Hunters in Wonderland [plot: invite only]

It is Sunday of the 7th week at Beacon.

The room was large and spacious. The walls are lined with computers and machinery beyond comprehension. A pair of scientists, a male and a female, are walking around from machine to machine, reading states and numbers off of papers near religiously. Sitting idly in a chair humming to himself is Byron Hatter. He wears his usual combat attire of rather colorful clothing as well as his signature red silk hat and his weapon Thanatos is propped upright behind him in coffin form. The ticking of the clock on his weapon is somehow heard above the sounds of all the computers and machines around him. The only thing slightly off about his attire was a metal collar device around his neck with wires and cables jotting out and plugged into all sorts of machinery.

"All readings are positive," the male scientist mumbled as he skimmed through a wall of numbers on a large screen. "The Semblance Enhancer is good to activate at any time."

The female scientist nodded and walked towards Byron. "Thank you for accepting our invitation. It must have been strange to be the one student picked completely out of random to test out our invention."

"It is my pleasure," Byron smiles. "I do not mind at all."

"Your semblance casts an illusion, correct?" the female scientist asked. "A semblance that simply invokes a sort of field wide hypnosis that will make the target(s) see a random illusion of sorts? Is that correct?"

"Not quite," Byron answers with a pleasant smile. "You're right for the most part. I can cause those around me to see an illusion of sorts but.... It's no random image I assure you."

Byron chuckles under his breath, the ticking of the clock on Thanatos seeming to increase in volume. "What is seen... is the world within my mind. It is the world that exists within my mind and my soul. It is a world that makes sense only to me. It is my..... Wonderland." Byron chuckles lightly, his eyes cast downward.

"If you... say so," the female scientist replied awkwardly as she flipped through a clipboard. "According to this, your illusions are only mirages. As real as they seem and appear, they only cause confusion and coordination problems. They can't actually be touched. But with this semblance enhancer, your hypnosis effect will increase to the point where people will actually feel pain from your illusions without actually being physically hurt. It may be even be to the point  where the target's body will react as if the illusion is real, falling and getting knocked back as if fighting a real thing."

The female scientist nodded at her notes and went on. "Your semblance is perfect. Not only is it technically not lethal but it will be easy to analyze results and statistics from something like this. We already have some volunteers for our first phase of testing. They should be arriving anytime now."

David stepped into the room. 'Dang, look at all this tech.' He looked around for signs of life. David then spotted a female scientist and a man with what looked like a coffin. 'Still, seen weirder.' He walked up to the woman. "Excuse me this where we come for the semblance experiment."

"That is correct," the female scientist replied. "Please wait patiently, we will begin the experiment shortly.

Garrus stood near the doorway arms crossed.while looking as big as possible (Bigger than he already was). "Even a hero needs currency" he spoke to himself as he stood. His armor shone as it usually did with his hammers hanging on his back. It may have been a security job he was doing but Garrus was determined to do a good job a hero must be dependable after all. In the corner he idly deployed and retracted Serenity obviously bored.

Hunter took a look around as he walked in, wondering how in the Pit did the school get the proper funds in order to get all this tech. Walking up to the woman in the labcoat, he says, "I know I signed up for this, but I'm still not sure about it. Can you give me a little more detail about what you're doing before I'm fully committed? I was told this was to enhance our aura in some fashion, but that doesn't really seem possible to me."

Vanille walks through the halls searching for the room she was told about. She finally finds it and walks in. She walks slowly in as she inspects the walls and see's a tech almost everywhere. She notices two scientists and walks over to the female one. "Is this where... The semblance experiment is taking place?" She leans on the wall and takes out her device browsing through the current news in Vale.

Emerald opens the door to the lab. I still don't understand why I let Almandine convince me that this was a good idea. Maybe because you needed the money. Ya ya, Topaz, I know. You're the one who asked. He looked around the room at the people he didn't recognize. Sorry Topaz. I'm gonna have to meet new people. It's okay.

Laeleps enters the room looking a littler nervous. Straighten yourself, you weakling! Shut up its your fault we have to take this job. You blew threw all our money. Now its up to me to make sure we don't starve. Times had been tough for Laeleps and now he was desperate for money. Just let me KILL we'll take the money from corpses. Laeleps ignores his other half and begins looking around the room. "These must be the students I was hired to protect. Although there should be someone else helping." Laeleps is surprised by Garrus baffled as to why he didn't see someone so huge before. This one is strong I can feel it. Let me fight him! Laeleps walks up to the man. "Hello I'm Laeleps, it looks like we're partners on this job." He extends his hand toward the man holding back the fear that his other half could switch with him at any moment.

