❀ 01

[truffulacide]

A. [ACTION: 917 BILKO BOULEVARD]

[before the Once-ler even opens his eyes, the first thing that immediately occurs to him is how fresh the air is.

even when he's straddling the border between the waking world and his dream world, it's immediately apparent. sleeping, such as it is, isn't easy to accomplish anymore. it's always fitful and restless and not really sleep at all; light napping would be more accurate. once, all he had to do was bury himself under his quilt and concentrate on the steady rhythm of his heartbeat to lull himself into unconsciousness. it's a little more difficult now. his breathing isn't so steady anymore; it's hoarse and when he coughs it feels like his throat's splitting apart. the air's too sour and smoggy to inhale without launching into a fit of hacking and spitting, but like most things these days, he's gotten used to it. you didn't even need willpower to force yourself to accept things anymore - all you had to do was give up.

he's lived in the valley long enough for his body to grow accustomed to the air, so naturally it senses that something is very wrong here before his mind even registers the fact. buried under his blanket with his legs sticking out in uncomfortable directions (and wow, did he outgrow his bed or did it somehow shrink?), he yawns and smacks his lips together noisily, a little trickle of drool hanging out of the corner of his mouth. he really must've been exhausted because, gosh, he can't remember sleeping this well since - well, since -

since the trees were still -

...wait. waitwaitwaaaait - was it sunny?

the Once-ler's eyes flutter a little before wrenching themselves open completely and he confirms within the rough span of five seconds that, yes, it is sunny and no, he isn't in his room. and this DEFINITELY isn't his bed, it's smells like fresh soap and cotton and it's way too cramped like... like...

what. the. heck.

he slowly turns over on his side and all it takes is the sight of the woman's blond head for him to bolt upright in bed and shriek at the top of his lungs.]


B. [ACTION: 917 BILKO BOULEVARD]

[lovely day, ain't it? maybe you're on your way to work. maybe you're a girl scout making your rounds. maybe you're just out for a walk, looking to stretch your legs and take in Mayfield properly before the powers-that-be go nuts and end up putting a damper on what could otherwise be a very nice week.

if you're expecting a relaxing morning, you definitely shouldn't pass 917. really, you shouldn't.]

- Hey!

[this is why.

even if you don't hear it the first time, that single word is repeated with a little more urgency (and a little more whining) until you give in and follow it to the source, which just happens to be the mail slot of this particular house.

the slot is open and a pair of blue eyes are peering out, looking straight at you.]

Yeah, you! Get over here!

Comments

B: Action (thismightbeabadidea-)

[windows_hyliaedition]

Perhaps calling out to someone other than the blank eyed girl would have been a better idea. But at this moment, Fi is turning, staring, almost unblinking, before finally asking...

"Why."

B: Action (NONSENSE)

[truffulacide]

[now, that should have been something of a clue that this person didn't really quite have it all together. it may be the empty stare or the mechanical way she turns to look at the mail slot, but pffft. they're tiny little details at best.

you tend to overlook those when you're hysterical.]

...Because I wanna ask you a question? [the voice says that slowly, almost condescendingly. duh, what ELSE could he want?]

B

[fujigglephysics]

[Fujino looks around a bit, wondering if he meant anyone else. However, upon realizing the call was for her, she goes over (albeit a bit hesitantly), and crouches down to...well, the slot's level.]

Erm, yes? What is it?

B

[truffulacide]

[finally, someone who's a little more polite! the person behind the door relaxes a little, evident in the tiny little sigh they exhale.]

Um, yeah. Do you, uh - do you live here? [his breath hitches, then:] - Do you live in this town, I mean. Not the house; kinda apparent that you don't.

B

[ceasetoexist]

[Oh hey. Blue pair of eyes from a mail slot huh. That's not particularly weird for here or back home so sure. Pokey'll bite on this one and start to come over.]

Yeah? What do you want?

B

[truffulacide]

[oh hey. fat kid with a bowl cut. too bad those are a dime a dozen back home.]

Oh, off the top of my head? [the eyes narrow in mock thoughtfulness.] A box of jelly donuts, for starters! Those are a good way to start the morning off. Maybe they'll even distract me from the inconvenient fact that I WAS KIDNAPPED.

[totally deadpan there, though it takes a lot of self-control to stop from yelling the words out.]

Right. Answers, kid - cough 'em up.

B.

[jaws5sonofjaws]

[Mart heard the commotion from his home on Bilko Blvd. and decided to investigate... with caution. He kneels in fornt of the slot.]

Okay. Yeah.

The hell do you want?

B.

[truffulacide]

[woah, check this guy out. the freaks just keep piling in, don't they?]

Couple things, the obvious being where am I. So... [deep breath.] Where am I?

B

[werejew]

No.

You get over here.

B

[truffulacide]

Nope. YOU get over HERE.

[two can play it that game, sister. look at these eyes; they do not screw around.

but they do give even the whiniest brat a run for his money.]

b

[acuity]

[ why yes i do happen to be a girl scout makin her rounds. aaand looking at dat talking mailslot skeptically. ]

... Hello?

b

[truffulacide]

[ugh. if everyone who lives here is as weird as the people he's seen so far, he's gonna have a real problem on his hands. not like he doesn't already, but.]

