Seven: Off With Her Head

Seven: Off With Her Head
Date of Scene:	09 November 2013
Location:	Castle Tycoon
Synopsis:	The Queen of Hearts comes to the World of Ruin, seeking a young girl named Alice. As such, she and a full deck of cards have come to Castle Tycoon while its own princess is out: For rumors go that a suspicious blonde girl has been imprisoned there. One demand echoes through the halls of Tycoon Castle, as its soldiers reach out for help against this strange enemy force that has infiltrated their castle; OFF WITH HER HEAD!
Thanks to:	Oathkeeper
Cast of Characters:	Queen of Hearts, Deelel, Maleficent, Serah Farron, The Cloud King, Edison Reece, Echo
Tinyplot:	Seven

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Oathkeeper has posed:
Prologue:

What has happened to Tycoon Castle? The Wind Drake Tower is empty of its namesake, and its Princess has been missing for some time now. Without a Princess or King, the guards were caught by surprise when a strange army found their way through the underground maze with such immense ease.

They held them back, they struggled hard. But the deck was stacked against them! Literally! And at their rear came a Queen so cruel... so ruthless... and with only one wish. There had been a captive to the Castle Tycoon... a particular blonde who had stumbled into the castle from the maze herself. It is almost as if there might be a secret way into this castle from another place.

At the start of the invasion's forces, the guard had sent out messengers. Even the Ma Belle network was used in order to gather heroes who might be willing to defend them until their Princess could return.

But will our heroes be in time to stop the Queen of Hearts!?

Now:

"What is this racket outside!?" The queen demands to know. The doors to the castle had been opened by a few guards which had hidden away within the castle. They may be NPCs, but that doesn't mean they're useless! And with that door opened, the heroes are able to get in.

Sitting upon her throne, the fat woman wags her scepter in anger. "No matter! Bring me _the girl_! Bring me... _Alice_!" Before her, a half deck of cards with heads and spears splits apart, to reveal a blonde girl in a blue dress; her head tipped down.

The Cloud King has posed:
Ah, the wonderful thing about people from Wonderland is that they sometimes simply...

Appear.

"You know... you catch more flies with honey than vinegar." comes a voice from a nearby ledge, nearby and up, to the side. A fellow was sitting there in a pristine white suit, long hair. Most anyone from Wonderland would probably have seen the fellow once or twice in the past, even if he hadn't actually done anything so much as just... come and gone, and something of importance or negligible importance had vanished. "Then again, flies also enjoy a nice big pile of..." and the sound of spears and soldier cards moving blocked out what he said.

"Wonderland, though, dear Queen. Is it in this World of Ruin? Or might your voluptuousness be stranded here as well?"

By the time someone looked up towards him he had already moved to daintily sitting on the end of one cards spear, as some inhabitants of this place had a habit of simply being here or there at various times.

Serah Farron has posed:
Among the 'heroes', a pink haired girl with the power of healing. She takes advantage of the confusion when the guards open up the doors to slip in. She's not sure what they are going up against, the message on the Ma Belle was not entirely specific on that, but that's alright. If she can offer some measure of help with the rescue and protect of the castle, it beats running away from Heartless. At least she's not alone.

But pink-hairs are not that uncommon in Tycoon either. Not that she knows about that, but the princess has a similar color too. As long as they don't confuse the two of course. She's not quite princess material honestly. But then again, considering the *other* princess of Tycoon...

Anyhow, slipping in, she tries to be as concealed as possible, trying to keep some measure of upper hand until the time is right. She tugs on the string of her bow, that is wrapped over her shoulder for now, as she wishes she doesn't need to use it either. "What are they after? The crystal?" That would be the most logical choice for attacking a castle this size.

Maleficent has posed:
Other things also appear, and perhaps less welcome than Wonderlandian whimsy.

