Author's Note: Please excuse the long wait. I'll try to do better, promise. Life just does not agree with Fanfiction, especially when life includes professors who think their students are there because they live for the subject and love having to turn in a new 6-12 page (single spaced) research paper every week and not because the course fills requirements needed to graduate as soon as possible. Sorry, I'm ranting. Back on topic, I really am sorry for the lack of updates and hope you can forgive me.
I still do not own Joker/Clover/Heart/Diamond no Kuni no Alice, but hope you enjoy and review this chapter.
"You seem unusually distracted, care to explain?"
"Hm?" Amelia glanced up from her cards to stare at White Joker. "Oh, sorry, what did you say?" He just sighed and placed his cards face down on the table.
"My dear, you are no fun when you're not paying attention to the game." He gave the little girl a disapproving look. "What could be more important than this?" Amelia gave him a blank look.
"Nicky." White hummed at her response, not liking being pushed aside for anyone.
"What the fuck, you little bitch?!" Amelia and White glanced at the little mask Black's voice came from. "If you don't like it here so much, beat it! All you ever do is get in the way!" Amelia just yawned.
"Now Black, be nice to our guest." White lightly chastised his counterpart. "So Amelia, what about Nicky has you so preoccupied?"
"White," she hums, "do you think I'm dumb enough to trust you with anything?"
"HA! Take that you stupid clown!"
"Shush Black."
"Make me you fuc—"
"Royal flush." The Jokers stop their spat to look at the cards lain out on the table. Amelia smirks when she sees White's eyebrow twitch in annoyance.
"Sooooo, about my prize?" His ruby eye looks up at her expecting face.
"Fucking damn it all to hell!"
"Now Black, a deal's a deal. Get up here and give the little miss her prize."
"You're not the one fucking losing anything!" Regardless, Black reluctantly materialized in the circus tent. Amelia grinned at him, looking pointedly at his hat. When he didn't do anything, she made the "give me" hand motion. He growled before ripping off his hat and throwing it at her. She happily caught it and placed it on her head. "How the fuck did I lose when I wasn't even playing?!"
"If you want, you can always play me for it." Amelia smirked at the agitated role holder, collecting the cards on the table. "But you have to give me your whip when you lose."
"How about I give you my foot right up your—"
"Now Black, she is only jesting." Amelia pouted at White. "You should know she just likes seeing your features ruffled."
"Way to ruin my fun." The two amused individuals ignored Black's animalistic growl. It didn't take long for Black and White to notice when Amelia became distracted by her thoughts again. White let out a sigh while Black glared. They haven't been able to trap her. No matter what they tried, she always managed to either be one step ahead, react fast enough to avoid their cell, or escape. Even when they had her she got away. The two role holders really enjoyed their game of cat and mouse, which is way they weren't taking advantage of Amelia's current lack of focus. She was too much fun to merely pluck from her seat. They wanted a challenge. And there's little more challenging than the mind of a mischievous child.
"Amelia," She glanced up at White's voice, "just tell us what is troubling you. I promise we will not use it against you."
"Bullshit."
"Must you talk like my counterpart?"
"…Fuck yeah." Black swatted the back of her head, hard. "OW!" Clutching her head and with a glare, Amelia shot her leg out, nailing the warden right in the baby maker.
"MOTHER OF FUCK!" Amelia smirked down at Black's fetal positioned form. They glared at each other for a moment, before groaning in pain.
"Now children, play nice.~" Both Amelia and Black glared at the grinning jester.
"Fuck you, White." When they realized they said that at the same time, Amelia and Black glared at each other. No one would believe they actually got along.
"AMY!" At the sound of Nicky's voice, Amelia smirked down at Black.
"Nickyyyyy, Black hit me!"
"He did WHAT?!" The little girl put on a teary eyed sad face just before Nicky stormed into the circus tent. Seeing the "crying" Amelia, the baker glared hatefully at the warden, not caring that he was on the ground clutching his crotch in pain. "You son of a bitch!"
