>>4378815
As you're about to impact, what you thought was green fields explodes in a flurry of cawing and flapping wings. Green birds that look for all the world as if they're made of topiary erupt from the ground, buoying you up and breaking your fall by degrees. You still land on your face, and it still hurts, but at least you don't die. The flock of bushy birds rockets off into the horizon, leaving the hills covered in thin, trampled grass. You feel about for your glasses and irritably jam them back onto your nose.

Great... now what?

>Write In

>>4378816
Examine the watch

>>4378917
+1. Watch the watch.

>>4378816
>Check the time

>>4378816
With no other leads and no idea what to do next you sigh and press the button atop the watch, the ornate cover opening with a little snap. As soon as it does, a jaunty, fanfare-like tune chimes out as the watch grows from a size that might be fit for a cat to one that fits your hand.

You open the cover the rest of the way. While you were never a girl with a penchant for beautiful things, your breath catches in your chest. Around the face are two bands of silver, the inner studded with a single blue gem and the outer with red, that spin counter to one-another for a moment before finally snapping into place - one at five, and the other at thirteen.

"Thirteen," you mutter to yourself, pinching the bridge of your nose.

The current time reads half past eight, but the clock does indeed seem to go to thirteen. You look closer and notice that the brilliant white face of the clock is etched thinly in gold, bearing what appears to be some kind of map.

As you're sitting there transfixed by the timepiece, you hear somebody coming nearer, singing.

>Write-In

>>4379115
>Find something to hide behind

Can we hear with our rabbit ears?

>>4379115
Your long, slender ears twitch and turn toward the source of the sound. Its a very weird sensation, but instinct takes over and you look about quickly for somewhere to hide, hopping to your feet. You scurry over the crest of the hill and toss yourself into the grass, turning to face the source of the sound. Between two hills, pulling a cart, you see a tall, slender figure walking and singing.

"Le Spade is the best, above all the rest! He'll capture your heart and away with your cart! Sausage and cheese, these things will he please... wait, that doesn't work. These things will... please... him? Hmm... Le Spade is the best~"

His singing is terrible, and and he couldn't look any more like a scoundrel if he tried. He's clothed all in black, wearing a bandana pulled low over one eye, and there's a flat-bladed spear on his back. True to the song, the cart he's pulling is laden with the kind of foods you'd see in a fantasy movie - fat sausages, wheels of cheese, slender loaves of bread, and a few heavy green jugs.

Your stomach growls a bit. Be still, beast!

>Write-In

>>4379154
'Sausage and cheese, hand them over if you please'.

Or maybe 'my appetite, they will appease'. Actually, if he likes peas, you could work that angle, too.

Anyway, keep still and keep your muttering down. Your propensity for order does you no good here.

(I semi-headcanon we're an office lady that works- or worked- as an admin in the travel agent industry, with very VERY punctual habits and a problem-solving attitude, which is why we got 'picked' for the position in the first place.)

>>4379157
+1 for the second rhyme, fix the song.

>>4379154
You mutter "'My appetite they will appease', c'mon..." as you try to stay low in the grass and out of sight until the man moves on. After several agonizing minutes you hear the creak of the cart fade into the distance, leaving you alone on the hillside. You remain prone a few more minutes just to be safe before lifting your head above the grass and taking a cautious look around.

The coast appears to be clear, and you rise slowly to your feet. Despite a few blades of grass clinging to you, you don't seem the worse for wear. Even your heels are intact, but they're surely not going to be very effective out here in the countryside. And your stomach once again reminds you that other than convenience-store sushi for lunch you haven't eaten.

You tuck the watch away in your suit jacket's pocket for safekeeping before rubbing your temples. "Think, think, think... what am I supposed to do now..."

Maybe there's a town somewhere nearby. The man who passed by earlier wasn't following a road as near as you can tell, but the unfortunate former owner of the cart may have been. You see woods in the distance where you might be able to find some food, but it's been a very long time since your scouting days.

You reach back to adjust your skirt and feel the twitching of a fluffy cotton tail poking out above the waistband. Your ears droop. "Of course."

>Write-In

>>4379166
>The watch had a map inscribed on it, can it tell us where we are?

Oh dear, oh dear, we may be late to greet our guest

>>4379184
Checking the map seems prudent. I'm guessing its too small to help us identify landmarks and triangulate our position, but we might be able to use some of our old scouting knowledge if I'm wrong.

>>4379166
You fish the watch back out from your pocket and snap it open again, once more the fanfare chiming. You note the dials again spin and reorient themselves as you focus on the map. It's hard to make out. If only - WOAH!

Bluish light shines out from the watch face, projecting the map in the open air in front of you. You almost drop the watch in surprise, but while it's just an outline this one is actually much more readable. You blink in surprise and adjust your glasses, ascertaining this isn't some kind of hallucination. You see a small blue dot on the projected map - likely your location, maybe? As you focus the map zooms in, showing your immediate surroundings in somewhat more detail.

"Well... convenient."

To the south, the woods... the northeast, the mountains and river... the hills seem to stretch out for a while between them, settling into either fields of low prairie in the west. It's not a perfect mini-map, but it will do. You find yourself wishing you'd actually played games with your brother when he'd invited you. Might have helped you now.

Standing here isn't doing you any good...

>Mountains
>Plains
>Forest
>Write-In

>>4379221
>>Mountains
We fell to get here, so maybe the guest will too? Best to get a high vantage point and look for them.

>>4379221
Let’s try to find the town the scoundrel stole food from, somebody to talk to that doesn’t look like they’ll steal our watch would be helpful.

>>4379227
The mountains seems as good a place to start as any, especially with the river nearby. Probably some kind of settlement near the river, or we might encounter a boat or something. Either way we can probably spot stuff that doesn’t appear clearly on the map.

>>4379221
I think the Plains might actually be good, just to get bearings, find landmarks, and THEN go from there.

>>4379227
+1 Mountains, just to get a vantage point in general. Alice, singer, town, anything

>>4379221
>Plains

>>4379221
The mountains are probably the right move. You grew up in the mountains before you moved to the city for work, so you wont be completely out of your element. You hold your arms out for balance as you carefully descend the hill, but no dice - you come down on a gopher hole you didn't see and SNAP goes the heel of your shoe. You tumble the rest of the way down, landing heavily at the bottom.

With a grumble, you jerk your shoes off and toss them aside. Looks like that's just one more thing you'll need to track down.

