Chapter 17: White Rabbit's Words

Hello! Again! XD

And here's where I will really say 'see you next time' XD

Because I have a plan aside from the college project I said in the previous chapter. I don't know if it will be a go, but I pray for it to be. It's a big matter, I hope it will be a go.

So... Until August guys and girls... And I will also post a new story then. If you read my previous notes, I mentioned some fandoms already. It will be one of them, but I won't tell you which. XD

See you next time! :D

(I have quite a hard time writing Peter's lines because I wanted it to rhyme. I might need to widen my head for it. Metaphorically.)

Disclaimer: I don't own HNKNA or any characters in it, they belong to Quinrose. I only own my characters and this story.

It had been about 4 days (in real world time), so maybe about 12 time changes had passed from that incident in the Amusement Park. The Minister of Heart heard of the commotion of course. Words travel fast, or so they say. However, what he heard wasn't another outsider but a role holder from other land. Peter thought that was ridiculous, she's not a role holder, and those faceless were blind and could not see the differences. But he was somehow glad, because that means nobody knew she was a foreigner just yet. Nightmare's words still lingered in his head and that made the white rabbit thought about what are the next actions he shall take. He should be more careful now, though, as nobody knows the real story just yet. And Alice. Alice must not know.

A tap on his shoulder sent him back his senses. He instantly turned around and pulled out his gun in reflex.

"Hi White. What are you doing in the hall spacing out like that?"

Peter lowered his gun. "None of your concern, Knight."

Ace put on his usual smile. "Something's on your mind."

The white rabbit turned to leave and Ace followed. "Hey. You heard about it? About the new role holder."

"I do not care of such trivial matters." Peter answered smoothly as he strode in the hallway. He has trained to answer these critical questions without any sense of nervousness in his voice. As long as he makes himself calm, he could hide everything he needed to hide.

"Oh." The Knight sighed. "I thought you knew, so I was going to ask something about it 'cause, you know, you might know something about it."

Peter said nothing at his idiotic explanation and kept walking. Ace took the chance to speak up again.

"But it seems that you're not really interested. I guess I'll have to ask someone else." Ace said, and then he added, "I wonder what will happen—"

"If you have the time to wonder such ridiculous things, I suggest you.." The Minister of Hearts muttered coldly when they reached an intersection, and then he stopped walking. "...return to your post before I cut you to my liking."

The Knight sighed, "You didn't let me finish." He received a glare but he didn't care. "I wonder what will happen if there are two foreigners in a single game?"

Tick.

The Knight of Hearts looked up and put his hands on the back of his neck. "I wonder if I can finally kill a foreigner now there are two of them. I guess I'll find out later." He turned to the left hallway, leaving Peter to stare at him incredulously. He turned his head slightly while still walking and muttered out loud, "You should visit her too. Everyone's already reaching out to her, you know." And the Knight ended the conversation right there.

Peter was still standing at that intersection, staring at Ace's back until the goofy Knight dissapeared into another hallway.

He could not believe what he had just heard. He needed to get to Nightmare. Fast.

Peter White ran as fast as he could to the Country of Clover. Everyone! The knave said everyone! He thought he could be relieved for a while but no. That sickly caterpillar lied to him! They need to get everything clear and he will return that girl to her realm.

The Minister of Hearts went past the guards in amazing speed, ignoring their shouts, and into the Clover Tower. He located the caterpillar's chamber in a matter of seconds and without warning, opened the door with a bang.

Nightmare was relaxing on his seat and enjoying his cup of coffee when the uninvited guest appeared into the room. He looked at the white rabbit in surprise.

"White?" he muttered.

Peter wasted no time introducing himself in and slammed his fists on Nightmare's desk.

"YOU LIED TO ME!"

The caterpillar jolted in his seat slightly because of the volume. He didn't know what's gotten into the white rabbit right now. Using his wonderful ability to read minds, the caterpillar searched the rabbit's reason behind his acts.

"I did not lie to you." Nightmare finally said, putting the cup he was holding in his right hand onto the saucer in his left hand.

Peter glared. "But you didn't tell me!"

The commotion outside finally reached the front door of Nightmare's office and Gray came into view along with some guards. His knives in hand, Gray whizzed into the room and pointed the sharpy edges to Peter's neck, prepared to engage more if the situation requires him to.

"Where is she?" Peter asked, his face serious.

Nightmare glanced at Gray and the guards for a split second before returning his gaze to Peter.

"Alice."

A word, no, a name. That's all Peter needed. And he was about to turn back when Nightmare spoke again.

"I didn't lie."

That stopped Peter and he looked at Nightmare with a glare. 'Yes. But you did not tell me all of it.'

Nightmare didn't lie. He was simply not telling because it could not be helped anymore and everyone will eventually know in the end. But the rabbit clearly needed a guidance to understand his the siuation, so Nightmare coded Gray to dismiss the guards and close the door before explaining everything to Peter White. This time not incidentally missing any details.

Peter listened to everything the caterpillar said and let the informations sunk in with every words coming out of Nightmare's lips. He expected no lies from him like, right now, and both of them know that, so Peter listened obediently. Peter didn't know why he felt awful when he heard that the role holders took a liking to the new foreigner. And the certain, little new foreigner shows likings to the role holders either. Because hey, he was the one who brought her here and even both of them haven't even met. Moreover, she didn't even remember him! The main icon of reaching Wonderland was him, right? The White Rabbit. But those role holders took the spotlight that was meant for him. Even though she was a mistake, he still felt awful because the spotlight was taken from him. But maybe that does not matter, he still had Alice...for who knows how long...

"Can I continue?" Nightmare asked when he read the rabbit's mind about to hop away from the topic at hand.

Peter gaze back to Nightmare and thought over the options he had. As he thought it over, he nodded to Nightmare to let him continue.

Nightmare sighed. "Since the knight has also took a liking to her, I suggest we keep her away from him as far as possible."

"I apologize for interrupting, but isn't she better off should more problem arise?" Peter cut him.

Nightmare tapped his chin. "Yes, I also think it's one of the options we have right now. She's having problems with her head."

"How so?"

"Her wound doesn't seem to heal." Gray said.

Nightmare nodded and added, "Yes. I'm worried that her presence in this world is what hampered her wound to heal. Moreover, she seems to attract problems."

Peter's brows knitted together. "Problems? What kind of problems?"

Nightmare glanced at Gray for a moment before counting with his fingers. "Other than what I've told you, she has been hurt twice by the role holders although accidentaly."

Peter kept silent and Nightmare took that to continue, "She crashed into one of the holders and fell forward, scrapping her chin. And got hit right in the wound spot by another holder's gun by accident."

"It's swelling up again and she constantly said her head hurts without her doing heavy activities." Gray added, and Nightmare nodded at the statement.

Peter's brows frowned further. So that what he meant by attracting problems. And those were just some pretty simple problems. What if a more dangerous situation someday occured? Her life could be in danger.

"Yes." Nightmare agreed. "This could endanger her if we don't have a solution."

"But we do." Peter pressed.

Nightmare sighed again, "Yes. As much as I don't want to, she needs to go back."

"Then I'll make it come true." Peter stood up and walked to the door. "It is my fault she's here, and it is my fault to lose my rear. But I will fix this." The white rabbit opened the door. "It is a promise." And he stepped outside.

Gray watched as the door closed and turned to his master for further order. But Nightmare said nothing, and he only stared at the door with a tight expression.