"Alice! Alice, are you going to wake up anytime today?" Iris grumbled knocking on her door. Fed up of shouting, she opened the door to a cold chill. The window was left wide open with small trickles of snow pouring in. She rolled her eyes, slamming the window shut, turning to her sister fast asleep in bed. "Isn't like you to leave the window open… Or sleep in for that matter." Iris pulls the bedsheets from her yapping. "Come on, sleepyhead rise and shine!"

"The Alice requires five more minutes." She croaks shivering.

"Five more minutes and it will be lunchtime. Come on before father gets cross."

Alice gives in sighing as she sat up, struggling to keep her eyes open. "My head hurts…"

Iris felt Alice giving her a strange look. "Well for starters you're freezing, and there's snow in your bed. What were you doing out last night for?"

"The Alice doesn't recall leaving the comfort of her bed last night."

"Come on, don't joke around with me. It's alright, I'm not mad. Were you getting in some extra training? Sneaking out to explore?"

Alice shook her head, rubbing her eyes. "There were no lies told in my statement. The Alice doesn't remember anything from last night. At the matter of fact, she doesn't even remember getting into bed."

"Oh yeah? Strange for you. You're the best when it comes to remembering things."

"I remember talking to father in his office. Getting my shoes on and then nothing… And for the record sister, the Alice isn't good at remembering everything. I still can't remember what our mother looked like…"

"This again?" Iris questioned sitting on her bed, almost slipping off miscalculating the fall. "We've been through this. Mum died when we were only babies. We couldn't possibly remember her."

"Then why are there no pictures of her? We haven't seen one of them."

"Beats me. If you're so caught up on it, just ask father himself."

"You know he isn't one to respond well to those sorts of questions. It's like he just wants to pretend she doesn't exist anymore."

Iris blinked serval times trying to think of something to say. "Come on, get dressed we'll go into town today and go shopping. Just you and I fuck what Hans has to say."

Iris stood up, moving towards the door as Alice held her hand over her eye frowning. "Do you feel guilty for not helping V.I.R.A.L? Our friends are out there risking their lives and we're here talking about shopping."

Iris leaned against the door staring down, hiding the look of disgust. "You know I wanted to go. The Garden is back, but father refused to let us go… Zinnia is having to lead her team into battle without Alton, and there's nothing we can do…"

"Iris… We should talk to Alton."

"I wish we could. But he's gone who knows where… Hmm, let's not think about it too much. Shopping."

"I want to help them."

"Alice…"

"No! They've saved our lives plenty of times. We're friends we should be looking out for each other. Not hiding like cowards."

Iris took a while as she nodded. "You're right… Tell you what, forget shopping. Like we need anything. Get dressed meet me outside in an hour. I don't care what it takes we are going to fight for our friends and this city."

Alice looked much more lively smiling. "Iris… Are you sure?"

"Hell, yeah I'm sure! I'm not changing my mind now! Get dressed."

Iris stepped outside startled, seeing her father waiting. "Iris. I'm glad to see you finally woke your sister up. What are your plans for today?"

"Oh, I was thinking about going shopping. V.I.R.A.L is dead right now with no streams so I thought I would use the downtime to relax."

"I see… Don't waste all your time now, even if it's Christmas you don't want to slack off and fall behind more than you already have. If you have any hope of streaming with Alice next year you must improve."

"Yes sir, sorry sir…" She whispered bowing running off.

"Pathetic." Hans shook his head, rolling his eyes. He walked into Alice's room, who was throwing on a hoodie and shoes. "Going somewhere, Alice?"

Alice turned to her father, somewhat hesitant before shaking her head. "I'm going to fight the Garden with Iris."

"Are you now? Tell me, was this your decision or hers?"

"Doesn't matter. My friends need me, and I will help them no matter what. Please, dad, let me do this."

"I see. I really didn't want to quite believe it. As a father, I thought to give you the benefit of the doubt. You're growing up and trying many new things. But now you've gone too far. That girl has strayed you too far away from my dream. I cannot allow this rebellious stage to go on any longer."

Paranoid Alice moved away from her father's reach. "That girl is my sister. You may have neglected her for the likes of me, but I love her. I never wanted to be a streamer. But Team Rhapsody showed me there's more to a streamer than just making money. You can save people like a true hero."

Hans scoffed nodding. "Team Rhapsody. A spanner in my works, I must admit. We're so close, why can't you see that?!" He flipped the table, pointing at her. "I only want what's best for you. Father knows best if you throw everything, I've done for you, you'll live to regret it."

"No. No more! I quit."

"No, you don't… Ha, you honestly think you can tell me what to do? I want this fixed. So, Alice dispose of the girl. She is no use to me or my goal."

Alice summoned a bow aiming it at Hans. "If you think the Alice would dare even think of killing her sister, you are a fool, Hans. I will not do as you say any longer! You have no powers I do. You have no rule over me."

"Oh, but Alice, I do. I have you. Now put the bow down and kill your sister… So, we can make our dream come true."

Alice did so. She stared on blankly as her eyes glowed yellow, the Garden flowing through her, Hans smiled getting his way. "Yes, father."

****

Iris stood outside the manor staring down at her phone sighing. "What's taking her so long?" A sharp whizzing sound echoed as Iris glanced to her left as she was hit by an explosion. Crashing through the wall, Iris fell to the floor bleeding from the head. She glanced up to see Alice standing there in an outfit of black tactical armour and a half-snake mask with her yellow eye glittering stabbing at Iris. "Alice… What the hell… Is wrong?"

"Subject A.L.I.C.E locked onto the target. Iris Hawthorne, exterminate."

"Exterminate…" Alice raised her hand, firing off an explosion from her bow. Iris quickly blocked the carnage with her cube as she leaned against it feeling her body vibrate from the sheer force of the attack. The cube began to crack before breaking apart instantly making Iris collapse to the floor. As Alice went in to finish the deed, a cube slid underneath Iris, flying her away from harm's way. A badly injured Iris glanced down staring at her sister as she smiled stepping back into a portal. Iris' eyes widened as she snapped her head forward, seeing Alice emerging from a portal above her floating. Alice was inches away from killing her sister when she for a split second, took back control tears dripping from her face. This split second was all Iris needed, another cube came from underneath smashing into Iris sending her far away from the danger.

Alice floated back down to the ground staring up at her now freed target. Hans stepped outside arms crossed stuck in thought. "The Alice failed to dispose of Iris Hawthorne."

"A pity… No matter, she has no one to run to. The low-rank members of Frizzle Tooth can take care of that. We have much more important business to concern ourselves about daughter of mine."

"Yes, father."

****

The cubes softened Iris' descent, but even that was not enough as she crashed into a back ally falling over a set of bins. She lay on the floor, wincing in pain and a broken heart to match. She began crawling away, whimpering. "Alice… Why would you? How could you… Why?"

She lay on her back-panting staring at the sky. "What do I do? Who can I turn to?" She stopped for a moment pulling her phone out hovering over her contacts. "It's worth a shot…" She began the call holding her breath praying she would get through. Her heart skipped a beat when it did so. "Alton… Is that you?"

"Yeah… You called me, who elsewhere you expecting? What's wrong?"

"Please I need your help… Alice. She tried… She tried to kill me. I don't know what to do. Alton?"

Alton remained silent for a short while before sighing. "Shit… Just my luck. Where are you?"

"A back ally. I see the cinema… And a payphone."

"Walfred. I know the burrow. Stay out of sight. I'm on my way."

"Thank you…" Iris hung up, unable to move as she had her arms out either side coughing. Her thoughts came back to her as she broke down sobbing realising now more than ever she was alone.