Location: The Tea Table, Wonderland
According to the White Rabbit, this habit of documenting events of importance will be beneficial to the society of the future. I can’t say that I care much about society, future or otherwise… but I care a great deal about getting the White Rabbit off my back. And so I take pen to paper once again to document the events that led up to the Halloween War of 2012.Autumn had arrived and, with it, the permission to consume gratuitous amounts of pumpkin spiced teas and treats. With the weather crisp and cool, my thoughts had turned away from adventuring and towards eating good food in good company.
At least, that was the plan; it turns out that things wouldn’t go that perfect, wonderful way.
It started at the tea table, as it always seems to; my baked goods were arranged in a pleasing way, and I had just poured a cup of piping hot tea into my newest china cup. My anticipation for enjoying a quiet evening was high, so when I heard the sound of foreign footsteps, it made me pause. There isn’t much that can make me pause from my tea, but something about the sound of these footsteps demanded it. My long ears twitched forward and my nose lifted; the footsteps were heavy but lilting and, though my eyes remain covered for the safety of all around me, I knew a stranger when I heard one. Male; I could tell by the heaviness of his steps and of his breath. He paused at the foot of my sprawling tea table; I lowered my cup with a soft clink and turned my face his way as if I really could see him.
“Can I help you?” I asked.
“Huh. So you can see.” he said, grinning slightly as he swiped a thumb across the scruff of a beard on his chin. I didn’t answer him, so he took that as a prompt to continue. “You the March Hare?”
“I am…”
“Good. My name is Franco; I’m here as a representative of Don Kuro.”
“Ahhh… Franco the Fish. It has been some time since a dark elf has graced my table; I was beginning to think that someone had warned your sort away from my teas.” I responded lightly. I’d heard of the Dark Elves, whispered rumors, mostly… their plight had always been of little interest to me. The Don was of considerable power in the underworld which, since my reform, is a world away from Wonderland. We have our own wickedness here, thank you very much. So it was immediately obvious that this was not a visit of pleasure; if someone representing himself as one of Don Kuro’s court was here, it was for business purposes. “But that just makes this a pleasant surprise. What does your Don want of me to go to the trouble of sending a representative of such notoriety?”
“Heh… we’re looking for soldiers for a good cause.”
“Soldiers?” I’ll admit, that answer caught me off guard.
“Let me explain.” he said, sliding his hands into his pockets with a little smirk on his lips. “Many regard our people, the Dark Elves, as criminals and cave-dwellers. In truth, our honorable clan was forced underground by the prejudices of the outside world. In his long years of exile, our beloved Don Kuro has grown into a wise and kindhearted leader. Soon, the divine forces that shape our world will bless him with the power to emerge from the underground and unite all people to create a more perfect world. Under the benevolent guidance of Don Kuro, a new era of peace and prosperity will dawn.”
Hidden beneath my blindfold, an eyebrow lifted. Don Kuro, a ‘kindhearted’ leader? Not likely, were my sources to be believed. And –what was said?—‘divine forces’ stepping forward to guide him? The divine powers of Gaia were widely known, but generally benevolent from my experience. However, for such a force to stand behind the Don, the king of organized crime in his city, it would have to be a deity with morals just as shifty as the one who invokes him. But before all else, the idea that the Don would be some world-reviving leader sat badly with me. I like to think that it would sit badly with me even without my horrid history with the Heart Monarchy to make me biased.
“Ah… that sounds like quite the plan. Very dramatic. So, what’s stopping you from calling on this divine force and emerging from the underground? I would think no one would linger there a moment longer than necessary.”
“It isn’t as easy as you seem to think it sounds. The change Don Kuro craves won’t come without a struggle.” Franco countered, a hard edge entering his voice as he explained. “The villains and vermin of the underworld, the lowly vampires who feed on the innocent, have banded together to destroy Don Kuro and crush the dream of a divinely-ordained kingdom of justice and harmony.”
“Vampires?” I repeated, surprised once again. I have never been a fan of the vampire clans; it was an idle distaste in the beginning, developed into an active dislike by the Frontier Skies effort to save that Jelly God. I can’t say that I hate the creatures, but I am admittedly biased against them; were I have to thought ahead of a species to stand up against the suspicious efforts of the Don to assert his dominance, the vampire people would not have been my immediate idea of champions. In retrospect, perhaps it makes sense; what does one shifty organization detest more than a competing shifty organization, I wonder?
