16 ⚜ Video

[restingstitchface]

[Crane is wearing clean clothes, new shoes, a new tie and frames. There is a clean-shaven appearance to his face. His eyes show rationality and sanity; he isn't staring intently at his captive audience. He's well-mannered, calm and polite - and doesn't wear that blackness that's special in the eyes of some.

Unfortunately, the people he'd spoken to this morning, those he had begun to find fascination in, had come over in a panic. Or a bad mood, perhaps. The reason for their avoidant behavior - and uncomfortable body language - is another matter.

A puzzling one.]

Good morning. This is Doctor Jonathan Crane.

I am a doctor of psychiatry. Psychopharmacology, to be precise.

Back home, I evaluate some of those brought to me by Gotham's finest, so it will come as no surprise to me to hear that some people here are mentally unwell.

[Awkward. He hesitates for a moment; then he crosses his leg and steeples his fingers, before angling his thumbs at the camera.]

My apologies. That is to say, I'm willing to lend a reliable ear if you wish to talk. About intimacy or anything else that scares you, really.

[He doesn't seem interested in talking about fear at all. His pull point is all wrong. The idea that he's a terrorist and an asshole hasn't been put to him yet. Someone has to drop the truth bomb. Also did he really just apologise?]

Moreover, if you're from Gotham, I would appreciate the opportunity to speak with you. Peculiar things have happened since this world spat me out.

I suppose talking to you will help, if you're even here...

[About? Uh, well, it's Gotham.]

Comments

Private; video;

[exceptfebruary]

[ After the Doctor contacted him, he's a little bit on alert, which doesn't make this not a surprise, but does make him cautious. ]

Scarecrow?

Private; video; permanently so

[restingstitchface]

[There's no frown on Crane's end. He's not quirking a brow; nor is he making a show at that mention of his old nickname. He denotes the private lock. Paranoia. Fear. Some kind of need. He speaks with that therapist's tone - the calm, gentle, soothing voice reserved for patients.]

I wouldn't say so.

But something's given you that impression, as that seems to be why you've contacted me. Are you feeling all right?

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[huntergames]

[ The look on Sasha's face is a skeptical one; the Dr. Crane she's familiar with has never offered his services without wanting something creepy or downright awful in return.

Her voice is rough: ]

Psychopharma... huh? That doesn't sound real...

[restingstitchface]

[He continues to appear calm.]

Psychopharmacology.

[His voice is calm and patient, like he's teaching class. He's trying to get her to pronounce the word.]

It means I study the effects of drugs on mood, thinking, and behavior

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[hypodermicgurl]

Intimacy now, huh?

[restingstitchface]

Some people never recover from intimacy. They feel worthy of love yet detach from others whom they generally regard as untrustworthy.

It is unfortunate, but I try to help my patients to address the matter.

voice;

[slightlyoffchilt]

Psychopharmacology. With a penchant for the criminal element, I see.

["Gotham's finest."]

voice;

[restingstitchface]

Indeed.

I must be mad.

[He shakes his head. Psychiatric humor!]

I don't have to break out the dictionary, at least. [Psychopharmacology is a hard word for some people. Intellectual snobbery is alive and well.] Do you have a background in medicine?

text; (ID is Tim Drake)

[alreadywon]

[Admittedly, Tim's 'supposed' to leave handling the bad guys to the actual superheroes, but it won't hurt to do a little information-gathering, right? Cause Crane's acting weird.]

What kind of peculiar things?

Text

[restingstitchface]

People seem irrationally scared of me. I do not want people to be frightened of me, nor do I need it.

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[4thdimensional]

It's an honor to meet an upstanding citizen like yourself. This town...it's sorely in need of help.

[He's entirely serious. This man's talking sense in the sea of deviancy he's viewed through this device.]

[restingstitchface]

[That seriousness is reflected in Crane's voice and .]

Well, I'll do my utmost. Have you made any particular observations?

video;

[dejerate]

Psychopharmacology....well, the 'pharma' means you give people medicine, right? Guessing that's specifically for people with mental illnesses or something.

[The main 'medication' Yuu has been taking lately is really. Not medicine and not technically safe at all but pills to enhance the syncronization with the demon in his Cursed Gear. But he thinks he gets the idea. And it wouldn't surprise him depending on the sort of world and situation some were brought here from, that they might need someone like this.

Heck. He probably needs someone like this. Not that he would admit it to realize it himself.]

I guess any human might have someone like that. Some sort of psychiatrist anyway.

[Not that he has been to see any. It's been enough to try channel his anger and depression through the idea of working towards revenge. Revenge on the vampires who left him all alone.

Or. This would be true, if he weren't affected by the player plot. Because right now, he's one of those vampires, the thing he hated so much as a child, what seems like forever ago. Turned after Ferid attacked the orphans in their attempt to escape. But this Jonathan Crane, he seems genuine in wanting to help others. Even if Yuu has no idea where this 'Gotham' is.]

[restingstitchface]

Well, to answer your first, psychopharmacology focuses primarily on the psychoactive properties of drugs, and their chemical interactions with the brain. The pharma you refer to derives from the Greek word pharmakon: drugs, in other words.

