Steve's return to consciousness was a disorienting experience, the eerie stillness of the room contrasting sharply with the chaos that had reigned moments before. The corpses of the once-alive Peacewalkers surrounded him, a haunting picture that left him both relieved and unnerved.
His relief was short-lived, for Alice was nowhere to be found. Panic gripped him as he struggled to make sense of the situation, his heart racing as he realized the enormity of his daughter's absence.
"Perchance, are you Steve McGwire?" A voice, calm and inquisitive, cut through the tension.
The abruptness of the question startled Steve. His gaze fixed on the source of the voice, a short man who stood before him—a figure of whimsy and enigma.
"Am I that scary?" The newcomer's question was punctuated by a chuckle, a disarming attempt to break the ice.
The description of the man painted a vivid picture, his attire and demeanor were a tapestry of eccentricity. He sported knee-length knicker pants and a pair of yellow socks with a green pattern. He also wore a long tailcoat jacket and a chessboard-pattern shirt underneath. Likewise, he used a big and tall dark green top hat as quirky as his white tie with pink polka dots. He had shoulder-length gray hair.
"I’m so sorry. Who are you?"
The newcomer's introduction was both whimsical and mysterious, and his name peculiar. "My name is... Hatta Hatta," he chuckled. "I'm looking for Miss Alice, but I think we should get out of here first. So, if you would kindly follow me."
He followed Hatta, their stroll a descent through galleries and hallways. As they reached the entrance of the Palace of Jäävarasto, Hatta's words held a sense of foreboding, a hint of events yet to unfold. "Certain events will now happen, which might transform this city... or perhaps destroy it!"
Steve frowned.
"This is what this world looks like! Where are we now?" Hatta whistled.
In the opulence of the main hall of the courts, an intricately designed metallic plaque adorned the wall, displaying the map of the Grand Duchy of Finland. Adjacent to it stood a colossal globe, its surface showcasing a world's map. Steve's attention was drawn to the globe, his finger tracing the delicate lines that delineated the borders of their present location—the northern part of Finland.
"How is this world?" Hatta's inquiry, delivered with a curious tilt of his head, prompted Steve to consider the question from a new perspective. The words hung in the air; he wasn’t sure what to say.
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Steve's brows furrowed, grappling with the complexity of Hatta's question. "I guess it's OK," he ventured.
"Let me elaborate. I meant, how is it to live here? I am not from this universe."
The intricacies of Hatta's statement, woven with an otherworldly intrigue, heightened Steve's curiosity. "What do you mean?" He asked.
"Someone has summoned me here, a different universe. And that someone is Alice, your daughter!"
The revelation left Steve's mouth agape, his eyes wide open. The very foundation of his reality seemed to tremble under the weight of Hatta's words.
"I was wondering about the geopolitical situation..." Hatta's words navigated the transition from the enigmatic to the tangible, focusing the conversation on the realm of earthly affairs. "I come from a place always at war. I live in a constant game of power among several warlords who want to be rulers of the land."
Steve's gaze shifted to the globe before him, his finger tracing the vast continents. He gestured towards New France, located in North America.
"So, how is this world?" Hatta's repeated.
Steve's response encapsulated the reality he knew, a reality where strife and conflict echoed through the corridors of power. "Well, we are not so different. For instance, a war just started near my country," he explained, his finger pointing at his country on the globe.
"Which country is at war?" Hatta's curiosity extended to the complexities of these conflicts, his inquiry probing deeper.
"The belligerents are the United States and Florida. Florida has Great Colombian support," Steve's finger brushed the globe to point at each country. The globe, a canvas for their conversation, became a visual tool that transcended verbal communication. "There is another war being held among the Ottoman Empire, Persian Empire, and the Aksum Kingdom. They fight for the control of oil in the Arabian Desert. While France and the United Kingdom in Europe, are supporting revolts within those territories. They want to collapse and invade them to annex territory."
Hatta's understanding deepened, his gaze shifting from the globe to Steve as he processed the intricate web of power dynamics. "I see," he mused, a hint of melancholy coloring his tone.
"The Russian Empire is always expanding, annexing tiny countries in Asia. The Empire of the Sun surrounded the Qing Dynasty. A week ago, they started an invasion in Southeastern Asia."
"I see," Hatta nodded, the weight of his observations permeating his words.
"We are in total war." Steve sighed, his tone held a mix of resignation and somber reflection.
Hatta's response encapsulated both the absurdity and tragedy of the situation. "This is funny but sad!" The juxtaposition of emotions in his comment mirrored the dichotomy of their world—a world where the gravity of reality often clashed with its inexplicable absurdities.
Steve's gaze locked onto Hatta's, his eyes reflecting the stark truth of their reality. "A World War will be unleashed when those empires have no more territory to annex," Hatta's voice held a note of inevitability.
At this moment, as the weight of their shared accounts converged, Steve and Hatta stood as witnesses to the intricacies of their respective worlds. The conversation extended beyond words, inviting reflection on the complex interplay of power, ambition, and the inexorable march of history.