inbox.

[nightmarist]

Comments

[nightmarist]

I don't regret it, by the way.

[timestones]

If you did, we'd be having a very different kind of conversation right now.

[nightmarist]

About the precious value of human life?

[timestones]

No, because it's quite clear that you do actually know a little something about the value of human life already.

There are some things you really don't need a guy in a big red cloak to tell you about.

[nightmarist]

Most things, I think.

[timestones]

And if I were where you are, I'd say the same thing.

[nightmarist]

I still would like you to tell me how you'd stop me.

[timestones]

I’m sure you would. But if you were in my shoes, would you tell you what you’d do to stop you?

[nightmarist]

Yes.

[timestones]

Is that because you’re seeking out for security from it? Reassurance someone will stop you?

[nightmarist]

Maybe you already know this, but I'm dangerous whether or not I'm trying to be. Obviously it's not hard to put a bullet in my head, and Kylo's pretty good at fixing my mistakes, but I like to know all my options. Especially any nonlethal ones.

[timestones]

That, I do already know. At least in the abstract.

You wanted me not to lie, and I’m not going to, but I also can’t give you the answer you’re asking for right now, or the options and possibilities.

[There’s a small sound of Stephen clicking his teeth, then the sound of his weight shifting, followed by footsteps.]

And the simplest, most practical reason I can’t do that right now is that I’m on cool-down. We both have to wait.

[nightmarist]

You overheated?

[timestones]

Sure, something like that.

You realise I looked at more than a couple of possible outcomes here, right?

[nightmarist]

For all I know, that's what you do for fun.

[timestones]

[A soft huffed chuckle.]

On this scale? It’s not exactly like I’m hunkering down with popcorn ready for a good feature film.

But that might say more about what you consider fun than me, I gotta say.

[nightmarist]

You have no idea.

[timestones]

I’m going to say ignorance is probably bliss for now.

[The footsteps that had been in the background of the audio pause.]

Tell me a little more about the magic farm.

[nightmarist]

That sounds so quaint. Are you enchanted by it? Some people never leave.

[timestones]

And I can see why they wouldn't. You make it all yourself?

[nightmarist]

Sort of. It's made of me, from me. But I'd call most of it a collaborative effort.

[timestones]

'From you'? So you're the source of it, the energy? Or magic? What term would you use?

[nightmarist]

Dreamfuckery?

[ The confusion comes as a bit of a surprise. He'd assumed Stephen already figured out what he is, how it all works. ]

Energy. Magic. Essence. Soul? I don't know. When I create anything, part of me goes with it. Just... not in a way that's really subtracting from me. The opposite, actually. There's more and more of me every time. And this place is full of it.

[timestones]

[Magic, energy, essence, soul. All words that can mean the same thing, but Stephen knows better than to assume he already knows, even when he thinks he already knows. Magic is never that easy.

He tries to keep his little smile out of his pause and from his words as best he can. He probably doesn’t fully manage it.]

Now that is interesting.

‘Dreamfuckery’ isn’t exactly the term I’ve seen used, but, you know how ancient texts are. Sometimes things get lost in translation.

[nightmarist]

There's probably a scientific word for this shit somewhere, but my kind are basically extinct. I have to figure it all out for myself, so dreamfuckery's what you get.