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Screenings of the Past

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Ace's eyes were on the screen and his smile was calmly casted on his face. What he was seeing was dreadfully interesting, cruel, brave and despairing, but he wasn't sure to whom; yet he felt as if he had somehow seen something similar, and although this was incredibly entertaining, he wasn't sure he liked it.

There was Aria... or what was left of her at the end, running in a narrow corridor, a blinking red light and the strident alarm made it known that she had been detected. It was clear she wasn't a person, much less a 'foreigner' any more.

She was a mess of broken technology and mauled flesh. tired and hurt, she had lost a couple finger from her biological hand, had a slashed eye, burns from the acid contact, a drilled lung, various broken bones, heavy internal damage, a dislocated arm, various heavy caliber hits, an almost mutilated leg and she was bleeding profusely. Death was inevitable, and it would not be long.

Making her way to the control room after taking command of all the security, she sealed the place and entered the main system, it took her a little to integrate by synchronization into the main directives, but as soon as she did so, she set up the total destruction. There were no countdowns, just the sudden terrible action that would set a turn in the wheel of time for humankind in her world by launching all the nukes from one country.

In those final moments under her broken unsteady breathing, she allowed herself to drift into her dream-like sleep state. That was the moment when Wonderland had finally been able to drag her into itself, and now the only witness to her past, was Ace, who also happened to be seeing her immediate present when she hit the dusty floor of the ruins.

"Urghh…" -Aria stood up and look around.

This place looked like a mix of broken styles of roman and gothic buildings with crumpled and closed corridors, a mash-up of architectural remains that reminded her about what had remained of Spades. Any combat would have to be in close quarters, which could easily play in her favor.

"Looks like I'm going to level up more. "

Closing her eyes, she took a minute to send more directives to the A.I. and tone down the weapon changes that were draining her energy. The process ran on mana, so she either was spending too much without giving it time to replenish, or there were factors she hadn't considered. It didn't matter but she still needed to be conscious of it even when she had gotten pretty neat in her shadows abilities. Now it wasn't restricted to small weapons. At the cost of getting exposed for a few seconds, Aegis could be conjured to transform into different 'summons'. A big claw, a giant centipede or snake, a ram's head to smash into thing, even huge Jaws that rose from the floor to engulf foes. Aria had even played with different styles in her clothes, however that made her gown shorten into its initial state, save for the armored greaves and gauntlets. She didn't have that much shadows or experience to manage both weapons and armor at the same time. It was either attack or defense, and in her view, the best defense was a good attack.

Making her choice, a big shield and a spiked lance appeared on her hands, and with a smug smile, the gamer and mercenary continued her way disposing of anything that came her way. Perhaps she was having more fun than she ought to.

The outsider advanced into the deepest part of the dungeon on the narrower road. It let her into the light of a big round, romanesque chamber whose expansive floor was covered by a carpet of glowing flowers of many colors. Most notably, the place didn't have a ceiling, and upwards, a crescent moon in the sky could be seen beyond some sort of luminescent mist that complimented the illumination for the chamber.

The air seemed to carry the light and sweet smell of a perfume as much as the sound of a soft feminine voice near and around, but although it sounded clear, Aria couldn't decipher what it was saying.

In a second, the perfume got more intense at her side and the mercenary instantly swung her lance. A cry of pain was heard and Aria was met with the scared expression of Alice Liddell stumbling back and holding her bleeding arm where the lance had cut her flesh.

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Meanwhile, in another previously non-existent place, Wonderland's gloomiest bluenette sat on the floor with his hands covering his face and a deep ache consuming his clock.

It took a while, but once tears of rage had dried up, Julius stood up on shaky feet and looked around the place he had entered. Looking out of a nearby window, the fertile lands around could form a decent sized territory, and looking around, the site was an enormous palace of hard cold beauty with elements that clearly belonged to the other world and that combined here into an eclectic architectonic style designed to cause awe and revere. However, the beauty of the place didn't deceived him. It was still a mausoleum. Nothing but a tomb, the place where time ended. Her time and her tomb.