[A pause.]

And not every human, no.

Is there something else? Any other questions?

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[wizzardly]

[Rincewind has been cautiously waiting to reply, even listenting to other open conversations, which he normally avoids. It's only once they start to confirm his guess that he risks a reply at all.]

Sorry, are we to understand that you've only just arrived?

[restingstitchface]

Yes.

But I sense there's something to your question?

[acclimatized]

Wow, you must be desperate.

[restingstitchface]

[Awkward, yes. He quirks a brow.]

I've been taken here unwillingly from my home and my work; no explanation has been given and I'm at a loss to understand why.

And you choose to be aggressive? Why?

[video]

[timecapture]

[Okay, she's lost.]

Uh... Doctor Crane? Is that really you?

[restingstitchface]

I like to think so.

Sorry, but do I know you?

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[burnseternal]

[When Saint Walker appears on the screen, he is mostly the same, save for one integral difference: he is not blue. Instead, he is very much in a green uniform, a slightly sterner expression on his face than his normal beatific smile, though he in no way appears to be stern.]

Doctor Crane, [he says, inclining his head towards him.] You seem changed.

[restingstitchface]

[He doesn't say anything for a short while.

The part of his mind that is still registering his environment is having all sorts of misgivings about these people. First, that some of them don't look like people at all. Second, the fact they claim to know him - some version of him - and believe he's the sort of monster the Joker says he is. It's-]

Yes, I suppose to you I have. [His eyes are entirely on this person. He has his full attention.] That isn't how I feel, however.

[Video; Private]

[sleight_of_hand]

[ He's getting bad vibes off this guy, but he can't put his finger on why. His head is screaming STAY AWAY, but... well, it wasn't official on paper yet, but Dojima was the one that said he should see someone. Maybe that was why he felt uneasy; doctors that could get into your head were unsettling as all hell. Still, if he was stuck in this place... ]

T-talk about anything, hunh? Uh... that's... that's cool, um...

[ Oh hell with it, he can't figure out how to word properly in public. Adachi switched it over to a private channel after a moment. ]

So, uh... back home my partner was suggesting that I start seeing someone, and--

[ ...wow, okay, start over. ]

...ugh, sorry, I'm not good with this. I'm a detective back home, and I had gone through some shit before ending up here. My partner was about to put it on paper that I see someone to help. So, uh...

ditto that

[restingstitchface]

[A cop? How different that must be to his usual caseload. He injects some politeness into his voice and speaks calmly after a moment. He looks like a throughly pleasant person.]

Here you are.

[He slides his fingers together and rests them over his crossed knee. There are two threads he can pull out, here. First, that lack of confidence. Second, his occupation. Both are important but perhaps he'd best start with the latter.]

I can imagine the fact this affects your work is difficult for you. Do you want to explain what sort of detective you are, exactly?

[Drugs? Vice? Etc etc.]

video;

[angelfire]

Well don't you just brush up nicely.

[restingstitchface]

[That sounds like they've met before.]

Sorry, but do I know you?

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[superposition]

[Hey, so, out of all these reactions, have you gotten bald-faced disgust yet? Cause if not, you have now.]

Oh, please. You can't honestly think anyone's stupid enough to fall for that.

[restingstitchface]

[dr john watson beat you to it. he's not impressed either.

also wow please. what is with that reaction?]

I would think you're the one making that implication, sir.

[Different Crane. Still somewhat pretentious, though.]

[Video]

[tactile_telekinesis]

[Kon believes that this is some weird attempt at something by Crane.]

Really? You honestly think that people are gonna believe this? That you're some nice guy?

I feel real sorry fr any new folk that fall for this shit.

[He's so angry.]

[restingstitchface]

[Look, he's had it up to here with all your bad jokes and accusations. Go persecute somebody else!]

Must you swear?

It's unbecoming and offers nothing to our conversation.

[Because that's the real issue here, right?]

video; id reads "harleen kopski"

[itistolaugh]

[ Harleen's brow raises as she watches the video. She is, of course, familiar with Jonathan Crane and his body of work. She is not at all familiar with this man on the screen. It's difficult to believe, to say the least, but of all the identities to steal, Scarecrow's is a poor one. She takes a deep breath and turns on her own video feed. ]

Hello, Doctor Crane. I'm Doctor Harleen Kopski, staff psychiatrist at Arkham Asylum, but I don't believe we've met.

[restingstitchface]

[Crane studies Harleen for a second. He is familiar with her first name, as though he's seen it on an intern intake form before, but he's not familiar with her becoming a doctor. He would have known to avoid her, much as he does everyone. He still prefers his personal space.]

No, I believe not. I imagine I would have come across your file. Have you been employed at Arkham long?

video; Display name is the S-shield

[andaway]

I don't know, Mr Crane. I tend to not trust people who kept me in a basement for weeks, but maybe that's just me.

[restingstitchface]

[He pauses for a moment before answering. The more he hears of his counterpart, the worse it gets.]

Yes, well, that's to be expected.

Unfortunately, I have no idea who you are. But I appreciate your skepticism.