The Green Helms, though better trained and more competent than your average Wonderlandian military, were still caught by surprise as Alex and Brittany burst from the woods, and Alex lit up the convoy with a wondrous display of explosive fireworks. The soldiers quickly retaliated with shells and bullets at the identified threat, but they were no match for Alexander’s barriers and brutality as he let loose and brawled through the ranks, bloodlust rising as the “deck” was cut.

Brittany joined with Alex as she drew more flasks with the intent to immolate, and began singing along to the music Alex heard, as if he was in a [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANLh1wo5g2I]musical[/url]:

“Painting the soldiers red!
We're painting the soldiers red!
We dare not stop,
Or waste a drop,
So let the blood be spread!
We're painting the soldiers reeeed!
We're painting the soldiers red!
Oh, painting the soldiers red!
And many a tear be shed,
Because we know,
They'll cease to grow,
In fact, they'll soon be dead,
NOOOOO...
And yet we go ahead,
Painting the soldiers red!”

Fortunately for the Green Helms, after only a few of them were charred to a crisp, Mariette intervened, ambushing Brittany with a mirror from which emerged snatching tendrils. Brittany wasn’t the most capable magical girl when it came to physical prowess, nor was she particularly attentive due to Wonderland’s enchantment due to the way it addled her mind. So, it came as no surprise to the dark magical girl, experienced in the art of ambush and Mahou-napping, to have successfully caught her with nary a peep. The girl’s eyes spun around in surprise as she mumbled and struggled weakly…only to be dropped on the empty plain Mariette stood, her bindings unraveled like a ball of yarn let loose. She rolled a single time down the grassy hill before she was left sitting with a stupefied expression, blinking several times. It seems the experience momentarily frizzled the enchantment on her.

“...Why must we paint them red?”

Next, Mariette had to face Alex. Though she was one of the most powerful Mahou, even she understood what a powerhouse someone like Alex was, and the difficulty in attempting to face him head on. But Mariette proved herself capable of guile: using an ingenious ploy, Mariette directly called out to Alex, a portal leading straight to her. 
Hearing Lily’s name, Alex couldn’t help but stop in his slaughter: the enchantment momentarily weakened as memories of Lily, and of Mariette, someone who helped him save her, came back, pushing back against the encroaching madness like a ray of light. At that moment, he regained temporary clarity.

As Alex seemed to be getting a hold of himself, it would have been natural for Mariette to feel a pang of relief, having managed to solve the conundrum with her wits. And she accomplished it all without outing herself. But then…Awareness crept up like cold sweat. Mariette had realized the way her shout seemed to echo across the land…and realized that she had drawn someone else’s attention.
She turned to see the Queen of Hearts behind her. She had a wide smile on her lips as her eyes shone like twin stars. 
“My dear Alice, I’m so glad I found you. Oh, you must have been ever so frightened to run away the way you did, and even call for your unbirthday gift.” She gave an amused hum. 
“Yes, the surprise is ruined, what with the dumb Dodo letting him break free early, not that it matters now that extinction caught up to him,” she spoke with a dismissive scoff, the Storyslayer she held in her hand having disappeared.

“In any case, I suppose I should have known that you were so curious you opened your present early this year~” She walked slowly towards her, with open arms. Eventually Alex also saw her from beyond the portal.
“This Absolute Direction power is absolutely dreadful to control. You must be a natural talent considering well you navigate with it. But you need not worry any longer, for mother is here. Mother will never leave you again.” She blinked as she came closer and closer. “But I do wonder: who is this Lily you mentioned? A friend of yours?”

[hr]
[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/72bEcUi.png[/img][/center]

Lily was surprised at the sudden change in tone that the pink construct had in it's voice, and her mouth widened at the revelation that she spoke to Chloe this entire time.
[color=fff200]”Oh, it’s you, Chloe?”[/color] She was about to follow up with a stupid question about Chloe having apparently turned to crystal when the annoyed magical girl mentioned a siege and forces of her own, causing her to blink and realize she was speaking through a weird walky-talky of sorts.
She turned her head at Gaia as she explained their mission, nodding along enthusiastically: she was glad the verdant protector of nature was with her, as her eloquence with words far exceeded hers.
[color=fff200]”We could certainly use the help if you can spare any-”[/color]

The both of them were interrupted by the kite’s warning, and Lily gasped as Dave displayed distress, hooting away.
[color=fff200]”No way…Could it really be Alex? I mean, I know he doesn’t like Wonderland…But he wouldn’t go that far! That's not the Alex I know and love!”[/color]
Then, without another word, Lily revved up her enchanted motorcycle, and like a bolt of thunder shot off with a raised front wheel, leaving her friends in pursuit of Alex.
[color=fff200]”AAALEEEX!”[/color] They heard her scream, as she headed towards the fire beyond the forest, zig-zagging through the trees as she departed from the dirt path they have taken.  However, due to the power of the unicorns they rode, Connie and Gaia could catch up to her in ten seconds flat.
[hr]

