slayers_desire | dealing with the King of Hearts (tag deadgirlsliekme)

"Victor" looks around the apartment as they enter. "Very nice," he says genuinely. "Cozy." He's used to big sprawling castles himself, but he thinks this is a pleasant enough little space.

"No thank you," he says as he takes a seat. "Though don't let me stop you if you'd like one."

The one-bedroom apartment might not have a lot of space. But it is what April can afford. And close to the university she will be attending.

"I might refresh myself later, after our session." Because she has no idea how tough this might be. To get Victor back.

Sitting beside him, she stretches out her hands. "Lets see if I can hear this voice that is bothering you."

Nothing wrong with small, especially when it's affordable.

"Victor" nods, happily oblivious -- for the moment. Once things get started, he's going to fight back, and it might get nasty.

He nods again and leans forward slightly. In the back of his head, Victor's desperately calling, April! April, help. . . .

April is expecting a fight. The most important thing is that he lets her into his mind. And she immediately hears Victor's cries of help.

Moving towards that place in the back of his mind, April attempts to figure out how exactly this happened. How Victor got trapped -- and someone else got into control.

Tell me the truth now. Who is in control?

Well, April, expect to deal with some guilt, as the new presence is using those mental blocks you taught to Victor on Victor. He just hasn't got them perfect yet, hence Victor's voice still being heard. Probably he damaged them when he ripped through them a couple of days ago in taking control. As for how he got in here, that's a bit more complicated. . . .

For a moment, "Victor" considers trying to lie. Then he decides that there's no point -- and anyway, why should he lie? He's sick of having to pretend to be Victor. Isn't it better to let everyone know who's the better? The King of Hearts, at your service, he replies, in surprisingly friendly tones.

Guilt is not a new emotion for April to deal with. She has had it. She has felt Clark's guilt recently. And now it comes back fresh when she realized that she helped this spirit to trap Victor.

A pleasure to meet you King of Hearts. Her mental voice is pleasant. Looking for weak areas in the mental blocks. She helped Victor create them -- perhaps she could break them.

The mun feels bad she can't tell April that Victor getting stuck back there would have happened anyway -- the mental blocks thing just provided a good excuse for that to happen.

Likewise, the King replies. I do hope we can get rid of him soon enough. Then we can get properly acquainted. He knows April from Victor's memories, but that hardly equals a face-to-face meeting.

As for the mental blocks, there are little weak areas here and there, where Victor's consciousness is slipping through. Victor does his best to help locate them, though it's hard when you're trapped in the back of your own mind.

April's mun is glad she was able to provide an excuse. Even with added drama.

We could get acquainted now. If you like. April replies. Distracting the King of Hearts so she could work. She locates a weak area, where Victor's consciousness is most audible.

What would you like to know about me? The question is posed just as April touches the weak spot in the barrier. To secure herself to it, before she starts to work at widening it.

But added drama is good, right?

I suppose there's no time like the present, the King agrees. I'm not sure -- I know he's met you before, at least twice while you were in distress. . . . Allow me to apologize for that, by the way. It can't have been easy dealing with him on top of your other problems. I hope you're well now, though.

Drama makes the puppet's life interesting.

Times of distress can be awkward for anyone to deal with.

April presses against the weak spot in the mental spot in the barrier to make the crack wider. To open it further.

Indeed. Of course, the puppets may not appreciate it.

That's true enough, the King sighs. I remember clearly when the castle burned, and I had to -- He shudders, mentally, as he recalls giving his beloved wife one last kiss, then shoving her through the doorway so she would live. . . . I haven't seen my wife in ages, he thinks softly. I -- I know from his memories something awful happened, but. . . But it was a bit painful to poke around in there, so he's not sure on the details. Do you have news on her? Or on Alice?

There's a spike of anger from Victor at that. How dare that creature ask about his girlfriend?

Things never are easy for the puppets.

I fear I have not been told of your wife, the Queen, your majesty. Nor have I seen Alice for a while. That is the truth.

Tell me of your time ruling Wonderland. Allowing him to brag will keep the distraction going. Victor's anger is actually a good thing, it is something tangible April can use to widen that weak spot further.

This is very true.

The King sighs again. I hope she's all right -- the both of them, he replies. I so would like to see her again. . . Maybe he should rifle through those memories, force himself to learn what Victor knows.

There's no lack of anger on Victor's part now -- he doesn't want the King anywhere near Alice. Can one blame him? Oh, it was wonderful, the King says cheerfully, much preferring to reminisce on pleasant times. Croquet games, planting flowers, making sure everyone was safe and secure. . . . My wife may have had a temper, but she did care for her land. The weird thing is, he's not lying. She only completely lost it and started going through with executions after he died.

I do believe she mourned you quite extensively.

April doesn't know the whole story of Wonderland. Just tidbits of the storybook, and that it wasn't what Alice had experienced. Or survived.

It will be Alice that can help Victor the most. His anger and protection is quite useful in breaking a larger hole in the mental blocks. But April is still cautious, urging the emotions of Victor to come to their freedom in a stealthy manner.

