Wonderland Part 2 (John Smith 10)

Story
Kairi and Alice make their way into a hedge maze, panting heavily. Their pursuers have disappeared.

Alice: Kairi! I can’t say I’m upset to see you, but what are you doing here?

Kairi: I’m, uh, you know. traveling to different worlds, looking for John’s (Voice trails off) Heartless.

Alice: Oh. I’m sorry.

Kairi: Don’t be. I’m just glad I got you out in time. That lady is head crazy.

Alice: She just reacts quite quickly and rashly. But there really was an attack on her life. Something did try to kill her.

Kairi: Who would want to kill her? I mean, she’s got dozens of guards.

Voice: You’re thinking about this all wrong. (The head of a pink cat with purple stripes appears on top of a hedge, with a huge grin on its face.)

Alice: The Cheshire Cat? (The rest of Cheshire Cat’s body appears.) Don’t listen to him. He’ll do nothing but trick you.

Cheshire Cat: You don’t want my help? Fine. I’ll laugh once Death catches you. (Cheshire Cat disappears.)

Kairi: Wait! I want to hear what you have to say! You may have led me into a trap last time, but I found that pursuer. Please, what do you mean by “Death catches you?” (Cheshire Cat reappears behind the girls, who turn to face him.)

Cheshire Cat: You shouldn’t look for who is causing Death, you should look for Death himself. You can’t kill what isn’t alive, but you can still burn it away. (Cheshire Cat disappears.)

Alice: That cat always speaks in riddles. And he is trying to trick you.

Kairi: Last time I listened to him, I almost got killed. But there was someone following me that I had to get rid of. What does he mean, “look for death?”

Voice: That, my dear, isn’t your biggest concern now. (A Corridor of Darkness opens up, Luxord appearing on top of a hedge.)

Kairi: You! (Kairi flashes back, seeing Luxord in the chair, green energy entering him.) Luxord!

Luxord: Aw. The lovely young lady remembers my name from her time as Xion. Or perhaps you remember me as John. Having multiple lives is awfully confusing.

Kairi: What would you know about that?!

Luxord: Why, everything! Nobodies have two lives, their life as a whole complete person, then their time being incomplete. But I digress.

Kairi: So, what do you want?

Luxord: Why, I want to play a game. Saïx and Axel seem to think you are a potent threat, but I want to see for myself. Seeing is believing, after all.

Kairi: I don’t have time to play your games.

Luxord: Funny. John always found the time. Either way, you don’t really have a choice.

Luxord turns into Royal NiGHTS, and releases a dream barrier, extending it to completely cover the hedge maze. Alice glows, and turns into a playing card, the same size as she is. The card spins, and disappears.

Kairi: Alice! (Cards form in the air, and scatter all over the maze. One lands in front of Kairi, in the spot Alice was standing.) What did you do?!

Royal NiGHTS: Why, I shuffled the deck. One of the cards in the maze is Alice. A couple of them are some Nobody followers, and the rest are Heartless. Touch the card to activate it, and to summon the stored creature. You find Alice, you win.

Kairi: (Suspicious) What do I win?

Royal NiGHTS: My respect, and acceptance that you are a threat. You and Alice also will be allowed to leave the maze.

Kairi: Surely you wouldn’t just let me go.

Royal NiGHTS: There are twelve cards here. Therefore, there is a one in twelve chance that you’ll find Alice. So you see, the odds are stacked in my favor. Go ahead and tap the card to begin.

Kairi: Why? It won’t be Alice.

Royal NiGHTS: You won’t know until you flip it. (Kairi groans, as she taps the card. It spins around, as humanoid Nobodies appear, with pink bodies and a long neck, with two spikes coming out the sides and one spike for a head.) Ah, meet my personal Nobodies, the Gamblers. Let the games begin!

Kairi backs away, as the Gamblers throw cards at her. Kairi rolls and dodges, as a Gambler slithers forward, cutting her off. Gambler throws dice, which hit the ground and explode, knocking Kairi back against the hedge wall. The Gamblers corner Kairi, as her eyes glow green.

Kairi/John: Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos!

Kairi turns into Wildvine, merging with the hedge wall. The Gamblers look at each other, confused, then start traveling down the maze path.

