Tales of Xillia 1. Chapter 1 - Welcome To Wonderland, Alice

**Disclaimer: It's obvious I don't have Tales of Xillia, because it was properties of Bandai Namco. All I have is the absurdity of this story… I guess?**

Hello everyone, here we go with a new story that I dedicated for no one in particular. The idea came off quite abruptly and I didn't really think very seriously about the plot. Yes, this is just for fun story~ there is no need of absurd amount of thinking here so just read and enjoy it~

Oh, in case anyone asked, did I like 'Alice in Wonderland'? Then the answer would be a 'Yes' since I love Alice in Wonderland. It is my bedtime story so you should bear with me (and it might be just me but aren't Japanese game is obsessed with Alice in Wonderland?). Anyway, I find that it would be interesting if I made a story where the party ended up in Wonderland… somewhat intact. ***cough* I won't bore you anymore so let's start the story~** **Welcome to the story 'Xillia in Wonderland' Chapter 1 – Welcome to Wonderland Alice!**

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**Normal POV**

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Jude looked over the land of endless talking grasses with wide eyes. His mouth went agape by the scenery in front of him as he mentally screamed, "_What is this place?!_"

Now, now, I'm sure you wondered what had happened. Well, I guess to tell you what had happened I could bring you to retrace it back to few hours ago. All of it started with…

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"Weird…" Jude murmured to himself as he skimmed through a book that had intrigued him. It had thick brown covering with a blurred title so Jude couldn't guess what the book was about at the first glance.

"What's wrong Jude?" Milla who was accompanying Jude on his visit to Orda Palace Library asked in curious manner as she skimmed through a book that picked her interest.

Today, Jude and Milla separated from the group that was out to who-knows-where (like I give a damn about it anyway) to read the book in Orda Palace Library. They had no particular objective to meet so they just leisurely browsing through the book until Jude find the book that he murmured as 'weird'.

Jude looked up to find Milla already up close and fought the hard urge to take few steps to the side, half of it was due to his embarrassment and half of it was due to surprise since he swore Milla was 10 meters or so away from him before. But, he decided to go against the urge and merely turned red silently. With a somewhat forced attempt he asked, "D-did you hear what I said?"

Milla raised one of her eyebrows questioningly as if saying 'Is there something wrong about it?' but when she realized her close proximity with Jude she took a step behind that only worth 1 cm or maybe two. She felt her chest constricted that made her painfully aware of how Jude had changed on the course of one year.

She tried to swallow it down anyway and merely replied, "Yes, so I was wondering what was that book about… It is quite weird of you to label a book as 'weird'."

Jude turned his head to Milla and looked back at the book as if contemplating at what he should do. He decided to show Milla the book and opened few first page as he said, "It is weird because it is empty… so I wonder why this book is here."

Milla placed her hand on the book and traced it slightly before saying, "I didn't feel anything coming from this book… could it be the librarian misplaces it?"

"That was unlikely since this is the Royal Library but since the schism disappeared, a lot of books are coming from Elympios so maybe the librarian had difficulty on selecting it?" Jude replied with his eyebrows furrowed. He didn't think that the librarian would make a mistake now of all the time.

"In any case we should tell the librarian about this mistake," Milla replied with her hand under her chin as she still racked her brain since she felt like she had seen the book _somewhere_.

"I'll go then. Could you wait for me for a little bit then Milla?" Jude responded as he took the book with him.

But by the pure whim of the author (in other name _my_ whim) and the power of plot device with the miracle of keyboard, when Jude was skimming through the book once more, he realized that the last page was glued together. Despite thinking that it might not worth anything to look, he decided to pry it open. He found a note of some sort with a simple yet at the same time, beautiful penmanship.

'_Welcome to Wonderland Alice…_' it said.

And just like that, when Jude realized it, everything around him turned into darkness.

"_W-wha-_" before Jude could understand what was happening or ask _someone_ what was happening, he felt his standing had gone. In a very brief moment he looked down through the hole that magically appear under him when split second later he was falling into the same hole.

Jude was surprised beyond words when he latter noticed that as he fell down that the furniture around him had turned upside down. But, his mind was fixed on something else entirely in which…

"_Why in the world there are furniture IN a HOLE?!_" Jude mentally shouted as he went past the many furniture that shouldn't have been there in the first place.

But before he could think of any _good _reason for it, he was pulled back to his status quo in which he was falling when he felt like he was speeding up. Deciding to just ignore the furniture for now, Jude looked down to see when he might be out from that place so he could minimize the damage.

"_But… how long this hole went into…_" Jude mentally wondered since it looked like he wouldn't find any mean of escape very soon.

Maybe it hasn't been long but Jude felt like he was falling for ages until he saw a glimmer of light far away in a distance. He mentally braced himself and hope he didn't run out of luck when the light became closer and bigger. When he entered the light, Jude shut his eyes in reflex.

Jude was waiting for a painful impact when he entered the exit, but found that what he was waiting never come in the first place. Thinking that it might be fine to study his surrounding, he opened his eyes slowly almost fearfully since he _did _take that much of a fall.

Surprised was one thing, but Jude found himself stunned to complete silence when he realized he was in a room with blue tile, ceiling, and practically nothing in view except the view of few doors and a mirror beside it. But what made him turned speechless wasn't just that…

"_Why I'm in girl clothes?!_" Jude mentally screamed when he saw his reflection on the mirror that reflected him perfectly.