With that, Nicky pounced. Black only had seconds to roll on his back and grab the enraged woman's wrists as she attempted to smash his face in. He cocked one knee up in the air, and into Nicky's gut, to keep the woman at a distance. His baby maker was still in pain, but this was a situation where he had to pick and choose his battles. Nurse his bruised balls and be assaulted by a mad (in both senses of the word) woman or let his balls continue to hurt and defend himself from the previously mentioned mad woman. Either way he would be in pain, but the second option had a greater chance of him dealing with less.
White just snickered at his counterpart's dilemma. Turning back to the devious little girl seated across from him, he grinned at her smirk. Ahhh~ he could see the little sadist Wonderland was turning her into. All he had to do was get her over her hemophobia and she'd make the perfect little toy. He found her fear of blood amusing, thrilling even, but Black didn't.
White wanted to use that fear to drive her past the brink of madness, to shatter her completely, to destroy her from the inside out. He almost did to, but his counterpart just had to go and grow a conscious at the last second. The jester mentally frowned at that. He didn't know what changed Black's mind; maybe it was something the child said or the natural power of the foreigner; but White didn't know because he was inconveniently disconnected from Black while they had the girl trapped. Yes, Black found Amelia entertaining, but not enough to torture her anymore. White, on the other hand, was a different story.
"Wanna play another hand?" At Amelia's question, White met her bright blue eyes with his exposed wine red eye. He wanted to uncover his warden's eye, to see everything this child kept locked away and use it to cut away at her sanity. But, looking to the two temperamental individual's fighting in his tent, he knew he had to wait. They knew what he didn't. He knew they knew what haunted the child, what could easily destroy her, and they weren't going to let him know. It infuriated him, but he was patient…when it mattered.
"Of course and the stakes?" White could play nice for now. Watching Amelia look up in thought, White knew the wait would be worth watching her break. Nothing, to him, was better than the shattering of a child's innocence.
"How about, if I win, you give me the mask you use to talk to Black. But, if I lose, you get your pony back." As Amelia said this she pointed to the little mask at White's hip. His eyes narrowed. She was being cheeky now. She won one of his mares earlier in their game, one that was really important to one of his more intricate acts. It both amused and infuriated him that she could make a bet with him that didn't involve her becoming his toy. But, it was in his favor. If he won, he gets his horse back. If he lost, he gives her something he doesn't really need.
"Sounds reasonable." With that, White began shuffling and dealing the cards. The second Amelia touched hers, White's red eye locked on her, taking in any and all movements she made with his lying smile. But, just like every game since the first time they seriously play, there was nothing. No nervous tick, no unnecessary movements, no look of disappointment, and no confident gleam. All Amelia did was lift her cards and stare at them with a blank expression, her poker face. It was the best White ever faced, second only to his own that was an ever-present airy grin. And the reason Black rarely plays bullshit with them anymore. He can't read them and they cheat to the point where the end result is just sad, at least for Black.
Looking down at his hand, White noted he had four of a kind. Looking back up at Amelia, he wondered what she had.
"Want to raise the stakes?" That caught White's attention. Just like the other times they've played, her voice was flat, but her words intrigued him.
"Go on."
"If I win, I also want the wheel for your knife throwing act." Now that caught everyone's attention. Nicky and Black look at Amelia curiously, knowing full well how ballsy she was being. That act was White's favorite. To so much as suggest taking it from the man was risky. They shared a looked and huddled behind the girl to look at her hand. They revealed nothing to the jester as they studied the little girl's cards. White just narrowed his eyes, not caring for the two other adult's actions and wondering what Amelia had up her sleeve, but allowed his grin to widen none the less.
"Alright, but if I win, you must take part in one of my shows." For the first time since the hand was dealt, Amelia looked up at White before looking back to her hand and nodding. And that was when White knew. She was bluffing. Amelia had a crap hand and was trying to psych him out. She never looked up until after the hand was done. He grinned wider. It was time to reveal their cards.
