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Chapter Text

10 Years ago

The night was a wintery one, where shrubs, flowers and trees alike checked there bio-logical time clock that sat forever ticking until forever was no longer. Where frost covered dyeing grass with its smoky haze and people curled closer to their fireplaces. It was weird even maddening in some perspectives, in your most vibrant an exhilarating moments, your dyeing. May it be a single intake of breath or a life time of terminal illness, something is giving and you are powerless to change the fate. A concept in Krista's mind, she's know even at her young age an impossible heart beat you cant stop. But in Historia's mind Danced along, a crazy, terrible, wonderful hatter complete with wonderful brown hair that had grown too long for up keep and freckles that licked like a brilliant fire across her browning face. That even melted the frost around Historia own heart. Images of a crazy rabbit always late for tea and one lost in a timepiece. A blue caliper a steady chain smoker that must die from lung cancer eventually and a mouse as fierce as his emerald eyes. A smiling cat. All these characters using their bodies as instruments, as tools, twirling and twisting and curling in and around themselves.

This time Histoira eyes twitched ever so slightly in time with the images and her mind shifted to a rather dramatic scene in a towering castle built with an overpowering sense of fear and broken hearts that turned in to lost heads covered in scorching ash. The dancers here with their faces burned and put under extreme pressure seemed to turn into black diamonds a rare kind of gem. Moved as elegant as they looked along the shouldering ground. It would have been a beautiful scene if it were not for the accumulating smoke in the castle and the madding squeals of "Off with her head!"

The smoke inhalation was becoming too much for Historia's tiny lungs. Who sat spewing a dark chalky saliva and her eye sight blurring.

An inhalation of a breath that wasn't there is what initially what woke her from a dream not that what greeted her wasn't much different in the aspect of fright. Her room was a dark, cool stone that was vast enough that standing on one side of the room and looking to the other in the dim light that was no more in her room was a near impossible task. The once lite fire had burned itself out and now little wasps of smoke could be seen escaping into the room at the foot of her bed. Filling the room with the smell of burned faces and a distinct memory. Historia sat up quickly in a fit of anxiety trying to find something of familiarity to calm her nerves. Which proved hard seeing she slept alone, no brothers or sisters to keep her company only a single stuffed animal that seemed to disappear in the night.

Bunching her small fingers around the surrounding area of her blankets she yanked them around herself, her feet following the action until she was a small ball only allowing her toes to stick out. In the commotion of her movement a thump could be heard. A light tick tock followed that thump, that made even frighten Historia curious, but who wasn't curious by nature? Several moments passed and a young Historia sat building her courage under the heat of the blankets. Until she could no longer bare the intense heat that had built up in the blankets and her desire to know what lay on the outside of her fortress became too strong. Which came first is unknown. Peering over the blankets still clenching in her grasp a wave of cold air greeted her and her now adjusted eyes could see a blond figure on the ground beside her bed.

" Is some-someone there?"

Her cool and raspy voice boomed over the stillness of her room causing an echo. Her hand joined her face outside of the blankets and slid down the edge of the beds wooden frame. Her hand was met with a soft tuff of fur in surprise, she pulled back quickly jumping the farthest she could get to the opposite side of the bed letting a small scream escape her lips. Collecting her thoughts huffing, she reached back over her mind putting two and two together. Pulling the figure up to her level, she was met with a warm aqua gaze and yellow -blond fur much like the color of her own hair. Breaking into a childish grin she pulled her rabbit stuffed animal into an embrace nuzzling its neck. Her freighting room forgotten and nervous laughter filled it instesd. Her door was then suddenly swung open causing her to squeeze her rabbit and fright overtook her again. Instead of the gruesome monster Historia imaged had flung her door open. She was happy to see the concerned face of her father stare back at her.

"A nightmare again?"

Historia nodded, allowing herself to fall back on to the bed, bringing her rabbit with her. Historia's father hummed at his correctness walking further into her room.
"Its entirely cold in here isn't it?" Historia watched as her father moved round the room, pulling a match from his pocket as he knelt down to the fire place. Striking it setting a small blaze in his hand.

"Please don't!" Historia's head left her pillow in a frantic rush to stop her father, Her attempt to late and the fire set ablaze. He gave Historia a curious glance before speaking

"I can't quite help you with your dreams if you freeze in your sleep, yea?"

She said nothing but layed back down gulping.

"I'm falling... Down a dark hole, then I see strange creatures." She says quietly recalling her dream, her eyes looking up to meet her fathers familiar gaze. He was right this wasn't her first nightmare. This was one in a long list of many, but this one was different.

"What kind of creatures?"

"Well ,theres... a mouse, two rabbits and a smiling cat." Historias father smiled a kind and warm one amusement lighting the corners of his lips.

"I didn't know cats could smile."

"Neither did I." Historia's face lightens at her father's calm voice and amused face. The toll of the dream becoming more of a memory than reality and the smoke in the room not so hard to breath in anymore.

"And a blue caterpillar." Histoira whispers as the chain smoking animal becomes relevant in her mind again.

"A blue caterpillar you say? His face becomes one of concern and knowledge, changing Historias clam face into a daunting one.

"Do you think i've gone around the bend?" Historia's face morphing into one of fear at her own acquisition. What if she had gone crazy, what would they say? Her father's hand came up touching her forehead lightly, then pulling back with a concerned face.

" I'm afraid so, you're completely mad, bonkers, off your head, but ill tell you a secret." He paused ever so slightly and allowed the smile he had been keeping in show on his lip.

