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[wewillwewill]

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[unnecessaryflourishes]

I believe you may find this of interest.

[There follows a link to recent post made to the ADI network.]

[wewillwewill]

[There is a short pause while Elidibus checks.]

I'm surprised something of this nature was not already in place a while ago.

[ Then there will be a pause. Elidibus is just going to wrap up his workday early, thank you very much and go find Emet-Selch. Because why have a conversation about this in a way that'll leave a digital fingerprint? That's just silly. Relish the moment. Elidibus. Leaving work early.

To.... well, work in another way if we're being pendantic about it. ]

"Are you able to finish soon?" He brought a chinese takeout menu along as if suggesting they should order some and have an easy Friday. It is a good prop.

But also the takeout place happens to be pretty good.

[unnecessaryflourishes]

[It is certainly something that Emet-Selch would have expected to see already, that much he can't deny. Still, that it is being announced - and largely publicly at that - is at least worth some manner of scrutiny, even if it ultimately proves to not be something that is particularly useful to their cause.

But that, for now, is something that is yet to be seen.]

Likewise.

[He is, admittedly, fully prepared to say more - he is no stranger to having carefully neutral conversations over things that are wither not secure or could leave some manner of record. But given that he is still meant to be working, it takes him some time to settle on an appropriately suitable phrasing, at which point he is abruptly interrupted by Elidibus' arrival.

(Which is almost even more surprising, given that he knows full well that Elidibus would have had to leave work early, but apart from a slight blink he says nothing of it]

"I will need a brief moment to do so, but yes."

There's a nod with the words, as if this is nothing more than a pair of colleagues wishing to have an uncomplicated evening, as opposed to being that and a cover for them to discuss the matters that Emet-Selch has just recently brought to Elidibus' attention.

cw eating issues, injury mention-- sup fool it's May

[ployboy]

His head hurts, because his head always hurts lately. Tim easily grows accustomed to things, for better or for worse; the infinite headache, he guesses is a direct result of maybe not eating as much as he should and simultaneously beating himself up with too much time at the gym.

Like, duh.

Add to that the habitual poor sleep, high stakes chess games to obsess over, and the whole Leg Thing, and Tim's pretty sure if anyone has found him in a good mood in Gloucester... they're either dirty, rotten liars or as delusional as Jeff-freaking-Calhoun. --okay, that's not fair. Or right. Tim's had good moods. Malcolm just likes to act surprised at them whenever they do crop up because he's a dick. Mr. Arroyo likes to carry on the chatter, though. And Jeff is usually the reason for those moods and.

And speaking of Jeff, Tim is going to break the guy's face the next time he sees him. Because Tim's job, apparently, is to know everything about everyone and if he doesn't find a way to smash open his own skull to stop the headache he doesn't know what he's going to

"Oh."

Tim is tired. Tim always is, nowadays.

His mind says this is on your To Do List so get to it at the exact same time as his very nature screeches at his body to make a run for it.

He can't make a run for it because he has cumbersome forearm crutches, one brand-spankin-new prosthetic left leg feeling like a heavy awful lot of Nothing glued onto him, and because it would frankly just be Weird.

So.

Tim sways a little as he just about walks-hobbles into... this guy. Whose name flashes somewhere in the back of Tim's mind but whose name Tim refuses to even attempt to say aloud. He'd butcher it. Like, he knows he'd butcher it. Timothy Jackson Drake doesn't know what the hell possesses him to secure the connection here and now, in a random-ass ADI elevator queue, but he does know he can not and should not try to pronounce Elri-di-bi-ous. Or whatever the posters say.

Not until he hears the man say it himself, of course.

Tim blinks.

Says, "You're the new counselor, right?"

Like he didn't just experience an entire crisis in the last point-oh-four seconds.

Jesus Christ.

OH GOD IT IS THE END OF MAY EVEN AAAA

[wewillwewill]

Wouldn't it have been so much worse though, if he had entered the elevator? Like, no room at ALL. Doubly awkward if they were the only two. At least there's space here.

