I never would have taken Nightmare as the type to like coffee. I carefully shuffle the bags of coffee in my arms, taking a moment to get a better grip on the bags before continuing. If Nightmare is the demon and dreams and all I figured real life Nightmare would constantly be sleeping. I had no idea he was the leader of an entire territory. The best I thought he could manage would maybe be a room where all he does is sleep.
I chuckle at the thought before lightly reprimanding myself for it. No, Nightmare was nice to let me stay at Clover Tower now that, sadly, the Amusement Park has moved. I've been to Clover Country before but that was the time when all the rides were 'mysteriously' breaking down and I was working around the clock to fix them. I hardly had any time to go out and explore let alone go to the meetings he supposedly hosted. I didn't believe Gowland and laughed in his face when he told me about Nightmare leading the meetings.
I cast a glance down the road, staring at the spot where Clover Tower has taken Julius's Clock Tower in its place. I'm sad Julius left but I wonder if Julius and Gowland are in the same country right now? Not to mention the Amusement Park seems to have taken half of the town with it somehow. Most of the shops that I used to go to are gone so I had to venture out and find some more.
But, it's not so bad. My eyes slide over the space of a large sea of trees with a single wide dirt road cutting through the green where the Mansion used to be. Besides, with the Hatter Mansion gone the more troublesome Role Holders are gone with it. I'll miss Elliot but I know he'll be fine.
A shoulder bumps into me and turns me all the way around as the faceless makes off at a fast pace towards the dirt road. I stare after him, expecting at least an apology but he only picks up his pace.
"Well excuse you!" I shout after him, instinctually patting my pockets to make sure nothing was taken while my guard was down. Gowland left me a ton of money because I'm sure he knew what was going to happen when I left to get some pricey tools. My thoughts freeze as I pat all empty pockets, watching the man slip something into his jacket.
"THAT'S MY MONEY!" I nearly scream, setting the coffee bags down so they don't rip before trucking after the lunatic. I'll just come back for those after at least giving this man hell for stealing from me.
"Geh-! No, don't follow me! You're bad news for us faceless!" The man shouts back with fear before hauling his stupid butt down the path. I don't think he's stupid enough to actually turn and fight me. If he knows who I am then he should know that I am friendly with most Role Holders and they would be pretty pissed if something happened to me.
"Only for the ones stupid enough to steal from me!" I nastily spit as I dart after him. "Get back here! I'll forget all about this if you just give me my freaking money!"
"No! The Coliseum needs every penny!" He vehemently refuses as he continues to run down the clear path. Why isn't he turning into the forest to try and get away from me? My eyes narrow at his suspicious behavior as I surge forward, trying to catch up to the surprisingly fast man. Gosh dang it, just how far is this man going to run?!
‡
My lungs burn as my legs ache, rasping for air as I continue charging along the path where he vanished. D-Dang it ... there's no way I can repay Mary so easily after losing the money like that. My chest tightens for the begging need to take a restful break but I ignore it. I'll bet that guy went off the path and hid once I was out of sight. I knew I was in trouble after the dirt road started to wind and twist, not to mention the decent sized hills in the way.
I clamber to the top of a nearby hill, dropping to my knees as I let me lungs a mile back catch up to me. W-Wow I hate running ... it's annoying and pointless I think. As long as I'm smart enough to defend myself and cripple the other person before running I should be good. Unless he has a gun. In that case just make sure to be somewhere my body will be found soon.
I get up to my knees, breathing hard as I catch sight of a large walled city just down the hill and about 300 yards out. W-What is that? I scan the large expanse of land, running my eyes over the buildings and inevitably spying a massive oval structure dwarfing every building there. Is this another territory? Oh, could this be a territory replacing the Hatter's Mansion?
My eyes narrow, trying to tell what this town is like from afar. It looks like ... Greek, or maybe Roman styled architecture from all the tall pillars that I can barely make out. My eyes falls down along the road, spying the tail end of the faceless whip inside of the town. He's from this territory? Wait, if this is another territory then that means there are more Role Holders here.
I hesitate before clambering forward, curious about this new territory. But, more importantly, that guy just ran in there. My eyes narrow angrily at having been dragged out here with no reward for me chasing the idiot down. I'm not ready to kiss that money goodbye just yet. And, if I have to, fine but that guy's walking away with a limp the next time I find him. I got a good look at his face and he had a scar on the side of his head.
