wishforaneye: ([aggressive broken music box])
Will of the Abyss |🐇| Alice Baskerville ([personal profile] wishforaneye) wrote in [community profile] deercountry2022-05-22 10:21 pm

When Logic And Proportion Have Fallen Sloppy Dead

Who: Alice(White) and preestablished CR/Pandora CR
What: (TDM Mirror Reflection prompt inspiration)After catching sight of a reflection that takes control, "Alice" goes on a walk after gifting Xerxes Break with a new eye replacement; which brings back a lot of traumatic memories for the man. Chaos ensues with a few 'friends' literally made along the way. A girl just wants to have fun.
When: May
Where: Starts at Pandora House, various places after.

Content Warnings: Blood(puddled and raining), shambling pieced together and warped corpses, loss of control, casual acts of violence and gore, references to eye injury/eye gore- it's not a good time in here, really.

(OOC Note: Alice will not be directly engaging characters in any fights unless previously discussed{otherwise that's what her pieced together "friends" are for}, and will not be killing any characters.

Also, feel free to Action Bracket or Prose, I'll match you!)



One otherwise fine and totally boring day, an urgent message from Baltus comes through to the omnis of several individuals. The omen has selected those he reaches for very carefully. He does not want the entire city on alert and running to interfere. Still, his firm, almost stern tone -- and the video feed of what Baltus is looking at -- make it very clear that this message is absolutely a call to arms.

Something is wrong with Alice. She is as she once was, but she does not wish it.

It's the pale one he's looking at as she dances off down one of the hallways at the house, floating cheerfully, which is normal. What's decidedly not normal is the ragged grin across her face when she spins around, the way her eyes are blacked out entirely and the way her hands have lengthened horribly. Her own omen, Dinah, is trailing after her, and she looks back to nod at Baltus, as though to promise that she'll stay hard on Alice's heels. This gives Baltus a moment to turn and look at Break, who he is currently hovering over protectively.

It seems Break has not sent this message himself because he is currently on the floor, panting terribly, tense all over with pain. One hand is clasped over his missing left eye. Blessedly, the fall of his hair hides his expression.

If you are unable to defend yourself, stay out of her way, Baltus continues, turning back to watch Alice depart. Don't attack her if you can help it. Don't provoke her. This isn't corruption. She's in there, and she wishes to stop, but she's out of control. She may well attack on a whim --

A long and terrible pause as Alice disappears around the corner.

Do not allow Qrow to get too close to her. She has a terrible fondness for red eyes.

————

Dinah, the Omen that belonged to the paler of the Alice twins, was moving along the ground at a large and noticeable size for good reason. Keeping ahead, trying to ensure the path taken was clear just to avoid anything happening- knowing the frantic screaming that didn't show on the outside of the girl herself was there; she was trapped in her own mind, a feeling that was unfortunately familiar, and no matter what she did she was basically stuck in the back seat of her own body. Only able to watch.

Was it her? Wasn't it her? This part of herself she knew so well and never denied, but knew she was so much more than when she had all of her mind about her. It didn't make it less—

Blood trailed after her, filling in puddles as it drizzled from above as a few pieces of what could have been flesh splashed down as well. Behind her was a large and shambling beast pieced together from a few unfortunate beasts that had gotten in her way. Likely where the sudden rain of blood had come from and was still coming from. No matter, they were useful enough, following after like some loyal pet despite the snarls.

There'd be more where that came from, too.

"Come now- didn't you want to play? You helped make quite the pretty show to enjoy for now, and we can find more playmates for you!" A pat to the bloody fur of it's head, a smile not leaving Alice's face as eyes of deep black gleefully took everything in. The color even bleeding down along skin, glittering a bit as Darkblood. "Doesn't that sound so terribly exciting? I can hardly wait to see who we can get to play with us."

There was good reason the Omen wanted to be first contact rather than- well. Keep moving.

