WE’RE ALL MAD HERE.

[chessmorrigan]

inspired by: the cheshire cat (alice’s adventures in wonderland) & the emcee (cabaret) & dionysius (greek god of madness)

one and one and one is three. got to be good looking ‘cause he’s so hard to see.

chess is neither here nor there. not up or down or left or right. he is always exactly where he needs to be, hiding in plain sight. names, favorites, occupations - these are all formalities that do not matter in the grand scheme of things. chess will find you when they need to find you - and if they don't need to find you, well ... good luck. | he/they.

Stay with me here, but I’d like to get us started with a mini dissertation comparing the recently closed revival of Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club to our beloved Alice in Wonderland.

Lewis Caroll sets a painfully average scene at the beginning of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. We meet a little girl who is quite fond of her cat - so much so that she doesn’t really speak of much else. Unassuming in nature, it takes her literally falling down a rabbit hole and into an alternate dimension to realize that something might be odd. In Cabaret at the August WIlson theatre, you become immersed in this experience right away. As a spectator, you become part of the spectacle - and the general vibe is not normal, but it is pleasant. Alice exploring this world in the beginning, with singing flowers and a rabbit who somehow understands the concept of time, is incredibly reminiscent of the pre-show. And then who comes in to fully set the scene?

It’s the Emcee. The Cheshire Cat. Wilkommen, bienvenue. We are all mad here.

Similarly to the emcee - the moment we meet this character is almost normal. He is quite perched up behind a person and watching silently, as cats are wont to do, except direct eye contact with Alice causes him to grin in a way she immediately questions. But otherwise, he is just a cat. It is easy to convince a little girl of that - and they do. In fact, they gaslit, gatekept, girlbossed all the way into convincing her all cats grinned that way.

It’s not until we see this particular cat later in the forest, iconically, where he reveals the truth of the situation. At least - he reveals the beginning of truth, only providing the information he feels is necessary in the moment. We aren’t exactly revealing *ahem* arm bands, so we’ll stop the comparison there - but what I’m taking from all of this is the idea that the purpose of this character is to guide the spectator’s descent into madness. Normalize the weird and guide them so far into it, they don’t know up from down. The Cheshire Cat is the only character to admit that everyone is insane, and he also encourages the reader to embrace that.

So - what does this mean for Chess?

The loss of Wonderland feels incredibly profound to me for an entity that exists outside of the physical plane. Nothing is normal or of a certain status quo in Wonderland - but as Chess slips through the cracks and lands in Elias, there’s a new sense of normalcy to interact with and learn. They are powerful, sure - but in the spirit of “knowledge is power”, lack of knowledge will cause constriction. The man behind the curtain is no longer pulling strings, no longer narrating the story. While the Queen of Hearts is, of course, the puppeteer of Wonderland in a certain way - Chess was the puppeteer of his own life and landing in Elias feels like the strings were cut. They are displaced in a way that feels, at this moment, unfathomable. Chess must pick himself up, collect his broken strings, and find a way to orchestrate the show without a working puppet. 

The challenging thing about all of this is that Chess’ motivations are not clear - not to me, not to you, and not to themself. All whims are fleeting and this character is born to chase them, much like a cat with a mouse. He is everything and nothing at the same time. He is a physical embodiment of the fourth wall - omnipresent and not present at all. The one thing they would want would be to return to Wonderland - but since that is not possible, the only thing that they can do is adapt and try to regain literally any sense of control. Once settled in, he can watch and he can wait.  

For me, the story starts after this point. Chess has gotten somewhat comfortable in Elias and, much like the bio suggests, has found their way into Donald’s good graces. Wonderland is seeping into literally everything - in ways that are subtle and in others that are obvious - and to Chess this feels like a challenge, a puzzle to be solved. It is not his job to solve it, of course - but lying in wait has its perks. Chess is watching the show and will surely live to tell the tale - life is a cabaret and all that. 

