A/N: Fuck, Alice, what did you do! Er... sorry about the language. Blame Alice. Well... It turned out better than I expected but the ending was kinda far from what I planned, ya know, 'cause it was supposed to have slight lemon content there. So... I got confused with not referring to Mirana as, well, Mirana (you'll get to know what I mean later; it's frustrating, I know, but please bear with it like I did). I apologize in advance if I damage your brains with the pronoun crap. I had a really tough thinking about the title and summary, too. Erm... Yeah. So. Enjoy. And tell me about mistakes (there's bound to be plenty 'cause I just rushed to type this thing).
EDIT: I read this again and made some corrections and added some phrases, moved this sentence to become the next paragraph... Yeah. But there's still probably mistakes left. Give me criticism on grammar, punctuation, plot holes!
How To Release Mirana's Darkness
0.
She longs to release the darkness, yet she longs to suppress it, destroy it as it would her life. No, no that isn't right—the darkness is her life. She needs to to nourish it, feed its dark desires, and in turn live but suffer the burden of being its host.
She longs to unchain her darkness, her true self, but she cannot, not with Underland trusting her for a better rule. But then again,should she care? If they expect her to save them, be their salvation, does it not mean they are lesser beings, thus unworthy to live, and she superior? Ah, but she already is aware of the knowledge. Everybody is. It is why she refuses it to make it the cause of their misery. If she wants to display her dark desires, then it should have a special reason only she knows.
I.
She searches for it, her special reason, while secretly she envies her sister for finding her's first. What is her sisters cause? She doesn't know and will not try to discover it. She doesn't want to be a second Iracebeth for she does not desire to be compared with her sister.
It isn't evident, but there are many things that she envies in her sister, from being first born to being notorious, from being out-spoken to being impulsive. Everything she wishes to be is her sister, a being she'd come to respect and, strangely, loathe.
Many had stated otherwise, that her sister, Iracebeth, should be the one who is wracked with jealousy. They are correct but also wrong. Iracebeth has a lot of positive qualities, much more than her, and one example is being terribly honest. If Iracebeth hates someone she'll say to their faces with ease. She, on the other hand, will keep it all locked inside, her anger crawling, slithering to a dark chamber and offer itself to the thing that lives inside her, empowering it further.
Sorrow, lies, self-loathing and loathing others, jealousy, and yes, the sight of blood, the shedding of blood, suffering, and death—there are so many more that feeds it that she offers so easily and eagerly. She pretends there is nothing inside but love and kindness—there is actually although they are but a spark—however the darkness, her monstrous, beloved darkness is there, constantly gnawing on what's left of her purity.
II.
Her sister declares a war. She couldn't remember why or how is started, and she's not surprised to realize that she doesn't care, like everybody. All they need to know and care about is how to win it.
The cause of the war was probably another impulsive thought her sister made. Somehow she is amused by it. Maybe she had done something offending. She might have said something, too. Ah, maybe it was about the crown.
She doesn't want it, the crown. It was unfair, actually, that everyone assumed she wanted it back. Most likely, Iracebeth thought so too, and waged war to eliminate competitors. But she is isn't competing, is she? She's simply acting out what others want.
She is insulted by that. She doesn't need a crown to be powerful, and most of all she is insulted by herself for being too foolish and frightened for not possessing it. Oh yes, she doesn't want it back. Yes, she does not need it to be powerful. But yes, she does need it, though, it to constrain her darkness, to distract it from the idea of freedom until she finds her special motive and truly let her darkness rampage Underland.
III.
An unexpected rule was made, by who no one knows, that each queen participating in the war must have a champion. The rule was not a crippling element to war plans, but it vexed her to no end. Harmless but irritating; what better way to pull her out of concentration.
She chose her silly hatter for the position—he was strong, definitely mad, but intelligent by his own right, surely he can battle with, and slay, the monster her sister chose? She is not sure. Would she care if he died? Probably, he was her best warrior. Does she think she'll lose the war if the hatter perished? No; she will win, champion or no.
Although she does think the world likes to make her life more miserable than it already is—the Oraculum declares a prophecy: a girl from another world was to be her champion and no one else.
Another harmless but irritating rule (she calls it "rule" because when the Oraculum declares something, however absurd, it will happen, and even with her powers she is helpless to change or prevent it). Bitterly, she follows what the dusty, ripped scroll says, and sends McTwisps to fetch the girl, every second asking herself why didn't the Oraculum just gave this Alice to her sister? Why can't anyone leave her decisions to herself?
And she doesn't need weak little girls from other worlds to win.
IV.
The girl arrives on time and she sends a group of inconspicuous friends to escort the girl to Marmoreal.
She was eager to meet the girl and mentally rejoice and secretly laugh at being right about not needing the girl. She always smiles when she tries to imagine the girl. One image had printed itself in her mind: a short girl with dirty, rusty hair; gawking, bulging eyes with lifeless color, maybe grey; a body full of unnecessary fats; a rude demeanor, too, and a cowardly disposition. She can already imagine the Alice girl running away at first sight of the Jabberwocky—well, everyone does so except, of course, she and her sister—and she'll call her back to fight the beast, watch her die, then destroy her sister's forces on her own and prove to everyone the uselessness of having a champion, especially small, powerless girl champions. She will probably have the Oraculum destroyed for that, too.
