sixwordstories | (no subject)

Nothing really is. You okay?

Yeah, I am. Thanks. Just dealing with life. Or trying to, anyway. No one ever tells you about bills and rent and bad landlords, you know? The little realities of being a grown up.

Ahh yeah. I remember running into all that for the first time. It was a big leap, going from a little farm in Kansas to New York City, but once I did that I knew I could do anything.

Doesn't make it any more fun, though.

You're from Kansas? I'm from Kansas! Sorry, I don't meet someone from Kansas every day. I did the Kansas to New York thing, too. Or... I'm still doing it, I guess. I feel like I haven't quite got my feet back on the ground yet.

Well! Good to meet you then. Nice to know we're getting out there. I'm Dorothy Gale.

That'll happen. You just gotta find something to anchor you.

Dorothy... ok. I'm CJ Kent. Nice to meet you, Dorothy.

Yeah. I'm working on that.

And you.

Shouldn't be too hard. New York's a big place. Lots to keep you occupied. ~~'Course, I haven't been there since the 70's...~~

Can I ask... were you named after the character?

I've been keeping myself busy, between work and... just getting to know the city. But then I go home and my apartment is the size of our shed back home, and the water runs brown, and I can hear the stuff crawling through the walls, and it's all a bit disheartening. I'm trying, though.

I am the character. Or, I should say, she's me.

Aww, yeah. But that's all part of the charm! Wouldn't be New York without the horrible first apartment.

Oh. Really? I... my full name is Clark Joseph Kent. Clark Kent. I'm not exactly Superman, though. That's, uh. It's strange to meet a character, especially since I spent a decade of my life thinking I was a character.

Great, I'll keep that in mind. I'm ready for the slightly-better-than-horrible apartment, though.

Oh, you're not? Do you just have his name?

You'll get there. Don't stress about it. It's all part of the journey.

I don't know. He's a comic book character, I'm a real person. I was born on Earth, I didn't crash land. My dad named me after him. And my grandpa Joseph. He said it's a coincidence that I have the same name, grew up in Kansas, and look sort of like him. And... have his powers.

Well.

Pretty big coincidence, huh?

Yeah.

Yeah, I guess it is.

Real people don't have superpowers.

Says who?

I don't know. If real people had superpowers, we wouldn't have comic books and tv shows and movies about them. We'd have documentaries.

Right?

Well, we would, if it wasn't people like us that were the ones with the powers.

People that are... "special"... don't tend to want that kind of attention. We've got better things to do than be famous. Besides, it's safer for our families to remain as anonymous as possible.

I guess that's true. Inside the comics, they always have secret identities.

So if you're the real Dorothy Gale, does that mean Oz is real?

Some do. I don't really need one-- everyone assumes it's an alias anyway.

Oh yes. And everything that goes with it.

I bet everyone assumes Dorothy Gale is just a fictional character, too. I'm sure if there was some guy flying around New York and rescuing people, suddenly my name would get a lot more interesting.

That is so awesome. Can... people visit? Do you have to go in a tornado, or can you just fly or walk over?

Possibly. More likely, everyone would think it was a remarkable coincidence. People have a... willingness, I guess, to disbelieve. It's a little depressing.

I'd have to take anyone. These shoes are the only way there, barring cosmic accidents like the one that got me the first time. I've only ever taken one person to Oz who wasn't family, though.

I don't know. Maybe they're just waiting for the right thing to believe in.

Oh. Okay. Guess I won't plan my next vacation in Oz then.

Good answer. You sure you're not Superman?

Well, play your cards right, you never know.

Not anymore, no.

That would be cool. No pressure, but that would be really cool.

Yes. Well. Sometimes it's even better.