Here we are as in olden days, happy golden days of yore | OPEN

[vitaelamorte]

Who: E V E R Y O N E (Including our 4th wall guests!)
Where: Everywhere, one both Mirror and Real Side!
When: December 12th - December 18th (WEEK ONE)
Rating: PG-13, warn if going higher
Summary: This year's Ewaymas celebration rolls out the way it usually does, with intense decorating, a sudden snowfall and...far more arrivals than usual! New faces and old fill the mansion - but why would Wonderland bring so many people at once? And why do some of them remember Wonderland?
The Story:

On the evening before December 12th, the captives of Wonderland might be awoken by a loud commotion. Some of it is typical Ewaymas noise, likely familiar to anyone who has been in Wonderland for more than a year – construction sounds and jingle bells as Wonderland decks its own halls quite literally. Garland and lights race down the walls and down the stairs, and stockings appear on the walls for each and every person in Wonderland, embroidered with their names. There are decorative candles everywhere, and all sorts of decorations for every conceivable winter holiday, even if it does not align perfectly to the dates of Ewaymas. Time isn't real, so there will be menorahs and dreidels and Star of Davids even though Hanukkah ended two days prior. And of course, in the front hall, growing straight out of the floor, is a large decorated tree full of ornaments for everyone. And as always, it will have snowed heavily overnight, bringing all of the snow Wonderland will have between now and spring.

There is a second source of commotion in the night though – the sound of a crowd.

Over the course of the night, dozens of new arrivals will appear in Wonderland. Some for the first time. Some wondering how they managed to return with their memories. Others stumbling in with no recollection of ever having been here. Some might be friends from other timelines, other possibilities, and some might even be doubles of people who are already in Wonderland. It's strange for Wonderland to drag so many people into the mansion at once, but everything seems to indicate that they are supposed to be there. They have their own network devices and even have their own stockings on the wall and their own ornaments on the tree – by all accounts, it seems Wonderland expects that they'll be staying, and is treating them like any other new arrivals. Please, make them feel at home and help them settle in nicely.

The first few days will be for catching up with old friends and enjoying the decorations and settling into Wonderland. However, within a couple of days the decorations will start to glitch, much the way corrupted computer graphics might. Lights might change abruptly from multi-color to blue or white, entire décor styles will abruptly change, candle flames will flicker on and off like broken fluorescent lights, and any singing decorations might loop on a beat or two over and over putting you into an eternal hell. Wonderland doesn't seem to be able to stick to one motif, and it can't stop changing. These glitches are occurring on both the Real Side of Wonderland and the Mirror Side.

By the 15th, these glitches will include entire rooms changing into different holiday scenes. These scenes will all be of characters at various winter holidays in the past, the present (in their world), or a possible future. At this point in the event, characters will still be able to navigate the basic mansion and be able to exit these moments easily. These scenes cannot be interacted with – Wonderland seems to consider them another form of decorating. Unlike previous events of this type, these scenes will not loop at first. They will play once, and then Wonderland will glitch and correct itself to be the room it is supposed to be. The scene might play again, but it will be in a different location if it does.

By this point, Wonderland is having an increasingly difficult time holding itself together in a way that makes geographical sense. You might exit one room, even a room that was not previously playing a scene, and find yourself in the kitchen or on the roof instead of in the hallway. You might open a door that you were sure led to your room only to see a ten foot drop to the grounds outside.

This is the mingle log for WEEK ONE! For more information on this part of the event or any questions, please head over to the plot post, or check out our Fourth Wall Master Post for your other Fourth Wall event needs! Prose or [action brackets] are welcome. Please clearly indicate whether your character is on the Real Side or Mirror Side in your top levels. And of course, have fun! ♥

Comments

Jemma Simmons | Agents of SHIELD| OTA

[badgirlshenanigans]

December 12th

Jemma is lost, literally. She's wandering about in a wedding dress and had been married less than an hour. Now she looks like she walked into a catalogue of over-celebrating Christmas. Is this a rift? It must be a rift.

