Down the Rabbit Hole...

[Carliah Dakrone]

Carliah was seated on her lightsaber throne once again. This time she was being forced to listen to the common folk whine to her about their problems. Oh how she hated holding court. It wouldn't have been so bad if the throne were a bit more comfortable. She'd have to get a cushion for it or something. She absent-mindly brushed some invisible dust off of her black and red gown with it's skirt covered in pictures of bleeding hearts and butcher knives. She adjusted the red strip of cloth hiding her empty eye sockets from view and looked down at the peasant kneeling before her.

"Request denied. Come back when you have something important to discuss. I hate it when people waste my time." She growled at the man. Her head jerked up when she heard the doors to the hall open.

[member="Hijinks"]

 

[Hijinks]

Jink would have grinned at the red-clad woman on the throne, if he had in fact been behind the doors to see. He was not. Instead, he was floating in the general vicinity of the ceiling, walking along the air like others walked on the ground. He looked at the upside-down woman on the oddly-shaped throne, and now he grinned, baring fangs, and bowing sarcastically.

"Well, hello there. Don't you look lovely?"

[member="Carliah Dakrone"]

 

[Carliah Dakrone]

"Oh a cat. How curious. Tell me what has brought you here?" she asked, paying no mind to the door once she saw the insignificant commoner that had come through it. She waved her hand at the man dismissively.

"I am done holding court for now, leave!" She commanded, grinning as all the people remaining in the hall hurried away before they became targets of her wrath. She glanced up at the cat again, watching as it padded across the air. She briefly wondered how that was even possible but shrugged and dismissed it.

[member="Hijinks"]

 

[Hijinks]

Jink didn't answer at first, preferring to walk to and sit on an elaborate (read, garish) chandelier hanging from the ceiling. His tail twitched, and he leapt from the gold-plated monstrosity to sit on the back of the throne, deftly avoiding the lightsaber blades protruding from it.

"Why, Red Lady, I am here because it interests me to be here. A cat should go where he pleases, no?"

[member="Carliah Dakrone"]

 

[Carliah Dakrone]

"I've always wanted a cat. Tell me would you be interested in staying here? I'll give you whatever it is you desire, and a comfortable cushion for sleeping," Carliah replied with a grin. She watched the cat leap from the ceiling and dodge the lightsaber blades. "I could turn those off it you would like to sit on the back of the chair. Do you have a name or shall I just call you 'cat' forever?" the bloody queen inquired as she watched the lithe animal. [member="Hijinks"]

 

[Hijinks]

Jink laughed, and flipped over to the seat of the throne, squeezing in next to the Red Queen. He put his arm around her shoulders, and pulled her until she was leaning softly on his shoulder.

"Now, isn't using me as a cushion more comfy, Lady Red?."

He tapped her nose, and grinned broadly. His tail snaked his way to her shoulder and rubbed against it.

"My name is Jink. And you're one of the very few people who has caused me enough interest to emerge from my tower."

He winked at her, and his eyes turned gold.

"Take any meaning of interest you like."

[member="Carliah Dakrone"]

 

[Carliah Dakrone]

"Hmmm I don't know if you'd like my interpretation of interest, " Carliah replied, grinning seductively at the half-man, half-cat now seated next to her. She would normally have sliced off his hands for touching her, but she found him intriguing and, maybe now that he was in human form, just a bit attractive. She glanced at his tail which was rubbing against her exposed shoulder seeing as her dress was strapless and the sleeves which hung off of her shoulders did very little to hold it up. Instead the dress was held up by the corset like top which was tied rather tight in the back. [member="Hijinks"]

 

[Hijinks]

Jink just shook his head again, and slid the Red Lady closer to him, smiling. He'd forgotten how quick some people would go, because they didn't have as long to live as he did. It made sense. But it wouldn't stop him from having his fun.

"Don't worry, your lovely Red Highness. We have plenty of time to discuss your interpretation of my presence here. Here, or there, or anywhere. For now, just enjoy your new cat for a little while."

[member="Carliah Dakrone"]

 

[Carliah Dakrone]

She smirked and reached up to pet his tail. "And just how long does this kitty plan to stay with me? And how much trust can I place in it's paws?" she inquired. Carliah was no fool.She would not blindly trust this creature based on good looks and pretty words alone. She needed a show of faith,something to give her reason to place trust upon this cat's shoulders. A sly kitty with a cheshire grin could go a long way in helping her with her goals for Widek. No one would ever expect a cat was spying on them. [member="Hijinks"]

 

[Hijinks]

Jink smiled back at the Queen, and his eyes turned blue. His tail waved a bit, the piercing on the end clinking slightly. Anybody who knew him, and nobody did, would have said he looked sad. And they would have been right.

"Well, Your Redness, a stray cat stays where he's wanted. I never overstay my welcome."

