Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The casino smelled strongly of cigarettes and money. The burnt tobacco drifted into a certain brunet's nostrils, causing him to gag at the odor. He never understood why people liked gambling. It just wasn't his thing.

Then why was he here again? His mind was hazy because of the smoke, and the bright lights obscured his vision. Oh, that's right. His friend and a classmate had dragged him here, despite all his complaints. They had pressured him, practically begging him to accompany them to the casino only for one night. Only this night and they would never drag him along ever again.

The brunet snorted at the memory. Kazuichi and Fuyuhiko had told him that they would stay only for a few hours. It's going to be fun! They had said enthusiastically. He didn't reciprocate those emotions. Upon their arrival, the brown-haired male had managed to lose track of his friends' whereabouts. He had come to the conclusion that they had ditched him to do whatever they pleased. So much for being his "friends".

"One shot of vodka, please, and with scotch," he had told the bartender with a slight slur in his voice.

Obliging, the man went to work, pouring clear liquid into a small glass cup. He slid it down the countertop for the brunet, which he gracefully caught in one palm. He knew better than to intoxicate himself with too much alcohol but did it anyway. Who cared at this point? No one was looking after him. Besides, he was a college student, so he was responsible enough to keep track of his drinking habits.

Downing the beverage in one gulp, the brown-haired boy wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, rising from the bar stool with unsteady legs. He never had much luck in casinos, especially not in any of the card games that were being offered. His mind woozy with the effect of the alcohol, the college student decided to spend the rest of his night at the slot machines, something he thought he would be decent at.

The machine's bright lights blinded him as he squinted at the numbers in front of him. Sighing in exasperation, he inserted five hundred yen into the mouth of the machine, which it devoured hungrily. The multi-colored lights on the machine flashed vibrantly, indicating that the transaction had been successful.

With a grunt, the brunet pulled down on the lever, causing the numbers and symbols inside the slot machine to spin. None of the pictures ended up matching. The brown-haired male groaned in defeat. Today just wasn't his day, was it. Another failure at gambling, he supposed. His luck truly was rotten. Giving up after only one try, he sat on one of the bar stools again, his eyes scanning across the busy casino.

Where had Kazuichi and Fuyuhiko gone? The blonde and vibrant pink-haired males were nowhere to be seen, swallowed by the ever-moving crowds in the gambling center.

A raven-haired girl walked up to the mini-bar, taking a seat on the bar stool next to the male.

"Two whiskeys, please," she ordered from the bartender.

Nodding his head, the bartender went to serve the girl the drinks she requested.

"You drink?" she suddenly asked him, tapping her nails on the countertop.

"Huh? Me?" The brunet pointed at himself, looking around to see if she was asking another person and not him.

"Yes, you."

"Sure. I guess."

Although he had consumed a large amount of alcohol before, he guessed that another shot wouldn't harm him too much. The girl in the gothic dress slid the beverage toward the brown-haired male.

"So, what's your name?" She asked while drawing circles around her glass cup.

"Why would you want to know?" He chuckled, taking a sip of the drink. It burned down his throat, and his mind became a bit muddled, but not enough for him to lose his grip on reality.

"So that I can make a bet with you."

"A bet?" He raised an eyebrow. She certainly was interesting. He wanted to know more.

"My name's Celestia Ludenburg. How about you?"

"Hajime Hinata."

"Well then, Hajime Hinata," she spoke, downing her drink in one gulp. "Would you like to gamble a bit?"

Hajime placed his finished glass of whiskey on the table top, a smirk dancing on his lips.

"Gladly."

She beckoned him with a flick of her wrist, and the two walked toward unoccupied seats in front of a table positioned in the center of the room.

"What's the bet?" Hajime questioned as the dealer started shuffling.

"Winner gets one hundred thousand yen from the loser."

"Alrighty, then," he blurted out before he even knew what he was doing.

"Your pick of game." Celestia smiled sweetly at the boy.

"How about Big Two? It might be too easy with two players since you know what cards the other person has..." He trailed off.

"Big Two is fine." She motioned to the dealer confidently.

The man in front of the duo started dealing, passing out cards with swift efficiency. Once all the cards were passed out, Hajime and Celestia elapsed into silence, poker faces permanently plastered onto their faces for the time being.

A few minutes after the game had started, Hajime's confidence level rose from a zero to a ninety. He was gaining the upper hand in this game, and he only had a couple of cards left, whereas Celestia had several more than him. Grinning inwardly to himself, he awaited his rival's next move.

Then, as unexpectedly as it was, the tables turned in favor of Celestia.

She placed down doubles and triples, full houses and straights, and Hajime had no choice but to pass even though he had the highest card. Cold sweat formed at the nape of his neck, and his teeth ground together in concentration.

How had things turned so wrong for him in only a handful of minutes? Didn't he have the upper hand at the beginning of the game? What happened? In a matter of three minutes and twenty seconds (yes, he had been counting), the game of Big Two was over. Hajime had lost the game and a hundred thousand yen. Frustration kicked into his system, and Hajime wanted to yell at Celestia, to claim that she cheated in some sort of way.

A smug grin had made its way to her ruby red lips as she extended her hand to collect the sum of money the college student owed her. With a growl, Hajime handed over the money with a scowl on his face. He had actually been dumb enough to accept her challenge. He shouldn't have drunk that intoxicated beverage in the first place. He shouldn't have gone above his limit.

"Never gamble with someone who had played cards their entire life." Celestia counted the bills in her hand, quite satisfied with her quick earnings. She hummed softly, swinging her legs back and forth on the chair.

This only triggered Hajime even more, to the point that he wanted to punch and break something. The gothic girl jumped off the chair, brushing off invisible dust from her black dress.

