Fantasy ~ FableWood ~

[Hel]

Anya laughed at the dog that appeared, especially after Ward's apprehension at first. "It's like Clifford!" She said, happily, watching as the dog sniffed the others, then moving closer to try and pet it. She had wondered how following the signs made sense in a world where nothing made sense, but then she shrugged and decided that Ward clearly knew the place better than she did. She was struck with a curious thought as she stroked the dog.. She wondered how the stories had made their way from the other world to this one, had the writers actually come here themselves some how? Or did they just mentally tap into it? She supposed it could always be the case that their stories actually created this world, too. If that last on was true, did that mean that all of this was happening to her because someone back in the human world was writing about her? She shook the thought off and figured that the nonsensical nature of Wonderland was already seeping into her thoughts.


"You know who would've liked it here? Banba, Banba would have liked it here." She mused aloud, distracting herself from her previous thoughts.





Alexander, meanwhile, kept watch out for anything suspicious. He did not trust this world, and knew nothing of it. It made him nervous, at least in Oz he felt like he had a basic grasp of the situation. Even with Wards explanation, however, he found himself more confused than before. This woman commands a pack of cards? How terrifying could her army be if they are all cards?

 

[Bea Delaine]

Elena felt her brow crease with concern as Ward spoke. It sounded to her like the queen of hearts and Princess Briar were the first to have any faith in him. She prayed that they would find the queen as the woman Ward knew and not the way Alice spoke of.. Not just for the sake of Wonderland but for Ward as well. Though now a sinking feeling in her chest warned her things would not be so pleasant.


"We will sort out this mess Ward.. But please be open to all possibilities. We aren't going to condemn the woman who gave you hope unless that's the only possibility.. But if it is the only possibility, know that it will have to happen. Remember Leo and Ruby?"


She said gently. Just then, they were told to take cover. She did so, but stopped and came back at the sight of the giant puppy. Giggling, she approached again.

 

[zCrookedz]

Leo barely listened to Wards tale as he talked with the others. Not out of disrespect, but merely because he had been completely consumed by the forest and its wonders. Each time they passed a mushroom, leaf, or blade of grass that was was so large it bordered on the insane Leo had to stop and touch it. He was letting Lilly reach through him to the forest in little bit so as not to be in contact with the forest for too long. He was unsure of the effects the forest would have on her so moderation was his best plan. Each time he touched something Lilly would reach out and touch the plant as well. He was learning so much about the forest around him that it wasn't until he felt hot air pushing down on the back of his neck that he realized the extremely large puppy was bearing down on him. I turned slowly and was ready to slice of the tip of its nose when its slimy warm tongue wiped itself from his knees to the top of his mane. Leo stood there, frozen as he watched the puppy trot of to its next victim, a bit of wet slobber dripping off Leo's face.

 

[SkywardSocks]

Watching the huge canine sniff her fellow companions, Achyls drew back, fearful of the thing. It's huge size was more than enough of a sign that she ought to keep out of its way. Then it came up to her. Her eyes widened, and she stood as if paralysed, letting the puppy empty what felt like buckets of saliva over her head. She let out a slight whimper, worried its large mouth would open and swallow her. Fighting her fear, she turned round to the beast, looking into its warm, sweet eyes. She melted. Gingerly, she held a hand out to the dog and it rubbed its head up against it, panting playfully. She pet the animal on its snout, allowing a smile to break through her intimidating demeanour. It then bounded off, hopping all around the path. It made her giggle to see such a beast be so child-like.

 

[SilverFlight]

Leia's eyes lit up when she saw the puppy. As Leo was slobbered she couldn't help but laugh.


"Not a dog person I take it?" She said with mirth.


When it came Kallin's turn to be sniffed he turned the animal's nose with a gloved hand. "No." he said firmly. "No...no! Aah!" The puppy pounced on him. Ward felt his heart freeze for a moment, worried what the formidable mage would do to it, but to his surprise Kallin was laughing as he was pushed to the ground.


"Dumb mutt!" Kallin said between his chuckles, but it was in no way mean-spirited.


Ward gave Elena a dejected look. "Please don't ask me to do that...as far as I'm concerned that simply isn't a possibility. Levinia wouldn't do this."


Suddenly the puppy looked up, perking its ears at something, then it dashed off, sliding around a corner and was gone.


Ward perked his ears as well and heard something...the faint jingling of armour.


Before he could shout a warning they came down a path, a dozen of the red queen's soldiers. They brandished swords and shields and advanced on the company. For all them looking slightly flattened, they certainly did not look flimsy.