But there was something else. An overwhelming sensation of life an energy filled the the air and made his being vibrate in concordance.

Julius gritted his teeth and advanced on the main gallery towards the heart of this place, where some ample stairs lead down into the core of the earth, and into the real tomb.

As he walked into the final chamber,cobalt orbs saw masterful artistic statues of the mercenary in different sizes, poses and attire, lying at either side of the room with memorial plaques on their base. But his attention was upon the largest plaque in the back of the room at it's center. It seemed to be forged from darkness itself; the Role holder could not help but walk towards it and place a bloodied palm on it. When he did, he saw Aria standing in front of the Jabberwocky, with a calm and confident expression and holding the Vorpal sword and the Winxy pistol in her hands.

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"Of course I can make you complete. But as part of my deal, and as a special promotion; I want to use the energy you have accumulated to restore Spades, and create a way to make the flow of energy circulate properly into all countries."

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The dragon stared her at incredulously

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"I am very serious about this deal" - Looking straight at the creature with unconquered pride, her gaze motioned to the powerful weapons in her hands. Confidently she let go of them.

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The Jabberwocky didn't waste a single fraction of a second to act upon such foolish opening; before the weapons hit the floor, her arms and legs were grabbed by tendrils of darkness that pulled her back and smashed her into a wall.

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Julius felt his firsts clench when he saw the ancient dragon approach her. But the tragic scene that he awaited didn't came. Rather than being a victim, Aria negotiated her way into a deal to do exactly what the Jabberwocky had shown him, except that this scene showed there rest of the deal. Her payment.

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"Okay, Wonderland. I will not return to my world, neither dead or alive, and until I die I want a chance to enjoy life, freedom to go where and whenever I want, AND a job as questor, if I ask for a job I get it, UNDER MY DISPOSITIONS...

"AND I WILL NEVER, EVER PAY ANY TAX OF ANY KIND ANYWHERE IN THIS WORLD!"

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Julius almost managed to smile. Only she would ask for that.

More scenes played, and as quickly as it had started, he was thrusted back to the mausoleum with a throbbing headache. He now knew the truth. Aria hadn't chosen those monsters. She had given herself and her chances, to fix this broken world as best as she could by changing the very fabric of reality. Such was her power as a foreigner, but she had taken it to unimaginable lengths, and this place was the prove and prize for it. He understood why coming into here was probably against the rules. This place was the result of Aria reshaping the world through her wish. A place where 'mana' could be redirected to the country that needed it. No country would ever disappear again and those that were lost would come back.

His clock ticked with warmth. It was amazing. Her feats were amazing, but so was she and he loved her for that and every other single thing. Still, he would rather keep this place under lock and key, never to be opened by anyone except himself. Much less by her, because grant as her wish was, this is the place where she will die and he would do all he could to prevent that.

Using his abilities, the Clockmaker unlatched the large clock from his hip and twisted its knob until he heard a steady ticking. Once he was sure that it was ready, he raised in the air and a bright light consumed the entire area for a split second, then there was nothing. Julius had stopped time from flowing in this place. It was the least he could do. For himself. And for Aria.

He turned around and left the memorial site to find Ace, trusting that the knave may have found her, and maybe that was the reason why the knave seemed to be cut off from normal time at the moment. It was an oddity that the 'Master of Time' had regency upon, and that it did not hurt to check.

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Unfortunately, where Aria was right now, no ruler had inference; and currently, said merc was setting her shield in front of her and pointing the lance at Alice, who looked very surprised and confused but not exactly fearful of the gamer's antics.

"What are you doing!? I got trapped here too." - 'Alice' murmured with a shaky voice.

"Maybe so"- Aria prepared the lance to deal a blow and smirking sardonically. - "But do you really think I would believe you are Alice?"

"What do you mean? - The British girl set her hand over her chest and took a step back.- "Can't you see who I am?"

"I know who you are not. Although Alice isn't without merit, she would have never avoided that sudden blow, nor would she be taking an attacking stance." - Aria grinned and prepared for a fight. Everything from this dream was attacking her, so she had no reason to think whomever or whatever this 'Alice' was would be different.

