Aʟɪᴄᴇ Pʟᴇᴀsᴀɴᴄᴇ Lɪᴅᴅᴇʟʟ (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
digophelia) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
epidemiology2015-11-05 07:53 pm
digophelia) wrote in epidemiology2015-11-05 07:53 pm
The flames on my skin to wash all bad away.
CHARACTERS: Alice Liddell [OPEN]
DATE: November 1st through 5th
WARNINGS: Depends on who approaches her and how things go!
SUMMARY: A few days after Halloween, Alice checks in on the children left in her care and receives an unexpected gift. Optional prompts inside!
A - COMMONER'S DISTRICT, 1ST - 4TH
[ Making good on her word, Alice seeks out some of the children out on the street, playing or attempting to steal from those out on the streets. The ground was littered with trash and the city looked to be beautiful once -- in a way, it was exactly like Whitechapel, London. Alice had found a suitable spot in the Commoner's District, with a few of them sitting with her in a spot that wasn't littered. The children were at least able to give her a better insight of the deep divide between goblins and humans, the history of this land. For the first time since she arrived in Odette, she was learning more and more about her surroundings, after boarding herself at Abel Inn for several days and hardly coming out.
Small children rarely went out by themselves in Whitechapel, unlike here. Even with the knowledge of bandits and thieves, Alice braved it with her knife tucked in a sheathe, of the sort, almost like a sword. Under lanterns and in a clearing that was well lit, she sat there with five children, exchanging a story after they told her of the beautiful queen, Odette.
For once, Alice was in her absolute element, visibly happy with little children and entertaining them with bits of Wonderland and the Queen of Hearts. ]
"Stuff and nonsense!" I said, "The idea of having the sentence first!"
"Hold your tongue!" And the Queen of Hearts turned purple, like a beat! "Off with her head!" the Queen shouted at the top of her voice. Nobody moved, not a soul in the court. Everyone was afraid of losing their head.
"Who cares for you?" I said, and I returned to my full size! "You're nothing but a pack of cards!"
[ It was nonsensical to adults, but the children listening to her seemed to be thrilled with it, giggling at the mental image of a purple-faced queen and Alice gesturing with her story of the Queen of Hearts and all of the court dissolving into a pack of cards. ]
B - ABEL INN, NOVEMBER 5TH, BEFORE THE STORM OF THE CASTLE
[ It was easy to remember it.
Alice counted six days after Halloween, each time, with a heavy heart. Officially, it had been twelve years since that faithful night. She would spend each of those nights, crying herself to sleep, shutting herself off to the world. But come the "day" of November 5th, Alice emerged before she departed from the Inn.
It had to be a sign.
Alice was looking at her signature white and blue dress, with blue metal gleaming under the dull light of the inn. With her books and drawings laying on her bed, Alice held pieces of the armor, bit by bit, as if to get a feel for it, softly murmuring to herself. She dreamed of knights, ever since she was a child. Of white and red chess pieces, and of the last white knights and pawns of the Pale Realm fighting with her in Queensland.
But never did she dream of wearing armor. Like Joan of Arc, she thinks, grateful that it allows her a bit of modesty of wearing a skirt instead of trousers. Plates of metal on her side and encasing her slender torso, the weight of it felt strange. Odd. She was used to bustles and petticoats, but not armor.
Almost like a child on Christmas morning, she walked around in it, outside of the inn, eagerly pacing in it. Turning on a heel, Alice twisted her hip to see what it felt like if she moved swiftly enough with armor on. Blue, silver, and white, gleaming through a flutter of butterflies as Alice landed on her feet. With a heavy sigh, Alice looked at her hands. Her eagerness fades quickly, as reality pulled her back into the world again, and out of memories of the Pale Realm, remembering that this was the very night her home had burned to ashes. ]
Why on earth do I have this? I'm no knight.
DATE: November 1st through 5th
WARNINGS: Depends on who approaches her and how things go!
