The Adventure of the Endless Ocean: Inbox

[astudyinviolet]

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Blame the change in month

[astudyinviolet]

[ He holds the image of the watch for a little while longer before he gets bored with the pocket watch. He switches to imagining a magnifying glass hovering over a flower petal. Sherlock even tries to have the petal magnify properly under the lens. It's a far more complex image to hold in his mind. Like before, the image starts vague and sharpens to be in more detail. ]

... Is this really it?

it's definitely been A Month x_x

[emet_sulk]

[ At this, Emet-Selch can't help but chuckle. He does his best to stifle it by covering his mouth but he still ends up shaking his head in amused exasperation. ]

Well, I wasn't expecting you to do so well on the first try. Do you want me to make the spell more complex? I suppose I may as well alter it so that it attempts to distract you while you focus.

No kidding @_@

[astudyinviolet]

[ Story of Sherlock's life. He's very good at some things and absolutely horrible at others. ]

That would be closer to what the purpose of this exercise. Distractions are a way to get into someone's mind without full mind control.

[ And thus, Sherlock would be more comfortable with it. ]

[emet_sulk]

Quite. Give it here, then.

[ Assuming Sherlock hands back the crystal, Emet-Selch will begin redesigning the spell within. ]

What do you find most distracting then, ser? Flies buzzing? The screech of nails on chalk? Or perhaps...dead silence?

[astudyinviolet]

[ He hands over the crystal as he thinks of what sounds could distract him the most. Dead silence had been distracting when he had nothing to occupy his thoughts. He craves another voice to end his solitude. He misses Jon and John.

Focusing on something within silence keeps Sherlock from getting so lost. That will not work for this. ]

Foreboding chanting in a language I do not understand accompanied by drum beats. Or a fool speaking falsehoods in a language I do understand.

[ The former for the eldritch cultist implications. The latter because Sherlock would want to argue and correct the person. ]

... The sounds of being submerged and remaining underwater.

[emet_sulk]

[ He hums acknowledgement. Seems the man has a specific distaste for religious and foolish behaviour. If he factors in what Sherlock told him before, it would be a little difficult to have the crystal project enough variation of speech to be properly distracting without drawing upon the man's own psyche...

Underwater sounds it is, then. And perhaps he can add faint drumbeats?

Adjusting the spell takes a few minutes, Emet-Selch tracing lines and symbols over the surface of the crystal which then seem to sink in. Once he's satisfied, he hands it back to Sherlock. ]

Try that.

[astudyinviolet]

[ Sherlock takes the crystal and holds it in his hands like before. The pocket watch would be a fitting image to reproduce in order to test how the sounds effect him. And effect him they do. The image wavers as if it is underwater, shimmering as drum beats cause a rippling effect. The pocket watch itself lacks the same level of detail, even distorting in areas separate from the water effects.

The detective holding the crystal also looks a lot more disturbed and even, to some extent, afraid. It's just a crystal. These are just sounds. But they bring to mind darker emotions and fears Sherlock struggles with. ]

[emet_sulk]

[ He watches carefully. The image wavers - which is good; it means the distraction is functioning as intended. Sherlock seems perturbed though, which is not what Emet-Selch had intended. But perhaps that suits the other man just fine...? After all, he had merely selected based on their answer. ]

How is it? Would you prefer something different?

[astudyinviolet]

[ Perturbed is one way to describe how Sherlock feels. ]

It's... it fine. This will do the job.

[ Emotions and trauma are a distraction. If he could focus his mind while being assaulted by them, then he'll be all the more difficult to control, wouldn't he? Does it work that way? At the very least, it would help him to keep focused on a case should it touch on these things. (Which in this world usually involves water. ]

[emet_sulk]

Very well.

[ If Sherlock is satisfied (as much as one can be satisfied with such a thing) then he will let it be. ]

I shall take my leave, then. If you would like me to adjust it or its magic fades, do let me know, hmm?

[astudyinviolet]

[ ooc: Sorry for the late. I've been ill. ]

I shall. Thank you for this.

[ And he does mean it. The crystal may bring up unpleasant emotions, but he feels that is what he needs to protect himself against. ]