Said new counselor is minding his own business, waiting patiently for the elevator to reach the floor. It won't be too soon or too long; it's that time of day when the first wave of people have finally wrapped up their work and there's a brief pause for each floor it travels to.

While he won't look like he's about to reach out to Tim and try to steady the lad, the silver-haired man is definitely regarding him with alert interest. This might have something to do with being ready to check any accidental falls.

But far moreso, it's a keen and assessing gaze, as if he's measuring far more than physical capabilities.

"Yes," comes the answer in a smooth light baritone. "I am Elidibus."

It's four syllables, Tim. Four. Eh-Li-Di-Bus Five is way out.

"I don't believe we have met."

[OOC: Will this be after or before Tim does the network post about requesting help with processing the database information?]

[wewillwewill]

It's all very uncomplicated. Waiting for Emet-Selch to reach a stopping point, using the time to place an order to pick up on their way home. It's still a little odd, having to eat so frequently, but like all times he's had to fit into mortal life, it's taken in stride.

It's general, harmless talk until they get home. There will be beverages, forks, chopsticks and their favorite selection. There is no reason not to have enjoyable food while speaking of serious matters.

As is their habit at home, Elidibus slips into the Ancient tongue while reaching for a box to tip a portion out onto a plate.

"I suppose this request was one of necessity if the information was more than the team involved could handle. Yet I can't help but wonder the intentions. At a glance it seems an unskilled manipulation to suggest those within this community had a choice in adding the data collector to their devices."

Elidibus picks up chopsticks and pinches a sample of his meal to be eaten after his next words.

"One advantage in delaying the addition and asking so openly would be to determine who best to watch. While it is reasonable to expect a protest against such intrusive monitoring, it would also be an opportunity to discover who might have motives to avoid detection."

Simple, but effective. No doubt Elidibus will keep watch over the thread himself to mark the reactions.

[unnecessaryflourishes]

Tedious though it may be to have to stop and see to the needs of a mortal body, it is at least nothing terribly new. Not for Emet-Selch anyway, not after having spent as long as he had pretending to simply be Solus. But still, he's content enough to continue the general thread of idle conversation that Elidibus has offered until they return to their own abode. The idle nothings that might be expected of two friends and colleagues, nothing more.

Once the door to their apartment finally shuts behind them, however, he too slips into their own native tongue without so much as a second thought, as he too sees to claiming a portion of the food they've acquired.

"Absent any particular insight into the individuals responsible either for the creation of such or the announcement, it becomes harder to say with any specific certainty. That said, I agree with the assessment that it seems very much like an unskilled manipulation. A plea for assistance, from those who are at least not meant to be using such abilities."

Ones that he and Elidibus have already been leaning on to some extent, albeit at a significantly reduced level from that which they have been more accustomed to.

"That it should also seek to help identify those who have reason to protest such or otherwise choose to not involve themselves in such research is likely something being taken into account as well. ADI has made their stance on such abilities more than clear."

And he has to admit that he's not entirely thrilled about the possibility of having to set aside his own abilities merely for the sake of not seeming to be deliberately going against ADI's requests. Should it prove to be truly necessary, he will, but certainly not before then.

"Though it is possible some leeway may be granted for those who choose to involve themselves in this research."

[wewillwewill]

So long as they kept the more conscious use (and fear feeding) discreet, there was much they could excuse as being 'unhelped' if they are exposed to the fuel of fear even their birthrights now require.

And frankly while a lot of those innate talents could arguably be 'turned on or off' to an extent, it's really easy to imply you might as well tell them not to breathe for all they can help it. It certainly falls well within the reasonable category of something that can't help but be 'used' in the wake of some accidental exposure to fear.

"Their attitude toward the source is, given its current context, a fair perspective. Though as mortals are wont, they will make allowances and exceptions as it suits their purposes. Ultimately given idea that it seems our and the others' appearance in the midst of their very headquarters and only there, their exceptions may extend far beyond what may be admitted even to their own agents."