You stand and brush yourself down before heading toward the mountains. It's a long walk, but at least the day isn't oppressively hot. If you had to make a guess, it's mid Spring - still a chill in the air, but without the harsh biting chill of Winter. The grass is so lush, though, and the deep green of mid Summer. You try not to think too deeply about it as you walk toward your goal.

------------------------------

You reach the river sometime after noon. You weren't running, but it seems you're a bit faster somehow... or that spatial relativity is odd here. You try not to think too deeply about that either as you crouch down, dunking your hand in the water and taking a short, experimental sip. Not salty, not alkaline... should be drinkable. You scoop handful after handful of the cool water into your mouth, slurping it down in a most unladylike fashion.

"Excuse me."

You drink until your stomach is practically sloshing. The walk tired you out and this is as good as the filtered stuff you have at home. If you can find a line and some kind of hook, there might even be-

"Please stop drinking my house..."

-fish.

You look down into the water. Poking up just above the surface is malformed human face, bookended by two glistening golden finds. Stretching out from the forehead is a long lure, tipped by what appears to be tiny loaf of bread.

You might actually be sick...

>Apologize
>Question
>Write-in

>>4379491
pick him up and throw him away. failing that, try to crush him with a rock. this experience has been traumatic enough so far without horror movie fishes asking me not to drink water, one of the few normalcies keeping me sane.

>>4379491
>Calmly apologize. Calmly walk away. Internally panic.

We don't do outward panic, we've dealt with angry rich tourists threatening our jobs, harried mothers with crying children and disturbed husbands, obvious cheating spouses of all kinds, and more than a couple of people we're pretty sure have Mafia ties.

We've long since passed showing outward stress.

>>4379529
+1 for internal panic.

>>4379491
You freeze, fighting down the paniced urge to attack. You swallow deeply and put on your best customer service smile.

"Ah, I'm terribly sorry, sir, I-"

"Ma'am."

"Y-yes?" You're not sure if you're visibly sweating, but you feel like the panic is obvious on your face.

"I'm not a 'sir', I'm a woman."

"Oh! Of... of course you are, my mistake! It's so obvious now that I look at your... um... well, bye!"

You hop to your feet and powerwalk away from the river, biting the inside of your lip. Yup. Either a nightmare brought on by food poisoning, or you're dead and this is Hell.

"Hey, wait! I wasn't done talking to you! Wait! Ms. Rabbit!"

Nope, not today fish.

Once you get a good ways away from the river you take a seat in the grass. The feet of your hose are caked in dirt and grass, there'll be no saving them. Especially since runs have started to form in the toes. Damn it, they weren't expensive, but it's such a waste... still, nothing to be done about it right now. You lean back, sighing as you soak in the sunlight, still at a loss for your next move. At least with your stomach full of water you've managed to stave off your hunger for now.

>Write-In

>>4379646
>Give the fish woman a second chance. It's not like she can do anything to us if we stay out of the water

>>4379659
+1. Speaking with talking fish isn’t that much weirder than some of the customers we dealt with... if you squint and pretend it isn’t a talking fish.

>>4379646
Thirding >>4379659.

Let's collect ourselves, refocus, and try again. Just like talking to customers, we apologize, offer recompense, keep a smile. Not what that was....even though we're in a who knows where. We can do better than that! ...right? Right!

>>4379646
You sigh and clap your cheeks three times. "Get it together... you're a grown woman." You channel your mother as you chastise yourself before rising back onto your feet and adjusting your skirt. You're a professional. You can do this. You're alone, in a strange land, and you're kind of out of options. At the very least the fish didn't seem hostile, and you've had people angry with you before.

You walk back to the side of the river and kneel down by the bank. The fish is nowhere to be seen, but as you're pondering what to do the same distorted face bobs to the surface like the corpse in Attack of the Mob Zombies Part III. You swallow and force your best customer service smile.

"I'm very sorry about how I reacted, ma'am. It was very rude of me."

"I'll say!" She huffs.

"Please, is there anything I can do to make it up to you?"

She splashes around a bit, her lure wriggling back and forth as if in thought. "Hmmm... well, I am a bit hungry."

'So am I,' you think.

"And you're Ms. Rabbit, so how about a deal? You find me something to eat, and I'll overlook the whole thing. If you bring me something particularly scrummy, I might even have something that you might find useful."

>Agree
>Questions
>Write-in

>>4379706
Agree. What does she like? Getting food is definitely on the to do list either way, may as well try and get an extra something useful out of it.

>>4379706
>Questions

Well first off, do they want meat, vegetables, sweets, etc.? As well as a location to find said food.

>>4379706
>Do you like... worms?

>>4379706
>That's quite agreeable. Any preferences or suggestions for location?

>>4379706
"Of course, ma'am, I'd be happy to!" You chirp pleasantly, just like you practiced, as you force down the nerves. "What would you prefer? Worms?"

"W- WORMS!? Why, I never! I am a sophisticated woman!" The fishwoman splashes angrily.

"My apologies, ma'am! I meant no offense. Would you perhaps have a suggestion? I don't know my way around, or what you might prefer."

"Well, that much is obvious. Honestly, what kind of Ms. Rabbit are you?"

You bite the inside of your lip, your smile not faltering for a moment.

"I'm partial to the sausages they make in the village upstream. Two should do." She dives down out of sight, resurfacing a moment later. She gags and retches before spitting some slime-covered coins onto the riverbank.

You scream internally.

"There, I'm not rude enough to expect you to pay. Now, I'm very hungry, so please, with haste!" She flicks her fins before once more vanishing beneath the waves.

Honestly, some customers are just terrible.

You look at the slimey coins for a moment, steeling your resolve. Finally, you grab them and dunk your hand in the water.

It takes a lot of doing to wash them off, but when you're done you're left with a pair of golden coins. One side bears a crown, the other a rose. The coins are somewhat off-center, like they were struck rather than minted. You shake them a bit to dry them off as best you can before pocketing them.

Judging by the flow of the river, you determine upstream is to the East. Following the river, you reach a small village that wouldn't be out of place in a medieval setting: ramshackle wooden buildings, muddy roads covered in straw, and dirty, dirty people milling about doing god knows what...

>Write-In

>>4379917
Let's go, and remember- look like you belong.

...How that look is, dunno, but let's not act like tourists. We KNOW how tourists act. Be calm, be cool, don't question local habits, just ask for the nearest sausage vendor.

>>4379917
forget the fish. i've got money now, and it'll all be used up on one meal, likely. and it's not like the fish can follow me.

>>4379986
Thief! The fish can talk, it could easily tell others, and we aren’t a criminal or that desperate yet.

