Kingdom Hearts

Ch. 16

Wonderland

10 minutes 45 ½ seconds

In the dungeon underneath the castle, a little girl lay silent waiting until an appointed time. The girl sat on a hard wooden bench with nothing but a pale of water and spider webs decorating the rigged prison cell. There was only an image of a broken heart painted on the cells walls.

Soon she heard a creek in the directions of the stairs. Alice turned her head to look upon Hal. His face was stone cold. He did not make a single significant facial expression. "Madame follow me to the courtyard."

Alice got up and walked over to her carrier. There were no other guards around. "Was he really confident enough to watch me all by himself?" she thought to herself.

He led her down the hallway to come upon a staircase leading to the exit. She lifted her dress and walked up the stairs. She climbed to the top of the steps facing the door. Hal still standing behind her reached over to open it. "It wasn't me. I'm not aligned with those creatures," she said cautiously.

"Oh, I know," Hal replied calmly.

Alice turned to Hal hoping he may have a change of heart. She began pleading with him, "Well then please. Help me. Convince your Queen to let me go."

Then out of nowhere the man began to laugh hysterically. His wales echoed throughout the dungeon like a wolfs howl. Alice was almost sacred stiff as the man just laughed away. "You're not going to die here," he smirked.

His face gave a big grin before Alice like a mad jester. He grabbed her by the shoulders and threw her against the door. "You're being sent away. This Queen is an idiot and a mad women who would be overthrown if she ruled any other world."

Alice gasped. "Another world," was uttered from her lips.

"Yes, I know who you are. Where you came from. You're not from the surface. Either is that keyblade wielder that been tagging along. I know you were born in Britannia."

Alice began to shake. Her eyes laid directly on his smirk, "How did you know?"

Hal lifted his head and spoke again with the same wispily voice. "Well, you see that's my job. I was sent on a mission by my Mother to find one the seven maidens who was lost to us."

Hal starred back down, "Somehow you managed to escape her sight. But I ended up discovering you were here. It wasn't hard the brightest light attracts the most attention. But do to the layout and absurd nature of this world I couldn't completely pinpoint your location. So I enrolled in the royal guard in order to track you down. Since the laws of this world is so different from most others it was only a matter of time before you accidently broke a law and were taken to trial in the Queen's court."

"Where am I going?" Alice asked liked a nervous wreck.

"Why to join your sisters who are already under the care of my Mother. Soon before your head is chopped completely off. I'll send some heartless out and distract the guards. While one of my brothers will swoop in and take you away."

"Heartless, it was you who attacked the Queen." Alice coming to terms with the situation tried to keep her distance. Through no logic or reason Hal gently took his hand and placed it around the back off her head.

He then briefly kissed her lips much to her displeasure. They were about the same age with Hal being slightly taller. Such a young boy performing such inappropriate behavior disturbed Alice greatly. Out of instinct and desperation Alice bit his lip then slapped him.

Hal then stepped back and laughed again. "Sorry, it's not you that I want. It's your heart. You're special Alice. Somehow, I both love and hate being around you. Guess it's the effect of pure light reacting to pure darkness. The greater the light the larger the shadow is cast. Besides from the looks of your body it has already begun to change." He giggled again. "Well we can't keep the spectators waiting. Oh, don't try to escape because even if I fail my brother will finish the job for me. And drag you to my Mother half dead if he has too."

Hal then preceded to open the exit door. Outside lay a two rows of cards soldiers leading straight to the execution platform. On it was Ace with axe in hand. The platform was in the center of the court yard.

Behind the execution platform was a large gate leading to the outside. Alice's hands shook as she walked to her supposed death. When Alice reached the stairs to the platform, she began to climb them. Hal did not follow her. He walked to the other side of the platform in order to face the Queen. Alice glanced at Hal noticing him make a small grin. She made her way to the top with Ace waiting gripping the handle of his axe. She stepped into the middle area of the platform and went down on her knees. Ace stood beside her lifting his axe over his shoulder.

To the left of the platform facing away from the dungeon was where the audience sat. In rows of brown chairs fitted with heart shaped fabric. Facing the front of the platform was a tower with a viewing balcony. Soon the Queen of Hearts walked out facing Alice and sat in her specially made seat. Her husband had already taken his seat but no one seemed to notice.

Soon the White Rabbit popped onto the scene climbing the execution platform. Alice stared at the animal thinking if only she didn't follow him here none of this would've ever happened. He took out his trumpet and gave it a blow. He then brought out a scroll and began to read it. "Ladies and gentlemen. The woman before you has been convicted for the crime of trying to steal the Queen's heart. She today will be executed in exactly 7 minutes and 34 ½ seconds."

Alice soon began to except her fate. She lowered her body to the floor but did not cry. Though she felt sorry for herself. She was mature enough to hold her emotions back. As she did, something else got her attention. She felt a rumble before hearing a scream. Soon an 8 of spades sentry came running across the castle wall. "A monster my Queen. A monster," he cried.

"What?" yelled the Queen.

Alice lifted her head again, "A monster. Is it the heartless?" she pondered.

Back at the front gates guards begin to panic. A curious 5 of hearts card who didn't know what was going on ran to the top of the wall to see what they were yelling about. When he did the guards mouth nearly hit the floor.

A giant bug standing up right wearing fancy clothing was walking towards the castle gates. He then followed the others example and began to panic. The giant was none other than Jiminy Cricket. Flying around him was The Griffin carrying Goofy while Donald rode The Caterpillar who is also a butterfly now.

Goofy could see the courtyard from this height. "Hey Mr. Griffin, you don't need to help us anymore we can handle this ourselves," he told The Griffin sincerely.

