Regarding competition between different series incarnations of a certain consulting detective...

[womanwhobeatyou]

Come now, dear, you know it would be incredibly amusing to set all of these variations on Mr. Holmes against each other. See them try to prove which one of them was the most clever, the quickest in their deductions. And yes, I do mean all of them, including that young American man with the pineapple and the limping doctor. Though perhaps not the talking cucumber.

No, I don't suppose you have the wherewithal to make it happen, but I would certainly enjoy watching. And perhaps the good Doctors Watson would take a bet on which one of them murders each other with a violin bow first.

Comments

[thetruthismine]

You're going to make us fight to the death and claim the winner as your consort.

[womanwhobeatyou]

Consort? Rather high opinion of yourselves.

[thetruthismine]

Well we are the cleverest men in multiple universes.

And you do like a good challenge.

[womanwhobeatyou]

Think you've figured out what I like now, have you, dear?

[thetruthismine]

Yes.

Not so different than most, really, it's not that hard.

[womanwhobeatyou]

And not terribly impressive either.

[thetruthismine]

Oh, don't be shy when I'm hitting so close to home.

[womanwhobeatyou]

As you said, many people enjoy challenges. And 'challenges' itself is painfully broad.

You might as well have guessed that I enjoyed breathing.

[thetruthismine]

It's not a guess that you like power. You enjoy wearing it like the finery on your body, tight and perfectly tailored, and not one hair out of place on your head. There is not an inch of you that isn't meticulously put in place and maintained, planned down to the smallest detail. Right down to your feet, shod in heels as sharp as your nails, with your favorite challenge being how to place people under one or the other...or even both.

Of course you want us to square off with each other. Only the most worthy opponent will do. Otherwise, it's boredom, and that's just loathsome.

[womanwhobeatyou]

Mmm, now that's more like it.

Interesting skill for a con artist turned... hm, still seeking revenge, or would you call it justice?

[thetruthismine]

[he absolutely loves reveling in that feeling of hitting it right on the money.]

What's the difference?

[womanwhobeatyou]

One reveals a certain level of self-delusion.

[thetruthismine]

[Not that he'd been expecting a cop-like answer from her, but- it still takes him a moment. He's not used to getting the response he wants on this.]

Mm.


You know you were very good just now, turning the conversation off you.

[womanwhobeatyou]

And you're very good at avoiding the question.

[She saw what you did there, Patrick Jane.]

[thetruthismine]

I thought I answered it quite plainly, actually.

[That there is no difference between justice and revenge when it comes to Red John-- revenge is justice, and justice is revenge.]

[womanwhobeatyou]

Ah. Damaged and delusional.

[thetruthismine]

The delusional part being...?

[womanwhobeatyou]

That you think there is no difference between justice and revenge. Revenge requires passion, Mr. Jane, requires pounding blood and a thirst for pain to repay pain. Justice, on the other hand, requires a certain detachment. A certain ability to step away and let the little law enforcement individuals do their song and dance.

The damage... well, that's obvious.

[thetruthismine]

[He'll congratulate himself later for not bursting into raucous laughter.]

And you think I have no passion.

[womanwhobeatyou]

Your assumption, not mine.

I'm merely pointing out that revenge and justice are very unlikely to be found hand in hand for that particular reason.

[thetruthismine]

But not impossible.

You were wrong about one thing: justice is revenge. The man, Red John, that murdered my family? He has killed almost 30 other people besides. He isn't likely to stop. The least he deserves is a good, slow flaying, and I am going to be the one to deliver it. Not a court, not a cop. Me. He'll see the inside of a Civil building over my dead body.

[There's the passion.]

[womanwhobeatyou]

[A razor sharp smile pulls at her lips. There's that rise she was looking for.]

Impossible now.

[thetruthismine]

It was never a possibility. Not with me.

[Other people had that detachment. Not him. He'd never once considered letting the police have this one, despite his working with them. No, Red John was his.]

[womanwhobeatyou]

I can see that. "Damaged, delusional, and believing in a higher power, in this case it's yourself."

You do fit in well with the others.

[thetruthismine]

I won't deny I'm damaged. And I do believe in myself. But delusional? I've never had so much clarity.