>>4379939
+1. Clearly we have a reputation as a rabbit, it might help us blend in a bit, but with our ruined clothes and general lack of knowledge I wouldn’t bet on avoiding notice.

>>4379917
As you approach the village you do what you can to smoothe out your clothes, straighten your skirt and adjust your jacket. You pocket the coins and straighten up, trying not to draw attention to yourself.

You draw attention to yourself as you walk barefoot into the village, your ears bobbing with each step and your small, fluffy tail twitching as the eyes of the people fall on you. They all seem to be some manner of animal people, with beaks or horns or tails. You're not sure what to make of it, but one thing's for sure: you see no other rabbits.

As you approach, conversations trail off. Children and hurriedly pulled indoors, shutters are slammed. Even the only actual animal in the village, a boney old dog, whimpers and shies away as you approach.

What in the world?

As you approach the square a delicious scent wafts under your nose. You sniff the air, looking about before your eyes settle on a tall building, doors wide into a darkened interior. A sign hangs above bearing a grinning pig's head on a platter. No name adorns the shop, but that seems as good an indication as any. A small bounce in your step, you make your way over.

Inside you see several low, round tables surrounded by stools. A fire burns in the hearth against the wall, and standing behind the stained counter washing a metal mug with a filthy rag stands the fattest pig-man you've ever laid eyes on.

Which is to say this is the first.

He snorts as he looks at you, a sneer curling his piggy lips. "Whadayawant, rabbit? Gonna rob me again?"

>Write-In

>>4380065

Note: 'Again'. That, plus the local reaction, means that clearly we, as a Ms. Rabbit, are a known quantity. This presents a conundrum- we're a feared entity. Not just hated, FEARED. If we were just hated, we'd be getting angry looks, stones, perhaps, stuff like that. Not citizens scurrying into hearth and home. This means that our position has some semblance of power here, or at least perceived power that normal citizenry don't want to cross. Even this big pig seems to have little recourse, or he'd have said 'Gonna TRY to rob me again?' which means the last time it was done, it was successful.

My suggestion? Don't indicate we're new or naive to the world, same as with a business negotiation or trying to convince clients that you're not trying to grift them and that it really IS that expensive. Just offer the coins, and look him in the eye. "I need two sausages. Not for me." Straight laced and to the point. Hold up the coins in case he might think you want them for free.

>>4380079
+1. I agree with everything here, suddenly acting nice would likely backfire but we can probably attempt to be neutral and stoic without giving the game up.

I read bunny girl and office lady. You have my interest OP.

>>4380079
+1 Seems like a good idea. It's going to take all our ruthless business acumen and office space cunning to make it through this madhouse of a world. Just like any other Monday.

>>4380065
You fish the coins out of your pocket and walk forward, laying them on the counter before sliding them across to the pig man. "Two sausages. I'll be taking them with me."

He looks curiously at you, then his eyes flick down to the counter. He reaches out and scoops them up. He rubs them together before raising one to his mouth and biting down. He snorts as he pulls the coin away and examines it. "Real royal coin... huh."

"That's enough, yes? I'm in a hurry, so if you wouldn't mind?"

He snorts and, with difficulty, waddles into the back. A moment later he comes back with a pair of fat links covered in white mold. He quickly wraps them up and shoves them across the counter to you. "There. Y'know, most rabbits don't pay. Wot's yer name, girly?"

>Write-in

>>4380127
Easter.

>>4380127
>>4380135
...Esther.

>>4380177
Sure, a little less on the nose but keeps the spirit of it.

>>4380127
"Esther," you answer simply, taking hold of the bag of sausages. As you do, the pigman grabs hold of your arm.

Wow, he's got a grip...

"Word a' advice, Esther. Rabbits ain't taken to kindly 'mong the common folk. If'n ya be needin' anythin' more, ya best be goin' to th' castle. Or, lop off them ears a' yours." He lets go with a grunt. "Now, off wi' ye."

You turn on your heel and walk stiffly out of the store, rubbing your arm once out of sight. Did he figure out you were new? Was it just a warning? So much for civility.

On your way out of the village you don't see another soul on the street. If it weren't for the whispers you hear from shuttered windows and barred doors, you'd think the town was abandoned.

-------------------------------

"Oh, those are lovely indeed, Ms. Rabbit!" the fish woman splashes about happily. "Do be a dear and toss them in!"

You throw one of the sausages into the water and the fish grabs hold of it in her mouth, diving out of sight before returning a moment later without the link. You toss the other one and she does the same, taking longer to resurface with a belch.

"Exquisite! It's the fennel, you see. Really brings out the sweetness of the pork."

You nod, the implications of a pig making pork sausage shoved into the mental box you've designated for all the instances of "What the Hell" you've experienced so far.

"I'm... very glad you liked them, ma'am," you say with a smile.

"Ah, but I did promise you something, didn't I! Even though you were very rude..."

You let the rebuke slide. Smile, be pleasant...

"What is it you'd like, dear?"

>Write-In

>>4380329
“Information, ma’am. I just dropped in, and I’m terribly lost.”

Emphasize dropped.

>>4380329
>>4380354
+1
Also see if we can get any information about past rabbits and this guest of ours that is supposed to be arriving soon. Knowing where to find them would help a lot. (In so far as we have one other person hopelessly lost to freak out with)

>>4380329
Suppose I'll back this as well. >>4380354 Might as well get some preliminary info and then maybe find someone else, do some cross-checking in case of bias.

>>4380329
"Actually, if you could tell me where I am? See, I just dropped in and I'm terribly lost."

"Ms. Rabbit? Lost? Why, how curious!" The fishwoman blubs delightedly. "Curious and curiouser times indeed."

Service with a smile, Esther. With a smile!

"Well, you've a watch don't you?"

You hesitate a moment before you pull the timepiece from your pocket. The fish thrashes about a bit excitedly.

"Yes, yes, that's the ticket! Wonderful piece of kit, that. Why, it will keep you on schedule right as rain!"

"Will it?" You mutter.

"Why, yes, of course! I don't know all the fine points, of course, as I'm no Rabbit, but if you open the clasp there?"

You press the button, snapping open the faceplate. The fanfare chimes out and the dials once more click and slide around each-other before snapping into place.

"There are two dials, yes? Around the face? Well, the red one points to Her Majesty, of course, so all her loyal and loving subjects know at all times where Her Fearsomness is. There should be another, brilliant blue. That should point you to the Alice, dear."

"Alice?"

