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File Z5287452 - No Context

[ While he's known for being pretty quick to assess a situation and pick up on what's going on, there hasn't hardly been time for that before Robin John Blake is addressing the network, a rather uneasy expression wrinkling his forehead, his whole being scrunched up while he tries to get used to using a video function that is nowhere near standard in his time and place. ]

Uh... Know this is gonna sound kinda weird, but— [ Believe it or not, John Blake, there isn't much you could say that the denizen of Wonderland would consider weird, but you go ahead and give it a try, buddy. ] Well... don't s'pose I'm dreamin', am I?

[ It feels like a good guess because he doesn't remember traveling, and he certainly doesn't remember leaving home, and since the last thing he'd done was attend a funeral, it could be a strange coincidence, a fabrication of his mind that's now semi-lucid, sitting here telling him how what he sees and feels can't be what's actually happening. People don't just appear in storybooks (and even if he did, it wouldn't be this celebrated tale). ]

Barrin' that, think I might be dead... [ It's mumbled in an off-hand way, as if maybe he's already considered it, but decided not to lead with that theory. Audible to the rest, even if he's quick to move on from saying it. ] But on the off chance I'm not either of those things, think someone could help me out figurin' what's goin' on here?

[ He likes to think a uniform would have added something to this request, but having just given up his badge for good, all he can do is address everyone as a regular guy — definitely not his first choice, since it usually does him no favors.

He looks like he's done, about to end the transmission, when something else occurs to him. ] —in person, if possible. Not really— Not really much of a fan of these things, not if I can help it.

[ He can't, not here, but he'll at least be content to try for a while. With luck, it won't even matter when he wakes up from all of this... ]

Be— [ A gesture over his shoulder. ] Gonna be outside for a while — out front. So... yeah.

[[ OOC: Video, audio, or action perfectly okay, just note. Will also match style. For starters, send a PM to this account or hit me up @ blakeroo on plurk. :) ]]

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[Due to recent events, Seth isn't entirely up to people things. He's not entirely up to being very humane either, but damn he's bored. Besides, people should be warned of their new life.]

You aren't dead. Dead would probably be easier. Also, if your dreams are like this, I wouldn't fucking want to know what your nightmares are like.

Welcome to Wonderland, where the loonies run the bin and the locals have all been kidnapped.

[ He's a bit relieved for what amounts to a regular phone call. It allows him an opportunity to do something with his face — specifically, emote. Of course, that does him no good when he scoffs a little on the other end of the line. Strangely enough, there are times when Seth's sentiment about Wonderland is on the nose for how John's felt about Gotham City. ]

Yeah, thanks for that...

[ At least someone is a little more directly answering his questions. Everyone else seems to want to do the whole get-to-know-you thing, when he's quite frankly more interested in answers right now. ]

—but I don't remember bein' kidnapped. Don't remember gettin' here at all.

[Seth figures people showing up are dealing with enough without some cold hard facts. It had made it easier for him.]

Yeah, I didn't remember it either. No one does. No sign of being hit over the head, no taste like you've been drugged. Not a damn thing to clear it up. I was running on wormhole for a while, but way too many showing up just since I got here to believe they're all just tripping over one.

No one remembers how, and the answers that start adding up aren't likely to make you much happier. Go with wormhole.

Why should I be aimin' for happy here? Pretty sure this isn't the vacation I was lookin' for, sorry to say.

[ All this himming and hawing is just Blake's way of admitting this wasn't in his cards. But then again, it's sounding as if that's the case for anyone he talks to. ]

So, if I was lookin' for somethin' a little less convenient, what would you say is drivin' this place?

Because you're stuck here for maybe a very long time. You want to be miserable for all of that, go for it. I'm not the type to wallow in misery.

[Which is a huge ass lie, but least he's not using things he shouldn't in Wonderland.]

Something bigger and badder than what I've known. You've got people here doing shit I never imagined even when my world went tits up around me. Those kind of people don't just get kidnapped by some two bit asshole looking for a big score on a random. Not to mention, far as we know, no one is looking to ransom us or put us to work. Just deal with their psycho games and maybe survive them.

