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It seems that what Aria discovered the past chapter was a bit confusing , but basically she discovered that :
-Lorina was a manipulative *** that gave up her life chance to bring Alice to Wonderland because she had the same mortal disease that mother and older sister had.
-Wonderland can bring and keep a foreigner to the moment when they were most happy (that´s why Alice is like 16 in Wonderland) … Please bear with it. A little further in the story there will be an explanation about the time difference with her world (remember that no one in wonderland knew tango or most of her stuff? )
-There is a key that can open or close any door or way in Wonderland (if you remember the original book or almost any movie adaptation there is supposed to be a golden key in the beginning)
-The life possibilities of a foreigner are what powers this world. Like … if you have to choose between vanilla and strawberry for ice cream, no matter what you choose, there is other choice available that you didn't take and end up in a what if? . And every little thing can create many choices (what if instead of the ice cream you end up just buying a drink? Then what drink would you buy?... etc) . All the choices not taken but that had the power of existing.
-Alice is in a state of quantum inmortality, that means that the choice where she is alive is he possible one for her in wonderland . Like if you do something really stupid like drinking poison you have like 99% chances of dying , but there is still 1% chance of surviving, so you get that lucky 1% and Wonderland eats the other 99%, a win-win situation so that you can continue doing stupid things that will generate more percentages for Wonderland to eat. And people from Wonderland can only get so few chances and not really generate new, unless a foreigner is around to generate those possibilities for them VG if the rules makes 2 roleholders fight but a foreigner stops the fight then they get a chance to perhaps go with the foreigner to do something else and a bunch of new possibilities are created, like going to the amusement park, going to get a sandwich, etc (thats also why her vial filled faster than Alice´s, because she created many chances with everyone and continuously)
-The vial converts energy to mass, it synthesizes those possibilities into something tangible (a liquid is actually the best for that)
-Aria feared but suspected that just like Alice she might have come into some part prior of her life.
Aria is also almost at the point of mental breakdown, she made a mathematical pun that meant "I just blew my mind", go ahead and Google in images for "divided by zero"
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CHAPTER 14
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Bunsen managed to reach the place where the frozen prey he wanted was. Now he needed to find a way to get it out of the ice and to his human. He got close to sniff and scratch the ice. He circled it, jumped over and went around.
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-Meow! Grrr….
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The ice was stubborn and he was frustrated.
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-ROAR!
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Bunsen scared himself with the powerful sound but when he calmed down he felt that inside the ice something about the bird was responding, like a warm breeze inside the ice. He felt such in his tiny clock. So curious as he was he decided to try again as if it was a game.
Various times he tried until he was almost bored, but then far away he felt a shiver spread from the marks on his leg and ear, he felt as if his human was in distress and that distressed him. He didn´t like distress, so his purpose for coming here was renewed with conviction and this time he charged with all his strength at the ice and with all his intent he roared at it. To his surprise the ice gave up to his might and it shattered down.
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Aria was on a high alert state. All her sensors were active and she advanced with utter caution as if this was a possible battlefield.
The place was just as her dream had been and the only sound was the faint crushing sound of the snow under her feet. This time things were real and she wasn´t sure if she was ready for the truth. She had passed through and discovered too much too fast; she seriously was anxious and somewhat adamant to the point that it could considered as being almost afraid.
Joker had shown her that he taunted Alice with her forgotten past and guilt. And if she was in a situation like Alice´s then…
Then what if she was or had been unable to fulfill her mission? The reason she had for remaining alive. The reason why she had gone all the way to this point. If it was futile then her life and existence was too. She tried to put the thoughts aside and decided that "al mal tiempo darle prisa" , she better get done with it.
She reached the shore and saw one of the big shards nearby. She got close an saw her reflection; it was normal and that was even more unnerving. But she knew that what she needed to see was not only for her. The place was supposed to be something like the prison, right? Wasn´t the earrings camouflaging her with a bit of Joker´s essence? Maybe this place was supposed to be part of this country´s Joker´s territory and maybe that was why the place had reacted to her earrings, and that meant that it was something related to Joker, maybe a past one, the one the one from Diamond of her best friend(s).
Thinking about it… The earring had given her a connection with Joker. Maybe that had been why she has followed with his little plan at the concert. It was possible; She had said so : "Doors can be crossed both ways".
But there were more pressing things at the moment.
Aria took a deep breath and did her trick of channelizing energy to her devices. She felt as if some mist were crawling over her skin despite her suit, and she looked into the shard. She felt an amazing pull before everything blurred.
