Echo
Administrator
Keeper of the Multiversal Peace
PM me if you've got any questions!
Posts: 8,659
Characters: Lexi Elendil, Sergeant Valerie Reyes, Katara Shadowdancer, Emilie Golding, Meghan Squire, Dayana "DG" Grace Williams, Jessica Rose, Chiyo, Aniani and Mirati, Xani, Robyn Luxli
|
Post by Echo on Jun 27, 2013 20:21:19 GMT
Jessica and Mouse met nobody on the road. Jessica wasn't sure if that was ominous or lucky. Still, they reached the Diamond Quarter with no trouble. The chessboard road forked here. One fork continued resolutely onward, the other led to a great portcullis, where the gate had been raised when those operating it had decided the soggy woman and young boy probably weren't invaders. From the outside it looked like an enormous Medieval township, complete with towering castle in the center and walls around the boarder. Inside the walls, Jessica realised that if the whole place was like a township, it was packed to the rafters with nobles. Not a peasant in sight. She also discovered that it wasn't a single town, but several, with the chessboard road tracing lines between them. "The tea shop is this side of the Diamond Castle, in the Emerald Village." Mouse explained. Jessica nodded. She was staring around her. 'Rich' was the only word to describe the Diamond Quarter. She felt like she'd just walked into a box of luxury chocolates or something. Mouse led her through the streets, greeting people as he went. He definitely didn't dress like he belonged here. Everyone else wore rich velvets and silks. Mouse was in brown leather and cotton. Jessica felt very out of place. She was still soaking wet, but people didn't seem to mind. They watched her with fascination. She heard the name 'Alice' whispered a few times. Eventually, Jessica saw a beautiful golden sign proclaiming 'Eternal Teas; Where teatime is forever' with an arrow pointed downwards. The doorway was small and thin, and split into two at the top like ears on a rabbit. Mouse led her through the door and down a flight of stairs. She wasn't sure what she'd expected to find; an underground tea room, perhaps. Whatever she'd expected, it wasn't this. One quick glance around the dimly-lit basement told Jessica she was unlikely to find a single cup or saucer here. Mouse wove between the tables, greeting the patrons by name. Clearly most of them were regulars. A thick smoke hung in the air. Jessica coughed. It definitely wasn't steam. 'Something opiate related' she decided, tasting the air a little. Mouse headed over to the bar. No-one was there. He looked around the room. "Marchie!" He called. Jessica turned to see who he was looking at. A man with long brown hair and crazy eyes looked over at them. "Mousey!" He grinned, almost spilling a patron's drink in his excitement. He hurried over to them. "Where've you been?!" "Beach" said Mouse, simply. "Look what washed up on shore" He indicated Jessica. Marchie turned to Jessica with a look of astonishment. As though he'd only just seen her. "Technically, I swam to shore..." she said. "Are... Are you...?" Marchie could hardly get the words out. "She claims she ain't." Said Mouse in a hushed tone. "We gotta find Hatter." Marchie nodded. "He's in the back." He indicated to a door marked 'Private', above which was a large clock proclaiming the time to be six o'clock. A closer inspection revealed that the clock had, in fact, stopped. Mouse led her through the tables to the door. Jessica could hear Marchie muttering to himself as he went back to work. "But she looks so much like her..."
|
|
|
Post by Sierra on Jun 27, 2013 20:52:39 GMT
Nickel walked out of the elevator at the top floor of the tower. If she had looked out of a window, she would have thrown up for sure. She hated heights. At the door to the only room on this level were stationed more tall men with the number '10' blazoned across their chests. Their bodies were vaguely rectangular in shape, and they held heart-shaped staffs.
Nickel vaguely noticed that the cat had once again disappeared as she realised that the guards would once again not be willing to let her through. She smiled nicely to them as she took out what was left of her previous concoction and threw it over the guards. They too floated quietly to the ground.
Nickel marched into the room, which was much like a CEO's boardroom. At the head of the elongated table sat the Queen of Hearts, a short plump woman with a heart-shaped face. To her right sat the King of hearts, and to her left, the Jack. Stood behind her was the Ace, looking cool in a pair of dark shades.
