[OPEN] I've been losing sleep for days;

[vampdetective]

Who: Angel, Lily Evans, Mirror!Emma Swan, Mirror!Jo Harvelle & you!
Where: Throughout the mansion and grounds.
When: The evening of 9/16 onward.
Rating: R, for reasons.
Summary: Catch-all log for now until the end of the event! Any planned threads are more than welcome to take place here, as well as any surprise threads!
The Story:
[ ANGEL ► REAL ]

[His movements are limited until nightfall, but that doesn't stop Angel from dedicating himself to solving the riddle the Duchess has posed to the mansion at large. He's written and rewritten every last word of it, rearranging it and breaking it to bits as he makes his way through the mansion, carefully examining his surroundings as he goes to see if anything, anything, matches up with the cryptic madness that seems to be Wonderland's sense of humor. All told, he was a good detective-- but riddles, he was beginning to think, were not his strong suit.

When night falls, he branches out, having already gone through every floor of the mansion firsthand over the past two days, though entering any rooms that belonged to any residents was barred, meaning there was a great deal he couldn't search on his own -- but it seemed unlikely that the Vorpal Sword would be stashed beneath anyone's bathroom sink. It's full dark when he ventures outside, intending to wind his way through the gardens and head out towards the checkerboard hills and the woods in his search.

Periodically, he can be found in the kitchen, feeding -- or more specifically, drinking blood from an oversized coffee cup with a picture of what might be a lobster on it.]

[ LILY ► REAL ]

[Lily, too, has been dedicated to the search. She's been carrying the blue ribbon and note she found in the hedge maze with her since the day before. Most other problems might inspire her to sequester herself in the library until she finds something useful, but riddles are more practical in a way -- there's no book that can solve them for you, and despite having only been in Wonderland for a handful of months, she thinks she has a firm enough grasp on the geography and the inner workings of the mansion to have a decent shot at helping to solve this thing.

A part of her hopes that it's simply a matter of sifting the evidence until things fall into place, but somehow, she doesn't think that's likely.

She can be found at various points throughout the mansion and grounds, and for the next few days will be seen carrying a notebook at all times as well as her wand, taking notes wherever she goes. Though she seems mostly innocuous and unassuming as people pass her by during their travels, there are times when she won't be scribbling furiously -- anyone who visits the attic is likely to find her spending the better part of an afternoon liberally using charms to levitate and rummage through the various things collected there, and she'll also visit the dining hall on several occasions, where she'll eat with her notes spread out in front of her as she looks them over.]

[ EMMA ► MIRROR ]

[Alright. So the Mirrors are here on a mission, told not to come back until they have the sword in hand. Really, Emma doesn't have much of a problem following orders, assuming they're in her best interest. Loyalty to the Queen of Hearts isn't an option, but there are certain tasks she's more likely to apply herself to -- and any that directly impact her odds of survival are right at the top of the list.

She knows how important the sword is. She has every intention of doing whatever it takes to get to the bottom of this and do as the Queen has commanded, and yet--

Coming over to the Real side is so rare, it feels like a wasted opportunity, not to do a little investigating. It's been ages since her last visit, but her Real's room is exactly where she remembers it being, and she leaves the door open behind her when she enters, slowly and thoroughly going through the real Emma's belongings once she's there.

Any Reals who come into contact with her in the mansion or on the grounds would do well to guard their valuables. She has no trouble taking what's not rightfully hers. She looks noticeably different from the real Emma, wearing a pair of black-rimmed glasses that set her apart from the real deal, but there's one tiny detail that those who know Emma well might notice: her Mirror is wearing a swan pendant (or is it a keychain?) on a chain around her neck, something the real Emma has been missing for nearly a year.]

[ JO ► MIRROR ]

[Jo's Mirror is far less curious than Emma's, and far less likely to investigate things that aren't directly related to the task at hand. A part of her can't help but think that she's been forced back to the Real side as punishment for her affiliation with her Sam; things have changed since his open display of defiance on the Mirrors' own network, and while she supports him without question, defying the Queen when given a direct order such as this one is not an option. She's sure that if she were to disobey, the Queen would have no trouble making things worse for them -- and Sam has already lost his closet privileges. She's not certain she wants to risk finding out what he loses next, or if she herself will be stripped of her rights along with him as punishment for 'misplaced' loyalty.

She may be a demon, but she's not stupid. She knows better than to risk putting herself at a greater disadvantage, at least for now.

Unlike her previous visits to the Real side, she'll be making an effort to pass as the real Jo for as long as she's able, seeking out people she knows to be friendly with her doppelganger and making her best attempts to lure them into aiding her with her search for the sword.]

[OOC: Threads not limited to the above scenarios! If you'd like to do something that takes place in another part of the mansion or later on during the course of the event, let me know and we can absolutely work something out. Just trying to keep it all in once place! Mirror!Emma's responses will be coming from larcenously, Mirror!Jo's will be coming from stayedhome.]

Comments

[belovedson]

Don't know. To be honest, I never really thought about it.

[He hasn't had to until now. But that just plays into her point, which Neal thinks might be a good thing. She's starting to relax a little, and Neal eyes her carefully, trying to judge just how far he's gotten on this.]

But you're right. Guess it's pretty easy to take things for granted over here. I mean, we get everything we could ever ask for just about, and we don't see anyone pulling strings except for when they feel like it. [It's not a constant danger looming overhead, not like what Emma's described. He shrugs a shoulder.] And you--you're on your own, right? No one to help look out for you or anything.

[It's a guess, but one Neal's pretty sure of. This Emma doesn't seem to trust people anymore than the real version, but maybe she wants to. It's got to get lonely, the life she's described.]

[larcenously]

Gee, how could you tell.

[But the hard look that accompanies her words fades quickly. Something about that accusation hits home and hits it hard. She's less tense now, uncomfortable instead.]

It doesn't matter. I don't need anyone. I take care of myself just fine.

[belovedson]

[Okay then. Guess that answers the question of whether or not Neal screwed her over in whatever the mirror considers reality. Nice to know some things don't change.

She's pretty quick to backtrack though. Neal can practically feel the wall going up; not the same sort she'd been hiding behind before, but something new. This sounds a lot like the Emma he's seen since she slammed into him in New York, and he gives her a crooked grin.]

Never said you couldn't. But not needing anyone isn't the same as not wanting them around. I mean, everyone probably is just as busy as you are, looking out for themselves. But there's a lot to be said for having someone who will be there, even when you don't need them to be.

[larcenously]

[As Mirrors go, this one shares a whole lot of similarities with her Real. They're just different enough that she manages to remain a person the Real Emma would never want to go back to being for any length of time -- but there are some things that never change.]

What are you trying to do, appeal to my better nature? What do you even get out of it, anyway?

[He's right, the walls are up. She's hostile, on-edge and unwilling to let herself admit that she needs or wants anything other than her own survival.]

Maybe there is something to be said for it, but it's not for me. Other people just-- slow you down.