Hunters in Wonderland [plot: invite only]

"It's because I'm happy," the voice replied simply, "Happy that I have finally found fear in this world and happy that I have finally done my job. You see, the objective of fear is to make itself known. Fear is a force made to have the sole desire to do this. And now I have done what as fear I have always wanted to do. I have finally managed to break someone. Break someone to the point of acceptance, to the point where I have re-written his whole character."

The wind picked up, blasting with the force of a typhoon for only the shortest amount of time as suddenly a massive creature the size of a mini van appeared, floating in the air and staring at a certain someone with eyes sewn shut, curled up as if forever sleeping.

Spoiler:

"Isn't that right...?" Dorm's echoing voice resonated from it, "Garrus...?"

Garrus was visibly surprised when he was suddenly acknowledged by Dorm. He gave a small bemused grin as he stared up at the floating creature. "Well, you aren't completely wrong, I guess I can finally drop that "act finally" he said the word "act" with disgust as if it had tortured him for his whole life, although the heroic act he did do had tortured him infact, he was tired of the pressure of having to keep it up and honestly, it felt nice for him to be able to act how he ACTUALLY was for a change. "I suppose I should thank you, but you are still the enemy" Garrus chuckled slightly as he took a step toward the creature. "I have to admit, you are one of my favorite demons that I've met so far"

Emerald glances toward Garrus, thinking, Alright, that isn't normal. I want old Garrus back, this one doesn't seem right. Eh, I don't care how he is, let's just move on already. Can we nap first? NO! Al's right for once, we need to get moving soon. Emerald steps up next to Garrus and speaks to Dorm, "Well, it's been nice talking to you Dorm, but we're on a tight schedule. So if you don't have anything important to tell us, we have to go."

"Demon? Ah ha ha ha ha..." the giant mouse esper chuckled, "Does that word even have meaning anymore? What is a demon? It's anything you considered evil. Now what is evil? Can you even answer that anymore?"

The wind-up knob sticking out of the mouse's back turned once in full circle, making a grinding winding sound.

"Garrus, get away from that. You don't know what Dorm's done to it!" Hunter brought his arm up to his weapon's hilt. "Dorm! Wherever you are, spare us this mockery of Garrus's justice! We are not your playthings. All we want is to be on our way. That is IT," he said, watching the windup mouse cautiously.

"Ah ha ha ha ha..." Dorm chuckled as the wind up knob turned once more. "I'm not stopping you from leaving. Far from it. Go one with your quest. You do what you wish and I will do my job. If the darkness's job is to destroy the light, then the job of fear is to bring about paranoia and madness. I bid thee all well, until next time..."

The giant mouse turned to black smoke and shrank into the tea cup like a djinn before the tea cup dispersed to minuscule sparkles.

"I still don't know who you're all talking to..." Alice said looking slightly concern, "But we should get going. Mushroom Valley is a little ways off, pass the talking forest."

Emerald nods when Alice mentions them moving once more and says, "We were talking to Nightmare Dorm. You know, the guy that shot at me when we were at Hatta's tea party?" In his head he hears, Maybe she doesn't remember him unless she's in that forest where he stays. You're saying it might be more than just not hearing or seeing him? That would make sense. You're all thinking this over too much, let's just get out! Emerald starts walking in the direction they had been headed before the soldiers had stopped them.

"I took cues from the others and went along. I heard no one talking." Hunter was still tense from the ticking mouse, but he lowered his guard a little. "Maybe some of us-" he shot a look at David "-Are being targeted by others. I don't think we should be talking to voices that others can't hear." He walked over to Garrus. "You ready to travel, big guy?"

David looked at Hunter and raised his middle digit at him, before beginning to move. That guy is a prick. He thought as he began down the path not really waiting on anyone. He seemed to be getting a bit aggravated by hunter. I hope the scorpion beats the shit out of him. He thought as he moved on.

"You..couldn't hear anything? I could hear it perfectly clear.....Are you sure the girl is safe being guarded by someone who can't here someone right in front of them? Hmm...well it's none of my concern, if she is to die it will be on your conscience, oh great leader, not a measly follower. But again, none of my concern." Malina stepped away from Garrus and looked down the pathway that lay ahead. "Dorm said we may go if we please so we won't have any immediate complications from him, though Alice, you should keep an eye on the time and make sure Hattah doesn't alter the time." Malina took a quick look back at the group. "Everyone keep their guard up anyway, who knows who else wants us dead or Alice captured." She brought her head back around to the path and paused for a moment before speaking again. "We should keep moving though. The longer we are in one spot, the more likely they are to find us. Oh, and David!" She called out ahead to the boy. "Do you think it is smart to go off on your own? Get back here and help Garrus stand." She said sternly as Manticore loosened around her waist.

David just waved her off. He then hit a button on his head. "Does not appear you need my aid at this time so I shall conduct recon." He called back as he kept moving. He did stop a while up the path and looked around as he got to a good distance. He sat down and observed the area.

As Malina berated David, the air in front of her suddenly shivered. If her eyes were fast enough, she would catch a glimpse of a large 6 inch long blade flying dangerously close to her face. The knife twirled through the air and into the hand of Hunter, who put the knife away into its sheathe in his left vambrace. He had thrown the blade in the first place, standing where Garrus was, then, in a burst of dissolving feathers from his aura dash, moved to grab it, placing Malina between him and Garrus. "I am anything but great, you freak."

Emerald moves to beside Garrus and says, "I'll get him, Malina." He moves Garrus' left arm over his shoulders and braces Garrus' back with his right arm. "Come on, big guy. We don't want those wounds opening up while we move." He looks around and asks the rest of the group, "Everyone ready to move on?"

((OOC: Anyone know why Akai hasn't posted in a while?))

David immediately made a heel face turn and walked right back to the group when he heard Hunter call Malina a freak. He soon approached Hunter. "Listen up you ego maniac. I don't know who put you in charge, but one thing you don't do is anger your comrades. You think you are justified to call her a freak eh? Well I see it this way, you are not my leader, OR any of ours so listen well and listen good. Keep that trap of yours shut." In reality David had been called a freak all of his life so he was extremely ticked off at this. Even if it wasn't him.

By now Vanille had managed to store all of her anger deep inside of her, and the faint glowing of her eyes faded. She looked at David and Hunter and noticed how blunt they were. She decided to be the mediator here and said, "Look...none of us are freaks here, and don't yell at Hunter like that...he's a nice person..." In Vanille's head all of this came together and would unite everyone, but she was probably wrong, although she didn't know that. She then smiled and continued by saying, "Can't we all get together for a little while?"

"Vanille, your optimism is only matched by your ignorance," Emerald says bluntly as he takes a step forward, trying to indicate that they should start moving again.

"P-Please don't fight!" Alice pleaded, reaching her arms out and waving towards the two trying to calm them down while little tears were forming at the corner of her eyes. "W-We have to all get along!"

"Things don't look quiet well..." Calibur commented. He turned to Emerald and offered his hand. "Here, I'll carry the armored one. Even with my hands full I can fight at a quickdraw when the need arises."

"Sorry, Calibur not happening," Emerald replies. He explains, "Even if you say you are on our side, that doesn't mean I'm gonna let you that close to one of our own. Garrus will be carried by me. Nothing personal." Emerald takes another step forward, waiting for the others to continue.

"One moment, Alice." Hunter didn't even acknowledge her tears as he spoke to David. "You're calling me an 'egomaniac?' You think I decided to become leader just because I thought I am so self centered I thought I was better than you all, boy?" Hunter stared down at the boy a little over two thirds his height.

"Let me remind you that none of you decided to step up to the challenge. None of you decided to band us together to lead us out of this mess. And who would lead us if I was impeached? A child, using MARBLES, of all things to fight with, keeping vital information from us, and running off the second he feels like it? Not to mention him being singled out by the Cheshire Cat because his split personality interests her? Or how about Garrus, a single minded fighter who's only thoughts are 'DEMON' and 'HEROICS'? Only just now does he realize his lifestyle doesn't work as well as he hoped in the big world. Malina? Pfft. Where do I even start? She beats the shit out of little girls, her tail stabs people just to heal them, and had the most difficulty killing each of our enemies. Emerald and Laeleps, their multiple personalities are just too unpredictable, just like you, and I'm sure as hell they're arguing with each other inside those heads. Vanille, she's just here for the show, apparently.

"As for me, I'm supposed to be two years ahead of you first years. Three of the four classes I'm taking right now are two levels higher than the ones my teammates are at. I have to tutor them when I'm not in the lecture halls. Why am I not in a third year team, you ask? Because I had to go through the Witness Protection Program. My name's not Hunter. Hunter never existed until I killed Andrew Mau after going after his cult for two years. I had to start again in order to go to this Academy. I would have already been well on my way towards graduation if he hadn't killed my grandfather, murdered my girlfriend's parents, and kidnapped Lin ¥en Sun. I wouldn't be signing up for 'experiments' like the one that got us in Wonderland because it's supposed to be extra credit in the one class I'm with my team. I'm not perfect like you guys believe I think I am. I'm not an egomaniac. I'm not great. I'm not noble. Hell, I rarely even go fighting Grimm with other huntsmen. I'm not a top-class leader, but at least I'm actually doing something."

He stepped off to the side. "Oh, and if you want to know why I went to bother with Vanille first, it's because if I didn't intervene, we would have had three seriously wounded people out here. Now, unless Garrus would like treatment from someone who can do more than just drug him and make him weaker, I suggest we start walking."

David just laughed. "So you lost two years because you killed a person and his men because of what he did eh? So what everyone has their own stories, hell I lost my girlfriend to a group of Faunus hating rioters, but do you see me playing that card? Nope instead let me ask this. Why did you take the rule of leader. No one asked you. No, you did because you thought you deserved it...if that's not self-centered I don't want to hear it. You act as if you are better because you should be two years ahead....if I recall.....we are all people...just because you are SUPOSSED to be in a higher class.....that means little to nothing in the real world.'" He said as he turned around. "Now I'm going to be the bigger man and move on." he said as he began back down the trail.

