The unpopping of Alice Cullen.

[vampfashionista.livejournal.com]

((Open RP, buuut mainly for happy reunion times with sparklehubby Jasper. The thread with him will automatically be the last one, but if you want your character to meet Alice you can comment wherever. Oh, and I've got permission for this.))

Alice's timing was, as always, impeccable.

She rather wished she wouldn't have to deal with the popcorn butter -- her blouse was beyond saving, and the smell would never wash out -- but she had anticipated it and was prepared. Her clothes would still be in her old room in Hufflepuff, and she still had some time before Jasper would be out of the Sorting Room. Being a seer was ever-so practical sometimes! She nearly danced her way through the corridors, timing it so that as few people as possible would see her with her clothes in the current state.

The room was as it should be, and her clothes were waiting. Alice quickly changed and washed her hair and face from remnants of butter and salt. It didn't take long. Sparklepires repel filth when it's not sexy.

There. Jasper should have gotten her note by now. Excellent! Alice smiled at herself in the mirror and then she was off again, skipping off back to the Popcorn Room. She seated herself outside, and crossed her legs daintily as she waited. Her husband would show up here soon, but in the meantime she absolutely wouldn't mind having someone to talk to.

Comments

[j-whitlock.livejournal.com]

A while after getting settled in Satou's room, Jasper was walking the halls at a very slow, human pace whenever others were present, and the rest of the time used his vampiric speed to its full potential as he followed the somewhat cryptic instructions of the note he'd found in his bag. Something about the smell of butter...? It all sounded so innocuous that it shouldn't have him as worried as it did, but, well, that was Jasper. When it came to Alice, he would always be far more concerned than the situation really warranted, overprotective fool that he was.

Sure enough, his brief trek through the castle eventually brought him to the hallway leading to the Popcorn Room, and right to—

"Alice," he murmured, sotto voce, too quiet for human hearing. One would hardly have to be an empath to sense his surprised joy at the sight of her. He broke into a smile as he closed the distance between them and held out his hand for her, to help her up. Obviously she didn't need any assistance, but he was nothing if not a gentleman. He was also already wearing his wedding band again—they could be themselves at Hogwarts, he'd realised, no more pretending for the sake of humans or anyone else...

[vampfashionista.livejournal.com]

Let's see, he'd show up about... now. And yes, right on schedule! The reunion would perhaps look surprisingly tame to the occasional by-stander. There were no squeals of joy, no passionate embraces, but the moment was still tenderly intimate. Alice smiled and took his hand, causing a very slight but still noticeable tension to disappear from her. They were together again. She had known they would be, and that had made it easier for her to see him leave.

"Right on time," she murmured as she went to stand near him, just where she knew she belonged. Then she grinned. "Surprised to see me?"

[j-whitlock.livejournal.com]

Tame by both human and vampire standards, certainly. Tame for Emmett and Rosalie would be only knocking down a wall or two with their reunion sexscapades instead of the entire castle, for instance.

The constant outward show of affection was really only necessary when two people didn't know each other as well as he and Alice did, so far as Jasper was concerned. Neither of them had to be perpetually reassured to know with certainty that they were loved, which to him made all those small physical gestures—holding hands, linking arms, brushing a cheek—all the more meaningful.

"You're a very welcome surprise," he said warmly. And a far better one than the various unpleasant 'surprises' at his Sorting, as Alice probably already knew. He lightly brushed his thumb along her knuckles and unconsciously leant a bit closer. "Are you here for long?" he asked, clearly hoping she would be. "Carlisle and Esme... they don't mind so many of us being gone, do they?"

[vampfashionista.livejournal.com]

She shook her head, her every movement bringing her just the fraction of an inch closer to him. For pure selfish reasons, really. Alice didn't need to prove her devotion, to him or to anyone, but they had been apart for some time now. Despite knowing they'd be together soon, she had missed him. Her gaze swept over his face like a caress, over his cheek, his lips, his eyes, and over every scar. Home.

"Esme would rather have us all back, of course," she said. "She worries. Carlisle is slightly more relaxed about it, and Rose and Emmett are trying to take up the space we left behind. Emmett especially." To the surprise of no one, obviously. Alice's face smoothed into another warm smile. "I'll be staying here now, unless anyone minds." Aaand the smile went from warm to teasing. "So, Jazz... Absinthe (http://community.livejournal.com/hogwarts_hocus/1766802.html?thread=96576658#t96576658)? Really?"

