Nina_Wonderland

Wonderland by Mabel Nina [[Start? | warnings]]

"About that," you swallow. You're going to shake right out of your uniform. You know how Father gets with these things, and you're willingly letting him know about this one! "I got an eight." Father's smile immediately falls. "An eight, Peyton?" He asks. "Did I hear you right?" You nod. You can't look him in the eye, so you look at your loosened laces. You hear him sigh from up above you, and you know he must be pinching the bridge of his nose. "I can't do this right now. I wait here, nice and patient, expecting you to get home and give me some good news! And you come around, telling me you flunked the test?! It's like you didn't even //try//, Peyton!" You close your eyes to avoid tears. You've just gotten home. You haven't even gotten to eat lunch yet. You couldn't even finish taking off your shoes before he lectured you. [[>>|act 1 truth 2]]

"We- we didn't take the test today." You lie, twisting your fingers behind your back. You hope that it's enough to get him off your back, for now. Father quirks a brow. His smile falls. "Peyton? Is that a lie I'm hearing?" He brings it back, if a little sarcastic. "Come on. I know you had a test today, kid. We went over your multiplication tables this morning and all, and I know your teacher isn't the 'miss a lecture' type." You shrink. "I got an eight," you blurt out. "I'm sorry." He laughs, pushing his hair back. "Are you serious?" You nod. You can't look him in the eye, so you look at your loosened laces. You hear him sigh from up above you, and you know he must be pinching the bridge of his nose. "I can't do this right now. I wait here, nice and patient, expecting you to get home and give me some good news! And you come around, //lie to my face//, and then tell me you flunked it? It's like you didn't even //try//, Peyton!" You close your eyes to avoid tears. You've just gotten home. You haven't even gotten to eat lunch yet. You couldn't even finish taking off your shoes before he lectured you. [[>>|act 1 lie 2]]

You're finally done with today's work. Father made you sit down on the rug that leaves little pebble-y marks on your knees, and you went over the mutiplication tables until your head hurt. He also made you repeat the exercises that you got wrong on the test until you got them right. You don't really know what he gains from frustrating you and himself all afternoon, especially for a decent grade, but it's been this way since the start of the year. Both him and Mother had suddenly turned their focus on your grades. They would make sure your tutor kept close tabs on you, when they weren't home, and would ask for copies of your agenda for the week. They wanted to know the exact numbers, the scores- they had you in their control with them. [[>>|act 1 night 2]]

You'd come to enjoy bed time. It was the one time of the day where you got to be free, if only for a little while. You seldom have pleasant dreams, but the times that you do, you treasure. You can't write much down without it being found by your parents, and it being considered a distraction on their behalf, so you keep from taking your art projects home, too. They'd freak if they saw those. Tonight, you're tossing around restlessly. It's eleven. You open your eyes to face the empty ceiling, and look around your mostly-bare room. You sit up, breaking a rule and checking your phone, quickly. There's a strange email in your dashboard, when you see your notifications. It's about... a game. You haven't been allowed onto game sites, much less allowed to play one, since last year. You click it, curious. [[>>|act 1 night 3]]

(text-colour:magenta)[//Wonderland!//] The screen reads out. (text-colour:magenta)[//The place where all your dreams come true! Become a mage and slay evil with your wand! Become a warrior and fight bravely for your land! Marry an elven princess and become the consort to her throne! Everything is possible, here, in the land of wonder!//] You fight back a giggle. Is this spam? You keep reading. (text-colour:magenta)[//With a completely revamped code, Wonderland is now being brought into VR! Wanderers from all around the world are dying to get their hands on a test save before release, and you've been one of the lucky chosen ones!//] You hadn't signed up for anything, though. Odd. You scroll down and find a nine-digit code. You assume that it's the key to a 'test save', whatever that is. (text-colour:magenta)[//What are you waiting for? Get your headset ready, and input this secret code into our website! Wonderland's magic will do the rest. You'll be playing with us in no time.//] Snrk. What a bunch of crap. Sounds like a virus. [[>> | act 1 night 4]] <audio autoplay> <source src="assets/harp.ogg"></audio>

"I don't know what I'll do with you. It's like, for every perfect test you take, you get three other bad grades. A ten! And then it's a nine, an eight, a seven. Should I expect you to not come home with a paper at all, one day? Honestly!" "But it- it's only two- it's only two points," you mumble. "I didn't do badly, did I?" "Did you," your Father spits, "Peyton? You know the rules, don't you?" You nod slowly. "I want you in bed by- what was it? Eight?" Your Father grabs your chin, forcing you to look up. "And don't even //think// about turning on the computer. We're doing practice tests until you get your areas right, since apparently you've forgotten how to do simple //maths//." You nod again, biting your lip. "Wipe your face. You did this to yourself," he lets go of you. "Go eat and meet me in my office." [[>>|act 1 night]]

Your Father drops his hands to his sides, groaning. "I don't know what I'll do with you. It's like, for every perfect test you take, you get three other bad grades. A ten! And then it's a nine, an eight, a seven. Should I expect you to not come home with a paper at all, one day? Honestly!" "But it- it's only two- it's only two points," you mumble. "I didn't do badly, did I?" "You lied to me, Peyton," your Father spits. "And you have the audacity to also talk back?" You hiccup. "I'm sorry-" "I want you in bed by- what was it? Eight?" Your Father grabs your chin, forcing you to look up. "And don't even //think// about turning on the computer. We're doing practice tests until you get your areas right, since apparently you've forgotten how to do simple //maths//." You nod again, biting your lip. "Wipe your face. You did this to yourself," he lets go of you. "Go eat and meet me in my office." [[>> |act 1 night lie]]

Still... it's a little intriguing. You put your phone down, and lie awake for a few more minutes. When you finally fall asleep, you dream about a princess. You dream about a sword in a lake, and a fairy, a frog, a little beanie with gold leaves on it. You dream about crunchy grass, and cold wind. You dream about delicate flower petals and strong foes. You dream about Wonderland. [[>> | act 1 day 2]]

You wake up early. You make sure to go through your routine without being caught by your parents. You'd rather not get lectured by either one of them for yesterday's results... again. Once you're fully dressed and functioning, you're ready to head downstairs and get breakfast. Tomorrow's finally Saturday, and though you'll most likely be studying throughout the weekend because of yesterday's failure, you're happy you won't have to go to school. You find Mother on the table, taking careful sips out of her coffee cup and reading her newspaper. You approach her slowly. [["Good morning, ma'am." | act 1 day 3]]

