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]

[...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. ]

[frozentear]

[The temporary silence is a bit reassuring, but only a bit. If she doesn't know, then it's not normal for her, and probably not something that'd happened before. And honestly, she doesn't sound good.]

...Do you think it'll help if we leave?

[worldkeys]

[ Another long stretch of silence, in which one can probably assume it (she?) was thinking. ]

... I'm not so certain that would help, you know. I just want someone to hurry up and unlock me, and... n-no one could do that if it was empty.

[frozentear]

When we unlock you... I'm pretty sure that means the same thing.

[He thinks for a moment, though.]

I know you already told me a lot. But if it'll help to unlock you... is there anything else you're able to tell me that might help me unlock you faster?

[worldkeys]

It might be against the Rules. You'd have to solve that yourself, you know. But you already answered the riddle, didn't you? It's the same answer, you know. ... You just need to think about it a bit differently.

[ ... That's all that can really be provided. ]

And I'd hate to have to punish anyone for breaking the Rules, besides, no matter how much I would like to be unlocked.

[frozentear]

Clocks... that was the answer.

[He fell silent, thinking. Sword guy. Ankh. Sebastian himself. Who was the seventh with no clock in their chest? He tried to remember everyone else for as little as he paid attention. All the other Alices. What did they look like? What were they like? Wait, wasn't one of them not called Alice by the rabbit? She was-

Clock.]

...It's her.

[Thinking about sword guy and Ankh makes him want to reach for his gun. Thinking about everyone else... he's pretty neutral to them. But thinking of her is different, for some reason. He barely knows her, but... he knows that he'd shoot anyone here with barely a second thought if it'd keep her safe.]

[worldkeys]

[ If a Door could nod, this one sure would. ]

... Yes, that's the other answer to the riddle. Both answers are "clock". It's just the way in which it's spoken, and whom you mean. That girl--she's special.

[frozentear]

I see... I'll go find her and help her to unlock you.

[He's still not entirely sure what that means, but he'll figure that out later. For now, he's going to go locate Clock.]