[open] HGZIH HSRMRMT YIRTSG ZYLEV BLF / MRTSG YIVVAVH HVVN GL DSRHKVI 'R OLEV BLF'

[tetractys]

Who: Bill Cipher and YOU?
Where: Anywhere you're sleeping, Real Side
When: Any night, before, during, or after event
Rating: G, will update as needed
Summary: What are you dreaming about? How have your dreams changed since you got your happy ending? Bill wants to sneak around and gather information about you based on it.
The Story:

The sun sets over every side of Wonderland. Everyone is in their proper places. Eyes are hidden in many spaces. Night casts shadows on strange faces.

Going to sleep, are you? Well, I'm sure you think that's perfectly fine. But, of course, we often don't realize our greatest mistakes until far too late.

A shadow passes from the borders of the Dream Side but can't quite reach the Real space. Instead, it slips into the dreams of residents, invisible, to observe.

What are you dreaming about tonight, Wonderland?

Or, if you prefer: What do you usually dream about? How have your dreams changed since the event began?

Comments

[tetractys]

"SURE, NONE TAKEN! HOPE YOU GET WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR."

Perfectly cheery. Pushing would be more suspicious.

[ssmisery]

What she's really looking for she doesn't expect to get, but that's okay. The important thing is that she doesn't have to be alone.

"You too, I guess."

There are decent odds that Lapis will forget about Bill's request or the fact that she said she'd think about it, since she's going to get distracted. But we all realize that even if she went for it, she'd just make a snarky announcement to the network, right? She's not gonna track down any wizards or drag her mad scientist(s) in.

[tetractys]

"HEY, YOU CAN TAKE DIRECT ACTION ON THAT COUNT, SIS."

Bill flicks a tiny twig into the fire, which FOOMs into a blue fireball for a moment.

[ssmisery]

"What's stopping you from getting into anyone else's brain?" Not that Lapis has one of those, just something somewhat analagous. Man, she's been living among humans a long time now. She gently sets her current leaf next to her on the deck lounger.

[tetractys]

"THEY HAVE TO BE DREAMING LUCIDLY! OTHERWISE THEY'LL FORGET WHEN THEY WAKE UP. AND ALL OF THAT IS DOWN TO LUCK OF THE DRAW!"

The frustration here is completely honest.

[ssmisery]

"Yeah, mine don't usually get like this." It's probably lucky that Lapis is a weird dreamer to begin with, but as always, her mind very much belongs to her. She regards Leaf Bill another moment. "I think you've been here before, you know."

[tetractys]

"IN WONDERLAND, OR YOUR DREAMS?"

Both true, but it's about how much she's guessed - or remembers.

"THERE WAS ANOTHER ONE OF ME HERE. TWO, ACTUALLY!"

[ssmisery]

"Oh yeah? I only got one of them. Lucky me. But I guess that kind of thing barely counts as weird in Wonderland."

[tetractys]

"I'M STARTING TO THINK IT'S THE PLACES WE ALL CAME FROM THAT ARE THE OUTLIERS! THAT ONLY HAVE ONE THING THAT'S WEIRD AND MAGICAL. INSTEAD OF EVERY KIND OF THING!"

[ssmisery]

"And we've all been living in watered-down spinoffs?"

Lapis probably isn't being very serious about this, but it's hard to tell for sure with her. Or maybe there just isn't much of a difference. Again, she tends to sort of vaguely regard plot stuff as not in her jurisdiction by default, but one can hardly avoid forming opinions.

[tetractys]

"YEP. BRANCHES FROM THE TREE! THIS IS THE SECOND PLACE I'VE BEEN THAT'S LIKE WONDERLAND."

The leaf gestures into the fire, where embers curl up to make two images - a manor on a broad lawn, and a cruise ship floating on something that isn't water.

"- THE ONLY REAL DIFFERENCE IS WHY EVERYBODY'S PRETENDING WE'VE ALL BEEN BROUGHT HERE! EVERYTHING ELSE RUNS THE SAME!"

The images both zoom in to reveal bars on the windows, and a figure clutching them sadly, unable to leave.

[ssmisery]

Okay, THAT'S news; Lapis frowns at the pyrotechnics. Whatever quiet understanding she does maintain about things, she's not sure how much this impacts it. A lot of this stuff really is pretty academic in the end.

"That's impressive. I didn't think this place even runs the same."

[tetractys]

"YOU STRIP IT DOWN AND IT'S JUST THROWING A BUNCH OF PEOPLE INTO A BOX TOGETHER AND CHANGING THEM MAGICALLY EVERY MONTH OR SO - TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS!"

He waves the images off.

[ssmisery]

"And was there ever a point to it there? An overarching theme?"

She sounds vaguely disgruntled by the idea more than anything. Also, she idly beckons to the fire, which dances in spiraling arcs of flame. This isn't her usual element, but Lapis can do what she wants.