Vanille had finally had enough. She gave a slight compliment and all she received was a negative comment in return. As her emotions began to rise, her eyes began to glow a toxic green. She cracked her neck and then cleared her throat saying in the deep voice that now took over her, "Hunter Hunter Hunter, do you think this is some kind of communist state? Well I hate to break it to you but you are NOT our leader. If we were to have anything of the sorts it wouldn't be you. I've had to deal with your crap for this whole journey. Yes, I may have been standing idle most of the time, but I still hate how you act. You think that we want you as a leader? Well we don't, I'm sure we'd be better off with a democracy. Sure the people here may be indifferent, and some may have aspects another hates, but it would be much better than what you did to try and unite us. Why prioritize me over a man who was just savagely attacked? I had a broken bloody nose for Pete's sake. Oh, and about those advanced classes? Why don't you go take a class called COMBAT FIRST AID. It'll help you set your priorities in combat, Such as helping heal someone who has a serious injury over a girl with a bloody broken nose. I give you compliments, all I get in return is nothing. Apparently being nice doesn't pay off at all." Vanille was now 25% taken over by Arcturus. She had no control over what was said, although she could still control her body and muscle movements.

"W-w-waah~!" Alice panicked, seeing things getting from bad to worst. "Please everyone, can't we all just get along?? Wonderland is dangerous and we all need to work together to get out!"

Alice pleaded with everyone but the tension continued to grow. Her rabbit ears drooped over the albino's face as her eyes grew large and started to tear up.

Spoiler:

Malina listened to everyone around her. Hunter, David, Emerald, and Vanille. She took a deep breath and sighed to herself before placing her right hand on her weapon. With great speed she whipped out her gun and spun in a circle, pointing the barrel at each member of the argument as Manticore unraveled and rose above her head. "ALL OF YOU SHUT THE HELL UP. NOW. We are stuck in some assholes semblance, trapped until we find the way out. Alice, the one god damned gift we've gotten here, is right! Everyone back the hell off of Hunter, off of each other, I don't give a shit, each of you back the ^*#& off." Malina stopped with her gun pointed at Vanille. "You. Shut he hell up and help us when we fight instead of standing on the sidelines like some cheerleader." Malina spun the barrel around and stopped, pointing at David. "You. When someone tells you to help a hurt teammate, you goddamned do it. You don't leave off into Camina knows where." Malina spun once more and pointed the gun at Hunter. "You. I don't *^#%ing care if you killed you mother, your father, and your sister. You do not tell every single person that you are better than them. You do not say that you're qualified because you're doing it. And you do not act they you have been acting in a god damned leadership position. If you're SUPPOSED to be a third year then you would have the common sense to figure half of this stuff out on your own. You keep making calls like you have and no one will respect you or your orders. At least Alice has the common sense to say this isn't the time nor the place for a fight." Malina slide her weapon back into it's holster before looking back around at every member of the team. I want all of you to start moving NOW. We wasted enough time as is on this shit." Malina said to the whole group with the sharp edge of annoyance in her voice before she lightly pushed Hunter aside and stepped forward onto the path in front of them. "I don't know what kind of complaints you all have about anyone else here but from now on we are not going to fight about it and waste our time we could be using to get out." Malina said as she continued down the path. "Once we get out, however, Hunter you and I will have a settling of things. For now keep your shit to yourself."

Hunter turned towards Alice. "Directions to your sister's castle. Now."

David just looked to Malina and nodded in understanding. He walked over to Emerald and looked over at Garrus. "Need help?" He asked Emerald as he offered to help with their team mate.

While Arcturus was generally angry, he wasn't a total imbecile. He said, "Fine fine, but remember it wasn't me that was the cheerleader. It was this pound of flesh in its finest..." The body that was Vanille's now began to walk behind Malina as Vanille entered stage 2 of her semblance. Steam like aura began to leak from various places such as her armpits and off of her hair. Arcturus mumbled to itself, "At least she's better than the first guy..."

Emerald thinks to himself, Apparently, no one listens to reason when it comes from a calm voice. DID THAT BITCH POINT A GUN AT US?! Shush, it's all over now. Can I sleep? No.

Looking at David, Emerald says bluntly, "She told you to help earlier. Since you ignore it, I took up the responsibility. I will not pass off this responsibility. Besides, I can create others to actually help me. Just go and scout like you were doing before, or something. I don't really care." Emerald was starting to lose patience with every single person here.

Emerald mutters, "Fragmentation." Lapis and Topaz appear next to him. "You two know what to do." Lapis grabs Garrus' feet, and Topaz grabs Garrus' shoulders. Now horizontal, Garrus can be carried by the clones at a faster pace then Emerald helping him hobble along.