Values

[workthroughit]

The desk is back in the Nexus again. And the owner of it is once more behind it, hands folded primly in front of him. Set off to the side is a fountain pen and a pad of paper. The banker's light and the metronome rest on the desk as well, though both are turned off. The snow is cleared in a neat three foot circumference around his seat, and though he's in just a dress shirt and sweater vest, the cold doesn't seem to bother the doctor one bit.

"I wonder," Dr. Hill begins in his usual northern European accent, "What do you, as a person, value more? Honesty? Or loyalty?"

A simple question, really.

Comments

[workthroughit]

He sighs and leans back in his chair again, threading his fingers together. "I suppose this will always be the unique anxiety of being created by another, isn't it. I don't mean by methods of birth, but actually crafted.

"Food for thought, I suppose? Something to take with you next time you go and get your orders, hm?"

[rekindledtitan]

"I keep telling you, sitting and wondering isn't going to give me any answers." Difficult to sway, indeed. "What do you know about being created anyway, doctor?"

A title she hasn't even questioned: he sounds like a doctor and he didn't correct her - good enough, right?

[workthroughit]

Dr. Hill smiles.

Chuckles.

Then laughs.

"Ahahahah! Oh, what do I know! What do I know indeed!"

[rekindledtitan]

She folds her arms, gives him a very hard stare. "...Going to share the joke?"

Because that's rude. Also, unfair.

[workthroughit]

He settles down, tapering into fitful giggles behind a fist, waving off her question.

"Oh no, no. Nothing, it's nothing. I'm just very, very empathetic, of course! And it's my job to consider the hard questions of the psyche."

[rekindledtitan]

"Riight." It's not drawn out in sarcasm: that's the sound of suspicion that something's not right. She just can't quite find grounds worth challenging him on. "Pretty sure this is one area where training won't help you. But good luck with the rest."

[workthroughit]

"Oh certainly! One of the reasons I field these questions in the Nexus. Just honing the craft, as it were. Getting a feel for the workings of this place. And you've been very helpful in that respect. Thank you, Blaze."

[rekindledtitan]

"Uh-huh. Then I guess you're welcome... what's your name, doctor?"

[workthroughit]

"Dr. Hill. Dr. Alan Hill. Psychoanalyst and therapist." He stands and offers a business card! Not that he pulled it from a pocket or even had it in his hand before this. It simply is.

"I have a practice set up here in the Commercial District, should you ever wish to chat further."

[rekindledtitan]

She cocks her head - she definitely didn't miss that. She takes the card apparently just to inspect curiously. "Nice trick. Doubt I'll be paying you any calls, but... maybe we'll see you around."

That 'we' is explained, of course, as she turns to go, absently passing off the card to the little Ghost who peeps out from behind her at Dr. Hill for just a moment, then vanishes with the card.