Lotus Forest

"Ugh, this is embarrassing," Donald complained, pushing aside a tuft of tall grass and stepping over it, before holding it up for Wendy, Goofy, and Carla to follow. "We've been pushed back to square one. It's bad enough we had to find evidence and present it in front of a totally angry queen with her playing cards. Now we had to find a missing girl! How long is this going to take?"

"An adventure's no fun if it's short," Goofy reasoned. "It doesn't matter how long, as long as we stick together. So why the grumpy face? I thought you liked adventure."

"That's right, Donald," Wendy smiled. "Where's your sense of adventure? I thought you were the royal court magician of Disney Castle, one of King Mickey's friends."

"My sense of adventure left me when the Queen's cards almost turned us into shish-kebabs," Donald said grumpily. "And it's still your fault."

"Do we have to go over that again?" Wendy rolled her eyes. "Alice needed help. I had to do something about it."

"Okay, maybe she did need help, but that doesn't matter!" Donald glared. "She could've asked someone else instead of us! We had nothing to do with her!"

"But I can't just sit there and let that mean queen have her way!" Wendy protested. "She's arrested, put on trial, no one cared to help her, and now she's gone! It's wrong to leave a friend behind. No one in my guild would ever do that."

"You're way over your head, kid," Donald groaned. "Is this some fairy tale fantasy you're living in?"

"I'm serious!" Wendy argued. "I'm a member of a magical guild!"

"Oh, really?" Donald grinned deviously. "What's the name of your so-called guild?"

"Its name is Fairy Tail," Wendy said seriously. "It's the best guild in Fiore, a guild where we find work, go out on adventures, and help a lot of people. We're one big family of wizards. Everyone in the guild is loyal and trustworthy, and we all share a strong bond. We do whatever it takes to save lives, even when times are tough," She paused, and her tone was laced with sincerity, "I'm pretty sure you understand what I'm saying. You and Goofy must share a bond with King Mickey, too."

"Yeah, but..." Donald was at a loss for words.

"I bet the three of you had great adventures together," Wendy assumed.

"A-hyuck, they were wonderful," Goofy joined the conversation.

"Goofy?" Donald raised an eyebrow.

"The three of us are a perfect team, and our motto is all for one, and one for all," Goofy continued. "We use teamwork to take on any job, even if we got ourselves in a few pickles along the way. We're a bunch of pals doin' what's right, and savin' folks who can't save themselves."

"You see? Even Goofy knows!" Wendy said happily. "A friend in need is a friend indeed, like Alice. That why I had to stop the Queen from hurting her. I'm a wizard of Fairy Tail, and it's my job to make sure people don't get hurt."

"What a brave little girl, workin' in the line of duty like that!" Goofy admired, wiping a tear from his eye. "You're the cutest heroine I've ever seen!"

"Thanks, Goofy," Wendy blushed.

"Oh, I get it now. You're a girl with a sense of righteousness," Donald confirmed with a nod. A minute later, he was angry again, "But it's not the same! This is another world we're talking about! There are certain rules around here, and you just broke them." He gestured to himself and Goofy for emphasis, "We're a group of professionals protecting the world order, and we play it cool, so why didn't you?"

"You never told me in the first place," Wendy pointed out.

"Well, there's your problem right there! You're too young to understand, anyway!" Donald frowned.

"Hey, just because I'm young doesn't mean I can't understand a lot!" Wendy responded angrily.

"I don't know what's your deal, with all the magical guild business or whatever, but you clearly didn't get the memo or else you'd—" Donald continued.

"Quiet!" Carla raised a paw, halting the conversation. "Did you hear something?"

Just then, the group's ears were drawn to a soft vocalization within the eerie stillness of the forest. It hummed a semi-haunting tune which gradually turned into a round of echoing laughter.

"The Cheshire Cat!" Wendy was the first to recognize the familiar tone.

Another voice which sounded like a sneeze caught their attention, and they turned to see a giant red flower spitting a rock out of its stigma, landing near the pond. Looking down, Wendy and company could see the sets of paw prints leaving their mark on the ground, as if something invisible was walking around them. They first circled Donald, Goofy, Carla, and then Wendy, before they congregated on top of the boulder. The paw prints belonged to the Cheshire Cat, who appeared standing on his front legs.

"It's you!" Wendy cried. "You came back!"

"Greetings, travelers," the Cheshire Cat said casually. "Did you lose something?"

"Yes, unfortunately," Carla responded. "We were fighting the Queen's men, and Alice mysteriously vanished."

"Have you seen her?" Wendy asked hopefully.

The Cheshire Cat blinked slowly, his smile stretching. "Alice, no. Shadows, yes!"

"Where did they go?" Goofy asked.

"This way? That way? Does it matter?" the Cheshire Cat answered whimsically. "Left, right, up, down! All mixed up thanks to the shadows! Step deeper into the forest to the garden. You might find shadows in the upside-down room!"

"Deserted garden?" Wendy raised an eyebrow. "Upside-down room?"

"We don't understand a word you're saying!" Donald quacked. "Speak English!"

"My, how simple-minded you are!" the Cheshire Cat giggled. "However, since you're thankful to a cat for earning a Magic Orb as a prize after winning that game earlier, I'll make myself clear." He cleared his throat, "If I were looking for Alice, I'd ask the Mad Hatter and the March Hare in their tea party garden. They're having a celebration as we speak, away from the animals and their owners, the wicked men."

"Shadows? Wicked men?" Wendy pondered, before she gasped. "The Heartless! And the dark guilds! They're here, too!"

"Do you know something of them?" Carla asked. "The animals and the wicked men?"

"The wicked men, they're unfamiliar to me or any place in Wonderland," the Cheshire Cat replied. "But the animals, this I know. They have a knack for assault..." He pulled at the fur on his head, and his face shifted into an exact imitation of the Queen of Hearts, "...and attempted theft of hearts. I'm sure you've encountered a lot of them."

"So they are the ones behind this!" Wendy exclaimed.

"If you wish to know more, enter the tea party garden," the Cheshire Cat suggested. "The Mad Hatter and the March Hare have plenty to share with you. Afterwards, take the door to the upside-down room. You might find the shadows there."

"The upside-down room?" Wendy wondered. "What does it mean?"

"You'll find out soon," the Cheshire Cat replied. "I wish you good luck in finding the shadows. Oh, and one more thing..." He added as an afterthought, "Recently, there has been a new guest. Her name is the Merry Blender. She's cute, adorable, and just as polite as the leading lady in your posse," he pointed a paw at Wendy to make his point. "The Merry Blender has been pleasurable company to the Mad Hatter and the March Hare for quite some time. And do you know what I've noticed? Her hands dancing around with black currents of wind. Whatever she did with those currents, I suppose it added more flavor to the party." He giggled again, "The Hatter and the Hare are indeed blessed by a goddess of the sky."

"The Merry Blender... Black currents of wind... Goddess of the sky..." Wendy rubbed her chin. And then, her eyes widened in realization, "But that could only mean..." Before she could ask another question, the Cheshire Cat once again vanished. "Wait!"

"Some help he is," Donald crossed his arms. "He's starting to get on my nerves."

"The Cheshire Cat may be secretive, but he's not selfish and unreliable," Carla stated. "He provided us with information vital to our mission."

"But how are we gonna get to the tea party garden?" Goofy questioned. "He didn't tell us which way."

"He said it's somewhere deep in the forest," Wendy pointed out. "And that's exactly where we're going. Come on." With that, the four took off, heading into the depths of the Lotus Forest.

As soon as they ventured further, they were greeted by an unwelcoming sight of Heartless. Wendy and Donald weren't worried, though. Their new Blizzard spell gave them an ace up their sleeves, especially against the Red Nocturnes. The ice crystals instantly took out the Shadows and Soldiers, and put the Red Nocturnes' fiery persistence on ice.

