Alice was coughing up a storm. The puffs from the pipes are more than enough to make Alice suffocate. "Do you really have to smoke?" Alice asked. 

"It's my medication," he explained slowly taking puffs in between words. Alice stared curiously at the pipe, "What kind of medication would that be?" she wondered out loud. 

"Alice, Alice, Alice curiosity can get you killed," the Caterpillar yawned. Alice gritted her teeth in annoyance. "I'm not the kid I used to be," she sneered. 

The Caterpillar chuckled, "Maybe not in your world but here, in Wonderland, things are slightly different, actually quite different. You might be smart in "reality" but here your just another naive kid," he quickly said before taking in a long puff of smoke. 

Glancing over the area Alice spotted a chessboard lying on top of a polka dotted mushroom. "How about a friendly game of chess?" Alice slyly asked. 

The Caterpillar raised an eyebrow. "You want to versus me in chess?" he asked skeptically. "Sure, I'm pretty good at it," Alice vaguely said as she tip-toed closer to the chess board. 

The Caterpillar, on the other hand, has not moved an inch from his leaf. "Are you afraid to lose to a little naive girl?" Alice teasingly asked while blinking her eyes in an "innocent way". 

The Caterpillar let out a loud huff before grudgingly walked over to the mushroom. "I'm only playing because I'm bored," he said, quite flustered. Alice giggled as the Caterpillar tried to take in his pipe. 

"White or black?" Alice asked. The Caterpillar stared at the girl in the blue dress. "Ladies first," he stoically said. Alice tapped her forefinger to her chin. 

"Black," the word left her lip before she could choose the other color. "Then I guess I go first, don't regret your choice," his sinister words sent shivers down her spine. 

"I won't," she boldly stated. The Caterpillar smiled as he made his first move. 

♚

"Not bad for a little girl," the Caterpillar remarked as he avoided the queen. Alice smirked, "You should not have taken me lightly," she retorted before taking his bishop. 

"Check," Alice said smugly. The Caterpillar only simply shook his head and clicked his tongue. "You still have a long way to go little girl," he emphasized. 

"Checkmate," he simply said as he knocked the king down. Alice stared at the board in horror, her perfect strategy crumbled into pieces. 

Alice stared at the indifferent Caterpillar, "How?" she asked. No one has ever broken the "perfect" strategy. The Caterpillar stared at her, "It's simple. I taught it to you," he said nonchalantly before taking in a puff. 

Alice stared intently at the chess board before letting out a calm sigh. "One more game," she said. The Caterpillar raised an eyebrow. "You want to be embarrassed again?" he mocked. 

Alice stared him dead in the eye. "If I say yes will you accept?" she asked bluntly. The Caterpillar chuckled but agreed. "Let's go," he said before putting down his pipe. "I'll end this quick".

♚

"Are you sure you want to go with this play?" he teasingly asked. Alice did not let him waver her concentration. "Check," she confidently said. 

"You can't beat me," he said confidently as he took her queen, the key piece. Alice suddenly smirked, "Check," she said again. The Caterpillar sighed as he took her rook. 

"Check," she said again. Now the Caterpillar looked slightly worried. Her smile widened. "Don't be too sure," she commented. The Caterpillar, however, kept his composure staring at the board he decided to take her pawn. 

Alice let out a 'tsk' before moving her knight. 

The Caterpillar his lips nervously before moving his own queen. "Checkmate in three," Alice whispered. The Caterpillar felt panicky now but refused to give up. 

"Two". 

"Checkmate".

Alice stared at the board in shock. "What? How?" she asked again. The Caterpillar smiled brightly at the girl in blue. "That was one of the most enjoyable games I've had in a long time. You are truly a great competitor," he said as he started putting the pieces back in place. 

Alice plopped her head down on the chessboard and let out a depressed sigh. Taking pity on her the Caterpillar spoke up, "I'll tell you something good," he said. 

Alice looked up at him with interest. "Hmm?" she asked. "The White King," he said. Alice curiously looked at the lanky Caterpillar. 

"Excuse me?" she asked. 

"The White King," he said again not giving away anymore. 

The Caterpillar let out a small yawn, suddenly his eyes quickly diverted from the chess board to the clock, 12:30, it read. 

His eyes widened, "Alice I think it's best for you to go now. It's pretty late," his sudden change in emotions was curious to Alice, very curious. However, her yawn distracted her curiosity. 

"Tata goodbye little Alice," he giggled and pinched her nose. Alice eyes widened in horror at his sudden change in behavior. The Caterpillar took no notice of her odd look as he was clumsily trying to take a puff out of his pipe. 

Alice opened to speak but the smoke from his pipe was so thick, so hazy that she couldn't help but feel very drowsy and off she was to sleep. 

School starts for me tomorrow :(

I'll try to keep updating regularlly but you know school is so harsh on the writing life D':

Enjoy the chapter~