"Who are you?!" the Jack commanded.
"Nickel, and yourself?"
"I am the Knave of Hearts!"
Nickel gave a wry smile, "Enjoy your tarts?"
The Jack paled and looked to his mother, who looked furious. "What my son does in his spare time with certain lesser numbered females is none of your buisness. What do you want?"
Before Nickel could respond, the cat's grin appeared slowly, behind the Queen's head, eventually leading to the rest of it's body reappearing. The Cheshire cat whipped its tail and the dagger-shaped markings faded into a real dagger, which he held to the Queen's throat.
Nickel frowned at the cat, she had been convinced it hadn't been real. "What are you doing?"
"Killing the Queen, it's what I was hired to do. I am an assassin after all."
"Not a very good one, if you had to use me to get in, and are now telling me about it..." Nickel mused.
"Who hired you?" the Queen shouted.
The cat leaned in and ran its tongue over the Queen's ear, "Alice."
Nickel thought quickly, she needed the Queen alive. She pulled out a small pinch of sodium from her pocket and grabbed a glass from the table. She threw the sodium at the cat, then lobbed the contents of the glass at it. The sodium started to fizz and burn the cat's fur, causing him to disappear, hissing, "I'll get you!"
|
|
Echo
Administrator
Keeper of the Multiversal Peace
PM me if you've got any questions!
Posts: 8,659
Characters: Lexi Elendil, Sergeant Valerie Reyes, Katara Shadowdancer, Emilie Golding, Meghan Squire, Dayana "DG" Grace Williams, Jessica Rose, Chiyo, Aniani and Mirati, Xani, Robyn Luxli
|
Post by Echo on Jun 27, 2013 21:36:53 GMT
Mouse pushed open the door and peered inside. "Hatter?" He called, softly. "In here, Mouse. What's the word on the street?" Mouse let Jessica in before him, and shut the door behind them. "Same as ever. Queen's out for control again." "Of course she is..." Hatter sighed. Jessica looked around. Her eyes hadn't yet adjusted to the gloom. There was thick smoke in the air in this room too. But it was different. It smelled different. It tasted different. It smelled like drugs, but also not. It confused her senses. Jessica coughed again. "You! Who are you?" Asked a voice contemptuously. It wasn't Hatter. It sounded deep, yet indignant. "My, my, my..." Hatter said slowly "...I do believe it's Alice." "The Alice? The Alice of legend?" The other voice asked. "Actually, I'm Jessica." How many times was this going to happen? "But you look so much like her..." Hatter mused. "How can you tell? It's so dark in here..." At that, a light flicked on. Seated comfortably on lounge chairs around a large hookah, were two men. The first was dressed very finely, in a splendid purple velvet tailcoat suit, with a red silk waistcoat and the most marvelous top hat Jessica had ever seen. It had a piece of aged paper pinned to it saying 'In this style 10/6', which Jessica thought rather ruined the effect. Hatter noticed her staring at it. "It was my father's." He explained. "He was a hatter in what is now Heart City before the Queen took control." "What happened?" Jessica asked, curiously. "She had him executed for refusing to sell it. I wear it as a reminder." "I'm sorry..." Hatter nodded his appreciation. The other man appeared to be wearing not much more than a sleeping bag, with only his head poking out the top, and two holes in the sides for his arms. He had been looking Jessica up and down during Hatter's story. "She does look like Alice, doesn't she..." he mused, drawing a deep lungful from the hookah. Hatter nodded. Jessica was impressed by the fact that his hat fit him so perfectly that it didn't even wobble. "She escaped the Jubjub Bird!" Mouse half-squeaked, he was so excited. "Did she now?" Hatter asked. "And she claims not to be Alice. What a curious Oyster." "How interesting..." said the man in the sleeping bag, as he blew smoke rings. "Alice dear, this is my good friend Caterpillar. We call