Remember what the Dormouse said?

[Brianna Casablancas]

It is dusk in London, England, the area where Brianna Casablancas was born and spent the first 23 years of her life. As is typical with London, heavy fog is in the air as a figure makes her way through the cemetery. While when many people think about a graveyard in London, they think of old and decaying headstones in an old and decaying town but in spite of the fog, which can’t be helped, this grassy area seems very green with more recent monuments. The dates only go back to the 1960’s ...and considering how old the city is, that is fairly recent. The female figure has pulled off her high heels and laid them on the gravel path. Her barefeet sunk into the wet grass making *thunk* sound as they stomp on the dirt. The *thunk* follows her with each step she makes. Quite a few *thunks* follows as she stops at what has to be a more recent headstone. A smile that masks sorrow appears on her face as she reads the engraving.

‘Wesley Charles Winifred’

‘Loving Father and Husband’

‘1954-2010’

And now the full scene is in clear view as Brianna Casablancas stands over the gravestone holding a bouquet of lilies and a book in her arms. Her eyes are a bit watered as she looks over the grave of what has to be someone close to her. She is dressed in her Sunday best which consists of a long red skirt and white blouse as she approaches the gravestone with what seems to be regret.

"Good day father. I brought you a couple of gifts." She begins without the usual pep that is in her voice normally. Instead it is almost monotone and is loud in the deserted graveyard."I know it has been awhile but I guess there are some issues I need to work out with you and mother. Or at this point just mother I guess. Even three years, after your passing, I AM having problems with forgiveness ...but maybe it is a matter of forgiving myself more so now for not letting your flaws go. You and mother just wanted the best for me which was why you pushed me so hard to compete with the other dancers. How were you to know it would bring out a darkness in myself at a way too early of age? You and mother would not let me stop unless I walked away from you as well as that lifestyle. It was one of the toughest things I ever had to do. But that does not change the fact that when I found my peace, I should have had the courage to confront you."

She pauses for a moment as she remembers her ‘other life,’ the life that she tried to keep separate from her past. But that was all kind of changed at the last Massacre to humorous results until Mr. Bishop decided he wanted to delve into her past. Yes, his tantrum was still hilarious but she felt for her ballet instructor. It wasn’t their fault that she got into this business. But it also wasn’t hers. The only person to blame is the child who was throwing the fit in the first place. But that spoiled child was what brought the thought of her father back to her mind; back to the surface. As great as her life has been, there has been something about her past that she hasn’t quite attended to. She stares back down at the gravestone.

"I will be honest, I am here for another reason as well." She shakes her head thinking about the child she has been experimenting on but as of late feels like she has been babysitting."I have a sneaking suspicion that now that my opponent for Blackout 2 has learned that you passed away that he would take the plane ride across the pond to pay you a visit. Just a heads up father, he is probably going to urinate on your grave or dig you up and desecrate you of some kind. That is just what my good mate Ian does: tries too hard to be evil to laughable over the top levels. I personally do not think he can hurt me when it comes to you as much as I did myself in the long run. I have besmirched your legacy on my own. But either way, I would expect a visit from him. And all of this because I ruined his little party ...or forfeited the title to him...or just because he is obnoxious. He probably thinks it is the first two, but deep down inside, he probably knows it is the second. This coming Massacre, I will get my revenge and then comes the hardest part for this bloke: letting go; getting over it."

She Chuckles to herself and then stares up at the sky for a brief moment before thinking about the actual moment at hand; the cross she felt like she needed to bear before she continued. Brianna realizes that she needs to get the words out instead of wasting time on a man who has nothing to do with her estrangement to her father before he passed away. She takes a deep breath as that letting go begins.

"And father, letting go isn't easy to do. In fact, it is bloody well impossible sometimes. Deep down inside, even after I promised not to hate again or let anger control me ...I still refused to let go a bit when it came to you and mother. I guess we all have those unattended to emotions laying dormant in all of us. And before I step into the ring with a man who literally does not deserve the things he has, I must let my grudge against you go, as well as my grudge against myself. I am sorry and I hope wherever you are at that you can forgive me."

