The Lost One in Alices' Garden

The Lost One in Alice's Garden

ARC 02 Clover Forest

Chapter 05 Alice: The Destroyer!

The miss without name and memories, together with White who being chase by nefarious man-eating tiger are now wandering into awfully dark, strange forest, and being followed by brilliant eyes from everywhere.

As they are walking, her eyes were observing their surroundings just like during her time at Black Country, taking notes of everything; her ears are listening to the whispers of words speaking something that doesn't make sense to her although their language were the same as her, this adds creep on her, seeing they are only silhouettes of animals and moving weird things around them.

It is such a bizarre forest, where the trees that from stems, roots and even the trunks are all curls in various way, both in possible and impossible; their colors are dark violet that almost close to black, the leaves are black with greenish color, and if someone made a courage to have a closer look, they could make out frightened faces, like wide open mouths and empty eye sockets.

On each step they take creates crisps sound, even after stepping in the same spot, such noise will be made, she finds it weird because looking ahead, even it is somehow dark, there are nothing on their path that would cause friction.

She finds the scenery beyond creepy, and it'll be a lie if she says that she doesn't find this place scary.

Adding to the bad taste of their surrounding are the stupid signs that pointing into different directions that most are not making any sense.

The miss badly want to ask her company if this place is really the Clover Forest or they actually gotten lost, but those whispers are getting on her nerves.

"Alice! She's the new Alice!" Are the words that keep escaping from their mouths.

Alice isn't her name; she's sure of it, and somehow hearing that name seems irritate her more than the stupid signages around.

She woke up and didn't remember anything other than this isn't her world, but thinking this could be just some dream or better nightmare is understatement.

Now, she awfully wants to get out from this forest as soon as possible.

"Hi~"

The two halted and turns their heads where the source of that voice is coming. Their sight found a young, short girl with pale skin and violet color eyes. She has long, pink hair that tied in two pigtails curls in ringlets that past her chest and blunt bangs across her forehead with large red bows. She wears a red dress with short, puffy sleeves and a frilled, white hem at the bottom. Around the waist is a thin white band. Her collar is white and buttoned, fastened by a pink ribbon. Below, she wears black and gray stocking with red Mary Janes shoes.

The taller girl blinks several times before giving cold glare at the shorter one; seeing this silent reaction from the taller, the pink-head pouted at her, but then decided to give her best smile although this didn't change the other's cold attitude.

"Nice to meet you Alice~"

There is it again. That name. The name she doesn't own; and even though she's currently nameless doesn't mean that she just going to accept another name to be use, especially a name that leaving bad taste on her mouth.

The shorter one pouted again as the other didn't response or rather continue giving her an icy glare. In truth, the miss is covering her irritation by acting all cold.

"Mou! At least talk!" the shorter whines, then sighs in defeated and again give the other a smile, "My name is Elise!" the taller of the two turn her body to her. "But the others were calling me on various names; like Little Dream, Brat—"

"I don't care." The first ever word the taller one let out since she entered on this oxidized place.

"RUDE! You shouldn't cut the others speech! Act more ladylike!" Elise whined to her yet again, and this time she is pointing her finger.

The nameless girl rolls her eyes, annoyed.

When not receiving any words from the taller, Elise drops her whining and starts what she really came for.

"You see, you are Alice; in this world that's it." Again, no response from the other yet Elise continues. "Alice is someone that creates worlds based on their desires."

"Their?" Elise nodded "Yes, you are not the only one, and here's the catch. Those Alices were now lost to the world they've created; and just like you, they don't have any memories from their former lives."

"So?"

"Alice is the creator and also the destroyer of this world. And you—" Elise points her again "is chosen to become the destroyer."

"Meaning you want me to kill the others?"

"What a fast development!!!" Elise sarcastically response but she shook her head, "That's unnecessary. There's no need to kill them. All you need to do is gather them and kick their asses out of my world."

"Such a word coming from someone who suggested that I should act like a lady earlier."

"No choice." Elise pouts, "If they continue staying here, they will… destroy my world."

The miss suddenly remembers that she's not actually alone, that she is with White, who has been quiet since they entered the Clover Forest, and Elise didn't even take a notice of his presence. Curious, she peeks on him and gotten puzzled as of why he looks so troubled, sweating, brows knitted, and trembling hands. She became more focus on him rather than the shorter girl that ranting her complaints.

She's not a meddler, and often have no care for others, at least since she woke up in this world, so she didn't ask him and instead thinks that he probably just scared that the more they stay at this spot, the more chances to be catch by that man-eating tiger; which is something she do mind, after all who wants to be food of such a creature?

"So?" the miss stares at the side where a silhouette of a rabbit is visible and clearly staring back at her. "What I'll get for kicking their asses?"

