4. Fool For You
The kitchen dropped dead silent with Alice's intruding voice; most faces much redder than before. It was a tense silence; one of speechlessness. No one dared to interrupt. Rather, no one had the gull to.
Julius- Julius Monrey, the most conservative and distant man Wonderland had to offer- was sitting atop a kitchen countertop, in a dress- a gown of all things! Even worse, he'd grown breasts! Bigger than Alice's, to top it off. That wasn't why they were staring, though.
Ace- a feminine Ace, they might add- stood in front of him; hands on the mortician's thighs, holding him down. He was learning in towards the blunette, his tongue tracing in sloppy kisses down Julius's neck and exposed shoulder blade shamelessly, leaving a trail of saliva behind. His teeth grazed the mortician's skin, teasing it, threatening to bite.
Julius squirmed underneath the knight, face bright red; sweat brimming at his forehead. He glared down in outrage at the brunette, struggling to break free. "A-Ace! Stop it, you damned knight! Have you no shame? What if somebody steps in!"
"Who cares?" Ace asked honestly against his skin, his pink tongue slipping further down; fingers reaching for the hem of the mortician's gown. "You like women, right? I can be a girl now. You've been a virgin too long, man."
"W-What? !" Julius stammered, trying to shove his friend away, but Ace clung to him like glue. "Stop this nonsense! What if-" His words caught in his mouth at the sight of Alice and Joker in the doorway. His face bounced back and forth between pale and red rapidly, catching the knight's attention.
Glancing over his shoulder, Ace grinned playfully, noticing their company. "Oh, hey Alice! Was there something you needed?"
The foreigner was stunned. Speechless and numb, her teal eyes stared blankly at the womanly men in front of her. She wasn't quite sure what to say, to be honest. A sudden, unwanted flashback hit her; one of stepping in on her parents during a most intimate time as a little girl. She'd been scarred for life.
This moment wasn't quite that far off.
"What the f***? !" Black shouted from the mask, finally breaking the forbidden silence.
"Oh.. My…" White said, placing his hand over his lips questionably, at a loss for better words.
Finally finding her voice, Alice stammered out, "J-J-JULIUS?"
"A-A-A-A-A-" the clockmaker stammered, the words lost in his mouth. His face was a bright shade of red; embarrassed and speechless. Ace smiled widely, jumping to his feet- finally freeing his friend.
"Nice skirt, Joker." the knight complimented, giving a thumbs-up to White. The redhead smiled falsely, his eyebrows pinned together.
"Thank you, but I'm not getting on any kitchen counters for you." Joker replied honestly, rather uncomfortable with the situation. Ace's face fell.
"A-Ah, um… L-Looks like you guys… changed… too…." Alice's voice trailed off as she spoke, her eyes attempting to avoid contact with theirs. Julius was quick to climb off the countertop, making his way to the maiden.
"A-Alice! It's not what it looks like!" the mortician tried to explain in a panic, shaking his head denial.
"Really? 'Cause it looked like you and the knight were about to f***." Black snapped, earning a heated glare from the mortician.
"Absurd!" Julius cried, his face flushing. "I wouldn't touch that man if he were the last blasted thing in Wonderland!"
"Aww, that's mean, Julius." Ace replied, pouting playfully.
"You were certainly doing more than touching when we stepped in…" White replied, smirking smugly at the two.
"And I'm not a man right now, so it's okay!" Ace proclaimed confidently.
"Absolutely not!" Julius sneered.
"Um, not to interrupt, but..." Alice began, earning their attention as she cleared her throat. "Aside… from… that, we came here for another reason. We're here for a meeting, actually."
"A meeting?" Ace asked curiously, ruby eyes wide as he tilted his head to the side; long, russet hair of a woman tilting with him.
"I don't recall the incubus arranging any meetings…" Julius murmured to himself, blue eyebrows pushing together skeptically as he tapped his chin in thought.
"He didn't, actually." Alice assured them, nodding once.
"We did." White chimed in, placing his hands delicately on the foreigner's shoulders. His smile was pleasant and polite, white like pearls but fake like plastic.
Julius exchanged a glance with his pal. "A meeting?"
Alice shuffled noisily through her bedroom, teal eyes scanning from place to place in a hurried panic. No, no, no! Where could it be? It was sitting right there! Where could it have disappeared to? !
She didn't hear his footsteps or sense his presence, so it was no surprise that she nearly jumped out of her skin when he spoke.
"My, what a mess… You think a maid would have the cleanest room." White said from the doorway, stepping in with a playful smirk as he lifted up one of the many articles of clothing that the woman had carelessly strewn on the floor in her frantic search. An article that so happened to be a bra.
"White!" Alice cried, quickly snatching her undergarments from the man in a hurried, angry blush; shoving it under her pillow.
"Are you looking for something?" the wine-red haired man asked, somewhat curiously as he leaned over Alice's shoulder, watching her desperately dig through her nightstand drawer.
