Some of the cut scenes from the games that Alice can't actually see and are used for moving the story along while transporting us players through the game will be quotes. Whoo, these chapters will be long.


"Still a mess, no surprise. Her kin roasted like chestnuts before her eyes. Ten years in Rutledge Asylum wasted everyone's time. Dr. Bumby won't do better. Still hauling out her questions. The fire, her memory...I deserve consideration, don't I? Who found her her new clothes? Who got her a place at Bumby's? Where'd she be without me? On the street, selling her backside! Likes my Pigeons, though. She's doled out the odd pound or two. But I know what's worth more than that. Kept her secret haven't I? Heard her say: "All died on my account, I couldn't save you!" I've told my her my silence is for sale, cheap! I'm a good sort, really. Not like her nanny, that uppity whore! Or that lawyer fellow, Radcliff, took her stupid rabbit. Need Money, warned her I'd tell the coppers if she didn't make a donation to my upkeep. She yells and goes off her head. Days she can't remember her name, what I heard."

~ Nurse Witless

Vale of Tears

Chapter 50

A long walk full of Alice telling Sora she had been living with a man named Dr. Bumby later and they were on top a building overlooking the large city from a decent, smog filled view. All through the streets, Roxas, Axel and Sora had Alice regale what she could recall from the fire that burnt her home down to now. Seems in that time, her nurse got her into Dr. Bumby's place and new clothes then after, started to see this doctor for hypnotherapy to forget about her past and finally move on to contribute to society. All of it sounded well and good but now she was just suffering instead of getting better. It was a step backwards, one she wanted to undo but didn't know where to start. It sounded as if it all of it could be undone by stopping the therapy but from how it sounded, Alice didn't want to but also wanted to. She was conflicted as to what could help her and what wouldn't help.

"Well we can help all we can Ms. Alice but I don't know what we can do outside of just being at your side." Axel tells her.

"That will do, I know you are all limited in your aid. I will take what I can get." Alice says giving him a small smile.

Axel tipped his hat to her. She had guts to keep going even when her mind was possibly breaking; if not already broken. Took strength to preserve against all odds. All three looked around the rooftop and saw it connected by a wooden bridge. The nurse on the other rooftop feeding pigeons. Some in cages, others flying...even on their side. It still provide a broader look from the small section of the city this world had. It expanded until they couldn't see due to the poor sunlight that barely managed to break through all the smog the chimneys and blocking buildings. This city was dingy even above the streets. How did anyone survive in this? Now everything, including the air felt toxic. Sora and Alice crossed the bridge first then they followed out of wishing to simply stay alive and not die in this world. Reaching it as Sora released Alice's arm so she could get closer to her nurse.

"Nurse Witless, do you mean to harm me?" asks Alice, crossing her arms. "To send me back to the Asylum?"

"I won't say no…" her nurse replies dropping the rest of the bird seed. "I've a thirst you could photograph…"

The way that was said didn't sound...good. Even Alice started to back up at those words. Were they a threat?

"Need a drink…" the old lady tone echoed into something sinister and got worse when she spoke again but it was followed by cracking bones as flesh wings tore out of the old woman's back. "More than my whistle needs wetting."

The old woman turned to reveal a monster in place. Flesh wings now turned into bat like wings, her old hands now elongated and sharp with a face that looked as if an insect infected her and took over but kept the human. The two backed away with Axel and Roxas getting in front of them. Ready to defend them despite having no weapons at all. The creature crept closer until cracking under their feet got their attention. Blue streaming through as it finally gave out and dropped them all down into a long fall surrounded by the light itself. Items ranging from clocks and gears to cake, board games, hour glasses, tea cups and kettles all around them. It was short lived though. Soon, pipes were around them. Black ink oozing out and sticking to the metal with baby heads all around them. Some dolls even looked as if ink was ready to burst from their eyes. Did this fall ever end though? Thankfully it was answered moments later. They fell passed into the blue light again then into blue sky itself.

