[network/video] @309_W1C_2DZ; Day 205; Midday [open] cw: mention of suicide

[howdull]

[For once Sherlock is not on text only, he's on video in all his glory. Which is a very diminished glory today, considering he looks terrible. Too thin in the face, though his clothes hide the rest of him, and dishevelled as though he's spent a few months not really putting any care into his appearance. His hair is longer than the last time anyone has seen him, and he looks older.

He's moving frantically in short bursts of energy, jittery, as if he isn't quite sure whether he wants to stay still or keep moving.]

Data, yes, I should share that. [It's a mumble to himself as the tablet tilts, giving an askew feed of the detective.] Purposeful death does cause nearly guaranteed revival, this has now been tested several times with no known cases of permanent death.

[The tablet shifts again as Sherlock moves between morgue drawers, checking them one by one and then moving on.]

John. [It's a sudden shift in direction.] John Watson, has anyone seen him?

Comments

[howdull]

[...

He feels that like a punch directly to his throat and it shows in how he reels back from the camera, voice hoarse.]

I know.

[His fault through a miscalculation, his fault for getting it wrong again. Just like with Mary, his own stupid arrogance costing someone he loves dearly.]

[mrcreamsicles]

suck a dick sherlock

[He hangs up.]

[howdull]

The likelihood of it being reported by friends or loved ones is significant enough to measure only a small margin of error. While it's possible, it's significantly unlikely.

[howdull]

Perhaps if you have suffered a debilitating injury that will not be life threatening in itself, but will make life here nearly impossible. Knowing such injuries are healed on revival, would that not be a viable reason?

[howdull]

No.

[Wait, why did he say that? He intended to say yes... A creeping sense of dread is starting to form, a suspicion to what his death price might be.]

But you can help me. Ask me a patently simple question.

[howdull]

[Died.

He's suspected, others have intimated as much, but Alfie lays it out bluntly and without any room for error. He passes a hand over his face shakily and sinks to sit on the morgue drawer that he woke up on, careless of the crumpled body bag.]

My calculations were wrong.

[He messed up again. He thought he knew best and someone else has died. The great Sherlock Holmes, genius, what an absolute fucking laugh.]

[howdull]

Impossible to answer accurately, due to the inability to predict what the price will be before death.

[He found his last price to be utterly intolerable, but this one can be worked with. Not ideal, but he believes he can still handle it.]

[rattlingthestars]

[ Jim's surprised by the answer, from what he's seen of Sherlock on the network, but the implication doesn't take long to sink in. ]

Where are we?

[silverfuller]

[Slightly amused.]

I was, mayhap, rather distracted by the knowledge that I had just died and was on another world entirely.

[howdull]

We are not in the same physical space.

[He tuts in irritation.]

Too nebulous, too easily circumnavigated, something else.

[howdull]

And what was your excuse the following day?

[He will allow one day for confusion and shock, which is more than he might have allowed in the past, but anything beyond that is just silly.]

[rattlingthestars]

Yeah, okay, whatever.

[ :| ]

What's your full, legal name?

[howdull]

[Yes, good, something impossible to skirt around. He opens his mouth, intending to lie and say Sean Connery.]

William Sherlock Scott Holmes.

...Damn.

[peacemongering]

Every death is important for some statistic. Look how you made your friend a number and now dismiss his importance.

[devoutish]

Yeah.

But he would have died anyway.

[Kesara is the only person he's ever known to have survived a night out in the snow, and she'd had her tent.]

[howdull]

Uninspired.

[Oops, that damning indictment of Pierce's attempt to get under his skin wasn't meant to be said out loud. Let's move past that.]

I notice you haven't offered any sympathies, are you not a friend of John?

[He knows he's not, but a question isn't a lie.]

[peacemongering]

[Target achieved. There was no need to go further at present.]

Why would I offer sympathies when it isn't clear that he's permanently dead? And who would I offer them to? Is there a graveyard to lay flowers and mourn over?

video -> private

[termineur]

[ He sighs, and switches the button on the device that turns this into a private conversation. ]

Are you being forced to answer truthfully?

[spoileralert]

[ Yes, that was harsh. But also fuck you Sherlock. ]

Here's hoping you're not wrong when people start offing themselves.

[heiresy]

I would think there might be a pattern. Different hells for different sins.

[he seems to startle as a cat jumps onto his lap. Only the tail is in view.]

I haven't died, so I cannot say if my sins are accurately weighed.

[circumsutus]

You're assuming the friends or loved ones would know. Did you tell your friends or loved ones every time you've killed yourself here?

@SceptredIsle; text

[keepscalm]

It was on the 105th day of this session that emergency medical response ceased in response to the experiment conducted. It may be worth noting that not everyone who participated in that experiment injured themselves; many distractions around town were caused. It's difficult to say how frequent injuries were before that happened, as I don't believe everyone who sustained injury reported it on the network or requested medical assistance.

I haven't got numbers of reported injuries off hand, but I'll tally up what I recorded if it will help.

[He figures being helpful will be a better welcome back to Sherlock than literally welcoming him back.]

[thewarningafter]

So choose one. We don't need another data point.

[howdull]

No. My calculations were good, my death was timed precisely, he should have survived.

[He doesn't understand what he got wrong here, it was all basic maths.]

[howdull]

Isn't that the social convention?

[The way his hands are trembling betray his emotional state, but he's getting good control over his face and voice now.]

Someone dies and you offer your sympathies if you liked them, regardless of a gravestone or flowers. I'm sorry, we haven't met, I don't know--

[Who you are. He tries to say it, but it won't come out because he knows exactly who this is and apparently he can't lie. Well, damn.]

--why you haven't introduced yourself yet.