Hiya. What do you have there? [so smooth.]

B

[imaginarynumber]

[Xion wanders over towards the the voice like the naive little girl she can be sometimes.]

Do you need some help or something?

B

[truffulacide]

Putting it mildly? [sigh.] Yeah, kind of.

B

[doesnotgetit]

[Oh hey, here's a relatively normal-looking girl, on her way home from school! Once the Once-ler gets her attention, she raises an eyebrow, but heads over anyway.]

Uh... hey.

[truffulacide]

Hi. [he sticks an index finger out of the slot, pointing at her backpack.] Have you lived here for a long time?

B

[epicdouchebag]

[Or maybe you're a former Servant stuck in a human body bounding down the street to get a better lay of the Mayfield land. The only reason Gil is walking over, Once-ler, is because he feels you need to know your place.]

A mongrel commanding royalty? Know your place.

[truffulacide]

[the jerks just keep rolling in one after another, don't they?]

Huh? Where? [he actually tries to peer around as best as he can from here, trying to see if anyone is hiding behind the other man.] I don't see anyone.

[because if this guy's royalty, then Once-ler will eat his hat. as soon as he finds it at any rate.]

[hairflyingheartpounding]

[Well, Rapunzel was sleeping quite soundly, but naturally the only reaction to be awoken with a loud shriek is to reply with a loud shriek.

And then... Give her a moment... A very strange looking room and a man who's not only not Eugene, but who's in the same bed as her? Hello, shriek number two.]

What-- What-- Who are you? What happened to me?

[truffulacide]

[weirdly enough, he wasn't expecting that type of reaction from her. her own screaming surprises - okay, shocks the ever-loving heck out of him, so much that he tries to scramble up off the bed and to his feet.

naturally, this only ends with him tumbling backwards and falling off the mattress. right on his butt.

and he's still yelling.]

Who am I?! Who are YOU?

B

[echidna]

[ a girl scout making her rounds is exactly what she is. so-

stop. stare.

and smile!

She scampers right up, wheelbarrow full of cookies in tow. ]

Hi! Did you want to buy some cookies?

[truffulacide]

[there sure are a lot of girl scouts around here. it's especially weird because he hasn't seen one in, like, forever back home, so he's not quite sure how to deal with them.

doesn't help that he has a massive sweet tooth and a currently empty belly.]

...Depends. What kind do you have?

B

[roadroller]

[Someone is yelling at Rin as she walks her dog. She would ignore him, but then Lenlen started barking back, and she started to get annoyed, so she came back and ... he is talking through a mail slot. That's.... kinda creepy, not gonna lie, dude.]

What the heck? Why should I? ♪

[truffulacide]

[hey, cut him a break. creepy boarded-up windows are in short supply here.]

I was kinda hoping you could catch me up to speed with what this town's about.

[even through the slot, you can tell he's kind of embarrassed to be asking for help like this.]

I'm, um. I guess I'm new here. [if it's as common as he's led to believe, he shouldn't have to explain any further.]

B

[forever_cheery]

[When peeking out this time, Once-ler can see that the person passing by is actually floating a few inches off the ground, instead of walking. Aurora is cheerfully heading off to work, humming to herself, but stops when she hears someone call. She looks around for the source of the voice.]

Huh? Where--?

[truffulacide]

Down here!

[a hand is half-poking out of the slot, awkwardly moving back and forth in a little wave.]

That's...wow. What an awesome magic trick. [he sounds noticeably excited, and he tries to squint in an effort to make out any giveaways that this is staged.] How are you even doing that?

B

[noluckduck]

[Oh lord, what. Clover WOULD make a note to avoid this street, what with it being full of weirdos and all, but what place in Mayfield isn't?]

Why the fuck should I?

... You some kinda drug dealer, man?

[truffulacide]

[this town's just full of polite, well-spoken kids, isn't it?]

Yeah, no. Do I sound like one? [a beat.] Actually, don't answer that. I'd like to make it through the morning with minimal emotional scarring, thanks.

B

[extraordinarily]

[Oh.

Hello, neighbor. She'll fold her arms and dart right down over.]

What exactly are you doing?

[truffulacide]

[another kid? great, just what he needed.]

What does it look like? I'm scoping out the place.

B

[mal_addict]

[Maladict is stepping out of the house across the street for her usual morning wandering when this catches her attention. She squints, carefully crossing over to peer through the mailbox]

Well. This is new.

[truffulacide]

[eye roll.] In every sense of the word. Just an FYI - if all you're gonna do is try to poke my eyes out like the last person did, you might as well turn back around. Save us both the trouble.

B.

[godcomplexed]

Oh!

Being heckled outside of a post slot! Now that's new.

[Lolloping over~]

[truffulacide]

[FROWN] Who's heckling? I think I've been pretty darn nice all things considered, and believe me, that's no easy feat right now!