" All the best people are." At that Historias face changed to as she allowed a laugh, she didn't know she was holding in join her fathers. Their laughter flowing though out the room bouncing off the now warm stone.

"Don't be frightened Historia nothing there can harm you." He says halting his laughter, his face more serious than foolish.

"And If you ever get to scared there's this." reaching just under her shoulder. He pinched lightly with a laugh, rubbing the spot briefly after. Histoira squealed in pain more about bonding, then physical aspect. Pinching him back for childish revenge laughing with him.

Standing up from his warm spot on the edge of the bed, he began tucking her in slowly with a warm smile they both shared. Their blue eyes connecting even briefly showing a bond that could never be broken. Moving to the door, he glanced back briefly smiled and not closing the door but leaving it ajar so the light In the hall flooded In though the crack. He left his foot steps clicking on the way down the hall.

Historia closed her eyes arm curling around her rabbit's neck until sleep overtook her and her breath was short and even.

Though her fire burned brightly again in it fireplace the room no longer an icy wasteland, Its flames licking here and there. If one squinted hard enough a dramatic scene in a towering castle built with an overpowering sense of fear and broken hearts that turned in to lost heads covered in scorching ash could be seen in the fire place. The dancers the flames and the black diamonds the combusting logs. They moved as elegant as they looked along the shouldering ground of the fire place. The room was warm, but if one were to look over at the window a bitter frost could be seen covering the window sill its smoky appearance taking over the warm stone and replacing it with a bitter chill a light ticking completing it.

Chapter Text

"Do we have to go?" Krista had been looking anywhere but at her mother for the last five minutes at least, trying to think of ideas on how to get out of this "Party". Complete with opening the door to the stagecoach and taking her chances of not breaking every bone in her body, as she so majestically flung herself out and ran all the way back home.

" I honestly don't even think they would notice if I never showed up." Krista finally looked over at her mother pled in her eyes.

Her mother fed up with Krista's feeble attempts to weasel her way out of this important social outing and slightly annoyed at her childish rebellion. Just raised an eyebrow at her and told her for what may have been the thousandth time she’d be going.

"And where would you get an idea like that? Not attending your own engagement party?" Krista sat still for a moment considering her options before she sighed and turned back to the window, her childlike body could never outrun a stagecoach of this speed.

Sluggishly crossing her arms to show she was upset, as if her mother didn’t already get the message. She blankly peered from her seat out into a sea of green blurs. Squinting her eyes aa vibrant shade of blue a contrasted the endless green in her vision. It swayed briefly in time with the bumping of the coach before it latched itself to the outside of the window and steady itself. Scrunching her eyebrows the caterpillar appeared to be staring back Krista.

Sighing her mother reached her hands out in a comforting gesture and placed them on Krista's knees in a calm reassurance. Surprised by the sudden contact Krista snapped her attention to her mother before looking back to the caterpillar which expeditiously disappeared. Once her mothers hands met the frilly blue and white fabric of her Krista's dress and her eyes came close enough to see Krista’s slightly slouched figure her face suddenly screwed up in to one of disbelief and disappointment.

"Where's your corset? Giving her mother a knowing glance she remained quiet shifting her attention from the window to her mother's disconnected face. Her mother clenched her teeth as she proceed to yank Krista's dress to just above her knees. If someone could get physically disturbed by stockings and corsets it was her mother and Krista knew if her mother wasn't the noble lady she was she may have just helped Krista with her mystical flight out of the cart that was dragging them closer and closer by the second.

"And your stockings, they were to be pure white not theses unfit black and white striped ones! Why are you being so difficult?"

"I'm against them." Krista’s voice came out less confident than she intended and her stance on the matter faltering with each second her mother's disappointed face stared back at her. It was true Krista wasn't a rebellious girl she was a good one. Doing what she was told without question, being nice to everyone even those perverted guys who often saw her kindness as weakness and she maintained her profile as a lady. Which so ceremoniously meant getting married to a man of her mother's choosing. Which was more or less about the money than Krista's happiness. Her mother did love her, a lot, more and any else in the world but there were certain things ladies were expected to do, to sacrifice things. Krista’s life was one sacrifice after another but seeing her mother like this was really paining her more than it should have been.

"There proper!" Her mother said face turning red with exertion

"Who's to say what's proper and not!" Krista found her voice and raised it in competition with her mother. her full attention on the matter and a rage that had been building in her cool blue eyes let out.

" If it were proper for men to marry men and women to marry women would you!" Krista's mothers face morphed into one of surprise. Never had Krista brought up this matter so directly. Her mother opened her mouth to reply but was quickly cut off by her enraged daughter

"Even if you weren't attracted to women but it was proper. Would you do it!"

"Krista, enough!"

Her rage stalled and sadness took it place quickly as tears begin to sting her hazed blue eyes. Tilting her head down blonde hair obscuring her view and her mothers quickly blurring figure. She had talked, but only a few choice times on the matter of her sexual preference each ending with a certain talking to and another sacrifice.

