The enemies were outnumbered but the odds were barely equal. Alice’s side still had a better chance of winning with an indestructible bird in the sky and a foul dragon lingering nearby. The battle on the ground was nearly won so long as Rocket’s team kept the two key elements in the sky.

The Tweedles had the Jubjub bird circling for them. They only distracted the bird while they thought of ways they could possibly deactivate the machine. It was made of adamantium metal and could only be destroyed by the same material.

Rocket and Mallymkun rooted for the Jabberwocky, bombarding the dragon with metallic bullets. Though the projectiles never penetrated deep enough, they kept on so that it may weaken the dragon for the final blow.

Baeley cleaned up the remaining few of the enemy soldiers, now much more flexible to witness the airborne battle. He could only look at the spaceships dashing below the clouds before vanishing above the canopy once more.

It rained blood in some areas and it could only be from the Jabberwocky’s wound. Though the war was far from over, Baeley managed to pull in a breath of relief. From what he witnessed so far in the battle, they were winning. His warriors overpowered the enemy—not by number but by skill. In the distant battlefield, he could see the hearts of the warriors. They fought for something much more than just vengeance—they fought for freedom.

The last of the robotic army fell and the warriors were all left standing amid the piles of metal debris and carcasses. All that was left now was to watch the battle in the air and root for their side. Fast flying aircrafts dove from the sky, swooshing instantly with tailwinds behind them. The Jubjub bird as well as the Jabberwocky had their targets locked on the ships and completely neglected the warriors below. The warriors became lenient and carefree, putting all their attention to the sky that they failed to notice a new set of enemies arrive.

Drones stormed the air like groups of bees, swirling with the wind. The aircrafts were pointed pyramids with red scanners at the center. Its red lenses emitted lasers that lined the ground with fire. One warrior struck by its line was separated in half cleanly—both segments of him set on fire and not long before turning into ashes.

Baeley gasped for breath as he held on to the electric gun his father had passed on to him. He fired randomly in the air and set drones crashing on the ground but that was just out of probability because of the drone’s number not out of focus. Still, it was better than not hitting anything at all.

The warriors all came into battle once again, striking the air. The melees were at a disadvantage because the drones were all at the sky, striking long range. Those that specialized in close combat chose to fling their weapons and hoped to hit than dying not being able to do anything at all.

Chaos reigned as quickly as it subsided. The drones didn’t only home for the warriors on the ground. It also targeted the spaceships fending off the Jabberwocky and the Jubjub bird.

The Tweedles’ ships were being chased off by a group of drones, allowing the Jubjub bird to lay waste upon the soldiers. Rocket’s and Mallymkun’s ships weren’t performing any better than the Tweedles’ for the Jabberwocky wreaked havoc once again. If there’s any good about the Jabberwocky’s attack, it would be its carelessness of its allies. The Jabberwocky paid no mind to the drones. With one spit of the Jabberwock, drones in its path were obliterated.

Baeley watched with horror as the ground was set ablaze. More and more warriors fell every moment until there were only a handful of them on the ground and Rocket’s platoon fleeing in the sky.

The drones stopped their random attack and all rose to the sky. They formed a barrier, encasing the whole battlefield and sealing any exit shut. Not long after, from its self-constructed force field, opened a gap and a pink skinned looney with her white henchman arrive at a hovering stage.

Baeley squinted, at the distant figure for something dangled beneath Alice’s hovering craft. And when he made up the figure of a dead body—Mirana’s body hanging—he had to look away.

“Is this all that’s left of you?” Alice’s voice echoed through a speaker. “I bring to you, your precious white queen.” Alice hovered at the center of the battlefield—above where Baeley and some warriors were and then she dropped the hanging body of the white queen.

“Warriors, catch her!” Baeley commanded.

They retrieved the body of Mirana—ice cold. The queen had a bullet-hole punched on her forehead to which, Baeley was bitterly relieved to witness. At the very least, she didn’t suffer but how dare Alice desecrate her body like this.

The drones that created the barrier separated them from the Jabberwocky and the Jubjub bird although safe was the last word Baeley searched for. They were stuck inside a prison with something much fouler than the dragon—Alice.

As the Xandarian looney moved around on her hovering stage, Baeley noticed the white rabbit maneuvering the controls. Since all Alice did was stand on her stage and gaze over the dead bodies, Baeley concluded that the drones were all controlled by the white rabbit.

The bloodhound looked around and found the warrior he was just looking for—the snaky archer.

“Lariss,” Baeley called.

The snaky cyborg approached Baeley.

“How many arrows do you have left on your quiver?” he asked.

Lariss turned his back on Baeley, “Two heated adamantium steelssss, Chief.”

“Do you think you could hit that white rabbit up there?”

Lariss squinted, “If I could get clossse enough, I’ll be able to hit him.”

“You’re going to need protection,” Baeley looked around and spotted the axe-cyborg. “Eyron,” Baeley called.

The axe-cyborg approached, clutching his new battle-axe like a club. “Yes, Chief?”

“You, Lariss and I are going to take these drones down and Alice as well if fate permits us so,” Baeley said. “We’ve only got two chances at this so we better put all our faith in Lariss’s arrows.”

Eyron nodded and together with Baeley and Lariss, they approached stealthily.

***

There was a barrier underneath them, Rocket noticed but he had little time to be thinking about what’s happening below since he was pursued by six deathly drones. Two flew beside him—left and right; one above and one below while the last two tailed behind. The drones weren’t attacking—if they could attack. Since its appearance, Rocket hasn’t seen its hostility and he began to doubt whether the drones were combative or not.

Doubt could get anyone killed in war and Rocket knew that which is why he played safe and expected the worse—the drones could be time bombs ticking this very minute, trapping him in an area of explosion.

Mallymkun was somewhere nearby, in the same dilemma as Rocket—with six drones pursuing him.

“Rocket, do you copy?” Mallymkun called.

“What is it?” Rocket replied almost too annoyed. He wasn’t in the state of mind where he could communicate fluently right now. Death was near him—near them—near all of them.

“The Jabberwocky isn’t in my radius.”

“Shouldn’t you be worrying on the drones homing for us at the moment?”

Rocket’s ship shuddered lightly and beside him, the drones fell one by one.

