Wondrous Nightmares
by Bloodysword99
Recommended song: Misery Bussiness- Paramore
Fanart: TBA
ALL right sorry folks!
Sorry for the late update! So I made it longer than usual!
Bwuahahaha! :3
ARCH 2:
Memento Furor
(meaning Remember Madness in Latin.)
Chapter 9: Fire and Misery
'The library smells funny, Mr Black.' The little Alice said upon entering the library with the Boogeyman. It was a fine afternoon to play in the library it. At this time of day, it was cool and cozy; perfect condition for playing. But the little Liddell always hated the smell. She didn't know what was causing this toxic scent, so, she asked the Boogeyman. And she saw him studying the room, carefully. He then pointed at her father's photographic contraptions.
'It's your old man's chemicals, girl. It helps the pictures appear on paper and it smells rather terrible.' He said before carrying her to the large armchair and setting her down nice and easy.
'Is it bad?' She asked.
'Bad? Oh yes, very bad. One spark and puff! This place will be aflame. A conflagration waiting to happen!' He sounded charming but his words were grave. It was actually entertaining to her. She always had such an odd sense of humour.
'Mama says the same to Papa!' She laughed.
'What's so funny, child? I just told you that the Library is a firetrap.' The Boogeyman said darkly but child kept laughing. He gave up and smiled at her innocence.
The memory unfolded the moment she entered the door. Alice, finally, remembered something about the fire.
"The Library was a firetrap. A conflagration waiting to happen." She agreed the Boogeyman's words back then.
With her eyes wide with wonder and pain, she glanced back at the mysterious door; the door of her past. She took in a deep breath and felt sad for laughing at Pitch's warning way back. So, swallowing the uneasy feeling, she continued her journey to find the Hatter's parts.
She had better watch out these doors. There might be more of them scattered through Wonderland.
Alice already discovered who had taken the Hatter's parts. And to her disappointment, it was the Dormouse and the March Hare who stole the items and were one of the betrayers. She wouldn't have guessed they would be a part of Wonderland's destruction but she could hardly blame them. Insanity could bend anyone to the wildest hallucinations. She was a victim of it as well once upon a time. In Rutledge Asylum, Alice was imprisoned not just by walls but in her disarrayed mind. And she could have stayed in that madhouse if it wasn't for the Boogeyman. Pitch was the sole reason she made it out the Asylum. He was her motivation. She wanted to see him again. She wanted to repay him for all the kindness he had done, for all the visits in her bedroom, for all their adventures in Wonderland, for saving her from the Fire, for his company in her solitary confinement and so much more. Back then, Pitch made her fight for her sanity. He gave her a reason to fight; a reason to hope. The Boogeyman man gave her sweet dreams that many others consider Nightmares but not for her. Pitch inspired to her Wonder and imagination like the child she is. He gave her good memories of their friendship.
He provided so much than the Guardians ever did.
"All your parts are here, Hatter. Now, pull yourself together." Alice said upon her return.
And she had to shake her head. She wasn't sure if she was disappointed with Pitch or angry seeing the events before her.
It wasn't Pitch's fault that the Hatter was pompous crazy bastard. And it wasn't his fault that he lost his composure over a topic and sliced the Hatter's head clean off his mechanical body and chased it all over the domain. The crazy bum's head refuse to stay put, so, Pitch could end their misery. And this all started with their debate between tea and coffee.
"Stay put you, witless baboon!" Pitch yelled as he was attacking the Hatter's rolling head; agile little thing. It was able to dodge his every attack.
"Gah! Bah! You're the one acting like an animal!" The Hatter' head replied.
"How dare you! I am the Nightmare King and I will be treated as such!"
After minutes of endless chasing, he finally trapped the Hatter's babbling cranium; cornered in a pile of junk, he was ready to smite him but unfortunately, Alice's timing was...untimely. She dropped from the hatch with the designated parts.
"All your parts are here, Hatter. Now, pull yourself together." She said absently and then spotted Pitch.
