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[When the camera cuts on, there's a young girl's face staring into it. There's a flash of the library behind her. Her gaze cuts swiftly off-screen, confirming that she's doing it right and the thing really is recording, before she looks back at her audience once more. She doesn't smile but doesn't look upset, either. She's very nearly emotionless, in fact, and far too still than any child should be.

When she speaks, her voice is soft and is curiously calm and collected rather than carrying the typical whine or panic that most twelve-year-old girls would likely have in this situation.]

I won't bother to ask where I'm at. [She took the time to scroll back on the network to figure that much out for herself.] And I won't ask if anyone is here that I might know. [If Owen were here, she'd have picked up his scent or he would have been posting himself, looking for her.] I just need to know if we're assigned rooms or if we just pick one ourselves.

[There's a brief pause, where most would likely draw a breath. She doesn't but does seem to debate on whether to ask something else. Finally she decides to just go for it.]

And if there's a medical area of some kind, I'd like [no, wrong word choice] I need to know about that, too. [Because medical areas have blood, right? She hopes so.

She also stops speaking at that point and waits for someone to respond. It doesn't really occur to her that people might seek her out face-to-face, but it wouldn't necessarily be unwelcome. She'll just be hanging out in the library, thumbing through the works of Shakespeare, waiting to find out how she's supposed to lay claim to a room so she can prepare it for the upcoming sunrise.]

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[Well, that's an awfully calm and collected broadcast for anyone who's new to Wonderland, let alone a little girl. Is she...okay? Wash is instantly worried upon seeing her on the network, but that gathered expression sort of makes him more so.]

They're assigned usually. But, uh, I think if you don't like the one you get, you can pick a different one? [That's... Yeah, he's pretty sure that's right.] And there's a clinic for medical purposes.

[His expression beneath his helmet becomes one of great concern, and while it can't actually be seen, it can definitely be heard in his voice.]

Why? Are you hurt?

[She's expecting the question about being hurt and a small, private smile flickers across her face.]

No, but I'm sure I'll need the clinic eventually.

[It's not a lie, at any rate. She glances briefly at the comm device she's using then back to the image on the screen.]

How do I find out what room I've been given? Is it on this [a pause because seriously, what kind of technology is this? she guesses at the right word, going with the closest term she can think to use] phone?

...Right. I guess that's...true enough.

[But not many kids ask that sort of thing immediately upon arriving somewhere new, so he's not so sure he believes that she's okay...]

Uh... Hang on... [Pausing to think, his head tilts slightly. He just needs a second to remember how things were when he got here and how he found his room. And it's about then that he realizes he had things mixed up. Whoops.] Wait, no. Sorry, I had that kind of backwards. The empty rooms are free to claim! So you can just pick one that you like.

[Man, he needs to work on his helping abilities here.]

And heads up, in case you're not used to..."magic" stuff? [He makes a vaguely "magical" hand gesture that involves wiggling fingers.] The room will change once you decide it's yours. Like, one second it's an empty boring room, and the next it's something that suits you better.

[That's the first piece of good news Abby has heard since arriving. She doesn't believe in magic but she's not going to question how the room changes. Not right now. She's just grateful she'll have at least one place that will be free from sunlight. It's certainly a relief and she smiles faintly at the thought.]

Thank you, for the warning. [She eyes him curiously for a few seconds.] Are you calling it magic because you can't explain how it changes?

Sure, no problem.

[Nodding, glad to be of even a little help, Wash offers a slight smile. Even if he really hates seeing someone so young stuck here with the rest of them. And he's still worried about her. Maybe he should offer her more help, show her around so she doesn't get lost, things like that?

Too bad he's kind of awful with kids...]

Yes, but no. [Boy, that makes sense.] Just, it's...weird here. Where I'm from, magic isn't a thing. It doesn't exist, and it's completely impossible. But this place? Magic is an almost constant thing around here. I can't explain how it works, but it's magic.

[At this point, he's just come to accept this fact, if reluctantly so.]

[That reluctance he has? Yeah. Abby is feeling that, and then some, at the moment. She's also doing a terrible job of hiding it. The skepticism is all over her face and definitely present in her tone.]

Magic exists here?

[She pauses, tries to process this, and nope. It's still not making any sense to her. Three hundred years. She's been alive for three hundred years and she is absolutely certain that magic does not exist.