him that on account of the fact that he never leaves that sleeping bag, and 'Caterpillar' sounds so much better than 'Worm'." The man in the sleeping bag nodded his introduction. "I'm still Jessica" Jessica stated. "Fine, fine, Jessica then." Hatter relented. "What can we do for you?" "I was kidnapped and brought here. I want to go home." "Indeed?" Caterpillar asked, vaguely amused. "Mouse said you'd help me." "She's lying! I said nothing of the sort!" Mouse shrieked. "I'm sure" Hatter said with a nod to Mouse "run along now, your father was asking for you." Mouse sulkily left the room, muttering "He'll just be asleep again..." "Now, Alice-" "-Jessica." "Jessica then. You say you were kidnapped?" She nodded. "By whom?" "A man with white hair. Robert, or Rabbit or-" "The White Rabbit..." Caterpillar said, with a hushed intake of breath, his eyes wide. "Calm yourself, Caterpillar. He's not here now, is he." "I did escape, remember" Jessica put in. "Yes, but Carpenter will have been watching you." Hatter sighed. "Particularly given who you look like." "There are probably Hearts all over the roads searching for her!" Caterpillar said, dismally. "Then they'll fall prey to the Reds and Whites, just like everyone else." Hatter reassured him. Just then, without any warning, a loud hissing sound became apparent. Along with it, a cat appeared. Materialising out of thin air. Its fur was fizzing something awful. It had strange markings, one like a dagger, and one like a patch over its eye. "Cheshire!" Hatter cried. "What happened?!" "A mad woman." The cat hissed. "You poor thing" Hatter seemed genuinely upset. "How did it go?" Caterpillar asked. "How do you think?" Cheshire retorted, indicating his fizzing fur. "Did you at least-" "-No! This mad woman got in the way! She threw stuff at me and this is what happened!" Hatter and Caterpillar seemed to have entirely forgotten Jessica was still there. Cheshire hadn't noticed her yet. "What did the Queen say when you showed your true colours?" Hatter asked, with great interest. "She asked who'd sent me." "What did you tell her?" Caterpillar looked incredibly worried. "Alice." Hatter's eyes fell on Jessica for the briefest of moments. She knew that look. She'd seen it far too many times. He was planning something. Cheshire noticed. Then saw her. Then disappeared and reappeared very quickly from the shock. His fur stopped fizzing. "Do I believe my eyes?..." He asked, curiously. "I'm Jessica." Jessica said. She'd decided to get in there early this time. "What a pity..." Cheshire sighed. "It doesn't matter." Hatter stated. "She looks the part." "Are you considering-?" "-Yes, Cheshire, I believe I am." "You're mad, Hatter." "We're all mad here!" Hatter declared with a smile. "Now then, Caterpillar, take Cheshire and get him seen to. I don't like the way his fur was fizzing like that. Marchie might know something to help. I need a word with our dear, sweet Alice." Jessica didn't like the sound of that. Caterpillar looked reluctantly at the hookah as Hatter took it away from him. He got up and shuffled out of the door, the Cheshire Cat at his heels.
|
|
|
Post by Sierra on Jun 27, 2013 21:58:28 GMT
"Alice!" the Queen screamed, "Off with her head! I want her dead. NOW!"
Nickel looked shocked at the ferocity of the Queen.
"You!"
Nickel looked up at the Queen, shocked to see she was being pointed at. "You burned the Cheshire cat, how?!"
Nickel shook her head, "I can't tell you, your majesty."
The Queen grew redder and redder, "Regardless, you will find Alice and bring me her head!"
Nickel glared, "Will you stop trying to take over Wonderland?"
"Insolence! I cannot abide this insolent little child. Go before I have your head!" the Queen screamed at her.
Nickel knew when it was her time to leave and walked out of the room, glad that the Ten hadn't woken up.
|
|
Echo
Administrator
Keeper of the Multiversal Peace
PM me if you've got any questions!
