+ Wanted to get it real home-like... +

[vitaelamorte]

Who: EVERYONE!
Where: EVERYWHERE!
When: ANYT-- Friday, February 20 to Monday, February 23
Rating: An average PG-13? (Consider warning for explicit sexual or violent content in your thread's subject line)
Summary:
For the duration of this event each character will discover that their room has been replaced with one of their own memories, one that they find themselves particularly happy or "at home" in. More information can be found here.

This log is an opportunity for your characters to describe the memory playing in their room, so that other characters might visit, and watch the scene unfold. To help browse the collection better, please include your character's name, and their room number in the subject line (e.g. Seta Souji - 100, 6th floor) of your top-level comment.

Rooms/Comments may be locked to certain people, or be available for all to see & visit. Log participation is completely and entirely voluntary.

Have fun!

Comments

Neal Cassidy, Room 28, 8th Floor

[belovedson]

Neal's always had a fondness for old things. Antique clocks and radios, records, this and that. Even in Wonderland he'd sometimes think of something he had in his apartment, then go to the closet and see if he can pull out something close to it. But there's a big different between a collection of random old things and the Victorian nursery he steps into on Friday. Comfortable beds, toys scattered across floor and furniture alike, and every sign that it's well-lived in and loved. Someone looking in might wonder if they'd gotten the room out of a storybook or something.

But the truth is, it's the other way around. The tale of Peter Pan goes a lot of ways, but certain things have been kept true regardless of the version. The part about the Darlings and their nursery, that the stories get right. It's the bit where they had a visitor for awhile that usually gets left out.

A girl appears, seemingly from nowhere, carrying with her a napkin loaded with the food she's sneaked away from the dinner table. A curious thing, especially when she knocks the door of the crawlspace and it opens to reveal no one waiting there. Yet she hands over the meager meal all the same, apologizes for not being able to hide away more. The person she's speaking to is Neal himself, except he'd been a lot younger then, and his name had been Bae.

It's probably not hard to guess what's asked that only the girl hears. She smiles brightly and comments that grown-ups never know what's going on--only to be asked by her very grown-up father if that is truly so. The girl turns towards them guiltily, and Baelfire, if he could be seen, would step beside her with an equally mortified look on his face. The father demands to know just how long he's been staying there, and the girl replies, though not to his satisfaction. Now the memory gets trickier to understand, unless perhaps Neal is there and willing to explain how he told them his parents were dead--both of them--and promised to leave the place where he'd been taking shelter.

The empty space is stopped then, not by the father but instead the mother, who has stood by the whole time. She declares that Bae won't be going anywhere, as the streets are no place for a boy--then after a pause, decides that he would stay here, and be part of their home.

The girl is overjoyed, and on that day Bae had been as well. Once details of the event get out, Neal will have no doubt why Wonderland picked this memory to replay. The feeling of happiness, the sense of being home--of once more finding a family to love him. For centuries after, he would only see the Darlings as his true family. Not the one he'd been born into, nor the offers that came after, all selfishly made by pirates and lost boys that never grew old.

Sometimes Neal can be found there, other times not. But if he is in the room, he'll only watch, let the memory play out without the boy who caused the commotion playing his part.

He hasn't been Baelfire in a very long time.

Lilith - 33, 6th Floor

[first_demon]

When the door opens to her room, the residents will find themselves in the Garden just outside the mansion. It is Wonderland, a recent memory, not even a month ago. But it is her happiest place, surrounded by the flowers and with the sun above her.

There are only two figures present, Crowley and Lilith. Between them, they each have a hellhound pup. The dogs sniff at each other, seeking attention where they can from their masters.

Set against the beautiful atmosphere and the hellish creatures are words of tenderness and sympathy. The sorts of things others might have with those they parted ways with, but still cared for deeply. It may not seem like a happy memory at first, but it's the sentiments being echoed and the small bit of humanity being shared between the two that creates the happiness.

In their mutual pain and angst, they find common ground and reach a new level of understanding. Lilith isn't alone here. She has someone she cares for and who cares for her in return, whatever level it might be.

Perhaps the more shocking is her thought that she misses the events when she was human, having something that means something to her and misses the companionship she received. She misses feeling like a human. And she will only share it with Crowley, her vulnerable place.

That weakness is on display now, free for any to see. Crowley and these emotions can be used to encourage or manipulate, all depending on the one who sees it.

[ooc: If you want to see the memory in full, refer to this conversation.]

Remus Lupin: 7th floor, room 004

[wer]

Remus' room already resembled his school dormitory, but this weekend, it's gone just a bit further, transforming itself into an exact replica of the Gryffindor common room. No matter what time of day it is, the windows will show the dark of night, and a warm fire will be lit in the fireplace. Those venturing close enough to the windows to look out will notice that the moon is just past full. Sitting around said fire is a group of three young boys, around twelve or thirteen in age. One has dark hair, one has sandy blond, and one brown. They're all wearing their school uniforms. There may be books or sheets of parchment around them, but they've long since been abandoned. Instead, the boys just seem to be talking. Normal, laughing conversation. They're obviously the best of friends. The way they're sitting indicates that there's a space left for a fourth boy.

Then, one boy says something that sounds like, "Where did you go last night?" It's directed at the empty space. The other boys stop what they're doing and look expectantly between the empty space and the boy who asked the question. There's a pause in conversation, indicating that the missing boy might be fumbling for an answer. Finally, one of the other boys speaks up. "You needn't lie, you know. Not to us." The other boys nod eagerly. The first boy who spoke then says, "He's right. We already know the truth, or think we do, at least. We know what you are."

The three boys all look at the empty space, their faces a mix of anxiety, patience, and the look you get when you're trying to comfort a friend. The boy closest to the empty space reaches out and puts his hand at about the height of the missing boy's shoulder. "You're a werewolf, aren't you."

This is presumably the point where the missing boy sputters and denies all claims of lycanthropy. Or, it could be the point where he goes pale as a sheet and says "H-how did you know?" Most likely it's the latter, because the third boy, the one who hasn't spoken yet, smiles and says, "We put together the times you've been ill and they all fell on the night of a full moon." He seems proud of their hard work and intuition.