He froze in place with his scythe already in the air and for the Hatter's skull. The Boogeyman gave a sheepish grin. Caught red-handed.
"Pitch, what good is the Hatter if he's dead?" Alice stated while crossing her arms.
"Why, child, don't you know his murder will be good for all of Wonderland? This place might be a little less—" He darted a quick glare to the Hatter's head before continuing.
"—Crazy."
Alice grunted and her face tightened; obviously if provoked any further she would do something unladylike. And when Pitch finally gave into her harsh glare, he exhaled all his frustration and dispersed his weapon into black sand.
"You got lucky, Hatter." He growled before the Hatter stuck out his tongue in victory.
In the grotesque mechanical lair within the Hatter's Domain, Pitch crossed his arms waiting for the Hatter to fix the broken vault doors to their new-found enemies; the Dormouse and the March Hare. He had to admit the Hatter was capable of so many things (once he was put back together, that is). His screwed up brain might be hopeless but his physical ability was useful; like jumping amazing lengths, unbolting heavy doors or destroying them. But even the Hatter's talents have limits. Alice's help was needed too. She was able to shrink into small keyholes for alternate routes and flip switches to open doors. And Pitch's duty was to slice and dice any monsters in their way. If the Hatter and Pitch weren't constantly at each other's throats, they make an exceptional team but…there was something that bothered the Nightmare King.
Too many secrets, unanswered questions and unsolved mysteries. He wanted to know what he was dealing with. Alice might tolerate obscurities but not him. He'll have to get answers whether the Hatter is willing to or not.
Making sure Alice was completely out of sight, he turned to the Hatter and crossed his arms; acting stern and authoritative.
"You're avoiding the questions, you crazy twit. I want answers." The Boogeyman said when he finally had enough of the Hatter's distractions.
The tea lover sighed and leaned forward on his cane. His eyes were hard with hidden furry. No, it was more like a grudge. Pitch wasn't sure. But from the Hatter's gaze, it wasn't pleasant or angry. Hardly angry but almost.
"You want answers? Here it is; you are a part of this madness." The Hatter accused.
"Excuse me?" Pitch felt insulted, outraged and a little confused. What was he trying to say? Part of this madness? Him?
"Short-tempered and deaf, too?" The mechanical man dared to push the Nightmare King's wearing patience.
Offended, Pitch flashed his poisonous yellow eyes to the Mad Hatter and pointed a very frustrated finger at him. He had enough of his little games. It was revolting and Pitch was practically at the end of his sanity. And sure, they might not be good acquaintances but there was no room for this disrespect. Could the Hatter at least hold his misjudgment and obnoxiousness for the sake of Alice and her crumbling Wonderland, just for a moment?
"Are you accusing me of something?" He growled at him yet the Hatter kept his cool; studying the Nightmare King.
"Do you really think I would do this kind of audacity?" Pitch tried to compose himself but his bottled-up rage had already erupted. Despite the wrath he was emitting, the mechanical man shrugged it and said calmly.
"You are more than capable, Boogeyman. You always were and always will be. Alice failed to see that. And too block-headed to suspect it. You should count yourself lucky."
"Even if I can, I couldn't, I shouldn't and wouldn't do as such."
The Hatter rolled his eyes at the Boogeyman's answer while placing both gloved hands on his cane. Like a gentleman, he said with class.
"This is beyond your role. Why change? Is it solely for Alice? Or are you merely defiling Wonderland for your own selfish gain?"
That pompous bastard! He has the nerve to judge and accuse him of such heinous crimes! Pitch might be the Nightmare King but he had standards and defiling Alice's innocent world wasn't in his book. And with fury threatening to burst once more, Pitch slammed his hand against the rusty metal walls and testified.
"What would I gain from this—this MADNESS!? I would never do this to Alice. I haven't done anything!"
The Hatter dared to smirk at the angry Boogeyman. Pitch's golden eyes widen at the crazy man's next words.
"Precisely."