"Oh, it's a title dear, not a proper name. Alices are guests in Wonderland, you see! Poor unfortunate girls who took a wrong turn somewhere, or got lost along the way, you see."

"Of course." You absolutely do not see.

"They all end up here, eventually, and Her Terror just loves having them for tea. Why, she loves nothing better!" The fish splashes about gleefully. "It's the job of Rabbits to help them on their way. Bit guide, bit escort, you know. Wonderland's a dangerous place and Her Grace would be most cross to miss a guest."

"Wait, so I'm to find this Alice and take her to- I don't even know my own way around! Ma'am," you recover, snapping the watch shut. "And if Wonderland's dangerous, how am I supposed to get us there?"

"Well, most people will help a Rabbit. It's in their best interest, you know. But surely you know how to use the watch's other functions, right?"

You look at the fish, uncomprehending, and she sighs.

(Cont.)

>>4380386

"You'll need to find another Rabbit then. As I told you, I don't know all the details. I know there's one downstream, in a little keep on the river. Charming place, when it's downwind."

Downwind?

"Well, dear, if that's all then I must absolutely get to my dinner. Those sausages won't eat themselves, you know! At least, I hope not. Wonderland and all, you know. Ta-ta!"

With a leap, a flop, and a splash she's gone.

And you're soaked.

>Write-In

>>4380387
Well. Fair enough. Downwind, huh? Let's get going. Might behoove us to fiddle a bit with the watch, too, just to figure some things out early.

Also, just from what she says, it's a bit clearer why 'Ms. Rabbits' are so feared. They seem to be under the personal employ of the Queen herself regardless of actual will. But this means they have a bit more sway in dealings since they could sic the Queen's forces on anyone that impedes their job, since they could claim it's 'getting in the way of Alice meeting the queen.' And judging by the 'Ruthlessness' moniker, the Queen is unafraid to utilize forces for likely minor slights.

>>4380395
+1. Getting some new clothes probably isn’t a terrible idea either, shoes especially.

>>4380387
Fiddle with the time piece as we make our way to the keep. Also try to keep an eye on the Alice to make sure we have an idea of where they are. And try not to shoot our ears off with a hidden laser function.

>>4380387
[Intermission Due To RL Bullshit]

>>4380748
GL getting whatever it is resolved OP, loving the quest so far.

>>4380750
[Your custom is appreciated, and I'm glad you're having fun!]

Yeah, this is enjoyable. I hope we can learn more about our 'duties' and get to Alice soon. I dread learning first-hand what happens if 'Alice' is late. To her AND us.

>>4380387
You hesitate a moment, waiting to see if maybe the fish had anything else to offer. When she doesn't resurface, you rise and stretch, your tail twitching.

Well, waiting here will do you no good, and the sun's already dipping back toward the horizon. You set off west, downriver. As you walk you fiddle a bit with the time piece. The dial with the red gem doesn't move, and the dial with the blue gem switches positions every few minutes as though it's trying to find its target. The hands of the watch seem to move in concert with the passage of actual time. The map seems to be a feature you can call up at will, the bluish hologram appearing without any sort of spoken command as long as you want to see it. Likewise, zooming in and out is accomplished simply by willing it.

Other than the seam around the faceplate, the watch seems to be one solid piece, heavy in your hand. Real gold, surely. An antique, surely, but so well maintained as to look brand new. And the chain is almost flawless, swinging idly from your grip almost like a living thing.

You've been walking almost an hour with no sign of the keep at all. Your stomach has been rumbling for the past twenty minutes, and even drinking from the river, despite misgivings about further uncomfortable encounters with fish, does little to satisfy.

>Hurry on to the keep
>Try and forage
>Write-In

>>4381747
>>Try and forage

Girl's gotta eat yo

>>4381747
>Try and forage along the way to the keep
Just a snack for the way. Ideally a fellow white rabbit will have something they can spare us if we are on the job to find an Alice.

>>4381755
+1. Attempt to forage in the direction of the keep.

>>4381747
You judge it's probably best to keep going, but as you go you keep an eye out for anything that might possibly be edible. Nothing much catches your eye, but along the way you spy a shiny red apple hanging from a branch. Hah hah, lucky!

You scurry up the tree a few feet, plucking the fruit from its stem and hopping back to the ground. You polish it on your jacket and take a big bite.

You promptly gag and spit it back out, looking down at the fruit in disbelief.

The white flesh is sweet and juicy, heavy with spring sweetness. The green skin, visible under the layer of red paint, seems to shimmer lustrously.

Under the layer of-

"Ugggggggh..."

You wash your mouth out in the river, grumbling some very unladylike, very unprofessional things, and work to peel the layer of paint off the apple. You make enough of a headway that eating around it isn't an issue, and by GOD you won't be denied! It's still sweet, still juicy.

And just a slight hint of delicious, nutritious lead.

Another half hour passes before you hear the sound of music just a ways ahead, around a bend in the road. Just before you step around, the wind changes and you are hit in the face with a heavy, noxious odor like rotting meat. You fight down a gag and turn the corner.

Sitting on the bank like a fat spider is a tumbling-down stone keep, the severed heads of various animals - or animal people - lining the battlements. The sound of music is coming from inside the keep. Fluttering in the breeze is a black banner bearing a single red rose petal surrounded by a golden crown.

>Write-In

>>4381867
> Approach the keep, in for a penny in for a pound.
>This is barbaric! And also a completely unprofessional work environment. For shame.

Ah, that'd be why the fish said it was preferable to be downwind.

>>4381867
Eugh. Unfortunately, I can't say I'm entirely surprised. Pretty sure this is the place. We'll have to tread carefully, and do our best to bite down any fear. Let's announce ourselves first before going too far in- don't want any easily avoided complications.

>>4381867
You fight down a wave of panic and nausea, but it's a Herculean effort. You force yourself to take one step, then another as you approach the menacing fortification.

"Um... excuse me?" You call out as you reach the open doorway, the wooden doors smashed inward on either side. "I'm... I'm here to see the Rabbit?"

The music - drums and discordant piping - squeals to silence. A long table is laid out in the entryway, groaning under plates and platters of god-knows-what. It all smells good, though, but beyond "This is meat" or "This is a soup," you have no idea what any of it is. At the head of the table, hunched over his plate, is a massive humanoid rabbit with dark fur and brilliant red eyes. Panting with exhaustion, two tall, slender men in red and white motley slump over tall drums, one clutching a flute in his hand.

"...white." The rabbit tilts his head sideways, looking squarely at you. He stands slowly. He's smartly dressed in green-checked shorts and a vest. A gold watch chain dangles from his hip pocket. "White. WHITE!"

