Would you speak with a queen? Or a cat? (AUDIENCE HALL)

[twinverses]

Need something? Want to complain more directly to your cute hosts or maybe you want to bargain with your memories? Maybe you just have a favor. Regardless, this is the place to do it! Just knock on the Audience Hall's door or just call for the Alices and they'll answer.

Of course, if you want to speak with a particular Alice just note that in your toplevel as long with the date and rough time it's happening. They can be contacted IC-ly throughout the day.

For the final week, in person meetings with the Storyteller (formerly known as the Cat) aren't possible. Alice, obviously, isn't talking to anyone either. However! The Storyteller can be called to talk throughout the castle so just say where you're yelling at her from.

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[prescience]

[Sometimes Alice seems even younger than she should, and Oriko finds herself exactly what it is she's dealing with. Had she truly been so naive once, too?]

Really? You'll have to tell me all about that one so I can take a look. I don't particularly care for guns myself.

[That's the second time she's mentioned that in just a few days. She's thinking too much about that other girl, what she decided to protect. What she was willing to discard for it.]

Oh, and I brought the book you were looking for. This one looks a little less violent.

[twinverses]

[She wasn't sure of her own age. Nine seemed right, though seven or eleven could have been right. Alice wasn't sure about many things about her past before the--]

I hate the ones with planes. They almost seem to have bombs in those, too. [There's a pause. She can hear the distant drum of engines again. Seeing the almost endless cloud of bombers that would bring the fire and smoke. Her hand tightens around Oriko's, flesh against surprisingly warm porcelain.

At the mention of the book she looks up brightly.]

Mm, yeah! Alice said this wasn't written by a stupid old soldier. It's about little people who live in a house. [She pauses then looks away.] U-um! Let's read it together, Miss Oriko. Books are better when they're together. Alice doesn't read with me anymore, so.

[prescience]

[The warmth startles her - Oriko figures this must be another side effect of Alice's rapidly growing humanity.

She's too caught up in her own thoughts to react immediately to Alice's behavior, but when she finally notices it she gives the doll hand a single, small squeeze. The dead have enough horrible things to remember.]

I can stay and read with you a little bit tonight. Has she not been feeling well?

[twinverses]

[Even when Allen touched her hand so long ago, her hand was warmer than a doll's but now it was nearly the right temperature of a little girl.

She shakes her head.]

She says she's working on the rest of the castle and needs to be other places so she leaves me behind.

[prescience]

[These are alarming doll facts that she's not sure are helping things much.]

Can't you go with her? You were able to make it all the way to the second floor, after all. I should think you're strong enough to accompany her elsewhere.

Could it be you're still worried? [Or it really is the cat's doing...perhaps she's losing track of what she really wanted.]

[twinverses]

I wanted to!

[She pouts.] She said that I'd just find it boring and that I shouldn't go with her.

[prescience]

Maybe she thinks you just aren't strong enough yet... Sometimes we look the other way when it's something we really care about.

[Assuming there's a place to sit like there always is, Oriko will lead Alice over there so they can sit down in their usual spots.]

[twinverses]

Mm... I hope that's all.

[There is! But she might be surprised that Alice doesn't go to her usual spot. She. Sits in Oriko's lap with the book.]

Um. This is okay, right?

[prescience]

[Um. Oriko hadn't expected it...she imagined that with the Cat ignoring her, that Alice might be looking for affection in other places, but... she really didn't think there was anything about her that would make the doll want to be so close.]

You're getting a little old for that, aren't you? [The wording is intentional: Alice isn't getting any older. She smiles, lightly teasing.]

It's easier to read together like this, right? It's fine.

[twinverses]

[She was an older girl. She took the time to listen to Alice, to share books with her. She kept patting her head. She didn't yell at her for making a mess like Mommy used to... she even helped Alice get her thoughts about the Cat together.]

Hehe... am I? [She flashes a grin.]

It's a nice story from what I know from Alice, anyway. You haven't read a lot of kids stories, right? It'll be new for both of us.

[prescience]

[That giggle is so insidious: obviously Alice knows exactly what she's up to.

Oriko yields to the request and sets the book out in front of them for Alice to take up from her.]

