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'll just try to play this as naturally as he can. Maybe this is just some...stupid castle thing and this will all be over soon]

There's some pretty weird stuff happening today, huh?

[That's an understatement]

You should probably get inside. It's cold out here. [That's what happens when there's no sun, you jackass]

[courageous_wit]

But where are we? Did the castle change again? [if so, it's some post-apocalyptic thing. That much is pretty obvious. She turns her attention to the stones, and kneels down to examine them]

"Unless"... Strange.

[whichwayyoulean]

[Oh. He'd forgotten about that stupid rock. The stupid rock with the same word that plagued him everywhere he went in Paradisa. He drops his gaze to the dirty, dusty ground]

...Yeah. Strange.

[courageous_wit]

We should go. This air can't be healthy.

[whichwayyoulean]

It's fine if you don't breathe it too deeply.

[No. It's not. That's a corporate lie, but it's one he's so used to spinning it comes out with ease]

[courageous_wit]

[you see this face, Once-ler? It's the face of a girl who doesn't believe you]

It's not fine, it's polluted. And there are no trees... What could've happened to this place?

[whichwayyoulean]

[It was worth a try. The Once-ler sighs, glancing around, before looking at the ground. He can't keep this from her forever. He would have preferred to tell her on his own terms, but it seems the castle has decided that's a no go]

I did. I happened to it.

[courageous_wit]

[the pieces connect in her mind: his inventions, how he insisted on giving the money back for his Thneeds, his isolation]

Oh, Once-ler.... You did all this in your world?

[whichwayyoulean]

[His whole upper body just seems to sag from the weight of it all. This is never the easiest thing to admit to, even less so with the evidence right in front of her eyes]

Yeah. This place used to be beautiful, before I got here and tore it to pieces.

[courageous_wit]

[she doesn't know what to say. She's seen pollution and deforestation, but never to this degree. This is like the worst-case scenario]

This is why you wanted to give the money back from those Thneeds, isn't it?

[whichwayyoulean]

[He nods, still not really looking at her properly]

I didn't want to make a profit from them. They've done enough damage... I've done enough damage. I couldn't have any more money from that, it wouldn't be right.

[courageous_wit]

[she won't force him to look at her. She can tell this is difficult for him]

I understand.

[whichwayyoulean]

Do you really? [Well, that's enough to make him look her way] You don't come across as the destroys everything that mattered to them type.

[courageous_wit]

I erased my parents' memories. They have no idea who I am, or who they are. And the tragic thing is, that's one of the few things I remember about them.

[whichwayyoulean]

[...Yep. That'd about do it]

...You don't remember them either? [A pause, he doesn't want to pry, it's not right or fair. But he is concerned] Something awful must of happened for you to have to do that.

[courageous_wit]

[she nods, her eyes moist but she doesn't try to hide them] I know it's not the same as this, but... I hope you know I won't think less of you for what happened.

[whichwayyoulean]

You should. I did this [he gestures to the general area of destroyed valley around them] out of my own selfishness and greed. I did it because it made me rich and powerful, and I didn't care who I was hurting on the way up.

[He looks at her, PROPERLY looks at her] I don't think your actions were due to that at all. You're not that sort of person.

[courageous_wit]

[no, the situations aren't the same at all. Hermione knows people who would do this same thing if given the chance. And yet....]

Do you care about what you've done now?

[whichwayyoulean]

Of course I care. [He cares a whole awful lot, but he knows it's not enough that HE does. He has to wait for someone else to]

If I could undo it all, I would in a heartbeat.

[courageous_wit]

See? You've changed from back then. If you were the same you wouldn't care so much.

[whichwayyoulean]

It still doesn't undo what I did.

[courageous_wit]

That's true. Not even wizards are allowed to drastically change the past.

[whichwayyoulean]

[His gaze falls back to the dirty, ruined ground. The ground he can't grow anything in any more]

No. Because magic doesn't work that way.

[courageous_wit]

[she kneels down to touch it. True, the ground is infertile now. But she's starting to wonder about this place]

Is the castle truly mimicking your world, or is this something different?

[whichwayyoulean]

It's really like this. If it's mimicking it, it's doing a really good job.