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

[frozentear]

[Is that a riddle? What does that even mean...

...hmm. Part of all of them, can be broken... and they're all going in each others' hearts, so that's probably it.

He traces the inlays with the fingers of one hand, going from one to another as he inspects them. What are they for?]

[worldkeys]

[ The door speaks. It seems unhappy! ]

Hasn't anyone ever told you not to suddenly and inappropriately touch a lady?! If you can't unlock me, then don't put your sticky fingers all over me like that!

[frozentear]

[Why is the door talking. He pulls his hand back pretty quickly, taking a moment for processing the situation. Okay, given everything else that's happened, including the fact that he has ears and a tail now, that might not be the strangest part about this. Maybe.]

Doors aren't usually alive where I'm from.

[worldkeys]

[ The door gasps. Now it's rightly offended. Seems you got off on the wrong, uh... hinge with it, Sebastian. ]

Obscene! Inhumane! How could you treat a lady like this, saying someone isn't alive?!

[frozentear]

[Man this door was determined to be offended. Though it made sense for a door that's... conscious...]

Uh... no, you clearly are very alive. I just wasn't expecting it.

[.........]

Sorry.

[worldkeys]

[ The door pauses. As if sizing Sebastian up. Then it huffs. ]

Are you, though?

[frozentear]

[He is genuinely sorry (though it's a little strange being apologetic to a door), and he's pretty sure he looks it, though it's hard to tell when you can't see yourself. There are a lot of times he doesn't care much about people's opinions, but this inadvertently crossed too many boundaries for him to be comfortable with it.]

Yeah. I wouldn't have touched you if I knew. [Because touching something which shouldn't be conscious but is and which can't move would be weird. Good job, he did something weird. What a messed up place.]

[worldkeys]

[ ... The door seems to consider what he says. ]

... Well I suppose if you're really sorry and you come back meaning to open me without being so harsh, I'll forgive you.

[frozentear]

...Okay.

[He turns, and starts to walk away, and-

...That said, the door is locked, and he's really not sure how it would open. He turns back to the door.]

How... do I open you, anyway?

[worldkeys]

[ The door chuckles. It's a bit raspy. It sounds a bit sickly. ]

I can't tell you that, silly. That's the Rules, didn't you know? You have to guess. Didn't you read the note?

[frozentear]

[...Huh, she's a lot calmer now. That's... good to know. And so that's what that note was about.]

Oh. Uh. Something to do with hearts?

[You don't sound so good, Door. Door?... ]

What's your name, anyway?

[worldkeys]

[ If the door could shake a head no, you get the feeling it would. ]

Is that a real guess, or just an almost-guess? You have to commit, you know. That's the Rules.

[ It pauses, here. ]

... A name? Well, I'm just a door, but... I guess it's Hanna.

[frozentear]

Nice to meet you, Hanna. [Despite getting off so far on the wrong foot he might as well have been doing a handstand. Hanna, hmm. He'll remember that... or try to, anyway.

To be honest he's not entirely sure how hearts would work as a key. But before this he'd have thought the same about actual worlds built from hearts, so it's worth a try.]

Hearts. That's my guess. [He says it a lot more firmly this time.]

[worldkeys]

Nope! That's wrong. Sorry. But you're close.

[ It'll give you that much, at least, Sebastian. ]

Everyone keeps guessing those things first, for some reason!

[frozentear]

Hmm...

Oh, right. I'm Sebastian. [He should at least give the door his name too, probably. Since he has hers.

Something everyone here has, except one... something found inside hearts?... something that can be broken...]

Is it... Love?

[worldkeys]

... No, that's much further... if you're wrong one more time, I'll have to punish you. That's the Rules. Sorry about that!

[ He's got one more shot. Just one. ]

[frozentear]

[He probably should have asked what the rules were back when the cat mentioned working together, but it didn't occur to him that there were more. Still, why does a punishment have to be part of it?]

...Can I get a hint? Like, is it an emotion at all?

[worldkeys]

No. Can't you tell from looking at me it would be something physical? A door needs keys, you know.

[ Use your brain, Sebastian. ]

[frozentear]

[Six round indentations - they must be where the keys go, then? Seven of them minus one. Something every one of them has. Hearts are close. Hearts are close... The constant ticking that's been following him, coming from his chest. He holds one hand up against his chest, thinking... and he can't feel his own heartbeat. Does that mean?...]

Clocks?... [Don't tell him... It can't be.]

[worldkeys]

Oh, good. You figured it out. Then I won't have to punish you! Yes, that's right. You'll need six, you know.

[ Including yours, Sebastian. ]

[frozentear]

[Seven minus one. It's inside six of them... then does that mean...

He points to his chest.]

Is this one of them?

[For some reason, that thought doesn't bother him right now. How strange.]

[worldkeys]

Precisely that. There's others, of course. So you'll need them all.

[ Well, there's your answer. ]

[frozentear]

[It doesn't bother him that one of them is his. But... despite liking firing the gun, and despite... kind of wanting to throw it... he still doesn't really want to fire it at a person if it's avoidable.

It might not be avoidable.]

...Thanks.

[And with that, he'll head off.]

[frozentear]

[He returns quite a while later, emptyhanded, intending to ask a few questions. But... man, between the screaming, crying, and coughing that he can hear before he even sees her, he's honestly somewhat concerned.]

...Hey. Are you hurt? What's wrong?

[He's not really sure a door can get hurt but.]

[worldkeys]

[ The answer comes slowly. Whatever is going on behind the door falls silent for a moment, at least, once Sebastian speaks. ]

... I... I don't know.

[ The Door's voice sounds uncertain and much quieter than it did last time they spoke, and just a bit sicklier. ]