Training:
(1911 A.D., The Pale Tower, Old Wonderland, the Realm of Ishrakie)
How do I always get myself into these situations? Alice thinks as she finds herself standing on one leg on top of an elevated, narrow pedestal with arms outstretched, a large, fragile glass sphere in each hand.
"I have been abundantly clear that I feel Ishrakie made a terrible mistake to put her trust in you. However, at this point my objections and concerns are pointless, therefore I am going to put them aside," Cheshire explains frustratedly as he paces in front of the awkwardly balancing Alice.
"How kind of you," Alice replies sarcastically, sweat soaking her hair and skin as her muscles strain to maintain their current task. Over the past few months, Alice has found that her body's natural weight distribution has been feeling increasingly abnormal, primarily in the chest. Her previously flat breasts seem to have grown in size considerably since arriving in Wonderland, making her feel increasingly self-conscious. She estimated their current size to be comparable to that of the breakfast muffins her mother used to make.
"Yes, well, one of the reasons I was created was to oversee your training, and that is exactly what I intend to do. You will not resist me or complain, and above all, you WILL NOT fail. Is that clear?" Cheshire continues, his tone cold and bordering on aggressive. Alice nods 'yes' in response, trying desperately to maintain both her focus and her current distressing pose.
"Very good. Now your training will consist of two primary focuses: The Physical, which I will oversee, and the Mental, which Master Ishrakie will oversee. Our time is short, so expect no mercy from me.
"Wouldn't dream of it. Is there a reason I need to be naked for this?" Alice replies as the past hour and a half of muscle strain sends burning waves of fire through her muscles, making her grit her teeth just to keep from screaming.
"First, if I am going to tone every muscle in your body into perfect order, I want to be able to see them at all times as a constant reminder to me and you of your progress or lack thereof. Secondly, you can call it an incentive. From this point forward, if you want clothes you are going to have to earn them. You are going to remain nude at all times until I am satisfied that you have made significant enough progress in your training. Ishrakie gave me complete control over your physical training, which means until your training is complete, your body belongs to me and it will follow my rules," Cheshire explains, examining the struggling girl's current posture.
"It's still embarrassing?" Alice groans.
----- Trigger Warning for cruelty and humiliation during harsh training starts here ----
"Then I suggest you work hard and get through your training as quickly as possible. Now fix your posture, you are starting to drop your left arm," Cheshire barks, striking Alice in her side with a cattle prod, causing her to wince. She does as she is told and lifts her left arm back up to level with her right. After about another thirty minutes of torturous exertion under Cheshire's pressuring gaze, Alice feels a very tingly unwelcome feeling building in her lower stomach.
"Cheshire um... Sir, I need to pee. May I stop?" Alice asks pleadingly.
"Of course not, you have another thirty minutes left up there girl," Cheshire replies, annoyed.
"Please, I need to go…" Alice begs as she fights to maintain her current pose.
"Then go, but don't break pose," Cheshire replies, rolling his eyes with complete disregard for Alice's predicament. Alice tries with all her might but cannot hold it back as she slowly starts urinating down her left leg, drenching the pedestal on which she awkwardly balances. Tears of humiliation burn the back of her eyes, but she dares not let them show. The girl holds her position as instructed for the next thirty minutes until at last Cheshire abruptly strikes her hard in the back of her one weight-supporting leg with the cattle prod, causing the girl to fall hard to the floor.
"You are done for the day. Now go get yourself cleaned up," Cheshire orders, scowling one last time at Alice before turning and making his way out of the room, leaving Alice naked and alone on the floor. Once he is gone, the tears fall as the girl crumbles inside.
----- Trigger Warning for cruelty and humiliation during harsh training ends here ----
After a few minutes, Alice climbs to her feet and makes her way out of the room, only to be greeted just outside the door by Ishrakie's gentle, serene embrace. Alice clings tearfully to Ishrakie as she cries, her tears soaking the waistline of Ishrakie's dress.
"Let it out… let it out," Ishrakie coos as she tenderly strokes Alice's golden hair. The warmth of her embrace and the soothing nature of her voice quickly calms the young girl's sobs to subtle whimpers.
"How about we go get you cleaned up?" Ishrakie whispers, scooping Alice up into her arms. Alice nods as Ishrakie clicks her left heel against the floor, causing reality and the tower to shift, transporting them back to Alice's room where the warm jacuzzi-style bath is already filled and waiting.
"Why does he hate me so much? Why is he being so mean?" Alice asks, hanging her head in shame as Ishrakie slowly lowers the girl down into the hot relaxing waters of the bath.
"Would you believe me if I told you he doesn't hate you?" Ishrakie counters with a sarcastic chuckle as she snaps her fingers, causing her clothes to vanish into nothingness.
"Then why is he being so cruel? Why did he make me piss myself?" Alice barks in frustration as Ishrakie descends down into the bath, embracing Alice from behind.
"Do you really want to know? He would probably be mad at me for telling you. He would probably say 'I am subverting his well-planned training strategy," Ishrakie asks with an amused smile as she proceeds to scrub and massage Alice's shoulders.
"I don't care if it makes him mad, tell me why he is being so mean," Alice answers, rotating her head in an effort to further relieve all the built-up tension in her neck as Ishrakie continues to clean and rub her bruised and aching muscles up and down her spine.
"Whether you realise it or not Alice, Cheshire was with you the whole time you were making your dangerous journey to this tower and as such he got to see you at your worst moments and got the opportunity to observe how you dealt with the various obstacles you came up against in getting here. Also, like me, he observed you all through your childhood on Earth. This long-term observation taught him many things about you concerning how you act, react and think in various circumstances, and he has created his training program in accordance with these observations," Ishrakie explains as she moves on to Alice's hair, working the fragrant shampoo into Alice's blonde shimmering locks and scalp.
"Do you know what his most crucial observation was about you?" Ishrakie asks, smiling subtly at the gentle tingly sensation she feels inside as she works her hands through Alice's hair.
"What? That I am weak and unfit?" Alices voice is a bitter mixture of anger, shame and sarcasm as she leans her head back so Ishrakie can more easily rinse the shampoo from her flowing aureate tresses.
"The opposite, actually. Allow me to quote the dear kitty himself, 'Alice possesses remarkable courage and a deep well of untapped strength. Her potential as a worthy successor is without question. However, despite all her inherent merit, she struggles with the confrontation of reality and hardship, often seeking to run or flee in an effort to avoid that which is frightening or uncomfortable until there is nowhere left to run. Only when she is cornered with no other option does she let her true strength shine forth.'
"Don't you see, my dearest, Alice? He does not hate you. He is trying to do all he can to break you because he truly believes you can rise to the challenge, as you have all your life. So if you want my advice..." Ishrakie leans in close and whispers, "Prove him right." Alice giggles at the touch of Ishrakie's breath on her ear. The young girl groans with exhaustion, letting herself lean back further against Ishrakie's body for a moment.
"I will. I am sorry I lost my cool today. I will fight, and I will become worthy of being your successor, I promise," Alice replies in a tone of firm determination.
"I know you will."
The moments fly by in playful bliss as the girls finish their bath, and Ishrakie proceeds to tuck Alice snugly into her bed. Ishrakie places a soft kiss goodnight on the smiling girl's head before getting up and proceeding out of the room, leaving Alice alone. Within moments, the young lass is swept up by the wings of her dreams as sleep takes her.