A long time coming... (Intro)

[only_paul]

He must have fallen asleep, somewhere along the travel back to Istanbul.  His hand was wrapped around his fiancée's, hidden under his jacket.  It wasn't much, but it was enough, and he was hoping soon, soon they would be able to go home, to Boston. Before that, they would see Turgut again, and that would be the end of their sinister adventures.  He

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[only_paul]

The good news is that Gen Wanatabe told him the same thing (and Gen was, with Mercy, the closest to normal that Paul met so far). Another helpful bit is that he met a man with batwings whom Paul decided was an alian, and a man who claimed to be from Westeros.

Meeting a fictional character, however, is a whole other ballgame. Barring the glass-endowed look-alike (that was weird), this possibly is the strangest thing that Paul has ever come across.

....

"It's nice to meet you, Mr. Moriarty," Paul says, politely. He reaches for the handshake, though admittedly, his primary goal is to check if this fellow isn't a vampire. He doesn't look like a thrall - his face looks healthy enough - but you never know. He's trying to hide his beffuddlement, but Paul is not good at covertsy - that's Helen's forte - so Moriarty might well notice it.

Hiiii. I exist. RL has been getting in the way. So sorry about the lag. And because of the consequences, I'm assuming the thread with Henry Fitzroy is happening after this one. *points* Paul kind of got kidnapped, erhem.

[studiesemerald]

"Is something wrong, sir?" Moriarty asks politely.

He isn't a vampire, as a matter of fact. Just an often perplexed detective with a slight Cthulhu-esque problem looming back in his own world.

Hooray for humans dealing with bloodsucking monsters!

OOC: No problem. RL does that sometimes. Don't worry about the lag, by the way...I'm a bit behind on all this myself...

[only_paul]

The fact that this ... Moriarty... fellow is human is good. The fact that he's got a super-villain namesake is however not so good. Paul is wary.

"Nothing at all, Mr. Moriarty, of course not."

[studiesemerald]

"Oh?"

Moriarty gives Paul a pointed look.

[only_paul]

Paul decides to go about this carefully, and remains unfailingly polite.

"Have you ever been told, sir, that you have a literary namesake?"

[studiesemerald]

Ah, yes. The evil him in that bizarre dimension where Queen Victoria is human.

He sighs.

"Yes. Many times, as a matter of fact."

Including, incidentally, by a hysterical young vampire.

[only_paul]

"Then I will spare you the comparison, Mr. Moriarty. It must be very tedious."

Then again - wasn't Dracula just a fictional character, only two weeks ago, Paul? This all is -- very unsettling.

[studiesemerald]

"I find the concept of alternate worlds to be fascinating. You are correct, though, that the constant repetition of the realities in such a universe can get somewhat tiresome."

He smiles slightly.

"What of your own world, Mr...er, I do not believe you introduced yourself, sir..."

[only_paul]

"Paul *****," he replies, offering a handshake, less gingerly than he might have a moment ago. "I suppose that is an intriguing theory," he says thoughtfully. "After all, there are folks here who clearly are not even from Earth -- my world, as you would call it."

His surname isn't given in canon, alas.

[studiesemerald]

"There even seem to be different Earths, to be completely honest," he adds, slightly nervously.

OOC: Oh, yes. I forgot that bit about The Historian. I really need to reread that book.

[only_paul]

"That's -- a very unsettling thought, Mr. Moriarty," Paul says carefully. The bewilderment is visible, but he is unflinchingly polite.

It's such an excellent book! I couldn't resist him.

[studiesemerald]

"It seems to be the only way to explain some of the...differences in histories between various worlds."

[only_paul]

Paul tilts his head, thoughtfully. "I suppose the vastness of inaccuracies is too great ?"

[studiesemerald]

Moriarty sighs, searching his coat pocket for a moment. Finding a half-penny, he hands it to Paul.

"The primary difference appears to be political, or so it seems. I presume, for example, that--in your world--this would not be a valid image of Her Majesty Victoria?"

[only_paul]

He stares, double-takes, stares again. "... no. Most definitely not, unless the level of artistic license given the royal painters was ridiculously high."

He frowns, though - the design looks familiar. He can't quite place it.

[studiesemerald]

"Having consulted with various members of the Royal Family personally, I can assure you that is not the case."