SEDUCED. dark fantasy romance

two

Wonderland High
Catt's Point of View

The pink haired twin watches her best friend, Lilac, scream into the night sky until her throat is raw. The whistling of the air and the tress calms Catt's nerves. They had just come face to face with Alice, the exiled witch, who was known for her con artistry. She committed several crimes in her short time in Wonderland, upon her first arrival, and left unscathed by using her magic to portal back to her land. Legend says that Alice was overrun with greed that she decided to test her luck once more and was apprehended on site, due to more indescribable evidence stacked against her. 

Catt possesses the ability to shape shift, but she's far from able to use it effectively in battle. Her twin, Chelsea, on the other hand has become quite skillful in shadow wielding. An ability that the rosette twin is certain her sister learned just to scare her. Chelsea learned how to use the famous Cheshire smile to disappear and appear on command. 

I'm sure she was just as scared as I was when Alice invaded our home.

How could Catt blame her sister for not doing something she didn't do?

Chelsea squeezes her twin's hand. "Are you okay?"

Catt nods and grits her teeth into a smile.

Chelsea rolls her eyes.

"It's always such a pleasure," Hatter says appearing from his hat.

Chelsea squeals at his appearance trick.

The pink haired twin relishes in watching her twin being served a large bowl of karma.

Lilac runs to him and leans her body against his, falling into a fit of tears. He wraps his arms around her waist and rubs soothing circles on her back. They stand in silence beside the constant downpour of tears that flow from the golden haired girl. 

"Everything's ruined," the tearful girl finally says, her voice trembling. "That witch...she took everything from me. My family, my home."

Hatter's eyes narrowed thoughtfully as he listened. He could see the desperation in Lilac's gaze, and he understood the gravity of the situation. "Tell me how I can help."

Catt wasn't surprised at how quickly Hatter was to assist Lilac. After all, these two were much more to each other than childhood friends, or, at least, they used to be...

"I need," the blonde rubs her bloodshot eyes, "to get stronger." Her eyes light up in recognition. "Today I turned into a miniature dragon. Transforming into a magical creature is a sign that I could be a magic wielder, right?"

Hatter nods, hanging onto her every word.

"Then, is there a place I can go to learn how to control this? Please, Hatter. I wouldn't asked if this wasn't dire."

"You're right. And with your royal bloodline, your chances of becoming a powerful sorceress are even greater," he said. "There is a place where you can become powerful enough to defeat her."

"Where?" Lilac asked, her voice cracking with hope. 

Hatter's gaze softened. "There is a school—Wonderland High. It's a place where people -not just wonderlanders- from all over the dimensions, come to hone their magical abilities and study from the greatest of wizards, queens, and fairies, in the land."

Lilac's eyes are full of wonder and an unshakable determination.

"A school?"  Chelsea crosses her arms as she eyes Hatter. "We don't have time to solve algebraic equations."

Hatter nodded. "Wonderland High is more than just a school. It's a prestigious academy that's built dimensions, such as wonderlanders, underwater tribes, rich kingdoms, and so so many magical realms, into what they are today. The education and training there will be crucial if you want a chance in hell at getting your home back."

The rosette looked at Lilac, seeing the spark of determination in her friend's eyes. "I have to go," she said, her voice steady. "I need to do this"

Catt placed a hand on Lilac's shoulder. "And we're coming with you."

"Not a fan of going to school on summer break, but," Chelsea puts her thumb up and offers a cheesy smile. "It is what it is."

"Then it's settled." Hatter clasps his hands together with a satisfied expression.  "I'll guide you to Wonderland High. It's not far from here."

With a deep breath, Lilac, Chelsea, and Catt followed Hatter as he led them away from the remnants of Wonderland Palace and into the darkened forest. 

· · ─ ·𖥸· ─ · ·

The moonlight filtered through the canopy of trees, casting dappled shadows on the forest floor as Lilac, Chelsea, and Catt followed Hatter through the winding path. The encounter with Alice played in Catt's mind on repeat, reminding herself of how useless she was. She's always been known as the problem solver, but where was her calculating mind when she'd needed it most.

I need to escape my thoughts. 

I need to escape me.

Catt glanced at Chelsea, who was occasionally using her Cheshire smile to disappear and reappear playfully behind her. It was clear that Chelsea was trying to lighten the mood, despite the seriousness of their mission.

"Chels, you're going to give me whiplash if you keep that up," Catt commented, fighting the grin slipping through her stoic expression.

The lavenderette materialized next to her with a grin. "What? Are the two minutes you spent outside of mom's womb catching up to you at your ripe age?" Her twin sticks her tongue out at her. "Besides, it's not my fault if you're easily startled."

You're one to talk. You squeal like a pig every time something unexpected happens.

"Ouch, ripe age hurts." Lilac, walking beside them, lets out a soft laugh. "I'm older than both of you by three months."

"Don't worry, Elle, that insult only applies to Catt," Chelsea said, a wicked grin spreading across her face. "Anyways, you both should be thanking me."

"And why is that?" 

The pink haired girl was curious as to what she her sister had done today that she owed gratitude. It's been a snowball of catastrophic events, the flakes of white snow only now starting to melt with Chelsea's riveting quips and startling displays of the Cheshire ability.

"Because," The lavenderette breaks into the Cheshire smile. "I'm preparing you guys for this new school." She holds up a finger, adding onto her reason. "Not to mention that by using Cheshire cloaking, I'm practicing my powers, which, in turn, makes me stronger."

"Impressive, Chelsea." Hatter chuckles. As he leads the way, he glanced back with a smile. "Wonderland High has a steadfast curriculum meant to equipped the brightest young minds. Practice will help you reach your goals faster, being the courses are self-paced."

"How long is this class, by the way?" The rosette pondered.

"Each semester is a year long."

"A year?" The three girls exclaimed.

They didn't have that type of time.

What would be of Wonderland Palace when they returned? Ash and decayed bodies? 

The idea made Catt shudder. The rosette tried to remind herself that their only chance at getting their home back was by attending Wonderland Palace. Surely, they'll be able to devise a plan once they've taken a few classes.

As they continued walking, the forest began to reveal more of its whimsical nature. Bioluminescent flowers lit up their path, and the trees seemed to hum with an ethereal melody. It was a reminder that Wonderland was full of wonder and enchantment, even if it was also full of danger.

"I've got to admit," Catt said, looking around at the glowing flora. "This place is pretty amazing."

Even with everything going on.
It's hard not to be amazed.

"It is beautiful," Lilac agreed, her mood visibly lifting. 

Chelsea grinned. "Just try not to get too distracted. We've got a school to get to and a witch to deal with."

"Deal with? You make it sound so casual," Catt teased. "I'd like to see the syllabus for that class."