[Objects, ideas, and memories alike are not immune to Sholmes’ vacillating appraisal of their importance; committed to remembrance one day, and gone the next, like the tide sweeping in and receding. That is much the reality of his mind, just as a mess and various modes of chemical experimentation are the reality of his living space.]
There are no chemical hazards, my good fellow, that would be unendurable for an extended period of time currently present in my living space. And if there were, do you think me so neglectful as to not keep a window open?
[Perhaps that is little reassurance to a man who has never lived with Sholmes before (the list is a short one), but it’s always worked in the past. And he’s fine!]
You’re a man of fine constitution. There is hardly anything to fuss over.
[ 'There are no chemical hazards' is an encouraging start to a sentence, but of course it gets ruined soon after. It would have been too good to be true. ]
I am not so much worried about my physical well-being as I am about what remains of my sanity.
[ And what remains of that is not nearly as much as he would like, between the earth-shattering reveals in London and the goings-on that he is confronted with every single day in Jigoku-cho. ]
But do send me your address, there may be a day when that reference is important after all. I will do the same.
[Sholmes sends his address over. With that information set free, van Zieks will henceforth be badgered into visiting rather than calling him on the phone when the detective himself can't find it; but this is the life he's chosen for himself, clearly.]
Now that I have you on the line, I did have a question for you... Except I seem to have forgotten it. [A lengthy pause.] Ah! Yes, I remember now. The Enma is still sweeping up those little clay figurines appearing in every corner of the city, are they not?
[ Van Zieks will regret this in due time, surely. He might regret it even more to send his own address in return - opening himself up to one Herlock Sholmes badgering him for whatever may cross that genius mind.
Van Zieks is just going to pour more wine while Sholmes is thinking. To his credit, he's not even tempted into hanging up. Talking to Sholmes while getting somewhat drunk (albeit for unrelated reasons) seems to be a good game plan. ]
It remains our top priority order, indeed. A rather cumbersome one, with the frequency those things appear in. I am beginning to think that this won't be settled quite so easily.
[The need to inebriate oneself while on the line with Sholmes is very much a mood, but also guarantees that a conversation will Go Places if given enough time.
For now, at least they can have a proper conversation about the worrisome goings-on in the city. Van Ziek's address is committed to memory, otherwise — with any luck, this information will be remembered.]
No, though I cannot help but feel as though it will be settled sooner rather than later. The Department of the Enma is snapping them up diligently, which has led to quite the collection amassed at headquarters. Or am I mistaken?
One must assume so. Once we hand them in, they are immediately taken below ground - and the access to that area is severely restricted. No Lost Soul has the credentials required to descend there.
[ He does not sound pleased about that either. Every day there are more and more cursed statues placed directly under his workplace and he just... doesn't know what they're doing with them. It does not make for a relaxed work atmosphere. ]
Even if I had access to this classified information, I would not be at liberty to share with you - but as it stands, I admit to my own frustration that I am also in the dark.
It is not the lack of individual access that I find troublesome. Rather, it is that so many haniwa now exist in a single location; a location directly beneath one of the main operating pillars of this district.
[Perhaps van Zieks can see where he is going with this. Sholmes continues nonetheless, always unhesitatingly ready to expound.]
I do not believe whoever is ushering them into the city, and by whatever means, is doing so blindly. There is a clear effort behind the whole endeavor, and with effort implies intention. No doubt they know that the Enma will not let them simply sit scattered in every street corner; that the department will start collecting and housing them under their own care. Perhaps that is the point.
[Logically, that is the only action that could have been taken.]
In summation: you work directly above a ticking time bomb, Mr Reaper, that I am afraid may go off at any minute.
[ There is a long moment of silence on the other end of the line. ]
... even if I desired to dispute this theory, I cannot.
[ And that is precisely why he is so frustrated about not knowing how the Haniwa are stored or treated. It would be a whole lot more reassuring if he could say with full certainty that they are being neutralized. ]
The statuettes are harming the citizens so they can't be left unguarded and they cannot be safely destroyed by individuals - the Department has very effectively been forced into starting a collection to mitigate short term harm. And in the long run... You are not the first who has voiced concern to me.
I would imagine not. The danger is clear, and yet…
[Here, he pauses. More rustling emanates from the other end, and then something that sounds like a match striking. Presumably, he is lighting one of the many pipes he's already gathered during his stay in this world. (And not setting a wayward experiment aflame, don't worry, van Zieks.)