"Hey, Peyton!" He finally lets up on the weight from your back. He's expecting something. You can tell. "How was school today, sport?" "It was fine," you reply, finally standing back up straight. Nerves bubble at the pit of your stomach. "Did you get home early today?" "I did! Your Mother's still busy, but I managed to sneak out." He keeps the too-sweet smile on his face. "So? You had that quiz today, right?" You swallow. [["About that..."|act 1 truth]] [["We didn't take it."|act 1 lie]]

You turn the knob to your home, being careful not to make a sound. Today's the 14th of March, and you've just arrived from school. You had a Math exam today, where you all got to talk about circles, and squares, and areas! You find the subject sort of fun, but you fear your parents' reactions. You... didn't exactly get a perfect score today. The topic of your grades is always something that your parents have held over your head, literally and figuratively. The thought of getting past the home entrance and having to face them makes you sick. You push down the anxiety, setting your book bag down while you bend, untying your shoes. Whilst this is happening, you feel a too-rough tap on your back, and the scent of your Father's strong cologne fills your nostrils. You fight the urge to sneeze, your eyes watering, as you look up into his smiling face. You're going to //hate// having to disappoint him. [[>> | act 1 home 2]]

You'd come to enjoy bed time. It was the one time of the day where you got to be free, if only for a little while. You seldom have pleasant dreams, but the times that you do, you treasure. You can't write much down without it being found by your parents, and it being considered a distraction on their behalf, so you keep from taking your art projects home, too. They'd freak if they saw those. Tonight, you're tossing around restlessly. Your stomach hurts. It's eleven. You open your eyes to face the empty ceiling, and look around your mostly-bare room. You sit up, breaking a rule and checking your phone, quickly. There's a strange email in your dashboard, when you see your notifications. It's about... a game. You haven't been allowed onto game sites, much less allowed to play one, since last year. You click it, curious. [[>>|act 1 night lie 3]]

(text-colour:magenta)[//Wonderland!//] The screen reads out. (text-colour:magenta)[//The place where all your dreams come true! Become a mage and slay evil with your wand! Become a warrior and fight bravely for your land! Marry an elven princess and become the consort to her throne! Everything is possible, here, in the land of wonder!//] You fight back a giggle. Is this spam? You keep reading. (text-colour:magenta)[//With a completely revamped code, Wonderland is now being brought into VR! Wanderers from all around the world are dying to get their hands on a test save before release, and you've been one of the lucky chosen ones!//] You hadn't signed up for anything, though. Odd. You scroll down and find a nine-digit code. You assume that it's the key to a 'test save', whatever that is. (text-colour:magenta)[//What are you waiting for? Get your headset ready, and input this secret code into our website! Wonderland's magic will do the rest. You'll be playing with us in no time.//] Snrk. What a bunch of crap. Sounds like a virus. [[>> | act 1 night lie 4]] <audio autoplay> <source src="assets/harp.ogg"></audio>

You wake up early. You make sure to go through your routine without being caught by your parents. You'd rather not get lectured by either one of them for yesterday's results... again. Once you're fully dressed and functioning, you're ready to head downstairs and get breakfast. You feel dizzy. Tomorrow's finally Saturday, and though you'll most likely be studying throughout the weekend because of yesterday's failure, you're happy you won't have to go to school. You find Mother on the table, taking careful sips out of her coffee cup and reading her newspaper. You approach her slowly. [["Good morning, ma'am." | act 1 day lie 3]]

Mother glances up at you, craning her head back so that you'll lean in for a kiss. You do so hesitantly. You've grown to dislike her perfume, since it's started to bring you bad memories. And, well, unfortunately for you: she's covered in it. "Good morning, Peyton. How was your sleep?" She offers you a small smile. "Come, sit down. Let's eat breakfast together. Your Father's still in the shower." You take a seat next to her, folding your hands in your lap. You wonder if it's okay to take a piece of bread. [[Take the bread. | act 1 day 4]] [[Stay still. | act 1 still]]

You take a piece of bread, munching through it while Mother looks at you through her newspaper. She sets it down, however, and crosses her legs. You feel your chest tighten. "So. An eight, right?" You stop mid-bite. You set the bread down, nodding. You hadn't gotten to see her after school, yesterday, since she came home later last night. You were sent to bed early, so it figures. "Peyton... even when you //knew// we were going to the mall, tomorrow? It's like you don't even care about us." Oh. You'd forgotten about that. [["Are you going to leave me?"| act 1 day 5]] [["So, are we going together? | no]]

Mother looks at you in confusion. You don't catch the expression, since you keep staring down at your empty plate. Your stomach growls. "Well? Aren't you going to eat something? Come on, I don't have to spoon the food to you, now, do I?" You react to her words, quickly lifting your head up to address her while you speak. "Y-yes ma'am. Sorry." [[Take the bread. | act 1 day 4]]

"What do you think?" She narrows her eyes at you. "You certainly don't deserve to be rewarded if your grades look the way they do. What, did you think an eight warrants us taking you places?" You feel your heart sink. You'd really, really wanted to go. You suck your lower lip in between your teeth, knowing that tears won't do well in this situation. "Finish your food. We'll talk about this later." She sighs. [[>> | act 1 saturday]]

Mother glances up at you, craning her head back so that you'll lean in for a kiss. You do so hesitantly. You've grown to dislike her perfume, since it's started to bring you bad memories. And, well, unfortunately for you: she's covered in it. "Good morning, Peyton. How was your sleep?" She offers you a small smile. "Come, sit down. Let's eat breakfast together. Your Father's still in the shower." You take a seat next to her, folding your hands in your lap. You wonder if it's okay to take a piece of bread. You're really, //really// hungry. [[Take the bread. | act 1 day lie 4]] [[Stay still. | act 1 lie still]]

You take a piece of bread, munching through it while Mother looks at you through her newspaper. She sets it down, however, and crosses her legs. You feel your chest tighten. "So. An eight, right?" You stop mid-bite. You set the bread down, nodding. You hadn't gotten to see her after school, yesterday, since she came home later last night. You were sent to bed early, so it figures. "I also heard you lied to your Father," she rubs her temples. "Dammit, Peyton... even when you //knew// we were going to the mall, tomorrow? It's like you don't even care about us." Oh. You'd forgotten about that. [["Are you going to leave me?"| act 1 day lie 5]] [["So, are we going together? | no lie]]

"What do you think?" She narrows her eyes at you. "You certainly don't deserve to be rewarded if your grades look the way they do. What, did you think an eight warrants us taking you places? You think we trust you enough after you try to lie in our faces? Taking your Father for a fool, I see." You feel your heart sink. You'd really, really wanted to go. You suck your lower lip in between your teeth, knowing that tears won't do well in this situation. "Finish your food. We'll talk about this later." She sighs. [[>> | act 1 saturday]]

