video;

[eatsyourscience]

[Souji's in the diner, sitting at one of the booths. At the edge of the shot is a half-eaten order of french fries, because sometimes he actually eats the things he cooks. Quality assurance. You know how it goes.

He looks thoughtful as he addresses the network.]

I've been here a while. Over time, I've kind of come to like it. I don't feel like it's urgent to go home anymore.

[He frowns.]

I miss home. But I don't really mind being here.

[The words Stockholm Syndrome come to mind, but he's not going to say them.]

So...why is it you want to leave? Or stay, if you'd rather do that.

Comments

[action]

[jivitadana]

[Minato headed up to the Diner once he saw this. He went over to join him at the booth.]

Did you need help with those?

[He gestured to the fries.]

[action]

[eatsyourscience]

[Souji nudged the plate over toward Minato. Then he nudged the ketchup over as well.]

Help yourself.

Video;

[schachmeister]

[Armin hasn't been here for very long. Still new enough that just being in the Mansion itself (nevermind the events) is a lot to take.]

Isn't it quite normal to want to go home? After all, we were brought here without our consent. No matter how comfortable this place might appear, I don't think there can be anything good in it if we were forced to come here.

[It is suspicious, okay.]

Video;

[eatsyourscience]

It depends on the situation at home. Like...if your world is just a bad place to live, or if you're dead at home, being here might be better.

[He's thought a lot about this.]

But I also wonder if Wonderland doesn't have some effect on us that over time makes us more willing to be here.

anon text

[shslliar]

[Kokichi was this close to pressing the audio button. So close to letting his voice be broadcast over the public network. But he felt a knot in his gut when he thought of that. This was too personal for him not to be anonymous.]

At least YOU have a home to come back to. I was being held hostage by some psycho before I got here!

anon text

[eatsyourscience]

I know for some people, this place is better than home.

[angewiesen]

I think I've told you, but I've got some pretty heavy unfinished business to take care of back home. I wonder how things are going to play out there all the time.

[eatsyourscience]

That makes sense. For me, I've finished everything I needed to do, so it doesn't feel as urgent.

( anon. )

[wildwest]

some people want to stay, because they don't have homes to go back to
or what constituted as "home" wasn't really home to begin with

( anon. )

[eatsyourscience]

I've met people in those situations. Like people who are dead at home. It makes sense why they'd want to stay here.
But I think it's also hard for some people who really want to go home to understand.

video --> private;

[endingpoint]

I used to want to stay because I was afraid of what might happen when I leave. My future was on pretty shaky ground.

Now I want to leave because it's better than I ever thought it could be. Maybe it all depends on what you have waiting for you.

video --> private;

[eatsyourscience]

Yeah, I think that's a big part of it. I don't feel like it's urgent to go home because I've finished what I needed to do. And I don't know what's coming next, so it might be that I'm a little nervous about it.

[Maybe. Souji doesn't really do nervous that often.]

video

[naughty_nurse]

I'd stay forever if I could. I've become a better person here. But even without that... I'll definitely if I go back.

video

[eatsyourscience]

It's a little strange to think about how much we change while we're here. We aren't really the people we were when we arrived.

[moraloutrage]

...Those are very good questions.

In the past, it would have been easier to provide an answer. But... now... I am sorry to admit that my feelings are quite mixed.

[eatsyourscience]

I understand that. I'm a little that way. Though I have a feeling it's for different reasons.

[video]

[tattooedredheads]

I don't have much of a future back home. Being here is kinda like a second chance.

[His second second chance which is kind of ridiculous. But he'd rather put off his life time jail sentence for as long as possible.

[video]

[eatsyourscience]

There are a few people who feel that way. I'm glad this place can give you something like that.

[video of goat man]

[alphyswhatsabara]

I have made many errors in my own life.

Here... I have time to think about my errors and to reflect upon how to be a better Monster. I would have said learn to be a better Father a few days ago but... my son has disappeared in that way that individuals come and go.

[eatsyourscience]

I'm sorry he's left. I've had friends who have come and gone. But it's got to be harder when it's family.

video

[pearlfectly]

I fought for a thousand years to live on Earth. Not in "Wonderland".

[She looks away, her stern expression softening.]

...And, well, there's something at home that I need to protect.

[It's called the entire planet, humanity and her corrupted friends.]

video

[eatsyourscience]

I can understand that.

[It's the same for a number of people he's met.]

You fought for that long?

Video

[kingtrousele]

[He's honestly been back and forth about whether or not he wants to actually stay, but for right now?]

WHY WOULD I WANT TO LEAVE?? I MADE SOME GREAT NEW FRIENDS HERE! I'VE BECOME BETTER FRIENDS WITH EVERYONE CAME FROM MY WORLD!! EVEN MY BROTHER IS HERE!!! I DON'T WANT TO LEAVE ANY OF THEM BEHIND, NOT AGAIN.

Video

[eatsyourscience]

[He can't help smiling a bit.]

That's how I feel a lot of the time, too. There are a lot of people here that I don't want to lose.

Video

[bibliocorn]

Well, one of the most important ponies to me is here already, so that makes being here considerably easier. I also genuinely appreciate the friends I've made here, that's something I'd be always glad for...assuming I'd ever remember being here.

[Probably not. ]

But I have duties to attend to back home- Flurry Heart needs me.

Video

[eatsyourscience]

[Souji can certainly relate to the fact that it's easier to function in Wonderland when close friends are there.]

We don't remember. But I really wish we did.

[The people here are something he doesn't want to lose. And maybe that contributes to his ambivalence on the topic of leaving.]

Who is Flurry Heart?

[stickingplaces]

If I don't get back home, I'll never graduate high school. I'll be a high school kid forever! And [more importantly] I'll never get to see how A Game of Thrones ends!

[The books OR the show, but mostly the books.]

[eatsyourscience]

I'm not done with high school yet either. I've got another year left.

I've never heard of A Game of Thrones.

[townwithoutme]

I want to stay. It's better than home.

[She doesn't volunteer why though. That's enough, right?]

How long is a while?

[eatsyourscience]

[He nods. He won't ask her. Not right now, anyway. She doesn't know him well enough to trust him with that, he's sure.]

Seven years today.

[charlastan]

[Stan scoffs.]

Of course I wanna go home! This place has done a great job tryin' to make it too comfy to resist, but it's all just a scam we've fallen into. If a way out turned up tomorrow I'd grab my great niece and nephew and make a run for it!

[eatsyourscience]

You know a lot about scams, huh.