follows after me, wisely remaining quiet as I guide him through the park. I'm glad I slept in my clothes from yesterday. All I needed to do was throw my hair into a pony tail and hope I don't look too messy. Not that I really care at this point. All I'm doing is clothes shopping with Atticus.

"Whoa, the new Foreigner is a guy?" Boris's voice asks. I turn around spying Boris approaching with his natural feline curiosity leading him.

"Oh uh, yeah. This is Atticus." I introduce, gesturing over the timid boy who simply nods. His tail twitches as he steps up to the shorter man, leaning over him as he curiously observed him. His ear closest to Atticus flickers, probably listening to his heart to confirm that Atticus really is a foreigner.

"I didn't think guys could come here." Boris said, lightly sniffing at air by him.

"Yeah? Why is that?" I ask, curious or his reasoning.

"Well, since most of us Role Holders are male, I thought only girls could come here," Boris muses, tapping a finger to Atticus's chest. He obediently holds still, warily watching the cat circle him. Atticus jolts as Boris's tail slides across his back, his fingers trembling as he cautiously watched the cat's gait.

"I was surprised too." I admit casting a quick glance at Atticus. Why is Atticus so edgy? Does he not like cats?

"Yeah. Hey, do you like gun fights?" Boris suddenly asks as a spark of excitement flashes through his eyes. Atticus quickly retreats from the cat as I step in front of him, prepared to push Boris back if he tried anything.

"Boris knock it off. Foreigners don't like guns." I huff, trying to move around him with Atticus glued to my hip

"Oh, come on Jackie, all guys love guns!" He cries with a grin, leaning to the side to get a better look at Atticus.

"N-not me," Atticus says, nervously swallowing.

"Boris, NO foreigners would like a gun fight. We can die easier than you can." I growl, getting ready to pop him in the chest.

"Man, you make everything boring!" Boris pouts, clearly disappointed.

"Go chase Pierce or something." I wave him off, tugging Atticus along and away from

Boris.

"Hey!" Boris cries, not wanting to let his prey get away but too lazy to follow it at the moment.

"Um-," Atticus begins before I tug on his sleeve.

"Ignore him Atticus."

"O-ok." He quietly says. A mild surprise crawls across my face as his fingers entwine with mine, gently holding onto my fingers with little intention of letting go. My cheek twitches into a smile as I lead him into a nearby store closer to the Amusement Park.

"I'm sorry, I don't have any ration coupons on me to get anything," Atticus sheepishly says. He slips his free hand into his pockets fishing out nothing. "Those Americans took everything."

"No, it's fine. Gowland is paying for it." I smile. He needs to pay for practically destroying the ticket booth by blowing it to smithereens. I'm still pissed about that.

"Who's Gowland?" He asks.

"My boss. Oh this would look good." I say, picking out a particular short sleeved black shirt. I don't normally like shopping but playing dress up every now and then can be fun. Especially since I soldier style and cameo colors would look best on him.

"Is there anything I could help you with today?" A worker sweetly asks, glancing over the frail boy.

"Yeah. He needs a new wardrobe and it's all going on Gowland's tab." I smile watching as her face immediately brightens up at the thought of a large influx of cash coming her way today.

"Excellent! Any particular favorites?"

"I-I don't want to spend too much-,"

"Let's see what you've got that has to do with anything black and cameo. Nothing fancy, mostly casual." I smile, patting Atticus's shoulder.

"You're getting some clothes whether you like it or not. Besides, if you're really self conscious about it then you can work at the Amusement Park to pay it off." I smile, trying to help that frown curl upwards instead. He nervously studies me for a moment before glancing away with a faint smile.

"Well, oh, I-,"

"Here you are~!" The woman happily cries, dumping large armfuls of clothes into his arms. He jolts and tilts forward, nearly losing his footing before I grab the front and help him balance the clothes in his arms. He grapples at the monstrous pile, staring incredulously at the number of clothing.

"S-Shopping with women is scary ... ," he mutters, wobbling off towards the dressing rooms with the young woman helping him.

