[OPEN/EVENT] Take me to Wonderland;

[cursebreaking]

Who: Emma Swan, Jo Harvelle, Angelus, Lily Evans, Rebekah Mikaelson, Mirror!Emma, and anyone who wants to cross paths with any of them.
Where: Throughout the mansion, both Real and Mirror Side.
When: 12/12 until the end of the event.
Rating: R, for Angelus reasons.
Summary: Event catch-all! Will add things in as needed as the event progresses.
The Story:

Emma

12/12 - 12/14, Holiday Punch

[After more than a year and a half spent in Wonderland, one would think that Emma would know better than to help herself to anything the mansion offers unprompted -- and, in general, she does, but there's something about the decorations and general holiday spirit that the mansion has been trying to drum up that she finds infectious. While she has yet to come across and cakes or mushrooms that make people grow or shrink upon eating them, the fact is that it could still happen, and being wary about what she touches or eat should be second nature.

The punch, however, does neither of those things, and upon drinking it, she actually finds herself to be feeling a bit lighter, smiling from ear-to-ear and with any worries or anxiety that might have been plaguing her concerning the dream they'd all shared about the Jabberwocky not long before having vanished without a trace. In fact, she finds herself feeling so festive that she manages to pull a Santa hat out of one of the closets for herself, as well as one for Lucky, completely with a dog-sized Santa coat that she manages to wrestle him into, though it takes some doing.

While she won't be staying in one place for long, she'll be seeking out friends and relatives alike while she's in such high spirits, as well as leaving little stockings filled with various types of chocolate and a number of candy canes hanging on the doorknobs of certain rooms throughout the mansion. Henry Mills, Killian Jones, Regina Mills, Mary Margaret Blanchard, David Nolan, Neal Cassidy, Robin Hood, Belle Gold, Mr. Gold, Zelena, Evelyn O'Connell and Philip Lafresque can all expect to find a stuffed stocking complete with a cheerful note proclaiming 'Happy Holidays' from Emma on their doors.]

12/15 - Onward, Mirror Side

[It's entirely without warning that Emma finds herself on the mirror side on Monday morning, having been on her way up to the diner to meet with Henry for breakfast before her surroundings seem to shift, violent and immediate. She recognizes her new surroundings for what they are -- she's been here several times before, and the last switch she'd made with her Mirror had been much the same: sudden and unexpected, leaving her reeling in its wake.]

What the...

[She pats herself down quickly to appraise herself; she finds her phone without trouble, but already knows full well it won't do her any good on this side of the glass. Her resistance notebook would have worked great-- if she'd had it on her person. Breakfast hadn't included any resistance business, which meant that she was unexpectedly stranded on the other side of the glass with no way to contact anyone else.

She sighs heavily, raking a hand through her hair.]

Great. This again.

[With no James or anyone else in the immediate vicinity to brainstorm with. Fantastic. Just what she wanted: to be alone on the foreign side of the glass.

To anyone else who happens to cross over, she'll be doing her best to locate any other Reals and avoid the Jabberwock-- for now.]

Jo

12/13 - 12/15, Aged Down

[Anyone who heads to the bar with the intention of talking to the proprietress will find her to be missing in action as of the 13th, something noticeably unusual -- come hell or high water, Jo sinks a decent amount of her time either behind the bar itself or keeping the place in good shape, even when things seem to be threatening to go sideways -- in fact, especially then. Instead, anyone who seeks her out will quickly realize that she's nowhere to be found, though Jormy can be spotted trailing along behind a girl with curly blonde hair who looks to be about seven or eight. While this miniature version of Jo won't be wandering into the bar anytime soon, she'll be spending the duration of her stay in Wonderland exploring the mansion and grounds high and low, including spending most of the afternoon on the 14th lost in the stacks in the library and spending several hours investigating the closets and kitchen cupboards on any given day. On the 15th, she'll have stumbled upon the location of the resistance hideout out in the woods, trying to collaborate with Jormy to find a way in. Whatever's behind those locked doors has to be good, right?]

12/17 - Onward, Real and then Mirror Side

[Jo is prepared to mobilize the moment she sees the Red Queen's message about the rabbit hole, but first, there are preparations to be made. She arms herself to the point of being loaded for bear, complete with a number of her knives tucked away in various places on her person and her favorite shotgun, though weapons aren't the only thing she needs to take care of before she goes. If she's crossing over, she can only assume that her Mirror will be doing the same, as so many already seem to have done, and that means taking precautions. The last thing she wants is a repeat of last year's Halloween -- her Mirror had been quick to seek out anyone Jo gave a damn about and did a serious amount of damage, something Jo really doesn't care to revisit.

