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

[3nterprising]

[He was eerily calm about all this.]

s-Spike? What the hell is this place?

[gottaknockhard]

[It's not his first time, even recently. But in hindsight he should have practiced looking more surprised.]

Drug induced hallucination?

[3nterprising]

[She glares at him, unsure if he's being sarcastic or not. Although at this point, it's probably a bit more believable than the truth.]

You mean the castle's lacing our drinks now?

[gottaknockhard]

[Makes him sound less gullible than walking into a magic soul-sucking mirror.]

It's possible. What were you drinking?

[3nterprising]

... Coffee...?

[gottaknockhard]

[He nods like that makes sense, if only to spare her a few more minutes of blissful ignorance.]

That could have been it.

[3nterprising]

[She gets a vague feeling that he's pulling her leg.]

I bet it could.

[gottaknockhard]

[He had her going for a second there. But soon he shrugs and hands her the rise he picked, waiting a moment to see if she notices.]

Doesn't seem quite realistic anyway.

[3nterprising]

[She notices almost immediately, considering sweet gestures were beneath Spike.]

Painted flowers?

[gottaknockhard]

[That earns a shrug. This is just another day in the life...]

I'm out of ideas.

[3nterprising]

You, out of ideas?

[gottaknockhard]

[He isn't, really, he just doesn't see the point in figuring out what world they're in now.]

Probably shouldn't have gotten too close to that mirror. [--Like it's an afterthought. He glances around them at the paths that branch out from where they are.] You want to pick a direction?

[3nterprising]

[Her eyes follow his, and after a second or two, she starts strolling toward one of the paths.]

[gottaknockhard]

[For lack of other ideas (nothing to do with any other motive), he trails after her. This will only lead to good things.]

[3nterprising]

If this is a hallucination, I wonder where we'll end up.

[She starts plucking petals from the rose, finding the little white bits on the inside petal tips.]

[gottaknockhard]

[After they went through all that effort.]

If we're hallucinating, there's a bigger problem here.

[3nterprising]

[It all seems too real to be a hallucination anyway.]

Like what?

[gottaknockhard]

[So long as she keeps that to herself so he can keep playing with the idea.]

Well, for one thing, I don't want to know why I'd be hallucinating about you.

[3nterprising]

[She's kind of amused by his musings.]

Yeah, likewise, pal.
[Well, she was.]

[gottaknockhard]

[He smiles to himself, for no reason in particular.]

Rules out that theory.

[3nterprising]

So, it's not a hallucination. Why does that stupid castle feel the need to import portal mirrors?

[gottaknockhard]

[Spike is only partially paying attention to Faye, busy trying to get a look around the hedges.]

Why does the castle do anything?

[3nterprising]

[For the moment, the attention is mutual.] Hm. Go figure.

[She pauses, her attention drawn to a hedge with half painted flowers, white roses ahead of it dot the path.]

Hey.

[gottaknockhard]

[He turns his head to look at what she's noticing. Which means... nothing to him. He's never been much of a gardener in the first place.]

Someone must've gotten lazy.

[3nterprising]

Or maybe they're all taking a break.