2. What a Topsy Turvy Month

"-ice."

She could hear it. A soft, echoing voice calling her name. It was faint, and she could barely making it out, but it sounded so familiar.

"-lice."

A woman's voice, that she was sure. It was soft and kind; almost melodic. If she weren't already asleep, it would have lulled her into such a peaceful state of unconsciousness.

"Alice. Alice, it's time to wake up."

Could it be? Was it really true? A woman's voice so gentle and kind… waking her up? Was she finally, really "awake"?

"Lorina?" Alice murmured, but the word came out soft and slurred; like a whisper to no one but herself. She could feel herself being dragged from a deep, heavy slumber. Eyes squeezed tight, she gripped whatever was so soft and comfortable around her; fabric slipping between her fingers. "Big sister?"

"Let me handle this." A new voice, not so kind and gentle, but still feminine. It sounded annoyed. Did she know this person?

She could feel breath at her ear; a gentle breathing against her skin. It would have felt comfortable if it weren't for the words that were spoken. "WHORE, WAKE THE F*** UP!"

Bolting upright in bed, Alice's teal eyes blinked once, finally taking in the scene around her. No, she wasn't home, but rather her bedroom at the Jokers'. The comforter was clutched tightly in her hands, as if to use it as a shield. Panting loudly, she glanced over, her expression blank.

Was she supposed to laugh, become disgusted, or curious? She really wasn't sure, so she kept her lips in a tight line and eyes wide and empty.

That was White Joker, right? The wine red hair, the ruby eye, the jester attire… It resembled him perfectly. There were just a few adjustments…

Like the fact he had boobs.

Indeed, the ringmaster before her was slightly shorter- more of a petite, feminine size- with a softer, womanized face and larger, doe eyes. The chest he had was no longer flat and solid as she remembered it, but now rounder, showing off breasts.

He was now a woman.

"What…" Before a comprehensible question could form from her lips, Alice stared again in shock at Black Joker, who had mimicked the reflection of his counterpart. The now feminine warden glared down at her, teeth clenched.

She couldn't help it.

She laughed.

"What happened to you guys?" she asked through her giggles, finding more amusement in their switched forms than either Joker liked. "A-Am I dreaming? Did you two become transvestites? What happened here?"

"Why don't you f****** tell US!" Black snapped, throwing a metallic object on her lap. Alice blinked, her giggles dying down as she analyzed the object before her in its purple shining glory. The key. That dreaded, wretched key lay on her lap, as if to mock her; to taunt her.

Oh. So that's how.

"Where… did you get this?" Alice demanded, her eyebrows knitted together. "I… I put this on my nightstand! No one should've been in my room! Unless…" She glared up at the men, eyes narrowed. "Which one of you was it?"

"Why the f*** are you putting the blame on us? ! It's not our f****** fault you left the f****** key out!" Black snapped, placing a hand on his hip; his voice higher and much more shrill than she imagined ever coming from him. The scene was almost laughable if she wasn't so pissed off.

"So it was YOU!" she cried, pointing an accusing finger at the prison guard. Black opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted. "What were you doing in my bedroom? !"

"None of your f****** business!" the warden shouted, hands balled into fists.

"If it was my room then it IS my business!" Alice argued hotly.

"But your room is in MY prison, slut!"

"But your prison is MY home too!"

"But I own the f****** prison!"

"But I live here, too!"

"You don't f****** count!"

"I don't COUNT? Then what am I even doing here? !"

"You're here because you belong to us, mother f******** W****!" "I DON'T BELONG TO ANYO-"

"Would you both shut up?" a new voice interrupted them, and Black and Alice both turned to a very annoyed White. The jester glared at the two, arms crossed and ruby eye narrowed. When the couple shut up, he sighed in exhaustion, running a hand through his hair. "You two are acting like such children."

"Tch. No we're f****** not." Black hissed. Alice pouted on the bed, arms crossed.

White palmed his face, sighing once more. "Honestly, Black. You're worse on your period."

The warden's face flushed red, a death glare set on the jester. "Shut the f*** up, b******!"

"Wait, Black's on his period?" A huge, amused grin spread across the foreigner's face at the thought. Hmph. Served him right! Maybe he'd learn to respect her for once after dealing with the pain of womanhood.

"That's none of your God damned business, bitch!" the prison guard snapped, but Alice smirked either way, silently enjoying the idea. A little more than she should.

"It's perfectly natural for a woman, Black. Don't feel shy about it." the female assured him with a kind, understanding smile. The warden glared, clicking his tongue.

"I'm not f****** SHY, you moron. It should be f****** happening in the first place!" he hissed. "Last night I went to bed without a scratch. This morning I woke up bleeding in places that should never bleed!"

