An hour later and from no third party's point of view.

They heard voices in the distances, a cat eared man with a young boy wearing a barrette lifted their gazes, they recognized a teacup with clear bumps all over, zigzagging its way to them.

" Say Dee, I'm having a sort of Deja vu" Boris said as he watched the scene.

"Totally get 'ya. Reminds me of our Teacup kart" The younger teen replied as he drinks from his Choco-latte cup.

"what happened to that again?"

"It fell on the pool. "

"But with don't have pools yet"

"..."

"..."

The Cheshire cat and Twiddle Dee exchange gazes and laughed.

Soon the voice became more distinguishable.

The boy beside Boris, stood up from his seat in front of a drink stand:" Brotheeeeer! " he shouted with his young voice which is faster and chipper than his twin.

However, as soon as he saw a glimpse of his brother's eyes, he felt bothered. His twin... looked happy. Dee, the blue-eyed gatekeeper, felt confusion in the back of his mind but, kept his smile as the teacup kart close by.

CRASH* the vehicle in a form of a teacup came crushing to the big flower base made of cement near Boris and Dee's seats. Boris laughed at the young foreigner that screamed in a very feminine voice but inside he was more than relieve seeing she was okay.

"Safe! " Dum exclaimed with joy as he lifted his arms in victory while on the other hand the girl got out of the teacup landing to the firm ground as if it's the safest place.

"Safe my foot ... You barely listened to me at all". Boris quickly stood next to her and offered her a cold drink.

" Here my treat."

Y/n didn't know what it was but, when she hold it was fresh, the lid didn't show the inside but when she drank from the straw, she tasted the acid yet sweet flavor fruits and ice in it.

It seems like a cold fruit smoothie. How delicious she thought.

When she thanked Boris, she noticed that he was injured in one arm. It was merely a cut barely visible but what troubled her was a new set bandages on his arm.

Boris who felt eyes on him, quickly reassured the girl with his bright smile:

" We were just playing around. What about you? Had fun? " he asked, Boris didn't know how to point it, but he felt happy to have someone care for him again. I almost forgot it how it felt. He thought.

" It was... Rocky. But still fun. "she said timidly, she seems to want to press more on his wounds but, knew the culprit already as she gazed at the two twins that started chatting and updating each other of their doings. She didn't want to ruin the brotherly scene in front of them.

Boris in turn, looked at the Gate keepers. Those two children really make the atmosphere more cheerful. He could hear the amusement Park's music playing in the background yet with all its lights and attractions only then Boris felt less lonely.

Its better like this. He thought. Smiling faces, voices, … How long has it been since it was like this? He forgot the length, but it felt forever.

The scene quickly took a turn when the sky magically was replaced with a clear blue sky and soft white clouds. Followed by a fresh breeze, the flashing likes of the attractions were no more, replaced by the arrogant and vibrant colors of every attractions and platform.

"Woah! It's morning already? '" Y/n asked in awe as she looked the sky while holding the smoothie.

Boris couldn't help but recall, Alice once told him, time in her world didn't change randomly. There are so many things, his new friend didn't know yet. He felt his tails swinging side by side at the thought of showing her around.

It was exciting. Especially with the dangers multiplying due to the increase of role holders. Boris was so lost in thoughts he didn't notice the twins make themselves welcome to the drink stand and get their own drinks until he felt one of their foot stomp his.

"H-hey" he barked at the snickering prankster. He was about to head at their way with a good scolding but, the presence of a major role holder approaching, got his guards up. Boris felt Y/n stiffen next to him as her eyes follows his.

Right there and there. Two imposing men were walking with confidence in the checkered floor of the amusement park followed by a handful of faceless.

Faceless were people in this country whose main trait was their lack of role; they were like role holders but without its privileges and their faces were difficult to distinguish. Thus, they mostly regarded by their numbers instead of names or faces... Yet Boris remembered Alice told him that she could see their faces... How curious he thought back then.

However, right now that wasn't the issue. The problem was that lethargic man walking with slow steps, standing in the crowd with odd hat. The second in command, Elliot March seemed to have recovered, in fact there he was walking with two feet with a stoic expression that cracked at the sight of the twins drinking and eating snacks.