However, a new Heartless had entered the fray, and it was a big one! It was a Large Body, a rotund Heartless with massive arms and a nearly indestructible belly. Wendy and company charged at it, and when they struck, their weapons all bounced off the Large Body's stomach. That left them in a bind on how they were going to slay this monstrosity. It took them some time, from eluding jumping shockwaves to dodging mow-down attacks, but they discovered a weakness: its back. Wendy, Donald, and Goofy ran up to the Large Body after a brief distraction, and slashed it a few times. With enough hits, the Large Body began to glow with an aura, stomping its feet wildly. It faced the group and charged with its gut straight out, hitting the group straight on. But the Large Body failed to realize that a Fire spell from Donald hit it, making it vanish from existence. Its body was impregnable, but it was easily hit by magic.

Eventually, Wendy and her friends came across an open passage just ahead of them. It was where the foliage grew so thickly together that it formed some sort of tunnel. All the light that could possibly filter in was blocked out, so that nothing beyond the opening was seen. Though it was difficult to make out, something in the form of merry music crawled its way out of the tunnel. The four exchanged glances, wondering if they arrived at the right place.

"Could this be the tea party garden?" Carla wondered.

"Let's go check it out!" Wendy suggested. She and her teammates entered the dark tunnel, trailing their way through the darkness. The music grew quite louder, and three unknown voices harmonized with it in song. At the end of the path, Wendy bumped her chest into some sort of hedge wall. Somewhat surprised, she dug her fingers into the hedge, gripped the leaves firmly, and split them apart. It allowed light to splash into their faces, illuminating the new place unexpectedly, and increasing the volume of the song.


Tea Party Garden

"...to us! If there are no objections, let it be unanimous! A very merry unbirthday, a very merry unbirthday, a very merry unbirthday to us!"

"Whoooooaaa!" Wendy and her companions widened their eyes in wonder. Spread out before them was a festive outdoor tea party, a symphony of whistles creating the musical atmosphere. In the middle stood a long pink table with chairs of all different kinds lined up along the sides, next to a large white and pink house with a roof made of hay. Teapots and dinnerware filled the table, and lanterns hung overhead as decorations. The teapots danced in rhythm and shrilled with hot steam, and they happened to be the musical instruments. The steam blended in with the small strands of black wind fluttering in the air, assuming the form of birds flying in the sky.

Only three guests were present in the party, and they directed the teapots like an orchestra, whistling harmoniously with the bouncing silverware. The first one appeared to be the Mad Hatter, an elderly man wearing a massive green hat under his white hair, a dark blue vest with a light blue bowtie under a orange tuxedo, green pants, and dark blue shoes. The second was the March Hare, an anthropomorphic rabbit wearing a red tuxedo with a white collar and orange bowtie, brown pants, and brown shoes. And the third party guest was the Merry Blender, the same amaranth-haired girl who defeated the army of dark wizards before Wendy and her friends arrived at Wonderland. As they inched closer to the table, the lyrics of the song became clear enough for them to hear.

March Hare: A very merry unbirthday to me!

Mad Hatter: To who?

Merry Blender: To him!

Mad Hatter: Oh, you!

March Hare: A very merry unbirthday to you!

Mad Hatter: Who, me?

Merry Blender: Yes, you.

Mad Hatter: Oh, me!

March Hare: Let's all congratulate us with another cup of tea!

All at once, the three grabbed a few teapots and poured tea on their cups in a rather whimsical manner.

March Hare: A very merry unbirthday tooooooooooooooo you!

When the song had finished, the three could hear a round of applause, a crowd of four, to be exact. They turned to see Donald and Goofy cheering and whooping at the performance, while Wendy and Carla simply clapped their hands. The Mad Hatter and the March Hare gasped, and they swiftly ran over to the unexpected company, gesturing with their hands as they ran. "No room! No room! No room! No room! No room! No room!" Only the Merry Blender was left behind; she stared at the dark blue-haired girl in utter disbelief, nearly collapsing out of shock.

"No room?" Donald asked incredulously. "There's PLENTY of room!"

"Yeah, I mean, look at all the chairs," Wendy gestured to the several empty chairs around the table. "The whole table's big enough for a crowd." She paused to smell the scent of black wind dancing above, and allowed it to sink in, "And that black wind dancing in the air, it smells... familiar."

"Don't you know it's very rude sitting down on one of these chairs without being invited?" the March Hare scolded.

"It's very rude," the Mad Hatter spoke up with a laugh. "Very, very rude indeed!"

"Gawrsh, sorry we came to your party uninvited," Goofy admitted. "But you sure know how to throw one!" With a cheery grin, he complimented the festive atmosphere, "The teapots, the decorations..."

That caught the March Hare's attention, "Are you saying that OUR party is spectacular?"

"Oh, how delightful of you!" the Mad Hatter chuckled. "I'm so excited, we never get compliments. Please, take your seats! You must have a cup of tea!"

"Yes, indeed!" the March Hare agreed. "You must have a cup of tea!"

"Well, I guess we could stay for a little while," Donald smiled, as he and Goofy sat on two of the empty chairs. "Can't go on a wild goose chase with an empty stomach."

"Nothin' like fresh hot tea to lift our spirits," Goofy beamed. "Wendy, Carla, we've got seats for ya."

"Thanks," Wendy smiled, and she took her seat next to Goofy.

"Wait a minute!" Carla cried in shock. "What about Alice?"

"Come on! Can't we at least take a break, Carla?" Wendy pleaded. "We're a bit tired from all the fighting."

"You said it," Donald agreed. "This whole adventure can get exhausting."

"We're running out of time!" Carla complained.

"Oh, please!" the Mad Hatter scoffed. "I insist you sit down and have some tea before anything else."

"Who are these people?" Carla muttered. "Why are we wasting time here sipping tea?" She sighed reluctantly, "Alright, I'll take a seat. I suppose we can pass the time. I'm getting thirsty myself." With that, she took her seat next to Wendy. "If this is Wendy's wish, then I shall respect it."

The March Hare poured from a teapot, filling four cups on four saucers with the warm liquid that was enjoyed by many, before passing them along to Wendy and company. Each took a sip, and a creamy sensation filled their stomachs. "Delicious!" Wendy said happily.

"I love this tea!" Goofy squealed.

"Me too!" Donald called out.

"What's the secret ingredient?" Wendy asked curiously.

"Oolong leaves, the rarest herbs in the Lotus Forest," the March Hare replied. "Mash them together, mix it with hot water, and you brew the most delicious tea in Wonderland!"

"The whole world can get teemed with creepy crawlies as black as a raven, but you can still line up for a taste," the Mad Hatter chortled. "We wouldn't have done it without our generous new co-host, the Merry Blender. Which reminds me, why is a raven like a writing desk?"

"I don't know," Goofy shrugged. "Why is a raven like a writing desk?"

"I beg your pardon?" the Mad Hatter asked.

"Why is a raven like a writing desk?" Goofy repeated his question.

"Come again?" the Mad Hatter rubbed his ear.

"WHY IS A RAVEN LIKE A WRITING DESK?" Goofy screamed.

"WHAT IS WHAT?!" the Mad Hatter gawked.

"He's stark raving mad!" the March Hare jumped at the outburst.

"Gawrsh, what's the matter?" Goofy wondered. "I was just repeating your question."

"How about some more tea?" the March Hare offered, holding a teapot.

"A-hyuck, sure!" Goofy smiled, holding up his cup for the March Hare to pour more tea. He was so focused on letting in the warm liquid that he forgot about the Mad Hatter's silly riddle.

"We're having a tea party with a bunch of imbeciles," Carla slapped her forehead. "How long is this going to take? We have to focus on the mission."

"You must be the Mad Hatter and the March Hare, right?" Wendy asked, to which the two nodded. "We're sorry we interrupted your birthday party, but we were wondering..."

"Birthday? Ha!" the March Hare scoffed. "My dear friends, this is not a birthday party."

"Of course not!" the Mad Hatter added. "This is an unbirthday party."

"Unbirthday party?" Donald asked, confused. "What does that even mean?"

"How silly! You don't know what an unbirthday party is?" the Mad Hatter laughed. "Don't fret, for we shall elucidate." He cleared his throat, "Statistics prove you have one birthday."

"Yeah, every birthday is once a year," Donald nodded. "So what?"

