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As the group was preparing to depart Wonderland, Branch Nose looked mournful as Gaia and Connie approached the tall tree, and bid her farewell. He frowned as his consciousness returned from the small sapling that now stood by him, and tears of sap dripped from his eyes.

“Gaia, Connie…Thank you, but I must decline. I am truly grateful for letting this old, withering tree experience life like never before. To walk as humans do, and to experience an adventure that thrilled the roots and shook the leaves like a storm. However, it has been enough excitement for several lifetimes. Maybe it is because I am a tree, but in truth, I desire a peaceful life, one where the day arrives and sets as it does, and the seasons pass as they do, and breeze passes ever so gracefully. But even so…” He then lowered down to his knees, and bowed his head in both reverence and gratitude. “...I will treasure these moments with you for as long as I live. Goodbye, Blessed Gaia, and Goodbye, Sacred Connie. May you ever walk forward towards the light of hope.”

As Lily walked alongside Alex and the others through the Bastion to the command room, she found herself looking at the corridors and hallways with a sense of subdued reminiscence, wondering about how much it must have changed since the days when it was used to rescue her from Justine’s clutches. As those memories poured back, she noticed the sense of unease to Alex: she realized he must still be blaming himself for Amber’s death, and she frowned. She wanted him to move on, to keep living without regret, as that is what the plucky pirate girl would have surely wanted. However, she knew she couldn’t force anyone to feel something else. She reached out, hesitating, and spoke:
[color=fff200]”Hey, Alex…It’s okay. We’ll fix this, I know it. I’ll find a way.”[/color]

The Cheshire Cat seemed surprised by the number of Pennybots that had quickly moved to her vicinity. “Of course! Is something wrong?” She asked in return as she followed the duplicate to a private room, seemingly oblivious to the faux pas she had committed. Once the group had passed, the cat flap remained: it meowed and flashed every five minutes or so, seemingly for the remaining Mahou like the twins to find it.

At the command room, Penny showed the state of Penrose, causing Lily to gasp and Rachel to nod with a scowl.
[color=bc8dbf]”I concur with Alicia,”[/color] Justine spoke.
[color=bc8dbf]”However, I won’t allow this city to become another Bolorton. I will go and intercept the invaders with Caroline,”[/color] she finally spoke through grit teeth. Caroline nodded wordlessly.
Lily, however, wasn’t convinced.
[color=fff200]”But now there’s even more than back then. If you go there, you’ll-”[/color]

[color=bc8dbf]”Lily, please don’t stop me,”[/color] Justine spoke, and reached up to touch Lily’s shoulder, causing the green-eyed girl to blink.

[color=bc8dbf]”As much as I would love to run away to Silverburg with my sister and leave all this animosity and doubt behind, I know that is not an option. We’ll stay and fight. It’s the least we can do, now that the play is reaching its third act.”[/color]
She gave an encouraging smile to Caroline, and surprisingly she also gave a mild smile.

Lily sighed, and shook Justine’s hand. [color=fff200]”Very well then. But you need to promise me you won’t die.”[/color]

Justine shook the hand back, a confident grin showing her sharp canines on her lips.

[color=bc8dbf]”I solemnly swear. Justine von Visceral shall not fall tonight!”[/color] 

Rachel sighed. ”Alicia, we need to round up the local Beacon chapter for defense of the city. I will organize the Ascendancy. Elora will prime the teleporters for rapid delpoyment.”

[hr]
“Haaah!?” Tsuki yelped as she was yanked like a hook in a vaudeville show. “What now?” She crossed her arms with a miffed look as she was brought back to Chloe, who offered a glimpse through her crystal orb. By that point Hudie had noticed Tsuki wasn’t following and jumped back to also witness the orb-projected view of the barrier having become broken, followed by Wonderland troopers marching into the city, seemingly heading towards Covington Tower.
“Covington Tower? Why would they want to claim that place first?” Tsuki asked. Hudie, however, placed a finger to her chin in thought.
“It seems they might want a vantage point…Or there is something else to the place that is of value. In any case, we should check it out.” Tsuki nodded, she turned to Chloe. “You know, instead of grabbing me with a tendril, you could just send a text message.”

[hr]
The Queen of Hearts smiled widely as she saw her forces head off to conquer the city, and turned back only to see Mariette captured by Mika, and suffering.

“ALICE!” She howled from outrage. She summoned her weapon, and pointed it at Mika despite Mariette’s warning: not even her words would prevent the enraged queen from parting shoulders with what they held up. However, something else did, something she didn’t expect: Su announced that she would rescue Mariette, and Mika responded that they would fight observing the rules of battle. The queen’s formerly wrathful expression slacked, and her eyes stared into the distance, past Mika, as if she was looking at something else. Her purple eye was glowing: Mariette recognized it as the queen using her powers. But what was she doing exactly was a mystery, until she finally spoke:

“The first rule of battle: if one Knight hits the other, he knocks him off his horse, and if he misses, he tumbles off himself. The second rule of battle: You hold your clubs with your arms as if you were Punch and Judy. What a noise you shall make when you tumble! Just like a whole set of fire-irons falling into the fender! The horses are quiet! They let you get on and off them just as if they were tables!”

She then slowly swung the Storyslayer, and a large portal emerged, the other side showing a jousting arena, and two armored horses as well as two suits of armor, one red and one white, and similarly colored lances and clubs.
“The third rule of battle: always fall on your head. The battle ends when you both fall. Now then, prepare for battle!” Mika had discovered another weakness to the Queen: that she would follow the manuscript to the Alice in Wonderland when given enough prompting. But how far and how long would remain to be seen, as the mad queen grew jittery, waiting for Su and Mika to continue enacting their parts as the Red Knight and White Knight.