homeless, looking maybe.series 3 spoilers in comments

[fraternalism]

You know you really should start paying some form of attention. It would be a tragic incident if you were to walk under a bus. Painful too I should imagine.

Would I be sad if that happened? What a silly question, of course I wouldn't be sad. I'd relish the peace and quiet in the aftermath.

Stop looking. You're getting completely worked up for nothing. And I'd suggest staying away from those sugary drinks; and you wonder why you don't sleep.

[Shakes his head and goes back to his newspaper.]

Comments

[highfunctioning_sociopath]

Depending upon how the bus hits, it would only be painful for a few moments....

[This is Sherlock, being optimistic.]

You're lucky I'm not high. You're being appalling again.

[fraternalism]

They could only hope.

[Stop being optimistic, Sherlock.]

You've never needed an excuse before. And I'm not being appalling, I'm just doing this one a kindness, I suppose.

[highfunctioning_sociopath]

You "doing a kindness" is appalling, brother mine.

[fraternalism]

[Oh so when he says it, Mycroft gets his arm twisted. Little brothers are such a pain sometimes.]

I have better things to be doing with my time.

[Sniff.]

How's the rehab going?

[highfunctioning_sociopath]

[Sherlock raises an eyebrow.]

How are the goldfish?

[He's not an addict - as long as he has alternatives.]

[fraternalism]

Now you're just scraping the bottom of the barrel, little brother.

And I'm only asking for your own good. I read about your addiction in the papers which means it must be true. [Giving the most unimpressed look right now. He told you to stay away from Magnussen.]

[highfunctioning_sociopath]

I've heard that before. Where oh where?

[Dramatic pause.]

Ah yes, Moriarty said that before he forced me to jump.

[Sherlock didn't have a choice. It became about keeping the only vow he ever made.]

I've survived worse.

[fraternalism]

A lot of people have said that, Sherlock.

[Hand waves it, not important.]

Barely. [One day Sherlock, Mycroft is going to be away doing something for Mi6 and won't be there to intervene for you.]

So tell me. How's the little "game" you've suddenly found yourself in going? I do hope you're not causing too much trouble.

[highfunctioning_sociopath]

As always, brother mine, I got myself out of it.

[Writer believes that the sequence with Anderson was made up as well and we don't know how Sherlock did it.]

If left to you, as with the Serbs, I would have been in much worse shape.

[He pauses at Mycroft's question.]

No drugs, no cigarettes, no cases, ["No John" goes unsaid]... our innermost dreams and nightmares are revealed for all to see.

[Long hard look, Mycroft, you know what this means.]

[fraternalism]

Again, barely.

And I'll be sure to remember that the next time you need digging out of the hole you've buried yourself in.

[And that place sounds horrifying in all aspects especially the cigarette part what. Mycroft just takes a moment to light up a smoke, peering at Sherlock over the smoke before caving in.]

Oh for God's sake. Here -

[Just pegs the packet at Sherlock.]

[highfunctioning_sociopath]

[Sherlock gratefully takes two: he pockets one and lights the other. This has saved the embarrassing notion of trying to inhale Mycroft's second-hand smoke.]

[He takes a long drag before giving any reply.]

You put me in just as many holes, Mycroft.

[Clearly, he's feeling better now. He looks at Mycroft and realises, he's not doing well to encourage Mycroft to go there.]

It's better than the other places my writer has tried to send me. I'm not an easy man to please.

[Well, at least that much is true.]

My writer is insistent that I don't become 'warped' by any place I am sent and I would rather not be bored. The combination of the two desires makes it very difficult to find appropriate 'games' to play.

[fraternalism]

Oh don't be so dramatic, Sherlock. I've only put you in a few holes. Others you managed to get into quite finely on your own. Skillfully, almost.

[Looks around briefly. Well, no ashtray. Deepest sympathies to the floor it is then!]

So you find a place without luxuries that shows what goes on in your head is appropriate? I do wonder about you sometimes.

[That would be Mycroft's worst nightmare. All that information out in the open? Even Mycroft gives a little shiver at that, like someone walked over his grave.]

[highfunctioning_sociopath]

[Sherlock takes another drag before continuing.]

Well, everyone else's dreams and nightmares can be seen as well. It's actually a fascinating study into different psyches. There are people and creatures there from different places: pony's that can talk and fly, vampires from other worlds, people with strange abilities.

[In other words: Experiments! Always the scientist, Sherlock.]