Suddenly, the three boys look up, as though the missing boy has just stood from his seat by the fire. Their gaze wanders back and forth, following the missing boy as he paces the room. The brown-haired boy stands up as well and steps forward with his hands out. "Calm down! It's nothing so drastic as that. We don't care if you are a werewolf, do we lads?" He looks back at the other boys, and they nod in agreement, standing up as well and walking over to surround the missing werewolf boy, who must be saying something to the effect of "You're sure?" Because they're all nodding again and assuring him that yes, they're sure, and as far as they're concerned, he's no different now than he was the day before. Then there's a lot of hugging-- though it doesn't last too long, because they are boys, after all.

Remus, upon waking up Friday morning, recognized the scene instantly. He knew that that missing space was meant for him, because he could remember that night as clearly as if it were yesterday. It's the night, in his mind, that the Marauders became the Marauders. It's the night that cemented their friendship forever. He allows himself to replay the memory once or twice, hugging his young friends as they hug him back, before he decides he'd best go see how this event was effecting the rest of Wonderland.

Beatrice, Floor 3, room 17 OTA

[coinseams]

The door is wide open for anyone to peer in and watch the memory, mostly because she hadn't thought to close it when she left. The setting can be immediately recognized as wonderland, during the holidays and before Christmas. Familiar halls are decked out in garland and reds, golds, and greens. Snow falls light and fluffy outside, and the morning light filtering through the windows casts a hazy glow on the scene. It's beautiful and happy and calm.

A young, cookie-altered Wirt runs down the hall, dragged along by an invisible hand. He's chomping on a cookie or two as he talks to the space where Beatrice should be, asking about houses and the place they've found themselves. The empty space must have said something weird or unsettling, because for a second he seems almost uncertain, but that doesn't last long as he continues on towards adventure and mystery, exploring the halls with his new--albeit currently invisible--companion. The scene loops on itself, showing the adventures of the two kids play over and over.

Beatrice remembers this well. It had been so much fun, while she had been a little girl and not a jaded, angry bluebird. Happy memories are supposed to make someone feel good thinking about them, but she just feels empty and sad. Lonely. Guilty. She doesn't like that in this scene, in this moment that had been so good among all the bad...she's absent. Cut out of the picture. And, worse of all? She feels like she deserves it.

Beatrice leaves the room fairly quickly, but she doesn't go very far. She's sitting on the floor a few doors down--a girl, not a bird--her knees pulled to her chest and her head resting on top of them, long red hair creating a curtain around her face. She's not crying, but it's obvious she's feeling pretty miserable.

If she notices someone approach, she tucks her hair behind her ear and manages a wry, bitter smile. "It's stupid, huh? I mean, they could have at least done it right."

James Rogers: 7th floor, room 18

[heirtotheshield]

The room has turned into a subtropical zone over night. Large palm trees grace the small clearing. In the distance, there's a few roofs visible through the trees, but not much else. Ferns and other small bushes obscure the obvious paths that lead back to the main living area.

There are others gathered around. A young black boy, crouches, one hand on the ground, watching intently. A tall blonde girl, her hair in two warrior braids leans on her sword stuck in the ground. And finally a little boy with black hair seems to be all but buzzing around the prominent pair in the middle. An older man with white hair kneels down next to a younger looking James, a metal cylinder in his hand.

He slips the cylinder on James's arm and starts telling him all the things the "generator" can do. James is staring at it and flexes his hand and a huge shield - big enough for him to hide behind - springs up in between the pair. Everyone starts laughing.

Pepper Potts, Room 30, 7th Floor

[handing]

Those who walk in should be careful; immediately beyond the entrance is a set of stairs, portable ones brought up to the door of an airplane. The airport itself is nondescript and still, nearly empty save for the smallest crew necessary to ensure the safe landing of one plane. The only thing that stands out is a human-sized red and gold machine at the bottom of the stairs, what some might mistake for a robot.

But others will find the sight of Iron Man unmistakable: both the armor that allows him to fight, and the man who steps out of it a moment later. Tony Stark, tired, beaten down, and yet still intensely focused as he watches--nothing at all. Yet it's clear from the way his eyes move that he sees something. Someone, in fact, who is just as tired although unharmed.

(Pepper had gone through a lot of hassle to find an airport so close to Manhattan where she could land in the wake of Loki's invasion of New York. But after seeing what she had on the news, realizing she'd missed his phone call, nothing short of a second wave of aliens was going to keep her away.)

Tony has been trying not to smile the whole time, but can't stop himself after those first few moments. Perhaps it's easy to imagine the shape of a person when he wraps his arms around air, lifts his invisible partner to twirl her in a slow circle and then--well. It's better that his back is towards the door now, given how passionate that kiss had been when it happened.

"So what happened to always answering your phone?" Not the most romantic way to start, but Tony's never been a typical romantic. Whatever words come next are only heard by him, cause him to raise both eyebrows in a play at innocent curiosity. "Oh yeah? Must've been a hell of a story. I mean, I'm not your boss anymore, but ignoring a call from your boyfriend just to watch the news--"

Another pause, not very long. His hands are moving in slow circles, caressing the back of the woman no one else knows is there.

"Wow. Some idiot flew a nuclear missle into a hole in the sky? That's not a very nice thing to say, first off, and secondly, the correct term is wormhole--and okay, yeah, I guess it really was a dumb thing to do."

Can someone watching guess from the way his head tilts that now the absent person is touching his cheek? Maybe when he turns, presses his lips against the palm that isn't there. Whatever he's hearing, it inspires no anger. Quite the opposite, as the next time he speaks, Tony's thoughts have leaped to a completely different place.

"Move in with me." Once more he looks at his partner, eyes again intense, focused on that space as if its the only part of the world that holds any meaning for him. "Yes, that's what I said. And I'm serious. You should move in with me, right now. Well, not right now, we should probably get your things first--no, you know what, I'll buy you new things. What's the point in dating a billionaire if he doesn't buy you stuff? I mean, anyone can buy roses or chocolates, but how many flowers does a 'I'm sorry I almost bought it saving the world' bouquet even have in it anyway?"

