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Alice came upon a huge, green gate. The gate sparkled in the sunlight, but what caught Alice's attention the most was the... well... cards having a paint war over roses.
"Look out now, Five! Don't go spilling your paint all over me like that!" a card of hearts cried.
"I couldn't help it! Seven jogged my elbow," another card of heart retorted.
"That's right, Five. Always blame someone else," a card of spades grumbled.
"You shouldn't talk," Five threatened, "I heard just the other day the Queen say you should be beheaded."
"Whatever for?" the other card of hearts, Two, gasped.
"That's none of your business, Two," Seven growled.
"It is her business and I'll tell her," Five said stubbornly, "it was for bringing the cook tulip roots instead of onion."
"Of all the unjust things-" Seven was cut off by Alice.
"Excuse me," she interjected. The cards were stunned to attention, "what are you doing to those roses?"
"Well, you see, Miss, these ought to have been red roses, but we planted white ones by mistake. If the Queen were to know she would have our heads," Two explained.
"She's just inside the gate," Five said, "playing coquet."
"I heard the Duchess was invited," Two gossiped, "even after what happened."
"Well, what happened?" Alice asked.
"Not ours to explain," Seven quipped. Two other cards came by and ushered Alice through the gate. They pushed her through and closed the door behind her. Alice fell from the force.
"How rude," Alice grumbled as she got up and dusted herself off. In the distance, Alice could hear someone complaining as she walked toward a quivering hedgehog.
"It's too warm. I'm tired of walking. The earth should spin in MY direction. I'm the Queen, after all. Place I want to go should come to ME. Announce my presence Rabbit! I'm always worth mentioning," a very sour woman demanded.
"H-her majesty, the Queen!" the White Rabbit announced.
"Louder Rabbit!" the Queen shouted as she shoved him.
"The White Rabbit!" Alice whispered to herself. The Queen spotted Alice.
"Who are you, child?" she inquired.
"I'm Alice, so please your majesty," Alice said, dropping into a curtsy. She didn't want to get on this queen's bad side.
"Yes, yes. Fine. Do you play croquet?" the Queen asked Alice.
"I played at home," Alice admitted.
"Impertinent girl! Off with her head!" the Queen exclaimed.
"Nonsense! Just because I cannot play your way does not mean a thing!" Alice defended herself.
"Off with her head! Off with-" the Queen was cut off by her level headed husband.
"Consider, My Dear. She's only a child. And you ARE the best. She could learn from you quite nicely," the King reasoned.
"You're right. I AM the best. But I don't have time to teach her! Duchess!" the Queen clapped her hands and Elphaba entered the garden.
"Yes your majesty?" Elphaba asked.
"Teach this girl to play croquet. Every decent girl should know how to play the Queen's way," the Queen ordered.
"As you wish," Elphaba obeyed. She took Alice to the side as the Queen continued on with her own game.
"What are you doing here?" Alice asked, "surely you aren't the Duchess?"
"Of course I am," Elphaba said, "I'm only the Wicked Witch in the rest of Oz. We are outside the gates of Oz, are we not?" Alice was confused. All of this information was making her head hurt.
"Of... of course," Alice agreed uncertainly.
"Now, you need only lose and you'll be on your way to the fifth square," Elphaba told her.
"But the Queen is such a bully!" Alice said a bit too loudly.
"Off with her head!" the Queen demanded. No one opposed her this time. Elphaba has disappeared into the shadows once again. The whole deck of cards surrounded Alice. They pushed her further and further toward the edge of the garden. They closed in, when suddenly Alice was knocked off balance and she fell into a hole.

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