Large pillars along with two stone griffins guard the entrance of the marble gate. The metal wired gates remain wide open and welcoming as I hop through them, cautiously looking around the desolate town. Most of the buildings are made with white bricks but the stone shingled roofs are a dulled orange-red combination. Wow ... definitely Roman like, no doubt about that. I take another look around, trying to find any bit of life besides the birds flitting around above me.
Where is everybody?
I hesitate before daringly looking into a small cut opening in the side of a building, peeking inside to try and see if anyone is inside. I doubt they are all hiding. I hop back onto the path, heading for the large structure in the center of the one story, two story top buildings. That ... looks like the Coliseum in Italy. There are definitely a lot of differences but from up on the hill I could see an arena like center in the structure.
My excitement slowly starts to grow with the thought of an actual working Coliseum that I have the chance to explore. Romans were extremely good at architecture and building and things of that nature. I've read all about the trap doors in the arena where animals could be let into the Gladiator fights. Bloody and scary yes but, I always wanted to get a closer look at the mechanics of one.
I weight my options, feeling my curiosity getting the better of me as I hop along four thick cut stones laying in the middle of the road to the other sidewalk. Since no one is home I might as well go check it out.
I keep a sharp eye out for anyone who could be near or, worse yet, watching me. I just want to look around. That's harmless enough. My eyes wander freely around the inner room of the Coliseum-like structure, amazed at all the subtle and not so subtle artwork put into the building. So cool~
The Coliseum is large and much thicker than the dimensions I've read in a book once, easily twice that size entirely and three times the thickness with what looks like rooms and kitchens. I glance at the stairs and take them up to the second story, deciding to go all the way up to the top and mentally count in my head how many floors there are. My grin grows side as I make it to the top floor, amazed that this massive and heavy structure is eight stories high. This thing is massive! No wonder the town is so small. I'll bet most of the markets or whatever are in the building itself.
My head snaps to the side as I hear something tap against the ground not too far off. I whip around intensely study the area, searching for anyone who is there. Uh oh~ I've been caught. Well, hopefully it's the Role Holder here or a worker. Anyone besides that thief who took my money.
"Um, excuse me? I didn't mean to be rude coming in here, but I really wanted to look at this beautiful architecture." I say, trying to appeal to the stranger. Whoever it is remains perfectly silent making me feel like I'm talking to nothing but air. No, someone is there and I know it. I hesitantly walk closer but keep a good dozen feet between me and where I think he is. I catch sight of a violet clothe, watching it sway a moment before he steps into the opening. It's a faceless with black hair and freckles garbed in a violet toga with a golden set of vines that form a crown like shape on his head.
" ... not rude at all, little miss. Just startled to-," he cuts short for some reason, his mouth turning puzzled looking. Violet ... that's the color of royalty in roman culture if I remember right. Uh oh, that means he's high ranking. Better to come clean and explain myself.
"Sorry to intrude, I really am. My name is Jackie and I was in Heart Country prior to this. I didn't know another territory had moved into Clover Country and I, uh, w-wanted to come and meet the Role Holder here." I say, noticing him stiffen up a bit.
"There is no Role Holder here." He says with a firm and slightly annoyed voice. Oh. No Role Holder?
"There isn't? Wow~ I didn't know there were territories run completely by a faceless." I say without thinking, looking around in amazement. And he lives here? Cool~!
"Yes, well-,"
"That's awesome!" I shout, my voice echoing down the halls. "I never knew a territory could be run without a Role Holder. Wow, I'll bet you hardly have any conflicts with others, do you?" I ask with excitement. To my knowledge, Role Holders are the ones that really start and dictate fights. I remember faceless doing that to a certain degree but not doing very well in the end.
"To certain degrees, I suppose. But you ... are not a Role Holder." He concludes, tilting his head to get a better look at me.
"Oh, no I'm not. I'm a ... foreigner." I hesitate with my answer, cautiously watching for his reaction. Maybe I shouldn't have said that so easily.
"You are?" He asks, seeming astounded by the knowledge but at the same time intrigued. He steps around me, visibly looking me over like I'm a show horse he's thinking about buying. I uncomfortably take a step back and cross my arms under my chest. Why is he looking at me like that?
"That ... is amazing. I did not expect to see a foreigner so soon after the move. I had heard that Heart Country had not one, but two of them living there. I was in hopes that at least one made it to Clover Country when we moved here." He smiles, happy at this coincident run in.
