#majors Hatter and Hare are my favorites | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

xoteajays · 7 months

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Obviously.. That's why I assumed that you kept him alive. Besides being boyfriends with Niragi in many of your stories. Aguni helps Karube in the tag game, doesn't take the walkie talkie either, and even asked Arisu about him when him and Usagi showed up at the Beach. So he definitely have some favoritism to Karube ever since he met him. If I am being honest, it annoyed me that Aguni basically telling Arisu that it was his fault that his closest friends died. And the weaklings like Arisu and Usagi should not be alive.

Well.. If anyone does keep Karube alive in any story, he could have some type of relationship with any of the militants. And maybe gathers information for all his friends too, similar how Arisu and Chishiya do.

I did like his blond hair... Sometimes that makes me think of Noboru with blond hair. Similar to Cobra's. I don't blame the wife (or was she more girlfriend) for cheating on her man with Karube. I know.. Cheating is bad. Never cheat. She's a slut for doing that too.

And that's how I felt? Since Kento is attractive in his own way. But I've barely felt an attraction to Arisu in character form. He could be cute? But not hot, sexy or any other vulgar word for attractive. I can't see it.

I don't have much an attraction to him in that way.

Yes! That made me uncomfortable. Apparently that girl Shibuki. Her character was completely different in the manga? So this woman has so much loathing towards herself that she'll sleep with men to survive in her life. Ew. I'd rather die than be like that. And... I am judging her for it. I won't lie. I am. There are a lot of people who may say that women can't be rapists. But that's technically what she did. I know... Chota's consenting to it. But she manipulates him into even doing that. And! To make the situation more bizarre too. Chota and his mother were brainwashed into a cult their whole lives, the women were very sexually abused by the leader of that cult too. That's so sad.

Yes. The Dodo character was actually close friends with Arisu, Heiya and maybe even Aguni. But that's so confusing to me.. Why remove a major character like that? I'd understand minor characters, but not a major character. That annoys me when they do this.

I see Heiya compared more to the Hare than Mouse a lot, both characters but one more than the other - mainly because of her name sounding similar to the word hare. But her story is apparently similar to this dourmouse character. Well.. To an extent anyway.

And yeah. I do think it would make sense that some more dangerous characters based off all characters that are dangerous. Niragi, Bando, Last Boss, Yaba.. Being sadistic people and even serial killers actually makes sense that they're dangerous the creatures.

If Aguni is actually Knave Of Hearts in the manga.. I don't know why you could actually give a minor role to one of the more major characters in the story. So I'm confused by that, if details are actually accurate about that. That's so bizarre to me. Don't know why.

I noticed that whenever someone does make a AIB character, they are always making their character a dourmouse character. So I just have mixed feelings about that when it comes to my original characters. I know, I know.. There's limitation of characters that you can creat based on the Wonderland characters. And dourmouse is a major character in the story for obvious reasons, also connected to the other major characters too (like Hatter and Aguni). So that does make sense why people would have the dourmouse character. I'll have to look through characters again.

One thing that disappoints me with Ann's character though... I wished she kept the long hair the manga, but she has short hair in the show. But maybe I can have a character with that hairstyle? I don't know.

Obviously most of their characters sexualities have never been mentioned. We know Niragi's a rapist in the story. We know Arisu and Usagi are the involved romantic ship through the series. So excluding their characters, no sexualities are ever mentioned at all.

Oh! And I know Aguni was apparently really sexually attracted to Usagi based on his comment. And then Heiya tried having sex with Arisu when she met him in the forrest. But not many other characters either.

And Shibuki who's a slut having sex with everyone.

So if all of my AIB characters are female, there may be some who queer. I don't know how many original characters I'll have for the fandom. But there can be a character I can ship with either Ann or Kuina too.

That's why I'd rarely imagine him being affectionate in public. Not the public sex. But the holding hands, hugging, kissing. Rocky can be expressive toward a lot people he cares about (in his own way), but then that makes emotions make you weak in the eyes of your enemy. Mainly Doubt. Because those SWORD gangs protect their family, friends and allies. So I'm sure they wouldn't care. But Doubt, Warriors, Kuryu are completely so different than the SWORD gangs.

Especially since Doubt sell women and girls on that whole blackmarket situation.. As slaves and even as prostitutes too. Depending on their appearances.

So if Rocky's ever publicly affectionate with women - like his girlfriend, then I can only see him being so affectionate around people he trusts. Like people in White Rascals, maybe Club Heaven employees too, but only around certain people though. If he's really affectionate toward her in public. That's what I have thought of. So his public affectionate is so minimal.

And if there is ever a rare chance that Kizzy actually walks in on Rocky and girlfriend, in a compromising positions. That is definitely when she'll be asking so many vulgar questions, especially toward girlfriend, about their sex life. Which is awkward for them too.

Kizzy has a lot of blackmail material against Rocky.

And the reason why I keep saying that Rocky's only exhibition kink is mirrors.. Is because Rocky being a romantic, he seems like the type to want a lot of the eye contact between him and his partner. So if they are in a position facing away from them, I could see them having sex in front of mirrors. He would really want to watch their reactions on their faces when it happens, and watch their bodies too. Body worship is definitely another kink of his for obvious reasons.

Exactly. Cobra and Rocky are the most private ones of the leaders, Hyuga and Murayama never seem to have shame. And Smoky and Takeshi could actually be middle ground. They will do things openly, but in a private way at the same time. So there's that too.

I've been rewatching an anime that I like.. But that's a series that will be removed from Netflix in about a week. Anyway. Now that I'm rewatching the series... Some of these characters remind me of High&Low, or High&Low characters remind me of think is more like it. Maybe that is why I'm attracted to H&L casts when I'm overthinking details to these stories. And I have to say it gives me ideas for some characters in a way too. I don't know. It's hard to explain. But still.

Gangsters are definitely greedy people. So they get some money, want more money, create businesses that launder even more money. The greedy pricks.

- 💋

actually the karube lives au started because i thought he’d be the one to kick niragi’s ass, since he already had an established background as a guy who fights back against bullies. and niragi needed someone to knock him on his ass. then it turned into …… what it is. then i was like. karube’s ….. hot actually.

god. gonna be so sad when the sjow doesn’t play out like my au and karube just dies in the next episode. like wdym he only survived in my head? ahsjdkdl

aguni was rough towards arisu; but it doesn’t really surprise me. he’s no exactly the warmest person and he really only liked hatter before heiya came along. and to be fair, arisu is kinda pathetic sometimes. like i get it. but also. get it together, boy.

i landed karube in with the militants in my au, also he and chishiya don’t get along. anyone who messes with arisu is obviously on karube’s shitlist. he and kuina are friends tho.

he looks damn good blond!! like okay, he looked good in gifsets i’ve seen of teppachi. but the blond hits different. i think the girl he was cheating with was his boss’ gf. i mean. i don’t think he makes the best decisions himself. he is a little bit of a dick (ie the way he treated shibuki, punching arisu, wanting to kill shibuki in the 7hearts).

the whole shibuki and chota thing is just uncomfortable to watch, especially in the second episode. i’ll have to see about the 3rd, but the second is especially bad. the manipulation of it all is just icky. which is a shame because shibuki’s actress is pretty, but the character gives me ick.

i have such a bias for banda because i like hayato isomura and murderer characters. he’s just a really good actor and so fun to watch. he was in the live action version of tokyorev and looked so cute as akkun. and iirc they wrote in a character for him for xxxholic - which he was just so pretty in. yes he was blond in this movie. and nobody is surprised that makes me think he looked hotter!! but he was also wearing slutty gothy outfits so! there’s that too!!! i should send you some gifsets from that movie.

the dormouse is just an easy one to pick. it’s a big enough character that hasn’t really been confirmed in aib, so it’s up for grabs pretty much. tho ive seen a few that were the gryphon or the turtle. idk why the talking flowers aren’t more popular tho. like cmon. flower theme!

it’s a shame that people usually overlook the sleeping part of the dormouse tho. like it’s a major part of the original character. i gave the first iteration of my dormouse character hypersomnia, but the revamped version now has chronic fatigue syndrome.

i like ann’s short hair! i liked the braid crown from the manga, but i like her short hair better.

yea, i can see him being especially worried about doubt and ranmaru, because their so awful towards women and don’t like rocky specifically. so he probably worries about a girl he’s in a relationship with getting dragged into his business with ranmaru/doubt. he’s probably more comfortable around the rest of sword (after the alliance is formed) and the other rascals tho.

kizzy’s flouncing in and asking questions while rocky and his girl have hardly had the chance to fully redress. no chill. kaito has to come drag her out.

hyuga and murayama dont have the shame part of their brains. just look at the way they act. yea like, if anyone’s having rooftop sex it’s any of the rude boys or murayama at oya.

i have so many new shows and movies i should be watching but instead i went back to aib. it’s just 16 episodes tho and they’re all good.

well. can’t blame them. i would also like more money please. enough to be able to quit my retail job.

#💋 anon #tj answers #long post //

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lucky-sevens · 4 years

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mechanisms fanfiction recommendations

this began as a compilation of my own works for my about, but i decided to recommend some others as well!

i have kept this list to 20 of other people’s + all of my own, because i have a lot of mechanisms fanfiction saved and didn’t want to go overboard! in addition, i’ve made sure that everyone i draw from is a different author, vs. several by the same person, for the sake of variation and giving more people a spotlight! i’ve also made sure everything is complete, which sadly means i’ve left out a few of my favorite longfics. i’ve also tried to have a decent balance of album-focused things vs crew-focused things.

a note; i’ve tried to have a variety (of both genre and length), but my tastes skew towards angst and longer oneshots, so that’ll be a lot of that sort of thing. (please mind the tags on some of these fics!) this is also all sfw, as i’m a minor, but it’s not all gen.

edit: i copy-pasted the summary from each of these works over to this post!

no matter what you do it won’t go away by AssyEr

Brian coming to terms with being made of metal.

Hatter and Hare Top 5 Gay Moments!! [NOT CLICKBAIT!!!] by shella688

Majors Hatter and Hare grinned at each other as they shook hands.

Then, all of a sudden, the grins faltered slightly as a realisation went through both their heads.

Oh no, the realisation went. He's cute.

Date Night: New Midgardian Prison Edition by OnceAndFloral

The Mechs cordially invite Lyfrassir to date night in their prison cell. And by "cordially invite" I mean "orchestrate an elaborate scheme".

eternity will see her dead by Garecc

Rose Reds are made to die, and eternity will see them dead, sent off to another bitter end.

cold as numbers by alderations

Ivy starts at the beginning.

Every morning, Ivy starts at the beginning. Rubbing alcohol, scalpel blades, sensations that should be twisting and cutting and crushing, if the words could coalesce into feelings. A subdued voice, a cool hand on her forehead. She is Ivy Alexandria. She starts at the beginning.

beat inside your heart by zinabug

Jonny and Nastya sibling oneshots part two. (Note from @lucky-sevens- they all function on their own.)

And Sew by fracnkie

The benefits of teaching your Toy Soldier to do the following: sew, do makeup, how to cure a sore throat, and how to shoot a plasma blaster.

Ashes To Ashes, Dust To Dust by CloudDreamer

It was the two of them against the world. But then the two of them against each other, and that seemed so much harder than fighting all the worlds combined.

Wayfarers by Oblivion_Wanderer

Nastya and Lyf meet in the cold of space; Nastya adrift after leaving the Mechanisms and Lyf fleeing from the destruction of the Yggdrasil system. Each feeling lost in their own way, they decide to travel together.

No Heart To Break by meteornight

The Toy Soldier was not real. It could never be real, not if it had any say in the matter. The widow had said that the toy was real, that it had once been a real man with a real heart. The toy knew that was a lie, for if it was a man, why would she treat it like a toy?

is it piety is it purity is it virtue by consumptive_sphinx

“Percy’s blunt, not stupid,“ Mordred says when Kay asks why they’re even friends, “and anyway she’s great, she never calculates anything, she just says stuff and makes everyone else deal with it. I could never be brave enough.”

