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

ALICE

[curiousher]

[Alice doesn't want to cause alarm or anything by announcing her presence on Real Side. Most of her time is spent on the roof, using a pair of closet-fetched binoculars to peek around the grounds, looking for anything that might be out of place.

Buuuut even though she can't call herself a growing girl in a world where no one ages, she still gets hungry now and then. So she can occasionally be spotted in the kitchen, getting herself something to nibble on while she does her important work. ...Plus, she's admittedly curious about who's around right now. So many people have come and gone in her Wonderland lifetime that an influx like this is the most curious thing she's seen in a while.

For those returning who have met her before, Alice is different than she was. On a more superficial level, her dress is more formal than it used to be, since she's been appointed royal adviser to the White Queen. More importantly though, she has eyes once again. They're bright and blue, and lately she's been wearing a fake pair of glasses so she can look a better more professional. She's more lucid than she was - still ever the curious girl, but more grounded in reality these days. Something very important has been given back to her. ♥]

Roof

[teamfun]

[The roof is much more of a brooding kind of spot, in Louis' opinion. It's the kind of place Violet would see out. She'd pull herself a piece of roof and sit on it, staring out into the nothing, probably scowling at anyone who came within five feet of her.

Louis is honestly here just for the view. Alice is a nice bonus. He grins, leaning over to wave a hand in front of the binoculars. SUDDENLY GIANT HAND??? ]

Hi, Alice. Watcha lookin' at?

[curiousher]

[Alice jumps a bit at her view changing so suddenly, but she's stubborn and doesn't lower her binoculars. She hums a little bit.]

Well, right now I think I might be looking at the largest hand I've ever seen!

[teamfun]

[He laughs, wiggling his fingers.]

Oh noooooo~ It's the attack of the eighty foot haaaaaand~

[Okay, no, it's not. He takes the aforementioned hand away, so she can, y'know, see.]

So. How's it hanging? Doing some lookout?

[curiousher]

Ahhhhh! Oh no!

[She laughs though - she'd only been play-screaming.]

That's exactly what I'm doing! The White Queen's given me a very important job to do. I'm supposed to watch to make sure Wonderland doesn't start breaking, so I wanted to make sure I had a good view!

[oversight]

[ John finds her in the kitchen, and he's thankful for it. Having something else to focus on — even just making a sandwich — helps to smooth his otherwise frayed nerves. He grabs up some bread and observes her carefully, fingers idly playing at the bread tie. ]

Alice... [ He recognizes her, but immediately notices the difference. The last time they'd met, she hadn't any eyes, let alone glasses, and while he'd been told as much when asking about her, seeing it is jarring. ] I've been lookin' for you.

Do you remember me?

[curiousher]

[Alice came to the kitchen with every intention of making real food, and yet somehow when he arrives she's found her way into a tin of cookies instead. However, when she sees who's entered the kitchen she sets them down and smiles wide.]

Why, Mister John Blake! Of course I remember you!

[She crosses the distance between them and throws her arms around him - a big hug for an old friend.]

Really though, I think I'm the one who ought to be surprised you remember me! You've been gone for some time, after all!

[oversight]

[ Gosh, you don't have to remind him, he's been thinking of nothing but that since he'd arrived back.

Tentatively, he shrugs, and then nods. ]

It's... weird for me, too. You look good. Glasses suit you. Eyes, too. Have you been okay? Feels like I missed so much.

[curiousher]

Thank you! I think they make me look sharp.

[She adjusts them, clearly proud of that fact.]

I've been very well. The Queen of Hearts is gone and I've been acting as royal adviser to the White Queen! Oh, she replaced her by the way. And I've got my eyes back! And I remember Dinah! [She gasps!] That's right! I never told you about Dinah. She's my cat at home and I remember her now!

[Obviously that's much more important than the change in political figures in Wonderland.]

roof

[powerofmabel]

You should get some of those fancy opera glasses for recon work. They'll really complete that "I'm the adviser to royalty" look, while still being good for keeping an eye on things.

[Mabel is sitting on the edge of the roof, facing Alice and kicking her feet back and forth. There's a lot going on, but Alice being around is rare and delightful and Mabel is always going to drop everything to spend time with her.]

[curiousher]

[Alice absolutely doesn't mind the company, especially when that company is Mabel.]

Ooo! They really would, wouldn't they? I'd look like someone on my way to go look at only the fanciest of fancy things.

[powerofmabel]

Yeah! And then nobody would know you're watching, so if people were gonna be jerks on your watch, they'd just be like "pfffft she's fine. she's just watching birds and drinking tea and eating crumpets- what's she gonna do?"

