Round 1 Introduction Hub Log

[worldkeys]

Who: The Alices and the White Rabbit.
What: What: Everybody wakes up on the first day of the first round inside the World's Hub, greeted by the White Rabbit, who seems largely unimpressed.
Where: The World's Hub.
Warnings: Rabbit is gloomy and has a bad temper and tends to complain a lot. Otherwise, not much.

You entered a closet. You knew that much. You woke up from... somewhere, and you entered a cupboard or a closet and you followed a strange cat with golden eyes. You blink. You feel assailed by the feeling of your body falling somewhere, the sound of heavy machinery--

And then darkness, before... a wooden pathway, and another cupboard, and a boy in a hood. A cat-boy, with golden eyes, much like the one you followed. He cackles gleefully at everyone before disappearing with a meow. The cupboard behind him is locked. Past this area, you find yourself in a strange room of ruined, cracked cobblestone and oddly-shaped lamps. Dead trees line the path. There are old tombstones scattered about. A gloomy boy with black twigs for hair and strange eyes, dressed in fancy, Victorian-looking garb stands in the middle of the room. There are others like you about, you notice. Not TOO many more, but a fair few.

Something about the boy's eyes carry a dreadful feeling. They're red on black. No whites to them at all. He has two white rabbit ears on his head, but one is distinctly torn off, like something had just taken a bite out of it. He looks at those assembled, cocks his head to the side, as if... curious for a moment, before shaking it and then sighing.

"... Ah. Welcome, Alice." There's a pause, as if he's assessing what he's doing. He particularly stares deeply at Clock. "... Oh? No, not at all... well, you're still ▒▒▒▒▒ to me."

A nod to himself, as if to confirm it.

"More pressing... I have a task for all of you. If you could help me with it, that would be most appreciated."

[ OOC: Feel free to respond in either prose or bracketspam. Also, Cheshire will probably have a thread later you can reply to as well. For now, this is the opening log to badger the NPC with questions. ]

Comments

[dolosa]

[ ... ]

Is it really that simple? [ She's used to it not being that simple, and it shows in her uninterested voice. ] What are these keys for, anyway?

[apatheticguide]

That gaze... do you think it's boring? They've been stolen from me. So I need them taken back if you want to ever go home.

[ He'll cross his arms. ]

They're in the doors behind me, hidden away inside the hearts of the others here. A joke by him, no doubt.

[dolosa]

It didn't interest me until you told me that it would lead me back. By "home" do you mean the "world I was born in" or the "world I was in last", prior to this one?

[ She doesn't really want to go back to her world. ]

Then that leads to my next questions. What do you mean by "the hearts of others" and the him you refer to?

[apatheticguide]

... Must you make me speak his vile, disgusting name? I refuse. I won't. Never again. He's crossed a line this time--no, all times.

[ He shakes his head. ]

I won't. He can introduce himself. He's a guide here, much like myself. You saw him earlier, for a brief moment, no doubt you came chasing him here, too. And you can go back wherever you please; I don't care, so long as it's not here.

[dolosa]

All times? So, has this happened before?

[ She recalls the game she had to play before; it's something that's happened several times after all. ]

[apatheticguide]

... He likes to play 'games' with people like you.

[ He sighs, placing a hand upon his forehead. ]

I suppose the rotten monster thinks it's funny. I'd personally like to gut his entrails and hang them from the trees here, but I was told it would "ruin the decor".

[dolosa]

[ She laughs, a bit hollow. ]

I don't know. It would be entertaining to see his guts on the wall -- it would be beautiful.

[apatheticguide]

I don't think it'd be any worse than the dead trees.

[ He shrugs absently, a small smile on his face. ]

... But I can't, since he's a guide here. It's really a shame. He probably took something from all of you, I'm guessing. He's like a crow. He likes to take things. Shiny things. People. Things he finds amusing... like a bird building a nest, or a cat after some string.

[dolosa]

They would certainly compliment it, I'd believe.

[ She can't help but laugh in bitter amusement. Rei would probably not make morbid jokes like this if she had her only emotion back. Or if be was here. ]

I already know what he took. But was it really necessary for him to take anything to begin with? Or is it just how this works?

[apatheticguide]

He likes to take things. It's part of his 'game'. He always does this, I'm afraid. I can't get it back to you. You'll have to go and get it.

[ It's all he can say, really. ]

... Are you sure you want it back, though, Alice? Isn't living like this better?

[dolosa]

If it's a part of the game, I'll play along. It might be entertaining.

[ What a little shit. ]

It's the only emotion of mine that matters. Besides, pretending to have it is just the same as lying. And I'm not a fan of lies.

[apatheticguide]

... Well, whatever you choose to do is up to you. I hardly care so long as my Keys can be returned to me.

[ Which is true. ]

One door should be unlocked already... that's all that's in my power.

[dolosa]

And we shall get them, I'm sure. Besides, what's past that door might be rather interesting. If it's dull, I might get bored.

[apatheticguide]

... We shall see how entertained you are. Secrets do not keep here.

[ Just a reminder. ]

And you will need to cooperate with the others if you want to leave.

[dolosa]

"Cooperate", huh.

[ She's never done much of that, really. ] Well, I suppose I can make an attempt.