"Imagine, just one birthday every year," the March Hare fantasized. "But there are three-hundred and sixty-four unbirthdays! It's precisely why we're gathered here to celebrate every day. Me, the Hatter, and our new friend, the Merry Blender, who's just standing right beside the girl with blueberry hair." As soon as he said that, his eyes widened when he realized the Merry Blender was actually standing next to Wendy. "Goodness, she's as quick as a flash! It's a new record!"

"Oh, she's right beside me?" Wendy turned her head to the left. "Hello, I'm Wendy. It's nice to meet—" And then suddenly, the familiar gaze of those beautiful blue eyes ran through her like a jolt. The amaranth-haired girl stared back at the surprised expression on Wendy's face with twinkling eyes. That's when the Cheshire Cat's description of the Merry Blender made complete sense, from the black wind to his mention of a sky goddess, and the pieces were all put together.

"What's the matter, Wendy? What are you-" Carla looked over at Wendy's seat, and she gasped at the sight of the Merry Blender. She flew over to make sure she wasn't seeing things, "It can't be! How did you...?"

The two girls stared at each other, astounded by their unexpected reunion. They stood like that for a few seconds, transfixed by the other's familiar presence, and tears began to flow down their cheeks. Was this a dream, or did both girls look at a ghost that came to life? And then...

"SHERRIA!" Wendy was the first to break out of her trance, screaming excitedly and bounding from her seat. "IT'S YOU!"

"WENDY!" Sherria Blendy scooped Wendy up into her arms and spun her around, giving her the tighest hug she could ever give. "I'M SO GLAD YOU CAME!"

"Oh, you have no idea how happy I am to see you!" Wendy held Sherria tightly.

"Yes, I do! I thought you were gone forever!" Sherria kept her grip.

Both girls couldn't help but let their emotions of anxiety and joy overflow in the form of tears. They were laughing, hugging, and cheering almost non-stop. Donald and Goofy watched on with shocked amusement, and Carla with gladness and relief, since she knew that Wendy and Sherria were very close. It was only moments ago that the tea party garden was a symbol of weirdness, but now that Wendy reunited with Sherria Blendy, a member of the Lamia Scale guild and a prodigious Sky God Slayer she met and befriended at the Grand Magic Games, it was a shining beacon of hope, comfort, and friendship.

Off to the side, the Mad Hatter and the March Hare watched in utter bewilderment, their mouths agape in confusion. The Hatter spoke first, "Um, is it just me, or are we completely out of the loop on this one?"

"Loop schmoop, Merry Blender's got some explaining to do!" the March Hare exclaimed, leaping over to them. "Excuse me, Merry Blender, what's going on here?"

"I can't believe you're here!" Sherria pulled away from Wendy, ignoring the March Hare. "What are you doing out here?"

"I should be asking you the same thing!" Wendy responded. "What are you doing out here?"

"Well, I asked you first," Sherria asked teasingly.

"Well, I deserve more of an explanation!" Wendy giggled.

"EXCUSE ME!" the March Hare yelled, his voice catching the attention of the two. Without waiting for an answer, he walked up to Sherria and poked her in the chest. "Merry Blender, even since you came to our tea party garden, you've been an honorable guest. We like you, we believe you, and we respect you. But would you please be a dear and explain what is going on around here? Who is she, how do you know her, and why are you hugging her?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, March Hare. I got a little excited," Sherria apologized. "This is Wendy. She's my friend."

"Your..." the Mad Hatter began.

"...friend?" the March Hare finished.

"Yeah, we've known each other for a long while," Sherria explained, before looking over her shoulder to see Donald and Goofy. "Oh, I haven't seen you before. Are you new in Wonderland?"

"Well..." Donald began.

"Oh, I haven't introduced you to Sherria yet," Wendy realized, and she put her hand on the Sky God Slayer's shoulder. "Donald, Goofy, this is Sherria. Sherria, Donald and Goofy."

"Pleased to meet ya, Sherria," Goofy greeted.

"Hello, Sherria," Donald waved.

"The pleasure's all mine," Sherria acknowledged. She then turned to Carla, "And you're Carla, Wendy's Exceed! Good to see you!"

"I'm honored to meet with you again," Carla bowed in respect. "How miraculous of you to have survived the attack of the Heartless."

"Heartless? Those are the names of the weird creatures in black?" Sherria tapped a finger on her chin. "They certainly have a questionable taste in—"

"That's nice and all, but in case you've forgotten, the two of us are still in need of a very big explanation, Merry Blender," the Mad Hatter interrupted. "Or should I say, Sherria."

"I should've known you were hiding secrets from us!" the March Hare accused. "In an unbirthday party, it's illegal to keep secrets! We didn't realize you were acquainted with this girl."

"You were here in Wonderland the whole time?" Wendy asked.

"Yeah, about that..." Sherria confessed. "This could take awhile, so why don't we all sit down, and I'll start talking?" The others looked at her for a moment, the Mad Hatter and the March Hare doing so a little cautiously, before nodding and taking their seats.

One long, descriptive explanation later...

Donald began, "Okay, so let's recap, just to make sure we understand everything. Wendy, Carla, and Sherria live in the same world, and they're friends. After the Heartless took them away, Sherria woke up in Wonderland, while Wendy and Carla woke up in Traverse Town."

Sherria grimaced, "Way before I arrived here, I got swallowed up in that black hole. I thought I was dead, floating in a black limbo with nowhere to go! I'm gonna have nightmares for weeks."

Wendy sighed, "My thoughts exactly. I went through the same experience. That was so creepy."

Donald continued, "Sherria explored a bit of Wonderland, ran into the Mad Hatter and March Hare, became friends, and had a very merry unbirthday. Is that everything?"

Sherria said proudly, "Not quite, Donald. You didn't mention all of the black creatures or Heartless or whatever they're called that I took out. Same goes for those pesky wizards from the Jester Jugular dark guild!"

Donald deadpanned, "I didn't forget 'em, Sherria. I was trying to recap with a short version of the story."

Sherria complained, "But that means you missed some of the good parts."

Wendy admitted, "Well, we're caught up now, Donald. I wish you and Goofy could've seen Sherria in action. She's amazing! She's a Sky God Slayer, a Lost Magic said to have the power to defeat gods!"

Donald and Goofy exclaimed in unison, "She can beat gods?!"

Goofy pointed out, "Gawrsh, that's pretty extreme, dontcha think?"

Sherria admitted, "I have magic that can beat gods. But the truth is, I haven't fought a real god yet."

Donald smirked, "Oh, I get it! That means you're too chicken!" He then burst into a fit of mocking laughter.

Sherria grinned confidently, "Never judge a wizard by its magic. I know I can beat a god when I see 'em. And I'm not afraid of anything coming at me! Did I forget to mention that my magic can heal my injuries automatically?"

Wendy giggled, "When I first met Sherria, it was last year's Grand Magic Games. We fought each other to a draw. Every time I hit her, her wounds heal automatically."

Donald blinked in confusion, "I don't get it."

Sherria smiled, "Oh, I'm sure you'll get the memo when you see me in action." Her face turned serious, "But putting that aside, I wanna know what's the deal with those Heartless guys and why they're acting with dark guilds."

Wendy stated, "Donald, Goofy, and I encountered the Lantern Viscera guild, led by Halloween. He's got a pack of Heartless at his beck and call, including Linda the Living Armor. This whole thing is really strange."

Sherria shrugged, "No stranger than caterpillars smoking letters or magical flowers singing in the golden afternoon. I'm more concerned about what happened to Earth-land, and everyone in it." She grew concerned, "Where is everyone? Master Ooba, Lyon..." Her tone was laced with sadness at the last word, "Cousin Sherry."

Wendy placed a comforting hand on Sherria's shoulder, "I'm sure they're out there somewhere. We'll find them when we see them." She sighed affectionately, and wiped a tear from her eye, "I'm so glad you're okay, Sherria. I missed you so much."

Sherria chuckled, "Thanks, Wendy. I'm glad you're okay, too." She brushed Wendy's hair, causing her to giggle, "I'm glad you haven't changed a bit."

Carla interjected, "Jester Jugular is the name of the dark guild that attacked you, is it not?"

