[ Action ] (open to all)

[anotherdid]

Who: Everyone is welcome, children and adults alike.
Where: First floor, ballroom.
When: 01/21, from about 9:00 PM on.
Rating: r;
Summary: Formal ball.












[The ballroom's vaulted ceilings are taller than is possible within the realms of reality, and towering, wide windows let in sunlight during the day; at night, chandeliers and wall sconces light up with so many candles, it's hard to believe the light isn't from an electric source.

There are lights strung up around the entrance to the ballroom, and music can be heard playing from within. At the door, Vanessa, with the assitance of the lovely William Whele, will be waiting to meet as many guests as they can. They'll hand each person a small silver box with one of these gifts inside; Wonderland's sense of humor is evident here.]



[Tables line every side of the ballroom, a carefully organized plate setting at each chair with little trays of cookies placed here and there.

One table, set center, is piled high with desserts, Ned's pies, hors d'oeuvres brought by Dr. Lecter, and all manner of food provided by Tohru, Seta, and the diner staff, as well as assistance from Calista, Rebekah, Evelyn, and Lydia. There are numerous drinks available, champagne (thanks to Kol), and liquor, beer, fruit punch, among other beverages, thanks to the closets.]

[Thank you cards will be slipped under the doors of Rebekah Mikaelson, Kol Mikaelson, Tohru Honda, Evelyn O'Connell, William Whele, Hannibal Lecter, Calista, Seta Souji, and Lydia Martin the following day as a way of Vanessa showing gratitude for all of their help.]

Comments

[singloversing]

Oh! Like Stephen King, stuff like that? Carrie was pretty good.

[A lot of Stephen King's most famous titles came out in Wirt's time, so he's pretty familiar. Hearing that Kaneki likes poetry as well makes him open right up like...well, like a book.]

But yeah, definitely! I read a little bit of everything, but poetry's definitely my favorite, and anything about old world cultures. I dunno, I just...I love reading about all these things that no one ever talks about anymore, you know? There's so many good books out there and it's a shame that like, half the people I go to school with will probably never pick up a book again once they don't have to anymore.

[itwouldbeatragedy]

[It's not quite like Stephen King, but the genres are close enough that Kaneki nods, smiling. Besides, he's read a few Stephen King books, as well, and liked them alright.]

I know what you mean. My best friend probably hasn't ever read a novel all the way through. He's not quite as bad with nonfiction, but it has to be a topic he's really interested in for him to do more than skim through it.

[Not that that makes him like Hide any less. It's just exasperating.]

[singloversing]

Oh man, I know people like that. I have like, no idea how anybody can live that way. ...N-No offense to your friend, of course.

[Wow, don't want to be rude the second he's started getting friendly with someone. But...this is kind of nice, actually. He doesn't have a lot of people around his age that he can talk books with. Sure he's a little older, but...it's kind of like having a senior friend, which his something he never thought would actually happen to him.]

Isn't the library here incredible though? It's like, easily the best part of being stuck here. I don't think I've ever seen that many books before, and all from different worlds? It's amazing!

[He could live in there, probably.]

[itwouldbeatragedy]

[Kaneki is as enthusiastic as his new kouhai.]

Have you noticed that it changes its size and shape? It seems even more active than most other parts of Wonderland. I guess it would have to be, if it contains works from all of the worlds we come from.

[singloversing]

Yeah, definitely! I kind of wish it would keep the genres in the same general areas, but it's not so bad. I always wind up finding like a dozen new things to read on my way to whatever I was actually looking for.

[And for someone who really likes to read, that's definitely not a bad thing. Wonderland's library is a bibliophile's dream.]

[itwouldbeatragedy]

Me too. The only bad thing about that is trying to carry them all while finding my way back out.

[He has gotten lost in the library more times than he'd like to admit. At least once, he just stayed there instead of continuing to try to find the way back out.]

[singloversing]

I know, right? [He laughs a little.] I've had to make multiple trips a few times.

[It took a long time for him to feel comfortable taking books out of a library that didn't seem to have any system for borrowing in place, but now that he's been in Wonderland he's slowly assembling a collection of books on every surface in his room.]

[itwouldbeatragedy]

This place would be a lot harder to be in if it weren't for that.

[singloversing]

Yeah, it really would be. ...I guess that means there's at least one good thing about being stuck here.

[Literally all the time in the world to read. Perfect.]

[itwouldbeatragedy]

[Kaneki is so, so happy that there is someone else in some universe who likes books as much as he does. And it's kind of nice that Wirt's young, because at Wirt's age, that was definitely not a cool thing for Kaneki to be into.]

Yeah. Although...I can't say that I hate it here, normally.

[singloversing]

[It's not a cool thing for Wirt to be into at his age in his world either, but he likes to pretend he's made peace with the fact that he's doomed to be a nerd forever.]

O-Oh. Right. Sorry. [That's right, Kaneki said his situation back home isn't good.] Um. ...I guess that's another good thing for you then?

[He's trying at least.]

[itwouldbeatragedy]

[Kaneki tilts his head.]

You don't like it here much, huh?

[singloversing]

Well...

[No. No, he doesn't. He misses his life not being constantly full of magical weirdness.]

...It's more that I have stuff to get back to at home, you know? I have school, and a life ahead of me. I don't really want to be stuck here forever.

[itwouldbeatragedy]

[Kaneki nods. Eating might be easier in Wonderland, but he's still got plenty to go back to.]

What year are you in school? I'm in my first year of university, so I've got to get back and finish that up sometime.

[singloversing]

I'm a sophomore in high school.

[He pauses. Is that a thing in Japan?]

Uhh, tenth grade, I mean. And the year only just started a couple of months ago so I've got like, almost three whole years left.

[itwouldbeatragedy]

[Kaneki nods. That sounds about right.]

You'd be a first year in Japan. Our high schools are three years--so are our junior highs.

[After saying that, he realizes it probably isn't actually that interesting.]

Ah...but that doesn't really matter, I guess. You're looking for your brother, right? I probably shouldn't hold you up any longer.

[singloversing]

Oh! Right, yeah. I'm sure he's around somewhere, but I should probably go look for him.

[Wirt smiles though. Honestly he probably could have stayed there even longer.]

Um, it was nice talking to you though!

[And with that, he disappears into the crowd to look for Greg.]