Why yes, she had been spying on his Sorting. Of course.

[j-whitlock.livejournal.com]

"I'm not sure who I feel worse for," he said with a quiet laugh, wondering how long it would be before the rest of their family decided to just come visit Scotland themselves, so they could all enjoy it together. It was a nice thought, even knowing Edward and Bella... well. He'd have to explain that oddity to Alice. In a moment.

He glanced away from her in a very contrived look of guilt, trying not to smile even wider. "You'll have to smell her for yourself," he said airily. "Let's see if you don't act the same way."

Of course, there was the distinct possibility it had just been him being the weakest link again, the one most susceptible to outside influences. The smell of humans, the smell of living absinthe... same thing. Sort of. He hadn't wanted to eat the Green Fairy, at least.

"I did genuinely like the absinthe. As much as I'm able to like anything that's not blood, I guess," he added, slipping an arm around Alice's shoulders. "It has an interesting taste. You should try it with me next time."

[vampfashionista.livejournal.com]

She was keeping an eye out for the rest of their family to join them, and hoped very much they'd show up eventually... It was always nicer to have them all gathered.

Alice nestled comfortably against Jasper's chest, her fingertips ghosting up to brush against his throat. Hm, maybe if they drank from the Green Fairy, they'd experience what humans did when drinking absinthe? It made sense in theory, but yes, best to not dwell on the question too long.... Surely nothing good could come of it. "Maybe I will," she said, her eyes and voice a little distant. "It's not really clear yet."

The daze disappeared along with the cloudy vision, and was replaced with a mild concern. She'd seen Jasper losing control at his Sorting, both times, and both times had worried her. He'd managed to stop himself once, but if Edward hadn't been there... Not a good thought. Alice wasn't so anxious right this second about Jasper slipping up, but she didn't know how he felt about the incidents either, and that was cause for some distress. He was sure to sense that radiating off her.

"How are you doing now?" she asked softly, quietly. Such a simple question. Such an important one.

[j-whitlock.livejournal.com]

((I'm happy I get to use all my pretty Alice/Jasper icons now. XD))

And he knew exactly how the question was meant. The undercurrent of distress bothered him—he hated being the cause of so much concern and worry, especially with Alice—but he let it be. He rarely tampered with Alice's feelings the way he did so casually with others. It seemed entirely too dishonest to do so, except in less serious circumstances (namely the way he enjoyed causing those little shivers of pleasure for her at random moments when they weren't even near each other; Jasper was, perhaps, almost as bad as Emmett and Rose with that sort of teasing, but had the ability to be far more subtle about it.)

"Better," he said solemnly. Alice didn't need to be a mind reader to know that a large part of that better was due to her being there. "If not for Edward," he murmured, unknowingly voicing her thought, "I don't think I could have stopped myself the second time. It's a small comfort that no one can die here." Since he likely would have tried killing everyone else in the room after finishing with Akabane, even the little talking dog he'd become fond of. Even Bella, whom he loved as a sister. It was disturbing to think a regular, bleeding person would still be alive after being torn apart, the way vampires could be.

"And about Edward, and Bella as well... I'm not sure how, but they're—not ours," he explained hesitantly. "They're from our past, I mean. I still can't understand it. Time must work differently here." He leant down to lightly kiss Alice's temple, regretting that she had to be greeted with so much bad news. "They're not engaged here. That hasn't happened for them yet."

[vampfashionista.livejournal.com]

((XD Very much likewise.))

Better. Better was good, but not great. Alice was not completely satisfied, but there was nothing she could really do to ease Jasper's suffering, make his struggle easier. Though they were at Hogwarts now... Perhaps she could enlist the help of magic? A spell, a potion, to quench the thirst... She would have to go to the library. Talk to a professor. The idea mingled her anxiety with a touch of hope. Maybe, maybe there was something she could do...

