entranceway | video; backdated about a week pre-event

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video; backdated about a week pre-event

[ HELLO WONDERLAND it's your favorite grumpy murder grandpa. What's up.

Joel had been truly shaken when he'd found Ellie alone in the woods, hiding away from the world and with a broken arm she'd been too scared to even go and get treated properly. When she'd finally told him an abbreviated version of what had happened, he'd gone from feeling shaken to feeling sick.

He'd done his own research first, to no avail. At a loss and unable to make further progress on his own, he's finally caved to his last resort - asking the other residents for help. ]

How d'ya kill your mirror.

[ And don't tell him it's not possible. ]

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Breathing in Wonderland can make shit worse, that's the problem. I think it depends on your mirror and how they act. People I know on the other side send messages. It gets old quick.

Yeah, no kidding. [ There are responses, too, but she's ignoring those for now. ]

You know I'm not gonna fuckin' - sit around here, twiddling my thumbs, while you try and do this.

I'm guessing you know what happened?

[She's being vague in case he has no idea about her encounter with it, so it could easily be read as her asking if he even knew his mirror came through.]

Yeah, it's happened once in my three years here. I don't know if it'll ever happen again. But, if you can get your mirror in front of a mirror when everything's open so you're both technically on different sides, that might be a loophole.

[ She's hopes that made sense. ]

Question I'd like t' see answered. Lemme know if y' get anythin' concrete.

[Not for his own mirror, exactly, though he'd happily put a bullet through that asshole's head just to test his luck. Right now his priorities are elsewhere when it comes to mirror-killing.]

But y' gotta be on their side, an' I don't reckon they stay dead.

Send messages?

[ It takes him a moment to understand. ]

What, across the mirrors?

[ It didn't, really, but that's okay. ]

So how's everything - open up, then? An event?

[ He looks at her, studying her quietly, as if considering how much to tell her. What to say. It's been a few months now, and despite their rocky beginnings, Joel trusts Evie as much as he trusts anyone in Wonderland (Ellie herself aside).

Maybe there's a little more than trust there, even. He remembers Evie's robe slipping down one shoulder at breakfast, her delighted grin when she'd accepted his offer to teach her to cook, her playfully nudging his leg with one foot over drinks on the other side of the mirror, and he swallows.

But he shakes his head. ]

Ain't for me to say.

[ Not that it'll take a rocket scientist to figure out who had been involved, if not exactly what had happened. Given that Joel himself is unharmed, there's really only one other person he'd go to bat for this way. ]

[ Great. ]

Somethin' to look forward to, then.

[ Oh really. It's a little cruel, maybe, and Joel feels bad as he does it, but he's also not going to have Ellie tagging along and getting herself hurt. Again.

He raises his eyebrows once more, looking deliberately down at her broken arm and then back up at her face. ]

An' just how are you gonna contribute?

Sounds like maybe they do, if ya kill 'em over there. Only problem is, there ain't nothin' stoppin' that Queen of theirs makin' another one once they're gone.

[ And one potentially worse than the one dispatched to make way for it. ]

huh.

how long'd it last?

something like ten days.
a lot of people died i guess.

[ When it comes to Joel and his Mirror, he's only focused on one thing - his attack on Ellie. It hadn't even occurred to him to wonder if the man had encountered (or worse) anyone else on this side. From what little he'd heard, he'd certainly seemed to have crossed over with a goal in mind. He'd gone specifically for Ellie. Had spied on her (and him) for months beforehand.

But as far as he's aware, Ellie hadn't told anyone else about what had happened, and certainly not Daisy. He frowns, vaguely confused. ]

Why, do you?

jesus christ

don't seem like it changed much, anyhow

mirrors might not have been the only reason but they sure didn't help

[Right. Of course he doesn't know. Why the hell did she think he would? It's not like his Mirror would've told him all of this. Unless maybe that was this thing, or other Mirrors thing.]

I figured out pretty quickly it wasn't you. For the record though? Your mirror is a real jack ass.

[ It's painful, when he stares at her arm, and she flushes angrily across her freckles, glaring defiantly up at him. ]

For one thing, you can't even get near the guy. You know you can't be on the same side.

[ Duh. (Except that one time.) ]

So, better question: how're you gonna contribute?

[In an unsurprising consistency of character Evelyn studies him in return, unaware of his internal debate but fully conscious of the fact that he is very much the sort of person to closely guard his own problems.

Well, if he wanted to be so secretive about it, he shouldn't have asked after Mirrors in the first place.]

Do you think I'm stupid?

[There is only one person in Wonderland whose safekeeping is monitored strictly by Joel, one person for whom Evelyn is certain he would give his life if necessary. One person who might be fooled by an impostor, inviting a trusted figure into her confidence.]

If you're going to publicly solicit help, the least you could do is be honest. What did he do to Ellie?

[ She at least has the wits to make the connection private, but it's not enough. Joel's eyes flash dangerously when she says Ellie's name, and he nearly growls. ]

That ain't nobody's business but hers.

[ Not that it had stopped Joel from asking questions, but. That's different. ]

[ He regrets it just as soon as he sees the look on Ellie's face - hurt and embarrassment. He hadn't meant to hurt her, just wanted her to back off the idea of getting involved. Too late now, though. ]

I'm workin' on it.

[ Which is true enough. Joel sighs, trying to soften his expression. ]

Ellie. Listen. I know you wanna help, but...this isn't somethin' you need to get involved with, alright? It ain't somethin' you need to worry about.

[ The change in expression doesn't help. Ellie looks more openly surprised - and offended - at this new statement, her expression steeling over as it sinks in. ]

"This isn't something I need to get involved with?" It isn't something I need to worry about? Are you serious?

[ He may win out, but it's also possible that this Mirror might just incapacitate Joel and step over him to get back to Ellie, to get revenge for what he may well see as her tattling on him. No fucking way. ]

I've got as much stake in this as you do, Joel. He fucked with me, remember? [ She doesn't need to lift her arm, she thinks, to demonstrate. ] I've met this guy. You haven't. You can't do this alone.

I remember, Ellie.

[ There's a note of warning in his voice now, his expression as steely and stubborn as hers is. He knows all too well what his Mirror had done to her. That's the whole point. ]

He is dangerous. He is smart, and unpredictable, and the way you tell it, he's got it out for you in particular. If you think I'm lettin' you anywhere near this guy - [ He shakes his head. ]

It ain't happenin'. End of discussion.

[Under normal circumstances Evelyn might graciously accept the hint that she stop asking questions about what must have been a traumatic event, but Joel has admitted to the connexion and Evelyn herself has still very recently died - courtesy of a Mirror - therefore her patience is thin.]

Clearly you've made it your business.

[She isn't trying to be antagonistic, but neither is she shrinking back at the feral intensity meant to intimidate.]

So you think it's a great idea to try and find him, assume you'll win out, and figure he won't come after me at all? Yeah. Good plan.

[ "End of discussion" doesn't end it, not when she's as stubborn as he is and with her own stake in this fight.

If he'd tried to go after David alone, back then, she wouldn't have let him do that, either. ]

You're being stupid.

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