We're going to do the "Questions for Dodo" segment first because I have a lot going with the story, and want it to be fresh in you mind, if you review. For this segment, there are more questions from the amazing KiwiSplash, who I, TAstars, and Daphne, The Dodo, find humorous and awesome for all these questions. Hopefully you all enjoy the questions and answers as much as we enjoyed answering them. Also KiwiSplash had a comment we would like to put towards all our readers: It is making me mad that no other person is commenting. We aren't mad like she is, but we are feeling saddened by it, but we still appreciate our readers for reading our story. And we love KiwiSplash for caring though! So with that said, on with her questions!
What is your favorite vegetable?
Daphne: Corn. Definitely corn.
If you had a dog, what would you name it?
Daphne: Hmmm. I don't know. It would depend on the breed and personality, because those would be name inspirations for me. I'd definitely want a male. So maybe Lewis, if I had to choose a name with no actual dog to look at.
What is the second best role in Wonderland?
Daphne: Hmm. Personal feelings aside, I'd say the Caterpillar or the Cheshire Cat. Though, I swear, if you tell Boris I said that, I'll deny it til the day I die, then come after you the first chance I get!
What is your favorite kind of music?
Daphne: Anything with either a good beat or good lyrics. Least favorite would be the screamo and death metal type of music.
Which do you like better: ShirtPants/Skirt or Dress?
Daphne: Shirt and pants all the way!
Do you know Spider Pig?
Daphne: Nope, never heard of him. *Looks to TA* What is that anyway? Some weird hybrid animal? Foreigners are so odd.
TA: *Shows Daphne video of Spider Pig*
Daphne: Oh. Haha, okay.
Is it okay if I call you Farfetch'd (the pokemon)?
Daphne: After TA did some research on it and told me about it, and I saw some pictures... yes, yes you can call me Farfetch'd if that's what you want.
Have you ever went to school?
Daphne: I haven't gone to a school, not like you. But my mom and her friend did give me lessons to help me get ahead with an education. Also, I have been, what you call 'home schooled', by Deloris.
How do I pitch a baseball?
Daphne:My answer depends on this: Do you want the sarcastic answer or the technical answer? Since it'll take time to clarify it, I'll just give you both.
Sarcastic Answer: Throw it. Wait, scratch that. Aim. Then throw it.
Technical Answer: On the technical side, it all depends on your hold of the ball, how you throw, and the force you put behind it. As an example I will tell you how to throw, what you foreigners call, a four seam fastball, because it's a good fundamental to have. WARNING: Do NOT try this at home if you have no actual experience pitching a ball. Trying this as a first-time pitch could get you hurt, and I really don't want that on my conscious. I will feel guilty forever if that happens. ONLY TRY if you already have all of the pitching basics and are well practiced with the basics. You have now been warned! (If anyone read this before the warning and tried and got hurt I am so so so so sorry, because I was so worried about writing all the basic information down, the warning completely skipped my mind, and I never thought anyone would try with absolutely no experience.)
First your hold: have your index and middle finger on the top of the ball along the seams of the baseball, which should be perpendicular to your fingertips. Your thumb should be in the center of the seam which looks somewhat like a horseshoe. Your other two fingers should be folded down, resting next to the baseball. Within this hold, the ball should be held softly and gently, as if it were an egg, with your fingertips. Lastly, there should be a gap between the ball and your palm.
The throw: Overhanded
The force: Practice for just the right amount. First try to go with not a lot of strength behind it. Then gradually work up on your force. So as not to hurt yourself, but it will probably end up taking a decent amount of strength behind it. Because the ball won't at all rise, but appear to the batter that it is, which is why this pitch is a must have. Also, mastering this pitch helps make it easier to do all the others.
What is your favorite animal not extinct?
Daphne: Oh, that's a tough one. I like dogs, for the most part. Though, I think I'll go with one of my cousins as my favorite, the penguin.
How many jumping jacks can you do?
Daphne: It's a pretty high number. I honestly have never tried to go for as long as I possibly could, but I have done a hundred before and still felt like I could do more.
Have you ever committed the terrible crimes of either not flushing the toilet, not washing your hands, or both?
Daphne: To my knowledge, no I have not done either. I can be forgetful, but not that forgetful! Plus, I love to be clean!
