I've got some big news at the end of this chapter so keep reading.
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Yuma rubbed his throat sore after inhaling some of the smoke Alice blew out of the pipe. "What was that stuff?!"
"Don't be such a baby," Alice scolded, "It was just opium."
"I don't think I know what that is….So what exactly happened?" Yuma asked as he looked around. The area around them changed, large mountains rose above them looking like they were made out of painted paper rather than rocks. Giant paper fans lined pathways with a few of them forming bridges. Mahjong tiles littered the ground and paper lanterns lit up the area.
Their clothes had once again changed to better match the area. Alice dress had appeared to be a cross between a Japanese kimono and a Chinese hanfu done in blue silk with a floral pattern. A pink obi rested on her waist but was tied in more of a traditional bow. Yuma discovered he had a jacket on made of purple silk with silver clouds embroidered on it fashioned in the style of dress from ancient paintings of Japanese lords Yuma once saw but the sleeves were narrowed like a Chinese jacket and cut off above his stomach showing a black shirt underneath. He also had on gray Chinese style pants and black slipper on and feeling some tugging on his hair, Yuma discovered that his hair had been tied into a ponytail but left his bangs free.
"We simply shrunk to fit better." Alice said.
"So that smoke shrunk us? Can it even though that?" Yuma saw Alice's stare, "Never mind….world of your creation…can do whatever you want. So we're on that mountain model now?"
"That's correct, Caterpillar resides here. Hopefully he will be in so we can get some answers as to where your friend is."
"Alice!"
And old voice echoed as something approached them. Yuma squinted and saw what looked like a large ant but it seemed to be made out of paper, like a living piece of origami. He had to admit, that was pretty cool.
The paper ant approached them and bowed to Alice, "Oh Alice, the Wasps have resumed their attack while the Caterpillar has taken a leave. Please save us from them!"
Alice let out a small sigh, "I hope you don't mind a detour, it seems like Caterpillar has gone for a walk anyway."
Yuma nodded, "Yeah…let's go."
…..
Kotori took a deep breath as she led her group and shifted the Blunderbuss that was strapped to her back. Right now they were navigating the streets and buildings trying to find the exit to this place. Progress was slow has the children kept getting distracted by their surrounding or become very frightful of something and it always took some time for Kotori to round them back up.
I swear we've past that teddy bear already….Kotori groaned a bit to herself. She was pretty certain that they were going around in circles, every path looked the same to her. She tightened her grip on the Ice Wand, there was what sounded like thundering footsteps somewhere and she was really hoping she would never meet whatever was causing them.
The leader girl tugged on Kotori's skirt, "They're coming…coming fast…" There was genuine fear in her voice rather than paranoia. Kotori knew why, the footsteps were coming closer. The nearby pencil fence was shattered into debris as what appeared to be a large girl doll with missing eyes and wielding a large pair of scissors stormed out. It let out a screech as a large burst of flame erupted from its mouth.
"Everyone this way!" Kotori turned the group around and ran in the other direction as the doll girl followed screeching and laughing. It was gaining on them quickly due to having larger legs.
"How do you use this thing!" Kotori waved the Ice Wand behind her as hard as she could. By some miracle the wand shot out a dense mist that struck the doll and began to freeze it. The doll shrieked as it's jointed locked up and the porcelain began to break due to how brittle it became. Before Kotori could celebrate the victory one of the boys screamed and pointed to the other end of the street. There were two more doll girls peering down the street as well as what appeared to be flying doll heads with legs as propellers. Kotori swung the Ice Wand again shooting out more mist but the flying heads were too fast and she felt her strength leaving her.
What's going on? Kotori wondered, Is this like one of those video games where you've got something like mana? She fell to one knee but the dolls were now approaching. Doing the only thing she could think of, she grabbed the Blunderbuss off of her back and held it up like the way she saw in the movies and fired. The recoil knocked her on her back but whatever she fired took out a large chunk of the surrounding buildings and disintegrated the monstrous dolls.
Kotori leaned on the barrel of the Blunderbuss for support feeling completely drained breathing heavily. She couldn't feel any strength in her legs to help her get back up. Come on move! There's going to more coming….She tried to wiggle her foot….come on move! She tried to push herself back up only to fall over.