There both kept falling anyways but got slowed by whatever was in the air around them. Alice righted herself and with a simple thrust of her arms down, made her dress turn into a blue on with a blood covered apron that had two pockets. One pocket had one symbol and the other had one as well. The bow was tighter now and held with what looked like a skull on the back. Her hair was longer and she now had makeup on. She had a necklace on now, it was a horseshoe. Perhaps for good luck? It would make sense for this world. They looked lower and saw her shoes were now boots. They had their normal attire on again. Roxas had his jeans, sandals and white shirt with a vest on again with his necklace back. Axel had black jeans and a green shirt on too with the earring now visible.

The one completely different but also fitting in was Sora himself. He had his pocket watch attached to a machine on a belt. There was a strange looking gun but it seemed have no real ammunition. He had vials all around his belt with different colored liquids. The pants were tucked into black boots that zipped up instead of buckled up like Alice's. One arm had a machine attached to it even that went only half way up to a white short sleeved shirt. The other arm only had a watch but it didn't show time, instead it showed levels of sorts for something. The once fixed up hair was now loose and the tail was up and held together in what looked like a gear.

"You look as if steampunk sauntered over and took you for a ride," Axel comments.

"And you look boringly handsome…" retorts Sora back.

"Hey, what can I say….I rock boring." The redhead shrugs.

Sora turned his attention to Alice then as they heard her say the journey was upsetting but being rid of Pris or whatever she had turned into. Wasn't exactly wrong since even they were glad to be rid of her.

"At least we landed in a familiar place." The brunet says to her, walking to her side. "To us at least, the guests don't know this area at all."

"Thanks...for summing that up." The blond groans out loud.

"You are most welcome." Sora laughs blowing a kiss his way then turned to face the direction Alice was currently.

Both stepped on one of the dominos that floated from stone up to the surface to form a way across the shallow water. A cat appeared on the second one seconds after that. A very thin, very pale gray cat with a large hoop in one ear. Ribs, heel bones...all the body showing off what lay beneath the thin layer of fur and flesh and what looked like burn marks or something on its body.

"About time too Alice," The cat's very odd sound tone.

It wasn't condescending but it wasn't exactly welcoming either.

"Blasted cat," scoffs Sora.

"Don't try to bully me." Alice scoffs, crossing her arms. "I am very much on edge."

"Puurrfect. When you're not on edge, you are taking up too much space."

"You are no help at all, do you know that?" The brunet groans, hands in his pockets now.

"But you know I can be." argues the cat.

"We'll frighten ourselves when necessary, thanks very much. We were hoping to escape all that."

"Abandon that hope! A new law reigns here in Wonderland, Alice, Sora. It's very rough justice all around. We are at risk here. You two...be on your guard!" Retorts the cat then faded away, leaving no trace of him ever arriving.

All the two did was breathe out very annoyed groans before continuing on up a long, stone hill. Trees, foliage and some of it even in...bubbles or protected by glass? Or was the glass part of the foliage, along with the dice here and there? They assumed the dominos in the air and all around were part of it already somehow but the rest seemed to just kinda sit there so what part did they play or was it just for looks? As they walked further up they saw it wasn't glass but marbles and then saw a flying cow, turtle creature soar off from a raised plateau. Roxas went to ask but saw that the path ahead split two ways. One way seemed specific to Sora and the other seemed for Alice herself. The two even stopped at the fork and looked at one another. As guests, they had no say in what did what. That was in Sora's hands and since Sora was the main guest, they were at the whims of whatever his brain thought off ages ago. Though judging by how the brunet looked, it was no doubt machine based.

"Well I shall see you on the other side?" She asks walking away.

"Yep." Sora nods then walked up his path when she was out of sight.

They followed and hit a large gap with no bridge at all.

"Great, so...how do we follow her?" Comments Axel, "let alone traverse this place?"