"Well then, Hajime, it was nice knowing you. I wish I could spend more time with you, but," she sighed dramatically before continuing on with her sentence. "I've got to meet several other people now. Ciao." She skipped away, leaving an angered brunet in her wake.

Hajime had had enough. If his stupid friends hadn't dragged him here in the first place, he wouldn't have emptied out his wallet for a stranger. He wouldn't have drunk so much alcohol and intoxicated himself. Stupid, stupid, stupid. Friends or no friends, the college student didn't care anymore. He was leaving for good. He would just ditch his friends here and have them walk home by themselves. Or maybe that was the alcohol talking, but who cared at this point?

Storming past chattering and laughing people clustered in groups, the brown-haired male made his way to the exit, fuming at himself. Out of his peripheral vision, he noticed an empty and silent table, with only one seat in front of it. Hajime found this strange. This was such a large and busy casino, so every table should be packed with people. Why wasn't this one then?

Curiosity (and the alcohol yet again) getting the best of him, Hajime stumbled over to the small table. He just wanted to see why no one was there. Then he would leave. Unfortunately for him, the dealer noticed the brunet peeking at his table. A smile flitted across his lips.

"Hello," he started in a melodic voice. "Would you like to play a game of Blackjack?"

Hajime's breath hitched, not in fear, but in awe. The dealer was a young man in his early twenties, around the same age as Hajime. His hair was an odd color of white, and his skin was as pale as a drowned victim, which honestly spooked the brunet. He had half-lidded eyes, which covered the tops of his piercing jade green orbs.

The male was wearing a white tuxedo accompanied with a bowtie of the same color, and polished white shoes. On top of his head sat a lovely hat, not too big and not too small, which was wrapped with a red ribbon right above the rim.

In his white-gloved hands lay a deck of cards, which he was shuffling subconsciously. Simply to say, he was stunning, like no one Hajime had ever seen before in his life. He shook his head. No, he can't get wrapped up in another gambling game again.

"No thank you," he said, starting to turn away from the captivating albino.

"How about for fun? No bets, no nothing that includes money?" The white-haired dealer spoke in his enchanting voice.

"I-I'm sorry but-"

"Just one game?"

Giving in, the brunet placed himself in front of the dealer, making himself comfortable as the dealer shuffled the cards.

"How's your luck today?" The albino murmured in a soft voice, so quiet that Hajime almost couldn't catch wind of what he said.

"My luck?" He started laughing. "What luck?"

The albino hummed.

"I believe that it'll change sooner or later. Maybe yours will be better than mine."

He passed out two cards, both facing downwards, for Hajime and himself.

Flipping it over, the brunet found himself holding an ace.

"Do you wish for another?" The albino spoke up, handing him another card.

Hajime stared at it, unsure whether to take it or not.

Oh, heck. Whatever.

Taking the card from the gloved hand, Hajime braced himself for a number that would throw his luck into the depths of hell. Instead, in his hand was a royal card, the Queen of Spades.

"Another?" The boy in front of him offered again.

"Nah. I'm good. You can flip yours over."

Simultaneously, the two males flipped their cards over.

"What?!" Hajime spoke in a shaky voice.

"My, my, it seems like my luck has failed me today. How unfortunate." The albino clicked his tongue.

Hajime stared at his cards, then the dealer's, and back at his again. How was this possible? How had he gotten a perfect twenty-one while the white-haired boy received a twenty?

"I suppose you'll be on your way now. Thank you for playing with me." The dealer said, picking up the cards.

"Huh? What do you-" He was interrupted by a loud voice behind him.

"Hey! Hajime!" A neon pink-haired man came rushing at him, a large smile glued to his face. "Hey, man! Where did you go? I looked for you everywhere!"

"You're the one who ditched me first," Hajime grumbled.

"Sorry, sorry, I didn't mean to." He scratched the back of his head sheepishly.

"Where's Fuyuhiko? Wasn't he with you?" Hajime asked.

"Eh? Fuyuhiko? I think he left by himself." Kazuichi said.

"You guys are great friends," Hajime groaned.

"I know, right?" Kazuichi agreed sarcastically. "Oh, by the way, what are you doing here?"

"Huh?" Hajime scrunched up his eyebrows. He had momentarily forgotten why and how he had ended up here in the first place.

"Well... that's a long story. I lost a gambling bet and a hundred thousand yen." He confessed.

"Whoa, how'd that happen?" The mechanic stared at Hajime in shock.

"Let's just say, a freaking professional gambler took advantage of me when I was drunk."

"Agh... That sucks, man."

"And so I decided to leave, but then this guy right here stopped me." Hajime pointed behind him.

"What guy?" Kazuichi frowned. "I don't see anyone here except you."

Perplexed, the brunet turned around him. Kazuichi was telling the truth. The table and the man he had played Blackjack with several minutes before disappeared completely, leaving no trace behind.

"What? But I thought-" He stopped himself from saying any more.

"Hajime, I think it's best we go back to the dorms now. You're pretty flustered and drunk." His friend eased him up onto his feet.

All Hajime could think of right now was where the dealer had gone. Why wasn't he here anymore? He swore it wasn't a figment of his imagination. That white-haired boy was real. He even felt the body heat radiating from his hand.

"Okay..." He mumbled. The brunet started swaying on the balls of his feet as Kazuichi helped him up and out the door.

Immediately, the cold night air hit his face, somewhat refreshing his mind from the loud thoughts crowding his brain. Hajime felt more awake than he did before, probably because the heat bottled up inside the casino had been suffocating him.

"Ugh," Kazuichi suddenly groaned.

"What is it?"

"Fuyuhiko took the car... and I forgot my jacket in the casino. Would you mind waiting for me while I go get it?" Kazuichi laughed nervously.

No car and a forgotten item? How long would it take until Hajime could return back to the dorm?

