First (Video)

[blondehacker]

[A burst of static, and a rough picture flickers across the screen. A blob of a face forms, and seems to be waving at the screen.] Um, hi. Okay. No, wait-- [And she frowns, tapping out something beneath the screen, and suddenly the picture sharpens into perfect clarity.] There! Sorry, the camera wasn't fully reconnected.

...Um. [And she clears her throat.] Hi. I ... already said that, nevermind. Hi, I'm Felicity Smoaks, from Starling City. [And then her expression pinches together like she wishes she could bang her head into a wall, but she refrains.] ...I promise I won't say it again. I'm just... just seeing if there's anyone else out there I could recognize. Since apparently I'm in an alternate dimension and some people aren't even from earth. [There's a vague tone of anxiety in her voice, even fear, but it's mostly filled with wonder-- like part of her can't believe it, and yet the other part, the slightly nerdy part that made it impossible for her to get a date in college, is almost giddy at the possibilities.

If she could just get over the completely scary aspects of being transported out of her home and into this place against her will, she'd be just dandy.]

And, um... look, I know I'm probably the thousandth person to ask this, but it's only my second day and even though I found the pamphlet and understand what it seems to be saying-- [A shake of her head.] I'm just-- just checking. [A small swallow.] Is it true that no one's ever really gotten out of here?

Comments

video

[oncefairytale]

[Amy's a little amused by Felicity. She seems to be kind of adorably funny. Like someone Amy probably would tease day in and day out. She can't help her with Starling City or people she recognizes, but she's got the last question covered.]

People have gotten out of here before, but it usually isn't willingly. And often times they find themselves coming back. Wonderland thinks it's funny like that. Although we're working on trying to find a way out of here. No one's had much luck yet. Some people have been here for years.

Re: video

[blondehacker]

Oh. That's... not actually that comforting. [A pause, and Felicity puts her thinking cap on.] Although... wait. So, if I could convince this queen person that I want to stay here, she might actually send me home?

video

[oncefairytale]

[Wow, Amy really needs to work on her 'Hi, welcome to Wonderland' speech. She never seemed to successfully pull it off. She presses her lips together as she tries to think of something that isn't so doom and glood and 'Sorry you're stuck here I hope you have fun dying!']

Well, no. Not exactly. I'm not sure what gets people sent back. And most of them do return, like I said. Although, I guess it could be worse here. I mean, you're stuck with a bunch of pretty nice people at least.

[There. Sounds homey now, right?]

Re: video

[blondehacker]

...So best case scenario, I get to be a yo-yo? [Don't fret, Amy. Felicity just needs a little time to get over certain things...

And she seems to realize she's being rather doom and gloomy herself, so Felicity perks up, making a conscious decision to ... not... do that.] Sorry. Nice people is good. I mean, it's better than getting stuck with psychopaths and murderers, right? [Awkward laugh?]

video

[jolting]

[Whale hasn't spoken to a new person in a while. Let's see if his bedside manner has improved]

Hello, Felicity. I'm afraid I've never heard of Starling City, but I am from Earth. A small seaside town in Maine, to be exact.

A few people have "gotten out" of here. Some return after a few days with new memories of their homes, and some don't come back at all. So far all those who leave don't seem to have any choice in the matter.

Re: video

[blondehacker]

[She waves at his face in video, although it is somewhat lacking in enthusiasm. Bad news after bad news.] So it can yank you back even after you get out?

[Okay. Okay. Think positive, Felicity. Breaking down crying to a stranger would probably be a horrible first impression.] Do you mind if I ask-- how long have you been here? ...Actually, what's your name?

video

[jolting]

I'm afraid so.

[her question gives him a pause] Victor. My name is Doctor Victor Whale. It'll be five months since I arrived here.

Re: video

[blondehacker]

That's great. [She rubs her eyes slightly, sighing.] There's not even a huge central network I could hack to get to the bottom of this... [She'd checked :|]

It's nice to meet you. I'm glad that the people here are at least... [Not crazy or violent?] ... helpful.

video;

[elegance_guaranteed]

People disappear sometimes. [Teatime smiles, but it doesn't look natural on his face.]

I suspected clean inhumations at first, but death isn't permanent here. Secret prisons are still possible, though.

Re: video;

[blondehacker]

[There is a very long pause as she stares at the video feed. Then, somewhat shakily, she just blurts:] Are you a robot?