Sora grabbed the chain of the pocket watch and pulled until it was longer than ever. Revealing that more chain was coming from the thick belt itself. It revealed that the chain could be extended by just pulling more out and no doubt could return on its own to its source via the machines inside the object. Perhaps the Wonderland that was more interesting truly was Sora's since his attire had machines to make up for the lack of powers he had here. The brunet began to swing the chain about while looking at what appeared to be a lever on the far end of the gap. No way could that hit it from this far though, let alone hook onto it. The chain was thrown as far as he could throw it but fell short. The brunet quickly revealed a button on the belt in the back that retracted the chain right back to him, catching the watch before it could smack him in the face or torso.

"Hmm…" he pulled the gun out that seemed to have a very slim, skinny bullet chamber.

"So...any idea what some of the vials do?" asks Axel, leaning against Roxas now.

The brunet looked up then at him, "No I don't." He responds then looked at the vials on his belt. It was a rainbow of colors all lined up in perfect order.

Their boyfriend picked a white one with an odd locked cork on the top and watched him place it in the gun like a normal bullet. Popping the empty vial out and hearing the glass item break on impact at the ground but disappearing instead of leaving glass shards behind. Sora took aim towards the other end and after a second pulled the trigger. It made a small Ice bridge that only made it halfway over the gap. Leaving him to holster the gun and slowly walk towards the end of it. He tried the watch thing once more but this time was close enough to hook it and pull. A metallic bridge then rose up from the pit below and let him walk across. Once there and releasing the watch, it went back down.

"How do we cross?" Roxas shouts.

Sora's answer was stepping on part of the grass and sinking a little into it. The metal platform returned from below but another appeared from the side, breaking the ice bridge and taking its place. Both took the chance and ran across, looking down to just see nothing but an endless dark pit below them. Even as they reached the other side and the brunet got off the button they saw. The platform going down just got swallowed by the darkness below.

"Okay, I would love to see your Wonderland and how it works." The blond told him. "No joke, that...that is weird in a very logical sense and I would kill to see yours."

They got an odd and very unamused laugh from Sora, "Oh...wow. Okay...that's a first." He walked on. "This way."

He kept going higher until they reached the end of a cliff where it was a short fall back down. Mushrooms were there though and some even perfectly placed to where they could jump up on them and reach the next cliff high above. With no hesitation, Sora just jumped off and landed below. Waving for the two to follow and trust him. The two did just in time to see Alice join them once again. So it was one big circle for the two but no doubt Alice's side was made for...specific powers that none of them really had. This forest in her mind was odd to say the least so it made sense that mushrooms could grow in a...marble, dice and domino infested forest. Somehow.

"Machines again?" Alice comments heading to the smallest mushroom.

"It's the only way to traverse your land my dear. I have no powers here, only my items do." Sora informed her. "Remember, I am but a guest here."

He followed her example and jumped on the smallest one as she jumped onto taller mushrooms until she reached the next cliff.

"Quite but I could just make you stay here…" She says.

"And risk me not help you?" Sora faked being hurt. "Fine, I see how it is. I'll return to my Wonderland."

The joke actually managed a real, innocent laugh from their hostess.

"In all honesty, I would prefer that you didn't do that. I would never be able to help you." He sighs reaching the cliff next and watching Roxas and Axel following suit. "I really should just tell them to go back."

"You should...or at least send them to your Wonderland. We can't baby them." Alice says.

"And I can't leave them to suffer so I guess they come with." shrugs Sora.

"Very well but it's on you to handle how they traverse this place." She points out.

"Very well my friend. Very well."

They waited and looked to see a pink mushroom appear from the grass covered area they stood on. Alice walked around it then jumped onto the surface, being bounced high up and then floating to another ledge just above that. Looking down below as Sora stepped closer to it and then looked at her again.

"So...how do we get up there?" the blond asks.