"Hurry up," Hajime grumbled. He could feel a headache building up. That was probably why his attitude turned bitter tonight. He usually wasn't like this all the time. People used to joke that he was a tsundere because of his changing personalities.

The brunet sighed, rubbing his temples to ease the small headache in his brain. All of a sudden, he felt a hand wrap around the lower part of his face, and an arm secured itself around his waist, pulling him into the darkness of an alley.

Panic rose to the top of his mind as he started lashing out at his attacker, frantically waving his limbs and trying to hit them.

"Stop struggling," A breathy voice whispered into his ear. A calm but deadly voice.

Hajime shuddered in fear, and he stopped flailing his limbs. The brunet was paralyzed now, unable to think or move properly. Fear grabbed hold of his brain, rendering it useless and sluggish. He suddenly felt exhausted and slumped against the person behind him.

A hot puff of air met his exposed neck, causing the college student to shiver, a cold feeling running up his spine.

"Don't move." The voice spoke again.

Hajime knew that voice. He had heard it before. But from where? From who? His mind was muddled and his vision blurred.

His olive eyes shot wide open when teeth scraped the base of his neck and bit down upon his skin. A flash of pain shot throughout his body, traveling from his neck to his head and the balls of his feet. His eyelids drooped against his will, and his body became heavier than usual.

Before he knew it, Hajime was falling endlessly into a vortex of some sort, his mind spinning and spinning until he slipped away from reality.

Chapter Text

As soon as he bit the tanned boy, a vortex opened, its interior swirling with black, blue, and purple hues.

The dealer jumped in silently and as soon as he did, the entrance closed behind them with a pop.

Then, they were falling and falling into the bottomless vortex. The white-haired male clutched the brunet closer to his chest as gravity pulled them downward, deeper into the spiral.

He knew he was the right choice. He had felt resting deep inside him when he first laid eyes on the boy. It was stronger than anyone else's. Plus, the brown-haired boy had luck that rivaled his own. He fit perfectly for the role.

The wind whistled past his ears and curled around his head as he struggled to keep his hat on and carry the male in his arms. He had forgotten how long the journey down would take. Wasn't it appropriately five minutes or so? He just hoped the college-aged student wouldn't wake up. He needed him unconscious for his own purposes.

Random objects fell around the albino while he descended into the darkness. There were several moments where a splash of color would erupt from the sides of the black pit, but only for a short period of time. Teacups and portraits seemed to levitate upwards when he passed by them.

Finally, there it was, a speck of light. Well, it was more like a swirl of blue and purple, but either way, he was glad that the exit was near.

The mouth of the exit gaped open, swallowing the two people whole. The darkness filled with color, and the dealer landed on his feet with a soft thud. The silent hum of the exit of the portal vanished, leaving the albino with the sounds of the forest he had landed in.

Colorful plants decorated the forest, and the blue fireflies made it seem as if the trees were sparkling. The sky was a brilliant blue, adorned with large, white clouds.

Butterflies as large as a human fist flew about, landing on the ridiculously large morning glories that lay scattered next to the tree trunks.

Mushrooms of assorted colors lined the grass, painting the ground with mixed hues. Vines crawled up the trees, embracing it in a secure hold as if it were to uproot them.

Eyes sharp and ears open, the dealer placed his captive on the ground. He then proceeded to dig within his pockets, trying to find that magic-infused cube.

His fingers searched every corner of the pockets. Where had he placed them? He swore he stocked up on them before he embarked on the trip...

"Ungh..." A groan came out of the brown-haired boy's mouth while his eyes cracked open, squinting at the light. "Where... Where am I?"

Oh, shoot.

Their eyes connected, and the brunet nearly toppled out of the dealer's arms as he flailed around in panic.

"What the hell is this place?! Where am I?! What happened?! What did you do to me?!" He started blubbering, glaring at the albino.

Ignoring the panicking boy, the dealer strained his ears to hear for any sounds, especially footsteps. It was a good thing he did, for as if on cue, he detected a pair of soft footsteps coming their way.

Finally able to fish out the crystallized cube he had been looking for, he shoved it (or at least attempted to) into the male's hand.

"Eat it. Come on. It's not poisonous."

Enraged, the boy scowled at him, crossing his arms across his chest in irritation.

"And why should I? I won't until you tell me what's happening, where I am-"

"Oh for the love of mulberries, would you just do what I tell you to do?" Snatching the cube out of the brunet's palm, the albino forcefully shoved it between the other's teeth.

The magic-infused cube dissolved quickly, leaving no trace behind. Instantly, the boy began to shrink in size, his body turning into one as large as a pill.

"What- What's happ..." His voice trailed away once the transformation was complete.

"Nagito?! Nagito Komaeda!"

Cursing softly under his breath, he hastily caught the squeaking male in his palm, raising a finger to his lips.

Quiet, he signed.

He dropped the tiny figure into his suit pocket, then turned to the mushrooms, pretending to observe them so he wouldn't be suspected of anything when those footsteps arrived.

"Nagito! T-There you are!" A purple-haired woman came barreling toward him.

She had white bunny ears that sprouted from her head, accompanied by a violet-colored dress that flowed to her knees in the shape of an apron.

Her feet wore polished black shoes with a strap going through the middle, causing her white socks to contrast with the darker color. Her left arm and right leg were covered with bandages.

A sharp squeak erupted from her as her foot caught in one of the tree roots, sending her tumbling in front of Nagito.

"EEEEEEEK! I'm so-sorry!" She cried on the ground, pounding her fists on the dirt.

"Hey, hey. It's fine. Just be careful next time, okay?" Nagito said soothingly as he helped her up.

"Th-Thank you." She flushed in embarrassment.

"So, what brings you here today, Mikan?"

