but as I told you... I didn't chase the white rabbit!

[heartgatherer]

Who: The Alices and Clock
What: Open the first door and see what you find. Hopefully it's a key... maybe it's something more.
Where: World One - The Country of Clover
Warnings: General violence and disregard for life.

 '▒▒▒▒▒, you fool... it was all just a dream'...

If she could have thought that to herself, then she might have believed it. Here were the high vaulted ceilings of Clover Tower that she'd grown so used to since the shift to the Country of Clover. And yet her name was still lost to her. She could not think it... could not say it... It was as though someone had stolen it entirely, as odd of a thing as that sounded. That was all she needed to know to prove she wasn't dreaming. Then that meant it was as the rabbit and cat said-- in order to retrieve the rabbit's keys, they needed to enter the doors and the door took them straight into peoples' hearts.

This one no doubt was supposed to be her own. How else could this place be replicated so accurately? None of the others should know a thing about Wonderland. After all... this was her dream. Her messed-up, embarrassing, dangerous... oh no.

Outside the window the forest, the castle and the Hatter Mansion were all as they should be. But what had happened to the others? If they had been split up, there was no telling what manner of characters they might have met. While they should be safe as Outsiders, Clover has never seen any other Outsiders. Like this, there's no way to be sure they're safe.

Whatever's happened - this is no time to be sleeping. She needs to verify what's going on in this world and the whereabouts of the people that entered with her. If this was a true and accurate reflection of the world that she knew, then she needed to warn them of a great many things.

Down the tower stairs she goes... to investigate the fate of herself and those who had gone with her.

Comments

[heartgatherer]

Indeed, Alice startles, gasping sharply before she recognizes the face and takes a sigh of relief. "Oh thank goodness." Well that's one of her companions found. And it looks like he's been able to avoid the more dangerous citizens of Clover. "You're safe." It doesn't matter if they're strangers, friends, foes... all life was important in Alice's eyes, even in the case of those she just couldn't stomach.

"I woke up and suddenly everyone was gone... who knows where the others were thrown off to..." Going blindly through the territories was the last thing Alice wanted to do, but it almost seemed necessary at this point. Clearly she seems distressed about finding them. "Did you see anyone else since you arrived here? From our group or... from this place?"

[bakegarasu]

... No. I haven't. What someone does with guarding their territory isn't for another guardian to question. It's not my territory, so it's not my business how they choose to do it. All I can do is make my way the best that I can. I don't make the rules.

[... That's the most words anyone's gotten out of him in a while. Congratulations, Rabbit.]

Though there's something very wrong in this place. ... I can feel pain.

[heartgatherer]

...there will be no slaughtering if I have any say in it.

[Don't even joke about such things. How could she allow that?]

[apatheticguide]

That's right. So actually follow them. You're not going to get anywhere with senseless violence. ... Although, to be certain, this girl's heart... it's odd...

[ ... He shakes his head. ]

... That is simply the World. I said it before, didn't I? The World is not your world. It doesn't matter if you couldn't before. You can here. Such boundaries do not exist here.

[stolenface]

[ That earns a laugh. A very loud one. ]

Sorry, Lorina. But you can't get through that fancy door without a certain somethin' from the people here. And only you can get 'em without those people just poppin' back up.

[bakegarasu]

Make it stop.

[He doesn't like it. He's not sure he can deal with it. If every fight has the possibility of this kind of feeling... how can he fight like this?]

[apatheticguide]

[ He seems entirely unsympathetic to Otoha's plight. ]

... What's the matter, Alice? Don't you understand? If you say you're dreaming, you are. But that doesn't mean it won't be a dream that cannot hurt you.

You're asking me to stop something I have no control over...? ... That's impossible. I did not create this World, and I do not maintain it. I am simply a Guide.

[bakegarasu]

[He never said he was dreaming. But even though part of him is itching to drive the blade into the Rabbit... it's not going to help anything. It's not like he's really here, right?]

Fine. Then we really do need to get out of here.

[Before this feeling makes him go insane.]

[heartgatherer]

You aren't...

[No, just like before, the person here... or at least here in appearance... is not the person he's dressed up to be. That's a relief. That's not someone who needs to bother showing up in her heart.]

Did something happen?

[She likes his company enough but she's not foolish enough to think that he's here because he wants to be. He's here for a reason. Are they taking too long? Or maybe they're doing it wrong...

Alice knows she should be doing something but... it's what's being asked that's just...]

[apatheticguide]

... I should mention. If you might be thinking, "I want to kill him"... it won't help you. Harming Guides is against the Rules. Besides, I am not here. I cannot enter the Doors physically; it is my job to stay outside if something happens.

[ That's just how it is. ]

... What do with this... well, I certainly do not trust you to get the job done, the girl will have to find the Key, it seems. Help her.

[heartgatherer]

Me? Why me? And what does that have to do with--

[She may fight the idea, but she's not stupid. If you kill people in this world... what do you get?]