With a single leap, he clears the table and lands right in front of you, nose touching yours as he stares into your eyes.

>Write-In

>>4381912
>Personal space! Don't you know how to behave around a lady?

>>4381912
Apologize for being late?

>>4381912
“Uhm, y-yes, that would be me. A white rabbit, looking for some help... c-could you, uh, could you step back a few paces? I’m Esther.”

>>4381923
>>4381927
+1 Personal space is very much a nice thing to have. But *try* to take a professional approach. If we can even get that far.

>>4381912
"Ah, hey! Personal space! Don't you know how to behave!?" You reach out, trying to push him back.

Good grief, he's like a brick!

He hops back, tilting his head one way then another as his ears flap side to side.

"Why white!? No white rabbits left! All black! All black all black all black..." The black rabbit punctuates each word with a thump of his foot, shaking the stones under you. The creature scratches his head irritably first with one hand, then with both, black fur flying from his scalp. "Why why why... no no no no no no no no... the Queen has to know about this..."

"Um... I could use some... help? The Queen would like that... right?"

He freezes then slowly looks up at you. "...yes. New rabbit, new watch, new watch, new Alice..." He fishes his own watch out of his pocket and snaps it open. No fanfare, and now that you get a closer look it looks tarnished and dented. He lovingly runs his lethal-looking claws over the faceplate, lips quivering. "New Rabbit... new rabbit... new watch... okay... okay okay okay. Jack will help... come in. PIPERS!"

The tall men groan, the one with the pipe slowly straightening. He looks brutally exhausted as he inhales to begin piping. The one across the drums snores softly. Jack regards him, tilting his head one way and then another, and with bouncing steps slowly approaches them man with claws tensed.

>Write-in

>>4381943
>them man
I can write, I swear.

>>4381948
>I can write, I swear.
I believe you, OP

>>4381943
>Wait! I've had a little to eat today, but I'm sure I'll be dreadfully hungry later on. If you're going to dispose of your drummer, why not lend him to me instead of letting him go to waste?

Maybe I'm off base here, but it could be a fun little trick to play.

>>4381948
We're all a bit mad, else we wouldn't be here.

>>4381943
It's pretty clear what he's going to do. Likely the keep isn't decorated with the heads of invaders.
>Try to distract him and get him to focus on helping you or getting back to alert the queen. Don't worry about the Pipers right now, buddy.

>>4381943
"Wait!"

He stops, tensed like a predator about to pounce. The piper looks on with wide eyes, discordantly playing even as he shuffles several feet back away from the drummer.

"I've already eaten today, but I'm sure I'll be hungry later. Maybe if you don't need the drummer, you could let me have him? After all, a... a rabbit should have somebody to wait on them, right?"

Please work please work please work...

"...yes. Yes..." Jack grabs the man and throws him at your feet. "Stupid man is yours. Stupid man will do what White Rabbit says." He returns to his seat and rips a leg off of some kind of roast wild game, biting in and tearing flesh from bone. The man at your feet shudders, having been rudely awakened, and nods. He grabs hold of your leg, bending to kiss your foot.

"Thank you so much, White Rabbit! This lowly number will ever serve you..."

You didn't know it was possible for your soul to cringe. You pull your foot away roughly. "Um... just stay there for now... um... I'll need you fresh for later?"

He bows his head to the floor, shuddering. As you're standing above him, his motley slips a bit. You see a 2 tattooed on the side of his neck.

One thing at a time, Esther. You take a seat at Jack's table and wait patiently. He devours the haunch of meat in his hand before ripping another free. "What does White Rabbit need from us?"

>Write-In

>>4381963
>Your experience, if you would be so kind. Could you teach me how to use this pocket watch?

Nice, that went well!

>>4381982
+1, the watch is obviously vital to our new job and judging by what we’ve seen here probably our continued survival as well.

>>4381963
>>4381982
This, and general advice on surviving this world. Things we should look out for.

>>4381963
Agreed with >>4381982. Might be good to ask what is expected of us as Rabbit, besides leading the Alice to the Queen.

>>4381963
[A general note on schedule: I work twelve-hour shifts Fri-Sun, and I probably won't post much on the weekends, though I'll try to drop in.

Just a word to the wise.]

>>4381963
"First, the watch. How do I use it?"

"...yes. White Rabbit is new... watch... the watch is everything! The very core of a Rabbit. Must keep to the schedule, get the Alice to the Queen in time for tea..." He pulls his watch out and slams it on the table, scattering cutlery and upending his cup. He snaps it open, and for the first time you get a good look at the face. The same map under a scratched and cracked glass face. The red gem is intact, but there's no blue gem despite a second dial. The hour hand is firmly pointed at the thirteen.

"Guide, companion, weapon... very important... but do you have the will I wonder..." When discussing the watch he seems almost lucid, but those red eyes still fill you with dread. "Show me yours..."

You pull the watch from your pocket and set it on the table likewise. He reaches out as if to grab it but hesitates. With difficulty, he forces himself to fold his clawed hand in his lap, muttering "bad Jack..." over and over again to himself.

"You said weapon."

He nods, almost sadly, and picks up his own watch. "Weapon." He pushes the button and with a flash, he's no longer holding his watch, but a dagger in the shape of the hour hand. The blade gleams menacingly in the candlelight, notched and dull as it is. He makes a soft squeal as he runs the tip of the blade along his cheek, leaving a thin trail of crimson as he shudders. "Weapon. Companion. Loyal, loyal companion..."

You've never touched a weapon in your life. The closest you came was the small alarm you kept clipped to your purse in case of emergencies. You look down at your own watch hesitantly.

"Um... what about our duties? Besides making sure the Alice keeps her appointment for tea..."

"Duties? Only duty!" He drives the point of the dagger into the table, the wood cracking under the force. "Serving the Queen is eeeeeverything... the only thing! That's why Jack does whatever he wants! Jack did his duty! Now? Jack is Duke! Not King. No King. Never King."

>Write-In

>>4382009
>Did you have an Alice, once?

>>4382009
>So, "have the will". I take it I just need to 'think' it to make it do what I need it, like the map?
>Don't forget to grab a bite to eat, we were starving earlier.

>>4382034
>>4382041
+1 to all of this.

>>4382009
Agreed with all >>4382034
>>4382041

but I wonder exactly what's the entree...

>>4382009
You lay your hand over your watch and focus, but no matter what you think of you can't make it change forms. You try to imagine yourself with a weapon - a gun, a sword, a bow - but none of them seem quite right. You can't really picture yourself with it. It just seems wrong somehow.

