Alice in the Country of Pirates

Sword Fight One: Welcome to the Country of Pirates, Outsider~!

"Tick, tock, tick, tock, time to move the land again~!" a voice sang as the ticking of a clock sounded out, slowly being accompanied by a long swishing sound. "When you wake, the move will end~."

"Where am I now?" Alice asked as she looked out of her bedroom window to see that the land had changed once more.

"I hope everyone's alright...." Alice thought as she let out a sigh before walking towards her door and opening it to find a forest with signs and doors everywhere. "Might as well find them...." she thought out loud, catching the attention of a short, messy, red hair, cat eared boy as he laid peacefully in a nearby tree.

"Who are you?" the boy asked as he sat up on his branch, causing Alice to jump slightly.

She quickly looked around the area, only to find the boy staring at her with his gold colored eyes. He wore a red soldier shirt with a pair of white pants and a pair of black boots. A pale purple, tasseled sash was tied around his waist while a black ribbon bell collar was tied around his neck.

"Alice," Alice said as she slowly walked toward the boy.

"Al....ice?" the boy said uncertainly, tilting his head to the side. "What's an "Alice"?"

"I'm an "Outsider"." Alice said with an awkward smile.

"Outsider?" the boy said, tilting his head to the other side. "That's a funny name."

"My name is not "Outsider"!" Alice said angrily, slightly glaring at the boy.

"I'm the other half of the Cheshire cat role." the boy said, ignoring Alice's comment. "My name's Trickster."

"Trickster?" Alice asked with a bewildered look.

"Yeah," Trickster said dully as he stared into space. "I'm guessing you came from another country?"

This surprised Alice at how accurate his guess was. "Yes, how did you know?"

"You have the scent of the other half of the Cheshire cat role on you." Trickster said as he narrowed his eyes in disgust.

"Does he mean Boris?" Alice thought as Trickster leaped off his branch and landed on the ground.

"Well, since you're all alone and I don't smell anyone else nearby, that must mean finding you makes you mine." Trickster said as a Cheshire cat smile slowly made its way to his face.

"What-?!" Alice started but was cut short when Trickster wrapped his arms around her neck.

"Finally~! I have something that stupid, pink hair punk doesn't~!" Trickster exclaimed happily as he nuzzled his nose into Alice's hair.

"So he did mean Boris." Alice thought as Trickster continued to nuzzle her hair.

"Let's take you to Master so she can see you!" Trickster exclaimed happily as he pulled himself away from Alice with a wide grin.

""Master"?" Alice said questionably as Trickster started to pull her with him as he walked through the forest.

"Yeah, it's been a long time since Master has seen any new faces around here!" Trickster said happily as his red cat tail swished back and forth happily. "Maybe she'll like you enough for the two of you to take a look around the place!"

Alice remained silent as Trickster continued to pull her along till they reached a white and gold mansion like building with a giant grandfather clock in the center of it.

"Wow...." Alice said in total awe as Trickster pulled her closer to the building.

"This is Clock Mansion, Outsider." Trickster explained as he dashed toward the front doors. "This is where Master and I live. Hey, since I own you now, you can live here too!" he added, turning his head towards Alice as they reached the doors.

"Uh, I'm not sure your "master" would like it if I move in with you." Alice said as she managed to get herself away from Trickster.

"But you're mine now!" Trickster exclaimed as his ears drooped while he looked at Alice with teary eyes. "And Master would like it if you stayed with us, Outsider!"

As much as it annoyed Alice having Trickster call her "Outsider", she couldn't help but admit defeat as she let out a sigh and said, "Alright, I'll stay."

"Yay! Thank you, Outsider!" Trickster exclaimed happily as he wrapped his arms around Alice's neck once more in delight before grabbing her by the arm and pushing the doors wide open. "Master, look at what I've brought~!" he yelled in a sing song way, pulling Alice inside and up a flight of stairs or two.

Alice tried her best to keep up with Trickster's speed as they neared a set of double doors painted white. Trickster quickly grabbed one of the brass doorknobs and opened them to find a small, yellow and white library with a black haired woman sitting in a wheelchair near the window with a book in her hands.

"Master! This is the Alice role holder, Outsider!" Trickster exclaimed happily as he neared the woman as she looked up from her book and toward the two once they stopped in front of her.

She had her hair in a high ponytail with a few locks hanging down the side of her face while her bright blue eyes slowly scanned Alice up and down, making her feel uncomfortable. She wore a light blue, turtleneck underneath a purplish blue, short sleeve dress with a pair of white stockings and a pair of black shoes. On her lap was a wooden staff with a crystal ball on top of it that had an image of the sun in the daytime within it.

"So, Master," Trickster started after a moment of silence between the three, "can she stay with us, please?"

"I'll make my decision once you bring us some tea, Trickster." the woman said in a kind voice, closing her book and rolled herself toward a round, yellow clothed table in the center of the room.

"Yes, Master!" Trickster exclaimed happily as he quickly ran out of the room and down the hall.

"Aren't you going to sit?" the woman asked as she looked toward Alice with a kind smile.

"O-o-oh," Alice said as she slowly walked toward an empty chair at the table.

"I hope Trickster didn't startled you," the woman said kindly as Alice took her seat.

"Oh, it's alright. I'm used to being startled all the time." Alice said with a smile.

"I see," the woman said, resting her head on her hand. "So, who brought you here?"

"Huh?" Alice asked, staring at the woman with confusion.

"Who brought you to Wonderland, young lady?" the woman asked as her eyes showed a sinister glint within them.

"Peter White," Alice said with a hint of disgust in her voice, looking towards the side.

"I see," the woman said, looking towards the side as well. "So, what's your real name?"

"Alice," Alice said as she looked toward the woman once more.

"Well, nice to meet you, Alice." the woman said, shining a soft smile towards Alice. "My name is Rachel Thyme, Trickster's master as you have been told. I assume that you know about the land moving, yes?"

"Yeah, this is my fifth move since coming to Wonderland." Alice said as Trickster came back into the room, carrying a tray filled with tea cups and a tea pot.

"I see," Rachel said as Trickster set the tray on the table and started setting it. "Well then, knowing Trickster, he didn't tell you which country this is, did he?" she asked as she slightly glared at Trickster as he poured the tea.

"Yes, he didn't." Alice said as she looked toward Trickster as he handed her a cup.

"Well, in any case, I will tell you where you are." Rachel said as Trickster set her cup in front of her. "You're in the Country of Pirates, dear."