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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.]]

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The free food and shelter thing is pretty nice. And I got to see someone I haven't seen in years. She even apologized for messing up the last time we saw each other. I never would have expected that.

Sometimes I wonder if she actually a...you know, some kind of construct or something. Not really her.

I'm grateful for the friends I've made. And being able to see different places is nice.

Edited 2016-06-14 19:17 (UTC)

That's what I've been saying. That's why I have all my scrapbooks and pictures, and what's extra cruddy is that I can't even take that with me when we go home.

I'm grateful for the friends I've made, and for movies, and cocktails! [Well maybe not so much that last one. She still remembered the terrible headache when she'd woken up the next day.] You're right, there's a lot to appreciate here.

Edited 2016-06-14 20:20 (UTC)

That doesn't sound crazy at all. It's pretty amazing to be able to look at things like that.

[Neal should know; he made a broadcast like this himself, ages ago. And for the record, this one is worlds better.]

I get to spend time with my family here. My son. I wouldn't trade that for anything.

[God, everything's been so shit lately, and he kind of really needed to hear this.]

this is nice, max.

[Small reminders that things aren't going to be constantly terrible are important. Even if it just means that things are sometimes slightly less terrible.]

Aw man, I've got homework?

[Amethyst looks a bit frazzled, but she's clearly trying to play it cool. Look, she's even got a smile on.]

If it's something I might never have had, that rules out Peridot liking human stuff. She might've been well on her way to that before we ever got here.

[And there's things she definitely would never have had anymore at home that are here now. Things that start with Rose and end in Quartz. But she's not about to attempt to unpack that now.]

How about... [She snaps her fingers.] Hey, I made probably the best burrito known to the universe here once? There's no way I'd be able to get as much stuff in it at home as I could here. Endless food is like the best deal I ever landed.

[Chloe hasn't been on the network in ages. She's obviously missed a shitload of events in Wonderland, like mirrors going crazy or something. She's been too busy getting high in her room (I mean come on, free medication all day, everyday!) or hanging out with Max, sort of cut off from everyone else.

Which is actually quite stupid, to be honest. Chloe's been so keen on at least trying to make friends here in Wonderland (and she's made okay progress too, thank you very much). Eventually though, her cranky, introverted self kicked right back in so hello lotsa weed, good bye weird-ass people.

But seeing Max on the network reminds Chloe of the fact that they're not alone in Wonderland. There are definitely other people out there (most of them weird AF but that's beside the point). Maybe it's time to reconnect?

So she sits up on her bed and aims her device at her. What better way to get back to the network than to mess around with her best friend's post. Chloe grins.]

Hey Maxfly. How come you're not here in my room, asking me all that deep- shit stuff in person?

Edited 2016-06-15 14:01 (UTC)

[ While Steve isn't exactly going through an identity crisis, he is in a place where he's not sure who or what he's supposed to be to people. It helps to speak with someone who has no preconceived expectations of him, and Max happens to fall into that category. She just knows him as the guy who made a fool of himself when a fake raptor jumped out at him.

Besides, he can appreciate her efforts to cheer everyone up and have them all reflect on what makes Wonderland bearable. Steve refuses to call this place home, no matter how much time he might be forced to spend here, but it is worth finding those silver linings when possible.

He manages a small smile as he opens up the feed. ] Graduation, huh? Are congratulations in order? [ He realizes that she hasn't actually graduated yet, but she should have, so it counts. ]

My answer to your question is probably pretty common, but... the people are what make Wonderland tolerable, I think. I know there's a lot of you I wouldn't have met if it weren't for this place.

Skill-testing questions this early in the morning? I feel like I'm back home. I hope there's no penalty for failing this pop quiz.

_{[Anders' tone makes clear the faint whine underscoring the words is purely for humor's sake. He's already dressed despite the early hour, having learned quickly not to try ignoring Ember when the cat is in a mood to jump on his chest and meow in his face. (The last time he'd tried to roll over and go back to sleep, the cat had bit his nose and he'd gotten up anyway. That's cattitude for you.)]}

Three things that I wouldn't have experienced if I hadn't come here...? Well, I saw someone I used to know get shot in the arse not long ago. We didn't know each other through the most pleasant of circumstances, needless to say. It felt a bit like karma.

_{[He smiles the smile of someone reliving an inside joke. Cullen's maimed butt cheek will go down in Wonderland history if Anders has his way.]}

And I've seen a pile of cats fall out of a closet like a stack of linens. That was memorable. What else? I suppose not having anyone tell you what to do or how to spend your time is all right, too.

Three things...

Oh, I was invited to a club! That never happened back home... I even got to watch anime with them... It was really nice...