He could keep going. He might have, except that invisible speaker has gotten his attention again?

"Okay?" Now a smile creeps back onto his face, any pretense of insult or confusion now entirely gone. "Okay, you'll move in with me. Once we take care of business here, yes ma'am Madam CEO." Although the business referred to isn't a kiss, it may well be, since Tony steals another one. A shorter one than the first; someone has other ideas of how to celebrate, ones spoken again only so Tony can hear them. "That sounds fantastic. Although I could just carry you if I put on the suit--no?"

No. There's a car nearby, and though the parting is a reluctant one Tony steps back, releasing the person in his arms so they can head off to wherever has been suggested.

It's far from her worst memory, but a cruel one for Wonderland to replay. Each time she sees it she's reminded that this reunion isn't real. Yet she can't help herself, unable to keep from watching, or at times from even stepping in, going through the motions and hoping that for even a few minutes, she might lose herself enough in his arms to forget just how long it's been since she's seen him.

Sirius Black | Room 1-A, 7th Floor | OTA

[goodwoofjames]

The strangest thing about it is that somehow, he and James ended up with separate rooms all of a sudden. The rest feels, frankly, rather mundane.

Well, for a wizard, anyway. Some who enter this room might be a bit thrown by the sight of a toad leaping out of a child's bookbag, not to mention the fact that every person in this train's corridor is wearing some variation on dark, floor-length robes. The idyllic countryside passing by the windows is marred by rain, and as a slightly gangly twelve-year-old sidles into the train car at the center of the memory and closes the door behind him, his expression is a bit rainy too. Two of the boys already in the car are occupied with trading cards, but the one with the glasses picks up on his friend's unhappiness immediately.

"What's wrong? Where's Regulus?"

The boy forces a smile, shrugs. "He found some of his friends. Or, well. Kids of Mum and Dad's friends. I figured I'd leave him to it, considering, er."

His friend frowns, filling in the blanks. "Considering they all think they're going to be in Slytherin?"

"Yeah."

"Aww, come on." The boy in the glasses motions him over and the boy sits, his back a little too stiff. "Nothing's set in stone yet. Nobody expected you to be a Gryffindor, with your family name and all, right?"

The boy makes a face and his friend throws up his hands defensively. "Well, you know what I mean. You're a natural at it! Clearly born to belong here from the start."

If one looks closely, they might notice the boy's cheeks tinting the slightest shade of pink.

"You'll see. Reg'll be just a few doors away tonight and it'll be like nothing."

"Yeah," the scarred boy chimes in, "You're probably part of the new generation or something like that. He might throw a fit at first, but he'll figure it out alright."

The boy gives a genuine smile that morphs into a grin as he tosses his long hair out of his face. "You're probably right. If Peter managed, anyone can, right?"

"Hey!" The last boy protests, and the boys dissolve into giggles and teasing as the memory fades and, eventually, loops around again.

James Potter | Room 1-B, 7th floor | OTA

[pottershotter]

Inside James' room, night has just fallen. The scene takes place on the roof, lit with candles and streamers, and enchanted to be much warmer than it would be otherwise. In James' memory, the lights are even brighter, the stars shine twice as much, and everything is beautiful. Everything is exactly the way he had imagined it.

This memory is very recent, from just under a week ago, when he proposed to Lily Evans. He remembers it well - he got down on one knee right there, took out the ring that he had been holding onto for weeks, and asked her if she would be his wife, a few years earlier than planned.

Anyone who has spoken to James or even seen him in the last week could probably guess this is his happiest memory. He's spent the last week in absolute bliss, and he feels like he hasn't stopped smiling since that night. She said yes. She said yes.

And if he wants to, he can watch her say yes again, and again, and again. Admittedly, he does watch the scene loop a couple of times, and at least once without himself in it just to see what happens - and what happens is that he gets to watch Lily kiss thin air, and it looks absolutely ridiculous. After the first time though, he can't make himself fill the role again. It feels a bit odd when he knows it's not really Lily, but a memory of her.

The only thing that's different about the scene is that there are two doors back to the mansion rather than just one. The door that's usually there leads to the 7th floor hallway, but the other is labelled "1-A", and if one steps through that door, they'll find themselves in the corridor of a moving train.

Sam Yao, Room 42, First Floor

[voiceinthedark]

The room doesn't look like much. The floor is dusty, rough concrete, the whitewash on the walls a spiderweb of cracks. There's a bucket towards one corner, to catch the drips from the hole in the roof. It's dimly lit, but not because of any desire to create atmosphere, just because the electricity wasn't working and the solar lamps didn't give off that much light. It pools around a couple of camping tables pulled together, and the people sat around them, a puddle of warmth and laughter.

But there is laughter. The group of people sat on a variety of mismatched chairs and stools dragged in from wherever they could find them are hunched over the tables, sheets of heavily used paper spread out in front of them along with a large floor plan map on which are a selection of figurines with various qualities of paint job. There also seems to be a large quantity of dice. Maxine is there at the head of the table, a stack of D&D manuals at her side, Sam next to her engrossed in his character sheet as Maxine recounts the next bit of the story, something about dire wolves?

Simon is sitting at the other end of the table, happy and carefree, most of his attention not on the game but on the stern-faced woman sitting next to him. Janine de Luca looks as serious as ever, but there might be a hint of a smile at the corners of her lips, and she maybe isn't as harsh towards him as she might be.

Other people speak over each other, making dice rolls, explaining what their characters are doing. Jack and Eugene are sitting together of course, sharing one chair so that Jack is pretty much in Eugene's lap, Eugene's crutch leaning against the side of it. Jody too, still in her running gear, playing with the archer figure of her character. of course she was playing a ranger. And Sara. She looks amused, almost content, a little wistful perhaps.

