entranceway | [ Second Experiment

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[ Second Experiment | Video ]

[ The camera is turned on, and Carlos leans back in his computer chair with a heavy sigh. He looks tired, but determined, expression grave as he looks into the camera… one hand resting on the back of the pug with its legs on his lap and its paws on his chest, chewing away on part of his lab coat. Her name is Curie. She likes shoes and- tragically- lab coats.

But only the business-causal kind. His formal coat and outdoor coat have remained untouched. ]

Well, it seems as if that last disturbance in our routine has ended. For now anyway. And I’m sorry to say that despite rigorous testing of the puppies and the molecular makeup of Wonderland both, I learned... [ He pauses, the words themselves hard to even get out. ]

…absolutely nothing. Not about the loss of color, or the loss of powers, or even the dogs themselves. Was it our eyes that were affected, or the actual makeup of the world around us? Were the dogs a coincidence, or did they somehow trigger the change?

[ He glances down at Curie and quickly pulls a pen out of his breast pocket before it can get anywhere near her mouth. He’s already lost two lab coats and a perfectly good loafer since this all started. ] I have to admit, I’m not used to this. Even in Night Vale- that’s where I’m from, by the way, such an interesting town- even there, I made progress. We discovered new things all the time. More then my team could even keep up with at first! But I’ve been in Wonderland more than a month now, and despite all my research, I’m not making the same sort of headway. Not at all. There’s just nothing worse than a problem you can’t solve, don’t you think?

[ He sighs again and finally picks Curie up to put her down on the floor to join the other three dogs that have yet to disappear. He's not sure why some of the pups in Wonderland have stayed and some have not- another mystery unsolved. Maybe he shouldn't have named them. ]

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[Excellent, someone else looking for answers! Her interest is very piqued.]

Doctor, I presume? Don't give up hope. When logic fails to answer our questions there are more alternatives we can take.

Doctor? [ Well that brings a smile to his face regardless of his frustrated mood. ] It’s been a while since anyone called me that… you can just call me ‘Carlos’ of course, don’t need to be formal.

[ The smile becomes a little wistful then. ] That’s what I usually say… you’re right of course. Completely right, totally right- the world is full of more possibilities than we can possibly know. Maybe I’ve just been spoiled by the success of my past research. This place… it’s like it was made to give nothing away. It probably was, actually.

Carlos it is, you may call me Sir Hellsing.

May I ask about your research? Perhaps I could be of some help.

[ Hoo-boy Integra, are you sure you want to open that can of worms? Carlos could literally talk for days uninterrupted about his research. Oh, but too late- he’s sitting up a little straighter in his chair and eagerly nodding at the camera. ]

Of course! I would be happy to have any kind of assistance. [ He moves his chair closer and leans his arms on the desk, fingers laced together. ] Sir Hellsing, how much do you know about quantum physics…?

[Are you kidding me? If it takes a week to get through all the information, she'll sit there hungrily listening to everything and probably taking notes! You have some tea? You can go all night with a good cup of tea.]

Plenty. Although the normal world sees the postulates presented as nothing more than theories without a sensible end, my family has studied the science through a rational perspective and that of the occult.

[ Carlos is staring wide-eyed at Integra through the screen, like he’s just received a Christmas present he’s always wanted. Or wanted since he arrived in Wonderland, anyway. Someone who gets it, who is knowledgeable and willing to help. ]

I did my thesis on the possibility of scientific exploration of the so-called “impossible!” It focused more on the scientific aspect of things than occult explanations for phenomena, but my point was that it’s all connected, all able to be explained using the same system. [ He’s back to his constantly curious, interested self. ]

So if you’re already familiar with physics, then I don’t need to explain the basics. The bare-bones version of my theory is that we’ve all arrived here through cracks in space-time- I met someone else here who characterized them as “rifts” in the fabric of things. I’m thinking now, if we can get the right technology and the right scientific minds together, and figure out the process through which these rifts were opened in the first place… we can make our own. We can get out. And I’m suspecting we’ll need a combination of science and what some of the denizens here call “magic” if we’re to manipulate Wonderland’s own system.

