IC Contact

[untiltheend]

This is Sebastian Michaelis. I am unavailable at present, but please leave a message. Should a response be needed I will reply when time permits me. Please do keep your message brief.

Comments

[atowncalledtreffy]

I need your help.

[untiltheend]

Yes?

[atowncalledtreffy]

I need...

[this is hard to say. Trevor struggles for a moment before deciding;]

Aerith's in the same mood I get when I need to get black-out drunk. But instead of alcohol, she's choosing to get bitten by one of the vampires here. And if I know that mood - which I do - I know that embarrassing her or forcing her to confront the problem is going to make it worse.

The thing that got me out of it was having a purpose. A reason to get up and make trouble again.

...Is there a way for us and your master to...I don't know. Create chaos that she needs to react to, that won't put the Earl at risk?

[untiltheend]

I see. How very unfortunate. [By which he means "bothersome".]

Well. I have no interest in embarrassing Miss Aerith or making her confront her issues, but I will say I have had some luck in the past making people remember their responsibilities. With that said...

[Hmm.] The young master could of course order me to go on a rampage, or any some such, [he says comepletely casually] but that would fall more on Mr Cho's table... Then again, he is currently in a coma, and so I suppose a case might be made that Miss Aerith would be the one responsible to deal with it.

If I may: aside from bloodloss and the obvious risk of death, what negative side-effects come from being bitten by a vampire? To the best of my awareness, in my world they are the stuff of fiction.

[atowncalledtreffy]

Yeah.

[Trevor agrees, on both accounts]

Tons of things. Fatigue, mostly. I'm afraid she's going to fall asleep when Ciel needs her, or at some crucial moment. Dizziness, loss of appetite, fading. It's more the worry that she needs to do it that's compelling me to act, but the side effects themselves aren't fun, either.

And it's addicting. Vampires back home enthrall others into becoming blood slaves. The bite's like a drug or beer, it carries you away from a place you don't want to be anymore. Makes the consequences seem less important.

[untiltheend]

Miss Aerith being asleep while the young master is in acute need of assistance will not be an issue. I will protect him, and as a safeguard I have enlisted a number of people who have agreed to protect him, should there be need for it.

[Should he notice any signs of long-term neglect of her duties to the young master, that will be a different story, and a very harsh conversation.]

Have you an idea of what to do, then? I have already offered my first suggestion.

[And while it's not like Sebastian is incapable of scheming or brainstorming, he does tend to suggest violence as his go-to solution, and leave the in-depth planning to his master.]

[atowncalledtreffy]

That's good. Should have figured you'd be on top of things.

[he did have a pretty good guess but it's nice to confirm]

That'd depend on what the Earl is up for.

spam, Zero: Post-Ciel Returning, Pre-Hakkai Waking

[empathicfault]

[ Will has gotten through the first challenge of the gauntlet and spoken with Jedao about coming down here. The second challenge, being in Zero itself, is proving less terrible than he expected. So far. He stops at the doorway and waits for Jedao to come to him.

In-person warning given, Will nods along. He seems calm but slightly distracted. He's focusing on everything he can, letting his mind do what it does. It's his usual pre-interview 'game face', with an extra focus on rehabilitation.

He steps in front of Sebastian's cell with his focus settling on the demon in front of him. ]

Hello, Sebastian.

Re: spam, Zero: Post-Ciel Returning, Pre-Hakkai Waking

[deuceoftears]

[If I think you're just making him worse, I'm going to ask you to leave, is how Jedao phrased it; Will, who can parse nuance, will know that he means ask you, and then make you if necessary.

There are - wisps of emotion from him, deep weariness and bitterness, a glinting suspicion that is less pointed at Will specifically than a wary mistrustfulness in general, a faint jagged edge that Will probably has the language to identify as triggered, although it's impossible to tell what by. All of it is muffled, though, compared to Will's normal empathy sense, a conversation overheard only through the wall from another room, muted and locked down by a combination of 90% deep personal discipline, and 10% tinges of low-level dissociation.

He keeps himself to one side, but he watches Will closely, and doesn't blink.]

Re: spam, Zero: Post-Ciel Returning, Pre-Hakkai Waking

[untiltheend]

[Sebastian sits, prim and proper always, on the bench in the cell. All the blood has been cleaned off and he's wearing a new suit - a Victorian morning suit rather than his normal butler uniform.

To the untrained eye, he looks calm and composed, hands clasped in his lap. But his eyes are still the same cat-like slits, and while he doesn't physically shake, something about him seems to almost suggest it; a barely-restrained wildness. After a moment where it looks like he won't, he looks up at Will.

It's a bland look. Not happy, not angry, not curious.]