She kneels down as her knees pressing into the grass make a loud *sploosh* sound. There are now tears streaming down her face.

"I brought you the customary flowers. But I also brought something a little more sentimental." She places the lilies at the edge of the gravestone. She then looks down at the small hardcover book that she has in her hands. "Remember this from when I was wee? You used to read parts of it to me every night. But when you finished, I made you start over again ...and suddenly, it was your tradition to read this to me before bed. I know you and mother were tough on me, but then there were times like that where your sweetness showed and I knew that you REALLY cared. It reminded me that you weren’t a dictator who only wanted me to ONLY be a ballerina. In spite of the strict training schedule you had me doing, you did love me ...and were willing to spend time with me that wasn’t attempting to accomplish some ultimate career you had chose for me at an early age. Even after we parted ways, when I was feeling that “competitive urge” take over, I would read parts of that story to myself. I thank you for that, father.”

She looks at the book and then sets it next to the bouquet of flowers. “Father,” She says on her knees with her gifts in front of her. “I am sorry for taking you for granted while you were alive. And thank you for the good times.”

She breathes for a few seconds and takes it in. She then looks down at the book in front of her. The frail young lady wipes away the tears with her hands ...as something that resembles her smile, but is not quite that yet, appears on her face as she peers at the book. The cover that features a young girl in a blue in white dress standing below a mushroom with a hash smoking caterpillar stares back at her. But they aren’t the only two on the cover. With his hand over the young ladies shoulder is a man with an outrageous hat but with an unsure look on his face. She stared at this weird interpretation of this beloved character and suddenly in her brain connected. She had an idea for something; something grand. Maybe even something a wee bit on the MAD side of things.She presses the book down on the grass before kissing her finger and placing it on the book. The woman who was born Bianca Whitney Winifred then stands up and looks down at her father’s grave.

“I love you father. Thank you for the inspiration and if Ian pops on by tell him I said ‘ello!’”

She stands up straight and makes her way back to the gravel walkway as her feet make the *thunk* *thunk* sounds. Her face is very solemn as she walks away from her father’s grave but a little more hopeful. The young lady did not just find the peace she was looking for ...but an epiphany of sorts.

Tea pours into a big brightly yellow colored tea cup as we pan out to view an area that looks like it was torn out of a popular Tom Petty video. Under further investigation, this seems to be in the middle of one of those fun houses in "fairytale Village" amusement parks that are in smaller mountain towns in middle America. This paricular funhouse seems to be themed to a popular children's tale from all of our youths. Judging by the scenery, it was built sometime in the sixties ...which makes everything a little creepily dated. And as we all know, there is nothing scarier than the 60's. Brianna Casablancas sits at the head of a green table where she sits alone drinking her coffee. Behind her are fun house mirrors ...but printed on the right wall seems to be a painting of the rabbit hole with tables and chairs and other furniture swirling into an abyss.The floor is black and white checkered. Brianna takes a sip of her tea as she seems to have a huge book on her lap. The pretty young lady looks upand stares forward with her enthusiastic smile.

"Ian," She begins with her enthusiasm that made be a little more vengeful this time. "Last month you and I went through the looking glass but now we go all of the way and head right on down the rabbit hole. And down in that rabbit hole ...it gets dark. And in that darkness, you can only see one thing ahead of you but you cannot make it out ...not just yet."

The image of that dated picture of the rabbit hole flashes over the screen as she speaks with the blue overly large storybook on her lap. She takes another sip of her coffee before setting it back down on the equally large novelty table.

"I think this calls for a little OCW storytime." She exclaims as she opens up the storybook before seeming even more gleeful ...which is unsettling. Again, there is an intensity in her face as she opens up the storybook. "Now, while I primarily studied psychology ...I have always been a fan of classic literature. Most of that was because my father was a distinguished English professor. I guess they were always second nature to this bird. Charles Dickens, Jane Austen, Cervantes ...you know Ian ...the classics. But nothing has caught my ire more than the work of Lewis Carroll. Did you know that he was a mathematician? Think about that for a moment Ian. A man who was trained on structure and balance and there being an answer to everything ...created a world with absolutely no rules. Isn't that just fascinating? Maybe you don't find it that incredible but I personally find that quite astounding. Because deep down inside EVERY truly great mind lies an insane and deranged individual; lies a man who does not want to follow the rules that bind him."