Alice pursed her lips, eyebrows pinned together. "Did you put on any 'protection'?"

"HOW THE F*** WAS I SUPPOSED TO KNOW THIS WAS GOING TO HAPPEN? !" the prison guard bellowed, gesturing towards his feminine form as if it were a curse. Alice flinched but sighed.

"I meant after you figured everything out." she replied, feeling a headache coming on.

"Well duh, what the f*** do you expect me to do?" he seethed. "I don't see how the f*** you girls do it. Those f****** tampons hurt!"

"…You're not supposed to feel them." the foreigner deadpanned. Black glared.

"Then why the f*** does it hurt?" he snapped, annoyed. Alice sighed.

"You probably put it- You know what? Nevermind." Alice shook her head, the topic becoming too awkward for her. Discussing how to rightly use a tampon to anyone- especially the Jokers- wasn't exactly on her "to-do" list of Wonderland, and she'd much rather not put it on there. "We'll get you pads."

"You mean those f****** diapers for girls? No f****** way!" Joker argued, shaking his head. Alice huffed, frustration. Were girls really this impossible?

"Well I can't help on that. I tried." she sighed in defeat. Black glared, opening his mouth to speak, but Alice narrowed her eyes. "Wait, isn't it going on noon?" She glanced at her alarm clock, glaring back at the feminine men. "If you have time to argue with me, don't you two have to get back to work?"

"F***!" Black swore, already bolting for the door. Alice sighed, palming her face. She was about to roll over and go back to sleep when she noticed White was still there, now sitting at her feet.

"The circus doesn't start for another hour, so I thought I would explain some basics to you." the jester explained with a kind smile. Alice's eyebrows furrowed, the moment of last night flashing through her mind. Him on top of her, pinning her down…

Cheeks flushed, she looked down at her lap, pulling the blanket close to her. "Basics to the game?" she guessed. Though she could not see, the ringmaster nodded; the sound of the bells on his hat giving her a nod of approval.

"You'll have more time to find the key. Isn't that a relief?" he asked, still smiling at her; his ruby eye watching her reaction, analyzing it.

"How long?" the brunette asked curiously, lifting her head and tilting it to the side; not exactly looking in his eye. He took notice of this, but merely smirked in response.

"A month. It's the Game of Fools- opposites, topsy turvy, call it what you will." White explained.

"So that's why your genders changed?" the foreigner assumed. The man nodded.

"The box…. It could be anywhere. You never know where it'll end up next. The seasons don't change, so it's not much of a clue." he mused. Alice gulped, but nodded, acknowledging this information.

"Did everyone change?" the foreigner murmured, but she was sure she knew the answer.

"Yes." White answered, his grin ever kind towards Alice. She finally looked up at him; wide teal eyes staring back into his single crimson orb.

There was a brief silence between the two; merely a gaze captured within the other, staring. It was so strange staring at a womanly version of the ringmaster, but deep inside she could still see it was White. Was that good or bad? There was something about him that was different. Not just the fact that he was a woman now, but something Alice had noticed since she moved in here. No, rather, even before. He had changed somehow. She couldn't detect what had exactly changed, but he was different. It was bothering her; what had changed about this man she had grown familiar with?

"Hey, f*****! Grab for my f****** chest again and I'll f*** you up, b******!" Black's echoing voice was muffled through her door, but broke the silence nonetheless, earning a sigh from the couple inside.

"I suppose I should get back to the circus." White admitted, almost regretfully as he stood up; struggling just a little to keep still in his heels. She hadn't even noticed the minor changes to his attire; a checkered overskirt with a black and red striped skirt underneath and tall, pointed boots holding him up.

Alice frowned as well, but stood up, sighing. "And I guess I should go stop him before he murders someone."

White nodded to himself, heading towards the door. He paused there, casting a smile back at the girl. "I'll see you later, Alice. Good luck with the game."

And with that, she was alone.

I'm tired. =_= This chapter took too long. I decided I'm gonna skip the next story entirely and go straight The Game of Childhood after this. I don't have time to procrastinate on this series anymore and I don't want to keep you guys waiting.

I gotta credit Earth Riddle for this chapter and the beginning of the next. Without her, this chapter would still be in my folders, collecting dust. |||OTL Thank you so much, Riddley! *huggles*

This is kinda pathetic to ask my readers, but I'm at a stump for minor parts in the next few chapters. If there's anything random gender bent-related that you want to see, just request it in reviews or private messages and I'll try to put some in. ^w^ I really wanna get through this story and move onto Childhood- I WANNA THROW MY EVIL FANBABIES AT YOU GUYS ALREADY. XD

*cough* ^^;;