Chapter 4 – Finally!

Max felt her two friends move her towards the pools of different coloured lights she had seen by the door earlier.

"You went through all the tutorials right?" Asked "Donald" Max found it so odd a teenage boy's voice emitted from the anthropomorphic Duck's mouth.

"Uh yeah, sure" max nodded finally breaking herself of her stare "The only thing that has gone past me is. Why am I a kid? I mean you guys look like adults in here…"

Ashley's Goofy waved a large hand and chuckled. Strangely enough her chuckle suited the odd looking creature.

"That's just how everyone starts off, you did notice all those other guys you were training with right?"

Max nodded "Right, yeah…." Now that she thought about it, it made sense. Rendering her question a bit pointless.

"I remember when Donald here was just a little bit of pond scum himself. I took him under my wing" Ashley's character showed off his two buck teeth.

"Pond scum?" Daniel snorted, using a hand (or rather a wing) he flicked a rather glittery scarf he had been wearing around his yellow beak.

Max had to admit both 'Donald' and 'Goofy' were well equipped for such goofy characters. With Goofy's golden armored gauntlets. Golden chain mail tunic topped with billowing velvet green pants he was ready for combat.

Donald's robes were more mystic wanting to blend in to his environment. (Daniel was never one to stick out in a crowd anyway compared to his twin sister.) Now that Max looked closer at the duck's it seemed to reflect the night sky, with swirling silver stars and even a moon stitched into it. His wide brimmed wizard's hat cast shade over his big blue eyes. He was also protected by light armor plates that ran down his chest and his wide feet.

"Alright hold on Maxxy, don't want to get separated."

"Huh?" All of a sudden Max felt herself lifted up by her companions and shoved into a green pool of light. Everything flashed around her as she sunk through going to the next world.

Max fell to her rear, holding her head feeling dizzy from the whole experience.

"Whoa…" she mumbled "Where are we now? Ash?"

Ashley hauled up her friend by the under arms whispering into Max's ear "I have to ask you to call us by our character names now. People get a little sensitive when you break the role play thing…"

"What is there a lynch mob in waiting if you don't play their 'game' properly?" Max's cheeky grin fell when she didn't see Ashley or rather Goofy crack a smile. Relenting she sighed "Alright, Goofy, Donald lead on… to where ever the hell we are going…"

"Alright!" Goofy unfurled a scroll from one of the many pockets in his braided leather belt. "Hrmm, let's see here…"

Now that Goofy's back to Max she noticed a large shield and long sword strapped together on her back. 'Must've just come back from a quest, it would explain all the armor…"

Max tore her eyes away from the pair as she looked around. They were in some kind of forest. Yet Max had a strange feeling, it didn't look like any 'normal' forest. In fact the trees looked like they were sculpted into shape. Max peered closer at a nearby rose bush that was grown into a circle. She squinted looking at the 'red' roses.

"The hell…?" Engaging on of the flowers Max reached out her stubby male fingers just about to touch a petal when.

"Max!" Goofy pulled her back with a shrill tone "Jesus don't touch that!"

"What why?" Her eyes went round as she fixed her tunic and brushed off her brown shorts.

"You're barely a level one that would have killed you!" Goofy scolded.

"What it was just a rose right?" Max shrugged innocently.

"They are laced with 'red death'" 'Donald' explained. "The Red queen orders her followers to do that every so often, so only she knows a safe path in and out."

Max gasped "What? You mean someone has taken all this" she indicated with her finger on the map Goofy held.

"Evil doers can take over any land they want. Villain's rules, Princes are the only ones with enough influence to take it back. It just sucks that she had to take this one, it was always such a great place for newcomers to start. It's where we started…" Goofy added.

"If we can't get out then why are we here?" Max wondered her impatience growing.

"The Red Queen lets us stock up. It's a traders market and she rules it. She is the best alchemist I've seen, and nice enough if you know… you can pay her back…"

Max shook her head Daniel was always the diplomat, but to her she just sound greedy. "I don't think we should support her if she is doing this, this is just not fair. People shouldn't have to watch out for death trees! This is a dictatorship!"

