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Back in the summer of last year I made inquiries about the experiences of Wonderland residents who hail from time periods before a more "modern" era, in the hopes of creating a guide that might best facilitate the transition for them to contemporary advances. The project fell through for a number of reasons not long after-

[Primarily because she left, died, and came back, which tends to put a bit of a damper on personal research, but that is not known by the general public.]

-but I am happy to have produced a pamphlet that I hope the rest of you might circulate with the...ah, existing one [that nondescript abomination] should you meet someone unfamiliar with the communications devices, or the appliances in the kitchen.

Please feel free to refer anyone with questions about bookkeeping and records to me, I've recently reorganised our archives in the west wing of the library.

[With that, Evelyn cuts the feed.

The project came as a distraction more than anything, something that had been pushed to the backburner in her grief, practically forgotten while she dragged herself through the days following her death in August. Being someone with an immense proclivity to work that others might find tedious or mind-numbing she weighed the options before her following the morning six days ago when she had woken up to find her bed empty again, the only belongings left behind a linen shirt and a cup of cold Turkish coffee on the counter.

It almost came as no surprise as she had sluggishly poured the beverage out in the sink, rinsing the porcelain. Why should it, anymore?

Later in the day Evelyn can be found in the unlikeliest of places: Wonderland's fifth floor bar, drowning dismay with whisky and rye.]

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[Evelyn desperately hates to talk about the length of her stay over a text conversation, because people tend not to take it very well, thinking they might suffer the same amount of time.]

I've been in residence for over four and a half years.

Seeing as I am apparently both sexy and a librarian, I don't appear to have much choice in the matter, do I?

[The first time she ever saw the word sexy used was in some article about Rudolph Valentino's latest film, and it strains credulity that she could evoke the same fluttering palpitations from others as he did with a well-executed smoulder.

Unless the use of the term has changed in the last several decades.]

We haven't met.

That's unfortunate.

[She winces, just a little. She can imagine about how well that went.]

I'm sorry. I never really thought about it before, but you must have had a harder time than most. [The culture shock alone had to make an already difficult situation even more so.] It's nice that you want to make sure other people have it a little bit easier.

...yes.

[Yes, yes, she knows she's old-fashioned. Let's not make any snide comments on it.]

The majority of appliances did not come with instructional manuals. Unfortunately.

[She isn't grieving - not entirely, anyway - but resigned herself to Wonderland's consistency. If there is a singular thing that Evelyn can count on these days, it is that good fortune will not last.

Not for her.]

...Dan.

[She shouldn't be surprised to see him, particularly not after the circumstances that led to their first introduction. Evelyn puts on a tired smile and turns, opening herself up for conversation.]

No, not at all. Please.

Well, y-you can either embrace the whole porn thing or, I dunno, some kind of female empowerment thing.

[But what the hell does he know about all that.]

Rick Sanchez. I should probably get a name to call you since, uh, I don't think you're gonna answer to "sexy librarian."

[There are no snide comments at all. There's just a little smirk on his face.] If it makes you feel better, when I was like ten, I once put metal into a microwave even though I knew I wasn't supposed to.

I wanted to see what would happen. I got in so much trouble.

[Evelyn laughs. She understands that socialising isn't everyone's forté, but the better part of her work involves instruction so she doesn't mind taking it on herself. Still - it doesn't mean she won't tease.]

Are we not talking right now?

Magniloquent, [Evelyn repeats, raising an eyebrow.] I shall take that portmanteau to heart.

[Even if she has the sneaking suspicion she might be the butt of some sort of joke. It wouldn't be the first time.]

I very much wish that creating a reliable map were possible, but Wonderland likes to rearrange itself often enough that it would be a fruitless effort.

Not always. The most academic of answers is that "it depends,"

[Evelyn laments, having noticed the patterns and trends that follow the arrivals and departures of residents. Her fingers curled around her glass.]

With large groups of people from the same world, they can come and go with predictable regularity. There are some constants, but the remainder is often in flux. For those of us with few or no friends from home, it appears they either stay on for an extensive period of time, or leave rather quickly - if they appear here at all.

[She waited four and a half years to see Rick, and all she was given was a handful of months.

Moments, by comparison.]

[You're not really the butt of a joke so much as you're a HUGE NERD, Evie.]

I mean... I guess it's not that bad. This way, you never get too bored! Try to get to the library, whoops, now it's a wrestling ring!

--Actually, that sounds awesome. Can we just repurpose the library? [I mean. Who's actually using it. Come on.]

[Evelyn would wager someone might win the gold in the Expression Gymnastics Olympics upon first looking over the pamphlet, but there are some things one just has to come out and say, rather than dip around. Dodginess in all its varieties is something she abhors.]