As your Mother suggested, come Saturday, your parents go to the mall without you. They make sure to rub in the fact that you're not going because you got a bad grade. On top of that, when they're leaving home, they make sure to leave the house alarms on, rendering you unable to go outside and play without them noticing. It's a bad, bad day. An awful day, actually. You're having an //awful// time. You wander upstairs, dragging your hand across the wallpaper-covered wall of your hallway. Your fingers reach your parents' door. Hm. [[Walk inside?| act 1 card]]

You push at the door with your hand. Stepping inside, the smell of your parents' combined perfumes hits your nose. It makes your eyes water. You hate it. You stumble inside, not sure how to proceed. You wouldn't want them to come home and find out you touched their stuff, so you sort of linger around the entry way. There's a loose... something, on their bed. You go check it out. [[Pick up that 'something'.| act 1 card 2]]

You reach your own bedroom, eventually, credit card stuffed in your pants. You try to hide your own trembling, even if no one's around to see. It's thrilling up until it's //not//, and then, you're just left with this bone-chilling brand of anxiety. Would she notice? Would they care? You close the door to your room behind you, and reach the bed. You plop down on your mattress, face down, hoping to melt right into the sheets. There's nothing to do in here. You could take a nap, maybe read some of your study books. But that'll also just get you to sleep, so what's the point? Your phone buzzes. As you go to pick it up, you notice that it's another email from that weird game you'd gotten a promo for. Huh. [[Open the email. | act 1 email]] <audio autoplay> <source src="assets/buzz.wav"></audio>

(text-colour:magenta)[//Wonderland!//] The screen reads out. (text-colour:magenta)[//The place where all your dreams come true! Become a mage and slay evil with your wand! Become a warrior and fight bravely for your land! Marry an elven princess and become the consort to her throne! Everything is possible, here, in the land of wonder!//] Oh, so it's the same email as before. (text-colour:magenta)[//With a completely revamped code, Wonderland is now being brought into VR! Wanderers from all around the world are dying to get their hands on a test save before release, and you've been one of the lucky chosen ones!//] You know this already. (text-colour:magenta)[//What are you waiting for? Get your headset delivered home, for only 399.99, you may be the new owner of Wonderland, and the current best console for VR!//] Hah! You're even getting prices, now. Look at that. You'd never be able to get a game like this, though. Or... would you? [[>> |act 1 email 2]] <audio autoplay> <source src="assets/harp.ogg"></audio>

It's your Mother's credit card. You gulp. [[Take it. | act 1 card 3]]

You really shouldn't. [[Take it. | act 1 card 4]]

The credit card in your pants feels hot against your skin. You open the link in the email. The Wonderland site is bright. You... kind of want to try it. [[Do it. | act 1 email 3]]

Well... maybe they won't notice? [[Take it. Take it. Take it- | act 1 bedroom]]

This is a bad idea. It's a terrible, terrible idea. It's the worst idea you've had, recently, and that's taking into account the fact that you //recently// skipped studying for that //one// math test, and look at where it landed you. Granted, giving your Mother's credit card details to a game website is even worse than that... and then some. Oh, you'd need an address for the delivery. Huh. That's easy! You can just put in a friend's home, and maybe ask for them to bring you the game at school. ... //God, are you even listening to yourself? You'd go through all of this just to get a game that your parents will most definitely take from you? // And yet- [[Complete the purchase. | act 1 end]] [[Don't. | bad 1]]

The game is yours. [[>> | act 2]]

You finally receive the game after pulling some strings with your friends. Your parents didn't suspect anything over the weekend, and if they noticed you fidgeting when you sat with them at the table, you're none the wiser. You're jumpy, though, and it shows. You never know when your Mother's next outburst could be, never know what Father will say next. Do they know? Are they waiting for you to confess? Have they even noticed their missing card? It's surprisingly easy to sneak the game into your home. You drag your bag upstairs, using the bathroom excuse to escape their almost-immediate grade inspection. [[ >>| act 2 2]]

You unpack everything with an almost feverish rush, rushing through the installation and ignoring your Father's voice. He's telling you to hurry up or you'll go without lunch, and honestly? You don't really care. You put on the headset as soon as the game tells you to, making sure the bathroom door is locked. It's only when you begin to struggle with slipping the headband on that you notice you're shaking. You hold onto the controllers and breathe. The game boots up. [[ >>| act 2 3]]

(text-colour:magenta)["Welcome home,"] a soft voice says. You're surrounded by total darkness. You've done a poor job of slipping your headphones on, so the annoying dripping of your bathroom sink is still audible. (text-colour:magenta)["Wonderland is waiting. Will you open the door?"] You fix your headphones, watching a prompt come up on the screen. [[ Yes. | act 2 4]] [[ No. | no 2]] <audio autoplay> <source src="assets/drip.wav"></audio>

You're suddenly thrown into a grassy field. It takes you a few moments to compose yourself, because you swear you go from smelling Mother's strong cleaning products, to smelling oranges, apples, a basket full of berries. It takes you aback, but you look up. There's another screen prompt, asking you what you want your new name to be. That's interesting. You put in something simple, something you'll be able to remember. (text-colour:magenta)[//'Pey.' //] It's easy enough. There's a path in front of you now. It's clearing itself up amongst the tall blades of grass, making little flowers disappear. Trees sprout from beneath the ground, marking the way as well. You take a clumsy step forward, before finally figuring out how to move. [[ Take the path. | act 2 5]] <audio autoplay> <source src="assets/wonderland.mp3"></audio>

You hadn't noticed it before, but there's music filling your ears. You walk down the path and more things appear around you. Mushrooms, frogs, tinkling bugs. As you approach the end of the trail, the music grows louder. You want to find the source. You want to see this to the end. You start to run. You swear you can feel the wind running through your hair, smell the scents even clearer now. There's nothing stopping you. No one to hold you back. The path gets even more detailed- shadows follow you, you can hear your own footsteps, crunching on the dirt. You reach a cliff. [[>>| act 2 6]] <audio autoplay> <source src="assets/wonderland.mp3"></audio>

You look ahead. [[>>| act 2 7]] <audio autoplay> <source src="assets/wonderland.mp3"></audio>