On the Real Side, she can be found demon-proofing her own room by painting a devil's trap just inside the door, which she pulls a throw rug over once it's dried, followed by laying salt lines along the door and windows. Next up is the bar, which gets the same treatment, though she doesn't bother covering the trap on the floor. Her Mirror, she figures, is most likely to get stuck in her room, but there's no reason not to take steps to make sure other key points are covered. Finally, she goes around to individual bedrooms throughout the mansion, spray-painting devil's traps on the floor outside -- the mansion has repaired damage on itself before, and maybe the carpets will clean themselves too quickly for the traps to do any good, but she still makes the effort. Dean Winchester, Sam Winchester, Adam Milligan, Simon Lauchlan, Charlie Bradbury, Allison Argent, James Potter, Isaac Lahey and Elijah Mikaelson will all find that the entrances to their rooms have been marked with devil's traps if they're still present on the real side and happen to wander past.

That done, she makes her way to the rabbit hole the Queen had revealed over the broadcast, weapons and a backpack of food and first aid supplies in tow. From the 17th onward, Jo can be found on the Mirror Side, attempting to establish a base of operations (open to any friends or allies there) in the first empty bedroom she finds and doing her damndest to track down any of the Reals who have been switched since the Mirrors first started coming to their side. Her top priority will be getting the lay of the land and making sure her fellow Reals are safe, but rest assured, when the time comes, she's prepared to throw herself headfirst into the fight against the Jabberwocky.]

Angelus

Real Side

[For Angelus, the last few weeks have been irritatingly samey, having spend the better part of November locked up in a cage fashioned especially for him -- as a matter of fact, the 35th room on the 10th floor has been converted into a prison using the mansion's brand of magic. For the most part, he's been content to bide his time, occasionally sniping his jailers with an irreverent remark or two when they happen to drop by, whether to ensure he's still where he's supposed to be or to deliver bags of blood. The cage can't hold him forever, no cage ever has, and he severely doubts the witch's ability to get his heart back -- even if she does, a heart isn't exactly a soul, and if he had to hazard a guess, it would be that simply shoving it back into his chest won't be enough to put Angel back where he belongs.

Not that he wants to take that chance.

Still, for now, he has no choice but to wait -- and it's when the holiday decorations rip their way through the mansion that he finally starts complaining, often and loudly. Whoever last delivered his blood seems to have left the door to the hallway open -- either that, or he somehow managed to be flexible enough to grab it himself, but anyone who passes by the room is likely to hear him calling out to them, an attempt to get anyone's attention in order to relieve the boredom. It had been dull enough before, but now with garlands and lights wound around the bars of his cage?

Dear God, this place is insufferable.]

Just when I thought this place couldn't get any worse, it had to go and make itself festive.

[He snorts, pinching one of the lights between his forefinger and thumb to crush it and cause it to short out.]

Wonder if I could use one of these things to hang myself.

[Considering he doesn't need to breathe and can heal a broken neck, it probably wouldn't do much good, but he's desperate for some kind of relief. Another week or two in here and he might just go out of his mind for real.]

Lily

Real Side

[Lily doesn't trust food that's been offered by Wonderland one bit, regardless of how often she's made use of the closets and cupboards to get what she needs. That was different -- it was on her terms, but when the mansion starts trying to push even something as innocent-seeming as cookies, that's a red flag to her. Naturally, her boyfriend and their assorted friends don't seem to be quite as skeptical as she is, which means that she'll be spending the first several days of the event herding Marauders who are in need, particularly James, who she'll be attempting to keep from indulging from day one -- and failing miserably.

When it becomes obvious that some of the Mirrors are starting to cross through the glass and that a number of the Reals are missing, she changes her tactics and relocates to the clinic, where she'll be offering to use her healing magic to help anyone who's injured: Real, Mirror, or otherwise. Even if the Jabberwocky is thought to be on the other side of the glass, she knows that altercations between Reals and Mirrors always seem to be unavoidable whenever they're on the same side, and she's prepared to do what she can to help.]

