♛ twenty-fourth hunt - voice;

[ofletters]

Okay, public service announcement, here: if you don't filter or lock your messages, we can all see them. And read and hear them. Which usually doesn't matter, but just... I mean, if it's quote-unquote sensitive information, you probably don't want it on the public network. And we don't, either. Usually. And even then... I mean, there're a handful of tech-savvy people in the mansion, so even if it's encrypted, it still could be, you know, decrypted. I'm just saying, it's almost always better to talk in person if you're making big plans or swapping secrets.

That said, does anyone know the network's origin? I mean, I never pegged the Queen of Hearts or the Duchess or whoever to be good with computers. It had to start somewhere, by someone who knew what they were doing. It's a pretty complicated system.

Just... don't tell me it was "magic." [ Sigh. ]

Comments

[lifeskills]

_{[Then Victor would very much like to see what the wireless age looks like outside of here in the proper twenty first century, if this is a poor representation.]}

You don't seem content to settle for "magic."

_{[An observation. He agrees that magic isn't the end all, be all, and nor should it be, but exactly how long have people been seeking alternative explanations? Studying Wonderland for years under these conditions is an intimidating thought.]}

It's generally agreed upon Carroll wrote his children's novel in the 1860s, isn't it? The technology was hardly native to him or to the story, so that's a fair assumption. I can't have been the only one to notice the network and its parts cater to particular times in human history, times when people would have been familiar with it.

_{[Coincidence? Possibly, but it seems unlikely Wonderland should accommodate those sorts of developments and have there be no connection between the two.]}

[ofletters]

You're not wrong. [ Sam considers this, tilting his head. ] And you're right, I'm not settling for "magic." It could be, but there're a lot of different kinds of magic, so if we're going with that, then we have to narrow it down. Like, are the Duchess and Queen of Hearts demi-gods? This'd make a lot more sense that way.

[ And it barely makes any sense at present, so the only way they can go is up, right? ]

[lifeskills]

Are there many kinds? I wouldn't know. I hardly call myself proficient in the area. I've always relied on the scientific, not what's beyond nature.

<sub>[But the longer he's here, the more he sees that other people accept more... inconstant... explanations for things. He does, too, after the events with Malcolm and the others.

Wonderland is a greater challenge, but it only builds on what he'd already experienced.]</sub>

"Demi-god" was usually meant to be someone who'd achieved greatness of some kind by the time of their death. Would you even call them human?

[ofletters]

I get that. I'm kinda in... both camps, somehow. It makes sense, but not if you think too hard about it.

[ He half-smiles. ]

Depends how you define "human," really.

[lifeskills]

_{[There's a sound, like someone on the verge of a laugh who can't quite bring himself to commit fully to it.]}

That's not much of an option, is it? Thinking about this is possible when it flies in the face of everything man understands about the natural world seems all one can do. I envy your surety.

_{[He's speaking more for himself. His mind's been in a restless state ever since arriving.]}

Born of mankind, I suppose?

[ofletters]

Honestly, I'm not sure about much, not even this. [ He shakes his head. ] It's hard to be sure of anything when you're stuck in this crazy place.

[ Sam nods slowly, then shrugs. ]

Then, I'd say sort of, if we're going by that technicality, since they'd only "technically" be half human.

[lifeskills]

Then I hope you receive an answer or two to shed light on the problem.

_{[Not even life and death is this inscrutable, and he should know.]}

And what would the other half be? Somehow I doubt the author of the original story intended his creations to take on a life of their own.

[ofletters]

Thanks. [ He nods firmly, appreciative for the well-wishes, at least. ]

Uh, god? I don't know. I've seen monsters before that were created and pretty much invincible because a lot of people believed in it.

[lifeskills]

<sub>[A rough guess, then. Victor will take what conjecture he can get, no matter how ridiculous. It's the choice to sit idly by and question nothing that doesn't sit comfortably with him.

It never had.

He doesn't say anything for a few seconds while he considers what the other man has said, then:]</sub>

Willed into being? A world where that is enough to create life would be beyond imagining.

[ofletters]

You'd think. But most people don't know that it even happened. And I wouldn't say that it's... common, not really.

[ And thank God for that. ]

But Wonderland creates life all the time. Were you were for the dogs?

[lifeskills]

_{[Wonderland... creates life. The words stick with Victor, full of heavy promise.]}

Dogs? I'm afraid I don't know what you mean.

<sub>[Outwardly, Victor doesn't miss a beat; nothing he's encountered in Wonderland so far has had to do with dogs of the canine variety, but if his intuition is right, he'd wager it has something to do with this world's penchant for spontaneity.

That it seemingly creates life out of nothing isn't so absurd if one takes Wonderland at face value--it does seem to set itself up to be that miraculous.]</sub>

*here. dammit

[ofletters]

One day there were just... puppies. Everywhere. I sorta adopted two of them, myself.

[ Nothing "sort of" about it. ]

But they were all over the mansion; it was like a biblical flood, but with tiny dogs.

[lifeskills]

Should I assume this happened for a reason or no?

<sub>[Sam's fortunate this isn't video or he'd be on the receiving end of an extremely doubtful look.

Puppies. Everywhere. Like a biblical food. When there are constantly fluctuating rules or no rules at all, anything is possible. Apparently even that.]</sub>

I see why you'd employ technicalities. Nothing does seem logical or sure.

_{[His tone sounds regretful, mourning a foundation of order and reason, but at the same time he sounds curious, too.]}