[elegance_guaranteed]

[He tilts his head very slowly to the left. He has been asked if he is a lot of things, but 'robot' is a new word to him. His gaze is unwavering. The inky black eye seems to absorb all the light around it. ]

Ro...bot?

lmao I love this

[blondehacker]

[Yes that eye is very unsettling, thank you for focusing it so intently on her.]

Yes. An automated machine or device that is anatomically similar to a human being but lacking -- um. [Okay, wow, she was probably being rude right now.] ... Or maybe you're not a robot. Sorry, I kinda just say things sometimes.

[idolises]

[ Yeah, there is some definite squinting going on at this ]

You're from Starling City?

[blondehacker]

Yup. That's me. Displaced resident from Starling City. [She's having fun with her pity party, so it takes her a moment to realize:] --Wait, you've heard of Starling City?

[idolises]

Yeah, that's where I'm from. I didn't expect anyone else.

[blondehacker]

I didn't expect anyone else either. I mean, it's not really a small world-- universe-- [and its on the tip of her tongue to ask if she knows Oliver or Digg, but she holds it back. Chances were, she didn't. Or, well, everybody knew Oliver, but that wouldn't really help her.] My name is Felicity.

video;

[hypercompetent]

Hey man, resident Earthling chilling here too. Don't worry, it's not just you.

[ Cue the face of one (1) teenager, who's sitting with his chin in his hand and returning the video feed. The least he can do is be helpful. ]

It's kinda like the book Wonderland, you know? People disappear, but then they come back--I just got back from an unexpected [ airquotes ] "vacation", and got my ass dropped right back here where I was.

Re: video;

[blondehacker]

Yay, go... Earth. [And have a small fist-bump that actually more pathetic looking than anything, but hey, she is trying!]

I liked the book Alice in Wonderland as a kid, but I never thought I'd ever actually get to go. [Just another check-mark on the list of 'Things Felicity Thought Would Never Actually Happen In Her Life'.] ...How was the vacation?

video;

[hypercompetent]

[ Stiles returns the favor, pumping his fist in return. At least they're both some levels of normal, right? ]

Yeah, tell me about it. You won't be disappointed, this place's got all the trappings. Cheshire cat, people who talk in riddles, weird monsters, you name it. [ So sorry, Felicity. He gets it.

A short laugh escapes him though, and he shrugs his shoulders. ] Kind of awful, to be honest. Shit at home kind of hit the fan--it was like, really weird though, because even though a bunch of my friends are here? They were there when I went home, but none of them have any memory of what I saw.

Private, private, and more private. Not nearly her level but PRIVATE

[repentant]

[Oliver stares at the screen for a good long moment before he replies. And because she happens to know his little secret, he's making things private in case her mouth decides to start running and out his little secret. He trusts her, but she also has the habit of saying the wrong things.]

Felicity? How- What are you doing here?

[The obvious answer is that the Queen pulled her over but it's very weird that Thea and now Felicity were here. Who was next, Dig?]

:| You act like she can't keep a secret Ollie

[blondehacker]

Oliver? [Oh God, the amount of relief and happiness poured into that one, blurted word.] Oh, thank God. I mean-- okay, maybe not, because that means you're stuck here too and that's bad, but I'm so glad I'm not alone.

[...And that sounded like way more intimate of a revelation than she had meant it to be, so she stops, slaps a hand to her forehead, and then mumbles through her palm:] Can we start over? Where are you?

:|a you do babble Liss...

[repentant]

[Oliver stands there and waits for her to finish. There is a hint of that unimpressed impatience he sports when she goes off on her tangents but he does feel a tug of fondness. She's still the same Felicity and it's nice to have another piece of home here. Having someone in on his secret is always a plus. He wouldn't have wished Wonderland on her, but now that she's here he finds himself relaxing a little more.]

I'm in my room. Where are you? Do you need my assistance?

[stoptheviolence]

[Quite honestly, Brittany stopped paying attention after the words "Starling City". Even if she had maintained her focus through the majority of Felicity's speech, it wouldn't make much difference. She'd gotten the are you from Earth more times than she could count (no, really), and was just as clueless about how to leave Wonderland as she was with following directions in Wonderland.]

Is that anything like Hollywood?

[blondehacker]

Um... [And Felicity considers this.] If you mean like, a big glamorous city with the snobby rich-- sorry Oliver-- living in a big, perfect area that's pretty much right above a seedy underbelly that you'd never want to walk through by yourself at night, then yeah. It's just like Hollywood.

[stoptheviolence]

Cool. So the name's not just false advertising, then.