Title: Treasure
Rating: T
Summary: Nick Midnight is a high school girl who's a victim of fierce bullying regarding her appearance and name. On one rainy day she falls into Wonderland and hopes to start a new life. Will she ever find anyone who will accept her for who she is, or will the vicious cycle begin again? Mary Gowland x Original Character
A/N's: WARNING!: (semi-)SUPER CHAPTER AHEAD :D
Alright, not really. I'm sorry :E I lied (a teensy bit)
By this time I have actually come up with a laid out plan for 'Treasure'. Before I just had a general direction, but now I think I know what I'm actually aiming for.
Special 'thank-you's to , austriantatious, bloodplus103, FallenInk, In The Forest, Mrs. Tickle Tehe, Myst400, , Sasuna123, Shadow Fox 2013, SigmaConvoy, SleepyBeaker, Slytherson, and stellarroze for adding 'Treasure' to their story alert list!
Super special awesome 'thank-you's to bloodplus103, FallenInk, Mrs. Tickle Tehe, , Shingekyo, Se7th Heav N, ShinobiShinigami58, SigmaConvoy, and Slytherson for adding 'Treasure' to their favorites list!
I should be doing these cumulative 'thank-you's every six chapters or so, so hopefully I'll get to do at least three!
Tomorrow is the first day that I'm going to be on a road trip with my family! Yay :D However, the chapters will either be really short or really long for the extension of the trip - three or four weeks. That's because I'll be sitting in the car a whole bunch of hours with not much to do, but I have other ideas I want to work on too. But, 'Treasure' will not be forgotten! Hopefully another fic of mine - 'Love is a Problematic Turnabout' - from a different series won't be either. I actually started that one last year during the trip, but I had never gotten around to writing anything past the first few chapters' drafts.
Anyways, on to Chapter Six!
Chapter Six: Adventures in the Dreamscape, and Threats
"I wonder what happened to'er to make her think like that…" Gowland mumbled to himself as he walked out of his bedroom door and into the joining hallway. "Someone like her shouldn't have t'be so sad."
Hearing light laughter and a hiss come from his left, he turned his head to see a soaking wet, twitching cat and Alice walking in his direction.
"Boris, you're soaked! I told you not to run off like that!"
"Aliccccccccccce, why are you so mean! Just help me find a towel, and maybe a blow-dryer."
The two figures were both wet from being outside in the rain, which has now slowed from tropical storm worthy to a slight drizzle, but Boris was more so than Alice. His hair changed from a cherry pink to a dark red, and Alice now looked like a brunette. Alice's clothes were dripping little droplets of water from her skirt hem, but Boris was not - his leather held in all the water, and as he walked you could hear the squelch from every single movement.
"Hey, you two - can ya quiet down? We have a young girl sleepin' here," said Gowland, annoyed.
Boris's ears twitched, and then he shivered, before replying, "I didn't know you were into that, Old Fart."
Alice stood there looking confused, but Gowland's ponytail shot up in irritation.
"You better watch your tongue, Freeloader."
"Gowland," Alice piped up, not noticing the tension that wafted throughout the hallway's air, "Who's staying here?"
At this point, Boris took his squishy, soggy self and trudged over to his room on the opposite side and opposite end of the hallway, leaving Alice and Gowland alone to complete their conversation.
"Her name's Midnight, she's the new Outsider. Have you met he-"
Alice gasped in surprise, and her hands flew to cover her mouth. "We forgot her in the woods!"
"What?"
"Boris and I, and the Twins - we left her in the woods! Oh my! Is she okay?"
Gowland sighed and shook his head. "Calm down, Alice. She's fine - she's as tired as hell though. Passed out a little while back." He offered her a comforting smile, like an uncle to niece.
"I feel horrible… I was so caught up in the moment that I left her there with all of her things spread out on the ground."
"Well, you can apologize to her when she wakes up if it means that much to you. I bet she'd like that - showin' you care."
"You're right, Gowland," Alice trailed off. A soft thumping sound, well, more like a heavy-but-padded stomp, could be heard from down the hallway. The two turned their heads to see a now dry Boris walking fast paced towards them.
"So what're you two talking about that's so damn important?" Boris asks, irritated.
