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

Re: [After the signs flood, before the sword curse]

[deuceoftears]

In this case, less an active concern than a regular habit, but that's considerate of you.

Oh, minor question - tea, or alcohol?

Re: [After the signs flood, before the sword curse]

[untiltheend]

Whichever you prefer, please.

I do not imagine Mr Cho has mentioned it, [because why would the two of them discuss such minor details about Sebastian, if they'd even discuss him at all (which is also unlikely)] but: my sense of taste is different from that of a human, and I cannot adequately appreciate either drink.

I can be by your cabin in five minutes, if that pleases you?

Re: [After the signs flood, before the sword curse]

[deuceoftears]

It would, thank you.

[When Sebastien arrives, Jedao has taken him at his word, and has set out two coasters and two tall highball glasses of cold carbonated water.]

Welcome. I'm sure Hakkai hasn't mentioned it, but my sense of taste is different from human as well. I hate everything that tastes like anything, for a human palette. This I like for the...texture, for lack of a better word; I would be gratified by your honesty whether it's pleasant for you or not.

Re: [After the signs flood, before the sword curse]

[untiltheend]

[Sebastian takes a seat wherever Jedao indicates with a "thank you", clasping his hands primly in his lap as always.

And... pauses, his eyebrows jumping up in honest surprise.

It's not the first time someone has attempted to take his preferences into consideration, but... it's not something he's particularly used to.]

...Then I will be sure to offer it. Thank you.

[Obediently, he takes one of the glasses, although he doesn't try it yet. And, hah, he knew Jedao wasn't human ever since that conversation in the art gazebo.]

As for your question, instructor?

Re: [After the signs flood, before the sword curse]

[deuceoftears]

I'm told Mister Bright apologized to some of the people he considers himself to have offended. I wondered, first, if you were included in that gesture.

Re: [After the signs flood, before the sword curse]

[untiltheend]

Ah-- indeed, I was. The apology did include the implication that I myself was equally in the wrong, but aside from that, it was a decent attempt.

Re: [After the signs flood, before the sword curse]

[deuceoftears]

Would you be willing to share it with me?

With the understanding that I don't believe the warden/inmate hierarchy in any way obligates you to honor such a request if you don't wish to.

Re: [After the signs flood, before the sword curse]

[untiltheend]

Oh... [but why.] Of course. Here.

[He hands Jedao his communicator, open to the relevant conversation.]

Re: [After the signs flood, before the sword curse]

[deuceoftears]

I do like to judge people by their own words.

Thank you.

Re: [After the signs flood, before the sword curse]

[untiltheend]

Of course.

[Liking to judge people by their own words is Valid. Sebastian leaves Jedao to read through the conversation in peace, trying the sparkling water in the meantime.]

Re: [After the signs flood, before the sword curse]

[deuceoftears]

[Certainly it doesn't take long; Jedao snorts a little in amusement at Sebastien's attachments, so at least the effort isn't wholly wasted.]

It's more important to me to respect your confidentiality than it is to understand him. But he's entangled with a number of people I'm entangled with, so I do want to understand him better.

With the understanding that we can both say, honestly, that you neither ordered nor asked for me to take any particular actions which I may or may not have taken -

[He doesn't quite wink.]

- I would like your permission to ask him what, exactly, he regrets, and to clarify that it is largely his comments regarding you that I most object to. I will at no point imply I speak for you; you've made yourself wonderfully clear.

Re: [After the signs flood, before the sword curse]

[untiltheend]

I would not object to such a thing. As long as my name is not attached to petty revenge, it is no concern of mine what you choose to do to Mr Bright. Please feel free to mention my name, if necessary.

[There is, admittedly, still a note of confusion in his tone. What is this consideration.]

Re: [After the signs flood, before the sword curse]

[deuceoftears]

Entirely reasonable.

That was all the...hm, specific business I wanted to ask you about today, but I wonder if you I could also talk you into playing a game with me?

Re: [After the signs flood, before the sword curse]

[untiltheend]

[Sebastian tilts his head, in a very dog-like fashion.]

A game?

[Jedao, does Sebastian strike you as the kind of person who knows how to have fun.]

Re: [After the signs flood, before the sword curse]

[deuceoftears]

I think you'll be good at it.

