inside

[arenaria]

Shell and Bell have worked out (well, Bell has worked out and Shell has tentatively commented on) a merging protocol that they think will work for them.

Shell's memories are going to be perfectly accessible, but they will not come up automatically in response to stimuli unless the resulting Shell Bell is expressly open to it. They will keep Shell's hard-earned tolerance to pain, insofar as that's separable (Shell is quite sure that she'd be able to make a pentagon if another situation as important as getting ahold of Sherlock to mint Juliet came up). All of Shell's insights about Sherlock's importance stay. Her itchy discomfort with Sherlock not getting her importance will be folded into Bell's resignation to same. The merged Shell Bell will be comfortable referring to either past in the first or third person, but will default to using "I" for Bell and "she" for Shell. She'll torch, but that's the only supernatural property Shell's bringing to the merger; she'll retain all Bell's magic. Shell looks a little older, but not much; they'll go with that, as they think torching probably conflicts with actually aging and they don't think twenty is the ideal place to sit forever and whatever Shell is supposed to be is closer. They are omitting the nightmares, good riddance.

"Last minute questions, comments, reasons to expect this to be a bad idea in some way?" Bell asks.

Shell shakes her head. She is looking forward to not being a separate person anymore.

Comments

[temporal_affairs]

[We'll be right along,] says Timer.

"Shall we, babe?"

[gunpowdergelatine]

The Joker kisses his cheek and teleports them to Shell's place.

[arenaria]

"...What happened to your scars?"

[gunpowdergelatine]

"Guess."

[arenaria]

"...How long did I leave you here for, that you found time to die?"

[temporal_affairs]

"Oh, measured in hours, no very lengthy holdup, he's just efficient," says Timer. "He's not out of his grace period yet, he's skipping out on a sentence with Jasmine. Do you know if torching works out of Downside?"

[arenaria]

"It works - and fuck Jasmine, I hope it bothers her for a thousand years that she can't find you - let's go."

[gunpowdergelatine]

"By the way," he says as he steps through the door, "mere hexes won't give me my minting back in a permanent way - did you dodge that with an evil? Could you gimme a hand? I can make the coin."

[arenaria]

"I did my merge with an evil. I haven't torched since, but I did mean to keep all of my magic as it was, and the coin went. If you give me a star to try, and an evil if that doesn't work, I can do it for you. Although maybe I should consult with Golden first, as long as we're going to your world."

[gunpowdergelatine]

"Sure," he shrugs.

[temporal_affairs]

"You've probably got a better shot than I do at getting a door to Aurum, babe," Timer says.

[she_sells_seashells]

"Are you coming, Sherlock?" Shell Bell asks.

[sicaria]

"If you need me to."

[gunpowdergelatine]

The Joker gives Timer a quick hug and tries the door.

[she_sells_seashells]

"I'd like the company, but I don't need it," says Shell Bell, "Elspeth gets doors very frequently and I won't have to stay much longer than I feel like."

[temporal_affairs]

"Ahhh, hello, Aurum," sighs Nathan into the doorway.

[her_imperial_radiance]

"...Hello?" says Elspeth, who found the door in the first place. "What's going on?"

[sicaria]

"I'll stay behind, then," says Sherlock.

[gunpowdergelatine]

"I found an extra Nathan! Can I keep him?"

[she_sells_seashells]

Shell Bell kisses Sherlock's cheek and steps through the door to Aurum. "Hi, Elspeth, we haven't met, I'm Shell Bell. There's a glitch in resurrection-with-evils called Downside. I need to talk to your mom, and the Joker and this extra Nathan need to talk to the Nathan here."

[temporal_affairs]

"Probably best if Kerron's not there to witness the explanation, and possible attempts by Nathan to relieve me of the burden of intact bones," adds Timer.

[gunpowdergelatine]

The Joker squeezes Timer's hand fondly.

[her_imperial_radiance]

"Mama - and Nathan - are both in the throne room. Rosalie has all the wee ones for the next while," says Elspeth, "Kerron included."

[she_sells_seashells]

"Thank you," says Shell Bell.

[gunpowdergelatine]

"You wanna take us there," he asks Shell Bell, "or should I?"