paradisa | Thirty Five Truffula Trees

[The Once-ler has been surviving the loss of the people he loves by burying himself into his work. By hiding away and ignoring everyone. Remaining in his nice, safe tower, away from the residents, away from everything.

But now he's standing in the hallway of floor five, staring at his new room. He knows it's his room, not only because he woke up in it, but because of that horrible, dreadful phrase in place of his name. He remembers that conversation only too well. It haunts him even now, after over a year of living in this place. Which way does a tree fall? The way it leans. Be careful which way you lean. The Once-ler hadn't been careful. And he'd fallen completely the wrong way, and taken everything else with him in the process.

He's already tried the tower, of course. It's empty, gutted, his safe haven completely wrenched away from him. He exhales, staring at that phrase again, his little UNLESSES already carving their way into the wood beside it, making matters worse. He knows one thing is clear, he can't stay here. Not like this. So, he picks up his journal, moving to sit just inside the doorway, his long legs curled up in front of him as he rests the book on his knees]

Anyone know if the town has any empty rooms right now?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Oh god trees]

Yeaaaaah I'm not good with woods. But hey, thanks anyway, it's good of you.

[A faint shrug.]

Well, I understand how it is to get fed up with the castle's nonsense, even if I don't know what that nonsense is.

You haven't been back here yet?

People got their rooms switched around. To make it worse, our names aren't even on our doors any more, they're all [he glares at his own] something else.

I've been... avoiding it. [Avoiding all the empty rooms, all those missing friends.]

Well, isn't that just fitting? [A sigh and a grumble.]

Good idea, I wish I'd thought of it.

Isn't it just? I mean, wasn't nearly getting us all killed enough? Why does it have to mess with our names like this, too?

Hhm. All my best decisions come from avoidance, it seems.

[She sighed.] Because we apparently need to look at ourselves.

Best decision ever, it looks like.

I thought it had done enough of that after it trapped us in our own nightmares.

I don't make many, so I'll enjoy this.

I thought so too ... but I guess it wanted to give us a reminder. That it thinks it knows us better than we do. It doesn't. Just remember, it's a game, but you can always break the rules.