+ HER ANTIDOTE + | OPEN

[onlyredroses]

Who: The Queen of Hearts [onlyredroses], her Mirrors, and curious Real Things.
Where: The Core, Mirror Side
When: 7/22nd-7/23rd
Rating: PG-13 to be safe.
Summary: The Queen of Hearts gave an order, and those who followed it are to report to her at the Core. However, the rips are still present, so there may be a few stray Real Things making life difficult.
The Story:

The light of the Core is still flickering, temperamental as it's been for weeks. Then, at 11:58PM on the 21st, the Queen of Hearts is there in a blink, arms crossed.

"What are you doing in there?" she mutters. "Shouldn't you be preventing this? I shouldn't have to clean up your mess."

The Core, or whoever she's speaking to, predictably does not respond, and she huffs. Typical.

She pulls a pocket watch from a pocket of her dress and flicks it open with a frown. 12:01AM. The 22nd. Then, she looks down the hall. It has only been a minute and she is already growing very impatient, tapping her foot as she waits.

It would be in everyone's best interest not to keep her waiting too long.

[ooc: Prose or [brackets] are fine; I'll match! If you would like your character to have a traitor mark either added or removed, specify it somewhere in your tag and I'll get in touch with you about that! Anyone seeking to fight her will be disappointed though. She has business to attend to and will not entertain attackers (and will send them away), but this is a rare opportunity for any Reals who have wanted to speak with Her Majesty. And of course, your Mirrors may present their stolen sentimental items here. ♥]

Comments

[onlyredroses]

Hm...

[She takes the journal first, holding it in her open palm and placing her other hand above it. When she pulls her hand up and away, a light does emit from the journal, but not a particularly strong one. She frowns.]

...It's passable, I suppose. It isn't entirely useless.

[She sets it down and it glows by her feet (because why open the Core more times than she has to?). Then, she accepts the knives and performs the same procedure, coercing the light of sentiment from them by hand. This time, they begin to shine immediately, glowing with such a bright light blue light that it's nearly white.]

These, however, are absolutely perfect. These are full to the brim with meaning, and emotion, and sentimental value.

[These will hurt to lose, and the thought brings a smile to her face.]

[acleanslate]

[This is the first time that Emmanuel's seen the Queen actually exhibit any of the power he'd known for a fact she must have. She's the one who'd created all of the Mirrors, and that must take a great deal of power. Somehow she's able to divine what sort of meaning these items have with nothing more than a pull of her hand.

As Emmanuel expected, it's the knives that are the true ticket to her approval, but he'd figured better to be safe than sorry.

Her smile has a cruel edge to it, but Emmanuel isn't about to be picky with the Queen's attention. She seems pleased, that's what matters, isn't it?

Even so, he can't quite smile himself. Instead he merely bows his head.]

I'm glad that it's adequate.

[onlyredroses]

[That's fine. Smiling has never been a requirement.]

Good. You should be.

[She opens the door to the Core, and while it would bring Real Things to their knees, it does not hurt either Emmanuel or his Queen. It emits a warmth and a power, like staring into a raging wildfire. Just one look is enough to know it is a place he should never go, unless he wants to be ripped apart.

One by one she throws his offerings inside, and one by one they burst into light and the Core swallows them whole. Then, she slams the door shut.]

You have done well, my Emmanuel.

[acleanslate]

[Emmanuel didn't expect that the Queen would actually open up the Core while he's standing right there, and when she makes a move to do so he takes a step back. She wouldn't have risked it if there was any chance of him being harmed, or at least that's what he believes -- but better to be safe than sorry.

Once Emmanuel gets a glimpse of the Core, though, he has to admit that he's curious. He might have even been drawn to it, like a moth to a flame, if it weren't for that underlying feeling that it would rip him to pieces.

Instead he watches as the Core devours the items that the Queen feeds it, feeling strangely satisfied that he took something from his Mirror. Castiel hasn't done anything to harm him, but he has the life Emmanuel could never begin to hope for, and those keepsakes had been a symbol of that.

At the Queen's praise, Emmanuel finally looks away from the Core and bows his head in reverence. ]

Thank you, Your Majesty. Do you think these items will help to repair Wonderland?

[onlyredroses]

I don't think they will - I know they will. Of that, I am absolutely certain.

[It is not a threat explicitly, though there is an edge that suggests it might be dangerous to openly disagree.]

Though, if you cannot take my word for it, you will see for yourself. You will see that more and more of the rifts across Wonderland have vanished.

[acleanslate]

[It certainly hadn't been Emmanuel's intention to question the Queen's authority or express any kind of doubt. He'd only been curious, and the possibility that he might have displeased her with his question causes his shoulders to hunch in as he stares at the floor.]

Of course I can take your word for it, Your Majesty. I'm glad that you were able to figure out a solution before Wonderland got too damaged.

[This is the only home that he has, after all. A journal and some knives is a small price to pay to fix it, even if those items hadn't belonged to him.

Emmanuel can hear that someone else is on their way in to deliver their item, so he murmurs a thank you and then shuffles out of the room.]