several kinds

[thaumobabble]

Glass appears in the Belltower, where the Jokers less Felicity are still assembled.

"There are," she announces, "kinds of you."

Comments

[pythbox]

"So what do we call the other thing?" says Jellybean. "The kinds. Just 'kinds'?"

[thaumobabble]

"Clusters, maybe?"

[pythbox]

"'Clusters'. Sure," says Jellybean. "What are they? I mean, can you tell us anything about the way that Corona and the new kid are different from the rest of us are different from the extras?"

[thaumobabble]

"Not just by looking at you. Maybe if I looked at you next to whatever's different, or something. I mean, I can make guesses. It's near the requisite-amount-of-suffering attractor..."

[pythbox]

"It could be the obvious thing," says Corona. "It almost has to be the obvious thing, at least partly, doesn't it?"

[thaumobabble]

"Er, what obvious thing, should I know the obvious thing?"

[manofmyword]

"No, I don't think you do," says the Joker.

[pythbox]

Corona sighs.

"The big group of us that you said was one cluster, they all grew up with a dad who hit them," he says. "Or would've, in Harley's case. I grew up with a stepdad who raped me. He hit me, too, but it's the other thing that's different."

[thaumobabble]

"Oh. Um, should Elspeth know?"

[pythbox]

"I dunno, should she?" says Corona. "I don't know her as well as some of you guys."

[thaumobabble]

"Of people in this room probably Harley knows her best, but mostly I mean - will it affect how she ought to interact with him? Is it likely to be important to him to have the chance to say or not say himself?"

[pythbox]

Harley and Corona glance at each other.

"...yeah," says Corona, "don't tell her. Yet, anyway. If she finds him so impossible to handle that she comes to us for advice, we can tell her then."

[thaumobabble]

"Everything seemed calm when I left."

[pythbox]

"Give it time," says Corona. "Now that we know he's one of me and not any of the rest of you."

[thaumobabble]

"I'm wondering now if I should warn Golden, only I'm not sure what there is to warn about."

[pythbox]

"Yeah," says Corona, "except that he'll do his damnedest to piss her off if he ever meets her, I guess." He adds after a reflective pause, "Probably. He'll probably do that. Might decide not to. We're not a hugely predictable bunch that way."

[thaumobabble]

"I imagine she will meet him. I mean, her daughter is being his guardian. She met Harley, didn't she."

[pythbox]

"She did," says Harley. "We get along okay."

[edgeofyourseat]

"...But it might be better if she hears what she's gonna hear about it before he pisses her off," says Alice. "I dunno."

[thaumobabble]

"Bells in general tolerate things with known explanations better than things without," says Glass after a moment's thought.

[edgeofyourseat]

"Yeah," says Alice. "But would that even be enough of an explanation for her?"

[thaumobabble]

"Well - what do you mean, 'enough'?"

[edgeofyourseat]

"I mean," says Alice, "if we tell her he's twelve years old and fresh out of hell and he's gonna be dealing with that by being a total little shit to everyone in sight, will she get it, or will she walk off thinking he should know better?"

[thaumobabble]

Glass lifts her hands. "What do you mean, 'get it'? I can pass on recommendations about what to do, and she'll more likely follow them than not. She is also more likely than not to privately think that she emerged from hell and promptly conquered the world."

[edgeofyourseat]

Alice sighs.