More than just heroes and guards have eyes on this place. This location is home to the well-warded chamber containing the Crystal of Light. In fact, Maleficent managed to twist the mind of one of the guards. And that guard was on the crystal chamber. It would have been quite useful to aid in obtaining the crystal, to have that guard. But something had happened, when that guard was puttering around. He had heard about the events of the last little while, and so it was not just heroes who showed up.

From a sky suddenly rent with thunder and dappled with clouds - a form on black wings emerges from a massive hole in reality.

The aperture into a darker space resolves, and a green-skinned form floats majestically, slowly out of it.

Diablo alights on her staff, and card archers or guards might spot her coming, trailing smoke.

Unerringly but very slowly, the sorceress begins floating toward the throne room - visible above the castle courtyards, ready to enter through a balcony and stalk the halls.

Echo has posed:
Echo had received word from one of the messengers and had come along, who knows, it might have been good for an exercise in her magical prowess, or perhaps the place would just get razed, and to the victor go the spoils. It was probably a good thing that not many of these here knew of her, though she'd keep out of sight more or less, a veil over her face. Not that that would exactly disguise her well, exactly, but. She wasn't there for exactly any one thing, or even really that she wanted to help the inhabitants--sure she didn't like to see people just getting crushed, but this wasn't her problem, either, exactly.

Deelel has posed:
Deelel had been here not looking for trouble but to check out the local art, be it music or otherwise. At her core she was still a multimedia program. She was an artit always so here she'd been to learn more well that was what she was hoping to learn Then things had gone to the recycle bin in a zip file. She was one fo the people quickly responding to the apprent assault upon the city but she had to wonder who where they and what did they want? For she'd never had contact with the queen before.

"Oh this is getting so glitched up the one time I try to take a break..."

Edison Reece has posed:
Edison happened to be escorting a caravan of merchant when word came out of what was happening on Tycoon. Given that he was nearby either way, it wouldn't hurt if he checked out what was happening at the castle once he was done with his current job, right? Dashing towards the entrance that the guards just made - what a surprise, an open gate instead of a breached wall - the Ranger wills his armor to appear, with the usual lack of luster, apart from some purple lights.

Once he slipped in the ensuing mess, he took some moments to look around, to find other people that could be here for the sdme reason he was. "Hmm..." he mutters, his helmet's faceplate still open, "I wonder how to start working on this mess. Oh well, there's plenty of work to do... and I've got to earn my keep on this world in some way, right?"

Queen of Hearts has posed:
"Cloud King." The red 'voluptuous' Queen groans in annoyance. She's easily annoyed. "This isn't any of your business. This girl brought Heartless into our world. So today, she will stand trial for that!"

"But I didn't do any such thing!" Alice cries foul, but is quickly yelled at by the Queen. "Quiet!"

Then suddenly, others are starting to pile up in the throne-room. "What is this? Who let these people into my throne-room!?" The Queen demands to know. A series of black spade cards quickly march in an attempt to form a wall and block Serah's way. At the same time, this means that any other people trying to get passed are being blocked as well.

The red card whose's spear Cloud King is sitting on, is waggling his spear in a desperate attempt to get him to fall off.

Outside, Maleficent's appearance is making a bit of noise as well. Cards literraly jump at her from the walls, trying to pile onto her and stop her from approaching. Green flaying floating things are usually bad. Those coming in at the front gate meet a few cards on their way, but the force is spread out and thin. It's easy to make it past for our heroes.

The Cloud King has posed:
"Truly? I would never have thought such a thing. Such a pretty young thing sided with the world gobblers. A pity that." There was no heroic streak going on in this fellow, though he did say, "And you are ever so correct, it is none of my business. I do have quite the interest in getting back to Wonderland, though. All my things are there and I was in the middle of something quite..."

The shaking causes him to fall off and he lands with a frown, "Quite the rude one too. I suppose you take after your queen." A little 'hmph' comes out of him and he dusts his clothing off with a bit of show before saying, "As I was saying, something quite..."

And then there is noise outside, the sound of the cards piling on something, the thunder and such.

"Always interrupted."