Alice didn't contradict him there. "But he was there. So you didn't hurt anyone." But you hurt. She reached up and stroke over his cheek with her thumb. "You didn't hurt anyone," she repeated firmly. The no-kill spell was both a bit of a relief and an excuse. It would have been easy to think that it didn't matter if they fed on humans while here. They wouldn't take a life, no one would die, so they wouldn't be murderers and no harm would be done. Right? That was dangerous reasoning.

Then Alice got something else to think about, and her eyebrows knotted together. "Not engaged? What... But we've spoken to them after it was announced and that was before they came back here. How could they not be engaged?" What about the wedding?!

[j-whitlock.livejournal.com]

He noted the slight shift in Alice's mood, and could only assume she was perhaps feeling relief that he hadn't done any damage to anyone.

"I didn't," he agreed with a sad smile, leaning into her touch. "But I wanted to very badly." And that, for him, was just as much a part of the problem as anything. The thought of taking human life disgusted him on a visceral level—all the pain and fear they would feel, he would experience as well—and yet the craving for human blood was the one instinct he had trouble denying. The no-kill spell wouldn't be an excuse for him. Giving in to the craving, with or without death, would be an inexcusable failure.

"None of that has happened for them yet," he repeated, shaking his head slightly. "It's as though... they were pulled into the past when they returned here, and have no memories of anything that happened after they left Hogwarts the first time. There may be an explanation for it—I've been planning to do research in the library."

Of course, he wouldn't ignore the part that was undoubtedly very important to Alice.

"I think you should continue planning their wedding," he added with a quiet chuckle. "It will happen, eventually, I'm sure of that. Just try not to... think about things too loudly, I suppose." For obvious reasons.

[woocha.livejournal.com]

Wishbone was doing his usual walking/sniffing around. He smelled popcorn!

He ran, hoping to be able to lick the butteriness off whomever popped. (He's a dog, what do you want?)

He was very disappointed to find that the only person there-Alice-was all cleaned up. But then Wishbone got distracted by the same rotten human smell he has smelled on Jasper.

Are you whatever Jasper is? I think he's a vampire but I'm not sure.

[vampfashionista.livejournal.com]

Alice looked down at the dog, delighted because animals usually wouldn't come near her. She didn't get too close, though. She didn't want to frighten this endearing little creature away.

They didn't need to be careful in this castle, she remembered. The secret, the big one, was revealed here, and no Volturi had found them yet. She was very grateful for that. Hogwarts had so many nice people; it would be a shame to have each and every one brutally slaughtered. So Alice smiled at the dog and nodded.

"That would be a clever guess," she said companionably. "I'm Alice. Jasper is my husband." It felt wonderful to say that. They usually had to hide their marriage, since the public had a hard time accepting two High School students living together in holy matrimony. But not here! That was lovely.

[woocha.livejournal.com]

Oh! Cool! I'm Wishbone! I'd let you pet me, but when Jasper petted me, it was cold!

[vampfashionista.livejournal.com]

"Yes," sighed Alice. "I can imagine it was. I won't pet you if you don't want me to, but thanks for saying that. How long have you been here then, Wishbone?"

[woocha.livejournal.com]

I've been here a while. I like reading. That's why I guessed you two were vampires, cause the only ones I could think of that would smell like rotten human are Dracula and Frankenstein's monster, and Jasper promised to bite people that scared me.

[vampfashionista.livejournal.com]

Good work of Wishbone, coming to the conclusion that they were not Frankenstein's monsters.

Alice smiled crookedly. "Oh really?" She hoped no one scared Wishbone. At least not actual people. "That was... thoughtful. He shouldn't make promises like that, though." But Jasper knew that, she was sure.

[woocha.livejournal.com]

Well they're too put together to be Frankenstein monsters.

Yeah! But I hope he doesn't have to. Mello and Near said to stay far away from him, so I'm trying to do that!

[vampfashionista.livejournal.com]

She nodded a little absently. "I hope so too. Staying away from pain is a good idea."

Alice's whole world circled around Jasper. Anything that could hurt him was her business, and biting people would definitely cause him pain. Shame, guilt... She was more concerned with that than with the loss of actual human life, which was saying a lot for the priorities of sparklepires in love.

"I'm waiting for Jasper now," she continued as a smile lit up her face again. "I thought I'd surprise him by coming back here."