"Uh, yeah. I was curious about this territory too and was hoping to meet the Role Holder here. But, it's really cool that there isn't one here at all and it's just run by faceless. Oh, sorry." I apologize. calling a faceless a faceless to their face is like defacing them. Gosh so much 'face' in that thought alone ...
"What is your name?" I politely ask. He shifts his weight, taken off guard by the question before smiling.
"My name is Tsar Griffin, Lady Jackie." He kindly smiles before taking my hand and kissing my knuckles. I hesitantly leave my hand in his grasp and let him greet me his own way. I don't want to be rude to him. Wait, Tsar?
"You're the leader of the Coliseum?" I ask. Tsar in Russia is ... their leader, isn't it? At least World History did something right in teaching me. Wait, a Russian leader for an Italian territory?
... it's Wonderland so nothing should surprise me.
"Why yes, I am." He proudly states, rubbing his thumb over the back of my hand before letting go.
"It's, uh, nice to meet you," I nervously smile, feeling a little awkward all of a sudden as I look around the empty halls, "can you tell me where everyone is? I would have thought a territory as large as this would have more people in it. If you don't mind me asking." I tack on, still not completely sure he's not just a crazy faceless. There are normal ones and then there are the psycho ones, I know that much. At least Role Holders won't kill me because I have a heart but the majority of psycho faceless in Wonderland are another story.
"It is, isn't it? Not to worry, there are more of my subordinates here though they are few in number now. There was an internal conflict not too long ago so we are still in the process of cleaning up and managing the wounded." He says with a sad smile.
"That's awful." I say, feeling sorry for him.
"That's alright. No great change is achieved without great sacrifice." He smiles before holding his hand out. "Would you care for a tour, Lady Jackie?"
‡
"Amazing ... ," I breathe as he takes me through the underground arena of the Coliseum. I'm amazed at how many rooms there are in here. So, the kitchen is on the ground floor and rooms for the top generals and such are on the top floor, though most are currently vacant. He offered me to take a special look inside the harem room but the second he said harem I felt uneasy. I'd rather not go somewhere like that.
"It is, isn't it?" He muses with a smile as I look at all the inner mechanisms of the trap doors and such. I do my best to pretend and be impressed, watching as a rope snaps and drops to the ground with a rock on it. These are all manual traps, that's for sure. It would run so much more smoothly if the traps were automatic. If during a fight someone steps on it then the trap could spring open with a simple mechanical pulley system and a strong spring could push it back into place. Already my mind whirls with ideas as I look along the ceiling.
"Lady Jackie?" He asks, pulling me from my thoughts.
"O-Oh, sorry, sorry. I was just thinking of how these doors would be so much easier to work with a few more pulley systems a little more complicated than these ones, allowing the underground to be run by a minimal of a dozen or so staff members." I excitedly chatter, unable to keep my ideas to myself. I might be sounding rude basically saying all of this is crap but it's the truth. I can make better ones and I know it.
"Really?" He asks with sincere interest, his eyes seeming to glow with excitement. "You have the capabilities?
"I was the Amusement Park's engineer. Give me," I pause, counting the number of traps which totaled to about a dozen, "give me about a dozen time changes of work and some helper and I can make these function with as few people as possible."
"Lady Jackie, that truly would be a wonderful blessing to us here at the Coliseum." He kindly smiles, seeming genuinely touched by my offer.
"I would be happy to do it. My skill set can best be used here." I continue, getting excited myself about what I can do down here. I can make switches up in the arena and fix them so when people step on them the doors open. Oh gosh I'm getting excited just thinking about it because I know exactly what I'm going to do!
"Then it shall be done. But, unfortunately, we have not the income to pay you." He says, disheartened at the sobering thought. Well that's a real downer right there.
"That's alright. You can pay me after you get the income." I say, my excitement of getting my hands on something and building it getting the better of my need for money.
"But we must repay you somehow." He protests, watching as I walk around a particular pulley system where imprints of people's feet can be seen from pulling on the ropes. Man, whoever worked down here must have been frighteningly strong people.
"If you insist." I smile. It will take too much of my time to come back and forth between the Coliseum and Clover Tower every day for work. "If you could set me up a room to stay in while I work that would be great."
"Thank you, Lady Jackie. You have the Coliseum's and mine thanks for your service." He kindly smiles as he takes a step closer, hesitantly reaching towards me before catching himself. "You said ... you are a foreigner, yes?"
