+ HER THIRTY-EIGHTH DECREE +

[onlyredroses]

[Enough is enough.

Mid-afternoon, every ride halts and every vendor stills. The carnival freezes in place, except for its patrons, stuck on their rides and forced to listen to the bellowing voice below. The Queen of Hearts, it seems, has made a rare appearance on the Real Side of the glass. She stands in the center of the carnival, commanding the attention of everyone around her.]

This carnival is an insult to the Mirror Monarchy and I will NOT stand for it a second longer! MY HEARTS are all over this disgusting display, as though I sanctioned such a thing! As though I would ever sanction such a thing!

[She laughs, cruel and cold. There is nothing about this that is funny to her.]

And on top of that, SISTER, you've given out these ridiculous calling cards with my Mirrors' precious secrets on them! My Mirrors, do you know that this woman who has treated you to this carnival has also treated your strengths and weaknesses, your truths and your secrets, to any Real stupid enough to give a donation?

[She holds a Mirror Card up, and then crushes it in her hand.]

Do NOT be fooled, my Mirrors! These Real Things and their so-called Queen - they are not your friends. They will only betray you in the end. They don't trust that which is not Real by their definitions, and will lure you close only to find your weak spots.

[And how dare they?]

Come! We must return to our side of the glass at once. And to my sister, the Red Queen - this is a Declaration of War. We will return in June, prepared for battle - I suggest you do the same, dear sister.

[With a Snap of her fingers, all of the Mirrors return to their side of the glass. The carnival rides and booths all vanish (and thankfully anyone who was on them at the time finds themselves safely on the ground. The war has not begun just yet). Every sign that the carnival was there at all is gone in an instant, and the Queen of Hearts disappears in a flash of red.

ooc: The Queen of Hearts will not be replying to this post, but feel free to use this for any reactions/threads in the immediate aftermath. The Mirrors have gone back to their side of the glass, so Reals only here please!]

Comments

[pseudological]

I thought this was a venue of free thought.

[choosetruth]

Writing on the Mirrors? Sure. But if you want to run it in my zine, you still have to go through an editor.

[pseudological]

Good thing I don't submit my works to propaganda.

[choosetruth]

Too bad. We like having differing perspectives.

[pseudological]

Maybe you should have considered that before titling it the way you did.

[choosetruth]

The problem with using the word "mirror" to describe eight or so different concepts. Would you prefer if I called it Shattered Glass?

[Not that she's necessarily going to change the title, but she'd consider it. Shattered Mirror sounds better, but sounding good isn't the only thing to look for in a title.

Of course, they'll find a way to discredit it no matter what she calls it. That's the power of propaganda. But there's no reason to make their job easy.]

[pseudological]

What about "The Queen of Clubs"?
I think that says exactly the right thing about your level of subtlety.

[choosetruth]

[That actually gets her to pause for a moment before she writes back.]

You think I want to be queen?

[pseudological]

yas slay

[choosetruth]

[.......she has no idea what that means. Stop it with your archaic memes.]

I have no interest in ruling. I'm far too busy with my zine. I couldn't do both.

[And there's no question which she'd choose. Writing is in her blood.]

[pseudological]

[Ah, well. If anyone witnesses this down the line, it's worth it.]

But if you had to, would you?

[choosetruth]

[WHY do people keep asking her hypotheticals?]

What do you mean, if I had to? If someone held a gun to my head and said rule or die? If no one else stepped up? If you're going to give me nonsense hypotheticals of unlikely situations, at least be specific.

[pseudological]

If you had to take charge.
If there was no one else suitable for the job.
Would you?

[choosetruth]

By whose definition of suitable? Because that seems very unlikely. Is there no one left in Wonderland left? Are we having an election and the majority of Wonderland residents, both Mirror and Real, decided I was the best person for the job?

Or are you just trying to find some outlandish scenario to try and force me into saying something so that you can tell everyone out of context that it's what I want?

[pseudological]

Now how could I possibly achieve that? You’re recording this conversation, aren’t you?
I’d be disappointed if you weren’t.

I’m not allowed to be curious?

[choosetruth]

You're allowed to be anything you want. And I'm allowed not to answer.

[pseudological]

So are your interviewees.
Allegedly.

[choosetruth]

Entirely. They often don't.

[pseudological]

How does it feel to be in their shoes?

[choosetruth]

[Does he seriously think she's never been interviewed before?]

I didn't know you were a journalist now. My mirror must be thrilled.

[pseudological]

I know, right?
You’d be proud. We get along real well over here.

[He’s definitely bluffing, but he wouldn’t be shocked if that turned out to be the case eventually, either.]