Right now, the Jude that was reflected by the mirror wore a blue dress that reached his knees with white frilly apron over it. His hair had grown past his waist and for some reason, it is straight. To ensure that he hadn't been turned into a girl, he placed his hand over his chest and checked his own voice, fearing it might turn into high-pitch.

"A… a… My voice remained the same…" Jude murmured as he looked around the somewhat empty room for clue on his whereabouts.

His face turned bitter as he realized that he looked good at girls clothes. He felt like his pride as a guy is threatened by this mere fact especially knowing that he still sounded like a guy. He wondered who thought it would be a good idea to put her... him, in a girl clothes but he decided that it could wait.

"I remembered I was with Milla in Orda Palace Library and then I found a weird book… when I was about to tell the librarian on the mistake, I found that the last page had some writing… If I'm not wrong isn't it…" Jude murmured as he reviewed his latest memory before he arrived to this place trying hard to not think about what happened to his clothes when he landed.

"It is '_Welcome to Wonderland Alice…_'~"

Jude quickly reacted to the unknown voice that had finished his sentence. He turned around to see a girl with blonde hair that was wearing a dress that looked like the one he wore. She smiled in friendly manner as she said, "I am Caroline, you may call me Carol if you so wish. I am here to welcome you… Alice."

Jude eyed her suspiciously despite Carol friendly act since she did came from nowhere. Jude took his stance before asking, "Where am I? Who are you? Why you called me Alice? Wait, does it meant you are the one who dressed me into this clothes?!"

Carol merely smiled and suddenly a table appeared beside her. She took an empty vial from her pocket and placed it on the table. She looked at Jude who watched her every movement before saying, "If you want to see the real exit from this place Alice, then you shall see to it for this vial to be full before you may drink it. That is my role here so I shall retreat quietly to the last page now. Please enjoy your stay our dear, dear, dear Alice."

Jude realized that Carol didn't even heeding what he was saying to her. He was about to ask question again when Carol opened a door from literally nowhere and opened it. In an instant he saw Carol was leaving he shouted, "W-wait!"

But Carol didn't respond to his shouting and disappeared alongside the door that she had used. Now Jude was completely confused since he is at lost on what to do. He eyed the vial on the table warily but decided to take it. He inspected the empty vial and murmured, "I guess my only way out is this… but how do I fill it? There is nothing that could be used to do it…"

Jude then put the vial into the dress pocket and turned his head to the few doors that were right in front of him. He decided to finish things one by one starting from what was in front of him, getting out.

Jude walked to the direction of the door and turned its knob only to realize that the door is locked. He then looked to the other door and was about to try the knob when he realized that it was just a painting on the wall and the knob is merely a decoration. Knowing that the two doors (although only one is a _real _door) couldn't be opened Jude was at lost on what to do.

He looked around the empty room for any possible other exit but find only wall around him. He looked at the table that had been present there after Carol placed it in the room. On it was a plate of cookies with a note over it. Feeling curious about the new object, he opened the note and read what was written there.

"_A bite and become as small as ant, another bite and then bigger than elephant._"

Jude looked at the note with blank expression since he didn't get what use this note would be for him to escape the room. He sighed and turned his head back to where the door would be when he actually noticed that there _is_ another door in the room. A small door right beside the wall painting and only had the size fit for a squirrel to past, at most.

Jude was hesitant to check it but found that no harm would come from the small door and he had no other option as well. He turned the knob slowly and realized that it could actually be opened. Feeling curious about the place the door connected to, he peered into it and see grass behind the door.

But that founding led him to another problem. How he could go to the other side of the door? He is too big for the door and there is no way he could become as small as that, logically speaking. But at the same time, he needed to get out from the room to meet with the other.

"Oh yeah, isn't there…" Jude thought wandered back to the note he had found on the table alongside with the cookie.

Jude turned his attention to the cookie that had remained there as well as the note that was left there after he read it. Jude took the paper and flipped it open to read the note again.

"Does this note means that if I take one bite then I will become small and if I take another I will become big again? Wait, where is the logic in this thing!" Jude murmured as he read the note on his right hand and the cookies on his left hand.

'_Well, there is no harm on trying…_' Jude thought before taking a bite of the cookie.

He waited for a moment but nothing had changed. He decided to look at the note again when he realized that the note had changed.

'_Welcome to Wonderland Alice…_'

But before Jude could understand how the note changed, he felt his body shrunk in size. At first, he became as big as a kid, then as big as a toddler, smaller, and smaller, until he was at the size of small animal… just like the note had said to him before it changed.

"With this body size I would be able to enter the door indeed but…" Jude murmured as he looked up at the table that had become very tall and as intimidating as Hallowmont at night.

'_How exactly I will return back to my original size?_' he mentally thought as he looked at his small body. After all it is as small as the note had told him.

After few minutes of thinking, he found that he couldn't do anything else for now and decided to just exit through the door and look for the remedy out there. He still needed to know what this place is as well anyway.

Jude walked to the door and placed his hand on its knob while gulping. He hoped that the room wouldn't change like the note and the door would really open. He braced himself for the worse and turned on the knob to find that it hadn't changed. Elated with something that actually goes right Jude run out of the door and leave the room behind.

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You are knocking on the oak door carefully and then wait for response from the one inside. The response you had been waiting come in a voice of a young girl voice saying, "Please go inside, it isn't locked."

You opened the door and then see a girl with blonde hair sitting on a chair in front of a pure white table while sipping on her tea. With her sat another person with black hair that reached her back and dark brown eyes that watched your every movement.

