tinstar: (Default)
Deputy US Marshal Givens ([personal profile] tinstar) wrote2021-12-15 05:00 pm
Entry tags:
epistemological: (watching with interest)

[personal profile] epistemological 2021-12-16 05:11 pm (UTC)(link)
All right.

[ He holds up a single hand. ]

Please rest assured this is a feeling. There is no one else here other than my cat and she is asleep in the living room. And anything further will be done only with your explicit consent.

[ Which is when his shoulders will relax, and the feeling of the room will change. That itch, that very specific feeling of eyes on you, of someone watching you, of someone just waiting for you to do something interesting or shameful, something you don't want anyone to know you do. Jon's own eyes hold a greater intensity than before, like there's somehow more of them looking at Raylan even though it's still just the two, not just at but wanting to look through. Straight into you to go digging around inside of you for your secrets. ]

epistemological: (raised eyebrow)

[personal profile] epistemological 2021-12-17 12:45 am (UTC)(link)
[ A quick nod. ]

The 'seeing' is closer to Elias's abilities; his title is the Watcher, and how much that means is... very much not an objective and easily definable thing. Much of how the Powers work is, er, it's all from living beings. So it's also shaped by them to some extent as well.

The parts I know involve being able to see through eyes, real or photographic or artistically rendered. He can Know things as I do, o-or he could. And that can be anything from 'how to administer a local anesthetic' to 'the exact feeling your loved one experienced as they died'. More importantly: he can inflict it on you.

[ A deep breath in and out. Mostly out. ]

Quite frankly, in a place where physical harm is... as manageable as it is here, the abilities of an avatar of the Beholding are singularly powerful. I don't know how much he has left to him with the Admiral suppressing his abilities. But I thought you should be aware, and on guard. He's had 200 years to learn how to use such abilities subtly and skillfully; he won't be as obvious as I'm being now, but that doesn't mean he isn't using what he has.

[ There's a moment that looks almost painful, as Jon closes his eyes and the feeling of focus, of being watched, of the eyes, slowly fades. ]
epistemological: (mmmmmrrr not happy)

[personal profile] epistemological 2021-12-17 01:54 am (UTC)(link)
The Admiral can suppress gifts but usually does not suppress them completely to start. More often than not, they have a few abilities, or limited use of their abilities. It's why I wanted to let you know beforehand.

[ He settles back in his chair and leans back a little. His snake moves from around his neck to the chair beside him as a little ragdoll cat toddles up to Jon. There's a soft murmur to his sweet little darling before he draws her up into his lap to start petting her. Then he'll continue. ]

He's a man from the victorian era originally, and one from a background of privilege as well; his contemporaries include Robert Smirke, a prominent architect, along with a few others I could give you some notes on. As you might imagine, he likes to know things and not knowing them or being denied access to them is one way to make him upset. He likes to play games; one of his recent gambits involved a wager with an avatar of another power, known as the Lonely.

[ He swallows a little. ]

Which nearly destroyed the man I... love in the process.

[ His hands settle in Sasha's fur. ]

He also manipulated me for several years into getting involved in, facing, nearly dying from, being kidnapped by, and encountering a number of other forces and avatars in a gambit to bring the Eye into our world and trap everyone on earth, everyone on earth, in a nightmare existence of their worst fears or inflicting fear on others.

In his own words: [ and there's almost an overlay to his words, another voice, smoother and more smug and certainly more satisfied ] "I have dedicated my life to handing the world to these Dread Powers all for my own gain, and I feel… nothing but satisfaction in that choice. I am to be a king of a ruined world, and I shall never die."

[ Before he shudders and shakes it off. ]
epistemological: (eyebrow raise whut)

[personal profile] epistemological 2021-12-17 08:45 pm (UTC)(link)
I-it does [ he says, hands starting up to pet the cat again, some of the life coming back into his face,] I was able to get him out. Though not without- not without leaving it's mark.