Sigh.

The Cloud King shakes his head before walking to the side casually and standing out of the way. "I make no attempt to interfere with your court. But perhaps it would be sound advice to tuck the criminal away until such a time that you can deal with her, hm? We can't have one aligned with those creatures absconding with something else like our world now can we?"

Maleficent has posed:
Diablo harries the cards, pecking at their eyes and dodging their spears with surprising avian grace for a bird who, let's face it, is well fed from the table every night.

Maleficent herself exerts a tiny amount of arcane power to emit literal sizzling eye beams from her eyes, while emitting a high, keening laugh.

"AH-HAHA-HAHAAHAHAHAH! FOOLS!"

A spear vanishes into her robe, and a card hangs, comically from it. The next card might grab onto his feet. They're getting heavier. Maleficent begins to lose altitude. A third card grabs the legs of the second one.

She is coming in much too low for the balcony. She may be powerful, but the cards are valiant and they don't care about their own safety. She could fry some arrows, but taking apart one of these soldiers would take more time.

She's on a collision course for a wall!

She's on a collision course for a wall alight with Green Flames!

She's on a collision course for a disintegrating wall above the Queen of Hearts' head!

She's on a collision course for the air in the throne room, fire spangling from her flesh a few drops of precious golden ichor perhaps staining the queen or her vicinity on the way past.

The laugh continues, wild, mad eyes alighting on the cowering and cowed girl below.

The cards dangle madly, still trying to stab the insane sorceress, as she regains her composure, places both hands on her staff -

Raises one, and allows Diablo to alight on a finger.

The card chain still dangles, supported by a spear stuck terrifyingly far into the inky nothingness of Maleficent's robes. They are climbing. The top one is standing on it, looking perhaps consternated, and pondering punching Maleficent in the face.

The spear is expelled at high speed, sending the card soldiers flying.

The entrance was accelerated somewhat, not her finest moment. The fae draws herself up.

"You've overplayed your hands."

Haughty, nose upturned, hold it for a moment, aaaand - unfreeze.

Serah Farron has posed:
Serah Farron eeps a bit, surrounded by cards! Guardians? Cardians? How exactly are those called anyway? Looks like her stealth roll failed there! But then it seems their attention is taken by that... black witch or something. Who is that? She hasn't met anyone like that before... but she doesn'y really look nice either...

But she's not going to hang around long enough to worry about those details. She slips past the cardians once they stop looking at her, and rushes toward the back, in the direction where Maleficient went into... She doesn't really want to get close to her, but she has a bad feeling about it too, and she can't shake it.

Deelel has posed:
Deelel has not gone for the weapon on her back just yet. She does not seem to be a very happy campter at all as she looks ove the queen and teyes the cardmen for a moment. She narros her eyes for a moment. There' information to be gathered she's listening trying to catch up on thing but then comes the Queen of Darknes. Oh Mac, this was bad. So very bad, deelel thought she's now moving to almost go for her disc but she's not done so yet. So just who is this other Queen but if Mal if interested? Things just got serious, very darn serious.

Echo has posed:
It had occured to Echo that these card people were here on some kind of persecution trip, which made sense to her--she didn't like it, especially after hearing what this queen of hearts sounded like. Of course, with Maleficent's attack she could feel the massive waves of magical energy coming from her direction, like perhaps the way an animal with sensitive hearing knows hwen to flee from a flood or tidal wave. She knew she very much did not want to be in the way of whatever seemed to give /that/ sensation.

Edison Reece has posed:
The ranger strides forward, finding himself facing...

"What in the seven circles of H�lle..." he says, eyeing the... cards facing him. He tries hard not to think on how they manage to stay up right (PROTIP: Standing on their feet), instead opting for looking around to _bypass_ them through some crazy parkour skills.

Besides, he wonders he can shoot playing cards to death. Do they even bleed?

