BB says: And another chapter for you! And this one is the big one zero. You know what that means!
DANCE PARTY! *dances and totally fails at it*
The guest of honor at my totally awesome party is the one, the only, the magical pony, InvaderClo! *applause* InvaderClo is not only a devoted fan of both my DGM and GR fanfiction, but also went out and made an amazing illustration of my sweet Cheshire. For this, InvaderClo receives the first dance of the evening, with the lovely Zahara! (From my DGM fanfic ^^).
…
Zahara's not here?…
Damn that gypsy…
Then a dance with Cheshire!
….
What do you mean she's chasing butterflies?
STUPID CAT!
Then…ummmm….a dance with…Kanda? *receives evil glare* FINE! MORE INVADERCLO FOR ME! o
Disclaimer: I do not own Alice in Wonderland or Generator Rex. I am, however, now in possession of a lovely portrait of Cheshire ^^. I know I keep talking about it, but I'm in love X3.
Rating: Teen.
"In a Wonderland they lie, Dreaming as the days go by, Dreaming as the summers die: Ever drifting down the stream- Lingering in the golden gleam- Life, what is it but a dream?"
~ Lewis Carroll
Allison Bell's bedtime was nine o'clock sharp so she would get plenty of sleep before school the next day. She was a rising seventh grader, a pre-teen in her own right, and needed all the sleep she could get for her growing body. A body stretching and twisting uncomfortably into a lanky limbs and angular features, a face that looked more and more like her mother's everyday.
This night, like every night for the past week, was different.
Her grandmother turned off the hall light, yawning as she shut the door to the bedroom she shared with her husband. It had been one of those days, when breakfast burned, the car wouldn't start, and that bitch Carol cancelled book club. The only reason was because she felt her time was better spent at her grandchild's rehearsal. Who watches rehearsal? Honestly. Nana Bell fumed to her husband, who had listened (somewhat), nodding half-heartedly as he nursed his beer and watched a reality show. You know the one with the people with no talent? That one.
Allison's mother was addicted to painkillers and speed; in and out of rehab for the past five years. The little girl was sent to live with her grandparents in Ashley, North Dakota. Because her father was gone long before she was born and her mother showed no sign of improving her behavior, Allison was left to be raised by a bipolar grandmother and the grandfather who still loved her.
At nine Allison was sent to bed.
At ten she slipped out from beneath her covers.
Hidden in the fridge, right behind the milk, the ceasar salad and a carton of cheap beer, was a plate of dinner. Allison claimed she wasn't hungry. She wasn't completely lying -she had filled up on snack cakes she stuck from the kitchen- but she was being a wee bit deceitful. The plate would be empty come morning.
She nuked the food in the microwave and yanked on her slippers, brushing her long, sandy blonde hair out of her face. This would be the last night. Her new friend said she would be gone by morning.
It wasn't too cold that night, it was actually quite accommodating for the girl as she made her way to her tree house. The night was clear, the moon a finger nail clip in the sky. The young girl could see each and every star from the yard of her grandparents little home. She didn't know the constellations. She spent her entire science class passing notes and thinking about the lunch she would eat later. So it was unlikely that she would ever take the time to see more than sparkling diamonds high above her head.
The tree house was practically new, built for Allison's previous birthday. Her Pop-pop had spent months on it and it still turned out crooked and unstable. Allison loved it anyway. Her visitor had set up camp there by chance, and had been planning to leave after a stay spanning a single night. But Allison had threatened to scream and bring her grandparents running out to her if the strange being didn't stay longer.
Grinning, her odd friend consented, warning Allison that it couldn't be contained long. Although Allison had promised to let the thing go after week was over, she still considered another threat to make the time last longer. She would be lying if she said it hadn't been fun.
The thing was strange and childlike, eagerly running and playing with Allison like she was the most fun it had had in a long time. It made Allison feel special, needed. She didn't have many close friends at school. Everyone treated her like she was fragile because her daddy was gone and her mommy was an addict.