The first time she was just a child the mere age of 6 when she gone running to her parent after playing with a pretty girl with fire red hair and honey colored eyes in their residency garden. She was nobody of importance just a servant's girl daughter that Krista's parents allowed her to hang out with seeing there weren't many kids around and there only child was to get lonely sometimes. Krista had gone a rose in one hand the house's sigil and a smile in the other. Arriving at her mother first proudly showing her the rose and telling her all about the girl in the garden. How the girl had given it to her because it was just like her, a perfect rose. Her mother praised the red headed girl for getting the right rose for there house sigil and commented on the girls kindness. Her other assumed that Krista's happiness was a simple child joyfulness. Smiling at the praise the girl had received Krista had just simply nodded her head, her mother had missed the point the girl had given her the rose. It sparked a certain happiness she couldn't identify only she knew she liked it and the girl more than any boy she had met.

When she'd asked her mother if two girls could marry just like a girl and a boy. The only thing that greeted her was an odd stare, which she took as a cue to explain father. Staring at the rose in her hand, a dark red one, painted in blood. Krista began to explain in great detail how marrying another girl exceeded a boy. Her reasoning including the sharing of clothes which could be quite entertaining in her mind, modeling for each other sounded like a fun game and she wouldn't mind seeing the girl in the expensive clothes she wore. They could spend their days in the garden smelling the roses and playing tag in the evening. Making sure to include that the girl was a lot gentler than the boys in the residency, who seemed to trample everything and they could have lots of kids because 2 mommies were better than one.

Ending her mini seminar Krista brought the rose to her face as she inhaled deeply the aroma having a heady effect. Smiling Krista tilted her face to see her mothers discussed face, her mouth slightly open in bewilderment. Plucking the rose from Krista's hand one of the petals falling the ground. Her mother looked the rose over briefly before tightening her grasp, the rose welting. It was nonsense, completely preposterous her mother declared. Her mother told her if this conversation was to ever come up again. Especially around someone important, there would be consciences, big ones. Confusion crossed young Krista's face before tears sprung from her eyes and she bent down quickly picking up the single petal. Before she turn and let, she never saw the girl with pretty red hair and honey eyes again. Her mother told her she and her mother had found work elsewhere. Looking back on it Krista felt entirely awful.

Now she was eighteen and getting married and for some reason she wished she still had the petal. Maybe it would instill some kind of comfort now.

"I'm sorry mother that was uncalled for, forgive me I've been stressed lately and I didn't sleep last night."

Tilting her head back up to give her mother an apologetic stare, she was truly genuine. It wasn't her mother's fault she felt this way, it was a ladies place to sacrifice certain things and sacrificing is what she did best. Her mother just simply nodded deciding not to press the matter any further. That was a bag of worms she didn't want to dive into. Her mother unclasped her own necklace and hooked it around Krista, smiling.

"Now your beautiful."

Pulling her hand up to Krista's cheek trying to wipe a stray tear that had escaped there. As if second nature Krista flinched away from her touch. She'd gotten used to wiping her own tears.

After this the conversation stalled the destination approached quickly. Hopping from the carriage Krista's eyes found the party she had been dreading so much she just wished to could hate it more. This place was truly beautiful, There were trees everywhere an array of pinks, whites and greens. Flowers in there spring time glow and soft grass. White tables lined symmetric around the venue with white laced table cloths accompanied by a white rose on each table. It was very much a party she could have dreamt up for it not meaning behind it.

"white roses? I demanded red for our house. " Her mother said at the mishap as she climbed out after Krista.

"You could always paint them red," Krista replied. No sarcasm in her voice, she was serious if she recalled correctly she done it once in a dream.

"What an odd thing to say."

Before she was able to get a few feet away from her mother to closer inspect the scenery she was ambushed by her soon to be mother in-law. A woman with greying hair, whose hips were widened by child bearing and eyes held fire. She was probably very beautiful once before the years had crept up on her and a scowl had taken over her facial beauty. Krista briefly wondered If she was ever happy come to think of it she couldn't remember a time when she once saw her smile.

"Jean is waiting to dance with you, go." Her step mother nodding her head in his general direction, not entirely sure how to respond Krista gave her an awkward nod before turning to flee the scene.

"She's an awkward girl isn't she?" Her step mother commented watching Krista take her leave. Walking over she took to spot up next to Mrs. Reiss sipping from a wine cup.

"She's just nervous and shy i suppose, she'll loosen up with a few cups of wine."

"Don't we all." Scoffing Mrs. Kristein drew the wine cup up to her lips before swiging the rest.

Dancing was a quite a deadly affair, most frightening especially when Krista was shorter than most kids attending their engagement party and her dance moves did need a bit more practice. The fear of being trampled was very much alive in her mind but not as big as the fear of a panic attack. She did have a history with them, a some what secret affair. Violent little things that overtook her body and she found herself useless until they passed, usually she find comfort in solitude until her mind was hers again. Currently her insides felt like they were falling down pit without her and her breath already began to feel ragged.

The music began taking a more upbeat rhythm as she was guided by a very handsome Jean on to the floor. Whose hair was put up in to a fancy style, some sort of mixture to hold it in place and the hair on his sides newly trimmed revealing a darker shade than the top layer which was most interesting. Turning to face each other Jean offered her a smile and Krista found herself relaxing. Maybe this wasn't so bad. Offering up his hands to which Krista gingerly took they began a fairly known dance routine, still a bit dull in Krista's mind as she tried to copy Jean. She wasn't trying to unsettle the dance floor but when your marrying someone of disinterest the incentive to practice is low. Her movements were always a few seconds delayed in time with the music. In one of the more difficult parts of the dance which had its fair share of twists and turns she'd miscalculated a twist and felt herself stagger away from Jeans grasp and into a woman with a fairly large backside that she could conclude as she braced her hands against the two plump cheeks. The women surprised by the sudden touch found herself jumping forward which resulted in a domino effect that disrupted the whole dance floor. After Krista regained her balance -quickly she might add due to her winder area to grounder herself with- she found herself jumping back also but with guilt instead of surprise, her back met Jean with a painful smack as she collided with his front side. Turning to face him quickly she was met with an aggravated whisper. That caused an vein on his neck to stand out.

