Alicer's Adventure's in Twisted Wonderland: The Rose-Red Tyrant
A/N: Book 1: The Rose-Red Tyrant. Many of the thoughts and questions and such that Alicer voice are actual thoughts and questions and reactions that I have had to the story. Spoilers again, most likely. And last A/N before end of series.
The game is not mine despite being on my phone.
Summary: Alicer and Grim's school days have officially begun. But already things have gotten hectic. With un-birthdays. Harsh rules. A strict Housewarden with a lonely aura. And new people to rely on, their school life looks like it's going to be full of action.
Book 1A: The Rose-Red Tyrant
Alicer looked around the garden full of rose bushes he had found himself in. He watched as card soldiers appeared and began painting the white roses red. 'Why are they painting roses?' He wondered to himself, upon the realization that he couldn't move, and could only watch what was happening before him.
"Why do you paint the white roses red?" a girl's voice reached him, he looked on as a little blonde girl appeared, asking the same question he wondered.
"Simple, we planted the wrong color." one of the cards said, and Alicer couldn't figure out how that was simple. "The Queen likes her roses red. If they're white, we'll lose our heads!"
He watched as the girl approached another tree also full of red painted roses. "Goodness!" the girl said. And that was where the scene ended, dropping Alicer into darkness.
'I could've sworn I was asleep in my dorm.' Alicer thought to himself. Before he finally awoke to his dark room and the sound of knocking coming from the front door. 'A visitor this late?' He furrowed his brows in confusion. 'Who the heck would visit this late in the night?' he wondered, sitting up with a groan. He wasn't the only one to wake up at the knocks, because Grim was giving a large yawn.
"Ali..." Grim was rubbing at his eyes. "I think we have a visitor. Do you think it's the ghosts again?" he wondered. Alicer shook his head. The ghosts had given a promise of allowing them sleep at night unless they were participating in a prank war, and they were going to give them a few days at least to get used to their new school lives. The human left the warmth of his bed and headed for the entry hall.
'This and the lounge are going to get cleaned more thoroughly once I finish up with our bedroom and the kitchen.' Alicer decided before approaching the door, stopping before he opened it. "Hello? Who is it?" he called, deciding to be cautious.
"It's me, Ace! Just let me in already!" the familiar voice called out. Alicer was concerned now and reached out to open the door.
"Ace, it's the middle of the night-" Grim began, before giving a shout and darting back. And Alicer saw why. Around Ace's neck was- "That collar!" Grim yowled.
"I can't go back to Heartslabyul House. I'm joining your dorm. For good." Ace said, sounding determined, tired, and upset.
"What?!" Grim shouted in surprise. Alicer had a bad feeling about the whole thing, but motioned for Ace to come in. Something told him it was better to have this conversation inside.
"I'd recognize that collar anywhere." Grim said. "It's the same as the one that psycho put on me during orientation." Grim sent a look at Ace. "What did you do to get stuck with it?" he asked.
"I ate a tart." Ace groaned out, as he looked around the lounge room. It did look better than when Alicer had first arrived, but there were still cobwebs here and there and some dust. Thankfully, the leaks were gone, and rain drips were no longer a problem. Alicer looked on in disbelief.
"You...ate a tart?" he asked in disbelief.
"Yes! That was all I did. I was hungry and went down to the kitchens and found some tarts. Three big ones in the fridge." Ace began as he told them what had happened. "There were three whole, huge tarts. Plenty to go around for everyone. So surely, one teeny tiny piece wouldn't be noticed." Ace grumbled. "As I was enjoying the tart, I commented how good it was to myself, because it was good!" he said. That was when he showed up."
"He? The Housewarden?" Alicer guessed. Ace nodded.
"'Of course they're good. Trey made them. His tarts are always exceptional.' And it took me a moment, but I realized it was him! Then he got really angry! 'That you thought you could touch something of MINE... Well, I'm impressed with the audacity, at least. But the Queen of Hearts Rule number 89 is quite clear: 'Never eat a tart without the queen's permission.' The theft of a tart is a serious crime. OFF WITH YOUR HEAD!" Ace sighed and looked over at his friends. "And here I am." he finished. Things were quiet between the three of them for several minutes as Ace waited for his friends to say something.
"So, the point is that you're both terrible." Grim finally said, looking at Ace with disapproval.
