ATTN: @PaulHaynek (Takeshi), @AzureKnight (Atsuha & Hinami)
Due to Alice's swordsmanship, her eyes were as sharp as hawk's, and, from her perch on high, she surveyed the incoming parties of warriors; analyzing them from helm to boot, and catching the sight of part of her desired team to take on the quest that nagged at her.
However, she only saw part...
"The Goblin missing," Alice says, as she took stock of their approach.
"Duly noted," Carroll says, "Are you sure the Goblin is tied to the Jorōgumo?"
"So, I was told," Alice says, as she stood up, and extended her hand. "Benihime..."
Carroll sighed, and dusted her knees, before standing; her body erupting into a mass of slime that reforged into a slender scabbard, containing the demonic shikomizue.
"The pain of this scar is fading," Alice says, "and my memory with it. No more dallying..." Alice shifted her stance, and switched Carroll to her left side, "Ingrain: Allegro... " to be drawn by her dominant hand for lethal combat.
Leaping off the arch of the gate, Alice landed on the road, and focused on the path forward, "Ingress."
Suddenly, Alice was a blur of motion, as she passed through the approaching procession, and emerged from the outer side; stopping long enough to gain her footing, before breaking into a powerful sprint.
"That was new..." Alice says.
"Must be something from our former life," Carroll says, "There's disparate communications inside of you. Strange..."
"Regardless, we have keep on this thread of pain before it heals..." Alice says, she ran effortlessly in spite of her high heels, "...I wonder what coffee is."
Walking along the path with Takeshi and Lady Kikyo, the Hangai sisters had nearly entered the temple grounds before Atsuha felt a familiar presence. It was off upward, as if observing them from a distance. Atsuha knew this presence - the fungal queen Alice. She remembered her previously: her bout with Gringor and her assistance on the mission at the graveyard. Before she could further ponder over why she was observing them, she suddenly dashed pass them in a blur. The sudden gust of wind kicked up some dust clouds, causing her to recoil a bit.
”That movement…” She said, looking at the direction she went off in. ”That’s similar to the captain’s step technique.”
At that moment, Hinami started to bellow a sinister growl, as it seemed that it wasn’t only Atsuha who remembered Alice’s chi. Her primal side had recalled the ample power that emanated from the wayward queen, and she immediately dashed after her. ”Hinami!” She exclaimed.
Hinami moved fast enough to catch up with Alice and Carroll, and the pair of master and weapon would soon find themselves being pounced on by the undead chi-obsessed creature.
Alice felt the approaching Mana, as Hinami gave chase without prompt, and looked at the road ahead. Alice's style of swordsmanship was one of quick movements and trickery, working in tandem with Carroll, and using the Demon Sword as eyes in the back of her head.
"Ten seconds," Carroll says.
"Ingrain: Andante..." Alice says, as Carroll's scabbard moved from her left hip to her right. "Invasion." Suddenly, Alice ceased her forward motion, and swung her blade at Hinami; the feinted swing from her left hand send the blade past her ear, forcing her head to move into the direct path of the scabbard, as she followed the attack up, "Injection." by pulling Hinami with the flat of the blade into the scabbard to bash her in the skull with the demonic steel like a club.
"You awake, Zombie?" Alice sheathed Carroll, resetting her guard, as she held her hand upon Carroll's handle.
Hinami violently grunted as she was sent tumbling back from the strike. As she regained her feet, her face was covered in a bit of blood and dirt as she snarled at Alice. She began a second charge, but this time it seemed her animalistic instincts had caused her movements to become more irregular. Using the unorthodox movement pattern she’d take Alice by surprise and pin her to the ground, attempting to bite at her neck and siphon her chi.
[Ingrain: Andante] wasn't made for lethal combat, but brutal combat to render an opponent unconscious and/or immobile with crushing strikes instead of fatal slashes; so, due in part to that fact, and a hesitation that came from knowing Hinami was associated with Terauchi Temple, that allowed the Jiangshi to get an advantage with her sloppy, bestial footwork. It was annoying to play with kid gloves, but Alice couldn't just slash off her head without complications.
"I can't transform with you crushing me..." Carroll groaned, her main body pinned under Alice.
"Just gimme a second..." Alice grit her teeth, before freeing her right hand, and grabbing Hinami by the back of her head; powerful fingers clenching down, and pulling back on her hair to give Alice a little room. "Pacify..."
