Welcome to Wonderland - Part 5
The room looked like every throne room. The Queen of Hearts stared at me boredly.
Queen: Really? This looks nothing like an Alice... She looks like a... a...
Samantha: 'Cause I'm not an 'Alice', I'm Samantha!
I snapped at the cat standing beside me. Clyde jumped and his ears went flat on his head. He let out a whimper. Kaito stood in the back, petting the wuggle. The queen seemed taken aback that I interrupted her sentence. I shifted my sword's sheath. The queen noticed and pointed her scepter at it.
Queen: Disarm her, guards!
Her order was followed, and they rushed over to try taking my sword. I unsheathed it and swung it in a triangle shape. The guards pulled back, surprised, and aimed their spears at me. I smiled wickedly.
Samantha: Now I'm dangerous! Hehehehehe! Krytac would be proud of me.
Kaito: Who's Krytac?
Samantha: A friend of mine.
Clyde gave a grand bow and addressed the Queen of Hearts.
Clyde: Your Highness... If we may borrow your mirror for just one look, we will leave after that and never disturb you again, I promise.
The Queen of Hearts seemed slightly appeased by the polite way he put it.
Queen: Only if your friends apologize and bow, then I will consider it. You see, another 'Alice' has also requested the mirror, 'for just one look', and I am considering letting her... Only one 'Alice' can go through though.
Clyde seemed to understand and turned to me. I gave him an 'I am not going to do that' look. Clyde made a cute kitty face at me.
Samantha: (Won't work. I'm immune.) I apologize for being rude, Your... Highness... But I will not bow to anyone. Oreo's fault. And can I meet this 'Alice'?
The Queen of Hearts glared at me.
Queen: Yes... Bring her out.
One of the guards bowed and left the room. Kaito made squeaky sounds at the wuggle, and Clyde rubbed his tail nervously. I stood still, waiting. The guard came back with the 'Alice'. She looked like a proper 'Alice'. She wore the same type of dress as I wore when I arrived, only it was pink. She came over and we stared at each other.
Samantha: (Stop staring, idiot! Introduce yourself!) Hi, I'm Samantha Nekozhka... What's your name?
?: Alicia... Alicia Lancer. Are you the other Alice everyone's talking about?
Samantha: They are talking about me? MY NAME IS SAMANTHA, PEOPLE WHO ARE TALKING ABOUT ME!
My sudden scream at the ceiling made several guards jump in shock, even the Queen got a good jump. I huffed. Then I let a smile spread across my face, and I took Alicia's hand and gently kissed the top of it. I like pretending to be a prince.
Samantha: I'm sorry for screaming, Alicia. I just had to get that out of my system.
Alicia was surprisingly understanding and nodded, smiling back.
Alicia: I wouldn't want to use the mirror if it meant another girl like me had to stay here...
I shivered.
Samantha: (I hate mirrors.) I don't want the mirror. I suppose it's up to the Queen.
The Queen glared at me, and shifted her dress.
Queen: I will keep my mirror, and both of you will leave.
I frowned and pointed my sword at her.
Samantha: Alicia gets to go home. Because I can survive here, and she's on the verge of a breakdown.
Alicia looked shocked.
Alicia: How did you know?
Samantha: I can tell.
I turned back to the queen.
Samantha: So you're going to let her go home!
The force in my words made the guards step back. The Queen looked furious. She stood up, glaring at me, and stomped her foot.
Queen: Take them all to the dungeon!
I changed my mind about getting Alicia to the mirror.
Samantha: Kaito, get Alicia! Clyde, follow me!
Kaito didn't question me. He gave me Ice Cream and picked up Alicia, who looked scared. Finally I turned to bid the Queen farewell.
Samantha: Shame I didn't get to use my sword. Bye!
We raced past the startled guards and out of the castle.
Clyde: Why are we headed back to the tea party?
Samantha: We are going there to plan and make it snow.
Clyde: What's the snow for?
Samantha: To keep my rage levels low. Kaito, sing that one about Raspberry.
Kaito: Raspberry Monster?
Samantha: Yeah, that one.
Alicia had fallen asleep in Kaito's arms, and we were traveling again. Kaito started singing the song, and I started whacking at plants with my weapons. After Kaito was done singing, I sheathed my weapons, and started the next song.
Samantha: This is the last song! The last song! So everybody sing along!
