Disclaimer: Word is I am not responsible for or own the American Mcgee's Alice series, it's by the man called American Mcgee…which by the way is a rather patriotic name to call oneself, and that is coming from a person who doesn't really like playing allegiance to countries.
There isn't much of an author's notes though, this is going to be an alternative ending to the franchise which may overlap with the general storyline of Otherlands which is another project having Alice going into the thoughts and minds of the famous blokes in her time period…call this more like a prequel to the sequel film project.
Do note that there are certain terms or phrases that do relate to the insane and the Asian treatment of those who they deem insane by their society, and this may be fictional in terms of relation to the context of the fanfic's universe it's based on…but still, it is food for thought and nothing more than it should be.
Insanity in the Eyes of the Beholder is a precious resource indeed to those who wish for it and are shunned by those who say that they had a choice to be so.
That is the theory, the context, the subtext, the heading…whatever you wish to call it so, and it is there. But what of madness then, is it a disease, a cure for those who wish no involvement in the world, a disability then, or simply the term for those who are to be cast upon blame simply because they see the world in a way that is too drastically different to ours? I feel it is the latter latter latter, which depicts those who have fallen into despair as unrepairable and disposable.
Even so, lives are not a machine part, they cannot be taken and melded into form or given shape by other machine parts who seem to pounce around saying they can dictate it to be so…we are a machine? Then we are not human, we are nothing, less than human and nothing, perhaps a very intriguing piece of shite that is spewed on the ground and can be stepped on…like the Chinese and all their bucktoothed glory. A bunch of men and women who see insanity not as a gift, but a curse, but why do such monsters called men in clothing say it to be so? Who are they to judge, or why do they figure they should lock up their mad brethren and turn their faces away and raise their noses high to say they don't exist?
Because they are all mad, they are afraid of the madness that stalks their dreams, like china dolls waiting for the dreadful invisible hand to push them off the edge…they say they are what they are because they are business and right comes with their own brand of currency, madness is supposedly not in them. What they don't know, is that they are already the mad dogs who have fallen prey to weaknesses and are nothing more than barking dogs with teeth that bites anyone on the hand…numbers sure, but take away the head and they run like cowards whimpering and whispering for mercy. These Easterners are good with medicines but their hearts are poison to all…beware whoever sips their drinks or tastes their wine, for they may be coated with the honeyed trap of their maddened cousins locked behind iron and chained in steel.
But I digress, for the Eastern menace against those more unfortunate is a tale that is spun for the sheer pleasure of admission of truth divulging their calculated ways of sacrilegious brutality. And it is truth that I have shared with you just, and will continue to do so now…with more clarity than the madness of a hatter, and the sheer wit sharper than a rabbit's.
-an unknown author, titled 'Madness, a cure from reality and the harshness of the Eastern barbarians' (By the author of the book printed in the back with fine ink: all true and the cold truth)
Northern England, 8 years ago
"Doctor, Doctor!" A series of raps on the oaken door before a maid strolled into the room, the young woman roaming her eyes over towards the very first window which was in the center of her vision blocked by a single desk surrounded by bookshelves which planted themselves around the feature like a semi-circular ring save for the desk propped up against the glass windowsill which sat at the knee height, the woman approaching the occupied chair with a man's back facing her as she waited patiently noticing a tenseness form in his shoulders causing him to creak his muscles smoothing a bang that was hanging lazily in front of his forehead the seconds on the grandfather's clock in the wall to the right ticking away like sand pouring from an open palm.
"Yes, what is it?" The man spoke without even a glance or nod of acknowledgment as the maid bowed her head keeping in stride with the polite courtesy even though it was clear the man could not see it. "Your patient, she's awake."
The sound of a few books snapping shut was the next sounds that the woman heard as she blinked her hazel eyes, the man with messy black hair wiping the tail of black hanging over his left eye while simultaneously struggling with another significantly longer fringe almost shrouding the vision on his right, sounds of papers being rustled over the silent sphere of quiet and peace as mutterings and phrases of self-communication were ended with a single thump of a large book that the man had grabbed from a nearby bookshelf laying the piece of intricate literature open in front of his eyes, the man flipping through several pages before he tore himself away from his work spinning in a half-circle to see the maid who was trying to get his attention earlier, his face masked by the sunlight casting a shadow.