Images from old storybooks appear on the screen. These images include Alice falling down the rabbit hole, the white Rabbit holding up his clock, and flowers with vacant stares beneath their petals. The images flash back to Brianna who begins reading out of the story book.

"And that lead to the creation of a place known as wonderland." As she continues to read flashes of a sign that says welcome to Wonderland appears but then melts into the current OCW logo. "Like the current OCW, it is a place out of control with SEVERAL forces trying to harness that insanity rather than embrace it. And the further they discover this foreign (to most of us) land, deeper into madness they descend. The more they become unhinged and just another wacky character in this colorful landscape. You might think you are quite sane Ian, but your actions as of late have become proof of such madness. You fell down the rabbit and now you are lost. But if you ask me, you were always a bit lost."


The image of the OCW logo spins out of control until it morphs back into the rabbit hole from before. Brianna can still be faintly seen speaking beneath these trippy images. Instead of the rabbit hole remaining stationary it spins clockwise as she continues to speak.

"And it was that that sent you on your journey into Wonderland in the first place. You were chasing a white rabbit weren't you? Curiouser and Curiouser."

The rabbit hole turns into a spinning Central title but behind it is an old flip book animation of the Disney cartoon of the White Rabbit racing into a hole.


"But your white rabbit wasn't of the mammal variety." She starts. "No, your white rabbit was made of gold and leather. You didn't really know why you chased it ...but you knew you needed to find it. You knew it would make you complete. You knew it would be the end of your journey. Once you caught your white rabbit, MAYBE you would have an identity. But that didn't happen did it? Because wonderland is an unpredictable place; wonderland is a deceiving place. Just because you caught your white rabbit, doesn't mean you really caught it. And that made your descent even more maddening. And in that madness, you THOUGHT you took the pill that made you larger, but instead you took the pill that made you smaller. Sure, you thought you were larger, but to the rest of us ...you were tiny. Just another one of Wonderland's clever little deceptions that you fell victim just due to being a tad bit gullible. Which no one can really blame you for. You were told lies. You were transported to a plane that you weren't quite ready for by being you weren't quite ready for. And you let the other wacky creatures of wonderland influence you and lead you down your current path."

A painting of an keyhole with a face flashes briefly before opening to reveal a man among moving playing cards. This seems to be apart of the retro attraction that Brianna is speaking from. This man is wearing all red with a white wig to cover up his exposed scalp and make him look more sophisticated than what he really is; more important than what he really is. If a viewer were to look carefully they would see an image of a popular Italian OCW wrestler behind it but one would have to look VERY carefully to spot this image. And behind THAT, Brianna could be
seen reading from her oversized book.

"First, it was the Knave of Hearts. The Queen was too busy teaming with Noah Mackenzie and falling down her own rabbit hole ...that she left her court. And, of course, pretenders to the throne lined up to be THAT person. To be the biggest bad in all of Wonderland. Men and women piled over each other to control this kingdom that NO HUMAN OR CREATURE could really control ...because they never understood its essence. But, eventually The Knave took the throne and promised you riches beyond your wildest dreams in exchange for your loyalty. But he knew not to trust you, not completely ...and for good reason. It seems as if you have hi-jacked the court that he himself stole. And now he has lost complete control of the pilfered Kingdom as you are building and creating around him. And you, like the pompous pretender to the throne that you are ...are underestimating how dangerous this Knave can be. After all, he walked over history itself to take over the court, who are you to believe that he won't walk over you to take it back? But the Knave is intelligent; he isn't a creature of instant gratification like yourself. He, afterall, is a strategist in a world insanity. He knows very well that if he bides his time that your paper kingdom will fall and all of wonderland will see you for the fool that most of us know you to be. If I were you, love, I better hope that Knave shows some mercy and lets you stay in his court after making all of them look like horses asses. The Queen would have had your head cut off immediately ...if she had the power she most definitely would."