"Where's your head!" His smile had faded and anger replaced it.

"I'm terribly sorry, please forgive me." Krista first turned to the initial lady she had disrupted her face the color of the painted roses on the tables, pulling her hands subconsciously behind her back. Turning back to Jean she felt a loss of words she didn't want to look like an idiot and disappoint her mother more than she already was.

What fool didn't practice their dances for a party? Especially their own. Looking up she spotted birds flocked in a v formation there calls resonating above everyone.

"I was wondering what it would be like to fly." Krista whispered. Her voice was barely audible even to Jean a few inches away had to strain to hear. It was a lie, no an excuse. She had thought about the sensations of flying just not in that moment but if she could fly this would be a situation she would escape from.

"Why would you spend your time thinking for such an impossible thing?" Bewildered crossed his face as he spoke he wasn't an imaginative person.

"W-why wouldn't I." It was a response more or less snippy one which was bound to start an argument. Trying to find a way to steer the conversation in a different direction before it got out of hand. Krista recited the first thing that came to mind.

"My father once told me he believed in 6 impossible things before breakfast."

"I suppose that's why he's not here now." Jean's face took on one of reason. Hard facts not silly thinking. He wasn't trying to be rude it just came naturally, brutally honest and his unfiltered opinion.

"It may be best for you to keep your visions to yourself, when in doubt remain silent." Krista was too shocked to reply or even blink for that matter. No one had mentioned her father since his death all those years ago and she honestly didn't know how she felt on the matter sill though she never told anyone. The conversation still going on in her head she didn't notice Jean had gotten on one knee in the middle of the dance floor, in front of everyone and already took her hands. His gaze was expectant and another smile grazed his lips. This one of a lewd desire.

Looking up from his face in to the sea of faceless figures she felt incredibly small like an ant in a maze. She wanted to scream and cry all at once and not at all. Her body felt warm all over like she just submerged herself in a bath but was unable to come up. Her breath coming in short gasps and violent shakes.

"I-I need... need a moment." Feeling she was about to combust into flames from their stares and the pressure was going to make her explode she fled from the dance floor in to the outskirts of the venue. Avoiding everyone's gaze.

Running until she honestly couldn't breath anymore she fell to her knees and started gasping for air her lungs didn't want to take. She lowered herself on to her back and felt the familiar pain of tears forming in her eyes, an emotion she wished she could control. Gliding her hand in to her hair she tugged in desperation to free her mind of her pressing thoughts and commitments. She had begun pulling harder and harder with each though she remembered and how they all burdened her. Embarrassment, anxiety, women, marriage, death, women. When the tugging became too much her head began to pound only making her mood worsen.

Krista though she had slipped into the first stages of madness when she felt something wet and cold touch her forehead. Opening her eyes in fear someone had found her in this awful state she sat quickly and looked around. Her eyes only finding the aqua eyes of a short haired white rabbit with a tuft of blonde fur on the its head as if someone had sewn it on there and glass like eyes the reminded her of marbles. The rabbit looked oddly familiar save for the human shirt it wore and the click of an unseen timepiece. The rabbit sat considering her, waiting for something but when nothing happened it sat up on its hind legs. Looking it over the rabbit Krista swore she hear it say something perhaps about being late just before it thumped its foot once, twice then hopping off. Intrigued by the rabbit Krista held her hand out for him to wait but when they didn’t she called out.

"Hey! Wait." Gathering herself to her feet she found herself chasing after the rabbit, a thrill of adventure she hadn’t experienced since she was young.

The rabbit was certainly faster than Krista intended and dashed out of sight soon after she started to pursue it. Her short legs nothing to help her at all in this situation. Taking the path she thought the rabbit had most likely taken she found herself staring at a gaping hole too big to be a rabbits. It could have possibly been a well once seeing the it was as wide as she was tall. Whether is was curiosity or stupidity she found herself kneeling over the hole her knees on one side and her hands balancing her at an awkward angle on the holes sides. Peering curiously down she saw nothing but an engulfing darkness.

"Umm hello..., Sir?" Was it right to call the rabbit a sir, surely a women could wear and waistcoat. She'd never seen a women wear one but she doubted one had never tried one on even in the privacy on there own home. She couldn't deny she wanted to wear one even if it was briefly. What was it like to not wear something tight and open ended. Wait, a rabbit wearing clothes? Leaning forward now truly interested in a clothes wearing rabbit she felt one of her hands slip beneath a rim of the hole the other following its lead and she was suddenly falling.

Either the hole was very deep, or she fell very slowly, for she had plenty of time as she went down to look about her and to wonder what was going to happen next. First she thought of the end. Was there one? When she finale reached it would she splatter like a jar of jelly on impact with the ground. Secondly, she tried to look down and make out what she was coming to, but it was too dark to see anything; then she looked at the sides of the endless room, and noticed that they were filled with cupboards and book-shelves a grand piano that she passed that was being played in a never end scale; here and there she saw maps and pictures hung upon pegs. She took down a jar from one of the shelves as she passed; it looked as if it were labeled once but time had turned it yellow and cracked, opening it she looked inside it was empty. The item had possible disappeared with age: she didn't want to drop the jar for fear of killing the rabbit, if it had in fact fallen down the hole also. So she managed to put it into one of the cupboards as she fell past it.