One more figure of course, sitting next to Sam, their face obscured by the manual they're reading. At one point they lean close to Sam, making him flush a little darker. Runner Five.

Sam lingers there, in the room, watching the memory play out over and over again. That one game, one happy carefree moment before everything betrayals and murders, when it had just been them building a community again. He's not sure what to make of it; at times it makes him smile to see his friends, the ones who, even if he was at home he wouldn't see again. Other times it leaves him silent and solemn and guilty.

He spends time studying their faces, their expressions, remembering, second-guessing, wondering.

But there are people he'd like to show this to, because he might never get to introduce anyone to them otherwise, even if this is a poor subtitute for Janine's caustic manner and Jack and Eugene's banter and Five, always Runner Five.

Steve Rogers, Room 28, 7th Floor [OTA]

[assembles]

If someone happens to drop by Steve's room, whether to visit or because they've learned the rules of this particular event, they'll suddenly be met by a raucous scene, as if they've been transported to an entirely different time and place. The setting is a large bar packed with people, and judging from the uniforms that most of them are wearing, it's in the middle of wartime. The overall mood, however, is hopeful and cheery. There's someone playing a piano, people are singing along, and almost everyone has a drink in hand.

In one corner, there's a group of five men sitting around a table, although one of the chairs is suspiciously empty, especially since all five of the soldiers are looking at that space. Judging from their words, they're all taking turns in agreeing to do something, a question that's cleared up when the last one to speak mentions that he'll fight. They've pledged themselves to work under the person who's missing from the scene -- Steve.

The action then shifts to a single man sitting at the other side of the bar, seemingly on his own until he begins talk to thin air. That man is one Bucky Barnes, existing the way some of Wonderland might remember him before he disappeared and came back looking more like a ghost. Bucky has a one-sided conversation where at first he calls the other men "idiots" for agreeing to such an insane request, but then goes on to say that he'll be following Steve too -- not Captain America, but the kid from Brooklyn who he's been friends with for years. He then mentions something about keeping the outfit, which might seem unclear if it weren't for the poster behind him that showcases Captain America in his full, somewhat dorky uniform.

At that point, some of the singing goes quiet and Bucky leans out from his seat to see Peggy Carter walk in, wearing a very flattering red dress. Bucky isn't subtle about giving her a once-over, but Peggy's attention is entirely on that empty space that's meant to be occupied by Steve. She starts with talk of work, makes a jab at Steve's currently half-drunken team, and when asked by Bucky whether she likes music, she mentions that she does -- and would be happy to go dancing once the war is over and done with. Even though Bucky is the one who's mainly speaking to her, she never once looks away from that vacant spot.

When Bucky asks Peggy what she's waiting for, she replies "the right partner" and then walks off. This leaves Bucky to laugh in a self-deprecating way and mention that he may as well be invisible -- even though he's not the one who can't be viewed in the scene.

Around this point, it loops again, all of the action repeating as if it's a broken record playing.

The first time that Steve stumbles upon the scene, he's not ready for it in the slightest. He remembers it all in perfect detail, from the music that was playing to the exact shade of Peggy's dress. It's from a time before everything in his life completely fell apart. Before Bucky fell from that train, before Steve crashed a plane into the Arctic. He'd had a purpose in life, he'd had good people surrounding him, he'd had a girl as great as Peggy with eyes only for him.

It's a bittersweet thing to experience, but he actually plays out the action in it one time, just so he can relive it that once. He could do it more times than that, but it would feel oddly indulgent, disingenuous, and so instead he just watches, studying the expressions of the faces on every Commando, memorizing all of Bucky's body language, and burning that image of Peggy into his mind.

He never forgot any of this, but this is still a once in a lifetime opportunity Wonderland has given him, and he can't help but feel a little grateful.

Steve doesn't spend all of his time in the room, but he does drop by frequently. It seems like he can't actually get tired of watching and rewatching.

Lucifer; 1st floor; near the kitchens

[dissemble]

The room is one you might never have gone in before, since it never used to exist. It does now though.

Entering, people will find themselves in their idea of heaven. A literal paradise, a large white room, a church, whatever makes your character think: aha. heaven! It's peaceful and calm, full of light and beauty.

Some of the light is coming from the two people in the memory. There are two young men- one with dark hair and one with light. They resemble Lucifer and Michael, who you might have met around Wonderland. If your character expects angels to have wings, then these two will have wings.

They're not doing much, just sitting together while holding hands and talking in low voices. It's a language that can't be understood, but it's easy to guess that they're saying - love is universal, after all. Occasionally the blond will laugh, and that will make the dark haired one smile. Stay long enough, and the angels will eventually run out of words, and simply rest their foreheads together in silence.

Your character, if they don't recognise Lucifer or Michael, will probably leave feeling a deep sense of peace and contentment, and possibly some desire to go find someone they love and hold their hand or something. If your character does know Michael or Lucifer, they'll feel the same, along with a vague sense of wow this is a bit weird.

On the evening of the 22nd, Lucifer will discover the room, and spend the rest of the event attempting to keep people out. Free free to comment with your character's reaction to the room, but if you want a response from Lucifer then make sure you mark the date as the 23rd so that Lucifer can arrive and glare at them.

The Once-ler | Room 398, 10th floor | OTA

[thneedifestdestiny]

No matter what time of day it is in Wonderland, it is perpetually two in the afternoon in the Once-ler's room. The sun is shining bright, Swomee-Swans and Humming-Fish are singing, and there are trees as far as the eye can see. Only one tree has been chopped down so far, and around it rocks have been arranged into a circle as a sort of makeshift grave. His donkey Melvin is there. Even the Lorax himself is there, playing cards with some of the animals and talking to a tall space that isn't there.

The Once-ler's humble cottage-tent is there and that is where he wakes up in the morning. And when he opens his eyes and sees where he is, he bolts right out of his bed in his pajamas and out the door, where he stares in disbelief at everything around him. And then...then he sinks down to the ground so he can just sit and sob for a moment.

