+ The Time Has Come, the Time Is Now +

[vitaelamorte]

Who: Everyone in Wonderland!
Where: The chessboard hills
When: Monday, June 11, all day starting at 10:00 AM
Rating: R for (sometimes excessive) violence
Summary: The Queen of Hearts has declared war and the time for battle has come.
The Story:
♥ ICly, the Real Things who will act as pieces volunteered and are led by the Red Queen. The Mirrors were chosen by the Queen of Hearts without being given a choice. The Queen of Hearts announced her choices to her Mirrors very directly, with an order to show up at 10:00 AM on the chessboard, ready to fight. The Red Queen announced her choices more politely, but just as firmly, with a text message sent out over the network listing her pieces and requesting their assistance to protect their fellow Real Things. Characters were not ICly able to respond to this message.

♥ Those pieces who choose to obey the summons will have time to gather any items or weapons they might want to have with them, within reason. Those who don't heed the summons will find themselves suddenly and instantly transported to their square on the chessboard when 10:00 AM rolls around. They will arrive with anything that was on their person at the time, as well as one weapon (whatever it would be normal for them to use). Likewise, any spectators who are not in or around the stands by 10:00 AM will find themselves transported there.

♥ Each player sports an armband, white for the Real Things and Black for the Mirrors, with the shape of their assigned chess piece embroidered in the opposite color. Royalty pieces wear crowns indicative of their status. Should a pawn be promoted to queen, a crown will appear on their head.

♥ Pieces will find that they can't leave their assigned spots until they're told what square to move to by either the Queen of Hearts or the Red Queen. And if they refuse to move, after a couple of moments, an unseen force will scoot them along to their new space.

♥ When threading moves on the board, please find the appropriate top-level under which to comment! It might be helpful to label your thread with which move/encounter you're playing out.

♥ Players on the board can not communicate with those in the stands and vice versa (other than by jumping around and flailing, I guess). However, players on the board can communicate directly with those in squares adjacent to them or with any challenger whose square they share. Since some pieces have a lot of down time, feel free to have them chat with others on the board while they're waiting around.

♥ Directions from the Queens can be assumed. Go ahead and play out moves without waiting for a comment to officially announce them.

♥ The plotting and info post for this log is here.

♥ For your convenience, here are links to the thread headers:

The Donation Box
Pre-Game
The Game - Moves 1-20
The Game - Moves 21-40
The Game - Moves 41-60
The Game - Moves 61-80
The Game - Moves 81-100
The Game - Moves 101-117
The Holding Area
The Stands

Have fun!

Comments

stands

[choosetruth]

He also inexplicably has a British accent.

[Does Rocket even know what British is? Georgia comes to settle next to Rocket, looking out at the field with an unreadable expression on her face.

The sunglasses help.]

The other one got unmade.

[beatupgrass]

You know I don't know what that is.

[There's your answer to that question. He squints out at the figure on the Black Knight's square a little harder.] Guess the Queen of Hearts wanted someone tougher, but seriously? That's what she goes with? He looks like every time someone ripped him apart to upgrade him, he thanked the bastards.

[choosetruth]

He's still a victim.

[Not his fault he is what he's made to be. She doesn't expect Rocket to like him, but she won't let him forget that.]

[beatupgrass]

[He waits for a moment, observing in annoyed silence, right up until he notices his Mirror start working his way towards Tim. An edginess grips Rocket as he leans closer.]

Yeah, well your victim is about to axe your buddy down there.

[choosetruth]

Tim is tougher than he looks. I wouldn't count him out.

[Though her fingers do tighten on the arm of her chair. She's confident in Tim, but this entire situation is terrible and stupid.]

[beatupgrass]

[It's a nasty fight, one with a victory assured for the Mirror due to the game's rules, but it was unnecessarily rough and even the bleeding leg Rocket's Mirror is sporting doesn't really make it better.

He cringes, maintaining eye contact with his Mirror before the other finally looks away to pay attention to the board.]

Tough don't really matter much when the match is already decided.

[choosetruth]

[It's hard to watch, but Georgia's face remains impassive. What's visible of it does, anyway. Shaun would be able to tell that her eyes are screaming under her sunglasses.

It takes her a moment to respond, but when she does, her voice doesn't shake.]

That's why he's still a victim. What happened to Tim can and probably will happen to him before too long. And when it does... he'll go down. No matter how strong he is or how well he served the Queen.

[beatupgrass]

By that logic, I'm a victim too, and I haven't believed for a second that it excuses some of the shit I do. I still do it, 'cause I got my reasons, but I don't expect anyone to treat me different because of it.

[he sighs] Don't pity him, Georgie. He's made a decision to be like that, like all the other Mirrors. Maybe he'll figure it out one of these days, but right now he's a dick, and he enjoyed what he just did.

[choosetruth]

You are a victim.

[It's not all he is, but what was done to him was inexcusable. Same as what was done to her.]

It doesn't excuse anything. I'm not about to give him a hug and make him hot cocoa, and if he ever threatens me and mine I won't hesitate to shoot him through the head, but I still can sympathize. It's fucked up, what was done to him. What's done to all of them.

[beatupgrass]

[Another sigh, this one exasperated.] For someone so prickly, you're a really good person. It's kinda annoying sometimes.

[But in a good way, he supposes. Keeps him honest since no one else is here to call his bullshit.]

[choosetruth]

[She looks vaguely amused, though her expression doesn't change much.]

Thanks, I think.

[She looks back out onto the field.]

I somehow doubt Hearts asked for volunteers like Red did. He might have volunteered anyway, but he still deserved a choice.

[beatupgrass]

Yeah, I'm like 85% sure that he's here 'cause he likes it, but does he like it 'cause she made him that way or does he genuinely like it?

[He rubs his temples and growls.] What is the point of any of this, anyway? What're they gonna do after somebody wins? Call it a day and things go back to normal?

[choosetruth]

Suppose it depends on who wins.

[She juts her chin towards the Queen of Hearts.]

Who wants to bet Her Majesty is a sore loser?

[beatupgrass]

That's a sucker's bet. She threw a fit 'cause some nameless asshole stole her aesthetic. [He rolls his eyes.] That broad is not right in the head.

[choosetruth]

I'm not right in the head either. But you don't see me declaring wars at the drop of a dime.

[See a goddamn therapist or something. Don't take it out on your subjects.]

[beatupgrass]

Who knows? Maybe if she loses the Red Queen'll banish her for awhile. It could happen.

[Well.... ]

[choosetruth]

If she has that power.

[Honestly, George could go either way on that one.]

[beatupgrass]

Guess this is one way to find out just how tough these two really are. Red's been in the Core, though. I don't know if anyone can top that.

[choosetruth]

I sure hope no one can.

[It's scary enough having one person that powerful here. If the Queen of Hearts is equally powerful....

They're probably lucky this is just a chess match.]