The image of the Knave evaporates into a cloud of smoggy gray smoke. Once it clears an old story book image of a caterpillar appears. In his mouth is a hookah pipe with smoke billowing from its nose. In his hand is another hookah pipe. He is perched on his mushroom staring down at Alice ...but this Alice doesn't look intimidated or reluctant around this Caterpillar.

"But that isn't the end of it because you didn't just believe the Knave's phony promises but you went and got sage advice from an insect." As she speaks images of broken automobile parts are shown scattered amongst the floor. "The caterpillar doesn't know left from right or up from down ...but you are SO desperate to believe that someone trusts you; that someone believes in you. Since this caterpillar is willing to build you up, you in turn build him up as a guru; as a sage ...when in reality, he is dependent; he is simple. The stuff he spouts is gibberish and you blow your horn as if he were Moses coming down from the mountain top. Because there is one thing you DO understand about Wonderland, hearsay is half truth here ...and if you control people's perspectives then you control the people. So you show off your sage; your guru; you show off your caterpillar to the rest of the world and you say "trust this burnt out animal because he is different; because he knows something we don't" when in reality he knows less than you. The caterpillar was lucky. The caterpillar has been allowed to exist as a drug addled monster because the Jabberwockies of the world LET him exist as such ...and LET him and yourself believe that he had all of the answers. The moment he confronts Alice, she will show him anyone can smoke from a pipe and spout advice ...but what Alice says is full of substance and heart. Once the smoke clears out, we will find that the caterpillar was nothing more than an insect with a monkey on his back and you had put your faith in the wrong sage."

Another gray puff of smoke turns into Brianna continuing to read from her storybook while pouring some more tea ...but her visage quickly morphs into what has to be a portion of the attraction she is telling this story from. A crude drawing of the March hare sits atop an old dusty slide holding a tea cup with a mouse popping out of it with a teacup of her own. At first the painting looks elaborate but under closer inspection both of their eyes are dormant ... like there should be some feeling or emotion there but instead there is nothing.

"That bring us to your newest friend and his cute little sidekick. Of course, I am talking about the March Hare that you invited to your tea party and his dormouse that hides in the tea cup to do his bidding. He might be just as mad as you but somehow even more misguided and , thus far, more of a failure. The March hare in the stories is known for riding your coat tails ...he is known for latching on and not letting go...just hoping that he will be apart of every un-birthday. Even with the dormouse, no one really pays him any mind nor see him as anything special. And you ONLY surround yourself with those two because you want everyone to believe that you throw the best tea parties. But you are under the misconception that having a BIG Tea Party is equal to having an INCREDIBLE and enjoyable tea party. Serving bath water and calling it tea and inviting two pests and calling them guests doesn't make much of an unbirthday party...but you are still trying to pull the wool over wonderland and presenting it as such."

The scene seems to focus again as Brianna stops for a moment as she turns a page in her book. On this page is a foppish looking fellow wearing an oversized hat with a card sticking out of its brim. This man is holding up the tea cup to his lips.

"And that takes us to the master of ceremonies; that takes us to the man that fell down that rabbit hole; that held onto his white rabbit so much that he suffocated it into meaning absolutely nothing but still held up its corpse and said 'Look! It's something.' That isn't the words of a sane human being; it is the ramblings of a mad man. But you aren't any mad men, right? That would be me if we listen to your sermons. Actually, you bloody well give mad men a bad name. Because most maddeningly insane men KNOW who they are and wear it with pride. They wear their identity out in the open. But not you, you are comfortable enough with yourself to live like that because you do not know who are what you are. Instead, you wear different hats to fit in with any situation; to fit in with ANYONE that would accept you; to be SOMEONE that people like and respect even if you don't take the proper
route to earn such respect. No, what you do instead is put on your hats and hope that the rest of Wonderland believe your charade. But why? Because you do not know what your identity is ...because you do not have one."

A page from an old Disney's Alice in Wonderland golden book appears over Brianna's image again. It seems to be on the style of the Mad Hatter that most know but he looks to be angry in said picture; almost like he was frustrated over something. Something that even he didn't know he was frustrated over. Something he couldn't put his finger on ...because he was already so far gone."