Blue skies like you've never seen before. Clouds litter it but only where it matters. The sun is bright- it hurts your eyes, just like it does when you go outside. Birds chirp all around you, though it's muted out by the noise of a town, right beneath the cliff. It's bustling with creatures (are they all other players?) and life. It's full of- of life. You feel your eyes watering. You reach out from under the visor, momentarily breaking the immersion so that you can wipe at the tears. There's no time to be sad. (text-colour:magenta)["My child,"] the voice from before begins again. (text-colour:magenta)["It seems you've found your first town."] You look for the source of the voice, again, but can't find it. It makes you a little annoyed, but it's fine. [[>>| act 2 8]] <audio autoplay> <source src="assets/wonderland.mp3"></audio>

(text-colour:magenta)["From now on, my child, I'll make myself scarce." ]The voice continues. (text-colour:magenta)["But you're always allowed to ask me questions. Simply //call// for me, yes?"] You have no idea how to do that, but you also don't want to ask. You nod, as if that'll make a difference, and are surprised to see hear the ominous voice laugh. (text-colour:magenta)["Good," ]as if it saw you, (text-colour:magenta)["good job."] As if it knew. (text-colour:magenta)["Now, my darling, you'll need to choose a companion for your journey! There will be many other options in the future, but for now, you have two. You can choose Miss Toad here, or, you can choose Miss Fairy!"] Two glowing platforms suddenly appear in front of your eyes. They're shaped like hands, and on them, they're helping two little creatures levitate. True to their word, they're holding what looks to be a toad, and then, a fairy. It's up to you. [[ Toad. | act 2 9]] [[ Fairy. | act 2 9f]] <audio autoplay> <source src="assets/wonderland.mp3"></audio>

You hold your hand out to the toad. She jumps on your palm, ribbiting happily. Cute. (text-colour:magenta)["Thank you so much for choosing me!"] She says, her little tongue hanging out of her mouth. (text-colour:magenta)["I promise to not let you down!"] She does a sweet jump, and you laugh. It's like you could almost feel her in your hands. The slightly slimy texture of her skin, the light pressure in your palms. You smile at her. "I'll be in your care," you say. The ominous voice is gone. Whilst you find it rather silly to ask a frog what it thinks you should do, you assume that that's what she's here for, so you clear your throat and continue. "Say, what am I supposed to do now?' Toad jumps again, looking excited. (text-colour:magenta)["I thought you'd never ask!"] [[ >>| act 2 10]] <audio autoplay> <source src="assets/wonderland.mp3"></audio>

You learn how to attack. You also learn how to cast spells, though you prefer the freedom swinging a sword gives you. You also learn that towns work as save points, though you'll very likely not be needing those, as the game usually auto saves. Toad guides you through your first dungeon, praising you when you beat your first boss. You get to choose what you'll look like by the end of it all, and that's when you realize you've been only doing the tutorial. You're already this excited, and it's only a tutorial! You rush through character creation, not really minding what you look like as long as you get to battle again. It's the most fun you've had since summer. [[ >>| act 2 11]] <audio autoplay> <source src="assets/wonderland.mp3"></audio>

You eventually have to turn your gaming system off, and tuck everything back into your bag. You sneak out of the bathroom, thanking every saint out there and more that your parents didn't choose to wait outside of it. You hide the console in between your clothes, and finally show up downstairs. Your Father looks displeased when he sees you. He's sitting at the dining table, holding his phone yet slowly putting it down when you show up. You're glad for it: he looked like a horror movie character, with the light from the device hitting him that way. It was kind of scary. Maybe that's the reason why your heart's beating so quickly, once you reach your own chair. You haven't even noticed the time. It's dark outside, though. Had you really been playing that long? [[ >> | act 2 12]]

"What were you doing in the bathroom?" //Taking a massive dump,// you think. You swallow back your laughter, hoping that you can pass off your shaking as anxiety. "Stomach ache," you lie. You're getting better at it. He has you doing homework until your fingers hurt. [[ >> | act 2 13]]

From that day on, you settle into a new routine. It goes as follows. You get to school with the game still in your bag. You skip non-important classes like P.E. and music, and hide out in the bathroom in order to play. You start to climb the ranks as a warrior, tearing through everything with your sword, and start getting recognized as an up-and-coming player. It's easy to hide the small device from your parents, and as long as you do well in subjects like Math, or Computer Science, or English, they don't really bother to ask about your other grades. You can't bring yourself to care, either. (That's your first mistake.) But with so much to explore and see in Wonderland, how could you have noticed? [[>> | act 2 14]]

You've been playing the game for nearly a month now, and while your grades keep falling, you keep getting friend requests from people who want you to join their guilds. A handful of your school friends bring it up, too, and you have a brief moment of popularity when you show them some of your gameplay. One day, when you're skipping out of P.E., you get a special invite. You open your inbox, curious. You've been invited to a special competition, one that will take place on the 30th. Two days from now, then. Toad stops you before you can agree. (text-colour:magenta)["I was hoping you would help me out with a special quest, that day,"] she says. (text-colour:magenta)["I mean! We can do it some other time, if you want, but it would mean a lot to me if we got to do it that day..."] You hesitate. [[ Don't join. | act 2 15]] [[ Join the competition. | act 2 b15]] <audio autoplay> <source src="assets/wonderland.mp3"></audio>

You smile down at Toad. "Don't worry," you pat her slimy head, "I won't do it. You've been helping me out all this time, I couldn't ever betray you like that!" She smiles back at you, seemingly happy that you chose her over your battles. //It's only fair,// you think. Even if she might just be some advanced code, you'd feel a little guilty leaving her behind. //"Peyton!"// Somebody calls from the outside world. You can hear them through your headphones. //"Peyton, gym is over!"// You log off, cursing under your breath. You were hoping you'd be able to train some before heading home. Oh well. At least it's Friday. [[ >> | act 3]] <audio autoplay> <source src="assets/wonderland.mp3"></audio>

That weekend is pretty tense. Even more so than usual, which is a lot. Your parents are even rougher with you than before, sneaking in carefully placed insults after you speak, or refusing to tuck you in when you ask. You pretend like it doesn't hurt, because it shouldn't, honestly. Throughout the month, you've started to notice it more and more. How little they actually care about you as a person. Yet you can't help the sting behind your eyes when your Mother calls you a dumbass, or fix the skitter on your step when your Father stands behind you. You wonder where it all went wrong. You're just a kid. You're supposed to make mistakes, right? You're supposed to be the immature one, the one who throws tantrums, the one who- the one who gets comforted. Held. You want to be spoiled, you want to be //loved//. But when you ask, all you get is a cold shoulder and a side-glance. "Go to bed, Peyton," Mother says, looking disgusted. "I don't want to look at you." [[ >> | act 3 2]]