You entered the room and then you take a seat across the blonde girl and beside the one with black hair. The blonde girl smiled before saying, "It's nice to have you here. My name is Caroline, you may call me Carol if you so wish. This one over here… well, you must have known who I guess."

You turned your attention to the one with black hair who was sipping on the tea. You do know who so you didn't deem it necessary for introduction. You take a sip of the tea that was prepared for you when Carol said, "Hey, what are your thought on our Wonderland?"

You tilted your head to the said before voicing your opinion to Carol who smiles while nodding her head. She clapped her head lightly and a cake appeared in front of you. She takes a cut of it and served the first cut to the other person with you before taking a cut for herself.

"If you say so then I guess that's the way it is. After all in the end, a Wonderland is still a Wonderland isn't it?" Carol said with a laugh before taking a bite of her cake.

You nodded your head in response. Carol laughed once more before saying, "Well, since we are having a good tea and a good cake, how about we watch Alice again? After all it is Alice… don't you think so?"

The one beside you nodded with a smile before saying, "Yeah, but you need to wait… for every people in Wonderland had their own story… and a story won't be a story without reader… and what the reader had to say motivate me…"

Carol giggled at the somewhat roundabout explanation. She then turned her attention to you before saying, "You heard it aren't you? Now that we need to wait, how about we hear what your thought on our Alice are?"

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Hello everyone, this would be my first and last Author Note for this story onward. What do you think? Do you think something is very wrong with my head? Anyway, since I make this story like how you read a story book, I give you a narator as well. Caroline or Carol come from obvious source if you know Alice in Wonderland. From now on, she will narate the top author note and also the one below. What do you think of it? I think it is pretty interesting take for giving last word to be honest.

Anyway, most of this story is on my whim and I wanted to write something fun once in a while. I think I write love story a little bit too much these days so I need to take a break in between. **I hope that my sense of humor could humor you all since I have so much fun writing them, especially thinking about Jude wearing girl clothes. Don't worry the other cast would suffer as much with their costume so I'm open for your guess about what will be who. Ah, in case you asked, everyone would crossdress maybe except for one... or maybe two... or three.**


	2. Chapter 2 - The World Beyond The Door

**Disclaimer: It's obvious I don't have Tales of Xillia, because it was properties of Bandai Namco. All I have is the absurdity of this story… I guess?**

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You find that you are in front of the oak door from last time. Unable to do anything else, you knocked on the oak door once more today. You waited for a few moments until a reply came from inside saying, "Go ahead, it isn't locked."

You opened the door and saw Carol sitting on the chair in the same position you saw her last time. You looked around the room but find the other person isn't here today. It seems like Carol noticed that you realized that this room lacked one person so she replied with, "Today it is just us. There is some accident it seems."

You wondered what kind of accident it was and Carol merely smiled at it. She gestured for you to sit down as she said, "The kind that involve some painful fall… it is best if we don't talk about it too much. I do have a message for you…"

Since Carol suddenly stopped in the middle of her sentence, you asked what's wrong. Carol laughed lightly at your words and continued, "… No, I guess it is my role as well to tell you the message. It is just a simple 'please enjoy the story' for that is what I would want as well. Now, are you ready for our story?"

You nodded and looked at Carol who takes a book out from thin air. She opened the last page of the last story before saying, "And after our Alice entered the door to the outside…"

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**Xillia in Wonderland Chapter 2 - The World Beyond The Door**

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Jude couldn't believe what he was seeing right now. Or maybe it would be better to say that he didn't want to believe what he was seeing right now.

In front of him, he saw endless row of grasses talking with each other and to top it off they are bigger than him. Some of them laughed and some looked serious… as serious as a talking grass could. His eyes widened and, while he couldn't see it himself, his mouth went agape. In his head, he mentally screamed, "_What is this place?!_"

The grasses looked like they didn't realize that there is a confused man dressed in girl dress as they kept on talking with their kin. Jude couldn't believe what he was seeing and pinched his hand just in case he was dreaming.

"Ouch! I guess this isn't a dream then…" Jude murmured after he sensed the pain that he felt from his hand.

While he still didn't believe about talking grasses, he decided that standing around wouldn't have any merit. He walked to the nearest patch of grasses and looked at their way of talking. He couldn't understand what they are talking about as it just sounded like a rustling leaves in his ear. At that, he mentally wondered that whether the rustling sound that he usually would listen to is the voice of talking grasses.

'_Wait, wait, it isn't the time and place to think about talking grasses. I need to find a way to return to my original body size and get out from this place! At this rate I will become insane!_' Jude mentally screamed as he was thinking he might start going insane in this insane place.

He decided to keep on walking as he tried to block off the sounds of the grasses around him. It was proven to be quite a challenge since… well, there are just that _much _of grasses there and now that he is smaller than the grasses, their voices were so loud for him.

Unable to take it anymore, Jude started running away from the voices. Apparently, he ran without seeing the road and bumped at something hard until he fell backwards.

Winching in pain he was about to apologize to whoever or whatever he ran across to. But what was in front of him is a shiny black shoe. He also noticed that the area around him is dark as well. Realizing that, he naturally looked upward until his neck started hurting only to find his mouth opened wide once again.

'_Mi-Milla?!_' Jude mentally screamed when he saw someone he would recognize even from a mile away is now standing right in front of him.