"And you would have gotten away with this little masquerade of yours if you didn't change your hat so frequently. But you are SO unsure of yourself that we find you changing one hat for another at a whim. Take the match from last weeks for example. Instead of being Ian Bishop, you were a second rate Roach ...and THAT is hard to do. You COMPLETELY changed your identity to fit in with your Family member. You went from the technical master to a pothead based on who you were around. Just like you went from being a proud Canadian to a gangster just because you joined a group lead by an Italian. And as that week went on further, you changed that hat for one that embraced the moniker of 'paper champion' "

Another iteration of the Mad Hatter appears on the screen, this one is from the old Disney Channel "Adventures in Wonderland" television show ...that nobody seems to remember. He is at the head of the table and attempting to teach young Alice a lesson; trying to test her. But in this particular still, the young Alice's face seems to be a whole lot more confident than the Mad Hatter who is struggling to pass on his knowledge.

"And I believe for THAT moment that you really did think you embraced it. And you did enjoy it, didn't you? Because you had a LABEL; they were chanting SOMETHING at you for once. They thought for a moment you had something of an identity and for that MOMENT you did...which was all you ever wanted. If you couldn't be a REAL champion, at least you were the Paper Champion, correct? For that split second, you had an identity that people believed and what a relief that was."

More footage ripped from Disney, obviously without their permission, appears on screen with Johnny Depp's horribly bipolar version of The Mad Hatter in Tim Burton's adaptation of Alice in Wonderland that was more of a sequel than anything else. The scene featured here is that god awful scene of him dancing ...but it is on an endless loop that makes it incredibly annoying, ridiculous, and almost creepy after a while.

"But then you did what you do best: AGAIN, you changed your hat." She pauses for a moment as if to act out changing her own hat. "After the match ended, the 'I'm not worried about what you people think of me' aura left and suddenly you put on your 'I NEED to come off evil' hat because you thought that THAT would make me and everyone else take notice of you. You said that I made it personal because I crashed your little tea party; you said you made it personal because I just didn't let you have your fun. You gave so MANY excuses for your violent attack on my friend, on Idris, on my career, and on my ballet instructor ...but there was no excuse for it. It was just another hat you wore so you could have some semblance of an persona. And it was that final hat change that made you sink deeper and deeper into utter madness. The transformation was complete. Here was a man who entered Wonderland looking for the White Rabbit and he was broke down into a shell of his former self rambling for minutes off end, ripping up papers and beating people up; going crazy because somebody took something from you that you never had: an identity; because somebody gave you what you had been asking for: an unbirthday party. Something to celebrate without there being a reason to celebrate"

Footage of Ian's first promo where he made his intentions known for the Central title replace the Mad Hatter images as Brianna continues to tell her little story. This is intercut with his second appearance at the same show as he picks a fight that he would soon regret with Brianna Casablancas.

"And that identity that you never really had WAS your first hat. It was the hat you have been wearing for years to the point that even YOU believed it was your one true persona. And on that hat was the word 'Incredible.' You came in and wore that hat with pride, you wore it like a badge. It was WHO you were and you believed it UNTIL you went through the looking glass and you lost. You went in as Incredible and you left hatless. You were exposed as being anything but incredible and much worse, the white rabbit you chased was just handed to you as if it were nothing. And you found yourself exactly where you began: not knowing who you were or what you stood for and NEEDING to have those things."

Retro sixties art of the mad hatter sipping on his tea is intercut with the image that probably has haunted Ian his whole reign as he is laid out a bloody mess at the end of the House of Mirrors match as Brianna tosses her newly won title onto him ...forfeiting it to him.

"Congrats chum because you have one now." The images turn back to Brianna seated on her chair with the book wide open in the weird Wonderland themed funhouse room. "You are the mad hatter. And no matter how many hats you wear, you will never find the one that says Incredible ever again. So no, it wasn't that I took a celebration away from you. No, it was a reminder of that identity you will never have ...and more importantly, it was a reminder of how uncomfortable in your own skin you really are. THAT is why you TRIED so hard; THAT is why you tried to unhinge me...because deep down inside, you wanted to believe that I could be just as insecure or just as unsure of myself or even just as angry as you were. You wanted to believe that I was just as mentally weak and if you could prove that, then MAYBE there would be a way to get that hat back."

