entranceway | File E7657841

[ So, it's been a while since John's put his face out there, but considering the last time (and everything that's happened since), maybe it's not so hard to figure out why. Nevertheless, this suitably fine Sunday finds him taking the risk once again. It's not so much an attempt to be social as much as a way to stay connected without getting too close. ]

Hey, everyone. [ He waves. ] 'Bout a year an' a half ago, me an' the residents of Wonderland — some of 'em, at least — played a get-to-know-you game. It was pretty amusin' so I thought I'd bring it back, maybe add a few things, too.

Here's how it works: I'll says somethin' like, "If you were a superhero..." then you'll answer, "I'd be the Batman 'cause I'm from Gotham, my entire wardrobe's black, and I've smoked a pack a day for ten years, so my voice sounds like this." [ For the last part, he lowers his voice to a near-comical growl. ] Pick somethin' that suits you, or somethin' that's funny, and then when you're done answerin', come up with a similar one for me.

If you wanna play that, I can start us off with an easy one: If you were an animal...

Now, if that's not your game, I've got this totally original Wonderland Bingo card. [ He shows off the image of the BINGO card to the camera. ] Fill it out for yourself. If you can manage a bingo — that's five squares in a row, either horizontally, vertically, or diagonally — then I'll personally give you some kinda prize. Maybe dinner, I dunno.

Finally, if none of those are all that appealin', I'm thinkin' of maybe gettin' people together for a friendly game of Truth or Dare. If you're interested in that instead, just lemme know...

[ Yep. That's what John Blake's offering Wonderland this week. Hope you guys enjoy his newfound interest in doing very little that could be considered productive. ]

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[ Blake's mouth opens for a second to protest, but he manages to wrangle it before Philip finishes his statement. ]

Well, to be fair, thought this up when I was a kid, so that wasn't an option — not that time travel was, but maybe you get my drift on that. You don't think you'd recognize your clone was evil before things got too fucked up?

[ But, really, it's a valid point. A really valid point. Which just means another perspective John can take into account moving forward. Wonderland's certainly an educational experience. ]

Depends, is he going to conveniently have glowing red eyes or a moustache? Because if I ever do return from the future with a moustache, then I should probably be shot just in case, evil or not.

[ That makes Blake laugh outright and he shakes his head back and forth, one hand coming up to stop Philip before he can get much further. ]

Nono, it's the goatee that makes you automatically evil. Mustaches just mean you're considerin' law enforcement. Or you're a porn star.

I'll be sure to update my notes accordingly, though with those two options in mind I'm inclined to think my "shoot first, contemplate moral alignment later" guideline still counts.

[ One last grin twitches on Philip's lips, but when it fades his tone is solemn again. ]

So... are you getting any useful profiling out of this? Because you're not-- it's not just community building, right?

Eh, might be a bit more community buildin' that you think. That bein' said, it's not not useful. No way to say who's tellin' the truth, though, at least for the one square it really matters.

[ John doesn't expect every murderer to come out and just say that's what they do, doesn't expect even accurate results, but it has been telling. Knowing Blake, he'll compile the results and search for the patterns present. ]

[ You mean to tell him that the HAVE TURNED BODIES INTO PERSONAL ARTS AND CRAFTS PROJECTS square went completely unused? Philip is shocked. Shocked and completely surprised. He almost points out as much, but-- ]

Fair enough. Erm, hey...

[ But now he's stupidly strayed too far into a very particular direction of his own mind, and suddenly he has to rack his brain for excuses not to ask a very particular question. ]

Did--

[ He breathes sharply, in a last effort to change the subject on himself. ]

Did you ever find out who killed Dean?

[ He fails. ]

[ And then there's that. Blake finds his solemn self much like Philip and for a moment he sits boiling in his own skin at the idea that hasn't figured it out. ]

No.

[ He hates saying that, he hates it. But it's the truth and since he'd somewhat run afoul of Evie, Will, and Dean over his determination to solve the mystery, Blake's since felt scolded enough to pull back. Maybe too far, if this appearance on the network in all its useful glory is any indication. ]

Spoke with Clarisse 'bout her murder kinda recently, though. Talked to Dean. He didn't want much to do with me helpin' out. Talked to Jesse. Kid was pretty freaked out.

Can't help feelin' like there's somethin' more workin' 'gainst us gettin' this solved.

[ It has perturbed Blake in ways he can't accurately describe. ]

So I take it the budding friendship isn't going so well this time around, huh?

[ Part of him gets the sense that he should have glossed over that bit silently, but another part - the vocal one with the sympathetic grimace - has been waiting too long for somebody who gets it. ]

...But, erm, anyway, what do you mean something more? Are we talking supernatural culprit, or-- If we've got three deaths, do you figure they know who killed them, at least?

[ John doesn't go into the details of his current relationship with the hunter, but his face likely betrays an indecent amount in that regard. While things have smoothed considerably, there's no denying that Blake's feeling the loss of what once was; no amount of well meaning spackle with fill up the cracks left behind by a former Dean Winchester (a theme brought to you, in part, by Wonderland).

Lips pursing, he opts to move on since there'll be no love lost between them by not addressing that particular issue. ]

They don't. Or they're lyin' to me and sayin' they don't, which doesn't seem all that likely.

[ Abruptly, he adds one last thing. ] We're in close quarters and this person's leavin' us clues. Why haven't we figured this out?

[ Fair enough, in hindsight that's about the answer he'd expected, not to mention the one he'd probably have given himself, back in the days. ]

I'd blame Wonderland, but it's never done anything like that before, that is, unless you count dragging in people who would do things exactly like that.

[ He presses two fingers against his temple. ]

What clues are we talking about, and-- Do you have a suspect, at least? Suspects?

Every body's been a callin' card. That's clue enough to me. Pretty sure Dean's on to somethin', but he's not bein' all that cooperative. If he doesn't know who, then he's definitely got a suspect. All I've got is dough and a vague inklin'.

[ Very vague. Too vague to really consider and inkling. ]

All right.

[ That tells Philip absolutely nothing, which is probably just as well. Even without events Wonderland hasn't exactly been a happy G-rated environment most of the time, for some reasons or other, and the last he probably needs is getting too caught up in somebody's arbitrary killing spree. ]

I'd say I'll keep you posted if I hear anything on my end, but short of being around when Evie found the first body I haven't... actually been involved in any way, so there's not much of a my end to speak of.

You're doin' 'bout as good as me, in that case.

[ Granted, there are plenty of distractions, but for the most part, Blake's just feeling frustratingly cockblocked by something. In Gotham he would have already figured this out. ]

If I make any progress, I'll let you know.

Not sure I'd even want to know. I'm thinking just a bullet point summary of who to avoid in order not to end up on the Network Corpse News will do the trick. But, erm, thanks for the offer.

[ Philip gets the sense that there's a good chance he'll be asking for a progress report come next week, but it's nice to take a break somewhere in the sunny illusion of knowing how to mind your own business. ]

Anyway, have fun with-- the community building exercises. Talk to you soon, um--

[ Is that it? That sounds like just about it. Philip nods, waits for the usual "last opportunity for goodbyes or interjections" amount of time, and if they won't come-- ]

Cheers.

[ --reaches to turn off the feed. ]

File E7657841 - Fun & Games

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