entranceway | video/action;

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video/action;

[Time for Wonderland's fifth annual Japanese KFC Christmas! The diner has been decorated just like everything else in the Mansion. Of course, like every year, Souji's made his own additions, with Minato's help. They've dragged out the Colonel (it took them several tries to get one that wasn't made of gingerbread) and in the background of the feed, Minato is stringing him with twinkling fairy lights.

Souji isn't helping. Sitting at the counter in front of a small army of strawberry Santas, he's holding one in one hand, looking at it from all angles, as though deciding which direction it's best to attack from. To the side are several undecorated Christmas cakes, which Minato will be tending to once he's finished helping the Colonel get dressed.

Realizing the device is recording, Souji sits up a bit straighter, because he totally wasn't slacking off.]

The diner's ready for anyone who wants to eat fried chicken. [He smiles a little. In the background, Minato waves to the camera.] We do this every year, but if you weren't here before, it's a tradition from home. In Japan--the Japan I'm from anyway--we eat fried chicken and Christmas cake each year.

We'll be making it from now until Christmas, as long as things stay like they are now.

[I.e. without too much ridiculous chaos going on.]

[Note: Both Minato and Souji will answer responses (separately from one another). Feel free to have Mirrors wander in as well. There is enough chicken and cake for everyone.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

That so.

[ Mondo smiles a little at the response. The last few events haven't been very forgiving, so seeing the guy to be in one piece and seemingly... well, normal as always, he's glad. Heck, he probably won't be able to tell if something's wrong. Arisato's hard to read. ]

Yeah, pretty much. Been juggling between taking care of this guy and tryinna find the time to do stuff in my workshop without him tailin' me. Too many sharp tools there... and he's one active guy.

[ With a sigh, he throws the little pup a fond look. ]

Oh right, I totally forgot to contact you back then. I found the owner of that sweater ー it was Asgore. Do you know him?

Did you have a dog at home?

[Active was good though, Minato thought. Puppies should be. But he could understand that Mondo would be worried about him getting hurt.

Oh, but the sweater! That's right. Minato was glad that Mondo finally did find out who owned it. He shook his head.]

I hope he was grateful to get it back. It seemed like it was something from home?

[ The smile fades at the question, but he doesn't look completely upset. He does avert his eyes, though. ]

Yeah. The name was Chuck, a Maltese. He was a smart dog, he'd bring up newspapers and stuff every morning.

[ He squats down to pat Komo's little head. ]

Would probably get along with this guy if they--

[ Ah, shit. He can't do this.

His eyes begin to water slightly, though it's impossible to see with his head bowed down and ~~the slab of french bread~~ his length of hair blocking it. ]

--Anyway. [ Phew, that was close. ] Sounds like Asgore's got it here, though. His mirror stole it away, apparently.

[Aw, Minato wouldn't press more. He missed his own team's dog at home and he could understand.]

I guess they just want something from home or from this side. You didn't have anything stolen, did you?

[ Sorry, Arisato, he's a big fucking baby when it comes to his late dog. ]

Nope, nothin'. I've never met mine, either. ...Not yet, anyway. [ Supposedly, all of them has one, right? ] How 'bout you? Ever seen yours yet?

[That's okay! It's cute. Everyone had something that they loved and held dearly.]

No, since we're usually on opposite sides of the Mirror when it happens, but I've talked to him before through the glass.

[ Ah... He vaguely remembers it but Arisato might've mentioned this to him before. ]

You heard 'bout him being able to cross over here, right? ...What're ya gonna do if ya meet him?

Treat him like a person.

[Since the Mirrors were just as alive as anyone else on the Real Side.]

What will you do if you meet yours?

[ Like a person, huh. ]

...I dunno. Are they even people? Real things? Not just an illusion that the Queen of Hearts came up with?

They're alive, so they should be treated as such, I think.

[That was just his opinion. A lot of other people had plenty of other opinions or judgments about the Mirrors. Not that he could exactly blame them and they were entitled to how they felt.]

They seem real. But then again, so do we?

...

[ Ok that's deep.

Arisato's questioning tone does get Mondo thinking briefly about the fact that they're here. 'Is it real?' 'Are they alive?'

But he's not gonna have existential crisis in the middle of the hallway like this, definitely not. At least, Komo's not letting him have one as he nuzzles his nose to Mondo's ankle, beginning to get impatient having to stay still while daddy talks with the neighbour. ]

...Oh, my bad. 's there still some space inside?

[ They can continue the talk once they're seated, he guesses? ]

Mn, come on in.

[Minato smiled and invited Mondo inside. Mondo should get a chance to eat before they had a long conversation, if they chose to discuss it further.]

Is there anything special that Komo can eat? Any requests?

[ Or he could eat and talk. He can multitask. To an extent. ]

Nah, I brought his meal along. [ He lifts a package with dog food inside, complete with the food bowl. Clearly, he's adapted into being a pupdad ー all geared up. ] Thanks, though.

[ Wherever Arisato leads them, he'll sit himself and Komo there. ]

[Minato nodded and smiled at Komo before he did seat Mondo and Komo at a table.]

I'll bring you what we have. But anything specific besides what's not on the menu today?

Nah. Thanks, Arisato.

[ He'll idly wait for Arisato to come back with whatever they've got while playing with Komo in the meantime. Only when the other boy comes back that he'll attempt to continue what they talked about. ]

's it fine for ya to sit here and talk a bit?

Sure.

[Minato went to get a cola for himself before having a seat with Mondo at the table.]

What else would you like to talk more about?

Well, uh. Yea.

[ He scratches his cheek lightly. It's kinda weird to jump into such a serious topic when their surroundings are completely joyous and festive. ]

...'bout what we discussed earlier. Whaddya think of our existences here? Is it... real?

[Anytime was a good time for conversation.]

I think so. But who knows. Time stops at home and no one notices that we're gone.

That so.

[ That sure reminds him of how the whole time concept isn't working for him. He doesn't get it at all, especially with the discrepancy between his, Ishimaru's, and Maizono's time. No matter how you look at it, it's weird. Sure, 'parallel world' resolves that problem, but a part of him refuses to believe that it's really the case. ]

You've gone back a couple times before, right? Do you remember what happened then?

[Minato shook his head.]

I went back, didn't remember Wonderland. I came here, but I didn't remember being here before.

[The time difference between his being here and going home and coming back was probably too long.]

[ What's the deal with that?! It's like this place keeps fucking up with people's memories or something. ]

...So y'mean, it's possible that I've been here before, too?

[ He sighs exasperatedly. ]

Why the hell every time I learn new things about this place, the more confused I am?! Goddammit. It's like we're in a maze.

It's always been a possibility.

[Being here previously and not remembering, then coming back in the future. It was just the way Wonderland worked and they just couldn't figure out why it worked that way.]

Hah. Well... If you put it that way, everything's possible.

[ His finger rubs on the table idly, and probably harder than necessary. ]

Don'cha feel really empty sometimes, though? You never know what's at the end of this life. Or if it's ever gonna end, at all.

[That's true, everything was possible. He shook his head though at Mondo's question.]

Just fill every day up with something. Don't worry about the end.

'Don't worry about the end'...?

[ Look, Mondo likes Arisato well enough, but that's not an answer he's entirely satisfied with. ]

...Say this is your second chance in life, can ya still say the same? You got to live again, and what if you die again before you can accomplish anythin'? Don't that bother ya?

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