The first lessons everyone learns after all, is that anyone and anything touched by the Fears is apt to draw like tragedies to its presence. But would that not have meant the first to be called to this star would have been more spread?

Of course that's assuming the ADI truly knows or is admitting that they are the only ones stricken by an influx of otherworldly visitors.

But what all this means really is that there is quite a bit of possibility to Emet-Selch's suggestion that 'volunteers' would be given more allowance. And Elidibus pours over the notion, trying to ignore the gnawing irritation of not knowing for sure sitting at the back of his head like a burgeoning headache.

"It would probably be harmless to ask if they intend to perform applied testing amongst the volunteers to narrow down how the data may be defined. Though I would first ask how much testing they did to know as much as they do now."

He looks up after taking another bite of his food, regarding his companion seriously.

"Of course if such is their intention, I doubt the privilege would remain indefinitely. And it may serve to tell in detail whom the interference is detecting."

To go from generalized 'yup it's supernatural' to 'yeah that was this person using supernatural abilities' would certainly be useful data. But do they want to contribute personally to that?

"I think any voluntary information should be offered with such cautions in mind."

[unnecessaryflourishes]

That it certainly can, and should it genuinely come to such things, Emet-Selch is certainly not above claiming it as something he can no more stop doing than he can stop breathing. To say nothing of the fact that Elidibus himself is likely even more reliant on some for of magic. Perhaps not the kind that seems to feed the fears. But he knows well enough that Elidibus is from a point beyond his own death, and that alone suggests that there are powers beyond their own and that of the various fears.

But that is a consideration for another time.

"Indeed. Likewise, it would no doubt be simple enough to inquire after the efficacy and range of their ability to sense such things."

That they are capable of doing so is one thing. But given than the both of them are still relatively new arrivals to the world they have found themselves on, it should be reasonably easy to pass it off as simple curiosity. Especially as they have neither of them been present for any of the initial testing nor have they been involved in the actual creation of the app in question.

"As to the matter of privilege, I agree. It may yet be useful to keep an eye on the development of the project, but whatever we may gain by working directly with those involved - should either of us do so - would be best considered to be temporary at best."

Provided, of course, they do not find a way to interfere with it in some manner, as they have so many times before.

"Likewise, should we choose to offer ourselves to this project it may well behoove us to endeavor to find reasons to leave the devices in question behind, on occasion. Ideally somewhat in advance of doing so."

[wewillwewill]

In a manner of speaking it is certainly a pity that Elidibus wasn't brought back to life as Emet-Selch was, though he wouldn't be certain if he'd have liked Hydaelyn as the reason any more than his peer. As to whether these Fears could have done the same or were limited? Well that is probably a moot point. What have these entities ever done that was free of cost? Living as more than a ghost would probably have been too high a price in comparison than how he now exists.

And nothing they can do about it anyway.

"I would not expect the full truth. Others may ask publicly, saving us the trouble of seeming overly interested." Closing his eyes, Elidibus considers the matter. "Volunteering to help with the data may be a better means to discover how far the range is. Though if, unlike suggested, their reach is far beyond Glouchester, I doubt we would be made privy to it at this time."

But at least they could get an idea of how to tell where the data is coming from and whether there are discrepancies.

More food is consumed. Elidibus seems to like variety over quantity these days, so his meals often consist of small portions of most things available. But he still has manners even in a casual setting such as this. The conversation itself is where his focus is.

"As to the devices themselves, it may be more difficult. Buying a second phone within Glouchester will almost certainly come with the hidden application. If we were to travel by train outside the boundaries of the town, our identities may be traced by the ADI. I foresee some difficulty in discretion even if there are means to activate a device without using our identities."

The world's ability to trace electronically and transfer information nigh instantly is both to be admired and a source of frustration.

[unnecessaryflourishes]

That they cannot. And though Emet-Selch cannot deny it would be more than a little welcome to know that Elidibus were also once again in his own body - mortal, rather than merely a ghost - that he is himself at all is boon enough. That he recalls, now, much of what he could not, when last they had met in their own world. Anything more than that is beyond his reach.

