entranceway | M e s s a g e 3 8

[The first thing anyone sees, even before the person posting...is a little pig, in one of the tea rooms. It snuffles and sniffles and sweeps the room for signs of danger, and once it is satisfied it trots away.

Then in a blink, Alice is standing in the middle of the room, pig cradled in her arms. And for the first time ever on the network, her face has wide blue eyes. She's a bit frantic, but otherwise unharmed.]

I think I'm starting to get used to doing that on purpose... Ah, hello everyone! It's...been some time, hasn't it?

[Even Alice can't seem to hide the fact that it's rather awkward to suddenly have eyes when she did not before. The pig squirms and she lets it down, as she's discovered it's wisest to listen to what the Duchess' pig wants.]

I'm so sorry to interrupt everything, but I need to warn you all! Something-- something terrible is going to happen soon! I don't want to cause anyone alarm, but it may very well be the worst thing that's ever happened to you.

[It's all distressing, and Alice crouches down to the pig's level so she can play with it's ears absently as she talks. It lets her.]

I'm afraid I still can't explain how I know, and the details are...rather distressing. But I promise, I'd never lie to all of you! I could never!

[She's adamant about that much at least. Even if her message isn't clear, there's more clarity in the way she speaks about it - she understands the importance of these messages now, in a way she'd forgotten for so long.]

Please, everyone. Take care of yourselves this weekend. I think it may be all you can do.

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[She sighs again, because this is still so unhelpful, but she's trying to be patient.]

The worst thing could be subjective. There's no details? The number of days, if we're gonna be in the Mansion or not, if we're gonna forget everything about our actual lives. Something concrete.

The subjectiveness is precisely why there aren't details...

[She pauses though, because those are concrete questions that she might be able to answer. She closes her eyes and tries to pry that information from her memory.]

...I'm not sure how many days, but it's one of the longer ones. The mansion will still be there, and no one will forget themselves - really, it's the opposite of that.

[Remembering something a little too much.]

[Alright, staying in the Mansion, she can plan for that. And longer-- well, most events last 5 days at most. She'll plan for the worst.]

Thank you. If there's anything else you can tell me, really, it'll be a huge help. We need someone on our side around here.

[She pauses. Actually, that's an idea.]

Actually, you know anything else about how this place works? Specifically what Hearts is doing, if you have it.

[She nods at that...but, the moment the Queen of Hearts is mentioned, she pales.]

She's-- she's a monster. I've got no idea what she's up to at the moment, and I don't plan on finding out! She took my eyes before and she'll have my entire head if she catches me this time!

Woah, woah. Hey. It's gonna be alright, okay?

[She's stumbled into something, she can feel it- and Alice needs help anyway. Shepard would hate to leave her like this.]

'Mm not asking you to spy for me, alright? You don't have to put yourself on the line like that. But she... took your eyes? What happened?

I got stuck on Mirror Side after I went through the Rabbit Hole...it was her punishment for me for trespassing. She took my eyes and she took my last memory and for a long time I thought I was...that I was from here!

[Alice shivers. What a horrible fate that was.]

Oh, shit.

[... Wait, this is a child.]

Uh, sorry. Shoot? Still, that must've been really scary. You've already been plenty brave. You gonna be announcing all the events from now on, at least? If you have this knowledge?

[Alice giggles.]

I've been around a very long time and heard far worse.

[As for her question though...]

I'm not sure. Not because I don't want to, of course, but it was never always me so I suspect it might go to someone else next time. If I could do it every time, I promise I would.

Well, yeah, I just... you know.

[She's trying, alright. Regardless, Alice answers.]

So do you not get the information every time? Or can you not release it?

No, it doesn't always come to me. ...Honestly, I can't really control it at all. I was never even aware of it before.

[But now she is, and she's doing her best with it.]

Huh. Interesting.

[Well that doesn't give her any more insight, but it is fascinating, in a sense.]

Well, thanks. 'Preciate it. Sorry I was so hard on you back there.

It's quite alright. You had reason to be. Most of the event announcers aren't exactly trustworthy.

[Including Alice, up until now.]

Yeah, and they seem to enjoy not telling me anything in a real sentence.

[She personally thinks Dee and Dum are the worst offenders, there.]

Be safe. I'll catch you around, alright?

Alright. You be safe too, okay?

[And she waves goodbye to Shepard.]

As much as I can be.

[She waves, too, and cuts the feed.]

M e s s a g e 3 8

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