entranceway | 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

[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?

[Why worry about the end or if it was going to end when the present was what they had right now?]

You mean dying permanently here?

[If this place gave some people a second chance at life and then resurrected them again after death, then wasn't there another chance to accomplish whatever it was that was needed to be accomplished? And wouldn't it also depend on what it was to be accomplished?]

...Somethin' like that.

[ What if you don't get resurrected anymore? ]

Well?

That's why I said you should fill each day up. Make the most of each day.

[If Mondo would go so far as to guess that death was going to happen here and there was no chance of resurrection, then why worry about the end if he had no regrets in the present?]

I'm doin' it! [ His voice raises slightly in frustration, but he sighs, trying to level his volume back. ] Things just don't happen in an instant, y'know? I just... think about how if in the process... somehow, I'm dead forever. That kinda thing.

[Perhaps what could happen in an instant, which was what Mondo might be afraid of, was death itself. Death is so normal though at home or most anywhere, and perhaps Minato had just come to accept it more easily. But that isn't quite the issue, perhaps.]

What are you trying to accomplish?

[Because that might be what it is at the moment. Death was going to happen at some point, it was just what happened or what didn't happen before that.]

[ It's not so much the death itself that he's afraid of as much as the inability to finish off his 'duty' before it. He can't exactly be at ease exactly because he has an objective.

Thing is now, though, he's not too sure of how much he trusts Arisato at this point. Arisato's a friend, for sure, but he also realises that he doesn't know much about him yet. It's like he's always silently observing, and while it's not exactly unsettling, Mondo doesn't really want to jump into things. Not right now. He's not ready. ]

I can't say it now. But 's nothin' groundbreakin', I don't think. It's just. I can't control it, so it's hard.

[ He sighs roughly. ]

Sorry. I'll tell you eventually.

[That is what he meant. Minato had that thought, that it was the instantaneous end of life, where nothing else could be done with said life, that made Mondo anxious. Whatever it was he had to do, then Minato hoped that he could do it.]

Don't worry about it. You do what you have to do.

[Whether Minato was told or not was not up to him and Mondo could choose to tell or not tell and gauge the timing himself.]

[ Enough about him. He won't get to know Arisato further if he doesn't hear the guy's side of story. ]

...How about you? You got any goals here?

[ He's not gonna go as far as asking what they are, considering he didn't tell Arisato what his is, but he'll listen if Arisato wants to share. ]

[There is never enough about Mondo. Minato smiled though as he was asked.]

It's nothing groundbreaking.

[There really wasn't much to share, really. His life was pretty ordinary.]

[ That actually drags out a laughter out of him. ]

Heh. Cheeky.

[ They may not see eye to eye in things, but whatever. That's probably just how things are. ]

[Minato thought he could afford to be sometimes.]

I'm glad you understand.

[Of course they might not see eye to eye, but for some things, they were actually pretty similar.]

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