When you wake up that Sunday, you wake up to the smell of pancakes. You fight the urge to go downstairs right away. You know Mother won't like it if you show up in your pajamas at the breakfast table. Plus, you can pretend you're still asleep- sneak in a few moments worth of (text-colour:magenta)[//Wonderland//.] You head into the bathroom, locking the door behind you whilst you set your clothes down on the toilet lid. Your console is on top of the pile, too. You take a quick shower, burying the console with your dirty clothes again. You take it with you everywhere. It has to be in your sights at all times. You can't let your parents see. You can't. [[ >>| act 3 3]]

You get back in your room, tucking the game under yet another pile of clothes. You shut the drawer that it's in, and worry that you've made too much noise by doing that. Your theory is proven right when you hear your Father's calls from outside your bedroom door. "Peyton! Get down for breakfast, it's already past eight!" Eight. That seems to be your unlucky number. [[ >>| act 3 4]]

You make it downstairs, dressed in proper Sunday clothing. Maybe they'll want to go to mass today. The three of you don't usually go, but when they're extra pissed off at you, they'll force you to attend alone. Even religion's a tool to them. It's not like you really care. You're not too fond about belief and all of that crap. It's too taxing. You've already got school to worry about, why would they want you to work on other crap? Spiritual bull is only fun if it's with Wonderland. You can't wait for the next lore drop... "Peyton? What are you doing, standing at the bottom of the stairs like that?" Father asks, snapping you out of your trance. You look at him. Blink. "Oh- I- sorry. Sorry, sir. I was just..." Father clicks his tongue. "Whatever. Come on, kid, we're eating. Can't have you passing out during study hours." You frown. "Study hours?" [[ >> | act 3 5]]

"Yes, //study hours.// What, you think we haven't noticed how your grades have been slipping? It all started with that damn quiz, and now you look about ready to repeat the year." Father snaps. "I have no idea why we haven't sat you down yet. It's like you always manage to avoid us at the right time, huh?" You shudder. You have been doing your best to avoid them. You've gotten yelled at throughout the month, sure, but you haven't been actually confronted about the rest. The rest being your awful performance at school of course. "You're a slimy one, hm? Thought it'd just slip from our minds, Peyton?" Father hovers over you. "Answer me! I'm //fucking// waiting here, or do you think I'm transparent?!" You're both interrupted by Mother's gasp. "What the hell?! I got a charge for //five hundred dollars// at the start of this month!" You're shaking. [[ >>| act 3 6]]

She finds you with Father, and she's still wearing her apron. It's the one you'd decorated for her before middle school. You were really small, back then, and you were sure that they loved you. That you'd grow up without the tingling pressure that you feel at the back of your neck, right now, or the sinking feeling in your stomach. You're going to vomit but your stomach's empty, so you're not sure what comes next. Had you ever had your Mother hold your hair back while you puked? You can't remember. "I couldn't find my card this morning, so I went to check my account," she tells Father, clearly pissed off. "It says something about Wonderland? God, they even paid for shipping with my card!" Father leaves you alone, grumbling under his breath: "just check where it was shipped to. Can't you do that? Ask them who got what? It's your card, isn't it, woman?" You're fall to your knees without meaning to. They both look at you. [[ >>| act 3 7]]

"Peyton," Mother starts. Her expression is unreadable. "Did //you// do this?" [[ Confess. | act 3 A]] [[ Run. | act 3 B]]

You drop the credit card, breathing hard. This isn't right. This would only land you in more trouble than what you're already in, and that doesn't sound particularly appealing. You breathe in, you breathe out. You curl up on your bed, clutching your phone to your chest. It's okay. You don't need a game, anyway. You'll tell your parents you're sorry when they get home, and maybe then they'll take you out next weekend. (They don't.) [[Try again? | act 1 email 3]]

"Absolutely not," Mother frowns at you. Oh. Well, she can't blame you for trying. "Are you still //that// mad at me..?" You sink into your chair. [[>> | act 1 day 5]]

"Absolutely not," Mother frowns at you. Oh. Well, she can't blame you for trying. "Are you still //that// mad at me..?" You sink into your chair. [[>> | act 1 day lie 5]]

//No,// you click. You can't do it. You take the visor off, gulping. Your Father comes in, suddenly slamming the bathroom door open. He catches you with the gaming device in hand, the headphones, the opened box- "Peyton," he starts, clearly angry. "What have you //done?"// [[Try again? | act 2 3]] <audio autoplay> <source src="assets/slam.mp3"></audio>

You hold your hand out to the fairy. She flies onto your palm, twinkling happily. Cute. (text-colour:magenta)["Thank you so much for choosing me!"] She says, her pretty wings fluttering behind her. (text-colour:magenta)["I promise to not let you down!"] She does a little salute, and you laugh. It's like you could almost feel her in your hands. The slightly downy texture of her skin, the light pressure in your palms. You smile at her. "I'll be in your care," you say. The ominous voice is gone. Whilst you find it rather silly to ask a fairy what it thinks you should do, you assume that that's what she's here for, so you clear your throat and continue. "Say, what am I supposed to do now?' Fairy twinkles again, looking excited. (text-colour:magenta)["I thought you'd never ask!"] [[ >>| act 2 10f]] <audio autoplay> <source src="assets/wonderland.mp3"></audio>

You choose to (text-colour:magenta)[accept] the invite. "I'm sorry, Toad," you tell her once your inbox closes. "I //really// want to compete. We can still do your quest, right? It doesn't //have// to happen on the 30th, does it?" Toad... looks a little disappointed at your decision making, but smiles at you nonetheless. (text-colour:magenta)["No, it doesn't. It's alright,"] she says. (text-colour:magenta)["I understand."] //"Peyton!"// Somebody calls from the outside world. You can hear them through your headphones. //"Peyton, gym is over!"// You log off, cursing under your breath. You were hoping you'd be able to train some before heading home. Oh well. [[ >> | act 3b]] <audio autoplay> <source src="assets/wonderland.mp3"></audio>

You learn how to attack. You also learn how to cast spells, though you prefer the freedom swinging a sword gives you. You also learn that towns work as save points, though you'll very likely not be needing those, as the game usually auto saves. Fairy guides you through your first dungeon, praising you when you beat your first boss. You get to choose what you'll look like by the end of it all, and that's when you realize you've been only doing the tutorial. You're already this excited, and it's only a tutorial! You rush through character creation, not really minding what you look like as long as you get to battle again. It's the most fun you've had since summer. [[ >>| act 2 11f]] <audio autoplay> <source src="assets/wonderland.mp3"></audio>

