Out and About Saturday
May. 1st, 2010 11:30 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
crossover_chickSpent a good portion of the day walking around to various places. I needed some new jeans and shorts, since I've lost over 20 pounds. Everything else was too big.
-D: Great Scott, congratulations.-
Thank you. :) I also got my hair cut for the upcoming summer months -- it's been warm lately, so no better time:
-RPD: *arches eyebrow slightly*-
*blush* Okay, so I might be slightly addicted to TwitPic -- it's just so convenient! And besides, VictorPlush would comment on it. He's never seen me with short hair.
-RPM: Hey, come to think of it, I don't think any of the other crew has either. What did they think?-
The RP characters were a little surprised, but overall they were positive. Though Clockwork, I think, has seen the short hair before. I made him the summer after the Celebration Trip.
-RPD: Ahh, that's right.-
*nodnod* I like it short, honestly -- makes me look a bit older, and keeps me a lot cooler in the summer. Very important in the drycleaner.
Now, I believe I owe you all a fic. I meant to post this earlier, but I kept getting to it too late. Now, though, you get to see the sequel to Favorite Song/How Far We've Come. And I promise this one's nicer.
22. Nightclub – Remains Of The Day
What the – this is definitely not where I went to sleep last night!
Alice blinked a few times as she tried to make sense of what she was seeing. Across from her was what appeared to be a moldering brick wall, covered in cobwebs. There was a coffin set up vertically against it, the lid hanging open. Nearby was a bench that looked to be made from another coffin. Quite curious. . . .
She wriggled around a little. She was – not quite standing up. She felt like she was propped up, standing on the bottom of some sort of – box. . . .
With a sudden chill, she quickly stepped forward and turned around. Yes – she’d been in a coffin too. Though hers looked much nicer than the ones across from her, with freshly waxed wood and thick red padding inside. “Oh my,” she mumbled. “I don’t think we’re in Wonderland anymore.”
Her old curiosity came to the forefront as she got her bearings. Something had obviously happened during the night to transport her to this strange land. She had to find out what had gone wrong and where she was. So far, all she knew was that the inhabitants of this land had to be more than a bit morbid. Though – there was this odd sense of friendliness pervading the place, dampening any fear she might have been feeling. It all looked strangely familiar too, come to think of it. Like she’d been here years before. . . .
She shook her head. She’d figure it out in due time. Right now, it was time to go exploring and see just where she was. And hopefully, someone to explain things to her. Especially why she’d been put in a coffin. She squared her shoulders and set off down the street.
After a few minutes of walking, she caught a lucky break. Not too far from where she’d awoken was a pub. The sign over the door proclaimed it the Ball And Socket. Alice frowned at it for a moment – it seemed familiar too – before heading in.
Inside, the place was bustling with activity. There was a band on stage, singing and playing lustily. Some people were dancing along to the tune. Others were at the bar or sitting at nearby tables, drinking and chatting and in one case playing some cards. It looked like any other pub in the world –
Except that all the patrons were in various stages of decomposition. Alice gaped as a skeleton passed close to her, followed by an old woman who was missing an eye and half her cheek. It was downright peculiar – to a man, they all looked –
Like Emily! Alice realized, suddenly grinning. I know where I am – the Land of the Dead! But how –
Oh.
Alice looked down at herself. Sure enough, her skin was a familiar shade of blue. And she realized now her injured leg wasn’t bothering her at all. Neither was her arthritis. I guess I technically never woke up, she thought, a bit sadly. Oh, I hope the children and grandchildren don’t take it too hard. . . . Well, nothing for it. I’m dead – time to try and make the best of my afterlife. This place seemed nice enough back when I was pregnant with Chester – goodness, was that really 60-so years ago?
A sudden, loud “thunk!” behind her caught her attention. She glanced over her shoulder to see a cluster of men gathered around a dart board. “Oh, don’t you ever use the bloody darts?” a voice complained. “I’m getting a bit tired of you always tossing that knife!”
“You’re just jealous I keep hitting the bull’s eye with it.”
Alice froze. That voice. . . . A sudden thrill of joy went through her. That was right – if she was dead, that meant she could see – “Victor!” she cried, spinning around.
The figure currently extracting her Vorpal Blade from the board went stiff, then turned around slowly. He had rotted some – his cheeks had sunken in a little, his fingers looked like mere skin over bones, and he had a hole in his left side where he’d been presumably gnawed by maggots – but he was still indisputably, wonderfully Victor. “ALICE!” he yelled, face lighting up as he ran toward her.
Alice leapt into his arms, pressing her lips insistently against his. Oh, she’d been waiting to do this again for ages. . . . “I missed you so much,” she said, squeezing him tight. “It’s so good to see you again!”
“Same here, Alice, same here,” Victor said, nuzzling her neck. “I’ve been waiting for you for so long. . . .”
Victor’s companions watched the scene with interested amusement. “Hey, everyone!” one called. “I think we’ve got a new arrival!”
The happy couple was promptly surrounded by well-wishers, cheerfully welcoming Alice Downstairs. Bonejangles waved his hat at them from on stage. “Welcome back down, Alice! Emily’s been telling us about you two – glad to see you together again.” He dropped his hat back on his head at a rakish angle. “The happy couple want a song?”
