entrancelogs | 001 ✯ open } { hey so glad you could make it

The idea of queens just being figureheads is not a unclear concept to her, at least, despite how patchy her memory of Earth is. So she takes in that information with a grain of salt, before nodding.

"Like an hour ago." So yes, very recently. "Is this a speech you have to give a lot?"

"Unfortunately, yes. It was given to me when I first arrived and I try to pay it forward to others if I can. There's a lot to take in that can be quite overwhelming."

She isn't even sure what the most important thing to discuss first would be.

"I'm not in charge by any means, but I can show you things if you'd like, help find a room, explain the...unique way Wonderland operates."

Carol isn't opposed to information, and it's clear at this point that brute force isn't going to get her very far. So she nods and dusts off some more of the dirt that's collected around her suit.

"Yeah, that would be great. I'm not sure I want a room quite yet but a Wonderland Cliff notes would be good."

"The biggest problem is that we have no idea how to leave. There are plenty of theories on how we got here--magic, an invisible portal, those are the main plausible ideas. But how to get back, well. People have tried, and as far as I know, no no one's been successful at leaving when they'd like to."

Claire looks at the new arrival.

"The short version is we're brought here so that whatever runs everything here can use our memories as fuel to continue running. Every so often one of our memories from home plays out for the mansion at large to bear witness to. It can be as simple as one of our own memories playing on a loop or as complicated as...well, I don't know how to explain it without sounding insane."

What the hell, the whole thing is insane.

"It can be as complicated as a person's world being filled with some sort of enemy that suddenly arrives here en masse which we must all come together to fight."

So, things to fight, not a deal breaker for Carol. She could honestly use some of that right now. That also being said, she's not thrilled with the idea that she can't just leave when she wants to. She has somewhere she needs to be, and even if the world is on pause, that doesn't mean she's less anxious to get there.

"Fun." Only not. Not at all. "Joke's on them though. I don't have a whole lot of interesting memories to pull from."

Her recent ones have been mostly isolation an space. She doesn't even think of the Supreme Intelligence or Skrulls being used against her which means it probably will be.

"That's what I've assumed about myself, and I've been here two years with nothing happening from my world, so...I assume there isn't enough that would be worth inflicting on anyone to use my memories."

Why she's here then, she has no idea. Maybe it's like a lottery.

"In any case, some people come from very broken worlds and don't mind it here, while others would do anything to be able to go. I think you'll find a good mix. What we all have in common is that we never intended to be here."

Claire pauses, trying to figure out how to phrase her next question without sounding insane.

"What planet are you from? Most of us are from some version of Earth, but some certainly aren't. They're from worlds I never could have imagined."

"I'm from Earth originally, but I've traveled around a lot." She's also learned that people from Earth may not always be aware of what lies beyond the stars for them. She doesn't know how much she should say, but at the same time, she also doesn't know if it matters when people won't remember later.

"Is the Kree Empire a thing where you're from?"

"As far as I know right now, no. But it is the year 1770 where I've come from. If there is anything out there, no one's discovered it yet."

Space exploration isn't even a thing, and she'd have no way of knowing if anything came to Earth. She hadn't heard of anything in the 1960s either, and man had only just gone to take photos of the moon from space. Either way, it isn't something she's ever heard of.

"You certainly look as though you're from a more modern time like most others here."

"Is 2019 modern?" She's not sure where that is in the relative skew of time, but it's definitely not 1770 either. She is super curious, however, about what that kind of whiplash is like to someone who is not expecting it.

"Though arriving here from 1770 must have been ... complicated."

"I think so. Most, though certainly not everyone here, seem to be from within at least 10 years of that." With the exception of her family, anyway.

With a laugh that's more of an exhale through her nose, she nods. Even if she were from the 60s, technically, Wonderland is far more advanced than that, so what she says next is the absolute truth.

"It took a lot of effort from a much younger generation to teach me how to use the devices. I think at home they're called...cellular phones? I'm not sure." That doesn't sound right which is why she sticks to just calling it her 'device.'

"At least I'm not old enough yet to stop learning new things."

"I wasn't on Earth for cell phones either if it makes you feel any better."

This isn't to say that she doesn't have experience with advanced technology, but if someone had talked about using their "cell" she would have had no idea what they were talking about. Something to bond over? Maybe?

"Last time I used Earth technology, it was two way pagers and pay phones."

Claire laughs, but it's truly more like an exhale of breath through her nose.

"I suppose it does, a bit. Pagers are...vaguely familiar to me in that some doctors in some hospitals have started using them."

She knows her clothing is a contradiction to anything modern, so she offers a blanket explanation. "I'm somewhat of an amateur time traveler."

"Fun!" is the response she gets, because time travel is cool. Her version of things is a little more long form, in a sense. "I'm more of a space traveler. I haven't been back on Earth since '95."

Which is still ahead of Clarie's experience, but explains why she doesn't have experience with smart phones.

Claire's smile is fond already, even if it is small.

"Well, if I can make it here I'm sure you can, too. Magical kidnapping notwithstanding. There are some very kind people, all of us just trying to do our best and get through it until we do go home. Someone's told you by now no one will realize you're gone, I hope?"

She nods, because they have, though she's not entirely sure if that makes her feel better or not. "The problem is there was something I had to do. And now I'll be spending a lot of time running the what ifs until I get out of here."

Which, from the looks of things, seems like it's going to be a long time from now.

"Christ, I bloody know how that feels," Claire sympathizes.

"I know it isn't much, but if you ever need an ear, or have a question about how this place works or--hell, if you ever want someone to share a drink with, I'm happy to."

She can't help but offer, knowing it's hard to even know what you need when this new.

"People have explained things like the closets to you, I hope?"

"I appreciate that. And I may take you up on it."

Once she gets settled, even though she doesn't really want to be settled. She's still trying to avoid the prospect, even though everyone is telling her she shouldn't.

"And yeah, they have. I'm probably going to go play around with those shortly after this."

"Good. Most try to be as informative as possible and either they tell you everything frightening and nothing useful, or everything useful and no warning of the possible dangers."

She lets out a soft breath and smiles just a little.

"There's a lot to understand, but you will. And there are plenty of people to ask questions of in the meantime, I assure you." For now, she won't keep her though, trusting that she'll remember to reach out if she feels the need.

001 ✯ open } { hey so glad you could make it

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject