1 ♛ lost

[her_waterloo]

[action]
[ The first thing Joan thinks, when she steps through the door and onto unexpected pavement, is that she's been drugged. She's been drugged or knocked unconscious, because that is the only way to explain the fact that she's now standing on the front steps of an apartment that she's never seen before, surrounded by the rush of City noise. A moment ago she was in the mansion that Moriarty had sent Sherlock, the mansion she'd followed him to. She was willing to go all the way to solving the puzzle with him.

But this, she doesn't know how to deal with. She looks around, eyes wide. This is no street she recognizes, and even the people walking by, ignoring her confusion, are a little stranger than usual. That person is painted green (she hopes it's paint?). That man is carrying a sword half as tall as he is, and no one seems to care. And there are no cars, which is unbelievable.

She turns back to the door and opens it onto a completely normal hallway. It could be the hallway of any apartment building in NYC. It's certainly not the room she had just emerged from.

So she shuts the door without going in, and carefully makes her way down the apartment steps. Moriarty might be playing with her, but she's not going to lay back and take it. She's going to figure out what's going on. ]

[voice]

[ The voice post comes about ten minutes after her entrance to the City. She reached into her pocket for her phone only moments after arriving, and was immediately frustrated by the inability to reach anyone from the outside world. Not Sherlock, not Bell, not Gregson, not even her mother.

When she saw the new little Network icon on her phone, she hesitated to click it, but finally gave in. And after a few minutes reading, she's formulated a plan for going forward. It's risky, but she's going to have to do what she can with what she has. She needs answers. ]

Hello, my name is Joan Watson, and I could use some help. I think someone sent me here under false pretenses. I don't know where this is... but it's definitely not New York City. I need to get back there as soon as possible. And I need to borrow a phone from someone, because mine isn't working right. Are there any police officers monitoring this frequency? I need to speak to someone right now, it's urgent.

Comments

[mortemscintilla]

You haven't been 'sent' so much as abducted, Miss.

And no, it's not New York City. This place goes by the name 'The City.' Also known as 'There's Been A Mistake; Get Me Out Of Here.'

[her_waterloo]

[ Joan has no patience for this today. ] What state? What country?

[mortemscintilla]

[ No one does. But mostly they don't have a choice. ]

No state. No country. No zipcode that I or anyone else can determine.

You could say this place is almost an alternate dimension.

[her_waterloo]

[ She wants to ask him if he's on drugs. He sounds completely reasonable, but so many addicts do. Some of them are. ]

No, seriously.

Video

[rianofski]

As I'm sure you've no doubt been informed by now, getting back there isn't that simple.

Video

[her_waterloo]

I haven't seen any proof yet.

Re: Video

[rianofski]

You can certainly try to leave, but you'll find it difficult. Has anyone explained the City to you yet?

voice;

[anatural]

[OH HEY NEW PERSON. Time for Korra to actually do her job! (She doesn't notice that Hei and Andrew have pretty much done it for her already.]

Hello and welcome to the City! My name is Korra. [Yes, she's been given a script because she's so terribly bad at this.] You have been brought here by things called the "deities". We don't know why, or how to leave. But rest assured that when you do leave, it will be as though no time has past at all at home. (We think.) [That last part is her own addendum.]

If you need a place to stay, or clothes, or anything else, you can come to the Welcome Center. If you have any questions, please let me know.

voice;

[her_waterloo]

That's quite a story. Someone has not only kidnapped me, they've also stopped time. [ She may be getting sarcastic. ] That's quite a welcome.

voice;

[anatural]

It's not a story. It's the truth!

[Korra doesn't like having her word questioned.]

video;

[monochrome_mirror]

[Shikieiki opens a video feed and observes the newcomer, face calm and still. To Watson, she might very well look like she's in costume, with asymmetric green hair, a weirdly over-elaborate hat, and very fine clothes.]

This is perhaps difficult to believe if your world has no magic, but you have been transported through dimensions. So far, none have found a reliable exit, though individuals have been taken back to their homes on occasion.

Matters of justice and the legal system are my expertise. Do you have questions on such?

video;

[her_waterloo]

[ She looks like she fits in here, that's for sure. Joan has never seen green dye look so natural. ]

Are you with the police?

[ Maybe she can get some real answers now. ]

Re: video;

[monochrome_mirror]

Yes, although I am new to the local forces.

This place is not what you are accustomed to, if statistics prove correct. I expect you will have a more organized society back home, than the City proves to be.

video.

[longaevus]

Unfortunately no one knows quite where we are, or if anyone does I have yet to speak with them. [ Which wouldn't be hard since Helen's not been here long herself ] But this city is... quite the explanation.

video.

[her_waterloo]

So I'm hearing. Do you believe it?

[ Joan looks like she's honestly interested in Helen's opinion. She is. She's not sure if this is a huge shared hallucination, or what, but she's pretty good at reading people, in her own opinion. She thinks she'd be able to tell whether Helen believed the story, at least. ]

video.

[longaevus]

I believe that there are extraordinary possibilities regarding our being here, and I believe in the individuals that are here. [ And in the 'what' they are ] As for what we are told? I'm undecided.

voice;

[skintoskin]

[As if the place wasn't crowded enough. Doesn't the City have too many toys to play with already? He doesn't bother saying any of that to the female voice, though. What would be the point?]

Hi. Are you sitting down yet? If not, maybe you should.

voice;

[her_waterloo]

I'd rather have some real answers.

voice;

[skintoskin]

Yeah, about that? You've already got them.

voice;

[dr_conscience]

I'm assuming you've been offered a few explanations by now - and I'm very aware it's a rather overwhelming and implausible story to take in, but... as far as anyone can tell, we've all been plucked right out of our respective realities.

[Saying that never gets to feeling less ridiculous. Ever. And how ridiculous he feels is probably apparent.]

voice; Wilson<3333

[her_waterloo]

But how can anyone tell? Is someone investigating this from the inside?

voice; :D <3

[dr_conscience]

Some of us can tell because we've gotten sent home and back, or because we've seen things happen that make no sense in our own worlds, or had those things happen to us.

There are people here who have been investigating - or trying to - for years, but consistency isn't the City's strong suit, and whatever keeps this place running doesn't seem particularly inclined to let anyone get much of anywhere.

[ Voice ]

[bettercallit]

Well, not that it's gonna do you much good, but I'm a member of the police force here. Half of the people here have some place to be, but they're not getting there any time soon.

[ Voice ]

[her_waterloo]

Can you get a message out? I'd really like to talk to Captain Gregson. He's the chief of my local precinct. [ She will even provide numbers and addresses, to be helpful. ]

[ Voice ]

[bettercallit]

Would if I could, but it's not going to happen. [ He sounds apologetic, his expression matching it even if she can't see. ] We're cut off from anywhere beyond the City, which includes calls.