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

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.]

DOGGE

[littlebratziska]

[She does eventually run across him, and after a moment of surprise, and a moment of hesitation, does reach to touch one of his heads.]

Are you all right?

[octopups]

[Having eight pairs of eyes and excellent hearing means you're never really surprised by someone walking up to you, but Amdi still doesn't really acknowledge her until he's being pet.]

Um...

I don't think so.

[littlebratziska]

[Since he doesn't seem to mind she huddles down a little and strokes a little more properly, lightly scratching him behind the ears.]

Do you know what happened?

[octopups]

[He does seem to appreciate the scratching, repositioning a few heads to give her better access. The usual tactile purr of his mindsound seems subdued today.]

I-I... I don't. I heard Queen Alice's voice, but...

[Finally, a couple of him look up at her sadly.]

Someone died, didn't they?

[littlebratziska]

[She seems hesitant for a moment before telling him, but....]

Veronica. She tried to kill Alice, and... and shattered her arm.

[octopups]

Oh.

[He didn't know Veronica very well, but...]

That was... really brave. She knew what the Cat could do, but she still...

[littlebratziska]

She was stupid.

[She sounds a little bitter.]

Running headfirst into death when there's no hope you'll succeed isn't brave, it's stupid. Don't do anything like that, all right?

[octopups]

I guess.

[He looks entirely away again, around at the carnival.]

Don't worry, though. I'm... not very brave.

[littlebratziska]

[She continues to pet whatever head is under her hand absently.]

Don't be a fool. If you weren't, this place would have killed you already. But you can't be stupid about it either.

Alice said she was already dead. I don't think she can be killed.

[octopups]

[Okay that definitely gets him to look back up at her again.]

Already dead?? How— what does that mean??

[littlebratziska]

[She keeps petting him absently, mostly lost in her own thoughts.]

I don't know.

I think.....

I think maybe this game is what's bringing her back to life. And if that's the case, then maybe all of us will have to host our own games if we want to come back too.

I won't do it, if we do. I'm not going to make other people kill each other just if I get killed, if I'm supposed to in order to come back to life.

[octopups]

[Amdi appreciates the petting, but Franziska can probably feel his nearby forehead tympana buzz a little more intensely as he thinks about her theory.]

Hmm... I'm not sure the math works out on that...

[Seeing as within about 10ish rounds of this, if their group size is typical, then the number of victims would be within a couple orders of magnitude of the number Ravna gave for the population of the whole galaxy. Yes of course he can do those calculations in his heads.]

But... I guess I wouldn't be surprised if something like that were to be true, at this point. There... there has to be a reason, right?