Queen of Hearts has posed:
"Yes. Of course I am correct. I am the Queen of Hearts!" The woman answers the Cloud King, wagging her scepter at him some more, before flopping back into her seat. It even wobbles thanks to her enormous weight.

Imagine her and Queen Brahne having an eating contest.

"And..." She's about to say something, but indeed, both her and the Cloud King are being interupted constantly. "QUIEEEEET!" She demands to the room at large, even as The Cloud King is speaking... followed by Maleficent suddenly entering the throne room from behind her, through a green-burning hole in the wall!?

The Queen tumbles out of her throne as the chain of cards slap into the back of her seat! She bumbles down the 'stairs' in front of the throne, and comes to a rather embarassing halt on the floor, with her rear aimed for the air.

She flops back down, and a few cards come to her rescue so she might get up. But the moment she is standing, her head is red and she pushes them aside. "I will not, Cloud King. She's already to be judged. And I say, OFF WITH HER HEAD!" She points at Alice in that moment.

Only /then/ does she look up at Maleficent, great sorcerous fairy supreme. "And who are _you_!?" And why is she not dead - that had been a spear sticking through her robes right?

The black cards draw back from Serah, and surround Alice, raising their bladed spears. "No! I haven't done anything!" Alice proclaims!

Who will interfere?!

The Cloud King has posed:
The pink-haired fellow frowned at the behavior, fall, then verdict. He took a deep slow breath and sighed out with annoyed twinge about him. "So vulgar." he mumbled to himself as he looked towards Alice, who seemed quite frightful and, for that matter, worried. She really did not seem in the least like those who were aligned with the Heartless. Not that he knew them as Heartless, or knew much of anything about those who brought them, but he would say with certainty it wasn't her if he had to say.

He didn't, though. Especially given the Queen of Hearts was saying. Once she set her mind on something she so rarely changed it. "Oh boys, I think you had better protect your Queen. I do think she may have just annoyed the wrong witch and, quite frankly that witch looks rather powerful." With a slow, calculated and rather sneaky walk much like a certain pirate the Cloud King tiptoed around as if he was going to slip off, only to turn in the hopes that all of the cards were, indeed, trying to protect the Queen of Hearts. Protect her bad enough that they might not notice the vine that had sprouted from the ground towards Alice as if offering for her to take hold of it. Normally not one to be a hero, he wanted to ask this girl if she knew where Wonderland was. The Queen was not answering and quite frankly she was likely to lose HER head soon.

Maleficent has posed:
Maleficent floats to the ground, slowly. The smile on her face is somewhat fierce as she attempts to sidle in the general direction of Alice. "Now, I won't have you laying one hand on this poor, misunderstood girl's head. Even if I do respect you, one... ruler, to another."

The voice is sweet, and she moves somewhat majestically, but the fae is all menace and bristles. Something secret is at stake, something the guard warned her of. Something all-important.

"I believe this girl is best served by keeping her head firmly on her shoulders."

Her calm regard roves the room. With a gesture, she is known to conjure Heartless, and ancient painful curses. Today, any of these are at her fingertips and ready. The first sign of beheading would be met with magic most foul.

The heroes are not regarded, Maleficent is barely even paying attention to what she regards as a fat, ineffectual queen. The Sorceress only has eyes for the girl, looking on her with a hunger beyond the ken of any mortal being. She is open for the shivving, but the larger problem right now is the force of cards. Whatever their disagreements, Maleficent clearly does not mean to let Alice be hurt, and that puts her - for this moment at least - on the side of the angels. The scuffle over the treehouse will happen later.

Echo has posed:
It would appear the pressure of all that extreme magical energy had gotten Echo's nerves a bit wracked--so she finds a convenient spot when no one's looking to slip away, she didn't want to be on the recieving end of that kind of power.

Deelel has posed:
Deelel folds her arms as she listens toe the Queen and the Cloud King sheilts her head and looks at her.

"Really should understand there's always what the term? A bigger fish."