"Oi, brats! We told you to—" the March Hare's sight falls on Y/n's unharmed form with a conflicted look torn between relief and frustration he looked back at the twins.

"Get your damned a*es here! We're heading back! Tsk" he shouted.

"Sorry, Blood." but the blue-eyed Hatter Boss keep walking at his own leisure phase. The foreigner and Boris were fairly in a safe distance but, it still concerned the Cheshire cat. He instinctively held Y/n's hands ready to retreat.

Retreat is for cowards? Ha! This is called Strategic retreat or maybe will to live! Despite the danger, Boris continued to feel a great sense of excitement.

Meanwhile, Dee and Dum expressed their disapproval with colorful insult towards their superior but regardless followed suit, after drinking a handful of drinks and stacking their pocket with snacks.

"Uff, Annoying rabbit! Let's go brother and see you later Boris! Ha! —Ouch " Dee dashes towards Elliot's side but not before swinging his axes which earned him a punch in the head.

"I'm not gonna pay for those, you hear me? " Elliot uttered.

Dum followed soon after but, before he left, he throws something at Y/n. "Bye, Boris. Good luck, Big-sister Y/n".

Surprisingly the Hatter crew passage ended without gun fights or bloodshed.

Boris and Y/n sighed with relief. Yet, something seems to still bother his guts. Something bad that he couldn't point his finger at.

Boris was confused at the Hatter's lack of interest. After that massive scene at the Old's man office, he was expecting an aftermath spark.

"The Hatter has become unpredictable." He said as he watched where the figure of the man in question vanished.

There was a moment of silence, only the chirping of birds, the attraction's music's and the other residents' movement could be heard. Wait, ... What?

Boris turned around and saw several of the Amusement park's employees rushing towards a familiar road.

The street the Hatters came out.

The final blow that made his bad feeling more real was the Old man's words before they left: "...I'll talk to you as soon as we're finished. "

He felt, the girl beside him tremble as she also noticed. "Gowland!"

Y/n was clearly shaken, it was natural after all she must have never came across events of this nature. So very much Alice... An image of a young girl in a blue dress sitting in the middle of dead bodies in day broad light made its way in Boris mind. He didn't want to see that scene again.

"D-Did Blood k-kill him?" he heard her whispers. A strong sense of protectiveness rushed in the Cat-eared man as he watches this girl, he barely knew yet he already felt closely responsible of her.

What am I doing? He asked to himself.

Despite the incredulous realization he shocks the girl to calm her down but to his surprise before he could utter any words of comfort.

"We have to check Gowland!" she said with a voice so confident he was taken back. He felt her small slender soft hands hold his own.

Boris was taken by that sudden gesture, he didn't notice that the girl that he thought was gentle, fragile and kind as Alice, drag him headstrong as she asked the nearest female faceless what happened.

She... She's stronger than Alice. I wonder if she can handle the truth.

The yellow dressed girl makes her way to the Amusement park's Owner office while dragging a speechless Cheshire cat who slowly regained his cheer. With a broad smile on his handsome visage, he who is more athletic and taller than the girl took the lead. Hand by hand they head to their destination.

"Don't worry, Y/n! I'm sure the Old man is not dead!".

Struggling to breath Y/n asked: " How can you be so sure about that?"

"Because it's against the rules!" Boris with his widest smile as he assured her: "it's going to be okay."

While the Cheshire cat known as Boris thought he calmed the girl but, in her little head she was screaming: "BUT BLOOD BREAKS RULES! "

.

.

.

At the Hatter Mansion.

Once they stepped out of the carriages, the role holders made their ways to the Mansion.

The twins head to their usual location: a towering gate, unique of its own; with its two gate that opens following a 360 rotation instead of a 90* opening of a normal door.

With snacks in their pocket, the siblings were in good mood, already foreseeing a peaceful noon and afternoon that day. Completely unaware of a storm coming at their way.

With his black hat with feathers and roses, Blood passes the gates followed by Elliot. Both equally silent.