Garrus inspected the mans fake hand for a moment curious (which is understandable he has never seen anything like it before). Without hesitation he grabbed Laeleps' s hand and shook it giving a slightly smile that showed off his fangs slightly. His ears twitched a little as he listened to the others in the room while speaking. "Pleased to meet you Laeleps I am Garrus Kain professional hero and Demon slayer!" he spoke with confidence in a booming voice not caring how stulid he may sound.

This man looks kind. I'm sure I'll have a good time working with him. As he shakes Garrus' hand Laeleps feels himself tightening his grip immensely but is unable to let go. NOW NOW NOW NOW NOW NOW LET ME FIGHT NOW! HE'S A HERO THEY MAKE THE BEST SCREAMS WHEN THEY BEG FOR MERCY! Laeleps grabs his head as he feels the change coming. Back you abomination you have no place here! We had a deal! I let you have those poor people and you would not interfere with this mission. Laeleps remembers the guilt of letting Laeleps run loose and manages to force him back into his mind. As he does so a small amount of blood trickles down from his nose and he loosens his grip on Garrus' hand.

Garrus continues his smile as the mans grip tightens. It was rather uncomfortable but he didnt mind he was probably awestruck from meeting a hero like himself after all. He took notice as the mans grip loosened and blood began to dribble from the mans nose. "My friend are you alright?" he takes the chance to release from the handshake. "You seem rather troubled...sick maybe?...Anyway if this hero can be of ANY assistance please don’t hesitate!"

He notices the guard with a bleeding nose. How did that start? He ignored that question, walking up to the two who were shaking hands earlier. Passing by Garrus, he says, "Here. Let me. I'm a healer of sorts. Don't worry, I work at the hospital." Yeah, for community service, not out of your own free will. Hunter raised his hands a bit, waiting for permission from Laeleps to help.

Emerald looks around at all the people and decides the best course of action is to go walk over to the woman who looks like a scientist.

The male scientist is typing some keys on a computer connected to one of the machines. He gives a thumbs up to the female scientist. As she tinkers with the collar around Byron's neck one last time the male scientist closes and locks the door and instructs the two guards to stand at attention and be ready to act in case anything unexpected happens. He then asks the remaining people to stand in 2x2 three meters away from Byron.

"Thank you all for volunteering," the female scientist finally says. "Let me give you the details. Millions of dollars have gone into the development of this prototype semblance enhancer. This collar produces a energy wave directly into the body. The wavelength is set to a pattern that will effect the wearer's aura and increase the power of semblances greatly. You are here to test the effect of this man's semblance as it is empowered by the enhancer. This man's semblance is basically a harmless illusion created through hypnosis. If our calculations are create, the collar will increase the strength of the hypnosis to the point where you can actually feel the illusions. The illusions are still only mirages though so you won't be harmed in any way. You will of course be compensated afterwards as promised. Now, please be at the ready while we prepare the experiment. Remember, everything is just an illusion. It's not real. You won't even get wounded and if you stand your ground, you shouldn't get knocked over or anything."

"If you start bleeding though, you can't sue us thanks to those forms you signed," the male scientist mumbles. It's hard to tell whether or not that was a joke. "But seriously though, if you actually get wounded, that's no illusion."

"Oh stop scaring them!" the female snaps as she grabs the male scientist's ear. She forcibly pulls him towards another door. Entering another room, the door is closed and locked and you can see the two scientists observing through a window behind a wide console. "We will begin the experiment shortly. Please be patient."

Byron chuckles as he looks to the small group before him. "You are all in for a wondrous treat," Byron smiles pleasantly. "Soon you will see my very own.... Wonderland..."

"Erm... I didn't actually sign any forms yet..." Hunter looked around nervously. "Wait, if it's all an illusion, but we actually get hurt, then what are we supposed to do?"

"Yell ow as loud as you can," the male scientist's voice is heard through the speakers. "It's only an illusion so your life won't be in danger. You won't even get wounded, it'll just hurt a lot. An illusion can't do any more then that."

Laeleps puts up his hand to stop Hunter. "No no its fine." He wipes away the blood. "I get that every once in a while. Nothing to worry about." After the the scientists speak Laeleps finds an opportunity to remove attention from himself. "Looks like things are getting started. Garrus Ill stand over there and keep an eye out. It was a pleasure to meet you." Laeleps quickly turns around and walks to the area away from the people who were trying to help him. Why must you ruin everything. I finally meet some nice people and you cause that! Soon I will have my meal. The screams of the innocent will sustain me and this fool will be back inside and I will have my body once more!. It seems that Laeleps other half was growing more wild and forgot Laeleps was even there. Laeleps felt a dark occurrence would soon come.

"An illusion can't do any more then that."