You remembered: I haven't. This'll be a new experience for me; it seems your Cat Alice has more knowledge of such subjects than I do.

Did you want to read?

[twinverses]

[Sometimes? Sometimes she did. She picks it up.]

She knows all the stories! Even ones after I.. [Alice stumbles but picks up her words again.] Even after I stopped reading. She says books changed through time to match the kids reading them but things like rhymes were always there for them.

[A bit strange, honestly, but Alice didn't mind.] Uh-huh. Lemme start... Chapter one. [She clears her throat before starting,]

It was Mrs. May who told me about them. No, not me. How could it have been me--a wild, untidy, self-willed little girl with angry eyes and was said to crunch her teeth? Kate, she should have been called. Yes, that was it--Kate. Not that it matters much either way: she barely comes into the story.

[prescience]

[It's cruel, she thinks, to dangle the image of a life the girl can't have in front of her. Video games, stories written after her death - a promise of something else. That future is already gone. She finds herself pitying Alice for the lies she's been told, then reminds herself exactly what the goal is here.]

Maybe she already knows the ending to the story, so she doesn't want to spoil it for you and that's why she can't join you to read. I know I like to be in my room sometimes...If your Cat Alice has a room to retire to, she may care to spend some time in respite there.

[After that, she'll let Alice read for a bit without interrupting with more conversation.]

[twinverses]

[It was a dream in many ways. New books, new places to see, new games to play... It was ever changing, just the right place for a child. At the statement Alice looks up.]

Hm? A room... isn't that here, though? We share it.

[She continues on the story.]

[prescience]

[Alice is still reading, so she knows she hasn't pushed too much. Oriko gives it time to rest, occasionally turning the page for Alice, until it seems like time again.]

This is an audience hall, isn't it? I imagine she might need a place to rest, and she couldn't stay with the rest of us or someone might do something foolish.

There really aren't any other bedrooms in this whole place?

[twinverses]

"They? Who were they exactly?"

"Homily, Pod, and little Arrietty."

"Pod?"

[She stops as the question is asked. Her fingers tap the book. A room?]

I dunno. I don't know why she'd have a room that I wasn't allowed in. That'd be weird.

[prescience]

[She inhales, as if she knows what she's about to say might be a little difficult for Alice to hear.]

I was wondering if she needs a place to go when she feels like looking like herself.

You don't really like it when she does something like that, you do?

[twinverses]

Looking... like herself? She says she really doesn't have a 'body of her own'.

[She looks up at her. Alice's brows knit together. It's a hard question because what would she even look like?]

She never changed shape when we in wonderland. Not even to a cat. I don't think she needs to.

[prescience]

I see... I apologize for misunderstanding. I thought it was something she might do to protect you.

[Just how much does the Cat hide from Alice? her statement seems to be asking.

Or is it? It's just a little bit, to possibly plant that seed.]

I'm sure it won't be long before she returns, but we can read a little longer.

[twinverses]

What?

[Huh?]

Are you mad at me? You haven't been here that long.

[prescience]

Oh? No, I'm not angry with you.

I just don't want you to get tired or for your Alice who is a cat to be displeased with me for keeping you up too late. Are you sure this is fine?

[twinverses]

Without parents, why would we have a bedtime?

[A simple question.]

She's always out doing things to make sure the castle is running right. She tells me when she's coming back--she won't catch us.

[prescience]

Without parents, [and there's something in her that hurts to say that, but Oriko can't put her finger on what, exactly, that something is,] it's up to us to look after ourselves. [She nudges Alice gently.] And each other. Otherwise, there will never be anyone to do the same for us.

[It's not the first time Alice has mentioned that her companion is away more often than not. It's likely true, if she's given the same excuse with no variations.]

Okay, we'll leave her to her work then.

[twinverses]

[She thinks on that. That's right, isn't it? That's what her Alice would say. It gets her to lean back against Oriko.]

Mm... I'll look after you, Miss Oriko. You're really nice.

[prescience]

[Oh, Alice, she isn't nice at all...]

No. [Oriko shakes her head, probably demolishing some of the poor girl's faith in her in the process.]

I've done plenty of things that aren't nice, Alice. But I'll do what I can while you're looking out for me.