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Tweak says, "Pretty please?"

Nikola Tesla : The Electric Jesus (oncemighty) wrote in colligo_threads,
@ 2011-01-22 22:01:00

Entry tags:

!@event, !closed, death, nikola tesla

WHO: Nikola Tesla & Death
WHAT: Deals with Death
WHERE: The 1860s Oxford of Tesla's mind
WHEN: January 22nd
RATING: PG
STATUS: In Progress

The hallways of Oxford hadn't looked like this in years, but it was an odd comfort considering the situation that he'd just been extracted from. Of course, the sudden change it setting made it rather obvious to him just how he'd been extracted, and the irritation rising in him at that fact prompted him to enter one of the classrooms to make it seem as though he were less alone. At least inside one room it was less obvious than outside in the halls. Looking up, Tesla sighed heavily as he noted that the set up was one that he was familiar with, the layout of one of the Five's many different projects. That only confirmed it.

He was dead, and this was his idea of an afterlife. Not exactly what he would have guessed, but he wasn't going to complain. It was far better than some of the places he'd been in his life that he could have ended up. Stepping over to the board, Nikola looked over the calculations before turning back towards the table of chemicals that had been laid out. Well, if he was going to be dead, he might as well make the best of his time here.

Even if it was work he'd done a century before, it wouldn't hurt to keep up the practice.

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maybeolder
2011-01-23 04:44 am UTC (link)

Sometimes, Death encountered those who were far too stupid to really be worth his time. Sometimes, Death encountered those who were far too intelligent for their own good. And sometimes, just sometimes, Death managed to come across someone who was ridiculously intelligent and quite idiotic all in one fail swoop. And unless the conversation suddenly took on a rather drastic change, and quickly, he was beginning to think perhaps Nikola Tesla fell into the latter of those categories.

Not that he considered Tesla to be such a way in life. No, the man was unquestionably brilliant in life and Death, in his own way, respected him. However the fact that he had all but answered his own question yet still felt the need to ask regardless really wasn't very impressive. But Death was willing to give him another shot. After all, dying could rip the common sense out of just about anyone.

Hands hanging loosely at his sides, he shrugged his shoulders at the question. The corners of his mouth quirked upward ever so slightly. "I had thought that would be rather obvious. If you aren't here to determine where it is you're meant to go, and clearly you can't remain in an area merely meant for temporary holding, there is only one answer left, Mr. Tesla." His smiled a very thin smile.

"I'm here to discuss the terms of your restoration, of course."

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oncemighty
2011-01-23 06:10 am UTC (link)

"Terms," Nikola repeated, grinning at Death as he crossed the room to fiddle with a bit of equipment to distract himself. So he'd come to talk about bringing him back, but obviously, at a price, either tangible or intangible, more likely the latter. Picking up a test tube and cork, turning it slowly and examining the liquid inside, Telsa turned his attention back to Death with a quirk of an eyebrow. "What do you want?"

It likely couldn't be boiled down to something simple, but Tesla figured that he could at least get a description or some list of options. Setting the test tube back down, Tesla turned back to death, hands slipping into his pockets as he peered across the room at the other man. "I've got very little tangible to offer, but I'm sure you're hardly in it all for material possessions."

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maybeolder
2011-01-23 06:29 am UTC (link)

That was better. He was using his intelligence rather than simply asking inane questions, and Death could certainly respect such a thing. Especially considering how rarely it happened. Making his way casually across the room, fingers dancing idly along the various smooth surfaces of the tables as he passed, he paused when he was standing a few feet before the man.

"You'd be correct," he agreed easily. "I've no use of material possessions. When one doesn't typically reside in the physical realm, they're really of very little value. As for what I want..." Death shrugged.

"That's really for you to decide. I'm very certain, if you put that considerable intelligence of yours to work, you can think of something... creative."