Lunging in, Alice would crush her lips against Hinami, letting the gnashing Mamono catch her tongue, so she would get the Mana she desperately craved, while Alice flooded her mouth with paralytic spores that seeped into the beast that hungered.
"You are such a womanizer," Carroll sighed with an audible roll of her eyes. "You coulda just as easily exhaled those spores. No reason for all this..." she chastised, as Alice let Hinami leech and paralyze herself slowly, "Are you even listening to me?"
Hinami would feel her animalistic instincts fade away as Alice’s spores quickly took their effect. No longer having the strength to release herself from Alice’s grip, she began to slowly fall into unconsciousness.
Atsuha arrived just in time to see the aftermath of the small bout, having prepared a few spells to quell her sister. What she saw threw her for a loop.
”J-Just WHAT are you doing with my sister?!” She exclaimed, her face red with bewilderment.
"Now, now, no sleeping just yet..." Alice says, as she flipped Hinami onto her back, and straddled her hips. "You're pretty fetching for a feral. A bit of civility, and I'd take you as a concubine..." she leaned down, blowing a soft cloud of silver into Hinami's right ear, before tracing her tongue along the shell of it, and whispering, "Prey...I won't lose track of you, Little Miss Zombie."
However, before Alice could press matters further along, she'd be caught boob-handed, coping a decent feel of the paralyzed Jiangshi, as her blood sister skittered onto the scene.
"For a betrothed woman, this shouldn't be questionable," Alice says, plainly, "Whatever you feed her, nice results," she says, squeezing, "Very nice results."
"Take this seriously, idiot!" Carroll snapped, bonking Alice on the head; half-transformed into her human form from her sword, and fully undressed from her head to her waist. "Forgive this horny dumbass. She thinks with her second brain before her first like a Cheshire Cat," she says, looking at Atsuha, and bonking Alice every few words, but she "In our defense, the Jiangshi started it. Even if the ending is awkward, we are in the right. The paralyzing effect should end in a few hours, however."
Atsuha, having barely regained her composure, stared blankly at the pair consisting of woman and sword bickering among one another. The latter arguing against the former’s raunchy behavior and apologizing to the Jourougumo. Atsuha wasn’t sure what to think: she knew the two women due to their chi signatures, but their appearances couldn’t be farther from different. She looked at her sister, who laid on the ground sleeping peacefully - albeit with a bit of labored breathing due to Alice’s spores.
”Alice. Uhh, you ARE Alice, yes? I’m all for declarations of love, but you should respect that my sister lacks experience.” She said, arms folded and still keeping her exasperated expression. ”...I do apologize that she lost herself and attacked you again. Lately I’ve determined that intense chaotic energies on the battlefield seem to trigger her lapse, but it only happens when warriors as strong as you or Shizuka enter the fray. My seal seems to have only helped somewhat…”
"Alice, I am, so says I, Alice," Alice nods, catching Carroll’s hand. "That hurts, you know. A lack of experience, hm? An easy remedy, that." Alice stood up, dusting her knees. "Again, though. That’s quite curious a statement. Regale with the tale, while I’ve the time to listen. I’ve much to do, after all."
She must’ve lost her memory as well as her appearance. Atsuha thought to herself. She walked over to her sister and kneeled down beside her. She whispered a spell, and a fuschia wind gently blew from her tree part. This seemed to soothe Hinami somewhat, as her slumber was visibly softer. She then turned back to Alice and Carroll.
”To make it as concise as possible, I will first say that my sister and I are not natural born yokai: We were born as humans - turned into the forms you see before you as punishment for my practicing of the dark arts.” A bit of sadness filled her eyes, it wasn’t a story she ever enjoyed talking about.
”Part of the punishment seems to have cursed my sister with this feral side that stems from lingering regrets and fear, amplified even more so when compared to others of her kin. You…may not remember, but you fended her off once before and even attempted to help her regain her senses. At any rate, you again have my thanks for calming her down, forgive us for being a burden.”
"Humans turned to monsters, huh," Alice says, "Maybe, I could relate, once, when I couldn’t understand what I had become... hidden away in a cave, alone, and scared. A monster, a Mamono, a fiend and selfsame victim of carnality... Those days are behind me, now," she looked at her hands, before turning her sword-hand skyward, and splaying her fingers to the sun, "I’m more than that, now. I am a woman. I am a monster. I am a Human. I am a Mamono. And, above all else, I am me, the Queen of Diamonds. My past cannot take away my future, only I can do that."