Rebekah

12/15 - 12/18, Holiday Punch

[Any mention of Mirrors or the Jabberwocky seem to be lost on Rebekah, to be quite honest -- once rumors start flying, she doesn't pay them any mind, still being a rather new arrival by Wonderland's standards and still having trouble taking anything in this place seriously. Like all the stories say, everything about Wonderland seems mad to her, as well as childish, and she's chosen to view it like any other prison -- insufferable and, if she has things her way, temporary.

Her perpetually black mood regarding her situation -- including her recent kidnapping -- seems to vanish on the 15th, however, thanks to her having unknowingly tasted the punch while she was in the process of interrogating an uncharacteristically cheerful Klaus. For the next three days, the vampire will be all smiles, her usual snide or haughty remarks dying before they manage to reach her lips. She can be found throughout the mansion, but is most likely to be found lingering in the dining hall as she sizes up its potential for social gatherings or in the library whenever evening rolls around.]

Mirror!Emma

12/15 - Onward, Real Side

[The minute the Jabberwocky showed up, Emma knew that staying on the Mirrors' side of the glass wasn't an option. She wasn't much of a fighter, she had always been a runner instead, and this was as good a time as any to put that into practice. In the past, she's headed over to the Real side without saying a word to anyone, but this time she opts to include one person in her escape plan -- an accomplice, someone she knows is as interested in protecting his own ass as she is in protecting hers.

Crossing over goes smoothly, but she knows that once she's among the Reals, she'll have to avoid the real Emma's army of white knights. They'd descended on her when she'd come through during the search for the sword, and instead of going to use her Real's room as her own, she finds an empty one to squat in for the time being. That said, sitting on her hands and waiting for the Jabberwocky to make his way across realms isn't an option, either -- as soon as she's crossed, she goes about collecting supplies, which includes ransacking the kitchen and abusing the closet of "her" room on the fifth floor, where she carelessly leaves the door open after one of her brief trips to the bar.]

Mirror!Jo

12/17 - Onward, Real Side

[It's almost immediately upon her being forced to the Real Side that Jo's Mirror makes her way to her Real's room. She'd rolled her eyes at the blatant devil's traps that had been laid out in front of the bar and a couple of other rooms along the way, but when she finds no such thing in Jo's own room, she snorts to herself and pushes the door until it swings open, letting herself in. Maybe her Real didn't bother protecting it because she didn't intend to be here, but the Mirror was still sure she could use it to suit her own purposes while trapped here--

Until she crosses the threshold and finds herself stuck regardless. Grimacing, she stoops down and grabs hold of the rug to pull it up and reveal that a trap has been painted underneath. It won't hold her forever, but not thinking to check first had been an amateur move, and she sighs heavily as she drops her head back, irate.]

Well, shit.

Comments

12/15, Jo is aged down

[luckynumberthree]

Three days spent as a seven-year-old does weird things to a person and immediately aging back up to an adult in a matter of seconds is no less disorienting. Especially because the memories of those days are muddled and confusing and thinking about it too hard gives him a headache.

Which is why Simon takes a run, heading outside to clear his head in the brisk winter air that now seems to be Wonderland's default for the festive season. Not that he minds. It helps. And for a little while, it's almost like he can close his eyes and pretend he's home again. Well. Home before everything went bottoms up, at least. Although he really is glad to not be stuck at seven anymore. Or have to relive being a teenager. That would have sucked.

While running past the woods, he hears a familiar bark and slows down, then stops as Jormy rushes out of the trees to greet him excitedly, trailing his leash behind him as he leaps and jumps around Simon's feet. Confused but laughing, Simon crouches down to calm the dog, petting him as he squirms and wriggles and tries to jump up to deliver his brand of puppy kisses.

"Yes, yes, I missed you too, calm down, calm down. What are you doing out here? Did you abandon Jo somewhere in the woods? Some fierce protector you are."

[minihustler]

"Jormy, come back!"

The voice that calls out to him is much younger than the one anyone familiar with the dog would have expected from his owner, but a few moments later, a girl appears over the crest of the hill, running towards them with the trees at her back, moving as quickly as her legs can carry her. It's when she spots Simon that she slows down, tenses, and clutches her tiny hands into fists, as if readying herself for something, coming to a stop a few feet away and looking intently at the dog for a moment or two before she looked back to him.

"Whadda you think you're doin' with my dog?" she asks him, lifting her chin as though the question itself is some kind of challenge. "Jormy an' I don't talk to strangers. You're prob'ly tryin' to dog-nap him!"

