fawnberri

In this AU, the cast of The Mechanisms' Alice are a group of slaughter avatars who were formerly soldiers.

___ THE CHARACTERS: _________

SC. ALICE LIDDEL:

Alice transferred into the command after the initial grouping, the youngest of the soldiers. Curious, and eager to help, they quickly became known for their scouting abilities and willingness to take risks.

Unfortunately, the stress of military service worsened underlying mental health issues and problems began appearing during the war with hallucinations and periods of confusion. Alice now struggles with severe memory issues and stress-induced psychosis.

The others within the group know that Alice often forgets who they are, where they are, or what happened earlier that day; though they never become frustrated, patiently reintroducing themselves whenever they need to.

Alice spends a lot of their time talking to an emotional support rabbit, using it as a way to process thoughts and emotions.

Despite the disaster, they remain gentle and optimistic. While they often seem lost in their own world, the others care for them fiercely.

CHESHIRE:

Cheshire was difficult to understand even before the disaster. They moved quietly through the command, observing far more than they ever said. Many soldiers on command found them creepy simply because they were so quiet. Ironically they were best at getting orders and information spread.

Nowadays they are more of a ghost to the home, appearing and disappearing from conversations with little warning. Nobody is entirely sure how much Cheshire remembers about the war, because they rarely speak about it directly.

GENERAL CATERPILLAR:

Born into a military family, Caterpillar enlisted as soon as they were able to. Thanks to family connections and a natural ability to command, they rose through the ranks fast. Unfortunately, promotions came faster than experience and by the time they were trusted with big decisions, they were leading soldiers into situations they were not prepared to handle.

When the disaster struck, they watched most of their command die under their leadership.

MAJOR HATTER:

During the war, Hatter quickly gained a reputation as reliable, practical, and fiercely protective of those he fought beside, leading to the development of a particularly close friendship with Hare, the two becoming almost impossible to separate.

While other soldiers spent their energy on strategy or survival, Hatter focused on the people. They remembered names, checked on fellow soldiers often, and did their best to keep morale up whenever possible. They learned very quickly that their own survival often depended on trusting Hare without question.

After the disaster, Hatter remains inseparable from Hare. They understand eachother in ways nobody else can. Despite being out of the army for years, Hatter still struggles to relax, constantly aware of their surroundings and instinctively monitoring everyone in the home. Of the group, Hatter is one of the more emotionally stable, often acting as a point of support when others are struggling.

MAJOR HARE:

Hare was always good in situations that needed quick reactions and decisions, developing an almost uncanny ability to anticipate danger and were usually the first to notice when something was wrong, followed quickly by Hatter.

Their friendship with Hatter became one of the few stable things in their chaotic environment, so much so that many soldiers joked that they shared a brain.

After the war Hare remains very attached to Hatter and feels most comfortable when the two are together. They like to take on practical responsibilities around the house and keep busy.

DORMOUSE:

Dormouse earned a reputation as the smartest soldier on command. They often helped solve problems that others couldn't, being a highly intelligent individual.

Although not physically imposing, they became an irreplaceable part due to their ability to remain calm under pressure. They were always proud of that reputation.

The disaster left lasting damage on them however; Dormouse developed chronic fatigue and narcolepsy, making day to day life exhausting. They spend most of their time reading quietly while sitting with Hatter and Hare.

The others still treat Dormouse as the group's "intellectual authority." Whenever there's a problem, everyone asks for Dormouse's opinion first because they know being seen as "the smart one" reminds them that they haven't completely lost who they used to be.

THE RED QUEEN:

The Red Queen was the least experienced soldier on Caterpillars command, to which many more experienced soldiers teased them for their lack of experience. Though often brushed off as harmless, the comments left an impression on Red.

Determined to prove everyone wrong, Red pushed themself harder than anyone expected, becoming fiercely competitive and driven. Even after the war that need to prove themself never truly disappeared.

Red often throws themself into projects, responsibilities, and hobbies with massive amounts of focus, their favourite being collecting dolls, maintaining them with care to look like soldiers.

___ THE DISASTER: ___________

The command was sent into what should have been a routine operation. Intelligence suggested light resistance, nothing unusual and nothing that justified concern.

Caterpillar was placed in charge and the mission began normally. Then communication lines failed and orders stopped making sense until units became separated and reports contradicted each other. Every decision seeming to make things worse.

Nobody could later agree on exactly what happened. Some survivors remember hearing artillery that never appeared on any official report while others remember fighting enemies people never actually saw. Some swear the battle lasted a single afternoon while others insist it lasted several days.

What everyone agrees on is that people kept dying.