Don’t pay the man behind the curtain any mind until he rips the curtain away. And pay attention to when he pulls the curtain away - although there may be a negative impact, the intent is never malicious. But you never know who may trap you in a burning building with the intention of starting a campfire. Chess doesn’t mean to do harm, but harm will be done. And once the situation is twisted into a positive, they will require a ‘thank you’.

connections

ariel nystrom + mavis vaduva - the two who have claimed him as the grotto's shop cat ( the caveat - must interact with them in cat form ) | alias: potato chip

[luzuramagic]

"A lot of cities do. Actually, kinda the whole world. We have to pay for things with money. Which is a whole concept in itself, but yeah! It's nice when things are free, like the arts." She wondered what magical land Chess was from where money wasn't needed, and how she could get there. The witch had to pause for a moment to wrap her head around the concept of money. The two of them had only been talking for a short time, but Chess had made her think of things in a different light twice.

"Oh, you got here in October! Okay, so you've been here six months. How do you like Elias so far?" Her eyes widened at the mention of the carnival wheel. It felt like the misfortunes in Elias all began after that event. "Yes! It was evil! And I don't use that word lightly either. I wonder who thought that would be a good idea."

[chessmorrigan]

"perhaps, that is why wonderland popped," he mused allowed, smirk on his lips like it was the closest he got to telling a joke. maybe it was. "no money payments." it was quite the theory - one that chess did not actually find to be true, but it was an interesting one nonetheless. "what would happen if world dismantled it?"

chess shrugged at the mention of october, whatever that was. dates, times, and months - it was all arbitrary to the cat. an optional concept to indulge in back where he was from. of course that rabbit was obsessed with time, but not chess. chess found no use in it. "elias ... it is fine. home is here but it is not home. understand?" he shrugged again to fill a pause, picking it up recently from other humans who did not know what to say. "how much more time have you been here?"

[chessmorrigan]

closed starter for: @mavisvaduva location: the grotto

it seemed, somehow, that chess had gotten themself into yet another pickle, whatever that meant. while they had been entirely too certain that they’d remain undetected so long as they were lined with fur, it never occurred to chess that chaos and wonder crept through the underland in ways even the cat didn’t understand. he had grossly underestimated the population here when so casually settling as the grotto's lazy shop pet. it had been too easy of a gig, the only downside being in the cuisine. he hadn't expected the bubble to burst so soon, but here they were.

there was a missing cat poster in the window. chess had been nervous to return as the beloved potato chip, just in case hell's own tweedle dee and tweedle dumb returned to the scene of the crime. chess made a face at the photo in the center - they didn't remember being that orange.

it had been bothering them slightly, not being able to check in every day like they had grown so accustomed to. it was nice not having to find a comfortable place to sleep, that cat bed more plush than a king's mattress. dare he say he even missed it.

walking into the grotto on two feet was strange. looking to the register immediately, eyes locked on mavis like they would any other time he came in. the knowing glint in her eye was missing but now, inexplicably to anyone with sense, it was in his. he turned, deciding to mimic most who loop around the place, looking a bit too closely at each shelf, his face mere inches from the inventory. no matter. once he returned to the register, he cleared his throat. "how are you? i am ..." he trailed off, looking for the word. "sorry about your cat."

[casimirdraven]

casimir moved through the grotto like he belonged there, hands tucked into the pockets of his jacket as he casually weaved between crowded shelves and tables. there was always something amusing about places like this during an event... too many people, too much noise, enough distractions for all kinds of fun. exactly why he’d agreed to meet krit here. whether that fun involved mild theft, harmless sabotage, or simply making someone’s night significantly more inconvenient remained to be seen.

“you’re late,” he muttered the second he caught sight of krit, mouth curving into a crooked grin. “i was beginning to think you’d developed a conscience, which honestly would be tragic for our friendsh—” he stopped short, brows knitting together as his gaze flicked toward the back of the shop, then the front door, then somewhere in between. something prickled unpleasantly at the back of his neck, like static crawling over skin. not danger exactly, but attention. unwanted and lingering. his grin faltered just slightly. “...do you smell that?” @kritikalhit

[kritikalhit]

krit entered the space, drink in hand, and a curly straw tucked between his lips. he never could resist a fun, silly new drink. the afternoon had been amusing, to say the least. hanging off his left wrist was a new silver bracelet he'd purchased. could they not have this kind of soiree without the vexing presence of the new elias cub scouts? was it really so hard for miss ariel to be a team player?

he made an extra loud slurp as a greeting to his partner in crime.

