Chapter 05: Act I

[storyevents]

A TWISTED WONDERLAND: ACT I—

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§ instructions.

As suggested by the previous narrative, everyone is basically being "abducted" and falling into a story without the Storyteller's knowledge. They are landing in the Forest of Doors which acts as the safe zone. Although we don't have a designated prompt, characters can set up camp and recuperate there. Basic supplies will drop from the trees. Each prompt serves as one of the doors the characters can pass through.

Reminder: everyone's Essence will become unbound when passing through the doors into the area and will effectively "swap" with another. Players can choose whatever Essence they'd like to try with their character with the only limitation that they must already be in game. It's possible to have multiple Essence swaps in one location. Essences will return to their proper owner upon returning to the Forest of Doors.

Feel free to refer to the Game Notes for more detailed info as well as ask questions or clarifications.

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§ prompts.

¶ I. Caucus Race. After passing through the door, the Aspects will find themselves in a strange cavern that is mostly submerged in streams of salty tears. There are large patches of ground and while there are some areas where the water is deep, it's mostly shallow to make it easy to wade through. But for those who prefer to stay dry, there are "bridges" made of floating bread and cheese that connect between the "islands." What's even stranger is that there is a strange race track that passes throughout the cave, some parts going deep into the cavern walls and even submerging under water. On the ceiling, instead of stalagmites hanging down there are large trees, creating a strange forest for one track. The sound of vehicles in the shape of spinning tea cups whizz by along with the deafening cheers and boos of the crowds watching from the various "islands." But hidden in the shadows danger lurks, and the screams of unfortunate victims are easily masked by the crowd.

• Time to race. As instructed by Alice, the Aspects need to race each other on the track and collect certain items scattered along three different routes. They must use the spinning teacup car and wear one of the following costumes: dodo, turtle, mouse, duck (any likeness to certain people or animals is completely coincidental). It's suggested to race in pairs as the tracks can get narrow and will make it easier. The crowds cheers and boos will affect their performance, and they should also pick up any power ups and boosts that appear on the track, especially any "missiles" and "shells." Even if they don't use it on each other, they might need to fend off anything that might attack them while racing. Racers can choose one or more of the following tracks:
  
  
  1. Underwater Dive. Although it starts on land, the track swiftly dives into the dark water and winds through, emerging to cross over some land before going down again. Fear not, the teacups will automatically put on their lids to protect the drivers and will have headlights to light the way. Which is good because while the track is faintly lit, it is very, very dark down there. Not only must they pass through safely, they must also collect at least one of the following items: a rubber duck, a thimble, and a jar of orange marmalade. If the item is underwater, the teacups have a claw function to grab it.
     
     
  2. Upside down forest. This track winds through the upside trees, and racers will need to be careful to try and keep their sense of direction. There are a lot of twists, turns, corkscrews, loops, and even tunnels through "logs." Size changing power ups are required to successfully pass through the track as they may need to shrink to squeeze through small tunnels or grow large to bust through obstacles in their way. Just mash the button and go! The items to collect on this track are: a hookah, a cat-ears headband, and a pepper mill.
     
     
  3. Glowing cave. The third track enters and snakes through smaller side caves and caverns along the walls of the main cavern. It glows thanks to the moss and fungus that line the walls, but this makes the track extremely slippery, so take care. There are also bats that will try to fly into the cups to make them spin and knock them away. The items to collect on this track are: a doorknob, a white rook, and a pink mushroom.
  
  Finally, beware the Meowser as it will occasionally appear to chase after the racers. Fortunately it doesn't want to hurt anyone, but it does enjoy playing with those teacups.
  
  
• Protect the crowd. For those not interested in racing and prefer some action, Erasers and twisted creatures lurk to try and pick off those distracted in the crowd. However, the Aspects may notice something strange about the crowd members. Not all of them look like Blots; in fact, some of them look very real. In fact, they are the original inhabitants, but because of the world's corruption many have lost their sense of reason and are slowly turning into Blots. One may witness their bodies slowly be covered in black ink before it suddenly collapses and then reforms into a generic "body." There's nothing that can be done to stop the process except to save the story. For now they can only try to protect them from being killed off by the Erasers.
  
  
• Fix the track. For the noncombatants, there are numerous places on the racetrack that suffer damage either by the racers or various creatures and Erasers attacking it. Meowser's weight isn't helping, either. Just grab a special hammer and tap on it a few times to fix any damaged spots. Finding some catnip or cat toys to use as a distraction for Meowser to keep it off the track and ultimately the racers.