Falling on the dance floor was nothing compared to this, she saw everything but felt noting her body was in perfect limbo. She was confined to falling down the holes depths but she felt as if she were still present at the top of the hole. Was this to even to be called the real world or was she sent to fall forever possibly into a place people called hell. Maybe years had passed because this was a place had no time and she had aged. Her face no longer beautiful in the standards of her marriage and when she walked her back would ache. Down the rabbit hole. Lost in thought she failed to realize she had stopped until her hair hung in front of her face and she though 'Hair doesn't naturally hang this way'. Suddenly the room ranged itself or her body realized which way was truly down and she fell. Unlike her fall down what could have been miles this one actually hurt as she landed on her arm. As pain sprung up her arm as she found herself alone trapped in a room.

The rabbit gone.

Chapter Text

Krista looked up shivering, laying on cold slated tiles. Looking around dizzily. She sucked in a breath of icy air.

Above her was a checkerboard like ceiling that was beginning to peel. Where the paint still remained was an interesting shade of green that reminded her of spring time leaves and sharp blades of grass. Around her, four walls in the same condition as the ceiling, paint peeling more in some places more than others. A different color on each wall. It look as if someone had painted the walls unsure of the color, then gone back through and scratched violently at them in a maddening attempt to take the paint off, seeing that they were dissatisfied with their color.

Having no memory of falling steadily down a rabbit hole and being trapped in a room of sorts, a perfect circle made of wood, seemingly impossible in Krista's mind.' I don't even know how to get where I am, which, ‘thought Krista,’ a problem is since I’m going to have to get out, ideally soon to avoid starvation.' Gathering herself, she willed herself to be calm and reasonable. She wasn't stuck in a windowless circle, with insanity scratched in the walls and on top of that not knowing where she was. No she was just in another twisted room in her house trying to prepare for the party she must be incredibly late for now. Inhaling deeply, the cool air stung her lungs and her fingertips were beginning to tingle. 'How did I manage to get into this unusually cold room, and especially when it's spring? What an odd thing to do' Making sure she was stable before she moved to one of the six doors around her. No door was the same, either the height, size or design varied in each.

The room was quiet. The kind of middle-of-the-night quiet that makes every shuffle or nervous panting breath echo. Standing in front of a large, faded yellow Victorian double door, surrounded with a bulky white frame that housed intricate designs, engravings that never came to an end and only begun. The two brass knobs that were perfectly centered with Krista's hands seemed just like the room worn out and unpleasant. Two foot long human-made nail marks were scratched at least and an inch deep and little splats of blood were dried in random spots near the two intrusions. The faded yellow of the door looked like it could have been cheerful once. Maybe in a time when people didn't feel the need to label things. When the unexpected wasn't taught to be expected, and the unknown wasn't left to answers written in thin scribbled ink.

Turning the doorknob slowly it gave a loud creek before it knocked on a hard metal stopper, tucked somewhere inside the wood of the door. Removing her hands slowly, she stared at the door in front her once more before turning on her heel quickly to the next. A Dutch door, just like the many she owned. It was a dark oak, a mundane wood that seemed newly refurbished. Its wood held no blemished and the knob was newly shined but what caught her eye was the shaky words written in a deep red that read: Sorrow. The letters though shaky and uneven with each other, looked as if someone had sat staring blankly at this door for days. Starting to write a letter then hesitating before forgetting what they were doing and staring blankly at the door once more before the thought returned only for it to disappear again. She could her something softly mumbling incoherent words behind this door. Pressing her ear to the smooth wood, it was very faint, a quite

"Krista....Krista." every few moments. Straining to hear the words clearly, she focused harder, subconsciously leaning her weight more heavily against the door. She stood like this, breathing hushed and ears strained. until a loud "BANG!" startled her, and loud shrills from multiple voices of a name Krista didn't recall but sounded familiar could be heard on the opposite side of the door.

"HISSSSSTORIA, please come back to us, WE MISS YOU!" A relentless pounding on the door matched her heart beat and manic laughter filled her roaring ears. Suddenly her defenses fell and panic took its place. Stumbling back she found herself at another door which she didn't pay attention to as she tried it. The door refused to open, they all did. As quickly as the commotion began it stopped and silence took its place.

"Help," was all Krista was able to say in a soft voice before a crazy nervous laughter bubbled up in her throat and she struggled to control it. It was too quiet for her ears could take no more. The cold made her finger feel numb but the adrenaline rush made her mind sing. She wasn't afraid to die, death may actually have been a blessing to those around her. She knew how ashamed her mother was of her. She was sure her mother imagined she dreamt of a woman's lovely figure all day, which wasn't a complete lie on some occasions.

Slowly Krista closed her mouth as she felt herself crumble to the ground, stone cold realization hitting her like a blunt sword. She couldn't ask for help. She couldn't call anyone. It was true, if a tree falls and there's no one around to hear it did it make a sound? It indeed made sound but with no one around to perceive it, what is called sound doesn't exist. Though this was all philosophy Krista knew. Looking across the room her eyes caught on a glint of a glass table, centered in the room, aligned with a dusty candle lit chandelier. Krista tried her eyes to focus on the glass table, but she found her attempt to fail miserably. Standing up she nimbly found herself standing in front of the glass. The table housed a clear glass bottle filled with an odd purple substance, tied neatly on it was a name tag that read: Drink Me! Next to it was a key.