So what's driving this place? Not sure I want to know what's behind the beheaded duchess and the kid with no eye. Not sure we'll ever know either.

[ At least surviving a psycho games is legitimately on Blake's resume. It doesn't please him to imagine a life based on that, nor does the idea of it inspire him to reach for happiness despite everything.

But there's no reason to squabble over something like that. He's not about to tell people they're wrong to live their lives, especially if it's true they're all stuck.

He changes gears, hopes to at least give them both some sense of progress because he's having a little trouble processing. ]

A very long time, eh? [ Blake pauses on the line. ] What's your name? How long've you been here?

[If Seth had been given a choice, his definitely wouldn't have been another world where every other day was fighting for his life. Sadly, he learned at a young age we never get those choices.

Instead he just keeps fighting, which is about all you can do in Wonderland. Or blow holes into the Mirrorverse and cause a lot of shit. There's that too.]

I've only been here a few months. My brother and a friend have been here working hard on a year now? Maybe more? It doesn't even touch the years some have told me about. Funny thing is though? My brother says he was here for months before I showed up in the attic.

Which is only funny since I had been having dinner with him about five minutes before I showed up in this place.

[ If nothing else, Seth and John are partially of a like mind. No stranger to the school of hard knocks, Blake has always been a damn good fighter. Trouble is, he doesn't exactly specialize in battling back this brand of insanity. He could expect to see someone acting like the Mad Hatter in Gotham, but the Mad Hatter himself? Not quite.

This is going to take some getting used to. ]

You're sayin' your brother was somehow here and back at home with you? At the same time?

[ He'll live without a name right now if he can get some clarification on this setting instead. ]

Yeah, this is where Wonderland starts to live up to its name. Which, by the way, the name is Seth.

[Not giving a last name if he isn't directly asked. If only that for all he knows, someone is going to recognize it, and that was all he needs. Enough trouble in Wonderland. Don't need any from home.]

No one can explain it to me. We're not the only ones, apparently. Others have come from differing times, knowing they just saw the other person. Don't ask me to explain it. I'm still trying to get past the rooms changing because you want them to.

[ Oh, for the love of— Rooms changing because you want them to? It's aptly named, Wonderland is — he can agree to that — but some of this sounds a bit too wild even for the original book. ]

Seth, I'm— I'm havin' a bit of a hard time with this. Name's John Blake. John Blake, who, by the way, is havin' a hard time with this — John Blake, who usually goes by Blake, but apparently everyone— most everyone seems to already know that, 'cause apparently they already know me—

[ Whoa there, man, way to show the guy you're totally capable. He grumbles a bit. ]

This is gonna take some gettin' used to...

[In the end, Seth is being kinder to this guy than most. He usually drops a lot more, but he's seen how badly that has gone and so trying to change how he is doing things.]

Yeah, well, Blake? It gets worse, but you can handle it. Least I have faith anyone can. There are kids who handle this shit, after all.

[Not that he was sure he could entirely count Dipper and Mabel as normal kids.]

Wait, they're saying you were here before? [He's heard of it, but never encountered it.] Huh. That has to suck. Maybe they're making mistakes? I mean, John Blake isn't entirely a unique name.

[ He stiffens on the other end of the line, attention now very pointedly directed at his phone. Kids? There are kids here? It creates a buzz in John's head as a mixture of anger and dread drapes over him like a heavy blanket. No one deserves to be kidnapped, but kidnapping kids is a particularly heinous crime in Blake's mind. Whether or not they're equipped to handle Wonderland doesn't change that opinion.

When he snaps back from his thoughts a second or two later, he realizes he's mostly missed the questions. They replay incompletely in his head, but he thinks he's got the gist of it. ]

Uuh, yeah— No, it's isn't. Unique. But all I got is a, uh... Their word? Some of 'em seem pretty knowledgeable, know at least a few things 'bout me. Besides, it's not like all John Blakes look alike.

[Seth is a criminal. He's killed federal officers. He's taken on demonic creatures. It pisses him right the fuck off that kids are here. They should be living their lives, happy, being fucking kids. He never had a childhood. Not like that. He wanted it for every day kid he could see it for.

And he tried to help the kids here, even if a couple of them seem to have lived much weirder lives than he has.]