"conscience? wash your mouth —"

then he, too, stopped short. he flexed his neck to be rid of that prickly feeling, like he'd sensed the pressure in the area was different. not what they expected. they were not alone.

partner in crime seemed almost too simple for casimir and kritsada. there were times when they seemed to move with one mind, and whatever cas noticed in this moment, krit did as well. as cas scanned the area, krit took a slower approach. he closed his eyes to focus. and at casimir's words, he inhaled deeply, searching for whatever it was that hid from them. "i do. something warm. something…"

with his eyes still closed, he paused to listen. the only other customer there had passed by krit as he arrived, engaging in a conversation with one of the shop helpers at the very front of the store. no one else was meant to be here. he tilted his head to listen better. there was the beat of footsteps outside the grotto, the gentle rattle of wind chimes near the back of the shop, his and casimir's heartbeats….and a third.

"…something small."

whoever it was, they were still watching. the grotto had been their meeting point because they were meant to find something useful here, whether it was information on ariel, or some fortuitous artefact sitting pretty on a display shelf that could be utilised for their own means. eyes still closed, his head turned to where his senses honed in on their mysterious companion.

"...something strange."

when he finally stopped to open his eyes, it was at a set of shelves, otherwise boring and full of trinkets like the others, except for its occupant.

krit smirked, glancing at cas. "μεταμορφωτής." { a shapeshifter. }

then he looked at the hidden creature dead in the eyes. @chessmorrigan

[chessmorrigan]

the sea of people weaving in and out of this shop on wheels was most interesting to chess from their perch in the corner. curly's replacement for the day was doing just as curly would, looping around the place and asking passersby if they had any needs. do you need anything? can i help at all? it seemed to be the theme when exchanging the money payment for things. those asking for the money frame it as help.

anyway, temporary curly was doing a good job. violet was her name, chess recalled.

the cat's eyes narrowed, though, with the entrance of these two men. they looked around the place like they were looking for something specific, not like the rest of the curious eyes looping the caravan. why were they searching? for who?

by the time their eyes locked, chess was already perched like they were ready to pounce.

the air shifted then, immediately and all at once. it took something just as powerful as they to clock him so easily, chess knew that in any universe. scanning the room to ensure no one else was looking to his corner, the cat grinned down at them in a way that looked human. full teeth and a twinkle in his eye.

and then he jumped out the window and ran down the road. @casimirdraven

[vinemagic]

⸻🍂 WILLOW HAD TO LEAN THERE WEIGHT RIGHT into the handle of the rusted-red wagon to keep it moving over the uneven stones. 

But the wagon announced them before they did themselves. As an ⸻ screeech ⸻ of an wheel that needed oil 3-streets ago &. refused to let them forget it ⸻ heck let anyone forget it. But they can't deny they love the sound of how the contents rattled behind them like something half-alive. As there screechy-red-wagon felt more like an ghost story.

As plastic/glass containers with snapped-on lids clacked together ⸻ each one packed with an different kind of ruin ⸻

Broken Glass

Dead Batteries

Bones

Gears

Tarnished Pendants

Elias ⸻ Underland Weeds

Broken Chains ⸻ &. Metal Wires

Empty water bottles &. glass-starbuck-bottles rattled with bent nails ⸻ tiny screws ⸻ Underland-&.-Elias pollen ⸻ lost &. forgotten currencys of places that used to mean something. While an few water bottles &. glass-starbuck-bottles sloshed with strange liquids ⸻ one with magic ⸻ one with non-magic ⸻ one with magic &. non-magic mixed into an ugly shimmer. While discarded pots ⸻ dented pans ⸻ knocked against scrapped-human-&.-witch tools. With beautiful unbroken empty-glass potion-&.-perfume bottles tucked away &. wrapped safely with magical-book-pages ⸻ newspapers ⸻ &. ripped of hard-book-covers.

As the old human-slogan ⸻ Reduce ⸻ Reuse ⸻ Recycle.

The human-message was lost in consumer-culture favoring convenience ⸻ as magic was lost in the middle of that translation. Whatever this was . . . whatever they were doing. Hauling lost &. dead things back to there greenhouse &. asking them politely to mean something again. As they found comfort in dumpster diving ⸻ salvaging ⸻ whatever one desired to call it ⸻ as its giving something one more chance to become useful ⸻ instead of staying in an broken system.