"If I lent you my aid once, then I must have judged you worthy of it," Alice says, "Parts of me remember. Ache. Memories are lost, not forgotten, but likely to never be found again. If they are, they will be of less import than those that paved over them, proved better than them, and worthy of being carried forward in my memories of tomorrow," she looked to Atsuha, "Make sense?"
”Alice-san…” Atsuha was reminded of Alice’s noble and steadfast side. Moreover, hearing about their similar backgrounds had made Alice more relatable than she would’ve imagined. Hearing her speak of how she won’t let her past rule her moving forward, carving out her own future and accepting all parts of herself, filled Atsuha with a new feeling that put her and Hinami’s circumstances in a more positive light. She thought that Hinami needed to be hearing this as well.
”Alice-san, you seemed to be in quite the hurry. May I ask where you and your partner were heading towards?”
"Just pursuing a phantom of yesterday," Alice says, holding her side. "Once it’s banished, I think, I’ll see if I can’t shore up that sister of yours and diminish her lack of experience," she says, "Never know when you’ll see someone next, after all. And, you can’t be the only woman between the two of you."
”I, uh, think I understand your point.” Atsuha said awkwardly. ”I believe you said that Hinami should awaken in a few hours? I am glad you were able to subdue her so easily without there being much harm done to either side.” She looked Alice and Carroll up and down, inspecting them.
”If you don’t mind me asking, why do the both of you look like that? I recall you having long blonde hair, and you wielded a cheeky axe. Now you wield a shikomizue, and I noticed that you move a bit like the captain as well. Oh…” Atsuha remembered that she had to be mindful.
”Forgive me, you may not know who that is currently. He went off on a mission with my husband, but I’m they’ll be back soon.”
"An axe," Alice asks. "Nozarashi..." Carroll burst into a mass of slime, before reforming into a massive axe. "Like this," she asks, hefting the weapon that could be mistaken for a butcher knife on steroids, as well. "As for the former half of that question, couldn’t tell you. My memory of this place starts less than forty-eight hours ago." Alice hummed, "Prior to that... I’ve been in Wonderland for three-hundred years."
”Oh my…” The Nozarashi form certainly wasn’t what Atsuha was expecting. ”The axe I was acquainted with was much..smaller…” She said with a nervous chuckle.
She listened as her previous suspicions had been confirmed, Alice had lost the vast majority of her memories of the Taskforce. Does that mean she doesn’t remember that “thing” she did with Lord Takeshi?
”Well, then I suppose it would be good if you at least were to know this. The taskforce is currently being led by the captain, Kannazuki Shizuka. I believe you and others had a training session with him, so I guess while your mind doesn’t remember his teachings, your body seems to. Also, the captain along with the Taskforce is under the behest of Takeshi Oja. He’s that young man you saw and my sister with, the one with the roughneck disposition.”
Atsuha then held a hand to her own cheek. ”Goodness, where are my manners? Since I think it would be appropriate given the circumstances, allow me to reintroduce myself. My name is Hangai Atsuha, a resident Jourougumo who also happens to be an onmyodo sorceress. My sister’s name is Hangai Hinami, after I resurrected her, she became a Jiangshi and I took the form you see before you. We are native to Zipangu but not specially to the land of Shizuyama. I find myself in your debt once again, please don’t hesitate to call on us if you have need. Um…just don’t make us work too hard, alright? Teehee!”
"I see, then. Well, to that, I am Alisynn Wunderland," Alice says, "The Queen of Diamond, Lilim-born Challenger to the Queen of Heart, and the Throne of Wonderland. At least, I was," she sighed, "I’m right stuck here with no means of return. Need to find a March Hare, or one of their holes with some magic left over."
”Ah, then it is certainly a pleasure to formally make your acquaintance, Alisynn-san.” Atusha said with a polite bow. ”Unfortunately, March Hares aren’t native to these lands, so I doubt you’ll have much luck locating them or traces of their sorcery regrettably.” She said somberly.
”I remember you calling your partner weapon Carroll, yes? We have cursed weapons in these lands as well, but I’ve never heard of one functioning quite like her. I presume she is from this ‘Wonderland’ as well?”
"Quite. I would expect the daughter of the Queen of Hearts to hail from her homeland," Alice says.
