White Rabbit Bowl: Finale

Sporting Event / Competition

Mere seconds after his discussion with Hanahane, a door had appeared in the maze wall next to Sanosuke. Unobtrusive, simple wood set in stone, it matched the decor of the area. It had certainly not been there mere moments before, however. Walking over to the door and bringing it to Fools’ attention, Sanosuke attempted to open it. Despite his prodigious strength, the wooden portal didn’t so much as budge and groan. Wisely, the Silver General decided that it wasn’t quite time yet, and stood by to let other events unfold.

Up in the sky, near the infamous fox, The Carpentress found her duty complete. With a brief, inelegant farewell and a warning about further issues with The Walrus, she was off faster than the eye could see. Unperturbed, Ooawagaeri descended down to the center clearing and the dead Queen of Hearts. Popping the crown off her head, he placed it on his own, then bounded out without waking the dozing Maxim. Meanwhile, Alice of Hearts communed with Aotsuki Tsukamoto on the locations of others about the maze. Together, they were able to pinpoint the auras of Sanosuke and some companions in the southeast. Strangely, however, Hearts’ ki-based detection didn’t seem to penetrate to the northeast at all.   This was, unbeknownst to them, because of the ki-dampening music in that area. Though he didn’t understand the mechanism, the fox had an inkling of what might be happening, and so took the precaution of sealing his own ears before leaping over a series of hedges and arriving in the northwest. As they entered the music, Aotsuki felt a few enchantments slide off him, and Mikazuki Munechika was reduced to only Munechika. There, they met with Hashinara Yoshitakatomo, interrupting her traditional Hashinara dance of despair.   Although Ooawagaeri couldn’t directly participate, Aotsuki acted as mental relay and discussed the situation with Yoshitakatomo. It didn’t seem sporting to kill Alice of Clubs right there, despite the ripe opportunity, so they instead collaborated on how to deal with Sanosuke and his remaining Alice. Unknown to them, said Alice currently had Yoshitakatomo under her own mental control, and was using the Princess-Daimyō to feed them false information. Most specifically, she claimed that Sanosuke and his allies had found an underground passage out of the maze and were now hiding out in the Castle of Hearts in the distance. It was Sanosuke’s hope to buy some time by leading them into the thick Enchanted Wood, and possibly leaving them to whatever horrible beasts roamed in that dark brush.   Meanwhile, a polite knocking came from the door where Sanosuke waited. Opening it, he was met with the arrival of not just Jericho Petalwing, but Howard Phillips Lovecraft and Alice Hargreaves as well. Jericho apologized for his tardiness (though for Sanosuke it had only been a few seconds) and introduced his companions. He had taken the time, he explained, to gather Lady Hargreaves in addition to his friend Lovecraft, since Sanosuke had expressed such interest in her before.   As Sanosuke explained the situation, a picture of what was really happening formed between the three Dreamers and the Silver General. Alice Hargreaves explained that The Dodo, a writer whom she had refused marriage in life, was likely the true force behind this event. By writing different versions of Alice, all presumably based on her, into existence, he threatened to destabilize the Dreamlands. Or, as Lovecraft put it, provide a window for something more sinister to act.   So it was that Kuranes, the man Sanosuke had known as The Concierge, had created this tournament to get rid of the excess Alices. Though, Jericho and Hargreaves agreed, the ostentation surrounding it was in rather poor taste. At about this point, Lovecraft excused himself and left back through the door. He mustn’t tarry in any place, he said, lest he be followed. Left with that enigmatic remark, Alice Hargreaves offered her help to Sanosuke in ending this confrontation as quickly as possible. Though she understood the reasoning behind it, seeing loose copies of herself fighting to the death was enough to put any noblewoman ill at her ease. Jericho, always the gentleman, followed suit.   The problem now was that neither of them were fighters. Jericho described himself as more a “lover,” and Lady Hargreaves asserted that her only talent lie in inspiring others. Deciding to take what help he could get, and more determined than ever to finish this confrontation, Sanosuke thought quickly.   On the other side of the maze, Aotsuki and Ooawagaeri were gearing up to ride again. With his ears plugged, the fox had been unaffected by the music and thus kept his magic. So it was that he created a platform of liquid metal for Alice of Clubs to ride on, and Aotsuki attempted to fix whatever ailed her with a touch. All that accomplished was restoring her size, however, and secretly Clubs remained with the taint of undeath from her fusion with Yoshitakatomo.   Still speaking through the Princess-Daimyō, Alice of Fools now took this opportunity to plant another seed of doubt. As none of those present had yet seen Fools in the flesh, she had Yoshitakatomo instead describe her as beautiful, with a blue dress and golden hair: the exact likeness of Alice Hargreaves. With that done, the real Fools (somewhat reluctantly) ducked within Jericho Petalwing’s voluminous cloak. Though he may not be a warrior, Jericho’s knowledge of clothing was second near to none, and so he was able to smooth out the ruffles and fabric well enough to fully disguise the Alice’s presence within his coat.   Equipped with new knowledge, Ooawagaeri made to leave, but was cut short by the arrival of Card Soldier Willame. Immediately seeing the crown, which had somehow migrated onto Munechika’s head, the guard took a knee and declared his service to her. Magnanimously, Munechika beckoned Williame aboard, and the group took off.   Clued in, perhaps, by Alice of Hearts’ ki scan earlier, Aotsuki and Ooawagaeri decided to check the suspicious door and fountain to the southeast before setting off on some journey across the forest. Blown in by a great wind, the fox landed right next to said fountain, and into the lap of disaster. There was music here too, but not the type that drains magic. This melody sapped a person of their energy, and several among the party were spent enough that they immediately fell asleep. Alice of Hearts, Munechika, Kagami, and Tama all succumbed, slipping into a deep slumber.   