[hellminxmel.livejournal.com]

'My God.' That is the ugliest effing shirt I've ever seen, she wants to say. But ever since Octavian gave her that charm (http://community.livejournal.com/hogwarts_hocus/1731931.html#cutid1), she's felt more...well-disposed to people in general.

So Maia can only manage 'Your hair--was it styled with forks this morning?'

[vampfashionista.livejournal.com]

The vampire looked at Maia in surprise. She hadn't bothered much with her hair in years. It didn't get split ends, nor did it need washing nearly as often as human hair. What else could you do with a pixie cut but let it be?

But she'd met Maia before. Alice's own Sorting (http://community.livejournal.com/hogwarts_hocus/1401537.html?thread=71289025#t71289025), almost two years ago. It all just came screaming back to her now, with perfect recall.

"Is that... an insult?" she asked, almost amused. She would have thought Maia had better imagination than that.

[hellminxmel.livejournal.com]

'An observation,' Maia chokes out. Man, she's been off her game for a while. Months. She recognises the girl, kind of. Forgetting things is a demon's blessing. 'You're the one with the grumpy brother.'

[vampfashionista.livejournal.com]

"Edward," said Alice, and nearly bit her tongue. (That might not be a good thing for a vampire to do, but she wasn't sure.) Maybe she should just not talk about the people she loved in front of a girl who was so obviously trouble... Not that she thought Edward would really be in any amount of physical danger from Maia, but frankly, she'd rather not have her brother cranky. And she was not going to mention Jasper to Maia at all. He was already suffering enough.

Alice took the half-assed insult with the serenity of someone who knows they're beautiful to the only person who matters, and even smiled at Maia. "And you're the girl who likes to be mean. I remember." Alice had met plenty of people like that, but very few vampires. Bad vampires, yes, even cruel, sadistic and bloodthirsty ones, but mean? That was definitely more common in humans. Interesting thing, that.

[hellminxmel.livejournal.com]

'Yeah.' This is a little more like it, though at times like this her necklace feels heavier and more cumbersome. Ignoring Alice's comment, she says slowly. 'Edward. Is he better now? I mean, he attacked me (http://community.livejournal.com/hogwarts_hocus/1369492.html?thread=69357460#t69357460). I have a right to be somewhat pissed, you know?'

Softer now, lying, 'I'm sorry I came off as a bitch. Before. I was just so--shocked, you know?' Her hand slides around her neck. 'I had bruises for ages.'

[vampfashionista.livejournal.com]

Alice's powers were, unlike Edward's, completely useless when it came to catch liars. But this was a damn lie if ever she heard one. Her golden eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"I don't believe you. First of all, Edward would certainly not attack you, of all people." Alice doubted he found Maia's scent any more appealing than she did herself. Stopping themselves from tearing out her throat was surprisingly easy. "Secondly," she continued, "if he had attacked you, bruising wouldn't be your main concern." It was more the 'oh my, I seem to have been mauled by a merciless predator and now I have no blood left' that might be a bother. Alice didn't mention this, though. She wasn't completely clear on whether or not Maia knew about the vampirism.

[hellminxmel.livejournal.com]

Maia's own eyes can be golden, but now they are a deep forest green, wide in innocence.

'He held me up by my throat, Alice. I can't be killed--' More than most people can't be here at Hogwarts, but you get the drift--'but that was pretty scary.'

Suddenly, she seems to get it. 'Oh, no, not that sort of attack! He wasn't--' a quick flick up and down Alice's body. '--hungry.' Let's not mention what type of hunger, because it might make her more paranoid. 'It was before his girlfriend got here--is she a stabilising influence, or...' Maia fakes a convincing shudder.

[vampfashionista.livejournal.com]

Still not buying it. Edward was better at self-control than most. He could stand being close to Bella, which must be pure torture considering what she smelled like to him. If it had been Emmett, then maybe she would have believed Maia. Even Jasper. But Edward? Him losing control was too unlikely. She'd talk to him about it, though. Just in case she was wrong.

She gave Maia a rather blank look. "He's better off with her than without her, but I wouldn't call her 'stabilising.' And you are a very talented actress, but I know my brother, and if he even laid a finger on you he probably had a good reason."