You sigh, resigning yourself to try again after you've eaten and rested. You pick up a piece of bread and tear into it. It's dense and chewy, not at all refined like the kind of bread you could buy back home, but it at least tastes decent. You grab a nearly empty plate and help yourself to some of the meats and vegetables before doing your best to eat like a woman NOT starving to death. It's very basic food, but satisfying in its own way.

The whole time you both eat, Jack doesn't take his eyes off of your watch.

"So, to make the watch change, I just need to focus right?"

"Yes. Royal gift. Rabbit works for queen, watch works for rabbit."

"So as long as I'm to get the Alice to the queen, it should do what I want it to. Like the map?"

Jack nods, tossing a stripped-bare bone over his shoulder. It bounces off the piper's shoulder.

"Ah, that reminds me. Your watch, one of the little stones is missing. If you don't mind my asking, what happened to your Alice?"

The piper cuts off mid-note, a look of horror in his eyes. You barely have time to think before Jack's bowled you over, eyes glowing red, his hands around your throat.

>Write-In

...Give me a minute. Not sure how to respond to this one that wouldn't make it worse. I doubt we can exactly speak at the moment.

>>4382136
Ah shit! So, he has his hands around our throat, but is he actively choking us? Or just holding us tightly?

>>4382136
Maybe try to apologize?
Otherwise, I guess we better find out how to make our watch a weapon sooner rather than later.

>>4382136
(Like, in case you're wondering why there's no response yet.)

>>4382211
+1.

>>4382207
[Not actively choking, but you can really, really tell he wants to]

>>4382240
In that case

>>4382136
>Apologize, don't make any sudden movements

>>4382247
Probably the best call. Emphasis on we're new and weren't' aware of such rules.

>>4382136
You tense up, eyes wide. You've never been attacked before. Ever. What do you do? Kick? Struggle? Your fight or flight reflex grabs hold of your nerves and momentarily you're lost to the panic. Then, your training leaps in to settle the squabble.

"I'm sorry, sir, I didn't realize that wasn't an appropriate question. I'm still new. Please, forgive my error?"

The murderous gleam in Jack's eyes swells, then slowly dims. He slowly, tensely releases your neck and steps back. "Never... never ever ever ever ever ask again..."

You sit upright, rubbing your neck and wincing. "Um... if I may ask, wh-"

"NOOOOOOOOOOO!" He spins, grabbing the heavy table and fliping it with a high-pitched shriek of anger. Luckily, somehow, your hand had seized around your watch chain before you were knocked onto your back.

A lesser woman would be a blubbering mess right now. You, on the other hand, stand and straighten your clothes. "I understand..."

>Write-In

>>4383167
Should we give him a hug?

>>4383167
>>4383335
Sure, proper customer service amd all that, we need to be able to calm down rowdy customers

>>4383167
>>4383335
Disagree, usually folks would rather not be touched in times of stress- it's similar to that fight or flight thing as was just mentioned, and I'm pretty sure he leans towards 'fight'. You need to give them space to cool off, as that'll allow them to mentally readjust.

Just apologize once again, and let's take our leave. We've gotten a decent amount of information for now, and we can likely get information on the environment through other means- he can't be the only one to know about the world.

>>4383167
>>4383427
Yeah, this makes sense. Let's apologize and thank him for the help and information.

Maybe try to distract him from his woes by reminding him that the queen needs to know about the new Rabbit and Alice coming up. Then we can get back to figuring out what the hell we're supposed to do.

>>4383493
Am I the only one that thinks we should try and take him out?

>>4383741
So you're a murderhobo, got it.

>>4383806
He's dangerous, what's murderhobo about dealing with him?

>>4383827
We've received the info we needed, all we need to do is leave.

>>4383827
We aren't a fighter. At all. We're a businesswoman from modern day that has no training whatsoever, as was literally just stated.

>>4383924
We're the protagonist.

[Game resumes tomorrow. Thank you for your patience.]

>>4385726
Thanks for the heads up, OP.

>>4385726
Looking forward to it

>>4383167
"So... what should I do now? The Queen needs to know about the new Alice, correct?"

"Knows..." Jack waves you off dismissively, stooping and sorting through the ruins of the table and the feast, scooping up a cream cake and taking a bite. "Knows. Calls the Alices..."

"Ah... then I suppose I should..." You eye the door, edging toward it. Jack doesn't notice or doesn't care, standing in the ruins of his feast and eating his treat. The man in motley scrambles after you on hands and knees, face downcast.

So much for a place to sleep for the night. You slowly exhale, your nerves doing nothing for the noxious stench of death surrounding the keep.

Now... where to go...

>Write-In

>>4386799
>Take our leave and use our pocket watch to see where 'Alice' is. Start to head in that direction, at least until night starts to fall.
>Speak with our new tagalong. What's his deal?

>>4386802
+1, and if the Alice isn't here yet, check the map for someplace to crash for the night.

>>4386799
>>4386802
Sounds about right.

>>4386799
You snap open the watch, the dials sliding about to orient themselves. The blue gem still changes position every few moments like it's still looking, the red oriented in the same direction it always is. You call up the map and observe your surroundings - not much in the way of places to sleep safely. Just the keep, the river, and the nearby woods.

Uuuuugh, you don't want to sleep outside...

Wait, maybe...

"You. Sir. What's your name?"

"Ah, please, don't waste kind words on m-"

"Shush. Is there someplace around here to sleep?"

The man in motley is still, lost in thought. "There is a cave my brother and I used nearby, but it's hardly suitable for a Rabbit. Ma'am!" He cowers again, dropping into a low kneel, and you sigh.

"Look, you don't need to worry. I'm not going to hurt you. My name is Esther. What's yours?"

"...name?" He seems confused by this. "You have a name? One you'd share with me?" He looks up, meeting your gaze for the first time. He looks gaunt and half-starved. What you'd imagined to be makeup giving him a white pallor, close up in the light of the map, seems to actually be his skin.

"Um, yes?" You ask, confused. "Everyone's got a name, right?"

"Nonono, Miss! Not us. Ah, yes, you'd said you were new. I'm a Card, Ma'am! A two, lowest in the rank. We don't need names."

Fan. Tastic.

"You mentioned a cave?"

"Ah, still not suited for a Rabbit... but it would be better than having you sleep outside. I'll show you! Please, follow me..."

He slowly rises to his feet and turns, heading away from the keep. "The river is low this way, ma'am. We can cross on foot. Well, I can cross, you could likely jump it. Then just a few miles. It's above the flood plain, and quite dry. There's some wood there, and maybe even some food if my brother was lucky today."