Milla is standing proud and tall in front of Jude who still trying to compose himself. Milla is wearing a black tuxedo with white shirts underneath and red tie as well. She wore black trousers and brought an antique watch on her right hand. Her long hair was tied into a high ponytail and, to Jude's horror and delight, she had white bunny ears.

"Oh dear, oh dear, I'm going to be late!" Milla said as she looked at the watch in a somewhat forced panicked act, something that Jude never seen before coming from Milla.

Jude managed to snap out from his reverie and quickly shouted, "Milla! Milla!" trying to get her attention… somehow. Jude didn't even remember that he is in girl's clothes something that he, normally, wouldn't want any other person to see him in, especially Milla. But, desperate condition requires desperate action and Jude swallowed his remaining pride when he did that.

Either Milla didn't hear, as Jude is too small for her, or didn't bother with the shouting that Jude gave her as she keep on saying that she would get late before taking a step forward. Jude yelped at that as the shadow of the incoming foot is around him. He quickly rolled to the side, dodging the course of Milla's steps when she did and yelped (almost girly) when he felt the ground shook like a tremor.

"Milla, wait!" Jude shouted once more when he managed to avoid his demise under Milla's feet and saw that Milla is leaving.

But as it looked like Jude had forgotten that he was wearing a skirt, he tripped over the ground while trying to reach Milla. He winched once more before looking forward to find that Milla had disappeared.

"So Milla didn't notice me…" Jude murmured as he looked downward on the ground as it was the first time Milla didn't notice him.

He believed that if it were Milla, then she would be able to recognize him so it is quite a punch in his pride. But again, he was so small after eating the cookies so Jude couldn't blame Milla for that. He just shrunk so much so it would be hard for her to ever find him even if she wanted to.

"But, what was wrong with Milla? We are supposed to be reading leisurely in the Library, but then, why she looked like she was in such hurry? And what's with those rabbit ears? It's not that I hate them in particular but…" Jude murmured as he tried to lift his spirit after Milla didn't recognize him before. He did found the whole condition _very weird_ after all.

He sighed in defeat as he thought that the place he was in just starting to get even weirder by each moment. He let out a very long tired sigh when someone or something, Jude couldn't think anymore, spoke to him saying, "Don't sigh like that Alice. Your happiness would escape you know…"

Jude looked over the source of voice, getting the hang of being called Alice as well, and was surprised until he jumped backwards that the ground is speaking to him. The Ground, complete with comical eyes, nose, and mouth, chuckled happily at Jude's reaction who instinctively protected her skirt from being opened wide… like a girl.

Jude felt like he wanted to bury himself in a hole to hide his embarrassment. Ignoring the humiliation Jude was feeling right now, the Ground said, "If you have a trouble, you can always ask the Caterpillar for a way out. Oh, and just be careful if you go to the Mad Hatter mansion, you can't always know what is in his mind."

"T-thank you…?" Jude muttered hesitantly since he didn't know what to say except for that. A ground is talking to him and even giving him advice for Origin's sake!

"Just ask the Grass if you are lost as well. Everything will be happy to be of use to you Alice. Anyway, welcome and enjoy the Wonderland," the Ground said again before disappearing… I mean its mouth, nose, and eyes that disappeared.

"…" Jude had no vocal reaction when the Ground disappeared. He even surprised himself when he collected his bearing and managed to stand up calmly.

"So, I'm trapped in a place where things could talk… and an intelligent being as well. This sounded a lot like those children books…" Jude murmured as he looked up to see whether now the _cloud_ would talk to him. Good thing their distances are far too great to even hear something coming from way up there.

He then reminded the advice that the Ground gave him about certain Caterpillar who know the way out. Jude couldn't help but _doubt _it but considering the amount of illogical things that happened, talking to a Caterpillar might worth a shot. At least it is better than nothing.

"But, how I could find a Caterpillar?" Jude muttered to himself as he placed his index finger at the side of his forehead. He was never fond of bug not that he had actual problem with it, so he really didn't know how to find a Caterpillar.

Jude tapped his feet as he hoped that he listened on what the Ground is saying to him a little bit more. He really couldn't help his reaction since it is the first (and _only_ he silently hoped) that a Ground is talking to him. He did remember about asking someone or something if he ever lost his way.

Jude looked around and found that the only thing he could ask is the Grass and he didn't even understand what they were saying to each other. He looked around for some possible conversation partner but found none except for air, light, and little stones that hadn't started giving him the hint that they actually could_ talk_.

Jude then looked at the row of Grasses in front of him with so much dread. He took few steps ahead while praying that when he was out from this place, he won't get labeled as insane. He wondered what he should do when he was right in front of the Grass that looked talkative and was laughing to its friend.

Considering he was out of any other option Jude cleared his throat and said, "Excuse me…"

As if responding to Jude's voice the Grass looked to him with its big round eyes. Jude felt slightly intimidated since he felt that the one in front of him wasn't the only one who eyed him right now. With so much effort he opened his mouth and continued, "I'm… I'm looking for Caterpillar… the Ground told me that the Caterpillar might know how to bring me back…"

The Grasses murmured among themselves and Jude felt slightly nervous (while mentally freaking out) when the eyes spun to the back in perfect 180 degrees, leaving the rest of its facial expression still facing Jude. Fortunately, he didn't need to wait for long until the Grasses looked back to him before making a way.