Okay, finally got the sixth chapter done. Between end of semester finals, updating my other stories, and just finding the time and motivation for this one, it took a while. Mainly because I know my certain scenes and events that I want to happen but I kept hitting writer's blocks when trying to fill in the blanks to get to those. I probably would have gone farther with this chapter but it's been a while, and I haven't had any readers for this story in a while either, and with this fandom I have to keep up with the updates if I want this story to be on the first page to get more readers. So to my patiently waiting, loyal readers, here's the next chapter!
Hope you enjoy! Please Read and Review!
"Ticking? L-l-like a bomb?" Carol asked her husband.
Adam shook his head. "More like a pocket watch. She's lost a lot of blood. I-I don't think-"
"You can save her, Adam!" Carol said adamantly. "She's ours. We found her. And I told her she'd be safe!" Carol spoke with determination in her voice and eyes.
Adam sighed in defeat. He knew there was no arguing with his wife on this; it would be a losing battle and a waste of time that this little girl didn't have. He picked up the blue-headed bird girl and carried her towards their home.
Once inside, he took her into one of the guest rooms, and laid her on the bed. As he started to leave the room to gather his supplies, Carol entered the room with his medical kit. "Lay it on the side table. I'm gonna go wash my hands." Adam said.
DODO
After a couple hours of working on the girl, Adam smiled at the signs of recovery the girl was showing. She would be alright. Now that he was no longer focused on the task of saving her life, he could hear his wife's pacing steps outside the closed door. He removed his gloves, dropped them into the trashcan, and opened the door to his wife.
"Is she alright?" Carol asked as she entered the room, walking past her husband to the little girl's bedside.
"Yeah. I think she'll be fine." Adam answered, only feeling slightly put off by Carol's reaction. "But I'm worried about her 'heart'. I really want to get a better look inside to see what's going on there." Adam says looking at the sleeping child.
"How are you going to do that, Adam? No one can see her like this." Carol says looking at the girl, whose face contorts into one of pain. "You gave her some pain killers, right?"
"Yeah, when I started. It's probably worn off by now. I'll give her another dose." Adam said, then makes his way to his bag, pulls out a needle, and injects it into her arm. The painful look on her face soon becomes peaceful again.
"How bad was it?" Carol asked him.
"Lots of cuts, some obvious broken bones, and she'll have a lot of bruises. What the hell happened to her? Why would she have been beaten within an inch of her life like that, and left to die in the woods?" Adam asked more to himself than his wife.
She looked to the girl with nothing but kindness. "Poor thing. She's with us now, and we won't let anything bad happen to her." Carol's voice was adamant.
"Are you suggesting we adopt her?" Adam asked her, feeling shocked.
"Of course."
Adam grabbed his wife by her arm and pulled her out of the room. "How are we supposed to do that? What if she doesn't have anything like a social security number or birth certificate? Because I feel like that's the case here."
"Whatever it takes Adam. I don't care. I want her to legally be ours." Carol's eyes began to water, and tears were soon trailing down her cheeks. They had been trying to have a child for the past five years, and finally faced the reality that it was never going to happen. So they had just started filling out the paperwork to adopt.
Adam looked away. He could never say no to his wife when she cried. He sighed, resolve starting to take over his being. A already starting to form in his head. He went into the room, grabbed an empty needle out of his bag, then took a small blood sample from the girl.
"Adam, what are you doing?" Carol asked confused by the needle.
"I'm going to see what her blood type is. Then I'm going to get her on a list for the first heart that works. There's no way she can stay alive with a clock for a heart."
"Adam." Carol was touched by her husband's reaction.
"I know." He walked downstairs to his office.
After a little time, Adam figured out her blood type. "O negative. Of course it is." Adam sat with his hands to his head, a little frustrated. He sighed and looked to the clock. 8:58. "Hmm. Some anniversary this turned out to be." He went upstairs to his room, then into the bathroom to shower.
When he came out, he was surprised to see that Carol wasn't already in bed. He went to the guest room and saw Carol by the little girl's bedside, holding her small hand. Her back was to him, but he could tell by the slight shaking of her shoulders she was crying.
He went inside, wrapped his arms around his wife and kissed her cheek. "Why are you crying?" He asked quietly, not wanting to disturb the sleeping girl.
"I'm not." Carol said indignantly.
"C. You can't lie to me." Adam kissed her cheek again.
"It's just... this is the best anniversary ever." Carol says not letting go of the little girl.
"Really?" Adam asked a little surprised. Though he shouldn't have been. Carol was ready to have a child right after they got married; they dated for four years, including the engagement.
"You don't agree, do you?" It wasn't really a question.