SUMMARY: A few days after Halloween, Alice checks in on the children left in her care and receives an unexpected gift. Optional prompts inside!
A - COMMONER'S DISTRICT, 1ST - 4TH
[ Making good on her word, Alice seeks out some of the children out on the street, playing or attempting to steal from those out on the streets. The ground was littered with trash and the city looked to be beautiful once -- in a way, it was exactly like Whitechapel, London. Alice had found a suitable spot in the Commoner's District, with a few of them sitting with her in a spot that wasn't littered. The children were at least able to give her a better insight of the deep divide between goblins and humans, the history of this land. For the first time since she arrived in Odette, she was learning more and more about her surroundings, after boarding herself at Abel Inn for several days and hardly coming out.
Small children rarely went out by themselves in Whitechapel, unlike here. Even with the knowledge of bandits and thieves, Alice braved it with her knife tucked in a sheathe, of the sort, almost like a sword. Under lanterns and in a clearing that was well lit, she sat there with five children, exchanging a story after they told her of the beautiful queen, Odette.
For once, Alice was in her absolute element, visibly happy with little children and entertaining them with bits of Wonderland and the Queen of Hearts. ]
"Stuff and nonsense!" I said, "The idea of having the sentence first!"
"Hold your tongue!" And the Queen of Hearts turned purple, like a beat! "Off with her head!" the Queen shouted at the top of her voice. Nobody moved, not a soul in the court. Everyone was afraid of losing their head.
"Who cares for you?" I said, and I returned to my full size! "You're nothing but a pack of cards!"
[ It was nonsensical to adults, but the children listening to her seemed to be thrilled with it, giggling at the mental image of a purple-faced queen and Alice gesturing with her story of the Queen of Hearts and all of the court dissolving into a pack of cards. ]
B - ABEL INN, NOVEMBER 5TH, BEFORE THE STORM OF THE CASTLE
[ It was easy to remember it.
Alice counted six days after Halloween, each time, with a heavy heart. Officially, it had been twelve years since that faithful night. She would spend each of those nights, crying herself to sleep, shutting herself off to the world. But come the "day" of November 5th, Alice emerged before she departed from the Inn.
It had to be a sign.
Alice was looking at her signature white and blue dress, with blue metal gleaming under the dull light of the inn. With her books and drawings laying on her bed, Alice held pieces of the armor, bit by bit, as if to get a feel for it, softly murmuring to herself. She dreamed of knights, ever since she was a child. Of white and red chess pieces, and of the last white knights and pawns of the Pale Realm fighting with her in Queensland.
But never did she dream of wearing armor. Like Joan of Arc, she thinks, grateful that it allows her a bit of modesty of wearing a skirt instead of trousers. Plates of metal on her side and encasing her slender torso, the weight of it felt strange. Odd. She was used to bustles and petticoats, but not armor.
Almost like a child on Christmas morning, she walked around in it, outside of the inn, eagerly pacing in it. Turning on a heel, Alice twisted her hip to see what it felt like if she moved swiftly enough with armor on. Blue, silver, and white, gleaming through a flutter of butterflies as Alice landed on her feet. With a heavy sigh, Alice looked at her hands. Her eagerness fades quickly, as reality pulled her back into the world again, and out of memories of the Pale Realm, remembering that this was the very night her home had burned to ashes. ]
Why on earth do I have this? I'm no knight.
no subject
[ Alice settles herself, right near by, with her hands quietly cupped in front of her. She's not sure what to make of this or if he's serious and almost finds herself fretting, only for a moment. Sitting in armor is odd and Alice's only reaction is to heave out a heavy sigh. ]
Goodness. Is it that terrible?
[ IS IT? ]
no subject
—I'm just tired. Couldn't sleep. Pretty sure I got a splinter stuck in my ass and that's why.
no subject
[ Thankfully, Alice is largely clueless about any of that, slowly rocking as she sits there. Now that they're a little further from the Chantes, Alice doesn't seem as tense as before. ]
I don't sleep that much, either. I don't remember the last time I slept since I got here.
