Wonderland: Day One

[wonderlandian]

The residents of Paradisa who ventured into the lobby on the 13th would find something new there; a mirror spanning an entire wall. Given recent happenings, who can blame them if they're cautious? Trouble is, this mirror seems to really want to bring people in, because you don't have to get too close before you're through the looking glass.

Once you've gone, you may find that you're not quite yourself.

[Directory:
Mirror|Queen's Courtyard|Queen's Castle|Tulgey Wood
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[Notes/Reminders: Type 1 and Type 2 characters will believe they are Wonderland natives. All characters, including those not entering Wonderland, will be able to use their journals; Wonderland "natives" will think it is a communication device exclusive to Wonderland, although communication between Paradisa and Wonderland through the journals is absolutely possible. You may NPC any number of Tulgey Wood creatures, except for the Jabberwocky.]

Comments

[impetuous]

[ Turning a corner and one comes upon a strange, if perhaps somewhat familiar sight: a man dressed in red and pink velvets and furs speaking to a group of cards. The soldiers carry clubs and in their midst a poor shaking card of a gardener, ornamented in spades. ]

No. No. Let him go. Go on then. Go on.

[ The soldiers move aside and the gardener scurries off as quick as his feet can take him. The king (for it was the king speaking) sighs. His head jerks up in annoyance when the soldiers continue standing there doing nothing. ]

The doors. You shan't expect me to open them myself!

[ And the soldiers fall over themselves to open the doors to the throne room for him. ]

[foin]

Ah-!!

[Turning said corner, Asuna comes upon this odd sight, and she lets out a noise of surprise before she can stop herself. Was it loud enough to be heard? She sort of hopes not.]

[impetuous]

Did you hear that? What was that?

[ One of the soldiers answers, "A girl, Your Majesty." ]

Nonsense! How could a girl get doing--ah! A girl!

[ And he moves behind one of the soldiers. ]

And who would you be?

[foin]

Your Majest-- oh!

My name is Asuna, Your Majesty, and I seem to be lost.

[She bows as she introduces herself. Manners are important sometimes, and you never know.]

[emboldens]

[ She manages to free herself from the maze just in time to see the unfamiliar man free another, though the card is still shaking so terribly when he flees that she almost follows after him to see if he is entirely well.

If this is someone she should be avoiding, it does not occur to her as she steps into view with a smile. ]

He will not soon forget your kindness, my lord.

[impetuous]

Nor well he shouldn't. Forgetting is a dreadful business. Most dreadful indeed.

[emboldens]

I could not agree more.

I know that you are busy, my lord, but may I have a moment of your time? I will be brief. You are the first I have seen here, and I am quite lost.

You see.. I have never been here before.

[save_the_souls]

[Allen had found his way into the castle, trying to hope to get some idea just what this place is. But he turns this corner and sees this sight. What the- walking cards? With weapons? And more importantly]

- Gwaine?!

[impetuous]

[ The king looks at Allen with great curiosity. ]

Who are you?

[save_the_souls]

[Great curiosity beats great fury I suppose-]

Ah-

I'm Allen. Allen Walker.

[reigne]

[This, Arthur thinks, is definitely the last time he's setting foot into the castle. Ever since he'd accidentally gone near the looking glass, it's all been one unsettling thing after another. Talking cards with arms are...

Well he's sort of started to wonder if he's having the most horrific dream. But no, that little cut he'd gotten on the back of his hand when he'd first stumbled his way through the maze reminds him it's unlikely. Which makes the next sight all the worse.

Gwaine- Giving orders. Gwaine giving orders in pink furs. With a crown. Like-

It's just not computing]

Gwaine?! [Maybe it's just a look alike, and not Gwaine at all, and he can pretend he'd never noticed]

[impetuous]

[ This is the second time the King hears someone shout that name. He is beginning to feel quite annoyed. ]

Whoever says that name next I would have him removed!

[reigne]

[...Wow he's suddenly having flashbacks to when he was a Prince]

Then you are not him?

[kingsgambit]

[..Of course there was a castle. And of course Merlin would find it after quite a bit of hunting around that maze, and well cards as people makes him consider this a dream still.

As does that man in red and pink. Ouch his eyes man, his eyes. He's pretty sure no one in their right mind would wear that, hence adding to the dream thing.

