[center][h2][color=623cae]Wonderland v Alias[/color][/h2][/center]

Alias and Alice followed his shadow back to the Queen's Court. Alias was getting an uneasy feeling in his stomach. They wanted to prove to the Queen that they weren't the ones responsible for the shadows so why did it seem like Shadow Alias was actually leading them there? He wanted to stop and think before running into this obvious trap, but he just wanted to get this over with and get Alice out of there. He couldn't just leave his shadow rampaging around another world, even a bizarre one like this. He didn't even know how he was supposed to leave this world. Maybe it was possible to climb back up the hole they fell through. He was sure Alice didn't get here by ship. Maybe they could get one in the world above. But that was later's problem. Right now's problem was facing this shadow. [color=#e97451]"Alice, when we get to the Court, I need you to stay behind me."[/color]

[color=b4f2ff]"But Sir Alias, I can help! You saw what I did back there. Though I'm still not sure what I did back there. But I know I can do it again!"[/color] Alice piped up.

Alias laughed probably for the first time since all of this started. [color=#e97451]"I know, but I can't let you have all the fun. I need to get stronger in order to protect you and find my friends. Plus I need to let all of this anger out on something."[/color]

Alice silently nodded to show that she understood. It was nice to hear the young King laugh. He had been awfully serious since they met, but he was just a worrywart. He couldn't relax without knowing if his friends were okay. [color=b4f2ff]"We'll find them, Sir Alias, and I trust you with my life."[/color]

Alias was caught off guard by her words, but before he could respond they arrived in the Court to see Shadow Alias standing menacingly behind three card soldiers. But something was wrong with these soldiers. They were surrounded by a dark aura showing that they were possessed. He didn't even know Shadow Alias could do this. This wasn't going to be easy with them amped up on shadow juice.

The Queen watched anxiously to see who would be victorious here or if Alias would prove himself to be the villain after all.

[color=#e97451]"You think you can hide behind these soldiers, Shadow?"[/color] Alias asked as he conjured his keyblade. [color=#e97451]"I don't know who or what created you, but they got me all wrong. I'm not a coward and I don't use others to accomplish my goals. I'm going to free them and put down my imposter once and for all."[/color]

Alias couldn't help but to get a sense of deja vu as he charged forward. The situation reminded him of when he tried to save Hoshi from those three bullies back on the island. If only Kitsu was here. He hoped he found him soon. He wondered if he and Hoshi found each other already. The thought put a smile on his face as he swung at one of the card soldier's axe with enough force to knock it out of his hands. Alias's smile dropped as he pushed into the card with his shoulder and elbow to knock it to the ground. He rolled out of the way in time to avoid a red soldier's spear. He winced at the thought of the other card soldier being stabbed though. He knew he was alive or still animate, but he knew the Queen wouldn't be able to use him in a life sized card game again.

[color=#e97451]"You shouldn't impale people."[/color] Alias said as he jumped up from the ground with his keyblade pointing in the air. [color=#e97451]"Thunder!"[/color] He exclaimed summoning two bolts of lightning to strike the two remaining cards. There was a flash of light and when he could see again the cards were on the floor with stars circling their heads. Bizarre world indeed. He looked around to look for Shadow Alia---

[color=b4f2ff]"Sir Alias!!!"[/color]

Alias turned around to see Shadow Alias placing his hands on the floor in front of her creating a dark puddle. [color=#e97451]"Alice! [b]DON'T TOUCH HER!!![/b]"[/color] For a moment Alice's image flickered and Hoshi was in her place. Alias blinked and reached out his arm to see Alice again, but something strange was happening. The shadows that were possessing the cards were flowing into Alias and Shadow Alias was being pulled towards Alias with a great force. Shadow Alias tried to claw away, but the shadows were no longer his friends. He overplayed his hand and he was going to pay for it by being swallowed by Alias's heart. After Alias absorbed Shadow Alias there was a large flash of light that blinded even him. When his vision recovered he looked to where Alice was to see her no longer there. All that was left was the dark puddle getting smaller by the second. It... It took her. [color=#e97451]"Alice..."[/color] He failed her... She trusted him with her life. What was he going to do? He didn't know how to find her. He didn't know how to find anyone. He was alone again.

[color=red]"It was you. You were responsible for all of this and now you took that poor little girl. You fooled her just like you fooled me and I will not be made a fool. Off with his head!!"[/color]

[color=#e97451]"Huh?"[/color] Alias asked. He was still processing what had happened and forgot the Queen was here with how silent she was before this. When he looked up he could see the remaining card soldiers charging towards him. He started running and he couldn't be sure, but he thought the soldiers he knocked out and saved were pretending to still be unconscious. That thought gave him a little bit of hope that things weren't over and could only get better from here.

[hr]

[center][h2][color=623cae]Strange Friends[/color][/h2][/center]

Alias made it back to the Bizarre Room where all of this weirdness started and finally caught his breath. He turned to face the talking door and sighed. He needed to figure something out. Alice was gone and he had no clue as to what to do or where to go next. [color=#e97451]"Somebody. Anybody. Help me."[/color]

As if waiting for that specific cue, the Cheshire Cat appeared with a smile.

