[Video]

[mypartnerintime]

Dear Wonderland.

[She says it like she's starting a letter. To all of you Wonderland girls and guys! She's obviously in her room, the wall of pasted-on Polaroid photos behind her, with softly lit lanterns hanging across the surface on thin wires. It's late at night- or rather, it's the wee hours of the morning. Max has no idea how much the old midnight gang of insomniacs still prowls around the network. She used to be pretty active at this time- not so much anymore.]

This is gonna sound kinda weird, but I swear I'm not off my rocker. Maybe groggy and craving for food, but not crazy.

[ Come on Max, stop embarrassing yourself on the network!]

I was just thinking that I would've graduated by now, since it's June. I'd probably be scrambling to find some sort of arts college that I can afford or that I can even get into. [Or not. Spending a year traveling and taking photos sounds great, too, but college seems pretty important.] And it sucks that I don't have school here.

But... obviously a lot of things suck about Wonderland. Nutso mirrors, certain newbies showing up, all kinds of scary mystery type stuff, nasty events. I mean, sometimes it's... just shit. [Like the past few days, for a lot of people. The network's been full of downers. Her brow furrows as she looks to the side, and her mouth curves into a slight frown.] And I'm sure some of us are bringing in a ton of messed up baggage from back home, too.

[She holds up a stack of instant photos, maybe seven or eight. She angles the stack sideways, so only the sides can be seen by the camera. The girl's still a little too shy to show the actual images.] But see this? Each one's a photo of a... a friend I've made here. People I could actually hang out with. [She waves the little stack at the screen, preparing herself for this next admission.] That's more friends than I had- have in my school.

So yeah, Wonderland totally bombs sometimes. But there's some pretty good stuff going on, too. And I know this is gonna be really hard right now, but I want to hear it- what's something you're super grateful for? Something you might never have had if you hadn't fallen down the rabbit hole? [She tries to make it sound like it's fun challenge, smiling timidly at the screen.] Cuz I'm sure you could name at least three things.

[[OOC: After the post, she leaves her room to roam around the mansion, phone light in hand. Feel free to bump into her wherever! Also, she'll be replying to all responses, even the ones after sunrise.]]

Comments

[mypartnerincrime]

[Chloe stares in disbelief. She even sounds a bit angry when she responds.]

So you're still friends with them? Jesus, Max. Do you have a death wish or something? Why the hell do you insist on being friends with people who've hurt you?

[mypartnerintime]

[While she expected Chloe to get pissed, she still feels surprised at her best friend's tone.] N- no, it's not like that. They- I mean, I should've died, Chloe. But they let me go.

[Should've died. She deserved it, didn't she? It was supposed to be her karma for Arcadia Bay, her very specific and equal punishment for what happened to Chloe.

It was supposed to ease the burden of guilt.

But she walked away- and felt freer for it. She'd felt like karma had come and gone, and the guilt had started to pass.]

I'm trying to help them get better... and avoid turning into another Nathan.

[mypartnerincrime]

[Chloe stops. Nathan. That name.

Did Max think that that will make her feel better about things? Because it doesn't. Comparing her friends to some psycho-sadist asshole who drugged her and took pictures of her while unconscious is not the best way to go about this Max.]

It's not your responsibility to make sure they don't turn into some creep. That's their own responsibility.

[mypartnerintime]

[God, she knows. She cringes at the comparison, too, but in all honesty it's something she needs to do.]

But just imagine if someone had helped Nathan. Someone who actually cared, or... or knew what he could become.

[She holds the phone close, almost pleading with Chloe, though her voice takes on a certain intensity.]

I never want them to hurt you. Never. [And she'd do anything to ensure that- even put herself between Chloe and Chara.] And besides, they've... helped me too.

[mypartnerincrime]

[Chloe doesn't say anything for a while. She can't think of anything to say to that. Maybe things would have been different if Nathan had someone to talk to... if someone was looking out for him.

But she doesn't tell Max this. She doesn't show her best friend that she's actually trying to understand the guy who drugged her. So Chloe focuses on something else.]

You still haven't told me who's "they".

[mypartnerintime]

[Max hesitates for a long moment before sighing.] They're one of the kids here, Chara. Back in their world, they have a reputation for... not being nice, I think.

[mypartnerincrime]

[A kid?]

Well what happened exactly? With this... Chara?

[mypartnerintime]

They're... They don't really think they're human. And I kind of brought it up in a bad way. [No hiding the guilt in Max's expression.] They got really mad and threatened me... and my friends.

[She doesn't know how to put this next part into words that won't be awkward or get Chloe all pissed or emotional. She goes for saying it in as few words as possible instead.]

God, Chloe, I was supposed to be grieving, but instead I was hiding and scared every single day. I just wanted it to... to go back to normal. So I met Chara in the garden, and I swear I thought I was going to die, but... they didn't. They could have.

[She averts her eyes.] They just shouted at me and... [She shakes her head, eyes squeezed shut.] ...I don't really want to talk about it.

[It's still one of her most emotional days in Wonderland. And while it had a good ending, the memory itself still bothers her.]