["But you haven't been normal ever since the Faceless Ones used you for hunting practice." And the fact that he can hear that tells him all he needs to know about his own status as an unreliable narrator.]
But now, maybe not. I, mmm... [...can't tell him. Not a good idea.] Maybe I was mistaken.
[He doesn't like this. He doesn't like being unable to trust himself, feeling uneasy at the first sign of resistance to what he thinks is real. And to have it happen with someone he already only tenuously trusts to remain truth-adjacent...]
I can't either. You don't strike me as the type to be controlled. ...The other part, the bit about ascension rituals and trying to solve what you are -- you said that, didn't you?
It depends. Is there a way to -- [Of course there is. The man runs a ship that's powered by souls. If Jenny could use the feeling of a memory to conjure up dolls for Ava, then of course there's a chance... but that sort of request is inherently dangerous. Owing favors to a man hellbent on using your soul as fuel sounds like a bad idea.
...]
You wouldn't happen to be able to... I don't know, undo it, would you?
[he frowns, lost in thought for a few good seconds.]
... Theoretically. Like most things... It's thermodynamics. All that exists will always exist in some form; an alteration of matter necessitates a return to equilibrium... But, for it to have happened even once was pure chance. This has happened twice. You're asking for lightning to strike for a third time.
[pause]
What happened to you was always going to happen. Has happened. Is happening. And undoing that requires more than you're willing to take.
[Oh shit -- no! Nope. Nope, absolutely not paying attention to the hallucination that just walked up on them like he owns the place. That's just unfair! He only just remembered the damned man, now he's conjuring him up?]
...And did you know what was going to happen to me?
[Too bad Skulduggery is currently operating under the impression that Stede is a clever figment of his imagination, bc he's just staring at the captain. Not even a headtilt to indicate he heard anything. It's called faking it. Maybe you've heard about it?]
[He swats at Stede, which is the best way to get rid of hallucinations as far as he's found --]
Oh.
[Oh, this is even worse than with Valkyrie. At least with her, she had been saving him from the eldritch creatures responsible for his current unsteadiness. It had been a whole dramatic thing. This -- this is just... embarrassing.
And then, the wink.]
.....OH.
[Oh my God. Are you joking. Is that why Stede thought -- and that's why he said all of that???]
...NNnnnno. We haven't. I'll... let you know if he pops out.
Right. [definite moment of passion then. Or one on the cusp of it. He's not sure how they manage to kiss without one of them having lips, but he's too polite to stick around find out.
He'll just ask Skulduggery about it later]
Well, you gentleman have a nice rest of your day.
[if you know what he means. Then with a pat to Skulduggery's arm he is on his way back down the deck]
Please, I think I could become an actual god and still not be able to fathom the comings and goings of Stede Bonnet.
[... wait.]
Oh, you meant... Yes, mostly. In a general sense. [like idk someone who read a wiki page or something.] I generally only tell people their future timelines when I'm quite upset with them.
[This is just... so much information. He's desperately clawing for more because if he stops asking questions, he'll fall into a bottomless pit of despair.]
You could have warned me about what the other side of that portal was going to be like.
[Ahhhh, damn, too late. He's already in the pit of despair.]
I wouldn't have ignored you. I knew what was waiting for me, or I had an idea of it. If you'd told me, I would've...
[Would have what?
...]
No. You're right. Of course. [He nods, shoving his hands back in his pockets.] Even if I had taken it to heart, it wouldn't have affected anything in the timeline. I didn't remember anything that happened here. Thankfully. Can you imagine, me conjuring you up to keep me comforted during the non-stop torture? That would have been embarrassing.
Not that they would have needed them. [Still, it would have been better than the brutal things his friends would say. Better than Valkyrie screaming for him when his own voice gave out, that's for sure. Some flippancy and disregard for the gods that had him in perpetual agony would have done a lot for his mental health. Probably. (Not really!)]