Alice flicked him on the forehead, and Boris made some kind of strangled cat noise while Gowland chucked at his misfortune. "Don't be upset with us - be upset with yourself! You're just as much at fault as I am for leaving Midnight behind."
Boris raised his uncovered eyebrow, "The quiet girl, right? I was a bit startled when I met her - the twins had told me that the new Outsider was male. Sucks we forgot her, nya."
"What?" Alice and Gowland both questioned.
"Huh?"
"You said that the twins had told you she was male…" Gowland scratched his cheek, "Why?"
"I don't know, maybe the Hatter had something to do with it."
It seemed as if Alice had a revelation, as her head snapped up and she spoke immediately, "Blood wasn't the nicest person yesterday. He did say some things, but I don't know why the twins would pick up on that…" she added, "It's not like they pay attention to anything else he says," snarky.
Gowland leaned back against his door as Boris dragged Alice off somewhere - perhaps to find her a room to stay the night in - and sighed, taking in a deep breath afterwards.
"Dupre, you asshole. What have you done this time? Isn't one person enough?"
_|~TREASURE~|_
I open my eyes to find myself laying in a familiar world of greys and blacks. There is a weird tingling sensation in my feet, but I have no idea why. Go to close my eyes once more as I do not see anything out here, but I am interrupted.
"Hey there, little miss!"
"Shut up, Nightmare." I roll over on my side to see the Dream Demon in all of his floating and smoking glory. His skin seemed a tad bit paler than usual, but he also seemed a tad bit more… playful, I guess you could say, than usual.
"Looks like you'll be staying here, sweet pea."
"Shut uuup, Nightmare."
"Of course yer important - you'URK-" Nightmare was cut off by my deathstare and foot, which had kicked him lightly in the side of his stomach.
"That's what you get for being annoying in a close perimeter." I scoff, and furrow my eyebrows at him. I know he can read my thoughts at the current moment, but apparently he can also see into my memories as well…
"Not really, I'm just all-knowledgeable about what you're thinking about at the moment… and you just can't stop thinking about hi- OW THAT HURTS, DAMMIT!"
Yay for makeshift kickboxing. This time I had kicked him in the shins, hard. I didn't want to hit him hard in the stomach since he looked so sickly - I don't want him to end up in a worse condition.
While Nightmare was pretend crying and hopping around on one foot while he tried to massage the tender area, I took the time to stand up and straighten my clothes - a habit of mine in which I brush off the top of my legs and pat the back of them. I know it really doesn't do anything, but it makes me more… comfortable, I guess you could say.
"So you're staying at the Amusement Park now, eh?" Nightmare inquired, now recovered from the pain of the shin-kick. He is no longer floating, feet planted firmly on the unfirm grey Dream Dirt ground, and is back to smoking his pipe like nothing happened in the first place. The fragrance wafts nonchalantly throughout the air, but I wave it away from my face, as I have no intention of smelling whatever the hell Nightmare's smoking.
Not interested.
"Obviously, as you've so seen in my head," I answer him. Actually, I have no idea. Gowland never said I can stay there permanently - this could be another Julius situation. Staying one night and then cut the cord. It would be most unfortunate, and I really don't want to leave. I mean, Gowland's really nice, and he seems honest. Trustworthy. Genuine.
"Oooh, he's so cute and funnnnny and special and amazingggg!~"
"Nightmare, what in the hell are you smoking!? Stop being stupid," I huff, a bit embarrassed. Some of those thoughts never crossed my mind, but are they really there in the back of my conscience? I cross my arms and stare at Nightmare as he turns and lies on his side in mid-air. I tell you, he possesses a mighty special ability. What I would give to be able to do that.
Well, not much, but it would still be really cool. Floating… now I would never roll off the side of the bed.
"Well, you see, it's really a mixture of… some things and some other things, and…" Nightmare trails off.
"So you don't know?"
"Nope, but it's damn good. Try some!" he smiles, like a child who just got a new stuffed animal. Quite cute, actually. Little ones are adorable when they're not yelling, crying, eating, pooping, ok never mind. They're only cute when they're happy, and that's even subjective.
"Hell no. I'm not into that."
