entranceway | ＶＩＤＥＯ;

( the video opens with a pair of bright blue eyes, far more fur than any one creature could need, and a practically thunderous purr. it's not surprising, seeing as Hook has tried about 5 times to set the thing up to record and the damn cat keeps knocking it over. his company is painfully exposed as he scoops up the purring beast and puts it on the floor.

no he's not going to mention or talk about the cat. that's not important, all right? thanks to that bloke with cat fantasies practically all of Wonderland has a cat. that's not what he's trying to talk about.

the pirate looks tired, but anyone that knows him knows that's a 24-7 thing for him. he's been tired since he arrived, months ago. that doesn't seem to be stalling anytime soon. not sleeping doesn't help, but his busywork does, at least a little. busywork for a pirate means making maps, which means... )

Is there a proper map of this place? I haven't spotted one yet. If there's not, I've been considering starting on a draft. It won't do us any good once the place is tits up on these events, but it's not a horrible thing to have on hand.

( he rubs at his forehead, as Dave jumps back up onto his desk and paws at the many pens scattered there. )

I'd ask for a star chart while I was at it, but speaking of things going tits up, the stars here are absolutely mad. I don't remember them being like this when I arrived, does anyone know what happened to them?

( the stars running wild bothers him more than he cares to admit. stars shouldn't move nightly... it's utterly ridiculous. Dave seems to have decided that the first eight times he was put on the floor for messing with the camera were just a cute joke, and tries to nuzzle it with more of those dementedly loud purrs. the pirate sighs and plucks it back off the table to the floor. )

If anyone has experience with cartography, I suppose I'd take the help. Making a map from scratch is difficult.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[She's grateful that Hook is joining her, despite him not being the most social of men. It's what she needs and she'll be sure to repay him for it later.

Later that night, she waits for him in the gardens, already staring up at the skies. Her closet had provided her a telescope (small and portable), which she set up, ready for use when he arrives.]

( perhaps it's not pirate like, to be fairly prompt. he still is. maybe that's the navy in him talking, not that he'd ever admit it.

he's here more for his company than he is for the stars. stars have always been a comfort for him, but now they are so wrong, it's hard to find anything but aggravation. it just seems entirely wrong for stars to movie. how was it even possible? )

Well I can't say you're not prepared. ( it's... some form of greeting, after she's noticed his presence. it's a far newer telescope than he's ever seen, and he's begrudgingly curious as he sidles closer. ) Where did you get this?

The closet. I hadn't tried it out before on actual items, but I thought it might give me something useful this time.

[She steps aside, offering to let him take a closer look.]

It seems to work all right.

You're lucky, then. It makes sport of giving me what I asked for, but only barely.

( like giving him ballpoint pens with no ink when he asks for something to write with.

he steps closer to peer into the lens. it's a new experience for him, honestly, to see stars so clearly; he's used to his eyes or his spyglass, there's only so close he can possibly see them considering that.

he manages a smile, the first star-related one in awhile, as he pulls back and looks at the stars with his eyes instead. )

That's quite remarkable, isn't it? Sometimes this technology business isn't so bad.

It takes a bit of getting used to when you've only ever known more archaic means.

It's not the same as an astrolabe. It took me forever to learn how to master that in the Enchanted Forest.

You have practice with an astrolabe?

( he sounds impressed. he wouldn't have guessed it. he knows Belle is fond of reading and learning new things, he just didn't realize that extended to stars. )

It's much more advanced than anything I've ever seen, that's for certain.

I read a book once about a sailor on the open sea. He talked a lot about navigation and charting the stars through an astrolabe. I wanted to see how it worked for myself. It wasn't the easiest thing to learn, but I had fun discerning it.

[It was like a puzzle almost. She adored puzzles.]

We can at least get a closer look at the stars.

No, I imagine not.

( especially without a teacher. he had had someone to instruct him in using such instruments, though refining and really understanding it had taken time and practice. )

Even if they can't be bothered to stay where they belong.

( apparently he could not go very long without whinging about the state of the stars. )

It's frustrating, but Wonderland doesn't follow any set rules. It's chaotic. We don't have to like it, but we can't change it.

[She sympathizes, but she can't see the point in complaining. At least not without a drink in front of her.]

( Sorry Belle, he always sees the point in complaining, it's one of his favorite things. )

Hopefully they'll get sorted soon.

( he's almost wistful at that. it truly unsettles him to have stars so utterly out of order. )

Did you happen to wander the gardens after the stars fell?

Somehow I missed that.

( he'd have remembered seeing something like that. )

Did you?

I did. The garden started to grow into the mansion.

The flowers, they came alive. I saw the caterpillar as well.

Certainly lives up to its reputation of madness, this place.

( he's not particularly impressed by that fact, though, it seems. )

It makes me wonder though...maybe the White Rabbit is here somewhere. I heard that he is capable of creating portals to other realms.

Maybe.... [maybe he could help them get home.]

If I remember correctly, the rabbit was loyal to the Queen of Hearts. It'd take some doing to convince it to help someone else.

( he likes the way she's thinking, though. )

It wouldn't be impossible, so long as we can find him.

We'd at least be trying something.

[Something she knows he wants.]

( he manages a quirk of a not-quite-smile. yes, he does want that, and he appreciates a partner in it. )

Sounds like a plan then, love.

ＶＩＤＥＯ;

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