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CHAPTER 26
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BIGGS´S POV
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I have to get stronger. For the boss! I don´t care that I´m only a faceless I will do everything I can for my/our mistress.. err… the boss!
I´m sure Wedge feels the same. We have been buddies since forever, it´s amazing that we have managed to survive for so long, especially in a business like ours. I was really desperate when the old boss was killed and his clock was not found, I knew we wouldn´t last long, and in a moment of sudden inspirational despair I suggested that we should let the foreigner be our boss!The old boss gave her all the important stuff anyways, maybe she had given it to Wedge just for safekeeping, right? RIGHT!?
That one turned out really well once I found her and convinced her to be our boss! :D (Ok, maybe I begged and bugged her till she accepted to at least come and listen to us… not that I mind begging her -w- ). And now we are getting very big and powerful without anyone noticing, we even have a name! , it was in her honor, that was the least we could do to acknowledge her. Of course for her safety we only pester her calling her "boss" when we are alone and only those of us who have been with her since that fateful night at the last ball when we got the wrong foreigner that turned out to be the right one.
Since then we have followed all her orders as best as we can, I admit many of those orders had been at the very least strange if not straight nuts to us, but she does know what she´s doing and it has let us far. She has lead us wonderfully and at the same time we help her in whatever we can; sometimes I think that she is facing too much, that there is a lot she keeps to herself and it bottles up, Wedge and I and everyone would like to do something but there is little we can do about it; she was right, we were weak, we are still weak, we are mere faceless… that night when she kicked me to the ground so easily… (I wont deny I kinda liked it…but only because it was her. I also like when she trains us, she is so… competent, so strict and always teaches us in the hardest way until we learn… she is our strength, who woul have tough a foreigner could be so strong!? made me see how powerless I really am, and let us see how vulnerable she is against roleholders … and that is why we must become strong; I must become even stronger if she ever needs me to fight for her.
Wonderland makes minions like us be faithful to our bosses, like dogs are loyal to their masters (woof! … Were we like that for the old boss?) maybe… nha, it's more of an inclination really, I guess it is like the force that makes everyone love the foreigner (maybe we are extra loyal because we love her too?) , but… it's a lot more than that for us the lullaby, even before she was our boss she was friendly and kind in her own way towards us, she didn´t cared that we were faceless, she is amazing, so far we own her our lives, our strength, our name, everything really.
I don´t want her to go when her vial fills, I don´t want her to go and give her heart to a roleholder and leave us either, but what can we do? :(
It does not matter, She can count on me, that´s why I´ve been training nonstop, and since she is with us I think we have gotten way stronger, now few can match me here, maybe its just the wonder of being near a foreigner… I think once I heard something about how foreigners make those who they love and associate with stronger but I can´t remember well… never mind. I just need to get stronger even if it is because that´s the only thing I can do.
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Wedge and I went to the second location after we (forced) sent the boss to the ball (she had looked so hot and cute pouting because she wanted to study the weapons ^w^). I made a note to get the blacksmith to show her about the weapons once she gets back(who would have tough that in her world things could transform into weapons?! ) . We arrived at the location and we listened to what they wanted, they also knew that the new foreigner was working for us (Fools, but that way the boss identity as our boss is safe.)
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FLASHBACK
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After we discussed what they wanted they offered a "partnership" in businesses, we´d told them that our boss would consider it.
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-One more thing. It´s about the foreigner working for you …
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That caught our attention. Wedge was dealing with the negotiation, I was there to hear it and become the main muscle if needed. We remained silent to let them continue.
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-We know that the second foreigner is working at some of your bars, giving you music and even giving dancing lessons every now and then.
-So? She leases us exotic music and we let her gain some extra money by allowing her to use the places to give dance lessons, we then get more clients that learn to dance the rhythms she teaches, Big deal. –Wedge said as if it was nothing, obviously no one has a clue of she being Berceuse.
-We want you to keep an eye on her, we´ll pay you well for the vigilance.
-And why would you want that? She is not with any role holder if that´s what you want not know. It would be too much of a costly effort to keep her surveyed - Wedge had become crafty thanks to the boss´s lessons, I know he is trying to get more information.
-Precisely. Because no role holder is taking care of her she is an easy target and it´s on our best interest to keep her alive. You see… there is another group that wants the foreigners out of the way. Your last boss in fact made a deal to get a foreigner for us but he failed to do it at the last role holder event and it was this other group that attacked your base last time thinking that you had achieve it.
- (WHAT?! Was that why we were sent to capture Alice at the last ball?)
-The last boss is dead and whatever deals he made too. - We can´t trust them, Wedge feels it too, they are hiding something…. – Why would anyone go for the foreigner, it's not as if they are that useful.
-Let´s just say it´s for the well being of wonderland to keep the foreigners alive, for now…
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END FLASHBACK
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We retreated to consider the meeting´s points. Wedge and I discussed what we would do with what we learned…
The boss came briefly the next morning. She looked bad… like REALLY bad, she went to load herself with all the gear she had ordered and a bunch of weapons turned charms, she took some pills from her suit and prepared some kind of beverage, she said it was an "energy drink", I didn´t like it, I knew she was pushing herself too much.