Second thing. I've made friends! ... I think I've made friends. But, it's okay if they don't think of me like that. I have lots of normal conversations now.

Last... No one's bullied me or played any pranks... Does Wonderland itself count as a bully or playing pranks?

[ Oh, hey, it's that girl he'd met during the zombie horde. It's enough to catch Simon's attention and he grins a little as he flicks open a return feed. ]

It's nice to see someone not bitching about this place for once. Not that some don't have good reason for it. So three things, huh?

Well, the magic's pretty cool. Makes everything pretty comfortable here to live. We don't have things like that where I come from. We don't have much of anything left at all, so finding things I thought I'd never get to have or eat or drink again has been nice.

And the people. Gotta say it's definitely got some of the most unique guests assembled here we could ever come up with, right? Pirates and superheroes and knights and werewolves and stuff. hey, I got married while I was here, and I'd have never met her back home.

And three. Hmm. This one's probably sounding a little weird to you, but the not getting older and the not dying permanently? Getting more chances than we do back home. That.... That sometimes means a lot to people.

[One thing Alex Kralie is not is sappy. And this whole thing has sappy written all over it. But, ugh, as long as he's here...]

1. free booze
2. free movies
3. your not so bad i guess

even if i keep fucking up

Not sure I've been here long enough to have three things. But there are people I'm grateful I met here, I think. People I'd call friends, too.

[It's nice to think not everyone's super doom and gloom around here.]

[This is potentially the cutest thing she's ever seen. This is anime-protagonist level of cute. She wants to answer, can't quite think of a response, but finally comes back to do so.]

I guess, uhm... I've m-met people here I'd have, uhm, never met before? A-And gotten to do a lot of, uhm, good work with t-them, and... t-the grounds are nice. I mean, uh, being o-outside, when you want it, is nice.

[Jane's thinking long and hard about this, trying to decide if there's anything she's grateful for when it comes to Wonderland. She feels compelled to answer though, because she's interested in people who really are truly happy here.]

I'm about to go through something not great back home, so being here...delays that. I guess that's one thing to be happy about? And I get all the cool clothes I've ever wanted.

[And yet, still with all the black and white clothes, Jane.]

I'm pretty new, so I don't have much to contribute here, but this is really interesting. I know the bad, I think that's what everyone focuses on, so it's nice to hear the good things. Thanks for doing this.

[Sarah means that sincerely, this is making her feel a little bit better about things, feeling like weird events aside, she can maybe relax about being here a little more.]

I've been giving some thought to the fact that I would have graduated by now, too.

[Lily offers her a sympathetic smile, a show of solidarity.]

I miss school sometimes, even though I would have left it behind by now if I were still at home. [She pauses, just for a beat.] I'm glad to see you looking for the silver lining. As much as I want to get back, you're right-- there are some opportunities that can only be given to us in Wonderland. I'm grateful for the chance to spend more time with the people I care about, and to make new friends.

[She counts you, Max.]

[As someone who prefers Wonderland to the idea of going back home, the entire message brings a smile to Jo's face, and she leans comfortably against the bar as she turns on her own device to respond.]

Nice speech. A 'count your blessings' kind of thing. You're Max, right?

[She knows Simon has pointed Max and Chloe out to her since the infected took over the mansion, but she's been kept too busy since then to be able to engage properly-- it's nice to be able to actually talk to one of the girls in question.]

I'm Jo. Could probably give you a list as long as your arm, if you wanted.

Pfft. School's overrated. It never did a thing for me.

[You know, since he was kind of forced to be a high school dropout. He never bothered to go for a GED or anything, and look at him! He turned out alright! ...Sort of!]

Anyway that's easy-- [He counts them off on his fingers.] Free food, free shelter, and puttin' the "getting older" thing on pause.

[Sure that's a bad thing for Dipper and Mabel, and probably anyone under thirty, but when you're as old as Stan years go by in the blink of an eye. Sixty-four ain't that different from sixty-five or sixty-six. Still, it's a very flippant and immediate answer. He's gotten better things from being in Wonderland, but he's not about to give it that much credit.]

Edited 2016-06-17 19:14 (UTC)

My son, Henry, has had an opportunity to get to know his father here. So that's...that's worth a lot, you know?

[She doubts she has to explain the rest of it, so Emma doesn't even attempt to.]

[ He wouldn't normally respond ~~because he's a total grump sometimes~~, but something about this kid's unabashed enthusiasm reels him in. ]

I just got here a few weeks ago.

But I guess...this place, it's given me time to think.

[ And if she knew the whole story, she'd understand why that's a really good thing in his case. Because right before he got here, he was arresting ~~the woman he loves~~ because she lied to him. She hurt him, and so many others. And he kind of fucked up majorly, too. ]

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