Posts: 8,659
Characters: Lexi Elendil, Sergeant Valerie Reyes, Katara Shadowdancer, Emilie Golding, Meghan Squire, Dayana "DG" Grace Williams, Jessica Rose, Chiyo, Aniani and Mirati, Xani, Robyn Luxli
|
Post by Echo on Jun 27, 2013 22:19:33 GMT
Jessica nodded. She could play a role. And if she did, Hatter would help her get home again. Fair deal. Well, fair enough.
|
|
|
Post by Sierra on Jun 27, 2013 22:24:02 GMT
Nickel sighed as she left the building, she had attacked her only guide, and now had no idea where to find Alice. "Six carbons and fourteen hydrogens, hexane. Six carbons and twelve hydrogens, cyclohexane," she muttered, as was her habit when she was nervous.
"Where do I find Alice?" she wondered aloud.
|
|
Echo
Administrator
Keeper of the Multiversal Peace
PM me if you've got any questions!
Posts: 8,659
Characters: Lexi Elendil, Sergeant Valerie Reyes, Katara Shadowdancer, Emilie Golding, Meghan Squire, Dayana "DG" Grace Williams, Jessica Rose, Chiyo, Aniani and Mirati, Xani, Robyn Luxli
|
Post by Echo on Jun 29, 2013 12:25:14 GMT
"Good! It's settled then!" Hatter declared. "Just how life-threatening would you say this is going to be?" Jessica asked. All plans were life-threatening. Always. At least, when they involved things like this. "Oh, the Queen of Hearts will be after you, for certain. She'll send wave after wave of Hearts to capture and kill you." "Great..." "The other Suits will protect you though. They got a good deal when Alice toppled the House of Cards, and they like things the way they are." "What about these Reds and Whites? The road gangs." "The Whites have always been far more agreeable than the Reds, but they both know what the name 'Alice' means. They may not protect you, but they won't harm you either." Neutral. Wonderful. People in that position always did what was best for themselves. "You'll want to cover that, too." Hatter said. He indicated something on Jessica's collarbone. Try as she might, Jessica couldn't see it. Hatter held up a mirror for her. There, on her collarbone, exactly where Hatter had indicated, was a tattoo of a peacock-blue pearl. It looked so real, Jessica thought it was attached to her at first. But, upon touching it, she realised it was very definitely a tattoo. When had that happened? "What the...?" "You came through the Looking Glass from the other world." Hatter explained. "That's what happens in the room with the doors. They put something in the light. Every Oyster gets a colour depending on what they're suitable for. It's all very efficient." Jessica was having a hard time wrapping her head around this idea. They put something in the light? Was that even possible? "You were bound for the entertainment sector. Tell me, did you taste the Drinkme?" "The what?" "The Drinkme on the table. Did you drink from the bottle with the label?" The bottle on the table. The Drinkme. The 'Drink Me'... Jessica shook her head. "No, I didn't think so. Smart girl. The liquid in the bottles takes away your mind, makes you subservient." Of course it did. Why wouldn't it? Hang on... The label hadn't said 'drink me'. It had said 'curiosity killed the cat'... Was she the 'cat'? Had someone changed the label to warn her? Jessica made a mental note of this. It was just possible she had a friend out there somewhere. "Well, in any case, that pearl marks you out as an Oyster. It needs to be covered." Hatter went rooting through a chest. Jessica was sure it hadn't been there earlier. "You're lucky, you know. Most pearls aren't as easy to hide as yours." He fished out a white silk scarf and handed it to her. "Here, put this on." Jessica did so. It covered the pearl beautifully. "Good..." Hatter nodded approvingly. "We'll need to get you dry too." He said thoughtfully. "Come with me."
|
|
|
Post by Sierra on Jun 29, 2013 21:34:59 GMT
No sooner than Nickel had mentioned Alice's name, a trio of oddly dressed women scuttled up to her. One was wearing a short white dress and had a broach with a rose pinned to it, another was in a pale dress with embroidered tigerlilies, and the third was short and wearing a long floaty dress and daisies in her hair.
The trio looked at each other and then at Nickel.
"Did she say Alice?" "I think she did." "The Alice?" "The Alice of legend?" "It might be." "It could be." "What does she want with Alice?" "What do you want with Alice?" Finally one of the trio, the one wearing the lilies, addressed her. They had been talking so fast and half repeating each other, that Nickel could barely keep up.
"I need to find Alice, so I can stop the Queen of Hearts from taking over Wonderland." Nickel told the women.