"You don't think it's a tad extreme to have my magic sealed away for eating one slice of tart?!" he asked in disbelief. "For a mage, that's like having your arms and legs shackled. You've been in my position, so surely you can understand?" he retorted. "And there were three whole tarts! Three! I mean, it's not like he could eat them all himself." he turned wide, pleading eyes on Alicer. "Come on! You know this is messed up!" he said. Alicer sighed. As much as he didn't approve of stealing food, he'd be a hypocrite to say that. After all, it wasn't like he hadn't stolen food before.
"I suppose it does sound a tad extreme." he consented.
"Right?" he said, relieved.
"Yeah, but... I mean if there were three big tarts, they were probably being saved for a party or something. Like a birthday." Grim replied. "Heh, look at me. I'm like a private eye!" he said thrilled.
"A birthday, huh?" he muttered.
"Did you even apologize Ace?" Alicer asked curiously.
"Aw man... I thought you'd be more sympathetic! I'm a victim of the Housewarden's tyranny here!" Ace complained, sending Alicer a large, puppy dog look.
"I suppose it was a bit extreme..." The smaller boy sighed when Grim spoke up.
"But you stole food! That ain't cool!" Grim added.
Alicer nodded and looked Ace in the eyes. "Tomorrow, go and apologize." he said.
"You don't mess with another man's meal!" Grim was still ranting before he paused. "I just realized that I never got those cans of tuna the Headmage promised me!" Grim realized.
"All right, fine. I get that I should apologize. But you're coming with me Ali. It was your idea, after all." Ace told the boy. Alicer smiled and nodded.
"Fair enough." He agreed. Ace smiled.
"So, do you have a place for me to crash?" he asked.
"You were serious about that?" Grim asked in disbelief, rejoining the conversation. He sighed. "Out side of the room me and Ali sleep in, everywhere else is covered in dust. You want somewhere to crash, get cleaning." Grim replied, making Alicer roll his eyes. The cat had indeed began helping to clean around the dorm, much to his relief. But he certainly hadn't helped at the beginning.
"Aw man. But I hate cleaning." Ace grumbled before turning bright eyes on Alicer. "Just let me stay with you, Ali. I'm real slim and won't take up much space." he pleaded. Ali raised a brow.
"Let me introduce you to the lounge sofa." He replied dryly.
"Tch. You're about as flexible as a brick." he muttered, making his friend chuckle at the boy. "Well fine. The sofa it is." Ace agreed. Alicer grabbed an extra blanket and pillow for the boy. Thankfully, the sofa was mostly dust free, as was the area around it. So Ace had nothing to worry about there. "Night!" he called to them.
"Night Ace. See you in the morning." Alicer called back, disappearing around the corner and into his and Grim's room. The first rays of sun had just begun to pass over Ramshackle House when more banging awoke its residents. Alicer groaned as he and Grim got up and left their room. Again.
"Dude... who is pounding on the door at this hour?!" Ace groaned.
"You have no place to speak Ace!" Alicer shouted down the hall, getting a groan.
"Ugh! Every hit is kicking up a dust storm!" Ace yelped with a cough. "Alright! I'm coming! I'm coming!" Ace shouted in the direction of the entry hall of the building. Ace following himself as Alicer and Grim soon joined him just as he opened the door. There stood none other than Deuce.
"I thought I'd find you here." Deuce said to Ace.
"Ugh. Deuce." Ace complained.
"So you ate the Housewarden's tart." Deuce said. "You really are an idiot Ace."
"Oh shut up! Like you're one to talk. But...uh... is he still mad?" Ace asked and Alicer felt some sympathy towards the ginger.
"I wouldn't say that. Irritated maybe, a few students slept in this morning but only three got the same treatment as you." Deuce told them.
"You call that not mad!?" Ace exclaimed. "It sounds like he's still on a rampage to me." Ace replied. Alicer sighed.
"I'm going to get dressed, then we'll head out." He told them, going back up the stairs. Once everyone was ready, their group headed towards the school, not meeting other students until they reached the main street.
"Move it! Outta the way, Night Raven College student coming through." Grim shouted before turning on Ace a little. "Oh? Did my collar catch your attention? Way better than the one you're wearing that keeps you from using magic. But don't worry... The school could always use another janitor." Grim began cackling.
"Grim, he's suffered enough. Drop it." Alicer said, making Grim grumble.
"Grr. When I get my magic back Grim, your hide is first on the chopping block." Ace told the cat who merely snickered back.
