Twelve Truffula Trees

[whichwayyoulean]

[And today in the journal, there is a handy little message posted in it, which reads thusly:]



[And, apros to nothing else, the Once-ler decides to dictate into this thing. He's been largely avoiding the journal since that...nightmare mess. But he feels enough time has passed that anyone who wanted to chew him out for his own dream will have done it already]

Okay. So I have some questions about Halloween. Actually, just one question, because we have Halloween where I come from too, but there's one thing that's throwing me. So there's candy right? That's cool, everyone loves candy. But you guys let your kids just...wander around willy nilly in the streets to collect it?

Because where I come from that would be seen pretty much as a sacrifice. Or at the very least tempting fate in a pretty big way. I mean not even my mom sent me out on Halloween and her parenting skills were questionable at best.

So just asking what's up with that and if any other worlds have a creature who opens up a portal to hell on Halloween night? I'm guessing not most of you, if you're sending your kids out. Though, you know, I could be wrong. You could all really hate your kids.

Comments

[whichwayyoulean]

[He sighs and reluctantly steps aside for her to enter]

Oh...great. Talking.

1/2

[amiable]

[ She moves inside but definitely can feel the awkward tension. It's not anyone's fault that they wandered into their... heads... or wherever they were.

Still, it made her feel sick to the stomach to think about what happened to Once-ler in hers. ]

Have you been alright? I mean-- because--

[amiable]

Tea!








Tea goes good with cake!

[whichwayyoulean]

I've been fine I just-

[He jumps a little, startled by her sudden realisation]

Uh...yeah. I guess it...does?

[amiable]

Do you have tea bags? [ Yep, just going to stroll right into wherever his kitchen is. ]

[whichwayyoulean]

[Noooo his personal space, he follows her, in case she touches things she shouldn't]

Well, yeah. It's not like I go down the the kitchen every time I want a cup of tea.

[amiable]

Not even the kitchen? [ She sounds surprised and looks over her shoulder for a second. The kitchen's relatively safe.

When someone isn't blowing up the microwave. ] But it's still in the castle...

[whichwayyoulean]

The kitchen is where people go and in case you haven't already noticed, I don't do the spending time with people thing.

[amiable]

[ She's not very subtle when she observes him up and down; this Once-ler is so different from the dreams. It could be that's all it was... a dream.

But he seemed so happy. ]

It's not healthy! I knew a person sort of like that.

[whichwayyoulean]

[He folds his arms defensively]

Yeah well, that's kind of the the point. And really? Well, you can go try tell them it's not healthy because me? I don't care.

1/2

[amiable]

Hagiwara-san doesn't live near me anymore back home. And he's alright now. [ She says with a fond tone. She hopes wherever he is, he's happy. ]

[amiable]

[ She's already begun to check his cupboard for cups and the kettle, though she freezes up suddenly. ]

... Um.

[whichwayyoulean]

[He sighs, leaning on the doorframe and rolling his eyes]

What now? Do you not like how I arrange my cupboards?

[amiable]

No! They're very nice! [ ... ] A-Are you mad?!

[whichwayyoulean]

No madder than I usually am when people get in my business.

[amiable]

I didn't mean to walk into your head-- dream?! Nightmare?

[whichwayyoulean]

So that's what this is about.

[He gives a shrug] You got the nice part. Before I messed everything up.

[amiable]

[ That effectively makes her quieter but not entirely calm, even if it seems so on the surface. He doesn't look that much older then he did in the dream, so it didn't happen too long ago, whatever it was. ]

Your home is very beautiful! Why do you say you "messed" up?

[whichwayyoulean]

You didn't see it after I was finished with it. [His tone is bitter, dangling on the precipice of anger. Not at her, of course, but at himself]

After I'd torn away everything that was decent and good about the place for my own selfish needs.

[amiable]

[ She doesn't really understand yet. ]

What happened?

[whichwayyoulean]

[He's silent for a moment, glaring at the floor]

You won't like it. It's not a nice story.

[amiable]

I don't mind listening.

[whichwayyoulean]

[He continues staring at the floor, though his expression softens a little. It's not a story he enjoys sharing, not now, not ever]

If I tell you, will you stop trying to tell me sitting here alone is a bad thing? Because trust me, after you hear it, you'll understand why I do it.

[amiable]

[ She can't promise that. She's learned over many years isolation doesn't lead to anything good. ]

What happened?

[whichwayyoulean]

That's not a yes or no response. [Yeah, he expects one, missy. His tale is never told for free]