"Well, it was my day off, you know. Tomorrow, I'm packed full with surgeries." Adam said. "So I'm going to go to bed. Don't stay up too late." He kissed her forehead, let her go, and started for the door.
"Adam?" Carol called, stopping him in his tracks. "Thank you. She's the best thing I could have ever gotten."
"I know." Adam said. "And I'm sorry."
"It's not your fault. I'm the one who couldn't..."Carol stopped, and held the girl's hand tighter.
"Hey. Don't blame yourself." Adam went back to Carol, and held her tight.
"I'm sorry. Go to bed. You need your rest." Carol pushed him away.
"Night. Love you." Adam told her before he went back to their room, and got into bed. He was tired and tomorrow wasn't going to be much better.
Carol ended up staying in the room with the girl, the whole night. All she could think about was what Adam said about her being almost beaten to death. Wherever she came from, is a place she should never have to return to. Here, with us, she'll be loved and well cared for. She's better off with us, and we need her. I need her. She's all I ever wanted. Those were her last thoughts before falling asleep.
DODO
(Back in Jabbawock's Dimension)
The angry Jabbawock, in his shadow human form, paced back and forth in front of his subordinate, the Carpenter, Jericho. "You never told me she had mastered the ability to create a portal on her own." The Jabbawock seethed.
The boy bowed, getting as low on the ground as he could to show his master how sorry he was. "I didn't know, either. I must have missed them when they practiced it. There were a couple of times when I went one time period without seeing either Dodo. I'm sorry for my incompetence, my Lord."
The Jabbawock stopped and looked at him. He was still fuming over this fumble. But there's still hope, the Jabbawok thought. She had lost a lot of blood, and won't have much energy after that trip. She very well could have died while still in the portal, or if by some luck of hers she's still alive, she won't have the energy to return. "There still may be a chance," The Jabbawock smiled cruelly, "she's dead. Either way, she's not in Wonderland, and won't be for a while. So go to the Role-holders and introduce yourself as the new Dodo. Even if we don't have her clock right now, your appearance should be all they need to believe she's dead. Then you'll need to be ever vigilant to if she returns. If so, kill her upon sight." The Jabbawock ordered.
Jericho got up into a kneeling position. "Whatever you command, Master, I shall see it through."
"Good." The Jabbawock snapped his fingers and the red and black vortex returned. "Now go."
Jericho stood and nodded, before running into the dimension portal.
"The bird better be dead. And if not. I'll make sure she wished she'd died today." The Jabbawock vowed to himself and the empty room, that was still stained with The Dodo's blood.
DODO
Adam woke up, and felt no heat beside him. He reached his hand over to his wife's side of the bed, and felt nothing. He looked over, and saw that it was untouched. She didn't come to bed at all last night. He walked into the guest room to see his wife slumped over on the bed, still sitting in the chair. Though, unlike before, the little girl was fully awake, and looking quizzically at his wife. She was petting Carol's head, as if comforting her. She looked up at him as he stepped inside the room.
"She's been crying." The little girl says looking back at Carol.
"Yes. She was very concerned for you." He said. Then gently shook Carol to wake her up.
"Hmm. What? Five more minutes, Adam." She said sleepily. She unlike him, was off for the summer. She was an English professor at the college in town, but had chosen not to teach during the summer.
"Carol. She's awake." Adam became a little rougher, knowing she'd bite his head off if he didn't wake her up.
"Huh?" Carol sat straight up and looked at the little girl, who was sitting there looking at her. Again, Carol thought about what a pretty teal blue color the girl's eyes were.
"So, who are you two? And where am I?" The little girl to their surprise wasn't afraid.
"I'm Carol, and this is my husband, Adam. You're at our house." She tells the little girl. "What's your name?"
The little girl blinked, and looked around the room.
"Don't you know?" Adam asked.
"Ummm. At the moment. No. It's something with a D. That's all I can remember." She says, a little worried by this realization.
"Do you remember anything about what happened to you?" Carol asked.
The little girl bit her lip and shook her head.
"Okay. Well, your name starts with a D. Maybe, if we guess it, you'll remember it. So, is it Daisy?" Carol asked.
The little girl made a face. "No."
"Deborah?" Adam asked.
Another face. "Uh, no."
"DeeDee?" Carol guessed.
"No."
They tried a few more times, but couldn't guess it.
"Hmm. Well, I need to go get ready. I'll leave you two to the name game." Adam says, and kisses his wife on the forehead, and heads out the door.
"Wait." The little girl calls. He turns to see she stood up on the bed. "Thank you. For helping me. You saved me, didn't you?" She asks.
