A/N Thanks to all my fantabulous reviewers: rukia, piginthesky, anonan, gregory, SwRtB, Tsukiyomi Lein, kashif and sphinx! You guys truly light my day. Enjoy and thanks to all who read! 3

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What the Cheshire cat did not tell Rukia, as naively innoscent as she could be, (Which was quite minute, ask her butler with the singed beard) was a bit of a history lesson on the land they stood and strode in. He did explain that Wonderland was disected into two kingdoms, Black and Red. What he failed to mention, however, was the important fact of the fighting between the two.

Disputing for years, they were always on the brink of war but currently held a fragile peace. Why the cat mislead her was for the sole purpose of agrivating his opposing country- He figured out Rukia's captor was of Red (His status to be revealed later on) and desided to guide her into his land to get back at them.

Childish, petty, and absolutly unproductive, things like this were often pulled by both kingdoms, both for amusement and ill intent.

And Rukia just officialy became a tug of war between them.

...

The light in the forest turned to one of dusk, though Rukia could swear it was just around noon when she came. But it was to no concern to her, soon she would be out of this odd and exhausting dream. Huh, she thought. How ironic that dreaming could tire you. But she supposed that in this backward world, anything is very possible.

And everything around truly was backward. The tounges of violet mushrooms flicked out to catch flies with miniature lightbulbs for bodies; lollipops grew like a normal shrub, the sugary scent wafting to her hungry nose; and the most curious hybrid mixtures of differant animals, insects, beasts, and objects alike. A tiger the size of a toster once scuttled across her with duck feet, singing an Irish ballad of the fey.

She had shreiked, appaled, but all the little feline did was wink at her and went on chasing it's peculiar prey: a penguin with colbalt fur.

Very strange, but Rukia just figured it was her advanced imagination the made the dream so creative.

In the mean time while she followed the path to the end of the forest, she tried to piture this king she was going to seek aid from. Grimmjow had never explained as to what he looked like, but she figured he would be the important one, sitting on his throne and wearing his crown.

He would probably be wearing mostly black, designed with spades and clubs.

A ridiculously poofy and clishe oulfit entered her mind, complete with bright stockings and an over abundance of material, so mush so it was stifling.

A short giggle escaped from her, dearly hoping this king was a kind old gentleman, not some cruel tyrant. Grimmjow seemed decent, perhaps a bit unsubtle, but not half bad.

Hopefully that meant his sire was just as well.

She thought over her encounter with the feline. It hadn't been so unpleasant, but that was most likley because the scene before his sufficiently paled in comparison, without question. But that type of person she was comfortable with, she could feel like she could smack them around and didn't have to worry about image, manors, or anything else of equall discust.

Maybe she would see him again, he had said he was a good friend to the king. Maybe if the way she could wake up take while, she wait around with him. She hardly wanted to wander around and risk being found by her beast of a captor.

The very thought of him and his errotic actions aimed twords her made her want to wretch.

But then again, she'd rather not. She wanted to look presentable for the king, after all he was doing a great service, even if he was only a character of a dream. Rukia could just see the way her mother would fuss over her if she were present- would probably scold her for not wearing the proper shade of blue or some such nonscence.

Image is everything, daughter, she'd always say, usualy followed by a scornful sigh. It is a pity you're not more like your elder sister...

Hisana was the epitamy of grace and beauty- no one could deny this, but Rukia believed there was so much more her one-sided mother could never see. So what if she didn't have all of the qualitys of respectable housewife or lady? She could tell the richest of stories brought up at the top of her head, be able to daydream in even the most noisy of areas, and draw the cutest bunneys around.

Who cares if she couldn't knit or cook a proper meal? It didn't shift her worth up or down in the least, and anyone who told her it did was certainly wrong.

Finally, after a lifetime of those heavy thoughts, Rukia reached the end of the trees and came to the fork in the path, a giant sign placed directly in the center. Simply and written in large bold script it read:

BLACK KINGDOM = LEFT

HEART KINGDOM = RIGHT

Shaking her head a bit at the overall insanity of her whole situation one last time, she started down the left path, hands connected behind her as she engrosed in a casual walk. She walked around the slab of stone that served as the barrier of the two kingdoms, it's end giving her the most spectacular view she had ever seen.

A majesticly grand palace, the color of ink and stood taller than two mountains, contrasted like a glom as it sat in a pale crimson twilight. Below it in it's dark shadow the vast city was spread, knitted close together like a labrinth of homes and buildings.

Rukia drew in a gasp as she gazed at the vivid sight, gawking a bit as the last rays of day hit her face.

"Hey!" a voice said. "Where do ya think you're goin'?"

Rukia looked around for the stubborn voice, but found nothing but rock and ledge. Shrugging it off, she started down the incline to the castle. A bit of shuffling unsued and the voice became more urrgent.

"WAIT! Hey, I'm down here! HEY!"

Rukia turned and looked down, to find a puny little thing looking up at her with furrowed brows. Once she got further examination, she found the thing was acually a stuffed animal, a lion. Only mildy supprized to find a child's toy trying to order her around, (She was somewhat used to to suppizes by then) she bent down to the toy and remarked,

"You're a cute little bugger for being so annoying."

His little mouth popped open in fury, and stammped fat stuffed legs, poofs of dust coming up around him.

"What! I'm not annoying! I used to be a general before the Reds stuck me into this body, but now I have to sit here all day, all alone-"

He kept chattering incessantly like a monkey on crack, and Rukia founnd herself becoming impatient. Did the idiot ever shut the hell up? Ridding herself of the unladylike thoughts, she interupted him as politley as she could by asking,

"What is your name," she started, "and what did you want with me?"

"Kon," he responded, shrill voice biting into her ears. "And I am the gaurd here at the start of the kingdom that makes sure outsiders don't enter."

Ah. So that was why the little beast was so persistant.

"I am an outsider," she humored him, deciding against just kicking him of the mountain and going along her merry way, "But I was sent by a member of Black here, to see the king. He said he was a friend of him."

Kon narrowed his mind, sencing the possible prank from Red.

"Who sent you?"

"A man with a cat tail and ears named Grimmjow. Have you heard of him?"

Beady, plastic black eyes widened in reconition at the name, and Rukia felt relieved. The man hadn't deseived her.

"Sir Jaegerjacks sent you?" he gasped. "To see the king, too? I must take you to him right away then."

Rukia slightly cringed at the thought of traveling with such an obnoxious being, but the more she thought about it, the more it would help her. She didn't know this city or the right path too the castle. A guide would ensure she got ther quickly and safely, without issue.

She would have to endure him, she supposed.

Stnding from her crouched position, she stretched.

"Alright then ," she said, already started "Let's go on. The sooner I get out of this terror, the better."

Jumping on her shoulder, set for the ride, on they went.

It was like crossing from light into the most wretched shadow.

And Rukia had no clue.

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A/N Kind of a boring chapter, I know. But I have big plans for our dear Rukia-chan, poor thing. *Grins evily*

See ya next time folks, And don't forget to review!

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