The dormouse chuckled frivolously on the radio—almost sounding arrogant. “I shot them all down, including yours,” Mallymkun said with pride.

Rocket only rolled his eyes. He checked his radar and his direction to be sure if there were any more drones that would, again, target them. “The drones formed some kind of barrier underneath us,” he said, “Baeley and the warriors are inside that force field.”

Mallymkun didn’t reply for a long while. Rocket waited, mainly keeping his eyes on the speaker of the radio than what was in front of him. As he rode in the air, a falling aircraft almost clashed with the unfocused raccoon. He muttered a curse as he veered the ship out of the way by reflex.

The aircraft left a trail of black smoke, dragging a line toward where it fell. Rocket turned the ship around and watched as one of the Tweedles’ ship fell with the Jubjub bird mutilating its engine.

“Rocket, do you copy?” Tweedle Dum was hysterical. Rocket could hear the fat man’s muffled gasps through the speaker. “The Jubjub bird managed to lock on Dee’s ship and now he’s falling.”

“I saw it.” Rocket dove to where he last saw Tweedle Dee’s ship fall. The crashing ship went directly to the barrier. Rocket expected that it would be Dee’s doom but instead, the drones projected a capturing light that suspended Tweedle Dee’s fall. Tweedle Dee’s ship was slowly lured inside the barrier along with the Jubjub bird.

“Tweedle Dum…” Rocket spoke through the radio, “Your brother is inside the barrier.”

A deafening static came out of Rocket’s speaker.“R-rocket! Do you copy?!” Mallymkun sounded hysterical. “Whatever you do, do not approach the barrier. I-I got captured and-and… Alice is here.”

Tweedle Dum’s worry manifested itself audibly. His concern for his other half was desperate as it was loud. Rocket listened to Tweedle Dum mutter words in another tongue or in the same tongue as they all spoke but drowned by the fat man’s accent.

Then, after a while, Tweedle Dum settled down. “My brother got captured, aye?” Tweedle Dum swallowed a gulp of air. His tone was flat but his intention was apparent.

“If you’re thinking of giving yourself up, don’t,” Rocket said through gritted teeth. He thought of the words—that would sound polite and convincing enough to coax the suicidal Tweedle Dum into falling back. But the twin was already resolute.

“You’ve no idea of the things Alice is capable of, Rocket…” Tweedle Dum’s tone was low. “And if she’s going to torment my brother, she might as well torment me as well.”

“No, Dum, don’t you dare let yourself get captured! The war isn’t over! We could still save him!” Rocket was yelling. There were no more replies from Tweedle Dum… just that, outside Rocket’s pane, he saw a ship dove towards the barrier and a bright light enveloped the ship, pulling it inside.

Rocket groaned, annoyed by Tweedle Dum’s impulsive decision. Now it was just up to him to try and figure out how to free everybody else. First thing’s first though—Rocket has to defeat the approaching Jabberwocky.

There in the distance—about a human thumb’s sized big—danced the Jabberwock.

***

Cheshire’s platoon was at the edge of the battlefield—at the forest side. They halted quite a distance away from when they noticed something peculiar at the very end of the forest side. It was a luminescent wall or a barrier, according to Tarrant who explained too well how it was formed.

“I forgot to mention that Alice created war drones in case her robotic soldiers fail her,” Tarrant said. “Actually, I’ve forgotten all about it. It’s one of the first things she created way before all of you came into this prison.” The mad hatter knelt on the ground and squinted. “That’s a force field indeed.” He confirmed.

“It covers the battlefield,” Iracebeth said, “The battle is inside, let’s go inside.” Iracebeth took a march forward but was stopped immediately by the mad hare.

“Let’s not be impulsive,” James countered, “The warriors inside there are probably thinking of ways to defeat Alice outside those drones.” James squinted. “How we could possibly get out, they’re all thinking.”

“What do you suggest we do then?” Iracebeth asked impatiently. She tapped her foot and folded her arms on her chest. “While they’re thinking how they could all get out, Alice is already thinking of ways to kill them.”

“Which is why we shouldn’t enter carelessly without securing a way out,” James raised his voice. He looked Iracebeth straight in the eyes for a moment and looked away…not because he couldn’t handle the red queen’s sharp gaze—it was dull actually—but because he’s never seen so much grief before manifests itself into desperation. Iracebeth needs guidance right now. If she’s alone, she would have rushed towards her inevitable death. “I’m sorry…” James swallowed.

Iracebeth only looked down.

“What do these drones do actually?” Cheshire intercepted, turning behind him toward the mad hatter.

Tarrant leaned against a tree, recalling how Alice built them. “I was mostly assigned on experiments involving more flesh than machine but if I recall correctly, these drones could, scout, secure, retrieve and destroy.”

“So in short, Alice will be able to see us coming should we approach near enough?” Iracebeth asked. She mumbled quietly, “That bitch really knows how to secure herself.” Iracebeth groaned, “What if Cheshire checks them first?”

“Highly experimental and risky,” Tarrant replied, “You know how light beams could retrieve things in space, yes? It’s a basic feature of a ship and it is present in those drones.”

“What if I just vaporize the drones?” Cheshire suggested.

“You’ll be captured before you could do that,” Tarrant nodded left and right, “You’re still matter even as you become vapor, Chess and light beams capture matter. Alice took note of that since from the very beginning, she already intended to make you.”

“Would it be possible if we tunnel our way inside?” James recommended, suddenly walking between the cat and the hatter. He jumped in the air and knelt on the ground, demonstrating to dig in an area. “Like a bunny in his burrow!”

Tarrant looked up—in between being convinced and not. He nodded his head up and down. “That’s a very good idea. However, we’ve no time to dig.”

Cheshire stretched his arms, “We don’t have to dig,” he smiled further. “I nearly turned Salazen Grum into a crater. What’s a tunnel’s worth?”

Cheshire knelt on the ground and pressed his hand on one area. The dirt beneath them grumbled but not as strong as it was obvious. Pebbles rose up in the air as well as dirt and the area where Cheshire’s hand was pressed deepened. The floating dirt and stones turned to smoke just as the area was punctured a perfectly circular, five-foot deep hole.

“Neat…” James smiled.

“You might want to increase the size of that entrance,” Tarrant pointed out, “Well… since, Iracebeth and I are also going in.”