She gestures for the Queen, what's Deelel doing at this point prehaps trying to distract the Queen while she looks at Alice, oh hell it's time to interfear at this point. She sighs and goes for the disc on her back.

"Really your going to do this? You seem to be glitched."

She pauses as Maleficent wants her alive? Okay then they have to protect her from the Queen of Hearts and the Dark Fairy, things are looking pretty grim.

"Serah? So We just got into a whole lot of trouble, more so then normal!"

Queen of Hearts has posed:
When the sorcerous woman bears her teeth at the queen, and the Cloud King fools the deck of cards, the queen soon sees herself protected by the full deck. All of them form up in front of her, ready to throw themselves away for her sake. It's kind of amazing, if you think about it.

In that moment, Alice notices the Vine and does indeed take that moment to grab onto it and pull her out of harm's way. "What are you doing!? Get her! Off with her head!" The queen rages.

Off with 'her' head. Off with whose head? The cards look amongst one-another for a moment, before they turn their eyes upon Maleficent... the Alice...

WHO SEEMS TO BE ESCAPING?!

The cards rush forwards, half of them for Maleficent, half of them for Alice.

Serah Farron has posed:
Serah Farron nods to Deelel as she escapes the attention of the guards with Maleficient's magic show "It feels like we're between the rock and the hard place right now... maybe we should... try to get that girl out of the way and run away or something... but how do you think we could do that with all of them here?" She whispers so she's not overheard... That'd be hard for any escape plans should they try to do that at least.

She hmms had taps at Deelel's shoulder "... Think you could make a light show of your own, or something to distract them?"

Edison Reece has posed:
Edison eventually opts for some wall running. Ignoring the protests from the cards, he rushes forward, entering the throne room just in time to hear the witch's declarations. He can feel the darkness, as well, and it disgusts him. His orange visor closes, hiding his expressions, as he keeps observing Maleficent. She's watching that girl a bit too much, in his opinion, but why?

Why indeed, Edison, you arrived late to hear it. If you did, maybe you wouldn't currently be worried with the girl. Or maybe you would anyway, at least until you got the whole truth.

For now, however, the young warrior is worried with the darkness he can percieve. "Huuuh. I'm pretty sure condemning little girls to death isn't a sign of a good ruler. I've head enough of shoddy rulers."

Of course, there were those *bleep*ing cards, again, this time rushing forward! That's it. The cards must die. Or whatever happens to them once they sustain critical damage. He isn't too picky about it. "I don't think so," he starts, "gentle... cards!" he finishes sheepishly, not really sure on how to address those strange soldiers. Either way, he decided to take the initiative and make the first shot. Well, just a couple of warning shots to the ground in front of the advancing forces. No danger to anyone there, really.

Maleficent has posed:
Which means the entire deck is rushing for Alice, really.

Maleficent literally had her eyes on the blonde girl the entire time. Every trick in her arsenal is turned on following Alice when the vine pulls her away, wherever she may go. This means that cards can absolutely follow Maleficent and Alice both, resolving their internal crisis! They get to have their heads and eat them too. Unless someone is trying to cut the Dark Fairy off. She doesn't run or rush, she just walks implacably forward..

Her staff burns with green flame, Dark Flare ready to meet anyone standing directly in front of her as she gives chase. If she is manhandled, a gout of fire is the response, if she is punched, speared, or gored, she would weather it with good grace and a cutting look - but that girl is at the top of the chart.

Edison briefly moves on her scale of perception, at least he seems to have some aplomb. Serah and Deelel are keeping well back, and therefore they are not on Maleficent's radar as threats right now.

A little while, a soldier in the crystal room saw the crystal glow purest white. He reported this back to Maleficent. The glow coincided with an Event. That event is swirling in her power-mad mind, amid a fair store of power already.