Sherria nodded, "Yep. Jester Jugular is a dark guild acting independently from the Balam Alliance. Rumor has it that the whole guild's made up ex-performers who practiced the dark arts. They use dark magic in the form of herky-jerky jester's entertainment that flustered a lot of light guilds. Jester Jugular and Lamia Scale have been at each other's throats for over a year, and we've fought and defeated countless wizards within their ranks."

Carla asked, "How did they get here to Wonderland?"

Sherria explained, "I don't know why, but as always, they have an unhealthy obsession to destroy any Lamia Scale wizard on sight." She added with a chuckle, "Nothing I can't handle. I've beaten every Jester Jugular wizard I saw, including their new Heartless buddies."

Goofy questioned, "Really? All by yourself?"

Wendy smiled, "You should really see her in action!"

Sherria added, "Along the way, I collected herbs for the Mad Hatter and March Hare to brew their tea. Anything to keep them company."

The Mad Hatter grinned, "The Merry Blender has been a supporter of our unbirthday party for as long as we can remember."

The March Hare added, "She knows how to brew fine tea, makes the best decorations, and knows how to strike up a polite conversation! Three cheers for the Merry Blender!"

Wendy smiled, "And I'd like to thank you as well, for taking great care of Sherria."

The Mad Hatter and March Hare replied in unison, "No problem, ma'am!"

Carla crossed her arms, "But it doesn't explain how the Jester Jugular guild followed you all the way here like a pack of hunting dogs. Did you collect any information from the wizards you've defeated?"

Sherria replied, "Every time I asked a beaten wizard, they were muttering over and over about a princess of heart, a dark alliance, and a girl named Alice."

Wendy, Donald, Goofy, and Carla gasped in shock at the information. "ALICE?!"

Wendy cried angrily, "So it WAS their doing!"

Sherria asked, "Huh? Who's Alice? Someone you met?"

The Mad Hatter interjected, "Alice? Hmm..." He rubbed his chin, "That name does ring familiar."

The March Hare recalled, "We remember someone by the name of Alice coming here. She tried to tell us a story about a riverbank and a cat named Dinah. At the mention of 'cat,' the Dormouse freaked out, and we had to put jam right up his nose to calm him down!"

Once again, the sinister voice boomed with triumphant laughter, and everyone present in the tea party froze.

"Ah, yes. Good times, good times. Those eyes, they see everything! They see the journey of a curious girl with a pure heart, on a brave struggle to overcome Wonderland! Someone should write a story about it!"

Behind them, mist began to swirl around their feet.

"Alice in Wonderland, how do you get to Wonderland? Over the hill or underland, or just behind the tree? When clouds go rolling by, they roll away and leave the sky. When is the land beyond the eye, that people cannot see? Oh, where can it be?"

"I know that voice..." Sherria said softly.

Suddenly, the mist gathered behind Sherria and transformed into a lick of green flame with two glowing yellow eyes, harboring with evil intent.

"Where do stars go? Where is the crescent moon? They must be somewhere in the sunny afternoon? Alice in Wonderland, where is the path to Wonderland? Over the hill or here or there? I wonder where? Oh, that's right! She's not here anymore!"

The flame emerged and floated up in the air, burning away the traces of dancing black wind. Wendy and company sat up in surprise, and the Mad Hatter and March Hare shivered. Wendy gasped and pointed a finger upward, "Look!"

"I knew I would find you, Sherria Blendy of Lamia Scale. Did you miss me? Were you having tea with the Keyblade master? Without me?"

"Master Jabberwock!" Sherria responded angrily. "Is this another one of your tricks?"

"Jabberwock?" Wendy breathed. "That's the name of Jester Jugular's guild master?"

"As usual, Sky God Slayer, you are gravely mistaken."

"Come out and face me, you dirty clown!" Sherria demanded. "I'll end this rivalry between our guilds once and for all!"

"So eager, Sherria. Relax. Soon enough, we will have our time to play. It falls to me to collect payment for the pain your guild has wrought."

"H-H-H-H-How about a nice cup of tea?" the March Hare shook nervously, pouring a cup and inadvertently spilling the liquid.

"How about a royal feast, instead? This very merry unbirthday has now turned into a luncheon! And you are the main course!"

The green flame erupted with one last laugh, forcing Wendy and her friends to shield their faces away with their arms. They felt the ground shake under their feet from the blast. The flame roared angrily, and the shockwave extinguished the lanterns, enveloping the Tea Party Garden in darkness.

The Mad Hatter and March Hare screamed in horror. They raced for the exit, unable to bare the sheer fright of Jabberwork's machinations, but not before the Hatter left one final message, "Looks like the party's over!"

"Good luck, Merry Blender! We'll resume our very merry unbirthday at a later date!" the March Hare added. And with that, they disappeared from the tea party garden.

Suddenly, another green flame devoured the table, the chairs, and the silverware, reducing them to small piles of ash. "Look out!" Wendy exclaimed, as she, Donald, Goofy, Carla, and Sherria scurried out of the way before the inferno could lick up where they stood. To make matters worse, a third flame rose from the grass and blocked the exit, the only way out of the garden.

"I enjoy listening to your pain. Your pain is my pleasure. Come forth, my Heartless!"

Ten Red Nocturnes, ten Blue Rhapsodies, and seven Soldiers popped up in a flurry of portals in response to Jabberwock's command, dead sight on leading the group of five to their demise.

"Not again!" Donald complained. "We were having a break, and they show up to spoil it!"

"Looks like the party's cancelled," Goofy shrugged. "We're back on the job."

"We have to fight them all," Wendy determined. "What do you say, Sherria? Are you ready?"

"I'm born ready!" Sherria smirked. "Let's take it to the skies!"

The Red Nocturnes and Blue Rhapsodies fired their respective-elemental blasts, while the Soldiers charged with their menacing claws.

"Sky God's Bellow!" Sherria made the first move by breathing a gust of black wind, destroying the fireballs and icy arrows, and incinerating five Red Nocturnes at once. "Sky God's Dance!" Spinning her arms around, she summoned a black spiral that lifted five Blue Rhapsodies up in the air, and proceeded to assault them with a series of black wind-fueled punches. "Sky God's Boreas!" Generating two black currents into her hand, she assimilated them into a massive tornado and sent it against the remaining Red Nocturnes and Blue Rhapsodies, taking them out. Sherria's incredible display of her Sky God Slayer Magic proved more than enough to stun Donald and Goofy with sheer amazement.

"WOW!" Goofy cried excitedly. "Look at 'er go!"

"She beat the Heartless with those black wind thingies!" Donald marveled. "She's amazing!"

"I guess she really is a goddess of the skies," Goofy admitted.

"Yeah," Donald sighed. "I was wrong to doubt her."

"Ha!" Wendy cried proudly. "I told you!"

"Um, guys?" Sherria caught their attention. "We've got more company!"

Additional Red Nocturnes and Blue Rhapsodies, followed by Shadows, swarmed the tea party garden like ants.

"Are you gonna let me fight them all on my own?" Sherria asked. "I'm wasting Magic Energy, so get your butts in there!"

"We're on it!" Wendy cried, summoning her Keyblade.

The Heartless charged with their claws and magic, and Wendy's group prepared to face the onslaught. Between Wendy's Keyblade swings and control over white wind, Donald's magic spells, Goofy's deft shield blows, and Sherria's manipulation of black wind, they held the Heartless at bay. Shadows, Soldiers, Red Nocturnes, and Blue Rhapsodies fell just as quickly as they arrived or attacked... and soon, they began to lessen by the minute until only one remained.

"Ha!" Wendy stabbed the last Soldier in the back of the chest, releasing a heart from where it stood. "That's all of 'em!" The battle was over, and the green flame blocking the exit vanished.

"That was sweet, Wendy!" Sherria complimented, patting the Sky Maiden's back. "You handled those Heartless pretty well with your Sky Dragon Slayer Magic, and..." Her eyes then shifted to the Blue Mistral, and they glimmered with interest, "...and that weird key-shaped blade you're holding. The design's pretty swell, if you ask me."

"It's called the Keyblade," Wendy explained. "A legendary weapon that can light the darkness."

"Interesting," Sherria rubbed her chin. "How did it appear in your hand?"

"It's a long story," Wendy admitted.

That brief respite came to a close when Master Jabberwock's voice boomed again.