The girl looked up at Nagito at the mention of her name, her eyes widening as if she'd been enlightened.

"O-Oh! I-I came to find you to tell you th-that Her Majesty wants you to go to her throne ro-room as soon as possible."

"Huh? Now?"

"It's regarding... uhm... you know." Mikan gestured wildly with her hands, her purple eyes darting side to side to check if anyone was eavesdropping on their conversation.

Ah, that.

"Well, tell her I'll be there soon. I just need to go back to get some stuff first, alright? Thanks."

Instead of leaving immediately, Mikan shuffled her feet, staring at the ground.

"S-So... uhm... why are you here today?" Mikan asked, taking Nagito off guard for a split second.

"Oh, me? I was just taking a stroll." He lied smoothly. "You know, just looking for herbs for my tea. I'm trying to infuse orange and chrysanthemums together this time."

"A-Ah. I see. That's quite typical of you..." She stopped abruptly, covering her face behind her arms as he ears bent over. "I-I'm sorry if I offended you!"

Nagito laughed lightly, patting Mikan on the head.

"It's nothing. I get statements like that every day. I just take them as compliments, although I don't deserve them..."

"Pl-Please don't say that! You're ne-needed as much to the Queen!"

A sudden squirming in Nagito's suit pocket brought him back to the situation at hand. He needed to bring his captive back to his original size before the magic ran haywire.

"Say, Mikan."

"Ye-Yes?"

"Isn't it about time you left first? You might be late, and I know how much you hate being late."

Eyes widened, Mikan took out her silver chained pocket watch while nervously biting at her nails.

"Y-You're right! I have to leave first! I'm sorry!"

"It's fine. We can talk later. Stay safe!" Nagito waved to Mikan as she ran off, nearly collapsing over the jagged tree branches on the ground.

Sighing, Nagito reached into his pocket and pulled out the squirming figure.

"You just couldn't keep still, could you?" Nagito sighed, his mouth drooping in disappointment.

The brunet made an inaudible squeaking noise, waving his fists in the air as Nagito pinched the back of his shirt.

"Maybe I should torment you a bit. Just because you didn't listen to me. What about that?" he smiled smugly. The advantage was his, and he would use it as he willed.

The brown-haired student immediately froze and went limp between Nagito's thumb and index finger. What a good boy.

"Hm. I suppose I won't for today. The Queen has asked for my attendance, and I personally have no reason to be late. Consider this a warning."

Nagito rummaged in his suit pockets again, this time bringing forth another cube.

"Eat," he commanded, nudging it against the figure's body.

With a small bite, the brown-haired male grew back to size, his clothes and hair disheveled.

"Steady now." Nagito placed a hand on the other's shoulder, helping him regain his balance.

Nagito's hand was rudely slapped away from the brunet. Recoiling, Nagito frowned.

"Polite much? What's your name again?"

The olive-eyed male scowled, distancing himself from Nagito.

"Why should I tell you my name if you refuse to inform me of where I am, how I got here, and who the hell you are?"

Nagito was barely able to contain the smile that blossomed across his face. What an attitude this boy had. He was simply alluring if not for his rude attribute.

This was certainly going to be amusing at most. He was right choosing this boy. He had the perfect personality (it could use some polishing, but it was adequate enough at the moment) and the right amount of that spine-tingling feeling.

"Fair point," Nagito replied, removing his gloves. "What about this? I tell you who I am, and you tell me who you are."

"I still need to know why-"

"My name is Nagito Komaeda. You may address me as Nagito or Komaeda. Either way is fine," Nagito ignored Hajime and continued, "My role in this place is the Mad Carder, but we'll get into that later."

"The Mad what?"

Nagito brushed him off with a flick of his wrist, silencing the brunet.

"Your turn."

The brunet was hesitant, his hands clenched at his sides while he went over his options.

"We don't have much time, so if you're going to introduce yourself, it better be now."

"What? Where are we going?"

"Fulfill the part of your deal first."

Gritting his teeth, the boy drew in a breath and began.

"My name is Hajime Hinata. I am twenty-two years old and my position is a college student...?"

"Well then, Hinata-kun-"

"Tell me what the hell I'm doing here."

Nagito pressed a finger to Hajime's lips.

"Profanity, please. Don't use strong words lightly here. It could cost you your life."

"Tell me what I'm doing here," Hajime demanded again.

"Later, later. Anyway, we must be off now. The Queen demands my presence, and I would be a fool if I didn't obey."

Hajime's expression hadn't changed even when Nagito supplied him this piece of information.

"You still need to tell me where the hell I am and what the heck I'm doing here."

Nagito laughed, surprising Hajime. Oh, this boy was indeed stubborn. That was a trait that people in his world needed. Ever since that event happened, everyone lost their will, their freedom, the urge to think for themselves. Maybe Hajime could help change that.

Then again, based off of his attitude, Nagito seriously doubted that his instincts made the right choice. Sure, he had told himself that Hajime was the right one, but now, after spending a few minutes with the brunet, he suddenly was unsure all over again.

"This? Here?" Nagito chortled. "I thought you'd be more observant. Guess where you are? Green mushrooms, blue fireflies, roses as white as a bride's gown."

Hajime kept glaring at Nagito as if he were mad, which, in this case, he was. He was absolutely one-hundred percent mad, and it was the same for about every other inhabitant on this land.

"Come on," Nagito pressed, "I thought you'd be better than this. Everyone's mad here. Why do you think I'm called the Mad Carder? Doesn't this remind you of one of your world's fairy tale?"

"Uh..."

Nagito chuckled, evidently finding the situation in which Hajime was stuck in fairly amusing.

"Hajime Hinata, may I welcome you to the world of Happy Havoc. Or as you mortals call it," he paused, a malicious glint sparkling within his eyes, "Wonderland."