The woman wearing the rose and the one with the daisies started talking again, far too quickly for Nickel to understand.
"The Queen wants Alice!" "The Queen can't have Alice!" "She'll kill her!" "She'll kill us." "We must protect Alice." "We must protect ourselves!"
The woman wearing the tiger lily dress shouted at the other two to stop talking. She sounded rather irritated as if it was a regular occurrence. "Are you trying to find Alice so you can give her to the Queen?"
Nickel shrugged, "I don't really know. All I know is that I need Alice so I can stop the Queen from taking over Wonderland."
The other woman smiled, "I'm Lily, this is Rose and Daisy." she gestured to the other two as they kept rattling on, with Daisy getting louder and louder, doing her best to out-do Rose.
"We happen to know where Alice might be," Lily continued, "If she truly is back, then she'll be with the Hatter."
"The Hatter?" Nickel asked curiously, "Where do I find him?"
"In the Diamond Quarter, follow this road in that direction and you'll come to it soon enough."
Nickel smiled and thanked Lily for her help. She walked off in the direction she was told, half listening as Lily once again told Daisy to be quiet.
'This certainly is an odd place.'
|
|
Echo
Administrator
Keeper of the Multiversal Peace
PM me if you've got any questions!
Posts: 8,659
Characters: Lexi Elendil, Sergeant Valerie Reyes, Katara Shadowdancer, Emilie Golding, Meghan Squire, Dayana "DG" Grace Williams, Jessica Rose, Chiyo, Aniani and Mirati, Xani, Robyn Luxli
|
Post by Echo on Jul 1, 2013 14:38:40 GMT
It didn't take long for Jessica to dry out. Hatter had simply put her in a room on her own. Two minutes later she was dry through and through. Clothes and all. She decided not to question it. She was let out through a different door. It seemed to lead to some kind of study. There were hats of all shapes and sizes all over the place. Jars and bottles of liquid covered the walls in a rainbow of colour. In one corner was a writing desk. A stuffed raven was perched on it. 'They both produce flat notes...' Jessica thought, amused. She decided not to question that either. "Well, you'd best hurry along" Hatter said when he noticed her enter. "You're not coming with me?" Jessica asked. "I'm afraid not." Hatter replied. "I run a tea shop, and it's always teatime here. Now, hurry along. I'll send Cheshire to keep an eye on you once he's recovered." Jessica nodded a little sadly. "Where should I go first?" "Head to the castle and find Duchess. She'll take you to Mockers and Gryph, just don't eat or drink anything she offers you." "Is she dangerous?" "Oh, no, not at all. She just uses far too much pepper." Jessica blinked at him. "In any case, Mockers and Gryph will put you on the train to the Forest of Spades, and I'll have Caterpillar alert the Tweedles to meet you at the other end. Follow their instructions and you'll be fine." Jessica nodded. Taking it all in. Somewhat unconvinced. Nothing ever went to plan. "Remember, your name is 'Alice' now." With that, Hatter pushed her out of the door and shut it behind her.
Jessica found herself outside. On the street. Hadn't she been a floor down a minute ago? This is Wonderland. Don't question it. She shook confusion out of her head. Turned. Headed up the chessboard road towards the Diamond Castle.
|
|
|
Post by Sierra on Jul 3, 2013 20:34:18 GMT
Nickel followed the chessboard road, carefully making sure she only stepped on the black squares, as if something terrible would happen if she didn't follow that pattern.
After a while of walking, she heard a shout from nearby. Nickel frowned and looked up from the floor to see a soldier dressed in red, wearing armour that made him look like a chess pawn. The soldier carried a staff, sharpened at one end, and held it out in Nickel's direction. Nickel paled slightly and looked alarmed, before realising that the soldier was looking slightly off to her right. She spun around and saw a similar pawn, but wearing white instead.
"I've claimed this road in the name of the Red Queen!" the red pawn shouted. "You can't do that, I've already claimed this road in the name of the White Queen," came his reply from the white pawn.
Nickel stood in the middle of the two, lances pointed in her general direction on both sides. 'Now what do I do?'
|
|