"Really you don't need to thank me." Adam says and goes to get ready for work.
"Well, how about we watch a movie, and I'll make us some breakfast?" Carol asked.
The little girl smiled and nodded.
"Okay, let's go see what movies we have for kids." Carol offered the little girl her hand.
She took it, a little hesitant at first.
It took a couple of minutes, but Carol found one of the few kid movies they owned. Scooby Doo and the Cyber Chase, it was one of Carol's younger cousin's favorite movies, so they had bought it to have when she stayed over with them. She started the movie for the girl and went into the kitchen to make Adam some toast, eggs, and coffee before he left. She had just started frying the eggs and popped the bread into the toaster, when she heard the girl yell, "THAT'S IT!"
Carol ran into the living room, "What?!" She was frightened by the girl's sudden outburst.
"My name! It's Daphne!" Daphne said proudly.
Adam had also heard the girl yell. "What's going on?" He still had half his face covered in shaving cream.
"My name is Daphne, like her." Daphne repeated her discovery, this time pointing towards the red-headed member of the Mystery Inc. gang on the TV.
Adam sighed that nothing was actually wrong, and brought his hand up to his cheek without thinking. His hand went right onto the shaving cream side of his face. Carol laughed as he moved his hand away and looked at his cream covered hand.
"What's that?" Daphne asked, coming closer for a better look.
"Shaving cream. I put it on my face, so when I shave it makes it easier to get a more even and clean shaven face." Adam informed her.
"Oh." Daphne said, still looking inquisitively at the mysterious white stuff.
"I'm going to go finish shaving? Is breakfast almost done?" Adam asked Carol.
"OH NO! The food!" Carol said before running back into the kitchen, Adam and Daphne close behind. The eggs were completely burnt and smoking, and the toast had popped up slightly burnt, due to the timer on the toaster.
Daphne blinked at the scene. Why does this feel familiar somehow? Was my mother a bad cook like this woman, Carol? ...My mother... Who is my mother? Where is she? Why isn't she here with me?
"The toast isn't too bad. You'll still eat it, right?" Carol looked towards her husband, after taking care of the eggs and being able to inspect the damage done to the toast.
"Sure." Adam says, before heading back to the upstairs bathroom to finish his shave.
"The eggs are a hopeless cause, so I'll have to throw them away." Carol grumbled to herself and threw them away. When she turned, she saw Daphne looked a little upset. Oh my god. She is a bird, or part bird. And she just saw me throw away eggs. This might be awkward. "Are you upset about the eggs? I promise I won't waste anymore." Carol came closer to Daphne and looked her in the eyes.
"No. Things happen. It's not a big deal. It's just... I was thinking about my mom." Daphne informed Carol of her thoughts.
"Oh. Do you remember her?" Carol asked, her heart feeling heavy with the girl's impending answer.
"Not really. It's just when I think of her, I feel pain. I don't think I have a mom anymore." Daphne honestly answered, like any child would do.
"Really? What about your father?" Carol asked, now starting to feel hope.
"I feel absolutely nothing, when you ask about him. So he must not be in my life either." Daphne told her, tears starting to fall down her face. "I don't have anyone."
Carol pulled Daphne into her arms and hugged the little girl to her. "That's not true, Daphne. You have me and Adam. Would you like us to be your parents?" Carol asked her.
This wasn't something Daphne expected, yet it felt right to her. She nodded in Carol's arms. "Yes, I'd like that very much." Daphne then returned the hug.
Since Daphne was already crying and shaking. She was unable to realize that her answer had caused Carol to cry too; only Carol's tears were of happiness, at finally having a child to call her own.
DODO
(Back in Wonderland)
The Role-holders were leaving Clover Tower. Julius went back to work, right after waking up, though he thought it odd that he was taking a nap, and with the other Role-holders no less. Nightmare had decided to tag along to see what effect the medicine of Clover had on the Role-holders.
"Do any of you remember feeling tired?" Ace asked the group, as he strolled with his hands behind his head, at the front of his fellow Role-holders of Heart Castle.
"No, though it was odd." Peter answered, walking a little behind the queen, trying to keep from touching anyone. "The last thing I remember was having a cup of tea."
"Yes, that's all we remember, also. What were we all doing at Clover Tower anyway? I thought we were doing something else today?" Vivaldi said from the middle.
"Your guess is as good as mine, Your Majesty." Ace answered.
"Yes, well, anyone's guess would be better than yours, Knight." Peter replied.