...no. [Why did it... have to be that?] There has to be another way.

[apatheticguide]

Something is definitely wrong. That Door... these Notes...

[ He's looking down at the scraps of paper with a pensive expression. Two words on them are clearly partially unreadable, but... ]

... When did these appear? Do you know? How long have people been dying? Have you done any of the killing?

[notsogreedy]

[Ankh is alive. He is, slowly, awake. A bit of hair dangling in front of his eyes proves that something very odd has happened to it color. And underneath his head is a piece of paper, which he shifts to look at. "So I XXXXed them." Alright. That's not especially meaningful to him at the moment. What is more meaningful is the motion and the words that make him look up to a different unexpected sight.]

You.

[Unlike the rest of the "Alice"s, there is one person here who Ankh has in fact repressed violent impulses toward. A warning about rules was enough to keep that at bay before, but here and now? Screw the rules, he has green hair. Any bit of annoyance about their prior conversation immediately takes hold to the point that he doesn't even notice the clear sign that the rabbit isn't physically there to be grabbed. So excuse him while he quickly pushes himself up and then lunges at rabbit--and presumably through him to fall to the floor on the other side.]

((ooc: Posting order- Rabbit > Ankh > Sebastian))

[bakegarasu]

No hurting you or the Cat. Got it.

[Not that he wants to hurt the Cat. But the girl? Which gi - oh. Of course.]

I'll find her.

[He sheathes his sword, waiting in case the Rabbit has something else to say.]

[stolenface]

[ That just makes him grin. ]

Hey. It's not like you haven't used people before, right? They'll be just fine once this World is over. Everything nice and back to normal.

[heartgatherer]

They just... started appearing after a while.

[That response only serves to make her more anxious.]

No! I couldn't-- [Even though she'd been told that she should...] ...but... he told me that I should be the one-- that I have to be the one who kills them...

[She's still just as hesitant and unsure as she was then. For one who'd always preached protecting life... to suddenly be put in this position it's... more than a bit difficult.]

[apatheticguide]

... Try not to cause me much more of a headache, will you? Please? It is hard enough keeping all of you intact.

[ He tacks the please on exasperatedly. ]

[heartgatherer]

[Oh she hesitates. She doesn't feel like she can trust him, and yet-- curiosity drives her to inquire further.]

...so if I'm the one who kills them, when this is all over... they'll be fine?

[apatheticguide]

... Well, one thing at a time. We'll worry about the Keys for a moment, but... these Notes first. If more of these appear... I'll bind them into a Notebook for you all. ... All right? But I cannot do that until you get outside, so you will have to find my Key first.

[ One thing at a time. He's not going to be unduly cruel and tell her the obvious yet. ]

... These... should not be here... but, I will take them. When I can.

[bakegarasu]

So it's your doing.

[Was there a situation where he had to be pulled back together? He can think of one, but it feels like there was another.]

[... Maybe not.]

I'll do what I can.

[stolenface]

Yeah, you all show up in that place you all started--the place you first met the Rabbit. Won't lie about that.

[ And then, he'll hop down next to her, grinning still. ]

If you need extra incentive... That thing you lost... What if I said it's behind that door you have to unlock?

[heartgatherer]

They shouldn't?

[She doesn't quite understand, but if he's willing to bind the notes for them...]

Then I'll make sure we take them with us.

[frozentear]

[Sebastian woke up to a vaguely familiar ceiling, rolling over and seeing his blonde hair has become curly and also seeing a piece of paper. The XXXXXX is bad? Does that mean something with six letters, or?

He starts to sit up, and lets out a yelp as something really heavy lands on him and he falls back down. Did any of them have green hair?... oh, it's Ankh. Looking displeased, he considers reaching for his gun when the rabbit appears and Ankh launches himself at the rabbit.

It's definitely amusing to see Ankh fall to the floor, though.]

[heartgatherer]

And they won't be hurt?

[Because that's the important part. Even though... having the thing that was taken from her mentioned does make her stiffen.]

[notsogreedy]

He's surprised, hearing so much relief that he's safe. He briefly wonders whether he's ever heard that before, so untempered by any other wishes. It seems like there's always been a condition. He's safe, so he can keep helping with the king's conquest. He's safe, so the body he's borrowing is, too. He's safe, so he should be grateful and leave that body that isn't his alone. He tilts his head to the side, looking at her almost curiously. No condition, aside from the part where she wants to know everyone else is safe, too. And he can't help wondering why she cares so much about them, but maybe that's just the kind of person she is. Like someone else he knew, except that she won't turn on him in the end.

Or, as he remembers the clock in his chest, maybe she will, but only because it's necessary. He doesn't mind that so much.

"Everyone from before is here." He hasn't talked to all of them. In fact, there are several he's avoided. But there are enough signs that he's sure they're all there. Even the stupid rabbit.