(no subject)

[patchworkcat]

Who: The Cheshire Cat and whoever comes across him
What: Cheshire Cat has appeared, as he is wont to do. He's even fishing!
Where: Jabberwock Island, beach
Warnings: Cheshire is being Cheshire, and thus cryptic and mindfucky

[ Some time after they open the music venue, beach house and the ranch, Cheshire can be found on the beach. Sort of. He's waded into the water, and is fishing with his paws. Sitting patiently, he seems to be deep in concentration. ]

Comments

After the above thread. (Feel free to reply en masse to this one, too)

[apatheticguide]

[ The White Rabbit (?) can be found not far from the Cheshire Cat, having apparently passed out on the sandy beach next to a large sign post.

It reads as follows:

" - NO LOITERING
- NO FISHING
- NO MOVING THE SIGN
- NO MURDERING
- NO SHIRT, NO SHOES, NO PROBLEM! IT'S A BEACH! BUT TRY TO WEAR SOMETHING FOR PUBLIC DECENCY!
- CLAMS WELCOME, INQUIRE TO: THE CARPENTER AND THE WALRUS!"

... What a weird sign. His ear twitches lightly now and again as he sleeps, but he otherwise seems to be thoroughly ignoring the Cheshire Cat. Just how did he get in here if he can't move anyway? ]

[miseris_socios]

[Honestly, he's not even going to question it, but he sits down on the sand next to the rabbit, his hand bandaged awkwardly.]

[He considers the rabbit for a minute, and then takes off his jacket to try to drape it over the sleeping rabbit.]

[apatheticguide]

[ He slowly opens his eyes, and--the coat goes right through him.

... Surprise? ]

... Oh. It's you. The smallest Alice.

[miseris_socios]

[Oh.]

I didn't mean to wake you up.

[But since he doesn't need it, Ken will just put it back on.]

I guess I am the smallest... though I'm actually fourteen, depending on how you count it.

[apatheticguide]

[ ... He puts a hand over his mouth, yawning. ]

Experience ages everyone, but not always physically.

[miseris_socios]

Exactly. Though I did age physically there, it just got... reset.

[Damn you Ruana, etc. He got used to being able to see over the bathroom sink easily.]

If you're tired, maybe you should go back to sleep.

[apatheticguide]

[ He lets out a gloomy, tired sigh. ]

... Aging is just a sign you are slowly inching toward your death, anyway. I wouldn't worry over it. And it's pointless for me to do that now that you're finally here. Making these projections is just tiresome.

[miseris_socios]

[He laughs a little. Oh, he knows about inching towards death.]

I'm not all that scared of dying. Even if I die for good, at least I'll have done something with my life in the little time that I had.

[Not as much as he'd like, but it's something, at least. He helped defeat Nyx, in his own way. He fought against the Tower's administrators. And he's started to turn his life around. That's not nothing.]

Did you come in here to check on us? Or was there something else?

[apatheticguide]

[ He makes a noncommital noise. He sounds either tired, or disinterested. ]

... Both.

[ Another face-covered yawn. At least he's attempting manners. ]

Your hand is fairly injured, I see.

[miseris_socios]

It'll be fine.

[Probably. He hopes.]

Do you think we're getting close?

[apatheticguide]

[ ... If he says he'll be fine, then he won't argue. ]

... I would suppose so. Not many places left, are there?

[miseris_socios]

No, I guess not. But we could always get surprised. People have weird... hearts or minds or souls or whatever you want to call them, sometimes.

[apatheticguide]

I think all of you are strange. He thinks you're all subjective.

[ He motions vaguely to the Cat in the distance, fishing. ]

[not_that_sasuke]

[At some point, he wanders over and sits cross-legged by the White Rabbit's head, looking out to the ocean. He'll wait there patiently until the Rabbit seems ready to wake up.]

[apatheticguide]

[ You'll have to wake him, Sasuke; he's out cold. ]

...apparently my tag never posted, cries

[not_that_sasuke]

[He does continue to wait for a while, watching the cat from afar and listening to the sound of the water on the beach. But unfortunately, he can't wait forever, especially not in a place like this. That's the thought that finally has him turning to the Rabbit once again.]

I thought you couldn't move.

[His voice is raised ever so slightly from the usual quiet, though it's still not nearly loud enough to be considered anything close to a shout.]

it's okay!

[apatheticguide]

[ ... He slowly looks up, blinking. He seems annoyed. ]

... Hello, Alice. Why do you think I can?

[ He yawns, covering his mouth slowly. ]

And what took you so long? Have you found my key yet?

[not_that_sasuke]

[It's okay, he knows a snake who is also perpetually annoyed when people bother him. He's used to this.]

Because you're here.

[...Or maybe...]

You aren't?

[If it's anything like the space the old spirit brought him to, anything goes.]

...Anyway, everyone's been trying to find it, but it's very well hidden.

[apatheticguide]

[ His expression is one of annoyance, but it's slight. He's not a very expressive sort, generally. ]

No. I'm not.

[ A blunt statement. ]

... I don't know what could be left, but you have to have gotten some leads from what you've been doing. You should try not to dawdle so much.

[not_that_sasuke]

[The snake is much the same, really.]

I don't think anyone plans to dawdle for very long. But what about you? I wasn't expecting to see you here at all.

[Whether it was in person or not.]

[apatheticguide]

I have to keep an eye on him. And I supposed that you might require my help.

[ There's a brief pause. Red eyes turn to look at Sasuke's own, now. Not just his face or body. ]

... Although, in the future, eavesdropping is rude.

[not_that_sasuke]

[Oops, caught.]

Sorry.

[He is not sorry. If they didn't want eavesdroppers, perhaps the Cat shouldn't have grabbed someone raised to do that very thing. But since Rabbit clearly knows, there's no point in beating around the bush:]

Who's the real one?

[The real Alice.]

[apatheticguide]

[ ... He knows Sasuke wasn't the only one. He doesn't care. ]

Who indeed, I wonder. ... I suppose I should mention that I find it interesting that this place is named what it is. It's just that it's not every day someone ends up here with a coincidence like that. ... In fact, I don't think anyone ever did.

[not_that_sasuke]

[This isn't the topic he wants, but it's also probably better to just go with it than try to force it back onto the original tracks.]

So that really is just a coincidence?

[apatheticguide]

Everything can be taken as coincidence when it comes to things such as this. But when you have too many, they begin to become worrisome.

[ That's his answer to that. ]