"Again with the liberty speeches. Now you're talking like a DiZ'nee Hero!" Goofy laughed his face fell continuing. "But right now, we haven't got a choice the sooner we get supplies the sooner we can get back to the Troop."

'The Troop?" Max thought back, she had heard Ashley mention something about a Troop when she first started the game a year or so ago. Not that she'd ever go into too much detail, she would always say 'Max you have to wait till you get the game'. 'Must be her clan or something…'

As the three trudged along Max took in her surroundings. There were several different coloured paths leading this way and that into the twisting and dark parts of the land. It was eerie that this place was so colourful. Twisted trees hung over them. There were traps everywhere to which Donald could spot using the light from his staff. Not to mention the constant feeling that they were being watched. On top of that the dead silence was not helping matters.

She even swore she saw a garden of flowers cackling evilly at her.

"What the hell is this place?" Max asked "I didn't see this anywhere on the cover..."

"This coming from someone who watched all the Saw movies." Donald rolled his eyes.

"Hey that was just pointless gore. Not scary at all…Except for the first one. At least that was half decent" Max's tone stayed dry.

"It was a really bright and happy place to play once. New players would meet friends here and clans we still have today were made here. But that was under 'Good' influence. Now it's become gnarled and horrible because of the Queen's 'Evil' influence." Goofy explained using animated movements.

"So, depending on your alignment and decisions in here you can change your environment?" Max asked

"That's the gist of it" Donald nodded.

"Okay, that's pretty cool" Max admitted staying close to her friends.

"We're here to see the Red Queen" Donald puffed out his chest standing before the other two. After what seemed like an hour or so of navigating the Horrible Forest. They finally made it out through to the castle gates. Not that they were the easiest to spot, it looked like the gates were shaped from more square hedges. Max had to admit, it was an awesome design. Cascades of red death roses were strewn over the walls with a mix of plain white roses. Statues of gargoyles sat atop the walls watching all who dare enter.

"State your business" came an English accent of the knight. A large red heart carved into the front of his silver armor.

'Geez they take this whole role play seriously huh…' Max thought to herself deciding on staying silent. Sure she loved video games but she was never this into them.

"Supplies and Trade." Donald tapped the butt of the staff against the pebbled path.

"Very well, won't be a moment" He replied and with that he paused, then a confirmation screen came up before them.

'Red Queen has allowed trade, would you like to proceed?'

Donald and Goofy agreed, as did Max as she was part of the party of three. Once sorted the three went through the gates up to the throne room of this 'Red Queen'.

Their footsteps echoed against the marbled floor. They were stared down by various guards who either seemed to bear a Heart, Diamond, Spade and Club symbol on their armor.

"I already have 6 of these!" Came a shrill female voice from the end of the hall.

"It's all I could get! I'm sorry!" begged a small orange furry creature. He must have been new due to the sheer size of him "I'm only a Level 3…"

"I'm only a level 3!" Mocked the royal "Red Queen" sitting her throne of gold and rich red velvet. A horde of items and treasure all around her. Max snorted surprised that she didn't lose most of her treasure due to the sheer size of her behind. "I have heard enough! OFF WITH HIS HEAD!" she screamed.

"No please!" the little guy begged dragged away by her knights while she waved a hand dismissively.

"God, poor guy…." Goofy shook his head sadly.

"Wait, can't they just respawn?" Max asked shrugging not taking it as seriously.

"She deletes accounts, and takes any loot anyone has." Donald explained.

"How is this not stopped by the admins?" Max hissed "This is B S... Happiest Place my-" Max stopped by her friend's words.

"Who knows… it's just always been like this…" Goofy shrugged

"Shhh, it's our turn" Donald hissed.