The man opened his mouth and closed it just as the words were about to escape his lips, a scratch to the back of his head scurrying through the hair, a frown there and finally he found his voice to reply to the news. "That is good, is she doing fine then? What did she talk about when she first awoke? Was there anything she repeated when she woke up?" The maid was turned scared by the amount of questions being softly riddled with as she struggled with her hands nervously tugging and clasping against the space in between her fingers finding herself at a loss for words, the servant only shaking her head in reply because she couldn't reply to his assault of questioning though the doctor didn't speak further instead giving her a look of thanks as he politely sidestepped past her to exit the room the maid following soon after.
"What do you suggest we can do now, doctor?"
"I would first suggest that as of now we look into her condition, then we can ask the questions I want to know at a later date…this takes more precedence over the fact that she has finally awoken from too long a slumber, though she would be brimming with more questions than we," the doctor replied as he walked down the hallway of luxurious paintings and various other potted plants which had flakes of dead leaves gathered at the feet of each vase, the man looking out at the bright sky for a moment before he continued onward feeling each step becoming a slow descent to something awful he rather not witness but his obligation saw his doubts settled, the man pushing his hand against the large double doors which laid on the end of the hallway with a corner path stretching to the left past a staircase and four small doors. The doctor eyed the environment before he slowly turned the knob of the double doors holding in a short breath while he exhaled with the opening creaks of the hinges stepping into the brightly lit room where the curtains were drawn away at the two main windows of the somewhat medium sized room.
Lying on a bed, next to the second window which laid behind a bedside table supporting only an emptied oil lamp was a young woman looking sickly pale as can be her skin color was a surprising factor to the servants who seemed to shrink away from the bed whenever they could avoid contact as far as the doctor could recall, the man noting how distraught and cautious they would be when he asked for her condition. Sighing as he dismissed the servants and the maid who was still standing outside of the door as her orders required, the doctor gave her a soft glance telling her to join him however as the three attending men and woman overseeing the patient in the bed bowed their head leaving the man and his assistant in the room alone. The doctor watched her intently, the maid herself looking a bit pale herself at seeing the young woman who had a very blank and spaced out expression on her face her once beautiful hair was messy and ragged almost looking like she had been tossing and turning in her sleep confined to a single bed of rest while the doctor approached the woman with both concern and care.
"Greetings, I trust you don't know who I am or where you are now. You're outside of London in the north, recuperating from your injuries." Seeing her unresponsiveness to the introduction the man simply waited for a few moments as he spoke again still keeping a distance from the woman who looked completely lifeless almost eerily, the sight of her scaring the maid into a suppressed fright as she nervously fidgeted with her fingers. It took another minute or so before the young woman with her green emerald dulled eyes blinked once as if to tell the occupants in the room that she was alive the slow craning of her neck was like a wound up toy facing the bedside, the creepy motion taking effect on the man's face who held a thin line struggling to turn the corners downward.
The silence deafened the room for barely five seconds before a weak whisper echoed through the room, the woman's lips moving almost unnaturally as she spoke the words. "…Where am I?"
"You've…I don't honestly know how to tell you this," the man muttered the second sentence to himself more than the patient as he rubbed his eyes with his thumb before he opened his mouth to speak once again. "You are in northern England, the Nottingham countryside where my home resides and also serves as a consultation office for services involving physical therapy." The doctor's words stirred the covers, though he watched with empathy as the woman tried to lift her hands as if to push herself up but failing, the tiniest effort caused her limbs to wobble and immediately expire flopping onto the bed as the woman found no other strength to speak or utter anything save for a harsh hiss still weak as her expression. The doctor ruffled his hair as he closed his eyes, the man shifting the weight on his leg to the other while he decided he would need to answer more of her own burning questions and considering what he knew, it was going to have an adverse effect on her.
"…Then…I remember…" The ebony haired woman's voice had squeaks and cracks as she tried to speak only for a few images to pass by her eyes in a fast rapid movement of pictures, her brain and memory slowly working the cogs before realization hit her hard as a train. Struggling to sit up, the doctor moved to her side about to touch her before the young woman noticed his presence near the bed the look on her face was one of both abject terror and hysteria as she tried to slap his hand away shivering from his touch. "No…don't, get your hands...off me."
"Jenny," the doctor spoke as he turned to address the maid, the woman stiffening slightly but more of duty than fear as she held her emotions in check seeing the display while the male gestured to the young woman looking at him in fear stepping away from the bedpost to the newly named Jenny. "Please kindly attend to her, I will return shortly as soon as I get her some water and food." Seeing a nod from the woman of reassurance, the man exited the room leaving a crack in the space of the doors before he watched over Jenny who was then attempting to speak to her while filling up a tub of water from a sink lying on the left of the bed. Once knowing that all was well and seeing the patient's expression softening to a blank slate, the doctor left the hallway for the kitchen area hoping that small talk with the cook could ease his mind however instead of going there he paused and took a left from the kitchen heading instead to a nearby bench sitting on the petrified wood. As he did so, he took a moment to let out a huge puff of air which was in his mouth the exhale being a little shaky prompting him into thinking about his situation now that the woman was wide awake and talking, let alone waking from a comatose state after so long was considered by many to be lucky in circumstances.