You've been playing the game for nearly a month now, and while your grades keep falling, you keep getting friend requests from people who want you to join their guilds. A handful of your school friends bring it up, too, and you have a brief moment of popularity when you show them some of your gameplay. One day, when you're skipping out of P.E., you get a special invite. You open your inbox, curious. You've been invited to a special competition, one that will take place on the 30th. Two days from now, then. Fairy stops you before you can agree. (text-colour:magenta)["I was hoping you would help me out with a special quest, that day,"] she says. (text-colour:magenta)["I mean! We can do it some other time, if you want, but it would mean a lot to me if we got to do it that day..."] You hesitate. [[ Don't join. | act 2 15f]] [[ Join the competition. | act 2 b15f]] <audio autoplay> <source src="assets/wonderland.mp3"></audio>

You choose to accept the invite. "I'm sorry, Fairy," you tell her once your inbox closes. "I //really// want to compete. We can still do your quest, right? It doesn't //have// to happen on the 30th, does it?" Fairy... looks a little disappointed at your decision making, but smiles at you nonetheless. (text-colour:magenta)["No, it doesn't. It's alright,"] she says. (text-colour:magenta)["I understand."] //"Peyton!"// Somebody calls from the outside world. You can hear them through your headphones. //"Peyton, gym is over!"// You log off, cursing under your breath. You were hoping you'd be able to train some before heading home. Oh well. At least it's Friday. [[ >> | act 3bf]] <audio autoplay> <source src="assets/wonderland.mp3"></audio>

You smile down at Fairy. "Don't worry," you pat her soft head, "I won't do it. You've been helping me out all this time, I couldn't ever betray you like that!" She smiles back at you, seemingly happy that you chose her over your battles. //It's only fair,// you think. Even if she might just be some advanced code, you'd feel a little guilty leaving her behind. //"Peyton!"// Somebody calls from the outside world. You can hear them through your headphones. //"Peyton, gym is over!"// You log off, cursing under your breath. You were hoping you'd be able to train some before heading home. Oh well. At least it's Friday. [[ >> | act 3f]] <audio autoplay> <source src="assets/wonderland.mp3"></audio>

That weekened is pretty tense. Even more so than usual, which is a lot. Your parents are even rougher with you than before, sneaking in carefully placed insults after you speak, or refusing to tuck you in when you ask. You pretend like it doesn't hurt, because it shouldn't, honestly. Throughout the month, you've started to notice it more and more. How little they actually care about you as a person. Yet you can't help the sting behind your eyes when your Mother calls you a dumbass, or fix the skitter on your step when your Father stands behind you. You wonder where it all went wrong. You're just a kid. You're supposed to make mistakes, right? You're supposed to be the immature one, the one who throws tantrums, the one who- the one who gets comforted. Held. You want to be spoiled, you want to be //loved//. But when you ask, all you get is a cold shoulder and a side-glance. "Go to bed, Peyton," Mother says, looking disgusted. "I don't want to look at you." You go train for the competition, instead. [[ >> | act 3 2b]]

You choke up. You hear someone screaming and you slowly realize that it's you, your throat hoarse by the end of it. Your stomach feels tight and knotted and wrong, and when you feel your Mother stomping towards you, you hold your hands against your head, curling up on the floor. "I'M SORRY," you yell, but it's not enough. She yanks your head up and forces you to look her in the eye. "I'M SORRY, MOMMY, //PLEASE!//" She tightens her grip in your hair, scowling. "What did you //do//." You can't breathe. You can't breathe, you can't breathe, you can't breathe. "I- I bought it! I took your card n' I bought a game cause I really wanted to n' I just- I just wanted to escape! I just wanted to have fun, mom, m' sorry! I'm sorry, please, I won't do it again!" She slaps you. [[>> | A2]]

Your body moves on its own. Without even realizing it, you start to run upstairs. You kick yourself off from the floor, ignoring Mother's calls, or Father's booming voice. You don't care about the threats. You don't want to face them right now. You want to escape, like you've been doing for the past month. You slam the door shut, locking it, your hands shaking as you desperately try to find a way to- Oh. Perfect. That'll do. You quickly push your nighttable against the door, hoping it'll be enough to deter them. What's next, though? What do you plan to do now? You're just... trapped inside your bedroom. They'll eventually make their way in and punish you even more. You remember your compromise with Toad. Right! You might as well. It'll be a good farewell to the game. [[ >>| B2]]

"I don't want to hear it," she seethes. You feel your cheek stinging. Something else slides down your face. It's warm in the way tears are not, and though your sight's been made blurry because of them, you can tell by the smell. It's blood. She made you //bleed//. "Get up," she orders, letting your hair go. You stay on the floor. "I said," she kicks you in the side, roaring, "GET UP." Father holds her back, cringing. "Stop- hey- stop-" You crawl onto your knees, wobbly. You stand up. There's nothing you can say. [[>> | A3]]

This game features the following sensitive material. * Implied/referenced and somewhat descriptive child abuse. * Implied violence/murder. * Sudden sounds. * Bright images. Play at your own discretion. [[ >> | act 1 home 1]]

Father takes Mother away. You stand in that same spot. Your shirt gets ruined because you don't bother wiping the blood away. Your eyes burn, but there are no more tears left for you to cry. You don't make a sound when Father comes back. He's angry. "Where's the game?" He asks. You can tell he's holding onto his partience for dear life, but even that'll run out. You know he won't let you sit down for breakfast. You know he won't let you even go to school without supervision, from now on. You're doomed. You're absolutely doomed. You take him to where the console is. You show him the drawer, and he yanks the game it. He breaks it over his knee. [[>> | A4]]

Over the following days, your life changes drastically. For starters, your parents have taken your phone for good. You no longer have doors, either, or drawers to put your clothes in. They let you keep your closet, but only because they can't have you setting your clothes on the floor. It turns into a good place to cry. You're informed that you won't be attending school anymore. In fact, you'll be homeschooled starting that following week. They've hired a tutor for you and all. You'll be forced to do Math all day, and the mere thought of it makes you want to tear all of your hair out. [[>> | A 5]]