V.
All her pleasant musings are disturbed when she she hears that the Alice girl is in Crims, her sister's realm, and hides a bitter smile. However she dislikes having Alice for a champion, she still wants to be the first to meet her. Even with her own champion, she loses to Iracebeth.
One knowledge though lifts up her spirits: the Vorpal blade's location is in Crims and, knowing her sister, is probably lightly guarded. And Tarrant is there, he can inform and order the girl to get it back, or better yet he can retrieve it himself (and leave the Alice girl behind to be executed, that way no one will complain about her pronouncing him as her champion), because Alice might prove to be more of an incompetent fool than she thinks she is.
She is surprised the next day, when someone announces that the Alice girl arrived without Tarrant to defend her on her travel to Marmoreal and with the Vorpal Sword and on the Bandersnatch. The announcement made her daze stupidly for a while. Even Tarrant is incapable of such a feat in such a short period of time.
She also found herself more stupefied when she sees the girl's height, soft, golden, curly hair, fair skin, proportioned body, and pretty face featuring such angelic smiles. Instead of the ugly pig she'd imagine came this beautiful angel. The difference of the real Alice and the Alice printed on her mind was to great (and confusing, to be honest) that she involuntarily voices out a question about her height, a trait she unconsciously found a little intimidating, only to be rewarded by a rueful yet adorable smile.
VI.
Unexpectedly, Alice doesn't want to be her champion. No matter how hard everyone, and to her surprise even herself, persuades to girl. Every method—foreshadowing, pleading, guilt-inflicting—were miserable and futile against Alice's stubbornness.
She was frustrated because of Alice's refusal to obey her orders... oh very well, to her pleas, but most of all she is frustrated by herself, chasing the girl around and, honestly, begging her to be her champion. She could already hear the darkness mocking her.
Tarrant was her last resort and even he failed to charm Alice into the position. The constant rejection wounded her pride and the silent, seething anger fell helplessly in the cage of her darkness. But there was also disappointment, sadness actually.
If she remembers it correctly she didn't want Alice to be her champion. She should be happy, ecstatic.
VII.
Her ire and loneliness aside, she feels painfully intense curiosity about her champion (she thinks "her champion" because she had already decided to make Alice her champion even if it comes down to threat and violence).
What is her world like? How does it differ from Underland? How does she like it here? Does she find this place better than her world? (of course not; Underland is a hateful place) Why does she smile so much even though she is obviously confused and frustrated? How did she tame the Bandersnatch? Does she like having us around her? Does she like me chasing her around and begging her? Does she like seeing me weary and out of breath? Does she enjoy inflicting misery on others? Perhaps she is like me after all? (that cannot be, that... can be?) Why is she so polite? So cheerful? So beautiful?
She stops, nervous. When she start thinking Alice was beautiful? Well not that Alice isn't, but she had never thought anyone beautiful except her mother. She hears chuckle in her head. Her darkness is amused.
How does her skin feel? (probably smoother than silk) How soft is her lips? (softer than clouds maybe) What does her body look like? (nice and lithe perhaps?) Will she squirm away if I try to touch her? (Most likely, but I will just pull her back, will I not?) How will she fit in my arms? (perfectly) How hard and long would it take undress her? (no longer than a minute) Will she like my bed? (of course) How will her body taste like? (good, very good; like ambrosia) What will she do if I rain kisses on her body? (beg for more)
She stops again, feeling her curiosity getting a tad too intense. And she was answering her own question, losing what's left of her sanity, and deciding what others will do, something she remembers loathing the world for.
She feels frustrated again, and quite disgusted with herself, she'd never been so confused in her life that this situation becomes so revolting to her. She doesn't understand what she is feeling for this Alice girl.
Lust, her darkness whispers, and she listens to it. And anyway that is perhaps what she really is feeling when she sees Alice, see her smile, talk kindly to her, complementing her, see Alice redden when she complements her back, see Alice... just see her.
VIII.
Frabjous day arrives and Alice still refuses to budge. She thinks it alright—this way Alice wont be in danger. Oh, and so she can have Alice for herself later.
She frowns when Alice runs away. The recent events are disturbing her. She used to be annoyed with the champion rule, but now all she thinks about is not having a champion to cheer on, not having a champion to fight for her, not having a champion to take care of after the battle, not having a champion to fall for in the end, and especially not having Alice to fall for, to woo out of her wits, to have as a lover, to kiss when the time comes for her to return to her world, to miss so badly in the aftermath, to plague her dreams and daydreams...
Funny, last time she checked, she was lusting over Alice not... loving her...
A sick feeling squeezes and wrenches her insides, but she smiles a genuine, sweet smile. The thought of being separated from Alice makes her chest, her heart ache like it had been gouged out with a fork and stabbed and hacked repeatedly before placed back to its place. All she thinks about is Alice.