Re: spam, Zero: Post-Ciel Returning, Pre-Hakkai Waking

[empathicfault]

[ Will meets his eyes. His lips pull back into a mild grimace. He doesn't like seeing this sort of power locked away, regardless of what it was used for. ]

I'm not here to cause more problems for you. I understand that it wasn't personal. That you were hurting.

[ He pauses in case Sebastian wants to refute that. ]

Re: spam, Zero: Post-Ciel Returning, Pre-Hakkai Waking

[untiltheend]

My kind do not 'hurt' in the way you suggest.

[Sebastian forgets, in the moment, Will's ability and the raw desperation, the utter lack of control he would have been able to feel during the attack.

It's not an active lie on Sebastian's part: he's simply never had opportunity to feel anything close to this in his entire long life.]

Re: spam, Zero: Post-Ciel Returning, Pre-Hakkai Waking

[empathicfault]

I'm not saying it was expressed as a normal human's hurt would be. But there was hurt. A wave of pain, screaming from your core.

[ He gives Sebastian a mirthless smile. ]

I'm glad Ciel Phantomhive has returned. I can't say I would fare much better if certain people were taken off the ship.

Re: spam, Zero: Post-Ciel Returning, Pre-Hakkai Waking

[untiltheend]

[Sebastian's eyes widen slightly in genuine surprise. Right, Will's ability to sense--

He sits with that thought for a moment. But only a moment.]

Why came you here? If not to cause problems?

pre-Flood text

[ctrl_x]

You're a real piece of work.

[What an opening message. But the fact that it's got proper grammar, spelling, and a lack of sarcasm means she's taking her time with each and every word.]

Was your murder spree meant to get back at the Admiral?

Re: pre-Flood text

[untiltheend]

Good day, Miss Jinx.

It was not, no.

[It'd be an easy, convenient lie. Unfortunately, Sebastian doesn't lie.]

Re: pre-Flood text

[ctrl_x]

Good.
That would have made the death even lamer than if you'd just been bored.
Ciel then?

At first

[She sends just that, sighing as she internally wrestles with herself.]

I was super pissed! I wanted to get back at you with the cliche "eye for an eye" nonsense.
But that'd just lead to a really stupid cycle! Ciel doesn't deserve that!

So I'm left with just two things that make any sense to me

Option One: a proper fight between us in the way-off-too-distant future.
Option Two: Teach me how to cook.

I know those two are total opposites in a way, but
I decided I want to be something other than some
Handy dandy weapon of mass destruction
So if you're ever interested!

Or if your master approves of one or the other!

That's all I'll be asking for

Re: pre-Flood text

[untiltheend]

My actions were because of my master's disappearance, yes.

[Sebastian is... quietly surprised by the measured response that follows. It takes him a moment to think of how to answer. He considers offering her the chance to hurt him as payback, but ultimately decides that wouldn't help anyone.]

Thank you for your grace, Miss Jinx.

I am available for either, or both, of those options.
For cooking lessons, we might have to schedule those at times the kitchens are not busy.
For a fight, booking the Enclosure might be best. I would offer to fight you even at this time, although my performance might be slightly lacking.

Re: pre-Flood text

[ctrl_x]

[She doesn't think she can actually understand how he feels, even if the concept... does kind of feel relatable, in some ways. It has her thinking back to her own violent streaks. Times when people looked at her with absolute fear as she went on rampages.

It makes her chuckle a bit at that mention of grace.]

Talking over this thing helps with that.

Alright let's go with cooking then!
Hopefully me being a total beginner won't be too frustrating

[She hopes it'll be at least a little frustrating.]

Re: pre-Flood text

[untiltheend]

I have instructed complete beginners in the past.
I myself had to teach myself from the ground up while having no experience whatsoever cooking.
Inexperience will not be an obstacle.

[Was it, at times, extremely frustrating not just teaching himself to cook with nothing but cookbooks and his master's stern judgement to guide him, but later trying to mould Bard into anything resembling a decent cook? Sure! But at least he knows to expect the frustration by now.]

text;

[onlyhearmusic]

You should visit Trevor.

Re: text;

[untiltheend]

Miss Undertown said the same thing.

Very well.

Re: text;

[onlyhearmusic]

He keeps asking for you.

Thank you.

Re: text;

[untiltheend]

[Trevor does?

Sebastian has no idea how to feel about that. Flattered? ...Touched?

Confused is probably the best he can manage at this point. He's used to his master depending on him, but anyone else...]

You understand, of course, that I do it not because you asked.

Re: text;

[onlyhearmusic]

[Collins didn't have it in himself to tell anyone the full reason right now, but Trevor did think of the demon as his friend. Collins only asked because Trevor was doing so bad though and the Irishman was deeply concerned.]

I don't care why you do it so long as it helps Trevor.