”Haha, uh, yes quite so…” Atsuha replied with a weak laugh.
It seemed that the peaceful vicinity along with Atusha’s healing winds had allowed Hinami to awaken sooner than expected. Rousing up, she looked around for a moment, her eyes focusing on Alice and her elder sibling.
”Sorry sis…” She said weakly. ”And sorry Ms. New Alice…”
”It’s alright, she was able to calm you down without there being much damage. We shouldn’t have to worry about it again for a while.”
Hinami glanced toward Alice again, this time blushing. ”Hey, um, Ms. New Alice? Did we…Did we kiss a little bit ago?”
"Indeed," Alice says, "Free to do so again," she stepped forward, "Not every day you get to dally with a Queen, after all."
”Alice-san…” Atsuha said. ”You mustn’t be so forward… She needs to experience the opposite sex as well. In addition, I feel you may end up being too rough with her…”
”O-Oh…” Hinami seemed to be at a loss for words, seemingly having stepped into unfamiliar territory. ”Is this what it was like for your first time with Skars-kun, nee-san?”
”P-Perhaps we should save this talk for another time, sister!” Atusha spouted quickly. ”Alice-san, wherever you’re off to, would you like some aid. My sister and I just got back from a mission with Lord Takeshi and Lady Kikyo, but if it isn’t anything too extraneous we’d be happy to be of help!”
"Now, now, no time like the present to teach a good girl how to be a naughty girl," Alice says, stepping forward; Mana pulsed through her legs, and she was suddenly behind Hinami. "That wilder side of you, that feral side of you, all emotions, no restraint... in there, most assuredly, is jealousy of things you can’t have... things you don’t have... experiences you are too afraid you will miss, because you’ll snap." Alice traced a hand up Hinami’s spine, terminating with a finger against the base of her skull, before transitioning into a gentle caress of her cheek. "However, while your fear is wise to heed, your life is wasting away from it, as well..."
Hinami made a small yelp at the sudden finger going up her back. ”Umm, what…?” She said, with her head cutely tilted. It seemed she didn’t understand Alice’s words.
”I think I understand.” Atusha interjected. ”Hinami, perhaps you and I need to speak about what happened back in the past. I feel that’s where all of your feral tendencies are stemming from.”
”The…past?”
”Yes. There may have been another ‘curse’ of sorts that was placed on you due to the resurrection I performed on you. It’s possible that Alice-san could even assist. Um, so long as she minds her advances…”
"Advances? You wound me," Alice says, "My offers are sound, and just..." she smirked, "You have my interest, however. Though, my might ask for innocence in return..."
”Hey, wait a moment.” Atusha said. ”There’s actually something else I’ve been meaning to ask you. Why do I sense Kerry’s chi all over you…?”
"I’m sure, in that big brain of yours, you can answer that question," Alice says, "Though, a Queen I may be, in title, that is it. I am more of a King in manners of with whom and how I share my bed," she looked back at Atsuha, "and, a King has her Queen, and her Concubines."
”You…really aren’t a normal mamono are you?” Atusha said curtly. ”I suppose I should attribute it to both your queenly station AND your status as a denizen of Wonderland. Gods, I feel that if allowed, you’d sleep with the whole taskforce!”
Folding her arms, she made a cute pouting face. Blushing, she turned slightly back to Alice again. ”Even your weapon made good with the captain. Although, I guess you could’ve been helpfully with giving pointers on how to pick up mates so easily…”
"The whole Taskforce? I've little interest in being treated as a Wife. The role of Husband is far more fun, and active. I never tire of hearing a mewling woman beneath me, taking my -- GAHURK!!!"
Carroll stood over a crumbled Alice, arm transformed into her scabbard, having battered Alice's head with a powerful bonk. You claim you need the aid of this idiot. Let us focus on that, so that we might return to our mission. I'm sorry, but we have exceeded our time to waste," she says, hefting Alice into her arms, as the Mad Hatter drooled green blood in her unconscious state. If you need bodily material from Alice, I consent to your harvest, as far as blood goes. If you need her spores or her seed, I cannot consent to that. Losing the former has combat disadvantages, should antidotes be made and spread about, and the latter..."
Carroll frowned, My Queen is frighteningly unruly in matters of love and lust and she is not as faithful due to her nature as a Matango, but she would give her life to her child or children, because a Mad Hatter was cursed with intelligence lost. Such a powerful card being gained artificially by a stranger..." Atsuha could feel Carroll's protective malice, as she passed by. Well, it won't come to that, I'm sure."