"I understand why Lady Viriniam was so fond of you, Keyblade master! For a child, you are a capable warrior, and you have many allies! No matter. I'll come and finish you all myself. I'll be waiting for you in the shadows. And then, I will be rid of the guild who bested mine..."

"The shadows..." Wendy thought out loud. "That's right, the Cheshire Cat told us to come here to the tea party garden, and he asked us to take the door to the upside-down room..." She glanced at the door of the white and pink house to the left. "Could it be this one? Whatever it leads to, I hope it's the right way..." She motioned her friends, "Guys, follow me. I think I know where to go next."

"I'm going with you," Sherria offered. "I don't know what Master Jabberwock is up to, but one thing's for sure, it's bad news for all of us. We need to find him, and fast!"

"We're glad to have you with us," Wendy smiled in appreciation. "With you on our side, our team will get even stronger."

"Count me in!" Sherria cheered in approval. "I'm glad to be a part of whatever adventure you're having!"

"I don't know how you got here, but you've got some serious magic," Donald grinned. "Somebody must've blessed us with an angel up there!"

"An angel?" Sherria giggled with a blush. "Aww, everybody calls me that. If you're in a pickle, you can always ask me."

"We already know you'll be a big help," Goofy chuckled.

"Helping's what I do," Sherria winked.

Wendy's attention was focused on the doorway, and her friends were ready to follow her. "Let's go." She approached the door, opened it, and they all went in.


Bizarre Room

Wendy, Donald, Goofy, Carla, and Sherria now found themselves back in the Bizarre Room, this time standing on the ceiling! They looked around to see the new shift of environment, their mouths slightly agape.

Donald questioned, "What kind of crazy room is this? We're up, but we can't fall down."

Goofy commented, "This is enough to have the forces of gravity roll around like a ball of yarn."

Wendy pointed a finger, "There's the Cheshire Cat again."

Sure enough, she was right. The Cheshire Cat was sitting on a table, laying casually on his side. He sung merrily, "Oh, the shadows, they're hiding out somewhere, and the momeraths out grabe..." He laughed lightly, scratching a spot on his belly, before his eyes shifted to the Sky God Slayer. "Oh, it's you... The Merry Blender. How is your very merry unbirthday? Isn't it loads of fun?"

Sherria responded, "Yeah, it was fun. Until Jester Jugular ruined it."

Wendy asked, "Is this the upside-down room you talked about?"

The Cheshire Cat smiled in amusement, "You're standing on the ceiling." He stood on his hind legs, "Do you want to find the shadows? Try turning on the light. It'll shed on the situation."

Wendy spotted something, "Not for them!"

Heartless had appeared in the room, drawing the group into another battle. Red Nocturnes charged up their power and shot a rain of fireballs at the group. Wendy and Goofy reflected a few, while Donald and Sherria dodged the others, launched Blizzard and Sky God's Bellow respectively, and the Red Nocturnes dissipated. A Soldier tried to scratch Goofy, but the dog hopped up to dodge, only to have another Soldier perform its midair cartwheel kick, knocking him down to the ceiling-type floor. Donald cast Fire to burn one Soldier, and Goofy knocked the other with Goofy Charge. Wendy was surrounded by ten Shadows, all of which went into the ground and scrambled. She waited patiently, and when the time was right, she swiftly swung the Keyblade with speed and pinpoint accuracy, sending each of the Shadows back to oblivion. All that was left was the lone Large Body. After dodging a jumping shockwave, Sherria cast Sky God's Dance, swirling it in the air with a black cyclone, and finished it off with Sky God's Boreas.

Sherria wiped sweat from her forehead, "Phew, glad that's over."

Wendy pointed out, "He's asking us to turn on the light. Is he referring to the lamps on the tables?" She jumped onto one of the tables and twisted the lamp's gear, letting out a bright flame.

The Cheshire Cat commented, "It's too dim. Make it brighter."

Wendy asked, "What next?"

The Cheshire Cat instructed, "One more lamp that you need to light."

Wendy hopped up to another lamp, twisted the gear, and another bright flame was lit. That did the trick.

The Cheshire Cat acknowledged, "All the lights are on. You'll see the shadows soon. They'll arise in this room, but somewhere else. The shadows might go after that doorknob, too." With that said, he disappeared again.

Wendy pondered at the statement, "Why are the Heartless after that sleeping doorknob?"

Sherria shrugged, "Not a clue. Maybe they want to get into some new place we haven't seen yet."

Goofy assumed, "Whatever they're doin', they're tryin' to ruin his beauty sleep."

Sherria raised an eyebrow, "A doorknob can sleep?"

Carla suggested, "We'll explain the details later. For now, we must get to the doorknob. We might be able to find some more clues."

"Over here! I found a shortcut!" Wendy signaled to her friends. She lifted open a wooden door located in one part of the ceiling-type floor, and the group went in.


Fortunately, they found themselves back right-side up on the ground, and they landed on the floor of the Bizarre Room. They spotted the Cheshire Cat on a table, who said, "You'll have a better view from higher up."

Wendy, Donald, Goofy, Carla, and Sherria climbed the chair up to the table where the Cheshire Cat stood. Once there, Wendy asked him, "Okay, so where are the shadows?"

"They'll be here soon," the Cheshire Cat stood up, tapping his toes daintily on the table. He then pointed upward, "Are you prepared for the worst? If not, too bad!" Another wide smile, and he vanished again.

"That's right. Are you prepared for the worst?"

The familiar evil voice boomed throughout the Bizarre Room once again. Sherria recognized it, "Master Jabberwock!"

Wendy gasped, "He's here?"

"Sherria... Keyblade master... I'm so glad you can carve out some time for us. You know we need it. I've been observing every inhabitant of this world for quite some time, and it was always the same... until a curious girl with a pure heart came along. Indeed, she is the one. Her heart is full of light, not a single touch of darkness. A perfect fit! A Princess of Heart!"

Wendy realized, "You... You're the one who kidnapped Alice!"

"How insightful of you, Keyblade master. My formidable Jester Jugular guild fulfilled its role. It's time to finish what we started. I framed Alice for that little accident in the royal garden. It was very easily to manipulate the Queen of Hearts and turn her against you. I expected you and your little band to lose your heads, but no matter. Alice is now in our hands, and with the power of the Heartless, it is only a matter of time before they destroy the heart of that world, and Wonderland with it."

Wendy demanded, "What do you want? Why are you doing this?!"

"Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! I thought it was obvious, girl! We want ultimate power! It will be within our grasp, and we shall be invincible! Together with dark guilds and the most powerful villains in the known universe, the Alliance of Evil will reign supreme!"

Wendy glared, "So you're working with Halloween and the Sleepy Hollow all this time! I don't know what you're planning, and I don't care. We'll put a stop to it!" She and her friends readied themselves for battle. "We'll defeat you and save Fairy Tail!"

Sherria raised an eyebrow, "Fairy Tail? Are they involved in this, too?"

Wendy confessed, "Another long story."

"If that's what you wish... I'll personally end your existence, Keyblade master. The same fate will await your Sky God Slayer friend. I'll finish you both at once!"

Wendy and her friends gasped as they stared up at the ceiling, which was illuminated by the same green flame that appeared in the tea party garden. The flame stretched into a raging inferno, and a silhouette prowled its way from the emerald light. When the flames dissipated, the guild master of Jester Jugular made his grand entrance, floating in the air. He was a diminutive elderly man with a brown pencil thin mustache, and he wore a long-sleeved red and white robe adorned with jewels, and a jester's hat to match. His most notable feature was the Jester Jugular mark on his forehead.

Wendy cried, "So you're Master Jabberwock, the leader of Jester Jugular!"

Jabberwock bowed mockingly as he floated down a few feet from the table, "Welcome to my symphony of displeasure. I am the host of this grand stage, and you are the vocals screaming your last breath."

Sherria grinned, "So the jester has finally decided to show himself. Well, like it or not, the game's over!"

Jabberwock chuckled, "My, my! Aren't you all impatient? In a moment, a beautiful flower of darkness will bloom, filled with sweet nectar. The nectar of terror!"

Sherria scoffed, "In your dreams! We'll never let your horrible flower bloom!"

