Ace: Okay, so explain to me why I'm the bad guy in this?

Me: Well, for one thing, you smile while you kill people. For another, you're a violent terror, even by this world's standards. But also, you're being manipulated by someone behind the scenes, who is secretly the equivalent of Emperor Palpatine in the original Star Wars.

Ace: Oh, okay. Wait. How am I being manipulated?

Me: Let's just say Julius's life is on the line, and you're trying to protect him by following this jerk's orders.

Ace: (Shrugs.) Sounds reasonable.

Me: Now, on with the story!

CHAPTER 6: THE HATTER MAFIA

Alice followed her guide down the path from the Castle until the reached a huge, magnificent mansion. "Tread cautiously, my precious pearl," he warned. "We are it Hatter Territory, now, and the Hatters are a Mafia syndicate. We are currently engaged in domain disputes with them and the Amusement Park district, so we'll have to be very careful."

"Understood." Alice said simply, hoping she wouldn't be caught in the middle of a fight that didn't involve her. As they neared the gates, she saw two young boys, about twelve years old, standing guard, scythes in hand. One was dressed in a blue uniform, the other in red. They looked cute, but the pile of corpses around them said they weren't little angels.

"Hey, look, brother!" the one in blue exclaimed, pointing at her and Peter. "The Prime Minister brought us a new Onee-san to play with!"
"Really?! Sweet!" the one in red aid with a happy smile. They dropped their weapons and ran over to hug her.
"Great to meet you, Onee-san!" they said together as Alice giggled at their cute antics, obviously not minding having someone else's blood on her.

"Unhand her at once!" Peter ordered angrily, turning his pocket watch into a pistol. The boy's eye widened in horror, but Alice managed to wriggle one hand free and turn the gun away before the White Rabbit could fire.
"Peter! Has life at the Jedi Temple taught you nothing?!" she asked in disbelief, not anger.
"But Alice, things are different in Wonderland," Peter explained. "These two germs clinging to you can easily be replaced. Like me, they are just disposable cards."

"I will not hear such nonsense from my best friend!" Alice argued as the boys clung tighter. "Just because someone can be replaced at a job or in their community, it doesn't mean you can replace that person in your heart. If you died, I'd die of a broken heart. And I won't allow two children to be killed just because they are Mafia!"

"Hear that, brother?" the boy in blue asked happily. "Onee-san won't let him kill us!"
"Onee-san's so nice!" the one in red agreed.

"Okay, two questions," Alice said, now that Peter had put his gun away. "One: what are your names? Two: what does Onee-san mean?"
"I'm Tweedle Dee, Onee-san!" the one in blue said.
"And I'm Tweedle Dum," the one in red finished. "And 'Onee-san' means 'Big Sis' in Japanese!"
"I've never heard of that language," Alice said. "Clearly, I have much to learn. My name is Alice Liddell. It's great to meet you boys, too!"

"Are you little shits skipping work again?!" a new voice demanded. Alice looked up to see a man with rabbit ears, blonde hair, and unique violet eyes in a military outfit. "And who's this girl the PM brought?"

"This is our new Onee-san!" Dee said cheerfully.
"Her name's Alice Liddell," Dum said. "And we were not skipping, stupid chicken rabbit!"

"Elliot March." Peter said in acknowledgement of the March Hare's presence.

"Peter White." Elliot said with a curt nod. "What business do you have here?"

"Her Majesty the Queen has given me orders to give my dear Alice a tour of the Country of Hearts," Peter explained. "It seems Hatter Mansion is where our tour starts."

"Well, nice to meet you, Alice," Elliot said civilly, extending a hand to her. "Are you a Role-holder, or an Outsider?"
"Outsider," Alice said, shaking his hand. "I'm a Jedi Padawan from Coroscant."

"I have no idea what that means, but you're armed, so I guess that makes you a fighter?" Elliot asked.
"Jedi are not simply fighters," Alice said. "We are peacekeepers and protectors of the weak. We defend the Galactic Republic from evil. I'm a Padawan, or a squire, as this world calls the apprentices of Knights. Coroscant is my homeworld, and Peter brought me here to end Ace's senseless killings."