12/15- Mirror Emma

[escaped22]

[Rocket presses himself to the wall on the Real Side as if he's fairly certain the air here might be thinner. This is his first time over here, after all, and honestly he's still shaken from the whole Jabberwocky ordeal. Shame about his Real Thing, honestly, but he doesn't really have the brainpower to process guilt.

He taps Emma's shoulder lightly to get her attention, gesturing to the area around them, and then miming drawing a line across his throat. He can't talk, but he's clever enough to use his hands.

Is it safe?]

[larcenously]

[She feels bad, guilty that she can't promise him things will be better over here, but he's been a decent enough partner-in-crime in the past. He'd deserved the heads up, a chance to get away just like she did. She looks to him when he tries to get her attention, and only hesitates for a moment before she nods.]

We're okay here for now, but we need to be careful of the Real Things.

[Her gaze darkens; her past experiences with them haven't been great.]

They've got a vendetta against even the best of us. Doesn't matter that some of us have never done anything to them.

12/15- Rebekah, slightly before his mirror crosses over.

[beatupgrass]

[The last time Rocket heard anything about Rachel/Rebekah/THE BROAD WHO DID THE THING, she was missing and while that gave him emotions he didn't feel like addressing, he didn't think too much on it. People come and go here. Maybe she vanished and he'd never have to sort out any weird, awkward feelings.

..Or maybe he could walk into the dining hall and see her grinning like a maniac. A cheerful maniac, but a maniac.

Okay, Rocket. Act cool. It's only as weird as you wanna make it... and anyway, it's not like she was going to recognize him without the extra height and the pretty boy good looks, so AHEM. Excuse him, Becks, as he investigates the punch, himself, sniffing at it, suspiciously. Anything people are insisting he eat and drink is probably bad for him. And this punch isn't even spiked at all. Rude.] If they're gonna force this swill on us, they oughta at least put some liquor in it.

[equalmeasure]

[Rebekah looks over her shoulder when he speaks, pausing midway between jotting notes down on the tiny pad of paper she's been toting around with her -- loose, disjointed planning for some kind of party, one that will likely go nowhere once she's back to her normal self. For now, however, she smiles, looking amused by the complaint.]

I suppose you could always add some yourself. What's stopping you?

[She turns to face him, leaning lightly against the chair in front of her, arms crossed along the top rung.]

I'm almost certain it would be an improvement.

12/12

[unhand]

[The little stocking makes Hook smile, and, well, he was already halfway to seeking out Emma as it was. He feels even more inclined to spend time doting on her than usual. He's shoved on a comfortable sweater and when he finds her, he catches her wrist with his hook, pulls her towards him, and dips her into a kiss heedless of the fact that they're fully in public and that everyone can see them. That's just not nearly as important as their love.]

[cursebreaking]

[Any other day of the year, PDA of any kind would have been a big no. Today? Not only is it not a problem, but it's welcome, and Emma lets herself melt into the crook of his arm as they kiss, grinning when it breaks a few moments later and she's back on both feet, though she doesn't pull away from him, hat still perched precariously on her head.]

Merry Christmas to you, too, Captain.

12/17 Catching the graffiti artist wow

[luckynumberthree]

There's a strange sound coming from outside the door to his rooms, one that sounds vaguely familiar but also one he can't place off the top of his head. It's odd enough that it has him crossing to open the door and peer out in confusion.

And then blink at the mess currently being made of the rug outside his door in surprise.

"Is this some weird festive holiday tradition where you come from?" he asks with a faint smirk as he leans against the door frame and crosses his arms over his chest to survey Jo's artwork. He squints at it, trying to make out what it is. "Is that a star of David? I'm not even Jewish!"

it's for your own good

[lightgunhustler]

Jo looks up midway through painting one of the last strokes of the star, her finger still lightly resting against the nozzle. Normally, that joke would have gotten a smile out of her, probably even a laugh, but she doesn't feel much like smiling at the moment. She's been systematically going from door to door to make sure all of the closest people she can think of off the top of her head are reasonably safe. It's not fool-proof, but it's something.

"It's a devil's trap," she tells him simply, finishing up the last of the design before straightening up, drawing up to her full height. "It should keep any demons from crossing the threshold into your room. As long as you're in there, they can't get to you. Might be relevant pretty soon."