"Go do the dishes," she orders. She hasn't apologized for scratching your cheek. You didn't expect her to. "And hurry up. You have a lesson tonight." As you walk downstairs, your eyes fall on the pictures lining your house's walls. It's a big place, so there's plenty of space for your parents to decorate. You remember the time you'd scratched the wall with a crayon, and Father had left you outside in the cold. You trace the groove of plywood with the tips of your fingers. There's still images of you, framed neatly, where you're smiling or looking like the model 'perfect kid'. Like you //enjoyed// posing for them. Like you enjoyed being //around// them. The second you pick the sponge up, you realize you've never been seen as a child. You're just a puppet to them, aren't you? Mother watches you scrub a fork. "You know we did all of this because we love you, right?" She says, out of the blue. You put the fork down. Face her. You smile, and it hurts your cheeks. "Yeah," you lie. You're still so good at it, aren't you? "I love you guys too." [[End.|Wonderland]]

You drag yourself into the closet, booting the game up and slipping your headset on. It drowns out the noise from outside. You feel immediate comfort flowing through your veins once the game's music fills your ears. As you expected, Toad is waiting for you. She smiles brightly when she sees you're online, and you smile back, despite how much it pains you to. (text-colour:magenta)["Hi! Are you ready for today's adventure?"] She asks, holding out her little froggy appendage. You take it, knowing it'll be the last. "Sure." [[ >> | B3]] <audio autoplay> <source src="assets/wonderland.mp3"></audio>

She guides you through the Milkweed Forest. You'd done a few quests here, when you were still just a beginner. You find it odd that she'd take you here, of all places, to do an important quest, but you don't question it. You're busy taking in the sights. The tall grass, the little mushrooms, the happy trees. You'll miss it all so much. (text-colour:magenta)["Here, behind those rocks,"] she says, hopping towards a stone formation you'd never seen before. Weird. You were sure that you had already explored the area completely. Was this new? When you round off the corner, you have to hold back a gasp. "It's... there's a //waterfall// here?" Toad smiles up at you, hopping onto a flat stone. The waterfall cascades beautifully into a deep blue lake. You peer into the crystalline water, noticing that there's a rare chest at the bottom. [[ >> | B4]] <audio autoplay> <source src="assets/wonderland.mp3"></audio>

(text-colour:magenta)["I need you to open that chest for me,"] she explains. ["Will you do it?"] But you're already taking your equipment off, leaving it at the shore for when you come back up. You have your avatar chug a water-breathing potion, knowing that you'll need it to make it to the bottom, and dive in. It gets dark pretty quick, but you know you'll only have to reach the bottom and yank whatever's inside that chest to make everything around it glow. You pull out a sword, swimming upwards again and making it to shore. You grin at Toad. "Is this what you want?" You lower the item so that she can see it better. It begins to glow. It glows, and glows, and glows- glows until you're both covered in light. You close your eyes to shield yourself from the brightness, and when you open them, your avatar's in front of you. Still holding the sword. Still drenched; wet. [[ >> | B 5]] <audio autoplay> <source src="assets/wonderland.mp3"></audio>

When they speak, it sounds an awful lot like Toad. "Peyton," she starts, carding your avatar's hand through what used to be her slimy head. "I know that my body isn't too great. I know it's not the most... practical. But if you go to Reyara, they'll turn you back into your avatar!" Reyara. The owner of that ominous voice, and one of Wonderland's saints. You'd only seen them a few times, but you knew that if you were to call them, they'd respond. You're confused. (text-colour:magenta)["Wait- T-Toad? I'm- you're- me?"] She looks sad when she smiles. "I'm you, yes." She picks her own body up. "I just... I have a lot to thank you for, you know? You never once replaced me, even though you could have easily gotten a better sidekick than me!" She sets you (her) down. She (your avatar, //you!//) then pulls up the menu. Does she-? (text-colour:magenta)["Wait! No- Toad! My family, they-!"] "I know," she chuckles. "I'm giving you a way out, because you gave me something even more special." The last thing she does is smile at you. "Love." And that's when she disappears. [[>> | B end]] <audio autoplay> <source src="assets/wonderland.mp3"></audio>

You... you're free. You're free. You'll go to Reyara later. For now, you simply look up at the sky. The beautiful blue that you can now feel. The wind that hits your bumpy face. The dirt under your body. You're a frog, sure, but somehow you can't find it in you to care. You'll be forever grateful to Toad. She sacrificed herself for you! Gave you her body. You don't care that it's a toad's body, because you're finally away from your so-called family, and now you're- You're free. You laugh. The smell of grass has never been so comforting. [[End. |Wonderland]] <audio autoplay> <source src="assets/wonderland.mp3"></audio>

But it's your fault. You know it's your fault. If you hadn't opened that email, then you'd at least have //some// form of entertainment. //Some// kind of freedom. But that won't come anymore. You wonder what everyone's thinking, out there, in Wonderland. Wonder if Toad's still waiting for you to help her finish her quest. You're snapped out of this new trance by your Mother. You immediately tense up. She's standing in your doorway, though it's moot to call it that, isn't it? There's no door. [[>> | A end]]

When you wake up that Sunday, you wake up to the smell of pancakes. You fight the urge to go downstairs right away. You know Mother won't like it if you show up in your pajamas at the breakfast table. Plus, you can pretend you're still asleep- sneak in a few moments worth of //Wonderland//. You head into the bathroom, locking the door behind you whilst you set your clothes down on the toilet lid. Your console is on top of the pile, too. You take a quick shower, burying the console with your dirty clothes again. You take it with you everywhere. It has to be in your sights at all times. You can't let your parents see. You can't. [[ >>| act 3 3b]]

"Peyton," Mother starts. Her expression is unreadable. "Did //you// do this?" [[ Confess. | act 3 Ab]] [[ Run. | act 3 B]] [[ Fight. | act 3 C]]

You had a competition in Wonderland today, that's right! Your ears ring. You lash out. [[>> | C2]] <audio autoplay> <source src="assets/ringing.mp3"></audio>

It's all a blur from there. You're kicking someone, and then, you bite someone else. Go for the throat. [[>> | C3]] <audio autoplay> <source src="assets/ringing.mp3"></audio>

But it's your fault. You know it's your fault. If you hadn't opened that email, then you'd at least have //some// form of entertainment. //Some// kind of freedom. But that won't come anymore. You wonder what everyone's thinking, out there, in Wonderland. Wonder if some other big-shot won the competition. You're snapped out of this new trance by your Mother. You immediately tense up. She's standing in your doorway, though it's moot to call it that, isn't it? There's no door. [[>> | A end]]

You use a sword, in Wonderland. Here, you make do with a kitchen knife. [[>> | C4]] <audio autoplay> <source src="assets/ringing.mp3"></audio>

They were twice your size. They should have fought better. [[>> | C5]] <audio autoplay> <source src="assets/ringing.mp3"></audio>