"You'd be surprised..." Hunter muttered as he got ready. "Fine. But I still haven't signed forms other than the one saying that I'll be here, so if anything bad happens to me, you will be held responsible."

David is starting to get worried. "Um, on a scale of 1 to 100 how badly could this hurt." 'I am not going to like this answer.' David's right arm was beginning to spark. 'Of all times.' He pulled out his multi-tool and began to work on it.

"That's what you're here to find out for us," the male scientist answers. "In fact, good idea. I'll set up a 1 to 1000 scale on the survey for later. And read the fine print next time Mr. Hunter."

David simply shut his mouth. 'I think I'll just shut my mouth.' He kept trying to fix his arm. 'Come on, Come on.' His arm stopped sparking, but now it was just limp. 'Great, now I've lost all connection to it.' He pulled his arm off, and looked into it. 'Neural reader is down great.' "Anyone have a bobbypin or a paper clip."

"Alright, we are going to start the experiment. Please be ready."

The machinery around the room start blinking and flashing, numbers and symbols racing across the screen faster then the naked eye could possibly read. Lights start blinking from the collar around Byron's neck, the man himself chuckling lightly under his breath.

"All right Byron, activate your semblance," the female scientist's voice commands through a pair of speakers.

"Welcome," Byron murmurs, "To my Wonderland..."

The lights on the collar started flashing crazily. You can tell that the semblance is being activated but something seems off.

"Something's not right," the male scientist's voice is heard through the speakers. "This man's aura level, this wavelength, it... something's off, what is--"

The machinery started rumbling, sparks flying from the devices.

"These readings are off the charts!" the male scientist's voice is yelling in panic. "This is way off our calculations!"

"Turn it off! Turn it off now!" the female scientist is screaming.

"It's not responding!"

Before anyone can react, the machines suddenly explode and everything is enveloped within a cold darkness...

The world is covered in endless darkness. There was nothing but an abyss. The darkness was broken as thousands upon thousands of bloody eyes open around, the red pupils looking directly at the seven people who were unfortunate enough to have been caught within its void.

The seven people are falling, falling into a bottomless abyss. Suddenly the harsh empty cold is suddenly filled with warmth, but it is an unwelcome one. The seven are being cast down, surrounded in falling waves of blood, the faces of the damned seen within the rippling waves of crimson plasma.

They fall into a sea of the blood and are soon sucked into a whirlpool, spiraling down into a pit leading to the unknown. As they spiral in repeating rings, they can see the heads of young children within the bloody spiral. They stare at them with wide sparkling eyes and giant grins on their faces. The sound of their singing is heard. They sing and they sing in innocent chant but their lips do not move. Their disembodied heads sing while continuing to stare at the seven with wide grins.

Ring around the rosy,
A pocket full of posies,
Ashes, Ashes,
We all fall down!

Ring around the rosy,
A pocket full of posies,
Ashes, Ashes,
We all fall down!

The flesh off their faces begins to melt, bleeding soars beginning gashing out from their rapidly decaying face. Flowers suddenly sprouted and bloomed from the soars and each child's head ignites in blazing fire, quenched not by even the endless sea of blood they swam in. As the heads swirled around with you in the whirlpool, they leave behind rings of fire and ashes as the heads begin to burn away.

The seven are sucked into the pit at the bottom of the whirlpool and fall down a hole into the abyss. They see random objects and nick-knacks floating around as they fall. Children's toys, ticking clocks and gears, furniture, silverware, and random things are zooming by as they fall faster and faster into the void.

They see something at what appeared to be the end of the tunnel. They fall within and the darkness is suddenly gone.

The seven find themselves in a vast field, landing on what appears to be dirt. But a familiar smell wafts into their nose and they realized they were lying on cocoa powder. You see giant trees around you that are easily as wide as the Beacon Campus and stretch as high as skyscrapers. Giant mushrooms are scattered around you, each one at least the size of an air ship. Pink cotton candy clouds are floating in the sky.

Little birds flying upside down singing with the sound of tubas are seen along with turtles and ducks hopping up and down in a marching line. There is a faint gray smoke in the air that smells like cappuccino. The feeling of being watched is present, but nothing besides the tuba sound birds and the hopping turtle and ducks can be seen around.

As the machines exploded around him, he covered his eyes and kept them closed. As Hunter suddenly and unexpectedly fell into the void, he used his wingbuster sword's flight mode to descend slowly, ignoring the screams that filled the air. By the time it all stopped, he uncovered his eyes and found himself in a place that looked nothing like the lab when he shut himself away.

"What the hell is going on? Where are we at, the world of Aincrad in the Alicization Rising movies?"

David just felt cold. "Where the heck?" David was stunned by what he saw. "What in the world happened."