"Didn't the Headmage just tell you two yesterday, no more incidents." Deuce said in disbelief. "Regardless, you can't really participate in the practicals without being able to use magic. You should apologize to the Housewarden. It's a small price to pay for getting your magic back." Deuce tried to reason.
"I hate this so, so much!" Ace growled.
"Hm. Ya know, we still have time to kill before classes." Grim said. "And I am kinda curious about the other dorms." he nodded. "Guess I'll go and scope out the place while you make with the groveling." he decided.
"Since when did this become a field trip!" Ace cried, but none the less, allowed them to follow him to his humiliation. Alicer looked curiously around the Heartslabyul Dorm. It was a beautiful red building, the pathway leading up to it lined with several rose bushes with red roses, and a fountain in the center of the pathway.
"It's pretty." He said.
"It's swanky. Nothing like our dumpster of a dorm." Grim exclaimed.
"Hey! Our dorm is a work-in-progress!" Alicer replied hotly. He was proud of what had been accomplished so far. Together they headed deeper into the maze of roses and found an older boy with orange hair- painting roses?
"Aw yeah. I'm getting my paint on." he was saying with a lot more joy than one expected for the most part considering the task he was doing. "They all gotta be red, or it's 'off with my head!'" he sang out. Alicer was suddenly hit with a strange case of deja vu.
"I've seen this somewhere before." He muttered, but it was loud enough to the get the older student's attention.
"Huh? You guys need something?" he asked.
"What are you doing?" Ace asked.
"Painting roses, duh."
"But why?" Deuce asked.
The boy laughed. "So naive, you put the n in newb." he said, before he stopped and actually took in the group of kids before him. "Hold the phone." He said, looking them over. "You're the students who broke a billion mark chandelier and almost got expelled for it." he said, looking thrilled.
"That chandelier is going to haunt us until we graduate, isn't it?" Ace bemoaned his fate.
"And you, are the first year who ate the Housewarden's tart that same night." he exclaimed. "You all are THE hot topic on campus right now. I've gotta frame this fleeting fame. I'm gonna grab a selfie real quick." he said, and they found themselves squeezed into a photo with the boy and a surprised look on their faces from the ambush. "Cool if I post this on Magi-cam, right? Gimme your names so I can tag you." he said.
"Deuce Spade."
"Ace."
"And I'm Grim. This is my henchman, Alicer." Grim boasted.
"Uploaded! Sweet!" He grinned at the first years. "Oh, I'm Cater Diamond, by the way. I'm a junior here at Heartslabyul. But Cater is fine. Or Cay-Cay if you're Cray-cray." he told them enthusiastically. "So nice to meet ya!"
"It's a pleasure." Alicer said in wary amusement. Some of the people he was meeting were so very strange.
"Hey, you're the Prefect of that so called Ramshackle House, aren't you? Like, I can't believe you actually live there. It's all gloomy and looks like hot garbage on Magi-cam. No filter could salvage that dump." Cater said.
Alicer knew it wasn't meant to be mean, but now he was determined to make Ramshackle House cleaner and better than before. "You know, you've done nothing but dis us since we got here pal." Grim growled.
Cater suddenly paled. "What am I doing? I don't have time to chat! The party's tomorrow and if it's not ready, then it's off with my head!" he cried. Then he looked at them. "You kids wanna help paint some roses?" He asked with a grin.
"Yeah...uh, why are you doing it exactly?" Ace asked.
"Because red roses are more photogenic... or something? And after that, I have to prepare for the croquet tournament. And you can't have one of those with out seven differently colored flamingos as mallets and a hedgehog for a ball." he sighed.
"With this, it's coming a bit more into focus. That tart you ate must have been for the Housewarden's birthday party Ace." Deuce said. "That would explain his reaction."
"Oh, it's not Riddle's birthday tomorrow." Cater said.
"It's not. Then who's is it?" Ace asked.
"No ones. Tomorrow is the traditional un-birthday party that's held when it's no one's birthday- if the Housewarden feels like it." Cater explained with a shrug.
"Why would you do that?" Ace asked in confusion.
"Again with the questions. Look, I needed the roses painted like, yesterday. Can't you guys help out with magic or something?" Cater asked, sounding just a little bit desperate. "Oh, but Ace is on magic house arrest and Alicer is a total normie. So you would have to stick to actual paint." he realized.
"At least he didn't say freak." Alicer sighed, scratching the back of his head.
