sherlock holmes (assertion) wrote in valarlogs, @ 2015-12-14 01:02:00 |
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Entry tags: | !complete, kitty winter, sherlock holmes |
Who: Kitty Winter and Sherlock Holmes
What: Kitty basically is trolling Sherlock with her research
When: End of November
Where: Their place
Warnings: Very PG
Status: Log | Complete
So far, all the research Kitty had done into the network and strange occurrences the area had been experiencing for years had come up empty. Residual evidence had been non-existent. Just news reports with myriad excuses and cover ups. Plausible explanations, though suspicious if actually looked at in a growing number of incidents. (Really. Alien invasions?) Add that to the comments on the network, talk of it being related to dreams or whatever other nonsense people wanted to spew…
There was definitely something strange happening here.
Kitty was also fairly certain that this was an exercise in futility. One that Sherlock had decided would be ‘good’ for her in terms of her training. Well, if he wanted to play it that way, who was Kitty to deny him? All evidence gathering and physical location scouting done, she was left to look up different theoretical ideas in terms of psychology and philosophy. Which was how it came to be that she was sitting on the window seat in the main room finishing up The Secret History of the World. A bunch of secret society conspiracy talk and things that just.. made no sense really. Still. It made Sherlock twitch, so it was worth it.
“What do you say. Think all this dream talk is really people’s vegetable souls trying to reconcile with their animal souls?”
Might as well have some fun with the tedious research and inanity of the latest reading she had done.
Strange or not, Sherlock wasn’t in the business of unexplained phenomena. He liked something that could be tested, observed, something from which he could deduct. What little he had observed of the network had completely turned him off from bothering with it at all. That was where Kitty came in because, in spite of his proclaimed disinterest, he didn’t want to leave himself completely exposed to that one percent chance someone in that madhouse could be telling the truth.
What he didn’t anticipate was that she would take up reading drivel as part of his exercise. Coming into the room with a very pronounced scowl as he looked upon the text in her hand, he almost didn’t register she had asked him an inane question. He was twitching already and not at all appreciative of the notion.
“Do I believe there’s any merit in the ramblings of an under-educated plum who would suggest my soul is a separate entity of my person that’s gotten lost in the aether?” He questioned, hands clasped tightly behind his back as he seemed to give the absurdity legitimate thought. “No.”
Inclining slightly, he squinted at her. “You are unhappy with the task I have given you. Why?”
“Aren’t you the one who says once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth? Or something to that effect?” Yes, Kitty would even throw Sherlock’s own words at him. She knew how absurd the notion was and she believed it as well. “You’re the one who told me to look into every possible explanation. That’s what I’m doing.”
Really. He should have seen this coming.
“I think it’s an exercise in futility.” She also would straight up say what she thought on the matter. Oh, she’d do the work, but she still believed that they weren’t going to come up with anything. “All physical evidence is gone, no answers. People seem to believe this dream rubbish, events in the news that tie to the network and yet….” No physical evidence. Nothing to chase beyond fantasy.
His lips became a very thin line as his fingers flexed in their hold. He could argue the point, but it was such a fair one that he thought to let it slide this once. It didn’t mean Sherlock had to like the manner in which she was raising it, because she should know better. She was doing this on purpose, he inwardly groaned.
“There is a logical progression that you have gone abseiling over,” he all but huffed at Kitty. “When dealing with an already illogical construct, you do not rush to the first absurd prattlings of a thickheaded writer regardless of whatever bestselling status he might have inexplicably garnered.”
He didn’t hold back with his young protege. “I expected more from you. If I were going to give you a futile exercise, I would have asked you to send something through the post during the holiday season. Tell me, Kitty, how many people claiming they’ve experienced this ‘dreams’ have you personally interviewed?”
Of course she was doing it on purpose. Working with Sherlock took certain… tricks to keep from just snapping and leaving in frustration. Ringtones on a locked phone, reading asinine books for a potential clue while knowing that there wasn’t much to go with. And while she appreciated that he didn’t hold back, her eyes did narrow because it was the same thing it always was.
The underlying message that he expected her to be the same as Joan had been. The original model, the success story. He didn’t even have to mention her name for Kitty to know it was there.
“None. I’ve looked up the conversations where potential theories have been expressed to form in order to figure out the best way to interview people.”
With the different theories floating about, Kitty would rather have all the information she could. She wasn’t about to go into an interview without any sort of understanding. Not that she was exactly a people person to begin with and talking to them was less than thrilling. But you don’t do interviews without having knowledge beforehand as well, otherwise you’re just asking pointless questions.
As for the futility aspect, well, she still thought it was an exercise in futility because while there was clearly something going on, Kitty was growing more and more convinced that conventional reasons or theories were not behind it.
It was ideal for her to talk to people one-on-one. Sherlock didn’t have the right knack for interacting with the average citizen, he was harsh and often caused victims to pull back when all he wanted was cold hard facts. Joan had--well, he put her out of his mind as best he could. Having taken on a second protege made it difficult not to make comparisons, it caused him to be unfair at times, but he’d never admit to as much.
“I see,” he responded stiffly. “Might I advise a different text for your research, if this is the route you believe befitting my futile task beset upon you?”
If she didn’t argue with him, then the work they were doing together would have been for nothing. He didn’t say it enough that he appreciated her or valued her efforts, but Sherlock wasn’t much for sharing anything at all he didn’t deem absolutely vital to a case. Setting aside his frustrations with her jab at him with the text, albeit grudgingly, he was keen on seeing whether she would remain open for assistance.
“Or is the last stone you wish to step upon before finally visiting the victims of these preposterous dreams of alternate lives, dreams only denizens of this unfortunate spit of land appear to possess?”
Kitty well knew that she was the better choice for talking to people if it was between the two of them. But that didn’t mean she was a good choice for it. But she would take her victories where she had them as she did use logic at Sherlock, which meant he couldn’t begrudge her that.
“I have a few other books in my room to be read but I’m sure if you want to check them and see if you have something to add, you can do just that.”
It was her own way of saying yes, she would be fine with his input because she did value it. But without actually asking. It was the way the two of them worked though. Snark and offering advice in their own way. Sure they challenged one another but it was good. For both of them. No need to get complicite and fall into an easy routine.
“I think a bit more information is needed based on everything I’ve read about what people claim.” Because vampires and demons and god knew what else. More information was definitely going to be necessary to go into that mess with.
It had been an adjustment, working with Kitty. Frustrated though he may become, it was something he ultimately had required in order to carry on moving forward. She didn’t disappoint him, something of which was key in the way he treated her. Mistakes could be made, had to be made in order to learn with his process, but they were never held wholly against her, especially not when she justified her actions.
With or without snark.
He would, in fact, head to the study and pull a suggestion or two later on. Looking at her for a moment, he clicked his heels together as if to say that was the end of that.
“Well, then,” he began, voice sounding interested. “I will see what I have to offer your collection.” Just as he turned to leave, he glanced over his shoulder for one final word before leaving to get the novels he had in mind already, “I look forward to the results you reap, Kitty.”
That was enough positive reinforcement out of him, enough to last a month by his standards. So, he hastily made his leave.