[log] Send In the Clowns [closed]

[jumpthegun]

Characters: John Watson & Harley Quinn
Location: Building 130 (The Pharmacy)
Date: Day 275
Summary: John stops at the pharmacy for the night and finds Harley there.
Warnings: Lack of affect, dissociation/hallucinations, will add more as they come up.

[The building is a decently-sized pharmacy. It must have once also had a small section for food, but the shelves are empty now. Sometimes medicine can be found here. Four of the floorboards have been pulled up in a corner of the pharmacy, revealing metal beneath.

For his part, John isn't entirely aware of how he got here. He recalls conversations with Sylar, Mary, Sherlock, Bucky, and Peter, searching the hospital for supplies at Bucky's recommendation. And now... He must have left and started heading north. That makes sense. It's what he'd been intending to do.

'You're losing time. Keep checking the clock.' The advice comes from a tall, scarred man in a military dress uniform that only John can hear and see. Major James Sholto walks with him, and John holds open the door for him before heading inside. 'Check the aisles before settling in,' the Major advises.

John nods to him and starts searching the pharmacy. He has a mini-torch from his key ring he can bring to bear in his search. His expression is blank and his demeanor is apparently extremely calm as he looks for any other people quietly.]

Comments

[clowngirl]

[Future Alaskan snow prisons are the worst, Harley's decided. She's been walking for days, almost a week, and still hasn’t managed to catch up to the Joker in this half-buried town. She hasn’t even seen another human being yet. It's making her feel crazier than usual. Combine it with the mysterious illness that she’s just gotten over (which had come complete with a rather disturbing disappearance of her emotions) and Harley is pretty fed up with this whole experience. She's been camped out in the pharmacy all day, resting up and talking to herself – no hallucination necessary.

As day turns into night, the sound of something else entering the building pulls her from her nest. The clown approaches John slowly.]

Hold it right there, buster!

[She shines a flashlight on his face with one hand, a stuffed sea lion tucked under that elbow, and points a fireman's hand ax at him with the other.]

You got thirty seconds to convince me you're not an-- an-- [Darn it, what did they call the monsters in this place again?] an abalone or I go all Lizzie Borden on your behind!

[jumpthegun]

[Harley. His eyes would widen in shock if he could make them. As it is, John just stares blankly at her. He's carrying a shovel along with his mini-torch, using the shaft as a walking stick of sorts. He adjusts his grip on the shovel so that he's holding it in a defensive stance. When he speaks, his voice is a monotone.]

Look up @jwatson on the network. Anomalies don't talk or have screen names, Dr. Quinzel.

[clowngirl]

[She lowers the ax.]

Watson… the welcome guy? [She's had some more time to browse the network today, though as evidenced by her knowledge of the anomalies, how much she's absorbed is debatable.]

Mr. J said your days were numbered. [She mentions this casually, clearly indifferent on the matter herself.] I thought you'd be taller.

Wait, how’dja know my name?

[jumpthegun]

[Mr. J.

Sholto is immediately on alert. John doesn't bother to answer her questions for the moment.]

Is the Joker here?

[clowngirl]

Nuh-uh. [She looks him over but doesn't raise the ax again.] I guess you lucked out. What's he want you for?

[jumpthegun]

Murder.

[Everything he says is delivered deadpan, but that's actually sort of meant to be. He still moves past Harley to check the rest of the aisles. He moves sideways, though, keeping the woman in his periphery. He's already underestimated her once. John won't be making that mistake again.

'Keep her away from the Joker this time, Watson,' Sholto advises.]

I know your name because you've been here before. We met when you helped the Joker kill me. Maybe don't hang around with him if you're looking for him at the moment.

[clowngirl]

[Harley follows him and watches him check for supplies. It's a good thing she already snatched up the last back-scratcher from the end of the second aisle.]

That's what that pink guy said, but I thought he was just bein' nutty. [Not that there's anything wrong with that.] How come I don't remember?

[She easily ignores John's dispassionate advice for now.]

[jumpthegun]

Because it was probably an alternate universe version of you. You have a different username. That's usually what that means.

[John walks back slowly toward the door, eyeing Harley the whole time. A part of his mind he's trying to ignore is shouting in his ear that she is dangerous and he should subdue her for the night. If she keeps following him around, he might not be able to hold it at bay much longer.]

Where are you heading? North or south?

[clowngirl]

North.

[She watches him back towards the door and a little panic settles in. John is nothing she had wished for, company-wise, but he's all she's had in what feels like forever.[

You're not leavin' already, are ya? Aw, c'mon! Don't be Mr. Hard-Feelin's! You just said it was alternate-me, not me-me that helped to off ya.

[She heaves a sigh and then drops her ax with a loud clang on the floor, wiggling her free fingers in the air.] Look! No killsies!

We can play Twenty Questions! I Spy? ...Botticelli?

[jumpthegun]

['It's going to be a long night,' Sholto surmises.

John has to agree. Christ, she's a talker... and he doesn't feel much like talking, but John knows he's obligated to entertain her for the moment.]

