7. Her Heart: Depressed
Silence enveloped the couple as they trailed back to the circus; Black walking ahead while Alice struggled to stay behind. The warden paused when he heard her trip- again- on the roots to a tree.
"Are you f****** coming or not?" he seethed, his ruby eye glaring heartlessly into the foreigner. Alice quickly nodded, arising back to her feet and racing to keep up with him. "What the f*** is wrong with you today?"
"…You're joking, right?" the outsider deadpanned, staring at the darker Joker in almost disbelief. Black didn't reply; simply walked ahead. Alice sighed, scratching the back of her head awkwardly.
Another tense silence flew over them, and the brunette only felt more uncomfortable with the time passing. She sighed, deciding to start up her questions. "So… What exactly is this game?"
"It's the game of Heartache. Basically, you're going to try to get it on with every guy in Wonderland. If we don't end the game, then it'll keep going on until you f*** everyone." Black replied bluntly, and Alice grimaced, shuddering at the thought.
"That's… disgusting." she answered honestly, frowning at the ground.
"Tch. Not for the guys." Black said, and Alice rolled her teal orbs.
"Hmph. No surprise there." she muttered sarcastically. Speaking up, she continued, "So, why did it affect me this time instead of the role holders?"
"Because this is already our game. You're just seeing it from our eyes." the warden answered. Alice tilted her head in confusion.
"What do you mean?" she asked unsurely. Black sighed, spinning around to face the girl. He bent down, lifting her chin up to face him with a single finger.
"'Everyone here is going to fall in love with you'. Isn't that what the green caterpillar told you when you first came here?" the warden asked, and Alice nodded. "Think about it. Roleholders throwing themselves all over you, trying to f*** you. Only one can win, and even the losers can't help themselves. They all want you, and now you want everyone."
"Is this really how they feel?" Alice asked, more to herself than the prison guard as she placed a saddened hand against her heart. The thought of it all… it made her depressed.
"Only the losers." Black replied, standing upright and returning his attention to their destination.
Alice frowned at the space where her heart resided as she followed. The pain of being forced to fall in love… She hated it. More so, she hated what it made herself. Was this how the role holders felt all the time? The desire; the need to love? Was it as painful? Was their love only generated by force, or could they really fall in love?
She stared up at the back of Black's head, her frown intensifying with sadness. Were they unable to really love on their own? Were they so forced that they couldn't help it? Was there such a thing as genuine love in Wonderland?
Looking away, Alice closed her eyes, following slowly but closely behind the warden. No. If what he said was true, genuine love was just another foreign object to obtain in this dream world. Something they wanted, but many couldn't have. Maybe no one here could possess it.
And neither will I. the foreigner thought to herself.
Black glanced back at Alice, slightly surprised that she'd grown so quiet. He was even more so surprised when he saw the depressed, miserable look on her face. Eyebrows in a v-shape, he asked, "Why do you look so miserable?"
The brunette lifted her head immediately, eyes wide with surprise at the break in silence. "Huh? O-oh. Um, nothing."
"You're crying." Black noted, even more so confused. "What the f*** is wrong?"
"Hmm?" Alice touched her cheek, and sure enough, glistening droplets glided themselves down her flushed face. The foreigner blushed harder for having been caught crying, quickly wiping the tears away. "N-Nothing! I'm fine."
"You better be. We don't have time for you to f****** go around bawling your eyes out." the warden said, frowning in annoyance ahead. "White's going to get his body back in a few minutes."
"Right." Alice replied, taking a deep breath before she continued ahead. Black followed behind her this time, eyeing her suspiciously. Before he could ask what that was all about, she spoke up, "Why are you in his body anyways? How are you, I mean?"
"It's something we're able to do." the warden explained. "It's only for a little while, but we can switch bodies. It takes a lot of energy, though, so we only do it for about an hour."
"Oh." Alice said, growing quiet again. Neither bothered to start up a conversation again as the circus tents came into view, swiftly becoming replaced with the prison.
White sat lazy on the ground; his ruby eye staring boredly up at the stone ceiling, twirling his whip between his fingers. He paid no heed to the inmates around him- seeming unusually tired.
Upon hearing their footsteps, White shifted his gaze to the two, glaring in annoyance. Alice assumed it was because of the situation. Of course, per usual, the foreigner had no clue what went on in Wonderland.
"About time you got here." White hissed, refusing to get up from the ground.
"I'm sorry- we had some trouble." Alice admitted sheepishly, frowning at the redhead. He looked almost ill. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine." the warden-dressed jester replied curtly. "Just a headache."
"Do you want me to go get some medicine?" Alice offered kindly, bowing down so she slightly above the Joker. White shot her a glare but huffed noisily, one hand clutching his head.
"That would be perfect. Please hurry." he said, gently waving her off. Alice nodded, already gliding down the hall. Black watched the two from behind; arms crossed and an annoyed look on his face. White noticed this and narrowed his eyes. "What's that look for?"
"You're a f****** useless b******." Black spat cruelly, glaring at his counterpart.
"How so?" White demanded irritably through gritted teeth, fed up with his look-alike.
"You couldn't f****** get off your lazy ass and take care of the f****** prison? I'm not a f****** housewife, you know." the warden snapped, gesturing towards the untidy cells. White glanced at them carelessly before shrugging, turning away. Black growled.
