FILTERED away from HOWL JENKINS;

In your world, is it considered socially acceptable for the woman to be the one to make the marriage proposal first? I would appreciate an answer without the added sarcasm or judgement, thank you.

It's not an easy question to make, you know.

[WARNING: This post can contain suggestive language. Of l'amour. Skip it if it bothers you.]

[The device is turned on by one of the birds pecking at it. Behind the bird, one can see Sophie, tending to a rosebush full of blue roses.

The bird chirps and starts talking,] There are other bushes to tend to, mademoiselle.

Mmhmm. [Sophie, clearly paying attention. The bird continues,] It can be an incentive to your lover, during the act of l'amour...

[Sophie plucks a few roses, watches them proudly and completely unaware she's being recorded, and repeats:] Mmmh- wait, pardon?

L'act de l'amouuuuuuur~ [Repeats the bird, helpfully.] A modern man will want a modern woman to take to his bed, and if mademoiselle considered-

No, no - stop! [She looks flushed, flustered and angry. And brandishing the roses like weapons.] Stop giving me advice about that.

But mademoiselle, do you not want to do like the mod-

I said be quiet! I'll spell you quiet, I swear! [She notices the blinking green light behind the bird.] Did you do that? Is this rec- re- re- [Oh god, oh drats and blast, everyone can see.]

Leave! Leave, shoo, or I'll turn you into a duster.

[The bird's feathers ruffle up, and it takes flight with a:] Le wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiitch.

[Sophie stomps angrily over to the device, grumbling all the way,] You're right I am, and feeling pretty mean towards birds right now, the nerve, I swear--

[And the connection ends. :)]

[ooc; Now she'll go hide somewhere and dieeeeee.]

Hello - is everyone doing better today? The curse from yesterday reminded me a little of how dangerous the power of words can be when you've little to no idea that your words have power. Like me, I used to talk to hats.

I mean, I used to work in a hat shop, my family's hat shop, and when I entered as the new apprentice, I'd be left by myself for many nights, so I took to talking to hats. I'd tell a bonnet she'd marry into money, or another hat that she'd be as fresh as a spring rose - compliments like those - and I thought it was just a way of passing time. Until I started to realise that my predictions would come true - as if the hats were listening to my orders. It did grand for the business, but there are consequences to letting your mouth run.

Which is why...yesterday, when I got an inkling of what the curse could be like, I decided to stay quiet. For the best.

But that's all over today, so I get to congratulate Charlie and Merlin - that's a nice name, hmm - on their bravery and love for one another, and the celebration of their wedding. May your happiness last for a very long time.

Is this the first wedding taking place in the City? Or have there been others? [SHE'S JUST CURIOUS, HOWL, NO NEED TO TAKE HINTS OR ANYTHING.]

The smallest things can turn out to be the most annoying ones. It seems I picked the worst possible week to start mending clothes again. At least the needles seemed to think so. And I could not convince them otherwise.

Well, in any case, I'm glad that's over, and hope everyone is okay now? Was okay yesterday, though that seems unlikely.

I must say, though - I really do appreciate these small medical plaster things. The ones with drawings are very sweet - my sisters would have loved them when they'd been younger. Of course, it might've prompted them to fight more often, so.

[Someone is very upset. Someone also realizes there's a certain protocol to follow when these things happen, always some person informing the City of a departure. Someone doesn't want to.

And her T-shirt - I was cursed into the body of a 90 year old woman, and all I got was this lousy T-shirt - which she is doing her best trying to hide, is not helping with her mood at all. Quietly:]

I know he had friends here, so I should probably tell you. As of yesterday, Howl Jenkins, Pendragon, and whatever other silly silly name is...

[She fiddles with the hem of her shirt.] Gone. [Just a painting on a wall somewhere. And who knows - everyone talks of departure in such different ways - who knows if she'll see him again.

Fiddle. Fiddle, fiddle.] This - [Suddenly angry, she stretches her shirt out and glares at the camera.] - is incomplete. I got many, many other things from the experience! But of course, it's not about that, is it? It's about pouring salt over an opened wound.

Oooh, if only - I would give some Deities such a spanking.

[She clamps her mouth shut. Now's not the time to stick out her neck again, even if she really wants to. Before she says anything else, she turns the device off.]

It's a shame the little metal - umm, robots? - didn't stay. I found them very helpful, albeit odd. Is that what passes for 'technology' in the modern times? Wires and many, many uncomprehensible things? How do people not get headaches with them?

Also, I still have questions pertaining to the topic of discussion from Sunday. What is 'gym'? Do girls and boys attend the same schools? At what age is education considered over? What follows next? Are apprenticeships still the way to teach someone a certain skill? What would you do, if you could pick anything at all?

[ooc; She will never shut up until she figures herself out.]

I for one am glad to see everyone return to their usual shape. Not that I doubt that most of the dogs were harmless, just...[Someone really could've lived without the inflation in dog population in the City...] It felt like a silly curse, as well as a confusing one, I imagine.

Not as confusing as going about randomly kissing people, but - uhm, yes. Well. Either way.

[A beat.] Oh, right, another thing! Doctor, I have - [She pulls out a hat.] - this for you, for letting me use the tools at the shop. It...felt a little bit like home.

And while we're on the subject, and most of you can answer in words and not barks - what did you used to do, in your world? I'm curious.

[ooc; She (was)is afraid of dogs :C]

[Lo and behold, Sophie Hatter's struggle with high heels has begun this morning. And she has endured, because she's endured a lot of things in life, but -]

I almost broke my neck again! Honestly, is this the modern fashion for women? Why would they torture their feet this way?