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Ace was as lost as always and was somewhere in the middle of the woods, he was wearing his cloak and mask just in case he was at one of the points where Alice had been there because he didn´t want to be seen by himself, neither the young or the adult; somehow he was currently having trouble and fun fighting a brown haired old man that had red eyes and that reminded him of someone but couldn´t quite place who. The man was using black clothes and looked to be past his forties, some grey hairs were already on his head and on his beard. For a roleholder, that meant that he was reaching the end of his days and would probably be killed soon; the wounds the man had attested that he had been attacked constantly and hadn´t been able to finish the fights unharmed anymore .
That probably was why the man had attacked him head on even though he had a wound, well it was not as if that was strange in Wonderland.
If the man provided him with a little fun and /or useful information he would spare him from the disgrace of getting killed by faceless by executing the man himself.
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-I haven´t seen you before. You must be a new holder – The man asked after a blow from his sword that almost cut Ace´s arm off- Who are you?
-Not exactly new. But it´s nice to meet you sir! You fight well despite your age :D
-Don´t take me lightly son. Don´t you know who you´re facing? – The man said with a grin. He was giving Ace a run for his money.
-Nope, are you a knight? – The man was VERY good with a sword, so he probably was a prior knight from Diamond.
-A knight!? HA!, I killed both of them already boy. One of them recently. – The man stated with pride -Are you one their replacements?
-So you aren´t a knight, sir? On the mafia´s then?- Ace was having fun, even more fun than dueling the lizard. – Hey Mr. don´t you know a way to travel in time by chance?
-Time is meaningless in this world. If you wanted to go somewhere you should have gone to the Dodo´s mirror. Too bad that you wont get out of here alive. – The man said and kicked Ace aside gaining distance after a fake move with the hilt of his sword– I´m the executioner of Wonderland, son. You chose the wrong person to mess with.
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The past executioner! That explained his skill. Ace smirked as the man looked proudly over him with an equal smirk. Both knew that this would be a great battle were both of them would fight with everything they had and only one would survive.
Ace couldn´t get himself killed now, his trio awaited him. His dame was in distress and Aria was in need too. XD
On his part, the man couldn´t let himself be killed, there was someone alive that he loved and that needed him. But he knew that he was old for a roleholder already and would not receive quarrel until he was killed. The only way to avoid dead was to kill all those who would try to kill him.
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-This will be fun, right sir?
-I shall be, son.
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Wonderland choose the moment to change the time to evening and after a few seconds and as soon as the sky finished turning a reddish orange shade both men launched themselves forward to clash their swords with their opponent.
The battle was fierce; this old tiger still had edge on his fangs and Ace was actually learning a move or two from him, he especially liked the dash that had thrown him to the ground and almost got him cut in half. After a little while both were hurt and had multiple cuts over their bloodstained bodies.
But time was merciless on age and the man was tired, if he had lasted so long was due to technique and spirit but such were not enough and soon the old tiger was brought down to the ground by Ace who had his sword ready to end it.
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-You´re going to take my role, right son? – Ace could almost swear that his words were a plea.
-Yes sir – And he would. He was in the past, so at some point his younger self would see Julius being killed and would go on a quest for strength and revenge that would get him to take on the role of executioner - It was a good fight, thank you ^_^
-Ha, ha, indeed it was fun ^_^ -The man said with a goofy smile despite knowing he was unable to get up anymore- Better to end like this. At least my runt will be spared of my dreadful role, I had hoped he´d be. Go on son, end it.
-Any last words sir?- Ace could be knightly as that, he HAD to. It was not as if the man could do anything, he was already bleeding to dead.
-Just an Advise son. You´re taking on a hard role, if you don´t know where you want to get then it wont matter which road you take. If you can´t find your way then get yourself someone to get to. Don´t get lost. Much less lose yourself or that someone else.
-Goodbye, sir- And Ace´s sword did the work swiftly and with dignity.
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The sound of footsteps over the dry leaves that had been nearing stopped close by.
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-Dad! I caught a fish! …Da… Dad…?
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The little boy was probably between 7 and 10 years old, he had messy brown hair and red eyes and was looking the scene wide fearful and teary eyes. Ace turned around to see a small kid holding a fish in a stick looking at him while the body of the past executioner remained for half a minute more before vanishing, leaving behind only a clock and a glowing orb of the executioners role. Ace recognized the boy immediately. There was no doubt about who the kid was, he knew it. It was his younger self.
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-Meow? (Hey birdy?)
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Jericho Bermuda was lying in the cold floor. He tough he heard something. He wasn´t sure what had happened.
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-Yeow! (Wake up!)
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A little weight over his chest made him try to open his eyes.
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-Nya… NYA! (You're alive, so move!), brr….., meow, meow, nya (C´mon… you´re my prey –It whined- Im taking you as present)
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It was blurry and he was surely hallucinating, over his chest he though he saw a lion but there was a kitten jumping over him and he could had imagined that behind his meowing he had heard words.