¶ II. Mansion Mash. Going through the door will land each Aspect in a random room of the strange mashed up mansion dressed as Alice . The entrance foyer, kitchen, basement, attic, living room, bedroom, even bathrooms or closets—wherever there is a door, that's where they'll appear. Some rooms are relatively safe free of any threats. Others aren't as "hospitable" with rabid vermin, murderous cleaver-wielding servants, and even the furniture lashing out. If that isn't bad enough, Stepping outside a room reveals the entire building to be similar to Escher's Relativity with stairs and rooms leading in varying directions. Up is down, left is right, it's a dizzying mess. Maybe things can be set a little more right, however, by gathering keys to the mansion and reorganizing the rooms… if you can survive the journey that is. Accomplishing the task will reward a key fragment, transform the room back to normal, and randomly teleport the Aspects to new rooms. They could be the same or different, and could be empty, requiring them to seek out the "trigger" rooms.

• Five Nights at Duchy's. Some rooms can be entered and exited freely. Others will lock two people inside and they will have to fight a mechanical puppet of any one of the following: the Duchesses (merged together), White Rabbit, Bill the Lizard, Mary Ann, Fishy Footman, Baby Pig, the Cook, and a Frog. Fortunately they are a bit rusted, restricting their movements and limiting their attacks to odd magic spells and close combat. The Cook might be the most dangerous as it is capable of summoning numerous knives. Try to sneak around them as you search for keys and puzzle rooms, or maybe you're brave enough to tackle them head on if they find you?
  
  
• Shrine of the Silver Piggy. Other rooms may require the trapped inhabitants to solve a puzzle to escape, and the puzzles are more like an obstacle course. With the rooms warped and twisted around, they will need to climb and crawl around to try and pull certain levers in the shape of the Cheshire Cat or reassemble pig statues. (Are you sure the chest is on the right way?) Some places may be hard to reach or even require a different size, so special "Grow" bottles and "Shrink" cakes are scattered about. Each lever and successful replacement will unlock a platform that can be used to reach the next, but some may be "traps" and send them down into a ball pit instead.

¶ III. Wild Tea Party. Exiting the door will have everyone immediately floating in the air in the middle of a forest with numerous chairs, tables, and tea cutlery flying around them. The tea isn't even tea, it's coffee! Their task is to try and get everything back into some kind of order and hold "tea parties" with one another. Those participating in the actual tea party will either wear ridiculous hats, have rabbit ears, or mouse accessories. Those who are focused on fixing the set up will find themselves dressed as either butlers or maids (not gender specific).

• A cup of tea, please. For the ambitious, trying to catch even two chairs and keep them at a table may be a challenge. Finding teapots, cups, and snacks to eat will be even more difficult with everything zipping around and sometimes even dragging people with them! But if successful, the longer they manage to converse, drink, and eat, the more "tamed" the setup will become. The furniture will slowly lower to the ground and the tableware and food will stay in place. Once on the ground, it will not move again.
  
  
• Nail down the furniture. Although they might not be having tea, others can try and help by collecting the furniture and items and set them together in a somewhat stable place. How to keep them lashed together may require some creative ingenuity. Be it finding some rope and harnessing their Essence abilities, it just needs to last long enough for two people to have tea!
  
  
• Stocking up. You can't have a tea party without the tea and snacks, and unfortunately a lot of it has flown away. Fortunately the trees surrounding the area grow both items and just need to be harvested. Of course it would be around the trees that the Aspects stop floating to add to the difficulty. Harvesting tea packets will be of great importance since only coffee currently exists. Just try to be quiet. There are large mice that if awakened from their slumber will attack in a sleep deprived, caffeine frenzy.

¶ IV. Croquet Maze. Passing through the rose door will land the Aspects at various entrances into a very thorny and lively maze made out of rose bush hedges. The roses actually hiss and whisper ominous threats and insults on their appearance. They seem to pay peculiar attention to the Aspects' necks... Creepy roses aside, this is no ordinary maze. Instead of walking through, pairs will find a giant Zorb ball and sometimes a large croquet mallet. One person enters the ball and the second whacks them through the course. However, if no croquet mallet is found, then both individuals must enter the ball. There are smaller mallets inside the ball that can stick out and be used to smack things to protect the ball. It's sturdy, but don't let it pop or risk thorny punishment. There are all kinds of traps and dangers throughout the maze, so watch out!

