.//INBOX

[ornithologist]

Comments

[ornithologist]

[ Harold actually has no idea they're at all related, so he assumes this is just Accelerator clearing up possible name confusion. ]

I have, if you mean the mechanically inclined Corvinae from the mission. I haven't yet made his acquaintance under normal circumstances. I did give him a token so I'm assuming he made it back with us.

[levelshift]

[That mission sucked and he's trying his damnedest to not think about it.]

He did. And he wants to do spinal surgery on himself by himself.

1/2

[ornithologist]

Excuse me?

[ornithologist]

For what reason? Why? How?

[levelshift]

To reinforce his spinal column. He gave me a cane and held onto my crutch during the mission, and I think he was impressed with what it's made of.

[You know, normal reasons.]

[ornithologist]

How on Earth does he think he'll be performing it on himself in the first place? I couldn't tell what his precise circumstances are with the glamours involved.

We do have an actual surgeon in residence and I believe he even recently acquired a second arm.

[levelshift]

He's mostly mechanical. He told me he did it to save his life and, apparently, "removed the offensive parts" of his humanity.

[Take that as you will, Harold.]

I offered to help. [Well, bullied his way into helping.] He was reluctant about accepting it, so I don't know how an actual doctor would go over.

[ornithologist]

[ He's not sure how he's taking it yet, but he's miffed to hear it. ]

What a thing to say. Do you think he'd accept my help as well, or are you thinking of something else?

It's completely illogical not to at least consult Dr. Romano since he's available. Or was illogical behavior not considered offensive enough to remove? [ He's being sarcastic, of course -- Harold doesn't think it's possible to remove illogical behavior from anyone remotely human. ]

[levelshift]

[Accelerator snorts at the sarcasm. He shouldn't find it funny given how much of a loner he tries to be himself, but he does.]

Not sure. He's surlier than the other Viktor so it's hard to gauge what his reaction would be, but I think having more help would be a good idea. Maybe you can talk him into being logical.

[There's a beat before he sends another text.]

There's some other stuff, too.

[ornithologist]

I'm sorry, "the other Viktor"? I wasn't aware they were related. It isn't an uncommon name.

I can certainly do my best at advocating for logic. What is the other stuff?

[levelshift]

I'm fairly sure they're different versions of the same person, from different universes.

I got you and Reese death passes.

[That's the easy one. There's a beat as he tries to type out the next thing a few times.]

Sleipnir approached me when we were in Auriel.

[ornithologist]

That is incredibly strange, but I suppose it was inevitable with the situation we're in. Mr. Talis must be beside himself.

Oh. Thank you, that was very considerate. I was thinking of doing so myself, so you've saved me a substantial expense. Though please do keep in mind that you personally can't make use of one for another few months.

I trust nothing dire occurred...?

[ Or he'd have gotten an alert, is what he means. Even on Auriel Harold hadn't totally left his technology behind. He takes his agreement to monitor Accelerator extremely seriously, and configured his custom-built secondary device to alert him if his brain reading parameters exceeded certain thresholds. ]

[levelshift]

From what I've seen he seems to be handling it alright. He and mecha-Viktor don't seem to get along, but they aren't at each other's throats.

[In Accelerator's mind, that means there are no problems.]

I'll keep that in mind.

[That is especially relevant given Sleipnir.... But he also has his esper ability right now, so he isn't in any danger.

... Even if just thinking about Auriel scares him a little....]

He did it to 'kill' me for that fucking game. I'm still pissed off about it.

[Which is an understatement about how he feels. It's like he's been thrown off-balance, and the only thing that will fix that is listening to the voice in his head that is screaming at him to get Sleipnir back.]

[ornithologist]

Must we call him that? I really do wish he had a surname -- either incarnation. Regardless, it must be distressing to encounter... I'm a bit tempted to check in on Mr. Talis, despite us finding ourselves at loggerheads in the past.

I see. I don't believe that had any consequences beyond taking you out of the game itself, did it? If that's the case then I assume he was asserting his sense of power to counteract his own vulnerability and trauma. But he did abide by the agreement.

