The Lost One in Alice's Garden
ARC 02 Clover Forest
Chapter 12 Reunion: "White" and "Tiger"
Running through the woods are the trio consisting of an amnesiac girl, a cat man, and a hot-blooded hat maker.
The tables have turned after they became the chasers.
"UGH! Why are we chasing him again?!" Cheshire complains while jumping from tree to tree.
"Just shut up, asshole!"
Everything is peaceful while waiting for White to wake up, who is sleeping on the maiden's lap. It is shockingly surprising that the two adults aren't making any kind of argument and are just quiet behind her.
It is kind of bothersome... but in the end, she chooses to brush it off, thinking they could be considerate at times.
Her thoughts were cut off when she felt something stir on her lap, and there was White slowly sitting up, yet still sleepy, absentminded, and his mind still lost in oblivion.
The three waited...
However, he just ran away from them.
The three were stunned.
"...Again!?" the three shout in shock.
Cheshire and the no-name girl sigh in defeat, while Hatter clicks his tongue. Groaning, the maiden and her companions begin the chase.
It's bothering her, the way Bandersnatch or White runs away from them. Is he scared of Hatter? No. If that's the case, then he should have run right after seeing the man, but he still fought, resulting in that very area becoming a battlefield.
The lad doesn't care how long he has been running, as all he wants is to go back to his safest place in this world. He sprints with fear creeping inside him, not just running away from those folks but toward something else that is scarier and bigger than them.
"Scared?" Hatter questions, stopping in his tracks, followed by a confused Cheshire and the Alice. "What the fuck are you talking about?"
The eleventh Alice gives off a small smile. "I'm not fully sure—" she mumbles, trying to be honest, "but I could feel fear from him." Her reaction makes Hatter and Cheshire more confused; she looks hurt. "I don't know how it can be explained, but..." she pauses, indulging herself in the memories of her odd dream. "For now, I want to have a proper talk with him."
Despite the confusion brought by the nameless, their interest in her made them accept her very poor reasoning, which led them to continue their chase.
Finally spotting his desired location with his half red, half yellow orbs, the lad quickly opens the door and slams it closed, sitting behind it, hands gripping his white hair.
Trembling in fear as it succumbs to his insides and thoughts, and due to stress, he starts chanting a single sutra "They will kill me!", repeating it over and over.
Sweat drips down his face, neck, and hands.
"What should I do? I don't want to die!" Tears start to overflow from his eyelids and dampen his face.
"Its simple..." Whisper of a distant voice reaches his shaken mind, "just devour her..." A flash of a gruesome memory resurfaces in his mind; he vomited at him eating a human.
Following that horrid memory is another memory, but this time with a winged knight landing in his garden. The winged knight has a gentle smile playing on his face, yet his presence sends malice to the lad instead.
"It's alright~," the winged knight rhymes, "Once you are done, no one will ever dare to hurt you."
"Wh-what? But I can't do that!!! I—"
"You. Can." The winged knight holds authority in his voice; yes, it is not a consolation but an order.
The older man leans closer to the lad's face, and with wide eyes that hold intense malice, he makes White tremble. In contrast to his intense gaze, the winged knight carries a gentle kind smile.
"You can do it... after all, you are Bandersnatch."
"NO!!!"
From 'They'll kill me', his sutra changes to 'I don't want to kill.' Again, he keeps repeating this for who knows how long.
"I DON'T WANT TO KILL!!!" he screams at the top of his lungs.
"Then don't..." a woman's soothing voice reaches his heart, cutting through his chants in an instant. "You didn't have to. Don't force yourself; just stay who you are..."
'H—huh? Sh—she's here...?!' His eyes widen.
"Isn't that much easier!"
"Hi—HIEEE!!!!!" he shrieks loudly.
Earlier—while Bandersnatch was having his stress dilemma, the trio stepped onto land that made them all awe at the sight.