"Your Highness, I present Goofy the Defender and Protector of Clan Goof Troop." Max could hear Ash's stifled laughter. "And Donald the Mystic of the Mighty Ducks… along with Max"

Everyone around her looked rather deflated at her lack of creativity for her screen name. But quickly got back on track. Max looked up at the Red Queen. She was rather 'curvaceous' with long black hair that ran down her shoulders. Her round face covered with pale makeup. Her lips painted bright red matching her glorious gold and red dress. Her eyes coated in more black liner than Max had ever worn in her life.

"Well?" she ushered impatient.

"Your highness" Donald bowed. "We need some supplies, would you like to trade?"

"Better be something good, you know the punishment if otherwise" the woman told them.

"Yes of course"

It made Max sick to the stomach seeing Daniel and Ashley act like this. It sounded like they were genuinely afraid of this person. Max folded her arms keeping her mouth shut.

Donald and Goofy presented the Queen with various rings and jewels they had found even some crafting items. The Queen smiled her dark eyes falling upon Max.

"She didn't come with us, she actually joined today" Goofy explained putting a hand on Max's shoulder.

The Queen looked over them as silence hung of them like a blanket of thick wool. She looked unimpressed.

"It's his Birthday?" Goofy added as a last plea.

"Oh how lovely!" The queen smiled her disposition changing. "Very well I will let you pass for now." The Red Queen smirked "I hope –"

Suddenly men burst in restraining someone by the arms roughly.

"Let me go please! I haven't done anything wrong!" A twitch of recognition buzzed through Max's skull.

"Stand aside!" The queen ordered the three as they moved immediately the Queen lent forward on her chair. "Who is this?"

With that the minions threw the captive to the ground roughly making her yelp. "I was just-"

"Silence!" the Queen Screamed "Knight of Heart's tell me where you got her!"

"She was in the gardens majesty, fraternizing with the guards" He told his queen.

"No!" the young girl squeaked. Her clothes flowed about her like a dance. A small white tunic sat over her bubbly blue dress. With a silver and blue cape reaching the small of her back draped over her neck shielding her neck and chin. A black ribbon pulled back her blonde locks. Bright blue eyes pleaded up at the Queen.

"Is that another alchemist?" Donald asked Goofy.

"Looks like it…. She has alchemy gauntlets and boots, but I thought they were rare?" Goofy thought aloud. Max's eyes would not leave the girl there was something familiar about her voice.

"Fraternizing!?" the Queen howled.

"No! Please I was just helping them paint the roses red!" The girl told the queen "They looked tired!"

"How dare you speak to me peasant! And how dare you touch MY property! Take her to the dungeon!"

"Wait! I need to find my friend! It's her birthday today-!"

"Alice?!" Max exclaimed before she could help herself all eyes on her now.

"Only speak when spoken to boy!"

All her will was gone exploding into a "Shut up!" Sending gasps through the halls. "Do you mind, moving your mouth away from the microphone, it's fucking annoying!" Max was at Alice's side now. No one picked on her friends, especially not some 12 year old behind a computer.

"How dare you!" the Queen growled "Do you know who I am?!"

"Yes…" Max rolled her eyes "The crown gives it away, your highness" she replied sarcastically.

"Maxine is that you?" Alice asked "I well… I thought you were a girl?"

"I am" Max replied "Well not here, but… I am! I thought you were stuck?"

Alice shrugged with a helpless smile "Well it was a half-truth, but I must admit I did break my promise"

"Hmm?" Max asked

"I kind of tumbled into a Rabbit Hole, literally…" Alice giggled.

"Wait who is this? What's-" Donald was cut off

"OFF WITH THEIR HEADS!"

"Shit!" Goofy barked "Run!" the knights drew their weapons locking onto them.

Max grabbed Alice shoving the guards aside "Come on!"

"Oh goodness!" Alice gasped "who knew Wonderland would be such a violent place…" Alice mumbled under her breath.

The now party of four pelted as more and more guards chased them. Max snorted "this place is called Wonderland?"

"Yeah…" Goofy told her laughing drawing his sword and shield. Deflecting enemy fire while Donald waved his staff this way and that carving a path through their enemies. "The Red Queen has a sick sense of humor."

"Alice in Wonderland…." Max put together "Somehow that has a good ring to it!"