on random trivia and modern AUs

[shrinksense]

Was this necessary, mundane? Consider it for a moment; why would I need a modern "version"? It's not an "interesting" concept - it's still as cruel. His presence makes things worse than they should have ever been! Why not a version where I grow up to see Lizzie get married to someone nice? Why not one where Wonderland has not been torn apart?

I understand you don't plan to take me anywhere - you already gave the canonical me a home and it is much better than anything we could hope for back in London, that much I've told you before, but it doesn't make this any better.

[ Sigh. ]

What a few words in a conversation can do...

Comments

[runofthemill]

You really have it rough...ah, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make it worse!
But it's really unfair.
Hum, who's he, by the way?

[shrinksense]

You didn't. I suppose it became a collective thought somehow. I can give mundane a few weeks before it's all forgotten and everything will be back to normal.

My... Doctor. Or he pretended to be.

[runofthemill]

I hope so. [No you don't, Naegi, shut up. She will not be forgotten]

"Pretended"?

[shrinksense]

[ Says one of the mundanes she'll judge, huh? ]

It's a very long story; I'd rather not get into that. [ Maybe some other day, Naegi. ] Does your mundane put you through odd things too?

[runofthemill]

[Perhaps.]

Huh, haha... [That's a shift in expression.] Sort of... [Like accidentally walking into bathrooms while curvy female friends are bathing.] Some embarrassing things. Better than the option, though.

[shrinksense]

Embarrassing? Such as? [ Pardon the curiosity, she's never getting rid of it ever. ] You're right that embarrassing must sound better than tragic though.

[runofthemill]

W-well, huh, she kinda made me forget to knock on the bathroom door, and hum. My friend was in there...so that was really embarrassing. [At least she wasn't angry.]
And she made me accidentally see another friend of mine get really excited about a puppy--Oh- [Oh god, wait, he wasn't supposed to tell that to anyone. Oh man. But it's not like it's that bad, right?
Naegi, pray to god that Mondo never meets ALice.]
--But yeah, it's much better, I guess...

Does your mundane have any ideas?

[shrinksense]

... That is embarrassing, the first part anyway. But I can't understand what is so wrong about liking dogs? I'm a cat person myself but pups are precious.
[ The likelihood of the two of them meeting is scarce. ]

I'd rather hope she doesn't. This is more than enough, really.

[runofthemill]

There's nothing wrong with it. Dogs are pretty cute...[He might knock your head off your shoulders for telling, though.]

So, huh. Who's Lizzie?

[shrinksense]

That would be my sister.

[runofthemill]

[Oh, she sounded kind of sad just then...]

Is something wrong?

[shrinksense]

Quite a few things. [ Blunt, but not unpleasantly so. She did sound sad, you're right. ] It's a long story.

[runofthemill]

[Well, he doesn't want to meddle.]
Ah, well you don't have to tell me if you don't want to.
I think we're both going to be here for a while. [Mundanes, please.]

[shrinksense]

That seems to be the case. [ Mundanes can be pretty persistent; weird. ] So what does yours have in mind for you from now on?

[runofthemill]

I think she's gonna put me in some place called...Ruby City, I think? And make me meet new people and things like that...
I'm not sure what's gonna happen...

[shrinksense]

Ruby City? Oh, you'll get to meet the other me - she has been there for a while.
She said it's a nice place, so maybe you'll make friends there?

[runofthemill]

I hope so...
The other you? What do you mean?

[shrinksense]

Well, my mundane thought my existence in her contemporary era could be an interesting concept - but the other version of myself, ah,

[ canon, Alice. canon. ]

By "canon" I suppose she means the "real" me even though I feel quite real... Nonetheless she's from a different time than I am. I'm sure she'll enjoy meeting you.

[runofthemill]

[ Well, he's a little gentleman and he's good with the ladies, so I'm sure they'll be good friends.]

Haha...I--I guess. I'm sure I'll enjoy meeting her too. Where-- or..."when" is she from?

[shrinksense]

[ Wait for it ]

Eighteen seventy-five.

[runofthemill]

[He blinks, taken aback.
Come on, Naegi, it's not that surprising in the world of fiction. At least play it cool.]

Oh, wow, that's pretty, huh, cool.

[shrinksense]

It was a pretty long time ago. But that's alright - she's lovely, I'm sure you will enjoy meeting her. More than you would enjoy meeting me, I think.

[ Not even when you try, Alice. The negativity is always there. ]

Which might be quite soon, yes?

[runofthemill]

Well, I enjoyed meeting you too...[ You do the same when talking about yourself, Naegi, but it's different to hear someone else doing that, huh?]

Yeah, I've seen her. She seems nice.

[betteroffdead]

I doubt there is anything worthwhile to be seen in the future. What a waste of time.

Your pet seems to delight in putting you through countless variations of the same horror. Are you certain it isn't broken?

[shrinksense]

You'd be surprised! Give it a try; you'd cause quite the spectacle with those undead of yours.

[ At least she hasn't lost her nerve. There's that? ]

As far as I'm concerned yours was involved in this somehow. Suggestion is as much to blame, you know.

[betteroffdead]

I'd rather not. I prefer the familiar comfort of Ruby City. [And the Alice he knows. Goodness, but this is awkward, like talking to your wife's best friend wondering just how many intimate details of your life she knows.]

