[video] Nowadays it is only the unreadable that occurs

[depicted]

[Dorian posts from his Fire Sector suite, a transcription of some pages of books he found in the Emperor's library in hand. The transcription is, of course, in the local language, and that is why he speaks]

In the interest of actually being able to read anything useful we might come across, rather than puzzling over it like it's the Voynich manuscript, I thought it might be prudent to attempt to gather together the work of those of us who have been trying to crack the language. I know there are at least a few—if there are resources to be shared, then we may all make a bit more progress. [He has been working on this for some time, and it is audible in every stubborn syllable.] At the very least, it can't possibly hurt.

Comments

[depicted]

[Dorian is notably less concerned. His is the constant reassurance that life won't take from him those two particular gifts of youth and beauty.] Nothing has kept me killed yet.

[monstrous]

[Toby's concern quickly shifts to amusement] How many times have you tested it since you've been here?

[depicted]

At least once a night, since you got here. [Also, zombies. And burning his hand. And breaking his leg because of the carpet.]

[monstrous]

And before that?

[depicted]

Oh, I don't know. Zombies killed me a couple times, and I burned myself more than once fighting them, and I know I've broken a few limbs because of the carpet. [Dorian could, hypothetically, remember every individual injury he has experienced since arriving on the turtle. But why would he want to?]

[monstrous]

I thought zombies didn't want to touch you with a ten foot pole?

[depicted]

[Watch it.] They only worked that out after taking a bite.

[monstrous]

You said they got you a couple times.

[depicted]

They didn't speak: it isn't as if they could communicate the whole soulless thing to each other.

[monstrous]

One zombie bite killed you each time or was it a horde type situation? [Now he just wants to know, because horror movies are cool, too]

[depicted]

[Now he's getting irritable again.] It depends, I went out a lot, there were a lot of zombies. Do you really want the gruesome details of every single time I got bitten?

[monstrous]

[Unmoved by the irritability, Toby pushes on] Why did you keep going out? [Toby needs to sit down with Dorian and give him genre-savvy survival guidelines. Next thing Dorian is going to tell him he went to check on something in the basement or ran up the stairs instead of going out the back door]

[depicted]

[In fact, Dorian clears his throat, looks down, scratches the back of his neck.] I wanted to . . . you know. I'm immortal, they didn't go after me, so—it wouldn't really cost me anything, to . . . [very quietly] To try to help people.

[monstrous]

[Toby pauses, and then moves a little closer to Dorian, his hand moving to rest on Dorian's head, his fingers drumming gently before he begins to softly pet Dorian's hair] You really are turning into a regular hero. They could probably make a zombie hunter series out of that. Zombies can't stand the taste of his justice and bravery, or something like that. I'd watch that sort of show, even if it might be a bit cheesy. [a beat, and then Toby is smiling brightly, ducking his head down so he can get a better look at Dorian's downturned face] It could be called something like Gray Matter, because of zombies and brains and on account of your name!

[depicted]

[Despite himself, Dorian starts laughing. Toby is good for him like this.] That title is awful. I can't believe you.

[monstrous]

I'd like to hear you come up with something better.

[depicted]

It wouldn't be a pun, for one. [Because The Picture of Dorian Gray contains absolutely no double meanings, right.]

[monstrous]

Puns are great for titles. Just ask your Oscar. [Yeah, Toby went there.]

[depicted]

Oscar's puns were clever. [Dorian doesn't even care how illogical this reasoning is.]

[monstrous]

Your puns wouldn't be?

[depicted]

Yours aren't.

[monstrous]

We're not talking about mine. You said if you were to title a series you wouldn't use puns. Either that's a condemnation on all pun titles or it's an admission that yours would be rubbish. So which is it, you or Oscar?

[depicted]

[He refuses to let this logic win.] We're both good, you're the one who uses awful puns.

[monstrous]

Then why wouldn't you use a pun?

[depicted]

Because I'd prefer not to.