[Actually... She literally has no idea what Alice is looking for.] ...You're looking for criminals, right? That's what I've been thinking this whole time.

[curiousher]

Not quite - though it would be very good for that, certainly. I'm looking for a different sort of trouble.

[She gestures out at the grounds below. There's so many people in Wonderland right now that even with the snow it's probably still more crowded than usual.]

Wonderland doesn't usually bring so many people in at one time, so I'm on a lookout mission! I need to report to the Queens if I see any sign of Wonderland's magic going...hm. Well, going badly I guess is the best way to put it. When Wonderland strains itself it can break in little ways, so I'm trying to spot any changes.

roof

[otherplaces]

[This Alice is wearing jeans and an oversized flannel shirt and clutching a backpack to her chest. This entire place has her on guard. It's not right, and she doesn't know how to even begin to explain that.

She'd probably have a lot more trouble with the woman in front of her if her father wasn't very specifically the duplicate of a different pirate. This girl doesn't even look that much like her, really.

But she can tell. The same way she could tell something was very wrong in Hyperion Heights, the way she knew Robin even when Robin wasn't Robin and Alice wasn't Alice. This girl is also Alice, but she's not her.]

Like the glasses. [She approaches cautiously. She doesn't know this place and she's still not comfortable here. Even more than she's generally always not comfortable.] This your Wonderland, then?

[curiousher]

Thank you! They're not real though - just for show.

[She pokes a finger through, revealing that they don't have glass in them. But then she gets a better look at this girl and the wheels start to turn. She actually slips the glasses off and tucks them away, to get a better look at this woman who both does and doesn't look like her. An older one, maybe.]

Well, it's a Wonderland I happen to be in. And you must be another Alice. Am I right? [She perks up before the woman can answer.] Oh, this is exciting! It's been a while since there's been another me here.

[otherplaces]

I'm not another you, I'm me. Just cause we happen to both be Alices don't make us the same person.

[It's an important distinction from the woman who hates being singled out as "in Wonderland" when she's been so many places.

She holds out a hand to greet her properly.]

Alice Jones. Pleased to meet you.

kitchen

[krmvgivv]

[Dipper's in the kitchen as well, and he does a double take when he sees Alice. It's not that she looks that different, now that he's looking at her, but the formal dress and the glasses make her look older in a way that makes his heart twist because he knows that she'll never really be older. Not as long as she's here.

He glances away, focusing on the sandwich he's assembling.]

Nice outfit.

[curiousher]

Thanks! I wanted to look a bit more professional as royal adviser.

[She says that, but once she's made her sandwich she comes over and climbs up to sit on the table instead of in a chair properly. It ruins the "professional" illusion almost immediately.]

How've you been? I'm sorry I missed your birthday party, by the way.

[Royal Adviser work and all that, though she does sound legitimately disappointed about not having the chance to go.]

[krmvgivv]

Oh, you heard about that? Uh, it's okay. It was kind of... a mess.

[They didn't really expect her. She might be around more, but she still isn't exactly around a lot.]

Kitchen

[jamminshield]

[In the kitchen, Steven has just set out a batch of cookies he baked. He heard that people make cookies in the shapes of trees this time of you, so there's cookies in the shapes of various different types of trees, from evergreen to palm.

Wearing a little apron and oven mitts, he looks over in surprise as he sees someone entering the kitchen.]

Alice? Is that you?

Kitchen

[curiousher]

It's me! Is that you, Steven?

[She's very sure it is, but it seems right to ask in return somehow. She gasps when she sees what he's doing though, and is immediately invested.]

Oh! Are you making cookies? Do you need any help?

[jamminshield]

[He answers her initial response with a snort.]

Good question! Hmm... [He tugs at his own cheek a little, as if testing it.] Yep, feels like a Steven to me!

[Then he turns his attention back to the tray of cookies.]

I'm working on cookies alright! And if you're okay with helping out, then the more the merrier! You can could help make some more tree cookies, or you could just be the official taste tester! It's a very important job.

roof

[mandrakes]

Ah, Alice.

[It would be difficult not to recognise the young lady sitting here, and he approaches her with a small, friendly smile. The roof is a fine place for anyone trying to get out of the bustle of the mansion and it is somewhere he utilises frequently for just that reason.

Several other people do, as well, but there's room enough for everyone.]

Would you mind if I joined you?

roof

[curiousher]

[Alice isn't disturbed by sudden company, and she matches his smile.]

Not at all! There's plenty of room up here for us both.

[mandrakes]

Wonderful.

[He joins her, making himself comfortable, and sits in companionable silence for a few minutes before deciding to speak again.]

How have you been, my dear? Your new dress looks very fine indeed.