[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/K2ssvzh.png[/img][/center]
Justine and Caroline fought against four of the newly promoted Queens, two red and two white, and used their aerial maneuverability to prevent them from engaging the forces down below. The former’s crimson spear spun to deflect lances shot by a red Queen before thrusting at a white Queen who parried with her great sword. Caroline on the other hand managed to rush in and cut through another white Queen’s block after a feint, dropping the pieces down, and followed up by transforming herself amorphous in response to crossbow shots, the lances passing through her like pins through gel.
However, it seems it wasn’t complete invulnerability, as the younger sister looked pained afterwards, gritting her teeth.
“No…Hurting…Big sis…” She hissed in a low voice.
[color=bc8dbf]”Focus, Caroline!”[/color] Justine called out, as she shot a shotgun spray of blood bullets at yet another red Queen taking aim and shooting at her, failing to hit the older sister thanks to the valiant efforts of the twins and their Reinforcement barriers keeping the team in the fight.
[color=bc8dbf]”My thanks, Ronin and Miko!”[/color]

[center]

[img]https://img.roleplayerguild.com/prod/users/30027fc3-a6c3-4eb6-90a6-bae15038b2d2.png[/img]
[img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/200312/bd228c426d0da7459764cb788d45b1cd.png[/img]
[Sub].:⋮It Was Much Pleasanter At Home⋮:.[/Sub]

[/center]

[color=9e0039]”Alicia,”[/color] Penny politely responded to the ebon-haired girl’s greeting as she launched herself towards a red Rook harassing Ashley, a routine the two had as far as mid-battle greetings had turned into. The Paladin Seraph continued providing much-needed cover fire against the chess army, arrows of light destroying a red Bishop while also holding the rest off from flanking distracted allies. Penny on the other hand focused on offense: a laser blade cleaved a descending arm off the Rook before she caught the other one with her free arm, briefly wrestling with the super powered automaton before slamming it down and twisting the arm off it’s shoulder.
Spidery limbs then shot out from her back to strike at a white Queen, forcing the flier to back off.
[color=9e0039]”I was a bit surprised. Did they reach the far side of the chess board?”[/color] She asked mid-punch.
“I think one did,” Nefer answered as she blasted a red Knight into ash. “But I can’t really pay attention with such a cutie like you joining us~” 
Akhenaten could only shake his head as he ripped a red Bishop into pieces. A white Knight attempted a down thrust, only to be blocked by a twin’s barrier. However, the twins felt the strain that came with protecting from such a relentless onslaught, and sweat formed on their brows from the exertion, their mana now at 80%.

The slap that Mister Hatty delivered to the offending Bishop who dared harm her beloved Princess caused another Bishop and a red Queen who had yet to ascend to fall down. Coupled with Rachel keeping the other melee units distracted and off of Ashley, Mac charged up a spell that attracted the projectiles shot her way as Ashley rushed ahead, their aim having improved by now to target Mac’s actual position. Despite the red king’s tactics, the illusionist gathered up the swirling ammunition, and with a mighty blast let the chess royal eat their own medicine, as all the lances and magic bombs coalesced to form a javelin that exploded and penetrated the automaton’s mighty armor, caving the midsection in. As a result, the crimson king’s court had come to an end, as it leaned back from the impact like a damaged doll and stopped moving.

As soon as the red monarch met it's end, the red pieces hesitated, and looked towards the white king.

“Fools! My Dual King Command System means that the remaining king will assume control!” The Mad Hatter taunted from the loudspeaker. “Now, assume the Omni Promotion Protocol!”

“Uhh…Sir, the command is not acknowledged,” a mook’s voice was once again heard from farther away.

“WHAT? How? No!”

The others then realized the reason for the immoral minister's distress: the White King, still red on the face plate, had conjured a white flag, and waved it up in the air. As it did, the white chess pieces dropped their weapons and stopped moving, their heads drooping down in defeat. The red pieces, however, began to run away, hopping and flying.

“It seems that the command unit is surrendering.”

“Impossible! These machines were designed with tactical genius and strategic prowess, not cowardice!”

“Well…that might not be the reason,” the Mook commented, as the White King approached MDP and took hold of her hand, heart eyes having formed on it similarly to Mister Hatty.

“NO! You piece of scrap! Traitor! You were supposed to only love Our Majesty, the Queen of Wonderland!”
A sound of a table being slammed with two fists could be heard afterwards.

“Bah. Pathetic,” Rachel commented as she ran past the strange sight, and kicked down the metallic front doors to the Mad Hatter’s headquarters.

“Remember our mission: destroy the eggs, and apprehend Hatter.”

Penny rolled her eyes, and walked towards MDP and the White King, wondering if she should even get jealous over this frankly ridiculous development, or simply laugh it off. She decided to go with the latter, having realized MDP had stolen the heart of yet another being of magic and metal.