And there is a mystery. Not the same as cases... but questions that need to be answered. Plus the challenge of trying to outsmart the devices that display our dreams.

[Okay, so Sherlock isn't quite as unhappy there as he would like people to think.]

[fraternalism]

Flying, talking ponies....You're sure you're not on the sauce again?

[And as much as Mycroft is mocking it, he's taking some serious mental notes. Information is always useful, he can't deny that. But such a double-edged sword in that his own information would be out there.]

Sounds to me like your kind of place, then. I'll be sure to let you know if I ever feel the urge to see what a flying horse is thinking about.

[Just takes a drag of his cigarette and shakes his head. Really now.]

[highfunctioning_sociopath]

[Sherlock is slightly annoyed.]

I just told you there is a challenge to figure out how to out-wit a machine that seems somehow linked to our psyche and you're focused on the flying ponies?

[Sherlock is disappointed, Mycroft.]

You get used to them - or avoid them. They're a little... cheerful.

[Sherlock seems more bothered by cheerfulness than by talking ponies. He was never one for things of popular culture, or he might remember those "My Little Pony" toys from when he was younger.]

[fraternalism]

[Looking thoroughly pleased at the slightly annoyed younger sibling.]

There's always a machine out there that does something, Sherlock. That's the easy part, now take that look off your face before the wind changes and it sticks that way.

I really don't think you should be talking with "cheerful" flying ponies. Next you'll be telling me they're rainbow coloured.

[Toys? Popular culture?]

[highfunctioning_sociopath]

[Sherlock sets his face into a worse expression, because well, Mycroft told him to stop.]

[He ignores the order about talking with the ponies and takes a final drag, before dropping the fag to the ground and putting it out with his shoe.]


Oh? you think it's easy? What about when the device allows others to actually enter your dreams or you to enter theirs?

[Though Sherlock now has a way to overcome that, he won't share it right away, though.]

Baker Street is there. As is Bart's, which oddly just appeared one day.

[fraternalism]

[Just keeps smiling. It's always a good day when he can wind his little brother up.]

You're talking as if I'll be there, Sherlock. Assuming that I was there- which I won't be- then I would have to find a way to make it useful. Shouldn't be too difficult.

Anyway, the Americans have been trying to create dreamwalking for a long time and gotten nowhere with it. Apparently they have problems with spontaneous combustion.

[Nose wrinkles and shrugs before putting his own smoke out under one foot.]

You don't seem concerned about the imposed freedom of information act going on in your game.

[highfunctioning_sociopath]

[Sherlock is - not lonely - wishing for some familiar faces. He'd take Janine at this point, which is saying something. He's about to respond to the "Freedom of information act" part when...]

Well, if you've already decided you won't be there, what does it matter to you whether or not I am concerned about it?

[fraternalism]

[Well, at least the mundane feels bad for Sherlock. Mycroft is just going to give a deadpan look.]

Perhaps I was asking so I could make sure my little brother was being treated well in a strange, new place.

[ /sarcasm....??]

[highfunctioning_sociopath]

[Sherlock just thinks "What the hell?"]

It's not Christmas.

[Which is as good a reply as any.]

[fraternalism]

I think I just heard that one go whistling right over your head.

[God, Sherlock, why do you always have to be so bloody difficult?]

So. Are you concerned about the information that's flying around that place? It must be like having a tabloid reporter living with you.

[highfunctioning_sociopath]

Wouldn't be the first time...

[Mycroft only directly shows any amount of concern at Christmas. Difficult is what baby brothers do, Mycroft - thought you'd know that by now.]

No. Since it happens to everyone, people ignore it for the most part. I'm less concerned about the people living there and more concerned about the people who designed the equipment. We don't know anything about them, or what they might be doing with the information.

[fraternalism]

Yes, that one set it's own flaps and took off.

[Well maybe Mycroft is worried about you Sherlock. You're in a weird place with all that information pinging around and it isn't even concerning you. Anything to do with information leaking is a big worry to Mycroft in his department.

Either way he's not saying that out loud. Ever.]

I'd say it would be obvious what they were doing with the information. Sifting it for any kind of usefulness for starters. And then keeping whatever benefits them the most. That's basic. Though if you wanted to go deeper than that, they would also be keeping the "juicier" things. Just to keep you all on your toes.

[highfunctioning_sociopath]

They claim they are harnessing the dream energy - that's what powers the city.

[He means, of course you're right, Mycroft, which is why they could use someone like you there.]