Beware The Samurai

Alice held her head as she heard the voices of Cheshur tormenting her. Once a friend of Alice's now turned an enemy, but that's the nature of the Cheshire Cat. He holds no alignment to anyone, only floating around sticking by those he sees most fit for success.

I noticed Alice was stressed and gently placed my hand on her thigh. "Come on, let's go for a walk."

Alice looked at me then looked at Snow White and Suimin.

"We'll be fine, go ahead~" Snow White smiled.

"If we get in any danger, we'll be sure to let you know..." Suimin said.

Alice nodded then stood up. I stood up as well and grabbed her hand then walked off with her. The two of us strolled around the game area, holding hands. This seemed to calm her down...I could feel her grip on my hand. She was scared. I could tell without her saying anything. Her body language said it all.

I stopped walking once we reached a more secluded area. Alice stopped and looked at me. She blushed and closed her eyes as I stroked her hair behind her ear.

"I can tell you're stressed out... What's wrong..?" I asked.

"First...White Rabbit...and now Cheshur...my Cheshire Cat. They are coming to haunt me... Because I lost that game...the game that costed the lives of many. The game that started everything bad.." Alice said.

"What game..?" I asked.

Alice looked down and her bangs covered her eyes. "A game of chess against the Goddess of Wonderland. She knew I had no skill in chess...She beat me in only eleven turns...She took away my status as Ruler of Wonderland and one by one during the Eleven Days of Torment as my punishment...I had to watch my friends die one by one. She resurrected them as her pawns...and corrupted the White Royals, turning them into the Red Royals we know today..."

"The voices torment you..?" I asked.

"Every day...They call me a coward. They call me weak. They call me pathetic. A mistake.." Alice said and her lip quivered.

"Instead of defending my home...Instead of saving my friends...I ran away. I ran and ran...only to come back and watch the torment unfold starting with White Rabbit..." Alice said and took a deep breath to stop herself from crying.

I looked at Alice and wanted to comfort her. I didn't know how to comfort her, but I knew one way. I held her chin and made her look up at me. She stared at me and wiped her eyes.

"Alice...I can't imagine your pain of losing everything. I can't understand your emotions, but one thing I know is although I've been selfish...I can help you fight these demons that inhabit your soul. Like Snow White said, we are a team now. Your pain is my pain too so allow me to carry some burdens.." I said.

"Leo...I can't let you carry my burdens. I can't bring you down with me. I can't Bind you to my problems. I don't want you to be Bound to my demons or to me..." Alice said and gently held my cheek.

I stared at Alice and saw a little of myself in her. Refusing to accept help in fear of binding others into my problems. It's easier to kill others and reject others than to actually receive help, but I wasn't going to let Alice dig a hole deeper than what she has already.

"I don't care if I'm Bound to you." I said.

"You're not saving her like this..."

"You can't face this alone anymore..." I said.

"You're the problem...she's becoming attached.."

"You helped me resurface my suppressed emotions...I want to help you resurface your confidence. To help you fight your inner demons with you..." I added.

"Stop it.."

"Stop while you're ahead..."

"She can not be helped..."

"You're only delaying the inevitable..."

I pulled Alice closer to me gently and held her. She stared into my eyes and closed her eyes as she felt my forehead press against hers. I only knew of one way to save Alice from doubt. The only way to save Alice is through her own weakness...being Bound.

"Give me a chance...and I can help fix you just like you all are helping me. I know your worst fear...I know your worst enemy..." I said.

"Solve this puzzle...and you will regret it..."

[Mission: Solve The Puzzle]

"Alice has subjected herself to a life of 4₽47#¥, void of all emotion."

"Suppressed of all #--4- €M0710-, she's nothing but a hollow shell, wanting to feel £0<€." < em>

"You've lost everything and everyone you love...so you subjected yourself to a life of Apathy...suppressing yourself of all Human Emotion and you want to feel Love.." I said.

[Mission Complete: S0LV3D TH3 PUZZL3]

Alice opened her eyes and looked at me. She stared into my eyes and it was like something awakened within her. She closed her eyes and smiled. "Why did you do it..? Why'd you solve the puzzle...? Why did you risk getting it wrong and binding yourself to damnation..?"

"It was easy figuring it out...but also you hinted at it a few days ago. You hate feeling Love...you hate feeling Lust as you feel Bound to them in fear that you may lose them one day.." I said.

Alice smiled even more. "You have to finish the deed now..."

I nodded and gently kissed Alice's lips. She kissed back gently then after a few seconds, we broke the kiss.

[Achievement: Bind Alice]

"She is now Bound to you..."

Alice opened her eyes slowly and looked at me. I looked back at Alice and stepped away a bit to give her space and proper time to process everything. Before she could speak, our bracelets beeped.

We heard an explosion and the people screamed in terror. We looked in the direction then heard a roar. Another explosion followed the roar then we ran toward the danger.

