AliceOCT - Round 1 Part 3 - Realisation

“I believe someone has mentioned this before to me, but it seems so petty within Wonderland.” Kichi turned to face the Cat. She stood atop a fallen bookcase within a library located in the Fortress of Doors. Her sword had been stabbed, rather viciously, into a copy of Romeo & Juliet beside her.

The Cat tilted his head in response, gesturing for Kichi to continue. He hadn’t returned to see Kichi since he last spoke to her about her weapon. His face looked rugged to Kichi, stressed, as if he was spread so very thin atop a slice of bread too large to fathom. Although interested, she had a feeling it was related to the other guests that he had mentioned previously and choose not to inquire about his previous whereabouts.

Kichi smirked and plucked a book off of the shelf underneath her. Voyage au centre de la Terra by Jules Verne; a story depicting a journey to the Earth’s core only to discover a vastly different place than what is common belief. While it was in French, Kichi had already learned how to read French, Italian, Spanish, German and Japanese as well as English; either from the books she had studied or through her childhood experiences.

Reading Voyage au centre de la Terra with the same ease as any English book, she said to the Cat, “Curiosity killed the cat,” once again smirking.

Since the first skirmish that Kichi had experienced, she allowed her curiosity to lead her around Wonderland. This may not have been the best idea as it had led her into all sorts of situations; ones that were not necessarily without bloodshed or pain. She had continued down the path only to bump into some more card guards, more pools of acid and more dejected gnomes she found highly distasteful.

From there she had taken a hell-of-a-ride to find a key for one of the gnomes to be able to hitch a ride to the Fortress of Doors, where she was plagued by banshees, more guards and rooms that fell apart after stepping foot into them. She pulled levers, dodged cards and jumped into buildings that had unstable foundations.

“Most unpleasant proverb, please avoid it in the future,” the Cat’s eyes had narrowed but Kichi chose to ignore the implied warning.

“Well there is always the second line to such a saying.” She returned the book to the shelf having read it. Picking up another, Cinq Semaines en Ballon, again by Jules Verne, she grinned at the Cat.

He raised an eyebrow, at least if cats had eyebrows, and asked Kichi, “And? Are you satisfied?” His head tilted once more and he flicked his tail.

Kichi smiled, “Well of course not. I am not a cat if you had not realised. I shall continue with my curious explorations of Wonderland. If that is what kills me then so be it. Although I should hope that I am more than capable of protecting myself from such an occurrence.” She returned the book to the shelf and chose another, The Life of Charlotte Bronte by Elizabeth Gaskell, quickly returning it when she had realised it was a romance.

All of a sudden the Rabbit appeared from a hole at the bottom of the bookshelf, enlarging himself to about the same height as the Cat. He looked dishevelled as if overworked, his waistcoat covered in dirt and fur choppy in appearance. As he looked at Kichi his eyes glazed over, seemingly because he didn’t remember Kichi at all.

“So I did not need to shrink after all,” was Kichi’s only comment on his appearance. She took in the Rabbit’s appearance, from his sunken eyes, to his nervous twitch. He did not seem to be in the peak of health. One look at Kichi and a glance at the Rabbit and the Cat disappeared. Kichi raised an eyebrow but then shook her head and shrugged her shoulders.

The Rabbit twitched and grabbed his pocket watch, consulting the time, “No time, no time! Must be hurrying! Please don’t dawdle, Kichi, you’re so nearly late for your appointment!” His head spasmed at this and gestured below, directing Kichi’s attention to the lower floors of the library.

Below strolled in a black haired young boy that looked somewhat familiar to Kichi. He had a spring in his step and swung his arms as if he enjoyed his surroundings. His shirt was black in colour which had sleeves that ended just past his elbow and a bright red vest with a chain that crossed over his chest diagonally which ended where his shirt met his pants. The pants were dark brown in colour with stripes down the side and he had high backed boots, light brown in colour that matched his gloves.

Kichi narrowed her eyes as the boy reached up to his face towards his eyes. In a second of recognition she realised who the boy reminded her of. A young patient by the name of Sullivan, Sullivan Siridan, who tore out his eyes sometime in his past. She fell backward in shock, her heel caught an edge of a shelf, stopping her from sliding forward.

Her mind whirled in horror as she realised the implications of his presence within her Wonderland. The Cat had mentioned others had been searching for the pieces of the staff, other temporary guests, but the fact that it was the Rutledge patients. People she knew. People she had hoped would regain their sanity. People that she now had to step on to regain hers.

She was a proud woman, that was for sure, but she never hated any of the others, not even if it seemed like it. Not even if she thought that some were beyond saving, some that should never be within normal society.

No, thought Kichi, I will not be cowed by such sentiments. To regain my own sanity. To see the sky without a cage. To be able to see an open door without having a hysteric fit. There is no price I cannot pay for my own freedom.

Strengthening her resolve she stood shakily to her feet, and pulled her sword out from the tragic play that was its temporary cradle. Perhaps she could surprise Sullivan, no. She could not afford to think of him in that manner. The opponent. That was all he was. Not Sullivan. Not a fellow friend. Not even a human. An opponent. Her opponent.