A Song Named Alice

Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Loki runs for what seems like an hour, trying to find two people he hasn't seen in weeks. Scrambled amidst a crowd of people, Loki and Alice feel safe to start walking. Alice, when Loki starts to walk, stops altogether, complexly exhausted. 

She puts her hands on her knees, half gasping for air, raising her head up at Loki. "Edwin, who are we going to? You've been running in circles for an hour now. Do you even know where you're going?" 

Loki, who is just as tired as Alice when they stop, keeps his breathing under complete control, despite beads of perspiration running down his forehead. "You know them Alice." He explains. "Raven was talking about Erik and Meg. Though, I guess it has been, what, two weeks since we last saw them? They're not home, I've already passed by their house, so I need you to help me find them." 

With full understanding, Alice nods her head and slips her hand back into Loki's, walking amongst the crowd while searching for their friends. When the sun shines nearly straight overhead, freezing any warmth left from the day before, Loki spots something and falters mid-step. He crosses to the other side of the street, intent to reach the next corner as Alice trails behind him. Perceiving that his suspicions regarding the two figures standing at the corner are correct, Loki squeezes Alice's hand. She returns the gesture with a smile. 

A man with dirty blond hair and emerald eyes talks to a woman next to him, barely shorter than him. Her eyes are a pale blue, yet similar in depth that contrasts greatly against her long brunette hair with a slight reddish tint. Loki taps the man on the shoulder, surprising him. The woman, who at the time is staring up at the cloudless sky, turns to face Loki and Alice. "Meg, Erik, we need your help." Loki tells them. 

While Erik eyes Loki peculiarly, he nudges Loki away to a nearby crack between buildings for secrecy. "What did you get yourself into? What happened? Wait, don't tell they're here already? Wonderland shouldn't be moving so quickly..." He sounds as if he's talking more to himself rather than Loki. 

Loki's legs freeze from Erik's inference. "How do you know about them?" He's about to question them further, but Alice tugs on Loki's sleeve as she peeks around her for Wonderland. Loki nods his head, finishing up the problem. 

"Well," Loki quickly starts to say, "I guess you can answer that later. You see, these three people were after my pocket watch for some reason, saying that it was a key to this pathway or whatever. I remember they called themselves the Mad Hatter, Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum. Right now Raven is fighting them as we speak while we came to find you." 

Meg jumps at the chance to speak. "We'll explain how we know about Wonderland later when we're somewhere safe. Tell me, was there anyone else suspicious around when you ran, per se, someone carrying a long sword with him? Or someone with a pocket watch on a long gold chain who appears frantic? Anyone suspicious at all?" 

Standing plainly with his mouth open, Loki feels for a loss of words. His legs unhitch from the ground and he stumbles back to the wall. Understanding his confusion, yet unable to let the conversation drag on too long, Alice slips her hand off Loki's sleeve, jumping at the chance to speak as well. 

"No," Alice says while her attitude changes. "There was no one else around. The Knave and the White Rabbit are elsewhere at this time, but they're bound to be there sooner or later, though they will probably be late as usual no doubt. There's no way the White Rabbit would be able to come after us and hiding isn't the Knave's style, nor is missing a fight for that matter. If he was there, we would have known." 

Loki tries to collect his thoughts together, "Okay, wait a second here, who? Who is this Knave and White Rabbit? And can someone please tell me how you all know about these people and their organization while I don't know?"