>Write-In

>>4387416
>While we walk, ask the card, was Jack always so... unstable?

>>4387416
>Jump? We have the ears and tail, but our legs seem as normal as ever. Can we really jump crazy distances with ease? Let's find out.

>>4387416
>"Very well, Deux. And yes, if you don't have one, then that is your name. At least when under my direction."

And supporting >>4387424 and >>4387532 when we get to it.

>>4387571
[Got busy today, and got called in for overtime tomorrow. Updates tomorrow after work.]

>>4388663
Okay boss!

>>4387416
"I've got to call you something," you mumble, stroking your chin. "How about Deux? Seems appropriate with the number and everything."

Deux nods, accepting it without any commentary on the matter as he leads the way. You walk on in silence for a while until you're out of sight of the keep.

"Soooo... was he always so..."

"Long as I've known him, ma'am. Rabbits tend to go a bit funny, I've heard. Ah... n-no offense meant, ma'am!" He smiles in what he seems to think is an ingratiating way, but really he looks plain terrified.

"Mm. All of them?" You frown in thought.

"Yes'm. Though, begging your pardon, I've only known the two now."

You nod, looking at the map again and using the light to see the path ahead. As you walk, you try putting a bit more spring in your step, just out of curiosity. It seems you are a bit more spry than you remember, and even a small attempt at a hop carries you a few feet ahead. You land hard, your heels stinging, but you still managed to practically do a standing long jump with minimal effort. Your tail wiggles a bit in excitement.

Eventually, Deux leads you to the shallows of the river and starts picking his way across, the water coming up mid-thigh. "Careful, ma'am! It drops off a bit here."

You're feeling a bit daring, your previous hop still fresh in your mind. Still, you don't know what's on the other side and you'd hate to snap an ankle or... something.

>Write-In

>>4390099
> Do a hop, but try to land in the water instead of completely clearing the gap

>>4390099
Decisions, decisions...

Suppose I'll back >>4390107, whatever's safest. If a standing longup hurts our heels, we'll need to get used to it before trying anything fancy.

>>4390099
You can't help it. Your tail wiggles in anticipation, and some of the giddyness of your tomboy youth in the mountains surges up inside you. Once Deux is halfway across, you crouch down and gather your power in your legs. You exhale and leap forward!

You hit the water several feet out, and carrying forward on momentum alone, you skip off the surface! You're so excited and thrown off balance by the exhiliration of being able to all but literally walk on water, you lose your focus and faceplant into the water giving Deux a dousing.

"Ma'am!" He pulls you up to your knees in the water, and you spit out a long stream of water before shaking your head, ear fluff and hair soaked. All the same, you can't help laughing.

"That was incredible! Deux, did you see? DID YOU SEE!?" You grab hold of him and shake him, unable to contain your joy.

"Y-yes? Um... very nice jump, Ms. Rabbit. Up you get, now." He helps you to your feet, holding onto your shoulders till you get your feet under you. You can't help but laugh as you take another leap toward the opposite bank, landing on solid ground.

-------------

You reach the cave, as promised, and within you see reflected firelight. You tense up at the entrance but Deux lays a hand on your back. "It's okay... just my brother, I'm sure. I'll go ahead, so wait here." All the same, he draws a small knife from his boot. As he steps into the cave, a familiar voice warbles from deeper in, singing about sausages and cheese.

Huh...

>Write-In

>>4390340
I guess let's just wait and see what happens. Go on in if Deux gives us the all clear.

>>4390340
Wait until such.

Swear, if he's still singing that bad song we're gonna correct him.

>>4390445
[Sorry, resume again Sunday night. I appreciate your patience.]

>>4393344
It's all good bro

>>4390340
You hear muffled voices from inside speaking in hushed whispers. You can't quite make out what's being said, but if you focus you can make out "white rabbit," "Jack," and "help." Soon, it's not Deux that calls out, but his 'brother'.

"Come in, come in to the house of Le Spade, Rabbit! Welcome you are, come in and sit! We mean you no harm, far from home as you are! Rest your feet, you've travelled far!"

You hear Deux groaning as you step inside. The stone floor of the cave is carefully swept and meticulously clean. Once inside you smell cooking sausage and hear the sizzling fat. You walk maybe a little faster than necessary, following a few twists and turns before coming to a wide cavern, a small fire burning at the center. Seated opposite it, facing you, are Le Spade clad in his black garb and Deux, having shed his motley for trousers and a blouse. Le Spade rises and bows foppishly.

"Welcome, welcome! Come sit, we don't bite! Let us speak, and while away the night."

"For the love of the Queen..." Deux plants his face in his hand. On flat stones near the fire, true to your nose, a pair of fat sausages sizzle giving off the aroma of fat, meat, and fennel. You move forward and take a seat, demurely adjusting your skirt and sitting with your legs tucked to the side.

Le Spade resumes his seat with a grin. "Oh, my brother didn't lie! A white rabbit, in these dark times. Curious days, indeed! The last several rabbits have been dark as night with spirits to match."

>Write-In

>>4398502
>Introduce ourselves of course. Must be polite for first impressions.
>Dark times? Mind elaborating?
>Let Spade seems far more... Individualised than his brother. Ask if Le Spade is also a card, or something else.

>>4398502
Supporting >>4398549

>>4398502
"Esther," you nod. "A pleasure to meet you."

"A strong, good name!" Le Spade claps his hands. With a flourish he produces a dagger from somewhere unseen and jabs one of the sausages, offering it to you over the fire. "Jack keeps a full table, but I'm sure you're hungry for less questionable fare. Pork sausages, and not from the kind that walks on two legs!"

You hesitate a moment then reach out for the mahogany-skinned link. It's hot, so you juggle it from hand to hand until it's cool enough to handle before taking a bite. It tastes phenomenal, but your stomach churns a bit. You'd been trying not to think about where Jack had gotten his food. You chew and swallow, and despite your impeccable manners lick the grease from your fingers.

"You, ah... you're a card, yes?" You ask haltingly, not sure if the question is rude or not. Le Spade simply nods, spearing the remaining sausage and taking a bite, eliciting a quiet whine from Deux.

"Indeed I am! Black as the night, thought!"

"Like-"

"Ah, not like Jack!" He waggles his knife at you, drops of grease falling into the fire with a spitting sizzle. "You're new, yes? Margot said as much."

"Margot?"

He grins and shakes his head. "She said you were quite the homewrecker."