Cheshire shrugged, “I forgot that you’re all much bigger than we are.” He laughed. He vanished into vapor that sunk within the burrow, expanding the radius of the area. From below, he looked up. “Best if I finish tunneling first before you follow. The ground might collapse on you.”

The following minutes were brownish smoke rising up from the tunnel.

***

Cheshire secured the tunnel, making sure it wouldn’t collapse in a good amount of time although he wasn’t sure if it would hold up very long. From the first end of the tunnel, Cheshire floated toward the waiting group.

“I scoured the area,” he said, “Few rebels remain standing. Mallymkun and the Tweedles are kept hostage separate from the fighters. I tunneled an alternative route near them and managed to inform Mally of the passage. They couldn’t move, however, because Alice might kill the warriors if they suddenly vanish. Alice rides a hovering stage with Mctwisp on the control panel.”

Cheshire seemed bothered… the mad hatter couldn’t overlook it. It was obvious despite Cheshire’s perpetual smile.

“And Rocket?” Tarrant asked, hoping for the best of news for the raccoon despite them not being on good terms.

Cheshire’s brows furrowed to the center of his face, almost looking angry than sad. “I haven’t seen him or his body… he might be elsewhere,” Cheshire answered dryly.

He directed his friends inside the tunnel where they had to crawl the whole way. Cheshire was the last who was about to enter and it was the slightest seconds when Cheshire’s eyes caught something in the leaf-draped sky before he could enter the tunnel—the figure of a spaceship pursued by the Jabberwocky. A drop of crimson landed somewhere under his eye and Cheshire wiped it, realizing it was blood.

“Tarrant, I’ll follow…”

***

Rocket was chased by the Jabberwocky. He couldn’t bombard the Dragon with bullets since he wasn’t the one on the back. Previously was much easier when Mallymkun was chased by the dragon and he did the shooting. Now that he was alone, the situation wasn’t very friendly.

He tried circling the Jabberwocky but the dragon was much more intelligent than it seemed. It was weak and injured yet somehow still strong enough to bring an army down. Well, it needn’t bring an army down to bring him down.

Rocket rose above the clouds where it was much brighter and less dark with purplish colors. It was calm—the afternoon sky concealed by the ominous storm and beneath him looked like an ocean. For a moment, Rocket forgot that he was being pursued by the Jabberwocky. This was one of the rare times he was mesmerized by the beauty of planets for he wasn’t fond of planets at all. He was only reminded when the dragon took a blind shot and actually hit.

The lightning spit struck the back of Rocket’s ship like a solid projectile. It cracked up the metal and destroyed his engine completely, making him fall.

There wasn’t much option in what Rocket could do. The options left all would kill him since he was falling but he went with something that would possibly leave a body to mourn on. He punched the exit button of the ship and the door fell as it opened. Everything was vacuumed outside and Rocket only unbuckled his seatbelt to let the current of wind pull him out of the ship.

He was falling hundreds of thousands of feet in the air but what was before him was a sight to behold. He never quite understood the beauty of planets but one thing he seems to understand would be the way skies change depending on the time of the day. And it just so happened that this time had the sky colored slightly pinkish with silvery clouds highlighted by the sun. At least, those were the few seconds of it. Once Rocket fell beneath it, everything was chaotic purple and drowned in the color of agony.

Much worse, the Jabberwocky flew towards his direction, mouth of serrated teeth ready for snapping. Everything seemed to have slowed down—perhaps this was what he heard Peter Quill say one time—that before death, life will flash before you as if giving its last farewell. Many times, Rocket has been on the verge of death and this—what he’s experiencing right now—never happened before.

Rocket felt that he should close his eyes but he didn’t dare. Death was certain and death happens once. Such a rarity only to be missed by cowardice is not the way he wanted to go.

The Jabberwocky’s small figure in the distance grew larger as it neared. The flaps of its wings—faltered by its wounds which Rocket inflicted—looked disturbing enough to empathize. The creature was furious with him which explains why it hadn’t struck Rocket with lightning. It wanted to kill Rocket by its teeth—a brutal thing to have been decided by a creature that doesn’t have a sense of reason.

It closed in on him and was about as large as anything Rocket’s ever seen. Mere inches from the Jabberwocky’s serrated teeth, the whole dragon wailed and then vanished into smoke. The foul vapor swallowed Rocket for a moment before he fell beneath it and he could watch that purplish smoke blend with the clouds.. Rocket was perplexed and wasn’t on his mind to think of how such a thing was possible but he remembered that it was possible when his descent became a smooth glide in the air.

Greyish smoke formed a cloud bed underneath him and not long after materialized the feline. Cheshire had his hands behind his neck and one foot on top of the other swaying to an unknown beat as if lying on a hammock. Like the first time he caught Rocket from falling. His grin was wider than before and Rocket couldn’t help but smile himself.

“You fall from a tree and you shout,” Cheshire said, “You fall from a ship hundreds of thousands of feet in the air while watching a dragon home for you and not even a sound comes out?”

Rocket chortled and then he was laughing. Using both hands, he grabbed hold of Cheshire’s arms and placed them behind his neck before stationing his on Cheshire’s waist. He angled both of them to fall head first as the raccoon savored the time they were in each other’s embraces.

“So you finally had those on your back fixed, eh?” Rocket laughed.

“Aye…” Cheshire chuckled, “and I could also purify wounds now.”

“I’ll believe it when I see it,” Rocket said.

“Do you have any wounds now?”

Rocket smiled and forgot to answer. Unknowingly, he nodded his head left and right, brushing the back of his hand on Cheshire’s cheek.

“Why did I even ask…” Cheshire said as if he was stupid. Rocket’s wounds were there—healing quite wrongly. He never did receive proper treatment since the incident at Salazen Grum. Parts of Rocket were bald of fur with flat, unnatural wounds from flesh that were vaporized. “Does it still hurt?” Cheshire traced one wound on Rocket’s cheek with his finger.

Rocket snorted, “Psh… little wounds like this don’t hurt me.”

“You must be a strong man,” Cheshire chuckled wryly. “Still… It was because of me that you’re injured.” Before Rocket could say anything more, Cheshire closed in on the raccoon, kissing him just outside the lips.

Rocket’s wounds fizzled and crimson smoke faded from it but afterwards, it was though as the wounds were never there.

