Thirteen Truffula Trees

[whichwayyoulean]

[Well, that was an eventful trip, wasn't it? He'd actually been enjoying the world change right up to the point the fake Lorax showed up. Those words had hurt, even if a small part of him was always expecting them. So, the Once-ler is in his room (where else?) idly strumming out a guitar tune. He's not even sure he remembers where he's heard it from. Somewhere in the castle, probably. He continues to strum along as he dictates into the journal]

Okay, I have a question. Did anyone else see horrible illusions when the...whatever they were attacked us? Because I'm kind of wondering. How did they know what illusions to cast? You know, which ones would really get to us. Did they have files on us or did they just go play around in our heads and turn our own minds against us?

[He's not sure why it's important he knows that. It's not exactly going to make him feel any better, but still. That done, he has some filters to see to]

[Jane]

Your Utility Belt is all done. I would have got it done sooner if the castle hadn't decided to throw all those shenanigans at us.

[Phoebe]

Incoming, your ghosts are brining your birthday present. [It’s a scarf. Because it was something he was able to make on short notice, and hey, winter is coming so it’s practical too!]

[Kalinda]

[He’s been concerned about her, really. They haven’t properly talked since that...nightmare mess and he’s not sure if she even wants to see him again or not. Still, she’s been quiet- very quiet. He's trying not to think about those really not subtle at all hints his beloved friends decided to drop concerning her. Carefully:

...Hey.

Comments

dictated

[wilder]

[Hey Zelos actually knows this song thanks to his neighbors and their shower singing habits. He's been hanging upside down from his bed for a good while now in hopes of passing out and finding out the past twenty-four hours was a post death hallucination after dying in some ninja battle- so don't mind as he thinks it's totally cool to sing along]

[...okay he'd do it without blood rushing to his head anyway]

'Cause I'm free as a biiiiiiiird now~!
And this bird you can not cha-a-a-a-a-a-nge~ ♪

dictated

[thehangedrose]

I imagine it would have to do with our minds, really. It's not like I would expect them to have files on us, but...then again, you never know.

[A long pause, before:]

You holding up alright?

[heal_theworld]

[And suddenly, there's a panpipe picking up the melody of the song, and playing along with him.]

forever!

[whichwayyoulean]

[...There's a pause in the playing, because he really wasn't expecting that. But hey, Zelos seems to be enjoying himself, so he'll carrying on playing for a while]

...Huh. So this song has actual words. What's with the bird thing?

forever!

[whichwayyoulean]

Given it's, you know, the psychotic castle of doom, anything is possible.


...I'm okay. I guess.

[wilder]

[Sadly that's about all the words that Zelos knows of the song]

Uh, I think it's called a metaphor, Onceler.

Or an analogy.

....

Maybe both.

[whichwayyoulean]

[Awwww yeah. It's a jam session! IS HE FINALLY COOL NOW?!]

[whichwayyoulean]

If you wanted to be free you could be any animal at all really.

Except, you know, something that lived in a zoo I guess. Or a farm.

...Or a laboratory.

[wilder]

Yeah but there's supposed to be something a lot more freeing about flying, dude. That's the line of thought- birds are free because they can fly and go anywhere.

...And you know free as a deer sounds kinda lame.

[ino]

[hey look who's recovered from passing out and nosebleeding all over the place!]

They didn't know anything about you -- or at least, nothing beyond the obvious someone could have deduced from watching you briefly. The illusion -- it was more like something that would make anyone think they were seeing someone important to them. It just manipulates your brain activity, it doesn't create anything new.

[talk science to me baby ooh ooh. but more importantly:]

[Once-ler]

You okay?

[heal_theworld]

[MAYBE. Martel follows the song, and then starts branching out a bit, with a lilting harmony.]

-

[thehangedrose]

I guess...but still, it is troubling. First our souls, now our minds...

[A long pause.]

Well, anyways, that's good! That you're okay, at least. That was quite the world change, wasn't it?

[whichwayyoulean]

Makes you wonder what it'll be next.

[He chuckles a little] I kinda enjoyed it before everything went down the drain.

[thehangedrose]

Our spirits, maybe?

Yeah, it wasn't bad, was it? I mean, the people were nice and the clothes were really cool...but no, I see what you mean. I certainly wasn't expecting that to happen.

[whichwayyoulean]

What about fish? Fish can go anywhere they like too.

[Experimentally] ♫ I'm as free as a fish now

dictated

[ftssusstgsetfwe]

My mother.

[wilder]

No they can't. They die if they leave the water for too long. That's not anywhere. [DUH]

[whichwayyoulean]

[Ohhhh fancy, Martel. Fancy~ He'll keep to the tune because, well, it sounds awesome]

[whichwayyoulean]

[Oh good, he's glad!]

...Oh good. Nice to know how deep the self loathing goes there. Yippie. Thanks, mind, you're a real buddy to have in difficult situations.

[Ino]

I'll live.

forever!

[whichwayyoulean]

...I'm sorry. Sounds like they really were trying to get at us.

[ftssusstgsetfwe]

It's all ri--

[No, it's not. She sighs.]

At least we're okay for now.

[ino]

[a pause; because she feels bad that she didn't recognize it sooner]

I'm sorry. I should have known something like that would happen.

[Once-ler]

So ... that's a no. [LMFAO] You said you saw the Lorax?

[whichwayyoulean]

It's not your fault. You can't see the future, Ino.

[Ino]

[He's silent for a moment. Usually, he can tell Ino just about anything. But the Lorax is a subject he doesn't like to broach with anyone. Except maybe Sheena. After all, she knows what it is to have your life inexplicably changed by a spirit]

...Can we not talk about it? Please?

[heal_theworld]

[Of course it sounds awesome, they're the ones playing it. She goes back down to match Once-ler for a few moments, then goes off on another made up melody.]

[ino]

No, but it's a pretty basic thing you need to know if you're in a fight with someone like that.

[Once-ler]

[aaand she ... wasn't expecting that reaction; she's come to expect that he'll talk to her about everything, whenever she wants him to. entitled much, ino? she knows there's probably a good reason he doesn't want to talk about it, logically, but she's surprised to find that it still kind of hurts to hear]

... Fine.