Oh well. You finish the job. Nobody likes a half-assed winner, after all. [[>> | C end]] <audio autoplay> <source src="assets/ringing.mp3"></audio>

The neighbors called the police, apparently. But what's a policeman going to do? It's already too late for the three of you. You've made sure of it. (You won.) [[End. |Wonderland]] <audio autoplay> <source src="assets/ringing.mp3"></audio>

"Peyton," Mother starts. Her expression is unreadable. "Did //you// do this?" [[ Confess. | act 3 Af]] [[ Run. | act 3 Bf]]

Your body moves on its own. Without even realizing it, you start to run upstairs. You kick yourself off from the floor, ignoring Mother's calls, or Father's booming voice. You don't care about the threats. You don't want to face them right now. You want to escape, like you've been doing for the past month. You slam the door shut, locking it, your hands shaking as you desperately try to find a way to- Oh. Perfect. That'll do. You quickly push your nighttable against the door, hoping it'll be enough to deter them. What's next, though? What do you plan to do now? You're just... trapped inside your bedroom. They'll eventually make their way in and punish you even more. You remember your compromise with Fairy. Right! You might as well. It'll be a good farewell to the game. [[ >>| B2f]]

You drag yourself into the closet, booting the game up and slipping your headset on. It drowns out the noise from outside. You feel immediate comfort flowing through your veins once the game's music fills your ears. As you expected, Fairy is waiting for you. She smiles brightly when she sees you're online, and you smile back, despite how much it pains you to. (text-colour:magenta)["Hi! Are you ready for today's adventure?"] She asks, holding out her little pixie arm. You take it, knowing it'll be the last. "Sure." [[ >> |b3f]] <audio autoplay> <source src="assets/wonderland.mp3"></audio>

(text-colour:magenta)["I need you to open that chest for me,"] she explains. ["Will you do it?"] But you're already taking your equipment off, leaving it at the shore for when you come back up. You have your avatar chug a water-breathing potion, knowing that you'll need it to make it to the bottom, and dive in. It gets dark pretty quick, but you know you'll only have to reach the bottom and yank whatever's inside that chest to make everything around it glow. You pull out a sword, swimming upwards again and making it to shore. You grin at Fairy. "Is this what you want?" You lower the item so that she can see it better. It begins to glow. It glows, and glows, and glows- glows until you're both covered in light. You close your eyes to shield yourself from the brightness, and when you open them, your avatar's in front of you. Still holding the sword. Still drenched; wet. [[ >> | B 5f]] <audio autoplay> <source src="assets/wonderland.mp3"></audio>

When they speak, it sounds an awful lot like Fairy. "Peyton," she starts, carding your avatar's hand through what used to be her sparkly head. "I know that my body isn't too great. I know it's not the most... practical. But if you go to Reyara, they'll turn you back into your avatar!" Reyara. The owner of that ominous voice, and one of Wonderland's saints. You'd only seen them a few times, but you knew that if you were to call them, they'd respond. You're confused. (text-colour:magenta)["Wait- F-Fairy? I'm- you're- me?"] She looks sad when she smiles. "I'm you, yes." She picks her own body up. "I just... I have a lot to thank you for, you know? You never once replaced me, even though you could have easily gotten a better sidekick than me!" She sets you (her) down. She (your avatar, //you!//) then pulls up the menu. Does she-? (text-colour:magenta)["Wait! No- Fairy! My family, they-!"] "I know," she chuckles. "I'm giving you a way out, because you gave me something even more special." The last thing she does is smile at you. "Love." And that's when she disappears. [[>> | Bf end]] <audio autoplay> <source src="assets/wonderland.mp3"></audio>

You... you're free. You're free. You'll go to Reyara later. For now, you simply look up at the sky. The beautiful blue that you can now feel. The wind that hits your small face. The dirt under your body. You're a pixie, sure, but somehow you can't find it in you to care. You'll be forever grateful to Fairy. She sacrificed herself for you! Gave you her body. You don't care that it's a fairy's body, because you're finally away from your so-called family, and now you're- You're free. You laugh. The smell of grass has never been so comforting. [[End. |Wonderland]] <audio autoplay> <source src="assets/wonderland.mp3"></audio>

When you wake up that Sunday, you wake up to the smell of pancakes. You fight the urge to go downstairs right away. You know Mother won't like it if you show up in your pajamas at the breakfast table. Plus, you can pretend you're still asleep- sneak in a few moments worth of //Wonderland//. You head into the bathroom, locking the door behind you whilst you set your clothes down on the toilet lid. Your console is on top of the pile, too. You take a quick shower, burying the console with your dirty clothes again. You take it with you everywhere. It has to be in your sights at all times. You can't let your parents see. You can't. [[ >>| act 3 3bf]]

"Peyton," Mother starts. Her expression is unreadable. "Did //you// do this?" [[ Confess. | act 3 Abf]] [[ Run. | act 3 Bf]] [[ Fight. | act 3 C]]

But it's your fault. You know it's your fault. If you hadn't opened that email, then you'd at least have //some// form of entertainment. //Some// kind of freedom. But that won't come anymore. You wonder what everyone's thinking, out there, in Wonderland. Wonder if Fairy's still waiting for you to help her finish her quest. You're snapped out of this new trance by your Mother. You immediately tense up. She's standing in your doorway, though it's moot to call it that, isn't it? There's no door. [[>> | Af end]]

She guides you through the Milkweed Forest. You'd done a few quests here, when you were still just a beginner. You find it odd that she'd take you here, of all places, to do an important quest, but you don't question it. You're busy taking in the sights. The tall grass, the little mushrooms, the happy trees. You'll miss it all so much. (text-colour:magenta)["Here, behind those rocks,"] she says, flying towards a stone formation you'd never seen before. Weird. You were sure that you had already explored the area completely. Was this new? When you round off the corner, you have to hold back a gasp. "It's... there's a //waterfall// here?" Fairy smiles up at you, flying onto a flat stone. The waterfall cascades beautifully into a deep blue lake. You peer into the crystalline water, noticing that there's a rare chest at the bottom. [[ >> | B4f]] <audio autoplay> <source src="assets/wonderland.mp3"></audio>

But it's your fault. You know it's your fault. If you hadn't opened that email, then you'd at least have //some// form of entertainment. //Some// kind of freedom. But that won't come anymore. You wonder what everyone's thinking, out there, in Wonderland. Wonder if some other big-shot won the competition. You're snapped out of this new trance by your Mother. You immediately tense up. She's standing in your doorway, though it's moot to call it that, isn't it? There's no door. [[>> | Af end]]