entranceway | File Z5287452

[ 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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[ Surprised, he seems to need to register that last part for a little bit longer. Should he be shocked that he might meet a fictional person here? He's already been assured he would, but it hadn't occurred to him that other residents (prisoners?) here might be fictional themselves. ]

Yours is? Fictional? You know that for a fact?

[ Of course this is where he focuses his attention. It seems the strangest part of the equation so far, and that's even after hearing about evil Mirror twins. ]

How can you tell?

[Cissie's expression makes it clear that she's still not thrilled with the idea, or the way she found out, but she shares anyway. Who knows, maybe he's not from a world where masks and capes are only in comic books.]

I don't really know how to tell? I found out because someone told me. Where I'm from, we have heroes--we have the Justice League, and people like Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman. I mean, I grew up being told that if I needed help, I should look for a cop or yell for Superman. But I guess they're just characters in comic books for some people.

[She sighs, blowing out a frustrated exhale.] There's a library here, and I guess it has just about everything, so if I wanted to, I could probably find stuff in there? But I can't say I want to. It was weird enough being told Superman's secret ID like it was common knowledge, I don't need the existential crisis to get any more existential, you know?

Uuuuhh... yeah.

[ Which is to say, now John is utterly and totally flabbergasted, on his way to being tapped out. Is it possible for a person's brain to aggressively short circuit without any prior indication of that sort of thing? Because he's starting to feel it. ]

Think I'm with you on that — not gonna go snoopin' too much. Although, maybe it makes a diff'rence that I'm from Gotham, so I'm at least a bit familiar with the Batman.

[ An understatement after the last couple months. And no comment on the rest, she's free to note. ]

[Cue ridiculous excitement here. She's gotten so used to people not thinking Gotham is a real city or not believing heroes exist, that hearing John is from Gotham and knows about Batman is about the best thing she's heard in weeks.]

Wait, seriously?? You're from Gotham? My friend Tim is from Gotham, too. Most of the people here don't even think it's a real city, which is ridiculous.

Yeah, ridiculous, no kiddin'. Feels pretty real to me. Spent all my life there.

[ And he loves it, even if his Gotham has always been far from perfect. He'd really wanted to leave for a couple years there — the ones he spent struggling through life after leaving the boys' home — but in the end, that dark city was destined to always be his home. ]

Where're you from, Cissie? Noticed you haven't said.

[ She's been very helpful otherwise, and it's the right thing to do to at least get to know the girl a little before John dips back out of the spotlight and misses his chance. ]

Right? It's weird, even for me. It's like saying New York, or Metropolis, or Boston don't exist, right?

[She rolls her eyes and shakes her head; silly people, thinking perfectly real cities are fictional. But she gives a sheepish little smile and a shrug at his question.]

Yeah, sorry. I'm from Pennsylvania. I go to the St. Elias School for Girls. Which... you have probably not heard of, even if we are from the same reality.

[Which has not been proven yet, but it's worth saying. Of course, it's also worth noting that he doesn't know who she is by reputation, which either means odds aren't good that they're from the same reality, or it just means he's not a sports fan or cult tv watcher. The jury is out.]

No, can't say I have heard of it. But it sounds close enough to home to me.

[ He offers a thin, somewhat warm smile. Is this kinship he's feeling? Leave it to Blake to get sentimental about something like this. It's not out of character for him, but buried deep enough he's not quite used to the experience of it. ]

Listen, it's nice of you to help me out like this. Won't keep you, but— I appreciate it. Can I text you if I think of anything else I need to ask?

Edited (icon) 2017-06-05 04:19 (UTC)

Live in a lot of girls' boarding school, huh? [She gives a cheeky little grin, and nods.]

Don't worry about it. It helps if we can stick together, I think. Text me, call me, whatever. If I've got an answer, it's yours.

[ You know what he meant!!! ]

Hey, thanks. Likewise, okay? Really mean that.

[ He's got plenty of room for good, helpful people in his life, even if he's not always the type to get close to a person. ]

[She does, but teasing is how you make friends, DUH. But she's definitely wearing a completely sincere smile now.]

Okay, thanks. Welcome to Wonderland.

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