"Whaaaat you give that woman that chocolate bar?! Damn the was the only one of its kind... " Dee asked as he looked at his sibling's loot.

"Hehehe, I gave it because... " Dum replied with his usual slowed phased voices."... she said she'll bring big sister back".

Dee froze at that the sounds of those taboo words, but he soon recovered as he grabbed his brother by his uniform to a side. Soon thundering gun fires came at their way.

bang bang bang bang*

Dee grabbed his brother to safety.

... however, droplets of red fell on the floor. It wasn't a faceless's blood painting crimson the concrete floor at their feet. But his brother's.

"Dum... "

Dee supported his brother who was wounded in a shoulder and arm. He didn't believe it but for once he felt scared. The two of them had it worst in the past but, the thought of losing Dum and get replace him with another, meant not only losing a brother... but also that one person that matured and changed with him thanks to their big sister Alice's influences.

"Ugh—" Dum mumbles in pain as he grips his shoulder.

The twins' stared at the man that pulled the trigger: Blood.

He stood past beyond the gate, 6 meters away from them. He wasn't smiling or angry. He just stood there with no expression and gun pointed at them still smoking from its previous performance. At his side, Elliot was glaring at the gatekeepers.

The teens had killed adults before, but they simply couldn't point their guns at their superior even for their sakes. They weren't master of domains; they were just secondary role holders that didn't know the consequences of pulling the trigger on their superior.

Despite the pain, both knew they were the one at fault for uttering even a mention of that person.

The mad hatter truly became mad.

They didn't feel anger or fear in front of this man but, a dangerous trill of what was to come.

" Sorry Boss... " they said in unison. Blood lowered his gun that brightly turned into a cane and said nothing.

"Watch your stupid mouths! " Elliot scolded the two with a grumpy tone.

" We're not stupid! You are" "Yeah, stupid rabbit" they rebuke back with their childish voices.

"Haaaaa? Come 'ere you little—" Elliot soon rushed at the two brothers and shake their heads.

" Hey, that hurts"

As a familiar scene unfolds in front of Blood, his mind wonders far beyond our knowledge. He sighed then gazed at the teens that were teasing his second in command.

One of them weren't fatally wounded. The pain resistance these boys developed was surely impressive.

"About that girl... " Blood started while all the presents stopped their bickering and focused on their superior.

" What did you find out? "

Dee looked at his brother who spent the time most with the foreigner. Noticing Dum's reluctance, Blood heavily sighed.

"I promise I won't... overreact." he elegantly replied but none of the presents believe it.

They knew too well the cunning Mafia boss.

"She said she was looking for that -- thing. And she said it is still here and the abnormalities is i-its fault " Dum replied while choosing his words wisely.

"I stayed close to Boris, he said he met her yesterday at the start of night turn. Nothing else" Dee followed next.

Blood crossed his arms on his chest, he stood elegantly as he reflects on the information they had gathered.

After a long silence, he spoke followed by a smile that could make women fell in love due its dangerously charming vibe but in this case, it made his subordinate nervous:" Nonsense."

"That thing will not come back." the smile no more in sight.

"..."

"..."

An affirmation the presents couldn't disagree but deep down they wanted to.

"However, it leaves a bad taste knowing that there's someone digging about that thing."

Blood stomped hard the ground with his cane then looked at his second in command with: "Elliot order some of our men to infiltrate Mary's domain".

"It won't be easy but not impossible". The goldilocks haired male answered while thinking of a plan.

"Lastly, if you somehow or someway come across that foreigner again. Make sure she attends our tea party". And with that declaration accompanied by a charming smile, the head of the Hatter mafia turned to the direction of the mansion.

"Where are you going Blood?" Elliot asked.

"Sleeping. It's too early for me to work. " Blood replied without turning his back.

As his figured vanished in the distances, Elliot asked the twins to take a time off so they can treat Dum's wounds. Soon after he sent orders to his subordinate stationed near the amusement park, a message arrived announcing that the foreigner left already without any trace.

Elliot head to Bloods room in response.

Some hours have passed since they last saw him, so he assumed it was the right time to visit Blood.

