Well, this is the final chapter of Yuichiro in Wonderland, which is very odd because with my other OnS fanfics, they end with fifteen chapters. Like I said last chapter, the next fanfic I'll be uploading onto ff is one of personal favorites and I hope you all will love reading it just as much as I loved writing it. And so, enjoy!
Chapter 11
Narrow Escape
The sentence given as the Card Guards gather around them, everyone that has sided with Yuichiro take a stance to fight them off in order to protect the chosen hero. Frozen stiff with fear, Yuu is snapped out of his trance when he felt Mika pull on his hand, snapping his eyes to the Cheshire Cat. "We have to get out of here, Yuu-chan!"
"What about everyone?" Yuu asks as his friends take on the card guards.
"Don't worry about us, Yuu-san." the pair turn toward Shinoa to notice that she has summoned her Chess Warriors to join in the fight. "We can handle the Card guards. You need to get out of Wonderland while you have the chance." Then she nods once to Mikaela who nods back in reply.
"You heard her, let's go."
He doesn't want to leave everyone like this. But the raven boy had come to terms that they all need him as the chosen hero the next time he returns. As he vows to come back, Yuu faces Mika and nods just once, signalling the Cheshire Cat to take him.
With that, the two leave the courtroom, run through the croquet field and into the rose maze, the Red and Black Queens themselves running after the outsider and the Cheshire Cat.
Running through all of Wonderland, Mika could still sense the presence of Mahiru and Aoi on their tail with the Card Guards now giving chase with Shinoa and Mitsuba leading their Chess Warriors and the other supporters after them to stop their older sisters from getting a hold of Yuu.
Miraculously, Mika leads Yuu back inside the hall of doors where they had first met. Safe for the moment but still can't rest, Mika holds Yuu close as he leans his back against the secret door they had entered and the Cheshire Cat locks the door tight. As much as it pains him to say and do this, Mika says, "From this point on, you must continue on back to your world on your own."
To hear those words caused Yuu to feel his heart almost snap at the thought of leaving him behind. In that instant, Yuu wraps his arms tightly around Mika's neck. "I can't just leave you to fend off against Mahiru's wrath alone."
He knew that his friend would feel this way about continuing on alone. So in order to comfort his precious friend, Mika wraps his arms around Yuu to return the hug and whispers, "You have to, Yuu-chan."
Before saying anything else, Mika pulls away slightly to look into Yuu's deep emerald eyes before leaning in, closing his eyes and capturing his soft lips in a chaste kiss. This action left Yuu in total surprise but before he could kiss back, Mika pulls away and says as he stroked his cheek, "My mist will help you reach the top of the rabbit hole."
Then Mika steps back as his warm mist surrounds Yuu, removing his arms from around him until only their right hands are intertwined as the mist then takes ahold around the raven boy. "Fairfarren Yuu-chan."
At his final words as the mist lifts him up off the ground and starts to take him up the rabbit hole, tears form in Yuu's eyes as their fingers come undone and Mika gives him one last Cheshire Cat grin before he could no longer see his dearest friend.
Once the mist had reached the very top of the rabbit hole, Yuu is able to climb out on his own. Just as he had turned to look down into the entrance to Wonderland, Mika's mist had already vanished and the way is once again pitch black. He had considered going back but that thought had been shut down when he heard a small voice, "Yuu-nisan!"
Crawling out to find that Ame has been waiting patiently for him, Yuu had started to stroke his kitten's back when he heard the voice again, "Yuu-nisan."
Then his little sister, Akane appears from the trees, a smile on her face now that she's found her older brother. "There you are! Mother has our afternoon tea ready." As she approaches and he gets to his feet, Akane notices that there are tears in his eyes. "Nisan, is something wrong? You're crying."
Checking his eyes and cheeks, Yuu is surprised he still had tears since he departed from Mikaela and Wonderland just moments ago. Wiping the tears from his eyes and face, Yuu shakes his head and gives Akane a smile. "Don't worry, Akane. It's nothing. Let's go home."
With that, he takes her hand and with Ame still right behind the siblings, Yuu and Akane walk home together. "I promise, Mika. I promise to come back to you and the others." Yuu silently vows, his thoughts on the Cheshire Cat that had become a very precious and important friend all throughout their journey together, his fingers to his lips as he thought about Mika's parting gift. Surely he'll have to give him one in return.