Sora simply jumped onto the mushroom and bounced up and roughly landed on the next ledge near Alice. Looking down and gesturing for them to do the same. Both Alice and Sora took a step and watched as the blond soon landed just as rough as the brunet did. Followed by Axel whose balance was thrown off slightly with the rough landing. They saw another one of those mushroom things that Alice went around to do whatever she was doing. Sora went first and jumped on it, going up to the next ledge and waiting patiently. Roxas and Axel went next, one at a time then Alice followed. Below this ledge though was a pool of purple liquid. It came from a glass bottle melded with the earth itself with a tag reading: Drink Me attached to the neck of the bottle. Alice jumped down first, then Sora with them following once more. Summoning the cat on a rising domino in the purple liquid.

"I've been down this road before…" quips Alice, getting Sora's attention as she looked at him next. "Good things in small packages?"

"Though lacking a bathing costume, a plunge in that pool is in order. For your friend, a simple drink should do."

"Will the effects last?" The brunet questions. "I would hate to have to carry a vial of this around."

The cat's head shook, "Predictability and questions as always. You must learn to trust your gut or else the plunge scares you off."

"I can't exactly trust the word of cat such as you now can I?" Sora questions back at him as he got closer to the pool and cupped his hands under it. "This better work." He drank it as Alice used her hands to splash herself.

"Sora, you're shrinking!" Axel panicked as the world got bigger to Alice and Sora only.

"My god! I'm shrinking in this potion! S-shall I disappear!" The worried tone of Alice spoke while she shrank still.

The cat once again spoke to her, shaking his head for a second: "Almost. But the upside is that while smaller, you can see things that are nearly invisible to your bigger self."

Both then returned to their normal size as if nothing had happened.

"Ah, I get it. Quite! Forest for the trees."; just the other way around." Alice nods with a smile.

"Short sighted is more than a matter of perspective." Sora threw in. "Sounds simple to me."

"That's all well and good but what about us?" Axel asks. "We can't shrink."

"True, that poses a problem. Will this work on them? They can't exactly follow us without shrinking themselves." She sighs walking between them then pushing them right into the purple liquid itself. Watching them shrink now too. "Well, guess it does work for them as well."

They grew back and looked a little less thrilled but accepted it as they followed Alice and Sora towards a very small keyhole. The four shrunk down and ran right on through the small opening and through the small tunnel out through another keyhole, back to where they were before. Alice and Sora jumped back on the mushroom with them following shortly to see just where they could go since they came back full circle. Finding another keyhole neither noticed. The group shrunk down and ran through it next. Arriving somewhere else all together with...a breathing snail as part of the landscape before them as a sign of that. Instead of going down the stone ramp all the way, Sora jumped down half way down it and caught Alice when she dropped down next. Axel and Roxas followed the example. Once again having to shrink down to go through a stupid keyhole. The tunnel itself was a tad longer but they got through it to a smaller area, shrunk down again to pass under a small gap made by dice to a big area where a blue mushroom leading up was.

"Guests first?" Alice gestures.

"Yet you are a lady and the hostess." Sora sighs then went first anyways and jumped, going right up.

Roxas saw her wait patiently then ran and jumped onto it and flew up next to where Sora awaited on dice. Axel and Alice soon appeared next and without waiting, The brunet and hostess slide down the green and auburn sided slide. The two followed and hoped to be able to keep up with the pace their guides were setting. This place already felt huge but it was clear that Sora and Alice knew just where to go, what to do...to the extent of just doing it and not giving them any explanation as to why things were the way they were. The pace of the slide got faster as they kept traveling down until they saw a river of blood flowing off a ledge they were heading towards. Alice landed first, Sora landed next then Axel and then Roxas himself.

Once again, the two guides ran on ahead with them following. The river of blood ended at a clearing with a large skeleton and two sharp weapons lodged in the skull of the deceased creature.

"The Vorpal Blade is swift and keen. And always ready for service." The cat spoke first then appeared.

