The Final Gambit
Sep. 22nd, 2019 04:42 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
The two remaining Queens of Wonderland, the Red Queen and the Queen of Hearts, stand firmly in the center of the mansion’s entranceway. Both are resolute and each has a Vorpal Sword in hand, despite the fact that they will not be needing them to fight. For the moment, they are alone.
The network devices catch this as a broadcast, and the two of them seem to be aware of this. It will be their last chance to address Wonderland, and the Queen of Hearts had insisted on it.
“Citizens of Wonderland, Real and Mirror alike. You will be on your own now. We’ve built you nice kingdoms here, so don’t you dare break them,” she says. “Don’t ever forget who’s giving you this freedom and peace. So, preemptively, you’re welcome.”
The Red Queen glances at her sister. “We must also preemptively thank you, my dears, for taking care of it in our stead.”
With their final words said, the two Queens turn their address to Wonderland itself. For the first time, the two are in sync. They reach out and take each other’s hands, holding tight as though it's the hardest thing they’ve ever done together.
Then, they raise their swords, twirl them, and stab the blades into the floor. Golden light shoots out around them, the way blood might spurt out of a wound.
The scent is irresistible. It is only moments before the room begins to shake around them. The Jabberwocky is quickly approaching, dropping whatever it is feasting on in favor of the magic of Wonderland. Soon, it is ramming the front door.
“Wonderland!” the Queen of Hearts announces. “Effective immediately, I resign my power and authority as the Queen of Dream Side! I return my magic to you so that you may slay the Jabberwock once and for all!”
“I likewise renounce my power as Queen of the Real Side," the Red Queen says. "With this, we will restore the balance that once was.”
The Jabberwocky finally shatters the door into splinters and storms the entranceway, breaking columns and decor in the process. Upon hearing the Queens’ declarations, the magic leaking from the wound to Wonderland tightens and weaves into ribbons of light that shoot out to ensnare everyone in the room, Queen and Beast alike.
Everything in the room shakes as the Jabberwock roars and struggles in its restraints, but the Queens do not fight. They stay still and allow the magic to pull them down as Wonderland opens up beneath them.
Neither lets go of the other’s hand. The Queen of Hearts turns to look at her sister one last time and shouts something that can’t be heard over all of the noise, but it is something that makes the Red Queen smile.
And then, they are gone.
The moment they disappear, new red ribbons shoot out of the wound and wrap themselves around the Jabberwocky, pulling it twice as hard. It sinks further and further and further down, until it too, is gone.
When it’s over, the light vanishes, and the only sign that anyone was there at all is a dark mark on the floor, much like the Jabberwock scar on the grounds.
The network devices catch this as a broadcast, and the two of them seem to be aware of this. It will be their last chance to address Wonderland, and the Queen of Hearts had insisted on it.
“Citizens of Wonderland, Real and Mirror alike. You will be on your own now. We’ve built you nice kingdoms here, so don’t you dare break them,” she says. “Don’t ever forget who’s giving you this freedom and peace. So, preemptively, you’re welcome.”
The Red Queen glances at her sister. “We must also preemptively thank you, my dears, for taking care of it in our stead.”
With their final words said, the two Queens turn their address to Wonderland itself. For the first time, the two are in sync. They reach out and take each other’s hands, holding tight as though it's the hardest thing they’ve ever done together.
Then, they raise their swords, twirl them, and stab the blades into the floor. Golden light shoots out around them, the way blood might spurt out of a wound.
The scent is irresistible. It is only moments before the room begins to shake around them. The Jabberwocky is quickly approaching, dropping whatever it is feasting on in favor of the magic of Wonderland. Soon, it is ramming the front door.
“Wonderland!” the Queen of Hearts announces. “Effective immediately, I resign my power and authority as the Queen of Dream Side! I return my magic to you so that you may slay the Jabberwock once and for all!”
“I likewise renounce my power as Queen of the Real Side," the Red Queen says. "With this, we will restore the balance that once was.”
The Jabberwocky finally shatters the door into splinters and storms the entranceway, breaking columns and decor in the process. Upon hearing the Queens’ declarations, the magic leaking from the wound to Wonderland tightens and weaves into ribbons of light that shoot out to ensnare everyone in the room, Queen and Beast alike.
Everything in the room shakes as the Jabberwock roars and struggles in its restraints, but the Queens do not fight. They stay still and allow the magic to pull them down as Wonderland opens up beneath them.
Neither lets go of the other’s hand. The Queen of Hearts turns to look at her sister one last time and shouts something that can’t be heard over all of the noise, but it is something that makes the Red Queen smile.
And then, they are gone.
The moment they disappear, new red ribbons shoot out of the wound and wrap themselves around the Jabberwocky, pulling it twice as hard. It sinks further and further and further down, until it too, is gone.
When it’s over, the light vanishes, and the only sign that anyone was there at all is a dark mark on the floor, much like the Jabberwock scar on the grounds.