Safe Haven in a World at War (Open)

[Reast Istoría Vu]

It was hot. Which was more than expected weather when you are on a chunk of land surrounded by water. But it wasn't until recently that Reast realized how hot it truly was. But, then again...it wasn't till recently that she would leave the protection and camouflage of the forest. The chitter chatter grew louder as Re approached the fountain that was located in Town Square..This was the heart of the island, maybe not the soul, but certainly the heart. Why were people so drawn to this location? Was it merely because it was in the center of town? Or was it because it was the center of the island? Or could it just be the irony of the world....While Re wasn't completely sure why..she knew one thing for certain. Nothing was just "irony".

The sun beat down on the skin of anyone left out in the open, slowly changing their skin from the average pink-like color to a strawberry red. Well this was relevant for those who still could burn; for those who still had it within their genetic coding. Each person here was mutated...different in some way that society could no longer see them as humans..but much rather, they saw them as animals. It could be something as minor as reading minds, but looking the part of a human..but even then, the moment that society knew of your ability, you were labeled a monster as much of a monster as a full scaled dragon. The thought of a dragon brought a small smile to Re's face. The outside world had't been exposed to those scaley friends for a while..that might be something fun to draw later.. The thoughts softly echoed in her head for several moments before she became distracted once more. This time her distraction was based purely off instinct...also in the genetic coding. What was surrounding her? Anything that could be seen as dangerous...? No, that wouldn't be it, she was the dangerous one here. Reast was the starving monster.

Re allowed her eyes to wander, inspecting and observing the various faces that were around her. Each person seemed so care free...but why? Did they each honestly expect that this island was the safe haven in a world at war? Re thought humans could be foolish...but she didn't think that people who were supposed to be different like herself would be such fools about the matter.

"Humans," Re sighed softly to herself as she leaned up against a supporting post by the fountain.

Humans left a bad taste in her mouth, but they had the same effect on most of the community that could be found on the island. Most just wouldn't admit the way Re would.  Re had disagreed, fought, and harmed many humans in this world. A world that was supposed to be shared but was surely being dominated by the foolish humans. This was the world they lived in. All of them. Constantly a world at tug a war. And this. This island was the last place where they could brush off their shoulders and pretend they weren't freaks of nature.

A small chuckle escaped Re's lips. "Freaks...I like it."

[Alice Liddell]

As I walk through the line of guards at the bridge, I flash them my ID card. Thankfully there’s a vampire checker today, so I don’t have to bother to stop or slow down. The guards step aside to let me back onto the island. I remember a time, not so long ago, when I didn’t have to show my ID anymore. I was recognizable on sight. But now things are different, and I’m different. The Promise world still knows thinks of Alice Row and the mundane world still tries to turn to Clockwork. But Alice Row is dead and Clockwork is long retired. Because of this, because of my new appearance – or rather, my old appearance returned, with a few differences – I found this first time that I went off the island since the death of Alice Row that things are different. I never truly realized before, that nobody knew what I really looked like. I was identified solely for my Copper wolf eyes. And now, since my eyes are no longer the pure Copper that they once were, when people look at me, they wonder who I am.

Catching my reflection in a window as I pass a store with my usual quick and long strides, I do realize why. I hardly look like the girl I once was. My skin and my body is the same. But my eyes, my hair, even my natural expression, even the way I hold myself, it’s all different. I don’t have that heartless bitch air about me anymore. My eyes aren’t harsh as they used to be, cold and narrowed in either suspicion, anger or annoyance. Even my hair isn’t as wild as it used to be – though it is much longer.

I sigh, part of me wondering when exactly this happened. I wish I could blame it solely on the death of Alice Row, but I started to change even before then. And it annoys me that I can’t pin-point the exact time it started. I’m a manipulator of time, for gods’ sake, I should be much better at keeping track of it.

