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

[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?

[notsogreedy]

[Talk to the door again, then, is it? Well, fine. After the way those things took the clock away, he feels like there's something they might have missed, anyway. But while he's here, he may as well ask.]

Do you know what those shadow things were?

[frozentear]

[That gets Sebastian's attention. He's vaguely aware of the existence of the shadow brutes in the mines, but somehow he doesn't think that's what they're talking about... especially because he's in someone else's heart.]

What shadow things?

[apatheticguide]

[ He shakes his head. ]

... A construct of this Alice World. Related to the girl's Heart. This place... Wonderland, is it? They're related to it. Seems they take the bodies. ... Makes my job a lot easier, you know. I appreciate it.

[notsogreedy]

[He ignores Sebastian's question for now. Context should make the answer obvious, anyway.]

Would you take the clocks if they didn't, then?

[The way he says it is a little accusatory, because having the clocks disappear like that when they're supposed to collect them and put them in the door is annoying... and if the rabbit would do the same, it seems counterproductive to getting the key he claims he wants them to get.]

[frozentear]

[So that's how he kept winding up back in Clover Tower. How were they supposed to get the clocks then, though?]

[apatheticguide]

[ A light snort. ]

... Don't be daft. Why would I do that? The clocks aren't related to me at all. All I need are my Keys. ... No, I only bring back the people who are foolish enough to die inside the Hearts. I take them from where I am, and I put them back in there. It's part of my duties.