"T-The key…" she stammered, her heart ramming violently in her chest. She felt nervous and sick; her stomach twisting, her mind boggled. "It's… It's…"
"It's what, Alice?" White asked, his voice lowering as he leaned his head closer to hers from behind, holding the rattling drawer steady around her as she searched for the missing item.
"It's…" she gulped, her voice running dry. "It's g-gone."
"Oh dear… You've lost it already?" the ringmaster asked, moving a stand of hair from the girl's face; his lips at her ear. His breath fanned her skin, causing her hands to tremble; pausing in her desperate panic as the womanly man behind her captured her attention. "That isn't very good, now is it, Alice?"
"W-White?" the brunette murmured, feeling uncomfortable under his touch. Something didn't feel right about it; his lips at her ear, his skin against hers… She sensed something more.
The jester did not answer. Rather, his hands slid overtop of hers, stroking the top of her skin. "Your hands are trembling… are you afraid? You shouldn't be. I won't hurt you."
Alice was silent. His words were not assuring. Her breath staggered as she inhaled, trying to calm herself. This did not escape the role holder's notice.
"Why are you so afraid me?" he asked honestly, frowning as he rested his face against the side of hers. "Is it that you think I'll hurt you? Because of the key? I'm not mad… You can ask if anyone's seen it." When she didn't answer, he continued, "I'll help you. Would you like that?"
Unsure of anything else to say, Alice stammered, "Y-Yes."
Smiling darkly, White brushed the back of his hand gently across her cheek, satisfied with the blush that burst on her face under his touch. "Wonderful."
"Are you two going to keep f****** standing there or get to the God damned meeting already?" Black's voice interrupted the two. Alice jumped, whipping her head around to face the warden; face bright red and eyes wide, embarrassed and confused.
White smiled cheerily, resting a single hand on the girl's shoulder as he turned to his look alike innocently. "We'll be right there."
"Tch." Black glowered at the two, refusing to budge from the doorway. Noticing this, White shot a wink to Alice, mouthing, "I'll tell him" before leading Black out of the room and down the hall.
Not before Black gave Alice a disapproving glare as he turned.
Alice stared at the two silently, clutching the front of her dress; body trembling lightly. She felt relieved to see White leave, yet disappointed at the same time…
Even worse, she felt guilty when Black had stepped in; the need to give an explanation bubbling at her lips. And yet, nothing came out.
Why did she feel this way? Did this have something to do with the game? Was that it?
Frowning at the drawer, Alice tucked it away, sighing once. She didn't have time to worry about her emotions right now. The key was gone, and that was most important…
She hoped.
The meeting would begin shortly. Several reversed role holders sat in the plush red seats at the front row of the circus; bickering amongst themselves, rather too loudly for the circus residents' pleasing. Alice hardly recognized half of the people there.
Everyone had transformed overnight. The Hatter mafia sat to the left of it all, quieter than the rest. Their heights hadn't altered, but their shaped sure did. Blood's figure had grown curvier, red lipstick boldening the frustrated pout on his face and cobalt eyes in slits as he glared at Alice accusingly. Elliot sat at his side, arguing with two identical young ladies at his side. Dee and Dum shouted profoundly at the rabbit, fashioned in blue and red themed gowns, their long black- almost slightly green tinted- hair in long pigtails at the sides of their heads.
The Heart Castle group seemed rather rowdier. Vivaldi had changed completely, almost unrecognizable. Her height had extended taller than Ace, with curly violet locks twirling down to her mid-back, bangs almost covering her cold, cruel eyes. Her chest had grown completely flat, and she didn't look the least bit amused in her red tailcoat and black pants. She barked off beheadings as loudly as she could in her new, deeper voice; blushing deeply as she shouted death to her assistants. Peter sat at her side, prepared to shoot the next maid to make fun of his change. Keeping to his original attire, the rabbit stayed close to his plaid outfit in a frilly red and white plaid gown- insisted by Vivaldi, no doubt; his hair in two loose pigtails over his shoulders. Ace sat at his side; shoulder-length russet hair bouncing as he teased the rabbit for his small cup-size.
The Clock Tower trio resided beside them; Julius palming himself in utter silence as Nightmare babbled about how interesting this new change was to him. He'd slimmed to curves considerably so, his long silver locks even longer; down to his waist. His silver orb stared widely in a hand mirror- only lord knows where he'd gotten it- a wide grin spread on his face as he poked and prodded himself curiously, enjoying this new feel. Gray- now with chest-length blue hair and a rather bigger built- palmed himself, fed up with arguing about how improper it was to act in such a way in public with Nightmare.