This is because Mordred absolutely does calculate every word that comes out of his mouth, except sometimes when it’s two in the morning and everyone except him and Galahad and Percival has gone to sleep and he can argue as passionately in favor of peace as he wants with the only two people who won’t call him a traitor for it, and while he doesn’t not appreciate this trait of Percival’s, like hell is he going to admit to his real reason.

orpheus, the soldier, and the short-billed dowitchers by alexsandr

orpheus finds rest with an unexpected friend.

No Violins Allowed by Alienea

Lyf had been having a very peaceful and fulfilling few decades, at least in terms of work fulfillment and being able to afford to bail out of the system at the very first moment anything happened.

So of course that was when the Mechanisms appeared over the horizon.

Labyrinthine by DuskDragon39

Your story is a labyrinth.

Your story is built along wandering lines and windings so vague that you, its architect, cannot trace your way out. It is your scream at its center, your pain that fuels it.

(Or: Daedalus and the stories they tell about him.)

Baking With Goggles (Safety First!) by eminorseven

Marius tries to justify bringing Jonny and Tim to the kitchen. Brian daydreams. Jonny stabs many walnuts. Tim gets locked out and explodes things.

Typical baking stuff.

Surprising Salvage by OddmentsAndTweaks

A normal boring morning is made infinitely more exciting by the prospect of a ship boarding. The Mechanisms prepare for chaos and murder and some really good violence. What they get is one very defiantly defended ruined vessel and a morning no one expected at all.

I wanna stay here with you by SnailArmy

Loki and Sigyn get to be wives, in stolen moments.

As It Was by i_am_made_of_memoriies

Jonny walked down the corridor, his steps burdened by an invisible force. His face was passive, and where there was usually manic glee, there was only a hint of curiosity–someone was trying to enter through the airlocks, and he was going to kill them.

Nastya returns to the ship formerly known as the Aurora to find the mechanisms at the end of their time.

burned out from a joyride by spiralingcosmos

ashes has a nightmare; as a result, they make a new friend.

In Which Nastya Is The Narrator Of The Deaths by nonbinary_frog

(Note from @lucky-sevens: There is no summary included, but I feel like the title works well enough.)

---

my heart in your hands

How Jonny d'Ville's mechanization came about.

i’ve got a map of your eyes (but i’ve never seen your face)

That’s not the real Rose. All the memories and feelings were merely planted in her head.”

“Very true.”

“And given the effective age difference, it’s unlikely they’ll have much of a life together, not to mention the massive amount of trauma they’ve both endured.”

“Absolutely.”

“Not only that, but everyone else they’ve ever known or loved is dead and they’re trapped on a planet full of corpses in a vast interstellar empire that is going to suffer the most horrendous power vacuum and associated bloodshed the galaxy has ever seen. Oh, and they’re both known war criminals and will likely be on the run for the rest of their lives.”

“Like I said. I love a happy ending.”

-Ever After

the death of a phoenix

You are Ashes O'Reilly, and you are twenty-three, and you are dying.

an exercise in futility

Post-Lashings.

ballast

The Aurora doesn't have a daemon, but that doesn't mean she doesn't have a soul.

marching ever through the black

Whoever’s uniform you wear No loyalties to hold or share No burning hate, no bitter fear No heart to break, so shed no tear

TMA Is The Mechanisms’ Podcast (series)

The Magnus Archives is a podcast distributed by the Mechanisms, a crew of immortal space pirates roaming through the galaxy having fun, violence, violence, and violence. They have an inane distaste for laws, and so refuse to put their podcast under any kind of copyright law whatsoever. Today's episode was cowritten by Ivy Alexandria and Nastya Rasputina and performed by Jonny d'Ville. It was produced by the SS Aurora and directed by Jonny d'Ville- well, no, but sometimes he wants to be in charge of things and the other Mechanisms don't find it worth arguing about. To comment on episodes, make donations, and view links, images, and show notes, simply throw yourself into space and the Mechanisms may or may not find you. Probably best if they don't. Thank you for listening, though why you choose to spend your time like this is beyond the Blogbot's understanding.

thank you for reading! i’d highly suggest trying these!

#the mechanisms #the mechs #my posts #compiliation post

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tornsuits · 3 years

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1) If you had to assign a song to each of the Suits that wasn't from a Mechs album, what would they be? 2) This is a weirdly specific one but which Mechs characters do you think best fit "I've No More F's To Give" (I personally think it's Oedipus and Lyf)? 3) Oh my god the "doctors who tried to do the right thing but got screwed over for it and ended up w/ mechanical body parts" SHOULD be friends, that's very smart! 4) Favorite character from each album (including TTBT 1 and 2)?

1) bestie i have an entire playlist for orpheus, but for the rest of them:

oedipus: hercules by sara bareilles! the irony is slightly intentional. (fun fact the song orpheus by the same artist is on my narcissus playlist. again, only partially for the irony). or oedipus rex by tom lehrer but that feels like cheating

heracles: bang! by ajr. i had an embarrassing amount of trouble finding a song for him, lmao. there are also probably some ajj songs that fit him but they all kind of blend together in my head so i can't point you to any specific one

ariadne: i'd say good riddance from hades but that's more like. the Ideal Scenario song for her. for the actual canon we have i'd go with. hm. honestly i don't have a lot of great songs for her. maybe wires by the neighborhood?

(bonus: kiss me, son of god for daedalus. bastard man and NOT in the fun way.)

2) lyf for sure, yeah. or jonny

3) YEAH!! plus brian getting launched into space + oedipus trying to get to space... para lels.....

4) ouatis: general white!

udad: i. uhm. i think you can guess that one

hnoc: mordred <3

tbi: odin. shes fucked up and evil and i love that for her

ttbt 1: dr pilchard!

ttbt 2: majors hatter & hare :]

#exposing my horrible music taste on main #jay says words #asks #lun4rcr0w

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kryptsune · 4 years

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Kit’s OC Time {Part 2}

🌼So I got this wonderful ask from @chocolatetwix and I got super excited. There is a lot here so I just decided to make a huge post about it. That and I can save it and work on it too so that’s a bonus. You can’t really do that with asks. This will be in a couple different parts so that it’s not too overwhelming!

Let’s continue!

Costume/ CC: Back in my DA days I used to draw a lot of animals and I had a fursona as well. Now I am not sure if I am going to keep her or not but I do actually still like her design. I might just tweak it a tad.

I have an incredible piece of artwork from Nukerooster of her and I just need to share. Go check them out as well (>>>LINK HERE<<<)

Akuma: Another fluffy boy but I have this OC named Akuma, original... I know. He will most likely make an appearance in my Hell world once I re work him a bit. Basically he was a demon that caused a lot of Chaos and havoc but messed with the wrong village. Mid transformation he got a blessed sword rammed through his chest keeping him that way until the sword is released. It also perpetually bleeds, never heals, and drains his power. Poor demon baby boy. Also I realize that he is old... but like... I still love his design if that is even possible. He used to be red in color which I will post and then I redrew him a few years ago to see how he would look more current. Now he is teal ish.

Nuke also did this incredible one of Akuma.

Because of my major I sometimes randomly come up with cute RPG character designs and I really wanted to do one of little monster animals. I created this little guy during one of my classes.

Spip: He is a little vampire ghost bunny. The cross shaped vile around his neck is filled with his HP restore (Blood) If you have a lot the vial will be full but if you don’t have enough it will deplete over time. Poor little Spip just wants to be friends with people but because of what he is they run away. He is kind of my homage to Bunicula if anyone remembers that book. I have ideas for his little buddies too like a Frankenstein cat and so forth. Just a cute little idea.

Lastly we have the Infernum (name will probably change I am kind of thinking about calling it Twisted Otherworlds or just Otherworlds) cast which is even larger than the Hell side and I don’t even want to think about that right now X’D It is a little overwhelming. What I do have however are some of the designs I made for them, costume wise. This was back during my fashion degree projects. Think realms with twisted fairytale characters that happen to used to be real people from different periods in time. This is the point I really started to dig into the horror genre and it kind of shows though looking back I think I always kind of have been...

The story is basically a fairytale romp and during the day light hours it’s perfectly fine all zanny and fun but at night is a whole other story. You see the souls that live in these Realms used to be living breathing people. The only thing is that if you end up here though you lose all memory of that life. The Madness which is like a magical curse infects these souls and turns them into their own personal fears or horrors. It’s all back story based and intense so I won’t go into it. There are different monsters and characters and even though it’s an older idea I do think it still has a lot of potential. The realms of the Muses so to speak. Their day and night are switched as well so no matter where you are in the world you dream in the daylight and it’s night there soooo your usually going to get a pretty lucid horrifying nightmare but if you sleep during the night time you will have good dreams. Just don’t fall asleep during the day light hours X’D

Anywhoo! Here are some of my favorites and again these are really old so their designs will be tweaked for the long run. I also apologize for the quality the actual PSD files are not on my laptop so I have to settle with the project photos I took a long time ago. In order you have the Rae the Black Rabbit, Lucian the Hatter, Ace the Cheshire Cat, Crow (probably change the spelling) the Scarecrow, The Woodsman, and one of Pan’s Lost Boys. I also included the top hats I made for them because I still think they are pretty neat!

There are also some REALLY old designs for the Twisted Otherworld characters. They had more of an anime flair to them. That said there are a couple characters that I want to share since they are actually important despite the artwork being older than Methuselah.

Maximillian March/ Mad March: Crazy March Hare? I think so. He is a puppet master of sorts in the story and I have to redraw him but he has these deep swirly eyes and sharp teeth. (huh... looks like that design choice happened a long time ago... WELP)

Tweedles: One of my friends was able to pick this out immediately but yea... these are the Tweedles. Their nightmarish 1910′s gas mask Orwellian horror cyborg versions anyway. I have a full image of Dee somewhere that I need to find... (edit) AH there he is... btw I was like 15 when I did this design so I gotta question what the heck was going through my brain.. unless it was that Doctor Who episode with the children that just freaked me out... yeah.. that was probably it. Are those real organs and muscles you ask... yes... yes they are.

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screechfoxes · 4 years

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the mechs!!!

oh anon you picked a tricky one. i have omitted a few questions for Reasons

the first character i ever fell in love with:

jonny himself, i guess? that bit in sleeping beauty is very endearing

a character that i used to love/like, but now do not:

not really any of them tbh. either i have been ambivalent from the start or my love has only grown, no in-betweens

my ultimate favorite character™:

well my desktop wallpaper at the moment is raphaella at deaths to the mechs so. love a cool lady scientist with mechanical wings and a killer voice

in-album, it’s a toss-up between mordred and a four-way tie between the bifrost incident cast. so many compelling understandable characters.

my most hated character:

/shrug emoji

favorite episode (song):

oh why did i convert this question into this? my go-tos are ragnarok II, lucky sevens, and underworld blues.

saddest death:

i mean, it’s got to be lancelot and guinevere, hasn’t it? ‘just this once, there could be a happy ending’ and all.

favorite season (album):

it’s got to be the bifrost incident. a really tightly told story, excellent music in a style i adore, great acting from everyone, a great twist and a great ending.

least favorite season (album):

i guess logically it’s once upon a time (in space). i don’t hate it but it feels a little more all over the place, and the audio quality is noticably worse than the other albums. still great though.

character that everyone else in the fandom loves, but i hate:

idk, does the mechanisms fandom have such unified opinions as all that? i never really connected with ulysses as a character even though they get many songs?

my ‘you’re piece of trash, but you’re still a fave’ fave:

i actually have a weird soft spot for gawain? maybe because he gets some raw as hell lines in peacemaker, idk

either that or... any of the mechs themselves but especially jonny.

my ‘beautiful cinnamon roll who deserves better than this’ fave:

no cinnamon rolls in the mechs universe. alternatively, majors hatter and hare from ‘alice’. just let them drink tea together, it’s what they deserve.