Elliot stared at her with wide eyes. Then he glared at Peter. "HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND?!" he demanded. "SHE'LL BE KILLED! I BARELY SURVIVED FIGHTING THAT BASTARD! HE'LL KILL ALICE AND SPIT ON HER CORPSE!"

"Elliot, what's all this noise about?" a new voice asked.
"Blood!" Elliot gasped as Alice glanced over the March Hare's shoulder. There stood a man in a white tailcoat and a black top hat decorated with roses, a few black feathers, and three slips of paper. He had wild black hair, sapphire-blue eyes, and a devilishly handsome face.

Alice didn't know him, but something seemed vaguely familiar about him. It was like a memory buried deep in her subconscious was trying to claw its way out of its grave and resurface. It gave her a slight headache, and her reaction startled the group.

"Alice?!" Peter gasped as Alice flinched in pain as the headache grew worse.
"This man's face," she breathed. "I've seen it before... somewhere long ago, in the time I don't remember..."

The man looked at her in curiosity and concern. He'd never seen her before, but somehow seeing her in pain didn't sit well with him. "I apologize, young lady," he said. "We've never met. I am the Hatter, Blood Dupre, head of the Hatter family mafia. Perhaps you are remembering someone who resembled me?"

"I don't know," Alice said, forcing the memory back into its grave. "There's a five-year gap in my memory. I don't know why your face stirred those memories, but I intend to find out sooner or later. I'm Alice Liddell, by the way. Pleased to meet you."

"Likewise," the Hatter said, kissing her hand - a gesture she didn't really understand. "And since you are an Outsider, you are more than welcome in my territory. Now, Elliot, what were you yelling about?"

Elliot pointed at Peter. "This nutjob and the Queen are sending Alice to fight the Knight of Hearts!" Elliot summed up, clearly terrified for Alice.
The Hatter's eyes widened. Everyone in Wonderland is a different shade of insane, but few were crazy enough to fight Ace. Even before he started his killing spree, he was a violent terror and a freaking psychopath. The only person he seemed to care about was Julius Monrey, the Clockmaker. He was civil with everyone else - to varying degrees. But now that he was playing for the Dark Side, people feared him now more than ever.
"And is Alice a fighter?" Blood asked.
"I wouldn't have asked her to fight Ace if she were not!" Peter said in his defense. "Alice beat level 17 in the Castle's training room, without even breaking a sweat! She can defeat Ace, on my own life, I'll bet."

"I'm not one to brag, but I'm graduating top of my class at the Jedi Temple back on Coroscant," Alice added. "My Master said he's never seen a Padawan learn as quickly as I have. And I have faith that I can defeat Ace without having to kill him."

"You haven't met him," Elliot insisted. "Ace is a crazy criminal, even by this world's standards! It took me sixty time periods to heal after I fought him."
"And what did you fight him with?" Alice asked.
"My blaster." Elliot said simply.
"And what did Ace fight with?" Alice asked.
"A lightsaber." Elliot said, clearly confused."
"And therein lies the problem," Alice said. "It's nearly impossible to defeat someone with a blaster if that person is trained to fight with a lightsaber. Therefore, the only one who can defeat him is someone else armed with two lightsabers. I'll defeat Ace and restore this world to whatever state it was in before he went crazy. This I swear."

"Well, if you're this determined, I suppose there is nothing we can do to stop you," Blood said. "But know that you are welcome to visit us at anytime, Alice."
"Thank you," Alice said with a polite bow. "And I promise not to get myself killed in this endeavor. Where to next, Peter?"

"The Amusement Park, my dear," the White Rabbit said, not looking at all happy about it."
"Very well. I'll visit again soon. Bye, guys!" Alice said, waving goodbye as Peter led her away. Amusement Park? What's an Amusement Park? the girl wondered. She was in for a treat beyond her wildest dreams!