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AN ENCOURAGING DRINK

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A knock on the office's door distracted Julius from how unproductive and indecisive he was being.

He felt as lost as Ace. Despite wanting to do something, everything, for her; now that he remembered all that had happened to her, he also considered that perhaps he had done enough damage already. How can he help now? Was there anything he could really do to make things better? Specially after he had betrayed her little trust? For Wonderland's sake! He had practically the hardcore mercenary cry!

The mortician groaned and opened the door. Gowland stood outside with a couple bottles of expensive liquor in his hands.

Julius saw the bottles and didn't need to ask but did so anyways.- "What are you doing here?"

The marquis just walked pass him inside the office and made his way towards the coffee table where he put the bottles, and then sat down on the couch- "Lands just changed and I decided to pay you a visit."- He adjusted his glasses -" I also heard some interesting rumors and I think you need a drink, Julius."

"Rumors? The usual surely. No need for your concern." - Julius was 'the mortician', there were all sort of rumors about him, there was nothing new to that. He simply wasn't liked.

"But these rumors are different." - Gowland went to get a couple glasses from a cabinet and then served the drinks. " These rumors are about a mysterious second foreigner and about you hurting her so bad that she jumped through a window." - Gowland patted the couch to motion Julius to sit down - "The land barely moved a couple time changes ago and the rumors already reached the Amusement Park. Care to tell me about it?"

Julius's fingers traced his jaw. It was still sore. He eyed the glass of booze and went to sit at the couch. Taking out the glass from Gowland's hand, he gave it a long sip. He did need that drink. - "I don't know where to start." - He had indeed harmed her. The emotionally strongest person he had ever known. Wasn't she supposed to be emotionless? Wouldn't that had been better? For her to be impossible to get hurt...and she had almost cried. He had almost made the mercenary that had battled and defeated the dreaded Jabberwock cry.

"Wow! You're actually gonna tell so easily! It must have been really bad then."-Gowland was genuinely surprised and worried, but even more interested and eager to know. Julius hadn't even argued! -"Why don't you start with there being a second foreigner?" -Gowland took a sip from his own drink and glanced sideways at the clock master. -" I mean, a second foreigner! And when another game is going on. That's amazing and unusual."

Julius inhaled deeply and took another sip of the inebriating liquid. - "There is no other game going on. It's Aria's. Alice's game ended a while ago."

Gowland almost choked with his drink - "What!?"

Julius pinched the brick of his nose. He was beginning to feel the effects of the alcohol, and unlike Ace, he was a lightweight when it came to liquor. - "Yes. Aria's been here for months." -Julius gulped down the whole glass and served himself another one. -"The storm made us forget all about her."

"Aria?" - Gowland took another sip and observed Julius. The mortician looked pretty down and gloomy even for his normal depressive self. As for himself…Well, he had seen a bunch of weird changes. The outsiders had the capacity to bring and cause chance, for good or for bad, even in them holders, and if the rumors were true, Julius was very ahead in this new game. But he had also stood a big chance in Alice's game. It seemed that the mortician was natural foreigner magnet.- "Now tell me seriously Julius. What happened? This is the second foreigner you lose." -He opened the second bottle and prepared to listen.

"I know that."- Julius took a few seconds to breath, and maybe thanks to the alcohol's influence, he began to talk and told the marquise about the second foreigner and her game before the storm during her stay in Hearts and Clover, however he didn't mention Diamond or beyond, but he shared how she had carried herself with composure and dignity despite learning they had forgot about her, how she had valiantly gone on her own, how she had saved him from that ambush at her own risk, or how she had made a deal with him at the tower and how he had accidentally pushed her aside when he regained his memories and Alice appeared, leading up to her entering Clover and jumping down a window.

Gowland wristlet. It was almost unbelievable, but the amazing technology that had appeared at the amusement park after the storm that he couldn't recall existing before was proof enough; now he knew who the real responsible for that was. This foreigner was something else for what Julius said. She seemed interesting. Foreigners always were, but this one seemed to have a bigger impact than expected, and Julius's mental as well as physical state was the result of it. - "And you aren't going to do anything?"

Julius set his hand over his eyes.- "There's nothing to do. "

Gowland served the next glass.-"You could try to search her out and explain. Or better yet. Apologize and tell her what you feel." - By how affected the man was and the way he spoke about her, to Gowland it was plain that the mortician was in love and just about to lost this foreigner too. - "Will you just allow her time to end, Master of Time? If so at least go and tell her. Your self pitying is quite pathetic. If you got the girl this time then fight for her. That's what the game is about."

Julius covered his eyes with his palm. - "You don't remember this foreigner. She is different than Alice. She won't care or ever forgive …We'll never find her if she doesn't want to be found… It's lost Gowland. I lost her. We all di... "

"Does she 'wants' or 'NEEDS' to be found, Julius?" - Gowland took another shot himself. He didn't like that defeated attitude. Much less when the rare opportunity of a second game was gave to them. Maybe he didn't remember, but Julius did and that set him heads up in the game, specially when the season of dangers was about to start. - "The lands are already shifting. You know what that means. April's season will begin again and maybe that'll be the end. "

"Fool's season!" -Julius was the one who almost choke on his drink this time. He coughed and felt quite dizzy, but as his eyes widened he still stood up; still, his mind was still clear enough to recognize the treats. Now Aria was the start of the game. Her game had been going on for too long and Wonderland would do something about it. The fool's season was about to start, and that mean she would be the target.

Gowland smiled at Julius's realization and recognition of the situation. - "Is there really no clue where she might be? Or anyone that might now?"- It would be nice to help a friend of himself that would take this foreigner away from the clutches of the hatters or the castle.

While trying to keep his balance as he paced around, Julius thought about it. Maybe he had no idea where to look out for her, but he remembered that during the last event of the Amusement Park, the karaoke night, she was apparently following someone else's orders beside her deal with the role holders to get to Alice. If she had, then he could find the person she was following orders from during that night. -"Gowland, can I ask you a favor?"

"Oh? You must be really serious about this girl if you are actually asking for favors." -Gowland stood up and gave a couple pads in the back to Julius.

"I am."- He needed to find her first and before anything, one way or another no matter what. Then… then he'd think of something. But he'd bring her back.- "I want you to find out all we were not seeing during your last event. There might be recordings or reports about who was giving the orders to Aria and the faceless that fought the attackers. " -If Gowland could find that, then they would have a clue as to Aria's past alliance and where she might hide.

"Sure thing Julius." - Gowland agreed and headed back to the park to make his friend that favor.

Julius followed Gowland outside. He had to try any other options too; so he left, stumbling a little in his semi-drunken state, towards where he could interact with the times past and see what times were connected with her. That was bending the rules too much but maybe it could work. No more would he hesitate. Her game had to end.

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A little drink for courage and now Aria aint the only one drunk . Ace is probably gonna have fun with that. But at least Julius is finally going to act no matter what. He's even willing to bend the rules now OoO But he better make haste. April's season is starting.