Chapter 2

This is no Rabbit Hole

-~:{+}:~-

{I think I might just be sick…}

Never being one for heights, the feeling of falling certainly wasn't something Elise was accustomed too, while tumbling down a deep abyss. For a moment, she could've sworn she saw some sort of miasma, but in the end it was brushed off after she gets tossed out onto a cold, tile floor. Looking around, she noticed that she was in the library, but it wasn't the same as the one she saw everyday. Everything was so ornate and even the lighting was different. Not a grey sky with an oncoming sunset. Morning came from windows above the shelves. Even the scent varied from her local library. Snapping herself out of this simple fascination with the unfamiliar area, the girl turned around and placed her palms upon their cold reflection.

"Wait, what! What the hell just happened? I can't possibly be in the same library. But- but, I can't just wind up somewhere else."

Frantically scanning the glass for some sort of information, it remained silent. Saying "Mirror, mirror" didn't help either.

{You've got to be kidding me…}

Hearing a tapping sound from the direction of a window, Elise made a final glance at her reflection. Curious as to the sound, she wandered in a daze towards it's origin. There rested a little bird, trying to get to a bit of seed that was on the inside of the sill.

"Oh, is this what you want? Here you go."

Opening the window startled the bird. Watching the cardinal fly away gave Elise a bit of disappointment. Yet any thoughts from beforehand evaporated. The scenery. It was the scenery beyond the window.

"No no no no no! That can't be right! There is no way that's right!"

Not that there wasn't much else to notice from such a location. Not but a land unfamiliar. A land quite unusual. On the two opposing ends of the country, there stood two palaces. Contrasting yet complimentary. Clean, sparkly white vs a deep, pulsating red. There were patches of lands in-between, the land itself alternating between light and dark, an unmistakable checkerboard patter. Elise didn't know what to make of this, her boots making barely a tap against the stone floor. First left. Then right. A moment later she whisked around and weaved around the maze of bookshelves. Like light at the end of a tunnel, there was an opening, almost round walkway like area, bookshelves one side, railing on the other. The elliptical opening beyond the chest-high railing showed just how many floors there were. Very balcony-like it felt, with almost completely oval railings, except for one portion. There was one tall, stone, bookshelf wall that went the entire way upward, until it meet a huge domed window, aged yellow, allowing warm sunlight to reflect off the dust in the air, yet one's eyes wouldn't be blinded from starring. Natural light akin to an oil painting by the great masters. Such an expansive feeling. So warm the atmosphere was. Quiet, and gentle, but with a grand splendor as well. Despite the size, however, any notable signs of life were absent inside the building.

"What is this place."

Whispering with an exhaled breath, Elise leaned over the railing. The library proved so beautiful and fascinating to her. So many little details. This environment definitely left a burning impression. Eyes swimming in the depth of details, Elise became enthralled in the richness of it all. Savoring it, her heart jumped at the stern sound from behind.

"What are you doing here?"

Behind her, a man stood. A glare pierced behind spectacles, arms heavily slamming a stack of books on a nearby table. Elise thought she caught an eye twitch.

"Well answer me. What are you doing here?"

"Oh, I um… Just got a little lost now… I'm just gonna try to head on home now." stuttered Elise, trying to come up with a quick excuse. For years she convinced herself she was good at creating pretty convincing bullshit.

Attempting to avoid the stare of the brown-haired man, Elise scanned for a door, but only saw shelves and a long, long drop over the railing.

"It's difficult to travel this far astray. Whose pawn are you?"

"Uhhm. Pawn? I don't belong to anybody."

Raising an eyebrow at the response, the man observed Elise, but mostly her face. Suspicion crept into his voice.

"Tell me again. Who are you and why are you here?"

"I already told you, I just got a little lost-"

"Enough. You seem a bit more than just a 'little lost,' don't you agree?"

Peering beyond his glasses, he had a very serious air about this situation, in contrast to Elise's stuttering confusion. Turing to the stack of books on the table, the stranger pulled out an old tome, skimming through portions. While doing so, he continued to inquire, gold eyes flicking up at her every few moments.

"So, what is your name?"

"E-Elise. Elise Tenniel"

"Well then, Tenniel. Do you even known where you are?"

"Like I said before, I'm lost."

"I'm sure you can still conclude that you're in a library though. D you know what that means, perhaps?"

{What kind of question is that?}

A raised eyebrow directed at him for a few moments, the tome shut in a single motion.

"Judging from you're reaction, you probably don't even know what country you're in. Do you?"

With such a rude tone, this guy just started to test her nerves. "Well you keep asking me question after question. How 'bout an answer?"

"You're in the Land of Mirrors. Understand that much? I'm assuming you're a foreigner. If so, then tell me how you got here in the first place."

"Wait… what? Land of Mirrors?"

{He can't be serious. What kind of shit is this guy trying to pull? Then again, that window… What was up with that scenery porn. The hell? Am I in another world, like in something fictional? All I did was fall asleep and-}

"Can you answer my question now?"

"A tad impatient, aren't you? It was the mirror over there, if you must know."

Scoffing at the girl's response, he quickly headed towards the floor mirror being gestured at, examining it. Seeing nothing unusual, Elise shoved him a bit when trying to find for herself what may have led her here.

