seaofhearts | (no subject)

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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. ]

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

... Surprise? ]

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

[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.

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

Experience ages everyone, but not always physically.

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.

[ 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.

[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?

[ 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.

It'll be fine.

[Probably. He hopes.]

Do you think we're getting close?

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

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

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.

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

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

Can't it be both at once?

No.

[ His tone is flat. A pause, as he looks at Ken. ]

... You're the worst of them, aren't you?

[At first, he thinks that the Rabbit means his sense of humor. But then... he looks back at the island before returning his gaze to him. His tone is a little flat, too.]

... Maybe. I doubt any of them have been through something like that Tower.

[ ... He finds it curious. To have him here after that... ]

... No. You're the only one. What will you do? It's inevitable.

Them seeing it? I know. I'll... shield them as best as I can, but... some of them won't take it well. Some of them... might break.

[Not everyone had made it out of the Tower relatively okay. Not everyone had the same kind of determination to see it through. Those that weren't used to fighting, that were from comfortable lives... those were the type that were hit the hardest. And if things from home were added to that...]

If people die in the Hearts... will they come back? If things are going to get more dangerous, even aside from the puzzles...

[ ... He is quiet for a moment. ]

You cannot protect people from your own heart.

[ A simple statement. A warning, if anything. Is he trying to help? Perhaps. It's only fair they have even odds. ]

... It depends. Sometimes the stakes might be higher. Without seeing what's in every Door, I... am not sure. I can't say for certain. I won't know until they have been opened. A conundrum. ... Consider Schrodinger's experiment, if you like.

[ He doesn't want to mention it was about a cat, because he hates cats. ]

I can't promise you will not get hurt. But assuming that it is within the rules, it's possible you may return to me, so I can send you back into the Doors.

... I'll still do what I can. I don't want people getting hurt because of me if I can help it. It's my heart, so I'll take the brunt of it if it's possible.

[... That's... a fair answer. He almost considers putting a hand on the Rabbit's shoulder, but the Rabbit... isn't here, so...]

We'll still try to be careful. But... thank you.

... I am only able to pick up the pieces. And, as I've previously said. I can't leave. This is tiring. So try to be careful.

[ That's about all the advice he can give. ]

You were all in here quite some time, so I was beginning to wonder what was taking so long.

I'll try to be, at least.

[He just shrugs at the latter statement, though.]

The puzzles were taking a while, so it's been a little bit of slow going. I'm sure there's more, but we're working through them.

... You're like me. I will take care of anything in my jurisdiction.

[ A pause goes by. He won't elaborate on why. ]

... I do hope you are able to retrieve my keys in a timely manner, Alice. Good luck, I suppose.

[Heh. He almost laughs, before he stops himself.]

I think we're close. We should be done soon... probably.

[Though the end is probably going to be the hardest, because why wouldn't it be?]

[ He pauses to tap his fingers on the sand before him, grabbing some of it up and slowly letting it go, his owlish, unblinking gaze watching the grains fall. ]

Fickle is the heart of man, but fickler still's the ground on which he stands. You can empty something, but you cannot fill it up if there is a hole in it, can you? A sinking boat with too many holes is an impossible task.

[ Is he waxing philosophical? Or is that a hint? ... Perhaps it's also a warning. ]

Edited 2016-01-11 04:36 (UTC)

[... Maybe all three.]

Then we'll try not to poke too many holes. Not on my watch, at least.

... We'll see.

[ He doesn't believe him, clearly. Is he going to just lie back down? Yes, he is. ]

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