It's too late to get anywhere else. I'm setting up by the door. We'll need to watch it for anomalies until lockdown.

[And he just wants to have an easy escape route in the morning. But it would seem they're headed the same way.]

I can get you to the entrance to the residential zone tomorrow as long as you're not looking for the Joker.

[The offer of games isn't even given serious consideration.]

[clowngirl]

[Welp, it's either lie or go it alone. There's a no-brainer.] You got yourself a deal, watch-buddy!

[She plops herself down on the floor across from John, cuddling her stuffed sea-lion and trying to make herself as comfortable as a hard pharmacy floor will allow her to be. She's been lucky enough to not have run into any anomalies so far so hers is a laid-back approach to keeping on the alert.]

So are you always this cheery or is it only when you get on the bad side of a psychopathic clown? I’d tell ya life's too short to be so serious but I don’t think you'd find a lotta comfort in that one.

[Oh, it's not about to get any less chatty anytime soon.]

[jumpthegun]

[He's sigh and rub his face if he could. As it is, John just stares at her blankly.]

I just woke up from dying. Everyone has a different death price. I can't emote. Sorry. I don't blame you for what happened. [A pause.] The other you. The Joker's a manipulative bastard.

[That would probably have more oomph if he could say it anything apart from a monotone.

'Still best to be on your guard around her, Watson,' Sholto advises. 'She's likely lying about the Joker. Even if she doesn't mean to be.']

[clowngirl]

[She snaps her fingers and points at him.] I had that! I mean, not the dyin' part. 'Least I don't think so, all this alternate universe stuff startin' to get a li'l screwy... But the emotions thing! I thought it had somethin' to do with whatever made me sick the other day. It was the worst. [She has to sympathize with him on that front. She hopes she doesn't catch whatever that is again.] I'm guessin' it all passes though. Y'know, prob'ly.

[She hopes that helps.]

Do ya really think he manipulates me?

[jumpthegun]

[It will pass, but Sholto? John glances up at him briefly where he's standing at attention next to Harley. John's not so very sure his commander will disappear with this death price. Probably not.]

I think the nanomachines have a sense of humor. It'll pass.

And I don't think he manipulates you, I know he does. You're a nice woman when you're not with him, Dr. Quinzel. I'm sorry he ever got hold of you in the first place.

[clowngirl]

Thanks.

[Gosh, it's so weird hearing this from someone that she has never met before now. Or, at least, not technically. It makes it even harder for her to not take the words with a grain of salt.]

But how much could you really know? About us. About me?

[jumpthegun]

Enough. The last version of you was here for awhile. I was friends with Batman while he was here, too. Told me a bit about you lot. And I've faced off with the Joker a few times now.

[clowngirl]

That Bat's never known when to mind his own business... [She grumbles, jumping on the chance to use that old familiar scapegoat. It's easier than considering the truth.]

So what do I get to know about you, since we're so chummy? Besides you not bein' much of a match for Mr. J so far.

[jumpthegun]

I'm a doctor. Trauma surgery was my specialty when I was in the Army, but I do mostly GP work here. I have a daughter named Rosie. She's six or seven months now. My wife is here. Her name's Mary.

[All delivered in a monotone and probably sounding disconnected as hell.]

[clowngirl]

Whoa, there! Dial it down a notch! I'm 'bout to get burned by all this fiery passion comin' offa ya as you talk about your Mrs. [Sorry John, the straight-man always becomes the butt of the joke.] I'm sure that lucky lady's in for a treat.

How long you two crazy kids been together? And who's watchin' the rugrat while you're off on a second honeymoon from hell?

[jumpthegun]

Friends are taking care of Rosie. I dunno if time is actually passing outside. But I have friends who take care of her.

[There's a long pause that draws out to something that might be vaguely awkward before he adds:]

Almost three years. We're together almost three years come August. She asked me out for coffee.

[clowngirl]

[She hadn’t considered that they might be able to return back where they had left off, with no time passing. It's a nice idea whether it's possible or not.]

Third year's leather. [Because of course she knows that.] If she doesn’t leave you, on account of the whole emotionless thing, you oughtta get her somethin’ nice. Like a handbag or a bullwhip.

How didja meet?

[jumpthegun]

[He would laugh, if he could. Bitter tinged with regret.

'Don't phrase it as her being alive, then,' Sholto advises.]

We worked in a clinic together. She's a nurse.

What got you into psychiatry?

[Just turning around the 20 questions now.]

[clowngirl]

[The old office romance. A classic, though lacking the sex appeal of the more taboo doctor/patient relationship.]

I wanted to figure out what makes people do the things they do. [She gives her stuffed sea lion a squeeze.] Like what keeps a con man from bein' a family man.

[jumpthegun]

[John would be a little mortified if he knew Harley was thinking about his life in terms of risque plot devices.]

There are con men who can be family men. Con women, too, coming to it. You wanted to understand your own family, right?

[He's not usually that blunt, but it's not a difficult leap.]

[clowngirl]

My pop. He wasn't around so much, between pullin' jobs and doin' time. Some con men can't be family men.