It's an odd place to be in. It's not a second chance - he figures that out very quickly when things start looping around over and over. Still, it's a chance to be in the valley the way it was meant to be, the way it should have stayed. He remembers this day well, and the strange period that followed it. He had just given up on actually trying to sell his Thneed to the people of...of whatever that town was called. They hadn't appreciated it, and the sign Melvin had worn was covered in tomato stains to prove it. But giving up left him in a weird place, with nowhere to go. Home was an option, but it wasn't a good one. He would have just been ridiculed for failing, and he couldn't take all the "I told you so"s. But...for a brief time, the Once-ler thought that maybe he could just live in the valley forever. Maybe he didn't have to go home. He had friends...kind of...? And living out there wasn't so bad really. Even the Lorax, who had been so against him being there at all, didn't try to kick him out (again) as soon as he failed. He told him he'd given it his best shot, which is more support than his family had ever shown him. That's even more clear, now that the Once-ler knows they abandoned him the second his money was gone.

He could have had this. He could have had all of this if hadn't gone and mucked everything up. He could have lived in this beautiful place and had hundreds, thousands of lazy peaceful days just like this one. But, he blew it. The Truffula Valley will never look like this again.

There's a door off in the distance, standing up in the middle of nowhere, but he ignores it. He has absolutely no intention of leaving this memory until he absolutely has to. His emotions are all over the place. He might be found taking a walk through the trees and just admiring the scenery, happy to see real, live Truffula trees. He plays that card game over and over (which is probably cheating), eager to spend any time with the Lorax even if he can only do the same thing on repeat. But sometimes that dissolves into more regret and anguish - there's only so many times he can hear he did the best he could when he knows that in the long run that isn't true at all. Sometimes he even shouts at the Lorax with anger bleeding in from somewhere he can't quite identify, demanding to know why he left him alone with some stupid word that he doesn't know the significance of. These episodes are brief though, and usually followed by more guilt. And sometimes he just lays on the ground, feeling the wind blow through the grass around him and the sun on his face, enjoying the ability to breathe. Eventually, he sits up and watches his piglet Boris run around and try to play with animals that don't seem to see he's there.

His memory is making him absolutely miserable, but he's sure that to some degree he deserves that. He deserves all of this, but he's missed this place so much that he can't make himself leave.

Shannon Beiste | Room 555, 1st Floor | OTA

[usskickass]

Boy's locker rooms are notoriously horrible places, and yet this is the place where Beiste's memory is set. There's a set of boys in pads and uniforms sitting on all the benches, and Shannon is pacing in front of them silently. It's half time, and things are looking rough. The boys' expressions range from uncertain to scared to simply expectant. A certain group is sitting closer to her than the others, and while they're sweaty and exhausted, they look at Coach Shannon Beiste like she's a commander about to lead them off to war.

The way she bellows her speech, she might as well be. The words are blurred, misremembered over time. When Beiste watches, she can't even say for sure which game this was. Those details aren't important. What is important is how her words strike courage into boys that go home with fear. What matters is that they stand taller, that they focus so intently, that for a moment they are a team with a single goal. What matters is that when she finishes, the boys stand up and cheer, and win or lose, they are better than before.

As the boys crowd out back onto the field, Shannon Beiste follows, hands trembling with adrenaline, lipstick smeared.

Castiel, Room 12, 5th Floor [OTA]

[freewill]

Castiel very rarely even visits his own room, but it does in some way belong to him, so were anyone to enter they would suddenly be transported outside. Particularly, to a gas station in the middle of nowhere, where a very noticeable '67 Chevy Impala is being filled up. The car will be recognizable to anyone who saw Dean and Sam's joint post on the network the month before. In fact, Sam himself is leaning against the back of the car and talking on the phone when Dean walks over from the gas' mini mart and hands him a beer.

Sam hands the phone over, which Dean almost instantly hangs up, clearly not interested. At that point, they start talking about Garth and a houseboat, Kevin and a tablet, and boarding up Hell, all information that might seem confusing to anyone who isn't already acquainted with their lives.

Eventually Dean walks over to the side of the car and starts to speak to a Castiel who isn't there. He asks about angel radio, which apparently inspires a response that grabs Sam's curiosity, although Dean is then quick to cut off the invisible Castiel. He asks about flipping a switch, then after a pause in which Castiel answers, questions what he'll do next -- move to Vermont, open a B&B? It appears that Castiel's plans are nowhere near that domestic. Whatever response he gives, both Sam and Dean look incredulous about it, like they can't quite believe what they're hearing.

There's a long pause in which both Dean and Sam take on contemplative looks, and eventually Sam mentions that Castiel has a point. Dean calls after Castiel then, who must have been walking away, and lays down the law. If he's going to come along with them, then he's not allowed to zap around. He has to stick with them. Dean rounds the car to get to the driver's door and Sam moves to the passenger one. At the same time, they give a resounding no to whatever question Castiel asked.

At that point, one of the back doors opens seemingly on its own and then closes again.

It may not appear to be a very happy scene, but that's the extent of it and then it loops.

It's only after Castiel learns more about the event that he even thinks to go visit his room. The scene he finds there is fairly recent, as far as his memories from before Wonderland go. Out of all the years and years that he's lived, this is the memory that Wonderland has pinpointed as his happiest, and he can't say he disagrees. It may seem as if he's being mistreated by the Winchesters here, but they agreed to take him on a hunt, and he knows that by the end of the day seen in this memory, he even earned the coveted passenger seat. Shotgun.

Of course, that had all been disrupted by Naomi, but Castiel is relatively certain that in this moment he'd been acting on his own desires. These had been his own wishes to hunt with the Winchesters, to help people and repent for his mistakes alongside the two people he cares for most.

He takes his spot in the scene a few times, parroting back the lines as he remembers them -- in perfect detail, in fact. He even spends some time sitting in the back seat of the car, recalling the drive they'd taken after this and how surprisingly pleasant it had been.

Castiel doesn't spend too much time in the room, but it does remain open for anyone to find. He has nothing to hide here.