Amelia revealed hers first. White was actually surprised. She had a straight, a good hand. He suppressed a glare, realizing he was wrong. But, his grinned widened remembering he had a better hand. After he showed his cards, Amelia cursed while Nicky kicked a crate.
"Damn it! I really wanted that mask!" Amelia pouted at the cards innocently lying on the table.
Nicky glared at White, "I swear if she gets hurt during the show I will fucking rip off your balls, chop them up into tiny pieces, bake them into scones, and shove them down your throat while I pour salt and whiskey into your wound!" White grinned, purring 'kinky' in his head. Black shuddered in disgust at his counterpart's masochism.
"Oh yeah! I get to be part of the circus now!" She looked at White with sparkling eyes "Can I do acrobatics with Black?" White's eyebrow twitched, now understanding why Amelia agreed to his term so easily. She wanted to do an act…with Black. The jester was actually starting to get jealous of his counterpart. White wasn't blind. He knew the warden was the real reason she still came to the circus and risked becoming trapped by them.
"Sorry my dear, but I already have something planned for you." The jester grinned at the child. Finally, he could use this to his advantage.
"Ah fuck it! Sign me up for something to." All heads snapped to Nicky, who was glaring pointedly at White.
"I-I beg your pardon?" The jester asked flabbergasted. Now that was something no one expected.
"I'm not leaving Amy alone with you for a second. And I know there's not a chance in hell of you letting me in the big top during practice unless I'm part of an act."
"…Do you have any experience in preforming?" White wasn't going to let this opportunity pass. Two foreigners in one show, what luck!
"And he's not talking about on a pole." Nicky glared at Black's comment and swiftly kicked his shin.
Turning back to White she says, "No, but I'm pretty quick on my feet, and am a fast learner." White stared at her for a moment before asking, "How are you when it comes to heights?"
"Errr…I'm good with anything but—"
Amelia laughed, "Nicky'd be great on the tight rope!" White turned to the little girl, staring at her idol with starry eyes. It wasn't long before he was completely exiled from the conversation. Amelia and Nicky kept going back and forth about what act the woman should do, and Black interjected his own crude comments when an opportunity arose. White twitched again, wondering why he was shoved aside so easily. For crying out loud, it was his show!
…
Doing last minute preparations for his latest performance, White could not say he had ever been happier. All his performers were in tip top shape, there were no setbacks or any issues, and…
"I'm going to fucking murder that clown for this" And that. That lovely little surprise he discovered that was hiding right under his nose in the form of an angry baker.
"You don't look bad."
"I look like a tramp!"
White smirked to himself, eyeing Nicky in her performing outfit. He couldn't help himself. After finding out that underneath those baggy, highly unflattering clothes Nicky favored was a tight, ample body, he had to have her in one of the most provocative and tight outfits he owned. He honestly didn't understand why she was complaining. He let her wear tights under the halter-topped leotard, and a jester collar to boot. His smirk widened. The ringleader was both sinisterly pleased and disappointed that she wasn't complaining directly to him about the outfit. Pleased because his threat to put her in front of all of Wonderland in lingerie kept her semi-obedient, yet disappointed that it did.
Nicky, in her own right, was seething as she looked at herself in the full-body mirror. In no way shape or form was she comfortable, but she wasn't leaving Amelia alone with White. She was hesitant leaving Amelia alone with anyone really, except Elliot and Julius since they were at least trust worthy. Pierce maybe, but his skittishness could end with him accidently leaving Amelia alone. But, she would rather leave Amelia alone, in the woods for an unknown amount of time changes with ACE, than leave her unsupervised in White's care for a half a minute…Yeah, she knew White was a very, very bad man under that charming smile…worse than the perverted, psychopath with a sword…Not for the first time she questioned how Amelia survived Wonderland before she showed up…
"Alright ladies~," Amelia and Nicky turned to White, "Showtime!" He ushered the two to their positions, Amelia being kept right beside him on ground level and Nicky up to the acrobatics platform, where Black was impatiently waiting. Half-way up the ladder, Nicky almost chickened out.