[Challenge: Kill the King's Sword]

Amidst the chaos, we noticed a man walking toward us through dead bodies that laid as casualties on the ground.

The man had semi-heavy white armour and a muscular body suit with a large collar and the traditional hakama present. His long silver hair was tied at the mane. All armored sections feature fully-functional crimson clock eyes with vertical pupils. These eyes were not as much of an intimidation as much as the mask he wears; a white, two horned helmet with no features or visor, appearing to have no face at all.

"The White Samurai... Don't you like our gift.. Alice..?" Cheshur said ominously and laughed softly.

Alice stared at the White Samurai and noticed he held the same features as the White Rabbit Monster, and the King's dead Units. She wanted to run as that was her natural reaction, but she looked at me and noticed my serious look.

"Alice, go warn Snow White and Suimin. I will keep White Samurai busy.." I said and unsheathed my sword.

Alice looked at me then grunted softly. "Leo..."

"Go now while his focus is on me..." I said.

Alice ran off to Snow White and Suimin.

"I knew the Goddess was cruel. More cruel than I am. More dishonorable. You have the combined strengths of our previous adversaries thus far...If the Goddess of Wonderland wants chaos...I will give her chaos.." I said.

The White Samurai watched my movements then lowered his stance, grabbing the handle of his nodachi. He vanished then appeared in front of me. I grunted and noticed the afterimage disappear.

'He's got the speed of the assassin for sure..'

I said then dodged his slash using my Preflex. I slashed at him, but my sword phased through his body. He kicked me away and launched a cutting wave at me. I recovered and grunted as I blocked it. I sliced it in two then dashed toward him.

He blocked my slash then parried my next attack. He stomped on my foot then smashed the handle of his weapon against my face. I groaned and coughed a bit of blood as he struck my stomach then kicked me away.

I crashed into one of the stands and coughed a bit. 'The reflexes of the Snow Killer and the strength of The Phantom...Good thing I had a plan...'

The White Samurai ran toward me and was caught off guard then my clone emerged from underground then kicked him away. He grunted and noticed three more appeared around him. His crimson eyes shined and clock symbols appeared on my clones, freezing them in time.

"Tch...The White Rabbit Monster's ability. Of course you'd have it as well.." I scoffed and twirled my sword.

The White Samurai dashed toward me and slashed at me, but I blocked it then countered with a slash of my own, but he vanished into black smoke then appeared above me. He slashed down, but I dodged it.

[Promotion Gauge: 95%]

'Let's continue dancing...Samurai...'

Alice made it to Snow White and Suimin who were escorting the citizens away from the Amusement Park. "Snow, Briar!"

"Alice! Where's Leo?!" Snow White asked and looked at Alice.

"He's fighting the White Samurai!" Alice said.

"The who..?" Suimin asked.

"He's a new enemy...an enemy the Goddess created with the help of Cheshur. We have to hurry and help him!" Alice said then heard a third explosion.

The three looked back and noticed a large smoke cloud.

I slid backwards and grunted softly. I fell to one knee and panted softly. 'He's too strong...with so many advantages and little disadvantages...he was the ultimate being so far...'

"Use my power..."

I grunted and noticed time had stopped. The Joker Card floated down and shined then transformed into an Alternate Version of me.

The Joker wore a hooded black cape with red markings and large rolled-up cuffs along with long black ribbons and bandages across his arms. Underneath his black cape he wore a high-necked waistcoat with gold accents, black pants, black boots with taller heels and a pair of black gloves. He wore a masquerade mask on his face and his red eyes shined as he looked at me.

I couldn't move as I was also frozen. I couldn't tell if I was growing Mad or if I was just growing insane, but the more I stared at the Joker...the more crazy and bloodlusted I grew.

"Kill to survive...Kill to live...Kill the King's Units. The voices said that to you right..? You can only hide the fact that you're the Joker for so long...Leo Reigns. Don't you want to be with Alice and the others..? I can sense that desire within...you can't hide what you feel as I am you...and you are me..." The Joker said as he looked down at me.

I could only stare at my alter Ego...my true Wonder Guardian.

"Switch with me...Human. Allow me to show you how it's done..." The Joker said.

...

...

...

The White Samurai slashed down at me and noticed my afterimage vanish. He seemed surprised and turned around to see me behind him. He roared and slashed at me then noticed black armor blocking the attack. He looked at me and stepped away.

Armor that looked exactly like The White Samurai formed on my body. The armor was black with red highlights and had a beastly feature to it.

I chuckled darkly then put on my mask. The mask slowly formed into a helmet with glowing red eyes and long black hair slowly grew with red highlights. "This is a mad world...I can't hide my true nature anymore. The Goddess of Wonderland wants Chaos...so I shall deliver...Chaos...I believe this is where I say...Checkmate..."

[Wonder Guardian Activate: Chaos Unit]

"Behind all the Wonders and Whimsical Nature of reality...lies Chaos and Madness. I am the Chaos to this world's 'Beauty'...I am The Joker..."