[levelshift]

How else are we supposed to differentiate them?

That isn't a bad idea. Talis would probably appreciate that you give a shit.

Are you serious? He was fucking with me. That bastard was smug the entire time because he knew I couldn't do anything without blowing my cover! If that hadn't been an issue I would have put him through a wall.

[ornithologist]

Something less dehumanizing would be preferred.

Very well, I'll consider that encouragement, then.

Indulge me a moment in considering what your own actions would likely be in his position, assuming you were experiencing the same emotional fallout as you are right now.

[levelshift]

Should I go back to calling one surly and one Talis's?

I wouldn't be fucking with him using a goddamn flower. I can tell you that much.

[ornithologist]

Truthfully, I don't love any of our options, but I suppose referring to one as Mr. Talis's partner is at least accurate.

No? If you were precluded from taking action by your liege-lord, you would just be "fucking with him" in other ways, perhaps?

[levelshift]

Yeah, that one is really fucking accurate. [Gay.]

No! I've been trying to fucking leave him alone. And if I didn't I wouldn't bother fucking with him at all, I'd just beat the shit out of him. That would improve my mood a hell of a lot.

[ornithologist]

Do you know something I don't?

[ That is the exact word he told John to use for their own relationship. ]

And I appreciate your restraint immensely. If he is barred from physical altercation with you, however, he may find some solace in more juvenile tactics. Suffice to say, I have no reason to believe Sleipnir is any less emotionally impacted than you have been, which may result in some hasty and unwise actions.

Though I admit I am no expert in post-death coping mechanisms.

[levelshift]

Do I need to spell it out? Especially to you, of all people?

[He's thinking the exact same thing.]

If he's feeling the same way I am then he should be exercising the same control I've been doing. If he can't do that, then why should I? Now that we're back from the mission there's nothing stopping me from approaching the bastard to talk to him.

[... Well, he isn't entirely sure that it's talking he would be doing, but he'll figure that out when he gets there.]

[ornithologist]

Of all people? Do you actually know something, or are you speculating? In both cases.

If only the poor behavior of others was excuse enough for us to follow suit. Sadly, we must still be held responsible for our actions.

[levelshift]

[Okay, seems like he does. And because he's a very straightforward teenager, he does indeed spell it out:]

I assume they're fucking.

I'm fine with that. I've done enough horrible shit in my life that accepting responsibility is easy for me. What's one more thing added to the pile?

[ornithologist]

That demonstrates a surprisingly limited imagination on your part.

[ Like this is the first time someone's implicitly assumed he and John are sleeping together. Harold is unruffled. And really, he doesn't know why everyone just immediately leaps to assuming people are having sex, like there's no other way to demonstrate deep affection.

But then he grows completely serious. Because Harold already uses completely correct spelling and punctuation over text, he has to demonstrate this by using his horrible experiment name. ]

Accelerator. I personally despise Sleipnir for what he's done to you, and the remarkable cruelty he's shown in how he's done it. But he is not, to my knowledge, fundamentally any different than you.

If I forgive your cruelty then I must forgive his. And so should you.

[ It's not lost on Harold that if Accelerator is unable to forgive himself, he would be unable to forgive others for the same crimes, but he doesn't quite dare to approach that in writing -- just leaves it as implied as the nature of his and John's relationship. ]

[levelshift]

The hell do you mean?

[It seems cut and dry to him. Even if he personally feels like he's never experienced this kind of physical attraction or attachment before, he's well aware that it's normal for other people (especially adults) to.

Still, it's a complicated subject, as is Sleipnir. Seeing this is one of those rare occasions where Harold is using his name makes him instantly more attentive and nervous.]

No.

[That reaction is coming reflexively. There is no way in hell he could forgive Sleipnir. Take responsibility for his own actions? Sure, he's learned how to do that thanks to the clones and Last Order. But beyond that? Absolutely not.]

I'm not a good person like you are. I'm not capable of that.