Unless bothered, Carroll would cart Alice back with the procession.
However, she only saw part...
"The Goblin missing," Alice says, as she took stock of their approach.
"Duly noted," Carroll says, "Are you sure the Goblin is tied to the Jorōgumo?"
"So, I was told," Alice says, as she stood up, and extended her hand. "Benihime..."
Carroll sighed, and dusted her knees, before standing; her body erupting into a mass of slime that reforged into a slender scabbard, containing the demonic shikomizue.
"The pain of this scar is fading," Alice says, "and my memory with it. No more dallying..." Alice shifted her stance, and switched Carroll to her left side, "Ingrain: Allegro... " to be drawn by her dominant hand for lethal combat.
Leaping off the arch of the gate, Alice landed on the road, and focused on the path forward, "Ingress."
Suddenly, Alice was a blur of motion, as she passed through the approaching procession, and emerged from the outer side; stopping long enough to gain her footing, before breaking into a powerful sprint.
"That was new..." Alice says.
"Must be something from our former life," Carroll says, "There's disparate communications inside of you. Strange..."
"Regardless, we have keep on this thread of pain before it heals..." Alice says, she ran effortlessly in spite of her high heels, "...I wonder what coffee is."
Walking along the path with Takeshi and Lady Kikyo, the Hangai sisters had nearly entered the temple grounds before Atsuha felt a familiar presence. It was off upward, as if observing them from a distance. Atsuha knew this presence - the fungal queen Alice. She remembered her previously: her bout with Gringor and her assistance on the mission at the graveyard. Before she could further ponder over why she was observing them, she suddenly dashed pass them in a blur. The sudden gust of wind kicked up some dust clouds, causing her to recoil a bit.
”That movement…” She said, looking at the direction she went off in. ”That’s similar to the captain’s step technique.”
At that moment, Hinami started to bellow a sinister growl, as it seemed that it wasn’t only Atsuha who remembered Alice’s chi. Her primal side had recalled the ample power that emanated from the wayward queen, and she immediately dashed after her. ”Hinami!” She exclaimed.
Hinami moved fast enough to catch up with Alice and Carroll, and the pair of master and weapon would soon find themselves being pounced on by the undead chi-obsessed creature.
Alice felt the approaching Mana, as Hinami gave chase without prompt, and looked at the road ahead. Alice's style of swordsmanship was one of quick movements and trickery, working in tandem with Carroll, and using the Demon Sword as eyes in the back of her head.
"Ten seconds," Carroll says.
"Ingrain: Andante..." Alice says, as Carroll's scabbard moved from her left hip to her right. "Invasion." Suddenly, Alice ceased her forward motion, and swung her blade at Hinami; the feinted swing from her left hand send the blade past her ear, forcing her head to move into the direct path of the scabbard, as she followed the attack up, "Injection." by pulling Hinami with the flat of the blade into the scabbard to bash her in the skull with the demonic steel like a club.
"You awake, Zombie?" Alice sheathed Carroll, resetting her guard, as she held her hand upon Carroll's handle.
Hinami violently grunted as she was sent tumbling back from the strike. As she regained her feet, her face was covered in a bit of blood and dirt as she snarled at Alice. She began a second charge, but this time it seemed her animalistic instincts had caused her movements to become more irregular. Using the unorthodox movement pattern she’d take Alice by surprise and pin her to the ground, attempting to bite at her neck and siphon her chi.
[Ingrain: Andante] wasn't made for lethal combat, but brutal combat to render an opponent unconscious and/or immobile with crushing strikes instead of fatal slashes; so, due in part to that fact, and a hesitation that came from knowing Hinami was associated with Terauchi Temple, that allowed the Jiangshi to get an advantage with her sloppy, bestial footwork. It was annoying to play with kid gloves, but Alice couldn't just slash off her head without complications.
"I can't transform with you crushing me..." Carroll groaned, her main body pinned under Alice.
"Just gimme a second..." Alice grit her teeth, before freeing her right hand, and grabbing Hinami by the back of her head; powerful fingers clenching down, and pulling back on her hair to give Alice a little room. "Pacify..."
Lunging in, Alice would crush her lips against Hinami, letting the gnashing Mamono catch her tongue, so she would get the Mana she desperately craved, while Alice flooded her mouth with paralytic spores that seeped into the beast that hungered.