Kaito joined in and soon after everyone was singing, even Alicia, who awoke because of how loud the rest of us were. Finally we neared a familiar place.
Samantha: We are almost there! ON TOP OF SPAGHETTI, ALL COVERED IN CHEESE! I LOST MY POOR MEATBALL, WHEN SOMEBODY SNEEZED! IT ROLLED OFF THE TABLE, AND ONTO THE FLOOR! AND THEN MY POOR MEATBALL, ROLLED RIGHT OUT THE DOOR!
Joker was waiting at the gate. He opened it for us and guided us in. Luke gave an annoyed glance in my direction, but focused on the person he was kneeling next to. I walked over and watched him press a cloth to Kyle's forehead.
Samantha: What happened? Is Kyle okay?
Luke: No... He's caught a weird sickness that makes him faint. He hasn't responded to any of the herbs that I put in his tea...
Clyde rushed over and sat beside his brother. Clyde's ears went flat against his head, and he rubbed his brother's hand.
Clyde: He... He has a fever... Is everyone else okay?
Luke: Sidd went home when he started feeling dizzy... He hasn't come back. Owen, can you go check on him?
Owen moved from where he sat and left quickly. Ash shifted in his sleep. Bacon danced on the table and caught my loose attention; I walked over and watched them dance. Oreos sang for the wonderful bacon dancers. I walked over to Ash, and gently shook him. Ash woke up immediately.
Cookies: Oreo-oreo-oreo OORRREEEOOO! Oreo-oreo-oreo OORRREEEOOO!
Bacon: La-la-la LAAAA! La-la-la LAAAA!
Ash: *yawn* Morning... You are?
Samantha: Samantha. Are you feeling okay?
Ash: Fine... Why?
Samantha: Just checking! Stay cute!
I turned and bounded back to where everyone was gathered. Luke looked a little worn. That kinda worried me. I stepped closer to Kyle and moved the cloth, then laid my hand on his forehead. I felt a sort of song resonating around me. I couldn't tell where it was coming from though. People around me talked in upset voices.
Luke: If the herbs don't kick in, then what?
Ash: He could try sleeping more... Yeah...
Ash fell asleep again. Joker sat and shuffled a deck of cards. Kaito stood completely still, as if listening for something. The wuggle did the same. Marshmallows wished a cupcake happy birthday, then blew out the cupcake's candle. Alicia looked around nervously. Owen came back with an unconscious Sidd, saying the rabbit boy had wanted to be with everyone else. Luke went straight to work making Sidd comfortable, and Owen then went to talk with Alicia.
Samantha: (Concentrate... Ash, Joker, Luke, Sidd, Kyle, Clyde, Owen, Alicia, Kaito, Ice Cream... And who else? Me... Where is that song coming from? ...North.) Does anyone else hear a faint song? Like really far away to the north?
Everyone went silent and stared at me. Except the sleeping ones.
Samantha: (Do I always drop bombs on tea parties?) Hmm?
Queen of Hearts - Wait, we already introduced her...
(Yeah, but she didn't actually appear. So we're reminding the readers that she's an OC Queen of Hearts.)
Oh, okay. Well, she's not very important anyway. Who's next?
Alicia Lancer - An OC. More of an 'Alice' than Samantha.
(And now one of those points where the story stutters... For the moment, there is no cure for the poor sick cat and rabbit, and nobody has any idea what the deal is with that song. If Sushi-san knows, she's not telling me.)
It's not like I can explain it very well, ej-baka! But no need to worry, we'll just skip that part of the story for now. Write more Wonderland!
(Are you telling yourself that, or trying to get me to write for you?)
Either, or both. As long as more story gets written.
Next time: Snow Day
Kaito: It's so cold out...
Clyde: It snowed yesterday!
Samantha whipped around.
Samantha: Is it still snowing? How deep? Has it melted? Is the sun out?
Clyde: Calm down! Yes, a few inches, no, no.
Samantha: Yes! YYYEEEESSSS!
Samantha rushed outside as fast as possible.
Kaito: Hey! Wait up!
Clyde: Should we follow her?
Kaito: *sigh* I'm not... I'm making hot chocolate for when she comes back in.
Clyde: I'm going out with her then. Agree?
Kaito fist-bumped Clyde.
Kaito: Agree.
Samantha: SNOW!