Kotori ran as fast as she could down the dirt path. Everything had gone wrong. Kaito, Tetsuo, Shark….everyone was dead. Kotori tripped and turned back in horror at the demon that was chasing her.
"Kotori!"
The golden winged form of Zexal scooped Kotori up before the demon attacked. "Kotori are you okay?"
"Yuma…." Kotori felt tears come to her eyes. Yuma was still alive.
Zexal placed Kotori back on the ground, "It will be alright. We'll…." Zexal suddenly cut off his sentence his face freezing in a state of shock before falling to the ground.
"Yuma!" Kotori started shaking him, "Yuma please wake up!"
He cannot help you.
Kotori looked up in horror as the demonic form of Don Thousand stood over her.
He wasted his time and energy trying to protect you. But now you stand alone with no power to your name.
Kotori felt her throat swell up and tears fall down her face.
"Why do you have to be so useless?"
Zexal started talking again much to Kotori's surprise but his face began to distort in unnatural ways.
"You always tag along but never pulled your weight, how come you got to stand with us in the end?" Zexal's body began to distort as well forming claws and the gold's fading into black. "You don't deserve to be with us…" He grabbed Kotori's arms with clawed hands prevent her from running as his teeth sharpened like that of a vampire, "So disappear…" His mouth widened larger than humanly possible.
Kotori could only scream.
….
Kotori sat up with a start catching her breath. Looking around she saw that she was still on the train but it had come to a stop at a lush field. Laying back down she barely took notice that her outfit had changed again this time to a simple white blouse with a green pinafore over it. But she did notice one thing, the children were gone.
"Guys?!" She sat up again, where did they go?
"Are you awake lass?"
Kotori saw a large turtle with a cow like face enter the train car, "You were shaking in your sleep earlier."
"Can you tell me where the kids went?" Kotori was now panicking.
"Chased after a butterfly but they did wanted to give you this." The turtle handed her a piece of paper. It was a drawing done in crayon and despite the childish skill, Kotori could tell that it was the four children done in brown and herself was done in green.
"At least they're in a better place." Kotori sighed in relief.
"You surprised me lass, no one calls for the train from the Dollhouse." The turtle said, "Though it keeps me busy, Alice already called the train for herself and a lad today."
"Lad?" This caught Kotori's attention, "Was he about my height and age? Red and black hair?"
"Yes…that sounds like him." The turtle responded rather confused.
So Yuma is here after all…and he's with Alice? Kotori thought, I don't think he realizes that this is Alice in Wonderland…a very twisted version though…. "Do you know where they went?" She asked.
The turtle paused in though, "Went to the Oriental Grove, could take you there if you want."
Kotori nodded, "Yes please!"
"Certainly miss, it is my duty as stationmaster after all to take all passengers to their destinations." The turtle gave a salute then went to the engine. The train started up again as they pulled away from the station.
Kotori leaned back into her seat. I wonder how Yuma's doing.
….
"OWOWOWOWOWOW! Let go already!"
Alice tugged on Yuma's ear harder, "I cannot believe your lack of manners!"
"I was hungry! And I smelt something good!"
"But you do not burst into someone's home demanding food!" Alice scolded.
"I haven't eaten a thing since I got here! Just one bite? Yuma pleaded.
"I would advise against, these are ants after all." Alice pointed out.
Yuma just gave her blank look.
"It means what they are cooking might not be fit for human consumption."
It clicked for Yuma, "Oooohhhh….So what do you eat around here?"
Alice had to resist rubbing her temples again, "Tarts….and tea mostly."
Yuma cocked an eyebrow, "You've lived on tea and tarts this whole time?"
She shrugged her shoulders, "Never really developed a taste for anything else…plus that's all the residents here seem to know how to make."
"You're missing out! There duel rice, chicken dumplings, smoked salmon, pizza…" Yuma continued to list of foods, some of which Alice was unfamiliar with. "Is food all you think about Yuma?"
"Not all the time! Okay maybe most of the time…I get hungry a lot…" He admitted.
"Perhaps we'll get some food later but first these wasps need to be dealt with."
Yuma looked around at the origami ants, "Why are wasps attacking here?"
"Sometimes it's over treasure, other times it's over land….but usually it's because the wasps are predators…and the ants are their prey." Alice said.
Yuma bit his lip and tightened his grip on the croquette mallet, he wasn't one for standing by when others need help.
"There is an ability you can use with that mallet." Alice's voice interrupted his thoughts.
"There is?"
"Let me show you…." Alice took the mallet from Yuma and focused. A small ball appeared in front of the head sparking with electricity.
