The Beginning of the Beastmasters

A Traditional Lesson

I thank KatherineOzawa of Wattpad for helping me.

The image of a mirror was seen by Niho, its glass warping like ripples on water. Bright light filled the area.

A tall hedge maze stood proud and lush. One tree in the shape of a heart, decorated with white roses stood among others. But three soldiers, paintbrushes in hand, dripping with crimson paint, ran frantically around, muttering to themselves, "Hurry up and paint those roses red! Slather them quickly, as aforesaid!"

"Hurry, hurry! There are still roses left to paint!" The Ace of Clubs demanded, with worry etching his voice.

"They're painting...roses?" Niho raised an eyebrow in confusion.

A small girl appeared by the maze's archway. She had long blonde hair pushed back with a black ribbon, and wore a sky-blue dress with a crisp white apron on top. Matching tights and black mary jane shoes. Alice was her name.

"Why are you painting these white roses red?" she asked.

The cards looked at her as if she was talking gibberish.

The Two of Clubs was kind enough to answer, "Why you ask? It's quite simple. We planted the wrong color, you see."

"The Queen likes her roses red. If they're white, we'll lose our heads!" The Ace finished, shaking in his spot.

"Goodness." Alice walked around the area to see that they were telling the truth: red paint was slathered onto the white petals, and dripping onto the green grass.

"And so, we're painting the roses red." The Three of Clubs claimed and got back to work.

The scene faded to black as Niho mumbled, "By the way, where am I?"

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Knock knock!

Those two thumps immediately woke Niho up. Her pajamas were rumpled as was her hair during her toss around in her sleep.

"I feel like I was having the strangest dream... was I in Wonderland?" she put a hand to her head in confusion over the dream that happened.

"Myaaah... Hey, Niho... I know it's the middle of the night, but I think we've got a visitor." Grim, lying at the foot of her bed, mumbled in his sleep.

But two more knocks after, it woke up the Creature.

Rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, he starts griping, "Maybe it's those pesky ghosts again? They just don't know when to quit."

Niho got up from the bed and fixed her hair so it was down and out of her messy ponytail. She made her way to her bedroom door and to the foyer to see who or what it was.

"Who would be here at this hour?" Niho muttered under her breath as she went to the front doors and opened it a crack.

"What?" she raised an eyebrow at whom she saw.

"It's me, Ace! Just let me in, all right?" He stood on the porch, shivering slightly.

She didn't since Grim peeked behind her leg and outside to see who it was for himself. "Ace? It's the middle of the night! B-bwah! That collar!"

True to his word, locked around Ace's neck was a black, red and gold heart-shaped collar. And by the look on his face, he seemed not so pleased about having it on. He started growling, "I can't go back to Heartslabyul House. I'm joining your dorm. For good."

"Myah?! Come again?!"

Niho was also taken back by his decree. "Get in here and explain." she waved him inside.