Confused isn't the word. She's beyond confused and she's been in a virtual alternate reality and the future. Hell, she once crawled out of her own grave. Instead, Jemma's more concerned as overdone Christmas is hardly one of her worst fears. All right, it is a little creepy when she finds a stocking with her name on it.

So, is this a rift? Looking about, she doesn't know anyone in the room.

[thisismadfreaky]

Trying to chase down familiar faces in crowds of people is difficult, but if he keeps trying, it has to pan out in his favor eventually, right? "Holy wedding bells. Jemma?" How are all of his friends getting married?!

[badgirlshenanigans]

“Uh, hello?” Jemma replies wondering how the hell this man knows who she is.

Definitely a rift, so he must be here to terrify her in some way, except he doesn’t look the least bit frightening.

“I’m sorry, but have we met?”

[thisismadfreaky]

His face falls at the absolute lack of recognition in her eyes. But it's only there for a second or two before he steels himself. "That's a harder question to answer than you'd think. I've definitely met a version of you here before. But-- in general? Probably not. People don't always remember being in Wonderland when they show up again. It makes for a helluva lotta disconnect sometimes." He chuckles a little and rubs at the back of his neck. That babble probably just makes him sound crazy. Ah, such is the life of a Wonderland resident! "Anyway. Uh--" he offers a hand for a delayed shake and introduction. "I'm Cisco."

[badgirlshenanigans]

“Wonderland?” Not Maveth, not the Lighthouse, not some other base, but Wonderland? There’s only one thing to say to that, “curiouser and curiouser.”

This is not the weirdest place she’s ever been.

“So like a time loop, people at the beginning don’t know who’ve they’ve interacted with at the end.” She’s trying to come up with some a comparison that makes sense.

Oh yes, manners, as she takes his hand, “Jemma Simmons,” awkward. “But you already know that.”

[thisismadfreaky]

"Exactly." he snaps and points at her. At least she isn't freaking out completely, or laughing in his face like some people did when he explained it to them. He might throw something at Harry next time he sees him. "Kind of," he nods a little. It's not the worst comparison to be made, that's for sure. "How much about the idea of a multiverse makes sense to you?" Not in the science way. He has no doubt she understands the theory, but it's always a little world-rocking to consider it in practice.

[hypoxic]

She might know one person. He's particularly sourfaced, and glancing frequently over his shoulder as he checks on one partygoer in particular.

He notices her, at least. It's enough that his eyes lock with hers, his upper lip curling into a sneer. Her. And here he thought he'd finally be rid of this nuisance. The wedding dress doesn't inspire much confidence, either. Did she return to their home dimension just to wed that spineless little blob that passes for their Fitz?

He adjusts his sleeves compulsively, determined to pass for someone put together despite how limited his options have become. He won't let himself appear weak, least of all in front of her.

[badgirlshenanigans]

Here it is, her worst nightmare.

As soon as the Doctor locks eyes with her, Jemma knows who he is. How could she not? He probably thinks looks tough, but to her he looks worried what others think of him. To her, he almost looks frightened. Maybe that’s just her sympathies for what must’ve happened to him when he was young. It’s impossible to see the Doctor (the irony of him being called that not lost on her) and not look for what should’ve been.

Her Fitz is braver than this one.

Before, she was confused, but now she cares she’s wearing her wedding dress. He doesn’t deserve to see it, but she’s not going to run away from him either. His little movement to look more put together shows her he’s not holding a weapon.

Still, she will stand out of reach once she makes her way to him.

“Doctor.” Jemma’s not afraid of him. If this really is a rift, it picked the wrong nightmare.

[hypoxic]

"You've learned manners since I saw you last."

She must be working with the others. The witch was attempting to cast a protection spell over Simmons when he'd met her first. They're in league. She's come to mock him for his misfortunes. She uses his title as a sign of disrespect. He can't let her get away with it, but his options are limited.

"Is this the start of a victory celebration?"

