entrancelogs | OPEN | the "Lost People" mingle!

OPEN | the "Lost People" mingle!

Who: Every lonely person with a story to tell! (Check out the OOC details if you haven't yet!) Oh, and Peter Pan (

boyhood), too.
Where: Mingles are out on the mansion grounds.
When: June 4th-6th, night.
Rating: PG-13? We'll see.
Summary: Peter is up to old tricks. Using his influence as the Pied Piper, Peter gathers together everyone in Wonderland he can for a celebration. Are you ready to make some new friends, sad sacks? This doubles as a convenient excuse to see how many vulnerable children there are.
The Story:

So you heard a little tune on the air and you've come to play! The more, the merrier. Night 1 isn't strictly an action event, but if you'd like to have your characters react, or just want to thread something out for that time, go for it. Night 2 and Night 3 are where the action's at. The prompts are general ideas of what's going on!

Anyone who isn't invited is going to find they can't figure out where everyone's disappeared to, exactly, and if they do go to a location, it's going to look like nothing's going on. Strange, huh? For those who are invited, he only rule is this: mingle to your hearts' content! Make new posts, tag into things, do what makes the most fun!

After each night, everyone will be free to disperse before the sun comes up. They'll wake up in their beds feeling refreshed, with the pleasant, surreal sense they've just had a sweet dream.

Except it wasn't really a dream, was it?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[The Once-ler's really not sure what to make of all this. He'd heard the pipes and followed their haunting, beautiful song. Once he arrived he felt a little unsettled though - a tiny bit disturbed by the thought that he'd just mindlessly followed a tune to an unknown place. That's a great way to get yourself killed in Wonderland.

But, the longer he's there, the more he eases. It's a nice night and it's a nice party, he supposes - he doesn't consider himself much of a party person though. He had been once, but like he was during most of that part of his life, he'd been a huge jerk then and he wasn't really looking forward to repeating it. But this doesn't feel like those parties. Those were always about him or about networking or showing off. And if Peter's right, they're all like-minded people. It's different. There's a sense of belonging that he can't shake away.

It doesn't really sink in until he spies his mask though. It's not an animal - it's just a simple green eye mask, but he knows it's his. He can't even rightly call it instinct. He knows it has to be his because it's dangling from a tree branch that only he would be able to reach. It couldn't have been meant for anyone but him.

During the party he can be found in various places. He doesn't try to call much attention to himself, but he is having fun on the edges. At some point he can be found right by the fire, with his long gloves off and slung over his shoulder so he can roast marshmallows (it's just too hot to do so with them on). Later in the evening he'll be nursing a drink and of course, since he put on his mask, he'll be dragged out to dance later, but he'll put off that part as long as possible. But mostly there's something in the air that just...makes it easier to talk to people without dissolving into a puddle of guilt.

It's kind of nice.]

[Peter doesn't know why he's here. He certainly isn't in the mood for a party. But there's something about the music that pulls at him, tugs at a particular ache in his chest that he just doesn't have a name for. So he follows the sound, letting it take over his thoughts as he normally lets his friends. It's easier to give in to a powerful force than to fight against it. It's what he's always done and, apparently, it's what he is destined to do.

On the way Peter's eyes glance at the masks. There's one, of course, that reaches out to him. He stops to touch it - the long whiskers and rounded ears familiar to him. It's Wormtail - he knows that's who it is - and he doesn't think before he slips it on his face. He feels far more calm wearing the face of a rat. It makes him remember what he's lost and what he will lose.

Peter is feeling sorry for himself and doesn't look where he is going when he bumps into a taller man.]

Sorry, I'm sorry. I should have been looking. I didn't mean to hit you. I didn't... spill your drink, did I?

[The Once-ler hadn't really been paying attention either, to be honest. He's kind of awkward at parties, and was mostly just wandering around. Strangely, it didn't feel awkward though, not like parties usually did. So he hadn't been paying attention really when a much smaller someone collided with him.]

Uh, no, I'm good, really. It's fine.