Spoiler

 

[Bea Delaine]

Elena sighed and shook her head. Alice was right. There was a possibility Ward was right too, but in this situation his refusal for anything else but his beliefs to be true might cost them. She looked at him again and shrugged,losing her good mood.


"I won't ask you to then.. But if worst comes to worst I might be your enemy." She said the last part faint and under her breath. She looked up to see the soldiers and out of instinct materialized her sword, waiting for an attack to come. She looked back to Ward and mumbled.


"Is this a welcoming party?"

 

[zCrookedz]

Leo flung his arms back up and down, slobber flying into the air and landing on anyone who was to close. He turned to one of the large blade of grass and gave it a tug ripping it off half way up the stalk. He used the blade of grass as more of a scrapping tool than absorbing the slobber off of him. "Domestic dogs can be so uncivilized." He grumbled to himself as he continued to wipe the liquid from his mane. As he he turned back to the group when his eye was caught by something just off in the distance in the path. As the card soldiers advanced on them, Leo reached for an ax and unsheathed it looking around to the others "Ready your guard, we have company."





As the card soldiers came moved in on the group, the giant foliage around the group began to rustle wildly. The card soldiers looked around the group and towards the rustling until it stopped suddenly. Suddenly there was the sound of a man clearing his throat that came from the top of a mushroom above the group. "Eh Hem" a seeming unimpressive younger man stood atop the fungus, dressed in a tailored suit his tail coat swaying back and forth with the breeze. Atop his head was adorned a very unusual looking top hat, with a tag of "10/4" tucked into the fabric around the base. He was twirling a bizzar looking pocket watch that he swung into his hand and clicked open. "You are all, VERY late indeed." With a click of closing pocket watch the man jumped from the top of the mushroom, a disturbing grin stretched from ear to ear as he reached to the sides and unsheathed two swords into his opposite hands. He landed just before the card soldiers and gave a bit of a chuckle before leaping at the first soldier and bringing both of the swords across its body slicing it in two.

Spoiler

((EDIT))

 

[DawnAntalios]

Nyr listened to the others and heard the rustling in the distance. She readied her spells when she saw strange soldiers approaching... in fact they looked like cards more than anything, but she had learned not to trust her eyes exclusively. The biggest evil can come in the smallest form as well, so she readied herself for combat. Immediately she rushed beside Leo and raised her hands. She wanted to protect everyone, yet she knew not how powerful their foe was.


Instead of clashing in combat however she noticed the strange card-soldiers to stop and noticed a strange young man jumping around madly. If the legends were true this fellow had to e the Mad Hatter... but she did not lower her guard. She just took a step closer to the lion guardian as she started to mumble a spell. Only when the strange man addressed the soldiers and jumped at them with a cackle did she lower her hands momentarily in surprise. Still she could not dismiss the thought that this was merely just some elaborate plan to trap them


" Curious fellow. " she said and then whispered to the others as the seemingly crazy man sliced up the card soldier " I am not sue he can be trusted. After all he IS mad... and maybe even corrupted now too. Maybe it is a trap to joing the fight so that they can trap us all. "

 

[SkywardSocks]

Achyls wiped the rest of the slobber from her face, a small chuckle escaping her throat. When her eyes opened, she saw the Hatter slaughtering the...cards? She knew what this was, she had read about these card people before. FableWood was full of strange creatures, but none of this nature. She almost feared them, though they appeared goofier in stature than she had pictured in her head. Nevertheless, it seemed the Hatter was taking care of them, but she still conjured her power just in the off-chance she was called upon. In all of what she knew of Wonderland, she trusted the Hatter the most. It was a strange trust, like he was so obscure he could hide no more. Though, she could be very wrong.


"If he is helping, the Hatter should do as he wishes," she said to Nyr, "If he betrays us later, we can dispose of him,". She sounded oddly harsh, even she could pick up on that.

 

[Bea Delaine]

Elena watched in amazement at the appearance of what was most likely the mad hatter. She waited for him to join them and fight before she did so as well. She took her sword and ran straight into battle, using newer skills to easily and swiftly slice the card man. They weren't flimsy in the least, but their shapes have her an advantage as far as speed and agility. She chuckled at her situation, remembering the first time she ever read Alice in the Wonderland. She would have loved to be in that position then. Maybe not as much now because of Things ending with a possibly broken hearted Ward and an in peril Ashley.


She heard Nyr and Achyls mention disposing of the Hatter. Maybe that's how she sounded to Ward? She turned to them, momentarily distracted.


