10 ⚜ Audio

[restingstitchface]

[Anyone who's familiar with Crane will recognize his compulsive need to study fear. But what's the curious thing, here? His approach. His voice is as soft and calm as it had been upon his arrival. It gives an impression of frailty that's deliberately misleading. There was nothing about him that sounded like the Scarecrow. And that's the frightening thing.]

Machiavelli once said, "And here comes in the question whether it is better to be loved rather than feared, or feared rather than loved. It might perhaps be answered that we should wish to be both; but since love and fear can hardly exist together, if we must choose between them, it is far safer to be feared than loved."

I put his question to you all; is it better to be loved rather than feared, or feared rather than loved?

[He likes the idea of letting the piddling powers in this place believe he's behaving himself; listening to that silly therapist he'd encountered recently. Maybe his audience all be dishonest in their answers. Frightened. Scared. He indulges in a smile. He will have to confirm all of their opinions with an experiment, of course.]

Comments

[restingstitchface]

... Met who?

[itistolaugh]

When you know, you'll know. Oh, I'm so excited for you! There's so much for you to learn!

[restingstitchface]

I enjoy learning new things about the way people work. I'll look forward to it. Congratulations on a near-correct answer, by the way. Though you have neglected to mention one simple thing.

Love is born from fear. Humans love intensely because they fear loneliness. Among other things.

[itistolaugh]

That's just your pet theory. All you know about love is what you've read. You don't really know anything about it.

[restingstitchface]

[No, Harley. He's not going to sleep with you if you phrase your flirting in such a way that it makes him think of SCIENCE. his toxin doesn't even work on you. Instant turn-off.]

I've observed it enough to realize it's a secondary response. Unfortunately, people figure it's more and ascribe it importance when they should pay more respect to what frightens them.

[itistolaugh]

[ Wow she is not even thinking about you, Crane. SHE HAS OTHER INTERESTS. ]

Okay, well ... I mean, it's kinda hard to take you seriously when you just ignore everything that doesn't already fit your ideas.

[restingstitchface]

That's because such beliefs are wrong. And now you understand that, you might comprehend why I ignore you so much.

[itistolaugh]

[ She just siiiighs. So disappointed, Crane. So, so disappointed.

And full of pity. ]

You'd get it if you'd ever been loved. There's a whole world of experiences you have no context for.

[restingstitchface]

[He... doesn't get it at all. Love is a response to fear. And he is feared. That's the way it works. Why is that so hard to accept for people?

And don't think he missed that pitiful sigh. :| ]

I prefer real experiences to fake ones. I'm quite sad that you can't feel how glorious it is.

[Not.]

[itistolaugh]

Oh honey. Now you're just posturing.

[restingstitchface]

No I'm not. I'm being honest about my emotions.

[Buzzwords used by those psychiatrists who had met him recently - and those back home. One can almost imagine the airmarks around his derision. Harleen had received some training; she'd get it. Probably.]

[itistolaugh]

[ She laughs. She forgot that he can make jokes. ]

[restingstitchface]

You know, Harley, back home one of my old colleagues said it would be good to talk of what I'd gone through. So I obliged her and discussed the beauty inherent in my work. It's beautiful how dumb they are, isn't it?

[itistolaugh]

You won't be able to try that again, not here. Who would believe you have a better nature after that mess you made?

[ Her tone is meant to be scolding, but she can't commit to it. She only made the effort for the benefit of an audience. He knows better than to believe her for a second. ]

[restingstitchface]

[He smiles to himself, and almost laughs quietly.]

Who wouldn't?

[itistolaugh]

Are you gonna bat those baby blues and tell everyone that you're soooo sorryyyy?

[restingstitchface]

Oh, people have fallen for that without me needing to bat an eyelash. I'd prefer to try something new.

[itistolaugh]

Will you share with the class?

[restingstitchface]

No. They're all dumber than pond scum and will never understand the intricacies of my ideas.

[itistolaugh]

That's not a very nice thing to say about your fans, Scarecrow.

[restingstitchface]

[Message received and understood, Miss Quinn.]

I believe they'll survive.