'Oh…'
The Hatter wasn't accusing him of anything. The reason why he was so crass with him was not because he was disrespectful or obnoxious; it was because he wanted him to realize the Nightmare King's former actions which were nothing. He had done absolutely nothing to prevent Alice's sanity from failing. Too narrowed minded on keeping Alice safe, he couldn't see the true culprit who did this to her mind; slowly but surely corrupting and polluting it.
He might as well be the criminal for his ignorance and idleness. Pitch was at a loss for words; realizing what he's done, or rather, hadn't done. Eyes wide in disbelief, he's such a fool. How couldn't he have realized it?
'I-I've done nothing…' He thought bitterly.
"Protectors are prone to such things, Boogeyman. Don't dwindle on it." The Hatter said exiting the halls and followed Alice.
Protector? What? But when he tried to ask he was already gone.
It wasn't much of battle. The Hatter took care of the Dormouse and the March Hare easily and leaving them like dead mechanical trash. While Alice and Pitch stood idle, the hatter tried to talk with his dead friends. Poor chap, but they weren't in a pitying mood. The domain was falling apart; the train has already departed and causing mayhem through Wonderland. They had no time for pity.
"Your promise, Hatter." Alice reminded.
"If you want to talk trains, go see the Mock Turtle, he ran the Looking Glass Line! Go and Leave me be!" The Hatter snapped before returning to his crippled dead mouse and rabbit; forcing tea in their throats.
The Boogeyman fisted his hand in anger. He bared his teeth and yelled.
"Wonderland is being destroyed and all you could think about is tea! Alice needs your help!" Yet despite Pitch's reasoning, the hatter would not aid them.
"He who needs help must help themselves. Whatever that is."
Pitch glared at the Hatter for breaking his promise and refusing to help Alice. In his plot for revenge, he spotted a dangling iron smelter over the Hatter's head; probably weighting 10-50 tons. Pitch didn't even give second thoughts. He summoned his scythe, cut the chains and the smelter came crushing down hard on the Hatter; causing his untimely, instant yet deserving death.
"Good riddance." The Boogeyman grunted in one frustrating short release before hiding his weapon.
"Quite sad. He deserved to die." Alice muttered.
Busy staring at the hatter's dead remains, they failed to act quick enough when the building was crumbling. Oil and tea flooded the place. It happened too fast.
"And now, we're drowning in tea…" Pitch said seeing the liquid rising to his chest.
"And ignorance." Alice finished as they submerged into the sea of herbal tea. Everything went dark.
London Port, near the fishermen's shack, Pitch woke up with a mad headache. It was like a bomb had set off in his cranium and his brain had exploded. Was this the after effect of Wonderland? He didn't recall this much discomfort visiting from the place before. Then again, Pitch thought of all the insane minds he had plagued throughout his eternal life, it was always a real pain after. Or maybe, it was the Duchess had said. If he went too deep, he might not be able to come back from Alice's subconscious. The farther he'll go, the harder it is to turn back. He has to be careful from now on.
"I've caught myself a mermaid!" Pitch heard.
Even with his disoriented and blurry vision, he was able to make out Alice's unconscious figure; surrounded by disgusting brutes.
"Take her to the Mangled Mermaid and have your way, then."
Alarmed; Pitch swiftly raced between the brutes and the sleeping girl before releasing a strong gush of black sand. The fishermen reeled back from an invisible force; almost falling over the ducts. Coughing, they rubbed their eyes of the sand and tried to compose themselves. Dazed and afraid, the brutes shifted their gazes to the possible source of the wind and found the dark silhouette of the Nightmare King; looming over Alice protectively.
"D-Demon!" One of them cried.
Pitch didn't give a damn if they saw him. He only cared about Alice. So, glaring at the frightened fishermen, he summoned his scythe from black sand and they just lost it. Oh the sweet fear was exquisite! They shook in their boots and Pitch couldn't help but cackle at their terror. The panic in their minds made his adrenaline rush. He felt like he was Nightmare King again! His old self! He hadn't properly frightened anyone since 1863. 11 years ago, the moment he met…Alice.