[She leans back in the chair she's sitting on in her elaborate bedroom, reaching into her coat for a cigar. She's amused by the look on his face.]

It's a difficult task to be able to tear through space and manipulate time but it is not impossible. I have met and killed creatures capable of doing it. My families research proved that such abilities could be given to an individual if enough power were able to be forged. Think of a human body as a conduit. It would take some time and effort.

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[ Night Vale. That place again. What a weirdass world.

Since is some time before the inevitable catastrophe, the irrational anger directed at Cecil hasn't come to full force yet. It's still stagnated at confusion and irritation that he has the gall to accuse America and Luke of being evil when he comes from a city with Secret Police and ghost squids. He just props his hand on his chin. ]

Don't beat yourself up too much. Some things just don't got no logical explanation. Were the English genetically designed to have a metaphorical stick up their ass or is it a product of their miserable, rainy environment? Who was the person who decided if a chair was masculine or feminine and made a language out of it? Why do dicks twitch? What are birds? We just don't know.

At least you've got a cute new team!

[ He grins a the pup menagerie. ]

[ Carlos wouldn’t argue with that assessment, except to say that weird is good, don’t you think? So interesting!

But since the accusation goes unspoken, Carlos instead reacts to seeing America for the first time since the home invasion- he frowns, a little worried and confused and… well, actually grateful, because America sounds like he’s trying to help. In a weird, roundabout sort of a way, but still.

… And Carlos won’t even mention that yes, science does know what a bird is, and… the dick thing. Probably. He’s going to assume it’s been studied. ]

It’s true that we don’t know all the logical explanations for- er, some of those things… but I have to argue that there actually is an explanation for everything. Somewhere. That’s the job of a scientist you see: to explain the unexplainable.

[ He glances back when America mentions his new puppy collection. Schrödinger the Great Dane puppy is sitting inside of a box and watching as Newton the maltese paws at its cardboard sides.

… there’s a joke in there, somewhere. ]

Yes, I suppose that’s one good thing… [ He’s smiling a little as he turns back to the camera. ] I’m not actually great with animals, and I’ve never had puppies before… it’s going better than I would have thought.

[ Weird is good when "weird" means "having Google Maps available in 1945" not "people keep dying horribly from shit like librarians and black voids."

In these hours before his own science nerd dumps him on his ass, America remains pretty amiable to Carlos. The home invasion instance seems, if not forgotten, then willfully ignored. Much like Night Vale's angels. ]

Good luck with that. Really, I mean it. 'Cause science means progress and progress means less people gettin' sick and more people havin' fun! Most importantly, it means me gettin' ahead of everyone else and rubbin' it in Europe's face.

[ Truly that is the critical application of scientific advancements. But he does look genuinely excited because he does like science. Maybe not to the extent of Luke or Carlos, but he finds biology and physics fascinating, and he's got a thing for archeology that borders on the obsessive. The problem is he gets distracted way too easily to be a proper scientist; halfway through an experiment he'd see that Jurassic Park is on TV and it's all over.

That and he just doesn't ask the right questions. Like why the hell can Canada's polar bear talk but America's whale can't? Doesn't even occur to him. Absurdity is his normality. ]

Fortunately for you, I'm great with animals! Had all sorts over the years--dogs, cats, horses, rabbits, eagles, a whale, lived with bears and wolves and bison for a while when I was a baby, friends with a raccoon or two, and now there's the dinosaurs... So if you ever need any help you know who to ask!

Well, that’s… [ Carlos is surprised by the accuracy of America’s evaluation of science, but at the same time, he’s pretty unsure of how this helps a young man feel superior to the entire continent of Europe. But far be it from him to turn someone away from the pursuit of scientific discovery, so he just lets that part go. ] You’re, um… you’re definitely not wrong, mostly. Scientific progress helps everyone. [ Even Europeans. ]

[ He smiles at America’s enthusiasm, and is about to consider taking him up on his offer… but then the expression wavers, then slips, leaving Carlos looking concerned instead. ] That’s really very, surprisingly nice of you, but I’m sure I don’t need to remind you that you broke into Cecil’s apartment. You terrorized him. I’m not sure that I can trust…

… wait, dinosaurs? [ Why does he keep meeting people in Wonderland who have gotten to meet dinosaurs!? ]