When he speaks again, his tone is contemplative and even mildly impressed.]
...Well, it leaves us with no other recourse regarding how to deal with them. It really is quite a clever plan despite its simplicity, should the worse actually come to pass.
[Inhales a drag of smoke.]
As a detective, I do not subscribe to the "wait and see" approach; I prefer action to reaction. However, in this instance, there is not much either of us can do. So my advice to you is plain. Keep a keen eye out, and be careful.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
retroductions) wrote2022-05-06 08:11 am
no subject
There are no chemical hazards, my good fellow, that would be unendurable for an extended period of time currently present in my living space. And if there were, do you think me so neglectful as to not keep a window open?
[Perhaps that is little reassurance to a man who has never lived with Sholmes before (the list is a short one), but it’s always worked in the past. And he’s fine!]
You’re a man of fine constitution. There is hardly anything to fuss over.
no subject
I am not so much worried about my physical well-being as I am about what remains of my sanity.
[ And what remains of that is not nearly as much as he would like, between the earth-shattering reveals in London and the goings-on that he is confronted with every single day in Jigoku-cho. ]
But do send me your address, there may be a day when that reference is important after all. I will do the same.
no subject
[Sholmes sends his address over. With that information set free, van Zieks will henceforth be badgered into visiting rather than calling him on the phone when the detective himself can't find it; but this is the life he's chosen for himself, clearly.]
Now that I have you on the line, I did have a question for you... Except I seem to have forgotten it. [A lengthy pause.] Ah! Yes, I remember now. The Enma is still sweeping up those little clay figurines appearing in every corner of the city, are they not?
no subject
Van Zieks is just going to pour more wine while Sholmes is thinking. To his credit, he's not even tempted into hanging up. Talking to Sholmes while getting somewhat drunk (albeit for unrelated reasons) seems to be a good game plan. ]
It remains our top priority order, indeed. A rather cumbersome one, with the frequency those things appear in. I am beginning to think that this won't be settled quite so easily.
no subject
For now, at least they can have a proper conversation about the worrisome goings-on in the city. Van Ziek's address is committed to memory, otherwise — with any luck, this information will be remembered.]
No, though I cannot help but feel as though it will be settled sooner rather than later. The Department of the Enma is snapping them up diligently, which has led to quite the collection amassed at headquarters. Or am I mistaken?
no subject
[ He does not sound pleased about that either. Every day there are more and more cursed statues placed directly under his workplace and he just... doesn't know what they're doing with them. It does not make for a relaxed work atmosphere. ]
Even if I had access to this classified information, I would not be at liberty to share with you - but as it stands, I admit to my own frustration that I am also in the dark.
no subject
[Perhaps van Zieks can see where he is going with this. Sholmes continues nonetheless, always unhesitatingly ready to expound.]
I do not believe whoever is ushering them into the city, and by whatever means, is doing so blindly. There is a clear effort behind the whole endeavor, and with effort implies intention. No doubt they know that the Enma will not let them simply sit scattered in every street corner; that the department will start collecting and housing them under their own care. Perhaps that is the point.
[Logically, that is the only action that could have been taken.]
In summation: you work directly above a ticking time bomb, Mr Reaper, that I am afraid may go off at any minute.
no subject
... even if I desired to dispute this theory, I cannot.
[ And that is precisely why he is so frustrated about not knowing how the Haniwa are stored or treated. It would be a whole lot more reassuring if he could say with full certainty that they are being neutralized. ]
The statuettes are harming the citizens so they can't be left unguarded and they cannot be safely destroyed by individuals - the Department has very effectively been forced into starting a collection to mitigate short term harm. And in the long run... You are not the first who has voiced concern to me.
no subject
[Here, he pauses. More rustling emanates from the other end, and then something that sounds like a match striking. Presumably, he is lighting one of the many pipes he's already gathered during his stay in this world. (And not setting a wayward experiment aflame, don't worry, van Zieks.)
When he speaks again, his tone is contemplative and even mildly impressed.]
...Well, it leaves us with no other recourse regarding how to deal with them. It really is quite a clever plan despite its simplicity, should the worse actually come to pass.
[Inhales a drag of smoke.]
As a detective, I do not subscribe to the "wait and see" approach; I prefer action to reaction. However, in this instance, there is not much either of us can do. So my advice to you is plain. Keep a keen eye out, and be careful.