At first Jude didn't understand what the Grasses was trying to do but ultimately he decided to step into the path only to find that the other Grasses beyond the one he was seeing had made the continuation of the path. Considering that there hadn't been any path so far he wondered, "Could it be that the Grasses are trying to tell me 'follow this path if you want to meet Caterpillar' all along?"

He pondered about it a little bit more but found no other plausible reason other than that. He _did _ask them to show him how to go to the Caterpillar after all. Feeling grateful that he wasn't being ignored, he bowed to the Grasses while saying, "Thank you for the help. I appreciate it, truly."

When Jude looked up, he swore that he saw the Grasses waving their hand to his direction. As he tried to put the mental image locked away at the back of his head and continued his journey to meet the Caterpillar.

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Your story was interrupted when Carol lifted her gaze and her gaze directed straight behind you. Curious on what had happened; you turned around to find the other person entering the room without bothered to even knock. You turned to see Carol who looked pleased that her guests are assembled in a place once again. Maybe she secretly enjoyed the company? You don't know.

You couldn't help but get startled when that person, as suddenly as when entering the room, had sat right in between you and Carol when you swore that the just arrived person was standing near the door a second ago. It seems like Carol take a notice upon your startled expression and commented, "Now, now, aren't this a surprise? I never thought _you _who wandered into this place are scared of someone who sits next to you."

You protested at Carol since the other person simply appeared out of nowhere and sat there without giving any presence. Carol laughed it off and looked at the mentioned subject who frowned at the obvious pointer about non-existence presence, while saying, "… and so you have heard yourself. How it feels like to have a presence that ghastly?"

Just realizing that you were insulting someone right in front of the person itself, you turned nervous and waited for scolding that you might get considering your rude action. But the other person merely frowned and placed a hand over the forehead before saying, "Carol stop teasing just because you find it interesting. It is tempting enough to make the Sun or the freaking Sky could talk…"

Carol giggled in good-natured laughter before opening her book once more. She looked like she has no objection about the fact that no one is apprehending you from your obvious insult especially when the one mentioned didn't mind it in the slightest. She skimmed through the page slightly as she said, "I think their company would prove to be interesting. Sometimes I wonder why you need to read about Grasses that could wave their hand instead of walking…"

You nervously laughed since a walking Grasses might be too much to handle for those with faint hearts. It seems that your opinion is shared by the other attendant of this story telling session since you immediately heard a response of, "Don't give me any funny idea. There might be a walking hat next if you keep that up…"

…You don't even know whether it is safe to say that you are the only one sensible in the room. Carol laughed a little bit when she stopped at the page where she stopped where the other person made an entrance. She closed her eyes in a serene motion as she said, "And after Alice walked through the path made by the Grasses…"

* * *

Jude wondered how long it would take him to reach the Caterpillar. He sincerely hoped that it wouldn't be too long since he fears for his sanity. Few grasses that he passed still talk around him but maybe since he is already used to it, it didn't bother him that much.

'_A human ability to adapt is scary…_' he mentally thought when the very fact that he wasn't bothered by the gossiping grass came inside his head.

He decided to walk a little bit faster as he felt that the path had narrowed considerably. He even decided to run for it when he turned around to see the path closing in onto him from behind while mentally shouting, '_I take back what I said! This place is still crazy!_'

He ran and ran as he felt the path growing smaller the longer he stayed. Jude had forgotten how long he had been running until he saw light in front of him. Feeling that he could finally get out from the dreaded place, he took a leap forward…

"W-wha-" he shrieked when he slipped on the ground and now was in danger of falling down.

… He should have remembered that he was still in dress.

Jude groaned in pain when his body collided with the ground. Since he was running full speed for some time and crashed without slowing down, it hurts a lot. He mentally made a note to remember that he is wearing skirt for future reference.

"But, where am I now…" he muttered while sitting on the ground, looking around his surroundings.

Unlike the place he was in just now, the place he was in was a clearing that was circled by the grass… that isn't talking for once. In the middle of the clearing there are colorful pilling… stone? Jude is sure it was stone anyway. And from the highest stone, he could see mist… or smoke, drifting in the air shielding his view beyond it.

"Is this the place I could find Caterpillar?" Jude muttered to himself as he dusted himself from the dust that made its way on his skirt.

As if responding to Jude's question, he could hear an elderly laugh echoing from all direction. Jude didn't know whether to be surprised or scared since it sounded oddly familiar. Before he could find the owner of the laughing voice the smoke went down (is that even possible?) and he coughed while waving his hand to clear even just a little bit of the smoke.

"Well, well, if it isn't our dear Alice…" an elderly voice entered Jude's ears as he tried to wave the smoke away.

Noticing that the voice come from upward, Jude tilted his head up to see a shadow clouded by the smoke on the stone. Covering his nose slightly to filter the smoke he asked, "Are you Caterpillar? Can you tell me what should I do to go back home?"

Thankfully, for Jude, the smoke cleared up a little bit after he asked that. He tried to make off the shadow that came from the smoke as the Caterpillar said, "Of course it would be a honor to escort you back home Alice. Now, now, come closer so I could see your face clearly… it has been a long time since you visit…"

As per the Caterpillar request, Jude moved closer to the pile of stones. He was surprised that the closer he went, the clearer he could see. When the smoke was completely cleared from his sight, his eyes went wide when he realized who the Caterpillar is.

"R-Rowen?!"

* * *

"…And that would be the end for this time," Carol said as she closed the book with a satisfied look on her face.

You protested since the story didn't move that much ever since the other person entered the room. Carol laughed lightly while the person mentioned simply complained with, "So it is my fault now?"

