Impossible (A HEARTLESS Fanfic)

Chapter Twenty-Five

"So what is your plan exactly?" asked Ace.

Their little band of rebels was wandering through the Forest again. Hatta was in the lead, and he rolled his eyes at Ace's question. "Why is everyone so obsessed with having a plan?" he asked.

Alice turned to Ace. "Our plan is to overthrow the Queen. But we haven't figured out all the details just yet."

"All right, so when you say 'overthrow,' are you thinking of an outright battle?" Ace asked.

Mary Ann whimpered up ahead of them. "Oh, please, let us not fight her. She may not be a good queen, but she was once our fr—" She stopped short and cleared her throat as Hatta eyed her irritably. "She was once a nice young lady."

"She wasn't all that nice," Hatta snapped.

Pierrot, who was was walking just behind the hatter, placed a hand on his shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze. Hatta tensed but did not speak another word. Pierrot looked back and smiled at Ace.

"I think we'd prefer to avoid bloodshed if at all possible," he said. "However, we realize that the probability of such a preference is low."

"Are you prepared for a battle?" Ace asked, looking to Alice for an answer.

She grimaced. "Well, considering our little group consists of a hatter, a thief, a clown, a maid, and a—uh, I'm sorry, Haigha, but what is it you do again?"

"I'm a pawn," the hare replied.

Alice's brow furrowed, but she returned her attention to Ace. "And a pawn. You are the only member of the rebellion who has any sort of experience in battle. So I'd say we are sorely unprepared."

"I can teach you," Ace said.

"Teach us what?"

"How to fight."

"With weapons?" Mary Ann asked, her voice quavering at the mere suggestion.

"I'm afraid you haven't enough wits to do battle with them, so weapons it must be," Hatta said.

Mary Ann's face crumpled, but she did not respond. Alice bit her lip and stormed up to Hatta, smacking him over the head. He turned on her, that glint of madness flaring up in his eyes. The rest of the group stopped short, and Tart scurried to safety in Alice's pocket.

"Why must you be so cruel?" Alice said.

"I was being truthful," Hatta said through clenched teeth. "It is not my fault if the truth can often be cruel."

"There is no need for snide remarks!"

"Would you care to hear what I have to say about you?"

"Just try me, madman!"

"All right, I think we might need to take a moment to collect ourselves," Pierrot said as he cut in between the two.

"I agree," Ace said as he tugged at the chain connecting him and Alice.

Alice took a few steps back and allowed Ace to put his arms around her shoulders. Pierrot managed to gently push Hatta back several paces. There was a large space between them now, but even across the distance they were still staring daggers at each other. Ace tugged on the chain again, trying to catch Alice's attention. She finally tore her gaze away from Hatta and turned to Ace.

"So you can help us learn how to fight?" Alice asked, trying to distract herself from the irritating hatter.

"Yes, I can, if you want me to."

"I do. I don't want to fight, but I think it would be wise to at least know how."

Ace smiled. "It would be my pleasure to teach you."