But dream or not he can at least act respectful when he sees a man ordering armed, well guards or something around and he confidentially approaches.]

Excuse me my lord, can I bother you for a moment of your time? [He knows how to be polite and in unfamiliar places, even dream ones, it's better to do that then well, get in trouble.]

[impetuous]

Bother? No. My time is precious and I'd rather not have it bothered.

[huntersdaughter]

[Honestly, Jo should've known better. All the crazy things going on with mirrors and people being their opposite -- a giant mirror should have been a warning. But nope. She tries to do one thing and now she's stuck. Stuck in this weird place with talking flowers and she's trying to find someone, anyone familiar.

She doesn't expect to hear a familiar voice. The voice isn't exactly ... it can't be.]

Wow. Okay... so you've always been sort of on the Medieval times side of things. This is definitely the extreme.

[impetuous]

[ Knock him out, sis ;o; Hide him unde the bushes for the week. He'll be forever grateful. ]

I beg your pardon? But you're not speaking with much sense.

[not_mafia]

[Oh thank god it's the King and not the Queen. He might actually have a sliver's chance of survival with the King.]

Your Majesty!

[He comes over and falls to the ground in front of him.]

I am ever so sorry for my postponed arrival! I know that my behavior is inexcusable and that I have been late one too many a time, but please have mercy on my pitiful soul...

[impetuous]

[ Un. Im. Pressed. He's covered for you too many times. One more time and it might be his head she screams for. ]

I'm afraid you'll have to speak to the Queen. It was she who summoned you, not me.

[magicus]

[ It's hard not to be drawn to the commotion near the throne room, what with the soldiers all clamoring to follow orders, and of course Merlin's the last to ignore curiosity.

You'd think he'd have learned his lesson after inspecting the mirror and more or less willingly ending up here, but oh well. Needless to say, the last thing he's expecting is to see a familiar face when he steps around the corner and peers through the mess of soldiers at the flashily dressed fellow beyond, and- ]

Gwaine?! [ Appropriately shocked and thrilled, but quickly followed by a far more judgmental- ] What are you wearing?

amazingly. Keywords. Relevant.

[impetuous]

[ Sorry, Merlin. ]

What did I say about that name?! Remove him from my sight!

[scinlae]

[ She shouldn't have touched it, it was a poor choice, this place is dangerous it has made her fractured and thin, the floor beneath her feet cracking and breaking away.

Shouldn't have touched it, shouldn't be here, it is bad, it is dangerous. It is tearing her apart with each step and each moment, she hears voices where there are no people, she sees people where there are no voices. Gwen, Lancelot, Uther. She screamed at the last, throws whatever her trembling hands can find at him, this phantom of her mind. He is dead, stop haunting her.

It feels like it has been months when her feet take her to the Queen's castle, through the hedge maze lined with the sharp whispers in her ears.

The gardener is paid little notice, but the voice ─ the sharp, loud, and very much there voice does.

Morgana does not cry out, she does not exclaim his name, she simply stops and stands and stares at the sight. The cards and the king, all dressed in red and pink, bearing the voice of someone she can remember clearly. Someone who died, for all intents and purposes, someone who she never thought to see again.

Gwaine?

No, it can't be Gwaine is gone. He left, he left her all alone, he cannot return, it is impossible, he cannot. He cannot. You are going mad girl, completely mad, isn't it about time to have some tea?

Turn around, turn and you shan't see his visage, it will fade with puff of smoke. He doesn't exist see? You're simple mad. ]

I ─

[ She doesn't know what she was going to say, so she clamps her mouth shut, hands unconsciously coming up to cover her mouth. Mad, mad mad mad mad, you're just mad.

Instead of words she laughs something short and broken, heavy feet taking one step backwards. That's right, she's mad, this is not real, not real at all. ]

[impetuous]

Who is laughing?

[ The King looks for the culprit. An itch spreads across his scalp as he finds her. He ignores it for the moment. ]

Woman, why do you laugh?

[kungfuwitch]

[The Gryphon steps in behind the king, giving a nod to the card guards as she passes. She looks up at him before bowing her head respectfully]

It is a dismal day for an execution if I say so myself, Your Highness.

[impetuous]

On the contrary. It is a lovely day.