Brianna closes the book before taking another sip of her tea and smiling straight forward with great excitement towards something. The camera steadies on her as it seems that the random editing and special screen effects have changed for the time being.

"But I am not you." She shakes her head at the mere notion that ANYONE can be like Ian Bishop; so hateful and so immature. "Most people who lace up their boots are NOT you. Most of us know EXACTLY what we are. And people like me don't need to chase a white rabbit to re-affirm who they are."

She stops once again as the smile disappears and there seems to be a less polite and more serious tone to this next little bit of dialogue. We are no longer in a fantasy fairy tale world but one where things a tad bit more realistic. Real things are at stake. Real people were hurt ...and somebody is to blame for all of this.

"Ian, I don't want your title. I just want to watch you fall further and further down that rabbit hole. I want you to fall so far that you will look and me and realize that I was right all of this time: that you are conflicted and you DO need help figuring out your life. Because some of us are more about dissection. Taking away layers of a person just to see who they really are; to see how they really act.A And for that to happen, I will have to pluck that corpse of an animal out of your arms and start wearing it myself."

But suddenly she flashes a cheeky smile as she poses an interesting question. "But doesn't that make me a trouble maker?"

The camera effects and storybook pictures return as the scene spins again with ALL of the images that were being featured during this vignette in a swirl of images that become so hard to make out after awhile. It is almost vomit inducing.

"No,I think that makes me a woman who has embraced wonderland but instead of trying to control the geography she has become a part of it. And instead of becoming mad, she has become powerful. And now I come and go as I please. Lead people in the right direction and lead other people into the disaster they created for themselves. And that includes taking away toys that didn't belong to them in the first places ...that didn't belong to either of us. Sometimes those things are handed to you to JUST to see who you really are when they are taken away. But with you, you have already shown your true self ...and it doesn't look good on you. Because while you wear your hats ...there is only one word tattooed on forehead."

The images swirl and stop at the same picture ...the picture we keep going back to; the only picture that matters in the end: a bloodied Ian Bishop with the Central title laying on his chest.

"Desperation."

We cut to darkness as we can only hear the ticking of watch and Brianna's words. The insanity might have ceased but it doesn't seem to be done with. Sometimes complete darkness is even more effective than images.

"The courts of Wonderland have deemed you as such and now you are falling towards me in the darkness ...in a complete and total blackout of everything you believed about yourself and the rabbit you clutch. And now you are falling closer and closer towards me and you are seeing that light I was talking about. You are seeing that ONE source of light in this darkness. And at first you think it is an omen ...you think that it is a way out of all of this with your dignity intact and maybe you're "incredible" hat and that somehow people will forget that THAT hat was ever knocked off your head."

In the distance of this darkness are three white lights that are not distinguishable to at this point.

"But then you realize that the light you are racing towards is not sanctuary...at least not for you. No, once you make out what it is ...you are reminded of the man you never were and will never be but think you deserve to be. When you start to make out my face in this darkness, you are reminded of the madness that consumed you to the point that you raged around the ring like a mad man trying to prove a point that you didn't understand. And then you can make out the sources of this light and you are reminded of the dead rotting corpse of the white rabbit that you wear around your waist. And suddenly, the darkness is gone and all you can see is ...that light"

The three white lights are becoming a little more able to make out as either it is approaching us or we are approaching it. We seem to be looking at two eyes on top of a smile of some kind. It is moving side to side as it moves closer into vision. And we are finally able to make but EXACTLY what we are looking at.

"That bright gleaming light that you cannot get away from now. And as you get closer all you can see is ..."

The fabled Cheshire cat face is moving side to side as now the outline of its face and ears are no discernable. Soon the black and purple stripes are made out as Brianna gets to her final conclusion.

"My smile."

The image of the Cheshire cat transforms into Brianna looking forward with her eerily cheerful ...maybe full of some malice ...smile. The book is on her lap and her tea is on the table and it is just her staring forward with that smile.

And then darkness once more