"Recoloring roses?" Deuce seemed in thought.
"Can't say I've done that before." Grim conceded.
"Relax, it'll be fine. You got this. But maybe let's do it before I lose my head, okay thanks!" He said, and the group began their new task. Alicer found himself having fun as they continued, watching in awe when Deuce or Grim succeeded in doing it properly, though they were far from the best with it. It was a while later that they were getting close to finished when Deuce turned some of the roses blue and Grim set some on fire. "Wow, you guys are less competent than I expected." Cater teased the two mages.
"Why don't you just leave them white?" Ace asked after a minute. "They seem pretty and all that to me."
Cater shook his head, "It's tradition. Just like the seven-colored flamingos for croquet and the hedgehog ball. And in that same sense, the roses need to be white for the flower concert in spring." he explained.
"All of your rules are insane." Grim said without hesitation.
"They say the Queen of Hearts created these rules herself- she was one of the Great Seven you know. And Riddle is all about tradition, T-B-H. I admit that he's well, a bit... extra." Cater admitted with a rueful grin.
"No kidding. Look, is Riddle around? I need to talk to him." Ace sighed in annoyance.
"Probably." Cater shrugged. "But is that wise? I mean, did you even bring an apology tart to replace the one you ate?" Cater asked, and Alicer knew this wasn't going to be good.
"No. I came here first thing this morning." Ace replied.
Cater gave a regretful sigh. "That might be a problem. Do you not remember rule 53? 'Stolen items must be replaced.' If you're not in compliance, I can't let you in." Cater told them, and Alicer could tell he was apologetic, but unwilling to go against the Queen's Rules either.
"Are you serious?!" Ace exclaimed.
"All dorm residents must obey the rules. If I let you slide, it'll be off with my head next." Cater explained. "So, sorry Ace. But I'm going to need you to go before Riddle spots you."
"This is ridiculous!" Ace shouted. "Guys, you need to do something." he told the three next to him.
"Why should we do anything?" Deuce asked, confused.
"Come on guys please! I can't use magic and he's-" Ace began, only to be interrupted by Alicer shoving him to the side where they both barely dodged the magical attack.
"I believe he won't actually hurt us, but better to be cautious here you guys." Alicer told his friends, not noticing the surprised look on the older boy's face. Then Cater grinned and sent weak spell after weak spell at the first year Deuce and Grim. He kept note on how Alicer guided his friends, and how they didn't even question his guidance. This was very much peaking his interest. He decided to test a theory and used his split card spell to replace himself on the field and noticed the non-magical human looking around for him. "Something's different here you guys, be careful!" Alicer warned his friends. Then Cater finally decided to end it with a well placed spell sent at Alicer and Ace who were barely able to dodge and successfully end their little skirmish when Deuce and Grim went to check on them.
"Don't forget the tart next time. Bye-bye!" He called once he had them out of the maze. He couldn't wait to tell Trey about the interesting first year.
"Was that guy for real?" Ace fumed.
"We hit him over and over but he kept springing back." Deuce said. "Was he using some sort of illusion magic?"
"I think so. There were a few moments there where the magic around him shifted. Nothing changed that I could tell from his appearance or yours. So I don't really know what it was." Alicer agreed.
Ace was still hung up on the incident before hand around the rules. "So let me get this strait: We walked in there totally tart-less and that dude still made us do this whole song and dance before kicking us out! He just wanted us to paint his stupid roses for him!"
"We sure looked like a bunch of chumps." Grim grumbled in agreement.
"I personally had fun. It was enjoyable. And I got to see more magic that wasn't entirely out of control or going to burn me to a crisp." Alicer said.
"We'll just have to get an apology tart and come back. Maybe after class- oh no!" Deuce and Alicer cried out in alarm, startling their friends.
"What is it?" Ace and Grim cried.
"We've missed first bell! We're going to be late for our first class!" Deuce exclaimed.
"Me-what!? I can't have a blemish on my record on my first day as a student!" Grim cried in alarm. "We gotta get to the classroom quick!"
"You're freshman too right?" Ace asked as they ran. "What class are you in?"
"The Headmage said we were in Class 1-A." Grim replied.
"Hey, that's the same one I'm in." Deuce said with a grin. "We have potionology first period."
"Oh yeah! That sounds awesome!" Grim said excitedly.
"M-Maybe I don't need magic for that one." Ace muttered. Alicer gave the boy a soft smile and patted his shoulder in condolence.