[Jo - 19th]

[notmymccalling]

[He's been running non-stop, listening to everything, evading and keeping alive. He'd much rather be helping, but after the friends he came across with no memories, he knew he'd do more damage than good if he fought. Because if he fought and he was caught, he'd be left without an anchor. The people he could hurt like that... It didn't stop him, however, from trying to find and help others. It just kept him from trying to face the Jabberwocky, not that he'd stand much of a chance.

As such, he'd caught a familiar scent and followed it. He'd been carefully following it until it seemed to become thicker in a specific hallway. That could only mean it was often travelled by this person. He made his way to the room where it was the strongest and tentatively knocked. Light and barely audible. It would do no good to draw the Jabberwocky here, but the teen still didn't ditch his manners, even when trapped in Hell. If there was even the slightest chance that anyone was still here, he had to try.]

[lightgunhustler]

[At first, the door only opens a crack, chained from the inside with one eye peering out through the space. She recognizes him; they've spoken before, and they both have Allison in common, but whether or not she's looking at the real Scott McCall remains to be seen. She sets her jaw, reserving judgement for the time being.]

I'll warn you, I've got a sawed-off shotgun behind this door.

[Best to be up-front, right?]

I'm not looking for trouble, or to deal with any Mirrors with giant chips on their shoulders.

ANGELUS

[errantdetective]

[It's the taste of old blood in the air that calls Toby. It's a sour taste, like broken humanity and death and wrongness. That and the shouting into the hallway. She touches her knife for comfort, but doesn't pull it out, slipping into the room instead, and frowning. The scent is definitely from this man, locked up for some reason, and threatening to hang himself, but it doesn't make sense to her. It's like no balance of blood she's ever felt, and he looks human. So does she, of course, but she's usually pretty good at spotting an illusion, and he doesn't have one on, or if he does, it's too strong for her to see it.

It makes her curious.]

I don't think they'd hold you. They look pretty flimsy.

[vampdetective]

Thanks for the physics lesson.

[He snorts, pushing himself away from the bars and beginning to pace, but he pauses midway, fixing his gaze on her, curious -- he hasn't seen her before, hasn't caught her scent anywhere in the mansion either as himself or as Angel, and that interests him.]

You're new.

[His voice lilts upwards, and a faint smile pulls at his lips.]

[Angelus - 16th?]

[formerlydangerous]

[All hell hath broke loose and Spike is being quite scarce. He tried to pull the whole 'hit the books' routine that usually ends up with him being annoyed and Red finding whatever they were looking for. Since Willow wasn't here to be the Giles of the broken gang, well, needless to say his efforts were fruitless. He occupied himself finding what rooms he could actually step into and what rooms were obviously owned when he came across an open door. A curiously open door. The sight inside, however, made him smirk.]

Well, this is amusing, innit? Wondered where they were keepin' your sorry corpse. Half thought they staked you, but then, you'd just come back, wouldn't you?

[He leaned against the door frame, the wickedly amused grin set firmly in place. Yeah, he'd be hanging out a while. Christmas cheer and evil monsters forgotten for the time being in favour of something so much more entertaining.]

Made a bloody mess of things, you did. [Gloaty Spike is gloating, yep.]

[vampdetective]

[To say that Angelus had been a pleasant prisoner would have been incredibly generous. He normally has a snide remark for anyone who walks through the door, some twisted observation or painful grain of truth that he manages to weaponize, something he's always considered a gift. When Spike enters, however, all he does is smile, leaning against the bars of his cage with his hands wrapped around them, resting between two stretches of garland.]

If it isn't my favorite kid.

[For once, there's no sarcasm-- in fact, anything even remotely genuine sounds foreign coming from him, and yet it's Angelus speaking all the same.]

Mess? You know, I was wondering about that-- how's everyone holding up?

[You know, those teenage girls he tortured and killed.]

Emma | 13th

[lifeskills]

<sub>[It seems silly to worry about what a dreamed-up omen could mean for this disturbing little community, doesn't it?

Victor can't recall why he'd been so adamant in his wariness any more than Emma can remember why she'd been put off by the Jabberwock's looming threat. If something does happen, it'll be around people he trusts. Perhaps all he'd needed to find a sense of family again was to find a new world with new people, no strained relationships with father and brothers, no reproach from society, no undying monsters to dog his steps.

