Disclaimer: I do not own Xenosaga

Authoress notes: Shion is about 16 in this story, she's been in the asylum since the accident, I plan to go into detail with what the Asylum is like, as well as how much influence she draws from her real world into that of Wonderland. (Like the chess village for example) this is going to be when Jin is introduced as well (In the real world at least. The Jin in wonderland is going to be a white chess peice.)

Note 2: For those who have actually played the game, I've shortened the levels quite a bit, because going into detail on the puzzles would only bore people. Since the levels are a bit long.

Chapter 3: Skool Daze

As the village grew smaller in the distance Shion watched the darkened sky before her with great intrest as tall walls become visible in the distance before her.

"There is a Skool, inside the fortress where you'll find certain items for a concotion that will make you small." Stated Nephilim to which Shion looked at her with a confused expression. "Items? What kind of items?" She asked frowning slightly at the red haired gnome in front of her. Nephilim shook her head frustrated but did not look back at the girl behind her only continued to pedal and stare at the walls that were slowly approaching. "Items! Items girl! You'll know them when you see them!" She stated matter-of-factly and Shion wondered if perhaps the woman even knew what items she was suposed to look for herself "And speaking of seeing things, we should avoid the card guards notice..." She paused as both she and Shion looked in terror at the fact that they had, as if by some cruel twist of fate been seen. Nephilim steered the Derigible to the side to avoid the sharp cards that the minions were throwing at them "Damnit! We've been seen!" She proclaimed and Shion shook her head at the fact that it was rather obvious by now. Nephilim swurved to the side as they neared the walls of the fortress, "Eventually you must break through such walls," Nephilim said to which Shion nodded though not sure where this was leading "But for now JUMP!" She commanded and Shion did just that landing on the wall of the fortress with yet another uncomfortable thud and quickly hiding herself from view in a small guard tower that seemed to be abandoned.

The Guards were oblivious to her precense, and for that she was thankful as it made them all the easier to dispatch of which she did rather quickly and unplesantly. Running quickly around the walls to see if perhaps she could find a way to enter the building in the center. "Inside the wall is not inside the fortress the gnome was short on details, a bit vague sadly but wether by design, or out of ignorance or fear I do not know." The white haired young man appeared sitting on the wall casually one leg dangling over the side the other pulled close to his chest his arm draped just as casually over it.

"This is the school isn't it?" She asked looking to the shaking building with a frown, it stood rather ominously in the middle of the fortress It looked like a traditional one room school house with the word 'SKOOL' written at it's door in rather sloppy craving. She frowned slightly wondering if perhaps the person who had thought of this place had not been the brightest of them all...wondering just how long this place had existed as she hclearly hadn't visited it on her last trip to wonderland.

"How am I supose to get into this place?" She asked with Cat curiously his ears twitched in amusement at this as he closed his eyes still smirking the same way he always did. "Getting into the skool requires a real 'leap of logic" He replied calmly and Shion couldn't help but feel the desire to knock that cat over the ledge.

"Do you always speak in riddles like this to everyone you meet Cat?" She asked with a frown crossing her arms at tapping her foot against the stone floor rather agitatedly.

"It's far from a riddle my dear." He replied smoothly as he faded from site and she clinched her fists in fustration.

She looked around to where the young man had been sitting to find that the window to the moving building was open, and about the size of a normal door at that. "A Real leap of logic eh?" She repeated to herself as she climbed up on the ledge of the wall. Waited until the building came into her jumping range and sailed through the window with ease and landing on the carpeted floor with a slightly more graceful than usual thud.

She looked around the room, which was rather well lit, the floor was carpeted and once again nothing looked truely out of the ordinary for the inside of a school. She pushed open the set of double doors and looked in awe at the area around her.

There was a grand staircase in the center of the room with several doors around it as well. There was another door off to the corner to her left next to a fireplace. It was there that the Cheshire cat sat, a bored look in his red eyes but the smirk still refused to leave his pale features. "I have a riddle for you," He said calmly and Shion smacked her hand against her head in frustration. The Boy waited not for her approval to ask it though as he twirled what appeared to be one of the Queen of Hearts croquet mallets in his hand in front of him. "When in a croquet mallet like a Billy club?" He asked smoothly. Shion sighed and shrugged at this giving up mainly because she did not want to have to deal with taking such a long time to guess.

"I'll tell you," His smirk widened rather morbidly "Anytime you want it to be." He said tossing the mallet to Shion and she caught it looking at it rather oddly. When she looked back up the young boy was gone. She sighed and opened the doors next to the fireplace to find herself in a small theater. Waiting in front of the stage was Nephilim, her arms crossed a look of seriousness on her childlike face.

"There's a bit more than you suggested don't you think?" Shion asked as she neared the woman with a frown. Nephilim sighed rubbing her finger on the bridge of her nose in a tired manner.

