video;

[blackbirdsing]

[ When Sarah comes into view, she's sitting with her elbows on a table, fingers steepled, and she actually looks Very Serious™ while contemplating how best to phrase her question. The conversation has come up privately, and she needs to have a full understanding of one of the parts of Wonderland she's never bothered with - the Vendors. ]

Hey. I know everyone's kind of consumed with what the dormouse had to say or...didn't say. But I really want to see where everyone falls regarding opinions on the Vendors.

Since we can't pick the memory they want, that means somehow they can rifle through our minds to pick the thing they want to take. And it'd probably have to be something meaningful or impactful. If I ever, for whatever reason, had no option but to use the Vendors, I could lose something like the birth of my son. I'd have no choice or say in the matter.

[ Her reason for using the Vendors would have to be extraordinary. Something involving Kurt or Ray and dire circumstances. ]

Anyway, my actual question is...how do we know, if the Vendors can access our minds and memories, that they or someone or something else doesn't do that all the time, on a constant basis? If Wonderland does actually use our memories to fuel the things that happen here, does that mean our brains are constantly being...I don't know. Monitored???

I'd really like some opinions on this.

[ Sarah isn't paranoid at all usually, and she'd say this is more concerned than paranoid, but it feels like such a violation of privacy that she can't help asking the community at large. ]

Comments

[video]

[jivitadana]

[The problem is that they don't know, which is unfortunate. He avoided using the Vendors too for that very reason of not being able to select whatever memory they took.]

We're probably being monitored, but only for memories from home, not memories we make here.

[At least, that's what he figured since it didn't seem anyone lost memories of Wonderland, if that Christmas event was any indication. So far.]

[video]

[blackbirdsing]

But still, those are...mine, you know? I don't want someone being able to dip into my life anytime they want. But for sheer virtue of being here, I don't have a choice.

[beautifullies]

This is the first time I've sat to think about the implications of Wonderland. Well, perhaps the second, the first was with brochure we were all sent yesterday. Everything about this place is completely unnerving. I don't trust it, and yet I'm forced to rely on it.

[ Not to keep her alive though, apparently. From what she's gathered, this place will actively try to kill her. ]

[blackbirdsing]

I mean, they or...whoever could do anything to us and what are we gonna be able to do about it?

[ What are they going to d? It's not like they could even go after the Queen because she's not accessible as far as they know. ]

video;

[eatsyourscience]

[A couple things here...]

The vendors don't only take memories. If you had to go to them, you could trade something else.

[With that out of the way, onto the more serious matter.]

I think you're right--I think Wonderland could access our memories at any time if it had the power to do so.

video;

[blackbirdsing]

I wonder if anyone knows what the percentage rate is of the vendors accepting what you have to offer or rejecting it and wanting a memory instead?

[ Because what this place wants are memories right? She doesn't get what tangible objects would do for Wonderland. ]

I get there's probably nothing anyone could do about it. But this is the most unnerving aspect of this place for me.

[fancylad]

[Hi did someone say "Wonderland theories", this eleven-year-old is absolutely ready to throw around Wonderland theories.]

I don't think we can conclusively say whether or not our minds are being monitored actively, ma'am. I think all we can say for sure is that our minds are not safe at any particular moment. But it is a valid theory!

[blackbirdsing]

[ Well, it's quite possible Sarah just met a child who is 100% smarter than she'll ever be. ]

Lemme ask you something, then. Who do you think is taking our memories in the first place? Or is it just some...magical thing pulling thoughts out of our minds?

[ She's kind of imagining that scene in Harry Potter where the wand pulls the strand looking thing out of your head and boom, that's a memory. ]

video;

[screwedontight]

You've got to assume they're monitoring it all. How else do the events happen? All of them seem to be based on someone's life from here, right? How else would they manage that if they're not picking at our brains twenty-four seven?

Or pulling them all when we first get here.

