Well here is chapter 2 :P
Disclaimer: i don't own Alice: Madness Returns
Retrieving Hatter's arms and legs and putting the robotic man back together, Alice was relieved when he decided to help her. Even if it was a bit of shock when he suddenly grabbed her and forced her to ride piggyback across the Domain.
Papa, your enthusiasm for photography makes the Library smell like rotted fruit. And i'm certain those solutions are toxic!
That's right. The fire had started in the Library. Perhaps her father's photographs had contributed? It was a possibility. Does Hatter know anything? It couldn't hurt to ask. Afterall, he had said he would help.
Whoever said "There is no book so bad, but something good may be found in it" never read Martin Farquar Tupper's Proverbial Philosophy.
Alice often wondered why her father had decided to keep so many books in one place. Surely they must've known that the Library would be a firetrap. She shook her head. Right now, Wonderland needed her. She would figure out more about what happened that night as she regained her memories.
When eventually, Alice finally confronted Dormy and the March Hare, she found that they were controlling a gigantic robot. One arm was a massive drill which reminded her oddly of the asylum, the other arm was some kind of hammer. The two villains had restrained Hatter on finally meeting again. And Alice knew that on her own against a giant robot, she stood no chance. None of her weapons were strong enough. But...
DONK!
A teapot? A giant teapot had just fallen from out of nowhere, onto the robot and causing it to malfunction. And then a figure jumped down. Hatter? Alice grinned impishly. She should've known that Hatter would not be restrained so easily. And now that the machine was broken and could no longer be fixed and the two troublemakers were down on ground level, perhaps she could finally get some answers.
Hatter on the other hand, appeared to have different ideas. He was wailing on about his "Precious Domain" as the place fell to pieces around them. Alice tried to get answers out of him, tried to ask him about the wretched train. But he refused to answer. He just kept trying to force the other two to drink tea and giggling maniacally while he did so. The only helpful piece of information he'd given was to talk to Turtle who used to run the Looking Glass Line. And despite reminding him of his promise to help, Alice could get no more out of him.
She was growing frustrated. But she didn't feel that way for very long as metal beams and other machinations fell onto the three insane figures in front of her. Alice couldn't help but feel some slight satisfaction that came with the knowledge that they had most likely died. But then, the rest of the Domain was filling with tea. She was going to drown!
And then everything went black.
When Alice opened her eyes, she was slightly confused to find that she was no longer in Wonderland. During her last visit, she had stayed there until she had defeated the Queen. And now, she was back in the real world again. She wasn't sure what the rules were anymore.
Alice glanced around at her surroundings when she heard voices. They were coming from two very ugly looking men. And the stink. She couldn't be sure if it was them, or the fish. And the only reason she thought of fish, was because she was no longer on the rooftop where she had talked with Pris. She had somehow ended up at the docks, near the Mangled Mermaid if she remembered correctly.
"Saints be praised! HE works in mysterious ways. Got plans for her?"
She felt sick. She could almost taste vomit in the back of her throat. And she felt slightly dazed. Alice also noticed that she was drenched. Though whether it was from rain, or from falling into the river, she couldn't tell. And though she was grateful to the two men for fishing her out and possibly saving her life, she didn't like the sound of where their conversation was going.
"Take her over to the Mangled Mermaid. Rent a bed."
"Hard to woo a gal midst a brawl."
Alice had heard enough. She was not going to allow this to go any further.
"What do you think you're doing?" She finally asked.
"What comes natural, like." One replied, as if fishing girls out of rivers was something he did everyday.
"It's not natural to me. Get away!"
She walked off. She needed to find somewhere or someone who was familiar. Then she could look over the memories she had recovered during her time in Wonderland.
As she walked, she came across a poster nailed to the wall. There was a picture of a walrus on it, although apparantly it was a Walrus Man. She doubted it was real. But she wouldn't spoil it for the children at the Orphanage.
Looking through the alley leading to the front of the Mangled Mermaid, there appeared to be some sort of commotion. Is that? It is! It was her Nanny, leaning out of the top window and yelling at a man in the street.
The man ran off towards the front, and it was then that Alice decided to reveal herself.
"Alice Liddell! You'll make a nice change. Bring your dishevelled self up here."
Alice wasn't quite fond of the idea of Nanny making her into a prostitute. But she could at least ask Nanny if she knew anything about the fire. She should go up and talk. The worst thing that could happen is Nanny trying to make her into a prostitute. But she was definately against the idea. And Dr Bumby would never allow it to happen. Alice knew she could rely on him.
And so, it was without fear that Alice made her way to the front of the inn and made her way upstairs to confront Nanny. However, when she got there, that same man, Jack Splatter, was there and standing over Nanny in a threatening and menacing manner. She listened as he threatened to burn the place to the ground.
"Go away! She's done no harm!"
When she had intefered, she had been confident. But when the sneering Jack Splatter stepped towards her, Alice stepped back, trying not to let the slight fear show on her face.
"She hurt me feelings."
Stepping away from Nanny, Jack knocked over a lamp, starting a fire in the room. While Alice was distracted with the flames, he stepped over to her and punched her in the side of the head.
As Alice fell and felt her vision go black, she heard snippets of the memories she had recovered.
Out like a snuffed candle! Sleeps the sleep of the just!
Fire, Alice! Fire!
And it was with that, that Alice fell back into Wonderland.
Meh. I'm not really sure if this is as good as the first chapter. ah well.