Chapter Text

The streets of this so-called "Wonderland" was bustling with mystifying creatures that Hajime couldn't quite make out. There were ones with tentacles; ones with fly eyes; ones with multiple eyes- Seriously, what was with these eyes? All Hajime wanted to do was go home, but with Nagito dragging him along the streets like this, he doubted that he would be able to escape his clutch.

To top it all off, his attire was gaining looks of absurdity from these creatures (or at least he thought it was his clothes; it was better to assume that than any of his other features). Nagito had a tight grip around his wrist as they weaved past crowds and stalls with monsters yelling out the products they sold or the sales price.

Hajime rubbed a hand over his face, groaning internally as he almost tripped on one of those darned tentacles again. How the hell did he get himself into this mess? Sure, he had done many ridiculous actions in his lifetime (partially thanks to Fuyuhiko and Kazuichi) to get into a truckload of trouble, but all he did to get into this world was simply standing outside of a freaking casino. And then before he knew it, that ominous dealer he had met before bites him in the neck. Like, really? What was he, some sort of vampire?

Hajime had tried pinching himself multiple times, but to much of his dismay, this was definitely real and not a wild dream of his.

"Are you hungry?"

Hajime nearly walked into Nagito when he halted abruptly in front of a store.

"Wha-?"

"Are you hungry?" Nagito repeated again, this time with a bit more volume.

First, this guy shoves a sugar cube - two in fact - down his throat, and now he's asking if Hajime wants anything to eat? Then again, Nagito was being surprisingly polite, and to reject his offer would make Hajime look like a douchebag. But at the same time, all he wanted was to go home, not to a restaurant or whatnot. Heck, he had no idea what food they served.

"I want to go home," Hajime snapped, hoping that Nagito wouldn't mind his rude personality.

"Of course you do. But won't you have a meal with me before you go?" Nagito opened the door, placing a welcoming hand near the darkness, beckoning Hajime to enter.

Hajime hesitated when he stared into the vortex of darkness. Nagito was untrustworthy to the maximum, his eyes half-lidded as a sly smile stretched across his lips. Hajime could be walking into a trap for all he cared.

"No. I said I wanted-" He was cut off by his stomach's growling, and he mentally cursed it for being on cue.

"See? You sure you don't want to eat?" Nagito's voice dripped with honey, caressing Hajime's mind; luring him in like fish for bait.

Hajime's breath hitched, and he almost - almost - gave in to the melodic voice of the suspicious white-haired man.

"Promise me you'll bring me back once this is over," Hajime drawled. His brain was all in for it; had become a prisoner to Nagito's words. But his heart thought otherwise, for it knew that there was something sketchy about the situation and the dealer who had thrown him into it.

"Promise~" Nagito singsonged while Hajime hesitantly walked through the doorframe.

At once, a frigid gale of wind blew past him, its bony fingers digging through his skin, seeming to trace circles in his soul. Hajime shuddered involuntarily, his senses depleting due to the muck that surrounded him when he had entered. It was an uncomfortable feeling, having your hearing muffled and your sense of smell blocked. His eyes were drowned in a black substance and a slimy, wet feeling slipped past his skin as he proceeded farther into the tunnel.

Hajime nearly tripped when the front of his shoes came into contact with the edge of a doorframe. Instinctively, his arm reached outward, pushing open the door and stumbling into the embrace of a warm room.

Music flowed softly through his ears, placing his nerves at ease.

"Doesn't it feel nice here?" Nagito spoke from behind him, patting invisible specks of dust off of his suit.

"Yeah..." Hajime felt himself saying. It truly was a cozy place, better than a fireplace and a steaming cup of hot chocolate on a December night.

"Why don't you take a seat? I'll order something for us both." Nagito eased Hajime onto one of the countertop stools before sitting next to the brunet.

"Don't you have to get to the Queen or something?"

"Huh? Oh, that? Don't worry about it. I have a tendency to be late all the time."

"But-"

"Sh. Eat your food."

A plate of curry was placed in front of him, its delicious aroma causing Hajime to drool subconsciously.

"Don't worry," Nagito pushed the spoon toward Hajime, "it's not poisoned if you're wondering. See?" He took a bite of his own dish, swallowing it before urging Hajime to do the same.

True, the curry did smell like the same ones he had back home, but a nagging feeling at the back of his mind still didn't accept the fact that there was nothing suspicious about all this.

Screw it, he thought. Hajime took a bite of the curry, shuddering slightly when the flavors burst onto his tongue.

"Delicious, isn't it?" Nagito chuckled, "It's the best one in this world."

Hajime had to agree. It was a matter of seconds before he consumed the entire dish, his stomach satisfied with the meal.

"Done yet?" A childish voice came from behind the counter as a girl with an orange kimono appeared in front of Hajime.

"Ah, Hiyoko, thanks for the meal," Nagito said, placing several gemstones in her opened palm.

The girl, as Hajime noted, was actually a fox; a kitsune to be precise. She had fair blonde hair in the shape of a curve, with pale orange ears protruding from her head. Her kimono was dusted with petite white flowers adorning the orange fabric as a light green sash encircled her waist. The kimono wrapped around her body, splitting in the middle at her knees. Her feet wore sandals that were made of pure wood. Her sleeves and the back of her collar were laced with white fluff while a tail with the same shade of orange as her ears wagged behind her. Her smile was hidden behind her elaborate gradient pink to white fan, but Hajime could see mischief dancing in her orange eyes.

What was most remarkable, however, was the cloverleaf underneath Hiyoko's left eye, right on her cheekbone. Hajime sneaked a glance at Nagito, and surely enough, the albino didn't have one. Hajime opened his mouth to ask, but Hiyoko interrupted with a light voice.