Except, apparently, here. She still isn't convinced, of course. Humans, as a general rule, are apt to label things they can't explain. She's sure that's all this is. But, on the off chance she's wrong - because she is somewhere she didn't come to on her own and knows how impossible it is to kidnap someone like her - she tries to shove her doubt aside and even manages a curious look.]

What other kinds of things exist here that shouldn't?

[He can't blame her for the skepticism he can read in her expression. He was the same way when he turned up here, didn't believe in all this magic and crazy creatures stuff, but boy did Wonderland and its residents prove him wrong.]

Yeah. I realize how crazy it sounds, but yeah.

[And you know what? It's actually kind of nice to meet someone who's as disbelieving of that as he used to be. Even if it's incredibly bizarre for this person to be a little girl. Aren't kids supposed to be excited by the idea of magic?

When she asks what other things are here, Wash takes a moment to think on it. He's not been around everything crazy this place holds, he's sure of that, and there are likely things he hasn't even heard about lurking around, but he'll give her the list of what he does know. Better if she's prepared, anyway.]

Lots of things. Like, uh, dragons. Alchemists. Wizards. And I've heard there are angels around? But I haven't seen any for myself. There are probably other creatures too, things that aren't human, but I don't think I've run into any of those yet, either.

[A beat.]

Oh, and if you've ever read Alice in Wonderland, then... Some of the things in there actually exist here. Like the floating, talking cat.

[Other creatures that aren't human. A shadow of a frown flashes across her face at that comment. She hopes he doesn't mean others like her. The last thing she wants to do is have to deal with some sort of territorial feeding issue.

The thought is pushed aside, though, as he mentions something else. It brings a faint smile to her face. There isn't the typical excitement that she should probably try to fake but it's obvious she's finding the thought an interesting one, at the very least.]

The Cheshire cat is here? [She pauses, considers something with a now thoughtful look.] What about Alice?

Yeah, he--it?--is.

[Wash nods a touch falteringly, but ends the action on a more solid note. He eyes her small smile for a moment, not sure that he wants to break it to her how much of an asshole the cat is. Or any of the other characters are. They're funny to read about in the books, sure, but to actually deal with them... It's just plain frustrating.

Or, that's what he's heard. He's never...actually talked to them.]

I'm not sure about Alice. I imagine she's around here somewhere, but I haven't seen her, personally.

[Abby frowns thoughtfully. It seems odd, to be in Wonderland without an Alice. She isn't sure that she likes it. Not that she has a choice in the matter, but it still doesn't sit well with her.]

What about the others? The Queen of Hearts?

[She pauses then offers a small, faint smile.]

I'm sorry. I just really enjoy reading. This is all very exciting, if a bit hard to believe.

No, it's okay! [Shaking his head softly, Wash smiles reassuringly.] You don't have to apologize. I was as curious when I showed up.

[Though he found it marginally less exciting and a lot more...horrifying. And crazy. But hey, she's a kid, and what kid wouldn't be excited to find themselves in the world of one of the books they've read?

...He just wishes it was more like the book, and a lot less dangerous.]

The Queen of Hearts is here, yeah. She rules the mirror world. ...Which I should probably tell you about. Uh, basically? There's a mirrored version of Wonderland that actually exists on the other sides of all the mirrors here, and there are other versions of all of us. I don't have much experience with them yet, but it sounds like they cause a lot of trouble.

[Pursing his lips, he sighs.]

This Wonderland is a lot more dangerous than the one in the books.

[Now there's a concept Abby hasn't considered before. A different version of her? Mirrored versions? She can't help but wonder what hers might be like. Someone who enjoys being what she is? Someone who enjoys killing, enjoys the thought of living forever?

It's as terrifying as it is intriguing. She looks thoughtful for a second.]

Can we talk to them?

Not when they're on their side. I mean, we don't see them through the mirrors, and we can't hear them, but I'm pretty sure they can hear us? And, uh, I think they can like, write on the mirrors or something to get in contact with us.

[Again, he has no actual experience with this. But he's heard enough around that he's at least seventy-percent sure he's right about all of this. The not seeing and hearing for sure, because if that was a thing that could happen, he feels like this whole place would be a hell of a lot creepier.]

But...sometimes they can get over to our side. I don't know how-- I haven't been around long enough. But I have been around for one event where people were...possessed by their mirrors.

[He hadn't gotten very involved, however...]

I think they might only be able to come over during events, but I could be wrong. You'd probably be better off asking someone who's been here longer.

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