Into the World of Twisted Wonderland Pt 2

🐰 (EVENT STORY) White Rabbit Fest: Chapter 4 🐰

"So when's this Rabbit Run?" Grim asks.

"At 3:30. About an hour from now," Deuce answers.

"That soon?" Epel asks in slight shock. "Do we still have time to enter?!"

"Yeah, registration is open until 30 minutes before the event starts."

"The festival committee want to make sure that as many teams as possible have a chance to enter!" Dylla adds.

"All right, let me fill you in on the details," Deuce starts. "As I mentioned, it's a four-person relay race. But beyond that, there are some particular rules we have to follow. Rule number one: all participants...must wear rabbit ears."

"Weird," Epel sighs.

"The race honors the White Rabbit that ran around day and night in service of the Queen of Hearts. So as a homage, the participants wear ears to look like him."

"...That's the excuse, anyway," Dylla adds. "I think its just because it looks funny."

"Oh, that makes sense," Epel says.

"Good thing we're already wearing ears," Silver states.

"Rule number two: instead of passing a baton...runners pass a bugle."

"How...unique," Ortho states with hesitation.

"Never hearda nothin' like that before," Grim states.

"See that topiary?" Deuce points to the one with the rabbit blowing into a bugle. "The one with the bugle?"

"That's right- the White Rabbit played that instruments to begin an important trial," Silver remembers.

"Yep. The White Rabbit is said to have used his bugle to signal all sorts of important things. Starting a trial, assembling guards, or when the Queen of Hearts made an appearance. SO runners carry a bugle in this race in honor of that legend. When the anchor runner crosses the finish line, they play their bugle at the lectern."

"...Again, that's the official reason," Dylla adds. "But really I think it's just because it feels fancier than a plain old baton."

"I can see that," Epel imagines.

"They've put a lot of thought into this," Orth says.

"As for rule number three...You know what, it'll be quicker just to show you. Follow me," Deuce says as everyone follows, confused at his tone. After a few minutes of walking, a little past the park, the seven climbed over a hill, with Deuce stopping at the top, and everyone followed, eyes wide at the sight in front of them. In front of them was an elaborate hedge maze, far as the eyes can see with various buildings scattered about, blending in rather than standing out with the maze. From the distance, there was what looks like a towered platform with stairs wrapped around it in the distance, seeing that the routes converge to it, almost inferring it's a finish line of sorts.

"Whoa!" Ortho exclaims in awe. "Look at that maze!"

"It's so big!" Epel states. "Maybe even bigger than the one in Heartslabyul."

"The hedge walls form pathways..." Silver observes.

"With all the gardens in the Queendom of Roses, hedge mazes like this are pretty common," Dylla states.

"Rule number three: the race takes place in this maze," Deuce says.

"What?!" Everyone exclaims in shock.

"Otherwise the race would just be about speed. How boring is that?" Dylla states.

"This does seem a lot more exciting," Epel says, looking at the complex maze.