Before anyone else could react, Williame took his chance. Still mind-controlled by Alice of Fools, he put all his force into a vicious stab that pushed past Aotsuki’s panicked attempt to block and plunged into Alice of Hearts’ exposed back. No spray of pillows and protective lace greeted the blow this time, and with a soft gasp, Hearts was finished.   At the same time Sanosuke, just around the corner, was attempting to lure Alice of Clubs into joining the ambush. By singing a song provided by his Daimyō, he hoped to show his true allegiance. It proved futile, however, as Williame immediately turned his halberd on Clubs instead. With a single miss, he went for a third strike, but was stymied by Aotsuki’s shield. Now, the White Frog was fully engaged in the battle and, though his Alice had fallen, he was determined to stop any further bloodshed.   None were prepared, however, for Sanosuke himself to leap into the fray. With unerring skill, he raised his nodachi for a powerful blow on Clubs, the last remaining Alice other than his own. Before the deadly blade could reach its target, Aotsuki was there, crested shield raised. The two struck with such force that it could be heard across the maze, and it seemed for a moment that the legendary Tsukamoto Shield would withstand the blow. At that moment, Alice Hargreaves called out to Sanosuke. Feeling a rush of exhilaration at her encouragement, Sanosuke broke through, pushing Aotsuki to the side. The fox, too, raised the metal platform from beneath Clubs in an attempt to block him, but it was too late. Sanosuke stopped with his weapon pressed against Clubs’ throat. The Alice looked back at him defiantly, but knew that she was all but finished.   There was a brief moment in which he sought for other options, but with the arrival of The Concierge, Sanosuke’s path became clear. This would only end, he said, with the destruction of every Alice but one. Flicking the weapon upward, Sanosuke slew Clubs as painlessly as he could manage.   After that, the tournament was done.   Ooawagaeri had ended in fifth place, and so was granted a single gold coin with a symbol of a fox on it for his efforts. Maxim was fourth, and so was awoken to the unexpected presence of Alice of Spades. Together, they joined the others. Aotsuki was technically third, and received three coins with his own impossibly handsome face stamped upon them. Yoshitakatomo, despite her* power, came second. Alice of Clubs rejoined her. Finally, Sanosuke was first; Alice of Fools’ having revealed herself to gloat next to Jericho.   The Silver General had sought within himself about what to wish for, and had finally made his decision. Whispering into Kuranes’ ear, he requested that each of his companions be granted a wish instead. After a tense moment, the Greatest Dreamer laughed, and expressed that he was not so cold a tyrant to deny a request such as that.   So it was that each of the others Cardinal Generals were instead granted a wish in Sanosuke’s stead.   Grateful, Aotsuki took the opportunity to bring back Alice of Hearts from whatever oblivion she had been condemned to. The two had bonded quite closely during the event, and he could not bear to think of her existence becoming undone.   Yoshitakatomo requested that her* daughter be returned to the land of the living, but this was beyond the powers of even Kuranes. He granted her* instead two options: either he could create a decently convincing, if inaccurate copy of Hasinara Yoshiyuki, or he could introduce Yoshitakatomo to someone who could grant her greater assistance. Choosing the latter option, the Princess-Daimyō was told to wait by her* window next midnight. There, a rubbery, faceless creature would arrive to bear her to an audience with Nodens, Lord of the Abyss.   Ooawagaeri’s desire was to be made a Dreamer himself, with Alice of Diamonds made his link to the Dreamlands. After some deliberation, Kuranes declared that this was possible, but difficult. He would need several nights to find the Matsumoto’s natural dreaming essence and bond it to this land. It may take some time, he claimed, but it would be done.   Finally, only Maxim was left. Not particularly wanting anything from Kuranes, he first asked Alice of Spades what she desired. When she answered that she only wished to be granted another chance to prove herself, it became clear that this would happen anyway, under service to The Wolfpack. Maxim then thought to ask for Alice of Hearts to accompany Aotsuki back to the waking world, but this was a part and parcel of the White Frog’s own wish. Finally, he decided on a tool that would enable him to help a distant ally. An item in which to store souls, one that would not break or degrade. While this was a tall order, Kuranes took only moments before producing the Vase Vitae. This, he said, would hold any number of souls and could not be broken. However, once it had tasted its first soul, Maxim could never bring it back into the Dreamlands, or the consequences would be dire.   While the monarch of Celephaïs answered the others’ petitions, Sanosuke had one final conversation with Alice Hargreaves. She thanked him for ending the competition, and expressed some distaste about how Kuranes had handled it. She did, however, see the need for it, as the Greatest Dreamer had mentioned that only with a mortal’s help could a figment truly be banished. It had been a stressful day, but she still gracefully inquired as to whether Sanosuke had any more questions she could answer before she left.   Sanosuke replied in the negative, but Lady Hargreaves, with noble insight, still fulfilled some of his curiosity. The other statues in the maze, she explained, belonged to fellow Dreamers who had been associates of The Dodo in the waking world. They had come together to design this particular place, and all now dwelled in Celephais. Those in question were Gertrude Chataway, Henry Holiday, and Sir John Tenniel. Next time Sanosuke was in the Dreamlands, she offered to introduce him, and suggested that each would likely have a part to play, should The Dodo proceed any further with his machinations.   With some final arrangements, a payout from The Bear, and a farewell from the smug Alice of Fools, the generals of the Hashinara left the Enchanted Wood and returned to their own world.   < Previous: White Rabbit Bowl: Orchestra