“You boys know any Mozart?” Alice called back. She turned back to Victor with a grin. “Because there’s a dance I’ve been wanting to repeat for two years now.”
Oh yes – the afterlife would suit her just fine.
Yes, somehow the one that should be more morbid is the happier one.
-M: I guess that's what happens once you get the Land of the Dead in there. Rockingest afterlife I've seen.-
LOL, tell me about it. :D This fic came immediately after Favorite Song -- I wanted to reunite the two lovers just as much as you did, and doing a fic about Alice dying seemed a natural partner to the previous one. I didn't need much inspiration, honestly -- just putting Alice into the afterlife and having her explore a little seemed to work. I like this fic because it helps bring the whole Corpse Bride part back into the stories. I've noticed that I tend to favor the American McGee's Alice fandom in these crossovers -- Alice and Victor end up living in Wonderland when all's said and done, and apart from the adventures they have when Alice is pregnant with Chester, they don't visit the outside world much. "The Solicitor's Ward" is more evenly divided, but all the big important stuff happens in Wonderland. And certain other crossover ideas, like the Anna Lived Miniverse, seem to just stick Victor into Alice's world. This helps bring a little balance.
I didn't edit this one much either, which might show when you think about Alice not realizing right away she's dead. I'm sorry, I just can't think of a way to make it work without delaying her reaction a bit. Call it her natural tendency to explore before really thinking. Her mention of seeing the afterlife 60-odd years ago is a reference to the sequel to "Solicitor's Ward" I've planned out. Basically, Victor, Alice, Victoria, and Dr. Wilson all end up in the Land of the Dead after Victor accidentally activates his half of the Hopscotch spell. Yes, Alice's old psychiatrist is involved -- let's just say the two years between SW and its sequel aren't precisely kind to Victoria.
-TTV: *gives me a bit of the stink-eye*-
It all works out! Victoria and Emily both end up living in Wonderland as well in the end. According to this fic, Emily's been sending letters at least -- I'm still working out how she'd do that. I'd imagine she'd at least want to stay in touch with Bonejangles, but going down to the Land of the Dead might pose problems, since she can't get back through the mirror on her own, and I don't think she can take anyone else down with her. Maybe the Mayor Elder can work something out. . . . It's not really important for this one-shot.
Anyway, not much else to say, except that the idea of Victor using Alice's knife for darts amuses me just as much as her doing the same. And as for the title -- come on, do I really need to explain it? ;)
All right, back to the wilds of the Nexus -- I have tags to answer, and an interesting conversation to continue. You see, Victor got LOLed into buying Alice flowers. . . .
-D: Great Scott, congratulations.-
Thank you. :) I also got my hair cut for the upcoming summer months -- it's been warm lately, so no better time:
-RPD: *arches eyebrow slightly*-
*blush* Okay, so I might be slightly addicted to TwitPic -- it's just so convenient! And besides, VictorPlush would comment on it. He's never seen me with short hair.
-RPM: Hey, come to think of it, I don't think any of the other crew has either. What did they think?-
The RP characters were a little surprised, but overall they were positive. Though Clockwork, I think, has seen the short hair before. I made him the summer after the Celebration Trip.
-RPD: Ahh, that's right.-
*nodnod* I like it short, honestly -- makes me look a bit older, and keeps me a lot cooler in the summer. Very important in the drycleaner.
Now, I believe I owe you all a fic. I meant to post this earlier, but I kept getting to it too late. Now, though, you get to see the sequel to Favorite Song/How Far We've Come. And I promise this one's nicer.
22. Nightclub – Remains Of The Day
What the – this is definitely not where I went to sleep last night!
Alice blinked a few times as she tried to make sense of what she was seeing. Across from her was what appeared to be a moldering brick wall, covered in cobwebs. There was a coffin set up vertically against it, the lid hanging open. Nearby was a bench that looked to be made from another coffin. Quite curious. . . .
She wriggled around a little. She was – not quite standing up. She felt like she was propped up, standing on the bottom of some sort of – box. . . .
With a sudden chill, she quickly stepped forward and turned around. Yes – she’d been in a coffin too. Though hers looked much nicer than the ones across from her, with freshly waxed wood and thick red padding inside. “Oh my,” she mumbled. “I don’t think we’re in Wonderland anymore.”
Her old curiosity came to the forefront as she got her bearings. Something had obviously happened during the night to transport her to this strange land. She had to find out what had gone wrong and where she was. So far, all she knew was that the inhabitants of this land had to be more than a bit morbid. Though – there was this odd sense of friendliness pervading the place, dampening any fear she might have been feeling. It all looked strangely familiar too, come to think of it. Like she’d been here years before. . . .
She shook her head. She’d figure it out in due time. Right now, it was time to go exploring and see just where she was. And hopefully, someone to explain things to her. Especially why she’d been put in a coffin. She squared her shoulders and set off down the street.
After a few minutes of walking, she caught a lucky break. Not too far from where she’d awoken was a pub. The sign over the door proclaimed it the Ball And Socket. Alice frowned at it for a moment – it seemed familiar too – before heading in.