"Are you sure you don't want some" He wiggles his eyebrows, in fake seduction, before adding on, "sweet pea?"
"Douche."
I huff and turn around with my arms still folded, childishly, but I don't care. Nightmare's poking at me for getting along with Gowland so well, and I'm not a big fan of it. I know he's just playing - joking - around like a joker-
"Hey, that's offensive!"
What? Nightmare, you're so weird. What's wrong with being a joker?
Anyways, I know he's just messing around, but I'm not a big fan of it. This kind of talk reminds me of how things used to start in the younger grades - when people weren't so harsh - way back when. Do you know those times when someone makes a harmless, hurt-unintended statement, but it still bothers you? It's one of those times right now for me - don't get the wrong idea about me, I'm not overly sensitive. Not that that's a bad thing.
"Nightmare-," I begin to say as I swivel on point to face him and talk again, but I slip and fall backwards. World's Number One balancer over here, ladies and gentlemen.
Nightmare reaches out to grab me with his right arm, and I reach out to grab him with my right hand. Unfortunately, the fast shift in balance on his part as he grabs my arm and the force of my hand hitting but-not-quite-grasping his shoulder sets him up to tumble down with me.
We both end up on the ground side-by-side, although I have no idea how we ended up like that. It should be one of those clichéd romance scenes in which the girl and boy both fall, end up on top of each other, and stare into each other's eyes to realize the deep live bond between them.
"Ewwwww…" he complains.
"Shut up Nightmare, and be thankful that's not how it ended… Unless you wanted it to be like that!~" I joke.
He opens his mouth to speak, but upon the action he begins to cough violently. He sits up rather quickly, and the dry cough turns wet, and oh my god that does not sound healthy. Is that blood he's coughing up?
"Uh… Shit? Shit! Nightmare!"
I scramble up on my knees, and begin to rub his back with my left hand in order to make him relax and un-tense. Frantically, I look around for something to wipe his mouth with and the handkerchief in his waistcoat pocket. I take it, and then first wipe the dribbles going down his chin before catching the droplets threatening to fall from the captured basin in his palms.
He begins to calm - or rather, his lungs begin to calm - after a few minutes past the start of the attack. He stops heaving, and can begin to breathe normally once more. He mutters a "Thank you" before promptly taking the cloth from my hand and finishing the job I had started and then maintained. He stands up, a bit dizzily I presume, and I follow in suit.
"That was the worst one in a while…"
"This happens all the time?"
Nightmare looks at me with a saddened look on his face. Maybe he's not naturally pale; this sickly look is brought about by an illness instead. I frown at him, not out of pity, but from genuine concern.
"Yes, unfortunately. Usually, my best friend and right hand man is there to take care of it. Out there on the outside of the Dream Realm… he's probably by my bedside right now." A faint smile crossed his lips as he stared out into the edge of the Dream Realm's darkness.
"I'm glad you're not alone, Nightmare."
He turned his attention back to me, and smiled once more. "And now neither are you."
I giggled as he then patted my head and messed with my hair.
"What were you begging to say earlier? Before the fall, I mean," Nightmare inquired.
What was I going to say? Oh, I was going to thank him for everything he's gotten for me - the clothes, the replacement books. Who knows what else he's doing behind the scenes to make my Wonderland experience get off to a good start. He obviously can't remove people like Blood, but he can still do a part to help and I'm very grateful.
"I'm glad you liked them, Midnight… or do you want me to call you by your real name?~"
"Shut up, douche! Way to ruin the moment!"
_|~TREASURE~|_
"Blood, are you sure that you want to arrange negotiations with the Amusement Park today?"
"Yes, Elliot. Why wouldn't I?" Blood set his teacup down and stared at the March Hare intently, a tad bit confused, and offended that he was being questioned. "If you do not wish to go with me and the twins, I could give you another assignment to complete instead." The tone in his voice made it obvious that this other 'assignment' was not favorable, and that refusal was almost not optional.
"No, that's alright," Elliot sighed. Something had been off with Elliot for the past few days, making him less friendly than his usual unfriendly self, and making him bitterer towards his coworkers.
"Is there a problem, Elliot? You seem… distracted by something. Is it Wonderland's fabulous little slut or that other bitch that is bothering you?"