"Here, go try them on." The woman encourages, clearly thrilled to be getting such a large lump of cash. Oh she's bent on selling us the entire store I can already tell. Oh well. It's on Mary's expense and since I'm pissed at him I'm going to spend however much the hell I want.

"Um, sure..." Atticus agrees before the woman pushes him into the dressing room. "Wah!"

"Let me know if they fit alright. If not I'll go get a different size for you." The woman sweetly offers as I take my seat in front of the dressing room, intent on waiting for him to finish to the end.

"No, no, they fit well, I need clothes that are a size or two larger than me," Atticus says from behind the curtain. In an instant the woman is off, gathering up a few different pants in a larger size before neatly sliding them through the curtain. Oh ho~ I bet she's wanting a tip too.

"Do you like baggy clothes?" I ask, curious.

"Well, you know, in case if I gain back some weight." He says as the curtain is gently pushed to the side. He steps out wearing a black tank top and camouflage pants. "Is this good?"

"It looks great." I smile, looking over the other clothes as well.

Oh Gowland is just plain screwed.

‡

"O-oh...! I'm still getting used to that." Atticus says, jolting as the sky shifts to Night. Hm. We were in there for a while. I checked the watch and was shocked to see that it had been hours since we first went in. I'll bet Atticus is wiped out. I know I would be after the first half hour of trying on clothes and such.

"It's fine. It took me the longest time to get used to it." I smile, slipping through the wide open gates.

"Give me a minute I've got to lock up." I set the bags on the ground and close the large gates, bringing around the large padlock for it and stiffly turn the large key in the keyhole.

"R-right." He says, arms trembling from the weight of the bags. Heh. I guess we did buy too much. Poor Gowland~ not. I don't feel sorry for him at all after all the hell he's put me through ever since I first got here.

BANG BANG

"EEEEEEKKKKKKKKK!" Pierce shrieks in the distance. I jump as pierce zooms out from an alley with a bloodied arm. My eyes widen before I spy his intact coat, noticing no cut marks on him. There's a good possibility that isn't his blood. I shiver at the thought and watch the mouse as he dashes past a frightened Atticus, making a lunge for me.

"J-Jackie~!" He squeals as a fork digs into his head. I cringe in sympathy, spying Boris clutching the handle of the weapon. Ugh ... stupid cat.

"You're mine!" Boris growls in a frightening voice. Pierce immediately takes off, teary eyed as he heads for an alley.

"NOOOOOOOO!"

"Boris! Quit it-," I start, jumping as I hear Atticus drop the bags.

"NO!" He shouts, frightened before running off with bright wide eyes.

"Hey wait-oh come on!" I shout, dashing after him and abandon my own bags. "Atticus come here alright? He won't bug you if you're in the apartment!" I shout trying to make him calm down, or at least head towards the apartment.

"The gun shots! Jackie-,"

BANG BANG BANG

"Boris knock it off or take it elsewhere!" I shout, pissed off that he would go and freak Atticus out like this. I turn back to Atticus, glaring at his backside. "Look just stop running alright?"

"Or what?" Atticus darkly chuckles. He glares over his shoulder, a feral look in his eyes as he sneers. He turns on his heel, whipping the Bowie knife out and dashes straight towards her. My eyes bug open as I realize what's happened.

He's switched to his darker self.

"Whoa whoa whoa wait a minute Atticus!" I shout, skidding to a halt before dashing down the road. "H-hey why are you chasing me?!"

"Run little maus, HAHAHAHAAA!" Atticus madly screams, dashing after me with a mad look in his eye. Oh man - can't I go one day without him changing on me?!

"What the heck Atticus!" I shout, catching a glimpse of his crazed eyes. Post traumatic stress disorder and a split personality ... Oh man this is bad! I grit my teeth making a sharp turn towards a large old, mansion looking building.

I'm going to lose him in the house of mirrors.

‡

Oh ho ho~ does this seem familiar to anyone? Who thinks they have a good idea as to what's going to happen in the house of mirrors? 10 REVIEWS telling me your thoughts on the chapter for the next one~ Which is one of my personal favorites. I couldn't stop laughing when I wrote it! XD