[network] @LELRIC; audio; morning 435 [open]

[armoured]

[It's been a long time since the last time he died, and it's just as bad as he remembers. It's not even the sudden waking in a body bag, or the creeping horror of dying, it's the moral implications of what his revival might mean.

He gives himself an hour or two to settle down and try and figure out what his death price is, but nothing seems obvious and that's just unsettling him further. He needs a distraction, so he should probably let people know that he died.]

Uh, so I'm definitely fine and nothing has happened to me lately.

[Wait, what? He pauses, and then tries that again.]

In fact, I'm having the best time of my life, the only thing that would make it better is if all of you have died horrible and painful deaths recently.

[Okay, so that's... something. It has to be his death price, and it's mortifying. He really wants to take it back, but his voice just somehow gets chirpier.]

I hate you all and I hope I offended each and every one of you!

Comments

@Ecks | text

[ecks]

I do not like this. I want you to stop.

@jwatson | audio

[jumpthegun]

[Al almost certainly died after that encounter with Sherlock's anomaly. But... there hadn't been an Obituary. In fact, there haven't been Obituaries of late.]

Al, I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have told you to... I'm sorry. Stay away from any other anomalies, okay?

[He's just going to ignore the rest of the nonsense the lad is saying.]

[armoured]

[He wants to stop too, Ecks, he wants it so much.]

Well, I don't want to, so you're just going to have to deal with it.

[armoured]

[He doesn't blame Dr. Watson for this, he's not a child, he made his own decision to try and communicate with the anomaly and it worked out badly.]

You should be sorry, this is all your fault, you got me killed.

[Why is this happening to him?]

You don't have the right to be giving me advice.

@godsend, audio

[termineur]

Excuse me, John. Shouldn't have...what?

[ Someone's not happy. ]

[jumpthegun]

[Even knowing this is Al's death price, the words cut into John because they do express what he feels.]

I know. I just... please stay away from them. Get back to the Bunker. You'll be safer there.

@godsend, audio

[termineur]

[ He's not sure whether to be upset about Al's death, happy that he's back, or amused at the death price. ]

That's a rough one, Al. Especially for you.

Can you tell me where you absolutely, positively are not, right now?

[ Might as well see if they can get around it. ]

[jumpthegun]

[Oh, look. It's someone else who can give him a proper tongue-lashing.]

Al found Sherlock's anomaly. I told him I could talk to it, maybe get it to come over to the power plant. I did do that... but he was more interested in taking Al apart. I tried to distract him...

[But. Well.]

[termineur]

[ Gabriel's silence lasts for a second too long. But soon enough, it boils over, and the silent judgment becomes very chatty judgment. ]

You're not good at distracting the regular Sherlock, and you thought you could manage an anomaly version? You know how they are, what did you possibly think you could do to keep a monster Sherlock from taking someone apart?

-that's what he did, right? Wanted to figure out how Al worked?

[ He scoffs, disgusted with this whole situation. ]

Did you hear what happened? See it?

[jumpthegun]

[There's a defensive part of John that rears up. How dare this serial killing arsehole take that tone with him. At least his anomaly isn't out there looking to actively hurt people. But he lets that snarling in the back of his mind die down before responding. His tone is level.]

No. Al dropped his tablet as he ran. I thought the prospect of a bigger puzzle at the power plant would be enough to distract the anomaly.

[termineur]

[ Gabriel barks out a humorless laugh at that. ]

So what was going to keep him from managing one first and then the other? You didn't have any ideas for that? Of course not. You don't have any of this planned out. What happened to putting signs up? Isn't the whole point of your little anomaly round-up to get them all together because they're so dangerous?

[jumpthegun]

You try telling Alphonse bloody Elric not to follow a monster and try to snare it, Gray. I stepped in when he called me because I thought it was a way to prevent him getting hurt. I screwed up, but piss off. I don't owe you an apology. It's him that deserves it.

[termineur]

Yes, he does. Because Al is stubborn but he's not stupid, and if you hadn't said anything I bet he would've left it alone. But he won't take any apology, not when he can speak properly, so you can 'bloody well' give it to me. [ And yes, that was two seconds of a bad English accent. ] I had no idea he was even dead, you know.

[ The last sentence is delivered with something of a hiss, giving away the real issue here. He clears his throat and moves on. ]

This thing you're trying to do? The anomaly catching? It's going to be a disaster. It needs to be done, but you're casting your net way too wide- especially when you are not prepared for even one anomaly. Now, I have two more friends that are following your lead on this thing. If either of them die while you're having fun riling up all the monsters-- well.

[ He quiets as he shoves his threats and murderous instinct back down. ]

You'd better be glad Al came back, regardless.

