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[ She'd spent her first couple of days lingering in the shadows. Not hiding or lurking, really, and maybe there's a chance you've seen her around, but she did her best to play observer -- to get a feel for the place and the people here. She goes into this skeptically, and by nature it's just hard not to, but it isn't long until she realizes Wonderland's residents are a lot like her.

It becomes a series of questions she needs to answer: who are they? Where are they from and what have they left behind? (And most importantly, because of what she's left behind, why are they here and how do they get back? She isn't satisfied with anything she is finding on that particular subject.)

For a moment, she is out of frame, cursing silently under her breath as she checks the device in her hand to make sure the video feed is on. Lois adjusts the device, holding it out so that her face is now in frame. ]

Okay. Okay. Here we go.

[ She coughs, clearing her throat, and runs her fingers quickly through her hair to tuck her hair behind her ears. Lois manages a pretty impressive "on air" presence, even if she's always been a little more interested in seeing her byline on the front page than she was in being on camera. ]

Hello, Wonderland. From the looks of things, you've all had a... rough week.

My name is Lois Lane and it looks like I will be joining you for the interim. I was hoping there would be a few of you willing to... share your experiences. Maybe help me fill in some blanks here?

We can communicate through... uh, this -- [ She shakes the device a bit, the video going a bit Blair Witch Project for a second. ] -- thing, but I am open to meeting in person for a cup of tea or something, if you'd prefer.

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[ She expects for Wonderland's residents to be a little suspicious, because she is too; not just these strangers but of Wonderland itself.

Lois goes into this with a plan: be polite and try not to offend anyone; be friendly without getting too personal and play your cards close to your chest; figure this place out and get a better read on these people; and maybe even make a friend or two. ]

Anything you could tell me is helpful, Mr. Oowada. How long have you been in Wonderland?

[ And that's probably the way to go, there's just too many things you can't really trust over here. Or even if you trust something, never trust it 100%. ...Probably not much different from the reality back home, in that sense. ]

Five months-- almost half a year. I'm guessin' you've been here for a while now?

[ At least, this doesn't sound like her first day. He wonders if she caught anything of the event... which would really suck for her, being a newcomer. ]

A few days.

[ She'd hoped to keep a low profile for a bit longer, but after a certain point you just sort of hit a wall. Posts on the network get confusing without more context and there's only so much she can gather from observation. Sometimes you have to go out on the ground and add a few new voices to the story. ]

Do you remember how you got here, or remember what happened -- back home --
before you arrived?

[ A few days and she already seems a lot calmer than some people (read: himself) who've been here for a while. Complacency? Maturity of an adult? He should feel unsettled as it didn't seem like the former... and yet somehow, he doesn't feel a particularly bad vibe from her. Then again, it's just his gut feeling, who the hell knows. ]

......

[ She sure does launch a tough question right off bat, though. ]

I... remember what happened, but I dunno how I got here. So far, don't think any of us do. At least the people I know don't. Do you?

[ She's a journalist who has walked among gods, it's kind of safe to say she's seen some shit. Wonderland ranks pretty high on the list of Weird, but she's trying her best to think of all of this as... temporary. It's easier that way.

In response to his question, Lois shrugs her shoulders. ]

I sort of just woke up here. I guess I was hoping someone had a different story.

...Thought so.

[ He sighs audibly. ]

This ain't gonna be encouraging but, there're some people who've been here for over five years and things 're still a mystery to them, so... [ A shrug. ] You've heard about the events? I think you might've seen one already.

The thing with the zombies? [ And the dinosaurs, later, apparently. ] I know that they happen fairly often and they're different every time. I don't really understand their purpose other than assuming whoever runs this place has a pretty sick sense of humor.

Yeah. Dunno what's the purpose of it either. All I know 's that it came from someone's memories.

[ Haha, he sure as hell hopes they'll never see an event that comes from his past. ]

Some of 'em can be... kiiinda okay, but 's always good to be vigilant. You probably already are, though.

[ He can tell that much, at least. ]

Anything else you wanna know? Anyone told you anythin' 'bout the deaths yet?

[ It's something he likes to warn new people about. Now that he's joined Commander Shepard's defensive team, that's part of his duty, he thinks. ]

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