"Please don't start an argument. I really do have a headache." White reasoned, rubbing his temples. Black glared. "Of course, you'll understand how that feels like."
"Tch." Black narrowed his ruby eye at the man, crossing his arms in front of his chest in annoyance.
"White! White, here's your medicine!" Alice called as she rushed back down the hall; a white bottle held firmly in her grip.
"Don't f****** yell! It's bad enough as it f****** is!" the Joker snapped angrily, rubbing his head in pain. Alice flinched at his words, kneeling beside the warden-dressed man's side.
"Sorry." the foreigner murmured, nestling herself on the stone ground before handing over the pill bottle to the man. "Here. I hope it helps."
"That f****** makes two of us." he muttered, twisting open the lid and tossing it to the side quickly; his nimble fingers prying out the small pills inside.
"Now, now, Black. Be polite to the young miss." White pulled on a false smile as he bent over behind the brunette; his hands gently resting themselves on her shoulders. Alice blinked in confusion, glancing between the Jokers.
"You're back in your bodies?" the outsider guessed, her finger wavering between the two.
"What the f*** does it look like, w****?" Black demanded harshly, grunting lowly in pain as the headache drowned at his drained body.
"But… I thought White had a headache." Alice said uncertainly, glancing behind her, up at the jester. White smiled gentlemanly in response.
"His body carried the headache. You see, Alice," White explained pointing at the prison guard on the ground. "When we switch bodies, our personalities and powers stay the same. His body can't withstand my powers for long, so it's drained until we're replaced. Black was lucky- it was only a headache this time."
"What can happen if you switched for a longer time?" Alice asked worriedly, teal-eyed watching over the prison guard. Black tried to ignore the two; not enjoying their discussions of him as if he wasn't even there.
White shrugged, his tone careless. "Who could say, really. We never switched for more than a day, and that was only because I wasn't around."
"What do you mean you 'weren't around'?" Alice questioned, her eyebrows knitting into a v-shape. White smiled falsely, patting her gently on the back.
"Nothing that concerns you, I'm sure." he promised, standing up. "Now, we really should get you some suitable clothing. That nightgown must be a bother to walk in."
Alice glanced down at her silky negligee and blushed wildly, her skin matching its crimson shade. Crap! She'd forgotten she was wearing this!
"U-Um, that would be much appreciated, thank you." the foreigner stammered, smiling awkwardly up at the jester. She didn't miss the sly smirk Joker returned before he faded away- probably off to go find her some gowns.
There was a small silence between she and the warden, and though it was uncomfortable on her end, she was sure it was helping his headache. Alice bit her lower lip, trying to think of a discussion that might please the Joker. Of course, death and sadism wasn't exactly her genre of conversation.
"So, how are we going to get out of this game?" Alice asked gently, her tone low and unsure; hoping not to offend him. Black certainly looked better- his skin wasn't so pale and ill struck. He did appear rather exhausted, though.
"Just like we did every other time. Get the key and unlock the box." Black answered bluntly. His tone wasn't as harsh and cruel as usual, though. The drainage was hauling over on him.
"I know, but… How am I supposed to get the key if I can't control myself?" Alice asked nervously, and Black shot her a blank glare.
"What do you mean how are you 'supposed to get the key'? You should already f****** have it." he snapped, and Alice flinched, frowning at her lap.
"W-well I did! You see, it's just… um…" She blushed, tugging at her gown. "I had it in my dress… The other one."
"And where's that?" the warden hissed through clenched teeth, obviously not wanting a negative answer. Alice shrunk back a little; nervous and frightened.
"I don't know exactly." she answered with full honesty, her voice low and frightened.
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU DON'T KNOW? !" Black shouted, and the foreigner jumped; inching back a little.
"I-I mean, I know what territory! I-It's just, Peter had a maid change me, so my clothes could be anywhere in Heart Castle, and-" Alice was abruptly cut off from her speech.
"YOU MEAN WE F****** SPENT ALL THAT TIME GETTING OUT OF THE F****** CASTLE, AND YOU F****** LEFT THE GOD DAMNED F****** SON OF A BITCH KEY IN THAT F****** DRESS BACK THERE!" If Alice had ever seen an angry expression on Black's face, it would look childish compared to the death stare he gave her now. She could already see a beheading in the near future in his wine red eyes.
"I-I didn't mean to!" Alice squeaked, arising to her feet quickly in case she had to run. "I-It was an accident!"
"F*** THIS! YOU'RE GONNA F****** GO IN THAT F****** GOD DAMNED CASTLE AND GET THE F****** KEY YOURSELF! GOT THAT, W****? !" the prison guard barked, and Alice jumped once again, flinching.
"Y-Yes!" the female stammered, taking a step backwards.
"YOU'LL F****** BRING THAT F****** KEY HERE WHEN YOU'RE F****** DONE, GOT IT?" he continued, and Alice nodded vigorously.
"O-Okay!" she agreed, too afraid to object.
"Good, NOW GET THE F*** OUT!" the warden shouted, and Alice nodded, stumbling uneasily down the hall.
Great. This was just… fantastic.
*sweat drop/deep breath* Done. YES. XD I wasn't sure how to end this chapter, but suddenly I have some new ideas in mind. XD Hurr hurr~. 'Dem Wonderland boys better be ready! 8D
