And the wind smells slow and sour when it blows

[whichwayyoulean]

Who: The Once-ler and YOU!
What: Nightmares
When: Friday
Where: HIS MIND
Rating: Uh PG/PG13.


[You'd be forgiven for thinking you've entered a pleasant dream, rather than a horrific nightmare here. You've arrived in Truffula Valley, a peaceful, wonderful place that almost puts Paradisa's created beauty to shame. Forest creatures are scurrying about, singing and playing and generally going about their business.

The sky is bright blue, the sun is shining and the waters of the nearby river and pond are crystal clear. And most importantly there are miles upon miles upon miles of Truffula trees. For anyone the Once-ler described these trees to, he wasn't kidding. The touch of their tufts really is softer than silk and that comforting, wonderful smell? Fresh butterfly milk baby.

Nothing good lasts forever, and there's a general unease about the place. A disjointed sort of feel, like someone's putting on a play and you've already been told everyone dies at the end]

[[ooc: Sections: Pretty Valley | Dying Valley | Dead Valley ]]

Comments

[whichwayyoulean]

[He should have known those stupid billboards would come back to bite him in the backside eventually. He doesn't want to talk about this. Not even a tiny little bit]

He got what he deserved. Everyone and everything that ever mattered to him left him.

[cyan_maid]

[She lets out a hard breath, her jaw set firmly. They are tiptoeing around the issue, and she doesn't like to do that, but then again attacking the issue wouldn't be smart either. She already feels like she's stepped into something she shouldn't have.]

I don't think it's a good idea for us to stay here, Once-ler.

[whichwayyoulean]

[He'd tell her he has nowhere else to go. That this wasteland will be all he'll know for fifty long years, but his voice fails him. She doesn't need to know that, she's just a kid, regardless of how together she is. She needs to know there's still SOME joy to be found in the world somewhere]

...I don't think there's a way out of here just yet.

[cyan_maid]

What do you mean? [She turns to the path.] Can't we just go back?

[whichwayyoulean]

[He shakes his head] There's nothing for miles and miles.

[cyan_maid]

[She whips around to face you.] Nothing? Not even a town, or - or a way back?

[Not that she's particularly keen to go back to the castle. It did this to them, whatever it is, and she'd sooner give it a swift kick to the cornerstone than go back.]

[whichwayyoulean]

There's a town. [He waves a hand in a generally southwards direction, down that little road]

But it's not friendly. At least not to outsiders and definitely not to me.

[cyan_maid]

Alright, so we won't go there.

[She sighs and looks towards the tower. She'd suggest going inside, if it was farther away from this spot...]

[whichwayyoulean]

[He, on the other hand, turns to head towards it. Of course, it'll blow any remaining cover he has involving this place, what with his name being on the door and everything, but at least he can provide her with some shelter]

Come on, you can sit in the Lerkim.

[cyan_maid]

[She eyes it warily, and begins to follow him.] Is it safe...?

[whichwayyoulean]

It is now it's not attached to the factory. [He'll get to the door, which yep, has his big stupid name right on the front. Bitterly:] Home sweet home.

[cyan_maid]

[She glances at the name plate, but she's not going to say anything about it.]

Have you been by yourself this whole time, or have you seen anyone else?

[whichwayyoulean]

Other people from the castle showed up, but eventually they vanished. [He'll open the door to let her in]

[cyan_maid]

[Still a gentleman, even when you're so sad? She smiles a little at this and walks inside.]

Vanished? Without any warning at all?

[whichwayyoulean]

[He will deny he's a gentleman forever. He follows and nods]

Yeah. I think I'm supposed to stay alone here. [Watch the people he cares about leave. Over and over again]

[cyan_maid]

What? [She twirls around to face you.] But that's horrible!!

[whichwayyoulean]

It's no less than what I deserve, Jane.

[cyan_maid]

[She wants to fire back immediately, say "No it's not!", even if he continues to deny it, even if he says the things she's trying not to provoke him to say, because she considers the Once-ler her friend, and she can't bear the idea of her friends deserving anything but happiness. But she doesn't.

Jane looks towards the door again, remembering all she saw as she walked, lingering on the loneliness and failure she can still feel in the air. This kind of situation is difficult, it can't be solved with just words, but words are pretty much the only thing she has right now.]

That doesn't make it fair.

[whichwayyoulean]

[The Once-ler rolls his shoulders into a shrug as he steps inside the Lerkim, leaving the door open for her to follow him]

Actually, it's very fair. I expected a lot worse way to pay for what I did.

[cyan_maid]

[She briskly walks inside, taking in the bleak surroundings with a sad, thoughtful expression.]

So you're just going to sit in here and accept it? Something is WRONG, and it doesn't concern what you've done in the past, at least not now.

[She pauses, worrying her bottom lip.] This - this isn't what you have to go back to, is it? If the castle ships you home? Because if it is, then you shouldn't have to go through this. No one should.

[whichwayyoulean]

[The Once-ler takes a moment to respond to her, staring at one of the boarded up windows]

Yeah. This is what I come home to. And I do have to go through it. [He gestures towards the door] All that? Out there? I did that. This used to be a beautiful place, and I destroyed it, because it made me rich and powerful. I betrayed my friends, starved them out, took away the only home they ever knew.

[He lets his arm drop, looking to the floor] So yes. I'm going to accept it. It's the price I have to pay, and it'll be like this for a long time.

[cyan_maid]

[Welp, he said it! Cats out of the bag now. Jane stiffens, because that's a pretty hefty list of wrongdoings. No wonder he's down on himself all the time.]

I meant now! Whatever this is, right now, whatever is going on - you shouldn't be subjected to it! Don't you think it's odd that you've come back now, of all times, and the others keep floating in only to be taken away again?

[whichwayyoulean]

[He kind of hopes no one will remember anything after this...madness is over]

Of course I find it odd, but there's nothing for miles, other than the town. So there's not a whole lot I can do about it.

[cyan_maid]

[We can only keep our fingers crossed.]

You can be angry, at the very least!

[whichwayyoulean]

Why? [It's an honest question] The only person I can be angry at is myself, and trust me, I do that enough already.