==> DF: Pursue The Girl

The Cloud King has posed:
When reached out to, the Vine nods, in some animated sort of way, as if it was quite alive. And the 'head' taken it quickly pulls back and the Cloud King reveals it was stealthily connected to one of his hands much like a whip. Pulling Alice quickly away from them and towards himself he takes her gently by the shoulders and leans down to whisper, "Seems you have gotten yourself in quite the situation little lady. I think you and I had better abscond with our heads attached if we wish to have tea with the hatter another day, hm? Or better yet, not have tea with him. He /is/ a bit... mad, hoho~" The remark caused him to chuckle a little as he took his coat off, leaving himself in a shirt and vest beneath, only to turn the jacket inside out quickly and throw it over Alice's shoulders to act as a deterrent, hopefully, for any incoming chucked halberds and spears from errant card-ians.

If she actually let the jacket stay, that is, it would at best protect her from a breeze. It is no armor.

Snapping his fingers as he tried to usher Alice off into a hallway out towards the kitchens, if his nose smelled things right, a series of vines burst along the ground and attempted to grab a couple of hapless nearby cards to hoist them by the feet and let them drape down over the passageway as a set of living drapes, trying to buy the two enough time to avoid the pursuing bunch.

"Do you know where Wonderland is by the by?" He asked towards Alice conversationally.

Queen of Hearts has posed:
A few of the cards halt thanks to Edison's attempt to shoot at their feet. But after deciding that he's not shooting _at_ them, the cards rush right on forwards once more. Foolishly loyal to their Queen after all! This places the rest of them in the horrible situation of facing off against Maleficent; a woman quite capable of ruining this particular deck of cards.

In fact, she might even Flush them out! Cards try to grab at her, and end up being thrown back by green blazing fire. "Stop bumbling around you fools, and get her!" The Queen commands as the cards falter.

This is followed by some of the cards being grabbed by the vines by their ankles. The Queen pauses for a moment, glaring at The Cloud King. "You fool! Get that girl back here! If you give me the girl, I will take you back to Wonderland!" She declares.

Alice in the meantime, is following right into the direction she was asked to take by the Cloud King.

Deelel has posed:
Deelel nods to Serah it's a good idea and she smirks.

"It's what I was made for Serah."

She now puts her disc back at this point as indeed she's got an idea at this point she's not going to draw too much attention at this point what the program is doing? She's getting out her baton and bringing it on line, why? As she was going to rezze something into being but it seems not to be needed she nudges Serah.

"We best go after her to make sure she's all right."

Deelel will put the baton back on her leg and try to take off after the Cloud King and Alice. Mal's going after them and well? She best do the same she's not about to leave someone to the Dark Fairy's mercy if she can help it.

Edison Reece has posed:
The girl is going... somewhere. The cards are being... annoying. And they ignored his warning. Fine.

"Fine." He growls, brefore moving to block the card's movement. "Could someone see where the girl has gone?" he asks to the people in the room who aren't either cards, queens or Obviously Evil Witches. "I have a few things to say to these cards." Said things involves bullets and griveous wounds, since they needed to learn that when he shot at their feet, they were meant to stop. And if they don't stop, then he will do ultraviolence to their spleens. And any other part of their bodies that could be shot at.

Maleficent has posed:
Maleficent had attempted to hold back, she does not any longer. She channels her massive power through her staff, directing it in a beam in the direction of the Cloud King's retreat. Particularly any cards in that cone are blasted away. Her form bathes itself in flame, which covers the floor behind her like oozing slime.

If she has to melt a wall, she melts a wall. If she has to enact a sleeping curse on an unwary card, she does so. If she has to sweep heroes up in her wake and carry them in her arms, she does it. Whatever needs to be done to get her eyes on the blonde girl, and her would-be rescuer, that is what she does.

It begins with a ray of melting force that hits a wall of Tycoon castle, shattering gravel and dust into the air - then a billowing darkwind to throw the stone behind her and clear the air.

"Bring her to me." comes her voice, the Queen forgotten.

Cards fall next to her legs, they see-to with spears. Some of these are cushioned by a pushing force, her mental energies composed and focused to push back. Some make it through, but the blood which comes out is acidic to the touch of anyone but the fae herself.

