[Text/Action]

[theothermrgray]

[At this point, he was certian he had no idea where he was. Yes, the paintings and photographs were quite lovely, but he doesn't recognize any styles from the galleries of London or Paris and he certainly hasn't seen a photograph with so much color in his life.]

[Then there was the strange device he found on his person. Nevermind how a tiny thing like this manages to function without winding it up, but it displayed various messages and images along with bizzare formats. What on earth was a "video?"]

[He turned the device over in his hand for a third time and sighed. If this was the only way he can contact someone for help, he may as well learn to use it.]

Hello?
Can someone tell me where I am?
I woke up in a strange gallery with a strange device.
Very confused.
Please respond.
From Dorian Gray.

[Dorian presses the send button and waits for a reply. He glances up every now and then, looking for someone in the room to talk to.]

Comments

Text

[forwearemany]

Greetings. You are in Wonderland.

Text

[theothermrgray]

[... What?]

Wonderland? As in Alice in Wonderland?

Looks nothing like it. Where are the size changing drinks and talking animals?

[He can't be in some sort of storybook... Right?]

[forwearemany]

Affirmative.

...Storybook descriptions are not 100% accurate.

[theothermrgray]

... That may be true.
Or this may be some elaborate prank someone is pulling on me. If you would kindly tell Lord Wotton to desist, I would appreciate it.

[Because denial is a perfectly good reaction to being told you got teleported to a strange world for no good reason.]

[forwearemany]

Lord Wotton?

[text]

[mourning_ghost]

[Oh. Nageki hasn't read the book, but he knows enough about it...]

You're in Wonderland, like the setting of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll. The device is called a cell phone and it allows you to communicate with anyone else that's currently here. There's also an audio and a video (moving pictures) option.

[text]

[theothermrgray]

I see...

[This is the second person who has told him that. The chances of him being in Wonderland are becoming disturbingly good.]

Thank you for explaining the device. I was wondering what a "video" was...

Could you give me a little more detail about this Wonderland? For instance, how did I end up here?
[Now that he thinks of it...] By the by, who am I speaking to?

[text]

[mourning_ghost]

I'm Nageki Fujishiro. No one knows how we arrive and leave. It's as if Wonderland brought you here. You might be here a while, so you should pick an empty room to stay in. It will change to suit you. You can get anything else that you need from the closets.

[text] Did you know that Dorian Gray is one of Moa's favorite books? The irony!

[theothermrgray]

[Oh...]

[Dorian could feel his heart sink as he read that text... No, this couldn't be real! It mustn't!

Mr. Fujishiro, do you mean to say that I am [Delete those last two words, it seems he's not the only one.] we are indefinitely trapped in this strange world?

Re: [text] No, actually! :)

[mourning_ghost]

Yes.

[voice]

[littledhampir]

[A certain somebody doesn't do text because despite being a child of the 21st Century, she isn't exactly a 'normal' one.

If at some point Dorian is able to figure out how to listen to a voice response, he'd hear what is likely the least helpful answer that anyone can give.]

I've been here six months and I'm still confused. That's about the only thing you do get used to around here.

[voice]

[theothermrgray]

[Seriously? By the time Dorian has replied with his own voice message, he will have probably moved out of the gallery. Meaning it took him a while to figure it out.]
[He still sounds a bit uncertian about the whole situation.]

Six months, you say...? That sounds horrible.
At the very least, the accommodations here are reasonable, otherwise I think I might have died of fright. Have you managed to at least discover a hint or two about this place?

[voice]

[littledhampir]

Horrible was the plague of Zombies... The rest of it just, generally sucks.

[The least comforting welcome wagon he could have found.]

You don't scare that easily do you? Cause... you might not do so well around here if that's the case.
Me? No, that's not really my thing. There's some who could probably help on that front. They've been here for years.

[Seriously.]

[voice]

[theothermrgray]

Zombies? Did a voodoo witch doctor stop by at some point? [Because Dorian has never heard of a "zombie" that animated of its own accord and eat people's flesh.]

I'm not sure, that depends entirely on the situation itself. Like what you just said about people being stuck here for years. Yes, it's a scary thought, but concerning the circumstances I can't seem to be horrified.

[At least, he won't admit to it.]

[voice]

[littledhampir]

Uh... [Rose doesn't really know how the Zombies came to be so cue the confusion.] If they turn people into groaning, drooling messes with a hunger for brains? Probably.

[The average person would likely sound more disturbed by all this. Rose manages to somehow cone across as nonchalant.]

Oh yeah the years thing is the least of your worries. [Rose this is not how you greet a new person.] It's the events you should be worried about.

