Al in Wonderland

The Red Queen's Castle

The early morning blinded Al as he sat up and rubbed his eyes. He felt a hand fall from his chest to his lap and looked, Cheshire lay next to him on the bed sound asleep.

His back ached and his head pounded. With a hesitant sigh he realized the leaves were taken off.

Nauseous he stood up only to fall right back down. Stunningly out of breath he tried to stand again but fell once more.

"Mmm~" Cheshire stretched and opened his eyes to find no one laying there, alarmed he quickly sat up, "Al!" And then seeing him on the floor just laying there he slightly wondered what he was doing.

"I can't feel my body," Al said calmly.

"Of course not," Cheshire helped him to sit on the bed, "you used too much energy just destroying all those things." He said laying him down. "Rest is all you need-"

"Rrr-agh-raah..." Al's eyes flashed white and he twitched as if possessed.

His chest tightened and he arched his back,

"Uggh... What's happening to me?" Al asked, his eyes kept flashing from his original color to white and back.

The now golden-white marks appeared and disappeared along with the flashing of his eye color.

"Calm down, panicking will only make it worse," Cheshire said keeping him pinned down, Al closed his eyes. "Open them, open them and look at me!" He said pushing his chest down slowly, "Keep yourself awake, keep yourself conscious," he said.

Al opened his eyes willingly, he looked into Cheshire's and found a small light in them.

His heart soothed and his aching back ceased. Feathers emerged from his back, a white halo appeared above his head and vanished as the bunches of feathers emerged on the wings. He took a breath and kept himself fixed with his eyes.

"Good," he heard Cheshire's voice echo.

He sat up and he felt the mass of feathers burst from his back, golden-white feathers filled the breeze as it blew in.

The feathers seemed to dance when the wind turned and twirled. They sparkled and were very dazzling.

"Better?" He asked, Al nodded leaning on him for all the support as he made him stand.

"What happened to me? To those things?"

"I'm not all that sure," Al didn't look at him.

They walked down to the dinning room taking all the time they needed. They sat, joining Melodi and Cassie at the table for some tea and cake.

Al took a long sip of the warm tea and realized Cassie was glaring at him.

"I did not know it was possible to grow wings." She said surprised, Cheshire made a face,

"What? You know it is true. Anyways, since we have already made it this far, and Al seems to have realized his power and potential, the Green Queen is currently on a mission to the King of Diamond's castle. The Mage told me she would not return until four days," Cassie said.

"Four days? That's short for how many we've encounter so far." Cheshire shrugged leaning back in the chair crossing his arms.

"I know, and that's exactly what worries me..." She said. "I sent a group of the toughest men I knew to go and retrieve her Highness. So instead of four she will be returning in two. And that is perfect for what I have in mind. I am currently missing my Heart Staff and require it at once, but there is a problem."

"Oh, here it comes, my favorite part!" Cheshire acted happy about it.

"My castle has already been over run by those terrible things, and it seems to me, that not only do they have my staff, but they also have my most trusted maid, Lestia. I was wondering if you two would like to accompany me on a short day journey to my castle and back. And by the time the Green Queen returns, we will be returning as well." Cassie sipped her tea.