(It may not have been, once. Though there would yet have been the matter of finding a suitable body to house him, Emet-Selch has long been able to pull souls out of the aetherial sea, should he so desire.)

"I should not have offered the full truth, were I the one behind such."

And not expecting it from others has become all but second nature at this point.

"That being said, as it thus far seems that ADI's focus is on this portion of the world I see little reason that it would extend beyond Glouchester. It would, after all, be far easier to focus on a smaller portion of the region, and expand only when one has proven the efficacy of any given thing within that region."

It will, perhaps, come more quickly here than it ever had in Allag, but such is largely to be expected. This world is none of their own, and it would be foolish at best to assume it would take a similar path.

Still, he can't help but sigh at Elidibus' comment, even as turns to his own food momentarily. Not because Elidibus is wrong, but because Elidibus has the right of it, and even Emet-Selch can't deny it.

"And should others enable it, we would be no safer in turning ours off. Much less leaving them behind even temporarily."

[wewillwewill]

"Not least which any activity done in the presence of those ignorant to the forces at play."

Elidibus sighs as well. It is one filled with the acceptance of inevitability.

"It may be best to volunteer after all. Such secrets as we keep are to be exposed ere long."

At least in particular to the one surrounding Elidibus's condition, should those data points include recognition of it.

"And learn what we can to keep what we must from being revealed."

[unnecessaryflourishes]

"Indeed."

It's not, perhaps, a comforting thought. But they have long since had to grow used to such things. To walk hand in hand with sorrow and despair, and naught but the most fleeting of hopes that their efforts would not all be in vain. A hope which had come to nothing, in the end, but that is little more than so much water under the bridge, at this point.

(To say nothing of the fact that Emet-Selch has at least seen Elidibus restored to some degree, even if there are still others he should like to see besides.)

"Given my familiarity with technology of a loosely similar vein, I should be willing to offer myself as such a volunteer. If naught else I am already well-enough known to be working with the technological branch. Though I cannot promise I will be able to make significant effort in swaying the project, given how well-thought out it appears to be."

Still, he is willing to try. And if it should fail that will still be one more point of information.

(As for Elidibus' current status, he suspects ADI is already aware. And given that, he cannot imagine he will read as anything worse than he already is, given that all those who arrive - or many of them, at least - have been touched by one of the Fears in the process of arrival.)

[wewillwewill]

It would not be a complete surprise if the ADI happens to know of Elidibus's condition. At the very least, it is a possibility to always consider no matter how much he happened to try and keep it quiet.

"Very well. If you should need my presence, you have only to ask. I will continue to focus on learning about our fellow visitors to this world. And their opinions of this new development."

By and large, Elidibus has finished what he put on his plate and goes for more.

"...If there is any means we may take advantage of access to this information, it would be worth the inconvenience."

There is a subtle eagerness, a little unusual even considering his natural fondness for research and the return of many memories. It happens occasionally; those signs of the tie to the Entity who patrons him.

The thirst for knowledge that sometimes tempts him beyond sound reason.

[unnecessaryflourishes]

Given that ADI are, if not precisely the summoner of their souls (be they accompanied by body or not), at least those most immediately responsible for overseeing their arrival, it's certainly not beyond impossibility. After all, they seem to have some manner of telling when something of a supernatural bent occurs. Be it something of their own design or something not entirely dissimilar to the app that has been recently revealed.

"I would expect no less."

It's an approval, for all that many might not think it so. While Emet-Selch has been less immediately inclined to make allies as Elidibus has, he has nonetheless spent time working on the slow groundwork of finding allies. Or if not that, at least those who might be inclined to look reasonably favorably on his presence, grumpy though he often is.

"As for your presence... it may be useful to our cause to have sway with those on both sides. If only to better gauge the popular sentiment, and if I will be seeking to find allies in those responsible in the development of this app I cannot well do both."