Fair enough. Right now, I'm going to tell you what I have others. You've got no reason not to believe the believe it. You have no reason to disbelieve. Enough time, you believe this place, but the people? They're all in the same boat you are. Why would they lie to you?

Edited 2017-05-29 20:56 (UTC)

Not sayin' you're not right, but who's to say the people aren't wrapped up in whatever this is? Maybe they don't lie, but they could just as easily be sayin' what they're told to say.

[ He stifles a cough and pushes on, not wanting to give Seth the wrong idea. ]

I'm the kinda guy that maintains a healthy amount of skepticism, that's all. Stranger in a strange land.

Who knows. Not the answer you probably want, but right now? I trust two people with my life. The rest I'm giving a chance to. That said, a lot of chances to put a bullet in my back and no one's done it.

In fact, more have helped out others than I would have thought they might. I'm used to people leaving me to die, so it's new.

Guess that's pretty good to know.

[ What exactly prompts Seth to offer what he does in this conversation? What makes him look over his shoulder? Blake has no idea, but now he's listening for something, being ever the curious type. Just how much PTSD does this place inspire? And how much is he adding to that stress? ]

Sorry 'bout soundin' so paranoid earlier. Kinda weirded out, yeah, but I didn't need to be crazy 'bout it.

You should sound paranoid. That's the point I'm trying to make. Except you're going to need people here. Much as that sucks.

[Because he hates it. He hates having to rely on others who weren't blood relatives. Except he's seen why it's needed in this place.]

Course, paranoia isn't going to get you much of anywhere. No one seems to be having luck with getting out of here, just with fucking up borders with this place and the other side of the mirrors.

Sendin' a lotta mixed signals here, aren't you?

[ That's a cop's intuition talking, and it sure seems like already they're both a little guilty of the same. It's rhetorical, maybe leaned a bit towards a joke that should be discarded, considering the small chuckle he gives. ]

Who d'you feel like I should be contactin' in that regard? There someone here better to have on my side than not?

You could call it that. Of course, I'm really just being honest about what Wonderland is like and how things are here. Confusion and messed up.

[Madness, but that was in keeping with the whole book they based this place on.]

If you're looking for whose in charge, you're not going to like the answer. Seen messages sent by a dormouse, and Alice without her eyes and the creepy shit is there. Here and among us? Georgia and Shawn Mason. They run a paper in this place and keep track of a lot of information. Looking for a drink, go see Lucifer. Looking to blow shit up, talk to Rocket.

The Masons it is.

[ Because the rest he's not entirely sure about. Lucifer sounds like bad news, and John's had more than enough explosions in the past several months that he doubts he'll be visiting anyone named Rocket any time soon. ]

Hey, thanks for helpin' out. Guess that's not exactly anyone's job here, but it's— Comin' from a guy that's feelin' pretty messed up right now, it's kind of a relief to know there's a straight-shooter out there.

Lemme return the favor some time.

That is your best bet.

[He suspects Dipper knows a lot too, just going by things he's said, but Seth can imagine the man's reaction if he told him to go see the kid. That's bound to go over well.]

Sure, any time. Honestly? People are helpful here. It's kind of creepy sometimes, and I find myself doing it as well. At least it means you've got someone maybe at your back when the events start.

Will do. Trust me, you'll need it around here.

[Trusting a Gecko isn't always the best idea, but he has been honest with this guy. Good thing he didn't know a rank came before the name, maybe.]

Yeah, pretty sure I will.

[ And he's not too happy about it because John Blake is a self-sufficient person and he's fancied himself as just that since his dad died. It's the way of things in his mind and it's going to take some getting used to if that's how he has to be in Wonderland. ]

You've got my number — message me if it comes up. Day or night, I'll be there.

[ That's how favors work for him. ]

[One day Seth was going to have to rethink the friendships he was making in this place. Enough cops around and eventually someone was going to figure out who he was, the things he did. Not that Seth entirely hid his past, but there was a fine line between being known as a career criminal and a guy that killed monsters.]

Will do, and it goes both ways. Trust me, it'll happen eventually. You get any questions, ask. I might have an answer. Later.

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File Z5287452 - No Context

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