we are invariably pleased to welcome tourism

[cross_and_bow]

Sherlock is usually very puncutal. He's only one minute late, but that's still not quite as punctual as usual. Bella peers out the window, not yet allowing herself outright concern.

Comments

[luminous_regnant]

"Let me know if at some point I should put him down," Golden tells Tony. (It's not like her arm is getting tired.)

[she_sells_seashells]

Shell Bell cannot bring herself to appeal any more on a Snow-alt's behalf.

[cross_and_bow]

Juliet comes back from the kitchen with half her sandwich and the bowl of grapes, which she hands to Shell Bell. "Uh, what's going on? Golden? Sherlock?"

[passforsympathy]

"I always knew it would happen someday," Obadiah says dryly.

[toblameforit]

"No," says Tony, pointing at him, "no, you, shut up, no."

Then he turns to Sherry.

"Don't eat Obie, I like him."

[eversomuchfun]

"While I am listing his faults, he also had your parents assassinated," says Sherlock. "And that one I expect is common to our worlds. I am not going to eat him; I would rather starve."

[cross_and_bow]

"Oh, that guy," says Juliet. "Shell Bell, isn't he...?"

[she_sells_seashells]

"Alt of the president of Panem who Amariah killed for me, yes," says Shell Bell quietly.

[luminous_regnant]

"Considering putting him down, now," says Golden, glancing between her counterparts.

[toblameforit]

"Okay," says Tony, "having this conversation right now is not my first choice, but I guess I'll just have to deal."

He turns to Obie.

"Anything to say for yourself?"

[passforsympathy]

"I'm not the one who invited a vampire from an alternate dimension into my house," Obadiah says mildly.

[toblameforit]

"Stop deflecting," Tony says sharply. "You were like this after that other time too and it's getting really fucking old."

[passforsympathy]

"I don't know what you want me to say," he says. "The clone has never exactly been stable."

[she_sells_seashells]

"Mine's not a clone," says Shell Bell suddenly, sharply, "and I don't think she'd be arguing for you to go on living either if she were here."

[toblameforit]

Tony looks pleadingly at Sherlock.

"Okay, but—really? I mean, really?"

[eversomuchfun]

"And he wants to fuck you," Sherlock adds. "Yes. Everything I have told you about him is the truth. In my world, after I found out he arranged that collapsed road, he hired a gang of vampire assassins and concealed them in our basement. They killed you and Jarvis and turned me."

[passforsympathy]

"Am I really on trial here?" he asks witheringly.

[toblameforit]

Tony won't look at him.

"Is it true?"

[passforsympathy]

"Is what true, because again, the only vampire—"

[toblameforit]

"About my parents," he interrupts. "Is it true?"

[passforsympathy]

He sighs impatiently.

"No, Tony. It's not true."

[she_sells_seashells]

"You want another square?" asks Shell Bell, biting into her cheek. "You wanna check? Square'll give you a short burst if that, but I bet it'll let you check." She offers him the mother-of-pearl coin, not taking her eyes off Snow-Obie. "Maybe I'll get Golden or Juliet to break my arm ve-e-ry carefully..."

[passforsympathy]

"This is ridiculous," says Obadiah.

But... maybe a little nervously.

[toblameforit]

"...I don't want you to break your arm," says Tony. "But I want to know what's going on."

[eversomuchfun]

"Ask your Sherlock," Sherlock suggests.