unreliable doorstop

[temporal_affairs]

Here they are, having a cute post-death reunion!

Comments

[manofmyword]

"Ooh, who's that?"

[lookingforwardtoit]

"Chainsaw is a torturer," says Eights. "He's very friendly. I'm getting the sense you guys would get along."

[temporal_affairs]

"Torturers are exactly what they sound like," adds Timer helpfully.

[manofmyword]

"Fun," says the Joker. "Fun is what they sound like."

[temporal_affairs]

"You'll have to get Eights to introduce you, 'cause I can't. And you'll have to work around the fact that any torturer here is used to their playthings being able to torch," Timer adds as an afterthought.

[manofmyword]

"'Torch', meaning...?"

[lookingforwardtoit]

"I'd demonstrate, but I don't have anything sharp on me," says Eights.

[temporal_affairs]

"Bet you do, though, babe," says Timer, holding a hand out in the Joker's direction.

[manofmyword]

Laughing, he produces a knife—whether by sleight of hand or magic is anybody's guess—and hands it over.

[temporal_affairs]

"You want to do the honors, Eights, or shall I?" Timer inquires.

[lookingforwardtoit]

"Mmm, gimme," she says, and takes the knife and gets out of bed and cuts her throat. Carpets are easier to clean than mattresses, and blood lingers after a—

Very real-looking flames spring up, consuming her body while leaving everything else untouched. The knife drops to the floor. She coaelsces again in exactly the same spot, exactly the same pose, but intact and spotless.

"Torch," she says, with a ta-daa sort of gesture.

[manofmyword]

"Well," says the Joker. "I bounce back pretty fast, too, remember?"

[temporal_affairs]

"I do remember, babe, but now you know what it should look like if you wanna fool somebody," shrugs Timer.

[manofmyword]

"Should I wanna fool him?"

[lookingforwardtoit]

"...How fast do you bounce back, exactly?" inquires Eights. "Because if you're not dead but you're difficult to kill, he is so gonna take that as a challenge."

[manofmyword]

"Oooooooooh."

[temporal_affairs]

"Very fast," says Timer, "when he's not deliberately suppressing the regen. Very, very fast. I dunno what would happen if Chainsaw tried to cut his head off or something, though."

[manofmyword]

"Well, now I wanna find out," he says brightly.

[temporal_affairs]

"I have no idea what happens if you die in Downside, babe, but there's some chance that you and Nathan and the munchkin don't like the answer," Timer says. "I don't know of anybody else hereabouts with magic. Might be a reason."

[manofmyword]

He waves a hand. "I unkilled you, remember? Goldie's got the coins. If I don't come back, they can fix it. Bell's girlfriend fixed her, and she was atomized."

[temporal_affairs]

"Uh, you unkilled one of me. I'm doing okay here, sure, but d'you want to split in two, one of which never gets to see Kerron again?"

[manofmyword]

"Sweetie," he says, "I love you, but you really don't get it about me and risk, do ya."

[lookingforwardtoit]

"I get it," volunteers Eights.

[temporal_affairs]

"I never did fully understand that," concedes Timer, shrugging. "Your life, do what you wanna do with it, split in two or julienne yourself like matchstick fries, as you like."

[manofmyword]

The Joker giggles and hugs him.