At times the large Omen is also right beside Alice, whenever the Omen feels as if she can't scout ahead for safety's sake; too much of a chance for the girl to slip from her direct sights.
payingfordeliverance: (Pain: Sunk so low)

CW: eye injuries, previous trauma

[personal profile] payingfordeliverance 2022-05-23 03:58 am (UTC)(link)
For Black Alice

Of course Break felt it the second the mirror took her. This sort of thing is what their blood bond is for, a reassurance that they'll always be on alert for one another in exactly this sort of circumstance. So, when Alice's end of their connection flared to life with horror and anguish, Break dropped everything and ran to her side, expecting to have to use that bond to call her back. Instead he's met with the Will of the Abyss herself, cheerful as can be and straight out of his nightmares, while Alice screams in his head once again to be saved.

The disconnect between the two catches him so off guard that Break does not get away in time before the Will decides to restore the eye she took from him so long ago by way of replacing it with the prettiest red gem in her collection -- a gift of gratitude and love to her devoted knight.

Last time this girl decided to change the number of eyeballs Break had in his head, the pain of the injury did not stop him from popping right back up again and yelling at her about wishes. This time, the swirl of memories he can't distinguish from reality and the visceral feelings leaking into him through the bond combine drag him down, leaving him unable to do much but ride it all out. Once the Will and Dinah have gone, Baltus noses at him, wanting to pick his person up and tuck him safely away in his own bed. But the slightest movement disturbs the new injury enough that Break cries out, and Baltus is left growling, uncertain of how best to manage this.


Open: Baltus

Once the darker sister has floated Break to his bedroom, Baltus spends a while pacing, agitated. The omen is torn between two duties: Watch over Break, and watch over the kids. This is deeply troublesome when Break and the kids are not in the same spot, but with Break in such a rare state of vulnerability, Baltus feels as though he cannot leave. He'll have to content himself with the occasional update from Dinah, and hope that everyone who gets involved is able to take care of themselves.

Anyone who checks in on Break during this time will find him muttering and delirious, while Baltus snarls restlessly with all of his teeth.


For Ange

It's Dipper Pines who manages to help Alice fight her way out of the mirror phantom's hold. Baltus knows this not because Dinah tells him so, but because Break suddenly sobs in relief, and falls properly unconscious at last. He's still got his hand protectively clasped over his eye, and he's sure to be in enormous pain whenever he awakens next, which Baltus does not like. Really, someone needs to have a look at it, and see just what the Will did by way of damage with this latest stunt. But after all those hours of strain and knowing how Break is liable to fight if someone tries, Baltus can't quite bring himself to summon anyone. The rest will do Break good.

Baltus takes a very brief run around the house, just to content himself with the knowledge that nothing else wicked is happening in it just now. Then he curls up on the bed with his head draped over Break's side, and waits for whatever will happen next to happen.
Edited 2022-05-23 04:32 (UTC)
swornto: (05)

OTA

[personal profile] swornto 2022-05-23 05:50 am (UTC)(link)
[Oz is supposed to be Alice's loyal rabbit, yet he was nowhere to be seen when everything began to spiral. He's only made aware of the situation thanks to Baltus and when he sees the screen, his entire world crashes to a stop. After all they had fought and struggled for, Alice's wish was pried out of her hands. Seeing her return to this form is more painful than any blade. When Oz's mind pushes out of despair, he pushes into action.

He's trying to catch up with Dinah and Alice, but is aware that he cannot get so close that he engages with her. Oz's power is to destroy and he would never turn it against her. Likewise, he knows that Alice will soon wake (she has to,) and regret every soul she's hurt. If he wants to protect her, then his best bet is to be a wall between her and any well intended hunters. He cannot allow for her nightmare to haunt her after she wakes up! As for who will snap her out of this, well... He has to trust that her new Trench friends can bring her back.

So yes. There's a boy no older than sixteen joining the patchwork beasts that guard Alice. He holds a bright red scythe, one larger than his body, in order to make himself stand out. His eyes, normally green and cheerful, have turned red and glow with warning.]


Don't get near Alice! Give her space!

[He tightens his grip on the scythe, wishing with confidence;] She can break through this!
entreats: (and they would still want you around)

[personal profile] entreats 2022-05-23 09:21 pm (UTC)(link)
The main thing Ange does upon seeing the message is fret.