The long sword and the kitchen knife dislodged themselves and flew to Sora and Alice then. Both taking the weapons and testing the sharpness with their fingers.

"We've not come back looking for a fight." Sora told the cat.

"Really? That's a pity. One's certainly looking for you." He says then disappeared again.

With the weapons now in Alice's and Sora's possession, the skeleton just turned into dust. Swept away by the wind and leaving no trace of a corpse ever having been here. They didn't linger to question it though. Instead, they moved on to the only blocked exit and with a swift strike of Alice's knife, moved to a large, ink blotted clearing. There was no exit and it felt as it this was a trap waiting to be set off. Walking a little closer towards the center made the ground shake as those ink blots began to move and take shape. A doll shape served as the head with an inky body with only arms and pipes oozing ink shrieked at them. Summoning more as it slithered closer, prompting their guides to hack and slashes at their targets.

Roxas and Axel took a step back safely since the creatures didn't seem to bother with them and they watched. Alice showed little care as she slaughtered one at a time and Sora...he was enjoying it. Each cut of the sword he gained just revealed how thrilling it felt to him. It wasn't a side they thought the brunet have. Yet, here he was enjoying each kill he got until no threat was left. Which was great because it unlocked an exit but the smile they saw...it was haunting.

"Ugly, gross and evil in a single monstrosity." Alice scoffs.

Sora looked from her and the enjoyment seemed to fade at their worried stares, "See...this is why I didn't want you to come. This is Wonderland. I can kill...all I want and not give a damn. You don't like it? Sorry but it's how I roll here." He sheathed the blade on his back then followed Alice on a sprint through the exit.

They followed quietly, taking in what he said to them as they followed the pair through a small tunnel to another area. The two quietly following them thanks to another pink mushroom up to another cliff where now they were met with a large, bottomless pit fall that Alice simple jumped and hovered across with ease. Sora took the same white vial that had refilled; somehow and grabbed a purple vial and combined the two into the gun. Shooting both and then watching as the water was froze slowly into an ice bridge leading right to the next cliff face. No levers needed or nothing and when they looked back down at the belt, the vials were refilled once again. The three slide to the next one just as Alice reached the third and jumped upon a pink mushroom there. Now waiting for them to arrive patiently. When Sora formed the ice bridge again, she moved away and watched as they crossed it once again. Roxas glanced back to see the bridge itself fall apart seconds after Axel was off it. So Wonderland wasn't going to let any form of going back huh?

"That gun seems to come in handy," Alice comments as she went to the next ledge then pointed to the last one they had to reach. "This way it seems."

Sora nods, "guess so. I see no other path." He loaded the gun up once again and shot, making the bridge again. "Ladies first."

Their hostess ran onto the bridge with Sora following her. Roxas breathed out and followed them next with Axel complaining about how big this place seemed to be. Neither expected the world these two created to be so vast, let alone detailed. It was amazing but something neither really expected to have to run through and not get tired.

"Tired?" The brunet teases as Alice jumped down. "You could always...leave to the ship."

Axel smirked, "are...are you flirting?" He asks as Sora backed up towards the ledge.

"I could be and you'd never know." Sora simply stepped back off the ledge and landed safely below.

Roxas looked at the redhead with a smile, "Did he just power flirt?"

"I think he did." The redhead ran to the edge to see the two approaching a...place, half a house? "But I want a break. Sora! How do we go to the ship?"

The brunet stopped and looked back, then pointed behind them. The two looked back and saw a save point. Then got told he'd open it once they called him but he could only do it in Wonderland so once they were gone, they'd be gone until he was able to do so again. Axel went back but Roxas jumped down and ran over to Sora and Alice. Following them closer to the half house thing before them with a very tall, very well dressed woman? Cooking what looked to be stew for a pig snout on a plate sat upon a small table close by. There was no bathroom or any sign of the rest of the house, no sign that there was a bedroom...so it wasn't even a proper house. It was just a kitchen.