George Lass | Room 6, 6th Floor | OTA

[akapeanut]

It's a normal morning in Der Wafflehaus. The reapers trickle in, order their food. Eventually Rube breaks out the post-its. There's golden early morning light filtering in through the windows and everything smells like grease and syrup.

If one didn't know any better-- and if they weren't such a mismatched group --they might look like a family having an average breakfast. Eventually the food and coffee disappears and each reaper heads out to their day jobs. Life, death, whatever it is, it goes on.

Tohru Honda | Room 13, 8th Floor | OTA

[breakthecurse]

The door to Tohru's room opens to a little beach on the side of a lake. The waves roll in and out peacefully, and there is a boy there about Tohru's age with bright orange hair, sitting cross-legged by some piles of sand.

Tohru remembers this scene as soon as she sees it, and remembers every word that Kyo said. They had been left alone that day, while Akito visited with the other members of the zodiac, and while she was a little worried for the others, it had been a precious moment.

She knows well that it's just a memory, but that doesn't stop her from walking down to the beach and sitting with him for a little while. If someone comes by and listens, they will hear a conversation that doesn't make any sense. Kyo is talking about sand castles, and how hers look like hills, but he admits that he's never made one before. But Tohru, when she speaks...she slowly starts filling in this Kyo about Wonderland. She sits there for a long time, telling him about Wonderland and about the friends she's made there. She tells him about the diner, and the events. It feels good to sit and talk to him, even if she knows it isn't real.

She wonders if she would be able to hug this memory-Kyo, but then decides that's selfish and not something she wants to risk.

"What is that?" he asks, again.

"...I really miss you, Kyo."

"They look more like sand hills," he points out. And they do. Tohru hasn't bothered to try and fix them.

"It's been a really long time now...I've been in Wonderland almost two years," she says, feeling her eyes water a little. "Hana is here with me, and everyone-"

"I remember the ones I saw on TV looked more like sand castles," he says, accidentally cutting her off. "Actually, I've never made one before, so I'm not too sure."

"...Everyone here has been so kind, and I'm grateful for that, but...but I really miss you a lot! You and the other Sohmas. I...I'd never wish you here, of course, but-"

"Senpai? You're really modest..."

That one almost fit, and Tohru sputters out a small laugh.

"...I'm just really glad I have the chance to see you," she says. "Even if it's like this. I'm really grateful to have that much."

She'll stay there for some time, updating Kyo on her life and everything that's happened, but she won't stay there forever. Her door is a little further up the beach.

Hannibal Lecter, Room 669, 1st floor.

[avoirfaim]

The year is 1983. The year of Klaus Barbie's arrest, a tsunami in Honshu, and the death of Enrikas Dortlich by decapitation n the Lithuanian woods. Hannibal knows exactly when and where he is when he turns the handle and opens his door onto something familiar, from decades past. It's the warm wind coming in through the open window, looking out onto the Luxembourg Gardens. It's Murasaki's danish modern furniture, the Tiffany lamp, the folding screen and various katana hanging from the walls. It's the sound of a record player humming out the sounds of a shamisen through the cover of running water.

He knows this day, this moment, exactly. He had left a few days prior to find the answers to a question that haunted him in the shadow of his childhood home. He found his answer in the form of a the door to his catharsis that week, and had strapped Dorlitch to a tree, allowing a horse to tear off his head. He could still taste his cheeks with wild mushrooms, though perhaps as he looks into the room that was taken from his memories and made real, he's merely experiencing it a second time. He had so many cheeks and so many mushrooms since.

Killing Dorlitch wasn't the moment though, not the memory from that year that brought him the most pleasant contentment. Dorlitch's death had been the beginning steps towards catharsis, with the knowledge that he could take each and every one of them down, that action was not beyond him. It wasn't knowing that he would kill them all that made him happy, not that alone. It was the smell of sandalwood and matcha, and the sound of Murasaki drawing a bath. It was walking into that apartment after such a release and knowing that he was home.

Home is, after all, where the heart is.

He steps inside and the floor creaks just slightly where he remembered it would. He took off his scarf and his jacket as he had then, but he didn't call out to let Murasaki know that he was home. Instead he ran his fingers over the fresh petals of Murasaki's Ikebana and smiled.

[ ooc: his door is locked, but let me know if your character really wants to snoop, Wonderland can open the door without his permission. Knock and he might let you in himself! See the plotting post for some visuals. ]

Meg, Room 9, 5th floor

[meatsack]

Meg's memory takes place in a suburban living room with a casual, mid-century vibe. It would seem a cozy setup, at first - two people sitting close, perhaps holding hands? But no... her face is bruised and her hair is stained with her own blood. She's cleaned up and clearly comfortable, though, perched in the corner of a sofa with a bottle of bourbon in hand. It's quickly evident that this is the aftermath of her rescue from something rather awful that remains unspecified.

Your character might recognize Castiel tending to some particularly nasty wounds on her wrists. They banter a little - she counters his observation that her wounds have festered with a glib "You really do know how to make a girl's nethers quiver, don't you?" The angel confirms matter-of-factly that he is aware of how to do that.

Between pulls straight from the bottle, Meg inquires, "Why are you so sweet on me, Clarence?" He responds that he doesn't know, and that he still doesn't know who Clarence is, either. Those who know he's an angel might catch the reference to a certain classic holiday film. She chides him teasingly and he responds quite literally. It's then that she tells him that he's "Much cuter when he's shutting up."

As their conversation continues, it becomes clear that the two have some history, though the nature of it isn't necessarily readily apparent. The long, lingering looks suggest something other than friendship, perhaps something unfulfilled. Their cryptic speech clearly has some kind of deeper meaning to them as they continue, the demon asking the angel which version of himself he currently is - "Original make and model, or crazytown?" to which he replies, "I'm just me." They discuss his state of mind, and when the topic of memory comes up, an incident supposedly involving a pizza man comes into question. When Castiel confirms that he remembers the pizza man - and that "it's a good memory," there's a warm, genuine smile on Meg's face that would give anyone watching who doesn't know her a sense of contentment and relief. For anyone who does know her, it would be quite the surprise: completely foreign, if not hilarious or perhaps even just a smidge creepy.

