What is this? [Audio] [Little bit of video]
[The comm clicks on!]
...
[Another click, comm going silent for a moment, only to click back on. This time the soft voice of a man is heard, seeming to be whispering to himself]
...What a strange little device... Odd... A gift perhaps?
[He doesn't seem to realize it's on, a shaking noise then a loud SLAM is heard]
Huh?...Tough little thing aren't you ( Read more... )
It's a magic box you've got, and is a good way to communicate to others, along with find a good recipe for cream scones.
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If you insist, though I confess I am not quite certain as to how you're going to take it with that contraption. [Meaning, of course, the mask - Alice thinks it might be a tad difficult, but really, that's just her opinion.]
Here.
[She nudges the tray at him once she sits in the offered chair, lifting a brow as she picks one up herself.]
You sound hungry - when I first arrived, I admit I was hungry but then again, I feel directly into the middle of a party, still clad in my armor! I was missing the Vorpal sword though - I do hope they are right about the Captain confiscating the weapons, I think Mirana would be very upset with me if I were to lose that.
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Contrap- Oh this? I suppose you can call it a sort of security blanket now that there's apparently no need to worry about a plague...
[He shoves it up a bit, only enough to expose the pale lower half of his face long enough to jam a scone in there, quickly pulling it back down]
A mpharty you shay? They hab mphartiesh on dish-
[He coughs, taking a moment to finish up the treat]
They have parties here? When was this? A-Armor? Were you fighting? ...
Vorpal...sword?
[He wasn't aware of this "confiscating" business as he had no weapons to take in the first place]
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Good heavens, this rabbit hole does pull in some interesting folk.
[She picks up a scone herself and munches thoughtfully before pouring herself a cup of tea.]
Oh, yes they do. There's ben two since I've arrived - give or take, I've only been to the one, so I've rather lost count, you see - and yes, armor. It's very light, actually, but rather uncomfortable for long periods of time, so I don't wear it all that often, and I was fighting the Jabberwocky right before arrival.
...Actually, I was on my way home when I arrived here, but that's neither here nor there. Rabbit holes decide where you go, really.
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[Jabber-...wh-....rabbit...hole...what kind of girl is this?]
...Erm...Wh-...Huh?
[He decided to stay silent, slidding another scone up into his mask, taking a few moments to finish it before speaking again.]
So how was the one you attended? Dangerous? Was there hostility?
....Jabber...wocky?...
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[She makes a face.]
While I don't particularly mind get togethers, I prefer them when they aren't an engagement party for myself that I was never informed of. Really, how inappropriate, don't you think?
[Tirade out of the way, she sips at her tea.]
Oh yes, the Jabberwocky. Large, beastly looking creature. In order to save Underland, I had to slay him, though I admit that wasn't something I had particularly wanted to do, I'm not much of a slayer, you see, and hadn't wanted to touch that no way no how, period, the end.
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That's certainly one of those things i'd imagine you would appreciate knowing about beforehand?
[He pours himself some tea, dumping a few spoonfuls of sugar into it, not being very conservative with the cream either]
You killed such a beast? That's rather impressive, miss.
[He tried to hide the fact that he felt a bit embarassed that such a young looking lady managed to do something he'd never even dream of doing. He shoved his mask up again, taking a large gulp of tea]
I-I...erm...I can't seem to think of any stories to tell on my end, unfortunately...
[He pulls his mask back down, clearing his throat]
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...But it doesn't seem as if it matters much at this present moment, considering how long I've been gone, though I think time is quite fluid here and there, so I imagine they still haven't even noticed I'm gone. [She smiles.]
Time is funny in dreams, you know.
[She takes a sip again, then tilts her head.]
I did, yes. [Threading her fingers through her hair, Alice peers at him curiously.]
You could start with the story behind the mask, for one. You mentioned a plague?
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Yes I suppose that'd be something you'd want to avoid...
...Dreams...
[He thought back to when he first got here. Thinking it was just a dream...There's no way though, right? He wouldn't have felt pain otherwise... Still, it's a possibility he'll have to keep in mind]
O-Oh...Well this mask was something all of us plague doctors wore. It protected us from the disease and the sick. We were all terrified of catching it...It...Well there wasn't much we could do for anyone after they became inflicted by it...
[He sighed, remembering those days]
The plague...The Black Death...Where I come from, it's an epidemic of sorts...No one's certain where it started but it...Doesn't seem to want to go away...A lot people died...
[He obviously didn't like talking about it. It brought back bad memories he's prefer to forget. He looked at Alice for a moment then down at his lap, silently]
...Sorry [Another small laugh]
It's not a very wonderful story...
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She does, however, very much wish to visit Underland again one day, though having her Hatter here does help matters.]
The Black Death? Tha twas nigh over five hundred years ago. [She blinks. This place certainly drew in people from all times.]
Not all stories have happy endings. [Sadly, many creatures in Underland had tragic tales prior to Alice's arrival. In the end, it was them that was the deciding factor for her.]
But sometimes we get to make our own endings.
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Five...Five hundred?...Years...?
[He felt his heart sink into his stomach, he wishes he could have done something to atleast slow down that horrid plague but he's just one little human against a massive disease. Hell, he's not even certain if he's in the same dimension anymore.]
This really is...a strange place...
[He's not sure if he even wants to return to his "home" anymore]
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[Alice herself had been shocked to learn of the vast differences in timelines that people were from, here.]
I am from the year eighteen sixty-five. [This doesn't help, she's sure.]
It is, yes, but I am certain you will find yourself in a position to do some marvelous things you might not have done otherwise. [She gives him an encouraging look.]
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That's quite a ways in the future...It must be so interesting! [He looks up at the lightsource of the room, still amazed by something as simple as a light switch]
...Marvelous things...?...You think so?...
[He looks back down, at you. Still giving the same blank bird masked face for a moment]
...
[Blink...A slightly annoyed noise, directed at the mask...He decides to take a chance, atleast for a moment to lift up his mask halfway again, this time flashing a smile at Alice before pulling his mask back down.]
If a moment of exposing myself to the bad air for a smile causes my demise, I'm going to be rather displeased...at you, miss Alice.
[He laughs alittle more]
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[She smiles brightly at him, then clasps her hands together and gives a laugh.]
Ah, that's the spirit! Though here I don't think the air is bad, and, should you perish, you'll be right as rain in just twenty four hours anyway!
[Yes, Alice listens. She listens far more than people think she does.]
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[He imagined a man sprouting giant feathery wings like an angel and taking to the skies]
Right as rain? What do you mean? Dead is dead, miss. Not much you can do afterwards!
[He should know. He's seen quite a few dead bodies in his time]
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[Alice has imagined something similar - and while being tossed across a creek upon Tarrant's hat could come close to Flying, Alice would have preferred to have control and not wind up with a face full of dirt and grass.]
Oh, why yes! It's the magic of the boat, you see. If one were to perish here, you would simply wake right back up in your room a day later, sans clothing. It's really rather embarrassing to those it has happened to, judging by the noise they sometimes make on their magic boxes.
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