It was then his anger flooded back. They were brutes, pigs and were attempting to harm her! Abuse her! Take advantage her! He didn't want to ravish on their disgusting fears! He wanted their heads!
"Were you planning anything ill to this child?" Pitch growled.
"N-No! W-W-We were just—"
"If I find a single scratch on her, I will sever your heads off!" But when he said so, he paused for a while and cracked a thoughtful look.
"No, that would be too trivial for delinquents like you, I'll slice your genitals, make you eat it and then, I'll kill you! Well, assuming you survive my Nightmares first, that is." That was a disgusting notion but it did the trick.
"No, please, mercy!" They cried.
"I am the Nightmare King, you fool! I know no mercy!" The Boogeyman laughed and lifted his blade to slice and they ran like headless chicken while yelling 'demon!'
Pitch grumbled and let his scythe dissolve. A second later, Alice woke and obviously in pain.
"What happened?" She muttered.
"Nothing important." The Boogeyman answered before lending a hand to the girl and helped her up.
"What is your next step, girl?"
He saw her dusting her clothes while answering.
"We already started the journey. And also, I have so many unanswered questions. If I want to forget my past, then, I have to straighten it first."
"Good answer." Pitch leered.
No turning back now.
Pitch remembered what the Hatter said before he went back on his promise; before the battle with the Dormouse and the March Hare.
'Listen to me you, Un-royal pain in my bum.' He shoved a finger against the Boogeyman's chest and said.
'Alice doesn't need my help. She needs yours and no else. No one can save her, not even herself or from herself, at least not without you.'
'What are mumbling about? What are trying to—?' Pitch tried but he was cut.
'This is not just her journey. It is also yours.'
Before he could ask, the Hatter jumped off and battled his old friends.
That's right. No turning back. He had a few loose ends as well.
Alice was always a stubborn child. She refused to do what she's told. I guess Pitch was partly to blame for that. He had taught her well not to fallow anyone or their orders unless it's a valid reason in her perspective. It seems that staying put was a neither acceptable nor compelling order; no matter how reasonable Pitch's intentions were. She couldn't fallow the law even if her life depended on it. And alas, Alice had not stayed in the shack like the Boogeyman instructed. She marched into the Mangled Mermaid, her Nanny's whore house, with such boldness and vim. And Pitch, who had the fool's luck, had to fallow her.
"Stop girl, you're going to get yourself killed!" Pitch yelled; tailing her from the alley's shadows.
"I'm capable of taking care of myself, Boogeyman." She said stubbornly and Pitch just wanted to claw his eyes out from the frustration. He was debating whether to drag her back to the shack or putting her to sleep and carry her away.
"Oh really, Alice? You don't say?" He said sarcastically.
Alice shrugged his mockery and kept walking to back entrance of the Mangled Mermaid. Yet as Alice was about to head for the door, a huge shadow swept in front of her; blocking the path, and she stopped and glared while Pitch shifted to his original form.
"You can't even protect your own mind. So, how can you shield yourself from any other danger?" The Boogeyman pointed out.
Alice crossed her arms and stood her ground; refusing to give into Pitch's whim. He remembered her doing this method against her father and the old man would give in instantly. Her green eyes were just too potent and poisonous when they're angry. She could victimize anyone with her glare even Pitch but he had to act tough for just a little while until she gives up. He had learned when she was young she would give up her venomous glare in a matter of minutes. He hoped it still applied after 11 years. He just needed to hold until she gives up. And as said before, Pitch had the fool's Luck. She did not give up. She refused to let her glare die and the Boogeyman's unfazed façade almost slipped.
"Pitch." She said in a sharp tone. Damn, why won't she give up?
"You don't expect me to—!" Pitch tried to argue but…
"Why, if it isn't Alice Liddell!"