Alice.
Alice.
Alice!
IX.
For the first time fate listens to her. Alice, her champion, her beloved, bounds to her side just before they set out to battle, eyes shinning with adoration and, she'd like to think, love. Her champion smiles so sweetly that her heart felt like it had been hacked again.
She finds herself smiling back and longing to tell Alice what she really feels. But she restrains herself; such confessions tend to distract and for Alice to defeat the Jabberwocky she needs all the concentration she can get.
She reprimands herself mentally and curses under her breath. Why is she risking Alice's life to battle for her? But it was too late—her army is already marching to the battle field, inspired by Alice's bravery. But is she really too late? She can defeat her sister without Alice's help, and she will use whatever means to have Alive out of harms way, even displaying her true self will be an option.
As the checkered field comes into view, she quickly catches Alice's eyes and implores silently with hers, but she is shocked to see the grim and yet intense determination in Alice's brown pools. It dawns on her that Alice wants to help her no matter what and will not back down like a selfish coward, and by asking her to retreat by herself was a knife through Alice's pride.
But is this really about pride? She looks into the overwhelming chocolate eyes, sees the unmistakable good will, Alice's kindness that began feeling its way through inside her and, reluctantly, berates herself for insulting and attempting to humiliate Alice.
X.
Before they reach to a halt, Alice smiles at her and tells her that what she is about to do is for her. She didn't have a chance to ask what Alice meant for she already saw her sister's form in the distance. Her darkness eagerly, violently hammered at the door to its locked chamber, ordering, almost pleading her to let it out and kill Iracebeth right then and there.
She keeps her darkness at bay as she talks to her sister very kindly, careful to prevent any caustic remarks. As she expected, the conversation ended unpleasantly, and the battle ensued.
Being unable to assist Alice was very vexing indeed. Luckily, Tarrant was there, and she reminded herself to value the man more. The soldiers joined in the fight, momentarily distracting her from Alice.
The battle was short—Alice performing another hitherto impossible feat. Everyone watches the Jabberwocky's head roll down the ruin's stone stairs.
She feels excitement at Alice's success and immediately searches for her and, as soon as she catches Alice's form, too quickly rushes to her, thinking that fate really does hate to see her constantly happy.
Alice smiles as silly as an idiot and falls in her arms, soaking her white gown with blood from the large gaping wound Alice had earned from the Jabberwocky's claws. She kneels, clutching at her champion as tears trickle from her eyes. She strokes Alice's paling face.
Alice cups her cheek with a blood-soaked hand and whispers not to blame herself; that it was her, Alice's, own fault; and do not blame others as well because Alice knows what she will do; and weakly laughs, saying, do not worry, she, Alice, knows what she is hiding and accepts it. Then Alice kisses her softly until her hand went limp and her head lolled.
Everyone was silent and so is she for she has stopped sobbing and has risen after carefully resting her champion on the ground, eyes a mournful, raging storm. Alice told her not to herself and she will not because the real Mirana of Marmoreal is a selfish and cruel woman.
The meager spark of love and kindness suddenly blazes and joins with the darkness that used to bully it out of existence, and sings together in a malevolent, melancholic melody.
She also wont blame herself because it was what Alice wished, but she definitely wont let Alice have the fault. In fact, she doesn't blame anyone. It's the the world's fault, fate's fault, so the world must be destroyed and in turn destroy fate.
She orders her army to obliterate her sister's forces, fate's other victims, to end their suffering now as she kills her sister quickly. She drowns herself with the sounds of death and sobs again.
Her search is done. The darkness is finally released and she feels no burden, that painful suffocating feeling gone, and she feels herself dying, slowly, along everything.
A/N#2: Yeah... Alice dies. And everyone else too. Sad, no? So, you're all probably curious about the Roman numbers... Eh? No? Anyhow,they're the steps on "How To Release Mirana's Darkness" Part "0." is just a background. I've been wanting to write a short story with Roman numbers, 'cause, I dunno, they just look cool. So...
I. Make Mirana Bitter About The World
II. Make Iracebeth Declare War Because Of Her Childhood Memory Of Mirana Hogging The Blanket When They Slept Together
III. Doodle In The Oraculum About Alice And Throw It to Mirana's Face, Making Alice Something Mirana Dislike
IV. Bring Alice To Underland In The Uncomfortable Way
V. Make Alice Eat Upelkuchen So She Wont Go Hungry And Eat McTwisp And Grow Taller Than Mirana
VI. Make Mirana Chase Alice Around To Persuade Her To Be Mirana's Champion Even If She Runs Away Yelling, "Nuuu! Me Not Alice! Me Is Alice! Me Do Not Want!"
VII. Make Mirana Veeery Curious Of Alice
VIII. Make Mirana Realize She Loves Alice
IX. Make Alice Realize Mirana is Real (Oh, And Underland Too) And That She Loves Her
X. Kill Alice In Front Of Mirana
So... There. Longest A/N I've ever written. Huzza for me!