Elizabeth and Alice in Otherland: Part 2

Elizabeth stared Alice up and down. She was clad in strange, archaic armor that she wore on top of her blue dress and white apron. Was it some sort of costume?

"My Wonderland? What does that mean? And why are you dressed like that? I don't understand any of this."

Looking down, it occurred to Elizabeth that she was dressed differently as well. Her white robes bore more than a passing resemblance to the statue on Monument Island. Stranger yet, her pinkie was once again restored. She supposed she couldn't just open a tear out of here. If tears even worked here.

"You will." Alice assured. "This world is a reflection of yourself. And with your current state of mind it looks like things have become quite mixed up."

"What do you mean by 'a reflection of yourself.'? Is this all just a delusion?" Elizabeth swept her hand towards the landscape around them. The two of them were standing on top of a sizable knoll that that protruded from under sandstone ruins not unlike ancient Algiers. In fact the whole area resembled some mockery or twisted version of middle-eastern architecture that seemed to be in the process of being reclaimed by the nearby forest. Red and blue vines and grasses seemed to touch everything.

"Your Wonderland is just as real as anything else you accept as real, delusion or otherwise." Alice quipped, her lips twisting into a wry grin.

"That's not very helpful." Elizabeth chided.

"No, I suppose not. But it is the truth."

"Great." Throwing her hands up in the air Elizabeth stormed off deeper into the ruins. Shortly Alice began to pace behind her with practiced stealth. Passing under a large sandstone arch the two confront a large staircase. As they ascended the staircase a large pedestal came into view. Jutting out from the top of the pedestal was a familiar object with three metal prongs.

"A Skyhook!" Elizabeth exclaimed, running up to the top of the staircase. The markings, the damage, this Skyhook looked exactly like the one that had belonged to Booker. Could Booker somehow exist in her Wonderland? Was he here waiting for her?

"I wouldn't touch that if I were-" Alice grimaced as Elizabeth tears the Skyhook from the ruins. "Now you've done it."

From deep in the surrounding overgrowth the sound of falling trees and fleeing wildlife fills the air. "Well, I was going to suggest we look around and see what's the matter with your Wonderland. But it sounds like whatever's wrong may have found us."

A tall, spindly form bounded into the clearing. It's initial impression is that of a heroic cavalier, albeit constructed and folded out of a thick yellow parchment. But the blood that leaked from each joint gave it an altogether more sinister cast.

"What is that thing?" Elizabeth cried in confusion.

"How should I know?" Alice shrugged "It's your mind, I'm just visiting."

Alice leaped to the side as the bloody aggressor lunged forward. It's pointed blade effortlessly piercing the rock that was at her feet.

Almost without thinking Elizabeth heaved the Skyhook in Alice's direction. "Alice, catch!"

The creature lunged again and again at Alice. She seems to dodge each blow with a preternatural dexterity. At last she clashed with the cavalier, catching it's long rapier blade in the Skyhook. With considerable effort she pushed the blade away, causing the attacker to lose it's balance. Now was her chance.

Alice danced behind the monster to take advantage of it's state. A crushing blow from the Skyhook brought the cavalier to it's knees. With a flourish Alice swung the heavy prongs down on the paper dervish's head. The paper helmet gave in with a wet crumpling noise.

With a triumphant grin Alice jumped on top of the body and locked eyes with Elizabeth. "Obviously our problems won't end here. This wretch was merely a symptom, not the cause."

Collecting herself Elizabeth inquired the obvious. "What do we do next? You seem to be the expert on these 'Wonderlands.'"

"We investigate, of course. And those towers we saw seem like as good as place as any to start."