“ Oh ⸻ ” she could hear the breathy-edge of there own surprise. As they straightened themselves turning there head to them “ ⸻ thank you. You kind of startled me. ” Polite but soft.

“ I'm not really looking for one thing ⸻ ” she admitted as they knew how this looked: All vinemagic with an rusted-red-wagon full of broken hopes &. discarded hardware ⸻ scavenging beside an place where hopes &. dreams are sold &. broken. “ ⸻ Just looking for materials. ”

“ But that is good to know ⸻ ” they hummed-tiredly “ ⸻ it saves me from climbing halfway in there for nothing. ” Taking there word for it as it had been an long Monday as they traveled farther than they expected. But as they looked at the other ⸻ they oddly felt familiar ⸻ not enough for an name . . . as it nagged at them for an moment. Until it finally clicked.

“ Well ⸻ I'll be a titan's last good idea !!! ” While it felt so long ago caught in an . . . vulnerable moment when they last met. “ Glad to see a friendly-stranger. This time I'm not hysterical ⸻ just tired. You've been surviving the missing-in-action mess-well?! ”

[chessmorrigan]

chess had watched carefully before speaking up - at her, at the wagon, at the bits and bobs filled with different items or substances. these things did not read to them as strange, for the cat had witnessed and been part of much stranger. but her reaction to them standing there, the way their words shifted with slight hesitation - chess was starting to notice the tells when someone was unsure of their own actions. "materials," they repeated with nothing but interest, taking a step forward in attempt to peer into the wagon. "what will you create with such materials?"

eyes started to scan the rest of the gloam market as chess tried to remember where other dumpsters may be. now that they knew the reason, the cause, it made sense to help where they could. "there is another one by the potion stall," chess remembered. "we can check that one."

had they been surviving? it felt like such a strange question, one chess did not quite understand. they were standing here, yes? perhaps this was another one of those human phrases that meant something slightly different. chess chose to nod their head.

"how are you?" they asked. this was a common question among the humans, one that was presented at the beginning of conversations or when there was a lull. chess did not always know how to answer, other than good, but they found it was better to be the asker anyhow. "are these museum materials?" this was code for art.

[chessmorrigan]

What’s one thing you hope nobody asks about?

i simply hope you know not to ask questions you do not wish to know the answer to.

[chessmorrigan]

To the majority of people in Elias, Chess seems like someone who is out of this world, but for Chess, it's the opposite. How has he adjusted to living outside of Wonderland? Does he miss it? Are there things in the 'real world' he likes better?

look closely and you'll find bread-and-butterflies in the enchanted forest or a bed of singing flowers that conveniently found home in front of a ringing cathedral bell. some of these things that could be chalked up to the magic of elias are actually wonderland seeping through its pores. when the veil of wonderland broke and reality cracked, its contents fell into the city's lap. wonderland lives in it, breathes in it ... displaced as it might be. chess feels deeply a part of that. absorbed by this strange land with stranger customs, chess' limited understanding of time means it hasn't quite clicked yet that there is no returning back. once the veil cracks, there's no fixing it. with change comes adjustment and there are a lot of things that you or i may take advantage of that chess needs to learn on the fly. he speaks of money like he doesn't understand it because he didn't deal with a currency system in wonderland. we've been using search engines since we were old enough to spell and chess learned about google yesterday. don't tell him about chatgpt because he won't understand that it's bad! does he miss it? i don't know if he necessarily cares. the fact that people don't understand him all the time isn't unique to this reality, so to speak, but he struggles with the very obvious culture gap that sometimes puts his intelligence in question. the fact that chess is ageless and practically all knowing in wonderland ... that's missing so intensely here. but give him enough time, enough history books, enough exposure and he'll excel in this world in ways wonderland couldn't dream of. technology in the real world outshines anything comprehensible back home. ultimately he'll never leave earth 'cause he discovered lattes here. coffee fiend.

[chessmorrigan]

questions do not always require answers.