Reaching her hand down on the first that looked like a way out of this hell hole she grasped the key, eyes wide as she jogged back to the first door. She made sure to avoid the Dutch one, her shoes clacking against tile with every step. By her third try to find the appropriate door that fit with the key, she came to a space she hadn't realized before. It look as if a door was meant to be placed there and one simply had not, but upon looking down she noticed a small door that would probably stand half the height of her. Pulling her dress to her knees she bent down her legs touching the cold tile as she inspected the tiny passage. Trying the key the door opened with a creek, revealing a flow of vibrant colors, to Krista surprise. Moving to her hands she gained eye level with the door way and what she saw was a place like no other. Colors she'd never seen in nature and creatures that were unknown to mankind.

In the doorway a forest of dark navy blues and red oak trees swarm the sky with their leaves, allowing the sky to vanish almost completely, only a few fragments of blues, purples and pinks remained- like scattered pieces of an impossible jigsaw puzzle depicting a late afternoon day. The air felt rich with the fragrance of leaves and loam, damp too against the little exposed skin Krista could peek from the door. Even so many hours after the rains have passed, the soil remained wet, slowly releasing its heavy fog. Not the color of fireplace smoke but the color Krista imagined would appear if blue skies came down to earth, a light blue. Outside is the noon daylight, the powerful rays of early spring, but out there everything was cool and the colors had the softness of that time just before twilight. The only movement Krista could detect was the occasional bird, startling in a tree. Its beck a bright yellow and its feathers an array of colors, not two birds looking the same. Just beyond she could detect the sound of running water in a brook that had the same hypnotic quality as music, she wanted to sit there and just drink in the sound. Sucking in all the air her lungs could hold she expel it slowly. Here she felt the measure of time was done only by the rising and setting of the sun.

Pulling back she realized she wanted to experience this place not observe it and staying in this room wasn’t an option. Turning back to the table her eyes locked on to the bottle's purple liquid and a crazy idea found its way into her mind. Allowing the door to close behind her she found herself back at that table the key in one hand and the bottle in the other. 'This isn't the craziest thing that's happened to me today,' uncapping the bottle her fingers grazed the tag as she read it over again trying to find some sense in her plan. Tipping the bottle back not bothering to smell the liquid or in another way inspect it. She swallowed an unnecessary large amount of it out of thirst. It tasted foul and stung the back of her throat. She would have thought it to be the cheap beer she found her mother smelt like after unusually long days or at parties, if not for the bubbling feeling she felt and the shrinking of her limbs. She could feel her insides becoming smaller her mass reducing to almost nothing, it was a sinking feeling like jumping off a building only to never come to the ground.

‘Am I to disappear,’ perhaps she had not found a proper sense and out of foolishness she was sent to be lost forever, a speck of dust on a dusty ground. When she stopped shrinking she realized she had not become as small as she first though. She stood at about half her original size, her dress had not gotten the memo though and remained the same and was now hanging offer her 2 year old like body. It wasn't a big change, if she was two now she was only about ten originally.

In front of her a silver engraved wooden box with a dish of sort encased inside. The plate was cracked and missing pieces like it had been thrown but someone had taken the time to retrieve it and reuse it despite the condition. Placed on it was a yellow sponge that reminded her of cake, on it was a white frosting she assumed. Just as the bottle, on it was a name tag and in the same neat handwriting it said: Eat Me! Glancing over at the door then back at the only food she had seen in quite a while. She grab the box out of common sense. Opening the door this time was like an infant seeing the world opening up to them, mind free, a perfect balance only Krista could see. "Curiouser and curiouser," She spoke to no one but perhaps the odd creatures around her as she began to walk from the wretched room. A small path made from hand placed stone led her from the door to a much more over taken place in the forest she wasn't able to see before.

"I told you she was the right Historia." The same rabbit that had led Krista to this place spoke but something was off,different than before. The thing in front of her had a human bone structure and stood just a few inches taller than her original height with blonde hair cascading to just a bit below their neck, save if it's fluffy blonde rabbit ears and was that a tail? When they spoke they had usually large front teeth and a large wooden bow slung across their back with colorful arrows in a bag placed beside them. How Krista knew this was the same rabbit she didn't know. Next to them stood another human like creature and two actual humans Krista assumed. The half human- animal look to have the traits of a mouse though he was taller than the rabbit. Which was odd because when she thought of mice they were usually small, though Krista thought 'I am passes odd, I've charged into the land of madness.' His hair was a dark brown that was left in an untamed mess that sprouted every which way from his head, covering most of his face. He also had brilliant emerald eyes that shone through the hair that could probably compete with the sun. Protruding from his head were small rounded pink and brown furred ears that were only told apart from his hair by their color, and hairless tail that looked more like a whip that was currently wrapping and unwrapping in his hand. Placed in in holsters on either side of him were elbow to fingertip length daggers that Krista assumed were used for close combat she didn’t want to imagine.

"I am not convinced," His voice was laced with venom and his green eyes shown with hate, he suddenly seemed more dangerous.

"How’s that for graduate, I’ve been up there for weeks trailing one girl after the next, for the death of titans I was almost eaten by other animals! Animals up there go about entirely unclothed and they do their.... shuck'em in public, I had to avert my eyes." They sounded totally disgusted and offended. If it weren't for the situation Krista was in she would have laugh.