Thus far, yes - there are several other worlds with which I am unfamiliar, however, and therefore the work appears to be exclusionary in that regard. I'm not entirely certain how to mitigate it without a frame of reference for these other worlds, though.

[Not everyone seems willing to talk on the subject, either, instead offering "critique" - a gentle word for complaints - in lieu of something constructive.]

But it's...work. I've been meaning to make something like this for some time; I needed the distraction.

Preoccupied,

[she corrects him gently, smiling wider and internally wondering if it wasn't a better idea to drink in private, the way most alcoholics did it. There would be fewer opportunities for distraction in her rooms, but then, they reminded her too keenly of what she had lost.]

With philosophy, for the most part.

[Not a complete lie, but a stretch from her usual fare. Evelyn has the unfortunate habit of wearing her heart on her sleeve.]

Smart man.

[He's rambling and Evelyn has the distinct feeling that this is a common occurrence. She tries - with limited success - not to let his first name bother her, but that isn't a personal issue between them. Some things one must come to terms with all on one's own.]

Evelyn O'Connell. How long have you been in residence?

[This is partly out of curiosity and partly because she's going to write this down and put it in the records she keeps.]

[So not fatal fire and lightning? Good to know.]

Me? I'm from Ferelden. What about you?

[A pause. He's missed a step here, what with the questions and all, hasn't he?]

And not every Ferelden has terrible manners like me. [He smiles self-consciously at her.] I'm Alistair.

Thanks.

[He flashes a quick smile in response, sliding into a seat and clasping both hands around his glass. He doesn't have to be a genius to see that something is weighing heavily on her mind.]

You don't hafta talk or anythin'. Not if you don't feel like it.

No, but I appreciate the concern for my sobriety. I've never been a teetotaler, you know.

[Evelyn is lucid enough to point that out to him; just because she's never frequented the bar before doesn't mean she abstains from alcohol. Still, he asks because he's worried and she can't say that she blames him - she's fished her brother out of a bottle enough times that any umbrage in her general direction is valid.

Liquor won't cure any ills, but it certainly makes them less searing.]

I waited a week. [She pauses, rubbing a thumb on the side of her glass.] I waited a week, just to see.

So--me an Ray..

[ Listen he's just concerned. Going home means death for him, less so probably for Raleigh but--

How selfish is he, to not want Raleigh to go? ]

[Evelyn is a Pandoran sort of trouble, getting into things that she shouldn't simply because of insatiable curiosity and a strong desire for knowledge. It is this particular variety of trouble that may be the most dangerous due to a magnetic attraction to danger and the high probability of someone getting injured in the process.

She can't find it in herself to disagree with John, damn him. It's insufferable having to admit that, even privately.

Although, speaking of brawls...]

I suppose you've seen your eldest son since his return.

[Evelyn, who has considered her options regarding the sharing of overly-personal information, has decided to cope with something that will make her feel less everything and looks into her glass with something resembling guilt. It isn't like her to turn to substance abuse, but until she finds a new project to which she can attach herself it's best not to think.

Not to think.]

...haven't you done that once before? [She asks with a wry smile.] I think we'd been having conversation over spiked tea. You carried me to my bed and I patted your cheek.

[Told you that you deserved to be happy.]

Smartest man in the universe.

[He says it like it's 90% fact and 10% ego.]

I've been here, uhhh, a c-oOUUUUHRRH-ple months, like five or something. Maybe since October. I haven't kept track. I mean, wh-what am I gonna do, celebrate anniversaries?

Oh, you did.

[ How could he forget about her shooting his face twin? It's a half-amusing, half-bizarre story, to say the least. ]

Fair. [ He was joking, anyway. ] I barely remember the old one, but I can't believe that Dean wouldn't slip one or two in there. Considering.

[One exceptional boon came in the form of Mark Meltzer, who has long-since departed but left a lasting impression on his library protegé. Evelyn finds it cannily ironic that she's taken his place, somewhat, as one of the constants looking after others.

She shrugs at Jo's apology. No one ever really thinks of it - why would they?]

I have the luxury of almost five years of experience learning how to use everything, it stands to reason I should share with people in the same boat. I have the feeling I'll be adding to this project periodically, but it least it's making public rounds.

[ jane's smile is a self-deprecating one, decorating a begrudging nod. ]

I just mean my perspective is a little nuanced, that's all. I doubt you're looking to include a paper discussing the various scientific theories and how none of them singularly explain Wonderland.

[Dan may recognise the shape of the burden, if not its exact definition. Evelyn rests her chin in one hand and blows a raspberry at him.]

I'm not very good at pretending that things are all right all the time, [she admits, wrinkling her nose.] I'll put that on my list of faults under "frequently falls asleep covered in books."

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