[He doesn't mean to sound harsh, but he looks kind of surprised a kid his age would be apologizing so much. Aren't teenagers usually super bratty? (Though, in the Once-ler's defense, most kids between the ages of three and twenty are bratty). Still it's not bad, it's just...not what he would have expected.]

See? [He holds up his cup, still mostly-full. It's something particularly girly too - bright green with a little orange umbrella.] Didn't spill a drop. Don't worry about it.

[Peter gripped his mask tightly and plastered a smile onto his face. It didn't feel genuine and it probably didn't look as though he was happy. It was as much of a mask as the one in his hands.]

Yes. I see. It's, um, very green. Sorry again.

[The music was soothing but he didn't feel very cheerful. Maybe following the sound was a mistake. He should have stayed inside his room with Frodo, although, even the dog was keeping his distance these days.]

[No, it really didn't. He seems kind of miserable - miserable enough that the Once-ler actually notices, which is a feat all on its own.]

Kid, you don't have to be that sorry. That's like two sorrys too many.

[The Once-ler knows a lot about having things to be sorry about though, so despite not knowing what's got him so down, he feels a little like he can relate, maybe. Or at the very least that he shouldn't just send this kid on his way. It looks like he's alone anyway. But he's not sure what to do at first. He's never really been good with kids. Eventually, he holds up his drink.]

Hey, uh. [He holds up his drink again to gesture to it.] ...Want one?

[What a responsible adult.]

Edited 2014-07-10 20:40 (UTC)

[Peter stares curiously at the green drink with the little umbrella. He's never seen a drink like this before. Then again, Peter hasn't had much to drink other than Butterbeer and stolen glasses of Firewhiskey. What better way to forget his troubles than to drown them in alcohol? Isn't that what normal people do?

He shrugs his shoulders and takes the drink offered, sipping it gingerly. His eyes open wide and he stares, surprised. It's... good! Almost candy-like and that's Peter's favorite thing.]

This is brilliant! Where did you get this? Can you make more?

[The Once-ler shrugs.] They've just been around. I figured they were left out for us like the masks.

[It sounds kind of bad when he puts it like that, but he just decides not to bring it up and pretend that's not weird or suspicious. Besides, there's a nice atmosphere to the party, even without alcohol. Something about it makes the whole thing seem nice and safe and trustworthy. Either way, he's already found himself another one for himself and he's not about to question it now.]

But hey, I'm glad you like it. You seemed like you needed a little un-slumping.

[Peter is already half-way finished with his drink, his eyes searching for another. It was probably a good thing that Firewhiskey never tasted like this or Peter would have gotten himself plastered the moment he left James' room. As it was, the sweet liquor left him feeling a bit light-headed and better than he had felt sitting in his room.]

I deserve to be in a slump but this tastes good so, um, thank you. I'm Peter, by the way.

I'm the Once-ler. And uh. Glad you like it.

[He raises an eyebrow at how fast half that drink vanishes though, and wonders if he's going to wind up having to carry this kid back to the mansion. But he shakes his head at everything else, once it sinks in.]

...Yeah, no. You're like way too young to deserve to be in anything, Kid.

[He's just a kid, after all. He hasn't been around long enough to do anything that would leave him deserving to be in a slump.]

I might be young now, but I won't be forever.

[Peter sees another of the green drinks and grabs it, taking another long gulp before sighing.]

If you knew you were going to turn into a terrible person in the future, how would you try to stop it?

[Well. That's a loaded question that he wasn't expecting. He folds his arms a little closer to himself and looks down.]

I...it would depend on a lot of things.

[He'd been told about what he was going to do, the last time he was in Wonderland. The Lorax had told him outright what the future was, and what was going to happen to the Truffula Valley, and the Once-ler...he'd ignored him. He'd insisted it wasn't true. He actually accused the Lorax of lying and stormed off.]

I guess just, uh...be receptive to it, and don't just assume it'd never actually happen. Otherwise, you're gonna wind up regretting it in the end.