It's not the first time she's had to deal with a situation where someone lost control. But Baltus is saying that this isn't corruption, and that means Ange has absolutely no idea what exactly is wrong with Alice, other than - apparently - something really bad. Coupled with the warnings the omen gives, Ange feels like it's better for her to stay out of the way. It sounds like Alice's friends might be able to turn her back to normal, in which case she should leave it up to them. Why would Alice listen to her when they're not even close? She'd instead listen to at least the other kids from Break's world, or maybe even a close friend she made in this place.

But then what else should she do, if she's planning on not getting in the way of anyone else's attempt at helping? Maybe she should see Qrow. Ange isn't sure whether the warning at the end means Qrow purposefully didn't get this message or that it's a warning aimed at him.

.. but as the time slowly passes, it's something else that lingers in Ange's mind. The more she thinks about the message, the more she recalls one particular sight from it. Break, doubled over. Unable to make the message himself, instead leaving it up to Baltus.

It bothers her more and more, and so it is that exact thing that brings her over to the house in the aftermath of the situation. Ange's stomach feels like it has tied itself in a thousand knots out of worry, her heart unable to decide between freezing up inside of her chest and pounding so rapidly that it feels like it might just explode. She's so worried that even her omen has come out, like he felt that it was his duty to watch over Ange while she's in this much distress.

She makes her way over to Break's bedroom when she doesn't spot the man anywhere else, the eagle flying after her, looking as stoic as Ange only wishes she could look in this situation.

Because she knows. She knows how bad the situation is the moment she sees what's going on in the bedroom. Break, the guy who would never give up on fighting even if he was busy dying on the spot, is actually in bed. Unmoving.

There's a brief moment where she worries that he might actually be dead, but then realises there'd surely be more commotion if that was the case. But even so, that very instant of terrifying shock is enough to momentarily freeze the girl as she starts in the entrance of the bedroom, staring directly at Break and Baltus' draped form.

The eagle flies in ahead of her, settling on the bedframe as if it, in this moment, symbolizes Ange's desire before she herself can even act on it.

"Baltus.."

It's the one word Ange manages to force out of her throat, sounding tiny and terrified. She doesn't even dare to say the man's name over the omen's, worried that something about this situation might shatter the moment she does.
sparklehorror: (Scared: Cause for concern)

[personal profile] sparklehorror 2022-05-24 01:06 am (UTC)(link)
Having already refused to listen to the warning the noodle dog sent out, it's certainly not as though Mabel's going to listen to Oz's once she gets there. One way or another, she gets past him, because if Mabel's capacity to appeal to people doesn't work her Pines penchant for casual crime will do the rest. Even so, she has the sense to approach Alice slowly, from the ground and not the air. If part of the problem is that Alice shouldn't be startled, Mabel will just let the other girl see her coming, no problem.

This turns out to be the correct move not just for Alice's sake, but for Mabel's, because it means she gets a solid look at the thing following her around. Has Alice somehow tamed a beast? Or is it something more sinister than that, given the darkness in her eyes?

"H-hey, Alice...?" She calls out hesitantly when she gets close enough, her hands twisted in the ruffles of her skirts. "Are you feeling okay...?"

Well, no, obviously, but you still ask these things anyway.
sparklehorror: (Confused: Da fuck)

[personal profile] sparklehorror 2022-05-24 01:27 am (UTC)(link)
[Of course Mabel is one of the ones Baltus sends his message to, given the friendship both Pines twins have fostered with the girl in question. And of course he probably intends that Mabel steer clear of the situation, and of course Mabel knows that and isn't going to do it.

It's not that she's stupid or reckless -- her own brother has attacked her with intent to kill, here. Mabel is well aware that Alice could turn on her too, and she wouldn't be able to fight back at all if she did. But another beast she met these past few months, one who almost drowned her with his siren song, was suffering and alone and making it a point to visit him anyway is probably one of the most important things Mabel has done since she arrived in Trench. And that beast was a stranger. No way is Mabel sitting things out when it's a friend.