"She doesn't look anything like herself." A purple flower spoke up from the back ground, its voice squeaky.

"That’s because she's the wrong Historia!" The angry rat Krista dared to call this one called out again.

"If she was she might be."

"But if she is she isn’t."

"But if she was so then she would be."

"But she isn't no how."

The two human figures in the background decided to finally join the conversation though they didn’t seem much on Krista side on the matter. They alternated in their sentences and appeared to be only speaking to each other. From what Krista could tell they were related and wore the same thing, a tattered striped red and white shirt with form fitting pants and overalls. The taller of the two, a female with a farmers accent and the longest hair Krista's ever see, falling down to half past her back and huge brown eyes like her hair. She was staring at her, with dirt smudged on her face and a curious gleam in her eyes. The girl interested Krista for she didn’t wear a dress but pants that seemed to be made out of the same material of her stockings. Next to the girl was a boy a lot smaller then she was and had a clean shaved head though still taller than Krista. There was something goofy about them that made Krista want to smile but the twin halberd they both bore told her otherwise. The way they talked confused Krista so much so, she was finally fed up with being talk about and confused that she couldn't help but speak up.

"How can I be the wrong "Historia"? If this is my dream." Taking her time she look from person to err... animal/plant? Shaking her head slightly, her thoughts over taking her again 'This is absolutely crazy!' What was making her have this dream and who was Historia? She couldn't remember dreaming in years. This time it was their turn to look confused at the situation. Tilting their back at her they were at lost for words, even the aggravating mouse. "And who are you if I might ask," Krista said deciding to ask easier questions then lead her way up to the more imposing ones.

.

"Oh! Were the twins im Sasha and that's Connie."

"On the cherry-wise im Sasha and that's Connie." The twins spoke up but which was which was anyone’s guess.

"We should take her to Levi."

“Yes Levi would know.” They looked around at each other, everyone silently agreeing they would take her to this unknown place. Approaching her the twins eyed each other briefly before one broke out into a run to Krista and the other followed, in a goofy push shove race.

"I'll escort her," One of the twins, the smaller of the two said making the first grab at Krista. Only for the second one to grab Krista’s other elbow and tug back.

"No it’s not been your turn, you inside out Titan!"

"Hey! That's unfair."

"Let go, puppet face!"

Aside from being rushed by two unknown people wielding weapons, that in all honesty didn't look mentally fit to hold them, Krista felt utterly confused and wouldn't be lying if she admitted she was scared right now. 'Titan, puppet,' she questioned in her head. The second of the two didn't seem like an unusual word to say but to use it as an insult seemed a bit off in her head, but Titan that was an unusual word she'd never heard before. What did it mean? Feeling her body began to be dragged without her consent she lifted her thoughts back to the present. With every possessive pull from the two there halberd would sway dangerously close to her face from there position on their back. Krista griped the food box still in her hands just in case in some crazy way she needed to block the blade from slicing her nose off. Well of course if she could free her arms from their hold.

"Are they always like this?" Krista couldn't help but ask about this impossible places people because if they were always like this, she would need to steer clear. Swinging their arrows other their shoulder a colorful display much like a rainbow crossing the sky, their blue eyes lighten up with laughter and hints of sympathy as they called out ahead of them.

"I'm afraid so, family trait."

"Calm it you shuck headed titans or I’ll string you up like a puppet myself!" This time the mouse called out in an attempt to possible calm the two pulling Krista down, but that only worked briefly.

After walking a considerable long time, the twins had thankfully let go and settled on walking behind her at an even pace. After she had let out a shirk when one of the blades had come to close and fear had taken over lungs. The mouse, Eren she had found out when she screamed had been at her side yelling at them for probably the thousandth time since she arrived. He seemed to find nothing better to. Of course Sasha and Connie were very nice and said sorry profusely for the past five minutes with consent glares from Eren. The area here was just as exciting and interesting as the people were. The trees here seemed to grow taller than by the door, but that could have been because of the more than extreme height difference she was experiencing at the moment. If she was to be stick with theses people in more or less of an imprisonment situation she might as well ask some questions.

"Who’s Levi?"

"He's wise, he's absolute." The blonde rabbit hummed after her as if it was basic knowledge.

"He's Levi," The twins chimed at the same time. Silently crossing her arm she had begun to find it harder and harder not to get increasingly frustrated, getting indirect answers to straightforward questions.

"What are titans?"

"Discussing creatures. “This time it was Eren that spat the words out like it were foul milk.

"There titans!" the pair said on queue again.

"What are dolls?"

Eren snickered, a short burst of laughter mixed with a phlegm-filled snort. Then his face grew serious, his eyebrows slanting inward as he turned around to face Krista." You ask a lot of questions to be the right Historia." He pointed at Krista “I telling you guys." He stared at her for a few more second then started to move on but then stopped, holding up a finger. "No more questions till the end, got me?" Flicking his hard pink tail he turned around defiantly and sped his pace up a bit to which everyone else followed. Krista found this to be the end of her question asking. At a little clearing ahead near the forest's edge, sat a horde of what Krista thought to be mushrooms, spotted red and white and in the center on them was a plant shell like in its appearance. Surrounding the area was a blue haze heftier than the fog but the group was still able to see through it.

"Who are you?" Jerking her eyes up with surprise at the sudden voice in the eerie silence, she couldn't help but the confusion and amusement that crossed her face.

