1; Video -

[onetwentythree]

Jesus.

Hell.

Elizabeth? Elizabeth!?

[Booker mumbled off camera for a bit until the device was picked up, and nearly dropped out of shock upon seeing himself on the small screen. He figured it was some sort of lady's compact mirror... with typewriter keys. He was more concerned about the gash on his forehead and the current nosebleed he was sporting. He touched two fingers to the bleeding wound, allowing himself to can the macho act for just a moment to whimper like a baby. This job was going from bad to worse.]

Great. At least we're away from that mechanical menace.

[He lifted an arm to wipe the blood away with a sleeve, inspecting the source of it, that's when he noticed the words ‘recording’ flashing in the corner of the screen.]

Recording…? Recording what? Hey, just so we're clear. I ain't paying for this moving pictures thing.

Uh, hello? I’m looking for a girl. [He felt like a moron for talking to a moving picture.] Brunette, blue skirt. Long hair- tied up in a ribbon. No, that’s wrong. Short hair. She just cut it. Goes by the name Elizabeth...?

This is ridiculous. No one is going to hear this.

[He pockets the device as it's still recording, catching a rather colorful monologue as he heads towards what he believes is civilization.]

Comments

video

[postictal]

[Tim...honestly really prefers text. Context clues, though, would indicate that this guy might not have any idea how to grok that. "Moving pictures thing" probably means - yeah, some kinda old-timey guy.

So. Video it is.]

Someone heard it.

[onetwentythree]

[Booker resembles that remark. Whatever happened to the good old fashioned telegram? Carrier pigeon? Now his pocket was talking to him.]

...

...........

[That's the moving pictures thing, DimWitt.]

[He tilted his head at the camera, raising a brow until it pulled at the wound on his forehead. There was a man trapped inside the device. There had to be an explanation for this, besides hitting his head. He'd just witnessed a floating city before here. Wherever here was.]

How the hell are you in there?

[postictal]

[So that "old-timey" hypothesis is right, it turns out. If Tim were the kind of guy who laughed at absurd situations - or at all, really - he'd probably be laughing now.

But he isn't, so he's not. His mouth simply tightens into a thin, weary line. Oh boy.]

I'm not. It's like a...recorder thing? I dunno, man. What year are you from?

video

[catinthemask]

[A man in a strange cat-like mask pops up on video.]

Ah ah ah, I have to say you are loud and clear amigo! Welcome to Wonderland. Sadly while I have to inform you that I have not seen that girl, I may be able to answer any other questions you may have.

[onetwentythree]

[He can check a man in a strange cat-like mask off his list of things he's seen in the last few days.]

Now that I know my pocket isn't offering up conversation as a confirmation of concussion.

Let me get this straight. Wonderland? As in Carroll's Wonderland? I think I may need that doctor. You sure you haven't seen her? My life depends on finding that girl. [Only a half of a lie.]

[catinthemask]

I can assure you are still of sound mind, my friend. And yes, it seems we all have taken a trip down that particular rabbit hole and wound up here.

[Pretty obviously unwilling for most, unless they really did trip on some poor rabbit's unfortunate choice for a home before coming here.]

I am sure I have not seen someone matching that description but the probability of the person you are seeking responding is high as you have broadcast to the entire mansion. Unless she is fleeing you for whatever reason! Eh eh eh.

[He's kidding.]

Video

[forwearemany]

We are familiar with a woman of this description.

(The robot stares at the device with its singular, glowing eye, headflaps shifting slightly as it speaks.)

[onetwentythree]

[Booker takes back that he's seen everything. Now he's seen everything.]

There's more than one of you?

[forwearemany]

(Their headflaps flick outward briefly.)

There are 1,183 programs within this platform.

[video]

[wriggedywrecked]

Oh yeah, Liz is h-here. She's cool.

[onetwentythree]

[He's going to assume cool means something totally different to six feet under the ground.]

Alright, pal, I'm listening.

Wanna tell me where I can find her?

[wriggedywrecked]

How about you tell me how you know her first.

[Possibly slightly defensive. He likes Liz.]

[video]

[theothermrgray]

On the contrary, I'm afraid everyone can hear you.

