jumpthegun | IC Inbox (v2.0)

[He's not a fan of Dr. Watson, but sometimes needs must.]

Excuse me, Dr. Watson? If you're free for a moment, I need to talk to you.

[There's a pause before the reply as John has to pause in walking and pull out his tablet. If it's Alphonse Elric contacting him, that means it's something serious.]

I'm here, Al. Is someone hurt?

No, it's just that I saw something that I thought you'd want to see.

[There's a couple of moments, and then Al sends over a shaky video of what looks like Sherlock Holmes in his deerstalker, if the deerstalker had teeth and Sherlock's face had about sixteen eyes.

Al had only recognised who the anomaly was of because of videos he's seen on the network, otherwise he might not have noticed the significance.]

Jesus f-! [The message cuts off for a moment as John has a little swearing fit out of range of sensitive child ears. When he comes back, John's voice is level ones more.]

Right. Okay. Where did you see him?

[His ears are not that sensitive, and he's not a child!!!!]

I just came out of the maintenance tunnels near the school and went in to check for supplies, he was stalking around the outside when I came out.

[Sensitive. Child. Ears.]

I left a message in the maintenance tunnel entrance houses north of the school, so hopefully he'll see those. Would you mind leaving a few around, as well? Just 'experiment at the power plant is on. John will be there.'

You think that'll make a difference?

[Just because it has a lot of eyes, doesn't mean it's a voracious reader, Dr. Watson!]

I was thinking about trying to catch it and bring it myself, if I could.

[John seriously considers that. He had invited Stephanie.]

You wouldn't need to catch him, just lure him. I'd recommend avoiding getting to close to him.

How do you think I should do that? Do you think he might be one of the ones that I could talk to?

[Or if he draws attention to himself, if he going to be a name on the next obituary?]

I reckon you could talk to him. Telling him we're gathering anomalies and people together for an experiment is probably enough to get him to come. He'll likely read that it's a trap, as well, but he's an idiot, so that won't stop him.

[He snorts, just a little rudely truth be told, because it makes sense that someone good friends with Dr. Watson would be an idiot.]

Okay, if you really that'll work. Do you want to stay on the line while I talk to him, you might be able to keep him occupied if it goes wrong?

[Wait...]

You can still see him? Uh... Yeah. I can just... Talk to him, as well. He'll probably listen to me.

Well, yeah, I've been keeping him in sight.

[Is him the right descriptor? Or is it more acceptable?]

How would I maybe catch him if I'd lost sight of him?

[Beneath the sound of scathing judgement is the sound of crunching footsteps in the snow.]

[He doesn't know. Also, why are you such a bratty child, Al?]

Right. Call out to him.

Okay, I really hope you know what you're doing.

[He hesitates a moment and then the video feed flicks on, showing a dot in the distance.]

Hey! Hello! Mr. Holmes?!

[The speck on the horizon obviously hears because it stops and then abruptly changes course towards Alphonse.]

[John isn't really that sure of what he's doing.]

Sherlock!

[He'll call out, as well once the speck is closer.]

Stay back far enough you don't hurt him.

Edited 2018-12-24 16:50 (UTC)

[The anomaly moves far faster than any of them could over the snow, and it's obvious why when it gets closer. Beneath the Belstaff there are no feet, he's merely gliding along with the severed stumps of legs barely touching the ground as they leave a trail of red behind him. Where the brim of the deerstalker meets his forehead is a dark gash lined with teeth, and beneath that are far too many eyes which are all focused on its quarry.]

Hello, John.

[It's voice is oddly affable but without inflection.]

I'm glad you're here, I've been looking for you. And you've brought me a specimen, too. Brilliant! Empty, obvious by the sound it makes when it moves. An anomaly! Is it my birthday? You do know how to spoil me.

H-Hey! I'm not an anomaly, and I'm not specimen, so keep back. We're just here to talk.

Just talk? Dull.

[John isn't sure which emotion is stronger, horror at the misshapen thing his best friend has become, or annoyance that some things really don't change.]

We're here to tell you about more specimens, Sherlock, as many as we can gather together. I'm heading toward the power plant now. We're trying to get everyone there, people and anomalies. Interested?

[Al has dropped into a ready stance, keeping the tablet between him and the anomaly, taking a few steps back when it continues to approach.]

Of course I'm interested, I'll be sure to head along as soon as it's convenient. Once I've dealt with my own specimens along the way.

Uh, Dr. Watson? I don't think this is going well, maybe I should just...

[He takes another step backwards.]

No, don't leave. I need to know how you work. I must understand how you work.

[That last bit is said simultaneously with the mouth that his hat and forehead have become, dark and sinister and with an edge of laughter behind it. It's hungry, the need to take Al apart and find out how he works. He wants to take them all apart so there's no mysteries left any more.]

Al, drop your tablet and run.

Sherlock, listen to me. I want you there now. I'm in Hsiaoke Pass. Come meet me and you can experiment on me.

[Al might not see eye-to-eye with Dr. Watson a lot of the time, but he's not stupid and so he doesn't argue against a sensible instruction like that. The view of the tablet goes end over end and flips to show the sky and just a snatch of Al's loincloth as he starts to sprint away.]

I already know how you work, John. I understand you. I'll be there when I'm done.

[There's a brief glimpse of disgusting spatters of blood where Sherlock glides right over the tablet, before they're both out of sight. The sound of footsteps is rapid and gradually getting further away.]

Don't run from me.

What about Stephen Strange? He's with me, Sherlock! D'you know how his magic works? His cloak? Does his anomaly have the cloak? We could show you!

[Unfortunately, Sherlocknomoly doesn't listen, and there's no further replies as they get too far from the tablet and then the feed shuts off.]

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@LELRIC; audio; afternoon 432

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