+++NOT EDITED-WARNING+++

My eyes flashed open and I jerked up.  I cast a quick look over the walls drowning in Marvel posters, stacks of comic books taking up the desk, crushed soda cans and empty pizza boxes littered along the brown carpet floor (it seemed to be initially white). 

As soon as I sat up, a squeak noise was made and I froze.  I leaned in and it squeaked again.  Slowly, I lightly bounced up and down and the bed squeaked louder.  I pushed the Captain America blanket aside and it was like crossing a minefield as I navigated my way to the door.  On one foot (the other was dangerously hovering over what looked to be a copy of Playboy), I opened the Hulk poster stapled door and stepped out. 

I heard the kitchen sink running and I didn't have to look that far—this the only other room of the small apartment.  Levi was occupying the kitchen, his wings casually bumping into the pots on the counter. Grim and Isaac shared a couch the in the living room with their backs to me and Cameron was on the one seat chair, watching television with them.  Mind you, the kitchen, living room and bathroom were in the same space so I didn't have to look much. 

I checked the time on the microwave and instantly snapped, "Why didn't you wake me?"

But Grim's voice was strained.  "Alice, look at the T.V."

"I've been sleeping for over twenty four hours.  Just because I'm half human doesn't mean you shouldn't wake someone up if they've been sleeping for a day.  I could've been dead."

Grim didn't even turn—none of them did.

Frustrated, I stomped over and was about to shout until the voice of a reporter caught my attention. With a smile that probably won her the job, the red lipped lady talked in a happy tone that made my insides twist.  Happy people never brought me good news.

Plus, they annoyed the hell out of me.   

"We're here today in the city's biggest mall.  If you look to my right, you will see the insane lineup at Jimmy's comics.  It's unbelievable!  No one could've guessed this overnight sensation!"  The camera man zoomed in on the people lining up. It was a whole range of anxious citizens, kids to teens to adults and grandparents. The line went around the corner of the store, it seeming endless.  "Merchandise has been through the roof here at Jimmy's!"  The reporter wrestled her way into the packed store, the camera bouncing as shots of shoulders and up close faces filled the screen.  Finally they made it to the cash register where people were screaming, and the staff were frantically running behind the counter. 

"Jimmy!  Do you have a second?" the reporter called. 

A bald man bent over the counter and said, "Only for a moment.  We're really busy." 

"That's fine!" she said in a cheer voice.  It amazed me how humans like her could make such a happy face during a situation where everything was clearly not okay.  She shoved the microphone in his face and asked with a big, bright smile, "What is all the commotion about?  How come everyone is so jittery and desperate?" 

He waved a box with three action figures inside and a poster in the other hand.  "These are some parts of our new collection!  It's the Team Wonderland line.  The demon slaying threesome!"  He shoved a doll in the lense that looked exactly like—

"My lips are huge!" Isaac screamed and bolted out of his seat, grasping the television with both hands.  "Oh my god!" 

Jimmy shoved the tall male action figure into the camera. The doll's dark hair was slicked up in a spike and it wore large square glasses and a black, leather trench coat.  With a click of a button on his shoe, his muscles enlarged and his facial expression stretched into a mad 'I'm going to kill you' stare.  Literally.  The doll said "I'm going to kill you," in a deep, masculine tone. 

Scared the shit out of me. 

"We call him the Red Prince," Jimmy said.  And then he whipped out another action figure that seemed look exactly like—

Grim leaped onto his feet. "My butt is not that big," he said.

Jimmy plucked the scythe off of the action figure's back and reattached it on.  "We call him the Cheshire."  He had a black leather trench coat as well except his hood was on—looking earlier close to the Grim Reaper...

"Oh."

"And here is the last doll. We call her Alice." 

They had me nailed to the T.  Red leather trench coat, ripped skirt down the side, black choker with the special gem, and shredded top that made me look like I wrestled the dead for a living.  Ha. 

Ha. Ha.

Jimmy said, "This was the least we could do after they saved our lives two days ago from the"—he picked up a key chain with his teeth and spoke—"The evil Hatter!"  A photo of Lord Death was plastered behind the plastic tag, wearing the top hat and gloves that he had on during his appearance on the billboard.  "There you have it."  He lifted the Isaac, Grim and Alice action figures in the air.  "Team Wonderland.  Demon slayers of the Earth, bringing justice and the good to the people—our heroes." 

"Guys, check out the front cover," Levi said and tossed the newspaper on the coffee table. 

I picked it up with fragile hands and nearly dropped it when reading the front title.  Sudden Heroes Slay Demons to Save City.  Lines like, ...saviours sending monsters back... and Hell better think twice before messing with us... and Where are they now? Waiting in heaven to strike down and defend their city? 

Fire snapped in my chest and I flipped the coffee table over, it chucked into the T.V. The screen zapped black and broke into pieces, glass scattered across the floor.

My heavy breathing filled the silence in the room.       

Isaac peeped in his small voice.  "Alice?"  My enraged eyes snapped to him.  "I don't see the problem." 

I snatched the paper up and slapped it with the back of my hand.  "The problem?!  You don't see the problem?!"  I ripped the paper in half.  "I am not hero."  I poked my own chest.  "I am the creation of Lord Death.  This 'Hatter' made me.  I am Alice Hatter."  I glared at Cameron who showed no alertness in his face.  "Jessie was a hero.  Alice is a villain.  I can't be both a hero and villain."

Grim took a step forward.  "Why not?"

"Why not?!"  I advanced a step on him, shooting an accused glare that felt like he committed a crime.  "Did you forget where you came from?  Did you forget who you are?  We kill for a living Grim."  The bubbling anger formed a venomous tone that whipped past my tongue.  "I kill people for a living."

"You used to," Isaac said in a quiet voice.   

I sharply glared.  "I still do.  And I have no shame in doing it.  Bodies are only bodies.  They aren't special."  A dead coldness draped over my system, shutting off any warmth I sparred for the human soul.  "You think I want to be a hero?"  I looked at Grim as I said, "If you do, clearly none of you know me."  I rested my gaze on the rest of them.  "It is not in my blood to save people or avenge or bring justice.  I do not believe in good or peace.  I am a killer and that is all I will be."  I glanced over all of them with a disapproving stare.  "My purpose is not to be a human shield.  I have fed off of them, I have murdered their families and I have taken away loved ones—that is all I've been doing for my life.  And I am not guilty.  The killing satisfies me.  Heroes do not say things like that. But now they—fucking humans—think I'm they're hero.  Which is infuriating, stupid, despicable and wrong.  Yet all of you are okay with this."  My nostrils flared and I felt the energy rise from my feet, through my bones and to my hands and throbbing head.  I hissed, "You're all mad.  Absolutely mad."  Instantly the glass cups broke and so did the mirrors and glass plates.  The boys bent down in protection and I went back into the room I rested in. 

I didn't want to be a hero. 

I was a cold blood killer. 

A villain.

And I liked it that way.

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A/N: will be edited tonight! If you can't tell, I'm trying to update faster. :P

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Do you think Alice is a villain or hero? 

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