...What now? I can't trust -- hmmm. Damn it. [He taps the captain's knee with his foot. Good, still actually there.] I can't possibly trust you not to take advantage of this new state of mine. [He fully expects to feel more spectral eyes on him in the coming days, enough to trigger another paranoid fit. That's to say nothing of the captain's ability to shapeshift and remain largely undetected. None of that is ideal, to say the least.]
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["But you haven't been normal ever since the Faceless Ones used you for hunting practice." And the fact that he can hear that tells him all he needs to know about his own status as an unreliable narrator.]
But now, maybe not. I, mmm... [...can't tell him. Not a good idea.] Maybe I was mistaken.
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[shrugs]
Weird.
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I can't either. You don't strike me as the type to be controlled. ...The other part, the bit about ascension rituals and trying to solve what you are -- you said that, didn't you?
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[frowns]
Whatever could control me... or whatever I am...
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[he says in a joking tone, as if he's not going to spend two days not sleeping trying to figure out what the fuck just happened here.]
I suppose this whole business will put a bit of a damper on our working it out. Stede will be very disappointed.
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It depends. Is there a way to -- [Of course there is. The man runs a ship that's powered by souls. If Jenny could use the feeling of a memory to conjure up dolls for Ava, then of course there's a chance... but that sort of request is inherently dangerous. Owing favors to a man hellbent on using your soul as fuel sounds like a bad idea.
...]
You wouldn't happen to be able to... I don't know, undo it, would you?
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... Theoretically. Like most things... It's thermodynamics. All that exists will always exist in some form; an alteration of matter necessitates a return to equilibrium... But, for it to have happened even once was pure chance. This has happened twice. You're asking for lightning to strike for a third time.
[pause]
What happened to you was always going to happen. Has happened. Is happening. And undoing that requires more than you're willing to take.
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[don't mind Stede, just strolling up, looking pleased if somewhat wary]
Getting along already! I knew that you would.
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...And did you know what was going to happen to me?
[...yeah uh. sorry stede]
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[he looks around and leans in] Have either of you seen the captain up here anywhere? I was hoping to have a peak.
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Oh.
[Oh, this is even worse than with Valkyrie. At least with her, she had been saving him from the eldritch creatures responsible for his current unsteadiness. It had been a whole dramatic thing. This -- this is just... embarrassing.
And then, the wink.]
.....OH.
[Oh my God. Are you joking. Is that why Stede thought -- and that's why he said all of that???]
...NNnnnno. We haven't. I'll... let you know if he pops out.
[You can almost hear his teeth grinding. Almost.]
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He'll just ask Skulduggery about it later]
Well, you gentleman have a nice rest of your day.
[if you know what he means. Then with a pat to Skulduggery's arm he is on his way back down the deck]
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You absolute bastard.
[He'll agree that the bit is hilarious later. But that had been mortifying! Honestly and truly humiliating.]
Tell me, did you know what would happen to me?
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[... wait.]
Oh, you meant... Yes, mostly. In a general sense. [like idk someone who read a wiki page or something.] I generally only tell people their future timelines when I'm quite upset with them.
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You could have warned me about what the other side of that portal was going to be like.
[Ahhhh, damn, too late. He's already in the pit of despair.]
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[welcome home.]
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[Would have what?
...]
No. You're right. Of course. [He nods, shoving his hands back in his pockets.] Even if I had taken it to heart, it wouldn't have affected anything in the timeline. I didn't remember anything that happened here. Thankfully. Can you imagine, me conjuring you up to keep me comforted during the non-stop torture? That would have been embarrassing.
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I wouldn't have been very good at it. I would've just been giving tips.
[like an umarell of torture.]
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...What now? I can't trust -- hmmm. Damn it. [He taps the captain's knee with his foot. Good, still actually there.] I can't possibly trust you not to take advantage of this new state of mine. [He fully expects to feel more spectral eyes on him in the coming days, enough to trigger another paranoid fit. That's to say nothing of the captain's ability to shapeshift and remain largely undetected. None of that is ideal, to say the least.]
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