[jumpthegun]

[The doctor bristles, rising to the bait. He's equally worried about things going wrong with this, for more people ending up like Al, and Gabriel really isn't helping.]

I wasn't physically there! You think I would have let that thing get him if I had been? Contrary to whatever the hell you believe, I can distract Sherlock Holmes. It's basically part of my job description at home when he's getting off track. But sometimes I need to be there so he can see me and see what I'm doing for it to work.

You want me to say I take full responsibility for anyone involved in this power plant business and what happens to them. Fine. I am. But this isn't about fun. It's about getting those things locked up so other people don't have to be worried they'll run into one of them.

I am glad Al came back. You want to take a swing at me for it? Next time we see each other, go ahead and try, son.

[termineur]

Son? [ His laugh sounds far more amused now. ] And how old are you, Gramps?

[ He's not going to address the whole 'taking a swing' thing. That's probably a bad sign. ]

And- oh no, it's not about fun, but it's a way for you to feel like you're doing something, isn't it? A way to help that's active and fighting something that has an actual face and- kind of- a body. And if you weren't so desperate for that, you'd see that you're going to cost us more lives than you save with this little stunt.

[jumpthegun]

[Stephen... might be slightly bothered by the shouting at this point. John snaps completely.]

Older and wiser than some serial killing bastard who's decided he's turned over a new leaf because he can't actively go out and snatch up people's powers anymore!

You're denigrating the intelligence and skills of everyone involved in this, you realize? Sherlock and I are leading it up, but we have people helping because we know they're good. I know they're good.

The only thing I'm desperate for is eliminating threats like your and my anomalies.

Action

[thewarningafter]

Dr. Watson, stop.

[Yep, guess who's thundering over. He hasn't heard the entirety of the conversation; that would have taken deliberate eavesdropping, but with voices raised it would be hard to miss at least the gist of the last few volleys. That his first instinct is to leap to the defense of said serial killer is...well, something he might have to unpack later.]

What is this? What are you accomplishing right now?

[jumpthegun]

[John whirls on Stephen.]

Yelling!

[Okay, so... maybe Stephen might have a slight point. John takes a breath, balling one hand into a fist and looking down as he gathers himself back together.]

Talking. He's being stupid.

[thewarningafter]

He's afraid for his friends.

[He's gathered that much, at least.]

And considering he's capable of having friends? He's better than you give him credit for.

[jumpthegun]

So you think this is a bad idea, too? Then why are you helping? Just go back if you don't want to be a part of it! I'm not forcing you or anyone else into anything, Dr. Strange. I can do this on my own if it'll make you feel safer.

[John doesn't really have a good argument for Gabriel being worried about his friends, so how about he just doesn't talk about it?]

Audio

[termineur]

[ As it turns out, someone is still listening on the tablet. And he speaks up to interrupt these two. ]

I didn't say it was a bad idea. I said you aren't prepared. And you aren't. Not even for Sherlock's anomaly, which you would think you'd know the best.

-hi, Stephen.

[ That last bit is said cheerfully. Thanks for the compliments, friend. ]

[thewarningafter]

Oh, don't be a martyr.

[Never mind that Stephen's martyring himself by coming along knowing full well what danger they're walking into.

And there's Gabriel. It was a faint compliment, really, but you're welcome, friend...except for how Gabriel's input just makes Stephen sigh in exasperation.]

Look, Gabriel. I understand. And I don't mean to die doing this, so if you have any ideas, I'm sure we'd both love to hear it.

[jumpthegun]

[John just shoves the tablet at Stephen.]

Have a chat with your mate, then I'm-

You're bleeding. God damn it.

[The tablet feed cuts off as John hurls it at one of the walls. He can't deal with two problems at once right now. Stephen is a more immediately pressing and solvable problem, so he takes precedence.]

Stay there. Let me fetch my medkit.

cw puncture injury

[thewarningafter]

John--

[Stephen's tone remains exasperated, but he's gearing up to point out that Gabriel is responding fresh from learning about the death of a friend, and that neither of them are being rational. The loud clatter of the tablet against the wall gets only the smallest flinch; his mind immediately zeroes in on the same problem as John.]

What? Where?

[He doesn't have far to look; there's a bloom of blood soaking through the sleeve of his shirt, no doubt what caught John's eye when Stephen reflexively brought up his hands in response to the tablet being shoved at him. Stephen lets out a groan and busies himself rolling up the sleeve; by the time John returns he's exploring it with both eyes and fingers, feeling strangely detached all over again.]

You know, I think that's a nail embedded in my arm.

@totheark; text; morning 437

[0thingsonmymind]

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