[He falls silent for a second, and sips at his drink. Peter takes that second drink and the Once-ler makes a note that yes, he probably will wind up needing to haul this kid back at the end of the night. But after a question like that, he decides not to mention anything about it or try to slow him down.]

...Why do you ask?

Edited (SORRY CATH I'M DONE EDITING NOW) 2014-08-04 23:00 (UTC)

[Peter sighs, the taste of the sweet drink turning sour the more he thinks about what James told him. He doesn't want to talk about it, not really, but something compels him to just spit it out.]

My friend gave me a book. He said that in it some witch wrote the story of our lives, well, the life of his future son. In it... I do some terrible things, horrible in fact. He said... that I'm going to team up with a really dark, evil wizard and give him information to kill my best friend.

James said he's going to try to make sure it won't happen but... what if it does? How do you even prevent that?

[...Alright, maybe that's a little slump-worthy. And more than a little crazy, but really it's not any more crazy than anything else that happens around these parts.]

Yeah, but you've still got that book, right? Just...don't do whatever the book says you do. If it says you have chocolate cake, go for strawberry cake or a cookie or something. It might not seem important, but who knows?

[Maybe that cake would lead him down the path to evil or whatever. It's probably more than just that, but this kid probably knows that much.]

But yeah, just...you've got all the warnings right in front of you. It all comes down to you listening to those warnings. You're actually worried about it though, and I think that's a pretty good sign.

[It's better than living in denial forever, like he did.]

The book doesn't tell me, that's the problem. According to James it doesn't ever say what it is that makes me... that pushes me to...

[Peter sighs and finishes the drink in one long gulp.]

I guess it's pretty pathetic to be worried about something that might not even happen. Sorry. I didn't mean to talk your ear off. It's a nice party and everything and I'm... ruining it.

[The Once-ler waves a hand, like he can just brush those words away.]

Nah. It's fine. It's not like it's my party. I don't mind.

[He's not sure where their host's gone, but the Once-ler wasn't really doing anything important anyway. He's been an awkward wallflower most of the night.]

Anyway, it's not pathetic. Worrying about it is good - it means you'll be trying not to let it happen. It's a totally healthy amount of concern.

Do you think so?

[Peter was looking for something positive to latch on to. He needed it, craved it, much like the floaty feeling the sweet drinks were giving him. It kept the anger and the sadness away and gave him something close to hope.]

James gave me the book. I don't know if I should read it. I'm afraid of what might be in it.

[The Once-ler knows that fear. He felt it intensely the day he finally asked the Lorax what happened, after he had used past tense one too many times in front of him. The Once-ler finally stopped and asked him what he meant, but the truth was that he wasn't sure he wanted to know. And once the Lorax told him, he was definitely sure he didn't want to know, and ignored that clear warning.

So he knows that fear very well, that fear that the future holds nothing good about him. It's such a strangely specific thing, but he understands it better than anyone else he can think of. With that in mind, he tells Peter what he would go back and tell himself, if he could. ]

...You should read it. There could be terrible, horrible things in it, and maybe you should be afraid of it, but you should still do it. It'll probably be good for you. Besides...

[He glances away, losing his resolve in his own guilt for just a moment. Eventually he takes a deep breath though and rebuilds his composure.]

...Besides, if you don't read it and everything goes to heck? You're going to hate yourself for it for the rest of your life. You're gonna just sit there every day thinking about everything you could've done different, but by then it'll be too late. You'll have to live with it forever, and it never goes away.

[He sighs, heavily.] Trust me, kid. You don't want that. ...No one does.

Edited 2014-08-20 04:03 (UTC)

[Peter bites his lower lip as The Once-ler talks, feeling a sense of mutual guilt. This was a person who felt the same as he did and he didn't really know how to comfort him. Misery loved company but Peter felt that there had to be something, some response, that he was supposed to do at times like this. If he had been James he would have known what to do. James was always good at things like that.

He reaches out and puts his hand on the Once-ler's shoulder, feeling awkward but at least it was something.]

I hope you're right. James thinks that we can stop it from ever happening. I'll read the books. Maybe there's something in them that can help.

