Talk in Tongues

[Lisseth Keiran]

Humming quietly, Lisseth watched the sky's horizon; one sun sinking as the other rises. She ripped a piece of bread from the small loaf in her hand and sucked on the stale crust, its edges sharp from where it was torn. In the neverending day, life passed slowly. There was no thrill of the nightlife, of walking along dark alleys, mischevious stalkers lurking in the corners. Barely even a violent argument broke out among these parts.

So how did she manage to get shipwrecked on the old folk's home of the universe?

She needed something to do. She was beginning to think that she'd settle for anything.

[imported_The Mad Hatter]

Tap, tap, tap, tap. Click.

"Brrread?"

A voice spoke in disbelief, pitch fluctuating up and down a whole octave within the single word.

[Lisseth Keiran]

Lisseth flinched as she looked around for the voice's source. It had caught her off guard, especially with the shrill abnormality of it. She turned and stood from the stout wall lining the roof.

"Who's there?"

[imported_The Mad Hatter]

There was a sharp sound like the start of a laugh, which folded quickly to become speech again.

"NooooOoOoo... Who's there?"

[Lisseth Keiran]

Her brow creased as Lisseth pulled on of the thin spikes from her boot's heel, holding it protectively as she walked away from the ledge.

"Lisseth. Now who are you?"

[imported_The Mad Hatter]

"Pin cushion, am I?"

Tap, tap, tap, tap. Shadow formed from no where and swept upwards in a funnel hazing slowly as a tall cylinder canted forward out of it ... following by a gnarled grinning face, staring up from a foot or so below Lisseth.

[Lisseth Keiran]

Lisseth resisted the reflex to attack the strange little man that had appeared from absolutely nothing. She frowned a little and crouched down to look at him eye-to-eye, her spike ready if needed.

"Pin...cushion?"

[imported_The Mad Hatter]

The hollow looking navy eyes stared forward as a smile curved around the pumpkin-nose of the man.

"Going to stick that little needle into me, are we?"

The cane held in the small figures hand span around leisurely and he brought his hands up to the lapels on his dirty-white suit.

"Turn me into swish cheese!" he yelped.

[Lisseth Keiran]

Out of anything Lisseth had been expecting to have been calling out, this was beyond her mind's grasp. She smirked quietly and placed the spike back into the small canester hidden in her boot before letting her arms cross and rest on her knees.

"I won't turn you to swiss cheese. ...Do you have a name?"

[imported_The Mad Hatter]

"Oooh, a name,"

The tone of it's voice became ponderous, though mocking at the same time, as if it was attempting to purposefully delay the line of questionning, or perplex the girl further. A thought suddenly struck, and he flung his free hand into the air, index finger raised.

"Ah! I sowed me name into me hat!"

The high brimmed checked hat tumbled from atop his head, revealing a shiny little bald head with a single strand of white hair in the center. With studious clarity he began inspecting the inner rim of the hat, making little thoughtful noises.

"Oh me, oh my, oh deary..." he murmured.

[Lisseth Keiran]

Lisseth furrowed her brow as she sat down on the roof, staring at the little man. She grinned a bit and tilt her head, deciding to tease him a bit.

"So which is it? Oh me, my, or deary?

[imported_The Mad Hatter]

"Which you say? Perhaps its all of them, or perhaps none. The hat has no answers."

This said, he seemed almost glum, but cheered up instantly as he plonked the hat back upon his head. He tucked his cane beneath his sleeve and tugged the cuff upwards, extending a bony hand towards the girl.

"Cedrick Whifflesnap!" he proclaimed loudly.

[Emily Rochette]

Emily peered at the two through firey eyes as she creapt along the edge of the roof. Her nails scraped the cement, creating a dull, ackward screech before she started wandering toward the woman, tilting her head curiously. She grinned a bit, the quote rolling off her tongue.

"What's in a name?"

[imported_The Mad Hatter]

"Little girl crawls the rooftops in search of treats, not candy canes but sweet rat meats," the man said as he span on the heel of his highly polished shoe to regard the new arrival.

"Up off your knees or you'll scuff your pretty skirts, Betsy!"

[Lisseth Keiran]

Lisseth stared at the two for a long moment before standing. This was all too much, even for her. She watched as they gibbered wtih eachother, using their distraction to take her leave.

[Emily Rochette]

Emily poked her tongue out at the man as she looked at him, pouting quietly.

"Not rats."

It was true; Salem was off searching for rats around the old building, Emily was intrested in larger prey. She grinned as she eyed the large hat, simply plucking it from his head and placing it on her own.

[imported_The Mad Hatter]

"How frightfully rude!"