It's with an uncharacteristic lack of reserve that Victor smiles at the spiffed up dalmatian when they cross in the hall. The dog coat is garish and reeks of America, but it's harmless enough, and the dog looks bright-eyed and spirited. Instead of letting the smile dissipate like normal, Victor turns it on the woman holding the leash.]</sub>

What a handsome animal you have there. I can see he's in the holiday spirit.

_{[Emma's efforts don't go unappreciated.]}

[cursebreaking]

[It's nice that someone appreciates her efforts to strongarm Lucky into being festive.]

A couple of hours ago, I don't think he agreed, but he seems to be coming around.

[She smiles brightly; Lucky was, thankfully, good-tempered by nature, making it even easier to overlook his reluctance. It never lasted for long.]

Seemed like the thing to do. The whole mansion has decked itself out; makes it hard to be a Scrooge, much as some of us might like to.

[Any other year, she would have been sour or simply shrugged off any attempts at inciting holiday spirit, but this year? Well, why the hell not?]

Rebekah | 15th

[lifeskills]

<sub>[More or less, going to the library has been Victor's poor attempt at avoiding monastic seclusion. Until socializing as himself--as Victor Frankenstein, warts and all--stops overwhelming him with apprehension, holing up in his apartment and never venturing outside of it is a fate he's susceptible to.

For a while, the punch takes care of those worries quite nicely.

Once it wears off, however, the library returns to what it'd been: an asylum, offering room and board for him and his half-hearted concern he might sincerely be on the road to insanity. On the inside where no one can question what he admits to himself, he... misses it. The feeling of a heart being set free from iron bars. The freedom, the cheerfulness.

But to be happy and not weighed down is a fate meant for other people. A low-hanging fruit he can't touch.

Victor still goes to the library, but he recognizes what he's doing when he picks a table out of the way of foot traffic. He does so with a sense of loss. Wonderland has a terrible sense of humor sometimes.]</sub>

[equalmeasure]

[For all the jibes she's made at her brothers for choosing to spend their time with vampire book club, Rebekah has grown fond of Wonderland's library and the extensive collection it offers access to. Though the effects of the punch have her in high spirits and feeling particularly friendly -- as it's important to note that while she's often social, that does not mean she's pleasant -- she still seeks the company of books when evening comes around, intent on winding down from a busy day of getting to know the mansion and its inhabitants better at long last.

She nearly walks right past him as she wanders through, having already selected a book from the shelves, but catches herself and backtracks two steps to offer him a smile before glancing upwards towards the lights and holly that the lamps have hanging from them.]

You look a bit glum, Doctor. The holiday spirit not agreeing with you?

Lily - 12/12

[smallerpotter]

[James should know better really. He's been here longer than most people, and he knows what kinds of things Wonderland can do to people. He knows how suspicious it can be, and he's been hit particularly hard by the last several events, so he should be more concerned about it than anyone, really. However, James is also naturally a curious person, and he's never been fond of anyone trying to tell him what to do. Plus, they're just biscuits - how much harm could they really do?

Lily's efforts have been valiant, but unfortunately it's just not possible to be with James every second of every day (though by now anyone who's known them more than five seconds might be surprised to hear that) and she can't guard the kitchen forever. At some point, he does manage to sneak off on his own, and as soon as he realizes he is on his own, he gives one of the Christmas treats a try.

As soon as he does, he very suddenly and abruptly becomes seven years old, and while he's not sure how he got where he is exactly, he has a feeling that he has probably done something he wasn't supposed to do and that he's going to be in VERY be trouble whenever he gets caught doing...whatever it was. He can't really remember, but he's fairly sure he's done something that his mum wouldn't be happy about.

So, he sneaks away from the kitchen and tries very hard not to get caught by anyone who might like to catch him. This works for approximately two minutes, until he reaches the large Christmas tree in the entrance hall. Any guilty feelings are entirely forgotten and all of his effort goes into seeing if it's a Christmas tree he can actually climb.]

GDI JAMES

[exceedinglybright]

[She's not exactly sure where she lost track of him -- somewhere around the kitchen, she thinks, and Lily sighs heavily to herself as she makes her way through the mansion, retracing her own steps. It's ludicrous, really, that she feels she has to police someone as old as James is, but Wonderland has gotten the better of him far too many times lately, and the last thing any of them need is to have him taken out of commission by Merlin-only-knows-what with the Jabberwocky potentially on the horizon.

She doesn't make it all the way to the kitchen.