"No need for Sarcasm." She stated with a frown "Though I admit my memory's not what it once was." Shion nodded in agreement at this though not saying anything sarcastic "But I'm here now. I'll try to amend its deficiencies." She said as Shion looked to her expectantly, "The library contains a recipe for the potion, consult the book of Bizarre things..." She trailed off as her vision went straight to the area over Shions shoulder "Oh no..." She whispered as she stumbled back a few steps "RUN!" She demanded as she quickly vanished herself leaving Shion to contend with the two card guards that had just entered the room.

These were things easily delt with as she swung the croquet mallet with enough force to break the poor creatures neck. Though not as morbidly pleasing as using her cards or knife, the Croquet mallet would certainly be a useful tool as well. She held it at her side and continued on, through a set of double doors at the top of a staircase and into a large library. Finding herself in a bit of a rut as apparently what she needed was at the top level on a shelf by itself she was partially relieved to see the Cheshire cat, standing next to one of the large bookshelfs.

"I was just about to ask myself when you would show up again." She said casually. "How am I to get to that book there if there are no staircases to get me there?" She asked calmly, certain that the boy would answer in the form of some sort of riddle. He smirked his ears twitching slightly "Steps to enlightenment brighten the way, but the steps are steep," He paused as he turned and pushed a rather large bookshelf and Shion was quite suprised at how easily it fell.

"Take them one at a time." He stated vanishing again before she had time to say anything.

She sighed as she climbed the shelves rather quickly only to find that the only way to get to the rather large book was to hop across several other large books that seemed to be there for just that purpose. She sighed as jumped to the first one, then the second until finally she found herself stumbling back on the table where the book was. She struggled to undo the latch on the large leather bound book and groaned in frustration as she found it would not open.

"Treat it like a Chinese box, or a stubborn Lid, a tap in the right spot might do the trick." Called the Cheshire cat once again appearing to offer his advice in the most cynical manner possible.

"A tap huh?" She grinned slightly as she hefted the Croquet mallet and hit the book rather hard on the latch knocking it over onto the ground, the book in turn flew open.

The cheshire cats wide red eyes were truly a sight to behold as he looked up at the girl in amazement running a hand through his white hair with a bemused chuckle. "Good thing I didn't suggest force then," He said mockingly "You might of Pulverized it!" he proclaimed with a frown as Shion jumped down to look at the book. It had appropriately opened to the exact page she needed and she read off the ingredients carefully.

"Mushrooms, Poppies, Sugar, and Spice, all the these things are very nice, when combined in the proper mixture, they create a getting small elxir." She read off to herself and frowned "I don't much like sweets." She said with a frown but simply shrugged it off running out of the Library and off to Find Nephilim again. This time heading through the door in the center of the staircase.

A great spiral staircase stood in the center of the red wallpapered room and she ran through the door and through another and found herself in a Gymnasium where Nephilim was hiding behind one of the bleachers. She motioned for Shion to come there quickly and she did so rather discretely.

"The Gymnasium should be safe...the guards never exercise." She stated "Can't afford to lose the extra weight." She added in making the brown haired girl feel rather sorry for the poor stupid creatures.

"I never much cared for Gym." She stated with a frown "I don't have to put on a pinny do I?"
"no it wouldn't suit you." Stated Nephilim not sure what to make of this question in itself "Anyways I've recalled on of the potions ingredients," She stated holding up a rather brightly colored Mushroom "Mushrooms, Lovely texture don't you think?" Shion shook her head in irritation at this. Before Nephilim could say anything in retort her attention was once again caught by a rather unplesant screech. "What's that?" She asked not giving time for an answer before vanishing leaving Shion alone to fight. She frowned as she looked at the creature glaring at her for a few moments before running. It was a hideous creature really, floating there with a rather disfigured head and it's scream was most unplesant. There wasn't enough time to get to the door and she quickly found herself running into a small room where the creature couldn't get her.

Laying inside this room was a small red Box. Ornately decorated and glowing slightly she opened it and quickly shut it back. A thick red powder blew out from the box filling her sense's with pain as she twisted around in Agony until finally everything went numb. She was not herself anymore she gathered this much, as her skin had now taken on a redened appearance. She growled suddenly and sprung at the creatures quickly finishing them before they had a chance to scream and she fell afterwards to the ground. Shaking horribly.

"How fine you look when dressed in Rage," Chidded the White haired man who smiled down at her with a look of absolute glee on his face "Your Enemies are fortunate your condition is not permanent." He added laughing rather coldly "And you are too, Red eye's suit so few." She glared at him as she felt the effect fading just as he was, his sense of humor quite odd and rather inappropriate for the occasion. She groaned getting up and leaving the gym before anymore of the creatures had a chance to come for their fallen commrades.