Royal NiGHTS: (Frustrated) Oh, come on! That’s cheating!

Wildvine makes it onto the path, and stretches her arm, touching a card. Shadow Heartless form, and Wildvine goes into a hedge, going to the other side. She travels down the path, touching another card. Dusk Nobodies form, surrounding her. Wildvine releases seed bombs off her back, which explode, releasing a gas. The Dusks charge in, but Wildvine was gone.

Wildvine: Not here either. That’s three down.

Wildvine makes it to a fourth card, and touches it. Several yellow Heartless, with stick like bodies wielding lances appear. The Lance Warriors charge at Wildvine, their lances piercing Wildvine. Wildvine reforms, as she stretches, grabbing one. She swings it around, slamming it into the other Lance Warriors. Two are hit, as the third parries with its lance. It lunges at Wildvine, who merges with a hedge wall. Wildvine comes out, down a dead end, reverting.

Kairi: Oh no! I held that for so long! (The end of the path glows, as the Gamblers, Shadows, Dusks and Lance Warriors come through.) That’s cheating!

Royal NiGHTS: So is running from them. (The enemies approach, as Kairi backs into the wall.)

Kairi: Come on, Big Shot. (Kairi glows, transforming.)

Ball Weevil: Oh, come on!

The Lance Warriors fly at Ball Weevil, who dodges and runs forward, into the group. Shadows come at her, and she climbs up the wall. She dodges the Dusk swings, and cards thrown at her. She makes it down the dead end path, and jumps to the ground.

Ball Weevil: Whatever you do, please work! (Ball Weevil spits a plasma ball, then hops on it.) Okay, ew. So gross.

Ball Weevil rolls through the maze, gathering dirt and leaves into the plasma ball, growing rapidly. She passes through two more cards, releasing Rabid Dogs and Minute Bombs. The six different types of enemies continue the chase, as the plasma ball is squished by the hedge walls. Ball Weevil jumps down and stops the plasma ball, pushing it back down the path. It hits a Minute Bomb, causing a massive explosion, the Minute Bombs joining in the explosion, shaking the entire maze. Royal NiGHTS struggles to stay on his feet.

Royal NiGHTS: Maybe she is a threat. I better make the next one the boss. (Ball Weevil reverts, as Kairi sits down, panting.)

Kairi: (Sighs) There. Six down. I only have to find six more cards.

Kairi gets up, walking around the corner. She finds another card, tapping it. It turns into a large Heartless with no legs appears. Its skin is pinkish and its head resembles a skull. It has an armored chest, and wields a scythe.

Royal NiGHTS: Let me introduce you to, the Grim Reaper!

Grim Reaper swings its scythe at Kairi, as she turns into Goop, taking the attack. She charges forward, stretching and wrapping around Grim Reaper. Its body starts to steam, acid melting its body. It breaks free, Goop being scattered everywhere. The Anti-Gravity  Projector gathers the slime back, as Grim Reaper swings its scythe with its blunt side, sending Goop flying, reverting. A hole had formed in Grim Reaper’s chest, showing its ribcage.

Kairi: There!

Kairi turns into Armodrillo, charging forward. Grim Reaper swings its scythe, Armodrillo knocking it away. She forms a drill hand, and drills into Grim Reaper’s body. Grim Reaper breaks apart, its body parts falling all over the ground. Armodrillo reverts.

Kairi: (Panting) There! I beat your big, bad Heartless! (Kairi keeps walking, as Royal NiGHTS yawns.)

Royal NiGHTS: Okay. This is starting to get boring. (Kairi makes it to the next card, tapping it. It spins, releasing Alice.)

Kairi: Alice! You’re alright! (The dream barrier disappears, as Royal NiGHTS reverts. Luxord then disappears in a Corridor of Darkness.)

Alice: Alright? What happened?

Kairi: I’ll explain later. Let’s get out of this maze. (The two walk off, as the pieces of the Grim Reaper start to come back together.) End Scene

Kairi and Alice exit the maze, and appear back in the Queen’s court, through a different path that they took.

Queen: Guards! Seize them! (Card Soldiers appear, grabbing Kairi and Alice.)

Kairi: Oh no! Why did we end up here?! (The Queen walks up towards them.) Look, we’re not the ones who’s trying to kill you!

