WEEK 3

[whimsicalism]

All three deaths last were tragic in their own ways. Was trust so fragile in that castle that a simple misunderstanding could end in blood? It seemed to be the case. The trial proved that without a doubt. Surely no one else would make that mistake again. As another week begins the tea cup elevator has granted access to a new area. Maybe the new amusements of a festival will ease your wounded hearts?

Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday

[It's time for week three! We're almost half-way done with our trip in the castle. Don't forget to submit your memories here and your activity here. Even though, the Queen seems to be a little more steady on her feet you can find her and the other Alice at the audience hall. As always, don't forget to submit your comments for fabulous prizes.]

Comments

MONDAY

[whimsicalism]

PUNISHMENT: What the Cat Dragged In

[whimsicalism]

[Today, something new is happening in the foyer. The doors of the audience hall open as Queen Alice timidly walks into the foyer. She's carrying a book as she looks around nervously. She even brightens as she catches the eyes of some people.

Sadly, this is broken up soon. Someone else notices this. Veronica. She moves up to Alice as if to greet her only to lunge with a knife taken from the picnic area. Alice screams in alarm as she raises her arms to protect herself.

A noise like cracking porcelain rings out through the foyer as Veronica cuts Alice's arm. Pieces of porcelain fall to the ground like glass. No one can stop Veronice, though. It appears as if an invisible wall surrounds the two.

Alice continues to scream, shouting one name in particular as another slash sends her poor book flying. (It's a copy of the Hobbit for the observant.)]

Alice! Alice, help! Do something! I--please!

[The Cat appears out of nowhere, seemingly the only one who can pass through the barrier. She's in cat form and appears behind Alice. Veronica doesn't notice her until she jumps and lands on Veronica's face.

Veronica tries to remove the Cat from scratching up her face and drops her knife in the process. She can't do much more than annoy her, though, as she hisses loudly. Rule Eleven, after all. At least until--]

I-I--! You can punish her!

[As soon as those words are said, the Cat's back feet dig deep into Veronica's throat. It doesn't take long at all for those scratches to become deep enough to strike an important artery. Fortunately for everyone watching, including Alice, the door of the audience hall opens again and the Cat directs Veronica to stumble back into it as the doors shut.

Judging by the shouts and cat screeches, though, Veronica, the Empress, is dead.

Alice retreats back into the audience hall after picking up her book again before anyone can catch her as the invisible wall disappears. By the brief glance and Alice's shriek, this only confirms Veronica's fate.

Unlike with Ib's death, the Alices don't say anything and aren't up to talking.]

[battlestations]

[well that sure happened in the blink of an eye. now he's running over and BANGING ON THE FORCEFIELD]

WHAT IS THIS, VERONICA!? A ONE-WOMAN SUICIDE MISSION AGAINST A LITTLE GIRL WAS YOUR IDEA OF FINE ARMY TACTIiiics...!???

[oh god the cat is getting involved and he has to back away because that is real bad. His fists are still clenched. Mizuki's going to be so upset and he's mad at himself for that cause he recommended her a team. Both of hers in just three nights. WORKING WITH TEENS WAS A MISTAKE HUFF PUFF]

[strictura]

[ Going to go flag him down once he has those pieces. ]

You saw what happened to the Queen back there when Veronica attacked her, right?

[strictura]

[ ...That happened quickly, and while it was definitely justified according to the rules this time, it's still disappointing, not least because of the team Veronica had been on. Ugh. What the hell was she thinking?

Are those porcelain pieces gone when this is over, or are they still on the floor of the foyer where they could be picked up? ]

[whimsicalism]

[They are still there. So is the knife, if you want to take it too. The pieces are still vaguely warm, though.]

Re: PUNISHMENT

[seventhlittlemonster]

[...oh...
Is this going to be a running theme?

Seven thought he'd be numb to this after Cori's death. Stupid is as stupid does.
But as soon as the cat got involved, he turned away and cringed. Getting mauled by a beast was a horrid fate.]

...What a shame.

[scratchitti]

[The horror on Neku's face at the death fades quickly as Veronica is hidden behind the doors. Once it's safe he wheels around on the other kids, voice low so Alice's screams can cover his words from Calice's ears. Hopefully]

Any of you thinking of trying that better cut it out now. If we're gonna rush her it should be as a group- use the rules to our advantage. I don't care what you have going on back home you think you have to get back to now- it doesn't mean a damn thing if you're dead!

[his tone is a bit harsher than usual, especially compared to his awkward concern over the weekend. Seeing another punishment is not sitting well]

[littlebratziska]

I-I'm not a fool! You know I'm trying to play within the bounds of this so called game, short of killing someone!