"Are you there? I brought you some dinner." There was a scuffling sound that Allison recognized as the being's claws scraping against the wood.
It grinned when it saw her.
"Hello, Alice dear. What gifts have you brought today?" Its voice was grainy and hoarse, its skin black as pitch beneath filthy white hair that nearly glowed in the dark tree house. It was no taller than Allison herself, and it wore the tattered remains of what looked like pink flannel pajamas. It was barefoot.
The build of the creature (the t.v. called them evos) was decidedly female. Even Allison could see that. Its body hinted at premature curves, its fingers and toes slight and dainty. Even its dirty face was prettily carve, filthy though it was.
But it felt wrong to think of the evo as a girl. It felt wrong to think of it as human. That grin was too wide, its eyes glowed and she had seen it do things that no living thing could. It had ears and a tail and claws like a cat, but spoke and walked and talked like a human. Like some sort of mutant. It was almost like a creature from a nightmare, always smiling and easily hidden in the dark.. If it hadn't been midday when they met, Allison probably would've screamed and given away its hiding place right away.
The sound of the cellophane being opened woke Allison from her daydream. The evo stuck its finger into the meatloaf, delicately liking the gravy off in a shockingly lady-like gesture. "Nana makes great meatloaf. It's her specialty." The evo looked at her with a smile, eyes glowing. "Its delicious. Quite hospitable of you, Alice." Allison kind of liked the nickname the evo had given her. Although it had never given her its name.
"Do you have to go? I mean, you could stay with me…if you wanted." Allison looked down awkwardly. The evo didn't stop eating, but she felt its gaze, cold and surprisingly hard against her skull. Like the evo was looking right into her soul The hair on the back of her neck stood up, and she was afraid for some unforeseen reason.
She had the briefest impression that the evo was more dangerous than it appeared. But the feeling was gone before she could analyze it further.
"No," its voice was light, its eyes heavy. "I drift. This life is a dream, you see, and I don't want to wake up." It shoved the empty plate at Allison, standing and cracking its back. "Staying here is like an alarm clock, and a raven is like a writing desk." Allison blinked. "But how is a bird like a desk?" She thought she saw the evo wink, jumping as she noticed its legs were gone.
"I haven't the slightest clue. Perhaps you should ask the Hatter, Alice." Only its head remained, grinning down at the seated Allison. "But of course, there is no true answer. No truth in this world. Only trial and sin. That comes later," only its mouth "in Wonderland."
"Hello, hello, greeting and tidings." The man startled, eyes wide as he looked up. In a tree.
Above his head sat what appeared to be a young child, no older than twelve, gazing down at his with eyes too blue for its complexion. A complexion too dark to be human. A smirk on its face. "Y-you're-"
"Stuck in a tree? No. I'm actually quite comfortable." Its grin broadened and it licked its claw-like hand with a long pink tongue. The man turned, trying to run, only to find his feet stuck to the ground. His shaggy blond hair whipped around his face as he tried to pull himself out of this invisible trap, smoggy blue eyes widened in surprise and fear. The man looked up and down the abandoned road, growing desperate "You're trying to leave? But why?" Its voice, rough and honey coated, was suddenly at his shoulder, the evo standing beside him. It didn't even come to his shoulder. It truly was a child.
He detested children. That's why he left North Dakota.
"I like stories. Do you?" The evo put its hand in his like they were old friends. "I used to like to hear them too. But my narrator lost his mind. In more ways than one." The smile disappeared for an instant, accenting its dangerous, hollow eyes. "So now I have you." The man clenched his eyes shut, shaking and sweating. Who…what was this? Why him? Why now?
It pulled him into a hug and he was powerless to resist. It smelled of grass and sweat, its hair sour scented and dirty gray from weeks without a decent wash. It buried its head in the shoulder of his black wind breaker, breath penetrating to his flesh as it sighed. "P-please," he tried to force authority into his voice. The monster had obviously retained some of it humanity, or it wouldn't be able to speak. "W-what do you want?" His eye lids were pried opened by some invisible force. He was horrified by how close the evo was, its grin close enough to bite off his nose. He glanced down. It was floating. And was that…a tail?