"Ah, it's you again, Alice. You may approach." She happily spoke towards them.

Sora stopped short with Roxas next to him and Alice just a little more ahead.

"Why would I do that? You want to eat me!" She spoke, backing a single step back.

The woman turned to face her with one hand still stirring the bubbling water, "Yes well you taught me manners and I've lost the taste for mad women; strictly a porcine diet for me." she placed a hand on her large hip. "Everything's better with bacon, don't you agree? Of course you do." She added quickly shushing any possible protests down. "Now, there pig snouts scattered about. I heard a few behind the house; go fetch them for me. But take care of the pests that block your way. Pepper them up if they do. They need spice and your just dish-ehm...girl, to season them for me." She pulled the spoon in her hand up and pointed towards the table. "You'll find that grinder serviceable."

Alice looked insulted as well as confused, "why not season your own pig parts?"

"Who is this?" Roxas whispers to Sora.

"The duchess." replies the brunet quietly.

The Duchess touched her face with her free hand, "Matter of priorities. My alabaster skin needs protection from the disgusting creatures running amok amidst the environs. But one gets peckish. Look, all you have to do is listen for the oink then shoot the snout. You may like the results. I certainly will." She finishes speaking.

Alice walks to the table and picked the very large grinder up. It shrunk to her size to make it manageable and the three saw a door open leading right outside, again. Roxas followed but looked back even as the door shut. This was nothing but a few walls stuck together to form a room of a house so how the Duchess protected her skin was just a mystery he didn't want solved. It was much better back here. Trees all around and what appeared to be bundles of nails stuck together and thrown to the wayside.

"Any ideas on what else those things can do?" Their black haired hostess asks, grinder at the ready.

"No, but I can find out." responds Sora as he grabbed the bright red one and pulled his gun from the holster.

"Ready to find out." She yells, turning the crank on the grinder and shooting pepper bullets at flying screws.

The brunet aimed at the source of them, the bundled nails and pulled the trigger. The glass tube shot out and then became magma that covered the entire object and melted it to nothing but hot metal that he cooled off with a hit of ice.

"OK, more of that please." Alice asks.

"You got it." He laughs, firing another round at the next bundle as she handled the actual creatures.

It was cleared of them all in a few minutes and she saw the pig snout flying in place. The two stayed below as she went up a small slope towards it and shot at it. The trio watched as it flew down and through the now open door to the Duchess's kitchen where it landed on the plate. Alice rejoined them and they returned victorious.

"Thank you so much for the snout. Now go away."

"Rude," Sora heard Roxas mutter as Alice claimed her prize from a glowing basket then led the way through a keyhole.

The brunet laughs at him as they walked through another short tunnel into another area. There was more water and no bottomless pits this time so it was lovely to see that. There was a snout flying in one spot along with two routes to go along, both once again different from the other. One made for Alice and her abilities, the other for Sora to traverse safely. She shot the snout down with her grinder pulled from nowhere but it's Wonderland and it allowed Sora to shoot magma, ice and who knew what else. This was nothing next to all the other randomness Roxas had already encountered. Summoning weapons from thin air? They did that all time outside this place, it was called magical storage.

Dominos flew once the snout seemed to vanish in a blue light. Making a path that Alice herself could take and allowing Sora access to his path. Both jumping on the platforms just as two more nail bundles fell and ink creatures appearing on his path. He easily shot magma onto the bundle before any flying screws could pop out. The ink creatures, well he viciously slaughtered. Leaving Alice to deal with the one on her path which was swift thanks to the grinder and the Vorpal blade. Sora was enjoying the battles a lot and while the blond would reserve the worry for when they weren't in this world, it served as a reminder. One showing that even the quiet ones have the darkest thoughts and this couldn't get any darker. Knowing Sora didn't care who or what he killed in this world because it was Wonderland? Something he'd never forget.