[ He sorta just rolls his eyes at the whole "breaking into Cecil's apartment and terrorizing him" thing, because really? Is everyone still hung up on that? What an melodramatic crybaby, America thinks. There's horrifying murderers in Wonderland--ones America is still trying to find and had to investigate Cecil, obviously--and he's getting all huffy about a few stolen books and property damage? Both of which are a direct result of being such and annoying crybaby. They didn't even hurt him! Well, Luke tried to, but Luke has the physical poweress of an intoxicated songbird. America would know; he's had his hair pulled and skin scratched by the boy dozens of times.

But America decides his irritated tirade would just be a waste of breath, so he only lets out a heavy sigh to express his feelings. Besides, why bother steering the conversation toward Carlos' creepy boyfriend when they could talk about dinosaurs? It's enough to force America to swallow the sour taste Cecil's name leaves on his tongue so that he can grin. His camera jostles and wanders toward a corner of the room where a massive Utahraptor is grooming her feathers. Red eyes like a Bearded Vulture's flick to America briefly, looking more bored than anything (or maybe just resigned to whatever fucking antics her owner is about to include her in). ]

That's Ruth! I got another one, Jackson, but he's in time-out for chewing up my stuff.

[ At his name, a muffled hiss comes from somewhere else in the room. ]

[ Carlos looks like he’s just seen a ghost- but no, not quite like that. Not in the usual way people use that phrase. More like he’s a paranormal investigator who has waited his entire life to see a ghost and has finally gotten to see his first, definitive proof of one. On Christmas morning. Straight from Santa himself. That’s what he looks like. ]

I-is that…? This is live, isn’t it? You’re not doctoring the feed somehow? [ He’s leaning closer to the camera and gaping at the screen. ] Those are here in Wonderland? Right now?

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I can think of a few worse things.

[She's glad that the majority of the puppies are gone and not causing any more damage to her belongings.]

But I digress. I was also wondering if there was a connection between everything that happened and I didn't come up with anything at all. Maybe it was based on a few memories of people in Wonderland as opposed to one. Jumbled together.

I can only guess.

… Actually, scientifically speaking, you’re right. I’m alive by some given definition of life, have all of my natural-born limbs… there are definitely worse things. But still. It is frustrating.

Oh, that’s right- the events are based on memories, aren’t they? The last one might have actually had its source in my boyfriend. At least in part. [ He frowns, but it’s more of a thinking expression than a frustrated one. ] Multiple memories? That’s interesting. Do you think the process of pulling memories is entirely random then? Or if they have access to all of our memories all of the time, I suppose they could pick and choose.

[ Which is actually a terrifying possibility. ]

Oh yes, definitely frustrating.

[She wasn't going to disagree with him on that; Bela just had more pressing concerns in Wonderland.]

Yeah? I was actually wondering who was the source for the event. Intriguing. [Perhaps Bela will look into it later.]

I think it could be random selection, since there doesn't seem to be a set pattern for the events- they can happen anytime. But you could also be right; the place seems to do as it pleases.

It does do as it pleases... it’s almost like the place itself is sentient.

[ Which is a terrifying thought, really. ]

That implies that something or someone can see into our heads… even tamper with memories. It makes you wonder what the point of all this is, doesn’t it? Something with that amount of power has to have a goal, right? [ Just some of his endless questions. ]

Whatever the goal is, it isn't for our benefit. [ She takes a moment to consider. ] A theory I have is that they bring us here to test our limits by using our own memories against us. Maybe it gives them some form of entertainment.

Others have said that Wonderland is an alternative universe or dimension. Before coming here, all I knew was that it existed in a work of fiction. I couldn't accept that this place was Wonderland at first.

One big psychological experiment? [ That would be so completely unethical that Carlos feels a little sick just thinking about it. But given the nature of Wonderland, it would make sense. ]

Oh, I’m sure it’s a pocket dimension of some kind. It makes sense from a scientific perspective. [ From a really weird scientific perspective, but he excels at that sort of thing. ] It’s the same where I’m from. Wonderland was from a book originally, and no one would ever dream that it was a real place… especially not one like this.

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