"Can you go any slower," Black yelled down to her, earning a glare. It was his job to keep her from falling to her death since White didn't believe in safety nets. As much as he really didn't want to do it, Amelia bribed him with cake…and cookies…and brownies…He cursed his sweet tooth. Taking his anger out on Nicky, he kept yelling insults at her until she got angry enough to forget her fear, but only long enough to climb the rest of the way up to hit him.
The second after she punched him in the gut, she was stupid and looked down. In the warden's mind, the high-pitched, girly as hell scream the came from her lips was the funniest thing he'd ever heard in his life. Her clinging to his arm for dear life after was just a hilarious bonus. Nicky was too scared to care that Black was laughing at her, trying to focus on not peeing herself.
Amelia looked up towards Nicky and Black with a pout, seriously jealous. She wanted to be up there! She turns to White when he taps her on the head. "Smile, my dear, we're about to start." Taking a deep breath, Amelia smiled to the blacked out audience. Seconds later, the spotlight shined on both her and White, exposing them to the shocked, and horrified, Role Holders and Alice.
Amelia didn't know why White wanted her to be his assistant throughout the show. She didn't even have to practice for their closing act during any of the rehearsals; just learn her cues for when she had to say something. During the entire show she didn't really do anything but a few random tricks when introducing performers, just to do something…and rolling on the ground laughing at Nicky's act. Really, Black was just being mean when he caught her just before she was out of arms reach…every single time. Except for that one time he actually had to use his whip to catch her because he missed her flailing arms.
When her act ended, Black dropped her on top of Elliot, since Amelia bribed him to. He didn't question the child's motives so long as he got his sweets. Nicky, traumatized, unconsciously curled up on Elliot's lap, shaking in fear as she clung to the man. All he could do was rub her back soothingly and try not to stare at her outfit too much. Unlike his boss, he was a gentleman.
Before the little girl could recover from her giggle, two Faceless clowns grabbed her. And, before she knew it, she was strapped to a familiar wheel. Blinking in realization, her eyes met White's ruby red one.
"Oh crap…"
"Indeed!~"
"Karma?"
"Yep!~"
Before the girl could call for help, the wheel started turning. Faster and faster it went until steady thunks could be heard from knives being imbedded into it.
Everyone in the audience watched with baited breath. The wheel was turning to fast for any of them to see where the knives were hitting. But so long as Amelia didn't stop her steady screaming and there weren't any red splatters, there was nothing they could do. Unknown to White, the color in Amelia's face changed twice since the closing act was revealed. From her heathy, peach tone, to fearful white, to sickly green. The more the wheel turned, the greener she got.
When the wheel finally stopped turning, Amelia's head didn't. Nicky stared at her worried. She turned to the man she was sitting on. "Can you get me down there? Something's wrong."
Seeing the look in the woman's eyes, Elliot nodded and started moving. Unfortunately, before they could reach the little girl, White already started to pull his knives free. The man didn't notice the girl's expression, so he wasn't expecting the sudden shower…of barf. The man froze in place, twitching momentarily at the smell.
All was silent until realization hit everyone and the tent exploded in laughter. White's anger could be seen swirling around him. He was lost in it just long enough for Nicky and Elliot to reach the sick from dizziness girl and free her from the wheel. Securing the girl in her arms, Nicky made a break for the exit, Elliot at her heals.
"I'M GOING TO KILL HER!" Nicky yelped when Elliot urgently scooped her and Amelia up in one arm while firing warning shots at the enraged clown hot on their tails who was throwing knives at them. Frankly, the laugher didn't stop, even the warden was dying from it. The entire scene was just too funny for any of them (aside from a hyperventilating Alice) to take. It was easily the most memorable performance the circus ever had.
"ELLIOT, FOR ALL THAT IS HOLY, FUCKING RUN MAN!"
"GET THAT LITTLE BRAT BACK HERE!"
"Nicky, I-I don't feel good…"
"SHIT! AIM FOR THE CLOWN, AMY!"