#the mechanisms #ask meme #replies #anonymous

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fandom-hell-ferrylass · 5 years

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A Spoonful of Sugar

A/N: being dumb, writing mtp fanfic

someone new's joined the band, whoever could it be?

Mally blinked at the small plastic shopping bag resting next to his guitar stands. The Dormouse’s steps were hesitant as he walked across the stage, nudging the bag with a booted foot. The plastic rustled softly, something inside shifting at the prods. He knelt down to hook a finger through one of the handles. Packets of spare strings and picks glinted in the afternoon light. He pulled a few out and looked closer - exactly the ones he preferred.

He quickly settled himself on the stage and began the process of replacing strings and tuning both guitars to his satisfaction. It was a pleasant way to spend a lazy afternoon since there was no show planned for that night. Even so, there was a never-ending stream of interesting folk that passed by outside the Rabbit Hole gates that provided visual entertainment to pair with the Dormouse’s familiar motions.

The sky was just beginning to bleed when Mally deemed his task satisfactorily completed. He leaned over to replace the second guitar, the plastic bag once more crinkling as he brushed it. A flash of colour in the bag caught his eye. From beneath the remaining plastic packets he lifted a fashion patch. A simple red shield with two swords crossed on top. Mally turned the patch over in his hand, running a thumb along the stitch work as a soft smile plucked at the corner of his mouth.

Tarrant stood before the open door of the tea cabinet, staring at the multitudes of tins and packets and baskets. It wasn’t the sheer volume that had him frozen, no, having an infinite, everlasting supply of tea was crucial to the Hatter’s day to day existence. Nor was it the small collection of empty containers placed directly in his line of sight on the middle most shelf, a folded piece of paper tucked neatly between two tins. No, what had the Mad Hatter staring pperplexedlywas that, for once, all the tins and packets and baskets were actually arranged. Someone had organized the tea cabinet.

Tarrant hovered his fingers over a few tins, reading the labels. The pattern the titles fell into struck a chord in the man’s head and he started. Madly he stooped and ducked and fell to his knees and climbed on the lowest shelf to see onto the highest one. At last ,he stepped back and eyed the cabinet shrewdly.

“Someone has organized this tea cabinet. And they used my organization system to do it. Very clever, whoever you are, very clever indeed. My great thanks, actually - this makes finding that one honey tea Alice loves SO much easier!”

He jovially plucked a single packet out of a basket on the third top shelf and began to hum to himself as he set about preparing the tea in his Alice’s favorite mug. Only as he was set to exit the kitchen with said mug did his eyes fall once again on the still-open cabinet, and the folded paper. He plucked it neatly and unfolded it with one hand.

The handwriting didn’t belong to any of his friends. Tarrant studied the note a moment more before nimbly tucking it away somewhere inside his vest and exiting the kitchen with a flourish.

Alice was rolling up her sleeves as she stepped into the kitchen. Walking over to the sink, she at last looked up and froze. Where there was supposed to be an absolute cacophony of dirty dishes from an unplanned Unbirthday party the night before, instead sat a single, slightly damp kitchen sponge on the drain board. The entire sink and countertop were devoid of a single drip or splatter or used tea spoon.

Alice whipped her head back and forth, taking in the completely out of place sight. The rapid head movement pulled her eyes towards the stovetop and fridge. Unconsciously she pressed a hand lightly to her mouth as she took a few quick paces to the other parts of the kitchen. A careful inspection proved what she had thought at first.

“Not just the sink, the whole kitchen’s been cleaned. But who? Not even Thack would have done the whole kitchen, even if he was doing the dishes.”

The singer cast about, trying to find a hint of the wonderful culprit. A pile of black fabric on top of the fridge caught her attention and she hopped to reach for it. Alice turned the worn beanie over in her hand, running her fingers lightly over the jagged purple line stitched into the brim. As little as she’d seen the actual article of clothing, there was little doubt in her mind who it belonged to.

With a soft smile, she laid the hat on the island beside the empty cookie jar. Turning, she began to unroll her sleeves as she exited the kitchen, suddenly faced with the unexpected question of what to do with her newfound free time.

Dinah darted into the laundry room, cursing her bad luck. The show was starting soon and it was her turn to DJ and how could she forget to wash her favorite white jacket?? She only hoped it wasn’t too noticeably grimy to wear, even being hidden away in the DJ T Cup as she and Nivens were during their brief shining moments.

She skidded to a stop in front of the seven neat piles of clothes arranged along the laundry bench.

It was easy enough to see which pile belonged to which Mad T member - Alice’s pretty lights and pastels, Thackery’s greens, Mally’s blacks and reds, Tarrant’s colour explosion. There was only a second’s hesitation between the blues of Chessur and Absolem, not to mention her’s and Nivens’ nearly-identical piles of sparkling whites. Actually, the majority of her confused attention was divided between where was her jacket and “who FOLDED the laundry? Most of this wasn’t even washed an hour ago!”

A chiming sound went up from her smart watch and Dinah yelped, pushing her wonderings aside to dive for the two white piles and quickly rifle through them.

“No, no, no, where IS it, I’m going to be late!”

The redhead threw her head back in frustration, causing her eyes to land on a piece of paper wedged behind the white piles. A straight, simple drawn —> gave her pause and she blinked. Slowly her head rotated to the right. A depreciating smile curved her lips as she stepped over to the pretty white jacket hanging serenely on a hanger from the wall-mounted drying rack.

“Thank you!” She shrugged into the garment and bounded back out of the laundry room, taking care to not knock over the hamper on the floor filled with nothing but black and purple clothes.

A long, deep sigh escaped Absolem’s lungs as he turned the corner into one of the halls of the Mad T Party backstage. The animated conversation of his band mates echoed off the walls and grew fainter as the two parties moved further away from each other. After a time, Absolem found himself surrounded by silence by the time he arrived at the door marked with his name.

The dressing room was sparse - the Caterpillar didn’t require as much space or material things as some of his counterparts did *coughcough* Hatter *coughcough*. He neatly changed from the stage clothes to a more elegant blue tunic and pants and hung the costume up to be laundered before their next performance.

His gaze strayed to the small relaxing area beside the vanity. A pile of pillows shoved into the corner with a small hookah set on a table. Absolem debated taking a few moments to clear his mind but the thought was immediately dispelled when he suddenly recalled that the small supply of shisha he kept in the backstage had been finished two days ago during a particularly bad bout of Madness on the Hatter’s part. Absolem sighed - his Underland supply was starting to wear thin and he dreaded the day he would have no choice but to convert completely to Human equivalents.

With another, more grumbling sigh, Absolem gathered up a small satchel he kept with him and moved to exit the room. His foot knocked something set beside the door jamb, making the Caterpillar pinwheel his arms to maintain balance. The man glared down at the plain, offending box before quickly snatching it up. It weighed next to nothing but he could feel something inside rustling. With an impatient yank, the lid hissed off.

Absolem shook the container and tilted it towards the light to get a better view. His yellow eyes softened as his gaze trailed over the array of fine mesh baggies tied with satin ribbon, the leaves and particles collected in each one a welcome sight. Even under the hallway’s harsh fluorescent lights, he easily picked out muted, dried colours he knew so very well. A small flower bulb nestled in the center of the pile and a teasing aroma was beginning to waft from the box.

A flash of tan in his other hand stubbornly drew his attention. A stained label was pasted to the underside of the box lid.

"Certainly full of surprises, that one.” The Caterpillar resealed the box and reentered his dressing room to secret it away. This time, when he left the room, a knowing smile crept along his mouth, vanishing just as quickly. A quick stop by the green room lounge to let the others know he was headed to their shared penthouse and he vanished into the neon night.

Thackery trudged into the green room lounge, collapsing into the nearest chair at the table. The raucous sounds of the rest of the band paused outside the door kept his attention pulled that way until the noises split and began to travel in different ways, a sure sign his friends were heading to their dressing rooms instead of the lounge. A half-smile tugged at a corner of the March Hare’s mouth as he listened to the voices fade away into silence. After a moment he allowed his body to slump forward, far enough to rest his forehead against the tabletop as his teal ears splayed across the cool metal surface.

He couldn’t think of many things he enjoyed more than performing for the humans in their park of amusements, at least not in this world. But by the Mirror, it was exhausting. The sheer amount of energy needed to not only keep up with the fast-paced music but also the Hatter and Alice and even Mally as they cavorted across the stage endlessly every night was staggering, and not for the first time Thackery found himself a little relieved to be done with the mayhem for a moment.

The chaos here had a different flavor, a different sense than the madness they knew back home. Home. Sometimes Thackery longed to be done with the T Party and be returned to the real thing, the long table in the meadow and him and Tarrant and Mally and endless tea...

The Hare jumped back in his seat, the chair legs squealing harshly against the concrete floor. The room around him pulsed with a weird purple-teal glow cast across everything. He took a deep breath and looked down. His hands were clawed against the edge of the table.

It took a minute to convince his fingers to uncurl and Thack quickly stepped away from the table. He spun around, reaching for the cabinets where they kept the tea things even as he teetered slightly. The glow was starting to fade and he didn’t want to think about why it had existed at all. No, right now, all he wanted was some tea, some nice, calming, clearing, simple, any-month-of-the-year-but-that tea ...

Thackery blinked at the teacups stacked in the cupboard. He couldn’t put his finger on what about the cups was suddenly tickling something in his mind, something known and familiar and normal to him. So he stood there, hands resting on the cupboard door handles, head tilting softly to and fro as he studied the dishes.

A stagehand walked through the room and told him goodnight. He almost didn’t hear them and turned sharply to respond before they completely vanished out the other door. As he shifted to once more observe the cups, his eyes widened. The cups.

“They’re crooked! They’re stacked slightly crooked! And nobody but us could do it quite like that! So that makes me wonder...”

The Hare gently took one of the top-most cups off the artful arrangement. He suspected their resident Mad Hatter but it didn’t really matter. The small visual reminder of their far-away home had done what had been intended. His hovering malaise was fully evaporated as he set about making tea, enough for the group he knew would be returning soon.

True to form, the rest of the Mad T Party Band burst through the lounge doors helmed by a giddy Mally and Alice. The group spread out, claiming seats and waiting for the unspoken order of who made tea when. The March Hare’s eyes had simmered completely back to their normal hues and he watched his friends contentedly.

It was only when Tarrant discovered the teacups and excitedly asked who had done it that Thackery realized he might have been wrong. The man’s glee was genuine, the Hatter never put on airs like that. As everyone crowded around to see, a shadow at the back door caught Thack’s attention and he could swear he had seen a purple hood and red eyes peering through the porthole for but a second. He looked carefully between the door and the band, and a new thought bloomed.

When Tarrant turned to him, the Hare told them of finding the wonderful surprise earlier and that he’d suspected Tarrant, but apparently not. The group debated as they made their individual cups but soon the conversation floated to other topics. Thackery remained quiet, using his known fatigue as a cover as he considered words that started with J and F and ... he glanced at the 12-month whiteboard calendar on the far wall. Second of 12. Third to follow.

And words that start with the letter M.

Nivens stared down into the teacup in his hand with a slight frown. The dredges of old tea sludged around the bottom as the White Rabbit walked quietly down the penthouse hallway. He hadn’t realized he’d finished the cup while he tapped away at his laptop until the most recent sip had flooded his mouth with cold liquid and bits of leaf matter. The need for fresh, piping hot tea was enough to draw the man out of his dim room and into the common areas of the penthouse.

This rare pleasant Saturday had been planned for some time as a group outing, a chance to step away from their electronically-contrived madness for but a moment and breathe some different air. Lovely Alice had convinced the boys to leave off pestering their Rabbit about not joining - something about the hustle and crush of so many humans in one place tended to make the man incredibly anxious.

Nivens couldn't quite put his finger on it, but he and Absolem suspected it was a cross between the unfamiliar physical form he bore here and the fact that he could feel the incessant pull of late late LATE in such situations. In any case, it was enough to Nivens to DJ the Mad T Party their nights and the band to leave him to his own devices otherwise.

