Julius straightened his tie for the third time. The room was hot, crushingly so, and this suit was making it worse. Someone had turned on the fire, and forgotten to put it out. He wanted so badly to rip it off, lock himself away, and fix clocks. No. He didn't. He hated clocks.
Behind him, Ace walked in, dressed similarly. He looked to thin, and he hadn't shaved. Julius listened as he made some stupid joke, and laughed, but he could here hollowness in the man's voice. He felt as hollow. Ace's laughter cut off, and he wandered off blankly.
Julius finally stepped from the mirror, and looked back at his office. Everything was the way he remembered it. Bins of clocks scattered about, sounds of ticking filled the air, and on his desk, a cold cup of coffee, Alice had made him. The last cup she'd make him.
Outside the tower, the lizard assassin and the incubus were waiting, silently. Well, Gray was, Nightmare kept sniffling. They all walked together, through the winding trees, towards the small clearing behind the tower.
Blood stood rigid, roses clutched so tightly in his hands, that the thorns had pierced them, leaving bloody streaks across his skin. He didn't care. He was exhausted, and numb. Oh god, how he didn't care. Behind him, leaning against the wall, Elliot was keeping up a constant stream of curses.
Dee sobbed. His face was red, and his eyes were glassy. His hair rumpled, and grass staining his knees, but he just clutched Dum and sobbed. Dum clutched him back, crying as well. They were both numbly aware of Peter White sobbing as well, but neither cared.
Ace wondered into the clearing. His feet felt heavy, his clock felt heavy. He wished he had a heart. He wished he could hear her heart. He loved the sound of her heart. But other than crying and the sweep of the world was quiet.
Vivaldi looked around. They were all here. The role players and quite a few of the faceless. For once, her gown was plain, and black. She wore no makeup, no crown. She didn't feel much like a queen, though she had beheaded hundreds of servants before coming here.
They all looked up, as the jokers approached. They were caring a large, black box, finely carved and shiny. On the top, the four symbols of cards were carved. For one, Black was silent. White just looked sad, as they lowered the box into the ground. One by one, every single one of them dropped flowers onto the ground; they scooped dirt into the hole, until it was closed. All of them, except one, a brown haired young woman. And then all was quiet, as the earth looked down on the grave scene.
She was truly gone. The feisty, shy young thing they'd all come to love so dearly. Up in her room, a woman sobbed. She and the passed one had been so close, but she'd been too heartbroken to go to the funeral. But the role holders would want to see her soon, comfort her on the loss.
And for once, all of Wonderland put down their guns, in union, to honor a dear friend to all. A brave young sole was lost forever that day, as no creature is immortal. And for just a while, their eyes were opened to the truth of death, as they mourned the loss, of Alice's pet dog, Finn.