Jabberwock snorted, "Bah! I wouldn't cop that attitude with me if I were you! I have a special requiem of bitterness prepared for you, courtesy of Jabberwock, guild master of Jester Jugular!" He lifted his arms, and proclaimed with a loud, condescending voice, "Trickmaster! I summon you!"

Out from the ceiling, something jumped down to the floor with its accordion-like hands as a support. With a bounce, it jumped over the table Wendy's group stood on, leaving them staring in awe at what they were witnessing, and landed on its large scissor jack-like boots. The creature stood up to its full height, towering over the table, unraveling both of its long paper-like arms. Its head was made of several segments balanced on top of each other, and every segment sported their own face alternating in color from red to black.

Carla informed, "A giant Heartless! He summoned it to fight at his behalf!"

Goofy pointed out, "Well, this is a fine mess we've gotten into!"

Jabberwock declared, "Behold! The wrath of demons without hearts!" The Trickmaster folded its arms together and pulled out two giant matches, twirling them in the air as if it was in a juggling act.

Sherria tensed, "I never thought we'd have to fight two evil jesters. This is gonna be a tough one."

Wendy determined, "Not if we work together! Let's take down this thing!"

Donald agreed, "Yeah! We're gonna kick some Heartless butt!"

Sherria affirmed, "This one's for Lamia Scale, for Wendy, and for Cousin Sherry!" She dared Jabberwock with her hand, "Fight us with your pet monster if you can!"

Jabberwock sneered, "Gladly! I'm going to enjoy watching you suffer!" He motioned his hand, "Trickmaster! Burn the Keyblade master and her pathetic friends to ash!"

The battle had begun! In response to Jabberwock's orders, the Trickmaster lunged forward and swung its giant matches at the group, missing them by only a hair. Beads of sweat formed on their heads as the matches swept over them, the igniters coming dangerously close. Wendy, Donald, Goofy, and Sherria jumped or ducked over the Trickmaster's herky-jerky arms countless times, and then retaliated by leaping off the table, striking at its torso. Wendy executed an aerial Keyblade combo paired with Sky Dragon's Crushing Fang, Donald cast Blizzard, and Goofy bashed with his shield. The Trickmaster countered with a swipe, but the group jumped in the air, and Wendy and Sherria cast Sky Dragon's Roar and Sky God's Bellow respectively.

When Wendy's group landed, the Trickmaster raised its matches high in the air and slammed them down onto the chair, sending it flattened onto the floor. Regardless of that setback, Wendy jumped up and used the length of her Keyblade to deal a 12-hit combo. That seemed to do the trick, as it collapsed to its knees, shaking its head dizzily.

Wendy cried bravely, "We got him!"

Jabberwock spat, "I didn't come here to see my ace in the hole fall by your hand! Get up!" He waved his hands in a circular motion, and when they glowed, it snapped the Trickmaster out of its slump. "Get them! Smash them to pieces!" The Trickmaster raised its arms high, flattened the table with a huge slam, and Wendy's group escaped by jumping off and landing on the floor.

Donald grumbled, "You're kidding me!"

Wendy affirmed, "It doesn't matter! We can still take it!"

The Trickmaster juggled its way to Wendy and company, and proceeded to swipe at them with downward match strikes. Wendy, Donald, Goofy, and Sherria dodged all of them, and used the length of their weapons to deal blows to the Trickmaster's chest: Wendy with her Blue Mistral, Donald with his staff, Goofy with his shield, and Sherria with her black wind-pulsed fists. With enough hits, the Trickmaster fell on its knees again, and the four landed blows on their downed opponent.

Jabberwock jeered, "You think that mere weapons and magic can stop my Trickmaster? I've got plenty of tricks left!" He clapped his glowing hands, resulting in a shockwave that reached the Trickmaster. The waves flowed into its body and instantly replenished its strength, and it stood up again.

Wendy blinked, "No way! We dealt a lot of attacks! How did it stand up again?"

Sherria stated, "Jabberwock used his magic to restore it to perfect health!"

Donald whined, "No fair! After all those attacks? You big cheater!"

Jabberwock admired, "I'm very impressed that you delivered a lot of damage to my pet. Unfortunately, like all good things, it must come to an end!" He pointed a finger at Wendy and company, "Trickmaster, Tenacious Melody!"

Fueled by the magical power bestowed by Jabberwock, the Trickmaster began to sing to itself and swung its arms wildly like a cyclone, and the paper-like arms danced over Wendy and her friends in an instant. A wild dance was about to ensue, as they were forced to jump and dodge and bend from an endless array of arms, until they lost their footing and were hit multiple times. The Trickmaster jumped up and landed behind them, and with a swift motion, its matches erupted into a fiery cyclone that struck everyone nearby with multiple blows. When Wendy and her friends attempted to counterattack, the giant Heartless flicked its paper-like arms, allowing the matches to travel straight and hit again and again, never missing their mark. Within seconds, Wendy, Donald, Goofy, and Sherria were sprawled to the ground, moderately injured.

Jabberwock laughed, "Now do you see the true power of Jester Jugular's guild master?! My magic can instantly rejuvenate bodies and increase their strength and magical power!"

Sherria realized, "You use enchantments!"

Wendy breathed, "Your magic is the same as mine..."

Donald groaned, "You really are a big cheater."

Jabberwock boomed, "It's time for the grand finale!" He directed his finger to the giant stone stove, "Would you be so kind as to light them up?"

The Trickmaster walked over to the stove while continuing to twirl the matches, and placed them on the burner.

Donald asked, "What's it doing?"

After a mere three seconds, the Heartless turned to the injured group with burning sticks.

Wendy gasped, "Oh, no!"

Goofy gulped, "This is not good."

Sherria agreed, "Definitely not good."

Jabberwock bellowed, "Time to take out the trash! Trickmaster, Inferno Dance!"

Wendy screamed, "WATCH OUT!"

The Trickmaster's head segments blew into the igniters one at a time, summoning an array of fireballs that danced around the Bizarre Room in rhythm with the Heartless' herky-jerky movements, some of them emitting large explosions when hitting the floor. Wendy, Donald, Goofy, and Sherria ran away as best they could, but the explosive fireballs blocked any chance of escaping the inferno. They managed to elude a few, but the rest rained down on them like bombs in the sky, and they were easily decimated. The four fell to the floor, unable to withstand the symphony of blasts.

Jabberwock yelled, "Finish them off, Trickmaster! Unleash your strongest attack: Trickthrower!"

The Trickmaster clasped its burning matches together, and its head segments inhaled all at once, gathering air into their mouths. It then released a massive flame blast that approached Wendy and her friends. All that was left in the Bizarre Room was a giant wall of fire standing between the exit to the rabbit hole and the Doorknob.

Jabberwock laughed triumphantly, "Finally, victory is mine! Lady Viriniam will reward me when I deliver the Keyblade master's burnt corpse!"

Unbeknownst to him, the group miraculously survived the fire; Carla flew Wendy away from the flames, while Sherria barricaded Donald and Goofy with a pillar of black wind.

Carla breathed, "That was close! It's a good thing I got there in time!"

Wendy looked down to see Sherria, Donald, and Goofy's status. She notified, "They're okay!"

Sherria called out, "That Heartless is pretty tough! How are we gonna slow it down?"

Wendy paused, tapping her chin to figure out a solution. Finally, she responded, "Command Style!"

Sherria grew puzzled, "Command Style?"

Wendy implored, "Carla, put me down!" The white Exceed complied by landing the Sky Dragon Slayer onto the ground, allowing her to confront the Trickmaster alone.

Jabberwock turned his corner, and was surprised to see the Sky Maiden advancing towards him and the Trickmaster with fierce eyes. He crossed his arms and gave an amused smile, "Hmph! For a child, you certainly have skill. You even avoided the Trickmaster's Trickthrower technique."

Wendy countered, "You think you're the only one with surprises? I've got my own!" She assumed a stable pose with the Keyblade held vertically in front of her face, and the blade glowed with light blue magic, her heart synchronizing with it as she closed her eyes. When she opened them, she let out a loud chant, "Blue Mistral Command Style: Skyward Wing!" And with a deafening blast of light, Wendy's body was empowered by a light blue aura, white crystal wings paired her back, and the Keyblade transformed into a large white sword.

