Kotori had taken a breath and held it as the car filled with water but instead she watched in wonder as the moment her dress had touched water, it had changed again. Shoes and socks had disappeared completely while the skirt had white ruffles in tiers and what appeared to be a jellyfish membrane with dark spines over that. Fish scales that started in a pale green and faded into pink covered her stomach and chest. Dark green decorative fins were wrapped around her waist and also formed a caplet that draped over her shoulders were the last thing to change. Noting that this outfit had granted her the ability to breathe underwater, Kotori took quick note of what the tentacles were doing right now. They hadn't lightened their grip at all and seemed to be dragging the train car somewhere. Though Kotori couldn't see the source of the tentacles and frankly, she really didn't want to know.
"I just have to get out of here without getting crushed to death…" Kotori looked around to see if there was an opening that maybe she could squeeze through. All the tentacles had each window partially covered so getting out of there undetected was a no go.
"What else I've got…got a freezing wand and a gun…that leaves very big holes behind…." An idea crossed Kotori's mind. It was crazy but…this was Wonderland after all. She raised the Blunderbuss and aimed, "Yuma, if you seeing this somehow…don't try this at home."
The blast of the Blunderbuss ripped a hole in the side of the train car and through a few tentacles. Kotori swam out of the hole as fast as she could before the tentacles could cover the hole. She kept going getting far away from the train remains as possible.
….
Alice looked over the remains of the train bridge. A huge chunk was missing and train cars were smashed and the engine on fire. Mock Turtle was sitting by the edge of the canyon crying over the remains. "What happened Mock Turtle?"
Mock Turtle whipped his tears, "She….she attacked! She ruined my train!"
Yuma ran up panting and out of breath, "Wh-why….train…" He paused to catch his breath, "Why was the train attacked?"
Mock Turtle burst into another fit of tears, "I'm a failure! I had one passenger and she pulled her into the Deluded Depths below!"
"Make sense!" Alice scolded, "Who was on board? Who attacked?"
"A young lass with green hair….Oh the poor thing!" He howled, "The Red Queen has taken her into the river!"
"Green hair…Kotori!" Yuma yelled and leapt off the edge of the cliff into the river below.
"Do you ever think things through?!" Alice called after him jumping after him.
Yuma didn't care as he hit water, his clothes changing to their aquatic appearance, "Kotori! Kotori where are you!" There were train and bridge bits everywhere but no sign of her.
"YUMA!" Alice swam down to him her dress changing accordingly to the environment, "What were you thinking!? What if the Red Queen was still here?"
"I would fight her off and get Kotori back!"
"With that?" Alice pointed to the croquette mallet, "That would be a mosquito bite to her."
"So what would work?" Yuma asked.
"This…." Alice held out her hand and summoned a new weapon, one that Yuma didn't recognize. It was a staff made of crocked wood that curved into a hook at one end and in that hook was a yellow eyeball.
"What is that?"
"The Jabberwock's Eye staff. One of the two weapons capable to deal enough damage to the Red Queen." Said Alice, "Used this on her before and looks like I'll have to do it again."
"So where is she then?" Yuma looked around looking for a sign for anything.
"Must have retreated her tentacles back to her main body….possibly with your friend."
"Not if I can help it…" Yuma started swimming down the riverbed following the train of debris. "Alice! You need to see this!"
Alice swam over to talk a look, it was a single train car that was semi-crushed but there was a large hole blasted into the side. There were also some chunks of flesh that Alice was sure belonged to the Red Queen that were scattered about.
"Kotori!" Yuma jumped into the hole and searched the train car, "There's nothing in here…."
Alice prodded one of the flesh chunks with the end of the Eye Staff. There was only one other weapon that she knew of that could of created this kind of damage…
"I think she got out…" Yuma climbed back out of the train car, "But how did Kotori make this hole?"
"She might of picked up some of my old toys like you have…Cheshire's right….I really shouldn't leave them lying around." Alice muttered to herself.
Yuma just sighed and looked off into the depths, this was the first clue he had to where Kotori was but it didn't leave any good news.
"The car was being dragged in that direction…." Alice looked over the scene, "So the most possible path your friend could have taken to get out of the way…." Alice looked down the ravine, "Is the Lost Souls Locker."
"Is it…haunted?" Yuma asked.
"Unfortunately yes….let's hurry. If the Red Queen don't get your friend first…the ghosts will."
….
Kotori shivered and hugged her weapons closer to her. After out swimming the searching tentacles she had ended up in a rather dreary area made out of the ruins of sunken ships. It was really giving her the willies. Just hearing a slight creak was enough to make her jump.
"You think hanging around Vector long enough you would get used to this stuff…." Kotori muttered to herself.
Some falling debris caused her to jump and spin around in fright. Still hearing her heartbeat in her ears she tried to calm herself down when she noticed something. It was very subtle, but it looked like there were small isolated currents flowing in the water. Kotori squinted her eyes trying to make out what she was seeing. Please let it not be an invisible monster…or a ghost…please don't let it be a ghost.
Her answer came in an exploding fireball that landed in front of her. Kotori screamed in pain as she felt the heat of the flames on her arms and stumbled back trying to keep her distance from the fire. Her assailant still remained unseen but another fireball was flying but Kotori countered it with the Ice Wand. A whistle alerted her to something behind her and turned in time to dodge another fireball. Recovering from the shock, she could see several ghostly apparitions flickering in and out of existence approaching her. They looked human, but shriveled with death and very angry. Screaming, Kotori fired the Blunderbuss several times but it only phased through the ghosts and riled them up even more. Several dived into the ground sending Kotori into hysterics as to where they went.
Where'd they go?! Kotori pointed the Blunderbuss in random directions, Why did it have to be ghosts? How do you even fight ghosts!?
The ghosts suddenly emerged from the ground underneath her with a mighty uppercut that sent Kotori flying. Hitting the ground hard, Kotori was sure she heard something snap inside her. The ghosts where approaching her readying their fire bombs. Kotori could only close her eyes and cry out, "YUMA!"
She felt the heat from the blast, but not the pain of it. When she opened her eyes, there were two figures in front of her. There was a woman holding was appeared to be a parasol that had shielded them from the blast dressed in an aquatic themed dress similar to Kotori's. However, the one now holding her was much more familiar.
"Are you okay Kotori?"
Kotori blinked a few tears back, Yuma did end up here after all. "Okay? Do I look okay!? Do you know what I've been through today?!"
Yuma pouted, "Can be worse than I've seen."
"I shot a giant doll monster!"
"I nearly got eaten by a giant wasp and a fish!"
"Can you two put off your lover's spat till later?" The woman asked the two of them causing them to turn beat red.
"We're just friends Alice!" Yuma shouted back.
Alice? Did he just call her Alice? Kotori wondered looking the woman over again, Is that the real Alice?
Alice looked over the approaching ghosts with a look of boredom, "I thought I put you all to rest…unless Carpenter is up to his old tricks again. No matter…I'll do it again." She whipped out the Pepper Grinder and fired at the visible ghosts stunning them before dashing at them cutting them to ribbons.
Kotori watched in awe and fear. This was not the same young Alice described in the books. This one seemed ruthless and cold.
"Yuma, take your friend and get out of here. I'll find you later." Alice said.
"You sure?" Yuma asked.
"I'll be fine…I promise."
Yuma nodded, "Okay, come on Kotori." He helped her up careful of her burns sliding her weapons into his sash to secure them. "See you later Alice." He called back and he led the two of them off.
Alice turned back to the ghosts, "Now…" she said as the water churned around her, "Who's first?"