Rounding the corner, Nivens made a beeline for the automatic kettle (“a hotpot, Alice said”) and started on the way to making a fresh cuppa. Myriad scents tumbled out as he opened the tea cupboard and Nivens’ nose twitched. He breathed shallowly and ignored all the Hatter’s bizarre concoctions in favor of the mint and rosethistle blend gently pressed into a mid-level corner. On his way back to the counter, as he passed the fridge a wonderment struck the man and he pulled the door open with a hiss.

He was not expecting a plate of cucumber finger sandwiches to be waiting on the top shelf. The Rabbit’s head tilted as he extricated the plate and studied the small foods.

“I wonder if Alice left these for me. She would be a dear, you know,” he mused aloud to the empty room. “In any case, there is no sign, so I call dibs.”

The man’s satisfied smile at gaining an unexpected tea snack froze when he turned and glanced up at the dinette table beside the peninsula counter. The countertop was strewn with cake stands and bell jars of all sizes placed over small mountains of pastries and baked things, some of which were still fresh and steaming up the coverings. The small nook table was set with things he hadn’t seen since their last proper Underland tea party, namely dainty platters and plate tiers all equally heaped with finger treats and sandwiches and small cakes. The things on the table were secured beneath the odd clear film they had been told was designed to help preserve leftover food or keep food fresh for transport.

None of which had existed from the time the band left to when he retired to his room only a few hours ago, and there had been no food delivery.

The kettle’s shrill whistle made him jump and he tore his attention away from the food wonderland to go back to what he was originally in the kitchen for. His gaze trailed back to the smorgasbord constantly as he made his cup and finally turned back around. At once his eyes alighted on something he’d missed the first time - a small folded square of paper resting beneath the outermost cake stand. He sipped at his tea as he strolled over and flipped the card open.

The whole vernacular of the note tipped him off, but a few doodled lines at the bottom made Nivens arch a brow. He tapped the note against the countertop for a moment in thought, before replacing it beneath the stand for the others. He exited the kitchen and started the return to his room as quietly as he had appeared.

The Cheshire Cat would be the first to admit lurking around the Mad T Party area wasn’t the most exciting thing to do while the world slept. The group’s shared penthouse even less so, but the comfort could not be beat. One by one, each Mad Partier had succumbed to their need for sleep and bid the Cat goodnight, leaving him to create what madness with their living quarters as he saw fit until he too would retire.

The urge to completely rearrange all the furniture was just beginning to creep upon the Cat’s mind when movement from one of the adjoining halls drew his eye. He froze where he was lounging on the ceiling and watched as a small, inky figure detached from the deeper shadows and stealthed across the massive living room in the direction of the kitchen. As it vanished through the door, Chessur coloured himself interested and floated along to follow.

The light spilling out of the open fridge door would have barely illuminated the female figure’s face for human eyes, but even in this form, Chessur had excellent sight. It didn’t matter though, he didn’t actually need it to know who was up and about at that hour. Incorporeally he leaned against the door frame and watched the girl stare into the machine before reaching and digging around. When she withdrew, she held two plastic-wrapped sandwiches. A satisfied smile lit up her face for a second as she closed the door and headed back for the living room. Chessur skirted our of her path and fell into step behind her.

He hovered behind her head as she navigated the beshambled room and folded herself into a corner of one of the couches next to Tarrant’s chair-and-a-half. Barely glancing up, she reached over to pull one of the throw blankets off the chair’s arm and nest it around her legs. The Cat raised a brow - he knew something about familiar motions and he knew them when he saw them. He floated in a bit closer, crossing his arms to rest his chin on while he watched over her shoulder at the phone she pulled out.

The girl casually scrolled through apps and sites while she made easy work of the two sandwiches. Everything about her screamed comfort and rest and home. Chessur discovered he was starting to purr softly by the time the girl closed the phone and stood up. His eyes snapped open to saucers at the movement. He watched her take a few steps and look around the room. A new sound surprised him, a female voice speaking softly into the dark.

“Not as bad as that one time. Could be worse. At least the Cat hadn’t started on his usual antics yet, thank the Mirror for that. A bit odd, though. Hope he’s feeling alright. Ah well, c’est la vie.”

With that, she set about putting the room to rights and suddenly Chessur remembered all the times he had caused chaos in the penthouse at night only to find it all fine before the band woke up. He had assumed it was Absolem, or maybe Thackery finding out about his habit and making sure it didn’t put out their friends.

No, instead it was this little sprite undoing all my hard work, and all on her own. A lot of work for no praise indeed. But why worry for me if I only make more work?

She worked diligently and thoroughly, but Chessur could see her energy wane as the minutes ticked by. By the time she put the last throw pillow back, her steps were dragging and her head lolled slightly. A great yawn froze her for a moment but she shook it off and headed back to the kitchen.

Chessur watched the girl empty the dishwasher and bag up the trash for pickup, all in as quiet a manner as possible. He tilted his head when she went to the tea cupboard and stared at the insides for a moment.

“He’s fine, all fine, tea is fine for now.”

Hm, but you’re not, little one. Have you been doing this since you arrived with us?

The girl blinked and shook her head as she closed the cabinet. Glancing around the room, she nodded sleepily to herself and withdrew. The Cat followed.

She trudged back to the hallway she had emerged from earlier and vanished into the shadows. An eerie grinning mouth floated in the darkness behind the girl as she passed by two rooms and arrived at the last door of the hall. She slipped inside and gently shut it behind her, and the Cat could hear no more noise. He waited a moment, eyeing the name sign on the door, before he fully dematerialized and stalked to his own room. No shenanigans for the Cheshire Cat tonight. He didn’t have the heart to mess up all her hard work.

so, anyone care to guess who the mystery girl might be in this slightly sideways fanon, and why she's sharing quarters with our merry band of mad-capped musicians and going out of her way to do Very Nice Things for them?

#mad t party #mtp fanfic #alice in wonderland #fanfiction #Mad Hatter #Tarrant Hightopp #Alice Liddel #Cheshire Cat #Chessur #Dormouse #Mally #Mallymkun Lior #Caterpillar #Absolem

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stripesthesupervillain · 6 years

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The Mad Hatter’s Guild to Happiness: Chapter 3

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Summary: The drive continues as the day wanes on. The two criminals talk, finding out a bit more about each other.

Warning: Headcanons. Just... headcanons.

Because of this, we were unable to get this letter to you on time.

Jervis took another sip of the sweet tea, smacking his lips a little as he closed the bottle. “I should have just asked for water,” he sighed, shaking his head. “Why is that? So you can stick your tea bags in there for an impromptu tea party?” Jonathan asked, and although he hadn’t meant for it to be funny, he gained some pleasure from the wince Tetch had in response. “Honestly, Hare, I do think you find me to be some type of heathen,” the Englishman huffed, turning his head away. The doctor was unable to tell if his companion was joking or not, but he would let the ‘Hare’ slip-up pass for now, seeing as he was in a slightly better mood from that little bit of conversation. It wasn’t that he hated the nickname (although a rabbit wasn’t exactly the best nickname for the Master of Fear), but it was more that he didn’t want Jervis to slip up in the future.

“Twinkle twinkle little bat,” the Hatter hummed to himself, setting his drink down. Jonathan turned to look at him, shaking his head in disapproval. The smaller man pouted slightly, but still stopped anyways, crossing his legs on the seat and leaning back. As much as he had grown used to it, any Wonderland references were also prohibited; Jonathan didn’t want to risk Jervis having one of his more worse schizophrenic outbursts while they were on this drive. That was also why he bought (now considered stolen) a little something extra from the store while they were there. Tetch had yet to know about it, seeing as he only thought Jonathan had gone in for his tea.

“So, if you really wanted to go on this trip, why not take a plane? You have the money,” the curious man asked casually. An easy enough question. “I would, but air security are pretty much trained to recognize us. Wouldn’t want someone hijacking the plane, would they?” he explained, tapping his fingers on the steering wheel. “I would fly myself if it weren’t for recognition issues. Are you telling me you’ve never flown back to England?”

“Of course I have,” Jervis replied, folding his hands in his lap. “Once or twice, though, since I usually have no reason to. I usually take the trip by ship, though, as the costs are undoubtably better and I get recog- wait.” He stopped himself, furrowing his brow as he finally seemed to process something. He looked back up at the driver. “Come again? What do you mean you could ‘fly yourself’?” Jonathan gave the other a shrug as he kept his eyes on the road, only glancing down at him once. “I have a biplane I’ve kept in storage for who knows how long. I haven’t taken it out in almost two years.”

Jervis took a moment to think about this. “Jonathan, mate, are you saying you know how to fly?” He seemed almost incredulous. Crane felt a smirk appear on his lips at the other’s amusing bewilderment, answering with a nod. “Why yes, I do. I learned the ropes from a farmer that lived only a mile or so from my home. He owned a biplane, you see. He gave me a few lessons in exchange for help around the farm. I improved my skills years later so I could make attempt at spreading fear. It was a simple fear gas and crop duster gimmick; something I came up with long before we ever met.”

Tetch stayed silent, processing this for a moment. “Does this count for commercial planes, too?” he asked suddenly, as if having a plan. Crane was quick to shake his head. “No no, I can only pilot single-engine planes. Anything major is far too complex for me.” Jervis happened to find this rather amusing, seemingly quick to tease him. Unfortunately, the infamous Master of Fear was also well known for having little to no sense of humor. A laugh at a joke from Jonathan was akin to a unicorn landing in your front lawn. “Oh? Are a few buttons and levers too complicated for the Master of Fear to handle?” he tittered, a hand coming up to slightly cover his overbite as he jested. “Oh please, I’m a doctor, not a master of aeronautical engineering,” the psychiatrist scoffed. “Oh? Au contraire, Crane. I’m a neuroscientist,” the smaller man argued, “and yet I discovered the beauties of controlling the mind through cards that I’ve made myself.”

“Oh don’t give me that,” Crane huffed. “You actually have a degree in biotechnology, so of course you know how to regulate a few synapses.”

Jervis rested a hand on his chin, giving a small nod of concession. “Alright, I see your point. Fine, what else are you well-versed in? And do make it a talent that doesn’t relate to your chosen profession.”

Jonathan tensed up slightly, his mind racing to find an example of something he was at least proud to say he was able to do. While he could read mind and expressions like a preschooler’s first book, every thug and criminal based in Gotham knew that. Well, he was fairly good at one thing in particular when he was usually alone and at home, relaxed, but he’d first be struck down by the heavens themselves before he would readily admit that as an example.

“Martial arts,” he finally came up with, but Jervis quickly shook his head. “I said it can’t relate to your profession.”

“What? What does self-defense have to do with being a psychiatrist?” Jonathan spat, only to see the opposer giggle with mirth. “Oh? Then what’s your current occupation?” he hummed, causing the doctor to pause. Okay, he had a point there. He grimaced, racking his mind for anything else, before finally throwing his hand up. “Fine… I’m a fairly talented…” he mumbled something under his breath. Jervis cocked a brow, leaning closer. “I beg your pardon?” he grinned, beckoning a louder answer. “Is whispering that special talent of yours? Because frankly, my dear Jonathan, I couldn’t hear a word you said.” Crane was quick to place a hand on the other’s face, shoving him back. “Oh never you mind!” he scowled, turning his head away from the passenger’s growing laughter. He had half a mind to drop him off here and now, even if it might be his fault that he couldn’t take a joke. “Besides, I already have piloting under my belt, not to mention I am an astounding chemist. I’m sure you have no other talent besides making a semi-decent cup of tea.”

Jervis didn’t have as much trouble as his friend had in deciding what to say. “Only a few things, really. Two of them I’m rather good at I’d say. I’m fairly experienced in playing piano, a skill I enjoy putting to use with a few songs from my favorite book. I’m also flu- I’m sorry, did you say ‘semi-decent’?”