"The champion has fallen! Let us help!" The leader called out to the other three boys. The four of them immediately ran to Kotori's side grabbing her arms and draping them over their tinny bodies and begun their best efforts to drag her along. "Hurry hurry…." The leader called, "They will be back….they won't be happy."
Kotori just felt her mind swim trying to focus on the ground ahead. As much as she wanted to sleep, she knew she couldn't. It was too dangerous right now, they had to get to safety first. She felt something grabbing her ankle, at first she panicked, but saw that it was the brain boy trying to bend her legs as if she was walking. "Left….right….left….right…." She heard him whisper the movements.
Left….right…left….right….left…right….Kotori repeated it in her head putting all of her focus on her legs. Her foot found ground and slowly….Kotori stood back up usuing the Blunderbuss as a walking stick. The children immediately circled around her arms out ready to catch her if she fell. "It's all right…we just need to take it easy for a bit." She reassured them.
Scalp boy suddenly making train noise and franticly pointing. "What is it?" Kotori asked him.
"Choo choo!" He pointed again and Kotori saw what he was referring too, train tracks. If there were train tracks, there was a train station and a train to board!
"Let's follow the tracks…." Kotori hobbled as the children took guard around her to make sure her legs where moving. Taking a guess, Kotori followed the tracks to the left hoping she was going in the right direction for the station.
"The train is coming with its shiny cars. With comfy seats and wells of stars. So hush my little ones have no fear. The man in the moon is the engineer." The children started to chant over and over again as they followed the tracks. The odd rhyme unnerved Kotori a bit but she found herself joining on the third time around. As much as it creped her out it did help her to keep a good pace going. Other than their chanting the walk was quite.
The sun was setting, or rising, or stuck in the sky when they arrived at their destination, a lone train station. Kotori hobbled up to the ticket booth only to find it empty. There was a schedule posted but it made no sense claiming trains were leaving yesterday or at tea time. One time was listed to be on Frabjous day, whatever day that was. There was a bell on the counter that said "Ring for Train" which Kotori rang several times, "Hello? Is anyone in?"
There was no answer from inside of the booth, but instead the unmistakable sound of a steam engine whistle was approaching. Kotori could see the silver engine approach the station but something else was approaching…a whole army of monster dolls.
"Crap crap crap crap….." Kotori franticly looked between the engine and the army trying to figure out which one would arrive first. Bracing herself against the ticket booth, she readied both the Ice Wand and the Blunderbuss. "When the train get's here…you all get on! No exceptions!" She ordered the children behind her. Flying doll heads were approaching first, Kotori swung the Ice Wand creating a large cloud of mist freezing the heads that were closer while others managed to pull back in time. She then readied the Blunderbuss and aimed it at the front most doll girl and fired creating a domino effect as the ones in the path of the bullet exploded sending shrapnel into others cutting them up. It didn't end there though, new monstrous doll made of sludge and industrial parts were also approaching standing at about twelve feet tall. Kotori fired the Blunderbuss again but missed her target only creating an explosion that knocked the sludge creature over and it was making an effort to get back up.
The breaks on the train were heard as it pulled into the station. "Get on!" Kotori ordered the children again not taking her eyes off the sludge monster. The children scrambled aboard panicking hiding under the seats. At this point Kotori turned away from the battle and ran onto the train as fast as she could slamming the door behind her. "GO! GO!" She called to someone, hopefully the engineer as she saw the sludge monster right itself and approached the station.
Her cry was heard as the engine started up and began to pull away from the station. Kotori watch as the scenery started to go by faster and faster and soon the train station and the monsters were behind them. It was only then did Kotori realize just how exhausted she was. She collapsed onto one of the seats having no strength left letting the rocking of the train put her to sleep.
…
FAN ART CONTEST!
I'm holding a fan art contest for all of the fics I've written in part that I am preparing to post my stories on Archive of Our Own which allows the inserting of art in the story. All you have to do is to draw a picture inspired by or based off any of my fics. And there will be a prize for each fic.
1st place for each story: Art used in Archive of Our Own posting, one shot request, art request.
2nd place for each story: Art used in Archive of Our Own posting, one shot request.
3rd place for each story: Art used in Archive or Our Own posting
All artwork will be credited to the original artists. Please keep all requests SFW and please no yaoi parings.
The due date is May 31st so just PM a link to your art to submit. If you are having a hard time submitting your work let me know.