You were surprised about what you just said and quickly turned quiet, worried that you angered anyone in the room. Carol seems to understand your thought about the story ended in the middle just like that in which she responded with, "I was about to finish it when this person interrupted. The one before is already three four of this session."

You protested since Carol just needed to cut it when they find Caterpillar. Carol laughed it off as simple grumble before she said, "If I continued isn't it going to be boring? It is long enough as it is after all."

You wanted to protest but understand Carol point. Carol placed the book on her lap before looking at the other side. You realized that Carol looked somewhat solemn and so you asked why she made that kind of expression. Carol turned around in surprise but her ever-friendly smile quickly appeared as she replied with, "When a story start there is always a point where it would end. For a story teller like me, when this story end what would happen to me?"

"Nothing would happen," the other person said with arms folded as if scolding Carol who even thought about it.

Hearing that you asked isn't it bad that nothing happened after the end of the story? That person looked at you as if you have said something outrageous in which Carol, who looked better somewhat, replied, "If the story end that's all there is to it. What happened afterwards is up to me… I guess."

"As long as this story start the end would come, but it didn't stop you to come back here and read again. That's a miracle of a story called 'eternity'," the person added before standing up from the seat and waved to you and Carol before leaving the room.

You looked at that person who simply leaves just like that. Carol looked like she understands what you were thinking as she said, "I guess I need to be thankful that 'eternity' exists in a story… Let's stop this boring talk as it seems like our time is up."

You looked at Carol who simply smiled at that. You decided that it is time for you to leave as well so you excuse yourself. Carol waved at your retreating figure as you close in to the oak door. But before you walked out, you tell Carol that you will be back later.

You don't know what kind of face Carol made right now but you could clearly hear her saying, "Until next time," when you left the room.


	3. Chapter 3 - Rowen, The Old Caterpillar

**Disclaimer: It's obvious I don't have Tales of Xillia, because it was properties of Bandai Namco. All I have is the absurdity of this story… I guess? Oh and Carol, although her name isn't that original :D  
**

* * *

They said that the third time is the charm.

When you found yourself that you are in front of the same oak door, you weren't as surprised as before. As there is nothing to do in the small space you were in, you decided to knock once more… just like last time. And just like last time, you heard Carol replying on you shortly after, permitting you to enter the room.

You opened the door and were surprised that right now, for once, you were the last one to arrive. Carol looked like she was enjoying her tea while the other person simply looked at random space. Carol looked up to meet eyes with yours before smiling gently while the other person simply ignore your presence, maybe it is payback from the last time.

"Welcome back. Please have a seat," Carol said before presenting you the seat beside her so you are face to face with the two residence of the room.

You decided to follow Carol and took your seat as you observed how Carol, for once, was serving you a tea and offered you the pastry that looked incredibly… sweet. Carol seems to notice that the pastry is a little bit too sweet for anyone liking then looked at the one sitting across you with a thoughtful look on her when she said, "This person over here is a fan of sweets. I'm not the one who was supposed to say this but we are grateful that you understand that some people have an unnatural sweet tooth. We are also glad that you decided to come back."

You looked to Carol who smiled kindly before looking at the other person who drank the tea in silence. You wondered whether Carol had told you the truth by addressing herself and the other person as 'we' and looked at her in question.

Carol clearly see that you are questioning her but either she didn't want to reply or simply deem it as unnecessary she didn't respond to you. Instead, she pulled the book from the thin air and traced it almost lovingly. She flipped the book quickly until she reached her bookmark before saying, "I wonder what would happen to Alice now that Caterpillar appears…"

You noticed that Carol looked unnaturally happy. Maybe your expression was that easy to read or the denizen of this place is psychic, the other person said, "This kind of thing is her favorite part. Bear with it okay…"

You looked at that person who remained quiet afterward although you see that she murmured something. Taking the advice by heart, you simply looked at Carol who started, "When Alice meets Caterpillar…"

* * *

**Xillia In Wonderland 3 – The Old Caterpillar**

* * *

"R-Rowen?!" Jude exclaimed in surprise as he could see who this 'Caterpillar' is exactly.

Rowen laughed heartily as he stroked his beard. Jude tried hard to not wonder does Caterpillar have beard or not. Anyway, now that Jude had clear view of Rowen, or in other name, Caterpillar he realized that he had turned… purple.

Not exactly like having purple skin or purple hair, Jude would freak out if he did. But, it was like the color that made him was mostly purple. Rowen is wearing purple suit that resembled his usual attire but the tail and on his back… there are odd-looking ball-like objects glued over there (and it is _purple_), just like a caterpillar. Jude swears when he blinked, he saw the tail moved by itself for a moment.

"Welcome Alice, it seems you are lost _again_," Rowen greeted with polite tone as he bowed to Ali-… Jude. He then laughed while his… err, tail moved up and down in synch with his laugh.

"It isn't funny," Jude responded with flat tone since he didn't want to be stuck in this place for far too long. He had overstayed his welcome than he needed… and he started thinking of calling psychiatrist after he was out.

'_Wait, aren't I'm outside already? This is Rieze Maxia right?_' Jude pondered after he realized what he had just thought.

"Oh my, aren't our Alice being energetic still? You seem to enjoy getting lost…" Rowen continued as he bowed dramatically to Jude who only watched him with blank expression.

'_He is Rowen right?! And I'm not enjoying this even a least bit!_' Jude shouted inside his mind as he felt himself taking a step backward.