"A bike. A nice, pretty, pink one. With flowers and butterflies. I want you to buy it tonight because Thursday is my birthday and I want it." It circled him. "It had better be at this address by Thursday," it forced a slip of crumpled paper into his hand. "Say its from…the Hatter."
"But-" The evo's hand hovered in front of his mouth, not touching but getting its point across. The evo leaned in again.
"I'll find you. Disobey and I'll find you." The sweet was gone from its voice, all that was left was the rough growl.
He swung at the freak, suddenly able to move his body again, only to find it had taken its leave.
"I know everywhere you hide." The voice came from no where. Still shaking, the man opened the paper, reading the address. "But this is…" A giggle, high pitched and only a little crazed, echoed through he night.
"Hip. Hop.
We all gotta stop.
Hi. Bye.
'Cause we all die," a piece of granite floated in front of its face, its only source of entertainment while everyone slept. It was slowly tearing it apart, ripping off one piece at a time. It sorta wanted to sleep -some of the pain would go away and that woman in its dreams would come back- but the dreams became nightmares too quickly. Embracing arms became cages. Kisses burned it worse than Hellfire, voices weeping and begging for and against it
"Talk. Speak.
We must be weak.
Cease. Go.
Hate and not know," it hoped Alice liked her present. She said she needed a new bike since her mommy ran over her last one. Maybe this time she would be able to keep it forever! And in a million years people would look at it and wonder what beings had created such a thing and why and how and when. And then Alice would be in history forever, chronicled like her adventures in this Wonderland.
"Swipe. Steal.
I had a great meal.
Hot. Cold.
I must be bold!" A car roared towards it, going fast; much too fast. The evo watched it coming with a blank look. It made no move to get out of the narrowed road it walked on; it was enjoying straddling the line. The car either didn't see the pedestrian or didn't care, barreling on.
It stopped when it crashed into a barrier. The evo walked around the vehicle leaning into the busted window. "You shouldn't go that fast. We're in a neighborhood." The heavily intoxicated man looked at it, a cut on his forehead, just before fainting. His forehead pressed the horn, the loud keen bringing people out of the surrounding houses. The evo didn't have time to react before people started screaming.
"You shouldn't be wasting time yelling. I think he's hurt." No one heard it, they were all too busy shouting and what was that sound? That sound? Like a cracking…a locking…a loading…almost like…
One of the back windows burst in the car, shattered by a shotgun. The gunman, in a blue bathrobe and boxers, reloaded. A woman cowered behind him, holding a young child close. A family?
The evo felt a pain so fierce its vision blurred, and it gasped. The crowd didn't understand, didn't know. The gasp was a hiss. Another shot was fired, this one barely missing its toes.
"Someone call the police!"
"Fuck that, it killed a man!"
"Shoot it Keith! Kill it!"
It wasn't sure where it landed this time, but it was too tired to leave again. There were huge trees surrounding it, flanking it on every side. It leaned on one, comforted by the presence of something so old and sturdy. "Hi," it panted into the bark. "I'm alone. Can I be a tree too?" As expected, the foliage didn't respond. Tears of exhaustion streamed down the evo's face, mingling with its grin. "I promise I'll be good. I'll eat all my dinner and go to bed on time and keep quiet when your friends come over. But you can't leave me, 'kay? And you can't hide me. Just be here. When I wake up. And go to sleep. And don't hurt me…" Silence. "Because you know you have to keep me safe. That's what families do. Because they love each other. I'll love you, if you want." The evo sniffled a bit, its sobs the only sound in the sleeping forest.
"M-my name? My name is…is…" That name no longer fit. Its tongue knew it, wanted to say it, shout it to the world. But that name was dead. "My name is…is…" and it didn't like zombies. Those scary movies were terrible! So it couldn't bring something back to life. "Cheshire. Cheshire. Cheshire."