My mundane is to blame, I will admit that. But she hasn't created more versions of me but myself and my foolish teenage self. I have a better hold on her.

[shrinksense]

So does she. You have that much in common. [ That about sums it up. She knows, it's just not her place to say too much.
Eventually that wouldn't be so good for the Alice you know, either. ]

How lucky you are- Don't take that for granted. The other me thought she did too until all of this happened.

[betteroffdead]

Don't worry about me, I have a good grasp on my mundane.

As for you, I doubt your mundane would send you anywhere too horrible. [This is his clumsy way of being supportive. Clumsy, mind you, but he's trying.]

[shrinksense]

Do you? I've been hearing curious things from my mundane about what has been going on in Ruby City. Didn't she mention you at some point? I think so. [ That comparison about talking to your wife's best friend? It's more like talking to your wife's twin sister. ]

She's not sending me anywhere outside her muse-box- whatever that is. It's quite enough for me provided it doesn't involve dealing with specific individuals I'd rather avoid. [ You know; Queens of Hearts, angry hatters, suspicious doctors... ]

[betteroffdead]

Oh? Has she? [Squirming. So much squirming. There might be the slightest bit of blushing, too. Just a tad, mind you, so it shouldn't count at all.]

Well, I... I suppose she might have mentioned me. At some point. Although that is hardly of consequence, it is? Mundanes like to waste their time on idle chatter, ours in particular. That is how you have been dragged into this mess, isn't it?

[shrinksense]

[ well,it counts, but Alices were never keen on pointing that out, were they? There's that knowing smile though. ]

Indeed they do. They talk about plenty of things from what I've gathered. [ It's not embarrassing if it's not exactly her? That works. ] Some of them actually even piqued my curiosity.

[betteroffdead]

[Okay, now this is a full-blown blush, no way to pretend it doesn't count. How fortunate for him that Alices generally aren't any more keen to embarrass than to be embarrassed, but all that stammering might be pushing it.] I... I... I have no idea what you are talking about! That's preposterous! You shouldn't be paying any attention to their drivel - I thought you were better than that!

[shrinksense]

[ She actually has to try and not laugh; how can her other self not laugh around him when he looks so embarrassed? Then again she hardly knows if that's a thing that happens... ]

Well, I find it interesting when their respective areas of study. How is that an awful thing? My education thus far has been very peculiar, you know.

[ Ha ha.
Ha.
Got you there, mr necromancer. ]

[betteroffdead]

[Yes, got him there and he doesn't like it one bit.

He doesn't even try to hide his annoyance.]

Yes, well, that might apply to your education. Mine has been excellent and I consider their conversations useless drivel.

[shrinksense]

Well, I wasn't raised by wolves and I find their "useless drivel", [ quotation marks and everything ] quite fascinating.

Although, I've also been hearing other things...

[betteroffdead]

[Well, Alice, have some more very dignified sputtering.]

I have no idea what you are talking about and it is none of your business anyway! Ladies shouldn't be nosy, it is unbecoming.

[shrinksense]

But I'm Alice, too. Just a few years ahead of time.

[ "a few" ]

I'm not sure what she sees in you, I admit, but I can't believe you're still tiptoeing around the subject. She won't bite, you know.

[betteroffdead]

There are worse things than death... or being bitten. [Yeah, just have a scornful look here, Alice.] I have my good reasons to be hesitant and so does she. More than that, she understands why I hesitate. That you can't fathom it proves that you are very different from her.

[shrinksense]

I can't fathom why she fancies you, Aristeo Regis, it's different. But you're right - we are different and I can't understand why you're still hesitating even with her permission. We're also from different times, but our story is very much the same, hers and mine.

You'd be surprised at all the things neither of us could possibly tell you. Her especially, I would wager.

[betteroffdead]

I've got my own secrets as well. And I don't need you to tell me what to do or not to do... I do well without your unwelcome advice.

[He coughs awkwardly.] I would not wish to hurt her by taking a wrong step. I thought you of all people would share my concern.

[shrinksense]

You'd do better to heed it for once. It's not as if I intend to cause harm- she is still me. Or I'm part of her, I suppose. I wouldn't dare.

And I do share it, but, [ she can't help the tiny smile. It's a little awkward, not very merry, but it's a typical Alice smile nonetheless. ] You'll see for yourself.

[betteroffdead]

That is about as unhelpful and vague as you could possibly be. [He sighs, utterly irritated yet at the same time fondly amused. It is a very familiar feeling.] I would like to say I'm surprised but I'm not. You... the other Alice is very similar. She confuses me in the same manner.

[shrinksense]

It is what we do best, after all, [ Alices take pride in not being transparent around you, Aristeo! They would be utterly dull otherwise. ] Her, more so. She knows you better. Likes you better too--

--No offense. I simply don't know you as well.

[betteroffdead]

Of course she likes me better! You hardly know me, do you? Although you act as if you knew everything... which reminds me of her, truth be told.

[shrinksense]

That would be because we do know quite a bit more than you imagine! [ Or so they like to think, really. ] But there is little guarantee that I would appreciate your company quite the same way even if I did know you. We are from different times, the other Alice and I.

[betteroffdead]

There is little guarantee I would enjoy yours, for that matter. I appreciate that my Alice is from an era similar to mine. We have an understanding based on our backgrounds which I would hardly have with ou.