Title: Treasure

Rating: T

Summary: Nick Midnight is a high school girl who's a victim of fierce bullying regarding her appearance and name. On one rainy day she falls into Wonderland and hopes to start a new life. Will she ever find anyone who will accept her for who she is, or will the vicious cycle begin again? Mary Gowland x Original Character

A/N's: I picked the title of this story while I was listening to the radio and heard the new song by Bruno Mars, "Treasure". I think it fits Midnight's self-esteem issues and the theme of the fanfic in general. Anyways, I hope you readers enjoy - Gowland gets no love whatsoever. Honestly, he's not a bad guy! Maybe a bit old and deaf, but…

Please read and review! I would like to get suggestions for which of the in-game events should occur in this: Anniversary or Joker (like the festival, I know he doesn't have an actual route in Joker and he's just a lovely ossan), please. I like to have reader input to make sure you all enjoy what you're reading. Here's a preemptive: Thanks a whole bunch!

By the way, in honor of my finishing this year of school and the start of summer, I should be updating this particular fanfiction every Wednesday.

Chapter One: Welcome to Wonderful Wonder World!

The laughter rings out as I walk through my school's narrow and dirty halls. I know what it's for, and who it's directed to, but I pretend not to notice and not to hear the annoying, shrill squakings. The click of my heeled black boots is the only sound I focus on as I make my way through the crowd and to my next class. Boisterous, insulting comments reach my ears as I pass by the cliques, young sluts bitching and steroided jocks mocking; honestly, if there was any other way to get to class, I would take it, but to my avail this was the only route. This daily routine I experience is less than friendly, less than pleasant, and most definitely less than kind. Finally, I reach my destination as the warning bell sounds and I sigh, knowing I was free of the torture for another hour or so, knowing that the peace that I obtain will only ever be temporary.

_~|TREASURE|~_

My Advanced Placement courses, my honors courses, in every class I take I don't even have to try: everything comes so naturally to me. I have an affinity to math, and partnered with my talent for music - for the viola and the piano - my skill set reaches a wide range of careers. In those few and fleeting opportunities of complete freedom, I love to spend my time reading, writing, creating, and imagining. Daydreaming when I'm too lazy to write or read is a favorite pastime of mine. My plans for the future used to be to find a way to incorporate my knowledge and my preferred activities in to one job, and they still are, but... I don't know if I'll make it that far. Everyone around me hates me, always hurting me and pushing things too far. I guess that's why I'm pulled to stories regarding Alice in Wonderland - it would be so nice, so relieving if I could just escape to Wonderland, even if only in my dreams. Even a crazed reality, some twisted version of young little Alice's world, would be better than the experiences I go through every damn day. I know that something of that caliber is not possible, traveling dimensions? Well, a girl can hope, can't she?

_~|TREASURE|~_

I begin my walk home, as usual, seeing that my parents neglected to pick me up after school ended, again - as usual, in an unusual rain. It's Florida and not summer, so why it's raining I have no idea: no forecast that I read in preparation for my afternoon walk predicted any stormy weather of sorts to appear. Huffing aloud, I pull my black floral backpack that's slung over my right shoulder a bit higher and cradle my calculus and physics textbooks closer to my midriff. I seemed to be the queen of misfortune; I've noticed I've become quite the meteorologist myself - if I'm wearing a white shirt, it shall rain. Now, my long-sleeved, white button-up shirt was bound to be soaked through, and my dark blue, boot-cut jeans were promised to become cold and uncomfortable. Unfortunately, as I started my trek home through the depressing weather, my boots seemed to be loosing traction and I began slipping and sliding all over the place. There's a diner up ahead at a busy intersection that I'm planning to stop at to wait out the rain, but I never make it there as I fall on the concrete and land in a puddle of water. I lay there, unwilling to move right that moment, sore muscles aching from the impact. Suddenly, I encounter a burst of tiredness and the area around me goes black; my senses are either going crazy or my mind is, but it feels as if I am sinking, falling into the wet ground. Turns out I am moving downwards but why fight it when it seems as if my prayers to leave have been answered?

Screw this place, I'm going on an adventure.

_~|TREASURE|~_

"Miss, are you alright? Miss? Miss!"

I awaken on a damp but soft surface and slowly open my eyes to see two people - a man and a young woman - standing above me.

"Faceless shouldn't be sleeping on the grass, you know. Hahahahaha!~"

I groan as I slowly get up, the girl bending down to help steady me. I almost tumble over before I realize my backpack is still in place and correct my stance, looking around for my now-missing textbooks.

I hear gasps as I look up at and make eye contact with the two. The fancily-dressed small girl turns towards the long-coated man and asks him a question.