She could almost imagine the trees reaching for her, feel their braches caress and embrace her in a gentle hug. She didn't like to be touched, but her new family wasn't like the others. They didn't hate her. They accepted her.
A roar caught her attention.
It was at least fifteen feet tall, with a long, whipping, fluffy tail. Its eyes were furious and burning red. Razor-sharp teeth gnashed dangerously. There was no fur on its body and rippling sinew pushed against thin flesh.
Cheshire grinned so hard it was a snarl, cocking her head to the side. "Hi. I'm Cheshire." It growled and lunged at her, bashing its head into a tree as she dodged clumsily. Cheshire sighed. She was tired now; sleep didn't seem so bad anymore. So she would have to take care of this over eager beaver (fine. Squirrel) before she got any sleep.
Snore.
Snore.
Snore.
"CRISPY TACOS!"
"OW! Cheshire!" Rex glared up at the girl, who happened to be straddling his waist. On his bed. He was too tired to be embarrassed. "What are you doing?" Cheshire grinned. "Waking you up. We have a meeting at eight."
"Great. Another hour of sleep." Rex pulled his covers over his head, ignoring her pout. "Don't be stupid," the sweet tone hid the insult "you know it takes you an hour just to take a shower." Don't respond, Rex said to himself, she's just trying to bug you. "I mean seriously, it doesn't take me that long and I have to shave and do my hair. You're like the diva sister I never-"
"WHAT? I'm the diva? We're usually late because you can't decide what shirt to wear although they all LOOK. THE. SAME!"
"No they don't! They're all different colors and I have to dress according to my mood!"
"That's stupid! Why the Hell would anyone want to waste time doing that?"
"You're a waste of time!"
"And your comebacks suck!"
"Fuck you!"
"You know you want to!"
"You wish!" They glared at each other, the air between their eyes igniting into flames. The effect was ruined by Cheshire's sudden and very pleased smile. "Got you up." Rex frowned. "Please. I got myself up."
"Da Nile."
"What?"
"It's more than a river." Rex snarled. "Off!" With a twist of his body, he pushed Cheshire off the bed and onto the ground. "Ow! What was that for?"
"You hit me first! "I was trying to wake you up!" Rex sighed and swung his feet over the edge of his bed. They were both cranky in the morning, and it was usually a bad idea to let one wake the other. Poor Six had learned this the hard way in a rather unfortunate alarm clock incident. Admittedly, he had dodged most of the time piece as Cheshire chucked it at Rex, but the face caught him across the cheek. He was forced to walk around with numbers imbedded in his skin for hours.
Rex's hair was a bed headed mess, sleep still crusted at the edge of his eyes. He stood slowly, tiredly, stretching and scratching. "Hey. Rex?" He opened one eye, looking at Cheshire. "Hn?" She shrugged, suddenly finding her toes interesting. She was still in her pajamas, a huge man's t-shirt and microscopic shorts. He wondered where she had gotten the frog slippers.
"I, um. Here!" she shot her hand under his nose, making him jump. He blinked at her offering.
Goggles?
"It's my fault you lost your last pair," Cheshire smiled gently, looping the band around his head. She smiled wider. "So I thought it was only right to get you a new pair." Rex really didn't want to think about how she had lost his goggles. Those days of uncertainty. That was the past (a week, but still) and he wanted to let it go.
The goggles were pretty cool, though.
He smiled back at her. "Thanks Cee. You didn't have to; I lose goggles all the time."
"I know. But never because of me." Rex shrugged, looking down at the goggles resting on his neck. "Flames, huh?"
"That or flowers."
"Maybe I would've liked those better."
"Maybe you would like me to shove my foot up your ass." They smiled at each other, their crankiness and early morning meeting forgotten for a moment.
Rex frowned.
"Wait. What's a crispy taco?"
"A wake up call."