"I tire of this farce."

Walls, antique armoires, guards, housecats. Dark magic is rending pieces of this puny world apart wherever it can take hold. Perhaps the only thing in the castle this force cannot penetrate or do harm to is the crystal protection chamber, and even that would fall with time.

Her green skin shines in the sickly purple light. The witch is tired of waiting. So unless the Queen of Hearts comes and sits on her, things are happening.

Nearby, Edison shoots a few cards, taking a bit of pressure off, phew.

The Cloud King has posed:
"A tempting offer, Queen~" Shouts back the Cloud King as he absconds with the jacket-covered Alice. "But I am quite certain did I come back and she got away, you'd off with my head next~ Toodles~" And he keeps going as quickly as he could, not wanting to fight this battle in the least. He wanted to be gone, fast, and the girl with him long enough to find out if she knew about Wonderland.

And since she wasn't talking at the moment...

He'd just have to talk later!

Maleficent begins to melt through walls and he looks a bit worried, "My dear, I think we had better have a little parting of ways here and a distraction. Hm... Aha." As soon as the two duck behind the nearest entryway the Cloud King makes two identical cloaks of flowers appear with a careful manipulation of petals and weaving of his hands, a couple of vnies attached to Alice's to make it appear the same height as him when worn. "Here, put this on and you go that way. I will go the other and lead them off. I do expect you to return that coat, alright little lady? Now, shoo and be careful." And with that he points her down one hallway and waits until someone sees him and darts down the other to try and distract.

Serah Farron has posed:
Serah Farron blinks as the Cloud King apparent had the same idea as her. And before they can even finish planning an escape, the blonde girl is swept away with him. "Uhm, well I guess that works out, doesn't it?" She rushes after the others. But not completly either. She has a few tricks of her own too, and before the cards can rush out of the room, she turns around and fires a set of arrows at the floor, tied with magical strings. Its a slow spell, but used differently here, which should slow them down or trip them over like invisible strings.

She keeps running out afterwards "I'm not sure if that will even work, probably better to not stay around to witness it."

Queen of Hearts has posed:
As the group heads into the halls, the cards fail to follow any further. Between Maleficent's power, the flaming holes in the walls, the needs of their Queen, and Eridison firing at their bodies - the Cards are forced to fall back. This leaves Alice alone, fleeing, while the Queen of Hearts remains behind on the throne room.

"Thank you mister!" Alice calls out to The Cloud King, bowing her head quickly and gripping the coat tightly around her body, before she tries to run off further into the castle... into the maze below. She'll be difficult to find there.

Very difficult to find. Especially if our heroes manage to distract Maleficent for more than a few seconds.

Deelel has posed:
Deelel has a plan even as they run it was what she was going to attempt what she'd pl;anned earily even as they go. She's pulling the baton out and it start form a sound system it won't last long if it's attacked but the device starts playing some of the most annoying techno one could think of. This isn't even the worst part, nay. There comers the seizure inducing light show from two emitters that rise up the sound system bright flashes of light, horrible garish colours all flicking and changing int time to the music. It might work, it might not but well it's better than just doing nothing.

Maleficent has posed:
The Dark Fairy doesn't stop moving, but she does become slightly disoriented. She turns her head for half a second, letting green flame shoot toward the sound system. But that half second - to remove an affront to her dignity - is probably all the time Alice needs to slip away.

It would be necessary for the Dark Fairy to try to find her again, or for someone else to do the deed. It would appear the castle was just twisty enough.

Sure, Maleficent could probably melt the whole place down, if she wanted someone dead. But she needs Alice intact and with her head.

So it appears she has made an enemy in the Queen of Hearts, and failed to capture the girl. Though she may follow, the Fairy would have trouble enough finding her -and Alice does have a tendency to slip "sideways" to somewhere else. Abandoning the job as hopeless, this whole event has surely hardened her resolve.

However, if anyone wants to catch up and throw a punch, they can.