"I thought we were supposed to play some game?" One of the twins, Dum asked of his group.
"What kind of game, Brother?" Dee asked his eyes sparkling at the thought of doing something fun.
"I can't recall. Something... what was it?" Dum asked out loud annoyed.
"Baseball?" Boris asked them, even though he wasn't walking within their Hatter group.
Those two syllables made every Role-holder stop and look at each other, as if there was something important they were all missing. They had now reached the opening of the forest.
"Does anyone else feel like there's something we're all missing?" Blood asked of all the present Role-holders.
"Yes, we feel the same way." Vivaldi answered her brother without fully thinking it through.
"Ummm. How about a someone, not a something?" Nightmare inquired his question to them.
"What are you asking us, Caterpillar?" Elliot asked him.
"I prefer the title-" As Nightmare was talking, there was a rustling in the nearby bushes, quieting him and drawing everyone's attention.
A boy a little older than most of them, but younger than Gowland and the Jokers appeared before them. He had dark brown hair and dark eyes. His clothes were simple enough, though what stood out about his appearance, were the eyes, and the goggles on top of his head. Also, that he had a shovel stood out, particularly to Nightmare, who was having some trouble reading his mind.
"Who are you?" The warden Joker asked.
"Name's Jericho Bermuda." The mystery boy answered.
"Not the answer I was looking for. When I ask you who, I mean what Role." The warden Joker took a few intimidating steps closer.
"The Dodo." Jericho stated.
All the Role-holders blinked at this answer. Some looked to others for their thoughts on the matter.
"No. You aren't The Dodo."Nightmare said firmly. "She isn't dead. We found no proof of that."
"Am I lying, Warden?" Jericho asked, in an almost taunting manner.
"I'm not getting anything. But I feel like you are. If you're a good enough liar you might be able to get a couple past me." The Joker says getting annoyed by the boy. "I agree with Nightmare. I don't think you're The Dodo either. You don't even look like a bird." Several of the other Role-holders chorused in agreement.
"And why are you carrying a shovel, chu~?" Pierce asked from his hiding spot behind Elliot.
"Because I plan to do things differently from the usual Dodo. I plan on starting my own group to rival that of the Hatters. So call me, Grave Digger, because I'm gonna put you ten feet under." The air of confidence he exuded was somewhat nauseating to most of the other Role-holders.
"Oh, really?" Blood came forward. "What if I shoot you, right here, right now? That would put a damper in those plans of yours, wouldn't they?"
"We're with ya, Boss!" The twins flanked Blood, axes at the ready.
"I thought I should just introduce myself, and let you all know what's going on. I'm not ready for a fight with you yet, Hatters. But don't worry. The day will come." Jericho says, before making a hasty exit.
"I don't like him." Blood spat, his eyes narrowed.
"I don't trust him." Nightmare said. Still trying to figure out why he couldn't get a clear read of his mind.
"We want him beheaded." Vivaldi answered, still looking in the direction of where the boy had disappeared from view.
"There's no way he could be the new Dodo. Even if it's the case, shouldn't the next Dodo still be a girl?" Boris asked of the group.
"Nothing here is making sense, where he's concerned." Gray spoke his feelings.
"Unless, its a new twist to the game?" Peter asked.
All the Role-holders were posed with quite the conundrum as to who was Jericho Bermuda. The only thing they were sure of, or at least, going to accept as fact, was that he was not the next Dodo.
So, Daphne's currently got amnesia, there's still a chance she might remember, but will something happen to completely make her forget who she really is? And with Daphne away, Jericho is at play; this could be a big diseaster for the Role-holders.
Dodo: I'm scared enough as it is. Daphne's currently forgotten me, and if she totally does...I don't know what I'm gonna do!
You'll still have me for company to watch over Daphne, if that's the case.
Dodo: Like I said. I'm scared!
Don't worry Dodo. Daphne may completely forget you, but she will one day get back to Wonderland where she belongs, and hopefully everything will work out when she gets there. (So you know: As long as Daphne has amnesia, she and Dodo are separate people.)
*Back to Reader* So let us know what you think so far of the story, in a review. As stated before, if anyone seems OOC, PLEASE let me know, because I will fix it! Also if you want to ask the Dodo any questions at all, leave a review. She has to answer anything you ask. Seriously, she does, if the previous two segments have not been proof enough for you.
So we'll see you again in chapter 7 where things are about to get even more hectic for Daphne!
Dodo: Oh no! I have a bad feeling about this.