Chapter 25

The sun rose to greet several groups of people and creatures throughout Wonderland. Some welcomed the day with open arms, others turned over in their beds and cursed it. Some pined for it through the bars of their cell, others watched it with anticipation of things to come.

In the far corner of the land, in the dead center of Diamond Woods, the Duchess watched the sunrise with worry and care. The White Rabbit had spread the secret news that Akefia, the one who called himself the Ringleader, had been captured by the Queen and was being held as a prize for the next croquet tournament. He told her this with great concern, and she had thanked him for it, sending him quickly on his way in case the Queen caught him spreading the word.

Her harpies stood guard at all times, sensing her worry but not knowing the cause. The blonde royal smiled with affection. Throughout everything they would stand by her side, and were the only things she could truly trust. She didn't even trust her pet, the Cheshire Cat. Not fully anyway. He had good intentions, but he was tricksy.

She watched the sunrise with concern, and vowed to help release the captured Ringleader.


In the center of the land, standing high up on the roof of one of the towers in Heartland City, the Queen of Hearts stood proud and smug, looking forwards to the next day's events and almost insanely gleeful about his capture of the white haired man who called himself King. He'd waited for this day a long time, ever since he'd heard of the gorgeous man. Oh, he'd never ever EVER lay his hands on him in that way, oh no. The Queen wrinkled his nose in disgust. Sure the Ringleader was pretty to look at but the spikey haired man had his sights on another, much more pleasing target.

It wouldn't stop him in capturing the lion too, however. The Queen licked his lips. Ah yes, that pretty little lion. He'd have fun breaking him while the 'King' watched. So strong and yet so easily betrayed, if what his minions had told him was true. The crimson-eyed queen tutted as he shook his head, stalking back inside into the warmth, turning around to have one last look at the rising sun. Akefia had to be careful. He talked in his sleep and let out a lot of secrets, of which the walls listened to.

He watched the sunrise with glee, and vowed that he would keep his hands on the Ringleader no matter what.



In another corner of the land, more specifically Spades Forest, two rooms looked at the rising sun with different thoughts.


Marik sat on the edge of the bed, looking out at the golden rays peaking out from over the top of the trees through the curtains he forgot to close the previous night. He hadn't had a good sleep, his dreams turning into nightmares of the Ringleader, his master, being tortured and broken in ways he didn't want to think about again. He'd awoken to Bakura in his embrace and had reluctantly shuffled out of it to sit in his current position. The blonde was surprised he hadn't woken the usually light sleeper, but then he remembered that transporting to Wonderland was quite a tiring thing.

His mind wandered to the Ringleader. His fists clenched subconciously at the thought of that damn Queen laying his filthy hands on his master. From what the March Hare had told him, he doubted that Queen Bitch would do anything sexual to him, but there was still the worry, still the fear of torture and worse. Marik shook his head to clear his mind. It wouldn't do any good to worry right now, not with having to learn the game of croquet so he had a chance to beat the man he wanted to simply claw to death like his instincts screamed.

He watched the sunrise with rage, and vowed he would kill the Queen and beat him at his own game to save the Ringleader.


The King of Spades sat contemplating on the large bay window in his personal quaters wearing nothing except his white pants, thinking over various strategies to defeat his long-time rival and enemy. There were too many variables to properly prepare for what was about to happen, but he could at least try and have the upper hand. If it was up to him he'd charge in there with his sword and just slice the Queen Bitch to pieces before feeding them to the Jabberwocky in Club Beach. Alas, the white haired king couldn't do that, not while the Queen's word was law and he had many supporters.

He turned to the two apparently sleeping figures on his bed, both stark naked and wrapped around each other. The King smiled at the sight. It was times like this when he could relate to his mirror image, the Ringleader. The Cheshire Cat might have been the Duchess's pet but he was his friend, companion and occasional lover. The March Hare was similar, but more his brother in arms than anything else. The three often found themselves in bed together despite the other two's obvious attachment to each other. The King of Spades knew he'd protect them, and their kittens, with his life.

He watched the sunrise with sympathy, and vowed he would help the Ringleader any way he could.


The final corner of the land wasn't really a corner, rather a straight stretch of land known as Club Beach, and within it a boy known as Yugi, more commonly known as Alice, sat in his friend's villa with a cup of tea in his hands and a concerned look on his face. Like with the Duchess, the White Rabbit had delivered the news that the prize of the Queen's next croquet tournament was none other than the Ringleader, Akefia. While they hadn't spoken that much, and had only met by coincidence at various people's abodes, Alice hated the fact that he knew the Queen only did things like this to gain his attention.

He grumbled into his tea, blowing bubbles in it as he delicately sipped it. It was known to pretty much everyone that the Queen of Hearts had a 'more-than-crush' on him, and it annoyed the dress wearing boy like nothing else. He hadn't given up his life in the 'real world' to be persued by some queen with a crossdressing fetish. Besides, he was perfectly happy with his strange relationships with the White Rabbit and Mad Hatter.

He watched the sunrise with annoyance, and vowed he would stop the Queen from using the Ringleader in his twisted games.


Back in Heartland City, under the warmth of the palace in the cold and slightly damp dungeons, Akefia wearily watched what little of the sunrise he could see through the tiny window in his cell. The uke-shroom powder he was constantly poisoned with had forced all the fight and struggle out of him, and the white haired man was left to simply curl up and try and gain some warmth. One of the guards had taken pity on him and given him a scrap of material for a blanket, which currently rested over his shoulders. He winced at the memory of the purple eyed guard saying 'You look so cold, poor thing', like he was a child, or a pet.

Akefia pulled it as far around himself as it would go, and looked up at the sun just barely peaking through the bars of the window. He was on the verge of tears, something he hadn't done since he was a small boy of eight when he parents were murdered. It was then that he'd found the hat, his beloved red top hat. The hat was something to hold on to, which he had done for all these years.

He watched the sunrise with desperationg, and silently pleaded to be saved.