"No, Blood. I'm perfectly fine, never better! Nothing's I-I mean, no one's distracting me," Elliot responded mellow and quiet. He could never tell Blood that he disagrees completely with the way he treats the two females, as it would most likely result in the end of his life and his clock not being permanently destroyed as he so wished.
Blood frowned, grabbed his hat and cane, and stood up from the chair at his desk. "You are not fine, Elliot, but I suppose I just don't care anymore." Walking in Elliot's direction, he jabbed the other in the stomach with the bottom of the walking stick.
"We are leaving for the Park now, whether you like it or not. Come."
_|~ TREASURE~|_
As I awaken, there is a strange pressure on my arm. I can feel it moving slowly across the inside of my elbow, and its texture is something like animal fur, but I think it is also a human. Someone's touching me while they think I'm sleeping? That perverted bastard! In response, I do the only thing I know.
A kick to the face should suffice.
"OW, DAMMIT WOMAN!"
"Don't touch me while I'm sleeping!"
"WELL, YOU'RE NOT SLEEPING!"
"Now I'm not, THANK YOU VERY MUCH."
It was too early for this, so I decided to flop back down on the bed and turn in the other direction - away from Boris. Too bad for him, he made a grave mistake - now he has a combat boot print on his face. Hehheh… Wait - my boots!
I look down at my feet and see my boots no longer them. Relieved, I let out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding. This was good - the bed would have gotten dirty from the forest and wet-amusement-park tracks if they were still being worn while I was sleeping. However, I don't remember taking the off myself. I remember the strange tingling feeling in my feet before I ran into - fell into - Nightmare in the Dreamscape. Gowland must have taken them off…
Why am I slightly okay with that?
"Hey."
What does he want? Can't he tell that I'm still angry with our previous interaction? That is not how I want to wake up… and why was he touching me anyways? It wasn't like he was trying to wake me up either - he was just feeling up my arm.
"Hey."
A voice that sounds like Nightmare's resonates throughout my head: "Cat babies?". I'll have to ask if that was really him later tonight… this time, I'll flick him in the forehead if I remember.
"I said 'Hey'." This time, Boris sounded angry. Humoring him, I turn back over slowly to face him, but I am stopped half way by a cold metal object being placed on my temple.
What is going on?!
"At least I got to see your face again before I blow your brains out." He's serious about this? What kind of plot twist is this?! I swear, if this life of mine is all a creation of some freak's imagination, I would break the fourth wall and ask them.
(Oh Nick, you're so funny.)
"Boris, what the f-"
"BORIS!"
The door swings open violently by a very strong, intimidating man with a very strong, intimidating voice. Boris' tail and ears stand up on end, like a cat that just got splashed with a bucket of water, and he withdraws the offending weapon from my skull.
"I'm leaving, I'm leaving, I'm leaving!" Boris shouts out as he sideways shuffles out the door that Gowland had opened. Alice appears by his side and pulls him down the hallway by his ear - I can hear her yelling at him from a ways down all the way in this grand room.
Angered and visibly upset, Gowland walks in and slams the door in the other way - once open, now once closed. He turns to me and dashes over to the bedside. I sit up completely now, and like last night, he grabs my shoulders and stares at me.
"You're alright…"
He then pulls me into his arms, and I'm speechless.
"Oooh, he's so cute and funnnnny and special and amazingggg!~"
Damn that Dream Demon.
I respond to the embrace, awkwardly and nervously placing my arms around him too, before freaking out and just patting him on the back.
"And now neither are you."
"Y-yeah, I'm fine. Thank you so much, Gowland."
He stands up, and spins away like he's in some kind of a daze and scratches his cheek. His face is red, and I know mine is as well, so to break the silence and the ice I figure it's best if I ask my question now.
"So what was that all about?" I spit out before realizing my phrasing.
Gowland rips around to look at me, and I wave my arms sporadically. "A-about Boris, I-I mean."
Gowland sighs, "No one's said anything to you?"
I tilt my head, questioning what he meant. Of course people have talked to me, but that's not what he was going for there.
"Well, sweet pea, let me tell you about this cracked-up, 'beautiful' Wonderland you've fallen into."