[badgirlshenanigans]

Jemma almost felt like laughing. “And you’ve developed a sense of irony.” Manners? She wanted him to know she knew.

There’s a moment of pity. Imagine what he remembers happening to himself as a child to turn him to this.

That moment of pity makes her angrier. She’s supposed to be getting married. She’s supposed to be spending the rest of her life with a man far braver than this one.

“No, it was to be the start of a wedding celebration. Whatever’s happening, you’ve interrupted it.”

[hypoxic]

"Such is the way of Wonderland. At least, that's what they tell me is the way of things here. You and I both know there are alternative ways to enter a pocket dimension, don't we?"

He tilts his head at her, to stress that her games are unamusing. They're past the time where they could pretend to entertain each other's lies. That web is broken, burned at every possible end.

"Your people are the ones staging an invasion of my world. The hostility has always been on your side."

It's what he's been telling himself since he arrived here. None of the unfortunate accidents that have come since have been his fault. It's always them, forcing his hand.

[alsoagirl]

Well, that's...huh.

Jessica's staring. She can't help it. No one's made any wedding announcements lately, so this must be someone who had the shittiest arrival time ever. The face looks vaguely familiar, though, but it's hard to remember why. She thinks of pineapples for some reason.

Huhhh.

Curiosity gets the best of her. Even with the holiday nightmare around them--which, even as fucked up as it was, has been a million times better than any Christmas she's ever had--someone in a wedding dress is too interesting to pass up.

"Lose your husband?"

[badgirlshenanigans]

Smoothing out the front of her dress, Jemma tries to sound like this is all a hilarious happenstance of events, "I don't have one, yet. I'm supposed to. My intended's likely missing me."

The smile following is a bit sheepish, because of how out of place she looks, how utterly lost.

[alsoagirl]

That just tugs right at her heartstrings. She's such a sucker for love. "Aww, I'm sorry! Wonderland's the shittiest place ever sometimes."

Then again, she has been noticing a lot more people showing up lately. It'd been kind of quiet beforehand, but now it's like place is trying to throw a party. Maybe, if they were all lucky, it'd be a good party.

Still, she knows how rough it is to be suddenly stuck in this place. She imagines it's like how it'd feel to get tossed into the ocean without floaties. Not that she had to worry much about drowning, though...

"Well, hey! You never know. Married or not, he might've come in with you!" With a sympathetic smile, she asks, "What's his name?"

[badgirlshenanigans]

Jemma's met a version of her intended already and it's a relief to have a friendlier face. She can only hope one thing. "I hope he hasn't. I don't think he'd be as comfortable here." Seeing the Doctor would only set back the obvious psychological problems everyone else in SHIELD practically ignores.

She worries about Fitz's mental state far more than she lets on.

"Fitz." She says it brightly, like her Fitz is a person worthy to be loved. "Leopold Fitz." She can't handle the idea of him being mistaken for the Doctor. "Not the one you have here."

[alsoagirl]

"Wait. What?"

She's frozen to the spot suddenly. For a second or two, she thinks the woman's spouting nonsense, but by now, she knows better. It only takes a few months in Wonderland to get used to the bullshit it craps out, so it's not that strange.

...Okay, no. It's fucking strange as fuck. Her mouth has fallen open, and trying to compute this is making her brain hurt.

"There's...two Fitzes?" she utters dazedly as that sinks in further. "There's actually one that's not a ragin' dick?"

There's a pause, then, "He's got an evil twin?"

O HAY GURL HAY icon just for fun

[bravejemma]

By whatever "rules" time travel sets up, Jemma should turn and walk in the other direction or duck into a tea room when she sees herself coming. But the sight of herself in what is undoubtedly a wedding dress is almost too interesting to pass up. She knows she shouldn't approach, shouldn't ask -- but her resolve is weak at this moment. Maybe this is what going mad feels like.

