one | audio; un: j.doe (go tell the world that i’m still alive)

[bamboozlement]

[this new voice is a little gruff and a lot to the point:]

Who wants to tell me which of these domes has a gym?

[meet jason todd, a guy who uses his fists to solve most problems, including his own brainspiders. he’s decided it doesn’t seem entirely fair that this place healed up all of the injuries he sustained back in gotham before his arrival - jason sorta thinks he deserved that broken arm, thanks. maybe if he’s lucky, he’ll end up with a sparring partner or two and a fresh set of bruises.]

Comments

[11calls]

Unfortunately, they're hardwired into our brains. Literally. A few of us just died when someone removed them. It's one of those things you've got to be okay with, or you just kinda lose your mind.

[bamboozlement]

Don’t really need any help with that, [he mutters, dryly. some days it sucks being him more than others!] And I can tell you from experience that being dead isn’t as fun as it sounds. So if removal’s a no-go, has anyone tried just disabling them? Frying the circuitry, maybe?

[11calls]

According to Laurie, the Doctor here, or one of them at least, she's kind of the head doctor, she said that when they tried that, nothing within the sphere would work for them. The translator didn't work, so they couldn't communicate with anyone and the things within the sphere itself like their doors and whatever stopped working too.

So I mean, I guess it's an option, if you could find a way to do it and not fry your brain too, because I definitely agree with you. Dying is not as fun as it sounds. Especially not when someone's digging around in your brain to do it. [Despite the words, there's a dark and dry amusement in them, because if Alex can't laugh at herself, then she's going to lose it, so making jokes about what happened is a go.]

[bamboozlement]

Nah, I'm no good with technology. I can't even remember my computer password half the time.

[that's ... a little bit of an exaggeration, but the point still stands. tech isn't jason's forte; he's much more the boots-on-the-pavement, get in and get his hands dirty type. now if tim were here, that would be a different story. the little nerdbrain would probably have this all sorted in five minutes flat.]

So are you the resident information booth?

[11calls]

More like the annoying news service.

[there’s amusement in her words though.]

[bamboozlement]

[self-awareness is a good thing!]

Ah, gotcha. Journalist or TV anchor? Asking so I know what I can expect to get shoved into my head.

[11calls]

Journalist. I did a podcast back home but I’d been working for PNWS for three years before. It’s kinda like npr.

[bamboozlement]

A podcast. I hear those are popular with the kids these days. [jason please you're barely more than a kid yourself.] What was yours about?

[11calls]

It was sort of a documentary about the nature of belief.

[bamboozlement]

Belief as in religion or stuff like UFOs and Bigfoot?

[11calls]

Belief as in the supernatural. Ghosts, demons, cults, that sort of thing.

[She doesn't mention the end of the world, because she doesn't want to go there, and she's still protecting Richard and Simon as best as she can.]

[bamboozlement]

[well, jason can’t really argue against that - he’s seen and been part of some things that would definitely be classified as supernatural. but he’s not keen to offer that information right away.]

So which side are you on? Believer or not?

[11calls]

I'm a believer. My partner, he's the skeptic. We're very X-Files in that way.

[There's more than a little amusement in her voice.]

[bamboozlement]

[that earns her a small chuckle.]

So are you in the "I want to believe" camp, or do you know for a fact there's something out there?

[11calls]

Somewhere in the middle, I guess? Leaning more towards there being something there.

[bamboozlement]

For what it's worth, I think you're right.

[more than that, he knows there are things "out there" that can't be explained as anything but outside the parameters of "normal." jason himself is a walking example - being brought back from death using a literal fountain of youth isn't something that happens to everyone though dc writers keep pushing that envelope, because #comics. his time with the all-caste, learning to master the all-blades, dealing with the untitled, essence - all fall under this category.]

[11calls]

Yeah. Me too.

[If nothing else for the whole things that she's experienced over the last three years. Experiences that Richard may not believe in, but she does. Especially over the last few days before they ended up waking here, and Alex Reagan became the recipient of her own personal Black Tape.]

[bamboozlement]

Well, if I see anything spooky while I’m here, you’ll be the first to know.

[11calls]

[That makes her laugh softly.]

If you tell someone else and he tells you it's apophenia, that's my personal Scully.

[bamboozlement]

I've been kinda trained to look for patterns, so I don't think that's an argument that'll work on me too well.

[11calls]

Wow, I'm impressed you know what it is! Normally I need to explain it.

[bamboozlement]

I know a random thing here and there.

[it’s always a little satisfying to surprise people with something they may not think he knows. jason tends to play at being not as smart as he is, partly to keep people off guard, partly because it’s what people expect from him.]

I might even have other hidden talents.

[11calls]

[That makes Alex laugh.]

Oh, I believe it. I think most people do.

[bamboozlement]

So what’s yours? I can keep a secret.

[11calls]

It's almost impossible for me to accidentally spill my coffee.

[Look, she needs it, okay?]