He shrugged, and squeezed the lady's shoulders with his arm.

"I wish there was somebody else to tell you what I've been entrusted with. I've kept some major secrets for a long, long, time."

[member="Carliah Dakrone"]

 

[Carliah Dakrone]

"You may stay for as long as you like unless you give me cause to have you removed from my palace. I'm sure a cunning creature like you will find a way to earn my trust. You can go where you like provided you stay out of my personal chambers and the dungeons. Although if you behave yourself you may be welcome into my private quarters, but we shall see," Carliah replied with a smirk. Her madness was made very apparent with the smirk on her face. She wondered what things would be like with this curious cat around. She had a feeling that things in Widek were changing. She could already feel the planet slowly passing into madness with it's ruler. [member="Hijinks"]

 

[Hijinks]

Jink smiled, and winked again, his eyes turning gold again.

"Oh? Here I thought you'd want me to do something while we were in this pointy chair of yours. But if you're not into that sort of thing, I can wait."

A thought came to him... An interesting thought, that would have equally interesting consequences.

"You can see me better than most, with Force Sight. What do you see? I'm interested to know."

[member="Carliah Dakrone"]

 

[Carliah Dakrone]

"I see a rather good looking man with ears and a tail that I might be interested in if he proves trust worthy. I also sense something... odd about you. You have rather unusual abilities. I'd very much like to learn more if you'd let me," she reached up and stroked his tail once more. She purred at him and grinned. "You're rather soft, I wonder, does the little kitty want to curl on the Queen's lap? I'll allow it provided you're in cat form as I don't think you'll fit in human form." Carliah was flirting a bit shamelessly, but she was the Queen of Madness and Ruler of Widek, she could do what she wanted. [member="Hijinks"]

 

[Hijinks]

Jink shook his head a bit sadly, but grinned wider.

"I can't transform anymore... A side effect of looking how I have for so long. It's never bothered me much, though."

He winked roguishly, and moved his moth close to the Queen's ear.

"There's no problem with the Queen sitting in her cat's lap, either."

He was being silly, and he knew it, but it'd been a long, long time since a woman had actually been interested in him, or vice versa. He felt entitled to play a bit with this lovely, if insane, woman.

[member="Carliah Dakrone"]

 

[Carliah Dakrone]

"Are you sure playing with a woman gone mad is wise? Most people would be unwilling to have any sort of relation with the Queen of Madness," Carliah grinned, sliding onto the strange man's lap. If things went poorly she could simply order him beheaded. If things went well with him, maybe she would seek a way to allow him to transform again. She smiled at him a bit as she waited for his reply. [member="Hijinks"]

 

[Hijinks]

Jink shrugged, holding the red-clad Queen closer. He was still young, and he definitely still had his faults. But that was part of the fun of his life.

"Most people would be unwilling to flirt with a Cheshire Cat. I'm more interested in you because you're mad, if anything. I think a bit of playtime would do us both good."

He smiled, and began to stroke her hair.

[member="Carliah Dakrone"]

 

[Carliah Dakrone]

"Maybe you're right Mr. Kitty, but I don't think you've earned it yet. And, you can call me Carliah if you'd like," she giggled, still smiling at the cat. She rested one arm across his shoulders, the other sitting against his chest. Her legs were hanging over the arm of the chair and the Mad Queen was firmly seated in the Cheshire Cat's lap. She smirked a bit as she leaned against him. [member="Hijinks"]

 

[Hijinks]

Jink kept smiling back, and his eyes turned as red as the dress the Queen was wearing. He was quite comfortable with Carliah in his arms, and across his lap.

"Well, Carliah... I'm a very patient fuzzball. I'd rather stay like this until the sun sets, and rises again, than force my little game on you."

He put his face close up to hers, and his smile turned crooked.

"You have a cute giggle. But you know that."

[member="Carliah Dakrone"]

 

[Carliah Dakrone]

"I hope you don't mind a queen with violent tendencies. You may see a lot of terrible things during your time here," she whispered, smirking a bit. The bleeding hearts and butcher knives on her clothes were a testament to her way of ruling. She truly was the Queen of Madness after all.

"I've some tarts cooking in the kitchens. Would the kitty care for a snack? I have quite the sweet tooth," she grinned even more as she spoke, not at all unsettled by their proximity. She was thoroughly enjoying being around this cat. [member="Hijinks"]

 

[Hijinks]

Jink smirked back, shrugging at Carliah's perceived violent tendencies. There were plenty of terrible things in the Escher Tower, and he thought he'd seen all of them. Suddenly, he had a thought, and his smile became very coy.

"I don't mind if you get, uh, violent with me. That sounds like fun."

At the mention of food, Jink turned his head to nibble the hand on his shoulder lightly.

"Yes, I do love sweet things. You're not... afraid of heights are you?"

[member="Carliah Dakrone"]