"How does that even work?"
"You shouldn't ask too many questions," Alice scolded. Giving the mallet a good swing, she knocked the ball into a tablet that was leaking ink shattering it.
"Careful, they tend to bounce if they don't hit a target." Alice tossed the mallet back to Yuma. "Now get ready…we've got company."
Yuma looked up to see what she was referring to. Several large wasps were flying towards them wearing yellow robes and oni masks all wielding a katana. "Any advice?"
"Knock them out or stun them, they're easy prey after that." Alice charged forward, confusing Yuma for a bit when she turned into a cloud of butterflies and when she reformed, she was wielding a large wooden horse head in a stick. She used it like a club knocking one wasp several feet back before the Hobby Horse disappeared from her hand, the Vorpel Blade taking its place stabbing the wasp several times in the face and chest. Turning to face the others, Alice summoned her Pepper Grinder firing several shots stunning her targets before going in for the kill.
Yuma was shocked at both Alice's brutality and the unusual weaponry she was using. The wasps were backing off a bit waiting for an opening or trying not to get killed. Two of them seemed to get board of this and noticed Yuma standing off to the side and charged towards him.
Why can't everything be solved with a duel?
Yuma dodged their sword swipes and jumped back to gain some distance. Using the technique Alice showed him, he created two balls swinging them into the faces. They fell to the ground twitching with electricity.
"Finish them off!" He heard Alice call out.
They wasps were recovering and getting back up. Yuma grabbed the card deck and tossed several cards nicking their legs but a few sunk into their throats. "I didn't aim there."
"Be glad that you did, these are big pests." Yuma nearly jumped when he felt Alice behind him. "And the big one is coming."
A larger wasp wearing black samurai armor and a yellow sashimono tied to its back was slowly landing in front of them. Unlike its smaller breather, the one wielded a naginata that Yuma was certain was twice as tall as he was. "What's the plan Alice?"
"We hit it till it dies…." Alice said rather coolly was she willed the Teapot Cannon out.
"Is that a giant tea pot?"
"Do you always state the obvious? Because if you keep doing so I will aim this at you."
"Shutting up now…"
Content that Yuma wasn't going to question anything else, Alice fired two shots at the Daimyo Wasp allowing the heat of the tea to affect it then switching to the Pepper Grinder to start knocking off the armor. "You can join in anytime Yuma."
Yuma suppressed the urge to make a comment back but starting to swing more lightening balls smacking into the Daimyo Wasp cracking the armor. It seemed really annoyed by this as it charged with its naginata aimed at them. Yuma felt funny as the scenery zoomed by him and when he regained his bearings, he was standing ten feet from where he was and the wasp was trying to pull its weapon out of the ground.
"So I can do it with a passenger." It was at this point that Yuma realize that Alice had a death grip on his arm.
"What just happened?"
Alice ignored him and charged the Daimyo Wasp again only for it to pull out the naginata. Alice managed to parry it with the Vorpel Blade in time but the wasp seemed uninterested in her now as it charged for Yuma. She was about to give chase only see two more Samurai Wasps block her path, "Look out!"
Alice's warning came just in time for Yuma to bring up the croquette mallet to block the blow but was now caught in a power struggle against a wasp twice his size. He felt his muscles straining trying to keep the blade away from his head. The wasp seemed to enjoy this as it leaned its masked face in closer.
"A little out of your element boy?"
Yuma blinked, did it just talk? Alice heard it too after dispatching the two wasps that crossed her path. The wasps never talked…she thought to herself…why are they talking now? And to him?
The wasp pressed harder forcing Yuma to once knee trying to brace himself, "A kid like you in a place like this? Don't make me laugh."
Yuma felt sweat drip down his face. That voice sounded familiar somehow. But he couldn't place his finger on it. Then again he was currently trying not to get killed.
The wasp shoved on Yuma's weapon knocking the boy onto his back and raised the naginata to strike the final blow. Yuma winced and raised the mallet again hoping the catch the blow, only for it to never come. Looking back up, Yuma could see the Daimyo Wasp stagger for a bit before falling to the ground, revealing Alice on its back with the Vorpel Blade imbedded to the handle in the back of the neck.
Extracting the blade, she offered a hand to Yuma, "Are you alright?"
"Y-yeah…." Yuma took the hand and stood back up, "Tougher than I expected."
"You will get used to it." Alice heard the beating of wings and looked over head, "Looks like Caterpillar has returned, shall we go see him now?"
"But isn't that a butterfly?"
Yuma's face hit the dirt as Alice smacked his head with the blunt edge of the Vorpel Blade. "Stop questioning things."