Rowen laughed heartily and gave Jude some time to calm himself down. He looked at Rowen with discerning eyes since he felt something is terribly _wrong _with him. Well, the world around him outside the room is incredibly _wrong _as well. When he first falls from the hole, he saw a lot of reversed object passing him and it didn't follow the logic that he knew _at all_.

He then remembered about the Ground advice at him about the Caterpillar that knew a way out of his problem. If Rowen is the same Caterpillar that the Ground had talked about, then he should have known where he… no, _they_ are, including why everything turned weird like this including him.

"Hey, Rowen… where are… we right now?" Jude asked as he silently hoped he isn't in some inverted Rieze Maxia or something crazy like that.

"Oh dear Alice, why you even ask me such a question? Of course, I know the answer for your question. Right now we are in Wonderland, _your _Wonderland," Rowen replied as he took a seat on the rock scattered around them. (_Wait, you could sit on them?_ Jude mentally thought)

"So we aren't in Rieze Maxia?" Jude asked carefully since he was a little afraid that he was blasted off from his planet and landed on a crazy star or something like that. But, that would mean the book he picked up is a dimensional portal!

'_Is it… even possible? That is a book… right?_' Jude mentally thought as he tried to remain calm despite the situation he was in. Jude knew though that he didn't want it to be possible.

"Do you _really _want to know that, Alice?" Rowen asked while looking serious all of sudden in which made Jude gulped a little bit.

'_No!_' Jude mentally shouted as he wanted to block of the scary truth out from his head. He didn't know if he could take it if he was transported far away from his home.

Rowen nodded as if reading Jude's mind. He then flicked his fingers and all of sudden, the bottle that Jude (unconsciously) brought along floated in front of Jude's face. At first, Jude didn't know what is the point of bringing out the empty bottle… or not so empty bottle anymore.

"There is something glowing in the bottle…" Jude murmured as he took a hold of the bottle and examined its content. There is a liquid-like stuff inside it although it barely fills the bottle.

"Do you want to go back or do you want to stay here is all your choice dear Alice. To fill or not to fill it is up to you," Rowen said before he got up and walked around the ground as he smoked.

Hearing that Jude remembered at how the weird girl from the time he was in the room said the same thing as well. If he wanted to get out then he needed to fill the bottle.

"How could I fill it then? I don't see any spring here to fill the bottle," Jude asked the instant he knew that his ticked out is in his grasp.

"Ho ho, you caught on quick Alice. There isn't spring around this place except in the Queen's Castle and Mad Hatter place. But, filling it with water won't give you anything. It must be filled with us, the denizen of Wonderland. Not just one of us but, all of us…" Rowen explained as he blew off the smoke from his tobacco.

Jude looked at Rowen before looking back to his bottle. He did that routine for few times as his brows furrowed even deeper each time he did that. Rowen who noticed that Jude was being weird, despite being weird as well, decided to raise his voice by asking, "What's wrong Alice? It seems your confusion is still there…"

"No, it's just…" Jude trailed down as he looked at his bottle.

"Just?" Rowen implored since Jude stopped in the middle of his sentence.

Jude looked at Rowen intently and stopped at that. Rowen felt somewhat nervous, somehow, when Jude finally opened his mouth saying, "… You couldn't fit in here."

* * *

Your head fell forward to the table when Carol said the last line from the story. Carol looked at you with an amused smile while you protested about the obvious answer. The other person is still murmuring something that by now sounded more like a chant of curse than anything.

"Please don't sweat on the detail and get on with the story, shall we?" Carol said after you finished protesting.

Unable to form any other kind of answer you decided to just sit down before nodding to Carol. Carol smiled widely at that and her eyes wandered back to the book as she said, "And then…"

* * *

Rowen laughed heartily at Jude who looked honestly confused at his laughter. He offered Jude to sit down, in which Jude half-heartedly complies. Jude tried very hard to not look at the purple balls attached to Rowen when it moved left and right. Thankfully, Rowen noticed his mental torture as he then diverted Jude's attention from the purple ball into him when he said, "Of course you don't literally fill the bottle with us dear Alice. As you said just now, we don't fit inside the small bottle…"

"Then, how exactly I fill it? I really want to go back… there are a lot of things I want to do," Jude responded as he tried to focus on Rowen instead of the purple balls attached on the older man. He hoped that it wouldn't take too much time since he didn't want to get insane by the time he returned.

"If you really want to know I shall tell you dear Alice. We, the denizen of Wonderland, have what we call as 'Existence' given by our dear Alice. You simply need to make us gave you our 'Existence' to fill the bottle. We won't just give it all to you as we do have need to fulfill," Rowen explained as he sucked on his tobacco before blowing the smoke to the air.

Jude tried to wrap his mind around the concept of filling the bottle while coughing when the smoke decided to disturb him. He waved slightly to clear the smoke when saying, "In short I need to do something so you will feel like giving your 'Existence' to me, something like that? What would happen after you give it to me?"

Rowen looked somewhat thoughtful at Jude's question. Well, Jude thought, if he got Rowen 'Existence' if he took it by contextual meaning then Rowen should have ceased to exist. After all, that's what 'Existence' is about right?

"Oh dear Alice, you sure gotten softer this time. Nothing crucial would happen like what you are worried about. Oh my, it really is source of great happiness for Alice to care about this Old Caterpillar… Ho, ho, ho," Rowen responded as he stroked his beard before sucking on his tobacco again, blowing more smoke to the air in the process.