[skellingtonisms]

Jasper was well acquainted with people who could be peculiar. He himself was someone who was a bit odd, sometimes off-putting, depending on the person. Chess was someone who confused Jasper. Not in a bad way, but he often wondered if they were from this planet. Elias was a beautiful amalgamation of various beings. So the likelihood of that was high, but Jasper felt it was disrespectful to ask, so for once he kept his curiosity to himself. "Oh, well, a cat person is typically someone who prefers cats over dogs. I suppose, people often choose between the two popular species and declare one as their favorite."

"Well, you've come to the right place then." Jasper gestured to the counter. "Most of the time, I drink black coffee. It's very bitter, but if that's something you like, it's simple and easy. If my sweet tooth gets the better of me, I'll add cinnamon or pumpkin to it. Unfortunately, I have fallen victim to the pumpkin-spiced latte craze." It was a basic choice, but Jasper loved autumnal flavors. "What would you like to try? I'll get it for you, my treat."

[chessmorrigan]

ah, of course this was what it meant - a favorite. chess had not spent much time trying to determine a favorite. preferences felt so human to the wonderland creature that they hardly took the time to decide their own.

"cats are fine," they concluded hesitantly. after determining that the man wasn't asking if he turned into a cat, it felt strange not to say he was a cat person. the answer was an apparent 'yes' either way. "there's just so many of them." this was really what threw chess off, the mere number of cats. while they were certain there were plenty of human things they have yet to experience, this just felt like too many cats for a coffee shop. chess was thankful that the grotto only had one - him.

"i have tried the bitter one," they said, making a face as they remembered the taste of the drink agnes a few months back. it might have actually been from here. "but pumpkin sounds nice. please-" chess smiled, remembering this new rule of politeness. "and thank you."

[thelostthakkar]

"unless you're a night owl, that is. or just have a bad sleep-pattern, sometimes i think i prefer everything when it's night time. like you say, everything's off, it's like a breath of fresh air and i don't have to think of everything all at once. do you know what i mean? or are you more of a morning/daytime person?" milo laughs softly at chess' question, though there's a tint of embarrassment in his cheeks. "i wish i had free time to do something with, honestly. i mean, it's my own fault really, i've never had a great work-life balance when my work's always been my life, you know? it was my grandfather's life, and then it was mine, and here i am without any real hobbies." there's a short pause before he scrunches his face up at himself. "that was probably a little more information than you meant to get by your question, i'm sorry. i read, i guess. yeah, i read in my spare time. what do you do?"

[chessmorrigan]

chess made a face at the word unless. it was profound, their hatred for the word. just when they seemed to have deciphered a human rule, there was an unless. a nuance. a nuisance. a trick. "are you asking me a favorite?" chess was starting to learn what some of these idiosyncrasies meant. humans loved to claim certain preferences, like pets and (apparently) times of day, by claiming to be that kind of people. "twice a day, the sky is orange and pink, not blue and gray. i enjoy those times."

the question of what chess did - well - that did not seem palatable to the human mind. he waited, he watched, and he studied. he tricked that mermaid girl and her vampire friend that he was a cat. he talked to people. "well, you see," chess began. "i do this."

and how else could the cat explain it?

"what is your favorite book to read?" they asked, changing the subject quickly. "are you very familiar with books about history?"

[skellingtonisms]

one way or another jasper was going to get his caffeine fix. while this wasn't his normal destination for coffee, jasper decided to participate in the events anyway. he was adventurous in other areas of his life, but his coffee was the one thing he was rigid about. it was the only time he never got bored in a monotonous routine.

he walked into the cat cafe awkwardly. he was mindful of all the cats that were beginning to circle his legs. growing up in hallow falls, having a mother who was half witch, one would think jasper was fond of felines. you would be shocked to find out that he didn't really like them. he had his ghost dog uno, and that was always enough for jasper. however, donnie had wanted a cat for quite a while. jasper was waiting for the day he'd come home to a kitten because his fiancée was an "ask-for-forgiveness, not permission" type of person.

jasper got in line, eyes lifting at the menu in hopes of finding something he would like. his concentration was broken by a voice in front of him. the skeleton looked down at the person in front of him and shrugged. "cat cafes are very popular. a good chunk of the population are cat people. i suppose petting a cat while enjoying a nice beverage is relaxing to some people." jasper wasn't sure he was one of those people. "i'm assuming you're not a cat person?"