'Alice' began chuckling and let out a silvery laugh. - "Very well, ha, ha. You may not be the foreigner that was supposed to be here, but I can feel you are a foreigner none the less." - She snapped her fingers and a little glowing dust began rising from the flower's on the floor and twirling around her.

In the blink of an eye 'Alice' was there no more. Instead, another Aria stood under the pale light wearing a very revealing attire consisting of a black and green lacy sexed version of the small dress Aria was currently wearing but with high heels, black thigh-highs with lit green embroideries that resembled circuitry lines; a lace miniskirt so small that it was just a big belt that connected the two embroidery gauze cops to the high neck jewel collar that shared style with the small headpiece that adorned the unnaturally flowing multi-shaded blond looks that weren't braided around a cable at the base of her nape.

"I admit I look good in that."- Aria didn't even raised an eyebrow as her shadow turned into a rapier on her hands.- "But I have used better cosplays."

Wolfishly looking the scene through the screen, Ace agreed. The mini dress looked bought at a sex shop and made her look really good. He would very much like to see her into those 'better cosplays' , whatever they were, or without nothing at all. Better yet, he'd like seeing her in those and then remove them off her himself.

This was going to be fun to watch. When Aria decided to fight, nothing could sweep her will. Right now, he could compare her past in her world to her struggles in this place, and what he was contemplating was her might. A true foreigner in all her glory.

She had been fighting hordes of enemies to reach him, which flattered him, but the most fun and outstanding part was that she kept going no matter what. Maybe her drunken funny words in that alley weren't exactly of love or hope; and surely there wasn't any rule forcing her to keep going, but this was her decision. She was deciding to go on and fight all odds. She was so sure and so free, so innocent and so guilty. He was jealous. But if he won the game then she'd share that with him, that freedom would be partially his, didn't it?

"…. How thrilling, Ari."- His excited smile hid his thoughts.

Aria was also oh so stubbornly trying to avoid the game. And it was impossible to know which move to make because she counteracted anything and everything. Almost any move with her seemed to be a wrong one. Or was it that just too many bad moves been done to her? Why didn't she just damn give up?

The same question passed through Aria's clone.

"Ready to fight? What an interesting foreigner."- She passed her finger over her lips - "And with such feisty and passionate body, I'll be sure to use such passion when I get the chance."

"You won't have any chance."- Aria slashed with the rapier but the doppelganger evaded by leaving behind a blurred image of herself as she began floating in the air below the light of the mist above, and out of Aria's reach.

"Eh? So you're fast. Interesting, but not that much." -An airy chuckle echoed in the dark room as the other Aria looked down from her position. -"Tell me foreigner, which Role Holder have you chosen as your lover?" -The doppelganger admired her own body, or rather Aria's, with a lecherous grin as she surveyed the mercenary's frame with a keen eye. She lacked the original's scars or the metallic lines as much as the little arrowed piercings on top of the mercenaries ears, or the tattoo at the back - "As a little thank-you gift, I'll make sure to say goodbye to him by letting whomever it is to enjoy your flesh in every pleasurable way there is. Once I take your body, that is."-She licked her mouth at the tasteful thought.

Aria stared at the opponent with a blank expression. -"Huh?"

"Or maybe you haven't chosen one, yet?"- The floating creature chuckled -"A Game lost is such a waste, so I'll amend it and make use of it instead. " - She extended her arm and snapped her fingers. The flowers started to glow more and her nails elongated into claws.

Due to the light, the shadows diminished and Aria's sword became nothing but a knife, then the creature's image separated into 3 floating copies of itself, that circled Aria and attacked at the same time: however, Aria was an ever more experienced gamer than mercenary and by the shadow below the real one, she detected which one she needed to kick, and she did so on the copier's stomach.

"Ughh!" - The double crouched and flew towards the ceiling while holding her stomach. She glared at Aria before her scowl turned into a smile as the as the mist over the top of the place began glowing too.