Cheshire withdrew.

Rocket coughed and couldn’t settle his look on the feline as though as it was the first time they ever kissed. “Does it only work with a kiss?” he asked. “How many have you healed?”

Cheshire chortled, “Just you and James… I tested it on Tarrant though.” Cheshire’s eyes were expectant of any reaction from the raccoon.

“So… you’d have to kiss them as well for it to work? On the lips?”

“Don’t worry. It works with contact and on my will. I just missed kissing you is all…”

They were both unaware of their environment all the while they descended gracefully. They forgot that beneath them was the barrier of drones that, by the time they realized, already enveloped them in a beam of homing light.

Slowly, they were pulled in.

***

They were midair—suspended and held immobile by the beam of light. They were at the center of the battlefield where they had view of all the dead, all the destroyed and all that was left standing to oppose the Xandarian looney.

Alice approached on her hovering stage with the traitorous little white rabbit maneuvering the controls for her. She faced Rocket and Cheshire, back straight and hands behind her with a taunting smirk on her lips.

“My favorite lab rat,” she looked to Cheshire, “and the rodent that ruined it all,” she turned bitterly toward Rocket.

If Rocket could spit on Alice, he would have done it had he not been paralyzed by her capture.

The hovering stage flew closer toward the duo and then it moved beside Cheshire. Alice looked at the feline and then to Rocket.

“As Mctwisp already knows, this loop wasn’t my intention,” Alice said through gritted teeth. He held Cheshire with one hand by the cheeks and then forced him to look at Rocket. “I want you to know that all of this is his fault and no other. I want you to look at him and realize that the beast you so deeply admire is what got your friends killed—is what got Wonderland destroyed!”

Mctwisp was at the edge of the hovering stage—back faced on Alice as he pretended to be busy on the controls.

“Mctwisp, stop pretending to work and face us,” Alice said. It didn’t sound like a request or a rhetoric which then, Mctwisp took into a demand. Though he didn’t want to, he faced Alice.

The looney held Cheshire’s cheeks between her thumb and index fingers, tilting his head slightly lower to face the white rabbit.

“You’ve nothing to fear, my friend,” Alice said, “Look him in the eye and see that he’s smiling at you.”

Reluctantly, Mctwisp looked at Cheshire as his fingers constantly fiddled against each other.

“See?” Alice smiled, “He’s so happy to see you.”

“He’s not…” Mctwisp looked down. “He wants to kill me… as does everybody.”

“Of course he doesn’t,” Alice withdrew her hand. “After I’m done with them all, you’ll finally have what you want. I have a message for everybody. Take the raccoon with us and remain the cat suspended where he is.”

Mctwisp turned to the control panel without hesitation—he was eager to escape Cheshire’s eyes that could already kill had he stayed longer. The hovering stage projected the same beam as the drones and it connected with Rocket. Not long after, they dragged Rocket behind them as they descended slightly below the battlefield.

“Rebels!” Alice spoke through a speaker, “This fellow I present to you is the cause of your demise. He is what began all of this. If you wish to be pardoned and live in my utopia, I’ll accept his death as your agreement.”

Shortly after, Alice flung Rocket on the ground, slamming the raccoon against the dirt. Rocket had no weapons, no tricks up his sleeve or anything to fend off the warriors. All he has were the pitiful eyes of Mallymkun and the Tweedles who were tied near a fallen ship, guarded by the Jubjub bird.

Mallymkun, although immobilized, got up and scurried on the ground, hoping to stop the approaching warriors in whatever way he could but the Jubjub bird caught him inside its talons and brought him back with the Tweedles.

“You’re all fools if you believe your enemy,” Mallymkun yelled.

“You’re all no better than Alice if you do this,” the Tweedles shouted in unison.

Rocket only tried to get up. He pushed himself up with his hands but faltered as he was damaged from his fall.

One warrior approached Rocket and picked him up. It was Baeley, holding a knife before Rocket’s neck.

“Alice!” Baeley yelled.

The hovering stage turned towards Baeley and Alice faced him with Mctwisp far behind with the controls. “My father, mother and siblings died in this war without knowing the true cause!” Baeley yelled, piquing the Xandarian’s attention.

Mallymkun was in the distance, perplexed and hurt by how Baeley turned out to be. “I thought you were much more than this, Baeley…” Mallymkun whispered to himself. He couldn’t watch Baeley anymore without thinking how such a pure spirit was easily tainted.

“But now I know the truth!” Baeley shouted, “As my warriors! You offer pardon for his death, aye?”

“It will be the proof of your loyalty to me,” Alice smiled. “Kill him and I shall pardon you and your warriors.”

Baeley tilted his head on Mallymkun and the twins. “And them?”

“They will be punished accordingly,” Alice chuckled.

“I’m doing this for all of us.”

“You’re in no position to bargain. Prove your loyalty to me or die with them.”

Baeley swallowed. “As you wish…”

Rocket groaned but didn’t resist. He was too weak to do anything else than let his sharp tongue do the action. “Your father would be so proud…” Rocket said sarcastically. “And you, you pink-skinned looney… bidding a kid to do your dirty work. Do you know how pathetic it sounds?”

“Not as pathetic as you gurgling in your blood.”

Baeley chortled and whispered on Rocket’s ear. “Aye, I know my father would be proud. Lariss! Now!”

It happened fast but the eyes still caught the image of an orange line that struck Alice’s hovering stage. It went past through the metal, damaging the engine. The hovering stage swerved in the air and descended low enough for another warrior to strike up.

Eyron struck the hovering stage with his axe. His weapon stuck midway at the material of the stage and he used it to climb up.

The axe-cyborg was twice the size of Alice and he easily overpowered the looney. Eyron locked his arms around Alice and turned her to face Lariss—whose arrow was pulled taught and focus ever so unperturbed.

Alice didn’t squirm but surrendered easily to Eyron’s lock. One hand, though, which Eyron failed to notice, was placed on a circular orb at the control panel of the stage. Once Lariss let his projectile loose—an arrow of heated admantium—Alice turned the orb and the whole stage rotated a hundred and eighty degrees.

The heated arrow struck Eyron on the back and even went past him but failed to penetrate Alice’s armor.