She flies to the house on her omen's back and searches for Alice from there, but when she spots a certain blond head first, she elects to pause and talk to Oz. Baltus gave the basics, but he was pretty clearly in a rush.]


-- give her space? [Mabel repeats incredulously as Waddles lands, and she slides down from the flying pig's back with a thump of ruffles.] She spent her whole life alone and you think she needs space? Oz, what even happened?
sparklehorror: (Scared: Ah fuck)

[personal profile] sparklehorror 2022-05-24 01:33 am (UTC)(link)
"I -- you made it?"

That's horrifying, honestly. Not the creature itself -- honestly Mabel will pet the thing if it's friendly enough. She's had a penchant for animals made up of weird parts for years and her sketchbooks are chock full of body horror. No, what troubles her is that to have made this beast, Alice will have had to tear others apart first, and that's --

...also not inherently anything frightening. Mabel has been known to run around screaming I am the god of destruction and has had a gleeful time doing things like blowing zombie heads off their bodies with three-part harmony. Things just happen sometimes. No, what's alarming is that Alice has made it a point to be kind and gentle as long as Mabel has known her. Yet, she's talking about having fixed this beast with the same cheerful pride as she explained the adorable cat plushie she made for Mabel as a gift, which Mabel now keeps on her bed.

"But how? Can you really just -- just put stuff that's alive together?"
Edited 2022-05-24 01:34 (UTC)
velvet_teen: (listen up punks)

[personal profile] velvet_teen 2022-05-24 01:46 am (UTC)(link)
It is definitely rather stupid to confront White Alice directly.

So naturally Black's first instinct is to run and do something about it right away! Held back by a curse of her own, there's a good hour of lead time for the sister. The stupid, stupid sister! Alice knows for certain she'll feel real bad about the Break thing when she gets out of it, and also that she has enough regrets on her plate!

She has absolutely no idea how to end it but she does think that chasing her down and yelling at her is the correct thing to do... And that is then why she'll be coming face to face with one of those other created monsters and whipping out her scythe at it.

"Move it, I need to talk to her!"

You and your dolls and puppets! It's incredibly gross that they're made out of live stuff this time!
velvet_teen: (can't believe im having these loser emot)

[personal profile] velvet_teen 2022-05-24 01:53 am (UTC)(link)
It sure isn't an absolute rule, but due to their circumstances as abyssal reflections of each other, the Alices are highly prone to sharing fates. Both sisters have impulses and hidden sides they avoid showing off in public eye, deeds they might wish to do but hold back for one reason or another.

Which is why that this particular Alice is running back home and stopping there - it doesn't occur to Black Alice that she's not in control of herself until she doesn't swerve and bolt along that distinctive blood trail.

She kneels next to Break and stays there wringing her hands, which is stupid, because he can take care of himself and is very annoying and if anything she should be praising her sister for completely owning him and leaving him in a broken heap on the floor! That would be the sensible thing to do, but her stupid eyes are leaking?!

"Break, why are you so useless and floppy right now?! You're supposed to come on in during a crisis and smirk and solve all our problems in a flash and piss off everyone! And then you flop over!"

Just because they're her secret hidden feelings doesn't mean that Alice isn't a rude little brat.
sparklehorror: (Concerned: Ha ha ha ha mmmmmmm)

[personal profile] sparklehorror 2022-05-24 02:01 am (UTC)(link)
Hm.

Well.

Mabel does like to look on the bright side of things, and the bright side here is that probably nobody ever has to worry about this Alice in particular getting killed by anything. Whoo, boy.

"Um. What do you want to play?" she dares to ask, figuring probably the best thing is to humor her for the moment. Because this must be it, right? Why everyone's so worried about people getting too close. "I don't have this kind of magic, so, uh. I can't really do stuff like you can."
swornto: (163)

[personal profile] swornto 2022-05-24 02:12 am (UTC)(link)
[He at first goes on the defensive, holding his scythe out away from body like one might extend an arm to prevent someone's passage. But Mabel isn't armed and she's not trying to force her way through, nor is she showing any behavior that could be mistaken as aggression.

Oz sighs slightly, only partially lowering his guard.]


