put back on the proverbial saddle, as it were.

[ex_elucidation693]

Bravo, you've recovered yourself. I almost forgot how much of a nuisance you enjoy being. You could very well carry on without me, but that would too kind of you to do so, wouldn't it?

Don't you have friends to annoy? Put yourself back from whence you came. Go on, pretend to be a unicorn or whatever it is you do — just bother someone else.

I'll even say please.

Comments

[iownsecrecy]

Your attempts at banishing others seem to be lacking.

[ex_elucidation693]

Oh, it's you.

[There's no love lost here. Or gained at all, matter of fact.]

Apparently I've a new-found penchant for being consistent, seeing as I can't seem to be rid of you.

[iownsecrecy]

It's me. [There is always a slight sing-song quality when he refers to himself in any way.]

Consistency is so dull, Sherlock. I am a little disspointed, I won't lie. [Which is, of course, a lie.]

[ex_elucidation693]

Consistency has its uses. I would think you out of all would understand that.

And how is your lovely afterlife treating you?

[iownsecrecy]

It's fairly amusing. With potential for being more so. I should thank you again for that.

[wealldosillythings]

Do you think that'll work? The 'please', I mean?

[ex_elucidation693]

I'm counting on it not working, actually.

Molly.

[wealldosillythings]

Oh. I see.

H-Hi. How're you?

[womanwhobeatyou]

That is perilously close to begging for you, Mr. Holmes.

[ex_elucidation693]

It would be if the value of the word remains the same in this equation.

Thankfully - and it's the only good thing, so far - it doesn't.

[womanwhobeatyou]

Doesn't it? It seems she's already coerced you into using words you wouldn't normally.

[ex_elucidation693]

Saying "please" is saying "you will regret a contrary decision", in our shared vocabulary.

It's almost like having a pet.

[womanwhobeatyou]

Is that your opinion or hers?

[ex_elucidation693]

Having a pet? Mine. The former is also mine, but she's all caught up, for a person.

Better than a talking parrot, really.

[womanwhobeatyou]

Pity the pet opinion isn't hers. I could see you leashed.

[afowlbutler]

[Oddly, that bored yet entirely too-smug tone sounds oddly familiar to Butler. He can't imagine why.]

How gracious of you.

[A pause]

I hope all of your plans aren't so...simple.

[Artemis would scoff at such a bald plea for attention, even while doing something ever so similar himself.]

[ex_elucidation693]

[Oh, look. A man who works in private security. Where else would a man work, with the definition of his muscles and the observant gaze he has? And especially with the number of concealed weapons on his person; not even a gun-for-hire would be this unassuming. A carefully cultured appearance of blandness that still manages to be intimidating to the those who are aware, and invisible to those who aren't?

Hmm.]

We do what we can with children, do we not?

[afowlbutler]

[And to think, he's only a Butler.]

Some children are far more astute than others. Is it working?

[battledressed]

Mr. Holmes, I'm surprised at you. After all if nothing else, a little interest from this particular individual certainly promises to be anything but boring.

[ex_elucidation693]

Civility will not always beget tolerance, Ms. Adler. Surely you know that.

[battledressed]

Oh no, certainly not. But with you, even the first one can be quite the concession. I wonder. You must think there's a chance it's really going to be worth it.

[ex_elucidation693]

Well, I do have some manners. What do I earn for mocking a child?

[battledressed]

Less contempt than might be thinly veiled by your language. Does she really pretend to be unicorns, or were you being facetious?