[chessmorrigan]

ah, how refreshing. a real answer. admittedly, chess wasn't sure what a cat person could be. were they a cat person? their preferred form of a existence was the shape of a cat, was it not? surely, that was not what jasper meant. chess knew that part of him to be strange to the general population. but instead of finding some flowery way to express his inquiry, which was what came natural to the cat, chess chose to be direct. "cat person? i am not sure what you mean."

maybe they actually were starting to adapt to this world.

still, they didn't quite understand how something like this cafe with animals running around could be considered very popular anywhere. he understood it less than an unbirthday party ... but maybe it wasn't chess' job to understand. "i'm more interested in the nice beverage. what do you drink?"

[chessmorrigan]

open event starter location: cat cafe

eyes narrowed to slits as chess watched a dozen felines laze around tables and chairs they shouldn't be in, a little too rough around the edges to be sitting in a cafe. it was like putting that pesky hatter and hare in charge of your event planning - they could be considered event planners by very loose definitions of the phrase.

chess' very biased views against the felis catus gave him a similar feeling here.

they entered anyway, albeit hesitantly. ever since agnes introduced chess to coffee, they took any opportunity they could to get it. after finding a free coffee ticket on the ground for this place, it was the only option that did not require the money payment.

standing on line, chess waited and watched. wondered if he'd find cat hair in his cup. he made a face as he looked to the person behind him. "this," chess began, gesturing to their mutual surroundings. "this is enjoyable?"

[chessmorrigan]

closed starter for: @violetheroism location: the grotto time: two clock turns before closing (midnight)

the day hadn't gone anywhere near how chess thought it would go, as days around here rarely did. after a diversion pulled him out of his original plans to monitor the grotto from a feline view, he instead decided to lap the market from time to time on two legs. easy to blend in with a crowd when you're of similar height. but now it was getting later, crowds were starting to thin, and chess had been thinking about the shop every since he scurried out of it with his tail shot straight up. the girls that had been left in charge didn't know the true lay of the land and chess needed to return in order to make sure that the demon twins hadn't set it on fire while he was away.

a sigh of relief passed their lips as the caravan still stood tall, a hand running through blond hair as chess braced themself to walk in. it was quite peculiar how suddenly the cat seemed to care about things and people around them. he tried not to dwell on it.

instead, chess walked into the grotto with his head held high and hands shoved in his pockets, like he had nothing to do but spend money he didn't have. immediately their gaze zeroed in on violet, who had been working today in curly's absence. he sauntered over to the register and offered a temperature check masked as a smile. "it is almost time to lock the doors," they said, looking to the wall where he knew a clock to be. "how are you feeling?"

[chessmorrigan]

closed starter for: @kritikalhit & @casimirdraven location: the grotto

chess was fully aware at this stage of the game that the character of potato chip the cat was one they had assumed responsibility for. on this night in particular, there were waves of people that came in, more than the cat had ever seen, and neither of the people who were supposed to be here were anywhere to be found.

it was clear what had to be done.

it did seem that curly trusted the two women she left in charge of the shop, but that didn't say too much to chess. trusting of almost anyone, curly was - it was clear in how she found home in the dingiest part of town and brought the world to see it. she was careless, that mermaid, whether she believed it or not. someone was going to have to watch her shop while she was gone and that someone was going to be named after a spud.

chess laid down in his spot, an elevated point on a shelf that had been cleared off just for him, and he watched as people weaved in and out between tables and shelves. there weren't many points where the cat had to intervene - only when he thought someone may take something that didn't belong to them - but from this spot he could see almost everything. so he sat, watched, and waited.

nothing would happen here on chess' watch. not if they could help it.

[luzuramagic]

——— “nope. Most museums would require payment, but I heard that Merlin wanted the museum to be open to everyone. So, it’s free! Just one of the perks of elias.” Those perks were of course, far and few depending on what it was. Living in a magical city was nice, great even for someone who was learning magic. Living in a magical city with another war looming in the background. Luz tried not to think of the latter too much. Thankfully, nothing out of the ordinary had happened since the blizzard.

