[Visual] the great big city's a wondrous toy

[tinynarcissist]

In the hours since he awakened in a room not his own, in a building definitely not his parents' house, Adrian has quietly gathered as much information as he possibly can. He knows the room belongs to someone older, but a little trial and error shows him how to get clothes his own size from the kind of science-fictiony cupboard. And some time spent

Comments

[ voice ]

[tothelibrary]

...Adrian Veidt?

[ voice ]

[tinynarcissist]

[Oh no. A stranger's voice confirming his name in a shocked tone? This cannot be good. Adrian instinctively shrinks into himself a little.]

Yes, ma'am. Do you...know my parents?

[ voice ]

[tothelibrary]

[ oh my god cute. OH MY GOD CUTE. dawn will just be internally pinching adrian's cheeks over here. ]

I don't, I'm sorry. But I-- someone told me to keep an eye out for you, in case you ended up here.

[ or more like 'you're my boss and i should probably keep an eye on you and feed you too much candy but no meat.' ]

[ voice ]

[tinynarcissist]

[Best that she does it internally, even at this age Adrian won't take kindly to it.]

Who? The people who brought me here? [She seems nice enough, but he's not dumb. Women can be criminals too.]

[imperial_long]

A fourth child. It is a plague. Long hopes the aliens do not glitch him into a younger version of himself, although he briefly wonders how that would work exactly. (Would he perhaps turn into an egg? A horrifying thought.)

He sighs to himself and opens up a visual response to the boy.

"Hello, Adrian; my name is Mayland Long. I dearly wish I could help you-- or anyone-- get back to Manhattan. Unfortunately, Manhattan lies... very far away at the moment. You're in a place known as Taxon, which is not in itself extraordinarily helpful information, I realize."

A beat, and then he asks because he really can't help himself, whenever noticing an accent-- "Ist Deutscher bequemer?"

[trans: Is German more comfortable?]

[tinynarcissist]

Adrian nods as he listens attentively, not exactly happy with the information but not entirely surprised, either.

"Hello, Mr. Long. I noticed the map on this...'tablet' thing? Doesn't show anything beyond the borders of the city. Why doesn't it?"

His eyes widen a little in surprise at the language offer, but he shakes his head. "No, sir, I'm supposed to only speak English when I'm not at home."

why do I always forget to include [Visual]

[imperial_long]

What a delightfully well-mannered child. Long smiles despite himself

[Visual]

[tinynarcissist]

"Impossible to exit." That doesn't bode well at all. Adrian wants to ask what's already been tried, but instead he sits quietly and listens to the man's explanations. (It's nice to be spoken to like an adult for a change.)

Something doesn't fit together quite right, though, and finally he asks, "If it's impossible to leave, how do people come and go regularly? Does someone come and take them? Who does it?"

[visual]

[luthoran]

Well that explains why someone didn't show up to work that morning. Lex's experiences with children are few and far between, and he takes a breath before replying in his usual fashion.

"You might need help finding your way out of that building first."

It was clear that this... other Adrian Veidt was still inside Luthor Plaza. Lex felt responsible for his employees but this was a new situation entirely.

[visual]

[tinynarcissist]

So the man knows where Adrian is. That's either a good thing (he might know where Adrian's parents went, or how he can get to them) or a bad thing (he might get Adrian in trouble for trespassing). Of course he could also be a kidnapper, which unfortunately is probably the most likely scenario.

What he wants to say is that he can do it himself. What he actually says is, "Yes, sir, I guess I probably do." Just in case that was a test of some kind. Adrian hates failing tests, but he's learned to be very good at it.

[visual]

[luthoran]

The response made everything even more strange. "So you don't remember this place?"

Lex may be coming off as pushy, but for one thing he often does and for another this was Adrian Veidt. He's certain that if their situations were reversed that the other man would be wanting to satisfy his curiosity just as much.

[visual]

[tinynarcissist]

What a weird question. Why would he remember a place he's never been? Adrian eyes the image of the man suspiciously, trying to figure out what his angle might be.

"I don't remember ever seeing it before in my life." Normally he'd leave it at that, but if the man has information, maybe Adrian can get away with being a little bit pushy just this once. "Do you know why I'm here in someone else's room?" Mr. Long has called him a 'prisoner', but Adrian wants to see what this man will say.

[ visual ]

[lajolieblonde]

[ MOMDAR: ACTIVATE. ]

Sweetie, are you all right?

[ visual ]

[tinynarcissist]

[No one has called him anything like that since he was practically a baby. It feels weird, maybe more than anything because it makes him want to talk to her.]

Yes, ma'am, I'm fine, thank you. I'm just trying to find out how to get home.

[ visual ]

[lajolieblonde]

Oh, hon. Listen, do you have anybody looking out for you? [ she can't bear to tell a child there's no way home. ] Just until you find your way.

[ visual ]

[tinynarcissist]

[Adrian really would like to say that he doesn't need anyone to look out for him, but in his experience adults just don't listen to that particular assertion.]

There's a lady who says somebody who knows me told her to watch for me. [Dubious tiny is dubious.]