this didn't go as well as Eastwood's escape

[longlived]

A back alley in London. Body parts fall to the streets. Two hands. The forearms. Feet, legs, a hollowed torso in several pieces, internal organs. A human head. Each of the parts is light enough that a falcon could conceivably transport it from one place to another in its claws, and the blood is all clinging. Altogether, these parts would make a full human being--short one eye.

Huey has only done this once before, so it takes some time before his body reassembles. Like cells of an organism, like a well-coordinated swarm of ants, his flesh and bones and organs pull themselves back together, joints locking in and blood flowing once more. He is now as whole in body as he was that day he was made immortal, minus an eye and a ponytail. Huey Laforet looks around him, and in a calm, quiet voice, calls for his youngest daughter.

"Leeza? ...Hilton?"

But there is no answer, and the streets beyond don't sound like 1930s Chicago. Nor did this place seem to have any connection to Alcatraz. So. Something didn't go to plan. (Again.)

"Ah."

But at least he has the clothes he had asked the Poet to fetch. He may as well dress and go looking for answers. He places a hand over his empty eye socket and wishes Renee the best.

[blah blah spam or prose, I don't care which, apologies for his lack of social, you know the drill]

Comments

[longlived]

"It's good you know your limits," Huey notes, but persists. "If I don't understand, that's more reason to pursue it. Please, Erika. Unless it's too much trouble, let me test the limits of my mind."

[intellectualrapist]

"...I can respect a pursuit of the truth more than most people," she acknowledges, watching him with cautious eyes. "Ah, you could even say I'm a patron of the truth. But, I could explain if you wish to see your limits. I can't deny myself with it."

The last part is casual, for herself and not him.

[longlived]

"Whatever you are comfortable with." If Huey decides that Erika is a specimen, Erika's comfort will be totally irrelevant. But for the moment, she is an innocent, and Huey keeps his promise. "There is not a phenomenon in any universe that is not worth study."

He wants to know the limits of mortal and immortal, of his mind, of humanity. He wants to know how to make a true homunculus, a thing that knows all and is capable of anything. He wants to turn back time. So he wants to know.

[intellectualrapist]

Even if she no longer carries a witch title, she became a real Witch of Truth when she accepted herself. So, anyone pursuing such truth falls under her scrutiny. Scientists, now that she thinks about it, are probably the worst and best truth seekers. Well as long as he doesn't attack her, she doesn't see any harm in answering him.

"I died on October 4, 1986. I also did not die. I was 'saved' by a witch with the ability to manipulate probabilities. She can also weave those probabilities together to make something new." Erika shrugs and puts a hand on her chest. "Since I can't really be alive, she formed me out of different possibilities until I became this. I lost some memories and identity but I live well enough, see?"

[longlived]

"Forgive me, but a witch?" There is nothing in the question to suggest that the term has special meaning to him. Instead, he pursues the clarification of a term, "That ability seems extreme even for a human that has contracted with devils."

[intellectualrapist]

Even if it doesn't hold special meaning, considering his status as 'immortal', it's likely witches don't bring about the same playful imagery as they do in Erika's time.

"A witch, yes. It's what we call humans who reach a certain level of magic. Witches have titles which designate what magic they specialise in. As far as power goes...some of the highest can create universes and shape them with ease."

[longlived]

That power sounds beyond even what the demon possessed. "Can the universes they create possess laws different from those they know as their origins?"

[intellectualrapist]

"I suspect as much. I've never met any personally. I don't think I would want to." From the little she's heard, even Bernkastel and Lambdadelta fear them. "But even a regular witch is powerful enough."

[longlived]

"And how are witches created? Ah, perhaps I should clarify the earlier point of ambiguity. As an alchemist, I was both interested in the empirical--the scientific--and accepting of the mystic. So I would not myself have termed our work magical." There was too much methodology in it, for all its mysticism.

[intellectualrapist]

Knowing the answer is useless if you can't find the words to explain it. Erika frowns and folds her arms once, then shifts to fold them a different way.

"One can become a witch by being sponsored by another witch. The way to become a witch...can vary from person to person. A person can be reborn as a witch by overcoming difficult trials." She cracks a smile. "It is difficult to clarify."

[longlived]

"Then please clarify the matter of worlds. It is arrogance, perhaps, but if there were witches such as these in my universe, I can't imagine they would have escaped my attention." Perhaps the demon is one, or something equivalent. Once he was an alchemist, he said, but Huey sees there is more to his beginnings than even that.

[intellectualrapist]

"It is likely arrogance if they do exist in your world. If they don't, then that's that." Erika laughs and raises her hands in a 'who knows?' gesture. "Witches only reveal themselves when they have sufficient power or a reason to. They're fickle people."

[longlived]

Well, no matter. He'll look when he returns. He will find them if they exist, and that's enough. "Are there known witches in this world? Or do you believe that because you know of constants through many worlds, these constants hold in all worlds?"

[intellectualrapist]

"Witches here...? Well, I'm a former witch." Erika pauses to curtsy to him with a giggle. "A witch who is not a witch also exists. A witch who comes and goes as she pleases exists and potential witches also live here. I know all of them from my own world. Therefore, if other witches exist, I don't know of them or if they're from my world."

[longlived]

He decides there is no point in dissecting her. Magic is not something that can be reverse-engineered. That is its nature. So in that respect, she is not worth turning into a specimen. "Former? Did you get bored of it?"

There's a smile. It's a joke. But it's a smile still lacking in human emotion.

[intellectualrapist]

"Not exactly. It was taken from me." Erika smiles, too, but her smile is almost wistful. She doesn't miss being a witch. But it's a strange thing to think about now. "I'm only human, just with a few modifications."

[longlived]

"Aging?"

[intellectualrapist]

"I age. I'm just difficult to kill."

[longlived]

"More durable? You don't heal." It's an assumption, but a well-founded one. The only immediate way to test it would be to cut her open, and mortals frequently respond badly to that.

[intellectualrapist]

"Correct. I'm also much faster." Though, she adds silently in a sort of bitter way, that she still ranks fairly low of the meta beings. But it could be worse.

[longlived]

"Why?" Being Frankenstein's monster perhaps does give advantages. Even so, he must ask.

[intellectualrapist]

Putting a hand over her heart, she smiles. "I am the Detective. Have you read many mystery novels? I was designed to be a perfect detective. I have a photographic memory which retains everything. My hearing is also perfect. I can hear through walls with complete accuracy. High endurance and speed is good for my work, but it does mean I'm a good fighter, too."

Which explains why she speaks with confidence. Whatever her ranking in her world, she isn't afraid of anyone here.

[longlived]

"Ah." It meant, Ah, yes. He has read mystery novels. "Exceeding the limits of human capability or reaching them? It would be unfair for a detective to be super-human."

Of course, Huey's vision of 'the limits of human capability' are adjusted to account for the likes of Felix Walken, Ladd Russo, and Graham Specter.

[intellectualrapist]

A man of many words, that Huey. "It's possible a human could reach this level. But it's extremely unlikely."

[longlived]

"No." The denial was clear but also calculated and utterly devoid of ardour. "If it is possible for a human to reach that level, then it is not even likely. It is certain."