TJ doesn't get the meta

[formication]

No. Hold on.

Back up.

Explain to me again why I have to dress as the Mad Hatter today, because last time I checked? I was a little old for trick-or-treat. And the only Halloween parties I'm interested in going to are a little more lax on the dress code. As in, dress is optional.

I'm not saying no. I just want a reason beyond 'it'll be perfect'. No no, go ahead, finish laughing.

I'll wait. Don't have anything better to do.

Comments

... yep.

[reanimation]

You do bear a striking resemblance. My condolences.

[formication]

To the Mad Hatter.

[reanimation]

He prefers Jefferson.

[formication]

Never read that in the book.

[reanimation]

Yes, well, there's plenty of important details those so-called accounts left out. Don't believe everything you read.

[formication]

Oh, trust me. I learned that lesson a long time ago.

So you a friend of his or something?

[reanimation]

Friend's a strong word. [ since he's not dead or disfigured, and that's two strikes against him. ] I'm more of an associate.

[formication]

Of the Mad Hatter. Jefferson.

[ Yeah, okay, whatever dude. You're obviously six kinds of crazy and arguing with crazy people never gets you anywhere. ]

So that makes you...?

[reanimation]

Dr. Whale. [ +1 withholding! but whatever he's not the interesting one here. he's still taking note of the striking similarities tj has to 1/3 of his all guy group. ] Even your hair is the same. [ why would someone make that mistake twice ]

[formication]

[ Cue a look from TJ. He's not sure how to take that, so he's going to just skate right past it. ]

Let me guess, you're from Wonderland too?

[ Deadpan. ]

[reanimation]

[ lol sweetie no. ]

A little too colorful for my taste.

[formication]

Guess that's fair. I can't really picturing you having tea with a doormouse and a bunny rabbit, either.

[reanimation]

Animals that have their uses. An afternoon of pleasant company isn't one of them. [ casual as you please. anyway. ] And who are you supposed to be?

[formication]

[ There's all sorts of ways to take that, dude, and none of them good. ]

The name's TJ. I don't have a story...not unless you count the tabloids, anyway. Definitely wouldn't call it a fairy tale.

[reanimation]

[ oh whatever, ruby probably eats them. at least he uses them for science. or he would if he had a lab. ]

I don't read the rags, but if I'd ever seen your face on the newsstand, I'd remember. Where are you from?

[formication]

D.C.

[ And he looks distinctly cagey now, as if where he's from is the last thing on earth he wants to discuss. ]

What about you? Guy named Doc Whale...Oz? Narnia, maybe.

[reanimation]

[ like it means anything to him. he's never been to d.c., obviously, nor was it ever anywhere he wanted to go. he can infer that tj's infamy is probably political, though. ]

I guess the most apt name would be, well, the land of horrors.

[formication]

Horrors. What, like Dracula?

[reanimation]

Like Dracula.

[formication]

You're serious.

[reanimation]

As a heart attack, not that I expect you'll believe me.

[formication]

Hey, you believe it.

[ And TJ shrugs. Even if he doesn't believe, he's not going to try and argue the matter. How fairy tale creatures can't possible be real and right in front of him. What'd be the point anyhow? People lie to themselves all the time to get through life, what's one fantastic lie above the rest? ]

So, Dracula.

[ He grins, leaning forward with relish. ]

Wolf Man, too? Oh, what about Frankenstein? Loved that one in school.

[reanimation]

Yes, we all know each other, though Wolfy missed the last dimension-wide potluck. [ haaa it's like saying you went to a certain high school and being asked if you know someone two years younger than you in completely different classes except more unlikely. ]

Care for Frankenstein, do you? Why's that.

[formication]

Ha. Hope someone at least thought to pack him a doggy bag.

[ He doesn't care if Whale's being facetious, it's all in fun anyway. ]

Dunno, just like it. One of those few stories where you kind of feel sorry for the monster.

[reanimation]

He is not a monster. [ oh whoops was he trying to be enigmatic and aloof? ]

[formication]

[ Wow, hi, you've got some feelings about this, don't you there? ]

Well no...that's just how he's referred to by everyone else. But he isn't a monster, you're right.

He can't help how he was made, or who his creator was. All he wanted was someone who cared about him. He just made a lot of bad decisions, not knowing any better.

[ Yeah, absolutely no reason TJ might empathize. None. ]

[reanimation]

[ okay, simmering down and maybe even catching a smattering of that empathy there. he still sounds full of solid conviction instead of the casual interest he had before. ]

Mistakes that won't be made again.

[formication]

[ If the guy's acting or making all of this up, he's good. Good enough to make TJ wonder if he's actually sincere, if he thinks he's from a world where all this exists. Couldn't be any more screwed up than this world, at least. ]

By Frankenstein, or the...other guy?

[reanimation]

By us both. What are brothers for? [ the lack of blatant disbelief is appreciated, really. it's kind of okay to be able to talk to someone who isn't from bloody storybrooke even if he's not technically a new face. ]

[formication]

[ At that, TJ's eyebrow lifts. ]

Brothers?

So you're him. You're Frankenstein.

[reanimation]

The one and only. [ obviously psyched about it since he's stuck in your world where science is all logical and crappy. ]

[formication]

And the...experiment. That was your brother.

[ God, that's just ten times creepier. And makes him feel a little bit more for the creature, at that. ]

[reanimation]

Yeah, Mary Shelley must have missed that little detail.

[formication]

...what else did she miss?

[ Even if dude is nuts, he's curious. A little too curious for his own good, truth be told. ]

[reanimation]

Well as you can tell, I didn't die of pneumonia.

[formication]

You say that, but you are the guy who sort of made death irrelevant, you know.

[portaljumper]

Because mundanes are annoying and unimaginative. That's why.

[formication]

[ ...okay, that? That's spooky. Tis the season and all, but still. ]

Let me guess.

[portaljumper]

[For TJ? Imagine how it is for Jefferson. He dresses so much better.]

Guess what? Who I am?

Name's Jefferson. No idea what you're talking about with this Mad Hatter business. [Definitely an innocent look there.]

[formication]

[ If 'better' consists of looking like Adam Lambert doing steampunk then sure. Whatever you say, pal. ]

Yeah, he said you didn't care for the other name so much.

[portaljumper]

He said? Who's he? People telling tales, are they? Isn't that charming.

[formication]

Whale, or whatever his name is. The doctor.

He said he knew you.

[portaljumper]

Oh. Hiiiim.

Yes, we've worked together in recently on a little business venture.

[formication]

[ Uh huh. That's fascinating. TJ's going to keep staring at you now, tipping head one way and then the other. Half of him wants to reach out and poke the other, just to make sure he's real. ]

Yeah...bites when your reputation precedes you, doesn't it?

[portaljumper]

[He stared back, lips pursing.]

How do you make your hair do that? No, wait. Why?

I don't know. It does me good when people seek me out for my skills. Word of mouth does help with that.