"Let's not dispose of anyone... And don't call it that. We don't do anything extreme unless absolutely necessary." She said with anger mainly at herself. She turned around to feel a hot pain between her shoulder blades and down her back. She turned around to see her blood on one of the cards blades and she retaliated with a firm and angry slice through its body.


(I'm going to start using a dialogue color)

 

[andujarprime]

Malachai was following with the group, the pup hadn't gotten to him before it ran off thankfully no slobber to wipe off. At the sound of odd footsteps he pulled his crystal, a green g lash and it was now a long green spear with q broad curved blade at the end. He looked upon their new guest the hatter curiously, and then with amusement as he cut the card soldier in two. He spun the spear in one hand till the blade was forward. He leapt to the front of the group stabbing at the next soldier in line bringing him down before the Hatter can turn to him. Malachai was entirely sure who's side they were on. All he knew was they were in a foreign land, and armed soldiers came to "greet" them while a lone warrior fought beside them. So he did as he normally does, and hit first. Plenty of time for questions later...hopefully. he turned to a third soldier and swatted him to the side with the butt end of the spear, brought the spear arundel in two hands and stabbed another soldier. His adrenaline had him on edge barely able to wait for the rest of the party.


Sent from my SM-G925V using Tapatalk

 

[Lioness075]

Luness had remained at the back of the group as usual while they'd entered an oddly larger part of the forest.


Curiosity got the best of Luness and she found herself entirely distracted by all of the odd sights around her.


Still, Luness took notice of Achyls approaching Kallin nearby and subconsciously felt a pang of...anger, at least that was the only way Luness could describe the feeling, towards Achyls. Why did it matter to her though? Confused by the sudden and odd feelings, Luness distracted herself by sniffing an oddly large mushroom nearby.


Hearing Ward shouting for them to take cover, Luness instantly snapped back to reality and dove into the tall grass before flattening herself among the grass and effectively hiding herself from prying eyes.


Luness quickly smelled the approaching canine and let out a low growl in its direction. Hearing Ward's surprised exclamation and then laughter, Luness stood up on all fours and padded over to the edge of the group. The dog was wise in staying away from Luness after she glared at it once. The dog could no doubt sense that she was an Alpha anyhow.


Luness was surprised to hear Kallin's laughter though and found herself subtly grinning upon hearing it. It was rather...Luness quickly shook her head to clear her thoughts. Now was most certainly not the time for such thoughts.


Slightly disappointed to see the dog leaving, Luness jumped to her hind legs and stood up when the card soldiers appeared.


Surprised again upon seeing the Hatter appear and strike at the soldiers, Luness shook her head and then decided to ask questions later. It was time to fight.


Diving into the fray of the skirmish on all fours, Luness swiftly tackled a soldier to the ground and then tore its card bits to shreds before dashing away to attack another soldier.


@SilverFlight @SkywardSocks

 

[SilverFlight]

Ward smiled gratefully at Elena's words, though he did not hear her mutter under her breath. The soldiers appeared and Ward waited.


"Tell us what's going on!" The cards were silent and they did not stop. "Don't you recognize me? Its Ward! The queen's apprentice!" Still no response, they were almost upon his friends. Suddenly a figure erupted from the side of the trail and cut into the cards with lightning speed. Leia wasted no time in running to help, sending Lee to scatter several of the soldiers and freeze them solid.


Kallin summoned a large fireball, the heat from it singing his gloves and hurled it. It exploded in the middle of a group of them, sending them flying and trailing smoke.


"It'll take more than you to get rid of us! tell the queen to send us a real challenge!"


The cards fought back, but it was clear to see they were out matched. They fled quickly. Ward did not pursue them and motioned for Kallin to stay his hand.


"We're not 'disposing' of anybody. Hatter is a friend." Ward approached the hatter, looking at him gratefully. he had seen the man here and there, even sat in on several tea parties. He had a good heart too so the queen said, and that was enough for Ward.


"This place seems a little more mad than usual hatter." He smiled at his old friend. "Please tell me you don't think its the queen too."


"What?! Can you even hear yourself? I've listened to you deny this all the way here, now we're attacked by her guards and you still don't think she's to blame?" Kallin threw up his hands in disbelief.


"The Hatter's not the mad one around here."


 
((Last post for me, sorry guys ))

 

[SkywardSocks]

Achyls gasped as the fire exploded around Kallin. He surely was the strongest mage she had ever laid her eyes on, but this was not the time for gawking and admiration. She watched in silence as the cards fled, and took a few steps towards Kallin, noting the evident frustration in him. She tried for reconciliation, seeing she had annoyed both Ward and Elena with her words.