Crane gave a small shake of his head, pretending like he’d never uttered the words. “No no, continue,” he urged. “What’s the other thing?” He received an annoyed look, but he still resumed nonetheless. “I’m bilingual,” he finished. “Other than that, I suppose I’ve got a few know-hows in chemistry, but that’s it.” Now Jonathan was the one who was intrigued. “Are you? In what?” he inquired. “French,” he answered. “I thought you knew that already.”

The doctor shook his head. “The idea never really crossed my mind, to be honest. Sure, you use a few French phrases here and there, but I just thought those were words the English put to use from time to time.” The Englishman nodded in acknowledgement. “C'est vrai, mais non,” he grinned, grabbing his bottle and going to take a sip from it. “True, but not for me. I don’t suppose you know a language, too, do you?”

Jonathan rolled his eyes. “Oh don’t get all haughty with me,” he huffed, his voice quick dripping with a thick sarcasm. “Yes yes, I, the dumb American, have never had the time nor motivation to learn an entire language, as well as an instrument more complicated than a triangle.” This apparently pushed Jervis over the edge, for he burst into a fit of laughter whilst he drank, nearly spilling the beverage over the car’s interior. “Oh don’t be so hard on yourself,” he giggled, closing his bottle. “Though I suppose it’s true that our tastes are more refined than yours.”

“If you’re going to be so vainglorious about yourself and your country, why not move back to England, then?” Jonathan asked. “I can hardly understand why you even bothered to move to Gotham in the first place.”

“Work opportunities,” he explained. “And I just needed some time away. Besides, it’s not like I learned all those things just for fun. My- ahem, my mother was rather serious about my education when I was young.” Jonathan noticed the slip and pause when his partner mentioned his mother, but let Jervis continue talking. “And French took a bloody eternity to even begin to master. Had Alice not been there for support and help, I’m sure I would have given up long ago.”

Crane glanced over, slightly interested in the reveal of an “Alice”. He decided to pursue it, though he knew he had to stop should he see any signs of disgruntlement. Being the curious psychiatrist he was, though, he was more than eager to pry. “Alice?” he questioned. “As in…?”

“A childhood friend,” Tetch was quick to explain. “Back when I was just a lad.”

“Were you close?” Jonathan asked, wanting to know more. The response was a simple nod, so he continued. “Do you two still keep in touch?” To this, Jervis responded with a “no”. “She disappeared a while back,” he explained with a sigh. “Back before all… of this.” He looked up at the other, intertwining his fingers. “She was my closes friend. You would have loved her, really. Sweetest girl you would have ever met.”

“I’m sure I would have,” Jonathan hummed in agreement. “What ever happened to her?”

“She’s just gone,” he said, not even taking time to consider the question. Curt answers meant he was pulling away. He decided those four questions were enough for now. He would just have to ask during tomorrow’s drive. For now, he had to pull back before the mood staled further.

Another game of chess would probably pass the time and cheer him up.

“It’s getting rather late and I’ve been driving for hours,” Jonathan sighed, checking the time. The sun was beginning to set and the now dull songs that played on the radio was starting to grate on his nerves. “We’re getting out at the next motel up ahead.”

Jervis looked up from his phone in mild interest at the small town they had found themselves in, smiling and giving an understanding nod. He took another look down at his phone, seemingly searching for something. Once he found it, though, he frowned. “Oh, blimey, you were closer. It was two hundred seventy-three.”

“Thought so!” Jonathan smiled, giving himself a mental pat on the back. “That’s another point for me, Tetch. I’m in the lead, 7-6.” Jervis just gave a small chuckle. “Alright, if you win the next point, this will be the last one,” he sighed. “I will gladly admit defeat to your superior memory. Now, you have the honors of picking the event.”

“Hmm… Professor Pyg,” the doctor decided on. “During his crime spree after he broke out last month. I’m going to guess… seventeen victims.” Jervis nodded, now thinking of his own number. “If I know Pyg, which I do, he wouldn’t do so many at a time. I’ll say… ten.” And with that, he began typing on his phone to look up some of the latest news articles on Pyg. As he did so, they came across a small motel up ahead. A few cars were parked there, but there was really no worry. Now further away from Gotham, it was less likely the two would be recognized.

“Oh sod it all,” Jervis grumbled in annoyance, before bringing a hand up to cover his filthy mouth. “Oh, I apologize for my language.” Jonathan merely smirked, pulling into the parking lot. “How many victims were there?”

“Fifteen victims,” Tetch sighed, already getting out. “You win 8-6.” The other criminal was soon following, going to the trunk to pull out their bags. “You may trade your secrets with the man, but I’m the one whose studied him,” he grinned to himself. “What a charmed life you must lead to spend your time doing so,” Jervis replied, grabbing his own personal bag and helping his friend take out everything but the large scythe. Bringing that in wouldn’t be a very smart idea.

“And now, as punishment, you have to be the one to talk to the fool at the front desk,” Crane hummed, giving his comrade a nudge with his elbow. The haberdasher begrudgingly agreed and made his way inside. With a quick look around, he was pleased to see a little station in the lobby for coffee and hot water for tea. The lady at the front counter looked up at him in disinterest, gesturing to a sign in sheet. She didn’t recognize him, that was good. He supposed he was glad for the lack of conversation, although he was more than willing to strike one up with any random person. He was quick to write down a false name. The woman sauntered over to the key board and grabbed a set, handing it over. “Room B6. Second floor,” she told him. He gave a nod and grabbed the keyring from her. “Good day, madam,” he said kindly, immediately cursing himself on the inside for saying it. She cocked an eyebrow, now seemingly more attentive. “Whoa. You British?” she asked, leaning over the counter with her top half propped up on her elbows. Well, he supposed there was no choice in backing out now. He gave a curt nod, tucking the key into his pocket. “Yes, English,” he clarified, before quickly but casually making his way to the door. He gave a quick “thank you” before leaving. Once he was out the door, he immediately smacked himself on the forehead for being so stupid. While sure, being English wasn’t a dead giveaway, he was still fairly identifiable, what with the overbite when he smiled or his short stature. Still, it wasn’t like he could kill her, not that he really wanted to in the first place. He merely sighed and hoped for the best, going over to his companion and leading him to their room.

Once inside, Jervis dropped his bags near the left bed and flopped directly onto it.

“Fine, it looks like I’ll take the right one,” Jonathan shrugged, setting his items down onto the other bed and unpacking his phone to take a quick check. “I could really use a bit of water. Do they have any of that in the lobby?” he asked. Jervis checked his phone with an eager nod. “Yes, they do, around the little sitting area. Oh, and they have hot water for tea. Do you want me to get you some?” Jonathan shook his head, already heading to the door. “I’ll do it, don’t worry,” he sighed, pulling his coat from his bag and tugging it on.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes yes. Take a shower or something while I’m gone.” And with that, he left, heading down to the lobby. He went about completely ignoring the woman at the front desk as he passed and looking over the refreshments. He grabbed a bottle of water for himself before pouring some hot water quickly making his way back to their room. To his relief, Jervis was following his advice and taking a shower as his friend returned. That would leave him only a few minutes.

Jonathan acted quickly and pulled out a tea bag from Jervis’ stash, dipping it into the steaming water to sit. He then pulled out the bottle of sleeping pills he had taken from the gas station. He took out two, taking out a small pocket knife and using it to chop up and crush them into a fine powder. He scooped up the medication and poured them into the steeping tea, using the bag itself to stir in the pills until they could no longer be seen. Only a minute later did Jervis step out, fully clothed and drying his wet hair. He was quick to notice the prepared tea, picking it up with a smile.

“Oh how amiable you are!” he grinned, picking up the cup and, seeing that it was ready, throwing away the bag. He took small sips, sitting down on his bed and looking over at Jonathan, who was calmly working on a crossword booklet whilst he laid in his own bed. “So, what was the name you used for the front desk?” he asked his shorter partner, looking over from his puzzle. Jervis sat cross-legged on the bed, smiling as he sipped his drink. “Oh, a simple one. Nigel Evans.”

All was silent for a moment, until Jonathan couldn’t help it. He turned around, not showing his face and already getting under the blanket. The other male obviously saw nothing wrong with the name, but his friend seemed disgruntled by it. “What? What’s wrong?”

“Oh…. It’s nothing.”

“No, tell me! Did I do something wrong?”

“It’s just…” Jonathan said slowly, “I never thought you would be able to choose a more British name, but you did, and it astonishes me.”

“Oh shush your mouth!” Jervis laughed, grabbing a pillow and tossing it at the other occupant, who didn’t find it as humorous. The pillow was easily caught and thrown back. He looked over with a small smile at the window beside him, gazing out at the setting sun. He finished off his tea and grabbed his favorite book.

“I barely feel tired at all,” he commented, looking over at the time. “I suppose I’ll be up for a good few hours, so don’t lose any winks because of me, alright?” Jonathan just gave a nod, barely listening.

Within an hour, Jervis was passed out on the bed, hugging the pillow he had once chucked at his roommate. Jonathan sat up, looking over at the sleeping form with a hint of suspicion. “That should keep you out until the morning,” he sighed, setting down his book and turning off the nightstand lamp. “I apologize, but I refuse to have you ruin anything overnight with your crazed delusions.” He slumped into bed as his muttered out the last words, quickly falling asleep in a matter of minutes.

#Mad Hatter #Jonathan Crane #Scarecrow #Jervis Tetch #MHGH

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acealistair · 7 years

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Heyhey, so what are some of your favorite dating sims? I've only played Mystic Messenger and I don't know any others that measure up to it.

Oohhh I’ll be happy to share what I play! I don’t play any that aren’t free, so that’s probably good news, but that also means there are probably a lot of quality ones I’m missing out on.

It’s worth noting that Mystic Messenger is my all-time favorite, though. I don’t know if any of these will truly measure up to it, mostly because MM is just so unique in its concept as well as the depth of characters and story. I think we are truly blessed to have access to MM’s level of quality for free. (thank u cheritz for my life)

Anyways! I’ll list these from my most favorite to least favorite (however, I do like all of them to some degree because I regularly play all of them). Under the cut because I talk too much :’D

Midnight Cinderella

This one was my top favorite before Mystic Messenger came along! The premise is that in the country of Wysteria, if the ruling monarch(s) grow to a certain age and there is no heir, a “princess elect” is chosen from the common people. Of course, your character is chosen, despite not being interested in the position at first. Also of course, the princess is expected to find a “prince consort” along the way. (I’m kind of a sucker for a “commoner thrust into the world of the rich” story, myself. >v>)

Each character has a distinct personality and each route has a significantly different story. The main character has a decent amount of development, as well! It’s also very well-translated, and the art is lovely. I’ve played through every character’s route at least once and have just started going back for round two for everyone – each character has two different endings that are each good in their own way, rather than the standard good and bad endings. Louis is my favorite, by far. i’ve played his route four times no joke ha The app is regularly updated with fun side-story events, and they’re also coming out with after-story routes for all the characters!

Guard Me, Sherlock!

…listen. The stuff you start reading/watching/playing as a joke are always the ones you end up loving the most, right.

I thought this one was going to be utterly ridiculous and horrendously out of character. I WAS WRONG. Pretty sure it’s based a lot on BBC Sherlock, because the personalities of the characters are spot-on. Sherlock is just as rude and insufferable and weird as he should be. The most ridiculous part about the whole thing is just the aging-down of all the characters to be young and hot and anime, pffft. Each character’s route is centered around a case, which is pretty fun.

So far I’ve just played Watson’s route, and am about halfway through Sherlock’s. I feel like I haven’t played enough routes yet to pick a definite favorite character yet, but both routes have successfully given me the doki-dokis, haha. There are four routes out so far (Sherlock, Watson, Moriarty, and Mycroft), and three of them have a “season 2″ sequel to their routes. So lots of content!

The Niflheim

This one’s fun because it has a pretty unique concept (it’s the land of the dead; essentially the afterlife, though apparently some people come back as zombies, mummies, and other types of undead, while others just look like normal people? It’s never really explained lol), and the art is really gorgeous! It’s also just a bit silly in general; definitely doesn’t take itself too seriously. The characters have a surprising amount of depth, though. Unfortunately, I think the developers have pretty much abandoned it, though. You can still play it, but there aren’t anymore events and I don’t think they’re coming out with anymore characters/routes.