Eyron’s lock loosened and Alice simply walked behind him and pushed him off the hovering platform. Eyron’s gigantic body fell loudly against the dirt.

“E-eyron!” Lariss shouted.

Alice looked at the archer and pressed some buttons on the control panel. Through the archer’s stomach, burnt a laser that killed him instantly—from one of the drones behind him.

“Eyron… Lariss…” Baeley muttered. He flung the knife above him which Alice didn’t even have to evade and then bombarded the looney with electric blasts that hardly inflicted any damage.

Rocket was kneeling on the floor, eye caught in front of him to the dormouse and the Tweedles no longer where they were. The Jubjub bird seemed inactive—probably because Mctwisp couldn’t control it from the panel. Rocket noticed a particular hat idly resting on the dirt.

“B-baeley…” Rocket shouted. Forcing his strength, he dashed toward the bloodhound and grabbed him by the arm. Both of them were sprinting with Baeley having no idea where they were headed.

Alice was busy stabilizing her platform that she failed to notice the raccoon and the bloodhound escape.

They arrive at the place where the hat was placed. Just a few feet away from it was a tunnel.

“Go…” Rocket pushed Baeley.

“I’m not leaving, we’re at war!” Baeley said.

“You’ll die in this war!” Rocket groaned, still weak from his fall. “Live to fight another day.”

“Shouldn’t that apply to you as well?” Baeley was stubborn. “Come with me.”

Rocket sighed. “I won’t leave…” he nodded his head left and right. “Not while my whole purpose in this war is held captive by Alice. The key to this war is the infinity gem. Don’t ask what it is. Mallymkun and the others will know. It’s in the heart of Time.”

Before Baeley could say anything else, Rocket tackled him and the bloodhound fell in the hole. If he’s smart, he wouldn’t come back.

Rocket took Tarrant’s hat and dropped it in the hole. Back to the battlefield, he went.

***

Iracebeth, James and Tarrant rescued Mallymkun and the Tweedles. They were outside the barrier now and not long after, from the tunnel came another.

Baeley crawled to the light and Iracebeth and Tarrant helped him up.

“Baeley!” Mallymkun jumped toward the bloodhound, stationing on his shoulder and hugging him. “I thought you completely turned against us.”

“Nonsense…” Baeley returned Mallymkun’s hug with a finger. “Rocket gave me the key to ending this war although I’m not sure about what he said.”

“And what did Rocket say?” Mallymkun asked.

“An infinity gem,” Baeley wasn’t sure of the things coming out of his mouth. He was simply repeating what the raccoon told him. “It’s at the heart of time.”

The group was confused and surprised altogether.

“Heart of time?” Mallymkun felt confused.

Iracebeth joined in, “How can it be in the heart of time? That doesn’t make any sense.”

“Perhaps it’s symbolic,” James said.

Tarrant disagreed. “I don’t take the raccoon for being poetic at any times,” he said. “At war or not, Rocket wouldn’t say anything abstract.”

“But he just did,” James retorted.

The Tweedles were quiet—deep among themselves discussing something.

“Rocket is a very literal fellow. Even his sarcasm is literal,” Mallymkun said.

“I don’t know the fellow,” Iracebeth followed, “Only that he’s very impulsive on account of what he did back at Crims palace when I tried to save him.”

Finally, the Tweedles broke silence.

“Rocket is very literal,” Tweedle Dum began and was followed by Tweedle Dee.

“So it means we should take what he said literally.”

The group was quiet for a moment.

“Fine, let’s take it literally,” Iracebeth folded her arms on her chest. “The infinity gem is at the heart of time. Time is abstract and if we are to make it literal, how can Alice place an infinity gem in something that doesn’t physically exist?”

“There’s more to that,” Mallymkun added, “The infinity gem of time is time itself. For it to be at the heart of itself, couldn’t it be with the rest? Only a fragment exists in this loop, I’m afraid.”

“No, no, no, perhaps we’re all looking at this wrongly,” Tweedle Dum said.

“So far, we are,” Tarrant commented.

Baeley joined in. “I don’t know what an infinity gem is,” he said, “Other than the idea of it being the key to end this all and it’s somewhere we don’t even know but I had a thought. What if the time Rocket referred to isn’t time itself? What if that time is something physical—perhaps a place?”

“The young lad makes a point,” James nodded his head and quickly thereafter, the Tweedles realized the answer in unison.

“The Oraculum,” they both said.

“The Oraculum?” Iracebeth couldn’t believe it. “Alice never managed to create the Oraculum.”

“We are the Oraculum,” the Tweedles said in unison.

Tweedle Dum continued, “Baeley is right—almost. Time is something physical.”

“The time Rocket referred to could be touched could be seen—could be sensed,” said Tweedle Dee.

Tweedle Dum bridged, “When Alice created Wonderland, she wanted to use the infinity gem to set a course of things to happen specifically and that’s where she tried putting the infinity gem in the Oraculum prototype—”

“—however she failed time and time again and with Rocket’s appearance, she almost died on the Frabjous day.”

“She had no choice but to reverse everything that happened so she may start again but because of the gem’s volatility—”

“—it trapped us in a loop instead. She exempted me to forget all the pasts and told my brother the futures—”

“—we became the Oraculum but Alice didn’t stop there…”

The Tweedles paused and then looked at each other. “Time is a machine,” they both said.

The group was awed—Baeley the most.

“Time is a machine,” Tarrant seemed convinced.

“The heart of Time means the heart of the machine!” Mallymkun concluded.

“Aye,” the Tweedles said.

“Where to find it though?” Tarrant asked.

Iracebeth and James stepped forward. “I think James and I know,” Iracebeth said. “The Clockwork town.”

“We must make haste though. Frabjous day is ending,” Tweedle Dum said.

Tweedle Dee followed. “If we don’t stop the loop, it’ll reset all over again.”

***

The Clockwork Town was but dying embers. It smelled of burnt flesh and wood but the flesh, more so. Ashen bodies were scattered in the town square as much as the mangled ones. None were better for the eye to see but the lesser sight beholden would be the burnt ones. At least, it was monochromatic and it lessened the gore than the ones missing their other half or their innards spluttered over the soil, drying with the mud.

Few robots were functional but hardly a threat. Their eyes glowed a dim red, targeting the group that made their way carefully through the town but couldn’t do anything more than twitch and spark out of life.

