voice

[projected]

[When the feed clicks on, there is only a faint static sound with what sounds like the microphone being covered a couple times. From the turn of the sound, one can surmise the device is being moved in the hand of the person who turned on the feed.]

This crude device is quite deceptive. At first it looked like an antiquated smart phone of sort, but inspection shows a different story. I'm a bit more impressed to learn it connects to a network that everyone is on. A means of communication is interesting... I'm curious as to why it even exists actually. Maybe that question is intentionally open-ended?

[He huffs a quiet breath of laughter out, the number of possible answers already sprouting to mind.]

If I'm being honest, I never really liked Alice in Wonderland. I can acknowledge it's historical value, and it's why I read it, but Alice herself was... fake. Designed as the perfect image of childhood innocence. She went around this new world so new to her without fear, wondered by all around her. Any flaw with her was never designed, but created by those who read the story. The world, much like this one, was of far more interest.

...What do you think of Alice though? Was she foolish for being too trusting of Wonderland, or can she be absolved for her curious nature? I think the answer you would pick, even if you don't say it aloud, reveals what kind of person you are.

If you don't want to share your answer that's fine. However I am curious about what kind of people are here. A melting pot of universes isn't exactly commonplace. I do hope this place won't be as tedious as reading Alice's adventures.

Comments

[projected]

And I invite her to do so. But there is a distinction to be made here. Alice, the girl in the Carroll stories, and Alice, the real girl here. They can't be judged as the same in my opinion.

If the real Alice wants to defend the fake one, then I'd be interested to hear her point of view.

[deathlessness]

[Well, isn't that curious.]

How do you know that they aren't one in the same? That Carroll was simply the scribe through which her story was told?

[projected]

I do believe Carroll may have been the scribe - it's an interesting theory, to think that he may have been an inter-dimensional traveler. But if that's the case, can we say Carroll was objective? Biographies are rarely written without a point of view from the author.

[deathlessness]

I suppose that is true. But I also think we can't know that unless we talked to Carroll himself.

[projected]

Even then, would he be honest? I don't think anyone would believe him if he said he visited the real Wonderland, and that his book was a retelling of his observations.

[deathlessness]

Belief doesn't change fact. Just because people don't believe you doesn't mean it didn't happen. And I think given where we are, it's hard to argue against the truth of it.

[projected]

Belief doesn't change fact, but it can influence its perception. The more people believe in something, the truer it becomes... even if it's a lie.

[And Eobard knows this from experience. Belief is incredibly powerful as a tool.]

Out of curiosity, what is the Alice who lives here like?

[deathlessness]

[Perception is an incredibly powerful tool, and one that her siblings had used to their advantage over their thousand years of existence. But that doesn't stop the lie from being any more of a lie.]

She's been here a long time. I suppose it's safe to say she's become a product of her environment.

[projected]

And a cautionary tale in the same stroke.

[And that tale is to not let yourself be trapped for as long as her.]

How long has she been here for exactly? Does anyone know?

[deathlessness]

I can't say for sure. But long enough that she doesn't remember anything else.

[projected]

So she merged with this world, in a matter of speaking. [Much like how being in a timeline you don't originate from can do the same.] Do you by any chance who has been here longest after her? The amount of years can give a clue as to how long it takes.

[deathlessness]

I have heard that someone has been here for five years, and that is the longest that I'm aware of. But there's always a chance that someone has been here longer. There are many residents of Wonderland, and I can't claim to have spoken with them all.

[projected]

Five years, even still, a good chunk of time. I would ask if there's a motive to this, but I imagine it might just be for a good laugh considering how Wonderland has been described in Carroll's telling alone.

[deathlessness]

Wonderland feeds on our memories, or at least that's what I've been told. But it is a slow process - it takes a very long time to become Alice.

[projected]

[Feeding on memories... well that's a new one.]

So the world itself is alive and feeds on our very being. [If memories make up a person, it may as well be.] I'll admit, this place is getting more interesting than the book ever was.

[There's a light excitement to his voice, the idea of the world being alive and hungry making him far more engaged than before.]

[deathlessness]

[She laughs softly at that.]

Glad to see we have your interest.

[projected]

It's better that way.

[When he gets too bored, he looks for ways to amuse himself. His ways aren't the taste of most everyone else.]

I thank you for being a source of information, and a pleasant conversation.

[deathlessness]

Of course. Pleasant conversation is always worth having, in my opinion.