+ The Moral of the Next Chapter +

[pig_and_pepper]

Eat! Devour! Swallow! Consume!

[ The Duchess' announcement sounds loud and fierce, from the mansion's very rooftop, and any device that would listen. But no sooner does her last scream ebb away, than her voice and face alike turn into a picture of quiet melancholy. ]

Would that we could leave it all behind. Alas, such matters make poor resolutions, for what certainty is there, truly, that we could become the hunters, and not merely food for another?

[ She looks towards the forest and lingers thus a moment longer, lest her silent dignity should inspire an artist to paint her greatness. Then she turns with flourish, and embraces the presence of her dearest audience at last. ]

Oh, oh! I do promise we shan't dwell on it a moment longer than we must! [ Her hands clap together with excessive cheer. ] You've all conducted yourselves rather splendidly, and did I not tell you that matters would resolve just as you all deserve? I am so very pleased with you today, and I should like to share a moral thought:

[ Cue the dignified pause for effect. Then: ]

Year's end is no end, yet neither is it beginning. 'Tis a continuance, with all the wisdom instilled by experience.

[ She smiles very, very warmly, and parts with her final thought: ]

Try to avoid the teeth this time, won't you?

Comments

video;

[whele]

[If William said he understood most of that, he'd be lying. Isn't ending? Not beginning? What? The last part gets his attention though, and William just has to ask.]

Lots of things in this place has teeth. Which ones in particular are you talking about?

video;

[pig_and_pepper]

[ A fair question, and the Duchess will answer it gladly! ]

The incisors, to be sure! Oh, certainly the canines also. The premolars, yes, I suppose the molars as well. [ She taps her lips thoughtfully. ] They have no wisdom, that I must say. Not a shred of wisdom, and I cannot imagine that they should have the teeth to match.

video;

[whele]

[Opens his mouth to say that wasn't what he was after, then realizes that technically it is what he asked. William is a smart cookie and will just snap his mouth closed for a moment.]

Right. And um. Whose teeth would those belong to?

video;

[pig_and_pepper]

[ Her head tilts towards the forest. ]

Would you look for them today? You'll not find them here just yet, my good friend. Consider: You must not scratch your head until it itches, nor must you dance until you hear the music.

video

[fantoche]

[And here she thought the Jabberwocky was bad enough. This sounds like it's erring on the side of cannibalism.]

Well, that's cryptic. [Although the moral makes sense, not that she likes what it could possibly imply considering the way it was delivered.] Is there something else out there that we should be worrying about?

video

[pig_and_pepper]

[ The Duchess considers the inquiry carefully. She thinks on her response, and aligns one finger with the bridge of her nose carefully. Then: ]

Always.

video

[fantoche]

[There were creatures here from home that she had far more business being concerned about than a hypothetical. She couldn't control hypothetical.

Arms cross as the device levitates itself, chin raising ever so slightly.]

Ok. Is this one of those moments where we're expected to live in a perpetual state of fear? [Because that's not gonna fly.] Or do you have something a little more specific to offer other than always?

( video )

[lucency]

[ Belle can't lie: the entire address leaves her - well - unnerved. Some ledge between nervous and empty. Despite the cheer, there's not much relief to be had, from her viewpoint. Her eyebrows furrow, and she shakes her head. ]

Teeth?

There's - something else, isn't there?

( video )

[pig_and_pepper]

Why, a great many of them! Teeth and those who bear them alike.

[ The Duchess shakes her head empathically. ]

The decorations will help, I suppose, but I would have wished you all a much nicer celebration. You do deserve it, you know. For once.

( video )

[lucency]

For once?

After we've been - been dragged here against our wills, thrown to a ravenous beast and who knows what else before, we just now deserve something?!

[ awhereitgoes.gif ]

[ video ]

[first_demon]

Whose teeth do we have to worry about now?

[ video ]

[pig_and_pepper]

[ Really, whose teeth don't they have to worry about? The Duchess tilts her head contemplatively. ]

That would depend, I imagine. Are you mobile? Agile? Hostile? You needn't fear what cannot catch you.

[ video ]

[first_demon]

Quite a bit of all of the above. It's usually my teeth that need the warning. So I must admit, I am a bit curious to see what I should fear.

It almost makes a girl excited.

video.

[titanocidal]

You.

[He says the word like it's the most putrid insult imaginable.]

What the hell is your problem?

[Eren's far too busy being angry to pay the clues much mind. He's pretty much convinced that all of his problems begin and end with this crazy lady. She's one of the tyrants pulling the strings around here, right? It's her fault he's here! It must be her fault Mikasa went missing, too!]

video.

[pig_and_pepper]

[ Like a finely crafted construct the Duchess sharply lifts one eyebrow, then the other. Then she scoffs loudly. ]

You ought to know better than to ask.

video.

[titanocidal]

[What the frig does that even mean? His anger wavers a moment, replaced by a sense of foreboding. -- But a moment is only a moment. It passes on, quickly enough.]

Don't give me that cagey mystical crap. You like hunters so much? Good. Because I'm coming for you.

And when I find you, I'm going to make you suffer and kill your stupid pig.


[Not that he actually knows where she IS or anything.]

[retrogirl]

...What?

[ WHO THE FUCK IS THIS why is she sort of creepy ]

[pig_and_pepper]

Eat devour swallow consume would that we could leave it all behind alas such matters make poor resolutions for what certainty is there truly that we could become the hunters and not merely food for another I do promise we shan't dwell on it a moment longer than we must you've all conducted yourselves rather splendidly and did I not tell you that matters would resolve just as you all deserve I am so very pleased with you today and I should like to share a moral thought year's end is no end, yet neither is it beginning 'tis a continuance with all the wisdom instilled by experience try to avoid the teeth this time... won't you?

[ The Duchess takes a DEEP breath. ]

Repetition is the mother of learning. I pray that you've learnt much, for I shan't mother you again.

[retrogirl]

Okay. Um.

Thanks, mom.

[ AND SHE'S OUT. Man, Wonderland is weird. ]

[video forever]

[usskickass]

I'd rather get some stuff straight before we move on, actually.

[Beiste is NOT PLEASED and it shows.]

The Queen had a Vorpal Sword, but it wasn't the real one. Did you go pullin' a hūsker dū on her? [And by extension on all of them.]

[pig_and_pepper]

[ The Duchess straightens the creases of her dress as she considers. The question may not be pretty, but it is fair. Enough. ]

Jeg gav hende præcis sværdet hun havde brug for.

[usskickass]

[Beiste's face falls from annoyance to utter befuddlement.]

...What?

[That can't be a real language, right? Those all get translated. Right?]

[onthefitz]

[Fitz is really starting to hate this place.]

That's not very encouraging, Miss.

[pig_and_pepper]

[ She nods sympathetically. ]

Life rarely is, my good friend. Better to brace yourself for an obstacle and surmount it, than gaze at the sunshine and be devoured by fire.

[onthefitz]

It's not much of a life worth living if all you do is worry about the next threat.

[Not that he plans on giving up, he can't let himself do that.

It's just foreboding and it never seems like there's a light at the end of the tunnel these days.]