James and Iracebeth were affected most of all by the tragedy as they were the ones that were here when the buildings were bright red and orange. As if a recall, the ghosts of the dying citizens haunted them like actual sounds—almost too real to be heard in the silence.

Flashbacks were imminent. Once their eye catches the sight of a dead, the whole scenario of how that person died repeated in their minds as if they were guilty of not saving him. Perhaps they were… but then again, they couldn’t do anything about it. They salvaged as much as they could and took them to the forests where Alice wasn’t likely to find them.

“Where exactly do you lead us?” Tarrant tilted his head toward Iracebeth and James.

Iracebeth pointed in front of her. “There…”

In front of them all was a dark crevice—about the size of Alice’s hovering stage. It was lined with fine metal—smeared with blood. It could be James’s or Iracebeth’s or… Mirana’s. It was the same place where their battle took place—three of them against Alice. How she recalled losing not only the battle but her sister as well.

“An honorable woman, the white queen,” James remarked. “She had a heart as pure as her…”

“It could’ve been me,” Iracebeth whispered only for the two of them to hear. “I’m her older sister… I should be the one taken, not her.”

James sighed. “Your sister loved you very much.”

“And I love her—”

“No doubt you would have done the same for her if you were in her disposition,” James interjected. “That’s how love works. It’s not a matter of who’s older…” James shrugged. “Even I would trade my life if it meant saving you and her… it doesn’t sound like me but… other than Flash, Buck and Blue, you all became my home since imprisonment… before the madness, at least.”

“You’re fine now, are you not?”

“Thanks to Blue… somehow his asset doesn’t just heal wounds. I hope it could heal the screw loose in Alice’s head as well.”

Iracebeth chuckled.

“Guys!” Mallymkun shouted from Baeley’s shoulder. “We’re gonna have to climb down, apparently.”

James and Iracebeth were behind the group and after Mallymkun’s call, they lined with the others.

“That’s not a very deep fall,” Iracebeth remarked. “My cybernetic skeleton could withstand it.”

“Let’s not be irrational,” Baeley said but Iracebeth jumped anyway.

The red queen arrived at the bottom, unscathed. “The lab is clear! No enemies!” she shouted.

“Guess Alice must have relied on the drones to trap everyone there,” James laughed and somersaulted downward.

Tarrant followed as did the Tweedles until Baeley and Mallymkun are all that’s left to jump.

“Do you want me to go first or ride on you?” Mallymkun asked.

“I don’t think I can make that jump,” Baeley said.

“Of course you could,” Mallymkun cheered. “You have a cybernetic skeleton as we do all. Weren’t you aware of that?”

Baeley nodded to disagree.

“You’d be walking on four legs otherwise,” Mallymkun chuckled and then jumped from Baeley’s shoulder. “If a little mouse can do it, so can you,” Mallymkun yelled as he fell. He landed on the floor unscathed and looked up. “Come on!”

Baeley jumped and his fall was instantaneous. There wasn’t time for thoughts midair. One second he jumped, the next thing he was already on the floor kneeling. He was surprised though, at the capacity his knees withstood after falling from a height. He had a cybernetic skeleton yet his father was so protective of him from falling back at the haven.

He followed the others in darkness and got blinded by the sudden light.

“Found the switch,” James shouted.

The whole lab was lit up and all of them needn’t turn anywhere else to find what they were looking for. In front of them was a metallic coffin with wires—big and small—attached to it. A man was idly resting inside, dressed with pointed shoulder plates and a long cloak past his knee. He wore a tall hat—which Tarrant admired and even attempted critiquing.

“You’re more of a hatter now than a surgeon, I see,” Mallymkun laughed.

“I’m assuming that is Time?” Baeley asked.

The group kept their eyes at the machine and nodded their heads to agree with Baeley.

Iracebeth approached the coffin and punched a green button that opened it up. The door parted, hissing with steam coming out of the edges.

“Oh look,” she said, “His sternum is a clock. I’m guessing behind it is the gem.” She reached her hand towards the robot’s sternum but before she could make contact, the robot grabbed her arm.

It had a tight grip, seeing as Iracebeth couldn’t withdraw her arm. She jerked away but barely rattled the robot.

Time lifted Iracebeth up with one hand and then threw her aside. Iracebeth was sent flying against a metal wall.

The group took one step back as they assessed how the robot was going to attack.

“Infiltrators,” It said in a robotic manner.

Iracebeth got back up, rage building inside her after getting thrown to a wall. She lunged towards time with an outstretched foot, aiming to kick him off balance but the robot evaded. Time swung his arm to strike Iracebeth but the red queen blocked it with her forearm and punched forward with the other.

Time sidestepped and caught Iracebeth’s arm that punched. Before he could do anything else, Iracebeth twisted herself to elbow Time on the stomach. Time blocked with his palm and Iracebeth was completely restrained. He lifted her up once again and tossed her in the air.

Iracebeth fixed herself midair and landed with another kick. Time stepped away and Iracebeth struck the floor, denting the metal.

James joined in, aiding Iracebeth. The March hare, although small, proved himself to be a worthy opponent. Time couldn’t lock on James because of the hare’s impulsive and random fighting style. James managed to land blows on the robot but it was hardly enough to affect it.

James gave a flying kick and it was strong enough to push Time a step back. He withdrew with Iracebeth.

“He’s tough,” James said. “We can’t beat him in combat.”

“He’s heavy,” Iracebeth said. “Did you notice how difficult it is to bring him down? It could only be because he wouldn’t be able to get back up. I suggest we bring him lying on his back.”

Beside them, Tarrant lined with them. The dormouse was on his shoulder with a pointed adamantium rapier in his hand.

“Word from the Tweedles,” Tarrant whispered.

Time reacted and the moment he did, Tarrant quieted down.

Mallymkun jumped on Iracebeth’s shoulder. He whispered. “That robot is programmed to collect data as you fight it. It’s also intelligent enough to comprehend. The Tweedles are in the main computer, hacking it. We need to put him back inside his coffin.”

Iracebeth nodded. Mallymkun jumped on James’s shoulder next.