"You're welcome," Hiyoko muttered, eyeing Hajime from beneath her lashes. "Where's your mark, by the way?"

"My mark? I concealed it with what humans call 'makeup'."

Hiyoko looked doubtfully at Nagito, but averted her eyes when she asked, "Is this the one?"

"Yes."

"Same time tonight?"

"Yes."

"Very well," Hiyoko closed her hand, turning around and vanishing into the shadows.

"Thank you again," Nagito dipped his hat slightly, taking Hajime by the wrist again. "I'll see you tonight."

Hajime followed Nagito to the black vortex again, his mind trying to grasp the point of the conversation.

"Oh, before you go," Hiyoko spoke again right before Nagito stepped into the portal.

"Yes?"

"Are you sure he's the right one? I don't feel much potential..."

Nagito smiled, pushing Hajime into the portal before walking in himself. "Have some faith in me, would you? I'm never wrong."

Hiyoko snorted, and then all was silent.

"Wha-?" Hajime looked at Nagito for some kind of explanation, but the light had disappeared and he was enveloped in the same oozing darkness as before. Trudging his way out of the portal, Hajime gasped when the cool air of the outside world hit his skin.

"Come on, Hinata," Nagito stated without any formalities, "time to get going."

"You promised to take me back home," Hajime growled.

Nagito's jade eyes seemed to gleam when he looked at Hajime from the corner of his eyes and the same uncomforting vibe that Nagito had radiated when Hajime first met him came back to haunt him.

"Oh, how naive of you," Nagito laughed darkly, turning around to face Hajime, his eyes turning into slits, "Don't you know anything about this world? Oh, wait. I forgot. You just came here."

"You promised, you piece of filth." A surge of hatred bubbled within his stomach, hot white and blinding.

"Rule one," Nagito lifted up a finger, which taunted Hajime to the point of having the urge to bite it off, "never trust anyone in this world. Not even if they ensure your safety."

"Number two," Nagito lifted another finger, "everything, from contracts to warranties, are created and compromised using card games. Yes, I did say I promised, but you never sealed the deal with me."

"How the hell was I supposed to know?! You're the one who tossed me here without a proper explanation!"

"I'd expected you to catch on fairly quickly. Your actions have lowered my standards for you," Nagito clicked his tongue, his disappointment slicing through Hajime like a butcher knife.

"I-"

"Maybe Hiyoko was right," Nagito mused, "You're not exactly what I had in mind."

"What?"

Nagito waved him off, taking him by the wrist again. "Never mind that for now. Just enjoy your stay. It's not like you can do anything to go back to your world anyway." He smiled, baffling Hajime more with his impromptu mood swing.

"But-"

Nagito placed a finger to his lips, silencing the brunet. Hajime trailed after Nagito, once again helpless to the man who had kidnapped him against his will. As Hajime passed the people (if you can deem them people, that is, despite their traits) of this world, his eyes caught the strange markings on each of their faces, each on the same place as Hiyoko's mark was. There was an abundant amount of diamonds, each filled by a deep black. Almost no one had a cloverleaf similar to Hiyoko's, which piqued Hajime's curiosity.

Diamonds and clovers, huh? Where had he seen those before? Maybe... on the cards in a deck? So if he went by the order of the suits, it would be diamonds, clubs, hearts, then spades? Thus, Hajime concluded that these symbols represented where the people around him were on the social hierarchy. Diamonds were undoubtedly the peasants or the commoners, whereas clubs were most likely the people who worked under the monarchy. Hearts were probably the nobles and the highest suit could definitely speak for itself.

"Hey! Hey, you there! With the strange white shirt!"

Hajime snapped out of his daze, peering over his shoulder.

"Me?" He pointed at himself, stopping in the center of the street.

"Yeah, you!" A short man beckoned with his hand, "Come over here."

Don't trust anyone in this world. Nagito had said with unwavering authority.

"No thanks," Hajime replied hastily, turning back to search the crowd for Nagito.

"Oh, come on," Hajime stiffened as a meaty hand seized his arm, "How much are you willing to pay for that tie?"

Hajime stared down at the smaller man, his heart pounding in his chest. Where was Nagito when you actually needed him?

"I-It's not for sale," Hajime attempted to tug his arm from the man, but the grip around his arm tightened to the extent where Hajime felt as if his bone was about to break. Hajime accidentally let his expression falter, exposing a wince at the unrelenting grasp on his limb.

"Surely, you're willing to sell it for a decent amount of gestunes?" The smaller man prompted, opening his palm. "Eh? What about it? How about 10 gestunes for that?"

"I said, no thank you-"

"Boy," the man darkened his gaze and an ill-disposed aura began to rise out of his pores, "10 gestunes is a generous offer. I suggest you take it before you regret it." His smile leaked with all the evil in the world, his fangs glinting in the sunlight.

Hajime's breath caught in his throat when the tips of his fingers ran cold due to the poor circulation in his bloodstream. His eyes darted nervously amongst the crowd, hoping that someone would save him from this situation. No one did.

"I ne-need to go," Hajime laughed in broken intervals, silently praying for Nagito to come.

"Not until I make a deal with you."

"Excuse me," a pale hand was placed on the man's arm, its nails digging into the flesh, "I believe he said no."

Oh, thank god. Hajime heaved a sigh at the voice of his savior.

"Oi! What do you think you're doing?!" The man glared upward only to falter. The grip on Hajime's arm loosened, and instantly, the blood rushed back to his fingertips.

"That's my question," Nagito's voice changed into more of a growl. "I suggest you let go of my subordinate here, or I won't hesitate to break your arm."

Hajime watched, his relief turning into an immense amount of fear as Nagito's lips curled upward, revealing his fangs. His usual jade eyes turned into the shades of the clouds in a storm, blazing with intense lightning.

"Piss off," the man spat, desperately trying to mask his fear.