[He pulls out a boardgame that's something in between Go, Hive, and Azul, with a big hexagonal board and hundreds of small, beautifully glazed tiles of nine different colors. Each tile is double-sided, but the difference is in the design, rather than the color, flowers versus stars. Each color is added or moved on the board differently; there are tile drawing phases where they take turns selecting tiles for their pools, trying to claim colors or block the other from getting all of another, and there are ways to claim territory and flip tiles once played. A variety of elegant patterns can make the territory worth more; every board state is a maze of constantly shifting possibilities for both strategic and artistic gains.]

Re: [After the signs flood, before the sword curse]

[untiltheend]

[What are we, children? Sebastian thinks as Jedao brings out the boardgame... But, well. As Jedao explains the rules, there is, admittedly, something aesthetically pleasing both about the design of the tiles, as well as the set-up of the game.

As predicted, Sebastian is good at it. Not as good as Jedao, most likely, but good for a beginner, and he learns quickly.

After they've been playing for a while, and while moving one of his tiles:]

...Why? [Why are they hanging out like this?]

Re: [After the signs flood, before the sword curse]

[deuceoftears]

Do you want the top answer, or the whole list?

[Asking less because he thinks Sebastien won't pick the list, and more simply to get him in a frame of mind to hear the whole thing.]

Re: [After the signs flood, before the sword curse]

[untiltheend]

I have no pressing appointments, [he says, considering his next move.

Yes, the whole list, please.]

Re: [After the signs flood, before the sword curse]

[deuceoftears]

Alright, well, these are largely unranked, for the record.

I enjoy this game, and I don't often get the chance to play it with someone else who grasps it so quickly. I hoped you might enjoy it as well. Connected to that, there's a social function to tea, as I know you know - it gives one things to do with ones hands, something to look at, during conversations that might need the relief of an alternate focal point, and I wanted to explore whether this might do as a substitute version of that, if you don't like the carbonated water either. I am loosely aligned with the Shuos faction, which considers as one of its primary tenets that games are an important way of understanding people. How do you react to incentives, stakes, risk-taking, difficulty, knowledge, uncertainty, and so on. Playing a game with you is another way of getting to know you. I rather like you and I want to know you better. Sublist, for my own pleasure, because I hope you will enjoy having someone you can enjoy a friendly game with, to better assist you as well as I can, as wardening without knowledge is often useless at best, and to assist Hakkai in his own efforts.

Possibly there are more I'm forgetting at precisely this moment, but that's the gist of it.

Re: [After the signs flood, before the sword curse]

[untiltheend]

The water is serviceable, as it were. [Like Jedao said, it doesn't really taste like anything, which makes it... not enjoyable, but also no disgusting.

Sebastian nods at Jedao's explanation, and takes the time to make his next game move before answering:]

Would you believe some Wardens insist they invite me to partake in games and movie showings simply for the pleasure of it?

[Which is to say: Sebastian likes Jedao's answer. It's thorough. It's... honest, as far as he can tell. At the very least, Jedao isn't pretending to be nice and nothing but nice.]

Re: [After the signs flood, before the sword curse]

[deuceoftears]

I'm sure most of them believe it. Self-awareness is not at a premium here, unfortunately.

Re: [After the signs flood, before the sword curse]

[untiltheend]

[Sebastian scoffs lightly. Isn't that the truth. Most wardens are such idiots.]

I do not envy you lot the job of attempting to guide others towards realising their faults, while as a general rule being so lacking in that awareness yourselves. [Jedao is... not excluded from the "you lot" necessarily, but at least not the main target. Jedao is sensible, for a warden.

He frowns slightly down at the board, now spotting a strategic error he made. Urgh. Need to do better.]

Re: [After the signs flood, before the sword curse]

[deuceoftears]

One would hardly expect to earn a wish doing something simple and easy.

You wouldn't want to stay, when you graduate?

Re: [After the signs flood, before the sword curse]

[untiltheend]

Gracious, no; I would not stay in this infernal place a moment longer than necessary for anything. I must return to my master as soon as possible, you see - being separated from him is hateful.

[Not that he'd want to stay even if his master weren't in the picture - the need to reunite with him just thrumps Sebastian's hatred of the Barge.]

Re: [After the signs flood, before the sword curse]

[deuceoftears]

Not even to show us all how it's done, huhn?

Ah, well. I'll miss you, but I'm glad you have somewhere you want to go.