"Ace, are there supposed to be any new roleholders? She has eyes..." said the blue girl

"Nope, not any that I can think of, Alice. Ahahahaha!~" laughed the red man.

The girl in the blue dress turned to me and proceeded to ask way too many questions, some regarding a vial or a white rabbit, but was cut off by the other, who I soon discovered to be named Ace.

"Alice, we need to go see Julius - why don't we take her with us and you can speak with her on the way? I'm quite late you know, I think I was supposed to be there… five time periods ago!~"

Alice, the girl, turns to Ace with a shocked face. "Ace, that has to be the smartest idea you have ever had in your entire life."

She grasps my hand and pulls me in step behind the man and we begin our walk: laughing Ace, chipper Alice, and confused me. The barrage of questions slows down and I am able to comprehend what I'm being asked. After Alice is finished, I pose a few questions to her - such as where am I, what is going on, and what's so special about having eyes - and I am satisfied with the short, brisk answers I receive.

My name is Nick Midnight, I'm not a faceless, and apparently, I'm in Wonderland.

_~|TREASURE|~_

Our trio should have been approaching a tall, cylindrical brick building - which I am informed is the Clock Tower and residence of the Clockmaker, Julius Monrey - but instead we ended up at the glistening, metal gates of a large, dolled estate. While Alice and I were conversing, we both blindly followed Ace, the Knight of Hearts who harbors absolutely no sense of direction. So, instead of ending up at our preferred destination of the Clock Tower, the three of us ended up at the Hatter's Mansion: a mafia-controlled territory under the hatter, Blood Dupre, the second in command March Hare, Elliot March, and the gatekeepers who were also known as the Bloody Twins, Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum... who were currently absent and not gate-keeping.

"ACE! You've gone the wrong way again!"

"Hahahaha, Alice!~ This is just a shortcut."

"Nick and I will just go to the Clock Tower ourselves, you stupid Knight! Try and find your own way, by yourself!" Alice huffed.

"Alice, please. Midnight, just Midnight." I interjected. Please, don't call me that name, Alice. I don't need more people to comment on it than those thousands of idiots I've went to school with all my life.

"Isn't that your last name, though? I mean, sure... Nick is an unusual name for a girl, but..."

I shake my head, " It makes me uncomfortable when I'm called by that name."

Alice nods in understanding and Ace is preoccupied by staring and laughing at a butterfly. I swear, that laughter is going to murder me one day.

I squint past Alice to see two small blobs - one pink and the other a light blue - running towards the brunette. As the forms get closer, I notice that they are, indeed, two little children who appear to be carrying axes and shouting "Big sis!" While Alice is subsequently glomped, I raise my eyebrow in confusion as to why such small kids are in possession of such dangerous objects. Something about this Wonderland just seems off to me, but however, I'm still liking it much more than my homeland - I feel as if I could possibly fit in here.

My thoughts are cut like a loose thread by two small tugs on my pant legs. The two boys, twins, and since we're by the Hatter's mansion I think that it's safe to assume these are the Bloody Twins Dee and Dum, are by my sides and staring up at me cutely with their identical eyes and curved smiles. Young, curious children are so adorable sometimes.

"Big sis, who's the tall lady?" Dee and Dum ask Alice in reference to myself.

I'm not too tall, but I find myself taller than the average female height at my age, and I tower over Alice's small stature at five feet, eight inches. Often at school I would be teased for being taller than most, for my masculine name, and for various other aspects of my person. I'm not selfish or narcissistic, and I don't find myself attractive at all, but I don't understand why being tall is regarded as such a bad thing. Why is being tall considered so ugly?

Alice laughs faintly, and explains that I'm another outsider. This is something I'm not too clear on, but Alice said she'll get Julius to explain it in more depth once we get to the Clock Tower.

"Dee, Dum, this is Ni-" she starts.

"Alice..."

"Oh, sorry... This is Midnight, your other older sister!"

"Yay!" a unanimous chant comes from the twins as they spin around my legs.

"I'm Dee!" said the light blue boy.

"And I'm Dum!" said the pink boy.

"Together, we're the Bloody Twins!" The two giggle before proceeding to ask: "Midnight, who's Ni? What's a Ni?"

Young, curious children are so annoying sometimes.

I was about to respond that Ni was a part of the first name of mine that I absolutely despised, but no, Ace had to open his fat trap and spew out every little detail.

"Midnight's real name is Nick, but she hates to be called by that, so be good little boys and keep it a secret, okay? Ahahahaha!~" said the laughing Knight.

The twins looked up at me and started to laugh. "Nick? Are you a boy, Midnight? I didn't know outsiders could be boys… Are you a boy like us, Midnight?" They seemed innocent enough, and they most definitely needed to be corrected.