It's too late anyway, she's already caught her -- er, her own eye, and now they're staring at each other. Maybe she's just a Wonderland trick. Maybe it's her mirror. She didn't think they could exist on the same side of the mirror at the same time, but if she's back and still has her memories, who knows what other crazy things Wonderland is up to right now.

So she holds her hands up, showing no ill intent. "Hi?" she tries, a little dumbly.

:D

[badgirlshenanigans]

Fitz -- the Doctor -- called this place Wonderland, and Jemma feels like she's through the looking-glass when face to face with herself.

Everything she knows about time travel says this is wrong. Hell, everything she knows about just about anything says this is wrong. On the other hand, at least she finally has proof this isn't the framework.

Smoothing the front of her dress, she can only think of one thing to say. "Hi?" Does she really sound like that?

"This is awkward?" Really, the only person she can admit this to is herself, so why not?

swings in late with starbucks, sorry!

[deathlessness]

Freya looks tired, and she is, from picking her way through the various layers of Fitz's mind. She's doing her best not to strain herself, taking breaks to take herself for a drink every now and then. It's in one of those now and thens that she happens to notice a wedding dress.

Her eyes scan up to the face attached, and there's a small moment of relief.

"Jemma. Welcome back."

Re: swings in late with starbucks, sorry!

[badgirlshenanigans]

"You're the third person to say something like that," Jemma doesn't sound frustrated by repeating herself, more tired. "But I've never been here before." Looking down at her dress, "and I have somewhere more important to be, but from what I understand, I'll be missing it."

Unlike the Doctor, this woman seems friendly, more like the redhead she met earlier.

[deathlessness]

"Oh, I'm sorry." Freya doesn't mean to mistake her for the Jemma who was here before, but in events like this, it's hard to really say what a person will remember and what they won't. "You were here previously, but Wonderland likes to mess with memories. I shouldn't have assumed."

She'll address the wedding dress in a bit, she's gonna let Jemma process that bit first.

[badgirlshenanigans]

"Someone I met earlier explained, the multiverse?" She smooths out her dress. Jemma still has hope whatever brought her here will send her back, to where things make a modicum, if only a modicum, of sense.

She should be getting married. Isn't this supposed to be the happiest day of her life?

"Was the previously me married?" Is there not only the multiverse, but also a time loop involved? Also, if they knew her "My husband to be is not here." Do they know who they see as Fitz is the farthest thing from?

[mucked]

[ peggy has been here long enough -- has been privy to weirdness long enough -- to think twice before calling out jemma's name. but it's there on the curve of her bottom lip and on the tip of her tongue, prepared and chambered and nearly fired off like an abrupt little bullet of a word.

instead, however, she slows her steps. she abandons any plan of striding down to the kitchen -- choosing instead to linger at the mouth of this particular hallway. instead of saying her name, peggy acts on the curiosity and the unsettledness that she can read in jemma's face.

calmly -- but braced for recognition -- she flags the woman down and asks: ] Feeling a little lost?

[ so many were, these days. ]

[badgirlshenanigans]

[If she wasn’t about to go to her own wedding, this might be the most amazing thing to ever happen to her.

Bracing for recognition is wise. For a second, her mouth hangs open, but she shuts it, not wanting to make a fool out of herself.

Then, she speaks.]

No way, I mean yes. I’m supposed to — you’re Peggy Carter. Do you know how amazing it is to be you, sorry, amazing it is to meet you? I was told you were here but for you to actually be here is amazing. I’ve said amazing too often, haven’t I?

[mucked]

[ she stands -- stalwart and enduring -- through this wordy onslaught. and peggy would like to think that it's a sign of maturity (a sign of growth!) that she does. that she manages not to pull a rude expression, that she manages not to roll her eyes, that she manages to be graceful in the face of enthusiasm.

it helps knowing that jemma is herself brilliant. capable. resourceful. a shield agent, and therefore one of hers -- in some roundabout and time-displaced fashion. ]

And you're Jemma Simmons. [ what? there's no pretending now. ] Mine isn't the only reputation who precedes her.