Jude didn't know if he should turn red at the harmless comment or relieved that nothing would happen to Rowen, as inverted as he is right now. He coughed lightly at the smoke from Rowen tobacco and waved her hand to clear it a little. He sure hoped that Rowen stopped smoking anytime soon as it started to get a little bit disturbing with that much smoke around, not to mention it is bad for his health considering his age.

… Or maybe he should make Rowen gave him the 'Existence' and be done with it.

Remembering about his reason for going to Caterpillar in the first place, Jude quickly asked, "Thank you for responding to my question. Then, what should I do to get your 'Existence'?"

Rowen laughed heartily as Jude watched him intently. Rowen stroked his beard thoughtfully when he said, "Oh my, what an impatient Alice you turned into dear… I hadn't told you that I am perfectly capable of turning you down, right? What would you do if I refused to give you my 'Existence'?"

Jude turned crestfallen at how Rowen refused to give him the 'Existence' he needed to get out from this place. But, he turned stubborn as he remembered that he still had a lot of things to do back in his place. He had no time to be trapped in a place such as this!

"What can I do to make you want to give me your 'Existence'? I'll do anything in my power to do it! Please, let me go home!" Jude said as he bowed his head down so Rowen would rethink about his decision to not give him the 'Existence' he needed.

Rowen mumbled thoughtfully as he blew more smoke to the air. He then stood from his position and walked around Jude in somewhat expecting manner. Jude followed Rowen movement around him, while still trying to not look at the purple balls attached to Rowen _again_, hoping that he had some chance to go back to change Rowen decision.

"Alice dear, there is no way I will leave you in sadness like this. But, for the next time you met my other friends, you shouldn't bow down so easily," Rowen said as he lightly whacked Jude's head with the handle of his tobacco, making Jude groan slightly although not of pain.

"Then, how should I ask them without bowing my head?" Jude asked as he simply remembered that Rowen did say that he needed more than one denizen of Wonderland to completely fill the bottle.

Rowen laughed before blowing off more smoke to the air that made Jude coughs a little bit more. He then probed Jude to stand before stopping in front of him. Jude looked at Rowen questioningly as Rowen moved his tobacco up and down in small momentum.

"Alice dear, you are **the **Alice, you can get anything here in the Wonderland if you so wish for it. We might ask a lot from you but as you are Alice then you are forbidden from bowing your head down. Being forward is a good thing just like you did before. But, in the art of convincing person, you need to learn about them first before probing them in the direction you wanted. Oh, talking about that..." Rowen said explaining his point about convincing the denizen of Wonderland as he started rambling toward the end. Jude believed that it sounded just like the usual Rowen during the end, making him thought that maybe this Rowen isn't that different with the Rowen he knew.

'_Wait, then that Milla from just now isn't my Milla? She does look a lot like Milla so maybe they would sound a little bit similar… Rowen seems a little bit similar as well… But thank goodness, if she is really Milla I would be shocked…_' Jude thought as he just remembered about his passing encounter with Milla who had ran away like she was in a hurry. Now, Jude couldn't help but curious about the exact reason why Milla is in hurry.

"...Well, dear Alice, do you understand what I am saying?" Rowen asked Jude after he finished his lecture on Jude.

Jude let out a wry smile as his attention walked away in the middle of it although he did understand the main point. With a slightly nervous tone, he replied with, "Yes, I understand…"

Rowen nodded as if satisfied that Jude understand what he was saying, seemingly not realizing that Jude hadn't paid attention to his words in the middle of it. For that, Jude let out a sigh of relief, not wanting to make Rowen more unwilling to give the 'Existence' to him than it is.

Rowen then twirled his tobacco before saying, "Well, since you are good enough to pay attention to this old caterpillar talk, I guess you could do me a favor dear Alice. I'll think of giving you the 'Existence' after you finished it."

Jude beamed at that although he mentally admitted that he didn't really pay attention. He looked to Rowen in hopeful manner as he asked, "Well, what is it then? I'll do my best to fulfill your request!"

Rowen looked at Jude in thoughtful gaze. He then pulled up Jude's hands, showing his palm to his view as Jude turned nervous somewhat. Rowen let out a thoughtful humming before he said, "It's a good hand… clean, quite soft, and unmarred… hmm, good hands indeed…"

"… Thank you?" Jude murmured, unsure of what to answer with the sudden compliment he got.

"Well then, let's put a good use of it then…" Rowen said before letting go of Jude's hands as he moved toward the pile of rock he appeared from.

"Eh?"

* * *

"… And that would be the end for this session," Carol said as she closed the book.

You protested since Carol stopped right when you were about to know what is the request. Carol simply laughed in response as she then replied with, "It wouldn't be much of fun to continue after all…"

You pouted at that since you don't know that Carol could be such a tease sometime. The other person, for the first time this time, looked upward and said, "Just tell her what do you think. You might convince her to continue faster if you do."

You turned to the side and were surprised by the appearance of a pile of mysterious books that came out of nowhere. Carol seems to enjoy your surprised reaction seeing the book barricade as she said, "Well, that's all I could say really. It's not like I enjoyed this either…"

"No, you completely enjoyed that…" the other person replied almost instantly while Carol let out a hurt laughter. You don't want to know whether that is a fake or a true one either.

Carol dismissed the conversation from going toward weird route as she asked you, "Anyway, that's the end for this time. Care to tell us what do you think about this story then?"


End file.