Their little chat goes on, delving briefly into the topic of the apocalypse. She misses the end of times, he asks why he would, and she muses on how everything was so much simpler. She was bad, he was good... but now, everything is just so messy. She's kinda good, which "sucks," and he's kinda bad... "which is actually all manner of hot."

His eyes slide over to her, full of curiosity, and her expression turns particularly sly. "We survive this?" There's a pause after she begins, and the angel leans in closer. "I'm gonna order some pizza and we're gonna move some furniture around, you understand?" Castiel looks puzzled for a brief moment, not quite picking up on Meg's innuendo. "No, I-" She gives a suggestive flick of one eyebrow, and the meaning of her words seems to dawn on him. "Wait actually," he draws a breath, and the intensity with which they're staring at each other is almost palpable. "Yes-" he continues, looking almost determined...

Only to be interrupted by none other than Sam and Dean Winchester, the latter of whom chimes in with a gruff, "Let's roll, campers" on his way out the door.

There's a sense of things left unsaid as Meg and Castiel remain in place, simply looking into one another's eyes; and then the scene is over.



Though she's been exploring more, Meg still spends a decent amount of time in her room, practicing her fair bit of sloth. What kind of demon would she be otherwise? When the memory starts, she gets the urge to bolt, but there's a competing sense of nostalgia that makes her stick around. It's not an unpleasant memory - in fact it makes her feel all kinds of warm and fuzzy inside, but that's exactly the problem.

The last thing she needs is another reminder of the weird shit between her and Cas, just when things were beginning to resemble normal. Who had she been kidding? She couldn't have nice things. Like quiet days in her room with a book, uninterrupted by rude feelings. She relives it a few times, and her main takeaway is that she definitely does need a bottle or three of bourbon. In the interest of A) getting the fuck out of there and B) being a little more adventurous in her new home, she opts to slide on over to the bar next door. It's why she picked the room, after all. She means to lock the door, but in her haste, it simply closes behind her, leaving her out-of-body memory easily discover-able.

[coinseams]

Beatrice doesn't really know what she's doing. She's been wandering through the mansion, opening and closing doors seemingly at random. She doesn't stay long enough to actually view people's memories, she's not that much of a jerk and she has no interest in snooping through other people's happiness. She's sick of being alone, though. She's spent the last two months wallowing in it, letting it gnaw at her insides, and she wants to just leave the feeling behind, move on, do something.

She doesn't know where anyone else lives, though. She has no idea, so she stumbles awkwardly through the halls opening doors and then slamming them shut, looking for a glimpse of familiarity. She has yet to run into anyone, but slamming the doors is nice, a great way to let off some of her pent up emotion and get the hang of actually walking around again.

That's what happens to the Once'ler. His door swings open, Beatrice peeks in, and then she slams it shut. It's only after the door closes that she realizes; Oh, I know him. So she reopens it just a crack. She doesn't come in, she doesn't even look in, but she's there on the other side.

"Once'ler? That you?"

Wirt | Room 18, 3rd Floor | OTA

[singloversing]

Wirt's memory is in late afternoon, sometime in the fall. The sun is already starting to set, and Wirt remembers the colors much more vividly than they probably were, a burning orange and pink sky. His door opens to the outside of a school, and Wirt is sitting on the front steps with a girl named Sara. She's snug in a replica NASA flight jacket, and she's just sitting there talking animatedly to an empty space.

This memory is from last year, about two months after school had started. Sara and Wirt were the only ones still waiting to be picked up and she had just sat down next to him like it was nothing and started talking to him, asking if he was that kid in her English class. He was and she grinned and asked if he'd managed to get detention already, and the answer was no, no, of course not! The truth was that he had stayed home sick earlier in the week and had to make up a test after school. He had actually been done for an hour or so, and was reading when she came up to him.

And it just went on like that, for a long time. She told him why she was there (trying out for school mascot, apparently) and asked him about what he was doing. She had even offered to have her parents give him a ride home, which he declined a little too quickly. He spent a lot of that night thinking back and wondering if it was rude maybe? But...that worrying wouldn't come until later. The memory itself is happy. He had noticed Sara weeks ago, and it was the first time they ever really talked alone. Not only that, but by some miracle it wasn't a total disaster. They just sat and talked like normal people. It was really nice.

Wirt follows through the script a couple of times from what he remembers, trying to make the words come easier and easier each time. He doesn't know if he really succeeds or not, but eventually it hits a point where it's more depressing than comforting to talk to memory-Sara. He rests his arms on his knees and sighs.

"I wish I hadn't totally blown it with you," he says, looking out into the parking lot. "Ugh, why did I even make that stupid mixtape?"

Sara doesn't have a good answer for him. She just laughs at something he said in the past and nudges his shoulder, and Wirt can't help smiling a little.

Eventually, he'll leave Sara there and go seek out other people...but, the thought of someone accidentally stumbling into his room and seeing Sara in it when he's not there makes his insides squirm with worry. Now and then, he'll go back and peek, or maybe sit down with her again, just for a little while.

Killian Jones, 8th floor, room 19

[unhand]

It's a beautiful night. It's late in the year, but still warm enough that sitting outside under the stars is easy and comfortable. Killian sits at a table, sipping some rum. Inside the diner, people are chatting and laughing, and he knows he's welcome to be a part of that, but he finally feels at home enough that he doesn't mind letting some of that time slip through his fingers. He's proven his intentions. He may not be entirely a hero, but he's certainly not a villain anymore either.

Emma Swan comes out and sits next to him. She's beautiful. She always is, but after their adventure, after fighting by her side yet again, he finds himself even more drawn to her. They talk quietly, exchanging small smiles and meaningful glances until Killian finally tells her his story.

"You traded your ship for me?" she asks, staring at him with wide, disbelieving eyes.

"Aye," he says, and she leans in to kiss him.