They looked up and saw her former Nanny at the window, Nanny Sharpe. Pitch snarled at the fat hag. Now he remembered why he hated her. She looked like a whore at first glance and she reeked of prostitution and debauchery. Even though she was a nice Nanny to the Liddell sisters, Sharpe wasn't a sympathetic person. She never understood Alice, her sister or their amazing imagination. She only considered them as pesky children to tutor. And Pitch knows what she does when she's not pleased. Nanny Sharpe was a witch when she hasn't had a good fuck.
"Nanny." She called.
"Get your dishevelled-self up here." Sharpe yelled before muttering under her breath. "I might get a coin or two out of you."
Pitch didn't think she meant asking Alice for coin. He was disgusted by her. And in alarm, he bowed low to the girl and glare at her eye level.
"She's planning to turn you into a whore, girl!"
Alice wasn't surprised.
"But she's the only lead I have, Pitch. I might get something out of her." She said calmly as she walked around the confused and frustrated Boogeyman.
It was useless. So, he followed her through the shadows.
Bad music, whisky, whores and brawls at every corner, like any other indecent bar. It was filthy and revolting. They saw rats as big cats strolling by the tables. Empty bottles and tankards were scattered. The malnourished ugly whores were throwing themselves from men to men for a reasonable price. And the males absolutely love the attention, the noise and strong drink. Pitch and Alice walked through the bar uneasily and felt disturbed from their surrounding and even what was under their feet. The floor was sticky with who knows what! And the smell! Bah! The smell of alcohol, rat piss, cigars and smoke pipe burns their nostrils. From the very scent, Pitch's head throbbed and it made the girl oozy.
"Alice, this isn't the time or place. Maybe we should return in the morning when they're all passed out drunk." Pitch suggested.
"We're already here, Pitch. So, please, I need to have a talk with Nanny." Alice replied and headed upstairs with the Nightmare King following close.
"You miserable whore!" They heard someone yell from Nanny's room and ran to the noise. Pitch and Alice came to the door and found the fat woman on the floor, frightened as a tall man loomed over her.
"Nanny!" Alice cried. And before Pitch could stop her, the girl ran between them.
"Step aside, girl!" Jack Spatter, the thug gentleman, ordered yet Alice would not budge.
"No! You leave her alone." She testified.
The man smacked an oil lamp out of rage. And the fire spread. Just like the Fire that killed her family. Alice froze at the sight of the flames. Like in a trance, she staggered from inferno. And Pitch wasn't quick enough for what happened next.
"Fine, then, I'll burn this place to the ground! I'll be back for you!"
And without a second to think, Alice was brutally knocked out by the man's backhand. Alice fell to the floor with a hard thud rendering her unconscious and the man escaped.
"Milady!" One of the whores came up and helped Sharpe up. Both of them fled, not even caring for Alice who was still on the floor.
Pitch shifted from left to right unknowing what to do, for the first time. His chest tightened. His mind raced when the scene finally processed through his head. Panicked, his shadow form swept under her and Pitch soon emerged; cradling the child. Here it was again. Surrounded by fire, smoke rising, screaming, tears and sound of burning wood, it was just like 11 years ago.
"Alice!" Yet no response.
"Wake up, girl! Wake up!" He shook her vigorously.
His heart pounded. His throat became unusually dry. His breath ragged. He looked down at the motionless girl in his arms. With his hair slightly dropping over his face and his body battered and weak, the frustrating fear rose from within him. The wrath and sadness emotion rushed in. He felt the mixed emotion playing with his mind and heart. Fear was pillaging him of his senses. He felt numb. He heard nothing. His vision was almost blurring and the touch of Alice's cold pale skin, he felt nil.
"Open your eyes, girl! You are not doing this to me again! OPEN THEM!" He demanded as the inferno was spreading all over the room.
Smoke rose from the burning rubble and Alice coughed out the harmful air. Pitch was washed over with relief but he still had to rescue her. So, he shifted into a shadow form and speared through the window to escape with Alice in his protection.
Sanderson was making his runs through London. Not the most decent or moral place in the world but the children here needed more of his good dreams than any other site. His dream sand could bless them with encouraging fantasies and to prevent them from the choking of the foulness of their daily reality. London needed Sandy more than any city. He knew danger lurks everywhere; even in their minds.
