entranceway | ( one; voice )

[Emma has read what information has been made available, she’s walked the grounds and the corridors of some of the mansion’s ground floor, and she’s combed through what public postings she could find to look through on the device she’d found in the pocket opposite of where she kept her own phone. She’s been digging for evidence since she got here, but what she’s found?

She’s not buying it. The message that comes through is voice only, not wanting to reveal her face or her exact location right away-- though she’s pretty damn sure that whoever’s responsible for this is watching her and has a good idea of where she is, if not who.]

Look. I know someone is out there listening.

[She doesn’t know exactly who, but someone.]

This game of yours? I’m not interested. I don’t know how you got me here, or how you set all this up. Maybe it’s some messed-up alternate reality game, but I didn’t opt in for any of this. I don’t care how elaborate it is, or how much work went into it-- my kid is at home waiting for me, and I am not screwing around.

[Her tone is hard, angry rather than anxious, determination winning out over uncertainty.]

‘Wonderland.’ Cute, but I’m not impressed. All I want is for you to point me towards the exit. You can do me a solid and we can do this the easy way-- or we can do it the hard way. Trust me, whatever weird stuff you might be into, I can promise you won’t be happy if we go that route.

[She stays on the line, just to wait for any kind of possible response-- but she doesn’t really know what to expect. This entire thing has her out of her depth, even if she’s not willing to admit it.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Okay. If I see him, I'll tell you. Wonderland is only so big.

[Not sure if that was reassuring him, but if he were here, then it wouldn't take long to find him.]

Appreciated. Another pair of eyes can't hurt.

[Whether or not she can trust that pair of eyes remains to be seen, but beggars can't be choosers.]

You don't sound all that surprised by any of this. Have you been stuck here awhile?

[He'd have to be on the lookout for this person for sure. Things could get chaotic in Wonderland, so he hoped that she could find him before the next event.]

Over a year. Some people have been here for years while others stay a week or a few months then get sent home.

[He wished there were a pattern though. It'd perhaps make things easier.]

We don't get to choose to stay or leave though, unfortunately.

A year.

[Part stunned, part disbelieving.]

They've held you here for that long, and the authorities haven't come looking?

[This place being another world is going to be a tough sell for awhile, but hey, these modern kidnappings can get pretty damn elaborate.]

Time at home stops while we're here. When we go back home, it's like we didn't even leave.

[Which could imply no one at home noticed that they were even gone. Unfortunately.]

Even if this place takes away your memories, when you go home, you'll remember everything again.

It's a nice idea, that whoever we've left behind isn't missing us, but I just can't believe it.

[She can't believe most of what she's heard and read today.]

Whoever drags us here-- they really are brainwashing people, aren't they? [Taking away their memories, or shoving these new ones at them and trying to pass them off as truth-- it's dirty either way.] Dangerous game. Whenever we track them down, they're gonna have a lot of pissed off people to answer to.

I know.

[It was hard to believe a place like this existed, but still. Here they were.]

I don't know if it's the people here doing it so much as it is the world itself doing it. But it'd be nice to know what exactly or how it's doing it.

Sorry, I just don't buy this 'other world' or 'parallel dimension' schtick.

[Give her some time on that one.]

When I find out who, though, they're gonna be real damn sorry.

[She'd understand, eventually, but Minato wouldn't press. Some people just needed to learn it and see it for themselves, which was a good quality in itself, investigating and researching for one's self just to be sure.]

If you do find out, then be careful. Although I'm sure a lot of people would be happy too to be able to go home.

No kidding. I can't imagine there are all that many people who are thrilled about being kidnapped.

[Stockholm Syndrome aside, and all.]

I'm always careful.

[That's good, if she were always careful. That would help, especially with how unpredictable Wonderland was.]

Maybe not thrilled. Not all of them. Some people might like it here since it gives them a chance to live again.

You can die up to four times here and be brought back. If you die a fifth time, you'll be brought back, but lose something about you when you do.

[There's a long silence following that explanation, before an incredulous:]

You're kidding me.

[That's one of the craziest things she's heard so far.]

[Yeah, it's pretty out there. But he was glad that she knew about it, though it wasn't like he wished death on anyone. It was just how Wonderland operated.]

It has this habit of taking away things from us that we care about.

[Like memories. And identity.]

But day to day, it's not so bad.

I appreciate the pep talk, but I'm not here to learn how to make the most of my time here in the murder mansion.

[She doesn't plan on settling in.]

Thanks for the attempt to help, but I can't just keep standing around here-- I have to keep looking for my kid.

Okay. If you need the help, let me know. If you're hurt, I can heal you.

[She did just arrive and had her priorities. Minato hoped that she could find her kid if he really were here and that he was okay. Minato could always catch up with her later whenever it was convenient for her.]

You can--

[You know what, she'll leave it at that for now.]

Thanks. I'll keep that in mind.

[The connection cuts out after that, but she'll remember him.]

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