Another pulled lever lowered a bridge but this time for good. Allowing Sora and Roxas to cross over the watery gap with Alice using dominos to get across to another plateau covered in nothing but black ink. It was oozing from a statue of her, making it look like she was crying nothing but ink instead of tears. Both and Alice and Sora stopped though when ink fell out and slithered towards them with no body shape at all. Just like a worm, it wiggled towards them and then jumped. All four being killed in seconds by two deadly wielded weapons. They moved on after to a very clear area with more jumping involved and a lovely view of the sky. Something even he couldn't help but feel calm when looking at it. The moment didn't last long though. The clear sky soon got covered by a thick layer of smoke and when he turned, saw ink flowing upwards. Hot, boiling ink that looked deadly at the slightest touch. He tried to find Sora's path after but only saw metal poles sticking out along the rock wall.

Sora caught on and with the watch, slung the chain to it and hooked it. Looking back at him as Alice went ahead thanks to more pink mushrooms. Roxas walked closer and held on as they swung over to the next ledge and landed safely. They had to borrow the next pink mushroom but launched seconds after Alice did into the air. The brunet hooking another metal pole and instead of swinging pulled them towards it like a rock fired from a slingshot. They landed and it was straight to battle with him. Sword striking the closest enemy by them. There were only two ink creatures. Alice destroyed one, Sora took out the other one. Moving on as if nothing happened and using a pink mushroom to reach the next ledge leading away from the boiling ink towers. Yet, it didn't improve. Parts of the land now fell off into the abyss below. The once beautiful world was falling apart.

Another ice bridge and floating Alice and they were at what appeared to be a very old, overgrown railroad station. The train itself there but worn and crashed for years, perhaps centuries. Enemies were here too. More of the screw flies and ink creatures. The blond watched as the two easily slaughtered the foes before them. He couldn't really offer anything battle wise. Just...watch. Was...this what Sora saw when he was ill? Only able to watch as they defeated Heartless after Heartless. Unable to help and too ill or weak to do anything...but be useless. This..this was horrible, guilt wrenching...no one wonder Sora always seemed upset after battles. Sure the duck and dog never caught on but his eyes said it all. He noticed only a few times but Sora always seemed so upset when he could no longer fight properly. Now he understood what was going through the brunet's head. Useless...purely that alone was all that been on his mind back then.

A creaking noise had his thoughts break to see the train slowly fall over the edge.

"Hatter always hated mechanical malfunctions. This disaster is either his doing, or his epitaph." mused Alice as she headed towards the ledge where the train once was.

"Let's hope it's the former and not the latter. I may hate the Hatter sometimes but...not enough for that." Sora sighs as she jumped and landed far below.

He loaded the gun and formed that ice bridge once again. Sliding down it first then watched Roxas do the same. It was an game of leapfrog after that. Alice used the pink mushrooms and they had to use those and the watch to slingshot them across the plateaus. Reaching the final one where parts of the old railway were still intact. Everything was still shaking and even in the distance could feel parts of Wonderland falling off now. They ran into the tunnel and saw their only way back fall to pieces and block them in.

"No return." The blond comments.

"Only one way to go." Sora sighs as they decided to run through the tunnel then down a small slide into an area devoid of plant life.

"Oh goodie, no foliage and no way to see a good view…" Roxas shrugs. Sora kissing his cheek had him look at the brunet. "..what…"

"You look disappointed. Thought that'd help." He says, looking away. "You can always go back to the ship. It won't insult me or Alice. Besides, these worlds are vast because it's two in one now."

A short walk through a tunnel led to a mountain area where tea cups and kettles were scattered about, steaming coming from at least two showing that something was using them as homes. How glass made a good home was beyond the blond's thinking but hey, Wonderland had its own rules. They jumped down from another ledge and land in sand now. Made sense since they were in the mountains. Soon a humanoid creature fell into the pit. Landing on its two feet. It's skin green with a broken tea cup on atop its head with a spoon as a weapon. There was a gear sticking out of its back with belts cover the waist and gloves covering its hand. Another one dropped but it had a bigger teacup on its head and a fork for its weapon of choice.

