A Champion in a Twisted World

Chapter 17 - Strange Dreams and a Desperate Heart

Where... are you?

You vaguely remember passing through the mirror in the dorm room, but now you're standing in... some kind of garden? Yes, a garden filled with bushes of white roses in the shape of hearts.

You stand up, your head whirling around in confusion as you try to take in your surroundings, and you realize you hear voices from behind the bushes you're behind.

You immediately step around, ready to ask for help as you've been brought to another world again. And now without your Pokémon...

Then you feel something bump against your ankle and look down, seeing Terapagos. You smile and pick up the little Pokémon.

Okay, so one Pokémon is here with you... good to see you're not alone.

You look over at the several... playing card people? It's like what Ace mentioned to you earlier, the Queen of Hearts with her card soldiers...

"Excuse me?" You call out, getting no response from the card-people. "Hello?"

You frown as the cards ignore you and keep talking.

"Hurry and paint the roses red."

"If we don't hurry, the flowers will wilt!"

You watch as they run around, frantically covering every single white flower in sight in glossy red paint using paint brushes and paint cans they hold. You watch the spectacle, glancing down to see your and Terapagos' selves shimmery and slight see-through, like you aren't just here in this world.

"Hurry, hurry! They're are still some that aren't painted!" The Ace of Clubs calls out to the others in a panic.

This is weird... very weird.

You look around and see a girl walking up to the cards. She's not shimmery like you, so you know she's meant to be here (unlike you). She's wearing a blue dress with a white apron over it, with blonde hair tied back with a black ribbon with a bow at the top. She seems innocent and curious, her hands behind her back as she leans forward.

"Why are you painting the roses red?" She asks harmessly.

All the cards stop and look at the girl in shock. After a moment of hesitation, the Two of Clubs steps up to her.

"Why, you ask? Well, to tell you the truth, we made a mistake and accidentally planted white roses." The card explains.

...how do you accidentally plant the wrong color of roses? Are they all simultaneously color blind?

The Ace of Clubs steps up next to the Two of Clubs. "The Queen loves red, so if she sees the white roses, it's off with our heads!"

You flinch back in shock, and realize they're referring to the Queen of Hearts. She... sounds even more insane now, seeing how fearful the card soldiers look.

These... poor souls, they don't deserve this!

"Goodness." The girl looks startled, but stays curious. All the cards nod in sync and the girl steps up and takes a paint can and paintbrush, and starts helping the cards paint the roses. They all start singing about painting the roses.

You gently move Terapagos to look in their eyes. "Tera, never try to chop off someone's head. Okay?"

Tera nods innocently and you make a satisfied nod, as you feel a tugging sensation on you.

"Huh-" You yelp as you're sudden yanked back, being pulled with Terapagos away from the garden and everything goes black.

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