• Zorbin'. Whether it's one person or two inside the giant, colored plastic ball, the pair must somehow make it through the maze. As they progress forward, they will encounter croquet hoops that act as gateways, their openings sealed by a colored magical barrier. To pass through they just have to bust through it with the ball, but there's a catch—they have to wait until the color of the barrier changes to the same color as their ball. The timing can be tricky and going too early or too late will result in random traps triggering. Trap doors looping to the start of the track, sticky jam or treacle, FIRE SPOUTS, or even red playing cards jumping out to ambush them. But if they rush through fast enough, maybe they can avoid it all.
  
  
• OFF WITH THEIR HEADS! The Queen of Hearts is not amused at everyone rolling haphazardly through her beautiful maze. Every so often she will call out orders of execution and a troop of playing cards will hop over the hedges to attack. Remember, if the ball is popped, they will automatically be sent to a thorny prison cage and must try to escape or be freed. If caught by a troop attack, however...then it's straight to guillotine! Yikes! Rescue stat!
  
  
• VIVE LA RESISTANCE! Should anyone manage to reach the end of the maze—they're going to feel cheated because the only thing that awaits them is… a tiny tart. Seriously, it's only big enough for half a bite and it's filled with unbelievably bland pudding. Don't like it? OFF WITH YOUR HEADS! The Queen of Hearts begins to grow MASSIVE (or perhaps everyone else just shrinks) and begins swinging her scepter to try and whack people on the head! Croquet balls and mallets litter the ground and can be used to pelt the queen until she surrenders. Careful, though, because the queen will absolutely summon more of her card guards to deflect attacks and strike down batters!

¶ V. Wildcard. Make up your own prompt!

Comments

[twilightskey]

[It was a compliment! They are pretty snakes.]

Yeah, it's Hades, I think. Which is pretty different from the Hades I saw before. But it feels pretty similar to some of the powers I had back home, so it hasn't been too bad.

[chippedsoul]

Hades...and he exist where you're from, huh? [He tilts his head.] You have an affinity towards death and darkness? [That's what he felt anyway.]

[twilightskey]

Yeah. Or, at least he exists on one of the worlds I visited. [Roxas never personally met Hades, but he remembers him from Sora's memories.]

Well, sort of. Not so much death, but I've worked with Darkness before. [He lifts up the shadowy Kingdom Key in his hand, and channels some energy into changing its shape. Slowly, the shadows shift and morph into a form Disciple may be familiar with]

The element I'm most familiar with is Light, but one of my Keyblades is aligned with Darkness. And I've used Corridors of Darkness to travel, back when I was a part of the Organization.

[chippedsoul]

...Right, you mentioned something about darkness when a Nobody is created some time ago. [He has no idea how to visualize a corridor of darkness, besides a hall of darkness that appears? He stares at the keyblade shaped looking shadow.]

What's this Organization?

[twilightskey]

Yeah. When a heart's consumed by Darkness, but they had a strong enough will that the body just kept going. [That conversation seems so long ago now. Man, how time flies.]

Organization XIII was a group of other Nobodies like me. When I was a part of it, I thought the goal was to help us all get hearts of our own. That... didn't end up really happening, though.

[chippedsoul]

Oh? [He uncurls, feeling his strength return enough to raise himself closer to Roxas. His expression seem tired and worn upon closer inspection.]

Let me guess, there was some ulterior motive for the Organization's existence.

[twilightskey]

More or less. Turns out our benevolent leader wasn't so benevolent.

[It was true that Organization XIII had been gathering hearts, but it wasn't for the purpose that they were told. Also, all of them were going to end up with hearts of their own, but those hearts would be fragments of Xehanort's heart. So it was pretty twisty of the truth, really.]

[He watches as Disciple raises himself up, and he frowns, dismissing his shadowy Keyblade.]

Are you going to be okay? You look like you could use a nap.

[chippedsoul]

I'll be fine. [...He has a feeling that wouldn't convince him.]

It's just...been a while since I've been myself. [He looks upward.] Shall we get you up there?

[twilightskey]

Yeah?

[Roxas gives Disciple a look.]

...how are you doing, by the way? Now that you have a different Essence?

[chippedsoul]

...Well for starters, it's nice not having to constantly hear another voice. [He lowers his gaze, the snakes on his head leaning forward curiously.]

It feels like I've woken up from a very deep sleep. Though I was aware of what Hyde was doing, I couldn't do anything but watch and listen.

