Yeah. I forget sometimes shes only like three years older than me.
[ Totally helping. ]
I don't know. I think now is the best time to actually make the most of everything. Wait. What other things do you have to worry about now? Are you on a mission? We aren't that far from you.
[ Does he need help? Does someone else needs help? ]
Pulling teeth, how? Like she takes a while to respond? Or she gives vague answers? [ Her ninja training is kicking in right now, because subterfuge seems to be the answer here. And that sparks a memory. ]
John, I don't remember exact details, but I seem to recall something about her helping us the best she can without someone knowing. It sounds like that might be the reason she's not too forthcoming at times.
It's a good thought, but she wouldn't, unfortunately. She's refused to give locations for both Stein and the Joker when we've had man-hunts on for them. I'm not sure if it's against her protocol or what, but we're on our own here.
I don't want you to put yourself in more danger than you need to, though. Is there anyone else the area you might be able to meet up with? I'm getting assistance from Ms. Romanov.
[It's not a lie. He's just... implying that she's with him at the moment. Yep.]
Yes. She does both of those things, sometimes at the same time.
I know it's probably a limitation of her rules or whatever, but she's bent things as far as she could to accommodate us before, so we know she's got at least some wiggle room on what she does and doesn't do.
[He wants so much to tell John that his wishes were true, but he cannot. It's a risk he simply cannot take, for so many reasons. He will remember to have words with Gabriel, the man has become too dangerous.]
I'm sorry, John.
[It sounds as if he's apologising for it being true, for jumping, and he won't correct that assumption.]
I will speak to you later tonight.
[He hesitates a moment and then hangs up. Within two minutes he's completely forgotten he spoke to John at all, and he definitely won't remember to call that night.]
I hate you. I'm not just saying that. I honestly hate you right now. This isn't fair! It's not good for me, it's not good for you, and it sure as hell isn't good for everyone else!
[Thankfully, the note he has written on his tablet has reminded him to check back now that it's working again. It means he's in a constant state of panic and sorrow over his lost memories, but he's doing his best to work around it.]
I need you to tell me what happened yesterday. There are no records from the tablet for me to draw on.
[It takes a lot to admit that much weakness and ask for help, and he wouldn't with anyone but John.]
[Well, thank god Sherlock's all right. It takes John a moment to figure out how to enhance the size of the text on his screen. This blurred vision isn't much helping the one-eyed issue.]
We were transported into what seems like it might have been a memory. Like your mind palace, but something physically there. It was a white facility made in the shape of a spiraling set of corridors. At the center was a big round room where we had to break through the ceiling and use a key card Mr. Andersen was given to get out.
The air tasted like blood in some places. And there were feet just outside the walls in others. Shuffling along. Does any of that sound the least bit familiar?
[ Forgive him for disturbing you so early in the morning, Watson; but this boy's up unusually early, craving some human interaction. He also owes Watson a word, anyway: ]
Dr. Watson, this is Hitsugaya. You don't need to answer this. I just wanted to thank you for helping Andersen in the labyrinth.
[ Because that injury is a mess that he wouldn't know how to clean himself. ]
Hi, Hitsugaya. Sorry, would you mind if we use text? Ran into a little trouble after I met up with you lads and my voice is a bit hoarse.
[He was strangled. It sucked.]
I'm happy I was there to help, and you did wonderfully. Thank you very much for your help with him. That wouldn't have gone near as smoothly without you there.
[There's a fair silence as Sherlock wracks his brain desperately to try and dislodge any memory of what sounds like a fascinating few days. It's hindered by him having to keep re-reading the message to keep it fresh in his mind, but he comes up with nothing. It's just a blank, as though he were a non-functional recording device during those days.]
No.
[Just no. It's so frightening to him, so upsetting to not have his mind as he's used to. What else has he forgotten that could be vital? He must have made deductions those days, he must have had answers.]
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