[Cinnamon. The taste that usually accompanied spiced apples and sweet crust, eaten with friends under the warm lights of Santa's workshop.

But here there was no gentle clicking as the Guardians globe turned. No subtle jingle of elves belled hats as they ran their errands, always getting under North's boots. No scent of fruit cakes and Yeti's and snow...

Jack opened his eyes, sitting up from the bed and reaching up to take the candy from his mouth. He looked at the sticky sweet, then at the small unfamiliar room with a bewildered frown before tossing the thing to one side and standing up. His staff was at his side, and he picked it up automatically, holding it as he always did as an extension of himself.]

Hello? [He called out, but his voice was the only sound within the space of the room. He peeked into the other rooms, kitchen, bathroom, bedroom again, but there was no one.]

What's going on? [He asked himself as he stepped to the front door and pushed down the handle. He walked bare footed out into the forth floor hall, wincing as the floorboards creaked.]

Hello, residents of the apartments.

[The audio comes on moments before the video. Double's faintly echoing voice is easily distinguishable, and so is the sight of her habit and closed eyes as she comes into view. She leans back, lowering her arm, and folds her hands in her lap. A little smile touches her lips.]

I had been told about the presence of shrines and a chapel in the surrounding town. I would like to visit the former, to see what I can find out about the area. Presumably Shinto gods were worshiped here at some point.

Would anyone come with me? Or should I set out on my own?

[The Once-ler is on his way to Garry's room to talk to him. He's been letting things hang for too long and been hiding behind work like he would have done back home. Of course, back at home his work would have been inventing bigger and better machines to take down the trees and produce thneeds, not trying to get to grips with using an axe as a weapon and tightening up his apartment. Or dealing with his snooty ex-parrot of a roommate. The differences didn't matter though; he was doing exactly the same as always.

But on his way down, he flicks open his blackberry to drop a message off.]

Hey guys! [He's not wearing his gas mask, so his scarred grin can be seen pretty well, as well as the back-to-front cap he's wearing.] I've been thinking things over, and the conversation I had with Miss Pekoyama is right. We should really think about having some sort of leader here. Not to boss us around or anything, but more to just sort of... take the initative of organizing searches and things like tha - ahh!

[He's broken off with a screech and he drops the phone. There's scraping and banging sounds, along with his yells, as he's dragged down the hall of the second floor by his foot.]

[action; apt 301]

Predictably, or maybe not so predictably for those who don't know him, when Sakuya wakes up and takes stock of his surroundings he panics, spits out the candy in his mouth(a stranger putting things in his mouth?!), and makes a squawking noise, tumbling off the bed that has been most generously provided. He'd gone to sleep in his lovely mansion, then woken up in a dingy apartment, a filthy bed, and an awful, foreign, unfamiliar simian body! When he stands, wobbling uncertainly, he notes that his pristine white suit(which he does have to admit is quite nice) has become dirty, either from the bed, falling onto the floor, or both. Muttering a few curses under his breath, he begins to dust himself off, though he quickly starts to realize that this won't be nearly enough.

Once he spots the computer, he makes a beeline for it.

[video]

[There is a very angry looking blue-haired teen in the video, looking as though he's about ready to break something.]

I demand to know what kind of foolishness this is! I slept in my own bed last night and I wake up to this filth?! This is unacceptable! I don't know who will see this, but for those who do, I expect a full explanation!

[There is a muffled sound of someone awkwardly trying to work a phone, before a loud voice finally speaks up. Eddie proving to have some colorful language when he speaks.]

Dunno who I'm talkin' to- but, hey. If you could like direct me to the asshole who shoved a cinnamon candy in my mouth, it'd be appreciated, I'd like to have a few words with that shit.

Cause, hey- mother fucker. Shovin' cinnamon candy in someone's mouth when their asleep is fuckin' terrible. Besides you know, the chokin' hazard, do you know how fuckin' nasty cinnamon is? Seriously. Who the fuck even does that?

That in itself is the shittiest fuckin' thing. C'mon, man, at least give us somethin' like mint. Mint is perfectly acceptable if not less fuckin' nauseatin'. If I'm gonna die from candy, let it be mint, or- [There is a brief pause as he deliberates over his choices] chocolate mints. Yeah, chocolate mints.

Thanks for listenin' I guess? Hell if I know how these shitty blackberries work. This is why I use a flip phone, shit is simpler.

[After hearing this, Seth hastily turns on his video feed, looking anxious and a little like he just rolled out of bed. What? he likes naps.]

Ey! Cowboys. Who else is hearing this loud noises downstairs? Someone please tell me this is normal around here?

[When he wakes up, he has to take the time to make sure the world isn't playing tricks on him. Instead of his comfortable, familiar home in the pagoda, he's ...in a bed. A real bed. The room is a wash of pastel blues and lace ruffles fit for a princess and he makes a face as he sucks on the cinnamon candy in his mouth. The pack of canines have traveled through the world shift with him and they raise their heads as one to survey and sniff their surroundings.

Aaron fumbles for the jigokuberry on the nightstand, struggling to remember how such a device works before finally seeming to get the hang of it enough to switch the audio function on.]

Can ...anyone here me? Did the world move on? I woke up in this weird bed, but I can't find anyone else, so...

[He eases off of the bed and makes his way to the door, opening it with a loud creak that can be heard even from the jigokuberry. A decently-sized sitting room, and then another door leading to the hallway. Taking a deep breath to hide his uncertainty about this whole situation, he pushes the door open, holding the jigoberry close with one hand while training the other on the scruff of his pet's neck. His breathing is a bit more ragged now as the scent of decay and must hits him. This place is old - old and lonely and not a good place at all.

There are probably ghosts. He still really hates ghosts.]

Someone please call in. I-I need to know that people are alright! Wait - Blanca, no!

[Something of a soft curse before the berry is shut down and the boy takes off running after the frightened, yelping cub.]