Queen: Lies! And you know how I know? Because I say so! Now, off with their heads!(The Card Soldiers then scream, the Queen turning around. Grim Reaper, its body looking more decayed and broken, swings its scythe around, sending Card Soldiers flying.) What?! That’s the creature that tried to take my head!

Alice: See? It’s not ours. In fact, we came here to stop it.

Queen: You did?

Kairi: We did? (Alice clears her throat, shaking her head towards the Grim Reaper.) Oh, right. Uh, if you could let go. (The Card Soldiers let go of her and Alice.) Now, the yellow armor guy can do some major damage to it. (Kairi transforms.)

Diamondhead: Well this isn’t it, that’s for sure.

Diamondhead charges forward, hand morphed into a blade. She swings at Grim Reaper, who spins, striking Diamondhead from a distance with its scythe. Diamondhead’s hands morph, firing crystal shards at Grim Reaper. Grim Reaper takes the attack, immune. Grim Reaper swings, scratching through Diamondhead’s body. Diamondhead falls back, reverting.

Grim Reaper launches a fireball at Kairi, who shifts to Light Cream and dodges, running around the courtyard. She then takes to the air, flying over the ground. She then appears in front of Grim Reaper, and hops off its head, decapitating it. Light Cream lands, as Grim Reaper swings its scythe at her, her barely dodging.

Light Cream: How is it still moving? (Grim Reaper’s head floats, and plants itself back on its body.)

Cheshire Cat: You can’t kill what isn’t alive, but you can still burn it away.

Light Cream: That’s it! Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos!

Light Cream turns into Blaze Spear, dashing forward at Grim Reaper. Grim Reaper swings its scythe, which Blaze Spear dodges. She jumps and spirals at Grim Reaper, body lit ablaze. Blaze Spear rams it, catching Grim Reaper on fire. It starts to run, body burning brightly, as Blaze Spear gives chase again, ramming it again. Grim Reaper releases a roar of pain as it is destroyed, a heart flying into the air. Blaze Spear falls to one knee, reverting.

Kairi: There. (Sighs) Done.

Queen: You two! (Kairi and Alice turn to the Queen.) For saving my life, I’ve decided that the two of you are innocent. You are free to go.

Alice: Thank you. (Then, something in Kairi’s pocket starts to glow.) What is that? (Kairi pulls out the Star Shard.)

Kairi: The shard! It’s activa (Kairi is enveloped in the light, as she flies away.)

Alice: Goodbye, Kairi. End Scene

Luxord is shuffling a deck of cards, in the forest. Then, Espionage becomes visible besides him, an eye patch over his right eye.

Luxord: So, did you enjoy the climatic battle of my game?

Espionage: You’ve got a twisted personality. Though her squirming was enjoyable.

Luxord: So, where is she now?

Espionage: Gone. She pulled out a piece of a Gummi Ship, which took her away in light.

Luxord: A Star Shard? Very unconventional. And can be used to our advantage. Tell Saïx that we plan to take her to the Castle. I’ll inform the Castle Master and get things ready. (Luxord disappears in a Corridor of Darkness. Espionage reverts.)

Xigbar: Sure thing. Though I hate for you to have all the fun.

Characters

 * Kairi
 * Alice
 * Cheshire Cat
 * Queen of Hearts
 * Card Soldiers
 * Cards of Heart
 * Cards of Spade

Villains

 * Luxord
 * Xigbar
 * Heartless
 * Grim Reaper (boss)
 * Shadow
 * Lance Warrior
 * Rabid Dog
 * Minute Bomb
 * Nobodies
 * Gambler
 * Dusk

By Kairi

 * Wildvine
 * Ball Weevil (unintentional transformation; intended alien was Big Shot)
 * Goop
 * Armodrillo
 * Diamondhead (unintentional transformation; intended alien was Armodrillo)
 * Light Cream
 * Blaze Spear

By Luxord

 * Royal NiGHTS

By Xigbar

 * Espionage

Trivia

 * For the last three episodes, Xigbar reveals one of his aliens in each one of them.
 * Luxord appearing in Wonderland is due to his association with cards.
 * Queen of Hearts is not considered to be a villain in this episode.