slightlyoffchilt | - IC CONTACT POST FOR MASKORMENACE -

Then you agree. You cannot lie about not partaking in something that you are authentically not partaking in.

I -- I cannot be sure. [Technically, Raina wasn't fully human, true. Technically her genetic material included alien DNA. But would that matter to Lecter, given how gracefully human she appeared? Chilton's Baltimore hadn't the exposure to non-human humanoids. He couldn't say if Hannibal would be repulsed, or consider Raina all the more exquisite as a delicacy.]

It is possible that he would be enticed, given your uniqueness. Given... What you mean. To me.

I would rather not find out.

youre always thinking about number one agreed im now no longer under your exclusive care you have the necessary names for others who can improve your aim & i hope youll continue without me

[When he begins to speak, Edgeworth looks back at Crane immediately. His eyes are just a little bit wider, and his lips are parted ever so slightly. The change might be imperceptible to anyone else but not to someone watching him as intently as Chilton.

Ah, but then the other shoe drops. He will not be signed off. Edgeworth sucks in his breath, readying himself for rejection, but there's a small sliver of hope. He might have a second chance. Edgeworth tilts his head, and taps his finger against his sleeve, narrowing his eyes as he considers Chilton's offer]

My cooperation considering what, precisely?

[He speaks slowly, cautiously, carefully keeping his voice even and level. He's not going to start lobbing accusations at Chilton, not without solid evidence. However, he's not going to accept a deal like this without further information, especially considering what Kate told him about his reputation.]

[im scared he almost sends, so fitting to the idea of without me. He gets rid of it, shakes his head. He'd played as calm as he possibly could with Abigail, hadn't taken the opportunity to join in and panic right alongside her. Her scream had been so loud in his ears, all he could see was Hannibal's kitchen and her on the floor and him leaving and and and...he can't do that to Chilton, either. Chilton probably has some idea how Will's going on a roller coaster of fear, if not simply by virtue of knowing Hannibal and Will both, then by the way his typing has taken a complete dive in these few short messages. He must be going through one of his own, they all are.

Always the savior, Will. Even in situations where you may not want to be.]

goodbye frederick ill talk to you soon

[Suck it up, Graham. Nobody likes a whiny savior. And, again, if he asserts he'll come back from this just fine, it'll be true. Right?

If not, at least he said goodbye. That's polite. All things considered.]

[ It meant the world to her, his concern. His care and dread -- proofs as they were of his emotions. She was still not used to such concerns being offered over her person. ]

I'll be fine.

[ She reached up, her hand caressing his cheek and she willed it to be steady and not betray her trembling emotions. ]

I'm a survivor like you. We'll be fine. If we take the appropriate precautions. Tell me more about him.

[ She let go of his face and patted the space beside her. ]

Tell me everything you think is important to know, and hold me close as you do so?

[ Because that would reinforce the strength of their bond and how they could not allow Hannibal Lecter to break it. ]

I have more than only myself to think about.

[Justification, thought Chilton. This was justification. Will Graham had to be taken off the chessboard for now, in order to please both Walt and Hannibal, and potentially rescue Raina.

To certainly rescue Raina. This needed to ensure her safety -- because what else could? And his dread didn't stop with her; after Raina, there was Reggie Mantle, there was Abduxel. Chilton was not sure if Hannibal would take much of an interest in his collection, but he knew how obsessed the monstrosity would be over Will's own. He knew he could depend on that onslaught of territorial domination, he knew he could buy a little time.

He wanted his kingdom to have a moat, and if it needed blood to fill it, then so be it. At their very spines, these Baltimoreans knew how to sacrifice to save. And as that dust settled, as that moat began to flood, justification was all Chilton could offer by means of a goodbye.]

I told her I would but-

But then she left, and I didn't have the energy to try and find a new doctor.

Full disclosure. Of what -- precisely -- Jonathan Crane had done to you. Of why you went to him in the first place. Enough to fill another hour or two, quite honestly, of conversation.

