A Door that Opens Part 8

??: Nikk? Nikk are you alright?

Such a dream could not be described in words, no matter how great a vocabulary one might have. Nikk could hear a voice that pulled her from her daze, and soon her eyes opened to see Alice, and not Alys. The background was now every single shade of blue, though such a thing could not be explained. She much preferred the red surroundings with the crimson pond, but now it was a slow-moving, soothing shade of navy blue, as if it were night, but the sun up in the sky was dimmed with a blue filter, making a kind of teel color, with the sky becoming a sapphire color.

Nikk: Alice...

Alice: Oh Nikk! [Grabbed hold of Nikk and embraced her, for some reason she started to hurt.] I was so worried!

Nikk felt bruises and scratches all over her cheeks, neck and upper chest, but that was when she remembered it. Her battle with Alys had not gone as she had hoped. She could remember taking control of her dragon using her own tricks, but after that, only bits and traces. The most up-front image was a horrible grin on Alys's face. Then there was nothing.

Alice: What happened to you, Nikk? Why are you so badly bruised?

Nikk ignored the question and got to her feet, she noticed that her black trench coat was very reddish now, and she looked to see that she was holding a small piece of cloth. She rubbed it with her thumb, but then noticed little letters sewn into the fabric: "Costume Ball".

Nikk: Where is the costume ball?

Alice: The costume ball? It is in the Kingdom of Clubs [She motioned]. But what about you, Nikk? You're all scratched up, you look like you've been through a bloody porpus race in a razor grass field!

Nikk: I'm sorry.

Alice: Sorry? For what?

Nikk looked at her, then looked off in the distance, the beautiful blue grass wafting in the breeze as the teel and turqoise leaves blew by. It gave her some time to think in such a place, for some reason, she felt like she could expand her mind freely. Then she turned her eyes back to Alice, who had not even the slightest bit of the look Alys did. They were indeed two different people, but their connection was unmistakeable.

Nikk: For what I said. Said before. [She turned and began to walk toward the direction that Alice motioned.]

Alice: Oh... well, water under the bridge, so they say. [She scurried along with Nikk and walked beside her] Isn't it such a wonderful place? All of the dreams of the world can be found in this world, and while they might not all be beautiful, they all have their place in the world.

Nikk: Fifty-five.

Alice: Beg your pardon?

Nikk: There are fifty-five of these worlds. I have already heard them say it in passing. Which would make sense, considering with such a large population, a world this small couldn't possibly hold every single dreamer there is. There are far too few people here.

Alice: Fifty-five worlds? I dare say, that sounds invigorating!

Nikk: Agreed, but there is a problem [She drew Alice's attention again.] Not only do I not know where my crew is, there is a force at work here, one I have no idea how powerful it can be. My devil fruit powers seem to work here like they never could in the real world. They have substance, and I can only guess that your devil fruit works along the same lines here in this world, Wonderland.

Alice: Why, yes, of course! Such a glorious notion to have one such as you join me on an adventure in such a place! Don't you agree?

Nikk looked over at Alice, and gave a slight nod, along with a very tiny smile that quickly vanished to her default expression, that is to say, none.