If nothing else convinces you, you can romance a skeleton. ;D

Wizardess Heart

This was my first dating sim I ever played! At first glance it looks like a wannabe Harry Potter knock-off. And it is… to a mild extent. They’ve managed to put their own spin on things to keep it comfortably out of the “painfully blatant” zone, so that’s what matters in my book. Anyways, the gist is you’re a new student at a wizard academy. There’s a thing called the “Buddy system” (lol) where two students’ fates are connected, and they’re supposed to help each other succeed at the school. So of course it’s just used as a plot excuse for you to be connected to whoever’s route you’re doing.

I’ve played seven routes (currently on my eighth) out of twelve, and they’ve promised at least three more characters in the future, which honestly shocked me because that’s a ton. The guys are grouped by threes and are called “series”, where their plots, while all different, all deal with the same antagonist/threat/mystery. My favorite character is Klaus… compare him to Louis from above, Gill from Harvest Moon, and Jumin Han and you’ll see why lmao

Modern Cinderella

This one’s so far down on the list only because I literally started playing it a couple days ago. I think it’ll get way higher up once I’m more familiar with it, and if this first route I’m playing doesn’t disappoint! The story for this one is self-described as a “reverse Cinderella”, where the main character is rich and has led a lavish lifestyle until she runs away from her overbearing and controlling mother to start a completely new life. I think that’s pretty interesting itself, but what I really like is that the main character ends up with a different profession based on the route chosen. With the three routes that are out right now, the career options are singer, patissier, and writer. At least two more routes are promised (I’m hoping there’ll be even more).

I wasn’t too sure about the art style at first – the main character starts out with a really ugly dress and makeup, but they make a point of changing her clothes and essentially going “that’s much better” after the prologue. The guy that helps out the main character by giving her a place to stay is explicitly gay and doesn’t seem to feed into any bad stereotypes, so that’s a cool side note! So far my overall impression is that it’s cute.

Lost Alice

An Alice in Wonderland one, yeah. >_> However, it has a somewhat unique twist on the story? Some of the mystery was revealed in the Hatter’s route, but that’s the only one I’ve played so far and I feel there’s more to discover about… the lore, for lack of a better term? If more stuff is revealed then I might get a little more invested, otherwise I’ll probably be a bit miffed, because as it stands I have a lot of unanswered questions about what’s going on.

The art style is nice, and there are currently five routes out with a sixth (and probably more) on the way. Most of the characters are directly out of the original story (Hatter, Cheshire Cat, March Hare), but others are harder to recognize (there’s a dude named Joker who I’m still not entirely sure is supposed to be…?). Haven’t played enough to pinpoint a favorite character yet, but the Hatter was cute.

My general attitude towards this one is “LMAO”. XD

Wizard of Oz. The premise is that Dorothy comes back to the land of Oz for her seventeenth birthday! And suddenly the scarecrow, tin man, and lion are human (that’s right, they acknowledge that they weren’t human to begin with)! And in this version, there were never any witches – they’re all hot romanceable wizards! including the wizard of the west because of course hgkrhsgnks Every single character’s name is a pun based off who they are! And then, the real kicker is that as soon as Dorothy arrives, she’s told she has to pick a boyfriend out of them all. Because reasons. And she just goes along with it.

So, uh, yeah, the story’s flimsy. And it doesn’t get much better in any of the routes lol… I’ve done three routes and am almost done with the fourth. I play it because it’s funny and… it has a few good moments bahaha. my favorite is heartmann Also worth noting that this one’s dead, like Niflheim is. They stopped having events and updates after they came out with all the characters.

Honorable mention: Notice Me, Senpai!

I don’t really consider this one a true dating sim, but it’s definitely meant for people who like dating sims! This app is one of my favorites ever omg, it’s so great honestly. It’s literally Neko Atsume… except instead of entertaining and collecting cats in your yard, you, the only girl at an all-boys school, run a cafe for personified anime boy tropes!

Instead of just leaving you a gift after a number of visits, each senpai has an affection level and you get CGs as they fall in love with you. At three hearts they leave a personal note, then at four and/or five hearts you get a CG where they confess to you. Then you can get additional CGs for each of their birthdays as well as for visiting a certain number of times after they’ve gotten five hearts. You can dress them up in tons of different outfits, and there are events for all the major holidays and seasons. Now I think they’ve settled into an event and new senpais every other month (so they’ll be coming out with stuff in May). Right now there are 34 senpais and I fear that the devs are going to burn out by releasing more, but hey if they think they can do it I won’t complain hgdgfsgvfsvgg

tl;dr it fulfills my lifelong fantasy of being the protagonist of a reverse harm anime and i love it so much

#if u have any questions on the details of any of these in particular feel free to hmu #Anonymous

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twistedtummies2 · 3 years

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Top 12 Pandora Hearts Characters

Moriarty the Patriot may be my new favorite anime and manga series, but today, I feel like talking about my OTHER favorite manga (and what COULD have been my favorite anime, if it had only gone on longer): a little franchise known as Pandora Hearts. Japan has a huge following for the works of Lewis Carroll, but Pandora Hearts has probably the most unusual manner of reinterpreting the characters. The story of PH is set in a world where human beings coexist with monstrous entities known as Chains: demon-like beings who are all directly inspired, in terms of name and design, on characters from Wonderland. With a few exceptions, the characters themselves do not have the names of characters from the books; instead, it is the Chains they make bargains with, form “Contracts” with, that tell you what character from the stories they are meant to represent. It’s a cool idea, and whether you look at this franchise as a new take on Wonderland, or just look at the characters on their own terms separate from the books, they are all fun and engaging characters who are frequently much more complex than they at first seem. Now, Pandora Hearts is a series with a lot of twists and turns, so I’m going to try and keep this as spoiler-free as possible when it comes to some of the REALLY big twists, but there’s only so much I can do. So if you haven’t read the manga, or at least watched the anime, and don’t want things spoiled, just be wary in case something pops up here you weren’t wanting to know ahead of time. Also, because this is me writing this list, I will give away which characters from the Wonderland stories these characters are analogous with in their descriptions. With that said... “The time has come,” the Walrus says, “To honor them today! So here’s a list of my favorites to lighten up your day!” (pauses) Yes, I’m aware that rhyme was terrible, just run with it. These are My Top 12 Favorite Pandora Hearts Characters!

12. Echo & Noise.

Wonderland Analogues: Tweedledee & Tweedledum.

One thing you need to know about Pandora Hearts is that...honestly, like a lot of anime/manga, in my opinion...it can be rather confusing at times. The lore of this world, partially because it takes so many twists and turns all over the place, is a little hard to follow at times. I’ll try be succinct and as major-spoiler-free as possible, as I said before. With that said, these two are a prime example of how things get twisted up. Echo and Noise are essentially a classic Jekyll-&-Hyde scenario; a pair of separate identities occupying the same body. Noise, also called “Zwei,” is the original personality: a member of the mysterious and dangerous Baskerville Clan, she is, as her name suggest, loudmouthed, crazy, and rather all over the place. Noise is in control of a Chain known as “Duldee,” and the Chain is responsible for the creation of the other personality: Echo. Echo is the exact opposite of Noise: she is quiet, constantly polite, and indeed often seems to be little more than a robot, very emotionless and unnervingly calm, even in the heat of battle. As Echo, she is the unsettlingly loyal servant of one of the series’ chief antagonists, Vincent Nightray, and their relationship is...a little creepy. Vincent frequently treats her like a beloved child or pet, but he also frequently uses her for his own selfish ends, never worrying about nearly killing her in order to get what he wants, and seeming to see her more as an object than another living being. Despite this, the most upset with him Echo ever gets is calling him “annoying” (now, THERE’S an understatement), and Noise herself is absolutely obsessed with him. Their twisted relationship with Vincent, and all the fun that’s had with these two different personalities, is a big part of what gets them a slot on the list.

11. Oscar Vessalius.

Wonderland Analogue: N/A

While most of the characters in Pandora Hearts are easily identified by their Chains, some don’t even have Chains, and thus cannot be readily identified as any character from the Carroll classics. Oscar Vessalius, whom I frequently and affectionately refer to as “Uncle Oscar,” is one of those cases. Now, to be fair, Uncle Oscar is not the most complex character in this series, but he IS one of the most endearing. Oscar is the paternal uncle of our main protagonist, Oz, and considering Oz’s father is...well...a gigantic douchebag of the highest order...Oscar really is more of a father to Oz than anybody else in the series. Oscar is unflappably encouraging and jolly, and extremely protective and caring when it comes to his family. He’s always there to support Oz and his friends, tries his best to get along with everybody, and generally speaking brightens up every single scene he has. Despite this, Oscar does have a bit of a sly and sneaky side to him, as well as a slightly lecherous leaning in some cases, which keep him from being too perfect or one-note a character. While he has no direct ties to Wonderland, some have suggested that he MIGHT be inspired by Lewis Carroll himself, and there are a few subtle things that could suggest that...but either way, he’s ultimately a purely original character, and of those ranks, he’s easily one of the best.

10. Reim Lunettes.

Wonderland Analogue: March Hare.

Reim, sometimes called “Liam,” is the best friend of Xerxes Break and one of the most notable members of Pandora: a not-so-secret organization dedicated to the study of Chains and the protection of the world. Sort of a Victorian-styled Men in Black, if you will. (pauses) The Will Smith Men in Black, I should say. ANYWAY, an interesting thing I’ve noticed with many interpretations of the March Hare in Japanese culture is they tend to make him a somewhat more serious and more easily flustered character than the Mad Hatter. Reim is no exception: he’s a panicky workaholic who is frequently the butt of other people’s jokes, and tries to treat things with a no-nonsense demeanor, taking his job extremely seriously and always worried about what’s best for his employers. In some ways, one could argue he acts more like the White Rabbit, but that character is one we’ll get to later. At any rate, while Reim is constantly obsessed with his work, and frequently frustrated by Break’s antics, as well as the shenanigans of other characters, he has a heart of gold and is always there to try and help his friends and colleagues when they most require assistance. His Chain also has a pretty impressive power that one does not expect...but I mustn’t say more, or I’ll spoil something important.

9. Sharon Rainsworth.

Wonderland Analogue: Unicorn.

Another character with close ties to Xerxes Break, Sharon is an interestingly dichotomous character. She’s one of the first people we encounter in this series, and she plays a big part in the story as it unfolds...but in the early parts of the franchise, what’s interesting is that Sharon stays largely in the background. Now, at first, it seems this is because she’s one of the head members of Pandora, and Break is technically her servant; so it makes sense the others would interact more with Break than Sharon. But as time goes on, and we learn more about Sharon, we find that’s not so much the case. Sharon and Break have a brother-and-sister relationship, with Sharon seeing Break as her surrogate big brother, and Break seeing her as his little sister. The problem with this relationship is that Break will do anything to protect Sharon, and at times that can go a bit too far, as Sharon truly wants to be of use to him and prove she’s just as powerful as he is or any other major member of the team. Indeed, her Chain, Equus the Black Unicorn, has many impressive abilities, including being able to open a gateway between Earth and the Hell-like dimension of The Abyss. A lot of this dichotomy is visible in Sharon’s personality: most of the time she’s very demure, polite, sweet, and ladylike. But the more we see of Sharon, the more we become aware of other facets to her personality. She’s shown to have a tough and domineering side to her character, and has some eccentricities of her own. Most notably, she’s absolutely INSANE when it comes to romance stories and romantic situations, and holds both the standards of ladies and gentlemen in high regard. Whether she’s a soothing presence or a downright scary one, Sharon is always an interesting character to return to.

8. Rufus Barma.

Wonderland Analogue: Dodo.

