• "...so you see, we're untouchable."
    "I get it... kind of."
    Alyss had stopped crying, and the Cheshire Cat was explaining why everything seemed to be transparent but solid.
    "So if I were to walk through the battle, I wouldn't be touched?"
    "Of course not!" the cat wheezed.
    "If you were, history would be changed. You can find a smaller you and Teddy most likely. Only they can see you. After all, you are bonded. Then again, they are probably unaware of you unless you do something reckless."
    "Bonded?"
    Somehow, the Cheshire Cat got more mysterious the more he spoke.
    "Riika should be able to explain if she listened at all.."
    Putting out his sharp claws, he went over to Riika and scratched her hand.
    "Ahhh! What do you want, Catnip?!"
    "Don't call me that! I can bring you back to your worst nightmare!"
    "Fine, fine.." Riika brushed herself.
    "What am I supposed to do?!"
    "Explain how they are bonded."
    "Ahh... I almost failed the bonding tests."
    Riika scratched her head in frustration, and the Cheshire Cat sighed.
    "You two are bonded by words."
    "Words? Cheshire, I'm afraid I still don't understand!"
    "Humans don't understand how much words mean. They can bind you without you or the victim knowing. Saying your not good enough, or that your great will bind you. Your not good enough. In this case, you believe it. That you won't be as good as you want. But saying that your great is good, except for when your overly confident. If you make one mistake, you think you've been lying to yourself, and that you were not good at all. These words bind you. Its like a bunch of strings."
    "I get it.." Alyss said slowly.
    "You do?" Riika asked shocked. "I mean, I don't!"
    "Yes.. It's what in the human world we call self esteem.."
    The Cheshire grinned widely.
    "You were a very cute child, Alyss! You too, Riika, I guess."
    The cat laughed as Riika swatted angrily at the grin hanging in the air. And Alyss saw her past self, the one she had forgotten.
    There was little Alyss, Teddy and Riika, all watching the battle with interest and fear. Riika was trying to usher them back. And suddenly, Alyss could hear their voices.
    "Go back you two! This is dangerous! Ah!"
    A blast of dark magic broke the looking glass beside them, the one connecting to other kingdoms. They all squealed, Teddy and Alyss in fear and delight.
    "Ri-i-ka!!!" Little Teddy said playfully.
    "Can I go out into battle? Pleeeaasee?"
    "ABSOLUTELY NOT!"
    Alyss giggled, as Riika's pushiness showed as a little girl too. Her red hair was styled as a long bob, and little yellow bows held down like hair ties.
    "Me then!"
    Little Alyss used White Magic to push Riika away as she skipped with a barrier around her. She walked up to her mom who was in a fierce battle still.
    "Aria! Don't! My child is here!"
    "Even more reason to kill the bloodline!"
    Teddy's father protected Alyss, but was easily killed with five shots of magic.
    A blinding light, and then a cruel, malicious laugh filled the air.
    "I'll be back to claim my reward!" Aria disappeared without a looking glass into Dark Mist. Sobbing was heard, like a little child.
    "Mommy?" "Daddy?"
    The two Alyss' walked over to their mother, who had died protecting her.. or them. They sobbed, as Teddy and Riika looked upset and confused.
    "Alyss..? Mrs. Chan?"
    "Majesty?"
    The two friends looked at each other. They nodded in agreement, and tried cheering Alyss up. The scene changed once more..
    "Noo! Can't make me!"
    "I'm going with you!"
    "But..but..!"
    A seven year old Alyss was whining and crying.
    "I don't want to go to the human world! Its all human-ish there!"
    A seven year old Riika shook her head.
    "I'll be with you!"
    "But.. But you told me I would forget you! Whats the poiint?!"
    Riika, clearly flustered, called out familiar names.
    "Matt! Dormouse! Carrotop!"
    Immediately, the trio poofed in front of them.
    "Surely, you would want cheese with that bread! After all you ARE a mouse, ri- Oh.. hello.." Matt looked slightly embarrassed and Carrotop a little angry. The dormouse looked quite sleepy.
    "I see you used our summoning wish thinger."
    Riika nodded.
    "Get her in the portal NOW!"
    A swirly portal that looked like a giant puddle stood before them.
    "Noo! I don't WANT to go in the liquid glass! Bad things are said about it!" Little Alyss screeched.
    "Alyss, my dear.."
    "Yes, Matt?!"
    "The human world is filled with things! Surely you can't forget US!"
    "True.. okay then."
    "One.. two.."
    "Three!" Everyone screamed. Alyss and Riika held tightly to each other.
    Then, the scene went back to Nightmare Mist.
    "That's not the whole story, my friends. Lots has been cut out to save a few minutes."
    Alyss was a little confused. And as though as Teddy read her mind, he said aloud,
    "My father died protecting you. He failed to protect my mother. I'm going to protect you too. For my father, and.... for you."
    His face was cherry red as Alyss smiled at him.
    "I'll start now. But how?"
    Riika patted her on the back.
    "Let's get back to Dream Clouds first, hmm?"
    "Okay.."
    As they traveled through the little mirror, they met up with the dynamic trio.
    "Hey!" they said in unison.
    "Hey Matt, Dormouse, Carrotop." Alyss greeted.
    They turned around and headed through the opening to Dream Clouds. Popping out of a mirror in an unknown location (to Alyss), Matt began to explain.
    "Train your magic. Practice. Then, the stronger it gets, you won't have to think of spells! Summon a cake first of all. Along side tea and a big table or a blanket. You choose. No words shall leave your mouth!"
    With a snap of his fingers, a zipper appeared on her mouth.
    "Mmm mmm mm!" Alyss... tried to speak.
    "Sorry no can do."
    Twinkling her fingers, the zipper came off.
    "Now.."
    She concentrated hard, as the largest ball ever seen by her eyes appeared. It floated to the ground and a picnic table complete with a cloth appeared. There was a tea set with several cups and plates.
    The dormouse scampered over, and drank some tea.
    "Blaah! Thats horrible!"
    Then, he went and ate some of the little cake.
    "Eww.. You need a lot of work! Alyss?"
    Alyss fainted... Her heartbeat was very slow, you could hardly tell she was alive... if she was anyways.