He notices, of course, the faint eagerness underlying Elidibus' words. The touch of his supernatural patron shining through. But so long as it can be harnessed for their own purposes he is not - yet - going to caution Elidibus to take care.

[wewillwewill]

If nothing more, they need to trust one another to act as safeguards for letting themselves go too far with the urges and temptations. Who else could they trust more? While Elidibus doesn't seem to notice his lapse, it is at least a mild one... for now. And it should not need any immediate caution.

"I have built a rapport with a few and I intend to approach others." Few have outright declined once they had gotten to talk with Elidibus and those who didn't want anything to do with further efforts at 'counseling' at least had given some insight to their personality.

"It would likely be best to find time to finish the test to the limits and price of our abilities ere we involve ourselves too deeply in this new endeavor."

There is probably some small matters they haven't had a chance - or the ability - to completely try, given the variables and need for relative secrecy. Something that is about to become far more finite where the matter of windows of opportunity will present themselves.

[unnecessaryflourishes]

For now, yes. And for all that Emet-Selch's patron is such that it is... less common for him to slide into the urgings of the Darkness, neither can he completely deny that there have been times where it calls to him all the more strongly. Times where he has leaned, just that little bit more, into that instinctive fear at the heart of many. Into the darkness he carries within him and always has, even long before Zodiark - before mankind had forgotten what it was to transform.

(There are times, too, where he's taken what he's heard from Elidibus and gently turned it to those same ends, if in a different manner. But those are not now, and in either case he is hardly going to say anything about a lapse that seems as minor as this one.)

For now, he simply nods at Elidibus' comment in regards to approaching a number of people. The rest, he doesn't need to know - Elidibus knows well enough what he's doing and there's no need to Emet-Selch to bother to involve himself any further in that matter.

"Separately or in concert?"

Both are something that they could benefit on the information from, though there is yet the matter of their comparatively limited aether reserves.

[wewillwewill]

Perhaps more accurately what they perceive as their aether sources. Regardless of what it is and perhaps regardless of what they know, the source of that power remains inviolate; and a temptation to feed the Entities that patron them.

After a moment's thought, Elidibus offers his answer.

"In concert, I think. While I would wish to be thorough and in spite of what we have come to understand already, it would be likely better to combine our efforts. If for no other reason than to pool our limited resources in this form."

Elidibus doesn't show any displeasure, but that is not anything unusual at least. Acceptance of what they must work with has rarely been shaken by circumstance.

[unnecessaryflourishes]

Thoroughness would indeed largely be preferable, that much Emet-Selch can hardly argue. Not least of all for the fact that while they both of them know their limits under normal circumstances, this is very much not that. Especially when what power they do have is so hard-won in the first place.

(Which is at times more galling then Emet-Selch might admit. While he's used to not using his magic, thanks to the time he'd spent as Solus, even then he'd still had it. A far cry from here, or so it has often felt.)

"We will likely wish to begin with something simple, then. Even acting in concert it would scarcely be a decent test were we to fail outright. Unless you had meant to see how far we could go from the start?"

Both are perfectly valid approaches, and though one will - by necessity - involve draining themselves of all or nearly all the power they have managed to collect it's nonetheless a sacrifice Emet-Selch is willing to make, should Elidibus prefer that method over any other.

[wewillwewill]

"No," Elidibus answers immediately. It took no time at all to consider. "It would be dangerous to give our all. I am sure you are somewhat aware of ephemeral or dangerous form our creation magicks may take here."

Small tests, here and there. Temporary constructs. Permanent, cursed things. Small tests have probably been done in this area with tame (read: controllable) but unfavorable results.

"It would be irresponsible to exhaust our all in concert and have nothing left to unravel the outcome."

It's already a dangerous undertaking. Being nigh onto human in the wake of what they wrought would be foolishness itself. A thing mortals do.