There doesn't seem to be anything out of the ordinary in the entrance hall, not at first, but halfway through she catches a glimpse of something moving out of the corner of her eye-- it's then that she turns, only to see what looks like a very young James Potter trying to scale the tree.

She'd known him as a child. If he thought she wouldn't recognize him, then he was sorely mistaken.]

James Potter!

Jo - 12/17

[freewill]

It's been over a day since Castiel found himself on the Mirrorside, and while he could have made attempts to communicate across the glass, at this point he doesn't know who is where, and there's no way to make use of his senses between realms to determine who is a Mirror and who is a Real. It seems easier to focus on the things that are right in front of him, such as the rampaging jabberwocky and the other Reals who have been transplanted.

It's late in the day. He's successfully searched the Queen of Hearts' chambers with a witch in tow, and while they did find a few items of interest, they had only been able to take one thing with them. It could be the solution to one small problem among a myriad that plague them here in Wonderland, but curing Angelus won't do anything for their overall fate.

That monster is going to make its way over to the Real side and tear the people there apart. Unless they somehow stop it.

He's done everything in his power to stay out of its way, but Castiel's running out of options and the temptation to make some sort of attempt against it grows with each passing hour. It's as he's stalking the halls in search of the beast (which shouldn't be so hard to find, but it does have ten floors of mansion to rage through), so that he can at least observe it if not outright engage it, that he hears footsteps coming from behind him.

It takes only a moment to determine who it is, and Castiel spins back toward Jo. The last time he saw her, she had been much younger and hadn't really known who he was. And he hadn't quite been himself either, although he had hardly mistreated her. All the same, it's good to see her back to normal and in one piece.

"I assume you also came down the rabbit hole," he greets. Starting today, Reals have been arriving in droves, ready to fight where their Mirrors are far too cowardly.

[lightgunhustler]

"As soon as I could," Jo confesses with a wry smile, slowing to a stop as she approaches him. It's good to see a familiar face. He's not the first she's seen since crossing over to this side of the glass, but he's certainly the one she knows best, and it's good to know that she has an ally here. An ally who, despite being a good friend, has the capacity to be objective in a way certain other people did not.

She's carrying her shotgun along with her, hanging loosely at her side with the safety on, and the pair of sheaths and silver flask attached to her belt all show that she'd taken the time to prepare before taking the rabbit hole. What she had might not necessarily do much good against the Jabberwocky, but there were Mirrors to consider, too. More than a handful of them had proven themselves to be violent.

"Are you okay?" she asks, pursing her lips slightly. "How long have you been over here?"

12/14 Library! i have no child icons worst rper ever is me

[kickassqueen]

[ There's a small child with a shock of long red hair standing on her tiptoes on a rather wobbly chair.

Just out of reach is a book, one she desperately wants to read. One that she can't even pronounce the title for, but she's determined. The fact it's not within easy reach is a deciding factor on just how badly she wants to read it.

Also, the cover looks pretty cool.

She braces herself against the bookcase, tongue tucked in her cheek as she stretches as far as she can, fingertips barely brushing the bottom of the book. ]

Come on, just a little bit... [ She yelps when the chair wobbles a little too far to the left, and she plasters her body against the bookcase, praying it won't topple over. ]

it's okay I can imagine <3

[minihustler]

[Whoa, that looks potentially dangerous, but also-- whatever's up there must be really good if she's trying so hard. Jo comes up behind her to steady the chair at the very last moment without being asked, squinting as she looks up.]

Need a little help?

[That was close.]

I think it's steady now!

Angelus - 12/13

[hybrida]

[ The good mood Klaus found himself in since drinking the punch has carried over into the next day. He woke up bright and early, deciding that he should go have himself a visit with Angelus.

His location is easy enough to figure out, enhanced senses giving him a helping hand with that one. ]

Quite a little prison they've made for you, mate. [ He takes a moment to glance down the hallway, eyebrow raised. ] Surprised they didn't try to toss you into the basement - or is it dungeon?

[ He looks amused in any case. ]

[vampdetective]

[Hey there, Klaus. Been awhile -- been thrown up against any good walls lately, or is that something you save for the two of you to do together?

Angelus lets his grip on the bars go slack, leaning forward against them with a slump to his shoulders that simply screams bored.]

S'pose they think it's easier to keep an eye on me here.

[And really, if he really wanted to, he's sure he could break through steel bars sooner or later-- but it's better, isn't it, to bide his time. To wait until his wardens are occupied with something else.]

