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

THE WHITE RABBIT HAS ARRIVED AS OF ANKH'S DEATH.

[apatheticguide]

[ Sitting in front of the scraps of paper on the ground, the White Rabbit can be seen, perched, staring, his face scrunched up in... confusion. He's currently dressed differently, as if to suit this odd world, which means his tail is on display for everyone to see a bit easier, for once.

His long, tangled black hair is short, now, as though someone had actually bothered grooming it. ]

... What a bother this is...

[ He cannot be directly touched, and it's clear that, when he goes to try to pick up one of the pages and his hand phases through it, he's not truly here. ]

... Mnngh.

[bakegarasu]

[There's someone else here, trying to get his bearings after... that whole mess. His hair is a bit lighter, but otherwise he looks the same.]

You could say that again.

[apatheticguide]

[ ... He scoffs at Otoha, face setting into an even DEEPER frown. Great. It's you. ]

Maybe you would be having less trouble if you actually bothered following the Rules of the Alice Worlds and paid attention.

[ His tone is scathing; it's clear he's VERY disappointed. ]

[bakegarasu]

'Rules'? What, like 'kill people'?

[He's used to disappointed. You don't worry him, Rabbit.]

[apatheticguide]

[ ... His look could cut someone in half right now. ]

Maybe if you had actually bothered stopping to talk to someone instead of wandering off, you would understand it better: simply killing people here likely isn't going to get you anywhere, is it? Mind you, that is me speculating, but from what I have been seeing, it is looking to be true. Or have you gotten out, yet? I have yet to see even a glimpse of my Keys.

You didn't even talk to the one guarding this place... did you?

[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.

[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.

[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]

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?

[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]

... 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.

[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.

[apatheticguide]

... No, probably not. Well, either way, they're here now. So we might as well take care of them.

[ ... Right, the other matter... ]

... What have you been doing?

[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))

[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.]

[apatheticguide]

[ ... Rabbit doesn't even move. He knows he's not going to be affected, so Ankh just goes careening right through his incorporeal form. Really, all he does is groan and roll his eyes, glancing over at Sebastian, ignoring Ankh for a moment. ]

Ahhh, it's you. You HAVE been expiring an awful lot, I see. Still have not found my Key, hm? ... Perhaps you should tell the other Alice that, as I stated before, attacking Guides is against the Rules.

[notsogreedy]

[Of course that didn't work. Ankh lets out an extremely frustrated growl as he lands on the floor and then quickly turns around to glare daggers at the rabbit. The last thing Ankh wants to hear right at this moment is anything about the stupid rules, but he at least knows better than to try attacking again when it's obvious it won't connect.]

Tch. Then don't show up in a place where it's impossible to control violent desires. And my name is Ankh!

[frozentear]

Ankh. Attacking guides is against the rules.

[Is he saying that just to irritate Ankh? He is absolutely saying it just to irritate Ankh.

He stands up and dusts himself off.]

I haven't seen the keys to this place myself, but I'm certain Ankh and another person have seen them. I'm not sure why they didn't take it.

[apatheticguide]

Everyone is Alice here. That's just how it is.

[ He doesn't care. Moving on! Specifically, to Sebastian: ]

... That door. Could you not open it, then?

[notsogreedy]

[The comment about the rules gets a glare shot in Sebastian's direction, though not nearly as intense as the one prompted by the comment that follows. Really, Sebastian, why didn't Ankh take the clock? It's obviously not because he was too busy bleeding out or anything.

What the rabbit says distracts him just enough to keep him from leaping over to Sebastian, who wouldn't be nearly as difficult to grab. He expected the Alice part, but the question is... strange.]

If we're here, then shouldn't it be obvious that the door isn't open?

[frozentear]

[He mostly ignores Ankh's glares. If anything, he's glad he was able to get that reaction. Ankh did shoot him three times.]

Hanna didn't like being touched, and she said that we had to gather all the clocks inside us to open her... but I still have mine. I don't think anyone's been able to open her.

[Despite expiring an awful lot, as the rabbit put it.]

[apatheticguide]

So one at a time, is it...? What a bothersome Heart this is. Why can she not be simple?

[ He heaves a sigh, tapping his foot. ]

... Well, then you are missing a part of the riddle, in that case. I can offer you no further advice than that. Perhaps you should have another talk with this Hanna?