"That's right." I say, feeling a little uneasy as he steps closer.
"I do not mean to overstep my bounds but I wish to hear it. May I?" He politely asks, staring over my chest. Well, that has to be the nicest way of asking a girl to put his head against my chest I've ever heard. Usually Role Holders are more blunt.
" ... I don't normally let people do that so easily but it wouldn't hurt." I relent, unzipping my worker's uniform a bit. Thank goodness I was at least smart enough to wear a tank top today. His fingers gently grasp my shoulders as he leans down, pressing his ear right over where my heart would be.
"Ah ... what a lovely and unique sound ... ," he trails off, almost as if he's in a trance. I shiver from the warmth of his skin against mine in such a vulnerable space. If he tries anything I'm kicking him right in the groin before taking off and never coming back.
"Yeah. This is the main difference between foreigners and the people here I've found." I note, watching as his eyes glaze over. Oh he's not even listening to me. I wait for him to pull back but when he stays there for a little longer than I would like I start to get a little nervous. I don't like people being so close to me, let alone touching me. I just met him today. Still he does not move and instead pushes a little closer in an attempt to hear it better.
My eyes roll at my own stupidity of letting him in the first place touch me so easily. I was so caught up in my excitement of fixing the trap doors down here I didn't think this through. My hands hesitantly reach up and rest on his shoulders, ready to rip his head back by his black hair soon.
"So it's true ... the touch of a foreigner is indeed so lovely," he mutters more so to himself with a touch of red on his cheeks. Yup nope I'm out.
"I'm going to leave now, alright? I'll be back tomorrow with my things and tools." I promise, giving his shoulders a light push.
"Oh, alright. Allow me to walk you to the gate." He cheerfully smiles, holding out his hand for me to take. And~ nope.
"Thanks, but I'll find it. I want to walk around by myself for a bit." I smile, suddenly a little uncomfortable in his presence as I zip my uniform back up and force his gaze back up to my eyes.
"If you so desire, Lady Jackie." He relents, taking my shoulder in his hand before leaning in. I stiffen up as he kisses me on the cheek, resting his forehead to the side of my head. "I look forward to your service, Lady Jackie." He whispers into my ear before pulling back. My hand whips up and cups my ear, trying to refrain rubbing it away in front of him.
"Y-Yeah, see ya." I say, offering a weak wave before heading towards the exit. Gosh dang it I really don't know how to deal with overly affectionate guys. But, if he tries again, I'll just tell him to knock it off.
... but when he said 'service' it worries me that he didn't specify which one.
JERALD GRIFFIN'S POV
I smile and watch the foreigner leave the room before the little thief pokes his head out of a nearby room. Idiot, I swore she nearly caught him thrice while I was walking her around. It's better that I was with her and directing her gaze elsewhere so she won't see the blood and clocks we have yet to collect around the Coliseum.
"I have a hard time believing this ploy is working." He murmurs, slyly handing me a thick roll of money he took from her so she would follow him here. I knew she couldn't resist the temptation of coming here and fixing up the wreck Griffin, the Role Holder here, left. I gently slide the money into an inside pocket within the sash, patting the man on the shoulder.
"And you've done an excellent job so far. Warn the others not to venture too near Clover Tower. The incubus can read thoughts, mind you." I warn. Most are not foolish enough to do so but I can name a few that are. And with so few men after the rebellion available for work I cannot spare a single one of them.
"And the clocks?" He asks, holding up a few that the initial sweep down in these rooms had missed.
"Toss them with the others. We cannot have those clocks being made again by the Clock Maker." I warily say. For now we have the upper hand but if enough Gladiator clocks are collected by that mortician's dog before we can regroup then there is a chance everything we've worked for will fail. But with the engineer fixing up the trap doors, income will soon come pouring in from the town to come watch the Coliseum fights. No, no we will succeed. It is a shame I must keep the Role Holder Griffin alive and captive.
But that doesn't mean he can't be beat within an inch of his life.
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Ooh~ what's this?! The Coliseum is already taken over by Jerald Griffin?! How will Jackie survive! Oh, I know, but you don't. Yet :p
And dear guest, 'Oh no', speaking about why I'm starting new series while I have many others unfinished, while I completely understand your point of view and agree with you I HAVE A WRITING ADDICTION. When I get a good idea I fly with it, though I too feel it will be my downfall -_-"
Oh well, enjoy :3 10 REVIEWS for the next chapter~