Tarrant took off his coat, exposing his cybernetic arm with clogs turning. “I’m not really a fighter,” he said, “and my arm isn’t really all that weak. It’s made of indestructible metal as well… just a little embarrassing that such a fine material was used with such a low class technology. Alice… what an insulting creature.” The mad hatter dropped his coat and formed a fighting stance. The clogs on his arm turned and steamed and then Tarrant struck first.

He charged toward Time, faking to strike with his flesh-arm. When Time evaded, Tarrant punched with his cybernetic arm instead. Time slid on the floor standing. His balance was well kept now but the mad hatter managed to damage him.

Iracebeth didn’t give a moment for Time to process his collected data and kept bombarding him with hard punches. When Time struck back, James was there to push the red queen out of the way. Time swiped his arm but caught nothing as the March hare somersaulted on the floor. James lunged toward the robot and merely kept his hand on Time’s shoulder.

Mallymkun crossed James’s arm and scurried all over the enemy.

The dormouse stood on top of Time’s hat, enticing the robot to strike its own head but for each strike, Mallymkun evaded, leading the robot to damage itself. Mallymkun scuttled on Time’s face and struck its eye with his rapier.

Not much damage was done but the visuals of the robot were reduced in half.

The robot caught Mallymkun and flung the dormouse in the air.

Baeley followed Mallymkun with his eyes and caught the dormouse just as he fell.

“You were amazing,” Baeley remarked.

Mallymkun chuckled, “Takes time to be good,” he joked.

The pleasantries were over for now, Time seemed much more powerful.

Tarrant attacked once again but the mad hatter was easily evaded and caught. Iracebeth came in to help but Time moved differently on the red queen’s approach. If previously, Time was sluggish, he moved much faster now and copied Iracebeth’s fighting style.

Time punched away Tarrant and dueled Iracebeth. James joined in but he was barely a nuisance to Time’s battle. The trio were overpowered and beaten.

Mallymkun scurried ahead, attempting to climb the robot but Time caught him and slammed him in the floor. Mallymkun lay unconscious before the foot of the robot. One leg, it raised up and was about to crush Mallymkun.

Out of instinct, Baeley charged. He knew that he couldn’t beat Time. Four veterans stood up against him and failed. What could he possibly do?

He didn’t have victory inside his mind when he charged. He didn’t charge because he thought he could beat the robot. He charged to save his friend’s life.

Baeley tackled the robot, locking his arms behind Time’s back and pushing with all his might. The robot barely moved and instead lifted his elbow and struck Baeley on the back. The bloodhound almost fell but he kept in mind all that he was fighting for and that’s what kept him standing.

Time struck again but Baeley kept on pushing. Soon, he felt Time budge and it was when he realized the mad hatter was beside him, his cybernetic arm pressed against Time’s chest. They were pushing together and they made little progress.

They pushed harder and then Time moved more now. Iracebeth was beside them. Not long after, James joined in. They all worked together to overpower the robot. Foot by foot, they pushed Time until he was near the entrance to his coffin.

“Iracebeth…” Tarrant groaned. “Strike behind his knees.”

Iracebeth followed. She kicked Time behind the knee and it made the robot bend over. Once out of his balance. They all pushed with all their might but Time still refused to go in. Mallymkun witnessed his friends working all together. He took a few steps back and then ran as fast as his four little legs allowed him to.

He scuttled up Baeley’s back and jumped to kick Time’s forehead. The robot was sent back inside his coffin.

Iracebeth immediately closed the door and Time fell to deactivate.

All five of them panted as a job well done in ending the battle.

Tweedle Dum walked in on them. “We hacked Alice’s computer,” he said.

“That explains your Cheshire smile?” Iracebeth remarked.

“You all would have your Cheshire smiles after we tell you that it’s not only that robot we managed to deactivate.”

They all looked at each other.

Tweedle Dee walked in. “The drones have been deactivated!”

Baeley’s eyes widened as did everybody’s.

“Alice has a complex computer system,” Tarrant couldn’t believe it but he was glad and smiling like the Cheshire cat—all of them were. “How did you manage to hack it?”

“It was barely hacking,” Tweedle Dum looked left and right.

Tweedle Dee presented a paper, “A list of all Alice’s passwords.”

“Where did you get that?” James asked.

“It seems our enemy the white rabbit isn’t actually our enemy.”

They all stand in silence. “Mc…twisp?” Mallymkun said.

“We don’t know the full story yet,” Tweedle Dee said, “But one thing is clear—he helped us.”

“Alice is still alive…” Tarrant trailed off.

“She’s as good as dead,” Tweedle Dum replied. “Mctwisp also left us the key into destroying Alice’s armor.”

“Now why would he do that?” Tarrant was the only one who seemed to be reacting negatively to the white rabbit’s heroism.

“Because he’s not Mctwisp…” James said. “He’s Buck Rabbit!” he smiled. “I know that fella all too well.”

Baeley walked in the center of the conversation. “Shouldn’t we all walk to the battlefield?” he asked. “My warriors are still there. Rocket and Cheshire are still there.”

“Right,” the Tweedles said in unison.

“Let’s take the infinity gem and head our way back,” Tarrant suggested. “Do we have a gurney over here?”

“I’m afraid we’re gonna have to carry that heavy robot ourselves,” Iracebeth groaned.

***

Rocket was helpless.

Alice set foot on the ground, finally. The remaining warriors charged at her but were easily overpowered and killed. Rocket could see the rage in Alice’s eyes—it wasn’t the first time he witnessed vengeful gazes melting him. He just didn’t know where the anger came from.

The Xandarian looney stood a foot away from the weak raccoon. She picked Rocket up with one hand by the scruff of Rocket’s suit and made him look at her.

It was definitely rage but with it something more.

“I was so close in finishing my world… so close,” Alice muttered. “And then you came along, destroying decades worth of my work.” She slammed the raccoon on the ground.

Rocket was met against metallic debris and dead carcasses, tainting him with blood and dirt. Alice picked him up once more and threw him on the air before awaiting his fall to land a kick. Rocket stumbled on the ground.

“I won’t kill you, rat,” Alice bent down and held Rocket up by the back collar. “Once I destroy your rebellion, I will start again. I have an infinity gem, what do you have?” Without waiting for Rocket’s reply, not that it hardly mattered, Alice coiled Rocket on the dirt.

The muffled reply of the raccoon resonated and Alice lifted Rocket’s head up so she could hear what he had to say.

