>>6041758“Just how many Strangers does the Inquisition keep on tap like your contact?”
“Less than you think but more than you know,” Asher says.
“I believe you answered that similarly to me before on a different question.”
“I assume you know what I’m implying then, princess?”
“You won’t tell me.”
“Can’t or won’t, same thing really,” Asher says flippantly.
“Wait, that’s what it means? I never would have guessed,” Marie says after finishing her food and pouring another glass for herself. Oh, you’re down your second cup. Is that why your face feels flushed?
“So what’s with this Alice in Wonderwhat? Wonder… Wonderland! What’s with that?” Both of them look at you rather confused.
“It’s an old novel from Earth made over a hundred years ago, I enjoyed reading it and through the looking glass.” You refill his empty cup as he says this, he looks to be debating a devil and an angel as he stares at it.
Marie raises an eyebrow at Asher’s response but doesn’t comment on that instead saying, “I cosplayed Alice once at Tokyo Disneyland! I also played Bla-” She's cut off by a shake under the table and Asher whispering something about not revealing her power level at the dinner table.
You’re about to question what that means when he changes the topic, “Yo, did you ever go on the Mark Twain ride?”
“Is that the one on the boat?” Marie asks.
“Yeah, the river cruise,” Marie nods, “It’s so weird, right? Like last thing I expected to find there.”
“I guess-” Their conversation fades to the background of your mind as you finish your fourth cup. Wait fourth? You were just on your second. The only point of relevance from that conversation is that Alice in Wonderland seems to have been an old book from Earth. Which is rather strange but you’ll need more than that.
“What’s it about? Alice in Wonderland?” You ask to which Marie responds.
“Oh, this little girl called Alice follows a white rabbit down a rabbit hole and enters a fantastic place called Wonderland. She meets a lot of strange things like talking animals, playing cards, and chess pieces before she wakes up from the dream and the story ends.”
“Okay, but why am I seeing it everywhere?”
“Seeing what everywhere?”
“I,” You pause, what are you even talking about? “I don’t know it just seems relevant in my life I suppose?”
“Hey, where’d you even learn about that?”