She gave us orders and told us she would be back in some time turns, we couldn´t even tell her all we found out!
But at least she knows someone´s after her.
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-What are we gonna do? – I asked.
-That´s obvious, we´ll do all we can! –Wedge said and I agree )
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WHITE´S POV
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I have been restless since I felt that small ping in my clock after the ball, when we finished dancing with her we felt it, it was the same we felt at the prison that made us consider attending the event. It was my counterpart that identified it as the sensation of when Alice won (by luck or when I got bored and let her win) against me during April's season and I were obliged to chance the season. It was the pull of a pact or deal that needed to be fulfilled and it bothers me that I don´t know why or what exactly.
We leaved as soon as we finished dancing with Aria. The looks we received from the other role holders after she left for the gardens were just too funny; disbelief, hate, jealously, despise, anger, disdain, worry… it was hilarious! Have it not been because I have good taste and are quite the gentlemen we would have mock them even more, but as things were we leaved the same way we came to deny them even a word from it. XD
We have barely arrived to our territory when we felt that strange sensation again, but it was somehow different… hazier, perhaps? Somehow I knew something was going on but didn´t knew what, I had a hunch and decided to intrude in someone´s dreams so that ***** incubus would show up, I had to mock him personally anyways. What a surprise it was that I sensed something that was not a dream, but I already knew something similar from when Aria was vegetating happily after meeting me.
Her babbling terminology was bothersome to follow, but like with Black´s continuous cussing you learn to get pass it, or ignore it. And how hilarious it had been to see Nightmare get spanked by the girl with his own attack (Unexpected but not unwelcome… how cute) XD . Oh, and her growl of pain had been… I dare say interesting, she sounded angry for someone being sewn alive… maybe I should try opening and sewing someone alive sometime….
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-(But why her condition bothered me?) - I knew my counterpart was slightly worried; she was somewhat of a drinking pal or something already. Not that we need company but her presence is a break in the daily monotony of our life and at least she has been amusing for us and still has the potential of being more entertaining than Alice ever was.
I also wonder how far I can take her before scaring her, but then… it´s not as if I´m going to see her anytime soon, she´ll probably be recovering for a while (foreigners are so weak… so my dear counterpart will have to wait a lot more to play with the toy) and even if she wanted to get around, role holders would probably keep her from doing it (and then they would be breaking the rule of free transit for the foreigner and I would have to punish them of course ^_^)
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As soon as I left her "Virtual whatever chamber and bla,bla,bla dream, jargon something" I showed my counterpart what had happened in there.
As expected we were not amused by it, someone had dared to break the rules again by attacking during an event. Our fine night had been ruined! We could have gotten home and have a nice rest but no…
Black (When did I actually started calling my other self that?) changed his clothes and left to get back there and catch the culprits. I on my part changed too into warden´s clothes to go and vent some anger on the prisoners, I could already feel their fear and expectation.
Later on I was strolling down a corridor in the deepest cell blocks when I heard an explosion, I went there immediately only to be caught by surprise by another explosion at my left that got me by my side, the flying metal bars of the cell it had originated hitting my leg. Black was back and transported to where I was. He of course mocked me for getting caught like that and helped me move around. It was embarrassing but I needed to use my other self as support.
We heard more explosions in various zones and decided to check the cellblock we were in and then go back to the entrance and move from there inwards catching anyone trying to reach the stairs. When we reached the entrance we heard gunfire. We saw someone´s back, from his heavy gear he was surely the culprit of the **** mess. Black dropped me and we went straight to get the *****. Amazingly he managed to evade Black´s whip but was too slow to avoid my attack , the **** at the very least should have some ribs cracked. His attempts to gain distance were futile. The asshole had been carrying a mini machine gun and it had landed as a gift in the prisoners hands, Black knew I would take care of this ******.
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-JOKER YOU ******* ****** *******! I´M GONNA ********** DISSECT YOU AND IT WONT BE JUST FOR SCIENCE! –She screamed at me.
-ARIA! – I realized it was her, and I must likely just broke my toy -YOU STUPID FOREIGNER!
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I…. Why am I not reacting? I.. for a second… I was shocked! I was .. what I was… was that being scared? Was it worry? Guilt? What is this?!
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We were paralyzed for a second, we heard the prisoners murmur among themselves and then they getting away; it was my counterpart who reacted fast, probably because of the gunfire directed at him. But the gun fire was a distraction for they threw another explosive towards my way that sent Aria and I to the floor. Black went to catch the ********* so that I could take her away. But I was still in shock.
How could I care that I hurt her?! My shock was not from hurting her, but because of the reaction I had when I did so.
I was on the floor and I turned to get up. She too was trying to get up but was struggling to do so. I knew she was at the end of her strength and resistance, probably conscious just by sheer stubbornness; yet she still wasn´t giving up and was moving her hand, reaching for something on her belt.
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-You´re trying to kill me too? – Her breath was ragged, her hood had fallen back and I could see she was still wearing the past Joker´s earrings. I noticed the slight trembling of her voice - Why?
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We both stood up, but she looked about to fall back. She would be so easy to kill right now... I should, but I can´t...?