"Ward has his reasons to trust, I'm sure," she said quietly to Kallin, her tone soft, "If he says he cannot believe the Queen is corrupted, then we ought to wait and see," She was expecting another recoil from him, as was the way with him, and so didn't reach a hand out like before in the garden.


@SilverFlight

 

[andujarprime]

With the cards scattered, another flash of green and the spear was gone. "Way to hog all the fun" He said to Kallin, genuine disappointment in his voice. He joined the group again "nice reflexes" He called to luness as he sauntered up next to the hatter.


@Lioness075


Sent from my SM-G925V using Tapatalk

 

[Lioness075]

Luness huffed and then spat at the retreating card soldiers. They'd know better than to attack the group again like that. Luness stood up on her hind legs and then rejoined the group.


Hearinng someone offering a compliment to her, Luness shrugged it off before muttering, "It's called survival of the fittest."


Hearing Ward's apprehension at believing the queen was to blame, Luness had to take Kallin's side, as she said, "Ward, Kallin has a point. You can't let the past distract you from the present."


The moment the words left Luness' mouth, she winced at how hypocrytical she was for saying them at all. She was still struggling with her past as well. She didn't really have any right to say such a thing to Ward.


Distracted again by Achyls and how she was acting around Kallin, Luness quietly growled to herself and then shifted her gaze to the ground to hopefully avoid any confrontations.


@SilverFlight @andujarprime @SkywardSocks

 

[DawnAntalios]

Nyr lowered her hands and folded together, snorting with distrust. If Ward believed that the Hatter was a friend she would restrain herself for now... But she still did not trust the strange figure nonetheless. Making sure that she remained in close proximity of Leo she moved closer to the strange figure.


" I have heard the legends about you, Mad Hatter. " she said coldly " While you certainly do not look trustworthy my friend here believes you - so for the time of being I shall do so as well. "


She narrowed her eyes.


" Do not try to cross us. "

 

[zCrookedz]

Leo looked to Nyr as she spoke then to the hatter as he jumped into the fight. "I do not think we have anything to fear of him" He gave her a smile and threw his weight into the small group of cards. As the cards were knocked to the ground he then took his axes and began to take out cards left and right. The battle was short lived but Leo was satified with the message they had just sent back to this red queen. Leo slid the ax's back into their home and made his way to the others who had gathered witht heir questions about their newest arrival.


Hatter jumped around from card to card pushing his swords threw them like a knife through hot butter. As he watched the large fireball fly threw the air and blast cards into the air. He smiled as he watched the cards turn tail and run back from whence they came. He slid the tips of his swords under his coat and into the sheathes at his belt. The Hatter looked to the mage who was yelling after the cards and furrowed his brow "Those who go seeking trouble, are doomed to have very short adventure." He turned and looked around the group as Ward approached him. As the gryphon spoke of the queen, The hatter looked to the others and smiled "Who would care for a spot of tea?" The hatter reached up to his hat and lifted it revealing a tea pot atop his head. He lifted the teapot and lifted the lid, but then frowned a bit as he reached into the pot. A little tail appeared between as the Hatter lifted a small mouse out of the tea pot. The little mouse made a bit of a hick noise twirling around in his finger tips it looked up to the hatter with a smile and a wave of the hand. The hatters eyes showed his discontent as he dropped the mouse back into the tea pot with a small splash and replaced the tea pot under his hat. He looked to the gryphon again with a sigh, his attitude changing into what some would call serious, "Mad as a box of frogs my dear gryphon. The queens head has begun to roll im afraid." He clapped his hands together and then stretched them out to the side, his fingers spread out wide "I believe its time for an unbirthday party." He spun on the spot his arms still spread wide. He began walking down the trail, his legs moving a bit stiff. After only a short time, they rounded a corner of giant foliage to an open field with a peculiar looking cottage. Looking like a stack of hats and teacups, the home was small and looked a bit like a hat shop. The front yard was decorated with all manner of colorful things, the biggest being a large group of tables laidened with cups and cakes and sweets of several different types. He made his way over to the table and used the chair at the front of the table to lift himself onto the top of the table. He stepped through the crowded table until he made it to the other end, spinning around and falling down into the padded chair at the end watching the group.