[ Most of it is Ban's fault, honestly. ]
You're in good company -- with not sleeping that well, that is.
no subject
Not sleeping can give you constipation. That's no very lady like. Get your beauty sleep.. or whatever.
[ A prolonged yawn. Gintoki rolls on his side, his back facing Alice. ]
Sleeping in armor won't protect you.
[ but he will... if he needs to.
A hand reaches around to scratch his ass charmingly. ]
no subject
[ Alice finds herself rolling her eyes at Gin and what she says, in memory. Out of concern, Alice withdraws her knife, running her fingers over the edge of it, in thought.
The feeling is practically mutual, even if she never says it. ]
If I'm going to sleep, I'm going back inside, but I won't be able to sleep tonight, either. November 5th is not a very good day.
no subject
Count sheep. I'll get actual sheep you can count if I gotta.
[ Sleeping is usually easy for him.
But here, it's been a little difficult which is probably why he naps so much.
He's just very worried for everyone. ]
no subject
[ This expression is the first time she's heard it, so she assumes it's one of his unusual metaphors. A long silence falls as Alice leans back and gazes up to the sky. Out of nowhere, she asks- ]
Say, what do you think happens to our worlds? Do you think they'll notice we're gone?
no subject
Gintoki can't help but think that time is still processing— maybe he's missed— everybody knows he is gone... Shinpachi and Kagura are heart broken. Luckily, they have other people they can rely on.
Or time has stopped. Maybe this is just some weird place where time has stopped. Gintoki wouldn't be surprised. ]
Nnh.
I think it's important to worry about today in the present— worry about you and where you are going today.
Live it like it is your last in the most beautiful way you can.
Worrying about the future.. it takes effort.. it's a pain.
no subject
[ And maybe, to a degree, she should be. Alice was never an optimistic person. She could appreciate what he was telling her, as she continued- ]
So, some of the children here, they're like the ones I cared for back in London. They're are so many of them, here and in London.
[ Because she feels so comfortable with him, Alice continues to prattle on. ]
I'm sure that the children in London will be shuffled to other orphanages -- I hope so. I wish I could take care of the children here, but I'm not very good at it. I'm tired.
[ And hallucinating even worse than before. Alice gives a small clank at the armor around her chest that still felt so undeserving, to her. ]
I can't live like that, not with other children here.
no subject
Selfless, and the funny part about it is, that makes you even more valuable.
We will get home. But for now, live the way you want.. and maybe do something for yourself for a change.
[ Gintoki needs to listen to himself sometime. ]
no subject
[ How like her to ignore the selfless bit. If anything, it throws her into a growing feeling of intense guilt. The armor should be for someone more deserving, who doesn't turn a blind eye to children. She could have done so much to help them. ]
I want to do the right thing, that's the most important thing, more than me.
[ She forces a smile, even if he doesn't see it with her back turned. Alice slowly starts to shuffle up. ]
Anyway, I can't sleep, I don't think I will right now. I'm going back inside and changing clothes and playing with the children.
[ She leans down, wondering if he's really going to pass out here. Outdoors? Well, there's stranger places to sleep. ]
You're not sleeping out here, are you?
no subject
Nah. It's fine.
[ Gintoki was actually a nature boy himself. It didn't seem that way at first, but he cannot help but feel sentimental about sleeping outdoors. They did it in the war; he did it on warm summer nights with his teacher.
He really, really liked nature and the beauty of it.
Gin folded his hands behind his head and shut his eyes. He looked so peaceful. ]
I'm too comfortable.
no subject
Well, don't stay out too late, you'll catch a cold, Mr. Gin.
[ It is still autumn and the air is starting to get a little colder. ]
I'll be close by.
[ Slowly, she starts to saunter away and breaks out into a quick stride, back to the inn, eager to get out of armor into regular clothing. ]