[There's a man who seems to be from the same time era as Booker, or at least 20 years back. A dandy, and a pretty one at that.]

Don't worry, I didn't understand the mechanics of this device either when I first arrived. As for the girl, I haven't seen her.

[onetwentythree]

I've seen my fair share of strange. Mechanical men, floating cities, oceans in the sky. This? [He shakes the device in his hand.] This is the least of my worries. There a way out of this Wonderland?

[He pauses long enough to look at the camera, taking note of the young man on the other side.] Care to shed some light on the subject, kid?

[theothermrgray]

[Dorian frowns and shakes his head.]

Oh, how I wish I knew a way out. Everyone else I've met has informed me that this place will not let you leave unless it feels like it.

By, the by... You must have some interesting stories to tell. Perhaps we could talk once you get settled in?

[video]

[assembles]

[ It's not exactly uncommon for someone new to this place to struggle a little with the video function. There isn't much guidance given to a new arrival, not unless they decide to be careful enough to gather some information before sending their initial thoughts out to the world.

Not that Steve blames this guy, if he's got someone he's looking for. A familiar someone, at that.

Steve sends a video recording back. It's always nice to be able to tell someone that he actually has seen the person they're trying to track down. ] Sounds like the same Elizabeth I've met here, yeah. You're from Columbia too?

[ No doubt Elizabeth herself will reply soon enough, but better that Steve offer up the good news as soon as possible. That is, if both of them being trapped here together counts as good news. The guy is also kind of roughed up, though, so it seems only polite to ask... ] You all right?

[onetwentythree]

From New York. Visited Columbia on a whim, met Elizabeth.

[The truth was ugly, Booker didn't even want to think about it. The parameters of his mission had changed considerably. He cared. He wasn't supposed to care, but he did.]

I owe her a debt. She wanted to see Paris, and it looks like we got Wonderland?

[Booker touched the drying wound on his forehead, shrugging a shoulder. Nothing he couldn't handle. He'd been stabbed, shot at, set on fire- Columbia was a great city. New York was much safer.] Just a scratch.

[assembles]

A debt?

[ There's only so much that Steve knows about Elizabeth's story. He's got bits and pieces, and he seems to recall her mentioning her desire to visit Paris before.

Is this the man who broke her out of her cage? ]

I'm also from New York. Brooklyn. [ It's impossible for Steve not to mention that when it comes up. He already knows that Elizabeth's world isn't quite like his own, though, since a floating city called Columbia is definitely not a thing where Steve's from.

He doesn't look entirely convinced about that being "just a scratch," but he's guilty of brushing off wounds in the same way. ] All right, well... there's a clinic on the first floor, if you ever need it.

video;

[backpacking]

[ Huh. Old guy looking for a brunette girl. At least this one didn't set the library on fire. ]

Uh - I think she's here. Elizabeth. [ Ellie hasn't met her, but she's been in the mansion long enough to have encountered the woman. ] She's got long hair, though, like you said at first.

[onetwentythree]

[Sassy kid. Similar to Elizabeth, younger though.]

Thanks, miss. [Long hair? That didn't make sense at all. He'd just witnessed Elizabeth cutting her hair. Huh.] How much do you know about this place?

[backpacking]

'Miss?' [ She snorts. ] Just 'Ellie' is fine.

[ She wrinkles her nose, considering. ]

Uh... a good amount, I guess? Been here about a year and a half.

video;

[uncaging]

[When she hears his voice, she's not sure if she's hallucinating. She's been here so many months with no sign of anything familiar, and when she hears him call her name it doesn't sound real at first. When she replies, her joy is tempered by her wariness at this being all some trick after all.]

...Mr DeWitt?

[onetwentythree]

Elizabeth.

[Is he smiling? He'll deny it later. Ah, Booker. A man of many words when he's concerned. And just like that, he's back on track.]

You're not hurt. [That's a relief.] Where are you?

video;

[reverseengineer]

[Pidge leans forward, looking interested.]

What mechanical menace?

[Because priorities.]

[onetwentythree]

It's, uh. Some sort of bird. Got a helluva screech. Really doesn't like it when you get close to Elizabeth.