A/N: So I've updated for my Final Fantasy friends but I've left my Tsubasa story just hanging. So I figured ya'll would appreciate an update. Am I right? The story will be wrapping up soon because I've kinda grown bored of it and it now feels like just a blatant rip off of the original Alice in Wonderland. I really respect the authors that can come up with something original while keeping with the Wonderland theme. Anywho, off we go into the deep abyss that is this story.
DISCLAIMER: I don't own any of the character or proper pronouns that can be found in this fanfiction and I definitely don't make a profit off of this. Just satisfying my own little fetishes ;)
The twins rushed to the opposite end of the gigantic table, roughly shoving Kurogane into the far end chair, all the while yelling about there being no room at the otherwise empty table. Both took their respective seats on either side of the dark-haired man after they had settled the small girl into another seat, a few chairs down, where she promptly fell asleep again. Fai was off again, gathering up a tottering pile of tea cups and china dishes as Yuui began to chatter away amiable to no one.
"The Queen is having a party today, did you know? My brother and I were invited; in fact the whole of Wonderland was invited. Imagine that! I bet it'll be a wonderful party! Everyone will be there, the Cheshire Cat, the Twins, the Duchess, and of course The Rabbit."
Kurogane almost spewed out his swig of bitter tea, "The Rabbit? As in that damn brat with the ears?"
Yuui looked shocked at such a rude description but Fai intervened as he sat down with an arm load of cookies and sweet buns, 'Yes, that would be Syaoran. Is he a friend of yours?"
The tall warrior shook his head vigorously, "No way, but I'm looking for him." And when I get my hands on him…
Fai slammed his hands down on the table so hard that the cups shook and his hat almost fell off the top of his head, "Then you simply must come to the party!" Kurogane blinked in surprise at the blonde's rather violent outburst, "Uh…how do I get there?"
Simultaneously, the two twins pointed in opposite directions, "That way!" then glared at each other.
"What are you talking about Yuui? That's the wrong direction! Do you want to make him walk through the Flower Gardens?"
"Me? The way you're pointing heads into the marshes!"
The two began to argue bitterly, not paying attention to Kurogane as he began to sneak out of his chair. Just as he was about to make a dash for it, a small, slender hand snatched a hold of the hem of his dress. He looked down into the misty eyes of the small girl with the mouse ears and froze, stunned. The girl was an exact copy of the Princess.
"Sir, go that way," the girl waved in the vague direction behind the warrior. He turned in time to see a patch of tall grass and weeds part ways to become a clear path back into the woods. "Would you say hello to Syaoran for me when you see him?" the girl pleaded. Kurogane nodded mutely and the girl smiled sleepily before she laid her head back onto the table and began to snore softly.
Kurogane was a while down the path before he ran into another living creature. He was just turning a bend when a body flew past him and crashed into the tree next to him. The dark-haired man jumped back a bit in shock as the person got to his feet, wiping a string of blood that was dribbling down his cheek from a very long scratch. The man whipped around to face Kurogane, yellow eyes glowing with adrenaline, a hand extended in defense. Kurogane took a few more steps back when he saw the razor pointed ends of the man's fingernails, dangerously close to his chest. Deeming that Kurogane was not an immediate threat, the man swung back just in time to block another man that was about to roundhouse kick him in the head. Kurogane dove for cover, cursing under his breath as the two continued their fight, sharp nails searching for flesh to cut open. There was no way around the two as they fought in the middle of the path and the vegetation was too thick to hope to climb through. The fight continued for several minutes, so Kurogane took refuge behind an old oak tree, watching the two tussle. All of a sudden the two stopped entirely, both falling onto the ground in heaps of black clothing, chest heaving with effort.
"This- this isn't over….. Kamui…" the one on the ground closest to Kurogane muttered through clenched teeth as he wiped sweat and blood off of his forehead.
The other nodded tiredly, "Of course…. Sabaru, we will settle this one way or another."
Kurogane decided this would be the most opportune moment to try and get around the two fighters while they were both down for the count. Just as he stepped out in to the path the fighters leapt to their feet, claws extended blocking the entire path, teeth bared like wild animals. Kurogane's hands shot up in the air, to show that he was unarmed, "Look I just want to get the Queen's party and I was told to come this way!"
The two glanced at one another, eyebrows arched in disbelief. But they sheathed their nails and sat down in the path, still taking up the entire space. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking brother?" the one called Kamui questioned.
Sabaru tilted his head to the side and frowned slightly before nodding, "I think so."
They both turned their attention back to Kurogane, Sabaru motioning him to sit down, which he did after a moment of hesitation. Kamui nodded his head before speaking, "We'll let you pass on one condition."
"And that is?" Kurogane asked, his suspicions rising. Sabaru and Kamui smirked, sensing his distrust, "It's nothing dangerous, you just have to settle an argument for us."
Sabaru nodded his agreement before continuing, "You saw us fighting, right? Well you see, we have one last bottle of water," to prove his point, they both pointed to a glass bottle that lay underneath a tree, half concealed by a bush. "And we can't decide who gets to have it."
Kurogane stared at them like they were idiots, "You're fighting over water?" The brothers nodded as though it was the most normal thing in the world but Kurogane had come to understand that normal meant nothing in this world. Kurogane sighed but thought for a moment. What should he do? Then an idea popped into his head, it was something his father did every time he and a friend had something to argue over.
"Can I see the bottle?" he asked, watching as Kamui nodded to his brother, who got up and retrieved the item in question. He handed the glass bottle to Kurogane who in turn popped the cork out of the neck of it. And then with a quick flick of his wrist he sent the bottle spinning over his shoulder, water splattering out of it as is sailed behind them. Both of the brothers gasped in unison before cursing and launching themselves after the bottle. Kurogane sprang to his feet and dashed down the path, sprinting as fast as the annoying buckled shoes he was wearing would carry him. He only slowed down when he figured he had gotten far enough away for the brothers to care anymore. That and he now had a humongous blister on the back of his right foot.
The forest slowly began to fade into a field and from that into a finely trimmed grass. In the distance, Kurogane could make out the beginnings of a large garden, complete with statues and fountains. Soon afterward followed the sound of a large crowd as Kurogane made his way through the first gate that lead deeper into the elaborate garden. Up ahead he noticed another oddity, small trees filled with rose buds. Didn't roses grow on bushes? Stepping through an arch way he noticed something stranger, two girls with thick paintbrushes, dripping with red paint, covering white roses with it. They glanced up with blank eyes at his entrance but quickly returned to their task, one stepping onto a stool to reach the flowers higher above.
"If you're looking for the Queen, she hasn't arrived yet," said the girl with light blue hair, pulled into two tight buns. The other, with long locks of pale pink hair tied into two heaping ponytails nodded, adding, "Thank goodness."
Kurogane stopped near them, eyeing their work, "And you would know this how?"
Pale eyes locked onto him, almost as if they were staring right through him, "We're Maro and Maru, the Queen's assistants." Kurogane nodded, "Well it's a good thing that I'm not looking for the Queen then; I need to find The Rabbit, Syaoran."
The girls turned back to their work, "He will be with the Queen. They'll arrive shortly"