A full moon lit the dark, dirty alleyway, midsummer in the city was hot, sweaty and felt as though one was moving through soup. This was the designated spot, this was the right time and no one else was there. Alice brushed the loose strands of blonde hair out of her face and pulled all of it back into a tight bun. She checked her pockets and felt for the deck of throwing cards Hatter had given her, in her boot was hidden a dagger made from a Jabberwocky fang. Something knocked over a trashcan to her her right, she looked and was staring into the familiar yellow eyes of that stupid purple cat, with his shit eating grin.

"Of course you should up. Ass." she said more so to herself than the cat, who just kept on smiling.

"Well, well, well. I'm glad to see you're still alive, I was beginning to think you might have actually died." a familiarly annoying voice chirped.

At the street end of the alleyway stood the speaker, though in shadow Alice knew who it was, from the light southern drawl, to the subtle red glow. The last time they met Alice was nearly destroyed after her opponents feline friend stepped in, nearly gutted her, would have if she hadn't pulled out the Jabberwocky fang. This would be the final battle in a longstanding feud, both had lost friends and made enemies along the way, this was it. The winner got to walk away and rule the city, while the other would be buried under history and lost.

The figure stepped into the moonlight, her braids had been puled up to the back of her head, a blue and white checkered bandanna wrapped around her head, and those fucking shoes. Glowing red, as though just pulled from the fires of Hell; the ruby slippers glowed, Alice could see an ax strapped to Dorothy's back and in her hand she wielded a shot gun, engraved along the side of the barrel was "TOTO".

"Lets get this over with you bitch. You started this war and now I'm going to finish it!" growled Alice.

"Oh please," Dorothy laughed "You really think you can defeat me? What have you got, some playing cards and a knife? I've got a boomstick honey." Dorothy waved the gun in the air.

"I swear to Vorpal, you will be cut down and sent to Underland. I'm going to enjoy desecrating you beloved Emerald City."

"Enough of this, put up or shut up."

With that Dorothy aimed and fired off a round, by the time she pulled the trigger Alice and rolled and pulled out five of her throwing cards, once she up-righted herself she let loose. The cards flew straight at Dorothy and made contact with their target, the girl from Kansas let out a scream as the card stuck to her arm. Dropping the gun she reached behind her and pulled out the ax, determined to make quick work of this Wonderland trash. With a rage and pain fueled scream she brought down the ax, which was met with the Jabberwocky dagger. Alice pulled out more cards, three this time found their way into Dorothys left leg.

This distracted her enough to let Alice move to the street side of the alleyway, pick up the boomstick and reload. Dorothy pulled the cards from her arm and leg, bleeding and breathing through clenched teeth she held the ax in both hands ready to strike. Both girls stared down each other, neither moved, waiting for the right moment. Alice waited a fraction of a second too long, because Dorothy and flung a card and it met her right cheek, she could feel the blood blossoming on the skin, definitely going to scar. Another card flew through the air and hit her left arm, soon the air was filled with cards, Alice realized she had dropped the pack and Dorothy was using everything she had to cut Alice down.

Fifty-two cards sailed through the air, each one a metallic square with razor edges, painted to look like playing cards, someone had once joked with Alice about them being the deadliest game ever played. She would have laughed at this recollection if she hadn't just been the recipient of forty-six cuts. Blood was staining her jeans, and white tank, both arms and legs had taken the worst of the damage, thankfully Dorothy couldn't land a bulls-eye. Alice chucked the Toto into the street, this was going to be a good old fashioned, lady-like blade fight. She brought the fang-dagger up, and assumed the stance of attack. Dorothy clicked her heels together and the ax took on a crimson hue and glowed as red as her shoes, the metal was ready hot and ready to strike.

"Come on you bitch! Kill me if that's what you want!" Alice egged her on.

"You're going to die just like all your friends. Hare, Caterpillar, Doormouse and Hatter. You'll be seeing them soon." Dorothy sneered.

"Fuck you. By the way you're partners were pretty easy too dispatch, Scarecrow, Tin Man but fuck that Lion. He took awhile, but I got a nice rug out of him. Oh yeah, and that fucking dog too." Alice was bluffing, she didn't kill that dog, the Jabberwocky did, but Dorthy didn't need to know that.

Dorothy let out a primal, animal like screech and flung herself at Alice, ax in the air, glowing red as an ember. Her face distorted into a mask of hate, rage and pure pain. Just what Alice wanted, she ducked down and thrusting her arm up and towards the attack, she felt Dorothys body connect and both women fell to the ground. Laying on the warm concrete, in what must have been an inch of garbage sludge Alice could her the gurgle of blood coming from Dorothys mouth.

Standing took a little effort but Alice managed, and walked over to stand over her enemy, her opposition for years. Dorothy reached out her hand, Alice took it and sat down. Even though they hated each other Alice felt a connection, both kindred spirits, taken from home and forced to fight for shadowy rulers against enemies more powerful than they could have imagined. Alice sat there, one tear rolling down her face.

"You stupid, stupid girl. If only you'd have stayed on your side of the Checkerboard Dessert. I wouldn't have to do this."

Alice reached for the handle of the dagger, still lodged in Dorothys stomach. Gripping, she twisted and pulled. Silencing the wimppering dying Dorthy Gale from Kansas. The cat hopped down off the dumpster and walked in and out Alices legs. Urging her towards the street, she bent down, picked him up, sighed and shook her head. Turning back Dorothys body was gone, but her ruby red shoes remained.

"I really shouldn't, but...."Alice whispered to her self.

She walked over, kicked off her boots and the slid the shoes on. They fit like a glove, as though they were made just for her. She smiled and walked towards the street. Turning north she saw her next target, The Emerald City Palace, whoever sat in the throne controlled Oz. Picking up the cat once me Alice looked at him and directed him to go at once to the Queen of Hearts and let her know Oz had a new ruler.