As Sandy sat on his golden cloud up the smoggy skies, he stopped when he caught black smoke rising. Panicked, he descended his sand-craft to investigate. Once he got close enough, he saw a dirty bar being engulfed in flames. The Sandman wanted to help yet he couldn't. By Guardian Law, Sandy can't mess with affairs of humans unless there are children involved. And so far, he hasn't seen or sensed one. So unfortunately, he had to leave it to the local authorities. But as he was about to turn away, he spotted a black shadow leaving the scene. And he immediately thought of the one being of shadow; Pitch Black. He could be behind this conflagration. So, Sandy raced after the black mass swiftly and quietly.
With his panic and fear completely draining him, Pitch couldn't get far. Soon, He crash-landed in another alley way. His shadow form scrapped violently against the pavement and finally rumbling against some trash of whisky bottles and other rubbish. It hurt like hell but he made absolutely sure his protective shadow didn't falter around Alice's figure. With bottles and trash sounding from the collision, he laid there for a few moments before Pitch was reduced to his original form. He was injured badly and body ached but Alice wasn't wounded so it was all good.
Painfully, he sat up; wincing from the contusions, Pitch unwrapped what was left of his protective shadow and saw Alice curled to his chest.
"Alice! Alice! Wake up, child!" He cried. And he waited for a second until the girl's soot covered face started to twitch and her eyes fluttered open.
"P-Pitch." She uttered and the Nightmare King's relief exploded.
He smiled feeling reprieved of the anxiety. He even laughed as he cradled and rocked her like a traumatic child. Pitch buried his bruised face against the side of her head and comforted the poor confused girl.
"I'm here. It's alright." He reassured and Alice could only curl against his warmth.
"I've got you, Alice."
"Alice! Alice! Wake up, child!"
Sanderson saw a girl being uncurled from his embrace and his eyes widen at the sight. At first he thought, he was capturing her but when she spoke his name, he had a second thought. Pitch then smiled (to Sandy's disbelief). He smiled! And he was just plain astonished when the Boogeyman cradled the girl tightly as if she was a precious treasure; almost taken. He staggered back slowly as he carefully studied his arch-nemesis. This was a completely new side of the Nightmare King. He would never get caught caring for anyone or thing unless it was fear and world domination.
"I'm here. It's alright." Sandy heard Pitch's uncharacteristic voice; Hush, solemn and kind.
"I've got you, Alice." Pitch closed his eyes and continued smiling.
Sandy's eyes couldn't get any wider from witnessing this…revelation. He staggered backward un-thoughtfully and ended up slipping on some whisk bottle and almost fell! Yet despite not falling, the Nightmare King sensed the presence. In a flash, wide glaring yellow eyes shot at his direction and Sandy hid behind some trash. He was fortunate Pitch was too battered to distinguish him.
"It's not safe here." Sandy heard and followed by sounding of scrapping pavement and then a loud thud. It seemed the Nightmare King tried to stand but failed.
"Don't fuss! You're hurt!" The girl named, Alice scolded.
Why was Pitch so weak? Sandy wondered. He took a peek and saw Pitch leaning against the wall; not looking too well. He has bruises on his face, his hair mucky and messy, clothes ragged and body obviously in pain. Sandy almost felt sorry for his state. But the Sandman's question conquered his mind and not pity. Why was the Nightmare King this hurt? Human entities and mortal things don't scratch him. But why was he injured to point of weakness? Was it his loss of believers? No, he had a low count of believers for a long time. The number of believers wouldn't reduce him to being hurt. Just being invisible to them. Was it some sort of illness that effect magical beings? No. Most likely not. Maybe it's…
Sandy then directed his gaze at Alice. Studying her for a while as she helped Pitch on his feet, the Guardian of dreams gave this expression like he was deep in thought before retreated to his fellow Guardians when he was finally gathered enough information. He got what he needed.
This is not a cliffhanger! :3 I think...? :3
So, any comments, suggestions, violent reactions? :3