entranceway | video;

[As per usual William is sat in his room, mulling something over as he turns the video feed on. The room is neat, almost too neat, decorated sparsely with the color blue. Despite the drama of the last few days, William isn't giving much thought to things back home, or for the part where certain people have found things out about him that shouldn't have gotten out. Such was life in Wonderland.]

So there's some kind of warning there, though I can't say it makes much sense to me. But I will share what they told me, it might make sense to someone. From what I heard it's twelve or more things, probably in the forest. With teeth, some premolars and lacking wisdoms so probably young? Ah, I'm not very good at this sort of thing. What it did sound like was they would be in the sky and if we didn't have means to get up there now, we would when whatever this is happens.

Personally I'm hoping for toothed birds. I've seen enough things with teeth back home to last a long time. Please be toothed birds, I can settle with that. Maybe not so much the sky part, what goes up always has to come down and I don't think I can trust myself to manage that bit okay. [Yes, it was a joke. Shush now.]

It never ends in this place. [William just shakes his head and turns the feed off.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[The device was leaned against a white and blue teapot, a gift from the closet, and she had it angled to appropriately capture her face. She had been practicing using it, not as much as she knew she should, but it was better now than it had been the first time.]

What sort of creature would fit that description?

[Vanessa was only beginning to become fully aware of all that Wonderland had to offer. Monsters and the like.]

And the last time we spoke, if you'll forgive me the impropriety, I did not introduce myself.

I am Vanessa Ives.

[Ah, the lady from the tea room. It's a good job Vanessa gives her name, William was drawing a blank and having a brief moment of wondering if "miss" would be offensive somehow. The smile Vanessa gets is a small one, one that's caught up in trying to figure out what is going on still.]

A pleasure again, Ms. Ives. And likewise, I'm William Whele. [He'll just throw that out there, just in case.] I don't know what creature would fit the description to be honest. There's something similar back home but it doesn't fit the bill, so to speak. I thought by putting out here what I'd heard that someone who does know could say something. It would be a great help, that's for sure.

Are there really such monsters as toothed birds?

[She frowns heavily, her knowledge of mythical creatures limited. Vanessa had only just begun to really delve into that area when she was brought here. Vampires, yes, toothed birds, no.

She hasn't realized yet that it's a joke.]

What creatures do you have back home, if you do not mind my asking?

I honestly couldn't say if toothed birds existed or not. Every time I think something is impossible, this place just proves me wrong so I it's best I just keep an open mind.

[Flying vampires would be the worst.]

Just normal...animals, birds, reptiles? There is another uh, species, that is in my world but it's somewhat a delicate subject.

Delicate, as in you do not wish to speak of it? Uncomfortable in relations to yourself?

[Vanessa would not be rude, and ask him to regale her of stories of his home. If it was not a pleasing thing for him to do.]

If you'd share with me, I'd much enjoy the conversation.

I have no problems talking about it, as for me back home it's a way of life. My issue falls that it is delicate because it involves things from other people's worlds and could skewer their own beliefs.

[Well, if Vanessa insists...]

Back home we have killer angels who wiped most of humanity out.

[Apologetic smile. Sorry!]

Angels.

[Vanessa was a very religious person, put her faith in God, and to imagine angels killing humans was difficult for her.]

Surely you jest? What purpose would there be for them to do such.

I wish I was joking. They believe that God left them because of us, and that by getting rid of us He would come back.

[This is kind of awkward. William will just rub the side of his face.] Of course they're wrong, but there's more of them than us these days.

[Vanessa knew that God's action were both merciful and wrathful. It was shown to her through her own experiences, and through the experiences of people she was acquainted with. She wasn't naive. She knew that humans, in all their cruelties, were disappointing at times, but Vanessa couldn't fathom a world where God had left them. Abandoned them.

If it were true that killing humans would bring God back, she could see why the angels would do it, but she could not be on board with such an act. There humans that deserved happiness. A good life. To live.]

That is a world I do not wish to visit. Is there really so few humans left?

It depends on where you go. The world is not a nice place, but in Vega everyone looks out for each other and attempts to carry on with their lives. That's not so bad in the end.

[Quickly racks his brain.]

We don't have an exact number. I can say we haven't heard from Europe in around a decade, and we haven't heard from Asia in even longer.

[They were not so connected, in her time, but, they did have communication with other countries. People arrived from other places all the time, so Vanessa knew, even in her world, that the sudden disconnect would be startling.]

It was a world wide event?

[Of course it was.]

Such a fate would be devastating to me. To have God command his children destroyed.

It's the entire world, and something that's been ongoing for the last twenty five years.

[William isn't old enough to remember the start of the war, or the chaos, or how they had lost contact with other countries slowly but surely. All he can go on is what he's been taught by others.]

Hmm. I haven't heard of any other worlds that are similar in this sense, so I'm pretty sure that order won't be given in yours.

[She trusts his opinion where this is concerned, as he had more experience in the matter of angels than she did.]

I appreciate your sharing that information with me, Mr. Whele.

[A polite smile, and nod.]

Do you believe this, announcement, is something to worry over?

[Vanessa would be much happier if Wonderland did not toy with them so often.]

I would say try not to let it get you down too much. It sounds dire, but humanity will pull through in the end. All tests seem difficult when in the middle of them.

[Easily switching to the next topic.]

I think it is, but then I go by the idea that everything in this place is to worry about, doubly so when they announce it.

By your estimation we're due for a Hitchcockian terror.

When you spoke to the Dutchess, did she say anything to confirm that she wasn't speaking in metaphor?

[The reference goes right over William's head. He may be in a world where it existed, but that's a long time ago. The question is also a fair one, William giving a slight nod.]

A few things were just outright said, really. Mainly the part where we would need to go up high to get to them, and that there would be twelve or more from the forest.

video;

Video;

Video;

Video;

video;

video;

video;

video;

video;

video;

video;

video;

video;

video;

video;

video;

video;