Alice wasted no time though as they started to walk closer, weapons at the ready. She pulled the pepper grinder out and started to fire at one of them. Sora pulled his sword out and ran at the other. Dodging the fork attacks with ease and striking fast with the blade. The blond saw Alice forgo the grinder and use the vorpal blade as well. Running up and swiftly striking as well. Both creatures were destroyed yet this time left blood behind along their slaughtered bodies. Two more dropped down right after and with no chance, got hit next. One even got decapitated! A metal ramp falling got their attention as another one slowly walked down it, holding a tea kettle lid as a shield.

"Seems these aren't all idiotic…" Sora quips.

They ran up than had to dodge an attack. Leaving the fork it wielded stuck in the ground sand; somehow. It tugged even as Alice attacked then backed off when the fork was loose. It tried to attack the brunet; who was closer but missed and was finished off by him. The two ran up the ramp to meet two more and fought them off easily as well. There was another one with shield but it too was easily killed with two against one. After that one, no more seemed to be here. They explored a bit to find a mech hung by chains with a green corpse inside, preserved with a shrine built around the body and all its parts. The three moved on quickly to the last part to see a pink mushroom waiting. Jumping up and landing on the next cliff and dropping down around purple violets. There no machines, no levers and no way for Alice to jump far enough though to beat the gap before them. It looked as if it even turned far up ahead and Sora stated that even forming an ice bridge wouldn't bridge the entire gap itself.

Alice crossed her arms then looked at the brunet who looked back at her. Both seemed to have an idea and shrunk. Then regrew to their natural size.

"There is a bridge, invisible to the naked eye." Sora says as he smiles at Roxas. "Ready?"

"As I'll ever be." He shrugs.

The trio shrunk down and crossed the glowing invisible bridge with ease. Only noticing now the doodles scribbled on the rockface. Had they always been there and they just not took notice? One was of the Mad Hatter, at least Alice said it was. The bridge ended and their size was normal as they jumped back onto the path and followed it to a cliff face that fell into a precipice of smoke and endlessness. It had a station of sorts to the right that they headed towards while Alice shot at the flying pig snout. Guess there wasn't any sense in leaving it be there when the Duchess so willingly let them take the grinder. Payment where it is due, he supposed. Walking up a small metal staircase, Alice headed towards another while Sora and Roxas waited. There was a horn up on the platform and she blew into it. Sounding off a loud, odd sounded call. What it called was a tea kettle cable car. Stairs came down and they got in. and sat down on the seat available as the stairs raised up to lock them inside.

The cable car turned with ease and went back towards the floating mechanical castle like structure ahead.

"The Hatter's Domain. Almost as I remember it." Alice sighs.

"Appearances, as you know better than most, can be deceiving, Alice." Speaks the cat as he appeared before them. "Much has changed since your last visit."

"Dr. Bumby says change is 'constructive'; that 'different' is good." She wittedly speaks back.

"Different denotes neither good nor bad, but it certainly means "not the same"." The cat leaned its head close to her. "Find the Hatter, Alice. He knows more about 'different' than you."

Sora nudged Roxas as the two spoke and pointed to the same flying screws now hovering right outside the glass encased kettle car.

"But does he know the difference between bad and good?"

The flying bolts started to ram the glass, making even the cat now look back at them.

"Making friends Alice? You're as randomly lethal and entirely confused as you ever were." He looks back at her when he finished speaking and sounding as if he meant part of it as in insult to her.

"I've managed so far without you, Cat. Return to whatever hovel's home to you. I'll call, if I need you." She spat back at him.

"Predictably rash. It's not a matter of if, Alice, it's when. Now, hold on, and as they say, "shut up"." He faded away then.

"So typical." scoffs Sora, tone full of salt as they watched the creatures attack over and over.

It rocked the kettle car off its track and into a brick wall.