Spoiler

 

[Bea Delaine]

Elena hurried in retreat with the others, flinching at any sudden movements. Were upper back felt hot and wet, and she an idiot. When they reached a stopping point, she looked at Ward with pity, something she would never imagine she might ever feel for the other. He seemed so dedicated. She wouldn't make any assumptions about this until she was a hundred percent positive. She noticed Achyls backtracking her statement and Luness flinching at her own hypocrisy. Everyone seemed off their games and clouded by judgement, as well as more than willing to tell other people what to do. She was no exception.


"Okay.. I don't think any of us are in positions to jump to conclusions. Let's just do this as we have before? It's a mission.. Treat Hatter like Tigirius maybe? We stop working with each other and off of each others strengths and we lose what sets us apart from those we fought and beat before.. I think..? Ohh that hurts I was dumb."


She attempted to reason but after her speech her wound burned in reminder she was uninhibited the group of past dwelling hypocrites. They came upon the table and she grinned at her childhood favorite character.


"Your cake and tea, will it do anything other than replenish?"

 

[Lioness075]

Luness sighed and then kept to the edge of the group as usual while listening to the Hatter and then following him to his home.


Surprised at the sight of the plethora of foods and goods lining the large dining table, Luness uneasily stayed where she was and didn't take a seat or try any of the food. She still wasn't too sure of this Hatter character and didn't want to end up in a trap or something.

 

[andujarprime]

Malachai followed along. When they reached the hatters cottage his eyes sparkled with excitement, his face lighting up grinning from ear to ear. "Well who's unbirthday is it?!" He asked following in the hatters steps he took a seat at the same table. "We aren't going to get anywhere by questioning every single thing we see. What's adventure and life without spontaneous action?!" He exclaimed looking back at the hatters expectant face.


@zCrookedz @Bea Delaine @Lioness075 @SilverFlight

 

[Hel]

Alexander and Anya had been following along, and tried to fight back when the cards attacked. Anya took the hatters appearance and traits in stride, Alexander on the other hand was a bit confused, to say the least.


"Why, isnt it everyone's unbirthday? Unless it is someone's birthday." Anya said to Malachai as she followed and took her own seat.


Alexander couldn't help but feel the other dragon was familiar, especially his personality, but he shook it off. "Spontaneous action leads to loosing people- or hurting someone." Alex told Malachai, a touch disaprovingly.

 

[andujarprime]

Malachai smiled and nodded at Anya's logic. However he frowned at Alexander. " Life leads to losing people and hurting someone. You have to learn to enjoy what little of it isn't taken over by chaos and darkness. Or boredom, boredom is a silent killer. Especially for us dragons, it can lead to madness." He said to the younger dragon. He wasn't altogether wrong, but Malachai had lived his life in caution for a long time, now he took everything in stride and with a grain of salt.


@Hel

 

[Hel]

Alexander looked to Malachai and said, "Maybe you are right, but there is a balance that should be kept." He said, not wanting to fight so soon after meeting another of his kind. Perhaps it was because the last dragon he meant was bound to her human form, but he felt a much stronger kinship with Malachai than he had with Rose.


Anya smiled herself, and looked around. When she was little she got to play alice once, and she always thought she'd like wonderland- though would never want to live there. She liked the idea of the challenge- of sorting through all of the riddles and oddities.

 

[zCrookedz]

Leo listened to the stranger talk of tea and unbirthdays and was thuroghly confused. He leaned a bit towards Nyr keeping his eye fixted on the hatter "It seems that it is not just the plant life of wonderland that is a tad bit off." He began moving along with the others at a leasurly pace as they headed down the trail until the reached their destination of the cottage. It was, quaint, to say the least. Leo eyed the table of treats and tea and began to think a bit of tea would be very nice. He found himself a seat next to the knewest dragon in their ranks and poured himself a cup of the nearest tea pot.


The hatter sat at the end of the table, a tower of tea cups sitting on inside of the other before him. He took a teapot from the table and lifted up to the top most cup and began to pour. As the cup fillled it spilled over into the next, and so on until all of the cups were filled. As the others began to walk over and sit, Hatter picked up on the great brutish dragon and the blonde girl talking about the unbirthday. His eyes went wide after the blonde girls insight "Ah but what is someones unbirthday is their unbirthday, hmm? Then would they not be both born and unborn on that day?" The hatters smile stretched from ear to ear as he began walking around the table with the tower of tea cups stacked still in the palm of his hand. Instead of grabing them from the top, he was swiping them out from underneith the stack quicker than the eye could see. He placed one cup at each place untill ever chair had a cup.


((Last post for the night))


Sent from my SM-T537V using Tapatalk