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oncemighty
2011-01-23 09:02 am UTC (link)

Creative. Tesla turned with a flourish, one hand still in his pocket as he paced back across the room, his mind running a mile a minute as he tried to pull something out of the recesses of his mind. His abilities were the one thing that bubbled to the top first, but Nikola was certain that he simply could not survive as a normal person for however long it took for his life to wither away from him. Memories also seemed like an option. He had quite a few that would certainly prove to be interesting. But that wasn't creative in the least. It almost seemed boiler plate, and he, Nikola Tesla, could do better than that. His intelligence was an option, but he wouldn't part with that if someone had a gun to his head. His morality was also on the table, but that would hardly be enough to get him a day much less revived fully.

Pausing at the board, arms crossed in front of him, holding one elbow with his other hand cupping his chin, it dawned on Tesla would he could offer up that no one else would think of, something that Death would find ideal, and that would hardly cost him anything. A wry smile crossing his features he turned back around, half way, to face his visitor with a curious expression.

"You'll take anything that I can think of?" Tesla asked. "If it is suitably intangible and offers you enough incentive to restore me to life lacking the aspect in question." Tesla could practically feel the utter glee bubbling in his gut. "What about my mortality?"

It wasn't like Nikola wanted it to begin with.

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maybeolder
2011-01-23 01:51 pm UTC (link)

My, but he certainly was clever. Death truly hadn't expected him to catch on quite so quickly. Most certainly didn't. Then again, he was hardly dealing with someone who was like others, which was all the more reason he'd allowed the man to come up with something that, at least at first glance, didn't seem like much of a price to pay at all.

Of course, while Nikola Tesla was certainly a genius, Death had been around much, much longer. And, as the old adage went, you couldn't cheat him. So he'd take the man's mortality. He'd make him as immortal as, well, Death himself. He would not, however, slow the aging process entirely. After all, the man hadn't said a word about staying physically the same. Simply... not dying. And that was something Death saw no reason not to offer him. Not to mention that it was one less soul for him to have to worry about so, really, why not?

He said none of that out loud, of course. Instead he merely tilted his head ever so slightly as though considering the offer, dark eyes studying the man with an intense gaze that seemed as though it could look right through him. Finally he spoke.

"Very well," he agreed with a slight nod of his head. "In exchange for your return to life, I will ensure that you never again perish." Then he smiled the tiniest of smiles that anyone with any common sense would realize was not one of humor but rather a knowing sort of smirk.

"I presume you find the terms satisfactory?"

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oncemighty
2011-01-23 06:56 pm UTC (link)

Nikola found himself suddenly unnerved. There was something about that smirk that reminded him of the way that John looked when his baser natures managed to take over. Despite the dread rising in him that said that he was going to eventually regret this for some reason, he nodded. Whatever issues might crop up down the road, that was when he would deal with them. Right now, this seemed like a rather ideal solution to his current predicament. Whatever they were, he was sure he'd be able to deal with them. He had with everything else that had been thrown in his way.

"That I do," He said, perhaps a bit unnecessarily, but it gave a certain finality to their proceedings. "So. What now?"

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maybeolder
2011-01-23 07:07 pm UTC (link)

Death had almost expected him to object. He'd certainly given him ample opportunity to change his mind, or at least insist on a bit more elaboration on the deal. However, Nikola didn't and Death... well, he certainly saw no reason to clue the man in on how very important it was to ensure deals were spelled out in very specific terms. Particularly when dealing with beings such as himself.

"Very well, Mr. Tesla," he said simply. A glance at their surroundings and the scenery flickered, shifted, shimmered, then ultimately was replaced with the interior of the Grand Library. The knights rustled a bit from their stances at the sudden intrusion. Death merely shook his head ever so slightly and murmured a very quiet, "Uh-uh." They immediately stilled then slowly returned to their original positions. Death, meanwhile, looked to the man standing beside him.

Holding out Tesla's PDA for him to take, the Horseman gestured toward the large double doors that led out into the city. "Now all you must do is simply walk through the doors," he explained. "The specifics of our encounter will fade nearly instantly, however you will recall what it is you've chosen to sacrifice for your rather miraculous return to life." Pausing for a second, Death offered one last bit of advice. He wasn't certain the man would take it but he the desire to say it nonetheless.

"And it is a life you're being returned to, albeit an infinitely extended one. Do see that you don't waste it, won't you?"

With that, he was gone, the only proof he'd been there at all residing within the mind of a man who would forget it just as soon as he made his way outside.

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