The Griffin continued to fly and responded "Aa, it's okay. I'm not doing anything better this weekend."

Jiminy walked up towards the castle. On his shoulder stood Sora wearing Jiminy's top hat. He cried out to his friend "Hey Jiminy, is this what it feels to be carried around by someone much bigger then yourself."

Jiminy eye's turned to Sora, "A bit just not as much screaming." He stepped over the moat like it was just a puddle. He grabbed the edge of the wall. Jiminy swung his arm getting rid of any card soldiers that laid in front of him. Being Jiminy's a Cricket he could still jump a great height.

"Sora hang on," said a giant Jiminy with a booming voice. He picked Sora up and placed him into his coat pocket. He bent his legs before hopping in the air. The momentum was incredible. Jiminy could practically touch the sky. He launched himself 1000 feet in the air. Sora still in Jiminy's pocket didn't see anything but he felt it though.

As Jiminy came down. Sora tried to hang on for dear life. His stomach felt the intense decent downward. Donald and Goofy called out to their mounted animals to get out of the way. The Griffin and The Caterpillar flew a distance away before Jiminy came crashing down. He landed on the hedge maze inside the palace walls. His giant feet destroyed everything. The impact could be felt throughout the entire castle. Dozens of card soldiers were launched into the air by the impact.

Jiminy gained his balance before reaching into his coat pocket. He pulled Sora out and set him down on the ground. "I feel sick," said Sora nauseous.

"Sorry," Jiminy apologized.

Soon both The Griffin and The Caterpillar came down with Donald and Goofy on their backs. "Thanks guys," said Donald. They both got off their steeds and walked over to Sora.

"Guys you both keep to the skies. When we release Alice. Come back down and get us out of here," ordered Sora. They both agreed to the plan and flew off into the distance.

Sora faced a giant Jiminy. The young boy shouting at the giant, "Keep the Queens army busy while we save Alice." Jiminy nodded marching off getting the attention of all the card soldiers.

"C'mon guys she's being held in the courtyard," Sora informed Donald and Goofy.

Before they ran off a familiar voice called to them. "Oh, you should know something." The gang looked up to the direction of the voice. Perched on a tree the Cheshire Cat appeared before them.

"What do you want?" asked Sora.

"Remember the more light you have. The greater the shadows are cast from it," it said with its iconic smile.

Sora looked at the cat in silence. He remembered hearing that phrase somewhere before. "Know that fire can also emit light. So it too can beget darkness. When the time comes it will take a blizzards wind to put out the fire. That's all." The Cheshire Cat then began to disappear again from head to toe.

"What does that mean?" asked Goofy.

"It's not important. We have no time to discuss it anyway," assured Donald. The gang ran off in the direction of the courtyard.

Back at the execution platform the Queen began another temper tantrum again. She was screaming, "Off with all their heads. If they can't slay this monster!"

Alice looked up in horror at the Queen as a small cloud of darkness began to hover around her. "The darkness in her heart it's going to overtake her," Alice realized.

Hal also noticed the reaction. He smiled and waved his fingers. Soon swarms of heartless began to appear and attack all the people in the audience. The Duchess, The Mad Hatter, The Mocking Turtle, The March Hare, The Dormouse, The French Mouse, The Dodo, Bill the Lizard, Tweedledee and Tweedledumb all who were forced to attend the execution were attacked in their seats by the heartless.

Hal smiled as Heartless kept focus on the nobles and aristocrats instead of the ordinary citizens of Wonderland. Probably because there's more darkness in their hearts then others. People in higher places tend to have that trait. The Heartless began stealing thee nobles hearts and hurting the good citizens of Wonderland.

The Queen screamed, "Off with her head. She's the one who's causing all this. Kill her then they'll all go away!"

Alice looked up at Ace who was never distracted. He was so enthralled by the art of killing he was too focused on doing what he loves rather than even fend for himself. He lifted his axe in the air and aimed it Alice's neck. She lowered her head again and remained silent.

"Heyyyyy!" screamed Sora. Alice recognized that voice. She lifted her head to see her knight with two companions by his side. One was a duck that held a staff while the other was a dog with a shining shield. Goofy threw his shield at Ace's head. It conked the enormous card on the noggin causing him to lose balance. He then tripped and fell off the platform. But his body was just like a card and he floated down landing on the ground safely. This gave Alice a chance to escape. She got up and ran down the stairs. Her feet landed on the hard ground rushing across the courtyard. She ran over to Sora and wrapped her arms around his neck. She hugged him tight. "You came back," she said sobbing.

"Of course, a knight must always protect his princess," said Sora.

He wrapped his arms around her and embraced Alice. Ace recovered from the fall and grabbed his axe. Hal's smug grin turned to a serious frown. The King and White Rabbit looked in fear. The Queen's face turned fiery red. The darkness began to cover her whole body. The rest of the citizens have evacuated.

"OFF WITH THEIR HEADS" shouted the Queen. The White Rabbit grabbed his trumpet to call for reinforcements.

"Thunder," cried Donald. Then a magic bolt of lightning struck the rabbit electrocuting him. The White Rabbit fell over charred up coughing smoke.

The King stood up and said, "My Queen don't worry. We still have our imperial guards." Then just as he said that Goofy's shield bounced off the wall and struck the King in the face. Knocking the King out cold as he fell to the Queens feet. The shield then made its way back to Goofy. He grabbed it like a Frisbee and set it to his side.

"Your majesty. I'm afraid you can't have your way!" shouted Sora at the red hot Queen.