There are a few characters in the frequently twisted-up world of Pandora Hearts who have a habit of constantly keeping you guessing...but the king of mystery, without a shadow of a doubt, is the Duke Rufus Barma. His analogous Chain, Dodo, is able to conjure impressive illusions, and this illusionary skill is only the tip of the iceberg in showing how this man constantly manages to make you wonder just what is going on in his head. Barma lives by the code of “knowledge is power,” and constantly seeks to learn everything he can about...well...anything and anybody he wants. Money and prestige are secondary to him. He’s very soft-spoken and cold, even when angered, and carries himself with a sense of grace that’s rather flamboyant, but somehow not exactly loud or over-the-top in the way some of the other characters can be. His exact goals and motivations are constantly second-guessed, and you’re never really sure what makes him tick or what side he’ll take. You’re never really sure if he’s a villain or a hero. I love characters like this, in general, so it’s ultimately no surprise that Rufus Barma gets a solid spot on this list.

7. The Will of the Abyss.

Wonderland Analogue: White Rabbit.

The Will of the Abyss (sometimes called “Alyss” and sometimes called “The Intention of the Abyss”) isn’t a villain we see a whole lot of. She is the queen of the Abyss; the ruler of everything there. The Abyss, itself, is the home of the demon-like chains: ghoulish entities who feed on human beings, body and soul, and are formed from those who have fallen into the Abyss in the past. The place is described as “a broken toy box” and is a horrifying limbo realm of killer dolls and psychotic puppets. Needless to say, it’s not exactly an ideal vacation spot. The Will is a mysterious and mercurial character; she’s mostly a peripheral villain, since we see more of the Chains she controls than her, herself, and much of what we DO see of her actually comes through flashbacks...but in that overall brief amount of time, she proves to be honestly the single scariest character in the series, as well as one of the saddest. Part of this is due to her mood: the Will can shift from seemingly innocent and playful to screaming like a banshee in a split-second; she can go from crying and sobbing like a sad little girl to being as refined and elegant as a proper queen. And there really isn’t a safe place with her, in any of this, either; sometimes that playful and sweet persona is a good thing, but other times...yeah, it’s...um...REALLY not. Like many Chains, she’s violent and bloodthirsty, but unlike other Chains, there’s some humanity to her and you get the feeling that a lot of her actions are justified. She’s still very much a villain, but she’s also a victim, in a way, and as the story goes on, you feel bad for her and are truly sorry when her part in the series’ events is finished. Whether she makes you whimper with terror or makes you want to hug her and console her, the Will of the Abyss is bound to get a major reaction from you.

6. Vincent Nightray.

Wonderland Analogue: Dormouse.

One of the main antagonists of the series (though not, for the record, THE main antagonist...they actually don’t appear in this top twelve), Vincent Nightray is another character who changes throughout the series. What I find most interesting about Vincent is that he, himself, changes very little. It’s more the attitude the reader has to him, in the manga, that changes. See, if you only know Vincent from the anime, or the chapters in the manga that the anime covers, chances are you find him to be a pretty repugnant person. He’s creepy, he’s treacherous, he’s responsible for some of the most screwed-up things any character in this franchise does, and that’s saying a lot. He’s totally insane, and sort of seems to be aware of it, and seems to have an unhealthy interest in his own brother, Gilbert. In fact, with how disturbing he is, and the kinds of things he tries, you start off thinking he’s the main antagonist...and, for a while, he pretty much is. However, as the series continues in the manga, and you learn more about Vincent - why he is the way he is, and what exactly he wants to accomplish - the more you come to understand him and sympathize with him. Make no mistake, Vincent is a villain; in fact, even he seems to be aware of the fact that he’s sort of a monster. But he’s the kind of villain you come to feel sorry for and realize that, if things had been different, maybe could have turned out a much better person. In a way, Vincent is a foil to the ACTUAL main antagonist. Without giving anything away, the real main villain of the series follows the opposite path: at first he seems sympathetic and endearing, but the more we learn about him and the more horrible things he does, the more we come to loathe him and want to see him kicked in the face a thousand times over. Vincent, meanwhile, we start off hating his guts, but by the time his part in the story ends, we’re sad to see him go, because we understand him and care about him, and realize not everything was his fault. I actually feel a little bad for not placing Vincent higher, but I doubt the characters above him will drastically disappoint. He may have been one of the nastiest characters in the franchise, but if ever proof was needed that Evil is a lonely course to take, Vincent Nightray could provide it.

5. Cheshire Cat.

Wonderland Analogue: Doesn’t need to be given, because IT’S HIS NAME.

Again, the Cheshire Cat doesn’t have a lot of time in the series - he gets one major arc fairly early on, appears in several flashbacks afterwards, and then makes a sudden and unexpected return much later in the story - but that doesn’t keep him from being one of the most fascinating figures in the universe of PH. Cheshire is the reincarnation of an innocent kitten who belonged to a girl named Alice; the kitten was brutally murdered by Vincent Nightray. As a Chain, the Cheshire Cat is steadfastly loyal to the Will of the Abyss, and - at least at the start of the series - dwells within a mysterious realm simply known as “The Cheshire Cat’s House.” The “house” is an eerie Victorian mansion that is literally made up of all of the worst memories the Will has, and Cheshire guards the mansion and the Will herself with ferocious zeal. It’s ironic because this is a very different take on the Cheshire Cat, in general: the character in the book, and most other adaptations, is a chaotic being who shows loyalty to seemingly no one, and while some versions lean more towards good or evil, friend or foe, than others, he ultimately isn’t an obedient housecat. He’s more of an enigmatic agent of madness. This Cheshire Cat is a totally different spin on things. He’s got human-like intelligence, for the most part, and occasionally speaks in a cryptic or evasive manner, but he’s not the puzzling imp of Carroll’s classic. He doesn’t even SMILE all that often...and when he does it’s...well...the most terrifying thing you’ll ever see. But just because he’s a very different take on the character, doesn’t mean he’s still not a good one; Cheshire’s mixture of ravenous hunger (all Chains are so), sadistic ferocity, and childlike adoration of the Will make him a very layered character. Like the Will herself, he can be very creepy and menacing, but he can also be sympathetic and sweet, since he still very much is that loving kitten whose life was cut short. In a very short time, he becomes one of the most standout characters, and despite a relatively short lifespan (so to speak), it’s clear the creators really liked Cheshire, since they tried to find ways to fit him in all over the place. It’s a sign of restraint on their parts, I’d say, that he doesn’t pop up more often throughout the franchise. When he does pop up, he’s a scene stealer, and I was always excited to see him.

4. Oz Vessalius.

Wonderland Analogue: N/A

Our chief protagonist, and another original character, Oz Vessalius is a teenager whose life is turned upside-down when, at his Coming-of-Age Ceremony, a group of depraved cultists send him body and soul into the Abyss. He makes a contract with a Chain called Alice, and escapes the Abyss, only to discover that the very short time he spent down there equated to a full decade in the real world. He is enlisted by Pandora, and the rest of the series focuses on his adventures as he tries to discover the secrets of a cataclysmic event from the past known as “The Tragedy of Sablier” - in which an entire city was somehow sucked down into the Abyss. Oz is an endearing young hero, as his youth is mixed with a curious maturity. At times he’s very silly and almost hopelessly optimistic, but at other times he shows a very fatalistic and calculating side to his personality. Part of this is due to his upbringing, as his father never showed him any love at all, and the best friend he ever really had was his own servant, Gilbert. He didn’t exactly get out much to explore the world. So while he’s lived a very sheltered life, it’s also been a very cold one. Oz works on a philosophy of acceptance, just going with the flow and trying not to let the bad things get to you...but considering he frequently claims his own life means very little to him, it’s very clear the bad things DO get to him. In fact, despite his privileged youth, he puts the lives of others vastly before his own, even when he doesn’t know them all that well. He just doesn’t like to show how much things can hurt him, and tries to press ahead no matter what. It’s a complex sort of way of thinking - being proud and unflinching and yet humble and downright self-loathing, all with a dash of youthful exuberance - and as the series goes on, and we learn more about Oz than maybe even he knows, it only becomes more fascinating. He may not be my favorite character, but he’s a fine protagonist for us to follow, and certainly worthy of high marks here.

3. Gilbert Nightray.

Wonderland Analogue: The Monstrous Crow...probably.

I say “probably” because Gilbert’s Chain, as well as his own codename, is “Raven,” which is an obvious reference to the riddle “Why is a raven like a writing desk?” I guess it’s possible both were inspirational, but the Crow is an actual creature/character in the stories, so it’s the one I choose to credit. Whatever the case, Gil is one of the other major protagonists in the series, and...this guy is freaking adorable. I know he doesn’t look it, but trust me, he’s adorable. At the start of the series, we meet Gil as a small boy, who has amnesia about his past and works as a servant for Oz. Oz is not only his Master, but his best friend, and Gil will do absolutely anything to protect and serve his “Young Master” no matter what. After Oz descends into the Abyss, Gil - blaming himself - tries to run away...and is enlisted, at a very young age, by Xerxes Break. He becomes a double-agent, working for both the Rainsworth and Nightray households, upon discovering he is actually a long-lost member of the Nightray family. When Oz returns years later, Gil is a seemingly changed man: stoic, stern, always dressed in black, smoking heavily, and rarely speaking. Very quickly, however, we discover a lot of this stoicism is a facade: underneath it all, Gil is very much still a child at heart, and even though he’s grown older, he still sees Oz as his brother and best friend, as well as his true master, and will do anything to protect and to help him. Just as Oz always puts his life ahead of others, Gil’s foremost thoughts are always with Oz and how he can help him, and the lengths he’ll go to in order to keep Oz safe are sometimes touching, sometimes hilarious, and sometimes downright heartbreaking. Gil’s “dark side” is certainly engaging - he’s a crack shot with a pistol, and has a gloomy and cynical sense of humor - but I think what’s most endearing about him are the moments...and there are surprisingly many...where we see the cracks in the armor, and this “seaweed head” shows that he really hasn’t changed as much as he often claims. Whether he’s a man of action or a man of hilarious hijinks, Gilbert Nightray is more than worthy of a place in the top three.

2. Alice.

Wonderland Analogue: Again, IT’S HER NAME.

The secondary protagonist of the series, after Oz, this Alice is a far cry from the little girl we know of from the Carroll stories. At the start of the franchise, we are introduced to Alice as a Chain known as “B. Rabbit” - a title that stands for both “Black Rabbit” and “Bloody” or “Bloodstained Rabbit.” (In fact, her full title is often given as “The Bloody/Bloodstained Black Rabbit.”) B. Rabbit is one of the most powerful Chains out there, and in her Chain form, Alice is a nigh-unstoppable powerhouse ruled by bloodthirst - a maniacal berserker whose morning star chains and massive scythe cleave through even the toughest opponents with ease. However, Alice can also resort to human form, and here she’s much more...well...human. She has the same basic weaknesses a human has, she’s not quite as psychotic (though she DOES have a nasty temper at times)...really, the only sign of her being a Chain is her ravenous hunger. Like any Chain, Alice is ALWAYS hungry, and always hungry for MEAT. Thankfully, unlike other Chains, Alice has no desire to consume human beings. Indeed, while at first she comes across as frightening and intimidating, Alice has a very vulnerable side to her; she’s lived her life without any real friends or family, since the only “family” she has is her twin, the Will of the Abyss...and, to put things simply, they don’t get along very well. Much like Oz, she often feels like she’s undeserving of other people’s care and attention, but while Oz compensates this through being charitable and caring, Alice compensates by over-inflating herself; a classic “superiority complex via inferiority complex” issue. She’s never unlikeable, however, and as the series goes on - and we come to realize that Alice’s true identity, and her status as a Chain, is a lot less cut-and-dry than we might think - she only becomes a more and more fun and fascinating character...arguably more fascinating than Oz. Indeed, it’s really Alice who drives so much of the plot of the series forward, as her whole goal in the series is to find out the truth of her past and regain her lost memories, and it’s through the team’s efforts to help Alice in this goal that so much of the story is told. Oz is really just along for the ride, at least at first. Powerful but not invincible, and easily one of my favorite takes on the title character of the Carroll stories, Alice nabs second place easily…

...But who in the great wide world could take first? That honor goes to...