Blowing out another held breath, the man tented his fingers tapping against each other in rhythm cradling his cheek in his hand afterward like an afterthought, the doctor merely contemplating her expression of blankness and loss of livelihood.
"Jekyll will have to pay in due time…and his miserable companion as well."
London, 13 years post fire
"Come see me again when you are ready to start more healing." The words of Doctor Jekyll rang loudly behind the furnished door as the door was closed by Alice who was breathing a sigh of joy as she walked down the hallway, her steps echoing with creaks down the wooden floorboards the silent hallway leading to the stairs was slow. She passed by a few men and women seated patiently who noticed her presence, some shifting uncomfortably while a dock worker tipped his hat at the woman who gave a smile of her own as she walked down the stairs, the whispers echoing after her before she even reached the bottom. Not that she wasn't too surprised they still talked about her behind closed doors, but at the time she wasn't exactly an adult when she lost her parents and sister to the fires, and the talks and whispers about her being a killer continued in stories or make-believe tales about her from the children and adults alike.
"Another day…another dream perhaps," she muttered as she strode out into the street her eyes watching as carriages ferried their passengers back and forth along the busy road, small trickles of men and women strolled in their formal attire something that Alice herself wasn't that used to as she walked down the path the crowd of black and other beautiful light colors from the dresses made her look down at her own with some self-consciousness. Her attire had changed drastically ever since the events that plagued Houndswitch was over and the orphanage shut down while the investigations of Dr. Bumby's death turned into a full wide child prostitution crackdown in London's underbelly, the reconciliation with her sanity or her Wonderland as an alternative term had changed her attitude and her outlook in turn. Throwing away the striped shirt and apron she used to wear, the young woman of 20 years had matured with her short hair growing a little past her shoulders and her eyes once dulled by madness and clouded by the medicines were shining brightly like glittering emeralds, clarity seen through the windows at last while her dress was a royal blue which naturally slid down her legs to the knees instead of blossoming like an umbrella, her stockings had taken on a shade of red and black as well instead of the dulled colors. The apron feature was abandoned, instead replaced by a simple white ribbon tied behind her waist to compensate while black buttons on her shirt were seen instead the fashion choice she had was distinct and stood out amongst the crowd who occasionally glanced in her direction almost surprised to see no tight corset or gilded cage under her skirt to puff up the dress she wore, unsure of her dress though never saying much at all.
Alice made a turn to her left as she carried on to the next district entering the archway overhead which acted as some sort of gate watching as the neatly dressed gentlemen and women replaced by coal workers and sailors who were too engrossed in their work to really pay much attention as the young woman made her way past a warehouse, though only one handling some crates glanced at Alice with a sharp crisp wave which she returned in kind. As she got nearer to her destination, the young woman went into thought about something else as she turned right across the street her eyes barely looking to watch for carriages as the district wasn't too popular with the wealthy, Alice spied the goal ahead running up the steps to a house door rapping her knuckles against the wood.
"Who is it?" A male voice echoed back through as Alice rocked her heels a little, her neutral thin line for a mouth left unchanging as she replied. "I'm certain you already know, you always check your window when speaking to a visitor."
The door immediately clicked open as a young man opened the door ushering Alice inside as he closed the door behind her, the male walking to the right as she trailed after him. Entering the room, Alice merely looked around the room in abject horror seeing the mess of papers and an active fireplace burning dangerously close to a stack of papers, the woman reacting quickly removing the stacks just as the embers reached the paper placing them out of harm's way before she turned on the man who was busy arranging some of the stacks of paper, the woman moving her hands over her hips beginning to scold the taller man. "Destine, what is all this? Didn't I warn you not to leave such stacks lying around in the room the last time I visited your home?"
