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 Malcolm's announcement of Kikimora's graduation, audio]

[untiltheend]

I...

[He feels the need to protest that that would NOT make anyone a cat spoken like a man who has not for one second considered that Edwin might not actually be a cat.

It feels wrong. But he did want Hakkai to do anything.]

...May I think it over?

Re: [after Malcolm's announcement of Kikimora's graduation, audio]

[reformedsinner]

I'm not actually serious.

Although, if you'd like to try asking yourself the question of how you would react if whoever you're interacting with was a cat....

[It feels wrong to Hakkai, too. But, more seriously:]

I could also offer... if you'd like, I'd let you experience my emotions, for a time.

Re: [after Malcolm's announcement of Kikimora's graduation, audio]

[untiltheend]

[...How damned upset is Sebastian that he didn't pick up on that? Pathetic.]

...Would that not be similar to a Breach? [But he's not saying no.]

Re: [after Malcolm's announcement of Kikimora's graduation, audio]

[reformedsinner]

Breaches are temporary and... well. [A pause.] Those people who we are during a breach are not real people. Do you think it would make a difference for you to experience emotions that are real?

[A week of human feelings, followed by the removal of those feelings-- well. To Hakkai, although they've left their marks sometimes, breaches are easy to dismiss.]

Re: [after Malcolm's announcement of Kikimora's graduation, audio]

[untiltheend]

[There's a pause on Sebastian's end. He hates this idea too, but... thinking it over seriously does feel better than this frustrated dead-end he's been in for days now.]

Even in all those breaches, I... believe I had not a full human experience of emotions. [He can't be sure, but he thinks he'd been somewhat emotionally stunted in all of those lives, despite being human.]

...I do not know how to answer. [MAYBE it'd help? Hakkai being youkai and not human at least makes the idea slightly more bearable: he'd at least not gain the emotions of a lowly human.]

I... I would acquiesce to try it. For how long?

Re: [after Malcolm's announcement of Kikimora's graduation, audio]

[reformedsinner]

I see. Let's start with at least twenty-four hours to give it a fair trial. If you think it is making a difference, we could continue it for a week. I'd stay close, in case there are any -- problems.

Re: [after Malcolm's announcement of Kikimora's graduation, audio]

[untiltheend]

Doubt you my self-control, sir?

[Emotional regulation of emotions you've never experienced before will surely not be a problem.]

Re: [after Malcolm's announcement of Kikimora's graduation, audio]

[reformedsinner]

It's going to be a new experience for you, and it might be a difficult one. I'd like to be close in case you have questions.

If I actually doubted your self-control I'd be telling you to stay home from work for the first twenty-four hours.

Re: [after Malcolm's announcement of Kikimora's graduation, audio]

[untiltheend]

[Questions are not the same thing as problems, Sebastian thinks to himself, but he doesn't argue.]

...Fine. Twenty-four hours to start with.

Re: [after Malcolm's announcement of Kikimora's graduation, audio]

[reformedsinner]

[Problems is a more honest description of what Hakkai thinks is likely to occur. But there's no need to be insulting by doubling down.]

All right. I'll speak to the Admiral.

When would you like to start?

Re: [after Malcolm's announcement of Kikimora's graduation, audio]

[untiltheend]

[He's tempted to say "right now" just to get away from this impotent frustration - how pathetic is that?]

We are due for a Flood soon, no? After its end?

Re: [after Malcolm's announcement of Kikimora's graduation, audio]

[reformedsinner]

We are.

All right -- that seems like a sensible precaution. I'll contact you as soon as it ends.

Re: [after Malcolm's announcement of Kikimora's graduation, audio]

[untiltheend]

Very well, sir.

[There's no "thank you", because he's still too upset, but he does feel a little bit better now having something to channel his frustration into, even if that something too is an aggravating idea.]