[Honestly, he wasn't expecting to be comforted at all, and he's really not sure what to do with the sudden touch to his shoulder. Even after being back in Wonderland for a few months, he still has a little difficulty in strange social situations (and if he's honest, it's been a long time since anyone's patted his shoulder). Ultimately he settles on gently patting Peter's hand and offering an exceedingly awkward smile. He appreciates it, but he's really unsure how to react.

Besides, if Peter knew what he did, he probably wouldn't be trying to comfort him at all. He'd probably just be terrified of becoming him someday.]

Well, you won't know unless you read it, right? It sounds like you might actually have a shot if you do, if your friend's right about it.

[Peter smiled. It was thin and a bit weak but at least it was there. He moved his hand away, reaching out to grab another of the sweet drinks.]

You're right. I should grow a pair of bollocks and read the sodding thing. What am I doing being afraid of a few pages, eh? I'll do it. How scary can it be?

[Peter wobbles a little. Perhaps he's had bit too many but he doesn't care. He's starting to feel good and Merlin, that's a relief.]

It'll probably be fine - I mean, it's a book. It's not like anything's gonna jump out and grab you.

[He knows it's the content that's more scary, but he's trying to joke around and ease the mood, and he doesn't feel like he's doing a very good job of it.

Then, the Once-ler is the one to reach out and put a hand on Peter's shoulder, though it's less out of comfort and more to steady him. He saw him start to wobble there.]

Might want to slow down a bit there, buddy. They're a heck of a lot stronger than they taste.

[It's why the Once-ler is still on his first. Aside from the warning though, he doesn't make a real effort to stop him, or to take the drink away. He's already made peace with the fact that he's probably going to be half-carrying Peter back to the mansion at the rate he's going, and the kid's already having a cruddy night as it is.

Besides, no one ever claimed the Once-ler was a responsible adult - the Once-ler included.]

I'm fine! Really! These are wicked good, you know? We usually have Firewhiskey we nick from the kitchens but these.... bloody brilliant!

[Peter grinned brightly, his mood suddenly shifted. Oh, he could be a happy drunk sometimes he was finding. Of course, it all had to do with the company. A small voice told him that should he be alone with his thoughts, that happy, fuzzy feeling could turn very dark indeed.

There were two sides to Peter and it all depended on who was with him to see which side of Peter's personality would bubble up.

Peter stumbled a bit, the mask falling around his face again and he giggled.]

My friends call me Wormtail. Bet you can't guess why.

Aren't worms almost entirely tail?

[He raises an eyebrow, looking pretty amused at both that and at Peter swaying the way he is. Yeah, he's definitely not-fine.

The Once-ler doesn't really want to kill the kid's buzz by pointing out the strangeness of his nickname though. Peter seems a bit like he needs it. Kindly, he reaches out and helps him fix his mask.]

Sorry. Why do they call you Wormtail? I'm not that good at guessing games.

[Peter laughs softly as the Once-ler helped him with his mask. Merlin, when he wasn't paying attention the alcohol really snuck up on him. He went from zero to drunk in what felt like no time at all. He does his best to keep from falling on his face, his cheeks incredibly red as he looks up with a grin.]

'Cause I'm a rat. No, really. I...I'd show you but, I ...lost my wand somewhere. But you can't tell anyone. It's a secret. James, Sirius, and I would be in so much trouble. But it's brilliant!

[It's a little hard for the Once-ler to suspend his disbelief when Peter is this sloshed.]

Uh-huh. Right. I'm sure it is.

[He's not totally unkind about it, but he always has a hard time believing in magical things without some kind of proof. It probably seems real to Peter though, through that thick layer of drunkenness, so the Once-ler sighs, and offers a tired smile. His hand is right back on Peter's shoulder, to help keep him upright.]

I'm not gonna tell anybody. I think you're about done for the night though.

[And in case that isn't clear enough, the Once-ler uses his free hand to pluck whatever's left of Peter's most recent drink right out of his hands.]

OPEN | the "Lost People" mingle!

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