Aria quickly threw the knife towards the creature but it disappeared from the lack of shadows before reaching its target .

"Silly creature! You can't beat a dream demon inside a dream."

Aria realized it. - "You are a succubus."

"Oh yes, of course. What else could I be? - The demon melodiously chuckled-"But now, before I devour your conscience and take over your body, I'll take a small taste of your feelings. Surely there is someone you are 'craving' to come and save you…. Ah, such lovely feelings from a foreigner… they must be quite exquisite." -The surreal creature licked her lips with a roguish smirk. - "And it'll be a flavor to savor until the last drop."

Aria was the one who chuckled this time while the demoness extended foggy wings… and nothing happened. Under the succubus astonished gaze, the foreigner laughed, mechanical and cold, at the slight tickling sensation in the back of her mind and over her heart.

"What is this!?Y-You are… so plain, so loveless!"- The succubus was utterly surprised at the Outsider. - "And you are so diluted! How could you even ensnare a man with just the pretty frame you have? How can a foreigner's heart be so bleak and empty!?"

The succubus chanted something and a mist of light tendrils appeared. Aria didn't stop her laughter while she tried waltzing her way out of their reach but couldn't match their speed. They coiled around her body and lifted her, extending her limbs into an X form. Aria didn't struggled.

The succubus blinked. Was the outsider giving up?

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Seeing it all through the screen, Ace knew his 'Ari' and Julius's 'Mercy' wouldn't allow a second rate copy to win. He wouldn't forgive her if she did. That wouldn't be fun and she was as plenty of fun and healthy entertainment as her game was.

Ace leaned forward. The screen showed Aria captured by the creature. The knight didn't like her captured by anyone else. He wanted her back in his idyllic trio, back in the tower and helping him (annoy) care for Julius. He wanted to test her to her limits, see where she would snap back at him and retaliate. But as things were now…

His brow furrowed. If she didn't let anyone win then she wouldn't… Wait. What did a foreigner gained from the game anyways?

No, really.

Foreigners were fun prizes to win for the players, weren't they? The trill for the players was into playing AND winning the game by 'capturing' the outsider's heart, but even so, the foreigners also gained something. Maybe that was why Aria's game had gone so bad. Maybe she wasn't getting whatever she was supposed to get?

He chuckled dryly.- "Great, now he hated the game even more." - Why couldn't it come with instructions in a box? Not that he'd read it. He huffed and crossed his arms. This was affecting him too much. But that was love, right? At least he was certain of something. He wanted to win and didn't want her to run away anymore. That wasn't funny anymore.

Suddenly the screen of her past flickered and there was something new in there. Ace was once again seeing something he didn't like on the second screen, something that made his red eyes shine with jealousy. This time, the younger Aria wasn't alone nor was she being unfriendly or cold.

"Is that the Dodo?"

Aria or whatever she had called herself at that time, and that guy that looked like the dodo looked quite comfortable with each other. They were the perfect battle couple and what they had shared were perfect adventures. The guy had been completely in love, and although she didn't say anything, she had somewhat corresponded those actions.

Ace was VERY jealous. If he could he would go and slay that guy, but that had been on her world and there was no clue as to what had happened to that guy. For now, the knave decided to pay attention. Her past had clues about what to do to win her game.

"Oh! Aria likes massages and backrubs "

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Perhaps it hadn't been the best moment for Ace to focus more on the screen of her past and not on what was currently happens at the present, because Aria's situation wasn't exactly the most advantageous, in fact, the snow-white tendrils around the outsider were stretching her with more force.

The foreigner didn't even whine -"You think you cause any impression in me?" - She looked more angry than anything- "Even the Jabberwocky was surprised by little ol' loveless me."

The oldest frumious one!?" - The succubus' eyes widened in shock. - " That's nonsense. It was trapped in …"

"In Spades. It's still there."-Aria shifted in her bounds and looked down at the flowers, up at the ceiling and then with a smile at succubus - "But now tell me... What was that about 'taking over my body? It sounds interesting."

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I don't have much to say today.

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