"Now, now, don't be silly Dee, Dum; Of course I'm not a boy - I don't look like one to you, do I?" I ask with a scornful eyebrow raised in perplexion.

"But of course, you do. Why else would you have that name if not for your true self?"

The gate to the Hatter's Mansion squeaks open as it is kicked from the inside by a tall, raven-haired man in a white suit with a matching top hat. The man with the cold voice wears a smirk and is being accompanied by another tall… humanoid hare who seems to be a bit upset with the other's entrance to my conversation. The orange-haired man with the tall, brown lapin ears must be the March Hare - an inference made by taking in his appearance, meaning the other must be…

"Blood, don't say such cruel things!" shouts Alice.

Blood hmpfhs, and continues on. "It's not like it isn't true, I mean look at the poor soul - what a shitty existence you must be having, am I right?" He turns to me and studies my appearance; I become uncomfortable.

And I thought this place would be different…

"It dresses like a man, stands like a man, has the name of a man, why should it be any different? The most logical conclusion is-" he rambles.

"Blood!" Alice interrupts, and turns to me. "Midnight, being different isn't a bad thing - it makes you unique. Don't listen to him, he's just being an ass."

"Now, now Alice. A beautiful young lady like yourself shouldn't use such language… Now that one, I'd expect that kind of mouth from."

I could pretend to ignore, pretend to act like I'm not hurting, but I have time on my hands now and I'm not afraid to lash out back. I know I'm not a sweet pea, and even when you get to know me my personality's rough around the edges, but that doesn't make me a man. A name doesn't define who you are - a name is just a name, and is no basis to judge. My appearance, I don't understand where people come up with the idea that I'm a man. I'm not fat, but a bit thick - men don't seem to have problems with Brazilians, so why comment on me because I have that shape? My bust size is large - some of the girls would claim that I have implants because I'm 'such a whore', even though I have never been with anyone at all, inside or outside that context - so where do others find that manly? However, everyone thinks that way - that I'm ugly, manly, and people like Alice are the only ones who deny it - but that's only because they're too nice to say otherwise. I know people are self-biased on their appearance, so there must be something that I'm missing…

Alice is like a porcelain doll, English pale skin, sparkling blue eyes, and straight hair - me, Nick, with Mediterranean skin, green-hazeled eyes, and curly and ruffled hair. Blood's right - Alice is beautiful, and there's no way I'm anything special, but that doesn't make me a man. That's… really the only defense I can take since everything else about me is so horrid.

"Hey, just because I wear pants instead of a skirt doesn't make me a man; where I come from, it's pretty normal so get your facts straight before you start saying shit." I manage to attract the attention of everyone; even Ace has stopped fangirling over the 'pretty butterfly' to watch my speech.

"Just because I stand up straight and tall, not bending down to every whim of asshats like you, because I'm not like every other girl, because I'm physically strong, because I don't prance around in frilly skirts and dresses, that doesn't make me like you. So why don't you shut the hell up and keep your pompous nose out of places and conversations that it doesn't belong in."

I've finished what I've got to say, and Blood just stands there and stares at me with the same smirk he was wearing when he walked out of the gates. Just like them.

"Well then, Nick. That was brave of you, standing up to the boss of the mafia like that." He walks closer towards me, leaving the Hare and Alice's side. "Yet it was also horrendously stupid. Do you know all the things that I could do to you, all the ways I could punish you for your disobedience and snide remarks?" A gloved hand reaches towards me and strokes my chin, the purr in his voice indicating other interests.

I pull away immediately. "Ha," I laugh, "First you call me a man and then you insinuate activities like that afterwards? Get away from me, you flamboyant homosexual." Promptly, I slap him; in hindsight, that probably wasn't the best idea I've ever had, but pushing buttons is my specialty, and also my weakness. The oohs and aahs of the crowd echo around me and a stuttered ask of wellness from the Hare Elliot March to the Hatter Blood Dupre are the sounds that flood my ears. In an attempt to calm myself, I turn around and take a few steps in the opposite direction of the mansion.

"Alice, are we going to go to the Clock Tower, or are we going to stay here and tango with this imbecile who needs his eyes checked?" I ask the girl with a harsher tone than I intended.

Silently she nods and proceeds after me, dragging the directionless Knight along for the journey. As we exit the local, Alice waves back to the twins, Elliot, and Blood, and I can hear three of the four of them speaking from this distance.

"I'll see you around, Nick. It was truly a pleasure to meet you, boy."

"Bye big sis, big brother! Get out of here, you stupid Knight!"

And the cycle begins again; maybe this fate is something I cannot escape? These thoughts run rampant and free throughout my mind without confinements as I follow Alice and Ace to the Clock Tower, through twists and turns of the path, through this abnormal Wonderland.