The cane whipped upwards and cracked against the girls stomach before knocking the hat upwards so that it became hung on the end of the cane. With a light flick of his wrist, he tossed the hat up into the air and it landed back upon his little withered head. A look of cheerful anger, if that is possible, came across him as he noticed the departure of the red head.

"Ah, then there were two. All the more jam for me, then," he chuckled with glee.

Eyes became slitted as he looked to the girl.

"Who," he said in the most melodramatic of tones, "might yooooou be?"

[Emily Rochette]

"Emily.."

Her voice was surprisingly timid as she locked eyes with the old man. She rubbed her stomach lightly, grimacing from where he had struck her. She reached out and placed a fingertip against the end of his nose.

"And who is the man that likes his jam?"

[imported_The Mad Hatter]

"Wordsley Pinkleton," he said with an air of grandeur.

The cane popped upwards, nudging Emily's finger away from his face.

"I don't take kindly to strangers poking my nobbly bits!"

He tottered around and looked towards the sun, squinting as he brought his hat brim over his eyes.

"Suns 'a setting."

[Emily Rochette]

Emily poked her tongue out at the sun as she sucked on her finger, growling a bit toward the hatter. She released her finger and crawled forward to the man, her face leaning as close to his as possible without touching. She grinned slowly as she searched his empty eyes before withdrawing.

"Mister jam's mind is just as broken as Emily's"

[imported_The Mad Hatter]

"Brrroken?"

The r's rolled from his black-palette tounge vivaciously.

"Pish posh! The old ticker isn't on it's last hour yet," he added with a jonty wink.

[Emily Rochette]

"Ti-cker?"

Emily blinked curiously before standing up and circling the man. After a minute, she knelt back down and shook her head with a helpless shrug.

"Don't see a ticker. So it must be in the repair shop."

[imported_The Mad Hatter]

"Silly silly!"

He brought one gloved hand up and taped the pocket on his breast pocket.

"It's in here," he said with another wink before tugging on a thin linked silver chain, flicking it into the light for a moment before tucking it away again.

"Or maybe it's under my hat?"

He looked upwards and lifted the hat, revealing the watch now balancing uneasily on his head. Quickly, he covered it again.

[Emily Rochette]

Emily pouted lightly and grabbed at the hat again, seeming to be entranced by the majestic watch.

"Ticker!"

[imported_The Mad Hatter]

The watch had vanished.

"Tick tock, tick tock," he murmured, "Not inside the top hat, is it?"

The Hatter craned his neck, standing on his toes, to peer inside the darkness of the hat.

"It's behind your ear!"

One hand shot out and somehow yanked the small pocket watch from behind the muss of black hair.

[Salem Ave]

"Sss-o rrrude to bother people," a hiss, contradicting the shrill voice of the Hatter, sept into the air.

A hunched figure, shaded by a cloak, stepped out into view. The sun was just setting and his time of day drew in as darkness spread. The man, or boy rather, looked out of the two from beneath a curtain of dark hair, solid black eyes peering blandly at the short gentleman.

[Emily Rochette]

"Salem!"

Emily chirped the name as she ran over to him, her arms slipping around his waist. Her cheek nuzzled his arm, acting much like a loyal pet that had missed its master. She poked her tongue out at the Hatter and giggled quietly as she peeked out from behind the tall man.

[imported_The Mad Hatter]

"Ooooow," he cooed.

The new man was a good 7 foot tall, he thought, and indeed looked like a spindly stickman or skeleton from down low. He gave a hearty chuckle and waddled his way towards him with a brimming smile on his thin rosy cheeks.

"Tall chap, aren't you? White and black, just like Betsy," he said with a knowing shake of his head.

He rose up onto his toes and tilted his head sideways, raising a monicle to his left eye. Through the circle of glass, he squinted up at the fellow.

"One of them leeches are ya? Curious beasts!"

[Salem Ave]

"Beasssts?"

For a moment, he contemplated questionning exactly who Betsy was, but the idea flitted away quickly.

"Choossse yourrr words carefully, else I will leech off of you, little man."

[Emily Rochette]

She pout quietly, moving her arms so that her fingers clung to his left sleeve. Emily mumbled under her breath, glowering at the little man.

"Not Betsy.."

[imported_The Mad Hatter]

"Betsy Biggins!" the Hatter shouted frustratedly.

He jabbed the cane upwards.

"You pick the strangest of friends, Betsy. I thought you would have chosen better than this flounce," he said as he shifted his weight from one foot to another.

"Nothing but a kitten in a cowl!" he chimed.

[Salem Ave]

The vampyre bore his fangs for the first time as he glanced down to Emily.

"Who isss thisss fool?" he growled quietly, eyes shifting momentarily to look at the giddy midget.