I prefer the sevel league boots - no, wait. I prefer the snow in summer to this.

[Slumping down on a chair, all but pouting right now. Her poor unsued-to-this-torture feet. They are unused to this torture.] Why won't they come off?

[Well, there's Sophie, looking every bit annoyed and a little angry, too.] That's it, I think we've reached the limit. And yes, that means a public announcement will be made, because maybe everyone agreeing could make him see the light with this.

[She lifts a large jar, and sets it down on the table with a loud thunk. On it, there's a tag that reads Peter.]

This is for you, Mister Vincent. I'd call it a Swearing Jar, because that's what it is, but you'd probably swear at me for its existence anyway. So I will call it a Donation Jar instead. Everytime rudeness comes out of your mouth, I expect you to put a coin in it.

And I also expect everyone to help, if that's what it takes. Because it's a real problem when you drive children out of the house because you can't keep your complaints to yourself, and I'm absolutely tired of being called rude names.

You owe three coins so far.

[ooc; What, you thought she woundn't do it? Next up, soap in his mouth.]

All right, that's enough of you!

I don't know where you've heard that ridiculous story, but I assure you gingers do have a soul.

[ooc; Welcome 4th wallers :D]

Well...uhm. I think the hats are very interesting?

But I'm not sure why so many men seem taken to wearing them. Is this a curse? Wearing a hat? It's better than sparkling, I supposed...

[ooc; She is curse free but that should not stop you! And for those cowboys and girls too shy to talk on the network, she will be doing chores of the buying groceries and fabric at the market variety, so you can action if you want.]

Hello. [And then, the pause. The slight blush to her cheeks, that she's going to ignore and so should you.]

Right, I was going to ask - for something. [Another pause, enough to worry her lips between her teeth for a moment, then nod to herself and straighten up.]

This 'modern concept' [Air quotes] called 'dating' [Air quotes] how does it go? How is it any different from - from courtship, or wooing? And on that note, are things so different in this world? I am...beginning to think I come from what would be considered a very outdated place. There's so many things that boggle the mind here, but today I'm just going to ask about this one.

Purely out of curiosity, of course.

[ooc; Not purely out of curiosity. Someone needs the Modern Day Sex Talk.]

[In the most clipped tone possible.] I have to ask this question, now. Do the - Deities who think themselves in charge of this City enjoy human suffering so much? That was - cruel. Cruel beyond words. I've heard of curses in this place, and curses are usually a thing born out of cruelty, but never did I imagine that it would be like that.

[She looks away from the screen, her jaw twitching with anger, her fists fretting with her new dress. Someone has been unsurprisingly bottling things up.]

Maybe I am expressing this far too late but it's as if they create lives - new memories, new...beings - only to destroy them. The boat, then those creatures.

[If steam could come out of her ears right now...] If I had a word in this, any word or choice at all, I would like to give them a good, solid spanking. Toying with lives is not - just.

[Huffs. Pauses. Grumbles to herself. Rubs her forehead and pinches the bridge of her nose, and eventually, after enough time, she remembers to breathe and stop shaking.]

I'm sorry. There was a reason behind this, I think. It just escapes me right now.

[Unfortunately, the message has already been sent, so all she can do is - to turn it off.]

--

[And back on, two seconds later.]

Yes, my question. Death in this place - why does it seem to not be permanent, and how does that work?

filter to Charlie+Penny;

I feel rather silly writing this to you both, and I apologize if this is embarrassing to read or if I'm being a bother, but - well, seeing how I have been here long enough to realize that, while I don't like the idea of being stuck here, I still need to adapt for the time I am here, I...

Would any of you be so kind as to tell me where you get your drawers from? I'd sew my own, but - it's a rather delicate thing to sew when you're not living in your own house.

My gratitude in return,
Sophie Hatter

public; voice

It's been...eight days now. I can't say I'm pleased with the way these deities are handling us, but I imagine no-one is. Are they? Can't even get a meeting with them properly. Well, if I could, I'd give them a piece of my mind, the big babies.

Either way. Since I can't, and since it does seem like I'll be here for a while longer, I should find an occupation. One that pays, probably. Hopefully. What is there to do here for a hatter's apprentice turned flower shop owner, anyway?

[ooc; Not cursed, but in need of clothes. And Victorian underwear, also. Howl taught her how to filter.]

[The feed begins with a panoramic view of the sky, just before the device is properly tilted down to focus on a girl, quite young, with red gold hair that spills in disarray over her shoulders. She looks a little tired, and a little battle-worn, but mostly - she looks over the device, as if someone's there.]

And you say it's sending this out to everyone, now? Thank you. [There's a pause, a muffled question from whoever is behind the recording range, and then she smiles and shrugs.] No, that's alright. I think I'll manage to do something about it. You can go, I don't want to keep you from your job.

[A pause, as the mysterious person disappears, then she looks at the camera directly, curious.] Remarkable thing - we don't have any of these where I'm from. I'm starting to think that this place is nowhere any seven-league boots can take you. Have you ever heard of Market Chipping, for instance?

Wait, how do I know if it's working? Confound it, but this is difficult. Seems more complicated than cleaning the castle's bathroom, I'd wager. Oh well.

Hello. If this is, indeed, working and sending this message out, I suppose I should be open about my intents. I'm not planning to stay, though thank you for the rude kidnapping. The next time, it's polite to invite your guests in first. Something to remember. That aside, suppose I would like an audience with whoever is in charge of transportation out of here.

I left quite a mess back home, you see. Can't afford to stay, that fool will run the castle to the ground without me.