[unnecessaryflourishes]

Small is about the most they have been able to manage, much to Emet-Selch's chagrin. True enough, it makes the end results far more controllable, but the sharp downgrade in his abilities has still not always sat well with Emet-Selch, even in a world where magic is less frequently common. Still, there is a nod at Elidibus' question.

"Indeed, and I agree that to act without sufficient caution would be irresponsible."

He has, perhaps, spent far too much time with mortals, over the last century or so. But it had been unavoidable at best, for all that his time as Solus has left more than a few marks on him.

"Something simple then. Had you a preference to the nature of that which we seek to create?"

Something inanimate would be far and away the easier to deal with, in the aftermath. But something slightly more ambitious would also serve better to test their power combined.

[wewillwewill]

"Inanimate, yes." Elidibus agrees it will be for the best to have something that can't walk around on its own or possess sentience; though admittedly that has been beyond even their best attempts since their arrival here.

What they do is enough risk without adding complex problems. And besides, if the ADI were aware they had the potential to create life... Well it's just as well it's beyond them, surely.

A glance around the apartment sumarizes his thoughts. "The difficulties seem to be in permanence without consequence. Let us then make the most basic things in concert and see if we can negate the impact of our would be patrons."

It's probably best to avoid chairs that would be tempting to sit in. But surely there is plenty of common items to create. Given both Emet-Selch and Elidibus have seen what the ADI work with containing inanimate objects, this seems to be enough of a risk without going overboard.

Mission: Create something simple. It might be embarrassing for both of them to have to work together to do so, but the knowledge will cement what they ultimately can do.

[unnecessaryflourishes]

If ADI knew they had the ability to create life - even in a comparatively limited capacity - there would no doubt be no end of questions. To say nothing of whether or not they would be allowed such free reign, and Emet-Selch is not familiar enough with ADI's larger scale protocols to know whether or not it would affect how much free reign they would be given. Thus, far better that they not even imply that they might be capable of such.

(And given the unique difficulties in acquiring the power to fuel their innate abilities in the first place it may well be truly beyond them.)

Still, he nods at Elidibus' assessment. He's not any more thrilled about the idea that they start simple, but it stands to reason even so. If they cannot manage even that without consequence then there is no reason to continue further. Galling though it will be if that should be the outcome of their experiment.

"Simple and something one would likely keep within one's apartment. Should this work, I would rather not need to explain to ADI - or any others who might visit - why our apartment contains something that would be considered out of the ordinary."

As for the precise details of what, those he will leave to Elidibus.

[wewillwewill]

Yes, if they can't immediately unravel what they make, it should be best to make it ordinary enough to pass notice. As if indicating a suggestion, Elidibus gives a slight flick of his chopsticks.

"Then perhaps we should begin with a small collection of ordinary utensils. While it may seem naught but a child's exercise..." Indeed, a child could do that alone by their reckoning. "It would be better to treat our abilities as newly born."

Admittedly, even Elidibus sounds a little resigned under the weight of such an assessment of their talents. Or perhaps that is, again, the urge to explore some greater knowledge beyond what might be ultimately reasonable. It would be difficult to say.

At least he isn't the type to sound resigned because he knows what Emet-Selch will think about that suggestion.

[unnecessaryflourishes]

Newly-born is not an inaccurate assessment of their abilities, perhaps. But even so there's a frown on Emet-Selch's face at the suggestion. Not enough to say that he won't do it, but nonetheless more than enough to suggest at his continued displeasure at a whole. Even if it doesn't much come out in the tone of his voice.

"Those would at least be easy enough to pass off as simple acquisitions."

And if they should happen to have a design that calls to mind places that are not of this world, it would be simple enough to claim that they had either stumbled upon it or had it made specifically.

A moment of silence follows, as he considers, before speaking again.

"A recreation, then, first. If we are treating our abilities as newly acquired then it should be easier to hold the image of something extant in mind than otherwise. Nor can it be said we do not have utensils enough here."

He gestures, briefly, at their dinner, presumably intending to indicate either the chopsticks or any other utensil similarly provided for their use.