You ponder this for a moment before groaning. "The fish."

"The same." Le Spade finishes off the sausage and belches mightily. The sound echoes briefly around the cavern. "Although she wasn't always. None of the denizens of Wonderland were animals to begin with, you know. Nor the villagers."

You frown. "Were you following me?"

He puts his hands up beside his head, palms out. "Ms. Esther the White Rabbit is not the only one with long ears, you see."

You wait for further answer, but when none seems forthcoming you sigh. "Fine. Yes, I'm very new here. I don't know anything about Alices or Queens or... any of it, really."

"Ah, then I will help you... but there is a price. The Alice. Don't deliver her."

>Write-In

>>4399321
>I may be new here, but I've learned enough to know that there would be very dire consequences if I did that. What is your reasoning?

>>4399321
>>4399349
Pretty much this. Even if we didn't want to deliver her for whatever reason, it sounds like basically no one wants to fuck with the Queen of Roses and her tea parties. And doing so would also probably get the other rabbits like Jack on us, or whatever counts as her spec ops. Don't really ever want to get on his bad side, again.

Also ask if there isn't any food left for his brother. He had a full cart of food, after all.

>>4399349
+1

>>4399321
"I may be new, but that seems like a really bad idea. Why?"

Le Spade starts to speak, but no sound comes out. He stops, frowns, and tries again to the same effect. Finally, his shoulders slump. "Ah, so I see your arm is still long, you cow."

You raise a brow, but Deux looks utterly mortified. "Brother! D-don't speak of Her Grace that way!"

Le Spade waves him off. "As you can see, I can't say... or you could say I'm not permitted. I may have left Her Royal Ire's employ, but it seems I'm still bound by the laws. Merde!"

He kicks a stone into the shadows beyond the fire. You follow its path, and you realize something is missing.

"...what happened to the cart you stole? Your brother must be hungry."

"You think I needed all that for myself? There are many people in Wonderland who have nothing, Ms. Esther."

>Write-In

[I'm not used to /qst/. How soon will we need a new thread?]

>>4401571
>"So, are you like Robin hood or something?"
>"It seems the queen has a lot of people that used to work for her and now just do whatever after finishing their job."

(Threads usually last about two weeks or so, though it feels like they have been lasting a bit closer to three recently. I'd say start considering making a new thread on page 9, you'll have a couple of days before it falls off when it hits there. Or sooner if you want it to stay near the top and possibly attract new players.)

>>4401571
Hm. Some sort of geas that forces people to not speak of certain things. Interesting. And worrisome. I have to admit, a lot of what we've heard, even passively, suggests this Queen isn't a good person by any stretch. It may NOT be the best idea to bring her to such a capricious individual...

...but that still leaves a girl out there with not clue what's going on and likely little in the way of help. If nothing else, she would likely appreciate someone willing to answer questions and can be sympathetic. Safety in numbers, if nothing else.

I think we should find the girl, at least. Need to search.

>>4401571
>>"So, are you like Robin hood or something?"
>>"It seems the queen has a lot of people that used to work for her and now just do whatever after finishing their job."
>Offer half the sausage to Deux

>>4401571
>[I'm not used to /qst/. How soon will we need a new thread?]
A week at least. Sooner if you’d want to. Nobody will bedruge you for having just two threads in the catalog.

>>4401571
"So you must be some kind of Robin Hood figure, then?" You ask as you reach over the fire, offering the remaining half of your sausage to Deux. He looks like he's receiving a blessing from the heavens as he reaches out and takes it before devouring it greedily.

Le Spade shakes his head. "I do not know who that is, but she sounds dashing!"

"No, it's a legend. Robin Hood, lives in Sherwood Forest? Robs from the rich, gives to the poor? Former nobleman?"

Le Spade again shakes his head, and you shrug. "Nevermind. It looks like you can't talk about why you don't want me to deliver the Alice but you can't say why. Speaking of that, there seem to be a lot of people who used to work for Her Roy-" You stop short, shake your head, and continue. "-for this Queen, but now they're just doing... whatever. Why?"

Le Spade drums his fingers on his knee, thinking carefully. "How do you say... we are disposable, yes? In the case of the cards, there are an infinite number it seems. In the case of rabbits, utter freedom seems to be their reward for-" again, he flaps his lips soundlessly for a moment before he reconsiders and speaks again. "For their work."

"And the Alice. If I don't find her, she'll be in danger?"

"Oh, most definitely. Wonderland is a monstrous place, and if Her Infinite Malignity lost an Alice it would not exactly be High Tea in the rose garden."

You frown and lay your cheek in your hand. On the one hand, this girl really isn't any of your concern. On the other, she'd be here completely lost, and her time in Wonderland seems like it would be brief...

>Write-In

>>4408166
Him being unable to mention what exactly our work is, doesn't bode well for the Alice or the Queen's Tea Time.
>It doesn't seem like Wonderland is in good shape as is. People turning into animals, Rabbits running rampant, and lots of people going hungry if you have to steal whole carts all the time.
>Am I allowed to leave with the Alice once we have tea time with the queen, or are we stuck here? Do I have the same restrictions placed on me, to speak or not speak certain things, like you do?

>>4408310
That's a good question, are we forbidden from speaking out against the queen or from warning our Alice of the danger she's in?

>>4408166
"So, when this is all over, I can go home right?"

The shadows dance over Le Spade and Deux's faces as they look to one-another. Deux looks down, Le Spade faces you head on. "Perhaps, perhaps not. I cannot say. Wonderland is my home, so homes beyond her borders are a mystery even to Le Spade." He shrugs.

"And what about the Alice? She'll get to leave with me if I go, right?"

Le Spade hesitates, then shrugs. "I cannot say."

You frown and cross your arms over your chest, lost in thought. Your mind turns over the possibility that you'll never see home again as you tap your foot on the warm stone. A thought suddenly crosses your mind.

'The Queen sounds like a real bitch,' is what you try to say, but though your mouth forms the words, no sound escapes. Your expression betrays your surprise, and Le Spade nods knowingly.

>Write-In

>>4411794
> Does Le Spade know how the Queen is able to silence us? Is she aware when it happena? Can she hear us right now?

>>4411803
I doubt he knows or she knows immediately, otherwise she'd likely been sending hit squads.

I think we've gotten all we can right now. We should eat, rest, and prep to head out in search of this Alice.

>>4411813
+1

Glad to see you are still with us, OP

A new thread would be good right now. Don’t forget to archive this.

>>4412387
[It has been done.]

Where are you qm