"I'll send you home, just like what you wanted." Her eyes stare down at Elise burning her image into her mind as someone who is making a pact with her.

"How would I know you really can do it?" her voice is still as cold as her glare.

"I can do it alright! This is my world after all!" Elise proudly claims, chin up in pride.

"Then kick their asses of your own!"

"I can't…"

"Useless." Elise pride has been crashed so hard. "Any clues where to find them?"

"I'll take it as yes!" Elise brim in happiness "Then… oh my new Alice… Welcome to my Wonderland!" then the shorter vanished into thin air, leaving only her footprints as a proof that she's really exist.

Sighs, "Completely… useless." She muttered under her breath, then turn towards White and since there are no more reason to stay, so she take a step again to continue their journey, the lad jerks when he felt himself getting pulled, this brings him back to reality and sees that she's holding his wrist and pulling him.

On the meanwhile the strange creatures continue on calling her "Alice".

Completely useless… is what indeed the right term for Elise's appearance, as she has no shame of sort—she asked the miss without name to search and gather the people that she—Elise has summoned here and yet Elise didn't even give her a single clue on how the "Alice" will be identify.

But seeing the miss doesn't have any much choice other than to do it, she chose to use it for motivation—nah~ they are simply going to White's house for now and think it through after; but since she—they have much time while moving, the miss eventually begun to think things, like: If those "Alice" has able to create their desire world then there is no way they would agree to be kick out, after all what sense it is if they leave the world that they have created. She only could sigh in defeated, understanding them, since if she would given a chance to create her own world too, then she would never leave it.

Being in her internal struggle, the miss didn't notice that the lad with her has halted in steps making her--who is pulling him--stop as well, and the next thing she knows is she's getting deaf by his scream, automatically letting him go.

"Ahhh!!!" that catches her full attention, she turns at White.

What met her made her eyes widen in shock for only a second, then scowl, and her brows knitted together remembering a certain scene way back at Ghost Town.

"Calm down White…"

"BUT—A COR—CORPSE!!!"

"That's why you should put your horses down." She sighs, relaxing her brows and walk towards White who slumped at the dirt; the miss made one throughout look on the corpse hanging on the rope with the other end on the strong branch of the thick tree.

"Ignore it…."

"EH?! But!"

"What? You wanna be blame?"

"Blame?! But I'm not the one that—"

White haven't finished his sentence when the miss starts striding, passing the corpse again. Lips close in thin line as White is contemplating whether to really ignore the corpse and join her or at least be nice and take it down. In the end, he climbs onto the tree with swift movement, and unties the rope resulting for the body dropping to the ground.

The miss watches him landed on his feet; she didn't even question him. Clover Forest is his home, of course he doesn't want a corpse around, but… the problem is the corpse itself.

With a sigh, the miss returns to White's side with arms crossed.

It didn't take a "soon" before they witness the corpse sits up with wide eyes, again White scream in bewilderment, while the miss sighs in exhaustion.

"I'm... alive..." the corpse mutters under his breath, "Tsk!" Nothing new, at least for the miss. To White's shock, the corpse that have red cat's eyes glares at them, after a moment of glaring contest between the miss and the corpse, the corpse pouted and, "WHY? Why did you interrupted my hanging again?!"

"It wasn't me, it's this boy here. This is his territory; fuck he wants an ugly corpse hanging around here."

"His territory?" the familiar—former—corpse repeated in confusion.

"Besides, I clearly told you to put a sign so no one could interrupt your stupid suicide, Cheshire."

"You did, but I totally forgotten about it!" Cheshire said with grinned; he stands up, staring down at her, "Is that bad?"

"Totally bad." If she means it or not, no one could tell. Cheshire then turns to White. "And you are?"

"—White…"

Cheshire look at him from head to toe, "Is Clover Forest really your territory?"

"Of course not! I couldn't dream it!"

"Of course, you're not." Cheshire then turns back to her. "What do you mean this is his territory?"

"He lives here…"

"Oh, is that so." Cheshire once again turn to White, "Then are you aware of whose owner is this forest?"

"Isn't that… Bandersnatch?"

"Nope… he's not. That nefarious man-eating tiger is just another resident here in Clover Forest. But recently that thing is out here, I wonder where he went." Cheshire narrows his eyes, with sly smile.

The miss peeks at White, contemplating if they should tell Cheshire about White's involvement on disappearance of the beast within the forest.

"By the way…" curiosity could be hear from Cheshire as he once again looks back the miss. "you are actually an "Alice"…" sinister gaze sent to Cheshire that made his inside feel an incredible bone killing chill, this made him grin in excitement. After a moment of gazing at him, she let out a sigh and reopen her eyes that now completely clean of any menace. Not even feel disappoint on quick changes, Cheshire spoke up, "Did you remember what I've told you that I'm an info broker?"