"You are such a womanizer," Carroll sighed with an audible roll of her eyes. "You coulda just as easily exhaled those spores. No reason for all this..." she chastised, as Alice let Hinami leech and paralyze herself slowly, "Are you even listening to me?"
Hinami would feel her animalistic instincts fade away as Alice’s spores quickly took their effect. No longer having the strength to release herself from Alice’s grip, she began to slowly fall into unconsciousness.
Atsuha arrived just in time to see the aftermath of the small bout, having prepared a few spells to quell her sister. What she saw threw her for a loop.
”J-Just WHAT are you doing with my sister?!” She exclaimed, her face red with bewilderment.
"Now, now, no sleeping just yet..." Alice says, as she flipped Hinami onto her back, and straddled her hips. "You're pretty fetching for a feral. A bit of civility, and I'd take you as a concubine..." she leaned down, blowing a soft cloud of silver into Hinami's right ear, before tracing her tongue along the shell of it, and whispering, "Prey...I won't lose track of you, Little Miss Zombie."
However, before Alice could press matters further along, she'd be caught boob-handed, coping a decent feel of the paralyzed Jiangshi, as her blood sister skittered onto the scene.
"For a betrothed woman, this shouldn't be questionable," Alice says, plainly, "Whatever you feed her, nice results," she says, squeezing, "Very nice results."
"Take this seriously, idiot!" Carroll snapped, bonking Alice on the head; half-transformed into her human form from her sword, and fully undressed from her head to her waist. "Forgive this horny dumbass. She thinks with her second brain before her first like a Cheshire Cat," she says, looking at Atsuha, and bonking Alice every few words, but she "In our defense, the Jiangshi started it. Even if the ending is awkward, we are in the right. The paralyzing effect should end in a few hours, however."
Atsuha, having barely regained her composure, stared blankly at the pair consisting of woman and sword bickering among one another. The latter arguing against the former’s raunchy behavior and apologizing to the Jourougumo. Atsuha wasn’t sure what to think: she knew the two women due to their chi signatures, but their appearances couldn’t be farther from different. She looked at her sister, who laid on the ground sleeping peacefully - albeit with a bit of labored breathing due to Alice’s spores.
”Alice. Uhh, you ARE Alice, yes? I’m all for declarations of love, but you should respect that my sister lacks experience.” She said, arms folded and still keeping her exasperated expression. ”...I do apologize that she lost herself and attacked you again. Lately I’ve determined that intense chaotic energies on the battlefield seem to trigger her lapse, but it only happens when warriors as strong as you or Shizuka enter the fray. My seal seems to have only helped somewhat…”
"Alice, I am, so says I, Alice," Alice nods, catching Carroll’s hand. "That hurts, you know. A lack of experience, hm? An easy remedy, that." Alice stood up, dusting her knees. "Again, though. That’s quite curious a statement. Regale with the tale, while I’ve the time to listen. I’ve much to do, after all."
She must’ve lost her memory as well as her appearance. Atsuha thought to herself. She walked over to her sister and kneeled down beside her. She whispered a spell, and a fuschia wind gently blew from her tree part. This seemed to soothe Hinami somewhat, as her slumber was visibly softer. She then turned back to Alice and Carroll.
”To make it as concise as possible, I will first say that my sister and I are not natural born yokai: We were born as humans - turned into the forms you see before you as punishment for my practicing of the dark arts.” A bit of sadness filled her eyes, it wasn’t a story she ever enjoyed talking about.
”Part of the punishment seems to have cursed my sister with this feral side that stems from lingering regrets and fear, amplified even more so when compared to others of her kin. You…may not remember, but you fended her off once before and even attempted to help her regain her senses. At any rate, you again have my thanks for calming her down, forgive us for being a burden.”
"Humans turned to monsters, huh," Alice says, "Maybe, I could relate, once, when I couldn’t understand what I had become... hidden away in a cave, alone, and scared. A monster, a Mamono, a fiend and selfsame victim of carnality... Those days are behind me, now," she looked at her hands, before turning her sword-hand skyward, and splaying her fingers to the sun, "I’m more than that, now. I am a woman. I am a monster. I am a Human. I am a Mamono. And, above all else, I am me, the Queen of Diamonds. My past cannot take away my future, only I can do that."
