[hr]ATTN: [@The Irish Tree] (Eula) & [@Rezod92] (Kerry)[hr]As Carroll was princess carried by Eula, and Alice was caveman carried by Kerry, the Sword Devil would maintain a thoughtful silence. As Dinah, they had access to their memories of old - all of them - for weal and for woe.

It was harsh... remembering who you were in anger, in sadness, and grief...

Carroll remembered all her hosts, including her Paladin. However, she also remembered walking away from her family for revenge - walking away from Io to strike back at her mother for striking at her. Tit for Tat had cost her happiness, even if in destitution and isolation.

Alice remembered her life, her Human life as Cecilia, and her Mamono life as Hatter - the vengeful, yet cowardly Mad Hatter that sought only to burn everything stolen from her, yet couldn't leave her cave until power fell, quite literally, into her lap, and allowed her to create a braver self that could fight her battles.

But, for all the harhsness of reality, there was goodness interspersed.

As Kerry set Alice to rest, the Mad Hatter would awaken, and sit up. Sighing, she held up a finger to keep Kerry from speaking, as her form changed to [url=https://i.imgur.com/pV9SUq6.png]the blonde[/url] that Kerry knew, before shifting away into [url=https://i.imgur.com/cNkc2yp.png]someone else[/url] that felt warmly similar to her Alice.

"[color=976f29]My name is Cecilia Lewis, and...[/color]" Alice extended her hand, to which Carroll took.

[color=808080][i]...my name is Carrollynn Wunderland, and this...[/i][/color]" Carrol says, before forming into her True Form.

"[color=5d7947][i][b]...is the story of a would-be Queen and her Blade,[/b][/i][/color]" Dinah says, before telling the story of Alice and Carroll from start to end..[hr][hider=Some Endings Are Best Unknown][i][i]*BZZXT~!*[/i]

Mana crackling off her form, the Queen of Hearts stared, haughtily, at the woman before her and the axe in her right hand. "[color=FFCCDC][i][b]Look who is it, little Princess of Diamonds, Cecilia, and my naughty daughter, Carrollynn,[/b][/i][/color]" she says, looking down, "[color=FFCCDC][i][b]Oh? Finally got the full range of your right hand back. It only took fifty-two years this time.[/b][/i][/color]"

Cecilia grunted, as she hefted her benefactor, the Sword Devil, Carrollynn; naught but contempt filled her eyes, as the Mad Hatter glared down her eternal rival.

"[color=FFCCDC][i][b]Such hatred, unbecoming a woman that calls herself a Queen,[/b][/i][/color]" smirked The Queen of Hearts, as she stood with a small flourish of her power. "[color=FFCCDC][i][b]Once again, you ride to challenge me, and once again, I'll knock you down; broke and battered, the lesson yet learned in the fullness of blood,[/b][/i][/color]" she says, as she manifested a scythe in the form of a long-necked, wide-beaked bird. A twisted up, repurposed Jubjub, most certainly. "[color=FFCCDC][i][b]Yet something feels different here~! I think our game has reached its apex after half a millennia... I've stripped you down to your last hat, haven't I?[/b][/i][/color]"

Cecilia bit her lower, left lip; reflexively, tellingly.

"[color=FFCCDC][i][b]So I have, then...[/b][/i][/color]" chuckled The Queen of Hearts, as she descended her throne. "[color=FFCCDC][i][b]I suppose that I'll need to fit you for your death's veil. No... More... White... Roses...[/b][/i][/color]" she drawled, as she dragged her scythe's beak along the floor, "[i][b][color=FFCCDC]We're painting the roses[/color] [color=FF0000]RED WITH YOUR[/color] [color=880808]BLOOD![/color][/b][/i]"

Disappearing, The Queen of Hearts reappeared behind Cecilia to make a wide cleave --

[i]*PLANNG~!*[/i]

-- only to have it parried off a massive pair of scissors.

"[color=FFCCDC][i][b]Oh, ho~[/b][/i][/color]" questioned The Queen of Heart, "[color=FFCCDC][i][b]You've cut those strings that held you down, little Carrollynn, and taken full control. How captivating. I'm almost -- [/b][/i][/color]"

A sudden blade passing through her chest interrupted the playful, immortal child, as Cecilia doffed her hat, and revealed the pink spreading down her lengthening locks. Her manner changed, as she pulled her dislocated arm back with her sword, and looked down.