"No. All I remember is you are Mister Hanging Corpse."

"Mis—!" Cheshire broke into laugh, holding his stomach. "Aiyah! You are really something! Alrighty, ask this info broker anything you want!"

"What's the exchange?"

Cheshire blinks, not just once, not twice but several times and broke into wide amuse smile, "You make me laugh, and that's enough for now. So, any question?"

"Who are the "Alice"?"

"Don't know!" He quickly replied with dumb comical face.

The miss scowl and wants to question the cat man how come he call himself an info broker when right off the bat he doesn't have an answer. Unless this is really not paid like he said.

"I am telling you the truth; but indeed, it is stupid, so I give you a different yet good information instead. It's not easy to determine who are the former "Alice". When they lost their title as Alice the Creator, they also lost their memories and so what should they do to have identification of who they are?"

"New names."

"That's quick. You're right. They earned new names and been living on those since long." Cheshire then clap his hands together, "To continue this business, let's exchange information, shall we? For the information I wanna obtain is… how old is our new Alice?"

"Fifteen."

"Really?" Cheshire blinks, before scanning her from head to toe, "I thought you are around thirteen!"

"I'm just short."

"Indeed! Then your next question?"

"How many are Alice?"

"They are around seven or so." He shrugs his shoulder, "The last time we met, you didn't tell me your name, so, since we are exchanging—"

"I have an amnesia."

"Oh… it is because you are the new Alice?" He humms, "Then how did you know you are fifteen?"

She shrugged her shoulder, "One of things that I know." Again, another hum from Cheshire.

"Then what I should call Little miss?"

"Whatever. Choose it. Just don't call me Alice."

"Why despising the name Alice?" curiosity hits the cat, finding it unusual to someone to just reject a name.

"Dunno." oh... the cat mouthed, kind of disappointed not getting information about it.

"This wouldn't get us anywhere…" Cheshire scratch his hair, as he whines.

"Your fault."

"I'll call you Kitten then."

"Do whatever you want."

"You're fine with it?"

"Don't care."

"Then Kitten, do you want to go back to your world?"

A long silence enveloped the two, "Normally… yes." Her first word is quiet and almost inaudible, that the only word that Cheshire have heard is her "Yes", and he considered it paid.

"What else I could give you?" Cheshire thinks again.

"Hey, explain to me; why you don't know who the "Alice" are?"

"Good question!" Cheshire snaps his fingers, showing his approval. "Every time they carry new names those who remember them as "Alice" would eventually forget what they're look like."

"And it affects you too." Cheshire nodded.

"So… what do you desire the most?"

"Desire" has created an unknown feeling inside her, but she couldn't figure it out what it is, and so she doesn't know what she should answer. Although that's the case, there's really something she wants to do right now.

"Kick Elise."

"Pfft! Hahahahahah!" Cheshire went into laughing feat once again. "Aiyah! You are not the only one who wants that! Anyways~ paid!"

During this feat of Cheshire, the miss decided to look at the lad she's with, but found the place next to her empty, and in search of the lad she turns her head everywhere.

Where is he?

Cheshire seems to notice her confusion, and quickly figures the case. "Oh, he have been gone even before we start exchanging information."

She narrows her eyes towards the tall man in judgeful manner, "Why you didn't tell me? Or even try to stop him?"

Cheshire tilted his head, "He wasn't important." He shrugged his shoulder, "And who knows what he really is." Crosses his arms on his chest, "No human could survive living here in Clover Forest unless they are half-half. Meaning there's something not right about him."

"Is having animal ears and tails normal?"

"It's normal; and just you know I'm the perfect example of half-half." Cheshire claims with smug look on his face, completely proud of himself, "And like I said," he returned his gaze on the girl, "either he is half-half, or someone who choses you to offer to that nefarious man-eating tiger."

"You're saying… that he is—" lying about being chase by Man-eating Tiger, but for what? To lure her? Only her? What about the residents in Flower Country? Are they supposedly the offering?

"You're overthinking."

"You've made me!" Cheshire laugh.

"Well if it's true that he is gonna offer you to Bandersnatch then it's much better if you leave the Clover Forest as soon as possible." Cheshire holds firmly her shoulders, then turns her, "Go straight ahead…" Cheshire moves to her side and point his bony finger on the straight path, "and you'll find Little Fairy and his fellas at the end of the forest." Cheshire's body started to vanish leaving his head alone, "But remember don't drink or eat anything from them." then his head except his lips have follows, "Or you might desire to have a new name. Oh, my adorable kitten~" the man rolls his tongue, and finally vanishes into thin air.

The miss doesn't know if she should take the suggestion of just leaving the forest, or should she know what White is really aiming. Breaking between these choices, the miss without a name, continue on the path directed by Cheshire.