Cybee Cogsworth's Arc

Chapter 3 of 5

Cybee studied his map of the Rabbit Hole, tracing paths with a brass finger. The merchant district had given him tools and repairs, but he needed more. His enemy could be hiding anywhere in this twisted world. He rolled up the map and stepped out of his burrow into the morning fog. The air smelled of rust and wet earth. His mechanical arms clicked as he walked toward the western edge of town, where the buildings grew taller and stranger. After an hour of searching, he found what he needed: a library built inside a massive gear that rotated slowly on its axis. Inside, shelves spiraled upward filled with journals and maps left by other travelers. Cybee spent the day reading accounts of the Rabbit Hole's many districts. He learned about the Steam Gardens where information brokers gathered, and the Clockwork Market where witnesses traded secrets. Each location offered a new chance to find someone who had seen his enemy. He copied names and places onto spare paper, filling his pockets with leads. By sunset, he had a list of seven places to search. The Rabbit Hole was vast, but it wasn't endless. Somewhere in these twisted streets, his enemy had left a trail. The next morning, Cybee chose his first target: a tea shop called The Twisted Teacup. According to his notes, it sat inside a massive broken teacup tilted on its side. Steam pipes jutted from cracks in the porcelain walls. He found it after two hours of walking through cramped alleys. Inside, the curved walls created a cozy space filled with mismatched tables and chairs. A dozen creatures sat scattered around the room, sipping from cups and talking in low voices. Cybee ordered tea and found a seat near the center where he could hear multiple conversations. His large ears swiveled, catching fragments about missing items, strange portals, and suspicious strangers. One rat mentioned seeing someone fall through a portal three months ago near the clock tower. Cybee's brass fingers tightened around his cup. He listened for another hour, memorizing every detail. When he left, his list had grown to include two new witnesses and a location he hadn't known about. The Twisted Teacup had given him exactly what he needed. His enemy's trail was getting warmer. On his way back through the square, Cybee spotted something new on the metal pole. A wanted poster hung among the flyers, its edges decorated with gears and Victorian scrollwork. The face on the poster was someone he didn't recognize, but the text beneath caught his attention. The Rabbit Hole had a justice system. Someone tracked criminals here. Someone caught them. Cybee pulled out his notebook and wrote down the contact information listed at the bottom of the poster. If authorities existed in this world, they might have records of everyone who arrived through the portals. They might know who pushed him. His mechanical arms whirred as he tucked the notebook back into his coat. The Rabbit Hole wasn't just a prison anymore. It was a place with resources, with witnesses, with answers waiting to be found. Cybee walked back to his burrow with purpose in every step. His hunt had direction now, and every day brought him closer to the truth. The next morning, Cybee carried a strange device back to the square. He had found it in a junk shop the day before: a street speaker with weathered metal housing and a hand-crank on the side. The shopkeeper said it could broadcast his voice across several blocks. Cybee set it up near the metal pole where his original flyer still hung. He turned the crank until gears inside clicked into position, then spoke into the horn. His voice echoed through the streets, calling for witnesses to come forward with information about the push. He repeated his message three times, then waited. Within an hour, two creatures approached. One had seen a hooded figure near a portal entrance. The other remembered hearing an argument before someone fell through. Cybee wrote down every word in his notebook. The Rabbit Hole had given him tools, places to search, and ways to find the truth. His enemy had made a mistake pushing him into this world. Here, Cybee had everything he needed to hunt them down and make them answer for what they had done.