"Well, however you got here, I have no way of sending you back. And I have no intention of allowing you to remain here."

"So, wait? You're just going to throw me out with no explanation!? I have no concept of what's happening or what type of place I'm really in-"

"Not my problem. The exit's down those stairs and to the right."

{Damnit. There's probably no use to argue with this guy. I'll retreat for today.}

Following the direction he gestured, she trudge out of the grand library. Opening the large doors, bright sunlight blinded her eyes. She was in a garden. A garden on a hill, filled with various kinds of flowers. Tiger-lilies. Roses. Daisies. Violets. Staring at the blossoms, this artist could only wish her sketchbook with her.

{Wait a minute, why am I being distracted at a time like this.}

Walking towards a rightward path, Elise decided to look for someone, anyone, at least a bit more pleasant than that man. The field was larger than expected, and after walking down the path for so long, she collapsed by the path's edge, marked by the transition from cleanly-cut grass to flowers. Soon, a quite crunch of grass was heard heading in her direction. A figure clothed in red soon appeared over the ridge. This woman had long, charcoal hair, straight and dark. With a crown resting upon her head, Elise assumed that she must have been some sort of royalty, recalling the two grand palaces she saw from the window. Dusting off her skirt and standing, her eyes followed the stranger as the royal passed her a few paces then turned precisely 180 degrees, as if she took a few seconds to process the information.

"Young Miss, just what are you doing standing around in the middle of a field?"

"Oh, well, I'm just a little lost."

"Lost, you say? Well, you are heading towards my territory."

"You're territory?"

"Hmm. Did you not realize? I am the Red Queen, Valse."

"The, Red Queen?" Elise repeated in a puzzled tone.

"You act as if confused."

"Maybe a tad."

The royal studied the girl, form her short hair to manner of dress. "Are you, a foreigner… Perhaps?"

"I suppose I am. I have no clue as to where I am, or what kind of place this is."

A bit amused by the scenario, the crimson queen motioned for Elise to walk alongside her, in the direction of the library.

"Tell me, what is your name?"

"Elise Tenniel"

"Well, Miss Tenniel, welcome to the Land of Mirrors. If you don not mind me asking, are there any games you like to play?"

"Games? I'm not quite sure what you mean?"

"Games such as card games. Or better yet, perhaps board games."

"Well, I don't play as many as I once did, I suppose. I used to play games like card games, or go, maybe… I did use to play some chess when I was younger."

Thinking back on her gaming expertise, most of what she recalled at first tended to be more along the lines of video games. Going even further back, there was good-old-fashioned Pokemon Red, and Yu-Gi-Oh cards. Monopoly too. She doubted another world would have a game with J.P. Morgan as the character on the board though. Elise and her father had played quite a few proper board games, especially chess. Chess used to be her favorite, even being part of the chess club at one point. Elise didn't stick for too long, however. They were so serious and wouldn't let her play the different variations of chess that she much preferred, like Alice Chess or Fairy Chess. Even pretending to be part of Wizard Chess was cool too. Of course, the queen did not need to know this. Normally Elise would prove to be one of the most talkative people around, but only if someone else would initiate of conversation. But this talkative person kept her mouth shut for once.

"Miss Tenniel, may I offer you a proposition, then?"

"A proposition?"

"Yes. Perhaps you would like to join me in a game?"

A game? What kind of game?"

"You could state it similar to a chess match. If you can become one of the White Queen's pawns, I will offer you a promotion to one of my pieces after you reach the proper rank."

Pondering the offer, Elise couldn't help but let her mind wonder just exactly what sort of world she had fallen into. Continuing their even gait towards the library, the pair stopped at the crossroads near the front gate.

"I'm sorry, your Majesty, but I'll have to decline the offer."

{I can't get stuck in any affairs here. I need to find a way home.}

"Is that so? Such a shame. Well, I am to depart here. I hope we shall meet again."

Retreating into the library, the monarch entered the structure, whilst Elise, deciding to opt for a differing round, took the path leftward, towards white territory.

Notes: Yay~ Chapter 2. Well, it'll be interesting to figure out how this game will play out, shall it not? Here you're introduced to a librarian and the Red Queen, as well as the land itself.

References: Elise was asleep before falling through the mirror, meaning she passed the dream realm, as Alice did, referenced by the miasma that briefly appears, just like it did when Alice and Peter fell down the rabbit hole. The library is like the original Looking-Glass house in that is where Elise first arrives.There's her chanting "Mirror Mirror" like the Evil Queen from Snow White.

Plenty of chess references will be here, but of course many standard rules will be ignored, since they're kinda impossible to have. Alice and Fairy chess are real versions of chess, and kinda weird ones at that. And any Harry Potter fan would pick up on the Wizard's Chess. Games in general are referenced, both real and the whole "Wonderland has rules" thing, and yes, J.P. Morgan, 19th century business man who helped start General Electric Power Company, was the basis for the Monopoly man. Imagine Valse with an accent. Slightly English, but not completely. Sort of like the computer from Courage the Cowardly Dog, where it's just enough to be condescending. Scenery Porn is a trope. In the original "Through the Looking Glass" Looking Glass land was separate from the Wonderland that Alice initially encounters, and the Red Queen is encountered in the garden.