“You’re pretty hungry for power.” Rocket spat dirt that got inside his mouth. “Even until now I still don’t understand your purpose of doing this.”

Alice dropped Rocket and got up. “Everything I make is perfect and everything I put in it must obey. Disobedience calls for retribution. You haven’t the capacity to understand.”

“Sounds to me like you don’t have the capacity to explain,” Rocket sat on the dirt and wiped his mouth. “You’re arrogant for someone who tries so little.”

“Tries so little?” Alice repeated, “I created the society you’ve witnessed and the people in it.”

“No, you abducted the people and forced them to live in this prison!” Rocket got up, knees weak. “I don’t think I need you to answer my question. It’s obvious.”

“Is it?” Alice turned to Rocket, eyes squinting.

Rocket panted and wiped away blood that trickled beside his eye. “You were nothing…you lived your life in fear that every day, you could die and nobody would even bat an eye… but you’ve tasted power—”

“You’re wrong!” Alice intervened.

“And after that, nothing ever felt better!”

“You know nothing, rodent!” Alice was almost yelling.

Rocket matched her tone and raised his voice. “You crawled your way to get where you are now! And with some luck, power came to you. So you tormented people—the very people you thought wouldn’t give a damn if you die because it made you feel good that the ones you thought were above you were now under your thumb.”

Alice gritted her teeth and bent down to grab Rocket. She locked her hand on Rocket’s neck and held him high. Rocket coughed. He tried to loosen Alice’s grip but she was too strong. It was the second time Rocket thought his life would fade and the second time he was saved.

The drones, which formed the barrier, fell one by one, piling at the edge of the battlefield. Alice looked around—to the shield that kept them inside.

“Mctwisp!” she looked over her shoulder to the hovering stage. “What happened?”

Mctwisp shrugged, “I’ve no idea, Alice… I’m guessing that the drones were shut down from the main lab.”

“The main lab…” Alice mumbled and then looked to the spaceship beside the dome where she kept her hostages. The Tweedles and the dormouse weren’t there anymore. “Impossible… how did they—” she turned to walk back to her platform when a smiling face met her.

“Alice…” Cheshire whispered. “I believe it’s time you drop the raccoon or there will be consequences.”

Alice gripped Rocket’s neck tighter, squeezing the life out of the raccoon and that’s when Cheshire resulted to violence. The cat pushed out his three pairs of sharp adamantium claws, swiping at the scientist.

Alice evaded and dropped Rocket along her action. Rocket pulled in a deep breath.

“I won’t vaporize you,” Cheshire landed on the ground and walked by foot, enticing Alice to backtrack. “My claws itch to penetrate your flesh.”

“You’re just another ingrate, Cheshire,” Alice smirked but fear was apparent on her face. “All of you are ingrates! I turned you all better and this is how you repay me?”

“If better is me wanting to kill you then aye, this is how I repay you.” Cheshire lunged at Alice, swiping successfully twice but Alice’s armor absorbed the damage and left her unscathed inside her armor.

The Xandarian pointed her finger at Cheshire and shot the cat in the leg.

Cheshire groaned as he knelt down but he got back up, flesh closing up as fast as it was punctured.

Alice activated many weapons in her armor—all lethal and all successfully hitting the Cheshire cat but it was all of no effect. Cheshire vanished into smoke and then reappeared behind Alice, swiping at her. He vanished once again, appearing beneath Alice and struck again. Cheshire appeared and disappeared, bombarding Alice with attacks on all directions as though as he blinked from one area to the other.

Alice tanked the damage but the more the cat attacked, the more she began to feel it working. She activated a barrier that encased her in a small bubble. It was impervious to any physical attacks. Not even the heated adamantium arrows were able to penetrate it.

Cheshire clawed at the outside again and again until he realized that it was futile.

Alice watched as Cheshire disappeared into a cloud of smoke and after a while, nothing seemed to happen until her shield evaporated, exposing her once more.

My treacherous little pet, Alice thought. But she wasn’t ready to give it up all.

“You won’t destroy me,” Alice laughed.

“You won’t win,” Cheshire said, “Look at you. You’ve no allies but a traitorous white rabbit who is of no use to you at all.”

“I never won,” Alice laughed. “Haven’t Rocket or at least one of the twins told you? I always lost the battles. And I will lose this one as well. It doesn’t matter though… the infinity gem sits idly in one place, ready to reset this loop.”

Cheshire jumped on Alice and clawed at her manically.

Alice activated her electric field and Cheshire was caught by surprise.

“But don’t worry, Chess. Once the loop resets, I won’t have you forget your experiences,” Alice said grimly, “We will go back to the day before I put those radiators on your back and I will perform the same twenty experiments on you. After that, I’ll ensure you won’t be able to escape and then I’ll capture your precious raccoon. I will pump Jabberwocky’s venom inside his system until he turns mad or savage, whichever of the two and I will place him on the same cell as you.

And then… it will either be kill or be killed. I’ll enjoy watching your face as you decide whether to kill him or not and I’ll savor every expression you make as you push your claws inside him.”

“The only thing you’ll enjoy is my claws inside your neck. I doubt you’ll enjoy that,” Cheshire got up, “It would be too quick though.”

Alice smiled. Only a few minutes remain until the reset.

Steam escaped from Alice’s suit and thereafter, its tight clasp on the looney’s skin sagged.

Cheshire took the opportunity and ran his claws on the armor once again. Like scratching paper, he managed to cut through. Purplish blood tainted his claws and Alice watched three lines mark her stomach.

“H-how…” Alice gasped and then turned to her hovering platform. A dormouse was at the control panel, aided by the white rabbit. My traitorous little rabbit, Alice whispered to herself. Not that it mattered, the loop would reset any time now.

She lay flat on the ground and watched as the sky slowly return to its natural state. Nothing happened minutes after that. She looked around her and below her hovering platform was Time—her machine, taken by her guinea pigs.

Cheshire stepped in front of Alice’s view. He sat on top of the looney and looked her straight in the eyes.

“I know I said I’d do it slowly,” Cheshire whispered. “But I’m not like you.”

Alice lifted herself up to try and reason with the cat but Cheshire’s claws found its way inside her throat as she got up. Alice is dead.

It was over.