Alice or my wife? The King chuckles after a moment. They were always so alike, though. They seemed to enjoy having arguments -- fiery tempers for the both of them.

Don't you dare say Alice is like your Queen, Victor growls, unable to help himself.

Who asked your opinion? the King shoots back -- then notices Victor's voice is louder. Which leads to him noticing what April's been doing. What -- you can't possibly want him back! he says in utter disbelief.

April has to think quick. To protect the work she has done in freeing Victor. And to ensure they could regain his control of his own body.

You want to know about your Queen. I wished to see Victor, so that I might discover more about what has happened to her.

The rest of the mental barrier should be easy to destroy now that she has a big enough crack. It is not helping Victor after all being here.

You could have asked me! I can see this idiot's memories, the King snaps. Let me show you, I'll go find what he knows right now! There's a vague sense of thoughts being shuffled --

And then the King mentally freezes as he comes across what Alice told him. She -- she's dead? Alice killed her? And she -- no, no, she's not a monster, she's just -- passionate -- I have to see Alice I have to convince her to bring her back

And that causes a wave of terror to hit Victor. Oh God -- if the King goes to Alice, who's to say he won't -- that she won't -- "You leave her alone!" he yells both mentally and vocally, lunging at the King through the mental blocks and causing their body to jerk forward. Be careful in there, April, as shit just got real.

There was no preventing the truth. Luckily one reason April selected her small apartment is because when Victor's body jerks forward -- she can reach out and gently keep him in place.

We can take you to Alice. But I fail how speaking to her through Victor would do any good.

April notes how the King believes that Alice could bring the Queen back. It makes sense, if the King was able to possess Victor.

"No! No, I'm not letting him anywhere near Alice, I'm not letting him--" Victor starts, then is cut off by the King's voice (and as the King reassumes control, Victor's eyes turn solid pitch black, and there's the suggestion of tentacles writhing beneath his jacket). "Who says you're allowed to dictate my actions? You're nothing but a useless coward who spends all his time running away from everyone else! Alice will be glad to be rid of you!"

"Don't you touch her!" Victor yells back. "I'll kill myself before I let you try to destroy her!"

"Is that a promise?! And why should I hurt Alice? She deserves so much better than you."

Victor's voice cracks. "I -- I know, but I can't let you do anything to her, I love her. . . ."

Quiet. Aprils eyes glow red. Both of you. This arguement will get us nowhere.

In a calmer tone, April tries for reason again. Again, your majesty, it will do you no good to reason with Alice using Victor's body. As you claim... he is weak. And you deserve a stronger body. A stronger voice.

Both are startled briefly into silence by the red eyes. That's new and different.

Don't you think that if I could get a stronger body, I would be in it? the King growls. And weak is just the least of it. Clumsy, frightened, shiftless, worthless! And he knows it, and he refuses to just leave like everyone wants him to! I can't believe Alice actually loves him. Pities, perhaps. . . .

Victor's shaking under the assault, mostly because part of him believes all this. But he's not surrendering, not with Alice's body and soul on the line. T-that doesn't matter. I love her, and -- and I won't l-let you do to her w-what you're doing to me. . .

Your majesty. I am stronger than Victor.

April wants Victor to fight. To stop believing the ill words that the King uses... and uses to remain in control. To use his love for Alice as a way for him to gain the courage to fight.

Dormice are stronger than Victor, the King snarks. And I believe you misunderstood me, so I should say what I mean and not just mean what I say. I can't get out. For some insane reason, I'm tied to him. It's the truth -- as Victor's the man Alice loves, the King of Hearts is stuck inside of him. (Where the King's being really stupid is in the whole "killing Victor" business, as it essentially amounts to suicide. But who said self-loathing was rational?)

Victor is trying to fight, struggling for dominance just because he fears for the lives of those he cares about. Mostly Alice, but he's terrified that the King might one day hurt Doc, Marty, Dee -- anyone he's befriended. I thought insanity was a staple of Wonderland. And I don't like this any better than you do.

(OOC: Need to hit the sheets -- be back tomorrow!)

There must be a reason that you must be tied to Victor. Let us rationalize this... so we can seek freedom for both of you

April looks for the mental and spirtual tie between Victor and the King. She needs to make more sense of what keeps them bound. So she can perhaps envision a solution.

It's a weirdly twisted mess in there. The King's a clearly separate entity, but his consciousness seems to have snaked into Victor's mind in a myriad of different and knotted ways. The strongest link, however, is to a dark, lonely section that haunts Victor's nightmares. The one where he's certain he's unloved and alone because he's shy and clumsy and prone to stuttering and weak-willed and an embarrassment to his family and undeserving of love and the wrong sex and he should have used that straight razor when he was fifteen -- (Victor might try to shove April out of there if/when he realizes those thoughts are being broadcast, because he's personally deeply ashamed of that moment.) At any rate, it would be very difficult to separate them.

Who cares about freedom for him? is the King's reply. His voice is a nasty growl now. And I'm starting to dislike your meddling. . . Be on your guard, April, as tentacles are sliding out of Victor's jacket, and they do not look friendly.

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