"[color=5d7947][i][b]That's one. Four-hundred-ninety-nine to go...[/b][/i][/color]" Cecilia says, though her voice was different, as if merged with Carroll's. "[color=5d7947][i][b]Cast aside your assessment, and kindly prepare to die.[/b][/i][/color]"

"[color=FFCCDC][i][b]Look. At. You.[/b][/i][/color]" grinned the bloodied Queen of Hearts, as she took in the proper fusion of a Sword Devil and her Host, yet the unmistakable separateness of them, as well. "[color=FFCCDC][i][b]You two, on your last life, figured out a way to unite your minds and bodies, as opposed to working like your parasitic existence should,[/b][/i][/color]" she shrugged her shoulder with a bemused look, "[color=FFCCDC][i][b]S'pose that's my comeuppance for wanting intelligent conversation while I take my tea.[/b][/i][/color]"

"[color=5d7947][i][b]My name is Dinah Wunderland, Queen of Diamonds! Let's settle this! Off with your head![/b][/i][/color]" 

The Queen of Hearts leered at the new challenge with a twisted, manic expression, as she cackled, "[color=FFCCDC][i][b]That's big talk, and big talk -- [/b][/i][/color]"

[i]*BZZXT~!*[/i]

"[color=FFCCDC][i][b] -- better be backed up...[/b][/i][/color]" panted The Queen of Heart, as she stood over Dinah; five of ten perfect toes pushed into the bruised and bloodied cheek of her rival, as she stepped on Dinah's face. "[color=FFCCDC][i][b]Admittedly, though, you came closer than expected for someone of your caliber. If only you tried this with you older sisters, you might have overcome me,[/b][/i][/color]" she says, twisting her foot. "[color=FFCCDC][i][b]Still, I'm impressed... You've actually become a threat for the first time in almost five-hundred years. Another five centuries, and maybe -- YOWCH![/b][/i][/color]"

Dinah glared up, as she twisted her head, and DUG her broken teeth into the perfect Loli God's foot, sinking her teeth into her toes, and TUGGED, as if she could drag her to the ground by force. Her body might have been broken, but her soul was intact, and her spirit burned with the will to press on.

As long as she breathed, she would do war

"[color=FFCCDC][i][b]INSOLET CHILD! And, after I was set to praise you! Death is too kind for your troublesome ass,[/b][/i][/color]" growled The Queen of Hearts, as she hooked Dinah's collar with her dulled scythe and yanked her off the floor. "[color=FFCCDC][i][b]I won't kill you, now, but over time... little by little... five-hundred years of penance for biting my toes![/b][/i][/color]"

Dinah smirked, "[color=5d7947][i][b]Do your worst.[/b][/i][/color]"

"[color=FFCCDC][i][b]With pleasure...[/b][/i][/color]"

Dinah would feel a massive surge of magic hammer her forehead; piercing like a bullet, but impacting like a punch. Her mind rattled in it's cage, as said cage formed, and started to cleave sections of her memories behind walls.

"[color=FFCCDC][i][b]I want you to remember this mission, little Demigoddess: challenge me, forevermore. But, I won't take your weak attempts any longer, no...[/b][/i][/color]" sneering, The Queen of Hearts opened a portal, a rift between worlds. "[color=FFCCDC][i][b]I want your absolute best, and that will only come when you can crawl back from the depths of Hell itself,[/b][/i][/color]" she says, "[color=FFCCDC][i][b]Love with nothing but this drive in mind, and return, if you can, from this exile in five-hundred years to face me.[/b][/i][/color]"

"[color=5d7947][i][b]I'll gladly beat the shit out of you, loligaki...[/b][/i][/color]" Dinah swore. "[color=5d7947][i]I swear on my name, Dinah Wunderland, Queen of Diamonds.[b][/b][/i][/color]"

"[color=FFCCDC][i][b]I almost forgot, that's quite clever,[/b][/i][/color]" praised The Queen of Hearts, "[color=FFCCDC][i][b]Dynasty. Diner. A nice play on words. Remember it, if you wish to keep your promise in five-hundred years...[/b][/i][/color]"

Suddenly, Dinah was shunted through the portal, her memories sealed, and her body formed into a new and different woman with a new and different hat, as she broke into Mad Hatter and Sword Devil...[/i][/hider][hr]"[color=5d7947][i][b]...and, that's how I got here,[/b][/i][/color]" Dinah says, looking at Kerry and Eula, lying in bed like a sick patient in an anime, as she told her life story.

Dinah spoke of her last five centuries; from the time she landed on another island and began to her campaigns to amass power to the great wars that earned her to the title of Barbarian Queen of Summerheld - a title that she used to secure her two-hundred-and-forty-nine-year rule of the nation, until its capital was overturned by the united forces of those she left defeated, and all she had was lost to roaring flames that consumed her Castle and only daughter, Tekelili.

A great loss that brought her to her knees before Lady Kyouko, and set her upon Shizuyama to seek asylum, and renewed purpose to take her revenge, under the guise of aiding the plights of Terauchi Temple and the people of her island...

"[color=5d7947][i][b]...and, all that to fuck up at the finish line. Four-hundred-ninety-nine-years. I fell short with one year left on my exile...[/b][/i][/color]" 

"[color=5d7947][i][b]Now, I can never go home...[/b][/i][/color]"

Dinah sighed, rolling into her side. She looked ready to crumble, burdened with memory of all that she'd lost, as she reverted to Alice and Carroll.

Looking away, Alice pulled the sheets up to her chin, and stared at the wall, as she transformed back into the pale redhead with her floppy hat, while Carroll sat opposite of her, and faced the floor with her hair over her face.

All the two could do was trust that Kerry and Eula wouldn't deem them selfish monsters for all they'd done and failed in the name of revenge...