[Text]

[mypartnerintime]

You woke up in the gallery??

[She doesn't actually hang out there much herself. In fact she avoids being there unless she's actually looking at pictures or hanging up art. Otherwise she'll feel awkward and a little depressed wondering if anyone will ever show up.

...This isn't a scenario she had considered.]

[Text]

[theothermrgray]

I think so. What else would one call a room full of pictures hung on the walls?

[He still fondly remembered one of his friends as he wrote... Typed... Whatever you call this mode of communication. Anyway, it's a shame that friend wouldn't have been able to see such a strange gallery, Wonderland or not?]

I take it, this is but a single room in this strange place.

[Text]

[mypartnerintime]

[She's honestly tempted to ask him what he thinks, but. Nah. Too awkward, too soon. Especially the awkward bit.]

Yup. You're on the third floor of the mansion. Have you found a pamphlet yet?

Re: [Text]

[theothermrgray]

I see.

[It was a pretty neat gallery, in all honesty. The color in the photographs look so lifelike, it's almost like they're works of art themselves. Granted, Dorian is from a time before they invented photos with vivid color, so Dorian's going to assume a talented painter did a great job coloring them in before they were developed.]

And no, I have not. A pamphlet would be useful. Do you know where I can acquire one?

[Text]

[mypartnerintime]

Wait ive got one here

[In a few moments an attachment appears in their text thread.]

there you go! Wonderland in 500 words or less. It's just a quick and dirty intro tho

text;

[lifeskills]

_{[Ugh, gross, it's you.]}

Mr. Gray,

Welcome. I see you have already acquainted yourself with the communication device.

Do you not like the art?

V.F.

_{['Sup, asshole. Leaving his initials gives Victor away; he'd expect his Dorian to put two and two together, but little does Victor know this isn't the same man who'd gamely assisted Lily in ruining herself, then cast her aside the moment her appeal waned.]}

text;

[theothermrgray]

[V.F.? Who is V.F.?]
[Judging by the manner in which he worded his text, this must be another fellow from his era. Finally! However, this could be anyone from his era, and Dorian is racking his brain trying to figure out who this sender is.]

V.F.,

It's not as if I don't like the art. It has a certain appeal once you get accustomed to the surroundings.

Perhaps you should drop by the gallery at some point, and marvel at the novelty.

D. Gray

[Dorian hesitates to send this out. He reads over V.F.'s message once more, trying to remember if he knows anything about him. Could this V.F. have seen him at a party? Or in an opium den? Maybe he had had a hand in, erm, corrupting him at some point?]
[Dorian assumes the first option and types out one last response.]

P.S. If you had heard any foul rumors about me in the past, please disregard them. Some people will say anything to ruin their enemies.

[lifeskills]

<sub>[He scoffs at the postscript--actually, he scoffs at the entire message, starting with Dorian's false decorum and ending with Dorian being... Dorian--but especially at the postscript.

They're not rumors if they're true. He's paid his dues to Dorian and their business together is now concluded, he's allowed to go back to his regularly scheduled program of finding him to be an incorrigible reprobate.]</sub>

I would not imagine you need my assistance to help you make yourself at home, do you?

_{[Does he have to see you in person? Dorian's clever, he'll figure Wonderland out... eventually. Probably. (Victor may or may not be a bit of a Bitter Betty. He's trying to move on from events in London, but that doesn't mean he can't be petty about it.)]}

[theothermrgray]

[Some of the rumors were true, no doubt about that. However, said rumors never involved any mad scientists or reanimated prostitutes.]
[Nontheless, Dorian did have to think about it. On one hand, there was a man from his time period he could talk to. On the other, this man was rude and possibly one of his enemies...]

Yes and no.

You see, I've already spoken to some of the other residents in the mansion about where I am, what this place is, and how to use the equipment. However, you seem to be the only other person here who hails from my time, at least, and being in a strange place with strange technology does make one homesick rather quickly.

Besides, if you have been here longer than I, then we already have one thing to talk about.

[lifeskills]

I have little doubt that you will find a way to comfort yourself.

<sub>[They do hail from the same time, that's an unfortunate truth. Though in hindsight, it's impossible to know just how many eras Dorian has seen come and go; if he shares Lily's agelessness as well as her indestructibility, he could be from any of a number of times.

Victor is stalling, he recognizes this in himself. Reluctance to associate with Dorian wars with a more practical side of him that knows that he should, Wonderland being greater than either of them or their personal conflicts.

Sigh.]</sub>

Extenuating circumstances, is it? Very well. I will meet you to discuss the situation. Name the location.