It's a warm kiss, sweet and tender as their hands are on each other. They also both seem to have forgotten that they'll have to breath eventually, since they don't stop, cautiously exploring the ways their lips fit together, the way this feels right. Even when they eventually do pull apart, they don't go far. He touches her chin with his thumb and she smiles, a cautious, unguarded smile, one he hasn't often seen on her. Then they're back to kissing.

....it looks pretty ridiculous when Killian's not there, actually. Which is usually. He let's the memory play out once, but... Emma's here. There's no reason he has to kiss a memory when he could be kissing a real woman. It feels almost like cheating. Still, he can't resist stepping in occasionally and smiling, watching the first kiss of theirs that really mattered.

[singloversing]

Wirt comes out of his room very suddenly, sneakily shutting the door behind him as if there's something inside that he doesn't want anyone to see. The truth is he doesn't even notice Beatrice sitting there at first. That sounds terrible, and maybe it is a little bit, but he's distracted by the fact that through that open door is...him. That's him, as a little kid, in someone else's memory. Greg is his first thought, but it's not the right room for it. It's...

And that's when he looks down and sees a girl sitting there, outside Beatrice's room. It isn't hard to puzzle out who that could be, especially once she speaks, but it still takes a minute for it to sink in that Beatrice is a human being.

"B-Beatrice? You're..." He struggles to find way to phrase it that doesn't sound dumb, or like he's stating the obvious, but sometimes the obvious just needs to be said. "...You're not a bird!"

No, she's not. She's a human girl sitting on the floor looking incredibly depressed, so maybe this isn't the best time for this revelation, but...but she's not a bird anymore! Anyone who knows her would be shocked.

[coinseams]

Beatrice isn't sure what else she was expecting. Nothing, really, and if she's being honest, she half expected him to just walk right past her. She's not a bird any more, and that's...really all anyone here has ever known her as. She knows it's a surprise, that this is coming out of nowhere. She hasn't even told anyone, really. She's spent her time since changing back getting re-acquainted with her legs, saying 'Hey, I'm human again!" Hasn't really been on her priority list.

She tries for a more amused smile, but it's kind of pathetic. At least he doesn't seem to hate her. At least he's not looking at her like she's done something wrong, not yet, anyway. "Yeah, I'm--I'm not."

She looks away, almost self-consciously, fiddling with loose strands of hair. She doesn't know what else to say, and that realization makes her stomach drop. She has ideas, but none of them sound right. Nothing seems right anymore and she hates it. She misses Wirt and his dumb hat and his stupid poetry.

And then the tears start. She doesn't know where they come from, exactly. ( Of course she does. She's missed him, and she's still not sure they're okay. She's not even sure he cares anymore, after what she almost did, after what she said. ) She wipes her eyes with the back of her hand and tries desperately to find something sassy to say, something casual to make this not...this. To make things normal and okay again.

But all she manages is a choked; "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." Because she meant to tell him at the ball, but there were too many people and she didn't want to put him on the spot, and it was weird when he was a puppet, and--she just feels so bad about it all. She just...she wants her friend back, and she has no idea how to make that happen, because it's been so long since she's had anyone she considers a friend.

Carol Danvers, 7th floor, room 32

[airforceful]

Carol's door opens up into Carol's own room back home, set right up at the top of the Statue of Liberty. The room is filled with boxes. Carol hasn't finished moving in yet. She's with her young friend Kit, a girl of maybe seven years old, who's pretty excited. She should be. She's here for superhero lessons. Carol, on the other hand, is more sedate as she follows Kit into the room. She catches up with Kit as she's babbling excitedly about the lessons.

"Listen to me. I've been trying to tell you something," she says, crouching down in front of Kit. "I can't teach you to be Captain Marvel. Sweetheart, I can't teach you something that I'm still trying to figure out."

"...you thought?" Kit looks away. "Boy, you're not as smart as you look." She holds out a purple book. "Here."

Carol reaches for it. "What is this?"

"Your textbook. It's a comic book. I made it." She looks very proud of herself. "You're not going to teach me about Captain Marvel, dummy! I'm going to teach you! There is nobody in the whole universe that knows more about Captain Marvel than me. I'm an expert. I got you covered."

Carol looks at the comic. "Kit, I..."

"It's okay," Kit says, smiling. She sits on Carol's lap.

"You did this for me?"

"Yep! Page one, panel one..." Kit points. And together, they read an absolutely awesome comic full of everything Carol needs to know about being a superhero. But honestly, Carol isn't even looking at the comic. She misses Kit. She misses home. It's been far too long since she's seen their faces. Even before she showed up in Wonderland, it had been too long, and sitting here, reliving this memory over and over, just makes her heart ache more. Maybe that's why she stays for so long, reliving it so many times. It's almost like going home.

[singloversing]

It's awful, and he doesn't say it out loud, but his first instinct is to wonder how this happened. She had been cursed to be a bluebird, and supposedly the only way she could be uncursed was to trade him and Greg to Adelaide, and without that she would be a bluebird forever. She's clearly not a bluebird now, so what happened? How did she pull it off in Wonderland? Did she trade someone else away?

As soon as he has the thought though, he regrets it. Adelaide isn't even here. He glances through Beatrice's open door, and he thinks about what Cami said. He's wavered on it for a while now, unsure whether he had really made a difference by being Beatrice's friend or not, but...her room really has a memory of him in it. Together, playing as little kids, like real friends. That was the cherished memory Wonderland was showing her, and it speaks volumes.

He has no idea what to do when she first starts crying, and it seems so strange coming from Beatrice somehow. He's not sure whether that's because Beatrice doesn't seem like someone who would cry much or if it's just that birds don't usually cry, but he's...never been great at comforting people. His instinct is to keep her at a distance so he can't make it worse, but at least he knows that definitely will make it worse. This needs to stop. She's obviously sorry, and he feels like a jerk for making it last so long in the first place.

So, he carefully walks over to her, and sits down by her side. For a minute he doesn't say anything, and just lets her cry if she needs to while he searches for words.

"...I'm sorry too," he finally says. "You-- you were just trying to save your family. And you didn't actually go through with it, so..."