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Biggs and Wedge were amazed, they had successfully cleared out the place with only minor injuries. They had the surprise element and they had used it with some other distraction techniques their boss had tough them. But when it came down to fighting and kill they found out they had become very strong. A lot more than they had thought or than a faceless could imagine to be without becoming a roleholder.
They spent quite a while reckoning the place to ensure that they had cleaned it up until they were absolutely sure they had.
The carnage had been exiting, but there was no more time to waste and they wanted to reach their boss ASAP and personally thank her or save her if needed. They were now confident about being strong enough to be of help and they had a bad feeling that something bad might be about to happen to her.
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Grey was looking at the train wagon he had managed to get. It was really old but it was the best he´d get, it had been amazing that they had even got this.
He was at some hangar like place outside a small town that had escaped most of the conflict in clover, where the lullaby had told him it would be. They had even managed to get a couple dozens of meters of tracks and had set it up ready. How they had managed to do it was a mystery, but it was also a mystery why they seemed to be so concerned about the foreigner and he wondered if (or how much) Aria had done to help them grow.
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-There is still much we don´t know regarding her doings. –Nightmare- It was foolish to assume that she was working or involved only with roleholders.
-Now what do we do? Can you really make this old thing work? – Grey was a bit dubious, but he was also concerned for Nightmare´s health. It had been a long time since he had been the train station master.
-I will manage somehow. Diamond is stirring and there is someone at the train station managing things. I feel it.- Nightmare said- I just hope it´s her.
-Then that´s the place where I´ll start.
-Nope. That´s the place where WE will start.
-What!?
-I´m going too.
-But… !?
-This is a real emergency. On many levels.-Nightmare changed his tone to something more relaxed
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Aria had seen it.
But she had seen already too much in and about this world. Was she supposed to be surprised? Should she be … sad? Was she supposed to feel anything? WHAT!? No emotional connection. For her it was like reading a book, playing a videogame or watching a movie. But none the less she was affected.
Why would anyone would want that anyways!? And yet… she did felt something. And she didn´t know if it was the earrings influence or her own limited but existing capacities.
She didn´t know if she wanted an answer to that either. There had also been some disturbing images inserted between the main story she saw. Images of her that she didn´t recall and that were disturbing.
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FLASKBACK
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An enormous mass of shadows and darkness had chased them through the deserted corridor.
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-I´ll slow it down, you take him away!- One of the two women turned around and transformed a whip into a big Blunderbuss gun and proceeded to discharge the weapon on what was pursuing them managing to halt its advance momentarily.
-But you can´t stay here! –The young man didn´t have time to do anything. The woman took off her earring and put it into his hand without losing aim. Then the other woman just nodded and didn't have any problems to drag him away by force.
-But she… YOU can´t! – The young man clearly didn´t want to leave behind the look alike of the woman that was dragging him and pushing him through a mirror.
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Once at the other side of the mirror they found themselves in a small field were a lake was be nearby. The woman used a small golden key in the plasma like substance that seemed to compose the mirrors surface of a crystal shard and turned it like one would with a normal key on a door´s keyhole.
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-Are you well? – He held the woman by the shoulders with strength and clear worry and fear.
-No. Not even I can survive the Jabberwocky…–She seemed very out of it.
-If I hadn't lost the vorpal blade against the Bandersnatch. Isn´t there any other weapon that can be of use!?
-Nay. The winxy pistol was lost on the unicorn…We got away in Diamond… But even if I locked the way … now Spades has fallen.
-The Jabberwocky? That thing devoured everyone! What was it looking for!? It seemed to have been searching for..!
-DON'T DESPAIR! … It feeds of it – She pleaded – You´d only give it more strength
-What!?
-Think of it. If a foreigners love and happiness gives life to this world, what do you think a foreigners hate and despair creates?
-That thing… feeds of outsider´s bad feelings…!? – He asked with shock
-That thing IS and holds the foreigners bad feelings. It was supposed to gather such emotions, but it´s been doing so for a long time and has been gaining power with each foreigner that comes to this world since before there were holders of roles.
-It… it was looking for me isn´t it?- He looked at hear with regret and guilt.
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She turned her head to the side avoiding his gaze before nodding.
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-Aye, it was. Although I´m not sure why. I don´t know how it got free from its prison either. But as long as a foreigner feels it will pursue such beating heart.
-Then why didn´t you let it get me!? You should have killed me! Now you… your other you… everyone… -He was angry and remorseful and it was reflected in his defeated expression and the tears that were flowing freely from his eyes.
-Why are you crying foreigner? We are replaceable. Now you´re out of its reach, so it should disappear and lay dormant … even if Spades won't be in reach anymore and it´s been condemned to disappear slowly, people there will still exist for a while…
-YOU´RE NOT REPLECEABLE!...- He said and hugged her tightly – You´re not!…this is all my fault…
-It´s not- She hugged him back.