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-I wasn´t trying to, you were just in the way… Hit me if you want – (Yeah, hit me and get even, settle it so that I can stop feeling this horrible sensation. )
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She remained silent; a couple of convulsions shock her body. She just stood there in silence for a few seconds that lasted too long, her hand getting a hold of something at her belt.
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-Hey… I ever ask you to help me move a body would you help me?
-What kind of ****** question is that!? – Black said from trough the mask.- Get her out of there Joker
-Yes- I replied just like that, and knew it was not a random question – But you´d have to ask nicely.
-…. Fuck…. I confirmed it…damn it- She shook her head -What happened to your leg? – She withdrew her hand from her belt and got near so that we could use each other as support for walking… ironically in the same way she had helped my counterpart when they meet.
-Just an explosion - She didn´t say anything, I didn´t know how she was even conscious in such state. I could hear her heart beating madly. – What was that question about?
-I wanted to know why I decided to not attack immediately. I had a hunch as of why, so I needed confirmation… Friends help you move on. Good friends help you move on the bodies. – She said as we moved back to Black´s living quarters. -And weather you like it or not.
-That´s got to be ******* dumbest shit I´ve ever heard, you ****** *******! - Black voiced my thoughts.
-Well, you ****** ***** , You can also measure a friendship by how much you can insult and be insulted without taking offense. And for some ******* shitty combination of occurrences you are the ***** closest thing I´ve had to a friend in years…. That´s just plain sad, ain´t it?
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We got to the room she had used last time and we dropped ourselves on the bed. She took off her gas mask,I helped her took off her small backpack, coat and vest. She pressed the screen on her arm and ran a "status check", she growled tiredly and unlatched the middle part of her suit (It can be removed by parts?) as she lay on her back exposing her midriff. It was covered in blood, and a nasty stab or slash wound was open and bleeding, the stitches were still in place,but it looked nasty and smaller cuts were also in various parts among the purple marks of many hits. To put it nicely she was a bloody pulp, I could only imagine how the rest of her body was. And wondered how she managed to get here (Are those imbeciles still so lovestrucked with Alice that are so willing to let their second chance die?)
With effort she moved her leg to take something from one of her many compartments; she got one pill, a small jar and some sort of wet piece of very thin cloth from a package which she too passed me motioning to my leg. She used it to clean her wound and the blood started sizzling and generating bubbles.
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-What is this?
-Antiseptic cloth and cationized gelatin hydrogel that enhances epithelial wound healing- She greeted her teeth, finished cleaning the wound and threw the cloth to the floor.
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She couldn´t open the jar, she didn´t have strength left for it.
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-May I? – I took the jar and opened it. It had a gel which I applied to the wound on her side, it started forming a sort of plastic film over the fleshly gash that soon stopped bleeding.
-… use some yourself, just don´t waste it. I can´t restock on that… It´s a synthetic biodegradable hydrogel that creates cellular bridges to accelerate scarring process and tissue renovation... and stuff.
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She saw my questioning look, but misinterpreted as me questioning the substance while in truth I was questioning how she was enduring. I´ve tortured much people and few manage to sustain so much damage without even crying.
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-What exactly happened Aria?
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She swallowed the pill before answering.
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-As Julius put it… I got drugged, poisoned, kidnapped, beaten, slashed and almost raped… It does sounds kind of bad now that I listen to it again… By the way, since it´s your fault that I can´t reach a safe point to lick my wounds and rest I´m gonna freeload here for a few days… – She waved before going unconsciously asleep.
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END POV
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ALICE POV
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-I should apologize to her.
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I got up ready to leave and look out for Aria, I had been very rude to her at the ball. Even if I couldn´t have helped it (maybe she doesn´t even have anything to do with.. J-Joker…). I also haven´t seen anyone much lately and Blood is being way too possessive. I do need a break from it and maybe I can amend things with her and do become friends, I need a normal female friend.
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END POV
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Alice leaved the mansion without telling anyone in search of the other foreigner, she didn´t want Blood controlling her or Elliot and the twins keeping her from leaving. She took care that no one saw her and went on her way. She wanted to see her friends and maybe make a new one.
Unknown to her a group of faceless from Diamond were planning something.
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Aria finally reached her limit and deemed someone a friend (sort of), even if he like sit or not XD . But of all the people it had to be Joker (facepalm), and now she is unconscious and at his mercy, and White is not exactly liking the fact that he just might consider this intruder a sort of important plaything, maybe even a friend too. He has never got one, so he wouldnt know. Would someone come and "save" her? who? (seriously, if you´d like to see some fluff tell me with who.)
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Alice is entering the picture by herself and there are a bunch of things going on in the background that roleholders aren´t even aware of. And there is A reason why Alice is so traumatized by Joker, and it didn´t happen in clover or hearts (hint, hint). What would the faceless of Diamond be planning? uhhh!
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And what to do you think about Biggs and/or Wedge? and the mysterious stranger she recalls? what could have possible happened to him? She says that she´s been without company for years, and this stranger (that looks like the dodo or viveversa but no one knows so yet) was apparently VERY friendly ;)
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REVIEW AND TELL ME! :)