1. Xerxes Break.

Wonderland Analogue: The Mad Hatter AND The White Knight.

Yep. Two characters. How is this possible? Well, the first thing to know about Xerxes Break is that he wasn’t always called “Xerxes Break.” Once upon a time, he was a knight called Kevin Regnard, who served a noble family; his Chain was called Albus the White Knight. When Regnard’s mistakes led to the destruction of the entire family, he went absolutely bonkers and became a twisted serial killer known as the Red-Eyed Ghost. Ultimately, however, his contract with Albus ended, and Regnard was dragged down into the Abyss, where the Will and the Cheshire Cat ripped out one of his eyes (...yikes…), and plotted to turn him into another Chain. Things get a bit complicated at this point, but basically, Kevin managed to escape and was thrown into another time and place upon doing so. He was taken in by the Rainsworth family, befriend Reim Lunettes, and steadily began to come out of his shell. He took the name “Xerxes Break,” because he felt “broken,” later formed a contract with a very special and powerful Chain known as The Mad Hatter (in fact, one of Break’s nicknames is “Mr. Hatter”), and crafted a whole new personality for himself: Kevin Regnard was stern, work-obsessed, and wore his heart on his sleeve. Xerxes Break is in every way his opposite. When it comes to takes on the Mad Hatter, Break is one of the best; granted, we very rarely see him WEAR a hat, but the personality of the guy speaks for itself. Break often comes across as clownish and childishly hyperactive, constantly eating sweets, performing magic tricks and weird stunts just for the sheer sake of it, prancing around and giggling like a small boy, and even interacting with a puppet he calls “Emily”...which...may or may not actually be alive. However, much of this is a facade, as underneath it all, Break is...well...broken. Not just in body (he’s much, much older and more frail than he often seems), but in terms of his mind; he’s half-crazed and extremely mercurial. Much like with Rufus Barma, Break is somebody you’re never entirely sure of, but in a different way. Break, you see, is very open and honest; he never tells lies and he makes his loyalties and disloyalties very clear. But at the same time he’s very secretive and enigmatic, often speaking in riddles and partial-truths to throw people off. He’s very cunning and intelligent, and a gifted swordsman, and will do anything and use almost anyone to get what he wants. So while he can be extremely funny, he can also be very frightening and ruthless. You’re never sure what’s going to set him off and if the next line he says is going to be a threat or a joke. And as the series goes on, and we see more and more of Break’s vulnerabilities, we only come to care about him more and more, though, at the same time, he always remains an eternal mystery. A riddle with no real answer...just like the Mad Hatter’s from the book. (Way to bring things around, don’t you think?) Whether you look at him as a version of the Hatter, or look at him just for who and what he is on his own terms, he is, in my opinion, the most well-rounded and fascinating character in the whole series, and easily takes the top spot as My Favorite Pandora Hearts Character. Xerxes Break, I doff my own topper to thee. (tips hat)

Honorable Mentions Include...

Elliot Nightray.

Leo.

Jack Vessalius.

Lottie Baskerville.

Lily Baskerville.

Ada Vessalius.

Phillipe West.

#pandora hearts #top 12 #top 12 pandora hearts characters #characters #best #favorites #list #countdown #alice in wonderland #wonderland #alice

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hazbinextgeneration · 4 years

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Allison Theory P3

(the image is not mine. Im just using it for context for my headcannon/theory. It and the characters belongs to @vivzportfolio)

From left to right:

Allison: A young lady who is the first ‘Lost One’ to stumble down into Wonderland for a good while and Cheshire’s old friend. Allison was born and raised by a single grandmother and is now done with everything. She’s seen too much stuff to be surprised anymore. While she was able to escape the madness that usually consumes humans when they stay a long time, many wonder if it’s really any of Cheshire’s doing?

Many would describe her as her own type of crazy, as many of Wonderland’s residents don’t really understand the outside’s world’s way of thinking with Cheshire being a somewhat exception. She doesn’t eat the teacups or dunk her tea cakes in water before she eats them? Bizarre. And what’s wifi? Humans stare at a glass box all day? WHat’s the point? She tries many times to explain these things to them with Cheshire chuckling behind her but to no avail. Living in Wonderland has it’s perks though. No taxes or other annoying people. Almost no real danger. And she’s always preferred surrounding herself with magic. She sometimes does miss the human world and sometimes her and Cheshire would take trips there or a special place know as Safe Haven.

Allison used to have regular brown eyes to go along with her strawberry blonde hair. Being introduced to Wonderland’s madness filled magic as a child and then as an adult may have caused the red madness in her eyes. While not magical herself, she often carries a magical umbrella that when opened can fly her anywhere and can somewhat understand the laws of the strange land.

Cheshire C. At: The last living Cheshire cat, his anscestor’s were helpers of witches and created the stereotype of witches having cats as helpers. They were often tasked with helping the humans or ‘Lost Ones’ that stumble into wonderland back to the human world.

Cheshire is a....interesting one to be sure. He often speaks in riddles or rymthes and acts like a crazy ringleader. As if the world is his own personal circus. He loves doing all the normal cat things like climbing trees and purring, you can often find him in trees. He LOVES to cause mischief and often chuckles at everyone’s reaction, but tones it down around Allison. His more chaotic magic includes flying, detaching his head and segments of his tail, going to and fro from the human world, teleporting others, summoning objects, and turning invisible. No one knows the full force of his magic, but he sometimes uses his cane as a wand. While egotistic and eccentric, he treats Allsion pretty fairly and often the two could be scene trolling around the local upside-down houses or sipping koolaid from teacups. Typical bff stuff. But deep down he’s pretty lonely and a bit paranoid about those in power. After the incident with his past, he’s not ready to let go of certain feelings yet.

Cheshire resides in a giant tent in the middle of the Wonder Woods where he’ll perform and just go about his daily business. He has an incredible singing voice and talent for the art for performing, romance, comedy, tragedy, etc. He often draws a crowd. His most proud feature is his eyes

Deedee and Dumea Twiddle: (I don’t know they’re real names but because there’s 2 of them I headcannon they’re the equlivant of Twiddle dee and Dumb from Alice in Wonderland. Plus Dumea is Hebrew for silent so this will come in handy.) The troublesome conjoined twins works for Queen Heart’s court mostly as entertainers in her ring and as a call by friend of course, but basically a spy. The three get along pretty easily and often just as vain and rude as their queen. Despite that, both are very good singers and performers. Often using performances to gather info from the ones who come and watch them perform or too jump bask in the spotlight.

Deedee Twiddle: (the head with short dark pink hair) The more talkative of the two and just LOVES to gossip and spread rumors about others. Strangely very good at gathering information for her Queen’s subjects and will often talk for both of them. Often very vain like her Queen and will spend literally HOURS getting their outfits and makeup in line. Very protective of her Quuen and younger sister(by a minute) and will be the first to snap and get into heated arguments with others.

Dumea Twiddle: (the second head with whiteish hair) Dumea like her name says, is mostly silent most of the time. The only times she will talk is when performing with her sister, or in private and she barely talks in private as well. She usually communicates with facial expressions. Her sister can seem to know what she’s thinking all the time and can have arguments or full conversations with Dumea just making faces or nodding her head (think of Sven and Christoph from Frozen). While usually taking a step back and letting Deedee do the talking, she can be just as sudistic and rude with her snobby glares and scoffs.

Mad Hatter: As the name applies, a crazy little man who LOVES wearing his many hats and enjoys tea and tea parties. This little wackadoodle has a whole collection of hats, cards, teacups, teapots and things covered in polka dots around his home. Marsh Hare is always scolding him and trying to get him to organize the place but strangely enough he knows where everything is under the stuff including their pet mouse. You’ll often never see him without his favorite hat or polka dot suit. Just don’t touch the hat. SERIOUSLY. DO. NOT. TOUCH IT!

(In one pic Vivz drew the Mad Hatter and Marsh Hare hugging really cutely so I don’t know if they’re together or not so just bare with me on this next bit) Mad Hatter is often seen outside of the home he shares with the Marsh Hare having wild tea parties and is open to anybody coming and joining in. Anyone’s welcome! His personality is upbeat and very happy and energetic 24/7. He loves to make people smile and isn’t beyond physical affection like hugs. But if you join his party prepare to be sun A Very Happy Un-Birthday, see dancing teapots and edible cups, lots of tea, and maybe even another song or two. He’s very close with his roommate the Marsh Hare, the two go with each other hand n hand and often hare will be the one to calm Hatter down if he gets a little too wild for their guests. The two often share many hugs and physical affections like cuddles, so it makes others wonder if they’re just really close friends or secret lovers.

Fun Fact: His nose honks if you boop it and his favorite guests are Cheshire and Allison. Cheshire and him loves singing together and Allison is so interesting. Telling stories about humans that make no sense.

Marsh Hare: The comical companion of the eccentric Mad Hatter. Marsh Hare is very similar to the Mad Hatter but more calmer and can think a bit more down to earth. But the two get along very well with each other. The two share a house and a pet mouse together and try as he might, he always seems to be the one to try and somewhat organize the place. But his definition of organizing was to put his own clutter on his side of the house and move Hatter’s stuff in a pile of his own. He actually doesn’t like polka dots that much but all his clothes are made by Hatter so you’ll often see the two in matching outfits.

While he is not the best singer, he’ll often join his friend is songs while singing offkey and downing Tea like crazy. Funny enough Marsh hates being referred to as a bunny or rabbit(or heaven forbid rodent) and will often go out of his way to correct others and insist on being called a hare.

Fortune Teller: The mysterious moth that resides in the mushroom fields. Not many know of him or his true intentions, but he’s a master of telling people major events of their futures using his crystal ball. While he can’t see into the future, he can see certain events or most likely moments to happen to someone in the future. Not that it’ll be any help to him anyhow, but it’s entertaining to say the least. He doesn’t get many visitors and when he does, he loves to spook them with fake chants and his creepy demeanor.

Because of his appearance many mistake him for a female but he doesn’t mind and usually doesn’t correct them much. He has a bad smoking habit and often carry around his pipe and make it blow different colors, usually a dark pink or red color. Adds to his creepy demeanor. His most amusing visitors are the Queen and Allison. He likes to see the usually demanding Queen squirm in his presence as she lightly demands to know her future or things in the other Card kingdoms, he enjoys seeing the change in personality. And Allison is always such a sweet polite girl. But very strage. Exotic even.

Queen Heart: One of the Four rulers of Wonderland, the Queen of Hearts doesn’t have the best reputation because of what her family did and whatshe does, but she is much better compared to her ancestors. She doesn’t really behead anyone after her mother, but likes to threaten her subjects with the dungeon very much. The Queen can easily be described as vain, spoiled, cruel, and not an easy likable person. But really she’s paranoid about everything. She’s swore to never put herself through the past, so what’s the best way to go Once a month, the Queen puts on a performance of sorts staring her and her crew and invites the other rulers as a sort of peace offering when in reality it’s to check up on them to sense any threats. And to of course satisfy her lust for performance. She’s always been one for the center of attention.

She honestly does have a wonderful voice and runs her kingdom as her own personal stage with her as the ringleader. She believes she’s doing everyone a favor by being strict and making them follow her orders and in her own way ‘protecting’ them to make up for the blood at the hands of her family. As Queen she has hundreds of subjects to boss around and card guards as her subjects. Owns 1/4 of Wonderland as one of the 4 card rulers but the most wide known.

Gets along best with the Twiddle sisters and maaaaayybeee the Fortune Teller. She really doesn’t like how he’s able to bring out certain emotions of hers and only goes when her paranoia allows. She absolutely Loathes Cheshire with his condenscending ways and stupid teases, but she wouldn’t hurt him. Not after the past. She....doesn’t know how to feel about the ‘Lost Ones’ personally hasn’t been one since Allison and she prefers to keep it that way. But you bet she was going to keep a very close eye on that girl.

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