[It seemed so minimal, compared to what Chilton asked of some of his other patients; but sacrifice was relative. He appreciated how this would be difficult for the lawyer -- as loquacious and argumentative as Edgeworth could be, it was obvious that displayed introspection wasn't something he was eager to engage in. No doubt Miles had contributed ample thought to Crane's motivation, to the sequence of events, to where it all went wrong; over expression was not the same as silent cognitive consideration, however.

But that is what Chilton required.]

I need to know the extent of the damage, Miles.

[Edgeworth breathes in deep, and nods. This is...fair. It's unpleasant, yes, and the use of the word damage almost makes him recoil; it does, however, make him flinch, despite his best efforts to control himself. But it's fair. Most importantly, though, it's nothing unethical. Chilton is not a threat.

Yes.]

Is that something you have planned for our next session, Doctor, or is it something you wish to begin now?

Whatever suits you best. I will not release you to the Major General until I am confident in your stability. Can't have agents of RISE suffering traumatic flashbacks amidst whatever duty calls for, you understand.

[Even in the containment of a courtroom scenario, Edgeworth needed to be on his top game. And for his actions beyond that setting, well, stability was all the more pertinent.]

A minimum of another session, a maximum of -- well. I know you have no interest in routine sessions. I will accommodate you.

[Chilton hesitated. Edgeworth did demonstrate cooperation, he had been level-headed (emotional outbursts aside, this was a difficult situation after all) and conversational. He was open to possibility. Opportunity. Chilton realized there was a risk in sharing his deepest concern, but he needed Edgeworth's gaze pinpointed on Crane. He needed that motivation cemented at the disgraced psychiatrist.]

I -- hrm. I do not believe Crane is too unsophisticated for psychic driving. [Raina had told Chilton as much, concerning Hiro.] During our limited sessions, I want to ensure he did not, to any degree, invoke brainwashing techniques upon you.

[Edgeworth nods along at first. He'd be lying if he said Chilton's words didn't sting, but his concerns are valid. He just needs another session to prove himself, is all.

Then Chilton mentions psychic driving. The term is unfamiliar to him, and Edgeworth furrows his brow. Ah, but then he brings up brainwashing. Edgeworth's eyes widen immediately, and he stiffens up as he stares at Chilton.

He has a fairly good idea of what psychic driving is, now.]

So you think he- [He holds his hand up, before he balls it into a fist and sets it on his lap] So you think he changed me.

Beyond what you already know?

[Chilton obeyed her nonverbal suggestion, and slipped down right beside her. He wrapped his arm around her shoulder, giving it a light squeeze. His eyes were attentive, magnetized to her face.]

A cannibalistic serial killer -- he is psychopathic. He considers himself unique and revels in the company of others he considers to be equally unique. In my world, that amounts to one man. Will Graham. Hannibal isn't compelled by motivation other than his own loneliness. He is cruel because he can be, his god complex dictates that he can be anything.

Surely this is not comforting?

I think it is possible that he changed you, yes. Or specifically -- I think he could have influenced your subconscious.

[It would not be necessarily simple to survey if Crane had or had not, but given how Edgeworth was treated so differently by the local terrorist, Chilton was willing to bet that Miles Edgeworth was something at least a little special to Crane.

Luckily for Edgeworth, Chilton was also highly versed in psychic driving. Sometimes it took a thief to catch a thief.]

I will be upfront: this will not be an easy discussion. If he had done anything to you in that manner, it would have been during your most traumatic moments.

[There's some hesitation before he answers.]

It was. A man named Ivar.

[Tobias speaks the name with a combination of regard and contempt. He swallows, and as he continues, his voice becomes low and quiet. Unburdening himself like this is new and different, so he still feels of two minds when it comes to opening up. After all, he's spent far too long guarding himself by hiding and keeping secrets. That, and before now, he's only ever told this story to one person.]

I met him one night when I sneaked out to see a traveling circus. No one special or important or out in the forefront. Just the caretaker of animals who came upon me when I was wandering about after the show. Then I went to visit the following night; at the time, I'd thought I was attacked by a bear, but now I know what really happened.

[He takes a deep breath.]

