entranceway | video; attention everyone: stan pines is the worst, probably

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video; attention everyone: stan pines is the worst, probably

[ Hello Wonderland! Have a girl who may or may not be familiar to some of you appearing on screen, curly hair wild and her face trying to hold a serious expression but failing. Her amusement is cracking through, and she's not doing much to stop it. ]

Hey everyone. You're probably wondering what this is about, but gimme a sec. There's just a little bit of explanation that needs to be out there first.

[ Just casually clearing her throat for effect. She wants to enjoy this, okay? ]

When I first got here about five months ago, Stan Pines and I made a bet. Very loose terms were negotiated. Stan lost, and I've been holding out on giving him his "prize."

[ Because she wanted to be able to spring it on him as a surprise, which she's finally doing today. Surprise, Stan!! Happy unbirthday. ]

I'm changing that today, though. That's why today, I'm calling Stan Pines out! I probably could have just gone up to him in person instead of broadcasting where everyone can see it, but where's the fun in that, right?

[ GRINNING. ]

Stan! ...Stanley? It's gotta be Stanley, right? [ She never asked what "Stan" is short for, in his case... ] --Whatever, you know who you are! You're officially being challenged. For losing our bet, you must run up and down one of the hallways of the mansion--I don't care what floor--in your underwear while screaming about how much you hate money. Make sure to sell it. No half-assed yelling, got it? Make sure the floors above and below can hear you.

[ Pointing at the camera now, Selina offers a cheeky look. Is this childish? Yeah, very. But what do you want? He was the grown man who agreed to such a ridiculous bet in the first place, he should have known what he was walking in to. ]

And in case anyone can't make it to watch, don't worry. I'll be recording it. You know, we should really start a Wonderland video scrapbook.

[ A laugh, and the feed cuts out. Hopefully Wonderland has a sense of humour. ]

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Yeah, that many. Your buddy kept shoving more at me, trying to get rid of as many as he could. [ HER ROOM IS A MESS NOW. ] I hope they are, though. Better than 'em wandering around the mansion and living in the tea room.

[ Kittens need a lot of attention and care, after all! That, and maybe she'd been worried about what might happen to them during events, or around the less-than-kind people she's sure are living here, too.

...Also, she's got a soft spot for cats. ]

Will do. [ She gives a two finger salute and a grin. ] I was just gonna kick his ass if he wasn't looking after it, but a lightning bolt sounds way better.

_{[He smiles to think of Alistair pawning cats off on the unsuspecting. Does Ferelden's new king have a hidden talent for fostering homeless animals they don't know about?]}

I'd say so. I joked to Stan that you can't be too sure who's liable to think cats are food around these parts to convince him to give the kitten a shot--truth be told, there probably are characters like that around.

_{[He shrugs, lifting his hands as if to say "it's an odd world out there." They have a colorful cast of residents to contend with.]}

It was good of you to take them in. You can consider me and my lightning bolts at your service as my thanks.

_{[That last part was a joke. Or was it? Hmm.]}

[ Well, he's at least got a talent for it when he's pawning them off on a teenager with the biggest soft spot for cats ever. ]

Part of me is surprised that worked. ...And all of me hopes that there aren't people around here like that. Especially since I'm assuming you didn't find homes for all of those kittens.

[ Dude. Someone eating kittens is worth more than that reaction. Doesn't matter where someone's from, that's just messed up!!! Selina is horrified at the very idea and immediately wants to stop thinking about it. That's one more concern on the top of her pile regarding whatever's left of the kitten flood. ]

Awesome. You'll be the first I call the next time I need to smite someone.

[ Mostly joking, but really, it'll be handy to have lightning bolts at her disposal. Man, she should adopt kittens more often if this is the result! ]

To tell the truth, part of me is surprised it worked, too. He didn't strike me as an animal person. I'd be less surprised to hear he handed it off to someone else.

_{[Selina, rapidly making herself out to be a curly-haired guardian angel of cats, gets a reassuring smile for her concerns.]}

You don't have to worry about them, I wouldn't let anyone turn Wonderland's cats into appetizers. That's what we have a magic kitchen for. People's standards need a boost if they're still living in the dark ages, hunting and foraging.

_{[Anders isn't naive to poverty; he's known people of little means who'd consider a cooked cat on their dinner table a blessing from the Maker himself, but they're nowhere close to living in those kinds of conditions, not here. Not with luxuries heaped on them daily.

He makes a finger gun out of one hand. Or... the mage equivalent, anyway, seeing as how the closest thing to a firearm they have back home is a crossbow. Dolling out magical clobberings in the name of today's youth and disenfranchised cats? Sure, why not. Sounds a lot more manageable than becoming a revolutionary and pitching the Free Marches into chaos.]}

Just ask for Anders.

