Alice Quest - The Seven-Colored Puppeteer's Week v5

[Neovereign]

>Wave a hand. "Don't worry, it's just me. You've all done very well."

> The guards don't seem to budge from their defenses. A few do, though they return as they witness the others.
>_

[Hello Purvis]

>How well made were these card soldiers, compared to our current dolls?
>...Did we make them?

[Neovereign]

>How well made were these card soldiers, compared to our current dolls?
>...Did we make them?

> Well... They are pretty comparable to your regular dolls. Their firepower is higher than most of your dolls, but there isn't much to them past that. They are even pretty fragile, enough so that your dolls should be able to take them out before they can create a significant offense against you, should you attack. However, the Trump King would end up being more of a problem than the rest of the card soldiers.

> You feel like you remember making them... though if you had to guess, it was either partially Shinki or your Grimoire that helped. Given Makai's possession of materials with will of it's own, it could be that they were mainly from that too. They probably wouldn't be standing before you now, ready to fight with their own minds if you had made them fully. You haven't managed an independent doll yet, and these are acting on their own from what you can tell.
> Or perhaps, they are still just trying to defend your wonderland.
>_

[Hello Purvis]

>"It's okay, soldiers. It's just me, Alice."

[Neovereign]

>"It's okay, soldiers. It's just me, Alice."

> The soldiers stay ready...
> Though after a few moments, they seem to give in and part out of your way.
> They still focus on you, however...
>_

[Hello Purvis]

>Approach them in a our normal, causal manner.
>"I'm so proud of you guys."

[Neovereign]

>Approach them in a our normal, causal manner.
>"I'm so proud of you guys."

> The guards seem mostly placated... They are on edge, but they do not draw their weapons at you anymore.
>_

[Hello Purvis]

>Give one a friendly pat, then another.
>"You've been keeping the riff raff out all this time. You're such good guards!"

[Neovereign]

>Give one a friendly pat, then another.
>"You've been keeping the riff raff out all this time. You're such good guards!"

> Your actions calm the card soldiers even further. You don't expect them to mind if you pressed onward.
>_

[Hello Purvis]

>Be sure to give them all some friendly pats and congratulatory words. We really are proud of them! They're such early projects, but they're doing so well!
>Once that is done, proceed.

[Neovereign]

>Be sure to give them all some friendly pats and congratulatory words. We really are proud of them! They're such early projects, but they're doing so well!
>Once that is done, proceed.

> You praise each and every one of the card soldiers. There isn't an incredible amount of them, so you get done quickly.
> You travel further into your Wonderland. It feels as though you should have your eyes on your book, but the muscle memory isn't enough to do so instinctively - nor do you need its magic right now.
>_

[Hello Purvis]

>Let's just look around for now, we'll worry about books and such later.

[Neovereign]

>Let's just look around for now, we'll worry about books and such later.

> It seems pretty barren... The few creatures you do spot are simply other card soldiers. It looks a bit duller than you recall it being. The red terrain is simple, unkempt, and uninteresting. It's either your vision, or the sky is also somewhat red...
>_

[Hello Purvis]

>Let's examine the sky for a little bit, and see if it's red everywhere, or if it's patchy or if it's perhaps concentrated somewhere?

[Neovereign]

>Let's examine the sky for a little bit, and see if it's red everywhere, or if it's patchy or if it's perhaps concentrated somewhere?

> The color seems to be constant across the sky here. There aren't any notable dips or spikes in change either.
>_

[Hello Purvis]

>Could we reasonably expect a card soldier to be able to give us any details about the sky, or is that beyond them?

[Neovereign]

>Could we reasonably expect a card soldier to be able to give us any details about the sky, or is that beyond them?

> You don't expect them to be able to provide you any answers... though it shouldn't hurt to ask.
>_

[Hello Purvis]

>Find a soldier we feel can answer us well, and says, "The sky seems different since I've last been here. Do you know what has happened?"

[Neovereign]

>Find a soldier we feel can answer us well, and says, "The sky seems different since I've last been here. Do you know what has happened?"

> The soldier shrugs as best as it can without shoulders, before doing a... bowing motion? It points to it's head, putting a hand against the side of it and waving the hand pointed away from it. The soldier then crosses it's arms in an x formation, pointing to where you came from.
>_

[Hello Purvis]

>Glance back the way we came. "I think I understood you saying "Not this way"."

[Neovereign]

>Glance back the way we came. "I think I understood you saying "Not this way"."

> The card soldier points to one of it's colleagues, nodding. It then points to the way you came, then you, and shakes it's hea-... body.
> The soldier motions more card soldiers over, seemingly communicating with them, before they line up in a row where you can only see the front.
> The ones behind the front one hold their weapons, so as to have 3 jutting out and away from the soldier and to one side, and another 3 doing the same for the opposite side. It reminds you somewhat of arms, though they aren't using their own ones, for whatever reason.
>_

[Hello Purvis]

>"Someone with many arms?"

[Neovereign]

>"Someone with many arms?"

> The soldiers split apart, looking to each other. Perhaps they've given up?
> "Ah, you've wandered back to your world, I see." Shinki's voice descends from above.
> The card soldiers point towards Shinki, though quickly take a formal stance again.
>_

[Hello Purvis]

>...Try not to laugh now that we know what the "many arms" actually were.
>"It felt like the right thing to do. These little dears have been doing such a  diligent job in my absence!"

[Neovereign]

>...Try not to laugh now that we know what the "many arms" actually were.
>"It felt like the right thing to do. These little dears have been doing such a  diligent job in my absence!"

> You sigh internally...
> "I'm sorry I took so long, but the outcome became better than I expected♪"
> "Ah, you guys." Shinki looks back to the card soldiers, before turning to you again. "I had them help make sure your world was untouched by the rest of Makai. Though uh..." She looks around the area. "It looks like having no one to take care of it made a bit of things unwell, huh. I wanted it to be just the way you left it, which meant not even touching it myself, but look how it got, ehehe..." Shinki smiles a little, holding her hands together and averting her gaze from you.
>_

[Hello Purvis]

>"We'll figure out what to do with it. Now, better than expected, you say?"

[Neovereign]

>"We'll figure out what to do with it. Now, better than expected, you say?"

> "Oh, nothing much nothing much♪" Shinki smiles. "It'll be a surprise."
>_

[Hello Purvis]

>"Oh dear..."

[Neovereign]

>"Oh dear..."

> "There's nothing to worry about, dear."
>_

[Hello Purvis]

Is it possible that we can continue this on the new forum?