[color=#e97451]"It's you! You always seem to pop up whenever it's convenient and you always seem to know what's going on. Do you know what happened to Alice?"[/color]

[color=#9a4eae]"Alice is gone, far from here, but also closer than you think."[/color] Cheshire answered as mysteriously as before.

[color=#e97451]"What does that even mean?"[/color] Alias asked as confused as ever.

A sheet of paper appeared in the air and floated down to Alias. [color=#9a4eae]"The name on that sheet has the answers you seek. Your shadow dropped it before you snatched him away."[/color]

Alias grabbed the paper and saw that it was some kind of research paper about Heartless!? The name on it was Ansem. He didn't know why, but the name felt familiar to him. He folded it and put it in one of his pockets and looked up to see that the Cheshire Cat was gone again, but the doorknob's mouth was glowing with a silhouette of a keyhole. He recalled the conversation he had with DiZ in his heart and conjured his keyblade once more. He aimed it at the keyhole and a beam of light emitted from it striking the keyhole. He heard the sound of a click before the keyhole returned to normal. He may not have saved Alice yet, but he at least saved this world from the Heartless.

[color=800080]"You seem to know what you're doing with that keyblade of yours."[/color] A mysterious, but smooth voice said from behind Alias.

He jumped in startlement and turned slowly to face her. She possessed a strange, yet mesmerizing presence. [color=#e97451]"Who are you?"[/color]

[color=800080]"Oh, please excuse my manners, Alias. My name is Mal. I'm a friend of your father, King Ansem, the Wise."[/color]

She knew his name and she just spoke the name of the man on the paper that Cheshire gave him. That couldn't have been a coincidence. She must be the help that DiZ mentioned. That was a relief and he was honestly too tired and stressed that even if she wasn't actually the help he needed she was the help that he had. [color=#e97451]"My father's a king?"[/color] That actually explained a lot about his own personality and desire to be King. It was his birthright. 

[color=800080]"The greatest king I've ever met and I met my fair share. But he still paled in comparison to your mother. You look just like her."[/color]

Alias's eyes widened at this and Mal knew that she had him hook, line, and sinker. [color=#e97451]"My mom?"[/color]

[color=800080]"Elia. As smart as she was beautiful."[/color]

[color=#e97451]"Was?"[/color] Alias asked with a lump in his throat.

[color=800080]"She... She was unfortunately lost to the darkness, but there is a way to save her. You have to find the remaining Princesses and Prince of Heart and go back home. To where it all began. Radiant Garden. It won't be an easy journey however and unfortunately I don't have a gift to give you. But I have something that will help."[/color] Mal approached Alias slowly, still not trying to scare him off.

This woman, Mal, knew everything. She knew his parents and she even knew the name of his original world. That's why the voice inside of his heart kept calling him Child of Radiance. Alias was aware of how way too convenient and neatly packaged this all was, but he was getting answers about things that he wanted to know his entire life. He wasn't sure that he trusted her fully, but he'd use her until he found Alice and the others. If all Hearts of Light needed to be at Radiant Garden then whoever took Alice would be there waiting for him. He paused at the thought of using this woman to accomplish the goal of saving his friends. Was he really wrong back there in the Court? Did whoever created his shadow know him more than he knew himself?

Before Alias could answer the existential question he felt Mal's hand on his forehead. It was cold at first, but he soon felt a warm sensation as if energy flowed into him. [color=800080]"There. I've given you the ability to use the spell, Fire. But yours will come out as green flames. I've also given you the ability to travel through the Corridors of Darkness. You'll just have to open a portal and think of where you want to go. Though, you may find yourself in random worlds since you don't really know where to go yet. I'll open one for you."[/color] She waved her hand and a dark door manifested next to them. [color=800080]"I'll find you soon. But the next Princess you need to rescue is one by the name of Anastasia. She's currently in danger from a man who's more dead than alive. Find her quickly and then meet me in the Olympus Coliseum. You may even find your friends there."[/color]

That last sentence was all Alias needed to hear. Green flames and corridors of darkness were of no interest to him. If he could meet his friends this soon he'd take it. [color=#e97451]"Thank you, Mal. See you in Olympus."[/color] He turned and jumped through the dark door.

The Corridor closed behind him and the Cheshire Cat re-appeared next to Mal. A smile crept on her face almost as wide as the Cheshire's usual one. [color=800080]"I thought you had no intentions of joining us. He wouldn't have been so trusting had it not been for the research paper."[/color]

[color=#9a4eae]"I don't."[/color] Cheshire mused. [color=#9a4eae]"I'm just curious to see how it'll all play out. Will you win or will the young Prince consume your plans instead?"[/color]

[color=800080]"Curiosity killed the cat, you know."[/color] Mal finally said before opening a Corridor of Darkness for herself.