"What is this, another one of your childish tricks?" Jabberwock mocked. "No matter. I'll burn you alive! Trickmaster, Inferno Dance!" The Trickmaster obeyed, and it unleashed another batch of explosive fireballs as it danced.

"Crystal Wings!" Wendy positioned her crystal wings and fired them as projectiles, destroying each fireball with ease in a flurry of super-fast slashes and blasts of wind. The explosions created a wave of smoke that surrounded the Bizarre Room, and the wall of fire seemed to have lit the way.

"You feisty little brat! Trickthrower!" Jabberwock commanded. The Trickmaster stanced with its matches, its five head segments breathed heavily, and they blew another giant flamethrower.

"Wind Step!" Wendy avoided the approaching flames by vanishing into a wisp of wind. She reappeared in front of the Trickmaster's torso, and executed a lightning fast combination of Keyblade swipes and crystal wings, dealing massive damage. The giant Heartless attempted to swipe at the Sky Maiden with its matches, and even executed a Tenacious Melody combination, but her Wind Step ability enabled her to avoid every blow with ease, and she retaliated with another fierce combo, until the Trickmaster couldn't take anymore and was brought to its knees.

"This is far from over, you little pest!" Jabberwock smirked. "I'll keep on regenerating the Trickmaster until you grow weary!"

"Oh no, you won't!" Sherria's voice cried out. She, Donald, and Goofy burst from a hole in the wall of fire and jumped up to Jabberwock, ready to strike. "We're putting your symphony on hold!"

"What?!" Jabberwock exclaimed shockingly. "N-N-No! Stay away from me!"

"Take that!" Donald whacked him in the face with his staff.

"And that!" Goofy bashed him in the stomach with his shield.

"Sky God's Boreas!" Sherria delivered the last hit by shooting a massive black tornado, sending Jabberwock flying against the wall with a scream. A cloud of dust and rubble flew up from where he crashed, and he collapsed to the ground, groaning in pain.

"Thanks, guys!" Wendy took notice and smiled. Focusing her attention on the flustered and vulnerable Trickmaster, she executed a mighty 25-hit combo, the Keyblade coupled with the crystal wings. At the last two swings, the paper-like arms were sliced off the Trickmaster's body, and they fluttered to the ground along with the matches. Two Wind Steps backwards, and Wendy charged with large amounts of energy for the finishing blow. "Command Style Critical Art: Great Dragon Wind!" With that, the Keyblade transformed into a dragon-shaped tornado that aimed for the Trickmaster's chest, and it pierced right through it! Eventually, the Trickmaster lost all the willpower to balance itself, and it crashed to the ground alongside its torn arms. A large heart flew out of its torso, and the Heartless disappeared along with the flames obscuring the Bizarre Room.

Wendy deactivated her Command Style, and she and her friends panted with their time to rest. "Is everybody alright?" she asked, to which they responded with a nod.

"Yep!" Sherria said cheerily, crossing her hips. "You did a number on that big guy, Wendy, with those cool crystal wings, that giant white sword, and those sweet aerial moves. You must've gotten stronger every day. What's your secret?"

"Another long story," Wendy giggled, rubbing the back of her head. "Boy, what an adventure this turned out to be."

Meanwhile, Jabberwock quickly recovered and stood up to face the result of the battle, his expression changing into that of pure horror. There was no trace of the Trickmaster, and the only thing left of it was a pile of dust on the floor. "My beautiful Trickmaster!" Wendy and her friends turned to see the Jester Jugular guild master musing over his failure. "What have you done with my Trickmaster?!"

"Well, well, well," Sherria smirked mischievously. "What do we have here? Looks like you're out of style!"

"Tell us where Alice is!" Wendy demanded. "We've won fair and square!"

"I'll never talk!" Jabberwock snarled. "NEVER! You won't get away with this, you, you..."

"HOLD IT RIGHT THERE!"

The voice came from behind, and it was loud and condescending. Wendy, Donald, Goofy, Carla, Sherria, and Jabberwock whipped around and faced the Queen of Hearts, who crossed her arms with a furious glare. To Wendy and company's surprise, the hot-tempered queen wasn't directing her anger towards them, but rather, it was focused on Jabberwock. Accompanying her were two decks of Card Soldiers, spears and axes held firmly in their hands. "Stand aside, everyone," the Queen motioned. "I'll take it from here."

"Oh, hello, Your Majesty," Jabberwock sweated nervously, dreading that the jig was up. "Wonderful weather we're having—"

"It was YOU!" the Queen interrupted, pointing an accusing finger. "YOU are the true culprit! You admitted that you sent those disgusting black creatures to attack me, and forced Alice to take the fall for the crime! I overheard your little confession before you sent that juggling monstrosity!" The Queen's revelation stunned Jabberwock like pins and needles, and she shook her head over her sudden disbelief, "I can't believe I almost fell for it! I should've listened to my husband's advice now and then. Next time, I won't let emotion cloud my judgment."

"You see? That's exactly what we've been trying to tell you, Your Majesty!" Wendy cried proudly. "He's the real culprit!"

"Not now, dear," the Queen wagged her finger insistently, before she returned her gaze to the hapless guild master of Jester Jugular. "I'm in the middle of deciding his sentence."

"W-W-Wait! I can explain!" Jabberwock shivered. "It's a misunderstanding! You have to listen-"

"OFF WITH HIS HEAD!" the Queen declared boomingly, to which her Card Soldiers shouted in approval.

"Oh, no..." Jabberwock let out a high-pitched squeak, before he screamed like a little girl and ran away from the Bizarre Room. The Card Soldiers scattered and exited as well, with the intention of bringing to justice the one responsible for harming their beloved queen. "NO! NO! NO, NO, NO, NO! NO! NO! NO, NO, NO, NO! NO! GET AWAY! GET AWAY!" The echoing panic in Jabberwock's voice was all that remained, before he disappeared into the darkness.

"Hmph! Now that's more like it!" the Queen said firmly. She then turned to Wendy and her friends, and cleared her throat, "Well, children, it appears that I was wrong about Alice, and about you. Your actions proved that the girl was innocent after all. I was wrong to misjudge her." She then smiled, "Your performance was quite inspiring that it gave me the idea of defending my kingdom against potential invasions from hordes of creatures, like the one you just fought! Oh..." She added as an afterthought, "And if you happen to see Alice, give her my sincerest regards and my apologies. Now if you'll excuse me back to my courtroom, somebody's head will roll." With that said, she left the Bizarre Room to follow her Card Soldiers.

"Phew!" Donald sighed with relief. "I'm glad that's over. No one gets to lose their heads, except for that guy."

"Speaking of Alice, where is she?" Goofy wondered. "I thought that fella was gonna return her to us."

"Master Jabberwock is not quite fond of sharing secrets," Carla stated. "Perhaps the Cheshire Cat knows...?"

"What a racket," a voice yawned from behind. The group turned to see the Doorknob opening his eyes sleepily, smacking his lips together. "How's a doorknob to get any sleep?"

"How CAN a doorknob even sleep?" Sherria questioned.

"Powerful magic," Carla answered simply.

The Doorknob yawned again, his mouth opening widely. All of a sudden, something glimmered from the depths of the mouth. Wendy and her companions leaned forward, all of them having caught a glimpse of the strange mark shining brilliantly within the void. "Is that a keyhole?" Wendy wondered. At that exact moment, the Keyblade began to shake in her hand, as if it was reacting with a will of its own. "Ah!" The key-shaped sword pointed at the Keyhole and released a beam of light. When the beam hit, a locking noise was heard, and the glow disappeared, the Doorknob having finished his yawning.

"What was that?" Donald wondered.

"I'm not sure," Wendy replied. "But did you hear that sound? It's like something locked and closed."

Out of the Keyhole dropped a little piece of what looked like a small rock. Goofy recognized it, "A gummi block! This one sure ain't like the others. No, sir."

"No worries, Goofy," Donald picked it up and put it in his pocket. "I'll hold on to it."