"If I lent you my aid once, then I must have judged you worthy of it," Alice says, "Parts of me remember. Ache. Memories are lost, not forgotten, but likely to never be found again. If they are, they will be of less import than those that paved over them, proved better than them, and worthy of being carried forward in my memories of tomorrow," she looked to Atsuha, "Make sense?"
”Alice-san…” Atsuha was reminded of Alice’s noble and steadfast side. Moreover, hearing about their similar backgrounds had made Alice more relatable than she would’ve imagined. Hearing her speak of how she won’t let her past rule her moving forward, carving out her own future and accepting all parts of herself, filled Atsuha with a new feeling that put her and Hinami’s circumstances in a more positive light. She thought that Hinami needed to be hearing this as well.
”Alice-san, you seemed to be in quite the hurry. May I ask where you and your partner were heading towards?”
"Just pursuing a phantom of yesterday," Alice says, holding her side. "Once it’s banished, I think, I’ll see if I can’t shore up that sister of yours and diminish her lack of experience," she says, "Never know when you’ll see someone next, after all. And, you can’t be the only woman between the two of you."
”I, uh, think I understand your point.” Atsuha said awkwardly. ”I believe you said that Hinami should awaken in a few hours? I am glad you were able to subdue her so easily without there being much harm done to either side.” She looked Alice and Carroll up and down, inspecting them.
”If you don’t mind me asking, why do the both of you look like that? I recall you having long blonde hair, and you wielded a cheeky axe. Now you wield a shikomizue, and I noticed that you move a bit like the captain as well. Oh…” Atsuha remembered that she had to be mindful.
”Forgive me, you may not know who that is currently. He went off on a mission with my husband, but I’m they’ll be back soon.”
"An axe," Alice asks. "Nozarashi..." Carroll burst into a mass of slime, before reforming into a massive axe. "Like this," she asks, hefting the weapon that could be mistaken for a butcher knife on steroids, as well. "As for the former half of that question, couldn’t tell you. My memory of this place starts less than forty-eight hours ago." Alice hummed, "Prior to that... I’ve been in Wonderland for three-hundred years."
”Oh my…” The Nozarashi form certainly wasn’t what Atsuha was expecting. ”The axe I was acquainted with was much..smaller…” She said with a nervous chuckle.
She listened as her previous suspicions had been confirmed, Alice had lost the vast majority of her memories of the Taskforce. Does that mean she doesn’t remember that “thing” she did with Lord Takeshi?
”Well, then I suppose it would be good if you at least were to know this. The taskforce is currently being led by the captain, Kannazuki Shizuka. I believe you and others had a training session with him, so I guess while your mind doesn’t remember his teachings, your body seems to. Also, the captain along with the Taskforce is under the behest of Takeshi Oja. He’s that young man you saw and my sister with, the one with the roughneck disposition.”
Atsuha then held a hand to her own cheek. ”Goodness, where are my manners? Since I think it would be appropriate given the circumstances, allow me to reintroduce myself. My name is Hangai Atsuha, a resident Jourougumo who also happens to be an onmyodo sorceress. My sister’s name is Hangai Hinami, after I resurrected her, she became a Jiangshi and I took the form you see before you. We are native to Zipangu but not specially to the land of Shizuyama. I find myself in your debt once again, please don’t hesitate to call on us if you have need. Um…just don’t make us work too hard, alright? Teehee!”
"I see, then. Well, to that, I am Alisynn Wunderland," Alice says, "The Queen of Diamond, Lilim-born Challenger to the Queen of Heart, and the Throne of Wonderland. At least, I was," she sighed, "I’m right stuck here with no means of return. Need to find a March Hare, or one of their holes with some magic left over."
”Ah, then it is certainly a pleasure to formally make your acquaintance, Alisynn-san.” Atusha said with a polite bow. ”Unfortunately, March Hares aren’t native to these lands, so I doubt you’ll have much luck locating them or traces of their sorcery regrettably.” She said somberly.
”I remember you calling your partner weapon Carroll, yes? We have cursed weapons in these lands as well, but I’ve never heard of one functioning quite like her. I presume she is from this ‘Wonderland’ as well?”
"Quite. I would expect the daughter of the Queen of Hearts to hail from her homeland," Alice says.
”Haha, uh, yes quite so…” Atsuha replied with a weak laugh.
It seemed that the peaceful vicinity along with Atusha’s healing winds had allowed Hinami to awaken sooner than expected. Rousing up, she looked around for a moment, her eyes focusing on Alice and her elder sibling.
