Dark Side of Wonderland

Kiyomi

Halo Nine: Kiyomi:

December 16th, 2015.

Mikado awoke to the familiar sound of electrical humming and buzzing.

"Hm?" he asked. When he opened his eyes, he was nearly by bright white. Alarm bells went off in his head.

"What the-?!" the tadpole shouted. Flashbacks of Chou Mori filled his head. That's when Mikado got a better look at his surroundings. There was nothing but white in this room. There were no doors or windows around. The tadpole was sitting in a cold metal. He tried to get up but found himself unable to move. Mikado could only move his head slightly. Already, he didn't like where this was heading.

No... Not again. Not this again.

Maybe this was another nightmare? If only he was that lucky...

That's when he had the feeling he was not alone.

Mikado looked in front of him and noticed another person sitting in a chair like his. This was a girl about his age. She was still unconscious. Her chin was to her chest. The girl did look kind of cute. Long curly blonde hair came down to her high back. The yellow and black dress hugged her curvy, slender body. Mikado squinted as he continued to stare.

Where have I seen her before?

The tadpole tried to place her as he committed every detail of her face and body to memory. He froze as she started to wake up. Her eyes fluttered awake as she lifted her head. Mikado braced himself for the freakout. And sure enough, the girl looked around as she panicked.

"W-W-What is this?!" the poor girl asked. She turned her around quickly. The girl tried to move but she couldn't get up.

"What's going on?!" she asked. "Where am I?! What am I doing here?!" The girl turned her attention to Mikado sitting in front of him.

"And who are you?" she asked. The tadpole opened his mouth. The sound of a speaker crackled to life.

"Oh good, you're both awake," Kitano said over the speaker. Mikado felt his blood burn.

"Kitano! You did this!" he shouted. Mikado struggled in his chair. He must be using Celty's DNA to keep him in place.

"Good to see the barrier is holding you in place," Kitano said. Mikado frowned.

"What is this?" he asked. The girl looked up at the ceiling.

"W-W-Who are you?" she asked. "What do you want from us? Is it money? I have plenty of money! I will give you what you want! Please! Just let us go!"

"Money, you say?" Kitano asked. "What do you think this is? A kidnapping? No, no, no. I am here to help you." The girl looked confused.

"What?" she asked. A flash of anger washed over her.

"Oh, did Mama put you up to this?!" the girl asked. Mikado squirmed in his chair. He still couldn't move.

"That won't do you any good, Chirin," Kitano said. The tadpole's right eye twitched when he heard that name.

"How do you think we got you here?" the therapist asked. Mikado went still in his chair. Kitano cleared his throat.

"Now, I know you both have plenty of questions about why you are here," he said in a calm rhythm. "Allow me to explain. You, my dear, are on a self-destructive path. I have been asked to help you. Do you see that young man in front of you?" The girl turned her attention to Mikado as he sat up straight.

"Yes," she grumbled.

"This young man is going to help me with this little... therapy session," Kitano said. Mikado looked up at the ceiling trying to find a camera.