Alice isn't herself right now... But she doesn't want to hurt anyone! Please, don't fight her! [His warning is aimed specifically at anyone who might think to attack and kill her,] She can get through this... Alice wants to get through this, I know it! Please, don't give her anyone to regret hurting!
payingfordeliverance: (Baltus: Wispy)

[personal profile] payingfordeliverance 2022-05-24 02:21 am (UTC)(link)
Baltus doesn't sleep, so he's plenty alert when Ange and her own omen show up. He cocks one ear vaguely in the eagle's direction, but only bothers to lift his head when Ange addresses him directly.

After regarding her for a moment, he lets out an awful whine.

There isn't much that could get him to move, but he does so now, wisping himself half into shadow so that he can move from the bed without disturbing Xerxes. He's tangible again by the time he reaches Ange's side, leaning himself right up against her, seeking comfort. Baltus is an omen, and that means he can't help but stand forward in bravery when Break is afraid. But now that the worst is over and that need has drained away, what's left behind is exhaustion and sadness, and Baltus can feel it just as keenly. It has been a very long and stressful day.
payingfordeliverance: (Baltus: Over my shoulder)

[personal profile] payingfordeliverance 2022-05-24 02:31 am (UTC)(link)
If Break hears her at all, he doesn't answer. It's Baltus who turns to regard Alice when she arrives, showing her all of his too many teeth entirely on instinct before he collects himself.

He is bonded to your sister by blood, the omen says. Neither of them have made a habit of chattering about that, so this Alice may well not know it -- he noses gently at the handprint visible on Break's arm, easily seen with his sleeves rolled up, as he ran here from the kitchen. It's the pale twin's mark on his skin. She is in deep distress, and he feels it. Every bit of hurt she feels, Xerxes feels it, too.

Probably Break's current condition is less delightful, knowing that the other Alice's suffering is a direct cause of it. But it also explains why this is hitting him so hard, and why Baltus is at a loss for just what to do about it.

Alice, I want to put him somewhere safe. He hurts too badly for touch. She's replaced his lost eye with a stone. Can you help?
sparklehorror: (Scared: He's resting)

[personal profile] sparklehorror 2022-05-24 02:41 am (UTC)(link)
"Yeah, okay. I can hang out with you guys for a while."

She manages to sound casual, but she can't manage to fake the usual enthusiasm she has for things like playing with atrocious hell puppers. Hopefully if Alice picks up on that, it won't bother her. But already, Mabel is thinking she was right to come this close. This doesn't seem like Dipper's beasthood at all. Which means that even if Mabel can't figure out how to fix this -- someone from her own world might know? -- she can at least keep her from doing too much other creepy stuff, and she gets the feeling Alice wouldn't let any other beasts hurt her, either.

"Maybe more, like. Out in the woods? They keep stuff super clean around the graveyard and the station, so there's probably not much good stuff around there."

So, like. They should go away from where people are.
sparklehorror: (Sad: that's cringey tho)

[personal profile] sparklehorror 2022-05-24 04:21 am (UTC)(link)
I don't want to fight her! Anyway, all I can do is punch, and she floats!

[Let's please be practical about this, Oz.]

But what's she not herself for? Baltus said it's not corruption, so -- did she run into something weird? Like those blood blisters a couple months ago or something?
velvet_teen: (HERBIVORE THIS MOTHERFUCKER)

[personal profile] velvet_teen 2022-05-24 03:54 pm (UTC)(link)
"Bring it on, I'll play with you all day long!"

It'd cause a lot of awkward and unpleasant feelings if she did this kind of playing with the wrong person and killed them. Big sister doesn't intend to get killed - but, you know, if they do end up doing each other in, that's just a little more tangle on top of their history, which they are dealing with great. It's not like she hasn't gotten her killed by listening to stupid things before.

Alice leaps towards an oozy snout and makes herself heavy right before she lands, hitting with the impact of a cannonball. The scythe is for defense right now - the most dangerous part of Alice is always Alice.
velvet_teen: (gunbustering)

[personal profile] velvet_teen 2022-05-24 09:17 pm (UTC)(link)
So what, if he's hurt just grab him and put him somewhere out of the way real fast and it'll be over with lickety-split, you people are cowards. That's what he gets for making secret blood bonds without telling anyone, anyway.