Her enthusiasm carried her to the streets of elias. The bright sun beamed down on her, welcoming her as she embarked on another adventure. The familiar sights and sounds came into view, and a sense of comfort washed over her. This city had become home to her.

She would do anything to protect it.

“thank you! My mami gave it to me because it means light. I guess, she always hoped I’d be one.” She let out a soft laugh. “it’s nice to meet you chess! How long have you been in elias?”

[chessmorrigan]

"oh, that's quite kind. it seems that this city runs strictly on payment." this was one of the first observations chess made when they got here, realizing almost immediately that anything accessible was only accessible behind a pay wall. for the city to have a building of history that you can visit without the money payment, well - that started to open doors for chess. what else did the city have to offer to someone like him, who may not understand exactly how to obtain the money payment? maybe he could ask luz, since she did not seem to judge the same way some others seemed to, but he did not want to bombard her with questions just yet. instead, they just walked.

chess did not have much concept of time, but wanted to answer the question all the same. they thought for a moment. "when i got here, there were pumpkins. and a wheel. an evil wheel, if you ask me. do you remember when the wheel was at the carnival?"

[mavisvaduva]

mavis had been half-lost in her own thoughts when the familiar sound cut through them, soft and insistent. her head turned almost immediately, the shift in her expression subtle but unmistakable... something easing, something warmer.

“well, there you are,” she murmured, the tension in her shoulders slipping away as she spotted him.

she didn’t hesitate, reaching out to scoop him up with a kind of practiced gentleness, like she’d done it a hundred times before. “you’re cutting it close again,” she added under her breath, though there was no real reprimand in it. just concern, thinly veiled. her thumb brushed along the top of his head, smoothing down fur that didn’t need smoothing.

“honestly, potato chip, one of these nights you’re going to miss it and then what?” she adjusted her hold on him, tucking him closer against her chest like that might somehow anchor him in place. “i can’t have you wandering around out there on your own. not when it gets this late, huh?”

[chessmorrigan]

it was clear that she had worried about him. that was quite sticky.

the cat formally known as chess, now donning the name potato chip, had to struggle through these interactions a little bit. don't worry about the potato he wanted to say. i find my way around all the same. they wanted to reassure her, somehow. for some reason. yet he knew that speaking would not be the correct way to do it.

and now he was in the air.

mrow. the cat tucked in their paws and nuzzled into the girl as soon as they could, finding it unpleasant to dangle for any length of time. it was easier to use her arms as a seat than try to wrestle away, so this exact arrangement was starting to become standard. just as expected as his 1am return.

a welcome bell rang through the shop as a blonde woman popped in talking about jewelry. chess took the opportunity to jump down and pretend to eat while merchant worked through their barter system with consumer. he sniffed the pate (salmon this time) and took a couple licks of water before returning to mavis, circling around her feet.

[luzuramagic]

——— the museum was a place that luz had only frequented every now and then. eda was an amazing teacher. a bit unorthodox at times but it's exactly what luz needed. if she was to know more about elias she needed to immerse herself in its history. amity's studious ways were slowly rubbing off on her. the magical history of elias was vast. a single trip wouldn't cover everything there was to know. "it's near the city hall. so not too far from here."

luz was only slightly taken aback by their words. she hadn't expected such a simple conversation to lead to an adventure. however, she was never one to turn down something new and exciting either. "yes! i'm free. i'd love to go." she beamed brightly.

she wasted no time hopping to her feet and made a beeline for the door. luz only turned back when she realized her excitement had carried her off too quickly. "sorry. i'm a fast walker." she paused. "also i'm luz. nice to meet you."

[chessmorrigan]

it was not often that another agreed to chess' outlandish suggestions, but here they were with almost no effort on his part, ready to embark on a museum adventure. chess had never been in a museum before, wasn't exactly sure what to expect, but he was ecstatic that his counterpart was just as willing to see the mission through. if this was a place that would teach them some history on the city, it was important to attend. why hadn't he known about it sooner! "wait. does the museum require the money payment?" this would be his only hurdle.

before they knew it, chess' new friend was halfway out the door - it seemed that she was just as eager to learn something new. he sped up, an attempt to keep in step.

oh, right - the names. he often forgot to exchange the names.

"luz, it is lovely," the cat announced. "i am chess."