"Levi?" He was a short man even in Krista's eyes, tiny in comparison to what she originally thought him to be in all his 'absoluteness' and 'wisdom." Quite comical. The underlayer of his hair was clean shaved, allowing the higher levels of his hair to flow free and lay calmly around his face. The air surrounding him felt still but the way he sat in a laid back gesture told otherwise. Lying back against a rock with one leg pulled up and the other dangling from the rock's edge. His arm wrapped around his brought up knee was their all-powerful Levi. He wore an unnaturally bright shade of blue shirt and dark navy blue pants, made out of some rough material. Judging from the texture pattern Krista could see from her spot below him. His feet bare and dirty from walking.

“Im Levi, the question is who are..." He paused a second only the blow more of the lucid blue hazy smoke in her face, his pipe dangling from his hand. "You?" Shaking the smoke from her face as she coughed she replied weakly

"Im Krista." She offered him a small smile, a real one because she couldn't help but feel bad for judging him earlier and he was supposed to help her out with this situation.

"We shall see." Ignoring Krista’s smile he pushed himself up from in leaned back position. He look out passed the trees over at the edge of the tree line and into the vast clearing to right of them. Not returning his attention back to the group, as he stared off into a distant place. A stoic expression on his face.

"What do you mean by that, I ought to know who I am?" She had to get away from this guy. She felt herself-crossing in to a dangerous territory of being pissed off. Without another word, she made for the edge of the forest, only because it was close, only because she had no idea where else to go.

"Yes you 'ought' stupid girl, I would advise eating the cake now." Levi spoke quietly to her still zoned out. Krista turned and looked back at Levi now that she had gotten a few steps from him she had a better view of his face and he seemed entirely to focused on something else, a new curiosity in his eyes. Looking for his face to the wooden box she had forgot she was caring, she didn’t need to be told twice to eat. She was starving already. Taking a bite, she chewed quickly and swallowed just so. She was beginning to go in for another bite when she felt a blubbing feeling inside of her and the blonde rabbit yelling. Returning from his dazed look, Levi stood up arching his back in a stretch before walking behind him out of view. Were he went was anyone’s guess.

"Not too much." they said snatching the pastry from her hand. Suddenly coughing she could feel it again the sinking feeling, but instead of losing mass she gained it. The stretching and building of bone and skin. She grew or stretched more likely but only briefly before she was back to original size, which wasn't much seeing she was still tiny compared to them, but now at least she didn't have to worry about being stepped on. Watching her the twins giggled a bit, adding there option to the situation once again.

"That barely did anything."

"Nothing at all, right Armin."

Levi came back a few moment later, two huge squared duel wield swords in his hands, with a pitiful appearance. They were old, rusted and dirty form lack of care and use. Their blade tips were cracked and dulled down, each blade spanned two and a half feet including the handle that was covered in a worn, faded leather. The blades weighed as much as a medium sized dog. Each were a close to a color of brown red, slight hints of silver staggered in a few specks giving them a rustic look.

"Twilight rides closer.
Red blood drips on sharp white wings.
Morbid memories..." Was all he said before he turned and faced the clearing again his eyes scanning the open field once more. He seemed to find what he was looking for when his eyebrows raised and for a second and his stoic expression changed. Pointing out into the field he said “There, is your test." The others look over at what he was point at their expression changing and with it their posture. Everyone of them pulled their choice weapons for their holding place, their grips tightening deadly around their weapons handel .

"For Maria sake, the bloody Titans found us!" Eren growled clenching his teeth as be began walking forward, a sudden urgency taking over the air. "Pick the blades up now Historia." Armin spoke quietly a serious tone in their voice, their eyes following the approaching mass. "What am I to do with them," She questioned just as quietly shock taking across her face. "Shove it up their ass." Eren replied with a sadistic laugh that no one blinked at.

Looking up incredibly, Krista’s eyes widened as she realized they were not kidding and a tiny girl with pale skin and roses in their hair would be wielding blades almost as big as them and weighed as much to.

"Look at how small she has become, a vixen in its hiding hole." Levi in his raspy voice taunted as he blew more blue smoke in her face. A snicker graced his lips as he backed up into a small dip of a plant that looked more like a shell, in the way its leaves stood up looking familiar to an open clam, revealing its treasure. Before Krista could reply to Levi's snarky comment the smoke consumed him and the clam like plant engulfed him, protecting it Perl. Tendrils of vines from the surrounding trees came to rest on top of the mysterious plant, concealing its true purpose entirely. Why couldn't Krista have one of those she though mouth agape while turning back to the wave in front of her. Krista didn't bother with explanations anymore this whole place was unexplainable.

"I haven't come here looking for a fight!" Krista yelled at the others, almost expecting them to disappear like the odd idle and leave her alone to face, well whatever those "things" were. Looking over at her everyone's face twisted at their lips and their voices into a high pitched child's laugh. Some could barely contain it though they had not tried truthfully. Turning back around to watch the approaching mass in front of them someone yelled behind them, amusement in their voice.

“Maybe not my dear, but one has certainly come looking for you."

Krista cheeks turned a shade of fresh blood red as they spoke to her in her a low composed growl that could have taken place for a battle cry, so Krista stood there two huge metal blades extending from her hands that barely lifted from the ground and her face as red as blood that had not been shed yet, her eyes surveying the approaching storm.

'Impossible task number one,' she thought.