Yeah, that would be unsurprising. Guess I'll find out when I check in.

[ Though she's undecided on whether or not it'd be better for Stan to have kept the kitten, or for it to have been handed off to someone probably more competent and willing to keep a pet. ]

Good. I mean, it's not the only reason I'm worried about them, but it's officially one I can scratch off the list.

[ As long as someone's watching out for them though, she probably doesn't have to worry about them at all. Or at least, not as much as she still is. Probably won't stop her from checking in on them when she can though. ]

Can do. And uh, hey, I'm Selina.

[ Since they haven't really been introduced and he just gave her his name, seems only fair to do the same, right? Right. Plus if he likes cats so much, he can't be a bad person. Seems worth it to know each other by name, at least. Especially if she does have some access to that smiting power. ]

Better wait a while before you do. He'll need time to catch his breath.

_{[Old man humor never gets old.]}

Selina. Always nice to put a name to a face. If telling me won't break the terms, what was this bet about, anyway?

Good point. You think a day is enough, or should I give him a week?

[ Old man humour is always great. It's probably why she spends so much of her time bugging all of the old men in Wonderland. ]

Pfft, nah, it doesn't break the terms. It wasn't even that interesting a bet, really. He just thought I'd change my mind about liking it here after a couple weeks and I suggested we make it a bet. Obviously he lost, and I'm still enjoying my time here.

Compromise with a mid-week check in?

_{[He shrugs as if to say that seems fair to me.]}

But I suppose to be fair to our wily friend, the odds were in his favor. Who would have guessed he'd make a bet like that with someone who actually likes it here? Were you lying? You can be honest, I won't tell.

Sounds reasonable.

[ She nods as though this is a very serious discussion. ]

I dunno about that, I said that I was liking things so far. If anything, his odds were 50/50. [ The question of whether she lied just makes her snicker. ] Nope, wasn't lying. As much funnier as it would be if I pulled a win from him by lying, this place is better than where I come from.

_{[70/30, at the least, taking into account Wonderland is one giant treacherous shithole, but you know. Whatever.]}

You don't strike me as the type who enjoys captivity and being told what to do.

_{[She must come from quite the miserable place to make Wonderland seem like the more appealing option.]}

[ 60/40. That's the best she'll give him. She's got good reason for liking it here, okay? ]

You'd be right. Buuut I'm not really told what to do around here. Even if I am, s'not like I have to listen. Yeah, the captivity thing sucks, but at least we're not in a stupidly confined space. Plus all the food you can eat, whatever you need out of the closet, free shelter, and some pretty cool adventures in some of the events?

The place as more pros to it than cons, in my opinion.

[ SHRUG. Gotham is totally miserable and she's fighting almost constantly for survival, even if she never makes a big deal out of it. Here? Things are pretty damn cushy. ]

If you can get past jumping through hoops for Wonderland's amusement like a show dog, then who am I to argue?

_{[Anders shrugs back.

He's known plenty of mages in his time who prized shelter and routine above all other things and loved the Circle for it--that's their choice. Him? He's not sure he'd call himself a steadfastly principled person, but he'd rather go back to the Circle threatening to kill him than this.]}

I'm just picky. I like knowing a sea monster isn't going to kill me or magic isn't going to send me walking in circles if I try to leave.

[ Wow, uhm. He's the first person to actually make her think twice about her decision.

Although, she ultimately ends up in the opinion she started with anyway and just finds herself annoyed under the implications of what Anders has said, instead. She's not jumping through hoops for anyone's amusement, man. Hell, most of the events she's dealt with have been fun and/or exciting for her. ]

Maybe don't go swimming if you want that certainty.

[ The words are a little brusque, but this conversation started out so well and she doesn't want it ruined by one differing opinion, so Selina dials it back after that. ]

Not everyone has something better than that to go back to. I'd rather focus on the positives than the negatives if we're all gonna be stuck here for any length of time.

And give up on my dream of beach side property? No way.

_{[Anders smiles, having meant no harm by what he'd said. But the fact of the matter is, omnipotent forces aren't supposed to have a monopoly on oceans, and forests, and sky. That's not how it works and not how it should work.

Touchy subject, apparently. But everyone's running from something.]}

So hop a ride to another world--maybe one with sentient cats. I don't see why that can't be possible. We all got here one way, and if there's a way in, there's a way back. I'd hitch a portal somewhere else if I didn't have things to do back home. It's not much to get excited about, either.

_{[But staying here of all places? Anders can't help but be a little worried for her if she's married to the idea of setting up shop in Wonderland. She deserves to have hope for a future. Somewhere she doesn't have to worry about having her mind flipped inside and out at random.]}

I wouldn't want this place to wear down that plucky spirit of yours.

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video; attention everyone: stan pines is the worst, probably

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