The Cheshire cat sat on the floor. His metal claws left deep marks in the wood to keep his mind of the pain. His head, his body, everything hurt. Colours were dancing in front of his ocean blue eyes and fire was consuming his body. His mind was divided, ripped apart and shredded into pieces. It got harder and harder to control that part, that ominous and corrupt side of him.

His hand automatically went to the locket necklace around his neck. It had a beautiful silver design of a white rabbit on it. Inside there was a picture of a young man with hair red as blood and eyes dark as the night, but with a smile that could even melt the hearts of the cruel.

The cat smiled and kissed the picture. He clutched the locket in his hands as a single tear rolled over his cheek.

“This burden is the last thing I have of you. My suffering means your safety, my love,” he silently whispered.

He felt the dark part of him, Hyde enter his consciousness. An agonizing scream left his lips and one of his servants immediately rushed into his room to help him on the bed since none of his limbs cooperated.

“Bring me a Jekyll. Onew, please,” it got harder for him to talk. Onew nodded and exited the room, not forgetting to lock it properly. The Cheshire cat had to be kept away if Hyde took over. Onew quickly sent out a group to bring back a Jekyll, someone was going to be recruited as a Cheshire.

Daehyun laughed as he and his four companions jumped over the roofs of the city. He simply loved the energy he got and the stunning scenery. Furthermore, he got to do more reckless acts with his friends. The loyal Hongbin, the witty Taemin, the foxy Key and courageous Zelo. He wouldn’t give up moments like these for all the money in the world. Freedom was the best thing that the cheshires gave him and he couldn’t lose it.

He saw Taemin and Zelo doing all kind of tricks while leaping from one roof to another. Key and Hongbin came running next to him with big smiles on their faces.

“Who are we recruiting, Dae?” Key asked.

“It’s is someone from my past, the biggest Jekyll I know.”

Yoo Youngjae was hastily walking down the street. He was on his way to the coffee shop he visited every morning before going to school. He liked having a small talk with the barista, Hakyeon. The man always brought him coffee if he stayed there for a long time to study. It was a nice guy, or so he thought since the brunet was usually behaving like a blank canvass.

On most days he usually took his time, but today he overslept a bit and knew that he’d barely survive the endless talking of his teachers without caffeine. Youngjae decided to take the shortcut through the alley. He disliked places like that; they made him feel uncomfortable and vulnerable.

Youngjae was just a few meters from escaping the dark alley when five figures appeared out of nowhere.

“Long time no see, Jaejae. I see that you haven’t changed,” Youngjae turned around and stared into the eyes of his old friend.

“Daehyun, you’re a Cheshire. I thought you were dead!” he noticed that he was surrounded. There was no escaping for him now. The five snickered and something strange happened to their faces. Their eyes transformed until they were identical of those of a cat and their mouths turned into huge grins, as if they had a Glasgow smile. Daehyun pulled a gun out of his pocket and pointed it at his old friend.

“Dae, you’re crazy!” Youngjae yelled as Taemin and Hongbin grabbed him.

“I’m not crazy, Jaejae. My reality is just different than yours,” Daehyun chuckled right before he knocked him out with his fist.

“Was the gun necessary?” Hongbin asked. The blond Cheshire shook his head with an innocent and picked up the unconscious guy. A minute or two later it seemed as if nothing had happened in the alley.

Youngjae woke up and found himself being dragged through a long hallway. He didn’t recognize the place. He was dizzy and his mind was clouded. The two who were dragging him stopped in front of a door. One of them unlocked it and pushed him through it before locking it again.

The room was spacious with light walls and had a dark wooden floor. It was as if the entire room only existed out of black and white.

Youngjae saw a man staring out of the window. His obsidian hair fell partially over his eyes and heavily contrasted with his porcelain skin.

“Who are you? Where am I? What do you want from me?” Youngjae asked in a small voice. The man turned around and revealed the horrifying grin that was plastered on his face.

“The typical questions as always. Most know me as the Cheshire cat, you’re outside of town at our headquarters, but the last question is a bit harder to answer. I promise it won’t hurt much,” the cat’s head twitched as he slowly approached the young student. Youngjae backed away until his back hit the locked door.

“Are you going to kill me?” the Cheshire cat let out a scornful laughter when hearing the question. He looked Youngjae in the eyes and the student couldn’t see his reflection in them, only the dull black of darkness.

“No, I’ll give you a fate far worse than death,” the Cheshire cat whispered as he grabbed Youngjae’s throat and pinned him to the door. The student’s eyes glowed up and a pearly white light travelled to the cat’s eyes. The chocking noises of the teen were a pain to the ears as more of the light left him.

As the last spark entered the cat, he dropped the passed out Youngjae on the ground. He was panting heavily as his black eyes slowly turned back to ocean blue.

“I leave you with only darkness in your heart.”

It's hard for me to explain what I mean with the grin.

Just imagine that, but on a human face. 

I added the Jekyll and Hyde theory to explain things better as why the cheshires behave like they do.

If you have any questions or thoughts on the story and plot, please comment.

Love y'all!