[ He breathes out slow. ]

And yes, it did work. Until I used my deal here to reverse what had happened and bring the world back to rights, as if it had never occurred. [ Because like hell was he leaving that in people's hearts and minds, nope, no way. There was no question there: the deal was to undo. Now? ] My current deal is something more... permanent.
epistemological: (lord help me)

[personal profile] epistemological 2021-12-17 09:25 pm (UTC)(link)
[ He shakes his head. ]

I don't. I- I'll be honest: it's hard for me to imagine him being killed, being dead. It's one of the reasons I never thought he'd show up. Martin, my, um, my significant other, the man I mentioned, he's here, a-and he's from farther along than I am. He might have more information for you in regards to that. It's...

It's a sensitive subject, so I try not to pry p-purely for my own desire to Know. As you imagine, that could turn out poorly.
epistemological: (an aside)

[personal profile] epistemological 2021-12-17 10:15 pm (UTC)(link)
At home? No. As-

[ Ah, here's another part, and his shoulders sink. ]

He tied all of our lives to the Institute and to him. He made it so that killing him would, effectively, kill all of us. And of course, when one of us tried regardless, it was just a matter of Knowing beforehand what she was about to try and circumventing it.
Edited 2021-12-17 22:34 (UTC)
epistemological: (down)

[personal profile] epistemological 2021-12-17 10:52 pm (UTC)(link)
I'm familiar with the idea. A-and no, I thought it might be a little outside of your usual experience. Hence the talk.

[ The last question is probably the hardest of all, and the one that makes him reach as far into his empathy as he thinks he has. The little snake slithers halfway over to rub at his hand with her head, flickering her tongue against his fingers. He lets out a sigh as he nods, ready to speak. ]

There was a time when he was... when there were people who loved him, depended on him. I have evidence of it, I've- I've read their letters, heard their stories. There was a time when- when the knowledge he sought was to help gain understanding. To help people who were in terrible trouble. W-when he felt kinship to others and he cared about them.

If he's here, then... then that man, however thin and broken he is, is still inside of the rat bastard who tried to end the world. There is redemption possible for him, I have to believe that, or I have no right to be here.

[ He looks away, because it's a little close to the bone as he continues. ]

Being... being an avatar of the Eye is- it holds with it an intrinsic loneliness. To watch... to watch is not to do. Watching is... it's something that puts you at a distance. A-and he's been at a distance from people, holding himself there, for 200 years.

I understand that this is- this is quite a lot. And I know there are wardens who see their temporary assignments as merely something to pass the time. But I- I hope you are not one of them. As awful as Elias- [ no, for this, he needs to be accurate ] as awful as Jonah has been to me, and to the people I care about, I know that- that all of it, at the heart of every avatar, is a fear. A fear that twists us into something else if we let it, and he- he has done just that.

[ A long breath out. ]

For whatever that's worth.
epistemological: (listening to you)

[personal profile] epistemological 2021-12-19 02:17 am (UTC)(link)
[ He nods along and listens to what Raylan has to say and he clearly appreciates it. Pythia is the first to speak. ]

His daemon is named Victoria. She’s a moth and she’s very nice. We’re friends.

[ Jon’s lips are tight but he nods. He’s aware. And he doesn’t want to make a fuss about it. But Jon sighs at the last. ]

Elias Bouchard is the latest name he’s taken… and the latest body he’s used. Before he got here, his eyes were in the body of a former stoner who worked at the Institute.

The latest of many.

We’re all so used to calling him Elias it was just awkward to switch.
epistemological: (well that's interesting)

[personal profile] epistemological 2021-12-19 03:27 am (UTC)(link)
[ Jon gives a minute shake of his head; there’s no arguing with her on this. He’s tried. He doesn’t approve but he can’t do anything about it. Instead, he sighs. ]

That is what I try to remember.

Ultimately, this is… this is working at the source of the problem.

But… I get the feeling you at least take me seriously. So I can certainly do the same for you.
epistemological: (well THAT was a thing)

[personal profile] epistemological 2021-12-19 04:08 am (UTC)(link)
Of course. As I said: I consider my place as a warden here as a responsibility, to both inmates and to other wardens.

If you can think of something that might require my knowledge or abilities, please don’t hesitate to ask.
epistemological: (Default)

[personal profile] epistemological 2021-12-19 05:10 pm (UTC)(link)
Certainly. A-and should you need assistance in the library. That as well.

[ He'll push himself away from the table and head for the door. ]

Let me see you out.