"Well, all of that's awful. Of course I can help! I'm very skilled, as you know!"

She gently touches Break's sleeve also, feather-light, a complete waste of time. The less he weighs, the less hard she'll have to grab him. Light enough to float is the ideal, which is easy to accomplish. Floating is more the other Alice's thing but she's apparently busy putting eyes in people. Up he goes, nice and slow, like a balloon with only breath in it instead of the floaty gas.

"Useless old men should be tucked away in bed. We youngsters can handle Alice for him."
entreats: (the pictures that she sees)

[personal profile] entreats 2022-05-24 09:32 pm (UTC)(link)
The sight of Break actually in bed was enough to confirm to Ange how awful the situation has got to be, but if there could possibly be another sign of it, it'd be this. Baltus has always tried to be a source of comfort for her in all sorts of situations, after all - ranging from Ange actually being upset about her trauma being reignited in this place to Ange just being embarrassed about some dumb thing.

But right now.. it's the opposite. Right now it's Baltus coming to her for effort, whining like a wounded dog. Ange immediately moves to kneel and pull the noodle omen into her arms, holding him there, but she can feel her own breath getting shaky with worry. If even Baltus is already acting this way, then how hard of a time must Break have been having..?

"I-- I'm here," she softly says.

Ange wishes she could say more. Or something more helpful. That it'll be okay, or she'll do something about all this, but.. those would be lies. Ange doesn't know if it'll be okay, and she doesn't know if she can even do anything here. She came here out of worry for Break, but if the situation is this bad, then.. is there even anything she can do at all?

She lingers there for a moment, just hugging the omen, but then slowly allows her grasp on Baltus to grow a little more loose.

"Here, just give me a moment.."

Ange moves back up as she says it, leaving Baltus there - though of course he can follow her - as she moves to step closer towards Break's bed instead. No matter how worried she is, she has to at least fully see him. She has to know just how bad all of this is.
payingfordeliverance: (Baltus: Over my shoulder)

[personal profile] payingfordeliverance 2022-05-25 03:17 am (UTC)(link)
She'll find Break soundly unconscious, his breathing deep and even. He's not in any danger of dying, at least. It'd be easy to mistake him as simply being asleep, if his expression weren't still one of pain. And, although Baltus made sure to put his favorite pillow beneath his head when they came upstairs earlier and Break has his face half pressed into it, his hand still remains protectively over his left eye.

Baltus does pad along after Ange, leaning against her again as he sits down with his head settled onto Break's mattress. The hug was good and settling, but one of his most important duties has always been to offer physical contact, and it feels a little wrong not to be attached to someone just now. Everything about the omen's body language droops. Baltus is a sad, limp, mushy noodle indeed.

Today's incident assaulted him from three different directions, he intones in her head, sounding as gloomy as Break does when he oversteeps his tea. That is why...he was unable to stand up to it.
no_reload: (Reaper - Tilt)

[personal profile] no_reload 2022-05-25 04:29 am (UTC)(link)
It was Wraith that appeared first, offering a sonorous call of the most annoying variety. The black peacock walked along a high perch, keeping well out of the way of the other Omen and Alice herself. All to give Reaper a view of the scene before he also entered into play because there were very few individuals that stirred him to action immediately.

Alice just might be one of the rare exceptions.

Reaper wasn't at full strength given he had forced himself to keep his powers on the down-low, and he hadn't been drinking blood for weeks. He knew he was at a disadvantage, but he was going to rely on the facts of this situation. One, Alice had a fondness for him as he did for her, and he counted on that coming into play. Two, he wasn't afraid to die. And three, he wasn't afraid to cheat to get her back.

So, he came onto the scene with a flow of black smoke, coming to stand in her current path. He set his hands on his hips and tilted his head to the side as he assessed the situation. Time for action.

"Where are you going where I wasn't invited? I know I've been down and out for a time, but an invitation will always draw me out to spend time with you."

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