The Cheshire Cat appeared on the table, peering down at the group. "Splendid. You're quite the heroes. I commend you for defeating the leader of those wicked men. But if you're looking for Alice, she's not here. She's gone, off with the shadows, into the darkness. Better luck next time, children." He vanished again with his grin.

A disheartened Wendy looked down in defeat. She whispered, "No... We were so close..."

Donald placed a comforting hand on Wendy's shoulder, "Guess that means there's nothing else for us here. Let's go back to the Gummi Ship. We're sure to find Alice in another world."

Wendy cheered up a bit, "Good point. Thanks, Donald."

Sherria questioned, "Another world? Are you saying she's in a world different from Wonderland?"

Wendy nodded, "Yeah. I bet Master Jabberwock delivered Alice to the other dark guilds."

Carla suggested, "We'll keep looking. I'm sure we'll find her somewhere."

Sherria offered, "I'll go with you to your ship. When I first came here, I was afraid I'd never be able to go home. The only option I have now is to be a part of your team. Whatever this alliance of dark guilds is up to, we can't let them get away with it." She took Wendy's hand in hers, and added pleadingly, "Please, let me go with you. If I do that, I might know what happened to my Lamia Scale friends, too. I'm worried sick for them. I want to know if they're okay. What do you say? You and me, fighting together? For old time's sake?"

Wendy gladly accepted, "Absolutely! With the five of us working together, finding our friends will be easy."

Sherria cheered, "Alright! I promise to do my best!"

Goofy approved, "We're sure glad to have ya aboard, Sherria. Our team's growin' in numbers! This adventure's gonna be big and bold, huh?"

Donald grinned, "We've got the Gummi Ship, a vessel that can take us to other worlds. Not only that, it's also an intergalactic cruise ship. Wait 'til you see it!"

Sherria said enthusiastically, "I wouldn't mind visiting those other worlds. It's been a dream of mine since I was a little girl. New places to go, new friends to meet... I wanna see it all!"

Donald raised an eyebrow, "What are you, some kind of tourist?"

Sherria pointed out, "One of the joys of having an imagination. I get to be interested in things I haven't seen."

Donald shook his head, "Forget I asked. As long as we keep it cool, we'll be fine. We'll stay in one piece."

Wendy asked happily, "So, you ready to go?"

Sherria nodded, "Yep!"

Donald interrupted, "Hold on! In case you haven't noticed, the table with the magic bottles was flattened to a pancake! Remember the fight with that Heartless?" He gestured to the empty middle part of the Bizarre Room to make his point. "How can we ever get to the Gummi Ship in that size? I mean..." He thrust his hand around the oversized environment, "...the whole place is big, and we're small!"

Goofy grinned, "A-hyuck, didja forget the Gummi Ship has a teleportation system?" He unwrapped his right sleeve to reveal some kind of watch around his wrist. "Just one lil' press of the button and here we go!" He pressed a button on the watch, and a beam of light shined on the group from above. Within seconds, they vanished from existence, and their presence was no longer seen in Wonderland.


MEANWHILE...

"Okay, let me get this straight..." Kaze Viriniam chuckled in amusement, as she listened to a report from a small group of four Jester Jugular wizards in the castle chapel. "The jester failed to get the Keyhole, and he had his head served on a silver platter?"

Four collective nods answered her quietly. One Jester Jugular wizard was the first to break the silence, "Look on the bright side, ma'am. At least we found the sixth Princess of Heart."

"Don't bore me with your excuses," Kaze said casually. "I've heard them a hundred times from a hundred self-serving idiots. The Princesses of Heart aren't the only things we're after, you know. Unless you have something useful to say, besides your guild's failure to secure Wonderland, make it fast. I really have a lot of work to do."

"Forgive us, Lady Viriniam," another Jester Jugular wizard apologized. "We offer no excuse."

Kaze gave a smug look in response. Within seconds, one of her Soul Eaters slashed through the flesh of all four Jester Jugular wizards, and they collapsed to the ground. "I forgive you." With a motion of her hand, two Sleepy Hollow bandits collected the corpses and dragged them away. The next minute, she laughed harder, "Oh, joy! Another guild goes down the drain! Chalk another one for Blueberry and her amazing friends! This is turning out just like a jester's act, but even better when the jester gets owned!" Four voices behind her mingled with her amused cackling, and Kaze clutched her sides, before she took a moment to calm down. "Anyways, where were we...?"

Kaze turned to the round table, which was still glowing with a projection magic circle even before she had a brief meeting with the last few members of Jester Jugular. She was communicating with her elite henchmen, the Headless Horsemen. "Let's get back to the business of breaking and taking hearts. Have you found anything during your expeditions?"

Wrecker informed, "The Poacher Fang's hunt for the gorillas has continued to decline over the past four days. Their attempts to buy their way into their secret nesting ground triggered an investigation from another expedition team. On the bright side, we managed to avoid suspicion, thanks to our clever hunter friend. Also, a branch in the Poacher Fang guild was reportedly destroyed by a family of gunslinging wizards. A married couple and their seven-year old daughter, to be exact."

Diva spoke up, "I've been taking a stroll across the sea with my good friend, Shiva. One day, I noticed a gummi ship that crashed in the middle of the beach. Upon further examination, I discovered it's one of the ships carrying the blonde bimbo from Magnolia. Somehow, she sabotaged the ship and crawled her way into that world I'm in."

Silver reported, "Speaking of, my associates from the Desert Cobra guild informed me of a street rat and a street mouse escaping into the desert. One is an urchin with a pet monkey, and the other was a girl proficient in Solid Script Magic."

Zeppelin snickered, "Sweet and sour on the home front, Master Viriniam. There is nothing to report in Halloween Town, except for dozens of ice sculptures brightening the air for their festival. Hee-hee-hee-hee-hee, oh, it reminds me of a certain ice wizard I blasted out of the sky..."

Kaze crossed her arms, "Hmph, so that's the 'minor resistance' you guys mentioned... Several Fairy Tail wizards managed to escape the ships set for Hollow Bastion, and stowed away to your worlds." She then scoffed, "Ha! They're quite the challenge. We still have their pure dragon soul, one of the keys needed to unlock ultimate power. Remember Earth-land? He and Strawberry Hair fought the entire Sleepy Hollow guild after we captured most of the fairies. That tag-team nearly whupped us all, but I whupped them back! Well, I guess you guys can always count on me."

Silver declared, "Our lives are but to serve Sleepy Hollow, the most powerful mercenary guild in Earth-land."

Wrecker corrected, "Was the most powerful mercenary guild in Earth-land. Now we're the most powerful mercenary guild in the universe!"

Diva giggled, "Aw, golly, that's a sweet title! With the Heartless on our side, we'll demolish all the known worlds with a touch of darkness, and set the stage for perfect new ones! Worlds without war, without worries, and without sorrows for the rest of our days... That's MY idea of a perfect world!"

Zeppelin giggled, "And here I thought Diva's ideal world was a gem-filled pool with hunky lifeguards..."

Diva glared, "Hey, Zeppelin! Have you been reading my diary?" She realized what she said, "I mean, um..." She cleared her throat, "Never mind."

Kaze smiled proudly, "What I expect from the best team a girl can ask for... After these rotten worlds are ended, we'll have unlimited power, and all our dreams will come true. But for that to happen, we have a certain Blueberry to deal with."

Silver asked, "Are you referring to the Keyblade master who bested Halloween and Jabberwock, Master Viriniam?"

Kaze responded, "She's grown stronger. It won't be long before she closes the door on our road to victory-ville. I'm having a feeling there's something of great interest with her. Something bright. Something... familiar." Her face turned serious, "We can't allow anyone to horse around with the key. Should you encounter her in any of your worlds, subdue her, and bring her to me. I want this blueberry picked clean from the bush." She finished with a grim tone in her voice, "Understand?"

Silver affirmed, "It will be done, Master."

Wrecker smirked, "Consider the blueberry... picked."

The magic circle disappeared from the table along with the images of the Horsemen, and Kaze was left to herself. She crossed her hips, and a thought occurred to her, "Oops! I forgot to mention that I've been doing a lot of digging. Out of all the fairies in one basket, who among them has a heart of pure light?"

Her answer came in the form of a small strand of crimson hair between her fingers.

"Her."