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[thevictoriandetective]

Out of curiosity, you know, for no particular reason at all, is anyone truly unhappy about being held against their will in this Carnival? What would you do if you had a chance to be free of your contract?

[If there's injustice about, he's got a motive for...certain activities that he believes could free them all from this Carnival.]

Comments

[atouts]

Ah, you are correct. Allow me to amend that. You really are going to complain on and on about this for the entire year and a day, aren't you?

[thevictoriandetective]

Yes. Yes I am. But hopefully it won't be a year and a day.

[atouts]

Only hopefully? No solid plans yet, I take it?

[thevictoriandetective]

Just speculation. Harmless speculation.

[atouts]

Of course. I hadn't expected anything besides that. You should know, however, that some are here by choice.

[thevictoriandetective]

Why would you subject yourself to servitude and transformations?

[atouts]

The transformations were unanticipated, that much I will give you, but for those who do not blunder their way into the carnival, the year and a day is nothing more than a trade.

[ He's going to be general. What he's after is something he's keeping to himself. ]

[thevictoriandetective]

Some of us value our time and our humanity more than others.

[atouts]

Our humanity? That's hardly defined by appearance alone.

[thevictoriandetective]

You say that now. You don't know what it's like to be severely transformed. To be turned into an animal...your thoughts crammed into a tiny brain filled with strange instincts...and when you get turned back, it's hardly better. Look at us now! We're bloody fish creatures.

[He sounds...disturbed.]

[atouts]

[ Okay, he has to pause and consider that. Only for a few seconds, however. ]

Merfolk. [ Does his England have no fairy tales whatsoever? Not even mermaids? Though he is serious when he asks, ] You were changed into an animal? For no reason?

[thevictoriandetective]

[Merfolk, whatever. He deleted a lot of things from his mind.]

Well, I was trying to escape...

[atouts]

So you tried to break your contract, failed, and got transformed for it.

[ Right, from taking this seriously back to sounding entirely unsurprised in two seconds flat. ]

If I recall correctly, I did warn you that might happen, or is it you simply don't listen to anything you don't like the sound of?

[thevictoriandetective]

Yes.

[A nod.]

[He was answering both the previous statement and the question that followed.]

[atouts]

Useless. You're going to get yourself killed that way.

[thevictoriandetective]

Well, that's what makes life more exciting.

[atouts]

More like that's what makes me think we should be running a betting pool on when you'll meet a grisly end.

[thevictoriandetective]

Just like Scotland Yard...[Shakes his head. At least Lestrade didn't participate in it.]

[atouts]

Common reaction, is it?

[thevictoriandetective]

Not surprisingly, yes.

[atouts]

And do you ignore their warnings as well?

[thevictoriandetective]

Absolutely do.