I stop suddenly, both my steps and my train of thought, when I realize I just passed a familiar figure. I cock my head to the side slightly as I slowly turn around, quickly scanning the bodies swarming around the fountain at the center of the town. And then I see her, standing still amongst them all, watching as people steamed past her.

“Oh my gods,” I say as I change direction and approach her. Somewhere in my mind, I realize she probably won’t recognize me. But, of course, that doesn’t stop me. “Reast Vu,” I smirk.

[Reast Istoría Vu]

As the wind rustled through the trees and into the free skies, Re felt her hair tickle the skin exposed on her neck. Her skin inflamed ad screamed to be scratched, but Re had her sights elsewhere. Watching each of the passing faces carefully, Re turned her eyes to look at a figure who seemed to be approaching her. Her deep gray eyes seemed to be recording each and every detail of this individual. Any small detail helped identify who she could be. But as the woman grew closer, and closer, Re didn't need much more information in order to identify and discuss.

After the women spoke her name, Re couldn't help but smile softly. Reast, the name her human parents had given her when they had found her. The human parents she had ripped limb from limb...The thought left shades of red throughout Re's mind. There were some things you just can't un-see. Especially at the measly age of three, or four. Each cut bleeding out as though they had been stabbed...The carpet just soaking the red nectar like a sponge..They were wonderful people, and she had murdered them. The memories frequently returned...holding onto her mind and keeping her in the dark ages. Her face, as a young child spotted with blood. The look of true confusion as she pulled the thread like substance that held her human fathers leg together...Then the ear breaking scream that followed from his bones shattering from under him...There was no way to forget.

"Now, now, Isn't this a surprise..."Re spoke carefully, as though this was almost a game of hers. After all, this was an individual she hadn't seen in some time...And that tie she had seen her, the women truly did enjoy the mind games.
"Alice, isn't it? It's been some time." Slipping her hands in the back pockets of her jeans, Re felt as the breeze took her hair across her shoulders and barely brushed against her back. As much as Re had a hard time believing in Irony... this almost seemed to be the indicator that someone else was running the game. Alice and Re went back a bit. When Re was bored, or Alice may have needed a rather trained assassin, Re was there. Then again, not many knew of their arrangements.

Tipping her head slightly, Re's eye narrowed. Something wasn't right...Or at least, something seemed off. Rocking to her side to have a better stance, Re then allowed her eyes to make contact with Alice for several moments before speaking once more. "You've changed."

[Alice Liddell]

For possibly the first time in my life, I think about her words before I say anything in response. I think about what there is to say. In another life, I might have been offended. She hasn’t seen me in a long time, who was she to tell me if I’ve changed or not? But I’m not as hostile as I used to be. I’m not a lot of things that I used to be. And I know that. I know that the changes in me, in almost everything about me, are obvious, even to someone like Re, who hasn’t seen me in years, and who never knew anything personal about me even when she had.

Then again, that’s not really saying much, because no one knew anything personal about me while Alice Row still lived and Clockwork still worked. So much has changed since then. Even what I tell people about myself.

At another time, I might have wanted to deny her words. Tell her something ridiculous like, I haven’t changed that much. Or something even more ridiculous like, I’m the same as I’ve always been.

But the truth is I haven’t been even close to the person I am now since I was a child. A real child, before all the time turning tricks that allow me to appear a child whenever I want.

For possibly the first time in my life, I’m not even sure what to say. Almost everyone around me has basically watched me change. So what do I say to someone who knew me as a monster, and is now faced with an entirely different kind of beast in the same body? Am I even still a beast at all?

Finally, I say the only thing that I can think of. Possibly the most obvious statement in the world. The Dreamer, the Creationist, the writer, and all I can think of to say is, “A lot has.”

[Reast Istoría Vu]

It took a lot to surprise Re. But oddly enough, Alice's moment of silence took Re by absolute surprise. Had she offended her? Maybe even made her a little upset? The Alice she used to know, well sort of know, wouldn't have stood around if she was offended. The women she used to associate with when it was convenient would not have thought her words out at all... Re was waiting for this conversation to turn into a throw down, but instead...she couldn't have been more wrong. Was this truly Alice? No, this couldn't be..It had to be an impostor...She could never be this calm with someone questioning her very being...