A cute garden-like area decorated with different kinds and colors of wildflowers, healthy green trees, and a wealthy grass field; anyone could see what kind of soul the owner of this land has. Small ordinary and non-talking animals and insects can be seen playing around the garden, and topping it all is the cute mushroom-shaped cabin sleeping in the middle of it all.
The forest brings a pleasant feeling to the Alice, making her question whether that strange fortress where she met Hatter and Cheshire really exists.
A place where no one would think a monstrous, man-eating tiger is occupying.
"Woah... this place is kind of—"
"Cute?" Alice finishes Hatter's sentence, that leaving him unsure if he should continue.
"Does Bandersnatch really lives here?"
"Maybe... probably..." Cheshire shrugs, unusually unsure.
"Then we better ask the owner instead." The Alice walks to the door and knocks but receives no answer.
"Let me break it," Hatter suggests.
"Nope, you better not..." The Alice prevents him.
Cheshire, on the other hand, walks around, turning his head here and there. Meanwhile, after sighing and finding nothing interesting, Hatter leans his back against a tree, closing his eyes and crossing his arms.
The maiden gave up, stepping back, walking away from the cabin. It's like become a normal routine, her feet would bring her to some random places but nevertheless led her somewhere.
Not far from the cabin stood a single old shed, and finding that place had led them to their current predicament.
"Th—The destroyer is h-here!!!" The voice from beyond the door sounded panicked and trembling.
"Of course, you don't have to listen." Despite the stammering from the lad, the eleventh Alice continued to talk calmly and soothingly. For a moment, everything came to a halt. "We followed you here because we wanted to talk with you... but if you don't want to, then we won't push it."
Silence consumed the space as both parties waited for each other's response. During this silence, Cheshire showed something to the shorter girl, which confused her for a while.
The Alice turned her head to Cheshire, questioning the presented item.
"It's—" Before the cat could start, the lad's voice interrupts him.
The voice stumbles on every word he sends to them. Cheshire raises his eyebrow in puzzlement but soon becomes convinced that indeed Bandersnatch is really scared, just like she had told them. The cat has an idea about the reason for this behavior; the proof is in his hand.
"W-why a-are y-you here? P-please d-don't de-destroy my home... I'm b-begging you... d-don't ki—kill me...! Please!"
Cheshire hums; these words confirm his guess.
"Hey..." Cheshire's eyes land on the shorter one. "Where is this coming from?"
It makes him wonder just what kind of person this girl really is. One moment she's nonchalant, someone who's done in the world; reckless; then acting friendly; then icy cold; it's like there are multiple people living inside her small body. "Well, like I've said—" her tone and the air around them have gone back to normal. "We only want to speak with you. Just to be certain, neither I nor these two have any intention to kill you or destroy this place, like you're pleading."
"R-really?"
"Wh-what? You want to?"
"NO!" In an instant, the door burst open, revealing the sweaty and trembling lad.
"Easy~" Cheshire mumbles with a small smirk.
Bandersnatch flinches when the realization of what he just did strikes him hard. His legs go limp and slump down to the floor of his shed.
"Yo! Still alive there, White?" He only nodded in response. "I see..." Bandersnatch blushes, while Cheshire has a puzzled look on his face as they both stare at the smiling maiden.
"What a weirdo," Cheshire mumbles absentmindedly.
••••••
The Red Queen, who is admiring the red flowers on her working desk, humming delightedly, which confuses her servant. Why? Because the Queen seems happy about the dreadful news.
"My Queen."
"Yes, Arata?" The queen has a really pleased look on her face, unbothered by the report.
"Bandersnatch failed in disposing of Alice—"
"I've already heard it. So what? I'm happy, and so? Flowers should bloom beautifully, and the more they struggle to live, the prettier they get. You get what I mean?"
"I'm sorry, Your Majesty, I..."
"It's fine; I won't behead you just because you failed to understand me. There are really times when failures are inevitable." The queen's eyes narrow as she smiles more. "Please struggle more, Alice, until the day I destroy you." A soft giggle leaves her closed mouth.