Finally, the Amusement Park group sat on the right. Gowland- his face rounder and facial hair gone- glared down at Boris, lecturing him for disrespecting his elders. Boris stared up at him blandly- lucky enough to only have grown a few unmentionables rather than exchanging his beloved haircut for something more refined. Pierce sat on the other side of Boris; eyes wide and watery, clutching himself of fear.
They were all so strange.
"Um, pardon…" the brunette tried to interrupt through a black megaphone White lent her, feeling uncomfortable in the center ring between the two Jokers. She never knew beforehand that Black could stay outside at the circus next to the jester until she actually moved there. The circus was, after all, only an illusion to disguise the prison; it made sense now. Clearing her throat, Alice repeated, "Pardon! May I have your attention? …Please?"
She went unheard to the noisy crowd as arguments rose, one accusing another with fingers and irritated words. The foreigner frowned. "Please? Listen, for a moment?"
Black rolled his visible eye in annoyance "Give me that." he growled, snatching the megaphone from the woman rather abruptly. Alice blinked in confusion, turning her attention up to the warden. Black turned the volume up loudly, his voice rising to a point where the maiden and ringleader had to cover their ears. "SHUT THE F*** UP YOU GOD DAMNED INGRATES AND LISTEN TO THE F****** WHORE!"
The room dropped silent; many role holders covering their aching ears with their hands. Black glared, handing the megaphone carelessly back to the maiden. Alice clumsily caught it, shooting a quick glare up at the warden before clearing her throat, sighing as she held the megaphone up again.
"…Thank you." She began, straightening up. "I guess you're all wondering why I invited you all here today."
"Not really." Blood replied boredly, his tone sour. Alice's eye twitched.
"Ahem. I invited you all here because it seems Wonderland has gone under some… changes." the maiden said, but was quickly interrupted.
"You think?" the prison guard snapped. Alice huffed.
"If you'd please!" the brunette hissed before returning to the small audience, raising her head a little. "I'm sure you all know about the games by now- with the keys? Well… that's… kind of what happened here. Except, we have a problem… We don't know where the key is."
"Brilliant. And what are we supposed to do? Stay in these bodies for God knows how long?" the hatter snapped irritably from his chair. It was obvious he had yet to have his daily dose of tea.
"If you would listen please." Alice hissed, waiting for the room to quiet down once more. When it did, she sighed. "Thank you. Now, the Jokers said you all have two weeks before this is permanent… During those two weeks, if you find a metal purple key, please let me know! We need this key to get you all back to normal, and without it… Well…" She trailed off, feeling no further need to continue. "I wish you all luck. I really do. Being a girl is hard..." She glanced at an annoyed Vivaldi and quickly added, "-and I'm sure being a man is just as difficult. What I'm saying is… Good luck. You'll need it."
"Can we go now?" Dee and Dum asked in unison, yawning in boredom of the poorly given speech. "There's poison mushrooms we want to get."
Alice groaned, palming herself. "…Sure. You can all leave now."
The crowd's noise rose again as the role holders left unhappily, quite a few complaining about a waste of their time. Alice groaned, plopping onto the ground in exhaustion when they'd all left.
"I hate these games…" she moaned, more to herself than anyone in particular; her face resting on the ground.
"Tch. Stop complaining and get your ass up. We can't f*** you at this state." Black snapped. Alice shot him a tired glare.
"Haha! Don't fret, princess." White assured her, kneeling down to run his fingers through her hair. "We'll go searching for it now. I don't have any shows today, so we'll have time."
Alice sighed. "Thanks, White."
White held a gentlemanly hand out to her, to which Alice took it gratefully, allowing him to help her rise to her feet. Black sneered distastefully at the scene, not enjoying their sudden friendliness. Hadn't White been cruel to her before? What was with his sudden change? Something was up; he could sense it.
"We'll be back soon." Alice assured the darker Joker, brushing off specs of dust from her gown. "Don't cause too much trouble while I'm gone, okay?"
"Tch. What are you, my mother?" Black retorted. Alice sighed, shaking her head.
"I'll see you soon." she muttered, and with that she waved him off, leaving the tent with a smirking jester beside her.
*pant* *pant* *dead* I'M SO SORRY FOR THE LONG WAIT. DX You have no idea how much this chapter killed me. I'll try to get this done between this month and June. I hope. |||OTL School has caught up to me and I hardly have time to get fanfic chapters out each day. I'm sorry. D: I usually stay up rather late trying to finish these; I hope they go appreciated. |||OTL
I swear, for all my fanfics as of late, EarthRiddle has been the one to get me through them all. Without her, these would still be rotting with dust. |||OTL PLEASE, if you're going to give credit to anyone for these even showing up anymore, give it to her. That yaoi saint deserves it.
When will the next chapter be out? Who the hell knows. I'd like them to start coming out sooner, but I can't promise anything. What I CAN promise though, is when summer kicks in and all my school is caught up with, prepare to feast on some fast-paced chapters! :D Maybe I'll finally finish CoC and RMR. XDDD