Re listened to her response but at first said nothing. For once Re had to observe the situation and find the right response to the troubled thoughts at hand. While watching the women for several seconds, Re's eyes quickly shifted to a light gray color, only for a couple seconds before returning to their previous color. Those few seconds were just enough time to observe the woman's physical anatomy...and to Re's surprise..the marks she saw were the same as the Alice she once associated with. The scars weren't what convinced her though, it were the marks that the invisible eye couldn't see...It was the woman's soul itself.

"It seems we might have some to catch up on." Re spoke carefully, but allowed a small smile to cross her face.  Re wasn't sure f this was the time or place for such conversation, but being the monsters stuck on this island that they were...Sometimes it is just nice to know that there is someone...anyone.

Watching Alice for a response, Re couldn't help but let her mind wander into various different thoughts. Where had the beast once was contained in this woman gone? Did she still hold the personality of the woman she once knew? Re wasn't sure what would come from this conversation, or this interaction..But she did know one thing for sure..It would be interesting.

[Alice Liddell]

Catching up, I know, isn’t exactly the worst idea in the worlds. She’s on the island now, and despite having my own little private section of the island, I know that this will mean her and I will likely run into each other more often now. But I glance to the south-east. My village that I’ve yet to think of a name for isn’t in sight from here – or for anywhere, really – but I can see my tower that stands just on the edge of the cliff that drops down and makes the perimeter of my village. I’m not even sure how long I’ve been gone to them. I ended up having to time travel in the midst of my mission, and since it was the first one since the death of Alice Row, I had a surprisingly hard time balancing the time magic with the few other abilities I’ve managed to unlock by taking up my original name and identity.

“Not now,” I decide, finally tearing my gaze away from the tower, and my mind away from the village just beyond it, and returning them both to Re. “Not now,” I say again, recognizing my double hit habit rising as it always does when I’m even the slightest bit uneasy anymore, but unable to stop it. “I just got back and I’ve been gone some time, so I’ve, ah, something to attend to. Tomorrow though?” I start to smirk, but that smirk quickly becomes the mysterious smile I’ve found myself taking up lately. “And then I’ll tell you all the fun you’ve missed these past years.” I realize then that it probably hasn’t been years since I’ve changed. Not by Earth time, not to anyone here. “Months,” I decide. It has to have been at least months.

“But for now, I have to go.” I don’t bother asking for a time or place to meet her. Glancing up at the crystals floating through the air, I know that I’ll be able to find her easily when I want the time to come, and that she’ll be able to signal me just as easily when she wants the time to come. I find myself smiling, for no real reason that I can think of, as I reach up a hand and gently brush a crystal from my path, the Wonderland stone moving before my hand without letting my skin come in contact with it. A laugh bubbles up inside me and escapes, as I leave town square.

[Reast Istoría Vu]

Nothing more was shared. No other communication, not another exchange. It was awkward to put simply. These never just talked. When these two met up there was always a reason behind it. So why had they met up? Was this fates way of a sign. That something was coming. Re turned away to face the fountain completely. The water would remain calm for half a second before more water would in and disrupt the peace. It was always moving, always changing like this world they lived in..Something was coming. Even all the residents here couldn't expect this to be complete harmony.

The Darwin effect had impacted so many already...And though everyone seemed in harmony now, Re knew it would only be a matter of time until someone turned the tide. Someone would get power hungry...or just plain angry. A small smile came to her face, or maybe just hungry in general. Reast could feel the hunger daily...growing and slowly consuming the light inside of her that kept the balance. She could hold it off for now, but it was only a matter of time. Like a bomb just waiting to hit zero.

Looking up at the sky, Re sighed one last time before the shadows of the crowd crawled around her. Consuming her body into the darkness, until disappearing, and her disappearing with it.

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