It was only then that Hajime felt the presence of the deadly monster hidden under the pale skin of the mysterious dealer. With a frail body and a soft voice, Nagito could deceive anyone he wished, making them think that he was a weakling when in truth, he was a rampaging storm, bottled up by a simple cork he could unplug at any given time.

"Is that how you treat your superiors?" Nagito cocked an eyebrow, his smirk widening. The man whimpered, whimpered, as Nagito's nails dug further into his skin, the flesh around it turning a dark shade of red.

With his thumb, Nagito rubbed against his left cheekbone, exposing a red cloverleaf. At the appearance of the marking, the man recoiled from Hajime, his eyes now wide with panic.

"Go," Nagito simply commanded, kicking dust into the man's face before he scrambled to his knees and ran like there was no tomorrow.

"Hey, you okay?" Nagito faced Hajime, taking his arm in his hands.

Hajime could only stare at Nagito in horror at the counterpart of himself he had shown. He was scared of Nagito. Terrified even. His body was paralyzed and the pain in his arm subsided as he zoned out. What else was Nagito hiding? His split personality made the tiny ball of confidence in Hajime's chest shrivel up.

"We're going to need to put some ice on that," Nagito inspected his arm, then with a gentle tug, he lead Hajime out of the market and into another glistening forest. This one was different, with water droplets suspended in midair, just above their heads. The blue leafed trees were laced with cobwebs that caught the sunlight in their wake, reflecting scattered rainbows into the droplets. And, of course, there were more mushrooms that glowed an incandescent blue and purple. Adorning the bushes next to the pathway were - again - white roses that stood out in the blue.

Nagito stepped over to a tree, one in which its branches spread out as if to hug the entire forest. The dealer tapped his foot near the base of the tree and miraculously, the ground opened in a small circle, revealing another rabbit hole.

"In you go," Nagito smiled, his hand placed at the mouth of the hole.

"Where are you taking me?" Hajime asked skeptically while staring into the hole as black as the one before.

"Too many questions. Don't you trust me?"

"Not since you broke your 'promise' to bring me back to my world."

"Well, I did save you from being a hostage to a sales dealer, so at least repay your debt," Nagito mused.

As much as Hajime didn't want to agree with Nagito, the dealer posed a fairly good point. He had no knowledge of anything in this world, didn't know how it worked, and there was no one he could actually trust to bring him back. He had no choice but to stick with this white-haired man for now.

With a deep breath, Hajime slid down the tunnel, his eyes meeting black the farther he traveled. Surprisingly enough, he could feel air brushing past his skin. The problem was, they were in a tunnel leading underground. How could there possibly be any air underground? Then again, this world was magical, and magic defies all rules of science.

Hajime landed with a thud in front of a large estate, surrounded by the same blue trees he had seen before he entered the tunnel. They were embellished with the same water drops and cobwebs, with the corresponding white roses at its side. A fountain sat in the middle of the tinted blue lawn, spewing out frozen water.

Hajime could merely gape at the sight of the mansion that lay before his eyes.

"That's where I live," Nagito adjusted his hat, then proceeded to help Hajime stand up, "It's pretty large compared to the miniature buildings you've seen, right?"

Hajime nodded, unable to form any words. The mansion was three times as large as the ones he'd seen on television, and instead of electricity, it used flames to light the inside of the house.

"Let's treat your injury, shall we?" Nagito opened the gate, granting Hajime access to his home.

"Are all houses like this in Happy Havoc?" Hajime gawked at the elegant double doors lined with gold.

"Some of them are, like only two to three. The ones for the nobles are smaller and the commoners' housing is as small as one of those... what does your kind call it? Oh, yeah. An apartment."

"Are you a noble then?"

"I work for the Queen if you forgot. I'm an official." Nagito snapped his fingers together and the idle lanterns at the sides of the corridor burst to life.

"Then why aren't you going to the palace right now? The Queen did call for you."

"Ah, yes, she did. But she said as soon as possible. It isn't possible for me to answer the call right now."

Hajime admired Nagito's level of audacity to defy his superiors but said nothing about it. As they continued through the corridor, Hajime began to catch sight of strange things.

"A cup of tea for you?" Nagito offered, placing a teacup in Hajime's hands.

"Wha-?"

A teapot floated in front of the brunet, dipping as it poured the steaming liquid into his cup. Nagito murmured a 'thank you' as the pot filled his own cup, sipping it before tapping his foot on the ground. The doors in front of the duo opened, revealing a luxurious living room filled with antique furniture.

"Have a seat. I'll get some ice for your injury." Nagito disappeared behind a curtain of crystals, leaving Hajime to the empty room. In the far corner, a grandfather clock ticked softly while a small dustpan and broom - by themselves due to magic, Hajime thought - worked along the walls.

"Oh, hi," Hajime's gaze fell upon the seat next to him as a white rat scampered toward him. "You live here?"

It was stupid, asking the rat if he lived here. Hajime scoffed at himself for talking to an animal; a rat, nonetheless.

"Ugh, I'm so stupid. This place is messing with my head."

"No, he can talk, actually."

Hajime nearly jumped off the couch when Nagito swiftly entered the room, carrying a small cloth filled with ice. With a squeak, the rat ran across the room and up Nagito's shoulder onto the top of his hat. Nagito handed the creature half of a biscuit, which it accepted gratefully.

"He can?"

"Well, of course! It's Happy Havoc. Anything can happen."

"Even a rat talking?"

The white rat let out a loud squeak, its tail waving wildly behind it. It bared its teeth at Hajime, ready to pounce.

"Oh, dear. Now he's offended."

"Offended?"

"He's a white dormouse, not a rat. A rat is inferior to his race."

"Does he have a name then?" Hajime pressed the ice onto his arm, permitting the frigid temperature to cool his skin.