Maybe this sounds ridiculous; I thought it did when I first heard. But Ivar had a pact with a siren, one of those monsters that lures humans to a certain place, not with its voice but with its mind. To pay the price of this pact, Ivar would obtain a beating heart from a live human, one each day, every day of the year. And that night, it was to be my turn. [His brows furrow, and he curls one of his hands into a fist.] Only for some reason, he couldn't go through with it. I was a mess when he finally reached me and asked if I wanted to live. "I don't want to die," is what I answered, and so the change came to pass. He taught me how to survive, and then one night, he was gone.

[A beat.] Still didn't change the fact that I don't want to die.

[That is the main reason Tobias does what he does. It's not that he necessarily wants to live, but more importantly, he doesn't want to die.]

[ Her arms wrapped around his waist as she leaned against him, listening. Was it comforting? A little bit. Raina knew how to deal with men who had god complexes. She knew how to deal with murderers incapable of remorse, and those who wished to have the world bend to them. And though the cannibalistic aspect of it was different, unique -- Hannibal's overall profile sounded like a lot of the men she had dealt with back home. ]

It will be a hard fall for him from the top. [ The words were spoken with a faint little smirk. ] I suspect the newfound powers will give him confidence. He will believe himself to be even more godlike in nature. He will rise even higher in his confidence. But. Eventually. He will plummet.

[ She tilted her head up to look at him. ]

You could always run him over with a car. Or several.

I saw the network. How are you doing?

[Chilton shuddered, imagining Hannibal with powers. He shook he head, melting off that iced horror, and leaned in to kiss Raina's cheek.]

Let us hope that, if ever he were ported in, then his powers would be something more useless. Perhaps the ability to summon a plaid suit? Although -- [now that he thought about it] -- I cannot be certain that he hasn't always been able to do that, even back home.

But I don't disagree. The mighty tend to fall. And we will be there to step on his shattered pieces, won't we?

[Chilton is quick to evaporate -- he couldn't tell Raina the extent, he couldn't let her worry.

But it gnawed at Chilton, just as Hannibal had intended.]

He rendered something worse than death for me. "Mercy seems to be remiss from modern medicine" -- that is what he said to me.

[ There's a prolonged pause. An uncomfortable pause. What could he do when there are things so far out of his control? What could he do to prevent Chilton from experiencing the future? ]

Well. It's a good thing you're here and not there. It's good because now you can be the one to bring his ruin.

I'm not -- I am not sure that -- [His voice trembled. Chilton's major Achilles Heel was the man who called Will Graham Patroclus.]

This is all a game to him. Will Graham I were going to catch Hannibal, and now he is here to catch us.

[ Walt laughed. ]

Chilton, no one is going to catch you. You wanted Heisenberg, you got him. I will not let ANYONE touch my things.

He can have Will Graham. Good riddance. But you. You are mine.

[Out of the frying pan and into the fire. But that wasn't how Chilton saw it; his paranoia and dread over Hannibal Lecter easily blinded him to the brunt of what Walter White was saying. He yearned to be reassured, and that was precisely what Walt was doing. Reassuring him. Offering him the solace of protection. Soothing his woes.]

How could this have gone so wrong? He insinuated that he transformed Will Graham -- forced him into "becoming", was his pedantic correction. As if I had overlooked something inherent in Will. I do not even know what year Hannibal comes from.

Listen to me. Listen to me.

What this implies is what you must have known deep down all along. Will Graham is a lost cause -- too corrupted and tainted by your world's devil. If you try to cling to the traces of the man who you claimed as a friend, he will drag you right through the fire to burn alongside him.

Let him go, Chilton. Let him go now and save yourself. You don't need either of them to be the superior one.

[ A beat. ]

Why don't you come with me? We'll go away for a week. I have a safehouse that isn't the cabin. We can stay there while you figure everything out.

I cannot, Walt. I cannot simply leave my practice, my staff, my girlfriend. I cannot allow Hannibal to disrupt my life with his mere entrance onto the stage -- it isn't fair.

[Vaguely pouty Frederick Chilton, already cursing the inequity of life's gamble.]

He invited me to meet with him, you know. He called me his esteemed colleague. Ironic coming from his mouth, perhaps. I managed to sidestep the first attempt.

I know he will meet with Will.

Edited 2015-09-13 23:01 (UTC)

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