asmywitness | IC Inbox

[Its time for your dose of vitamin Hythlodaeus, Tyler. ]

How harsh! Emet-Selch had only called him “boy”.

[He cares less about that and more about how he's apparently trying to suck Tyler into Steven and Solus's petty bullshit.]

I should think by now that Steven has made his opinion on Solus eminently clear. This isn't a surprise.

Forgive me, it was merely a light shock. Name-calling is not a facet of culture that I am yet familiar with.

There is much I know about Steven, yet only from his own mouth. Would you consider him a close friend of yours?

I do, yes. Though I'd have thought that someone Solus has openly declared he thinks so highly of would have been able to make some reasonable extrapolations.

[He's either grossly naive or blindly optimistic. Or it's a front to try and get under his guard, but that one's a bit harder to believe based on their previous conversations.]

Edited 2020-07-25 02:18 (UTC)

[Poor dumb Hythlodaeus. Maybe Solus has rose tinted glasses for this man from his past.]

Then you know of Steven's... condition, let's call it. Well, we were discussing shoring up his training, so I wanted to get a better idea of what he experienced. I admit that he presented many foreign concepts to me.

He spoke of managers and fighters as if I should understand with an immediacy.

[...hm.]

Arranged fighting matches for public consumption are a common pastime in our world. Steven's culture holds them in historically high esteem. I'm sure you know what a manager does, but to reiterate they essentially organise the fighter's schedule, manage their funds and plans, and essentially care for their well-being.

Fascinating. Is this a fight to the death?

Not typically, but given the nature of it it's not impossible. Illegal matches tend to skew higher for fatal injuries.

Who was the audience for these matches, then? I understand there was a fae of some sort influencing Steven's decisions up until a point, but was there no oversight?

...At the very least, what he describes seems as if it should be in violation of some sort of rule.

[It wasn't as if Amaurotines didn't measure strength, but whatever was going on there would have certainly been caught in Amaurot. Of course they had creatures and creations that misbehaved now and then, but none could simply dominate their people.]

In Steven's case, it would have been for the entertainment of his own and other Lords.

[He should tread carefully here; Steven has actually been doing a good job of not telling anyone about his own Durance - even if Hythlodaeus knows about it from the other Changeling, it still stands on principle to explain it as minimally as possible. It's only safe to assume he knows more than he lets on, but not enough to not want confirmation from a secondary source.]

And Lords aren't particularly inclined to play fair. It's not uncommon for their Taken to die under their alleged care.

So I see. I understood before that it was a cruel circumstance, but not the extent. Well, he has agreed to study under me in an array of topics. One of these topics will be relearning his cognitive empathy to re-calibrate his moral compass. It seems to be troubling him. I am aware of his current outlets, and one of them does concern me as an impediment for his path to self-assured belonging in society as a whole.

To be clear, no one shared this specific piece of information with me— I merely know the difference between someone who has and has not worked alongside Emet-Selch. Steven has attempted to recruit me, and I am still making up my mind.

To make haste to my point, I would ask you if you feel Steven's work will provide him with difficulties in his study.

Steven's work provides him with a great deal of personal and professional satisfaction, and I strongly suggest you do nothing to interfere with it unless you want him as furious at you as he is at Solus.

[...wait he misread Hythlodaeus's text, he only noticed after he sent that. Attempted to recruit...?

Tyler's stomach goes cold.]

Recruit in what way?

Quite the contrary! Steven believes that he is in for a promotion if he can increase the staffing. Ah, I'm so sorry, I should provide just a little more context and speak clearly. I'll start with one point and move to the other.

"Solus" and I were classmates and coworkers for a time. I know the general look and disposition of those who have been forced to cooperate with him when he's in one of his moods. Steven has that disposition... And so have you. I understand that we might be coworkers soon.

In the meantime, before I can confirm any such theories myself, I am asking for your input. Do you feel his work has a negative impact on his cognitive empathy?

[Steven what the fuck did you tell him.]

As I said, his work brings him joy. He finds it a good way to express himself on both physical and interpersonal levels. He gets satisfaction from operating within the company's direction. But I'm not a psychologist, and I'm not particularly inclined to make comments on his abilities and knowledge in regards to empathy.

If we're going to discuss being coworkers, though, [Because while he makes no secret of his job being data entry, if asked, no-one fucking knows it's for Team Rocket.] I'd be more comfortable with doing so in person.

[Hythlodaeus is... surprised. Slightly delighted, certainly...]

Be assured that I have secured this line quite well! ...And if you are certain that approaching you will be safe for your mind and my body.

Nonetheless. I feel that this is a subject of some delicacy, that I'd rather not have documented. I work with rather confidential information and I'd hate for something important to slip because someone happened to read one of our gear in a moment of lapsed guard.

I admire your prudence. I really must insist, however, that you restrain your bird in some manner. I am uninterested in losing my eyes again so soon.

That's acceptable, if you don't mind me keeping a different Psychic Pokemon out instead. I've gotten used to having a second set of eyes assisting me.

There's a cafe near the Goldenrod Department store with outdoor seating that ought to accommodate someone of your stature.

Don’t tell me that you’re losing your sight, too. Dear me.

I hope you aren’t perturbed by vilekin, as Solus calls them. My triad of cutiefly have become my constant companions.

[Oh good, he regrets this already. He's just not even gonna bother addressing that.]

I'm not terribly familiar with Cutiefly, but I'm sure I won't mind them. Would you be alright to meet in an hour's time?

Edited 2020-07-25 10:39 (UTC)

Oh, I have bread in the oven and onions caramelizing. I live quite close to the radio tower, and it should only be a leisurely ten minute walk if you’re so eager. Solus is out and about, but I’m sure he’ll be home for dinner if you’d like to join us.

With all due respect, I don't want to know where you two live. It's entirely irrelevant to me.

Pick the date then. Keeping in mind that you're the one who wants to talk to me about work, not the other way around.

My, my! Well, Steven and I will be having lunch on Wednesday for sign practice at that very café. It would be useful to our purposes for you to deliver your insights directly.

[He doesn't like that Hythlodaeus keeps trying to get witnesses in on their meeting, but he supposes of anyone Steven is the more likely to not stop his endeavour.]

That sounds like it ought to work. I can ask to start work a bit later for it. I'll see you there, then.

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LOCKED DOWN TIGHT

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cw casual ableism I’m sorry

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