"Kokichi Ouma."

"Why doesn't he talk then, if he has the ability?"

"You see, he could talk. It's just that he's been placed under a curse I'm trying to remove as we speak."

"You remove curses?"

Nagito shrugged. "I'm the Mad Carder. People come to me with their problems, and I solve them. Well, most of them at least. No guarantees. However, there is someone better than me at removing curses, but she's on the other side."

"On the other side?"

"Nevermind that for now. I have to leave or I'll get into trouble."

"Don't tell me to brush it off so easily! I have the right to know things about this world if you're not going to take me back."

"Sh. I'll explain everything later if I have the time. If I don't leave now, Her Majesty will send Mikan to find me, and if she does, you will be found. You wouldn't dare gamble with that risk, would you?"

Hajime stayed silent, his lips drawn in a tight line. Nagito simply chuckled at his soundless reply.

"That's what I thought. Anyway, make yourself at home! Feel free to explore the place. There aren't any forbidden places or whatnot. It's not a fairytale or anything. Just be informed," Nagito's eyes turned into slits, "you're my guest here. Your privileges extend to such a limit. You're the second person I've given permission to wander around my abode. To flirt with these rules will cost you dearly."

Nagito snapped his fingers and the white suit and hat he wore were replaced by a green coat that fell to his ankles, its sleeves stopping at the elbow to allow a ruffle of light gray fabric to flow down to his wrists. The back of the collar was folded outward and on his shoulders sat white shoulder pads. Inside the coat, Nagito wore a white collared shirt with a red piece of fabric encircling his waist. Instead of a tie, a red piece of frilled cloth descended from the collar to the middle of his chest. His pants were baggy, tucked into high combat boots in which the top was styled like a jester's hat.

With a tip of his forest green hat, the Mad Carder disappeared in a swirl of poker cards.

The dormouse, Hajime's only form of a companion, had left with Nagito. Sighing, Hajime rose from the couch, rubbing the back of his neck. What was he supposed to do now? Nagito had said that he could wander the halls as much as he desired, but he doubted that he wouldn't get lost.

Exiting the room, Hajime chose a hallway to explore (right, he chose, since it was the least shady in his opinion). For some odd reason, blue butterflies were lined against the walls, and they didn't bother to stay when Hajime stepped on the red rug.

And-

Oh, hell.

What the heck was that thing?

Sunlight flooded the room Hajime had discovered, illuminating the silver bars of a staircase. Well, it was technically a staircase, if one could call it so. Actually (Hajime was certainly dumbfounded now; there was no rational justification for this so-called staircase), there were multiple stairs, reaching both upward and downward; left and right. The stairs, per se, were completely mediocre, but what astonished Hajime the most was its formation. There were stairs on both sides of the structure as if one could defy the laws of physics when using them.

And if Hajime stood corrected, it was the only way up and down this mansion. Although he hadn't bothered to explore the other side of the estate, Hajime decided - like the imbecile he was; how did he even get past three years of college, yet high school? - he would endeavor to climb the damned thing.

Hastily, he walked back the other way to the other end of the corridor, checking if the stairs were the only way to ascend and descend the building. To his displeasure, the room at the end of the hallway was the kitchen. The pots and pans were already cooking something delicious, the phantom hands of magic instructing the objects what to do.

Hajime checked all the other rooms, but most of them were for guests or storage. With a click of his tongue, Hajime returned to the sun-filled room. The brunet could visit the east and west wings of the building, but he couldn't seem to find any passageways that lead there.

So, like the reasonable person he was, Hajime started off upright on the baffling flight of stairs. It wasn't all that bad, he thought. It was like walking up a normal staircase, despite all the sharp corners along the way.

It wasn't after five minutes did Hajime notice that he was walking upside down.

"What the hell?! Wait, what?!" His voice echoed around the isolated area when he saw the other pair of stairs above him facing his direction. Normally, one would see the bottom (the flat part) of the staircase when ascending upward. However, in Hajime's case (his eyes were either deceiving him or the room was casting an illusion), the stairs above him were facing downward.

"Oh, dear lord," he breathed, sprinting the opposite direction from where he came from. "Who the hell invented this place?!"

Hajime had no clue where he was going even if he was running back to his starting point. Every time he looked up, he would see stairs upside down, all of them seeming to reach to the sky. Every time he looked down, he would see an endless spiral of white and silver, and of course, more stairs.

Hajime ran up (at least he thought he was traveling up; nothing seemed to make sense anymore at this point), desperately trying to find the floor again. He even jumped off the railing to descend, but the bottom of the structure was nowhere in sight.

Hajime gave up when he noticed that he was running sideways, however that may have occurred.

"Stupid stairs, stupid world, stupid Nagito," Hajime groaned as he sat down on one of the steps. "I just want to go home."

He could literally hear Nagito's voice in his head, mocking him about how he expected more of him, and if he couldn't even travel through this simple piece of construction, he was a disappointment. But, what was the point anyway? He had always been a disappointment, a disgrace to society. All boring and normal and average and mediocre and common. He had no talent, no passion, no nothing. He wasn't even sure why Nagito chose him, the lowest of everyone in his world.

There was nothing he could do here, nothing that could benefit Nagito and his friends. He was useless, as much as his friends keep telling him not to call himself. All he had was confidence, but even that couldn't move a building.

Hajime almost laughed at how ridiculous the situation seemed. He was stuck in a fairytale world, in a Mad Carder's (whatever that title was) mansion, on a flight of stairs. There was no way out and yet, he was hosting himself a pity party. He was such a worthless human being.

Eh. There was no point in trying anymore. He should just give up.

Laying sideways on his hip, Hajime closed his eyes, allowing the blissful feeling of sleep to consume him.