You seem chipper.

[Read: extra obnoxious.]

12/15 Rebbeeeekah

[lost_labonair]

Things have definitely been strange these past few days in Wonderland. Hayley's mostly kept to herself but that doesn't mean the sudden uncharacteristic holiday cheer has gone unnoticed. Actually, it was really hard to miss, what with Davina going around snowing on people and Klaus offering out hugs - which was actually more terrifying than the threats of violence he usually delivered instead.

Hugging. Klaus.

The world really had gone mad.

She's not sure what's in the water, but it's had her being extra careful in the meantime as she does her best to go about her business. Whatever that is. When she spots Rebekah in the dining hall, however, she breaths a sigh of relief and heads in to commiserate with her, because thank god.

"This place has officially accomplished the weirdest shit I could ever imagine."

[equalmeasure]

Normally, Rebekah would have been in agreement with her -- Klaus hugging anyone was absolutely foreign and downright terrifying; it was more Elijah's style to show such displays of affection, and even then, very few ever got to see it. As a matter of fact, Rebekah would have had all manner of criticism to offer up in response to Klaus' behavior, except for the fact that today, for once, very little seemed to be bothering her, which is exactly why she looks up when Hayley enters and does little more than give her a saccharine-sweet, oddly patient smile.

"You know the moment you say that, you're only inviting stranger things," she reasons, without seeming terribly concerned. "What now?"

12/16 Rebekah, dining hall.

[still_human]

After seeing the effect that the holiday food was having on people Matt had decided to steer clear. After his last (and this first) event when he was hallucinating his dead sister, he wasn't about to willingly get involved in anything Wonderland had to offer.

Sticking to beer and non holiday themed food seemed to be his safest choice. Whch he had just finished when he spotted Rebekah across the dining hall. He hadn't seen her since shortly after he arrived but she was the only one left from home that he actively liked so he got up and made his way over to her, noticing the smile on her face even before he reached her.

"Rebekah."

[equalmeasure]

Matt was among the privileged few who often saw Rebekah smile without the aid of any enchanted holiday treats, and yet somehow she lights up beyond the usual when she spots him, her smile warming as he approaches.

"I was wondering where you'd got to," she points out, matter-of-fact. She might have managed to be disapproving on any other day, even if only for a moment, but not now. "Here I was hoping we'd see more of each other now that you're settled."

12/16 let's play pretend this isn't a million years late

[unhand]

Emma! [Hook is still wearing the stupid sweater when he finally finds Emma in the mansion, but he's not smiling about it anymore. He just has been a little too busy to get rid of it. He rushes towards her, reaching for her hands as he gets closer, worry in his expression.]

Are you all right?

WHOOPS

[cursebreaking]

[Finally, a voice she actually wants to hear. Emma grimaces as she lets him take her by the hand, squeezing his as a show of reassurance.]

Yeah, I'm fine-- or as good as can be expected.

[She hates it over here, but she's kept her head above water so far.]

What are you doing here?

Lily -- whenever james goes through the rabbit hole (latest tag in im so sorry )

[cupboards]

[ Harry figures he can probably sneak away when no one's looking, and go help James with what he's gone to do. He knows he should probably keep back and stick around the real side, but things are really heating up, and Harry doesn't really want to sit around doing nothing. There has to be something he can do, right? He's gone up against unspeakable evil before and came out mostly alright, and it's not like he wants to actually go up against the jabberwocky. He just wants to help in some way. He doesn't feel right just sitting around doing nothing.

Sure, he doesn't know a lot of magic, and triumphing over Quirrel had been mostly luck, but...not doing anything feels wrong. Especially when his dad is heading right into danger.

So, he goes off after James. The problem is, he doesn't exactly know where he's going. He knows there's a way over to the other side of the mirrors, he just doesn't know the layout of the mansion well enough to find it quickly and easily. Which means a lot of aimless wandering. ]

Maybe it's closer to the entrance...?

No worries! <3

[exceedinglybright]

Maybe what is closer, hmm?

[Lily's voice comes from somewhere behind him-- she's made it her business to keep a close eye on him while James is gone. If Harry weren't here, she undoubtedly would have accompanied James to the other side, but as it stood, there was nothing that could convince her to do anything but shadow her son. If he turns around, he'll see her standing there with her arms folded across her chest, smiling and yet firm.]

Where are you off to in such a hurry, Harry?