"Well, hello Mr. Fowl." The brunette child merely waves aside the greeting, preferring to get directly to business. "Yes, yes, I know. Now, 'Doctor' Bumby, how long do you think this will take? I am still quite young, and would prefer to live out my life without the constant and irrational fear of the number four, of all the horrendously idiotic things to have a phobia of." Bumby leans back slightly, not at all surprised that he snapped back. "Well, if it makes you feel better, the Japanese word for the number four sounds very similar to the word for death." All he got in return for the statement was a scoff and an incredulous, yet still cold, look. "It shocks me that you think I can be placated with such an incredibly unnecessary fact." "Not placated, Artemis. Consoled." "More like appease. Plus, a person in my state of mind cannot be consoled in the true sense of the word, since I am neither in grief, nor disappointed in anything other than your lack of ability to make me 'forget', which you claim is your job." A slight chuckle escapes the doctor's lips as he shakes his head. "Now, Artemis, let's not get too far away from that subject. In fact, now would be the prime time to start." A defeated sigh comes from the teenage ex-genius in front of him. A slight, unnoticeable smirk finds its way onto his face as he holds out a key in front of Artemis. "Well, I know someone you'll get along with well… Very well. Now, where's your safe place inside your head?..."
Meanwhile, in the middle of Downtown London, a young girl by the name of Alice Liddell wanders the streets, semi-delirious and unsure what's real and what's fantasy. "Well well well, Alice. Wandering the streets like the very thing you attempted murder to not become." A purple cat materializes in front of her, grinning widely, as though laughing at his own private joke. "You could be of some help, you know. I have no idea about what to do!" She huffs, venturing down an alley. "Well, if you're going to be no help, then I might as well do what's gotten me into these strange situations." "Alice, you do realize that going down an alley has only gotten you into Wonderland once, and that just lead to a series of events that triggered it. The other two have been triggered by falling asleep and head trauma." "Well, it's the best lead I've got, so I'll just have to follow it." "Very well, Alice. I'm not one to stop you." Looking away, she stomped further into what looked to her as a colourful, overgrown gap between buildings.