[undershadow]

[ no comment from lena but OKAY ARE WE JUST LIKE, FORGETTING NOT TO DIE ON SUNDAY OR ]

[whimsicalism]

[TODAY'S MONDAY IT'S FINE]

Re: PUNISHMENT: What the Cat Dragged In

[xxxx_me]

[Oh...

He just stares at the doors in mute horror long after they've shut.]

She was going to...

[He...

He needs to find the World Key.]

[golden_king]

[ Well, that was unnecessary.

But...in a way, Veronica helped give some information with her death. So, it really wasn't a waste after all, was it?

Gil will head on out after listening and and taking note of a few things but that's all. ]

INVESTIGATION

[littlebratziska]

[She hears enough of the shrieking to make her look out into the foyer, and from there she recoils, almost stumbles back as she watches the scene in horror.]

S-she's a doll.

[Franziska feels a little sick after the scene has done playing out, but does not go to the pieces of Alice's arm - something others are already attending to in any case - but rather goes to the book, which she picks up and flips through quickly, just checking to see if there's anything that stands out as unusual. It's not a book she's read, like most of the books here, but you never know.]

[whimsicalism]

[The book was picked up again but... you know what? Let's say Alice dropped it again before she went back into the audience hall.

It seems like a normal copy of the Hobbit. A few wet spots near the ending warp the page slightly. The bigger question is:

Has anyone seen the Queen outside the audience hall or the court room before?]

Investigation

[ballooncaged]

[Sometimes you check out the floor 2 garden and decide to check out the floor 1 garden to see if the flowers are the same so you plan to pass through the foyer and then something is going on and the next thing you know there's blood in the air and identifying words in others' screaming.

Mizuki gravitates towards the knife. She picks up the knife. Is blood getting onto her hand?]

[whimsicalism]

[The only blood in the foyer is from Veronica and very little of that is around, seeing as she expired in the audience hall.

However, the knife? Is covered in white dust.]

Re: MONDAY

[seventhlittlemonster]

[Well... That was mildly sorrowful, that there thing that happened earlier.

Seven decided to just sit down and listen to the carnival music. He even brought three friends! Mr. Stripey-Pants, Fido, and Adorabbit. Arranging them in a circle, he sat down and closed his eyes, pretending to be... something. He was being quiet...]

[immaculacies]

Are you playing a game, Seven?

[ Manaka's tone is cheery as she approaches, but it's the sort of cheery an adult might use when coaxing an upset child to talk. ]

[seventhlittlemonster]

Mm? I'm just using my imagination right now... [He just. vibing.] I don't know what I'm imagining, but it will get somewhere. [He closed his eyes once more, wondering where he could go in his mind...]

[strictura]

[ Sometime when things have settled down after the morning's unfortunate commotion, Nagisa will be in the dining hall, setting out a bunch of items (anything in the "up for grabs" section, including what may be the unfortunately timed appearance of some dolls) on the table for anyone who wants them, and then standing at the calendar with a pen and filling in the updates from the last few days.

Sleepover/Violet's death.
Coriander's execution.
New area (floor 2).
Veronica's death.

A little later, he'll be wandering through the festival stalls with some pencil drawings he went back and retrieved from Anna Sasaki's room, comparing the drawings to the new locations to see how much matches up and whether anything is different. ]

[xxxx_me]

[Just

Stares at that rabbit kigu.]

yard sale

[seventhlittlemonster]

[...oh...
...This was the point where he really realized he messed up two days ago.
He found himself frozen in place before sitting on the ground, unable to approach the boy.

However, he will slide his own video game, Rat Race, over to Nagisa's spot.]

...As a sign of goodwill?

[littlebratziska]

[Franziska is feeling almost herself again after several days to bounce back. She really shouldn't have taken so much down time, but well, at least she's moving forward again now.

The first step of moving forward is going hesitantly to the teacup and going up to the second floor, where she spends the better part of the day exploring the new area, eventually with a stick of cotton candy that she had taken from one of the stalls.

It's not something she'd had before, and is almost too sweet, but is mesmerizingly airy. She eats it absently as she wanders the park, and looks with slight concern at the rides. Someone could die on one of these. Maybe someone would.]

I changed my mind here have some EXTRA DOGGOS

[octopups]

[Amdi wasn't there for... whatever happened this morning. He was in his room copying down his few pages of memories with his newly recovered quill pens, ones he could actually hold comfortably in his mouths and write legibly with. It hadn't taken him long to find something that was missing. And then, hearing Alice's castle-wide voice, hearing that yet another person was "punished"...]

[He can't even bear to go find out who it was. He's heard there's a new place in the castle, up the stairs, and he just... goes there. He wanders around in this strange nighttime festival, a place that any other time would be so new and exciting, but he can't muster the energy to feel it.]

[So there he is, staring around at all the strange machines and up at a giant wheel contraption taller than a castle battlement, his posture muted and distant. Plz pet him.]