”Sorry sis…” She said weakly. ”And sorry Ms. New Alice…”
”It’s alright, she was able to calm you down without there being much damage. We shouldn’t have to worry about it again for a while.”
Hinami glanced toward Alice again, this time blushing. ”Hey, um, Ms. New Alice? Did we…Did we kiss a little bit ago?”
"Indeed," Alice says, "Free to do so again," she stepped forward, "Not every day you get to dally with a Queen, after all."
”Alice-san…” Atsuha said. ”You mustn’t be so forward… She needs to experience the opposite sex as well. In addition, I feel you may end up being too rough with her…”
”O-Oh…” Hinami seemed to be at a loss for words, seemingly having stepped into unfamiliar territory. ”Is this what it was like for your first time with Skars-kun, nee-san?”
”P-Perhaps we should save this talk for another time, sister!” Atusha spouted quickly. ”Alice-san, wherever you’re off to, would you like some aid. My sister and I just got back from a mission with Lord Takeshi and Lady Kikyo, but if it isn’t anything too extraneous we’d be happy to be of help!”
"Now, now, no time like the present to teach a good girl how to be a naughty girl," Alice says, stepping forward; Mana pulsed through her legs, and she was suddenly behind Hinami. "That wilder side of you, that feral side of you, all emotions, no restraint... in there, most assuredly, is jealousy of things you can’t have... things you don’t have... experiences you are too afraid you will miss, because you’ll snap." Alice traced a hand up Hinami’s spine, terminating with a finger against the base of her skull, before transitioning into a gentle caress of her cheek. "However, while your fear is wise to heed, your life is wasting away from it, as well..."
Hinami made a small yelp at the sudden finger going up her back. ”Umm, what…?” She said, with her head cutely tilted. It seemed she didn’t understand Alice’s words.
”I think I understand.” Atusha interjected. ”Hinami, perhaps you and I need to speak about what happened back in the past. I feel that’s where all of your feral tendencies are stemming from.”
”The…past?”
”Yes. There may have been another ‘curse’ of sorts that was placed on you due to the resurrection I performed on you. It’s possible that Alice-san could even assist. Um, so long as she minds her advances…”
"Advances? You wound me," Alice says, "My offers are sound, and just..." she smirked, "You have my interest, however. Though, my might ask for innocence in return..."
”Hey, wait a moment.” Atusha said. ”There’s actually something else I’ve been meaning to ask you. Why do I sense Kerry’s chi all over you…?”
"I’m sure, in that big brain of yours, you can answer that question," Alice says, "Though, a Queen I may be, in title, that is it. I am more of a King in manners of with whom and how I share my bed," she looked back at Atsuha, "and, a King has her Queen, and her Concubines."
”You…really aren’t a normal mamono are you?” Atusha said curtly. ”I suppose I should attribute it to both your queenly station AND your status as a denizen of Wonderland. Gods, I feel that if allowed, you’d sleep with the whole taskforce!”
Folding her arms, she made a cute pouting face. Blushing, she turned slightly back to Alice again. ”Even your weapon made good with the captain. Although, I guess you could’ve been helpfully with giving pointers on how to pick up mates so easily…”
"The whole Taskforce? I've little interest in being treated as a Wife. The role of Husband is far more fun, and active. I never tire of hearing a mewling woman beneath me, taking my -- GAHURK!!!"
Carroll stood over a crumbled Alice, arm transformed into her scabbard, having battered Alice's head with a powerful bonk. You claim you need the aid of this idiot. Let us focus on that, so that we might return to our mission. I'm sorry, but we have exceeded our time to waste," she says, hefting Alice into her arms, as the Mad Hatter drooled green blood in her unconscious state. If you need bodily material from Alice, I consent to your harvest, as far as blood goes. If you need her spores or her seed, I cannot consent to that. Losing the former has combat disadvantages, should antidotes be made and spread about, and the latter..."
Carroll frowned, My Queen is frighteningly unruly in matters of love and lust and she is not as faithful due to her nature as a Matango, but she would give her life to her child or children, because a Mad Hatter was cursed with intelligence lost. Such a powerful card being gained artificially by a stranger..." Atsuha could feel Carroll's protective malice, as she passed by. Well, it won't come to that, I'm sure."
Unless bothered, Carroll would cart Alice back with the procession.