After several unanswered knocks, Elliot decided to force his way in but, soon find that the door doesn't seem to budge at all. It wasn't locked to say the least, from a tiny crack he could see a wooden furniture. A closet or a shelve. With more force, he finally managed to move that heavily looking furniture which turned out to be in fact, a closet.

Once inside, what he found was what used to be a well-kept room functioning as a chamber and a study, now turned into a chaotic one. Books were on the floor several meters away from their shelves, the couches were all diagonally away from their usual post and lastly a heavy smell of tobacco lingered in the air, creating a mystic aura to the already dark room due to the closed curtains.

Elliot honestly didn't want to linger any further in that space. If Alice sees these... He thought as he sighed.

He heads to the bedpost where a man laid there with closed eyes, a cigar in hand while the other handheld up in the air something sparking.

Something that seems to be the only thing that shined in that dark room. It's a ring.

"She left the amusement park already. " Elliot informs as he watched his superior behind the veil of smoke in the air.

Silence dominate the room for what seem forever until Blood gave his response with a slow and very lethargic tone:

"Dispatch our men in the country, bring the girl here. We have a party soon. Go"

With that said and received, the March hare left the dark room.

Once out he instructed one of the maids to fix Blood's bedroom when he leaves then quoted what his boss said to his men.

The girl named Y/n was officially a wanted person of the Hatter Mafia.

Elliot head to the garden and he sat to one of benches a few meters away from the fountains and tea tables. It was Noon, the sky was bright, the birds were chirping, the air was fresh, and he could hear the rushing of water in the air.

He took a cigarette from one of his pockets and started to light it. After a swift inhale of the object between his fingers, Elliot reflects on the girl he saw the night before, how she reached for him when he was wounded and the image of Blood in his dark room.

"Seriously,... This is not a damn novel. Things won't happen for the same reasons. "

Then he thought of Blood's recent behavior.

"He goes around denying she exist, yet he keeps his engagement ring on and stay hours looking at it". He seriously wonders what Blood has done to Alice.

He recalls a peculiar scene that seemed to have happened eons ago. Almost like that day.

.

.

.

Flashback:

A tall goldilocks hare makes its way to his employer office with a file of paper works that needed to be signed. There was a good weather that day, he received some sweets from her, and he gave the brats some scolding. Elliot admit he loved those simple days. He missed those days.

As he nearer the office he noticed how strange there weren't many maids around the halls that leads to the Owner's study.

In the current present, many employees stayed away from Blood due to his quick temper...

But back then, the employees were almost content accomplices in making sure Alice and Blood relationship stayed good.

He wondered if they were having some adult moment, thus he reluctantly thinks if it was the best time to hand the papers. However, Elliot was already a meter away from the door.

In the end, he chose to hand over the papers to one of his trusted men that works in the mansion since he had other duties that day.

However, before he turned to his step, he heard a soft whisper coming from the door which was slightly open. It was his intentions to spy however...

"It's okay to forget. "

"..."

"Lose yourself... "

"..."

" Leave everything behind... "

"...behind... "

"that's right... "

"..."

"...Don't worry. I'll take care of everything... "

"..."

"...Forget it all... "

Elliot could smell a strong fragrance of roses coming from the tiny crack of the door. It was so strong, almost unbearable to the point of headache.

And thus, he quickly turned away.

What happened in that room wasn't for his ears to hear.

.

.

.

Present:

As the sky were reflected in his obsidian eyes, Elliot couldn't help but regret not pressing Blood to share his plans with him back then. He knew that Blood one way or another had a part in this mess and her disappearance. If only he knocked on that door that day.

He felt those words echoed again:"... Forget "

"Forget, huh? " The March hate said before a last inhale from the cigarette.

"..."

"Ughhh, forget it. For all I know that might be some weird fetish going on." Elliot stomps on the cigarette he threw in the ground and headed to the next job.

Little did he know that day, he came closer to the truth.

The garden was prospered as usual, the birds were chirping, the maids were preparing the tables and teacups for the 10' o' Clock's teatime, the twins were trading their snacks and the Hatter still stared at the ring.

"Were still not quite there. It is not the same."

.

.

.

To be continued…