“Vampires.” Franco spat out the word in a little sneer. “Ones that served our Don, no less; they are as traitorous a creature as ever lived. Violent, traitorous scum… but I don’t have to tell someone such as yourself about the dark nature of the vampires.” Franco’s eyes darted to my form, the annoyance fading from his tone and a crafty light entering his golden eyes. “You have actively battled vampires in the past; they are no friends of yours. Were you not attacked by a vampire once? Victimized by a vampire once?” I could feel his gaze drop to my exposed neck, and I no longer battled back a scowl. How much did the Dark Elves know about me? And –better question—who among them had been keeping such close tabs on me, and to what purpose? “That’s why the Don sent me to see you personally. Your special talents… he sees them as imperative to our cause… a great honor, of which I hope you understand the gravity. We ask for your help in fighting this vampire menace; all who pledge their loyalty will be cherished citizens of the Don's new world. Those who side with the vampires will be cast out of our kingdom forever. Join us and secure your place in the new world.” he finished with a flourish.
He held out his hand, and a second of silence passed; I didn’t take it.
“A new world, huh?” I murmured.
“A new world.” Franco affirmed, keeping his hand extended. He was a stubborn one; I’d have liked him, if not for all the crazy he’d just been spewing.
“Every time I hear someone speak of a new world, it’s always said with such optimism… like a child writing letters to Santa. It’s sweet in an almost sentimental way. Unfortunately, it isn’t a way that has ever resonated well with me.” I replied lightly. “It might, were these ‘new worlds’ not always the same sort of world: totalitarian rule under whoever feels the most victimized… or, more accurately, the most entitled to authority. There is no true drive for equality behind the Don’s offer; just acquisition of power.” Franco’s expression slowly hardened, and his offered hand finally began to lower. “In general, I never take sides in wars like these. They are petty, and gang infighting is a waste of my time. But if you insist… if your Don insists on his grab for power… then I will be forced to stand in opposition.”
“…think very carefully before you finish that thought, Hare.” Franco warned in a soft growl. He stepped closer, standing close to my chair. The dark elf leaned closer, bracing his hands on the arm of my chair and leaning down to my level, invading my space in a move clearly meant to be intimidating. I could feel his breath rustling my bangs gently, could feel that penetrating gaze boring into the barrier between my eyes and his. He was hoping I would quell, perhaps, or flinch and apologize; I did neither. This is nowhere near as intimidating as some of my Wonderlandian companions, after all. “Refusal will earn you a very dangerous enemy.”
“Hm. Clearly, whoever did their research on me didn’t look back far enough. Had they done so, your Don would have known ahead of time that I would refuse an offer such as his. If there is one thing I hate, it’s running out of tea. If there is another thing I hate, it’s a dictatorship. Whether it be those Queens that attempt to exert their rule in my world, or the Don seeking to dominate yours, I refuse to support them. You can tell the Don this, word for word… and, hopefully his information will be more in depth than your own to spare him any surprise.”
“I could kill you where you sit for such a disrespectful statement.”
“You could try.”
For a long moment, only tense silence reigned. And then Franco’s breath left him heavily, and he rocked back from me, his movements fluid and dismissive. “Tch, suit yourself. I’m sure it will be no great loss. I have countless others to seek out for aid; others far more powerful than yourself.”
“I’m sure. And, really, good luck with that.” I replied calmly, lifting my tea and sipping at the contents… which had started to become unpleasantly cool, I’m unhappy to report.
“Tch.” he sucked at his teeth again. “Suit yourself.” Franco moved to turn away, but paused before he got far. He looked back my way for a moment, then spoke bluntly. “You’ll be killed for this, you know.”
“Perhaps.” I replied with a sweet smile. “Have a pleasant hunt, Mr. Fish.”
I can’t stay for sure how long he stood there, but eventually his footsteps shuffled away, and the silence returned.
Perhaps this meeting will result in nothing; there are many mad, rebel groups that try to force their way to power, after all. But it left me with a strange feeling, and the future spelled out in my tea leaves did nothing but reinforce it. I will keep my ears up; I want no part in any war, but if war there be, I just might find out how well the Don takes rejection personally.