"I know, I am sorry but I will clean it up later-"
"I am not going to sit in a firetrap such as this! I'll help you take them down to the basement." Alice firmly said leaving no protest from the named Destine who kept silent as she grabbed a bucket of water which was near the fireplace, and promptly put out the flames within. She then proceeded to grab the paper stacks and bring them down to the basement, the rest of the time spent stacking and storing the papers Alice clearing out the room with efficiency and soon she was walking up the stairs of the basement slightly exhausted from the exercise. The male moved into view of her at the doorway, holding a glass of water as he gave her an apologetic look at her face which held both worry and concern as Alice took the cup and drank it shaking her head at Destine as both adults sat down in the same room minus the papers and other flammables.
"That takes care of that," Destine spoke as he leaned back the peace that settled in the room allowed for Alice to focus on him solely, the man's forced comment went mostly ignored by the young woman who shot him a glare. "Next time if you leave such dangerous things around, I will just let it burn."
"Again sorry about the mess, I wasn't intending to leave it lying around like that but work got ahead of me." The man apologized as he took a sip from his cup seeing Alice who had placed the glass on the table a look crossing her face. "You'd better otherwise I would be rather cross with you at mistreating your own home." The man tried to smile but thought the better of it, instead downing the cup of water he held and placed it neatly on the table relaxing in his chair as he did so.
"So what's been going on, Alice I take it you're not here to simply say hello?"
"No, I'm not. I'm looking to leave London." The words of Alice sprung the man to hesitate, his hand on his cup as he brought the item up to his face looking at her through the glass while he hummed drumming a hand on the glassy surface watching the water vibrate. "You're leaving London? That's rather expected in a way, no one really looks forward to the smell of fish and vomit from the bars…and the smoke!"
"In all seriousness, Destine I was looking for passage out of the city without much trouble." Alice spoke firmly as Destine lowered his cup speaking to her as he did so, the man almost condescendingly staring at her before he knew his pity would be well misplaced instead focusing on the current business that he had at hand as he folded his arms behind his head a leg crossing over. "I can easily book you a boat across to Paris in a few days, a taxi ride out wouldn't be as difficult to do with my own connections…plus because it's you I can do it without charge or a fee, and keep the mouth of the driver silent if I have to."
"That's all I ask, Destine." Alice spoke as she stood up, the man knowing she was ready to leave as he stood up adjusting his bowtie while his hazel eyes greeted her green with a gesture of respect swiping a fringe of brown from his eye. "Yes, but I believe that all business is done and you wouldn't want to stick around in such a dangerous and painful place any longer than necessary. As I said I can make the arrangements, you'll not be hearing pigs squealing about your leaving until you're out of their crosshairs," Destine reported confidently as he walked Alice out of the door, the woman turning to give him a polite nod before Destine closed the door softly the man going to the window to watch Alice cross the street and disappear out of his sight safely.
Outside the house, dark alley
"What's she doing here?" A bare whisper of a man echoed to himself as he watched Alice walk down the road with a relieved expression, the man's thoughts were interrupted by a snarl inside of his head as he felt his head throb.
"Perhaps it has to do with who she is visiting."
"Do you think that she might just be planning for something ahead with us?"
"Us, don't you mean yourself? You were the one who involved us in the attack-"
"But not directly, she hasn't suspected us at all but we still have to make sure she can't leave here at all." The man said as he remembered his own duty apart from watching over the girl, his thoughts were interrupted by the snarling voice again overwhelming his sanity with a growl. "Doesn't matter does it, the bitch…she wants to leave us alone, but what if she remembers more? What if she saw you then like she did in the past? What then?"
The man shook his head in refusal at the proposition, his look stern and brooding as he retreated further down the alleyway. "For once, I may agree but that doesn't mean anything yet and besides I have her trust. We should wait and-"
"Pah! Waiting for what, she's the last loose end and if she could kill your colleague, she can kill you too easily…her mind is stronger like her will, it's become iron clad since then. What makes you think you can plant the same seed and succeed?" The voice for once made sense, the man stopping in his tracks as he paused only for a moment at the implications before he smiled an idea already forming into his own head.
"Whoever said we needed to break her mind, when we do it physically?"
End
Well guys this is the official prologue since the first trailer chapter came out, well there are a few points I wish to address.
Jekyll and Hyde were revealed as antagonists yes, but I will say for this one that the reveal of their antagonist role was just the tip of the ice. For this one's design I simply wanted to merge them into one single entity which can switch between without consequence, and what makes a worser creature than a person who is self-aware of his darker side of humanity and accepts it? There are other characters who would gain a role for main antagonist.
There would be no Wonderland for most of the time, much as exciting as people want it to be simply because the threat is now for her no longer a mental and emotional breakdown compared to the first and second game...there is much to fear in the reality as there is in the other dream.
With these pointers, I wish you well and have a good day/night/afternoon
VI