-But Spades…. Everyone… You… - He released the hug and looked at the earring he had been given from the one that stayed behind. It looked like a frowning mask
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She took off her own earring with a smiling mask and put it into his hand with the other and closed his first over the jewelry pieces and then held his hand into hers.
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-Wonderland will find a way.
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He looked at her dubious of her words.
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-Would… would you have married me if I had asked?- Despite his blush and the tear strains he had a serious look.
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She let go of his hand in surprise but he reacted and held her again. Then her single red eye narrowed at him.
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-Don´t you dare pity me!
-I don´t! I…. I love you! I love both of you! And I wish I had said it sooner… I would have liked…
-Shut up foreigner –She shut him up herself with a kiss.
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When they separated again she asked him if he would accept her connector, which he of course did. However she knew that she wouldn´t last long for her role required two and one was already gone, so she considered the best she could still do.
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-Will you leave if I go? Would you sacrifice your chances to flee?
-The only place I would flee would be by your side –He said and gave her his vial
-Then Let me do this for you - She said with teary her eyes that disclosed the lies of her smile.- Another holder for my role will come and I be selfish as such for I myself shall be the only one in right to tease and jest with tee. I want you free from at least the ill interventions of my role.
-What? But you are still here.
-I know not for how long and I´d rather make use of myself while I still hold the power to do so.
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She kissed him again and put the earrings on him with care with the help of a chain around his neck. Then without more ado than a goodbye, she dried out the foreigners chances of ever going back to his world as she dissolved her being into the connector she had possessed and that would go on with its new purpose of the jewelry pieces, giving them an adavantage for the foreigner that would dare to wield such memento.
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END FLASHBACK
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It could have been the end of the story had it not been because of its epilogue.
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-Madness is more than a mental state… here it has repercussions. The Madness of wonderland is dangerous for foreigners, but the madness from my world is far more dangerous to wonderland.
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Aria had seen it too.
Dreams of conquest and revenge have filled the foreigners mind, and wonderland had defend itself by forcing a desire of raging destruction called "madness" on the foreigner, making his mind so violent and gone that roleholders had to put such foreigner down for they had the strength to do so before it damaged this world more and it had not been the first time that it had happened.
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-There are reasons why killing the foreigner is not prohibit despite their importance, there are instances when it is actually needed.
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She knew it. The ambition and desire for riches and dominance, the hate and fear of the different and the sickening desire to be in control or erase what couldn´t be controlled. That had been a constant in the history of her world.
Maybe it was an act of kindness this world had to its children to let them think that it was the violence of this world that broke the will of the maddened foreigners and not the ill mind of the world of the foreigners and it´s despairing children.
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The young Ace had run away after looking such terrible scene.
His older version comprehended all the implications of the truth and let his sword drop to the floor and he followed it falling to his knees, soon a fear tears started falling from his eyes without his control.
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-So it´s always been useless…
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It was stupid! All his struggling was futile! In the end he had never escaped his fate. He had tough that he had at least chosen his role as the executioner but it had never been the case, even before he was born, it had already been decided! It was the knight of hearts the one he had chosen.
It was rare that role holders formed families. It was even rarer for people to actually be born with eyes. He couldn´t remember his childhood. All he knew was that he had wandered alone for a while before Julius found him and took care of him.
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-That´s just so pathetic, right? :)
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His strained smile was still there, but it soon faltered for the first time in many years. His eyes looked down to the clock in the soil.
There was only one way to be free, wasn´t it? He just had to kill his younger self.
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Chap 12 of carrot cake (the one I helped cowriting) might take a little more to come out, so wait for it :)
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Ups, she is interested in the Jabberwocky. Does she realizes the danger? probably not , she´s most likely on edge too much from all that´s happened and that she´s seen (and felt recently) that her "lets research" is the only magic pill she can rely on. She thinks that everyone is out there to get her, wants to use her or wants to be used by her. Without the grasp of empathy there´s no way for her to even think otherwise until otherwise is proven.
When I learned of Ace´s story in Diamond games I was very surprised *O*" but it explained why Ace was so messed up.
If Peter is the foreigner´s precious memories I guess Ace could be their struggles or something; in the one of the manga´s Ace tells Julius something like "sometimes is good to be the fool that fights/struggles back", so he could represent Alice´s lost state and Arias sensation that "world is crap but it´s worth fighting for" , she still tries but now poor Ace is probably more lost than ever.
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And even more questions had been answered, but there are still questions she has and needs to find a way to ask or learn. And what could happen if what she discovers is as bad and mentally destroying as what Ace saw?
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I really liked how this chap came on thanks to Ace.
And if someone has an idea for fluff moments with the King, Armaliteo Sydney please tell me. I also need an idea for a significant conversation between the popsicle king and the prime minister.