[twilightskey]

[Roxas listens carefully to Disciple describe how he feels, his face a mix of curiosity, awe, and sorrow. He tilts his head for a moment, before turning and glancing off for a moment.]

I sometimes wondered how you felt about him. About having to deal with Hyde. It's... it must be hard to deal with.

[Regardless of Roxas's feelings towards Hyde, and some of Disciple's prior attempts at dealing with him, he does feel for Disciple. He has no idea how he would deal with something like Hyde.]

[chippedsoul]

...He's like a wild child, but given too much power. [He frowns, thinking back to long conversation Hyde had with Dojima. For someone as untamed as Hyde, there was a method, a thought behind his actions. Though he would not admit it openly to the detective, he felt what Hyde was feeling. Loneliness, a strong desire to be paid attention to, be acknowledge for what he was. He shakes his head. Was he honestly sympathizing with that thing?]

It's only going to get worse after this, with or without interference from me or anyone else. The Storyteller seem fit to keep giving him more control each time to suit his story. [The snakes on his head droop a little as Kazuma's small bits of resistance crumbles. He's tired.] A reality I'll have to accept and find a means to adapt.

[twilightskey]

...That's horrible.

[It really did sound awful. And Roxas has been around almost as long as the Disciple was, so he knows about the incremental power creep that they get with each completed story. Roxas frowns in thought.]

Have you... I dunno. Tried reasoning with him? Work something out with him?

[chippedsoul]

[He chuckles warily.] I've tried, but he seems set with what he wants.

Although... [His tail curls up as he crosses his arms.] He did consider my suggestion to setup an underground fighting ring when he opened his tavern. Maybe having that and the tavern will be enough to keep him from causing too much trouble. [For now.]

[twilightskey]

Huh...

[That's actually pretty interesting. Hyde seeming to agree to fighting at least seemed to pacify him... and that made sense, given Roxas's experience with Hyde. Though the tavern bit was news to him.]

I didn't peg Hyde to be one to open a tavern.

[chippedsoul]

Me either. I have no idea why, cause I certainly never had any interest. [Further proof that he had a mind of his own?]

I wouldn't recommend you going there. He lets practically anyone come in. [A lot of unsavory folk.]

[twilightskey]

And does he... do anything to the people who come into his tavern? Cause any problems?

[chippedsoul]

...No. He's usually the one kicking out the troublemakers. [He makes a face, remembering how touchy he gets with some of the customers. He really wish he wouldn't with his own body.]

A few might leave with broken bones if they pick a fight with him, but everyone ends up leaving and no one is killed.

[twilightskey]

Really..?

[Huh. That was... interesting. Roxas looks down, frowning in consideration.]

Maybe... he just wants something that's his own.

[chippedsoul]

...That's what the detective thought too. [He says idly, not directly at Roxas.]

Whatever the case, it's keeping him from causing trouble for anyone else. That's the important part.

[twilightskey]

Yeah. That is important.

[He nods slowly, but can't help but continue to ponder. He rests a hand over his chest.]

...I can understand that. Wanting something that's your own, and wanting it bad enough that you'll fight tooth and nail for it.

[chippedsoul]

. . . [He lifts a scaley hand up for Roxas to get on.]

You started with nothing as well, didn't you? [In a sense, he himself would understand as well, but has chosen not to think about it in relation to Hyde. Neither of them really had anything.]

[twilightskey]

[Roxas takes the invitation, hopping onto the scaled hand.]

Nobodies aren't meant to exist in the first place. So, no, I didn't have anything that was truly mine. My name, my Keyblade... even my face. [And wasn't that jarring, returning to Sora's heart and realizing that even his appearance wasn't fully his own.]

So, when I did go out and made friends, and grew my own heart, and made my own life? I didn't want to give that up. It was mine. I didn't want anyone taking it away from me.

[chippedsoul]

Sounds like you have a lot in common with him. [Take that as a positive or a negative.]

I'm sure he'd rather have his own body. I certainly prefer not having to share, but...I'm not sure it's a good idea to let him completely loose with how he is. [How long will the tavern keep his attention until he's bored and decide to strike on the public once more?]

[twilightskey]

[Roxas's face twists into a frown, because the idea of him having something in common with Hyde... it didn't sit well with him, given their prior history. Still, he looks up at Disciple.]

You're probably right, but I don't think it's a good idea either. But... I think giving him some freedom in exchange for cooperating might be a good start start. If it keeps him from hurting others, then maybe he can learn to not act out so much.