Inside, the place was bustling with activity. There was a band on stage, singing and playing lustily. Some people were dancing along to the tune. Others were at the bar or sitting at nearby tables, drinking and chatting and in one case playing some cards. It looked like any other pub in the world –
Except that all the patrons were in various stages of decomposition. Alice gaped as a skeleton passed close to her, followed by an old woman who was missing an eye and half her cheek. It was downright peculiar – to a man, they all looked –
Like Emily! Alice realized, suddenly grinning. I know where I am – the Land of the Dead! But how –
Oh.
Alice looked down at herself. Sure enough, her skin was a familiar shade of blue. And she realized now her injured leg wasn’t bothering her at all. Neither was her arthritis. I guess I technically never woke up, she thought, a bit sadly. Oh, I hope the children and grandchildren don’t take it too hard. . . . Well, nothing for it. I’m dead – time to try and make the best of my afterlife. This place seemed nice enough back when I was pregnant with Chester – goodness, was that really 60-so years ago?
A sudden, loud “thunk!” behind her caught her attention. She glanced over her shoulder to see a cluster of men gathered around a dart board. “Oh, don’t you ever use the bloody darts?” a voice complained. “I’m getting a bit tired of you always tossing that knife!”
“You’re just jealous I keep hitting the bull’s eye with it.”
Alice froze. That voice. . . . A sudden thrill of joy went through her. That was right – if she was dead, that meant she could see – “Victor!” she cried, spinning around.
The figure currently extracting her Vorpal Blade from the board went stiff, then turned around slowly. He had rotted some – his cheeks had sunken in a little, his fingers looked like mere skin over bones, and he had a hole in his left side where he’d been presumably gnawed by maggots – but he was still indisputably, wonderfully Victor. “ALICE!” he yelled, face lighting up as he ran toward her.
Alice leapt into his arms, pressing her lips insistently against his. Oh, she’d been waiting to do this again for ages. . . . “I missed you so much,” she said, squeezing him tight. “It’s so good to see you again!”
“Same here, Alice, same here,” Victor said, nuzzling her neck. “I’ve been waiting for you for so long. . . .”
Victor’s companions watched the scene with interested amusement. “Hey, everyone!” one called. “I think we’ve got a new arrival!”
The happy couple was promptly surrounded by well-wishers, cheerfully welcoming Alice Downstairs. Bonejangles waved his hat at them from on stage. “Welcome back down, Alice! Emily’s been telling us about you two – glad to see you together again.” He dropped his hat back on his head at a rakish angle. “The happy couple want a song?”
“You boys know any Mozart?” Alice called back. She turned back to Victor with a grin. “Because there’s a dance I’ve been wanting to repeat for two years now.”
Oh yes – the afterlife would suit her just fine.
Yes, somehow the one that should be more morbid is the happier one.
-M: I guess that's what happens once you get the Land of the Dead in there. Rockingest afterlife I've seen.-
LOL, tell me about it. :D This fic came immediately after Favorite Song -- I wanted to reunite the two lovers just as much as you did, and doing a fic about Alice dying seemed a natural partner to the previous one. I didn't need much inspiration, honestly -- just putting Alice into the afterlife and having her explore a little seemed to work. I like this fic because it helps bring the whole Corpse Bride part back into the stories. I've noticed that I tend to favor the American McGee's Alice fandom in these crossovers -- Alice and Victor end up living in Wonderland when all's said and done, and apart from the adventures they have when Alice is pregnant with Chester, they don't visit the outside world much. "The Solicitor's Ward" is more evenly divided, but all the big important stuff happens in Wonderland. And certain other crossover ideas, like the Anna Lived Miniverse, seem to just stick Victor into Alice's world. This helps bring a little balance.
I didn't edit this one much either, which might show when you think about Alice not realizing right away she's dead. I'm sorry, I just can't think of a way to make it work without delaying her reaction a bit. Call it her natural tendency to explore before really thinking. Her mention of seeing the afterlife 60-odd years ago is a reference to the sequel to "Solicitor's Ward" I've planned out. Basically, Victor, Alice, Victoria, and Dr. Wilson all end up in the Land of the Dead after Victor accidentally activates his half of the Hopscotch spell. Yes, Alice's old psychiatrist is involved -- let's just say the two years between SW and its sequel aren't precisely kind to Victoria.
-TTV: *gives me a bit of the stink-eye*-
It all works out! Victoria and Emily both end up living in Wonderland as well in the end. According to this fic, Emily's been sending letters at least -- I'm still working out how she'd do that. I'd imagine she'd at least want to stay in touch with Bonejangles, but going down to the Land of the Dead might pose problems, since she can't get back through the mirror on her own, and I don't think she can take anyone else down with her. Maybe the Mayor Elder can work something out. . . . It's not really important for this one-shot.
Anyway, not much else to say, except that the idea of Victor using Alice's knife for darts amuses me just as much as her doing the same. And as for the title -- come on, do I really need to explain it? ;)
All right, back to the wilds of the Nexus -- I have tags to answer, and an interesting conversation to continue. You see, Victor got LOLed into buying Alice flowers. . . .