The vendors? I would assume whoever is behind this pays them by pulling a memory. I'm betting they personally don't have the ability, but someone higher up does.

video;

[blackbirdsing]

A good question to ask might be, for people who have been here for a long period of time, has an event ever repeated itself from their home, or have they gone through more than one that's familiar? Because maybe we have to have...a certain type of memory or life for Wonderland to pull us in.

[ Just to agree with this second point, there. ]

I wonder if that higher up is the Queen of Hearts, or if it goes even higher than that.

video

[thesamurai]

Good rule of thumb is to not trust anything about this place, ever.

Just saying.

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[blackbirdsing]

I mean, I don't, but that's a solid reminder.

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[naughty_nurse]

I d-didn't think about it before, but I am now!

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[blackbirdsing]

Yeah, sorry about that. This was the easiest way to ask a big group of people. But if it helps, either way, it probably doesn't matter. You just keep living life the best you can given the circumstances.

video;

[beatupgrass]

Oh, look. Someone's finally askin' the real questions.

video;

[blackbirdsing]

I mean, someone has to, right? I know it doesn't get us the hell out of here any faster, but it feels weird to get...I don't know. Complacent?

[uncoils]

I hadn't thought about this before.

[And she'd like to go back to not thinking about it.]

That's fucking creepy though, and they probably are monitoring us.

[blackbirdsing]

Apparently, a lot of people hadn't, and I feel kind of bad for semi-freaking people out, but...if we're going to have to live by this place's rules or whatever, we should at least get to know and understand them.

video

[burntvideocassette]

[Jay has to take a couple hours in mute horror, turning ideas over in his head, before he's ready to reply.]

Safest bet is probably... [He sighs, rubbing at his eyes.] ...assume we're being monitored. But if nobody's noticed anyone or anything responding like it knows what we're thinking, then maybe whatever's monitoring us isn't doing anything with the information.

[Yet.]

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[blackbirdsing]

I guess there'd be no need for a response? Just...I don't know. Archiving for later use. How does this place even get to the memory it wants? Either they look randomly until something strikes its fancy, or they go through everything we have to offer when we get here.

[ Her forehead creases. ]

And on that note, how do they know we have anything worth inflicting on others?

text.

[crisised]

it doesn't mean they're being constantly monitored
but the odds of our heads being fished around in are pretty high
still incredibly creepy, but not quite as bad

text.

[blackbirdsing]

I think what freaks me out the most is that this place knows things about me even my brother doesn't.

And then it could me relive those things that happened to me but also inflict it on him and everyone else.

[ She's afraid for Kurt, what would happen if he knew how often she was neglected until he came home from the academy to take care of her. ]

[private]

[eyething]

I'm sure we're being monitored. Events are born from our memories so this place gets a first class ticket into our brains whenever it wants.

( Pause. )

I've used the vendors before, but I don't know what memory they took. I advise on not using them if you don't have a lot of extra memories to spare.

( Damon has nearly 200 years of them, and he took the risk. Now what he took the risk for has been stolen from him anyway, but- )

[private]

[blackbirdsing]

[ Since they're private here, she'll spill. ]

What was it like, though? The experience itself? Do they...talk? Was it worth it?

[ Sarah takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly. ]

Ray's thinking about it.

Video

[charlastan]

You sound like my brother.

[AKA far too concerned about stuff peeking into her brain.]

Anyway, the Vendors are just a bunch of crooks, and not even the fun kind. They won't even barter with me!

[THE NERVE OF THOSE GUYS.]

Video

[blackbirdsing]

Before anyone I know uses the vendors, I just want to know what they're really getting in return.

[ This is the first time someone's called them crooks though. ]

Do they talk? I mean...why won't they make a trade with you?

[ You'd think they'd want the memories or...something? Unless he's trying to trade what they consider useless crap. ]

[tobelieve]

They no doubt have had full stock of our memories from the moment we got here, perhaps before. Perhaps our memories are why we're chosen.

[blackbirdsing]

I've thought about that, but...I mean. I'm a soccer mom. I don't get what the mansion would even do with my divorce, single motherhood, and 9-5 job.

[ She's leaving out the part where her dad murdered a five-year-old and covered it up until his death bed but WHATEVER. ]