[tetractys]

"THERE THE IDEA WAS REDEMPTION! EVERYBODY WAS SUPPOSED TO BECOME A BETTER VERSION OF THEMSELVES - AND THEY COULDN'T LEAVE UNTIL THEY DID! BUT OF COURSE, THE PLACE WASN'T RUN LIKE THEY WANTED US TO REDEEM. MORE LIKE THEY WANTED TO WATCH US FLAIL AROUND FOR SOMEBODY'S ENTERTAINMENT!"

Most people would choose the relative safety and certainty of the Barge over Wonderland. Bill is not one of those people. Here he doesn't have anyone telling him what to do, or what's right or wrong. Much better.

[ssmisery]

There's a pause while Lapis considers. "Wonderland acts like it has rules too," she says, reaching into the fire unconcerned and unaffected, "but the only one what matters is whatever the story demands."

She pulls out a chunk of flame, regardless of whether that's something that normally comes in chunks, and lets it sit in her hand like a docile pet, licking at her fingers. Who cares whether that's sensible or even consistent? Anything goes as long as it's ostensibly making a point.

[tetractys]

"EXACTLY."

You've never heard a tiny little leaf with a googly eye sound so bitter.

"IT'S ALL A SHOW BEING PUT ON, WHETHER WE WANT IT PUT ON OR NOT. WE DON'T LIVE OR DIE ON OUR OWN MERIT, JUST BY WHAT MAKES A MORE DRAMATIC MOMENT. YOU MIGHT AS WELL NOT TRY AT ALL. STAND THERE AND BE CUTE LONG ENOUGH AND THINGS WILL JUST DROP INTO YOUR LAP."

He's going from yellow to red, like his chlorophyll is degrading for winter in fast-motion. What an extra little fucker.

[ssmisery]

Is anyone around here not extra? Lapis's hand is on fire. Okay, no, that's an uncharitable way to put it, the fire is remaining well-behaved and contained. She gives a dry snort. Truly, nothing can bring together all kinds of weirdos like communal kvetching about jamjars.

"Pretty sure you'd have to work in some pathos. I've heard that sometimes it turns off the death mechanics just to get away with more drama." Granted, mortality is still a little abstract to a gem, one who has no intention of ever finding out what 'counts' for Wonderland's tastes, but she sure does understand it a lot better than when she arrived and that tells ya something.

[tetractys]

That's a new one on him and he lets out a long, belabored sigh.

"OOOOOF COURSE IT DOES. EVERYTHING'S A POPULARITY CONTEST."

[ssmisery]

What, the unfair bias towards people who can die for better drama? Yeah maybe. However...

"You don't exactly seem to be following all the usual rules yourself."

[tetractys]

"THAT'S MY SPECIALTY! RULES ARE SUGGESTIONS OF WHAT THE PEOPLE IN CHARGE DON'T WANT YOU DOING! THAT MEANS YOU SHOULD BREAK THEM TO SEE WHAT'S GOT THEM SO WORRIED!"

[ssmisery]

"Kinda like breaking into people's minds? That's another thing Wonderland usually decides to cause on its own."

You know, that's not entirely true. Indeed the biggest offender in causing psychic shenanigans from Lapis's personal experiences was, as a matter of fact, the previous Stanford Pines. She probably knows this, but it was a while ago and she's much more interested in bitching about the here and now. Which may or may not be for the best.

[tetractys]

The leaf raises a little hand.

"PLEASE. I'M NOT IN YOUR MIND! YOU'D KNOW IF I WAS, BELIEVE ME! WHEN PEOPLE DREAM, THEIR MINDS FLOAT UP HERE TO VISIT ME!"

He gestures around.

"THIS PLACE JUST LOOKS LIKE WHATEVER YOUR MIND WANTS IT TO! IT'S NOT ACTUALLY YOURS PERSONALLY!"

[ssmisery]

"Oh." Well, all right, that makes sense with the Dream Side thing. Lapis glances around at the surroundings that her mind apparently wanted -- they're still a bit vague around the edges, but familiar in a way she doesn't entirely appreciate if she's going to be lucid about it.

She tosses her handful of flame back into the campfire. It splashes like water, scattering bits everywhere within a few feet, which would be extremely dangerous if this weren't a dream and if the landscape were anything more flammable than regolith. (Bill might possibly be a bit flammable himself at the moment, but he can handle this, right?) It's that second part that's being addressed; where the sparks and gouts land they soak into the soil, and patches of grass grow instead.

Lapis, meanwhile, is continuing as if that background activity were totally routine. "That would be more reassuring if it didn't imply that I'm also out there with the monster."

[tetractys]

"YOU ARE!" Bill says, cheerily. The sparks from the campfire catch his leaf body, and he starts to burn with no apparent pain. He doesn't even seem to have noticed, actually. "BUT YOU CAN JUST WAKE UP IF YOU HAVE TO, RIGHT?"